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Sleep Sound Tonight (IC)


Electra

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"The ground floor is open to all," he said, still trying to push down his Edge-fan smile and resume at least a semblance of professionalism, "while the three floors above are semi-open. There are laboratories, think-tanks, and workshops there, and some are open for tours," he gestured to the group below, "like the one those students from Luke Rand High are on. The next seven floors are where all the real work goes on, and access is by appointment only, following certain background checks, of course. Then there is the top floor, administration, also open by appointment."

But who wants to see that?!

"Some branches are more secured than others, though." He turned and began walking down the hall, "the branch in California, for example, focuses on high-energy physics and power systems, and the work there is exceedingly delicate. And, of course, the satellite and super-sub, simply due to their location, though I would like to get parts of those open to tourists."

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Erin continued nodding as she tagged along, easily keeping up with the Doktor as he led her around. "So there are school groups in and out, and visiting scientists, regular workers, superheroes with scientific questions," she surmised, leaving behind a little of her nervousness with an interesting tactical problem. "Does everyone get handled with the same system, through the lobby, or are there special entrances for employees and other people? Like roof access, teleporter room, stuff like that?"

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"Oh, my, yes," he said as he lead them down the right hand corridor. Along either side were transparent doors (glass? Some sort of super... glass? Who knew?!), through which she could see assorted scientists at work. Some worked at computers or on dry erase boards, while others worked with chemicals under fume hoods or tended to small plants and animals. He smiled and waved at them all as he passed; those who were not absorbed in their work smiled and waved back. "There are staff entrances at the sides and rear, near the loading docks, accessed via keycard and biometric scan. We have a helipad on the roof, and the windows can be opened, if needed, to let in flyers." Archeville paused ever-so-briefly, remembering a surprise picnic lunch Mona had brought to his 12th-story office window. "We have two teleportation systems set up -- one that only goes within and between ArcheTech facilities, and one that can go to almost any spot in the city -- but we try and keep their use to a minimum, due to power requirements and the disruption they cause to certain equipment and experiments."

We lost a lot of data during the Grue and 'Demon' Invasions because of excessive teleporter use... but that just means we get to make those discoveries again!

"Although, in cases where an injured Metahuman is brought in for treatment, we prefer to use antigrav stretchers to bring them in, on the off chance their injuries lead to an uncontrolled expression of power which interferes with the teleportation system."

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Erin watched and listened, paying attention to the people they passed and how they acted. The people who waved seemed to be doing it genuinely, so it seemed like the boss was at least reasonably popular with the scientists and researchers. That seemed like a good sign. The place had way too many doors to be really secure, in her opinion, but she wasn't looking to design the security, just to stand by a door or whatever and stop anything that shouldn't be coming through it. "How much of the hands-on work do you do yourself?" she asked, just to satisfy her own curiosity.

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"As much as I can, though not nearly as much as I would like!," he chuckled. "Running this company -- particularly learning how to delegate, and how not to micromanage -- has been one of the most difficult things I have ever done. But, it is also one of the most rewarding, as the output, the discoveries, make it so worthwhile! Of course, the fact so many who work here are the type who prefer to keep their own schedule -- you cannot put genius on a timeclock! -- makes it a bit harder for me to... contribute as much as I may like. I also try to confine my own scientific work to my personal laboratory at home, to 'satisfy the itch' and keep my hands off other people's projects. Though just because my hands are off," he tapped the side of his nose, "does not mean my eyes are off."

I suppose now is as good a time to broach this as any.

"Far too many supervillains have arisen in places such as this, due to a lack of adequate monitoring, both of their work and of their emotional and mental states," he continued as he turned down one intersection. In the distance, Erin could hear the gaggle of high school children. "Which is why I keep apprised of of all projects, and why all ArcheTech branches have top-notch, on-site counseling services. And mandatory annual psychological tests," he added, glancing over to Erin, "which are completely covered by our health insurance."

I want to help you! I know you have made some phenomenal progress, but you could still use some support, right? Right!
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"A psych test is no problem," Erin assured him, almost as confident about it as she sounded. After several years of intensive therapy, she really wasn't very unstable anymore, there were simply times when she got very sad. Hell, she'd been able to deal with Dead Head face to face without attacking him, that had to be tougher than anything a shrink would throw at her. She hesitated a moment, not sure she should say more, then said it anyway. "But I'm glad to hear about the counseling. I've been working with Dr. Marquez at Claremont for the past couple of years, he recommended that I find someone to keep talking to."

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"I know of Dr. Marquez," Archeville nodded, continuing down the halls, "and the excellent work he has done with the Claremonters. School counselors are often underrated and underappreciated, given all they must handle, and the atypical nature of his patients must make it exponentially more difficult!"

