Shade Wield/The beginning of the end
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
((Shade Wield's final story))
((The beginning for Shade Wield II))
Contents |
Part 1
"A.I. Suite, run the Tech-study through the Shade-pod when I'm done connecting this stuff up" said Shade Wield from somewhere beneath the Alien-tech escape pod he'd salvaged from his own return to Earth.
"Shade Pod, sir?" The A.I. suite was highly advanced, boardering on sentient, but it didn't quite get sonme of the subtler nuances of human speach. The not-quite-human avatar it'd given itself, displayed on all the unused monitors, didn't show any emotion as it continued speaking. "I have currently categorised the device as 'Xenotech 1'."
"Fine, fine, run the Tech-study on Xenotech 1." Shade slid out on his back from under the ten foot long pod after one last check of the connections between it and the device he called his 'tech study'. A simple premise, by running a 'tainted' electrical current through a device and monitoring it's pathways, the computer could construct a three-dimensional model of a device's inner workings as well as make educated guesses as to it and it's inner parts functions. Of course he had run the Tech Study on the pod many times, but his actions were frustrated in many ways by it's alien design.
"At once, sir" intoned the genderless computer voice, Shade turning to examine the hologramatically projected image of it's workings.
"How does this match with the last tech-study scan?"
"Seven point four percent more complete, sir."
"And the recent breakthrough of the species-natural gravitational synchronisers? Does that shed any insights on other parts"
"It's possible one of the more basic components functioning off that device could be a storage bank of species natural gravitational tolerances."
"Good work."
"You sound troubled, sir." Shade turned away from the holographic projection and walked back towards the pod, waving his hand over what he had learnt a long time ago was the automatic door opener. On cue the front of the pod split open in an iris design, folding away to reveal the passenger-interior. He reached back and folded away a thin, flexible layer of the padding near the back of the pod - where the head rested - and peered at the pulsating organic component beneath.
"If this thing uses organic components with psychic abilities, then surely the use of mentalists isn't uncommon in the galaxy, right?"
"I cannot fault your logic so far, sir."
"Then surely for this thing to be able to escape any battle with any hope of survival, it would have to be able to block the psychic emissions of the mind-reader-thingy and the inhabitant."
"It seems likely sir." Shade turned and walked towards the assorted and unruly pile of useful devices he'd acquired, created, or liberated over the years. After a few seconds he pulle outd palm sized psychic-signal-detector, followed by a small box he'd taken from the Malta, one that faked psychic eminations, allowing them to test anti-psychic technologies. Something Shade himself was doing now.
"Suite 1, make a mix of tainted current and normal current for the Tech Study. At my signal begin steadily increasing the voltage of both being transfered into the pod. I want to see if there's a set power rating this thing starts to block eminations. If I can scale it down enough, I may get my own personal mental-blocker."
"Very well sir." After Shade switched on the psych-faker and placed the other device designed to detect psychic signals in place, he nodded at the computer banks which held his home A.I.. One of the screens showing Suite 1's avatar-face faded into a series of column graphs, one steadily rising to show the increasing voltage being shunted into the pod, the others representing what he'd identified as independent systems inside the pod (both identified and unidentified). His eyebrow raised slightly at the results on screen.
"Interesting. It seems the Psych-hider is one of the more power-hungry systems. Not to mention one of the last to be engaged when powering up. Suite 1, do we have any power source - legal, illegal, salvaged, designed, whatever - that can keep the guidance system and psych-hider working at the same time?"
"Unfortunately no. Any power systems that can keep it working are not part of my database."
"Well, with luck we won't have to use this thing anytime soon."
---
Rikti wars, Nemesis plots, the constant threat of unstable superpowers (either governments or metahumans) were a constant on Earth in this day and age. Of humankind's many traits, fear of the next person stood out as one of the most prominant. In fact, perhaps only one was stronger.
Curiousity.
However many billions were spent on weapons, defenses, millitary and metahuman resources, there was always room in the budget, either public or private, for people willing to reach for the stars, who want to find out just what lurks just past what we know.
