Run theme: Hole in The Ocean Floor by Andrew Bird
<War_> Maddy reports!
<ArseneLupin> Stephen comes in wearing a labcoat rather than his usual jacket and occasionally looking down at it with mild annoyance
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole reports! Suit tie blah blah you know the look
<soulonphone> Joshua is there. He smiles to everyone but it’s less cheery than usual.
<Kaeru> A fairly young-looking research tech hurries through the door, but slows down once she's in the briefing room, looking a bit embarrassed. She regains some composure and heads over to one end of the table, where she smiles at those assembled.
<ArseneLupin> Stephen gives a small smile and waves back
<Kaeru> "Ah, hello. I'm glad you all could show on such short notice. We only received this call yesterday."
<Kaeru> She gives a somewhat apologetic smile and offers files to those seated.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole quietly begins to read
<ArseneLupin> He flips through it
<Kaeru> It's a report summarizing what was essentially a call for assistance from some sort of research lab in western Maine. Chilly.
<War_> Maddy similarly thumbs through his given file, brow furrowed in concentration.
<Kaeru> "We received an alert about twelve hours ago," the tech explains. "There's a foundation-allied environmental research lab in Maine that requested aid a few hours before- it was then forwarded to us, rather than the nearest site, due to a similarity of the incident they reported to some equipment that was brought back to this site recently from a mission."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "What does this environmental research lab research?"
<ArseneLupin> He raises an eyebrow while quietly thinking how many Stephen King books start in Maine
<Kaeru> "I'm afraid I don't know the specifics. The equipment hasn't been deemed entirely safe yet, so it's been kept relatively isolated so far." She turns to Nicole. "It's a biology lab," she explains. "GMOs, structural studies, microstudies, and analysis of chemical effects on plantlife- that sort of thing, from what I understand."
<War_> Maddy perks up pretty quickly at that.
<Kaeru> "They reported an incident around eighteen hours ago involving some unknown event in one of their labs. One of their technicians was injured and equipment damaged, but nothing more than that, that they've reported."
<Soulless> "Oh boy. We're going to get some kinda crazy chicken box." He laughs.
<Kaeru> She smiles. "They haven't reported any other incidents since the original, and due to the low level of urgency, we decided to wait at least eighteen hours before sending a team. To be on the safe side, make sure the event wasn't continuous or repeating."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "What sort of injury? A bruise? Did a GMO pineapple land on someone's head? Has dragon fruit become a dragon and chewed on someone? Are there any details beyond that at all?"
<Kaeru> To Nicole: "It's in the file, I believe. Last page. Some sort of laceration. Not life-threatening, though."
<Kaeru> It is, in fact, in the file. A description of the injury of one Dr. Julian Gale describes a large gash down his right arm sustained during the incident. It notes that it's uncertain what caused it, and that the incident itself seemed only to last a second or two at most.
<War_> "That's….concerning. For us."
<ArseneLupin> "So someone either dropped a knife, or something way worse. Got it."
<Kaeru> To Maddy- "I don't believe so," she reassures. "It's why we took the 18-hour wait as a precaution. There doesn't seem to be any lasting danger. But of course, I wouldn't tell you not to be careful. Nothing can be certain at this point, with how little we know."
<War_> "Definitely not gonna take any risks, at any rate."
<War_> "So uh. We just gonna go in here and find out what caused all this commotion and then…well, book it?"
<Kaeru> A nod. "I personally saw to it that your transport was loaded with the equipment you might need to gather readings from the event's location. I'll be going with you, just in case, but I'll stay with the transport unless I'm needed to help operate any of the equipment- which I doubt I will be, it's nothing too foreign to you all, I'm sure."
<Kaeru> "The lab itself is still fully functioning, and the director has reported that she's continuing normal operations unless she's told otherwise."
<Kaeru> "She's cordoned off the area effected, of course."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "You're coming with us?" Nicole raises an eyebrow
<Kaeru> She nods, smiling brightly. "That's right. As a matter of fact, I'll be flying you."
<ArseneLupin> "Huh, that's a new one. Usually they just send us off on our own."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "All right. As you yanks say: Dibs on shotgun seat…dudes." Nicole begins to rise, "is there anything else in the briefing?"
<War_> "…god dammit."
<ArseneLupin> "I call a window seat." He hops up. "What's your name anyways?"
<Kaeru> She shakes her head. "No. Just what's in the file. Our goal is to find out what happened and determine if there are any threats remaining to the lab or the surrounding area, and if possible locate and identify the anomaly that caused it. Oh, and a containment team from the nearest site can be to the lab within two hours if we need to call for backup."
<Kaeru> She looks to Stephen. "Oh!" She smiles a bit sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I never said, did I? I'm Lisa. Lisa Tillman."
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "I'll need a smoke once we get out."
<Kaeru> She smiles and taps an ID badge on her hip- Alisha D. Tillman, with her picture.
<ArseneLupin> "Nice to meet ya Lisa. Assuming you have all our names on file already."
<Kaeru> She nods. "Yep. I'll let you all get ready if you need to. Wheels up in 15, sound good?" She glances to Joshua for confirmation that he'll have time.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole gets up and points at Joshua, "Oi, you. My lungs are carved to shit so give me a heads up at least when you light up, yeah?" She walks out to her s h o t g u n seat immediately afterwards
<ArseneLupin> Stephen follows, making damn sure he gets a window
<Soulless> Joshua nods.
<Soulless> "Joshua Lee, by the way."
<War_> Maddy is pouting slightly as he tails after the pair
<Kaeru> "Creepy as it is, I know," she says to Joshua with an amused and vaguely apologetic smile. "It's nice to meet you, though."
<Kaeru> And with that she heads to the bay to- get the car warmed up, so to speak.
<Soulless> He smiles, and heads over.
<Soulless> He introduces himself to anyone that doesn't know him on the car,.
<Veiedhimaedhr> (We're on a car? ROAD TRIP)
<ArseneLupin> (Turn up the tuuuuuuuunes!
<Kaeru> (Well, of course, it's not actually a car. It's just a saying, you nerds.)
<ArseneLupin> (Yeah but we're assholes)
<Veiedhimaedhr> (F to pay respects to road trip. Never had a chance)
<Kaeru> (sorry folks, we're not gonna spend the 40+hrs it'd take to Drive to Maine. better luck next time)
<ArseneLupin> (That's 40+ hours of tunes and menial conversation!)
<War_> (…do a barrel roll)
<Kaeru> (You fellas want to skip ahead to someplace colder?)
<ArseneLupin> (Ye!)
<War_> (ya)
<Veiedhimaedhr> (Aye aye captain)
<Kaeru> Alisha flies you over. It takes a few hours before she puts the plane down in a predetermined landing zone not far from the lab. Once the engines are cut, she calls over a shoulder. "Alright! Welcome to Maine, agents! You've got radios, so you know how to call me if you need anything- the director should be waiting for you just outside."
<Soulless> Joshua looks uncomfortable, and he steps very lightly on the ground, as if untrusting its capacity to hold him.
<ArseneLupin> Stephen jerks awake, mumbling something about cake as he gingerly steps out
<War_> Maddy somehow went from 'acceptable human' to 'I look like I've been pulling all-nighters' in the span of those few hours. Probably the journey itself.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole coughs as she steps out of the not-car and straightens the coat she put on for the Maine weather
<Kaeru> You step outside to the chilly, high-altitude Maine afternoon. The white clouds seem to hang low in the sky.
<Kaeru> You'd touched down in an area designated for the lab, for transports and other such vehicles to land. As such, you're close to the main building, which sits white and stark, build somewhat into the rocky, jagged landscape.
<War_> "Y'know going from a desert to, to this is just. Not fun."
<War_> "Uh. We goin' inside?"
<War_> "I'm cold.."
<ArseneLupin> He pulls his lab coat closer. "Fucking Alexander the Great… Yeah let's go inside please."
<Kaeru> There's a woman not far away, walking over. She wears a perfectly ironed lab coat over semiformal flannel, jet black hair in a tight bun. She has her hands in her pockets, against the wind.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole wraps her coat closer to herself and follows
<Kaeru> She looks to be somewhere in her upper 30s or low 40s, and has an ID badge with the distinct rank 'DIRECTOR' printed above her name. "I take it you're Foundation," she addresses, professional and straightforward.
<Veiedhimaedhr> "That's right. And I take it you're the director who's going to either continue this conversation inside the warm building, or talk to us out here very quickly."
<Soulless> Joshua looks around, touches the ground gingerly, then seems to follow the group.
<Kaeru> A hint of a smile appears on her face. "Right. You certainly aren't dressed for Maine, agents. Let's get right to it, then. Follow me."
<War_> Maddy is lingering behind the other members of the group, glancing occasionally from the director to the building
<ArseneLupin> He follows happily
<Kaeru> She turns and heads towards the building. As you near it, it's clear that half of the front face of it is taken up by the shape of a large greenhouse of sorts, with small wind catches along the further side. She rest of the building rises another floor, where it sits on ground level to an area at the top of a rocky incline.
