B1, Day 2 [public channel]

[whattaprick]

[ There are a lot of things people need to do right now: help the Prince's servants get resettled, get started on figuring out who can work on a cure for the petrification, deal with the trauma of dying in a hopefully healthy and non-self-destructive way, show the new people the ropes of what the Carnival has to work with.

Instead, in the morning of the second day since the Prince was defeated, anyone on the radio gets this: ]

So, I've been wondering.

[ The Nightrider's voice, for those who recognize it, has definitely been better. It's a low, hoarse rasp, and the pause at the end is not just for effect, but to actually catch his breath. ]

Just how old is everyone here, anyway? Here, I'll start. I'm ... pretty sure I'm almost sixty. [ A beat. ] ... Maybe.

[ Why did anyone let this man have his radio back again? ]

[ ooc; Lambert's flat on his back in the medical tent for this, feel free to bug him in person and threadjack each other at will. ]

Comments

[whattaprick]

There, see? That wasn't so bad.

[ Yeah, just dudes, hanging out in a tent, talking on the radio... though Celandine will, after a bit, pipe up sleepily. ]

What are you doing there?

[scientificist]

[The talking animal is odd, but Herbert is trying to just go along with things like this for the most part. It doesn't affect him. And if a sentient mustelid wants to ask him about his work, he's more than happy to oblige it.

The radio is still on because maybe the rest of the carnival is interested? That would be neat maybe.]

I'm attempting to determine what organic material--if any--is integrated with the, artificially fossilised tissue. The study of petrifaction isn't part of my field, of course, but if anything organic remains I might be able to affect it using my specialisation in biochemistry.

[whattaprick]

So you're not an onion specialist? Could have fooled me.

[ Lambert says, dryly. But, it's not like he didn't understand the general gist of that. He has a better reference point for chemistry, and at least this isn't a computer. Celandine pokes him chidingly, then turns her attention to Herbert. ]

Find anything interesting? If you're here, you must work in the medical department now, so we could probably use any information we can get.

[scientificist]

[Herbert sighs deeply, rolling his eyes, and doesn't dignify Lambert with a response. The animal apparently deserves his answers more than the human (?) it sits on.]

Yes, I seem to be the only member of your medical staff--poor timing for a shortage if you ask me. [He looks down at the slide for a moment, then back at Celandine.] I had hoped there would be obvious evidence left behind, trapped cellular remains or bacteria but it really does...appear to be a perfect fossil. I can see similar structure to skin at least but I have fairly limited means to do further testing...

[He looks around the tent and sighs deeply, dismissively.]

The equipment here is. Outdated. Was the doctor who was previously here a, practitioner of humoralist medicine? An alchemist?

[dontpokethat]

She was a magic zebra. [Helping.] She pretty much held this place together.

[scientificist]

Of course she was. [Herbert mutters this into his microscope because science will always be there for him in this, his time of greatest need. A magic zebra.] Was she also the only medic?

[dontpokethat]

Yeah, actually. Not sure how she managed to keep up with all the work she ended up with on her own.

[He's a little concerned about how well the carnival is going to function without Zecora around, truth be told.]

[scientificist]

Yes, neither am I...especially as she must have had to "keep up" without hands.

[dontpokethat]

She had ways of working around that.

[He literally cannot emphasize enough that this zebra was probably the most competent person here.]

Y'know. Related to the whole magic thing.

[scientificist]

Frankly that sounds...distracting. [He has a more important topic to focus on than a magic zebra anyway.] Is this position usually a, solitary role?

[dontpokethat]

We got used to it. [It got a lot easier to get used to a lot of things after spending enough time in the carnival.]

Theoretically, no... I think we have one other person assigned the medical now, actually. But the medical department is somewhat chronically understaffed.