third ink ribbon ☢ video + action

[bowgunner]

[ after a moment, claire sits down in front of the journal's eye. she leaves a steaming mug sitting at her elbow, and has her hair tied back in a manner that can only ever be described as professional. although it cannot quite be seen on-screen, it's apparent from the bob of a pen cap that she must have some manner of notepad on the desk before her. and she's already taking notes.

after a moment: ] Good morning, Luceti. I have only been here for four months, but in this short time one thing has become chillingly obvious. Many of us come from places -- Earths, usually -- ravaged by plague-like diseases. Viruses and infections and all manner of scientific progress gone awry. For a lot of us, it seems these symptoms target the recently-dead or soon-to-be-dead. I've always hated the z-word, but I suppose there's no avoiding it today: quite a few of us have zombie problems.

And -- as I understand it -- this world is no different. At least two of the enclosures have suffered under viral outbreaks. A vaccine was manufactured, right? Are the people involved still around? I want to speak to them. And to anyone else facing this threat here or at home. It's not much, but swapping notes might be the least we can do.

[ she will stay at her post to discuss any necessary topics for a good chunk of the day before setting aside her career in the early evening. although she still doesn't let her hair down, it's in a more relaxed bun when she steps into good spirits. her journal is left at home and her cream-coloured blazer has been traded in for a reddish-pink vest layered over a black longsleeve. she's here for a beer or two and to mingle, eager enough to approach strangers and ask them about their day. ]

Comments

[bowgunner]

It's how our outbreaks started. A multi-national conglomerate in the pharmaceutical sector was pursuing top-secret projects in genetic engineering and biological weaponry. Biological warfare. They were trying to create a super-soldier; they ended up with monsters. These days, the viruses responsible for most of the outbreaks are still available on the black market.

[ a moment for a long breath. she's lived this for too long -- a decade, nearly. and it's hard not to make it sound like a press briefing. ] Take the t-Virus. When many everyday animals are exposed to it, they mutate. Some of these mutations were specifically engineered as bio-organic weaponry. BOWs.

Zombies. [ ugh. that word. she pauses on it, wrinkling her nose. ] Our zombies are individuals who were exposed to the t-Virus. Either in the water supply, or through a bite, or even scratches from someone or something that's carried the virus. Technically, they're what Umbrella deemed failures -- the first 'zombies' were human test subjects who failed to mutate in the way they wanted them to. Failed to become a viable bio-organic weapons system.

[luckynumberthree]

Wow, that is... really different from how it started in our world. I think. Actually, I'm not sure anyone knows how or why the Grey Plague was started. If it was intentional or a mishap or just really really bad luck. There's a lot of theories and rumors. Although I suspect that anyone who might have known is either long gone or grey themselves.

[bowgunner]

I'm not sure many people believe it. Back home, it's hard to accept that the same company making your mascara is also involved in...in that sort of thing. But we have eye-witnesses. Not many, but we have them.

[luckynumberthree]

Back in my home, people don't have much of a choice. There's not a whole lot of us left that could afford the luxury of turning a blind eye. We're on the brink of extinction as it is.

[bowgunner]

Doubtless, we would be too. If not for...[ it's hard to condone such an action, but-- ]

The US government doesn't appreciate us talking about it, but their willingness to bomb their own population probably did a lot for containment in North America.

[luckynumberthree]

Yeah, there's that. Probably smart in the long run. Pretty sure in our world that happened too. We managed to make contact with Canada briefly but otherwise North America went dark. Fast.

[bowgunner]

...How long has it been?

[luckynumberthree]

Since they went dark? Can't give you an exact amount of time. Infection hit us first, that was a little over a year ago, or there about. To be honest, we're not sure what's left of the other countries or continents. Everyone's pretty cut off so we've pretty much gone with the assumption that everywhere else is as bad or worse off as we are. Maybe some places got lucky, but if they did, they're not broadcasting it.

[bowgunner]

How soon did the infection hit your area after the first outbreak?

[luckynumberthree]

Days. They didn't know what it was at first. Some weird new strain of virus or something. No one really took it serious the first day or so. It was just rumors, scattered. Most people dismissed as people panicking, exaggeration. A week in and it was just... everywhere.

[bowgunner]

...Raccoon City started like that. Rumours. Reports of people being eaten. [ ... ] My brother was part of the team sent in to investigate.

[luckynumberthree]

[Ouch.] ...Did he make it back out?

[bowgunner]

He did. [ she's quick to clarify: ] He's very alive, if a little dumb and prone to heroics. He's one of those eye-witnesses I was talking about.

[ she's just as happy to not let slip the fact that she was there, too. ]

[luckynumberthree]

[That doesn't sound familiar at all.] Well, sometimes you need that to get out of places alive. Especially in situations like that. I'm glad he's alright though.

[bowgunner]

...Doesn't hurt, I suppose, that he's been in and out of different spec-ops outfits since before I started freshman year. Chris has always been a bit of a fighter.

[ but claire would rather be the rescuer -- or so leon had said. ] I don't think a major outbreak happens, now, without his outfit getting involved in one way or another. Either his or the DSO.

[luckynumberthree]

DSO? [Another term he's unfamiliar with.]

[bowgunner]

Part of the Federal Bioterrorism Commission. It deals with domestic bioterrorism in the US. As opposed to the BSAA, which had similar concerns on an international level. [ dry laughter. ] Sorry -- this can't actually be all that interesting. I only know it so well because my organization frequently has to coordinate with both of theirs.

[luckynumberthree]

No, it is. I'm just relieved that there's a world at there that's managed... containment, or something. One that wasn't completely overrun.

[bowgunner]

Containment is the goal -- but I wonder if we'll ever reach it. For every vaccine we manage to produce, some underground lab has made a new viral variant. Before we even see it on the streets, a new warlord has purchased two small vials. And suddenly, infection is on the rise again.

[luckynumberthree]

Well, you're doing a damn sight better at it than we did. You still have a world. You still have cities. People who can go about a normal life. You have a way of fighting it or at least having way more options of fighting than we did. We didn't stand a chance, not from the start.

[bowgunner]

...Except the way you say that makes it sound as though you want me to feel somehow...guilty. I'm sorry, but we're comparing apples and oranges. It's been almost ten years, for us. Longer still for those who have arrived from home from years well past mine.

Who knows what your world will accomplish in that length of time.

[luckynumberthree]

Don't be sorry. That's not something to feel guilty over. Yeah, so maybe I'm a little jealous. But that's mostly...

Some days I'm not sure there'll be anyone left in ten years time, is all.

[bowgunner]

Life tends to find a way. It may not be pretty, or easy, or even necessarily advisable. But it finds a way.

[luckynumberthree]

....Oh, that's much more optimistic. Maybe in ten years time all the dinosaurs will have finally gotten off that island and come eat all the zombies for us.

[bowgunner]

Don't mistake it for naivety. I didn't mean it in a glass-half-full kind of way.