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Chapter 5
Blood dripped along the floor, pooling into several small puddles as it collected at the base of a thin Hyur's bound feet. "I will ask again. What did you do with the Auri tucked in the basement below?" Char made a motion with his hand, indicating the Roegadyn conducting the interrogation alongside him should strike again - he obliged, rewarding his zeal with another tooth flung across the floor. "Gyuh...guh..nya..." The Hyur stumbled over his tongue, trying to form the words and collect himself from the past hour's proceedings.Â
"I'm sorry. I didn't quite hear that. Can you speak up?" The Roegadyn scooped the thin man up by the hair and held him upright with one hand, suspended just over the floor. His feet kicked back and forth as he struggled. "...W-we j-just put him in 'The Vial'! That's all! S-studied the effects it had, the ideal parameters of exposure... t-t-the explosive gain of muscle mass and raw power." The President waved his hand, tail wrapping about his waist as he moved to pull a chair from the corner for the Hyur. His Roegadyn companion lifted him up even further before slamming him down forcefully into the hard metal chair, soliciting a satisfying yelp from the significantly smaller man.Â
"...And what of the others? Surely he wasn't the only subject." Char rested his back against the wall and perked a brow alongside his question. "T-they... died of their own accord... or were disposed of as the chief determined... Some g-grew irrational, even f-for prisoners." Char pulled a worn paper from within the first fold of his blazer and inclined his head. "Yes, we read as much... but what was done with the bodies?" The beaten Hyur lifted his head to gaze up at the Miqo'te, tears welling in his eyes and running down his swollen lips. "W-what we did was... horrible. W-we took the aether-rich subjects, a-and w-w-we had them 'processed'... We took the vast reserves of aether we pumped them full of, rent them asunder and had it refined into ceruleum; After that... there wasn't much to actually d-d-dispose of... The ceruleum was then in turn placed in storage to further develop personalized weapons and armor for the subjects that would eventually p-progress past testing stages."Â
"Were any of these 'personalized' effects ever actually developed, or was that still just in the planning stages?" Char motioned to the Roegadyn that he might leave. The larger man grunted, and departed - closing the two inside of the enclosed room. "...N-no... The designs themselves were drafted, but we only had the one v-viable subject b-before your father's death... We never had the time to develop the weapon or the armor..." The Hyur wiggled against his bindings a moment as he tried to push himself upright. "So your Auri prisoner was ready for further testing and observation?" His tail unwound itself and began bobbing back and forth in front of him. "Y-yes... though he has exhibited the signs of mental instabilities frequent in the others... They are not as profoundly taxing on him, and with proper medicinal treatment they may even be regulated... T-though I doubt we'll ever stabilize his mind in it's entirety..."
"How plausible do you think it, if we decided to relocate this project and your... 'Vial'?" The Hyur tilted his head to one side, confused. "We're going to continue the project, and to have a former member of the development team as it's new chief director... That would be a boon in and of itself." Char moved to cut the man's binds. "...Where?" The Hyur asked after considering the offer. "...Eorzea. We've no shortage of potential customers... or subjects... in that region. T'is time for a change my good doctor... You and I are just the men to bring about that change." There was another pause before the thin man replied in defeat. "...I will make the necessary preparations... But..." He inhaled sharply, before asking a question he thought certain to purchase further pain.
"The morality of the matter does not trouble you?" The man grasped at his wrists and rubbed at them, as Char removed the rope holding his feet. "Morality is a grey area. You can claim good, or you may claim evil... But you will never indefinitely act on one or the other because society's views on how they are defined shift with time. The only true defining object is the currency with which our morals - and society's - may be bought." The President moved to knock on the door. "What does 'Project DI' stand for?" Char asked, peering over his shoulder. "...Dark Immortal; Fitting... for through our dark hearts did we commit such atrocities."
The Roegadyn reappeared within the doorway, holding it aloft for Char. As he exited the room, Ashorea stood on the opposite side of the door, looking up expectantly. "He spoke truly, and added further insight into what we already knew... He'll be joining you as the chief director of this 'Project Dark Immortal'... In Eorzea." She blinked, surprise taking her eyes. "What?" He nodded in affirmation. "Yes. I'm already in the process of arranging passage for you, our friend in there, and the related materials vital to the project."
