Tweak

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Tweak says, "more than a million dollars"

Jean-Luc Picard (tea_earlgreyhot) wrote in marinanova,
@ 2013-10-01 08:20:00

Entry tags:

data, geordi la forge, helen magnus, jean-luc picard, malcolm reynolds, number one, seven of nine, tieria erde

[ day 239 ] action / voice :: open
[ In the dome in the morning ]

[ Jean-Luc, normally a very vibrant individual, normally a man with a mission and a purpose, no matter what that purpose might be, is standing very still in the middle of the dome. He’s in sector zero. Near the kiosk. Studying it with intense scrutiny, too still for any normal human being. ]

[ private to Helen ]

Doctor Magnus, I’m afraid I find it necessary to postpone tea. Perhaps we can meet tomorrow?

[ private to Trek crew ]

Is anyone…? [ There’s a moment of hesitation here, abnormal for this Captain on a normal day. He clears his throat and seems to come into himself, more stern and self-assured. ] Report.

ooc: Part 2 of the Locutus plot. The Trek muns know that Locutus is peeking into Picard’s consciousness. But anyone else who runs into him, he won’t be acting quite like himself!

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	voice; locked lifelines 2013-10-01 10:18 am UTC (link)
	[ well that's not worrisome at all, is it? ] Of course. [ her voice is soft, almost hesitant, and very definitely concerned. ] Is everything all right? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	voice; locked tea_earlgreyhot 2013-10-01 10:37 am UTC (link)
	I'm not feeling quite like myself, a bit under the weather is all. [ Really? Is that all, Picard? It's probably as appropriate a description as any. ] Perhaps some time to regener -- [ Had he almost said regenerate? ] -- rest will help. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

voice; locked

lifelines
2013-10-01 12:12 pm UTC (link)

[ she pauses. he's admitting to feeling off, not right, perhaps even ill. this isn't like him. this isn't like the man she's come to know and understand so quickly. and that word...

her frown increases, not that he can see. ]

All the more reason I should come see how you're doing. [ she can't imagine what might be causing such a difference in him or why he wouldn't want to see her after their recent conversations and the happenings between them. ]

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voice; locked

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-01 01:38 pm UTC (link)

Unacceptable. [ A word said in so mechanical and detached a fashion that it couldn't have been Jean-Luc. Could it? ]

I mean... [ He pauses, hesitating. He's properly out of sorts, he can tell. And he isn't quite certain what is causing it. But what if Helen thought less of him? What if he somehow hurt her? His own stubborn pride had him attempting to thwart her efforts in spite of the fact that he knew something was very, very wrong. ] I'm certain it will pass.

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voice; locked

lifelines
2013-10-01 01:54 pm UTC (link)

[ she's taken aback by that snappy response. something is most certainly wrong and the fact that he's not allowing her to do anything to help is more worrisome than anything else. she does not like this at all.

and that doesn't even touch on how familiar this situation suddenly is. it's throwing up a bunch of her red flags, reminding her of things she'd thought she'd long since put behind her (even if she knows she hasn't). this is similar to how john had begun to act, how he had pushed her aside, treated her as an obsession and become this callous, frightening man who was only a shadow of the man she had once loved.

if that happens here with jean-luc, she doubts she'll be able to survive it, not if she wants to keep her humanity.

when she finally responds, her voice is clipped and tight, though it cracks softly every so often, the only sign of just how worried she really is. ]

Jean-Luc. As your doctor and as a friend who... cares very much for you, I need to check on you. I assure you, it will only take a few minutes of your time.

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tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-08 12:53 pm UTC (link)

[ Well. He isn't so far gone that he doesn't recognize that she won't take no for an answer. The unusualness of nerves spiked through him. It wasn't something he often reacted to when he felt them. But he worried that he wouldn't be able to maintain his control in her presence.

Something was indeed happening to him.

He remained quiet for several moments before answering curtly, still fighting for control. ] Very well, Doctor. A few minutes. Are you at the clinic?

