Spidey_phd said:
Of course, Piggot would be freaking out that Apeiron had just provided all of the villainous capes of BB with free access to Protectorate ENE Headquarters
What? Why? I don't understand where this comes from.
I believe the thing Spidey_phd was referring to was a hypothetical anti-Leviathan item, some sort of thing that was either a rebreather or allowed breathing underwater. Thing is, the Protectorate/PRT HQ is an oil rig off the coast, so if the villains can breathe underwater due to Apeiron's anti-leviathan trinket, then they can sneak across the ocean floor to the Protectorate/PRT HQ.
AmberSlime is right about my train of thought. Ziggrrauglurr is correct in that such a perceived threat was only (possibly) implied and not explicitly discussed in the earlier chapters of the story.
I thought that the perceived threat to the PHQ was explicitly addressed in the chapters immediately following Weld's retrieval but I did not find the remembered discussion in a quick review of the chapters.
A long time ago (in a dimension far, far away), in the chapters immediately after Apeiron fished Weld out of the bay there were several addendums in which various members of the Protectorate, Wards, PRT, etc. were discussing the evil and diabolical new Tinker/Shaker/Thinker/Master Apeiron and his nefarious plans.
I believe it was in a discussion between Miss Militia and Piggot that it was suggested that Apeiron was the Timing Thinker (rather than Marche). It was suggested that Apeiron's planning and subtle manipulations had resulted in-
1) the dramatic implosion of New Wave (removing a large group of heroes at a critical time),
2) the quarantine of Panacea in an M/S tank (which left several of the bays most important capes disabled due to injuries),
3) conflict between Brockton's PRT and the national PRT organization as a whole (particularly neighboring Boston), and
4) dramatically impaired the local Protectorate and Wards (Dean and Carlos shipped out. Flechette and Weld shipped in but not trusting nor loyal to the local organization. Increased Youth Guard oversight and meddling.).
At the same time, Missy/Vista's mental "Fuck Mammon" rant included the complaint that Apeiron must have already created aquatic technology prior to the ABB attack on the Rig which dumped Weld into the water "because tinkers did not work that quickly".
The Protectorate ENE Headquarters, or PHQ, was a refitted oil rig which served as a floating base of operations. It was described as beautiful, a marvel of architectural design with futuristic towers and arches, accessible by a forcefield roadway, and protected by a forcefield bubble and a missile defense system. The PHQ was supposedly a powerful and comforting symbol of the squadron of Protectorate Capes which protected the bay, as well as a safe retreat/fortress for the heroes (If I recall canon correct, prior to Skitter destabilizing the city the PHQ had never been attacked or even seriously threated.).
I guess my faulty memory combined "Apeiron is attacking and undermining the Protectorate whose headquarters is floating in the bay" and "Damnit, Apeiron has created aquatic/submersible equipment" into a certain paranoid PRT leader believing that "Apeiron has equipped himself in order to attack PHQ".
