[closed] and since we've one place to go

[nonscriptum]

Who: Nathan Drake, Elena Fisher, Agent Washington, Agent Maine, Kyna Midha, Staci Pratt, Poe Dameron, Taako Taaco, Lup Taaco, Peter Parker
What: Nate leads a polar expedition out to the mountains.
Where: Out on the tundra; at an undisclosed excavation site in the foothills.
When: February 1-14
Warnings: PG-13+ for swearing, descriptions of dead bodies/science torture. :(




[source]

WELCOME TO SNOW HELL

the journey | the door | the bunker | the lab

Comments

base camp meeting

[nonscriptum]

team meeting

team meeting in 30 minutes at base camp

it's urgent, but don't kill yourselves getting here

[He isn't the only one who knows, but he also doesn't think it's appropriate to keep the information to himself. It's the kind of stuff they need to have on-hand moving forward, particularly since it's tied almost inextricably to the whole hostage situation going on back in the city.

Of course they'd all be way the Hell out here, just for the inconvenience of it.]

I know some of you have seen the clips, the material in the lab. Not just the dead host in the tank, but the videos, the images, and-

[He's seen a lot of shit in his line of work, but the sociopathic deconstruction of another living creature on camera is something else. Nate swallows, trying to find a good way to start and deciding there's no sense mincing words. He paces as he talks, partly because of nervous energy and partly because there needs to be some semblance of group feedback. It's not an easy subject.]

The Null were torturing hosts. Implanting them, taking them apart, getting into their brains, it was like they were trying to figure out what made them tick, or how they could use them to turn them against the gods. The hosts we've seen - the ones attacking people around the city - I think they escaped from here. [Nate amends hastily:] Or- Or places like here, there have to be multiple labs all along this mountain range. Hosts didn't have metal panels on them originally, they were organic, but these are something else. I don't even know if they can think for themselves anymore, it's possible they're under Null control and don't even know it. It's possible the same thing could happen to us.

[He lets it sink in, jaw tight.]

I'm not trying to scare anyone, but I think the situation's a lot more fucking real than we thought it might be, so...I wanted to see what everyone else found, and what they think we might be able to take back to the city for whatever's coming.



[NOTE: If you want to specifically respond to Nate in this subject, please put "Nate" in the subject line. If you want to open up your character's findings/observations to the group for a discursive engagement, please put "Open To Group" in the subject line. This will just make it easier to navigate than a free-for-all, since we have a lot of people here. Thanks!]

Nate: i choose you!

[theweakhavepurpose]

So it worked then. The control. Obedience. It worked mechanically.

[He seems far away, looking at the wall and thinking about that. Is it better or worse than torturing people until they break? Probably worse since they don't get as much of an opportunity to fight back. Ultimately they all fail though. So the end result is the same, and that's what matters. ]

They had a purpose for doing this.

[Yeah likely so they'd attack everyone and kill them. That's why something would make soldiers. That's why they want total control.

And what is that purpose? Everything is according to plan. Unless you're sloppy. Unless you're weak.]

Figuring out which ones would survive, culling out the weak.

[And where do soldiers go?]

To train. That's why they're not here anymore. They must have another facility.

[He is most definitely not talking to Nate anymore. In fact he probably doesn't even know Nate's still there.]

oh boy :')

[nonscriptum]

[Nate can tell something is wrong with Pratt the instant he registers the words; it's like watching someone glaze over in real time, the kind of physical response that suggests bad experience and something regressive pulling to the forefront. Nate had the same reaction once, we he thought his best friend died right in front of him. He'd been unknowingly high on something really bad at the time, but it didn't make the trauma surface any less quickly.

Pratt starts wandering and pulling away, mentally shifting gears, and Nate breaks off the group to pursue him. Catching up at the edge of the meeting Nate rests a hand on his shoulder, gentle but firm, trying to get some eye contact in.]

Pratt?

[He caught the tail end of that ramble, just enough to read between the lines. It's the same conclusion Nate had when he saw what he saw in the lab, but it feels different hearing it out loud.]

