Log:Checking on Baker's Status

2020/02/22 Arthur Aevus Radical Baker 1

Starguard Medical. As their primary duties are tactical medical, alien medical screens, or agent physicals... bedside manner and insurance coverage aren't much of a priority. At least as far as Baker's always thought. Now, though, he's been left to the whim of their tender(?) mercies.

He's currenty sealed up in an isolation room, pending test results, but otherwise appears healthy. Enough. He's conscious, now, and, while on a bed, is sitting upright. The only readily apparent bandage is around his bare torso and isn't conspicuously blood-soaked or spurting or anything especially gasp- or worry-inducing.

Arthur manages to talk his way into a visit through the lobby. After all, he was involved in the incident. He walks into Baker's view outside the isolation quarantine room, and gives a polite waves. "How are we feeling today, Mr. Baker?"

At least they aren't making the quarantine total solitary confinement. The intercom allows visitors (and staff that don't need the risk) to communicate easily enough. Baker looks over in mild surprise and returns the wave. "Hello, there. I'm a little sore, more than a little grossed out, possibly contagious, and expect to have a metric shitload of paperwork to fill out... but other than that, I'm just peachy." A smirk. "How are you?"

"Well, you sound mostly normal, then," Arthur chuckles as he slides his hands into his pockets. He wonders if he should visit as Kat sometime to raise his spirits, but it'd be hard to excuse why she'd be here. "I'm fine, just fine. I hope we didn't bruise you too much. Do you remember much about the incident?"

"I remember trying to help you out," Baker answers, "with a splitting headache. In hindsight, probably wasn't my best choice. I found her, or so it seemed, and then..." his lips purse "It gets reall fuzzy after that, until I work up here. Headache's gone, but they tell me I cracked a couple ribs."

Arthur winces sympathetically. "Have they verified with x-rays yet?" he asks, wondering if it's too late to help sway karma in Baker's favor. "If I had thought your assistance would put you at that type of risk, I would never have asked. I'm sorry, Agent Baker. Truly."

Baker waves a hand dismissively, reflexively, and winces from it. Another bad idea. "If I'd known, I never would have tried. Not with a headache, anyhow. It's alright."

"I wish we knew more of how this hive queen managed to take you. That was something we've never seen before," Arthur comments, wincing in sympathy for Baker. So he tries. Perhaps the pain will only last another day, or the ribs were only lightly fractured. Or it's just really deep bruising and there were hairs on the x-ray machine.

Arthur is standing outside the quarantined isolation room in Starguard Medical, talking with Agent Baker with his hands in his pockets.

Radical is let in, since he's been consulting for the bug-related case. He walks over toward where Arthur is standing. "Hello again."

Baker is in a bed, but conscious, upright, conversing, and even smirking. He has a bandage around his torso, but it isn't bloody. "In some ways I'd like to know, but others... I'd rather not and just not want it to happen again."

Arthur quarter-turns towards Radical with his hands in his pockets, offering a warm smile. "Hello there. It seems our good Agent Baker is recovering nicely and back to feeling himself again. Though thus far there haven't been many clues on how this could have happened, I'm afraid."

Radical furrows his brow and looks in on Baker, "I'm sorry for hitting you so hard. So...what do you remember?"

Baker offers a wave at his next visitor and chuckles. At least this time the motion doesn't cause a wince. "Not much. I don't remember you hitting me, for one. Would've been better off to ask, first and saved an apology. I was just telling him that I thought I made contact, then I woke up here."

Radical rubs his chin, "Some kind of temporary possession via the mental link, perhaps?"

"Perhaps," Arthur agrees with Radical. "Do you remember anything about where contact was made?" Arthur asks as he looks back to Baker. "Was she near enough to influence you...? Was she watching beforehand?"

Baker's smirk fades to a scowl at that. "It's possible, though I hope not. Getting myself mentally manipulated doesn't exactly look great on a Psi Div review." He then gives Arthur a look. "I was the one searching for her, remember? I was the one who made contact, to locate her. I had no idea she could do that."

Radical nods slowly. "I didn't know either. But we did know that some major mental influence could be used on those in their network."

Arthur takes a breath as he considers that. "Yes, that's a possibility. So far the reports indicate some form of contact may be needed, but there's not enough witness accounts to determine if that's the only way this is transmitted."

"I monitored the detained victims before," Baker nods. "I was aware of the influence on those in the network, but I didn't expect it extended beyond that. I'm not connected to any of them. Not that I'm aware of... and I'm damned sure that's something I'd be aware of."

Radical nods, "Did you get a feel for where she actually was?"

Arthur frowns faintly and rubs his chin as he waits for Baker's answer.

Baker regains some of his mood, and smirk, back. "Yes. East. A few miles. I wasn't able to narrow it down further than that." It is something more than they had, he feels, though, and that he does remember.

"Well, that's quite a wide scope to search," Arthur sighs. But then he smiles a bit. "But we know when she was a few miles east, so it's just a matter of time to find her," he says encouragingly.

Radical nods. "That's a pretty wide area. I'm somewhat amazed at this 'mother's ability to compartmentalize. Zero and Miss Criss had no clue where she might be."

Arthur pulls out a silver fog watch and checks the time. "Hive minds are strange, alien things. I'm not surprised it can compartmentalize. I can't imagine such a mind functioning well without that capability. Multitasking and such would be difficult otherwise."

Baker considers that, and waves a hand to Arthur. "He's right. If it was a pure mesh network, they'd wind up with something akin to ADD increased a thousandfold. A star, with the leader at the center, would overload the center. He then hmms. "They'd need to have a heirarchy; delegation; prioritization; something to control the input and keep from overloading one or all."

Arthur adjusts the dial on his watch to set it back to before the time he met with Baker to discuss this. Enough to provide extra time to begin searching. "Wasn't that what Zero and this Miss Criss were? Delegated envoys of some type?"

Radical nods. "Sure, but that would require a...lieutenant, or something. I had figured Zero was in that role. But even she had no idea wwhere to find this 'mother'.

"Lieutenants in an army don't always know the locations of their generals in war, yes?" Arthur suggests. "They're given some autonomy."

Radical raises a brow, "I'm pretty sure that whoever answers one level lower to Commander Perrault know where to find him if they need to. This is closer to a terrorist cell."

"The worker and soldier classes of Kultarins, for example. All working in a hierarchy from the Queen Hive mind, but not always in direct contact," Arthur rambles to himself after seeming satisfied with setting his watch. He tucks it back into his vest pocket. "Hm? One level lower to Commander Perrault? Who would that be?"

Radical chuckles, "Probably SGG members? He's Gamma's commander, mind you. And I suspect he'd know how to contact Director Van Sterran."

"Are you sure they know where to find Commander Perrault at all times, though? Or just where they're most likely to find him," Arthur smiles. "What if he's mobile. Doesn't have a home or work hours?"

"I was thinking more procedurual," Baker appends. "Commander Perrault doesn't micromanage every agent, but knows of operations status overall. Agents have assignments, standing orders, procedures, protocols. of course, the Commander could -choose- to speak directly to someone for a more detailed, real-time report, however."

"Well, I'd better work on this lead and start looking for the Queen again. I'll have contacted you if I found her." Arthur pauses. "Sorry, wrong tense. I suppose I -will- contact you when I find her. Unless ...there was a reason I couldn't contact you before. Oh my." He looks troubled.