Let The Vibes Slide Over Me

Janus sighs, rolling his iris up toward the ceiling in a slight arch. It doesn't complete a full circle yet humans call this behavior 'rolling their eyes' to show annoyance, dissatisfaction, and being unimpressed. Rude. Logan is only seeking clarification which is a sensible thing to do if Janus is going to accuse a crew member of poisoning him, because it would have to be a crew member.

"Yes, thank you so much for repeating the obvious..." Sarcasm can also be a self-defense mechanism, so Logan doesn't allow it to offend him.

"I am just...confused, I suppose." Logan says, analyzing Janus who stares back and only offering a shrug in response to Logan. He doesn't look visibly sick beside the sweat on her temple. However, Remus sweats a lot from running around, and Janus seemed to have rushed here. Yet, simply being here implies that this is something important.

And if it is so important, why to Logan and not to Virgil if this is a health concern. Their medical tech is known for being exceedingly competent and fastidious.

Logan's frills expand and contract. He is aware of these 'evil magic potions' as Remus is quite enthusiastic about his creations. They are not magical nor evil, though Virgil would beg to differ on the latter. Often they contained a high concentration of caffeine and chocolate--in addition to other questionable substances--that Logan's kind is not able to consume.

"I don't know what drink Remus could have given you that could have that effect. They often have high concentrations of caffeine and chocolate which can be harmful to most species, but as a human, that shouldn't impact you negatively." Though maybe it was anxiety. Humans could experience a myriad of symptoms from anxiety. Was there something going on in Janus' life that she was hiding. Quite possibly but then she should be aware of the effects that secret had on his own body.

"I know, life is full of surprises," Janus quips dryly, "So will you help or not?"

"I didn't state I would not help," Logan hums in a dual low-high tone, "On the contrary I am more than willing to provide assistance." Janus was his friend, of course Logan was going to help.

Janus expels air through their nose, rubbing at their wrists. "Then provide it quicker." Despite the words her tone was flatter than usual, less hostile. Still, Logan can't help the yellow flash of his own annoyance as it dances through his skin. He pulls it back as quickly as he can. Janus is obviously going through something and simply lashing out. When he is well the two of them can have a conversation about the etiquette of asking for favors from friends.

"What are your symptoms that you perceive to be a sign of poison?"

Janus 'rolls her eyes' again, but does answer, "Dizzy spells, cravings, my limbs aching and feeling wrong, nausea..." There are more, and Logan listens intently, but his frills flare a bit more at every word. Even if Janus hadn't been poisoned, dealing with this many symptoms long term wasn't good for the body.

"How long have these symptoms been occurring? You're certain this is in response to substances Remus has given you?"

"Honestly, Logan, do you really think I'd misattribute where and when it started?"

"I just want to make sure we have all the information to draw conclusions from." His previous violet shifting into a deep purple as his concern melts into a deep worry. Logan isn't a doctor. He has no formal training on health, much less the specialized training a medic needs to deal with human biology.

Janus makes a clicking noise, one of the small behavioral differences between the two humans on their ship. Remus uses the noise to denote false emotions of disappointment and dislike at someone's choices. Janus, however, uses it to share his annoyance and growing displeasure.

"Yes, I am sure they're connected. The nausea might be older, but the rest are definitely from after..."

"Are these symptoms from an extended period of time? Is it directly noticeable after consuming something or is it more gradual?" Logan began pacing back and forth, trying to process this information. "Also, did the substances have anything in common? For instance food from the same plant genus."

"It started rather gradual but it's been escalating...” they admit, their eyes tracking Logan as he walks to and fro. It used to unnerve Logan, the eyes of a predator, but that feeling had long passed. Now Logan could almost feel the fear radiating off his friend. "And it's everything Remus offers, but only what he offers. I have had no issues with anything else on the ship."

So most likely it wasn't a sudden dietary restriction caused by any number of genetic diseases humans could have. Why only Remus? Remus was fond of making food that was, according to what Logan knew of human culture, atrocious, but it was all edible.

"What makes you suspect poison? Why would Remus be motivated to poison you?" Janus and Remus were close. Remus may behave eccentric at times, even by human standards, but despite that...it seems rather odd for him to harm Janus in such ways.

"I don't think anybody in the world can really say what goes on in Remus' mind," Janus replies, a fondness in his voice that enforces their friendship. Notably, she entirely dodges the questions.

"That may be but you still have yet to explain why you have concluded what is occurring is a result of poison." He needs something more to go off. He wants to help, he really does. If anything, being unable to solve this problem for his friend makes Logan swirl with colors he doesn't understand, but what can he do without more information?

"What else do you think it could be?"

If Janus were something other than human it could be a number of things, many species had issues with human foods. But since she is human, Logan just doesn't know.

"I am not the medical professional on this ship, Janus. You also have yet to explain why you haven't gone to Virgil instead." Logan has to consciously flatten his frills. Getting emotional during this conversation wouldn't lead to either of their ultimate goals. "I don't believe this is an issue I'll be able to fix. You really should talk to our doctor."

Janus's breath stutters, their skin lessening in color slightly. It isn't as obvious as when it occurs for Logan, but it can occur for humans as a fear response. Was Janus afraid of doctors or of Virgil in general? That hadn't seemed to be an issue in the past, but things could change.

