2014.12.24 - Comas and Friend Zones

When the heroes returned from the Arctic, the silvery woman called Void teleported Nate, Rachel and Jade to the medical wing of the Halo lab. Nate had a long list of injuries, including several busted ribs, a broken collarbone, re-opened old wounds and a metal spike driven two inches into his skull.

With Void back the lab was a blur of robot drones and high tech surgery. The others were up and in less than an hour, but after some basic first aid, Nate slipped into coma among flares of psychic power that shattered the nearby equipment and melted through any dampening field in minutes. Void opted for isolating him, and he has been in a reinforced room ever since. Alive but not really stable.

It's definitely been a wild ride, but now with it being somewhat (?) calmer, Kendra is on her way to check on the various injured parties that went along to the Arctic. For herself, she's very much uninjured (though that psychic scream will haunt her for some time) and she's shed most of her weapons and her helm as well. Her wings, however, are still on, as a just in case anyone else decides to attack sort of thing.

Hawkgirl will poke her head into the infirmary, her gaze going around the room looking for anyone. When it's clear the majority of people are gone, she'll step further into the infirmary, calling out, "Anyone in here? I'm looking for an update on Nate."

There is no one in the labs. In fact the Halo building is almost empty since the 'terrorist' attack early this year. But Void has been rebuilding at great speed. There is now power again in all floors all the time. The labs are brightly lit and clean. For a few days small drones zoomed over the equipment performing minor repairs or maintenance, but that is also finished.

When Kendra asks, however, Void responds. It is somewhat startling, but apparently the woman is able to monitor the whole building and does so often. "Hawkgirl," her voice is clear and she speaks very precisely, but after a few conversations Kendra might have been able to detect faint traces of a Russian accent. "I have good news. Scion has been awake for fifty minutes. He is also very insistent in leaving the bed, which I consider unwise."

'Unwise' is a term Void has used frequently regarding Nate.

Kendra only startles a little as Void seemingly answers her question from somewhere else. The past few days have allowed her to slowly get used to that omnipresence of hers. From that, Hawkgirl will answer out to the unseen woman, "Thanks, Void. Appreciate the update." And then, when Void mentions Nate wishing to be released, she adds with a splash of dry humor, "Sounds like he's starting to feel better."

With those words, Hawkgirl will make her way to the isolation room and to Nate as well, saying as she goes, "Anything else I need to know about? And nice work on the building. It's already looking a hundred times better than when I first saw it."

"How is he really feeling remains unclear," replies Void. "But now I can finally do some scanners I am quite disturbed by the readings." The door to the isolation chamber opens to let Kendra in. There is a hologram of Void inside and Nate is there too. Pale and gaunt-looking, and with the stubble of several days, but he is standing, and he is wearing his uniform. He also has a very ugly scab on his left temple. "Kendra, good to see you," he greets, managing a smile. "Help me get out of here, willya?"

Void turns and nods to Kendra. "Nathaniel, now Hawkgirl is here I want to show you the scans of your head. Watch," a holographic screen pops up, and Nate's head is show in a 3D display. There is a strange element near his left temple. Void closes up the display and shows a node of metal tendrils that dig into his brain, going thinner as it moves in. There are traces of energy around the tendrils, but some go as far as his spine.

"Okay? What the hell is that? " Grumbles the young telepath.

As soon as the door opens, the winged woman enters and gives Nate the once over. At least he's standing and in uniform, that says a lot, at least to Kendra. At his mention of her helping him get out, she'll shake her head, "Not until you're well. You've been beat up and bruised way too many times in the last week or so. Sorry." Though by the tone of her voice, one can tell she's really /not/ that sorry. Nate does need to heal and rest, after all.

When Void brings up the 3D imagine of his head, Hawkgirl can't help but say as she stares at the display showing the metal tendrils in his brain and spine, "I'm with Nate. What the hell is that? That's just creepy looking."

"It is a techno-organic infection," replies Void. "I am quite sure it is the same construct that transformed Victoria Zandrok into the Kraken. It is draining a great deal of your power, and at the same time your body is struggling to contain it with telekinesis."

Nate looks deeply unhappy at hearing this. Obviously. "Okay. What is going to happen to me? Am I going to die or become a monster? It is only mildly painful, nothing like... it looks." And of course he is also quite used to killer headaches.

"A techno-what?" Hawkgirl asks, looking between Void and Nate, "I've never heard of such a thing. How can you get an infection that's technology based?"