<Kaeru> As she walks- briskly, considerate of the cold: "Director Sovay Crosley, in case that wasn't a known. And what should I call the lot of you, assuming 'agents' isn't exactly preferable?"
<ArseneLupin> "Stephen Angelo, Delta-4."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Nick. Omega-5." Nicole's attention is more on the architecture as she's walking and talking
<War_> "…Madison. Delta-4."
<Soulless> "Joshua Lee. Omega-5."
<Kaeru> "Sorry to say that your divisions won't mean anything to me," she comments. "I may run an allied lab, but I'm not exactly made aware of the innerworkings of your Foundation. I'll take the names, though." She approaches the large glass front of the building, spanning both floors in the high-ceilinged lobby beyond. "Welcome to the Allaire Environmental Research Center."
<Kaeru> A security agent opens the door for you all when he sees her approaching.
<ArseneLupin> He looks around as they walk, trying to get a grasp of the place
<Kaeru> It's fancy, for a lab. Large glass panels on the front face that continue onto the doors, and a spacious lobby within. It's warm inside, too, thankfully, away from the biting wind. Stairs and an elevator behind them lead to the second floor, and a main corridor heads forward. On the right of the lobby, the wall is glass as well, bordering the massive greenhouse you'd seen from outside.
<Veiedhimaedhr> "So, Director, how's the situation been for the past few hours?"
<War_> Maddy stares up and around at the space with an expression of mild awe.
<War_> He's rubbing his hands together, glad it's a warm space too.
<ArseneLupin> Stephen looks impressed himself. "Damn… way nicer than our bunker…"
<Soulless> "So this is where the budget goes!"
<Kaeru> "Normal operations, for the most part. We brought in medics to tend to our injured researcher, but I've been assured he's stable. Besides, your psyche is with him now. Nothing new in terms of the incident since the initial event, either- but I'd rather not let my guard down."
<Kaeru> She gives a short, somewhat humorless little chuckle at Joshua's comment. "Don't worry, Lee. We're privately funded. Allied, not incorporated, remember?" She means that the lab is independent of the foundation- and as such doesn't receive funding from it, at least not in any large amounts.
<War_> "…wish we had this kinda funding, then."
<ArseneLupin> "To be fair we have to be a bit more inconspicuous."
<War_> "Yeah but we're underground."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Underneath a desert."
<Soulless> (gotta restart)
<ArseneLupin> "Getting a bit off topic here."
<War_> "…sooo yeah."
<Kaeru> "We're lucky to have our funding, yes," she returns. "Cosmas Allaire is a generous man, and I don't just say that because his name's on a good few biolabs." She looks over a shoulder, half-turning to face you all. "So I don't waste time explaining, I assume you all know what I put in the report?"
<ArseneLupin> He nods
<War_> "Yup."
<Soulless> Joshua looks for a place to smoke.
<ArseneLupin> (Joshua this is an intervention, you have an addiction)
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole nods and blows her nose on a silk handkerchief
<Kaeru> She nods. "Good. We can get right to it, then, if you're all set to. The lab in question is upstairs, and so is Gale- the researcher involved. Since your psych's with him already, I assume you lot are here more for the effected area?"
<ArseneLupin> Stephen scoots to the back of the group to Lisa. "I thought we werent sending anyone for 18 hours?"
<Veiedhimaedhr> "No we're here to sample your tomatoes. Of course we're here for the area."
<War_> Maddy gives Nicole a look.
<Kaeru> Stephen, Lisa is with the transport, still- but you can radio her, if you want to.
<ArseneLupin> Oh, he scoots to the back but radios
<Kaeru> There's a moment of silence before she responds. «That's right, yeah. What about it?»
<ArseneLupin> «Apparently there's a Foundation Shrink here.»
<Kaeru> «… Huh. Well, I suppose if they're from a closer site, they could've gotten here before us even after the 18 hour gap.»
<ArseneLupin> «Noted» He scoots back to the group, a tad suspicious
<Kaeru> Director Crosley gives a nod to Nicole, a faint hint of a smile at the joke that quickly fades. Once Stephen is back with the group- "Right this way, then."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Something up?" Nicole whispers to Stephen
<Kaeru> And she leads the way up the stairway in the lobby.
<War_> Maddy is a follow
<ArseneLupin> He nods to Nicole. "Actually, do you think I could go talk with Dr. Gale? I'm not the best with physical investigating." He rubs the back of his head sheepishly
<Soulless> Joshua also follows, looking for anywhere to duck out.
<War_> On hearing that, Maddy slinks back a little.
<War_> "…same…"
<Kaeru> Joshua- Unfortunately, this part of the building is rather enclosed. Remembering the layout from what you saw outside, though, you know that the upper level is on the ground of the more elevated part of the landscape, so it's not impossible to expect some way out further forward. Director Crosley glances over a shoulder and gives Stephen a somewhat questioning look, curious. "I suppose you could, yes," she says.
<ArseneLupin> He gives her a grateful look. "Thank you, never hurts to go over everything you know?"
<Kaeru> "Of course," she replies, the curiosity fading. "And you'd like to see him first, then? Or would you rather get a start on the lab until we won't be interrupting Vega with Julian?"
<ArseneLupin> "I'd like to see him first please. I'm sure this Vega will understand."
<War_> "…think I'mma hit up lookin' around the lab space. I don't uh, do the whole…talking thing so much."
<Soulless> "I'll come with you, Maddy."
<Kaeru> "Understood." She starts to continue, but pauses. "I'm sorry, I assumed you'd know of Dr. Vega. He's the Foundation psychologist that arrived a few hours before you."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole nods towards Stephen, "I'll stick with this one."
<ArseneLupin> "How many hours ago to be exact?"
<Kaeru> "Little under two."
<ArseneLupin> Is that over or under the 18 hours?
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Did this Vega person tell you which site he came from?"
<Kaeru> Note that you only left the site after the 18-hour gap was over and you'd gotten the all-clear. That means it'd been an additional five since the gap was over.
<ArseneLupin> Alright, Stephen looks a little relieved at that then
<Kaeru> She shakes her head. "No, I'm afraid he didn't."
<Kaeru> "Then again, I didn't ask."
<Soulless> He follows maddy/.
<ArseneLupin> "Alright Nicole, shall we pay them a visit now?"
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Sure, let's pop in." She turns to the other two, "You lot call us if something happens, all right?" She follows Stephen
<Kaeru> Crosley leads the way down the main hall. Approaching the lab where the incident was said to have occurred, nothing seems out of the ordinary. In fact, if it weren't for the extra security brace added to the lab's outer door, it would've been impossible to tel from the hall that any incident had occurred, let alone just yesterday in that very lab. There's a guard posted beside the door.
<ArseneLupin> He goes to wherever Dr. Gale is, probably having to ask for directions
<Kaeru> She steps up to the brace. "We've done the works scanning for hazards, it should be safe. I'll take you two to Julian in a moment." She grips a handle on the center of the brace and pulls it outwards, rotates it, and pushes it back in. A sharp hit to a large button and the resulting sounds of releasing mechanisms in the lock until the door's newly installed anchor has entirely detached from the door with a clunk. She removes it easily, to
<Kaeru> spite its size and material, and sets it down against the doorframe. She uses the ID on her lanyard to unlock the door and swings it open. "All yours," she says to those who would want to investigate the lab, gesturing inside.
<ArseneLupin> Redact, he waits patiently
<Kaeru> Those who enter the lab, head to HI2!
<War_> Maddy cranes his neck to peer in at the lab at first, then looks at Josh. "Let's go, then."
<Kaeru> Those who do not: Crosley turns to you for a moment before nodding and turning to head further down the hallway. "Julian is with the doctor just at the end of the hall here. Come with me."
<ArseneLupin> He follows, feeling a little silly for getting paranoid
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole follows Stephen, and takes the moment of nothing happening to pop out her glass eye and clean it with an antibacterial wipe before sliding it back in
<Kaeru> Hey, he works for the Foundation. He's justified, being a little paranoid.
<ArseneLupin> Fair. Thanks for the cheer up voice in my head!
<Kaeru> Crosley leads down the hall and around a corner a few steps before reaching a door and stopping. She turns to you two. "Wait here a moment. I'll tell him he has company."
<ArseneLupin> He nods and leans against a wall as he wait
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole leans opposite of him, "What do you think is going on here? These people certainly aren't behaving like something terrible is happening. No evacuation, just a cordoned off area."
<ArseneLupin> "To be fair, someone did just get cut a little with no explanation. That means things are barely getting started, it was a fluke, or something Antimemetic possibly. But I have nothing to back any of that up."
<Kaeru> Crosley disappears for a moment and there's muffled speaking from inside. Then she opens the door again and beside her stands someone else. He's tall and thin, with a light-colored uniform and short-cropped, near-white hair. He's not old- no, in fact, he looks no older than mid-30s, at most. He wears fairly rounded glasses with a slight pinkish tint to the lenses.
