Active thread - The Red Strain [TRS]

[MadJaymilton]

A frown crosses the doctor's face. "What does that mean, 'they never got it?' They must have. You helped me with the body bags, Robert--there were two, and I certainly didn't have them loaded down with snow. Obviously there's some problem on their end."

[Mr. Handy]

"That's just it," says Robert. "There were two body bags, but I bet you didn't open them up. Neither one of them was Childs. They got some other body instead, and they're a mite pissed about it."

[Pickman37]

IN THE LAB...

George notes the arrival of the transport plane but he is more in a panic to salvage any remaining samples of the bacteria strain. He quickly obtains some rubber bulbed lab droppers...

..and tries to extract some from the puddles by the heat lamp or table....or even from the floor. Anyone witnessing his actions would assume the man's life depended on it...

[MadJaymilton]

"They're pissed?" Evans asks, red creeping into his face. "I'm the one who looks like a right buffoon! I did the autopsies on Childs and MacReady, I tagged the corpses, I bagged them, tagged the body bags, and attached all the proper paperwork. I double- and triple-checked that every I was dotted and every T was crossed. And then someone decided to play a little prank--" The doctor cuts himself off, with obvious effort, with closed eyes and deep breaths. Steady, man. Steady.

After a moment his eyes open again. "So if Childs wasn't in the bag, who was?" he asks Robert. Some of the anger has bled off, and confusion has crept into its place. "They were the only corpses we recovered and God knows I don't keep any on hand in the supply cabinet."

[Mr. Handy]

Robert sighs. I know what McMurdo said, he thinks, but I have to trust someone, and the Doc is all right. "That's the crazy part," he says with his voice lowered. "McMurdo claims that the body they received instead of Childs was that of Walther Naumann. You know, the bloke who's roaming around outside right now. Maybe that was him heading for the chopper. If he's not really who we thought he is, that could be bad. If he messes with it...Look, we better be real careful about repeating this to anyone else. McMurdo said it might not be a good idea to tell anyone else. They also said to make sure that only people we know enter the station."

[MadJaymilton]

"Walter?" Evans' face goes pale and he sputters for a moment before placing a hand on the stair railing. "We... I have to tell Xavier. Will you... watch the airlock?" He takes a step up the staircase, pauses, and asks, "Are you armed?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Not hardly," says Robert. "I've never even used a gun before, but I'd feel much better if I had one. Something like a shotgun would be best for me. Plenty of stopping power, and even I might hit the broad side of a barn with one. In the meantime, I'll watch the airlock."

[Tabs]

Arthur pokes his head out of the kitchen, accompanied by a delicious waft of something tasty.

"Nearly done. When is everyone due back?" He looks from Bailey to Evans. "Did someone just mention a 'shotgun'?"

[MadJaymilton]

Evans' eyes slide from Bailey to Arthur and back again. "No," he says, clearly lying. "I'll be... I'll be right back." He heads up the stairs, stops outside of Xavier's room--then pauses. After a moment's thought he keeps going, to the clinic, and heads inside. From a storage locker he takes out a lab coat; he puts it on and buttons it before moving to where he keeps his instruments. From the tray he picks up a scalpel--the very one he used on Childs' autopsy, come to think of it--and after a brief examination he slips it oh-so-carefully into the front pocket of the lab coat.

Surely McMurdo was just having a laugh--or more likely it was Robert, wanting to have some fun at the stuffy old doctor's expense; that was certainly it. This was just someone's idea of a joke, but Evans certainly didn't find it very amusing. Still... joke or not... better not to take any chances. Being out on the ice for too long could make people go crazy--just look at Station 31. If someone were to snap and make him a target, Evans wanted to be prepared.

Feeling safer and with his fear already starting to bleed away, Evans creeps back down the hall to let Xavier know about the rather unfunny goings-on. He gives three sharp raps on the door and waits to be addressed.

[Mr. Handy]

"I broadcast the message to tell everyone to get inside," says Robert. "Just waiting for them to come back now - if they have enough sense to come in, that is."

[Tabs]

"Okay. The food will be ready in ten minutes, for those who wanna eat now . . . but it'll keep, so dinner can be served whenever."

