Scene #3463: Corporate Espionage

Owner	Pose
John-117	TECHNO URBANIA NIGHT The security system had been expertly disabled for just a few seconds. If no one had been monitoring it, it's likely that it would have been explained as a momentary hiccup or issue with the power system. However, with Scorpio Industries having had dealings with the Union and Confederacy in the past, it could be for the best if someone were to make sure that no one was poking around in things they shouldn't. If it's a false alarm then there's nothing to worry about. From the outside, the building is what one might expect of a corporate tech park. Bright shiny lights, gleaming chrome surfaces, a neat little park for that corporate grassland requirement. Strange, though. There's no sign of any security guards. Something's wrong.
Eryl Fairfax	Eryl happened to be in Techno Urbania when the call went out. A slight response lag in his right ring finger had demanded getting it looked at, and ReGenesis had some accredited biomechanics in the area to get it looked at. The call had come just as he was walking out the door, so off he goes. Things looked very benign, just another fancy building of the future, doing future things. But Original Face, upon scanning the exterior, was trying to predict guard routines, and none were being met. No guards. Oh dear. A gentle stroll turns into a brisk jog as Eryl heads towards the centre. He whistles a tuneless tune, looking relatively innocent all things considered. Ears perked for the echoes, trying to pick up on anyone being anywhere unusual...
Genya Arikado	Very odd, that. Only for a few seconds? If someone were breaking in, wouldn't it have gone down permanently? No. That would be too obvious, and would instantly attract attention. The momentary blip was so much better. Easier to explain away, and it only takes a moment to get in. It's true, if it's a false alarm, then no one's lost anything. This is why Genya doesn't go himself. Rather he sends soldiers. It's not a huge force, no -- that would attract too much attention. Rather it's a small force that arrives to investigate. Just a handful of soldiers in green uniforms and light armor ... armed, but not immediately overtly so, mainly with large pistols. The heavier weapons are likely still in their vehicle.
John-117	The most unusual thing is that there's no one around outside. When Eryl can catch a glimpse through a window, he can see people inside. Even this late, people are still working. From what he can see, they don't seem alarmed, although the guard in the lobby seems alert - probably wondering why his associates haven't reported in. Other than that, the employees probably don't even know that something's happening. Between Eryl and Genya's soldiers, it doesn't take long to find one of the exterior guards, though. The man has been seemingly shoved into a dark alcove. At first glance, it might seem like he's dead. However, after a moment, it's obvious that he's alive and groaning softly. He's missing his sidearm and baton, however. Someone's taken them. "Nnghh... Son of a..."
Eryl Fairfax	The sight of workers inside relieves Eryl. If something is happening right now, they wouldn't be allowed near the windows. The expression on the lobby guard is clearly one of confusion. The place really is undefended, and the fact that all the security went off for a few moments... If it is something, it's something that is capable of taking out scattered individuals in a brief window. A large force, or a single powerful attacker? But then, Eryl gets an echo unlike a wall or window coming from an alcove. The perfect place to hide someone. Immediately, he's rushing over to check, finding the unconscious man. Dropping to a knee, he takes the man's pulse, listening to his breathing. The empty holsters makes his concern spike. "Sir, are you okay? Do you know what happened to you?"
Genya Arikado	Soon after arriving, the soldiers in green begin to fan out and search the area. This will probably lead them to finding Eryl, but the announcement over the Union tactical band will ensure they don't attempt to harm or capture him. While Eryl tends to the man and asks him about what happened to him, a shortwave band synchronized between the green-suited soldiers on-site comes alive. "One found injured, no intruders found yet, but likely at least one; guard's weapons are missing," one of the soldiers reports softly. A second instructs, "Understood. Move him to rendezvous point for extraction when able. Keep your eyes open." And a response of, "Yes, sir." The soldiers aren't going to just yank the man away, though. Once Eryl's gotten his information, a couple soldiers will escort/carry the guard -- whichever is required -- to the vehicle they arrived in.
John-117	His pulse is fine. His breathing is fine. However, the man has a nasty bruise on the side of his head, a big purple mark along his jaw. It seems like someone had simply punched him in the face to knock him out and then moved the body somewhere where it wouldn't be found. "I- Ugh. It came out of nowhere, fast as anythin'." His words are slightly slurred. Possible concussion? "One punch, that's all I remember. 'least, I think it was a punch?" He complies with the soldiers, though. Maybe because of the head blow more than anything. The other soldiers, moving about and searching the area, find something near the rear of the building. It's a back door, probably to be used as a fire escape or something like that. A security keypad keeps the location secure against unauthorised entry. Or would have, had someone not yanked the keypad off the door and replaced it with a blocky device. It's obviously some kind of electronic lockpicking device, and probably responsible for fooling the security system. The words UNSC Marine Corps are stamped onto it, alongside a serial number. The door is unlocked.
