Taylor Varga

by mp3.1415player

Taylor has a bad day that ends in a locker. Everyone has heard that one. It goes somewhat differently after that, as her call for help is answered by something from a lot further away than one might expect... A story in which Taylor makes a very large friend, the world gets confused, and Danny comes into his own.

383. Updated Threat Report

PRT Internal Document EP/THRPT/1022-03-00002987/2011-03-11

CLASSIFICATION:
Secret, Not for Public Release, Limited Internal Release

DISTRIBUTION:
Security level 5 or above, Senior Protectorate/PRT/Guild staff eyes only

DRAFTED:
Director Emily Piggot, PRT ENE, Brockton Bay

CHECKED:
Armsmaster, Protectorate ENE, Brockton Bay
Legend, Protectorate Leader, New York

ADDITIONAL:
Dragon, Guild Member, Protectorate Associate, Vancouver
Sgt Felicia Anderson, PRT ENE, Brockton Bay
Miss Militia, Protectorate ENE, Brockton Bay

REFERENCES:
AM/VL/PHENC/1022-00-00000425/2008-06-20
AM/VL/PHENC/1022-00-00000426/2008-06-20
AM/DR/PHENC/1022-00-00000764/2011-02-06
EP/THRPT/1022-03-00002921/2011-02-15
MM/PHENC/1022-00-00002916/2011-02-19
HP/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093140/2011-02-19
AM/PHENC/1022-00-00002922/2011-02-22
AS/KW/AG/PHENC/1022-00-00002928/2011-02-24
AM/AS/PHACT/1022-01-00093246/2011-02-26
AM/PRTOP/1022-06-00009177/2011-02-28
AM/PHACT/1022-01-00093253/2011-02-28
CT/HP/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093231/2011-02-29
CT/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093387/2011-03-04
EP/PRTOP/1022-06-00009201/2011-03-06
EP/PHACT/1022-01-00093274/2011-03-07
AM/PHENC/1022-00-00002936/2011-03-09
JW/KI/PRTSC/PWANL/1022-05-00093399/2011-03-09
BW/JW/KI/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093412/2011-03-11

DATE:
03/11/2011

TIME:
16:21:43

REVISION:
01.B.2

INTERNAL THREAT ASSESSMENT REPORT

SUBJECT: The Family and known Allies/Associates

Update March 11th, 2011

Summary

This report should be read in conjunction with document EP/THRPT/1022-03-00002921/2011-02-15 as it does not repeat much of the information given therein. It is an addendum containing updated and new information on members and associates, both previously known and newly encountered, of the Parahuman group known as "The Family," including new contact protocol recommendations and status changes.

Authored by Emily Piggot with further input and fact checking from Armsmaster, Dragon, Sgt Felicia Anderson, and Miss Militia.

Background

Document EP/THRPT/1022-03-00002921/2011-02-15 goes into full details of "The Family" as known or projected at the time of filing. That document is required reading before proceeding further in this report although some of the initial data has now been superseded or corrected due to further interaction with the group. The bulk of the current document consists of new information, and contains an updated threat report for the four individuals listed in the above report, as well as others who have been identified after the date of its filing.

At the time of the first comprehensive threat assessment report, The Family were known to consist of four members, in order of appearance being:

Saurial
Raptaur
Umihebi
Kaiju

Since the filing of the initial group report, two new members have come to light. They are:

Ianthe, Initial public appearance 02/19/2011 [DocRef MM/PHENC/1022-00-00002916/2011-02-19]
Metis, Initial public appearance 02/22/2011 [DocRef AM/PHENC/1022-00-00002922/2011-02-22]

Both Ianthe and Metis named themselves. They are apparently sisters, and cousins of Saurial and her sisters, this information having been received directly from all three individuals at different times. Further information is that they are from an offshoot branch of The Family, which would appear in light of current knowledge to be a literal description for the group. Ianthe was initially met by Miss Militia in conjunction with a combined PRT/BBPD patrol who were in pursuit of three absconding robbery suspects. Saurial claimed to be introducing her to both Brockton Bay and humans in general, something that she was apparently fascinated by.

In the process of showing her cousin around the city, and interacting with a number of members of the public, the pair encountered the above suspects while they were fleeing from Miss Militia and her companions. Ianthe disabled all three men using a previously unknown paralytic drug with exceptionally rapid action, delivered by means of an organo-metallic dart fired from a launcher that is integral to her forearms. The method of both production and propulsion of the darts is not currently known with certainty, but analysis of one projectile recovered from the scene suggests it was produced biologically. [DocRef HP/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093140/2011-02-19] (Security level 7 or above required for unredacted report)

Traces of chemical residue on the tail of the dart leads the research team to the conclusion that a mix of a number of volatile chemicals produced a very rapid burst of high pressure gas which fires the projectile down the barrel of the internal weapons system. It also appears highly likely that such a biologically derived 'gun,' for want of a better term, could have a muzzle velocity exceeding the speed of sound, possibly by a large margin. This can obviously be reduced to much lower speeds as the darts used on the suspects barely broke the skin.

Information derived from chemical analysis of the dart recovered from this first interaction, along with body camera recording from Miss Militia and several members of the BBPD, showed Ianthe using two different drugs, the first the aforementioned paralytic agent and the second an equally rapid-onset general anesthetic. The speed of action of both of these chemicals is at or slightly beyond the theoretical minimum time between administration and onset of symptoms, being measured at little over one second in both cases. No current drug available or known works as rapidly or effectively.

Detailed analysis results are beyond the scope of this document. For further information see the previously mentioned PRT ENE research department study of the recovered dart. However, mention should be made that the drug, or more accurately drug cocktail, as it is a complex mix of at least four active compounds, would appear to have been designed very carefully to target humans specifically. Additionally, it is apparent that considerable effort was used to make both payloads as safe as possible, to the point that the dart administers a local anesthetic and what appears to be a broad-spectrum antibiotic, as well as some form of healing promoter. The assumption is that this was to maximize efficiency as a low lethality anti-personnel weapon while minimizing risk of adverse results. This is in keeping with the apparent rules of engagement The Family typically operate under.

Information acquired during this and subsequent encounters indicate that Ianthe is what her relatives term a 'Life Sculptor' or 'Life Shaper,' which would appear to correlate at least in part with the PRT classification of a Biotinker. Additionally, it was implied that this talent, or possibly career, was one that was highly valued by the Family and is not unique to Ianthe. How many others with similar abilities there may be yet unknown to us is undetermined at the time of this report.

Ianthe has a healing ability that matches or exceeds that of the New Wave healer Panacea, who is also apparently a friend of hers. Panacea has taken Ianthe to Brockton General hospital on several occasions since the latter arrived in the city, and with the permission of the hospital administration the pair have collaborated in a number of healing cases. Information received from sources in the hospital shows that while Ianthe's initial appearance was startling to patients and staff alike, both groups quickly became accustomed to her presence and no longer consider it unusual. She has subsequently attended at least one visit unaccompanied by Panacea, to no particular mention by those present.

The 'Life Sculptor' ability would appear to not only imply a level of control over living creatures that is far beyond any Biotinker currently known, but also a similar level of control over organic and inorganic chemistry. Ianthe has demonstrated the ability to engineer a biological agent able to specifically target and make inert the explosive cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, or RDX, the active component of standard C4 demolition charges. This agent uses entirely novel DNA-equivalent chemistry, is completely inert to normal life, and was designed from scratch to order in under two days based on the information received from her. We have no reason to doubt this information. Testing by the research department showed that the agent is totally selective, ignoring all other chemicals, and is tailored to affect only the RDX molecule with astounding accuracy and speed. [DocRef CT/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093387/2011-03-04]

Just before the combined Family/PRT/BBPD operation against the Archer's Bridge Merchants [Merchant] gang [DocRef AM/PRTOP/1022-06-00009177/2011-02-28] Ianthe was observed giving a dart to Raptaur who immediately consumed the object. This is a known method by which Raptaur appears able to analyze the chemical structure of a newly encountered substance, subsequent to which she can apparently manifest the substance on demand via her matter generation ability. It is assumed, although to date there is no positive proof of this, that Saurial and other members of her specific branch of The Family can also perform this act.

