Chapter 1. Manchester 2073.
Aleksandra preferred the city to the country in England. In Manchester and London people didn't seem inclined to stare. In cities people ignored the 6 foot 7 women built like a glacier. Aleksandra assumed it was because people had less time on their hands in the cities, having come from the Russian countryside herself.
Aleksandra walked along the Sackville Street past the University, taking note of the number of Omnics who seemed to be pooled in this area. The metallic humanoid beings were often forced to the outskirts of cities, being too poor to live in the middle of the city itself and living outside the city meant a high chance of discrimination and in some places, lynching. Being in the middle of the city either meant they had found work by those willing to employ them or were homeless. Aleksandra stopped at a large laboratory with a security gate and placed her identification through the gates. She ignored the sniggers of the guard at the checkpoint and was allowed through. Aleksandra had not been looking forward to meeting Angela, the British Girl had been nearly impossible to find but when she had been found she had been easy to talk too and build a rapport with. Given of what she knew of Angela, Aleksandra doubted she would as pleasant, and highly doubted she would willingly leave the life she knew.
"Hello there, you must be Aleksandra" Aleksandra turned to see a lithe man with long red hair pulled back from calm green eyes and a hand extended towards Aleksandra "I'm Einar Ziegler, I assume you are looking for my wife?"
Aleksandra shook the hand offered but did not return the warm smile. She could here a trace of a Icelandic accent in his voice. She could also hear the anxiety in his voice. This will not be easy, she thought. "Yes, where can I find her?" Lets get this over with so I can go back with half of what I came to this miserable country for.
"Just follow me" Einar began to lead Aleksandra through the Laboratory building talking as he want "we were extremely happy to find out that the UN was interested in our work, our research into wave particles in the use of medicine is second to none, though we have other studies that could benefit greatly from the extra funding"
Wrong, thought Aleksandra we would take an interest in funding you if we had the money to spare. Instead they're spending it on things that will damage them further, like me for example. Despite this Alexsandra was happy to note that Omnics seemed to be employed at the laboratory.
And the funding is very welcome at the moment, especially given how Switzerland and Austria refused to back us, Angela originally wanted to be based in Zurich; home town and all, but the Anti-Omnic coalition got into power and refused us. Angela said that the government didn't respect science" Was the only way to get this meeting by lying to you?
"Yes, I remember hearing about that" Einars back stiffened "something about them being "goose-stepping bastards who couldn't find their arse with both hands?".
"-And Austria refused us, said it would widen the deficit" Aleksandra let herself smile at his discomfort. A handsome man but clearly one who avoids confrontation. "If you could just wait in here for a second please", Einar had lead Aleksandra through a laboratory to a common room with squashed, comfy looking furniture, a small kitchen and some computers. Thrown carelessly in the corner was a duvet, a pillow and some crumpled up pyjamas. Einar muttered an apology and left the room and Aleksandra began her wait.
Minutes passed. Aleksandra had checked her emails on her holoscreen and was now walking along the walls reading the posters, her bag held in an iron grip. A dishevelled young man in a white lab coat put his head around the door "she will be here soon" and dived back out. Aleksandra was quickly losing patience.
Just when she decided to walk out and find her herself after a 30 minute wait, A tall women in a lab coat burst into the room "sorry to keep you waiting", Aleksandra was not listening and was instead looking at the stains on her lab coat. Blood. She looked at the women in front of her now. Her sharp blue eyes had bags under them and had locked onto Aleksandra like a hawk. She had short blond hair pulled back from her face by a clip with a snake emblem. Aleksandra returned her gaze.
"I would like to get started Mrs Ziegler"
"So would I, also Angela is fine" Angela opened the door to the rest of the building "after you"
Aleksandra stared at Angele "And why can't we discuss my proposal here Mrs Ziegler?"
Angela seemed taken back "I think its important that you know what the UN are going to be funding, don't you?"
Aleksandra was not happy about this. They did lie so as to get me this meeting, and they declined to tell me. God give me strength.
"No, I'm here to talk about Overwatch"
Angela looked as though she had been hit between the eyes. "What? I thought you were here to support Idun? What does Overwatch have to do with this?"