And at Nate's response about becoming a monster, Hawkgirl once again looks to him. "That is so not funny, just saying." Her wings twitch slightly with irritation, or perhaps frustration? It's hard to say, but they twitch as if alive, with whatever emotion she's currently feeling right now.

Lunair listens, quietly. She doesn't seem sure of what to make it. "Tiny machines can act like a virus, maybe?" She asks. She looks really worried. Nate seems to be bad about this while admitting he's injured. Also, tentacles. "He's not going to turn into like, a terminator or anything?" Oh no, poor Nate.

"Zandrok was most likely turned into an agent of an alien agency," replies Void. "I suspect this technovirus will try to do the same with you, Nathaniel. In response to your question, Hawkgirl, a technovirus is a silicon-based lifeform whose purpose is the same as any carbon-based virus: infect the host and spread the infection. We could speculate if it is a programed organism or the product of natural evolution. But with the Cyberdata spaceship destroyed we might never know. What we need to do is stopping and healing the infection as soon as possible."

Nate frowns deeply, still a few seconds, and resisting the urge to scratch his temple. It itches. "Hmm, yeah. But I am hungry. And I need coffee." So he is heading out of the room. He only stops at the door to look back at Kendra and Lunair. "Do you want to join me for breakfast, ladies?" Pause, "what time is it anyway? Maybe lunch?"

Even with the rather disturbing situation at hand, Lunair's remark about becoming a terminator earns an amused look from Hawkgirl. She could probably say something like: Come with me if you want to live, but she doesn't. Instead she'll just nod to Void's explanation, "Thanks. That just makes it even more creepy and disturbing."

"How can you heal it? Surgery?" And then Kendra is giving a look at Nate, "Really, you want to eat at a time like this? Not say find the cure? And it's evening, just so you know. You've been out of it for a few days."

"Days. That would explain why I'm hungry," replies Nate. "And why I had cables going to places that... I don't want to talk about it." And now into his head. He will deal with it more easily after some food.

Void replies to Kendra, "I could teleport the transmuted sections of his head, but I am concerned by the organic consequences. And there are telekinetic forcefields interconnecting the organic and inorganic for reasons I do not understand yet. I have to research more." Void's hologram blinks out.

Void's explanation earns another disturbed look from Kendra, "Ah. Yeah, I would imagine there would be consequences to the organic side of things. Like a /lobotomy/." That last part is muttered, before she turns towards Nate. "All right, I suppose if you're walking and talking, you'll probably be able to make it to the kitchen for some food. Come on, we'll get you fed."

And she'll let Nate go first, so she can be somewhat behind him, should he find himself dizzy, or worse, from all the injuries he sustained.

"Exactly," replies Nate with a small grin, "and thank you. For everything." He waits until they are out of the lab. Even though it is unlikely they are outside of Void's perceptions if she wants to listen. "I didn't expect to get back from Greenland. So having an alien virus eating my brain is alright. I am still alive."

Lunair is mostly quiet. She doesn't look happy about the explanation. "I'd offer to bring you food, but you might get offended," She remarks. Lunair will quietly follow along. "We're glad you're alive. And um, hm." An aliance virus. She is alas, nontelepathic. But she does pick up enough to smile at the look. "It is a good start. I wish I could help you more." She seems to like the group well enough.

Kendra nods with Lunair, "Yes, definitely glad you're alive as well as everyone else. Though I think we could have done without the tech virus eating away at our brain." And while more could be said, not to mention done, Kendra drops the subject for now. Instead, she'll follow Nate and Lunair to the kitchen to help find Nate some food; breakfast since he seemed so inclined to it.

As soon as the small group is in the kitchen, the winged woman will say, "Dibs on making the pancakes. I like crispy edges, hope you both do too." And with that said, the small group will begin to make breakfast for all of them to eat, even people with techno-infections growing in their head.

Pancakes? Nate's stomach growls. A week from being fed meds and intravenous left him positively ravenous. "Yeah... I am going to... coffee. Damnit," no coffee. He sets some going and adds, "and take a quick shower, I guess. Back in five."

Actually it is about ten, and Lunair got a call and left on her own. Nate returns with his hair still wet, but feeling somewhat closer to a normal human being.

