Joint Intelligence Committee Meeting

[Admiral Regis Hermitage]

In a large conference room, in the Sora Wing, a part of the Capital building which housed the Hand HQ, the Joint Intelligence Committee assembled. At the head of the table, was a tag that read, "Director Hermitage". To the right of him was a tag that read "Assistant Director Jacobs", to the left was the tag for the SDUD. On the SDUD's side, housed chairs for the HIRU Colonel, DSS Commander, ClanOps Director, and several other unit commanders that fell under the SDUD.

On the Assistant Director's side, were the IOO (Intelligence Operations Officer), the HUMINT Officer, the SIGINT Officer, the ELECINT Sub-Director, and the Planetary Supervisor for Teffilin. Mostly everyone had taken their seats, save for Hermitage and Jacobs who had yet to arrive. Among them, was Commander Tarkov, with the HIRU Colonel.

[K2]

Amy Jacobs entered first, dressed in military dress, a briefcase in her hand, her hair for once pulled back in a professional bun. She noticed that everyone else had already sat down, so she too sat in her chair, setting her brief case on the table before her and pulling out her file on the briefing.

[Admiral Regis Hermitage]

The door opened, casting a the bright light from the hallway into the room, which only illuminated the table where the officials sat at. "Officer on Deck! On your feet!" the Sergeant at arms yelled out as everyone rose from their chair and watched as Hermitage walked into the room carrying a stack of papers. His uniform was messy from running around the Capital all day, and from his latest meeting with the Council. He simply dropped the papers into a pile at his spot.

"As you were." he said and sat down. Others followed suit. "If its not too much trouble, i'd like to skip the formalities, and get right on to the briefing. Are there any objection?" he asked as everyone remained silent. "Good. Since we are all currently aware of the current situation in the empire, and most likely the entire dimension, im not going to give you my report." he puts his officer cap on the table.

"On that note, you should all have your reports ready. So, lets start on down the line with Assistant Director Jacobs." he looks over towards Amy.

[K2]

Amy stood as Hermitage entered the room, and though she had done this a thousand times, it still felt so foreign to her. All the bureaucracy -- formality -- it was something she knew she'd never get used to. It just wasn't a part of her. Hell, she was in the military and it wasn't something she could get used to. Maybe that's why she joined the civilian government.

As Hermitage signaled for everyone to sit, she took her place, her eyes fixed on him. He had grown tired over the last few years, the result no doubt of being in such power. He just wasn't the same man as he had once been. She still found herself drawn into him. However; it was no longer drawn out of some sense of attraction, but out of respect, and mutual empathy.

She appreciated him as a leader. Nothing more, nothing l-

"Assistant Director Jacobs."

"Hm?" she replied, looking up, "Oh, yes, sorry. My report. Ahem."

She pulled out her file and opened it, clearing her throat as she began:

"I'm sure we're all aware of the situation, but my team has been doing tactical analysis on the likelihood of this advancing even more. Right now, the rioting is considered a Class-3 Disturbance. It's controlled, but not peaceful. The government is still very much in control, but the rioters are being hostile, and our forces are having trouble.. Subduing the riots, especially in areas outside the capital city.."

She flipped a page and continued.

"As it stands right now, this is quickly becoming a Class-2 Disturbance. At that point, the rioters will likely become more organized. This will likely lead to attempts at overthrowing government, through legal or illegal means. Effectively, it would mean a halt on all progress. The violence would get worse, and our retaliation would likely initiate a civil war. We, obviously, can not let that happen."

At the mention of civil war, there were some gasps among those present.

"I've talked to HAND agents who have been in the field. Who have seen these protesters... I'm convinced that to stop this from getting worse, we've got to break up any chance of them organizing. We can't allow them to form any sense of leadership."

[Admiral Regis Hermitage]

"Thank You Assistant Director. Moving on down the line then? What does Special Branch have for us Director?" he asks the SDUD.

The SDUD opens his own folder and pull out the first paper. "Since the outbreak of the riots earlier today, Special Branch's Homeland Intervention Response Unit was mobilized along with Planetary Defense Marines from the 3rd Fleet in orbit to subdue the rioters. Colonel Giroux will have more on that." he goes to his next paper.

"The Diplomatic Security Service has been tasked with the security of the Senate, Council, as well as other high raking individuals. The DSS have taken most into protection in either the Government bunkers, or in thee Lancer Wing. Additionally, high command and the council want the DSS to provide Interim Senate Leader, Hamilton, with high-level protection for a speech to the Zarethian people in a few hours. Any information we can get from the spooks at HUMINT or the Techies at SIGINT will be much appreciated. The assassination of such a high level official would be detrimental to the Government. " he goes to his next folder labeled, "TOP SECRET- EYES ONLY"

"Im not going to waste your time telling you the progress of the Special Marine Service, or the Special EVA Service activities, seeing as you all can gues them very easily. But, this last one is of utmost importance and secrecy. The final unit in Special Branch is of course the ClanOps unit, which doesnt technically exist. They have been rounding up people since the outbreaks began under the Imperial Defense Appropriation Act of 2054. They have found some very interesting intel about our friend Eric Mann. Apparently he is still running some kind of show in his death. " he slides over smaller folders with the same label to the Director and Assistance director along with the others.

