2014.01.22 - Surprise Layoffs

Place: Underwater HYDRA Base - North Atlantic Ocean

Time: Afternoon. Tuesday. Some Time in 2012.

"... we'll have to delay construction of the new module by a few weeks until the replacement equipment arrives. In the meantime, we've sent out hunting parties to track the culprits and our scientists are working on identifying the subject we captured. The good news is that the creatures appear to be very primitive, so it's unlikely they will be able to reveal our location."

The man finishes his report, and presses a digital button on the tablet interface in front of him. The main monitor goes blank, as the slideshow is finished. He rests back in his chair, and pulls a handkerchief from one of the pockets of his black HYDRA Officer's uniform. With this, he dabs at the corners of his forehead before quickly repocketing it.

He is one of many sitting around the table, though 'around' might not be the best word. Unlike the tables in most corporate boardrooms, this one is shaped like a teardrop. Whereas a round table seats everyone equally, and a rectangular table places people in a pecking order according to their position relative to the table's head, this one makes everyone equally inferior to the man sitting at the rounded 'point' of the teardrop-shaped table.

The man sitting at the head is smiling. This wouldn't normally be taken as a good sign, given the report he just received was mostly bad. But when you add in the fact that this man has a Red Skull for a head, and take into account the vicious snarl that spreads over his face when he exposes his yellow teeth.... it's unsettling, let's leave it at that.

"Ah. Hunting parties. Parties. Plural. You're telling me that you are spreading our soldiers out in some sort of search pattern in order to hunt down the creatures that have been sabotaging the construction of our extremely secret Underwater Base? At this rate, we won't have to worry about the construction being halted, because one of your bumbling thugs is sure to give away our position. And all because you're unable to deal with a handful of mermaids?" The Red Skull leans forward and rests his forehead on his hands, rubbing his temples. However, the yellow smile remains in place. Staring down at the elaborate HYDRA emblem emblazoned on the table, he sighs. "Who's next?"

Talia al Ghul sits at the far end of the table reflecting her still low rank and status within HYDRA. After all, she had only joined earlier that yet. As the situation with the base continues to deteriorate, the brunette listened and arrived at her own conclusions - not so very different than those of Red Skull. As the report ended, she cleared her throat softly.

With words accented by her Middle Eastern lineage, the brunette looks to a man no so very different than her own father. Powerful. Dangerous. Driven. Prone to fits of pique, as it were. "I have a status for you, Sir, regarding the DNA laboratories and Gene splicing research."

Rising slowly, her lustrous hair cascades about her shoulders and cheeks as she waits to be given full acknowledgement and permission to proceed.

Deep breath. Eyes closed. Exhale. The Red Skull adjusts himself, moving his hands from his forehead to allow his chin to rest on his thumbs, fingers steepled upward in front of his nose. As is his custom, he gives the woman a long hard stare before granting her any sort of acknowledgement. When your blue eyes are sunk so deeply into red eye sockets, even the briefest of stares tends to make a point. From behind his gloved hands, the corners of his mouth can still be seen to be open, his face fixed in an expression of relaxed hatred.

"You'll forgive me Miss Head, but I'm a bit confused. I see no glasses, no pock marks, no lab coat. In fact, I was under the impression that your talents lay far outside the field of... what was it you said? Gene Splicing? How can you possibly expect me to believe that you have anything useful to add to this meeting?"

Talia al Ghul returns the gaze without blinking or wilting. When your father is the most immortal of men and has seen so many cultures rise and fall that a crime organization such as Hydra is typically viewed as 'primitive' to him, there is no fear of a man like Red Skull. Respect, perhaps.

