Tuesday— April 12th, 2011.
ARMSMASTER'S PATROL.
3:02 AM.
It had been a good four hours since Armsmaster was patrolling the familiar places where he traced the spider's whereabouts. Sleep was for the weak, though he knew its importance, the 'spider' took more precedence.
After giving his reports to Director Piggot, Armsmaster quickly rode his bike and ran around the circuits where he gave chase to the spider. "Assault and Battery, any sightings?" He asked via the comms as he stopped by a relatively opened sinkhole where Lung was forced to drown.
At the thought of the speedster duo, Battery immediately appeared before Armsmaster. "Assault found something, and I think you would want to see this."
Armsmaster wordlessly followed while Battery kept pace with him.
Finally, they arrived at an abandoned factory.
Assault was clad in sleek red armor with a red visor concealing a good half of his face. His voice carried a hint of mischief as he spoke. "You know, I almost thought it sad we didn't get alerted for a 'second' cape fight happening just a few blocks away from Lung's throw-down party."
"Oh, shut up, Assault… The Protectorate isn't omniscient, " Battery, his partner, was a stark contrast, her suit reflecting a more streamlined design: hues of white and dark grey with circuit-like cobalt blue lines on it, which would glow as she charged her power in an electric blue-white color.
"Don't they ever take a night off?" Assault's tone dripped with sarcasm, a common trait of his whenever the impulsiveness of capes was brought to light.
Despite her stoic demeanor, Battery's eyes held a fierce determination under her blue visor, always scanning their surroundings for potential threats. "So Armsmaster, any ideas how did this fight go? Maybe this was Lung and the Spider?"
"No, this wasn't Lung," Armsmaster replied, his voice carrying a note of certainty. "No evidence of pyrokinesis was used."
He surveyed the scene, taking in the scattered debris and the faint lingering scent of explosives. Assault's observation rang true; this was indeed a separate cape confrontation. "Assault was right, this was a 'second cape fight' happening adjacent to the Lung fight."
Judging by the explosive incendiaries and the shrapnel scattered around, Armsmaster deduced that Oni Lee had been involved. The notorious teleporter was known for his lethal tactics and his penchant for dropping grenades. "This is most likely Oni Lee, he was fighting, running around, and was intent to kill," Armsmaster continued examining through possibilities. "A few days ago, the Undersiders had robbed Lung's casino..."
He paused, connecting the dots in his mind. "We might be shooting blind here, but chances are Oni Lee confronted the Undersiders here. The Undersiders had most likely received Oni Lee here in a defensive battle, or maybe even prepared a trap."
It was a highly likely possibility that this was an Oni Lee VS Undersiders fight, which opened to more theories. For example, the Spider (or maybe 'Spiders' considering he was not alone) might be a mercenary paid by the Undersiders to deal with Lung… But no records of the 'Spider' had been archived.
Currently, Armsmaster was more inclined to believe that the Spider was a new cape.
Armsmaster glanced around the abandoned factory, searching for any clues that might confirm his suspicions. "The Undersiders must have a Thinker who helped strategize to subvert attention when they were fighting against Oni Lee," he mused aloud.
The problem was getting more and more complicated— ABB gang, Undersiders, new cape/s, and then there was that nano-technology. It was Armsmaster's fault for being so greedy and while at that time, he deemed it the most efficient solution to detain the 'Spider-duo', he had been proven unwise for thinking he could one-up them.
"What's the deal with the Spider anyway? If you ask me, I think the insect controller was a more problematic case… You saw it yourself, what she did to Lung?" Assault asked with all seriousness.
Armsmaster understood Assault's point: the insect controller was dangerous too… Lung was stung and immobilized in such a painful way, that Armsmaster thought Lung might actually die. Roaches all over his skin eating at him inside and outside, the Rage Dragon's regenerative ability was exhausted from being drowned so much that he almost died from the insect toxins.
"I agree with Assault on this one," Battery opined. "We don't know if what we have in our midst is a villain, but it is better safe than sorry… Imagine the civilian casualty if this insect controller goes into a warpath or full villain. I never thought I'd look at the powers to control insects the same again."
"No, the Spider is more important than his cohort. The nano-technology and his Tinker potential warrants attention. I think we should focus more on this Spider." Armsmaster fiddled with his gauntlet and sent video files at the duo.
"I haven't told Ms. Militia yet, but… you have to see this. The video I sent to your emails contained footage of Lung and the Spider's confrontation: the Spider won, 'almost' one-sidedly. Watch the footage at your leisure, but the summary is… the Spider is a powerful cape, strong enough that Director Piggot and I agreed to hide the data." Added Armsmaster.
"Just a quick ask, why hide the data?" Assault sighed, miserably failing to hide his sarcasm.
