ShipTeaser

  “That’s a gloomy face, Director. Are things not proceeding well?” Adam’s smartly dressed secretary Vio said as she brought in a new bundle of cssified dots, expertly sing them and uploading them to the secure internal mainframe that had no links to outside works to prevent hackers or fn govers from snooping. It’s a damn good thing not every try has the good seo be as secure as we are. Sadly, they are learning though… Japan and Britain had both made it o impossible to access their phoworks and puter systems by making ges to the security protocols and key hardware. Not impossible, but if we were to be caught out again… no, I’m afraid we have to accept we’ve lost this round.

  “I wouldly say that. But matters are spiralling rapidly. You saw the programme with our cat Akio earlier, right? That revealed another, Arisu Arisugawa. Her status on the Vermillion List is unclear, but judging by the respect Akio was showing her, and her fidence, we hardly expect her to be weak. Besides…”

  “Yes, I have the figures you requested. Fewer people watched the Super Bowl this year, and this was hardly prime time viewing. Preliminary seracked from the i and from phorag is overwhelmingly positive towards him.”

  “Ameris love an all-a hero, after all.” Adam said sourly. “Especially when it es to saving a girl. Especially if she’s a Princess. It’s a cultural anomaly, sidering we’re a republic.” He gnced over at the dispy case holding his precious painted models. “No, messing with him any further is just not wise.”

  “In that case…” Vio pursed her lips, as she pulled out her secure tablet puter, pulling up a file. “…isn’t it time to fulfil our part of the bargain we made aurn the British and Japaizens we repatriated? Their dition isn’t going to get aer.”

  “True. We did mao find a cat who could manipute memories…” Vio shuddered at his words, as well she might. It’s just one more reason that this new paradigm o be trolled. Mind trol, memory manipution, illusions… how one ever be sure they aren’t under trol, that we’re still ourselves? It’s insidious, pernicious. If one is trapped in a matrix and escapes, how one be sure that reality as experienced isn’t just another, cleverer matrix? “…and while there were some unfortunate plications with the experiments, we kept those for return separate. They are in the best state they be, and the worst of their treatment has been expunged. Britain and Japan’s reas to it is out of our hands.”

  “I envy them.” Vio said, sighing. “Japan and Britaio be the most stable tries right now. Aside from a, perhaps.”

  “Is that what you think?” Adam disagreed. “It only seems that way because of Akio and Princess Eleanor, figureheads to rally around. Uhe surface…” he smiled, but there was little humour in it. “…even though our best avenues of information gathering are cut off, we still aren’t helpless. And we know what happened prior to the events in London. Japan is a tense undercurrent of vested is, flig views aments. All it will take is a spark to explode. And the ese captives from Kyoto…”

  “You don’t mean…?” Vio asked, and he nodded.

  “All it would take is spinning it out the right way, and the brief riots and protests would be reignited, dwarfing past civil u. Britain is in a worse position. Much of Western aral Europe is boiling. This so-called Church of True Revetion is behind the disappearanore cats than we are, and even more are joining them. The Pope is calling for calm and ciliation, but not everyone is listening. Britain’s attitude towards the Church is soured by their attempted assassination of their beloved Princess Eleanor, but if they got a foothold, the bance could colpse spectacurly. No, it’s us old powers that are struggling in the new era. We have to watch out. India, East and South Asia, South America… a. These are the pces of greatest . Just look at the new Vermillion List.” We should be thankful we at least have the ames of some, but our as are being more restricted. Our success rate at rendition or ralisation has been steadily dropping. It’s still not low enough to be a grave , but ent losses are being uable and unsustainable, evehe short term.

  “That’s right.” Vio agreed. “That pair from Mexico could be a problem. We lost good men. Too many. It’s a repeat of Brazil.”

  “Son of the Sun, ame Huītzilōpōchtli. And Daughter of the Moon, ame Mētztli. Both double Vermillion. It was almost as if they saw us ing, and the brilliant fmes… it was like being hit by a napalm bomb. Not a good way to die. We were fortuo get any footage at all.”