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voice; locked

lifelines
2013-10-08 01:16 pm UTC (link)

[ she's beginning to think that, for whatever reason, he's begun to regret what had blossomed between them and the kiss she had initiated. as such, she makes a note to keep their meeting entirely professional... or as professional as she possibly can. ]

Yes. [ no, but she can get there very quickly. ] Shall I meet you there in, say, 15 minutes or is that too soon?

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tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-08 02:07 pm UTC (link)

This will be sufficient. [ Once again, his tone has a monotone detached lilt to it, as what comes with drones. And once again, those nerves filter into his consciousness, telling him now that this is a bad idea. ]

Helen... [ And there is Picard, shinning through Locutus's mannerisms in an attempt to keep control. But he had nothing to say after that. Anything else would be an admission of weakness for him and more reason to worry for her. ]

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lifelines
2013-10-08 03:28 pm UTC (link)

[ it's that sharp monotone sound that really has her unnerved. she's never heard him speak like that and wonders what it could possibly mean. is this how he pushes people away, a sign of something that otherwise wouldn't show? or is there more to it, something related to what he's told her already? she wishes now she'd asked him more about his experiences.

regardless, she keeps her tightly controlled tone of voice when she answers, unable or unwilling to show him how much this hurts already. ]

I'll see you then.

[ and when he arrives, she'll be there. unlike the other times he's seen her, today she isn't wearing a suit or a skirt or anything like that. she's in what could be considered much more casual clothes -- jeans, a shirt, and a long jacket and her hair is pulled up into a ponytail. for someone else it might be thought of as preferred casual clothing. for her, it's more for protection, a physical wall between herself and the rest of the world. her chin is angled slightly higher than normal and her jaw is set, as though she wants to keep a great deal of space between them. ]

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tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-08 06:36 pm UTC (link)

[ Jean-Luc almost considers turning back when the clinic comes into view. He really didn't want to see Helen in this condition, whatever this condition may be. They had just started... something more. And he wasn't himself right now. The way he felt the need to make everything... to assimilate anything. Assimilate.

Dread seeped into his mind.

He stepped into the clinic, assuring himself that he would only briefly stay and that he could maintain control over himself in the short time he would be here. After this, he would find Data or Seven if the problem persisted. The moment he spotted her he could tell that whatever was happening, it had already put up a wall between them. If he looks slightly paler than normal, he is. If he looks harder than normal, he is. ]

Doctor Magnus. I am here at your insistence. Although I fear this might be a waste of your time.

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action;

lifelines
2013-10-08 08:44 pm UTC (link)

[ he looks... different. she takes a moment to examine him, look him over with her own eyes, eyes that betray her heart far more than she wants them to. she takes in his words as she does so, glad, in spite of everything, that he at least cares enough to allow her to check him over. whether that's for her peace of mind or because he's realized she'll badger him until he does remains to be seen and, frankly, it's beside the point at the moment. what matters is that he's here.

once assured that there is something notably wrong, or at least different enough to cause concern, she takes a step back and motions for him to follow her into the nearest examination room. she pauses before she moves, though, her cold facade breaking to allow her expression to show just how much she does care about whatever it is that's happening to him; whatever he's feeling towards her, she does still care about him. ]

Vous n'êtes jamais une perte de temps.

[ she isn't certain why she momentarily slips into french. perhaps it's a way to reassure him that she does care, that she remembers a time when they enjoyed each other's company. perhaps it's so anyone else in the clinic won't understand what she's saying. or perhaps it's a way of distancing herself from her emotions. she isn't certain. what she does know is that this will be difficult on both of them.

upon reaching the examination room, she makes certain to close the door behind them before she addresses him again. her strict rigidity is gone, replaced by her typical bedside manner. she's worried, yes, but she's trying not to show it and instead offer reassurances for both of them. he's in good hands; whatever this is, she can handle it. ]

I told you this would only take a few minutes and I intend to keep that. So, please... talk to me. I need to know how you feel and I'd like a listen to your chest, to see how everything inside sounds. [ heart, lungs, the whole bit. ]

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tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-10 07:31 pm UTC (link)

