On The Matter of Cyborgs

Log Title: On The Matter of Cyborgs

Characters: Baroness, Major Bludd

Location: War Room, Cobra Island

Date: 30 July, 2010

TP: Non-TP

Summary: Major Bludd reports to the Baroness on the brief return of an old Over Kill personality known as 'Angela'.

War Room - Cobra Island
A long table, made of the deepest mahogany and polished to a sheen, dominates this room. Display screens are built into the tabletop for use during command meetings. A holographic projector, usually hidden in a recess beneath the table, can be raised to display three-dimensional maps or diagrams.

Baroness is reviewing the tapes of last nights attack, "Why did it not take B.A.T.'s?" she asks softly, "More than just itself, and that is a victory..."

Major Bludd raps his knuckles on the War Room door and lets himself in. "Got news for ya on the Over Kill front, Ana," he announces.

Baroness looks up, and frowns, pausing the tape, right during the scene where Over Kill takes a sniper round to the head/neck area. She nods to a chair, "Am I going to like the news, Sebastian?"

Major Bludd sits down. "No," he says. "I don't like it myself. It looks like an old favourite of mine came by for a visit a bit ago. One of the old Over Kill personalities."

Baroness blinks, "Wait... What? An old 'Personality came by? I thought the new Unit was 'hack' proof?"

 Over Kill says, "on behalf of the project I want to appologize for the situation this afternoon. We are making sure it wont..*cough* happen again."

 Baroness says, "Until I get a full report, Over Kill, I am not sure an apology is in order, just yet."

 Baroness says, "Or that an apology will be sufficient."

"Apparently he 'becomes vulnerable' when he shuts down, as in when he's KO'd in combat," Bludd says dryly. "Angela made an appearance in the body of a Medical BAT. I took care of it." He regards the tips of his gloved fingers smugly.

 Over Kill says, "Yes ma'am! I fully appologize for this behavior."

Baroness says softly, "When he is shut down, he should be even LESS vulnerable, should he not? There should be *no* connection to the outside world..." She frowns, "And tell me again, why are we wasting resources on Medical BATs? I have never seen one in the field, working on Vipers... and if they are only to work on troops here, or at a base, they are a HUGE waste of money, as we have medi-vipers for that."

Major Bludd shakes his head. "Apparently there are still active, er, ethernet connections active, even when he's shut down." Bludd frowns. "It doesn't make sense, no. Lazarus has promised to isolate the network. Move it to a secured, isolated server on the island. I'm not a tech-head. I dunno how successful that'll be. And as for the MBATs," he adds, "I've no idea."

Baroness looks thoughtful, "I think perhaps it is time that Dr. Lazarus learned that failure is not something allowed."

Major Bludd raises an eyebrow. "Can't learn anything if she's six feet under," he mutters.

Baroness chuckles, "Oh, no. Not the good Doctor. But one of the Doctor's staff. The one that screwed up... Unless it WAS the Doctor... Perhaps a new head of the project might be in order."

 Baroness says, "Dr. Lazarus. Come to the War Room, now."

"I always thought Lazarus had a good head on her shoulders," Bludd comments, producing a cigarette pack from an ammo pouch. "She always knew how to handle the Over Kill units." He pauses to light up. "'Course, I was pretty soft on them in those days," he frowns. "Kept tryin' ta treat 'em like people, when they weren't. Not a mistake I plan ta make again."

 Over Kill says, " I'm elbow deep in organic and BAT matter. Can this wait until I'm more presentable?"

 Baroness says, "I suppose. During that time, think about this: How is it that a Unit that is shut down is more easily hacked than one that is online? When you are finished, we can discuss that."

 Over Kill says, " I'll work on that . thats a good question."

Baroness reaches over, and grabs the cigarette pack. She looks at it, than says softly, "You know, I quit years ago." She reaches into the pack, takes one and smells it, like.... a smoker, smelling a cigarette, that they haven't smoked in years.

Major Bludd casts a guilty look at the cigarette in his hand. "Sorry," he offers. He lays the lighter on the table and looks a question at her.

Baroness grabs the lighter, lights the cigarette, inhales onces, and hands it to Bludd, "Smoke away. It doesn't bother me." Through the first few words, smoke trails from her mouth, than dies away. "Wow... I needed that." She shakes her head, "Remind me to yell at Artemis. She should have left Over Kill behind, on the Beach, but she went back for it, not once, but twice. Rescuing it from the Joes could have cost us two operatives, one of which is not smart enough to even take back up."

Major Bludd smiles slowly, amused at the Baroness' enjoyment of the smoke. "Agreed. She risked herself further than she ought to for something as disposable as an Over Kill unit." He pauses. "How concerned are we about the Joes getting that tech?"

