Spoiler: PT headers (hydra and notes)
Bell (Leena) notes PT (The Musings of Leena):
Leena always seems to be thinking far more than she says aloud. Observation, aura-sensing, there's plenty to consider here that might be best left unvoiced to the group at large.
Kitty Trauma Team (Joshua Donovan) hydra PT (Interdimensional Limbo):
Activating Rheticus' Compass without knowing how to turn it off sure did provide lots of time for you to think. And practice talking to yourself. Even in a crowd of people here, sometimes it's nice to have a space to return to those
days
weeks
years of being the only voice in the room. Might help you sort your thoughts out away from the hubbub.MathBlade (Jane Lattimer) notes PT (Memos of a Guardian):
Heavy is the wrist that wears the Guardianship. And you really didn't think there's be this much need for paperwork. Endless wonder, your ass.
Spoiler: Dead Thread Invites
mastina (Sally Stukowski) dead thread invite:
There's a moment of stillness as you feel the Bronzing process take over your body. But just as the last cold finger solidifies, you feel yourself blink, lifting out of the Sally Stukowski statue. You blink again, and everything goes black.
A third blink, and you open your eyes to a fluorescently lit ceiling. The sudden pressure at your temple eases, and a figure in a jumpsuit moves in and out of your field of vision. "You can sit up now, Agent. How are you feeling?"
"I..." You pause, as your true memories coalesce. "Oh shit, that jackass Paul in IT is never going to let me live this down, is he."
The VR technician shrugs. "Sorry you didn't last long, but at least there should be plenty of snacks left in the conference room if you want to watch the rest of the exercise play out."
She taps a few places on the screen in front of her and nods. "You're clear to go."
A third blink, and you open your eyes to a fluorescently lit ceiling. The sudden pressure at your temple eases, and a figure in a jumpsuit moves in and out of your field of vision. "You can sit up now, Agent. How are you feeling?"
"I..." You pause, as your true memories coalesce. "Oh shit, that jackass Paul in IT is never going to let me live this down, is he."
The VR technician shrugs. "Sorry you didn't last long, but at least there should be plenty of snacks left in the conference room if you want to watch the rest of the exercise play out."
She taps a few places on the screen in front of her and nods. "You're clear to go."
sangres (Amanda Lattimer) dead thread invite:
Stretched out on a patch of dirt, you're just falling asleep when a trio of shadowy figures surrounds you. Caught off-guard, you don't even have time to yelp before they've bundled you off and tossed you into the Bronzing machine. You pound on the door, but no one seems to hear before the cold seeps in, rendering you in solid metal.
As the dark swamps out the shadows, you hear a whispered voice, sounding like it's coming from the other end of a long tunnel:
The voice fades, and as it falls silent, the darkness begins to lighten. You blink (your eyelids move?) to see a stark ceiling and bright light above you. A tech fusses with a computer screen at the side of your reclined chair. "Welcome back to the 23rd century. A bit less dusty here, innit? Stay still for a minute, I'm getting the final readings for your report."
"Our reports are never that long, are they," you observe ruefully, memories filling in again.
"Hey, some people would kill to be popular like you--remember that bloke in Kinshasa last year?"
"Fair. Screens broadcasting the next game phase yet?"
"Down the hall, usual spot. I'll finish this up and you're all set."
As the dark swamps out the shadows, you hear a whispered voice, sounding like it's coming from the other end of a long tunnel:
The voice fades, and as it falls silent, the darkness begins to lighten. You blink (your eyelids move?) to see a stark ceiling and bright light above you. A tech fusses with a computer screen at the side of your reclined chair. "Welcome back to the 23rd century. A bit less dusty here, innit? Stay still for a minute, I'm getting the final readings for your report."
"Our reports are never that long, are they," you observe ruefully, memories filling in again.
"Hey, some people would kill to be popular like you--remember that bloke in Kinshasa last year?"
"Fair. Screens broadcasting the next game phase yet?"
"Down the hall, usual spot. I'll finish this up and you're all set."
Kitty Trauma Team (Joshua Donovan) dead thread invite:
You were sleeping peacefully, content that an enemy had been eliminated. Visions of equations and sisters danced in your head.
A shock goes through you--someone shot you! Why does this feel familiar...
Your heels bounce along the ground as your assailant drags you over to the Bronzing machine. 'Oh, shit,' is all you have time to think before you're tossed in, and what little feeling you had dissolves into a metallic chill.
Blink. Blink. You open your eyes not to the night sky of the Dakotas but a buzzing fluorescent light. A technician turns away. "You're fine to move now; I've unstrapped you," he says. "Wasn't expecting to have two of you come out just yet."
