New York City, FSA
Aeon Trinity East Coast Command Station
1800 hours
The rain outside came down in sheets, heavy on the windows of the high-class office complex that Trinity called it's Command Station for the American East Coast. The waiting area was quite impressive in it's own right, flanked by steel helical pillars on either side of the stylishly curved oaken desk. The blonde woman on the other side of the desk busied herself with numerous datapads and entered various pieces of information into the computer terminal emitting a soft bluish-green glow from the shadowy recess of the desk.
To one side of the desk was a small walkway leading to the elevators that provided access to the rest of the building. On the other side was a long hallway that hosted a series of offices and conference rooms. The individuals in the waiting room had been called here by a Neptune Division field commander by the name of Daniel Hawthorne. Whether that was his real name or not, there was no way to be sure, but his credentials and background checked out. His message was legitimate:
Dear Trinity Associate,
My name is Daniel Hawthorne and I have contacted your supervisors on behalf of Aeon Trinity to recruit you for a very important assignment. Our operatives have located evidence of a rather disturbing nature within the Great Plains Quarantine Zone in North America. We have reason to believe that there may be a laboratory there which is conducting Aberrant research. We suspect surviving members of the Chitra Bhanu may be involved. Please meet in New York City on July 1st. Enclosed with this message is a credit transfer. It should cover your travel expenses. I will see you there.
The message had also included the dossiers of the four men and women who had been chosen for this assignment:
Marcelo Carlito Tavares Silva a.k.a. "Urso"
-A Biokinetic on loan to Trinity from Norca, his dossier is highly classified and contains little more than his name, photo, and allegiance.
Spyridon Spyridonos
-One of Trinity's own, this Electrokinetic had previously worked with Orgotek on several high-end electronics research and development programs. He is presently on assignment to serve as the technological expert should the laboratory be discovered and is capable of disabling security and accessing encrypted files.
Therese Beaupre
-An Orgotek pilot under contract to Aeon Trinity, this Clairsentient has been assigned to the team to provide psionic reconnaissance as well as adding a capable combatant to the field team in case of hostile activity. She will also be piloting the insertion vehicle into the operation zone and will be responsible for the exfiltration as well.
Frederick Falen
-Another of Trinity's own, this Telepath from Trinity's Neptune Division has been assigned to the task force for diplomatic reasons. The laboratory's suspected location is very near to several settlements of refugees and survival groups who have remained in the area despite the widespread devastation. It is hoped that some of them may be able to offer relevant information to aid the cause. Also, if the laboratory is not what it appears to be, Frederick will be on hand to handle diplomatic relations with the individuals operating the facility.
Lightning flashed outside with a distant rumble of thunder. The rain continued to hammer at the windows. Aside from the weather, it was strangely quiet in the waiting area, the only other sound coming from the quiet sounds of the secretary's fingers hitting keys on the datapads before her. A beep came from the desk and a tiny blue light pulsed slowly on, then off. The secretary pressed a button on her earpiece.
"Yes sir?" she said quietly, then paused. "Okay. I'll let them know, sir." She pressed the button again and turned to look at the assembled crew with a smile. "Mr. Hawthorne is just leaving a meeting. He'll be with you very shortly."
The waiting area itself contained several hard leather couches, all black, and was tiled with large black-and-grey speckled marble. In the corner was a large fern, unremarkable except for the fact that it was a real plant and not artificial or a holographic projection. Having only just arrived, you all finally have the opportunity to look around and visit with one another before Mr. Hawthorne shows up.
A tall, athletic-looking woman, her honey-colored hair wrapped into a braid, Therese Beaupre appears the archetype of a calm professional in her well-tailored business suit. A second glance, however, reveals an impatient twitch as she flips repeatedly through the dossier, comparing images and histories to the people around her.
"Yes sir?" she said quietly, then paused. "Okay. I'll let them know, sir." She pressed the button again and turned to look at the assembled crew with a smile. "Mr. Hawthorne is just leaving a meeting. He'll be with you very shortly."
Therese nods in acknowledgement. "Thank you," she replies in a distinct French accent.
She looks around the room, peering a little overlong at the mysterious Norca, looking away from Frederick a little too quickly, before finally rising and offering a hand to Spyros. "Spyros. It's good to see you again," she says, smiling warmly and seeming to relax just a bit.
Frederick (and Fates):
A mountain of a man, Urso leans back on the couch, surveying the others with a grin and chewing on the end of an unlit cigar. His thick, curly hair falls past his shoulder in an unruly mop and the sleeveless t-shirt he is wearing only accentuates his musculature. The couch groans as he shifts his weight, a subtle, if clear, sign of his impatience.
