| Intel Dump |
| Summary: | Vandenberg comes to Corrath with a ton of information she needs to talk to someone about. Poor Corr. |
| Date: | 06 Jan 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | Too many to list. |
| Players: |
  |
| Corrath's Lair of Doom |
|---|
| This smallish styled office is typically made use of by the Master-at-Arms to conduct his business and oversee the MP's. As of late, with the lack of an MaA, the S2 has been making use of it, as is evident by the stacks of paperwork that seem to be accumulating on the desk. To the side, a secured cabinet can be see and a table with the never-ending Marine Coffee Pot <tm>. Across from the desk, two simple chairs are present for those who visit, while behind the desk, a much larger and more comfortable chair can be seen. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #314 |
With the Cerberus still at Condition 2, the MP's have certainly had their hands full with the extra patrols and security sweeps that they've been forced to do. And like everything, the extra 'shifts' have generated extra paperwork, something that Corrath seems to be trying to work through at this moment. Folders and tablets litter his desk in some unrecognizable filing system and as he looks through a document, it's signed and sealed before being set in the now open filing cabinet behind him.
Vandenberg, despite being listed for Duty, has been on light duty while her neck is recovering. There's even still a bandage on it. She hasn't been around the SecHub much since she was shot up and most of her time has been either in evidence lock-ups or rooting through file folders and disappearing to a quiet office down the hall. However, she finally makes an appearance in Corrath's doorway with a small file folder. "Hey Hero. Got some kind of memo about Rose and you sounded a little miffed. Whatever it was in response to? I was high as a kite in Sickbay. So, you know, sorry about that one. Whatever was in it. Got a few things I wanted to talk to you about, though." She waggles the folder. "Got a few?"
When someone appears in the doorway, Corrath's lifting his eyes from the paperwork before a smirk crosses his lips. His pen is settled down and he's motioning towards one of the empty chairs in front of the desk, "Oh, just you trying to do security stuff, when I was already dealing with the same issue. It's all been sorted through, now though, since I've spoken with Ms. Ibbhanas and the like." Lowering his hand, it moves to clasp with the other in his lap, "Doesn't look like I'm going anywhere, anytime soon, so whatcha got?"
Vandenberg chuckles. "Wow. Okay, well hope everything went well. You continue being the cop and I'll be over here." She gestures to her spot on the floor with both hands, grinning. "Well since I have you cornered like this, I wanted to touch on a few things with you since, once again, this is your territory. I haven't had much to do on light duty and my involvement with this Silent Mastiff thing thus far has been minimal. I hope you don't mind but being idle makes me insane. Sooo I've just been doing some digging on some recent events." She makes her way over, the woman in her tanks and sweatpants. Very off-duty conversation. "I checked. None of its classified above me but its all earmarked for intel so I'm sharing because I can't make heads or tails of this." She opens the folder. "Specifically, this stuff at Tywyn's Caverns. The op I got poked full of holes on? We recovered all the information the Cylons were looking at and I found something interesting. Could be nothing. Could be something."
There's a flash of a grin as Corrath gives a slight nod of his head, "Good enough, then. Otherwise, I'll have to sick The Elf on you." Leaning back in hsi chair, he's simply listening, his head bobbing the occassional acknowledgement before his brow is lifting ever so slightly. "Oh? Can't say I've taken much of a look at the Silent Mastiff stuff, at least not yet. It's on my desk, beneath the paperwork, so I'm bound to get to it this evening. As for the stuff from Tywyn's Caverns .." He's pausing there for a moment, thinking before giving a shake of his head, "Don't recall too much coming through on that Op. What is it that you guys found while you were down there?"
