Lilith's Shadow Omnibus: Volume 2, page 8
“You’re welcome!” the woman replied quickly, her eyes bright with excitement. “I’m Scarlet Fire! I was going to go with Crimson, but… never mind, that doesn’t matter. That was amazing, how quick we dealt with the robot!”
“As for me, I’m Waveweaver. I’m from Florida, so I’m not surprised you haven’t heard of me,” the other man said, nodding politely. “From what you said, this happens often?”
“Not often, but enough times so far. This is only the second assassination attempt, but there have been a couple of times in bigger fights that groups like Destruction Corps decided to focus on me,” Lilith said, shrugging. “It’s irritating.”
“You might say that,” Gina said, shrugging. “Either way… now we have to wait, which means dinner has to wait. This sucks.”
That prompted another ripple of laughter from the heroes, and Lilith couldn’t help a smile, shaking her head as she began to relax again. She just wished people would stop trying to kill her.
“…Daemonia and Vindicator are both supposed to be here, too, though I heard rumors that Daemonia had something come up at the last moment. I don’t know about most of the bigger names, but they seem to be staying home for the most part. Too many villains seem to like getting active while the convention is on,” Dawning Bolt was saying to Gina while he cut off a chunk of his steak. It was hard for Lilith to keep track of what he was saying, though, not with the other conversations going on as well.
“Yeah, I got a cease and desist letter when I tried to use Crimson Flame, can you believe it? I mean, it isn’t even the name of a heroine or anything!” Scarlet Flame said, scowling heavily. “I thought about trying to fight them on it, but when I talked to a lawyer, he said it wasn’t worth it. Comic companies are ruthless in defending their stuff from heroes, so I went ahead and changed my name. It still makes me angry, though.”
“I can’t say I blame you. Legal issues with names can be a real pain,” Rachel said sympathetically, while Waveweaver nodded. Lilith had trouble deciding which conversation to pay attention to, and after a moment she gave up, turning her attention instead to her burger.
She hadn’t expected the other three heroes to tag along to dinner once the hotel security, and eventually the police, had taken statements and dealt with the wreckage of the robot. She’d learned that the Corathan Group was some type of villain conglomerate, which mystified Lilith still more. Even so, a tiny part of Lilith was disappointed that she hadn’t been able to have dinner with just Gina and Rachel. The other heroes were distracting them, which left her feeling like she was just in the way, by and large.
At least the food was good, which helped improve her mood somewhat, and Lilith took a bite of her burger, her eyes half-closing as she stopped paying as much attention to the conversation. Which, of course, was when someone specifically addressed her.
“So, how’re you liking being a hero?” Waveweaver asked, and Lilith’s eyes snapped open to see that he was looking at her.
She chewed and swallowed quickly, clearing her throat before she asked, “What do you mean?”
“It’s just… the lifestyle isn’t for everyone, and I know you’re new to the industry, if you call it that,” Waveweaver said, glancing over at Gina as he continued. “I know Morgan and Warden are used to it, so I was curious what you think. Do you like it?”
“Mm… I don’t know,” Lilith said, tilting her head and frowning thoughtfully as she considered the question. “It isn’t bad if that’s what you’re asking… it’s certainly different than what I was doing before. The thing is, I don’t have much experience with anything else, so I couldn’t say one way or another. I like helping people, don’t get me wrong, but beyond that… I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t help that you haven’t even set up any sponsorships or anything else,” Gina interjected, turning away from Dawning Bolt with a grin. “Unlike almost everyone else in the industry, I don’t think you get any remuneration yet.”
“That isn’t true. I started working with SuperNet on that model of my armor, and we’re in discussions about other things. He’s started collecting donations for my support as well,” Lilith said, giving Gina a sidelong look. “It might not be much, but it’s something.”
“Really? You aren’t getting much of anything out of this?” Waveweaver asked, looking at her in shock. “I mean… why would you be risking yourself, then?”
