"So, what do you do for a living?" asked the young lady, her bright eyes already becoming muddled by the alcohol.
Alexander smiled gently. "I have a very interesting job," he replied, keeping the tone of his voice as mild as possible. "I'm an interrogator."
The young lady began to laugh, until she looked into his happy eyes and realized that he wasn't joking. "Is it a bad job?" she asked, suddenly concerned. "Doesn't having to...er...torture people...ever get on your nerves? I know I couldn't deal with it."
Alexander thought of his job. He thought of the would-be assassins with all of their skin flayed off, of the book-sellers with their eyes and fingers removed, of the amputations, of the countless pleas for mercy which echoed in his dungeons every night. "No," he said, "it's a very simple job, actually. A few little electric shocks and lots and lots of psychiatry is all that we use. The average prisoner doesn't experience any physical discomfort, actually." He thought of the D-Bee whom he had poured seething acid on that very afternoon, and his smile grew even wider.
"That's nice," the girl said, put at ease by his soothing words. "Is the pay good? I hear that government jobs like that pay very well."
Alexander thought of his collection back at his apartment. He thought of the exotic torture implements, and the collection of antique books of the occult, and about the elf-skin lampshade which he had made out of a sorceror. The average person could not contemplate the value of such treasures. "The pay is all right," replied Alexander. "But the best part about the job is knowing that my work really does help the state." He thought about the revolutionary who had given up the names of his comrades only after watching 21 hours of video on CS atrocities at the Tolkeen front, and a warm tingle went down his spine.
"Thass nice..." said the girl, and Alexander could see that the pill he slipped into her drink was working.
"Would you like to see my apartment?" he asked.
"Ssuuurreee..." she moaned. Alexander paid the bartender for both of their drinks, and then began to escort the dazed and stumbling girl out of the door. He could already hear the crack of his whip, and taste the salty sweetness of her tears. Alexander reminded himself to grab another syringe of his favorite brainwashing cocktails before setting the girl free. It somehow seemed more satisfying when his lusts were only remembered in the nightmares of his victims. Nightmares were the only truly appropriate places for his work to be immortalized...
Have you ever met a sadistic child? The second-graders who used to pull the wings and limbs off of flies, or who would go after the tails of dogs and cats with a pair of scissors? Psychologists will tell you that 99% of the time, those children will soon grow out of the behavior and show some signs of maturity. What the psychologists don't like to talk about is the remaining 1%.
Alexander Pell is a proud member of that 1%. He grew up in the 'Burbs of Chi-Town, in a neighborhood where death and disease rode tall in the saddle. His favorite childhood game was "Sewer-Pitch", in which he would grab an unsuspecting victim from behind and toss it into an open sewer to drown. At first, Alexander's only victims were pets or stray animals, but he soon tired of that, and turned his attention to D-Bee children. In the monster-ridden 'Burbs, where Boogey-Men and evil spirits play in the shadows, the occasional disappearance of an infant or toddler was not something especially rare. Nobody connected little Alexander with the murders. Another one of the boy's favorite places to play was the local body chop-shop. He endeared himself to the "doctor" who worked there, and sometimes would hand him surgical tools during operations. Even the cyber-snatchers grew fond of the little boy, who marvelled at their guns and their knives and their cruelty. Alexander decided early on that the life of a doctor was the life for him. To cut apart and rend open skin and bones would doubtless be great fun, and to then put them back together would be an invigorating challenge. The thought that lives would be at stake never weighed on Alexander's mind very clearly. So, the boy studied the tattered old medical journals of the doctor. He was a quick study, and had an aptitude for the work. By the time he was 19, Alexander was the equivalent of many other doctors twice his age. He thrived in the chop-shop culture of trauma patients and gunshot wounds and misery, never letting his hands tremble on account of a scream of agony. Most of his patients were greatly impressed by his efficiency (if not his bedside manner), and by the fact that he was cool and collected under all circumstances. Part of this reputation is merely due to the fact that Alexander took pains to cover up his high patient mortality rates. When he was 23, Alexander joined the Coalition military. A recent offensive against a Pecos warlord had caused a need for manpower, allowing even the non-citizens of the 'Burbs to enter the service. Once the recruiting officers discovered Alexander's medical knowledge, he was sent into the ranks of the CS medics. The young doctor was sent down to Texas, where the battle against the warlord was raging. Alexander was put