"I'll get to this Mastiff thing in a few minutes." Vandenberg sounds unimpressed on that topic. "Anyhow, Tywyn's." She takes a breath. "Well its an old temple dedicated to Poseiden. One of a very few seaside places on Tauron that is a kind of natural shrine. Its older than hell." Vandenberg opens the folder and looks at the paper on top. "The Five we found inside was running through scrolls while four bulletheads were standing guard. After the ambush, while I was making the floor all red, I ordered Elf and Richards to get all the intel they could. They grabbed photos of the walls and gathered up all the stuff they could find. Most of it is useless for military purposes. The Five ripped the majority to shreds. Except one piece." She hands over one thats been carefully folded. Its a picture of a bull. "The Cretan Bull. I had to look it up. Supposedly its the father of the Minotaur and originally created by Poseiden. Note the writing at the bottom that doesn't match anything else." Its blocky charcoal. Very recent. Probably written by the Five. It says 'Not here. Zeus the Bull'. She quirks her brow.
Listening, Corrath's giving another bob of his head, brow remaining arched ever so slightly, "Huh. Didn't know. Then again, I'm afraid to say that I'm not all the up-to-date on Tauron culture and the like. Comes from sticking my nose in law books instead of history books." There's a quirk of his lips to a smirk and when the photo is extended, he's taking a moment to unfold it and look at it. The charcoal lettering is noted and read as a soft 'hmm' escapes his lips, "Hmm. Not here. Zeus the Bull. What the frak does it mean by that …" That comment seems to be more directed to himself.
"Yeah. Well okay, I sat in the library for a few hours reading. The Cretan Bull's offspring, the Minotaur, was supposedly living at the center of a huge underground maze. Not unlike Tywyn's Caverns. Also? Apparently Heracles captured the bull because it had been wreaking havoc in the local area of Crete." Vandenberg adjusts her seat and crosses her legs. "It was eventually sacrificed to Athena, the Goddess of War. So I'm sitting there in the library getting nowhere. Then I remembered watching the video of Sergeant Lysander interviewing that Five I picked up at Facility C-27. The went where it went batshit nuts?" She leans forward more. "That thing rambled about the bull during her freakout. I watched it again." She looks back down to her papers for a transcript and reads from it. "'The sparrows…the sparrows did nest here. But not here. Migration. The bull tramples the path…to migration…we shall know him better yet, Lance Corporal Kincaid.' Then just after that, 'He has left his mark on the ancient ground of the bull. And lo, when he has taken the knife to the throat of the bull and cut. And in its death he points the way.' She then flips out apologizing that she didn't see it in time but they aren't too late or some bullshit. Here." She hands over the transcript for Corrath to look at. There seems to be something else on the tip of her tongue.
The photo is settled back on the desk as Corrath leans back in his seat, elbows coming to rest on the armrests of the chair as hands steeple before him. Listening, he's once more simply bobbing his head as the S3 speaks. Once she's finished, hands unsteeple and he's taking the transcript, only to lower his eyes to it. "In all honesty, I haven't followed to closely with what's being going on with the machines and their interviews. Being leaving that in the hands of Navy Intel, since it's been more their bag of worms." Eyes still remain on the transcript for the moment, "Though, I've been meaning to get Elf into a room with the Five that we have. I figure he'd love the chance to sort some things out with it." Only then does he look up from the paper.
Natalie takes a long sigh. "Look, this is over my head to be honest. For all it doesn't seem like, I'm fairly religious, Corrath. But this? This is deep shit. It sounds like our Five is referencing Zeus killing the bull, but this other five seems to think that the bull is Zeus. If we merge the two, it seems like they are saying that Zeus has screwed them. Or their religion's version of Zeus. That the Cylons are trying to migrate here, maybe? Zeus is preventing that? The ancient ground of the bull is here - Tauron. What the hell is with the mention of Sparrows? I hadn't seen that before. Got any ideas? I know this is mostly Navy crap but there is something really strange going on here and I can't sleep. Its eating me up."
