ic Synthetic Rehab

[Supercape]

GM

 

Continued from Hot and Bothered

 

It was still snowing outside the WEST base, Alaska. 

 

Dr North had rustled up some cold weather clothing from the base, but he was pale, clammy. Whatever had been done to him during storage had sapped him of his energy. He was only standing due to duty. 

 

And fear. How many Hypersynth weapons had been sold? Who to? What danger did they pose. He only knew the answer to the last question: A lot. 

 

Synth was similarly kitted out in cold weather clothing - recuperating physically at great speed, but clearly dazed. "Where am I? Who am I? Why am I?" it looked like mentally it would be some time before she recovered from storage. 

 

Predator now had some significant challenges. 

 

First, what to do with Synth. Wanted for crimes she certainly did, but was hardly guilty of - not least being broke out of prison. Synth was hardly a threat, that was clear from AEGIS files. At least, not directly. The problem was that SHADOW desperately wanted their experiment back to make use of her DNA. What did Synth want? A normal life? A life of heroics? Both?

 

Secondly, an unnamed number of Hypersynth weapons were released to the world, or in transit to various nefarious organisations. 

 

Fortunately, Predator had the science mastermind Terrifica on her side. 

 

Unfortunately, Predator was in the middle of a snow storm far from civilisation with Dr North dead on his feet, and Synth dead in her skull. 

Edited November 4 by Supercape

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Jean’s and Cynthia’s voices could occasionally be heard from the Predator helmet as it sat on the counter, a cable connecting it to the lab’s computers. She had left it behind with an open channel to her ear piece in case the others needed to contact her while she left the lower lab.

 

The entity known only as Synth had awoken, but proved to be of little help given their condition. Jean supposed it couldn’t be avoided and didn’t begrudge them. Nor Dr North, for that matter. Circumstances were rather extraordinary all things considered. Terriffica was already on her way, but Jean continued to have Cynthia comb through files.

 

At the moment, Jean herself was searching the upstairs for a working space heaters, clothing and food for her two, reluctant, companions. It was going to be a while before rescue could get through the storm to them.

 

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

The space heaters were less then cooperative when she found them. She had to salvage parts from one to get the others up and running. But once they were, she bundled them with the clothing and food she had gathered and headed back towards the elevator to the lower lab.

 

As she rode the elevator she continued to reexamine the events leading up to her current situation. She hardly left her lab, but her notoriety made her a suitably easy target to locate. Others in the scientific fields may find themselves targeted next. She would have to see it Terrifica would be willing to go over her design for the scanner. With the resources on hand in the lab they should be able to refine and expand on it.

 

The elevator doors opened and she stepped out, crossing the lab to Dr North and Synth.

 

“Here, take these.”

 

She presented the two with warmer clothing and coats she had found in a storage closet.

 

“Hopefully some of them will fit. I found MRE’s as well. Not the most tasteful food, but they should provide suitable nourishment.”

 

She set several of the meal packets by them before stepping away to setup the heating units.

[Supercape]

GM

 

"I feel sick, can't eat a thing..." said Dr North. He did, out of pure will and reason, try some. A few seconds later, he evacuated his stomach in an unpleasant manner. "Oooh.... cryostasis is not for everyone..."

 

Synth, virtually mute still, brain operating on spinal cord functions, wolfed down several packets. 

 

They both put on the warm weather clothing. Thick, puffy, full of insulation, complete with gloves and hood. They wouldn't freeze in a hurry. But... the snowstorm was still raging. 

 

"We need to go," said Dr North. "And we need to destroy this place when we do. Somebody is going to try and get this research..."

 

He patted his pocket, wherein the hard disk of the computer Predator had hacked lay. "And it belongs with us, nobody else..."

