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Potential

Day 1

Steel Dominion materialized into the Vanguard Compound. Surveying his surroundings, he powered up his defenses and activated his cloaking device. The audio receptors in his suit picked up background radio transmissions, faint Rikti Battalion organizations, and sounds of battle in the distance. His visual aural sensors constantly bombarded his wired brain images of roving Rikti and Crey ground units in the distance. Crossing his arms, Steel nodded in approval. The Scorpion was right: There is a lot of potential here, he thought. He glanced admiringly at the Vanguard HAV as it sauntered past; eying the hardware enviously. In his distraction, Steel didn't notice the Longbow Nullifier barreling down on him; with his cloak up, the man ran headlong into Steel's body and knocked himself to the ground. If he wasn't so annoyed, Steel would have laughed at the comedy of it. Ignoring the instinct to haul off and punch the Longbow Agent, Steel merely watched as he picked himself up and walked around Steel.

Steel Dominion snorted. He was under explicit orders from Black Scorpion, direct from Recluse himself, not to harm any heroes or their supporters while patrolling the War Zone. As a sign of "good faith," Lord Recluse had promised any and all able-bodied villains to Vanguard's cause. Like Black Scorpion, the patron of the Rogue Isles saw potential in an alliance with Vanguard. A Vanguard Operative marched by, carrying one of their unique rifles. The resources and potential the vigilante organization had at it's disposal was mind-boggling.

Flexing his bionic legs, Steel leapt 250 yards to the nearest rooftop and then leapt again to the next. Base jumping three more times landed him an eyewitness vantage point to watch the glowing Mothership Shields in the distance. The scarred landscape was peppered by weapon fire and the sound of repeating Gauss weapons was music to Steel's ears. So much potential here.

As Steel prepared for another leap, he noticed in his peripheral vision, a hero defender under fire from a Rikti Chief Soldier and it's squadron. A unique Magus, emitting a Repulsion field was slowly whittling away the pathetic hero's meager defenses. In any other situation, Steel Dominion would ignore the hero and continue on. However, hanging around this Magus' neck was a rare, iridescent gemstone...An item that might prove to be valuable salvage. Sighing, Steel walked off the edge of the building and began walking towards the Magus. Wading through it's minions, Steel passed through the Repulsion field as if it were air. The Rikti was understandably confused - No earthling had ever been able to pass through his defenses so easily. Upon reaching the Magus, Steel began wailing on it stomping his large, metallic foot repeatedly to the ground. The resulting shockwave sent the Magus' minions on their backs.

When the dust had cleared and Steel's rage had subsided, the entire squadron had been decimated. Steel de-cloaked and the hero looked up into his lifesaver's glowing eyes. "Thank you so much!" he gushed. Steel stared unfeelingly at the defender until he cowered away under Steel's cold, unabashed stare.

As the defender flew off, Steel Dominion bent over the bloody body of the Rikti Magus and tore off the gemstone.

So much potential.