  “I’m more curious about the South Korean situation. They’ve begged and pleaded with us to intervene by sending troops again and again.” Vio pointed out. “If we did so, we’d secure a staunch ally in the region. What with the ese situation and strained retions with Japan that strikes me as a smart move.”

  “gress is opposed as is the President. And for once I agree with them.” Those damn Korean fools have made a huge mess of things. Untangling it would ore lives than the rewards are worth. “The say be full of the children of wealthy and iial South Koreans, as well as several iional students drawn there by talk of academic excellend character-building ascetism…” Adam snorted, darkly amused. “…but by now the majority are dead or worse anyway. Sending in soldiers first, then their own cats, only to have them taken away… it’s just feeding a fire with fuel again and again. No, when you are messing with mind trol or simir powers, the only solution is absolute firepower from a safe distance. A few Hyunmoo-2B’s with proper warheads solve the problem from hundreds of kilometres away.” They may be strong, but we know nobody survive high-explosive warheads.

  “But then all of the hostages will die. That includes children of a number of very wealthy people and politis. Imagine if we had to bomb a school attended by the children of the biggest firms on the DOW and NASDAQ, as well as Senators and Representatives. It wouldn’t pass. Could you do it?” Vio asked, troubled.

  “Could I?” His gaze went to the et again. Hard choices. Nobody wants that on their sce, but the alternative is worse. “You know I could and would. Think of it this way.” He lectured his under-secretary, for he was groomio take over, when he iably was scapegoated for all the deeds he was doing on behalf of Amerio, the world. Nobody uands sacrifice. But I do. “Look at the state South Korea is in.”

  “You mean this Hunters initiative?” she replied, troubled. “It seems rather risky, allowing their Enhanced individuals tahat way, and even dictate terms to the gover.”

  “Yes, but the leaders of Korea have backed themselves into a er with their prior stupidity. That useon Academy is a death-trap, and they’ve wasted a lot of lives. But even so, to allow this as both a test of and an annou of a private Guild system for such dangerous individuals, where they take on work for profit… as an Ameri I should appud the capitalistiature of their ambitions, but letting these groups work autonomously when they have such abilities that defy on sense and are ily dangerous and uable… sheer madness. At least Akio and Princess Eleanor are tethered by their govers aied is. These Hunter Guilds will quickly either bee untrolble or fall into infighting and spread chaos.”

  “But they might succeed. Rumours are nearly twenty individuals have agreed to participate. For a try with a popution of around fifty million, that’s a huge pertage of their likely assets.”

  “Especially sidering the casualties already. But even if they succeed that’s a poisoned chalice. Think about it, Vio.” Sometimes it seems like I’m the only one who sees the real threat. “Assuming that they don’t just fuel the fire by p masoline on it, and actually succeed in resg the survivors… these same survivors have been uhe influenind trol for a third of a year. they ever be trusted again? Are they even the same people they were? No, best to harden their hearts and remove the issue ond for all.”

  Vio was troubled by his words, but she did make an effort to uand, which made her a cut above the average person Adam had to deal with. And why she’ll have to take over from me wheime es. “If it was an ordinary school… that choice would probably already have been made.” she admitted, fag reality. “But it’s not. The rid powerful didn’t accumute their power ah to have to make sacrifices.”

  “Yes, which is why there o be those like us, Vio, so that America doesn’t fall into the same trap. I think there are some cats who are simply too dangerous to be allowed to exist. Any that alter the mind fall squarely into that category.” The one we uhed that alters memories... for now we need him, but ter…

  “But what about what Ms Bakker says? About the dangers ing. Speaking of her, you have a meeting scheduled with her shortly. Ever since she returned from Britain, she’s been ag strange. I… don’t think you trust her.”

