http://el-escarabajo.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] el-escarabajo.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] trans_92010-07-24 12:18 am

Liability [closed]

After leaving his omnicom message, he waits for them in one of the Sensoriums of all places, but that will make it easier to answer any questions. Right now, there's a chalkboard up and several things written on it. Things like:

BUGS LIKE ME?

OHM WELCOME

DALIGIG TELLING THE TRUTH?

CARGN KNOWS MORE THAN HE'S TELLING
governmentninja: (Questioning)

[personal profile] governmentninja 2010-07-24 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
Leon entered not too long after receiving the message, curious as to what this meeting was about. He at least gave Jaime the benefit of assuming this was important, something which was confirmed as he looked over the chalkboard.

"Mr. Reyes?"
prettycoolguy: (Default)

[personal profile] prettycoolguy 2010-07-24 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
The Chief arrives shortly after Leon, eyes immediately drawn to the chalkboard. The message was decidedly scant on details.

"What is it?"
governmentninja: (Now hold on)

[personal profile] governmentninja 2010-07-24 04:54 am (UTC)(link)
"Slow down," not that the kid was rushing, but he seemed to have gotten ahead of himself on something here.

"I need you to back up a few steps for me here."

There was a glance at the Chief, as Leon wondered if he'd be able to shed any light on the situation.
prettycoolguy: (Looking down)

[personal profile] prettycoolguy 2010-07-24 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
The Chief, unfortunately, doesn't know what Jaime's talking about either.

"Me too. Start from the beginning, Reyes. What exactly did you figure out?"

The Chief hopes he can get a less pessimistic answer if he runs through it himself.
governmentninja: (Hmm...)

[personal profile] governmentninja 2010-07-24 05:09 am (UTC)(link)
Okay, now certain pieces were starting to fit together.

"When you and Khaji were messing with their communications, and they bounced you before they withdrew..."

Leon did not like the possibilities where this conversation could be headed.
prettycoolguy: (I has a side view)

[personal profile] prettycoolguy 2010-07-24 05:18 am (UTC)(link)
"What happened?" asks the Chief. "I was on the ground in the thick of it."

He had other problems when that went down.
governmentninja: (Colorful)

[personal profile] governmentninja 2010-07-24 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, Leon did not like where this particular conversation went. He was quiet for a moment, trying to think how to best approach this.

"Almost," he finally said. "But they didn't get you, which means you do have a way of fighting them off."
prettycoolguy: (Half-Face Shot)

[personal profile] prettycoolguy 2010-07-24 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
Well, this is wonderful.

"So essentially, you and Khaji are a potential Yeerklike situation, only with the Ohm pulling the strings."

Things just get better and better around here, he swears. "How close is 'almost'?"
governmentninja: (Crouching)

[personal profile] governmentninja 2010-07-24 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, this was not good.

"Look, you did the right thing by coming to us with this." Though, admittedly, Leon wished Jaime had come to him sooner, but that was beside the point.

"But obviously this makes you a liability whenever we encounter the Ohm, for the moment." And a potential asset as well, but one thing at a time. "But we are going to need to get some answers, and figure out a way for you to protect yourself from all of this. That means we need to take a much closer look at you and Khaji."
prettycoolguy: (Default)

[personal profile] prettycoolguy 2010-07-24 06:25 am (UTC)(link)
"Do you think they could override you while you're on the ship with the rest of us without being in close contact with them already?"

This is, first and foremost and all personal attachment aside, a serious security issue.

He doesn't want to have to lock anyone up, even for their own good, without being sure it's the best option.
governmentninja: (Helping Hand)

[personal profile] governmentninja 2010-07-24 07:14 am (UTC)(link)
"Exactly that, taking a much closer look," he repeated.

"I want you to go to the Science Department and talk to Luis. Tell him you're interested in finding out more about Khaji. You don't have to tell him what prompted that, and odds are he won't push too much anyway. Plus, if he does find something that was of concern, he'd come to me before he would anyone else.

"Let him take some scans and run some tests. So long as you're volunteering, he won't be strapping you down to a table and slicing either you or the scarab open unless you sign off on it. Alright?" It was bad enough Steve was stuck in quarantine, Leon didn't want another teenager turned into a science project. But... "But if you want to find out how closely related to the Ohm Khaji really is, that's the best place to start. And if they did take something from you, or leave you with something, something might pop up while he's examining you both.

"We'll also have to go over the communications logs, see if there's a way to shield you from their network altogether."
prettycoolguy: (Looking down)

[personal profile] prettycoolguy 2010-07-25 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
"That would be ideal," says the Chief. "There might be a way to block them from actively finding you. One of the psychics might possibly be able to do something with it."

The Chief is neither a scientist nor a biologist, he's not sure how that works but it makes sense to him that they should be able to shut it off, somehow. Or mask it. He's thinking in the terms of a comm channel.
governmentninja: (Savior)

[personal profile] governmentninja 2010-07-25 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
Surgically removing Khaji would be a last resort, after they've confirmed he's past the point of no return. But that's more after-the-fact.

"Right now, we're focused on prevention and protection, not preemptive retaliation. There's a difference." One Leon knows very well, given his line of work. "So calm down. We don't want anything to happen to either one of you."
notlewis: (Oh I see what you did there)

[personal profile] notlewis 2010-07-25 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Luis is hard at work at his usual station when Jaime comes in, but he sits up to see who's calling him in a rare display of not being incredibly distracted.

"Boy, for all the secretary work Leon does for me, I really ought to be paying him more," he mutters, then stands up. "Mucho gusto, Mr. Reyes. What can I do for you?"
notlewis: (Serious Business)

[personal profile] notlewis 2010-07-25 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
Luis seemed to be watching Jaime's face very carefully as he spoke, then he let out a heavy sigh and brushed his hair out of his face wearily.

There was a brief and awkward pause before he spoke again. "Well, keeping quiet has become a big part of my job description lately, amigo. So you have nothing to worry about there."

But honest to god, were there any teenage boys on this ship who didn't have symbiotes/viruses/parasites/bodily hitchhikers that might kill them all?

"Lucky for you, parasites and symbiotes happen to be my specialty, so you've come to the right place. Go on and grab a seat."
notlewis: (SCIENCE)

[personal profile] notlewis 2010-07-25 04:13 am (UTC)(link)
Luis is grabbing some tools from around his workstation, things that look like ordinary medical tools... and some that look like torture devices. He also grabs his glasses and slides them onto his face.

"If Leon wants prevention and protection, you definitely don't need to worry about me coming at you with drills and saws," Luis assures him. "My reputation as a mad scientist is pretty exaggerated, I think you'll find."

There is a sudden flash of SCIENCE in his eyes as he holds up one of the scarier tools. Maybe it's not as exaggerated as he thinks.

"But listen. Whatever impression you've got of me, you don't need to worry about me keeping my mouth shut."

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