Work Text:
A panoramic shot takes its time to establish the dreary, deserted location. The place looks like it has been abandoned for quite some time, now. Then why bother going there at all, one would ask, but a puddle of blood being all that’s left is a valid enough reason. Valid enough for Dylan Andrews, at least.
“The UNSC has intercepted the coordinates of the last attack. Now as we are showing you this footage, the Meta might be onto its next victim. We are not sure who or what this Meta could be, but it is rumoured to be targeting special agents of Project Freelancer; we arrived as soon as we could, and this is all we found. This, and the graffiti on the wall that the Meta uses as a signature.”
Several pictures of the symbol appear next to Dylan’s face and name on the screen for a moment, then they dissolve as she continues her report.
“The Director of Project Freelancer, Dr Leonard Church, claims to have sent a recovery agent to take care of it, and that the situation is under control. According to the UNSC Sub Committee Chairman Malcolm Hargrove, he also described the Meta as an entity seeking to increase its power, but there are no further declarations available for the public. We don’t know if the Meta is human and what role it has in the war, but we must follow these crude scenes, these blood trails, if only to follow the literal trails that can lead us to the Meta.”
The video stops before the news switch to the next topic. She’s been rewatching her own report for a few days now. She sips a cup of coffee, then looks over to the notes she meticulously took throughout this journey. Frank interrupts her deep focus by gently putting a hand on her shoulder.
“Revising for tomorrow’s interview?”
“Yes and no.” she replies distractedly without looking at him “I’m going over my notes to see if there possibly is something I didn’t notice, something that I can piece together.”
“Ah, I don’t know about that.” Frank pulls a chair and sits next to her “It’s hard to make a hypothesis if no one gets to see a body, or even an autopsy result.”
“Yeah.” She dismisses half-heartedly “Hopefully, I’ll find out more tomorrow.”
The day after can’t come fast enough. The congress room is hot as hell from all the people, from all the crew members elbowing one another for a good shot and the occasion to ask a question, camera flashes everywhere, everyone calling almost desperately for Malcolm Hargrove.
The man is standing at the podium and very much enjoying the attention, dignified and charismatic as he’s always been, looking fresh for his old age, perhaps a little too relaxed for the situation. He smiles smugly as he starts receiving questions from various interviewers.
What is the Meta, really? Is it human?
“Thank you for inquiries, and thank you for being here: I’m sure you are aware of the importance of media coverage in a situation such as the one we are facing. Now, to answer your questions…As you remember, I have shared the Director’s response when I posed this question myself. The Meta is an entity on a quest for power, and wears an armour just like every other soldier. While it is debatable whether or not the Meta is human, it appears to have no interest in aiding no one but itself.”
If the Meta is not on the enemy side, then why would it target supersoldiers specifically?
“The freelancers’ suits of armour possess special enhancements created by the project outside of the UNSC. Whatever goal the Meta may have, these enhancements seem to be crucial components to its success.”
A few more general questions follow, until Dylan finally gets to ask hers:
If it’s up to the Director to stop the Meta due to its involvement with freelancers, what measures is he taking?
“That is an excellent question.” The Chairman laughs in delight, the warmth in his voice contrasting a sinister glint in his eyes “As a matter of fact, the Director has been actively avoiding inspections and tip-toeing around the question whenever I would present him with a perfectly legitimate concern.”
His tone gets more serious, and everyone is on edge.
“He claims to have sent a recovery agent to contrast the Meta’s actions and collect the assets of the project before it’s too late; however, it is of vital importance to point out that said assets appear to include multiple AIs. Which, may I remind you, we would never grant to such a small organization when the UNSC at large could clearly benefit more from them. In fact, Project Freelancer has not only obtained multiple AIs through unknown and immoral means, but also put the safety of our entire species, our entire galaxy at risk. We can only imagine what would happen if those assets fell into enemy hands.”
He fetches and drinks a glass of water more for the dramatic effect than anything. All the attending people in the congress room are now tense, whispering and mumbling to each other, some outraged and some terrified, panic starts to grow more and more uncontrollably. Yet Hargrove is calm, and limits himself to getting their attention back by clearing his throat:
“The good news in all these unfortunate events is that we are going to take action to eradicate the problem. Project Freelancer will be subjected to criminal investigation, and with it the Director and his collaborators will be forced to reveal every single piece of existing information about the Meta, and to face severe consequences. It is imperative that we follow the protocol at all times, and that we punish those who don’t. For the good of our galaxy. That is all.”
The audience starts cheering and clapping at this demonstration of rigor and lawfulness, despite the weight of the situation as a whole. The explanation that he provided is a satisfying one, and there seems to be a plan in the works to stop the Meta. Yet, although grateful for the new material for her incoming article, Dylan feels uneasy, sensing something wrong. She’s confused, and perhaps a little bit amazed at how calm and collected Hargrove is.
Little does she know that this publicity is all part of his plan.