Arachne
Neutral 
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41 
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Post by Arachne on Dec 11, 2016 22:00:15 GMT -5
The alarm clock rang at 0600 hours and Jessica fumbled to slap it into silence. Today was not a day off for her. It was that time of the month again, which she supposed would sound funny if she were any other sort of person since it had nothing to do with that feminine clock. Instead, it was just another reminder that today was a day full of tests, all of which she hated. Jessica had been subjected to these same tests ever since she escaped Castle Doom four years ago. It was all done in order to reassure her mother that the stupidity on the part of her daughter was not causing her body to break down, poison itself, or simply decide to shut down in a day or two. And this was all due to her foolish pride.
Sitting up, Jessica turned on her bedside light and started the first set of tests; a simple drawing of blood, or at least it would be simple if her damn skin weren’t so tough. Normal needles didn’t pierce her skin anymore. The medical staff soon learned that tungsten carbide needles had to be used and, on top of that, the force needed had to be applied by machines or by Jessica’s own hand. Super strength was helpful like that, and her taking control of the situation was just another in proving herself to HYDRA. Once the vial was full, Jessica quickly showered and made herself presentable for the rest of the day’s tests. Just because she was meant to suffer today, that did not mean she was allowed to shirk her appearance. After all, she was the only daughter of Madame HYDRA. Standards had to be kept.
By 0700, she was already going through her paces in a seemingly impossible for normal humans obstacle course and gymnastics routine, testing her agility, flexibility, and reflexes. The gymnastics portion was something she could practically do with her eyes closes and, in fact that was something she did in certain areas of the program since it become so monotonous. Then it was time for Jessica to run ten kilometers worth of laps, alternating between speed sprints and long distance running. After that, she was sent on to test her strength and musculature. Though her body structure didn’t show it, Jessica was capable of lifting four metric tonnes without breaking a sweat. Today though? Today, she wanted to be done with these tests for once and for all. Up until now, five metric tonnes had been her limit, but she asked the scientists running the test to increase the weight to six metric tonnes. She knew better than to ask where her mother was, but perhaps by now she was in the observation room watching her. Perhaps if she showed she could do this much, the test would end, and she would be consider normal again. Extremely strong and agile with the ability to climb walls and shoot electricity from her fingertips, but maybe HYDRA would stop looking her like a test subject.
Once the weight was added, Jessica set about lifting it. One tonne made a difference she never realized. It was actually a struggle to lift this much weight, causing her to readjust her grip, her stance, and to bear down, but she did eventually manage to pull it up. At the apex of her lift, she risked a glance towards the observation window, hoping to see the familiar silhouette of her mother standing there. There was no such luck and her disappointment caused her to become off-balanced and lose her grip on the weight. It crashed to the ground, impacting both heavily and loudly, and the only reason Jessica was not trapped as well was due to her reflexes. Jumping back and away, she landed halfway up the wall that was twenty feet away, feeling disappointed and ashamed at the damage she had caused once more.
Thankfully, that was the last physical test she would have to do before lunch. After that, her bioelectricity levels would be measured, as well as her immunity to toxins, but for now she was seated on a examination table in the medical office, having all the normal tests of a physical run on her.
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Post by Madame HYDRA on Dec 15, 2016 1:03:36 GMT -5
Viper had been in the war room of their secret base for most of the morning, trying to come up with a strategy that could get them out of Doom controlled territory quietly and into safer land, like Russia. She had been at it for months, and the best she could think of was to set up a diversion and run when Doom was looking the other way. And she hated running. Especially after what that monster did to her daughter. He could drive them out of their land in Germany, but to torture her own flesh and blood was unforgivable. It was part of the reason for her obsession with destroying Doom. Spreading HYDRA's influence aside, Doom had to be decimated, and nothing less would satisfy her.
She had been in this state for years. Four years, to be exact. Since Jessica's "incident" at Castle Doom. She became so engrossed in her work, she forgot testing day until word reached her that the physical exam had been successful. Dammit. She wanted to be there this time. She wanted to show Jessica that she had her mother's support.
