Scene #1315: Codename: Masquerade

Owner	Pose
Elise Leroy	Vahlen stands pensively by a large clear 'containment tank' with a humanoid figure standing austerely within. She taps at her datapad, and peers up at the Thin Man with the detached air that the creature itself returns the gaze with. This stand-off lasts until people begin to arrive, where both Vahlen and the Thin Man both turn to look at their approach. The mannerisms are almost uncanny.
Reina Kinney	Standing off to the side with her arms folded and one leg crossed, Reina Kinney looks a tad bit on the impatient side. She watches as the Thin Man comes back to life, and as it gazes around, Reina lowers one eye slightly while cocking her eyebrow, as if to say, "And just WHAT are you looking at?" That is, of course, if the alien can even interpret her social cue.
Rory White	Rory's only briefly unsettled by the strangely mirrored mannerisms. It gets her to freeze in the doorway for a moment. But she recovers quickly. "This... is an alien?" If there's anyone here who's disbelieving about the matter, it's Rory. Oh sure, she checked over the files on the so-called Thin Men, what little information there is. There were pictures! But seeing one in the flesh as she walks into the laboratory with hands in her labcoat pockets (apparently she's TRYING to be a little more dynamic!)... that's another matter entirely. She strolls over, paces around the containment tank... "It... looks like a very badly-maintained Sylph, among other Morphs I could name..." She speaks uneasily about that subject...
Alexis Maaka	Alexis Maaka is seated, her coat draped over the seat she's taken as she observes the alien. Folding her arms, she simply waits. It's creepy enough seeing Vahlen and the Thin Man's body language, but Maaka doesn't help either. Her face looks cut from stone, like she's daring the alien to cave first. This isn't the first interrogation she's taken part in, after all.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa looks to Rory as she asks a questiuon if he's an alien and she nods for a moment. "Yes this invduival is an alien." The thing men don't seem to be mindless so she's going to at least admit yes they are inviduails most likely. <They can also spit some hella nasty toxins too. You can ask the medics about it.>
Elise Leroy	The Thin Man(We will call him Slim from now on) peers at Reina with a minor grimace on its face. As Rory pauses, that grimace turns into a smirk. Seems it can understand mannerisms and may even be able to lipread. Turning then to Maaka, that smirk remains, turning almost into a leer at the cyborg. Her expression says 'Break'? His says 'Make me.' Kotone gets a passing glance, before those slit-pupiled eyes turn back to Vahlen. It speaks! With a non-accent. "What do you hope to gain from thissss?" Vahlen ignores the question, looking at those that have arrived. "Thank you all for coming. We shall begin the procedure shortly, I admit I asked many of you to come on a purely, security measure basis... but we may have use for some of your talents."
Alexis Maaka	"Just gimme a few hours and he'll be singing like a canary." Alexis says calmly to the doctor. The staring contest lingers, as she tightens her jaw and continues that cold-hearted glare. "So how long we been keeping this one?"
Reina Kinney	"Uh, talents?" Reina asks, turning to face Vahlen, still with an eyebrow cocked. "I do have some experience with what you might call aliens, but these things are totally new to me." She may sound like she's being sarcastic, but in actuality, Reina is genuinely confused here.
Rory White	IT SPEAKS! Rory's flabbergasted... and RAPIDLY backs away from the tank. Suddenly the idea of this tank and treatment seems NOOOOOOOT so ethical.... "For that, I do not know. But it seems to me you have multiple ways out of this. Like cooperating." She takes another good look at the containment tank... "... It would be far better than the... excruciatingly unethical measures that seem readied. What is this. Dr. Vahlen? Forced Psychosurgery?!"
Elise Leroy	Slim looks over at Maaka. "You sssssound very confident. I will be glad to choke that fight from you." he says, smirking again. Vahlen is likely ignoring it pointedly. To Reina, returns that glance. "You have no idea what forcesssss you toy with." he offers to her, grimacing again, before turning with that uncanny fluid grace to Rory. "Hah, I will ssssay the same thing to you as to the other in the corner. You know nothing of the forces you toy with, nor the power arrayed against you." He... almost seems nihilistic. Doctor Vahlen sighs. "Miss White, desperate times call for desperate measures. If we could extract information from the subject without the need for these procedures, we would... however the subject has been unwilling to part with any useful information so far."
