Brotherhood of the Machine (IC) [PG/14]

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan felt lost.  He had been intending to go into town with Baiye to 'survey' the populace, but she was instead engaged in the activity of cooking - something which was lost on him, even as an incubus.  But Exo seemed to be managing fine by himself so there was little else to do.

"I'm not hungry," he said, "and my sense of taste is not what it was, but if you want anything peeled or suchlike, I'm sure I can help you out."  It was a pretty safe bet that Baiye and Sally would be able to read between the lines.

[Boog]

Mister was confused. One second they were about to go on patrol, and the next it seemed they were setting up camp. Unlike Dorcan, the subject of cooking was a welcome reprieve from his own befuddlement.
"I heard mention of preparation of the evening meal?" he strode over to Dr. Joywaves and the small platoon of chef's (whether the small relates to the height or number of the chef's I'll leave up to you) she had aquirred. "If I may be of any assistance, madam? I'll admit that I have no formal training in the culinary arts, but I have picked up a few things here and there."

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx trotted back to the camp after his conversation with Victor. To be quite honest, he was bothered by the fact that he and Morgan just went off to town like that, not even saying where they were going specifically.  On account that being in this group had, for the first time in his 'life', lightened him up a bit, and the fact that all the members of this team were either already rebellion members or monitored by the Rebellion prior to their 'invitaions', he was able to let go of his paranoid streak just once and not question about where they were going. If the Jackson trusted them, then Jexx should too. But it still nagged at him. Something just wasn't right about this...Oh well.
  Jexx walked back into the clearing and noticed several of the others already cooking food with the setup that Jexx himsefl provided. When Sally was asking who wanted what, Jexx replied, "I'm good, and not really one for cooked food. I can fend for myself."
  Jexx went over to the food rations crate, and pulled out several packets of freeze-dried foodstuffs, and went to sit in the command post-deployed van to nibble on them. He had survived for the past two years on mostly raided or stolen Brotherhood supplies, and all Brotherhood food was freeze-dried. Jexx had developed a taste for that type of food, and not much else.

[Azlan]

Seeing Morgan starting off to town Victor jogged to catch up his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. "Wait up Morgan."

Morgan paused long enough for Victor to catch up, "I am going to get some work done in town.  As I am using the cover as a Narcotics officer, I am going to approach the local law enforcement, present credentials and give them my cover story.  I am going to follow standard police procedures to try and mitigate suspicion.  This might have the added benefit of making me a target, it also may put them on edge.  I'm going to setup a presence at a hotel and obtain samples of local food and drink for analysis.  Hopefully I can make myself a target, one that they will move against."

Morgan cursed slightly as if remembering something he forgot to do.  Morgan triggered his CTC and kicked off a network boot of the laptop in the case he was carrying.  He activated a simple publishing program and printed off a stack of simple, government style business cards with a mobile number and email listed.  The CTC also accessed his open chipped SIM in his phone and established a VOIP address from his PXE server at home and spoofed it off the federal service provider.

"Victor, it is best if we split up here, unless you have the appropriate credentials and want to travel the overt route with me.  This could be very dangerous, or it could pan out to nothing.  If you are coming, my name for this is Jerome Allard and we are investigating drug activity that has been moving North and tracking supply lines."

Morgan headed off and arrived at the police station, he entered and approached the reception desk.  Producing his credentials, he addressed the desk officer, "Good afternoon, I am agent Jerome Allard and would like to see the chief or your officer in charge."


OOC: Note, font indicates an accent change.  His basic semi-English accent is denoted by [Arial] font.  Use of [Harrington] font denotes a shift to a low-land Scottish-like accent without the usual local colloquialisms.   

[Prof B Hunnydew]

The Stew was cooking just nicely and the Doc thanks Baiye and Josh.  "Mister Mister maybe you can make something sweet to drink or a nice dessert.  After Dinner, we can think of what course to take in the morning and we will have a clearer picture once Victor and Morgan get back." says the Doctor and she turn on her microphone"Vic and Morgon, Be careful and I'll have some stew for you when you cone back

PBH

Edit : The doctor setup her testing equipment after dinner, as she listens to the "planning".  SHe has tested the soil and water of this local area, and a few spots closer to town.  Hoping to maybe find something out of the ordinary, and Also hoping not to since If the Brotherhood's controling power spread this far out from town, it could spread to other towns, just by "natural" means. 

"Josh and Jexx can you go hunting for small wild animals.  I need to test if the local animals could be carrying something." asks The Doctor   "I'll be ready to go to town in the morning once I finish my tests.  I think Victor and Morgan are smart enough to bring some food stuff from town, didn't you?" asks Sally on the comm links to the group.  The doctor will be busy most of the night and half the next morning.  as she testing of chemical and drugs, and possible nanites.

