voice; un: mccoy - cw: eventual talk of starvation & related topics

[homeostatic]

( Good morning, shit sucks, what else is new. He's all-business, and all-pissed-off for them, any of his earlier levity gone: )

This is McCoy. I've completed my analysis of the food here. Not easy, as whatever seems to be affecting Kaidan's equipment is also affecting mine.

Everything we've been fed here has no nutrients. Scans I've taken of myself show acute malnutrition, which I can only assume are reflected in the rest of Group One's organic folks. Though we all lack physical symptoms, I'm not keen to test the limits of whatever potentially-orb-wrought horseshit's making us feel fine, and I don't want us to all collapse from organ failure when we get back to the station.

( A crack spiderwebs through his voice, but it's gone in his next breath. )

I've prepared emergency supplement packs for all of Group One who will need them. They should get you back to baseline, or as close to it, taken in tandem with meals every other day. You can pick them up in the clinic even if I'm not here. Group Two can pick theirs up starting Saturday, and Group Three the day after that. ( McCoy's tone turns severe: ) These packs are in limited supply, and have been made to address the specific nutrient losses of each group, not for distributing to your friends. If you think I'm talking about you, then I sure as Hell am.

I've also discovered that none of the animals here can serve as a viable food replacements-- eggs, chicken, mutton; there are no vitamins, minerals, no protein, no calories.

Those who brought rations with you, stick to eating them. If you have enough to share these next few weeks without harming yourself, do so. Unfortunately, I will have to ask everyone else to continue eating what's available to us. Not eating at all is not an option-- you might starve for real, as I won't have enough supplies left to keep your stubborn hide alive.

I'm not gonna sugarcoat this, once those packs are gone, that's it. Conserve your energy. Stretch what food supplies you do have. If you find yourself feeling weak or dizzy, comm me immediately. If I find out anything else, I'll let you all know.

Comments

Voice | High Noon

[spacedisaster]

Let me just say, from the bottom of my heart...

for Fuck's sake.

[ What is wrong with this place!!!! Spoiler: everything. ]

[homeostatic]

( He just sounds weary: )

You can say that again.

Voice | UN: d.johnson

[morethan084]

Shit.

[The whole old western had worn out quick, and this? Was definitely not helping.]

So everything here is fake. Or--

[The Framework.]

Someone else has brought it up and I agree with them, we're in some kind of simulation.

voice;

[homeostatic]

Planet's real, town's real, or at least it was real at some point. The water we're drinking is real, thankfully.

Voice; un: belova

[laviny]

Oh, that is not a cool way to die.

voice;

[homeostatic]

No. It isn't.

text ↪ 朱 (private)

[blackfire]

I have some additional rations. I will leave them with you for redistribution to those you consider medically to be at the highest risk.

( and... )

My body will drain my chakra to sustain itself before it begins to suffer organ failure — and my reserves are not inconsiderable. I would prefer you keep my nutrient pack for yourself.

private;

[homeostatic]

Thank you, Itachi, I'll make sure it gets to those who need it.

( gdi )

And I appreciate that, but you hold onto it. I'll be fine.

un: blue

[firstroar]

Then...for the sakes of those who were here the longest, we need to get to the root of this. Fast.

[yeehaw time to kidnap people and try digging into their brainmeats.]

[homeostatic]

We're definitely working against the clock.

( don't kidnap people!!! )

Voice. un. Kirigan

[cruelyethuman]

What about the snakes. They might be venomous, but that does not mean they're poisonous.

Could they be nutritious enough to sustain at least some of the group?

voice;

[homeostatic]

Has anyone been able to catch them, or are they disappearing in the mines?

voice; un: megatron

[flickerandfade]

Thank you for your work on this matter, Doctor. I'll be sure to keep an optic on those around me to ensure no one seems in danger of collapsing.

[ And that they're not swapping tablets. Not for the first time, Megatron feels a little relieved he doesn't rely on organic food. ]

voice;

[homeostatic]

Thank you, Megatron. I may- ( wait, nope, he's considering it guaranteed, ) I will need your help with intake when we get back to the station, if we're going to come in like this.

audio; un: lanxichen

[calmness]

There is no good news around any turn here.