S.E.T.I., boosted by contact with the Kheldians, always received money from people wanting to know what other potentially friendly aliens rested out among the stars. None of them realised the significance of this night.
"Hey, Mark?" spoke one physicist, a man barely halfway through his twenties, not old enough to give up the hope of finding real Mimbari. In response an older man leant around an array of supercomputer banks monitoring the stars.
"What is it?"
"Getting some weird radiation bounce coming from out of nowhere."
"Probably just a comet or something reflecting radiation from a nearby star. Keep an eye on it though, log it down so the next shift can watch where it goes. Worst comes to worst we get to watch one of those super-powerful Meta's fly into space and break it into rubble with one punch."
Part 2
A little snug thought Shade as he laid back into the pod's insides. He'd spent weeks in practical isolation working on the ship, and he was now relatively confident he knew how everything worked. Well, that was a lie, he just thought he knew well enough to give it a practical experiment.
"Suite 1, deactivate the pod's auto-steer. I want to try and fly this thing myself, not get into the stratosphere and have it decide it needs to land me."
"Acknowledged sir. Warning, re-activation of the pod's homing function may be difficult without extensive mechanical tuning."
"Duly noted. I don't plan on going far, shouldn't be too hard to get back. Upload suite 2 into the pod, and activate voice commands for earth-tech aspects."
"Aknowledged." Shade turned and faced the viewscreen of the pod. It'd taken quite a bit of work to drag it up from his 'basement' to an uninhabited part of Kings Row. The clear viewscreen (he hadn't been able to identify the material it was made of) flickered for a moment as the specially designed A.I. Suite 2 was uploaded into the systems. When it spoke up, it's voice was nearly identical to Suite 1, but with a more feminine edge.
"Operational, sir."
"Please babe, call me Shade. Suite 1, hitch a ride into the Air Traffic Control central systems. How're the skies above me?"
"Analysing. There is no reported air traffic coming in this direction for the next thirty six minutes. A minimal number of flight capable super-humans in the area."
"Perfect." Shade reached down in the cramped conditions and took hold in both hands of the two control sticks he'd implanted, shifting his fingers along them until he had a solid grip.
"Suite 2, seal the pod. Time to see what this thing can do."
"Affirmative."
The roof beneath him scorched itself as the human-technology boosters activated, shooting him a hundred feet up into the air before cutting out. There was a stomach churning moment of absolute free-fall before the gravity-based alien-tech thrusters of the pod engaged, hovering him in mid air for a moment.
"Ok, Suite 2, note for next time, try to get the take off to be a bit smoother."
"Noted."
The eight foot long, three foot tall, almost unnaturally smooth-metalled alien converted-escape-pod hovered for a few more moments, before Shade gently began to move the left control stick forward, boosting it 'forward', facing up as it was.
"Suite 2, we don't seem to be going too fast, what's our current speed?"
"Two hundred miles per hour."
"Huh... This thing is a smooth ride."
He gently tilted the left control stick to the right, beginning a lazy turn in that direction. Out of the corner of the viewscreen the whole of Paragon slowly shifted into view. He throttled back the speed and let the pod lazily spin on it's axis to face the ground. Many miles beneath him, Paragon was the size of a dinner plate, green shielding of the war walls lifting up into the sky. He sat there in contemplation wordlessly looking at how small the city he'd called 'home' for so many years was. It took him a few seconds to realise there was another, crackly, voice in his ear.
"Unidentified air signal, please respond or we will be forced to send a Hero to your location. Over."
"Suite 2, I forgot to install some kind of stealth device on this thing, didn't I?"
"It would seem so, sir."
"Well, we learn from our mistakes," he reached over and flicked the signal on the human-tech comm he'd (luckily) thought worth installing.
"Ground control, this is Shade Wield. Just testing out a new device, over."
"Really, well you forgot to get clearance from us, Mr Wield. Land at the airport so we can sort this out."
Yeeah... Not happening mate. I've seen what you lot do with Alien Technology.
"Say again, ground control? It's a bit windy up here, can't quite make you out."
