Log:Wasp Venom, Scene 23

Wasp Venom 2013/10/23 	 Dorian Froth Mind Wasp

23

Champions Mush - Wednesday, October 23, 2013, 1:51 PM

Dorian heads to the conference room, where he's intending to meet with Froth. He has a fairly sizable file folder with him.

Froth has been a full day in protective custody, but Starguard isn't a hotel. It is not designed for comfortable accommodations. Despite this, the six foot six man seems to be holding up quite well.

Dorian 

''This man stands about five and a half feet tall, and is moderately good looking. He has blue eyes...brown hair cut into a crew cut, and a goatee. ''

''He's currently wearing a retro Eisenhower style jacket in an olive green, along with a black t-shirt, a pair of jeans...probably Levi's if one notices such things, and a pair of navy blue Doc Marten's, heavily worn from walking, apparently. ''

Froth

''You see a male bodybuilder, about 50 years old with long hair so white that it is blue when the light hits it right. A matching beard reaches to the bottom of his ribs and, like the hair is white, loose, and well-tended. He is dressed in a suit with a starched white shirt, reddish-brown slacks, grey vest and a tan knee-length coat, worn open for ease of movement. If he is wearing a tie, it is hidden under his prodigious beard. ''

Dorian offers his hand to the other man, "Professor Froth, my name is Doran Perrault. I'm the local SGG commander."

Froth stands to accept Dorian's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Commander," he says in clear but accented English.

Dorian takes a seat. "There may be a couple of other folks showing up in a bit. I went away for a bit for a personal leave, and while I'm gone, apparently all hell breaks loose. Again." He chuckles. "So...since according to my notes you're here in protective custody, I thought you might be able to help get me up to speed. The notes I have from some of the other SGG team members don't seem to cover everything."

Froth nods, content to wait patiently.

Dorian says, "Basically, from my understanding, this Kagiso Adamani, AKA Mind Wasp, is a former or current HIVE employee with a feud going on with another local HIVE exec?""

Froth nods, "Yes. Although who initiated it and why seem to be a matter of contention."

Dorian nods. "And due to some kind of strike in Zu, she struck here? That's this 'Retaliation Team' I read about?"

Mind Wasp says, "It was pre-emptive. The team was told they were here in anticipation of an attack."

Dorian raises a brow, "Interesting way of doing business. Kind of reminds me of a Russian arms dealer that's been active as of late." He opens the folder in front of him, looking at the names in the dossier. "So, I think it's safe to assume that this team is behind the current bomb threat, then."

Froth shrugs. "The 'team' fell apart not long after arriving. What bomb threat?"

Dorian continues, "I just want to make sure I'm clear on all of the players before I speak to Ms. Adamani. The Retaliation Team consists of Hardcase, Penetrator, and Rewind?" He nods, "A local news person read something on air about how Ms. Adamani should be released from her 'unlawful imprisonment', or else local people will get hurt."

Froth's eyebrows shoot up. "You caught her? So quickly? Congratulations. I thought with her teleporter she would have been harder to apprehend."

Dorian nods. "I get the feeling she's running from something or someone."

Froth nods, very slowly, "Given what we are discovering about her nature, I would imagine a good many people would grow to have issue with her."

Dorian nods. "One more question for you. How does this 'Diamant' play into things?"

Mind Wasp says, "The Diamant boys were asked to protect some valuable equipment in Saldanha, at the military academy, that Miss Adamini had told them was in danger of American attack by meta mercenaries. After a month with no activity, the guard had dropped down to Drie, Vyr and Vief. The 'attack' turned out to be a rescue mission for a woman trapped inside. The boys assisted with the rescue as best they could, caught a villain that was knowingly participating in the plot and I believe all six are flying here to capture Miss Adamini and bring her back to Zu for trial."

Dorian says, "Ah...the woman inside was Ms. Sato?"

Mind Wasp says, "I never caught her name."

Dorian double checks the documents, leafing through the papers. "My memory was right. It was her. Okay, I think that clarifies things enough for me. At least to get the big picture of what's going on. I think the next step is to talk to Adamani."

Dorian stands up and offers his hand to the professor again, "Thank you again for your time. Please let me know if you need anything."

Froth stands as well. "Just ..." he starts to say, pauses, then continues. "Just be gentle with the boys if you can. I have known them since they really were boys instead of young men, and they grew up in a country where justice and the law were not always on the same side."

