Title: Welcome to Skybase
Summary: Edward Wilkie, aka Dr. Fawn, is brought onto Skybase.
Notes: So, a quick reminder to anybody new to the Captain Mahogany series, that these stories are a crossover between TAG and NEW Captain Scarlet, but that hasn't stopped me from bringing in elements from the original series, hence, Dr. Fawn. Granted he is not the same Dr. Fawn from the original series - he has history with IR and is younger, he is about thirty-one years old here - but then again neither are Scarlet and Blue.
Mentions of attempted abuse of a minor.
Welcome to Skybase
2087
"Are there any rules around here that I should know about, that are not written down?" Dr. Edward Wilkie, Spectrum's brand-new hire, code name Fawn, asked Dr. Burgundy, aka Dr. Amanda Fielding.
They were meeting in Dr. Burgundy's office after Burgundy had him flown up to Skybase from London airport.
Fawn's family and the Fielding's were old family friends, when Burgundy heard that Fawn had taken an interest in medicine, she had taken him under her wing, even organizing for him to intern under Dr. Willow Ling Tracy, International Rescue's chief medical officer, and an old college roommate of hers.
Fawn had worked for International Rescue for nearly six years at that point, starting out on Tracy Island before moving out to one of the medical response unit's where he was starting to become a leader in his field of bio-engineering.
Until he handed in his resignation at Dr. Burgundy's request, with orders to meet her up on Skybase for a potential new position, that is.
"What are you talking about?" Dr. Burgundy asked.
"You know," Dr. Fawn explained. "The little interpersonal rules that don't get written down anywhere, but if you break them, you would be safer standing in front of a firing squad."
"Were there a few of these rules at International Rescue?"
"Oh yeah," Dr. Fawn answered. "There were a few small one's like don't give Gordon and Sophia caffeine or wake Virgil and Geoffrey before noon at your own risk, but some of them are a little bit more serious."
"Like?"
"Don't intentionally tick off the com officers," Dr. Fawn continued. "Especially John Tracy, he has one heck of a vindictive streak, although Alan can give him a run for his money when he wants to."
"Surely it can't be that bad."
"I've seen it in action, it's quite a sight to behold," Dr. Fawn replied, "Poor bastard didn't know what hit him, and even if the guy somehow managed to get those criminal charges dropped, he has the IRS so far up his wazoo he can taste them."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously," Fawn confirmed. "John's brothers have a healthy fear of their brother's temper, while doesn't detonate often you feel the aftershocks for a very long time…" Fawn gulped. "Kinda makes me little nervous about joining Spectrum actually, the Tracy's are not going to like it if they hear I joined the outfit that started the war with the Mysterons."
"They don't like Spectrum much do they?" Burgundy agreed. "Considering how important Mars is to their family's history I don't blame them." She sighed, "But that's neither here or there, at the moment, I need you here Edward, I need an assistant I can trust, that the personnel at this base can trust, one that doesn't come with any questionable baggage and can potentially take over from me should anything go wrong."
"You did say you were having personnel problem's when you called me and offered the job." Fawn replied.
"I did, and in some ways it tie's into one of the unspoken rules, you just asked about," Burgundy replied. "I'm going to be frank here Edward, the guy you are replacing, Dr. Brass, was one of the most incompetent idiots I had the displeasure of working with."
"He was that bad?"
"The worst," Burgundy confirmed. "He was lucky to leave here in hand cuffs, as the senior staff were ready to throw him off of Skybase, without the parachute." She sighed, "The only reason why they didn't is because Colonel Blue didn't want base personnel tied up for weeks explaining to internal investigations why the good doctor went splat."
"Dare I ask what he did for that kind of reaction?"
"He forgot that Scarlet and Coral are people, not rats in a lab," Burgundy snarled. "He found out one of the engineer's that worked on Skybase - that Engineer doesn't work for Spectrum anymore, and is currently cooling his heels in a supermax infirmary, Scarlet beat him to an inch of his life – had developed an unhealthy interest in Scarlet's daughter, and instead of reporting the inappropriate behaviour he encouraged it."
"Wait, are you telling me he set someone up to be raped?" Fawn looked horrified. "Why on earth would he do that?"
"The story Brass told Blue was that he wanted to know if she could reproduce," Burgundy snapped. "Blue punched his light's out she soon as he said that, Scarlet wasn't allowed anywhere near his sorry ass."
"How is this doctor not dead?"
"Had she actually been raped there is no doubt both Brass and that Engineer would be," Burgundy sighed. "Turquoise found a heavily drugged Coral and the engineer, and managed to pull him off her and keep him off her until Scarlet got there." She shuddered, "Doesn't change the fact that bastard touched her, and he was filming it for Brass."
"Holy…" Fawn shook his head. "You got me walking into a mine field, Amanda, they aren't going trust me real easily coming in on the heels of that bastard."