By the time Nate returned he'll find a small stack of pancakes already on a plate, covered loosely with a piece of aluminum foil to keep them somewhat warm. As for Hawkgirl, while she had shed her helm and weapons earlier, she had kept her wings on. Those wings are now currently off and settled against the wall, the harness buckled loosely to keep the wings together. You just can't cook that well when you have feathered appendages getting in the way.

When she spies Nate entering, she'll nod towards the covered food, "Some already made, help yourself. Can't say I'm the best cook, but I can make pancakes, at least." She flashes a quick grin, before she focuses back upon the skillet and the three pancakes cooking away.

"You are the best cook in the world!" Counters Nate, looking very happy to see the pancake pile. He only spares a second to take the coffee pot before grabbing the first pancake. He eats it in three bites, setting up some plates, cutlery and cups on with his other hand and some telekinetic help. All very random, but now they probably have all they need somewhere on the table.

"Ha. As if." Kendra replies to the quip about being the best cook. "I know people who are a hundred times better than me." She'll quickly flip the three finished pancakes onto the plate containing the first stack, and as she does so she can't help but catch Nate's use of telekinetics.

"Looks like you're back in working order." She says, even as she pours some more batter into the hot skillet, "Even with the thing in your head."

"Maybe. Well, it feels the telekinesis is," confirms Nate. He picks up a glass and concentrates, his left eye glows gold. The glass shatters in a million fragments, but they go nowhere. Nate breathes, the fragments fuse together back into the glass, and he leaves it back on the table.

"That was easy, and painless. But I won't know for sure until I try to lift something really heavy," which is going to have to wait until after food. "How are you? Void told me everyone was fine, but she is... hmm... not very good with people. Last I knew you were unconscious."

The glass shattering and then reforging itself causes Kendra to pause. When the glass is settled back upon the table she'll give it one last look before focusing on Nate again. "You should go on the road with that show." It's said humorously, probably to hide the fact that she wasn't expecting it to refuse back together."Seriously though, glad you're okay. I think we were all concerned when you didn't immediately wake up."

As to herself? She'll wave his question away, even as her brows knit slightly together. "Yeah, a telepathic attack took me down. I can't say that was a fun experience, but I am a hundred percent. And Void isn't so bad. Not the warmest of people, but I know a few people like that. It's not a big deal."

"Heh, I am good with stage magic stuff," admits Nate. "It is good fun, and a little telekinesis makes everything more interesting." He is glad to hear Kendra is fine. Two telepaths in the team and they still got blindsided by Misery. Spartan wouldn't approve, and Illyana... she would mock him mercilessly. He fills two large mugs with coffee and offers one to Kendra. Then he adds like five spoonfuls of sugar to his own.

"We should have stayed together, sorry about that. Next time we will plan better," or at least plan something! "Well, if there is a next time. Hmm, but Void is rebuilding the towers. Didn't expect that."

At the mention of magic, Kendra's expression turns slightly darker, as well. "Yeah, we should have stayed together. Splitting the teams wasn't the smartest thing to do." She shrugs, flipping the last pancakes onto the dwindling stack. The hot skillet will be left upon the burner to cool down, as Kendra accepts the mug of coffee. "Thanks."

"And I'm sure there will be a next time. Perhaps not something as large as Cyber Data, but there's always other things going on the team can tackle, but speaking of such, perhaps in the next few weeks we should all train together. I can't say I'm as familiar with everyone's skills and powersets as you are."

Nate grins faintly, "if we could get them all together at once..." he shakes his head. "I can try at least introduce you the others. Well, you know Lunair already. Jade is one of Rachel's friends and teammates, not part of Stormwatch. The Sleeper powers change every couple months, basically every time he sleeps so he is quite unpredictable. And Magik, hmm... her mutant power allows her to teleport through time, space and other dimensions. She is also a sorceress, but her spells don't do much on Earth." More pancakes, and more coffee. But he is slowing down.

Hawkgirl listens to the roster as she finally snags a pancake to eat. She takes her time and when Nate is finished running down the teammates, she'll nod. "I actually already know, Jade. We work together outside of costume. Photography, mainly."

"And of course, Rachel and Lunair I know." Once she's finished with the pancake, the sticky plate will be set in the sink. A conservative sip of coffee will be taken, "Seems like the only ones I haven't met are Sleeper and Magik."

"They are in the city right now, yeah," but Nate is not sure what Spartan is going to do, or Velocity, Ravager, Siege... they seem to have drifted away or are missing. "Well, as what we will do, that depends on what we find out. Intergang is a pending problem, as are the alien Daemonites. And Apocalypse... I have to find him," he adds grimly.

