Date: 28 October, 2173 (Earth calendar), AM

Location: Veteran Hall, Bethesda 29

Subject: Sergeant Robert Dice

Researcher: Dr Bethany Chalice

Chalice: Good morning, Sergeant. How are you today?
Dice: I’m good Doc, how are you this fine day – I’m guessing it’s fine since you’re not drenched like last time, which can only mean it’s not pissing it down outside. I haven’t been out in a few days.
Chalice: Very observant. Why haven’t you been outside these last few days?
Dice: I’ve been feeling a bit low.
Chalice: Low? How so?
Dice: Tired mainly, but also with the shakes every now and again.
Chalice: Interesting. And how long do these episodes last?
Dice: Which, the shakes or the sleeps?
Chalice: The shakes first . . .
Dice: A couple of hours . . . normally before the sleep.
Chalice: And how long are the sleeps?
Dice: Three, maybe four hours.
Chalice: Interesting . . .
Dice: You keep saying that Doc, but I can assure you it’s not interesting. It’s annoying is what it is.
Chalice: Annoying?
Dice: You heard me. I lose four hours. I pass out in the middle of whatever I’m doing or wherever I am and then I wake up chained to a bed in the infirmary.
Chalice: Inter – Can you remember anything in particular about these sleeps? Dreams perhaps?
Dice: No. Why does everybody ask that? The Lab Rat in the inf. asked me that too. I’ll tell you what I told him. I don’t remember a thing.
Chalice: I notice you’re shaking a bit now, Sergeant. Do you feel tired at all?
Dice: A little, but I think I’ll be good to continue. I don’t get many visitors. Certainly none as pretty as you, Doc.
Chalice: I think we should take a break in the very list. I’m just going to step outside return a quick call.
Dice: Whatever you say, Doc.

Date: 21st November, 2173 (Earth calendar), PM

Location: Veteran Hall, Bethesda 29

Subject: Sergeant Robert Dice

Researcher: Dr Bethany Chalice

Dice: Jeez Doc, what happened to your arm?
Chalice: It’s just a sprain, Sergeant.
Dice: This is our third date, Doc, how about you call me by my name. Dice would be fine. Hell, I prefer Robert to Sergeant. I ain’t been a serving soldier in nearly five years.
Chalice: Very well, ‘Dice’. How have you been since our last meeting?
Dice: Except for the arm, Doc, you alright? You seem a bit edgy, nervous.
Chalice: I’m fine. How have the pills been since the last meeting? Did they increase the dose?
Dice: Yeah . . . how did you?
Chalice: Any more episodes since then?
Dice: No, how do you – the dose was increased well after we chatted. You were off the premises by then. How?
Chalice: You don’t remember?
Dice: Remember what? Hey Doc, why am I restrained this time; we’ve never needed chains before.
Chalice: Fascinating. You attacked me at our last meeting, Dice.
Dice: What? No way, Doc. You went out to make a call and then you never came back. I woke up in . . .
Chalice: You lost time Dice.
Dice: Yeah, but I never attacked no one. I’d remember that.
Chalice: I came back after my phone call – about an hour later. It was like you were a totally different person, Dice. Alert, agitated, ready for the next threat.
Dice: I’d remember.
Chalice: you attacked me -
Dice: Your arm.
Chalice: And flattened two orderlies who came in to assist me.
Dice: No. I’d remember. Wouldn’t I?
Chalice: You never remember, Dice.
Dice: Hell.

Date: 08 December, 2173 (Earth calendar), AM

Location: Veteran Hall, Bethesda 29

Subject: Sergeant Robert Dice

Researcher: Dr Bethany Chalice

Dice: How’s the arm, Doc?
Chalice: Much better, Dice, thanks for asking.
Dice: I really am sorry. I don’t know what happened. I never know what happens. It’s scary, man. The damage I’m capable of. . .
Chalice: It’s not your fault. Nobody blames you – I certainly don’t anyway.
Dice: It’s those damn pills they gave us. Messed us up, good and proper.
Chalice: Yeah, well, we have to find a way to fix that. That’s why I’m here, so that we can get a better handle on what’s going on with you guys. In a way, what happened last month was a good thing because I got to see things first hand.
Dice: First hand. Yeah.
Chalice: What we have to figure out now is whether the new treatment is working. What medication are you on right now?
Dice: The purple ones. Three times a day.
Chalice: Zianeze. And are they helping?
Dice: Well I have thrown another funny since I last saw you.
Chalice: OK . . . Zianeze, less symptomatic. And what about – what the hell is that?
Dice: General alarm. You better go Doc.
Chalice: OK. What about you?
Dice: The goons will come get me once you’re safe. You’re the priority; they can’t afford for a civvie to get hurt – again.
Chalice: We’ll pick this up later.