<Veiedhimaedhr> She whispers to Stephen as they enter the room"Well, let's look at what's been shoveled at us. Lad gets mysteriously cut in Maine. Foundation is nearby. Place calls Nevada instead. Still work continues as usual. To them, it was the better choice to call someone in the South, which means that they feel this incident absolutely needs people used to it, like the lady told us. But it's not absolutely hazardous enough that the
<Veiedhimaedhr> near 24 hour delay is worrying."
<ArseneLupin> He nods and turns to the newcomer. "Hello there, I'm guessing by your lack of wounds that you're Dr. Vega."
<Kaeru> The new man isn't in a lab uniform, though. That isn't Gale. He smiles in a friendly way to you both, professional but kind-seeming. "You'd be the team from the Nevada site."
<ArseneLupin> "Half of it anyways. Stephen Angelo, Delta 4."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "I'm Nick. Where'd you lot come from?"
<Kaeru> He keeps his faint friendly smile and offers a handshake. "My name is Everett Vega. I'm going to assume you weren't made aware of my presence. Sorry about that- it was a last-minute change, I wasn't sure you would've gotten the notice before you left your site, and it seems you didn't. I'm a psychologist specialized in assessing and treating the effects of anomalous events on people involved. I bounce around, but I was at site 28, so I was
<Kaeru> close enough to help when I heard of this place."
<ArseneLupin> He takes the hand after a moment and shakes. "Dont worry about it, this was pretty last minute for all of us I think."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole shakes his hand afterwards, "What Stephen said. Mind catching us up on what you've learned so far?"
<Kaeru> He meets Stephen's eyes as he shakes his hand, gaze seeming somewhat assessing, in a way. Then again, that is his job, isn't it? To know what people are thinking, feeling. And he does the same to Nicole, but tilts his head a fraction. "I'm afraid the researcher involved hasn't given me much in the way of explicit answers," he admits almost sadly. "I don't believe he remembers it all. It isn't uncommon, with traumatic events- I'm hopeful that
<Kaeru> the memories are just buried."
<ArseneLupin> Stephen gives him a similar look so that's fair honestly.
<Veiedhimaedhr> "He's traumatized?"
<Kaeru> He considers that for a moment. "I believe anyone would be, in his situation," he muses. "He has no information to anchor him. He was not only injured, but he has no way of knowing how it happened or if it will happen again. That would scare anyone."
<Veiedhimaedhr> She raises an eyebrow but says nothing more.
<ArseneLupin> "I can see how that would be rather scary yes. Would you mind if we went in and tried talking to him? At the very least I would like to take a look at the wound."
<Kaeru> His smile returns and he nods. "Of course. I assume I don't have to tell you to be considerate- you're a doctor, after all." A brighter smile, and he opens the door further. Behind him is a desk, an area like an office, and a man who sits in the chair behind the desk. He looks nervous, spacey, fidgeting idly and bouncing a leg.
<Kaeru> He has frizzy, wavy and somewhat out-of-control hair that's been allowed to grow out from a cleaner cut to nearly reach his shoulders. His eyes are a soft hazel, and nervous, hopeful; he wears a somewhat well-worn wool sweater and wrinkled jeans.
<Kaeru> He wrings his hands together slightly and doesn't look up when you enter. He wears a fancy-looking silver watch on his right wrist, but the face is cracked. Above that, bandaging covers that arm up to where it disappears beneath his rolled-up sweater sleeve.
<ArseneLupin> "Doctor in training, but yes." He looks to Nicole and heads in, offering the man a warm smile
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole stands besides Stephen quietly and professionally, enhancing his importance in any first impression
<Kaeru> His eyes glance around, but not up, for a moment. And when his gaze does flick upwards, it lands on Vega, not either of you. Sheepish, questioning.
<Kaeru> Vega strolls casually over and stands beside the man, who turns in the chair to face him. He offers a warm smile. "These two are my friends from the Foundation," he explains softly. "They wanted to talk to you. Is that alright?"
<Kaeru> Only then do his eyes flick to you two, and they quickly return to Vega. He gives a tiny nod and Vega smiles brightly in return. Vega turns to you two. "Why don't you introduce yourselves?"
<ArseneLupin> He smiles at the man. "Hey there. I'm Stephen Angelo, it's a pleasure to meet you."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole smiles, "Likewise, mate. How're you holding up?"
<Kaeru> A smile flashes across his face before fading somewhat, nervous. He glances up for a split second at Vega, then back at you. "I-I'm okay. I mean- Julian. I'm Julian. …Julian Gale."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Hey, it's all right. It's all right. Slow down, and take a deep breath Julian. We'll go whenever you're ready." She comes close and drags a chair besides him to sit in
<Kaeru> He takes a breath and nods, not meeting her eyes but smiling faintly, appreciative.
<ArseneLupin> Stephen pulls up a chair of his own, sitting in it backwards like the cool kids. "When you're ready we're gonna ask a few quick questions, then we'll be out of your hair. Okay?"
<Kaeru> He bites his lip a little, eyes wandering nervously without meeting the gazes of either of you. He gives a quick nod. "Okay. I- you can ask, now. I'm okay."
<ArseneLupin> "Would you mind telling us as much about what happened as you remember? It's okay if you dont know much, but every little bit helps us figure out what happened and make sure it doesnt happen again."
<Kaeru> He pauses, then nods again. "U-m. Yeah. I-" -a glance up at Vega, who offers a reassuring smile, and Julian looks back down- "I was working in the lab. I was- tending to the plants. They're doing well. The plants, I mean. Healthy. Good sign. Growing well." He trails off for a moment.
<Kaeru> A long moment of silence. "I don't think they're okay anymore." He says it quietly, so much so that it's barely understandable.
<ArseneLupin> "I'm very sorry to hear that Julian. I understand how attached one can get."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "What do you mean they're not okay anymore?" She asks softly
<Kaeru> He seems nervous, jumpy. He starts bouncing his leg again, fidgeting with his broken watch. "I- trust Sovay. D-director Crosley. I do." A small pause, then he looks up and meets Nicole's eyes for the first time, and adds quickly- "She says they're okay! She says they're okay, and I trust her. I do."
<ArseneLupin> "The rest of our team is looking at the plants now. If you'd like we could let you know what we find about them after we meet up with them."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Hey, hey hey, it's all right. You're not in any trouble, this isn't an interrogation. We're just trying to piece together what happened to you, only you." She reassures
<Kaeru> He nods and glances away. "I trust her," he repeats, quieter again. "But I saw them. I saw, and they were like fall. But they're not trees. They're not plants that should look like fall. It's not right."
<Kaeru> "She says they're green. Says they're green, now, most of them. But they weren't. I know. I saw it. Like fall." A pause… "But she showed me pictures. Said they're green again. Showed that they're green again. So they have to be."
<ArseneLupin> He nods. "I hope they are. But I think we're getting a tad off topic unfortunately. You were working in the lab…"
<ArseneLupin> He is very gentle as he says this
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole nods in agreement with Stephen
<Kaeru> He seems more nervous, to spite how gentle Stephen is. His eyes flick back and forth and his brow knits slightly. "I- yeah. I was working. I was- the plants, yeah. I said. And it was- it was. Um." He glances down at his broken watch, then shakes his head as if to clear it, closing his eyes for a moment. "… What time was it? I can't- remember. What time was it? Eve, Eve. When did it happen?"
<Kaeru> Everett smiles softly, and his voice mirrors this. "It was around seven, Julian. Yesterday, in the morning."
<Kaeru> He nods jerkily. "Seven. Seven. Right. My- my watch is broken." He says that as if it would explain why he didn't remember what time it was when the incident occurred. In fact, quite the opposite- assuming whatever injured him also damaged the watch on that same arm, the watch would have stopped at the time of the incident. In theory, of course.
<ArseneLupin> He nods, gesturing for him to go on
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole sits quietly
<Kaeru> He pauses, fidgeting again with the broken watchface. Bites his lip before continuing. "S-even. And I- I. I was tending to the plants. And it was fine, and then- it wasn't. Then it was- like a firework, but no sound- bright red, someone pointed a laser pointer at my eyes, I'd swear-"
<Kaeru> "B-ut a laser pointer doesn't- doesn't hurt- doesn't fly past like a javelin- no, no. Not a laser pointer. No."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "And this is what took your arm, yes?"
<Kaeru> His eyes grow more afraid. He pulls his injured arm closer to his body, hugging it to himself. His eyes flick nervously. "T-took. Took?"
<ArseneLupin> "A misphrasing is all, apologies. Injured."
<Kaeru> He nods jerkily. "Mhm. It. Yes. It- the flash, like it had edges- like glass- and direction, too, had movement, like- like a javelin, yes, like a spear- like something- I- I don't know-" he lowers his head, and when he speaks again, his voice is higher in pitch, somewhat desperate, almost pleading. "I don't know, I don't know."