Today, however, she heard the six tonnes of weight crashing down into the floor and immediately assumed the worst. She dropped absolutely everything and ran until she found one of the overseeing doctors that assured her Jessica was fine. That she had overexerted herself but that she was safe. A sigh of relief.
Viper stopped the attending chemist from entering the examination room and dismissed them for the afternoon, stepping in herself. Seeing her daughter laying on the exam table like that was a little hard to see, but she steeled herself like she always did and stepped closer.
"I heard about the mishap," she said, smoothly. "I'm glad to know you are safe. What made you want to take on the extra weight?" That was what she didn't understand. It had never been more than 5 tonnes before, and the standard was supposed to be 4. What was she trying to prove?
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Arachne
Neutral
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41
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Post by Arachne on Dec 15, 2016 20:35:56 GMT -5
Jessica had expected the chemist to enter and draw more blood or do whatever tests they had planned for her, but instead it was her mother who walked into the room. Following protocol and possibly out of habit, even despite the fact that this was her mother, Jessica removed herself from the examination table and stood at attention. It was the proper thing to do. Madame HYDRA outranked everyone here, and it wouldn’t do to show a lack of respect to her, especially if someone else entered and saw it as a sign of weakness that she couldn’t even get her own child to follow orders. While standing, Jessica risked a glance at her mother’s face, trying to anticipate what this discussion would be about, not that it was difficult to guess. The weight had caused extensive damage to the floor and more than likely every HYDRA agent on base would be talking about the crash for weeks to come. She had caused needless damage because of arrogance and they weren’t exactly rolling in funds because of Doom and the recent war. To make matters worse, Jessica saw the briefest hint of emotional hurt on her mother's face before it returned to that cool, collected look that was so familiar now. Medical rooms didn't exactly bring about the best memories.
Mishap, that’s what they were calling it. Of course they would. It was the easiest, most polite way of saying Jessica had messed up. But, her mother hadn’t been there. She hadn’t seen Jessica lift and hold that much. It wasn’t a mishap. Had she not physically looked for approval, maybe the weight wouldn’t have slipped and she would have succeeded in the task rather than failing miserably. Jessica searched for an answer that would appease her mother, but was unable to do so in the end. “It wasn’t a mishap. I held the weight. I lifted and held it. I simply became distracted. I…” Her voice caught in her throat when she tried to tell her mother how much she wanted her to see her successful at a task that was not expected of her. That’s why she had attempted to spy on Doom in the first place. Her mother had always expected things of her, but only for her to do so much. She sometimes wasn’t sure what her mother truly thought of her. Was she a gift or a hindrance? Her mother had to leave HYDRA to hide her pregnancy, but she was drawn back due to the war. Was she happy to go back or sad? That was something Jessica never learned.
“… I want the tests to end. I thought that if I had done something… something…” She grimaced, unable to think of the proper word. “Unexpected? Extraordinary? Something that would give them, or you, reason to stop with the tests. Not spread them out further to every six months or every year. I want them stopped all together. I want to be normal. I want the rest of HYDRA to not be afraid or avoid me as I walk down the hall. I’ve seen how they look at me. I’ve heard them whisper behind my back. I disobeyed orders. I failed. I was captured and made an example of by the enemy. They probably think I'm a spy because I managed to escape!" Up until then, no one had ever managed to slip from Doom's grasp. "By that right, I should not be here. I have seen you remove agents for less incompetence. You've done it without hesitation or a second thought. You know I’m nothing-“ Jessica stopped in mid-sentence, having felt something, for lack of a better word, slip inside of her. As she talked, her emotions had risen and, as a result, the one ability Jessica had no real control over activated itself.
