Interview with a Feral - RPLOG
Participants
Date
22/9/2013
Log
Zephyr Inc. 22:00 hours.
In a special, secure, section of the building sits the interview rooms for what used to be prisoners and subjects of experiments. In one of these rooms sits one of the blue gryphons, captured alive by Zephyr agents on a hunch that it displayed more intelligence than other members of its kind. The gryphon's alone in a room with a table and multiple chairs, both the subject and those who enter the room not separated by any glass or other barrier. It's here that a few members of Zephyr, along with an alliance from the Promethians, will make tonight a very interesting night.
The gryphon looks quite docile right now, non threatening and looks quite passive for now...
After the briefing on what the subject is, Randel reflexively turns into a blue gryphon himself, and starts to put off an aura that would make him appear to be a feral gryphon, if it wasn't for the fact that he is still wearing his buttoned up lab coat. When he walks in, he follows his gut feeling on how to approach the new subject, which is slowly, and none threatening. If shi isn't startled, he will sit down at the table, smile and greet the subject with a "Hello."
Entering the room slowly Savi eyes the environment with a calm determination. Pulling to the far left corner, the latex wrapped plant begins to silently hover there. Not pressed into the angle, but rather calmly relaxing on her numerous leg-like vines, the roughly three and a half foot tall creature waits quietly, hands inside the pockets of her latex jacked. With only her eyes exposed in the myriad of black on black clothing, she awaits the confrontation with an eerie sense of stoicism.
Nothing like a good old fashioned question and answer session, even better if everyone gets to bring their own tools to the party.
Cerris shows up with his usual cocksure swagger, though not in one his more monstrous or towering forms. Today he didn't quite think he'd be needing that kind of intimidating power and should he require it, he could always just alter his size to make himself appear more intimidating.
The leader amongst soldier, officer and bastard, he walks to the head of the table, pulls out the chair and takes a seat, the general air of 'I'm in charge here' just oozing from his pores and manner despite any other thoughts tot he contrary.
Diashi made little sound as he entered, even to those with heightened hearing. The leather cloak stayed tightly wrapped about his person, hiding all but his feet and head from view. His head turned minutely from side to side, hesitating only slightly as his goggled eyes fell upon each being present. He would offer a muted, 'Good evening' to those gathered, before moving aside and taking up residence in the corner to the right of the door.
"So, who's in charge here?" Diashi questioned.
The captured gryphon gives an idle look to those present, perking up with the feathered ears flaring up some at the lab coat wearing gryphon coming in. Shi stares quite intently towards Randel with a studying gaze, the gryphon moving to get up on all fours and stretch out, wings flaring out. A look back between the others who've entered, Cerris gets a studying look as well, twitching hir head as shi gives a curious chirp. Saviante and Diashi get looks as well, the gryphon studying everything in the room before shi blinks hir eyes shut and nods.
"Hello." shi starts, "Could have at least put some water and food in here, no matter. Why am I here?" shi questions, her gaze falling on the other gryphon present, "Did you get captured and forced to work for them? Or did you decide to fly with them instead of out there with the rest of us?"
Randel smiles softly, partly from the fact of feeling pleased that the other gryphon as already assumed that he is one of their own. When hearing about the lack of food and water, he quickly turns and asks, "Could we give hir something to have. We don't know how long this may take." He turns back at hir and says, "I wasn't captured. I /was/ found, yes, but I quickly found out that working with Zephyr does have some advantages. I hope that the agents treated you well." He winces suddenly and adds, "Where are my manners, I'm Randel, one of the researchers for the company." He is about to offer his hand for a hand shake, but looks at his clawed hand and decides not to. He gestures to Cerris, hinting that he should do the same and introduce himself.
Savi continues to watch quietly, her stillness and silence making her kind of unnoticeable, even in the crowded room. Paying close attention to the feral, Savi really hopes this will be a kind and pleasant situation, but would rather keep her distance at the point in time, feeling she isn't the creature this, likely spooked, creature needs to meet at the moment.
Cerris inclines his head almost imperceptibly to the other greetings given as people file into the room and assume their positions in this little bit of theatrical performing. His own heavy clawed mitts rest on the table before him, idly rolling a gold command coin over his knuckles, if one focus in on it they can see that has been dulled by time.
