⇨ POLARIS 3.0

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 115
Where: Polaris
What: On the morning of day 115, a couple hours before the technicians would come to pick up the test subjects, the escape plan will officially come into effect. If your character has been left out of the loop up till this point, feel free that someone hastily explains the plan during the initial phase! The meat of everything else will be played out via megathreads and any private toplevels people want to make.
Warnings: Probably violence.

PEER REVIEW↴ The plan starts with getting everyone out of their cells. Childermass is going to be using his Gilded Mark to enhance his shadow movement abilities, unabling him to teleport himself and other people out of containment. If your character has other ways of escaping they are free to pursue that, but on a base level, it can be assumed that everyone gets out thanks to Childermass. (Thanks Childermass!) Once everyone has been removed from their cells by some means or another, they will be forced to split into teams as swiftly as possible, as the moment people start breaking out, negative attention from the staff will start building. The area is poorly guarded at first, but as people become aware of the breakout, more will arrive. Gild, speaking on behalf of her inside plant, will say that those that 1) want to get their stuff back, 2) want to find Ignatius, should get the assistance of their allied Deltas to access sector A5. From there, they will have to access Polaris's storage in A3, a neighbouring sector, and find access to C2, the station where Ignatius is being held. They should expect to be met with armed resistance, but with any luck allies will be there to assist them. In general, characters will be most effective if they back one of these major objectives: ► TEAM LOOT: This team is trying to get back the items and pets that were confiscated when the group was brought into Polaris. Their objective, according to their allies on the inside, is to get to A5, and then make their way to A3. The important thing is being able to locate their stuff among a sea of other items, and to make it through security in order to reclaim it. Gild's plant has said that they will assist with this. After getting these items, Team Loot may wish to merge with Team Rescue. ► TEAM RESCUE: This team's primary focus is to get to A5 and then make their way to C2. If desired, they may wait for or join with Team Loot, or they may strike out ahead in order to take advantage of the element of surprise. The key factors are obtaining a way to access C2, as well as being prepared for armed conflict with the technicians guarding it, as well as possibly the Mother of Invention herself. Though, the ideal is that Gild will be distracting here at that time. ► TEAM DISTRACTION: This team can do their thing wherever they please, as their main intent is to sew general discord and distract the staff from the teams doing more important things. They should be prepared for armed resistance, but what tactics they pursue beyond that point are highly variable. ► TEAM FORTRESS: This team is attempting to set up a protective base of operations in the original sector in order to survive the conflict and protect their noncombatant comrades. How they accomplish this is also highly variable. Other objectives may exist, of course, and can be made with their own separate top levels. Chunks of these megathreads will have to be played out in summary form, so when characters are simply trying to get from place to place and specifics aren't necessary, feel free to stick to that format. Assume that everyone is already out of their cells for the purpose of the megathreads. Here is a shitty map of how the sectors connect, from a side view of the central Polaris hub.

Comments

[npcarnival]

Apparently the unconscious technicians beneath the desk are also tied up, according to the other thread.

There is an accessible touch screen on the front of the desk, apparently meant to be used by anyone while the receptionists watch and provide aid. Most of it is just listings with generic supplies, so that technicians can come request that they need. Most of it won't sound familiar to a layman. It's obviously connected to some sort of storage, but when trying to request access to listings containing confiscated items or more advanced storage, it will refuse to go any further and ask for credentials. Tyki's won't be good enough, and it will tell him to speak to his supervisor.

Tyki's visor will respond to the desk area, indicating that is the supply request desk, and say that he has limited access, and has currently not been given clearance for pick ups. The map inside Tyki's visor will indicate that store rooms are in the hallway to the right, though there are some general labs and 'equipment servicing' bays nearby as well. When viewing this, the visor prompt will also suggest that he could speak to his supervisor before pursuing repairs.

He will be able to see through the first few layers of walls, and the first few seem to be filled with generic boxes of various sizes. There might be more to see once they enter the hall, however.

[whattaprick]

Ha ha if only it registered Childermass as his supervisor right? Lambert definitely makes a shitty joke to this effect.

What can they find about going to A4 and A3? (Lambert is assuming they’ll have to pass through one to ge to the other but if there’s a more direct route he’s all for it.)

[npcarnival]

Ostensibly they just need to get the right level of clearance to use the same teleporter they just entered through. Based on Tyki's visor, they need either Beta access, or permission from a Beta level or higher to go to certain locations in Polaris, including A3 or A4.

