I am perpetual

[dun_moch]

WHO: Characters signed up HERE
WHERE: Helix Station or meetings around Maurtia Falls, based on character preference
WHEN: During the first week or so of August
WHAT: Witnesses and investigators meet up to inquire into the activities of RISE, and hold the team accountable
WARNINGS: Talk of violence?

RISE has been controversial since the first day Major-General Olivier Armstrong announced the formation of a government-backed paramilitary squad with trial and sentencing authority over 'rogue imPorts.' Since then, the unit's history has continued to be shadowed by drama. For every successful apprehension of a supervillain, there's a complaint about unfairness toward some imPorts. For every swift response to a crisis, there are mutterings about indefinite detention or recruitment of criminals. And for every life saved, there are questions about the hard-line attitude of RISE's famously terrifying leader, Armstrong.

Something had to give eventually, and this inquiry is the result. Both critics and defenders will make their voices heard, and the investigators will have to determine what is the truth- and what should happen next. At stake is the future of the imPort community's primary law enforcers, and the question of how much they can be trusted to protect others.

Comments

INTERVIEWS

[dun_moch]

The witness interviews are one-on-one affairs, conducted in a discreet coffee shop or a stark, windowless police-style room within Helix Station. Each witness will be interviewed at least twice by different investigators, to ensure that multiple perspectives are gleaned from what they have to say. Aside from the randomly-assigned interviews listed below, all participants are free to set up new threads as they wish! Interview threads can be started by investigators or witnesses, there is no set format here.


RISE AGENT BARNABY BROOKS JR. will be interviewed by COUNT DOOKU and KITTY JONES

LUCIFER will be interviewed by CLARK KENT and TOHRU ADACHI

DORIAN GRAY will be interviewed by CLARK KENT and DARYL DIXON

KANAYA MARYAM will be interviewed by COUNT DOOKU and DARYL DIXON

SASAKI HAISE will be interviewed by TOHRU ADACHI and FLYNN SCIFO

RISE FIELD COMMANDER SABRIEL will be interviewed by TOHRU ADACHI and COUNT DOOKU

CARL GRIMES will be interviewed by CLARK KENT and KITTY JONES

EDWARD ELRIC will be interviewed by DARYL DIXON and FLYNN SCIFO

RISE AGENT JACOB TAYLOR will be interviewed by KITTY JONES and FLYNN SCIFO

WITNESS MINGLING

[dun_moch]

After interviews have been concluded, rooms will be provided for the various witnesses to gather and have a frank discussion on the issues surrounding RISE. Things may be awkward, considering the witnesses include both RISE agents and RISE's biggest critics. You may now begin with the airing of grievances, but just keep it reasonably civil and don't stab anyone- this means you, Carl.

INVESTIGATOR MINGLING

[dun_moch]

The investigation team has their own debriefing after interviews have wrapped up, as well as 'check-in' meetings during the process. It's a modest affair, just a chance to compare notes while sitting around a table. What have your characters learned from their questionings? Does RISE need to change, and in what ways? What should go the final report to Ambassador Baelish?

Don't forget, however much Count Dooku talks about truth and justice, this inquiry is political, and involves the ambitions of powerful people. You can also use this thread to go talk privately with investigators if there's something you don't want to say in front of the Count's dark, piercing eyes.

INTERVIEW JACOB

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

RISE doesn't have a set uniform, so Jacob shows up to his interviews wearing a buttoned blue shirt and smart brown slacks. He wants to make a good, professional impression on behalf of his team, but he also isn't much for formal wear, and so avoids going the full suit route.

Jacob will be cooperative, at least at the start of the questioning. He sees the need for this inquiry, and wants to do the right thing- but he's not going to roll over on his teammates for anyone's political agenda, either.

OTA investigators

[dun_moch]

Dooku is often found at the head of the table during meetings, or making the rounds among his investigators. Beneath his genteel manners, his proud and confident bearing leaves no doubt that he is in charge of this team, and that he expects results. He's open to any questions investigators may have about the process or results, and will likely have a few of his own regarding how things are proceeding.

