2012-09-26 - Invader Skrull: Getting Green

The fact the Skrull here have not transformed to Skrull after being knocked out, speaks levels of their self-control and training. Needless to say, Iron Man works on some extra powerful bounds (ones made for super-humans) to be placed on them and the Hawkeye imposter which definately looks like a Skrull right now after Kyle did a number on him. The group has been moved into an empty room in the sub-level, the door locked. "There are cameras inside," Iron Man states. "Mr. Stark is activating them right now."

In the meantime, Pym's old lab is being used to spread out the items collected off the persons, and the medical scan data is being displayed as well on a computer screen. None of this is looking promising. Even Iron Man is scratching his metal head, "How are they blocking the Skrull detector?"

Natasha is currently cranking up some equipment that looks like it has more purpose in an interrogation steup than it would a medical analysis, "Oh, I don't know. Why don't we go ahead and aks them. I'm sure we can give them sufficient reason to talk."

Captain America looks at Natasha giving her a dirty look, "Mental powers of some type? Do we know any Telepaths? We can trust and call in?" He shakes his head, "What about DNA, Iron man?"

Kyle Rayner is leaning against the wall in his civilian clothing with his arms crossed over his chest, the green metallic ring rests on the middle finger of his right hand. He leaves he interrogating and the techie stuff to the professonals. Though he does offer. "Do you really think interrogation will work? They're shapeshifters, anything we do to them physically will be a moot point."

"Their blood and DNA would still reflect them as shapeshifters, but that is not something even a Stark Medical Scanner will just pick up like nothing. We need something to detect them quickly and efficiently. Somehow, Mr. Fantastic finda way to detect that gene in his machine, but it is not being blocked by something they are carrying." He motions at the items, either normaly Hawkeye items, Avenger items, or S.H.I.E.L.D. items. Iron Man makes a fist with both his hands then. "Questioning, either physically or via a telepath may be the only way to find out right now. The Avengers have always been able to trust the X-Men, and they have more than one telepath at Xavier's Institute. They are dealing withtheir own issues right now however, which I have not had the time to even touch." Not that the X-Men are exactly friendly at interference when not asked for usually...and not that Iron Man can blame them.

There's a light smile from Natasha over at Kyle, "You merely have to know the right way to phrase things." She gets out a series of interrogation tools, and some things that look vaguely like vials of acid, some needles, other sorts of laboratory equipment that includes electrodes. "After all, they can still -feel-." She glances serenely over at the Captain, "For all I respect you, you know as well as I that sometimes one must make a balled fist to extract what isneeded. They will not have treated Barton any better regardless where they have him." SHe leaves unspoken 'if he's still alive'.

Captain America eyes Natasha and says flatly, "I don't care, we're better than them. I will not be a party to this."

"Black Widow," Iron Man says, even his stomach turning at the sight of those items...and it isn't like this guy is innocent. He has killed more than once...and likely quite a number of HYDRA agents he didn't even register that once whenCaptain America was brainwashed. And then the mention of Barton if he's still alive; "He is alive." He has to believe this.

But Iron Man is working to make his brain operate properly! "Outside influence. It has to be Outside influence. I will perform bloodwork to confirm this, but I believe anything to affect their blood or DNA would cause problems with their shifting ability; furthermore, the medical scans confirmed that there is nothing implanted in their bodies that do not belong there." Well, he might argue about the brain...Skrull be less dangerous without their brains.

Kyle Rayner frowns at Natasha. "Actually, I agree with Cap. I want to know where the missing people are just as much as anyone else, but there are some things that I'm not willing to do, in order to get answers." He frowns. "Perhaps scanning DNA isn't the way to go. Maybe we should do a physical workup to see if there is some sort of device within them that is masking their signature." He pauses. "I know this guy we call the Atom. He can shrink down to microscopic size. We could send him in to take a look personally. Maybe the medical scanners are being blocked too?"