For some reason, known only to Doom, she could secrete pheromones that would either make people attracted to her or fearful and repulsed by her. That was the one power she hated having, as she was unable to get emotionally close to almost anyone. HYDRA had been able to synthesize a blocker, but due to the tests, she hadn't yet taken the day’s dosage on the odd chance it would affect the results. Upon realizing that, Jessica retreated to the far end of the room, the shock having shut her down emotionally and she prayed that it wouldn’t affect her mother. “Apologies, Madame HYDRA. I haven’t taken my suppressant today.” Another failure and mishap on her part. This was turning out to be a very bad day.
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Post by Madame HYDRA on Dec 18, 2016 4:04:49 GMT -5
Viper stood and let her daughter talk. With a glance, she silently dismissed the few other soldiers in the room and stood at ease while her daughter poured her heart out. These were things that Jessica clearly needed to say, and they needed a moment of privacy. They needed a moment between mother and daughter, not soldier and commander. It was so rare anymore that they had those moments, it was even starting to affect Madame Hydra's cold demeanor.
Then she caught whiff of the pheromones. She'd taken samples of the chemical compound and managed to produce an immunization vaccine, but just enough for one. There was only one person that needed it. Viper administered it to herself, and this was her first real test. It seemed to be working successfully, and she breathed a small sigh of relief. If Jessica couldn't relax even a little around her own mother in private, Viper considered it a failing of her parenting.
When Jessica retreated to a corner, she slowly followed and put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. Not some sort of fake compassion she might show to her senior officers, but a genuine show of compassion to her own flesh and blood. More than that, it was a show that the pheromones didn't affect her, so there was nothing immediate to worry about. "I know you want the tests to end. I do too. The last thing I like to worry about month after month is whether everything is going to come back as constant as they have, or if something is going to go wrong. You know I have to take into account every possibility. I don't want to run you through this gauntlet every month, but I don't see what else we can do to monitor your condition."
She removed her hand and breathed a sigh, shaking her head. "I have been trying to understand what was done to you, but I'm a chemist. I am not a geneticist. All I can hope to do is find patterns, track mutating cells, monitor and record change. I can do that without the physical tests, but I need to keep tabs on you on a molecular level."
As a matter of fact, she hated that this was what their conversation had to be. With the state HYDRA was in, there wasn't much time for anything else. If she could, she would take Jessica on a "mission" far away from here so they could have a moment to recollect and focus on their relationship, but there was no hope of that. Not with Doom in power.
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Arachne
Neutral
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41
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Post by Arachne on Dec 18, 2016 9:54:17 GMT -5
As the guards left and it was now just the two of them, Jessica relaxed further almost in relief. But it seemed like a double edge sword at the moment. She wanted to collapse and hold onto her mother, greatly needing her support, but her training told her not to do such a thing. She was suppose to be strong and able to withstand all of this. Now she just felt weak and useless, not at all worthy of being her mother’s child.
She watched her mother carefully, looking for any sign of reaction to her pheromones and ready to leave the room if that needed to be the case. Though her mother had never truly lashed out at her in the past, Jessica was fully aware of just how dangerous she was in real life. The name Viper was not some nickname she had acquired due to a one-time event. Jessica had heard stories that her mother had killed classmates while in training, and not always in the most standard and obvious ways. So it wasn’t until her mother followed and gently laid a hand on her shoulder that Jessica felt a sort of confused relief. “You’re not affected? But…” As far as she knew, HYDRA hadn’t managed to create a vaccine for anyone other than herself, and even that was something she had to take daily. As the relief flooded her, Jessica grabbed a nearby chair to sit in and soon found herself holding onto her mother as she spoke. She kept her grip light, knowing just how much to apply to keep it at normal, human strength, but she needed the physical contact right now.
“I’m sorry I failed you, mama.” She had been apologizing for years and, until Doom was dead and dealt with, she felt like she would continue to do just that. “If it makes it easier to understand what is happening, I will continue with the physical tests. I will not complain or show off any longer. I do not want to cause you any further hardship than I already have.” HYDRA was fractured and weak enough as it was and she didn’t need to make it any worse. “I will repair the damage I made as well.” Jessica knew how much stress and pain this event had caused in their lives; from the nightmares she first suffered from when she returned, to the sleepless nights she knew her mother had endured and still likely did. Looking up at her, Jessica studied her face for a few quiet moments. She had always thought of her mother as the most beautiful person ever, regardless of the scars she endeavored to hide. Even with only seeing half of her face, Jessica still could read it easier than most others.
