Remove ads

Goddamn Teenagers (Worm, AU/time travel)

Reader mode
Kit said:
Depressingly, the line for 'unacceptable' sexual behavior with minors in DC has, for decades, proverbially been a dead girl or a live boy. (This scandal standard is still pretty accurate today, although a lot of other standards defining acceptable behavior seem to have... drifted. Some because of social progress, some because of what I will define only as the opposite.)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"In bed with foreign villains" might be more problematic, as the Kreig situation unravels, especially since it is now public that there was some sort of master issue. Medhall is trying to have it both ways by saying "the villains totally took advantage of us" and "just a small problem now fixed" while also pushing back on investigations into the extent of the infiltration.

"Villains" is not a one-for-one substitute for IRL "terrorism", but cape stuff generally replaced terror as the obsession in canon Worm during the 90's and 00's.
 
dc2008 said:
"In bed with foreign villains" might be more problematic, as the Kreig situation unravels, especially since it is now public that there was some sort of master issue. Medhall is trying to have it both ways by saying "the villains totally took advantage of us" and "just a small problem now fixed" while also pushing back on investigations into the extent of the infiltration.

"Villains" is not a one-for-one substitute for IRL "terrorism", but cape stuff generally replaced terror as the obsession in canon Worm during the 90's and 00's.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Oh, that's a good point! I had honestly sort of forgotten that the Nazi part of it might still be unacceptable. The Overton Window is an insidious thing, ain't it?
 
Kit said:
Oh, that's a good point! I had honestly sort of forgotten that the Nazi part of it might still be unacceptable. The Overton Window is an insidious thing, ain't it?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

IRL fascist and fascist adjacent politics have shifted (back) into a place that is less worried about sexual orientation, and is even getting more comfortable with minorities.

I don't think that has happened in Worm canon? Part of that is when it was written—WB was writing before neo-nazism went through the transformation we've seen IRL. Moreover, in Worm, gay rights specifically is much more a "done deal" than IRL because Legend.

All-in, I think the Gesellschaft connection is more damaging than it would be IRL, especially as Gesellschaft are no-shit terrorists and villains and human traffickers. And most especially in a world where progress is finally being made against the major threats.
 
Last edited:
dc2008 said:
Gesellschaft are no-shit terrorists and villains and human traffickers.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Is the use of (human) Master capabilities, in some form, a relevant part of why they are double-plus-ungood? How much was Bad Canary's (canon) treatment (as a Master) publicly acceptable? Has fear-of-Masters replaced some IRL fear (of 2010/2011) ?
 
Ace Dreamer said:
Is the use of (human) Master capabilities, in some form, a relevant part of why they are double-plus-ungood? How much was Bad Canary's (canon) treatment (as a Master) publicly acceptable? Has fear-of-Masters replaced some IRL fear (of 2010/2011) ?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The real head scratcher is that they *aren't inviting the PRT in* to help screen for masters. Masters happen, it's a fact of life. Using "private" consultants for master screening is not unheard of, and I bet there are some retired PRT people who do this on a consultant basis. But as the red flags stack up, and the irregularities pile on, there is more and more expectation that the company would go to the government for help, especially with the international aspect.

Yet Medhall… isn't doing that. They are circling the wagons and trying to do it all themselves.
 
dc2008 said:
Yet Medhall… isn't doing that. They are circling the wagons and trying to do it all themselves.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Of course they are. If law enforcement are allowed in to investigate, Max's criminal endeavors WILL come to light. Never mind they have already come to light, and that he's trying to seal the barn door after all the proverbial livestock has escaped. :)
 
FaerieKnight79 said:
Of course they are. If law enforcement are allowed in to investigate, Max's criminal endeavors WILL come to light. Never mind they have already come to light, and that he's trying to seal the barn door after all the proverbial livestock has escaped. :)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yep. Sometimes you need to just *take the loss* and move on. Problem is, Max never had to learn how to do that. Daddy always solved his problems for him, and then he was the boss.
 
Remove ads
Lisa Fix, Part 1 New
  • Threadmarks
    • "—and I would like to do right by him." The older woman sighed, concern evident on her face. "Sadly, I've not been able to connect with him."

    Well, Lisa was not normally a fan of teenage boys, but supposed it was the least she could do for a fellow rescuee.

    There was one thing, though, that Lisa needed to be clear on right now.

    "Happy to help," Lisa said with a smile. "First, though, to be sure, uptime what was your relationship? Were you dating?"

    The hint of embarrassment was a rare win. The bark of laughter and bittersweet smile was not.

    "No, no," Dr. Weaver said, still with a bittersweet smile. "He is a good man, and his counterpart here is as well. Maybe in another life, but as it was…" She shook her head. "Too much history, too much tragedy, and I was too involved. We were always close, but it wouldn't have been fair to either of us."

    "Sorry," Lisa said, taken aback. That was… a lot more than she had expected.

    "Still," Dr. Weaver said, rallying. "That won't happen here, he and his family will have better lives."
     
    Last edited:
  • New
  • Threadmarks
    • Lisa Fix, Part 2 New
  • Threadmarks
    • Note: Oh hey it's election soon for USA, if you're in the US make a plan to vote.
    The older woman gestured at the file folder on the desk in front of Lisa. Looking at it, Lisa saw it was labeled 'Theo | Golem'. "I've included here for you comprehensive notes, and have footage of some of our meetings if you think it would be helpful. In addition…"

    Lisa picked up the folder and quickly flipped through it. "Is this a psychiatrist's report?"

    "Yes," Dr. Weaver said earnestly. "When I noticed he was having trouble settling in, I asked Dr. Yamada to have a chat with him, but he was not able to get comfortable with her. Still, her notes might help you get through."

