Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

Amelia, Ch 227


"You're certain about this?" Chief Director Costa-Brown asked. We, of course, knew her as Alexandria, but we hadn't even considered revealing that secret. In truth, she had done more good for us in her civilian guise as I could ever imagine her doing as a hero. Still, something of a comfort to have, an ally for this teleconference. The problem is, she was also terrifyingly difficult to keep secrets from, with her thinker powers. She'll probably figure out we've already removed Nilbog during this meeting.


"Yes," Taylor responded from her position beside me. "Dinah Alcott's predictions have always served well for us in the past. She gives the SM7M a guaranteed victory, and our new containment method developed between us and the guild, means we won't see the deaths that her prior calculations produced."


"You still haven't identified the cause?" Costa-Brown asked.


"I'm afraid not," I admitted. "We've put a great deal of effort into planning for every possible outcome, and somewhere along the way we finally found something that works. We won't know why until we see it in action." We won't find out, because we'll never see it in action, I thought. Our solution was to him our world's equivalent to Madagascar. It was large enough for him to imagine himself a great and powerful ruler over a vast kingdom which he would populate with monsters that, in some ways, were as dangerous as our own. And it isolated enough to keep any incidents from occurring.


"Pardon the interruption," one of the other fifteen Directors spoke. He looked more like a scientist than a military type, and the name below read Armstrong. "I have read the reports on the M7Ms, but I don't recall anything about an SM7M, would you please elaborate?"


I glanced over at Taylor. AffirmationDeflection. Her eyes glanced over at the only Director actually in the room with us. Calvert, or Coil, or our puppet, depending on how generous you were feeling when you identified him. "Of course," I spoke. "It would probably be best for Director Calvert to handle the details. He knows more about the remote operatives than Khepri and I."


He nodded. "Very well," he agreed. "As you are already familiar with the M7, I can make this brief. The full name is the Simurgh enhanced Model Seven Military. Its existence is so classified that if you must refer to it, the 'S' stands for 'Specialized'."


"Simurgh model?" one of the others asked incredulously. His name read 'Tagg'.


"Correct," I answered. "In many ways, it's not as good as the normal M7s. It's easily the most durable design, capable of regeneration much as the Endbringers themselves are, and at least partially power resistant. Nothing short of a six on your rankings should even be able to scratch them. The problem is, they don't work with a lot of tech we put into the other models. No stealth, no high energy cost systems. They're good at exactly what they're good at, and nothing else." Unless they're the Clarice model, which actually uses the Endbringer tissue as a power supply, in which case they're better at everything than any prior model.


"You've weaponized Endbringers!?" he exclaimed. "What else have you built? Are your anti-Endbringer constructs made of this material?"


"Of course," Taylor answered. "Well, some of them at least. Others are still conventional. As a nation, we understand the need for a versatile military force."


"So the rumors are true," another man spoke up. His panel identified him as Director Vance. "The UN acknowledged your request."


"Three days shy of a month ago," Taylor replied. "We are recognized as the rulers of the interim government presiding over Earth Avalon. The exact details of our future, more permanent government is still in flux, which if anything renders our need for a strong military even greater for relatively vulnerable position on the world stage. While I don't doubt that our functionally sole neighbor, the United States, would aid us in a crisis, we'd prefer to have the capacity to respond to troubles ourselves."


"You are aware this calls into question the legality of Pantheon taking any action within the United States, correct?" Costa-Brown asked.


"We are," Taylor replied. "However, that only applies to myself, Gaea, and Minerva. All other Pantheon members as of this moment still retain their United States citizenship exclusively. They are members of our team, but not citizens of Avalon. Much the same way that the Guild and the Protectorate operate, with members from a number of countries. Still, yes, as of this moment the founding members of Pantheon are unable to act as heroes within the United States without violating international law. It's one of the reasons we're choosing to give the PRT command of this mission. Because, as you might imagine, we could have used our own weapons to assault Ellisburg, instead of giving them to you."


"One of the reasons?" a woman by the name of Newton asked. "That implies there are other motivations. I would like to hear them." A few of the other Directors spoke their agreement. Meanwhile, Costa-Brown simply watched in interest. She wants to see us handle politics on our own, I realized. She has Lisa's measure, now she wants to know how we handle things.


"There's no way to say this nicely," I replied. "But, frankly, you need the victory."