In response, Logan's hue shifts around a few shades, still remaining primarily purple. "I do not want to upset or scare you, Janus. I am sure you know that... But if whatever is going on is as serious as it seems, Virgil is who you should go to with this...they have the knowledge, practice, and skill to decipher it better than I can. Why haven't you?"

Janus' minor bump on his throat bobs a little as he swallows, often times another type of fear response in humans. "No, perhaps you're right…I am likely mistaken on the premise I came to you with. Don't worry about it a second more." Janus' voice is raised a bit higher, airier. In some humans that could be a sign of comfort, but after being Janus' friend, Logan knows it's a lie. This was a big deal, but if Logan pushed for her to go to Virgil, than Janus would deny any further issues and pull away, probably figuratively and literally.

Logan's hue rapidly cycles through several shades. Janus attempts to turn away to walk off, but Logan swiftly flits in front of them. He doesn't know what's wrong with Janus. He doesn't know how to fix it. But if the options are fight through millennia of human medical documentation, or let Janus deal with this alone, Logan will always be on Janus' side. "What you've described does not sound like it should be ignored indefinitely."

Janus tries a few times to sidestep around him, but Logan matches each attempt, meeting their movements one after another.

"Janus.." he says pleadingly and Janus stops moving.

She sighs, "I don't want to go to Virgil..." there is a pause, unspoken words that Logan doesn't know how to interpret. "You're intelligent, surely you can figure out how to help me."

Logan refrains from circling back to the "I am not a medical professional" spiel. They both understand what hasn't been said in this conversation. For some peculiar reason, Janus is frightened at the idea of Virgil. He won't divulge the cause or reason for those fears, nor why they believe poison to be the cause of these ailments. Logan would think this to be some unfathomable attempt at what humans find to be humorous if not for the fear in Janus' countenance. Also, now that Logan is closer, he can see the depths of some of Janus' previously mentioned symptoms.

The sweat he had noticed earlier still has a sheen against her temple. Her body, though she tries to disguise it with her posture, is shaking. His pupils, when Logan manages to get a decent look at them, are uneven sizes, that could be linked to brain trauma in humans, right? How is Logan expected to not tell Virgil if Janus could be having trouble with her brain?

"I need to know what remedies you've tried, and a detailed list of everything you've eaten from Remus. Can you provide me with that information?" Logan asks. Maybe if he presents all of Janus' symptoms as if they were a hypothetical, he can get Virgil's help without compromising Janus' privacy.

He is not fond of even the thought of breaking Janus's trust but this...it would not do if Janus died from a lack of proper medical intervention.

"You want me to list them off?" Janus responds sardonically and that tone seems wholly unnecessary. That is exactly what Logan wants. He quickly reaches out of his notes ready to write as soon as Janus starts speaking.

"Yes, I can't help you if I don't know what you've already attempted. That would waste time and possibly put you at risk." Now that they are moving toward a solution, Logan's colors soften back into a gentle lilac. There's still a hint of deeper indigo swirling underneath but as long as he has a plan, they can move forward from there.

Janus lets out a long drawn out sigh. It is shuddery, almost ending in a stifled cough, "Self induced vomiting for one."

Logan lets out an involuntary tumult of alarm. Self-induced? He does not get the opportunity for Janus to elaborate further because the hallway door abruptly opens with zlink-zlka-zlinkk (the grating noise reminding Logan's original purpose).

"Virgil," Logan starts, bowing his head in greeting.

The Xiety scuttles in, their multitude of eyes giving a sustained blink of acknowledgement before honing in on Janus. The human had lurched behind Logan at Virgil's appearance, a poor hiding spot given Logan's smaller stature in comparison.

Virgil has a tablet in one of their front appendages, tapping on it idly. As always they are direct, quick to the point.

"I'm calling a mandatory health check before we next land." Common practice, and they are getting close to their next port planet. "Janus, you're up first." Virgil's rumbly voice leaves no room for argument.

 Despite this, Janus opens her mouth and does exactly that, "Why me? That's not the usual order for this, is it." It isn't the order of things. Normally they go down the rank of seniority, and while Janus isn't at the bottom, she certainly isn't at the top either.

 "A bug in my web said you seemed off--" Janus' irises flick to Logan, a hard and intent stare that Logan might even interpret as a 'glare', but it wasn't him. He had contemplated subtly contacting them but he hadn't said a word to Virgil. He hadn't had time. Not yet. "--so you get first scan."

 "Well…if I simply must," Janus replies drolly, rotating her eyes in annoyance at Virgil's request. Logan can see her anxiety by the slight twitch of her hands, forcefully hanging at her side. Before he can even think about it he is moving forward to support him.

Virgil clicks a note of approval as they turn and walk back the way they came. Janus doesn't move, and Logan hesitates but gently touches her shoulder just as Virgil glances back at the two of them. Logan isn't certain what to think of that look. They are following instructions and Logan is being supportive but there's something in all of Virgil's eyes.

Janus shakes Logan off and steps forward, shoulders drawn up in tension. Logan doesn't stay far behind, even if Janus doesn't want Logan to touch him, Logan refuses to stray too far. He's noticed the change in Janus' pallor even in the few minutes they've been talking, the exhaustion that is creeping into his friend. He is beyond thankful that their medic figured out something was wrong.

Unsurprising considering how vigilant Virgil was over the entire crew. This is going to be a good thing, whatever is wrong can be fixed, but Janus walks with her head held high, her body tight. Logan remembers a movie Remus had shown him, where a character held themself the same way. That character was walking to her death. Was Janus genuinely that afraid of Virgil, or of the medical bay? All the more reason for Logan to stay by Janus' side.