Raptaur manufactured a pair of projectile weapons which used the same 'ammunition' as the biologically produced dart, based on later analysis of metabolic breakdown products in the bloodstreams of the captured Merchant members. [DocRef CT/HP/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093231/2011-02-29] Acoustic analysis of recordings made by Armsmaster, Miss Militia, and members of the PRT and BBPD present during the raid, in addition to technical evaluation by Armsmaster and Dragon, suggest that the weapons used compressed air as a source of energy. In essence they were external variants of the weapons Ianthe and Metis possess internally. As in the case of the aforementioned individuals, Raptaur would appear to have gone to considerable effort to ensure that her weapons were set to a level commensurate with minimum required force, again in keeping with the noted standard RoE of The Family.

At the conclusion of the operation, and subsequent to PRT and BBPD forensic recovery of all required evidence from the Merchant base, Raptaur completely destroyed the building involved using methods currently unknown. [DocRef AM/PHACT/1022-01-00093253/2011-02-28] She stated that this was both to deny any remaining members of the gang any chance of returning to their previous location, and as a warning to both the gang and other villainous individuals and gangs that such activity in the Docks area would not be tolerated. Armsmaster agreed with her reasoning and did not attempt to interfere.

Initial indications are that public support for this activity, and the operation itself, has reached a level unusually high for Parahuman activities in Brockton Bay. Indeed, calls have been made by the public for similar operations to be instigated against other gangs, but The Family has stated that they will not initiate hostilities without provocation that is currently not forthcoming. The Merchants were known to be preparing for an attack on The Family, and based on information received through various channels, the DWU as well as allies of theirs. The operation against the Merchants was therefore a preemptive strike provoked by the Merchant preparations and threats to minimize casualties on both sides. It is hard to fault this reasoning and it would appear that both the E88 and ABB leadership agree, as no attempt by either gang to move into the former Merchant territory has been noted, neither have they responded to the action in any meaningful manner.

Overall, as in other operations by The Family, they appear to be going to considerable effort to reduce their effects on the local Parahuman politics to a minimum with considerable success. Precisely why they behave in a manner so far outside common Parahuman norms is currently unknown but it is suggested this is a subject for further investigation, as is how their overall attitude appears to affect other Parahumans they encounter. The evidence for this latter observation is currently mostly anecdotal, but compelling enough to warrant mention, although speculation on the matter is outside the scope of this document.

During the highly successful joint PRT/BBPD/Family operation against the Parahuman Villain Coil [Coil] on 03/06/2011 [DocRef EP/PRTOP/1022-06-00009201/2011-03-06] official contact with Umihebi was made at the instigation of Saurial, who provided translation services for her. While Umihebi was known to exist previous to this point, due to the investigations of Dragon and Armsmaster on 02/06/2011 [DocRef AM/DR/PHENC/1022-00-00000764/2011-02-06], no further contact with her has apparently happened outside the DWU. There is circumstantial evidence to suggest that DF Hebert may well have had some form of interaction with her on one or more occasions but no absolute proof of this.

It was initially thought unlikely that such an event could take place within the confines of the bay itself, as images collected by Dragon's submersible probe just before its destruction by ingestion on the part of Umihebi showed that this Family member is of a size sufficient to make unobserved and surreptitious movement unlikely in the extreme. Even with the stealth characteristics she demonstrated on this occasion, expert opinion put the probability of successful infiltration of the city at a low level.

However, the recent contact with Umihebi has shown unequivocal proof that she possesses a Stranger ability that is more formidable and effective than almost any other known case of a similar power. In some respects it may well be more effective than any other known equivalent ability as it appears to propagate through imaging systems via a mechanism entirely novel to PRT and Guild researchers. There is currently no method even in theory to overcome this effect, although research is ongoing on the subject [DocRef BW/JW/KI/PRTSC/REDEV/1022-05-00093412/2011-03-11]

As a result of this new knowledge, the possibility that Umihebi may possess the ability to enter the city via stealth cannot be dismissed. While it is considered unlikely, if only due to her sheer size and obviously aquatic adaptions, it is not possible to rule it out entirely. If such an even has occurred it seems plausible that she would have visited the Dock Worker's Union facility, as it is both immediately adjacent to water sufficiently deep to allow her easy passage, and the location of the BBFO office and DF Hebert's place of work.

It is felt that there exists a possibility, although not a certainty, that the Stranger ability shown by Umihebi might be a common ability among the members of The Family, at least on her branch. This, if true, suggests that Saurial, Raptaur, and Kaiju could also have such abilities. It would go some way to explaining how all three of them manage to vanish entirely for considerable periods of time with no traces that can be discovered. Their other abilities may also be the reason for this, it is acknowledged, and to date there is no proof for or against any of them possessing Stranger abilities, but as it is known that they all have a common power set surrounding the matter generation ability, such a thing cannot be ruled out.

Whether Ianthe or Metis have a similar ability is entirely unknown at this point in time. Again, it cannot be conclusively proven or disproven based on current knowledge of either.

Study of the imagery collected of Umihebi, along with consideration of the existence of Kaiju, has led to the dismissal of any reasonable likelihood that The Family possess a Changer ability. As previously discussed in the precursor to this document, in the case of Saurial and Raptaur it seemed plausible, if slightly unlikely in the latter case, but it is the opinion of the authors that such an eventuality is verging on the impossible for even Kaiju, never mind Umihebi, who out-masses her by an estimated two to two and a half times. The largest Changer form on record is less than one twelfth the mass of even Kaiju and takes some time to reach that level. Lung is known to have reached a size of some thirty feet from nose to tail, but an estimated mass of less than ten tons, and that took over an hour of sustained combat with Leviathan to achieve during the battle of Kyushu on 11/02/1999.

As a result of this determination and due to the known commonality of abilities throughout the relevant branches of The Family, logically this precludes either Saurial or Raptaur from possessing such a power. Adding to this is the recent attendance of Arcadia high school by the former as a protective detail for Taylor Anne Hebert, DF Hebert's daughter, on an ongoing basis due to the threat presented from the absconded ENE Ward Shadow Stalker [DocRef EP/PHACT/1022-01-00093274/2011-03-07]. Saurial has made no attempt to disguise herself beyond the substitution of suitable casual clothing for her normal armored costume. Additionally she is known to have been present, similarly attired, at the Hebert household on numerous occasions.

While it is certainly possible that she wouldn't consider either situation one worth displaying a putative Changer ability, the more likely scenario is felt to be that she possesses no such ability in the first place. In conjunction with the conclusions presented elsewhere in this report it is thought safe to remove this category across the board for all Family members unless further compelling data comes to light in future.

Recent observations and readings taken by Armsmaster, Dragon, and other agents, in addition to considerable thought and discussion, has led to the conclusion that the ratings for all Family members are considerably understating the case. This was suspected in the initial threat report, but new evidence had made it undeniable.

