entranceway | e x p e r i m e n t #05 (accidental video)

[When the broadcast starts, it goes from silence to the immediate noise of two people screaming, punctuated by the sound of laser gunshots and mechanical whirring. It seems the device is on a side-table, giving a flat view of Ford and Alphys… perched on another table. Alphys is curled up, hands over her head, looking incredibly distressed, while Ford seems to be shooting at something off-camera.]

Oh m-my god, oh my god, we’re going to d-die here, I’m so s-sorry, I didn’t know they were all going to start...

Don’t worry! I happen to have excellent aim.

[All of a sudden, something takes a flying leap up onto the table, and Alphys yells as Ford shoots it down. The ensuing shot causes the device to fall over, revealing the floor is absolutely covered in knife wielding box tentacles, some with multiple arms, some with multiple knives, all running over each other and stabbing the floor, themselves, and the table. Alphys is still yelling. Ford is still shooting. It looks like an absolute catastrophe.]

Maybe we shouldn’t have prototyped them with the basic ability to learn--

Well it w-would have been fine if it was just, y-you know, one of them! They weren’t all supposed to turn on at the same time!

[Suddenly, Alphys turns her head and seems to notice the device, turning herself around and reaching out to grab it, bringing it in close to her and Ford.]

Uh, t-this is totally under control! No need to panic! I d-don’t, uhm, know how long this has been broadcasting, but, it’s f-fine! … And m-maybe don’t come to Ford’s room for, uhm, a little bit, for uh. Reasons.

Is that thing on? Uh, I mean-- Yes! Everything is absolutely, 100% under control. There is no need to worry about anythi-- [Ford cuts himself off and hisses.] Watch out, Alphys! I think it just tasted my blood!!

Oh g-god please don’t let that do anything new.

[And the device blinks off, cutting out the mechanical whirring sounds with it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You haven't dealt with many journalists, have you?

What am I, a mind reader?

Type it up. That's what printers are for: People with bad handwriting but many things to say.

[She refrains from scoffing at the idea of needing to print things. If this was her world and time, he'd be old enough to have been an adult well before the Rising, so learning that he'd trust something printed out more than something online wouldn't be a surprise. As it is, with time travel and alternate universes in the mix, she can't really guess.

But she can certainly show him how bloggers in 2040 do it.]

How did lab conditions get out of hand enough to start a...

[...there are no words for this. If they were zombies, this would be an outbreak. They aren't zombies. They're knife-wielding tentacle boxes. What the fuck.]

Rampage?

[Good enough word.]

The RFID was a bit stronger than we thought, and this wasn't even a serious experiment. [HE SHRUGS]

RFID? [She tilts her head, expression remaining inscrutable behind her sunglasses.] If this wasn't serious, I'd hate to see what serious actually looks like.

You're the second person to say that! And you really wouldn't.

RFID is Radio Frequency Identification. It's used for operating electronics wirelessly.

e x p e r i m e n t #05 (accidental video)

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