"I know and I'm sorry about that," Burgundy apologized. "If I could change things so Coral was never attacked I would, Skybase was the only place that girl had any sort of safety and security, because of the Mysterons, and those bastards took it from her." She sighed, "Most of the male personnel don't go anywhere near Coral now if they can help it, and one of the other cadet's or a trusted member of senior staff are with her when she's outside of her private quarters, there are concerns that Brass may had gotten to other staff and Scarlet's not taking chances."
There was a silence in the room as Fawn processed the information he was given, "Well I'm just going to have to do my job to the best of my ability, and hope they warm up to me over time." He said.
"Just don't forget Scarlet and Coral are living, thinking people with wills of their own, and you should do fine," Burgundy agreed. "The rest of the staff have their own quirks, but you will learn those as you go along," she stood up and walked to the door. "Come along now Dr. Fawn and I will introduce you to the senior staff and get you officially signed off by Colonel Blue."
"Um… Just one question," Fawn asked as they left the office. "You keep telling me to think of Scarlet and Coral as normal people, why wouldn't I think so?"
"That information will be told to you in Colonel Blue's debriefing," Burgundy answered. "If he decides to sign off on your hiring – not before."
Just before they got to the command centre, something small and wet came flying out of nowhere, Fawn, having spent several years on an Island that had eleven half wild teenagers living on it during the school breaks, instinctively ducked. Burgundy wasn't so lucky as the loaded sponge splatted onto her back.
Fawn turned around and saw the thrower, a red haired, pale skinned, boy, in an Amber T-shirt, and his target, a blond haired, tanned skin, boy, in a Turquoise one, staring at Burgundy in horror. "Boys!" Burgundy growled. "Just what do you think you're doing?"
"Sorry Ma'am." Both boys, and they were boys – they couldn't have been over the age of Seventeen – apologized.
"You two better be," Burgundy snapped. "I was on my way to talk to Colonel Blue, maybe you two boys' will like to join us?"
"Not really, Ma'am," the boy in the turquoise shirt replied quietly.
"Well tough, you two are," Burgundy looked around the hallway. "Was Coral with you two?"
"No, she is with her mother at the moment," The boy in the turquoise shirt answered.
"Okay then," Burgundy turned to Fawn. "Dr. Fawn I would like you to meet Cadet's Turquoise and Amber, they are two of the sons of four of our senior officers," she looked at Turquoise and Amber. "Boy's this is Dr. Fawn, my hopefully soon to be new assistant."
"So, you're the guy hoping to replace Dr. Ass?" Turquoise asked Fawn, as they were walking into the command centre.
Fawn looked at the boy, was this the same Turquoise, Burgundy mentioned earlier? "I might be," he answered. "If the Colonel signs off on it, I take it you had major issues with my predecessor."
"Major issues, is an understatement," Turquoise replied. "The guy was a creep, it's amazing that he is still alive to be honest."
Fawn was about to ask more question's but they had arrived at their destination.
A dark-skinned woman in a green Spectrum uniform approached them, "Ah, Dr. Burgundy, the Colonel will see you and Dr. Fawn now," she said, as she turned her attention to the two boys. "Daniel, Sean, what are two doing up here?"
"These two were playing water games in the corridors, Major Green," Burgundy growled, as she passed the sponge to Green.
Green nailed Turquoise with a pointed look, "Is what the doctor saying true, son?" she growled, as Turquoise nodded, nervously. "Go on ahead, Doctor's I'll deal with these two."
Burgundy motioned for Fawn to follow her, while Green scolded the two boys, Colonel Blue looked up from his desk, as they approached and frowned when he noticed the two boys getting chewed out by Green.
"Throwing water-soaked sponges in the corridors," Burgundy commented, as Blue got up from his chair to greet them properly.
Blue rolled his eyes, "I'll let Green handle it for now," he replied, as he turned to look at Fawn. "Dr. Fawn, I trust Dr. Burgundy has been showing you the ropes."
"She has been showing me around, yes," Fawn replied. "It's quite the set up you have here."
"Different from International Rescue?" Blue asked.
"IR isn't military," Fawn replied. "Are you looking for a comparison?"
Blue laughed softly, "Not really," he said. "But if there is anything, that doesn't meet their standards medically, or you have some suggestions on how to improve the care of my people, let me know."
Fawn nodded, "I will do so sir."
Blue started to walk back to his desk, "Considering the fact you used to work for International Rescue," he started. "I am going to assume that you are aware that we are in a state of war, with the Mysterons on Mars."
"Considering that Jeff, Alan and John, are always angry whenever Mars gets mentioned, and that IR has had to clean up after some of the Mysteron attacks, I am aware of what International Rescue knows about the war," Fawn confirmed. "But that's just because I worked from the Island between '81 and '85, I haven't heard much about it since I joined the medical response unit, but I assume that's because of the gag order."