[ It's the french that seems to bring a bit of color back into his features. It touches something deeper inside of Jean-Luc that isn't anything Locutus could ever have touched. And for a moment, he seems to be entirely himself, eyes alight, features expressive, even going so far to rise to his full height and give his uniform top a slight tug, such a gesture that his First Officer had deemed 'The Picard Maneuver'. ]

Yes, well. I suppose that would be -- appropriate. [ He sighs and unzips his jacket, shrugging out of it. ] There seems to be more than the usual hum. Whatever is happening, it does not seem to be my heart. However, the hum... seems to be pausing. Sporadically. [ Which would imply that his heart is skipping. ]

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lifelines
2013-10-10 10:33 pm UTC (link)

[ she isn't sure if this sudden change back to the man she's come to care for is reassuring or even more heartbreaking. she can't tell if she's losing him or if she's already lost him, if something else is going on with him or if he's just being difficult for one reason or another. ]

Thank you. [ for a moment, the softness returns in her, the heat between them cropping back up once again as he removes the top part of his uniform again. his word choice suggests that he doesn't quite know what's happening to him and that... that is disconcerting on an entirely different level. on the one hand, perhaps she isn't losing him the way she lost john. but on the other hand, she can't tell how he truly feels. so perhaps she really is losing him.

she turns for the stethoscope and leans in towards him once again, careful to keep space between them this time as she places the end against his chest. the last thing she needs is to be caught unaware by whatever change is going on in him. if he truly is changing his feelings towards her, she'll need to prepare herself and having space around her is the best way for her to do so. ]

I'll just take a quick listen and perhaps we can figure this out, all right?

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action;

tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-12 09:43 am UTC (link)

[ It is highly reminiscent of the meeting in which that something more between them had been explored, even if just for a moment. And maybe that's what is momentarily keeping the war inside of him at bay. Helen speaks to the most human part of him. The Borg are detached from emotion. They have no feelings or affection for others unless disconnected from the hive and influenced by outside forces.

Helen is an outside force. And for this moment in time, she's winning against a race that has conquered, destroyed and assimilated entire worlds.

He nods, no words. Maybe he's afraid of saying something wrong, something that isn't him speaking. Jean-Luc is never afraid to voice his opinion. It's only further proof that something is very wrong.

When Helen places the stethoscope to his chest, she'll hear the familiar hum of his heart, only with an occasional hiccup between the sound. And there's more, something starting and stopping inside of him, a different sort of hum and tick with it. Borg tech that should be dormant. Two different technologies, one kicking in to help him survive one failing, both a blessing and a curse. ]

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action;

lifelines
2013-10-12 12:42 pm UTC (link)

[ if she'd known she was at all helping him keep control, she would have done more, perhaps a lot more. she might even have gone as far as to have given into impulse for a second time, the desire to touch and hold him, perhaps even kiss him. but she's holding all of that at bay out of respect for whatever it is he truly feels towards her. the last thing she wants is to force a relationship or whatever it is they've been leaning towards.

whatever it is, she knows something is different about him and all she can hope is that this difference won't truly affect what they have between them. perhaps she can hold onto hope, just a little of it. she blames him for giving her a reason to hope for anything like this again, a reason to hope at all.

she listens carefully, half of her attention focused on the sounds she's hearing and half on what he's doing near her. it's an instinct now, borne of many decades of caring for abnormals with no concept of help that might hurt first, an instinct she's listening to for the time being. she hadn't last time out of the simple fact that she'd been distracted by his presence and the heat between them. now she's doing her best to ignore that, to avoid pushing for something he might not want after all.

eventually, she pulls back and sets the stethoscope aside, addressing jean-luc with a slightly detached air, mostly out of confusion as to what exactly is going on. ] I can still hear that hum, but there's something else now, something I didn't hear last time. It's different; I can't quite explain it. I don't know if that is what's causing you to feel... "off," but it may well be and it's certainly something I should keep an eye on. You appear to be in perfect health, from what I can tell by a preliminary exam, so I won't keep you any longer than I said I would.