Natasha pauses and taps her chin, "They've shown to a degree they can alter thier own biology. Perhpas they could simply just be altering it sufficiently so our scanners don't recognize them as Skrulls." She goes on, considering, "Lantern, can you use your ring to generally tell if they're telling the Truth?" She's going over her spread out chemical vials, taking some notes on Skrull anatomy, "I'm not an expert in chemistry, but between the three of us we should be able to make an equivalent of Truth Serum."

Captain America shrugs, "Maybe we're looking at it wrong. If they're being jammed it cause something is broadcasting on a wave to jam the device. Maybe the answer is look for energy sources that are broadcasting things that would jam."

"These scanners worked previously, and I have downloaded how they detect Skrull. There is absolutely no reason it should not be registering the Skrull in that room, they come back positive. Yet, there is not a single beep from the scanner. Green Lantern created one," and he catches himself in time, "I was informed, and it did not pick up the Skrull above ground, nor the Hawkeye imposter." He then nods toward Captain America.

"Something with the energy to broadcast something world wide. Mr. Stark has thought of using cellular towers to emit signals and cover a large area, but this is...something larger I suspect," Iron Man attempts to explain. "The sheer power level required to emit a signal worldwide would need to not only be large and impressive, but would be difficult to hide. Even a power plant would not get the job done."

Natasha nods and taps her chin, "And the grunts wouldn't know the details. Even thier special agents may not know." Assuming that's what the Barton-Skrull was. "So even if we question them nicely, we may not be able to get the details that way." Natasha considers other alternatives.

Kyle Rayner shakes his head. "No, there's no way I can use my ring to tell if someone is being truthful, especially considering the degree of control these guys have over their bodies..." He snaps his fingers.

"However, I am able to scan several wavelengths to look for a signal..even some that normally aren't used here on Earth." He shrugs. "I've never had reason to try it before now, but I can give it a shot if you guys think it's relevant?"

Captain America shrugs, "You would have to corrdinate with Iron Man. I wouldn't be able to assist." He makes his way over to the Skrull he captured. This one looked like a Skrull for sure. He looks the guys face over, "Something like that would use a lot of electricity off the grid wouldn't it?"

Iron Man also looks over at the screen that displays the camera footage from the locked room the Skrull are being kept. "If it is on grid." He then nods toward Kyle. "I am also equipped to detect natural, unnaural and alien energy signaures. I have a radius limit however. Also, if it is minimum by the point it spreads out...or if they send it through a mundane resource...," Iron Man shakes his head. "Perhaps I am giving them too much credit. Let's give this a try GreenLantern. Scan for frequencies or energy levels not native to Earth first, something minor and small if you can," apparently to see if it is something Iron Man's sensors have not picked up.

Natasha nods over, "And I'll give a talk wtih our friend when they wake up to see if he's willing to.. Discuss the matter of how their replacements were carried out, or how widespread such things were." She's not expecting their agents to have all the bones on how exactly their infiltration was carried out, but still they might get some useful information on it.

Kyle Rayner smiles. "I have a better idea, Iron Man. You do the scan, but I'll boost your output and fine tune it. Between the two of us, maybe we'll get something that was missed?" He takes on a look of concentration before firing a green beam towards Iron Man. The beam is different than anything else he's ever done. It's surrounded by halos of energy and it also pulses as if he's increasing the power slowly in intervals. "Let me know if I begin to overload your or something. We don't want that to happen." His eyes white over completely as he works.

Captain America nods, "And I'll keep Natasha from doing something, She'll regret later." He says as he shoulders his shield. His eyes going to Green Lantern, "You might get Iron Man's permission before you sync up with him." He looks back to Natasha, "I did use the correct word didn't I?"