  “Trust her?” Adam srust is a luxury the powerful ot afford. “Hope is the first step on the road to disappoi. I don’t trust or hope she won’t betray us. She’s only loyal to her own research. Though she does have some atriotism, that’s only because we allowed her curiosity free reign. But now she’s tasted what others give her. Fortunately, she knows that I know. And that I won’t hesitate to have her killed if necessary. She knows far too much.”

  “Even with that, she’s uable. Reckless too.” Vio pouted, her immacute clothing and exquisite, business-like makeup at odds with the wild, u appearance of their stist. They are like oil and water. But a mae usually needs both to run smoothly…

  “Yes. But she does produce results.” He shut his secured ptop with an audible thump. “And we hht now. We have ever more of these cats ing out of the woodwork now the world leaders have given up trying to patch the broken dam of secrecy. We in America, while not as bad as Europe, also have issues with the Church of True Revetion, as well as growing civil u… and our new rival, a, is solidating their new assets with an iron grip. So until she is foolish enough to cross that line…”

  “We use her. Like everyone else.” Vio finished, and Adam nodded.

  “Yes. We use her. We use every tool we .”

  ********

  “Isn’t this a pleasant surprise.” Christina Bakker said, seeming unaware they even had a meeting scheduled. Did you fet again. Wait, your face?

  “Oh, yes. This.” Christina touched her face, where a livid burn scar coiled around one eye, across her cheek and down to her neck. It didn’t look fresh, but the pink skin, alternatively shiny and cracked, looked hideous. “Acts happen.” She pushed at her gsses, wing as the frame pulled on her burned ear. “It’s a lot better than it was, the healing Effect-type we dug up has done her best. I thought I was going to lose my eye. It’s a dangerous but fasating world out there.” She rubbed her hands together gleefully.

  Beside Adam, Viled to tear her eyes away from the injury the stist sported so casually, before she finally regained her posure. As they all sat down, Christina steepled her fiogether and peered at them, expression eager. “The test subjects… err, citizens of our allied tries…” she corrected. “…are as ready as they’ll ever be to be repatriated. I was thinking that someone will o go and smooth things over. I would be more than happy to…”

  “No. you’ll stay here. You’re too valuable and too knowledgeable to simply let go.” Adam denied her.

  “But you let me go before…” she whined, ag like a child.

  “That was then. When I had trust in your loyalty to the cause. Now…” he tapped his own face where Christina was burned on hers. “…I fear you might have had your head turned a won by other options. So tell me. What intelligence have you sent our mutual friend Akio?”

  She swallowed. “Nothi, I promise you!” Yet? You really do care for nothing but your research… “Don’t be such a grouch, Adam. You’ll go grey. Did you watch the broadcast earlier? That ser. Focussed light. It’s amazing. Most assets don’t have more than one or two abilities, usually all around ohematic point.” She grinned, her burned skin tugging her smile to a strangely lopsided one. “Akio has healing, illusiotacks, and more. And I believe I know how.”

  Those words stopped him. “Really?”

  “Of course.” She cpped her hands eagerly. “Ever since I first stepped foot into that world… oh, I would have given anything for it, and he made it happen.” She giggled and blushed like a maiden in love, but Adam found it extremely off-putting, as she was clearly insane. I khat before all this. But it takes dealing with daemons sometimes for the greater good. So long as one knows when to wield the axe… “No price is too great to pay. But he didn’t want my body. I was a little insulted. Adam, I have a good figure, don’t I?” She lifted up her rge breasts, though she was wearing a ratty jumper under her dirty b coat, so the effect was hardly spectacur. “I suppose I’m less likely to be an attractive proposition now my face is burned. Men like women free of scars, don’t they? I digress…” she stopped her nonsense.

  Get on with it… “We have a rge sample size now. Not enough to firm any theories to modern proof standards, hardly five sigma, but enough to draw clusions. These beings, call them Gods if you want, but I prefer Powers, sihey seem to us as we seem to the animals, beings of more wisdom, strength and knowledge than we possess, are the key, of course. The Power that intervenes determines roughly the capabilities of the asset. So say one cimed to be chosen by Thor… then strength and abilities to manipute lightning seems likely. If one is instead of Demeter, then maniputing the earth, pnts or perhaps healing might be more on. But do you see a problem?” she expined gleefully.