The branch of The Family which includes as known members Saurial, Raptaur, Kaiju, and Umihebi currently has ratings for Brute, Shaker, Mover, and Thinker, with a tentative rating for Changer. It is now felt that as well as the dropping of the Changer rating, ones for Striker, Tinker, and Blaster should be added to the entire branch, with Stranger as a definite in the case of Umihebi and possible to likely in the case of the remaining three.

Striker is warranted due to the possibility of contact-applied chemicals via the matter generation ability. These could range from fairly innocuous agents in the vein of the dart-applied paralytic and soporific drugs, all the way up to explosives, corrosives, or toxins. There is no currently known limit to the chemicals that can be produced using this technique.

Tinker is a rating that both Armsmaster and Dragon feel warranted for a number of reasons. While there is no indication that any of The Family are Tinkers in the commonly accepted meaning of the rating, both of them judge that the technical expertise shown by Raptaur and Saurial at least deserve a moderate level of this category. They have displayed a considerable ability to design, manufacture, and use machinery of growing complexity, and in synergy with a true Tinker, would most likely be capable of designs well past current knowledge. This is independent of any technological knowledge they possess from their own culture, which evidence suggests is far past our ability outside Tinker specializations.

Blaster is added as a result of both the demonstrated ability to manifest both projectile weapons and in the case of Saurial, a remarkably effective flight system powered by extremely high pressure water [DocRef AM/AS/PHACT/1022-01-00093246/2011-02-26]. In this case, she reached an altitude exceeding sixty thousand feet at over Mach 4, showing beyond doubt that the water pressure involved could be reworked to form an excessively powerful weapon. It is considered entirely plausible that this event showed only a minor case of a very powerful and versatile sub-specialty limited only by imagination.

Additionally, the existing ratings have been upgraded based on updated information and observations. Saurial's Mover rating has gained substantially. Armsmaster is of the opinion that short of genuine teleportation she may well have one of the highest potential Mover abilities known. He feels that it is not beyond the realms of possibility that her water rocket would allow her orbital insertion capability should she so wish, as an example.

He also believes it a possibility, although by no means a certainty, that Kaiju might be able to achieve the same result. While this is currently merely speculation it is unnerving to consider. However, it does seem feasible that The Family may well have a form of space travel sufficient to reach low earth orbit at a minimum, with all the potential this suggests. Further research is required on the subject.

In the case of Ianthe and Metis, they currently have been assigned ratings in the Brute, Striker, Tinker, Thinker, Blaster, and Mover categories for reasons similar to the first branch of the Family, and due to observed abilities and skills. It is felt likely that these ratings will also be subject to modification as time passes, and hence the figures below should be taken as a guideline rather than absolute limits or fact.

While no new confirmed Family members have shown up following the debut of Ianthe and Metis, there have been two associated Parahumans to date:

Cloak, Initial public appearance 02/24/2011 [DocRef AS/KW/AG/PHENC/1022-00-00002928/2011-02-24]
Vectura, Initial public appearance 03/09/2011 [DocRef AM/PHENC/1022-00-00002936/2011-03-09]

Cloak is largely an unknown. No appreciable data exists on her physical characteristics outside her hands, which according to witnesses and photographic evidence are scaled and possess small talons. This suggests a link to The Family for obvious reasons, but when asked, Cloak commented that she was associated with them, not a member of them. What this actually means is open to question.

Her overall appearance is of the cloth garment her name suggests, with a deep hood that is apparently entirely empty, and sleeves. To date there is no credible witness to any physical form being inside this garment, with the above mentioned exceptions of hands and a small amount of arm. Her height is approximately four and a half feet, and her voice is described as 'highly disturbing' by every person who has engaged her in conversation, without exception. Why this should be so is not known with certainty but the effect carries through recordings as well as in person.

No formal powers testing has occurred with Cloak, and it seems unlikely that it will. As in the case of The Family, she shows no inclination to submit to this process, stating that as she knew what she could do, there was no point. Observational evidence suggests that she possesses a strong Shaker ability at a minimum, which bears a loose similarity to the power Vista has. However, there is none of the visual distortion of Vista's ability, and Cloak has frequently been seen to do things that Vista cannot. A form of flight that appears to witnesses to be more akin to climbing an invisible set of stairs, looping a large section of space to form endless corridors that appear to only affect targeted individuals, and similar achievements, tend to imply that while related in some manner to Vista's spatial warping power, Cloak's abilities are considerably more advanced.

She has gone on record as saying that Saurial has taught her a lot, and remarked that 'the mathematics are beautiful,' which raises a number of questions to which there are few answers. Saurial is known to be a mathematical prodigy to a level which far eclipses any normal expert in the subject, and utilizes a number of fundamental principles which are entirely unknown to science. This is apparently 'Family Knowledge' according to both her and her relatives. It is possible that she has enabled Cloak to optimize her own abilities using this knowledge. It also suggests that Saurial herself may be capable of some of the same effects although to date there is no direct evidence of this happening.

Cloak also has a high Stranger rating as she has been observed on multiple occasions vanishing from sight and all sensory equipment, or appearing out of nowhere. It appears to be functional invisibility with no psychological effects, unlike some Stranger powers, but it is no less effective for that. Both sight and sound are affected, as are thermal cameras, motion sensing radar, and every other sensing system so far attempted.

It is the opinion of a number of agents that she should also have a Thinker rating, for what appears to be enhanced senses. On more than one occasion Cloak has been observed detecting a criminal's presence from a position that would preclude such things given normal human sensory qualities. No details of how this is achieved are known, but heightened hearing is a reasonably likely possibility.

A number of individuals have expressed the opinion that allowing Vista and Cloak to meet could result in a transfer of knowledge that could be considered problematic. Accordingly, it is suggested that Vista be subtly discouraged from such a meeting, without directly ordering it. Additionally, unsupervised interaction with Saurial is something that should be avoided for similar reasons, at least until Vista is of an age where she can fully understand the issues involved. However, if she explicitly noticed and inquires about this policy, a truthful response is warranted as both Armsmaster and Miss Militia feel that it would produce the best outcome.

To date Cloak's appearances have been somewhat random, but she is highly effective at dealing with criminals when she does turn up. There is no valid evidence to suggest where she may live, and she has put in an appearance at multiple places throughout the city. At one point she purchased a high end smartphone from a store in the commercial district which is also known to be frequented by The Family for various products. The owners of this enterprise have seized on the opportunity presented by the association with The Family and apparently entered into a commercial agreement with at least Saurial to put promotional material featuring her in their window display in return for a considerable discount.

The only other common location that Cloak is known to visit is a bakery on Western Drive, which is noted for being a supplier of high quality pastries. She has been seen purchasing doughnuts on a number of occasions, suggesting she has a considerable liking for them. The bakery has been visited on enough occasions that it is now known as a likely location for her to appear at and as a result frequently has a number of Parahuman fans stationed at it. This appears to have substantially increased the revenues of the business, which similar to the electronics store previously mentioned has managed to secure an agreement to utilize Cloak's likeness in their advertising, to apparent commercial success.

Vectura is a member of the DWU, apparently employed for her mechanical engineering skills rather than any Parahuman abilities. DF Hebert brought her to the attention of the PRT during the pre-operation meeting for the Coil takedown, as someone who was interested in official power testing. He later arranged a date for her to arrive at the PRT facility, which she did in the company of Saurial and Metis [DocRef JW/KI/PRTSC/PWANL/1022-05-00093399/2011-03-09]

She is a Tinker with a specialization in Transportation. According to both her, and the power testing team, this is a fairly open-ended specialization, covering anything that is even loosely connected with the concept. Unlike the deceased former Merchant Tinker Squealer, she is not restricted to road-going vehicles. Doctor Ikari is of the opinion that her ability is essentially a superset of Squealers. She has demonstrated the ability to design and prototype devices that incorporate a number of very effective technologies, including but not limited to force fields, high end computing, power generation, motion control, motor drive, and neural interfacing.

