[X] The interrogator refers to Ethical Compliance-and Cross has been coming to similar conclusions to you. Professor Li wants to talk-and so do Mr. and Mrs. Rosario, who know where Serafina is.
-> [X] ... and the interrogator alludes to certain intel they've got which suggests that Ragnarok Command is up to things - and has been doing some internal house-cleaning of people they now consider compromised.
The only background noise in the tiny room is the hum of the extractor fans. The suited cyborg - Captain Miyazaki - is calm, impassive, and has been making notes throughout the interview.
Henriette isn't even sure why he is using the notepad. He's a cyborg. It's a prop - nothing more. But he does seem to be using it to review the points he's made, as he looks over the results of their talk.
"Very interesting, lieutenant," the captain says eventually, tapping his pen against the paper. "Those allegations are… interesting. And very severe. Humour me for a moment, while I review them."
She waits. She isn't sure if this is optimistic or hopeful, or whether things are going to go downhill.
"You allege that Dr Leon Gregor was behind the attempted assassination and-slash-or neural subjugation of the entirety of Amalgam-451. In addition, you posit that he has consorted with haemophages and RNEs for the assault on the headquarters of Amalgam-451 in December 2015. In addition to that, you allege that he has on no fewer than two occasions made beta-instantiations of Dr Serafina Rosario and on at least one occasion a beta-instantation of Financier Donald Sykes, and attempted to them to both distract attention of his crimes and eliminate members of Amalgam-451. Furthermore you allege that he is likely engaging in restricted research into EXEMPLAR-like technology which was classified as EXTREME THREAT after the Exemplar III incident, which is likely related to the interest he has shown in Dr Serafina Rosario. Do I have that right?"
"Yes," Henriette says.
"Lieutenant Langley, these are quite extreme allegations. Forgive me, but I find it hard to credit that one man - one who isn't even a Director or equivalent rank - could go off the reservation in such a manner."
Yes, Henriette silently admits. Their enemies seem no strangers to refuge in audacity. Why
didn't someone stop them? Answer - because they were acting with the sanction of Control and, much as it pains her to feel this way, Unionists have a blind spot for seemingly valid orders. After all, they're only human. Even cyborgs like the man in front of her. Even her, who's had a computer in her brain since before she was decanted and so her ADEI is a core part of her sense of self.
"A question, lieutenant. Why would he do such a thing? What does he have to gain from such seeming animosity to Amalgam-451?"
She's already explained her suspicions that he's linked to the MUSCOVITEs - but of course, this kind of interrogation often loops back. "I have to assume he's linked or cooperating in some manner with the forces behind the incident in Moscow," she says stiffly. "It's the only thing that makes sense for such actions. I've never met him or interacted with him at all. And from my understanding, Progenitor internal politics tends more towards the catty remarks and attempts to blacklist rivals than outright murder."
"Ah, yes, you said that already," the captain says thoughtfully. "So you would say he is an ally of the MUSCOVITEs and so is working with declared Enemies of the Technocratic Union on top of all his many other crimes." He taps his pencil on his notebook. "You don't aim small when making allegations," he says mildly. "When trying to discredit someone, it usually helps to pin things on them that aren't grand declarations of their treason."
"I can only report what he's done," she says, trying to suppress the surge of annoyance. Yes, if she was trying to discredit him, she wouldn't be saying things like this. It sounds crazy even to her. It implies that there's a conspiracy within the Union with significant resources and capable operatives that's working along with an extremely potent alien threat to unknown - but no doubt malign - ends.
It just happens to be the case.
"I think that will be all for now, lieutenant," the man says. "Expect to hear from me again."
***
"Under most circumstances, I'd be inclined to say she's gone cyberpsychotic," Captain Miyazaki grumbles, leafing through his notes. "It's certainly the simplest explanation. A history of mental health problems and PTSD from the failed Autochthonia mission - combined with a profile indicating paranoid tendencies with regards to mention of the Computer - would suggest that what's going on with her is a paranoid episode where she's woven a fantastical story which 'explains' all the misfortune she's had since Moscow."
