Aberrant: Nova Reality - The Show Must Go On

[Sandcaster]

8:55. Sandcaster watched the clock creep toward the appointed hour with a deep feeling of dread. The last thing in the world she wanted was for that damned show to come back on the air...but it couldn't be forestalled forever, and she knew it. But she would be damned if it was going to just pop back on the air in the same format as before - a format that had caused the Knights more trouble than it had been worth over the past year.

With a certain amount of resignation, she pushed back from her desk and walked out of her office, making her way down the hall as if she were marching to her execution. Which in a way, I suppose I might be; if they demand the original format restored, I'm not sure I can still be a Knight.

Baseline staff she encountered in the halls noted the look on her face, and effectively shut down; none of them was up to tapping the Team Leader when she had that look going, at least not for anything short of an emergency. I'll take one emergency and a side of fries, please, she thought to herself; it'd have to be better than this. But Chicago continued to trundle along disaster-free this morning, and she came to the door of the conference room with two minutes to spare.

Faces. All turning to look at her. And there, amid them, was one that brought strength to her heart even if it took just a touch of it from her knees. That warm smile...and a memory of wildflowers and roses.... With a hint of a smile creeping involuntarily to her face, Sandcaster forged ahead to the front of the room with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. "All right, folks, we need to bring this thing back on the air. So how exactly do we format it to keep our previous problems to a minimum? Do we just limit camera placement? Do we go to a COPS-like format? Do we come up with something completely new? Discuss."

[Jager]

"Well," Jager says, starting it off, "we can no move to a voice controlled access system with different personnel having override capabilities in different area. I suggest we move Gregg and Clark up to Cheif Editor's slots and let them pull the stuff that might be unwarranted. Beyond that, we allow as much access as possible."

Jager slides around slightly, examining the room.

"On a somewhat larger scale, I want us to think about what this show means ... to us. For me, since I first joined the Knights at its inception, I've always wanted us to be a model of an nova social unit. Not only showing the baseline audience our similarities and differences, but also showing novas that we can shove our over-weened egos aside and work cooperatively together. I want us to be, and to be seen as, a functional democracy. One nova, one vote."

"To further that, and I think its important that we show this to the world, I would like Sandcaster to step down as Team Leader ... say in a week or two."

Jager looks to Sandcaster and gives her a friendly smile,

"You've done a bang-up job in some really trying times. In fact, that's one of the reasons you should step aside for a while and live a little. This job has consumed you for the past several months. Let someone else bear up with the heartaches and tough calls for a while."

He looks around the room again.

"I suggest Cade, or Sean. Cade has the experience and a high degree of trust amongst the populace ... and Sean, well Sean needs to develop it. On the down side, the Team Leader is going to have to be more accessable than us rank and file-ers. Spooks like myself and Digi don't like too much camera time, but the people we work beside are going to want to know what the one in charge is up to."

Jager leans forward for emphasis,

"We can really show the world what novas are like, and what we can do in more than just fifteen second snips and sound-bites. We are people, with lives and with challenges and abilities outside what the vast majoritiy are used to ... even our fellow novas."

Jager leans back.

"Well, that's my suggestion, anway."

[Cade]

Cade nods along with what is said up until Jager mentions his name. "With respect, I don't think it appropriate for me to be Leader of the Knights. I have too many ties to other places. Though I would support Sean as a leader in the event Sandcaster steps down from that role."

He looks over to Sandcaster. "Don't take my comments as calling to replace you, I think you've done a great job with leading the Knights. Your leadership is among the things I considered before I joined this team. I would follow it now still as I would have then."

On the issue of the show, he says little. "I like the idea of letting them see our lives, letting us see that we do normal things as well. I joined knowing that my actions would be seen by the general populace."

[z-Sean McCline]

Sean is lounging in his chair, making plans for Iharra's birthday party this Saturday. She was going to be ten, and he wanted to make her first birthday with him really special. Therefore, it is with relunctance that he puts away his OpNet device when Sandcaster walks in the room.

