BODY SNATCHERS [modplot]

[letsgolegion]

Who| Rico, Tadashi, Zenyatta, Reinhardt, Joshua, Vance, Locus
What| "Body Snatchers" plot
Where| The planetary senate complex of prospective UP world Epryria, and the capitol city Mejehn.
When| The same time as "After These Messages"
Warnings/Notes| Plot has some really angsty stuff, mind control, character death. Please see ooc post.

Epryria and the UP have had contact for quite some time now, but it took new of the threat of Chronoblivion to finally push the world into joining the United Planets for safety in numbers.

The UP government has had its eye on Epryria for some time now, thanks to its thriving scientific community. The planet's advances in bioengineering even surpass that of the Coluans' in some respects. It's a large part of why why most of the population is sporting different cybernetic implants. The Legionnaires have found that to be something of a hurdle in acting as diplomats for the mission. Half of Epryrian communication takes places nonverbally, due to the sharing of words and images through implants.

Since the team is largely there as extra security and only the most experienced Legionnaires are being expected to help the UP ambassadors with actual diplomacy, Brainiac 5 and Kid Quantum were the ones that had opted to temporarily have optical and cortical implants put in.

There's one day left before the actual signing of the treaty, which is to happen in front of a crowded hall of government officials and special guests.

Comments

[relativityspeaking]

"They weren't exposed," she says to Zenyatta.

To Rico, she says, "And they'll still taking some of your recommendations under advisement. I'll be ensuring that their security forces follow them. What's changing is the snipers will be their snipers and the undercover agents will be their undercover agents. I've at least still got enough pull that I'll be controlling some of the conditions with our own political leaders, but we've hit a bureaucratic brick wall when it comes to the Epryrian diplomats."

She shakes her head.

"Gods know that compromise is the last thing we want to deal with after so many past altercations blowing up in our faces, but we can't force them to do what they don't want to do."

She smirks just slightly.

"...Of course they didn't say anything about us not being able to bring in more holo-disguised Legionnaires from Legion World to hide in the crowd undercover." And she's not about to tell them. " Timber Wolf, Dreamer, Umbra, and Gates are en route."

She goes on, "Just keep that little fact hush hush, since it won't be in the official plans I'm handing over, and play along.I'll get the new orders to you that factor in their involvement in a few hours, once they've been briefed. I just can't include it in the official plans."

See? She has a plan to work around the bureaucratic nightmare. They just have to play their part so the Epryrians think the Legion's following along and that they have all the Legionnaires accounted for.

Kid Q is definitely acting like herself, so there are no tells that something is wrong.

[googledox]

Brainy on the other hand, looks oddly...tense. He's very engrossed by what's on his omnicom.

He's not acting twitchy, but his expression is strangely blank, as if he's dealing with a situation where he doesn't know what the right social response is by shutting down, clamming up, an avoiding interaction entirely.

[truefaceofthelaw]

"Fine. Then let their diplomats eat all the lead they're begging for." Rico is still displeased, but he's mollified enough by the slight flattery that Kid Q will be personally ensuring his changes will be enacted - as they rightfully well should - that his expression flattens out somewhat.

"Letter of the law, not the spirit of the law?" Rico tilts his head just so slightly to the side, near impossible to tell if he disapproves or not. "Just don't let it blow up in your face. If the disguised Legionnaires get found out, they might ask what the hell they're doing there. And I don't think they'll take 'security' as an answer."

But taking the covert approach to insert their own forces into the crowd? As long as they get away with it, Rico doesn't see a problem with that. His eyes flick to Brainiac, but he might as well be furniture by how little attention Rico is paying him. A thought comes to him, and he mentions it offhandedly.

"Are we pulling a coup?"

[orbislife]

Ah, there is the other avenue. There are more Legionnaires secretly taking part, and the initial security plan is still in place, just with others in the roles the Legion was supposed to be in. Assuming the new security detail is capable and loyal, it allows the Legion to know roughly where and what the Epryrian president's personal security detail should be doing at any point of time. It makes it easier to find them to assist... or to avoid them to do other things.

"I see. That is..." Zenyatta tilts his head as he considers his words. "A relief." Not quite the exact word he was searching for, but for all intents and purposes, it would do.

He then turns to Rico. "A coup implies that we are taking something over. By my understanding, we are working alongside them as a shadow follows its source. It may harm relations to do otherwise and risk the treaty falling through."

As if they weren't talking about doing something else that would do the same.

[agnominal]

"And our mission is to ensure things go smoothly. Regardless of how little glory it earns."

