Jenni listens to Maddox as she scans the paperwork, not expecting any discrepancies, just making sure no mistakes had been made as the final package was put together.  By the time Maddox finishes her name is signed and set aside for Aegis HR to take and process.

"I don't really do secret identies," she smiles to those in the room, "but I certainly respect them so anyone who wants to maintain their privacy outside of work can count on me."

Turning back to Maddox she asks, "A few questions if you don't mind.  What's the relationship with the local government and law enforcement like?  Is our presence here being announced to the public as well?  Will we be headquartered out of the local Aegis office?"

  "Wait, hold on, what?" Cassandra had somehow not been in the simulation room by the time anyone got their helmets off. She had also been waiting for them in the conference room, boots up on the table and snacking on pistachios. Of course, it wasn't out of the ordinary for her to give the impression of waiting forever on everyone else, either. She'd been unusually quiet while Maddox was talking, but a frown had grown across her face.

  "A 'biological agent'? Is everyone here not...?" She lifted her sunglasses to show her irises glowing a deep red.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:56, Thu 02 July 2020.

"It's okay.  Everyone here is Sanctioned Ultraviolet.  You may speak freely."   Maddox said.    She didn't catch the glowing red ring around Lachesis pupils..

A quick look around the room, would show all (but lachesis, obviously) that both Emerald Star and Ember Saint had eyes that flashed green, Sphere's eyes flashed Gold,  Alicia's flashed a low indigo, and Punching Bag's flashed a startling dark blue.

As the communication between your character and the colonies wasn't pursued in this game, many of the new characters didn't have the narrative exposure to them that some of you alumni did...  I'll make that option available to them, but it might need some explaining...

Emerald City PD has a strained relationship with Aegis"  Director maddox continued,  "thanks, in large part, to the bumbling, corruption-laden excuses for agents who preceded me.  I've made it my business to clean up this office and I've made a lot of changes in a short time.    We're looking to rebuild our relationships with local law-enforcement, but nothing happens over-night.

This is actually one of the reasons for your group's autonomy.    Aegis is playing "hands off" for the most part.  We're not looking to supplant the Emerald city PD.  Our purview is the metahuman issues only.   But you working with the PD, FBI, Coast Guard, whoever...  it's a jurisdictional area you can sidestep thanks to the US Vigilantes Act."



--
UNCOMA - United Nations Council on Metahuman Affairs

US Vigilante's Act - I don't know, I just made it up.   Call it the legal sanction for doing what you do.  You may still have to testify in court, get sued for damages etc, but really, who wants to play that kind of crap in a game?

The  attractive blonde man in the room nodded in agreement at what Director Maddox was saying.

"I agree with you on that. AEGIS was rather...messy to say the least before and I've been watching you from afar with great interest, director." he said. "I don't mean that in a bad way though - just the opposite actually. Sebastian has vouched for you and I have been eagerly anticipating seeing all the changes and clean-up you've since started doing. So if you need any help settling into your new role as director please let me know and I'll do my best for you. I say this sincerely, Director. I don't pander to anybody. I'm genuinely excited to see what you're going to do for AEGIS." he added gregariously.

The others would certainly all have known who the blonde-haired man was, at least his public superhero persona. He was Sphere, a famous meta who stepped onto the world stage roughly seven years ago and through a serious of events had gained a ridiculous amount of notoriety and fame (more the latter as even his detractors can't help but like him somewhat too). He was like something out of a comic book: handsome, could fly, kissed babies and shook hands, was charismatic yet bold. He also never once used his powers to exploit innocents. The Lachesis folks wouldn't have known him as well as they did one another of course, but they'd have been aware of him back even in the beginning thanks to their mutual relationship with Sebastian Swift and the rough early times dealing with enemy special ops groups. He was newer to Ember and Punching Bag although not unknown totally.

He turned to the others.

"With that said though, I agree with the director about building trust. My 'secret identity' was revealed really early on so I just don't have one anymore. Although I will conceal the mundane identities of those among you who wish to separate work from private mundane life. I respect each of your decision on this so please let me know if you wish your mundane identities to be kept secret or not." he said.

"But just to help break the ice for those of you feeling uncomfortable or still gathering your thoughts, I'll go first." he continued.

"My real name is Jake Rogers, and I come from Chicago. Although I'm sure you all know me as Sphere. Even though I have a public identity I still made up a moniker for myself that resonates with me. In this case, it's like 'Atmosphere." Heh." he said.

