⇨ POLARIS 2.0

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Days 110 - 114
Where: Polaris
What: After a mysterious explosion shakes the station, the staff of Polaris struggle to maintain order while the test subjects fight for freedom with the aid of hidden allies. Productivity info is here.
Warnings: More graphic experimentation.

THEORY & CONCLUSION↴ At the midnight between Day 109 and Day 110, something happens. For most people, it won't be clear what - yet, they are shaken by it just the same. Violent tremors appear out of nowhere, rattling the entirety of the Polar station, violent enough to throw sleeping test subjects off their bunks. The source is unclear, but there is a sudden flurry of activity from staff as power flickers and is lost in various parts of the facility. Subjects, for the most part, will be left to their cells while they try to sort things out. The next morning, the staff are late picking people up. It's more like 6:30AM than the usual 6AM when they arrive to take people to the farm, which is a bit of tardiness that is entirely without precedent. Any questions about the incident the previous night will be waved off with the explanation of 'technical difficulties' that have been 'resolved.' ► DELTA: The three new Deltas will be left in their cells for even longer, waiting to be picked up, instructed that they would be escorted elsewhere instead of to the farm. Around 6:45AM some unfamiliar technicians will arrive and tell them that they are here to begin their processing into Delta. They are led into a previously untouched section of the station, where they are invited into a somewhat more intimate medical room to be asked some cursory questions and given a check up. Then, their suits will be removed, and they will be provided with their new uniforms, which they can apply like normal clothes. Delta life begins there. There will be a top level for the initial parts of their processing to be played out. Ultimately, however, they will end up being given a tour of the new Delta facilities, which amounts to a waterfront area that borders the new apartments they'll be staying in, as well a small supply shop where they can pick up an allotted amount of 'amenities' per day, based on their level of productivity and other achievements. This includes luxury items like food, pleasant smelling soaps, or other hygiene related tools. There are even small things like decorations or pictures of other places available, though they are fairly expensive. The first day will mostly involve the processing, a tour, and some basic training regarding the new tools they will be using, such as the mandatory visors and basic computer access. The next day, observation shifts in the farm will start, as will participation in trials. ► FARMING: The Farm will continue as normal, though it seems like there are fewer staff observing it at the moment. The ones that are there seem a little bit more tense than usual. Power is still down in some places, but the Farm is thankfully still active. Sometimes the productivity turn-in scanners might be a bit glitchy, so try not to panic if it measures fewer points than you're due. ► TRIALS: Trials are continuing as projected, though with the most broad of experiments already under way, they may be more selective. If you have an idea for a trial you can be sure to share it with the staff, and they will take it under advisement! Any information you want to provide is encouraged, they will say, especially if it involves notable traits about you or your fellow test subjects - or perhaps behavioral patterns you've noticed. You might even be rewarded!

Comments

⇨ VISIONS AND SHIT

[ringleaders]

A top level for visions, dreams, and weird sensations characters may end up having.

RITA & STRANGE (DAY 110, JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT)

[ringleaders]

Shortly after the explosion shakes all the cells, Rita and Strange will both feel a burst of Ignatius's presence, desperately grabbing at their minds like he's trying to express something quickly.

The sentiment amounts to 'Shit, shit, shit, shit...!' even if there are no words associated with it. They get the visceral impression that the explosion definitely was his doing, and he's now dealing with the aftermath of it.

The Mother of Invention is here and she's not happy. He tried, but he doesn't think it was enough.

[anti_nonsense]

Shortly after the explosion wakes her, Rita's already trying to focus, to reach out to Ignatius's mind... but before she can try to 'say' anything, the fae's feelings seem to crash into her first.

Those tremors. He did it. There's a brief feeling of hope, but there's nothing really triumphant in these feelings she's getting from him, and she quickly grows wary, concerned.

She'll try to reach back, seeking, questioning. What's happening? Can she help?

[ringleaders]

There's a feeling of freedom, at least relative to where he was before, but also the dread of lingering helplessness and time being short. A feeling like his mobility is impaired, and even managing initial freedom has him left stranded, unable to follow up on his attempt. He needs help, he feels, he's practically pleading for it, but it's in a general direction instead of at her in particular. He doesn't know what he could expect anyone do for him.

Everything is burning, and his heart is aching, but there's still nowhere to go. She's going to take him again.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita feels her heart sink. He's stranded? How? What's stopping him from fighting, from escaping?

Panic and frustration well up inside her. She doesn't know where he is, how to reach him, or what she can do... If only she wasn't trapped in this stupid cell...!

[ringleaders]

He tries to get across an image of what's happening to him, but mostly it comes across as raw feelings of disgust and humiliation, completely repulsed by the thought of what's been done to his body. He's being ruined, corrupted, and the feeling of cold metal and locked joints makes it so he can't even stand to face his captor. He hates it so desperately.

He wants to be free so badly.

[anti_nonsense]

As that impression sinks in, Rita feels a chill run through her body. So he's been altered, too...

He'll get free. Even if this attempt fails, there'll be another. She'll help. And not just Rita...

She'll try to communicate an impression of Yuya. Yuya can help. He has something. They just need to find Ignatius. If they can reach each other, they can get out.

