Chapter 122: Ethical requests -118
While he was stuck here at SITE-001 waiting for more updates on the situation back home, he suddenly found himself disturbed.
The blinking light indicating a communications request caused him to frown his brow. "What is it?" He asked after accepting it, knowing that it was one of his own guards.
"Sir, the Ethics Committee wishes to speak with you."
Alex couldn't help but curse under his breath hearing that. While he might be above them, most people, including most of the committee itself, didn't actually realize that little fact.
He was tempted to just blow them off, but they did have quite a high level of authority, meaning they could bother him to some extent if they were determined enough.
Only his own personal black SITEs were inaccessible to them, meaning they could bother him in his own home if they wanted, and given that he had a good idea of why they wanted to talk, he knew they wouldn't give up easily.
Sighing, he stood up. "Fine, escort me to their little court. I guess I might as well get this over with."
The walk over to the HQ of the committee didn't take long; after all, they were all inside the same facility, no matter how massive it might be.
However he did take a little extra time just so he could gather a few extra members of Alpha-1 to stand at his back doing the upcoming proceedings, as he wasn't willing to give these fools the illusion that he was at their mercy.
As he entered what could also be described as a small-scale parliament dressed in his darker-than-dark Vibranium body suit, his eyes and mouth glowing eerie on his face, and a small team of heavily armed men at his back, he could almost hear some of the committee members draw in a cold breath.
Alex looked around at the dozens of committee members, men, and women, young and old, all kinds of people who had all once been normal Foundation members before they got a spot here.
As he looked around at them, he almost couldn't help but feel some slight pity for them. They had access to a whole lot of Foundation information, and with that came a heavy responsibility, yet with that responsibility, which was almost as heavy as the O5 council itself, came none of the privileges.
The Ethics Committee was a position they got for life; there was no retiring. They had access to far too many secrets; they weren't even allowed to move around as they pleased. Their every move was under the watching eye and tight control of O5-5.
Alex might not personally think highly of the committee, but that didn't mean they didn't hold a vital role in the Foundation's functioning. For both objects and personnel, the committee was their one way to attempt to change anything.
And to most, the level of change they did desire could indeed be approved by the committee.
"O5-1, we are glad you could make it; if you will please send out your guards, then we can begin the hearing." One of the older gentlemen on the committee spoke.
In response, Alex just snorted dismissingly as her waved his hand and flash-forged a plush-looking armchair into being. Now, it looked far more impressive than it truly was; after all, the ability of flash forging couldn't make objects this large.
In truth it was him using a few different abilities together and a few other tricks to make it look far more impressive and easy compared to what it really was.
His men also did their part, taking up positions behind and to the sides of him, their weapons clutched tightly in their hands, looking mighty menacingly.
The display of power, both anomalous and by way of firepower, shut the room up rather quickly. The committee all looked around, nervous, unsure of what to do; after all, they normally didn't deal with members of the O5 council often.
The O5 council had the highest level of authority in the entire Foundation. And with that authority came certain responsibilities, as well as some very useful benefits.
For example, Alex had the ability to ignore any of the committee's orders; all he had to do was cite it as an emergency, and he could pretty much do anything. Even if he had them all shot dead, there would be no real punishment for him.
This was his confidence, and his seeming confidence really made the committee nervous, more so since he had just shown off some anomalous power like that.
After he felt they had sat there, nervous and uncomfortable in the thick silence long enough did Alex finally speak up. "They will stay here with me, for my protection."
The tension in the room escalated with Alexander's declaration, the air thick with unspoken challenges and the heavy weight of his authority. The Ethics Committee members exchanged glances, their discomfort palpable but their resolve firm.
They were accustomed to navigating the murky waters of Foundation ethics, but dealing directly with an O5, especially one as assertive as Alexander, was rare and daunting.
Dr. Elisa Morrow, the committee chairwoman, adjusted her glasses—a subtle gesture to gather her composure—before addressing Alexander. Her voice, though calm, carried a stern undertone that reflected her years of service within the Foundation's ethical oversight.