“You haven’t been sleeping as much as you should, have you? Are you at least eating full meals when I’m not around?” Yes, it was absolutely a diversion away from herself, but Jessica was as much a caretaker for her mother as she was for her, and one trait they both shared was stubbornness. Viper would, occasionally, descend into an obsessive fervor while planning things, forgetting to eat while in such a state. If her mother wasn't taking care of herself, then HYDRA would not be at its best either.
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Post by Madame HYDRA on Dec 18, 2016 23:56:49 GMT -5
Viper didn't dare tell Jessica any reasons for anything. She had to have her secrets, but some of them were more important to keep than others. It wasn't important that she was immune to the pheromones. As far as Jessica was concerned, her mother was a master chemist. That was the only explanation that needed to be given. It was the only explanation she had the heart to give.
"You haven't failed me," she cooed, gently stroking her daughter's hair. "I haven't realized how hard the tests have been on you. I have been so engrossed in my work, I haven't been able to notice what's right under my nose." She pulled up a chair and sat down next to Jessica, sitting comfortably close. "I was going to make the decision before the tests started this month, but I lost track of time. I've decided your physical tests are going to be replaced with field work. Basic missions getting harder the better you do. I will still want to do blood work every month until further notice."
And she was being genuine. One of the few times in recent days that Viper allowed herself to be genuine with anyone. It was hard to tell if it was because things were going well or if ... well, they weren't. Even her own daughter wouldn't be able to tell which it was, and that was all for the best. The espionage was regrettable, but with her latest plans, everything had to be secret. At least for now.
She did manage a smile, though, when Jessica turned the questions turned around on her. She even managed a chuckle. "You caught me. I haven't been eating well." She hadn't. "What do you say we get these blood tests under way and we get something to eat? We'll take it in my office."
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Arachne
Neutral
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41
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Post by Arachne on Dec 19, 2016 21:48:11 GMT -5
Jessica didn’t realize how much her mother’s touch comforted her until she felt Viper stroking her hair. It was the little things like this she had missed since the war broke out and they moved from Madripoor to Germany. It had been an incredible shock to learn that her tough, but oddly loving, mercenary mother was one of the top ranking officials of a group she hadn’t even heard of until they stepped foot into Europe. A lot of things had abruptly changed then and some days she wished her mother had stayed Meriem Drew, but that was wishful thinking. The war had changed them both and they couldn’t go back to what they were.
“Field work?” Jessica asked, surprise clear on her face. She wanted to make sure she heard her mother correctly. Jessica hadn’t had any missions outside of the base since the incident for many obvious reasons. Yes, she had been training and studying what she could every day since the medical staff had cleared her for such things, but this was different. For a moment, she felt a rush of fear in her chest and belly. What if she failed? What if she was captured? The thought of putting her mother through this a second time worried her. But then her mother wasn’t the type to be taken for a fool twice. She wouldn’t simply throw her to the wolves, nor would she hold Jessica back. If anything, they had both learned from the past and had to trust each other. “I have no objection to the blood work continuing, mama. I am just happy that… thank you for trusting me enough to go back to doing field work. I will not disobey you and I will keep you up to date on everything. I will try to make you proud and set a good example for you as well. Thank you.”
Jessica gave her mother a look that only a child disappointed in their parents could give. It was one that said ‘you’re suppose to be the adult that does everything right, not me’. “Do I need telephone Seraph and ask her to reprimand you a few times over? Because I will.” Jessica had distinct memories of the diminutive woman putting her mother in her place more than once. She had been a wonderful aunt who taught the young Jessica quite a lot, some of which her mother actually approved of.
