lostcarnival | ⇨ 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Nightrider seems to ring a bell since Childermass shows a much more immediate understanding of that name and the description both.

"I remember a man like that, yes. We spent most of our time together back in bathhouses..." Which makes him seem important, somehow, some way, but he won't dwell upon it. "I'm sorry. Names have been tricky. I know you're a part of the militia and that we've spoken enough times before but I can't pin a name down."

Syrlya's expression twists with concern. Just what the hell happened to Childermass?

"I am Syrlya. Does hearing that bring anything back to mind?"

Childermass made a highly suspect choice, that's what, but it's unwittingly paying off. He has to assume he couldn't use his magic at all before and now he can... or it could just be a coincidence. Bad timing. He's no way of being sure and so he'd rather focus on names right now.

"Syrlya," he repeats quietly to himself. It does sound familiar. Not surprising, seeing he could recall the man's face and other memories with him. "Nothing new... Just that you used to be red. You work under the Nightrider. You helped at the Prince's manor. Most of that I already told you, though."

"... Being red was a temporary accident," he mumbles, glancing sideways.

Then he shakes his head. "Anyway--your status is Eta, which means simply working in the farm is not truly enough. You may also need to take a trial every four days or so. If you find yourself needing any help, just tell me."

He doesn't know what happened with Lambert, but he doesn't intend to let more people slip through his fingers.

"An Eta. That's just my luck," Childermass grumbles. He has to wonder how that even happened but it's likely not worth dwelling upon. Trials, though, brings up a thrill of terror he can't even explain, muscles going taught and his hand absentmindedly going to his shoulder.

There's nothing there. He's not sure why he thought there might be.

"Trials... I'll try to remember that. The work, at least, shouldn't trouble me too much. I've never farmed but all the tasks seem fairly run of the mill to me."

"They are simple. The bigger problem stands to be that there is only so much work to go around, and higher demands on those of us who started at the lowest class. But we need to hold out... at least a little longer."

Just look to the next step, and not where they need to go. It gets daunting, imaging how long the path could get.

"Did you have any other questions? About, well, anything?" Given his amnesiac state, can never be too sure.

It's something Childermass has to consider. He could ask a lot of things, have him point out and name every carnival member back in the fields, but he isn't sure how important that will be in the long run. So, he goes for the next most obvious of the questions to ask and that's—

"Were we working on a way out of here? I'll see what I can find with my shadows but if there's more and I've forgotten it, I would like to know."

"We were talking about a way out of here, anyway." Syrlya shrugs a shoulder. "But nothing certain. We do not have a lot of freedom around the facility, and our most powerful allies right now are indisposed."

He tilts his head to the bird. "So having eyes where we can't be would help tremendously."

Childermass nods some. There's not much else to discuss then as he dismisses the bird in his hand for now.

"Then I'll see what I can find. I'll let you know tomorrow, whenever it is I see you next then."

⇨ POLARIS 2.0

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