Semester 19 Teaser: Affliction

[Game Administrator]

<@Stoffelis> "Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to Stoffelis NOW. This week, we have a very special guest, one that we can easily fill the whole hour with in one, singular, interview. With us now is Dr. Bolivar Trask, a trend setter in the War on Mutants." The camera panned to Trask briefly, a ticker with irrelevant information appearing below him.

<@Stoffelis> "Dr. Trask, welcome to the show."

<Trask> The doctor smiled, trying to hide his cringe at the phrase 'war on mutants', such an absolutely ignorant turn of phrase and not at all in his mindframe. He did, however, know where the funding for his projects came from, rich prejudiced nutjobs like the man who was welcoming him to the show. "Thank you, it's very good of you to have me."

<@Stoffelis> "Dr. Trask let's begin with the United States. What is going on right now in this country, and what are you proposing? The viewers at home, not all of them may know exactly who you are, so let's set up all of that first."

<Trask> "Well, I am sure that our audience tonight can see for themselves what is going on right now in the United States and the world, we cannot kid ourselves and think that we can really look at this situation only at the national level when this is most definiltey a global phenomena." He sat back in his chair, quite relaxed on set as he scratched just a bit at his mustache as he thought.

<Trask> "We have been given a new minority and the approach to how we have dealt with this minority has been haphazard at best, I'm sure we can both agree on this, yes?"

<@Stoffelis> "To say the least." Stoffelis croaked. "The idea that this, minority, as you put it, is causing more damage in terms of dollar signs than the Iraqi war? Well that's just a hard-fact problem."

<Trask> "And that is a problem where we first need to ask why. Why is it many of the mutant community strike out like this?"

<@Stoffelis> "Because there is no control. Isn't that evidet?" Stoffelis pointed out.

<Trask> "I believe the problem goes beyond that. Controlling this population would only be treating a symptom, and this treatment has caused more damage and has made people all ready afflicted even moreso."

<Trask> He sat up in his seat now, getting more excited as he talked.

<Trask> "What we have created with our current policy towards mutants at least in the United States is a very dangerous dichotomy. At the beginning we have 'mutants are dangerous' so people are understandably wary considering what these people of course can do and the fact that, aside from the obviously afflicted, we cannot tell who they are."

<Trask> "But once we allow ourselves to be afraid and prejudiced we have a division that creates this dichotomy. Some mutants take advantage of what they see as our weakness, others rely on their afflictions to keep themselves away from the first classification of mutants so by the end of it we have what happened with Apocalypse. Control is not enough when we have people who can take our own control away."

<@Stoffelis> "You're saying it's prejudice to defend yourself against... well this?" Footage blared and roared as attacks from Apocalypse's Generals were shown on the screen behind them. "I mean the viewers at home aren't stupid."

<@Stoffelis> "They're don't understand. They can't understand. And Dr. Trask, you always fear what you don't understand. Are the American Citizens, or even citizens of the world, wrong for being afraid? Of course they're demanding control. Some of them, Dr. Trask, want to see something a ltitle more advanced than concentration camps."

<@Stoffelis> Stoffelis liked hot-button words. Concentration Camps. That'll wake them out of their sleep with a fart. "I mean let's face it, no one wants to see a genocide... but is there anything we can look forward to? A vaccination to prevent this supposed 'X-Gene'? Something? Where's the CDC on this?"

<Trask> "I never said defense is prejudiced. Nobody would say anyone was acting in a racist manner if they were defending themselves from a present danger after all, that would be common sense." Trask dismissed the argument as it was completely off the point. "This is not an argument against monitoring the situation as there are portions that most definitely need monitoring. But, as I said, that only treats a symptom, what we need is a resolution and, while I do not speak for the CDC, you have touched upon my mission now."

<Trask> "What we need is a cure, and with the research I am currently conducting we come closer to that every day. These people are not our enemies by definition of what they are but with what they are facing some do turn their powers towards those ends, that cannot be denied and that must be countered but the core of the problem is that we have a growing population of people who are afflicted, who are sick."

<Trask> "Some have made themselves useful through their affliction but it is still that, an affliction. When it is cured many of these people can be brought back into society as functioning members, not all I will accept will be functioning, perhaps, but we are more than capable of dealing with the criminal element once they have been helped."

<@Stoffelis> "An affliction, a sickness, these are hot-button terms. There are many people, Dr. Trask, even polticians, who are very afraid that we have weaponized beings walking around now. They're calling them the new 'WMD's. In fact, I started calling some of them MDW's in my blog. Mutated, Destructive, Weapons. Let's take a look here..."

<@Stoffelis> Footage of Doom and his Fearful Four attacking the bank came up on screen. "Look at that. Look at that. You have a cure for that? A giant man-scorpion? And good Lord, is that man made of Water? How do you defend yourself from these people?" Why won't this guy get fired up?

<Trask> "I find that showing this population their main value is not as people but as tools for us to utilize we are only fueling the problems that we have addressed here. It's showing people who find themselves with powers that they only have the options of being weapons, whether it be government sanctioned, vigilantism which all ready sets up the same problems, or the criminal element fighting for themselves. While, in a perfect world, government sanctioned would work we are unfortunately not just inspiring these peole to follow in the footsteps to be a service to the country."

<Trask> He regarded the examples being given to him on the screen and nodded. "Yes, it is possible. It is not immediate but it is possible. With the right amount of gene therapy and supression and certain therapies I see no reason why anyone with these given powers would not be able to re-enter society as a functioning member instead of putting themselves in the position of disinfrancized criminal."

<@Stoffelis> "I'm surprised you don't have a book on this yet. Where do these abilities fall in terms of the American Constitution? We have a right to bear arms, what about this man?" A picture of a mutant with 4 arms appeared on the screen. He had spider-eyes and fangs, his hair was spiky and silvery grey. "Is he allowed to bear arms? We've seen the consequences of some of these abilities, where do these super-charged powers lie on the line, legally speaking?"

<@Stoffelis> "Can someone who can shout loud enough to crumple a building be kept from attending school? Public functions?" - (behind him pictures of Sean using his ear-splitting shout to blow up zombies appeared on the screen.)

<Trask> "I'm afraid I'm an antropologist, Dr. Stoffelis, no lawyer. I believe what you are asking would be more better answered by those in charge of the Registration. I will say, however, that when people are proven to be a danger to themselves or others, they are usually medicated, yes? I see this no differently. While many may not be a true danger to us they still suffer."

<@Stoffelis> "Do you plan on fleshing out the mutant population, for your project? Do you have volunteers?" Give me a number for these crazies to call you at...

<Trask> "My scientists and I are currently setting up our labratory for our extended clinic trials and we look forward to any and all volunteers, both mutants willing to work on the cure and human controls and I thank you again for helping myself and those that work with me in getting the word out."

<@Stoffelis> "Of course. And I think I speak for the audience at home when I say, here's hoping you're right." He shot him a very serious look. "Let's hope you're not wrong."

[Slarti]

Well done, shifty people. Well done.

[Ferguson]

Traaaaaaaask



I might be a little bit more than excited.

[steyn]

Mutant cure!