Hey, it's a real shame how my rate of writing has declined, when I first started this, I was pumping out 5k words per day. Now, it's much slower. A shame but I suppose that's life now that Uni has started back up.
Please enjoy the story and don't expect regular or consistent updates. But hey, with each chapter being aimed at 5k words we'll be at 50k sooner than later! For B: DotV(R) it took a year to reach that milestone, so even with all the delays we are still moving at light speed compared to my last project.
1.8 - In Service of a the DWA and the Bay
It was as fine a day as any for Director Emily Piggot, parahuman crime never truly slept in Brockton Bay but there were times like today when it seemed all the villains in the city chose to take a day off and they were left dealing with just ordinary crime. She could already picture it, Kaiser doing whatever Nazi supervillains did in their spare time, Lung probably drinking tea or something and the rest enjoying ice cream and cold coffee from the comfort of their lairs.
She did not have the same luxury, but on days like this, she could at least be confident in coming home when her duties ended, at which point she'd throw on some trashy period drama and switch off; with how irregular her schedule was she could hardly engage in some of the hobbies she'd enjoyed when she had been young and healthy.
There was one more item on her menu today, a meeting with her subordinates on what to do about the cape known as Servant. By how expertly her papers had been filed a month ago she was clearly a thinker, but with the incident yesterday, there was obvious proof that she was not the sort to be completely helpless when the fur started flying.
Personally, she'd found it hard to harbour any dislike for the girl, she obeyed the law, paid her taxes and kept what little collateral damage she caused to a minimum. She appeared to genuinely want to make the Bay a better place with her work and Piggot approved of her charging for her services; sure Panacea was all but irreplaceable to the local and national PRT but it was clear that the girl needed to set some boundaries before she burnt out and snapped at the hundreds of stupid cases she had to see to weekly.
So, there she was, in her office with some of the ENE branch's top capes, namely Armsmaster, Dauntless and Miss Militia, the rest were not necessary for this particular meeting. Armsmaster had just recounted his encounter with the rogue and switched the slide to a picture of Servant when he'd seen her outside the telephone exchange building; holding a bag of groceries in one hand.
"That concludes my report ma'am, I believe we ought to intensify our recruitment efforts. If she can truly do all she claims then I don't need to explain how valuable of an asset she'd be to our branch."
"Thank you Armsmaster" She replaced him in his standing position by the board the picture was being projected to "Dauntless, Miss Militia what do you think of this?"
"Whatever her motives are, she is clearly willing to play ball with the current system. I think we should avoid acting against her in a way which could pull her toward one of the gangs" she eyed Armsmaster "such as cornering her while she works and demanding she joins the Protectorate."
"I am also interested to hear your reasoning" spoke the Director "I recall giving no order that she be strong-armed in, the way I see it, your approach could very well damage our attempts at recruitment"
"With all due respect Director, we've had information that she has worked for gang-affiliated businesses before. I think it's a matter of time before they sink their claws into her and she joins one full-time. So, we must move quickly to steer her onto the right track. I won't deny that my approach yesterday was somewhat haphazard but I stand by the fact that it needed to be done" Armsmaster crossed his arms and shifted to Miss Milita "The fact that she's playing ball now doesn't mean that will remain the case."
"If I may" Dauntless raised his gauntlet "Though we could strong-arm her into the Wards, the fact that she has gone and obtained a Rogue registration may suggest that she has some plan. Most new capes her age would become villains or vigilantes and we rarely get them coming in for power testing or registration voluntarily" He paused and looked at the room's occupants "She associates with Parian and based on what information we have; it appears she wishes to stay out of cape fights and make money with her cleaning business. While we could offer her a desk job here, I don't think she'd take that; in my experience, small business owners are fiercely protective of what they've established."
"So, what approach would you suggest then Dauntless?" asked Piggot "While the current situation is acceptable and perhaps even positive with all she's doing for the city, it remains the fact that she is not one of our assets."
He pulled out one of Servant's flyers "She works as a contractor, so just hire her as necessary. Perhaps we could invite her to clean the Rig or something, ensure she has a favourable impression of the PRT and Protectorate. Not ideal as you'd define it but it seems like our best shot."
Piggot looked out the window in thought "I suppose it wouldn't be much different to the approach we take to some capes, like Parian on the few occasions we needed her services. Very well, Dauntless, you are to hire her services a few times, first somewhere off the Rig so we can get a read on her and then on it to improve her perception of us. Once she comes in for power testing we can get a better idea of what she can do for us. Oh, and Armsmaster" she turned to the Tinker "I suggest you pull your act together for the testing, antagonizing her at such an early stage would only set back this plan."
