Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - [Interlude] Exalted Thoughts [FIN]

[SalmonMax]

She smiled. "That would be fine. This is just to disrupt monitoring devices. And that's not a comment on you or your organization. There are devices that could hear us talking from across a football field as if we were right next to it...even through the glass. And there's no issues with Shadowheart or his involvement. I'm one of his sisters. He's how you came to my attention."

Her smile turned sheepish. "I don't get out much. Sorry if I freaked you there. It's just, for my proposal to work out for either of us, the fewer people who know, the better."

The device turned white and evaporated into a flurry of particles that vanished as fast as they appeared.

"Lead on."

[Shosuro Miren]

"Well, upstairs it is, then." He winked at her, "At lest then it would have to be a very tall football field."

He led her to the elevator, and a few minutes later they were sitting in the sumptuous conversation room. He poured them both glasses of Bethany's Ambrosia, holding one out to her. "So, you're one of Darrik's siblings?" he asked as he took a seat. "He's been reluctant to speak too much of you all in details and I've tried to respect his privacy on that matter, but I do confess myself quite intrigued." His smile was easy and as devastating as Darrik's could be; he toasted to her before sipping at his own drink. "It is a pleasure to finally meet one of you."

"You mentioned some sort of proposal and a need for secrecy. Before you go into that, I should explain some of the....ground rules, I suppose, of any dealings with me." It was said with utter politesse, but there was steel behind the velvet of his words, "If this proposal involves using any of the resources of my organization, then it is matter that must be put before the Assembly of Members. That would entail bringing every full member of the organization into the knowledge of you proposal. If it is a personal request, then it may remain strictly between you and I, if that is your desire."

He sipped again at his drink, watching her reactions over the brim of the glass, "I do not say this to deter you, but simply so that you will understand what scope your proposal may have depending on how many people you are comfortable with involving." He paused then, letting her weigh his words and make the next move.

[SalmonMax]

Alexandra shrugged, not put off at all. "Well, I'll tell you what I have in mind, and you can tell me what bringing it about will take, and we can decide where to go from there."

"I'm a creator. Physical science is my brush and paints, electronic components and technological achievements are my canvas. Something I'm working on, getting close to, has the potential to radically affect the world. I want to make sure it does so in a way that will be beneficial for baselines and novas alike. To do that, I need more control over its development and distribution than a shareholder-owned company would be willing to provide. I could spend the resources and time to create my own organization for it, or I can try to find an existing organization that fulfills certain requirements, and either has...or can acquire...the resources necessary to roll out the technology worldwide."

"I think Exalt! has the potential to become that organization. What I offer is control of a technology that will have the wealthiest novas on the planet lining up to see who can write you the biggest check. What I want is to retain control of the underlying science and engineering of the technology. In other words, Exalt! would serve as a public face for the tech, claiming it came from some of the talented men and women of your organization, but that you respect their request for confidentiality. Marketing, distribution, finance...all of that would be your call. My role would be as a consultant, and the source of the machines which you'd then distribute as your own. So if you made a deal for a hundred units, you'd let me know and I'd give you a hundred units. What you did with them...up to you. The money you make...yours. I offer this because I believe, from what I've seen, that you'd make every effort to make this available for any nova who wanted it."

[Brute]

“I see Mr. Bear isn’t with us today,” Dr. Sellas was saying.

Brute was lying on the black couch in the office, like usual. “Naw,” she drawled, “he was sleepy.” She had left him tucked in upstairs in bed, with the lights down dim and the heating on. He seemed happier that way.

“How have you been this week?”

Brute shrugged. “Ah dunno, really. Things are all different now, an’ they’re exactly the same, too. S’lahke, ah know what’s wrong but ah still don’t know what ta do about it. An’ after Puck went an’ changed on me…”

She looked down at the tribal swirls on her right forearm, wondering if their sibling tattoo had somehow been invalidated. Puck had tried to explain what happened to him, but she did not understand. All she knew was that her brother was starting to get familiar and then something happened and he turned different. Not bad different, but just not the same.

“How does that make you feel?” Laura asked, sitting on her chair as usual with that same sympathetic, thoughtful expression she always wore when talking with Brute.

