Informative Psychiatric vid-conference.
Arranger: Nacelle. Psychiatrist at I-11 and affiliate of the Joint Investigation Unit.
Present: Nacelle(Dr. med. dipl. psych. I-11.), Overdive(Dr. med. dipl. psych. I-11.), Flashbolt(Dr. med. dipl. psych. Senior Chief Physician in Psychiatry at I-11.), Quickstream(Dr. med. dipl. psych. Senior Chief Physician in Psychiatry at A-63.), Turbine(Dr. med. dipl. psych. Senior Chief Physician in Psychiatry at E-35.), Crossways(Dr. ph.d. med. dipl. psych. Senior Chief Physician in Psychiatry at S-84.), Trailfire(Dr. ph.d. med. dipl. psych. Senior Chief Physician in Psychiatry at O-5.), Posthaste(Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, school of Advanced Medicine, Iacon), Zephyr(Associate Professor Emeritus in Psychopathology at Medical University of Altihex.), Athena(Dr. ph.d. med. dipl. psych. Professor at Institute of Forensic Medicine in Kalis and member of the Psychiatric Risk Assessment Authority at the High Court of Justiciary.), Hotspot(Dr. ph.d. med. dipl. psych. Clinical Professor at Praxus Medical University and head of the Neuropsychiatric Laboratory.), Influx(Dr. ph.d. med. dipl. psych. Specialized in Forensic Mental Health Assessment and the treatment of dangerous mentally ill criminals. Psychiatrist at the closed and high secure forensic psychiatric hospital G-9 in Simfur.)
"I have requested this conference, because the Joint Investigation Unit has discovered a practice within the syndicate, that are vital to our treatment of its victims." Nacelle says while he looks at some of Cybertron's most prominent psychiatric experts on the large screen inside briefing room 3.
He sends the encrypted file of Retrograde's recently declassified credentials as well as the confidential personal files the Joint Investigation Unit has found on the leading member of the syndicate, and gives his colleagues time to read the content.
The Cybertronian board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Incorporated 19204 B.T.
Member of the Cybertronian board of medical specialties.
Hereby declares
Retrograde
was certified in Psychiatry
in the year 1810293 B.T.
as a Diplomate of the Cybertronian board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Ongoing certificate is contingent upon meeting the requirements of
Maintenance of Certification.
Retrograde
Associate Professor Cloudside
KALIS MEDICAL INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY
Kalis Medical College
Chartered 134920 B.T.
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
TRAINING CONSORTIUM
This certifies that
Retrograde
has satisfactorily completed 4 years as a
RESIDENT PHYSICIAN
In General Psychiatry
in the Psychiatric Service of the Training Consortium.
In witness whereof the undersigned
have affixed their signatures
this 99th day of 181029 B.T.
Darkdive
CHAIRMAN DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY
Eclipse
DIRECTOR OF RESIDENCY TRAINING
MEMBER HOSPITALS:
Kalis Psychiatric Center.
Praxus Psychiatric Hospital.
Altihex Psychiatric Hospital.
Iacon Sparkling and Adolescent Center.
The Cybertronian board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Incorporated 19204 B.T.
Member of the Cybertronian board of medical specialties.
This is to certify that
Retrograde
has satisfied the requirements of the Board
and is hereby certified as a Diplomate in the specialty of
Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry
Retrograde
Associate Professor Posthaste
IACON SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MEDICIN
Name: Retrograde.
Creators: Slipwire(Carrier), Hazard(Sire).
Age: 4 years.
Therapist: Paradox.
Reason for contact: Retrograde's creators take contact after several unsettling episodes with their 4 year old sparkling in the daycare unit. They explain worried, how Retrograde suddenly has begun to isolate herself from the other sparklings of her age, and if they try to encourage her to socialize, then she reacts with violent outbursts that are uncommon for her age.
Observations: Withdrawn. No optics contact. Field hostile. Reacts strongly to physical contact from people, that aren't her creators. Overdeveloped verbal communication. Tests show a degree of problem solving and intellect, that normally only is seen in sparklings at the age of 13 years.
Recommendations: I have conferred with Hailstorm at the Institute of Sparkling and Adolescent Psychiatry. He suggests that Retrograde is transferred to them for further observations and diagnostics.
Client: Retrograde.
Age: 18 years.
Therapist: Windcast. Adolescent psychiatry.
Notes: Retrograde and her creators have throughout the last 14 years frequently been in contact with the institute. There have only been a minimal of progress, and we have been unable to identify a primary diagnose. Requested psychiatric conference with experts in developmental disorders.
The psychiatric entries in Retrograde's personal files continue for hundreds of years, before they suddenly stops, when her creators are killed in an horrible accident in their home.
