* Tuesday, January 24, 2006 *
Little Witch House, Taylor's Supply World

It was just a little odd every time she did this, Emma could admit to herself. Take the usual door to the Witch House which was inside an enormous hollow within an even more enormous tree, and then go out the front door to a vista with two moons in the sky in a binary star system (she hadn't known what that was at first and it had freaked her right out when she'd seen it) and then she was in what had been described as Taylor's "supply world" (which really should have a good name but Taylor had been putting that off for over a month now) and seeing stuff straight out of some old Sci-Fi paperback cover.

Taylor had set up chairs and a picnic table on this alien world, because she liked doing her homework outside on those days when there wasn't sudden storms or pirates running around shooting stuff for the hell of it or some other hazard. Though the defense turrets tended to discourage the local wildlife from interfering so that was one less concern at least.

Just as she was settling in with a sandwich to relax a bit, she heard the two turrets make their 'alert' sound as they activated and began orienting on something.

"Alert," came a mechanical-feminine voice. "Pirates have entered atmosphere and are approaching. Please seek shelter."

"Well. Crap," emoted Emma as she got back up and walked back to the Witch House. Well, at least she could watch from the window.

These were the newest type of turret, and Emma was quite curious to see what they did.

Only one of the turrets was visible from the window, planted well away from where the canopy of the tree would block skyward shots. Emma watched the device tracking something in the air, and winced as she saw bursts of plasma fire strafe the ground nearby.

The world seemed to turn red briefly as the turret fired, a long red beam that caused the windows to rattle from the roaring noise put out by that beam.

Idly, Emma wondered what that beam was besides brilliant enough to cause her to blink away afterimages and loud enough to rattle windows. Some kind of laser? Something more exotic?

The turret reoriented in microseconds, tracking something else, then let out the same roaring noise and red light that outshone the suns above.

"Alert ended," said the same mechanical-feminine voice. "Two pirate vessels destroyed. Debris areas marked for later investigation. Two remaining pirate vessels escaping atmosphere."

Emma tutted about idiots attacking Taylor's base. Considered phrases to use about artificial almost-intelligence, but decided to leave such wordplays to either Taylor or Mrs Hebert.

She heard the rumble going through the workshop, but there had been so many any of these resulting in nothing that she'd mostly given up at this point. Nobody had figured out WHAT the trigger was, as it could be something that Taylor was doing or it could even be something resulting from something that Taylor had done that had just had some kind of domino effect that they didn't actually know about.

Unfortunately Taylor didn't have a "help" function on her Cosmic Doohickey power.

Especially as that thump at the end sounded particularly large.

* Space *

Taylor stared. She couldn't recall getting anything from the Time constellation before, but "Build Rome" was one that really showed the potential value of that category.

She could build things at double speed. It would require she handle part of it personally, but if she was directly interfacing with her auto-factory? Yeah. She had a feeling that would work. No loss of quality for churning stuff out quickly too.

Which meant that the exosuits she had been designing she could pump out all the faster over the weekend. She had two designs after all. Constructor suits for select members of the Union. Military-grade for what was to be a fast-response group of local marines.

She'd looked over the designs they had presented her with, and she'd commented that some of them looked like they'd come from video games. And did that design really need skull motifs?

Then again, they DID want to look intimidating. Better people should run out of the line of fire than just stand and gawk.

Taylor nodded to herself and made a note to call and tell them that she'd be working on it. Six person squad. Hmmm. Maybe each guy (or gal) could have a specific role? That'd be kind of cool, wouldn't it?

Though honestly she thought this whole "Space Marine" aesthetic was a trifle overdone, but she wasn't going to be the one wearing it after all.

Wasn't that the old quote that was usually cut in half to the detriment of anyone who has ever worked retail? "The customer is always right in matters of taste" or something like that? Might have been "style" or something, she'd have to look it up to be sure.

Since they were supposed to be helping to keep her and her parents safe, she'd certainly have to spend some time working on the project.

Though she was a little disappointed they hadn't wanted giant robots. She'd even designed the giant robot tiger.

Oh well, customers and taste and all that. At least she'd stopped after the initial design phase.

The nanite brain thing though, that had given her pause. And research. And eventually rejected the whole idea of nano-virus replacement of her grey matter with nanite tissue. Just too many things that could go wrong. Especially with nobody around who could check her work.

On the other hand, she rather fancied the idea of a Thinking Chamber which you could hook into, and she already had an AI to interface with that could run a lot of her projects.

Alpha, her ancilla.

"Alert. Distress signal received. Coordinates located."

Taylor rubbed her hands together before grabbing her controls again. Sounded like pirates.

She just wished she could get a spaceship for Emma, but Emma wanted something cool.

Maybe she could acquire spaceships for her father and mother though. They'd settle for something functional, just look at what they drove to work!