She has been quite open that her appearance is not her original one, and that her civilian ID is false. Interviews with her led the interviewers to the conclusion that she escaped an abusive relationship and most likely a damaging family upbringing. It is unknown whether her Trigger event is connected to either of these, but it seems likely. She purchased a new identity to make a clean break with her past, which is a not uncommon occurrence in such cases. Sadly they are all too common and not all end as well as this one would appear to have done.

By her account, she met Metis during a time when she was trying to avoid forcible recruitment by the various gangs. Metis healed her of a number of medical problems and introduced her to DF Hebert, who ultimately offered her a position with the DWU, which she accepted with alacrity. Dragon believes she is suffering from a number of psychological issues connected to her abusive upbringing and unfortunate relationships and sees the DWU and The Family as both her saviors and possibly the only people she can trust. Saurial and Metis in private conversation have concurred with this, and stated that they will be arranging therapy sessions for Vectura, most likely via Panacea's connections at Brockton General.

Dragon further believes that Vectura is uninterested in combat except in the case that there is a threat to herself, her friends, or the DWU. This is in keeping with the known propensities of The Family and implies yet another reason why she would trust them as much as she clearly does.

In turn, there is no doubt that The Family, and Metis particularly, consider Vectura a very close friend, in a similar way they give the DWU in general such a status. Both Dragon and Miss Militia have gone on record as suggesting that any threat to Vectura would be met with all the force The Family could bring to bear, and that this would be a mutual arrangement. Based on the designs that Vectura has already publicly demonstrated, she would be a formidable opponent if sufficiently motivated.

Armsmaster feels that it would be unwise in the extreme to allow such motivation to occur. Dragon concurs.

Vectura's Tinker ability is, while already impressive, highly enhanced by her connection to the Family and the matter creation powers of Saurial's branch thereof. Saurial has the wherewithal to bring into existence designs that would be essentially impossible to realize otherwise, while Vectura can invent such designs with great speed. The relationship is a synergistic one which produces remarkable results. The first project was a bipedal/quadrupedal walking machine commonly known as a 'Mech' after popular fiction and games. This form of machine is fairly well known in Tinker terms, although with the exception of Dragon and the minor villain Leet, most such devices are not particularly effective.

The version that Vectura designed is far and away the most advanced such device ever documented. It massively leverages the Family abilities, the hull being manufactured of electron degenerate matter, the cockpit canopy being a single perfect crystal of synthetic sapphire as in the case of the face-plates of the suits Saurial provided to New Wave, and the motive power being produced via superconducting motors using a high temperature superconductor Vectura invented and Saurial made. This material is vastly superior to any other superconductor ever made, and has innumerable commercial uses. Saurial has provided a sample to both Dragon and the PRT, and the former believes it may be producible by conventional processes, although more information on the matter is past the scope of this document.

The motion control system for the mech is an adaptively learning massively parallel analog neural net, unlike anything even Dragon has encountered before. Connected to the human operator via the latest neural interface, an upgrade to the original one fitted to the prototype, this allows (based on video analysis of recordings posted online) a level of control that is unparalleled. Operators with no previous experience have proven to become near-experts in mere hours, at least partially due to the mech control system adapting to them. The implications for further development are intriguing.

During the power testing operation, Vectura designed, built, and demonstrated a hard light multi-form vehicle projector, which she dubbed an omnivehicle. This operation took less than three hours from start to finish. Saurial was essential to the process as she manufactured the parts to order at a speed that would be impossible to emulate otherwise, but even with this taken into account, the achievement was considerable. Since the test, she has made a number of duplicates, which are easy enough to operate and sufficiently reliable that several of the DWU members are known to use them as personal transport. The device can produce a large number of different vehicle types, based on computer models of the desired form. Information is that the Family may market both the mech and the omnivehicle in future.

It is clear from the power testing operation both that Vectura is a Tinker with considerable skill, and that Family involvement can move a Tinker several places up the scale. The combination of abilities has significant potential.

After the formal power testing phase, it was revealed that Vectura also possesses a moderate Brute rating, a low level regeneration power, and is a limited Changer. Her normal form is, according to her, an ordinary human female in appearance, while her Changer form is that of a woman with a tail, ears, eyes, and partial dentition based on a large cat. Armsmaster managed to acquire a DNA scan of her and discovered that these changes are genetic as is commonly the case in similar individuals.

She also rates a low Thinker category as she possessed enhances senses from these modifications. It is unknown whether they carry through to her non-Changer state, or whether her Brute rating does the same. Prudence suggests that this should be assumed to be the case.

Saurial and Metis have provided the results of their own tests of these other abilities, which have been added to the information we hold on Vectura.

Additional to these four new individuals, it should be mentioned that Über [DocRef AM/VL/PHENC/1022-00-00000425/2008-06-20] and Leet [DocRef AM/VL/PHENC/1022-00-00000426/2008-06-20] have, according to Saurial, reformed and joined the DWU. She expressed the opinion that they were sincere in their wish to atone for past crimes, refrain from new ones, and earn an honest living. There is some evidence to suggest that this is an accurate summation of current events although it remains to be seen whether both men can resist their former activities. With The Family and the DWU watching them closely the hope is that this will happen.

Both men have worked on a recent project with Legend, Armsmaster, Raptaur, and Dragon, impressing all four with their skills, and it appears to in fact be that project that set them on the path they have taken. Leet is responsible for a number of designs that Dragon is currently analyzing with the goal of duplication, an activity which has had significant success to date. She has stated that she suspects if nothing else the lure of lucrative further projects will keep Leet on the right path.

Conclusion

In conjunction with the four members of the former Undersiders, the current roster of Parahumans that the DWU can draw on now stands at seven, plus the six known members of the Family present in the city or available on short notice, and Cloak. Bearing in mind their known heroic proclivities despite comments that they are not significantly interested in normal hero activities, this appears to be a positive benefit to the city. Fourteen empowered individuals in one grouping is considerably above even the E88, or in fact the ENE Protectorate. Bearing in mind the provenance of six of those individuals, any attack upon the city is likely to be shut down very rapidly. While it would be preferable to have these various people under the direct authority of the PRT, current circumstances preclude this option, and the current state of affairs is probably the best we can hope for. It is recommended that good relations with The Family and the DWU be made a matter of priority, which the public announcement of Associate status and commensurate Guild association will aid.

The final note is that we still have no idea how many members of The Family there actually are. Or how many of these are likely to appear in Brockton Bay, or indeed in other locations. As such, it behooves us to ensure that they are treated as friendly allies rather than a threat. The alternative is disturbing to consider, and should be avoided by all possible means.

Piggot, Emily, Director PRT ENE
Legend, Leader, Protectorate
Armsmaster, Leader, Protectorate ENE
Miss Militia, Protectorate ENE
Dragon, Guild
Anderson, Felicia, Sergeant, PRT ENE

Threat Assessment Ratings, Updated

Note that the bulk of ratings cannot be externally verified without formal power testing, which Raptaur, Saurial, Cloak, Metis, and Ianthe have all declined, while Kaiju and Umihebi are unlikely to agree either and are in any case too large for the normal procedures. As a result the ratings may well err on the high side as attempts have been made to compensate for missing information. Should more information be received the ratings will be updated appropriately.

It is recommended that these ratings be downplayed to security level 4 and lower staff to avoid panic.

The first four individual's ratings are duplicated from the original provisional report and amended as required. See DocRef EP/THRPT/1022-03-00002921/2011-02-15 for initial ratings and differences.

