Aberrant: Stargate Universe - Promises

[z028 Riley]

Kyria stepped up to the station in the hyperdrive room that the Asgard named Heimdall seemed permanently attached to. "Heimdall? I've been given leave to be at your disposal today. You were wanting to talk?"

She wanted to ask about the test on Max's hair, but she bit her lip. He'd said it would take at least a day, and it had barely been that yet. Several other of the specialists had come back with her to the Prometheus to pursue some of the genetic mysteries brought up in the course of her search for family, she wasn't sure if she was looking forward to them showing up or dreading it; it was still hard to get over a lifetime of being told to keep yourself a secret. So she waited quietly, her inhuman reflexes making her into a statue on the metal floor of the ship.

[Mr Fox]

Cam showed up shortly after Kyria, but from inside Prometheus. "Hey Kyria, I don't sleep much so I got an early start and came up to get more familiar with the ships systems in case we're ever asked to do a mission that requires travel on board."

He looked to Heimdall, but the little alien was quiet and serene as always and not seeming talkative. He had a cup in one hand and a bagel in the other. The mess is just serving breakfast if you want to grab something to eat while the others arrive.

[z028 Riley]

She made a face and shook her head. "All the chocolate tastes weird up here, and that's pretty much what I eat when I eat."

She wandered around the room nervously, looking and taking in everything in the way of someone trained to pay attention to everything in their life. She smiled at one point and said, "It's so weird to be on ship that doesn't talk to you, y'know? I keep wanting to ask Prometheus questions or go sit on the hull and watch the planet spin, and then I remember that I'd probably give someone a heart attack, not to mention set off all number of alarms getting the hatch open."

[Mr Fox]

Cam laughed, "I'll bet. I can just see the captain having a fit."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult felt the cool thrill of professional curiousity course through her. She stopped by her lab and the infirmary to gather the data they already had on the ATA gene, the gene-therapy, Cameron Mitchell's vitals (as one who had undergone the gene therapy), some of the vitals of the other specialists for a comparison, and Janet Frasier as a control (she tested negative for ATA gene).

Yseult got beamed back to the Prometheus, then made her way to the hyperdrive room, Heimdall's usual haunt. She nodded to Cam and Kyria, her smile warm, but professional. "Good morning, you two, I did not think I was so far behind, but no matter." Yseult began hooking up her laptop to the Prometheus systems via an adapter to transfer the data over.

"I am just about to begin comparing the data we have. It seems I may not need to draw any blood after all, Heimdall's scan should be comprehensive enough." She offered Kyria a smile, then turned to the monitor of the work station she was given.

Her inhuman eyes began flicking over the information displayed, her attention riveted and precise. She began scrolling through the data faster and faster, barely seeming to glance at a page before moving on to the next one. Her smile was tight, completely engrossed by the string of facts and figures passing beneath her gaze.

Click to reveal..

Speed-Reading; First 2 Dice Mega = 7d10 = 5 successes = 9x Reading Speed

Medical Prodigy: First 2 Dice Mega = 7d10 = 2 successes = +2 Dice

Medical Prodigy Bonus = 2d10 = 1 success

Medicine + Specialty (Specialist Physiology); First 2 Dice Mega = 13d10 = 6 successes

Discernning Quality (1 die from Medicine Roll, 1 die from Medical Prodigy Roll) = 2d10 = 0 successes

Total Successes = 7

[Mr Fox]

Heimdall just looked at Yseult when she mentioned his scans being comprehensive enough not to need to draw blood. There was just something in his demeanor that suggested he viewed that comment the way a modern doctor would a herb woman comparing his Cat scans to her leeches and balancing humors.

[Rorx]

Walking around the engine room poking her nose into places, Kyria was surprised to find Gwyn emerging from being half-buried in a panel of crystal circuits.

"Oh, Hi Kyria. Is it that time already?"

He looks back into the panel briefly before closing it up. "I spent the night going over some over some the engineering details I noticed on the schematics."

Turning back into the room he spots the others, "Morning Colonel, Doctor Yseult."

He turns to face Cameron, his posture at semi-attention, "Colonel, we were right. With minimal equipment these few panels should allow some direct control of certain systems. Alternatively they could also provide some crystals that could be used in damage repair of other key systems in the event of combat damage."

He relaxes and smiles as he looks between the ladies, "So time to do the DNA comparison, should be interesting."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria nodded in agreement to Gwyn and turned back to Heimdall. "Are we ready to start, then?"

