Participants:
Scene Title | Proper Procedure |
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Synopsis | A pair of Hounds bring Robyn their concerns. |
Date | August 4, 2018 |
In the weeks following the strike in Fort Irwin, things have been quiet from the office belonging to Robyn Quinn. It’s becoming a bit of a pattern now, after each mission she seems to disappear for the bit, taking time to visit the Safe Zone, work on reports, engage in half hearted attempts at philanthropy, and generally keep to herself.
As an added bonus, this time there wasn’t a collection of whiskey bottles waiting to disposed of. Whether that means she’s curbing bad habits or has simply learned to be more discreet is anyone’s guess.
But today, recently returned from the Rochester once more, she sits at her desk handwriting reports that will eventually be expanded updated n and typed up - it’s an odd process born from her roots of writing music by hand before transforming it into sheet music and printed letters. An almost empty glass next to her, the sun catching the dark color of the drink within and broadcasting it out across her desk. Not that she can tell, absorbed in her work as she is.
Adel hasn’t really been entirely her cheerful self after the mission to Fort Irwin. She had been quieter than normal, more prone to laze about and do nothing. And it hadn’t been due to physical injury. When recon orders had come out to look into remaining targets, she didn’t respond that she would do anything right away. Because she’s been fingering an unwelcome thought, like a song in her head that she can’t quite remember and it’s been bothering her.
And she knew at least one other member of her Wendigo team understood, which is why she’s been bothering her in the Safe Zone that they both had been staying in rather than the Wolfhound headquarters up north. When she realized that Robyn was in town, she decided to head over to visit her, with Berlin in tow. “Robyn?” She says as she knocks on the door. She doesn’t say ‘mom’ even with the lack of Hana or Hana’s eyes around, but there’s something more familiar about the way she says her name than their business relationship allows for.
Berlin, too, hasn't quite been the same since that mission. She still works, but it's almost like she's on automatic, doing but not actually there in a way. But also because work has her in the safe zone… which is far more comfortable a place just now.
It was not hard to convince her to come along to see Robyn. Not even a little.
When Adel knocks, Berlin waves from behind her, giving Robyn an apologetic expression. She knows this conversation isn't going to be a fun one. Not for any of them. But if it brings anyone trouble, they're inviting it to fall in Robyn's lap along with theirs. But. Some things have to be pursued.
At the knock on the door, Robyn looks up to the door with a puzzled expression on her face; she certainly isn't expecting visitors today. But when she hears Adel's voice on the other end, she closes her eyes and lets out a sigh of relief. "It's open," she calls back to them, head tilting to the side as the door opens to reveal her and Berlin.
"This is a surprise." is an honest statement, Robyn collecting the papers on her desk and setting them aside. It's rare that she gets to talk to either woman outside of the Bunker, much less in the Safe Zone - such is the sacrifice made for professionalism and such.
"What can I help you with?" She tries not to sound so clinical or cold, but it comes naturally here.
In many ways it was difficult for Adel to speak now that she stood in the room. It was a difficult subject, and honestly, she didn’t wish to speak about it, much less think about it too much. But she also knew that it would continue to eat at her no matter what she did. “Do you know about what happened at Irwin?” she finally asks, shooting a worried look toward Berlin. She hadn’t really been the one to write up the mission report, she was never good at reports, but she also didn’t know exactly how much had been told.
“It’s been… bothering me.” She leaves it about her, for now. “Not what we saw there— though that’s going to cause nightmares for a while certainly, but…” She trails off, unsure how to continue exactly. Or if Robyn even knew.
Berlin puts her hand on Adel's back, meeting her worry with reassurance. Her look gets a nod, then Berlin turns back to Robyn, too. "Both of us have some concerns. It's not exactly clear who to bring them to." The fact that this conversation is happening here and not with Hana instead might be something a bit telling.
"We thought we were taking Mayes into custody. Hand her to SESA, let her stand trial, just like the others. But that's not what happened." Berlin didn't even look at the report; whatever it said, she's not entirely sure. However it painted what happened there, she's pretty sure it wasn't the truth. "Secretary Lazzaro shot her. She had dropped her weapon, we were going to secure her, and he shot her right there."
It's not hard for Robyn to tell something is off. She furrows her brow, looking between the two of them. "I read the reports on what happened in the parts of the operation I wasn't involved in," she notes as she sets aside her hand written notes. Her hands fold on to the desk in front of her, a curious look on her face.
But the Berlin begins to explain exactly why they're there, and her eye widens as she sits up straighter at her desk. "Excusez-moi?" She stares at the two women for a moment, before moving over to a stack of papers and beginning to rustle throug hthem. "That- that is not at all in the post action report I read…" Because of course it wouldn't be.
Robyn stops, taking a deep breath. "Tell me exactly what happened." If there's anymore detail to it than what she was just told.
