Ring, ring

[Emily Littleton] It is one of the obscene hours of the evening when Wharil's phone rings. Rings. Rings through with Emily's number on the display.

If he answers, she sounds shaken, but otherwise hale.

"Wharil?" Pause. "It's Emily." Breathe, Little. "I... Things... didn't go so well with Henri. I'm sorry."

The words all ran together, weren't as clear and precise as they usually seemed.

[Wharil Choc] Wharil did answer. He sounded bright, as if he'd been up for hours and wasn't planning to go to bed anytime soon.

"Emily? Wa--slow down. What happened?"

[Emily Littleton] "I think I hurt her pet," the Apprentice says, all seriousness and worry. Wharil can almost see the fretful face, though they're separate by phone lines and handsets, space and time.

"We started talking, and it was going okay, but when I tried to Life scan it... I..." She stopped. There was an uncomfortable quiet for a moment. "I don't know what happened. Everything went sideways, and then it... popped. Like a water balloon."

Not quite the intended course of action.

[Wharil Choc] There's just quiet on the other end. Quiet for the longest time.

"Huh" He says eventually. Then: "How's Henri?"

[Emily Littleton] "Mad."

And in Emily's accent, that could mean more than one thing.

"She just left; I think she's pretty upset. On her way out the door she said He's okay, but I don't think we're going to be mates or anything. Buggered that one something awful, I did. I'm sorry Wharil. I didn't think I could do anything but scan it. I didn't meant to hurt it."

[Wharil Choc] "Yeah, well that's understandable. Don't beat yourself over it. Maybe...maybe you can make it up to her somehow, but I wouldn't push it so far, if I were you."

There's a rushed sigh and a clatter of what could be a pen on his side of the line.

"Well, at least we know a bit about it. It can't stand up to too much scrutiny, which makes sense if its something experimental. There's a reason it boggles the mind, and because it boggles the mind, its vulnerable. What about you? Are you alright?"

[Emily Littleton] "I'm..."

Her voice falls away and there's a contemplative pause.

"I think I'm okay, but I sent Chuck a text and he's worried and fussing over something." There's another pause, but it's shorter, a little irritated. "I don't really know. I got a lot of pushback from her ... sample. I've never had that hard of a time reading a pattern. But it absolutely is not alive, as far as what I learned from Jarod will show me."

She's back to the experiment, because she's not sure how to answer the other question.

"And I will try, to make it up to her that is." Emily sighs a little.

[Wharil Choc] "Yeah. It did the same to Ashley and I. I probably should have warned you about that. Sorry.

"I spoke to Nathan, by the way. From what he told me, I don't think this is over just yet. Henri might still be in trouble as long as she has that sample."

[Emily Littleton] "I think you're right," she said, softer. "I tried talking to her about what happened to the other people at the crash site, the ones that got injured. She didn't really listen though."

"I think Goopy might be Awake. And she's pretty sure it's sentient, though I didn't really see any strong evidence toward that end. Henri said it's giving off heavy metals, though, so at the very least it's toxic and capable of limited locomotion. Which is scary enough!"

[Wharil Choc] "Mm. Ease into it. Try not to spook her but...y'know. Try."

There's an audible shuffle. A clearing of the throat that might as well be shrug.

"Thanks for letting me know about this, Emily."

[Emily Littleton] "No problem," she says, still somewhat defeated. "It's late though. I should let you go. Hopefully next time I'll call with better news."

A pause. "G'night, Wharil." Another. And if there's nothing more, the line disconnects.

[Wharil Choc] His reply: "Night Emily. Be careful out there."