Milliways: Digitizing [The Cure, Part 1]

[ami_imperfect]

Dani stands nervously in the room that holds Ray's digitizing laser. She feels like a hundred butterflies have been turned loose in her stomach, laid eggs which hatched into caterpillars which then turned into butterfiles. After all this time spent worrying, she's finally going to be cured.

Possibly.

She looks over at Danny.

"You ready?"

Is her voice really that shaky?

Comments

[command_dot_com]

"You want me to do that for you? Won't be any trouble." Dot offers, looking up to watch as the two young people get scanned into the system. Oh that does not look the least bit comfortable.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"I'd appreciate it, yes." Barbara shakes her head as she looks up too, "I have to admit that I'm not always thrilled about the side-effects of the drugs, but... I don't imagine that that thing is much more fun," she nods at the digitizer.

[command_dot_com]

"Bob's said it's not painful but..." Well, let's see how much pain Bob has been known to deal with on a regular basis recently. "Considering the pain tolerance he had for the errors in his code and how long he kept that hidden from me...I'll take that with a byte of code."

"I'll let you know if he was right after our vacation."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Well, until then? I think I'll stick with this," Barbara grins.

[command_dot_com]

"By the code on that." Dot smirks. "So what's new and interesting in your world?"

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Did I tell you I made contact with myself from the future?" That's the big one these days.

[command_dot_com]

"...I think you're future self wins out over my null father."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara laughs, "I don't think it's a competition. Besides... My future self is a lot like me, really. Just with more data."

[command_dot_com]

"Still, what did your future self want to talk about? Dad just asked lots of questions about Milliways."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"I... um..." Barbara ducks her head. "I contacted her. I... got copies of her archives. I'm going to change the future." Maybe. She still hasn't convinced herself it's a good idea, but she's not sure she can just stand by and let things happen.

[command_dot_com]

"...if you want any help with that.." If Dot could have done something to prevent the explosion in Lost Angles... "I still owe you double time for all you've done."

Dot looks up as the laser reforms a pair of teenagers in purple spritely form. "And our guests have arrived.."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Thanks, Dot," Babs smiles. "I appreciate it. A lot."

She turns to the two sprites, and then back to Dot, "Shall we get started?"

[command_dot_com]

Dot watches the over-protective brother show for a moment and covers her mouth smiling. "Yes, before Danny gets to anxious."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

With a nod, Barbara lifts her mask to her face and settles it into place. Her voice comes through muffled, "Ready when you are, then."

[command_dot_com]

"Ready, just say when." Dot carefully lines up the syringe point to the side of Barbara's neck.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Do it."

[command_dot_com]

The syringe is quickly asministered and Dot watches for any signs of it working.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara's breathing slows and evens out into a deep and steady rhythm. The mask settled over her face hums softly as the interface lights blink in patterned sequence.

[command_dot_com]

And that means everything is working properly.

"Alright, Oracle's in the system... Let's get going."