He nearly lights the cigar several times, but the secretary's scowl makes him change his mind.
"Yes sir?" she said quietly, then paused. "Okay. I'll let them know, sir." She pressed the button again and turned to look at the assembled crew with a smile. "Mr. Hawthorne is just leaving a meeting. He'll be with you very shortly."
Urso's eyes follow Therese's movements a little more than necessary, his grin growing slightly wider. His eyes then dart quickly to Frederick, showing a hint of suspicion before he finally speaks. In a deep, thick, Brazilian accent, he asks, "So, Frederick... you are the talker of the group, unh? You fancy yourself leader?"
Frederick stands in the waiting area with the ease of an individual who's done so in similar rooms dozens of times before, his overcoat spotted from the rain outside. A briefcase in one hand, the other in a pocket of his expensive suit, he smiles warmly and nods in response to the secretary.
His blonde hair is close-cropped and styled, his expression relaxed and friendly. He seems every bit the professional and when he speaks it's with an unmistakable confidence and an accent trained and practiced into almost non-existence.
"Mister Spyridonos, it's been quite some time since Luna. I was hoping we would have opportunity to work together again. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be under any better circumstances." His fine, polished shoes click on the floor as he walks the short distance to shake hands with the familiar tech expert.
"I have the experience and would be more than comfortable in such a role." Frederick admits with a persistent smile when Urso strikes up conversation, turning away from greeting Spyridon. "I could say that I would be best suited for the position save for an almost total ignorance concerning your areas of expertise, Mister Urso."
"And it's good to see you again as well, Miss Beaupre." Frederick adds, nodding this time to the second seated woman in the room. "I am glad you made it."
Therese
Spyros fidgets uncomfortably on the couch while he waits, occasionally slipping the goggles on his forehead down for a look at his mini's progress. Despite his time in the agency he never really got used to the formal element of these Trinity meetings, and it shows. When Therese extends her hand, he rises and takes it with a strained smile, "Long time no see blondie. Still with Cassel & Company I see," he taps the goggles and sits back down offering her a space on the couch. "Earthside's a bit of a change for you, right?"
Noting her reaction he follows up, "Eh, me too. Swore I was done with the FSA after the Orgotek training program, but," he sighs, "here I am again! Who would have thought a New York hotel room would be smaller than one literally carved out of the rock of the moon? Better food though..." Spyros shrugs. He's looking thinner, and maybe a little less healthy than Therese would remember from the Big O days in Olympus. His head is shaved with only stubble showing how far back it has thinned in those years and his jumpsuit is worn just a little beyond what could be considered stylish. But his easy grin and cynical sense of humor hasn't changed.
"Been thinking I could use a change of scenery for a while now. Threw my name in the pot to see what I could get. I'm thinking maybe back to take a look at the Russian Federation, Australia, one of the deep-sea colonies... what do I get? Heart of the Blight!" Spyros snorts and shakes his head, "Careful what you wish for right?" Spyros laughs at his own luck. "So who'd you piss off to get on the list Miss Beaupre?"
In response to Frederick's greeting Spyros smiles, "Ah- Frederick. I have to say I was glad to see your name in the dossier. Honestly, Chitra Bhanu? Seriously? I'd rather not find out first hand what they can get up to bending tainted quantum." Sypros turns to Therese jerking a thumb at Frederick, "If anyone could defuse a sticky situation it's this guy. Remember the Tekne riots after the shutdown a few years back? Remind me when we get a chance to sit down for a drink and I'll tell you some stories about this guy."
When Therese extends her hand, he rises and takes it with a strained smile, "Long time no see blondie. Still with Cassel & Company I see," he taps the goggles and sits back down offering her a space on the couch. "Earthside's a bit of a change for you, right?"
Therese shrugs, just a bit uncomfortably. "Actually, I've been bouncing around a lot of different places the last few years. Looking for a chance to get back offworld, though. I've got an itch to strech my legs just a bit more than the gravity well will permit!"
Spyros laughs at his own luck. "So who'd you piss off to get on the list Miss Beaupre?"
"Ah... no one, actually." She half-glances toward Frederick. "I more or less volunteered for this assignment. I didn't have all the details at the time - I mean, who would volunteer to go into the QZ? - but I've been looking for something... productive... to do with my time."
Sypros turns to Therese jerking a thumb at Frederick, "If anyone could defuse a sticky situation it's this guy. Remember the Tekne riots after the shutdown a few years back? Remind me when we get a chance to sit down for a drink and I'll tell you some stories about this guy."