That may or may not have been pointed at Rico. It's hard to say when Locus isn't looking directly at him. No. He gives Kid Q and Brainy a last look instead, but there's nothing that says there's trouble. Beyond the obvious and abrupt change in plans. It's inconvenient, questionable as decisions go, but nothing they can't handle.

No matter how Rico bellyaches about needing more time to prepare.

"...our replacements in the security detail. They've been evaluated for potential threats, I'm assuming."

[relativityspeaking]

At the mention of a coup, Brainy and Kid Q shoot each other a brief glance, but it could just be "Let's manage this Rico moment" kind of thing.

"Zenyatta's right. No coup. We want the treaty signing to go off without a hitch. Epryria has a lot to offer the UP and vice versa."

She nods at Locus.

"And we vetted the security detail. They're clean. Brainy's been digging deeper for any alarming communications for any red flags, just to be thorough, but they checked out with an independent check by Epryrian defense forces, The Science Police, and all our other security checks so far."

It's all very...tidy.

[googledox]

"We'll keep you apprised if there are any changes, so that we're all adequately prepared," Brainy says, finally tucking his omnicom away in his belt. "But so far this seems a minor hurdle."

He holds up a finger.

"Oh! There is a slightly more serious issue - due to a malfunctioning Titanet array, our comms are currently cut off from Legion World's network. We still have secure localized communication, and Kid Quantum has secure access to several long-range comm stations."

He adds, "And before you ask, the issue doesn't appear to be the result of sabotage or related to events here on Epryria. Invisible Kid took a team out to confirm, due to past incidents sometimes being related to the Heralds and Chronoblivion's forces. The Titanet relay on Planet Madros was temporarily shut down for planned upgrades and the engineering team made several oversights in their implementation plan. Basic incompetence appears to be to blame."

[truefaceofthelaw]

An assignment's an assignment. Rico as a first-year is familiar with this grunt work, even with his bloodline and name. He squints at Brainiac and Kid Q's shared glance though. So is it or isn't it?

"Alright," he says slowly. "So this will definitely not involve any kind of underhanded dealing. We'll just have new orders, under the table, factoring in the involvement of undercover operatives that have infiltrated the treaty signing, alongside a whole host of last-minute security changes. Gotcha."

He's still not entirely unconvinced they're not planning some kind of takeover. Isn't that how it goes?

Hrm. Despite a faint nagging sensation like he was missing something, Rico shrugs it off. He'll figure it out later. But whatever happens, at least he'll still be on scene to deal with the mess when it all inevitably goes to stomm.

"Our comms are down because of incompetence. Acknowledged." At least that's something he's not surprised by anymore.

[orbislife]

Zenyatta listens. If the new security detail has passed their background checks, then he will have to trust that they will do their job. The Legion will do what they need to in order to make the treaty mission success. Although the communication troubles are a little worrying. "That may explain why my systems do not seem to be functioning normally. Please do not worry. It is nothing that should compromise my ability to do my task."

Being a machine makes him a little more sympathetic for how hard it is to do upgrades and patches that don't also introduce bugs like someone reaching unintended locations or voice lines playing incorrectly.

[agnominal]

"So long as we can remain in communication with one another, it shouldn't interfere with the mission." And that's what counts, really. Do the job, get back safely.

It never goes quite that smoothly, especially when it comes to treaties of this magnitude, but it appears all in the group have some measure of misgivings. It means they'll be looking out for anything that doesn't quite fit. Better prepared than not.

"Is there anything else we should be aware of, or should we move into position?"

[relativityspeaking]

"You can go ahead and move into position now. We'll contact you as the situation developed," Kid Q says without missing a beat.

[googledox]

But Brainy just...stares at Zenyatta after he mentions the problem with his systems, and then he looks away, as if getting back to work.

[truefaceofthelaw]

Well that's a clear dismissal if he's ever heard one.

"Yes, Ma'am," Rico drawls sardonically as he salutes. "I'll be awaiting my new orders."

[orbislife]

Zenyatta notes the look that Brainiac gives him, but he doesn't draw attention to it. He trusts that if it was a major issue, Brainiac would have said something and pulled him from the mission.

"I understand. Let us depart."

[agnominal]

Time to make their way into the crowd, then. It's a little more close and personal than he prefers, but this isn't a matter of preference. It's getting the job done.

Though he's curious about their replacements, and why the last minute change of plans. Something about this isn't setting right, though there's nothing he can call attention to.

Time will tell.