PBH.

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx looked up at the Doc's request. "All right, Sally. Can do." Jexx quickly finished his 'meal' of freeze-dried packets of stuff, and hopped out of Mobile Ops Alpha.
   Walking over to Josh, he said, "You heard the lady. Move like you got a purpose!"

[Ryudo Lee]

When passing through town, whether Morgan noticed it or not, the townsfolk were decidedly... creepy.  Everyone was extrodinarily polite to one another.  Everyone said hello to everyone else.  Some even mentioned how well they were obeying the local laws to a police officer who was directing traffic.  The drivers all had their attention forward and both hands on their steering wheels, at 10 and 2.  A few folks had even tossed overly-friendly greetings at Morgan.  Aside from everyone's way over-polite nature, everything appeared normal... just really creepy.

The front desk officer, a young vixen, looked up at "Jerome" with a big smile.
"Welcome to the Northon Police Department, where we make sure that the streets are safe for you and yours.  How can I help you today?" She asks in a tone usually reserved for a peppy camp counselor.
After Morgan identifies himself, she takes the credentials and reviews them and then tapped away on a keyboard.  She then places the credentials on the desk, right in front of him.
"Well agent, your credentials check out, but I don't have you listed as being transferred here.  Is this some kind of surprise inspection or do you have an appointment with the chief?" She asked, ending her question with a bright and happy smile.
She seemed all too cheerful while talking to him.  It was... well, creepy.

[Azlan]

Morgan, as Jerome, smiled back at her and retrieved his credentials, "I'm not transfering here lass, I am a special agent investigating drug smuggling activity.  We are tracing supply lines and funneling channels coming up from the coast.  I need to speak with the chief to coordinate our actions while in Northon."

He paused briefly before continuing, "Do you know what happened to the smaller settlements on the road here from the city?  A lot of burned out buildings."

[Ryudo Lee]

The vixen looked a bit confused.
"Drug smuggling?  We haven't heard of anything like that.  Why, the Brotherhood would have notified us of that." She says.
She listens to his second question.
"Oh, those were hideouts of the bad people.  The Brotherhood took them away and made sure that no one would ever be able to threaten our town again.  The Brotherhood takes care of us." She says.
She looks back at the computer screen.
"The chief has an opening right now.  I'll buzz you in." She says.
She touches a button under the desk and the door on the wall behind her buzzes and unlocks.
"He's in the third door to the left.  Have a nice day agent." She says in that overly cheerful tone.

[Azlan]

At the vixen's comment about the burning of the surrounding towns, Morgan raised an eyebrow slightly but nodded, "Ah ell, good for you then that he Brotherhood is looking into your interests, but they should check with Federal law enforcement before taking drastic action and all."

If Morgan had fur, it would stand on end at her creepy cheerfulness, but he remained as neutral as he could, "Thank you for your time officer." 

Morgan headed towards the door and sent a tight beam transmission, bouncing it off a satellite and back towards the camp with a summary of the town, visual recordings with audio and a brief report. I will be seeing the chief of police, I am sending live feed just in case there is a problem.

Opening the door and heading in, he walked down the hall and selected the third door on the left, if there is a name on the door he takes note of it.

"Good afternoon, I am agent Jerome Allard.  How are you this fine day?"

[techmaster-glitch]

   As Jexx was just about to start walking out of the camp with Josh to acuire the animal sally had requested, he heard Morgan's notice over the microcomms, then a beep from Mobile Ops Alpha. Quickly running over to the van, and looking at the screen, seeing the video Morgan was sending, he shouted, "Hey everyone! Get over here, quick! You're gonna want to see this, it might be important! And Josh and I'll get those animals for you after this, Sally." he added as a reassuring sidenote. As the group rushed over, Jexx manipulated the computer console to make a large screen appear on the outside of the van, so everyone could watch without crowding inside.

[Arcalane]

Exo wanders over to the van and climbs inside, adjusting some of the equipment as it takes a seat inside the vehicle, deftly retuning the sensors to better recieve the feed. "Interesting... perhaps adjusting the phase-frame manifold would... no, no, nevermind... let's see what we have so far..."

[Tapewolf]

"Functional Epistemology, my dear Norris," murmured Dorcan.  He was talking to himself.  After all he was one of the only people in Furrae to have read that story, let alone this realm.

"Well it looks like they are definitely being mind or mood-controlled," he said.  "I wonder how?"
I wonder if it would affect me, he added mentally.

