GRADIENT 6: The Party

Asher: Tootsie Thompson / Buchanan 17. Scotty: Doc Marty. Nico: Bucky Andrew. Christian: Hyde "Breacher" Finch. Rob: Odi.

The bees buzz closer. Hyde sees two green lights pulsing in the distant darkness. In the hot glow of the nearby lava bath emerges two Breachers. One with eyes painted on his headset, and the other with a pair of glasses. Eyes and Glasses quickly dispatch the bees with their vibechetes. Eyes sizes Hyde up and realizes he's killed a fellow Breacher to earn the Breacher armor. Eyes invites Hyde to the party. But Eyes says he needs to gather a few more guests before the party can begin. Glasses silently records this conversation by entering it on the side of his headset.

The trio move through the factory. Doc Marty decides to join them as a guest. Tootsie is taken, too. Odi tracks the group through the vents. Bucky follows, not far behind, using her thermals to stay out of the Breacher's vision and looking after Odi.

Sweltering heat in the vents. Odi escapes. Loudly. The Breachers catch him. Bucky reveals herself to stay close to Odi. Odi and Bucky join the Breachers as guests. The crew agrees to eat a tablet offered by Eyes. "It's the easy way." It dissolves on their tongues. The two Breachers don't eat any. Warm fuzziness , eyes blinking in slow-motion, as the crew is knocked unconscious.

They awake in the middle of a raucous hall. Dimly lit. Bloodbag cocktails floating in 0G. Loud music, machinery grinding, Breachers and guests wrestling, betting, trading. A massive pair of glasses-wearing eyes is painted on the far wall. In a balcony above it are dark figures in stitched patchwork suits and old Cloudbank uniforms. A figure in the balcony shouts to gain attention. His name is Fitzgerald 4, and he's a Preacher of the holy book "The Great Gatsby." The Old Money applaud in the rafters and the Breachers floating and fighting jeer and cheer. Fitzgerald 4 gives a blunt sermon on their faith. Immorality. Materialism. They desire to seek out their own West Egg, a place of paradise full of gaudy treasures to pillage and hoard. Wealth is immortality. 

There are seven doors. The guests will enter, accompanied by two Breachers. You win the party by killing a guest in the arena. If a Breacher wins they gain a name. If a guest wins they are inducted as a Breacher. If a named Breacher wins they may increase their rank to Preacher or Host. The crew enters, along with Glasses and another unnamed Breacher wearing a periscope headset. 

Pitch black. Spikes. Electrified walls. Airlocked doors and iron bars. Creeping so carefully in the darkness. Odi shoots his rifle in the dark. Ricochet. He flicks his flashlight on and spins it in the air to reveal Periscope. After some tense silent positioning Periscope locates his prey in his thermal vision and strikes Tootsie. He chops off Tootsie's remaining arm and decapitates him. Tootsie's head explodes in 0G. Fitzgerald announces the party is over and all guests will be safe once they make their exit from the arena. Hyde notices Glasses stalking Marty as Marty tries to leave. Hyde stabs Glasses through the back with his vibechete, paralyzing him from the waist down. Hyde then shoves Glasses into an electrified wall and Glasses burns to a black skeletal crisp. The guests exit the party.

Periscope is awarded the name "Buchanan 17." Hyde is inducted as a Breacher. He loses his old name. He must earn a new one. 

Doc Marty and Bucky speak with Fitzgerald 4 and the Old Money. Fitzgerald 4 has been sending out teams of Breachers on pilgrimages to find the West Egg. The divers are worthy allies. They're welcome at another party anytime to earn their ranks. But if they desire to leave the Deep, then Fitzgerald 4 will send two additional Breachers to helm the pilgrimage with Buchanan 17. Wolfsheim 6 and an unnamed Breacher join the crew. The divers rest up and prepare to leave this Godforsaken place.

STATUS:

> Day 17: 16 hours post-rest. [R36B]

>  14 hours until starving.

HOOKS:

The Great Gatsby death cult. +Previous hooks.