So, that means they probably need to find a Beta.

[prazerbutterfly]

Tyki continues to relay information as he receives it, his expression remaining neutral in a reflexive state. Lambert, that was a horrible joke and he will remind him that technically Childermass isn't his supervisor right now.

He glances down at the Gammas and then at the walls around him, rising from the computer since it is useless. He notes their lack of visors. He makes the general note that they can try to find a Beta or he could perhaps see if he can request one... which he might already be doing if no one pipes up to stop him or suggest something else. He'll look towards the repairs and simply navigate over towards requesting one.

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus agrees and doesn't stop Tyki, figuring calling for one person to come here is a safer option than going looking for them and running into any number.

He checks their surroundings for good hiding places, moves into one where he's hidden from the rest of the room, then asks Tyki whether the visor indicates where he is. If they can't hide behind solid objects, sneaking around anywhere or ambushing people will be a lot trickier.

[npcarnival]

This is about the time that the Syrlya's party will cross paths with them, on their way back to the teleporter, Beta access chip freshly installed. This interaction should be mostly handwaved, but it can be assumed that information or items are quickly passed between groups during this encounter.

Apparently, their plant friend is waiting for them a bit further in.

[whattaprick]

Well hello, strangers.

Lambert waves Tyki off calling any betas, but any interaction he has with the other group is brief -- they've got places to be. Presumably, they had a pretty good reason to be lingering in the sector, and they've figured out the same thing they have regarding the teleporters. Without much more than a 'good luck,' he'll direct the rest of his team to head in the direction they're told to.

There's little surprise in his expression when Shimmer is mentioned, and he gives her a jaunty, lazy wave when he sees her, though his expression is otherwise serious.

"Well, fancy seeing you here. Heard you're our way to where we need to be." He raises his brows, expectant.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's in a silly combination of elven armor pieces over the body suit with his staff. He doesn't have much to say, listening to what team Iggy found out and wishing them luck (particularly Rita, knowing what she's carrying). And then waves to Shimmer when they catch up with her, but gives Lambert and Tyki the room to talk.

[npcarnival]

"Hi," Shimmer says, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall as they arrive. "You've got it. To get where we're going, we're going to swap our your Delta's access chip for at least a Beta level." She gestures at Tyki.

"Of course... if we really want to make this plan shine, we should strive to catch an Alpha."

[prazerbutterfly]

Shimmer? That's interesting. He remembers Strange enthusiastically sharing every inch of his notes on her, always hunting him down whenever he met her again even in Eden when it was almost hazardous to do so about him finding that dumb book.

Scanning everyone that leaves out of habit, he notices Rita as a Beta and that throws up a red flag. Shimmers words also confirm his suspicions. His tail tip lashes behind him, unable to maintain his poker face within it. Already he's looking at the machine before him with a nod. "An Alpha... That sounds fun."

[whattaprick]

“Oh, is that all?” Lambert snorts. “You should have asked for something harder.”

But, presumably, she wouldn’t have asked without a plan. He nods at the rest of the group.

“Any chance that plan of yours includes getting these suits off some of us? Little hard to fool anyone when these damn things broadcast everything about us.”

[atouts]

"I think I'll take my chances with the suit," Childermass speaks up after... awhile. He's not exactly a chatty man to begin with, so whatever, although Lambert's question earns the witcher a vaguely annoyed look.

It makes sense to want to ditch them but, also, he doesn't want to be running around with a pack of naked people. Really. That said, he'll spare a glance towards their familiar new arrival.

"And unless you have an Alpha in mind, Ms. Shimmer, it may be just as well to carry on without. Time won't be on our side here."

[npcarnival]

"All of the machinery for applying and removing suits is in the B-Ring," she explains. "Test subjects are never meant to be in this part of the station, unless they are particularly tantalizing and require private examination."

"And I don't have any in mind, Mr Childermass," she says, looking at him. "Beta may have to do for now, for lack of better options. An Alpha wouldn't be in a sector like this very often."

"But that doesn't mean we can't strive for better later. The Mother has a secret stash,and I'd like to get into it."

[bananaspeedrider]

"A secret stash?" Yugo can't help but pipe up at that tidbit of information. "What's in it?"

Something extremely important is his best guess.

[alphudo]

Yuusei, having remained otherwise quiet and out of the way for the others to do their thing until this point, raises an eyebrow as he scouts for an appropriate place to hide his large body. "I've heard that the Mother experiments with iron; is that what's in this stash you're looking for, or is there more of hers that you're interested in?"