Subject:
Saurial, Independent Hero.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
The Family, associated with Dock Workers Union, Brockton Bay.

Age:
Unknown, estimated to be between 14 and 17.

Height:
Approximately 6'5".

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 175 pounds.

Appearance:
As in original document.

Personality:
As in original document.

Note: DO NOT under any circumstances, even in jest, say anything in her presence that she might consider a threat to her family or friends. She has given very clear warnings that she would take any such threat seriously and would have no qualms about reciprocating with lethal force if required. PRT psychologists suggest that she is entirely serious and more than capable of immediately carrying out such an act with no remorse. (Information repeated due to extreme hazard of ignorance or deliberate provocation)

Known Associates:
DF Hebert of the DWU, TA Hebert, Panacea and Glory Girl of New Wave, members of The Family, R Christner (Mayor) of Brockton Bay City Government, various friends of TA Hebert, members of the DWU, Vectura, Über, Leet, Cloak.

Brute 6+:
As in original document.

Shaker 9+:
As in original document, with updates. Additional information follows:
Saurial and all members of her branch of her family have shown the ability to produce effectively any form of matter that can be conceived. They have extensive chemical knowledge, which leads to the conclusion, backed up by observation, that they can manufacture drugs, toxins, and explosives on demand. Not only are they to always be assumed to be armed, but that assumption MUST include the concept that they can utilize essentially any chemical known. Additionally, both Saurial and Raptaur are known to be rapidly increasing the complexity of machines they can make on demand. Assume that moderately complex devices are a certainty, such as firearms, and electronics may well be feasible. Containment of any Family member may well be functionally impossible without extreme measures or top level force-fields.

Mover 9+:
As in original document, with updates. Additional information follows:

Saurial has publicly demonstrated a water rocket based flight system capable of at least Mach 4 at 60000 feet or better. Orbital injection capability is not definitively known but considered within the bounds of possibility. Assume that if required she can reach any point on the planet within hours.

Thinker 7:
As in original document, with updates. Additional information follows:

Both Saurial and Raptaur are now known to be exceptionally good at mathematics, to a level far beyond human knowledge. This appears to give them an insight into the workings of reality sufficient to alter aspects of it, the most obvious result being what they term 'Fractal dimensional folding.' This allows them to create artifacts that display properties such as being far larger on the inside than the outside, not fully existing in three dimensions, and a number of other effects. Most if not all of these are extremely disturbing to examine for most people, causing results that vary from intense headaches and nausea at the low end up to unconsciousness in extreme cases. Such artifacts should be considered a cognitohazard of level 3 or greater and avoided where possible. Isolation of unattended Family artifacts is recommended. Asking a Family member, or Vista, to remove them from public display is also suggested.

Changer 6+?:
In light of new information this category has been deleted.

Striker 7+:
New category. This rating may in fact be an understatement. Observed actions and deduced capability suggests that if Saurial is able to close to touching range, she has a vast array of possible attack vectors ranging from soporific drugs through corrosive, toxic, or flammable chemicals. These could be applied externally or injected via blade or dart, to name only two possibilities. The full extent of potential danger would appear to be limited only by her imagination and knowledge, which must be assumed to be extreme and mutable.

Conventional anti-Striker methods are assumed to be ineffectual or of limited use, including confoam, high tensile netting, or other equivalent confinement techniques.

Blaster 7+:
New category. As in the case of the Striker rating, this may be an understatement, for similar reasons. Many of the same techniques can be used at range, via projectile weaponry. Displayed production of hugely effective water-propelled rocket drive could be simply reworked into devastating water jet weapon, which could also be used with much more dangerous payloads. Incendiary weapons are a minor modification to the base concept. Very high power compressed gas weapons have also been noted as used by Family members. Again, the projectile for such a weapon could utilize any chemical or compound desired.

Assume Saurial is capable of hitting any target in line of sight with anything up to and including the equivalent of a rocket propelled grenade at a minimum.

Tinker 3+:
New category. Known ability to manufacture weapons and devices up to and including electronics of growing complexity, in addition to mechanisms incorporating the fractal dimensional techniques. Open ended rating, increases substantially if Saurial is working with any other Tinker as the matter generation ability synergizes remarkably well with this power set. Will also increase rating of associated Tinker in a reciprocal manner.

Stranger ?:
Possible new category. Currently speculative. See entry for Umihebi for more details. Note that no member of The Family other than Umihebi is known to possess this ability but it cannot at this time be conclusively ruled out. Suitable counter-measures are in a state of research.

Subject:
Raptaur, Independent Hero.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
The Family, associated with Dock Workers Union, Brockton Bay.

Age:
Unknown, estimated to be between 19 and 22.

Height:
Approximately 9'2" when standing on her hind legs, 7'8" when on all fours.

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 1100 pounds.

Appearance:
As in original document.

Personality:
As in original document.

Note: See warning under entry for Saurial regarding Raptaur's likely response to threats against her family or friends. Raptaur is known to be more direct and aggressive than the latter and may well react without warning or mercy should she decide the threat was valid.

Known Associates:
DF Hebert of the DWU, TA Hebert, Panacea and Glory Girl of New Wave, members of The Family, R Christner (Mayor) of Brockton Bay City Government, Undersiders Tattletale, Grue, Bitch, and Regent, various friends of TA Hebert, members of the DWU, Vectura, Über, Leet, Cloak.

Brute 8+:
As in original document.

Shaker 9+:
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Mover 9+:
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Thinker 7+:
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Changer ?:
In light of new information this category has been deleted.

Striker 7+:
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Blaster 7+:
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Tinker 4+:
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Stranger ?:
Possible new category. Currently speculative. See entry for Umihebi for more details. Note that no member of The Family other than Umihebi is known to possess this ability but it cannot at this time be conclusively ruled out. Suitable counter-measures are in a state of research.

Subject:
Kaiju, Independent Hero.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
The Family, associated with Dock Workers Union, Brockton Bay

Age:
Unknown.

Height:
Approximately 85' when standing on her hind legs, 65' when on all fours, and over 100' long nose to tail when swimming.

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 500 tons.

Appearance:
As in original document.

Personality:
As in original document.

Known Associates:
DF Hebert of the DWU, Panacea of New Wave, R Christner (Mayor) of Brockton Bay City Government, members of The Family

Brute 12+ minimum:
As in original document.

Shaker 9+:
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Mover 6 (possible Mover 9+):
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information. It is unknown at this present time whether the water rocket system Saurial has demonstrated could be scaled to the mass of Kaiju, but it should not be assumed this is impossible. If so, the higher rating would apply.

Thinker 7+:
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information. Whether Kaiju shares the Family mathematics talents is currently unknown but should be assumed to be the case.

Changer ?:
In light of new information this category has been deleted.

Striker 7+:
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Blaster 7+:
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Tinker 3+:
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information.

Stranger ?:
Possible new category. Currently speculative. See entry for Umihebi for more details. Note that no member of The Family other than Umihebi is known to possess this ability but it cannot at this time be conclusively ruled out. Suitable counter-measures are in a state of research.

Subject:
Umihebi.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
The Family.

Age:
Unknown.

Height:
Not relevant in any meaningful manner. Umihebi is, as far as can be determined, approximately 180' to 200' long nose to tail.

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 1000 tons.

Appearance:
As in original document.

Personality:
As in original document.

Known Associates:
Members of The Family. Possibly DF Hebert.

Brute 9+ likely:
As in original document.