That caused Lilith to pause, then she shrugged, smiling at him as she replied gently. “Because I want to? I know that a lot of people need the income. Right now, I don’t. I have a large amount of money from my investments and selling my business, plus I’ve started another couple of ventures. I could likely live comfortably for the rest of my life on them if I wanted to. It hasn’t been something I’ve had to worry about, at least not so far. I just wish I could help more than I do since even with power armor, I’m not able to help that much.”
“You do fine,” Gina said firmly, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Lilith. “Besides, who is it that took down the alien?”
“Spark, after I used my armor as a bomb to break the alien’s armor,” Lilith replied instantly. “I might have been able to beat it up close. Probably not, since she barely escaped the blast wave it used, and I’m slower than her.”
“Lil…” Gina began, but let her voice trail off as she sighed. Dawning Bolt chuckled and interjected.
“So, your armor is like Shadowmind’s? As they said, I ran into her and was lucky she’d been worn down by fighting the Champs over in New York. She’s pretty tough,” the hero said, setting his silverware down for the moment.
Lilith considered for several moments, then shook her head. “No, I don’t think it is. From what Gina and Rachel said, her armor also functions as a sort of… amplifier for her psychic abilities. I don’t have any, or at least not any I can control, so the armor doesn’t have those. Beyond that, when I look at some of the footage of what she’s done, I’m pretty sure my suit can’t do the same thing. I suspect I’ve got equipment that’s around… twenty percent less effective? Maybe more.”
“What?” Rachel exclaimed, turning her head abruptly. “I thought that Circe said your safety was one of her highest priorities! Why would she give you equipment that much less effective?”
Lilith noticed that the three other heroes were listening with interest and almost sighed. Circe wasn’t interjecting much, she noticed… probably because there were so many heroes in the area. The chances of someone intercepting the transmission were rather high.
“She also has competing priorities, like keeping technology from falling into the hands of other people,” Lilith pointed out, letting out a faint sigh. “The moment I brought the two of you back to the hideout, she started locking down technology even more, so I’m not surprised that my armor is weaker than it could be. It also could be her way of trying to keep me from getting into too dangerous of situations.”
“Seems crazy to me! I mean, weakening your equipment to make you not get into dangerous fights?” Scarlet Fire chimed in, looking rather eager. “How’s that supposed to work?”
“Maybe by convincing Lilith that she can’t handle a particular opponent. She does try to analyze things ahead of time,” Gina suggested. “Anyway, it really doesn’t matter why, I guess. I wish you had better defenses.”
“As do I, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Lilith murmured, shrugging again as she went back to her burger.
She had to wonder why she felt like something was wrong.
Chapter 11
Wednesday, August 13th, 2031
Shadowmind Redoubt Invincible, Asteroid Belt, Sol
“She really is a clever girl,” Amber said, opening her eyes to see the ceiling above her. “Circe, how do the readings look?”
“Biological readings were stable on this test as well, Mistress, much like they have been since you forged a permanent connection to your current body,” Circe replied immediately. “I believe that no further testing is required, at least not at present. May I ask what you mean about her being a clever girl? Are you speaking of Mistress Lilith?”
“Agreed, regarding the lack of need for additional tests. This has been getting tiresome, even if it’s necessary,” Amber said, reaching up to remove the electrodes on her head. She didn’t enjoy having to attach them before going on a mental expedition. She didn’t reply to the second part immediately, curious if Circe would press the issue. She was also having fun toying with Morgan and Warden, even if she was having to be subtle about making them more competitive.
“As you say, Mistress Amber. No further data on Destruction Corps movements has been registered, though a renewed skirmish between them and the Cuban navy has been detected. Destruction Corps has the upper hand, but the United States is moving to assist,” Circe said, changing the subject. “A shipment of munitions bound for India from France has also gone missing, and I have not determined who is responsible yet.”
