Fevered Dreams: It's Just a Game

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Captain J'Arell Tishael

Wild Space - Abrion Sector - Rishi

As part of a the lingering legislation from Emperor Palpatine that hasn't quite gotten tidied up by the new Empress and all - they are awful busy clearing out all the other sorted red tape or something like that - apparently no one said that the continuing exploration and settling of the area known as Wild Space needed to stop. Much to the frustrations of the small crews sent out to do such things. And it isn't like Rishi is unknown...but apparently somewhere along the lines someone decided it'd be a grand idea to offer aid to these backwater little places. Said something about it being good for the morale of the Empire as a whole though everyone in their right mind knows that its the kind of thing that only bored college students looked in to. Planetary aid to far off places and the protecting of some endangered species of fungus on some planet that couldn't even sustain human life. You'd think they could find something better for us to do. But whatever, it pays the bills and at least it beats serving some cockamamie job on a Star Destroyer somewhere.

So my crew and I (There's 9 of us in total. Not a great number, but I've worked with most of them before. The Medic - Ktarr - he's always good for a laugh.) have been sent to Rishi...I've heard it's a nice place, probably could be turned into a vacation spot if it wasn't so damned remote. Regardless...we're being sent to lend aid to a small colony that apparently got hit with some sort of exotic disease. Reports are a bit sketchy so far as to what exactly the symptoms are or what's causing it - but I guess that's what this team is here for. Aid and research. Fun fun fun. I guess the hard part here will be making sure my crew doesn't catch whatever bug is - ha - bugging the colony.

Official reports are expected, of course. I hate paperwork. Should be landing in another 20 min or so. Still need to figure out exactly who is coming with me to head in at first. Apparently the colony's communications have gone down too so we're currently relying on a neighboring one's information. Which is just grand seeing as how apparently no one has visited the one we're running off to for about two months now. I hate walking into blind situations. The hazard suits are going to be a must at first. But, Still say it beats working on a Destroyer...

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Captain J'Arell Tishael

I mentioned I hate lack of information...right? This couldn't have been more of a clusterfrak. A disease plaguing the colony? More like wiped the entire thing OUT. Well, almost the entire thing. We found a little girl, Ktarr's got her in quarantine right now. Poor thing look like she hadn't eaten for days and was practically catatonic. We found her huddled in a corner inside one of the homes, not sure how she avoided getting hit with what everyone else did. Weird looking little kid...don't think she'd quiet human, maybe that had something to do with it. Whatever, she's the doc's issue right now.

My issue is now getting to figure out what the frak do we do at this point? We came here to help these people out and now they're all frakkin dead. And whatever the hell it is that offed them all - it didn't look like it was a pleasant way to go. I've seen some bad things but this was just...I mean...the buggers had black ooze coming out of everywhere and half the people looked like they'd been trying to rip their own skin off. I'm half tempted to call it quits right now and get my whole group off this miserable little rock than risk exposure to whatever the frak this is. Waiting to see what our new orders are, though I doubt they'd be "oh just up and leave and forget about this incident and all the other colonies it could potentially spread to." Frak it...I'm going and getting a drink.

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Doctor Mirak Ktarr, Medic.

It is with my most esteemed hope that documenting the incidents that are taking place here on Rishi in a form aside from my official medical records will one day be of use to my fellow physicians. I believe we are the brink of discovering a new and rather hazardous pathogen. The tropical client of Rishi has lead me to believe that perhaps it was unearthed by one of the colonists on accident though so far the testings performed by myself and this crew's head scientist, Maria Tik'esh, upon the cadavers have been thus far inconclusive. Perhaps whatever virus or bacterium that wrought such havoc upon their forms was unable to sustain itself after the hosts' demise. Though that does begin to bring about the questions of just how it was transmitted in the first place.

My only clue appears to be the last living survivor of the colony, a small girl whose name has not been revealed yet as apparently the trauma of the incident has rendered her in a rather strange state. The girl refuses to speak, eat or sleep, even after two days of being on board of our ship in a safe environment. She will drink water if offered, but otherwise seems disinterested in essentially all activities. I am uncertain as to her race, but after testing a sample of the child's blood (which was a stunning shade of deep azure), I found no trace of any viable disease. She was released from quarantine this morning officially, but refuses to leave her room. I am hoping that the records from the colony's main database (which Captain Tishael and several others are currently obtaining) will shed some light on this mysterious little being.

On another note, I have received various complaints from several of the crew of sudden bouts of night terrors. I can only attribute this to their viewing of the remains of the colonists for even I found them to be rather disturbing.

