lostcarnival | ⇨ POLARIS 2.0

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⇨ POLARIS 2.0

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!

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Yuya's brow knits with worry, but before he asks further he wants to tell Strange about Ignatius, in hopes they can put something together.

But when Strange asks him about trials himself, his mind blanks as he's pulled back to the awful experience from yesterday. He gapes, losing his words, and then takes a shuddering breath as he tries to pull himself back to focus.

"Yeah," he drops his gaze down to the ground. In the daylight, it's hard to see the glowing spots on his face, white light against pale skin. And Yuya doesn't want to bring attention to them.

"Yesterday, but... it didn't any good." He still got below expectations and dropped down to Eta. He's trying not to panic about it again.

Strange keeps trying to keep his expression neutral and tries to keep his expression still. Because on the one hand? He's so glad that Yuya's actually done a trial, he's so glad that Yuya's at least trying to keep himself safe. But on the other hand...he is in Eta now. That's a bit of a problem.

"Then I hate to say this, but you might have to take another one this week." And Strange can't help it: his face shifts a little to a frown. "I don't know what happens when you're in Theta, but I don't want you to find out."

After all, Lambert's been missing—and still is missing, as a matter of fact. Whatever happens when you fall down to Theta can't be good.

Trying not to panic, sadly, doesn't hold. Something breaks at the dam in Yuya, hearing that, imagining going through that again--

"We don't know what happens in those trials either!" He snaps suddenly, looking up at Strange with wide, hurt eyes. "I don't know what they put in me! I can't even look because I can't get this off!"

How does this hurt any less? How much more can it really get when they're removing things and putting them back in?
He digs his fingers into the suit, but they just slip against it. "How is this any better?!"

God, Strange has no idea what to do here. He's being confronted by a panic attack, by Yuya freaking out a little, and by the terrible feeling that he's got to be the reassuring adult who knows what to do in this situation and he's kind of shit at that. Strange doesn't know what to do half the time to begin with!

"It's better because we know we'll survive the trials," Strange simply remarks, trying to keep calm. "I don't...I don't know what happens when someone goes to Theta. But I haven't seen Lambert in the past day."

And that worries Strange so much more than he wants to admit. As he hasn't gotten details on what Thetas actually do, he's just got a head full of worst case scenarios for what happens to Lambert. If Lambert's in trouble, there's a strong part of Strange that wants to save him and wants to break him out of whatever problem he's having. But he also knows that his main priority has to be Ignatius.

At least one of them is remaining calm, outwardly at least. "We don't know that. They could go too far, they don't care." He loosely wraps his arms, looking away. "I--I know Lambert's gone, but I don't... I really don't..."

Want to do that again. Feel that poison, feel so vulnerable and then go through so much pain. He's afraid of being taken away, but the idea of going through all of that a second time seizes his heart, and he's not sure which one he's really more likely to survive.

"We're test subjects," Strange explains, in a slightly bitter tone of voice, "and there's only a limited supply of us. They might do all sorts of horrid things but they won't kill us."

At least, they won't kill them permanently. A part of Strange feels a little disingenuous saying things like that. Other people have had things added, things removed, parts of their body completely changed, and here's Strange, someone who's dealt with just vivisection and some admittedly awful torture but which changed him into a form he can't wait to explore (And then another part of him is horrified at the thought that it's just vivisection.)

"I know that all of this is downright barbaric. But what other choices do we have?"

Yuya doesn't know. If that's true, would they really kill them for dropping to Theta? Maybe it's just the illusion of choice, and you're stuck in experiments without the break off farm work. Like constant manual labor somehow is a break.

Yuya presses his hands to his eyes, trying to wipe the tears away before they come to far. He hadn't expected to be so shaken by it, for them to use her poison against him. Don't they have any choice except to suffer?

Yuya takes a deep breath. "Something happened last night, and... then I felt something from Ignatius."

That's a blatant subject change, but Yuya doesn't want to agree to more trials.

As Yuya mentions Ignatius, Strange can't help but perk up a little. So he wasn't the only one who felt that? Strange doesn't know if that's good or that's worrying.

"I felt him as well," he whispers, under his breath, as he brings his hand up to his heart. And for all of Strange trying to school his emotions and trying to seem like he's disaffected about a lot of this, here's the part where he breaks. Ignatius is hurt and suffering despite the fact that he's done so much for Strange. Strange doesn't want to let that stand.

"I'm afraid that something's happened to him," Strange admits, looking over at Yuya. Hell, might as well tell somebody who isn't Eruka. That way if they're fucked over, at least someone still in the system knows. "I have power right now, though I don't know how long it will last. While I've got this, I'm going to act and I'm going to try and save him."

Yuya looks up, finally. It was Strange, too, so maybe Rita also...?

"There's someone who wants to help us, as long as we help Ignatius." His voice becomes a little stronger, then, breaking through the despair of their situation. "I wanted to anyway, but they'll come if we find him. I can help!"

He doesn't even know what Strange's plan is, he just desperately wants this to be the break they need to escape. "If Ignatius reached me the same way, then..."

