001 | day after zombies

[skyentific]

[A slightly pale and more-than-slightly displeased Ema greets the screen. It looks like she may have had one or two or three narrow escapes from undead.]

This is a really nice way to bring us in here... Oh, it's on already--? [she clears her throat and launches in with barely a preamable.]

I'm Detective Ema Skye... I have a question. So we've pretty much taken care of those... zombie-things now, right? [she ticks off on her fingers:] Also, we heard that animals were the disease vectors, and that something called "holy magic" [she wrinkles her nose at that] can cure them.

That's all well and good...But has anyone done a real forensic investigation? We could trace this back to the source, or at least figure out how it happened... [Her displeasure seems to melt away rather quickly.] It's all part of the power of science!

Comments

[vaudevil]

While I think it's feasible to try, it's risky. Something like that shouldn't be left in just anyone's hands or give people ideas. Still, if you're looking for a sample, I'm sure we can find something lying around.

[Anything dealing with magic makes him cringe. He sighs.]

Why is is always magic? Can't people do things the hard way like everyone else?

[skyentific]

All the magic I've ever seen has just been a trick of one kind or another... It's like they say, any sufficiently advanced technology is distinguished by the gullible and glimmerous as magic!

...Anyway, yes. I'll work on finding something.

[vaudevil]

You wouldn't like my world. We could discuss the sociological reason for the existence of such things, but I think people are fascinated with the unusual.

It's strange how a stage magician can market their slight of hand and parlor tricks of illusion to make as a year's wage in a day. I suppose it's selling an idea.

While I'm not entirely gullible, I don't find zombies to be in the same line as stage magic. If it's a virus, then we can disprove the magic.

[skyentific]

It's probably something like that... Or they're too lazy for science. That's probably it. [Or no good at it. Or they fail their test like her. Whatever.]

What they call their magic might work, and still be explained scientifically. It doesn't matter... The methods are what's important!

[vaudevil]

True. Even a trick can be explained through physics or chemistry. I wouldn't exactly call it laziness on behalf of the magician since it does require a bit of scientific knowledge for a good trick to work.

So, with that bit of explanation, what brought the zombies about could explain why whoever did it was able to so easily, yes?

[skyentific]

Yes, exactly.

[At the rest of it, she shrugs. She can't bring herself to care any more about magic than that.]

[vaudevil]

It appears that there is some work ahead. Do you need my help?

[It will at least give him something to do.]

[skyentific]

Well... I don't know. You said you were a robotics person? Do you have any robots designed for scientific epidemiology research?

[vaudevil]

Give me some time to make one. I was in the middle of something else when this incident came up. Now, it appears that I have no choice but to start my projects more aggressively.

I'll be in touch. Ah, it would help if I had a name. I'm Lee.

[skyentific]

Great, Lee. I'm Ema. [Again.] A pleasure to meet you.

[vaudevil]

[Whoops, it looks like someone wasn't paying attention close enough initially for a name. Well, at least now she has his to work with.]

I should have a prototype in about a week. I don't know how well those zombie parts will store.

[skyentific]

I'd hope no worse than regular parts... But we'll see.

[vaudevil]

I see. I best get to work.

[skyentific]

Me too. I'll speak with you later, Lee.

[vaudevil]

Likewise, Ema.

[And with that, he ends the feed.]