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pareidoliaonthemove · 10 months ago

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A Side-By-Side Analysis

It was a fantastic opportunity.

On paper.

Circumstances yet to be determined during a test of a ‘Mysteron communicator’ inspired by the thrice cursed ‘Moon Base Console’, and powered by more conventional means, had somehow created a rent in the fabric of spacetime and had drawn through four Spectrum agents from a different universe into their little part the multiverse.

While the Research and Development team frantically tried to figure out what exactly had occurred, and how to reverse it, with Captains Ochre and Magenta in attendance – Magenta to oversee the work, and Ochre to ensure there was no ‘unauthorised external collaboration’.

In the meantime, the four displaced operatives had been brought to Cloudbase, both for the security it afforded them, and for the opportunities to compare intelligence, in the hope of both sides gleaning new insights and methods of dealing with the Mysterons.

The Scarlets and Blues had paired up, and were by all accounts getting along like a house on fire. The Captain Blues had managed to wrangle permission to go groundside and do some comparison testing of the vehicles. The Scarlets had tagged along, and wound up in the groundside base’s pub, drinking and commiserating with each other on the intricacies of Mysteronisation. The alternative Destiny Angel had been pounced upon by the full complement of Angels, and along with much gossip, a full assessment and comparison of the aircraft was quickly produced.

These arrangements had quickly produced good intel for both sides, with a lot of technical details and insight traded.

It was the fourth member of the visitors that was causing problems.

“Incredible, simply incredible, that such a primitive thing can be used to detect Mysterons!”

Fawn gritted his teeth as ‘Dr Gold’, his alternate universe counterpart – thankfully not his alternate self – brandished a set of x-rays, showing the effects of Mysterionisation. X-Rays may not be the most common diagnostic tool these days, but – and thank God he had – Dr Fawn had taken complete x-rays of all senior staff when they finished Spectrum training.

And now Gold was getting fingerprints all over the irreplaceable x-ray films of pre-Mysteron Scarlet’s skull.

All of which Fawn could possibly have overlooked if only the man had any useful information to reciprocate.

“There are tell-tale genetic markers that can be detected in a simple blood test.”

What markers?

“They are flagged by the computer analysis.”

What blood test?

“It is automatic, the computer runs it.”

Every question. Every possible angle that Fawn could think of to come at the technical details was met with the same answer.

The computer.

The friggin’ computer.

Fawn wasn’t a particularly religious man, but he was putting out a fervent prayer to any god that had a passing interest in the physical health of the residents of that particular branch of the multiverse. They certainly needed all they help they could get. He wouldn’t trust the other man to apply a bandaid.

The computer probably did it for him.

Adding to Fawn’s frustration was the fact the man couldn’t describe how the machinery he used operated, either.

From the information the other three visitors had offered up, the basis of their technology was vasty different to what was found in this universe. Their descriptions of the capabilities of the scanners and data processors was so tantalising that Lieutenant Green and Captain Magenta were in danger of flooding their respective surroundings out, so much were they drooling at the thought.

Fawn wasn’t much better himself, after some of his more frustrating interactions with his counterpart, he found himself surreptitiously reading the other’s reports and daydreaming of what he could do with such computing power.

After all, he was a very highly qualified roboticist and programmer, as well as a medical doctor, even if his current colleagues tended to forget that.

Fawn sighed. It looked like he was going to have to become a geneticist, as well. That would necessitate him going back to school, hitting the books so he could come back to the lab and recreate – if possible – the alternate universe’s results.

Then again, there was no practical reason why he shouldn’t be able to, after all, the alternate Scarlet showed the same imperviousness to x-rays as this universe’s Scarlet, while his colleagues did not. It appeared that the Mysteron’s powers and processes remained constant across time and space.

There was a discreet chime from the intercom, and a flashing green light indicated that Lieutenant Green in the Control Room was making contact. Fawn hit the ‘accept’ button with more force than strictly necessary.

“Colonel White’s apologies, Doctor Fawn,” the young Trinidinese man said. “But there is a briefing on the progress of the R&D team in the Conference Room in fifteen minutes. Could you and Doctor Gold please attend?”