There's a faint snort and Corrath gives a slight shake of his head, "Whereas, I'm not entirely so religious, Natalie. I can see the connection with what the Five's are saying. Sounds like 'discord' amongst themselves, if that's even possible. Could be a malfunction with a particular 'model' or something. Maybe they want one thing, but this Zeus, or their leader, wants another." Shoulders lift into a slight shrug as he settles the transcript down on the desk. "As for the Sparrow? I dunno, Nat. Could be a reference to another model? I'd need to read through this in greater …" He stops right there before suddenly continuing, "Wait, if this has you all wrapped up and is eating away at you, why the frak don't you go have a chat with our …. lovely little guest?"
Natalie shrugs. "Well I watched that interview with the Eleven and it said that there was already disagreement in the ranks. It made a stink about how the vote was almost divided about attacking us until the Navy supposedly crossed the Arm Line. Whatever. She made it sound like there was another growing rift. And that we've already seen some Cylon models cross against their own?" The female Marine tilts her head. "Something is up." She stares at the last suggestion, though. "You want me to interview a Five? I- Corrath, I'm not trained in how to do interrogations. I'm not even smart enough to figure this out and it seems so easy. I certainly won't turn down a chance, but someone else should probably lead the questioning. If I did. But its a combination of things eating at me. The Wreath of Roses stuff, too. Plus the frakking idiotic idea that we're blowing up the Foundry or the complete lack of information on it. 'Hey guys, we have no idea what this is but it can produce valuable materials. But it was built by the enemy and might be abandoned. We better blow it up cuz Lords know we don't need the supplies.'" She rolls her eyes.
There's a soft snort as Corrath gives a shake of his head, "Don't need to know how to interrogate to ask questions. In reality, it wouldn't hurt to have someone who doesn't know interrogation techniques, to step in and just .. ask questions. As for the actual interrogation? I'm going to get with Elf and have him get in there. Or I'm going to do it. One or the other, but I figure the Sarge would like the change at it." Then, he's giving a nod of his head, "Ya, I can understand why it'd be eating away at you. This shit isn't anything that we're used to, Natalie. As for the Foundry?" Again, shoulders lift into that shrug, "Can't say why they are wanting to blow that up. -Way- out of my league, though, beyond knowing that we can produce materials on the Cerberus. Maybe that's why they want to destroy it. Shy of that, I don't know what Command's thinking about, these days."
"They're off their damned rockers, Corr. Our mission statement is to 'gather intel and demolitions'. I can think of easier ways to kill myself. We'd need twice the number of Marines we have just to make me feel okay with the idea in a general respect. If they send civilians with us, I'm resigning." And that, seems to be that. Natalie is contrite and final about it. As for the interrogation, she sighs. "I guess..? You know this stuff, Corr. Its out of my league. I'm a trigger puller and planner. Backtracking investigations? I really suck." Its almsot a painful admission. "But I guess I could go in there and see if she will talk to me? The last time she saw me it wasn't on the greatest terms. If I do this, think you could watch? Talk to me on an earbud and see if you pick up on something I'm missing?" Its not that she's afraid, she just doesn't want to screw a chance to make good on possibly important information.
"See, that's why I leave the operational planning to you, Nat. I can just sit back, hands behind my head and smile at all the bullshit orders that make their way down." That said, Corrath's flashing a quick wink before giving a nod of his head, "Seems like we're always going to have civilians filling one spot or another. Doctor's, Reporters, Specialists. Suppose Command's trying to fill gaps where they can. S'all I can think of." Then, there's another quick smirk and another nod, "Sure can. shouldn't be anything too difficult though. It'll just be a matter of trying to talk and ask questions around this stuff. Not really prying, but generic, general questions. See if she won't babble on a little more to see if we can piece together more of what's become a rather complex puzzle."
