Summary:Decoding the data recovered from AIM, Jeriah and Jemma make some horrifying discoveries. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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When isn't it busy for Jemma Simmons? The answer seems to be never. It's a couple of days after the raid on the AIM facility in the South Pacific and it's the first time Jemma and Jeriah can go through what they found. Jeriah London in working on scrubbing that data now with the biochem.
However, that's not the only thing she's working on - the other case is grisly. There's images of remains on her 3D display and the spec analysis is working overtime.
BEEP
Results appear in a window to the side of that image. Results that make the biochem frown. "That can't be right and don't tell me to run the tests again, Mister London. This is the third time I've done it and yes, I've checked the machine calibration twice. That's naturally occuring plasma that was used - not denotated. It doesn't make sense, not from what we saw."
Jeriah had told Jemma to stop asking when he'll be done with the decode on the AIM data.
"Well I don't know what else to tell you then doc." Jeriah says. He is still working on the AIM data. It is very cleverly encoded and he's not at all sure when he's going to have it done with. He's been here for a few hours minus a trip to the cafeteria to bring back some things. It's been one of those long, slow workdays.
"I'm sure you don't." Jemma mutters, glancing over to where Jeriah is working. His dogs aren't in evidence at the moment though she does wonder where Brutus has got to. Probably with Kelly, given it's Kelly's Kitten Karrier.
The data Jeriah is working on is cleverly encoded and the Contractor has been making steady progress. As Jemma turns back to her results, Jeriah gets a break through and manages to access the first level of files. There's a lot of information there, results from tests that were being conducted at the facility mostly. In subfolders there are documents with correspondence and other admin documents.
5r
Beep.
Jeriah turns to look at the console he's working at and peers at it. "Looks like I've gotten through the first layer of encryption or in other words 'we're here now.' Let's see what we've got…"
He cracks his knuckles and starts looking through files. "Hrm." Click. Click. Click. Click.
"These look like Genoshan purchase orders. They date back over a year… year and a half. They're all in that weird mix of French and Afrikaans that they use on that Island. Hrm…"
Click. "They're signed by someone named or titled Geengineer. Maybe query the intel databases on that one. And… oh… hello."
He turns in his seat. "Special projects division of their Science Directorate. I'm familiar with them, they were the ones buying AIM tech before."
The more Jeriah digs, the more he can find of course. These purchases orders appear to be for weapons. The orders from a year, year and a half ago seem to be for implants with specific designations. Target segments perhaps judging by the way they're grouped together.
He can find corresponding project files for each designation as well. Incomplete, of course, but there's some good base scientific data there.
More recently, those requests have changed to 'aerosol dispersal' methods. There's only one designation for that project.
Throughout all the project files, one thing seems to be common. The designation for Reverbium.
"Genengineer?" Jemma pulls that data up onto her display, letting the analysis of the power plant run in the background. "According to this he was involved with the mutate tests on Genoshan citizens. If he's buying this tech …"
Jeriah does some mental calculations and frowns. "So… roughly speaking it looks like Genosha has sunk almost four hundred billion dollars into this research with AIM and that's presuming they're not using anyone else. It looks like about eight months ago there was a spike of interest with Reverbium based technology. They've got mutagenic compounds, armor plating, even aerosol dispersal… sounds like that might be your plague, Doc. It was after some kind of industrial break through that the money really started pouring in."
There's some more tapping. "It would make sense for them to test it on mutates. It would ALSO make sense for them to look for some kind of way to target specific mutates. That way if there were ever a revolt or rebellion they could kill the ringleaders without touching anyone else. Big intimidation move."
"That's a lot of money." Jemma gestures and some of the files that Jeriah has just decoded 'fly' onto the holographic display. "It certainly looks like they're the culprits. Look at these implants …" She starts at the beginning and brings up the project files.
"See here. These are targetting the X-Gene but he's managed to breakdown that into subclasses. Each of these of implant designs gives specific access to a type of a mutant."
"Can you find anything in there that's not mutate based. Look for anything that doesn't include this sequence." The code for the X-Gene.
The answer is 'no'. All this research is simply based on and targeted at mutants. Which is interesting, because Asgardians have been targetted most recently.
Jeriah makes a face. "That's a level of understanding of the X-Gene that basically no one else has." Maybe mutants themselves do, one of those super geniuses somewhere. But not anyone at SHIELD he's willing to bet.
"Okay so he's targeted mutants that do specific things. If he's able to reverse these effects then Genosha could use this on mutant populations outside their own borders. They might be invited to or they might just decide to dose someone and carry them off. There are persistent rumors that they do this kind of thing…"
Nothing officially confirmed though.
"Hrm…. no. No this is all mutant based, Doc. Which isn't surprising. But that does present a problem. It means Genosha can't possibly be behind the recent attacks on the Embassy."
At least not that they've been able to uncover.