“Confused. All this is confusin’. Ah don’t know what’s goin’ on, really. Mah head don’t make no sense. Puck takes care o’ me. Ah owe him everythin’, but ah don’t get why ah feel so damn bad unless he’s around.”

Laura smiled. “That’s not uncommon around Novas. Puck is a very charismatic, very kind person. Those qualities in a baseline – like me – might help you smile when you’re sad without really changing your mood. In Puck they’re at a whole other level, and they do change your mood. But when he’s not around your brain chemistry returns to its normal patterns and you feel sad again. That’s nothing to worry about and it’s exactly what I’d expect.”

Brute nodded. She thought she remembered reading about that, though figuring out why or how or when she read about it she could not say. With one finger she began to trace the lines of her tattoo, sister to the one on Puck’s left arm. Stood side by side – on the correct side anyway – the patterns combined in some special way and looked new and awesome. Not beautiful as such, though the lines were flawless without a single drop of ink out of place, but somehow dramatic and amazing.

“Ah think ah lahke tattoos,” Brute said. She could see herself with more, certainly. But then, she could change her skin if she wanted, and just give herself some. The forearm tattoo was special, though. It would never go away. “Sorry. Jus’ thinkin’ out loud. Am ah ungrateful?”

“I don’t know. Are you? Do you resent what Puck’s done for you?”

“Naw.”

“Then you probably aren’t.”

Brute folded her arms on her stomach and stared up at the plain white roof. There was a clock ticking over somewhere nearby, playing out another day of her life. An’ what a lahfe it is. “Shouldn’t ah be happy, though?”

Laura leaned forward. “Eden, what was done to you was horrible. From what you told me last week you were assaulted psychologically and emotionally, for a very long time. There are people out there in comparable situations that have never been set upon by a Nova or affected by Nova abilities, and those people are incapable of being happy. There is nothing wrong with being sad. You are not going to heal overnight. I wish I could take away your pain, and I know your brother does. For now, all you can do is try to relax, and accept that it’s okay to be sad, even if you’re surrounded by people who love and care for you. But try to remember that the pain is behind you now, and you can start rebuilding.”

She closed her eyes. Her chest felt constricted, but there were no tears coming. It was a pain so hard to define or explain, and even harder to force away. All she could do was seek out Puck and try to forget for a while. That brought something to mind.

“Dr. Sellas,” Brute said, and kicked herself up to sitting, moving with a kind of physical precision that belied her speech, “can ah ask ya somethin’?”

“Always, Eden. What’s on your mind?”

“Ah was on the OpNet the other day an’ ah read somethin’ by these folks callin’ ‘emselves the Defense o’ Human Dignity an’ Free Will Organization. You know who they are?”

Dr. Sellas’s expression darkened. “Yes. I’m familiar. Do go on.”

Brute leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and studied the clean grey carpet. “Ah saw this – uh – press release by ‘em, sayin’ how Novas lahke Puck are some sorta… walkin’ drug factory, ah think they said. An’ they said that people lahke me, who only feel happy when they’re around people lahke Puck… they said we’re no better than addicts. They got these, uh, detox centres, where people lahke me can go an’ jus’ be locked away an’ learn how to be alone. Only,” she frowned, “ah’m all fahne at bein’ alone. Ya know? Ah don’t get lonely. Not really. People are nahce an’ all, but ah could go on back to the arctic an’ just live out there on the ahce. S’a bit borin’, but ah could do it, ya know? Ah jus’… they all sound so dang sure, ya know? An’ ah’m not sure what ah feel about much o’ anythang rahght now. Do they got a point, doc?”

The doctor sighed. “There are some elements of truth to what they say, yes. Some baselines can and do become addicted to the presence of so-called ‘butterflies’. Have you heard that term?”

Brute nodded.

“It’s derived from ‘social butterfly’ of course, reflecting that certain Novas are mesmerizing in such situations, and delightful. Puck is a butterfly.”

“An ah’m a Brute,” Brute said, smiling.