<ArseneLupin> "It's alright Julian, it's alright. Cant figure everything out by yourself."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "That's why we're here."
<Kaeru> Vega drops into a crouch beside the chair and puts a hand on Julian's knee, speaking to him in a voice too soft for either of you to hear. But Julian meets his eyes as he does, and though he seems nervous, still, seems to calm, determined, nodding. He looks back to you. Meets your eyes for a moment, when glances down slightly. "Yes. It- it was."
<Kaeru> "That was what injured me."
<ArseneLupin> "What was?"
<Kaeru> "The- the flash. The streak through the air."
<Kaeru> "I don't know what else it was."
<ArseneLupin> He nods. "Would you mind if I took a look at your wound? See if we can figure anything out?"
<Kaeru> He looks afraid, glances up- much less subtly this time, not trying to hide it, just turning his face up to look at Vega. Vega smiles and nods reassuringly. He looks back to Stephen. "I- I suppose you- can. Yes." He continues, a bit firmer: "Yes. You can."
<ArseneLupin> He gives him a soft smiles and goes up to gently unwrap the bandages, going slowly so Julian can stop him if he wants
<Kaeru> Vega steps out of the way to stand on Julian's other side, and Julian shifts to allow Stephen access. He takes off his sweater, movements awkward, as Stephen goes over, and he's wearing a lab-branded t-shirt underneath. The shorter sleeve gives Stephen much better access to his arm.
<Kaeru> He doesn't try to stop him, just watches his hands in a nervous, almost sad sort of way.
<ArseneLupin> He continues undoing them before examining underneath
<Kaeru> He only grows slightly more nervous- but he still doesn't react, really. Once the bandages are removed, Julian glances away, but just with his eyes, face still turned towards you. There's a long, somewhat jagged gash up his arm, treated and stitched but still doesn't look good.
<Kaeru> Roll medicine, if you want.
<Veiedhimaedhr> While he's doing this, Nicole takes off her coat and suit, and drapes them over the chair she's sitting in. She's now in a business shirt and tie
<ArseneLupin> 4df+6 MED
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: MED: 8 (4df+6=+, 0, 0, +)
<Kaeru> noic
<ArseneLupin> I AM THE GOD OF MEDICINE
<Veiedhimaedhr> ALL HAIL
<Kaeru> It looks- well, you're really not sure what could have caused that. It's somehow both clean and jagged at once, and the wound, from what you can tell, cut deep in the center, shallowing out nearer to each end. Like any gash, except that it's not uniform, not a straight line. To give an idea of it, imagine cutting paper with scissors versus just tearing it in half. A wound from a bladed object is like cutting paper. This? This is more like
<Kaeru> tearing it.
<Kaeru> Of course, you can't do that to people, though, like you can to paper.
<ArseneLupin> He chews the inside of his cheek a little as he thinks. Anything else of note or just the strange way it was wounded?
<Kaeru> Well, it's been treated, so he can't see everything. But he would notice that it isn't healing very well. Not to an abnormal degree, no, just noticeably slower than what might be considered average. But that's about it, from what he can see.
<ArseneLupin> He slowly nods and gets him fresh bandages as he wraps it back up gently
<Kaeru> He doesn't watch, seeming slightly shaky but determined, making an effort to stay still. And doing very well, to his credit, all things considered.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole's not medically astute so she just watches
<ArseneLupin> Once he's done he pats him on the arm. The non hurt arm. "Thank you, this will help a lot."
<Kaeru> He smiles faintly, nervously. He doesn't say anything, though.
<Veiedhimaedhr> "You did good, mate."
<ArseneLupin> He nods. "I think that's all of our questions for you."
<Kaeru> "Th-anks." He nods a bit, not looking up. "Oka-y, um. Yeah, okay." He fiddles with his broken watch. When Stephen was closer to him, he would've been able to see that the cracked face displayed a still time, frozen near to 10 o'clock.
<ArseneLupin> And yet the accident happened at 7
<Kaeru> That's what he said, yes.
<ArseneLupin> He files that away and looks to Nicole questioningly, seeing if she has anything to add
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole makes a slight shrug as if to say 'I'm out, bruv.'
<ArseneLupin> He nods and gets up. "Thank you both so much for being cooperative." He turns to Julian. "I wish you a speedy recovery and hope with all my heart that your plants are okay." To Vega. "Thank you for letting us talk to him, it has been a huge help."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole smiles and puts her suit and coat back on, "Thank you for the help." She says
<Kaeru> Julian doesn't respond. Vega whispers something to him and smiles softly before moving as if to follow you out. "I'm going to give him a moment. I need to speak with the director as well, so it's a good opportunity."
<ArseneLupin> He nods and leads them all out. "Sounds good to me."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole follows
<Kaeru> Crosley had been nearby, and walks over when she sees you three emerge. She looks between you. "Anything?"
<Kaeru> "Nothing new, I'm afraid," Vega responds. "But our friends here were able to get some information, even if it was piecemeal at best."
<ArseneLupin> "I have at least a basic theory for the wound at the very least." Question about the wound, was it just a tearing or was there flesh obviously missing?
<Kaeru> None missing. Like a cut, but not clean enough to be one.
<ArseneLupin> Thought so
<Kaeru> Crosley looks at you, her interest evident in her eyes, and a small level of urgency, too. That's her friend, in there, and someone she's in charge of keeping safe. "Well?"
<ArseneLupin> "Well, the wound could be best described as a sort of tearing similar to paper, which normally isnt quite possible. But of course that doesnt really matter in our job. So if we're going with the paper comparison, it mean it was torn apart but not in normal ways. And if I remember correctly he said the strange object came out of nowhere and disappeared. So perhaps whatever it was sort of… pushed his skin aside as it
<ArseneLupin> passed through."
<Kaeru> "An object?" Crosley blinks. "He never mentioned an object to me. Just a flash of light, and that it seemed to cut him, somehow. Said he got- dizzy, afterward. He wasn't conscious when we found him, so I'd guessed he'd passed out."
<ArseneLupin> "Well I'm assuming it was an object, even if it was very small. Nothing concrete yet."
<ArseneLupin> "I might be able to come up with more after talking with the others."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "He wasn't exactly calm and coherent with us either. These are deductions and theories based on what we did see. By the way, Director, have you ever heard of a Hiroshima Clock?"
<Kaeru> She frowns slightly. "I'm aware of the concept, yes, at least vaguely."
<Veiedhimaedhr> (oh wait a minute I just read the upscroll. Nicole didn't notice that it's frozen at 10 right?)
<ArseneLupin> (I mean Stephen probably would have passed that on but his player has shit memory)
<Kaeru> Nicole wouldn't have been close enough to read the broken watch, no. But if Stephen mentioned it, she'd know.
<Veiedhimaedhr> (Well tragically i don't think Stephen did unless we slide in a behind the scenes thing. So otherwise redact the sentence about the hiroshima clock.)
<Kaeru> I'm forgiving. Stephen can have mentioned it to her on their way out, if Loopy thinks he would've
<ArseneLupin> He would've, Loopy is the dumb one here
<Veiedhimaedhr> (well nvm then)
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Your mate's watch is stuck at around 10. Not 7, which is when it apparently was damaged. So either, one of us hasn't been completely honest with the other party, and Stephen and I haven't told any lies, or your doc just had a brush with what we in the industry like to call a time-shagging phenomenon. We're going to need that watch for analysis."
<Kaeru> Vega turns to her and looks almost impressed. "I hadn't caught that," he admits. "Good eye, agent- if you'll excuse the irony. I have to say that only solidifies my certainty." He turns to Crosley. "I'll be taking custody of Dr. Gale for the time being to oversee his recovery in a secure facility someplace a decent distance from here to avoid any lasting effects. I think this may be the only way to ensure his recovery, both physically and
<Kaeru> mentally."
<Kaeru> Crosley just blinks. Blinks again. Her face falls to neutral. "I'm sorry, you'll be what?"
<Veiedhimaedhr> "To translate our friend from Site-28: your associate has just been affected by an anomaly. You folks work with plants and a doctorate in crossbreeding watermelons and kiwis won't help Gale. We work with anomalies. He'll have a much better chance of recovery with us."
<ArseneLupin> "I would actually caution against that personally. It's possible that the anomaly is either centered on him, or can affect things through him. I would personally recommend keeping him here until the anomaly that hurt him is better understood. But that is just my opinion."
<Kaeru> He nods, agreeing with Nicole's reiteration. And Crosley's face shifts from neutral to baffled and mildly offended.
<Kaeru> "Like hell you will," she replies. "I don't care what you recommend, frankly- that's my researcher in there and I've been assured he's stable. Hell, he's got a family here- you're not taking him away from that. No way."