[ she doesn't stand back, though, preferring to meet whatever is happening head on and with her chin lifted in defiance. if he wants to leave, she won't stop him, but she would much prefer to address whatever is going on between them now than let it hang where it might do more harm than good. ]

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tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-13 12:30 pm UTC (link)

[ As she speaks, Jean-Luc is only half listening. Something in him is shifting, his heart ceasing to function and any Borg tech inside of him compensating for the loss. Survival.

Looking back on this, he will have wished he had asked her to step back as he felt it happening. Looking back on this, he will have wished for a lot of things to have been done differently. Unfortunately, he only thinks to tell her to get away too late. He only emits a quiet 'Doctor Magnus, you must...' before his features go completely cold and detached.

His hand shoots out to wrap a hand tightly around her neck as he moves her back toward the nearest wall. Jean-Luc is in excellent health, aside from that small defect of his heart. His grip is strong and tight. ] I am. Locutus of Borg. You will be assimilated.

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action;

lifelines
2013-10-13 02:36 pm UTC (link)

[ she's watching him closely enough that she sees the shift. this isn't like john, who had only one personality. the darkness in john was always there, something he didn't shift into as much as it simply was him. with jean-luc, she saw the change, the point in time where he became detached, something entirely different from the man she had come to care for. she'd noticed little changes, little blips where he'd gone back and forth. john had never gone back. the darkness or whatever it was had simply taken over, changed him and never reverted.

perhaps there's hope yet for jean-luc and as long as that hope exists, helen refuses to give up. she isn't yet willing to let him go if there's still a chance she can save him.

those thoughts are what distract her enough to delay her reaction to his movements. a part of her is surprised enough to allow him to wrap his hand around her throat and push her back against the wall before the rest of her kicks in. this is just like when john threatens her.

self-preservation.

survival.

jean-luc will understand.

her expression is defiant as she looks in straight in the eye. for a moment, her eyes show something entirely different, as though she's pleading for him to understand what she's about to do, what she has to do. ] Jean-Luc... I am so sorry. [ she manages to choke that out softly before gritting her teeth and reacting to that tug of survival, of fear turned into adrenaline and a will to live. she pulls one arm up and back, aiming to slam it into the curve of his elbow to weaken the strength of his arm. the other snaps forward afterwards to grip his shoulder so she can use it to brace herself to aim a kick to his stomach. if that doesn't startle him into loosening his grip, she'll work on something else, but she desperately hopes it does. she doesn't want to hurt him any more than she knows he does her, but she will if she has to. ]

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tea_earlgreyhot
2013-10-13 06:18 pm UTC (link)

[ Jean-Luc's consciousness is indeed still in there, fighting to get out through the foreign technology inside of him that alters who he is, through his assimilation. At the moment though, Jean-Luc is losing the battle.

His hand squeezes even tighter, almost bruisingly so as Locutus searches for a way, the means, to assimilate this human. That part of Borg tech was successfully removed from Jean-Luc some time ago though. It doesn't stop his other hand from roving her body in a way that would be inappropriate were he in control of his own faculties, were he Jean-Luc instead of Locutus.

He's just beginning to realize that he's malfunctioning in some way, that he's broken, when Helen counters his attack. He steps back and doubles over, brow furrowed and not understanding why he isn't functioning properly. He slowly looks back up to Helen, void of anything Jean-Luc aside from his physical attributes. ]

I am... incomplete. [ And with that, Locutus walks out of the clinic in search of a regeneration module that will repair what is broken. ]

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lifelines
2013-10-13 06:31 pm UTC (link)

[ were jean-luc in control rather than locutus, helen wouldn't mind that roaming hand. in fact, she wouldn't mind a whole host of things regarding him were he in his right mind. but he isn't and she wishes she didn't have to be harsh with him. she's only glad she manages to force him to release her or things would have gotten much worse.

when he pulls back, she settles into a fighting stance, ready to defend herself if necessary, but he doesn't continue. she hesitates as he turns, trying to decide if it would be prudent to follow him or not, but in the end decides not to. instead, she will seek out the only other person she knows of who knows anything about what is happening to him.

her eyes follow jean-luc out of the clinic, watching him until he's long gone, the fear for his life, for the captain she has come to care very deeply for, clear in her eyes. ]

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