“Well, that’s a different issue entirely. But the point is that the organization knows a lot more about baseline psychology than it does about Nova psychology. From what you’ve said to me, you possess a level of autonomy that’s unusual. You should be finding it very hard to interact with any of us after the life you’ve led. Since you were chased away from your home your only interaction with humanity has been people attempting to kill you. That doesn’t make someone very functional, yet just the other day you were quite happily out there shopping with Puck. So no, you’re not an addict, and please try to understand that. You want to be around Puck because he’s your brother and he loves you, and he’s the only person from your past that cares about you. The one thing that’s obvious to me, Eden, is that you’re trying very hard to come to terms with your past. Puck can help you with that, he may be the only one that can. And I believe that is a far more pressing drive for you – even if you don’t acknowledge it mentally – than simply ‘feeling good’.”

Brute nodded. That seemed to make sense. But still, she had been doing some reading of her own and they seemed to make sense, too. “Ah’ve been gettin’ a lot o’ messages from ‘em. They seem real sure. They don’t like Puck much, if ah’m readin’ it rahght. Got a mail from this other group, too, an’ they seem real worried about me an’ mah soul."

"Who were they?"

"The Church o' Mahchael Archangel. They seemed real upset about when ah grew in the woods t'other week. Said ah'm channellin' the devil an' ah'm... ah dunno what. Said ah ain't never supposed to use this abilities o' mahne, that they're evil. Don’t blame ‘em for that. Might be they're rahght. Ain’t one o’ those commandment thingies ‘thou shalt not kill’? Ah’m in real trouble over that one. Maybe ah oughta go to church or somethin’. Ah didn't answer 'em yet. Figured ah oughta have a good think 'fore ah do that.”

Laura frowned at her. “We can maybe discuss religion next week, Eden. That’s a rather expansive topic, especially where Novas are concerned.”

Brute nodded, still thinking about the ranting, abusive messages left in her inbox. Well, sort of abusive. They hated the Nova she was, but loved the Nova she could be. “They said ah shouldn’t o’ grown up on Everest, an’ ah was in the wrong when ah did it that tahme in the woods wit’ Puck. Are they rahght, doc? Are my powers evil? Ah mean, ah lahke usin’ ‘em. Is that the whole problem wit’ me?”

The answer was a heartfelt sigh. “That’s a very difficult question to answer, but no, your issues run a lot deeper. Would you be so kind as to forward the messages they sent you so I can have a read and think? We can address that next time once I’ve seen exactly what they’ve been telling you.”

“Sure.”

“And, what’s this about messages from the FWO, if I may ask?”

“Jus’ what it sounds lahke. Ah’ve been gettin’ all kinds o’ messages from ‘em.”

“To your Exalt! OpNet account?”

“Naw, that’s all internal an’ stuff. Ah got mahself an external one. Ah’ll delete ‘em.”

They switched topics after that, and discussed a few other things that had been troubling Brute over the past weeks since coming to New York, before reaching the end of their session.

“I want you to speak with Mariana Tori. She’s the physicals lead here in Exalt! and I think she might be able to run you through your paces a little.”

Brute shrugged. “Sure. Ah’ll go see Mr. Bear now, ah think.”

“Okay, I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you. Could you do me a favour, Brute, and forward all the mails you’ve received from the FWO to my Exalt! account?”

Brute blinked. “Why d’ya want ta see those, doc?”

“Oh, I’m just curious to see what they’re saying to you.”

“Sure.” She left the office shortly after and headed back up to her rooms, where she sent down all the mails and then sent one to Mariana, asking if she could arrange an appointment soon.

Brute spent a while just sitting, watching Mr. Bear. She did not disturb him, though. He was doing what she couldn't. Rest. Right now she did not feel she needed a hug, and he looked so cute all tucked in and warm. Ah'm all cold, she thought, sadly. Not lahke him. She tried not to tell herself that her father was right about her all along. Laura and Puck were both adamant about that, and she had noticed the way Puck gained that scary look in his eyes when she talked about their father. He always smiled and soothed her, but sometimes she would catch him looking away, and that was when his eyes turned dark and his hands balled into fists. Ah make him angry. That ain't no good.

