================================== Maverick ==================================

Message: 12/45 Posted Author

Moscow Report (WTF? Again?!) Sat Aug 21 Flame Stag

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Hey, look, it's Flame Stag on screen! He looks pretty cut up, but at least he's not /too/ badly mangled. "I felt like I should make this report before I go in for any serious repair work." Flame takes a deep breath, before continuing.

"After growing tired of that fool Daryn's constant babbling, I set out to lure him into a false hostage exchange along with Leutnant Fantasia, who posed as one of the children we abducted. Unfortunately, while it initially went well, he saw through our deception, apparently due to earlier comments made by Overclock."

Flame narrows his eyes, as if considering what to say next. "This 'Daryn' revealed himself to be a Skinner, as he showed up wearing the form of one of his 'hostages'....a battle ensued, and he was supported by what I believe to be Neo-Arcadian cyborgs...." Attached is a zoomed-in picture of Drake Sunfire's head, with a Neo-Arcadian beret.

"At any rate, the battle went well. I was able to knock Daryn unconscious and was about to pulp his head when one of the cyborgs jumped me. I was unable to finish him and return to my task before Zero arrived, and threatened to destroy everyone involved. He began to power up an attack that was last used to level a large portion of Shanghai." At this point, Flame's expression turns sour. "I made a judgement call, and removed both myself and the unconscious Fantasia from the scene. If Zero had intended to flatten Moscow, I decided to let him slay the Neo-Arcadian slime for me. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and I believe they may have gotten away.....the Hunters don't seem to care so much about Reploid-hating criminals as they do about us."

Finally, Flame salutes the camera. Maverick spinny, and you can all go about your daily routines. Yay.

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Dr. Doppler's condition continues to decline. The tantrums have grown more frequent, longer in duration, and more violent. Mentally, he is exhasuted, the Virus relentless.

At present, Doppler is sans labcoat, it lying in a rumpled heap on the floor near the back of his cell. He is in little better shape, sitting on the floor, propped against the front forcefield that separates him from the outside world.

Prismatic Spider enters the brig, Reploid feet tapping on the floor in regular motions until they reach Doctor Doppler's cell... And Prismatic turns, pulling up a stool to sit down upon, looking to the back of the Doctor. "Hello, Doctor."

"Prismatic," Doppler says, voice weary. His hands rest on the floor, palms down and fingers outspread. "<...tell me you have brought news. Or tell me you have brought a pistol. The former would be preferable. >"

"< So you do have something in common with Cossack after all. Prefered methods of suicide. >" Rigger trudges in looking a bit weary herself, though she flips a small datadisk between her fingers. The light catches on the gold disk causing it to glow from the movement. A weak smile is offered to Doppler, and Prismatic both, as she leans up against the wall rather than sitting.

Prismatic Spider nods, voice steady as he looks upon the haggard Doctor, replying in German as well. "<Indeed, I bring news. We have determined a way to stop the spread of the Virus into your mind. I know it is causing you many problems, but the preparations should be ready tomorrow. All you have to do is hold out until then, and you will gain the respite you deserve.>" He looks over to Rigger, and arches an opticridge. "<The Doctor's death would be a sad thing for all of us. I much prefer him alive and sane... He deserves better than this.>"

Dr. Doppler snorts. "< Don't compare me to him...a shame, that I never fully punished him for what he did to my granddaughter. >" His head tilts back to rest against the forcefield as well. "< Tomorrow....I will do all I can to still be here for you. >"

Dr. Matthews just glances aside at Prismatic with an emotionless expression for several moments. The disk she was twirling is stopped by snapping her fingers together around it firmly. "< Nevermind. >" Her head shakes slowly and she glances back towards Doppler with a small shrug. "< I'm sure he feels the same in regards to his son. Even if you didn't do anything personally. >"

"<Punishment will solve nothing, Doctor Doppler. Not at this point.>" Prismatic pauses, optics fixating on the disc. "<What is the disc for, Doctor Matthews?"

