Paragon City, early evening. Sirens blare relentlessly through the streets as an army of firetrucks press their way through the rush-hour traffic of Talos Island. Tired-looking people look out their car windows and squint, trying to make sense of the red glare warming the skyline. It's an office building on fire, retaliation towards the government for their persistant refusal to release their Medi-Portal technology to the general populace after nearly a decade of testing.
Lawrence Harken of the Citizens for Medi-Corp is still trapped inside, high up on the 30th floor. Flames burn hot as the ceiling threatens to collapse. The hooded kheldian Seminova extends her hand and he reaches for it, knowing the only way out is through the window and into the night sky. But it is too late. The roof comes crashing down and Harken watches in horror as a hidden rogue PPD reaches for a quantum rifle and shoots. The hooded woman screams in agony and vanishes in front of his eyes, rescued by the same Medi-Portal technology he fought to make available for all. And failed. Like his wife and children before him, Medi-Corp wasn't there to save Harken in the end. And neither was Seminova.
A public outcry was heard the following morning, and Lawrence Harken's message never sounded so loudly. It's the question on everyone's lips, why are we giving aliens Medi-Corp technology? Roy Cooling of the FBSA, the agent in charge of the operation gone so terribly wrong, was unusually parse and dry, voicing his disappointed in the Peacebringer's performance and inability to win the day. According to the veteran agent, "Seminova tried her best, she did, but in the end she was only kheldian. And perhaps these days, being kheldian is simply not enough to be a hero."
Long gone are the days where the mighty Peacebringers would have their glowing faces stamped on cereal boxes and coffee mugs. The days of mean-faced purse-snatchers and petty swindlers with too much grease on their hair. The world has changed since those days, hardened, and is much less forgiving for your friendly neighbourhood watcher. Nature itself imposes that those who don't adapt get left behind. But what if they can't get left behind? What if everytime their strenght gets pushed beyond its limit they get a second chance to get back into the fight? And another. And another...
A sentiment shared by Longbow Captain W.M. Dietrich, who voiced her reserves over the fact that every bonded kheldian gets preferencial treatment at Medi-Corp. "Just because they're aliens, that doesn't mean they're special. Rikti are special. Warshades are special. But Peacebringers? Beneath all the glowing and sickening good intentions, they're little more than flying rent-a-cops with a stun-gun, and we don't just go out and give every cop his own Medi-Portal, now do we? All they do is scatter around our foes, and as usual it's up to Longbow to clean their messes. Me, I wouldn't trust one with feeding my fish, let alone the fate of the world."
Sunstorm himself was particularly grimfaced upon hearing of the growing dissent against his Peacebringer pupils. All he could promise was to renew his efforts in chasing down every Quantum Weapon and Void Seeker running loose on the city, promising a Task Force to make Paragon City safe once more for all kheldians, Peacebringer and Warshade alike. A good first step, but even if successful, it still might not be enough.
But if not the Peacebringers themselves, who is to blame for their declining success rates? Is it Ms. Liberty and the other trainers, for letting the aliens slack off just as they push everyone else harder than ever? Is it Hero Corps, for neglecting to notify every possible sighting of Quantum Weapons and Void Seekers in the missions the kheldians are about to undertake? Is it the FBSA contacts themselves for expecting too much of a single old-school hero?
The truth of the matter is, as of now, they're a burden. Lucas Zanella, president of Medi-Corp, was eventually rescued by Captain Dietrich, who picked up where the wounded Seminova left. Clearly aghast after the dreadful experience he'd just lived through, Zanella had little sympathy left for the Peacebringer issue. "I might run the company, but I don't make the rules. And yes, people are right to be upset. Do you have any idea the strain a single Peacebringer puts on the Medi-Portal system? Even blasters aren't that bad, and at least I hear they earn their keep. Dietrich certainly did! But Peacebringers? Collectively, kicking them out of the Medi-Portal system would free up about half the resources we have available. Yes, half! That would mean we could probably plug in every child and senior citizen in the state and still have some room to maneuver in case of a crisis. But as I said, I don't make the rules."
A pity, that. After all, with so many real heroes about, does the world really need another Peacebringer?