"Wait a...," and there is something that may seem like a scream that comes from Iron Man, but it's very mechanical sounding. "Too much...information." His hands are holding his helmeted head. Poor Kyle, not like he knew that Iron Man had

the information set to directly feed into his brain. Computerized brain or not, it can only deal with so much information and....does anyone realize how many alien signatures are in New York City?! He grits his teeth beneath his mask, "Just...give....me...a few...," talking and processing the data is not working very effectively.

Natasha's comments to Captain America are somewhat more private, and more pointed. "YOu were never on the Eastern Front." She goes on and murmurs, "And I do what is necessary. Regret is not a part of it." She gathers her tools up together, and heads over towards the cell where the Barton alien was contained. And SHIELD probably knows. Or will say it does.

Kyle Rayner looks worried and concerned. He curses under his breath. "Hold on. Hold on, let me compensate." He frowns. "The information feed shouldn't have overloaded your processor..that is..unless you don'thave one?" The Lantern asks in a confused voice.

Captain America frowns, "Neither were you. You were a little girl at the time. If you remember, I was there Natasha. And I was on the Eastern Front." He says as he walks with her. "Your right regret is not an option. We're Avenger's we're not shield or Fury. We stay above it."

Iron Man barely registers it is just him and Kyle, his teeth pressed together hard as he soon gets control over his mind with Kyle's adjustments. The sheer amount of information is overwhelming...it isn't like he isn't used to the constant data as he has trouble ever fully turning it off. Sometimes he worries his dreams are really him in cyberspace...lost.

He stands there, hands only slowly lowering from his head as her reviews the data. Nothing...nothing of that size...sure, there are some things that trigger a looking into later as he tries to record the knowledge in his own database...but who knows if he will remember it is there later. Right now, he is searching for something specific, something more powerful than a power house. Nothing..., nothing..., nothing..., "Nothing!" A fist flies out and leaves a nasty dent in a wall. The fact Iron Man has a temper to display, would surprise many outsiders. He then stills suddenly, "No...not nothing." His words seem broken. "It is there. The source is not. It is there...," and Iron Man seems to laugh, but the sound comes out strange once again due to the computerized voice. A little insane, no? "I don't need...the other half...of the world." He is grinning insanely beneath his mask. "It's not on....this planet."

Natasha continues along with Csaptain America, shaking her head, "No, you were there for a few days on missions. I grew up there." Her voice is sad at the recollection. "Where tens of millions disappeared or were starved. I view the methodology of stopping such things from happening again to take paramounce over my own personal sense of appropriateness. And in any case, the chance of us getting useful infromation from a Skrull that we can use to identify other infiltrators outweighs the methods. Otherwise they just sit in a brig and we get nothing from them other than having to waste time guarding them."

Kyle Rayner continues to concentrate, adding his power to Iron Man's. If he had known there was a mind like Tony's inside the suit, he'd not have made that first mistake, however, they do seem to make some progress. "Not on the planet? IM, are you sure?" In the back of his mind, he could hear Captain America and Widow arguing, but it was taking the bulk of his concentration to make sure that he doesn't overload Iron Man. "Should I increase the signal? This would have worked better if I had known your limits before hand."

Captain America looks at Natasha, "So now the ends justify the means? We fight fire with fire? An eye for an Eye? I'll let the Punisher know he can pick up his membership card." He says looking at Natasha his eyes narrowing.

"It's not...a limit. Just not used to information that fast and that much. Your ring permits my system to operate beyond current human means." He is quiet and thoughtful. "It will be quicker than flying up. I can handle this, do it." If Steve knew what Tony was risking, he would likely be like: 'Hell no! Take the extra time!' But this is Stark, he is willing to take short-cuts to get just a slightly better edge.

Kyle Rayner gives a slight nod, even though he's sure that Iron Man doesn't see it. "Alright. Prepare for a power surge. Easy does it, now." Gradually, he increases the power to Iron Man, a trickle of sweat drips from his hairline down his face. This was delicate work, afterall, and he was constantly worrying that this would end badly for both of them. Any feedback to the ring would more than likely incapacitate him, too.

