(no subject)

[animatedsmoke]

Who: Sol/Frederick, Potemkin
When: AU
Where: Lab
What: A meeting under odd circumstances


With saggy chairs and desks with none of the items on them aligned, the rooms of the lab has the appearance of a place truly lived in, which is probably not divorced from an area where scientists work in defiance of any idea of regular hours and sleep schedules. The atmosphere spread and leaked into the attached holding area, deprived of all objects but surprisingly by lit same light instead of leaving it under sterility.

Today there's nothing written in, no experiments started or continued, because all the focus of the day would be going to the introductions going on.

Would you accept an invitation to look at our next over unit? We would be honored to have your interest. There are results and findings that can't be found anywhere else.

Comments

[firesealed]

“What,” Sol asked, and there wasn’t any hint in his tone to what he was feeling, since he was always terse, “Did ya do to him?”

His eyes, though, settled on Potemkin’s, locked with them and tried to read from there what the scientists’ words couldn’t say, what they wouldn’t say. Keep them talking for a moment longer, Sol thought, but it wasn’t doing anything to calm him down and he didn’t think it very likely that it would start.

[dreadnaughtfist]

As expected, the scientists didn't notice a thing. Or they continued on like they didn't, moving on like Sol wasn't being a poor conversation partner. "Oh, if you mean his body then that was done for us. But we've tested out various drugs to see if we can get him to work harder than he already can, or what can make him drop like a rock..."

The lecture passes over Potemkin, too. He knows, with a resignation that comes from just knowing his place, he's not the one being talked to here. But while the words become part of the background, Potemkin keeps looking at Sol. Potemkin blinks when he realizes that one of the men really is making eye contact with him. He slightly shakes his head, like he can't believe it or why. Potemkin's life had very few new things introduced to it, and always covered with some sort of protocol and ceremony, so this stranger who seems to be addressing him through the cage is unexplainable.

[firesealed]

Done for them. Like it was some kind of gift that had just happened to fall into their lap.

The cage is unconscionable, and Sol's eyes refuse to let acknowledge it as a barrier. "Am I meant to study him from here?" he asked eventually.

[dreadnaughtfist]

For the first time the answer comes off as lightly puzzled, less dumbfounded though and more in an unearned, amused tone that acknowledges their lack of understanding for their invited genius. "We have the equipment do everything one could ask for."

"It's generally our protocol to leave it at that. It's too dangerous to be in an enclosed space with the subject when he's not asleep." There's no need for elaboration; despite Potemkin's docile expression and how fine he seems to be with do nothing more than sitting on the floor, a slow swipe from one of those arms could break a man in half.

[firesealed]

"Yeah, well, I wasn't part of making your protocol and I need more." Heavily implied is the idea that Sol needs more because he's better at his job than they are.

He waves a hand, as if to shoo them off. "Go somewhere safer if you want, I'm not doing anything with a wall between us." And Sol can take care of himself, he knows that.

[dreadnaughtfist]

For a second the facility's entourage seem to have been truly shut up. There's a pause, out of confusion at what to what to say next, until they arrive at the conclusion which seems to be nothing, except for a small "If you wish."

There's a gesture at a door, the arm raised stiffly like under order. Perhaps Sol is assuming control of the facility even further than expected. From the other side, Potemkin sees all the waving and talking but it's meaningless to him. He can make note of it, but it would only be for stimulating his daydreams. There's no way he can control or change any of what's going to happen.

[firesealed]

Sol nodded to them, and approached the door. He wanted badly to just let Potemkin out, and if he chose to rip apart the people who'd done this, well. Sol wouldn't exactly object. But that wasn't what he was doing, so he entered, giving Potemkin what space he could within the area, but not out of fear.

"How long have they kept you here?" he asked.