"Pardon?" Tagg asked.


"You still haven't recovered from India," I replied. "Things are holding together, but every public victory has been Pantheon's. It's eroding the public's faith in the PRT and everyone here knows it. Your reputation is badly damaged."


"By your actions," Tagg's voice was calm, but hostile. Ice. AnnoyanceDistaste.


"We weren't the ones that put Piggot in a position of such power, and with so little oversight," Taylor pointed out. "But let's not slip into petty recriminations. We want the PRT to have a public victory in the near future. One that reminds the criminal groups that there are powers out there beside Pantheon that can actually get anything important done."


"Having trouble with the responsibility of dealing with criminal elements on such a scale?" Tagg asked.


"Not hardly," Taylor responded. I tried to push calming emotions into the link, she was getting baited into an argument. She faltered for a second. "It is as the Chief Director pointed out. I am now part of the ruling body of another nation. I have a new set of priorities and responsibilities to consider, the wellbeing of what will soon become my own people. As you are responsible for yours. So, let me ask you this question, all of you. What do you believe happens when Avalon goes public?"


Tagg's eyes narrowed. "It would be easier for you to simply tell us what you think," he responded.


Taylor shrugged. "Very well," she replied. SmugSuccess. "Pantheon as it currently functions is perceived as holding together most of the East Coast in the face of a slow descent into complete anarchy. A perception that's true, incidentally. When we go public as our own nation, we will functionally become a foreign power. At which point, the United States of America, supposedly the most powerful government in the world, will be openly and directly relying upon an outside military to help it maintain order within its own borders. You have to know how bad that will be."


Tagg froze. Everyone did. For a full minute, no one spoke. I could imagine some of their thoughts. In a country as fiercely independent as the USA, that would be perceived of as a glaring weakness. Some would support us, others would demand we leave, others still would find any number of reactions. The only thing universally true is that no one would be able to ignore it, and under no circumstances would it be anything but a nightmare for all of us involved.


"I believe we all see your point," Costa-Brown agreed. "The Endbringer conflicts are, of course, a separate factor. If anything, foreign aid during those is an affirmation of our country's status. The Protectorate has always offered to aid all foreign powers during those, and receiving aid in return would prove the value of that policy. But in any other circumstance, it could prove disastrous."


"It's better for us to fade into the background," I continued the thought. "It will still be our weaponry, but that's little different than any other foreign trade. We'll likely have similar treaties with Canada and many other countries."


"We're more than able and willing to stand as a very powerful foreign nation," Taylor added. "If at some point in the future we're perceived of as even more powerful than America, you won't see me losing any sleep over it. But the critical component is that we need to be seen as a foreign nation. The alliance that Pantheon forged between independent cape groups can remain. Pantheon will take a supporting role, instead of playing the role of the 'conquering heroes'. With exception of the Endbringer battles. During those, there are no politics or countries. There is only the enemy of all mankind, and those heroes who would fight them."


"Very well said," Costa-Brown responded. "I could not agree more. I doubt anyone would object to Pantheon's assistance at future Endbringer conflicts," she paused for a moment, giving all the directors a chance to disagree. None took the opportunity. "However, withdrawing from active involvement in the USA's affairs is clearly the wisest decision, and I appreciate your foresight in this matter."


"Thank you, Chief Director," I responded. It was actually Lisa's foresight, but you already know that.


"It does beg the question," A Director Gutierez spoke up. "Why are you choosing Ellisburg?"


"Honestly, that was Director Calvert's suggestion," Taylor volunteered. "We only needed a scenario that would grant a high profile victory to your PRT, we weren't especially concerned with the specifics." A complete lie, we very much wanted to go after Nilbog, much like we went after the Teeth and Fallen. Plans just got... twisted... a bit, under the circumstances.


"Pantheon came to me for advice on the subject of targets," Calvert nodded. "With the Guild's removal of Heartbreaker, and their elimination of the Teeth, Fallen, and Slaughterhouse Nine. There aren't many truly monstrous and and well known villains remaining. At least, not ones who warrant such a dramatic response, or would elicit such positive coverage in the aftermath."


"The Wild Hunt?" a Director Tucker asked. She looked an awful lot like an old, skeletal librarian. She brought up a group that stuck to the desert states, a parahuman biker gang that one that might be called a low profile variant of the Slaughterhouse Nine.