Fawn sighed again, and assured the Lieutenant that they would be there.

Fawn gathered up his notes – such as they were – and divested himself of his lab-coat, before pointedly reclaiming his x-rays – once again glaring at the obscuring fingerprints, and leading Doctor Gold out of sickbay.

They were the last to arrive, and Fawn was greeted with doubletakes from his colleagues, and amused sympathy from the visitors. He grit his teeth further, apparently his frustration was more obvious than he would have liked.

Gold took his place on the ‘visitors’ side of the conference table, and Fawn gladly slid into a seat on the ‘home team’s side, as Grey had cheerfully designated it. Away from Gold.

Though not nearly far enough.

The news that Ochre and Magenta were going to be present was a surprise, but a pleasant one. Hopefully this meant they had good news on the progress of the research team working to return the visitors to their rightful home.

As White took his seat in the centre of the conference table, Lieutenant Green called from the Control Room to announce the arrival of Ochre and Magenta’s SPJ.

Five minutes later, the pair entered the room, Fawn’s eyes narrowing in assessing irritation as he watched Ochre guiding Magenta who was blinking and stumbling like a man newly awakened from an exhausted sleep.

Which proved to be the case, as White invited them to report first – undoubtedly knowing that the everyone was eager to hear what progress had been made on returning the visitors to their rightful home.

And the news they brought was good – Magenta had brought the lead researcher’s full briefing paper, but he managed to provide a summary that was understood by his audience, the main point of which was that they had managed to calculate what had gone wrong previously, and managed to calculate the calibrations for a return journey.

The news was well received, especially with the addition of the advice that the apparatus was even now being charged up for use. It was anticipated that there would be a 48 hour wait before the equipment would be sufficiently charged to return the four to their home universe.

The briefing then went around the table, the Scarlets and Blues reporting on the differences in the tactics and strategies used in the respective universes. Which, it seemed, was substantial – although largely explained due to the differences in the different cultures and technologies they operated it. Fawn rolled his eyes at the lively interest that the revelation of the high-atmospheric adaptions to the visitor’s uniforms, and outright glared when the subject of the ‘Stallion Raid Bike’ came up – evidently an ‘attack motorcycle’ with a limited gliding attachment allowing it to deploy from ‘Skybase’. He was mentally calculating the extent of injuries liable to be sustained when he met White’s gaze. The CIC coughed nervously, and moved the conversation along.

The Angels went next, all decrying ‘male patronisation’, before moving on to a final critique of the strengths and weaknesses of the different aircraft, the Blues also having weighed in. Nobody missed noticing Ochre sliding the sketches of the alternate-Angel Fighter over and losing himself in the listed specifications.

Then it was time for the medical report. Gold jumped in, talking over Fawn’s attempted preamble, and expressing – once again – his disbelief at the “simplicity” of the x-ray test. Fawn noticed Gold’s three companions all perk up at this information.

“X-Rays,” the alternate Scarlet said thoughtfully. “It would be a lot easier to set up a systematic mass-testing situation.”

“A lot of people act up at DNA testing, even within Spectrum,” alternate-Destiny agreed, “never mind civilians. The X-Ray test would be easy to conduct at, say, a concert or convention. It would be minimally invasive and inobtrusive, if you included it with metal-detector station.”

“Have you been able to make a portable test?” Blue asked.

In answer, Captain Grey went to a cupboard in the wall, and pulled out a Mysteron Detector, after a questioning glance at Colonel White, and receiving a nod in response, he turned to the Scarlets, “May I?”

The alternate agreed enthusiastically, while the ‘proper’ Scarlet was less eager, but amenable. Narrating his actions, and allowing the visiting Blue and Destiny to watch, he quickly snapped images of both Scarlets, pulling the developed images – showing the positive ‘photograph’ of the faces.

He then turned the detector on the Blues, allowing the alternate Scarlet to watch the operation of the device as he produced two negative ‘x-ray’ images of the Blues’ skulls.

“How was the miniaturisation achieved?” asked Scarlet, turning the device over in his hands, testing the weight of the object. Fawn pulled a slim folder from his bundle of notes, and slid it across the table to him. The alternate Blue picked it up, and opened it. His eyes widened.