[Mr Fox]

Heimdall nodded, "We can begin at any time. Please place your hands on the console here for those who wish to be scanned."

He gestured indicating the place where Kyria had placed hers the day before. "Once the scans have been initiated it will take time for analysis. If you wish I can provide the genome sequence for you to study at your leisure as well."

[z028 Riley]

She nodded and stepped aside to let the others use the device. She laced her hands behind her back as she waited, and asked the Asgard, "Have you gotten the other results back yet?"

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult's head snapped up from her monitor, broken from her study. "Ah, oui, the sooner, the better, yes?" Yseult stepped up the console and calmly placed her hands on the area indicated.

The beautiful blonde doctor gave the little grey alien a minimal nod of the head, a professional curve to her lips. "I would very much like to see the genome sequence Heimdall, merci. If you would, can you transfer the data to my laptop? I also have an extra external hard-drive, if necessary."

Click to reveal..

Did I jump the gun on my rolls? I can roll again, or transfer them to a later post if you like.

[Rorx]

"So I assume you want to scan a couple of us and then Kyria and Omar for a comparison?" He says looking to Yseult as he puts his hands on the scanner.

Then turning to Heimdell, "Could you download a copy to my laptop as well please Heimdell."

Hmm, I won't comment on it here, or anywhere I think the IOA could hear, but if they could add the ATA gene sequence to people using gene therapy then I assume they could do the same with this Nova gene of Kyria's and Omar's. Definitely not something we want other people getting hold of. I better warn Yseult later, probably best to do that through Kyria as well.

[Mr Fox]

When it came it turn Cam placed his hand on the console for the scan. "My datapad as well please."

Heimdall gave a slight nod of his head to the requests, "I will download the scans to your devices immediately, but to do a thorough analysis will take time. I will notify you when the analysis is complete."

Cam didn't expect results to be immediate since the scan the day before still had not arrived yet.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria waited patiently for the others to be done, idly looking the engineering room over and trying to comprehend the mesh of human and Asgard technology. "Colonel Mitchell? Do you think it would be possible to persuade Promethean's captain to allow me some time outside the ship? I've become quites stuck on the idea now."

She smiled that peculiar mix of confidence and pleading some women are born experts at him and waited for a response.

[Mr Fox]

Cam nodded, "You are sure you can handle the vacuum of space?" Seeing her confidence he grinned, "Ok, I'll ask the Captain. Let's go."

Cam led the way to the bridge where the captain was seated. He was a tall distinguished black man with a bald head. He gave Cam a friendly enough smile, "Colonel."

"Captain." Cam replied saluting. "I've got a bit of an unusual request if you don't mind. Specialist Donnighal here would like to go EV. She is space worthy and apparently has a good deal of experience at it. Would you mind if she were to step outside for a bit?"

Captain Marks looked amused until he realized Cam was serious, then looked at the young girl beside him. "You really want to go EV? Most of the crew hates it and dreads having to do it." Finally he shrugged, "Ok, I'll allow it, but if you get hurt or die, I'll be buried in paperwork for a year trying to explain why someone not a member of my crew was outside." He looked at his XO, "You've got the bridge."

Turning back to Cam and Kyria he gestured, "This way." He followed and on the walk back toward the airlock, "I think we may have a suit that will fit you Specialist. It might be a bit big, but if you are a veteran like the Colonel says then you should be able to handle the controls."

Cam just smiled waiting for the man to realize Kyria was not going to be wearing a suit.

[Rorx]

Gwyn smiles over at Kyria, "If it helps the Captain, I could volunteer to escort Kyria Colonel."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria blinked. "Suit?" She looked over at the EV suits and shook her head and tried not to laugh. "No, Captian, a suit won't be necessary. I'm space worthy. I used to sit outside Lorean and watch the stars and the Earth spin. That's all I want to do. It's....quiet. And very beautiful." She glanced over at Gwyn and Cam and then back to the Captain and added helpfully, "Although if you'd like me to check on anything or do any simple repairs, though, I'd certainly be willing. I'd just need the tools and instructions."

As she spoke her eufiber flowed from the BDU's she'd been wearing into sturdy boots and a black nearly skin-tight outfit with a black belt sturdy enough to clip any small tools they might give her to herself so they wouldn't float away. She stepped over to the hatch and waited for the Captain's answer.

