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Interlude 10.y
Date posted 11 December 2018
Link Interlude 10.y II
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10.y (Interlude; Chris) is the fifteenth chapter and second interlude of Polarize. Flashbacks to Chris’ past as Lab Rat’s replicant, forcibly reminding himself of his trigger and of Gold Morning, talking with Yamada and the therapy group, and pitching the Earth Shin takeover to Amy.

Plot[]

In a pile of detritus trawled from the remains of the Oil-rig battle, the opening battle of Gold Morning,[1] a small ratlike homunculus emerges and has to fight for its life among carnivorous "insects". It wins and hides in the body of one of them, waiting for its chance to flee. The child is driven to survive, as soon as he reaches the mainland he scrounges for food and makes his way inland.

Sliding forward, at the first meeting of the Therapy Group Chris is asked about his trigger. He evades and prevaricates about what happened claiming that a tinker experimented on him(true), after having abducted him(false).

Backsliding, The Homunculus becomes a boy and makes his way across the united states following his secondary function to migrate, to travel to an unspecified area. A large amount of time passes on this journey but the boy has no way of keeping track. He crosses paths with some refugees who mistaking him for a wild child, lock him in a car while they debate what to do with him. Eventually a couple decides to take him in the direction he wants to go. they arrive in the chamber and the automated systems kill the couple and allow the little boy in. A screen lights up and his predecessor, Lab Rat, greets him.

Forward, Chris has an extended back and forth with Yamada sometime after the first session. They cover his state of mind, including his individual identity and distinctiveness. Chris defends his lies to the team and his mindset for being a parahuman. He cites several examples of what's happened with other birdcage inmates.

Back again, The boy is trapped in the room with the sharp pointy things, injecting chemicals into him. He becomes more of who he was meant to be, a replicant of Lab Rat. At set intervals he is 'tortured' and the boy learns. He is caged and driven to be caged, memories become clear as the shard connects.

Back Further, the original Lab Rat works in the animal shelter that he was sent to.[2] He his visited by String Theory and they have one of their discussions they always seem to have, going back to their time in the Birdcage. Among other thins they discuss their different approaches to Gold Morning and make a bet to see who has the biggest impact. Spurred on Chris asks to be sent to the confiscated tinker tach the PRT has.

Forward a bit, the boy is tortured again.

Back to the original Lab Rat. The mature tinker collects himself and steps through another portal, distributing the fruits of his labour. He drops off a huge crate of dispensers with Rachel and Aisha. Returning to the oil rig platform he comes face to face with Taylor and decides to hand her a specific dispenser.

Returning for the last time to the bunker. Chris has becomes himself, having intentionally been tortured by himself to become himself. Now fully in possession of his faculties, plans for the future well in hand, Chris is able to break the torturous cycle and escape. He comes under another drive to be big and brilliant.

Now, having already completed his task for Goddess Chris makes his way to Amy. Leaving aside the threatening imp, Amy assists Chris transform back to his regular self and helpfully removes Goddess' 'alignment' of him as well. Chris has a productive discussion with Amy about their prospective futures and hit upon an alliance.

Major Events[]

  • A homunculus hatches.
  • A boy rebels against his future.
  • Chris and Amy make a connection.

Characters[]

Therapy Group[]

The Birdcage[]

The Undersiders[]

Goddess's Army[]

Mentioned[]

Trivia[]

  • The people Chis claims to have involuntarily killed,[3] may have been the couple that helped him get to the sealed laboratory here.
  • One Redditor correctly prognosticated on the connection between Cryptid and Lab Rat.[4]
  • Ward's official table of contents lists this chapter's PoV character as "Boy in the shell".[5]
  • While the Pier was on an alternate earth,[6] the dredging of the remnants are explicitly said to be brought to Earth Bet.

References[]

  1. The memories were overwriting and overshadowing the creature he’d been, that had fought so fiercely and wrapped itself in the shell of one of Breed’s spawn. He’d been dredged up along with them while, presumably, people had been looking for heroes in the wreckage after everything had gone wrong at the oil rig. - Excerpt from 10.y (Interlude; Chris)
  2. Extinction 27.4
  3. Ashley shook her head. She looked the way Victoria had gone. “She hasn’t killed anyone before, if I had to guess.”

    “Just Victoria and the kids, then.”

    “Just Victoria and Kenzie,” Chris said.

    Rain looked at Chris. Chris shrugged. “Accidental.” - Excerpt from Interlude 4c II
  4. Post in question.
  5. Ward Table of Contents
  6. “Tattletale,” I whispered. “He’s here.”

