realityshifted | (no subject)

[It is a good thing she can't read minds, because if she realized Sam was comparing her to a horse, she probably would shoot him.]

My own desire for information that someone was holding back 'for my own sake'. Now are you going to ask questions or keep trying to figure out the ways in which I'm attempting to trick you?

[Sits herself down in one of the chairs.]

Edited 2008-04-29 00:05 (UTC)

[sits across from her] This feels too much like an interrogation table for my tastes.

Let's start with what you 'really' do, then.

[Dry look.] Should I have brought tea and scones?

[Another sigh.] What I really do. I suppose I should start with why I'm needed. Do you know what Contractors are?

Li told me a bit, but he didn't tell me much. Emotionless killers, very dangerous, powers I'm not used to. 'Stay away,' basically.

[Meh. Just like Gene Hunt and the Masters. Dammit.]

They are not emotionless. Not, at least, in my experience. They are, however, near-humans ruled by logic, rather than feeling, though their logic systems depend on their particular credo.

[Heavy sigh.] And yes, I doubt you've dealt with people like them. At least not before coming here. Their abilities vary. I've had to deal with everything from muscle manipulation--puppeteering--to exploding hand prints. Research is still being done on how, precisely, Contracts are obtained, but each use of their abilities requires a Contractor to pay obeisance. This varies, as well.

[She rubs her forehead.]

Edited 2008-04-29 00:25 (UTC)

What does 'obeisance' mean in regards to Contractors?

[Wishing she had brought tea, at least.]

Payment. I met someone who had to smoke a cigarette when he used his power, even though he hated them. I've heard of people needing to dog ear the pages of entire books, sing a song, compose or recite poetry. Sometimes the obeisance ties directly to the Contractor's abilities. A serial killer I was hunting for a time had to shed blood on his targets to kill them. [Shrug.] It depends.

[nods] And somehow, this is tied to the Gates and the missing stars.

Somehow, yes. The Astronomy Department is charged with research on the fake stars, and also maintenance of the Doll surveillance system. Each star responds to a particular Contractor, and each star has a Messier code designation. We can catalog when particular stars are active and correlate the data to Contractor activity, and thus narrow down our search area for particular Contractors.

We used to be able to do that, in any case. The government is employing and actively using so many Contractors these days, it's hard to keep the information straight, particularly since we aren't given access to all of their records.

And Section Four, your Section, deals with Contractors?

Yes. [She taps the arms of her chair.] At this point, we also employ a great many of them, for use against other Contractors. [The look on her face says quite clearly what she thinks of this.]

A branch of my division also screens Contractors to determine their potential field use. Those that are deemed valuable undergo intense psychological evaluation. Those whose abilities are prevalent or not seen as useful are sent on to the Gate facility to be used as research subjects. [Disgust layers heavily in her words now.] I don't know what happens to them there.

So they're forced into work or they're sent off to become test subjects. Contractors don't have any rights?

Those who know of their existence largely consider them no more human than Dolls.

I'm going to assume you don't mean China Dolls.

No. They're human constructs implanted with the barest level of consciousness by M.E. technology. We also call them Mediums.

They can generate and control surveillance specters, insubstantial entities that can travel through different mediums and gather information. The Dolls that the Astronomy Department uses travel through wires. We use them to keep tabs on Contractors and suspected Contractors within the city, as well as for ordinary observation.

Constructs? So it's not like this was done to a human.

[She grits her teeth.] Not in most cases.

Edited 2008-04-29 02:13 (UTC)

All these atrocities...

[sighs] Dolls, Contractors... any other apparent 'sub-humans' in your employ?

[a beat] I don't mean to implicate you. It's apparent you don't agree with the policy here.

[She rests her head in her hands.] I've seen cognizant Dolls. I helped smuggle two of them out of the country before they could be terminated.

[She leans back in the chair and stares up at the sky, a tiny, ironic smile on her face.] That was before they switched Doll induction and and termination to another department. I think they suspected me. But can't dismiss the heroes you parade around for publicity, can you? Sends the wrong message to the people who are supposed to trust you.

I somedays suspect that positive publicity's the only thing keeping our whole department from getting shut down. Which is why I usually like to be there when Gene talks to the press; it doesn't always turn out positive if I'm not.

Does the public know about Contractors and Dolls?

No. The government uses the M.E. to keep it quiet.

Have you told me what the M.E. is?

[Pauses.] No. Sorry. It's... Technology that was spawned from Gate research. It can alter and erase memories. It's the machine that they use to implant consciousness into Dolls, modify Dolls to give them temporary personalities for undercover work. That sort of thing. [She doesn't look at him.]

[frowns and leans forwards] Misaki?

[She does her best to keep emotion from her face when she looks back at him.] Yes?