At the list of would-be groups and villains that the team needs to tackle, Hawkgirl can't help but say, "I feel like I have a lot to learn. None of those names, beyond Intergang, mean anything to me."

Her nearly full coffee cup will be set upon the table, "Though I think the first thing of business is really for everyone to get back on their feet." A hard look is given to Nate, "Before we go tackling the world problems out there. And not to mention figure out what to do with the thing in your head and spine."

Nate gestures with the thumb out of the kitchen area, towards the War Room. "You have access to the computers, so you can pull out the files. Daemonites are aliens, they want to conquer the world. At least some of them do. They have been on Earth over two thousand years and haven't managed yet mostly because another alien race, the Kherans, keep them in check. But they are pretty nasty. Apocalypse is the mutant that destroyed my home world. He exists here too and he is a major threat, he is personally very powerful and he is one of those world-conquer types, his excuse is that mutants should kill all humans because they are stronger or some crap. Just a dumb justification to put him in charge. He was in Genosha a few months ago, but then he vanished from radar."

"Hm." Comes Hawkgirl's thoughtful noise at the mention of reading their files. "I'll catch up later on. I can tell that's a cluster headache waiting to happen."

As for Apocalypse, again the blank stare though Hawkgirl says, "I don't know." She pretends to size Nate up, "I'm pretty sure I could take you, even with all your powers back. Us lowly humans do have some tricks up our sleeves, ya know." Though saying that does make her pause, "Speaking of tricks, do you have any tech around here to keep unwanted telepaths out of your head? I can't say I enjoyed the attack, or that hellish scream. That's what woke me up. Not sure If I would have woken up at that time, except for that scream. Terrible."

Nate tilts his head and smirks at Kendra, "wanna bet... but yeah. Humans are good enough and can take care of themselves. Apocalypse is just a huge asshole racist, and I suspect the racism is just an excuse to set himself up as a tyrant. Magneto is not much better, by the way. But Apocalypse is more murderous, he was quite willing to use nuclear weapons and robot armies back in my world when the human nations seemed too tough for his mutant army, and he could do it here too." But really, that is all in the files, so he shakes his head. "Y'know. I don't want to talk about it right now. I just woke up and I am taking the day off."

"I've run into the type. Though perhaps not packing nukes and mutant armies, but I've met a few people like that." Is Kendra's reply. As to Nate's response of not wanting to talk about it, the girl shrugs, "That's fine. Talk about it when you feel up to it."

She's not going to push, she understands bad memories, she does however add, "Just don't be stupid, okay? If you need help, ask for it." Sadly, she has experience with that, as well. Allowing bad memories to push you to dark places. "Nothing wrong with asking for help."

Nate is definitely stupid that way, but Kendra will get to know that some other day. "A few days before we went to Greenland I told you I wanted to talk about you about a few things, remember?" And take her to another date, but first, the talking.

He side-stepped the question. Understandable, Kendra would likely do the same thing and while she says nothing about it, she does file it away for later. "Vaguley." Says the de-winged woman to Nate's question. "It feels like it's been a year since that day, but sure, I think I recall that conversation. You were drunk, I believe." She smirks towards the telepathic telekinetic.

Nate laughs briefly, “No, you will know when I am drunk when you are hearing things in your head I don't want you to hear. And I am hearing too much myself. Which is why I don't get drunk much." Not because he doesn't want it. Drugs and telepathy just don't do well together.

"Okay. Back to track," he adds with a lopsided grin. "There is something you need to know about me. I didn't expect to get back from this trip, because my powers are killing me. This is also why I am not too worried about having a chunk of alien metal trying to eat my brain. And why I wanted to go to Greenland as soon as possible."

There's a long pause from Kendra, as she considers what Nate just told her. "You're dying?" She asks eerily calm, her question much more rhetorical than a true question. Her gaze will flick up and down Nate's form for a moment, "You don't look like you're dying. Are you certain? There's no cure?"

The coffee mug that she had held loosely in her hands is deposited upon a countertop, as she straightens from the slight slouch she had adopted while they were casually speaking. And while her expression may seem quite calm, beneath that placid exterior, Kendra's mind has snapped into focus.