Shaker ? (possibly Shaker 9+):
As in original document, with caveat. To date there is still no evidence that Umihebi shares the Shaker ability Saurial, Raptaur, and Kaiju are known to possess but prudence suggests it is not beyond the bounds of possibility. If so, the higher rating would apply.

Mover 9+:
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information. As is the case for Kaiju, it is unknown at this present time whether the water rocket system Saurial has demonstrated could be scaled to the mass of Umihebi, but it should not be assumed this is impossible. If so, this rating may be an understatement subject to revision.

Thinker 7+:
As in original document, with updates. See entry for Saurial for additional information. Whether Umihebi shares the Family mathematics talents is currently unknown but may well be the case.

Changer ?:
In light of new information this category has been deleted.

Striker ? (possibly 7+):
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information. This rating is dependent on whether Umihebi shares the Family matter creation ability, as in the Shaker rating. Currently unknown.

Blaster ? (possibly 7+):
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information. This rating is dependent on whether Umihebi shares the Family matter creation ability, as in the Shaker rating. Currently unknown.

Tinker ? (possibly 3+):
New category. See entry for Saurial for additional information. This rating is dependent on whether Umihebi shares the Family matter creation ability, as in the Shaker rating. Currently unknown.

Stranger 8 (Stranger 12+ in an aquatic environment):
As in original document, with updates. Additional information follows:

Umihebi has vividly demonstrated a level of perceptual cloaking that is ranked as high as anything on record, through utterly unknown means. Due to her sheer physical bulk and aquatic nature the lower rating is judged to be applicable out of the water, based on strict interpretation of the PRT Threat Ranking Scale. However it must be noted that in an open area, regardless of proximity to the water, her Stranger ability is essentially perfect, to every form of biological and technological sensor currently known. This effect propagates even to recordings on all known media. It is unknown whether the ability is common to other members of her branch of The Family at the present time. Research is ongoing.

Assume that if she wishes not to be seen, there is no way to detect her presence, absent new data and/or technological breakthrough.

Subject:
Ianthe, Independent Hero.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
The Family, associated with Dock Workers Union, Brockton Bay.

Age:
Unknown.

Height:
Approximately 7'5".

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 550 pounds.

Appearance:
Ianthe was the first of the second branch of The Family to appear, and apparently is a cousin of the first four. She bears some similarity to Raptaur, although she only has four limbs and a tail, as in the case of Saurial. While closer to the latter than the former, she is distinctly less 'human' appearing than Saurial, giving an effect of being considerably more dangerous. Like Raptaur, her tail is very muscular and strong although noticeably proportionally longer than her cousin's, and similarly her neck is of considerable length and capable of over two hundred degrees of articulation horizontally.

She is covered in iridescent blue-violet scales, which are despite the color become surprisingly difficult to see in dark conditions. Her head is more than twice the size of a human one, somewhat wedge-shaped, and with a very large mouth full of teeth several inches long that are quite possibly harder than diamond, again similar to Raptaur. Like her cousin she has been observed to eat a wide variety of materials with no signs of trouble or distaste, although she seems to prefer more normal food.

Her costume consists of a wide necklace made of electron degenerate matter, fitted closely around the base of her neck, and exactly color matched to her scales. This can deploy, via the Family fractal dimensional folding technique, a full set of armor akin to that which Raptaur commonly wears. This armor in turn contains numerous storage spaces which are far larger internally than would be expected. She is known to carry an EDM sword with a mono-atomic edge, a warhammer similar to the one both Saurial and Raptaur have commonly used, and a number of useful items such as bottled water and other supplies. It is considered highly likely to the point of near certainty that she has other weapons available.

Personality:
Ianthe possesses an outlook on life best described as 'enthusiastic,' apparently finding the 'human world' as she has termed it on more than one occasion endlessly fascinating. Initial contact with the public led to some quite odd interactions, as it appeared that she had very little real knowledge of how people talked or acted. Subsequent to her debut, Saurial and Raptaur have stated that they have taught her more normal mannerisms, which is backed up by PRT and Protectorate staff who have met her. She frequently posts on PHO and seems to take significant enjoyment in causing double-takes and amusement, although she is more than capable of serious and educated discussion when necessary.

Ianthe is highly intelligent even by the standards of The Family, with biochemical, biological, and chemical knowledge that may well exceed any known expert in these subjects. She is a healer of a level at least equivalent to Panacea, and additionally is what in Parahuman terms would be considered an exceptionally potent Bio-tinker at a minimum. The true scope of her abilities is currently not known with certainty.

She is on record as considering normal humans as far too delicate and appears to take enormous care to avoid damage to them, and indeed will eagerly heal any problem discovered. From eye-witness accounts at Brockton General Hospital it appears that getting her to not heal everyone with any form of medical issue is a far greater challenge than the reverse. On a number of occasions she has commented that she would be happy to improve a person, but to date no one appears to have taken her up on the offer. It is not known what the result would be.

When engaged in heroic actions, she has shown two main modes of operation. One is a head on attack followed by pinpoint dart firing, as in the case of the Merchant raid, where she ran straight through a brick wall to effect a surprise entry into their base. The other mode is much more similar to the approach used by Saurial, involving a stealth approach, often from above in the dark, then a sudden attack when the target is unaware. She is slightly less likely to use the psychological techniques Saurial prefers but not above them. Ianthe can climb as well as any of the Family, despite her size and mass, and is known to descend a building headfirst and gain entry through a window or door from above.

As in the case of the other members of The Family, no threats should ever be made concerning anyone she considers a friend or family. Her response is likely, should the threat be deemed real, to be up to and including instantly lethal. Of particular note is the fact that she appears to consider Panacea a particularly close friend and associate.

DO NOT THREATEN PANACEA IN ANY WAY IN THE PRESENCE OF IANTHE.

Known Associates:
DF Hebert of the DWU, TA Hebert, Panacea of New Wave, members of The Family, various friends of TA Hebert, members of the DWU, Vectura, Über, Leet, Cloak.

Brute 8+:
Ianthe's true strength is unknown, but estimated at a dead-lift capacity of more than twelve tons based on videos in circulation showing her in action, and direct observation during the Coil and Merchant operations. She is most likely as tough as Saurial and it is likely that even extremely heavy caliber anti-armor weapons would do no more than irritate her. Her armor is essentially impossible to penetrate except possibly with certain Parahuman abilities, so assume that no projectile weapon stands any chance of affecting her in any real manner beyond that of a minor annoyance. She is more than strong enough to make containment foam except in enormous quantities useless. Additionally, she is known to be able to stay submerged indefinitely and can in all probability hold her breath for extremely long periods of time. Gas or vapor weapons may well be essentially useless against her.

Her temperature tolerance is unknown with certainty but judged to be far outside human range.

Her reaction times are at least as quick as Raptaur's based on direct observation.

Mover 6:
Ianthe has been recorded running at better than 70MPH for extended periods of time, and evidence suggests that she can swim at least as fast. Her branch of The Family does not, according to Ianthe herself, possess the Shaker ability of Saurial's side, so it is probable that she cannot perform similar feats of producing external flight aids. However as The Family seems to have a habit of revealing new abilities on occasion, this should not be taken for granted.

Thinker 7+:
Ianthe, like her cousins, possesses senses far outside human ability. Additionally, she has a vast biological and chemical knowledge and is known to be able to design an entirely novel and exceptionally complex biological organism from scratch in a matter of hours. It is thought likely that her mathematical abilities, if not on the same scale as Saurial and Raptaur's, are still far better than the majority of non-Thinker Parahumans, which suggests that she may well be capable of a number of unusual skills on this basis.

Striker 10+:
See below for further data on linked abilities.

Blaster 7+:
See below for further data on linked abilities.

