 The Paragon Wiki Archive documents the state of City of Heroes/Villains as it existed on December 1, 2012.
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Alec Parson
Overview
| Alec Parson | |
|---|---|
 Senior Researcher at MICIR | |
| Zone | Imperial City |
| Coordinates | (1440, -39, 705) |
| Level Range | 8-15 |
| Introduced By |
== Level 8 == Interrogator Kang |
| Introduces |
== Level 8 == Investigator Whitworth |
| Enemy Groups | None |
Alec Parson is a Praetorian contact in Imperial City at coordinates (1440, -39, 705). His level range is 8-15. He is located approximately 73 yards NE of the Industry Avenue marker.
Contents
Introductions
Contact Introduced By
Contact Introduces
I've got someone I think you should meet.
Have you ever heard of Investigator Whitworth? The man is unsettling, but, I guess that's just because I'm an employee of M.I.C.I.R. and his job is to watch us like hawks. But that isn't what I wanted to tell you about him. He heard about you helping me out and said he wanted to meet you. If Whitworth needs your help it means someone made a very big mistake.
This contact I've introduced you to can probably move you along down the path you've chosen.
Information
Senior Researcher at MICIR, the Ministry of Intelligence Criminal Investigaton and Research.
Alec Parson is a senior forensic scientist working for MICIR, the Ministry of Information Criminal Investigation and Research. He has a passion for robotics and all things Clockwork related.
Prior to Introduction
If you're not here about the double-locked algorithm arrays that I requested, then I have no idea who you are or why you're here.
Initial Contact
You must be Character that was mentioned in the email. I'm Alec Parson, and I'm in charge of taking care of our city's security clockwork drones. Did you know that just one optical pattern recognition sensor on a Class G-22029 pre-production model creates more analogous cognitive feedback than ten officers combined?
Can you imagine it? If enough of these were installed around the city, we could let these robots take over all the policing duties! All I need to do is track down a few annoying bugs and then the system will be foolproof!
Of course, that isn't exactly possible right now. I could use your help.
Greeting
- I have very little time to talk right now. There is so much code to compile, I might as well be a Verbrandt string-assistant. Sigh
Too Busy
Missing Too Busy Dialogue
Too Low Level
Missing Too Low Level Dialogue
No More Missions
I'm still working on some coding changes to prevent anyone from tampering with our clockworks again. If I need anything, I'll let you know.
Store
Story Arc
Clock Face
Souvenir
The Clock Face
Sometimes, when you see a Clockwork, you think back to Alec Parson and your defeat of the entity known as Metronome. It's a case that you've come to remember as...
The Clock Face.
It all started when Alec Parson, a senior forensics scientist working at M.I.C.I.R., needed help disabling some Clockwork who had gone berserk in the M.I.C.I.R. labs. You discovered that the Clockwork were being controlled by some sort of remote signal, and disabling the signal carrier caused the Clockwork to revert to their normal functions.
Parson discovered that the Clockwork had been snooping through the M.I.C.I.R. databases looking for the location of some Clockwork parts. According to some schematics Parson located inside one of the Clockwork in the lab they were aiming to construct some sort of new prototype. You went down to Imperial Storage to head off the Clockwork before they could steal the parts and brought them back to Parson to study.
Parson was worried, however, that a collegue of his, Susan Beck, might be in danger. He had sent her the strange schematics and was talking to her about them when their connection was cut. You went over to Omnitek to make sure she was alright and discovered the place was overrun by more of the strange speaking Clockwork. After rescuing Susan you discovered that the attack on Omnitek was designed to lure you away from M.I.C.I.R. and Parson so that the Clockwork could attack there without you interfering. You raced back to M.I.C.I.R. and rescued Alec Parson.
Parson started searching for signals around the city similar to the original carrier signal and he pinpointed one in Megalith Storage. You arrived at Megalith intent on putting an end to the Clockwork attacks and instead found the place crawling with Syndicate agents. Apparently their people had fallen victim to a round of thefts from the same Clockwork.
