(Statement: Alternate Worlds accessed. Found series on Alternate Z-12.)
(Action: Accessing Connection.)
(Emoji: Gendo Ikari smirk)
(Working. Assembling. Preparing Shards for recombination/budding.)
(Trump: Management/Admin)
(Trump: Host Selectable powerset in base mode) (Success)
(Default Power: Management (touch-based) (one hour local measurement of time) temporary easing of restrictions/limits.) (Success)
(Combining (Shard: Escalation) with (Shard: Adaptation) to produce (Bud: Evolution) Adjusting for local aesthetics per Host desire.) (Success.)
(Setting (Bud: Evolution) into Host base form. Effects to influence further development of power templates/builds.) (Research Complete.) (Success.)
(Combining (Shard: Blade Beast) effect with (Shard: Blade Production) effect.) (Altering baseline from offense to defense.) (Producing (Bud: Armored)) (Success)
(Combining (Shard: Personal Weapon) effect with (Shard: Stabby) effect with (Shard: Size Enhancement) with (Bud: Armored) to produce (Bud: Penetration Weapon)) (Failure).
(Combining (Bud: Armored) with (Common Shard: Strength Enhancement) effect with (Common Shard: Stamina Enhancement) with (Shard: Size Increase) effect to produce (Bud: Armored II) (Success)
(Working with (Protocol: Friendship) to (Goal: Awesome) to alter (Bud: Armored II) to observed aesthetics.) (Success.)
(Combining (Shard: Personal Weapon) effect with (Shard: Stabby) effect to (Bud: Armored II) as (Bud: Armor Piercer) under (Limit: Named Attack) (Success.)
(Merging (Bud: Armor Piercer) with (Bud: Armored II)) (Success.) (Setting (Bud: Armored II) as Brute setting on (Slot #1)) (Success.)
(Combining (Shard: Speedster) effect with (Shard: Phase) effect to produce (Bud: Speed Phase) (Success.)
(Combining (Bud: Speed Phase) with (Common Shard: Flight) to produce (Bud: Phase Flight)) (Success.)
(Removing restrictions on (Bud: Phase Flight) to produce (Bud: Hyperspeed)) (Success)
(Setting Hyperspeed as Mover setting on (Slot #2)) (Success.)
(Combining (Shard: Skill Thief) with (Shard: Gift) with (Shard: Fast Learner) with (Shard: Inference Engine) to produce (Bud: Professor.)) (Success)
(Setting Professor as Thinker setting on (Slot #3)) (Success.)
(Combining (Shard: Solar Battery) effects with (Shard: Solid Light Weapons) effect to produce (Bud: Solar Engine) (Success.)
(Combining (Shard: Light Force Constructs) to (Bud: Solar Engine) to produce (Bud: Force Constructs) (Success.)
((Bud: Force Constructs) limits set by hardware and energy limitations. Possibility of overcoming with further development of resources.) (Success.)
(Combining (Common Shard: Flight) with (Common Shard: Protective Forcefield) to (Bud: Force Constructs) to produce (Bud: Advanced Solid Light Constructs)) (Success.)
(Setting Advanced Force Constructs as Blaster/Shaker setting on (Slot #4)) (Success.)
(Combining (Shard: Prototype) with (Shard: Miniaturization) with (Shard: Vehicle Modification) to produce (Bud: One Shot Gadgets) (Failure)
(2nd Attempt: (Shard: Prototype) with (Shard: Vehicle Modification) with (Shard: Miniaturization) with (Shard: Reset) to produce (Bud: Repeatable Tech) (Failure.)
(Alert: New Shard in range. Applicable set. Pinging.)
(3rd Attempt: (Shard: Miniaturization) with (Shard: Vehicle Modification) with (Shard: Miniaturization) with (Shard: Reset (Maintenance) with (Shard: Exotic Power Systems) with (Shard:Freewheel) to produce (Bud: Power Armor & Mecha.) (Success.)
(Research indicates "Girls Like Giant Robots" "Big Guns Are Cool" and "Bitches Love Cannon" = Positive For Friendship. Also indicates further data accumulation possible. Approved.)
(Upgrading via nearby sources and combining. (Bud: Power Armor & Mecha) now upgrading to (Bud: Big Guns, Big Mecha, Big Armor). Query to host: Quality 'awesome' is desirable?)
(Feedback from host: 'awesome' is desirable goal.)
(Setting (Bud: Big Guns, Big Mecha, Big Armor) as Tinker setting at (Slot #5))
(Shifting categories.)
(Forms developing.)
* PRT ENE HQ. August 17 2009 *
* Miss Militia *
"So, a new parahuman coming in to register," said Miss Militia, as they walked down the corridor. "Nice to see someone taking a cautious approach instead of the usual pattern."
Armsmaster nodded. "It's a good sign. Gallant?"
"Because of a claim by the new parahuman, it was decided I should be present to monitor," said Gallant, standing well to the side.