in charge of maintaining the hospital at a P.O.W. camp. The brass told him, in no uncertain terms, that if he could loosen the tongues of the wounded prisoners it would look good on his record. After only about a week or two, many of the captive bandits were begging to tell everything that they knew about camp locations, troop numbers, and supply routes. The warlord fell on account of the information which Alexander's torments had provided. When that war was over, Alexander was transferred to a military hospital where he worked on CS soldiers. This turned out to be a dismal failure. Alexander was always giving insufficient amounts of painkillers, using surgical procedures that weren't necessary, and generating record numbers of complaints. He was soon switched over to duty as an interrogator at Chi-Town. This was where Alexander's military career really took off. He was excellent at this job, and it showed. His efforts led to dozens of arrests and convictions against revolutionaries, traitors, and criminals. The young torturer caught the eye of the Proseks after getting information that prevented an assassination attempt, and was soon bumped up the ranks to Chief Interrogator. Alexander loves his job, and he is very good at it. He holds no true love for the Coalition States, but appreciates the government's patronage and would never betray the CS. He is a good friend of both of the Proseks, and would be saddened if anything happened to either one of them. They have given him ample work to do, all of the supplies and servants that he needs, and have turned a blind eye to his occult activites. That's right. Occult activites. One of the most highly ranked individuals in the Coalition States worships evil, sorcerous entities. The 'Burbs has a surprisingly large cult devoted to the worship of Xipe Totec, the Aztec god of springtime and sacrifice, and Alexander became a convert at an early age. Whenever a prisoner outlives its usefulness, Pell will sacrifice the poor being to Xipe Totec in exchange for luck and prosperity. So far, it's been working. Alexander has a small collection of ritual and occult materials stashed safely in his luxurious apartment. These include an Aztec prayer book, a ritual sacrifical knife made of obsidian (does 1D4 MD), an assortment of good luck charms and fetishes (most of them worthless, but a few are genuine magical artifacts), and a few minor techno-wizard items and weapons. He'd love to get his hands on a rune weapon or some parasites, but can't afford the exorbitant prices which the magic shops of the 'Burbs charge. It is very important to note that Alexander is not devoted to Totec. He only worships the god out of convenience (and because he likes the god's style), since regularly sacrficing in Totec's name has brougt him luck so far. Should that luck ever dry up or should worshipping Totec cause Pell any problems, the mad doctor will give up the Aztec god. The Proseks, some of Alexander's servants, and a few high-ranking military officials know of this worship, but permit it since it seems unlikely to cause any problems. Alexander likes his job more than his god. The Interrogation Department is in the lower military levels of Chi-Town. It has code orange clearance, meaning that only the people who work there and upper-ranking officials have access. The lock to the Interrogation Dept. requires both a key card and a 9-digit code to open. Pick lock attempts are at -30%. The door itself has 500 MDC. Failing a lockpick attempt or damaging the door will set off an alarm and bring soldiers to investigate. Each of the 8 rooms inside the Interrogation Deparment has its own nickname. The doors to these rooms have 200 MDC, and the same lock system as that of the main door. Getting in or getting out is very difficult unless one knows the code and has the key. 1) Isolation: This room is very stark, having only a single chair with manacles (30 MDC) built into it as furniture. There is a bright spotlight which shines into the eyes of whomever is in the chair, forcing them to shut their eyes. Alexander uses this room to break the will of anyone who relies heavily upon a team or is afraid of being alone. After softening them up with a bit of torture or mutilation, the victim will be left in the chair for hours or days, alone and helpless. After enough of this isolation, many people are ready to answer any questions. 2) Pain: This room is the medical facility of the Interrogation Department. It has beds with restraints for up to 15 prisoners. This room is most often used for physical torture, such as amputations, electrical shocks, and plain old beatings. Painkillers are used as a carrot for "good behavior." Alexander promises a syringe of morphine, for just a little bit of information. Once the morphine wears off, the torture resumes, and this time the torturer wants a more damaging piece of knowledge in exchange for the painkiller... All mages coming through the Interrogation Department are first taken to Pain, where their arms and limbs are removed and replaced with rickety, obsolete bionic implants. This destroys their ability to make magic, and limits their escape possibilities. It also hurts like hell, and is a deeply traumatic experience for any spell-caster whose being is anchored in his magic. 