Kerry said softly "Yeah, I volunteered to be part of a clinical trial for a new medication, a very limited first batch of human test subjects on a new experimental drug, intended to help people who had slow metabolisms lose weight.  I happened to be one of the ones who actually got the drug, it was a double blind test.  Everyone else, and I mean everyone else, who got the drug, died of oversped metabolic rates and heart attacks.  Speed on steroids, sort of.  They still don't know why it didn't kill me.  It still could, they don't know.  One reason I don't have to worry about money, the pharmaceutical company paid me, the only survivor, a butt-ton of money.  So, eyah.  That's why I have mystery health concerns, as I am sure it got put."   She looked down, and said "Since then, well, I try to live with an eye to enjoying what I have while I have it without being obnoxious.  I enjoy practicing medicine, so that's what I do."

In reply to Kerry Thompson (msg # 9):

Dane nodded. "Oddly, I'm familiar with that mindset. I've done enough things I can't talk about in places I can't talk about to know what you mean about the the fleeting permanence of life. When you're in country, a stray bullet will take you out. A landmine could take you out. For me, it was a type of hyperawareness. Made sleep tough to come by. So yeah, I feel you, kinda sorta."

  Kerry nodded, and said "Even worse is that all indications for the drug, prior to human testing, were that it would help people who literally can gain ten pounds eating celery and raw carrots  for a week."

In reply to Kerry Thompson (msg # 11):

Dane chuckled. “That’s GOD punishing them for eating food not meant for humans.”

  Kerry shook her head, and said "It was designed for people with actual medically diagnosed metabolic disorders.  It worked perfectly in animal testing, and there are no current explanations why it failed so horribly in human trials.  I mean, for ME, it did work.  I haven't always been a svelte and petite girl.  But you see, I am now quite slender and far from overweight.  I also have a life expectancy of god only knows."

Dane shrugged. “Aside from your pixie figure, any other benefits?”

  Kerry replied wryly "Well, that was what it was supposed to do.  There hasn't been a way to check and see qhat other biochemical changes have been wrought however, or why, exactly, I didn't drop dead with the rest.  So I just take it as it comes and enjoy being alive."

Dane grinned and sat up a little straighter. "So, do you now do dangerous things? Bungie jumping, hang gliding over active volcanos, that sort of thing? You know, cast your despite into Death's face?"

  Kerry admitted, as the waiter came to take their orders "I've been on a couple adventures.  Went white water rafting with some friends . . . and one of them died.  We both got tossed out of the boat, caught in an underwater snag.  The water was holding us both down, she and I were both caught good and hard, and it took them over an hour to find us.  Terry died, six inches out of my reach, and I was helpless to do anything to help her.  So I don't really go out and do things that are dangerous, because it seems like other people die when I do.  And I just don't."

  She tapped the menu (those had been lying in wait on the table for them) indicating what she wanted to the waiter, adding dryly "That was a hell of a way to find out I don't have to breathe anymore."

In reply to Kerry Thompson (msg # 17):

Dane's smile faded, and he shook his head. "You're tough. I'm trying to keep the conversation positive, you know, proper dating protocol, but it keeps veering off into dark places, although the you not having to breath thing sounds interesting."

He sighed. "Sorry about your friend."

  Kerry shrugged, and said "I'm not exactly practiced at dating, really.  Before the trials, I wasn't really the  type of girl the guys wanted to take out.  And after . . . well, you get the idea.  I think the things I enjoy most are saving lives and helping people, although a lot of people don't want to take a 'blonde cheerleader' of a doctor seriously.  I do sports medicine because most of the athletes don't care what you look like if you can get them back out on the field.  I am, however, not only a doctor, but I'm also a fully qualified trauma surgeon, and I can almost call myself an expert in neurology and metabolics, given the amount of time I can now  study as well as having plenty of students more than willing to let me take their readings for demographical studies."

In reply to Kerry Thompson (msg # 19):

Dane looked truly puzzled. "I cannot imagine for the life of me why you think no one wanted to date you. Aside from the whole, you're way smarter than me thing, you seem perfectly nice, and extremely attractive. What am I missing?"

  Kerry smiled wryly "I used to be the standard 'fat nerdy smart girl' before the trials.  Fat girls don't hit most guys list of hot dates, at all.  I am not fat now, but I also have literally <i>no idea,/i> of if I will die today, tomorrow, or sometime in the next century.  So now I think the 'indefinite timespan' scares people, and the whole 'you're a doctor with three specializations' part."  She took a bite of her freshly served steak, and added "Sad thing is, now I can literally eat anything I want, and I never gain weight.  Got a perfect figure and metabolism, but I am certain it wasn't worth it.  I just wanted to be able to eat like everyone else when I joined the trials."