She left her rooms and began to wander the building, the way she often did, just studying the house her brother built with a quiet resignation. Brute would never build. All of this, all of these people who were made so happy by knowing Puck, they were a quiet indictment of his elder, dumber sister. Ah got no place in his lahfe. Not really. 'Specially not now.

It was hard for her to reconcile her feelings. The Puck who came to her little ice cave was gone. Someone like him was nearby, but that someone was newer. Shinier. While she was duller than ever.

Eventually Brute came to sit on a row of seats in a darkened part of the building, and wondered what she was supposed to do. Everyone in Exalt! was so useful. But she had nothing to offer. Nothing but heartache and - she figured - irritation. How could they not be annoyed? Novas weren't meant to be broken. They were supposed to fix things. Utopia said so, and everyone liked Utopia. Well, except for the ones who liked the Teragen, who didn't think Novas were meant to fix things. But they didn't think Novas were meant to break them, either. Or they did.

She sighed, and banged the back of her head against the wall. It did not hurt, of course, though the wall didn't like it much. She heard the plaster crack and dent, and winced. "Awww... shit."

Brute closed her eyes, and tried not to think. Life, she was discovering, just worked better that way.

***

To: Puck@Exalt!Op.net

From: Sellas.Laura@Exalt!Op.net

Subject: Defense of Human Dignity and Free Will Org

Hey, Puck, I’ve just finished my weekly chat with Eden. There’s a little improvement in her general mood. She’s managed to explain what happened to her after that long session she had with you last week. I think it’s been very helpful for her to be able to vocalize it, but she seems incapable of really grappling with her own feelings on the subject and dealing with them in a constructive manner.

Your recent changes seem to have unsettled her, but that was to be expected. I’m still detecting a strong lack of self-esteem, which is likewise expected and has just taken a nasty new turn.

It turns out Brute made an external OpNet account for herself in addition to her internal Exalt! account. That account has been targeted by the FWO with an extremely aggressive campaign. You know the arguments by now; butterflies are psychologically addictive, the only way to get free of them is to ‘detox’ in solitary confinement, the lord Jesus is our saviour etc. etc. I don’t know if there’s anything we can do about this but I find this both loathsome and troubling. Eden is still confused and vulnerable, and the last thing she needs is to be beginning to wonder if being around you is making her weaker, when I’m absolutely certain you’re critical to her getting her feet under her again.

Speaking of her feeling confused and vulnerable, she seems to be wondering about religion now. On its own that’s quite fine but Eden does not strike me as a spiritual girl. In fact she raised the issue in relation to potential spiritual punishment. I don’t need to tell you how destructive it can be for a sensitive, vulnerable girl to get it into her head she’s on her way to eternal damnation for the terrible sin of defending herself from – if I understand correctly – a military attack helicopter. I’m not sure how to proceed on this one, though.

Either way, these FWO messages worry me. They’ll definitely send more. What if they lure her away? I’m really concerned that the work we’ve done with her will be undone, and we both know they’ll rub your nose in it and parade her around on TV like some sort of fresh hunting kill.

The Church of Michael Archangel is as short on surprises and subtlety as ever. It’s the usual smorgasbord of pro-Jesus rhetoric and accusations of evil. They’ve specifically mentioned her stunt up on Everest and in the woods recently and seem to be making her feel uncertain of them. Given that up until you met her that Everest stunt seems to be her one strong positive memory I’m very unhappy with this development. She needs some points of certainty in her mind, not fresh layers of doubt to bury even her happy memories under.

I guess all I can say is that this is a complication she doesn’t need. Again, I have no idea how to proceed. The CMA is pretty good at spouting its crap, and Eden just doesn’t have what she needs to defend herself against them. I’m going to discuss religion with her in depth next week and see what comes of that.

[Shosuro Miren]

Puck was silent for a moment, a small crease to his brow showing that he was thinking. He set his glass down and regarded Genesis. "Two things. One, if I'm to say that the technology came from a member of Exalt!, then it will actually need to come from a member of Exalt!. I have no issue keeping your identity and membership confidential, but I....hmn....to be perfectly frank, Genesis, I am incapable of saying otherwise. Lying is...unavailable to me. I do not tell this to many people because most would not believe me and those that would generally figure it out on their own after spending time with me, or at least assume that I simply choose never to lie. While the rest of the members are capable of lying, it is more than highly discouraged."