“It wasn’t?” Adel shook her head— no, why would they have put something like that in, knowing exactly what it meant . That they omitted it at all showed her that she’s even more right to feel bad about what happened. “Like Berlin said, she had surrendered. Mayes. Whatever she was and had been, she had put down her gun and Noa had ordered Berlin to handcuff her— so she didn’t know this was about to happen. But then, just like that, the Secretary executed her.”
Cause that’s what that had been, in her opinion. “Botswarf, that is the kind of thing we did when I come from, but that’s cause we had no one to take them to, no authority, nothing. I’m not even sure the Major was surprised. She didn’t seem surprised, or angry, or happy or anything.” And if something that big had happened without her knowing it was going to happen… Adel doesn’t think she would have been happy at all.
She might have hid it, but no, probably not happy.
"Hana basically told us we were free to go," Berlin says, looking down at her feet as if she didn't really want to say that part. But that is what happened. "Robyn, it wasn't okay. It was really upsetting, actually." In no small part because she was using her power at the time and felt what happened to Mayes, but that isn't the part she's taking issue with. "I don't know if that was his plan going in or if he was having a moment, but we're not supposed to do that stuff anymore. That's what they did. Before."
Before the war. Before the new government. Before.
"I don't… want to be some execution squad, hunting them down for revenge. They're supposed to— you know?" Her hand slides back through her hair and she exhales heavily. "We have a procedure."
Pursing her lips, Robyn looks between the two of them. "That is… news to me." She hadn't really been in much position to inquire in the immediate aftermath, so she'd been left with the reports. They certainly didn't include extrajudicial execution in them.
"This is complicated to say the least," is the reply Robyn settles on after several moments of silence. "No one is going to be upset about Georgia Mayes getting what she honestly deserved." It's a dark comment, tinged with a matching tone as Robyn leans forward at her desk.
"But," she adds after a moment, "this is exactly what I was supposed to be looking for when I was put in Wolfhound. Things going out of control. Wolfhound taking matters into their own hands. Irregularities, anomalies." She frowns, closing her eyes. "There's no doubt her fate would have been the same, but- there are rules for this sort of thing. And we're supposed to be better than that."
“I also have no doubt her fate would have been the same,” Adel responded quietly, wanting to come up with excuses for why they might have made this decision, while also… “It was the Secretary who did it, but I’m still not sure it was right. Unless they had intel that someone was planning to rescue her, or if they believed it would be hard to hold her. And based on the size and manpower that she had in Irwin…” It seemed possible, but she knew they were all excuses, reasons that she had been coming up with in her head.
It didn’t make it right, though. “I certainly think the world is a better place without her, but now I’m starting to wonder if we’ve been using unnecessary lethal force for… a while.” In her head she had been writing off those who worked for ex-Institute and Humanis Firsts as being somehow less deserving of mercy, but… She rubs a hand through her short hair. They are all right.
They were supposed to be better. Better than the future she came from, better than the previous administration. Just better.
Berlin runs her hand over her face, nodding to what Adel has to say. She, too, was glad that someone else shared her feelings about the mission. It helped her feel less like she was the one in the wrong. Who would protest Mayes being dead, after all?
It hasn't help her feel ay less shaken over it, though.
"Where do we take it from here?" she asks, after a moment. It was easier to focus on the practical matters than the more personal side. At least for her. "I don't— do we just ask the Secretary what was going on?" Berlin doesn't really want to trip them all into a giant trial. Even if it wouldn't be the first one they were all involved with.
There's a long moment where Robyn thinks about how to respond to that question, before she shakes her head. "No. No, I don't think so." Fingers drum on the table in front of her. "I will go to my higher ups about this. I need to for… other matters anyway." She looks between both women, an uncertain look on her face.
"No one will want to entertain an investigation into the extrajudicial execution of a wanted terrorist, but-" Rolling her shoulders, Robyn look off towards a window. "Like I said, keeping an eye out for things like this, for Wolfhound or associates going off the rails or taking matters into their own hands, that's why I'm here. I have to at least bring this up with someone."
A small smile crosses her face. "And then I guess I see what they want to do about it." If anything is added in her mind.
No, Adel doesn’t imagine anyone will launch an investigation into this. It hadn’t really been Wolfhound who had done it, but the Secretary. It had seemed odd that he had been along with them, in a way, though she hadn’t really thought about it at the time. She figured it was due to his abilities more than anything, and they had been very helpful with what they faced.
Sometimes she could still feel the little things zapping her, even if she knew they weren’t there. It was the memory of it, she knew. “That’s something, I guess.” Cause her mom was right. This had been what she was sent to investigate, to watch for. It wasn’t enough to ease her worries entirely, but it was better than being told her worries didn’t really matter.
“Mostly I just wish we had assurances this was a one time thing. That we won’t be party to the like again.” But for that… she needs to talk to the Major, probably.