"Taylor, for someone who says she tries to avoid cape fights, you seem to have a habit of getting into them" mused Sabah as she listened to her friend's story "I'm happy that you're alright though, by the sound of things you've taken to the sword like a fish to water."
"Yeah, thanks for those by the way. Not even just for the skills, it's nice to have someone to hang out with" Taylor replied from the plush sofa of the shop "Still, by teaching me you've probably saved my life once or twice so that counts for something. If you need help, call on me, I wouldn't mind owing you a favour."
The woman blushed at the compliment and leaned against her shop counter, there would be no more customers today but she found herself a better thinker that way. "Well, I've been thinking. You want to make the Bay a better place, and your Dad is one of the head honchoes of the DWA. So, as a personal project, why don't you see if there's anything you can do for that area. I know sea commerce hasn't been the same since Leviathan but it's still around, so if you help there it would be good for the city."
"That's a good point. I'm not hurting for money now and Panacea will hopefully see Dad at some point soon. Perhaps I should start thinking less about earning money and more about helping the city."
"Don't mention it. As far as I recall, there are some sunken ships in the Bay which block off the docks from any serious ships coming in. I don't know what your power can do for that though."
"I remember Dad talking about those, they got sunk by rioters in the 90s and the city hasn't recovered since" Taylor leaned back in thought "I certainly couldn't do anything about it on my own, let alone without first going for a dive and actually seeing the state of them at the moment. But perhaps I could convince the DWA to help, especially if they still have any maritime diving gear left over, I remember cleaning something like that at one of their warehouses."
"Sounds like a plan then" Sabah smiled "Sadly I don't think I could help with that much, my fabric manipulation I can barely lift a few pounds. Well, if you can think of any way for me to help let me know, I'm as much a Brockton Bay native as anyone else."
"Sure" Taylor stood and put her mask back on, her dress somehow perfectly crisp and her apron lacking more than the hints of dust "By the way, since it's closing time for you. I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk? Yeah, I like your shop but we've been meeting here for over a month now and besides my house, we've just stayed here. I don't really mind where, but a change of scenery couldn't hurt."
Sabah thought for a moment and nodded "Sure, I need to pick up some groceries. If you don't mind helping with the bags, I'm happy to have you along."
"I'll do you one better" Taylor declared "By the time we exit that store, you will have nothing but the finest produce they offer, I guarantee it."
There was still a day before she was due to go for PRT power testing. So, with the jobs she had booked for the day complete, she headed down to the docks and through the same doors that got her that first job. Of course, this time she was going as Servant, after all, if Taylor Hebert turned up and started talking about cleaning up the Bay, the best she would get would be a sad sigh and a pat on the head. Servant on the other hand had built something of a reputation for high-quality work and doing jobs other companies would often refuse, citing them as impossible or taking too long.
It was that reputation that got her past the receptionist and up to Benjamin's office. Clearly, he had time for a cape that wanted to clean up the Bay when none of the rest had so much as tried, being all so busy with punching each other on a daily basis.
"Servant, it's a pleasure to have you" he stood up and offered her his hand"
"Likewise, Benjamin, thank you for your time," she noticed the surprise as she shook his hand. Was she not supposed to know his name? It could probably be excused by saying she'd read the little plastic label on his door, but then again, she'd said it like she knew him, hopefully, he wouldn't put two and two together; that would be awkward. "I was hoping to get the DWA's assistance in conducting a feasibility study on the cleanup of the shipwrecks currently blocking off your docks. I cannot offer much but am willing to pay for the assistance."
"You know, you capes have been flying about since the 80s, yet this is the first time any one of you has offered to help us. The last Mayor did a study and it came out to just under a billion to fully remove all the wrecks. By this point there are holes in the hulls so it's not as simple as inflating them, we'd need dedicated salvage boats working for several years. But with your support… I do not know, what do you need from us?"
"I'd appreciate it if you could get me a copy of that study, and if you could loan me some of the diving equipment you've got lying around" Servant nodded "In order for my power to best assist me, I would ask to enter the service of the DWA and then to personally view the wrecks to determine the best course of action."
"Done, do you need me to get one of our contracts?" he asked, already turning to the filing cabinet behind him "I'll warn you that the study was conducted about ten years ago, they've likely deteriorated further by now."