"Well, your opportunity to join"
There was a awkward pause as Angela's look changed to a hard glare. She let the door slam back into place and walked away from the larger women with her back turned, then suddenly turned on Aleksandra with a dead pan look. "Do you know the way out?"
"Now why would you say that? Why wouldn't you want to join?" Aleksandra allowed herself a small smile which Angela did not seem to notice. This should be interesting.
"Those outdated, backwards, prejudiced military thugs? Well for one thing they are completely useless. They were made to fight the Omnic crisis, but their plan of scrapping every Omnic was overturned when the crisis stopped, not due to their violence but because of dedicated scientists and civil servants who were able to reprogram them to be immune to the virus that was causing them to go insane, which started off as an attempt to wipe them out. While Overwatch would have killed them all, other, smarter people were trying to save them. I'll give Overwatch this though, they are really good at having money wasted on them"
Aleksandra pretended to consider this and sat down into the settee. "Some might argue that, given how one in ten still have the vulnerability to the Anubis virus, the crisis hasn't actually ended. This and the fact that the Omnics relationships are in the shitter". She is pitifully easy to get started.
Angela responded as quick as a snake "I'm perfectly aware of the one in ten statistic. I would argue that the best way to stop it activating would be to not produce a genocidal computer virus. Besides, the virus has been eradicated. And for the last thing? Maybe relations would improve Overwatch was scrapped, just a thought". The women who was just before about to try and make friends with Aleksandra had turned on her, her anger at being cheated out of the funding was clear. Aleksandra was observing her closely. Passionate, but impulsive. At least she can improvise. Good lungs as well, clearly. "So unless you're offering me a stake to ram through the heart of that fascist, outdated, anti-human rights waste of space we call Overwatch, or Blackwatch for that matter, I would much rather get back to work"
Alexsandra had not been looking forward to the meeting for just this reason. Someone who called foreign governments fascists because of their convictions concerning Omnics or would happily rant at a official from the UN for even mentioning a certain organisation would been hard to convince and get to her side. That being said, the Woman standing across from her was amusing to watch. She held such a conviction that Alexsandra was enjoying just watching her rant. Few people started arguments with people on the streets. Angela started arguments with representatives from the UN and didn't mince her words at all. Alexsandra wished she had that ability.
"I can't offer you a stake, Van Helsing" She gave Angela a disarming smile.
"Very well then" She made her way to the open door.
"But I can offer you a chance to help reform the UN!"
Angela halted halfway through the door and looked back on Aleksandra. "I'm sorry, What?"
"I completely agree with you! It is an outdated idea. Overwatch I mean Complete waste of money. The money would be much better suited going here instead of Overwatch" Aleksandra continued her disarming smile.
"You came all the way from Numbani to tell me that?" Angela muttered as she sat down opposite of Aleksandra.
"No, I came here from Numbani to offer you a place in the Overwatch Rescue Service"
"The what?"
Aleksandra passed a folder and a card with her number on it to Angela. "The Overwatch Rescue Service. Think of it as a very well-funded humanitarian charity. The first team is suited to military operations, fighting mostly. Problem is, they aren't suited to international policing, civilian rescue or maintenance of human right offences. They could do this, but at this point they've cut out a nice little niche for themselves and are sticking to it. The team I'm trying to set up are going to do the things that Overwatch Should be doing, instead of, like you said, having money wasted on them" Angela was flicking through the folder with interest and then returned it to Aleksandra.
"So, this is what you want me to join" She didn't sound as upset as she was before.
"Yes"
"Your going to be pissing off a lot of people, this gives the UN a lot of power" Aleksandra could hear the grudging respect in Angela's voice.
"We could be pissing off a lot of people Angela, all the while saving lives. Do you have a problem with the UN?"
"On the contrary, it's not like there is a lack of chaos in the word right now. If the UN can get people to toe the line, I will happily support it. How the hell did this get passed in the first place without setting off Washington or Moscow?"
"Because they don't respect us, because they think the UN is a weak force on the world compared to them, let alone keeping superpowers in check. Which is why I'm hoping this team will be able to give the UN some actual teeth"
Angela seemed to like that, though her deadpan face made it hard to clarify.