“I would very much like to dine with you, mama. I always do,” she told her, getting up and returning to the examination table. “If you want to stay and oversee the blood work tests, please do. I also understand if you need to return to whatever work I interrupted when you came running.” Enhanced hearing meant she had caught her mother’s rapid footsteps coming down the hall. Madame HYDRA never ran unless it was something she truly worried about. “I can join you when I’m done here.”
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Post by Madame HYDRA on Dec 26, 2016 22:31:22 GMT -5
Viper let her hand linger in her daughter's hair, fingers curling in the silky black locks. It began to sink in that it was unusual these days for her to show this much affection to her daughter, and with that realization she reluctantly pulled her hand away. At least while there were scientists waiting to perform their tests, she couldn't afford to show weakness. She had already let her guard down for too long. She had to remind herself for the thousandth time since stepping through this door that she was the leader of this organization, and she had a stature to maintain. She was sure her daughter understood that.
With less of a smile and more of a satisfied smirk on her face, Viper stood at attention to reinforce her position. "I know you won't fail me," she said firmly, but sweetly. "I have faith that you have learned from your mistakes. That is why I will trust you with these missions. I can give you a full briefing later, but I will say this much: I need someone I can trust to take these missions on. I think you're more than capable and you're ready to do this." She wanted to give Jessica more reassurance that she was ready to go back into the field, but she didn't dare. Not here and not now.
When Seraph was brought up, she couldn't help a smile and a small laugh. She didn't doubt that her daughter would telephone her old mentor. In fact, she rather hoped she wouldn't. Seraph was a small woman, but she could be fearsome if she wanted to be. "No, I will be fine. I just need a good meal. You can make sure I eat enough tonight." She smiled and winked, though she did secretly hope Jessica wouldn't decide to call Seraph just to spite her.
The scientists came back into the lab, insisting that they get their tests done, and Viper relented. "I can stay if you would like me to," she said, using a firmer tone while in front of underlings. "If for no other reason, anyway, than to see that these tests are done properly." She nodded and indicated to the science team to get started, secretly winking at her daughter with a smirk on her face.
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Arachne
Neutral
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41
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Post by Arachne on Dec 27, 2016 21:55:54 GMT -5
When Viper stood as a commander rather than just her mother, Jessica immediately snapped to attention, ready to learn and relay any information received. Her mother had trained her well even from an early age, and she knew when it was time to be a playful child and when it was time to get down to business. There was a heavy and obvious line that bisected she and her mother’s relationship and this had been a very rare time that they could be as themselves rather than titles and rankings.
She wanted someone she could trust and she was not confident enough in their surroundings to disclose any more information than that. To Jessica, that spoke volumes and could have meant many things. Was this a personal mission she would be going on, something outside of HYDRA? Was it against the organization itself? Jessica was aware that HYDRA did support gaining power by whatever means necessary, even if that meant disposing of superiors in order to further your own goals. “Thank you, Madame HYDRA. I will be ready and willing whenever you require my services.”
No, Jessica would not end up calling Seraph, even if her mother had given her reason to do so. There was quite a time difference between where they were in Germany and Madripoor. Knowing her luck, she would be calling when Seraph was asleep or occupied in other matters. Either way, the small woman would not be happy to be woken up or interrupted. She loved Jessica like a niece, but that didn’t mean she was always safe from her bad moods. “I would be honored if you chose to oversee my tests, Madame HYDRA,” she replied as the scientists reentered the room. Maybe with her presence the tests would go faster than usual.
For the most part, the physical examination was standard procedure which started by checking Jessica’s blood pressure, temperature, and heart and respiration rates. Next the scientists examined her for any changes in her outer appearance, looking for signs that Doom’s experimentation was producing other side effects or symptoms. In the four years that she had been through this part of the physical, Jessica still worried that they would find something unusual. Thankfully they never did. She was also grateful they bypassed the pelvic examination. The doctors were uncomfortable enough with their superior in the room that Jessica surmised they didn’t want to make it any worse or more awkward than it already was. Lastly, another blood sample was taken, to which Jessica had to once again drive the needle in herself, along with a saliva culture and a chemical analysis. During all this, she decided that it would be best to have her bio-energy levels done now rather than later. She didn’t want to come back here after lunch.