[EternalPhoenix]

Terrifica

 

It was quite a serious situation, Terrifica mused as she followed the sound of voices into a lab. These...Hypersynths could cause significant damage if left unchecked. And the first step of stopping whatever they were up wherever they had gone was here. She didn't feel the Alaskan cold. Benefits of her suit. "Agreed. Leaving is a wonderful idea. Need a ride? I believe the satellite still has a lock on my position." She stood there in the doorway to said lab, in her suit and usual longcoat, barely touched by snow. "If you really want to destroy this place, I recommend overloading the power generators. Unless they're nuclear, of course." Normally, holding a signal lock through a blistering snowstorm would be impossible. Terrifica, however, had been an AUX member for years now. Like hell she wouldn't have performed an upgrade or two in that time, for emergencies just like this one. There was the small problem of getting a lock on the others present, but that was what her utility belt was for. Overcoming small problems like that.

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Jean looked up at the sound of Terrifica’s voice.

“Ah, Miss Terrifica. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

She gave the other hero a nod.

 

She glanced over at Synth and Dr North.

“The sooner we get these two somewhere warmer with medical attention the better.”

Jean frowned and turned back to the computer for a moment, disconnecting her helmet and turning back to Terrifica.

“As far as the destruction of this facility, I think that it should wait until the important bits can be safely and properly dismantled and moved. Especially with the subjects still in the tanks.”

She gestured toward the forms floating in the tanks with her helmet.

[Supercape]

GM
 

Synth was too ill to do anything than walk - and frankly even that was a struggle. Dr North, whilst pale and drained, could still talk and think. "Here's the kicker, folks. Who do we trust?"

 

He looked at Terrifica and Predator carefully. 

 

"The Hypersynths can mimic anybody. They copied me, for starters. Who has them? What are they using them for? Assassination, infiltration, sabotage? I am sure lots of people would like to get their hands on the technology."

 

"Can I trust you two? Maybe. Probably. You act helpful, and you have all the fantastic gadgets of Predator and Terrifica. But can I know for sure? And frankly I don't even know, fully, whether I am a Hypersynth. Do they even know they are copies?"

 

He glanced a Synth. 

 

"And her? If it is a her... are we sure she isn't a copy?"

 

He turned back to Predator and Terrifica. "So this is the problem. How, practically, do we dismantle this base? Its a lot of work, a lot of people..."

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Predator frowned and tapped her helmet thoughtfully.

“Looking at this from that perspective. I suppose we have no way of knowing for certain who purchased what until we can decrypt and analyze the data from the computers. Even then, purpose could only be guessed at.”

She regards the vats for a moment then turns to Terrifica.

“I think for the sake of not overthinking and second guessing, until I have reason to believe otherwise I will assume the four of us are in fact who we believe we are.”

She nodded more to herself than anyone else.

“I manage to quickly construct a handheld device to detect synths, but its range and functionality are very limited given its hasty construction. With the data and samples available I think together we can come up with a better unit that could be recreated for distribution. Wouldn’t you agree?”

She regarded Terrifica.

“Until then, I think we should limit knowledge of the location of this facility. We could set up remote observation systems. If anyone trespasses it could be an indication they had prior knowledge of the lab.”

[RocketLord]

ARCHER II

 

Connor isn't trying to stealthy, as he approaches on his borrowed snowmobile. Full costume, bow and arrow on his back, he races towards the facility.

 

He has no idea what he is going to see when he gets there. The woman that fled from the place made it sound like a full blown zombie apocalypse, the kind that you could only handle by blowing the whole site up. Now, he's not adverse to explosives by any means, but even to him, that seems kind of excessive. He will have to take a closer look, as he finally reaches the WEST station. 

 

So, what then? What will he see? He's no scientist by any means, but he will have to at least take a look at things before he starts blowing things up... and maybe try to establish a definite link with the freaky guy and those drugs back in Freedom.