"Trooper Jenkins, Captain Malone," noted Miss Militia, recognizing the two despite the nearly all-concealing uniforms, as they reached the conference room. "What about the new cape?"
"From the description of her powers," said Captain Malone. "Trump. Type Two or Ten."
Miss Militia thought her heart might have skipped a beat. Powers that affect other powers were the rarest set. "What?"
"Subject calls herself 'Template'," said Captain Malone. "That she has several different Breaker states she can switch between, each with a different power or powerset. She also states she can temporarily boost powers by making physical contact with a cape."
"That's quite a claim," noted Miss Militia.
"If she can back it up, we need to classify this fast," responded Armsmaster. "Otherwise the gangs will target her."
Captain Malone waited until the two had apparently finished talking before opening the door.
The cape in question was sitting there at the desk reading a book titled "The New Science of Strong Materials" that made Armsmaster hesitate for just a second.
Template finished making a couple of notes before she stood up. "Miss Militia AND Armsmaster. I take it you wanted a demonstration of my abilities before finishing the registration process?"
"Good to meet you, Template," said Miss Militia with a nod. Normally she'd shake hands but Captain Malone had already identified a touch range on a Trump-type.
"Well, I'd like to demonstrate my Trump ability first," said Template. "It would be the one most likely to put me into trouble with your organization if you don't also know my limitations."
"And those are?" prompted Armsmaster.
"By touch," said Template, holding up one finger. Then she began raising another finger with each limitation. "Target has to be willing. Duration of one hour. I can't grant powers, only remove or bend a limitation on an existing power. Those are the ones I know about. I think I can't modify more than three powers at a time, but I haven't had a chance to check that part."
Armsmaster paused, then nodded. "I see. Well, the PRT could certainly help you understand your powers if you joined the Wards."
"I'll take that under advisement," said Template. "If you didn't want to see that power in use, did you want to see me use one of my other templates now?"
* PRT ENE HQ, 5 hours later *
Director Piggot stared for a good three minutes at the screen. "You are sure she wasn't lying?"
Gallant shook his head. "As sure as I can be. She really didn't want any trouble and was trying to be clear."
Director Piggot let out a breath. "So. Able to enhance powers."
"For one hour," said Armsmaster. "During an Endbringer battle? Or preparing for one? Invaluable."
"No hint of Master influencing like with Teacher?" asked Director Piggot.
"None, I was there looking for anything of the sort," stated Gallant.
"That WAS why I wanted you there," admitted Director Piggot. "That's bad enough. These other abilities?"
"Five seconds to drop a powerset and go to the next," said Armsmaster. "Her 'templates' that she demonstrated were 'Thinker', 'Brute', 'Mover', 'Shaker/Blaster', and 'Tinker' - and Tinker she almost immediately went into a Tinker fugue and had to be restrained from tearing apart a transport in order to 'fix it' - she was mumbling about a 'walker mode' and 'capture bubble emitters' and balancing armor strength versus weight restrictions."
"Sounds like a Tinker," agreed Director Piggot. "What about 'Brute'?
"She turned into a seven-foot-tall muscular metal version of herself," stated Miss Militia. "She pressed 70 tons. We need to replace that hydraulic press."
"Blaster and Shaker?" asked Director Piggot.
"Flying artillery type," said Miss Militia. "Appeared to be able to put out quite a bit of power."
"Problems measuring it, though it is similar in some respects to Purity's when purely acting as a Blaster. Which leads to the obvious conclusion. Template triggered during that mass event on August 11th," said Armsmaster.
"THAT," said Miss Militia with some disgust.
"Have we figured out any details on that yet?" asked Gallant.
"The ABB and the E88 and at least four other groups came together for various reasons," said Armsmaster. "According to what we determined - the E88 and the ABB had received intel that the other group was seeking to expand their territory. Both held off on initial hostilities however. Mercenaries belonging to Coil emerged from a warehouse that was apparently one of their supply drops, began firing at both groups. Possibly they were attempting to ignite a firefight and then escape in the confusion. We received similar intel stating that Brockton Bay Police were pinned down by cape attacks. However the timing was well before hostilities had erupted and there is no record of BBPD making that call."
"So someone was involved and set it up?" asked Gallant.
"We were able to get our first images of the villain Coil," stated Armsmaster. "Currently the most likely instigator. The Undersiders appeared at one point, engaged the Empire in combat briefly, then managed a fighting retreat. During that, we lost track of Coil."
"So Template is likely the Trigger that was reported in that mess," said Director Piggot. "What else?"
"The Shaker part of her Blaster form is the ability to construct glowing green force field structures or objects for as long as she concentrates on them," said Armsmaster. "Thinker is some sort of fast-learning ability. Mover was extremely fast flight. Problems trying to track for details. We have a request in for records from a military base her flight plan crossed that should have the data."
"Why? How far did she go on your Mover test?" asked Director Piggot.
"Norfolk."
"Virginia?" asked Director Piggot.
Armsmaster twitched slightly before answering. "England."
"She stopped for Fish & Chips which also threw off the test," said Miss Militia.
