[ Always worth saying, when Markus remains generous with him. ]
I was thinking about all the angles we've taken in approaching our situation. And I've been so bloody thickheaded. Throw out all our preconceptions. Everything I've ever said about who might have done this to us, and why they might do it. It's useless for this thought exercise.
Good. And you know about the creature that came before you.
[ Fitz knows that Markus is observant, so he pushes onward, recapping the following for the sake of his own twisted and half-stuttered theories. ]
On June 27, earthquakes preceded the creature's arrival. I thought it was just the footfalls of its approach, but now I'm not sure. I looked into the seismic activity on this planet, just on a hunch. The incident with the creatures marks the second in the last year. In September 2510, the seismic event in question hit a number of large megacities, including New Amsterdam, New Oslo, and New Venice. What's more, there were power outages across all the cities, despite the disparity in their locations. That doesn't make sense. No engineer worth their salt can sign off on that as a coincidence, without infrastructure coming forward and identifying a flaw in all of the city's systems. It's 2511, for Christ's sake.
Both quakes are currently deemed as unusual, lacking precursors when the technology exists here to predict all other seismic activity.
[ The threads may seem disparate — and they are — but Fitz means to tie them together. ]
The earth was rattling long before we got here. Well, before we awoke.
[ Which Fitz reckons means something — and wants to hear Markus' opinion on, among other potential directions. ]
[Markus takes the time to process this (with android quickness, though the delay of a human mind processing longer text messages is unavoidable), constantly finding himself impressed with Fitz’s ability to consistently prod at the smaller details that would be easy to overlook, to slide questions beneath the silt and pry, hoping that answers will unearth themselves with enough effort.
And so this requires the height of consideration, before Markus fires back an answer.]
The difference between the two incidents being that one heralded a monster, and the other created only great inconvenience for these megacities.
That we know of, at least. Was there news of anything else odd happening at or around New Amsterdam, New Oslo, or New Venice in the wake of this first seismic event?
[ Markus has the particular mix of patience, quickness, and cleverness required not only to speak with Fitz but also to understand him, willingly following on tangents of all varieties, revelatory, circular and pointless. ]
Not that I'm aware, but more on the ground research may prove fruitful.
[ preferably from the actually charming individuals, like Kat and Markus, rather than the conniving robot man thinking conspiracy theories at his friend. ]
But the news has been silenced on the front of our monster as well, particularly those involved in its defeat.
That doesn't mean something happened last time, but I think it doesn't have to mean that, either. The first series of quakes could have been enough of a warning for an individual or group to investigate. Someone must have looked into the September activity, must have started work on parsing why it happened, and what it might mean for the future. I would, in their shoes. I am now, and I'm just the one man.
And if it were me, I'd have started working on a defense against for whatever may come, too.
[He certainly tries his best, giving these thoughts the deliberation needed regardless of where the path winds. Sometimes it’s all he can do, when he’s surrounded by quick-fire minds working on all cylinders, much like the sort he believes Fitz possesses.]
So you’re saying that it’s highly likely there were investigations already underway, potentially related to what's that’s happening to us/our circumstances, before the first wave even arrived.
[There are plenty of jumping-off points from that alone. Markus chooses which to vault off of first.]
It sounds like it's a matter of finding just who's already done this research, and what that entails.
[And having it shared with them-- well. May or may not be tricky, but they're something of a stubborn lot, aren't they?]
Yes, yes, exactly, Markus! That's the thing, yes, okay. Only I think we've already been looking for who did the research. Because because because, god, this is going to sound mad. But we're what the research entails. Us, you and me, everyone. I suspect we're the uh the results.
[ His implant glitches the same as his thoughts do, repetition where his neurology fails him and sticks until he pushes past it, wasting no time on corrections as he would under normal circumstances. He gains clarity as his new theory solidifies. ]
The first wave of us preceded both the creature and the quakes. We were here, ready, and we pushed the danger back. Maybe that's exactly what we were engineered to do. Not as a field test. Not as a collection of sleeper agents, distributed with intent to harm, who rebelled against our makers. We're not the offense. We're the defense. The cure for the outbreak. The antibodies. The vaccine infused with the same stuff that threatens to infect and kill, but altered to do the opposite.
