⇨ 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

[betheman]

At the least, he can recognize where he shouldn't speak or interrupt. It may create more awkward an air if he leaves yes- but he can hold his tongue for a few moments.

So with a small nod he focuses on Gild- subtly moving to at least imply some space for Rita to speak with Ignatius.

"...You are the one to whom I, the man Gongenzaka, spoke with in dreams, yes?" He begins somewhat quietly. He then bows- only slightly, but a bow all the same. "...You have my gratitude. Though it was for a common goal, your aid was not merely aid, but the hope we needed." For others more than him, perhaps.

[npcarnival]

Gild has no idea what Rita is talking about, so her eyes raise with subtle interest as she speaks, glancing over to Ignatius to see his reaction. Being thanked is common among mortals, she knows, but very rare among fae. It's not something they are inclined to take lightly. She has personally come to anticipate it, but Ignatius probably hasn't gotten to that point.

Her hypothesis seems to be true from the way Ignatius reacts. He looks at Rita like he's mildly startled by the admission, but he tenses as he forces himself to reel it in.

"You... should not have to thank me for anything," Ignatius says, measuring his response. "But... I am glad I could help you. Even if it was foolhardy." He's pauses for another step, and then hesitantly adds: "You have done the same for me."

The urge was near overwhelming to reject her thanks outright, to say he didn't deserve it while dwelling in his own misery, but that would be no service to her, either.

Gild has an easier time with Gongenzaka.

"That was me," Gild admits, smiling a little. "I started out just following Ignatius, but... some things need paying attention to. Even without personal reasons." She winks at him. "Besides. It seems like he's taken a shining to you guys."

Ignatius more tolerates that comment than he accepts it.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's not sure her actions were the same. After all, rescuing Ignatius meant that the rest of them had a fighting chance. Ignatius saved her for... seemingly, no reason other than to save her.

But maybe she'll leave it at that. If he's happy with it... maybe she should be, too.

"What are you doing to do now?" she opts to ask instead. "You're not a prisoner anymore, so..." One the one hand, he's free. But on the other, it might be hard for him to go back to the Summer Court like this. Rita imagines that would have been his first choice.

[betheman]

There is a quiet chuckle, when she mentions Ignatius in that light- he glances briefly at the other with his clouded eye, and restrains yet another chuckle at the reaction (or perhaps, lack thereof).

"Well, regardless of initial intent- it is wonderful to finally speak face to face, rather than with such clipped words!" He laughs. "I, the man Gongenzaka, am certain Yuuya would feel the same! ...Auh-" he does pause. "...Though, now that we are at this point....just what is it that comes next?"

[npcarnival]

"I don't know," Ignatius says quietly, not looking at anyone. Instead, he stares at the ground before his feet, hanging his hands over his knees. "The Winter Court has made an enemy of us both. To do something like this was against the rules of war between Summer and Winter..." He seems hesitant, though. "I feel that the Summer Court needs to be warned, but..."

He looks at his fingers, at the white patches of scales. He forgets what he was going to say, or perhaps he never actually knew what to suggest in the first place.

"We could start with the Summer Maiden," Gild says, glancing over at Ignatius cautiously, like she's expecting a bad reaction. "You know she wouldn't look down on you for anything that's happened. She may not do much else, either, but it wouldn't hurt."

Ignatius scoffs, furrowing his brow. "The Maiden does nothing for anyone. Not her people, and not anyone else."

[betheman]

Hmm. Gongenzaka now looks to both fae, frowning. The idea of going to the Summer Maiden is certainly a strong one- but Ignatius' words are something to consider, even if thet seem based in spite.

He shouldn't consider this in the way he is. Yet...

"...What if she were to have offered...ah," he cuts himself short, shaking himself. "...I, the man Gongenzaka, would have no right to propose what is not mine... ...but...Yuuya claims that the Maiden offered a favor. ...I, the man Gongenzaka, must ask him to know more. Beyond this however, there is the fact that the Ringmaster has come to her at least twice in the recent past for refuge...would it be so wrong, to at least ask if she could lend us aid in retrieving the Ringmaster herself? ...To hope that she would, help, now?"

Spoken as one who lacks the understanding of Fae Politics, most certainly.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita looks between the two fae with an eyebrow raised. Seems like the Summer Maiden's a bit of a controversial topic.

Come to think of it, Yuya mentioned it was something about the Summer Maiden that caused Ignatius to split into two, back in Shabon. Rita never took that much interest in fae politics, but from what she has heard, a few thoughts spring to mind.

"At the very least, it's plausible that she'd let us stay there for a bit, while we get our bearings again. But... putting lofty plans of heroic rescues aside for a moment," Rita gives Ignatius a thoughtful look. "maybe you should meet her. It might do both of you some good."