Bud, I'm gonna need you to reel yourself in a little here, okay?

[theweakhavepurpose]

[He twitches at the contact, but it doesn't register at first. Pratt's not home right now.]

A base of operations, training. So they'll know what to do.

[Nate's words very slowly wind their way into Pratt's brain, shuffling around with the other debris rattling around in his mind. Jacob's voice is always loudest, but Nate's seems closer, and the way he speaks forces its way through the haze and Pratt blinks before shaking his head.]

Yeah. Fine. I'm fine.

[Only he hadn't asked if Pratt was fine. And that also registers a little late. Pratt groans and rubs his eyes. ]

[nonscriptum]

[He's drifting and Nate doesn't like it, because the last thing any of them need is a breakdown. Having been there himself, knowing the way that he gets and the uselessness of swimming in your own fucked-up head, he can't let team members do the same when they still have a trip back to make.]

I didn't ask you if you were fine.

[Nate points out, not unkindly, but in such a way that suggests he's aware of the territory Pratt is venturing toward. The reaction has him wondering if the guy has had some conditioning of his own and if learning all of this is sending him into a spiral.]

But I think you know that, huh?

[theweakhavepurpose]

No I know. I .. uh...

Sorry.

[Yeah, sorry. Because apologizing definitely makes all this shit go away. Ha ha. Maybe no one will notice that he's a fucking basket case who might snap and kill everyone.]

I shouldn't have come on this trip.

[He sounds regretful, because honestly? Up until this point? He'd almost been having... fun.]

[nonscriptum]

No.

[Nate is sure to be insistent with it, following the way that Pratt's eye contact shifts ceaselessly around him rather than on him. Trying to read the tension is like trying to solve a code where he only has half the information, but he's done more with less.]

No, it was good that you came, Pratt. Don't apologize. It's my fault, okay?

[There's truth in that. None of these people would have been subjected to what was down there if he hadn't invited them in the first place.]

Sit down with me for a sec, all right?

[theweakhavepurpose]

How is this your fault? You didn't do any of this.

[Nate didn't know what they would find out here, and he definitely isn't the one who tortured some creatures into submission. He's not really sure why Nate even feels responsible about this.

In fact it's Pratt's fault for being so damn weak that he's even letting it effect him.

Be strong.]

I'm trying!

[Hissed out at the empty air and not towards Nate at all. Certainly not a response to anything he said.

Trying isn't good enough. Be stronger. Now.

Pratt straightens up and takes a deep breath.]

I don't need to sit down. It's okay. We need to decide what to do about this place. It looks abandoned but they.. they might come back.

[Yes good, focus on the present. Rational. Emotionless. Strong.]

[nonscriptum]

I brought us here.

[Nate doesn't even hesitate to clarify, because he's been feeling this overwhelming guilt and dread since the first few team members became privy to what was in that footage. But his words don't sink in, they don't register, because Pratt is hissing to himself as if he's having an argument with someone who isn't there.

Nate was drugged once, manipulated into giving up information he would have otherwise kept to himself. Drifting in a confusing haze of disorientation he had followed someone else's orders because it felt right, having something reassuring whispered in his ear, encouragement for the candor while he thought he talked to himself.

He has severe doubts about the claim that he's okay, that this is okay. It shows on Nate's face. Situating himself between Pratt and the group he lowers his voice, brow furrowed.]

...is there something you wanna tell me?

Open to Group

[itsnotaonesie]

[Peter had been with Nate when he found the clips, so he's had time to let everything sink in already. And to, y'know, get all the panicking out of his system. But shhh. He's either come to terms with it all or he's really good at faking it, but either way he doesn't seem all that freaked out about all this when Nate goes over it.

When Nate wraps up, Peter hesitantly puts his hand up, and then immediately and kind of awkwardly lowers it again because this isn't high school, come on dude.]