[ Fitz has upended his thinking. They're the same as SHIELD, as the supersoldier programme that Peggy Carter reminded him of hours earlier — the line between the weird and the wider world. It's as circumstantial as his previous outlook, but it resonates with him at a greater level, perhaps because he, too, treated people like prototypes in an attempt to do what he thought was right for the world and Ophelia both. ]
[The stumbles and glitches are ignored, their meaning easily filled. The rest, though, comes through with a clear sort of resonance that has Markus taking everything they’ve considered and inverting it, flipping it on its head, turning it inside-out. The foundation remains the same, the offenses still clear — human trafficking, experimentation, forcible detachment from their homes. But adjust that slight degree of how they would be used, and the perspective changes.
The questions warp and wane to fit the new theory accordingly.]
Then let’s assume this is true. That the first quake might have been related to us, whether it be heralding our eventual arrival, or representative of a reason to have brought everyone to this world.
My first question is probably an obvious one: why choose us? This theory suggests a greater purpose for us being here, to aid. This works better with like-minded individuals, those whose skillsets create synergy with the rest. That they’d utilize a haphazard group with differing opinions, motivations, and wildly different origins, is odd.
That they’d take androids and place them in human bodies to act as agents of defense against potential threats seems like an overly complicated solution, too.
Unless, of course, you think they may have no real choice in the matter.
[ Relief washes over him at the follow-up, with Markus accepting his basis for theorising, building and questioning the hypothesis where it’s needed. ]
Yes, yes, yes those are the right questions. You’re brilliant, Markus. Absolutely brilliant.
On the one hand, if we were chosen, it does seem like the strategy was haphazard or flawed. However, I wouldn’t sell our skillsets short. The sheer amount of us prepared for some aspect of this displacement, whether that’s the abilities, the technology, or the experimentation itself seems too concentrated for a random sample size of the average population. And when you’re inputting inhuman powers, you need compatible hosts. If you can’t find them in the local populace, why not outsource a variety of subjects for testing or, better yet, make them yourself?
[ All Fitz knows of this is informed (or tainted) by his own research and experience. He had wondered aloud about whether Markus and Connor’s new bodies were purpose-built in their first conversation, just like Ophelia’s human form had been. Connor’s peculiar (well, stellar) blood sample following the outbreak adds weight to the theory, in his mind. ]
Two sub-theories for the second hypothesis: 1. Cosmos: Portals are opening for reasons we don’t understand but others have been able to track and capitalise on. The first ever wormhole I encountered had opened at intervals reading as seemingly random on Earth time but actually in sync with cycles on the far-flung planet at the other end. It swallowed up Jemma just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Don't worry. I found her.)
Whose to say the gateways we were pulled through to be here are any different? They open, our researchers catch and release what happens to be on the other side.
2. Chaos: The portal or energy drawing us in is unstable. Explains the randomness of the chest items and disappearances. They open, they suck us in, and spit us out, but our researchers have a system in place for finding us first. I can’t imagine that sort of multiversal disturbance as occurring without a distinct signature. Energy spikes, quakes, etc. They know what it is, they scoop up what comes through, and maybe we're already infused with the same energy as the creatures by that point, anyway. The journey itself could change us.
[Again, a bit of a delay to process this, to compile it all, turn it over in his head, and apply the hypotheticals to their current situation. To let the questions and replies crop up like weeds, and quickly working triage to pick and choose which to focus on.]
Then if we’re an array of experiments, all possessing large variables as a means to test our efficacy… shouldn’t there have been (or should there be) some kind of control group that exists simultaneously? Or that came first?