Vandenberg settles back in the chair looking frowny. She makes a face at the folder in front of her. "Is there anyone else I should talk to about this? I don't know many Navy people and most of them ain't the friendliest folk I've ever met. Its like they see a Marine uniform and Insert Stick." She shakes her head. "Anyhow, one last thing. This is some stuff we got from Wreath of Roses. Its all photocopies since the originals are kept under lock and key. Gotta destroy these before I leave the hub. You recognize any of these people or places?" She hands over several pages. The top one is quite obvious to anyone who spent time involved in the Cobra Talon mission. Its Kythera, Leonis. "Second one is of a model eleven." Indeed, it is and she appears to be crying. The following sketches contain: Sitka, gun in hand, though he's lowering it. Stavrian, kneeling and bandaging the wound on what looks like a woman's leg. Samuel, close on his dirt-smudged face, helmet sketched in. Haeleah and Cilusia and Capella drawn together with the toolkits. Ryker (well, maybe, it's from afar), drawn in full Marine regalia. Tisiphone's face, close on her eyes, which are tight and piercing even in the charcoal.
There's a grunt at the first question, followed by the slightest of nods, "Nikephoros can offer some insight on this, since she's questioned the Five already. Good luck with that, though. She's quite the little .." He trails off there, giving a slight wave of his hand to indicate he's done. When the pictures are passed over, he's taking a moment to look at them, paying each a medium of attention as he gives a nod of his head, "Aye, certainly do recognize a fair majority of these people, actually. Several of them are all crew aboard this ship. Or .. were, at least." When his eyes lift, there's an arch of his brow again, "Where'd you get these, anyways? Were these pictures that were found from Wreath of Roses?"
"Nikephoros. TACCO." Its as if it is a recitation from memory. She probably went through photos to try and remember the important people. Natalie then looks back to Corrath and lofts a brow at the people being members of the crew. "I recognized Samuel but nobody else. You say 'were'? Are most of them dead?" To his last, the woman flops the folder in her hand. "These were recovered from a book on Wreath of Roses. All hand sketched. The originals are quite beautifully done, actually. I checked, and apparently the Elevens like to sketch. Someone took her a book but I was never able to find out what was in it. Anyhow, the estate belonged to Erendira Payo. She was a big contributor to that museum in Knossos that people were all hot and bothered to check out. Big into art and philosophy. Good contributions to our library when we are done. But there's a ton of sketches of that city. There's also a notebook. Most of it has been redacted by the author except for a poem. And it looks like another page has been ripped out. That was something about coordinates. Don't know for sure since, well, its gone."
"Correct." Then, Corrath is giving a shake of his head, "One of them is. The last one. Killed herself in one of the storage closets. Didn't know her, personally, but the image stuck out since it's was new. One of the other ones, the guy with the gun, was a viper jock who died as well. Couple of the others are current crew, though." Pausing, he's listening and giving another nod of his head, "I knew the elevan sketched. Someone took her a sketchbook while she was in the brig, actually. A crewman … Wolfe, if I recall. She might be able to offer some insight on it, since I seem to recall she saw some of the things from it." One hand lifts to scratch lightly at his chin before falling away, "Now I'm wondering why the frak there's sketched of Cerberus crew .. That's got me thinking things that I shouldn't be thinking."
"Frak," Natalie whispers, the idea of dead crew getting a bit of a drawn breath. This was not something she was expecting, obviously. "Okay, Wolfe. I'll hunt her down and find out what happened to the book. If she doesn't know I'll plow through security footage to find out where it went." As for the last, the woman takes a sage expression, nodding once. "Yeah. No kidding, Corr. How did a Cylon who had such close contact with our crew end up at Erendira Payo's house? Supposedly that place has been abandoned for months, too. And more importantly, where the hell is she now? And is she still having weird dreams.." The last is an aside as she lifts the last page from the folder and hands it over. "Here's the poem." It reads:
"The same dream. Three nights in not as many weeks.
Our brother HAD to have heard. He has to bring help.
Even then, I do not think God will forgive us for our crimes. Do we deserve it?
Home. Not this Hell we have made. But a home."
