B-47, B-48, and B-49 W11 Report

DOC: 2 FEB 1989 (Thursday)

Created by: Professor Utonium

Title: W11 Capabilities Summary

Introduction: It has been 11 weeks since the creation of the Girls. They have grown rapidly, attaining enhancements to their abilities beyond any comprehension and scale of imagination thus far. In the beginning, we sought to create the perfect soldier - preferably a trained and combat-ready adult infused with one of the many Chemicals for higher strength, resilience, speed and other performance factors beyond baseline comparisons. What we have done in reality has gone beyond that. We have not come up with a slightly better drug to combat the usual strain of flu. We have essentially found the cure for cancer when it comes to law enforcement.

I just wish it didn't have to be my Girls who have to take on the burden of cleaning up the streets of Townsville, and potentially the entire United States if our last meeting remains relevant. And that is for good reason too. I have very good reasons to believe that they have reached a plateau and the summit of their abilities. More on this in the rest of the report.

Conventional: Under Miss Keane's guidance, the Girls have been learning very quickly the nuances of speaking, reading and writing, not to mention mathematics and even the sciences. While it will be years away (not as much for Bubbles, unfortunately) before they will attain an adults' level of understanding despite their intelligence, this is already a feat in itself considering the fact that the average human being will need about 13 years of sustained education in present-day society.

What is really disturbing, however, is the rate at which they have been doing it. Miss Keane has been keeping close tabs on their learning process, and she has noted that they have been slowing down, sometimes even forgetting what they have learned. I will need to investigate this further.

Psychology: Blossom and Bubbles remain just as vulnerable mentally as any other kid. In their current situation, I have to write that this is really bad, no matter how much I wish for them to stay as normal little girls, at least on the inside. Blossom had shown signs of cracking under the burden of leadership, and though things are better now, it is not because she has learned to cope. Things have just quietened down, but I am afraid of what will happen should things start up again as they did in the earlier weeks. Alice reported that she might be suffering a degree of anxiety disorder, but also that Blossom is the most resistant of the three when it comes to psychological trauma. I am proud of her - but it is still too much, what we are asking of her.

Bubbles remains traumatized. She is haunted by nightmares almost daily, and she had told me numerous times that she was always terrified whenever she was out there. Psychiatrist Alice believes she is suffering from several major mental debilitations, including clinical depression, PTSD and several types of phobia.

Buttercup appears to be perfectly adjusted to her duties as a law enforcement officer. However, the reason is far below ideal. According to Psychiatrist Alice, she is suffering from severe psychopathy, and this has already been expressed multiple times in the past, most severely last Christmas, at the Battle at Morbucks Industries Research Labs, resulting in over 30 Foundation dead. I may not be a soldier, but I see a lot of opportunities lost with that kind of casualty on the enemy side. That's over 30 less Foundation agents we could interrogate and reform.

I would like to request again that the Girls, as a group, be taken off duty unless there's an emergency we cannot handle, to give them time to rest and recuperate.

Combat Proficiency: As mentioned in my introduction, the Girls have only grown in power since their accidental creation, and this power can be linked directly to the Chemical X in their body, found in their blood and cells. Based on this metric, it can be argued that Buttercup has grown the most powerful, with 1,915 ppm of Chemical X in her cells, followed by Blossom at 1,849 ppm and Bubbles at 1,794 ppm. All figures are based on the most current measurements.

However, Chemical X blood concentration alone does not account for their performance in a hotspot. It is just an indicator of how much energy they could expend before becoming drained and nullified as a threat. Much depends on how they expend that energy – and the general rule is that the more impressive an ability they used, the more energy it uses up. A multi-ton punch, for example, could likely be executed hundreds of times a day before one of the Girls tire out. Heat vision, on the other hand, would likely drain Blossom completely after, say, 20 times. It is therefore recommended that the Girls arm themselves with weapons as they do not require Chemical X – guns and grenades, for example, no matter how much I detest those things.