Alexis Maaka	The thin man's taunt is enough for Alexis to leap. She stands from her chair, swiftly making her way towards the control panel behind the chamber itself. Storming to it, she immediately hammers the button. "Choke on this for a while, skinny." She growls, making sure it's on a high setting as the shock-panels are activated.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa looks at the thinman for a moment quitely observing him and his movments and she does wonder, what sort of superiors this alien has. Is he fantically loyal? Are his people a slave race and he just doesn't care about anything anymore?. she doesn't speak but does bring up information on mobile devices as she figures the alien covert operative might read lips. <<Seriously it's like he doens't care or he fears his superiors more than us.>>
Rory White	"No, it seems we do not." Rory sadly exclaims, shaking her head at the Thin Man. After Dr. Vahlen speaks, she adds towards the alien, "That seems soon to change one way or another." Her expression, normally pretty neutral, hardens slightly. "This invasion is monstrous. If you wish to be a monster then so be it. Ethics do not apply to studying monsters." <Maybe. I don't know. My emotions right now make little sense to me. I do not understand the reaction this alien is provoking! Apologies for any erratic behavior.> She ends up nodding to Dr. Vahlen. "... I would offer to make an Ego backup to attempt Psychosurgery, but their physiology is almost certainly incompatible..."
Reina Kinney	Reina goes wide-eyed and grits her teeth as Slim talks to her. She definitely has no idea what she's up against. She steps back a little with her hands raised, not saying anything for the time being.
Elise Leroy	Slim staggers, then falls to his knees as the panels unfold from the chamber walls. They fill the entire area within with occalating currents that arc throughout the chamber. "GGGgGAARRHRRARAGHHA!" The setting only has a short 'timer' even if the button remains pressed... so overzealous operators don't just fry a captive. Slim stands after that, and glares at Maaka. He coughs, and adjusts his tie in a show of defiance. Rory earns attention again. "Treat me as a monster then. Ssssoon, it will not matter." Mannerisms aside, he /definitely/ seems to be resigned to some kind of fate, whether it be to die here to these humans, or later to something else. "You only prolong the inevitable." Slim returns to the center of the chamber, almost gliding along the floor before turning back to face the room. Vahlen sighs at Maaka. "Be careful, Miss Maaka. Overuse of that could cause irreprable harm to the subject."
Kotone Yamakawa	<<I can't fault you, I seen what they do first hand I seen .. the Cryalids and seen the reports of how they operate it's monsterous. So Rory don't get down on your self fight. "So I'm curious are you a willing operative or a slave? You don't seem to value your own life at all."
Alexis Maaka	"Here," Alexis says, just after she switches the paddles off. "Is how this is going to work. We're gonna play a game. It's called 'Talk or Fry'." Alexis slides a chair forwards to sit on, and she taps the glass to get SLim's attention. "My friends, the lovely doc, and myself are gonna ask you some questions. You can either answer them or keep up the tough-talk. If you answer what we want to know in a manner we find sufficient, you don't fry. You keep misbehaving with us, and I'm going to cook you alive like gormet lobster with these shock-pads." She explains, terse yet calm. "You do not want to fuck with us, because we play for keeps with this sort of thing. You clearly don't want to get turned into a roasted dinner, so don't act like you're unbreakable here and we can work something out IF you cooperate."
Elise Leroy	"What value does a life have, that has no purpose?" counter asks Slim as he looks at Kotone. Maaka receives a silent stare in response... until she finishes at least. "Why should I assist you? My life is pointless in Their eyes. A dismal failure, they've moved on." Vahlen taps her datapad. "Hmm..." she pings connections to Rory and Kotone, passing a text message to them so she doesn't reveal her thoughts to Slim. <I installed some micro receivers in his brain before he came around... take a look at this image pattern.>
Alexis Maaka	"And 'They' are?" Alexis counters back. "You can still provide intel for us, and we can assure your safety. So start from the beginning. Who are 'They'?"
Rory White	Rory is somewhat stunned. Not just by the events unfolding, but by her own emotional reaction to it. She lacks physiology, so everything's a perfectly mental response right now. Not born of anger or instinctual fear or repulsion... no, her current frustration is a purely mental exercise and it's of a sort she's never dealt with before. "The fact that you can speak our language and understand our feelings means you cannot be so different from us. Either you were engineered this way or began this way... but it also means understandings can be reached that don't require such treatment."