His mind is still half on balloons and clowns when Jager says his name; otherwise, Cade would have never had a chance to speak up. As it is, Sean's face has plenty of time to assume a mask of horror, shock and disbelief by the time he manages to squeak out, "Me?!"

Before anyone can answer his non-question, Sean gathers himself and says, "With all due respect to Jager, I think that having me as the Team Leader is a really bad idea. I don't have the experience or the training to be Team Leader. Plus, how safe is Chicago going to feel with me as their protector? I am still a Terat, and I still get nasty comments from people on the streets.

"But," Sean says as an idea occurs to him. "Jager is right about one thing. Sandcaster needs some help. I want her to remain Team Leader, but she needs someone to help, like a... back-up Team Leader, or an assistant. How does that sound?"

He catches himself and adds, "And on the reality show, I think that if we return it, we need to limit certain areas; the labs, for one, and Sandcaster's - and her assistant's - office, for another." And he sits back and gives a hard swallow, praying that they like his idea.

[Access]

Amped's look grows concern as he listens to everybody speak.

"So we're going to have to return to that dreadful TV show? The last thing I want to be concerned with is how ethical I've got to be on television when I cut off traffic signals to clear a path for a line of ambulances. Though since it doesn't look like we have much choice, we will have to make some changes on the way things work. We will not have permanent cameras in any secure areas, temporary ones can be set up upon approval, but I'm not about to allow somebody to mount something on the ceiling of our conference room, or on the inside of my lab, or in the cells downstairs. Safety and security are our concern, not ratings."

His eyes fall upon Sandcaster, then back over everybody in the room. "Leadership is not something I've been concerned with, because we haven't had any issues with the current structure, but I suppose it is something we need to have on paper, even for legal reasons. The first distinction I would like to recommend is a different between field leader, and team leader, and I would like for there to be two different field teams, with the two field team leaders having a combined veto power over the team leader. That will keep anybody from making an obviously bad decision."

Access now turns to Cade. "Now I know you wouldn't like team leader, but I can see you in a position such as field team leader, we need your face, your presence, and your experience in such a spot."

"Sandcaster I would like for you to keep command in the field, you have a excellent field record, and you already have Chicago's trust."

"As far as the team leader position goes, I would have no problem taking it myself, but I would like to hear the opinions of others as well, and I would prefer to stay as a coordinator, though we would need a clear spot defined in the heirarchy for that as well."

[Stormwarden]

Stormwarden tries to concentrate on the task at hand, but her mind and thoughts keep drifting back to Sandcaster. Finally, she decides to talk from the heart.

"I think Sandcaster is an excellent leader. She has seen us through some really tough times and done well. If we need secondary leaders, she can appoint them as needed."

"As for the show, if it has to come back, we should control it. We need to decide what message we mean to convey to the rest of the world and act toward that goal."

She avoids beaming back at Sandcaster and instead looks at the other team mates to gauge their thoughts.

[Ally]

"First off, you are a competent leader Sandcaster. I do think that the burden of Atlas has been placed upon your shoulders. If you would like to step back then none of us should pressure you into remaining."

Ally steeples his finger as he sits at the table between Sean and Access. "With that part said if we are going to look into leadership why don't we consider outside sources if we need to find someone? In house of course would be a good start. But I could name off a least a few who we could talk to. We could see if Interceptor wanted to come back to his creation. Perhaps Singularity would like to give this career a shot, he is a very centered individual after all and his wife is already here a lot. Of course there is a lot of others we could consider and I am merely shopping ideas."

He lets those words digest for a moment. "As for the show situation. I think we should do a mix of cops format. Perhaps wear portable camera to document our activities in the field. As well as leave the publicly accessible areas of the building viewable. Maybe the patrol briefing room as well. We are a line of defense for the people of this city. I say we give them a chance to see what they have invested in."

[Sam 'The Crusader' Hill]

"Hmmm...." Even the hum was a rich baritone that could have melted knees...if any of those present hadn't known that it came from The Crusader.