Armsmaster could almost see Assault's raised eyebrows behind his visor. "It is my professional opinion this Spider is a powerful Tinker. And you know Tinkers are only second to Masters when it comes to the complexness of the 'dangers' of superpowers. Moreover, we don't want to tip any gangs there is a solo tinker roaming around and is in a vulnerable position to be press-ganged. The reason why PRT was so hard on my budget was for the same reason: it is for everyone's peace of mind knowing that I am not building an unsanctioned super-secret weapon just under PRT base or the Rig."
And Armsmaster was very disgruntled about this particular fact.
This was a contributing factor as to why he felt 'greedy' when he saw the Spider. If PRT had another Tinker within their ranks on top of Kid Win, Armsmaster could not help but feel extra motivated that he might be able to upgrade his toys much further with shared technology, especially with the nano-tech.
The nanite-constructs the Spider was using were on a wholly different level.
Armsmaster was highly impressed when he saw the webs the Spider used, not to mention the overly complicated nano-tech armor with all sorts of functions: anti-image-capturing, possibly optimized strength, and more unknowns. The only thing it lacked was a highly-functioning Artificial Intelligence, a heavily overseen technology worldwide.
Heck, maybe it already have an AI, and Armsmaster had no way of knowing it.
It was the nano-technology that got Armsmaster so disgruntled, sending him into a loop of self-justification as to how he handled the spider situation. To his credit, he didn't break protocol but the 'spiders' didn't inspire any confidence in him, especially with how 'he' and 'she' handled Lung.
For all he knew, 'weaponized' nano-technology was a dead-end: it was impractical and it would require lots of compounded innovations with esoteric materials to create a marginally functioning nanite-based armor.
"Director Piggot made the right call," Battery commented after hearing the explanation. "This isn't something we can take lightly."
Armsmaster considered their words carefully. He knew that brute force alone wouldn't be enough to deal with the Spider, especially if he had access to advanced technology and had already defeated Lung, a formidable opponent in his own right. "We'll need to gather more intel before we make any moves," he said finally. "I'll inform the rest of the Protectorate and see if we can put together a , we'd want to induct them into the PRT as soon as possible."
"Okay, so what now?" Assault yawned, feeling the toll of working this early in the morning.
"For now, we dismiss. Get your rest, the two of you." Armsmaster nodded to Assault and Battery.
After dismissing the two speedsters who had been working over-time, Armsmaster then went on his way, riding his bike back to his base. When he returned, the first thing he did was sleep in his workshop. He still had so much to do.
…
..
.
When Amrsmaster woke up, he ate brunch and then tinkered for the rest of the day. Before tinkering for real, he also consulted Dragon about applicable nanotech weaponry and discussed the 'Spiders' as he had come to termed the new caped duo. Apparently, even Dragon agreed that the nanotechnology used by the new cape was of higher priority than the bug-controlling cape.
Tuesday— April 12th, 2011.
PRT THREAT ASSESSMENT.
7:25 PM.
As inspiration stopped coming at Armsmaster while working on his workshop, he decided to do the more mundane side of his work: writing reports. In this case, writing a Threat Assessment.
…
..
.
Parahuman Response Team (PRT) Assessment
Subject: Spider/Male- Iron Spider (Tentative name)
Classification: Mover 4, Brute 5, Blaster 3, Tinker 6
Overview: The subject is a highly capable parahuman possessing a unique suite of abilities primarily centered around enhanced strength, agility, and reflexes, along with the ability to manipulate and utilize an advanced form of synthetic webbing. His powers, while formidable, present significant challenges for containment and engagement due to his agility and quick reflexes, making him a high-priority target for PRT intervention and response.
Physical Description: Possibly a young adult male, approximately in his late teens to early twenties, with a lean but muscular build. He is typically seen wearing a red and blue costume with a distinctive spider emblem on his chest. Last seen to have changed the color scheme of his armor into black after his second fight with Lung.
Powers and Abilities:
Tinker (Further Observation is needed) (Primary): The Observer has opted to err on the side of caution and has given the Iron Spider a Tinker classification of 6 as shown by his armor's technological capability and spot-on adaptability. The Mover, Brute, and Blaster ratings are believed to be outcomes of his armor.
Mover (Secondary): Possesses enhanced agility, reflexes, and the ability to scale walls and ceilings, granting him exceptional mobility and maneuverability in urban environments. In combination with his web-slinging, he can move at faster speeds.
Brute (Secondary): Exhibits superhuman strength and durability, enabling him to lift heavy objects several times his own weight, withstand significant physical trauma, and engage in hand-to-hand combat with enhanced effectiveness.
Blaster (Secondary): While not a primary aspect of his abilities, he has shown web-shooting capabilities which could be considered akin to ranged offensive abilities. His synthetic webbing can be used to ensnare opponents or create barriers, adding a tactical dimension to his combat repertoire.
Threat Assessment:
The combination of enhanced physical abilities, web-slinging capabilities, and combat prowess poses a significant threat in both individual and group combat scenarios. His agility and danger perception make him particularly difficult to neutralize, requiring careful planning and coordination to apprehend or contain effectively.
