The cape know as dispatch has been known to kidnapp young female capes over the last two years. Every time they show up a week later working for her and every time it brings up one thing that gets a very weird. So far her list of capes so far are squealed, bitch, shadow stalker, tattletake, Vista, pancera, rune, along with a couple others that we have not been able to get the names of.
This begs the thing to know following the rumors after each kidnapping why is she grabbing to ask, why is she grabbing young female capes? Rumors over the last two years is she is building her own harem. But every time she is asked at the press confenace after each each event she gets flustered and losses her cool. She keeps saying that is is not gay and does have a boyfriend, but the a couple months later she kidnapped a new cape.
She is the riches person in the city with a lot of power for politics behind her backing her up. She is very much tied to the dockworkers who have become the most powerful group in the city. The only other group with power is the PRT and after each every they just make a now comment about the event. So we have to ask just what is going on behind the scenes and is this her building a harem?
Some one made a comment about Taylor behind some kidnappings and just had to some thing silly.
I haven't seen it before, and I enjoyed it. A different take on Director Piggot than I have seen. Admittedly, I only know fanfic and some lookup at the wiki, but there is that.
Also, enjoying this different world-building and concepts of Worm-verse you have going.
I'm sorry- I've watched, but I couldn't read through the first chapter before seeing the "I Like Trains" kid in my head. I Like Trains - YouTube
I promise I'll read when I stop giggling at that mental image. Especially the mental image of Taylor facing down Lung, who abruptly gets T-boned by a train. His face is priceless!
Coil is the only criminal element in Worm whose ellimination prior to Jan 3rd 2011 would make little diference in how badly BB handles it's criminal gangs. Baumann transports would still be raided (because Rebecca makes it so easy), drugs would still be run, women would still be traficked. The only diference would be that Dinah's powers would still be ignored, and she wouldn't spend months drugged up to her eyeballs. I mean Rory could have noticed she'd triggered, Dean too. But apparently those 2 being denser than depleted uranium is an important plot point for Dinah's storyline
The project-a-cops are operating basically as a PMC. They have no jurisdiction. Taylor doesn't technically own any of the stuff she's messing with yet so it's very definitely trespassing. Their only saving grace right now is that both events are self defense. Though the first one can be argued as they had no authority to even attempt to evict the Merchants.
Cops are usually very miffed about people encroaching on their jobs and responsibilities.
I haven't seen it before, and I enjoyed it. A different take on Director Piggot than I have seen. Admittedly, I only know fanfic and some lookup at the wiki, but there is that.
Also, enjoying this different world-building and concepts of Worm-verse you have going.
In the aftermath of her mother's death, 13-year-old Taylor Hebert discovers her mother's Necromancy books up in the attic. Hilarity, obviously, ensues.
Would she be able to take real stuff from the world to her pocket dimension? eg. the cash, the receipt the cop gave them, etc...
Also, why does Armsmaster want to meet Taylor in person, and why would she even consider doing so? She's nearly 100% safe by doing things by projection, and based on the fact that she summoned the police to her home she can presumably project herself anywhere on her map including the rig or where ever for interview. Sure, she might believe that meeting with the PRT/Protectorate might be safe, but doing any cape stuff in person is an unnecessary risk. Moreso for us with metaknowledge since we know how infiltrated the PRT is.
Would she be able to take real stuff from the world to her pocket dimension? eg. the cash, the receipt the cop gave them, etc...
Also, why does Armsmaster want to meet Taylor in person, and why would she even consider doing so? She's nearly 100% safe by doing things by projection, and based on the fact that she summoned the police to her home she can presumably project herself anywhere on her map including the rig or where ever for interview. Sure, she might believe that meeting with the PRT/Protectorate might be safe, but doing any cape stuff in person is an unnecessary risk. Moreso for us with metaknowledge since we know how infiltrated the PRT is.