  “Tyr.” Adam pointed out, and Christina grinned.

  “Yes, exactly! That’s why I like you, Adam, you’re smart! Nothing Akio shows, except for raw fighting power and strength, seems to have anything to do with Tyr. So, either he’s lying… or he’s found a way to grow in a different way to those we’ve experimented on… err, requested to help us in our research.” She corrected again, making a face that was barely apologetic.

  “And you’ve made a breakthrough?” Adam pressed. “We already know that Japan is expanding their number of strong people, something we ’t yet do.”

  “Of course. Since we mao find an asset who was cimed by Anahita…” at their bnk looks, she grinned. “I don’t bme you, it’s an obscure mythology. That’s iing in itself. Why are there so many Powers out there? That doesn’t make sense in itself. Anyway, Anahita, or perhaps Anahit, is either Persian or Armenian. The woman herself is an Armenian-Ameri, sed-geion immigrant. And she’s very good. Both at healing, and her sed ability. Eyes Of Wise Water, she calls them. Damn, if I could take them I’d s eyeballs in a heartbeat…”

  “Enough of yressions. Get to the point.” Adam pined. I pity the woman. She might wake up one day to find this madwoman gouging out her eyes…

  “So hasty. I guess you’re under a lot of pressure.” She said unhelpfully. “Anyway, I’ve been studying the other world, the Astral. bining knowledge from various assets, though sadly the average one knows little, as well as information buried in the neanese legistion, I’ve e to some hypothesis, which have been bor by testing. Her eyes are very helpful.” She went to a whiteboard in the er and quickly sketched out some charts. “Here is what we are now calling the Material world. Then there is the Astral, though we only access the lowest part of it. We seem to be in a shallow eddy, retively calm. But outside the tides boil, and that’s where beings that far exceed us live. Even in our calm Boundary though, there are those who live there, such as our dear crocodile, who seems to have found himself here unaided.”

  “We know all this, rgely.” Vio pined, and Christina ughed.

  “I know. But I am setting the se. This world is full of energy, Ether. But the body doesn’t use this ether, it breaks it down to a useable state, aether, which fuels many of these abilities. I have struggled, but I use a little. But here oerial, it is several orders of magnitude harder t out its power. I barely make a spark with all my efforts.” She grinned, and a tiny fme flickered oip of one finger for an instant. “I didn’t know why that was the case, but our asset of Anahita was able to see it. It may seem random, but it follows principles.”

  She now drew several human silhouettes and filled them with lines and swirls. “Like the physical body, we also have a spiritual one. And if properly maintained, it draw oher and vert it to aether. Mine however…” she tapped the first image. “…is rather feeble. Assets have a much more brilliant one, with more active… chakras, for want of a better word. But my research says they fit the best. The pathways are wider and stronger as well. They also seem to each have an individual something different, though her eyes ’t really see that with any crity. Which makes me believe there is another fual force, reted but different, that mediates these matters. Just like electricity and magism seemed separate but is actually one force. Then you throw in the weak nuclear ford you have the electroweak force. I have no doubts this Astral works in a simir way.”

  “That’s all important knowledge.” Adam approved. “But growth? New abilities?”

  “I’m getting to it. You won’t be popur with women if you hurry all the time.” She giggled, setting his teeth on edge. Vio coughed pointedly, and Christina tinued. “Now, this other world has denizens. We khis. And Akio mentio in his broadcast earlier. Some are intelligent, and through use of ether, it is possible for the assets to create for them a body they use to visit our Material world. Numbers are increasing as we are making it a focus. But… killing… it draws in the surrounding energies. I’ve beeing on several assets who do not fight, as well as myself, and the results are iing. There’s a clear corretioweerength of this Astral body and overall strength, including of our physical, Material bodies. Yet when I try the same…” she touched her burns again. “… ighe injuries and don’t worry about me, I don’t mind sacrifig my body for sce…” she said cheerfully.

