Collar Checkup Boycott

[animusmods]

Characters: open to all
Setting: infirmary; around the Tower in general
Format: party-style all week; please note the date your post is taking place in the subject line
Summary: The results of the collar boycott slowly become clear...
Warnings: standard Tower warnings
Note: You may NPC your own retrieval units.

The results don't begin to become clear until Tuesday--Monday passes more or less without incident, except for the number of orange-collared residents who miss their checks. And on Tuesday, the retrieval units are out to search for them. It doesn't seem like they were meant to recover so many, though: a clever resident will be able to avoid their retrieval unit entirely. And so, some oranges continue to have escaped their collar checkup today.

It's worse on Wednesday. Retrieval units are out and about again, but this time to try and search for the yellow-collared residents who skipped the day before. No orange-collared residents are searched out at all, and even then there seems to be enough confusion in the programming of the retrieval units any boycotting yellows can run off and hide if they're careful about it.

By the time Thursday arrives, there's a general, obvious level of confusion in the retrieval units' retrieval programming. They were obviously not programmed to be searching for so many colors at once. Some residents may find themselves being dragged in for a second collar check this week, even if they went to theirs, and the infirmary seems to be working at double time. No one even bothers to search for the two wayward greens.

By Friday the retrieval units are out in a number that seems more fitting for a small militia than anything else. Still, they seem more intent on tracking down the greens--their programming still telling them to retrieve those who were missed the day before--but they don't seem to know which greens they're looking for. Anyone with a green collar may be dragged in for a collar check, possibly multiple times today.

Saturday is chaos in the infirmary. The retrieval units seem to have entirely lost sight of who they're actually searching for, and anyone brought into the checkup room will be able to see how messy and confused it looks, with no real time to clean it and orange through violet collar fluid all lined up at once where normally only the color of the day and of the day before would be out at all. Again people may be brought in for multiple checks while those intent on evading capture can remain elusive.

But Sunday--on Sunday the entire process breaks down. There's too much volume for the retrieval units to handle, and they scatter about in a strange catch and release program, dragging anyone they catch to random places around the Tower before letting them go. They don't seem to be entirely certain of what they're supposed to be doing.

Something else happens on Sunday, as well...

Comments

[doc_brown]

[ Doc's 'lab' in the workshop is a real mess-- Tools, papers and all sort of things unsorted, as it to be expected from a strange old scientist. He quickly free some space on his work desk however. ]

I believe we should start with basic analysis-- I have a microscope over there. [He points a microscope he grabbed from the laboratory floor.] Then proceed with deeper analysis, however some may have to last for days depending on the complexity.

[immortalia]

[ Sertoria makes a face at the mess and audibly makes a sound of disapproval. ]

Doc, I thought we just organized this mess. How can you work in such conditions--

[ She wags a finger before her tunic goes off again and her back opens again, the container soon materializing once more. ]

Could someone take this out of me? My limbs do not extend that long, unfortunately.

[warriorscribe]

I'll take it.

*Enoch complies readily enough, considering how little he's realizing he actually done. In fact, the retrieval unit turned his little moment of curiosity into a liability...

He'll place the container on the nearest clear surface.*

[fionnuisce]

[Waver crossed his arms, sending the mercury maid to place the clear container beside it.]

I suppose we should congratulate ourselves for accomplishing this much and surviving. Though that last part is up for debate assuming the administrators decide to retaliate.

[doc_brown]

[ Doc winces as Sertoria mentions the sorry state of his lab, but he looks totally innocent. ]

I know, I know! I don't know how it happened! [Besides he finds his mess to be very ordered. He then looks at the others as he takes special gloves.] Can someone please prepare the microscope? I'll take care of the slides!

[ With that said, Doc quickly traded his extravagant yellow and futuristic coat for a more traditional white scientist coat. He goes to another side of the room and comes back with a couple thin flat pieces of glass, which they may recognize as microscope slides. Carefully he goes to prepare them with the violet and clear liquids, making sure to use a cover slip so as not to let them be exposed to air. ]

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick was slightly more prepared for the next jump, but the possible consequences of the party's actions are starting to weigh on him. He stands near the back--close to the door, since that worked out so well the first time--with a blank expression of shock.]

[After a time, he gives a desperate chuckle.] ...R-Right...the admin--administrators... [He combs a shaky hand through his hair.] ...Seeing as...ah...we've gone th-through this m-m-much...should I in-introduce myself?

[Before they all die horribly, he means. Best go down with friends than strangers, right?]

[fionnuisce]

Introductions, right.

[The ponytailed magus adjusted the sunglasses atop his head before turning to set up and adjust the nearest microscope. Entirely business, his voice was that of a professional researcher.]

Lord El-Melloi the second, Waver Velvet. Lecturer and professor at the Clock Tower in London, Master and partner of a Lancer-class Servant by the name of Diarmuid.

[Beat.]

Just call me Waver. And you are?

[bashfulshifter]

[Still very dazed, Rick stares at the back wall a moment as he continues to gather his wits. Most of that information has gone straight over his head, but he remembers the name--Waver. He's good with names.]

...P-Patrick Dawn. [Also a beat.] Rick, I mean.

[He would say, "it's nice to meet you," but he's near hyperventilating and doesn't want to talk more than he has to. Instead, he smiles, blushes, and gives a slight nod.]

