Machine Flower: The Unit 7 Incident (Redux)

[Loki]

A few individuals wearing medical scrubs gathered around a stainless steel table where a gowned figure laid motionless. Several feet away stood a man who was examining the papers attached to a clipboard. Surgical masks and deep shadows prevented any defining facial features from being observed. The sterile white room was full of beeping and clicking from the various machines scattered around the Subject.

“The Subject’s vitals are returning to normal levels, Doctor. The anesthetics are wearing off; she’ll be regaining consciousness soon. Neuro readings are within safe tolerances.”

“How are her psionic readings?”

“Steadily increasing, well above what we recorded before the procedure.”

“Excellent! So far, the Persephonian trial has gone without incident… Just to be safe, check her restraints once more, Nurse.”

……….

“Restraints are all secured.”

“Doctor… You may want to take a look at this.”

“What is it, Nurse?”

The figure in a white coat walked towards a nurse who was observing a machine the clicked in a similar fashion to a Geiger counter. The space between clicks was rapidly becoming briefer.

“Her latent psionic readings are starting to spike, they're much higher than initial estimates predicted…”

“Doctor! She is waking up!”

The Subject’s eyelids snapped open, revealing obsidian irises that would have been more appropriately placed on a feral animal than a girl in her mid-teens. In that instant, the room was filled with a blood-curdling scream as she began to thrash against her bonds. At this point, the clicks were indistinguishable between one another.

“Neuro readings are buried in the red! Ten! Ten, can you hear me? You have to calm down!”

“GET HER SEDATED, NOW!”

One nurse struggled to hold the young girl to the table as the other retrieved a syringe. Ten howled as the fine needle neared the flesh of her arm. The nurse screamed as she was engulfed in a gout of psionic fire. Although the flames lasted less than a second before dissipating, the nurse’s flesh was charred black and covered in deep burns. She fell to the ground; her screams and movements were feeble, but still indicated the agonizing pain that covered her entire body. A hungry grin spread across Ten’s face upon the sight and another burst of fire silenced the injured nurse. Panic filled the room as staff scattered away from the Subject’s wrath; bursts of flame filled the room, either exploding in empty air or striking close enough to living flesh to entice an agonized shout.

“GUARD! SHOOT HER!”

Barks of gunfire echoed around the room followed by the sounds of bullets ricocheting. Instead of sinking into exposed flesh, the metal slugs struck an invisible barrier just inches from Ten deflecting them in fiery sparks. Streams of smoke began to escape from the seams of the psionic counter as the circuitry began to overload. More bursts of fire, each bigger than the last. Ten’s rage escalated as she continued to fight against her bonds like a trapped predator.


“Then what happened?”

Subject One’s eyes met his attendant’s for the first time for several minutes, though his gaze was still distant. “Then the entire facility was instantaneously engulfed in a massive fireball that lasted only a few seconds. All that remained once the heat and flames died off was smoldering rubble, charred bodies, and the girl, standing in the middle of the ruins, laughing manically…” One shook his head, doing his best to erase the disturbing image that haunted his mind. With a sigh, he slumped deeper into the psychiatric couch. “I’ve never heard of a Persephonian and she didn’t look like the Ten I knew. Is another Unit experimenting with a new procedure?”

The doctor scrawled on his clipboard. “There is no Persephonian procedure in the works. All of the Units are over their heads in paperwork and are too busy running tests and analyzing the Subjects that we already have. You know how vague your visions can be, most of them don’t happen exactly like you predict in any case. It is likely that this is just another one of your false visions.”

“There is nothing wrong with my visions, especially the reoccurring ones like this. The only reason why they don’t play out in the exact same way is because I intervene in one form or another to change the end result.” One’s tone had the slightest indication that he had taken offense to the doctor’s statement.

“And by telling me about this vision, you are doing just that. Therefore, there is no need to become anxious over this, I’ll see to it that the staff in the other Units receive this report and take any necessary precautions for any possible Persephonian procedure, if there’s to ever be such a thing.”

“But what if by filing that report you initiate the course of events that—“

The doctor raised his hand to interject One. “Let me stop you right there. You are delving into circular logic once again and we both know how such discussions get us nowhere. All experiments to test that theory have proven inconclusive on the sheer principle of it being a paradox. There is no need to beat a horse that has been dead for years now.”

The following moment of silence was broken by the facility’s intercom.

”Subjects 05 and 07, report to Clinical Room C for Hadesian treatment and analysis. Subjects 04 and 08, report to Simulation Room A for Tandem Hack exercise. Subjects 01 and 03, report to Sparring Ring B for combative testing.”