It may not be the most pleasant of conversations, but at least (for the moment) it is keeping Doppler lucid. "< /I/ did not turn Vile into a war machine, Julie. He already was. >" Unlike during their previous visits, he makes no attempt to straighten his posture, instead remaining slouched against the forcefield.

Dr. Matthews holds the disk up to the light a moment with a small grin. It's the look of someone that knows something others didn't. "< I know that. And he blames himself for it. I just try to put things into perspective sometimes, you know? >" She shrugs, and then glances towards Prismatic to respond to him. "< A full copy of Doppler's schematics, and medical history. >"

Prismatic Spider nods to The Doctor Formerly Known As Rigger. "<Excellent. It'll be useful.>" He looks back to Doppler, and arches an opticridge. "<This isn't really a good time to be worrying about blaming other people. I've been getting repots about the frequency of your... episodes, Doctor Doppler. The Virus is getting worse, I assume.>"

Storm Owl arrives from the Lower Deck.

Storm Owl has arrived.

Dr. Doppler is slouched on the floor, using the forcefield guarding the front of his cell as a backrest. His labcoat lies in a rumpled heap nearby. He sighs in answer to Prismatic's question. "< I can barely shut him out, never for long...it is so difficult to /think/...to distinguish myself from him. >"

Prismatic Spider leans back, sighing at that. "<You just need to hold out a little longer. Is there anything we can do to help in the meantime?>"

Dr. Matthews takes a deep breath and exhales it slowly as she stares at the slumped, nearly defeated form of Doppler. "< I was given a spare inter-face chip for his cybernetics as well, if you need such. If not ... >" A shrug follows that remark. "< I could bring you some of that coffee you like from Eurasia, >" She offers.

The door that leads out of the cell block and to relative freedom from the brig slides open and closed. The sound of tapping metallic talons on the ground can be heard as a mech strides along the row of cells. Storm Owl, as pressed and proper as always, steps confidently towards one cell in particular. His hands are clasped behind his back in an at-ease military posture. As Captain of this beautiful ship, Storm Owl feels it is his obligation to check on the status of the prisoner in person. Any guards he passes results in an exchange of formal salutes. And finally, Storm Owl is there, standing at the cell. He is positioned behind Prismatic and Matthews. The Fortress Commander, brilliant as always, is familiar with German, given how popular it is in this war they are enthralled with. For now, Storm stands at the ready, nodding to the two standing outside the cell.

Dr. Doppler can hopefully be forgiven for neither standing nor saluting as Storm Owl joins the gathering outside his cell. His back is to the avian, and judging by his disheveled state, he's probably not capable of the usual military nicities just now. He runs his fingers through his hair, further touseling it. "< Overclock was generous, was he?...coffee...yes, that would be nice...I don't suppose you have Bach on hand? >"

Prismatic Spider smiles. "<Actually, I have an assortment of Bach in my study, as well as some other composers... Perhaps Wagner as well?>" He looks back, and stands up from the stool he was sitting on, giving Storm Owl a brief salute as he switches back to English. "Good to see you, Storm. How is the Fortress holding up?" He then nods to Doctor Matthews. "We will probably need it, and anything else we can get our hands on. We've been working with extremely short timeframes, here, so complete resynthesizing isn't going to happen. We'll have to go with modifying nd cleaning what's there."

Dr. Matthews chuckles quietly at the requests, only to nod. She half-turns and spots the owl whom she blinks at in surprise. Awfully quiet for a reploid that big. That, or she'd just been overly distracted. "< Ah, well, there we go. Bach it is. And yes, he was rather generous, given the circumstances. >" A smile is flashed before she turns to Prismatic to nod stiffly. "I have it in containment currently. Let me know when you'd like it." A small sigh is exhaled, and she rubs a hand over her face. "< I believe I should get some rest before anything important happens. >"

