xp_logs | (no subject) (Reply)

"Ah, Ms Morlocke. I do apologize for the delay. It has been a frightfully busy few weeks."

"Don't worry about it, Dr. Essex," She says shaking her head,"I wasn't expecting you to have a solution for me overnight."

"Unfortunately, affairs in Scotland have kept me in a rather heightened pace." Essex switched off his computer and picked up his cup of coffee. "I've done a great deal of research on your situation, and I dare say that I may have some answers for you."

"Answers are good. If I understand what I'm going through, then maybe I can control it.. right?" She looks at Essex anxiously, betraying her normally cool attitude.

"In part, yes. Ms Morlocke, there are really several routes we can take. Your bone growths are not random. If they were, a spur of bone would have punched through your brain or heart and killed you by now. That means, at least on a subconscious level, your spurs are controllable. To do so consciously will require a great deal of training." Essex took a sip. "However, there are also medical means that we can use to help you."

"I saw what you posted in the journal about it, but I can't say I really understood most of it." She says, quietly.

"It is technical. Let me see if I can boil it down." Essex set down the cup. "You spurs growth at random and steady rates. We could sheathe the bones, but that would permanently remove your mutant abilties. Since we cannot know how deeply your mutation and health are intertwined, that route is terribly dangerous. As well, with the mineral inhibitors. However, I do have an idea that will at least allow you some control over your abilities until you learn the proper way to control your mutation."

"And it isn't dangerous like the other choices?" She's more nervous now that there's talk about the possibility of loosing her mutation and other dangers...she isn't *that* annoyed with the bones yet.

"Not at all. A lot more labour intensive, but far safer." Essex got up and tapped a wall chart of the human skelaton. "According to my research, you have 'favoured' centres of growth, mostly the long bones of the body. The nerves and muscles that sheathe the bones give off minute bio-electricity impulses. Were we to implant a chip to the top of your spinal cord, we could trace those pulses like a radio of sort, constantly mapping the bones nubs as they start.
"Now, that chip can provide a map of sorts to packages of limited nanite inhibitors. They would target the nub and disable it's growth. The hugely increased rate of mineral ossification your body produces would not be diminished, but rather diverted to the non-targeted nubs, which would grow faster and denser.
"This means that until you learn to control your power, you would at least be spared growths in areas that cause pain or limit your activities."

"How do you control that? I mean, how do you mark which bone should be disabled?"

"That would depend on your choices. You are keenly aware which growths are the least painful and most valuable to you. It will take some time to properly map your skeletal structure before we implant the chip."

"They *all* hurt Dr. Essex," she explains, "but the ones that come out rounded hurt the most. Would there be a way to catch those?"

"There should be. Denser material would tend towards a spiralate form, limiting that situation." Essex rubbed his eyes. "As I said, Ms Morlocke, the ultimate solution of course is to learn to control your powers, and all my research suggests that you should have that facility. The best I can do is provide a sort of medical training wheels."

"Of course. I want to be able to control the bones, it'll make them easier to deal with."

"Then the chip would be the most effective, for now. Have the teachers started some sort of tutoring program to help you work on controling your mutation?"

"No, not yet. None of the teachers have anything similar to what I do, so I don't even know who I should be working with."

"Have they spoken with you yet?"

"No, they haven't."

"Christ." Essex said tired." Charles, what have you done here...?" He muttered. "Ms Morlocke, I am not the person to train you, but I will find someone who can take on your training, I promise. This is going to take some time to design, but we can at least make some progress. Can you find a half an hour or so a day to meet with me?"

Sarah nods. "I can. And, thank you Dr. Essex."

"Think nothing of it. After all, Ms Morlocke," Essex raised his cup. "It's about time someone remembers that this place is a school."