“Well, it looks like that is it for today’s session. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, One.”

[Shadow Moonseye]

“Subjects 05 and 07, report to Clinical Room C for Hadesian treatment and analysis. Subjects 04 and 08, report to Simulation Room A for Tandem Hack exercise. Subjects 01 and 03, report to Sparring Ring B for combative testing.”

Three looked up from her crouched position, her attention drawn by the announcement the speakers blared. “Fan-fucking-tastic. Just when I thought the day was getting better! Lost Five and had found a place to get some time to myself. But no. Now,” She growled, a frown etching itself deep into her features. “Get to go play test subject. Again.” She pushed herself to her feet, one hand coming up and flipping the speaker the bird. “Fuckers.”

She growled once more, before she started out the door. It was always the same thing, for as long as she could remember. Test after test, trying to turn her into a success, to make her the perfect Arenian type. A bitter smirk twisted her lips up from the frown. In fact, were it not for her ‘attitude issues’ as they called it, she could very well be a success. Then she could be in their favor, have a ‘voice’ and all the perks that came with the armband.

She snorted, the sound harsh in her own ears. “Fuck that shit.”

The young woman stalked through the halls, being given a wide berth by most, and snarling a warning at those who strayed to close for her liking. Long strides carried her rapidly towards her destination. Least it’s a fight. I actually enjoy those. She grinned and cracked her knuckles, rolling her shoulders and neck as she walked, loosening up for the coming spar.

Why’d they set me up with One again? Fighting isn’t his thing, he’s a schemer. Unless they think that fighting him will encourage me to ‘improve’ my attitude. Do they just want to see him get his ass handed to him? Maybe he had one of those vision things that had to do with me. Or this test. Shit, why am I bothering thinking about this, not like it’ll make a difference if I know why. We‘re just mice running mazes.

Three blinked, her musings carried her the final distance to the sparring ring. She looked about, but there was no sign of One. Making a face, she flicked her gaze up to the camera; knowing that her movements were being watched by nurses and staff; both behind the camera and in the overhead seating. She bared her teeth in a feral grin and making a gun shape with her fingers pointed it at the camera. She winked--though it was far from friendly--and pulled the ‘trigger’.

“Bang! You‘re dead!” She threw her head back and laughed, lowering her hand and turning back towards the entrance to the sparring ring. A moment was taken to grab a pair of fighting gloves, pulling them on and flexing her fingers to get adjusted to them. “So when’s dear old One gonna get here? Or he busy telling another sob story to his counselor?” She didn’t expect an answer, and instead focused on doing a bit of stretching while she could. “It’s rude to be late to an ass-kicking, you know.”

[Loki]

One took his time traveling from the Counselor’s Office to the Sparring Ring. It wasn’t that he hated sparring with other Subjects, it’s that he hated sparring with Three. Outside of the ring, she could be more than a handful; inside the ring, she is downright vicious even without being overcome by bloodlust. A glance at a wall-mounted clock in the long, white hallway told that it was a little after eleven o’ clock. At least I will have lunch to look forward to after the fight. Here’s hoping that neither one of us will have to drink it through a straw.

After a few more minutes, One entered the room with a large white circle on the middle bathed in florescent lighting. A dimly lit balcony along the wall of the room provided a place where their fight could be observed from a safe distance. The outlines of several people could been observed in the overhead seating provided along with several cameras that were mounted against the banister of the balcony. In the middle of it all stood Three, clearly restless and hungry for blood.

“Oh, so pretty boy finally decided to show up! ‘bout fucking time, was half-expecting you’d chicken out.”

Several previous fights ran through One’s mind as he recalled Three’s strengths, weaknesses, effective strategies, and failed tactics that left him bruised. Is it really tied up? He ran through a mental list of wins and losses more carefully and tallied up the results. 34-34… Fan-tastic… One filed that bit of information into his tactics. It has been a while since the two of them had been tied; it wasn’t until he hit the hot-streak of five consecutive wins that he had closed an otherwise one-sided score. A streak that he knew would only make Three all that more eager to inflict pain, more so since it had been nearly a year since she hadn’t been in the lead.

One grabbed the pair of fighting gloves that was provided for the Subjects and strapped them on, flexing his fingers to adjust to the altered rigidity. He entered the ring and took several practice swings to warm up his muscles and prepare his mind for the fight. After a minute of that routine, he approached the center of the ring where Three awaited.

