Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

[Prestige]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

I really like this thread. It is very interesting to see what happens next.

[Guest steamteck]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

I like the increase in crime aspect, kind of matches my own thoughts.

[Cassandra]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

Eagle Network News

 

"The city councils of Justice City, Empire City, Angel City, and Liberty City all announced that they will be granting local police powers to members of the United Superheroes of America in order to battle the current supervillain crimewave. This is seen as a reaction to the recent attack on Angel City by the supervillain Anubis and his Army of the Undead, which ravaged the West Coast City for almost a week."

 

"In reaction to the supervillain crimewave, support for President Lee's Superhuman Registration Act has dropped to just thirty percent. Despite this, Senator Bradford Ashley, sponser of the Bill in the U.S. Senate, is pushing for an early vote. Senator Ashley is quoted as saying the fact that supervillains have been running wild lately means there is an urgent need for the legilation. With the Liberty Party currently having a large majority in both Houses of Congress, it seems likely that it would pass despite the overwhelming public opposition."

 

"The vote is scheduled for one week from today."

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

Sanctuary cities for super heroes...I love it!

 

Dang...must spread some rep around.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

my rep buttons acting up right now i'll rep ASAP

[Cassandra]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

The Colin Buckingham Show on the National News Company

 

"Good Evening, All. Tonight's top story, Poseidon, former King of Atlantis, had been named by the Hidden Kingdom to be the new Ambassador to the United States. And to top things off, is about to join the United Superheroes of America. Tonight's guest, Secretary of State Daniel Arlington discusses this strange turn of events. Mr. Secretary, is this developement a harbinger of a possibile Civil War on Atlantis?"

 

"Well, Colin, that's the concern we have at the State Department. As you and your viewers know, Prince Neptune, Poseidon's son, is a member of the United Nations sanctioned team The Enforcers. With Poseidon joining a group of borderline vigilantes, it does send a mixed message from the Atlantian government."

 

"I understand that the new Atlantian Monarch has yet to be identified, and is refusing a state visit. Is the administration concerned that this is in response to the recent push for Superhuman Registration?"

 

"We think that is exactly what's going on. While the United States and most countries have their superhuman minorities, we have to remember that Atlantis, like Olympus and a number of other City States, are almost entirely superhuman. We believe that a summit with President Lee would convince the new Atlantian Monarch of the wisdom of Superhuman Registration."

 

"The Constitution Party still stands in the way of the act. And many Liberty Party members are reluctant to sign on to it. And public support in the face of the supervillain crimewave now stands are twenty five percent. Do you think that one Summit meeting can turn it all around?"

 

"Absolutely. When President Lee gains the support of the World Community, starting with the Atlantians, then support in the Liberty Party will return, and the Constitutionalist will be irrelevant."

[Cassandra]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

The Enforcers Headquarters, Knight Armored System Technologies for Law Enforcement, Empire City.

 

"We have a traitor among us," Major Victory said to the group, "The United Superheroes of America has been one step ahead of us. They know when we are going to strike a supervillain target, and move in before us. We haven't had a single good media story since the roll out."

 

"I thought we were suppose to battle evil," The Scarlet Arachnid commented, her faint russian accent making her words seem more seductive then they were, "At least that is what I signed up for when working with Paladin."

 

"Paladin has retired into a bottle," The Silver Bullet, who wore powered armor designed by the former hero, said with contempt, "No stomach for the fight."

 

"Ah, this reminds me of the great debates we had on Mount Olympus," Zeus said, gobblet in hand, "Although this Pantheon seems a bit lacking in character."

 

"Enough!" Neptune shouted, "Major Victory has accused one of us of betraying the cause. Does our esteamed leader have any idea who is the traitor?"

 

"Yes," The Scarlet Arachnid said, getting off the desk she was perched on, and running a hand seductively across the Silver Bullet's back as she gave him a playful wink.

 

"Of course I do," Major Victory said smugly, "It's you, my dear Arachnid."

 

"Of my goodness!" She exclaimed is shock, and then showing a handful of smoke bombs added, "You're right!"

 

The room exploded into a cloud of smoke. Silver Bullet's armor had radar, and he had the fleeing heroine targeted when a bomb exploded on the back of his suit, knocking him to the floor. Neptune was knocked back into Major Victory, putting them both out of action. Only Zeus was in pursuit, and caught up with the seductive spider in a corridor. The door to the outside wasn't opening, and Zeus stood there in triumph.