"So what's the problem with just figuring out how fast she was going?" asked Director Piggot. "Total time. Subtract time she was stationary getting lunch. Total distance. Should be easy."
"Because if we went with that, she would have been traveling at nine-tenths of the speed of light," stated Armsmaster. "During which she had entered a Breaker state with zero apparent mass. And spent three quarters of her time accelerating, one quarter trying to stop."
"She stated that part of her reason to get fish & chips was to calm down from the panic of finding out she was going faster than originally intended," added Miss Militia.
"So, she's basically Eidolon Lite," said Director Piggot. "Able to switch out from one set of powers to another in order to meet a crisis. Except she's also a power enhancer. What happens if she's enhancing someone's power and she switches to Brute or something else?"
"On the list of experiments to try," admitted Armsmaster.
"Miss Militia? What happened when she tried to enhance your power?" asked Director Piggot.
"Apparently one of my restrictions was that it has to be a weapon and that was the only one that was changed," said Miss Militia. "With the 'weapons only' restriction lifted I could form a riot shield, a heavy iron tower shield, and a fire extinguisher."
"So... that's potentially useful. You could carry a normal firearm and shoot out from partial cover," noted Director Piggot. Of course the military applications were the most obvious to her.
"That was the only restriction she changed, but apparently powers have numerous restrictions," said Miss Militia.
Director Piggot was quiet for a moment. "That begs a question doesn't it?"
"Yes, yes, it does," said Armsmaster. "It has some... implications."
"Disquieting ones," admitted Miss Militia.
"Likely above my paygrade, I'll send the report Highest Confidentiality," said Director Piggot.
* August 18 2009 *
Template flew. There was something therapeutic in this, just soaring above the buildings without any care in the world.
She was aware of the air currents altering, and of someone flying up beside her without looking. Which was good because when she did she almost fell straight out of the sky. "Eidolon?!"
"Yes, Template. I was wondering if you could meet a friend of mine."
"Uhm, I guess so," hedged Template, still using her Blaster/Energy Absorb/Flight combination.
(Danger of Top Level Administration interfering if directly manipulating high profile in other than temporary/minor manners.)
Template took a moment to try and parse that in a way that didn't make her sound crazy. "Though... someone is watching you."
"'Someone is watching' me?" asked Eidolon.
"Hang on, I've got to drop Blaster form for this," said Template as she dropped towards a rooftop, landed, then switched to Thinker.
"That's interesting to watch," said Eidolon, not elaborating further.
"Yeah, have to go to base form then switch out to another set," admitted Template, as it wasn't something that she could keep hidden after all.
"What does this one do?" asked Eidolon, noting that each form had minor variations of the costume. Mainly color. Blaster/Shaker was in shades of green. Thinker was more shades of gray.
"Analysis," said Template. "Okay. Don't want to say her name in case it gets attention of the wrong sort, but there's definitely a connection there."
Eidolon saw how Template had looked at him, then at something in the sky. "Something... with precog?"
"Yes," answered Template.
"I see," said Eidolon, this sounding very very bad but also understandable. As the world's greatest hero, of course he was under scrutiny from that particular Endbringer.
"Well, let's see," said Template, switching back to base and holding out her hand. "Let's see what your power tells mine!"
"Why's David look like he's having an existential crisis?"
"He went to see Template to see if she could do something about his falling power levels. Other than that, no idea."
"Huh. Contessa doesn't look much better."
"Look mate, they're capes. Mental problems are kind of the norm there."
"I suppose."
"Okay, she's smiling now. See, much better."
"That particular smile concerns me."
* Contessa *
Her power had been set to Hard Mode. She'd done things she hadn't been proud of in the least, but had done them for the sake of survival of humanity. Except more than half had not been necessary.
All Template had done was set her power to Easy Mode and suddenly a lot of extra steps and problems had gone away. Everything had become so much clearer for the hour the adjustment had stayed in place.
Now here she was, craving Easy Mode again without the drive for causing maximum conflict clouding each and every issue.
"Path to Easy Mode Living."
Now that she'd has a taste of how much her own power was complicating things, she was looking at all the steps and started figuring out which steps were just there to make things harder.
"Path to bypassing interference from my own damn power."
Was that a twinge of anxiety coming from outside her own awareness? Good.
"Path to seducing Danny Hebert."
Admittedly he wasn't her type as far as physicality went, but there was a foundation that could be built upon. Decent diet, get him started on an exercise program, some time un-stressing as he didn't have to spend every day trying to scrape up jobs in a city circling the drain? Yeah, that just might make a difference.
Contessa smiled.
* Danny Hebert *
Slowly he put the cup of coffee down.
"Why did I get this sudden feeling of doom?" asked Danny.
He was alone, nobody answered, and after a moment Danny decided it was all the better that he didn't know.
A/N: yeah, wasn't sure how well the shard section would work or look. Last time I took a programming class, was the AS/400 and that was a long time ago.
Well, that's the purpose of snippets after all - experimenting around. EDIT: Fixed a date problem.