A Call with Stanton
Michael
Calling Dr. Stanton at home … well, I'm guessing that's only happened a handful of times, but that's what the phone number is for, situations like these. I'm wondering if Dr. Stanton would have some sort of social engagement considering it's Friday night but even Dr. Stanton probably puts in a token appearance at the art opening or opera or Broadway show and is home in pipe and slippers by 10-ish.
"Archie." (He always calls Archie by his first name.) "I'm assuming this has something to do with your team's current operation."
Rob
(Does Archie call him Frank? I feel like he would, despite Stanton being his superior — they maintain the pretense that they're still working at CBS or the ad agency.)
"Hello, Frank. I'm sorry to call you at home, and so late. But, yes. The operation is reaching a critical juncture and I thought it was important to keep you apprised."
Michael
"Go ahead."
Rob
Not sure how closely we keep Stanton updated on our day to day, but Archie will give him a rough status update. If it's ok, I won't type it all out in direct dialogue, but basically Archie explains the current situation and the main actions we've taken. I imagine Stanton doesn't want to be told the specifics of B&Es and what have you, especially over the phone at home, but Archie tells him the tapestry's been acquired, the record's been acquired, we've deployed memetic countermeasures to dampen attendance and to neutralize Moore's influence, we have infrasonics ready to go for Saturday, etc. etc. I also think it's very hard for Archie to talk concretely about things like Sumerian bull-demons, so we're talking fairly abstractly about ontoseismology, esmological projections, etc. Archie also tells Stanton about bringing Keiner into custody (coming around to the torture conversation), and Xanten, and the care we're taking with Moore. He doesn't mention Zeb or "Red Hat" or concerns about other agents. The general line Archie takes is that the risk of irruption is serious and Saturday will be critical, but that the team has done all they can and he feels cautiously confident about Saturday.
Michael
"No, Arch, that sounds … that sounds fine. It sounds like you've managed to shape the theatre of operations quite effectively. I would imagine that with that many mitigators in play you're well on your way to controlling the battlespace and preventing any unexpected shifts." Stanton pauses. "You have two enemy agents in custody, then. One at Granite Peak and one at your temporary facility?"
Rob
"Yes, that's right. The subject we're holding here is just a kid. I mean, he's a communist sympathizer, and he seems to have some remarkable technical abilities, but he has no real idea who or what he was working for."
"Keiner, the one at Granite Peak, is a harder case. I just got off the phone with one of my team — you remember Dr. Redgrave. He interrogated Keiner at our facility here before we transferred him to the Peak. When all the pieces started falling into place, Dr. Redgrave flew out to Utah for another face to face."
"Here's the thing, Frank. I know the folks at Granite Peak don't handle enemy agents with kid gloves. And Keiner's the enemy, there's no question about that. But Marshall — Dr. Redgrave — did manage to connect with him. And he played ball. The intel Keiner gave us is what's going to let us keep a lid on this thing, God willing."
"So Dr. Redgrave hoped, and I hope too, that you might put in a word with Granite Peak, and get them — get this Dr. Gunn — to lighten up on Keiner? Just let Keiner rest, cool his heels in a clean quiet room for a while? We've gotten what we need for Saturday. There's no call for the, ah, Chinese water torture or the bamboo splinters."
"Between you and me, Frank, I think Marshall was a little shaken by what he saw of Gunn's methods at Granite Peak. And that gives me pause, because Marshall's no babe in the woods."
Michael
(Whooof. Man, why isn't there a "Moral Authority" skill? Stupid GURPS.)
But Diplomacy is close enough.
Rob
You want me to make a roll?
Michael
Yeah, go for it.
Rob
>> SUCCESS by 8
("controlling the battlespace and preventing any unexpected shifts" is such great bafflegab, btw)
Michael
Dr. Stanton takes a deep inhale, purses his lips audibly. "No question you're right, Arch. Gunny hits hard. He's not a sadist. But on the same token, I'm not going to sit here and defend him either. He was supposed to go around to the top neuropsychologists in the country and get hold of their research. He spent nearly 10 years doing that; coincidentally, the same roughly 10 years your teammate Dr. Redgrave was 'in-country.' Collect research, maybe get a handful of these folks to look into the linguistic centers of the brain and do some real SANDMAN work. But Gunny seemed to be only interested in the ramifications for interrogation. That leads you down a slippery slope."
"But yes, if Dr. Redgrave got the information his way, then Keiner should get some breaks and some benefits. But I have to say, that might all be moot. The word from the Foundation and from the 'board of directors' is that Keiner and some other prisoners might be used … well, as an exchange. Arch, I don't know how to tell you this, but … well, the past few months have been tough for us out there. Especially on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Both CIA and SANDMAN agents are getting made in the Eastern Bloc left and right. There's talk at the highest levels … well, that we have a mole or moles among us. One that's not only involved with mundane Western intelligence but also is clued-in to SANDMAN. And there's a possibility that Keiner might be headed back to East Germany as part of a way to get some of the more … sensitive losses back. That means trading captured Blue Star personnel for Sandmen."
"So that might explain, at least partially, Gunny's … zeal."
"Until then, though, Keiner will get all the benefits we can manage. We'll make sure he's well taken care of."
Rob
"Thank you, Frank. I appreciate that. Truly."
"As for the rest of what you've just told me — well. Golly. I don't know just what to say, except that I hope you know you can count on all of us here at Livermore. If we can help the cause in any way, just say the word."
Michael
"Of course, Archie, I appreciate that. A lot of this is happening at levels far higher than I have direct access to, of course, and I'm, well, I'm no spymaster." Dr. Stanton follows this with an avuncular chuckle. "It may even mean more work for our buzz boys, more asymmetrical warfare in the sphere of information and communication. Things might get a little … hectic politically in America in the next 18 months, and we need to have our hands on the wheel righting the ship, if you understand my meaning."
"Speaking of media and communication, how is your new team member fitting in?"
Rob
"Oh, Charl — Agent Helix? She's a wonder, a real wonder. A genuine asset to the team. Things have been moving so fast, I was going to wait until this operation was put to bed before doing the paperwork, but I'd like to request extending her secondment to URIEL. We could use a dab hand with the gears and gizmos. And she's fit in swell with everyone here."
Michael
"Well, Archie, these kids that we're training at the Peak … they're the future. Imagine … every American home with a child as bright and talented as Charley in it! And yes, these kids who came to the INDIGO program... of course, their origins are often quite sad, even tragic. But with the right programming, the right memetic immune boosters, and the technology and care that SANDMAN has proven can shape the human mind from an early age to resist the taint and temptation of the other side … God, Arch, the sky's the limit." Dr. Stanton seems very engaged now. "I'm very pleased to hear that about her joining URIEL, very pleased. Have you given any thought to a cover for her? Perhaps an arrangement for private "schooling" nearby so that she can start to dip her waters in the real esmological currents of America and we can see if all that work the past five years at Granite Peak has paid off? There are numerous free-form schools in the Bay Area where she'd be a perfect fit."
"But seriously, Archie, whatever you need to make this happen. Documents, resources, a lab for Agent Helix … consider Indigo's operating budget at your disposal."