⇨ 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

OPEN - Days 111-113

[anti_nonsense]

Rita will be nowhere to be seen on Day 110, but from 111 onward there will be a new face among the staff overseeing the Farm. Wearing the new Delta uniform and a visor over her eyes, Rita stands along the sidelines, watching as people work and seemingly taking notes, though the only indication of that is the occasional movement of her hands, as if interacting with an interface that only she can see. There's no actual surface for her to write on, as everything is recorded through her visor.

Through a triangular window in the front of her uniform, a red hot glow emanates from her chest. Now that she's more used to the new heart, Rita appears to be in better health than in previous days. Her body radiates an unusual amount of heat, but that appears to be the new normal for her.

Most of the time, she simply stands and observes, as is her job now. Fraternizing is forbidden, so she won't approach anyone for conversation. However, there's nothing stopping others from approaching her.

111

[chronosynthesis]

There's just the girl he's looking for. He stops when he sees her while returning some tools, and initially he maintains a silent, distant standstill. The visor makes harder to read her, and he recognizes it from the other Technicians.

Eventually he strides up casually, while he's ostensibly taking a basket of corn for credit. "Do we record our progress with you, now, or is this for your benefit?"

[anti_nonsense]

When Syrlya stops nearby, Rita takes a moment to see what her visor can tell her about him and that new hue of his. A trial in which 'death' was administered...? Followed by something they're calling 'etheric gene therapy'? She frowns, but doesn't comment. She can't really afford to say anything unnecessary.

"No... Productivity Points are still awarded at the usual place," she answers, seemingly choosing her words carefully. "I'm just here to observe."

[chronosynthesis]

"Does this mean you aren't expected to throw yourself into any trials? Or does being Delta only mean you do not go through them alongside us?"

It's a genuine question. The trials are a distraction that if Rita doesn't have to take, it opens up her own ability to investigate. "Or are you not supposed to be talking to me?"

[anti_nonsense]

Rita considers answering those first questions... but she manages to refrain, instead answering the final one:

"Fraternizing is against protocol. I can't talk to you about anything other than what you need to know to perform your duties." And even then, she's limited.

[chronosynthesis]

Hm. Syrlya tilts his head, considering that. Restricted, then. They're going to need to find a way around this.

".... I see. And if talking about my duties includes discussing trials, would I come to you about that, now?"

[anti_nonsense]

She's quiet for a moment. The visor does a good job of hiding any change in her expression.

"That depends," she says. "If you have a suggestion for a trial, or any information you'd like to report, I can relay that to the relevant authorities." Hopefully he understands that anything he says in front of Rita will end up reaching the ears of the other Technicians, one way or another.

[chronosynthesis]

That's probably the intention. Luckily, Syrlya can play along with a farce. And Rita has ways of talking without using words.

He sets the basket onto the ground before reaching back to pluck a petal from one of the roses and offering it to Rita.

"I would like this back," he starts, giving her a steady look and hoping she can work with the implication. "But I wondered if it was juat me that thought this bud was different after my last trial."

Hopefully a petal is a good substitute for a bead.

[anti_nonsense]

Good one, Syrlya!

Fortunately, Rita's able to keep from actually showing any of the jubilation she feels when he holds something out for her to take. Rita takes the petal and raises it to examine, just briefly, then shrugs and holds it out for him to take back.

"I'm not in a position to comment, but I'll make a note of it."

But before he can take it, she'll focus, without looking directly at the petal, to imbue it with information. She'll include information about Deltas: how they have access to most of their sector and a map of the entire facility accessible through their visors. They can't talk freely with the others, though... and any deals offered to them will have to be reported to their superiors.

Furthermore, she'll mention Ignatius. That explosion two nights ago was his doing, but however he managed it, he didn't have the strength to follow through and escape. He reached out to Rita then, and entrusted some of his power to her before going unresponsive. Rita's certain she can use some of her magic now. (She has no idea, however, that others are in the same boat.)

Finally, she'll include the knowledge that her info transfer spell is now a two-way deal, and so long as she's close enough, she can enable others to imbue an object with their own knowledge.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya waits a second before taking the petal back, and stalls as he lets the information filter in. So they have a little more movement... and that confirms it was Ignatius. They're going to have to be careful, but if they play their cards right then this should give them a much better advantage.

He hums, thoughtful, then holds the petal up between them. "Then, if you could..."

He has something to share too if she'll grant that ability. Not much, but the more they know between each other, the better.

But that sentence can probably be taken a different way to anyone else listening in.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita just gives a half-nod of acknowledgment, a sort of go ahead gesture. The petal is now open to be 'written' to; he just needs to focus in order to imbue it himself. Theoretically.

[chronosynthesis]

Good thing he's experienced with mental-based magic.

So Syrlya puts what he knows so far on the leaf. That other people's magic has returned, although not as strongly as they normally are. Childermass found out that their sector is definitely separated from the rest. But there's teleporters to the other sections.

Ignatius is in a different one, not the core anymore. He's called Omicron. The Mother of Invention is in communication with Technicians stationed to him.

He can also retrieve things from the eggspace dimension, but not until they're ready to act.

They can't afford to be too suspicious, so Syrlya lowers his hand and moves to brush by her, pressing the petal back into her hand that way and stalling only for a second before he starts to walk off. If he lingers too long, they'll be obvious. The biggest concern right now is keeping informed.

112

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's had a hard time figuring out how to approach Rita now that there's a wall between them, since she's gone to Delta. But he needs to try--there has to be some way they can still work together, right?