"But just as a primer for people. I am one of the original test subjects for Sebastian Swift's Project Starfish, and like Lachesis and her crew I have a second-generation colony. If you see my eyes glowing gold now and then that's why. They're sentient and active and view me as some sort of living planet. Which I suppose from their perspective I am given how my powers work. But microbial philosophy aside, I am also a Senior Agent of AEGIS from before the AEGIS West group was formed. I was one of the folks who Sebastian Swift reached out to right away when he joined AEGIS back in 2014 ish. Although I avoided the internal politics of it all and focused my energy externally. I may have also been a bit more reckless back then and while I still am as bold as the wind itself I've calmed down a lot and do much less vigilante work than I did initially. I think AEGIS gave me my promotion in part to help calm me down too - that's an inside joke I have with Sebastian anyway. Heh. But if you guys have any questions for me or about me please ask and I'll do my best to answer." he added.

PB has been listening to everyone while he was reading the contract very intently. He knew the dangers of ‘fine print’ when it came to these sort of things. The others would look over and see a very muscular and tall man wearing an outfit of black workout shorts, black hoodie, beanie, and sneakers all with the same brand of masculine sports apparel Common with the more intense exercisers. He wore black mixed martial arts gloves that had seen recent use. His feet were propped up on the table as he read the contract. After reading through it all, he nodded and signed the document. The papers were put back in the envelope and tossed on the table. “Don’t worry. I was listening the whole time. Contracts are nothing new to me, and I’ve been burned on a couple of them before. Just wanted to make sure there weren’t any hidden surprises.”

PB took a sip of his fruit punch flavored MetaMight, a protein and B Vitamin infused energy drink, that happened to have a picture of him in a brawler’s stance on the can before setting it down. “As for introductions, my real name is Jesse Moore. I usually go by my StormFront name, Punching Bag. Both names aren’t a big secret and even if I tried to hide it, any big fan would be able to identify one of my fighting styles and see through it. I started off with a big career in the XFC but got bored. My manager got me a match with the lowest ranked StormFront fighter to make things interesting. The guy mopped the floor with me until my colony decided I was worthy enough to follow and rallied behind me. I came back in the second round and cemented my place in StormFront fighting. My career there then took off and become well known with most extreme sports fans. Got offered endorsement deals and sponsorships for advertisement, so I’m not new to the whole representing an organization aspect of this job. Public image is a big deal of it. I got a call from the director here asking me if I wanted to actually make a difference in the world. Sounded corny, but I thought about it and decided to use my image and earnings for more than just product placement. I hope to not just protect people, but help with rebuilding homes and businesses after the fights to help those who are really affected by what we do in the field.”

He stretched and out his hands behind his head. “As for my colony, we have a more Spartan-esque kind of relationship. They follow who ever is the strongest, toughest, and one most willing to push the limits. Survival of the fittest on steroids where the strong get stronger and the weak die off. Get your butt kicked, Keep if fighting with a grin is more impressive to them than easily knocking someone out with one punch. How does one get stronger unless they have strong opponents?”

  "An' I'm Cass" Cassandra said, then immediately reached into one of the dozen pockets or so of her baggy pants and pulled out a snickers bar. The wrapper crinkled noisily, and she took her time with that first bite. But once that was finished, there was a clicking sound, and the wrapper was empty, and she was sucking caramel off her teeth.

  Cassandra Skoptos. I grew up in Brooklyn. Great place. Loved it. The legal name won't trace you back to my friends, so my dad was the only reason I ever played along with this hokey callsign business..." She grinned in the direction of Maddox, who had been there when Cassandra was excitedly trying out names to pick the one she liked best.

  "Juvie record, brain cancer, tumor had fingernails... Bada bing, bada boom. Here I am. And AEGIS has been doing a good job of keeping the old man from getting merked, so it's not like I bother with a secret identity." No, indeed, Cassandra had made the news back in New York as often for working up crowds or crashing parties to bask in the attention as for the envelopes she pushed on nearly every job.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Sun 05 July 2020.

Ember Saint was feeling a bit out of place here.  Out of his psychically manifested armor, he was just looking like a normal person--albeit one who was having a bit of his dark brown hair turn gray earlier than most.  He was wearing a simple black T-shirt and dark blue jeans with a pair of sneakers.  He occasionally stop and listen and watch the others when they spoke out of politeness, but spent most of the time silently reading the contract in his hands as he leaned back sinking a bit into his chair as if to hide.

While he was not exactly a small man himself, he certainly felt like it next to Punching Bag.  Ember Saint had seen a few fights featuring the hulking man as a few of his fellow firefighters had streamed them in their downtime at the firehouse.  "I've seen you fight so glad you are on our side Punching Bag."  He said with a smile after Jesse was done speaking.  He listened to Lachesis and then took a deep breath to ready himself and sat up straight in his seat.  Setting the contract down on the table, he stood up to face everyone.