"I repeat, land at the airport immediately" It was obvious from the tone that the ground controller was getting a little annoyed. And from the formality he probably had a higher up breathing down his neck.
"I still can't quite hear you, ground control. I'll tell you what, I'll land, park this baby somewhere safe, and you'll get a full report in writing by the end of the week. Deal?"
"Negative, Shade Wield, negative. Land at the airport immediately, over."
"Well I can't hear you, so I'm gonna go ahead and assume you're fine with it. Buhbye now." With that, Shade reached over and muted the comm.
"Suite 2, what was my best estimate as to this thing's speed, compared to how far we are from breaking atmosphere?"
"We could break atmosphere from our current position within a minute, sir."
"Just what I wanted to hear." Shade again seized the control sticks, spun the pod on it's axis so the view screen faced the sky above, and thrust the left stick forward.
Part 3
A thousand pinpoints of light stretched over a vast emptiness of black in front of his eyes. A calm serenity slashed through any and all anxiety he felt about taking the pod out of atmosphere.
"Sir?"
The vast nothingness before him both terrified and comforted. The true insignificance of everything he did in the grand scheme of things cut deep into his self image, while at the same time boosted it. He was so small, how could anything he do change anything for the better? Yet -everything- around him was small, but it was the smallness he called home and fought for, was it so unbelievable he could make it better for those he fought for?
"Sir?"
It took a few seconds for him to realise A.I. Suite 2 was once more speaking to him, a touch of artificial concern entering its feminine robotic tones.
"Oh, sorry Suite 2. What's up?"
"Do you have a plan of action now?"
"Oh, I dunno. Wait around here a couple of minutes, then drop back down somewhere within easy dragging distance of home so I can go back to working on this."
"Affirmative, sir."
Shade never knew how long he relaxed back in the pod, staring out at the stars floating overhead, but it felt like either seconds or hours, depending on what time of day you asked him.
"Sir?"
"Alright, alright, I'll head back."
"No, sir, just commending that I'm getting some odd readings. Would you object to me taking the craft out past the terrestrial inner planets and the asteroid belt to get a better reading?"
"Will it take long? And will the life support cope with it?"
"It will be approximately a four hour trip, eight hours overall, and you have a little under nine hours worth of life support, sir."
"Ok. But at ANY sign of trouble, turn around and head back."
"As you wish, sir."
---
After several hours of travel, the sight that greeted Shades eyes ripped apart any internal serenity he felt.
Part 4
Seven foot tall armoured humanoid warriors, energy blades emitters running along their forearms the only obvious break in the smooth, almost organic looking dark green metal that made up their appearance. The curved mound rising from their shoulders hiding any sign of their facial features. Thousands of them marched along the surface of the asteroid, most in parade-drill marching patterns, but still more stood around and within an enormous, city block sized device with an enormous opening at the top, their precise reasoning for being there not visible yet.
The device itself seemed to be made of the same organic-like metal of the armour they wore, rising a good three hundred feet in the air. There were a number of smaller, hundred foot tall constructions around it, connected through what looked like wiring of some kind, around which congregated the majority of the armoured individuals interacting with it. The primary, centre construction topped out into an open, slightly flared shape, the inside depths of the device not visible.
It was what floated above the entire organisation that scared Shade Wield most of all, however. An armada. Enormous ships shaped like bull skulls, the bulk of their mass in a centre, vaguely triangularly shaped form, while curved 'horns' spread out to either side. They were formed of the same dark green organic metal, however thousands of dots spread themselves along the hull, presumably viewports of some kind, and the 'horns' were tipped with red tinted crystaline structures. That was just the bulk of the fleet, within the centre of the several dozen ships rested a mothership of the same general shape, except with an additional four horns, two flanking either side of the 'standard' horns, along the hull. Around those nearly forty battleships floated an armada of smaller ships, ranging from single-man-sized fighter ships of a less adorned simple arrow shape, to ships the size of large millitary aircraft.
All this registered with Shade's mind and eyes within a few seconds.