[Mr Fox]

The Captain had been briefed on the Specialists, but seeing was different than reading and it took him a moment to come to terms with someone's clothes morphing like that right before his eyes. He finally just said, "Very well then, feel free to go EV if you like. I don't have any repairs that need to be done, but thank you for offering, if we have any in the future, perhaps we will give you a call."

He did stand and watch as Kyria entered the airlock. It wasn't until he saw her through the porthole window smiling and unaffected that he finally looked relieved. Then he turned to Gwyn, "You are space worthy too you say?"

[z028 Riley]

Her boots grew small tendrils that gripped the skin of the ship so she could walk to a good viewpoint before settling down to watch the Earth spin off to her left. It was beautiful, and other than the spread of the Saraha in Africa it looked pretty much like the world she'd grown up on. She watched the swirl of the clouds for a little while, before picking out constellations from the stars and wondering which ones were the stars of the worlds she'd visited as a member of SG-22. Slowly she relaxed in silence, the void pulling all the worry and tension and confused emotions of the past few weeks from her.

I'm really on my own here. It's what I asked for, but then that's always the problem when someone grants your wishes. You end up with whatever it was you once wanted. She didn't sigh, because the little bit of air that had been in her lung had quickly fled into the void but the sentiment was there in her expression. She smiled, The Watchers gave me ultimate freedom and I immediately started looking for fathers to tell me what to do again......I wonder how Cody's doing.

[Rorx]

Gwyn nods to the Captain, slightly distracted as he watches Kyria walking off from the porthole of the airlock, "Yes Captain."

He turns back to face the officier as Kyria disappears from view, "It had been suspected beforehand, but was confirmed a few weeks ago when we needed to get rid of an alien device that was rapidly going nuclear. I was strapped to the outside of a 302 when it went off, and sustained some minor damage in the process. Unfortunately, it wrote off the suit I had been wearing as a precaution. So it was a good job that we were correct in our suspicion." he finishes with a smile.

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult watched Cam, Kyria, and Gwyn leave the hyperdrive room, apparently for a space walk, but her attention quickly reverted back to the data on her monitor. For the most part, it was all stuff she already knew, and to her increasingly precise memory, it was rapidly growing dull reviewing information she could recall in perfect detail. She needed something to distract her while the new analyses were being compiled.

Her attention turned to Heimdall, the Asgard still at his terminal, her inhuman eyes narrowed in thought. She had seen the occasional morcel of Asgard writing, and now, it made complete sense to her. And she remembered her talks with Omar and Kyria.

"Heimdall, would it be possible to see some of the Asgard medical knowledge, perhaps your files on cloning? There is no need for a translation, I believe I can understand your language."

The little grey alien stared at her, his (its?) bulbous, black eyes giving one slow blink - it was impossible to tell if there was any surprise in his expression.

"Indeed. The information you have requested has been released to your work station."

"Merci beaucoup, Heimdall."

Yseult pored over the new information, the alien writing entirely legible. She devoured the text at a tremendous pace, the lines of script in constant motion.

"Heimdall, Your cloning technology, it is not solely limited to sentient life, yes? Like yourselves and us - I recall Loki's... experiment with O'Neill. Specialist Kyria, her clothing is a unique substance she calls 'eufiber'. It is a type of living colony, with many amazing qualities. I was wondering - if Kyria would consent - would we be able to adapt your cloning methods to make copies of it? Right now, we have only a very limited supply of the material, so intensive study, it can be a problem."

[Mr Fox]

"I believe we could but I would need a sample to analyze. Understand that there are disadvantages to cloning and even with out best methods there is some degradation with each successive generation. It is why my race is slowly dying."

[Yseult Sierra]

"Oh, I quite understand, Heimdall. I was hoping for just a first generation clone, so we would have more of the substance to analyze. I would prefer developing a way to grow it, that did not depend purely on cloning techniques."

[Rorx]

Having apparently stunned the Captain with his story, and seeing that Kyria neither wanted nor needed any company, Gwyn gave the Captain and Colonel Mitchell a sketchy salute and headed back to Engineering.

Seeing the place was empty except for Yseult, Heimdell and Omar pottering about the control panels, Gwyn approached Yseult with a low-voiced question, "Do you have access to the SGC medical files from here, and if so could you call up someone's DNA?"

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult looked up from the Asgard text as Gwyn came over with his question. "Non, I do not have access from here, Gwyn. I would have to go back down to the base to retrieve it. If you wish me to do this thing, you will have to tell me who and why you need it. I cannot promise that I will do it - I may be a specialist now, but I still am a doctor as well."