Dorian raises a brow, "The Diamants? I don't have a reason to shoot at them. Yet. I have to balance international relations with personal feelings. So...my first goal is to find out what's really going on, and why the wheels are turning as they are."

Froth nods, accepting but not happy. "I understand."

Dorian smiles slightly, "Believe me. I usually aim for a diplomatic solution before a violent one. If things can be resolved in an amenable fashion, I'll do so."

Froth nods again, but doesn't comment further.

Dorian tilts his head, "If you don't mind my asking, why did you assume that I was going to be harsh with them?"

Froth says, "They are like bulls in china shop. China shop owner tends to be 'bullish' in return."

Dorian smiles. "Ah, I see. I'll keep that in mind."

Dorian heads out of the conference room, folder in hand, heading toward the security room.

Dorian makes a point of stopping in the security area to speak to the guards, "I'm going to talk to Ms. Adamani. If I start acting weirdly, like I'm going to release her or something, ignore any orders that I give. Clear?"

The guards smirk like Dorian said something funny, but they say "Yes sir."

Mindwasp has not been suffering her confinement pleasantly. She is handcuffed and her head is encased in a mind-dampening helmet that includes a visor to cover her eyes. Her mouth looks red like some kind of webbing was recently ripped off it. The helmet she wears is ironically the same helmet used on Miss Sato.

Dorian comes into the cell, and takes a seat, "Ms. Adamani, my name is Dorian Perrault. I'm the local SGG commander. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Mind Wasp says, "Take off the helmet first. It hurts."

Dorian shakes his head, "I'm afraid I can't do that. Not without getting some answers first."

Mindwasp slams her fists on the table. "I don't care what your scientists say or if a *properly* functioning helmet isn't supposed to hurt, *this* one hurts. Why should I agree to answer questions under torture? I haven't done anything!"

Dorian jumps a little bit at the sudden movement, but then he shrugs, "If I don't get answers from you, then I'll have no choice but to make sure you get deported to answer for crimes back in Zu." He goes to back up his folder and stand up.

Mind Wasp

''You see an attractive mulatto woman in a black long-sleeve form-fitting Quinntex suit that reflects yellow when light hits it. Her black shoulder length hair is in hundreds of tiny braids and the sclera of her brown eyes are honey yellow. Her waist is nipped in at the sides like she is wearing a corset, but her movements say otherwise. ''

Mind Wasp says, "Wait! I've been framed for a crime in Zu. You can't do that! The United States doesn't have extradition agreements with Zu."

Dorian smiles slightly, "That just means we don't do it as a matter of course. Exceptions can be made, if need be." He sits back down. "You believe you've been framed? By whom?"

Mind Wasp says, "How should I know? I don't have any kind of proof you would believe anyway, but I think Rashmika Ghandi would be a good place to start."

Dorian nods to himself, and makes a note, "The local Hive rep?" He pauses a moment and looks up at her again, "Are you running from someone right now?"

Mind Wasp says, "She's sicced a crazy meta on me."

Dorian tilts his head slightly, "Which meta is after you?"

Mind Wasp says, "He's called Penetreerder: Penetrator in Afrikaans."

Dorian nods slowly, "I thought he was part of this 'Retaliation Team' you put together?"

Mindwasp nods, "She turned him with her lies, got him believing the frame job she set up in Zu."

Dorian says, "I see. And how are you sure that Ms. Ghandi is involved?"

Mindwasp leans forward on her elbows, her eyes swiveling back and forth sightlessly. "Can you at least raise the visor so I can see who I am talking to?"

Dorian glances back toward the security room, to make sure they notice his glance. "I think I can do that." He reaches over and raises the visor. "I apologize for the way you've been treated, but better safe than sorry."

Dorian doesn't make eye contact, though. He's been hypnotized once in the past. Best not to make the same mistake again.

Mindwasp gives Dorian a heartfelt and warm smile. She is really quite attractive now that Dorian can get a good look at her face. "Thank you," she says and the warmth of her smile carries through her voice.

Mind Wasp says, "What you need to understand is that, out of all the Hive branches in the world, the Colonial Bay branch is the *least* profitable. Between Rashmika's unwillingness to do her real job and all the meta activity here, it doesn't even turn a profit. Johannesburg, on the other hand, is the *most* profitable branch; exceeding even Tokyo. Rashmika wants that and will likely assist with any plot to get that."