“Lovely. Well, the munitions definitely aren’t the fault of Destruction Corps. They wouldn’t bother stealing something like that,” Amber murmured, shaking her head. “No, it has to be someone else. But yes, I was referring to Lilith. She realized that you’ve been curtailing the quality of her armor, and she was somehow able to tell I was in her head, as well as that of Gina and Rachel.”
“Ah. That is… most interesting, Mistress. I wasn’t aware that she was capable of detecting you when you aren’t doing anything. Her mental defenses appear to be greater than I believed they were,” Circe said, her voice holding a note of concern.
“Yes, they are. If she brought them to bear against me… well, I don’t know how strong they truly are. I suspect they’re stronger than I thought they were, with how she held off the alien,” Amber said, standing up and grabbing her jacket since she always was a little chilled when she woke up. She shrugged it on, considering for several seconds before shrugging. “Either way, most of her concerns are remarkably petty. I think I need to move her out of her comfort zone, to make her understand what a mistake she’s making.”
“May I ask how, Mistress? I’ve tried to give her warnings, but she’s ignored them so far,” Circe said, prompting a laugh from Amber.
“How? Oh, Circe… that’s easy!” Amber said, grinning as she headed toward the door. “She’s doing all of this because of Morgan and Warden. What would happen if they left her, though? I’ve seen enough of my wayward daughter that I suspect I can tell you that much. She’d collapse without the support of others, and it’d teach her a lesson about how foolish she’s being.”
“That is possible, Mistress. Them leaving seems quite unlikely, though,” Circe replied, sounding dubious enough that it brought another chuckle from Amber.
“Oh, I know they are. But I’m the one that brought the three of them together, Circe,” Amber said, pausing for the door to slide open, and continued down the hallway. “That which I’ve given her, I can also take away.”
Astrodome Hotel, Las Vegas
“Ah, you’re here! Sorry about how long it took to get down here, but I was in my room,” the woman said, and Lilith examined her curiously.
Carolyn Ritter was a pretty woman, with blonde hair that reached the middle of her back, along with a braid that circled the crown of her head. She looked relatively slim and fit beneath her pantsuit, and from the way she moved Lilith suspected the woman was a minor super of some variety. It was just how quick the woman was that made her think that. Her blue eyes were bright with curiosity as she looked at Lilith, though.
“It’s not a problem; I’m sure you’ve had a busy day or two setting everything up,” Lilith said, glancing around the conference room in bemusement. “I don’t know how you even keep track of everything.”
They’d been directed to a conference room on the hotel’s second floor, which was apparently where the committee in charge of the convention was headquartered. Once there, a harried young man had called Carolyn, then gone frantically delving into a couple of boxes filled with manila folders, to Lilith’s amusement. A task which he was still occupied with. Several other people were fielding phone calls, and Lilith could see a man talking to what had to be a fire marshal, while others were moving boxes of what she guessed were programs and the like.
“Practice, mostly,” Carolyn said, smiling broadly as she offered her hand. “I’m Carolyn Ritter, and I’m in charge of the convention committee this year. Lilith, Morgan, and Warden, yes? Unless you want me to use different names?”
Lilith shook her hand, noticing that Carolyn’s grip was firm, and let go while she shook Gina and Rachel’s hands as well. Lilith didn’t answer, though, quirking an eyebrow at Gina.
“Warden is fine for me. I’m pretty sure that Morgan and Lilith both work as well,” Gina said, grinning at Carolyn. “We’re mostly here to find out what we’re supposed to be doing tomorrow. I’ve never been a speaker at one of these conventions, so I’m not sure what the process is like.”
“Oh, I entirely understand,” Carolyn assured her. “First off, did Adam get you your packets?”
“I can’t find them!” the young man interjected, his brown eyes wild as he looked up from the fourth box. “I’ve looked in all of the speaker boxes, and they’re not here!”
“That’s because they were put in the special guest box, Adam. Look over on the table over there,” Carolyn said, pointing at a different table entirely.