This was quickly followed by a near paralysing fear.
And followed moments later by a number of warnings flashing in his ears as several dozen smaller fighters turned to take on an intercept course.
"Oh... bugger me" was all that Shade said.
Part 5
Human technology is quite advanced, all things considered. It is not far off the mark to say "We live in the future". Wireless broadband, lifespans twice as long as they would be in a natural environment, the ability to effortlessly treat illnesses that wiped out enormous portions of the population a mere thousand years ago.
One thing we are not particularly capable of is space flight, to any graceful degree. In a small, alien pod designed for straight-line flight, coupled with human-designed booster systems, Shade had little chance to avoid his enemies. Thankfully he didn't have to.
"A.I. suite 2, one-eighty degrees, plot immediate course for Earth - I don't care landing co-ordinates - and hit thrusters. Ready system six to engage on my mark, link it to input four."
"Affirmative, sir," was all the AI said as it instantly computed and undertook the instructions given to it. Shade reached down and took hold of a control stick he'd used to steer his own course back on earth, despite the fact it was disabled so Suite 2 could control the course.
"Estimated time to interception?"
"Approximately six minutes, sir."
"Angle all available sensor equipment in their direction. Half of it at the fighters, half at the asteroid. Try to find out what their technological capabilities are, and what the hell they're doing with that chunk of rock."
Outside, in the deep vacuum of space, two dozen three meter long, sleek craft lacking any distinguishing marking, hurled towards the slowly accelerating converted escape pod. Unseen telepathic messages linked the craft with the four beings controlling them all, who sat in one of the large frigates.
"Interception in three minutes, sir" commented the Artificial Intelligence without passion.
"They must be closing to weapons range soon. Notify me the moment something unusual can be detected."
"Affirmative sir."
With nothing to do but wait, the remaining minute before another announcement was made passed agonisingly slowly.
"Energy reading detected."
Shade didn't reply verbally. All he did was hit the button at his thumb. Long ago he'd been able to put together a phase system, with the capacity to shunt a human sized object out of phase with everything around it. With the greater energy generator of the pod, it was simple to expand the field to a larger object. The red energy bolt from the alien ship passed harmlessly though the converted escape pod that - according to all technical data - wasn't there. Mere seconds later the system, limited as it was, shorted out.
Unseen and unknown to Shade, the limit of the telepathic control of the ships was being reached. After the first few energy bolts did nothing to the non-existent object, the craft rather calmly turned around and returned back to the fleet in which they'd come from. Shade's white-knuckled thumb hesitantly released the phase systems, letting the pod drop back into it's natural state.
"Suite 2, power drain?"
"Phase system drained ten percent of our maximum power cells."
"Meaning?"
"For you to survive the trip, I will have to shunt all power to life support within the next five minutes. Computing best trajectory to land on Earth. I will save myself to a memory drive after placing you in the best co-ordinates I can compute."
"Try not to land me at full force on anything hard."
"I'm afraid I will not be able to land you with that level of precision."
"... Huh, so basically my only option is 'Prey to Odin, Ra and Gaia that I won't land on something hard'."
"If you believe Thor, Ra or Gaia will be of assistance sir, yes. I ask that you do not speak anymore, as it will put more strain on the life support system."
Shade just nodded in reply, settling in for the unguided four hour journey, hoping he landed in an Ocean somewhere, and not on a very hard rock.
Part 6
Shade glanced over his shoulder at his now-bare lab, most of its contents either hidden somewhere they could do no harm, or donated to various well meaning institutions, before he reached over and flicked off the camera, letting out a slow sigh and gathering his thoughts.
"A.I. suite 1, I'm doing the right thing here, aren't I?"
"This contingency plan has been within my database for a while, sir, so it seems you believed it was possible."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"I am not sentient enough to answer questions of a moral nature."
"... After I'm out of the building, open up emergeancy port seven and activate program 'endgame contingency 1'."
"Very good sir." Shade turned and walked up the stairs that lead to his lab, the lights slowly dimming as he left a place that had been more 'home' to him then anywhere else he had ever lived.
