| London Calling |
| Summary: | Power Woman goes to London after the news of the Iceberg, encounters the Black Knight, new ideas from evidence gained |
| Date: | (2014-10-31) |
| Related: | http://ageofheroesmux.wikidot.com/plot:project-rebirth |
| NPCs: | None |
| Scene Runner: | NA |
| Social/Plot: | Social |
| Players: |
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The streets of London are never fully quiet, to be honest, but these particular streets are quieter than usual by far, owing largely to security cordons and signage making it clear that law enforcement personnel are investigating here. The citizens of the United Kingdom seem willing, by and large, to stay out of their way and let these men and women do their very difficult jobs, but there are also more than a few 'looky-loos' around with cellphones in hand, trying to capture stills or video of the goings-on of the investigative teams.
The sight of a crimson-caped, white-suit-clad Power Woman is not nearly so common a thing in London as it might be in Metropolis, or perhaps New York City, but it is certainly not the Kryptonian powerhouse's first time 'across the pond.' She does not, however, have nearly the contacts here that she does in the States, and so she floats down onto the scene and hovers, touching nothing, waiting to see who might approach her - besides the nutters with the cameras - to get started. Meanwhile, she is giving the area a very thorough brush over with her Kryptonian senses, looking for the hints and clues that might prove useful if she can provide them to these professionals to aid their efforts.
Not a professional himself, by government standards at least, Dane Whitman is one of those answers in times of need in the UK. Thus seeing the bits of footage coming out, his first response was to summon his Avalonian equipment and mount, making post haste across said pond and to the scene as well. Not his first time, he's one of the known heroes of the region and has been at the scene, inspecting it, but also curious if the officials had video of the event, better than any of the fuzzy things he's seen so far.
The arrival of a crimson-caped Power Woman is not common, nor is she unknown. It causes a stir that also gets the Black Knights attention. Some turn to him as one of their heroes, as if to mediate maybe and he does move to his horse, flying to the area she is in to start her own observations. "Good day," he says, Strider beating wings in her direction. He may know enough that he calls to get her attention beyond normal ear shot, sure that his commotion might get her attention at least and him not come towards her in any surprising manner.
Official footage of the incident is minimal, but it does exist. A hundred frames here, two hundred there. All together, less than a minute of footage, spread across what was apparently nearly a fifteen minute engagement. Obviously, those who initiated this particular counter-attack on the Mongo troopers knew what they were doing and set out quite purposefully to leave very little for anyone else to work on. Nevertheless, 'very little' is not 'none'.
Casts have been taken of the boot prints firmly indented into the asphalt. That minute of footage - very high resolution, even better than smartphone cameras and with better autofocus enhancements and filters for light flares against the darkness - has been assembled, timecoded, and is being conjointed with a wealth of other clips gathered by civilians. Fiber and other small bits of evidence have been mapped, catalogued, and are under examination. Dane may also have heard rumors of DNA samples captured from the icepack itself.
Power Woman turns from her examination of the site to regard the flying figure of Strider, and his master. She floats up to join him, rather than continue to disturb the scene. "Black Knight, right?" she tests, to make sure she is properly recognizing the hero. Then she extends her hand. "I'm Power Woman, obviously. Sorry to just horn in, here. No requests were made for League assistance, and I'll go if I'm in the way. But after I heard about this, I wanted to drop by, just to see if there was anything at all I could do to help. I'm glad those cyborgs were stopped. But the fact that these people operated so far out of your country's chain of command worries me, as I'm sure it worries many here." They are the words, as many would expect, of an 'elder stateswoman' amongst the heroes of Earth. Few would ever guess she isn't even of legal drinking age in the States, yet.
The footage will be useful, especially once the figure icing them is seen, even if no details are there, along with the DNA. Dane cannot stop the government from gathering, other than keeping in contact with his colleagues at the University of London. At first a nod of his head, the recognition is correct a hint of pride at least to be known, not so surprised but honored. Turning from her to the scene below and around them, he sizes up her words and the situation. When he brings his gaze back to her, he shakes his head, "Power Woman, you could never be in the way, help is always appreciated here." To give formality and welcome to her presence at this scene. "The cyborgs, its all our problem and will continue to be. But this, this other group that intervened … the soldiers, it is a concern. I have not even heard claims from SHIELD and yet the technology of the weapons they employed, it should be a concern for all of us as well. We have yet to know their intentions." Meaning the world theater, one of those moments to suggest 'they who control the might control the world,' at this level of technology. This is pushing into metahuman abilities but organized on a larger scale; at least for him, other than Genosha, he doesn't know of large metahuman organizations.
Kara has no particular desire to stick her leg into the kryptonite beartrap of world politics, but the man deserves an answer, and she'll give him the honest one she has handed regardless. "We cannot be sure. Obviously, the evidence here is inconclusive. But the League has been following leads that point to an organization created with the express purpose of preparing to do battle with alien threats and influences. We believe they have a strong paramilitary basis, and that they have gone out of their way to procure samples and test data from a wide variety of those with abilities, to the goal of engendering those in their soldiers."