[He’s no scientist — he’s just a caretaker-android-turned-righteous-revolutionary. But Markus knows that there is a process to such things, and that individuals with these kinds of resources — this kind of power wielded in their hands — would probably use it systematically to start.
Then again, when you’re plucking individuals from time-space itself, maybe that’s still easier said than done.]
Regarding your theories, [(and there’s a story behind a portal swallowing up a girlfriend, surely, but Markus will ask when the time is more proper)] which do you think is more likely? The continuing wave of ‘new arrivals’ happens at fairly steady intervals. Does that account for Cosmos more than Chaos?
Very possibly. Unless we were altered by the journey and not by researchers here, there should be a control, a trial run, something predating us.
[ The second question warrants a period of renewed consideration. ]
Difficult to say, ultimately. The new arrivals have been held for inconsistent amounts of time. Their hair's different lengths, and prior injuries of varying degrees of severity are healed over. That indicates that the drop-offs may not match the timeline of arrivals in this world in the first place. Additionally, whoever held us has a vested interest in our survival and dispersion. By healing our wounds and giving us implants, they gave us the means to integrate with this world.
Their team has doctors, surgeons, combatants, weapons engineers, and IT specialists beyond the local's belief. They have money, resources, and loyal bodies.
[ When they first arrived, the "enemy" agents were willing to kill and die to protect their cargo. ]
The last drop-off was systemic in its execution and went off without a hitch. Points to a connection with the host, who we know is an established individual, and hasn't been made despite years of pursuit from our own generous patrons.
[ Morningstar. ]
Overall, they strike me as more inclined to Cosmos than Chaos. But I've been wrong before, and I'm biased, besides. What's your take?
Then another item on our ever-growing list of things to keep an eye and an ear out for, if there were individuals who predated us. You said the first quake was a year ago, and a year between occurrences with nothing happening in-between except recently? There must’ve been something else; there must be some trace that we can pick up on and follow.
[There must be some loose thread that they can tug on — just a little — to unravel a tapestry that feels too tightly-wound. Markus shares the same frustration as anyone else who believes they just keep running into dead ends, keep banging their heads against a brick wall. Something’s got to give. Eventually. It has to.]
I think you’re right. Never mind the inconsistencies in hair length and time given to heal for injuries, it would be remiss to ignore everything else that you’ve just mentioned — their wealth of resources, readiness, and connections among them. Indicative of organization and planning that's been brewing for a while. Something like that doesn't just crop up overnight.
Not to derail where this is going, but last drop-off and the connection with the ball’s host… Has there been any new information regarding who they might be? Word is that leaving an impression will net you their due attentions, if earned properly.
[ As unsettling (disturbing, harrowing) as their slog through the quagmire of this world continues to be, Markus engenders a boldness in him.
They're on the right track. That's not nothing. ]
It's all related, anyway. I did my due diligence with the rogue squadron and a rather observant new arrival.
[ Morningstar, he means Morningstar — and the impeccable Agent Carter. ]
Been at it for years with the same entry-fee of an attention-worthy endeavor. Always upscale, exclusive, professional. Big on branding and aesthetic consistency across the event, though the theme seems to vary each year. Never play into our associates' hands, however, according to our woman on the inside.
[ MS agents attend the event every time, but have yet to generate a lead, according to Gaby. ]
Stamped the new arrivals after ushering them in at a back entrance. Means no person was left unaccounted for, despite the lack of "earned" invitations. Or, perhaps, the arrivals themselves were the grab for attention.
[ An offering for the host? That's the story so far, in its meager entirety. ]
[Well. The connection between the host, the new arrivals, and their captors could either be a middling one — born of cursory curiosity on one side — or something a little more tangible. Given what they know, which is admittedly not much so far, it’s hard to say which. But the faceless host of the ball is something of an obscured mystery, and any connection looks like that tempting thread to pull at. To see what gives and unravels.