Dorian nods slowly, making some notes. On paper. Oddly, that's actually harder to track nowadays. "Wouldn't that be true of any other branch manager? Why her specifically?"

Mind Wasp says, "She's the only one with combat training *and* the American's that 'discovered' the 'crime' in Saldanha were all from Colonial Bay."

Dorian nods again, "So, you assumed it was her. A logical leap, I guess."

Dorian says, "I guess that brings me to the next question. Why are you here in town? To strike at Ms. Ghandi, since you think she's the culprit?"

Mind Wasp says, "When the Johannesburg production unit broke down under mysterious circumstances, I sent for a replacement from Tokyo, but that unit also doesn't work. Things had been tense between Johannesburg and Tokyo for a while. They didn't approve an expansion into Saldanha despite a guaranteed contract there with the University, so I had a unit independently constructed using my own funds. I had heard of a possible attack on my 'unauthorized' unit so I came to Colonial Bay to talk to Rashmika since she was the most likely person, given her background, to spearhead such an attack."

Dorian taps his chin, "I'd like to believe you, but unless I have solid proof, I'm going to have to defer to the State Department on your situation. You have to understand, before I became a superhero, I was going to be a scientist. So, I tend to rely less on my 'gut', and more on 'facts'. So far, I've heard more 'pathos' than 'logos', here."

Mindwasp looks at Dorian for a long time, considering thoughtfully. "Okay, here's a question for you 'scientist': if the formula that the Hive people give to their employees actually comes from genetically modified and trapped people instead of machinery, why hasn't Rashmika rushed to turn off her own production unit? How about we make a deal? I bet that if you submit a request to open the production unit here in Colonial Bay that everyone in Hive Inc will fight you, because the production units - other than that parody set up in Saldanha - are *really* machines with sensitive and sterile components. And when that happens, how about you let me go and go after Penetreerder and Rashmika instead?"

Dorian considers that. "While learning more about their production admittedly does sound like a good idea, I'm not sure that finding out it's a machine here proves you were framed back in Zu. All it proves is that the standard production is a machine."

Dorian says, "Besides, even if Hive fights us on getting to see the machine itself, I think I can come up with a couple of non-invasive ways to examine the machine."

Mindwasp hmms, "Well, remember it is a sterile environment and lead shielded against solar radiation. I'm not sure what you could do that wouldn't effect that. I'm a businesswoman, not a villain out for revenge. I don't want to break a perfectly good production unit for no reason." She smiles, then adds, "Especially when I am short two of them in Zu."

Dorian smiles slightly, "One doesn't become the commander of SGG without having superpowers, Ms. Adamani. In fact, every member of SGG has some sort of meta-level talent." He leaves it at that. "Your 'alternative' production source? Tell me about it. What made it different than the standard."

Dorian says, "And keep in mind, I was going to be a nuclear physicist. You don't have to spare technical details on me."

Mind Wasp says, "What you need to do - *after* you take off this painful helmet - is ask yourself, why would I go to the expense and trouble of genetically modifying a person when making a machine is both easier and cheaper? The only thing 'alternative' about it is that I commissioned the parts directly from the manufacturers instead of going through Tokyo. When I'm released, I would be glad to show you receipts. The outer shell came from Lockheed Martin here in the States, for example."

Dorian shrugs, "I think you should be able to provide receipts and the like from here. At any rate, I think I have enough to go on for the time being. A couple of avenues of investigation. I also need to confer with the director of SG here. It's going to be in his hands what happens with you. The wheels of bureaucracy, yadda yadda. I'm sure you understand, since you work for a large corporation."

Dorian closes the folder he was making notes in, and stands back up, "Thank you for your time, Ms. Adamani."

Mind Wasp says, "So, since I've truthfully answered every question you've asked, how about this helmet?"

Dorian tilts his head, considering. "I need to confer with the director on that. I'll be honest. I still don't trust you. Or your answers, for that matter." And with that, he heads out of the cell.

Mindwasp blinks several times and her eyes water with pain. "You are a cruel man, Commander Perrault."

Dorian says as he parts, "That is something that hasn't been said to me. Ever. To my other half...yes. You may yet get to meet him if you go to Tranquility."