Thanks for the comment! Yes, she can take certain things from the real world if she wants, but not a lot. It's mostly railroad-related items and other models that she can affect. For example, if she wanted, she could remove her railroad facilities, any abandoned building, or any building she had permission to work on from the layout. She could then make modifications to them as long as the conditions are met. It would be the same for vehicles such as cars, boats, planes and of course, trains. Anything small like a duffle bag however wouldn't even show up as something she could interact with on the layout. it would just be too insignificant to bother modeling, especially at N-scale. In her projection form, she can't take anything to or from the real world when using it.
As for Armsmaster, he got inspired when speaking with Miss Militia and is building something for Taylor that he hopes to give her at their earliest meeting once completing it. Also, he's a train nerd in this story, and he wants to talk shop with her. Taylor in the meantime is still a 13-year old who idolizes heroes such as him. She trusts the Protectorate to do their jobs and so far, has a good relationship with them. She doesn't have any reason to believe that her safety would be impaired when with them.
Is it wrong that I'm hoping for a villain interrupt where she learns that entrusting her safety to them is not such a good idea? Hopefully mama Hebert will shake some sense into her.
Its Brockton Bay not Disneyland if that's still open. The world is a shit hole and I love the slice of life feel.
But Annette not warning her about the villains and HERO's who would like to take advantage of her would be like telling your kids to be friendly to everyone they see and sending them to school.
Danny should have more world experience, at least warn her that hero's answer to the government
I don't want to see bad things happen, just for plot but future Coil, the rest of the Merchants and every other piece of gutter trash would be interested in our lil cinnamon roll. How many people really want the government interested in them especially if they think they can get something for free.
Peering through it, Taylor could see a vast room that seemed to have a perfect N-scale model of Brockton Bay in its center.
From the Boat Graveyard to Downtown, from the Trainyard to the Commercial district, and from Captain's Hill to the blocked shipping channel, everything seemed represented. Every house, every car, every skyscraper, every wrecked boat in the Graveyard.
For a start, she can project to anywhere there are rails. Brockton Bay's rails go from the Trainyards into the Docks and the Boat Graveyard. I will provide layout pictures when we get there. She's unconsciously put a self-imposed limit on projecting to other parts of the city for now. Mostly because she's been focused on railroad infrastructure and not the roads. We will see other parts of the BB layout in the future though. Thanks for the question.
I really like this anyone know of anything similar like summon guys but hopefully not xcom seen that before?
Oh yeah by the way how does her influence spread like does she have to buy an area or is it just once her guys take it over? Once she rebuilds the trains station does the guys required to run it become like a garrison not adding to her count or failing that will the amount of them she can summon increase with the size? Can she work tinker tech into her power like a train with improved efficiency from Colin and weapons from squeeller?
EDIT: will she get twitchy and stuff if for some reason she can't use her power for a while? As well as if she has a bed and some food could she stay in there indefinitely or will she be kicked out after a set time?
Sorry about all the questions these just jumped out at me sorry if they had been answered before.
I really like this anyone know of anything similar like summon guys but hopefully not xcom seen that before?
Oh yeah by the way how does her influence spread like does she have to buy an area or is it just once her guys take it over? Once she rebuilds the trains station does the guys required to run it become like a garrison not adding to her count or failing that will the amount of them she can summon increase with the size? Can she work tinker tech into her power like a train with improved efficiency from Colin and weapons from squealer?
EDIT: will she get twitchy and stuff if for some reason she can't use her power for a while? As well as if she has a bed and some food could she stay in there indefinitely or will she be kicked out after a set time?
Sorry about all the questions these just jumped out at me sorry if they had been answered before.
She doesn't have influence like a Civilization games' culture spread or anything like that, though it's not a bad idea. Her limits will increase at some point but it'll most likely be a time passing sort of thing. I can't answer the question on tinker tech because of spoilers.
