Speaking in Tongues?

“What in the name of Science was that?” Artie said, looking stunned through the quarantine window of the Innovative Science Lab.

“I… I have no idea.” Jade said, looking towards the vents. Artie quickly shrugged off the whole strange event and looked suspiciously at the expanding foam.

“I’ve scanned the plant Doctor Black, and actually, you’ll never believe this, but Ointment number 345 type a will fix her up quite quickly.” Artie fished under his workstation and pulled out one of Doctor Keto’s ointments.

“I wondered where they’d all gone.” Jade said, unscrewing the lid and pulling on a pair of gloves.

“I... ah… borrowed them... For Science…”Artie said, brushing the issue aside and shutting the cabinet door.

“Side effects?” Jade queried, expertly ignoring whatever reason Artie might have for stockpiling dangerous chemical concoctions. “There are always side effects…” She said, as she gently spread some of the cool ointment onto Tu’s still feverish brow.

“I guess we’ll find out.” Artie said, stepping back behind another work surface.

“Nandesuka?!?" Tu exclaimed her voice lilting in what sounded like the opposite way to when she spoke before.

“Language detected. Japanese, Earth, 20th century.” The language module piped up.

“Well… I’ll be…” Jad murmured, looking at Tu, the language module translated and Tu’s eyes opened wide in surprise.

“<I can understand you!>” She/He said in shock.

“You should start to feel better soon. Please. Rest for now.” Jade said, placing a comforting hand on Tu’s shoulder, letting the translation module do it's thing.

“The Ointment will wear off in a few hours. She’ll be better, but the translation will stop working.” Artie said, with a frown on his artificial face.

“<We can worry about that later.>” Tu said, pointing over their shoulders to where the foam was beginning to crack. Small pieces flaked off.

“Ok, lie down and hold tight.” Jade said, pressing buttons on the medical bunk so the quarantine bubble snaked over Tu’s bed.

“Time to go Doctor Black.” Artie said, opening the rear exit to the lab. Jade grabbed the handles and pushed, the bed moved on its casters as they broke into a run away from the robot just as it broke through the foam with an ear splitting metaling screech.

--- A short while later ---

Jade puffed and heaved in the brief respite. The robot seemed to have lost them.

“Remind me again why you aren’t pushing this.” Jade growled, as Artie hovered alongside.

“The extra stress will damage my delicate systems” He said, the metallic systems causing him to bob in place briefly.

“I’m quite sure it’s mental stress, not physical stress…” Jade began.

“You aren’t a scientist. I am. I think I know my own brain tank” Artie growled back. Jade sighed, and rubbed her temples. The comms crackled into life.

“Jade? We’ve been waiting ages. Aren’t you coming?” South’s voice echoed over the comms systems.

“What on Earth are you on about? I’ve been dealing with Tu’Vass before running for my life from these invading mechanised idiots.” Jade said in return.

“Well. Cass said you needed to check us out. We were on the alien ship and now we are in the medical bay waiting for you. For ages I might add.” South said, getting impatient.

“Well did any of you think to tell me this?” Jade replied, in an equally snarky tone, fed up of being treated like an unresponsive retail worker.

“We assumed Cass would mention it.” South said, with what was an obvious shrug in his voice.

“You assumed… That Cass… Would mention it? You assumed that Cass would go out of her way when we are being invaded by time portal mechanised goop machines to mention that someone she doesn’t care about needs someone else’s attention…” There was a heavy uncomfortable silence on the line as the waiting people all realised what they had assumed.

"For science's sake man! You are a biologist! Run the scans yourself!" Artie snapped into the comms.

"Actually, you did tell me you were second in command of the medical team on your ship. You should be able to handle a simple diagnostic scan..." Jade said, with a smirk.

There was a thunderous crash.

"Crap! gotta go!" Artie said, hitting the comms and floating off down the hallway. Jade sighed and broke into a run again.

<Tag!>

OOC – I constantly typefail Artie to Arite, every time I think “No, that’s not a’rite!...” >_>

I couldn't be bothered to write "Blah blah was translated." eight hundred times So assume that speech in <...> is in Japanese.