The brunette smiles faintly, "You oversee HYDRA. You cannot be expected to know the entire list of skills that I could offer to you." She doesn't let her almost-polite barb settle before continuing. "I have, in fact, been working in the Pyrenees labs for the last six months. The progress that has been made -- in that time -- has been quite compelling. However, if you wish, I will forward the report and you can read it at your leisure. When you are not busy reflecting upon the need to hunt down primitive aquatic species capable of absconding with.. nearly fifty million in construction supplies, wasn't it?" A smooth shoulder shrugs as she moves to sit down again.

He doesn't move. His aged blue eyes follow Talia wherever she goes, but the man himself doesn't move. His expression remains immobile, and inscrutable.

Everyone else at the table begins to fidget like a group of porn-addicted teenagers in church. None of them look at either Talia or the Skull. In fact, those sitting closest to her appear to be shifting away from her, as if to avoid being caught up in whatever wrath she's about to invoke from the heavens. From the other side of the table, inasmuch as teardrops have 'sides', the last officer to report speaks up nervously. "Actually, 'primitive aquatic species' isn't really the right term. They're... mermaids... " His voice gradually gets lower until his words are inaudible, at which point he also begins to look around nervously.

But then the Skull relaxes and drops his hands as he leans back into his high-backed leather chair, the leather squeaking against whatever material his own black overcoat is made of. With his left hand, he makes a rising motion in Talia's direction, as if instructing her to resume her report. "What do you have for me, Miss Head?"

Talia al Ghul mm's faintly. Thought as much. "It is curious, Sir, that such creatures, while they have adapted to the ocean. Have resorted to petty theft. They are clearly as advanced as most of the indigenous tribes encountered in the colonization of North America." As such, the woman thinks poorly of them. "Yet they have found the most effective way to stall operations. How.. ironic."

She then continues as instructed, flipping a slide from her tablet to the main display so that the Leader may observe. "We have discovered a number of new methods for injecting a DNA sequence from one organism into another without the typical difficulties this has entailed in the past." She brings up a display showing that they have found a way to do something relatively mundane - extracting the gene from a firefly that provides its phosphorescent glow and splicing it into the scales of an Atlantic Salmon. "This is a relatively small and benign action. The value of glowing salmon is negligible for all but their own predators. It is the delivery method by which the splice was applied that represents the breakthrough --- an aerosol spray that suspends microscopic plasmids. Absorbed through the scales in this case, the plasmids can recombine with the host's DNA and achieve full acceptance at a much higher rate than ordinarily possible. In a year's time, I expect that this delivery method will be viable as a standard. The possibilities of such a simple and unobtrusive method to achieve recombinant DNA will be endless. Gone will be the days of intensive therapy. A simple spay will allow delivery of medical re-engineering and correction of hereditary flaws." Of course what she states are the publicly touted benefits of such a break through. The.. private benefits to one who inhabits a failing body and would seek to live longer and healthier are incalculable, aren't they?

"Interesting." The deadpan tone in the Red Skull's voice raises the question of just how interesting he really thinks it is. Skeptical, is probably the best way to describe his mood at the moment. Those around the table are silent, looking nervously at each other for support. The veterans among the group have seen meetings like this become scary very fast, the non-veterans are mostly just nervous because they're in a room full of HYDRA muckity mucks and a Nazi Super Soldier.

"I'm assuming this works on more than just salmon. You would, I presume, be able to demonstrate this miraculous breakthrough here, today, on the subject of my choosing?"

Talia al Ghul shrugs indifferently. "It has not yet been fully adapted to work with human DNA, necessarily. But, knowing the risks, I will demonstrate it if you so desire." She picks up a case from beside her seat and opens it up to reveal a portable lab station and computer. The kind of think that the world doesn't believe exists let alone in portable form. "How do you wish to proceed, Sir?"

When you're the Red Skull, there is pretty much always a red button in front of you. The present time is no exception. "Mädchen, inform Zola that he will have guests in the lab. Tell him to prep the subject. Yes, the one from this morning." Taking his finger off the button, the Skull stands up, and fastens the top few buttons of his overcoat. "Miss Head, grab your things and take a walk with me. The rest of you, remain here until I return."