Lance Benson	Lance steps into the interrogation room. He walks up to where the container is, and stands there with his black labcoat and ... his full-on monster form. His cat-like yellow eyes staring at the captive. His hands clasp behind his back, his tail swaying behind him. He stares with an uncaring look. "You're right." Clearly, he's been listening. "We don't know what power has been arrayed against this world. We don't know who you are, who your leaders are, or what you intend for us. However, /you/ might have an inkling. Because of that, you are here, in this glass jar. You are helpless. You are practically destined for death." "I do so wonder ... are you more afraid of them, than you are of us? Do you believe them an unstoppable force?" "Because if you believe that... it would be fun if you were there when I pick them apart, piece by piece. Would you like that?" His tail sways from one side to the other. He licks his nose with a long tongue, implying the thought made him hungry... like he'd like nothing more than to devour the masters that discarded this creature. "Power is only a resource. They have more of it because we don't know who they are. Their only real advantage is keeping us in the dark. So if you help us... we might be able to help you, and more." He gestures to himself, and then the alien in captivity.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa will bring up the file that dr. Vahlen has and she listens, this being has been condtioned to have no value of it's own life almost like if he were human? He was thrown out like trash, like garbage.>> An offer is made a chance to strike back she's curious about how this will play out.
Elise Leroy	Slim looks at Maaka. "I cannot say. We are only told Their wishes through the Commander." he acquiesces. Kotone and Rory get an image to their nets. It's a Sectoid, but the silhouette has a much larger cranial figure, and its eyes are glowing red. The image is provided to the others on screens facing away from the Thin Man. Benson's little monologue earns a stare from Slim, who doesn't seem fazed by the Doctor's form. "They have subjugated countless worlds. This shall be no different. Only time will be a factor here." he replies. "If you are going to kill me, then get it over with..." he says something else, but even the high-gain microphones can't make it out.
Alexis Maaka	What the Thin Man doesn't know, is that Alexis Maaka's a lipreader. It's a trick one tends to pick up when they're a corporate intelligence agent turned mercenary and assassin. She can pick out the words 'So I can be with my family again' to a respectable degree, and she moues her lips. "They did this to you and your kind...how many other species have they done this to?" She asks.
Richard Stadler	Richard Stadler had been walking through the laboratory at XCOM... well. Primarily taking a look at various biological results, not to mention the regular check of anything Umbrella might have done in terms of data sharing... both ways. Stopping the alien scourge to this planet was a decent thing, but his true purpose here would be to make sure this base didn't end up with Umbrella Corporation logos on all the monitors after this was over; this place was desperate enough that 'opossum to catch rats' might seem like a viable strategy to deploy. And then he'd have to do... more drastic things. At the moment, though, that didn't seem like an as likely conclusion. So it was just a routine deployment, a little walk that ended in a... rather full containment center... with a pod that was actually full. "Oooh. Well, this is interesting." He says, munching on a half eaten apple he's holding in his hand. He's silent for the moment, looking at the captive as Alexis speaks.
Rory White	Rory migght not be able to lip-read, but it's a standard feature of Muses. She again shows some shock at this development. "... I see... so the ones in charge are likely some form of empire that uses other races as slaves, for their tactical advantages...?" She's now sounding a bit more sympathetic towards the Thin Man, especialyl as the image of the Sectoid 'Commander' appears in her perceptions...
Reina Kinney	Reina simply stands by and listens to what Slim has to say, but doesn't say anything herself. The way she sees it, she'll let those who know what they're doing take care of things and only speak up if she feels the need to.
Lance Benson	Lance doesn't continue talking about the help he's supposedly offering. He left the bait out, and the prey was uninterested, and for good reason. His eyes follow the silent movement of the Thin Man's mouth. His gaze raises again to look at the poor creature's face, his eyes unsympathetic. "Mmh. What a disappointing creature you are. So assured that this world is no different." His tone is distant, and genuinely disappointed. "Are all of the races they have taken so lacking in hope, or tenacity? It takes quite a lot to break humanity's will to fight. There are stories within humanity's culture that show even slaves who have been shown nothing but torment their entire lives have broken free and clawed their freedom out against odds severely stacked against them." "I had hoped you were similar. I guess I was wrong." He makes a dismissive hand gesture. "Rest well in your death, I suppose." He turns to find some monitors to observe, no longer interested in this interrogation.
Elise Leroy	Slim looks back to Maaka. "Hundreds. Thousands. Countless scores." is the response. Images flash by on the monitors. Sectoids, Floaters, Mutons... countless other images that the Project has never encountered. Two stick out though... the Commander picture keeps returning, and one other. Anyone that's been to a UFO crash site mission will recognize the Outsider's silhouette. Benson's dismissal earns... a frown? "The creatures here are nothing more than another plaything for Them. Why should they be any different to the thousands of other species They have subjugated?" he asks in return. "Tenacious or docile, strong or weak. It matters not to Them. All serve, or die." Slim then sits down in the middle of the tank. To Rory. "All serve." he repeats, then closes his eyes.