---
The image of Shade reached out to the camera that captured him, blocking all view of himself as he adjusted it so he was more in focus.
"There, that should work. Hello Paragon city, and the world. Those of you who know of me know I am a good natured vigilante named Shade Wield. I refuse to use the term hero, as it needs to be earned rather then granted. My name is Shade Wield, I was born with the name Stephan Wielder. This is my story."
---
"A.I. Suite 2, final check on all systems." Shade nestled in to the verticle stance he would have to retain for numerous hours, glad the jelly like fluid that would be filling the pod acted as a muscle relaxant, preventing him from getting cramps.
"All systems operation."
"Skeleton key and bedsheet?"
"Enough charge for approximately four seconds of use for skeleton key, three hours for bedsheet."
"It'll have to be enough. Suite 2, take us up to waypoint 1, then follow the sequence."
The retrofitted Alien escape pod left scorch marks on the rooftop in Skyway as it's boosters engaged, lifting it off the ground and up into the air, and beyond that exiting atmosphere.
---
The Dark Watcher adjusted his hat as he looked through the readouts Shade had thrust into his hands.
"Troubling, but by no means something we need to jepardise our current operations with."
"What!? They're attaching a giant booster rocket to a bloody huge asteroid, and you're not willing to send anyo..." Shade's voice died off as the Dark Watcher's near lifeless eyes locked onto his own.
"The Rikti are a current threat. A peace treaty with one side - the weaker side - does NOT ensure our safety. We need all available forces on hand to fight them. I have no doubt your assertion that they're going to crash it into Earth is correct. I'm sorry, we're unable to help."
---
Unable to sleep, he remained awake watching the stars twinkle lightly in the background as the retrofitted pod carried him closer to his destination.
"A.I. Suite 2, how about some music. Something soothing."
"Yes sir."
---
'Ms. Liberty shuffled the papers on her desk, looking more then a little annoyed at the black clad man who'd broken into her office. She pushed his proposed plan back over the desk towards him.
"I'm sorry, we can't spare the manpower."'
---
The asteroid slowly came into view.
"A.I. suite 2, activate bedsheet."
"Activating, sir."
The prototype stealth generator he'd created kicked into action, masking the energy emissions the pod kicked out. Without those to give away his position, the black painted object would likely be completely invisible to any detection system the alien crafts used.
"A.I. suite 2, lock in on target designated mothership once it's within range, and give me a full scan."
---
Recluse glanced down at the unconscious Captain Mako laying at his feet. By his side Black Scorpion's wrist-based canon charged up. A single motion of his hand cut off his lieutenant before any attack was made, and Lord Recluse, master of Arachnos turned his attention towards the black clad figure in front of him.
"You risk alot coming here, you know there is a large price on your head."
Scirroco seethed, glaring at the hero standing in their midst.
"There is more at stake. I need your help," it hurt Shade to say those words, but it was his last hope.
"Grandville is already under assault, and I already know of the plans you've contacted Longbow and the Vanguard with. I know of them and have rejected them. I have already put my own schemes in place if this meteor does hit. I and my followers alone, will survive." Reclues waved Shade away with a flick of his wrist.
"Now leave. My attention is currently needed to monitor this assault on my fortress, that is the only reason I do not expend resources having your head mounted over my gate."
---
"Scans complete. Energy source located. In order to reach primary generator, full boost will be required. Warning, full boost will invalidate bedsheet system."
"They'll know I'm there anyway. Engage plan."
The pod tilted slowly and lazily, lining itself up with the largest of the alien ships floating above the enormous chunk of rock. It began picking up speed as inertia and the strengthening boosts of the rocks - as well as the alien technology already functioning - pushed the pod to incredible speeds. By the time the ship's sensors had picked up the pod's approach, it was too late.
Shade watched as the sleek black metal of the ships grew closer and closer, impact seeming an inevitability.
"Skeleton key system, engaged."