"Myself, I'm relatively new to all this... powers stuff.  So of course I'm not all that widely known to the public, but I go by Ember Saint."  Shuffling his feet he put his hands into his pockets without noticing himself do it while trying to tamp down the nervous energy he was feeling.  Like many, he hated public speaking.  "It was a name I made up after saving an elderly couple from their crashed car.  They said I was a saint for helping them and well...  yeah corny and a bit on the nose I know.  But I works."  He offered a shrug and a sigh before his smile faded and his tone turned a bit more serious.  "I've been a firefighter and paramedic for the city out of Station 93 for half a decade now. My name is Julian McDonnell and while you may know my identity, I would appreciate it if it stays here.  I really don't want the public to find out who I really am."  He sighed.  "Don't get me wrong.  I think what we do is important--but this could also be potentially very dangerous to my family and friends if it got out to the wrong people so that is why I am going to maintain my secret identity outside of here.

Ember Saint paused in thought before he continued smiling sheepishly. "It's kinda embarrassing but I really didn't know I had a colony until AEGIS found me and explained it.  I guess the little buggers just haven't had a reason to speak up to me directly as of yet."  He chuckled briefly.  "Maybe they are just shy."

Sphere shook his head.

"I wouldn't worry about it Ember." Jake said.

"My understanding is that generally newer colonies - which are most of them these days honestly - aren't terribly vocal. Some have never spoken to their hosts. Although it isn't impossible for them to speak up some day I suppose. Honestly...we're still learning about what they are and how they work."

PB acknowledges the man sitting next to him. “I appreciate the compliment. Fighting has been a lifestyle of mine since I was a kid, so ya just got to do what ya know right? I also want to thank you for your service to the city as a firefighter and paramedic. Over time some people in our demographic lose sight of what it feels like to have to deal with extreme situations without powers.”

"And your name's not corny either," Jenni smiles to Julian before taking her turn.

"A lot of people already know me, Lachesis and I were together in one of Sebastian Shaws research centers.  Jennifer Lear but most people just call me Jenni.  I had stage 4 melanoma, always thought those sunburns would help to get that deep, dark tan.  Not my brightest idea.  My dad was still in Congress then, heard about the program and was able to get me evaluated.  Even though the investigation found no evidence that he abused his position to secure my spot in the trials he decided not to run for reelection."

"So we were there when the attack took place on the hospital.  A lot of us erupted thanks to the stress of the situation and some of the patients and staff died.  My colony was fascinated with stars, I was working on my doctorate in astrophysics.  It's strange how those synergies seem to happen given that we're injected with the symbiotes; it should be random but all too often there's a clear correlation between host and colony interest.  We're all pretty representative of this but it's so common it almost fails to register anymore.  It's also funny since there are no green stars," she looks at her emerald hand and shrugs, "but my complexion may have been part of the process of dealing with the skin cancer.  Proxima was never able to explain it to me clearly."

"I've been with AEGIS ever since but I take time out to assist with government and civilian research projects.  I've helped put probes and rovers all around the solar system.  It can sound impressive but you're really just a glorified delivery service.  But Earth is always home and this is ground zero for mass eruptions.  I'm hoping I can help the situation."


NOTE: EM has a complication related to how well known she is so its entirely possible everyone her history and powers.  And so do any villains she faces off against.

What was the site of the original lab we were at?  I thought it was off the coast of Canada but I can't remember the name.

I think that one was Elfin Cove

Elfin Cove Resort...  site was leveled when  someone (fire and flight) leveled the place...
Hm.  I don't recall ho that was, but it makes sense to make him a world-class bad guy now...  And we call him  "Mr. Prometheus" (because, well, why not).

  "Speaking of which, the big one hasn't hit Oz yet.  John and that other guy only started the timer," Cassandra added casually.  She took a sip of bottled water—there was a supply on one side of the room—and leaned her chair back just to the tipping point.

  "Sorry Maddie.  Had to wait until we had a full response squad to tell you, or you might have been tempted to throw a hundred normal agents at the problem.  That approach definitely moves up the timetable.  I can't tell whether we'll push it back long enough to get a full plan in place, but sending teams of empties out to contain a contagion would backfire hard."  She didn't look sorry.  She didn't sound sorry, either.  She sounded excited.

  "Didn't mean to interrupt, Shawty, but the moment was there."

