[Almost two weeks spent in Malnosso captivity and what does Gregor have to show for it?
Lots and lots of band-aids, mostly. Also a minor cold that has turned into a chesty cough.
Instead of any great torture, drugs, or whatever he'd been expecting, the Malnosso mostly took DNA samples. Blood samples. Tissue samples. He's from further in Earth-universe's future than most besides Ivan, so maybe his specific point in human evolution was of interest. He understands the "lab rat" metaphor pretty well now. There hadn't been a lot of space in his cell, so he's a little stiff and sore. At least the hallucinations are gone. That had been the worst part--having to assure himself that this was a normal reaction to solitary confinement. He slowly heaves himself to his feet, blindly scrabbling for his journal. Writing is not easy with all his bandaged fingertips, so he speaks, sounding hoarse, slightly congested, and exhausted.]
Ivan. [A pause. ] Buffy. Adele. Whoever's...interested, this is Greg. I'm back. [He coughs a couple of times, fairly hard.] The Malnosso...anyway, I'm fine. It...wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'm heading home now. Did someone take care of my horse?
[He'll take about fifteen minutes to walk home from his spot in the woods.]
Lots and lots of band-aids, mostly. Also a minor cold that has turned into a chesty cough.
Instead of any great torture, drugs, or whatever he'd been expecting, the Malnosso mostly took DNA samples. Blood samples. Tissue samples. He's from further in Earth-universe's future than most besides Ivan, so maybe his specific point in human evolution was of interest. He understands the "lab rat" metaphor pretty well now. There hadn't been a lot of space in his cell, so he's a little stiff and sore. At least the hallucinations are gone. That had been the worst part--having to assure himself that this was a normal reaction to solitary confinement. He slowly heaves himself to his feet, blindly scrabbling for his journal. Writing is not easy with all his bandaged fingertips, so he speaks, sounding hoarse, slightly congested, and exhausted.]
Ivan. [A pause. ] Buffy. Adele. Whoever's...interested, this is Greg. I'm back. [He coughs a couple of times, fairly hard.] The Malnosso...anyway, I'm fine. It...wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'm heading home now. Did someone take care of my horse?
[He'll take about fifteen minutes to walk home from his spot in the woods.]
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-03 11:26 pm (UTC)From:How long were you kidnapped for?
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-03 11:33 pm (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-03 11:53 pm (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-03 11:56 pm (UTC)From:Twelve days.
[He is trying to decide if that's more or less than it felt like.]
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 12:15 am (UTC)From:Oh. Well...you're back now, at least.
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Date: 2012-08-04 12:17 am (UTC)From:Ivan?
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 12:37 am (UTC)From:Sire?
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Date: 2012-08-04 12:38 am (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 12:56 am (UTC)From:[Right, that probably means that Gregor would rather he didn't. So Ivan's silent now, again.]
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 12:59 am (UTC)From:Gregor keeps walking briskly toward their destination, occasionally giving a chesty cough into the crook of his elbow. Ivan had better not fall behind.]
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 01:39 am (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 01:45 am (UTC)From:When they finally reach the farm, Gregor is prepared to tear into the barn...but upon coming closer, sees the dark bay mare standing outside, grazing.]
She must've broken free.
[He sounds both relieved and exhausted. He slows to a halt, watching her. She's acting lethargic and is probably undernourished as hell, but she's alive.]
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 02:17 am (UTC)From:In the future I'll check on her daily, just in case you're not here to do so.
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 02:26 am (UTC)From:Contact me before you set out. It might not be necessary.
[With a sigh, he starts toward the mare to recapture it.] I had this fantasy of running a public stable. Technology here is mixed, but transportation is positively Time of Isolation. Most people only have their feet.
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 03:24 pm (UTC)From:[The least he can do, sort of.]
How would you get more horses? Do they show up, like the wine did?
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 03:27 pm (UTC)From:[He ends that with three vicious coughs into his arm.]
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Date: 2012-08-04 06:00 pm (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 08:43 pm (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 10:08 pm (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-04 10:14 pm (UTC)From:[He smiles. It's nice that someone immediately understands why playing that game with such a task would be useful.]
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-05 12:06 am (UTC)From:[Action]
Date: 2012-08-05 12:11 am (UTC)From:[That, and Gregor is hoping to run into information about Prince Serg. It's a long shot, but...
As they approach General Alys, the mare gives a snort and casually walks away. Gregor sighs and continues his leisurely pursuit.]
I know, you're mad at me. Come on, it wasn't my fault.
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-05 03:36 am (UTC)From:[...He's talking to a horse. Why is he talking to a horse? Just following the suit of the emperor, he supposes.]
That's logical.
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-05 03:39 am (UTC)From:I think we've both forgotten we're not the old Count Vorkosigan.
[Action]
Date: 2012-08-05 04:47 pm (UTC)From:[Action]
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