[112ounces]

fuck you dooku you're not his dad

Carl can say the interviews were as fun as he expected to be: as in, none at all. He's tired, more in his mind than in body. And when Carl is in this state, he either sits down and watches TV while not really watching it or pig out on food until he gets bored of eating.

Considering that neither options are available, he just sits down in a remote chair, looking at all the other witnesses, wondering what they brought to the table. Did they hate RISE as much as Carl does? Or are they supporters of them, and should he treat them with as much care as he did with strange survivors back home, treating them like potential threats?

He looks out at the window, staring at a pair of sparrows chasing each other. He sometimes think it might be easier to be something like a sparrow - there's no hatred to nurse, no fathers to grieve over, no RISE member to consider as a mortal enemy.

Those musings were quickly broken when he senses someone coming near. He locked eye contact with his lone eye at them, waiting for them to move or saying anything.

Sasaki Haise

[dualismum]

Sasaki will be wearing his Police uniform during the interviews, since he was working at the time (his boss didn't mind if Sasaki left, honestly. Either it's a perk of being an Import, or the man simply doesn't have that much need for Sasaki's help). In any case, he will also bring along a cup of coffee to drink during the interview, along his communicator in case anything is needed.

The only reason why he is here is simply because of Count Dooku. He couldn't help the man much during elections, but he has promised him he'd help him with his political tactics if it came down to it, and this was the moment where he'd prove himself, in a way. That's also why he will be cooperative, but he isn't here to drag Yuri through the mud even more; he has reasons not to be so angry, even if Yuri did try to murder him.

[dualismum]

Once he was done with his interviews, Sasaki grabs his cup of coffee and heads towards the room other witnesses currently are. Honestly, he doesn't feel all that comfortable, specially because he doesn't have much against RISE personally (besides being- somewhat angry about Rick's death, but he talked to Rick about that) but he knows his testimony is mostly a negative shade on the organization, and there are some RISE members around.

In any case, he moves to sit near a window, drinking his coffee peacefully. he also takes the communicator, to check the network , and keep himself busy.

Lucifer

[angelfire]

You know what's really not in and never will be? Velvet. Lucifer is trim in a dark red velvet jacket over a surprisingly plain black t-shirt and black nondescript dress pants. He drops himself into his chair in the interview room like it's his to fall into, stretches back so that the front legs lift off the ground, and then drops them back down, leaning forward as his interviewer enters behind him.

"Come on, then. I'm excited to get started."

He would be. RISE is far more interesting to him undermined, with their power base uncertain, and he's prepared to wrap his silver tongue around delivering on their demise.

[angelfire]

"Look at this. It's like being back in that submarine--all my old friends."

Lucifer is not content to sit around quietly and muse about his misgivings the way that others might be. He's going to make a noise, he's going to get in their faces. He wants Olivier to know that he's here to undermine them, because he wants her to try and justify herself. Making his enemies jumpy is the plan, and so Lucifer swans into the room with all his usual fervor, eager to make as much of this about him as possible.

Because he is the star of the show, isn't he? No?

"Why the glum faces?"

LET'S INTERVIEW DORIAN

[brushoff]

Dorian looks dressed to the nines, in designer tan slacks and an ungodly preppy polo. A pair of aviators sit on top of his head as he checks his phone. He's very laid back, even with people talking about RISE or those they hired or whatever. Dorian may keep cool but he is entirely here to just cause trouble and drag Yuri and Jacob through the mud as much as possible.

Grudgey? Yes. He doesn't care.

He sips on a black coffee as he waits for his interviewers to arrive. Perfectly nonchalant. And certainly not deliberately causing trouble, no way no how.

CARL GRIMES

[112ounces]

Carl dressed as he always dressed: blue-gray plaid shirts and jeans, wearing his father's deputy hat, black leather eyepatch across his right eye. He doesn't feel as exhausted as he was in the first day of August, but he still feels tired. He probably looks tired as he feels - he doesn't bother to look in the mirror nowadays.

He sits down in the chair, in the stark room of Helix. He's not worried, or even afraid.