He approaches her openly. The glowing dots are hard to see in the light, but Rita's visor should tell her he's been through a trial, related to Creation that involved implants and injections.

"Uh--Rita?" He's probably not supposed to call her that.

[anti_nonsense]

Fortunately, there's no protocol requiring Rita to correct Yuya. With the visor over her eyes, it's unclear if she's been watching him, and there's no change in her expression when he addresses her.

"What?" she asks.

Does Yuya know she's restricted in what she can talk to him about...? Considering this is the first time he's approached her since her promotion, he might have some idea, she supposes.

[hippocarnival]

"Uh, just--" He's got a guess, but he's not sure how to get around it. There's a clear look of urgency on his face, and he focuses on her in some attempt to figure out how to say this.

"What's the visor for?"

[anti_nonsense]

Huh...? That's not the kind of question she expected.

"It's a tool we use to perform our duties," she says, glossing over pretty much all of the details. Not like she can afford to give a lengthy answer, or a helpful one.

[hippocarnival]

"... Oh. Like watching us?" Is he scraping for topics, just a little! "Are you learning cool things in Delta?"

His gaze wanders around. He remembers in Eden her information transfer went one way, but the truth is it's more than he needs to tell her things. "Is it okay to tell you things?"

[anti_nonsense]

Rita doesn't offer a response to those questions. Instead, she tells him, "Fraternizing is against protocol. I can't talk to you unless it's necessary for work."

The truth is, Rita doesn't know if it's okay for Yuya to tell her things. At least, not out loud. But that still leaves them with an option... Idly, she reaches to her shoulder and scratches it, just where the feathers stick out from under her uniform. This worked with Lambert, so it better work now. She pulls one feather loose and focuses without looking at it, imbuing it with a message.

Her info-transferring power can work in two ways now. If she's nearby, Yuya can put his own message into an enchanted object.

In addition... she talked to Gongenzaka today. Sort of. He mentioned an 'ally'. Is that what this is about?

That's all she'll include before brushing the feather and flicking it away from her shoulder, as one might with a piece of lint. In the same moment, she'll give her wings a brief flap, as if merely trying to loosen them up after standing still for so long... to create enough motion in the air to direct the feather to him.

[hippocarnival]

Luckily, Yuya knows Rita well enough to know she isn't frivolous. She's smart. So when the feather floats his way, he grasps for it, expression lighting up a little.

"Mmhmm--" he makes an affirmative sound, looking at the feather. If she's nearby, he can do that? So he tries to focus on putting the information in, hoping he'll be able to tell that it works.

Her name is Gild, someone who knows Ignatius well and is with the Summerland Fae. She wants to get them all out of here, but they need to help her. She has someone already inside, ready to move when they can give her the go ahead. And they need to find Ignatius for sure.

To do that they have a mark that grants magic from her. Fire, light, enhancements, and finding things.

Yuya has that mark, and he can give it to someone else.

If he feels it work, he brushes his fingers over the feather before looking back at Rita. More specifically, Rita's visor.

He leans forward a little holding the feather down and close to her hand as he points with his other hand to make her look elsewhere--at the trial postings. "So can I ask you about the trial?'

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's hand brushes against the feather, and those details flood her mind. Gild...? Wait. Does he mean the Gilded Mark!? One of the people Ignatius was dreaming about? Rita thought she had to be a Summer Court fae, but she's with the Maiden...!?

That's a hell of a revelation, but Rita manages to keep from showing much surprise on her face, and instead follows Yuya's gesture to the trial postings.

"...You can ask, but I might not answer."

[hippocarnival]

"I was just wondering, because it's kind of vague..." as if they aren't all vague. "What's it really testing?"

He tries to push the feather back into her hand. If she has anything to tell him, now's as good a chance as any.

[anti_nonsense]

"You don't need to know that," Rita replies, coldly.

But as she does, she focuses on the feather and imbues it with some more information.

She tells him a bit about Delta. About the visors, how she can see everyone's classifications and some basic information, as well as a map of the entire facility. How they have access to a larger area. She'll push forward the image of their leisure area, the massive fountains. Maybe they can use the reflective surface to travel through...?

She has an idea of where Ignatius is, but it's not easily accessed. Maybe she can figure something out.

As for 'Gild'... the Gilded Mark, she assumes, Rita's prepared to work with her. Having a true fae on their side is a valuable asset. She wonders, though... what does Yuya intend to do with that mark?

[hippocarnival]

An image... that's what he needs, to know where he's going. His eyes widen a little as he files it away.

Yuya pauses, and then focuses on putting one image in the feather: the map that Gild showed him. Exactly where Ignatius is.

Then he lets go of the feather in her hand and pulls back, shrugging. "I guess, but... you're a lot smarter than me and you know more. I don't really know what I'm going to do."

Not about the trial, of course. About the mark. But when he looks at Rita... well, he has an idea.

He just needs to speak to Gild one more time. "Maybe I'll figure it out tomorrow."

[anti_nonsense]

A small amount of color fills in Rita's cheeks at the praise; though she doesn't have a normal heartbeat, it looks like her heart can still fluctuate in heat levels like this.

She nods, just to acknowledge his words, but says nothing more. Hopefully she'll see him tomorrow.

[hippocarnival]

That gets a genuine smile out of Yuya. There's something so normal about her getting flustered over praise, that sets his mind on something a little bright.

"Good luck, Rita!" He waves before turning to disappear back into the farm.