Log:Psine - Intro, Scene 1

Psine - Intro 2011/10/19 	 Jason Lord Psine Rose

1

CBSU is one of the better state schools, especially strong on the science and in the fields of xenobiology and alien culture second to none. The new dorms, lecture halls and library speak of generous benefactors.

The campus is arranged in an broadly circular pattern. In the midst of campus is the college or student square, an open area where the students can hang out when the weather's nice. Surrounding the square are the rest of campus facilities, starting with the dorms, then moving out to the classroom buildings. By the campus stores two elevated MagLev lines cross. There is no stadium: that's off the campus proper, to the north of Courtland Way.

Jason Lord: A relatively good looking man in a shirt and tie. Interestingly enough, he also has suspenders. Perhaps an old-school affectation. He has a jacket with him as well, which he is carrying over his shoulder.

Jason Lord meets the two of you at a location of your choosing.

Jason sits down at the table with the two of you, and looks to you both. "Hi. I'm Jason Lord. From the CBC." He offers his hand to each of you in turn.

Rose arranges a meeting with ace investigative journalist Jason Lord in the student union where she waits with a diminutive robot. She shakes Jason's hand as he arrives. "Hello, I'm Rose." She says tersely and then gestures to the robot beside her. "And I will let my companion speak for herself, but be warned, her story is shocking."

Rose: It takes a moment to properly assess the young woman in front of you, a jumble of contradictory impressions eventually coalescing to reveal the underlying reality. At best she stands only a few inches over five foot tall, which, combined with her slender physique creates the fleeting illusion that she is perhaps in her early teens. A rather battered emerald tee-shirt several sizes too large for her has been aggressively hacked down to form a loose-fitting crop-top that swamps her upper torso. Beneath that she wears a close-fitting, long-sleeved shirt of crisply pressed black fibre. The material seems supple and light, comfortably sheathing her form, which has obviously matured beyond the awkward angularity of adolescence. Nestled at her hips, a tightly pleated skirt of the same emerald green falls to mid thigh, the design simple yet faultlessly crafted. From beneath its hem a pair of black tights sheath her legs, eventually disappearing into the top of a pair of tightly laced Doc Martens a few inches below her knees. The boots are polished to a high gloss and exactly the same shade as her skirt and crop-top, perhaps revealing the ensemble is not as randomly haphazard as it might first appear. The laces are a brilliant white that contrasts vividly with the colour of the leather.

Wearing that much black makes her skin seem even paler than it is naturally. A light dusting of freckles grace an elfin nose, the gentle curves of her dimpled cheeks and finely scuplted jaw delicate and waif-like. By far her most striking feature are her eyes, twin orbs of deep sea green that glitter with unsettling ferocity, as though some relentless and unspeakable force burns within this girl that is restrained only through the force of her utmost will. As a final snub to the conventions of fashion, gossamer smooth ebony hair that is obviously well-cared for has been artlessly gathered into a simple ponytail that shivers and sways as she moves, stray tendrils falling behind each ear.

"I am Psine Marn." Psine starts, "Approximately 2 years ago, I was diagnosed with an illness which ultimately 'killed' me. However, due to something I still don't understand, my mind was preserved and digitized. Up until this point, I believed my parents were simply researchers. Two days after being digitized I was shown a top secret military project. A day after that I was forced to become involved in it as a test subject. Until recently, I've been stuck within their confines doing whatever tests they needed me to run, mostly involving this robotic avatar that I currently reside. I've been forbidden to tell anyone about this (obviously), and have been denied the ability to actually at least LOOK more human, despite how easy it would be to make me look almost completely human. For whatever reason, those involved in the project decide that I must look like some oddball creature and must not look human. As well, they don't seem to have any regard for my personal rights as a sentient being, generally treating me like a meager clockwork robot or like something without a mind entirely. And quite frankly, I'm TIRED of being stuck without being able to tell people what I am, where I come from, and being denied the simple want to be happy; I hate this form a lot... It's like going from being human, to being bedridden, to being some type of monster. I want the world to know about this, and believe me, my internal components are marked with insignias of which can be traced back to the military. However, I ensure you that all official record of this project is nonexistent. I also have data logs of everything they've ever done, all of their conversations, all of their actions. Right now they're making me do some menial task of taking pictures of colonial bay for no apparent reason short of making a 3d map of the city. I want to be free of fearing them, as they have buttons that can neutralize me, permanently, and I have been threatened with them quite a few times. I don't think it's humane imprisoning any sentient creature against their will, and to not allow their will to be shadowed upon what form they take. Ask any questions you want, I can answer all in detail." Psine states, oddly avoiding her weird verbal ticks. She states these things as a matter of fact. "They also tried to install a device to override my ability to control this body... Though it accidentally got shorted out quite a while ago..." Psine giggles.