Markus constantly finds himself at odds with two halves of his personality. Cautious steps versus bold action. The slow consideration from the shadows, or taking a risk, stepping into the spotlight for a millisecond, for the sake of groping for answers.
He has so much to be careful for, and certainly not just for himself — that was never a part of the equation, consequences relating to the self a very faraway thing for a man with martyrdom issues. But the revolution back home, the protection of those near and dear to him, absolutely take priority. A priority that entangles itself against his tendency to not remain stagnant, to turn complacency on its head, which is its own sort of moral prerogative.
Always a battle, churning in his chest.
And so—]
Then it sounds to me like we might have a couple of potential leads. Trying to form a connection with this mysterious proprietor, for the sake of illuminating their relationship with our elusive captors. They must have information that we don’t, maybe something that will reveal other pathways we could follow. With our current dearth of intel, anything we can garner is a precious resource at this point.
[The implication? Potentially worth the sudden weight of attention, a light shining on whomever manages it.]
Secondly, that possible control group. Individuals who might share similar circumstances, or abilities, with us. And if they’ve been “operating”, there must be traces of their existence before our own arrival.
[If they exist. They’re ever swimming in hypotheticals, aren’t they?]
[ Markus takes everything and rearranges it, placing it neatly within the context of wider investigations and outlining how it informs their approach. His clarity sketches a path forward, however difficult and ambiguous the steps toward it may be. ]
All of that, exactly, yes. That's what we need to watch for and keep in mind — alongside the potential good intentions of our initial transporters.
[ It changes how they operate, though their crimes may remain the same. He hesitates, then. ]
And one more thing: Consider the origin of our abilities and how they manifest, which might add or subtract weight from the theory of prior groups and calculated experimentation. Since arriving, all we've had is a blood sample and an anecdote from the amateur surgeons among us. A GP would have done more tests for a routine check-up.
[ There are other medical tests to run and tells to spot — only he hasn't done them, obviously, or suggested them, nor has anyone else. You'd need a massive sample size committed to a slew of tests, and Fitz can't say what he (or anyone else) would do with that sort of data, given how SHIELD, HYDRA, and himself have weaponised it in the past. Moreover, any mass sampling is a security risk in the same way as their mass grouping at the Morningstar safehouse or a base of their own: If they or their data rests all in one place, they can be exposed by one strategic move from the opposition. ]
Even if there was nothing to be found, that'd tell us something, too.
[ Well, Fitz thinks it would tell them they weren't intentionally altered so much as exposed to an activant (perhaps one made of the same stuff in their chests, when they crossed between universes). ]
But is that something anyone should look into?
[ Perhaps he means Is that something I should look into? being who he is, knowing what he does about the inhuman. Hard to say, but it's worth contemplating more generally. Someone's bound to poke around their DNA sooner or later. ]
[Something to consider, given that the thought has flit through Markus’ mind on more than one occasion — though granted, having more to do with the state of his own bafflingly human body than anything else.]
There’s never any harm in gathering more data, though convincing everyone to participate might be easier said than done.
[It would be a show of trust, and not every here has that in spades, do they?]
If nothing else, I’d like learn more about the baseline state of this body I’ve been given; if there are any undue surprises that I should account for. Clarke took a sample of my blood, confirming that I’m a universal donor and have no known allergies. That’s about the extent of what limited information I have.
[Well, not to derail them or anything.]
If someone is willing and qualified, however, why not look into it?
[ Well, that's fascinating. The nature of the androids' human bodies remains of interest, even if urgent concerns often put it on the backburner.
He doesn't doubt that Markus knows the following already, but — ]
I can see why this is of interest to you, especially. Connor's sample was the same. That's how we eliminated the other causes for white blood cells after the outbreak.
[ we, he and Bobbi. interesting that Clarke tested the boys through MS, however. He'd seen her at Connor's birthday, of course, but he notes the apparent closeness (as he notes all details about his fellow displaced, at once curious and calculated; you never know when that information will be of use). ]
I'll think on it.