Dane exhaled. "None of us really know when we'll die, Kerry. I could throw a clot in my brain, and fall dead at your feet, and nothing you could do would save me. Although that would be really, really bad dating behaviour."

Dane shrugged. "And death will, unfortunately, claim us all. Personally, I'm not a fan of letting life pass you by. Use the time you have. As I mentioned, I'm going undercover tomorrow, pretending to be a really bad dude, to make friends with equally bad dudes. I'll definitely have to kick some serious ass, and may have to let them kick MY ass. There's risk. But I'm not scared... that stuff seems tame in comparison to screwing up my courage to approach a stranger and ask her out for a nice steak dinner. This stuff terrifies me."

  She tilged her head, reaching down to ruffle Satin's ears as she said "I can see that.  I mean, I used to be socially awkward enough around the opposite gender that I'd duck and mumble.  Can't do that professionally though, so I got a little better but most of it depends on the situation."  She glanced down at Satin, as though she'd heard something, and frowned at her before she told the ebony poodle "That's far less complicated and you know it, Satin."

In reply to Kerry Thompson (msg # 23):

Dane's eyebrows went up slightly, and he said, his usual smile on his face, "I didn't realize you two could communicate. I'd pay handsomely to know what he said."

  Kerry's expression was far from amused as she said "She asked why humans don't just go into heat and make breeding a simple affair like dogs do it.  She also said picking a good male to breed one isn't hard, for her at least.  Thus, why it's far less complicated issue.  She's looking for good bones, muscles, and intelligence, with humans it's more complicated."
  Satin barked once, then sat up on her mind legs to peer at him over the table, her nose working before she looked at Kerry again, but Kerry didn't translate, merely blushed hotly.

Dane grinned. "Yes, Satin, you are absolutely right. I *would* father excellent babies. Very strong, handsome to a fault, and, as you can tell, charming. Plus I have amazing powers, which is a plus."

  Kerry shook her head, and said "Remember, humans aren't just looking for good genetic donors, we're also looking for specific behavior sets in a mate.  Male dogs usually don't hang around to help raise the pups, human males, if they are GOOD males, do, which makes those secondary, non-genetic behavioral traits a lot more important."  She glanced at Satin, who whined softly, and chuffed.  That got a laugh from Kerry, and she agreed "Yes, I know, you think we're all confusing, and need a ton of help from someone with far keener senses than we have."  She looked back to Dane, and said "Beimg able to understand her words doesn't always make her make sense to me."

In reply to Kerry Thompson (msg # 27):

Dane chuckled at the dog-date relationship, and then let Kerry off the hook. Sorry, Satin, that's not what this date is about. Your mom has a better long-term survival chance than I do. In her case, Shroedinger's Cat is immortal. It is much more likely that I'll get killed in action, and since there is no chance I'm immortal, the FACT of my death is a certainty."

The he chuckled again, and said to Kerry, "And your explanation that you want a father for your children that will stick around is not me, not yet anyway. I can't. When I was on active duty, I got sent to every garden paradise on the Earth."

 Kerry shook her head, and said "I haven't even gotten to the xonsidering children stage yet.  Before I ever worried about that, I'd want to find someone mentally compatible, since the biggest thing a married couple, or even long term dating couple, does is spend a lot of time together.  Plus, anyone I stayed with would have to be able to handle the fact that I literally have conversations with Satin, and get answers.  That usually makes fellas think I am just a bit more than touched in the head."  Clearly, his reaction to her having dinner conversation with him <i.and</i> Satin had made a good impression, because he hadn't freaked out.

Dane chuckled. "Well, for the record, I just fought an alien invasion. Killed a big one and took his energy ax. Jumped through a portal, ended up on an alien spaceship in the middle of space and literally ripped the spaceship in half. Fought alongside a lady that turned into an angel. Oh, and then there was the guy who looked like a cross between a human and a scorpion. Had a scorpion tail sticking out of the back of his head. And he had no face. So yeah, it's adorable that Satin can talk and that you can understand him, but my threshold for 'freaking out' is substantially higher than it used to be."

 Kerry half smiled, and gently corrected him "Her.  Satin is a girl.  But I can see why talking to Satin wouldn't freak you out as much as it might some.  But Satin is a pretty sharp lady in her own right, since she was fully trained as a service dog before I acquired her."

Dane grinned and looked down at Satin. "Sorry. HER."

He cut off another piece of his steak, chewed it thoughtfully, and swallowed it. "So how are you advancing your desire to find that special someone if you aren't dating at all?"

  Kerry shrugged, and said "I'm not.  I pretty much put that plan out of my head a while ago, partially because my career as a medical professional means that I work long hours, and I'm on call when I'm not at work, and partially due to other things."  She gave him a wry smile, and added "Things get weird sometimes when life changes hard."  She stroked Satin's ribbon, and the purple was a lovely sea green after she'd  stroked the ribbon.