"If we could predict their next attack," Calvert responded. "The remote controlled troops have range limits, and we can't deploy them over that kind of space without spreading our forces too thin to do any real good. Until they resurface, there's very little we can achieve. As Gaea and Khepri pointed out, there is some urgency in finding that high profile success. We know exactly where to find Nilbog, we know our success rate is guaranteed, with the worst possible outcome being the destruction of a few disposable troops."


"The argument is compelling," Costa-Brown agreed. "Certainly we will retain control over the SM7Ms after Ellisburg, to deploy in future high profile missions."


"That is correct," Taylor replied. "They have a very long shelf life. They will not break to simple wear and tear, or even moderate combat punishment due to the Endbringer tissue's regeneration. Chances are, they'll only need to be replaced when rendered obsolete by newer, superior, designs."


"Coupled with your precog's assurances that the Nilbog mission will result in a victory," Costa-Brown responded. "I do believe we can consider this the second test run of the PRT as a primary force against parahuman aggression, instead of as a supporting force for our parahumans. In a way, it seems poetic that it should be Ellisburg which marks this evolution in policy."


"Glad you see it my way," Calvert responded. "I have already outlined a primary strategy based upon my own experiences and intel gathered by Dragon's equipment that I would like to present to you. I'm sending copies now for your review."


"I believe this is where we see ourselves out," Taylor spoke. "We've done our part here, and should attend to our other responsibilities."


"Very well," Costa-Brown nodded. "Thank you for your time. And congratulations on your new status as world leaders."


=============

A/N- The real reason they chose Madagascar is as revenge from a certain video game that Riley and Amelia constantly lose at.

Can't believe none of my readers thought about the political ramifications of their going public as a nation while still playing around as a super group.

 

Amelia, Ch 228


I moaned happily as Taylor kissed slowly down my back. Mmm, this is nice. I reached back and found her head, running my fingers into her hair and pressing back against her. And then the yelling started.


"Wake up!"


Oh god damn it, why now? I felt a hand shaking me by my shoulder. I opened and glanced at the clock, one of the only pieces of equipment that we had yet to perfect an organic equivalent to. We can make a working microwave out of plants, but somehow clocks elude us. I felt Taylor's mind flicker into awareness. RealizationFrustration. Judging by the undertones, her dream wasn't that different from mine. Maybe there's more activity in the link while we're unconscious than we thought?


"Riley, it's two in the morning," I complained.


"Endbringer!" she informed us before rushing out of the room.


ShockFocusAnger. I agreed completely while stumbling out of bed. Whatever the fuck this Endbringer was, it was extra dead for this.


Our suitup wasn't much different than last time, although our armors were different. The SEB material meant one hell of an upgrade for most of us. Mine was, again, an exception. Other than the SEB under layer and reactor system that gave me all my systems for less space, with a hundred times more durability, I was still in the standard equipment. The Dryad, too, had upgrades. But my suit was meant provide a huge supply of biomass and genetic codes to generate constructs from, not actually fight anything.


The new Zerg, however, were numerous enough and tough enough that I didn't need to fight. With any luck, I wouldn't even need to heal anyone. Our number of zerglings had capped at over ten thousand, last I heard. The most recent couple thousand with various high yield energy weapons. The gargants had been adapted as well. Instead of being meat shields, the new batches were valid combatants, able to properly grapple Endbringers and slow them down for other attacks.


"The attack already started," Emma announced as we shunted over. She was at the command center, along with Riley, Trevor, and Rey.


"No warning?" I asked.


"There won't be one anymore," Lisa informed. "The newest Endbringer is a change in strategy in response to Chongqing. Expect it to be more resilient, probably faster and with more exotic powers than Behemoth. Expect it to have a method to deal with Scion, should he arrive."


ConfusionHope.


"No," Lisa replied. "It won't be able to kill the bastard. It'll probably have a way to run or hide. Maybe several ways. Chances are, that will be part of its weaponry. We'll have to see."


"Dragon's been feeding us intel," Emma responded. "This one's a time manipulator. It has pillars that accelerate time around him. Looks like a bad mockery of a Buddha statue. More evidence for the human designer theory. It's only been active a few minutes so far."


