Part Two

Vic was using the treadmill in the lair's gym the next morning when she saw Energia enter. Like Vic she was wearing workout clothing, though with added mask. Vic waved as she moved to one of the mats.

"Good morning," Energia said, waving cheerfully back. She noticed that Vic - in kicking jeans, a sport bra and running shoes and without her hair extensions - had the machine set close to its maximum normal human level. She grinned at the martial artist. "Ah, Sunday at the lair. Filled with the sounds of whirring and clanking exercise machines."

Energia slipped off her shoes, stepped onto the mat and began stretching.

Vic was still on the treadmill - though at a slower pace, working on her endurance - when Energia finished her warmup and went to one of the machines.

"Did you just set that for nearly maximum normal human?" said Vic, a bit startled. Though only a bit; she knew Energia liked to stay fit, and included strength training in her workouts.

"Yeah," said Energia, as she took her seat. She smirked at Vic. "You got a problem with that?"

"Well, I tried it on the max setting for normal human, and it wasn't quite enough. So I moved it up to the lowest setting in the superhuman range, and that was too much. Unless I wanted to cheat and use my powers."

"Huh," said Energia, frowning as she trained. "I'll ask about that. I've never been comfortable at the max norm setting, and Gadge uses lower than I do, and Blue Impact never goes below the lowest superhuman setting. I don't think anyone was aware of a gap."

They trained in silence for the next several minutes, until Energia finished her reps and changed settings to work her legs.

"I guess you miss this at the college," said Vic, as she increased speed again. "All this special equipment, even though you're in the normal human range. I know they have some training gear for the superhuman program, but that's mostly really heavy free weights. Though I guess you could use the normal gym..."

"I do, actually," said Energia, beginning to breath hard and noticeably perspire. "I tried suggesting they put in custom machines, not just for physically norm range supers like me but to better train the super strong. They said they wanted to but didn't have the budget. I said they could probably get some of the gadgeteers in the super program to do the building for free if they just found someone to donate the raw materials, but they weren't really interested."

She stopped and grinned at Vic.

"I think they've learned not to trust gadgeteers unless they can put a proven responsible one in charge of the rest."

Vic gave a short but sincere laugh at that.

"Speaking of which, I'm glad you warned me that Gadgetive would be standoffish," said Vic.

"Yeah. Gadgeteers and mads in general hate change they don't deliberately cause, especially in what they see as 'protected status' environments. Such as the groups they associate with. Dealing with those changes distracts them from things they consider important."

She took on a look of revelation

"I wonder if that's why she keeps changing schools. So she doesn't get used to any one setting."

"You have more experience with gadgeteers than I do," Vic said, as she slowed again, this time going for a cool down. "What... well, what's up with them? I mean, I've heard the savant lecture, but..."

"It's just an itch some people have," said Energia, as she rose and moved to the free weights. Again, the weights she chose weren't the heaviest intended for normal humans, but they were still impressive for Energia's size and build. "A compulsion, when they get the idea. They know it will work, the actual build is just to tease out the details, or serve whatever need they perceive the invention will answer. Besides that, they have to show all the doubters. Gadgetive isn't as bad as a lot of 'em, though she can still get really, heh, 'focussed' sometimes."

"She makes Alex seem normal," said Vic, in a quiet voice.

"Well, if you want to get her to talk to you bring your combat outfit down to the lounge and start going through it," said Energia, grinning. "It's pretty different from her own armor but still very effective. She should find it irresistible."

"I might just do that," said Vic, grinning back. "I haven't checked it out since getting here. I should make sure all is in order."

She finally got off the treadmill and moved to a device intended to train reflexes.

"I still don't really have a handle on her, though," said Vic, as the gadget began randomly swatting at her. "She's a lot like some of the folks at the college, but both more extreme in some of the same ways and different in others."

"Well, she's a full-blown gadgeteer, on a par with Dr. Device," said Energia, quietly. "They - gadgeteers - tend to develop their social skills - including an awareness of their own sexuality - late and often deliberately, when they finally admit what they're missing. She also has a lot of tragedy in her background. The surprise is that she's this close to socially functional."

