capeandcowl | 5th Test // Video // Backdated to morning of the 25th, after the Masquerade dream

[The upbeat Salarian scientist looks a lot less upbeat on the video today, head bowed as he stands behind a lab counter. Actually, he looks downright embarrassed.]

Hello. Need to report... mishap with research. May have affected ImPorts. Possibly natives as well. Trying to determine scope of impact.

Was conducting stress testing on Evoker device. Partly responsible for previous event involving “Shadows.” [Air quotes!] Trying to determine the cause, prevent recurrence. May have inadvertently created new event.

[Mordin reaches off camera to pick up the culprit and show it to the Network. He’s holding a silvery gun-shaped device: Minako Arisato’s Evoker.]

Power surge during testing, resulted in massive Evoker energy discharge. Appears to have spread beyond lab, could have reached into the City. Evoker affects target’s subconscious. Summons images and powers from user’s own psyche. Can involve repressed fears, personality aspects. Effect described as... uncomfortable.

[Mordin sets down the Evoker.]

Difficult to say what might have happened. Anything from worst fears manifesting to disturbing dreams. Need to know if anyone experienced anything odd on night of the 24th. Could be related to accident. Will attempt to counter any harmful effects.

Abandoning research for now. Clearly risky, counterproductive, haven’t gained any useful data. Returning Evoker to owner, with apologies. Won’t risk further incidents.

Will be available if anyone needs assistance.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Dreamed about gods... yes, yes. [Enthusiastic nodding!] Persona evocations often linked to human mythology, cultural references. Could be linked. Know if anyone else had similar dreams?

I haven’t really talked about it to anyone. [ He looks uneasy. This entire experience has made him completely awkward. How could he just go up to people and say, hey, I kind of dreamed about you! And you were dressed like one of my uncles, how weird is that?! ]

Um, it. Wasn’t normal. I didn’t just dream about the gods. I was one of them. That’s never happened before. And, uh. The other gods were. Well, they reminded me of the ImPorts, here.

[Mordin frowns thoughtfully. This is getting curiouser and curiouser for him, which means he loves it.]

Hearing similar story from other respondents. Speculating if Evoker caused same dream in affected ImPorts, or established form of telepathy- shared dreaming.

Either way, completely unexpected outcome. Never saw this ability from Evoker before.

[ A pause. ]

So.

You think that the other people there were all actual people, other ImPorts?

[ Well, that's significantly more embarrassing than he ever imagined. ]

Too soon to tell. Exciting possibility though. Could mean Evoker can be used as communication device as well as weapon.

[Mordin is utterly oblivious to Jason's potential embarrassment, here.]

Can't investigate, of course. Would mean trying to replicate circumstances of accident- problematic. Still, fun to contemplate.

[ A little pause. ]

Uh.

Wait a second. What kind of weapon is this thing supposed to be? How would you use it, ideally?

[Mordin pauses, frowns. The excitement subsides in him.]

Not an ideal weapon even when used by intended operator. Uncomfortable to use. Fires energy charge into own head- [Mordin points his fingers at his skull and mimes a gun going off]- summons entities from subconscious to assist in combat. Powerful, but dangerous.

[ Jason doesn’t appear to be disturbed by that thought. ]

Could be useful. It’s a good idea…not if it’s affecting everyone, though. You wouldn’t want to summon a pair of warriors to help you and then find out your enemy could whip a basilisk out of their mind. How did you make something like this, are you an engineer?

No, no- wait, yes. But not in way you mean.

[Mordin starts gesturing again, hands moving in time with his mouth.]

Have invented many things, but didn't create Evoker. Weapon owned by another ImPort, a friend. Was studying it for her, investigating how it works.

Oh. [ He deflates a little. That's kind of less cool. ] So, you can't replicate it?

No. Not with current knowledge.

[Mordin shakes his head, looking a bit sad because he would love to try.]

Can't replicate something without knowing how it works. Especially not a weapon. Too dangerous.

I guess I can see why you were experimenting, then. I could kind of do without the dream trip next time, though.

Glad you understand. Regret the inconvenience. Almost certainly won't happen again.

Moving on to safer research now. New tech attacks, mutated tissue samples, charting bioweapon vectors. Should be relaxing by comparison.

I’m sorry, you think bioweapons are safer?

[ Somewhere along the line this became less about a psychic gun and more about weapons of mass destruction. Jason can see usefulness in the former, but the latter is pushing it too far. ]

Not developing!

[Mordin holds up his hands.]

Planning defenses against. Running scenarios for possible infection pathways, contagion spreads, that sort of thing. Good precaution. Can't be too careful.

Okay. Well, that's good to know. Just try not to put them in my head, all right Doctor?

Will do my best. Unlikely occurrence in any event. Don't have technology for direct cerebral data transmission of this sort of research. Would require streaming device, upload link, extensive cybernetic implants...

Hm. Actually, could work if- yes, yes!

[Mordin trails off, looks thoughtful, then leans off camera and starts typing up a new idea.]

5th Test // Video // Backdated to morning of the 25th, after the Masquerade dream

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