[Voice]

[espigeonage]

[Backdated to early Sunday morning. Julien still sounds a little thick-voiced, but better than he did.]

False alarm. I don't have the human-killer plague.

The doctor says I have something genetically tailored or engineered or - [He sneezes softly, non-dramatically] whatever to be super virulent, but it's specifically meant to not hurt humans. Probably won't hurt anyone else too unless they have this particular chromosomal thing, like apparently I do now. Not XY, ZZ. Dunno how it works. [This is the chromosomal system of birds and a few others. Females are ZW.]

Also younger-Alex's thing isn't related and also not gonna go rampant. And we're kind of out of it still but probably not going to die and we don't have to stay here. So there's that. [sniiiff]

Still, it's... good to have a plan in case the pulses do uh... give me Sumatera some day. God the future... that future, I mean, past-2070 future, it's pretty fucked up.

Comments

voice;

[metalbent]

I'm glad you're not dying, anyway.

[ ...could have LED with that comment, but. ]

[espigeonage]

Thank you.

[That was pretty sincere-sounding and he doesn't really like to sound like that much, so, more teasing:] Here's hoping if I die in all this it's more impressive.

[metalbent]

Like with explosions? Oooh, or you should go for some big heroic sacrifice scene. That would be cool.

[ Sophie is okay with moving away from seriousness. ]

[espigeonage]

Exactly! The kind that's okay sad maybe, but inspiring! People fight on harder and when they do the deathblow on the final boss they say "For Julien". And later they put up this polished rock with my name cut into it and tell stories about how cool I was and be, you know, a little sad about it but happy.

Hmm. Too egotistical?

[metalbent]

Hey, if you're going out, I say go all out.

[espigeonage]

Cool. Shed a single tear and keep a resolved angry face for me, all right? That's the cinematic way.

[metalbent]

Of course. I only do things the cinematic way, didn't you know? You can rest easy knowing that.

[espigeonage]

Good. 'Scuse me. [soft sneeze] Now I can die knowing the proper forms will be followed.

[metalbent]

Yeah, maybe you should go lay down. Or like, have soup. My mom says soup is good for everything.

[espigeonage]

Aaah, all right. It's nice to sleep in my own bed. And while not feverish.

[metalbent]

I'll let you do that, then. Just take care of yourself, 'kay?

[espigeonage]

[He fakes a quiet laugh]

As you command.