"Wait," said Vic, as - distracted but still succeeding - she reflexively blocked a swat from the machine. "Are you saying that Gadgetive isn't... doesn't..."

She floundered, automatically continuing to block and dodge as she tried to put her question into words.

"I think she currently counts as ace," said Energia, frowning in thought as she did alternating curls. "Asexual. She feels attraction to guys and understands it on an intellectual level, but doesn't let it affect her decision making processes."

"That's... Well, I'd say it's weird, but I'm probably weirder than that when it comes to sexuality, at least when you take my entire life into perspective."

"It's a weird world," said Energia, grinning again as she moved to put her weights back on the rack. "Especially where sex is involved."

They each trained for nearly another half hour before stopping. Vic a bit early, because she was starting to get hungry. Energia going a bit longer than she usually did because she wanted to talk and train with Vic.

"Well, lunch won't be too much longer in coming," said the energy/force manipulator, confirming Vic's internal clock. "I'm going to shower, change into something more heroic, and hope we don't get a call before we can eat!"

"That sounds like a plan," said Vic, laughing.

* * *

Vic - extensions back in place - discovered that meals in Tricorne's lair were a communal affair. Even Gadgetive attended, and arrived in the kitchen on time. Though not everyone always ate the same foods.

One thing Vic had already learned as a general rule in regard to supers who were serous about having mask careers was that they ate a huge amount. Especially protein and complex carbohydrates. Something they had in common with many sorts of athletes. Just now, Vic, herself, was over halfway into an enormous ham and honey mustard sandwich. Something she had suddenly acquired a craving for after seeing Blue Impact making one. The experience was not at all lessened by the fact that the bread was whole wheat, still warm and fragrant from the breadmaker Blue Impact had loaded that morning.

"As I understand the situation," the oldest person present said, after swallowing, "you can get paid to continue to learn how to work in super law enforcement for pretty much however long you can justify the classes you take."

"Which means I'm staying in school for the foreseeable future," said Vic, with a shrug. "I never planned to get a doctorate in anything, but by the time the Bureau bean counters say they can justify actually hiring me full time I might have one. Of course, the longer I stay in school and the higher the degree I get, the more they have to pay me when they finally hire me!"

"I know, I know..." said Energia, rolling her eyes. "Typical bureaucratic thinking of this fiscal year's bottom line instead of saving money over the long term. Of course, Tricorne has enough funding - most of it from private foundations and individuals - for all of us to go pro right now, but so far none of us have. We're actually earning quite a bit of interest. I would like to finish out my master's then start with the team as a career. That's still a couple of years off, though, thanks mostly to the war interrupting things. I think Gadge wants to get her doctorate before going full time, but she's ahead of me in college. Teach - Blue Impact - says she wants to continue at the island for a while longer but eventually go full time with Tricorne, too."

She grinned.

"We might just all arrange things so we start as a full time team the same date!"

"Big time!" sang Blue Impact, baffling the others. She made dancing motions with her upper body as she sat in her chair. "We're on our way, we're making it!"

The others stared.

"What?" she said, stopping and smirking. "You don't know the classics?"

"I keep forgetting you're a lot older than you look," said Vic, in sudden revelation.

"Hey, you have the same problem except you look younger than I do," said Blue Impact. "I at least look like I'm of legal age."

"I've never seen her act like this before," said Gadgetive, actually appearing concerned.

"Oh, wait," said Energia, grinning. "I remember her mentioning something about an old boyfriend being back in town."

"Not a boyfriend - I wish - but a guy with powers I met in my early hero days. Mysterious creature of the night type. This is civilian ID stuff, so, no more details, sorry."

"You've got a date?" said Gadgetive, grinning.

"A reunion, tomorrow night. Two people who met while adventuring years ago and have hardly seen each other since."

"Well, congratulations and good luck!" said Vic, grinning.

"Not a date," said Blue Impact, rolling her eyes. She convinced no-one.

* * *

Later that afternoon Energia came down from her room to find Vic on the floor of the lounge area, playing with the cat.

"So, another innocent falls victim to his feline charms," said Energia, grinning.