"If Wolfe doesn't know, Elf might. Either that, or I can dig through reports to see where things went," is Corrath's immediate reply. Then, he's giving a slight shake of his head, "She couldn't have been at Erendira Payo's house. Not that I'm aware of, at least. But, I haven't really followed too much of it, outside the nature of our brig and matters of security." He's giving a soft sigh, his hand now lifting to run quickly through his short hair as before accepting the poem to read it over. "Wow … this sounds like whoever wrote it actually … felt bad about things. What the frak .." Eyes lift to settle back on Vandenberg, "Can things get any more confusing?"
"Yeah, actually..You're better with that and have more of an excuse to hunt that book down. Would you mind tracking it down?" Its asked with a hopeful smile. The rest, though strikes her oddly. "Well, okay. I don't know what happened to that Eleven that drew them, but remember the one we captured in her interview said that they could share memories? That they could access them from any other model that had downloaded?" When he looks back, she nods. "I know. I don't think whoever drew those intended them to ever be found, either. If that's the case, then this is saying a lot. Our Eleven said that some felt genuine remorse. And it all circles back to some of them helping us. Gods, that one saved the XO and a few others from a burning storage room. Not to mention gave us tons of intel thats been actionable. That pilot kicked ass on Warday. You've also got that suspect from the Deck - that frakkin one everyone hated."
"Not a problem, Nat, I'll see what become of that book and whether I can track it down." Leaning forward, Corrath snags his pen and makes a quick notation, no doubt a reminder to himself, before he's settling back in his chair. "Ya, I recall seeing that in one of the security reports, but I haven't really taken in under too much consideration. I know Navy Intel has been pouring of a bunch of this information, though, including the ramblings and the like of the captured Eleven that we had. S'why I mentioned Nikephoros, but I'm not sure she'll be much help to a Marine in all honesty." Leaning back again, hands more clasp in his lap, "Ya, I can see that. Kinda makes me wonder what the frak is going on with them, to be honest and whether it's just some ploy or something. They can't be trusted."
"Yeah. I'll ask Nikephoros but I'm not getting my hopes up. It isn't like I have a legit reason other than boredom for going over this stuff." Vandenberg shrugs lightly. Though with his further musing, she leans forward again. "Well look at this from an operational standpoint, okay?" Natalie settles the now-empty folder on the floor. "In order for them to have had this become a ploy, the Cylons would have had to have known we would find that biowarfare facility at Adumbla. And just in time to save the Eleven. And assumed we wouldn't kill it outright. They would also needed to have had that Eleven on Leonis help our people find Rutger Tower and rescue a ton of people - which serves them no purpose but return some pretty valuable individuals to our civilization. To plan an operation that deep would require incalculable variables and playing unimaginable odds. Then look at the intel we grabbed. Has any of it been proven false? Not even the slightest hint yet. In fact, most of it seems to check out even against all field testing. Then it helps the fleet take out a huge biowarfare facility over Sagg?" Natalie shakes her head. "Corr? Eventually you've gotta look at what this is telling us. I don't like trusting them, nor do I endorse it, but think about everything this fleet has seen - which is waaaay more than I have. I think we might have genuine friendlies on the other team. Or at least some who aren't entirely hostile."
"Can always say you're just looking into things on my behalf, Natalie .." He pauses and then gives a chuckle, "Nevermind, that really wouldn't work. Ya, don't get your hopes up. It's probably not going to amount to anything." There's a quick smile as he gives a nod of his head as he listens once more. When she's finished, there's another quick chuckle, "Oh, I've thought about that, trust me. But, these aren't people. They don't look at odds like we do, I'm willing to bet. And how -could- they be on our side? That's what I want to know. Who says they are just playing us, leading us along since it doesn't hurt them to do so and then, when we don't expect it and we think we can trust them, they'll turn against us." Shoulders lift into a slight shrug at that, "I just can't trust it. Not yet. We can act on the information. Use it. But we can't trust the source."