With that being said, in terms of physical combat, Blossom was once best in it but Buttercup seems to have become the most proficient of the three, thanks in large part due to her misplaced enthusiasm for it. She responds best to Selicia Goodwin's training in both hand-to-hand combat as well as firearms. Blossom has not been left far behind however if my observations of their sparring is any indication. I count a 6:4 victory ratio between the two of them. Bubbles, on the other hand, does not take well to physical combat at all, but for good reason. In fact, I am surprised that Blossom does not have similar issues. Despite this, Bubbles' raw physical performance in all areas should make up for her lack of skill – and we shouldn't compare between the three.

Things are different, however, when it comes to some of their more fantastical of abilities. At this, Blossom and Bubbles seem to be most adept, with the former consistently leading the three. Blossom had discovered her ability to fly and fire infrared beams from her eyes - the former of which had to be taught to the other two, with Buttercup taking the longest to learn, while the latter seemed lost on both Bubbles and Buttercup.

Bubbles, however, had developed her voice to become what is essentially a sonic weapon. However, it works differently from the USDO's experimental sonic weapons. While her 'sonic scream', as I have taken to call it, could do the usual things as a sonic weapon does, such as causing hearing loss, vision distortion and injury of related sensory organs and even less sensitive soft tissue, her scream results in a sonic boom and further damaging effects as well. My past analysis of her sonic scream indicated that manifestations of Chemical X in the air she expels during a sonic scream can and will create a sonic boom and a pushing force, with her loudest scream capable of hurting even enhanced individuals.

Buttercup remains unspecialized and unremarkable in terms of special abilities (in technical terms and in the basis of comparison – I must emphasize that she is remarkable in her own ways). She relies mainly on conventional tactics and unarmed combat augmented by flight and her enhanced physical performance.

This brings me to a discovery I have made regarding their combat abilities. The last of their abilities was discovered more than a month ago - Bubbles' sonic scream had been the latest development, and it was dated all the way back to 25 DEC 1988 - the battle at Morbucks Industries Research Labs. They appeared to have plateaued in terms of development, with only marginal improvements in terms of Chemical X capacity and conventional techniques, made possible by relatively mundane training regimes.

There are several possibilities as to why. The most obvious explanation is that they have perhaps reached the pinnacle of their combat potential - this could be all we are ever going to get from them. However, this is merely speculation based on observation. Another possibility is that they are merely unmotivated by the relatively peaceful climate over the past month to discover new abilities. This alternative explanation is more likely in my view. Thinking back, the Girls had discovered many of their abilities whenever they were under threat or a lot of pressure. Blossom had discovered how to emit infrared beams when she was angered by Bubbles' near-death, and Bubbles had discovered her sonic scream while fighting for survival against Mojo Jojo. It is a stretch, but while Blossom had discovered flight spontaneously it seems, Bubbles and Buttercup had to learn how to fly quickly to gain an edge in their law enforcement duties.

Statistics: Below are some hard information pertinent to our understanding of the Girls' combat proficiencies

Average maximum flight speed: 331.55 miles/hour (group measurement)

Note: The Girls have so far been able to fly up to half the speed of sound. However, the faster they travel, the less efficient they are at converting the energy in their Chemical X to kinetic energy (and other forms of energy still unknown to our sciences). Waste energy consisted mostly of light energy and secondarily sound energy. Based on this fact, it is advisable not to push the Girls too hard and allow them to fly at slower speeds as long as there are no emergencies. They will quickly run out of Chemical X energy if they were to fly at top speed constantly. A cruising speed of about 200 miles/hour is ideal, less if they are just patrolling.

Their ability to fly at high speeds is what has allowed us to get rid of our convoy system and allow the Girls to roam freely. I think it's better for them, psychologically speaking. But it is to the USDO's advantage too, as their deployment time is not limited to the geography and condition of the streets, terrain, and traffic.