"Thank you for the warning, I don't need a paper contract, you simply need to make me an offer to do the study in exchange for a consideration of one dollar"
He repeated her words and handed her a dollar from his desk as well as photocopying the report for her. "On the matter of the dive kit, we don't have anything modern and it's been out of maintenance for years. If you wouldn't mind, I could recommend you a nearby dive shop. I'll provide you with a note so he doesn't charge you for it."
"That would be acceptable, though you don't have to provide the note. I am willing to pay the costs of this endeavour."
"Nonsense, you're helping us out, even if we're technically paying you for it. Just take it." Benjamin handed her a long note with his signature and nodded "I assure you that it is cheaper for us to pay for a diving kit than commissioning one of the institutes for a study."
Servant frowned but took the note "Very well, thank you for your time. I'll return in a few days once it's done."
The dive shop was close, so close that she assumed it had some connection with the DWA. The owner had insisted that Servant show him at least her Open Water scuba diving certificate until she explained her purpose and handed him the note. He then proceeded to quiz her for half an hour before sighing and providing her with a wetsuit, flippers and the rest of the diving equipment she'd need for the expedition. Clearly, he was not very confident in her power, considering he also demanded she show him how to operate the Aqua Lung before he let her go.
Now, with the sun at its peak and her standing suited up along a pier, she checked her equipment and waterproof notebook one last time before descending into the old motorboat which would take her to the site.
A few minutes later, she hit the water and looked down, taking in the scenery. The sea was beautiful out here, clearly whatever oil and other fluids had leaked when these ships had sunk were long gone and now schools of fish dove around the wrecks, followed by a few larger fish which preyed upon them. The relatively clear water and high position of the sun gave her a good look at the vessels that made up the Boat Graveyard. There were about forty of them, mostly small boats including a few larger fishing vessels, but the vast majority were towered by a rusty Euromax Superfreighter, the containers which once rested on its hull having long spilt over the bottom of the bay.
Obviously, the Superfreighter was the main issue, it was unfortunately positioned such that even a relatively high waterline freighter would not pass it, even if it could go over the smaller ships. There were also a few which rested against the Superfreighter, effectively keeping it upright and the top sticking out rather than rolling over. If she recalled correctly, this was a popular spot for Tinkers to get scraps since it was very close to the docks.
Noting all this down, she began to sketch the layout of the shipwrecks, creating a map for her to work from before starting to peer at the ships themselves. Most of them were irrelevant, either the sort of small pleasure boats that had already decayed to near-nothing over the past twenty years or older Liberty Ships that had already been nearing the end of their service life. However, the more modern fishing trawlers were better made and still stood relatively upward, presenting a hazard to any low-waterline vessel.
All in all, things were still bad but since the last survey, many ships had either completely rusted apart or at least had massive holes in their hulls which exposed their interiors. The main problem remained with the Superfreighter, clearly, it was built well and only some holes had begun to appear in it as the saltwater did its work. The fact that it had not already collapsed under its own weight suggested that all the structural redundancies had not yet been worn down.
Perhaps that would be the best option, mused Taylor internally, the process of dismantling the vessel properly would take years and billions in funds. Meanwhile, simply collapsing it would do some environmental damage, though she'd have to check that all the fuel and such had already leaked or been pumped out; Brockton Bay did not need one more disaster on top of the pile already holding it down. It wouldn't open the way for Superfreighters like the one she was looking at, but at least some cargo ships would be able to make it through in that case, once money started coming it would allow money to be put toward more dedicated cleanup.
Satisfied with her inspection, she swam up, the fins propelling her back to her waiting boat.
Unfortunately, there was not enough time for her to type up more than the initial assessment. It was simply too late and she wanted to be fresh for her power testing at the Rig. Her feelings on the whole affair were a bit of a mess, it stood to little doubt that the PRT would try to pull some stunt and get her into the Wards; from both her own and the folks on PHOs' experiences, one had to be very direct in refusing them since it seemed that they struggled to understand that 'no' meant 'no'.
But Taylor did not have the option to remain safe in obscurity at this point. Even if she hadn't registered as a rogue, she wouldn't have been able to run her business for long before it got out that she wasn't just some girl who was really good at cleaning, vehicle repairs and the maintenance of 30+-year-old industrial machinery.
So, she would go there on her best behaviour and prepare to deal with whatever bull they decided to hurl at her.