"That would be me. Colonel Cerris Voss, USMC. And as for you little miss feral, you're here because we want to know more about you and your's...we've noticed changes in your habits and movements, but rather than play Jane Goodall and mix in with you blue winged monkeys, the nice people of Zephyr, felt it would be better to start simple and ask you a few questions...don't worry, you'll be fed and inoculated for your time and you might even get lucky and when it comes time to release you, someone might take you by the hand, pat you on the bottom and lead you someplace warm and safe where you can learn how to be a productive citizen again."
That bit said, he gestures to the camera in support of the request, having already agreed to foot the bill for anything unsanctioned that is requested in the neccesitation of cutting through delays and red tape, he wanted everything he did to show power and dominance to this feral and would waste no effort to convey that. The ferals in his prison responded well to power and authority and hed be damned if he'd look like he was lacking it in this situation. A nice sports bottle of clean water and a bowl of dried meat reconstituted from nanite processed milk before being spiced and salted for flavor would be nice and cheap and likely please the gryphon with a taste of nigh forgotten civilization and wild rations.
"So you be a good girl now and answer the questions presented here."
He notably didn't end that with 'okay', it wasn't a request.
Diashi gave a shrug of his shoulders, the gesture barely perceptible through his cloak. He was a bit relieved that the other had taken charge. Not that he would have declined the position, but this was a Zephyr Op on Zephyr property and Diashi wasn't part of their organization. Technically, the human-looking man was Promethean, but only loosely.
With nothing to add at the moment, Diashi kept silent. He'd wait until the right time to speak further...or unless specifically called upon.
"Blue winged monkies? I am afraid you have your species mixed up, for this is a mix of a lion and a bird, not a monkey." shi retorts, shaking her head as she turns towards Randel. "I've not got a name, never needed one when I was with my group." shi pauses a moment, "Found?" shi looks between the other three present, "I... don't believe that." shi sighs a bit, taking in some of the meat that was offered, a contented sigh escaping hir beak. "Ah, this is much better than the food out in the city, I will give you that much."
The gryphon curls hir wings to hir side, sitting up upon hir lion-like haunches, a look back at Cerris. "All you wanted to know was how we lived? You couldn't have just trailed us without making noise or is capturing the best way to do it for you... separate from the group to intimidate?" shi looks down at the food and water then back up. "I've got no real intention of joining 'civilized' life if it ends up with doing the same as you are doing now... pulling us away from family and home to interrogate, talk down to and degrade."
A look towards Diashi as shi perks up, "Though, it's been so long since I've seen a human. A proper two arm, two leg, nothing else human. Or is he here to be turned into me? To see how it works? And what of the plant thing over there..." as shi extends a wing to point at Saviante, "Experiments?"
Randel clears his throat, and says, "It was probably someone doing 'Jane Goodwill' work that lead to this. Can only observe so much from ferals, especially ones that don't seem to be talkative." He looks at the unnamed feral, and says, "Actually, I was found, but not in the current form you see me as." He looks away, looking his smile for a moment, as if remembering a troubled time. He soon pushes that to one side and says, "I am rather sorry to hear that you were treated badly. It is just... ferals... people, like you aren't that common out there, as you might know. Actually, the fact that more of you are becoming civilized while others are getting more feral has us wondering what is going on. It would be great if we got some of your inside on the matter."
At the word experiment, the black skinned plant slides forward gracefully. The only visible part of her face, the painted on eyes, looked on the feral but not with anger. With pained sorrow the little plant speaks in her whisper soft voice. "This does not have to be hard... Experiment... Names." A portion of her weapon-tipped vines rise from under her petals and drift into the air. "Let us talk of names and things. I am a Savi, you see we are what the world has made of us, you are a Griffon. DO you know why you are called that? Because of what you are made of... you see.. its about parts. The parts we are become the names we are called. Right now... you are many things. Many names." Her black bladed talons glinting in the light. "We have brought food, given shelter and demanded answers. Savi has done nothing but watch, yet names... Hurtful names. SO be it, Savi shall educate you. Listen close. YOU ARE THE EXPERIMENT! Savi is the surgeon. Play nice, be grateful, or Savi will show you that the true difference between ferals and the civilized is that we have amazing imaginations and a near limitless ability for cruelty." Her temper sated, the aggravated plant returns to her corner and slowly puts her vines away. "Now please... please... no more names. Savi is tired of the cruelty."
Cerris is ever so slightly disappointed that their 'guest' had no knowledge of Oz, but he had to continue to play his part and give Randel the chance of seeming more like the carrot to his stick.