"A team is like a ship," he finally said, and groans - some silent, some not - came from nearly every other Knight in the room. "And a ship needs a Captain. Without it, the helmsman doesn't know what the navigator sees on his radar, and our ship of justice could wind up high and dry on the treacherous shoals of villainy. The engine room might not get that critical call, be it 'full steam ahead' or 'full reverse', and the forces of evil could take the opportunity to ram their hate-filled torpedoes through our armor of brotherhood, flooding the compartments of teamwork we've worked so hard to build together.

"Now I don't particularly know all of you as well as I should, but by golly, I was happy with Captain Jager, and I'm happy now with Captain Sandcaster. They might have a different touch on the tiller of teamwork, but I've been darned happy to be a member of their crew, and I'll continue to stoke the fires in the boiler of righteousness so long as someone of their calibre is at the wheel...and I'll do it whether or not there's a cameraman on board to chronicle our journeys as we ply the waters of this great ocean called life."

[kestrel404]

From outside the conferrence room, the bemused novas can hear a faint clapping sound, almost like applause. This sound cuts off briefly, then intensifies to the point that it is obviously applause, as the Alchemist walks through (literally) the locked doors of the room. "Bravo, and well said, The Crusader! We need more people with your sense of spirit!"

Alchemist grins at the people in the room as The Crusader's face gets stuck in an 'aww-shucks' smile.

"So, I hear there's been a mutiny, and the Knights are sailing free of the oppressive oars of a Reality TV crew. Or something to that effect." He grins as he chooses a chair and plops down in it. No one at the table has ever seen Alchemist act so...relaxed before.

"Sandcaster knows my views on that, and I'm pretty sure she's acting on them right now, since you're all talking about the show going back on the air in some format. Oh, and hi guys, I'm back from vacation."

[Jager]

"Glad to see you back," Jager says with obvious warmth. We are discussing not only the how/if of the show coming back on, but I've been pushing forth a discussion on the nature of the team."

Looking at his fellow novas,

"I think the show ... our show has something to contribute to this city and to the society we find ourselves in. It shows people something of who we are and how we think and feel. It should also be something that we control, for the sake of our own personal lives. That's why I propose we put Clark ... daughter of the Prince and Vali's wife, up as chief editor and producer of this aspect of Knight life. Gregg Frist, whose been here as long as the team has been in existance can help her out immensely. With those two at the top, along with the Team Leader, we can trust that the show will both show the Knights as we want them to be seen and remain captivating to our audience."

"I would also like to say that I think Sandcaster has done a bang up job here. I am not trying to lead some kind of revolt against her leadership. I am not asking her to step down because I'm unhappy, but because I want other members of the team to see just what it takes to keep things functioning here ... to understand and appreciate what it is to lead and take responsibility for not only your own actions, but that of this extended family."

"Outside of this deliberative body, the Team Leader's authority should be pretty absolute. If we have problems, we resolve them here ... inside the WCK. Outside, we live with our decisions made here and that includes who gets to call the shots both in the day-to-day and during crisises."

"If we need to split up, the Team Leader decides who is best suited to take on secondary leadership roles as the situation dictates. I'm comfortable with letting the Team Leader make those calls. Its delegation of authority."

"If you look around you, you may notice this is the second strongest gathering of novas ... second only to Team Tomorrow Americas ... and that's debatable."

"Unlike the Tommorrowites, though, we call our own shots here. We decide on what agenda's we will follow and how we interact with the world. Everyone here has gravitated to this place over time, from other fields of endeavor and has decided for whatever reason to become a Windy City Knight. We all bring different levels of interactions with the world, different background pre-erution and post, and different outlooks ... but we all came here of our own free will. We made the choice after we had seen the world, to ... be ... here."

"My point really is this: are we a job, or are we something more. Novas keep talking about a nova society and why it won't work. I say, this is it. A tentative first step of novas creating their own society, deciding on their own level of interaction with the societies around them, and working together to build something new."

Jager leans back in his seat.

"And I've been waiting a long time to say that."

[Ghostwriter]

Samhra, who has been leaning against the wall and remaining quiet for all this time, finally speaks up.