[Mr. Handy]

"Thanks," says Robert. "I'll let them know when they return."

[Dave Syrinx]

When Robert gets halfway through the air lock, Janet and Harrison come through the entry door followed by Naumann. The trio starts to pull off their Antarctic gear and Walther says, "What´s the hurry Robbie? I was working up a sweat over behind the garage when I heard your sweet voice..."

The second floor-
Evans listens as he waits for Xavier to open the door. He hears a knock as the station chief rolls down on to the floor. Xavier grunts and scrapes at the door. He fumbles with the doorknob. The door swings inside. Xavier looks ash grey and half asleep. "What is it?" He sounds anything but interested in an answer. Before Evans can explain, Xavier cramps and folds his chest against his thighs. "Arghh!" . He manages to support himself against the door frame.

The laboratory-
Scooping up the droplets of water in the created vacuum of the tube, George curses inside. If this batch is botched he does know where to get another one. He has marked the sample location on the map, so that won´t be a problem. No need to tell anyone that, though.

Eric stands in the doorway of the lab and watches the desperate professor collect the melted sample. Very much like Eric´s father when he had spilled some Whiskey. The singing chef catches his attention and Eric wonders how come all these odd balls come to gather in this remote location... From his position he sees a group of three walking over the runway lights towards the main building. They have red parkas and move hurriedly. What had Bailey said? Weapons? Not letting anyone in? Who are those guys?
He hears a thud in the ceiling from Xavier´s room.

In the kitchen, Arthur starts to add the number of plates he has to set. From his vantage point he counts three arrivals from the C-130. George, Eric, Rob, Evans, Janet - gorgeous Janet, Dwayne, Johnny, not Xavier - he won´t be down for grub, not in a million years. He knows a bad case of stomach pain when he see one. And this one he´s not responsible for!
That brings the count to twelve. No problem seating all between the two tables. He needs something to add to the meal. What goes with this? Something fast and easy...

Then, the generator start to hum again, and the proper lighting is back on.

Happy days!

[Mr. Handy]

"McMurdo called and let us know that we've got a storm incoming," says Robert to Walther, trying unsuccessfully to size him up. "Their instructions were for everyone to get inside and stay inside for the duration. Arthur said dinner will be ready in ten minutes. What were you doing out there, anyway?"

[MadJaymilton]

Evans leans in close to Xavier, a conspiratorial air about him, but before he gets a word out the chief is doubled over. "Xavier? What is it?"

[LorenniaNailo]

Eric goes over to Bailey and says in a low voice, "I thought we were the only ones coming in today." He nods towards where he saw the three in red parkas coming towards the building. "There's three people out there."

[Dave Syrinx]

"Clearing the pathways, as usual. No one else does it. Right?" He gives Robert a wink. As far as Bailey can tell, there´s nothing off with either of the three entering the station. The four in the airlock are joined by Eric. At that a call comes in over the radio: "Station 10, come in Station 10, this is Johnny over."

On the second floor-
Xavier breathes shallowly and fast. "I...I...." He looks at his chest and places his palm flat on. He falls on his back and gasps for air. When that fails, despair is written all over his face as his eyes try to focus on Evans. "Gaa!"

Airlock-
As the flood lights outside have brought the station to full daylight mode, shadows dance outside as the three crew members from the C-130 round the corner of the main building. The five staff members about the airlock hear the rustle from upstairs.

In the lab, George methodically stores his salvaged sample in a freeze container and locks it up for later analysis. Dinner is ready...

[Mr. Handy]

"Hang on, I have to take that," says Robert, slipping back into the radio room. He answers the call. "Robert Bailey at Station 10 here. I read you, Johnny. What's up? Over."

[MadJaymilton]

"Good God, Xavier," Evans says. He takes one of the Chief's hands in his, fingers on the wrist, feeling for the pulse--is there arrhythmia? The clammy sweat was apparent, he didn't have to check for that. The doctor wracks his brain to figure out a diagnosis.

[Tabs]

Arthur opens a pack of part-baked rolls--brown and white, places them on a tray, and shoves it in the oven at a low temperature.