"As for the technology, I can only think of two things that would inspire such...fervor...in so many novas: a "cure" for taint, for those that see it as disease, or a cure for their personal sterility." He tilted his head, still thinking, "As you said this would benefit both baselines and novas, I am more inclined to think the latter, as there are also sterile baselines, though I'm sure many could make the argument that the former is also of benefit to baselines indirectly. Either way," he waved off the quandary for the moment, "I think it is the first issue that must be adressed first."

"You could apply to join Exalt!. I can make no guarantees, but barring a major and incurable psychological disorder or inability to socialize positively with others, I would think you could do so with ease." He laced his hands together, "Given your desire for secrecy, the only major obstacle I believe you might have with membership would be that it requires a full disclosure of a nova's capabilities. I have already had a request from another nova that is in the process of joining that her file be kept out of electronic mediums for her own sense of security and privacy. Similar accommodations could be made for yourself if you are uncomfortable with the general membership having access to your records; those of the Leadership Council would have access, simply for coordination of Exalt! efforts and knowledge of what capabilities are available for a given project."

"Alternatively, you can, as you put it, serve as a consultant and manufacturer and have Exalt! function as your distributor, but if asked, I will say that that is how we are functioning: as a distributor for a manufacturer that prefers to remain confidential. And in either situation, distribution of your device would depend on exactly what it is and an analysis done on its probable impact on the population, both nova and baseline." He leaned back in his chair, still regarding her with his impossibly blue eyes, "As for money, that is easily enough come by that if I am correct in either instance of what your invention is for, neither is something that should be restricted to those with wealth. As you indirectly stated that you have no need of any of the funds that might be accrued from the device's sale, if Exalt! is to distribute it we would do so without charge. We can absorb the cost of setting up distribution without bankrupting ourselves, I would hope." He smiled at the last; true, they weren't solvent yet, but he had faith in Rollin and their investments so far seemed to be doing well.

"So, what exactly does your inven-" His OpPhone played beeped in a low, musical chord, stopping him mid-question. He frowned again, but was already reaching for it as he apologized, "Forgive me please, but I need to check what this is."

After a moment of reading, and his expression becoming a tightly controlled neutral, he tapped out an inhumanly fast response to whatever he'd been sent and slid the slim phone into his back pocket. "My apologies, again. Where were we? Ah, yes, what exactly does this invention do?"

Return Message

To: Sellas.Laura@Exalt!Op.net

From: Puck@Exalt!Op.net

Thanks for the heads-up, Laura. I'll talk with her about the FWO, and maybe take her around to speak to some religious leaders in the city. Religion is something she's going to encounter a great deal, and that she'll need to make up her own mind about. As for the external account, I really do think she should keep it, but I'll show her how to set up filters and get her to some OpSites that explain about spamming and give histories of the organizations that are sending her those OpMails.

It's a good sign, at least in my opinion, that she actually took the initiative to open that other account on her own. I love her and I'm wary of how others will try to manipulate her, but I can't be her shield forever and she seems to know that. Hopefully, despite these annoyances, this will have a positive outcome for her. I think perhaps we should set up a seminar for the organization where people can talk about their personal religious, spiritual, and philosophic beliefs, and have her sit in on that so she knows that there are many different opinions about such things, even in Exalt!. It might confuse her for a while, but it'll give her a chance to ask her questions directly to people that are already supportive of her and care about her.

Let me know if you have any other ideas or concerns about what I've proposed.

Puck

[SalmonMax]

"It's a cure for taint," Genesis replied. "The reason I'm being so secretive is because the same technology, applied in a different way, could be used as a weapon against novas. That's why I can't just hand over the schematics and let you do whatever you want. The machines will be black boxes...unopenable, self-destroying if tampered with." She smiled and added, "Not an explosion of course. Just internally."

"You're correct that fully joining is...problematic for me. I'm not ruling it out, but I'd rather handle that situation separately from this one. Any public or semi-public persona attributable to me should be separate from my capacity to deliver this kind of technology, or other global-scale manipulations of the status quo."