It was a weekend, so naturally, she'd have to share the ferry to the Rig with a whole gaggle of tourists, all of whom were not-so-subtly taking photos of her. Sure, Servant wasn't exactly one of the Bay's big-name heroes, but the months of her relatively public work, her flyers and her rather distinctly themed costume did mean that a good portion of Brockton Bay could probably recognise her at this point. Odds are these cape tourists didn't know about her, but seeing someone clearly dressed as a cape carrying a suitcase of papers to the Rig probably suggested to them that she was someone important, even if she wasn't.
While their guide led the tourists off, she was directed to the reception area and then escorted to the elevator and up to what the PRT trooper with her described as the 'testing rooms'. She was shown to one, where a bunch of smart-looking men were waiting for her.
"Servant, thank you for coming by" a man with blonde hair and glasses came closer with a clipboard "I am Dr Braun and this is my team, we'll be your power testers for today."
Noting the PRT trooper coming to rest in one corner of the room she replied to the man "Good morning, thank you for having me."
"Excellent. Now, to begin with, I'd like you to recount your understanding of your power. You described yourself as a Thinker on the Rogue application form we have on file."
Taylor nodded and began to recount how her power worked, certainly just the very basics of it. The PRT had no need to know about the intricacies of her power, such as her ability to act 'in service' of herself, she did not intend to go against them but at the same time, there was no trust established between her and the agency.
"Thank you, Servant; that about matches up. I'll see to it that our records are updated with the description you have provided. Now then, we have a few tests set up for you. Firstly, please head over to station one" he pointed to a table with a man in overalls standing by it, a device of some sort resting on a cloth "Please enter the service of this fellow and repair the item on the table."
Servant walked over to him "Greetings, I'd like to assist you with that device for a consideration of one dollar."
The man nodded and handed her a bill. She recognised it, the box was a transmission gear off a V-22 Osprey and she reached for the tools offered. It took a few moments of tinkering for her to remove the piece of metal stuck between the teeth of two gears before she placed it back down and looked to the man, who nodded.
"Thank you, now onto station two please."
This was not a table, rather there was a ball mounted on a stand about twelve feet up on the wall. The man below it requested that she get it down without throwing anything to knock it off. Obviously, there was no way for her to do that but clearly, they wanted to check if her power gave anything beyond skills and knowledge. Well, the answer to that was an easy "no" and she relayed that to Dr Braun, jumping pathetically a few times to demonstrate. He nodded, ticked something on his clipboard and then waved her to the last station.
"On station three we have a power core built by Armsmaster, recently it's been suffering some power fluctuations. We'd like you to repair it if you can."
Servant looked the metallic cylinder up and down, picked it up and rotated it. She could see no faults with the metal, so she took it apart to see some odd fluctuation of energy which was somehow being converted into ordinary AC DC current. Putting it down, she turned back to the doctor. "I haven't a clue as to what is causing the fluctuation, though I can tell that the metal shell of the device is fully intact and the mundane components are also functioning nominally; that is all."
"Alright," the doctor put away his clipboard "That last test was to see if you could repair tinkertech, unfortunately, that would be a no. We have a few small tests to go but you'll be done before lunch."
Servant suppressed a sigh and moved on to the next station.
Finally, she was let go by the researchers, her hands still stinging from whatever that last machine had done. Only for her escort to put a finger on the earphone beneath his helmet and turn to her.
"Director Piggot is extending the offer of lunch with her if you would be interested" he relayed.
She did not know how to feel about that. Was it some kind of trap? Unlikely since they could have had her as soon as she was on the Rig, perhaps they wanted to wait for the testing to be done first? No, it seemed more likely that she had simply caught the eye of the head honcho of the PRT in Brockton Bay. If the trooper was being genuine then she could simply refuse the offer and leave. But then, they were already interested in her. Whether they decided to go for the hard sell or the soft sell they'd keep trying even once she'd left their territory.
No, it would be better to sate their curiosity now, she reasoned. Once the Director got to speak with her, to see that she wasn't interested; hopefully they'd leave her in peace.
"Very well, please lead me to her" she replied and followed her escort back into the elevator they'd just exited. As she stood in silence with the trooper, she wondered if that last series of nonsense tests was just there to keep her around long enough for this 'chance offer' to occur.
She'd had to leave her sword with the trooper before she was allowed in the Director's office, despite the fact it was a perfectly reasonable request Taylor still hesitated; while she hadn't been carrying it around for long, it had been a comforting weight on her hip as she walked into potentially hostile territory a few times now.
