Participants:
| Scene Title | Aiming For Ravens |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | There are birds above. Someone needs to take them down. |
| Date | September 01, 2010 |
The Verb: Cat's Penthouse
Arriving by any of four elevators, visitors will find they open into three foot corridors facing wide double doors made from sturdy southern pine which swing outward and have the strongest locks available. The stairs lead to single doors, also outward opening, at the end of three foot corridors. Entry requires both a key and a keycard; other security measures are a video camera and voice communication terminal at all doors. The 4th Street side has floor to ceiling windows interrupted only by the access points. Cream colored curtains are normally kept closed.
This level has enough space for sixteen apartments. There is an office space with reception area, conference room, and executive office; a room for archery practice and other forms of physical exercise; a very well appointed kitchen and dining area; a music zone with an array of instruments, electronics, and amplifiers; an entertainment area with an HD set covering an entire stretch of wall from floor to ceiling; a locked room where security footage for the building is recorded and can be monitored; a laundry room; a staircase for roof access; central air and heating; the main bedroom and a few smaller guest rooms; plush deep wine carpet everywhere except the kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms; and track lighting everywhere overhead. The light levels can be lowered or raised in the entire place, or selectively by segments. The overall decor suggests the occupant is a woman.
She hadn't been around much the day before, having left in the morning without carrying out her normal routine of working out and reading several large newspapers from around the world over breakfast and coffee. Cat had things to do of a clandestine nature. This morning, Wednesday, September 1st, is the same, but she hasn't departed the penthouse yet. Alia let her know she wanted to meet, and so it shall be. The panmnesiac will be found in the entertainment room with that immense HD set on.
Onscreen, a presenter is reading a report from the Associated Press. "…Sources in the Pentagon have revealed that a three year plan to oust the Company from within the United States has been an ongoing anti-terrorism endeavor. These Pentagon sources claim that founding members of the Company may have been directly involved in a plot to systematically replace and manipulate government officials as well as orchestrated the 2006 nuclear explosion in Midtown Manhattan in order to position themselves for a potential coup-d'etat."
Alia walks into the room, a somber look on her face, newspaper tucked under one arm, laptop under the other. She sits down, looks at the TV, and says but two words. "Company down." The tone isn't the one one would expect. It isn't a happy sound. It's… resigned. And worried. She sets the newspaper down, much the same report in it as the news report on the big screen. She pauses a moment, then says two more words, the meaning clear enough. "Think…Institute?" These words are not as certain. And they sound a whole lot more worried then the last ones.
"Alia," she greets with a distracted voice, only barely glancing the technopath's way when she notices the presence in the room with her. The talking head is listened to a few moments longer, before Cat trains attention on Senorita Chavez and that newspaper she set down. "Yes," she confirms, "it is. It's good the Company is dead. What isn't is the beast taking its place. This is an Institute action, and what's worse is the spin being put on things."
None of what's said seems any surprise to Cat, she appears to have heard it all before. Including the bit about Company conspiring to make the nuking happen.
Alia closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. "Cat, can you… tell me… about… satellite? Company?" She tries to make herself clear with what information she has. She knows what she needs to find out, just not how to word it. And her tone is obvious that she has something in mind. Something not easy, not without risk. And something that, from the resolve in her voice, she thinks needs to be done.
"The isotopes are tied to a pair of nanosatellites made by a European firm," Cat provides, "which were launched into space from Vandenberg AFB in August '09. They were named Sigrun and Skogul. Wireless dug that information out. If you're interested in them, working through her is your best move, Alia."
Alia leans forward, and opens up her laptop, and quite simply pulls up a diagram… of the Earth, and of near orbit and orbitting space. A dotted line shows a theoretial geostationary satelight orbiting with the earth's Spin. She frowns, then… she doesn't press a button, but uses her ability to change some of the simulated variables. She leans back, and waits. The dotted line starts wobbling… then falling groundward.
She gets it. A grin starts to spread across her features. "It wouldn't be bad if those satellites crashed," Cat agrees with a nod. "Wireless and Rebel will probably help you do that."
Alia sighs. "Sent… messages. For both." She leans back quietly. "Hope… they reply." She smiles a little. "… not bad. has to be done."
"Yes, it does," Cat agrees, her mind turning to a bit of speculation. Is there any space mission aloft right now, or in the near future? The painting which shows a streak of fire heading to the earth as seen through a spaceship window surfaces in her memory. Could Alia's intent to crash those satellites make that artwork come true? That slight grin remains on her features.
Sometimes it's best to just let things seen in precog art happen. But she still has the drive to somehow discover if it might be something else.
Alia leans back to watch the news unfold with Cat for now. There's little else to be done for the moment. Other than think. And worry. And plan.