Storm Owl is willing to accept Doppler's lack of formalities given the circumstances. An optical ridge rises at the notion of Overclock being generous. The last the war bird saw of that particular Maverick, he had just held a human hostage after shooting another in the back repeatedly for fun. This was at the terrorist strike in Moscow that killed over twenty innocent people. Doppler's plight is obvious, and Storm cannot help but wonder what a horror it would be to lose your mind. It is, in most cases, the greatest asset one can have at their disposal. He returns the salute to Prismatic, "Adequately, Commander," he replies. He doesn't go into any details with Doppler here. As if he could somehow be a security risk given his situation. "Is there any danger from Doppler to the ship?" he asks, refering to the Sigma virus. Had Storm Owl his way, Doppler would be dead right now. It is the only logical course of action to take, however cruel and uncompassionate that may be.

"< Beethoven, or Williams...not fond of Wagner, >" Doppler replies. "< Strange, >" he muses. "< He was the one trying to convince me to give in...that I would be better for it... >"

"<I'll examine the donations before we make use of them. I don't plan to lose the Doctor to a cheap trick.>" Prismatic grunts, and sends a quick radio to one of his technicians to bring the requested items from his study.

"< If it's not satisfactory, let me know. I can whip something up that will work in it's place. >" Nevermind the time requirements, and the fact that there were so few; she was rather assured in that statement. That said Dr. Matthews lifts a hand, and heads for the door passing Storm Owl by with a polite nod. "< I need to rest. I'll bring you some coffee in the morning, Sigmund. >"

Storm Owl assumes that the lack of reply means 'no, Doppler is not a danger to the ship'. He returns the nod from Dr. Matthews and asks another question to Prismatic. "What is our current plan regarding Dr. Doppler?" He speaks as if Doppler wasn't just several feet away from him, separated only by the cell's forcefield. If the answer is classified, naturally Storm does not expect a reply.

Dr. Matthews has disconnected.

Dr. Doppler switches to English for a moment, saying acidly, "I am not deaf." Then, he resumes speaking in his native language. "< Good night, Julie. >"

Prismatic Spider nods and waves to Dr. Matthews as she leaves, and looks back to Storm. "As long as the fields remain intact, the Virus cannot spread through radiation. There are no electronic components within the cell for him to infect, either. When he is removed for the operation, he will be put into a containment unit and the cell sterilized. The ship will be perfectly safe... And we have plans to isolate, disinfect, and shield the vector path of the virus into the Doctor's mind. This allows him to avoid the psychological effects of the Virus while the Mavericks will not work to recontaminate him when returned, since he will still be infected... Just not where it matters."

And then Isoceles Ibis appears, carrying a small multi-disc player. "Hello Commander! I've got the music!"

Storm Owl doesn't respond to the acid tone, but merely peers at Doppler. "Understood," he replies. Still, Storm Owl'll do it again. He listens intently to the precautions regarding Doppler and finally nods. "Thank you, Commander. If there is any aid you require, I shall see to it that the crew is at your disposal." Storm hopes that, in the event of a failure in the precautions, there is a backup plan.

Dr. Doppler scowls, but since his back is to the others, they cannot see it. His hands curl into fists, knuckles pressed against the deck plates. He takes in a sharp breath, holds it for a moment, then releases it.

Prismatic Spider takes the player from Isoceles Ibis, and nods. "Thank you." She skips off, probably to go talk with Ten about the latest sales. The Spider Scientist looks back to Doctor Doppler... He might not see the scowl, but he does see the hands... "<Is there a problem, Doctor?>"

Storm Owl leans in slightly and takes a step towards the forcefield, mildly interested in whatever is happening to Doppler. "Are you alright?" he echos Prismatic in English. Storm doesn't ask about what the music player is for. There's nothing wrong with making sure the prisoner is at least comfortable.

