Introductions are in order...

[bathymetric]

When the hour has passed, and everyone is gathered into the Meeting Room, the door shuts and locks with an unassuming soft click. The overhead lights darken, though there's still some light in the room - complete darkness is hard to get with the windows there, even if the ones in here are a little more tinted than the ones in the rest of the facility.

The video screen taking up the wall in the back also turns on, displaying a fairly simplistic design, static and unmoving. A voice, male, clears its throat over the speakers.

"Greetings to you all, and welcome."

His voice is methodical and even, and even through the slight distortion filter it's been put through, those of you with a Europe can recognize his accent as some kind of European. German, maybe?

"You may call me The Professor, and I will be overseeing this experiment. Do not be mistaken - you are not currently my students, you are my test subjects. Lab rats."

Well, that answers that, at least.

"In order to reduce contact, I will personally be monitoring you from a secondary facility. Do not worry, there are members of staff on-site to take care of any immediate needs or wants you may have."

Not that you've seen any, of course, but...

"By now I imagine you're familiar with your situation, at least somewhat. If you have not yet, please read the rules, and... well, I will go ahead and open the floor to questions. I'd ask for you to be orderly about it, but... having observed some of you, that seems like a foolish hope."

Comments

[onefuture]

[Lab rats, huh.

...Well, this is about what Lif should've expected. Needless to say, he's got a pretty pressing question that he's got to ask, and while he's standing off to the side like some hideous wraith, he'll speak up.]

I have one question for you, Professor. Did you modify any of our bodies?

[Like, he was already pretty screwed up, but this has been wigging him out all day long.]

[bathymetric]

Could you elaborate on what you mean, Blood of Askr?

[onefuture]

[Oh, Lif hates that title. He crosses his arms, hands gripping onto them to keep himself from lashing out. This isn't the time, nor the place.]

As I'm sure you're aware, I'm not human. I haven't had the need to breathe, to sleep, to eat or drink in years...and yet when I awoke here, those needs seem to have come back.

What exactly did you do?

[Like, the sudden quasi-humanity is weird enough, but then there's the matter of his face and chest and that's raising several hackles.]

[bathymetric]

Ah, yes. Some of you provided very... interesting challenges to bring to the levels I needed you all to be. I won't go into the details, but I reduced the number of variables. Rest assured, if you leave here I can also undo it before you go.

[onefuture]

[...Great. That's just fucking great, this asshole's on par with Hel herself. Whatever it did has given him some form of humanity back, and were it any other time, he might be grateful.

Pity, then, that this isn't a good time.]

...I see, then. Very gracious of you to offer.

[There's nothing but sarcasm in Lif's voice when he says that much. Ugh, getting used to being human again is going to be a chore and a half.]

[bathymetric]

I am nothing if not a gracious host.

[ ... at the very least, from his tone it's easy to tell he doesn't actually believe that. ]

[onefuture]

I suppose you are.

[...]

I do have one more question for you. Are those machines the only method we'll have to be able to wash our clothes?

[this is the dumbest fucking question ever, i'm so sorry]

[bathymetric]

[ that... does seem to catch him a little off guard? ]

I... suppose you have showers and sinks, if you prefer.

[onefuture]

As long as it doesn't make an atrocious noise, I'll take it.

[fuck your demon machines, THOSE THINGS CAN BURN FOR ALL HE CARES]

[shieldsister]

[LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DOING OUR LAUNDRY IN THE SINK, LIF]

[onefuture]

[GUESS SO, AT LEAST THE SINKS WON'T BETRAY US]

[shieldsister]

[AT LEAST THE SINKS ARE SANE........]

[bathymetric]

Fair enough. And if you aren't familiar with showers or the like, there are plenty among you who I am sure would be able to help you.

[precognit]

If you don't mind my butting in...how, exactly, was that accomplished? It's not something I've ever heard the possibility of.

[bathymetric]

In your case? A lot of very complicated equipment commissioned from one of my associates.

[precognit]

[Involuntarily, Alice shudders.]

What...kind of equipment.

[ding dong it's medical trauma time!]

[bathymetric]

I didn't think to ask in detail. Would you like me to ask her to write you up a summary?

[precognit]

I...

[She swallows down her fear. Knowledge is power.]

Please. And I have another question.

[Alice glances side to side, quickly. Trying not to call attention to her question.]

How are we meant to eat.

[bathymetric]

Ah.

[ he pauses for a moment. ]

Food can be provided for all members of the study. Any dietary needs can be brought up with my assistant.

[precognit]

And with your restrictions...

[glance glance glance]

Am I still required to follow my previous diet?

[bathymetric]

In a sense. We might not have... exactly what you've become used to, but what we have should at least be enough to keep you going, if you don't mind a little smell.

[precognit]

[Alice grows quiet. What does that mean, exactly? Rat blood? ....Human?

Either way, she'd rather not starve. So she nods.]

Fine. I'll speak to this 'assistant' person about it.