"Mmm," says Senior Constable Cross, feet up on the desk as he checks his own notes. "I'm somewhat more sympathetic. I was in Moscow too - and I saw those Panopticon traitors turn on us." The head of Ethical Compliance is not officially here - officially he's inspecting Vanessa units seconded to Ragnarok who'd been alleged to be applying restricted gene-mods in preparation for deployment to North Korea. "I'm not sure you can really be called paranoid after something like that happens."
"Just because people are out to get you doesn't mean you're not paranoid," Captain Miyazaki says tersely.
"Ha. True enough, certainly. But you say 'under normal circumstances'."
"Yes, I did." The cyborg adjusts his unnecessary reading glasses - an affection, but one that's useful. "And you came here quickly, Cross."
"I did, didn't I?" the EXEMPLAR says neutrally.
"Oh, let's cut the bullshit," the captain says bluntly. "I'll put some of my cards on the table and you'll put some of yours. Not everything, but enough that we can get away with actually saying things to each other rather than acting like a bunch of Nu-Woo spooks."
"Fine with me," Cross says. "It's taking too damn long to do this. Want to go first?"
"Fine." Captain Miyazaki flips over his notepad onto a new leaf. "Orders have come down from RAGCOM. ODIN have been tasked with looking for compromised elements within RAGCOM - and we've had to alter the security clearances of a lot of low-functioning Prog clones and ItX bots as part of that. You want my gut feeling? It's like people up the top are suspicious of anything that can be easily overridden. And Leon Gregor is a man I know for a fact has the authorisation and the rights to do that overriding."
Cross nods. "That'd match." He sits back, expression studiously neutral. "I do believe that the Administration is engaging in certain… ah, high level discussions," he says, each word chosen and considered. "While of course I would not presume to speak for them until a firm policy position has been established, I believe Professor Li has established a working group to discuss certain matters. Certainly, Ethical Compliance is very interested in allegations that any members of the Progenitors have been acting unethically." He smiles, flashing white teeth. "It's in our job description. And Leon Gregor's name has come up before us several times before. In several contexts, including a previous reprimand for dangerous unstable self-augmentation of cognitive functions." Cross pauses. "A reprimand which was later withdrawn and white-washed, I might add," he adds meaningfully.
Captain Miyazaki's eyes narrow. "So you're telling me he pulled some strings and got the fact that he's dabbling in dangerous self-augs wiped from the record," he says. "When was this?"
"Back in '97, from what the intel I've been passed says," Cross says. "Before my time, but some of my people remember the old case."
"Goddamnit," Captain Miyazaki sighs. "So you're telling me that we've got a potentially crazy Progenitor super-genius with unstable levels of neurological self-enhancement and he's been running around like this for twenty fucking years? Do you have any common side effects for the things he's running?"
Cross winces. "Reduced empathy for other humans, narcissism, conviction that you're surrounded by idiots - because from your point of view, you are," he says.
"Ouch. Nasty cocktail. So basically we've got an egotist who thinks he's the smartest man in the room,
is the smartest man in the room, and views other human beings as cockroaches compared to him?"
"I wouldn't go quite that far," Cross says, but without much feeling. "But," he shakes his head, "the Serafina Rosario clone we found recently…"
"Wait." Captain Miyazaki grates his teeth. "You're telling me that you have material evidence that Langley was telling the truth about something?"
"I don't know if he was behind that for certain," Cross says carefully. "But that combat homunculus was certainly made with high end hypertech - something you'd need the very best lab to even think of making, and its neural design was top-end. There's very, very few people on Earth who could make something like that. And he's one of them. And from how… ah, irate Professor Li was when I informed him of its existence, he doesn't look to have given those orders."
Sinking down, the cyborg massages his temples. "Dammit," he mutters. "Why couldn't it have just been paranoid cyberpsychosis? That'd be so much easier on everyone."