Retrograde vanishes and then first shows up again when she apparently receives her diploma in Psychiatry.
"Isn't that your signature, Posthaste?" Trailfire inquires when he studies the diplomas closer.
"It is, but I have never seen her before." Posthaste answers confused.
"Which is what I suspected." Nacelle says seriously.
"Why don't you explain what the Joint Investigation Unit have discovered, Nacelle? I think we all are a bit confused about what's going on." Athena adds.
"We suspect that Retrograde is an undiscovered outlier, and Posthaste's denial of ever having met Retrograde strengthens that theory." Nacelle explains, "She has been confirmed to be a leading member of the syndicate and was last seen together with their operational leader, where my client Thundercracker was transferred into her custody."
"For those of you who don't know Thundercracker. He used to be a famous investigative journalist before he went missing and many years later was freed from one of the syndicate's breeding facilities. He is no longer the person he was back then. And I mean it literal. Nothing of his old identity is left. It is as if he has been completely reformatted."
"Are you telling us that-..." Zephyr says in disbelief, "...she can affect the minds of her victims?"
"Yes, that is indeed what I believe that she is capable of." Nacelle answers grimly.
"This is your field, Influx. Can you provide us with a profile of her from the data Nacelle has provided?" Quickstream asks the psychiatrist working at the forensic psychiatric hospital.
"How many victims are we talking about?" Turbine asks horrified.
"Primus. If this is actually true, then how can we treat it?" Flashbolt wonders out loud with worry for their current and future clients.
"EVERYONE! You all need to calm down." Athena interrupts the many voices speaking at the same time. "One at a time. We need to analyze this situation together to get useful results."
"Influx." She address her fellow psychiatrist from Simfur, "Quickstream is right. We need a profile on her. Do you have enough information to give us an idea of her personality and what drives her?"
"Already working on it." Influx answers distracted, "Give me an hour or two."
"Good. Nacelle, do you have an estimate of how many clients we are talking about who might have been under her 'care'?" Athena asks seriously, taking the lead of the discussion.
"Your guess is as good as mine." Nacelle answers with a frustrated sigh, "But if I had to make a guess, then it would be in the thousands. The syndicate has been active for a long time."
"I have a few candidates among my current clients, that could have suffered from her 'treatment'." Turbine adds, feeling ill at the thought of what possibly has happened to his clients.
"The same here." Crossways interjects saddened, "They don't seem to be able to recover fully, despite our many attempts to help them."
"Hotspot?" Athena turns her attention towards the clinical professor leading the Neuropsychiatric Laboratory, "You are so silent. Any ideas on a possible treatment?"
"It depends on how thorough she is able to affect the mind, but if Turbine's and Crossways's clients' mental conditions are treatment-resistant, then it doesn't look good." Hotspot answers, "I will need to conduct clinical tests on their processors to determine if there is anything we can do to treat this. It will also give me an idea of how she conducts her procedures."
Nacelle listens interested as the discussion continues for another hour, while the experts discuss how Retrograde is able to affect the mind and what can be done to nullify her ability. There doesn't seem to be any treatment of the effect of her ability, and it is decided, that they have to wait for Influx to return with his profiling of her, before they can go deeper into the discussion.
They take a break to re-energize, and Posthaste requests for Nacelle to stay when the others leave the screen.
The old psychiatrist regards him with worry.
"You look tired." Posthaste states calmly while his optics study the young psychiatrist, "Are you getting enough recharge?"
"Not you too." Nacelle sighs, "Prowl keeps asking me the same."
Posthaste laughs softly.
"You have a wise bondmate who you should listen to. He is used to the stress of solving a case as complex as this one, you aren't."
"I know, but how can I relax when Thundercracker is in the hands of someone like Retrograde? Who knows what she has done to him? And if we can't find a treatment... then what?" He says, frustrated, as he finally voices some of his growing worries.
"You have no idea how many times I have found myself in a situation like the one you currently are in." Posthaste says seriously, "There is evilness in the most unexpected places, and when it shows itself, we do what is necessary to deal with it. We will find a way to help Retrograde's victims, but until then you need to first and foremost take care of yourself. I have seen so many good colleagues burn out because they became too invested in their clients. You are still so young and have a long professional life ahead of you. Don't let this destroy you."
A burden is lifted from his shoulders at Posthaste's wise words and the sudden realization, that he no longer stands alone with the full responsibility of handling the danger Retrograde represents.
He had arranged the conference to inform the experts about the Joint Investigation Unit's discovery of Retrograde's possible ability and the effect it seems to have on the minds of their clients, not to request their aid. But here they are, offering him and the Joint Investigation Unit all of their expertise.
Why had he expected to stand alone with everything?
The built up stress from the last many weeks leaves him at a long and liberating exhale.