I, uh. It's um, not really a new discovery or anything, but I have a theory? What if the hosts didn't escape from these labs. What if the Null let them out? I mean, we don't know a ton about their technology, but the idea of them being able to remotely access these locations isn't really all that far fetched if you consider what we do know about them. I can't think of a reason why they would just abandon their tech like this, and that goes for what they implanted into the hosts as well. I think that, even if the Null aren't directly controlling the hosts, there's no reason that they wouldn't be able to still keep track of them. Where they're going, what they're doing, what they're seeing. I think the gods are wrong. I think the Null already know where we are.

[He'd been right about the hosts attacking the city coming from the mountains, he really hopes he's not right about this. I mean it could just be his imagination going off on a tangent, he has seen a lot of movies after all.]

[storyseeker]

[What Elena expected to find here—well, she doesn't know if she expected anything. But it wasn't this.]

I'm not dismissing that out of hand—I don't think we should do that in any case. [It'll just increase the odds that they all end up dead.] But if they were capable of that, why wouldn't they be capable of controlling them? Or if they aren't but can still monitor them, what's keeping them from coming here themselves?

[itsnotaonesie]

[That's totally fair. When you hear the word "bunker", your mind probably doesn't immediately go straight to "torture laboratory".]

I'm just running on a lot of maybes and what ifs right now. Maybe the Null are capable of controlling the hosts. Maybe the Null are planning on coming here, they're just waiting for the right time. This whole trade thing would be a perfect opportunity for them to make a move. The gods would be separated, and a bunch of our guys would be going along for the trade. Divide and conquer. Y'know, basic Sun Tzu strats.

[storyseeker]

[She's about to address the actual substance of his comments, when—]

You've read Sun Tzu?

[itsnotaonesie]

[He'd been going off on a completely different line of thought, so the question catches him off guard.]

Wh-- I... yeah? Yes? I had a history teacher who referenced The Art of War a lot, so I figured I'd just, y'know. Read it. It was less than five bucks on Amazon.

[storyseeker]

Huh.

[That history teacher was either hardcore or a huge poser.]

Well, I'm pretty sure the Null haven't read it, for whatever that's worth.

[nonscriptum]

Pretty sure the Null are just covering their bases.

[It's valid theorizing, at any rate. Nate voted in favor of fucking the Null over because he doesn't trust them to honor their proposal.]

Using the old hosts they worked on as scouts is easy for them, like having sleeper agents they didn't know they'd use until we showed up again. I'm in agreement about the trade, I didn't like it from the start but it's the most dangerous scenario for us - and the most advantageous to them - they could be running.

open to group

[bloodbathing]

[ Maine didn't set foot in the lab. He took one look down the elevator shaft, then he turned right the fuck back around and settled his ass at base camp. He kept busy enough. Butchered a mammoth, in case anyone felt like eating something other than MREs. But it doesn't seem like anyone's in the mood for fresh meat at the moment.

The massive Freelancer stands at the far edge of the group. His arms are folded; his feet are shoulder-width apart; his chin is slightly tucked, gold visor directed at Nathan. He listens with no visible reaction. Turns his head slightly to direct his attention to others as they speak. Listens to more theories. To suspicions. To reactions.

Maine might as well be carved of stone, for all that he outwardly reacts. After a few minutes spent studying the others — seeing how much this revelation apparently means to them — he turns and moves away from the group. Walks back to slabs of fresh meat and starts setting about cooking them.

Because honestly, Maine doesn't see how this changes a damn thing. The Null and the "gods" are at war. So what if the Null did experiments on the gods' hosts? Why wouldn't the Null search for weaknesses or ways to turn the hosts against the gods? They're at war. Why is any of this surprising?

Fuck it. The others can be as morally outraged as they want. Meanwhile, Maine's going to eat something fresh. ]

[theweakhavepurpose]

[Pratt has had his minor conditioning breakdown and is once again totally fine and sane and normal and this is all okay! hA HAHA. ]

I don't think anyone is going to feel like eating.

[ He's standing slightly behind Maine, looking more at the horizon than at him, trying to avoid seeing the chunks of meat cook even if he can already smell them and that's bad enough.]