“Of course they are! Couldn’t someone have left a note?” Adam snarled, dropping the box he’d been going through and rushing over to the other table.
“It sounds like he’s had a rough day,” Rachel said, her eyes wide. “Is this normal?”
“No, usually he gets like that just as we’re about to open the doors,” Carolyn said, shrugging helplessly. “Nothing I can really do about it, though. Organizing these conventions is always chaotic, especially when we have cancellations.”
Lilith nodded, and couldn’t help a smile as Adam pulled out a trio of manila folders, double-checked their fronts, then came over to offer her one. The sticker on the front had her name printed on it, and she nodded politely, murmuring, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, giving the other two to Gina and Rachel. “Now, please don’t lose your badges. Replacing them is a beast with the back-end systems, and I don’t want to have to deal with that as well as everything else that’s inevitably going to go wrong.”
“We’ll do our best,” Rachel assured him, while Lilith held her folder for the moment, not opening it yet. Gina wasn’t as restrained and quickly opened hers to peer inside.
“Right, now that you have those, they each have a badge for you. The badge has a chip that lets you access the back halls of the convention center,” Carolyn said, gesturing them away from Adam’s workspace while he got back to organizing the folders. “Due to how chaotic a lot of conventions get, the Astrodome was built with service halls that allow more direct routes to the various rooms. As special guests, you are allowed to use the halls, but please don’t allow regular guests to use them as well. They’re going to be busy enough as it is.”
“Right, I can do that. Ooh, is this for a sign?” Gina asked, pulling out a long paper strip with Warden written in a bold text on it.
“It is. Each room should have a stand for you to put that in, so people know who you are,” Carolyn said, and sighed as she added unhappily, “Last year we had electronic stands that would change for each panel, but someone hacked them and replaced the names with insults. We decided to go with a lower tech solution this year.”
Lilith winced and nodded. “That doesn’t sound like it would be fun.”
“It really wasn’t,” Carolyn said, sighing heavily. “We never did find out who did it. Too many suspects, and it isn’t like we thought we’d need heavy security on name stands. Either way, it’s done. You also have a map of the building, a list of what panels you’re going to be on, and a program to tell you what events or panels are currently going.”
“Sounds simple enough,” Rachel said, smiling and glancing over at Lilith, reaching out to take her hand. “Is there anything else we need to be aware of?”
“You’ll probably want to be ready by about seven tomorrow morning. If you can meet by Staff Entrance C, or in the main hall, we’re going to be having opening ceremonies, and as you’re a special guest we’d prefer to have you there,” Carolyn said, her voice brisk. “I believe that most of the moderators emailed you questions for you to consider for their panels? If not, I can see about getting you the questions so you have some time to prepare.”
“I did,” Lilith said, nodding slightly as she smiled wryly. “Not that I had much of an answer for some of the questions… the ones about power armor were far easier for me to deal with.”
“We did, too,” Rachel said, jerking her head toward Gina. “The only one we didn’t get much from was the magical coaching class, which really doesn’t have much in the way of questions to answer.”
“Fair! If I had the potential to be able to so much as light a candle, I’d be there,” Carolyn said, laughing and shaking her head. “No, I’m going to be far too busy to attend panels most of the time. I hope that this answers your questions?”
“I think so, at least for me,” Lilith said, glancing at the packet and resisting the urge to go through it now. Instead, she asked, “How’s security going to be? I’m sure you’ve heard that I was attacked earlier, and I really don’t want to endanger bystanders.”
“We’re doing the best we can. I have some heroes who’ve volunteered with security, and we’re using the best monitoring systems we can get, but something always slips by,” Carolyn said, her smile fading a little, almost growing brittle. “Fortunately, the building has various built-in defenses, so it should be able to weather most damage, but if they attack you again… well, I intend to have several guards near your panels to do what we can. I’m afraid it’s all I can do.”
