Spoiler
After the rebellion and escape of the Infinite-Line, those in the government tried contracting many kinds of people to make a replacement, something that wouldn't have the flaws of the original. This resulted in several projects, and a mass hiring of new workers and researchers, considering most of the old were killed or mangled in the escape.Robotics specialists, more engineers and even a few more esoteric kinds of researchers.
With the Infinitus Reactors at their hands, nothing seemed out of reach, soon one scientist proposed an idea.
What if instead of killing psychics, they ripped their powers away from them? It sounded infeasible at first, scoffed at by their peers until one researcher on a project focused on further researching the UFO discovered something strange.
Hidden within some of the systems was what appeared at first to be nothing. Some parts were completely substituted for some kind of strange darkness, inky and seemingly grabbing at any light it could. It also appeared to be part of the systems for holding back the radiation, as it seemed to just absorb it and practically anything else. It was then assumed without these systems, the one body they found would have fared far worse.
It was as if what they were looking at was solidified nothing. And considering its qualities of absorption, some of the teams were diverted to find uses for it.
It took them 3 years, this inky black-matter resisting everything they did, but they did find it could restrain and even absorb psychic abilities.
Thus, the idea of a vessel came along. Something meant to hold and restrain as many of these abilities as possible and even utilize them itself. Something without mind, without will, without anything to hold it back from the one task it was meant to do and to follow orders without question.
They were to create life from nothing. 4 more years passed. They created a small vessel. A testbed for refining the process, trying to achieve exactly what they wanted. They did this many times, but they all had flaws. Showing emotion, hesitation, even disobeying orders. They were all tossed aside, slain, corpses of nothingness and simple heads thrown into a pit, never to be seen again.
They continued to do such things, simply considering the corpses of the slain nothing more than bodies which could move and obey, despite many of the flawed showing otherwise.
Thousands of the remnants of their bodies were thrown in that pit before they found their vessel, and they practically forgot about the pile, locking it up deep inside their facility.
However, something did form down there, out of the remnants of so many others. And it did climb out of that pit eventually, despite its small size. But they didn't know this, nor did they care.
The actual vessel was now considered their ace in the hole for places too well encamped for a simple extermination. It would rip out their powers from afar, under the cover of night, and the newly weakened psychics would then be persecuted with their new inability to fight back.
However, they are rarely used, many of those in the upper echelons of the government considering it too merciful, too swift.
Character: "Hollow"
Spoiler
Name: "Hollow"
Race: Vessel
Age: 2
Appearance: Hollow stands at a measly 3'2, being dwarfed by basically everyone and everything. Their head is the form of a full-head mask made of a bone-like substance, although far harder. Two little horn-like protrusions stick out of the top, and the only defining feature on the face are two wide ovular holes, nothing but darkness inside.
Their small stubby body lacks any features, simply more darkness, although they cover themselves with a a light gray cloak, ruffled and wrinkled from quite a bit of travelling.
Personality: Their personality is hard to gauge, mainly from the fact that they can't speak, or at least have not shown the ability to. They're incredibly curious, always poking and prodding various people, places and things out of sheer curiosity for what they are.
They do seem to also be a fast learner and is still trying to learn English so they could communicate.
Biography: As Project Void continued, bodies of the disposed continued to pile up, countless masks of various shapes and sizes simply left to rot in the bottom of a giant hole. The nothingness that resided in them was mostly gone, but they didnt want to risk the chance.
As it turned out, their suspicions were correct. The residue left on thousands of masks coagulated and formed together into one being, a perfect vessel, just like their finished creation. It learned to walk, then run, then climb. It took a year for it to get out of that hole, piling high the masks of the never truly formed, getting out via the shoot they used to dump bodies down there. It never encountered any guards or anybody else. Thus, it simply left.
Now it wanders aimlessly, constantly learning about the world around it.
Abilities:
Spoiler
Doesn't have any abilities as of the start of the RP, but will gain them as it gains more control over it's abilities and form.
1: Restraint/Removal of psychic abilities: Hollow would focus it's form and absorb the abilities straight from their mind. Would require touch at first, but then expand to a limited range.
This also allows them to use abilities they have gained, and even possibly transfer them between people.
2: Shapeshifting: Hollow's form is not set. It can change and grow over time, given the opportunity. Such things also allow them to control parts of their body separate from themselves.
3:Matter Phasing: Hollow's form is not exactly matter, per say. It's something completely foreign and almost alien to our normal sensibilities.