As soon as the medical bay door opens, Logan hears the all too familiar voice of Remus. "Jannie-bean!" Logan has always eluded by the nicknames Remus doles out but he doesn't feel too bad about it considering the rest of the crew tends to be just as confused as Logan in this aspect.

He's stopped from walking into the med by one of Virgil's eight legs, pushing up against his chest. "Sorry, patient only."

The hallway lights up yellow with the glow of Logan's annoyance, then settles into a more muted color. Virgil is right, medical procedures are a private thing, but if Janus is nervous about the procedure— Logan looks to Janus, hoping his friend will intercede. Janus' face, however, is inscrutable. Logan can't tell what is going on through his friend's thoughts and not for the first time he wishes she showed her emotions as clearly as Logan's species did.

"It's fine, he can stay." Again the words were that higher pitch, that airier song of a comforting lie.

"If you want I can also stay outside," Logan begins to offer but just as the words are coming out of his mouth, Janus falls, letting out a strangled scream of pain and fear. Only, it did not at all sound like anything a human should be capable of making. It was a high-pitched screech that caused Logan's frills to flatten in an attempt to suppress the noise.

"Holy shit!" Remus exclaims as Janus's body begins to morph for lack of a better word. A soft fuzz envelopes their almost smooth human skin as the shape of their body becomes rounder and fuller. There is a tearing of Janus's clothing as his body rapidly outgrows its confines, a strange smooth keratin interlocking over his middle segment.

Virgil begins chittering, pulling Logan inside and slamming the med bay shut. They even lock it, sending a jolt of lilac through Logan's body. Janus is in pain, and Janus is changing, and Virgil is moving about muttering to themself. Logan doesn't know how to help. Given his preliminary research through human biology achieves, this sort of phenomenon wasn't supposed to be natural for humans.

"Fuck, I really did poison him," Remus mutters, his arm wrapped up in a healing cast, not an unusual sight for Remus; the cast, not the melancholy.

"You didn't poison her," Virgil's voice clicks as they move Janus onto a now prepared bed. It's swaddled in soft blankets and Virgil works on hooking in a feeding tube. Which isn't a simple maneuver as Janus's face is rapidly taking on a new shape, a pair of mandibles resting where the human's mouth was once located. Janus's hair on his head has already given way to the soft fuzz that covers her limbs. It drapes all the way to their neck like a mane of some sort. The fuzz is patchy; uneven and conflicting shades of yellow, like a seasonal fur coat that hasn't properly shedded. Two spindly long antennas drape over Janus's face, little bits of fuzz at the ends.

In just a few short moments, there is nothing left that could resemble anything human about Janus. There was an additional set of limbs beneath what used to be Janus's arms, both sets long and lean that ended with four digits rather than five. Janus's back spasms a bit as something protrudes from it.

Logan trusts Virgil but feels helpless at his inability to do anything. The medic adjusts the feeding tube, fiddling with the drip solution, as they also rapidly type something into a medical device with another appendage.

Their movements are precise and exact as they continue with, "Y'know butterflies? Those insects you have on Earth? The ones that eat up a bunch of shit that helps them morph into their next life stage? You basically kick started their version of a metamorphosis. Honestly he's lucky I even know this about his species's biology, given what a pain in the ass it was to track down detailed medical records on it."

"Metamorphosis?"

"His species?"

Logan and Remus ask the questions at the same time, and Logan can see the way his own violet glow begins to bathe the room in light.

"Breath and try to turn down the light show specs. Janus will be fine. He's a species known as a deceitus, and as soon as Remus told me about introducing Janus to mocha lattes, which are high in sugars, I had a hunch this might happen," Virgil hesitates, appendages stiffening briefly, "I didn't think it would be this soon though."

The last words came out as a whisper and Logan moves forward, reaching out his arms but inevitably letting them fall back to his side. He doesn't want to get in Virgil's way while they are working, but he wants to offer comforting touch of consolation to his friend.

Still, Logan can't ignore his sparking curiosity at the reveal of Janus's species. "Deceitus? I do not think I have ever heard of them."

"I'm not surprised, they're like humans in that they're not native to this galaxy. There's records of their presence dating back several quantic cycles back, but it's spotty and not well kept."

Logan nods, eyes flickering back to Janus. "Will he be alright?"

"Yeah, I put them on a glucose drip. It will give her the extra energy to get through this." Virgil sits back after a moment, taking a shaky breath before turning their eyes to Remus. Virgil grabbed a roll of medical gauze, rarely used, and throws it at Remus. "If you're gonna make big changes to someone's diet, warn me. I can't be prepared for all of your antics no matter how hard I try."

Remus chuckles and Logan can feel his own colors dimming to a calmer color.

"May I touch Janus?" Logan didn't want to get ruin Janus' healing, but he also didn't want Janus to be alone.

"Go ahead. She's probably gonna be out of it for a while, but having a friend near by couldn't hurt." Virgil waves a leg in a manner that feels dismissive, but Logan knows is probably meant to be reassuring. Either way, he moves over to Janus' side, carefully taking one of Janus' slightly hooked hands, are they even considered hands anymore? He has so many questions, but they can wait until Janus is feeling better.

"How long have you known that Jannie is a fuzzy bee thing in disguise?" Remus asks, a question Logan also had on his mind, "I've known them the longest and even I didn't know that!"