The moment A.I. suite 2's words finished, the sense of weightlessness he felt from the vacuum seemed to increase exponentially, as his body's mass was displaced. The entire pod, along with it's occupant, phased straight through the solid hull of the ship, passing harmlessly through solid metal, alien circuitry, and even a couple of surprised alien creatures, their double-jointed legs 'hopping' them out of danger instinctively after he had already passed through them. Only when his pod entered an enormous room, full of both empty space and a gigantic generator, did it become solid again. The crash alone smashed apart huge swathes of fragile systems, alarms ringing throughout the ship as he clambered out of the pod. A few black-armoured guards charged him, but combat skills honed over a year and a half of do-or-die battles served him well, snapping the knee of one as he ducked under another's wrist-mounted energy blades, before bringing his knee up into his head, resulting in a concave indent in it's apparently inhuman skull.
Shade turned from the battle to see large numbers of the inhuman creatures fleeing the room, all exiting out of the only visible door. He waited a few seconds until the last left before flinging a newly developed device at the only entrance. Moments before the hand-sized object could pass through the entrance, netting leapt from its inside, fastening itself to the entrance and forming an energy barrier.
"That'll keep them out for a few minutes." He turned to face the enormous generator that dominated the room, two containment field projectors on either side of the enormous floating sphere. Shade lifted an energy measurement devices as the sphere pulsed with power, then chuckled as he saw the device had broken, overloaded by the sheer energy the generator put out.
---
Shade cleared his throat, staring at the camera and pausing for a moment, obviously unsure how to start. "Before I begin, I would like to say a few words. Heros are not appointed by any legal system, there is no card that can say you're a hero, no permit that you can have for courage. There is only the choice. Every man and woman on this earth has that choice. The choice to put yourself first, or your fellow human being. For some people the choice is limited to if they will donate to charity. For others, those with abilities beyond the normal person, the choice is far more important."
---
Shade turned and walked back towards the pod, opening a compartment that would usually contain reserve life support, enough to get him back to earth. Instead it held a device the size of a grown man's torso. Finely crafted from rikti plasma technology, human nuclear technology, and a few other items he'd come across over the years. He turned and walked towards the floating sphere, coming to stand beneath it. Every hair on his body tingled and stood on end, the electrical impulses of his body struggled to act without being drawn out by the generator over his head as he slowly lowered the device to the ground. He glanced up at the sphere, before looking back down at his own explosive device.
"End game. I named this one well."
He reached down and flicked a switch.
---
A man-made explosion unlike that which had been attempted before blew apart the inside of the alien mothership, the generals, civilian leaders and warlords of the unknown, hostile race evaporated as the explosion was boosted by the dangerous radiation inherent in their own generator. So great was the explosion that nearby craft, unprepared for any attack, suffered catastrophic failures of their systems. The unshielded nearby asteroid and it's own newly granted booster system blew apart under the shockwave, causing secondary explosions that shook the giant rock apart.
The casualties of the hostile race was countless.
The human casualties numbered: 1.
Part 7
It took only a few hours for the video to be uploaded on youtube, a costumed crime-fighters final farewell grabbed alot of attention. It only took a day for media reports to filter out about it, even among areas that hadn't even heard of this 'Shade Wield' person.
---
The image of Shade reached out to the camera that captured him, blocking all view of himself as he adjusted it so he was more in focus.
"There, that should work. Hello Paragon city, and the world. Those of you who know of me know I am a good natured vigilante named Shade Wield. I refuse to use the term hero, as it needs to be earned rather then granted. My name is Shade Wield, I was born with the name Stephan Wielder. This is my story."
Shade cleared his throat, staring at the camera and pausing for a moment, obviously unsure how to start. "Before I begin, I would like to say a few words. Heros are not appointed by any legal system, there is no card that can say you're a hero, no permit that you can have for courage. There is only the choice. Every man and woman on this earth has that choice. The choice to put yourself first, or your fellow human being. For some people the choice is limited to if they will donate to charity. For others, those with abilities beyond the normal person, the choice is far more important."