Their flight speed has been on the increase since Blossom first learned to fly. It has just about seen an increase of about 50% up to the current speed I measured over the month. Based on my calculations, the theoretical limits of their flight speed should be about 900 miles/hour, just over the speed of sound, which would make them veritable human jet fighters, though sustaining such a speed will likely be exhausting to them even with training and increased Chemical X concentration in their blood. Past that point, any attempt to accelerate any further will result in rapidly diminishing returns.

Average maximum running speed: 198.12 miles/hour (group measurement)

Note: It goes without saying that they are better off flying when it comes to speed. However, running takes less Chemical X energy. Running comes more naturally to them as well, and should be generally preferred over flying whenever they are in an enclosed space.

The same energy conversation principle applies whenever they run. Higher speeds mean less efficiency in energy conversion, resulting in the usual X-energy contrail and sound. However, running appears to be less efficient not just in terms of energy conversion but also due to biomechanical limitations. The human anatomy is simply not built for speed, unlike that of four-legged creatures or flight-capable birds. However, the human anatomy is famous for its stamina, and this appears to have been translated in the Girls as they will be able to run for long periods of time as long as they aren't sprinting. Jogging is a better word for it, and as long as they maintain a sustainable speed, they should be able to run for a long stretch of time at one go.

They are not marathon runners, however - it would be years before they could run for hours at a stretch. Therein lies another disadvantage of running. I have tested the Girls' endurance. Buttercup currently holds the record for longest time spent running, at 42 minutes and 50 seconds at 50 miles/hour on an industrial treadmill - this is incredible for a little girl, especially at such speeds, but on the scale of trained marathon runners, poor in terms of stamina. I believe the limitation does not just exist in their stamina, but also in their psychology. They possess the minds of little girls, after all - even as it is, what they have achieved is nothing short of extraordinary. Take any normal 5-year-old kid out, and they will more likely have a meltdown within a few minutes of jogging than try to run for 40 minutes. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup cannot and should not be pushed any harder.

Maximum lift weight (without flight): 3.7 tonnes/3 min 40 sec (Buttercup), 3.3 tonnes / 3 min 30 sec (Blossom), 3.1 tonnes / 2min 10 sec (Bubbles)

The Girls' carry capacity has been steadily increasing over the month. This further validates my theory that the Girls' Chemical X abilities can be further honed from their baseline. Individually, they will each be able to carry a car. Together, they will likely be able to carry off most military vehicles short of a tank if they want. This, however, is just the beginning.

Maximum lift weight (with flight): 8.1 tonnes / 3 min 50 sec (Buttercup), 7.7 tonnes / 3 min 38 sec (Blossom), 7.2 tonnes / 2 min 5 sec (Bubbles)

After the mess at Morbucks Industries Research Labs, I have sought to find the truth behind Bubbles' ability to carry more than twice her previous record, which was about 3 tonnes for just over a minute. Under controlled experimental conditions, I discovered in the Townsville Stadium that flying adds to their lift capacity. My conclusion is that flying introduces an alternate source of force under the Girls' control, resulting in a two-pronged approach to carrying massive weights.

This, I believe, was what allowed Bubbles to handle the rubble Mojo Jojo had rained down on her, allowing her and her new friends to avoid getting crushed.

The experiment I conducted was 3 weeks ago, and Bubbles' maximum lift weight with flight as a factor measured up to 7.1 tonnes, sustained for a few minutes. The Rubble at Morbucks' lab was 6.8 tonnes in weight.

There is one more thing to note. Bubbles is noticeably under-performing in this aspect of her capabilities. My medical data and observation suggest that her mental trauma has something to do with it. Both psychiatrist Alice and I will be following up on this.

Average maximum force (punch): 30.1 tonnes (Buttercup), 27.5 tonnes (Blossom), 24.8 tonnes (Bubbles)

I believe this single line of data alone should illustrate the Girls' development in terms of their abilities. Even at the beginning, they were capable of dishing out something like 20 tonnes of force with a punch. However, much of the increase since that time were effected before January and February, over December with Selicia's help.