"Since the two of you showed up on this ship, but it seemed like she wanted to keep it a secret, and I'm not a snitch. Not my business to tell, only my business to know so I can do my job."

Remus chortles, "And that's why you're the best!"

"You're just saying that so I won't be mad at you for breaking your arm again." Logan tunes out their conversation as he turns to keep his focus on Janus. Her breathes are labored, the plating around her middle segment flickering oddly. Yet if Virgil is not concerned, then it must be part of the supposed metamorphosis.

Logan can only offer a few comforting strokes through Janus's fuzzy mane, helping comb out the short mangy bits that seem to naturally want to fall out in the meantime.

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The first thing Janus notices when he returns to consciousness is how much he can breath in. The ship's air fills his lungs and keeps filling and keeps filling. She has to let the breath out quickly before it all becomes too much, and it feels too much. Their body feels different, but also, they don't feel sick anymore.

Janus blinks open her eyes. Logan fills up the majority of her vision and the thoughts come flooding in and before she can control it, there is a scowl on her face. As best as they could scowl—oddly their face seemed to lack the versatility they'd grown accustomed within a human form.

"You're awake," Logan whispers with a sigh and a huff, the last of his purple light fading away into relief. Though, his emotions shift again into a color Janus only knows as 'annoyance.' "Although I appreciate your belief in my intellectual abilities how was I expected to figure out what was wrong with you when I was operating on the assumption of you having an entirely separate biology?"

Which could only mean, Logan knows. Janus has fought so hard to hide what she was, to keep people from figuring out the history she carried with her in every cell. She tries to roll her eyes, only to feel her face refusing to cooperate. The muscles that once pretended to be the rectus muscles of his eyes are no longer shaped that way. Instead, their vision is fragmented and separated.

Maybe Janus is too used to pretending to be human, because they shift back into their human disguise, breathing a sigh of relief when his body feels a bit more like his own.

"It's unlike you to complain about a puzzle," Janus tries to quip, not wanting to show the fear she was hiding. The deceitus weren't viewed favorably as a species—hard to be looked upon favorably when you were known for aggressive hive mind regimes that swarmed and overtook planets by force. He wouldn't be surprised if Logan turned on him, and so Janus was prepared for it. They were prepared for the hatred and the anger.

"I'm not a fan of puzzles with missing pieces." Logan's voice is calm and Janus hazards a look towards him. There is none of the bright orange that signaled anger, and that is the hardest emotion for Logan to quell typically. "However, I believe I understand why you left out the pieces you did. I'm assuming you thought Virgil didn't know either?"

"Virgil knew!" Janus almost shoots up from the bed but realized her entire body felt so much heavier than normal. Logan is already reaching out to steady him.

"Yes, apparently Virgil knew when you first boarded the ship."

Well then, all of the subterfuge and hiding from medical exams really hadn't been necessary, had it. "I'm still mad you told them it wasn't your secret to tell."

"Logan didn't tell me anything, you can blame that one on Remus, who, having caused this, is currently taking care of your work. I'd double check everything once you're well enough." Virgil is off to the side, obviously working on paperwork, and eavesdropping. How dare.

Great, so once Janus is feeling better they would have double the work double checking everything Remus had touched. Then again, Remus is competent, just a menace.

Logan sings a fond note, something akin to a human chuckle. "S…. sorry," He stutters. "I'm just glad you're alright, and after all of this, your first instinct is to be dissatisfied with Remus it just…." Logan takes a breath, settling himself and looking at Janus. "I'm thankful you are doing well. I would have been remiss to lose your company."

Janus rolls his eyes again, but he can't stop the way a smile pulls at the corner of his lips. "You would be bored without me." And there it is, things are normal and fine between them. Janus could almost cry that it all ended so easily. She doesn't though, keeping her emotions sealed up as tightly as she could. "What happened to me anyway? Was it indeed poison?"

As Virgil explains, Janus' face can't help contorting in annoyance, if only out to hide the fear curdling in her abdomen. What Virgil was explaining shouldn't have been possible. Janus was a Worker, he was never meant to be more than anything but a Worker. Yet, he has ignored for a long while that technically he has not been a Worker by Deceitus's standards. A Worker would be mindless and obedient to their Leader's commands, not gallivanting with a scavenging crew disguised as a human of her own volition.

He trusts that Virgil isn't lying—but, well. Janus isn't stupid, he has long distrusted the Deceitus rhetoric of how Leaders are chosen and created. It doesn't mean it isn't a lot to process the fact that Leaders are meant to be a third life stage that all Deceitus are supposed to undergo.

She gets a heaping scolding for malnutrition (unjustified given Janus's ignorance) and repressing her natural form for sustained periods of time (which is, unfortunately, justified).

"Mostly, you're going to notice your body being a lot larger, stronger, and requiring more energy. So yeah, you're probably gonna want to eat more, and Remus' stuff shouldn't have any further effect on you. Most human stuff is safe for you, though I'll recommend for the safety of your tastebuds that you just don't."

"Thank you so very much for that advice, Virgil." Janus sighs, crossing their arms in feigned exasperation. Honestly he is thankful things wouldn't change too much, and with his natural shape shifting abilities, he could continue hiding things from the rest of the crew.

Regardless, there is a part of them that's thankful Logan found out. It's easier to have less secrets around a friend, but that didn't mean Janus was ready to come out to everyone else.