“Good luck, Three” One’s voice was sincere. The outcome of the fight didn’t really concern him as long as he left in one piece and upon his own two legs. Yet, he knew better than the throw the fight; no so much for the researcher’s sake as much as his own. To do so would only entice her wrath outside of the ring, away from the medical techs that stood at the ready.

“Save it, One.” Three spat out, her teeth bared in a feral grin. “You’re the one that’ll need it.”

”Conducting combative test of Athenian, Subject 7-01 versus Arenian, Subject 7-03 trial 69. Execute!

Right jab followed by snap kick.

As envisioned, Three’s opening attack was a fast jab which was easily parried. The jab was followed by a kick, which One ducked under by the slightest margin and darted to her exposed flank to strike with a powerful hook aimed for her kidney. The Arenian dove forward to avoid the attack, bringing up her other foot in the process that One had just barely flinched to avoid.

“Come on ya pussy! You fight like a fucking girl!”

One pressed the attack, but Three had done an axial handspring to recover her balance and return to a fighting stance before he had an opportunity to land a follow-up strike.

Several exchanges passed in a similar fashion where attacks were deflected and countered an opening salvo only to have his counter-attacks deflected and countered without anybody landing a solid hit. One remained silent and focused while Three endlessly shouted insults.

Left cross, uppercut.

One leaned away from the cross and prepared to deflect the uppercut only to find Three following her momentum rather than retracting for the uppercut. Shit! He dropped low in time to avoid the roundhouse kick that was headed straight for his temple and countered with a leg sweep that kicked Three’s support from beneath her. She landed on her back, but was able to control her landing and transfer the impact through her arms rather than her spine. One took the offensive, but Three had already rolled away and started to rise before he could take advantage of any easy openings. He rushed her with a series of powerful jabs before she could square herself, causing her to retreat several paces to avoid the blows. The ninth jab landed squarely on her jaw, but it was at the extent of One’s reach and much of the power behind it was lost.

A surge of adrenaline coursed through One as instincts and tactical experience screamed in alarm. He had just poked the beehive. Fuck! He pressed forward even harder, desperate to take her out with the next couple of swings. The rage building in Three’s eyes was all too obvious and she did something that was never a good omen. She stopped talking. One wound up while still pressing forward and threw a heavy swing that just barely missed. Still he pressed forward, eager not to let Three regain her balance. Jab, miss. Jab, miss. Cross, miss. Jab, deflected. One knew his time was running out and he took another heavy swing that was intended to knock out his opponent. Three caught his arm by the bicep and shoved her palm into the center of his chest, stopping his advance and causing him to step back a few paces to keep from falling back.

Three’s eyes showed her rage; they looked hungry.

Oh shit! Abilities, don’t fail me now!

[quakernuts]

“Subjects 05 and 07, report to Clinical Room C for Hadesian treatment and analysis. Subjects 04 and 08, report to Simulation Room A for Tandem Hack exercise. Subjects 01 and 03, report to Sparring Ring B for combative testing.”

Four opened one eye from his lying position on his cot. His posture was one of complete calm and utter lack of interest. He had heard the voice many times before, and couldn't care less what it said. the scientists were beneath him. He was more than human, more than they could ever be, and they acted like they controlled him. It was an elaborate lie that worked well on the other subjects, but never on Four. He had chosen the path of Failure, not stumbled down it. So what if the successes got better accomodations and the unofficial title of "Teacher's pet." Four simply grunted at the intercom, and turned on his side. He was tired, so he would sleep.

Just as he managed to close his eyes again, the hiss of the door opening made him groan on the inside. The sound of heavy footfalls indicated he was right in his assumption, and he could feel the presence of the guards as they made to grab him. He flexed quickly, sending shards of electricity around his body, and making the guards hesitate for a slight moment before backing off. Four slowly turned over and sat up. Both guards were wearing rubber insulated clothing, meaning they would be almost completely immune to his powers. Giving them a once over though, he saw chinks in the armour where he could hit and cause damage if he wished to do so. Four stared at them, and they stared back. A grim silence fell between them, and Four finally gave a sigh. He didn't bother with words, only nodding to the door as he got up and made his way out of the room.

The guards accompanied him all the way to the testing facility, giving him enough room that if he were to attack, he wouldn't be able to get to the second one fast enough before he pulled his weapon. Four didn't know where these fears were coming from, he had never attacked a guard or scientist, yet they treated him like he would kill them all in the blink of an eye if he had the choice. In reality, he didn't care if they were alive or dead, so long as he got out of here. If he had a life before this facility, it was long forgotten, but something he wished to find.