Eryl Fairfax	Vitals are fine and he seems coherent, good. That bruise is nasty though, but the soldiers who carry the guard away will no-doubt know to get some ice on it ASAP. He rocks on his heels, mulling over his words. A single, precise knockout blow. Whoever did this was skilled, or perhaps augmented. Then, Genya reports over the radio. A back door has had its keypad cannibalized and replaced. Forced entry for sure, but the workers seem unperturbed. Not an attack, not yet anyway. A break-in? Brisk jog transforms into a dash as Eryl sprints towards the location, running a search on the words. But the prospect of a fight has his implants diverting resources to his weapon systems, slowing it. Upon joining the soldiers by the door, he immediately defers to the one who looks most in-charge. If he started throwing his weight around, they may resent it, bad for group tactics.
Genya Arikado	The soldiers that did not go with the man to their vehicle (one soldier intends to stay, keep an eye on him, and treat his injuries), continue to search; these find the device and the unlocked door. It is reported and then word is sent over the tactical band again. When Eryl joins them at the back of the structure however, the one who looks most in charge nods to him. "We'll back you up, sir," the soldier states. "We've been given instructions to support and not interfere with solo agents' on-site." Which means they're probably not Elite. Seems Genya was wise enough to tell these soldiers not to take stupid chances, and not to play hero ... just to back up any Union operatives who showed up.
Eryl Fairfax	Eryl gives a nod to the soldier. He's not much for team operations, but he has the theory down. "As you like. Some of you cover this door. Whoever did this may come back to retrieve their equipment. The rest of you, with me." Eryl ventures inside, all weapon systems primed!
John-117	There's, of course, always the third option - that the person in question is both. With Eryl leading the little band, it's simple enough to get inside. No alarms start blaring as they make their way in. It means there's no panic and it means that whoever is behind this doesn't know that they're being followed. The back door leads down a concrete cinderblock hallway that is known to anyone who has been in a corporate building. It leads into a warren of pipes and conduits, all the things that are necessary for running a building of this size. It's a maze, lit by dim glowbulbs. While a set of stairs leads down further into the dark, signs indicating that its the generator for the building, there's also a staircase that leads into the research building proper. At the top of the stairs, a heavy fire door has been forced open. Whoever did /that/ had to be quite strong. And, just like that, the power goes out, casting the whole room into darkness. Something clatters to Eryl's left!
Eryl Fairfax	Ah, the narrow corridor. The perfect place for an ambush. Eryl is privately relieved that he left the soldiers at the door. In such a place, his breathing alone echoes just fine, so no need for the whistle trick. While the soliders might have their weapons raised, Eryl just points ahead with a finger gun, looking like quite the idiot in doing so. Arriving at the stairs, he plans to go through the fire door, obviously, but then the lights go out. And something clatters. Immediately, he talks in sharp backs as he levels his finger towards the noise, both directing the soldiers and trying to get a sense for what is there via echolocation! "Break off! Half of you downstairs to check the generators! Half upstairs to make sure the workers are okay!"
Genya Arikado	"Sir," the soldier who'd spoken up confirms. He assigns two of the group to remain at the door, one inside and one outside. That leaves six soldiers to accompany Eryl inside the building; a report is made first over their band that they're entering the building. The soldiers are about as quiet as one would expect light-armored soldiers to be. Occasionally the silence is broken with whispered reports over the radio, too. Immediate reports are also made as the power goes out, and flashlights are gotten out. And at the sound of the clatter, three of the six turn to face the sound, firearms raised. The other three? They turn the opposite way, also raising firearms. Tossing something that will make a loud clatter in the opposite direction as one intends to go is a commonly-used tactic. Eryl's orders are heard. "Sir!" Regardless of what the soldiers saw when turning about and raising flashlights, other than report it, the only action the group takes is to follow those orders. Three of the remaining six head for the stairs going up; the remaining three head towards the stairs going down.
John-117	The sound to Eryl's left is nothing but a particularly large rat that had knocked over an old metal bucket. Phew. With the soldiers fanning out and spreading out. There's nothing else down here, it seems, but it has caused the soldiers to spread out. The three soldiers who head up into the building would find the power out there, too. Frightened staff don't seem to have any idea what's goin on. One person, however, calls to the soldiers. "Hey! Are you with the other one? He's headed up to the main server room! What's going on? Is this some kind of drill?" In the sub-level, it seems like someone has shorted out the generator with some kind of timer device, like an electrical pulse charge. It'll manually reboot eventually but, for now, it's been stopped. Not destroyed, just stopped.