"Nice to know that IR, are still following that order," Blue commented. "So, you do know International Rescue's side of things at least."
Fawn nodded, "Can I ask if this war could have been stopped?" he asked.
Blue sighed as he sat back down, "That is a question we have been asking since the war began, Doctor," he answered, as he motioned Fawn and Burgundy to sit. "Truth of the matter is we don't know, the only way to find out would be talk to the Mysterons, but all attempts to do so have been met with hostility."
It was silent in office as the reality of Blue's words sunk in.
Blue cleared his throat, "You do realize, by joining us there are going to be things that you are not going to be able to discuss with your former employers," he said. "Beyond patent protection, there are some things about the Mysterons that International Rescue does not have clearance for, and it could put some of my people at risk if certain information got out," he sighed. "Before you ask – they know what they need to know to defend themselves, believe it or not you are not the only person at Spectrum that has a connection to International Rescue and would not forgive themselves if anything were to happen and they could have stopped it."
Fawn looked at Burgundy in surprise, "He's not just talking about me, Edward," she pointed out. "While I would be furious if something happened to Will and her family, I am not the only person working here that has a connection with the Tracy's."
"As well as the fact that losing International Rescue would be major blow to the worlds morale," Blue added. "Spectrum looks out for their own – that includes friends and family."
"Considering what you guys do," Fawn replied. "I would be surprised if you didn't."
Blue nodded and looked at Fawn, "This will be your only warning, if you decide that you wish to stay and work with us," he stated. "I will not tolerate any abuse of my people, if you are caught doing anything untoward to Skybase personnel, you will be removed from your position, and depending on the severity of the crime that could be in handcuffs or the nearest exit from Skybase – and we will not be giving you a parachute if we do decide to throw you off."
"Understood, sir," Fawn replied. "Given the circumstances, I don't blame you for being cautious."
"When it comes to Scarlet and Coral, I have to be," Blue growled. "If the wrong people were to ever get their hands on them, for any length of time…" Blue shook his head in repressed rage.
"Everything seems to keep coming back to those two officers," Fawn commented. "May I ask why you are so concerned about their safety?"
Blue and Burgundy exchanged a look, "I think you better tell him, sir," Burgundy calmly said to her CO. "He needs to know what's a stake here."
Blue nodded, "Scarlet is a Mysteron, that broke free from their control," he said quietly. "If you are wondering why Spectrum such a low casualty count, even though we have been fighting a war for more than twenty years, it's because of him and his Retro metabolism ability."
Fawn's eyes widened in shock and horror, he knew the Mysterons killed and rebuilt people and objects for their own whims, but he had never heard of somebody that they rebuilt breaking free of their control… "Retro metabolism?" he asked.
"Scarlet has the ability to heal himself from almost all injuries and illnesses at an accelerated rate," Burgundy replied, as she passed some files over to Fawn to read. "Even if it's an injury that would be considered fatal for a normal human to suffer, even if he dies a normal human death, he heals himself."
Fawn stared at Burgundy, before looking down at the files in his hand, this Scarlet guy, was a walking Lazarus? Someone that could actually recover from being literally dead? Questions flew though Fawn's mind, about how it was possible and whether or not it could be replicated to benefit the human race.
"Everyone on Skybase, has owed Scarlet their lives at one point or another," Blue growled. "The least we can do is help him protect himself and his family, from the Mysterons and the human vultures that would have him and Coral shoved into a lab and treated like rats."
And there was, the main reason why Brass got booted, why Burgundy warned Fawn that Scarlet and Coral were still people and should be treated as such, it was a trap that many a scientist fell into when working with real people with a rare or unfamiliar condition, they saw the science and how it could benefit them and their careers, and not the person that they were meant to be helping to try and understand what was going on with them.
A trap he himself had just nearly fell into, I can see why they are so worried, Fawn thought as he took a quick look though Scarlet's medical file. This guy and his daughter were one bad command decision away from a lifetime of abuse.
Holy shit, how old was the daughter? Fawn flipped though the files and found her age, Sixteen… Not much older or younger than those two boys I saw earlier…
Fawn had begun to truly understand the level of rage the Skybase personnel felt, she was still a teenager and what that doctor wanted to do… that doctor really was lucky to be still alive, it's not going to happen again, not on my watch, "If you have me, I'll take the job," he said firmly.
"Are you sure?" Colonel Blue replied. "I can give you more time to think about it you like."
"I'm sure," Fawn answered.
"Well then," Blue replied. "Welcome to Skybase, Doctor Fawn."
Notes: 'one bad command decision away from a lifetime of abuse' This is a theme that is going to keep popping up from time to time when it comes to the Mysteronized/Myst Characters, because it's not just the Mysterons they have to worry about – but greedy humans too…