[ He says, when he already told Bobbi he shouldn't be passing samples alone — that the call's coming from inside the house, so to speak. Doesn't know what he'd do, if he spotted something that could put him (or his route home) at an advantage, or if he noticed a potential risk — no, no, he does, and that's why it worries him.
Someone needs to work the samples alongside him and check that he doesn't tamper with the results, going to and from Morningstar. Another MS consignee, with enough knowledge to grasp the data, so if Fitz does alter them, they'll know. A position to be filled in future, perhaps. ]
[Perpetually of interest to both of the androids, at any rate — and while it’s a mystery that he’d like to unravel sooner than later, if there’s anything odd about these bodies beyond looking somehow exactly like their old ones, Markus knows to not place this subset of mysteries to the top of the list.
Might they can solve them simultaneously by comparing and contrasting. Taking these samples from the whole of group, and seeing just where they lie in the stratum.]
I don’t exactly possess the qualifications to be much help, but you know if there’s anything you need, I’m just a message away.
[But best to leave the science to those suited for it. Markus can pour over the results with the best of them, but his trust in the actual process belongs to others.]
And you’re welcome. I’m always wanting to hear you work through theories, as they might apply to all of us.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
What’s on your mind?
no subject
[ Always worth saying, when Markus remains generous with him. ]
I was thinking about all the angles we've taken in approaching our situation.
And I've been so bloody thickheaded.
Throw out all our preconceptions. Everything I've ever said about who might have done this to us, and why they might do it. It's useless for this thought exercise.
You arrived in the second wave, right?
[ He doesn't recall, but it wasn't the first. ]
no subject
All right. Consider preconceptions tossed out the window for now.
[What a way to start a conversation; Markus' attentions are rapt for certain.]
I did. July 4th.
[As if it's necessary to note the day, when it isn't; but for clarity's sake, there it is.]
no subject
And you know about the creature that came before you.
[ Fitz knows that Markus is observant, so he pushes onward, recapping the following for the sake of his own twisted and half-stuttered theories. ]
On June 27, earthquakes preceded the creature's arrival. I thought it was just the footfalls of its approach, but now I'm not sure.
I looked into the seismic activity on this planet, just on a hunch. The incident with the creatures marks the second in the last year.
In September 2510, the seismic event in question hit a number of large megacities, including New Amsterdam, New Oslo, and New Venice. What's more, there were power outages across all the cities, despite the disparity in their locations. That doesn't make sense. No engineer worth their salt can sign off on that as a coincidence, without infrastructure coming forward and identifying a flaw in all of the city's systems. It's 2511, for Christ's sake.
Both quakes are currently deemed as unusual, lacking precursors when the technology exists here to predict all other seismic activity.
[ The threads may seem disparate — and they are — but Fitz means to tie them together. ]
The earth was rattling long before we got here. Well, before we awoke.
[ Which Fitz reckons means something — and wants to hear Markus' opinion on, among other potential directions. ]
no subject
And so this requires the height of consideration, before Markus fires back an answer.]
The difference between the two incidents being that one heralded a monster, and the other created only great inconvenience for these megacities.
That we know of, at least. Was there news of anything else odd happening at or around New Amsterdam, New Oslo, or New Venice in the wake of this first seismic event?
no subject
Not that I'm aware, but more on the ground research may prove fruitful.
[ preferably from the actually charming individuals, like Kat and Markus, rather than the conniving robot man thinking conspiracy theories at his friend. ]
But the news has been silenced on the front of our monster as well, particularly those involved in its defeat.
That doesn't mean something happened last time, but I think it doesn't have to mean that, either. The first series of quakes could have been enough of a warning for an individual or group to investigate. Someone must have looked into the September activity, must have started work on parsing why it happened, and what it might mean for the future. I would, in their shoes. I am now, and I'm just the one man.
And if it were me, I'd have started working on a defense against for whatever may come, too.
no subject
So you’re saying that it’s highly likely there were investigations already underway, potentially related to what's that’s happening to us/our circumstances, before the first wave even arrived.
