Author's Note-I honestly considered not updating this with the absolutely toxic reaction I got to it from half my readers over at Spacebattles over fucking Piggot of all the damn things but I've had several people asking that I publish the teaser chapter here despite me losing all desire to actually write the real deal. So whatever, from here on out is what I posted to SB, enjoy.
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The after action reports before the actual chapter always kind of amused me, because as the reader you're amused, all while wondering what the literal fuck happened between the lines, so enjoy, the actual chapter will be later this week.
Parahuman Response Team After Action Report #7948306
First Response To Scene Agent Reporting: Sergeant Neil Blackstone
Date-REDACTED
Location-REDACTED
Mission Parameters-Assess the cause and end result of the apparent full frontal assault and ultimate elimination of the criminal parahuman gang colloquially referred to as 'The Merchants'.
Notice From Colonel Alexander Deleon: (Commanding Officer of Brockton Bay's Parahuman Response Team) 'I want it to be noted before viewing further into this report that the newly minted Heroic Vigilantes that go by the names Umbra (Shaker shadow manipulator) and Beacon (Tinker, possible light manipulation abilities, definitive clarification still under review) were fully cooperative with first responder's and made an active effort to help local police and PRT elements arrest several members of the 'The Merchants' gang. Their cooperation and insight on this entire mess was beyond priceless and if I hear one more person bemoaning the fact that every cent of loose cash that should have been on scene was missing will have latrine duty for the next six months.
Addendum: I am well aware that latrines are meant for the field rather than the office and the next person who brings it up is going to be reminded exactly how many restrooms the Rig and Headquarters has, do not try my patience here people.
At 21:32 hours on [REDACTED] an anonymous call was put in to the BBPD Fourth Precinct reporting 'ominous noises' and what appeared to be explosions coming from the Northwest side of the Docks. At 21:56 hours Sergeant Neil Blackstone arrived on scene to find a manor home (5396 Lord's Lane) engulfed in flames and that several dozen people later to all be identified as members of 'The Merchants' gang restrained and writhing on the street suffering from what was best described by resident psychiatrists as 'Self Perpetuating Catatonic Horror'.
The only persons on site that where coherent and willing to cooperate were two young women, both masked and by body structure along with voice analysis assumed to be in their mid teens. The taller of the pair (around 5'10" and identified herself as Umbra) claimed that they had encountered 'The Merchants' by happenstance and after attempting to disengage from said gang were forced to subdue them after being assaulted without provocation.
Addendum: It should be noted that her companion and likely partner (Identifying herself as Beacon) was suppressing the urge to break out laughing during her partners explanation.
Her partner, a short young woman (4'10-11" who identified herself as Beacon) then explained how they had subdued the gang through trickery and the simple fact that their opponents were highly inebriated at the time.
In the end after the vigilantes intervention and elimination of 'The Merchants' the human factor result was:
Kidnapped Women Rescued-9
Base Line Human Merchants Arrested-48
Parahuman Merchants Arrested-2
Parahuman Merchants KIA-1
PRT Director Emily Piggot's After Action Report: [REDACTED]
Addendum: Seriously Emily? You're really going to suggest the Birdcage as an option for a couple of teenage, female vigilantes who ended up killing Skidmark by what can only be described as an accidental Rube Goldberg Device? A human trafficking, drug peddling, pedophile rapist dies and you want to even suggest the option to send the underage heroes who defeated him to what amounts to Hell on Earth? I know you have your problems with parahumans but seriously woman pick your battles and remember that after this cluster**** to the rank and file, those girls aren't heroes, they're Heroes.
-Colonel Alexander Deleon PRT
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Edit-Piggot's response was [REDACTED] for a reason, knee jerk response that unfortunately for her the top PRT grunt still had access to it and wasn't happy about it. Eh...think I fumbled this one a bit...