"You and your's live like primates, uncultured and in too many cases with no real connection between family and offspring. It's a pleasant surprise that you even know the word family, clearly we chose you well...you'll at least know how to value what we offer and fear what we are keeping at bay."
Gesturing to Diashi and Savi he continues speaking, his words holding that same grave weight as before. His gestures finishing up with indicating Randel dismissively.
"We represent a number of different interests out there, not all of are present here. Some want to see your kind taken in, rehabilitated and absorbed back into society...reclaimed lost children as it were. Others want the space you occupy to be reclaimed by society and you occupying it can be killed or eaten as serves the greater good...and then there are those like your chatty friend that just want to help and give you the choice to something better, for if you can understand family and operate in a group, you can teach others to after we figure out why you don't act like complete savages anymore. Personally, I think you should consider those families you spoke of...up north are some people that think the only way to deal with this situation is to burn everything not a human or at least clothed and leave the ashen remains of the naked wild masses fertilize the soil for the return of man. Those would be the ashes of your kin, so cooperating with us will protect us as well as you and your...'kin', Understand?"
Diashi wasn't a speaker, he was a do'er; the kind of person who placed more weight on deeds than words. Though felt compelled to correct the feral's mistaken judgement of him...that is until Saviante's little 'outburst'. While not quite as reserved as he would have been, the plant creature got the point across well enough that the cloaked man saw no need to add anything further.
Diashi hoped the feral took heed of Savi's less-than-veiled threat. He'd seen firsthand what those weapon-tipped vines could do and would care to skip another demonstration, if at all possible; lest it ruin the good mood he was currently in.
The gryphon's eyes lid half way, shaking hir head with a bit of a frown upon some of hir beak. "Oh... so you're not actually one of my kind... and only deceived me." shi gives a sigh and turns hir head away as the plant starts to 'talk'. Shi listens intently, clicking hir talons on the ground, the fur on hir haunches spiking while hir feathers ruffle. "If you expect a word out of me from this... thing... I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep shut. I have no reason to expect you... Cerris... to hold onto any promise since you have a deceiver and one who holds disdain for me for speaking a single word towards it. Is this all you need from me? May I have my rest and solitude or do you intend to keep asking questions?"
The gryphon backs up just slightly, pulling that water bottle and the food closer towards hir, keeping a steely gaze on Saviante.
Randel looks irate from the outburst the plant person just displayed, standing up suddenly from his seat, which pushes the chair away to one side, talons out, expecting a fight to start. He relaxes his stance when there isn't, but still looks ticked off, and says, "Colonel Cerris, keep control of /your/ men. I cannot work with emotionally compromised staff, whom feel it is necessary to threaten a nameless feral for a few misspoken words." He shoots mean stare at the feral and points, "And you. I actually give a damn about you and your kind, and only turned into /your/ form to comfort /you/. If you want to bite the hand that has been nice to you, so be it. I can bite back just as hard." He then unbuttons his coat forcefully, and tosses in an empty corner, saying as he is storming out, "We're done here, mission failed. I'm going to take a walk outside. God damn melodramatic people..."
With a sigh the little plant shakes her head, the sheer sadness almost physically radiating off her in waves. "Savi does not despise you." With one hand she slowly reaches up, dragging the face covering shemagh off her head, allowing her long, flower studded hair to fall full. The bright white petals a stark contrast to her dark figure. Moving slowly, one foot at a time, calmly and with hands open the self-proclaimed flower meets the large blue creatures gaze with out of earnest compassion. "Please stop." She says, sliding a vine out behind her, not to block the door, but only to indicate to Randel that they are being addressed. "It is not a threat, it is experience. It is love." Moving to the tables she slowly places her hands, palms down. "Savi loves you, names or none. But your bravado is no longer needed, we have that too. Your threats of silence are not needed, we have threats too. You permission is not needed, for we have you too." Waving her hand to everyone there and placing it kindly on Cerris' hand. Savi continues. "Savi does not want you to come to harm, no one in this room does. But it will happen, like you, there is no choice. We want answers to questions, to help, to /show/ you a better life. End the end you have the choice of going home, to tell others, to show them better ways of gathering food, making homes, defending their tribes and their-selves. In the end." Still holding the gaze of the blue creature before her Savi frowns. "But you have no choice now. You see a threat in my words, I see a warning. Now, stop being difficult and let us get this over with. Please." Finally looking away from the Gryphon, Savi looks at the table. Knowing she has said likely all she can, or wants to, for this conversation.
