opnet [OpNet] Off the back burner

[Preston]

Once again, in the United States Congress a series of Bills brought up this spring are getting a new breath of life. It seems that a brawl in a crowed metropolitan area has US lawmakers concerned. They range from providing Federal funding to allow various municipalites to employ nova defenders, to restrictions of nova abilities on US soil, registration of all novas and their abilities, and even forced enlistment in government service. Most of them could not pass Constitutional muster even if signed into law, but this is yet another warning for us on how our individual behavior impacts the world at large and one another.

[kestrel404]

There's also talk of a congressional inquiry into the events, but I doubt that will actually happen. However, there is a very serious chance that the Windy City Knights will be disbanded over this.

As usual, this disaster is going to be used to push the agendas of some politicians and attack others. And it's NOT going to come out in favor of novas this time.

[Tommy Tomorrow]

I take it no one's looked at the international headlines today? They range from "Elites Assault US City" to "Novas Frolic Amid Death." There were tamer headlines, but those two caught my attention.

Quote:

Originally posted by Alchemist:

There's also talk of a congressional inquiry into the events, but I doubt that will actually happen.

A year ago you might be right. After Ibiza, the death toll in Chicago, and the upcoming Federal/Utopian bail out of the city... Do you really think a congressmen is going to take the chance of flaming out in the next election because he or she didn't call for a full scale inquiry?

[April Rice]

There isn't any "upcoming Federal/Utopian bail out of the city."

Our emergency services handled the situation great, and our sponsors at the WCK are being generous enough to subsidize repairs to the buildings damaged by Wakinyan's roar. Aside from the broken glass, all damage to the city has already been cleaned up.

Unfortunately, we can't say the same for the casualties, but Chicago doesn't need outside help to care for the injured, or for the families of the deceased.

[Tommy Tomorrow]

Somebody has big bank. Nice.

I'd make comments about buying your way out of a situation but it would be in poor taste considering the deaths. Also, there is something very appropriate about your group paying for the damages. So instead I'll simply say its a good choice, a responsible action, and I'm just happy your group can afford it.

As far as the casualties, assuming you have really big bank, you might want to consider buying some paraphysician services. Several work for Devries and Utopia. Supposedly one of them was in Chicago when this all happened. They're not cheap, it'll probably cost more than all the insurance claims on the destroyed buildings that you're apparently going to underwrite, but what's the worth of a human life?

[April Rice]

Well, we, uh, do produce some pretty big advertising revenues.

[Tommy Tomorrow]

Please see my above. I added something while you were reading.

[April Rice]

I'm not really sure if the board would go for that. I mean, nobody's in critical condition anymore, and that's a lot of money.

Incidentally, Neil Preston and Regan McLachlan (Samhra) should be recognized for their work on the scene. They stabilized most of the worst off before they even got moved to the ambulances, and without their help we'd have had many more deaths.

I think the city might be sending a care package, or something. Which is cool, I guess, but it doesn't really _say_ what they did. There are a lot of grateful families up here.

[Tommy Tomorrow]

Really? I would have thought there would have been more. Luck there wasn't.

[April Rice]

It was quick. The only two big things were when Wakinyan roared and when he hit the ground. The team took care of the first one, but the second caused much more damage.

Five people died pretty much right away, and we lost two more to injuries. Everyone else in critical condition was either stabilized by the paramedics or healed by Samhra or Neil. And, yeah, we were lucky.

[kestrel404]

April's too modest. Wakinyan's roar wasn't taken care of by the team, so much as by HER. She stopped the Peregrines and most of the glass from falling onto the rush hour traffic and pedestrians.

[Tommy Tomorrow]

Therein lies your luck then. In as much as your team had her, rather than someone else. On a related note: when I was researching my first book, I ran across an interesting factoid. While combat elites generally make more money per annum, those with the ability to heal are generally paid more per service. Also, the ratio of healers in the nova populaton averages roughly 1:200.

This conversation does bring an interesting question to mind. Do novas teams like the WCK have the superhero equivalent of malpractice insurance?

[Hugin]

I would hope so.

I would also hope that any insurer would be far more careful than to insure a team that puts themselves in such foolish positions.

[Tarot]

Oh, don't get me started on insureance!

Lloyd's of London dropped Whore's insurance on her voice and her node as soon as they found out we were tight. Apparently I fall under the "Acts of God" clause. Tight asses. They'll insure my art, but they won't insure somebody that hangs out with me just because they're hanging out with me. Its kind of cool too. Fucked up but cool.