Oz Effect: A Call for Help

Log Title: Oz Effect: A Call for Help

Characters: Georgia Clay, Matt Trakker

Location: Matt Trakker's Office

Date: July 10, 2016

TP: Oz Effect TP

Summary: A desperate professor seeks the help of Matt Trakker.

''As logged by Typhoon - Sunday, July 10, 2016, 3:15 PM

Dr. Georgia Clay has come to Matt Trakker's office. She's come to ask Trakker's help with a grad student of hers that disappeared from an aboriginal village in Northern Queensland, Australia. According to Clay, the entire village that her student was studying was practically wiped off the map in a huge storm.

Trakker looks up from one of his many books in his office library as Dr. Clay enters. "Good afternoon, Dr. Clay. I understand you have an urgent matter that I may be able to assist you with." he says with a disarming, and hopefully calming, smile, as the book is returned to its shelf. "Please, have a seat." he says, motioning for one of the comfortable chairs in front of his desk, as he heads for his own chair.

Dr. Clay smiles in relief, and has a seat in the chair on the other side of her desk. "I appreciate you meeting with me, Matt. I wasn't sure who else to talk to. One of my students, Sarah Maddox, disappeared while studying an aboriginal village in Australia. The entire village is somehow gone, and all that's left is Sarah's recorder. I know you have access to some pretty advanced technology - I was hoping you could help discover any clue to what happened."

Trakker nods with a smile, "I do have a few toys that have come in handy from time to time." he says, settling into his chair. "What was Ms. Maddox studying at the village?" he inquires, surreptiously hoping to discover what might interest certain 'interest' groups in that particular area in the process.

Dr. Clay leans forward, excitement brightening her eyes as she's temporarily distracted from her concerns about Maddox. "Well, genetic studies have suggested there may have been contact between Indian migrants and Australian aboriginal cultures 4000 years ago. Sarah was looking for traces of this contact in culture, language, or tool use. She'd found some interesting possibilities in the Ngatjan tribe of Northern Queensland. However, then the entire tribe disappeared - including Sarah." Clay's temporary excitement fades, and worry once again creases her tanned face.

Trakker nods slowly, as he picks up the tape recorder and gives it a cursory examination, his watchful eyes looking for any potential evidence on the outside before what lies within is analyze. "Don't worry, Dr. Clay. I'll have this tape analyzed and we'll wring out any possible clue that it may contain. I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this." he says with his smile.

Dr. Clay nods. "There's a weird voice in the background at the end of the tape - it's hard to make out, but it doesn't sound like anyone Sarah had interviewed in the settlement, and it shows up AFTER the calamity that must have been what happened to the village. It's one of the reasons I think there's something more than a natural disaster at work - someone was there, after the fact. I was hoping you could help me identify who, and what happened."

Trakker starts the tape's playback, listening to its contents. He's particularly interested in hearing this voice as a suspicion is growing in the back of his mind as to who it may be long to. The MASK computer will verify for sure, but sometimes the ears can hear things the computer can't.

The beginning of the tape has a lot of notes that would be interesting mostly to a student of anthropology - discussion of language and rituals, interviews with tribal elders, and the like. In the middle of the last entry, however, the sound of fierce winds pick up - something in the range of a hurricane or tornado. The roar of the wind lasts for several minutes, and then fades just as quickly. For a few minutes there's silence, until a nasal voice is heard saying, "You were right - it worked like voodoo magic." After that, nothing until the tape runs out.

Dr. Clay comments, "It's the third village to be hit by a sudden storm in three days - storms that are very unusual for the rainforests of North Queensland."

Trakker frowns a bit, but does his best to hide it as he recognizes the voice. "I see what you mean, Dr. Clay. It doesn't sound at all natural." he says. "We'll see if the analysis picks up anything further and I'll let you know what I find." he says with his smile.

Dr. Clay stands and offers her hand. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate it, Matt. You have my number - just let me know if you turn up anything. I'll probably be heading back to Queensland soon - I want to be there if anything turns up. Good or bad," she frowns, trying to push down her fears for the worse. She forces a smile for Trakker's safe, and prepares to go, leaving the tape and the recorder itself behind.

Trakker accepts the offered hand and gives it a shake. "Of course, Dr. Clay. Don't worry, we'll find Ms. Maddox." he says as he watches her leave. Once she is gone, he steps into a room where a large computer console sits. The tape is slid into a slot on its console with a click. "Begin analysis. Determine possible origin of weather sounds, and confirm identification of unknown voice."

The tape begins playback. As it plays, the computer offers analysis. "Origin of weather sounds undetermined. Absence of approach of weather system noted. No natural phenomenon can account for sudden appearance." The playback continues, until it gets to the voice, in which the word 'magic' is isolated and repeated. A file photo of Sly Rax appears on the screen. "I suspected as much." he says, tapping a switch on the console. "Identify the MASK agents best suited for this mission." The computer cycles through various agents whose skills are well suited for the circumstances. "Understood. Assemble Mobile Armored Strike Kommand." he says, walking over to a car in which he takes a seat. "MASK headquarters." he says, and the car disappears down the tunnel in a flash.