"Ah... yes. We've... met." Therese turns to Frederick, visibly squaring her shoulders and settling herself. "Mr. Falen... Frederick... It's a pleasure to see you again." She glances back at Spyros. "And if we get a chance before we deploy, those drinks sound like a wonderful idea." She turns to the last member of the team, offering him a slight smile as well. "And perhaps Mr. 'Urso' will join us as well?"
In Portuguese:
Spyros:
"I have the experience and would be more than comfortable in such a role." Frederick admits with a persistent smile when Urso strikes up conversation, turning away from greeting Spyridon. "I could say that I would be best suited for the position save for an almost total ignorance concerning your areas of expertise, Mister Urso."
Urso laughs heartily, the sound seeming to fill the waiting area. "Ah, no 'misters', I am not THAT old. My area of expertise is hurting those that try to hurt you. This, I do very well. I am, how you say, dumb muscle?" The glint in his eye and his predatory smile seem to call into question this last statement.
"Ah... yes. We've... met." Therese turns to Frederick, visibly squaring her shoulders and settling herself. "Mr. Falen... Frederick... It's a pleasure to see you again." She glances back at Spyros. "And if we get a chance before we deploy, those drinks sound like a wonderful idea." She turns to the last member of the team, offering him a slight smile as well. "And perhaps Mr. 'Urso' will join us as well?"
In Portuguese:
If possible, Urso's grin gets even wider.
In rapid Portuguese:
If possible, Urso's grin gets even wider.
Urso's grin seems infectious, and Therese's own smile widens. She seems to relax somewhat, though she stiffens again a little as she glances at Frederick. "Frederick. Urso." She stresses the lack of title a touch, smiling. "Spyros. (I can still call you Spyros, right?) And I'm Therese." She nods once, satisfied.
"Yes, yes, this will be excellent. We are going to have a fun time, we four."
"Fun?" The smile fades slowly. "Tonight, perhaps, if we get a chance. In the Blight? I do not think so."
"Fun?" The smile fades slowly. "Tonight, perhaps, if we get a chance. In the Blight? I do not think so."
"Ha! Battling psions thought to be exterminated and monsters that can kill you with a glance in a land that can destroy our very souls? How is that not fun? Times of great danger and crisis show you who you truly are."
Urso stretches theatrically.
"But tonight, we have fun. 'Party down' as they say here, yes?"
"I think you give me too much credit, Mister Spyridonos. Your input and that of the other Orgotek employees was integral in putting that situation in the proper light." Some of Spyridon's praise deflected humbly, Frederick turns back to Urso and continues;
"Excellent. And while I'm sure you're quite capable, I imagine that we're all hoping this can be resolved peacefully however unlikely that may be."
"Fun?" The smile fades slowly. "Tonight, perhaps, if we get a chance. In the Blight? I do not think so.""Ha! Battling psions thought to be exterminated and monsters that can kill you with a glance in a land that can destroy our very souls? How is that not fun? Times of great danger and crisis show you who you truly are."
"Excellent. And while I'm sure you're quite capable, I imagine that we're all hoping this can be resolved peacefully however unlikely that may be."
Urso looks momentarily pained at this statement. "I had hoped you a realist, irmão. Perhaps it is good you are naive. In my land, it is all too easily lost. As my father says, 'A pessimist is rarely disappointed.' Just know that I am here and will be strong when you cannot."
Therese nods grimly, no trace of a smile now at all. "Urso is right," she says. "We all wish for things that cannot be, yes? But if the intelligence is at all accurate, there will be no way that our assignment will not end in violence, whether we undertake it or merely call for others to do so."
"Is it naïve to hope?" Frederick wonders rhetorically as he lifts his one hand, palm up, to gesture as he speaks. "I should think not. My medical schooling, however brief, took me through one of Zweidler's clinics and I've studied histories; I know the atrocities man and near-men are capable of-- those that they have performed. I decided quite some time ago, however, that should one spend his life looking in the shadows he robs himself of any chance to see the light."
"Hope. Sacrifice. Unity." He counts each of the three points by touching his pointer, index and ring finger to the tip of his thumb consecutively after lifting his raised hand just a bit more. "Hope. AEon saw fit to take me away from regular post to help with this assignment. Is it likely that your talents will become necessary in Wycoff's Blight? I will not argue that but I would ask that you not think violence our only available method."
"I would also ask that you not dismiss my utility. Our unity is our strength." He smiles, a warm and completely friendly gesture that relates an infectious calm. "And let us hope that the only sacrifice we must make here is that of our time."