<ArseneLupin> "More reason to keep him here then really. There are no current signs that the anomaly has had any mental effect on him unless you've been witholding information."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole walks up to her, "Oh that's /your/ researcher all right. Because he's bloody terrified of you. See, when we asked him what he meant when he said 'the plants weren't okay anymore' most people don't go off on a paranoid tirade about how their boss's interpretation and instructions are correct. That's what people say when something bad happens if they differ from instruction. So, how long is he going to survive with
<Veiedhimaedhr> /you/?"
<Kaeru> She leans away a fraction, surprise on her face.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole gets closer, "His exact words were, "I- trust Sovay. D-director Crosley. I do." There are a few dystopian novels I'd like to introduce you to if that line doesn't clarify why we're a tad suspicious."
<Kaeru> Her face is a bit taken aback, but firm. "I'm sorry, agent, but I'm going to have to refute that," she says bluntly. "He may be jumpy, a bit scattered, but I know him. I've known him for a while. Hell, he invited me bowling with his kids last week because he thought I could teach them better than he could- does that sound like someone that's terrified of me to you?"
<ArseneLupin> "I uh, believe the matter of contention you're referring to Nicole is the status of his plants. He seemed wary there."
<Kaeru> She glances at Stephen, and is about to respond when a hand rests gently on her shoulder. Vega stands behind her, having moved silently and unobtrusively over. He holds a hand up in front of Nicole, as well- not a warning, but a request. "I don't mean to be a point of conflict," he says calmly. "And I do believe that Julian's mind is more focused on a conflict of evidence than on Director Crosley herself. He says he has seen the plants in his
<Kaeru> lab turn red, at the time of the incident. However, as we've shown him since, only a small fraction of the plants were effected, in contrast to what he described."
<Kaeru> "I understand your suspicion," he says to Nicole, "But we can't jump to conclusions about the integrity of the director based only on this."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole narrows her eye at the director before backing up, "Whether he's scared of you or not, the fundamental question is this. Why /don't/ you want us to take him? You clearly know what we do. You clearly know what we're about, otherwise we wouldn't be affiliated. You have no idea what happened to him. But you want to keep him here. Why is that?"
<Soulless> Joshua heads over.
<Soulless> He watches the situation, looknig at the discussion, back and forth.
<Soulless> "Hey. Found some weird stuff. Maddyson can explain."
<Kaeru> "Because I have no reason to believe he isn't stable. There were no signs of any contagion or infection, and hazard teams cleared him and the lab area both. The way I see it, there's no reason to take him away from his family. He'd recover better here, where he knows."
<Kaeru> Crosley spins at Joshua's voice, seeming a bit tense.
<Soulless> Joshua looks Crosley up and down.
<Soulless> He sticks out his hand. "Hey. I'm sure we can discuss this like civilized folk."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole suddenly smiles and shrugs, "Well all right then," she says cheerfully, "Who are we to take him away from his family and guarantee that he's fine? You sound like you know what you're doing-after all you went /bowling/ with him. If he worsens, or something else happens, eh you folks know best, right?"
<Kaeru> She seems to relax a bit, having just been a bit startled. But she's tenser again after Nicole's comment. Vega gives Nicole a look, flat and with eyes slightly narrowed- not hostile, or threatening, but a firm suggestion that she tone it down.
<Soulless> "Apparently someone was writing a report for an M-O." He offers the photograph.
<Kaeru> "I have people that can take care of him," she says slowly, with deliberate calmness. "He's no safer in your facilities hundreds of miles away."
<Soulless> "The whole place there's wacked out time-wise."
<Soulless> "What'd you find, Maddy?"
<Kaeru> She stops, blinks. Looks at the photo in his hand, seeming confused as to why he had it. But she reads the back of the picture…
<ArseneLupin> Stephen at this point is just sort of awkwardly listening
<Kaeru> Her brow creases. "Quara's his wife," she explains, assuming he wouldn't know for certain. "She works not far from here, in another center." She's stalling, not voicing what she's thinking for a moment.
<Soulless> 4df+4 (persuasion) "Maybe we can work together, eh? Do tell, do tell."
<Glacon> Soulless: (persuasion) "Maybe we can work together, eh? Do tell, do tell.": 3 (4df+4=-, 0, 0, 0)
<Kaeru> Vega looks over her shoulder at the picture and carefully puts a hand over hers, taking it from her for a moment to look at it. She lets him, and seems to relax. He gives it back after a moment.
<Kaeru> And it's Vega who responds, not Crosley. "I'm not sure what this M.O. is referring to, but I'm not sure how it's relevant, either," he admits. "I'm also not sure why you thought it necessary to take this photo. I'll compliment your thoroughness, but what was your motivation, if I may?"
<Kaeru> Note that Joshua wouldn't know who Vega is. Maddy wouldn't, either. They hadn't seen him before now.
<Soulless> He looks to his team for an explaination.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole just coughs heavily into a handkerchief
<ArseneLupin> "Oh um, this is Vega. He's the Psych from the other site."
<Kaeru> He glances over at Stephen, then back to Joshua. "Right, my apologies," he says, offering a handshake. "Dr. Everett Vega."
<Soulless> "Yeah. Hey." He doesn't shake hands. "Other site?"
<Kaeru> Vega seems mildly put off by this, to spite how composed he was before then. He blinks. "Um. Yes- most recently, site 28 in New York."
<Soulless> "I don't recall a New York site being called."
<Soulless> He looks at his team again.
<Soulless> "Do you?"
<ArseneLupin> I just realized something
<ArseneLupin> Can Stephen roll Insight?
<ArseneLupin> See if he's BSing?
<Kaeru> "It wasn't, not specifically. I'm not permanently assigned to any site, as the nature of my profession requires me to bounce around as I'm needed. I was made aware of this case and offered to help, as I was decently close-by already."
<Kaeru> Yes, stephen can do that
<ArseneLupin> 4df+5 Tell me your secrets
<Glacon> ArseneLupin: Tell me your secrets: 7 (4df+5=0, 0, +, +)
<Kaeru> You study Vega carefully. You can tell he's more than mildly put-off by the fact that Joshua refused the handshake, perhaps simply due to expectations being subverted. But he's not lying, that you can tell.
<ArseneLupin> He nods a little as he examines him. "He's legit Joshua, dont worry."
<Kaeru> Vega glances at Stephen, blinks, then offers a faint smile. "Thank you."
<Soulless> "Cool. Anyhow, whole time space down there's fucked."
<Soulless> "We should probably just get a team in."
<ArseneLupin> "No problem, think of it as an apology for my initial suspicions of you." He raises an eyebrow at Josh. "Fucked how?"
<Kaeru> "Are you certain?" Vega asks. "I don't remember any reported abnormalities from the initial hazard team."
<Kaeru> Crosley frowns.
<Soulless> "You take a VERITAS down there?"
<Soulless> "Readings are all nonsense, noise, the time measurement's wonked off too."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole whistles and idly polishes her eye
<Kaeru> Crosley blinks. "I don't have a VERITAS on-hand, no, but we took other readings. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary aside from the obvious."
<Kaeru> Vega considers that. "All the more reason, I believe," he comments, "For me to relocate Dr. Gale for the time being. A containment team can be sent to monitor the center more constantly and in the meantime I would recommend that all non-foundation personnel maintain a minimum safe distance. If time is involved, even if it's uncertain, I'd like to be on the safe side."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Aaand, now we're back to square one."
<Soulless> HE offers Crosley the VERITAS.
<Kaeru> She takes it and looks over the readings.
<Kaeru> "If I understand this at all," she says slowly, "I'll accept evacuating the lab temporarily to ensure that the effect isn't hazardous. But-" she frowns, still not liking the idea of relocating Gale.
<Soulless> "Let me speak to Gale?"
<Kaeru> She looks up and blinks. She doesn't refer to Vega, this time. Then she nods, slowly. "Sure, if you think it's necessary."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "Let me get this straight: you're still against it even though we've just proven that some of your initial readings espousing stability and safety might not be accurate?"
<Kaeru> She looks to Nicole. "I'm not against keeping him monitored and looked after," she says firmly. "I'm against doing it by taking him an unnecessary distance away from his home. He could be just as easily monitored at the in-state facility. I see no reason to ship him off to New York or somewhere else."
<Soulless> He heads over to Gale.
<Kaeru> Crosley indicates the door for him. Gale's head snaps up when he enters, startled, nervous and uncertain.
<Soulless> 4df+4 persuasion "Hey. Can we talk?"
<Glacon> Soulless: persuasion "Hey. Can we talk?": 5 (4df+4=+, 0, +, -)
<Kaeru> He glances past him to Crosley, then back. He looks small, almost timid. But he nods. "S-ure. Sure. Yeah."
<Soulless> He closes the door behind him, so Gale and Joshua are relatively alone. He moves to sit, speaking softly. "Hey."
<Soulless> "We got a place for you where you'll be safe, and we'll figure this shit out."
<Kaeru> He shifts, fidgets a bit and seems to find it hard to meet Joshua's eyes for more than a moment. He wears a silver watch, Joshua. The face is badly cracked.