"Something sinister is ofoot and it worries me." he says the hermitage.

"Thank you Director. Assistant Director, do you have anything that correlates with his report?" he asks Amy.

[K2]

Amy opened the folder, reading the information, all of it quite terrifying. Reports of biological warfare, sickness, comas, death. It seemed that the government technology had eliminated many aire-borne toxins, but apparently viruses were spreading among the population... And it did all start right after the death of Eric Mann.

"We ran a lead after Eric Mann's death that suggested he had been working off world with various arm dealer corporations capable of biological warfare like this... The biggest corporation we know of capable of this kind of warfare is Galactic, Inc. but it's doubtful that they would fund a terrorist like Eric Mann... Perhaps a smaller branch of mercenaries are responsible, or the UPA..."

[Admiral Regis Hermitage]

"Couldnt have been the UPA." the HUMINT Officer spoke up. "They've been in shambles for a while. What about black market Grunder Industries products?" he asked.

"Impossible. Most of their stuff was taken off by their squads when they dropped off our radar." the SIGINT Officer informed him. "But, we did find an interesting bit of information about Eric Mann and Galactic Inc. Their Executive VP of Security has been in contact with one of the ClanOps Agents for a little over 3 months now." the SIGINT looks over to the ClanOps Director. "He mentioned something about Eric Mann being his predecessor after hearing of his death. So, we sent the Black Crows out to Robert's dungeon over in Section D, next to where Gerry grows his magic mushrooms." she chuckles at the Hand's Inside joke. "They did some snooping in Glactic Inc's database, and they found this." she slides over a picture of the former VP of Security at Galactic Inc. It was that of Mann. "So, Galactic Inc is definitely a possibility."

"And why wasnt this brought to my attention?" Hermitage asked as they grew silent.

[K2]

Amy was trembling. Eric Mann... All this time, she had been in Galactic, Inc. -- right under their noses? How... How could that be!? What did Galactic, Inc. have to do with Eric Mann!? Why would they... They... Hire him?

"G-galactic... Galactic, Inc.... They became the largest arms dealer and weapons manufacturer since Grunder's departure... During the wars following P3C.. Eric Mann, shortly after becoming Director of the Hand, proposed that the Zarethians ally themselves with Galactic, Inc. because of their private military size and technology development..."

She looked over at a Hand agent standing behind her, part of the protection detail for she and the director. "Have a forensics team look into the Point of Origin for these virus outbreaks. We need to find out how long this biological warfare has been in place here. If the capability for Mann to release such viruses existed before he supposedly died eight years ago, we may truly have a problem... That would mean Galactic, Inc. was involved with Eric Mann when he was still director of the Hand."

"Yes, ma'am," the agent replied, leaving.

"Let's hope that's not the case," Amy noted.

[Admiral Regis Hermitage]

"Alright, we can worry about an internal investigation AFTER this event has passed." he looks over to the HUMINT Officer. "Alright, what do the spooks have for us today?" he asked.

"Alright, well we have mainly been working with ClanOps, and playing Quizmaster for the most part. My men have been gathering Intelligence on the ground about possible uprisings to throw a Coup. I've sent Special Branch all of the names, and they have so graciously rounded them up. There is a suspected Coup, from what my Quizmasters tell me." he passes a few folders out. "Some of the leads had a vague link to Eric Mann, but nothing too much out of the ordinary."

"A Coup?" the SIGINT Officer Asks. "That also correlates with some intel we got just before this meeting. Several civilian broadcast channels were highjacked by radicals being commanded by an unknown. We sent their names to the HIRU, and SIGINT Quizmasters were able to make the same link as your division Carl." she says to the HUMINT Officer.

"So... Outbreaks of riots, threats of anarchy, possible Coup d'etat, and to top it all off, Eric Mann sitting center stage." Hermitage thought aloud. "I dont like this one bit."

[K2]

"Perhaps Yairhoff Haydenn is involved," Amy suggested, "I find it strange that he reappears and runs for senate right after Eric Mann's death."

[Admiral Regis Hermitage]

"Definately a possibility." the HUMINT Officer spoke up. "My men have been noticing a string of suspicious activity recently. Although, I have it from reliable sources that many officials do not want him elected to the Senate. The DIAS MI6, who ELECINT sent intel about over to us has been planning his assassination for months, but we didnt take them as a huge threat due to their rumored state of affairs." he concluded.

"Well, we still need to look into him." Hermitage replied. "Commander Tarkov?"

"Yes sir?" Tarkov spoke up.

"I want you to go into his office and do some snooping. I figured if he caught you, you wont spook him like he would be if he found one of the HUMINT spooks." he says. "Anything else Amy?"

[K2]

"Just... Remember. Everyone. Be careful," she replied.

[Beware Ye Who Enter Here]

OOC: The virus was under control because of the magical sanitation systems. It was gone, taken out of the air and the individuals through vacination and sanitation before the loss of magic. It has no grounds.

[Admiral Regis Hermitage]

(OOC: Gotcha)

"Alright. This concludes the Joint Intelligence Committee meeting. Noblesse Oblige, everyone." He says to them.

"Long live the Council." many replied as they left, leaving Regis sitting in his chair pondering the situation.