"Oh, for chrissakes, has it ever occurred to anyone that a revolving team leader position might be the way to go? Anne handles the administrative stuff, you handle the spook stuff, Sean handles the Terat stuff, Cade handles the social stuff and Access handles the computer stuff. That way, everyone gets a chance to be leader, and we know where we stand and who to obey depending on the situation."

[z-Sean McCline]

Sean tenses as Alchemist shows up. Perfect, he sighs. He's here, and I haven't had a chance to talk to him. Sean grimaces as he admits it to himself, No, I didn't make the time to do it.

Still, that was not the issue. "Samhra's suggestion sounds good to me, though relying on me for all of the Terat connections could get iffy - not all of the Terats like me, just as I don't like all of them. But that sounds good.

"However, I do have a quick question... when did the Prince's daughter get on the roster?" Sean doesn't add, Because last I heard, she was missing...

[Sandcaster]

Why Jager had let that particular cat out of the back, Sandcaster had no idea. But it was out there now, and Sean had picked up on it in short order...not surprisingly, all things considered. Still, there was little Sandcaster could do other than try to reply.

"When Vali returned to active status, he brought Clark with him. Rather than waste her considerable talents, she has been assisting in various support roles. That said, she should probably be here for this."

With a sigh and a brief apologetic look toward Vali, she reached out to the intercomm and pressed a combination of buttons. "Clark, would you be so kind as to join the rest of the Knights in the north conference room?"

[kestrel404]

Alchemist soaks in the atmosphere and the subtle cues from what the others have said. Sandcaster looks like she's open to being replaced as team lead - something that doesn't surprise him given what he knows - but the alternative of virtual anarchy is...disappointing.

"I disagree with Samhra. While we certainly each have our specialties, having a central figure to make the day-to-day beauracratic decisions is a must for a group like this, especially if we're to remain autonomous from the local government. Going back to the old pseudo-anarchy would leave us without a driving force, without a leader to move us in one direction. What we need in a leader is a visionary viewpoint, someone with a very clear and decisive view of the way things need to be, but also someone we can all trust and agree with. And the best person in the room for that would be Samhra herself, I believe."

Alchemist looks everyone at the table in the face and smiles. "How's this, then. As soon as Clark gets here, we put it to a vote. Who do we want to lead us? We can work out the details of how that will work out, as well as how the show will be done, afterwards."

[z-Sean McCline]

"Samhra?" Sean asks. "She's not even a full member." He gives the golden woman a grin and a wink as he adds, "Unless she wants to sign up now?"

[z-Clark]

Alchemist had left his lab unlabeled but neat. Endeavor - remember it is Fuusen now - had started to label things, but she had her own way of doing things, a way that didn't make sense to Clark. So she had to start again, carefully determining what each ingredient and tool was. And now, she is finally ready to begin doing actual work-

"Clark, would you be so kind as to join the rest of the Knights in the north conference room?" Sandcaster's voice intrudes upon her contemplations of where to begin her studies again.

Clark sighs and stands up, noticing that there was a slight change in her balance. It is nothing that a baseline would notice, but Clark has attuned herself to her body. The slightest changes were noticed and logged; indeed, as Clark walks up to the conference room, she notes the change in her body journal on her OpNet device.

She's done by the time that she opens the door to the conference room, but she stops when she sees the entirety of the Knights. She had avoided most of them until now - Jager, Vali and Sandcaster being the exception, of course. Clark shows only the slightest sign of surprise before she recovers. Moving easily and casually, she takes the remaining empty seat between Cade and Sandcaster. "You called for me?" she asks calmly, meeting each of the Knights' eyes without hesitation.

[Sandcaster]

"Yes, Clark. The long and the short of it is this: we need to determine the leadership direction of the Knights, and we also need to determine what to do regarding the defunct reality show. As you're one of us now, you need to be a part of this decision process.

"Would someone care to update Clark on where we currently stand on these topics?"

[Ally]

Ally has been sitting quietly in his chair since he spoke. When Sandcaster asks for elaboration he waits a beat to allow anyone else to speak to do so then proceeds.