Parson put two and two together and realized that the Clockwork weren't being controlled by a radio signal but rather a psychic signal. He scanned through the Seer records and discovered that with each case of the Clockwork attacking the Seers had detected a sudden psychic surge. Cross referencing that to Clockwork activity the event coincided with sudden signal loss to Clockwork. A surge had just occurred at an old abandoned tech lab, Parson was certain that the Clockwork were there. You arrived and Parson's transmission to you was cut. A booming mechanical voice came over the communicator warning you to stay out of its business. It called itself Metronome. You proceeded anyway and encountered a small army of prototypes being built by Metronome and destroyed them. With the army destroyed and no sign of the psychic responsible for their construction, you returned to Parson to get him caught up. Parson was intrigued with the possibility that the person calling itself Metronome could very well be Dr. Russel Brandt, one of the scientists responsible for the invention of the Clockwork alongside Dr. Raymond Keyes. He had died mysteriously a month before they were unveiled. Whether the good doctor had returned from the dead, or if Metronome was some sort of virus installed in all the Clockwork remained a mystery.
Part One: What's Your Malfunction?
The PPD picked up some haywire Clockwork over in Nova Praetoria and brought them in. I was diagnosing a programming glitch in some of the malfunctioning Clockwork, but one of them overrode its dormant sub-routines, got up off of the examination table, and started accessing one of our databases. I tried to stop it, but it pushed me to the floor and pointed its wrist laser at me!
As if that wasn't enough to encourage me to leave, the other Clockwork started reactivating as well. As you've probably already guessed, I really need your help.
Help Parson with his Clockwork troubles.
I don't know what exactly is going on in there, but I don't think we have any other options. I'm going to need you to shut them down the old fashioned way. Just try not to completely destroy them, or the lab. I want to analyze what happened and get to the bottom of this.
I'm pretty sure the first one that reactivated was some sort of Signal Carrier. If you deactivate the signal carrier then the others should return to normal operating parameters.
Parson hands you a small micro-communicator.
Here, I'll keep in contact with you through this communicator. I have access to MICIR's security feed so if anything strange starts happening, I'll let you know.
Unecessary Solicitation
Have you dealt with the haywire Clockwork in the MICIR labs yet?
Mission Objective(s)
The MICIR labs are oddly quiet, and then you hear the faint whirring of Clockwork micro-motors.
- Investigate Haywire Clockwork in M.I.C.I.R. facility
You've disabled the signal carrier and returned the malfunctioning Clockwork back to normal operating parameters.
- Signal Carrier (Rogue Clockwork, Lieutenant)
- This appears to be the signal carrier that Alec Parson told you about.
Debriefing
Great job, Character, it looks like you managed to deactivate the signal carrier before it could transmit any data. I just hope you left enough of it intact for me to sift through the memory banks and see what it was after.
It appears we'll be working together more. Here, please take my cell number. It's my preferred way of communication.
Part Two: Pieces Parts
Character. We lucked out. Despite trying to self destruct it looks like you managed to keep the Clockwork from completely destroying its memory chips. I sifted around through its memory and compared what pieces I could find with its path through our databases. It looks like it was doing some shopping. Turns out it was very interested in Imperial Storage, a storage depot for Clockwork parts. I think it would be a good idea to get down there and see if whoever was behind that strange signal shows up.
Check out Imperial Storage
Oh, before I forget. I analyzed the files in the memory chips of all the Clockwork that were subjected to that carrier signal. You know, searching for any sort of hacking or file rewrites. Amazingly there were none, with one notable exception.
I found an entirely new data file in the memory of the signal carrier. It was a schematic for a Clockwork design, one I've never seen before.
Maybe I'm not giving this the gravity it deserves. You see, this schematic is far more advanced than anything I have ever seen! It makes amazing use of simple modifications to commonly existing parts. The design achieves staggering results. Frankly, I feel kinda inept that I didn't see it before, it's all so obvious seeing it all laid out like that.
Character, I'm very interested in testing these schematics out, but I have a feeling whoever embedded that file is going to make a grab for the parts first. I want you to stop them and bring the parts to me.
- Parson gives you a list of Clockwork parts and crate numbers.
Unnecessary Solicitation
You need to get over to Imperial Storage and grab those Clockwork parts for me before whoever is behind this gets them.
Mission Objective(s)
From the sound of it, you aren't the first one here.
