07-31-2013, 02:43 PM
The last official, documented research conducted on a live test subject rougarou – at least as far as Tehya’s resources elucidated – had been in the 1970s, when cognitive behavioural therapy had marched to the forefront of fashion. The monsters who maintained human appearance – who had been human, once – had always garnered interest from certain sections of the Atharim. Did remnants of humanity remain? Could such a creature be redeemed? It was a subversive study, of course - anything created by the gods was an abomination whether it was dangerous or not, whether it had ever been human or not; an affront to nature itself - but even back then it had not been a curiosity born of benevolence. Control was a weapon as potent as anything else. In this case, they had tried to teach the rougarou restraint – to, figuratively speaking, put a leash on it, through a series of aversion and reward therapies.
It hadn’t ended well.
Some years later, when technological advances had improved enough to provide greater insight, it had been decided that the mutation which caused the cannibalistic urges in rougarou pushed them beyond the brinks of humanity. No amount of cognitive work or manipulation was going to alter the essence of their very nature; they were changed. Perhaps irreversibly. And since their exhibited behaviours were both primitive and predictable, further study of that nature was pretty much abandoned by all but the most esoteric.
It wasn’t the only reason this became common practise. Of all the identified humanoid creatures in the Atharim compendiums, the rougarou amounted among the more dangerous – at least in terms of their willing capacity for violence and ability to exist on the fringes of society. They lacked the function of self-control, and burned briefly but savagely on vicious instinct before the Atharim took them down. Bloody work, usually – which meant that hauling one in alive was not only difficult, but that the danger outweighed any benefit.
Tehya would not take risks; not the sort of risks that would result in fatalities. But she wanted that rougarou alive.
As an endeavour it would be frowned upon by her peers – perhaps at best – but she had never been the sort to back away from the unconventional, if she thought the sacrifice worth it. Fortunately there were few hoops for her to jump through; climb high enough on the Atharim chain of command, and it was a simple thing to commandeer control of an operation and coordinate its efforts. Many field hunters worked autonomously, but collective work was not unusual either; particularly when something had broken into current news and necessitated quick work.
Her laptop was humming dangerously, and it radiated heat where her hand rested on the keypad. She willed it to last just a couple of minutes more; just while she laboured through the list of names Marcus had given her and fired off her instructions. Then she swore she'd get to grips with that damn Wallet. Hold position was the order; it would buy her some time, at least. All answered to the Regus, of course, but the Atharim as a collective body were too widespread for it to be a completely autocratic authority; the Atharim’s direction was protection, and layers of bureaucracy would only form a hindrance to that end. She was not due to check in at HQ until Monday; if she worked quickly, this could be done before anyone could go over her head.
While her laptop was still cooperating, she double-checked the safe-houses she'd perused earlier - until she found the one that had caught her eye. It was somewhat unusual for Atharim to work with one outside their own - why no tattoo? - but it was useful information to know, and suited her purposes. Fortune shined bright, or maybe the spirit of her Dustu stirred favour - the last to receive communication were two furia fresh to Moscow. Their skills would speed the hunt, or so Tehya hoped, though it wasn't the only reason she was satisfied to have discovered them.
That done, she finally let the laptop sleep, grabbed her coat and keys - then, almost as an after-thought, the Wallet, and left the apartment. Time to see the city she was to call home.
Edited by Tehya, Jul 31 2013, 02:46 PM.
It hadn’t ended well.
Some years later, when technological advances had improved enough to provide greater insight, it had been decided that the mutation which caused the cannibalistic urges in rougarou pushed them beyond the brinks of humanity. No amount of cognitive work or manipulation was going to alter the essence of their very nature; they were changed. Perhaps irreversibly. And since their exhibited behaviours were both primitive and predictable, further study of that nature was pretty much abandoned by all but the most esoteric.
It wasn’t the only reason this became common practise. Of all the identified humanoid creatures in the Atharim compendiums, the rougarou amounted among the more dangerous – at least in terms of their willing capacity for violence and ability to exist on the fringes of society. They lacked the function of self-control, and burned briefly but savagely on vicious instinct before the Atharim took them down. Bloody work, usually – which meant that hauling one in alive was not only difficult, but that the danger outweighed any benefit.
Tehya would not take risks; not the sort of risks that would result in fatalities. But she wanted that rougarou alive.
As an endeavour it would be frowned upon by her peers – perhaps at best – but she had never been the sort to back away from the unconventional, if she thought the sacrifice worth it. Fortunately there were few hoops for her to jump through; climb high enough on the Atharim chain of command, and it was a simple thing to commandeer control of an operation and coordinate its efforts. Many field hunters worked autonomously, but collective work was not unusual either; particularly when something had broken into current news and necessitated quick work.
Her laptop was humming dangerously, and it radiated heat where her hand rested on the keypad. She willed it to last just a couple of minutes more; just while she laboured through the list of names Marcus had given her and fired off her instructions. Then she swore she'd get to grips with that damn Wallet. Hold position was the order; it would buy her some time, at least. All answered to the Regus, of course, but the Atharim as a collective body were too widespread for it to be a completely autocratic authority; the Atharim’s direction was protection, and layers of bureaucracy would only form a hindrance to that end. She was not due to check in at HQ until Monday; if she worked quickly, this could be done before anyone could go over her head.
While her laptop was still cooperating, she double-checked the safe-houses she'd perused earlier - until she found the one that had caught her eye. It was somewhat unusual for Atharim to work with one outside their own - why no tattoo? - but it was useful information to know, and suited her purposes. Fortune shined bright, or maybe the spirit of her Dustu stirred favour - the last to receive communication were two furia fresh to Moscow. Their skills would speed the hunt, or so Tehya hoped, though it wasn't the only reason she was satisfied to have discovered them.
That done, she finally let the laptop sleep, grabbed her coat and keys - then, almost as an after-thought, the Wallet, and left the apartment. Time to see the city she was to call home.
Edited by Tehya, Jul 31 2013, 02:46 PM.