Shaker 5:
See below for further data on linked abilities.

These three categories has been collapsed into one description as they all rely on a common power set.

Ianthe, as stated, has a very extensive knowledge of and ability to manipulate chemical and biological systems. Her healing ability could easily be weaponized and any contact with bare skin is considered to be an immediate win for her. Even with that option removed, via protective clothing, she has build in weaponry in the form of forearm-mounted dart launchers that can fire a biologically generated metallo-ceramic dart at velocities from near stationary to at least supersonic.

The darts can be coated with a number of unique chemicals including instantaneously-acting paralytics, soporifics, and it is assumed toxins. Explosives are not considered out of the question. She is known to be an excellent shot over ranges of at least four hundred yards, with no indication this is her limit. Her rate of fire is a minimum of two shots per second with this weapon and she has demonstrated the ability to use both launchers on independent targets simultaneously with significant accuracy. Penetration of the darts is high, and the required dose of the drugs utilized is in the microgram range, so even glancing contact will result in paralysis, unconsciousness, or possibly death if she was so inclined.

She has also been seen to be able to produce the same bioceramic material in the form of restraints, batons, and other weaponry both defensive and offensive. There exists the possibility that the same drugs her darts can use could be also produced for use on such weapons. Based on her known Bio-tinker abilities, this is likely to be a definite understatement of her true capability in this respect.

Assume she is always armed, and can if necessary produce area denial weaponry as well as anti-personnel weapons.

Tinker 11+ (for specialization in biological and chemical manipulation):
Ianthe's Family ability description is 'Life Shaper,' which would in practical terms appear to be a superset of what PRT guidelines consider a Bio-tinker. Healing would seem to be a minor part of a very extensive power. As far as has been determined at the date of this report, she has essentially complete control over biological systems, up to and including designing them completely from first principles using totally novel DNA analogs.

She has demonstrated an ability to produce a biologically-derived anti-explosive agent in a matter of hours, which targets the specified explosive with perfect accuracy. Other evidence shows she is capable of vastly more complex designs, and the working assumption is that this talent is both inherent and leveraging a very long and deep knowledge base covering biology to a level far outside normal experience. The ultimate limitations of her ability are unknown.

Control over biological systems to the level shown also gives equivalent control over organic and most inorganic chemistry, again to a post-human-knowledge level. There is evidence that she can almost certainly design any chemical required for any specific task in hours to days. Ianthe is known to have produced a number of totally novel, human-specific drugs, which show a very deep working knowledge of human physiology and biochemistry.

It is not known how this knowledge was acquired at this point in time.

Her Tinker specialization directly feeds back to her Striker, Blaster, and Shaker talents.

Stranger 2:
While not a Stranger to the level of her cousin's side of The Family, Ianthe is remarkably stealthy for a being of her size and mass, and shows a talent for surreptitious action that makes her hard to track should she wish it. She is surprisingly quiet unless she deliberately makes herself known and frequently uses this ability to sneak up on criminals.

Subject:
Metis, Independent Hero.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
The Family, associated with Dock Workers Union, Brockton Bay.

Age:
Unknown.

Height:
Approximately 7'5".

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 550 pounds.

Appearance:
Metis was the second and so far last of the second branch of The Family to appear, and apparently is a cousin of the first four, as in the case of Ianthe, and Ianthe's sister. Her appearance is almost a twin of Ianthe's, although her scales are a totally matte black, with iridescent scarlet highlights that appear able to be voluntarily turned off. When the highlighting effect is disabled, she non-reflective nearly to the theoretical limit for matter. Most people find the result highly disturbing and it is commonly described as 'like a cutout in the universe.' It makes her extremely difficult to focus on even in bright light, and in the dark is effectively functional invisibility.

Like Ianthe, her costume is a similar color matched EDM necklace that can deploy armor on demand, with a near identical set of weaponry.

Personality:
Metis is considerably more down to earth than her sister, giving the impression of being better informed about human nature and motivations. She has a lively sense of humor but it is expressed more through sarcasm and subtle jokes than her sister tends to. She is a common participant on various PHO forums, acting as the de facto Family point of contact for most purposes. Metis is very thoughtful and considered extremely intelligent, with great powers of observation and deduction. While when she first arrived in Brockton Bay she, like Ianthe, came across to the public as somewhat strange in outlook, she adapted much faster than her sister did. She is respectful of the PRT and BBPD, a common attitude of The Family in general, and has been the liaison between both organizations and The Family on a number of occasions.

In PRT rating terms Metis would be primarily considered a high level Thinker, although she has the same physical abilities as her sister including the healing facility. She would appear to be capable of leveraging the Thinker talent in combat based on recorded operations. Her approach to combat is similar to Ianthe's although she displays a somewhat greater tendency for direct action rather than stealth, although when she does choose the latter, she is exceptionally good at it due to her natural camouflage.

As in the case of the other members of The Family, no threats should ever be made concerning anyone she considers a friend or family. Her response is likely, should the threat be deemed real, to be up to and including instantly lethal.

Known Associates:
DF Hebert of the DWU, TA Hebert, Panacea of New Wave, members of The Family, various friends of TA Hebert, members of the DWU, Vectura, Über, Leet, Cloak.

Brute 8+:
Metis's true strength is unknown, but estimated at a dead-lift capacity of more than twelve tons based on videos in circulation showing her in action, and direct observation during the Coil and Merchant operations. She is most likely as tough as Saurial and it is likely that even extremely heavy caliber anti-armor weapons would do no more than irritate her. Her armor is essentially impossible to penetrate except possibly with certain Parahuman abilities, so assume that no projectile weapon stands any chance of affecting her in any real manner beyond that of a minor annoyance. She is more than strong enough to make containment foam except in enormous quantities useless. Additionally, she is known to be able to stay submerged indefinitely and can in all probability hold her breath for extremely long periods of time. Gas or vapor weapons may well be essentially useless against her.

Her temperature tolerance is unknown with certainty but judged to be far outside human range.

Her reaction times are at least as quick as Raptaur's based on direct observation.

Mover 6:
Metis has been recorded running at better than 70MPH for extended periods of time, and evidence suggests that she can swim at least as fast. Her branch of The Family does not, according to Ianthe herself, possess the Shaker ability of Saurial's side, so it is probable that she cannot perform similar feats of producing external flight aids. However as The Family seems to have a habit of revealing new abilities on occasion, this should not be taken for granted.

Thinker 9:
Metis, like her cousins, possesses senses far outside human ability. Additionally, she is a high level Thinker-equivalent with exceptional observational and reasoning abilities. It is unknown, but considered unlikely, that she has a genuine precognitive ability, but she appears to be able to at least partially emulate such a talent in specific situations through careful consideration of a large number of data points. She has demonstrated very high level computer access abilities, including mastering an entirely new system designed and manufactured by Dragon in minutes with no instruction. It is likely that she possesses high level mathematical talents, and knowledge of a great number of technical fields. She should not be underestimated, and any attempt to trick or manipulate her is most likely futile. In conjunction with her exceptional senses, it is probably impossible to lie to her successfully.

Striker 10+:
See below for further data on linked abilities.

Blaster 7+:
See below for further data on linked abilities.

Shaker 5:
See below for further data on linked abilities.

These three categories has been collapsed into one description as they all rely on a common power set.

In common with Ianthe, Metis possesses internal dart launchers in her forearms, which appear capable of all the same abilities her sister's weapons do. She also has the same ability to produce the bioceramic material in various forms, with the concomitant chemical payloads, and has the same healing ability as well. However, she shows none of the other 'Life Shaper' talents and it is presumed that she cannot manipulate biology to the same level that Ianthe can. This should not be taken as proof that she cannot weaponize the healing ability in the same manner it is suspected Ianthe can.

