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 Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:58 pm
Anjali carefully removed the colorful batik cloth she'd hung on the wall to obscure the screen there - while she knew that the cameras within her room were doubtlessly somewhere else, it made her feel better to have the screen hidden from view. But now, she intended to use it. Maybe.
One green finger hovered over the call button on the intercom. She didn't really want to do this, but... she owed Jamal, and she had a few rather pointed questions to ask. Not doing it would be giving in to fear, and she could never do that... because if it happened once, it would happen again, and she would be cowed by these people.
No. Before she could think about it any further, she pressed the button, the sticky tendril at the end of her finger leaving a trail of mucilage behind. Anjali took a deep breath and turned to face the screen, regardless of if anyone appeared on it or not. "Hello?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:15 pm
Aubrey was in her office doing paperwork when she noticed the beeping from her monitor. She looked up, seeing who it was. She learned towards the monitor... it wasn't Jamal or Billy, it was that friendly looking botonist-lady. Aubrey puched a few keys on the keyboard and flicked the switch on her camera.
"Dr. Lockheart, can I help you?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:18 pm
Anjali stiffened just a little tiny bit when she realized she'd gotten Aubrey first try... she'd been expecting to have to go through some chain of command, or something like that, to reach the woman.
Alright. Let's go. "Hello again, Dr. Lockheart," Anjali said, smoothly, though the sticky tips of her hair were flicking in light agitation out of pure instinctive response. "I was wondering if I could, ah, discuss a few things with you?" Her demeanor was friendly - she didn't want to agitate the other woman, especially if she could get the answers she wanted with honey rather than vinegar.
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:20 pm
Aubrey closed the file she was working on. As she was listening to the woman she pulled up her file on her monitor. "Okay, Ms. Frangipani," she said with a professional smile, though she looked a bit weary. Most of her ecounters with islanders lately had ended...badly.
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:24 pm
"I was wondering... I thought last time we had spoken, you had assured me that I would be warned in advance and we would cooperate regarding my injections... imagine my surprise when I woke up in the forest with a needle wound on my arm, buried in fresh loam up to my neck." Anjali cocked her head to one side. "Any particular reason for that rejection of courtesy?" Her tone was not accusatory, though she had to struggle to make it not be so. "Has my landscaping work not been up to par?" she added, impishly. "Oh, and by the way, that metal cage really didn't work well with my plans, though if it needs to remain I can find some nice climbing vines..."
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:29 pm
Aubrey groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ms. Frangipani I'm so terribly sorry abuot that... mess. You see, I was off the island when that happened and the doctor left in charge did several things he shouldn't have without authorization." She shook her head, cursing under her breath. "Really, I can't begin to describe how.. infuriating that was to come back to."
Her eye twitched at the cage ordeal, however. "I'm sorry the cage didn't go with your landscaping. Of course, attempted murder didn't really go with my plans, either. But you'll be happy to know the cage is gone now."
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:34 pm
Anjali scrutinized Aubrey's expression and reaction... and found nothing at fault with her frustration. Either the other woman was a bloody good actor, or she was telling the truth... "So you didn't know, then? I'm sorry... but I wonder why... who makes you want to seem a breaker of promises, Doctor Lockheart?" she said, gently. Anjali felt bad for her, especially since that incident had obviously resulted in Jamal's attack, which hadn't been good for EITHER party. "I hear more about you than any other doctor save the great Moreau himself -" her voice colored with sarcasm there - "so it seems you are closer to the islanders than most, right?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:39 pm
"Because there is something seriously wrong with Dr. Duvert if you ask me, thats why. He was interested in phycological reactions, you see. He's a doctor of Anthropology, not a medical doctor like myself or Dr. Moreau. In our absence, he apprantly thought he was allowed to run experiements without authorization. Believe you me," Aubrey was motioning with her hands, obviously irritated, "if I have any control over it nothing like that will ever happen again!"
She took a break to address the other issue. "Yes, I'm the only senior staff who deals with most things directly involving the islanders. I'm not... ignorant to your situation. But I figure as long as you're here, I'm going to do what I can try to make it as comfortable as I can. I'm trying to help you peple build a life here, if you'll let me. As opposed to just being nameless animals locked away in lab cages."
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:46 pm
Anjali shook her head. "Doctor Duvert... I have him to blame for my current, ah, state," she said, gesturing at her idly wriggling hair with one mostly green hand. She could tell Aubrey was getting agitated, though. "I believe you," she added, hoping to calm her down a bit. "I believe since you seem to know us better... well, we expect such things from Doctor Moreau, yes? But when it seemed you... well... it felt like a betrayal... I think you suffer from the only official news of such things being born of rumour. I think that's why Jamal did what he did. We talked," she added, her gaze flicking to the scarf around Aubrey's neck.
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:59 pm
Aubrey furrowed his brow and rearranged her scarf subconsciously. "Mr. Reedy would like nothing better but to see me dead," she sighed. "Its getting very..difficult," Aubrey admitted. "Moreau does not agree with my personal attatchment to the islanders. So its bad enough I have to go againt his approval, but to make it worse, when I try... its very frustrating." She tried to put to words what she was thinking. "I have Moreau aggitated at me for caring. And then I have attacks on my life from you guys when really... I'm trying to help you guys as much as possible." She sighed. "You people.. have every reason to hate me. But I wish nothing more than for you to recognize that I'll be your friend if you let me. But recently..." she shook her head. "I don't know. Its like I can't please everyone."
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:03 pm
"Having one... friend... high-up is better than nothing... though, perhaps you should be very sure what's planned before going on vacation next, or else we may all find ourselves marooned on rocks in the sea for all we know!" Anjali smiled to let Aubrey know that she was (mostly) kidding.
Then, she sobered. "Next time it's my turn for an injection, I will be called in - will I not? I am willing to, ah, barter for the kindness if need be... I have some information now that your scientists may find quite interesting, that I doubt they can obtain in any other way." Unless they have or make another plant serum, but for now...
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:08 pm
"Well, he had trusted Dr. Duvert... falsey, obviously. I promised I've learned from my mistakes."
Aubrey leaned forward, interested. "I will do everything I can to make sure of that, Ms. Frangipani. Of course if Dr. Duvert acts without authorization.. there's not much I can do. But I will talk to him personally."
She raised an eyebrow. "What information, if I may ask?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:54 pm
"Your scientists may find this quite interesting... I admit I find it quite interesting, though the experience has been rather marred by the time spent locked out of my duplex..." Anjali paused for effect.
"Plants, Doctor Lockheart. To my knowledge, no sentient, communicative being has ever... well, been a plant before. And as a botanist, I can tell you that there are some things we've very much been missing straight out..."
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:09 pm
Aubrey pulled out a notebad and readied a pen. "Indeed," she said, smiling. "Such as...?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:24 pm
Anjali smiled inwardly at the movement. So they didn't know...
For a moment, she pondered making something up, keeping it all to herself - but no, they'd find out the second another person recieved a plant serum. She couldn't be alone forever, could she?
"An information exchange, Doctor Lockheart... while I'm satisfied that you've been telling the truth and that my next injection will proceed as scheduled, I... ah, a friend that you're not particularly disposed to at the moment would like to know something. What serum was Jamal injected with? I think it would help his self-control if he knew, as well..." Her gaze flicked quickly to Aubrey's scarf.
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