"As for money, I suspected you'd want to distribute the technology for free, once you realized what it was. That's one of the reasons I approached you first. Thank you for not disappointing me."

"Now, about the nature of taint. I realize not every nova considers taint to be a problem that needs solving, and I have no issue with that. The fact remains though, and cannot be denied, that for many novas it is exactly that. Until now there have been only very limited means for such novas to cope with the problem....when a problem it is. I'd like to change that. I believe that the presence of such a technology could improve baseline-nova relations, but only if it's used correctly. I won't lie to you...while my machines will not be harmful, the underlying technology and understanding of node and quantum powers could very easily be. A key security feature is that to my knowledge, no one has the combination of computer, engineering, and quantum physics knowledge necessary to program the devices but me. And I can create the devices whole-cloth...with no manufacturing process, no blueprints, no schematics of any kind stored anywhere outside my mind. My identity then becomes the last weak point...which is why, in this case, I cannot be associated with it. Telepaths have to focus on specific individuals to successfully read hidden, deep information."

"Of course, you yourself would be another potential weak point now, but I'm willing to take that risk. From what I understand, your mind has adequate defenses...and your contacts with the Teragen and other groups discourage the kind of assault that would be necessary.

Genesis leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"For all the dangers, I can't just sit on this. The existence of novas who have incurable psychoses, or uncontrollable powers, is one of the bugaboos impeding real discussion about the role novas have in society...or even outside. If novas have a real chance to control those things, without having to spend fifty years meditating, or consort with a group...forgive me for saying...has a sinister reputation, especially among baselines, then maybe the finger-pointing can be reduced, and the degree of communication can be improved. That alone would change the schedule and buy some time..."

Her eyes popped open and she cut herself off.

"Sorry. You're the first one I've talked to about this, so it's kind of all...splashing out. Not your problem though. So!"

"The final, edited draft looks something like this. I'll be a manufacturer for Exalt!, one who will remain anonymous. I realize that will breed some suspicion over the devices...hopefully the results will allay that. If not, we'll need to re-examine. I will provide Exalt! with a limited number of machines for the initial rollout. They will be provided free of charge. I will also provide Exalt! with a complete manual on the machines external operation, and a description of the process, as it appears from an outside perspective. All of this information can be made public at Exalt!'s discretion. My true identity, and any information about the machine's underlying technology is to be kept secret...ideally from the Council as well. Since I've already revealed this much to you, and I realize that I'm not above suspicion, I offer to make the complete schematic and operational principles known to one person...either you, or someone you designate...so long as adequate means to shield this person from discovery and mental assault are taken."

The mousy, nondescript...and by now Puck was sure that this appearance had been chosen, even artfully designed, specifically for that trait...woman put her fingers to her temple and grimaced, as if fending off a headache.

"I'd be willing to put up funds too...to offset any costs of distribution...marketing...whatever. I have scads of the stuff lying around these days, back from when I thought I'd need it to be a player once we broke out of that island."

[Shosuro Miren]

"A cure for taint." It was neutrally, though the irony of approaching a Terat with such a device was seeped into the words. There was something else there, too, a slight smile playing at edges of his lips at some even more private amusement. "You know, you've placed a bomb in my hands at this point."

He waved a hand as she started to speak, "No, I'm not saying I won't help you, I'm just pointing out that this is far more intricate than simply opening the doors and telling people 'taint cure to the left!". Trust me." He sighed, "How do the machines work? I'm not asking for schematics at this point, I'm asking how a nova would interact with it."

"Well, they would enter the cryogenic chamber and activate the machine. The machine realigns their quantum signature and their node in order to undo the...." Genesis glanced up at him, "I'm not trying to be rude..."

Puck shrugged, "Just speak. I'd rather understand than bandy synonyms or opinions."

She nodded, straitening a little, "The machined undoes the damage to the quantum signature, realigning it with the na-original pathways of the node and the nova as a whole. I estimate that it would take several weeks for a typical nova that has only begun to show signs of taint accumulation. More severe cases would, by definition, take longer and perhaps even take multiple sessions."