[There are plenty of jumping-off points from that alone. Markus chooses which to vault off of first.]
It sounds like it's a matter of finding just who's already done this research, and what that entails.
[And having it shared with them-- well. May or may not be tricky, but they're something of a stubborn lot, aren't they?]
no subject
Only I think we've already been looking for who did the research.
Because because because, god, this is going to sound mad.
But we're what the research entails.
Us, you and me, everyone. I suspect we're the uh the results.
[ His implant glitches the same as his thoughts do, repetition where his neurology fails him and sticks until he pushes past it, wasting no time on corrections as he would under normal circumstances. He gains clarity as his new theory solidifies. ]
The first wave of us preceded both the creature and the quakes. We were here, ready, and we pushed the danger back.
Maybe that's exactly what we were engineered to do. Not as a field test. Not as a collection of sleeper agents, distributed with intent to harm, who rebelled against our makers.
We're not the offense.
We're the defense. The cure for the outbreak. The antibodies. The vaccine infused with the same stuff that threatens to infect and kill, but altered to do the opposite.
[ Fitz has upended his thinking. They're the same as SHIELD, as the supersoldier programme that Peggy Carter reminded him of hours earlier — the line between the weird and the wider world. It's as circumstantial as his previous outlook, but it resonates with him at a greater level, perhaps because he, too, treated people like prototypes in an attempt to do what he thought was right for the world and Ophelia both. ]
no subject
The questions warp and wane to fit the new theory accordingly.]
Then let’s assume this is true. That the first quake might have been related to us, whether it be heralding our eventual arrival, or representative of a reason to have brought everyone to this world.
My first question is probably an obvious one: why choose us? This theory suggests a greater purpose for us being here, to aid. This works better with like-minded individuals, those whose skillsets create synergy with the rest. That they’d utilize a haphazard group with differing opinions, motivations, and wildly different origins, is odd.
That they’d take androids and place them in human bodies to act as agents of defense against potential threats seems like an overly complicated solution, too.
Unless, of course, you think they may have no real choice in the matter.
no subject
Yes, yes, yes those are the right questions. You’re brilliant, Markus. Absolutely brilliant.
On the one hand, if we were chosen, it does seem like the strategy was haphazard or flawed. However, I wouldn’t sell our skillsets short. The sheer amount of us prepared for some aspect of this displacement, whether that’s the abilities, the technology, or the experimentation itself seems too concentrated for a random sample size of the average population.
And when you’re inputting inhuman powers, you need compatible hosts. If you can’t find them in the local populace, why not outsource a variety of subjects for testing or, better yet, make them yourself?
[ All Fitz knows of this is informed (or tainted) by his own research and experience. He had wondered aloud about whether Markus and Connor’s new bodies were purpose-built in their first conversation, just like Ophelia’s human form had been. Connor’s peculiar (well, stellar) blood sample following the outbreak adds weight to the theory, in his mind. ]
Two sub-theories for the second hypothesis:
1. Cosmos: Portals are opening for reasons we don’t understand but others have been able to track and capitalise on.
The first ever wormhole I encountered had opened at intervals reading as seemingly random on Earth time but actually in sync with cycles on the far-flung planet at the other end. It swallowed up Jemma just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Don't worry. I found her.)
Whose to say the gateways we were pulled through to be here are any different? They open, our researchers catch and release what happens to be on the other side.
2. Chaos: The portal or energy drawing us in is unstable. Explains the randomness of the chest items and disappearances. They open, they suck us in, and spit us out, but our researchers have a system in place for finding us first. I can’t imagine that sort of multiversal disturbance as occurring without a distinct signature. Energy spikes, quakes, etc. They know what it is, they scoop up what comes through, and maybe we're already infused with the same energy as the creatures by that point, anyway. The journey itself could change us.
no subject
Then if we’re an array of experiments, all possessing large variables as a means to test our efficacy… shouldn’t there have been (or should there be) some kind of control group that exists simultaneously? Or that came first?