<Soulless> "Do you wanna head out with us?"
<Soulless> He offers him his watch.
<Kaeru> "I- don't know. Here was safe. Where-" he stops, blinks at Joshua's watch.
<Soulless> "We got a place back home."
<Soulless> "No worries."
<Kaeru> "Where? Here is home, to me. Portugal is home."
<Kaeru> "Where is home, to you?"
<Soulless> "What do you like about the watch?" He murmurs, changing the subject.
<Kaeru> "The-" he pauses. "I like clocks. They're consistent. They're honest." He looks down at the broken silver watch on his wrist. "I don't know."
<Soulless> "Let's go to my place."
<Soulless> "We'll talk there."
<Soulless> He offers his hand.
<Kaeru> He hesitates. Looks uncertain, but slowly takes his hand. And Joshua, when he does- a dull pain starts up in your head. And you remember red, in the trees and in the foliage. Through a lens you'd brought back from another time, you remember red. And it occupies your mind like a constant.
<Soulless> He sucks in his teeth. "Yeah. You and I need to talk. Let's go."
<Soulless> He gets up, and begins to lead him out. "Alright boys. He's consented. We're going home."
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole looks relieved
<Kaeru> "I don't think that's wise." Vega. "There's an artifact on your site suspected to be related, is there not?" He sighs. "I don't want to be a point of inconvenience. I'll concede to having him stay in-state so long as he's in Foundation care. But I'm hesitant to risk keeping him near anything that could be linked to this."
<Veiedhimaedhr> "I thought you were taking him to Site-28?"
<Soulless> "OK. Cool. I want him coming back with me though."
<Kaeru> "I'd prefer to, yes," Vega replies. "But I understand Director Crosley's argument that the distance is unnecessary. He can be treated at the nearby site as well as he could be at site-28." He turns to Joshua, tilts his head slightly.
<Kaeru> "That would imply bringing him with you to Nevada. Why do you feel this to be best?" Crosley, meanwhile, has decided not to question the small victory in Vega's concession.
<Soulless> "Look, I've- I have an artefact that might be related to him."
<Kaeru> "That's exactly my concern."
<Soulless> "But I can just visit later if necessar."
<Soulless> He lets the guy's hand go and offers him.
<Kaeru> He considers this. Looks at Gale, who's standing awkwardly, looking embarrassed. "I don't see the harm," he admits. "I can make sure you're kept in the loop about Dr. Gale's progress, and can request a temporary transfer to the local facility so that I can ensure you have access to him if you feel it necessary. Is this acceptable?"
<Kaeru> He glances around when he asks that question, mostly looking to Crosley for confirmation.
<ArseneLupin> Stephen has been scribbling notes in his notepad for the past few minutes. "I have no complaints."
<Soulless> He grins, thumbs up, but there's not much joy in it.
<Soulless> Red. Hm.
<Kaeru> Crosley nods.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole just quietly stares on
<Kaeru> Vega smiles faintly. "Alright. I'll draft my report, then, and send it to you, Director. If you see no contradictions, you can forward it along to the local site and they'll send a transport to retrieve Dr. Gale. In the meantime, you should begin preparations to shut down the lab for the time being. Dr. Gale can remain until he's transported." He nods. "If that's settled, I'll get to writing up my recommendations so that we can get the process
<Kaeru> started, and you agents can get back to Nevada."
<Soulless> He starts heading out. As he does, he ducks out, lights a cig. "Is it done? Is it over?"
<Kaeru> The world is quiet in response for a moment. Then it speaks, the same one as before. [Ah, Lee, I do believe you've just made certain this won't be over for you for a while, haven't you?] He falls silent.
<Soulless> Joshua's face goes from :| to >:| and remains that way the whole time to nevada.
<Veiedhimaedhr> Nicole walks by, but not before whispering to the director, "He's still going to get the care he needs. But the only thing you're resistance did was show us you value gas mileage over the health of an employee. The cold suits you…Director." she leaves
<ArseneLupin> Stephen just writes notes the entire time, deep in thought
<Kaeru> To that, Crosley doesn't respond. She just fumes, silently, and remains where she is. (Fade to black!)
<War_> Maddy enters the lab!
<Soulless> Joshua follows MAddy.
<Soulless> "I need a smoke while you do that."
<War_> "…dude are you for real right now?"
<Kaeru> The lab is clean down to the polish, neat and organized with projects and papers set aside in stacks with ceramic paperweights shaped like different types of leaves. The desk against the wall to your right sports several such stacks of papers, among other items. Most of the lab is taken up by a series of freestanding shelf structures with growing plants in rows under blue-tinted lights. One section of the lab is in less perfect order,
<Kaeru> however. The back left corner of the lab is dim, with the bright overhead damaged and hanging half-broken from the ceiling unlit. The blue lights for the plants in parts of that area are also out, and the plants seem to have grown and discolored strangely. Autumn colors, but more vibrant, a more consistent red.
<Kaeru> There is a door at the other side of the lab that leads outside- as indicated by an exit sign- but there's a similar security brace placed on it on this side.
<Soulless> "Yeah."
<War_> "…yeah I'm just gonna. Go do my thing."
<War_> Maddy heads to the corner of the lab where all the commotion seems to have taken place, treading carefully as he makes his way over.
<War_> When he gets closer, he shrugs off his pack and sets it down, taking gloves from it and donning them beforr proceeding to the strange plants to investigate.
<Kaeru> The back corner is not entirely effected by whatever happened here. On the contrary, it looks almost as if some deity or another had flicked a red paintbrush across the space. Everything in the diagonal cutout looks to be scorched, and cracked as if by impacts. But the damage (both impact damage and scorching) stops abruptly along the outer edges of the effected area, not continuing on out-of-zone parts of the walls, furniture, or other
<Kaeru> objects. Plant material inside the area has replaced the usual greens with a vibrant red, a more uniform kind of the brighter types of autumn coloration.
<Soulless> Joshua, with the gratitude that Maddy won't fuck with him and will be more focused on the scene, lights up.
<Soulless> A light purple smoke begins to emenate, and his eyes close. "What do we need to look for? Where is the critical answer- who is the critical piece? What happened here?"
<Soulless> You the GM are totally allowed to not answer him if you don't wana.
<Soulless> Or answer however you like.
<Soulless> 4df+5 if you lie, he has a roll for that though
<Glacon> Soulless: if you lie, he has a roll for that though: 6 (4df+5=0, -, +, +)
<War_> Maddy in the mean time is investigating these weird cut-off patches, poking them tentatively with a gloved hand.
<Kaeru> They seem entirely normal, aside from the damage. If it didn't stop so abruptly, it would seem just to be damage. And, of course, there's the color of the plants. What does Maddy focus on? The damage, first?
<War_> Damage first, then plants.
<Kaeru> The damage takes two distinct forms. There's the impact-like damage, cracking in the surfaces on tables and walls, etc. And there's the scorch-like markings. Which does he investigate?
<War_> The scorches first, seeing as they'd be far more conspicuous in this kind of environment.
<War_> But, first, he runs to his pack to get a notepad and pen. Notes are important, after all.
<Kaeru> The scorching- well, it appears to be from moderate exposure to extreme heats, though no fire was said to have occurred during the incident. And even if it had, that wouldn't explain the way the scorching stops short along clean-cut lines at the edge of the effected gash.
<Kaeru> Other than that, it appears typical, as heat damage goes.
<War_> Are the edges of the gash clean-cut enough to indicate that something may have blocked the damage, at the time?
<Kaeru> Yeah, absolutely. But the lines aren't straight, either. They're rather jagged.
<War_> Maddy starts making notes.
<War_> As for the impacts, are they from something with considerable force and size, or something smaller and quicker?
<Kaeru> The cracking, though it would appear as though it's from force, does not seem to have any point of impact or origin. No reasonable explanation exists for damage of this patterning- it's not unlike the sort of damage you see on pavement after bad earthquakes, spread-out and without any discernible center points.
<Soulless> Joshua is muetting to himself. "My questions, please."
<War_> Maddy's head briefly ticks in what he thinks is the general direction of the sound, but pays it no further heed other than momentarily trying to place it.
<War_> He scribbles down two words, punctuated by a question mark and underlines: stress damage?
<War_> He hums at the damaged surfaces for a moment, then turns to the plants with a cocked eyebrow.
<War_> Seriously considers for a moment, 'Laser plants???'
<Kaeru> The red plants appear to be perfectly healthy to spite the change in coloration. Plants only partially inside the effected area are only recolored on parts that lie inside the zone. As far as you can tell, this effect does not seem to have advanced at all since the time of the incident, and the effected parts of the plants do not appear to have grown past the edges of the slash.
<Soulless> More muttering. "Yopu're being very unclear. Can I just have plain answers?"
<War_> Maddy makes a note of the lack of progression of the effect.
<War_> Risking any potential for some kind of biohazard, he peels off one of his gloves and touches the leaves of the plant. Is there any difference in the feel or texture of the affected areas compared to the normal - supposedly healthy - areas on the plants?"