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Captain J'Arell Tishael

I'm going to say this right now...I'm beginning to hate this planet and I know I'm not the only one. Doc's dealing with more and more of the crew having issues sleeping and we've only been here four days. I began to wonder if maybe there was something in the atmosphere that hadn't yet been reported on but we did a few tests and nothing out of the ordinary showed up. The records we got from the colony all seemed pretty standard as well, nothing unusual. We looked into the first recorded case of the disease hitting - apparently it took one of the colony's physicians (I told Ktarr about this, joked he'd be the first to go out of us...didn't think it was very funny. Man has no sense of humor, at least Lt. Zakkel thought it was funny)

And on the subject of Zakkel...seems that kid we scooped up has taken a liking to him. Well, as much of a liking as I guess it takes to just somewhat follow him about. She always stays a few steps behind him, never seen her talk to him directly (I don't think she's talked to anyone come to think of it) but hey - it's good to see the kid out and about at least. Still don't have a name for her yet, I guess no one's really been assigned to look into those records, maybe I'll make Zakkel do it. Doc still hasn't updated us on what she is either. I'm thinkin she's gotta be part Nagai with the pale skin and all, but what do I know?

Really starting to hope Ktarr and Tik'esh make some sort of progress on this disease thing. The last thing I want to do is ditch this place only to get called back because it wiped out the colony over from this one next. And at this point, aside from digging graves, there isn't a whole lot else for the rest of us to do. The whole situation is starting to make me really restless, feel like I have to keep moving or I'll go stir crazy.

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Lt. Ryin Zakkel

So the captain thought it'd be really smart-like to start keeping one of these here journal type things. Says I seem to always have a lot on my mind to get off and said it'd be great if I started writing it down for ...whatever reason. Personally I think he's just gonna look at what everyone wrote and compare some notes down the line so he can scribble down his report. That's right, Captain! I'm on to you!

Along with this silly journal system apparently today they officially stuck me in charge of that kid we brought back from the colony. Been doing some reading up on her, thing's a little survivor I'll tell you that! Apparently she's got a name too - Leliel. That's it. Aint no last name to go with it, but her mom sure had one. Ophelia Konrad, apparently came with the kid to the colony when the thing was just an infant. Just the two of them, apparently dad wasn't in the picture no more. No mentioning on race or nothing, no real detailed birth records on the kid aside from a date...and get this I shit you not - born in 4 BBE ...third month, seventh day. Ha ha, how's that for a great start in this universe? I probably shouldn't joke about that. Kid seems to just take on all sorts of bad luck. Guess not too shortly after Ophelia brought little Lilly (as I've gotten to calling her, lot easier to say. She doesn't really respond to it but eh, doesn't respond to much of anything, really)...anyway, shortly after they showed up Ophelia found herself a husband...the place's doctor. Dude is the first to up and croak from this disease. Apparently the mom went a bit nutso after that, ended up killing herself off. Hung herself inside their house...how frakked up is that? So when all this dren went down apparently the poor thing was an orphan already! Kripes and you wonder why she aint talking to any of us.

Doc aint too glad with all this info either. Says it's useless since it doesn't give a whole lotta reason for why Lilly managed to survive whatever the heck it is that killed all the others.

And that's about it as far as what new news is on the kid, I guess. As for myself...well it seems the problem I've been having is shared by everyone else on this ship. Doc says I got a bad case of insomnia...guess I match Lilly there too as I haven't seen her sleep once...but then again I think a lot of the crew does too. Everyone's all griping about how they can't sleep well or when they try and sleep they have these freakish nightmares. Not a great thing, everyone's kinda on edge because of it. I think last night I got all of about 2 hours...maybe less, stopped really trying to keep track. Hope tonight will be better.

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Maria Tik'esh, scientist.

I don't write here often, Journal. And I really should but it does make me feel like a silly primary school girl when ever I do but I suppose I need to get this out and there's ...no one I can tell on the crew.

I think there's something wrong with me...and I think there's something wrong with this planet. At first I thought it may have just been nerves because we were dealing with this unknown and apparently highly contagious disease. I figured...that had to be it, right? But now that the threat of our own contamination is pretty much ruled out I'm not sure what to think. I'm so jumpy and I keep having these odd nightmares and ...and I can't remember anything from yesterday! I don't want to go home, I feel priveledged enough to be able to be allowed on this crew. I know we're not a prestegious lot, but for a woman to be able to be treated with a respect for her mind in this universe (I'm still completely shocked we have an Empress) ...

I'm just...so...scared all the time these past few days. I feel like my heart is going to explode. Maybe I just should tell the doc I think I'm having some anxiety issues...something...

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Captain J'Arell Tishael

Crew is restless. I'm restless. Litterally, figuratively, whateverly. Doc still hasn't made any leeway with the disease...thing. I'm starting to think we needed a fresher subject, maybe someone infected and suffering from the syptoms would be better. Problem is we don't really know what they are.

