1168/Medical Cat-astrophes

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Medical Cat-astrophes
Date of Scene: 14 April 2020
Location: The Grand Edward Ballroom - Hellfire Club
Synopsis: Felicia Hardy attends a medical seminar and gets a sudden and unplanned demonstration of the disease afflicting him.
Cast of Characters: Michael Morbius, Felicia Hardy




Michael Morbius has posed:
It's a rather boring title for a seminar.

THE IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF VIRULENT DISEASES IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

However, this gathering is a meeting of the minds, and many of them the top minds in their fields. Many panels are set up to cover various subjects, and there are some booths displaying various medical tools invented to help various ailments.
Most of the names hosting the panels, but there is one that proves to fill up quickly.

Handling a Pandemic at the Operational Level - D. Biers, Ph.D...W. Meyers, M.D.S...M. Morbius, Ph.D, M.D., Nobel Laureate

Felicia Hardy has posed:
The event, naturally, caught the eye of one Black Cat. So many people in positions of power and wealth in one room at one time? Yes, please.

But then, another item caught the eye of Felicia Hardy: Dr. Morbius, whom she had the pleasure of meeting recently. Curiosity is a funny thing...driving one to extraordinary lengths. In this case, those lengths include suppressing her desire for mischief and the challenge in order to learn more of this mysterious doctor who has told her that he is dying. She always was a sucker for lost causes. So the catsuit was left behind, and plans to attend this event went forward as Felicia formulated her plan.

Michael Morbius has posed:
"Michael, are you SURE...?"

Michael looked at his friend, Dr. Krieb, with something like fond exasperation. "Sig, I'll be fine. I've taken my meds, on time, for the prescribed dosages. I think I can manage one hour of questions."

"...Show me your hand."
Michael raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Show me your hand."
Michael looked at him, then raised his right hand. It hung there, still and unmoving, before lowering it. "Steady as a rock."
Dr. Krieb didn't look convinced, but sighed. "All right, Michael. But...we'll be ready if something happens."

Sig and the nurse on staff left, and Michael smiled wryly. He reached over to grab his folders...

His left hand was trembling noticeably.
The Waco Kid from a movie he had seen years ago said in his head, *Yeah, but I SHOOT with THIS hand...*

He'll be fine. He has to be fine.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Felicia is dressed sharply, in a tailored black business suit-dress, with a modest skirt that comes nearly to her knees, but a plunging neckline that hints at no top beneath the jacket. She is wearing black heels, a classy string of pearls and an upswept, silvery hairdo. She tries to catch Dr. Morbius' eye from across the room, affording him a pleasant, if flirtatious smile.

Michael Morbius has posed:
The three doctors walk onstage to polite applause, and they nod to everyone. Michael sits down and scans the crowd. No lab coats here. Blazers, suits, slacks...

And a flash of tossed silver.
Michael blinks as as the snow-white hair in a sea of dark colors seems as bright as a flare in the night sky. Miss Hardy? When did SHE get interested in pathology?

He looks startled, but gives Felicia a wry smile before he looks down to put his folders in order.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Felicia is attentive through the presentation. She even takes notes. The old fashioned type, with an expensive-looking pen, and a leatherbound journal. She crosses her legs and seems genuinely interested, making eye contact with Dr. Morbius anytime he looks her way.

Michael Morbius has posed:
Michael is intrigued that she has an interesting in what many would consider a niche field. She is certainly a change from the no-nonsense types he normally sees at these panels...

He blinks as he realizes Dr. Meyers is winding up, and he is next on the list. He looks down to his notes, then stands up on cue as Meyers introduces him.

He bows to everyone as he reaches the podium, then gives them a warm smile. "Good afternoon, and thank you for giving me the chance to attend." He looks out to the crowd, then to Felicia. She is very attentive. He wondered if he might pick her brain about...

He frowned slightly with confusion. Who was the blonde? She certainly stood out, but was she a girlfriend of one of the other doctors?

He continued onward, but the looks he gave Felicia, now rare instead of frequent were puzzled and uncertain as he spoke about chains of virii...

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Many wonders of the medical world have intrigued Felicia since she was young. Perhaps none more so than the emergence and subsequent relevance of the so-called x-gene. Studies had shown the presence of a possibly active x-gene in Felicia, herself. It was presumed to be so,in fact, but she was able to fly under the radar. But this disorder of the doctor's...it was something new to her. And the compelling research he is doing, despite his own medical condition? Well that just confirms that he is more intriguing to her every time he opens his mouth.

Michael Morbius has posed:
Morbius lowered his left hand to his side, attempting to hide it, but Meyers saw it. It was trembling badly. He looked to Sig who was standing offstage.

"...now if you follow the chains back to the first thirty segments, the blockchains will be asynchronous."
He continued on. He had meant to say 'blockchains,' because that's what they were.
"So if you isolate the 35th segment here, you will find that all's clear for ice cream."