The scientists protested at first, but with the stern insistence from Jessica, along with her mother being in the room, they quickly relented. The device was simple to use and consisted of three tests; stamina, power, and control. They wanted to see how long she could burn a ‘venom blast’ for, as well see how powerful she could make it, and learn if she could modulate the amount of energy used. By the time the experiment was over with, Jessica was ready for food and to leave this all behind her for another month. She left the medical bay without saying a word to the scientists, not even caring to hear the results.
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Post by Madame HYDRA on Jan 9, 2017 5:10:46 GMT -5
Once Jessica had left the room, Viper silenced the scientists before they had a chance to speak. She knew the outcome of the tests already. They would be normal, as they had been for four years. She walked over to the table where the vials of blood had been stored and examined them. Five in all. That was workable. Jessica stopped paying attention after they drew her blood anyway. She labeled one to be sent to a classified location, labeled two to be sent to her private lab for testing, and labeled the last two to be monitored as normal for toxins.
Overall, she was beyond pleased with the results of the tests. Once she was done reviewing the notes the scientists had taken, she dismissed them for the rest of the afternoon and headed to her office to meet her daughter. Guards were posted on each side of the door to ward off anyone that dared interrupt her personal time.
Lunch had already been brought up. The cooks had gone out of their way to cook up some of the finest German dishes from the faintest rumor that Madame HYDRA was growing weary of Hungarian food. It did please Viper to see Rhineland cuisine waiting for her when she got to her office.
She expected Jessica may want to shower away the tests of the day, so she waited patiently for her daughter and gathered the intel needed for the assignment she was to go on. It wasn't a high profile mission, by any means, but it was field work nonetheless and she knew Arachne was itching to get back out of the base. It was high time it had been arranged.
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Arachne
Neutral
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41
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Post by Arachne on Jan 9, 2017 8:56:05 GMT -5
The walk back to Jessica’s room was quiet and uneventful, mainly due to the fact that most agents she encountered in the hallway gave her a wide berth. Either the news of her failed weightlifting had already spread throughout the base or they could simply tell that she was not in a mood to be trifled with. That was an easy thing to accomplish thankfully. Jessica shared most of her mother’s expressions when she was in a mood, looks that were made all the more obvious due to Jessica having begun dyeing her brown hair black a few years ago. She had wanted to look more like her mother, to show her that she didn’t want to be a failure, that she wanted to show how devoted she was to her, just like how Viper wore green to show her devotion to HYDRA.
The shower was a welcomed blessing and, aside from the brief personal time with her mother, it was so far the only high point of the day. She stood under the hot water, allowing it to sluice down her body and wash whatever failures still clung to her down the drain. If she could stay in here for the rest of her life, she would not reject the idea at all. Leaning her cheek against the cool shower wall, Jessica tried to not think of how she got into this situation, of how she had messed up repeatedly. Why her mother didn’t just through her out, disown her as a daughter, she didn’t know. Yes, she claimed to have faith in Jessica, but she knew that it could only go so far. Even Madame HYDRA’s patience for her own daughter would eventually run out, which was why Jessica knew she had to succeed in this next mission.
After reaching that conclusion, she quickly finished the shower, redressed herself in fresh fatigues, and made her way to her mother’s office. As usual, the guards outside the door let her in. Jessica was probably one of the few people in existence who could simply walk in without fear of reprisals. The smell of hot food reached her as soon as the door was open, causing her stomach the growl in anticipation. It was never the physical workouts from the testing that wore her out, but rather the exertion of her venom blasts. As of yet, HYDRA scientists had never asked her to drain her bio-energy ‘reserves’ completely, but she assumed they would at some point. Probably during next moth’s testing since she would now be in the field once more.
