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

[heal_or_execute]

[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.

Comments

voice

[gevurah]

What exactly happened?

voice

[heal_or_execute]

Still unclear. Something triggered unexpected power surge while subjecting Evoker to electrical testing. Resulting in large energy discharge spreading out into City.

[Inhale.]

Possible results range from psychological effects to plague of monsters. Latter seems unlikely, but- can't be too careful.

voice

[gevurah]

The gun? [ She pauses. ] It's some kind of psychological weapon. [ It sounds like it to her. ]

voice

[heal_or_execute]

Yes. Wait, no. More a device that physically weaponizes psychological state of the user. Difficult to explain. Still don't understand it fully, despite experiments.

voice

[gevurah]

That sounds dangerous; experimenting with the unknown like that.

I don't think I was affected by it, however. I slept like a log.

voice

[heal_or_execute]

Experimentation only way to remove unknown and associated danger. Evoker had created danger before tests. Thought investigation necessary to understand how, prevent recurrence.

[Small sigh.]

Now convinced risks unacceptable. Terminating research for now.

voice

[gevurah]

For the best.

Do you think the Porter was somehow involved?

voice

[heal_or_execute]

Possible, but hard to say. Porter was involved in previous incident: malfunction while Evoker's owner was Ported back to City. Source of power surge in this case, perhaps. No way to tell without more testing, though.

voice

[gevurah]

Which incident was that? [ Since there's so many that come to mind. ]

voice

[heal_or_execute]

Took place early in year, during February. ImPorts became subsumed into repressed desires and emotions- entities known as 'Shadows' in Evoker's world. Dangerous. Created labyrinths, abducted civilians. Only stopped once Evoker was brought back under control.

voice

[gevurah]

That explains why I don't remember; I was ported out most of that month.

voice

[heal_or_execute]

Ah. Lucky you missed it. Unpleasant experience. Dealing with physical manifestations of psychological stresses... problematic.

Glad this accident didn't lead to a recurrence. Could have been disastrous.

voice

[gevurah]

And I think we can all use a break from the disastrous. [ Who experiments with crazy weapons like that? Mordin!! ]

voice

[heal_or_execute]

[It was for the greater good okay geez!!!]

Unfortunately, can't promise that danger has passed. Evoker might malfunction again, even back in users' hands. Don't have data to make solid predictions.

voice

[gevurah]

It can be permanently shut off?

voice (hope a threadjack is okay?)

[xxii_thefool]

That isn't necessary.

voice (it's fine and that should have been "can't")

[gevurah]

[ A beat. ]

Oh?

voice (got it!)

[xxii_thefool]

Even if someone tried, I'm not sure what it would take to destroy it. You'd be more likely to cause another incident that way.

But in any case, it's not dangerous so long as it's used properly.

voice

[gevurah]

You're the owner. [ She realizes immediately. ]

voice

[xxii_thefool]

[Slightly sheepish:] Yes.

voice

[gevurah]

It doesn't work in anyone else's hands?

voice

[xxii_thefool]

It's not that it doesn't work for anyone else... but even if someone else tried to use it, unless they have the same power that I do, they wouldn't get anything out of it.

It would make them a bit uncomfortable for a little while, but that's all. It isn't a weapon.

voice

[gevurah]

But it can be weaponized?

voice

[xxii_thefool]

What happened in February was a freak accident. It got stuck in the 'Porter along with - with another imPort. Their powers interacted.

Up until now, that's the only time it's ever done anything but what it was made to do.

voice

[gevurah]

I've heard of the Porter messing with people's abilities before. [ She pauses. ] At least everything's relatively normal again.