Capítulo 587: 26
Date
2011 January 17th - Monday - Earth Bet Time
She spent Monday night again in the virtual space with Admin and Tess. The first part was meditation and a soul-searching exercise. She also spent it practicing yoga, because her attempt to recreate in the actual world was somewhat lackluster.
She even roped in Tess for a round of practice. Though why an AI would need to know yoga escaped both of them. She just took it as time spent with a friend, and Tess as a practice for when she had a body.
After that, they spent just talking about their day while drinking tea. Taylor because she liked tea and Tess because she was still amazed, that Admin could emulate taste for any AI.
Tess appraised her on the Recycling Facility's progress, told her a few things that her father left out, and then they talked about the machine designs Taylor would provide for the facility. It included several environmental filters for the machines and people, ultra-efficient generators and batteries, and a high-yield furnace. The furnace would melt the material down, then separate it by molecule type. The rest would be provided by Tess, like the conveyor belt systems, storage systems, and such. Unsurprisingly, she was also who would provide cybersecurity.
When Taylor brought up the need for defenses, Tess assured her that she was in talks with the PRT and they would have a team ready to deploy in an emergency. Aside from that, she would be flying in several suits to stand guard and would equip the facility with an advanced security system.
As a courtesy, she would provide read-only access to Taylor, just to make sure there was a second eye keeping tabs on things.
Taylor, in the privacy of her mind, was already designing software that would look for suspicious things via image recognition.
"How are you going to determine which ship to recycle first?" asked Taylor during their discussion. Currently. they were sitting on the veranda of a bungalow on the edge of an island, with ocean wherever they could see.
"I will send drones through the Graveyard, which are equipped with a sensor looking for the metal I want," Tess answered while luxuriating in the fact she could feel the sun on her virtual skin. "Aside from that, we will start with the closest ships to the facility and go through the Graveyard ship by ship."
"Makes sense. What are you going to do with all that metal that you don't really need?"
Tess just snorted. "I actually need the metal. With the furnace design you gave me, it doesn't even matter that it is recycled metal."
"Oh yeah, it can do that…"
"How long would it take to build that?"
"With my improved drones and your father's men, barely a week," she answered quite proudly.
"That's fast."
"Yeah, but that's just the furnace. So technically we would be operational, but the rest would take a few more days, then the streamlining some more time. Tinker-tech, excellent designs speed things up, but even that has a limit."
"I could whip up some kind of super 3D printer for you?" offered Taylor.
"Yes, and then we would crash the local economy. Thank you, Taylor, but this is enough." Tess replied.
After spending time honing her skills through scenarios set up by Admin on the advice of Tess, she felt even more powerful. Sadly, she couldn't really go out on the street and challenge the nearest villain to fight to prove it.
Both Admin and Tess were vehemently against that, for some reason.
Though she was glad that Tess shared her database of parahumans with Admin, who used that to simulate them for her to fight against them.
She even got them to allow her to fight with Alexandria on her team. It was one of her childhood dream come true. Of course, immediately afterward she tried herself against her, just to see how she measured up to the strongest Brute.
Taylor stood on top of the Medhall, preparing herself for a fight. She was clad in her newly designed superhero costume.
Tight, armored leggings that provided flexibility and some measure of defense if her defensive abilities were to be breached. On her feet were simple boots that connected to the leggings, designed to breathe but not let water or anything similar in. The sole of the shoe was also slip-resistant.
Her upper body was covered with multiple layers. The lowest was a tight-fitting, long-sleeved sport shirt that soaked up sweat and even covered her neck. Over that was a jacket that closed up totally, and connected to her pants, leaving no room for any flapping or anything getting under it. It was also lightly armored, around the spine, shoulders, and breast area. The end of sleeves flared out a little to allow full movement for her hand and it had a hood.
The hood was also lightly armored, protecting the back of her head, and she could, if she wanted to, tug it down to cover the upper part of her face. It would also stay up no matter what, thanks to Admin fixing it in place. No accidental head reveal for her.