Natalie eyes Corrath, quirking a brow. She seems on the verge of an accusation with that smile but stops herself short. "Uh huh." She moves along quickly, though. "How could they be on our side? Corr, think about that. If these things created human bodies and feel human emotions and are trying to emulate us, then is it so far fetched to believe that they aren't capable of logical and creative thought? That they couldn't develop their own opinions if separated from their own? Hell, the Eleven said there's two more among us - one who wants to stay and fight for us. Even if that's bullshit, you think they haven't gotten people on board from the survivors we picked up? When was the last terrorist attack?" Natalie is building towards something. Maybe. "We've had our share of sympathizers. Saw some for myself on Leonis. It just takes guts to make the leap of faith that they don't have their own share of traitors. See, we had a saying in the infantry. Don't hate me for it, either." She grins. "Never trust your intel any further than you can confirm it yourself. I'd be willing to take the chance on my own. Nobody else wants to make that jump, I'll frakkin do it if we get the opportunity. Sure as shit, if I get killed, you guys know for sure. If I'm right?" She leaves that open.
Corrath's lips quirk into a smirk, but he lets the previous topic die before giving a slight shake of his head, "S'why they are called opinions, Natalie. Everyone's got one. Like assholes. I know that some people think we should trust them, but frak, I can't bring myself too. Not when we're only a tiny percentage of what's left. And why? Because they decided to nuke the frak out of us. If some of them feel bad for that? Tough luck. Kinda late for it." Hands unclasp, but only so that he can rest them on the rests of the chair, "We'll just have to see what happens. I'll do what I need to do, even if it goes against what I think's right, but I don't need to like it."
"It ain't about trust, Corr. Its about a core value of the Marine Corps. When you are faced with an enemy you are hard pressed to beat, what do you do?" She slams a fist into an open palm. "Divide and conquer. We get them questioning each other, maybe more than they already are, and we have their asses where we want them. More potential intel than you could shake a stick at. Nobody wants a godsdamn skinner for a friend. Period. A mushroom cloud knocked my plane out of the sky on Warday. Just saying that with the enemy, things are never what they seem. Fog of war is a bitch but we try to peer. You ever hear about them needing someone to go meet? Get me a cyanide capsule and a Raptor. I'm game." She slowly rises from the chair. "Anyhow, need the photos back. You can look at the Wreath of Roses stuff if ya want. Its in lockup. I gotta burn those copies I made." She takes up the folder, too.
"I'm well aware of that, Natalie. Well aware of the intel we can get, too. I'm prepare to use it and action upon it, but it doesn't mean I need to like it or trust it, is all I'm saying. After all, one of these times, it could lead the whole frakkin' lot of us into a trap. And that's something I'd like to avoid, ya know?" There's a flash of a smile now, before he's giving a nod of his head, "I'll keep that in mind. Maybe." The photos are gathered back up and settled in the folder so that it can be taken, "Ya, I may go down to the lockup and have a look over things. You've piqued my interest with some of this and I wanna look a little further into it."
"Psh. Traps. Ain't that what Athena created the Marine Corps for? Bailing everyone else out?" She winks. "Oorah." The woman takes back the photos. "Yeah, go peek over this stuff. See what you come up with. Like I said, I wish I could hack it more but my brain just doesn't think that way. Keep me in the loop on what you find? Please?" She clasps the folder closed and folds it in a way it was never meant to be.
Now, a warm laugh escapes Corrath's lips as he gives a quick nod of his head, "Good point, Nat." Pause, "Oorah." Then, he's rising from his seat so that a couple of things can be straightened on the desk, "Ya, I'll keep ya in the loop about what I find or if I figure anything else out. Plus, if I do, chances are I'll need another set of eyes to help make sense of it, so I'll come find ya. In the mean time, take it easy."
"Frakkin outstanding. Thanks for hearing me out, Corr. I appreciate it. I should be back to full strength in a day or two. See ya." Vandenberg taps the folder to her temple in salute and heads for the door.