Nate shrugs, "some very clever people are looking for a cure, but the problem is my body can't cope with my mutant powers. And my power is coded in my genes." He stands up and begins pacing. "So, my powers are unstable. They flare up, sometimes I lose one of them for a while after using it. Never as long as it was this time, but it happened."

"I see." States the de-winged woman, her arms already crossed, "So, instead of helping those looking for your cure, whether it's helping with research, or staying safe while they research, you insteead court death."

"Right?" She waits to see what he says, her own expression tight and dark, but underneath it there's a certain sense of understanding, as well.

"Court death?" Nate peers at Kendra, giving her an odd look. "Nice. Very dramatic-sounding. Yeah, I court death. Just like you do, and my sister does, and many of my friends. Few of us will die of old age, Hawklady. We are going to get killed fighting some bastard that thinks the world is his playground. I just have less to lose than most of you, since I am living on borrowed time. I never expected to make it to eighteen when I was living among the ruins of America, back home. But here I am, still kicking ass."

At Nate's remark about it being dramatic, Hawkgirl offers a quick shrug. "You started it by saying you were /dying/ with no preamble." And while she could have went on even more, about how he has the same amount to lose than anyone else, he mentions the borrowed time. For some reason that phrase is enough to cause her to flinch, though she rolls the movement into her turning away, busying herself with putting her mug into the sink.

Finally though, she turns to look at him, "You should remember that people are looking for ways to help you, to cure you, and you should take care not to take extra stupid risks, just because you feel like you have 'less' to lose."

"Fair enough," admits Nate. "If I am still alive in another couple weeks, I am already making the experts wrong," he grins. "I wanted to be fair with you, Kendra. I still want another date with you. Maybe for a Christmas party? But I think you needed to know before I might not be around for long. Even if I am extra-careful all the time."

"We can go clubbing again, sure." Kendra says, even as she takes a step away from the countertop. It's clear she's head for her wings, as she takes a step towards them, "You pick the time and place and try to make sure there's no assassination attempts this time."

"And it's not a date." She adds, a hint of her good humor entering her voice once again. "You should get some rest now that you're fed. I should get back to patrolling."

"Nah, I am not tired," protests Nate. "I have been resting a week and missed what has been going on. I need to catch up. I... oh hell, I need to get in touch with a bunch of folks. The theatre group will want to murder me," he grins again. Then he looks again at the young woman and steps closer to her, reaching with a hand for her face, "not a date, hmm? Why not?"

There's a moment of surprise from Kendra - He's reaching for her face? He was serious about it being a date? Those thoughts flash through her mind lightning quick, before her expression falls. Easily, only because she has training, Kendra leans away from the touch.

"Nate." She says, expression distressed, voice too, "I - " She raises her hands upward in an almost helpless gesture to him for a second.

What does she say? How flattering, but my life is complicated? Just friends, okay? Finally she finds her voice, and she once more says his name and then, "Nate, you're my friend, a good friend, but a friend."

"Of course I am, Kendra," replies Nate, pulling back his hand a few inches, then offering it to her. "And it would be a good idea to stay friends. But... I am not famous for having good ideas. You are bold and beautiful and I am very attracted to you. I am your friend, but I'd like to be more than that."

Relief visibly washes over Kendra's features when he takes her words so calmly, "Thanks for understanding, Nate. I don't have many people I can call friends, but I'm glad you're still one of them." She'll briefly touch his hand, even as she adds with a crooked smile, "And I totally understand not always having the best ideas."

And while Kendra is glad that Nate took it so well, she's still reaches for her wings, "I need to get going. Catch you on the flip side?"

"You are going to freeze your wings out there, Hawklady," remarks Nate, giving the young woman a not-too-serious disapproval glance. He wants to talk with her too, but... he gets the impression he just scared her away. "I'll find us a party for Christmas. If you are still up for it."

"My wings will protect me." She says simply to his remark about freezing, "And a party sounds good. Holidays aren't my thing." She adds, as she turns back towards Nate.

Yeah, she's running and she knows it. Why does it seem like all she's doing right now is running? "Take care of yourself and no craziness for a few days, okay? I'll see you soon."

And with those last words said, the winged woman strides from the kitchen, intent on gathering her helm and weapons and exiting the Halo building.

"Yes? I prefer Halloween to Christmas," admits Nate. He stays at his position, by the kitchen sink, watching the young woman hurry up. "But I guess beggars can't be choosers, hmm? Take care, Kendra. I'll call you soon."

~Finished~