3) Horror: This room has manacle chairs for up to 8 prisoners. Each chair comes with video goggles and headsets. Victims are forced to watch the executions (real or computer generated) of friends or loved ones, the atrocities of Coalition troops or demonic entities, and all manner of horrid carnage. And during the entire show, Alexander is right at one's ear, softly whispering about how he'd really like to stop the show, but isn't allowed to do it unless he gets told what he needs to hear. This room is usually used against young and naive people, who are far more sensitive to the shock. 4) Hell: This room is deliberately decorated in the style of a dark cult's temple, complete with the remains of past sacrifices strewn about. The victims are chained to sacrifical slabs, and given massive doses of hallucinogenic drugs. Under the influence of the drugs, an audio disc of chanting becomes the frenzied roar of mad cultists, and mere shadows on the wall become dark demons here to eat souls. Alexander stands over the victim menacingely, saying that the only way to escape this pit of darkness is to give up the information that he knows. This is also the room that Alexander uses to conduct sacrifices to Xipe Totec. Superstitious people and people who lived in demon-infested areas are usually sent here. 5) Contrast: This room is full of big plush teddy bears, posters for children's cartoons, and cute images of love and happiness. In the center of the room is a chair with manacles. Alexander tortures victims in this chair, while telling them that they can stop it at any time just by giving up what information they know. The contrast between the pain and horror of the torture and the cuteness and simplicity of the room itself is enough to crack many minds. Alexander sends individuals who feel like they have gotten in over their heads to here. A man who feels truly lost will snap at any chance to get back to a place as simple as childhood. 6) Imprisonment: This room is used to hold prisoners between tortures or while their papers are being processed. There are 25 cells in here, each with room for a single prisoner. Each cell is airtight, and there are no windows to see out into the hallway or ways (other than psionics) to contact other prisoners. Each cell has two faucets, a toilet, and a sleeping mat. Twice a day, thick nutrient paste oozes out of one of the faucets into a small drain on the floor, while water comes out of the other. The cell doors can only be opened from the outside, with a 6-digit code that is different for every cell. The doors have 150 MDC, and Pick Locks attempts are at -10%. With the touch of a button on Alexander's computer terminal, nerve gas (does 4D6 SD or 2D4 MD to MD creatures every melee) or nausea gas (causes combat rolls of -4 and skill rolls of -10%, lasts 1D4 minutes) can flood into a room from hidden vents. 7) The Trophy Room: This is actually not a torture room at all. It is Alexander's private office. He has an advanced computer sitting on his large desk, a cabinet full of torture implements, and a bookcase with various treatises on the human body, the occult, and the world at large. The skin of a Rhino-Buffalo lays on the floor as a rug, and the heads, skins, and skulls of various D-Bee creatures ornament the walls. Taxidermy is one of Alexander's favorite hobbies, and he gives a stuffed D-Bee to the Emperor every year on Karl's birthday. The code numbers of the Interrogation Department's doors can be found in his computer (along with a few maps of the level), but one has to either make a Computer Hacking roll or know his personal password "xipe t." in order to access the files. 8) The Bestiary: This is not a torture room either, despite the name. This is the room where the Interrogation Department's guards and technicians can spend time between their shifts. There are 12 cots for anyone who wants to get some sleep, a couple of computer terminals (they're only hooked up to Chi-Town's civilian computer network, so you can't get any good info out of them, although you can play an assortment of computer games), a vidset, and a card table. There is usually a game of poker or blackjack going on in here, along with a multi-player game of Bloodbath, Search-and- Destroy, or SAMAS Assault (the most popular video games in Chi-Town). There are two small bathrooms (one for Dog Boys, one for humans), each with a shower, sink, and toilet. In the back of the room are the weapons and equipment lockers. These have 200 MDC each, require a 6-digit code to open, and are -20% to Pick Locks attempts. In the weapons locker, there are usually 5 Neural Maces, 3 Electro-Stun Hand Prods, 3 Electro-Stun Spears, 2 Net Guns, 6 C-20 Laser Pistols, and 4 CP-40 Pulse Rifles, along with a box containing 24 E-Clips. In the armor locker, there are usually 6 suits of DPM Riot Armor and 6 suits of standard Dead Boy armor. The Interrogation Department employs the following personnel, of whom about 50% are on duty at any one time: 8 human guards in standard Dead Boy armor with pulse rifles and neural maces. There is at least 1 guard in any room containing prisoners (with the exception of Isolation), 2 standing guard in the main hall, and 1 accompanying Alexander. A prisoner being moved from one room to another is always accompanied by 2 human guards. 