"O5-1, while we respect your need for security, this hearing concerns matters of grave importance. The presence of armed personnel is not customary and is perceived as an intimidation tactic, which is not conducive to open and honest dialogue."
"Alex simply waved his hand at her words. "They will stay; they are Alpha-1, my red right hand; they have the needed clearance to hear anything you could possibly say."
His dismissal of her request was lined with the tone of finality; he clearly wasn't going to relent, and there was honestly nothing the committee could do; even their own security would obey O5-1 over themselves.
"Fine, let it be known in the record that O5-1 retained six members of the MTF Alpha-1 for this session."
Alex merely gave a shrug; it wasn't like they had much else they could do.
She didn't seem happy with his lack of concern, but she continued on. "O5-1, you are here today due to several concerns about your actions doing the year following the CK-class event and until the reappearance of this body."
Alex was quickly growing bored of this, he had already had to deal with this exact thing from the other members of O5, he really didn't feel like going through it all again, but he also knew that if he didn't at least play this game a bit, these fools would never back off.
The room's atmosphere grew even tenser, the air practically electric as Dr. Morrow began to lay out the specifics of the concerns. Her demeanor was professional, her tone controlled yet filled with the gravitas suitable for the accusations at hand.
"There have been reports of unauthorized use of anomalous objects, expedited executions without sufficient trials, and several instances of protocols being bypassed under your direct orders. Such actions risk not only the ethical integrity of the Foundation but its very operational security."
Alexander listened, his expression stoic, his posture relaxed in the face of the mounting criticism. The members of Alpha-1 remained statuesque behind him, their presence a silent but potent reminder of his rank and power within the Foundation.
"As head of the Ethics Committee, it is my responsibility to question these actions, to understand the rationale behind them, and to ensure that the SCP Foundation does not stray from its guiding principles," Dr. Morrow continued, her eyes fixed firmly on Alexander. "The integrity of our operations depends not only on the containment of anomalies but on maintaining a moral standard that sets us apart from the very threats we secure."
She paused for a moment. "While this body understands that having the sole responsibility for the continuation of the Foundation under such circumstances couldn't have been easy, and not all protocols could have been followed, we at least wish to know the underlying reasons for the actions and decisions made."
There it was; Alex was almost half tempted to believe this was an attempt from O5-5 to learn his source of information.
"It is clear that you possess some unknown source of information about anomalous objects, both new never before known ones and old ones, which we are attempting to re-contain. We want to know about this source. Can you please explain it to this body?"
No, this wasn't O5-5; this was far too direct to be an attempt; this was clearly just the committee working on their own. Sighing he started to explain himself, or as much as he wanted.
"The nature of my source is classified at a level that even this committee does not have clearance for," Alexander began, his voice steady. "However, I can assure you that every decision made was with the paramount goal of securing the Foundation's future and the safety of humanity."
Dr. Morrow frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the vagueness of his answer. "O5-1, while we understand the need for secrecy in certain operations, the lack of transparency concerning your sources and methods has led to significant unease within the Foundation. It challenges the very principles of oversight and accountability that the Ethics Committee stands for."
Alexander leaned forward slightly, his fingers tented in front of him. "Dr. Morrow, the challenges I faced in that situation and which we still face are unprecedented. My actions, though they may seem strange at times, are always in response to information that the best cause of action, even if it isn't easy to see so without the information itself."
He paused, letting his words resonate. "I'm here today out of respect for the committee's role, not because I am obliged to explain my actions to its satisfaction. However, I'm willing to provide summaries of the decisions made under my authority, with the understanding that specifics may remain confidential to protect the operational security of the Foundation."
A younger committee member, Dr. Jonas Khalid, interjected, his tone a mix of respect and frustration. "With all due respect, O5-1, how can we perform our ethical oversight if we are kept in the dark about the very matters that require our review?"
Alex was quick to challenge the young man. "How do our field agents know the best way to deal with a new object? How do our containment specialists know how to contain a new object? The Foundation is no stranger to working with limited information, the Ethics committee is no different."