The guards led him to a door, which gave another hissing sound as it slid opened, and the guards stood to each side to allow him to pass. No words were said, and no gestures were made. Four made a note of staring at each other them, allowing a flash of light to appear from his eyes, and walked forward into the room. A little reminder to them who was really in charge, whether they wanted to believe it or not. They ignored him, and as he stepped inside, the door hissed rather loudly behind as it closed. Inside the room there was a large, block like device. Four knew it was a server farm, knew what the test was about, and had eight not been put into the same situation, Four woul have simply sat in a corner and went to sleep. He didn't care if they labelled him a failure, but he didn't like others being labelled that because of him. Other than the one device in the room, the entire place was bare. The only other things was a one way mirror high up on the farthest wall, which allowed for the spooks to gather intelligence on their projects. Four stared up at the mirror, knowing full well that he couldn't see anyone on the other side, but hoping to get his message across to them. He didn't care.

The door hissed open once more, revealing eight as he walked inside. His head was held low, and his posture suggested he had already given up the test. Four turned towards him, and when his head picked up to see who was there, Four simply nodded in his direction. Eight walked over to him, and stood beside him looking at the server farm. Eight nodded towards the server farm.

"You plan on winning this?"

"I never do." Four responded, taking another glance towards the glass upwards on the wall.

"Good, let's get started." Eight said, and walked towards the server. The speakers chimed once more.

"Commencing Tandem Hacking test of Zeusian, Subject 7-04 with Hephaestian, Subject 7-08. Trial 69. Execute." Four shrugged, and watched as Eight got into position, Four stood next to the construct. Placing his palms on the the sides, and slightly leaning against it, he started the test.

The first sign of Four using his powers were his eyes going completely white, and small bits of lightning arcing upwards from the edges of his whites. Next, blue bolts of electricity coursed over his arms, then his torso, and finally his legs. He grimaced as he tried to hold the power steady, not the easiest thing to do when trying to maintain something moving at the speed of light. Power hummed from the machine as it started, and Four hoped Eight could do whatever it was he was planning to do fast. He knew all too well what happened when he used his power for too long, and he didn't plan on ending up in the medical ward again.

[Squall Reyes]

“Subjects 05 and 07, report to Clinical Room C for Hadesian treatment and analysis. Subjects 04 and 08, report to Simulation Room A for Tandem Hack exercise. Subjects 01 and 03, report to Sparring Ring B for combative testing.”

Eight was already standing in his room, staring at the wall. He was lost in his thoughts, though he had indeed heard the announcement. But Eight had other things in mind with the test. Another test and other try, he thought to himself. His mind was a buzzed with ideas, with plans. The Administration may had taken much of his body but he still had his own mind, his own plans.

He didn't leave the room quite yet. He did what he could to make life difficult for the Administration. The hiss of the opening door told Eight his time of planning was over, now it was about executing. He turned to the door expecting a pair of guards, instead what he saw one a single doctor. His doctor, well head doctor, the Administration had put him with her several weeks ago, he had guessed other failures were acceptable and replaceable. Eight however cost much time, and plenty of money and his natural gift for computers was irreplaceable.

Doctor Miyake looked at Eight with a smile which Eight recognized to be rather false, though even a false smile made the good doctors charming looks all the more prevalent. And that was perhaps the great flaw in the Administrations plan by giving him such a young vibrant doctor. The moments spent with her was another painful reminder of all that Eights has not and will not experience. But perhaps this was what it was meant to do, open him up emotionally to allow one of their own in.

Whatever the case Eight was having none of it was he made for the door quickly but was cut off by the doctor as she block his path.

"I have testing to get to Doctor." Eight said rather impatiently.

"In a moment Eight, I was just looking to see how you were doing. Making sure you were not going to be causing any trouble today." She said, trying very hard to lay on the charm. She was very good at it. Eight had trouble looking at her, partly because of guilt, and also because of distrust. He knew any more trouble he caused would directly effect the woman in front of him. And truth be told he really was unsure if she deserved it or not.

"I'm functional well." He said quickly.

"I'm not talking about functionally Eight, I mean how are you feeling?" She the doctor replied, trying to catch his eyes with hers.

"You know how I'm feeling doctor, it's the same as it has been since we first met." Eight was a bit more forceful this time and made a move to get out of the room by moving her out of the way.

Eight entered the room with his head lowered, all the more determined to get the test over with. His test not theirs. Four was already there and gave a nod of recognition that Eight gave back. He looked at the servers for a moment before asking Four. "You plan on winning this?"

"I never do." Four responded, taking another glance towards the glass upwards on the wall.