Recommended Response Protocol:
Containment Strategy: Due to the subject's agility and wall-crawling abilities, conventional containment methods such as barricades or physical restraints may prove ineffective. PRT teams should prioritize non-lethal incapacitation methods, such as entangling foam or sonic disruptors, to immobilize and restrain the subject.
Coordination and Communication: Coordination between PRT teams and law enforcement agencies is essential when engaging the subject, as his unpredictable movements and combat proficiency require a synchronized response to minimize civilian casualties and collateral damage.
Negotiation and De-escalation: Whenever feasible, attempts should be made to communicate with the subject to resolve conflicts peacefully and de-escalate confrontations. Establishing a dialogue and offering assistance may encourage cooperation and reduce the likelihood of escalation to violence.
Surveillance and Intelligence Gathering: Continuous surveillance and intelligence gathering are crucial for monitoring the subject's activities, identifying patterns, and predicting potential threats. The utilization of surveillance drones and advanced tracking technology can aid in tracking his movements and gathering real-time data for tactical decision-making.
Conclusion:
The subject represents a unique challenge for PRT operations due to his Tinkering potential. However, the subject is manageable within PRT's local resources and can be contained with the correct strategy. It is highly suggested to recruit the subject before he is pressured by local criminal groups to work for them. Possessed new innovative technology that could attract heavy criminal element/s.
…
..
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Parahuman Response Team (PRT) Assessment
Subject: Spider/Female- Entomancer (Tentative name)
Classification: Master 7
Overview: The subject is a highly dangerous parahuman with a suite of abilities centered around insect control and manipulation. Her powers grant her control over vast swarms of insects, allowing her to gather information, orchestrate attacks, and create complex environmental effects. The subject's overwhelming swarm make her a formidable opponent in both individual confrontations and large-scale conflicts.
Physical Description: Possibly a young woman in her mid to late teens with a lean build and shoulder-length brown hair. She is typically seen wearing a costume consisting of black body armor with yellow accents, designed to provide some protection while allowing for flexibility and mobility.
Powers and Abilities:
Master (Primary): The subject's primary ability is her mastery over insects. She can control and coordinate vast swarms of insects, including but not limited to ants, bees, wasps, and spiders. Through her power, she can command them to perform complex tasks, gather intelligence, and execute coordinated attacks on her behalf.
Threat Assessment: The subject poses a significant threat due to the sheer versatility and scale of her powers. Her ability to control and manipulate insects allows her to gather intelligence, conduct reconnaissance, and launch coordinated attacks with minimal risk to herself.
Recommended Response Protocol:
Containment Strategy: The subject's control over insects makes traditional containment methods challenging. PRT teams should prioritize non-lethal incapacitation methods, such as foam sprayers or containment foam grenades, to immobilize and restrain her without causing harm.
Communication and Negotiation: Attempts should be made to establish communication with the subject to de-escalate confrontations and explore potential avenues for cooperation. Diplomatic efforts may yield valuable information and insights into her motivations and objectives.
Environmental Analysis: Prior to engaging the subject in combat, PRT teams should conduct a thorough environmental analysis to identify potential insect nests, hives, or breeding grounds that she may utilize to replenish her forces. Disrupting these resources can weaken her capabilities and limit her effectiveness in battle.
Conclusion: The subject possesses formidable powers, strategic intellect, and control over vast insect swarms making her a high-priority target for PRT intervention and response. Effective containment and engagement strategies are essential for neutralizing her threat and minimizing collateral damage in urban environments. Collaboration between PRT teams and other parahuman specialists may be necessary to counteract her abilities and apprehend her safely.
…
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#Armsmaster salivating for nanotech #Tony Stark being a Genius #Undersiders VS Oni Lee? #Parker being Overestimated or Underestimated? #Foreshadowing Armsmaster's further troubles down the lane #I loved writing this
Author's notes, "Armsmaster definitely got his numbers wrong. Tinker should be four or five ratings lower, and the others are two ratings higher or more. Spidey only exhibits the more extreme ends of his abilities if there are personal and higher stakes or if he is pressured emotionally. His power to overwhelm Lung and pin him in Chapter 1 is mostly possible due to the level of invulnerability his armor can offer and the strategy he employs. The powers that Armsmaster was unable to pin down were 'Spider-sense' which should normally warrant a Thinker rating, and Spidey's healing factor which should boost Spidey's brute ratings by a lot. Other ratings should also be higher. The armor obscured most of what Spidey can do if push comes to shove.
If you notice, Taylor's ratings are different from Wiki too at this point. Her Master Ratings are higher at this point in time. We have Spidey to thank for that. Tinkers act as multipliers for capes, but Spidey is an excellent supporter and multiplier by himself. Spidey zooming around while carrying Taylor allowed Taylor to gather more insects to her swarm and showcase her abilities to the extreme."