07-27-2016, 11:35 AM
- - - - SECURE LOG PLAYBACK - - - -
Audio and Visual log of Test Number : 1
The Station although not in lockdown was kept on high alert and security was amped up to a ridiculous level, nobody was really sure why. But behind the scenes this had been done to facilitate the utmost stability for the research that was scheduled to take place.
A strangely marked Naval Avenger fighter-craft docked with the station, it's pilot having all the security codes and clearances they would need to oversee the testing and experiments. Avery was quick to walk his way over to the selected area, ensuring preparations were made before Knight's actual arrival.
Some time after another Navy vessel approached the well hidden station. It was an armed shuttle that quickly authorized itself and was let through and granted to dock. The shuttle mainly contained Rear Admiral Victoria Knight. When she arrived and got through the checks she then made her way to the designated area for whatever exactly Lieutenant Commander Reeves had planned.
"Sir, The Rear Admiral is here." One of the guards reported to the recently promoted Commander Reeves.
Upon hearing that he carefully walked his way out of the newly designated observation area to meet her.
He stopped once he was directly in her path. Clasping his hands behind his back. "Rear Admiral." He said as he nodded to greet her.
She stopped not far from him then. "Commander, if I am informed properly." She said and nodded. "If you'd show me what you have planned then?"
"Walk with me. I'll explain." He gestured to the hallway behind him and turned himself slightly.
She went to follow him, eager to listen what he'd propose.
"We managed to...procure three subjects to observe. What we're going to do although complicated, could yield useful results."
He held a door at the end of the hall open for her. Waiting for her to walk through before he would elaborate further.
"Subjects?" She asked while passing through the door, looking around slightly.
"Potentially infected individuals. If the test goes well, we'll have tangible proof to substantiate the fact one or more actually is infected."
A set of guards opened the next door for them. Inside was a large observation room, staffed by several scientists and technicians. Bulletproof darkened glass lined the front of the room. It was divided into three segments. Each holding a test subject.
"Where did you get these people? Is it suitably proven that any of these might actually be infected?" She asked surprised but curious, stepping closer to the glass to look at the subjects.
"These tests will answer the latter. I personally captured all three for suspicious activity."
"Well then. How exactly are you testing any of these subjects?" She asked to clarify, not having had any information yet.
He points to three monitors mounted on a wall. Each of them monitoring neural activity of the subjects.
"We have a theory. That the infectees are controlled through neural influences. By asking questions and checking how their brains respond. We may or may not have a concrete answer."
"Being able to detect infection has numerous benefits which you should find obvious."
"Interesting idea. Was that your idea?" She asked and looked at him for a short moment before she looked back on the monitor.
"It's been a long-standing speculation. But no, the idea isn't mine. The scientists in this room came up with it, the science behind it made sense, so I agreed and got them subjects to test the theory on." His posture seemed less formal now and a little more relaxed.
"Wouldn't the thing inside them destroy itself or kill the human if it were close to being uncovered?" She wondered.
"The nomads are many things but reckless is not one of those, and given how these people were captured, there was no chance for that. The incubi in them won't want to emerge and risk blowing the pain-staking efforts its made to uphold cover. Instead it'll assume superiority over our intellect and assume it can cheat its way through these tests. But we'll see which race truly is clever."
"Well then I assume you are going to show me how you figure out if these people are indeed as you say?" She asked and turned to face Reeves now.
He approached a microphone near 'Test Subject A's' cell and turned it on, raising it to it was at the right height for him before beginning the first round of questions. "State your name. For the record, please." He remained monotone in voice and didn't seem hostile in the way he asked the subject.
The subject inside answered slowly and seemed nervous. "David...Colbert. Secondary Fleet, Lieutenant."
The neural signatures for subject A seemed fairly normal, the regular areas of his brain would respond in order to answer that question and nothing anomalous took place.
"So this is normal I take it? And you'd see a change if... what? If he lied?" She asked, wanting to know how this test was going. There couldn't be any doubts.
"The theory states, that the influence of the incubi has an anomalous affect on brain patterns, it'll be very obvious once you actually see it happen." He turns his attention to the other subjects and asks them the very same questions, all answers returning normally.
"Well it shows nothing. Does that mean they are all human?" She asked and looked at the test results.
"No, it means the question was easy." He says with a slight smirk.
"The trick is, asking something the Incubi needs to think about, that produces the anomaly."
There was a slight grin on his face as he approached subject A's cell again, asking a new question. "Lieutenent Colbert, blondes or brunettes, which do you fancy more?"
The lieutenant seemed a little taken aback by the contrast from the first question but he answered nonetheless. "Brunettes..." His scans came back normal, with no anomalous readings or anything out of the ordinary.
Subject B's answered seemed normal as well, but when he asked subject C, something peculiar happened. A portion of their brain was accesed that wouldn't normally need to be in a situation like this, and his answer was in a sense 'looped' and fed out the most appropriate way possible, one of the computers made a loud ringing noise and a monotone voice on the radios blurted out the words ::NEURAL ANOMALY DETECTED IN SUBJECT : C, TERMINATING.::
The cell seemingly lit up and there nobody inside anymore, only a minor trail of pink dust that vanished in time as well.