We watched the low quality video feed. At this point, only the Triumvirate had arrived along with a handful of Dragon's new attack drones. There was also a handful of local capes, but they seemed pretty lackluster. This was very much the Triumvirate's fight at the moment. I looked at the label underneath the feed. What's special about Santa Clara, Cuba?


"Don't try to puzzle out the logic behind the target," advised Lisa. "There won't be the same patterns as before. The only thing we can be certain about is the old patterns no longer apply, except the timing."


I just looked at her. Not asking, you'll just have to find someone else to play propwork.


"They're following their timing patterns, still. Behemoth was late, and then replaced by Simurgh. Still counts as late. Barghest would have been more or less on time. Behemoth was early. There's are either seven or nine Endbringers currently active."


"I suppose you'll tell us your reasoning one of these days," Taylor replied. ImpatienceCuriosity.


"Has to be," she answered. "If there are only six, the attacks are coming too quickly. If there are ten, then they'd be coming more rapidly. Only three numbers to pick from. We can throw away eight because it has no cultural significance. We're left with seven, a number strongly linked with superstition, and nine, which is linked to the rule of three which seems to rule much of the Endbringers' behavior patterns. The only way it could be eight is if the Endmakers are aware of our suspicions about them, and are trying to break pattern, which I very much doubt."


Four people appeared nearby. Victoria, Crystal, Lily and Sabah. A moment later, Eric followed. "We're here," he said. "Hey, Minerva, Faultline told us to give you her best regards."


"When you get back to the job, tell her I said 'fuck you, too'," Lisa smiled


"Spitfire would have given you some warm wishes, too," Vicky smirked, then gestured toward Eric. "But she used them all up on the lady killer over here."


Eric looked away, blushing heavily.


Zach laughed. "Just remember to keep the burn ward on speed dial. Also, that was a terrible pun and you should feel bad."


"I do feel bad," she responded. "Almost four weeks touring Europe and I haven't gotten so much as a kiss. A girl might begin to worry that there's something wrong with her."


"I keep telling you that you'd have better luck if you didn't challenge everyone who tried to a fight to the death," Lily argued.


"And I keep telling you that I refuse to settle for anyone who gives up just because I happen to break one of his arms," Vicky huffed theatrically. "Hopefully Denmark's made of sterner stuff. Hey, do we have an upload for... uh... Denmarkian? Denmarkese?"


"Danish," Lisa answered reflexively.


"Sorry, I'm all out," Vicky responded.


"You did that on purpose," Lisa glowered at Vicky.


Zach groaned and shook his head, and that's when she started laughing, followed by most of the others.


"I was paid to do it," Vicky added, holding a finger up while laughing a bit too loudly for it to seem completely natural. "Two grand. Five if she gets a video of it."


"Okay, enough goofing around. We're on Endbringer duty," Taylor interrupted. AnnoyanceDistaste. "Save the jokes for after people are done dying."


Missy shunted over. "Sorry I'm late," she spoke immediately. "I wasn't informed that the fight was already happening."


"Uploading coordinates," Trevor replied immediately, skipping the pleasantries. Space rippled around us.


"I'm going in first," Taylor informed. "The rest of you can catch up, we need to get reinforcements to the defense immediately."


She didn't wait to see if there was any objections. It was fine, I'd be by her side soon enough. I was still waiting for the swarm to finish its transition some minutes later. ConfusionDisbeliefFear.


"It just vanished!" Emma declared. "The new Endbringer's already retreated."


"No it's not," Lisa insisted. "This is too soon, not enough damage done. Even Barghest's psychological warfare methods left more impression than this one has had a chance to inflict. There's more."


"Endbringer identified in southwestern Australia," Emma responded. "It just teleported halfway across the planet." FrustrationAnger.


Fuck. "Missy, open another tunnel to..." I glanced at the map. "Albany, Australia. Our priority is to get the Zerg in to do real damage."


"Understood," Missy agreed. The zerg turned and began to funnel back through the one pathway and into the other, chasing the new Endbringer. ConcernDistrust. I quickly realized Taylor's concerns were justified. Even with this teleportation, there's more to this one's power. He's not destructive enough, what's his special weapon against the world?


============


A/N- Khonsu's back! Do worry, the next EB will be another original.

Poor Amy's dreams continue to be ruined.

And Vicky's contract remains air tight.