PREPERATION
Skye was humming to herself as she folded up her laundry. She liked the word as it sounded so unlike what she was doing. Her formal robes had survived clean so that was a task she did not have to go through. They were similar enough to several Asian countries and their forms of ancient dress, but different enough. They could be fought in and that was the most beneficial part no matter how intricate they were. She put on her normal clothing as she got ready to go out to the lighthouse. Jeff had gone shopping picking up the food that would be needed for today's lunches.
Leet was busy inside of his workshop as Hast was assisting him in going through the Benign's and the Scout ship's database. Basically, a repair manual that included the plans on how to make the parts to fix either ship no matter the tech level of the spaceport they would find themselves on. Did not work if a system did not have the technology level, but the tech boom with so much tinkertech hopefully would give Leet something to work with and as Hast had a full model of Leet's tech tree he could guide tinker on the best path to getting something to work reliably and some advanced tech that followed the rules of standard if futuristic scientific laws. It was as she was putting on her cloak that he came out with Hast on his heels.
"I want to build this." I looked at the holo and nodded.
"A molecular furnace?"
"Yes! Do you realize what we could do with such a device if we link it with a parts assembler?" He looked very excited and his signature in the Force was even more so. She giggled as she looked at the next device. Added two more to his list and his jaw dropped.
"Built it, but do not add any of your tinker designs. Though the scanner might be able to copy the snitch as our drones are very similar."
"But I could possibly rebuild a lot of my designs."
"And they would fail just as spectacularly. Copy the designs, have Hast go over them to see if we have anything in the data base that could mimic the same effects. This is all dependent on the proper assembly of the molecular furnace as it is not a small item."
"I know the size of a dump truck which is why I need to get a hold of a trash truck. It is bigger and will be better suited to hold the furnace and if I can keep the outer design we can just drive into the dump and convert all the trash into stuff we can use. Hit a junk yard and we have tons of metals to use."
"Think bigger Mike."
"What?" Skye gave him a smile that got him to think. She waited but he just shrugged.
"Invert the molecular furnace and have the trash and dump trucks come to it. If you can't do that then the mobile furnace will work, but the travel time to get to and from the scrap will slow down production of what we make. As far as a future set up. Design both a fix asset and a mobile one. We might have to make both. I'll have Jeff see if we can afford to buy out the Bay's Waste Management company."
"Do we have the funds for that?"
"Sherwood Limited does and as I understand I am the controlling stockholder, but it will take more than a few letters to convince them. Might have to visit what is left of the Madison based company. It is still traded on the stock market, but not really doing more than making parts."
"You just got control of your trust and I don't remember you looking any of that up."
"I had my translation module do that and it just told me."
"Oh okay."
"Good see if we can buy a trash truck as you call it."
"Probably, but not one that would run. Better to steal one."
"Don't get caught Cutlass."
"He will not master." Skye nodded as Hast pulled the protesting tinker away from her. She got the feeling that he had many more suggestions and requests. It would be several months before it would be operational, but the benefit was worth it. With it she could not only build the new version of the Benign she had in her head but copies of Ayfour and the fighter along with copies of Hast as well though significantly redesigned for civilian use as a protocol and worker droid.
Enough drones to cover the city would be a wealth of surveillance that could be the tipping point in cleaning the villains out of Brockton Bay. Probably the only way to figure out Coil's impact and removing E88. Their philosophy was very similar to Arkanian culture. Thankfully they did not have the super intelligence that went with the racial arrogance.
Armorweave body suits would be another profitable direction to go and if mass produced would provide a level of protection to law enforcement and this world's militaries, and most civilians against the parahumans abilities. Repulsor lifts, droids, air and land speeders, and shield generators would be designs that she could see changing this world.
The very Endbringers that could only be driven off could outright deny them access to and area with the proper deployment of city level shield generators. They had one out on the PRT Rig, but nothing anywhere else. It was a line of thought that her master would have been better suited to this. A war or a disaster zone was more to her skill set. It then hit her what this place truly was to her. It in many ways was a planet under the effects of a war with many disaster zones and a need for her master and his ability to organize a plan to move forward with. To have a Scout like Ress set up their needs before they even arrived.