Jason nods slowly. "I would need those recordings, I think. To corroborate your story. Since this is, after all, a major accusation."

Rose nods. "Certainly a story of this magnitude must be independently verified, ideally from multiple sources." She looks to Psine. "Would your parents be willing to corroborate your story at all?"

Psine nods at Jason. "What do you want me to put the recordings on? I could easily just store them all on a hard drive and give it to you." Psine then nods at Rose. "My parents, and quite a few of the other scientists who actually recognize I'm not a simple mindless robot. It's a shame I can't teleport more than just myself... I could take you right to the facility, my 'house'."

Jason nods. "Putting them on a drive would be best. And if you can give me contact information for those you think would back up your story, that would be great.

Rose says, "You might also give what information you can about your early childhood and your illness, since those details will need to be verified." She looks to Jason. "If proven these allegations amount to nothing less than state-sponsored slavery of the cruelest and most depraved kind. The Justice Department may well want to press charges."

Jason Lord nods. "Psine...your 'death'...do you think it was engineered? Or do you think that it was coincidental, and that the researchers just took the opportunity while it presented itself?

Psine nods. Psine's back panel seems to glow a bit, before the glow itself intensifies...then the entire panel seems to peal itself away, heading to other parts of her body. It reveals a lot of internal workings, most of which is highly advanced technology. Amongst this is an device made of hexagons which seems to be constantly glowing and humming with electric discharge. As well, there are several boxes. One of these boxes displays a red light while the rest display green lights. With a distinct click, the red light drive's light goes out. After this, Psine reaches behind herself, grabs the aforementioned box, and takes it out of her body. Psine then looks to Jason, "Honestly, the disease was odd...I don't honestly remember much...but it being engineered isn't out of the question...It came on suddenly, I got really sick, and died 2 weeks after being hospitalized... before which I spent a week at home. And this is a 4 Petabyte Hard Drive...I'd HOPE you don't lose it... It contains all of the logs in common formats. I'd also really like it if you could give it back to me once you've extracted what you need from it, because these things are /hard/ to create." Psine offers the box to Jason.

Rose says, "In effect I think that Psine is a witness and victim of a terrible crime and that her safety is in question, it would be prudent I think if she were placed in some form of protective custody.""

Jason nods. "Well, I'm certainly not in any position to set up protective custody. That's something for the authorities to decide."

"Also, I can probably give you the contact information for my parents, and they likely can give the information for the rest of the people." Psine states.

Jason nods, "That would be helpful. Thank you."

Rose says, "You must have some sort of facility for dealing with a confidential informant whose saftey is in question. If she goes and makes her complaint directly to the District Attorney, you lose your exclusive."

Jason raises a brow, "Yes, that's called 'source confidentiality'. Meaning...I don't say who told me. We don't have the resources to set up a safe house. Or a new identity. Those are things the government does...NOT the media."

Jason adds, "If you feel that you need to go directly to the DA, go ahead."

Rose says, "Well I realize that new identities and suchlike are out of the question, but a hotel suite might be nicer than her living on the streets."

Jason nods. "That we might be able to arrange."

Jason shrugs, "At least for a little while." He looks to Psine, "Did you not want your name attached to the story? Whoever is running the project is going to know it's you anyway."

Psine thinks... "I would like my name attached to the story, but not as a source, but as the subject." Psine states, as her back panel returns to its glowing state, then back to its normal state. "Also, a hotel would be nice."

Rose smiles brightly and nods. "I think that's a good idea because you're going to want to do multiple interviews as you unearth details, check the consistency of her story and if you stick her under a pseudonym the military will have a hard time finding her."

Psine adds, "Especially since only the really high ups, the guys working on the project, and the guys in charge of the project know of its exitsence."