Knight was watching the first tests with curiosity but growing disappointment, wondering if this could even work when all the people were innocent. She followed Reeves around still and looked at him with a cocked eyebrow as he asked the second question.
She was close to dismissing the whole test but was going to wait for the second round to be over.
The death of the third person genuinely astonished her then and she took a small step back.
"This is impressive, Commander. He really was not human anymore." She said and looked at him as if she hadn't expected him to succeed.
"File that neural scan. Use it for reference and analysis everything about it." He ordered to a scientist nearby as they started to compile the data for easy analysis.
"How easy is this test actually?" She asked, already thinking of how to utilise it for the fleet and primarily her own battlegroup.
"Given the nature of infection...it's incredibly hard to detect the anomaly. But I'm amending Naval protocol to include a more subtle version of this into naval psych evals and for personnel that face potential exposure to nomadic influence."
"But we would be able to test certain personnel easily? And out of this rather unsuitable place?"
"Testing is the easy part. Getting the anomalous result is hard."
"When cornered incubi will either...eject or kill themself and the subject. We're working on methods to draw incubi out without killing the host."
"So it should be possible." She just said and looked back at the now empty room.
"We...have a few friends with research that could prove critical." He turned to face her now. He seemed calm through all of this.
"What kind of research?" She asked and looked back at him.
"Hopefully research that gives us a way to force the incubi out. We'll see though."
"And who do you need it from?"
"Let me handle that."
"I see. And when would you say we could utilize this technology?"
"If we find a way to develop it and easily replicate the circumstances required, then yes."
"How long will that take? We don't have that much I fear."
"Give me a week. I'll have files tranferred to the Harmony's database whenever we make progress."
"A week. I guess we can hold out that long." She said and sighed shortly then. "What can I do to speed it up?"
"If you have credible suspicion on a member of your battlegroup or another fleet, then bring them here."
"I think that won't run smoothly without drawing attention."
"Not much else you can do but quarantine potential hosts and wait on our developments."
"I see. Well you certainly did good work Commander. I hope you'll get it done fast."
"I hope so too.."
"So how do we continue? I return to my ship and select potential threats?"
"Mark them. I'll have my men take care of it and quarantine them."
"The Marshals are trained specifically in handling cases of infection and even possible infestation."
"I will do that then. I'll leave you to your tests and research."
"Stay vigilant, rear admiral."
"You too, Commander. This will be a huge advantage in the fight against them." She said and nodded, getting ready to leave.
He took a sigh, feeling the pressure for once.
"I need this technology soon. Or I don't dare think what could happen. Take care Commander." She said then, effectively ending their encounter.
A strangely marked Naval Avenger fighter-craft docked with the station, it's pilot having all the security codes and clearances they would need to oversee the testing and experiments. Avery was quick to walk his way over to the selected area, ensuring preparations were made before Knight's actual arrival.
Some time after another Navy vessel approached the well hidden station. It was an armed shuttle that quickly authorized itself and was let through and granted to dock. The shuttle mainly contained Rear Admiral Victoria Knight. When she arrived and got through the checks she then made her way to the designated area for whatever exactly Lieutenant Commander Reeves had planned.
"Sir, The Rear Admiral is here." One of the guards reported to the recently promoted Commander Reeves.
Upon hearing that he carefully walked his way out of the newly designated observation area to meet her.
He stopped once he was directly in her path. Clasping his hands behind his back. "Rear Admiral." He said as he nodded to greet her.
She stopped not far from him then. "Commander, if I am informed properly." She said and nodded. "If you'd show me what you have planned then?"
"Walk with me. I'll explain." He gestured to the hallway behind him and turned himself slightly.
She went to follow him, eager to listen what he'd propose.
"We managed to...procure three subjects to observe. What we're going to do although complicated, could yield useful results."
He held a door at the end of the hall open for her. Waiting for her to walk through before he would elaborate further.
"Subjects?" She asked while passing through the door, looking around slightly.
"Potentially infected individuals. If the test goes well, we'll have tangible proof to substantiate the fact one or more actually is infected."
A set of guards opened the next door for them. Inside was a large observation room, staffed by several scientists and technicians. Bulletproof darkened glass lined the front of the room. It was divided into three segments. Each holding a test subject.
"Where did you get these people? Is it suitably proven that any of these might actually be infected?" She asked surprised but curious, stepping closer to the glass to look at the subjects.
"These tests will answer the latter. I personally captured all three for suspicious activity."
"Well then. How exactly are you testing any of these subjects?" She asked to clarify, not having had any information yet.
He points to three monitors mounted on a wall. Each of them monitoring neural activity of the subjects.
"We have a theory. That the infectees are controlled through neural influences. By asking questions and checking how their brains respond. We may or may not have a concrete answer."
"Being able to detect infection has numerous benefits which you should find obvious."
"Interesting idea. Was that your idea?" She asked and looked at him for a short moment before she looked back on the monitor.