Janus sighs, rolling his iris up toward the ceiling in a slight arch. It doesn't complete a full circle yet humans call this behavior 'rolling their eyes' to show annoyance, dissatisfaction, and being unimpressed. Rude. Logan is only seeking clarification which is a sensible thing to do if Janus is going to accuse a crew member of poisoning him, because it would have to be a crew member.

"Yes, thank you so much for repeating the obvious..." Sarcasm can also be a self-defense mechanism, so Logan doesn't allow it to offend him.

"I am just...confused, I suppose." Logan says, analyzing Janus who stares back and only offering a shrug in response to Logan. He doesn't look visibly sick beside the sweat on her temple. However, Remus sweats a lot from running around, and Janus seemed to have rushed here. Yet, simply being here implies that this is something important.

And if it is so important, why to Logan and not to Virgil if this is a health concern. Their medical tech is known for being exceedingly competent and fastidious.

Logan's frills expand and contract. He is aware of these 'evil magic potions' as Remus is quite enthusiastic about his creations. They are not magical nor evil, though Virgil would beg to differ on the latter. Often they contained a high concentration of caffeine and chocolate--in addition to other questionable substances--that Logan's kind is not able to consume.

"I don't know what drink Remus could have given you that could have that effect. They often have high concentrations of caffeine and chocolate which can be harmful to most species, but as a human, that shouldn't impact you negatively." Though maybe it was anxiety. Humans could experience a myriad of symptoms from anxiety. Was there something going on in Janus' life that she was hiding. Quite possibly but then she should be aware of the effects that secret had on his own body.

"I know, life is full of surprises," Janus quips dryly, "So will you help or not?"

"I didn't state I would not help," Logan hums in a dual low-high tone, "On the contrary I am more than willing to provide assistance." Janus was his friend, of course Logan was going to help.

Janus expels air through their nose, rubbing at their wrists. "Then provide it quicker." Despite the words her tone was flatter than usual, less hostile. Still, Logan can't help the yellow flash of his own annoyance as it dances through his skin. He pulls it back as quickly as he can. Janus is obviously going through something and simply lashing out. When he is well the two of them can have a conversation about the etiquette of asking for favors from friends.

"What are your symptoms that you perceive to be a sign of poison?"

Janus 'rolls her eyes' again, but does answer, "Dizzy spells, cravings, my limbs aching and feeling wrong, nausea..." There are more, and Logan listens intently, but his frills flare a bit more at every word. Even if Janus hadn't been poisoned, dealing with this many symptoms long term wasn't good for the body.

"How long have these symptoms been occurring? You're certain this is in response to substances Remus has given you?"

"Honestly, Logan, do you really think I'd misattribute where and when it started?"

"I just want to make sure we have all the information to draw conclusions from." His previous violet shifting into a deep purple as his concern melts into a deep worry. Logan isn't a doctor. He has no formal training on health, much less the specialized training a medic needs to deal with human biology.

Janus makes a clicking noise, one of the small behavioral differences between the two humans on their ship. Remus uses the noise to denote false emotions of disappointment and dislike at someone's choices. Janus, however, uses it to share his annoyance and growing displeasure.

"Yes, I am sure they're connected. The nausea might be older, but the rest are definitely from after..."

"Are these symptoms from an extended period of time? Is it directly noticeable after consuming something or is it more gradual?" Logan began pacing back and forth, trying to process this information. "Also, did the substances have anything in common? For instance food from the same plant genus."

"It started rather gradual but it's been escalating...” they admit, their eyes tracking Logan as he walks to and fro. It used to unnerve Logan, the eyes of a predator, but that feeling had long passed. Now Logan could almost feel the fear radiating off his friend. "And it's everything Remus offers, but only what he offers. I have had no issues with anything else on the ship."

So most likely it wasn't a sudden dietary restriction caused by any number of genetic diseases humans could have. Why only Remus? Remus was fond of making food that was, according to what Logan knew of human culture, atrocious, but it was all edible.

"What makes you suspect poison? Why would Remus be motivated to poison you?" Janus and Remus were close. Remus may behave eccentric at times, even by human standards, but despite that...it seems rather odd for him to harm Janus in such ways.

"I don't think anybody in the world can really say what goes on in Remus' mind," Janus replies, a fondness in his voice that enforces their friendship. Notably, she entirely dodges the questions.

"That may be but you still have yet to explain why you have concluded what is occurring is a result of poison." He needs something more to go off. He wants to help, he really does. If anything, being unable to solve this problem for his friend makes Logan swirl with colors he doesn't understand, but what can he do without more information?

"What else do you think it could be?"

If Janus were something other than human it could be a number of things, many species had issues with human foods. But since she is human, Logan just doesn't know.

"I am not the medical professional on this ship, Janus. You also have yet to explain why you haven't gone to Virgil instead." Logan has to consciously flatten his frills. Getting emotional during this conversation wouldn't lead to either of their ultimate goals. "I don't believe this is an issue I'll be able to fix. You really should talk to our doctor."

Janus's breath stutters, their skin lessening in color slightly. It isn't as obvious as when it occurs for Logan, but it can occur for humans as a fear response. Was Janus afraid of doctors or of Virgil in general? That hadn't seemed to be an issue in the past, but things could change.