"It really isn't an understanding we have and these formula's … I'm not sure I can use them. There seems to be something missing. Which doesn't surprise me. I've not seen one of these where the entire product is created at one facility." It's not a bad precaution for the research being stolen. "Is there any indication of which facility they were collaborating with?"
There should be though Jeriah has to dig a little. There's routing information in a subfolder that indicates another facility somewhere in the pacific as well. Logic dictates that it has to be somewhere near because of transport. Perhaps there's details on how they might find it.
As to mutants, Jemma nods, screwing up her face in distaste. "Genosha should be eradicated." she grumbles "How about dosing them and turning them against the populace? A good way to upset public sentiment. Or you know, just kill them."
That there's nothing other than mutates gets an even deeper frown "So, conjecture? Another player connected to Sindr? Or a connection we just haven't found?"
"Could be either. We know so little about who Sindr might be." Someone connected to Asgard, that seems likely but connected on which end? That's much much less than clear.
"You could say the same thing about a lot of regimes on Earth but that doesn't work so well when we try to actually go change them. Take that from someone who has seen what the efforts result in."
The soldier sighs. "People have to want the change. If you try to force it, it doesn't take."
He lets that hang there for a moment and then goes back to answering her other questions. "Looks like they're working mostly with AIM labs in Asia. Madripoor comes up a lot and I'm not surprised. As for Sindr? If I had to guess, I'd say it's someone who isn't from around here. They seem to have a hate on for specific Asgardians."
Jemma sighs and sits back, assessing the data "I know we can't get rid of Genosha. If we could, I'd just nuke the place from the face of the earth. And yes, I know … the people who live there are mostly innocent…" she shakes her head. What the rulers of this place do are monstrous.
"Asia and Madripoor? Good thing your vaccinations are up to date. I want you, Barton and Harper to go visit them. Get what you can from them and shut them down." There's a look to the soldier to see if he's going to challenge that. "You lead it." Will she go with them? Jemma just put him in charge, he can tell her to stay at home if he wants.
"So … safest conjecture is that Genosha is one of the clients, yes? And this Sindr, another. We need to visit the Asgardians again and ask some pointed questions. Maybe Bartons contacts will come up with more."
"Asia is where those archers are being found too." Jeriah points out. "If I take Barton OR Harper there, there's a significant non-zero chance that we get ambushed by some robot wielding a plasma bow." Which is probably survivable but Jemma has seen the footage and she knows that those weapons are destructive and the robots are tough.
"Genosha is likely one of several clients. That seems almost certain. AIM won't want to lock themselves down into exclusivity and there is a LOT of money to be made with a weapon like this."
He sighs a little bit. "DeHaven is going to KILL me if I try to take her board game partner to a place where he's going to get shot at, you know that. And leading either of those bow types is likely to be herding cats."
"I know and we need more information on those too. Barton has proven he knows how to handle them. Get with him and get a debrief, run the tapes and see what you can find." Jemma sighs. "Not *if* Mister London. You're all part of the team, and they're good at what they do."
"How did you go with your analysis on the chassis you recovered? I haven't had chance to read your report. Any weaknesses we can exploit given we don't know much about that brain?"
Though Jeriah has had some personal experience of it.
"Kelly may be upset, so make sure you bring him back in one piece." The biochem falls silent for a moment, raising at eyebrow at 'herding cats' before adding "She's not the only one who will be upset if you get shot at."
"Kelly will not at all be upset if I get shot at." Jeriah retorts. "Are you saying you might be?"
"I'll be careful." He says after a moment with a confident smile. "I've been doing this for a long time and I'm still alive. I know how it works. I'm more worried about the archers. Clint's a veteran agent and Roy's done this before. But neither of them are soldiers." One is a spy and the other is a 'hero'. Both of them are used to violence. Neither of them are used to war.
"In short the chassis is a pretty advanced frame. It's not very well armored but it's modular enough that I expect that it will be iterated on. And that plasma bow is a piece of work. I'd hate to face more than one at a time."
"That's why you're leading the team. I trust you." Jemma says quietly. "I trust Barton and Harper but you've experience they don't have and you'll bring them home." Jemma's under no allusions that this is dangerous but its something they need to do.
"Find the weak spots, work with the archers and help them develop arrows that are effective against it. Bartons been working with the bow, he should know its weaknesses, see if you can rig up something to exploit those." There's a mischevious glint in Jemma's one good eye as she looks at the soldier in front of her "I have it on good authority, you're something of a halfway decent engineer. Time to show us what you can do." Is that challenge?
Kelly might be upset if Jeriah gets shot it - particularly if it upsets Jemma. The biochemist flushes slightly at that question though "What can I say? There'll be a heap of paperwork if you are. And I'd prefer not to do it." Sure Jemma.
"Well I will try to spare you the paperwork then." Jeriah says. "Now if I'm going to do this I'm going to need some prep time and access to the armory. So… maybe you can fill out THOSE forms." To get him access to the armory. Because it's not like they let just anyone in there. "And I will do engineering. Which is kind of like science. But better."
Oh it's on.