2022-08-30: The interview room is a euphemism
- Cutscene: The interview room is a euphemism
- Cast: Yuliana Dispersal, Major Pham
- Where: Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Date: 2022-08-30
- Summary: Yuliana disappears for a few days following the events at Frontier. Her people have concerns -- and questions -- over their unique asset being affected by an unknown kaiju. (Content warning: interrogation.)
The interview room is small -- cozy, by one report, cramped by another -- with a table against one wall, and two chairs facing each other. There are no windows, and plenty of cameras hidden about. Call it 'conversational'.
It's cold in here, but not outside.
Yuliana isn't particularly nervous about the questions her unit has for her, after those anomalous events on Frontier. She wouldn't be; they gave her pills to calm her down, after Medical gave her a thorough checkup and observation period to make sure she wasn't injured in some unseen way. If those meds happened to lower her guard in the process -- well, that's just a consequence of being in a safe environment now, surely.
She rests one hand against that table, fingers drumming on the wood. Across from her sits Major Pham Van Vinh -- her commanding officer and arbiter of her fate. She says, again: "It's as I've told you, sir. My memories of the event are clouded, so I'm not able to give you a detailed report."
Even though she's repeating herself, Major Pham doesn't seem satisfied. He's a severe, humourless man, new to his sixties and too hardened to retire to his family. "But you were the only one affected mentally on the day," he repeats, frowning. "You were evidently targeted, Captain. You must know something of why you would be singled out like this. Your extrajudicial contacts -- yes," he asides, grim, at her surprise, "I'm aware of them, don't look at me that way, I'm unconcerned with your bribes. And they've proven remarkably unhelpful in offering useful context, so I've no recourse but to keep asking you."
"Ask me and ask me and ask me again, but there's nothing more I can tell you!" Yuliana snaps, but her pique is short-lived; she heaves a sigh, and sinks down in her just-shy-of-comfortable chair. "Obviously I have enemies -- you'd be blind not to notice the world's not too fond of us and ours, sir -- but none that match this type of kaiju. It appeared out of nowhere, so there's little I could have done to mitigate the situation... though frankly, if dancing was really the worst of my problems, I'm not sure why you're this concerned." There's a sullen edge to her insistence; perhaps she resents being pulled aside so long.
"Tell me, Captain," Major Pham leans forward, raising his brows inquisitively, "while you were busy dancing, were you or were you not apprehending the kaiju? If this enemy can take out my finest ace before she even thinks to fight, there's no way I couldn't be concerned."
"Well... no," Yuliana admits, pausing on the confirmation, teeth pressing into her lower lip. "At no point did I engage the kaiju in my robot." She hastens to add, "But the Winter Witch attended to the scene, so --"
"Sokolov? Yes, the Republic has a great many assets associated with it," the Major concedes, before he slams the door of possibility shut: "but you are my asset. Handling you was my last chance, my last opportunity -- what would you have me tell Command if you died, or God forbid, were taken? Would it be good enough, then, that there was another soldier on the scene? Does a single thought echo in that empty little head of yours?"
"... no, sir," Yuliana mumbles, face flush with embarrassment and anger, fingers curled tightly to a fist on the desk. Even through the chemicals, she hears the implications.
"What was that?" Major Pham asks -- demands, really, but it's coached in kinder words.
And Yuliana reports, with discipline more becoming of a soldier: "No, sir." Her fingers remain tightly curled, resting on the desk, the blanching of her fingers lending prominence to the band on her ring finger.
His own hand reaches over, faster than anyone would give him credit for, to grasp her wrist tightly and tug it forward with a bruisingly-tight grip. "Your fiancée, then," he demands, meeting her widened eyes with a level expression. He answers the unspoken question: "Yes, I know -- Chaudhri works for me, Captain. She is associated with you, and if you can't think of who would do this, your personal life is the obvious leak. Who is she? What have you told her? Who does she speak to? Who does she answer to?" A beat of a pause, and he insists: "Tell me."
Panic crosses Yuliana's expression, unveiled by chemical and physical pressure; her lips part, her teeth grit, her chin ducks over the scarf at her neck. "S--she's not military," her answers tumble out, a thread of desperation to them -- "she isn't involved, I don't want to get her involved, she doesn't answer to anyone -- who could cause us trouble, I, I just wanted to start a family, really, don't, don't trouble her with all these awful details, she-- she'd worry, knowing what happens... Major, you're hurting me," she pleads, appeals to him, because she can hear the way her justifications neighbour the truth.