“The blueprints?” he asked incredulously.

Fawn shrugged. “No point making you start at the beginning,” he said. “Though I don’t doubt that the technology your universe uses could produce a smaller, more discreet unit.”

The alternate Destiny glanced at the blueprints, before turning to Fawn. “Did you design this?”

Fawn shook his head. “R&D did. I’ve just been trying to produce a package that is not obviously the Mysteron Detector for production and dispersal in Paramedic and Rescue and Relief equipment.” A glance at White. “Could you imagine the benefit of this set up in emergency responses, or mass casualty events?

White frowned. “I look forward to receiving your proposal on this matter, Doctor,” he eventually said, taking note of the thoughtful looks everyone else was giving the innocuous-looking instrument now sitting on the desk.

It was Meldoy Angel who got the conversation back on track. “So if you didn’t know about the x-ray test, how do you detect Mysteron agents?”

All eyes turned back to Gold. He shrugged. “There is a blood test.”

There was a pause as everyone waited for him to elaborate. Eyes turned back to Fawn, whose lips thinned. “The computer does it,” he said wryly, and had the satisfaction of watching Gold’s colleagues all roll their eyes and look at the other doctor in frustration.

White looked at Gold in dismay. “You cannot provide details?”

Gold shrugged. “I have no need to have everything memorised. The analysis is completed automatically. During the routine testing after Scarlet’s Mystronisation, the difference in the DNA was flagged, and subsequent analysis of Mysteron agents showed it held true. There is no need for the details to be memorised. Being stranded in a technologically-primitive alternative universe was not something that could be reasonably expected.”

The alternate Destiny glared at the man from across the table. “Doctor Gold,” she hissed. “I expect you to apologise to everyone here for your rudeness.”

As Gold started to bristle at her reprimand, White quickly adjoined the meeting before it could devolve into an all-out argument.

As Fawn started ‘escorting’ Magenta off towards his quarters, to make sure he didn’t sneak off to the Room of Sleep, he was approached by the alternate Scarlet and Destiny. Behind them, the alternate Blue was practically frog-marching Gold off towards the quarters allocated to the visitors.

Scarlet offered Fawn a folder filled with handwritten papers. He smiled sheepishly, “I, uh, was sort of expecting Gold not to be able to offer you anything useful.” He rubbed his neck, awkwardly, “I made a point of learning everything I could about how I was different now. This is everything I could remember. Not sure I ever understood it properly, but it might be a start for you.”

Fawn gratefully accepted the notes and leafed through them, scanning the bullet points. Key phrases jumped out at him, it was disjointed, and full of question marks in parenthesis and misspellings.

He smiled up at the man. “I wish our Scarlet was interested in understanding more about his condition,” he commented.

Magenta snorted. “Why would he need to; he’s got you, hasn’t he?” He gestured at the alternate, “From what I’ve seen, he’s got to sort things out for himself.”

The alternate Scarlet grinned. “He has mentioned that you are particularly … dedicated … to figuring the situation out.” And he gestured towards the Medbay. “And he might be waiting in the Sickbay for you to be able to draw bloods to start work on verifying the genetic markers hold true.”

Magenta laughed at Fawn’s astonished reaction. “How did you get Scarlet to voluntarily enter Sickbay? That never happens!”

Destiny shrugged, “How well do you think you would hold up after being trapped with Gold for a week?”

Scarlet nudged Fawn, “Better get going, before he changes his mind.”

Fawn was nearly running as he moved down the corridor, clutching the folder to his chest as he started considering possibilities.

Notes:

Inspired by @myladykayo's fantastic art of Doctor’s Fawn and Gold working together in Original Series’ Sickbay. Look at it! Go on, it’s here! I hope I've done it justice.

The standard disclaimers, I do not own Captain Scarlet, either the Original or CGI Series. (Although I do own copies on DVD.)

I do not do this for money, but for my own (in)sanity and entertainment.

#fanfic #my fanfic #myladykayo #fanart inspired #captain scarlet and the mysterons #new captain scarlet #crossover fic #doctor fawn #doctor gold

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