03 | video

[boilover]

Right, here's the thing - I need a nerd. A geek. A smart guy. Or girl, whatever. I ain't overly picky.

[He shrugs his shoulders, casual as anything, taking a long sip of his beer. Sara may have told him this was not the best method to catch himself a genius but given the chance of there being some hanging around this joint, he thinks it's the perfect way. When in doubt, post an ad.]

This guy I know got brainwashed into being the king of dicks and I'm getting kind of sick of his shit so I need someone who'd be able to do some sci-fi sciencey stuff on his head. I have a vague idea how to do it but I just can't remember the details. [He's pretty much forgotten how they originally did it back home but he can unhelpfully offer vague information and a beer while you work. A+ service.]

All the 'smart' ones I know are annoyingly the biggest idiots around, I'm looking for someone less inclined to be stupid as hell. Help me out and maybe I'll help you out. Though my skills are limited to burning and breaking stuff.

[At least he knows his strengths? If you want a bonfire, ka-ching.]

I know a good looking chick if that sweetens the deal. Ain't saying she's gonna touch you but you can admire from afar. Really far. I also know some easy dudes if that's your thing. [Hey, whatever fixes this mess.]

Comments

[shrinkage]

[ freya now has a standing open invitation to come to welding wednesdays and learn the fun parts of technology and science! ]

Right here!

[ ray stands up, waving his greeting-- he's dressed in a few pieces of his exo-suit but he's moving with care. if it's not obvious he'd been a corpse not too long ago, it might just seem like he maybe hit the gym a little too hard yesterday. ]

Hey, Freya. Thank you for coming. For-- even offering to help. We really appreciate it. I'm not sure we could do this on our own, actually.

[deathlessness]

My pleasure. The particular problem that I'm trying to solve seems to have hit a dead end, so I could do with a problem that's easy to fix.

[Or not easy necessarily, but at least has a clear path forward.]

Now, what exactly was done to Captain Hunter?

[shrinkage]

Essentially? The man responsible accessed Rip's memories while they were outside his brain to rewire him upon returning them to Rip. He's the same person in theory, but he doesn't have his strong moral compass anymore. He isn't missing memories so much as they've been twisted to change his perspective of them. It pretty much reversed that moral compass entirely, actually.

[ ray turns then, pressing a few commands into his gauntlet. in what looked like an empty corner of the workshop sprouts the sci-fi-est looking ring of dentist chairs with a mess of wires connecting them all. ]

This is the CI device-- it allows users to use cognitive intrusion to enter someone's subconscious in order to brainwash them. We use it to un-brainwash Rip back home. It's super dangerous even when it's not in Wonderland.

[deathlessness]

[She nods slowly, before flipping open her notebook and moving to rest it on one of the nearby tables that looks fairly clear.]

So it essentially allows you to enter Captain Hunter's mind, where you hope to find the original version and bring him to the forefront, somehow?

[shrinkage]

[ he nods. ]

When we did it back home, my team mates had to find him and convince him that his subconscious wasn't reality.

[ when he sees freya start to get comfy, he drags a couple of stools toward the table she's chosen and starts to clear the surface. ]

My concern is that technology in Wonderland doesn't tend to work well without a little fairy dust involved, as far as I've experienced. I can power the thing, I can operate it with Mick's help, but the last time I was sure something I built would work, it made me live on the roof for a month. Magical safety nets wouldn't happen to be a thing, would they...?

[deathlessness]

[She tips her head to the side because safety nets? She's not so sure about. But memory magic is. She shifts onto on of the stools before she flips to an open page and starts to draw.]

It never hurts to try, in my experience. At first I thought what Mick might be referring to was some kind of compulsion - vampires can do that in my world and with magic I can break it, but from what you describe it sounds like the problem is deeper than that.

[And once she completes the circle, she turns it around to face him.]

But there's also a kind of memory magic that will allow you to do the same thing, but more delicately. Perhaps if we use these circles around each of the chairs, I can try and stabilize the process from here. Now, it's not a guarantee of safety - if they die while they're in this lucid dreaming state, they will die here in Wonderland - but we'll at least be able to pull them in and out easily if things start to go bad.

[shrinkage]

[ it's a little abstract for his preferences, but it does at least make sense. ray nods as he studies the symbol. his voice carries the sort of admiration ray gives before he has understanding. once seated, he pulls it closer as if somehow he can science its secrets out. ]

This is elegant. How does it work?

[ where most would ask the question out of skepticism, it's ray's eager curiosity that brings the question out of him. ]

Also-- did you say vampires?

[deathlessness]

I did say vampires.

[BUT THAT'S NOT WHY WE'RE HERE, RAY. FOCUS UP.]

One version of the circle will go around the chair with Rip in it, because that's the mind we're trying to access. A similar one will go around whoever is going to be accessing his mind from the outside. When I've done it in the past, it's manifested as a hallway with a series of doors, but combined with the machine, it could be however Captain Hunter's mindscape chooses to present itself.

[She gives a small nod.]

I'll do the incantation over Rip, and if something starts to go wrong, all we'll need to do is break the circle and it should bring them out of it safely.

[shrinkage]

OK, that sounds straightforward enough.

