Things had been running as usual down in the med-bay, and to first appearances, this week wasn't going to be different.

But first appearances could be deceiving. This week was going to be different. And as the next few days passed by, the Medical Department was going to find that they now had quite a situation on their hands.

[[ooc: Okay, so this post is just for the affected characters who go into the Med-Bay before Quarantine, the Medical peeps who volunteered, and also the people who bring in said affected characters. If you've already organised who you'll thread with for this, just put their names in the subject line. If you're happy for any of the Medical guys to tag in, then just put "Open". There's also an ooc planning post for this if you want to try and plot for this.

Also, please note that both in terms of the timeline, both Kon and Jeka will be the last two to be brought in, regardless of thread order - they're essentially the ones who'll show up right before Quarantine, and be the ones that clue in Medical as to what's really happening here.]]

PT finished at 0700, and the pilots and new recruits got a half hour to cool off before they got into the cockpits of their assorted craft. In the two hours since 0500 they ran several miles, did push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups, and then a hundred jumping jacks to get the blood pumping. "You don't even want to think about how much force you put on your body when you're piloting," Trudy said at the start of the exercises. "Pilots need to be in peak condition to handle it."

Those who were used to doing the training five days out of the week would be out of breath but not exhausted. Anyone new, however, might have a little trouble getting their wind back.

"All right everyone, gather around. We have a few new recruits today, so we're not going to be running the Zokez scenario. I know you're all heartbroken." She kept a straight face, but that was a definite joke. She was sick of running the Zokez scenario. "We'll be doing some standard training exercises - maneuverability and gunning practice."

The track and exercise equipment melted away, and in its place the hangar of the Macross Quarter materialized with all its fighters and mobile suits. "Outside is a standard sim course. I'm going to have the recruits run it first to see how they handle and then the squadrons will go out as a unit. Recruits, let's put you in birds."

((OOC: This log is for anyone who signed up to fly a mobile suit, a VF or an X-wing and is not already in Starfighter Command. The flight sim is like something you'd see out of the training missions on Star Fox - fly through the rings, shoot the enemies, avoid the obstacles it throws at you like sheets of scrap and asteroids. EDIT: Subthreads for the squadrons are now up!))

It seemed like any other day. Ren grabbed Darkwing’s mirror and headed off to the Sensoriums to fight. No particular reason—he never needed one. Without thinking twice about it, he set up a battle against a swarm of Hydragoons--not an overwhelming swarm, but just enough for a good challenge. There was just one little problem.

He’d never seen a Hydragoon before. Not in the time he’d originally come from.

Without even taking out the Survive card, Ren held out his deck and shouted, “Henshin!” immediately transforming into Survive Form. Beside him, Darkwing changed forms to Darkraider; if the Contract Monster found anything strange about the situation, it wasn’t letting Ren know. Instead, it flew overhead, attacking the Hydragoons in the air while Ren pulled out his sword and ran toward the ones nearest the ground.

(OOC: Due to the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey that is Kamen Rider Ryuki, Ren is currently reliving different iterations of the canon, currently the movie, Episode Final. He isn’t yet physically de-aging, but his memories of the events of the series have been overwritten with events of the movie. The effects of the Melting Clock will not be obvious for a little while)

Eva waits outside the Med Bay, rocking herself slightly back and forth on her heels. Every few moments, she paces and barely resists the urge to peak into the Med Bay and hopefully see her son conscious and better, but she knows that the latter, at least, is highly unlikely.

She doesn't know what to do. She should be there in the room, waiting for him to wake and making sure he's okay, like a mother should. Not standing out here. Not being the enemy. Again.

But she knows that she's always going to be the empty packaging for Visser One first, and Eva a distinct second, and this has just proved it to her over again.

So rather than going in and taking care of her son, like she should be doing, she just keeps pacing and running her hands through her hair and biting her lip and waiting for Kang.

The arena was vast and raucous, its seats not only cramped but exorbitantly expensive for the typical inhabitant of Epicurea, with even the seats set farthest from the staging area easily costing a full day's wages. It was also packed solid.

Huge holographic screens were projected high into the air above the arena itself, depicting each match (especially the end) with gruesome, crystal-clear detail. Not a drop of blood was spared, not a millimeter of shattered bone was missed, and everything was on display at multiple angles to allow the spectators the fullest extent of the experience.

The observer's box that they were now approaching was as ostentatious as they'd come to expect from their host, luxuriously decorated with fine cloth curtains, plush carpeting, absurdly cushioned seats, and a delicately carved, intricate railing that appeared to be made out of some no doubt ludicrously expensive precious metal. It was a stark contrast to the simple stone benches the other observers were afforded. And of course, their host's pterosaur was once again present at the top of the box: a tethered, living reminder of its owner's exalted status.

As Anwei and Howard were ushered onto the balcony and seated, workers were already busy scrubbing the stage clean of the loser of the last match -- or what was left of him, which by now was only a blue-black smear on the ground. They had arrived just in time for the short intermission before the next match would start.

All viewers, place your bets.