Eryl Fairfax	Eryl exhales slowly. Damnable rodents. This is really starting to feel like some horror movie. Reports from Genya filter in over the radio, of staff upstairs having seen the perpetrator and the generators having been shorted out with a timer device. Eryl runs up the stairs to join the soldiers upstairs, giving some orders over the radio. Should any of the soldiers be capable of working the generators to get them going earlier than the reboot might, they do so. If not, they regroup upstairs and push towards the server room. Once everyone has regrouped, Eryl gets directions from the workers and makes towards the server room! Asking everyone to get under their desks until the all-clear is given, just in case.
Genya Arikado	Future note: include electrical engineers next time. Truth be told, Genya had expected it to merely be either a hiccup or there to be someone trying to get in. He hadn't been expecting the intruder to target the power generator. On the bright side the generator should come back up soon. With that assured, Genya sends the three soldiers in the sublevels back upstairs to join Eryl and the other three soldiers. Eryl's explanations should be sufficient, but one of the soldiers does answer to whether this is a drill, "No." Indicating Eryl. "Please do as he says, for your own safety." Once the push towards the sublevels begins, the six soldiers fan out around Eryl in the hallway, checking nooks and crannies where someone might be hiding along the way. The more eyes on a job like that the better.
John-117	Like all good corporate officers, the way to the server room is clearly displayed - once lit up with flashlights, of course. The staff are quite obliging, seemingly happy to have people around who know what they are doing. As Genya's soldiers fan out, they don't find anything more exciting than huddled men and women who blink blearily into the flashlights as they're spotted, huddling under the desks when Eryl tells them to. From the outside, the server room is as dark as the other locations. There is some light there, glimpsed beneath the door. There's the sound of heavy footsteps inside, like someone is stomping around in full armor in there. How will the soldiers handle this? For that matter, how will Eryl?
Eryl Fairfax	It's relieving to not have to deal with anyone trying to be heroes. Eryl strides confidently towards the server room, projecting a sense of assurance towards the workers. They're just trying to live their lives, they don't deserve to be scared. Upon reaching the door, Eryl presses his ear to the door, listening to the tromping around inside... that search he began finally getting results. UNSC: United Nations Space Command. But this is clearly not any unofficially condoned operation; otherwise the equipment would be blank. What is going on?... He gives hand signs to the soldiers, asking them to fan out and cover the door, before banging on it hard with his fist. "This is the Union! Please cease any activity and open this door with your hands raised above your head!"
Genya Arikado	Genya's soldiers do check any rooms they find along the path, verbally reporting them clear as they ensure that there's no one in them aside from who's supposed to be there. They head down the hall with Eryl... and then pause at hearing the stomping around. How can someone so loud have been so stealthy getting in? How will the soldiers handle this? They have their orders, and as Eryl directs them to fan out to positions around the door and further back in the hallway, they do so. Though if Eryl is paying attention to them as well as his surroundings, he'll note that while they're all coiled like springs, a couple are more antsy than the rest. They seem to tremor slightly with anticipation, as if waiting to pounce, as Eryl bangs on the door to the server room.
John-117	There's no response from the other side of the door. Only silence, and the sounds of fingers on a keyboard.
Eryl Fairfax	Eryl gives the occupant five seconds to comply. After that, he sighs and signs to the soldiers, 'prepare to breech. Cover my left and right.' He then goes for any opening mechanism and goes inside, taking the centre position, finger pointed! "Freeze! Hands in the air!"
Genya Arikado	The soldiers nod their understanding, and wait. When Eryl makes entry into the server room, they follow him practically as a single unit, fanning out to the left and right as instructed, firearms raised. They do not fire yet, but instead train firearms (and flashlights, if the room is still dark) on the occupant inside. Eryl has given said occupant the order to freeze, so they wait to see if they will ned needed to fire.
John-117	Inside the server room, amidst racks of computer systems and hardware, a giant stands. About seven feet tall, clad in a heavy set of dark green combat armor that covers him from head to toe, the figure steps back from the console. He doesn't turn to look at the soldiers or at Eryl, and very slowly clips something to the thigh plating of his armor. He doesn't raise his hands. There's a large rifle slung over his back and a pistol attached to his other thigh. Very slowly, the figure turns, and stares impassively at the responders through the polarised glare of a golden visor. He still doesn't say anything. Maybe he'll come quietly?