[Boog]

Mister was just about to get to work on the requested desserts, something involving fruit, whipped cream and cinnimon, when Jexx put up Morgan's transmission on display. "One minute, young sir. I need to... Simply..." After a couple frantic seconds of wondering where to set down the mixing bowl he had been using, he simply placed in on a convenient stump and (giving one final stern look to a bunch of squirrels who had been eyeing his work a tad too closely) joined the others at the screen. He didn't bother to remove the apron he'd found amongst the cooking supplies.

[Kryptic]

Baiye and Gidget - having finished the potatoes and internet surfing, respectively, wandered over to the monitor with everyone else. Starting to get a little crowded around the portable screen, but no matter. Gidget pulled it up internally, watching the feed without watching the screen.

"Gives me the heebie-jeebies. I wonder if they have other 'moods' too. Like the brotherhood could flip a switch and turn them into homicidal maniacs. Creepy." She shuddered a little, shaking her head and making her silver hair fly around her face.

"One would think her face would start to hurt after a while, smiling as much as she does." Gid's ears flipped around nonchalantly, but soon they froze. As it turns out, it was his ears that functioned as recievers. At least now the "radio" antennae inside his ears made sense.

Baiye glanced at Dorcan as he wondered aloud about how it was being done. She was rather curious too, to tell the truth. She picked through possibilities in her mind, trying to think of something that would do that.

Her hands brushed her cheek as she tapped into her own communicator, her eyes cloudy with thought again.

"Say - Morgan. Do you have the components to see if there's some infrasound or ultrasound being pumped into the town? That could be it... It seems most likely to me." She gritted her teeth a little - it seemed likely, but the Brotherhood would probably be a lot smarter than that... unless they just had it guarded well.

"If you don't recall, O Creator, I have recievers for that sort of thing. Dork." Gidget grumbled as he rolled his eyes - sometimes he just didn't get Baiye's mind. Once she started thinking about something, everything else in her mind got lost in some sort of black hole.

"Gid could probably pick it up - should that be the case, but I'm not sure if I want to have you trapsing around town alone just to eavesdrop, Bud. It's just not smart." The girl cast a warm smile to the cainoid, and bit her lip in consideration as she turned back to the monitor, deep in thought.

[Tapewolf]

"Do you think it is likely to affect cybers?" asked Dorcan casually.
"Personally I doubt it's ultrasound, since humans and furres are going to have quite different hearing ranges.  If it is nanotechnology, it will have to enter the body somehow.  I find it unlikely that the same device would be able to affect both organic and synthetic lifeforms."

"Not impossible," he admitted, "but unlikely."

[techmaster-glitch]

   "Or it could be some sort of psychic, or more likely psionic, field amplifier device. I doubt it would affect purely mechanical minds, but if there is even a hint of organic, biological, or even the raw essence of life itself present in the mind, I think it will have some sort of effect. If it's powerful enough to affect the entire town, it would almost certainly be very large and bulky generator-like device, powered by a psionic-capable person, and heavily guarded."
   Several of those assemble glanced at Jexx, as in, 'how the heck would you know that?' "What?" he asked defensively. "Um, let's just say I've had some run-ins with psychic and/or psionic Brotherhood goonies, and leave it at that."

[Prof B Hunnydew]

"Whatever the control "signal" is, it would be send from the Brotherhood tower or we could be look at old fashion mindwashing plot, too. Victor, Morgan, see If there is an age limit to the Happy go lucky?  We may only see the young being the most faithful.  Or they all watch the same Entertainment channel which is controlled by the Brotherhood.... Which Come to think of it, only the non-psions and/or non magicusers would be effected by subliminal suggestion.  Still I am banking on something making Sub's more effective here. or nanites, however unlikely that is.  No one has knowledge of how to reproduce nanites in the body without them going rogue.

It would be ironic if the Brotherhood is using psion to control the masses even as they claim that they are the enemy to all." says the Doctor as she continues her tests on the local water, air and land.

PBH

[techmaster-glitch]

   "I mean, heck, come to think of it, it's probably a psionic-emulator generator. It wouldn't need an actual psychic or psionic person to power it. It would definately not be an instantaneous control-field, like an actual psion-powered amplifier might be. An emulator would be slow to affect, and build up it's full effect over time, like Exo said back at the warehouse. And if Morgan has been able to waltz right in without becoming an uber-peppy zombie, and it is a psionic device we up against, it's almost certainly an emulator. Though the ultrasonic and nanites are possibilities. Like said, improbabilities, but not impossibilities." Jexx said.

[Ryudo Lee]

The chief was a grizzled old bloodhound, but somehow he managed to pull of a creepy looking grin.
"Well hello there agent." The chief said. "I understand you're looking into some drug smuggling.  We don't have anything of that sort happening around here.  If there was anything like that happening here, I'd be the first to know, since the Brotherhood would have already spotted it and notified me."
He nodded a bit.
"And since they haven't notified me then that means that there's no drug activity here, so I'm afraid that there's nothing I can really do for you at this point." He says, still with that creepy smile.