He tilts his head in a shallow nod and lowers his hand back into his pocket, as clear an indicator as any that his little speech is finished.
The gravity of Frederick's speech sinks in, creating a pregnant pause in the casual conversation amongst the assembled. Even the rain seems to abate ever-so-slightly in the wake of his inspiration. The moment was broken however, by the sound of a single man clapping softly.
"You are truly a credit to our organization, Mr. Falen," the clapping man said as he rounded the corner and stepped around the secretary's desk to enter the lobby area. "It is a great pleasure to finally meet you all in person. I am Daniel Hawthorne, your operation supervisor."
Daniel was a dark-skinned man, probably in his early 40s, with a bald head and speckled black-and-white goatee. His smile was bright and clean and his business suit was immaculate and well-tailored to his surprisingly athletic figure. He approached each of the assembled team members and offered a firm handshake, greeting Frederick first and patting him on the shoulder as he did so.
"Gentlemen, Miss Beaupre, if you'll follow me please?"
Daniel walked with a brisk pace, not so much seeming to hurry as simply walking with a purpose. It was not difficult to keep up with, but certainly no casual stroll. He led the party down a long tiled hallway just to the right of the lobby area and past several large conference rooms with mirrored windows, presumably see-through from the other side. Finally, they arrived at another such room, seemingly no different from the others, and Daniel swiped his ID card through the electronic lock which replied with a soft beep and a green light. Daniel pushed the door open and held it, gesturing the others inside with a smile.
The room was fairly large for a simple meeting room. All along the walls were maps of various parts of the world as well as a few of Luna. There were also a few motivational posters and Aeon Trinity propaganda flyers posted in tastful proportion to the other, more functional items. The conference table was circular, about 12 feet in diameter, and situated in the middle of the room with a large spherical device situated at it's center. The device was easily recognizable to everyone as a holoemitter and, Spyros would note, a rather advanced one. There was a datapad and a control device for the holoemitter at one of the seats while, directly opposite that position, there were smaller datapads situated at each of four other seats. Daniel motioned to these places for the group to take their seats as he moved to pick up the control device. At the push of a button, the lighting in the room died down and the holoemitter hummed to life, projecting a topographical 3D map of North America into the air above the table.
"If anyone has any questions before we get down to business, now is the time to ask them," Daniel said authoritatively. While not intimidating per se, Daniel was clearly a man of action and it was difficult to focus on anything but the task at hand when he spoke. He glanced to each of the assembled psions, raising an eyebrow in expectation.
Urso clears his throat. When he speaks his accent is slightly diminished and his pronunciation more exact.
"I am to ask the... unpopular question: Having read the message you send, how expendable are we? If, as they say here, it 'all goes to shit', do we have an evac or are we on our own once we cross into the Blight? There is more at stake here than our lives, yes?"
Daniel nods at Urso's question, furrowing his brow a bit before finally speaking. "Your unit will be provided with an atmospheric aircraft for transport to and from the O.Z. Miss Beaupre is more than qualified to operate this vessel and it should be your primary means of transportation. If something should render Miss Beaupre or the aircraft incapable, then you will be on your own recognizance. Due to the Taint in the area and the widespread devastation, communication with Trinity, psionic or otherwise, will be impossible. We'll be giving you a three-day window to complete your mission and evacuate. If we've heard nothing from you in this time, we will send a search and rescue team to investigate. Short-range communications should theoretically be possible, but if you find yourselves stranded, I would highly recommend making yourselves as visible to visual and IR scans as possible to improve the likelyhood of your rescue."
"You are truly a credit to our organization, Mr. Falen," the clapping man said as he rounded the corner and stepped around the secretary's desk to enter the lobby area. "It is a great pleasure to finally meet you all in person. I am Daniel Hawthorne, your operation supervisor.
Thérèse visibly stiffens as Hawthorne enters the room, all traces of her brief warmth gone. Instead, she assumes what can only be described as a military attention stance, eyes front, body rigid.
He approached each of the assembled team members and offered a firm handshake,
When Hawthorne reaches Thérèse, there is a brief but awkward pause as he holds out his hand and she continues to maintain her stance. After a moment, though, her gaze drifts to meet Hawthorne’s, and she loosens up enough to take his hand and shake it firmly.
If something should render Miss Beaupre or the aircraft incapable, then you will be on your own recognizance.
Oddly, the suggestion that something might render her “incapable" seems to annoy Thérèse. Her eyes narrow and her jaw tightens, but she doesn’t respond to the idea directly. “My questions will wait until after we have heard your briefing, sir,” she says levelly when Hawthorne's eyes turn to her.
