Viktor rolls his eyes behind the goggles--Jayce can't see the motion, but it's probably evident in the arch of his eyebrows above the brass rims. The consternation doesn't last long, however, as Viktor is quick to settle himself next to Jayce, hands on the controls, waiting for his partner to crank it. It might as well be eight years ago, and Viktor tries to focus on the feeling of the warm body next to him, the soft glow of the Hexcore spinning on the tabletop, waiting for them.

Jayce activates the device and Viktor is quick to jump in, reaching for the piston built into the tabletop. He's all focus, now, pushing the handle inward, giving it a quarter turn, pulling it out--and the Hexcore starts to spin, picking up where Viktor has instructed, the facets of it shifting and rearranging as it receives instructions and recognizes its subject.

The results are familiar by now--blue electricity, wafting off the core in waves, the energy of it stirring up papers on the desk and blowing Viktor's hair away from his face. The plant, imbued with their serum and held in its rig, suddenly shudders and blossoms, growing all at once beyond anything that should be possible. Fronds unfurl, reaching for the ceiling of the dark lab, and Viktor holds his breath, knowing that the inevitable decay is about to come--

And then it doesn't. The Hexcore slows, pulsing, but otherwise returns to its resting state. The plant seems frozen in time, its growth suspended, but momentarily stable. Viktor gapes, clearly not expecting this, but after a moment he snaps back to reality, striking his palm against Jayce's forearm, almost in a panic.

"The stopwatch, Jayce--quickly--"

They need to be timing this. They need to know how long it lasts.