In response, Logan's hue shifts around a few shades, still remaining primarily purple. "I do not want to upset or scare you, Janus. I am sure you know that... But if whatever is going on is as serious as it seems, Virgil is who you should go to with this...they have the knowledge, practice, and skill to decipher it better than I can. Why haven't you?"

Janus' minor bump on his throat bobs a little as he swallows, often times another type of fear response in humans. "No, perhaps you're right…I am likely mistaken on the premise I came to you with. Don't worry about it a second more." Janus' voice is raised a bit higher, airier. In some humans that could be a sign of comfort, but after being Janus' friend, Logan knows it's a lie. This was a big deal, but if Logan pushed for her to go to Virgil, than Janus would deny any further issues and pull away, probably figuratively and literally.

Logan's hue rapidly cycles through several shades. Janus attempts to turn away to walk off, but Logan swiftly flits in front of them. He doesn't know what's wrong with Janus. He doesn't know how to fix it. But if the options are fight through millennia of human medical documentation, or let Janus deal with this alone, Logan will always be on Janus' side. "What you've described does not sound like it should be ignored indefinitely."

Janus tries a few times to sidestep around him, but Logan matches each attempt, meeting their movements one after another.

"Janus.." he says pleadingly and Janus stops moving.

She sighs, "I don't want to go to Virgil..." there is a pause, unspoken words that Logan doesn't know how to interpret. "You're intelligent, surely you can figure out how to help me."

Logan refrains from circling back to the "I am not a medical professional" spiel. They both understand what hasn't been said in this conversation. For some peculiar reason, Janus is frightened at the idea of Virgil. He won't divulge the cause or reason for those fears, nor why they believe poison to be the cause of these ailments. Logan would think this to be some unfathomable attempt at what humans find to be humorous if not for the fear in Janus' countenance. Also, now that Logan is closer, he can see the depths of some of Janus' previously mentioned symptoms.

The sweat he had noticed earlier still has a sheen against her temple. Her body, though she tries to disguise it with her posture, is shaking. His pupils, when Logan manages to get a decent look at them, are uneven sizes, that could be linked to brain trauma in humans, right? How is Logan expected to not tell Virgil if Janus could be having trouble with her brain?

"I need to know what remedies you've tried, and a detailed list of everything you've eaten from Remus. Can you provide me with that information?" Logan asks. Maybe if he presents all of Janus' symptoms as if they were a hypothetical, he can get Virgil's help without compromising Janus' privacy.

He is not fond of even the thought of breaking Janus's trust but this...it would not do if Janus died from a lack of proper medical intervention.

"You want me to list them off?" Janus responds sardonically and that tone seems wholly unnecessary. That is exactly what Logan wants. He quickly reaches out of his notes ready to write as soon as Janus starts speaking.

"Yes, I can't help you if I don't know what you've already attempted. That would waste time and possibly put you at risk." Now that they are moving toward a solution, Logan's colors soften back into a gentle lilac. There's still a hint of deeper indigo swirling underneath but as long as he has a plan, they can move forward from there.

Janus lets out a long drawn out sigh. It is shuddery, almost ending in a stifled cough, "Self induced vomiting for one."

Logan lets out an involuntary tumult of alarm. Self-induced? He does not get the opportunity for Janus to elaborate further because the hallway door abruptly opens with zlink-zlka-zlinkk (the grating noise reminding Logan's original purpose).

"Virgil," Logan starts, bowing his head in greeting.

The Xiety scuttles in, their multitude of eyes giving a sustained blink of acknowledgement before honing in on Janus. The human had lurched behind Logan at Virgil's appearance, a poor hiding spot given Logan's smaller stature in comparison.

Virgil has a tablet in one of their front appendages, tapping on it idly. As always they are direct, quick to the point.

"I'm calling a mandatory health check before we next land." Common practice, and they are getting close to their next port planet. "Janus, you're up first." Virgil's rumbly voice leaves no room for argument.

 Despite this, Janus opens her mouth and does exactly that, "Why me? That's not the usual order for this, is it." It isn't the order of things. Normally they go down the rank of seniority, and while Janus isn't at the bottom, she certainly isn't at the top either.

 "A bug in my web said you seemed off--" Janus' irises flick to Logan, a hard and intent stare that Logan might even interpret as a 'glare', but it wasn't him. He had contemplated subtly contacting them but he hadn't said a word to Virgil. He hadn't had time. Not yet. "--so you get first scan."

 "Well…if I simply must," Janus replies drolly, rotating her eyes in annoyance at Virgil's request. Logan can see her anxiety by the slight twitch of her hands, forcefully hanging at her side. Before he can even think about it he is moving forward to support him.

Virgil clicks a note of approval as they turn and walk back the way they came. Janus doesn't move, and Logan hesitates but gently touches her shoulder just as Virgil glances back at the two of them. Logan isn't certain what to think of that look. They are following instructions and Logan is being supportive but there's something in all of Virgil's eyes.

Janus shakes Logan off and steps forward, shoulders drawn up in tension. Logan doesn't stay far behind, even if Janus doesn't want Logan to touch him, Logan refuses to stray too far. He's noticed the change in Janus' pallor even in the few minutes they've been talking, the exhaustion that is creeping into his friend. He is beyond thankful that their medic figured out something was wrong.

Unsurprising considering how vigilant Virgil was over the entire crew. This is going to be a good thing, whatever is wrong can be fixed, but Janus walks with her head held high, her body tight. Logan remembers a movie Remus had shown him, where a character held themself the same way. That character was walking to her death. Was Janus genuinely that afraid of Virgil, or of the medical bay? All the more reason for Logan to stay by Janus' side.

