CLOSED ♔ i'll tell you 'bout a secret i've been undermining

[superswank]

WHO || Sydney, Sylar, Drax, Frankie, Allison [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights investigate a biological weapons threat for the Ukrainians 
WHERE ||Antarctica
WHEN || April 10th [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

Not all international intrigue happens in presidential palaces, plush business offices, and smoky dives next to waterfronts.  Some happens in the coldest, dreariest parts of the world.

The Ukrainians expect the Knights to head for the Russian research station from the drop point, stop to disable both the helicopter and communications tower, then enter the compound. Once there, they are to find Prytyka and question him on camera, transmitting this conversation live via a satellite uplink with their contact, Kuchma.

They are currently been flown to the drop point 2 miles from Adelie 14, and Kuchma is on the plane with them, providing them all with arctic gear and final requests.  They have access to thermal undergarments, snowsuits, boots, parkas, snow goggles, gloves and mittens, as well as a portable satellite phone and video camera, and several AKSU-74 sub machine guns.

"Many firearms are unreliable in the extreme Antarctic weather, so you might wish to take one," Kuchma cautions. 

Comments

[watchmaker]

[sylar squints like WELL ... he could be lying. that could be a thing. it's not like he's going to come out all like YEP I'M ACTUALLY SECRETLY DOING BIOWEAPON RESEARCH LOL.]

Is that all it is?

[risked]

[Allison moves to watch him.]

What about the drilling? What research is that part of?

[superswank]

[ he squirms uncomfortably, but then sighs, and looks nervously at the camera lens, then back at them. "There's a... secondary purpose to the lab. In addition to our research, we routinely conduct mineral surveys of the area. The studies have been covert, but they recently bore fruit." he looks down again, and then admits: "We struck oil. Lots of it. Beneath the ice."

syd's eyebrows climb up, as this clearly wasn't... where she thought that would go. she looks at the others like ???? before asking: ] Why was this kept secret, exactly?

[ he scoffs. "The mineral exploitation of Antarctica has been banned by treaty since 1961, that's why. The ban's been slowly losing international support over the last few years, growing weaker, but it still technically stands. A large-scale violation would create... controversy."

syd's lips press together, the situation making her increasingly uncomfortable. without looking away from prytyka, she says: ] Someone get Kuchma on the line.

[spinerip]

Ah. That was why we found oil. [Drax glances over at Allison with a firm nod, then looks back at Prytyka..] You should search for more efficient forms of fuel. Oil is worthless on civilized planets.

[watchmaker]

[sylar will ... be the one to do get kuchman, then. since he did such a good job setting all this shit up.] Did you want him patched in or to chat?

[superswank]

Patch him in. [ she wants to see what he's got to say about all this shit tbh ]

[watchmaker]

On it. [computer use 17??]

[superswank]

[ within moments, the ukrainian agent appears on the screen.

"I've been receiving what you have transmitted so far," he says, in his heavy accent, "It is not good enough. You must get this man to tell the truth of what they are doing here."

prytyka's mouth hangs open at that, and he looks between the screen and the knights, confused and outraged. "The truth?" he says. "That is the truth. I don't understand what you want from me."

sydney's brow creases for a moment, before she says: ] We want to know about a strain of streptococcus you're keeping here in the lab. Do you admit to keeping that bacteria at this research facility?

[ "Of course we have it on hand. Streptococcus is a common research bacteria. We use it to test environmental conditions on biological entities." ]

[watchmaker]

We're talking about a less common strain. Something special. You know about that?

[superswank]

[ he looks over at sylar strangely like wtf is this guy smoking.

"What? What are you talking about?" he looks back at sydney like maybe she'll help but she's just glaring at him like spill it, charlie. ]

A strain that has something to do with haemorrhagic fever. [ prytyka shakes his head, insistently. "There's nothing like that here. I don't know what you even mean."

kuchma grimaces on the screen, baring his teeth.

"He's lying. You must make him talk." ]

[risked]

[Allison draws her bow out and readies an arrow, pointing it to Prytyka's shoulder. (thanks, quick draw) She tips her head to glance to him.]

I'm sure you have an idea of how physics works. This close range -- it's not going to feel good -- at all. [intimidate 17]

Is there anyone else here, that works in these labs, that might have dabbled in that strain of bacteria? Anyone that might just be here to use the labs for their own purposes?

[superswank]

[ the guy looks ready to fucking pee himself when allison PULLS AN ARROW ON HIM. he goes totally pale, lifting both hands in front of himself.

"Please! No! I-- I'm the head of this project, I hired these men personally! No one would do such a thing here!"

syd glances over at kuchma on the screen, who is simply glowering out at them.

"He wants to protect his men. Put the arrow through his shoulder, girl. Show him you mean business." ]

[watchmaker]

[BEFORE ALLISON TRIES TO MAIM PRYTYKA, sylar tries to be ... a voice. maybe not a voice of a reason but. definitely a voice.] Why should we believe you? Can you prove it to us? You can't expect us to just take your word.

[superswank]

[ "You're free to look through all our research. Our databases. I promise you, you won't find evidence of anything like you're talking about." ] Go ahead and sign in with your password here. [ syd nods at a local bank of computers, and he looks nervously at allison before moving over to do just that.

"I promise you, you've... you've been misinformed somehow." he says. ]

[risked]

[Allison moves a few steps back, just to allow him to get to the terminal to type in those login details. She'll glance to Sydney to try and relay that she won't do anything without her go-ahead.]

[spinerip]

[Drax frowns and looks at Kuchma on the screen.] Why were you so convinced of biological weapons?

[He is really indifferent as far as whether or not this guy gets maimed, honestly, but it seems like a question worth asking.]

[superswank]

[ well syd only got a 12 computer use check, this hacker shit is less her department ok. she frowns as she goes through the basic files at least, shaking her head.

kuchma looks out at drax, irritated. "We have confidential sources that we cannot divulge, especially in front of him. Believe me when I say there is no doubt of their validity. This man will do anything to hide the proof, that would cost him his freedom. He's protecting those men and himself. Let him know we mean business!" ]

I can't find anything here suggesting experiments beyond what he's talked about.

[watchmaker]

[sylar hovers behind syd, backseat hacking like] Did you try clicking that? [computer use 20 total?? or to just assist idk.]

[superswank]

[ we can use his, it's coo. either way they don't find??? anything???? like that???? ] There's nothing, see.

[spinerip]

[He looks back over at Sydney, gesturing at the screen with Kuchma on it.] This man is wasting our time.

[superswank]

[ "You're going to blow this entire operation!" kuchma yells, looking increasingly frustrated. "You must force him to confess!" syd looks over at drax, then back at sylar, before glaring at kuchma as well ] We don't torture information out of people, whether they're guilty or not. And I'm not so sure this man is.

[watchmaker]

So ... then what? We just say "oh well, our mistake" and go home?

[because that sounds stupid.]

[superswank]

[ "We're not going to get another chance like this! You're risking thousands of lives because of your moral compunctions! If they develop this disease and release it, those deaths will be on your heads!" kuchma shouts, face turning red.

"There is no disease!" replies prytyka, just as vehemently. "You see for yourself!" ]

[risked]

Can we do that? Show him? Like... a GoTo Meeting or something? [Look... she's just going to keep this arrow up, just because no one has told her to take it down, but she's pretty convinced this guy is telling the truth.]

[superswank]

I think this interrogation is over.