capeandcowl | 24 ⊗ video ⊗ might've liked to know this earlier

Entry tags:

† hank mccoy | beast

24 ⊗ video ⊗ might've liked to know this earlier

[Hank is huddled over his worktable, playing with a small camera.]

I've always been something of a tinker, even since I was a child. [He gives the lens a momentary smirk.] But you'll know this already, you've seen it.

Even with having some sort of block this past month, wondering if I was doing something wrong when all the pieces seemed like they were in place. I know that because I checked, double-checked, ran diagnostics, tried alternatives. Took the every prototype apart and rebuilt it numerous times, trying my best to isolate and work out any kinks.

And even then, we never detected a single Skrull until they revealed themselves. But see, there was still one thing I'd never gotten to tinkering with. Funnily enough, the first thing I noticed when I returned.

[He points to the camera.] I keep this remote camera for Network interface when I prefer to work hands-free. It shorted out while I was gone, and I hadn't had time to repair it. Doing so would require familiarizing myself with the circuitry of the new communicators, in order to copy it.

So, tell me. How many of you had your communicators in Times Square last night? [He holds up a small silicone tube to the camera, almost buried in his large fingers.] And who can tell me what this is?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I want that thing out of my communicator.

Can you do that? [ Because he could just break this thing open, but there's no freaking way it'd go back together again. ]

Did it for my own, and I expect I'll be doing it for a number of others before the night ends.

I'm bringing it over. [ Now. While he's still talking, if the background moving around behind him is any indication. ]

What does it do? Bugging everyone who posts a crapload of their personal lives on a hackable Network every day sounds like a waste of time I wouldn't be assed with.

If this gives you any hint, Jeffries can't read it.

...So you got no clue what it does?

It still can't be anything good. [ So yep, still on his way to you Hank. ]

No, no, listen. [He puts up his hands, he's explaining something really important and mildly exciting here!]

A technopath can't read it. It's interfering with any devices we make to detect the presence of Skrulls. I imagine if you tried to examine it through any other means beyond taking the thing apart and sticking it under a microscope, it would probably disrupt them, too!

It's a some variety of jammer, really a rather genius design!

[ This kind of thing is probably really exciting to anyone who's into technology, or...yeah, pretty much just those guys. That's never been Julian. He mainly just wants the damned thing out of his comm. ]

It'd have to be genius if someone got it into the comms without the Porter knowing. Unless the Porter made it and whoever did this tampered with the Porter instead. Either way it's real clever, and real dangerous. I want it gone.

You and everyone else, I'm afraid. Good chance I'll be fielding such requests all night!

[ At this point Julian reaches the Institute, and heads inside towards Beast’s lab. ]

Then what are you gonna do with them all?

What choice do I have? Probably the very thing I'm about to do for you!

Not the comms.

[ He's at Hank's lab now, so he knocks while he's talking. ]

The bugs. What're you gonna do with the bugs?

Well, study them, of course! Learn what we can, possibly adapt them. At least develop countermeasures.

[He turns his head at the sound of the door.] Go ahead and let yourself in.

[ He pushes the door open and comes in, turning the video off while he walks. He puts the comm down on Hank’s worktop and goes to take a closer look at the bug that’s here already. ]

…Do you think it’s still working?

[Hank snaps off the case of Julian's comm, then begins getting to work with it.]

Well, yes and no. It lacks a power source and a connection to the Network. That said, it certainly hasn't stopped for lack of trying!

[ Considering this. ]

If it’s tagging the Network, what’s controlling it? Something must’ve programmed it. Does it send signals out? [He’s wondering just how closely they’re being watched, and whether it’s possible to trace that signal back to whoever’s receiving it. ]

[Hank stick the circuitboard under a magnifying glass and starts prodding at it with some precision tweezers.]

To all indications, I have yet to notice any allowances for sending signals over the Network. It does, however, receive an activation signal by that means. Anything it transmits or intercepts as a result would be done locally, however.

So whatever’s giving it orders is here in the City. Could we follow it? If Vulcanus was in on this…

I don't think such a proximity would be a safe assumption, actually. There agents would have to at one time be in the City, assuming it wasn't one of the Skrulls we've already encountered, but the controller still being present is a bit too big a stretch of logic for my comfort.

But if we can find what's sending the signal, there's gotta be something we could go on to find out who did all this! Or what they were even aiming for, or how they jacked the Portal to spit out comms with bugs inside. There can't just be nothing left. No cover up is that good.

[It isn't always as easy as that, Julian.]

For them to have kept this up as long as they have, do you really expect that they wouldn't be thorough enough to anticipate that? We can trace it, but there's little chance it will get us anything more than a dead end.

I think I'm tired of them always being two steps ahead and we have to try. All that keeps happening is they act and then we react. There's got to be more we can do.

It will never be as easy, as long as we're operating openly while they do so in secret. They've had time to lay down infrastructures already, before we were even aware of their existence.

So what do you want to do, sit around and wait for them to steal our people again?

Did I ever say that?

What I'm trying to explain, Mr. Keller, is that the situation isn't as straightforward as you're looking at it. It isn't as simple as "there are bad guys, let's fight them!"

If this is a war, than the arenas of combat are a little more numerous than you realize.

I get that. I'm just saying I want to find the arenas, Professor, I don't want to wait until they find us.

Which they did twice already.

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