"What happened? How...oh. Right. Not really Tesla'd this time." The technician snorts.
"You remember that snag-and-bag you went on eight months ago in Lisbon? And how that self-styled Agent 'War Wizard' zapped you trying to take out the robber?" You nod, with a sense of dread. "Well, it would seem history repeats itself. Maybe try not to get assigned to his team on your next foray out?"
"I let him off with a drink last time; I think he gets to do some of my paperwork for this one."
"That sounds quite appropriate. You're cleared to head down to the conference room in the meantime. Enjoy the show!"
ZAP!
A shock goes through you--someone shot you! Why does this feel familiar...
Your heels bounce along the ground as your assailant drags you over to the Bronzing machine. 'Oh, shit,' is all you have time to think before you're tossed in, and what little feeling you had dissolves into a metallic chill.
Blink. Blink. You open your eyes not to the night sky of the Dakotas but a buzzing fluorescent light. A technician turns away. "You're fine to move now; I've unstrapped you," he says. "Wasn't expecting to have two of you come out just yet."
"What happened? How...oh. Right. Not really Tesla'd this time." The technician snorts.
"You remember that snag-and-bag you went on eight months ago in Lisbon? And how that self-styled Agent 'War Wizard' zapped you trying to take out the robber?" You nod, with a sense of dread. "Well, it would seem history repeats itself. Maybe try not to get assigned to his team on your next foray out?"
"I let him off with a drink last time; I think he gets to do some of my paperwork for this one."
"That sounds quite appropriate. You're cleared to head down to the conference room in the meantime. Enjoy the show!"
DrippingGoofball (Mrs. Frederic's Bodyguard) dead thread invite:
You close your eyes when the metal spreads to your face. Hard and unyielding, all is still.
Until the air pressure around your face changes once more. You find yourself able to crack open your eyes, and reality returns with a rush when you see the sterile lights above you.
The technician puts a hand on your shoulder and helps you sit up. "Feeling all right? Readings all look fine here."
"I think so. I remember the last time I was in here after our trip to Beirut went sideways." Stretching your neck, you ask, "Good enough?"
"I'd say so. Go ahead and join the others in the viewing room, Agent. Still lots more of the exercise to go. And tell Director Zhang they owe me 15,000 rupees now."
Until the air pressure around your face changes once more. You find yourself able to crack open your eyes, and reality returns with a rush when you see the sterile lights above you.
The technician puts a hand on your shoulder and helps you sit up. "Feeling all right? Readings all look fine here."
"I think so. I remember the last time I was in here after our trip to Beirut went sideways." Stretching your neck, you ask, "Good enough?"
"I'd say so. Go ahead and join the others in the viewing room, Agent. Still lots more of the exercise to go. And tell Director Zhang they owe me 15,000 rupees now."
Lady Lambdadelta (Abigail Chow) dead thread invite:
Sleep doesn't come easily on a dusty plain. But knowing that someone has your back does help, allowing you to eventually drift off.
The clink of a pebble skittering off a rock is your only warning before three blurry figures hoist you off the ground. Before you can react, you're away from the group, and their destination is clear: the Bronzing machine. Somehow, you're pretty sure they aren't going to be willing to talk this out. As they toss you in and latch the door, you think one of them almost looks familiar...
But then, even as you squint for a better look, everything goes cold and black. Your eyelids stop fluttering, too heavy in their newly Bronzed form. And then they start again as the scene shifts, leaving a dim light before you that grows into the industrial lighting of the monitoring bay.
A technician shines a light in your eyes despite your grumble of protest. "Everything where it should be in your brain, Agent?"
"Close enough that I remember why I avoid getting physicals when you're on duty. Do we have an Artifact that would grow you a bedside manner?"
"Sure, but then I'd speak exclusively in ancient Greek. Not great for sending notes to the insurance companies or our superiors." You sit up, your neck just slightly stiff. "You're clear to head down to the conference room. I'll bet your arrival will shake up the spectators."
The clink of a pebble skittering off a rock is your only warning before three blurry figures hoist you off the ground. Before you can react, you're away from the group, and their destination is clear: the Bronzing machine. Somehow, you're pretty sure they aren't going to be willing to talk this out. As they toss you in and latch the door, you think one of them almost looks familiar...
But then, even as you squint for a better look, everything goes cold and black. Your eyelids stop fluttering, too heavy in their newly Bronzed form. And then they start again as the scene shifts, leaving a dim light before you that grows into the industrial lighting of the monitoring bay.
A technician shines a light in your eyes despite your grumble of protest. "Everything where it should be in your brain, Agent?"
"Close enough that I remember why I avoid getting physicals when you're on duty. Do we have an Artifact that would grow you a bedside manner?"
