[ Oh, he's absolutely certain they're not on the same page, but the more information he can learn, the better. It's a pity something like a 'superflu' hadn't crossed his mind initially. The Collective had certainly been helpful in the world's undoing, but most of it had been over so quickly.. This sounds more like a slow burn. Something painful.

Oh well. C'est la vie. ]

That sounds terribly isolating.. what did you dream about?

[ Michael realizes that he hasn't given any indication that he's experienced something different. ]

Where I'm from, the world didn't end with a stutter, but a bang. Nuclear winter, as it happens. Those who weren't safe and didn't die certainly wished they had.