In fact, he doesn't feel anything at all.

He studies at his interviewer, but never says a word.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

[glowsferatu]

Kanaya doesn't go halfway when it comes to how she's dressed, she has a dress planned for each separate interview. She's very carefully composed on any good day, but when today she especially means to come off professional and credible. She couldn't get anyone to care about the fledglings while they were all still (arguably) alive, or even after half of them were murdered. If she's going to be given a platform, she's going to use it as bet she can.

She might have preferred moving this to her own office, it's in the same compound, after all. But while she's done her best to elevate the Helix Station's drab and severe decor, the room they've chosen looks deader than she is. She's never been more disappointed in the neighbors, and that's saying something.

[glowsferatu]

Kanaya's brows raise as her eyelids lower. She doesn't think she's ever been in a room with Lucifer before, at least not in such close quarters. If she has any uneasiness about her testimony, it's that this is the sort of person she'll be lumped with now. It's different with him, everything they could possibly have done to him was wholly deserved.

She doesn't care what they do to the guilty, it's the innocent she's concerned for. She's just that kind of hypocrite.

"I'm sure we all find the quality of the company less than impressive."

[angelfire]

"Well that's just impolite. As much as our motives may conflict, we're both here for the same thing, aren't we? To see that justice is done?"

He steps toward her. If she wanted not to draw attention to herself, the opposite has been achieved, and now she has the pleasure of his conversation as well as satellite presence. He smiles, minutely; the smile of a politician that smells something unpleasant and ignores it.

"I was wronged by RISE, imprisoned interminably without charge. If I don't speak on the subject then who will?"

bless you for that heading

[dun_moch]

"Greetings, Kanaya."

Dooku and Kanaya have spoken many times on the Network, but this is the first time they have encountered one another in person. She makes a good first impression on the Count as he strides into the room, cape swishing behind him- her green dress matches his taste in fashion.

But Dooku is not here to talk fashion, which he makes clear by setting his phone on the table in front of him, audio-recording function ready to go. He also sets down a notepad, and scrawls out a heading in practiced, formal script.

"If you are comfortable and ready, I would like to begin. With your permission, we will record this session for the record."

Edward Elric

[fullmetalbrat]

Edward's opted for the coffee shop setting rather than shut himself up in a small room of a building held by people he doesn't trust. Not that he trusts the coffee shop much more, but at least it's less confined. He's worn his standard "uniform"—a long red coat over a stark black top and and pants and a pair of crisp white gloves to make sure his automail is hidden from view, and he's ordered himself a plain black coffee and some sort of savory pastry while he waits for his interviewers to arrive.

[fullmetalbrat]

Edward could handle this calmly like a rational person who has things like self control and foresight; he really could and has managed it before. But, after another recent kidnapping scare, he's wound a little too tightly to manage to keep his emotions entirely in check.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

[angelfire]

Careful there, blondie. Everyone's supposed to be on their best behavior, here, and that includes you.

Lucifer keeps his hands in his pockets, as though he's not being addressed. He tilts his head upward, as though noticing Edward for the first time.

"Who? Me?"

[fullmetalbrat]

Edward does, at least, still know better than to do more than yell no matter how much he'd enjoy introducing his fist to Lucifer's face.

"Do you see me yelling at anyone else here?"

[angelfire]

Lucifer folds his arms, and beckons with one hand for Edward to come toward him.

"Have you considered just using your indoor voice, maybe?"

[fullmetalbrat]

Edward scowls sharply and crosses his arms, not budging from the spot he's in.

"I'm not an indoor voice kind of guy."

[angelfire]

"Very well. Have it your way. I'm here because I was invited to share my opinions on RISE, same as you."

"Well. My experience of them, anyway. Opinions are much too wishy washy."

[fullmetalbrat]

"Is that so? I bet you were real fair and impartial too," he growls out sarcastically.

[angelfire]

"Please. I'm not going to make excuses for Olivier. She has to defend her actions, every single one."

He's just fine having this conversation so that the whole room can hear.

"I'm a witness, not a judge. When I've spoken, it's out of my hands."