 

"There is no way out, Scarlet," The King of the Olympians said, "Surrender."

 

Suddenly a woman in a white tunic appeared out of nowhere between Zeus and his prey. She was tall, beautiful, and oh so familiar to him.

 

"Metis!" Zeus said in shock.

 

"It's Titaness now, Zeus," She said with a smile, and offering a friendly hand to Scarlet teleported them out of the KASTLE, but not before adding, "Hera says hi!"

[vitruvian23]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

How does Congress feel about it?

[vitruvian23]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

So, one imagines a governmental coup is planned, otherwise there'd be no chance of getting the Liberty Party congresscritters in line behind the bill with 75% public opposition; they'd all be too scared of getting voted out in short order.

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

Maybe some of them know what's coming and are working behind the scenes to support the United Superheroes. If only one of them was brave enough to speak up...the conspirators can't 'take them out' prematurely without tipping their hand, so it's an opportunity to make a case directly to the public for anyone congress critter with the cajones to step up.

[Cassandra]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

Eagle News Network Special Report

 

"In a surprise move, the new Atlantian Monarch has agreed to meet with President Lee at the White House. The announcement was made by Secretary of State Daniel Arlington this morning. As we speak the Royal Barge is entering U.S. Air Space, and should be landing on the White House Lawn in a very few minutes."

 

"This is seen as a major victory for the President Lee, who hopes that an endorsement by the Atlantian Government leader will reverse the sagging support for the Superhuman Registration Bill."

 

"One condition for the meeting was that Constitution Party Senator Brooke Taylor Stevens is to join President Lee and the Atlantian Monarch in the Oval Office Meeting."

 

"And here it is, the Atlantian Royal Flying Barge. It's landing, and the door is hoping. For the first time we will get a look at the new leader of Atlantis. Atlantian Ambassador Poseidon is about to introduce the Monarch."

 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, May I present the Monarch of the Constitutional Monarchy of Atlantis, Queen Jennifer the First. Many of may know her as Cassidy Young . . .

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

this is gettting interesting

[Cassandra]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

President Charles Stewart Lee looked at the two women seated in the Oval Office with him. He knew both of them, but now they had put him in a political corner. Although he had no choice but to meet with them, that didn't mean he had to listen to what they had to say.

 

"How did you manage to become the Atlantian Monarch, Cassidy?" President Lee asked.

 

"When I took the golden trident to become Columbia, I became a member of the Atlantian Royal Family," Cassidy Young explained, "And Poseidon ordered me a favor."

 

The redheaded Atlantian Monarch placed a recording device on the coffee table, and the voice of Dr. Lisa Madison was heard setting up Cassidy for murder.

 

"Where did you get that?" The President asked.

 

"From Sukune Sakai," Cassidy answered, "During the war I captured him, and made a deal with him. He tells me everything he knew about Axis espionage and sabotage operations and I'll make sure he could stay dead after the war. I only threatened to tell his government he had been captured if he lied to me. After the war he worked for me. I have to admit when he showed up at my apartment that night I disappeared I almost had a heart attack. But he came to warn me about what your advisor on superhuman affairs was up to."

 

"Just to let you know, Sir," Brooke Taylor added, "Dr. Ilsa Madchen has spent the last several decades in prison because she was a war criminal. The story that she only experimented on Nazi Party volunteers was false. In other words you not only pardoned a Nazi, but made her part of your cabinet."

 

"Why wasn't I warned?" Lee asked sternly.

 

"I sent you a memo," Cassidy said with a shrug, "We now know it was intercepted by Secretary of State Arlington. He was a member of The CABAL."

 

"The CABAL?" President Lee repeated, perplexed.

 

"Their a group of men who are decendents of the original CABAL, a group of advisors to King Charles II. They joined forces to use your distaste for superhumans to gain power in the United States," Brooke explained, "General Alexander Clifford, Commander of Operation STOPGAP, Senator Bradford Ashley, News Commentator Colin Buckingham, Secretary Arlington, and Former FBI Agent Elliott Lauterdale. I believe they were your advisors on dealing with CRISIS and the United Superheroes of America."