"Yeah, your little beefeater, here, is pretty slick," said Vic, laughing.

"Hey, that's not a bad name," said Blue Impact. Though she was working at her private station in the corner of the lair, her keen senses let her know what was going on.

"What?" said Energia.

"Beefeater. He does love those beef-flavored treats."

"Wait," said Vic, startled. "How long have you had this cat?"

"Several years. We just never got around to naming him."

"Who's naming what?" said Gadgetive, entering with a yawn. Most likely, she was taking a break from whatever her current project was in the lair's workshop to get some caffeine, sugar and fats.

"Vic called our cat a 'beefeater' and Teach thinks that would be a good name."

"Oh, great. How long have we had that cat? And you're letting a newcomer name him?!"

She stormed out. The others exchanged looks and shrugs.

* * *

In a - perhaps futile - attempt to placate Gadgetive, that evening Vic brought her combat gear down to the lounge. Her excuse was that she needed the room to lay everything out for examination. Whether that was her primary reason or not, the gear - once separated into its component pieces of armor, weapons and auxiliary equipment - did, indeed, take up a lot of floor.

"Wow," said Blue Impact, as Vic examined one of the armor segments for damage. "I've seen you wearing it, of course, but never realized just how... involved it is."

"Yeah. Took a lot of research and trial and error to get all of this to fit on me in a way which doesn't impede my movements. We actually consulted some SCA people and research publications on Medieval armor."

"You both have regeneration," said Energia, absently, as she watched Vic check straps and padding, "but Teach has built-in armor. You're normal human when it comes to toughness."

"Well, someone in good physical condition can better resist damage," said Vic, her tone just as distracted. She held a knee piece up to the light and scowled for a moment at what looked like a scrape in the composite material. She relaxed when a thumb test showed it to be a smudge. "I can also pump things up a bit with ki manipulation, but that takes concentration."

Unfortunately, Gadgetive didn't show while the armor was being inspected, in spite of Vic slowing the process by explaining the armor pieces and the weapons, com gear, medical gear and so forth which went with the suit. She actually solicited suggestions for improvements from the other two. Once it was all back in the carry case Vic put that on the floor at one end of the couch, then sat at that end.

"I hope that's as close as I get to discussing female clothing during this visit," she said. "Especially underwear."

Vic sighed, shook her head and gave them a wry grin.

"For some reason, women who hear about my involuntary sex change then want to give me a crash course on how to live as a woman. Despite the fact that I've been one for years, now."

"To be fair, there are some things you still might have missed," said Energia. She grinned as she recalled a few times her Uncle Randy - usually as Template - had needed help with some bit of female apparatus. S/he usually asked Colossa, who would later tell Energia about the situation, to their mutual amusement. Sometimes, though, Energia was the only one available who was in on the secret of her uncle's dual identity. She sobered as something else occurred to her. "However, we're all professional women, here. I also think most of our conversations would pass the Bechdel test."

"That's good news," said Vic, seriously. "I thought I'd have to endure lots of - excuse the expression - girl talk."

"That does happen," said Energia, head tipped a bit to one side and grinning as she considered the matter. "Not often. Even just hanging around the lair we usually maintain a mostly professional attitude towards things. Though we do have our purely social moments."

* * *

"First Monday of Spring Break and we're up at six and in the gym by nine," said Vic, laughing. "I guess it beats being on night patrol, but this is not typical student behavior."

"We might not get any action this time," said Energia, as she and Vic again shared their morning exercise time. "That's never actually happened to us during Spring Break, but a week is a fairly short time. You just might be left seeing us doing pretty much nothing."

"Well, I'd rather not have to fight," said Vic, philosophically. "I came here to learn about how super teams operate, so I can better work with them in the future. I'm actually looking forward to our first combat training session, this afternoon."

"Just remember, each team is different," said Energia, grinning. "Though, yeah, there are certain things most of them have in common."

"Like really good security," said Vic, rolling her eyes as she deftly switched off the reflex trainer between swats. "I have an excellent memory and know exactly the procedure to get in or out without setting off the alarms. I still am not planning to go anywhere outside this building without one of you three along to get me back in."