"Good, let's get started." Eight said, and walked towards the server. The speakers chimed once more.

"Commencing Tandem Hacking test of Zeusian, Subject 7-04 with Hephaestian, Subject 7-08. Trial 69. Execute." Four shrugged, and watched as Eight got into position, Four stood next to the construct. Placing his palms on the the sides, and slightly leaning against it, he started the test.

As the electricity flowed through the severs, he heard them begin to power up. The room began to get quite loud with the crackling of Fours power and the swirling of the servers motors. Eight began to walk around it, as though examining for a weak spot. This however was not his purpose, he was simply looking to get close enough to Four to say, "When I give the signal, give this thing the best blast of power you can."

With all the noise Eight was fairly certain the doctors looking in were unable to hear even with the microphones he was fairly certain were around. He could sense them. Now however was were the testing began for himself as he approached the fully working servers. As he approached them his hands seemed to dig into the skin of his neck. He pulled it open as easily as though it were simply a trap door, inside the wiring of his true interior could be seen. As he reached into his neck he pulled out several cables with he fitted directly into the server.

[Chainlinc3]

Seven sighed as the speakers crackled to life.

”Subjects 05 and 07, report to Clinical Room C for Hadesian treatment and analysis. Subjects 04 and 08, report to Simulation Room A for Tandem Hack exercise. Subjects 01 and 03, report to Sparring Ring B for combative testing.”

"Whoop-di-fucking-do."

She was not in the mood for this. Never in the mood for this. The other subjects were her family, or at least as close to it as she had. The fact that she had to basically consume them on a regular basis hurt her, though, admittedly, not as badly as NOT feeding. She felt bad doing it to Five especially... he was too damn nice. It bugged her how he seemed not to care that she was sucking away his life. It made her feel selfish. It made her feel mad.

Her feet knew where to go more or less on their own. She was fairly sure she'd be the first one there. She usually was-- there was just no point in stalling. The way she saw things, you get the bullshit taken care of now, and that left you with bullshit-free time later.

Another turn, and she was immersed in the sterile glow of Clinical Room C. She dropped into one of the chairs provided for the doctors, but a glare from its owner quickly evicted her again.

"So. Same old, same old?"

[Guilty Carrion]

This was a bad day.

Not for Five himself in any particular sense, but for everyone else in the unit it seemed. He stood stalk still in the center of the hallway, quiet brown eyes rapidly flicking from location to location in a seemingly random pattern along the walls. To anyone passing by, this might have been an odd sight, but the staff had grown use to Five’s…quirks. His ‘examination’ seemingly complete, his eyes slipped back into their usual dreamy state, and the slow rise and fall of his chest became the only indicator of life in the still form.

Three was in a particularly foul mood, and somehow had managed to give him the slip when everyone else had surged his mind. One seemed troubled, although his discomfort paled in comparison to the violent urges of Three. Four barely registered, a minor flare of annoyence tugging at Five’s mind every now and again, whilst Eight seemed lost in his mind.

”Subjects 05 and 07, report to Clinical Room C for Hadesian treatment and analysis. Subjects 04 and 08, report to Simulation Room A for Tandem Hack exercise. Subjects 01 and 03, report to Sparring Ring B for combative testing.”

And now Seven was angry. Marvelous. Five spared a glance in the direction of the sparring ring, the turbulent hurricane of Three’s emotions tugging at him, and he knew full well it wouldn’t be long before that was unleashed on One. With a parting glance towards the ring, the subject headed off towards Clinical Room C. As he walked, his mind as per usual, wandered and the Apollonian found himself wondering what had placed the rest of the squad so on…edge. Perhaps a bad night’s sleep? It was odd for them ALL to sleep poorly, but anything was possible…

So lost in thought was Five, he hadn’t even noticed he was in the room until he had practically run into Seven. Slowing to a stop, he gave a brief nod to the room in general in greeting, eyes staring off at the wall, his mind lost somewhere far from here.

The scientists quietly vacated the chamber, into the well protected observation chamber to observe the events set to transpire. The speaker flared to life.

"Subject 07, you will be near-fatally wounded by three rounds from a semi-automatic assault rifle known as the M-4 Carbine. Upon this assault, you will make contact with Subject 05 and begin your Hadesian healing process. When completely healed, you will break contact and allow Subject 05 to recuperate. Do you understand your task?"

Five blinked at the command, before glancing at his fellow Subject. “I’ll fix it all up, Seven.” A small smile spread across his face, as a well armoured man entered the chamber, a rifle held tightly in his hands.

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