Drabble Challenge: Day 24

    Heavens, I can barely keep my eyes open. This is going to have to be short, I'm afraid.

    Still attempting to catch up, obviously. Continuing right off from yesterday's scrawl, just a handful of hours later.


    Drabble Challenge: Day 24 - outside
    Word Count: 1,465    Minimum Goal: 1,440

    First, it was just fogginess and a headache that pounded against every corner of her skull. Much like a migraine, but worse. Much worse. And when the fog began to lift, not only was there hammering pain in her head, but it felt like there were tendrils of fire, burning a path through her brain. 
    Jandy couldn’t even find the breath to cry out. The pain was so completely overwhelming, conquering everything else until all she could do was curl in on herself, almost forgetting that she needed air. But every time she moved, the ache worsened, blazing up until she stilled again.
    She didn’t remember it being like this with Jane. She didn’t remember this part at all from before, but she was pretty sure she would’ve remembered the impression of someone searing cattle-brands against her hippocampus.
    As awareness continued to filter back to her, Jandy was able to feel a cot and a pillow under her head. A blanket draped over her. And… a conversation?
    One dark eye opened a crack, enough to see dimmed lights, a handful of other cots, and not another soul in sight. Something that she was thankful for, but when she retreated back into darkness, there were voices again. Indistinct and fuzzy, but definitely there.
    I’m too tired for this. Jandy told herself, attempting to get her fingers to uncramp from their strangle hold on the rough fabric of her blanket. 
    Annoyance drifted through her and Jandy huffed before she realized that she wasn’t annoyed. She hurt too much to be annoyed at either Warren, Doctor Hummel, or even the both of them combined right that moment.
    Memory took precious seconds to return. An operation, one that she and Jane had supposedly undergone a year ago. One that—
    Oh. Oh. 
    Jandy pressed her fingers into her forehead, trying to alleviate the pain and how much of an idiot she felt like. Of course. Warren’s whole project was centered around what was happening to her right then. Establishing mental connections between two different minds with the help of a bit of technology and some very delicate surgery.
    The annoyed vibe strengthened, but Jandy didn’t get the impression that it was being directed at her. Either way, she still was vexed by it, pushing back against the foreign feeling, mumbling, “Don’t take it out on me. I’m the victim here, green-soldier-person.”
    That annoyance was drown out by a myriad of emotions – surprise, confusion, disconcertion – and then… it felt more like an impression that an actual feeling. Like a small wave from someone who didn’t know what to say.
    Shifting onto her back, head still aching, Jandy closed her eyes and focused on the sensation. How were you supposed to shake hands with someone mentally? She and Jane had never needed the formalities, and now—
     Vague amusement.
    Jandy frowned. Oh, shut up. She sequestered her thoughts, then reached out in an experimental jab, trying to recreate the effect of poking someone.
    It worked. A jump rippled through her head. More surprise, then frustration again, but, once more, not at her. It was directed at someone else on the other end of their figurative line.  
    The connection wasn’t as clear as it had been with Jane, though, she mused while her new pal seemed preoccupied. With Jane, they had been able to share clear thoughts; full sentences. Why it wasn’t working that way now was beyond her. Maybe their brains weren’t compatible. Or maybe it was too early. The memories from her first days here with her sister were still fuzzy and unclear.
    A warning that didn’t feel unlike a flashing red light would’ve broke through her thoughts.
    Warning for what? Jandy pushed that across. Or, at least, the question behind it. 
    It was another impression this time. Menacing. Controlling. Heartless. Cruel. Jandy pieced the various feelings together into a person—the project’s overseer, Mark Warren.
    Not too impressed by this, the woman rolled onto her side with her back facing the rest of the room, determined to pretend she was still asleep. For a short while, anyways. Green-soldier-person probably had let it slip that she was alive and kicking again. No surprise. Warren’s little robots.
    Bemusement that wasn’t hers drifted through Jandy. 
