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[Now he's had more time to practice filters, he's trying one out. He's sure this matter has been brought up before at some point in time anyhow, so it's not like it's too sensitive. But he has to ask, since it seems like people never discuss it. At the moment, Mulder can be seen holding a small handheld mirror and tapping it absentmindedly into the palm of his other hand. He has a thoughtful expression on his face.]

...I bet it's been tried before, but... Has anyone ever had the barcode on the back of their neck examined? Is there a doctor in the house, or anyone with a medical background who's ever tried removing it from someone? ....Or maybe just someone in possession of a state of the art grocery store scanner to check it out? [What, YOU NEVER KNOW.] For that matter, can we be entirely sure they haven't implanted anything additional in us?

Aside from that, I'm almost starting to feel a sense of routine and normality, between my ongoing quest to commune with the spirits and now working on what's essentially becoming the Lucetian X-Files. I have some faint hope that documenting the experiments will give me a better understanding of this place. Although I would kill for a computer to type them out on. Uh... not literally kill, for the record.
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A flood of newcomers means I get to officially upgrade my New Feather badge to the next level... [Warning! Warning! Incoming snark mode!] Welcome to paradise, everyone. The food is free, but the TV reception is terrible, the recreational activities consist of reality-altering experiments which will make you wish you were on reality-altering drugs, and the vacation staff running the place have a mysterious fetish for wings. Overall I give this resort a half star. You really should have gone to Disneyworld instead.

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[Robert is too serious for the snark - which probably would go mostly over his head, he doesn't pick sarcasm up well - and the filtered part catches his attention (he summarily bumps it up out of habit). He runs his own fingers over the barcode under his lab coat's lapels as he speaks.]

I have analyzed it using my nanocomputer's holophotography, but I do not recognize the configuration. It is nothing like any sort of encryption that I have ever seen... and at any rate, it is mostly outside of the ability of my nanocomputer to process. [Terrans had never exactly had to think about grocery store barcode scanners.]

It may be a means of identification and sequestering, or it may be a manner of quickly extracting information about us as encoded in whatever method of storage it must be. It must be subdermal, rather like some form of tattoo, otherwise we would shed it; but I do not think it is made with any ink... Have there been any cases of allergic reactions to the barcodes? We might be able to ascertain what material it is from if there have been.

And I do not think we can be certain... [Robert makes a disgusted little noise.] I long for Terran biomedical scanners, so that we might get a more accurate picture of our own bodies here, and perhaps see how the wings connect.

[And though Robert is kind of anxious of having random people touch his nanocomputer, he might make an exception for Mulder...]

[Ohh, nice, Mulder is going to spend the next few hours playing with filters so he can set up one this secure in the future. He's still getting the hang of it, but now that he has some spare time he'll delve into it more.]

I haven't heard anything about any reactions specifically to the barcodes. Location and identification seemed to be the main reasons I could come up with, too. [And it's things like that which really make his paranoia level rise.] I've been wondering what would happen if someone ever tried to remove it, but, I have a strong suspicion that it would reappear the same as ever.

It's too bad we don't have some means to full-scan ourselves. There's no doubt that some basics of our biological make-up has been altered with whatever procedure gives us wings. I bet there's a lot that's going on inside of us, unseen and unknown.

[Robert would be happy to help if he asked. Though Robert does most of his filtering using complex mathematical equations...]

... Were I convinced of a method of healing, I would attempt to do a tissue biopsy of my own barcode... but knowing this place, it would likely be a death sentence, or failing that - as you said, it might simply reappear using whatever strange properties the Malnosso give things.

[Robert sighs almost forlornly.] To think of all the opportunities being wasted without the knowledge... I was strongly considering contacting the Malnosso anyway. Do you think they might actually indulge a request like that, Mr. Mulder? After all, they were kind enough to give me my nanocomputer...

[Robert knows that the Malnosso can see even these transmissions. But he wonders exactly how much they pay attention to.]

[If he has any trouble, Robert's someone he'd go to for something like that. He's smart at figuring out some things, but anything too tech-y usually was when he consulted the Lone Gunmen.]

I came very close to attempting to get rid of mine. But it's a bit trickier than it seems in theory. [And there's the whole issue of not being a medical doctor, so not having any skills in the cutting people up department.] Knowing how they work, they must have something in place for the possibility of people tampering with them.

...Hm. They might listen to you if you asked. It's worth a shot, anyway. Of course, who knows whether or not they can be really trusted... even though they seem to provide items readily enough... almost too readily...

[Yeah, Mulder is aware of them watching, too. He doesn't care too much if they learn of how suspicious and paranoid he is of them. Let them know!]

[There are plenty of tech-y geeks here in Luceti... Robert knows quite a few of them, actually.]

The Malnosso do tend to build strange fail-safes into their biological devices, such as the regeneration of wings. It is not implausible to think that the same occurs with these barcodes. That being said, a tissue biopsy could still provide answers - even a completely normal result would answer some questions.

[Thoughtfully:] I question whether they would provide something that could end up answering questions about their own materials or processes, but perhaps they would be confident that nothing would be discernable.

... At any rate, I would want to have it anyway. If nothing else it would allow for extensive investigation of the many non-human sapients here, provided they would be willing, of course. [Robert's tone has a little bit of emphasis there, because he is - now more than ever - very concerned with consent, especially with the Malnosso being the horrifying abominations they are.]