"And how will this allow me to reform the UN?"
Aleksandra breathed in. I may have been exaggerating, but if she can do it then technically I'm not exactly lying.
"If we can get enough focus through the media, we might be able to get the UN more power by having more people trust in us"
Angela stared at her "That's your plan?"
"That and the fact that with this position you will be a official UN representative, who might be able to influence foreign governments"
Angela considered this. "What level of influence? Secretary General level or Ambassador to Narnia?"
Aleksandra bit her lip. "With media focus you'll be able to gain more power" This is not going well.
Angela sighed. "Right..."
"And of course, you'll be able to save more lives"
"More then I can save here? I somehow doubt it."
"You don't want to consider for more then a few seconds?"
Angela smiled. "You see that Duvet in the corner? I've been sleeping in this room more often in the last two years then I have been sleeping in my bed at home with my husband. I haven't left this building for five days. I only need four hours of sleep at night. I've been averaging 2 the last year. I married 4 years ago. I'm still to have my honeymoon"
She's fucking insane...
"Oh, I see" replied Aleksandra "You feel as though you can do more here" She's probably not wrong. But before I go, I need to see about that sleep comment. Aleksandra had started with little hope. Said hope had evaporated.
Angela nodded "Yes, exactly. I've put my heart, soul and no short amount of blood into this project. Too leave now would be senseless." She gave an interested look at Aleksandra. "I'm sorry if I wasted your time" But you wasted a lot of mine, is what Aleksandra heard. "I really have to get back to work, and sorry I was sharp before"
You're not going back just yet. "In that case, I just need to verify something to make sure this wasn't a complete waste of time" You mentioned sleep. No one can operate on 2 hours sleep a night for a year. You let it slip. "I want to know if what I've heard is true"
"And what would that be?"
"The Zurich Incident"
Whatever respect they had developed over the last few minutes disappeared at those words. "I called them Fascists and they declined to support the project" She had stood up and was standing by the door. A clear hint. "Is that everything, Miss..."
"It's Aleksandra Zaryanova"
Angela offered her hand. She did not give the warm smile that her husband had given. "A pleasure, Miss Zaryanova"
Zarya was not giving up that easily. "I meant what happened back when you were a student, Angela"
Angela's face split into a smile "Oh, that! A friend of mine was building a sex cyborg and he asked me to dig up bodies for the raw materials"
"Mrs Ziegler..."
"Oh, or do you mean the time my friend passed out and as a joke we used her as a scarecrow, only we forgot to took her down for three months"
"You know what I meant" Though Zarya doubted she could get her to spill. She doubted a well-trained team of Torturers could get her to give a straight answer.
"Oh, do you mean when that music teacher shoved a flute up her pussy and played Bach?"
Zarya took the hand offered to her in defeat and squeezed it. "I know the way out" Angela's grip was surprisingly strong and had tightened as Zarya's hand had. She was taller then Einar, 6 foot possibly. To someone other then Zarya she would have been a imposing figure. They shook awkwardly.
"So long then, and please give a good word about me in the UN, I could still do with the money"
It had gone better then Zarya had expected, but that still didn't mask the fact that the entire day had been a complete waste. There was no chance of getting Angela to talk. And to push further would be too make an enemy of someone that Zarya would rather avoid upsetting. The Zurich Incident had been on her mind once she had looked into Angela's past affiliations, and the strange rumours surrounding Angela increased Zaryas interest. Rumours such as her modifying her body so as to increase her strength, another about a sexual relationship with a professor at Zurich while a student and some downright bizarre rumours from conservative groups saying that she was demon who's research was into unnatural things that man should not transgress against, who broke scientific rules and moral guidelines so as to get results. Zarya highly doubted that she was a demon. Zarya was a strong Christian and felt that someone demonic would not share her views, at least she hoped not. She had told the last part to the British Girl; Lena, and her reply had made Zarya had made her smile. " Unethical Swiss doctor? Has she been digging up corpses?" At least she had given me tea, and had a talk that lasted more then a minute. Zarya turned her collar up against the cold wind whipping through the streets of Manchester and began the walk back to the train station.