6 Kill Hounds in DPM armor, carrying neural maces or electric prods, and laser pistols. 2 are always standing guard in Imprisonment, and 1 accompanies Alexander. Kill Hounds would normally be bored with this sedentary job (and these ones are, a bit), but Alexander keeps them busy and happy by letting them beat the occasional prisoner to a pulp. 6 Psychics in standard Dead Boy armor with laser pistols and neural maces. They are on hand to reach into the minds of especially hard-to-crack victims, to put down unruly victims with psionically induced sleep or pain, and to help torture patients with bio-manipulation and other such methods of psionic pain. 12 human doctors. They don't wear any armor, but carry laser pistols in case of attack (and usually have a laser scalpel close on hand). 10 human technicians, to maintain the electrical equipment and clean up blood and slop. They don't wear any armor, but carry laser pistols in case of attack. All of these employees are loyal to the CS and to Alexander. They have all been extensively psi-scanned before being entered into the department, and are all very thick-skinned and callous people. With a couple of exceptions, none are as insane or sadistic as Alexander. Most simply see the torture and interrogations as an unpleasant job that has to be done by somebody. Alexander treats them very well, so they are willing to overlook some of his eccentricities. Real Name: Dr. Alexander Pell Nicknames: Alexander Hell, Torture King. Aligment: Diabolic Attributes: IQ: 23, ME: 22, MA: 22, PS 13, PP 14, PE 12, PB 18, Spd 13 Hit Points: 52 SDC: 14 Height: 5'10" Weight: 155 lbs. Horror Factor: 14, to those who know what he does. Experience Level: 10th Level Body Fixer Magic Knowledge: Knows a lot about magic, but can't cast any spells. Psionics: None Cybernetics/Bionics: Has a wrist needle (uses a bunch of different drugs in it), Garrote Wire, Universal Headjack, Clock Calendar, and Multi-Optic Eye. Disposition: Always cool, calm, and smiling. Practically nothing can phase this bastard. He knows that sometimes, a little bit of kindness can push a tortured man to the point of giving up all that he knows, and therefore uses carrots and sticks a lot. He is also a master of psychology, and is very good at telling when somebody is lying to him or isn't telling him everything. Alexander alternates between unbelievable cruelty and great tenderness at random to throw his victims off and keep their minds from effectively coping with what's going on. Appearance: A good-looking young man with a mild, soothing voice and a perpetual smile on his face. He keeps himself clean and well-groomed, and wears high-quality clothing. Only somebody who reads minds could discern the blackness in this monster's heart with a glance. Bonuses: 40% Charm/Impress, 70% Trust/Intimidate, +4 save vs psychic attack, +2 pull punch, +4 roll w/blow, +2 parry, +2 dodge, +1 strike, +2 damage, +9% to all skills. Attacks per Melee: 4 OCC Skills OCC Related Skills Secondary Skills Medical Doctor: 98% Interrogation: 98% Swimming: 98% Biology: 98% Intelligence: 82% Cook: 94% Pathology: 98% Magic Lore: 94% Dance: 89% Chemistry: 98% D-Bee Lore: 94% Hunting Basic Math: 98% Field Surgery: 80% Skin Animal Hides: 89% Literacy: 98% Computer Operation: 98% Play Piano: 94% Speak Spanish: 98% Computer Programming: 90% WP Blunt Pilot Automobile: 94% Anthropology: 84% WP Whip WP Knife Chemistry-Analytical: 80% Criminal Sciences: 94% Sewing: 90% HTH: Basic WP Energy Pistol WP Energy Rifle WP Sub-Machinegun WP Heavy WP Sword WP Archery Armor: He wears light Dead Boy armor while on duty, and usually wears a Triax plainclothes armor jacket while out on the town. Weapons: At work, he carries a laser scalpel, vibro-knife, and a CP-30 pistol. However, he has access to many more weapons. When torturing especially thick-skinned victims, Alexander's been known to use whips, daggers, and even TW devices! Other Equipment: Medical Gear, Antique Torture Implements, 50,000 credits in Forbidden Books, 20,000 credits in Gold and Jewelry, Electronic Translator, CS Access Card, Handheld Computer. Money: Has 250,000 credits in his savings account, and gets a salary of 8,000 credits a month, as well as a luxurious rent-free apartment. ---Ghoull _______________________________________________________________________________ Proud to be the Honorary Joseph Prosek II. "Listen...once you figure out what a joke everything is, being the comedian's the only thing that makes sense." ---The Comedian, Watchmen "Yeh know I was talkin' about fellas like Pearse, who go on about blood sacrifices, an' glory an' beauty in fightin'? Well they're the ones yeh f-----g shoot first." --- William Cassidy, Preacher Siege Against Tolkeen is currently freeloading at: http://www.oocities.org/TimesSquare/8976/ The Israel Netbook is currently hanging out at: http://www.missouri.edu/~c675123/page100.html The Eylor Netbook is currently spending some time at: http://www.paonline.com/Jaults/atlantis/econt.htm An assortment of my stuff is chillin' at: http://members.aol.com/ShawnM011/ShawnM011/rifts.html _____________________________________________________________________________