a little less lonely together (part XXXII)

(Roleplay entry. Continued from part XXXI.)

Justine and Emilly stood in the Quantum containment module of the fringe lab.

Justine gave the Duchess a reassuring smile. "Just talk to him. Keep him calm. I'll do the rest."

Quantum data transfer was a tricky thing. Still considered impossible in most parts of the multiverse, the combined research capacity of the Tannhäuser fringe lab had managed it successfully a few times.

Justine was optimistic. The conditions were good. She scratched absently at the tattoo on her back, jaw clenching as she prepared to awaken the contained instance of the Duke.

Bringing the neural network online she kept a close eye on the quantum entanglement signatures. When neural activity crossed the awareness threshold she nodded to Emilly.

"Hello, beloved, can you hear me?"

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, unmistakably Hiro. "Em? Is that you? I can't see anything."

"Yes, love, I'm here. There's been an accident. But you're going to be ok. Soon. Everything is under control."

"An accident..." The voice drifted off a moment. "Where am I?"

"You're at Tannhäuser, you're safe."

"I can't feel anything," the voice was tinged with a slight note of panic and Emilly spoke quickly in her most soothing voice.

"You're on a neural block to protect you. Your injuries were extensive, but nothing that can't be fixed. Tell me the last thing you remember..."

The voices faded into the background as Justine's full attention focused on the data coming in. The smell of ozone was back, as was the hot itching on her back.

Across the multiverse, a connection was made. Data flowed. Justine trapped it in a separate neural network. Eventually it would need to be integrated with the instance talking to Emilly now, but if she had learned anything I've the past few days it was the need to take these things slow.

(Continued in part XXXIII.)