    Suppressing a grimace, Lisa quickly flipped to the next item. It was… doctor's notes? "Why are there medical records?" Even as she asked, Lisa knew she wouldn't like the answer.

    "Oh," the older woman replied, "because we needed to ensure the villain did not suspect…"

    Lisa listened to the woman's clinical description in growing horror. That… was on brand but… hmmm.

    Grew dependent on your uptime counterpart to stop her when she goes too far. Has subconsciously slotted you in the same role.

    Well. Fuck.

    May break down if dependence is directly addressed.

    Fuuuuuuuuck.
    Note: Lisa contemplating the benefits of developing an alcohol problem.
     
    Last edited:
  • New
  • Threadmarks
    • Congratulations, Lisa, on joining even bigger leagues! Now you're not just watching out for if she snaps, you now have to actively ensure that she doesn't!
     
    Amusing snippet. As for voting, the plan is to head out tomorrow to vote early. We were going to do so yesterday, then it abruptly started raining so hard that you couldn't see two feet in front of you. Which is bad when having to drive to a different town. If all else fails, my polling location on the 5th is 3 or 4 blocks away.
     
    dc2008 said:
    When I noticed he
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Missing initial double quote

    (Also, missing inter-sentence space, lower down.)

    ---

    Lisa... Look at it this way.

    Is someone literally holding a gun to your head? Does someone plan to, when you get inconvenient enough, drug you to the eyeballs for the rest of your (probably short) life? No.

    So, you're ahead. It's just... existential threats to reality you need to be concerned about.

    Simple!
    :)

    Go out and vote. It's a democracy, voting is effectively a duty. Spoil your ballot paper if you have to (or whatever), but go out and vote. And. Who you vote for is your business. Only. Yours.
     
    Last edited:
    Lisa Fix, Part 3 New
  • Threadmarks
    • Note: Bonus chapter!
    Lisa continued to flip through the 'Theo | Golem' file, eyes unfocused, thinking furiously. Reaching the end of the file, and no closer to a solution, she declared cognitive bankruptcy.

    Power, of course, was no help, categorically unwilling to engage in further 'criticism' of 'BEST HOST'.

    Traitor.

    Still… First thing's first.

    Lisa adopted a thoughtful expression. "I think," She said slowly, "that I'll start with simply talking to him. In civies. Like with Sveta." Like a normal person.

    "Okay," Dr. Weaver agreed readily. "I suppose that could help you present a better persona."

    Sure, we'll go with that.

    "I'll check his schedule," the older woman continued, "hopefully we can meet later this week."

    Lisa restrained herself from pointing out that the poor boy would likely meet whenever asked, day or night, what with how he and his family had been 'rescued' via a car crash with entirely genuine serious injuries, in a manner indistinguishable from a kidnapping.

    No, that discussion was a problem for future Lisa.

    "So," Lisa instead asked tentatively, "on an entirely different subject, is there anything you do to relax? Unwind?" Reconnect with humanity?

    "Hmmm," the older woman mused. "I suppose I am overdue for dinner with Danny and Taylor. Oh!" She perked up, "that reminds me, I haven't bothered Calvert in a while, I should send him something…"
    Note
    Lisa: I should say something about healthy hobbies and moving on, but… fuck it I'm in.

    Note note:
    Coming off hiatus this week we have the excellent fic The Colours of the World by MaiKusakabe! Find it on AO3! Harry Potter cross with Fullmetal Alchemist. We follow Roy as he gets sent on a little mission, by Truth, to deal with some fucker Tom Riddle who be messing with his Gate. Highlights include incinerating Filch's whips, Hermione learning How To Blackmail Properly, and Flame meets DEs at the DOM.
     
    Last edited:
  • New
  • Threadmarks
    • Lisa Fix, Part 0 New
  • Threadmarks
    • Note: Downside to having a buffer is the risk of fucking up and accidentally skipping a post. Chronologically, this should be slotted in back a couple snippets, I'll correct the ordering later.
    Lisa munched on her bagel as Dr. Weaver finished retrieving something from her bag.

    "I suppose you are wondering why I called you here," Lisa said before the older woman could speak.

    Dr. Weaver looked unimpressed.

    Bah, no fun.

    "I have a new opportunity for you," Dr. Weaver said, sliding a thick folder across her desk. "We have been working with a family in witness protection, offworld. They were extracted from a nasty villain situation, not too different from yours. However, they seem to be having trouble settling in. I would like to start with the teenage son, he is around your age. To my knowledge he is not a parahuman—"

    Interesting qualifier, that one.

    —"however uptime he did eventually trigger and was a respected hero and colleague—"

    There we go.
     
  • New
  • Threadmarks
    • dc2008 said:
    Note: Downside to having a buffer is the risk of fucking up and accidentally skipping a post. Chronologically, this should be slotted in back a couple snippets, I'll correct the ordering later.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Look at it this way - at least you aren't posting 'Part -1'...
    (There's a Negative-One-th Law of Robotics... Yes, one before the Zeroth Law...)
     
    grommile said:
    I'm guessing that's something like "a robot shall not cause, or by inaction allow to be caused, the destruction of the universe"?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Or maybe something to address the possibility for privilege escalation issues if robots can lie to robots about being robots.

    Ed: double post bad
    FaerieKnight79 said:
    Careful there, you're getting too close to the horribly flawed Three Laws of Robotics. Which were always meant to be flawed, by the way.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Yup, and those flaws are why we get such fun stories!
     
    Last edited:
    Asimov intended them as ways to allow integration of robots into society while still allowing for interesting conflicts involving them. He was heartily sick of the rampaging monster type of robot story.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top