Meet the Birons, Part 3
"What we discuss today is highly classified. You will, before leaving the building, speak with a very serious lawyer who will very seriously detail exactly what very serious consequences await should you improperly divulge it."
"Your daughter, should she survive to adulthood, will become known as one of the most powerful parahumans on this or any other planet. Is it only through exertion of substantial effort than she is not so known now and, accordingly, is able to live a normal life. This is not simply a matter of raw power, it is also a reflection of her drive, compassion, creativity, and intelligence. Should she choose to, for some daft reason, she could well one day hold a position in the Triumvirate, or whatever successor thereto might someday emerge."
"Your daughter, today, has a security priority higher than that of world leaders. If we had to choose between saving the President and saving your daughter, we would save your daughter. After all, we can always get another President. There is only one Vista."
"As a foreign policy priority, we have secured the agreement of Valkyrie—who you might better know as The Fairy Queen—to provide certain protective measures to, among others, your daughter. If you have not been paying attention, as of this morning Valkyrie's 'demesne' includes multiple planets, a citizenry numbering greater than Bet's total population, and control over what was formerly Cauldron's means of artificially inducing parahuman power expression."
"Thanks to these, again, foreign policy and national security measures, a CUI infiltration team was identified and neutralized. Your daughter was identified as one of their likely targets. This is not the first such team, nor will it be the last."
"Incidentally, should your daughter choose to flee the country, it is unlikely we could stop her, and she would no doubt find a generous and grateful welcome in any country on this or any other Earth. Valkyrie, for one, would certainly greet her with open arms."
"Considerable effort has been made to provide to your daughter the best practicable semblance of a normal childhood. This is, again, a matter of foreign policy and national security."
"I will not ask you to love each other. I will not ask you to stay together. Nothing good will come of that. Your marriage has failed, so be it."
"Where I am from, a child would consider herself extraordinarily fortunate to at Vista's age have two surviving parents. I have, in my time, seen to the needs of far too many children who were, at even younger ages, orphaned."
"Vista will have, in her life, one childhood. She is, already, chomping at the bit to take on as much responsibility as quickly as possible. She now routinely receives, thanks to her work with the BBFD, grateful notes from people whose lives she saved. She routinely 'sneaks' in for extra time in the gym because she has determined that she needs to be able to carry the same firefighting equipment as a full-grown adult male."
"I have made no threats. I have not raised my voice."
"Vista will have a happy, supportive, healthy home life. You will diligently and in good faith engage in the process of working out custody and other such arrangements. You will ensure that whatever disputes you have will not occur in front of her. You will not attempt to weaponize her against the other. Counseling, legal, and other appropriate resources will be made available to you should they be needed to facilitate this process."
"In a few centuries time, if either of you are remembered at all, it will be as your daughter's parents."
"Thank you for your time. Don't let me detain you."
Note: Once I wrote the whole thing I couldn't bear to break it up or cut it down.
"Your daughter, should she survive to adulthood, will become known as one of the most powerful parahumans on this or any other planet. Is it only through exertion of substantial effort than she is not so known now and, accordingly, is able to live a normal life. This is not simply a matter of raw power, it is also a reflection of her drive, compassion, creativity, and intelligence. Should she choose to, for some daft reason, she could well one day hold a position in the Triumvirate, or whatever successor thereto might someday emerge."
"Your daughter, today, has a security priority higher than that of world leaders. If we had to choose between saving the President and saving your daughter, we would save your daughter. After all, we can always get another President. There is only one Vista."
"As a foreign policy priority, we have secured the agreement of Valkyrie—who you might better know as The Fairy Queen—to provide certain protective measures to, among others, your daughter. If you have not been paying attention, as of this morning Valkyrie's 'demesne' includes multiple planets, a citizenry numbering greater than Bet's total population, and control over what was formerly Cauldron's means of artificially inducing parahuman power expression."
"Thanks to these, again, foreign policy and national security measures, a CUI infiltration team was identified and neutralized. Your daughter was identified as one of their likely targets. This is not the first such team, nor will it be the last."
"Incidentally, should your daughter choose to flee the country, it is unlikely we could stop her, and she would no doubt find a generous and grateful welcome in any country on this or any other Earth. Valkyrie, for one, would certainly greet her with open arms."
"Considerable effort has been made to provide to your daughter the best practicable semblance of a normal childhood. This is, again, a matter of foreign policy and national security."
"I will not ask you to love each other. I will not ask you to stay together. Nothing good will come of that. Your marriage has failed, so be it."
"Where I am from, a child would consider herself extraordinarily fortunate to at Vista's age have two surviving parents. I have, in my time, seen to the needs of far too many children who were, at even younger ages, orphaned."
"Vista will have, in her life, one childhood. She is, already, chomping at the bit to take on as much responsibility as quickly as possible. She now routinely receives, thanks to her work with the BBFD, grateful notes from people whose lives she saved. She routinely 'sneaks' in for extra time in the gym because she has determined that she needs to be able to carry the same firefighting equipment as a full-grown adult male."
"I have made no threats. I have not raised my voice."
"Vista will have a happy, supportive, healthy home life. You will diligently and in good faith engage in the process of working out custody and other such arrangements. You will ensure that whatever disputes you have will not occur in front of her. You will not attempt to weaponize her against the other. Counseling, legal, and other appropriate resources will be made available to you should they be needed to facilitate this process."
"In a few centuries time, if either of you are remembered at all, it will be as your daughter's parents."
"Thank you for your time. Don't let me detain you."
Note: Once I wrote the whole thing I couldn't bear to break it up or cut it down.
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