POwer Woman glances around, and lowers her voice carefully, before continuing. "My fear is that this incident, and a few others recently, may represent them finally putting all of that effort to work." Not that she doesn't applaud efforts to protect Earth against alien aggression; but these people have proven to show disrespect for innocent /human/ life in their methods, and she cannot approve of that, regardless the results.
Dane isn't overly big in the world of politics himself, perhaps more at the idea of an organization simply subverting all other known authorities with its own agenda that has access to such an array of intelligence, technology, and manpower even. Not to say organized organizations and governments operating in plain sight should be more trusted, just the secracy gulls him a little. The endangering soldiers to test new abilities adds icing on the growing, proverbial cake even.
More directly to her, in the lowered tone, as befitting the conversation, "Stopping alien invasions, I could applaud, if simply to stop. That it seems they refroze the aliens, I am curious for what purpose?" Pausing a moment, "I have some expertise in genetic alterations, if they're already staking the lives of soldiers for their cause and have alien genetics as well, what more could they do?" To humans in general that is. "This sounds a serious problem, as much as you've come to help here, I'd volunteer sword and shield to help in your searchs, to appease or confirm your fears whichever it plays out to be …."
"Honestly, if I had any idea where to strike, I would welcome your help, Black Knight." Power Woman answers, in all seriousness. "If our investigative conclusions are accurate - and I believe they are - then these people have been kidnapping and experimenting on /children/ in order to derive the knowledge and samples they have, to then engender those abilities in their soldiers." Unhappy Kryptonian, indeed.
"I know a woman, who knows a guy." Kara comments, with a wry twist of her lips. "She tells me he can do this. And he was one of those who was taken, and later rescued from their clutches." Soldiers' lives are meant to be staked; they choose that life, that calling, and those consequences. Kidnapped children do not. So that's where Kara's ire climbs.
"I suppose I had hoped against hope that coming here, we might find clues that would lead us somewhere, pointing back to where they are staging their operations." Power Woman explains.
Hearing of the children being used for this turns Dane's stomach a little, he was upset, but its more sickening now, he'll certainly join her in being unhappy. She continues to explain though, so he doesn't need to comment how upset he is, but rather take the information she has been given. Knowing enough of Power Woman and Justice League to think they are the right ones for the job Power Woman is after, a strike with help if needed, he ponders helping in his own way.
"We'll have access to much better video than the internet once they're complete here in washing and scrubbing it," he says, nearly coming out at random. "In my day job, I'm a trains physicist working in the realm of plasma field generation and stability. I could use spectroanalysis on the images to predict the elements in there energy weapons. Much like lightning, firing them will release trace elements that I suspect would remain for days if not weeks, to produce those effects. Perhaps that could help you track them, or where they have been. Finding other areas they have used their energy weapons, or if I could analyze some of the powers copied, we might be able to trace those the same?"
Kara doesn't try to explain her 'day job'; few would believe her, and she couldn't afford the exposure anyway. But she definitely knows enough science to know this is possible. "If you have the individual tech to make that work, then I would strongly encourage you to do so. I don't know what locations we might find, but every bit of additional information could be critical. If nothing else, it might provide a means to more conclusively identify them and their weapons when we find them."
"I was curious at the DNA found in the ice," admits Dane to her, for her to have more information just the same on her arrival to the scene. He lets go the horn of Striders saddle a moment to continue talking with her. "It was your information about them testing these things. I imagine its not simly field test," leading to the deduction of trying another approach in her search. Being made aware of her and the search helps just the same. "This leaves me at the unfortunate ponderance, is there some means for me to get my findings to you, that such a larger scale search for signature traces can be employed?" Only unfortunate, as he has no idea how Justice League communicates or their advance comsys, so much as wondering if he'd have to drop it off somewhere but doesn't know where that where is exactly.
"If you can get a copy of the analysis on that DNA, that also would be handy." Kara offers, smiling. She pulls out a small device - downright tiny, really - and thin red beams of energy lance from her eyes into the device. Once. Twice. Three times. Then she offers it over to Black Knight. "When you have what you want us to have, put that in your ear, tap it, and speak. The system on the other end will query you. Tell it you're Black Knight, and it will take a message, and you can let us know when and where to meet you to get a copy of your data and plan for how to possibly use it to help in the search. Since I have the serial number, I can also use it to beep and send a message to you, if we find something."
Taking it and looking it over, he's professional enough to not even consider being curious at the tech she has given him. Instead he pockets it in the saddle by bending down half a moment as he listens to all she has to say. "I'll be sure to inquire about a copy for you, that shouldn't be too difficult." While suspecting that DNA can be traced back, that this organization is hiding, from the likes of Power Woman and Justice League, it will be harder to use to locate where they are now, but information is always valuable. "I will do that, and identify equipment you may have, or need, to help with larger scale searches," for energy traces that remain from the weapons use at least, "Please, be welcome here, you are a friend to us all." UK, the world, few would deny Power Woman's assistence accept those up to no good. "Hopefully it proves fruitful." Evidence wise at least. "Do not let me keep you, I've been over the area enough times, and simply delay your interests. It is my pleasure Power Woman." To make her official acquaintance.