A classified memo from Costa-Brown · 1:46am Oct 12th, 2015
TOP SECRET//SI-OMICRON 3478-TRINKETS//PRT KEYHOLE-GOLDEN OBELISK//NONONPROT
TS//SI-O 3478-TKS//PRT K-GO//NNP
May 17, 2011
From the desk of Chief Director Costa-Brown:
Modified Master/Stranger protocol case Triangle/Sunflower is to be enacted with regards to the following parahumans:
▪ Agent Argent – Millennium Four
▪ Alexandria – Protectorate
▪ Arbiter – Protectorate
▪ Carapacitator – Compumob
▪ Chevalier – Protectorate
▪ Chubster – Compumob
▪ Clockblocker – Ward
▪ Cloister – Haven
▪ Count Eta – Compumob
▪ Dauntless – Protectorate
▪ Dispatch – Protectorate
▪ Dovetail – Protectorate
▪ Dragon – Guild
▪ Elegance – Millennium Four
▪ Escutcheon – Haven
▪ Exalt – Protectorate
▪ Faultline – Faultline’s Crew
▪ Fierceling - Independent
▪ Frenetic – Millennium Four
▪ Gregor the Snail – Faultline’s Crew
▪ Halo – Haven
▪ Hew – Crew Q
▪ Inscribe – Earth Incorporated
▪ Kid Win – Ward
▪ Labyrinth – Faultline’s Crew
▪ Lady Photon – New Wave
▪ Laserdream – New Wave
▪ Legend – Protectorate
▪ Megaburn - Independent
▪ Mistress Lambda – Crew Q
▪ Myrddin – Protectorate
▪ Narwhal – Protectorate/Guild
▪ Newter – Faultline’s Crew
▪ Penitent - Haven
▪ Rosary – Haven
▪ Semiglare – Millennium Four
▪ Shadow Dynamo - Independent
▪ Shadow Stalker – Ward
▪ Skitter - Independent
▪ Spitfire – Faultline’s Crew
▪ Strider – Independent
▪ Tattletale – Undersiders
▪ Uber – Uber and Leet
▪ Vista – Ward
On May 15, 2011 Twilight Sparkle utilized a powerful parahuman ability to attack and ultimately defeat the Simurgh. In addition to neutralizing the Simurgh, the ability transformed the local urban landscape into fertile grassland, and healed those present of injuries both recent and old. While aspects of this ability appear to be beyond the grasp of available Thinkers, debriefing of some of those present has indicated some form of mental component to the power as well. Earlier in the battle, Thinkers were able confirm that Twilight Sparkle was using an ability to interfere with the Simurgh's scream. Twilight Sparkle herself has described a subset of her abilities and those of the Simurgh to be somehow related, but opposed to each other. These factors, by themselves, would be cause enough for heightened scrutiny of those directly involved. However, PRT investigators in case file PRT-BB2011001598 have reconstructed evidence of a prior use of this ability and the implications of their investigation are troubling.
Evidence strongly indicates that Twilight Sparkle made use of this same ability against the parahuman Burnscar of the Slaughterhouse Nine on April 23, 2011. Effects upon Burnscar include complete healing of her namesake facial scars and apparent significant and long-lasting modification of her psychology. All subsequent observations of the subject, now operating under the identity Flame Dancer, indicate that her previous psychotic disorders have been replaced by emotional dependency on and loyalty towards Twilight Sparkle. Civilians in the vicinity of this earlier use of this power reported a feeling of peace or contentment afterwards. In addition, a small area was terraformed into a park-like landscape. This result is very similar, if smaller in scale, to the effect on the land around the final confrontation with the Simurgh.
Due to the similarities of these events, and the confirmed mental effects in the earlier incident, Master/Stranger protocols are hereby ordered to be enacted on the individuals known to have been exposed to this effect on May 15th and those suspected of being present during the similar incident on April 23rd. Burnscar/Flame Dancer has been confirmed as being clearly Mastered, and will therefore be handled separately.
Case Triangle modifications to the protocols are enacted due to the significant parahuman power and influential positions held by several of the individuals under suspicion of possible Master influence, as well as potential effects on diplomatic relations with Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle. Case Sunflower modifications are enacted due to likely but unconfirmed Thinker abilities on the part of the aliens. It is essential that the covert and unobtrusive aspects of M/S case Triangle/Sunflower protocols be maintained. Consequences of the subjects or the alien visitors becoming aware of these suspicions could prove disastrous, whether the suspicions prove to be true or false.
Rebecca Costa-Brown
Chief Director (PRT)
I love how Costa Brown can put her own alter ego under master/stranger protocols...
Why is Leet not on the list? Also, what exactly to those protocols do?
3493674 Leet is not on the list because he was not at either of the Rainbow incidents. Skimming the list, I should take Aegis off it for the same reason.
I kept the details of the protocols deliberately vague, but I thought there was enough detail in the last paragraph to get a general feel for them. Case Triangle covers not letting the folks under suspicion of being mastered know they are under suspicion. Case Sunflower applies a few extra layers of security as anti-Thinker measures if the Master-Cape is believed to be a Thinker as well.
Edit: If you aren't familiar with Worm, standard Master/Stranger protocols tend to involve demanding code phrases to verify identities and putting the suspected-affected in isolation for psychological evaluation. For a number of reasons, doing that to the pony's entourage doesn't seem like a good idea.
3494151 I have read Worm but I forgot many details. Thanks for your explanation!
3490857
She has to. After all, it might raise someone's suspicions if Alexandria wasn't on the list...