Storm moved in and communications went down today. Considering sending someone out to one of the other colonies to see if they're having issues. Just to be friendly but figured I better keep everyone here for the time being. I think there's something in my head. Like a beetle that's eating my brain. I can't think about it otherwise it gets hungry. When this storm lets up I think I'll be sending out a small task force of those who seem to be more with it. Everyone still has been having sleeping issues. Doc says it's just anxiety problems, but my crew hasn't been this bad...ever. Almost starting to wonder if...maybe this is the start of the symptoms? ...maybe we shouldn't send anyone out. Thinking the Doc needs to check everyone out first.

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Captain J'Arell Tishael

Not sure...how long we've been here now, to be honest. Everything's kinda blurring together...

Storms' stayed pretty constant. At least, I think so. Last I was in the cockpit it was.

Guess I should record my personal feelings about what happened yesterday. I know there's gotta be some sort of official record and I'll get to it. Once we all can figure out what the frak actually happened. Few of us were sitting around and Tik'esh comes in, all in a huff. You could tell she'd been crying, eyes all red and shit. Shoulda known something was up...

Anyway, we're talking and she comes in and just kinda stands there and suddenly she starts screaming at Zakkel in some language I've never heard before. I mean like, really screaming...We're all a bit dumbstruck by it and she stops...and suddenly started crying again and I get up to you know...see if she's okay. And no sooner do I do so and the crazy bitch pulls a vibroblade and slit her neck wide open. Wasn't anything the doc could do for her by the time we got her to the med bay...

Heh...oddest thing was that the kid was around when it happened and just...kinda watched it all.

Not really sure I have anything else to say about that.

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Lt. Ryin Zakkel

I never have claimed to be a lucky sort. Hell, I'm not even sure I could be considered lucky all things considered. We've been stuck on this damn rock for too long, that much I know. Maria going crazy in front of everyone seems to have made the whole crew really quiet. No one really wants to leave their bunks anymore...even the Captain doesn't seem to give a crap that things are all honked up and we need to request evac. It's like they've all silently doomed themselves here.

That's okay with me.

I don't know why it is, but I think she'll be happier this way. Less of a struggle. She's a smart one like that. Odd considering how young she is...I mean, don't get me wrong...I keep finding myself questioning her. But she just...stares at me. I'll be honest when I say I've never actually leard Lilly say anything. Guess you could say I just kinda clicked with her. I've been good with kids before, my big sister's got a boy that I used to watch after for her before I joined up...But that wasn't like this. It's almost like I'd swear she could talk right into my subconscious but that's kinda crazy, huh? Not like that's possible...

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Lt. Ryin Zakkel

Poor fools, all of us. Dooped from the start. We only see what she wants us to see. Ever since we got here, ever since we landed it was all her. She's letting me see the other side of the mirror now and I don't know why. Reality is so much worse, though. Maybe that's why.

There is no storm. It's calm outside but when I asked the Captain he said that it still hasn't let up and that going outside would basically mean death. Captain apparently thinks he's been recording his reports too. I saw him the other day talking to his blaster while he had it aimed directly at himself. He had no idea...

She's just toying with us.

I re-watched the security feed from when Tik'esh killed herself. Gods... if there even are any... may they have complete mercy on us. I'd seen the footage before when we first went over it, when the doc tried to analyze it, sure enough I saw it then as clear as when it happened but this time... Maria walked in terrified as hell and then she didn't scream in some...freak language. She was screaming in Basic...begging us to help her. Telling us to run away. And then...then... For frak's sake there was no vibroblade! She just started choking and screaming and this black ...fluid...started coming out of her eyes and mouth and she just dropped and kept screaming until she died and the entire time Lilly just stood there, watching.

I almost wonder if it even happened like that or if the kid is still messing with me. I don't want to look at the body to see...I don't think I'd see the truth anyway. Not unless she wanted me to.

Why is she doing this? And for that matter...what the hell is she?

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Captain J'Arell Tishael

I saw a woman today. She was standing there. Just outside of the cockpit. I think she wants to kill me. The thing in my head will get to me first, though.

Maybe I can get Doc Ktarr to get it out first. That would be good. Rather have a woman kill me than some damn bug.

[Leliel]

From the personal logs of Doctor Mirak Ktarr, Medic.

I am unsure of how I have come to the following conclusion, I can only wish that I had some frame of evidence to support it, but I am of utmost certainty on this: I have to kill the girl. Or, perhaps, if time allows, request it from one of the others. They are soldiers, I am not. Murdering children was not in my job description.

It is a most curious thing, the girl makes me see things. I know that now. I was attending one of the others yesterday when a woman walked by my door. She paused for a moment and looked at me, stunningly beautiful one moment and nothing more than a rotting corpse the next. Her features resembled those of the child. And without any provocation, she walked on. I removed myself to the hallway to catch another glimpse of this hallucination, yet it was gone.

I have to kill her. I have to... We're all dead otherwise.