Yes, she will get twitchy or at least restless. In the very first chapter, I noted that she couldn't focus on any one activity for very long before her attention shifted elsewhere. it was only when the train box was discovered that she could focus on something again. Specifically, the trains. Her body still has normal functions, so she still needs to heal, eat, sleep and use the bathroom. She can't get any of those things in the layout pocket dimension. It's not that her power will kick her out of the dimension, it's that it won't let any of those things happen inside. Yardmaster, aka QA, will exercise a little power of suggestion to encourage her to leave the layout to do those things. So she has to exit the room to satisfy those things. It hasn't really come up and Taylor hasn't considered staying in the layout too long, but it might at some point. Think of it also as a way to encourage breaks and discourage Taylor from overworking herself.
Taylor goes back to work on the railroad and says hi to the gathered reporters! Welcome back to The World is my Layout. This could have been a bit longer if I had Taylor fully describe the events of the battle, but I chose not to rehash it in its entirety. Instead, Taylor is telling it from the point of view of an onlooker who can't see her layout room. That should guide your reading of that portion of the chapter. I hope you all enjoy the chapter.
Patreon link is on the signature and in Informational as always if anyone is interested in supporting me. I hope to eventually write full-time if I can make enough money there, which means more stories and larger chapters.
------------------
Sunday, August 31st, 2008
Hebert Household
8:10 am
Taylor wolfed down her breakfast in record time and practically leaped into her day clothing. Well, only as fast as her leg cast allowed, but it was pretty quick anyway. She went to the bathroom to change so Danny could watch the news. They were now showing several different grainy cell phone videos sent in by viewers who lived near the Trainyard. The lighting wasn't great due to the lack of a moon and all the flashing police lights, but Danny caught sight of Taylor's meeting with the heroes in her guise as Dispatcher. He hoped Annette wasn't watching the news from her hospital room. She might very well recognize Taylor's form, hair, and mannerisms, even if others might not.
Taylor came dashing back into the living room as fast as her legs could carry her. She threw a portal onto the wall like some Major League pitcher throwing a fastball. It had barely formed before she threw herself through it.
"Welcome back, Taylor," Yardmaster said pleasantly, "How was the rest of your night? I trust you got back to sleep, alright?"
"Yes, I did. I barely managed to stay awake to get ready for today's work." Taylor raised an eyebrow at the question. Yardmaster is connected to me via my power. How could she not know how I rested? She mentally asked herself. Is a power just making small talk? That's odd for sure.
"Anyway, let's see what's going on this morning." She approached the layout gingerly, having forgotten her crutch in her hurry. The sight of a news helicopter model orbiting over the Trainyards made her jump a little. "Oh wow, they've gone all out. And are those satellite vans on the other side of the chain-link fence?"
"Yes, they are. One for each of the local stations, a few representing the national networks, and two for the cable channels." Yardmaster noted all this with some amusement. "They started showing up at 5:00."
"Geez, Louise. One little battle, and the whole committee of vultures shows up." Taylor grumbled a little, her hope for a more gradual and less flashy entrance onto the cape scene well and truly dashed. "At least they've stayed on the other side of the fence."
Despite it being broken in several places, for some reason, nobody had crossed the fence. It's not like I gave any specific orders to keep the fence secure, just the buildings. In addition to the many reporters, she could make out, a small crowd of various civilians was standing behind them, looking at the scene with interest. Let's hope that their curiosity doesn't encourage them to get in the way.
"Before we get started, Yardmaster, do we have a count on the money we liberated and if anything was found in the car shop?"
"You may want to brace yourself, Taylor," Yardmaster paused for a few seconds to create dramatic tension. "Those two duffle bags had a total of 255,825 dollars once the officers unwrinkled the cash and organized all the various denominations. It turns out that the Merchants don't always make an effort to do that themselves."
Taylor felt her knees grow weak for a second as that number went through her head. "250,000 dollars?! When was the last time Skidmark picked up his take?"
"That is unclear at this time. Recovering it was probably one of his motivations last night." Yardmaster suggested.
"That's… a distinct possibility," Taylor remarked, keeping her feet planted as firmly as possible so she wouldn't fall over. "Okay, moving on, how about the car shop? What was in there?"