"Sure, but then I'd speak exclusively in ancient Greek. Not great for sending notes to the insurance companies or our superiors." You sit up, your neck just slightly stiff. "You're clear to head down to the conference room. I'll bet your arrival will shake up the spectators."
SirCakez (James MacPherson) dead thread invite:
Cold. Still. Ten seconds in, and you can remember why being Bronzed was so hellacious. But there's no screaming here, no railing against the world except in your head.
Except.
Blink. And blink again. The prairie melts away, and you see the cross-beams of a laboratory ceiling take over your vision. "...and right. Here I am again."
The technician monitoring your brain waves presses a few buttons, and a machine powers down to your right. "Welcome back. Better run than the last go-round, eh?"
You run a hand through your hair in frustration. "Not how I planned though. Sometimes these exercises just...ugh."
With a sympathetic smile, he says, "Yeah, I'm glad they don't make us do this on our side of things. Too much for my nerves. And I'll take the real world any day anyways. I think you agree, Mr. 'I saved the world twice last year and finally tracked down the very elusive blue and black dress Artifact' Hotshot?"
"White and gold dress," you correct him automatically. "Okay, I'll take the pep talk, thanks. Now I hear this year's snack buffet is supposed to be particularly scrumptious?"
Except.
Blink. And blink again. The prairie melts away, and you see the cross-beams of a laboratory ceiling take over your vision. "...and right. Here I am again."
The technician monitoring your brain waves presses a few buttons, and a machine powers down to your right. "Welcome back. Better run than the last go-round, eh?"
You run a hand through your hair in frustration. "Not how I planned though. Sometimes these exercises just...ugh."
With a sympathetic smile, he says, "Yeah, I'm glad they don't make us do this on our side of things. Too much for my nerves. And I'll take the real world any day anyways. I think you agree, Mr. 'I saved the world twice last year and finally tracked down the very elusive blue and black dress Artifact' Hotshot?"
"White and gold dress," you correct him automatically. "Okay, I'll take the pep talk, thanks. Now I hear this year's snack buffet is supposed to be particularly scrumptious?"
Bell (Leena) dead thread invite:
As you settle down for the night, secure in the knowledge that you helped eliminate two enemies, you don't pay much attention to those setting out their own bedrolls on either side of you. Silence descends upon the plain, and with visions of Bronzing another villain in the morning, you're almost asleep when...
In fluid coordination, the two figures to your left and right leap up, also not yet asleep, and bundle you away. It's only a dozen steps to the Bronzing machine, and by the time your shock paralysis wears off, you're at the threshold. They shove you in, and you catch yourself on the far wall of the booth. You don't even have time to turn around before the chill of the metal sets in. Staring at a blank wall: not how you prefer to spend your time. You can't even blink. But.
Blink. The world fades. Blink. Everything brightens. Blink.
A laboratory ceiling. Your proper memories settle into place. After a short coughing fit, you attract the attention of one of the milling technicians. She comes over and turns off the various monitors attached to your recliner. "Well, rumor has it you had an eventful run in there this time."
"Yeah, at least I didn't draw something boring like vanilla cop. Would have liked to make it a bit longer, but I'm hoping what I gave Agent Spiffeh shakes things up some more in my wake."
"Wake. Ha. Okay, on that note I'm sending you down to the observation room. If you're punning, you're clearly a danger to us poor defenseless lab techs. Go bother your fellow agents and your bosses, if you dare."
Exchanging grins, you and the tech go your separate ways. Until the next training exercise.
In fluid coordination, the two figures to your left and right leap up, also not yet asleep, and bundle you away. It's only a dozen steps to the Bronzing machine, and by the time your shock paralysis wears off, you're at the threshold. They shove you in, and you catch yourself on the far wall of the booth. You don't even have time to turn around before the chill of the metal sets in. Staring at a blank wall: not how you prefer to spend your time. You can't even blink. But.
Blink. The world fades. Blink. Everything brightens. Blink.
A laboratory ceiling. Your proper memories settle into place. After a short coughing fit, you attract the attention of one of the milling technicians. She comes over and turns off the various monitors attached to your recliner. "Well, rumor has it you had an eventful run in there this time."
"Yeah, at least I didn't draw something boring like vanilla cop. Would have liked to make it a bit longer, but I'm hoping what I gave Agent Spiffeh shakes things up some more in my wake."
"Wake. Ha. Okay, on that note I'm sending you down to the observation room. If you're punning, you're clearly a danger to us poor defenseless lab techs. Go bother your fellow agents and your bosses, if you dare."
Exchanging grins, you and the tech go your separate ways. Until the next training exercise.