The door slid open to reveal a middle-aged woman dressed in a sharp suit and her blonde hair in a bob cut, she certainly wasn't slim but the relative bulk of her arms suggested a rather active lifestyle before she ended up in her present position. She sat away from the room's desk at a small table, one chair left empty for her guest.
"Hello Servant, thank you for joining me for lunch today" The Director gestured at the chair "Please, take a seat, the food will be here shortly".
Servant elegantly sat down, taking a glance out of the window over the grey mass that made up Brockton Bay. A chef brought out two steaming sandwiches for them as well as a bottle of mineral water, which was poured into two glasses for them and sat on the table.
Piggot was the first to speak up as they looked out over the city "I do not often have time for lunch at this particular seat, but when I do, I look over this city and wonder; how much longer until the bricks come apart and all of it descends into chaos."
That certainly wasn't the opening Taylor expected "I'd hope it would be a long time in the future, or better yet, never" She answered the rhetorical question and began to cut into the bread "But, who can say."
"Quite the cynical answer for your age. But the truth of the matter is that the answer to that question is ever fluctuating, some will push the pendulum to the path of order, while others will push it towards chaos and anarchy" The director bit into her own meal "In that sense, I respect your decisions thus far, Servant."
Servant frowned, but elegantly picked up a piece of the mozzarella and ham bake and popped it into her mouth. Was that meant to be a threat?
"Where many would have joined the gangs, or simply used their powers to take what they want by force, you did not" the Director turned to her "I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate what you're doing for this city, even if you haven't elected to join the Protectorate, or I suppose in your case the Wards."
There it was again, another mention of her age, once more she could not tell if that was meant as a threat; the legislation governing Rogue registrations was made during a time when the priority was getting as many people to sign up as possible, as such the age limit for registration was only 16 and did not require parental consent. She was safe on that end according to what legal knowledge her power had provided.
"So, I wanted to make you an offer and a warning" they bit into their respective sandwiches "Firstly, the PRT and Protectorate would be interested in having you as an occasional contractor. We understand you do not want to join and will respect that, but I'd still like the option to be open. You will of course be fairly compensated for your work."
"That is fine. My services are available to any customer, including the PRT and the capes of the Protectorate." She answered.
"Good. Secondly, while I approve of your current course of action, I must warn you against associating with the gangs of the city any further. They will inevitably attempt to pull you into crime and once they do, force you into their ranks." Piggot looked at her intently "And if that should happen, make no mistake that you will be apprehended and tried to the full extent of the law."
"I do not intend to get on the wrong side of the law" Servant replied calmly, finishing her sandwich "But, if I were to exclude gang-affiliated people from my services then I would have to deny my services to half the city. Please do not be concerned, I will not be an accomplice to any criminal acts committed by them."
"Then I've said my piece" the Director stood up and went back over to her desk "I bid you a good day"
Not unwilling to accept the dismissal, Taylor exited the office and was escorted back onto the ferry, once again filled with tourists returning to the city. Clearly, they saw her grim expression and did the smart thing by refraining from taking any obvious photos or bothering the sword-wielding maid with questions.
Danny had a mixed reaction when she told him about what happened on the Rig, at first he looked happy that the testing went well and that Director Piggot of all people called her for lunch. But his brow furrowed when she told him about the implicit and not-so-implicit threats that had been conveyed between them.
"I've had to deal with a few like that in my time with the DWA. Control freaks that think that it's their way or the highway. She doesn't have anything on you, but if you think that she does then she doesn't need to have anything since you'll act as if she does" he commented as they sat on the sofa, the movie they'd been watching paused "I agree that you should stay on the right side of the law. But making such comments to someone who's been following the law by every metric is as unprofessional as it gets, especially from a Director of the PRT."
"Yeah" Taylor murmured as she grabbed some popcorn "Would it be better if I didn't go."
"Probably not. It's like the Police, where they call you in for a 'voluntary' interview and if you don't show up, they'll come by and bring you in for an involuntary one. Keep your chin up kid, she's got nothing on you now that you've come by and have been nothing but straight with them."
Taylor certainly hoped that was the case.
So begins the grand plan! Clean up the Bay and open the docks up to at least the smaller freighters. For someone of her particular power set, a rather difficult task. But, she will eventually realise that she isn't alone and has several other capes willing to help with such a project once it's seriously underway.
As for the meeting with Piggot, I'd like to hear your opinions on how I conveyed her, as someone who appreciates Servant's approach to being a cape but is ultimately afraid of what she could do if she ever snapped and decided to take it out on the city.