"It's been a long-standing speculation. But no, the idea isn't mine. The scientists in this room came up with it, the science behind it made sense, so I agreed and got them subjects to test the theory on." His posture seemed less formal now and a little more relaxed.
"Wouldn't the thing inside them destroy itself or kill the human if it were close to being uncovered?" She wondered.
"The nomads are many things but reckless is not one of those, and given how these people were captured, there was no chance for that. The incubi in them won't want to emerge and risk blowing the pain-staking efforts its made to uphold cover. Instead it'll assume superiority over our intellect and assume it can cheat its way through these tests. But we'll see which race truly is clever."
"Well then I assume you are going to show me how you figure out if these people are indeed as you say?" She asked and turned to face Reeves now.
He approached a microphone near 'Test Subject A's' cell and turned it on, raising it to it was at the right height for him before beginning the first round of questions. "State your name. For the record, please." He remained monotone in voice and didn't seem hostile in the way he asked the subject.
The subject inside answered slowly and seemed nervous. "David...Colbert. Secondary Fleet, Lieutenant."
The neural signatures for subject A seemed fairly normal, the regular areas of his brain would respond in order to answer that question and nothing anomalous took place.
"So this is normal I take it? And you'd see a change if... what? If he lied?" She asked, wanting to know how this test was going. There couldn't be any doubts.
"The theory states, that the influence of the incubi has an anomalous affect on brain patterns, it'll be very obvious once you actually see it happen." He turns his attention to the other subjects and asks them the very same questions, all answers returning normally.
"Well it shows nothing. Does that mean they are all human?" She asked and looked at the test results.
"No, it means the question was easy." He says with a slight smirk.
"The trick is, asking something the Incubi needs to think about, that produces the anomaly."
There was a slight grin on his face as he approached subject A's cell again, asking a new question. "Lieutenent Colbert, blondes or brunettes, which do you fancy more?"
The lieutenant seemed a little taken aback by the contrast from the first question but he answered nonetheless. "Brunettes..." His scans came back normal, with no anomalous readings or anything out of the ordinary.
Subject B's answered seemed normal as well, but when he asked subject C, something peculiar happened. A portion of their brain was accesed that wouldn't normally need to be in a situation like this, and his answer was in a sense 'looped' and fed out the most appropriate way possible, one of the computers made a loud ringing noise and a monotone voice on the radios blurted out the words ::NEURAL ANOMALY DETECTED IN SUBJECT : C, TERMINATING.::
The cell seemingly lit up and there nobody inside anymore, only a minor trail of pink dust that vanished in time as well.
Knight was watching the first tests with curiosity but growing disappointment, wondering if this could even work when all the people were innocent. She followed Reeves around still and looked at him with a cocked eyebrow as he asked the second question.
She was close to dismissing the whole test but was going to wait for the second round to be over.
The death of the third person genuinely astonished her then and she took a small step back.
"This is impressive, Commander. He really was not human anymore." She said and looked at him as if she hadn't expected him to succeed.
"File that neural scan. Use it for reference and analysis everything about it." He ordered to a scientist nearby as they started to compile the data for easy analysis.
"How easy is this test actually?" She asked, already thinking of how to utilise it for the fleet and primarily her own battlegroup.
"Given the nature of infection...it's incredibly hard to detect the anomaly. But I'm amending Naval protocol to include a more subtle version of this into naval psych evals and for personnel that face potential exposure to nomadic influence."
"But we would be able to test certain personnel easily? And out of this rather unsuitable place?"
"Testing is the easy part. Getting the anomalous result is hard."
"When cornered incubi will either...eject or kill themself and the subject. We're working on methods to draw incubi out without killing the host."
"So it should be possible." She just said and looked back at the now empty room.
"We...have a few friends with research that could prove critical." He turned to face her now. He seemed calm through all of this.
"What kind of research?" She asked and looked back at him.
"Hopefully research that gives us a way to force the incubi out. We'll see though."
"And who do you need it from?"
"Let me handle that."
"I see. And when would you say we could utilize this technology?"
"If we find a way to develop it and easily replicate the circumstances required, then yes."
"How long will that take? We don't have that much I fear."
"Give me a week. I'll have files tranferred to the Harmony's database whenever we make progress."
"A week. I guess we can hold out that long." She said and sighed shortly then. "What can I do to speed it up?"
"If you have credible suspicion on a member of your battlegroup or another fleet, then bring them here."
"I think that won't run smoothly without drawing attention."
"Not much else you can do but quarantine potential hosts and wait on our developments."
"I see. Well you certainly did good work Commander. I hope you'll get it done fast."
"I hope so too.."
"So how do we continue? I return to my ship and select potential threats?"
"Mark them. I'll have my men take care of it and quarantine them."
"The Marshals are trained specifically in handling cases of infection and even possible infestation."
"I will do that then. I'll leave you to your tests and research."
"Stay vigilant, rear admiral."
"You too, Commander. This will be a huge advantage in the fight against them." She said and nodded, getting ready to leave.
He took a sigh, feeling the pressure for once.
"I need this technology soon. Or I don't dare think what could happen. Take care Commander." She said then, effectively ending their encounter.
- - - - PLAYBACK COMPLETE - - - -