3. [VIDEO] Good at paranoia, not diagnosis

[no_fastolfe]

[Vasilia's bundled up in a robe; her face is waxy-pale with heat-reddened cheeks; she's reached the point where she's stopped sweating. She is having obvious difficulty breathing]

This is becoming intolerable.

For the last three days I have said nothing, assuming that the basic decency of our captors would see this rectified. I have no more patience!

Why does nobody else noticed the increased gravitational pull? Why hasn't this been corrected? Are the life support systems malfunctioning? It would explain how inhumanely cold it is. The food's quality is steeply declining day by day; it offers neither savor (which I hardly expect!) or the nutritional content to provide basic energy. This is-

[She breaks off into a wet cough, diving offscreen to muffle it in something that she can burn later. Phlegm. Disgusting.]

How can I fail to mention the quality of the air! Some large molecular contaminant-- pollution from poorly maintained equipment, I can only assume-- is making breathing more and more of a labor. I could tolerate it, perhaps, if these beds could provide restful sleep, but they do not!

The rest of you may ignore this campaign to weaken and exhaust the inmates of the vessel, but I demand better treatment.

Comments

[no_fastolfe]

I have taken every precaution to prevent catching an infectious Earther disease; I am not one of you savage beings used to being over-run with pathogen. I am from a world free of such things and intend to remain so!

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

See, here's the thing: you're living with us now. This isn't your world, girly.

[no_fastolfe]

[She sneers like a professional]

Then the worst has come to pass and I will likely not survive this infection. Perhaps the time between the promised 'Death Toll' and my last breath will provide a bit of respite from being surrounded by Earther filth.

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

That's your own damn fault. You know that living with sickness makes us better able to handle it, right? When you isolate yourself from all illness, you're body's not gonna be as prepared to beat them when the chance of catching them returns. Illnesses make our bodies stronger. Your immune system is probably shit.

[no_fastolfe]

An immune system is an unnecessary drain on the body's resources; your constant subjection to illness makes you die in a scant century. Do not expect me to feel somehow humbled for not being able to live as one of you.

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

Call it unnecessary all you want. We're not the ones sitting around dying from a simple cold.

[no_fastolfe]

Yes. You're the ones living cheek to cheek in an infectious environment-- one that I was brought to against my will.

My mistake; how superior you are.

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

Again, living in an infectious environment makes us stronger. It also means we can travel abroad without dying from a weak illness, but it sounds like you like your little enclosed society just fine.

If you were brought here against your will, it means you fucked up bigtime. Don't blame the Admiral for your mistakes.

[no_fastolfe]

Stronger, do you think? How old are you? When will you die? Eight decades, nine? What has your planet accomplished, mired in its sickness as it is? Death a Spacer is better than life in compromise.

And you know me very poorly; I did nothing to break Auroran law. The ethics and morality of others may be brought to bear on me all you like, but I know that I am innocent.

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

I'd rather die at 80 or 90 with the ability to survive illnesses than to be weak and live for however long you do. Maybe that's the doctor in me talking, but I think it's actually my sanity.

You can screw up without breaking any laws, but something tells me you broke some unspoken rules of human decency even if your world doesn't have any. People who specify that they didn't break any of their society's laws tend to fall into that category, from what I've seen here.

[no_fastolfe]

I would rather be free to pursue Robotics free of need and hunger and the population control necessary on Earth. Our priorities, madam, are clearly different.

[Conspicuous silence on the second half]

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

This isn't about hunger or need or any of that shit. This is about communicable illness, so don't change the subject.

[no_fastolfe]

Yes. Communicable illness. Which we chose to rid ourselves of-- along with hunger and poverty-- and you delight in. I have not changed the subject; your inflated opinion of your own superiority clouds your judgment.


[Pot writing long involved diatribe about color of kettle, brb]

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

I didn't say that my world doesn't have shitty problems OR that illness is enjoyable. Straw man much?

[no_fastolfe]

If Earthers did not enjoy their disgusting style of life they would have left when the Spacer worlds were forming; it is not my fault that two dozen centuries ago you chose your own fate, realizing that you might have better only when it was too late and the planets were full.

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

Wow. Okay. First off, there are no "Spacers" in my world. Second, I'd STILL pick my immune system over your exclusive little club any day of the week.

Besides, I'm a doctor. I'm gonna work where I can help people who need it, not to humor your high-and-mighty group.

[no_fastolfe]

I am the only Spacer here; if my mighty force of one intimidates you, I am quite willing to break contact with you.

[gotgirlballs.livejournal.com]

Intimidate me? In your dreams, pal. If you think anything you're capable of could intimidate me, you really are new.

[no_fastolfe]

My loss at not being able to move you is palpable, I assure you.

[Vasilia gives her a snotty, feverish sneer and breaks contact]