2520/So, About the Cabal

So, About the Cabal
Date of Scene:	18 September 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Voodoo, Abigail Brand

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Voodoo has posed:
Voodoo tries not to presume on her friendship with her boss too much; she's sure if she does that, tongues will start to wag and damage Abby's reputation on the Station and with her crew. Priscilla doesn't want that. But she knew she'd have to tell Abby about this mess as soon as she could get an appointment with her. So she put herself on the schedule, like a grown-up - she made someone else type it in - and she shows up on time, all masked and official. At this point only Abby and Amanda know the face behind that mask, and she intends to keep it that way for a while. She knocks, and waits. Abby could still be busy, after all.

Abigail Brand has posed:
    Abby is not busy and... well, if she was aware of Priss's concerns, would assure her she is terrifying enough to stop any tongue wagging. But, really, Abby's known for her mysterious meetings and short notice schedule changes. So Priss isn't stuck waiting too long before her office door opens and Brand ushers her in. She holds back her bright, genuine smile until the door closes though, after all, she's the stern, uncaring leader of SWORD! "So... feel free to relax, Priss. No need for the costume and mask if you want to unwind. I'll type up the official 'meeting' later, so no need to worry about... keeping polite or whatever. What've you found? Is it more of those gangsters with the alien weapons?"

Voodoo has posed:
Once the door is closed and Abgail greets her, Priscilla peels her mask up and over her head, letting her dark ringlets spill loose. Then she hugs Abby, and trots over to sit on the sofa. "Amanda and I found the contact you ... obtained ... from the sniper who shot me. He's holed up in a cell awaiting your tender mercies." Because though he may be the dealer, this guy is not the source, and he wouldn't tell Voodoo who the source is or how they're getting those weapons in from off-world.

"Unfortunately, that's not really why I'm here. It's important, but it's not the reason I needed to see you personally." Priss admits. "By the way: thanks for teaching me about the dictation software. Doing report thingies is a lot easier when I don't have to read them or type them up. Just talking and listening is a lot easier." Has Abby figured out Priss is dyslexic? Who knows?

"I needed to see you, because a couple of days ago I was attacked for a second time while I was on-planet in civilian garb. For the second time, the attacker was some kind of altered, mutated creature sealed into a heavily armed exo-frame, and innocent people were put in serious danger by the attack." Voodoo does not sound happy about this. "Friends were there to help out, and it was stopped. No one was killed, except the creature in the frame. But it seems pretty clear someone is able to track me. And this time they tried to kidnap me and almost succeeded."

Abigail Brand has posed:
    Abby's all nods and professional interest for the first issue. She sighs out and murmurs softly, "Well, he'll crack sooner or later, and weapons smuggling's not -that- big of a deal with all the costumed goings on, in the grand scheme. But this new attack on her trusted lieutenant has her brow furrowing immediately, fingers curling into tight fists. "Was is after you transferred from the station to somewhere else? Or... uh... just out with your friends?" She sighs softly and mutters under her breath, "After the first time, I thought maybe the issue was here on our end, but I haven't been able to turn anything up yet. But there's a lot of staff to go through, and they all have lives, so each of -them- is a lot to go through..."

Voodoo has posed:
Priscilla extends her hand, squeezing Abby's gently, around that clenched fist. "The first of these attacks happened before I'd ever even heard of SWORD. This is the second attack like this." She is discounting the sniper shot, right now, as part of this pattern. "Both times, I was out with friends, a good several hours and plenty of movements away from any connection to our work here. Just wandering around, minding my own business." All the details Abby asked for.

"I don't have any proof, right now. But given that one time they tried to kill me, and this time they tried to kidnap me ..." Priscilla makes a moue. "I think this might be the Cabal, hiring mercenaries. My problem is, I don't know yet how they're tracking me. And I need to find out, because I'm hoping this is something the merc figured out, and hasn't told the Cabal yet how to do it." Because the alternative doesn't much bear thinking about.

Abigail Brand has posed:
Brand sighs and relaxes that clenched fist, fingers shifting almost unconsciously, twining with Priss's, giving a firm but gentle little squeeze back. "Well, at least I don't need to interrogate all the teleportation staff then..." She chews her lower lip and murmurs out. "Hmm... and tracking you is... a good question. I wouldn't -think- it's any sort of implanted tracking device. Chances are we'd notice that, right?"

She frowns even more and murmurs. "And if it's just... paid spies keeping an eye out for people they have an interest in, well, that's a level of infiltration that... would be -very- hard to break down." She clicks her tongue and quirks an eyebrow, "I could probably slip you over to SHIELD for their tech nerds to take a look if they've got any ideas. I mean, they are more -spies- than us and the whole alien fighting thing, right?"