Glancing briefly to Lambert, he adds, "If iron ends up being our earliest convenience of getting these things off, I'd be willing to take the first blow." If they're all weak to iron here, then trying to remove the suits with it is undoubtedly risky, and he doesn't have any particular abilities that would be interfered with if they tested effectiveness on himself.

[prazerbutterfly]

The thought of anyone getting into his head again makes him uneasy, but now the thought of two attempts make him a little more compliant just because there was a matter of trust that needed to be extended before he was outright forced into it. He's also going to resist making any comments on 'private examinations' given he's flirted with a couple of techs here and there.

"If it'll help," he complies, knowing the first necessary but not quite sure about the second with the Alpha. A higher access would cause them to have less barriers down the road in case whatever plan Gild and Shimmer had hitches.

[npcarnival]

"She does have iron somewhere," Shimmer says. "Most of her experimentation with it is done on Winter colonies, where it isn't illegal to have. However, when I was here, she still kept a bit around to work with privately. She's obsessed with nullifying it as a threat."

"If we want to destroy her, that'd be a good place to start. Right now, though, we need to catch a higher level technician."

[whattaprick]

“Obsessed, but how successful? She’s used it in at least one experiment, so she has it around,” Lambert confirms, though he doesn’t shed any light on how he knows that. Instead, he’ll move on.

“We were about to use that desk to call a Beta and force them to get us through the teleporter. I’m guessing we can skip the ‘keeping them conscious’ part.” He waves at the unconscious Beta.

“We can decide about getting to that stash later. Do you know where it is, or do you have one of those marks too?”

[prazerbutterfly]

He lifts a finger lightly to signal he's ready to call that Beta should he get the go ahead. It seems like Lambert is implying him to do so.

After he's prompted to call them he'll rub at the side of his head, scratching it lightly, "Some of you are a bit large to hide so I'll head out to meet them. I suggest the rest stay here." He waves over his shoulder, heading back out into the hallway to wait for the Beta. He's not sure how long it'll take for them to arrive but he's patient enough. He's putting on a straight face, a relaxed composure, and someone checking over the time like he's in a half hurry to get started on his daily schedule.

[npcarnival]

"I suspect she's managed to mitigate the damage, but not erase it entirely. Some things aren't meant to disappear," Shimmer says. "I do have a Mark, and I'll likely use it on finding what we need, whatever that may be."

"I was thinking about putting in call for assistance myself," she says. "You know, ask for some help with this poor unconscious Beta." She shrugs her shoulder, seemingly as relaxed as Tyki. "We'll see what we can draw in."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya looks a little uncertainly at the Beta, but he stays back at Tyki's advisement as he goes and calls someone over.

"What we need...?" She doesn't sound totally clear what that's going to be, either, though. Yuya's mind isn't really on trying to loot this place for anything more than their own objects.

"Where's Gild? Is she going after Ignatius herself?"

[whattaprick]

"I've got one myself," Lambert confirms, not that Shimmer can see that given the bodysuit. "But good to know."

At least with two marks between them, that's ... more options, or something like it. Like Yuya, his priority is own their own inventory, not the least because it might give the rest a better chance at defending themselves. He's interested in Shimmer's answer, so he won't interrupt or chime in after Yuya, though his ears are pricked, and his attention on the door, like he's waiting on something...

"Send some shadows out there after him, and in the corridors around," he tells Childermass. "Let us know if anything happens."

[npcarnival]

"Hey plan is to attack the Mother directly, up in A1," Shimmer says. "She..."

Suddenly, the entirety of the station shakes, like it's being struck from the outside.

"...She is intending on distracting her while the rest of us work. It would be hard to ignore the direct attack of another Fae."

[hippocarnival]

That makes sense, but Yuya looks nervous at the resulting rumbling.

"Can you reach her? When they bring Igantius back, or..." When they need to escape. She seems like the only one with the power to move them out of the realm. "So she knows what's happening."

[atouts]

Childermass looks up and around them at the shake the station gives, but there's not much he can do about that. If Gild wants to attach the station, so be it. He'll focus instead on creating another mouse out of shadows and sending it tagging along after Tyki. It'll hide in the other man's shadow for now and, back in the room with the rest, Childermass will close his eyes and focus his senses through that.

Spying through the construct means ignoring everyone else around him so try not to ditch him, guys.