 

"What do you want?" President Lee asked point blank.

 

"What, Sir?" Brooke asked.

 

"My administration . . . This country can't afford a scandal like this . . . it would muddy the waters too much before the next election," President Lee said.

 

"Mr. President, we're not hear to blackmail you," Cassidy said firmly, "We're here to inform you."

 

"Inform me?" The President asked, "Of what?"

 

"This," Brooke said, and turned on the television.

 

"Breaking news," The Eagle News Network Anchor Announced, "Twenty members of the United Superheroes of America, in cooperation with the FBI, had stormed Knight Armored System Technologies for Law Enforcement, or KASTLE as it has become know, and arrested both the Enforcers and the head of Operation STOPGAP, General Alexander Clifford . . .

[Prestige]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

That was a great turn of events.

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

That presidential hotseat is turned up to fricasee!

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

correction turned up to BARBECUE

[Cassandra]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

"I'd like to ask you something, Mr. President," Brooke asked, "Exactly why did you go after the United Superheroes the way you did?"

 

"Are you serious?" Charles Lee asked angrily, "Because five of your members were Presidents of the United States, including your brother. That's four decades of the last century of rule. You made the people dependent on your protection, threatened the world with superpowered thugs, and changed the entire world. What gives you the right?"

 

"Well, they were elected," Brooke said calmly, "And not one of them used their service as superheroes or crimefighters to do so. If we did change the world I like to think it's for the better. I know there is a school of thought that superhumans are responsible for making America the superpowers that it is. That is there were no superhumans we'd just be another nation among many, stronger them some, weaker then others. Somehow I doubt that. I like to believe that we're strong because we're free, that we'd be the most powerful country on Earth even if superhumans didn't exist."

 

"Nonsense!" The President replied, "For two hundred years we've had an unfair advantages, and my superhuman registration act will end it."

 

"A three thousand page bill that creates a dozen new agencies to oversee the lives of anyone with powers, to monitor, register, and control superhumans," Cassidy commented, "Seems very wrong to me."

 

"Especially when one can simply pay a one thousand per person fee to avoid it," Brooke added, "I've seen next years budget, Mr. President. The superhuman registration act is just a way to cover more government spending. And even with that you spend twice as much as this year's record deficit."

 

"With the exposure of the CABAL, and the Atlantian rejection of the superhuman registration act, it will never pass now," Cassidy told the President.

 

"So now what happens?" President Lee asked, trying to think of a way to salvage something from this situation, "Brooke, how would you like to be Director of CRISIS?"

 

"You shut down the agency, Mr. President," Brooke observed.

 

"Since Operation STOPGAP have proven itself corrupt, we'll have to recommission CRISIS," President Lee said with a sly smile, "You were director of the FBI, and have vast knowledge and connections in the Superhero community. I can't think of anyone better, or more acceptible."

 

"Very well, Mr. President," Brooke said with a smile.

 

"I imagine you'll have to think about whether to run against me in two years then," The President added.

 

"Don't worry, Mr. President," Brooke replied, "I an definately going to run against you in two years."

 

As they left the Oval Office, Cassidy saw that both Poseidon and Neptune were waiting for her.

 

"So, how long do I have before you insist I return to the throne?" Poseidon asked.

 

"Oh, let's say January 20, 2013," Cassidy replied, casting an look back at President Lee, "Thank you for your assistance with the Enforcers, Neptune."

 

"My pleasure, Your Majesty," Neptune replied with a bow, and a hint of sarcasm.

 

"I told you how I wanted to be addressed, Neptune," Cassidy J. Young, AKA Queen Jennifer the First of Atlantis replied, "Think of it as a command from your monarch."

 

"Yes, mother," Prince Neptune the Second said, far more respectfully.

 

The End

 

 

 

Epilogue, January 20, 2013

 

 

 

" . . . And so, we stand here, at the end of a long road. The past few years have lead to a new understand that we are all one people. We may not all have powers, be we are all unique. We may not all be able to fly, but we are all going foward. And we may all be individuals, but we are all Americans."

 

"With that Brooke Taylor Stevens finishes her inaugural address as the first openly superhuman President of the United States . . .

[Prestige]

Re: Special Report: The End of Superheroes!

 

Nice story.