"I will try to follow your advice."
Posthaste nods with a small smile and then leaves the screen.
Thundercracker looks up when the door into his room opens and Retrograde enters.
"It's time for your next treatment."
He looks down at his hands with a sigh. There is nothing he can do. He knows that something is missing, but not what.
Tears fall from his optics, and he slowly caresses his unpleasantly hot gestation chamber in longing for someone he no longer knows.
"Don't make me force you."
He rises clumsily. His processor is still suffering from a persistent migraine after the last treatment, and everything around him begins to suddenly spin uncontrolled when the movement, as he rises from the berth, instantly worsens it.
Everything blacks out in the next moment and he collapses unconscious to the floor.
He feels strange when he an indefinite time later sluggishly regains consciousness.
Where is he?
"...case of bad code. Have to start all over." Someone sighs annoyed.
Forgotten memories suddenly return to him and his spark fills with extreme relief when he can remember Skywarp again.
How?
Why?
But he only has a few moments of relief, before a needle penetrates an energon line in his left arm, and he succumbs to the strong anesthetic.
Shadeweaver knocks on the door into briefing room 3 and waits for Nacelle to open it.
"They need you at the intelligence center. There has been a development." She tells the psychiatrist while curiously looking inside the room.
"I'll let them know. Give me a moment."
The door closes softly, and Shadeweaver waits patiently.
"Do you know why they need me?" Nacelle asks when he leaves the briefing room and follows Shadeweaver towards the intelligence center.
"I will let them explain." She avoids the question.
Prowl and Aurora waits for them when they enter the Center of Intelligence.
"Torrent has just left 'base zero' to fly out to Retrograde's fortified complex in the dust desert east of Kalis." Prowl explains, "We intercepted their communication. It confirms our suspicion about her ability."
"Thundercracker is apparently reacting badly to her treatment. He has entered stasis-lock twice as a result of bad code and Retrograde has requested, that Torrent is present at her next attempt to modify Thundercracker's memories." Aurora says.
Nacelle's spark begins to pulse rapidly.
"You're attacking tonight, aren't you?"
"We won't get a better chance." Prowl answers with a nod, "The special forces will still infiltrate 'base zero' to prevent the syndicate from launching a devastating retaliation when we attack it. But it should be much easier with Torrent gone, and we can utilize full firepower against Retrograde's complex to arrest or if necessary kill Torrent."
"Shadeweaver will infiltrate and liberate Skywarp from 'base zero' prior to the attack." Aurora explains, "She has the needed training and knowledge of the syndicate's methods to handle any unforeseen situation that may arise during the mission."
"I already know my way around, and Skywarp needs someone he knows and trusts. I assume that you want to be together with our forces in Kalis to take care of Thundercracker when he is liberated." Shadeweaver answers with a reassuring smile.
"What we are missing is something, that is able to deal with Retrograde's outlier ability."
"Influx has told me that they have a few outliers among their patients at G-9." Nacelle explains, "They use some specialized inhibitors to pacify them, but it is uncertain if it will work on Retrograde. It locks down the physical element of an outlier's special ability, and unfortunately we don't know if Retrograde's ability is supported by a specialized component like Skywarp's warp-gate."
"How do we get a hold of one of those inhibitors? Simfur is far away and we don't have much time to prepare."
"Athena, Professor at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Kalis, has a few of them on the institute for educational purpose. She is ready to offer her assistance, if we want it."
Torrent walks down the ramp when the transport lands at Retrograde's complex.
The guards at the entrance to the main building remain silent, when he passes them in his dark and thunderous mood.
He had not expected, that it would be necessary for him to come here only three days after he sent Thundercracker away.
"Explain." He growls when he enters Retrograde's office.
She rises nervously from the chair at her desk.
"I have no idea why 391's coding gets corrupted when I implement my changes to his memories. But if I keep trying, we risk that his systems begins to shut down and aborts his gestational protocols."
"Where is he right now?"
"In the medical section. His core temperature is elevated while his systems are stressed in reaction to his state as a sparked carrier and the effect of the bad code. I have had to restore all his memories to remove the corrupt code."
"Then we will have to resort to a full reformatting. I had hoped to avoid that, but we need to erase his newly acquired knowledge in case the Joint Investigation Unit should apprehend him again." Torrent declares annoyed, making the final decision as Thundercracker's owner.
"It is the only solution. I have never worked on an reformatted identity's memories before, and I suspect that it is there the problem lies."
"I assume you still have the template?"
"Of course. I have it on a datapad inside my laboratory."
"Good. Let's get this little problem solved."
Torrent moves towards the medical section to pick up Thundercracker while Retrograde locates the template they used to create the seeker's new personality last time they erased his identity and prepares for the procedure.