  “Nobody was worried about that.” Vio whispered acerbically.

  “It seemed to have . But sce is testing, repetition. New hypothesis a again. Indominable will.” Christina gushed. “So I repeated it every time I accumuted enough aether to return. And I discovered it is possible for me to grow stronger. I rus on myself, carefully calibrated to eliminate biases and errors such as muscle growth and increasing familiarity, and after defeating literal hundreds of bsted is, I have seen further gains that are likely not anomalous, but predictable. And the Eyes Of Wise Water firm it. My Astral body is slightly brighter. Now… further testing, and killing more and more creatures is required to prove it, but if it works as I imagine… well, all that one o grow stronger is the will. But the assets have been ged so that their efficy is a huimes, maybe even a thousand times greater than someone like me, who simply has been ged by Akio.”

  “I’m curious as to how you defeated them. You’re not a fighter.” Adam mused, and she ughed.

  “It was hardly easy. Under my clothes my body is a wreck. That’s another reason why you should let me apany the returning assets. I’m not too bothered myself, but my performance is adversely affected by the scars, and the accumution affects the purity of my results. I could use being healed. I am sure I pay.” She giggled again. “Besides… there’s something definitely wrong. I am not as strong as I should be, pared to your data on the girls and boys from that training school of his in Japan you secured by covert means. If I take our Effect-Type with the Eyes, I see the difference.”

  “You just want to leak secrets.” Vio accused. “Don’t think we are unaware of your motives, Akio Oshiro wouldn’t give you this boon for free.”

  “Leak? What could I leak? They know more than us.” Christina smirked, annoying Vio. “I do feel gratitude. Hence why I spent more effort than it was worth finding someone who could at least soothe the worst damage to our test subjects. I hope he’s thankful.”

  Yes, she’s a brilliant mind, but has no uanding of the subtleties of humaion. Everything’s one plus one is two. No shades of grey. But everything in this world is murky. There is no pure white. “Somehow I doubt that.” Adam managed dryly. “But you are aware that secrets about the cats aren’t all you hold. Desertion will not be tolerated.”

  “How about personnel exge?” she tilted her head, her burns looking ghastly at that angle. “Really, if you sell it right, we gain a lot. My research will be hastened, and the Japanese and British will look favourably towards us. It’s a win-win. I know not to talk about your branch of the NSA or any b political matters. To be ho, I barely pay attention as it is.”

  “That’s true.” Adam ceded. “Even so…” Last time she was dispatched as a sacrificial pawn. Just in case. There was an i risk of her being tortured, or sed by some cat with mind-reading powers, I deemed it worth the risk then, so…

  “ you make others like you?” I asked, and she shook her head in denial.

  “No, though I know it be done. Not just that. One of the assets guarding me…” she frowned. “He wasn’t much use in Londoold me he was the stro. Such a joke. Anyway, he goes by Titan, a ame that seems appropriate. He’s a Physical type. During his stint as my escort iral, he mao accumute a signifit amount of aether within himself, and also aype of energy. It seems to be aether, at least at a basic level. But this red energy was absorbed by him. It made him rather unwell, but eventually he pulled through, and now he also has the ability to trol the earth and stone around him to a limited degree. But that’s not the curious part.” Christina gririumphantly. “Now, this…” she tapped the lowest swirling chakra on her diagram. “...became activated on Titan. And when we checked the few others who had abilities that affected earth and stohere was a high degree of corretion.”

  “So you think that Akio has also grasped this somehow?” Adam pressed, ied.

  “I abhor using folklore, myth and pseudosce as sources…” Christina fided, ging the subject. Adam and Vio were fused by this, but she igheir strained expressions. “Chakras… when I did resear Eastern traditions, I found that while it wasn’t identical, there were clear simirities. And looking at those with abilities to wield fme or trol the wind… yes, the relevant chakras…” she tapped the board several times. “…had higher energy and activation.”