Her hand was covered with gloves, hiding every inch of her skin from sight. These were more flexible, and less armored, seeing as she used these to fight. The gloves would also connect to the sleeves of her shirt.
On her face was an all-encompassing mask, blank without even slits for her eyes. It was a piece of Tinker tech that Admin designed for her. To her, it would seem as if nothing was in front of her face, and it would also project information in front of her. Basically, she would be like a game character, with a HUD in front of her telling everything she needed to know. It was also built with several communications devices. Thanks to Tess it was already programmed by all the frequencies the PRT, Protectorate, Guild, Police (and other emergency services) and even the Military used.
According to Admin, if she wanted to add anything else, that was on her to design and implement.
The entire ensemble was done in multiple hues of dark gray and black, with dull yellow accents. Tess called it the edgiest costume she has ever seen, but Taylor quite liked it. She was kinda getting used to the ninja motif. At least there were no cat ears, or heaven forbid, tails this time.
She would normally carry a utility belt filled with all sorts of useful stuff, but this fight was about power versus power.
"The fight starts in 5…" came the genderless and inflectionless voice from all around her.
"Good luck, Current." came also the worried voice of Tess from her earpiece. Current was her choice of code name, though she wasn't really sold on it yet. It seemed so simple. She wanted something with real gravitas…
"… 4…"
She readied her abilities. Enveloping herself in lightning, not yet at a visible level, but reinforced to withstand at least a punch from Leviathan. After all, Alexandria was known to punch the Endbringers around.
"… 3…"
"… 2…"
She turned on all her enchantments that would increase her speed and reaction times. She wanted to make sure she put up a good fight.
"… 1…"
She shot up into the air, hoping that the gray, overcast sky would hide her from better.
"… FIGHT START…"
She had to immediately pivot to the side to dodge an incoming gray woman, aiming for her head. Alexandria turned on a dime, and without a word charged once again at her. She dodged once again, but this time she continued the pivot and used one of her hands charged with lightning to strike at Alexandria.
The older woman simply stopped it with her forearm, and to Taylor's surprise, used her other hand to deliver a substantial haymaker at her.
She flew through the air for several seconds in surprise, but in the end, she managed to stop herself short of hitting one of the high-rises. She didn't get a chance to breathe or even think about what to do, because Alexandria was already there to pummel her.
She engaged her in a brief bout of hand-to-hand combat in the air, trying to gauge whether her lightning-infused body could damage her at this level.
Sadly, all of it appeared ineffective, just like with the Endbringers, though thankfully her enemy was rather slower than them. That didn't mean she was less sturdy than Leviathan, for example.
To get some breathing room, she conjured up her trusty lightning spears and thrust them towards Alexandria's helmet-clad head.
Using the moment she was blinded, she flew as fast as she could manage away from her, and upped the enhancements on herself.
What she saw and felt from Alexandria made her think that she should treat her like an Endbringer-light.
Tess watched amazed and a little fearful as her newest friend engaged Alexandria.
It was one thing to hear about her abilities, and it was another to see her go toe to toe with Alexandria herself. They were so fast; she could barely follow the fight. If she hadn't given Administrator the values about the famous brute, she would hardly believe that it was a real fight.
Watching the two gray-clad women clash over Brockton Bay, their wake simply destroying buildings, made her rather fearful. Taylor for now was content to spend her time in the simulation and exercise her power there, but she knew it wouldn't last long.
Eventually, something would necessitate Taylor's intervention. And then the world would see her power.
She watched as Taylor fired lightning construct after lightning construct at Alexandria, who either dodged or barreled through it. Neither of them paying attention to the devastation growing around them. For Alexandria that was understandable, being controlled by Administrator, but for Taylor it was inexcusable. She would need to work with her to make sure she paid more attention to her surroundings.
This power would attract other people, who either will want to use her or take care of her, so she wouldn't stop their plans. Or most horrifyingly, there were those who would want to challenge her in some way.
She could already see the Nine heading straight to Brockton Bay if Taylor's true powers were to be known.
She watched as Taylor, clad in yellow lightning armor, detained Alexandria with glowing electric shackles. They obviously didn't hurt the heroine but managed to hold her in one place for a few seconds, even if they strained to do even that.