Puck arched a brow and carefully kept any other expression off of his face. A technological Chrysalis...without the benefits of Chrysalis, I expect. "I see. So, a person is suspended for an indeterminate amount of time and at the end is expected to emerge free of taint? From your words, it sounds as though you have not actually tested the device yet?"

"No, not yet. I will have a finished prototype by the end of the fortnight. Then I would seek tissue samples for the first trials. If those went well, I would begin looking for a willing test subject." Her look was earnest - and hopeful.

You want me to find you tainted flesh and a willing Terat. Not an unreasonable request, I suppose. "I can most likely accommodate you on that, though it will take some time and a fair amount of convincing." He crossed his legs and took another drink of the Ambrosia. "The machine itself is honestly only a small consideration in grand scheme of what this all implies. First, never doubt that at some point someone will either be able to get a hold of, disarm, and deconstruct the machine, at the least; also, once there is the understanding that technology is capable of this, you'll have a market for every high-intelligence nova to replicate the process, whether by cribbing your design or concocting a new variant. That is inevitable, even if it is years or a few decades off."

He let that sink in for a moment before continuing, "The second issue is Utopia. Specifically the Science & Technology division and the laws now in place via the UN about novatech. Your insistence on secrecy regarding the inner workings of the machine, which I do agree with, would make it impossible to use legally in any UN nation. Exalt! could not offer the treatments here in New York without losing our licence as a business and myself at least being arrested for the use and dissemination of blacktech." He tapped a finger on the armrest, his mind thinking in a number of directions at once, "That being said, there are nations outside of the UN that would be more than willing to allow such a....clinic to be set up. The most notable is the King Einherjar's Congo, so long as he would agree to it, but there are reasons those nations are not a member of the UN and moving your devices there would also make them a Utopian and Proteus target. And subject to the requirements of whatever government or tyrant rules there. There is plenty of unclaimed land in the world, if you know the places to look, though security against Utopian raids - and quite possibly Teragen raids as well - becomes an expensive requirement."

"The third issue is that a technology that provides something so desired by many novas at the cost of utter defenselessness for an indeterminate amount of time, with a Terat involved as well - this is something that you cannot give away for free." He shook his head at the stupidity but truthfulness of the situation, "Most will think it a Teragen recruiting method at best, and others will simply see a Teragen trap to remove novas that will not join us. A nationally neutral territory, with transportation and a sliding scale fee for those that would use the machines will make it much more attractive. It will make it seem like a business venture, not a trap or other nefarious plot. Greed is something everyone on this planet seems to understand, and most are suspicious if they find it absent."

He took a breath and came to a decision, "I personally am willing to assist you with this. The funds you mentioned? Use them to permanently hire a band of Elites to act as the primary defense force for the location we will find. Once you have a working device and have conducted the necessary tests to be ready to offer the service, I would suggest allowing me to bring the plan before the Exalt! Assembly, to see if the organization as a whole is willing to assist you by operating and maintaining the facilities." He quirked a grin, "I might just have to start a country of my own for this. Somehow, though, I have a feeling I'll loose my shiny building and Central Park view." He shrugged, seeming not too concerned by it. "Either way, that is my suggestion for starting this endeavor. If you would give me a moment...."

He sat back in his chair and closed his own eyes; she could feel a brush of quantum, like a wave flowing gently around her and expanding outward. After several minutes, Puck opened his eyes and pulled out his OpPhone, quickly thumbing through a dozen different databases before nodding and holding the phone out to Genesis. "Here. There was a country, Kiribati, that existed at the turn of the century. Due to rising ocean levels, the entirety of the atolls and islands that made up the nation flooded about twenty years ago. Utopia's efforts at climate control have lowered the sea levels again, but the nation no longer exists and the islands are still abandoned. A referendum was put forward by the last president of Kiribati to the former citizens about returning and rebuilding the nation, but not even enough of the former citizens responded for the referendum to go through. Apparently most of them found their new countries enjoyable enough not to want to spend the next decade or three rebuilding. No other nations have claimed the islands or the territorial waters around them." The pictures fading through a slideshow showed beautiful strips of bright green land surrounded by waters the color of Puck's eyes. A few also showed the waterlogged and decimated remains of what must have been homes, governmental buildings, and roads. He grinned at her as she looked them over. "Wanna go start a country?"