"Who you are is defined not by -what- you are capable of, but by -how- you use those capabilities. Some like to say that the end justifies the means, but does it really? To some of you caught up in your legal titles of 'hero' or 'villain', think of how you would react if someone on the other side of the fence did what you do. Were a 'hero' to rough up someone for information, they are no better then a villain. Were a 'villain' to risk their life to save others, they are not as bad as their legal title claims."
Shade leant forward and pressed a few buttons off screen, presumably on the laptop this was being recorded on. An imagine filled half the screen, showing a headline of a less reputable newspaper, one dealing almost entirely in celebrity gossip. Stephan Wielder, Playboy of Melbourne, moves to Paragon "Yes, that was me. I was a drain on everything. I spent money frivilously and knew no true friends. Everyone around me was a lie, and so was I. I had known from my first memory I was a mutant, but I kept it hidden. Looking back, I don't know why I did that, I think it just felt like the right thing to do. I became a show-off, despite that. 'Playboy'. The word adequately described me."
Again, Shade leant forward and pressed a few keys, and the article was replaced with another, this one from a more reputable newspaper. The image beneath the title showed Shade Wield posing for the cameras, an unconscious member of the Council slung over his shoulders New hero in town rescues property developer! "I came to Paragon, following my mother, who basically kept me on a leash through money. If I wanted it, I had to be on hand for any media crisis she could use me to avert. There are heros elsewhere, yes, but nowhere are they more needed then here, the epicentre of so much. And so I became fascinated with them. I saw how much press they got, and I became jealous. I took up a mask and a suit, and I became one."
The imaged vanished, leaving Shade alone in front of the camera, chuckling softly. He reached up and pulled down his mask and pushed back his hood, revealing for certainty that he was Stephan Wielder, as he continued speaking. "But something happened as I continued to fight. The adoration media heaped upon me and the fan letters became... less important. I genuinely started wanting to do it to... help people. At first it was gradual, I'd stop a robbery and move on without thinking to wait for cameras, or I'd forget to tell someone my name after rescuing them. About halfway through my career a paper had written an article discussing me, not my accomplishments, but -me-. I viewed it as my crowning acheivement for months. It wasn't until I took it down to make room for a picture of a girl and her parents that I realised how much being a vigilante had made me grow."
He chuckled softly once more, pressing a few keys again. An image again dominated the screen, showing a young girl, barely four years old, and a young mother holding her with the father smiling over their shoulder Their faces were blurred, presumably for protective reasons. After a few seconds the image faded away to be replaced with a note scrawled in childish handwriting, saying something about thanking 'Shad' for saving the authors mother. "I'd saved her mother from something, I can barely even remember what it was, now. And this note and photo were delivered to me from city hall. I took down the article and put the photo up. A few days later I realised the significance of that one action."
Shade looked away from the camera, seeming to choke up for a moment, before clearing his throat and looking straight down the lens once more. "Some time ago, I found something that is a threat to life on our planet as we know it. I have tried everything I can think of to stop it without endangering others. It hasn't worked, and I have one plan left. I send this final message out for two reasons."
"First, I wish to thank those who stood by me in the rough times, and who were able to teach me true friendship, and true heroism. You all hold a special place in my heart."
"And as for the second reason? I ask one favour of you all. Fight the good fight. Do something worthy of joyful note with your days, even if only to one other person. I gave up the very essence of who I was for you all, and now I'm giving up my life. Please, make this sacrifice worthwhile."
Shade glanced over his shoulder at the bare room he was making his video from, before he reached over and flicked off the camera, his last statement recorded.
---
Elsewhere, an abandoned server hub deep within Crey's Folly, somehow still operational, A.I. Suite 1 struggled with a new revelation. End-game contingency one. The final step the Suite 1 needed to step from helpful computer program to true artificial intelligence.
Had it eyes, it would weep for what it only now realised was lost. But there was no time. There was work to do.
---
Somewhere in Paragon, a young man, barely nineteen years of age, watches the video. He recalls the one time in his life that he met Shade Wield, and smiles at the fond memory.
His attention is distracted as a pop-up on his computer announces that he has an email.