I can rely on spiritual energy from my core to delay the need for solid food. [tim lan's about to change his tune on drinking, it seems.] Part of the contents of my emergency pack can be distributed to others who are in need sooner and I have rations to spare.

[homeostatic]

Keep eating solid food when you have the chance, you'll be out of my hair faster once we're back. There are entire other complications that'll happen if you start fasting, so damn well don't do it.

voice; un: finn; private

[hatejakku]

... So, there was once a man back home who was torn in half during a duel. He was so angry about being defeated that he used that anger to channel the Force and survived for several more decades.

[ It's a legend. Finn has no idea how long the man lived if he was even real. ]

The Force will help me survive. Keep my share. Give it to James.

[ Not even gonna sugar coat that wish with "oh give it to someone who needs it" blahblah, this mission's fucked and he's got priorities. Thankfully its not dire yet, and he can think about this guilt-free. ]

[homeostatic]

Sonuvabitch, Finn, no. Absolutely not.

un / text: starkov

[peasant]

[ pointedly, she relies on text — like a curtain to shield her worry, even if she's left to wonder if it bleeds through in the question, regardless. ]

how long do you think we have until the supplement packs run out?
especially for all of us who were in the first group.

voice;

[homeostatic]

( He understands the feeling, and it's why he's not leaving most of his conversations to text. They need to hear this from him directly. )

We should have two weeks, at most. Longer, if more people have rations they can spare, which many are offering.

video | un: stardust

[shadysided]

... Oh.

[That's not ideal. Well.]

If you'd been, say, exerting more energy than usual in a physically taxing kind of job — is that going to be a problem down the road?

voice;

[homeostatic]

I'm sorry, Ziggy. And right now... let's not borrow worry from tomorrow. See me when you can and I'll see what we're dealing with.

video | un: newt

[groupiedrifter]

I knew it. I knew the food where sucked ass for a reason!

[He's as graceful as ever in his delivery, but then the scientist in him starts getting worked up, too, as he bites his thumbnail and thinks critically for a moment.]

There's gotta be something we can do.

voice;

[homeostatic]

Unless you've got a suitcase full of non-perishables, you should put your efforts on finding that orb. What else do we know so far?

voice; un: stargirl

[bossily]

[well this is just great. really. it just adds an extra layer of fun to the hellscape they've found themselves in]

This is exactly why I had been making supply kits for people to bring on missions. Adding supplements to them is a good idea.

[He's handling taking care of things in the present, she'll start worrying about getting everyone taken care of in the immediate future and beyond.]

How long do you see the these packs lasting? And more importantly - did you make sure to set one aside for yourself?

voice;

[homeostatic]

( Just another drop on the rollercoaster, hopefully the last. )

Worst thing I thought we'd deal with was a lack of vitamin c, not... everything.

( He rubs his eyes. )

Should get us two weeks. We can stretch it a bit, since several folks have rations they can share.

[construing]

[ night has fallen by the time a quiet knock comes on the glass of clinic’s window, before gwen slides it open. ]

Knock, knock.

[ gwen crouches on the sill, dressed in black. another day, she would be more careful with her powers, but…there doesn’t seem to be much of a point left. ]

Got a delivery for you.

[homeostatic]

( Working at the desk in a small circle of (artificial) lamplight, he looks up at the knock, and settles back in his chair. )

Gwen. Y'know the door works just fine.

( It's a light tease, idle under the pensive cloud he's been under all day. )

What've you got?

audio; un: nightmoves

[ruinously]

Well, that's just friggin' great.

I brought some rations with me, just in case - stuff from the station, granola, whatever cereal I could fine.

[ standard non-perishables. ]

Haven't been eating them, didn't think I needed 'em. Push comes to shove, I can share with people in that first group, or whoever needs it.

audio;

[homeostatic]

Start filling up then. Share if you're able. Come 'round the clinic when you can, I want to check your vitals.

( Dean and everyone else's, let's be real. )

text - un; jaegermeister

[unbreachable]

I brought rations too. I can share.

voice;

[homeostatic]

Thank you, Raleigh. How are you holding up?

( lbr he's concerned for everyone, and then he's Real Concerned for certain patients of his, those more susceptible to complications from this kind of fuckery. )

text | un: goodvibes

[aurable]

This just accelerated the timeline significantly.

