WEE͠K ̸́4͝

[strangerpeople]

W҉͘E͜͠͝E̕K̡̛͡ ̡͟4̸

[The blight is all-consuming.

Within days dozens are confirmed infected, and you and your unexpected new scientist friend find yourselves trying to work on a cure. If not a cure, a stopgap of some kind. Anything to prevent this thing from destroying everything. It's hard work. It's not going very well. Really, it feels like with every step forward, you're taking ten steps back. Discouraging is an understatement, to say the least.

A week passes, and the death toll rises. It's really starting to look bleak. You constantly second-guess yourself, and even get into a fistfight with your new ally one night. It's getting to the point where you are working on fumes.

Then, unexpectedly, you get a phone call. It's been a long night, and the sun is beginning to rise above the mountains, when it happens.

You and the scientist are not the only ones looking for a cure. In fact, there are at least a dozen others-and they think they may be close to a breakthrough.

But-and you can't believe you're hearing this, after all of the failure you'd experienced throughout this blight-they need your help.]


---


[To say that the end of last week sucked would be an understatement. To say that no one knows what this week will bring is not even in question. Yet even as you wake, you feel a cloud lift from your mind, as one of the truths you've been living with since the beginning has suddenly changed.]




[But is it possible to abide by this new truth? The Hosts, and IT beyond, seem intent on making that impossible. And the rat...well. Obviously the rat's not an ally. Let's not kid ourselves.

There's only one way to find out if more deaths can truly be prevented-and that's to keep going, and hoping that the new floor that has opened up will offer something in the way of an opportunity.

In the meantime.


There are 11 strangers left in this place.]

Comments

[strangerpeople]

[It is a figure. A human figure, concealed in clouds. Behind them is a smaller tube, filled with static.]

[katzenpfote]

Oh, wonderful.

[He heads around to that smaller tube, grits his teeth, and tries touching the outside of it.]

[backuphero]

So there's definitely a person in there. Great. Great!

[Well, if Caleb's got the tube of static - is there anything around this that looks like a control panel? An emergency release button?]

[strangerpeople]

[There is. It might be a thought to check the screen, though, before actually turning it off.]

[katzenpfote]

[He's just gonna keep his hand on the static tank. Maybe something will happen.]

[strangerpeople]

[There is pushback here. It's...worrying. If Caleb keeps up for too long her will start getting a headache.]

[katzenpfote]

[Fuck you, static. He's going to fight back.]

It's resisting.

pretend I'm not lazy & mobile and "over here" is a link to the comment below

[backuphero]

Not a surprise -

Just hang on a second, I might not be great with these things but... Naoya's taught me some stuff about computers, I might be able to get it to stop from over here....

[backuphero]

[Well of course he will, he's from the '40s, not the Dark Ages, gosh!

So what's on that display?]

[strangerpeople]

[Within the tube, the figure twitches.]

CLONE 538632-AA CURRENT OUTPUT: 92%

CURRENT LIFESPAN: 5 MONTHS

WARNING: DISCONNECTING LIFE SUPPORT WILL RELEASE SUBJECT.

CONTINUE?

[katzenpfote]

Jonathan? Should I keep going?

[His head hurts, but he's stubborn as hell.]

[backuphero]

It says something about "disconnecting life support will release the subject" - has a lifespan listed, but I don't know if it's supposed to be an expiration date or how long that poor bastard's been in there....

[His mind is racing. He doesn't want to "continue", not yet - but there aren't any other options, are there?]

We can try that later, too, probably. Give it one more go, then get back, okay?

[katzenpfote]

All right.

[He tries to push his mind against the tank of static.]

[strangerpeople]

[Nope. Still pushing.

However, this time the figure opens its eyes, revealing swirling red eyes.]

[backuphero]

Jesus Fuck Havemercy CHRIST -

[When all you have is a whip, everything looks like it's vampires.

Red eyes are never good, though. At least in Jonathan's experience.

Fuck "Continue", is there an option to lock this down?]

Get back! Get back now!

[strangerpeople]

[There is a TABOO SUBDUE option.

Probably a good idea.]

[backuphero]

[Wait, though, if Caleb couldn't TOUCH the static in the canister, then -well, fuck. What if he just gives it five whole seconds, and sends himself running down the hall to try and get Vita for backup when he starts the clock?]

[katzenpfote]

[He stumbles back from the static, clutching his head and trying to focus. One hand is on his head and the other has blue flame in his palm.]

[strangerpeople]

[It'll be all right still. The Taboo inside the tube is snarling and hissing at Caleb, but it's not yet tried breaking out of the tube.]

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb blinks hard and sneers back at them.]

Pipe down, you awful creatures! No one likes you.

[illusionarymelody]

[Well, Jonathan's double at least arrives in a timely manner and Vita comes running into the room. Of course she's not the most used to running at that sort of speed and sounds quite out of breath.]

What's going on?

[backuphero]

[HI HONEY PLEASE HELP YOUR IDIOT]

I think we maybe found the executioners!? In progress?

I've got controls over here but if hitting this just pisses it off we'll need backup!

[illusionarymelody]

You've got it. The glass should be strong, the ones I've seen before are heavily reinforced to protect the life growing within it.

[Yeah, your wife has seen this stuff before. How else do you guys think she pulled off getting Eric Lecarde a new body? She's not as much of an expert on it as those who aided her, but she definitely read the blueprints and documents she stole.]

[katzenpfote]

There's a tank of some sort of static. It's feeding it, maybe? I'm not certain. I was pushing against it mentally, but it was holding firm. I don't know if I can push hard enough...

[strangerpeople]

[It's still very annoyed at Caleb, letting out snarls.

Jerk. B|]