"No worries," the tiny woman replied to Lachesis's apology as she tried to make herself more visible and in the direct line of sight of the people who may not have been familiar with her.

"I'm Alicia Alvarado," she introduced herself.  "No code name, yet, but I should probably find one before I pick one up that might not be very flattering."

"Anyway, I was in the same program as Jenni and Cassandra.  Cancer runs in my family so I knew that I probably wasn't going to be around very long.  I tried to make the most of the time that I had... chasing adventure rather than focusing on work or an education.  I freelanced in commercial art so that I wouldn't be tied to a schedule but still scrimp enough money to pay the bills."

She paused as the emotional weight of her memories caught up with her.  "It turned out that the time I had left wasn't going to be as long as I expected, but I was fortunate enough to be part of the project which did cure the cancer... and came with a few other surprises."

"If these changes gave me the ability to help others, then that's what I want to do with them," Alicia declared.

"Right then." Director Maddox said.   "The...  spread of this is a long-term goal.  Short-term, there's a bunch of bureaucratic idiots in this city.

From what some of our analysts have been able to uncover, this city has been the palm-springs of the super-villain community.    Emerald city has never had more than a couple of hotshots wanting the publicity of the city protectorship.  certainly none that stuck around long enough to make an impact.

We have intel that points to a serious criminal, underground.  But..." She leaned back in her chair with a slightly exxasperated expression.  "they weren't doing anything.  Until recently.

We'v got four major organizations.  Mostly divided along traditional racial lines.  Chinese, Japanese, Russian and... FOE."  Maddox snorted.  "Seriously.  the Fraternal Order of Evil  Led by some guy going by the name The Big Brain..  I couldn't make this shit up.   

Anyway, the increase in the number of stormers who develop sudden megalomaniac and narcissistic tendencies are destabilizing things.    What we're not doing here is declaring war on a criminal underground that has had decades to dig itself in.

I want you folks to play the hero, but I don't want you playing the martyr.  Putting you out there is going to get a lot of attention.  And hopefully, that will allow us to gather more information...  That's our goal right now.

"So.  If you'll turn to page sixteen of your package, there."  Maddox contrinued.

I have three assignments that need covering.   Pick one, pick them all,  Split them up as you see fit or do them altogether.    if I need something specific I'll let you know, but until then, it's all about the team.


--
And here's where we get to pick what we wanna do.... little missions that will get you started actually doing stuff...

1) Blaze of Glory?
Reports of long-since retired heroes and villains have been noted in and about the Southern Shore.  There have been several reports of WWII-er hero "Blaze" fighting in the streets.  The problem is that Blaze turned one-hundred two month ago and hasn't left her wheelchair in twenty-years.  She's not flying anywhere.  But she's alive and well in a retirement home near Elysian Woods.

2) Hearts Afire?
A series o robberies associated Also across Southside, performed by a villain "Alice, the Queen of Hearts."  All targeted devices are part of a prototype machine that promises to have an enormous impact on three very aggressive cancers.  The only active working prototype is enormous and expensive and simply cannot be moved from it's Marstech laboratory.  The component parts, however, when combined are much more portable.  Three of them have been stolen.  Two components remain.  The problem?  Alice, Queen of Hearts is currently in Buckner Ridge Correctional Facility.

3)  Holy Redemption?
There've been a series of break-in at three different cathedrals in the city.  But the perpetrator hasn't stolen anything or desecrated anything.  Rather, on all three occasions, they've returned religious relics or other items of great significance to the church.

4) The Academy Arcadia?
Maximillian Mars, one of the city's foremost industrailists and scientific benefactors has funded a "The Academy Arcadia" a private education institution.  They have a first class of eleven metahuman teenagers.     Most have a degree of control over their abilities, but many would benefit from exposure to real, sponsored heroes.

Ember nodded and smiled when Punching Bag gave him his thanks for his service as his part in the civilian emergency services. "No problemo."  He listened to the others, noting that one of their own didn't have a code name at all yet.  He let out a little laugh.  "Yeah, sooner the better Alicia.  Bad nicknames have a way of springing up on you and they never seem to go away.  I'll tell you later about a few that came up in my firehouse."

Ember's smile quickly disappeared when the director spoke up.  The Fraternal Order of Evil sounded like something out of a comic book he used to read as a kid.  He figured even people with powers were going to have mental illnesses.  Problem was mental illness or not someone out to do no good was bound to be problematic.  Not that the other organizations weren't going to be a problem.  He didn't comment on that, he wasn't all that familiar with the city's organized crime, but figured that in an age of superheroes and super-villains it only made sense for them to adapt to the times.

