02. [video]

[oncearanger]

[The face of a man about sixty-five years old appears on screen. He's squinting at the blasted device through glasses that he's very glad he kept, but he would still struggle to make a text post at the moment---not with his old prescription. The voice is rougher, but still recognizable as Billy's to the few people he knows.]

Please answer this question for me: it's urgent.

Is extreme accelerated aging a known side effect of the transporter? I have several other hypotheses about my sudden condition, but this is the first I should test. And if you know of any cures for this condition, I'd appreciate a pointer. I'm drawing up my own attempts at a cure, but there's not much I can do with our limited supplies.

[He sighs wearily.]

I calculate that I'll age to the point of death within the next 36 hours, or sooner if it accelerates further, so there's not much that I have to lose.

((ooc: The aging is a canon event caused by his own tinkering at home gone wrong with a delayed reaction. And there's a canon medicine that would likely be at the Hold, but he hasn't a clue.))

Comments

[action]

[kungfublackfrog]

[The hug actually surprised Adam; so much that he might fall down from the impact. He expected that kind of gesture from Rocky (with more force considering) but it still is good that he's happy about it. Naturally he returns it before Billy pulls away.]

I was scared too. I'm just glad they had some here, like they were expecting it or something.

[Makes you wonder how much of them do they even know.]

[action]

[oncearanger]

Apparently I was the only one who wasn't.

[Billy still looks faintly embarrassed by his outburst, but the bounce soon returns to his step. It's over. He's safe now---probably.]

But I won't let this research opportunity go to waste. I have to go log all my observations, as well as everything I can remember about Aquitar. I wasn't told much about the falls on my last visit, but maybe I can piece some things together.

You can get back to whatever you were doing. I'm sorry about the interruption.

[action]

[kungfublackfrog]

Interrupting what exactly? It's not like I was doing anything important.

[Shut up and don't apologize ok?]

[action]

[oncearanger]

I guess inconvenience is a more appropriate word.

[Whatever, it's all cool. Billy smiles brightly as they leave.]
...are there any other life-threatening emergencies in my future that I should know about?

[action]

[kungfublackfrog]

[Don't mind Adam giving him the 'Billy plz' look, except it looks more silly than serious. Which resulted in the older man slightly chuckling.

Ok, can't stay serious all the time.]

Not to my knowledge.

[Maybe he should tell him that he moved to Aquitar after the whole aging thing went down.]

[action]

[oncearanger]

[Billy pauses to evaluate for a moment, but Adam is honest-he knows that. So he smiles and lightly jabs Adam one more time.]

Good. And...if I knew anything about your future, I promise I'd say something. I'll have to thank you some other way.