[open/closed] I watched a change in you

[deploy]

who: John Sheppard & friends, GUEST STARRING the retrovirus, and anyone unlucky enough to cross his path
what: John's problematic transformation from a man into a manbugthing and all the drama that follows
when: Late April to early May
where: Various, inside and outside the wall
warnings: Graphic violence, sexual content, disturbing imagery, language... your typical Rated R Sci-fi movie

Day 0: John is bitten by a venomous insect in the field. Lingering traces of the Irratus bug retrovirus in his system are activated in biological defense, successfully counteracting the venom.

Day 1: No outward physical mutation. Physiological condition is optimized. All symptoms of stress, fatigue and exertion are eliminated. Near instantaneous healing of minor wounds. Strength, speed, stamina, and durability are at peak human capacity. Dopamines and hormones exceed normal levels. Positive change in mood is subsequent.

Day 2: No outward physical mutation. Instantaneous healing of minor wounds. Strength, speed, stamina, and durability are above peak human capacity. Dopamines and hormones are off the charts. Senses are enhanced. Extreme decline of mental/emotional/sexual inhibitions. Behaviour is erratic and reactive.

Day 3: Physical mutation begins, progressing rapidly. Pupils become slitted. Skin and extremities show signs of textural change, becoming rough, hardened and discoloured. Grey dermal patterning covers significant portion of body. Near instantaneous healing of major wounds. Strength, speed, stamina, and durability , as well as senses, are super-human. Shift of brain chemicals and hormones from human to Iratus bug. Loss of mental/emotional/sexual inhibitions. Behaviour is extremely erratic, reactive, and violent.

Day 4: Physical mutation advances significantly, altering facial features. Skin takes on an exoskeleton appearance. Strength, speed, stamina, and durability, as well as senses, are super-human. Complete regenerative ability. Extreme shift of brain chemicals and hormones from human to Iratus bug. Loss of mental/emotional/sexual inhibitions. Loss of identity, and some cognitive function. Behaviour is that of an apex predator. Hyper-violent, territorial, and predatory.

Day 5: Chrysalis. Complete transformation to Iratus hybrid, and loss of human consciousness. Point of no return.

Comments

[winscenario]

So is he.

[ That is why John surrounds himself with people like them— good people, loyal people. Jim knows he'd have put his life on the line for John if need be, just like he'd done for him. He's just relieved that no one had to, just as he is relieved that Carson's cure worked and John's back to normal now.

Well— physically anyway. ]

It'll be fine. We'll be here for him. [ Whatever happens, he knows that much: John will have support coming from a lot of people. It's likely he won't want it, won't want the attention, people wasting their time looking after him, but that's too bad. He'll just have to suck it up. ]

How long did it take? The last time. For him to completely go back to normal.

[panacean]

Aye, so we will.

[ Carson isn't sure he'll ever stop being grateful that John hasn't been entirely alone on this moon. That in spite of his probable best efforts to keep people at a distance he's still gotten a few in close. ]

Several weeks. His mind will come back before his body, if it happens as it did before, which is its own kind of trauma.

[ If Carson had his way, the process would happen in reverse, but it's probably safer for all involved that it happens the way it does. ]

[winscenario]

[ John's had his moments, but Jim has never felt like he didn't want him around. And when someone gets stuck with him, it's a chronic condition. Can't ever get rid of him.

He nods, understanding easily how traumatic that must be. Being aware of himself again, of who he is, what happened, what he's done... and looking in the mirror, or even just lifting a hand, and seeing what he still looks like.

It'll be a struggle, Jim can guess that much. ]

Is there anything I can do to help? [ Other than being here for him, that is. ]

[panacean]

[ Carson pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to think of something concrete, something tangibly useful. He knows how hard it can be to just stand by and wait for things to improve; he has to do it himself so, so often. Wait and see. Try, fail, try again, wait and see.

At least this time he has faith in his own techniques. He can already tell they're working. There's no helpless tension, no risk of losing one of his closest friends to something monstrous forever. Something monstrous he helped create.

(No, that will never stop haunting him, just like the sight of Ellia's body in the woods after her own conversion will never be far from his mind.) ]

Bring him distractions. Anything. Paperwork. Might be the only time he willingly does it himself.

[winscenario]

[ Jim's not exactly the patient type. He's gotten better over time, but sitting around and waiting for things to just get better on their own has never been his forte.

Part of him hopes that Carson can offer him something concrete that he can do, but deep down he knows there's nothing else that can be done but wait. Carson can still monitor him, check his state, run tests... Jim's more or less reached the limit of his usefulness in this scenario. ]

He may not always be willing, but he's easy to convince. [ Or maybe Jim just has a way with him. Either way. ] I'll do that. Think it'll be long until he wakes up?

[panacean]

Easy to convince? [ Carson smiles a little. ] Tell that to--

[ Ah, right. Doctor Weir isn't here. Carson is pretty sure, at least from his own experience, that Elizabeth is the only one who can convince John to do anything easily. A steady look, a raised eyebrow, a faint smile, and anyone in Atlantis would follow her orders. ]

Hard to say. I've painkillers enough in his system that he might be out for a day, but with the way his hybrid state metabolizes the drugs he could be awake in an hour.

[winscenario]

[ That seems to be the general consensus. John is difficult, and Rodney's unpleasant. And yet Jim's had a fairly opposite experience with both. Granted, with Rodney it might be because he's... a fan, one could say.

With John... well, maybe Jim's just good at dealing with him. He's always been good at dealing with a tough crowd. Not that John's ever been especially tough to deal with.

Getting thrown against a cave wall aside. That wasn't John, not really. ]

Right. [ He worries at his lower lip, watching John's face. ] I'll wait for a while, then. If I'm not getting in your way or anything.

[panacean]

[ Sufficed to say both parties have different ways of dealing with their friends, and both ways work well for those involved. Carson has been close to both John and Rodney for the better part of three years--different friendships, different situations, different ways of being. ]

You're not. Do tell me if there's anything else you'd like to know. I'll tell you if I can.

[winscenario]

I'll keep that in mind.

[ He looks away from John, offering Carson a faint smile. ] Thank you, Carson. And likewise, let me know if I can help with anything.