[EternalPhoenix]

Terrifica 

 

Terrifica regards the vats as she listens to Predator. "Call it intrusive thoughts if you must, but one option for the necessary manpower to dismantle this place is already inside of it." She turns back to her fellow hero. "But you're right. It's better to build scanning devices and remotely observe this place until such time as the authorities can take it down." This, of course, was the sober responsible option. It wasn't any fun, but Terrifica had plenty of practice suppressing her inner mad scientist. 

[Supercape]

GM

 

Archer crept into the station. No zombies - unless they were invisible silent zombies. Not even dead bodies. Just an empty station. The outside was fundamentally just a lift to the the lower levels - with a security lock that had been expertly bypassed. 

 

Flashing, spinning lights illuminated the empty lift, the empty stairs, the empty corridors. Dust and a sickly sweet smell in the stillness. 

 

And then, voices. 

 

The main laboratory, it said. Peeking inside through the door, Archer could see Terrifica, Dr North and Predator in conversation, with a half-dead woman slumped on a seat. 

 

"Sensors?" said Dr North, mulling the idea over. "We can do this. Ill have to delete all records of this base. But some of our staff have been here; we do rotate. Nothing is fool proof..."

 

He pointed at the six vats, each with a hypersynth floating within. "And I think these... things... need to be destroyed."

 

He frowned. "I dont know. I admit being captured... its probably tilting my judgement. My gut is saying just burn everything to ash..."

[RocketLord]

ARCHER II

 

Connor moves slowly through the building, an arrow nocked on his bowstring. Just in case. There's no one there. No zombies. No weird supers that explode into goo.

 

Had the woman lied? She seemed too desperate to do that... but then again, it's not like he has any clue about what is going on here in the first place. He is about as far from Freedom as he can get, while still staying in the U.S.

 

And then, voices. Women and a man talking. The main laboratory, judging from the signs. Sneaking closer to the door, he listens. The man is saying something about things that need to be destroyed, everything should be burned to ash.

 

Peeking inside, he sees someone in armor and a woman in blue and orange. Supers. Yeah, of course.

 

Pushing the door open, he moves in. Makes sure that they see him coming, his bow raised with an arrow pointed towards them, at least until he figures out who's who here.

 

"This place seems awfully calm for all the things that led me here... anyone want to fill me in on the supposed zombie plague before I start following the man's gut instinct?"

 

Something familiar about the woman in blue and orange. Like he should know who she is, but he can't quite place it.

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Predator nodded as Terrifica agreed, then regarded Dr North as he spoke

 

On 12/9/2024 at 10:31 AM, Supercape said:

GM

 

"Sensors?" said Dr North, mulling the idea over. "We can do this. Ill have to delete all records of this base. But some of our staff have been here; we do rotate. Nothing is fool proof..."

 

He pointed at the six vats, each with a hypersynth floating within. "And I think these... things... need to be destroyed."

 

He frowned. "I dont know. I admit being captured... its probably tilting my judgement. My gut is saying just burn everything to ash..."

 

Her brow furrowed.

“Yes of course, you have been through a lot of late. Rest will clear your mind. We will need a complete list of everyone who has been assigned to this facility.”

She said and looked at Terrifica again.

“We don’t know how long this operation was running. We’ll have to follow up on anyone who has been here as a possible clone. I can-”

But whatever the vixen was going to say was cut off by a new voice from the direction of the stairs.

 

On 12/9/2024 at 3:38 PM, RocketLord said:

ARCHER II

 

"This place seems awfully calm for all the things that led me here... anyone want to fill me in on the supposed zombie plague before I start following the man's gut instinct?"

 

Predator looked towards the source of the voice, slowly turning at the sight of the drawn bow. Her furry brow furrows as she regards the man behind the bow. Her fox ears twitching once.

 

“You’re the one the papers can, Archer, am I correct?”

She ventures, still holding her helmet in her gauntlets.

“I am Predator, and I assure you we are not your enemies today.”

Predator glances at Terrifica, curious if she knows the young man already.

Edited December 13 by Spacefurry