Despite being hungry and this being an invitation from her mother to join her for lunch, Jessica still stood at what the Americans would call ‘parade rest’, neither an entirely formal stance nor completely relaxing, and would remain so until her mother had finished looking the documents on her desk and was ready to acknowledge her.
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Post by Madame HYDRA on Jan 17, 2017 3:12:38 GMT -5
Jessica didn't need to stand at rest for long. Viper glanced up from her documents to see her daughter waiting like a good solider, and it brought joy to her heart. Every time she saw her daughter well composed like this, it felt like a small victory over the mess that had been done four years ago. Jessica used to have such a bad track record with losing her temper, and it had become less and less of an issue these days. It did a mother's heart good to see the change. In the business they were in, there was no room for error, and losing yourself to your basest emotions was nothing if not the most critical of errors.
"At ease," she said, setting the documents on her desk. "Come. Take a seat. I've had the kitchen send up a buffet. Please help yourself." Viper herself had already gotten herself a plate of her favorite meal, rheinischer sauerbraten, and had even taken a couple of bites of it before her daughter could scold her for not eating. To indicate that there were no expected formalities during this meal, she took a seat and plopped the dossier of information down next to her, opening it up to the first page.
"The mission I'm sending you on is top secret," she said, though of course that would be obvious. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be for you. There is word that the Americans have shipped some weapons to Doom, and I want you to get to them first. You will get to the shipment and secure it until a team of agents can get to the drop point and load them into the transport." The most basic overview of the mission made it almost seem easy, and it was. Viper had examined every detail of the intel that had been gathered, and it was safe enough to send Arachne out on her first field mission since "the incident."
She pushed the dossier over to her daughter and took another bite of her food. "The drop point is a few dozen kilometers outside of Szeged. I don't need to tell you to be cautious. That puts you dangerously close to Latveria's border. I will have men stationed along the border to act as lookouts, just in case something goes wrong. If you leave tomorrow, you will get there well ahead of Doom's scheduled pickup. Transport will be there the day after. If Doom's forces show up and you are outnumbered, do not be a hero. We can lose the weapons. We can't lose you."
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Arachne
Neutral
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41
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Post by Arachne on Jan 17, 2017 22:39:24 GMT -5
Jessica walked over to the small buffet set up for them, trying to figure out what she was in the mood for. German food was definitely different from the South Asian cuisine she had grown up with, but she knew better than to be a picky eater. Her mother never allowed that. You ate what you were given and you were grateful for it. Jessica had never questioned those words, and it wasn’t until they came to Europe and HYDRA that she began to understand just why her mother said that.
Filling a plate with her own preferred dish of herbed chicken spaetzle and a few sides, Jessica pulled up a chair and sat next to her mother. She actually chuckled upon seeing her mother quickly eat a bit before she could even start on her own plate. “Thank you, mama,” she told her softly. Jessica would never actually enforce her mother’s eating habits, but it did make her happy to see her concerns being paid attention to and be dealt with. It made her feel normal and like a family again.
Looking over the mission statement as she ate, Jessica was already thinking about what would need to be brought, precautions to take and, unfortunately, ways that this could all go wrong. “Since this is top secret, will it just be myself making the initial contact? A solo mission?” Part of her worried about being able to do this by herself, but she would never express such a fear out loud. “Do we know what sort of weapons they are? Firearms, explosives… something new?” The more details she knew, the better, and it would also give her an idea of just how careful she would have to be.
Looking over the topographical maps, she noted that Szeged was near a river, which could allow for both an easy escape route, as well as a natural barrier should she find that one was needed. But then her stomach dropped as she saw just where it was in relation to Latveria, almost the exact moment her mother mentioned the fact. The drop point was a little over eight kilometers from the border, news to which Jessica’s eyes widened, though she tried to keep the fear tamped down and under control. She would not be sent into Latveria, her mother would not do that to her. This was simply an exercise; a controlled way of facing her fear. That was all. Even so, Jessica found herself intensely concentrating on stabbing the pieces of spaetzle on her plate and eating them one at a time, not wanting to voice her fears. But yet again, it was like her mother could read her mind. “I… I would not be a hero, mama,” she told her quietly, not looking up from her plate. “I think I would run no matter what. I would not put you through the same thing twice. Not as the leader of HYDRA, and not as a mother.” Taking a deep, although shaky, breath, she nodded. “I will do this, mama. I will get you these weapons. I promise.” After a moment, she did ask a question. "How well do you trust the lookouts to do their job?" Perhaps it was paranoia, but Jessica had the feeling some agents wouldn't mind seeing her recaptured.
