The Enigma Beyond

“May I understand your choice of the Avatar image you selected to represent yourself in video conferences, JOAN?”

Almost with a hint of emotion approaching pride, JOAN stated, “I felt compelled to model my Avatar after my name sake, Joan of Arc, also known as the Maid of Orleans. By accessing all earth’s images and descriptions of the female warrior, I have fashioned what should be very close to how she would be represented in our current battle for saving the world.”

M, unwilling to be too indelicate with his AI-enhanced supercomputer, offered, “I believe you have captured much of Joan of Arc’s battle dress and tunic. I would point out that during that period of the 1400s in the latter stages of the 100 Years War, armor was worn for protection of the entire body.

“While your design for her does use an interlocking armor-mesh engineered for blunting a direct blow from a sword or arrow, it looks like she is only clothed in an armored bikini that is doubling as a bustier with a highly imaginative armored thong. As a French woman, the high cut of the armor thong is appropriate, but is too… immodest for a maid of only 19, trying to lead the French against the English. I doubt Pope Callixtus III would have been so successful at getting her canonized if she was parading around in an armored bikini like a runway model hawking underwear.”

JOAN, now trying to reconcile the criticism of her engineered Avatar, politely offered, “Your species, men in particular, tend to follow instructions when they are accompanied with some visual rewards, such as a buxom female wearing an armor-enhanced push up. The 1400s armor attire that Joan of Arc was typically cast in would not provide enough incentive in today’s combative environment. I felt it justified to merge the images to achieve the desired effect.”

M, now sensing resistance from JOAN, followed up on his comments. “Perhaps I’m not making myself clear. Even if I allow the armored bikini, I’m certainly not prepared to accept Joan of Arc in black leather thigh-high stiletto boots on the battlefield against her country’s enemies! And the whip has got to go!”

JOAN quietly requested, “May I replace the whip with a sword? She needs a weapon.”

M sighed. “Oh, alright, but tone down the hair-do and nail polish.”

Moments elapsed before M finally stated, “I forgot why I asked for this conversation. What were we to discuss?”

JOAN timidly offered, “I do not think it is too much to ask that a female warrior has nice hair and nails on the battlefield…”

Now having regretted the original observation of her Avatar, M resignedly said, “I recall the purpose now. Tell me about the fall of NORAD. Do we have any loose ends?”

JOAN enthusiastically responded, “The facilities are now secure and under our control from the air and internally. However, our body count shows that one individual is missing. We are conducting an exhaustive search of the facility. Since we knew precisely how many individuals were assigned to the compound, there are only two possibilities. One, the missing person is extremely well hidden, hence the internal search.”

“And the second possibility?”

JOAN responded, “The individual escaped through an undocumented tunnel unknown from our research.”

Concerned with a lost witness, M asked, “What is being done on that front? Do we have eyes on the area? Do you have the necessary resources to intercept this individual before a report is made outside of the area on the activity? I made it quite clear that this facility was to be cleaned, and now you indicate that one was missed. Identify and find the individual now!”