It isn't just that Iron Man is a cyberpath, but he is also brillant, using what he can of the suit to help regulate. He has more control then he did before, even though it is more powerful and the information feed is extreme. His mind is lost to the outside world...only the information matters. Stark is sweating in the suit himself, actually shaking slightly, but the suit mostly hides it. He is searching, and searching. And when he finds what he is looking for, he can't 'see' it....it's a location, the frequency waves, but the power signature is hidden. That means...., and Stark can feel the overload, "Shut...down...," and he's trying to shut down his sensors, to turn them off. Least the ones the ringis accessing. He cannot stop his shakes from being visible even through the suit now.

Captain America slams a fist into the wall harder than Iron Man did and blocks Natasha, "This is not a a debate. I am giving you an order, you can question them but you are not torturing them. The moment you torture them, You are off this team and I will hand you over to the authorities for assault, battery, and torture. We are a team of civilian superheroes! We are not a Clandestine Shadow Operation. We are accountable to the laws and morals of the land. The moment we step over that line, we have stopped being heroes and became what we fight."

Natasha's face is flat. But, an orde ris an order. And what has been drilled over into her as much as anything else is that regardless, one -obeys- orders. She might disagree wtih the Captain, but he has given her a direct order, she ison Avengers facilities, and she is a member of the team. "I iwll obey." And will not backtalk further. She is still a soldier.

Kyle Rayner immediately cuts the feed from Iron Man, the glow from his ring subsides as he does and the increased information feed dwindles down to where it would normally be for the cybernetic hero. Kyle looks visibly shaken as he sinks himself down into a chair, bringing a hand up to wipe his forehead of sweat and pinch the bridge of his nose. "I am so going to have a headache after this." He could already feel the pounding start behind his eyes. "Wow..that took a lot out of me."

"Let's...not do that again, unless we absolutely have to." Iron Man actually moves to sit on the floor with a thump. He can't get the sweat out of his eyes, and it stings. He is breathing a little heavily though, but the suit covers that up. That is when he finally notices that they are alone, and he does not have the mental energy to reach out to the security cameras just yet. He will...in a second. "Can we keep this a secret between us, Green Lantern? It is a national level secret, my condition." Condition?! That he is a cyberpath?! Apparently.

Captain America nods, "Thank you. Now you can question them. I will leave you to that. Heck you can hint at torture but you can't actually torture them." He nods, "I will be in the monitoring womb monitoring things while people work." With that he turns and excuses himself.

Kyle Rayner nods. "Agreed. It was much more difficult than I thought it would be." He listens to Iron Man for a moment and then he nods again. "Of course. Besides, if it's a national level secret, then I could go to jail for it." He chuckles. "But seriously, you can trust me, man."

Iron Man is quiet for a moment, before he says, "As long as you did not go public or to enemies with it, I would make sure that did not happen," he means the jail thing. "Though I would appreciate your silence upon the manner in either case." Basically, he is not threatening you. He nods his metal head. "Thank you. I know I can trust many people, but I have my concerns." Such as when Captain America was mind controlled and know Viper has his secret identity. The thought makes him sick whenever he thinks about it. It was not Steve's fought. "So, the others...," and Iron Man remembers to finally access the security cameras then.

Kyle Rayner runs a hand through his hair. "Now that you know where the interferance is coming from, how do we go about fixing the problem?" He rises to his feet and moves to stand in front of a monitor, so that he could access the security footage as well.

"No...I'll announce it to all of those with the approved links. Mr. Stark and Dr. Richards can see how to expose the thing. But we need to get everyone on board for the attack. We are going to go say hello, Green Lantern," and beneath the mask, Stark is grinning insanely.

Kyle Rayner grins as he monitors the screen in front of him. "Sounds like a plan. Natu is monitoring the coms given to the Justice League task force that was created for this situation. We should fill them inand coordinate our attack on the power source, wherever it may be. It'll give us a higher degree of success."