Paragon City, early evening. Sirens blare relentlessly through the streets as an army of firetrucks press their way through the rush-hour traffic of Talos Island. Tired-looking people look out their car windows and squint, trying to make sense of the red glare warming the skyline. It's an office building on fire, retaliation towards the government for their persistant refusal to release their Medi-Portal technology to the general populace after nearly a decade of testing.
Lawrence Harken of the Citizens for Medi-Corp is still trapped inside, high up on the 30th floor. Flames burn hot as the ceiling threatens to collapse. The hooded kheldian Seminova extends her hand and he reaches for it, knowing the only way out is through the window and into the night sky. But it is too late. The roof comes crashing down and Harken watches in horror as a hidden rogue PPD reaches for a quantum rifle and shoots. The hooded woman screams in agony and vanishes in front of his eyes, rescued by the same Medi-Portal technology he fought to make available for all. And failed. Like his wife and children before him, Medi-Corp wasn't there to save Harken in the end. And neither was Seminova.
A public outcry was heard the following morning, and Lawrence Harken's message never sounded so loudly. It's the question on everyone's lips, why are we giving aliens Medi-Corp technology? Roy Cooling of the FBSA, the agent in charge of the operation gone so terribly wrong, was unusually parse and dry, voicing his disappointed in the Peacebringer's performance and inability to win the day. According to the veteran agent, "Seminova tried her best, she did, but in the end she was only kheldian. And perhaps these days, being kheldian is simply not enough to be a hero."
Long gone are the days where the mighty Peacebringers would have their glowing faces stamped on cereal boxes and coffee mugs. The days of mean-faced purse-snatchers and petty swindlers with too much grease on their hair. The world has changed since those days, hardened, and is much less forgiving for your friendly neighbourhood watcher. Nature itself imposes that those who don't adapt get left behind. But what if they can't get left behind? What if everytime their strenght gets pushed beyond its limit they get a second chance to get back into the fight? And another. And another...
A sentiment shared by Longbow Captain W.M. Dietrich, who voiced her reserves over the fact that every bonded kheldian gets preferencial treatment at Medi-Corp. "Just because they're aliens, that doesn't mean they're special. Rikti are special. Warshades are special. But Peacebringers? Beneath all the glowing and sickening good intentions, they're little more than flying rent-a-cops with a stun-gun, and we don't just go out and give every cop his own Medi-Portal, now do we? All they do is scatter around our foes, and as usual it's up to Longbow to clean their messes. Me, I wouldn't trust one with feeding my fish, let alone the fate of the world."
Sunstorm himself was particularly grimfaced upon hearing of the growing dissent against his Peacebringer pupils. All he could promise was to renew his efforts in chasing down every Quantum Weapon and Void Seeker running loose on the city, promising a Task Force to make Paragon City safe once more for all kheldians, Peacebringer and Warshade alike. A good first step, but even if successful, it still might not be enough.
But if not the Peacebringers themselves, who is to blame for their declining success rates? Is it Ms. Liberty and the other trainers, for letting the aliens slack off just as they push everyone else harder than ever? Is it Hero Corps, for neglecting to notify every possible sighting of Quantum Weapons and Void Seekers in the missions the kheldians are about to undertake? Is it the FBSA contacts themselves for expecting too much of a single old-school hero?
The truth of the matter is, as of now, they're a burden. Lucas Zanella, president of Medi-Corp, was eventually rescued by Captain Dietrich, who picked up where the wounded Seminova left. Clearly aghast after the dreadful experience he'd just lived through, Zanella had little sympathy left for the Peacebringer issue. "I might run the company, but I don't make the rules. And yes, people are right to be upset. Do you have any idea the strain a single Peacebringer puts on the Medi-Portal system? Even blasters aren't that bad, and at least I hear they earn their keep. Dietrich certainly did! But Peacebringers? Collectively, kicking them out of the Medi-Portal system would free up about half the resources we have available. Yes, half! That would mean we could probably plug in every child and senior citizen in the state and still have some room to maneuver in case of a crisis. But as I said, I don't make the rules."
A pity, that. After all, with so many real heroes about, does the world really need another Peacebringer?