One eyebrow rises as Spyros observes Therese's behavior quizzically, but he let's it go without comment. Spyros takes his seat and eyes the holoemitter with casual appreciation while Mr Hawthorne opens the briefing. After Urso's concerns have been addressed, he nods at Therese, "I think I'll wait to hear the assignments details as well."
"The pleasure is mine, Mister Hawthorne." Frederick greets Daniel with same warm enthusiasm that he has the other three, returning the handshake with vigor. He comments no further on the quick speech but instead follows silently as they're led to the conference room.
He rests his briefcase down on the table first, then shrugs out of his overcoat and hangs it on an available rack-- or the back of his chair if necesarry-- before finally taking a seat. He considers the datapad briefly before sliding it to one side and laying the briefcase flat before sliding it open, all the while listening to their host speak.
He listens to Urso's question and then the subsequent answer, looking somewhat less than thrilled at the situation but there's no sign of his confidence wavering yet. It does prompt a subsequent question from him; "Are we the first team to be sent in on this mission?"
Daniel nodded. "You'll be the first group to actually enter the operation zone, yes. What limited intel we have is the result of aerial reconnaissance, which is, unfortunately, not terribly conclusive. A clairsentient scan of the area revealed elevated levels of Taint, which is expected from the Quarantine Zone, but the clear who performed the scan tells us that there are unusual fluctuations of Taint in this particular region," he gestured to the map hovering above the table, highlighting a small area in what was Nebraska before the Wycoff explosion. "The satellite images and aircraft recon we've pieced together leads us to believe there is some form of laboratory conducting experiments on quantum energy down there. At least, that's what we hope is causing the fluctuations. The only other probable cause is the actual presence of an Aberrant, but given the small magnitude of the Taint detected, we are reasonably certain that is not the case."
Daniel motions to the datapads in front of the team members. "These datapads contain the images that we've been collecting. There isn't a whole lot to go on, but it should at least give you a general idea of the area."
The photos depict a large hill towards the northwest end of some obliterated cityscape. Clearly visible from the aircraft photos, there are several entrances dug into the hill, suggesting a subterranean facility of fair size. On the north end of the hill is a massive set of hangar doors, easily capable of admitting a commercial airjet... or a battle tank. A few of the satellite images reveal camps of local survivors as well as what appears to be an undamaged airfield about 10 miles to the southwest. The airfield is circled in red.
"That airfield is going to be your insertion point. It's far enough away from the installation that you likely won't be detected. As long as you lock down the ship once you land, I strongly doubt any of the locals will pose a threat to it either. In fact, it is our hope that the locals will prove more of an asset than a liability on this mission. Perhaps conducting interviews with some of them will reveal more information about the lab's activities. Unfortunately, none of our surveillance sweeps have revealed much in the way of the lab's activity level nor have they given us any fair estimate of the occupancy." The holographic image in the center of the room had zoomed in on the operation zone, highlighting several locations where locals were known to gather. The satellite photos revealed several motorcades consisting of salvaged vehicles, many of them clearly engineered to serve as mobile combat platforms with makeshift armor and weapons welded on to them. "The locals are known to be..." Daniel paused, "a bit hostile. However, we know they are willing to bargain for fairly mundane supplies such as batteries, rations, and even clean water in some places. Such amenities will be provided to you to facilitate the negotiations."
"Surveillance will be imperative on this mission. We have very little intel on the operation, so gathering that intel will be your first order of duty. Once you discover the nature of the facility and the size of the occupying force, you will need to ascertain the proper course of action. Ideally, if the lab is what we suspect it is, we would want to capture one of the lead scientists and discover the purpose of his research. If you find the occupying force is beyond your capabilities to handle, do your best to infiltrate and gather data on their operations. If necessary, we will look into contacting the Legions to assault the stronghold after you've returned. I am hoping it does not come to that. Naturally, if an Aberrant is the cause of the fluctuations, you are to evacuate immediately. You are in no way equipped to handle a threat of that magnitude."
The holographic image reset itself to it's previous position, showing the entirety of North America and a little blue dot on NYC. "Now... are there any further questions?" Daniel smiled.
Thérèse studies the photos for a few moments, her hand shaking slightly. Under her breath, she whispers, “C’est tout de même qu’…” but she trails off before she finishes the thought. After a deep breath, she looks up at Hawthorne. “Do the residual effects of Taint, either from the Wycoff event or this base, seem to pose any health threats to us? Or to the locals?”
