Issue 8 prologue - Business Dinner

Leo is hard at work in the workshop. Suspended in the repair harness is a perfectly spherical ball of... something. It's black, and periodically it bubbles or twists as he makes adjustments from his keyboard. But when those cease, it returns to its resting shape.

He only notices Pneuma's presence when she's standing right beside him. "What is it?" she asks, hesitantly.

"Lambda. You have a Kappa-class shell. Your old Theta-class is what Niki is using. This is the next generation."

"It's a big ball of tar," the girl observes wryly.

Leo snorts. "It's not tar. It's Lambda. Watch." He keys in a few commands. The sphere flattens itself out, slowly and fitfully shaping itself into a miniature replica of a mailbox.

"Oh. So, a shape-shifting fluid. I see. Some sort of micro-electro-mechanical utility fog?" Pneuma knows as much about robotics as Leo did when he made her, and she's kept up, for the same reasons humans know CPR and first aid.

"Basically. It's the same stuff as your joints and modular transformation systems use already, only I've incorporated most of the big subsystems into tiny cells. Quorum's tactical sensor suite, armor, musculature, the works. This is the shield with which I'll protect the city."

Pneuma hums. "Good. We need to talk about that anyway. Come on. There's a new restaurant mentioned in 'Catching up with Max'. I've made reservations."

----

The pair make an appearance at the restaurant in question, Ms. Aria Newman wearing her evening dress with her customary grace and poise, Mr. Leonard Snow trying hard not to look out of place in semi-formal wear. The two are seated in a private booth - what they have to talk about is nobody else's business - and ask for drinks while they think about their food order.

Finally Pneuma produces a notepad and pencil from her bag and begins transcribing in shorthand. "First. Your civic infrastructure plans."

"Mostly negative." Leo looks glum. "Okay, from the top: electricity. All I have right now is the Casimir fractal. The old man's technology, not mine. I discussed providing power to the city grid using these systems. They asked a lot of questions - which is fair, I admit. When I told him who invented the thing, the city manager just gave me a look. Plugging a villain's invention into the mains wasn't going to happen on his watch. At this point, even if I come up with my own power source, I think I may have poisoned the well. They may not ever listen to me."

Pneuma nods, taking notes, refraining from commentary. Leo goes on. "Infrastructure defense and repair. Nanabozho undid the damage he caused, but I can't count on everyone else being so considerate. That's what Lambda is for. It'll be deployed in battle and should screen people, buildings, vehicles, you name it, from attack. Purely a defensive measure. I'm not really going to ask permission on this one. They'll just have to see for themselves."

Pneuma taps her pencil against the notepad and bites her lip. "I worry about that approach, Leo. You want to work with these people, not around them."

"I know. I know. And I will. I'll use Lambda in a limited capacity, just where we're fighting. After that, if they come to me, I'll see where else we can deploy it."

Pneuma smiles. "Okay. And are we getting a rebuild?"

"Eventually. I want to do a lot more testing with this stuff first."

"Alright." Pneuma scans down her list. "Niki. ACTION provided the rest of us with legal identities. Now that she's got a human shell, she'll need one too."

Leo nods. "Oh sure. I hope to hear something from Agent Waters pretty soon. I'll ask about it then. In the meantime, though, she's safe with Solar Girl and the new intern. They're not going to get into any trouble."

Pneuma stares. Eventually Leo withers under the assault. "Alright, alright. I'll take care of it. But seriously, they're at college. How bad can it get?"