Before we left, I volunteered to keep a limited amount of supplies in my alt mode. Nothing special, barely enough for one group for any amount of time. You can have them, of course.

voice;

[homeostatic]

It'll keep folks alive. That's plenty damn special, Drift. Thank you.

I'll run by the stables tonight and pick it up.

audio; un: Sabriel.Abhorsen

[bindsthedead]

I understand. We're on a time limit. I'll pick up the supplements and try to stretch what supplies I do have. I've heard stories of mages using magic to sustain themselves without food, but I don't know those spells. [Sabriel's voice is measured and controlled. Starvation is a slower death than she'd expected for herself, but- they've got a likely lead on the orb, and she trusts in the crew to recover it. But just in case...]

As for what happens when we run out... I still have Remi's notes, from Kilnan. They discuss using magic to rip open a way between worlds. I've never tried to do it- I'm not even sure if I can, but-

If all else fails, we can try using that to escape. If only to somewhere with food, or- maybe even use it to get back to the station.

audio;

[homeostatic]

We shouldn't go punching holes in spacetime. That's just my opinion, though I'm sure you'll do whatever you're gonna do anyway.

( His tone has just enough familiar exasperation to not be aggressively rude, just... moderately so. Guess who's wrapped on some frustrating conversations? )

{private} text; un: doctor.disco

[attackbrows]

Leave my supplement packs with Clara. This body doesn't require daily nutrients like the majority of organic lifeforms here. Just note that she is stubborn and will likely be very cross about someone having the audacity to check in on her.

But Clara comes first. Take care of her.

[And leaves it at that. He is well aware that Doctor McCoy has his work cut out for him and time is of the essence. They've got their work cut out for them.]

private;

[homeostatic]

Oh, she's gonna love that.

un: dragongirl

[catchatting]

So what the hell are we eating?

[ And here Zari thought she was eating oldschool organic... ]

I might not be a doctor, but I have helped formulate health supplements before if you need a hand.

voice;

[homeostatic]

The nutritional equivalent of cardboard. Just what it is, exactly, I don't have an answer for.

( And let's be real, the part of him that wants to know for certain finds its mirror, because he also absolutely does not want to know. )

Everything's formulated, I just need to wrap up packs, if you're up for some busywork.

text | un: andy

[oiorpata]

[ ugh starvation is one of the most annoying ways to die. ]

I brought a few rations with me from the ship, but I don't know how well they can be evenly dispersed. At least maybe for those of us from the first group it'll be a little more.

People are talking about the fire snakes as a potential source of food. I can test it in terms of survivability, and under your supervision if you prefer. And please don't argue with me about the dangers of it. I have a kind of built in poison immunity.

voice;

[homeostatic]

If you don't have much, hold onto it.

( Maybe moving on a bit quick because, oh come on, )

I don't- None of y'all need to eat the snakes! I have equipment here that can judge its safety. Poison immunity or no, I'm not eager to possibly see any of you sent on to glory any faster.

voice; un: fullmetal

[chrysology]

I thought the food seemed kinda bland but I didn't expect this. Great, this again.

[He's used to traveling and occasionally saving some food for later, but not quite to this extent. And they had already dealt with similar with the station at one point earlier. Ed is so not looking forward to this. He himself tends to eat a decent amount given he is also sustaining Al's body at the Gate, and with being a bottomless pit of a teenage boy in general.]

Sooner we get the orb, the better.

voice;

[homeostatic]

( Surely they'll find it any day now. )

My thoughts exactly. What have you found out?

Voice; @kafka

[anthropophagite]

Living animals too, like the ones in the barn? [ he has to ask this even if there is the potential for someone to think that's cruel ] What about the locals, they are eating that as well, right? Have they shown signs of malnutrition as well?

[ and actually - ]

I won't be needing the supplement packs.

Voice;

[homeostatic]

Living animals, yes. The locals don't seem affected, but my equipment glitched out when I tried looking further into their lab work. Between that and their repetitive behavior, they might not be real, either.

( His temper frays at the edges. )

Kid, if you tell me others deserve it more, I swear to god–

Voice. un: Dynamight

[hot_handed]

You fucking serious?

So what is this, some kinda elaborate illusion? The locals seem fine.