<Kaeru> No, there doesn't seem to be. They're slightly rough to the touch, the leaves, but that's typical to the plant, and consistent across all areas.
<Kaeru> Roll perception for me.
<War_> 4df+4 watch me critfail
<Glacon> War_: watch me critfail: 2 (4df+4=-, -, +, -)
<War_> Y e e t
<Kaeru> Well, refer to the above description. Nothing seems noteworthy.
<War_> He hums and huffs.
<War_> The source of all this damage and discolouration, the marks trace back to some central point, yeah? Does it stem from the plants themselves or somewhere else?
<Soulless> Joshua checks his watch.
<Kaeru> no, no they don't. The noteworthy thing is that the damage and discoloration is consistent across the effected area. No impact point. No source or center, that you can see.
<Soulless> "Not everyone here has encountered the source of the red. Not everyone hasn't. Make any sense to you, Madison?"
<Kaeru> Joshua, you check your watch to find- well, the time. It's just the same as it had been.
<War_> Both hands on his hips, he looks around, a steadily-progressing frown on his face until he's broken out of his thoughts by the familiar cadences of his name.
<War_> "Pardon?"
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Time's stopped."
<Soulless> "How long have we been here?"
<War_> "…like, five or ten minutes, if that. Dude are you okay?"
<Soulless> He shows maddy his watch.
<War_> "…uhuh. Man what have you been smoking…"
<Soulless> (am I misinterpreting things)
<Kaeru> No, your watch is a few minutes behind, all right. But it's still working fine. Maybe it always had been- behind, i mean. Or maybe the clock over the desk across the room is just fast.
<Soulless> "No, there's something off. These clocks are out of sync. "
<Soulless> "Do you have a watch?"
<War_> Maddy deadpan stares at Joshua. Slowly cocks his head to the side. "So the clocks are off by a few minutes…? No big deal, man."
<War_> He shakes his head, "Don't have one."
<Soulless> "Okay. Let's find some other people's on the site." He sighs. "Did… what I say make sense? The red thing?"
<War_> "What red thing?"
<Soulless> "Not everyone here's encountered the source of the red, not everyone hasn't."
<War_> "Can't find it, either."
<War_> "There's no start-point to the marks," he gestures to them. "So I'm kinda stuck."
<War_> "Unless we go and check the guy who was in the crossfire of it, I got nothing."
<Soulless> "…Yeah, maybe? "
<Kaeru> That's not the only thing in the room… And of course, you can always start taking some readings, see what turns up.
<Soulless> Joshua starts looking around for anything else of interest. Checks out the desk.
<Kaeru> It's a plain lab desk that has been made less uniform by the lab's owner. Papers are placed in colored folders under handmade leaf-shaped paperweights, children's treasured handiwork. As well as a few textbooks, a framed degree and a photo of a family sit on the desk. The photo depicts smiling parents and two young daughters, the younger of which is wearing the father's lab coat to spite it being about twice her size while the older clings
<Kaeru> to her mother's side with a small plastic beaker toy in her hand that she presents up to her mother proudly, drawing the woman's attention down and away from the camera.
<War_> Maddy goes about getting his forensics kit to look for anything less visible. Blacklight and all to investigate.
<Kaeru> Well, okay, that's certainly odd. You find blood in the effected area, yes, but that's not surprising- a researcher was injured here. What's strange is that when you're moving closer to investigate, the light shines on one of the red plants. And the plant shines back. Glows, under the blacklight.
<Soulless> He starts reading the folders, takes the photos with him.
<Kaeru> Does Joshua take the photo out of the frame, or take the framed picture with him?
<Soulless> Just the photo.
<War_> Maddy shrinks back in surprise, even though half expected it.
<War_> Somehow.
<Kaeru> Good choice. When he removes the back of the frame, there's something written on the back of the photo. Not unusual, but still good to have found.
<War_> He shines the light on the leaves again - is it glowing with the same sort of intensity as the remnants of blood? Oh God are the plants full of blood-
<Kaeru> No, no, not the same intensity. It's a faint glow. But still more than plants should really glow, under a blacklight.
<Soulless> He reads.
<Kaeru> The note on the back of the photo is written in silver sharpie. [Good luck on your first day, honey! Don't forget to finish your first report by the 10th so I can take it to M-O. -Love you! -Quara]. There's a little heart drawn after the name.
<War_> Maddy makes a note of this.
<War_> Does the lab contain equipment suitable for analysis such as microscopes and chemical analysis?
<Kaeru> Yes, it does. On the counter on the opposite wall. Plus, you'd be aware that Alisa has datagathering equipment in the transport if you need it, and could bring it to you. Sensors, readers, the works. Portable, for the most part, easily.
<Soulless> "…M-O/"
<War_> Maddy opts to make use of what's immediately available, for now. He goes about gathering samples for testing, plus extra if he's allowed to get away with daylight robbery on a research facility
<Soulless> Does he know anyone that would match that?
<Soulless> He shows Maddy the note.
<Soulless> Then rifles for folders that are related.
<War_> Maddy glances to it as he's setting up equipment. "What's this?"
<Kaeru> Yes, Maddy can gather what he needs. Joshua: The folders are all files, experiment logs, notes- that sort of thing. Tests done on the plants with various procedures. Roll logic, Joshua.
<War_> Maddy has the affected leaves ready for analysis, gonna roll SCI on your call
<Kaeru> Roll away!
<War_> 4df+6 watch me fail this too
<Glacon> War_: watch me fail this too: 8 (4df+6=0, +, +, 0)
<War_> Oh noice
<Kaeru> Oh, nice
<Kaeru> Well, while you're not one hundred percent sure the exact species and type of these plants, and don't know what research was being done on them, you can't be perfectly sure what they would've looked like normally. But it's safe to say it wouldn't be that.
<Soulless> hey Maddy do you have points in Logic
<Soulless> Like is it bolded on your sheet
<War_> Yes lad
<Soulless> 4df+2 wow thanks for fucking me over >:| jk <3
<Glacon> Soulless: wow thanks for fucking me over >:| jk <3: 1 (4df+2=0, -, -, +)
<Kaeru> Maddy: The structures are scrambled, smudged like they were drawn in wet ink. Inconsistent, chaotic. You can see the the vague idea of what they originally were, in some areas, but it's weakened, worn down and in places fragmented.
<War_> Maddy frowns.
<War_> "That's. Weird as all hell."
<Kaeru> Joshua: You find nothing particularly noteworthy among the notes and logs. The most recent logs speak of testing a new sort of chemical that was theorized to act well as a fertilizer.
<Soulless> Joshua takes the recent logs and hands it to Maddy.
<Soulless> "Whattya think of this?"
<War_> Maddy makes some more notes, tries to draw a rough replica of the hash of structures he's seeing.
<War_> " 's like someone went and fried this thing's DNA…" He turns to look again, scanning the page. "…ah. That makes a bit of sense."
<Kaeru> Roll science, Maddy, please :D
<War_> 4df+6 w e l p
<Glacon> War_: w e l p: 6 (4df+6=+, +, -, -)
<Kaeru> You know enough to know this chemical is relatively harmless. It hasn't yet been researched extensively, but it's mild, in its potency and effects. Even in high concentrations, it wouldn't screw up the DNA of the plants, in all likelihood. Even if it did, it wouldn't to that degree. Of course, that's all assuming you're right about that, and that the logs are accurate.
<War_> He looks back and forth between his notes, and the notes Josh handed him.
<War_> "…not the fertiliser. At least, theoretically, it shouldn't be."
<War_> "Something else."
<Soulless> He checks the timings on the logs.
<Kaeru> They're standardized. At regular intervals throughout the days they depict. The last one is begun on the page, the title written in as time and date. 7:30 AM on November 1st, but there's no information recorded.
<Soulless> "Weird… "
<Soulless> "It's quite close. Well.. alright… let's head back, or?"
<War_> Maddy mumbles something about radiation but unsure if it would cause mutation alongside the scrambling of the plant's cell structure.
<War_> "Um." He scours the room a final time.
<Soulless> He also scours!
<Kaeru> Well, you've looked over everything, at least. You could take some readings- VERITAS, perhaps, or EMF, if you think any would be appropriate. If not, you think you're done…
<War_> Maddy got nothing unless his life-sight tells him these plants got a pulse next
<Soulless> Joshua doesn't own VERITAS, sorry, he only has his handy dady alternate identity.
<Soulless> *dandy
<Soulless> oh god man what did I just say
<War_> (Joshua now has a handy daddy.)
<Taffeta> (His daddy does indeed give him handys)
<Kaeru> No, he might not own a VERITAS. But Lisa does, if he wanted access to one. Same goes for other equipment either of you might want, probably.
<Soulless> "Let's ask Lisa about getting us some shit."
<War_> "I mean, if you wanna."
<Soulless> "Yeah."
<Kaeru> Feel free! You all have radios, you can contact her.