[Rorx]

Gwyn nodded at the Doctor's understandable caveats, "It's not medical information I'm looking for it's the same sort of thing as Aradia was doing. I was thinking if his DNA was on file, and hadn't mysteriously gone missing, we could use it in conjunction to track down a missing witness/suspect in some of this IOA stuff. So as you see the doctor patient thing doesn't really apply."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult's lips curved slightly, but there was a hardness to it. "DNA is medical information, and using it to trace someone would most definitely fall under doctor-patient confidentiality. That said, the medical files at the SGC belong to the military, and they can use them as they see fit. So, I suppose, a superior officer could gain access to them, he would just have to go through Janet."

"But all the is beside the point, Gwyn. If this has something to do with the IOA, I may be more than amendable. However, I still need to know who, and why. I can make a conjecture, but I would rather not."

[Rorx]

Gwyn shakes his head with a smile, "I'd disagree, but I suppose that is down to our backgrounds. With your medical background you automatically see everything as medical information first, I see it as just information unless it is being used for a medical purpose. I see DNA data as just a form of identification, no more medical than fingerprints, voiceprints or a retina scan. The fact that they are held with medical records is just a matter of bureaucracy. They are much more likely to be used for identification purposes in the military, probably of remains, than they are to have any medical use, but that's beside the point. Your view is a medical based one and as such it would be perfectly reasonable for you to refuse I guess."

He glances around to check where the other people in the room are and what they are doing before continuing, "The who is a Sergeant Carl Hatchins, and the why is because he has offically gone AWOL, but if we could find him he could give us evidence about who in IOA planted him into the SGC. It would make this less about the IOA as a whole and enable us to start to concentrate on those who need to be weeded out and if possible prosecuted."

He shrugs as he continues, "Mind you, considering how well they've made him disappear so far it wouldn't surprise me if all his medical and other records have mysteriously vanished as well. It was just a thought. We can perhaps look at it again when we return to base. I hope you would at least be willing to confirm if his file is still there and whether there is a DNA record within it or not?"

[Yseult Sierra]

"Carl Hatchins, you say?" Yseult's accented voice was soft, but the hardness in her otherwordly eyes was unmistakable. She was remembering her second night out of isolation, and an Olivia, thrashing in her sleep. She didn't have the whole story, but she could infer enough.

"I believe I will help you in this, Gwyn." Yseult began gathering up her equipment and storing her laptop, giving Heimdall a nod of thanks.

"We still have a fair amount of time before the results from the scans are complete,yes? So, we may as well check now. Come, Gwyn. Heimdall, would you be so kind as to beam us back to the SGC for a moment?"

[Mr Fox]

The pair appeared in the Gateroom as usual, then moved to the infirmary so that Yseult could access Hatchin's file. Not too surprisingly what was in the filling cabinet was merely a photo copy of Hatchin's permanent file. His actual file had not yet caught up to him since it traveled at the pace of bureaucracy.

The pair then moved up into the regular barracks area many floors above, only to find that Hatchin's personal possessions had been packed up already.

[Rorx]

"Damn that's a pain, but there might still be a chance. Come on." Gwyn lead the way through the corridors and lifts to the Quartermasters area, talking in alow voice as they walked. "One advantage I've found of keeping irregular hours, and not suddenly have become one of the beautiful people, is that over time you end up meeting and chatting to almost everyone in a base this size. After all, it's only a couple of hundred people down here in the SGC, and not much more than a thousand or so in the whole Cheyenne Mountain."

As they approached the QM offices, Gwyn turned to Yseult, "You might want to hang back a bit here, so you don't overwhelm them, and perhaps to give us another chance later."

Going into the office alone, Gwyn looks around to see who is there, and then calls over to a female corporal he vaguely knows, "Hey Corporal Pritchard, could I have a word?"

She looks around, and not seeing her boss, nor anyone much else at the moment comes over, "Sure Gwyn, what's up?"

Gwyn manages to look a little embarassed, "I was wondering if you could do me a favour. You know that new Sergeant they had in supply for a while, Hatchins I think his name was."

Her face hardens at Carl's name, "Yeah, I know about him."

"Well, I met him the first night he arrived and lent him a book while he was waiting for his stuff to catch up to him. Now I've come back off mission and found his gone. I don't suppose you could point me towards where his stuff is stored so I could get my book back could you? Normally I'd just right the book off since I've already read it, but I said I'd lend it to Sergeant Perault, and that's not a guy I'd want to upset, you know what I mean."

