damned_institute | Day 30: Staff, Morning

Burly orderlies and agile Calm Effect nurses flooded the cafeteria from the Courtyard while regular hall nurses filed in from the Sun Room and ushered out those not involved in the rebellion. It indeed seemed as if Landel was sending out all the cavalry, and an effective cavalry they were: The riot didn't continue for much longer after the alarm sounded, though it seemed strange just how quickly all of the mutinous patients fell, even the ones who hadn't been injected with anything.

The hall nurses were quick to escort their well-behaved charges back to their rooms, praising those who hadn't joined in and chiding those who muttered under their breath in response. There were some exceptions, of course: One nice young man had even defended one of the nurses from the violent patients! Now, wasn't that exemplary behavior? Dr. Landel would be so proud to hear about it...

Within half an hour, all of the so-called "loyal" patients had been safely deposited in their rooms, and it was then that the alarm finally stopped and the true difficulty of the situation was tackled. There certainly weren't enough rooms in solitary to accommodate such rampant disobedience, and yet measures would have to be taken to ensure proper consequences for each and every patient involved. After all, something like this couldn't be allowed to happen again!

Different options were considered. Perhaps they should make an example out of the girl who had sparked the riot, but then again, perhaps not. This certainly wasn't the first case of patients attacking nurses or their peers in a crowded area, but what had been different this time was the sheer support that the other patients had shown for her. Should the staff then make examples of all those who had tried to "protect" her from the well-meaning nurses? No, there were too many for that...

In the end, it was decided that the best immediate solution would be to treat the rebellious patients in the Medical Wing while they were unconscious and then move them back to their rooms to await punishment. To ensure the safety of both their roommates and the patients themselves, however, the staff decided to securely fasten their limbs to their beds and keep them heavily drugged. Such a sad sight they were to see, but... it was necessary.

Finally, when each and every patient had been escorted back to their respective rooms, the staff hurried off to an emergency meeting upstairs. Strangely, Head Nurse Lydia was the one taking care of the proceedings in the Head Doctor's stead. She calmly told them that he was preoccupied with more urgent matters, and as she began to speak to the crowd, the staff could only wonder what could possibly be more important than an unprecedented patient riot...

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"There was worse than those where I came from, too," Zelnick admitted. "I've even met people who're all for the experimentation and the brainwashing things. I just... had a lot of very big weapons between me and them, or an artifact to keep the mind-control from happening, or could avoid them all anyway. I don't have any of those, in a place like this." He smiled half-heartedly. "I've had more than enough of 'interesting' for a while, too-- adventure is all well and good, but I'd love for there to be an outbreak of peace, at least long enough to get our footing and work out the politics of defeating the Hierarchy... ah, if I were at home, that is." Which he wasn't, damn it all.

Hearing about the brainwashing, Zelnick almost hoped it was a Dnyarri, because then at least this place would seem a little like home... but no, that one intelligent Dnyarri should have died with the Sa-matra, and he doubted even the Umgah would be stupid enough to raise another one to sentience.

Kenren chuckled softly, appreciating the sentiment. "I know what you mean. I really wish I had my guns here with me. I have a sword, but that was always more my commander's weapon." Damn, he'd kill to have Tenpou here. Tenpou would probably enjoy it as much as he was.

"Well, your world sounds a hell of a lot more interesting than mine. Several hundred years of boredom makes this place look almost appealing apart from, you know, being prisoners and all. And you have my condolences at being involved in politics. Hate the stuff."

"Mmm, guns, yes." With a melancholy smile, Zelnick continued, "Or a fleet... though your sword is probably more manageable. Where did you get something like that, anyway?"

Zelnick snorted. "There were high points, true enough, but the situation was hardly ideal. It was a three-sided war-- my one fleet against two near-unstoppable forces, where if these guys win humanity and its allies remains enslaved, and if the other guys win every species they can get their claws on is slaughtered... I'm pretty sure my fleet won freedom and safety for all, but I woke up here before I could know." His smile was rueful. "I was terrible at the diplomatic bits, but at least when I was talking, my ships weren't being attacked."

Belatedly, he caught a nuance of Kenren's speech, and looked wide-eyed at his roommate. "... you've been bored for hundreds of years?" There were species that lived that long, but they didn't look human...

Yes, guns were definitely a good thing in situations like this, right there just below a good friend watching your back. "There's people here who can make weapons with some kind of magic. The Alchemists. You might see 'em posting on the bulletin. It's a pretty useful skill." A sword beat a vegetable peeler hands down any day.

"Huh, I guess that does have a few downsides, but at least you didn't end up getting killed. That always puts a damper on things. And personally, I always did better at the fighting than the diplomacy. I remember the last time I tried being diplomatic: I got roughed up, thrown into military prison and then subjected to my CO's nursing skills."

The god gave Zelnick a faintly surprised look and nodded. "Yeah. A good few centuries. It really takes it out of you."

Day 30: Staff, Morning

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