Shooting pirates was fun and educational!

Oh, that was a big ship. Computer identified it as a freighter. The Lucky Gek. Didn't look so lucky with six pirates after it.

Taylor cycled her weapons systems to bring up the Infra-Knife Accelerator. Shield at full. Positron Ejector repaired. Cyclotron Ballista ready to go. Taylor showed her teeth, shifting on the pillow she'd brought to add a bit of reach to her at the controls.

"Freighter Lucky Gek, this is the fighter craft Wayfinder, responding to your distress call."

"Roger, Wayfinder, and thank you."

Taylor rolled her fighter, lined up the first target, and began the hunt.

* Wednesday, January 25, 2006 *

"You've got a freighter, a space freighter, and you didn't name it the Millenium Falcon as soon as you got it?" asked Emma.

"Look at the size of it. It's more of an 'Eon Skyscraper' as far as that goes."

"All automated?" asked Emma.

"Every settlement and station in this system is automated, and the hyperdrives are all blackboxed. Apparently I can't go interstellar until I'm at least sixteen!" Taylor's voice managed to convey how utterly unfair it was to have to wait six years before she could get into hyperspace.

Emma was quiet for a few minutes. "What if your Mom drove?"

"What?" asked Taylor.

"She's as old as MY mom," said Emma. "What if she was driving? Would these 'hyperdrive' things work for her?"

Taylor was absolutely silent for a moment, looking over the various stations of her freighter. "I... don't actually know."

"Something to think about then, isn't it?" asked Emma. "Not like you've got time though."

"Yeah, I'm pretty much stuck for time except on holidays. Going and exploring other star systems has gotta take a few hours at least," admitted Taylor, grudgingly.

* Monday, February 13, 2006. 0930 hours *
* Parahuman Response Team Building, Brockton Bay *
* Conference Room Apache *

"-and the gang war in Boston sent a group this way after being driven out," said Armsmaster, looking over his notes on his tablet. "Group of four individuals who survived. Brainjack, Thinker 4 specializing in computer systems. Shockwave Sally, Shaker 3 creating localized earthquakes. Stormfalcon, an archery-themed Blaster whose arrows turn into electrically charged bird-like constructs and is simultaneously the most dangerous and the least problematic."

"Hold up there, how can Stormfalcon be both?" asked Director Piggot.

"He's least likely to target civilians, making him the least problematic as he operates by a code of honor," said Armsmaster. "On the other hand, the bird-projections can track targets and adjust their flight accordingly."

"I see, go on," indicated Director Piggot.

"The last is the least in this case, Color Queen can change the color of objects."

Director Piggot waited a moment for the reveal of what the power also did, but Armsmaster didn't elaborate.

"There is currently no indication that these criminal gang remnants are going to stay in the Trainyard, as they think themselves hidden from pursuers and haven't realized that they are in range of a surveillance camera. I took the liberty of placing a sound pickup near their gathering place, and their stated plan is to head up into Canada as soon as they are sure they are not being pursued further by the Teeth."

"Are they?" asked Director Piggot.

"No. Or at least, there is no indication I've been able to find and the Teeth tend to be... very visible in their presence," said Armsmaster.

"Any other business?" asked Director Piggot.

"One thing," said one of the Legal team. "We have a report from the Department of Defense, it involved parahuman resources which is why we were notified. On the 10th, a group of twenty-five non-parahuman members of the Empire 88 and two of their capes attempted to claim territory claimed by the Dockworkers and in particular a training facility owned and operated by the United States Marines Corps."

"Ah, which capes?" asked Armsmaster.

"Hassliebe and Geck," said the Legal representative.

"How many Marines dead?" asked Director Piggot, ready for the bad news.

"Oh, none of the Marines died," admitted Legal. "Both Hassliebe and Geck are dead. So are fifteen of the Empire's normal group. Apparently the survivors followed instructions to drop their weapons and surrender."

"I see," said Director Piggot, mentally filing that under 'Darwin Awards' as attacking a weapons training facility run and staffed by the effing Marines sounded like a complete lack of forethought.

"Interesting," noted Armsmaster. "Geck had a Master effect that caused people nearby to have difficulty targeting them. Positional uncertainty where eye and brain could not agree on his location. How did they overcome this?"

The Legal rep flipped pages, eyes skimming the report. "Machine gun grenade launcher."

"Ah," said Armsmaster. "The Mark 19. That would do it."

"So the Empire may attack them in a group in retaliation," noted Director Piggot, though she had to admit some curiosity as to what would happen to any of the Nazi capes if something like that were used against them.

"The Empire has issued a statement that it was entirely a misunderstanding and there was no authorized attempt to declare war on a historied and noble group of American patriots."

"Well, Kaiser's not a complete idiot," noted Director Piggot. "Any other business? Then dismissed."