Now ALL the other member of the panel were looking at him. Morbius continued, undeterred.

"Now if you play patty-cake with the nostrums, you can sort out the kippers with the firetruck, then whip the coolers for going tharn. Then, you can boogaloo the...the..."

He looked out at the crowd, which was now silent and staring. Why? they certainly knew about...about...

He looked at Felicia and it was like looking at a stranger.

"I think there is something very oversight with me," Michael says clearly, and then he drops to the floor behind the podium...and begins to convulse.

Felicia Hardy has posed:
The attendees are on their feet, immediately. Certain there are doctors there who are far more qualified than Felicia to assist Michael Morbius. But she cannot maintain her seat. There are others scrambling to help, and Felicia is moving on the outskirts, trying to catch a glimpse of the ailing doctor. "Is he okay? What happened?" she asks as she moves between people with ease, and tries to visually confirm the condition of Dr. Morbius.

Michael Morbius has posed:
Sig bounded onto the stage. "Get away from him! Clear the podium!" The other doctors looked startled, but back away. There is no uproar, but there were many gasps and screams of alarm. Three men jump up onto the stage. "I'm a doctor. What's going on?" one of them says.
"Seizure! The man has ALAD-Deficiency Porphyria!" Sig takes out an eyedropper bottle, placing three drops on Michael's distended tongue. "We have to wait until it passes! CLEAR THE STAGE!"

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Felicia waits just off the stage, trying to keep an eye on the situation, but staying well clear of the doctors. Her expression is one of genuine concern as she holds her breath, watching and waiting for the situation to resolve.

Michael Morbius has posed:
People start clearing the conference room area as Michael continues to writhe and flop like a marionette being played with by an idiot child. He is making some earnest plea that comes out in one long consonant: "NNNNNNnnnnnnnnnNNNNNNNNnnnnnn..."

Then the pulses begin to lessen, his voice subsiding, his straining body relaxing. Sig sighs and smiles. "I think he's coming out of it."

Felicia Hardy has posed:
"Is he....I mean, he told me about...is this what happens?" Felicia stammers, trying to wrap her mind around the situation, as Dr. Morbius begins to improve. "Is that what he always has to deal with?" Questions, she knows, that are none of her business. Still, curiosity is an extraordinary thing, for anyone. Let alone a Black Cat.

Michael Morbius has posed:
Sig nodded. "It's accelerating. Faster than expected. He should have another month, two at the most. Then the only thing he has to look forward to is being too insane to comprehend what is happening to him."

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Felicia shakes her head slowly. "That won't happen. I won't let it happen. There has to be a cure. I won't accept it any other way." Felicia looks to Sig with a determined expression. "He needs the cure. If it's a matter of funding, I will fund the research myself. Everything happens for a reason, and this is not my kind of luck. I'll transfer the funds today, if that's what it takes."

Michael Morbius has posed:
Sig sighs, then looks down as Michael blinks. "...Did I have another seizure?"
"Yes, Michael."
Michael sighs heavily. "Dammit..." He looks up and sees Felicia. For one terrifying moment, he doesn't remember her at all.
Then it comes to him, and he smiles slightly. "...Hello, Miss Hardy. We truly should stop meeting this way..."

Felicia Hardy has posed:
"I'll have you know, Dr. Morbius, that I will meet men any way I so desire." Her eyes are alight, and her expression of concern softening. "Welcome back. Next time you decide to go somewhere else, take me with you, won't you?"

Michael Morbius has posed:
Michael looks to Sig apologetically. "I...thought I could make it through."
Sig shook his head. "You're awfully DUMB for a wealthy Nobel Prizewinner."

Michael slowly got to his feet, looking around. He felt an odd lethargy, then said, "How long?"
"Five and a half minutes."
"Damn...how bad?"
Sig smiled. "You can clear a room." He looked to Felicia, then said, "Look, don't worry about the cost. That's not a factor, anyway. I need to get Michael back to his lab so he can recuperate."

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Felicia glowers a moment at Sig's comment, and then looks back to Michael. "You'll be all right? For now, I mean?" Joking or not, Sig's 'dumb' comment prickles her. "Is there anything I can do?"

Michael Morbius has posed:
Michael smiles apologetically. "I think I should head up to my room to lay down. I suspect I have a LOT of apology e-mails to write." He leans closer to her. "I...I'm sorry, Miss Hardy. Most days I am completely normal. Today was a stressful day. That might be what set it off."

Felicia Hardy has posed:
Felicia shakes her head. "Don't apologize. And call me Felicia. What's important is getting you better. Please let me know if I can help you in any way. Okay?"

Michael Morbius has posed:
Michael nods. "I will. I should take my leave now. I hope this will not sour you on the other panels."
Sig taps Michael's shoulder. "Let's go, Michael."
"Yes, of course." He grasped Felicia's hand in both of his own, and she could still feel a slight tremor. Michael becomes aware of it and releases her hand, then nods. "Have a good day, Felicia."