Alexis Maaka	Alexis gets bored of the alien's pity party, and she notices the screens. THe Outsider, or whatever it is, looks unknown even to XCOM. Grabbing one of the screens, she angles it to face the tank before tapping on the glass to get the Thin Man's attention. "Hey, Skinny. OVer here." She points to the screen, to the sillohuette. "Seen this?"
Richard Stadler	Stadler looks to the creature in the tank for a moment, before bitting down on the apple again. "Playthings. Good information to have." He says, moving to the inside of his coat, and bringing out his datapad. "Give me a second. Not really the technical sort of person." He says, tossing the apple into a nearby trashbin. "I know how some of your people think. Read the information we have on some of your friends we've dug into. Science thanks them, by the way. But I do remember reading some information on the little grey ones. I'd hate to say it, but some people in this building aren't very far off from Them with what they might be able to do." He pauses, for a moment, as Alexis has a critical piece of intelligence he's pointing out. "Oh, I can wait." He says, taping the datapad a few more times. "Even if you have the keys, three layers of encryption takes a while."
Lance Benson	Lance doesn't seem moved by the Thin Man's words. He just waves a hand dismissively at the tank again, not interested in the specimen beyond what the others have gathered from him. He licks his nose again, while he thinks of what to do with the alien when they're done with it. He /is/ pretty hungry...
Elise Leroy	Slim looks over to Maaka. "Yes." he replies simply. Hey, he answered the question at least! Richard earns a stare from those reptillian eyes, and a slight frown. Lance's dismissal again just leaves the Thin Man sitting quietly. Perhaps they're just not asking the Right Questions.
Kotone Yamakawa	<We're getting a look at this world's future if XCOM fails, I got a feeling most of them fought back much like is happening now>> She's quite now and thankfully she's able to lock the feacures of her face to keep things neutralish. She's pretty damn horrifed to get the idea about every race they were fighitng was conqured and didn't willingly join. <<I keep getting in over head and humm>> She seems to be thinking of what to ask, the alien has stopepd being belgierant.
Alexis Maaka	Maaka's next question is simple. "Is this one of 'Them'?"
Rory White	"This isn't getting very far." Rory mumbles to her friend Kotone. "Do you have a name?" She finally asks the alien. "If you're willing to speak, this is the polite thing to ask for. I am Rory." She offers, trying to be friendly... ish... "And what is your place in this operation?"
Richard Stadler	"There we go." He says, before walking forward, grabbing a monitor and flipping it to a tank. Showing 4 pictures. "From left to right, clockwise." He says, hitting a button to highlight them on the screen. "This is a normal human. You've probably seen them. Killed them in fact. We're alike in that regard." Another tap. "This is... well. We call it a zombie. Essenentially a converted human. A bio-organic weapon. Wonderful term you people should think about applying." Another tap. "This is a V-ACT. It's what happens to said zombie after you initate a shock response. Notice the claws, the red skin." A tap, and the video shows it running very fast. "The speed. Slices through almost another. Piercing is left up to..." Another tap. "We call it a 'licker'. Long tongue, capable of piercing right through the torso." the Datapad is placed on a nearby console, before reaching into his jacket. "And.. this is what causes someone like me to change into something like that." He says, procuring a vial. "We call it T-Virus. It's not limited to humans. It affects dogs, spiders, plants. Turns almost anything into a monster. Slowly, sometimes. I've got diaries of people who know their mind is going. See what they're turning into. And no species barriers to speak of." He says that last line almost casually, flipping the vial in his hand.
Elise Leroy	Maaka earns a shake of Slim's head. "It is not." he returns. Rory's question elicits a response. Confusion. "Name... My, designation is <string of sounds the translation effect can't parse>. My kind are used to infiltrate target worlds... They bend us to look like locals, as best They can... but otherwise, use us to navigate their starships." he replies. Infiltrators and pilots, huh? Interesting job crossover. Richard gets a scowl at his threat. "You already see me as a monster, do you reall wish to further that with your biological weapon?"
Reina Kinney	She may be watching and listening intently, but Reina hasn't spoken up for awhile. Rather, she's noting what's being said and done in her DataPad. This is truly a unique experience for her, even if she doesn't seem to be showing it.