"Another three heavyweight passenger cars in Boston and Maine maroon paint. Specifically, a diner, a parlor car, and an observation car. From the documentation, the officers found, the Railroad Museum was restoring them to use on an excursion train but ran out of money before they could finish. Whoever was running that museum did not manage their money very well. The cars will need to be repainted and reupholstered before you use them."
Taylor smiled and hummed to herself, "That's a good find. I can add them to the model heavyweights I have already and make up a long passenger train at some point."
"Alright, let's get started." She looked around for her railroad police. They were gathered between the fence and the railroad buildings in general, but two pairs guarded the stacks of assembled rails and ties she had laid down last night. She cracked her knuckles reflexively.
"Attention all Railroad Police. Please take a few minutes to put up caution tape along the fence. There will soon be an active work zone in the Trainyards. After that is complete, stand near any gaps in the fence. If reporters or other people direct questions to you, you may answer them, but any especially probing queries should be ignored."
There was a shift in the crowd and reporters when they saw the railroad police nod their heads as if listening to someone, then spontaneously summoned rolls of yellow caution tape. Cameras were turned on them as they walked towards the fences and began to put up the tape.
As that progressed, she looked in the train box on the floor and pulled out the four gondolas from the previous day holding the old rails and wooden ties. They were half empty, so she re-railed them on the fuel depot line. She added two more empty gondolas to the consist just in case they were needed. She placed the tracked crane model next to the damaged switches so the workers could put the buckled rails Skidmark had destroyed last night in the gondolas.
The crowd went bonkers when the crane and the six gondolas appeared. The news chopper came to a halt above the scene, focusing its camera on the suddenly manifested rail cars.
Danny's voice came through the portal behind her. "Taylor, you're over-aweing them!" He called in a kidding tone. He was seeing the reaction the news people were having.
She turned her head to call out the portal."I can't help it, Dad! That's just how my powers work." She thought for a moment. "Do you have any friends in the city's water department? I know it's Sunday and Labor Day weekend, but I'd like to line up a freshwater tanker delivery."
Danny stuck his head in through the portal. "That's highly unlikely to happen. As you said, it's a holiday weekend, so there's not going to be anyone in the office till Tuesday. I can call and leave a message asking them to schedule a drop-off then." He paused and then asked, "and how are you going to pay for the tanker?"
Taylor told him.
"250,000 dollars?!"
"255,825 dollars to be precise," Taylor remarked. "If I can get two 6,000 gallon trucks today, I'll be happy to pay a 1000 dollar premium. Or if that doesn't work, call the fire department and ask if they can fill the tender from the nearest fire hydrant for an equally sized donation to their favorite charity."
Danny scratched his beard. "The latter could work. The fire department never takes a day off, not entirely anyway. They'll be happy to help. I think I have a disposable phone somewhere. Do you think I should identify myself?"
"Hmm… no, I don't think so. It might draw attention to the house. Just call and identify yourself as my accountant or something."
Danny gave her a thumbs up, "That'll work. Let me finish with the dishes first, and I'll get right on that."
"Thanks, Dad!" Taylor turned back to the layout and checked on the progress of her police. They had finally covered the entire length of the fence with caution tape, only leaving a gate open for a fire truck. "Okay, next step! I need an engineering team on both 303 and 1735. Start them up and get moving. 1735, I want you to couple to the garbage gondola that got left out overnight. I'll need you to take it into the yard area once the switches are fixed so we can pick up any trash there. I also need a fireman and engineer to wait at Roger's Rangers."
Two pairs of engineers poofed into existence next to the washing shed and boarded the two locomotives. They both soon cranked and rumbled into life. 1735, the GP-9 blew its horn in acknowledgment of her orders and began trundling down the track. Another two-person team appeared in front of the Pacific's position in the roundhouse.
Taylor moved to address her GP-40-2. "303, I need you to head down to the fuel depot and hook up to that line of gondolas I just placed. Your job will be to push them down to the ruined switches and eventually the Classification Yard so you can pick up the damaged rails and ties."