[bloodbathing]

[ Maine glances over his shoulder, noting the way that Pratt doesn't seem to be looking at him. His first guess is that it's because of the armor; it can be intimidating, and maybe Pratt's way of dealing with that is by not looking at it. His second guess is that Pratt is as upset by the lab shit as everyone else appears to be, so he's avoiding eye-contact. Or ... eye-to-visor contact. Whatever.

(Despite knowing that the other man doesn't eat meat, Maine doesn't draw the connection to the sizzling haunch beside him.)

In any case, the avoidance makes it a little difficult for Maine to communicate. So he exaggerates his shrug, making it easier to see from the corner of an eye. Then he points at himself and taps his chestplate: he's hungry. ]

[theweakhavepurpose]

[He guesses Maine is cooking just to have something to do. Maybe to take his mind off what's happening. At least it's something to do rather than just standing around helpless like everyone else. ]

Alright. Yeah, you keep your strength up big guy.

[Also in case any of them have total breakdowns and need to be carried back to civilization.]

I think they're all discussing what they want to do next. Probably tell everyone on the network about the Null. Though if anyone thought that torture was out of the question then they don't know anything about how wars are fought.

I guess most people don't do they? That's probably for the best.

People are gonna lose their shit when they find out what happened here.

[bloodbathing]

[ If any breakdowns occur, Maine will indeed bodily haul party members along. Honestly, he's half-surprised that no one needed a ride on the way to the bunker. Seems the group as a whole is tougher than it looks.

Maine nods in agreement to Pratt's comment on torture. As the other man continues, however, Maine cocks his head to the side curiously.

Why is it better that people don't know how wars are fought? The people of Hadriel have been dragged into one, haven't they? Why is it for the best that they stay ignorant?

Unable to puzzle it out, Maine takes out his phone and types a few words. Steps away from the steak so that he can hold the screen out for Pratt to read: ]

"For the best." Why?

[theweakhavepurpose]

People shouldn't have to fight wars they didn't sign up for. Dragging non-combatants into this shit...

But I meant that some people come from places and times of peace. They shouldn't have to deal with this, they should be able to stay untainted by war and fighting and all this...

[He gestures around as if there's actually anything out there to gesture at.]

[bloodbathing]

[ It's a sentiment that Maine understands. Unfortunately, he doesn't think it's a realistic one. By allying with the "gods," the people of Hadriel pitted themselves against the Null. Doesn't matter if they weren't here for the decision. Doesn't matter if they don't agree with it. Shit, Maine doesn't want to be involved in this war, and he's been fighting nearly half his life. It is what it is — even if it fucking sucks.

So he asks (not entirely rhetorically): ]

City's a target. Innocence an option?

[ He could say "ignorance." But they're talking about people untainted by war; innocence seems more appropriate. ]

directly to nate

[hardwearing]

[ Wash has been unreadable his whole time in the labs. Quiet, perhaps moreso than usual, and impossible to read . by most of the party behind his mirrored visor. Kyna might have been able to tell that he was holding himself tensely, to everyone else he was just a guy in armor with nothing to say.... but he has a lot to say. There's a lot going on inside his head, after what they just saw. His own experience with experimentation and torture was different, yes, but Nate's words now? Taking them apart, getting into their brains, figuring out what made them tick...

He doesn't remove his helmet for this conversation. Not yet. ]

Why would the Null ever let the Hosts go after this? Or leave them to break free? You think the experiments backfired on them, or they just abandoned the project...?

[ He sounds cold and calm, holding himself very still. ]

Whatever they are now, whoever's control they're under, the city needs to know what we found.

[nonscriptum]

[Given that Nate can't see Wash's face, he's a little surprised when the guy urges him over for some one-on-one. Not being able to see the expression on his face - just a reflection of his own - makes him oddly uncomfortable and he doesn't know why.]

I don't know.

[It's an answer he's been giving to a lot of people, and it's clear that he hates saying it.]

Maybe they released them, using them like a- a literal sleeper cell. It seems too convenient for them to all come out of this place not long after we've arrived here. [He chews the inside of his cheek.] I don't-

I don't disagree with you, people have to know. It's more a matter of delivery.