Daniel shook his head in response. "No, the residual Taint has not been discovered to have any adverse effect on complex organisms. While it has most certainly been detrimental to the local plant life and much of the aquatic life in the region, there has been no conclusive evidence to suggest it will have any effect on yourself or the local population. What is known, however, is that it will interfere with the use of psionic Aptitudes. The extent of this distortion is unknown to me personally, but I have been told that it will feel as though you are being dampened. You will need to work harder than normal to squeeze out the desired effects." Hawthorne shrugged slightly.
"So it would seem a safe assumption that we will be trying to blend in, at least somewhat, with the locals as we gather information, yes?" Frederick had finished listening to Daniel and Therese's exchange as he looked between that pair and the images made available on the datapad before him. Now he leans back in his seat and rubs his chin in thought. "Dressing down and not openly advertising our employment by Aeon Trinity might make our eventual infiltration into the compound easier."
He speaks evenly and with a thoughtful expression, clearly not as used to situations such as these as he was in the lobby of the office building propagandizing the other three psions. Still, he doesn't let his unfamiliarity overwhelm him and instead proceeds down his train of thought as logically as one might. He does look between Urso and Daniel both as he speaks however, suspecting that either might have additional input that would help better form the plan.
He lets others comment as they might following his suppositions, turning for a brief sidebar with Therese; "I will be bringing basic medical supplies and monitoring equipment with us on the mission. We will be extra cautious with our exposure to the Taint regardless of how innocuous it may seem from afar."
"So it would seem a safe assumption that we will be trying to blend in, at least somewhat, with the locals as we gather information, yes?" Frederick had finished listening to Daniel and Therese's exchange as he looked between that pair and the images made available on the datapad before him. Now he leans back in his seat and rubs his chin in thought. "Dressing down and not openly advertising our employment by Aeon Trinity might make our eventual infiltration into the compound easier."
"How you choose to present yourselves to the locals is entirely up to you. I trust that you all have the skills and abilities to formulate and execute your own plans. We are providing you with supplies to barter with for information if you choose to go that route. Your transport ship is also capable of seating an additional two passengers should there be any mission-critical individuals you wish to evac. Speaking of which," Daniel pressed a button on the control device and the holographic image of the map was replaced by a wireframe representation of an aircraft.
"This will be your transport vehicle. The Bisai Hornet, slightly modified to Trinity's specifications. While not exactly a military-grade vehicle, this particular Hornet is armed with a single, turret-mounted medium laser cannon and improved armor over the civilian version. You won't be taking on any fleets with it, but it should prove sufficient to deal with any local threats bearing shoulder-mounting SAMs. It has seating for six, including the pilot's seat, and about 50 cubic meters of cargo space for equipment. If Miss Beaupre would like, there is a simulator available downstairs to familiarize herself with the vehicle's handling and operation."
Thérèse pulls the specs onto her datapad, pushing several keys in rapid succession, then quirking her mouth slightly. “Fast, yes, for an atmo-only craft this size, but it doesn’t exactly turn on a dime, does it? And I don’t think that armor’s done the profile much good. Does it mount any ECM? Is there a piloting agent?”
At Hawthorne’s suggestion that she might use a simulator, Thérèse starts to laugh, but visibly represses it. “Ah… thank you sir, but no. There’s really no replacement for having the machine itself under your hands.”
"No ECM, but the transport is covered in sensor-dampening material and signal-absorbing paint to minimize it's radar signature. Our low-orbit recon vehicles did not discover any evidence of significant detection equipment near the facility. We don't believe that you'll be picked up by any sort of electronic surveillance on your approach. As for the piloting agent, the vehicle does include a Wazukana 'Specter' agent. While dated, it's one of the few piloting agents around that is suited to the task of managing a transport like this one. Most of the newer agents are geared towards fighter craft or commercial airliners."
"So it would seem a safe assumption that we will be trying to blend in, at least somewhat, with the locals as we gather information, yes?"
"Subtlety and diplomacy only work until the bullets start flying, irmão. I'm far more worried with what we find in the facility. Between faíscas," Urso waves his hand at Spyros, "and myself, physical defenses won't stop us. If this truly is some... Taint lab, I fear the things we may face."
Urso fiddles with the datapad, rotating the images, getting a feel for the lay of the land and possible points of infiltration as well as sniper and camera locations. He makes some crude annotations on the images of the compound and then sits back.
Urso seems immediately wary when "mission-critical individuals" is mentioned.
"Daniel, a few final questions. Has Aeon Trinity's surveillance caught anything going in or out of the facility that could give us some indication of their defensive readiness? Also, how did this particular facility come to your attention? It doesn't exactly stand out, and it seems wasteful to send psions on a bughunt."