Baroness sighs, "That is the one thing that bothers me. They do have a Couple Cyborgs working for them. Robo-Joe and Kilroy, but, they don't seem to have reached our level of Cybernetic Technology, yet. I suppose, we could let Ms. Bourne off with a little warning, about not wasting Cobra Resources, namely her, on things we can blow up from afar, namely Over Kill, considering she was just doing what I would want someone to do for me." She pauses, and says softer, "What someone has already done for me." She smiles at Bludd, remembering an early episode of their careers.

Major Bludd takes a thoughtful drag from his cigarette before replying. "Yes, well, some of us know what's important in life," he says, returning her smile. "I think that's a good tack," he adds, "about Bourne." He drums on the table with his fingers. "I shot that BAT soon's I realised it was Angela," he growls, his fist clenching. "And then had Lazarus shut it down. But it wasn't very satisfying. And Queen of Spades still has a copy of it."

Baroness frowns, "This 'Queen of Spades' really pisses me off. I want her found, and I want her destroyed. She knows way too much... She has way too much. I've looked over some of the internet transcripts... She has copies of the Vectors?"

"I'm not sure about the Vectors," Bludd acknowledges. "Those AIs are getting a bit too uppity for my liking as well. If it were up to me I'd scrap the whole lot of 'em. Well, except for Six, perhaps."

Anastasia chuckles softly, "Had it been up to me, in the first place, the second Over Kill model would have been the last. What are we on now, Six? Seven? Not to mention the Vector A.I.'s. There is just a little too much Non-Human Intelligence, and I use Intelligence with a *huge* grain of salt, to borrow an American phrase, but there is too much A.I. presence in Cobra for my tastes."

Major Bludd nods. "It's too easy to consider them as 'people' rather than machines. That's dangerous. Not to mention the fact they go running off on their own, and /think/ they own themselves..." He shakes his head. "And as far as Queen goes," Bludd glances up to the Baroness with a malicious smile, "I believe I'm coming round to your style of thinking when it comes with how to deal with her."

Baroness chuckles ever so slightly, "And people think I am too blood-thirsty." She leans back in her chair, and stretches. She sighs softly, "I need to get out in the field more, I think. All this paperwork is getting to me. Making it too easy to ignore the things I should be watching out for. I never should have allowed this Queen of Spades to become an issue."

"S'good to get out now and again," Bludd comments, nodding. "I remember being swamped by the paperwork sometimes in Colombia. I'm not a desk kind of officer." He chuckles. "What can we do about this Queen, though? She seems nigh untouchable."

Baroness shrugs slightly, "No one is untouchable. There is always a way to get at someone. No matter who they are."

"We'd best find hers soon." Bludd takes a drag on his cigarette. "Before we lose any more Over Kill units to her." He pauses. "Or gain any."

Baroness rolls her eyes, "We can just shut them down, if she/he/it sends any more Over Kill units. Refuse to accept them, or blow them to Hell. I'm not sure how Ra got here, or how it is that Ra was used as an Over Kill unit. I did not authorize it." She shrugs, and than shakes her head, "Too late now. Now, we just have to deal with it, weither that be to allow this one to be Over Kill, Destroy it, or use it to track Queen of Spade..."

"Before Ra, I didn't even know the Neo-Viper project was still in operation," Bludd admits. "And, speaking of which, it appears that's where these Coil references are coming from. Something Ra isn't supposed to remember from his days as a Neo-Viper, I expect."

Baroness frowns, "I am not a fan of Neo-Vipers, or their program. I do not remember *any*thing about the Coil though. We need to discover more. I'll quietly put some Intel Assests into it."

"Good idea." Bludd finishes his cigarette and crushes it out on the bottom of the heel of his boot. He stretches. "Like to get outta this armour fer the night," he says. "With all this Over Kill/Queen/Coil nonsense going on, I keep it on more often."

Baroness chuckles, "Why do you think I wear the Leather with Kevlar weaved into it? Much more comfortable than regular body armor."

Major Bludd laughs. "But you can get away with wearing that kind of thing, m'dear."

Baroness shrugs, "Oh, you could find something different to wear, I am sure." She motions to the door, "You are free to go change, when ever you'd like."

Major Bludd looks thoughtful. "Y'know, I /had/ been thinking about an updated version of this armour," he says. "Something a bit less bulky." He shrugs. "D'you need me for anything else t'day? Been kinda a long one fer me. I'd like t'cash it in fer the night."

Baroness shakes her head, "No, I don't need you." She smiles, "Go to sleep, Major."

Major Bludd chuckles. "If I didn't know you better, I'd be offended. Thanks, Ana."

Baroness winks, "If I didn't know better, Sebastian, I'd ask if you needed help. But, Wiretap will be there to help you, I imagine."

Major Bludd frowns. "Ah, been seein' less an' less o' her lately," he drawls, shrugging. "It's the way o' things, I expect."

Baroness arches an eyebrow, "That's too bad, I thought you two made a good couple. Now, before an emergancy pops up, and I have to throw you at it, go off duty, eh?"

Major Bludd smiles, nodding. "Right. G'night, Ana." He turns and heads out into the hall.