[Azlan]

Morgan smiled back, "That might be true, chief, in a conventional sense.  However, we are following up on leads that suggest some drug smugglers are hiding here in between runs.  There is also a chance that they may be looking to expand into this area and are planning to check things out, this means they would have arrived fairly recently or may be moving in soon.  Either way, we are not expecting to find anything, but we have to go through the motions to keep the DA and my captain back home happy.  I am sure you know how that works.  Give us a couple of weeks of looking around and we will be out of your hair.  Most likely we will spend the time in the nearest pub to our hotel, but we thought it would be polite and let you know we were on your beat, just in case we need backup.  It might be good to know who your Brotherhood contact is, just in case we run into him so there is no problems from their end."

Morgan, keeping appearances as Jerome, reached in his pocket and pulled out his "business card".  his mobile number and spoofed federal email were on it.  "Just in case you need to get in touch with me, here is my card.  I'll be staying at the Comfortable Inn, check with the front desk and they will ring up to my room."

 

[Ryudo Lee]

The chief took the card and nodded.
"Alright, just don't interfere with any of the officers out there.  I won't be able to give you the name of my contact with the Brotherhood, but if you really need their help, just go to the tower and explain things to them.  They take care of us, so I'm sure they'd be more than willing to help you out." He said with a cheery tone.

[Azlan]

Morgan almost shivered at the grin and cheery tone, "This must be quite the place to live, everyone seems so happy, good natured and neighborly.  What's your secret?  Clean living?  Good diet?  Tai chi?" 

Lobotomy?

"Whatever it is, the rest of the world sure could use it."  Morgan lied, but as he did so, he immediately took air samples and examined the area with all spectrum of sensors from ultraviolet, infrared and errant electromagnetic signals or presence, aural signature of the chief.  He also scanned all sound ranges, from ultrasound through the highest ranges he could pick up.

The small contingent of nanites on the card proceeded to enter the chief and begin their analysis. 


OOC: all the scans are visible through the feed being sent back to base camp.  The nanites are fully functional and controlled by my internal processor unit.  They will attempt a cellular and chemical analysis.

[techmaster-glitch]

   Jexx had continued to monitor the video and audio Morgan had been sending from the main command console screen. When the police chief officially authorized Morgan's stay, Jexx pumped his metal arms into the air. "Yes! Girls, boys, and bots, we are in business! Slick work, Morgan."
   A little bit later, Morgan began sending the analysis information. Jexx quickly rerouted it directly to Miss Joywaves' personal equipment. "Sally, you getting this?" He asked.

[lucas marcone]

Josh was too consumed with the story about the burnt buildings the vixen gave Morgan. "Who were these 'bad men'? Magic users like ME, or sympethetics? Awwww man! This is why I hate genocide!"

[Paladin Sheppard]

After spiliting up with Morgan, Victor headed off to find a bar. Not just any bar mind you one of those really seady biker gang/washed up merc bars.

Atleast he hoped there was one.

[Ryudo Lee]

Unfortunately, nothing is seedy in this town... and it's completely dry.  No bars for as far as they eye could see.  Alcohol wasn't even being sold in stores or served in restaraunts.

[Paladin Sheppard]

Standing on the corner of a insanely tidy street Victor scratched his head. "This place is completely whacked. I mean not one single bar?!?"

[Ryudo Lee]

The chief just smiled.
"The Brotherhood keeps us safe, so we can all be happy and live stress free lives." He said.
Morgan's nanites didn't pick up anything in the air, except for a relatively weak and harmless electromagnetic field.  It was too weak to interfere with any electronics or communications.  It was hardly detectable even, until the nanites went to work.

But the nanites in the chief picked up something very odd.  A simple microchip implanted under the skin on the back of his neck.  It appeared to be interfacing directly with the nervous system.  And what's more, it appeared to be recieving information from the weak electromagnetic field somehow.

[Azlan]

Analysis has determined the existence of a microchip linked to the nervous system.  Low-level electromagnetic field appears to provide an information link to a host system(s) or possibly a network.

Morgan attempted to direct the nanites to the site of the microchip.  I need the nanites to interface with the chip and see if they can tap into its programming and connect to the information transmission feed.  I need the signal isolated, do not accept any queries, access requests or any interaction.  Receive the transmission and store it as code, then run an analysis on it.  If possible trace it back to a source.

Working...

"Thank you chief, it would be best if I got to work now.  Good day." 

Morgan nodded respectfully and exited the chief's office, heading back out the hall door into the main area of the police station.  He nodded to the vixen as he exited the building.