* Kaiser *

"Who the hell thought it was a good idea to go into the Docks area and claim a facility operated by the goddamn Marine Corps?!" asked Kaiser.

"Hassliebe thought his emotion-ray powers would get him through the gate," suggested Warcourt, one of the temporaries he'd gotten from the Herren Clan for training.

"On the other hand, we all knew Hassliebe and Geck were pretty much idiots," suggested Krieg.

Kaiser sat back in his chair and rubbed his forehead for a moment. "I already made a statement cutting the two off as them going off as lone wolves. I do not want any of the Armed Forces deciding that we've crossed a line - and for crying out loud nobody touch any of their boats. The USA does not like it if you touch their boats."

"There is some historical precedence there," admitted Krieg.

"Why did they go after it? I assume there was some triggering event or someone said something," asked Kaiser.

"Experimental weapons facility might have experimental weapons," said Krieg. "That would be enough for Geck to want to add to his collection.

"And Hassliebe?" asked Kaiser.

"One of the Marines was apparently moderately attractive and of the correct bloodline," said Krieg.

"Why there?" asked Kaiser, picking up a clicker and turning towards the display on one wall. With a couple of clicks he had the image of Brockton Bay from an old satellite view showing. "Why are the Marines operating a facility here in Brockton Bay and there in particular?"

Krieg looked over the map himself. "They and other Armed Forces branches are associated with a company located there. ForgeTech."

Kaiser looked it up, finding the website was one page and locked to go any further without an ID and password. "According to this, they're a research firm dealing with recycling technologies, high-energy systems, and material sciences development."

Krieg made a noise at the back of his throat that sounded amused. "If their first priority is recycling, then the reason they're in this city becomes obvious."

"The Ship Graveyard," said Kaiser, getting up to look out the window. The various trapped vessels sitting there in the Bay were a constant reminder of the failed city. "Oil and other chemical leaks from the boats, not to mention the container ship there at the mouth of the bay. That doesn't explain the Armed Forces... oh. Binoculars."

Krieg handed him one pair and used a second set.

"Look near the stern," advised Kaiser. "Do you see that?"

"A large section of metal that is missing, with an oddly smooth 'bite' taken out of the ship? Yes. I see. Recycling technologies." Krieg lowered the binoculars as he obviously thought about the implications. "Your orders?"

"Do nothing, for now," said Kaiser. "Brockton Bay is a cesspit, filled with undesirables. If that is removed, then the economy may yet recover and more desirable elements may return to the area."

"Or the authorities will have more of a budget to curtail our activities," pointed out Krieg.

* Taylor *

"Well, it was an idea," said Taylor as her mother tried to get the hyperdrive on the freighter working.

"At least I can read the alerts that says the captain is too young," said Annette Hebert. "Or rather, that you're still 'in the prologue' - which does not fill me with great confidence."

"I haven't seen Dad lately," noted Taylor.

"He's probably still looking for the restrooms," said Annette.

"What kind of spaceship doesn't have restrooms, or waste reclamation facilities, or... something?!" complained Danny's voice from somewhere nearby.

"Well, it's..." Taylor stopped and stumbled a bit as if her feet suddenly decided not to work.

"What is it?" asked Annette, immediately thinking of artificial gravity failures.

"It's a big one. It's as big as 'Build Rome' except it's..." Taylor stared at nothing in particular. "No. It's smaller, but very compact. It's..."

After Taylor was just staring off into the distance for at least a minute, Annette Hebert poked her daughter in the shoulder. "It is what?"

"It's beautiful. It's going to change so much..." said Taylor slowly, a tone of awe in her voice.

* Perks This Chapter *

3.0340 Build Rome (600CP) (Gundam - After Colony) (Time):
You have a thing about building things-you're damn fast, and you're damn good. They say you can't build 10 Mobile Suits in a week? Hah! You'll build twice that much and you'll build them to last! You simply have utter talent in the way of making things quickly-enough to double production, maybe even triple production if you work at it enough, and they'll come out with no loss of quality. In addition, these constructions will last-barring sudden disaster and similar, they'll easily last several decades of constant abuse, and if they're upkept and repaired they could even last centuries with no troubles.

19.0270 New Age (400CP) (X-Men Evolution) (Knowledge Mundane):
There's autonomous fighting robots, energy weapons, and gene enhancement in this world with only a few of the brightest minds capable of creating such tech. All this and more are now at your grasp as you can not only build these technological marvels but can vastly improve upon them and others at your leisure. You can create any piece of tech from this world from everything mentioned above and so much more. Creating hydra clones that are completely loyal to you, manipulating the x-gene to create mutants and form your own brotherhood, and much more are the tip of the iceberg for you. You are a fountain of ever growing knowledge in all technological fields areas and have the skills to usher in a revolution.