    Whoops. But there wasn’t a lot of apology behind it. They were like robots, and although whoever was on the receiving end of this handy little connection sure had a variety of emotions at hand, Warren still had had something up his sleeve with his whole “hand-picked partner” deal.
    Whatever and whoever was going on, Jandy didn’t particularly care. She felt like someone had cut her head open and poured a bunch of little dwarves with pick-axes into it. It felt remarkably like a few of the hangovers she’d experienced in the past, and whenever those cropped up, she tended to just flop back down and sleep several hours longer.
    The sound of a lock being turned came to her, followed by the door being opened. Footsteps entered the room from the hall and Jandy didn’t bother to look back at them.
    Looks like you were right, pal. Calvary’s arrived.
    A restlessness was the most resounding reply she got back, like the person on the other end wasn’t content with their situation. 
    “Are your readings in the green, Doctor Hummel?” Warren’s voice came, cutting through her curious investigation of the emotions that weren’t hers.
    It was a long moment before there was a somewhat reluctant, “Yes, Mr. Warren.” 
    Jandy wondered for only brief moments what had occurred while she’d been out. But then, how long exactly had she been out for?
    “Good. The connection appears to be holding strong?” The man continued behind her. 
    The woman resisted the urge to pull her pillow over her head to block out his voice and told herself to just pay attention to what was being said. At the back of her mind, the restlessness still churned, now almost to the edge of concern and Jandy only wished she could ask her new brain partner for the reason for the freak-out.
    She knew how to handle Warren.
    “Yes, thus far. It wavers from time to time, but it takes time and work to help the connection strengthen its bonds. At this moment, the connection seems to be an average one, and I would estimate it would take two or three days of time in contact and training to reach a point of mental clarity between them.” Hummel reported, her words punctuated by soft beeps, no doubt from her tablet.
    “You can stop pretending to be asleep now, 2-22.”
    She acquiesced with a long sigh, turning her head to catch a glimpse of Warren’s deadpan face in her peripherals. “A new number? Just for me? You shouldn’t have.”
    “Your designation shifted when you received a new partner. You and your sister were 2-13 and 2-14. Now you are 2-22.”
    “And my new head buddy?” Jandy prompted while attempting to poke the tenseness out of said buddy. The tension was making her hair stand on end and she already couldn’t think straight.
    “Dechlan Scott; designation, 2-21.” Warren stated, seeming to focus on her face for a long moment before he turned his attention back to the doctor waiting by his side. “Proceed as you see fit, Doctor. You will know how best to handle the initial stages, but I want full reports of the ground covered daily and immediate summoning if anything drastic occurs, is that understood?”
    Hummel nodded once, not seeming too pleased about it, but Jandy was certain she valued her job more than not being treated like a ten-year-old. Otherwise she would’ve been long gone ages ago.
    The overseer left not much after that, being met in the hall by a pair of soldiers before the three disappeared, both from sight and from hearing. Then, Doctor Hummel found a rolling stool, blowing out a long, frustrated breath.
    Jandy ignored her and the rest of the outside world in favor of her stressing counterpart. For the moment, at least. 
    What had his name been again? Dechlan? Dechlan Scott. She rolled the name around in her head a couple of times, trying to figure out where she’d heard it before, and only realized after the fact that his attention had been caught by her initial testing of his name. 
    How fascinating. She reached out to show that she was still in working order, despite a pounding headache. Speaking of which, “Say, Doc, any way I can get some painkillers. Whatever you guys did is making my head implode and I don’t think you want me starting to throw up. It’s never pretty.”
    One of Hummel’s flawless brows arched as she continued to type on her tablet. “Don’t count on it, Miss Sparks.”
    Jandy sighed. 


    Okay, time to sleep. Can't hardly focus on the screen anymore. Any questions, don't hesitate to leave 'em in the comment section. I'd be more than happy to answer once I find me brain again.

    Ad astra per aspera.
    To the stars through difficulties.