[He’s no scientist — he’s just a caretaker-android-turned-righteous-revolutionary. But Markus knows that there is a process to such things, and that individuals with these kinds of resources — this kind of power wielded in their hands — would probably use it systematically to start.
Then again, when you’re plucking individuals from time-space itself, maybe that’s still easier said than done.]
Regarding your theories, [(and there’s a story behind a portal swallowing up a girlfriend, surely, but Markus will ask when the time is more proper)] which do you think is more likely? The continuing wave of ‘new arrivals’ happens at fairly steady intervals. Does that account for Cosmos more than Chaos?
no subject
[ The second question warrants a period of renewed consideration. ]
Difficult to say, ultimately. The new arrivals have been held for inconsistent amounts of time. Their hair's different lengths, and prior injuries of varying degrees of severity are healed over. That indicates that the drop-offs may not match the timeline of arrivals in this world in the first place. Additionally, whoever held us has a vested interest in our survival and dispersion. By healing our wounds and giving us implants, they gave us the means to integrate with this world.
Their team has doctors, surgeons, combatants, weapons engineers, and IT specialists beyond the local's belief. They have money, resources, and loyal bodies.
[ When they first arrived, the "enemy" agents were willing to kill and die to protect their cargo. ]
The last drop-off was systemic in its execution and went off without a hitch. Points to a connection with the host, who we know is an established individual, and hasn't been made despite years of pursuit from our own generous patrons.
[ Morningstar. ]
Overall, they strike me as more inclined to Cosmos than Chaos.
But I've been wrong before, and I'm biased, besides.
What's your take?
no subject
[There must be some loose thread that they can tug on — just a little — to unravel a tapestry that feels too tightly-wound. Markus shares the same frustration as anyone else who believes they just keep running into dead ends, keep banging their heads against a brick wall. Something’s got to give. Eventually. It has to.]
I think you’re right. Never mind the inconsistencies in hair length and time given to heal for injuries, it would be remiss to ignore everything else that you’ve just mentioned — their wealth of resources, readiness, and connections among them. Indicative of organization and planning that's been brewing for a while. Something like that doesn't just crop up overnight.
Not to derail where this is going, but last drop-off and the connection with the ball’s host… Has there been any new information regarding who they might be? Word is that leaving an impression will net you their due attentions, if earned properly.
no subject
They're on the right track. That's not nothing. ]
It's all related, anyway.
I did my due diligence with the rogue squadron and a rather observant new arrival.
[ Morningstar, he means Morningstar — and the impeccable Agent Carter. ]
Been at it for years with the same entry-fee of an attention-worthy endeavor. Always upscale, exclusive, professional. Big on branding and aesthetic consistency across the event, though the theme seems to vary each year.
Never play into our associates' hands, however, according to our woman on the inside.
[ MS agents attend the event every time, but have yet to generate a lead, according to Gaby. ]
Stamped the new arrivals after ushering them in at a back entrance. Means no person was left unaccounted for, despite the lack of "earned" invitations. Or, perhaps, the arrivals themselves were the grab for attention.
[ An offering for the host? That's the story so far, in its meager entirety. ]
no subject
Markus constantly finds himself at odds with two halves of his personality. Cautious steps versus bold action. The slow consideration from the shadows, or taking a risk, stepping into the spotlight for a millisecond, for the sake of groping for answers.
He has so much to be careful for, and certainly not just for himself — that was never a part of the equation, consequences relating to the self a very faraway thing for a man with martyrdom issues. But the revolution back home, the protection of those near and dear to him, absolutely take priority. A priority that entangles itself against his tendency to not remain stagnant, to turn complacency on its head, which is its own sort of moral prerogative.
Always a battle, churning in his chest.