  “I see.” Adam was vihe implications… only a mad stist like Christina Bakker would be able to puzzle this out by putting her own feeble body on the line… she may be cold and uhical, but she treats herself as badly as her pitiful test subjects…

  “So in clusion… we are making progress.” She csped her hands behind her back as she addressed them, her expressiht despite the scar. “But if I was able to learn even just a little more, Akio and those around him, I would surely unlock more of the puzzle.”

  “I see.” Adam repeated non-itally. As Christina opened her mouth to protest, he shook his head. “I’m not saying no. You’ve given me a lot to think about. But… there are siderations.” Your trustworthiness amongst them, for one.

  “All right.” She said, and Adam was surprised she sounded so calm, expeg more wheedling and pleading. He was then further shocked as she offered another proposal. “How about we make him an offer then? Ameri citizenship for him, his lovers and their families. The servative voting popution might not like his ways, but if we say he got married before they left Japan uheir ws, so it’s still legal…”

  “An iing suggestion.” Adam had thought of such before but hadn’t held out much hope. “But he’s got a lot of bag ah there in Japan. I doubt he’d be willing…”

  “Sure he might be rich, but there’s rid there’s rich. So what if he has a few tens of millions of dolrs, pull out some bck ops budget and throw a billion at him. Nobody resist that.” She grinned. “Besides, if he’s ied in growing stronger, as I suspect, then America surely holds more opportuhan small, cramped Japan. Make him an ive him whatever he asks for, just get him over here.”

  “You make a good point. But… do you think he’s worth a billion dolrs? You could get a lot of military hardware for that price.” he tered, curious as to her response.

  “I’m sure you could. But if we unlock the secrets to how these new abilities work and create them at will… rice we put on that?”

  After that they finished discussing the remaining matters, and as Christi, eager to return to the Astral, as she called it, door shutting behind her, Vio finally spoke.

  “You’re not sidering it, are you?”

  “The Pope, Britain, Japan, a number of our own cats…” Adam mused. “They all say danger is ing, terrible, outside danger. It varies depending on who you interrogate, but all say the same. However… even with that, I ’t overlook the true threat. Future strife is not more important than safeguarding the now, or we have no future to protect. Some abilities have to go. Mind trol for one. But others…” his eyes were distant. It’s just like The Grey Knights. He thought about the beautifully painted squads in his et. Proper harnessing of the safest of a cursed power be a force food. But knowing what is proper and how to harness it safely is a risk… “…a predictable, purely bat-focused set of abilities, perhaps healing as well, and some others… that is something to be ied in. Super-soldiers. Able to move faster and think smarter, great resiliend even the ability to call up fire, earth and wind. Perhaps even sers like we saw on the broadcast earlier…”

  “I thought you were worried about such powers being used for causing chaos, targeting politis and so on?” Vio asked, and he nodded.

  “Oh, I am. Which is why if we could make our own, then we get rid of all the other uais, and create a loyal force, just like the US Military. Trained, indoated and ready to fight and die against whatever threats are ing. We have the funds and the manpower. Now all we need is the knowledge…”

  This cat who was called by Anahita, I remember her in the Vermillion list. Rather low-rated. I will have to bump her power level a colour or two. But… it’s not enough. Christina is right. If only we hadn’t screwed up trying to capture Akio Oshiro. But we did… so… how do we win him over, et enough information to improve our own project, pushing Project Star Mirror to the heights of success we need? Christina Bakker and the returning citizens are the key… Adam still couldn’t quite figure out why Akio had given Christina su ability, it only had downsides, but there must have been a reason. Figuring that out was key to uning how he thought, and if that was known then… Everyone has their price. Everyone. All we o do is find it and hope we meet it…

  As Vio nodded slowly, Adam bit down on a ugh. “There’s no point w about it. I have a busy schedule. And I have to brief reat and glorious President in a few hours.” His tone was dry and sarcastic. “Perhaps he might have an opinion, sidering he’ll definitely have watched the broadcast from Japan…”

  ShipTeaser