With enough control over their body, they could phase through walls or even attacks. This would have a cooldown as not to completely destabilize their body, and the distance phased through would increase with time.
Skills: Hollow doesn't really have any other skills other than movement. They are extremely nimble, being able to climb and walk across most surfaces and with quite apt speed.
Definitely wants to learn as much as it can, however.
Other: None
Minor Character/Boss: Vessel
Spoiler
Name: The Vessel
Race: Vessel
Personality: Has none. Simply acts according to orders given to it. Has no qualms with violence or anything else. They are as their name implies, an empty vessel. However, it's tendencies towards violence show a more primal reflection of those in the upper echelons of government.
Not that they realize such, of course.
Appearance: They are quite tall, standing at a height of 8'2. Their mask is more like a tall crescent, jagged spikes at the tips of each one. It's body is tall and thin, completely black and devoid of features aside from it's clawed hands and needle-like legs. It covered by a long cloak as to not restrain movement or shapeshifting, while also somewhat obscuring it's true nature somewhat.
Bio: The culmination of years of work from Project: Void. An empty vessel, made to do the government's bidding with it's strange abilities and capability to cripple a psychic. Rarely deployed, but greatly feared for it's near animalistic ferocity when it is.
Abilities: Ability to restrain or take psychic abilities for their own. This has given them a wide repertoire of abilities to use for both offensive and utility purposes. Is extremely powerful as such.
Shows skill with a variety of weapons. Prefers heavy weapons and has even been seen wielding a huge blade at times.
Matter Phasing: Can phase through matter/walls/attacks. Has a cooldown for such but can make the difference between life and death.
Void Energy: Can discharge violent bursts of dark energy if needed. Sometimes does this randomly as well, as if letting off energy to not be overcharged.
Void Reports
Spoiler
Void Report 1
I will be honest, I do not know if our superiors know what were having to deal with here. This substance is unlike anything I believe anyone has seen before.
There's lots of theories going around the origin of that ship, but something like this, in my opinion puts it firmly in the alien category, regardless of body.
The substance seems to be nothing. Not as in there's anything there, but what IS there is almost like if "nothing" had a state of matter, despite its incredibly strange properties as such.
Here are the properties we have deduced so far.
1: The matter seemingly moves as it wants, depending on the environment and surface it is placed on. It has been shown to act like a solid, a liquid and a gas, being able to switch in-between. It is currently unknown how it knows when to switch forms for maximum effectiveness.
2: Can be highly corrosive at times, shown to eat through their metal containers within a few hours. How they managed to make this work in a spaceship like we found, I still do not know. Working on a material that may solve this problem, derived from that space-ship internal lining.
3: Absorption of all forms of radiation, including that from the sun. Combined with its highly corrosive properties, what we can figure is that this substance wishes to devour and consume, as some of my assistants have put it.
4: This is something we still need to run proper experiments on, but many people working directly with the material have reported memory problems. People forgetting where they live, what theyre actually working on, and one even has seemingly forgotten his name.
If im to judge on this, I believe it can steal things from the mind itself. Wed have to run more tests and get some volunteers to confirm our suspicions, but this is getting increasingly dangerous if this is true. Well need to make protective suits. Maybe out of the same material were to make our containers out of.
Void Report 2
So, a lot has gone on since the last report. Were having a merger of projects after we reported in on its memory stealing properties, which we have confirmed.
The other project wanted a way in order to completely nullify psychics, and it appears this might be their solution. Weve finished up this material, which were simply calling Hollowstone.It possesses an almost porcelain-like feel, while being far sturdier and flexible.
It seems to have worked. Reports of forgetfulness and other issues have lowered dramatically. The substance (which weve gotten around to calling Void for lack of creativity) and its corrosive properties cannot eat through this Hollowstone.
Our next goal is to figure out its stranger properties.
Void Report 7
After getting some psychic volunteers, we have finally seen if the substance has any effect against psychic abilities.
Which it does. Quite to the effect the other group was desiring. It almost appears to rip out (figuratively, but the best term to describe) psychic abilities. Subjects then appear to have no way to reactivate their abilities and some have even lost knowledge on what ability they had in the first place.
Were trying to figure out exactly how Void can disable abilities in such a manner, considering its a genetic mutation, but weve all got a few ideas.
1: The most popular theory is that it simply removes knowledge on how to utilize the abilities. Most popular theory so far and it makes sense considering its other effects of forgetfulness.