The Skull walks to the door, giving the woman not much time to gather up her things before she gets left behind. But as the doors 'whoosh' open in front of him, he pauses, and turns around. "Oh yes... And while I'm gone, remember that I have placed sensors in your chairs after the fiasco that occurred at our last meeting. If you release any flatulence at my table, I WILL know. And I WILL see that you are punished." Talia al Ghul smiles without humor. Taking the portable mini lab, she moves to fall into step behind and to the right of him. The click of her heels fades from the room as the two make their way to the intended destination of the labs. For the duration of the transit she remains silent.

A few moments later...

There's only so much space in a partially-constructed underwater base, even an ambitious affair like this one. So the trip from Skull's Intimidation Room to the laboratory of Dr. Arnim Zola is simply a few steps, a short turbolift ride, and a brisk walk down a long corridor. At the entrance to the lab, Red Skull removes the glove from his eerily red right hand, placing it on the panel next to the door while simultaneously looking straight into a camera. "Red Skull, and guest."

"A vaguely artificial feminine voice responds "Identity confirmed, Red Skull. Access granted." The doors 'whoosh' open dramatically, and the Skull steps to the side, motioning his guest forward while he replaces his glove. It's not so much a chivalrous gesture as a practical one, as the door closes as soon as he steps through it.

Inside there are all manner of weird and unexplained things occurring. A screaming man is having a hole drilled through his head. A comatose woman is having her legs removed. A monkey is being zapped repeatedly with doses of electricity while being forced to complete a Sudoku puzzle. But of all the weird things going on in the lab, the weirdest are in the lab's center: A giant robot with a boxy camera for a head and a television screen on his chest is observing the contents of a large tank of saltwater. There, in the tank, sits an honest to goodness mermaid.

"Ah, Herr Skull, I wish you had given me a few more minutes to prepare before visiting. I would have had a few more of the prisoners 'experimented' on in order to impress you."

Talia al Ghul travels to the labs and there immediately walks over to a dedicated lab space. "I need the subject out of the water. Skin must be dry for proper contact of the suspension solution." And with that she begins to boot up the system. "I will also require a blood sample." She looks to Zola, "Have you drawn any or shall I?"

"A woman? Doing science? In a laboratory? Nein, this is not acceptable, Skull. Have you not forgotten my study which proved that women are incapable of understanding science? Not a single one of the prisoners was able to correctly identify...."

The robot is cut off with a wave from Skull's hand. "Yes, yes, I remember the experiment. I'm still not sure why you think that forcing prisoners to run a maze while chased by dogs somehow proves anything, but then, I don't have your genius. Just humor us, yes?"

The hulking robot stomps off to do as he's told, though the stomping isn't likely to be the result of any sort of anger. He's just really heavy.

With a bit of concern in his voice, the Skull asks "You'll keep the creature alive, correct?"

Meanwhile, several of the lab technicians have set to wrangling the creature out of the tank, which isn't exactly a cakewalk, as the mermaid would clearly rather stay in the water. Still, the numbers eventually prove superior and the creature is strapped to a gurney. Talia al Ghul muses softly. "Mmm.. of course we are no good at science. Wea re only good for child rearing and consorting" the sarcasm dripping from her tone as she ignores the robot and moves to the creature. A needle and vial in hand, she seeks out a vein and proceeds to draw three vials of the creatures blood. "So these are the primitives that are causing so much trouble hmm? How very interesting." Blood drawn, she returns the the mini lab and inserts the vials into a centrifuge. As she begins to program the machine, the vials start to spin rapidly. "Be mindful, Sir, that this process will not cause this creature to glow phosphorescent in an instant. But I will show you that its DNA will recombine after the delivery to begin accepting the gene. Should you... permit it to breed.. every offspring would then carry the trait. And you would have yourself a new strain of primitive that glows in the dark."