The statistics quoted are only the surface, however. Taking into account pressure and the target should give a fuller picture, but in summary: even Bubbles, the weakest of the three, is capable of hitting harder than a truck and poking holes in steel with her fingers, and since their lower limbs are stronger, they kick a lot harder, too.

Addendum:

The Girls have many other abilities at their disposal. I have merely touched on the main ones that they have so often used or displayed. Below are other abilities that are passive, frequently used subtly or are simply not as 'flashy'.

- Damage Resistance: The Girls are extremely resistant to all forms of damage, able to withstand gunshots of any caliber, fire, and anything considered less energy-intensive, such as knives, swords, and blunt instruments. However, sharp Duranium instruments, even crudely refined and made, could damage them as easily as steel could hurt a normal human being. Bullets made of Duranium, especially those accelerated by Chemical-X-saturated propellants, is particularly dangerous to them.

- Sister Sense: The Girls seem to possess psy-links with one another, from which emotions and even thoughts could be transmitted between them to a limited degree. While the 'bandwidth' is far too limited for them to form a hive mind (which wouldn't be ideal as it would erode their identities), they seem to have a greater sense of empathy among themselves. This 'Sister Sense' allows them to synchronize their actions as well, sometimes right down to the words they say. For Buttercup, this psy-link is her only way to empathize with her sisters, and even then, it is extremely limited. There isn't a night when I wouldn't worry about Buttercup.

- Hyper-Accelerated Cellular Regeneration: The Girls are capable of healing from wounds at speeds far beyond that of normal human beings. As a perspective, skin-deep cuts will disappear after a night's sleep. Bubbles was back on duty within days after a major heart and lung operation. Even with my understanding of Chemical X, I struggle to explain this. While the Girls are able to metabolize Chemical X for energy, and they have a limitless supply of it, I have only the most fanciful hypothesis as to where they get the available materials to repair injuries so quickly. It is possible that the Chemical X in their body itself is repurposed into the necessary proteins and other bio-molecules to be used for repair.

- Hyper-Dexterity: The Girls could work with their hands very quickly and deftly. After months of training from Selicia, they are able to field-strip an XM4 rifle within seconds, with Blossom doing it in 3.5 seconds. Based on my most current theories, I believe this is possible because they are somehow able to focus the Chemical X saturating their nerve cells to quantum-tunnel signals between their nervous system and other parts of the body. Their reaction time, which is a fraction of a normal human being, seems to support this.

- Super-Acute Eyesight: Blossom has an eyesight that doubles as a pair of binoculars. Using optometry measurements, her eyesight could go up to 20/0.5 in terms of clarity. The other Girls had attained a similar skill as well, though with less 'zooming' function compared to Blossom. While Blossom is able to 'zoom in' up to 40x normal vision, Buttercup could only manage about 10x and Bubbles 5x. Based on my observations, I was able to detect faint Chemical X structures forming in front of their eyes whenever they do this, forming meta-dimensional lenses that 'zooms in' their vision.

- Bioluminescence: The Girls could emit light from their eyes, using them like torch lights. The distance has been increasing steadily over the last month. At the start of January, the distance was merely 9 yards. Now, it can go up to 21 yards. And yes, they can adjust it as well, though it does strain their eyes after a lengthy period of time. They have no other ways of producing useful sources of light as of yet.

(For a full report on the Girls' combat proficiency, refer to the research department. They have all my latest research data.)

Additional Notes by General Blackwater (Except from USDO internetwork email to House Group - Professor Utonium and Sergeant Selicia Goodwin)

The Girls have grown soft as of late, but I guess that is to be expected, isn't it? When they are little more than children? Their stubborn lack of discipline when it comes to equipment management aside, they have simplified their tactics beyond acceptable levels.

They no longer seem to plan their moves at all and does not even try to avoid detection and incorporate stealth into their operations. They are reckless, and they are lucky the Foundation and much of the criminal underground is currently maintaining a low profile. They need to realize they are successful so far only because they've been picking on the small fries.

WHIP THEM BACK INTO SHAPE ASAP BEFORE I DO IT MYSELF.