<War_> "You do it, imma just, poke around some more…"
<Soulless> He radios.
<Soulless> «Hey can we get a VERITAS somewhere?»
<Kaeru> «Sure thing, Lee. I'll bring some stuff over. Anything else specific you need?»
<War_> "Ooh, maybe ask for stuff for more advanced chemicals tracing and DNA sequencing."
<Soulless> «Chemicals tracing, DNA sequencing.»
<Kaeru> «… Lee, I'm not sure I can get you sequencers that I wouldn't need to roll in on carts,» she responds. «I can get you samplers, though. Basic sequencers, sure, too, just nothing advanced. And chem analysis is easy. That it?»
<Soulless> "You good, Maddy-son?"
<War_> "Hm? Yeah."
<Soulless> «Yeah thart's it.»
<Kaeru> «Okie-dokie. On my way over. Less than five, promise!»
<Soulless> "She's coming right over, Maddyson."
<War_> "Cool. What do until then?"
<Soulless> "Paddycake?"
<War_> "…paddycake. Isn't that the silly hands thingy."
<Soulless> "Yeah, we'll do a little maddycake."
<War_> He squints.
<Kaeru> Well, luckily for Maddy, Alisha's there within a few minutes- you can hear her being directed by a voice outside before she opens the door and looks in. She's got a bag over her shoulder. "Lee? Ah, there you a-…re." She blinks at the corner of the room. "Mkay, yeah, that's bizarre."
<War_> Maddy's squint and pout turns to a soft smile as he waves a greeting. "Hi - yeah, stuff's a bit weird."
<Soulless> "Hey, 'Liza." (says lisa as if it was part of the name 'eliza')
<Kaeru> She frowns, since she pronounces it more like Lisha, but she doesn't comment. She pats the bag. "Gotcha what y'asked for, plus a little extra so I could get some basic data to add to the report."
<Soulless> "Hey, thanks."
<Kaeru> She smiles and nods. She looks around for a moment, then sees the desk and goes over to it to set down the bag and open it. Inside is a padded space with various portable readers in little spaces for them that keep them safe from damage.
<War_> "Hey I wonder if these are edible. 'Cause I mean, they don't seem to be poisonous."
<Kaeru> She grabs one and holds it out to Joshua. "As requested. And I'll assume Harupur was the one who asked for the other things, not you." A joking little smile.
<Kaeru> She looks over at Maddy and looks vaguely concerned. "Um, should that be- something you do?"
<War_> "I mean. When in doubt, lick science. Hasn't done me too much harm."
<Kaeru> "Uhhh. Yeah no, no, I don't think that's the rule. I've heard it's quite the opposite, actually. But I mean- if you think it's safe, then-" she shrugs, looking lost. "It's more your area than mine? I guess?"
<Soulless> "…."
<Soulless> Joshua checks VERITAS for energies.
<Soulless> "Please don't uh…. yeah. Don't."
<War_> "I mean it's possible to tell a rock from a fossil by licking it, so."
<War_> "Eh." He shrugs. "Whatever."
<Kaeru> She blinks. "That's true," she admits, frowning a bit.
<Kaeru> Joshua: The VERITAS shows- well, where do you use it? The room in general, or the effected area?
<War_> Maddy goes about loading up the devices with samples instead for analysis.
<Soulless> The affected area.
<Soulless> "I mean, if you turn into- well, nevermindf."
<War_> "Finish that sentence I freaking dare you."
<Kaeru> Joshua: roll logic or science, your choice.
<Kaeru> Maddy: same thing.
<Soulless> "Well now you said it."
<Soulless> 4df+3 wow I suck (science)
<Glacon> Soulless: wow I suck (science): 2 (4df+3=0, -, -, +)
<War_> 4df+6 science fuck
<Glacon> War_: science fuck: 6 (4df+6=+, -, 0, 0)
<Kaeru> That's perfectly fine, actually. It's kinda obvious, when scanning the effected area with the VERITAS. It, uh- doesn't make much sense.
<Kaeru> The results you get don't make much sense, either, Maddy.
<Kaeru> It's like the equipment isn't working right. Joshua, it seems like interference to you, or scrambling of some kind. Maddy, the only explanation you can think of is a glitch or something. And judging by the look on Lisha's face as she scans the area with equipment of her own, she's getting similar outputs.
<War_> "…'bout as scrambled as everything else.."
<Soulless> He begins to step away from the invident and scans the energy of the rest of the room.
<Kaeru> It becomes slightly more coherent, but not much. You stop the data collection and start it again, just in case, but get the same results. And- roll perception for me?
<War_> "…'kay so this thing's DNA literally looks like noodles, it's bright red, somehow the cell equivalent of spaghetti bolognese has been engineered into a plant -"
<War_> "That is literally what this looks like. What the shit."
<Kaeru> "I- yeah, I'm- not getting anything either," Lisha replies. "It's like scrambling. Something interfering with the equipment, or something."
<Soulless> 4df+5 the one thing joshua is good at
<Glacon> Soulless: the one thing joshua is good at: 6 (4df+5=+, +, -, 0)
<War_> "Maybe we need to upscale on what we're deciding to look at…this whole room is kinda funny I think."
<War_> "Rather than just the spag-bol plants and the funny marks."
<Kaeru> Joshua, you notice. You notice, probably, because you remember to look. When you stop collecting data with the VERITAS, it displays a small summary of what was collected in the time active. And while it's just as incoherent as you expect, there's one thing that's unexpected.
<Kaeru> The time logged reads over two hours.
<Kaeru> You'd had it active less than two minutes.
<Soulless> "…"
<Soulless> "Time IS fucked."
<Soulless> He shows this to the team.
<War_> "…okay? Explain."
<Soulless> "You think I sat here for two hours waving this new fangled tech around?"
<Soulless> "Nah, barely two minutes."
<Kaeru> Lisha blinks at it. "That's not right." She looks at her own equipment, tries something similar. Though she had a similar active interval, her equipment shows a time logged of approximately 45 minutes. She gives it a 'wtf' look.
<Kaeru> "Okay, that's- gotta be interference. Right? Scrambling."
<War_> "…aaaaaand you're sure about that?"
<War_> "That's like. What, time acceleration?"
<War_> "I don't. Know."
<Kaeru> "No," Lisha says slowly, "Nono. No. Look. Watch this." She holds up her tablet and clears the data before turning it on to gather data for about ten seconds before stopping it again. The log shows about an hour. She does it again, for the same interval- the log shows twenty minutes.
<War_> Maddy looks like he's about to have an existential crisis.
<War_> "That's not how time works."
<Kaeru> And she does it again, seeming frustrated. "It's- not. Consistent," she says. "It's absolute nonsense. And it's not the equipment itself, I just checked it before I left the transport."
<War_> Maddy starts to pace, thinking hard. One hand moves in some sort of repeated, rhythmic pattern - he'd likely be drumming on a table instead if he wasnt moving.
<War_> "Doesn't make sense, don't get it. Don't get it at all. Why."
<Soulless> He begins to time his watch.
<Kaeru> Where is he standing?
<Soulless> Close to the incident space.
<Kaeru> Joshua, your watch works fine. Ticking away, like it's meant to.
<Soulless> He times, reads VERITAS, times again.
<Kaeru> The VERITAS continues to spit out seemingly random intervals anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. One time the interval shown is actually shorter than the reality, by about half.
<Kaeru> Your watch, however, keeps tick-ticking the seconds, everything as it should be.
<Soulless> He turns, heads out again. "Okay. Maybe we should head back?"
<War_> "Dunno. Guess so."
<Soulless> He begins to head back, pinging VERITAS periodically as he does.
<War_> Maddy follows, after collecting up his samples for transport
<Kaeru> Lisha packs up the rest of her equipment, looking like she's had a minor existential crisis and still tapping away on her tablet as if that's going to change the data she received.
<Soulless> HI?
<Kaeru> Go right ahead!
<Soulless> Joshua is breathing his smoke.
<Kaeru> Oh. That's new. Hi.
<Kaeru> You're Joshua, right?
<Soulless> He blinks. A new person. "My questions, please."
<Kaeru> Right, sorry. Critical info!
<Kaeru> Critical person. Well, see, that'd be you, wouldn't it?
<Soulless> He waits for a clearer answer.
<Kaeru> What? Not good enough?
<Kaeru> Fine, alright.
<Kaeru> Who else, who else? Not everyone here has encountered the source of the red. No, no. But then again, not everyone hasn't.
<Soulless> "You're being very unclear. Can I just have some plain answers?"
<Kaeru> Clear? Ha. I'm being perfectly clear, Lee. It's you who doesn't understand.
<Soulless> "How the fuck- I don't- just tell me what next to do."
<Kaeru> Hahaha, you frustrate too easily. Too easy to mess with. You know that?
<Kaeru> Don't forget what you already know.
<Kaeru> Look at the time, Joshua. [A chuckle, and the cigarette goes out.]