Click to reveal..

Gwyn has got an extra 2 Contacts since arriving at the SGC...

Not sure what to roll if necessary so I'm going to go with a MAN + Subtefuge = 3+1 = 4 dice, and spend a Willpower on it.

(00:02:48) ChatBot: (Gwyn) rolls 4d10 and gets 5,10,10,4.

= 2 sux + 1 (Willpower) = 3 sux

[Mr Fox]

Corporal Pritchard nodded understanding, "Yeah, I can understand that. The guy scares the hell outta me. Glad he's on our side." He thought for a minute then added, "I think the MPs have his stuff since he went AWOL and all. Keeping it as evidence."

[Rorx]

"Damn. I guess I'll have to see if Major Caine can get it loose, or hope that the Sergeant is willing to wait the 3 weeks that Amazon reckons it will take to get a replacement. Thanks for your help anyway Denise, I'm buying the coffee next time." He ends with a smile, then turns and heads back down the corridor.

Picking Yseult back up in the corridor he fills her in. "MP's have got Hatchins stuff and are holding it as evidence as he went AWOL. Which means one of three things, you convincing an MP to let you take a look in the box, me sneaking into thier evidence locker, or getting Cam involved."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult raised an eyebrow at Gwyn when he mentioned her 'convincing' a MP to do anything - she had never been the flirtatious type, though with her new looks, there were some who seemed to think so. It was frightening how used to her new appearance she was already growing.

"Hmm, let us keep this by the book as much as possible, yes? Cameron is quite determined to curtail the rot in the IOA, so I am sure we can count on his support. But in a matter involving an officer going AWOL, we may have to approach Landry for access to his belongings."

[Rorx]

Gwyn's expression hardens, "Sergeant, he was only a Sergeant, and probably damn lucky to have got that many stripes. Possibly you'll be right, but Cam might have the pull to do it. Let's bring it to him first."

Gwyn starts heading abck towards Gate control, since Cam was last seen back on the Prometheus.

"Anyway, I've still got a stack load of schematics to follow up and a load of questions for Heimdell, so shall we see if we can get a 'port back up?"

[Yseult Sierra]

"Certainement, there are still many other files I wish to study as well, Gwyn."

Yseult and Gwyn made it back to the Gate room, and soon found themselves back on the Prometheus.

[Rorx]

Back on board the Prometheus Gwyn goes looking for Cam, passing by the airlock that Kyria went out through to check if she was still out there. It was difficult to tell, and she couldn't answer a radio even if she had one with her, so he continued on with his search.

If nothing else it will me get more familiar with the layout of the ship.

[Mr Fox]

After passing on the message it took Cam a grand total of two hours to acquire what he believed were some evidence of Hatchin's DNA. Most of that time had been taken up with getting General Landry's permission to go through the boxes. Once scanned Heimdall initiated a search. To the very great surprise of everyone present, Heimdall announced that there were no matching beings on Earth. The owner of the DNA simply wasn't there.

Cam scratched his head and said, "Even if it were the wrong person's dna we would still find a match. There are only two ways he could not be there. One, he was cremated and nothing of his remains are left. I think that might be going a bit far even for the IOA since they don't know we are searching for him. The second is that he isn't on Earth anymore. He either got through the stargate somehow without anyone noticing which is nearly impossible or he got off planet on a ship and there are no ships but the Prometheus that could take him away."

Looking up sharply at Heimdall he started to ask the obvious question but was interrupted by the Asgard, "I also scanned this ship. He is not on board."

[Yseult Sierra]

Yseult's eyes narrowed, a slender finger tapping her lips. "This does not bode well. It may mean that the IOA - or the cabal within it - possesses off-world allies that we are unaware of."

The beautiful blonde doctor turned to Heimdall. "Unless... Can your sensors differentiate between the multiple strands of unique DNA that a human chimera would possess? It is a very rare condition, espicially in humans, formed when an organism possesses three or four parent cells. Perhaps your sensors, they are reading one strand of DNA, but detecting another in Hatchins, and passing him by, yes?"

[Rorx]

"And the chances are any off-world ally is likely to be Goa'uld, whether the faction knows it or not." Gwyn comments girmly.

"While you are at it, would your initial scan pick a Goa'uld host?"

Gwyn turns to Yseult, "If we are considering nasty things then that is one that needs to be on the list, no matter how unlikely it is."