But Taylor only needed that few seconds to pelt her with enough lightning. There was a brief flash that obscured everything, but the following view explained everything.
Alexandria, or rather her body was falling, while Taylor was hovering, her entire body radiating surprise that her plan worked, surrounded by devastation. By Tess's estimate, the brief fight leveled around seventy percent of the Bay.
"How?" she asked, astonished.
"She still needs to breathe, you know. Plus, I was in the driving seat, not the real Alexandria. She is much more ruthless than me." came the clinical answer from next to her.
"Just like that?"
"Yeah. Let's go talk to Taylor. I'm sure, you want to discuss a few things."
She nodded and followed the somber slime.
"Before you leave, we need to talk about something," spoke up Admin, while Taylor was saying her goodbye to Tess.
"There is a parahuman who the Guild would love to have."
"Oh, who is it?"
"I assume you heard of Cornell University? Well, there is a woman there…"
Date
2011 January 18th - Tuesday - Earth Bet Time
"Colin."
She watched as he hunched over the piece of equipment on his desk fondly. She wasn't really sure what all the emotions were, but she was sure she liked the man. That didn't excuse him for ignoring her.
"Colin!" she repeated, this time a little loudly.
"Yes, Dragon?" he replied without looking up at her. "I was aware of your presence. I assumed you would start without prompting."
"Yes, Colin, but it would be nice if my friend would look me into the eyes while we talk," she answered a little reproachfully.
He sighed, placed his tool carefully back in its place, and turned to her.
"Better?"
"Yes, Colin."
"Good. What did you wish to talk about?"
"Several things. First a question. Are there any hang-ups on the PRT side about me building the facility?" she asked.
Colin made a sour face. "Not really, but the Director is not happy that the Mayor basically ordered her to give you every permission you needed."
"I see. She knows, that this move would probably revitalize some part of the city's economy, right?"
Colin nodded firmly. "I told her the same thing. She didn't appreciate my opinion, so to speak."
"I'm sorry, Colin."
"No problem, Dragon. I understand why she is angry and worried, but I also understand how much good this could bring," he answered and gave her a small smile.
She returned the smile wholeheartedly. "Have you reviewed the plans for the furnace?"
"Yes, it is amazing. I would dearly love to talk to the designer."
She chuckled at that. "That is not possible currently, but when it is up, you can come over and play with it if you want." If her tone was a little more suggestive than needed, well, it wasn't like Colin would pick up on it. Though a girl could dream.
"I would like that, yes," he replied immediately.
They enjoyed a few seconds of companionable silence. At least she did before she spoke up.
"How about something different? I told you at the meeting I have something that would change the world, and if you can keep silent, I can send it over to you for testing."
"Why would I need to stay silent?" he asked, but he was also already turning to his computer, opening the usual software where they would communicate and send files.
"It's going through the patent process and I don't want anything to jeopardize it."
"Understandable," he replied, already reading the documentation. "Medi-Gel? How interesting…"
Date
2011 January 18th - Tuesday - Earth Bet Time
After another routine day that she spent exercising, studying, practicing her fine control over her power, and refining the plans for Dragon, she found herself next to her dad as they ate dinner.
"How was your day?" she asked after swallowing another bite of the pizza she made. It wasn't the greatest, but at least it wasn't another meatloaf.
"It was great." Her father answered energetically, despite looking dead tired. "We spent the day emptying two of the biggest warehouses and preparing for Dragon's arrival. And in the afternoon she flew in several of her suits and one of those big carriers she uses. It was remarkable."
"I saw it on the news," she said while smiling. "Everybody is wondering what she is doing here. The internet is full of stupid theories. Though my favorite is that Armsmaster finally popped the question and they are preparing to move in together."
She wasn't disappointed in her father's reaction. He snorted so hard his drink came out of his nose.
"Oh my god, Taylor. Don't say things like that, you will kill your poor father." he reprimanded her gently while dabbing his face with a napkin.
"It was funny…" she replied while grinning ear to ear. She couldn't wait to tease Tess about that.
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