forgodssake | ic inbox } ataraxion.

I'm fine.

[ Really, Severus, because you're using audio. ]

Good.

[ Voice function is perfect, to be honest, although Charles does take note of it. He assumes Severus isn't accommodating him. He'll ask, but first-- ]

William?

Needs to be kept under observation by anyone who can look into his head.

[ There's a tired-rough laugh at that. As quiet and understated and wry as usual. Then a pause. ]

What would one expect to find?

A demon.

[ Deadpan.

He's serious. ]

He's got it under control right now, but if it starts up again, we need to know immediately.

Oh. That's new.

[ He remembers, a little, of William explaining his powers to Charles. There are no mention of demons.

(In the background, there's a puppy yip. Quiet, again, sufficient attention being distractedly paid in the form of a wandering, ear-scratching hand.) ]

I don't know what to say about it right now. We're going to have to work with him.

[ Xenogen, he means. ]

Right. Of course.

How're we handling it with Security?

I know Colbert, I talked to him first. [ Which probably says a lot. ] He's deferring the matter until the immediate issue of half the ship being brigged and the other half needing medical attention is under control.

[ There's a sound of acknowledgement at that. ] Tyke's still out of commission for the most part. Cassandra and I brought her back.

[ OUT OF A SENSE OF CIVIC DUTY okay also responsibility and, you know, morals.

Finally-- ]

Do you-- ought I look at him? William.

I don't want to know.

[ Yet. He just can't deal rn, Chuck. The hallways fucking suck. ]

He's devastated.

Yes.

[ He isn't entirely sure where that answer fits with what he asked, but. Maybe later, they can revisit. He isn't planning to look at William now, anyway. ]

How long were you gone for?

[ It's a choose your own adventure answer. Severus doesn't know what William needs, and he doesn't know how much Charles trusts himself with his ability right now.

He's also really fucking tired, which is why he pauses at that question. ]

I don't know. I see-- the network time. I see it's been two days.

It doesn't matter.

It was long enough without time discrepancy. Bloody hell.

[ He sort of wants to project sympathy at Severus, and it is there, in his tone, the contemplative silence that lapses after. ]

We started shaking a few free of the, er. The network, that built between all the sleepwalkers. Then they all got free of their own.

[ He wants to ask what happened, but shows mercy instead. ]

I should let you go, get some rest. Are you in medical bay?

[ In other words, how bad is it. ]

I'll need to be caught up.

[ Soon. Severus keeps telling himself-- soon, but he's hitting that stage where even his vision is starting to shine around the edges. ]

No. I have to see to a few things.

Very well.

[ A slight tone of doubt, but hell, maybe 'I need to see to a few things' is code for 'I need to put my face on a cheerleader' as opposed to work, because god knows, Xenogen won't entirely exist as an entity for at least a couple of days. ]

Those things aren't exclusive to one another, but very well. Good work, also. [ By the by. ]

Edited 2014-11-22 12:15 (UTC)

[ Actually he has to make some more calls and, yes, go down to the labs and make sure Rey's still in one piece. He may or may not pass out from exhaustion before Claire gets to him. ]

I know.

[ See? He's fine. Still being a dick. Even if his sass sounds like he's forcing it like nails through a meat grinder. ]

[ Only an answering sound; a scoff, nearly, good humoured, and then a neat disconnect.

Unlike some people, he will be in the medical bay. ]