As soon as the medical bay door opens, Logan hears the all too familiar voice of Remus. "Jannie-bean!" Logan has always eluded by the nicknames Remus doles out but he doesn't feel too bad about it considering the rest of the crew tends to be just as confused as Logan in this aspect.

He's stopped from walking into the med by one of Virgil's eight legs, pushing up against his chest. "Sorry, patient only."

The hallway lights up yellow with the glow of Logan's annoyance, then settles into a more muted color. Virgil is right, medical procedures are a private thing, but if Janus is nervous about the procedure— Logan looks to Janus, hoping his friend will intercede. Janus' face, however, is inscrutable. Logan can't tell what is going on through his friend's thoughts and not for the first time he wishes she showed her emotions as clearly as Logan's species did.

"It's fine, he can stay." Again the words were that higher pitch, that airier song of a comforting lie.

"If you want I can also stay outside," Logan begins to offer but just as the words are coming out of his mouth, Janus falls, letting out a strangled scream of pain and fear. Only, it did not at all sound like anything a human should be capable of making. It was a high-pitched screech that caused Logan's frills to flatten in an attempt to suppress the noise.

"Holy shit!" Remus exclaims as Janus's body begins to morph for lack of a better word. A soft fuzz envelopes their almost smooth human skin as the shape of their body becomes rounder and fuller. There is a tearing of Janus's clothing as his body rapidly outgrows its confines, a strange smooth keratin interlocking over his middle segment.

Virgil begins chittering, pulling Logan inside and slamming the med bay shut. They even lock it, sending a jolt of lilac through Logan's body. Janus is in pain, and Janus is changing, and Virgil is moving about muttering to themself. Logan doesn't know how to help. Given his preliminary research through human biology achieves, this sort of phenomenon wasn't supposed to be natural for humans.

"Fuck, I really did poison him," Remus mutters, his arm wrapped up in a healing cast, not an unusual sight for Remus; the cast, not the melancholy.

"You didn't poison her," Virgil's voice clicks as they move Janus onto a now prepared bed. It's swaddled in soft blankets and Virgil works on hooking in a feeding tube. Which isn't a simple maneuver as Janus's face is rapidly taking on a new shape, a pair of mandibles resting where the human's mouth was once located. Janus's hair on his head has already given way to the soft fuzz that covers her limbs. It drapes all the way to their neck like a mane of some sort. The fuzz is patchy; uneven and conflicting shades of yellow, like a seasonal fur coat that hasn't properly shedded. Two spindly long antennas drape over Janus's face, little bits of fuzz at the ends.

In just a few short moments, there is nothing left that could resemble anything human about Janus. There was an additional set of limbs beneath what used to be Janus's arms, both sets long and lean that ended with four digits rather than five. Janus's back spasms a bit as something protrudes from it.

Logan trusts Virgil but feels helpless at his inability to do anything. The medic adjusts the feeding tube, fiddling with the drip solution, as they also rapidly type something into a medical device with another appendage.

Their movements are precise and exact as they continue with, "Y'know butterflies? Those insects you have on Earth? The ones that eat up a bunch of shit that helps them morph into their next life stage? You basically kick started their version of a metamorphosis. Honestly he's lucky I even know this about his species's biology, given what a pain in the ass it was to track down detailed medical records on it."

"Metamorphosis?"

"His species?"

Logan and Remus ask the questions at the same time, and Logan can see the way his own violet glow begins to bathe the room in light.

"Breath and try to turn down the light show specs. Janus will be fine. He's a species known as a deceitus, and as soon as Remus told me about introducing Janus to mocha lattes, which are high in sugars, I had a hunch this might happen," Virgil hesitates, appendages stiffening briefly, "I didn't think it would be this soon though."

The last words came out as a whisper and Logan moves forward, reaching out his arms but inevitably letting them fall back to his side. He doesn't want to get in Virgil's way while they are working, but he wants to offer comforting touch of consolation to his friend.

Still, Logan can't ignore his sparking curiosity at the reveal of Janus's species. "Deceitus? I do not think I have ever heard of them."

"I'm not surprised, they're like humans in that they're not native to this galaxy. There's records of their presence dating back several quantic cycles back, but it's spotty and not well kept."

Logan nods, eyes flickering back to Janus. "Will he be alright?"

"Yeah, I put them on a glucose drip. It will give her the extra energy to get through this." Virgil sits back after a moment, taking a shaky breath before turning their eyes to Remus. Virgil grabbed a roll of medical gauze, rarely used, and throws it at Remus. "If you're gonna make big changes to someone's diet, warn me. I can't be prepared for all of your antics no matter how hard I try."

Remus chuckles and Logan can feel his own colors dimming to a calmer color.

"May I touch Janus?" Logan didn't want to get ruin Janus' healing, but he also didn't want Janus to be alone.

"Go ahead. She's probably gonna be out of it for a while, but having a friend near by couldn't hurt." Virgil waves a leg in a manner that feels dismissive, but Logan knows is probably meant to be reassuring. Either way, he moves over to Janus' side, carefully taking one of Janus' slightly hooked hands, are they even considered hands anymore? He has so many questions, but they can wait until Janus is feeling better.

"How long have you known that Jannie is a fuzzy bee thing in disguise?" Remus asks, a question Logan also had on his mind, "I've known them the longest and even I didn't know that!"