"Basically Clark we have two issues on the table at current. Chicago and the investors would like the OpShow that Knights was founded around to come back onto the air. Since the show does not exist without the people at this table we have to sit down and decide if we allow it back, which we do it seems. But the trick is we have to decide in what capacity and format is will be in."

He looks to Sandcaster a moment then around the room. "The next issue is leadership of the WCK. If Sandcaster wishes to keep the position. If we seek to fill it within our own ranks. Or if we wish to seek a new member outside te WCK for a fresh persepctive. Right now we are simply brainstorming on this subject."

Ally rubs his chin a moment. "Samhra would be a decent choice for her telepathic abilities. But then again communication wise we haven't had a issue. Keeping Sandcaster as lead for the time is more than acceptible to me other than the fact that I simply do not wish to add stress to her life. Same goes with Dr. Alchemist. Some of us are still somewhat new to the whole Knights and the teamwork concept to volunteer for the duty. However maybe there is something else we might consider here. What if we brought in a NonNova leader? Maybe someone we would pick for their organizational skills rather than power? Just an idea of course I am not trying to step on toes."

[z-Clark]

"I see," Clark responds to Ally's information with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile. Only Vali, who has long since learned her moods, can see the irritation in her face.

"Sandcaster is an able leader," Clark says quietly. "I have no objections to her remaining as Team Leader. Additionally, the filming is not the best idea, perhaps. Hanging our foibles and faults out for all to see is a weakness."

A slow headache begins to build as she realizes that she will now have to tell Alchemist about Grey. This... will be awkward.

[DigiGeist]

Digigeist knocks on the open door before coming in.

"Sorry I'm late, everyone. Jager has me running all over the place."

He takes one of the last open seats at the table, near Samhra.

"If this is the issue about the show, I really can't say yes or no on it. It does provide a window enough nito the operations of the WCK to keep the public trust, but it also is a problem. Being in the spotlight tends to enhance flaws."

He leans back in his chair.

"Quite frankly, unless it's a win-win, I usually say no. Especially when any potential threats to the region we cover could find out what we're up to through the show. To me, Intel is important."

He sits properly again, looking at the team.

"I'd rather have some things secret. If there has to be a show, it's not going to be in the current format. It should not be. We need full control of what comes in, and what goes out. So, count me as Yes, if there is changes. DRASTIC changes."

He strokes his chin.

"And if this an issue regarding leadership, There are too many qualities that are shared here. But, if I had to make a decision it would have to be based on who has the mind and the charisma to be the major domo of the team. Alchemist has the mind, and Jager has the air of leadership."

He turns towards Jager. "Thing is, we can't have two leaders." Then to Alchemist. "But no matter what, we have to have a leader that isn't cartoonish." He smirks. "Sorry, Crusader, no insult intended."

"Quite honestly, though, Jager would be my pick. For the fact that for a time he was the man on the pulse of the WCK, he can get the field intel and react immediately, and can handle the day-to-day like it was nothing."

He smiles. "Yep, that's how I see it." He says, leaning back again.

[Sandcaster]

Having heard the many voices of her fellow Knights, Sandcaster chimed in again.

"All right then, it's sounding like we're going to have the show back on the air but with a significantly restricted format and tight editorial control on our part. Mind you, I agree with Clark on this matter wholeheartedly, but it appears that she and I are in the rather distinct minority on the issue...and so long as we have full control over content, it should still be workable.

"In light of that, I'd have to second Jager's proposal that Clark head up the project with Gregg's assistance. If nothing else," she said, permitting a touch of a smile, "I know that we can count on Clark to not let our foibles and faults out for all to see."

She gave the matter a moment to set in, then addressed the second issue. "As for leadership, there have been a lot of thoughts mentioned on that topic. But we can't implement everything, and that means we need to have a vote. Alchemist, may I safely presume that you have a handy system that Access can implement for just that?"