Beyond those abilities, which provide essentially the same ratings in all three categories as Ianthe, Metis also has the ability to generate a very large electrical charge and conduct it through her hands. Estimates of voltage and current based on a demonstration are over ten kilovolts and at least ten amps, for an unknown period of time that would exceed two seconds minimum. This combination is instantly lethal to an unprotected human, and would disable most electronics on contact. It is assumed that she can lower both the voltage and current to non-lethal levels but to date this has not been verified.

How many times she can create such a discharge without a rest period is also unknown.

Stranger 3:
In a similar manner to Ianthe, while Metis is not known to possess similar Stranger skills to the level of her cousin's side of The Family, Metis is exceptionally stealthy for a being of her size and mass. Her completely non-reflective scales, when her highlights are turned off, makes her virtually impossible to track in the dark and very hard to directly localize in many highly illuminated scenarios. She is surprisingly quiet unless she deliberately makes herself known and frequently uses this ability to sneak up on criminals.

Subject:
Cloak, Independent Hero.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
No direct affiliation with known group, associated with The Family.

Age:
Unknown.

Height:
Approximately 4'5".

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 80 pounds

Appearance:
Cloak is, for all visible indications, an empty cloak. All that is visible externally is a pair of taloned hands and a small amount of arm. The hood of the garment she wears appears to be entirely empty, and indeed she has been seen both storing items in it, and removing them from it, often of a size that shouldn't fit the space available.

Her voice is unusual, causing a sensation in most witnesses that they describe as 'disturbing' or 'wrong' although the exact reason for this is currently unknown. The effect propagates through audio or video recordings. Very little else is known about her at this point.

Personality:
Cloak is considered a generally cheerful individual although very mysterious. She appears to hold The Family in general, and Saurial in particular, in high regard. Overall she is of a heroic demeanor although in a manner that most people find peculiar. Tracking down criminals seems to be an activity that gives her considerable amusement. She seems to enjoy confusing people in the process, often doing things that appear to have no other reason than she finds it funny to see how people react.

Using her Stranger ability to appear and disappear from odd locations without warning is one of the milder examples of this.

Known Associates:
Saurial, members of The Family.

Mover 5:
While not immensely fast, Cloak does not appear to be impeded by normal obstructions, and is known to 'climb an invisible staircase' as the effect has been described. Most witnesses consider this method of flight to be quite disturbing on a subtle level. Based on the time delay between successive appearances of Cloak, she can travel in direct lines across large areas regardless of obstructions, presumably by going over them at altitude, although so far this has not been proven. It is thought likely that her Shaker ability would give her access to normally inaccessible locations in a manner not dissimilar to the abilities possessed by Vista. Again, to date this is merely speculation although there is some circumstantial evidence to uphold the theory.

Shaker 10:
Cloak appears to use an ability similar to, but considerably more effective than, the Shaker ability Vista can produce. There are no visible distortions and this ability would appear to be much more flexible than Vista's. Cloak can warp space over large distances, target this warping on specific individuals, and cause local spatial loops which are self-sustaining for considerable periods of time even without her present.

Assume that containing her, in the absence of a completely hermetically sealed facility, is difficult to impossible.

Projectile weapons, gas, and directed energy weapons are unlikely to be effective if she has any warning at all since she can merely warp the effect around her. This technique has been seen in operation on more than one occasion, rendering hand guns useless against her.

While there is no record of Cloak using her abilities to do more than contain and disorientate an opponent, it is considered possible that she is able to cause much more dangerous effects if required. Provocation is deemed unwise.

Stranger 6:
She has displayed the ability of total invisibility and inaudibility across a broad spectrum. While there are no apparent cognitive effects, no instrumentation so far deployed has been able to track her when in this state.

Subject:
Vectura, Independent Hero.

Real name:
Unknown.

Affiliation:
Dock Workers Union, Brockton Bay, associated with The Family.

Age:
Estimated to be approximately 22.

Height:
Approximately 5'7".

Weight:
Estimated to be approximately 120 pounds.

Appearance:
Vectura is a feline/human hybrid, presenting as an attractive woman of approximately 22 years of age, with the tail, ears, eyes, and partial teeth and fur of a cat. Her canines are approximately twice the length of a normal human and much sharper than standard, although the rest of her dentition appears normal. Her lower face shows a slight protrusion into a small muzzle although this is only apparent from the side. Her eyes are green with slit pupils and appear visually indistinguishable from those of a domestic cat, while she has fur on her head in place of hair, pointed, mobile ears similar to a cats, and a long and flexible tail. This is also covered in fur. The fur is dark blue with rosettes very similar to the markings of a leopard in a near-black color, on both her head and tail.

This part feline appearance is the result of a limited Changer power. Her non-Changer appearance is unknown.

Her costume consists of a garment very reminiscent, most likely deliberately so, of a racing driver's suit, manufactured by Saurial and of a similar nature to those provided by The Family to New Wave. It is heavily insulated, fireproof, and near impenetrable due to the EDM lining. She also wears a crash helmet of unusual design, made of EDM with a synthetic sapphire faceplate, and under that a visor containing a HUD system of unknown capability.

Personality:
She is somewhat withdrawn and shy in the presence of people she doesn't know, and was observed to draw courage from Metis and Saurial. Psychological damage from previous abusive relationships and upbringing has left obvious tells although The Family is arranging therapeutic intervention with the aim of repairing this damage.

During power testing, once Vectura gained confidence, she became quite cheerful and eager to demonstrate her abilities and designs.

She has outright stated that she has no interest in combat unless severely provoked. PRT scientists and agents agree that she is sincere. It is highly recommended that such provocation is never given, both due to the manner in which The Family would undoubtedly defend her, and the potential danger should she decide to defend them. Based on information from the PRT powers research department she could become a formidable opponent should she be pushed hard enough.

Known Associates:
Saurial, Metis, DF Hebert of the DWU, members of The Family, members of the DWU, Über, Leet.

Brute 3 (possibly 6+):
Information provided by Vectura, Saurial and Metis states that she can dead lift some 2 tons, heals much more rapidly than an unpowered human, has reaction speeds some five times that of a non-Parahuman, and can move faster by a similar ratio.

The higher rating is due to her known ability to produce devices that massively amplify her strength and reaction speed.

This rating may rise in future.

Mover 3 (possibly 8+):
Vectura is considerably faster than a non-Parahuman individual and has much greater stamina, giving the lower rating. The higher rating is due to her known ability to produce devices that allow high speed travel.

This rating may rise in future.

Thinker 1:
Vectura would appear to have an instinctive knowledge of how to operate her inventions, and remarkably rapid reflexes that synergize well with this knowledge. She is an exceptionally gifted driver.

Changer 2:
She has the ability to switch between two forms, her normal human one and a part feline one. It is unknown how long this process takes, or what her normal human appearance looks like. Vectura has stated that her human appearance is not her original appearance as she had it changed at some point in the past to escape pursuit by certain criminal elements.

Tinker 4 (possibly 9+):
Vectura's Tinker power is exceptionally potent, being only limited to the specialization described as 'Transportation.' However, it is also handicapped due to the difficulty of realizing many of her designs since the infrastructure to create them is immensely complex.

In conjunction with the matter creation abilities of The Family, most if not all of these limitations are removed, leading to the much higher second rating, which is closer to her inherent skill level. She and Saurial have vividly demonstrated the ability, when working together, to conceptualize, design, and manufacture complex systems in a matter of hours. It is assumed that even more complex designs can be achieved.

This rating may rise in future.