303 sounded its own horn and started off to do its job. Taylor smiled as the two engines caused another reaction in the crowds. They moved in agitated patterns as people discussed the events happening in front of them. Reporters began walking toward the open gate to see if they could interview the Railroad Police standing around.
Ignoring that for a moment, she focused on the jumble of rails and ties that had formerly been the switching junction between the mainline and the Classification Yard. Without this section of track operating, trains couldn't access the Yard at all. This had to be rectified at once. The clacking noise of the locomotives coupling to their designated trains stirred her to action.
"Track teams assemble! I need 30 of you to get in there and start clearing the damaged bits. Use the crane as needed." Thirty people in work outfits appeared around the problem switches and began using various tools to pull the tracks and ties off the roadbed. Others took shovels and started shoring up the bed. Gravel and dirt had gotten blown all over the place in the explosions and needed replacing.
As the workers pulled the ruined rails and ties away from the grade, one projection ran to the mobile crane and drove it to the worksite. The powerful GP-40-2 number 303 pushed its line of gondolas down the tracks until it stopped thanks to the break in the line. The crane started to pick up rails and ties in its claws and proceeded to dump them in the gondolas.
It took 10 minutes to clear the worksite. Once it was empty of the damaged parts, Taylor directed the projections and the crane to move to the classification yard to begin the process of cleaning up down there. The recycle train could not move until new switches were in place. Taylor grinned at the crowd of civilians and reporters outside the gate who were milling around trying to get a better view.
"Alright, time to escalate a little more." She picked a switch up from the pile she had laid down last night and swung it into position. Workers looked up and made motions to direct it into the right spot as if they were landing signal officers. Taylor giggled at the sight, then followed their instructions. The switch made contact with the restored railbed, and she slotted it into the existing rails.
Upon seeing the hovering section of track, the crowd went silent. This was another new sight to all of them, and the situation was finally fantastic to the point of speechlessness. Taylor ignored the onlookers, for now, focusing on connecting the new switches. Once that was complete, she shooed the trains and the workers down the line into the yard to fix the broken tracks on the one line.
"Thanks for the help guys, I'll let you finish the work. I'm going to talk to the reporters. They are getting out of hand, and The Corporal could use some help keeping them busy."
The train cheerfully blew their horns and proceeded through the newly repaired switch junction and into the yard itself. The workers and crane escorted them.
Taylor turned her eyes upon the gathering of reporters near the open gate. One of them had procured a lectern from somewhere and placed a bunch of microphones on it. They had set it in front of The Corporal without prompting and permission while he was trying to answer basic questions without giving much away. "Here I go, back into my guise as Dispatcher, controller of trains, and placer of track!"
As she closed her eyes in concentration, Taylor heard her Dad laugh aloud in the living room. She giggled in response. She couldn't help it; she had to be at least a little dramatic while using her powers. Otherwise, they wouldn't be quite as fun.
A fire engine siren sounded on the layout, not too far away from the Trainyards. "Okay, here I go!"
----------
8:25 am
Brockton Bay Trainyards
The crowd wanted answers, and they wanted them soon, Officer Kent Davies observed. The humble Brockton Bay police officer had been deployed to the Trainyard along with a dozen other officers as soon as he had clocked in this morning. "You were out there for the first incident yesterday Kent," his Sergeant had said, "So you're a face she knows. You'll be taking the lead on this until and unless we get somebody more specialized in cordial cape relations."
And so here was Kent, watching a crowd of civilians watch Dispatcher's activities from behind the chain-link fence. Several satellite vans from various news agencies were parked all over the place, and their reporters had gathered in front of a gap in the fence that once hosted a rolling gate. One reporter grabbed a lectern out of their van and placed it in front of the projection known as The Corporal. He had been answering minor questions but refused to give out any exact details. Finding the lectern placed in front of him get festooned with microphones appeared to fluster him, but he said nothing.
The city wanted answers about what happened in the night and why they had woken up to explosions. The Protectorate's token statement hadn't fulfilled their curiosity much at all. Kent's Sergeant had given him instruction to speak on the department's behalf if it came to it, but Officer Davies was not exactly excited to do so.