"All right," Pham sighs, releasing her wrist; Yuliana pulls it back, into her lap, covering her left hand with her right. He's gone on the offensive against her pride, her private life, and her person -- now he relents, softens his tone, to see what flows from the wound carved out. "I'm belabouring the point because I'm concerned about you, Captain... and if something were to happen to you, I would be doomed, just the same. I have a family as well, you know..."
"Yes, sir," Yuliana agrees, glancing aside. "You've mentioned it. If I could tell you anything more, I would," and perhaps the brief pause is so she can shake her head, "but I've already told you everything I know. I don't know anything about the kaiju... or why it affected me. I don't know..." She sounds a hair miserable, lips tightening.
Of course, she's aware of what's going on here, even if they use these strategies because they work. She knows that elaborate webs can be easily unwoven, just the same; she doesn't want to complicate this situation with anything which could hurt Elisa, later. But if he keeps asking, she -- might say something she'll regret.
Yuliana wasn't lying: she doesn't want to get Elisa involved in the REA's business.
"If... if it was only me... it must be because I'm unique," she settles on, without comfort. "Major, the head scientist has been acting strange lately -- you know, Dr. Devi? It's... possible she's upset one of her colleagues, or..." Yuliana pauses, and presses: "sir, how much do you know about -- my project?"
"I was briefed on the salient details," Major Pham says, with a light frown.
"Mm... well, it's not really like they tell me anything," Yuliana admits, and buries the wretched feeling in her bell-jar heart, far, far away. "But they've relocated and rebranded enough times over the years... if you understood the Institute better, I'm sure it would be easier to figure this out."
It's causing trouble in her own backyard, but...
Major Pham leans back in his chair, with a long sigh. "... Captain Dispersal, you must think me a fool. First, Medical reports a strange experiment they weren't privy to, and now this... coupled with your behaviour over the past year, it's obvious you've gotten yourself in some trouble." Yuliana bites her lip, gaze darting away, again -- she can't quite stop herself. "But," Pham continues, "if you won't ask me for help, it seems I've two options on the table."
"Sir?" Yuliana asks, attention snapping to him again.
"I can exile you to desk duty, and explain to Command why I'm no longer willing to send you out to stand over suspected Newtypes, leaving aside the utility you bring to me as a special operative. If I keep you here, I'll always have a team on hand to intervene in -- whatever these attempts are... and I'm sure you'll be eager to tell me everything after a month of nothing but 276Ks." He notes the grimace on Yuliana's face, and goes on: "Or, we pretend at situation normal. You carry on with your operations -- and apply yourself to learning just who's out for your blood. You're a veteran operative, Captain -- I'm sure you understand the responsibility on your shoulders, so I hardly need to coddle you. On balance, I'd prefer to make use of you than mothball you... but you must be more open with me."
Yuliana's fingers tighten, about her hand. "I understand, sir, but... I've told you everything I can. It really is my honest assessment that the most likely parties to my condition are the scientists. If it's because of what I am, that's really where I'd start." She blinks, a beat overlong, and says: "... it's classified information, after all. I'm loyal to the Republic... I wouldn't share something like that so easily." This much is true; it wasn't easy.
"If nothing else, I believe that," Pham sighs, again, chin tilting up. "You've never flinched in the face of your duty, even where others would find the tasks distasteful." He pauses, for a moment, and nods. "... all right. We'll call it a start. Besides, I'm sure you're sick of sitting on that side of this room, Captain."
"Very much, sir," Yuliana agrees, quickly.
"Medical's cleared you for duty, so -- report to the mainland," the Major directs her, immediately. "We've had more reports of ZAFT activity, and you're needed to support the war effort. Perhaps I'll assign you to another individual assignment when I'm more comfortable."
Yuliana reflects that it's entirely bitter to be punished for being victimised, but at no point does she wonder if the Major suspects she's at fault. It's simply the way of things, here. "Yes, sir," she confirms, voice clear. "I'll deploy to China immediately."
"Hm... sleep off the day, first," Major Pham adds, the closest any of them will get to admitting he drugged her to compliance.
"Yes, sir." Yuliana certainly isn't going to bring it up.
... those teenagers took her necklace, but when she beds down, her dreams are still troubled.