[ he swivels a screen toward himself to take down notes to share with whoever decides to go in. ]

Have you ever had it go wrong before? I'm not sure what to expect if the CI glitches out. I'm going to run tests but tests in Wonderland have lied to me before.

[deathlessness]

A person's mind can be a volatile place.

[It's hard to tell if that's a yes or not, but it's certainly not a no. Especially when a person's mind has been turned on it's head the way Rip seems to have been.]

Whether they're facing memories, or Rip's own mental protections that he's devised for himself, there is every chance that something could go wrong in the process. But if you have a way to monitor their vitals while this is happening, it can at least keep us from playing a guessing game as to their status.

[shrinkage]

[ wow. well either way, it's extremely intense and a little bit creepy. but ray responds to her suggestion first, nodding again. ]

I can rig up vital monitors and track neural activity, yeah.

[ he takes a breath, and sets the monitor aside before turning freya's notebook back to her. his tone is quiet but even, contrasted against his previous eager rambling. ]

Look, I think we both know there are things worse than death. You not wanting to tell me how bad it could get is understandable, but I need to know before I tell my friends to do this.

[deathlessness]

[She can certainly understand that. She would want the same if their situations were reversed. At the same time, however, the problem with being an outsider looking in is this:]

Unfortunately, I don't know Rip well enough to know the dangers his mind could possess. It's not the spell itself that will harm them. It's whatever defenses Rip has in place to protect himself.

[So, she doesn't now. All she does know is the worst case scenario.]

I just know that the harm transfers, so if this brainwashing has a protection detail to go with it, death is a real possibility.

[shrinkage]

Oh. I'm sorry-- I see what you mean, now.

[ he'd been more focused on the process. in ray's little sphere, it's the technology that offers the danger, in general. he's not sure if he feels better or worse about this. ]

OK, what else...oh. Is there anything from the technology end of things that could interfere? The power source I'm going to be using is stable but it's extremely potent.

[deathlessness]

[She pauses for a moment, before shaking her head.]

I don't think so, no. If anything, it will require me to use less energy to focus the spell, which means I can maintain it for longer, which should help our ends.

[But just to double check:]

What kind of power source is it?

[shrinkage]

Star stuff. It's incredibly dense matter from a white dwarf star-- it's what powers my suit. Makes me tiny. No currant cake necessary.

[ his warms a little, talking about his tech and calling back to his arrival. ]

[deathlessness]

[She smiles a bit at that before nodding slowly.]

While I can't say I've ever channeled a star before, I have worked with celestial objects. I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

[Though channeling the full moon is probably not the same thing, but she'll make it work.]

[shrinkage]

[ his gaze sharpens a little, and he fails to hide his excitement. ]

Well...do you want to take it for a test run?

[deathlessness]

[She can't help but be amused at that. It's rare that someone is this excited to work with her.]

Why not. Better to be safe than sorry. Though we will need a subject.

[shrinkage]

[ before she's done speaking, he's up and retrieving the piece of dwarf star. ]

Oh, use me! [ he returns to the table, holding the unassuming hunk of surprisingly heavy metal out to her. ] Can you do something to me? Oh-- when I was a sorcerer in the kindergarten I accidentally made someone's skin into rubber. Horrifying at first, but-- also very awesome.

[deathlessness]

[She laughs a bit before shaking her head.]

No, nothing like that. But ... hmmmm.

[She takes the piece of dwarf star, rolling it in her hand for a moment, before tipping her head to the side.]

How do you feel about New Orleans, 1914?

[shrinkage]

[ he lights up and nods. ]

Great! That's a time I haven't traveled to yet.

[deathlessness]

Good. Give me your hand.

[She'll hold her free hand out to him, offering this small access into her memories freely. She's trying to decide which segment of 1914 she wants to share, but she probably shouldn't pick that time one brother daggered her other brother at Christmas.]

Just close your eyes and relax your mind as much as you can.

[shrinkage]

[ even if freya were to make her request while ray was fast asleep in dreamland, the prospect of clearing his mind would be a tall order. but his hand folds easily into hers -- eagerly, even.

he tries, though. tries not to think about how desperate he is for her help. about how helpless he feels in needing help at all. his excitement at experiencing real magic not wielded by wonderland is almost energized by the fact that she's allegedly channeling the dwarf star.

he tries, really! he thinks of the things he does know of new orleans-- a caricature, really. the tourist's view of a city rich in culture and history. ]

I'm not really great at that. [ he whispers the words as if it'll help keep him from disrupting the spell. ] Relaxing, I mean.

[deathlessness]

I can imagine. Don't worry, you won't need to relax for long.

[She then begins to chant under her breath, focusing on the energy of the dwarf star alloy and drawing it into herself, and using it to project one of the strongest memories she has - the party her siblings threw that Christmas.

She doesn't focus on the events so much as the attire and the setting, putting herself in her party dress from that evening, and drumming up something for Ray to wear that's appropriate.]

There. New Orleans, 1914.

[shrinkage]

[ the feeling certainly takes. ray turns to take in their sudden new surrounding-- and it's more than a little disorienting. new sights and sounds, and it even smells different. food, and perfume, and smoke.

and hey look he's dapper af. ]

This must be what a holodeck feels like... there's even music. [ hang on: ] How are we here? Is this some kind of illusion magic?