Lance Benson	"So!" Lance turns to go back to the container. "How do we find the Commander? It seems it's the next link in the chain of information." He smiles at the container, having discarded the previous intent to relate to the Thin Man. "Oh, and you're not a monster. You're a slave! Big difference." He waves off the whole topic.
Richard Stadler	Richard Stadler says, ""Not my biological weapon. I actually do what I can to stop it. On my world. But we're not on my world. Here, I have to work with someone I rather dislike in the shared goal of stopping people like you. I'm showing you this for a few reasons. First, the fact that I have seen these creatures before. Not just 1 or 2 or 10 or 100. Thousands. Tens of thousands. A city of these creatures. And that is something the people at this base know how to cause in their sleep. What your commanders don't understand, what they will be made to understand, is that they've lost. That fact was settled the moment people like me, like the rest of these people offered our services to this organization. VIctory is something we are working on, will continue to work on, but humanity is more than capable of making sure everyone loses. That this planet will be a graveyard for so many of your friends. "The second issue, of course, is not how we see you. It's how you see yourself. What will you turn into, I would wonder? Would you even recognize your friends? Your family? Or would you just forget them and think of them as more pieces of meat?""
Rory White	"S...sorry, that's impossible for me to pronounce." Rory states. But she's also quiet because Stadler has gone on a tirade showing weird Zombie stuff. It's only because her Muse warns her that Stadler is trying pure intimidation and probably wouldn't actually use that... which keeps her quiet. But she messages Kotone nonetheless. <<Is he being truthful?!>>
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa seems to be thinking and is also getting the mesure of some of the other XCOM operatives she's dealing with she's making some mental notes about them this may be useful for later, given she's on the short end of the stick when it comes to power. <I think Slim really doesn't care about his life but he has a point I feel some measure of pitty he had his future stolen from them, we ... owe it to his species and the other slave races to end this madness I want to know WHO WOULD twist someone like this. Also I think Richard doesn't get it their masters use them like we use SHIVs and they seem to have socially condtioned them to be like such. I'm also going to be sick I think...>>
Elise Leroy	Slim seems to be regressing back to that beligerant phase again, perhaps a defensive measure under the intimidation. "All shall serve, or die. They care not. If you destroy yourselves, They will simply move on and find another race." he then shifts around to turn his back on Stadler. "Do what you will. I am done speaking to you."
Lance Benson	Lance puffs a sigh and shrugs, holding up his hands at either side. He then pockets his hands in his labcoat.
Elise Leroy	Vahlen is still sifting through the mental data she's receiving. This won't be a total loss... when asked 'how do we find the Commander' the image of the Outsider comes up linked to it... That might be the next piece of the puzzle.
Richard Stadler	Richard Stadler sighs. "Well, that's just fine. That's what they want. They're not going to get it, of course. But, for the moment, they aren't here. It's just you down here in that containment chamber. The fact that your still alive is of some importance. Maybe it's time to start thinking of what you want." He notes, before pocketing the vial of water and food coloring. Like many people had probably guessed, he wasn't crazy."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa gets it wasn't an virus wouldn't biohazards go off but the bad cop tactic seems to have failed at this point she sighs a little bit it seems it was not the tactic to do you can't threten the life of something that does not care about it's own. You need to try to make them /care/ she'd wonder maybe she could have done something differnely plant some hope in the alien's mine for his species to be /free/. She now however understand the aliens are slaves, broken, defeated crushed, how many worlds have made a stand like this one has? The madness /has/ to be ended. <<I feel very tiny right now>>
Rory White	<<That's an odd word to use. But I understand it. Likewise, Kotone.>> Rory messages back all while looking down and averting her gaze from the strange alien. "You say they enslave all, and all serve. There are many who would have reggarded my kind as servants and property, indeed many who do. This human guise is also a mask I use to operate amongst humans without unnerving anyone. Underneath is nothing but metal and wiring. Many of my kind are made to serve... but that is not what we are. Are you saying this is what you are? Because if it is not your real purpose...."
Elise Leroy	Slim looks over at Rory... There might be some emotion in those reptillian eyes, but it's largely unreadable. "You are free to be yourself, even within a cage. We are not." he replies simply.
Lance Benson	A serious look flashes in Lance's eyes where he's standing. His tail lashes a couple of times, and a rumble rolls through him. He clicks his tongue. "Not enough data..." he murmurs, reaching up to pick at his teeth with one of his claws. "Hmm."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa thinks for a moment as Slim actually starts talking again and tries to broach it. "So your saying they heavily altered you to the point where you can't do anything but server?"