Then came the pending missions.  A little flutter in his stomach which he was not sure was nervousness or excitement flared as he read the potential assignments.  It was a lot different than he was used to on the job so he was hardly trying to put himself in charge... however one particular thing caught his eye.  The report of holy relics being returned to the cathedrals.  "Hey, I've been to that church before."  he blurted out.  Then he looked up, his face turning a bit red though he pressed on despite any embarrassment.  "A Captain in my firehouse got married there.  I'd be willing to go check that one out."

  "Mm, yeah, Greek Orthodox here.  I try not to get involved with the younger heresies.  I'm totally down for a trip over the river to grandmother's house, though.  She might have some memorabilia that was in battles I haven't seen yet."  It was a prospect that actually got her sitting up straight in her chair again.  She turned in Punching Bag's general direction; the shades really did make it easier to imagine she was looking directly at you.

  "You should come, Jules.  She might wanna arm-wrestle you.  Blaze was a real spitfire, I've heard."  Her delivery was straight enough that it wasn't clear whether she had noticed the pun.

"I've read some of the analysis on the device Queen of Hearts has shown interest in," Jenni held up the security camera image of Alice, Queen of Hearts during a recent robbery along side the recent photo of Alice, Buckern Ridge inmate, "Er, perhaps this is a new generation, Queen of Hearts 2?  Regardless, the treatment's results have been striking.  I'm not certain what her ultimate goal is but if it's going to in any way threaten a treatment that could save lives then she needs to be stopped."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:47, Thu 09 July 2020.

Punching Bag listened and read the different assignments. He gave his opinion on each one.

“Blaze sounds like either she’s: reliving glory days, gone senile, or under subtle manipulation. Details of exactly who she’s fighting may shed some light on the subject.”

“Sounds like the Queen of Hearts is either a copycat, twin, the one in the asylum is an illusion, she can teleport back and forth long distances, or she has found a way to duplicate herself. A bio analysis of her DNA should be enough to confirm. Either way, the thefts need to be stopped.”

“The holy relics may have either an altruistic or sinister motive. The culprit may be good and returning lost or stolen relics out of good, have done something to the relics like planting a bomb or curse and trusting that the church wouldn’t damage or get rid of such objects out of religious reasons, or someone hired this person to plant them anonymously.”

“The kids need a good role model for sure and it would help the next generation if we showed them what heroes really dealt with.”

He sighs. “As much as I would love to challenge Blaze to an arm wrestling match or meet the kids, I will help against the thefts. Emerald and I can split between the two sites and run to the other if only one is attacked.”

Sphere nodded as the others spoke before chiming in himself.

"Hmmm...seems like you guys have three of the four cases covered between you all. So I figure that leaves me to go and meet with the kids." he said, not condescendingly. Rather...more matter of factly, like it was something that needed doing and it was his responsibility.

"So I'll go to the Academy Arcadia. Unless one of you wants to go specifically, in which case I'll join Ember in scoping out the churches. But otherwise my pick for an assignment is to go to the Academy."

  "Nah.  It's okay.  If granny's out there fighting crime again, that's a bonus, not a problem.  And we can play daycare whenever.  You two go be religious, and be sure to tip your altarboy.  I'll head off to Buckner and see how Alice is doing.  I'm a little harder than the rest of you to sneak past.  No offense."

Sphere nodded.

"Well then I'll forget about the kids for now and go to church. I haven't been going enough lately anyway." he said. "And no offense taken."

Ember chuckled at Lachesis calling him Jules.  It brought to mind his older sister, who always called him that.  "She sounds great.  I'll rain check on meeting Blaze however.  This reverse robbery at the church is something I would like to look up first."  He nodded to Sphere and the others.  "Sounds like we have plans worked out who does what.  Anything else we need to discus?"

"I'll go with the guys to check on the churches," Alicia volunteered.

She looked over to Punching Bag because he seemed to have similar ideas that she had. "I was thinking the same thing.  This could be somebody doing good without feeling the need to be recognized or put under suspicion for being involved in their thefts in the first place," she explained.

"I don't want to be superstitious, but like you said, these returned artifacts could actually be some kind of Trojan Horse to defile the holy places... or maybe someone is stocking up these locations in preparation for a prophecy of some battle that's about to occur."

Sphere shrugged his shoulders.

"No use in guessing ourselves Crazy, Alicia. We'll just have to throw ourselves into the case and see what we can drum up." he said.

He turned to Ember.

"Hmmm...I think at this point we need to check it out and go from there. But also look for witnesses and other clues to drum up some leads to follow."