Eryl Fairfax	People talk of how intimidating someone who is going berserk is. But those who are totally silent are even scarier. Eryl knows this, has employed this sometimes. But being on the receiving end from someone who has a foot on him has him on edge. But then Original Face spits up some information from the Union databases. The person before him is known, a former Union elite in fact. Immediately, he gestures at the soldiers to lower their weapons. "John-117, aka Master Chief, correct? I'm Eryl Fairfax, diplomat for the ReGenesis Corporation and Union ally." He offers a winning smile into that golden reflective visor. "Since you're former Union, I'm prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt. But we have an injured guard and forced entry and all signs point to you. Would you mind coming with us to get this cleared up?"
Genya Arikado	The soldiers do lower their weapons when indicated to. Though a few look between each other as if confused. Union? Wasn't that the group their boss was with? It's obvious confusion! Though they're not so confused that they're completely off their guard. Their weapons are lowered, but not put away.
John-117	The SPARTAN's helmet turns to look at the soldiers, then back to Eryl. "No," he says, at last, his voice gravelly through the helmet. His armor is scorched in places, dented in others. He's been through hell. "I was just leaving," he adds, after another moment. He begins walking for the door, obviously intent on doing just as he says!
Eryl Fairfax	Well. This is already going better than past attempts at diplomacy. At least he's not shooting at them! But at the same time, this is not enough. The armour is clearly worn, he's been through 'the troubles.' But he never reported back in, and now he's breaking and entering? Something doesn't add up. He steps aside to let the Chief pass, gesturing at the soldiers behind his back. 'Circle us. Keep him flanked.' And then he goes to walk alongside the super solider. "We'll see you out." He continues to access what Original Face and Genya feeds him over the radio. Out the server room, through the offices. "So. May I asked what happened to you? There was some concern when you never reported back after Requiem." Probably. Eryl doesn't know for sure. "You look like you need to report in, why are you running around doing the likes of this? What could be so important?"
Genya Arikado	It's all very odd, this situation. But the soldiers do as requested, moving aside to allow Master Chief and Eryl to pass by. At the same time though, they flank the pair, as Eryl requested. Just in case the armored man tries anything. The upshot of this is that John-117 has an armed escort! Just, it's one that might shoot him if he looks like he's going to hurt anybody...
John-117	"I know the way," the Chief tells Eryl, although he doesn't make any move to attack them. He's used to being surrounded by soldiers and, so, he has nothing to add. As Eryl asks him his questions, the Chief remains silent. It's no surprise, really, given his psychological profile - sociopathic tendencies, no socialisation and more... "I have a mission," he tells Eryl, "I'm going to complete it." Thanks to Original Face, Eryl might spot something perplexing. It's barely noticable, particularly due to his heavy gauntlets and thick undersuit, but can be picked up on by those with sharp eyes - or a good AI package to analyse the pattern. His hands are shaking. "I'll be leaving," John says, as they reach the back door. "Don't follow me."
Eryl Fairfax	Eryl stares hard at Master Chief, Original Face zeroing in on those trembling hands. Well now... going AWOL, suddenly breaking and entering, signs of physical and emotional trauma. Something happened on Requiem. But now, what to do about it? They're in a densely populated area, and while they outnumber the Chief, the information he has... well, he might be able to win, but the possible loss of life and damage would be unacceptable. So when they leave the building, Eryl offers only a wave. "On your way then. You know where the Union is if you need... help. And don't forget your gear." He reaches out, grabbing the box the Chief had used to break in... and with a sharp yank, extracts it from the wall seemingly effortlessly. Casually, he tosses it to the soldier. "Stay in touch John. And get yourself looked at." Once he's gone, he looks apologetically to the other soldiers. "That was kind of nothing, huh? Sorry for dragging you along, and thanks for sticking with me."
Genya Arikado	The soldiers accompanying them are more concerned with whether the armored man will attack or not. Either way, if any of them notice Master Chief's hands shaking, none of them mention it. This is probably not the right time anyway. The lead soldier of the group shakes his head at Eryl at the apologies. "We were asked to investigate, that's all. Only to engage if there was no choice," he assures Eryl. A second soldier pipes up dryly, "Truth be told, I was dreading having to tangle with a -walking tank-. All's well that ends well, I say."
John-117	The SPARTAN catches the module easily. That, too, is stowed somewhere on his armor. "Thank you," he says, after a moment, although it can't quite be clear whether he's referring to the equipment or the kind thoughts. Who knows. And just like that, the Chief leaves. For a big man in a set of power armor, he can certainly move quickly and quietly when he needs to. He slips into the alleyways of Urbania and is gone, taking whatever it is he took from the servers with him.