Dr. Doppler closes his eyes, wincing, cybernetic muscles tensing. "< No... >" he hisses, though the word may or may not be in answer to their questions. "< I will not let you win...show me no more... >"

Prismatic Spider presses some buttons on the player, and the strains of Bach begin to play quietly in the Brig. He sets it down, and looks back to the Doctor. "<It is the Virus?>"

Storm Owl first wonders who's question Doppler is answering, if any. 'No there is no problem', or 'no, he is not alright'. He figures it's the former. He also figures Doppler is lying. But Storm Owl is definitely no wizard when it comes to interpreting what other people are feeling. "What... who is he speaking to?" he asks Prismatic in a lowered tone, clearly intrigued by Doppler's madness.

Prismatic Spider looks back, speaking quietly. "Doctor Doppler has cranial implants that the Virus is using to gain access to his mind via the mind-machine interface. It is causing dementia and hallucinations... If we don't repair him soon, it will probably deive him quite mad."

Dr. Doppler leans forward, pressing his fists against his forehead. "< Yes...my son...ah my son...I failed you...is this my punishment? ....No! No! I will not listen! The world cannot be saved by destroying it! >"

Storm Owl nods, but keeps his optics focused on Doppler. "Ironic," he notes, "That the virus created by the foundation he fathered is now destroying him." Deliciously ironic. "One wonders whether all Mavericks undergo similar consequences when converted. If at a more rapid pace and without the long-lasting results." He still wonders who Doppler is speaking to. The virus itself?

Prismatic Spider says, "I recently acquired the Doctor's research on the Sigma Virus... I'm not sure, really, the full effects and symptoms without examining the data in more depth." Prismatic looks back to Doppler, and places a hand on the field. "Doctor, fight it. Don't give up to it, it will be over soon."

The irony has not been lost on Doppler, but it is cold comfort. "< I am Sigmund. I am Sigmund Jakob Doppler.... >" he says through clentched teeth. "< You do not control me. You are not my son...are not...>" He gives what is either a chuckle or a sob. "< I destroyed the plans...ha! Never again...I will not rebuild you like that... >"

Storm Owl nods to Prismatic, but once more doesn't take his optics off of the soon-to-be mad Dr. Doppler. "Facinating," Storm Owl whispers as if watching a science experiment rather than watching the suffering of a human being. "Hypothesis: He is speaking to the virus itself. The virus is, in some ways, his son given that he is the creator of the Coalition. The plans... Hmm." Storm is like a kid who is enjoying this great puzzle.

Dr. Doppler growls and slams both fists into the floor. "< No! You are not making them better! I want them to come to us by choice! This is not what we set out to do! You are not making me better! I am Sigmund! >" His fists pound against the floor again. And again. "< Sigmund! Sigmund! Do you hear me?! >"

Prismatic Spider sighs quietly as he watches the battle from outside. "I wish there was more that I could do..."

Dr. Doppler slams his fists into the floor several more times, then suddenly stops. All at once, he slumps back, the forcefield crackling as falls against it. "< ...tomorrow, you said, >" he rasps, the anger now gone from his voice. "< ...I must trust you and Julie, Prismatic. Finish this, one way or the other. >"

Prismatic Spider nods to Doppler. "<I will, Doctor. Tomorrow, this will end. We will heal you... In the meantime, feel free to listen to the music. It is set to respond to voice commands, so you can change the music at any time.>" He looks back to Storm. "Perhaps. We are just not ready yet. Tomorrow, we will be. For now... We can leave him be." Another glance back. "<Farewell, Doctor Doppler.>"

Storm Owl inclines his head to Prismatic and finally takes his eyes off of the raving Doctor Doppler. "Inform me if his condition changes," he tells one of the guards, who salutse. Not that there's anything Storm would be able to do about it if something changed in Doppler. The Captain turns away from the cell, but pauses in order to look over his shoulder. "Farewell, Doctor Doppler." he echos Prismatic in English. Storm shall be most interested to see what happens to the doctor tomorrow.

"< Good evening, >" Doppler says to his keepers. He does not bother to move from his present position. The music brings at least some comfort, a distraction from the whisper that refuses to be silent.