[kestrel404]

"Instant runoff. We've had so many people nominated that a single-vote ballot would take forever. So rank your three top choices and send them to Access from your wrist com. Here, Crusader, I'll show you how. Access, I assume you can keep our ballots secret?" Alchemist says the last with a smirk. He trusts the other knight, and doesn't think anyone will object to a semi-open ballot here.

After entering his own votes at lightning speed, he moves to The Crusader and starts to help him with his 'infernal wrist device'.

[Access]

"It shall be my pleasure." Access enjoys having Alchemist back, it just made him more confident having somebody that thought the way he did around. It didn't take him long, as soon as all the votes were in he already had the solution.

"It looks like Sandcaster will remain as Team Leader, with the addition of her taking a little bit of personal time being a common write in." Access lays his hands on a printer in the room and it prints out the tally of the votes and his calculations and hands it to Sandcaster. "So what's the next order of business boss?"

[Sandcaster]

"Well, apparently the next order of business is this bit about me going on vacation, from the sound of these write-ins...." Sandcaster wasn't thrilled with the prospect in the least. She had hated - intensely - the short period of aimlessness between losing her dual positions on Long Island and accepting a position with the Knights; to her, a vacation was about as desirable as root-canal work (and nowhere near as productive).

She looked up from the tabulated votes...and there was Stormwarden, looking at her with obvious anticipation and hope shining in her eyes. Suddenly, the thought of vacation wasn't an insurmountable wall; she thought of Rhayne, and the rest was easy.

With a smile that wasn't forced, Anne said, "So, how long were you thinking, folks?"

[kestrel404]

Alchemist grins and looks Sandcaster in the eye. "As long as you need to keep you from becoming Pax. I might not have been around, but I've got just a wee smidgen of insight into what it's like to be you - and you're as wound up as the bald nutcase that runs T2M. I think we can spare you, and perhaps another Knight, for as long as is necessary. The team's certainly big enough now."

[Sandcaster]

Sandcaster couldn't help but chuckle at the Pax reference; he was a first-class egomaniac, and if Glenn was concerned that she was heading down that road...well, maybe she really did need this vacation.

Sighing, she said, "All right, fair enough. That being the case, I would like to request a leave of absence from today - 17 April - through 15 June. I think two months of enforce leisure is about all I can stand," she added with a grin.

[z-Clark]

"With that settled, I would like to know why I am being asked to monitor the video equipment," Clark says quietly, but there is a tenseness to her voice that is unmistakable. "I'm a scientist, not a producer or video technician. My skills are... not suited toward video manipulation." The headache has built to a crescendo, and Clark has to fight to not grimace.

"Also, I would like to point out that with the video equipment, it is likely that people will see me, here," Clark adds. "I do not wish to put the Knights or Chicago in danger by being recorded. While we can edit me out completely, that itself will raise queries from the video crew, who will talk. The news will spread, and I worry about my father's response." She was more than worried - she was afraid. She was not ready to let The Prince know where she was, not yet.

[Sandcaster]

This was delicate territory. There was no doubt that Clark had good cause for her fears...but Sandcaster hoped to give her an avenue to be her own instrument of reassurance. "Clark, the idea isn't so much for you to be running the video equipment, as to oversee what is and is not approved for release. Gregg would be handling the actual interaction with the cameramen; you would be editing for security, not artistic merit. Frankly, you and Access are the two most security-minded people I know, and that's why I would like for you to head up this project. If you cannot do it, I'll accept that and we'll find someone else, but I really think that this is within your capabilities...especially with the resources at your disposal." There, Sandcaster thought; an explanation, and a bit of a challenge. Here's hoping she's up to it.

[Cade]

"Why don't we take a poll of which of us among the Knights would like to see more of? Then we have the crews forcus more on thet Knight for say a week's worth of programming? That would give the option of for those who don't wish to be recorded not to be, while still allowing a show. Of course I'm not saying that the show competely be about that Knight, but there to be a definite focus on that particular member for the week. I imagine after a week's coverage attention would shift to someone else and so on. That would provide us with a great deal of material."

The suggestion is different than the others, and while it may not seem viable, it does offer a host of options.