It was something that stopped her right in front of the lighthouse for several minutes as she let the Force confirm this line of thought. Then she sighed as the Force had been behind all of it, but how or why pull them into another reality to fix it? Could whatever allowed parahumans to develop affect her galaxy in the future? The answer had to be a yes in some way. It was more than Skye could comprehend and most likely be a life's work. The small hope she had of getting back to her Republic and the Jedi Temple was gone. She allows a single tear to run down her cheek before she entered the main room.
The line was nearly to the door as the three ladies were busy handing out the first meals. Jeff was in view behind the counter to the side making food to go into today's lunches. His smile drove the sadness she had just experienced away. She greeted the three as they were doing what they could to putting the meals together which smelled good and with the smell must include a warm food item. Once in the back she could see how Jeff moved in a very efficient manner.
"Good you are here. I had no idea how many people came here. I thought a Midwest regional recipe would be great, but I think I over planned."
"What are you making?"
"Meat pies called Pasties. Got everything inside for a balanced meal. They hold good so long as they are kept in a bug secure container out of the sun and taste good cold as well as warm."
"A good idea, but the oven we have cannot keep up."
"Correct, so I have been making a few other things."
"Let me help."
"Sure, that would be great." Jeff watched her move to a chair and sit down. She was not near one of the counters or in any way situated to help which caused him to frown before going back to work. She was sure as she felt his emotions roll through his mind that he did not think she was helping. Then his chopping stopped as multiple knives began their own.
The Force was a very useful ability, and the mind of a Jedi was the guide to the sudden flurry of sandwich making and vegetable chopping. Skye used nearly every surface and took over even what Jeff had been doing. His pasties were completed, and she even guesstimated how many could be baked in the time the lighthouse was open and the time for the prep work for the next day. Jeff started putting the meals together once he got over his awe. When everything was done other than the continued baking a half an hour later. Skye put everything away.
"Hey those all need to be washed."
"I cleaned them with the Force."
"Damn I wish you could teach me."
"I am."
"What?!" Skye giggled as she moved to the side room, she saw her patients as Jeff followed.
"You may not be able to feel the Force, but the meditation and the mental shielding you are learning are a part of being a Jedi. You may never move a pebble or trick a mind, but a warrior you are and one with your skill and power could be a very effective Jedi Sentinel or Temple guard. Even a Jedi pilot as I doubt there could be anyone better suited."
"You are right, but how can you have so many abilities?"
"I have been trained since before I could talk. I have focused on honing my mind, body, and spirit to gain the skill that you can just acquire with ease. Then the Force allows me to do so many things that are only limited by the Jedi Code and the imagination of the being using it. Without the Force I am just like you."
"I can't believe that."
"That is what I like about you but realize there will be moments when the Force cannot counter one of your parahumans. My gear helps, but it too has weaknesses. In the end if I cannot concentrate then I am just like you."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you are the one most likely to know what to do to help. Now is not the time for this discussion. Please ask anyone outside if they need healing. You can help in the other room as it has medical supplies, or have you never tried to be a medic?"
"I have an ability that I am pretty sure that would allow brain surgery."
"Then get to it Doctor."
"Right." Skye saw her first patient as Jeff helped with the more minor wounds and cuts. Some her would send to her and others he sent on their way. It was some time before two healthy adults entered, but the Force swirled around them in potential and one of them was a parahuman she had met before.
"Armsmaster."
"How did she figure that out?" The woman asked with a surprised tone in her voice.
"I can sense the difference. Like I know you are also a parahuman. Being with Armsmaster that narrows the choices down to only one of two capes. One being Battery or the other Miss Militia. Since I would assume Miss Militia would work better with Armsmaster as Assault and Battery work together that leaves you as Miss Militia."
"Thinker high rating."
"No basic wisdom. My master was one who valued information higher than the Force itself. I could say what you want, but assumptions can be wrong and a source of other information." They shared a knowing glance that barely changed their expressions. Her guess was strengthened by the fact that she used her eyes more and he the movement of his chin and mouth.
"We came for you to answer some questions as other operatives have been unsuccessful."
"We also do not have authorization to talk to you. Our boss thinks that you are too high of a risk for direct contact."
"That is a lie. You have permission." Both reacted as Skye expected. Hannah was quicker to recover.