2: It somehow is actually eating the mutated material from the brain from afar. Far-fetched, but considering its corrosive capabilities, not out of the question. Something like this could also explain the memory-issues, possibly it legitimately eating brain matter, which is a disturbing proposition if it can do this from afar.
3: The most ridiculous, though the other group is very interested in this one. The idea that it could possibly devour non-physical objects such as information or mutation. This one could open a lot of possibilities if it werent as far-fetched as it sounds.
However, like all things, the possibility is there. The other group thinks that if the third option were correct, we could get it to learn. I think they wish to create a living being.
Creating life from nothing. It honestly sounds quite funny in my head.
Void Report 16
The other group was right. A while back during the initial reports on the Void's capabilities against psychic powers, I spoke of how the other group believed that it could absorb things like information. These people were correct.
The Void is learning. At first I thought there were just some malfunctions here and there, strange occurrences, but for sure now, this substance is alive. Im sure of it now. It was moving of its own volition, not just because of a slanted surface or what-not. Once a subject entered the chamber, it knew exactly what to do. Whereas before we simply had the subject approach the sample of Void, the sample moved to and incapacitated them in a hostile fashion.
We managed to get it off, but not before it managed to severely disfigure the subjects face, completely devouring their eyeballs, teeth and tongue in under 30 seconds.
Were keeping a very close eye on it, but the looks from the other group here? It speaks of bad ideas.
Void Report 20
Theyve moved me from being head of the project now. Those from the other group took my place. They want us to make life, some kind of vessel from this Void. Something which can retain and take psychic powers and follow orders to the letter.
This is insane. These reports arent even official anymore, im practically just using these as a journal of notes at this point.
Regardless, we have confirmed the suspicion that the Void substance can indeed absorb information and utilize it. Ive actually had a one-sided conversation with some of it. It confirmed our suspicions. Its nearly sentient now just after being given access to a computer. It ripped the information from it without even damaging the case.
Its almost like magic, to be brutally honest. Coming from a scientist, what we have here goes against every convention of science we have. This is something completely and utterly alien and it scares me.
Void Report 23
The Void substance has breached containment.
Void Report 24
We managed to get it back, but its completely refusing orders. Its gone beyond that now. High Command had us destroy it. Couldnt do so completely, but its inert now. Must have destroyed whatever mind was inside of it.
They now want to replicate it. They know it can be sentient now.
Void Report 38
Theyve been making vessels left and right now. Then chucking all those tainted masks away into that pit. Cant burn it away, not fully. And the Void makes recycling the materials in the masks impossible.
Ive figured out how they do it. How they can steal then utilize those psychic abilities, at least to an extent. All it took was to talk with some of them before they were disposed. Well, they had to write it out, but it was enlightening. Ill leave the responses here for further reference.
Subject 107: Its hard to explain. Its like how you humans breath, we can take. I think its part of what were made of.
Subject 124: We can learn, yes, but taking from others is so much faster. We can rip the ability out of their head, things like how to read, or write. Those people cant do it anymore.
Subject 141: We reach out with our energy, look into their mind and then we take. Like extending part of your very being, very soul, into the other person. We can see who they are, who they were, even who they might be. Then, we take. Think of it like taking the very concept from their minds. Sure, the mutations stay where they are. But theyre nothing more than abnormalities at that point. We took their very purpose, and we can only give it back if we wish.
Subject 173: I think that if we really wanted to, we could take everything. Make the human into just a shell of skin and meat and bone, completely take what makes them a thinking, living creature and incorporate it into ourselves. I think thats what they want us to do, really. Be killing machines of no remorse, no mercy. And theyll keep killing us until they find the one that will be fine with doing exactly that. Like a game of chance.
Void Report 48
The project is considered finished. They have their oh-so perfect vessel and all of us are being moved to other projects. I personally do not know where, myself.
So many lives were lost here.They created hundreds upon hundreds of beings and killed each one, chucking whatever was left into that accursed pit. And for what? There was so much potential here, squandered because some superiors wanted a killing machine capable of stripping the enemy apart without lifting a finger.
I move onto my next project with dashed hopes and remorse. I'm going to try to get out of this. New name, new identity. I can't do this anymore.
This is Dr. Osenbeirg, sending this off to several sources in hopes it reaches someone who can use this information and stop that monstrous Vessel. Good luck.