[kingsroads]

Strange isn't the best at waking up. However, Ignatius's feelings crashing into him is enough to make Strange jolt up out of bed and focus entirely on those feelings.

He also attempts to reach back, but he's radiating concern. Strange knows just how powerful the Mother of Invention is, he wants to know if Ignatius is alright (or, more rationally, just what level of fucked he is)

[ringleaders]

He tried to escape. He failed. He's trapped. Everything is burning and there will be hell to pay. She's coming. He can't even stand.

There is a feeling of helplessness and immobility, like the absence of hands, like legs that won't walk.

Strange has to go on without him.

[kingsroads]

There's no actual way to convey 'so I've got a half-assed plan involving the ventilation shafts that may or may not work and would be a lot more helpful if you gave me a bit of your power but you obviously can't give me a bit of your power now so I guess I'm going to try anyway because #yolo?' in the vague thought connection wavelength that they've got going on.

So poor Ignatius gets an INTENSE jumble of thoughts for a moment before Strange smooths everything out and focuses on one clear feeling: reassurance. Don't worry, Ignatius. He's coming to save you.

[ringleaders]

For better or for worse, Ignatius interprets SOMETHING out of that mess. A harsh jolt of pain goes through him, and the feeling of a sudden coldness, like ice water in his veins.

Yet, and the same time, there is a flickering fondness and fragile hope.

Strange will feel a rush of fiery power that goes straight to his heart, like another piece of Ignatius that has been torn out and handed over. The burn off that feeling stays with Strange even as his consciousness starts to fade from the connection.

AMETHYST, CHILDERMASS, GONGENZAKA, YUYA (NIGHT 111-112)

[ringleaders]

Some arrows are coming your way during the night of 111-112. What are you dreaming about? The arrows, this time, will be more bright and pointed in their approach than before, trying very hard to avoid being ignored.

[hippocarnival]

Now Yuya has magically induced nightmares on top of trauma nightmares. This time it's pointedly in Polaris, with Yuya trapped under a glass in the floor that he can only bang helplessly against while his friends--Rita, Strange, Gongenzaka among them--mill about dressed like the Technicians, seemingly unable to hear him. That's what happens when your Theta in this dream.

Which makes it a little disorienting about whether this is real or not, but in either case he remembers the importance of the gold arrows,so he'll scramble for one the minute he sees it.

[ringleaders]

The arrow actually punctures the glass floor above him, the part with the note sticking through for him to read. It narrowly avoids hitting him in the face.

The note reads:

'WE HAVE SOMEONE ON THE INSIDE
AND A LOCATION!'

[hippocarnival]

There is a brief scare where he's almost murdered, and then he pulls the arrows through and reads the note.

It takes him longer to warp the dream enough to get a bow, but he at least remembers that part. Once he has the note ready to go back, he shoots it back up through the floor, somehow defying physics because all his will in this arrow getting to where it needs to be.

Who?

Think he tried to escape. Feel something from him now, Mr. Strange has his magic again. He's helping! Rita, too.

[ringleaders]

Another arrow comes down:

'HE DID, BUT SHE GOT HIM AGAIN.

WE ENTERED THE CORE DURING CHAOS BUT WERE TOO LATE.

INSIDE PERSON IS UNDER HIGH RISK.'

[atouts]

The dream this time isn't very distinct. It's a place, that's about it, and even Childermass isn't really sure what it is besides dark. The arrow arriving doesn't even get noticed right away, not until he realizes there's something brighter suddenly there with him.

He does inevitably walk over to pull it out of the ground and take a look, unsure what an arrow could even be doing here in the first place. It almost feels like this has happened before...

[ringleaders]

It has a note on it, just like all the previous times that he doesn't remember. Back to square one.

'WE KNOW WHERE THEY MOVED IGNATIUS.

WE HAVE A PLANT ON THE INSIDE.'

[atouts]

Ignatius. That's the fire faerie. At least, that's what he's been told and he does recall a Summer Court fae, even if names and faces are a bit jumbled. What arrows have to do with him, however—

"Who has a plant on the inside?" He asks out loud, looking around like a dumbass since there's nothing else around him right now and certainly not whoever shot the arrow.

[ringleaders]

A while later another arrow will come down:

'PLEASE RESPOND.'

[betheman]

What with thinking about dream time pretty regularly, Gongenzaka's dream is relatively chill. He seems to be meditating on top of a lake, right now, surrounded by fireflies.

A vine extends for the first arrow he sees here, as he stands. Okay arrow friend, whatcha got?

[ringleaders]

'WE'VE GOT SOMEONE WORKING ON THE INSIDE.

WE KNOW WHERE IGNATIUS IS.'

[betheman]

GOOD!

Friend lost contact-

Magic back, but limited; we think related

Status on InsideHelp??

Hopefully they're not in too much shit, but he's not too hopeful on that.

[npcarnival]

He'll first receive a note with this image drawn on it, and no further context.

And then:

'HELP WILL FIND YOU WHEN THEY CAN.

WE NEED TO SET A DATE, MOVE AT ONCE'

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst is so deeply asleep when this next volley of arrows show up that she is asleep in the dream. They're bright enough to catch her attention anyway, though -- how? well, it's a dream -- and she catches one blearily in her mouth, and then pulls it out with one hand.