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Post by Madame HYDRA on Jan 23, 2017 2:56:28 GMT -5
Viper helped herself to her meal as her daughter looked over the dossier. It wasn't often she was seen without a document in her hand, but this was one of the few times. Mission briefings when she knew every detail of the plan. She made it her business to know every movements her troops made before they happened, and they were well trained enough not to make any errors. Unfortunately, there were enough extraneous factors in this mission, she didn't have all the answers, and that was why she only really trusted one person with it, despite the danger.
"It will just be you," she answered. "I will have a small squad come in to transport you and the weapons back to the base, but you are the only one that will be securing the weapons. I ... wish I knew what they were. They could be anything. The Americans kept the content of the shipment a secret enough that our cryptologists could not crack their code. For now, it's best to assume they are explosives and to treat them delicately."
As Jessica looked over the map, Viper ate very slowly. She kept her eye on her daughter, knowing exactly what she would find. She, of course, knew the danger, and she had already pointed out how close it would be to Latveria's border. But she trusted her daughter to know she wouldn't not unnecessarily put her in danger. There were safety measures in place. As Jessica absorbed the information, she continued eating and only set down her fork when spoken to. "I have screened all of my lookouts." She said it very coolly. "Anyone that would not protect you with their life has been dealt with. The soldiers to be stationed along the border know what is expected of them. If there is any sign of forces coming in from Latveria, they will send word to you. Anything larger than a necessary transport to gather the weapons, and they will send up a signal for you to escape. Anything less ... They can be taken care of."
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Arachne
Neutral
I didn't think I'd make it... And I was right. Again.
Posts: 41
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Post by Arachne on Jan 25, 2017 22:59:53 GMT -5
Jessica had hoped her mother would say something like ’there will be a small group reserved for backup or cover fire waiting a few hundred yards from the contact point’. Instead, it was just going to be her handling all of this herself. For a moment, she was tempted to speak up, saying she was frightened or unsure that she could accomplish what was required, but Jessica knew that, even if she were to look at her mother with worry in her eyes, she would have failed her utterly. That wasn’t something she wanted to happen, so the young woman quietly planned, trying to focus on all of the positives. If it was a one person operation, detection would be minimal. At most, Doom’s forces would be expecting a large attack, rather than a single operative. she would be able to use her abilities around the weapons without worrying they would be set off or destroyed. As of yet, Jessica’s venom blasts had never caused explosions.
The news that the lookouts had been hand selected by her mother was a relief. They would be the best and would not dare ignore Madame HYDRA’s orders. “Thank you, mama. You… I know you have faith in me, but I am still amazed at how calm and collected you are right now.” That had always been their biggest difference. Viper with an almost detached sense of emotions, while her daughter gave into them almost too eagerly. That was Jessica’s flaw and she couldn’t let it rule her now.
“I will leave tomorrow, bright and early. Or tonight, if that’s what you prefer. Should I go see any particular department for equipment or supplies?” She would most definitely need the appropriate clothing for this stealth mission. Her BDUs wouldn’t cut it. “As for secrecy, I won’t say a word to anyone. You naturally will be the only one I’ll report to. And… if I can gather any other intel from either side, I will bring it back.” Anything gathered from Doom’s people or the Americans would be helpful. Jessica then looked up at her mother. “How long have you been planning to send me out into the field?” Viper was not the type to just blindly rush into something, nor could a weapon drop-off be put together this quickly. How long had her mother been waiting, hoping Jessica would beg to go back into the field once more?
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