[immortalia]

[ Once the container is out of her, Sertoria stands up and redresses herself. She slips on her lab coat, ready to get to work when Doc needs her to do whatever. ]

It is a pleasure to meet you in person finally. As you well know, I am Sertoria Cani from the network. I am currently working here as Doctor Emmett L. Brown's assistant. And, I am sure you may have guessed, I am an android.

[ A beat. ]

You may also relax. We will not harm you here nor let you get hurt.

[doc_brown]

[ Once he was done preparing the slides, Doc moved to the microscope with them, ready to start the analysis. He only paused very briefly as he heard the others introducing themselves. ]

Doctor Emmett L. Brown, but please simply call me Doc.

[ Because that's what everyone did back home. He nodded to them before moving on to set the slides on the microscope, looking into expectantly. However as he looked into the microscope, Doc's expression quickly changed. First he frowned, obviously displeased by what he was seeing-- Or what he wasn't seeing to be more specific. ]

What in the...?

[ Those were the only words he spoke before silently continuing to observe, or rather try to. He would proceed to adjust the microscope many times as if trying to get a clearer picture. ]

[brbtalkingtogod]

I'm Archangel Lucifel.

[He then turns his head to look in the direction of the scribe.]

That's Enoch, Heaven's scribe.

[If they were going into detail then it was just the proper way of introducing themselves.]

What is it?

[fionnuisce]

Don't tell me.

[Flatly:]

It's the same as the vials, isn't it?

[not even BATTING AN EYE at the archangel and whatnot.]

[doc_brown]

[ Doc didn't reply immediately, switching the slides to see if the other liquid brought better results, which it obviously didn't. ]

I'm afraid so!

[ He looked away from the microscope finally-- They could take a look by themselves if they so wanted, and he shook his head. ]

I cannot see anything-- It's as if the liquid was devoid of any structure let alone particles! In fact according to this microscope, the liquid does not have a physical existence!

[ Except it actually goes the other way around. ]

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch buries half his head in a hand with a sigh.*

Glamours work as they should except where they don't want it to. Of course it isn't that easy...

[bashfulshifter]

[Rick returns all the appropriate nods and smiles at those he's just met (not worrying too much about the extraneous titles and information because, well, different worlds and all that, too confusing to bother). And--for the first time since she put her clothes back on--he catches Sertoria's eye and gives her a slightly warmer blush as well. Don't worry, he remembers. Not any less modest, though.]

[Happy introductions aside, it seems that Doc is running into some problems. Rick feels slightly more comfortable and decides to have a look himself, giving the old scientist a weary glance first before he looks at the incriminating sample. Then, after affirming, he passes a confused glance at Enoch.]

Glamours...those, um...are the t-tower ill-illusions, right? As in...

[He's not sure how to explain it, so instead he motions vaguely by swiping his hands around his upper body. He means to refer to the wire frames, but that could be ambiguous.]

[fionnuisce]

Right. Basically 'everything you can possibly see and any powers one could have' falls under the definition.

[He pinched the bridge of his nose with a defeated sigh.]

Which means my magecraft won't do a damn thing either. So what will?

[doc_brown]

... Real tools. The microscope is unreal, hence it cannot study real matter. To study the liquid, we need something as real as it.

Unfortunately, I can think of only one individual in the tower who possesses the scientific instruments we need.

[ You know who. ]

[fionnuisce]

Goddamnit.

[if you thought he was grumpy before...]

How in the hell are we going to waltz into Jason's laboratory and get his equipment? I don't know about any of you, but I've got bugger all for ideas on that front.

And if we can't do that, then this whole escapade has produced nothing but landing all of us in immeasurable trouble for no results.

If I ever get my hands on whoever thought up this damned collar rebellion, I'm going to throttle them.

[bashfulshifter]

[After Waver's outburst, a small, sheepish voice comes from behind the pair of flustered scientists.]

...I'll go.

[warriorscribe]

*Enoch takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. It would be wrong of him, to be here and stay silent.*

...I will, too.

[fionnuisce]

You're bloody well not leaving me out of it.

[brbtalkingtogod]

I guess a lot of us want to go. However, we should also think of those who stay here with the liquid. If they already sent units to get us who says if they won't try to find out where the stolen collar liquid is.

[They might have a lot of it, but if there was information that could be used against the more dangerous administrators then Lucifel assumed that they would do anything in their power to stop that.

Even if they didn't have the tools for that yet.]

[warriorscribe]

Well...Sertoria can store one within herself if need be. But she's stronger and faster than I am, so...perhaps she would be of more use than I. No matter what we do, all of us are in danger. How many do you think should stay with the containers?

[fionnuisce]

... [Waver sighed, crossing his arms.]

When it comes down to it, I don't stand well in a fight compared to how people like Sertoria probably do. It would probably be smarter for me to stay here.

MY BAD GUYS. gomen

[immortalia]

[ Sertoria listens in to what they're saying, nodding in understanding to their plan. ]

The only couple of problems I see being worrisome is not knowing how to stay in touch with you should the situation goes downhill. My usual form of communication devices has been failing ever since my arrival here. Although...

[ She taps at her cheek in thought. ]

How do magical means work for communication? Waver, can you do that? The only other problem I can think of is what would happen if they were to overpower me. They managed to severely limit and tamper with my power supply just a couple of days ago. I am sure they can just as easily do it again.