"Since the two of you showed up on this ship, but it seemed like she wanted to keep it a secret, and I'm not a snitch. Not my business to tell, only my business to know so I can do my job."

Remus chortles, "And that's why you're the best!"

"You're just saying that so I won't be mad at you for breaking your arm again." Logan tunes out their conversation as he turns to keep his focus on Janus. Her breathes are labored, the plating around her middle segment flickering oddly. Yet if Virgil is not concerned, then it must be part of the supposed metamorphosis.

Logan can only offer a few comforting strokes through Janus's fuzzy mane, helping comb out the short mangy bits that seem to naturally want to fall out in the meantime.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing Janus notices when he returns to consciousness is how much he can breath in. The ship's air fills his lungs and keeps filling and keeps filling. She has to let the breath out quickly before it all becomes too much, and it feels too much. Their body feels different, but also, they don't feel sick anymore.

Janus blinks open her eyes. Logan fills up the majority of her vision and the thoughts come flooding in and before she can control it, there is a scowl on her face. As best as they could scowl—oddly their face seemed to lack the versatility they'd grown accustomed within a human form.

"You're awake," Logan whispers with a sigh and a huff, the last of his purple light fading away into relief. Though, his emotions shift again into a color Janus only knows as 'annoyance.' "Although I appreciate your belief in my intellectual abilities how was I expected to figure out what was wrong with you when I was operating on the assumption of you having an entirely separate biology?"

Which could only mean, Logan knows. Janus has fought so hard to hide what she was, to keep people from figuring out the history she carried with her in every cell. She tries to roll her eyes, only to feel her face refusing to cooperate. The muscles that once pretended to be the rectus muscles of his eyes are no longer shaped that way. Instead, their vision is fragmented and separated.

Maybe Janus is too used to pretending to be human, because they shift back into their human disguise, breathing a sigh of relief when his body feels a bit more like his own.

"It's unlike you to complain about a puzzle," Janus tries to quip, not wanting to show the fear she was hiding. The deceitus weren't viewed favorably as a species—hard to be looked upon favorably when you were known for aggressive hive mind regimes that swarmed and overtook planets by force. He wouldn't be surprised if Logan turned on him, and so Janus was prepared for it. They were prepared for the hatred and the anger.

"I'm not a fan of puzzles with missing pieces." Logan's voice is calm and Janus hazards a look towards him. There is none of the bright orange that signaled anger, and that is the hardest emotion for Logan to quell typically. "However, I believe I understand why you left out the pieces you did. I'm assuming you thought Virgil didn't know either?"

"Virgil knew!" Janus almost shoots up from the bed but realized her entire body felt so much heavier than normal. Logan is already reaching out to steady him.

"Yes, apparently Virgil knew when you first boarded the ship."

Well then, all of the subterfuge and hiding from medical exams really hadn't been necessary, had it. "I'm still mad you told them it wasn't your secret to tell."

"Logan didn't tell me anything, you can blame that one on Remus, who, having caused this, is currently taking care of your work. I'd double check everything once you're well enough." Virgil is off to the side, obviously working on paperwork, and eavesdropping. How dare.

Great, so once Janus is feeling better they would have double the work double checking everything Remus had touched. Then again, Remus is competent, just a menace.

Logan sings a fond note, something akin to a human chuckle. "S…. sorry," He stutters. "I'm just glad you're alright, and after all of this, your first instinct is to be dissatisfied with Remus it just…." Logan takes a breath, settling himself and looking at Janus. "I'm thankful you are doing well. I would have been remiss to lose your company."

Janus rolls his eyes again, but he can't stop the way a smile pulls at the corner of his lips. "You would be bored without me." And there it is, things are normal and fine between them. Janus could almost cry that it all ended so easily. She doesn't though, keeping her emotions sealed up as tightly as she could. "What happened to me anyway? Was it indeed poison?"

As Virgil explains, Janus' face can't help contorting in annoyance, if only out to hide the fear curdling in her abdomen. What Virgil was explaining shouldn't have been possible. Janus was a Worker, he was never meant to be more than anything but a Worker. Yet, he has ignored for a long while that technically he has not been a Worker by Deceitus's standards. A Worker would be mindless and obedient to their Leader's commands, not gallivanting with a scavenging crew disguised as a human of her own volition.

He trusts that Virgil isn't lying—but, well. Janus isn't stupid, he has long distrusted the Deceitus rhetoric of how Leaders are chosen and created. It doesn't mean it isn't a lot to process the fact that Leaders are meant to be a third life stage that all Deceitus are supposed to undergo.

She gets a heaping scolding for malnutrition (unjustified given Janus's ignorance) and repressing her natural form for sustained periods of time (which is, unfortunately, justified).

"Mostly, you're going to notice your body being a lot larger, stronger, and requiring more energy. So yeah, you're probably gonna want to eat more, and Remus' stuff shouldn't have any further effect on you. Most human stuff is safe for you, though I'll recommend for the safety of your tastebuds that you just don't."

"Thank you so very much for that advice, Virgil." Janus sighs, crossing their arms in feigned exasperation. Honestly he is thankful things wouldn't change too much, and with his natural shape shifting abilities, he could continue hiding things from the rest of the crew.

Regardless, there is a part of them that's thankful Logan found out. It's easier to have less secrets around a friend, but that didn't mean Janus was ready to come out to everyone else.