Cerris steeples his claws briefly, his expression impassive as if he couldn't care less one way or another how things turned out. So he spends several moments observing in silence, giving Savi and Randel a chance to make appeals or threats as they saw fit before he stripped things down to the brass tacks. When Savi's hand touches his, his features leave their impassivity for the briefest time, showing something akin to affection or appreciation, but it doesn't last long
"Well there you have it, you pissed off the guy in your corner by treating him like scum just because he wasn't born like you, but the fact that he was wearing the same skin means the same thing that makes up you, runs through him...but clearly you cant understand that, so we apparently can't appeal to you using gentle logic. So how about this....Ask yourself how many others of your kind are out there...don't answer aloud, just think about it, we picked you because we thought you could provide insight...if you are lucky we'll pick another...well not you per say as once we have no more use for you specifically, you'll likely be turned over to my custody and as you already heard, the lady is with me. Or you might be kept locked away in here until we are done with the rest of your ilk...certainly can't have you running off to blab before we are ready...So here is your last chance, you can take back your little so called hard stance there or you can consider what you have there your last meal and wait and see if the rest of your kind join you in the afterlife."
As he is speaking, he doesn't even bother to look at the gryphon directly, instead erecting the coin he has on it's edge with a single claw steadying it before he flicks one side causing it to spin beneath his claw as he runs a current through it. Imperfections in it's smelting and etching cause the sparks and tendrils of electricity that come off of it to be random and rather chaotic both in lifespan and intensity, tracing circular patterns and scorch marks on the table surface before the coin stops, perhaps signifying hir time with his mercy up before with a resounding 'ping' the coin vanishes into his grip.
"So, last chance Blueberry, are you with us or do we look for other more...effective options to deal with this situation? Who knows, maybe you can throw your lot in with the man in black...maybe he isn't the grim reaper come for your life, maybe he is the last ear available for you to speak into...one way or another, this opportunity is coming to a close."
"I am what I am," Diashi said in response to being singled out. "If you want me to talk, then I will talk. Pick any topic, I am well studied. If you want to fight, then I will fight. I wouldn't suggest that though, as I have a bad tendency to lose my otherwise rational demeanor when caught in the throes of battle." His words were muffled slightly by the head-wrap he wore to hide his face away, but they seemed devoid of any emotional attachment.
The gryphon looks between the angered gryphon, the now passive acting plant, the silent human and.... the dragon. Shi shakes her head and sighs, "As long as..." shi pauses, taking a drink of the water in the bottle... "As long as you don't go after the rest of them, I'll talk. Even I know when its futile to to stand like a wall in the face of a ram." shi sighs some, taking in some more food before shi lies down against the back wall. "I can only give so much... so I apologize before hand."
Randel pauses, and growls softly when stopped by Savi, still with his back to the scene and listens to the passionate plea by the oddly acting plant. It's enough to make him at least half turn and look back at the group at the table. He's eyes narrow in anger at Cerris' use of threats again. When hearing the emotionless tone from Diashi, he says quietly, mostly towards him, "You're not the only one. At least /someone/ here seems to be level headed." After seeing the gryphon relent, he sighs and rolls his eyes in disappointment, and says, "I'll be watching the feed, get be out of your guy's way. Apparently I'm not as useful as I thought I would be." He gives one last long stare at the nameless feral before walking out.
Looking to the Gryphon Savi smiles. "You have helped your family greatly this day, you will see, you will see." Patting Cerris lovingly and moving back to her corner for the, inevitably, long question and answer session the plant looks to the creature. "If you ever pick a name, I would like to know it." With that she begins re-wrapping her shemagh.
Cerris nods to Randel's final words, a simple acknowledgement as opposed to a ratification or agreement, his expression and tones as impassive as they have been pretty much the entire time. Savi is spared a smile before cold baleful eyes settle on the gryphon, he'd done his duty, and cracked the egg, now Zephyr could have their omelette.
Very good, a list shall be brought in and our friend in black will ask the questions, you will answer and when the time comes, more of what you have before you will be supplied to your tribe from my resources should your information prove true and helpful. This should make for a smooth transition for everyone..."
"Take your time, Colonel, as I'm certain our friend here..." Diashi motions with his head toward the feral, "...would like a moment to settle itself and partake of the food and drink it was given. And I, I have all the time in the world." The cloaked man tilted forward slightly in a polite bow. "Good eve to you, Colonel Cerris."