Alexander's rebuttal had a razor-sharp edge, reflecting his frustration with the proceedings. He glanced around the room, meeting the eyes of the committee members, each shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. The weight of his authority was palpable, pressing down on the atmosphere in the room.
Dr. Morrow, however, maintained her composure. "While it is true that the Foundation often operates under conditions of uncertainty, our role as the Ethics Committee is to ensure that such operations do not compromise our moral directives. "
"Secrecy necessary for operational security is understandable, but complete opacity is another matter. It hampers our ability to oversee and, when necessary, guide the decisions of the Foundation to ensure they adhere to ethical standards."
Alexander leaned back, his expression unreadable. "Dr. Morrow, your concerns are noted. However, let us not forget that the very nature of our work sometimes requires decisions that are uncomfortable. My priority has always been the preservation of humanity and the containment of anomalies that threaten our existence. Every decision I've made, however unconventional, has been aimed towards those ends."
The discussion continued back and forth, with a few moments where it calmed down as someone asked a question about a specific decision he made, wishing him to explain what he could.
"Finally, we have reached the most important subject of this session, the so-called Celestial Protocol. This has massive ethical implications and one we wish to understand in far greater detail; please share what you can."
"Ah yes, I imagine something of this scale will prove most challenging for you all to deal with, but I have outlined what needs to be done; as for how to accomplish it, you are more than welcome to come up with alternative ideas and methods."
Alex had no doubt that they might do just that, and he didn't really care much as long as they could potentially delay the celestial emergence indefinitely. "The population of intelligent life on earth can't ever reach ten billion."
"Should that happen, it will trigger an XK-class event, the end of the world itself, the complete and utter destruction of the planet; it can only be avoided, not fought against, as any attempt at doing that would risk having either those Eternals or their celestial masters finish things far sooner."
Dr. Morrow's face was a mask of concern mixed with skepticism as she processed Alexander's stark declaration. "An XK-class event predicated on population levels is a severe and unsettling scenario,"
she acknowledged slowly, weighing each word as she spoke. "However, enacting population controls of the magnitude you suggest—especially with such potentially invasive measures—raises profound ethical questions. How can we justify such actions without knowing how you can be sure of the need for such a thing?"
"You must simply believe that what I tell you is the truth, that what I say is true, you must simply follow orders, as the rest of the Foundation does, without question." Alex said, knowing well that it was a hard ask, since the Committee was the one body supposed to ask questions.
Dr. Morrow tensed, her hands clasping tightly together. "With respect, O5-1, 'simply believing' is not within the remit of the Ethics Committee. Our role is to scrutinize, question, and ensure that all actions taken by the Foundation adhere to ethical standards, not to blindly follow orders."
Her voice was firm, reflecting the gravity of her responsibility. "We understand the necessity of secrecy in certain operational aspects, but there must be a threshold where oversight cannot be completely bypassed."
Alex understood her, he really did, but that didn't mean he could do anything for her. He couldn't possibly start explaining how he knew this, the nature of his transmigration into the world of the Marvel universe was a secret he would take to the grave, and even then he wouldn't let anyone learn it.
He sighed, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders, a world vastly different from the comics and stories he once knew as simple fiction. "Dr. Morrow, I appreciate the stance of the Ethics Committee. The challenges we face, however, are of such magnitude that traditional ethical guidelines may, at times, need to be adapted. I assure you, the actions taken are not without deep consideration of their moral implications."
Dr. Morrow's expression softened slightly, recognizing the sincerity in Alexander's tone, yet her duty compelled her to push further. "Adaptation should not mean abandonment of our principles, O5-1. If we are to support, or even condone, actions that stretch the boundaries of ethical norms, we need transparency. We need to understand the why, the how, and the must of these actions."
All he could do in the end was sigh and stand up. "We are done here, I expect that the protocol either be carried out in its current form or amended by this body." And with those final words he left the room while ignoring the outrage behind him.
A/N
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