I think it would be worth checking out too, even if the biopsy turned up no measurably unusual results. Although I agree that you wouldn't want to go around sampling just anyone, it would have to be from people who trust what you're doing and are willing.

...And I keep thinking that the Malnosso have to slip up somewhere, at some point. Even they can't be perfect. Maybe they already have messed up somewhere down the line and we just didn't realize or have a chance to use it to our advantage.

It is why I would wish to take the sample from myself. Not only am I more-or-less aware of what is "normal" for me, but I am also quite capable of giving consent to myself. That being said, taking multiple samples would be the most effective method of confirming what might be going on when it comes to the barcodes.

... It is possible that the Malnosso did falter somewhere, and we simply did not notice. The thing is, even if the Malnosso do make mistakes, they are so good at covering their own traces that we are obliged to be constantly playing mental catch-up with their techniques.

[Robert sighs a little bit.] I wish they would simply talk to us.

I don't blame you, it's hard to tell offhand who'd be willing... but the more tests you can run, the better. I'll offer up mine too, even if I'm just a plain-old standard earthling. [He still wishes he had Scully around to help with this situation. She's never far from his mind, especially when it's something that he knows she'd have done for him.]

If they were to talk to us too much, and get too close to us, they'd end up in a position where more of their flaws would be exposed. They'd thus give up some of their power. And they couldn't have that. Which makes it frustrating for trying to understand them. I can profile them as a collective, but damned if they make it difficult to get a handle on them as individuals...

Instead, they hide in their 'safety', far removed from the people they're affecting, as they plot and scheme to conceal the truth of their wrongdoing. [He sounds pretty worked up there, but this is one of the things that really gets him livid.]

It would necessitate two samples; untouched skin, and a tissue biopsy of the barcodes - for comparison purposes. My nanocomputer is not the ideal for this kind of work, but it is far better than any of the scanners here would likely be.

... And of course there would need to be an emergency medical doctor on hand, just in case these biopsies would trigger some sort of fail-safe. [Which is a terrifying thought. He doesn't want to accidentally kill himself.]

You are correct in that it would put them in such a position. But it would be more effective for both of us. If our goals - getting home again, or at least making it possible to return - align, then why do they not engage us on our terms? We represent so much collective information which could be at their disposal if they treated us well, but they refuse to offer even that basic level of ethics.

[Robert shakes his head. It angers him too, that they won't cooperate and instead torture them from a distance. He sees the potential of a coalition, but it's dying in front of him.]

If only my partner were here... [He sighs a little.] She's a medical doctor, and would have been very useful for this kind of procedure. But still... I'd like to see what we can find out. Your nanocomputer sounds like it's a very advanced piece of equipment.

...That's a good point. I spend so much time hating their guts for what they do to us that I keep forgetting that we're really after the same thing, ultimately. With people from so many worlds represented here, I'm sure we could come up with a solution between all of us.

I would have liked her help in this too, but I also know some medical doctors here. Were we to actually perform this, I could ask them to accompany us for the procedure...

... And I would like to think it is. However, it is only a standard-issue scientific nanocomputer... not particularly impressive by Terran standards. Still... ... I intend to show it sometime to the denizens of Luceti, so perhaps you would like to see it then if you do not see it earlier... [Or he could show it to Mulder now, over the video function.]

Yes, that is exactly what I think is possible. Which is why the Malnosso's lack of foresight irritates me so thoroughly.

[Why can't people just cooperate instead of fighting all the time?]

We'll make do with what we have here, then. Maybe testing could bring us some kind of clue about this place.

I'd be very interested in seeing that computer and what it's capable of, anytime you're willing to show it off.

It's very troubling- they're so intelligent in other respects, you'd think they would realize that this situation is getting them nowhere. It's been this way for a few years now, after all...

I would certainly hope it could - there is so much possible data that could be gathered on these subjects. [Robert's voice betrays his eagerness here - he is really curious to learn and this sort of situation just underscores it.]

As for my nanocomputer - I will probably make some sort of announcement soon over the journal systems, and ask as to whether there would be interest in seeing it directly... [Robert wishes the Malnosso would be willing to collaborate him on nanocomputer technology. He was never the best at it, but...]

And your point is definitely acknowledged. I have no idea why the Malnosso would avoid what seems like such an obvious solution, unless they are that desperate to maintain their position.

I think there's a lot to be analyzed about this place... it'll be interesting to see what you can gather, and what answers that data might provide. I'll be looking forward to seeing your nanocomputer up close and personal, too.

And yeah. It likely is a matter of maintaining control over the one thing they do have power over. Unfortunately, that closes off the possibility of cooperating with us...

I hope to be able to ascertain much from this place as well... and I look forward to having your assistance, Mr. Mulder.

[Truly, this is a beautiful friendship based on mutual nerditude.]

Unfortunately, indeed. Perhaps one day, that will change...

... And then we might be able to go home, with the knowledge of this place still in our minds.

Good, I can't wait to check it out. [Hell, yes! It makes Mulder glad, it's like he has one of his Lone Gunmen buddies around.]

We sure will. I believe if we work on it, we'll find a way.

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