And so the process begins. Not unlike a video game, the little lap enables Talia to isolate the desired segment. Taking DNA already extracted from the aforementioned firefly's glowing little backside, that gene is then spliced into DNA from the mermaid. The lab has certainly automated and sped the process up. What should take some hours has happened in less than thirty minutes -- a viable plasmid for delivery. Placed into a simple aluminum canister she turns to look at Red Skull and the strapped down creature.

"Ready?" Not really waiting she takes the spray and coats a large portion of the aquatic creature's shoulder and arm. It glistens against the flesh and slowly begins to dry, absorbing into the flesh. "I expect it will take thirty minutes or so for recombining to occur and complete. A blood draw will then confirm it."

"You'll have to forgive Doctor Zola. The frustration from being trapped in a steel body has caused his misogyny to reach... unproductive levels. He's quite good at his job though, when he isn't feeding prisoners to dogs in the name of research." Normal office banter. The Red Skull is completely engrossed in the process, and leans over the woman in order to read the data from the monitor, but quickly grows bored and wanders off for several minutes to talk to his his hulking robotic war buddy. When he returns, lo and behold, the process is complete and the creature is being sprayed.

"Excellent. If this works, I'll be quite pleased. If you can't expend the resources required to hunt your enemy, what do you do? You get something else to do your hunting for you. I think our pest control issues might be coming to an end." Talia al Ghul looks amused. "Again, it will not cause this creature to glow. Not for some time. But its offspring would." Then she looks to the vitals monitor. "Test sample suggests delivery is now viable." She moves to the creature and draws another vial of blood.

Turning back to the lab, the blood is once again spun in the centrifuge before she brings up a sample and the results. "Here. See the original cell DNA? And now, with the spliced gene in place." She smiles, a confident, almost arrogant expression on her face. "This can be used as a foundational method to move into almost any bio-medical field, really."

Though it's always difficult to tell what expressions mean what on a face like Skull's, there's a high probability that he's pleasantly surprised. "Well done, Miss Head. At times like these, it's customary to give an employee some sort of reward. It's Management 101. The reward could be praise, a bonus, or perhaps a promotion. By the looks of you, praise is probably something you're accustomed to. Considering who your daddy is, a bonus would probably just make you laugh. A promotion then, I suppose? But we have a problem there. You see, we're already overstaffed."

The Red Skull takes a few steps toward the woman, and brings his arms around from behind his back. For a moment, it looks as if he's going to give her a hug or place a hand on her shoulder. But there in his right hand, is a German Mauser C96 (or more likely a replica, given the age). He flips the pistol around, offering the handle to the young woman. "But I think we might have a few positions opening up very shortly in Upper Management. Perhaps you'd be willing to go give them their layoff paperwork?"

Talia al Ghul watches, unblinking. Unperturbed. She glances only briefly to the weapon to confirm the safety is off before lowering it to her side but keeping it in hand. She nods, "I am certain they will accept their termination with humility and remorse." Glancing to her equipment she observes, "I believe.. if the good doctor might be willing to reconsider his position on women in science... we might be able to make this specimin viable for the active gene in a matter of days. I am confident of it in fact." She looks back to Red Skull, "But as you say, layoffs are in order. To whom shall I deliver the news, Sir?"

"Well, I suppose that's really up to you. But I seem to recall an entire room full of managers who had nothing but bad news for me today. Several of whom released flatulence after I specifically told them not to." The Red Skull always knows. "There's really no substitute for clearing out an entire room full of hardened soldiers. It's the sort of move that really builds up a reputation. A bit of advice though, if I may?"

"I would leave one of them alive to tell the tale."

Talia al Ghul inclines her head, "I shall see what I can do, Sir." She turns and begins to walk back toward the meeting room, weapon in hand. Near the elevator, she pauses and turns, "And Sir? Thank you. I would have been happy with recognition and praise. My father was not the praise-giving type." Then she turns to go cull the herd a little.