Voodoo has posed:
"SHIELD, hunh?" Priss wobbles a little at that, clearly not enamored. Those guys are a little intimidating to her, honestly. But if Abby says that is best, she won't gainsay her. "I'd think I would notice any kind of tech implant, with the shapeshifting. But anything is possible. Some kind of ... I dunno. 'Tracking nanites' or something so small I wouldn't feel it, even shifting around like I do? I'm not sure." Let the tech weenies figure it out. Brainy crap is not her job.

"If you think I should go see them, I'll go." Priscilla offers. "I won't enjoy it. But if it helps, I'll go." She frowns momentarily. "Other than that, I honestly have no idea how this is working. And I want to. I want to be able to go out without worrying that innocent civilians are going to get crushed by another attack."

Abigail Brand has posed:
Abby shakes her head with a little grin. "No, you raise a good point. If you haven't noticed it while shapeshifting, they're almost certainly not going to notice anything poking and prodding you. We'll restrict any poking and prodding to an on my approval basis if things require it, hm?" She chews her lower lip and murmurs, "Still, maybe we'll have to upgrade our questioning of prisoners... someone has to know -something-."

Voodoo has posed:
"That's why I decided it was important to tell you. I know it's stuff happening off-duty. But given the tech level being used, I can't help feeling this has to be related to something that would be case-worthy, even if it started before I started with the team." Priscilla offers, nodding to Abigail. "I appreciate keeping the dissection to a minimum. If they need me for scans or stuff, I'm up for it. I just don't want to become a lab rat or something."

Abigail Brand has posed:
Brand gives a quick shake of her head and flashes a reassuring grin. "No one's turning my friend into a lab rat. I mean that. We'll start putting out feelers and see what we can find, knock these Cabal jackasses down a few pegs until they learn you're not to be messed with." She clicks her tongue and gives a little shake of her head, "Really now, first they cause all this trouble at a... bar, and now random attacks? They're not just a menace. They're -jerks-. It won't stand, I say!"

Voodoo has posed:
"Maybe you can use your connections and claim the exoframes used in the attacks? Or at least copies of the intel gained from studying them and the creatures inside them? Maybe that would give us some clues?" Priscilla offers. She may not be brainy, and may truly suck at reading or writing, but she does have ideas sometimes. "Not that I have any idea what they might be or where they might lead. But short of beating up people or their brains for info they may not have, that was my best idea."

Abigail Brand has posed:
Brand nods her head and pulls out her phone, a few quick presses, swipes, and the like and she mutters, "I swear, I'd lose my head if you weren't around to remind me about it, Priss. That's a great idea. We can get -something- out of them I'm sure." She glances up with a little grin. "And -then- we can beat people up as needed. But our primary concern's keeping you safe."

Voodoo has posed:
"Hey, I'm just picking things up from you." Priscilla deflects, not wanting to take the credit for any of this. Nevertheless, it is a good step towards a solution: intelligence, from which to make their evaluations, direct their inquiries, and find - and thusly stop - guilty parties. "I want to keep the innocent civilians safe, too." Priss admits. She may never use the word 'hero', but it's that attitude that makes others apply it to her regardless.

Abigail Brand has posed:
Brand bobs her head with a crooked little grin. "I know. I mean, it's important. It's... sort of our main purpose, right? Making sure no one innocent is hurt by this stuff. But you're a close second, Priscilla." She sighs out and murmurs softly. "Well, we'll get the brains working on the tech and the trace evidence, and all those other cool things on crime TV shows that take -so- much longer in real life. And... hm, in the meantime, maybe I'll peek in on you now and then. You know, see if I can surprise one of these strike groups in my own unpleasant way." She whistles a little tune, "Or, you know, I'm just planning on taking you out for pizza. Who knows for sure? I'm mysterious."

Voodoo has posed:
"Just remember to text first, OK?" Priscilla asks, smiling and pleased, but still protective. "Just, y'know, five or ten minutes' warning would be good, just in case." She doesn't bother to explain 'just in case' of what. That much is left open for interpretation without specification. "When they start giving you whatever it is they've found, we can talk more?"

Abigail Brand has posed:
Brand nods with a crooked little grin. "I promise. Ten minutes warning at least, just so I don't... catch you coming out of the shower or whatever." She runs her hand back through her hair, "I'll contact you as soon as we know anything, or even if we've just got a really good guess."