    “No. Can’t be. [...] We put you on the opposite side of the planet, on a different earth. He wasn’t supposed to be able to access you.” - Excerpt from Extinction 27.4

Site Navigation[]

Chapters
Gestation 1.11.21.31.41.51.61.x
Insinuation 2.12.22.32.42.52.62.72.82.92.x
Agitation 3.13.23.33.43.53.63.73.83.93.103.113.123.x
Shell 4.14.24.34.44.54.64.x4.74.84.94.104.114.x
Hive 5.15.25.35.45.55.65.75.85.95.105.x
Tangle 6.16.26.36.46.56.66.76.86.96.x
Buzz 7.17.27.37.47.57.67.77.87.97.107.117.127.x
Extermination 8.18.28.y8.38.48.58.68.78.88.z
Sentinel 9.19.29.39.49.59.6
Parasite 10.110.210.310.410.510.610.x I10.x II
Infestation 11.111.211.311.411.511.611.711.811a11b11c11d11e11f11g11h
Plague 12.112.212.312.412.512.612.712.812.x12½
Snare 13.113.213.x13.313.413.513.613.713.813.913.1013.y
Prey 14.114.214.314.414.514.614.714.814.914.1014.1114.x14.y
Colony 15.115.x15.215.315.y15.415.515.615.715.z15.815.915.1015
Monarch 16.116.216.x16.316.416.516.616.y16.716.816.916.1016.z16.1116.1216.13
Migration 17.117.217.317.417.517.617.717.8
Queen 18.118.218.x18.318.418.y18.518.618.z18.718.818.f18
Scourge 19.119.219.319.x19.419.519.619.719.y19.z
Chrysalis 20.120.220.320.420.520.x20.y
Imago 21.121.221.321.421.521.621.721.x21.y
Cell 22.122.222.322.422.522.622.x22.y
Drone 23.123.223.323.423.523.x
Crushed 24.124.224.324.424.524.x24.y
Scarab 25.125.225.325.425.525.625
Sting 26.126.226.326.x26.426.526.626.a26.b26
Extinction 27.127.227.327.427.527.x27.y
Cockroaches 28.128.228.328.428.528.628.x
Venom 29.129.229.329.429.529.629.729.829.929.x
Speck 30.130.230.330.430.530.630.7
Teneral e.1e.2e.3e.4e.5e.x
Glow-worm P.1P.2P.3P.4P.5P.6P.7P.8P.9
Daybreak 1.11.21.31.41.51.61.71.81.x
Flare 2.12.22.32.42.52.62.72.x
Glare 3.13.23.33.43.53.63.x
Shade 4.14.24.34.a4.44.54.b4.64.74.c
Shadow 5.15.25.35.45.55.d5.65.75.85.95.105.115.125.x5.y
Pitch 6.16.26.36.46.56.66.76.86.9
Torch 7.17.27.37.47.57.67.77.87.97.107.x7.y
Eclipse x.1x.2x.3x.4x.5x.6x.7x.8
Beacon 8.18.28.34.48.58.68.78.88.98.108.118.128.x8.y
Gleaming 9.19.29.39.49.59.69.79.x9.89.99.y9.109.119.129.139.149.159.z9
Polarize 10.110.210.310.410.510.610.710.810.910.x10.1010.1110.1210.1310.y10.z
Blinding 11.111.211.311.a11.411.511.611.711.811.b11.c11.911.1011.1111.12
Heavens 12.z12.112.212.e12.312.412.all12.512.612.f12.712.812.912.none12.x
Black 13.113.213.313.413.513.613.713.813.x13.913.1013.z
Breaking 14.114.214.314.414.514.614.714.814.914.1014.1114.1214.x
Dying 15.a15.115.215.315.415.515.615.715.815.x15.y15.z
From Within 16.116.216.316.416.516.616.716.816.916.1016.1116.1216.y16.z
Sundown 17.117.217.317.417.517.617.717.817.917.1017.x17.y17.z
Radiation 18.118.218.318.418.518.618.718.818.918.10
Infrared 19.119.219.a19.319.419.b19.c19.519.619.d19.e19.719.819.919.f19.1019.g19.z
Last 20.120.220.320.420.520.620.720.820.920.a20.1020.b20.1120.e120.e220.e320.e420.e520.e620.end
Polarize
Chapters 10.110.210.310.410.510.610.710.810.910.x10.1010.1110.1210.1310.y10.z
Battles and Events The Navigators Incident
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