"Ah… thank you sir, but no. There’s really no replacement for having the machine itself under your hands."
Urso grins and winks at Thérèse.
"Daniel, a few final questions. Has Aeon Trinity's surveillance caught anything going in or out of the facility that could give us some indication of their defensive readiness? Also, how did this particular facility come to your attention? It doesn't exactly stand out, and it seems wasteful to send psions on a bughunt."
Daniel's smile slackens. He nods a bit and purses his lips before continuing. "You're right. Normally, an installation like this would go unnoticed for years. However, one of our satellites in orbit over the area picked up a transmission on an extremely high bandwidth. It was heavily encrypted, and even our best codebreakers have only been able to decipher small portions of the message. You'll see in your datapad there what pieces we were able to sift out."
The datapads contain a blurb of the transmission, broken up: "....experiment..........far more than usual.........Taint.......be the answer........less than six months............when you are ready."
"This message was intercepted six weeks ago. We attempted to do deeper scans of the area, including clairsentient scans, but were able to find nothing conclusive save for a slightly increased level of Taint in and around this facility. Due to the nature of the threat, we have decided that this assignment is both too dangerous and too delicate to use anything less than a Trinity psion unit. That's why you are here." Daniel cleared his throat. "We've got another unit examining the transmission's destination which, as far as we can tell, is the Jupiterian moon Ganymede."
Urso grins and winks at Thérèse.
Thérèse carefully ignores him.
Daniel cleared his throat. "We've got another unit examining the transmission's destination which, as far as we can tell, is the Jupiterian moon Ganymede."
“Well. That’s interesting,” Thérèse says, trying and failing to keep a surge of excitement out of her voice. “Out to Jupiter, no? That will be worth exploring… after we resolve matters here.” Turning her attention back to the schematics, Thérèse flips through several views of the various access points the satellites have already identified. “What about our access to the facility itself? Has the intel located a preferred entrance point? For that matter, do we know which door the residents use?”
"As far as we can tell, there are only three major points of entry. Two personnel entries on the south side and the large hangar doors on the north side. However, a thermal scan of the area," Daniel paused a moment, allowing the holographic image in the center of the room to change again, revealing a topographical map of the operation area highlighted with shades of orange and red, "reveals that there is a thermal exhaust port just a few dozen meters from the personnel entry on top of the hill. If necessary, this could be used as an entry point, but the extreme temperatures involved would require substantial thermal protection. We've put thermal suits in your equipment lockers on board the transport already for just such an occassion. They're not armored, however, so don't attempt to use them if they suffer any damage whatsoever."
Daniel set the thermal image to display at a 45-degree angle, slowly rotating and showcasing the elevations of the area. The 'hill' into which the facility was built was several hundred meters high. "We have not yet witnessed anyone or anything entering or exiting the facility, so we are unsure of the most trafficked entrance point. It is possible that there are other subterranean entries that spread out for miles. We simply don't know."
Spyros nods through the presentation flipping through the datapad at his own pace. "Sounds like we may be spending a little time roughing it while we wait for our opportunity. How's the weather in sunny Blightville this time of year? Are we going to need shelter out there under the stars?"
"Then there's the thought of us trying to hustle those ten miles back to the landing strip with our new scientist friend... and his old friends chasing us." Syros shrugs, "Maybe Frederick can barter up some atvs for us, but somehow I think those are going to be preciously rare in the QZ."
"Your survival gear will include an all-weather tent with sufficient room for your group in the event that it should become necessary. However, I imagine that you can likely find shelter within one of the buildings that are still standing. As for the weather of the region, the skies have been mostly clear for the last several weeks. The forecast for the area does not anticipate inclement weather being an issue during your time in the OZ. The ten-mile seperation is unfortunate, but any closer would risk the ship being visually detected by someone in the facility. Plus, the scarcity of viable landing zones is something of an obstacle."
Daniel nods a bit, gesturing to Frederick. "Of course, if you're able to barter for some form of land vehicle, by all means do so. As several salvaged vehicles are employed by the locals, it is unlikely that the presence of such a vehicle would garner any unwanted attention."
"I am worried about the apparent lack of security, but I have faith that we will succeed at this mission. If the locals don't try to make a meal out of us, that is."
Urso laughs loudly, a deep, belly-rumbling sound that crashes off the walls. He leans back in his chair and idly plays with the datapad.
"As my father likes to say, 'Discussing strategy is like talking about f- sex. At some point, you just have to do it.' I believe there was mention of a bar?"