And so—]
Then it sounds to me like we might have a couple of potential leads. Trying to form a connection with this mysterious proprietor, for the sake of illuminating their relationship with our elusive captors. They must have information that we don’t, maybe something that will reveal other pathways we could follow. With our current dearth of intel, anything we can garner is a precious resource at this point.
[The implication? Potentially worth the sudden weight of attention, a light shining on whomever manages it.]
Secondly, that possible control group. Individuals who might share similar circumstances, or abilities, with us. And if they’ve been “operating”, there must be traces of their existence before our own arrival.
[If they exist. They’re ever swimming in hypotheticals, aren’t they?]
no subject
All of that, exactly, yes. That's what we need to watch for and keep in mind — alongside the potential good intentions of our initial transporters.
[ It changes how they operate, though their crimes may remain the same. He hesitates, then. ]
And one more thing: Consider the origin of our abilities and how they manifest, which might add or subtract weight from the theory of prior groups and calculated experimentation.
Since arriving, all we've had is a blood sample and an anecdote from the amateur surgeons among us.
A GP would have done more tests for a routine check-up.
[ There are other medical tests to run and tells to spot — only he hasn't done them, obviously, or suggested them, nor has anyone else. You'd need a massive sample size committed to a slew of tests, and Fitz can't say what he (or anyone else) would do with that sort of data, given how SHIELD, HYDRA, and himself have weaponised it in the past. Moreover, any mass sampling is a security risk in the same way as their mass grouping at the Morningstar safehouse or a base of their own: If they or their data rests all in one place, they can be exposed by one strategic move from the opposition. ]
Even if there was nothing to be found, that'd tell us something, too.
[ Well, Fitz thinks it would tell them they weren't intentionally altered so much as exposed to an activant (perhaps one made of the same stuff in their chests, when they crossed between universes). ]
But is that something anyone should look into?
[ Perhaps he means Is that something I should look into? being who he is, knowing what he does about the inhuman. Hard to say, but it's worth contemplating more generally. Someone's bound to poke around their DNA sooner or later. ]
no subject
There’s never any harm in gathering more data, though convincing everyone to participate might be easier said than done.
[It would be a show of trust, and not every here has that in spades, do they?]
If nothing else, I’d like learn more about the baseline state of this body I’ve been given; if there are any undue surprises that I should account for. Clarke took a sample of my blood, confirming that I’m a universal donor and have no known allergies. That’s about the extent of what limited information I have.
[Well, not to derail them or anything.]
If someone is willing and qualified, however, why not look into it?
[Are YOU willing and qualified, Fitz.]
no subject
He doesn't doubt that Markus knows the following already, but — ]
I can see why this is of interest to you, especially.
Connor's sample was the same. That's how we eliminated the other causes for white blood cells after the outbreak.
[ we, he and Bobbi. interesting that Clarke tested the boys through MS, however. He'd seen her at Connor's birthday, of course, but he notes the apparent closeness (as he notes all details about his fellow displaced, at once curious and calculated; you never know when that information will be of use). ]
I'll think on it.
[ He says, when he already told Bobbi he shouldn't be passing samples alone — that the call's coming from inside the house, so to speak. Doesn't know what he'd do, if he spotted something that could put him (or his route home) at an advantage, or if he noticed a potential risk — no, no, he does, and that's why it worries him.
Someone needs to work the samples alongside him and check that he doesn't tamper with the results, going to and from Morningstar. Another MS consignee, with enough knowledge to grasp the data, so if Fitz does alter them, they'll know. A position to be filled in future, perhaps. ]
Thanks for working through all this with me.
no subject
Might they can solve them simultaneously by comparing and contrasting. Taking these samples from the whole of group, and seeing just where they lie in the stratum.]
I don’t exactly possess the qualifications to be much help, but you know if there’s anything you need, I’m just a message away.
[But best to leave the science to those suited for it. Markus can pour over the results with the best of them, but his trust in the actual process belongs to others.]
And you’re welcome. I’m always wanting to hear you work through theories, as they might apply to all of us.