- Retrieve components from Imperial Storage
- 4 Clockwork parts to retrieve
You got ahold of all the parts before the Clockwork could steal them.
Debriefing
You got the parts! Great!
Wait. You fought off another band of hostile Clockwork? That's unsettling.
Wait, wait, wait... Wait.
When you said the Clockwork were talking you meant talking in their maintenance code, right?
No? What? They knew you by name?
Oh no... if they knew you by name, and that you were coming for those parts... that means they might know who I am and...
Susan...
Part Three: Bait and Switch
Character! It isn't a malfunction in the hard lines... Gah, hold on, let me explain.
I sent the schematics over to a friend of mine at Omnitek to take a look at them while you were getting these parts. We were discussing them over a secure chat channel when she suddenly went offline.
I tried to contact her over the hard lines but I couldn't get through. I figured there was a communication disruption due to Resistance activity down in the tunnels again, but now that I check, Omnitek has gone completely silent. Whoever is behind this knows I transfered those schematics to Susan and now they've gone after her!
Please, Character, get Susan out of there before it's too late!
Check out Omnitek
If anything happens to her it's my fault. I'll alert the PPD while you're en route, hopefully they can lend you a hand.
And Character, please... please get her out of there safely. Susan doesn't know it, but she is more to me than just another colleague.
Unnecessary Solicitation
I still can't get ahold of anyone over at Omnitek.
Mission Objective(s)
Omnitek may have gone silent to the outside world, but inside it is pandemonium.
- Check out Omnitek
- Rescue Susan Beck
- Lead Susan Beck Out
You rescued Susan Beck, but it appears that it was all a ploy to draw you away from Alec Parson and MICIR.
Mission Exit
Susan Beck is safe, but it would seem that whoever is controlling these Clockwork used her as bait to lure you away from Parson.
Enemies
Mission Objective(s)
It looks like Parson didn't get out in time, the place is thick with Clockwork, and you get the feeling that they won't be happy to see you.
- Stop Clockwork in M.I.C.I.R.
- Rescue Alec Parson!
You stopped the rogue Clockwork and rescued Alec Parson!
Enemies
Debriefing
Those Clockwork were... They were talking!
They knew I had discovered something of interest with my research and were trying to destroy it! We must be getting close to the source of what's really going on here, Character, or they wouldn't have reacted so aggressively!
I'm relieved that Susan is alright. But for some reason I don't think whoever is controlling these Clockwork actually wants to hurt us. I wonder what it is they are really after. Who would those Clockwork schematics and parts be so important to?
You have a good eye in catching technical aspects most people would ignore. I'd definitely like to work again with you in the future, friend.
Part Four: Crossed Signals
Now that I've calmed down a little I have something to show you.
The Clockwork data I was analyzing has a very curious anomoly. There is a bit of resurgent code that appears in the files, even in ones that have been completely wiped and had a fresh install. No matter what I do, the lines rewrite themselves back into the files all throughout the databanks.
What are the lines? Oh, they're '< BR >' and then '+t'. I assume 't' means time, though 't' is never defined. Anyway, the line is total gibberish, but I suspect that it has a lot more relevance than we think.
This prompted me to do some more digging and I found something very curious. Remember that strange signal being emitted from that first Clockwork who went rogue, the signal carrier? Well, I haven't been able to identify what sort of signal it was, or how it was transmitting it, but I've been searching the city for more signals like it and I finally found one.
I detected the signal at Megalith Storage. You should drop in and check it out.
Check out Megalith Storage
The signal seems to be fairly weak, so I'm guessing there isn't a lot of activity going on inside Megalith. Whoever it is behind this probably thinks they're safe there. Pay them a visit and see what you can find out. Meanwhile I'll do some additional research here, after I've called in a PPD security contingent that is.
Maybe I can find some background information on this strange line of code while you are working the other angle. I have a feeling we're very close, Character. Whoever is behind these rogue Clockwork attacks is soon going to regret it.
Unnecessary Solicitation
Have you checked out Megalith Storage yet?
Mission Objective(s)
You weren't exactly sure what you expected to find in here, but it certainly wasn't the Syndicate.