Strange takes Yuya at his word: no questioning if the kid's hallucinating, no question if he's making something up, Strange just 100% straight up believes that someone's reached out to Yuya because he desperately wants someone to have reached out to Yuya and to help save Ignatius as well.

"Stay near a watering can or something reflective. If I do find Ignatius or any information about him, I might be able to talk to you and tell you what I found that way."

Not 'I'll tell you in person.' For all his previous bluster about how he was going to go at it by himself, Strange is acutely aware that if he does this, there's a high chance of him getting caught. Still, what's life without a risk or two? And even if there's the slightest chance of him saving Ignatius, it'll be worth it.

"Okay." He'd rather go with him, but Yuya knows his physical power is comparatively limited. Maybe he can find a reflection big enough to travel through, though.

"I haven't felt him since, but before then... it was clearer around noon and midnight. I think maybe those times are safest for him." When he's being hurt less, maybe even alone.

"Well, that's all the confirmation I need," Strange remarks, with a small little smile. "We talked around that time as well."

As much as you can talk when your communication is pretty much just shooting feelings at each other. Strange is feeling a little bit more confident about this plan that he still knows in all likelihood will get him captured. But hey, he's got a few ideas on how he can work on things from that angle as well.

"If you can get in contact with that someone before you see me again, tell them that I'm trying to help. Who knows, they might appreciate the news!"

Watch in amazement as Strange just casually forgets that he's going to bully Eruka into helping and she should probably be part of this conversation as well.

"I will," he says with a faint smile. And then something occurs to him.

"Uh, can you tell me what you're going to do?" It sounds like he has some sort of plan going on. And a plan, a chance, that's so much better than the lingering pain and fear of the trial, and his hunger and weariness and nightmares...

Strange pauses a little before he vocalizes his plan. It's a really shitty plan but again, he's got no idea how long Ignatius's power will last. If he's going to do anything, it'll have to happen fast.

"I'm going to turn into smoke, slip into one of the ventilation shafts, and try to see if I can eventually find Ignatius." It's a shitty plan but hey, it's a plan. "I think he's below us somewhere: those tremors didn't feel like they were coming from above. If I go deep enough and concentrate on our bond, I should be able to find him."

He hopes.

Yeah, that's a bold and risky plan. Yuya's not exactly the best person to argue, though, given the reckless stuff he'll do himself.

He worries over his lip. He knows if Strange is using his form in those tiny vents, even he's not small enough for that. He can't ask to go with.

"Are you going alone?"

"I'm not," said with a shake of his head. "There's someone else who I'm going to ask to join me. Have you met Miss Frog yet?"

Of course, he has no idea if Eruka's actually going to join him or not. Still, if she doesn't, then he can go on this alone. He won't mind.

"Not really." But he's not going alone, probably, and that's at least a little relief to Yuya.

"... I know you can't promise not to get hurt, but--please try and come back?" His expression is as pleading as his tone, and he's not even sorry about it right now. "Don't just disappear and I'll... I'll try, too."

He doesn't want to lose anyone. Especially not here.

Strange reaches over and attempts to ruffle Yuya's hair a bit. "I'm certain you'll see me again."

Whether heavily demoted as an example, coming back with Ignatius to save everybody, or strung up in a testing chamber somewhere, Strange doubts that the Technicians will just kill him. It's the same reason why he worries he'll never make it to Delta: he's just too valuable a resource to lose.

Yuya makes a face when his hair is ruffled, leaning back a little and trying to smooth it back out when Strange pulls his hand away. Not that it matters.

"Okay. Are you going now?" Yuya will stop distracting him if he is. He said what he needed to, and he hopes that helps Strange.

"I am," Strange says, with a little nod. He frowns a little, biting his lip, before he speaks again.

"This might be a bit callous to say, but I hope you can find a good enough trial to raise your rank."

Ah, the trials. Yuya's gaze floats down. "I... I know you don't mean it that way." Gongenzaka didn't, either. Putting Yuya through that pain was never intentional, but it--Yuya sucks in a sharp breath.

"Her poison still scares me," he admits in a rush, a faint tremor being barely held back in his voice. "I couldn't focus on what they did after that."

It's the uncertainty that leaves him more afraid.

Ah. So that's what his trial was. Strange pauses for a moment, obviously taken aback and a little disgusted by the whole thing. When he speaks again, his words are carefully controlled.

"If it helps, I doubt they'll do something with the poison again. They probably have enough data on that by now."

They'll just find new and exciting ways to torture Yuya.

That and something to do with Creation, but he didn't really pick up exactly what their purpose was with that.

That doesn't really assure him, but he won't say so.

"Maybe we won't have to," he says with tenuous hope. Maybe Strange will find Ignatius, their help will come, and they'll all get out of here. He doesn't want to think about how he can't bank on that right now.

"I'll keep water nearby, so... good luck, Mr. Strange."

Man, Strange can only hope. He can only hope that he'll find Ignatius, that they'll get out of here. Because he doesn't want to stop searching until he does find him and is acutely aware that the likelihood he'll fuck himself up in the process or make a decision that will screw him over is fairly high.

"Thank you, Yuya. I'll try to contact you if anything of note happens."

Strange gives Yuya a little nod before he starts to walk away.

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⇨ POLARIS 2.0

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