Energia had to laugh at that.

"We're actually working on sensors which I can trigger directly with my powers," she said. "That wouldn't help you, of course. So far, though, I'm still punching in like everyone else."

After lunch that afternoon, though, there was a subtle change in the group feeling in the old bakery. Blue Impact was busy in her corner, talking with someone for over an hour. The others could tell something was up, but not whether it involved the team as a whole or just her. Finally, she left her private area and called the others together.

"I have an assignment for us," said Blue Impact. "I was recently informed by a contact that someone was planning a raid on a display of Fifties and Sixties gadgeteer devices, which is at the big museum downtown."

"Wait!" said Gadgetive, eagerly. "It that the classic theme park stuff Abner Sturgeon created?!"

"I thought you might be interested in that," said the team's senior member, smiling. "Turns out that one of the backers of the event has connections with the masks community. He was warned - by a source he declined to reveal - that several groups were threatening an assault on the exhibit. Most of those groups and individuals involved want to steal all or part of the devices being shown, to sell as collectors' items. At least one wants to destroy it as heresy. Heresy of what I don't know."

"So are we gonna get private access if we act as security?" said Gadgetive, excitedly.

"Uhm, sort-of," said Blue Impact, her smile slipping a bit. "They want two of us to dress as hostesses - we'll be in disguise and they'll provide the dresses - while the others watch from hiding in costume. If trouble does come the assumption is that the two already in costume will either handle things on their own or delay things long enough for the other two to sneak away, change and come to help."

"Kind-of awkward plan, if you ask me," said Gadgetive.

"Well, the idea is that having two people working the exhibits will let them spot covert attempts."

"That almost makes sense," said Energia, dryly.

"I'm glad you think so," said Blue Impact, her smile now impish. "I volunteered you and me for the hostess roles, since neither of us use armor or weapons and would be ready to act without them in an emergency."

"Oh," said Energia, now not looking nearly as certain.

"Did I mention we get to keep the fancy dresses they custom fit to us? So we two need to get non-costume disguises ready and get over there for a fitting by seven."

"Oh! Well, we're not supposed to take payments, but there's no law against it, and since they're made just for us..."

"I thought you'd like that. We start in the morning. There's just enough time for us to have another group training session with Vic today as soon as our lunch digests."

* * *

That evening, after all the fitting was done and those who would be on duty in disguise were back at the lair, Energia cautiously approached the door of Gadgetive's workshop. She normally avoided this part of their base; it was where Gadgetive went when she wanted to be alone (which seemed to be her default state) and the energy/force manipulator usually respected her friend's wishes. Just now, though, a combination of concern and curiosity led her there while the other two in lair were busy with their own pursuits. The door wasn't locked; if it had been Energia would have tried again later. She pushed it open.

"Oh, hey," said Gadgetive, who started, but only after Energia took several steps into the room. Obviously, she was distracted - and distressed - by something.

"What's up?" said Energia.

"With what?" said the gadgeteer, with blatantly fake casualness.

"You seemed happy when we were talking about those, uhm, devices, but then you got sad."

Gadgetive twisted uneasily in her seat.

"Oh, well, it's... just that one of the last... trips I went on with my family before the accident was to one of the theme parks where they had those devices," said Gadgetive. She started out still faking casualness, but both her mood and volume faded as she spoke.

"Oh," was all Energia could think to say.

She hesitated a moment, then gave her friend a long, firm hug. That Gadgetive didn't protest this - even comically - was adequate evidence she desperately needed it.

"I'm sorry, hon," said Energia, voice barely above a whisper. "You had already been through so much in your life before I ever met you, but you usually don't show it, so I forget..."

"Hey, it's all right," said Gadgetive, patting her friend's hand as Energia eased out of the hug. "I'm... Well, not over it; I guess I'll never be over it, but... I can deal. Most of the time. I just need to remember the good stuff."

"Like your parents having to physically restrain you from disassembling some of the mechanical equipment at the park?" said Energia, grinning.

"How'd you ever guess?" said Gadgetive, laughing. It was a bit forced, but at least she was laughing.