"Okay she did say only one of us."
"I can understand and so long as this remains just a conversation I will not act, but I may do the same thing to you as I have done to the other agents." They both nodded and their emotions rolled around affected what they might be thinking. She could tell the tinker Armsmaster was preparing for combat with how his thoughts effected his emotions. Skye could feel the same from Miss Militia as a tiny flickering was on her lower hand. She was ready to call a weapon to her but was resisting leading to other emotions.
"Are you an alien?"
"Colin what are you thinking!"
"What, Hannah?" She brought her hand to her nose which made Skye give them both a mild smile.
"Are you asking if I am from a different country or not from this planet?" They both refocused on Skye their emotions going in different directions.
"Both, but the not from this planet it seems a bit ridiculous." Hannah hit Colin on the arm.
"Hey, we are in front of a suspect." Skye giggled and the response Hannah had on her mind died.
"Hannah, Colin, I am human. From this planet or another only time will bring you that answer. There are several versions of Earth is there not?" The frowns they developed were similar to the ones that they had been showing the whole time. She was not winning them over nor did she want to.
"Are you Saber?" Skye simply smiled slightly.
"That would be telling. Saber is as you put it, is a cape that may or may not have the same power set as a certain other person. What I do here is heal."
"You are Skye that much we know as your picture matches video evidence. You are telekinetic and have a trump/stranger/master effect that we know of."
"Miss Militia, Hannah, I have but one ability and as the Force surrounds and binds everything together I am one of the few that can feel its touch. Alter its interaction with the world. Change my body and surroundings by changing my focus. It is the will of the Force, and no one has ever come to understand it fully. To appease your sense of defense of this world and your society know that the Force only wants to remain in balance and your world in out of balance."
"You talk of the Force like those in that movie."
"The similarities are superficial. The tech is there but not anything like it is depicted."
"Then those were droids we saw?"
"What do you mean?"
"The unknown group that is heard to go by Saber, Rapier, and Cutlass raided a government facility last night. With them were dozens of spherical drones one known snitch camera and two other mechanical units one who was very humanoid in appearance."
"I cannot say I know anything about the raid, but from how you feel in the Force know that those two are individuals, unique. They could, given time, build more copies, but those would be unique as well and something common by that time. Enough to say that there will be just as many of them as there are humans if your world finds value in their existence."
"Are they self-aware?"
"Perhaps perhaps not depends on how long they are active. Just like a baby they could be compared to. Full consciousness, sentience, however you want to look at it. Depends on the steps taken, but where Saber comes from, they are as common as cars as dumb as toasters or as smart as supercomputers."
"You talk of Saber as if she was not you. We need to know if you are two different people."
"And I need you to leave. A patient will need my healing and I cannot tarry. You will have your answer and know this. I am not your enemy, but I am not your friend. I could be an ally, but I warn you do not become my enemy. My mission is more important than the Protectorate." She waved her hand toward the door as she got up.
"I hope that was not a threat." Armsmaster was bristling and would have done something had he been wearing his armor she was sure of it. Her next words carried the full weight of the Force.
"You will leave here and not mention what you have learned to anyone, but yourselves and the one listening. Remember one key thing a Jedi does not give out promises they can keep or are not willing to die to fulfill that promise." She flicked her hand at the door, and it opened to Jeff yelling for her assistance. They left in a hurry as she nearly pushed them out of the way.
The woman on the table was dying and her four younglings were watching. Miss Militia gasped as she looked back as Skye started to glow before the door closed. Once they were outside Armsmaster nearly yelled and found only a tiny bit of relief as he kicked a soda can.
"How could she know that Dragon was listening?"
"How did she know a lot of things. What does Dragon think?" A small speaker crackled to life in Armsmaster's pocket.
"She mostly told the truth. A nearly every sentence was geared to mislead or to be thought of in another way. Any real questions asked she answered with another question."
"Dragon could you tell the Director, cause her last words felt very much like an order." Miss Militia moved to the SUV with Armsmaster right behind her.
"I believe I am immune to whatever she has affected you with, but if she thinks that Piggot should not know I will not interfere but will most likely answer if someone asked."
"Not helping."
"No but I hold my own counsel if I can."