He pulled the phone back and winked at her, "As a silent partner, of course."

[SalmonMax]

Genesis considered Puck's words...or more accurately, his reaction to his own words and to the situation. Most of what he'd said had been anticipated, though he'd seen social ramifications she hadn't. She'd hoped to ease him into the complexity, though it was a relief to see that he wasn't deterred by it all.

"There are some other possibilities to help with those issues I can bring to the table," she said carefully. "I haven't discussed this with my family yet, but if I can get their goodwill on the project, I could house a limited number of pods...perhaps ten to start with, double that with some redecorating...at the home that I share with my family. Our home is in international waters, has all the security I could build into it, is mobile, and is constantly crewed by some of the most powerful novas to walk the planet. Plus, we're already on Proteus' shit list, so it wouldn't be any MORE sought after than it already is. The problem with doing it that way is that everyone wishing to undergo the process would have to be sedated prior to transport, and kept that way until after they were returned. Of course, that, and the limited number of machines I can host, mean a very long waiting list, even if the security is much tighter."

"Another possibility would be an orbital habitat. I could construct one on rather short notice and Warren could put it into orbit. That alone puts it out of reach of most of the people who'd want to do a raid. There are some novas who could still hit it, but it's hard to completely remove that danger. Still...when dealing with resourceful people, backed up by quantum powers, it's hard to come up with a completely impossible scenario."

She paused, thinking. "It's not something you have to decide right away. The machine is still in the last phase of development. And even when it's ready for rollout, the danger won't start until we've had as much time as we need to prepare. Right now, you and I are the only ones who even know it exists. On the other hand, the changes I want it to make will take time too...and that's on a schedule of it's own. So we can't drag our heels TOO much."

"Regardless of where and how you decide to deploy, I'll be more than happy to provide the security...both in systems and in personnel. If necessary, I could even build you another ship like my family uses. With all the lab space and living quarters stripped down, it could hold a lot of pods."

"For now though, I suppose we both need a bit of thinking before we proceed, so I'll head on out. Any other questions you have for me?"

[Shosuro Miren]

A ship and an earlier mention of an island. My my, someone else seems to have made their own Nursery. That sparks a bit more hope for the future in me, honestly. He shrugged, "No specific questions at the moment, though I do have a few observations. The reason I suggested Kiribati was that people could find it, and get to it through mundane methods without too much trouble. A space station in orbit may have a slight security advantage over something Earth-bound, but you're back to the position of requiring people to generally rely on you for transportation and security for the procedure. The islands mean that novas wishing to use the process could also have "overseers" tag along to, well, oversee their safety while they're in suspension. Providing that space on a space-station is far more costly and the station itself is more vulnerable by its nature to sabotage."

"As for the ship idea...." He shook his head, "I don't see much advantage to it over the islands other than being able to move it. While in theory that's a security advantage, again from the point of view of the potential user, it's another way to end up somewhere unpleasant after turning yourself over to the care of those maintaining the machines. The islands would be a stable location, potential guests could come and look the place over first, accommodating companions would be easy enough. Although, the ship as a method of transport for those that could not otherwise afford it, as well as a general resource for Exalt! would be highly appreciated, if it is something you could put together easily. In any of these events, I'll look into setting up what resources and paperwork are need on my end without arising undue interest, and await your return."

He stood up, smiled, and offered her a hand, "Shall I walk you back downstairs, or are you leaving by more direct methods?"

[SalmonMax]

Alex grinned ruefully. "This is one reason I couldn't do it alone," she admitted. "I lose the human edge...it's all just equations to me sometimes. Alright then."

She stood up. "I'll walk, thanks."

The trip back to the lobby was quiet, as there wasn't much left to be said. At the front doors though, Genesis shook Puck's and and said with a certain impish gleam in her eyes, "If this all works out, then perhaps we can work together again. My next project will really shake things up." With a playful wiggle of her fingertips, she started towards the door. "Bye for now!"

[Quantum Fire]

End of Thread

XP: 2 Standard, 2 baseline, 2 Nova