Suddenly, the projection at the lectern waved his hand to get the reporters to quiet down. As he did so, everyone could hear a fire truck siren in the background. "Thank you all for being here. I have been informed that Dispatcher herself is prepared to make an appearance to give her statement. However, she would like to ask everyone to move out of the way for the fire department first."
The reporters turned and saw a big red pump truck coming at them, its siren blaring. The driver laid on the truck's horn, and the crowds began to part for it. The projection grabbed the podium and moved it out of the path. The reporters did as well, though somewhat reluctantly. The fire truck drove past them and through the gate. The Corporal waved it down on the other side, where he had a short talk with the firefighter in the driver's seat.
A few moments later, the truck drove off toward the roundhouse, where a two-person steam locomotive crew awaited them. The Corporal returned the podium to its previous position, and the reporters gathered back around. "Thank you all for moving for the fire department. If you all were wondering, they are here to flush out and fill the tender of the abandoned steam engine. Now please, give your attention to Dispatcher, the model train Master."
He made a motion, and the young cape by that name poofed into existence behind the podium. Dispatcher waved to the crowd and the reporters. She had a huge grin plastered on her face.
"Good Morning! Nice and sunny out today, isn't it? I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long. My plan this morning is to make a short statement and then take a few questions."
The crowd allowed her complete silence, and she began to speak. "Hello, my name is Dispatcher, and yesterday I discovered a power to summon, control, and give orders to trains. I also can summon projections guised as railroad workers to help me with my work.
"Yesterday, after I discovered my powers, I sent the Corporal and his men into the railroad facilities you see behind me in order to scout them out for resources and evict any potential troublemakers. Just before 5 pm, they ran into a group of 7 Merchant drug dealers having a party in the shops behind me. My projections tried to evict them peacefully, but the Merchants attacked. My men defended themselves and took all seven prisoners with no injuries on either side.
"Miss Militia of the local Protectorate visited the scene and helped me call the police department. They took away the Merchants for me."
Officer Davies made for the podium now, gently sliding past the crowd of onlookers and then through the reporters. He could feel everyone's gazes on his back as he did so.
He stood next to her, and she smiled upon him. "This is Officer Kent Davies, the arresting officer at the first incident. He can corroborate my story for you."
He nodded his affirmation at the crowd. The dispatcher then continued, "Now, let me tell you about the events of last night. Honestly, I expected trouble, but not at the level the Merchants chose to escalate to."
Dispatcher went on, explaining the battle in detail and letting Kent and the Corporal interject as needed. At about 8:45, she opened the floor to a limited number of questions.
The reporters began to clamor at once. "One at a time, one at a time! You there with WBBN."
-----------
Danny sat in his easy chair, watching Taylor's impromptu conference. She was doing pretty good for her age. Maybe her power was providing some help.
His burner phone buzzed beside him. Examining it, he saw that it was a message from his wife. When he opened it, he chuckled, unsurprised at the content.
Annette: Daniel Hebert, why is our daughter giving a press conference on regional television?
POSTSCRIPT:
Hey Guys! I'm looking for a few of you to submit questions for Taylor to answer in this press conference for the next chapter. First come first served, one question per person. Please submit serious questions that a local or regional reporter might ask. The following TV stations, real and fictional just for this story, have representatives on-site ready to ask questions.
WING Channel 5 (fictional local channel)
WQIE Channel 7 (fictional local channel)
WCVB-TV (ABC Boston)
WBZ-TV (CBS Boston)
WBBN-TV (NBC Brockton Bay) [Fictional]
CNN
Fox News
Why is Annette sending a message to his burner phone? If they both used burner phones they shouldn't use their names in their messages. Or is Danny the only one with a burner phone?
And yeah, how does annette even know his burner phone?
From the movies you can buy disposable phones in the us, but why would danny have one?
And why would annete have the number? That would defeat the purpose of it being disposable