"If I could have access to any documentation on the area that Trinity might have on file post-Wycoff that would be useful in dealing with the locals once we arrive." Frederick requests, looking to Daniel with a quirked brow. "I would like to have a chance to go over it before we are on location. I believe I have some information already compiled on my computer about the area before the Event."
He looks to Urso and nods, his smile remaining. "Of course. We are going into the town initially for reconaissance so I'm hoping to have some time before the bullets begin to 'fly.' As Neptune division is fond of reminding; 'Information is ammunition.'"
"The rest of you should enjoy an evening getting to know one another. I would like to familiarize myself with the people in and history of area a bit more. I also need to check in with my assistant and make sure that any other engagements are being properly handled while I attend to this situation." He nods, glancing to each of his teammates in turn. "I also understand that some people are not entirely comfortable around Telepaths, I would not want to intrude on your last chance for relaxation."
"As my father likes to say, 'Discussing strategy is like talking about f- sex. At some point, you just have to do it.' I believe there was mention of a bar?"
Thérèse sighs. “Why are men always in such a rush?” she asks rhetorically. Not giving Urso a chance to respond, she turns immediately back to Daniel. “I do have a few more questions, sir. Will we have access to Trinity resources before the mission, if there are specific items we’d like to requisition? I realize the mission budget is not unlimited, but I don’t expect any of us are fully equipped for this kind of work as we sit; it’s certainly well outside my usual experience. Not that I – rather, we can’t handle it, of course! But those short-range communications you mentioned, armored or camouflaged suits – or both – and possibly a few other things would be very helpful.”
After Daniel responds, Thérèse continues, “Are we to assume that long-range communications are not a possibility, then?”
"The rest of you should enjoy an evening getting to know one another. I would like to familiarize myself with the people in and history of area a bit more. I also need to check in with my assistant and make sure that any other engagements are being properly handled while I attend to this situation." He nods, glancing to each of his teammates in turn. "I also understand that some people are not entirely comfortable around Telepaths, I would not want to intrude on your last chance for relaxation."
Thérèse looks both relieved and frustrated at this statement. She chews her lip slightly, glancing at Frederick every once in awhile, but says nothing.
"Your transport is not slated to leave until late tomorrow afternoon. You may have the remainder of the evening and tomorrow morning to go over the equipment being provided for you for this assignment. If you find that you are missing any critical items, you may request them but I cannot guarantee that your request will be filled. Rest assured that short-range communicators and light armor will be provided for you, as well as additional ammunition for your weapons if needed."
After Therese's follow-up question, Daniel shakes his head. "At this time, we are led to believe that communications over distances greater than ten to fifteen kilometers will not be possible. We have no relay towers in the area and satellite coverage in that area is sparse. If you were to find a functioning emitter array in the operations zone, it may be possible to bounce a signal off a satellite, but you should expect to remain out of contact with us for the duration of the assignment."
Thérèse nods. "Very well." She glances at Spyros, to see if he has anything else to add, but seems ready to get moving.
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Daniel glances around at the others for a moment, getting nothing but silence in reply. "Alright then. You are dismissed. Meet back here at noon tomorrow to prepare for your departure."
Daniel shuts off the emitter with the push of a button and the room's lighting slowly rises to it's normal levels. He escorts the group to the door with a smile and opens it for them, gesturing with a sweep of his hand a curt nod to everyone. "Have a good evening."
The team has little difficulty finding their way back to the lobby... and the torrential downpour outside. The streets are wet and crowded with passenger vehicles, including several taxis.
Frederick-- overcoat donned to ward off the rain-- steps out onto the street after shaking Daniel's hand and delivering a quick affirmation that they'll be seeing eachother tomorrow. His eyes scan the foot traffic and that clogging the street beyond the sidewalk, finally settling his gaze on the remainder of the little quartet.
"Well, the rest of you should enjoy your evening. I will review whatever relevant information I can find on the area tonight so that we might have the easiest time tomorrow... before any eventual martial confrontations." He includes the addendum for Urso's benefit, nodding once more to the larger man. "If I find anything that I think the rest of you should see I'll make sure to compile it for your perusal on the flight out."
He lingers for another moment, waiting for any last inquiries or farewells.
Thérèse pauses as the rain first hits her, eyes closed, feeling the water run down her face. She then takes a breath, and steps up to catch Frederick's coat. "Frederick," - she's still using that peculiar emphasis on his name - "can I have a moment before you leave?"
She shifts her position awkwardly, wiping rain from her eyes. "What I'm saying is... come with us tonight. We need to be a team for this, and that starts tonight."