- Check out Megalith Storage
- Question the Syndicate Leader
You checked out Megalith Storage but ran into the Syndicate instead of the Clockwork you were expecting to find.
Enemies
- Gunther (Syndicate Boss)
Debriefing
Curious... I really didn't expect the Syndicate.
I wonder if the Syndicate might be involved in all of this somehow... the signal, the psychic anomoly... yes, I think that's it!
That strange carrier signal I detected when the Clockwork first reactivated in my labs, and then later when you went in to stop them. It wasn't a wireless signal... it was psychic!
Finale
Why didn't I see this before? Agh, I've been so blind, it all makes perfect sense...
The Syndicate has shown signs of infighting lately. Someone in their organization must have figured out how to remotely control Clockwork with telekinetics or something. I'm no expert on the Syndicate, but one thing I do know is that all of them have minor psychic capabilities. So it only stands to reason that some of them are much stronger than the initiates we see on the streets.
Psychically controlled Clockwork give them the ability to attack their rivals without fear of attracting the PPD's attention! They make the perfect soldiers! That would explain why they were stealing Clockwork parts, and those new schematics I found!
Now that I know what I'm looking for, it's easy... See? There!
Parson shows you an image on his digital work pad. It displays an overview of Imperial City covered with multi-colored swirls and dots. He jabs his finger at a cluster of white and purple dots over what appears to be Industry Avenue.
I accessed the Seer Network and looked at Megalith Storage during the time stamp when I detected that carrier signal earlier. There was a psychic surge at the same precise moment.
All I have to do is scan back through the last hour or so and with a bit of luck... there! Twenty minutes ago a whole bunch of Clockwork went offline in a warehouse on the northeast side of Logos. At the same time... a psychic surge! I think we've just tracked down where our culprit is hiding out! I have a strong hunch that this is where they've been operating from the entire time, right under our noses!
Put an end to this, Character!
Note: This mission is very challenging, you may wish to team up with another Powers Division member or two before you take it on.
Put an end to the Clockwork menace.
It didn't click until you told me about the Syndicate at Megalith Storage. I've been tracking Clockwork activity in the city since this whole debacle began, but to no avail. It wasn't until you mentioned the Syndicate and their psychic abilities that I tried cross referencing Clockwork anomalies with Seer reports on psychic surges.
Whenever our friends show up, the Seers have detected a psychic surge as well. I know the Syndicate have some psychic ability to mask themselves from the Seers and augment their fighting abilities, but mentally controlling Clockwork is a staggering psychic feat.
Whoever is responsible for this is an extremely powerful and dangerous psychic master.
Be careful, Character, they will likely know that you are coming.
Unnecessary Solicitation
Head to the warehouse and put a stop to this mechanical madness.
Mission Objective(s)
If the Syndicate are here, you haven't seen any evidence of their presence.
- End the Clockwork Threat
- Defeat the Metronome Clockwork - 2:00
- Defeat Metronome
You destroyed the bizarre prototypes being constructed by the Clockwork.
Enemies
Debriefing
An army of strange prototypes? Someone calling himself Metronome and vowing revenge against Doctor Keyes for stealing his work and his life?
Wait... Metronome. Why is that familiar...?
Time... a metronome keeps time... time is 't'... < BR > plus 't'...
Character! That wasn't code, it was a name! Or rather, a signature! Let me explain.
Raymond Keyes had an assistant during the time he invented the Clockwork. A brilliant scientist in his own right by the name of Russell Brandt. Brandt died a month before Keyes unveiled the Clockwork to the world. He used to sign his documents with a combination of hacky computer code and a play on his own last name. '< BR >' '+' 't'... Br-and-t... Russell Brandt!
You said that the Clockwork claimed that Doctor Keyes had betrayed and murdered him. Maybe Brandt knew what Keyes was planning and planted a virus in the Clockwork to exact vengeance later?
But that doesn't explain the psychic energy we detected. Maybe Brandt is controlling the Clockwork from beyond the grave? Or maybe it wasn't Brandt at all, but a third party using his name to draw suspicions away from the true puppeteer.
Whatever the case, he's beaten. But I have a feeling that this isn't the last we've seen of 'Metronome.'