More sound minds, less 'sound and fury'!

"He has even helped us with some of our projects here -- got some references on counselors to hire, when I made my first donation to Claremont. Ah, yes," he snapped his fingers, "that is another thing ArcheTech is big on: supporting other institutions, since I know even we cannot do everything. Hospitals, libraries, museums, schools and universities, both here and abroad. And in addition to helps metahumans understand and control their powers, as the Albright Institute does, we have some joint programs with the Rhodes Foundation to help metahumans find gainful employment, in areas where their unique talents would be useful. A happy, productive person is far less likely to fall to supervillainy!"

The sounds of students grew louder.

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"Yes, he's very good," Erin agreed, with hardly a hint of reluctance. For all she'd feared and resented Dr. Marquez and his power to control her destiny when she'd first come to school, two years of very hard work with him had brought her attitude around significantly. "Do you have many people who were supervillains or almost-supervillains working for you?" she asked. While she approved of the idea in theory, it seemed like something of a security risk. She cocked her head as she caught the sound of the students growing louder. "Field trip?" she asked.

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"No full-fledged supervillains," he replied, sounding a bit disappointed, "and a mere handful of almost-weres. In most of their cases, their tentative forays into villainy came after a laboratory accident that empowered them, and the rush of it all overwhelmed them, sending them on a rampage. Oh!, ah, not accidents here! We help subjects of any sort of accident, you see, from all over. I am proud to say we have never had any serious, much less metahuman-creating, accidents here!"

Well, not here-here, but a few of the ArcheTech branches...

"So in addition to mental therapy, they also get examined physically, to make sure their change is not slowly killing them, as well as to try and discover the workings of their abilities, and a way to reverse it if desired. There were a few who were going to become villains in retaliation to toxic work environments -- here I mean mentally, emotionally toxic -- but getting them placed into a better job was just the thing they needed! We all have the need to feel accepted and valued, do we not?"

"Ah, yes, the kids from the school in West End," he said over the growing din of young tweens. "Science class field trip, came to see what we have. Care to listen in?," he asked with a growing grin.

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"Um, sure," Erin said, mostly because he seemed so enthusiastic about it. Seattle hadn't had anything like ArcheTech, obviously, but she remembered her share of field trips to significant places for culture, art and science. She'd mostly seen them as a way to get out of class for a day and have fun with her friends than as a real learning experience, but she'd probably picked up a few nuggets of knowledge along the way. As she walked towards the group, she was easily able to pick out individual voices and conversations, forming a mental picture of where all the speakers were located. From the sound of things, not a lot had changed, at least in this one area, since she'd been in middle school.

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The pair soon met up with the students, who were being shown around some of the laboratories. The two guides leading them, a young man and woman, eagerly explained what went on in this lab: prep work for many of the other experiments done in laboratories throughout the building. Test tubes were cleaned in ultra-efficient autoclavers, basic reagents and catalysts were prepared in bulk, and certain tool assembled. Some basic experiments were done for the students, showing how to separate DNA for analysis, the proper way to take vitals from a rabbit, what can and cannot go into a microwave or autoclave, and other relatively simple things, most of which Erin realizes she knew from her classes at Claremont.

Ah, so nice to see the next generation seeing some of the true foundations of science!

Of course, once they realized Archeville himself was there, everyone turned to him. One freckle-faced teen fan in the group had brought a book for him to sign, and timidly stepped forward. The Doktor and she exchanged a few words, he signed her book, and she then raced back to her clique of friends who all started a flurry of whispers. After a little more chit-chat with the group, he told them he was (regrettably) needed elsewhere, but thanked them all for coming, waving as he walked off.

If me being a teen heart throb gets more teens interested in science, well, I suppose I should line up some magazine shoots!

Archeville lead Erin on through the building, showing her assorted laboratories, workshops, and dorm rooms. "These are for metahumans who require long-term care, or who are still learning to control their abilities. The Albright Institute, which has been doing the same for much longer, helps us with some cases, and we help them when we can. We have two sets: these, one level below my office, are for those who have gained much control over their abilities, and now are working on what to do with themselves, ideally in some way which will aid society in some fashion. The second, more rugged, set, down in the basement, is for those who still have a lot of trouble controlling or containing their abilities."

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Wander looked very thoughtful at that, saying nothing for a few minutes as he described the facilities. "That sounds like a more structured version of what they did for me at the Goodman Building when I came to Prime," she finally said. "I guess if I'd shown up later, I'd probably have come here instead." She pursed her lips, wondering if it was even a good idea to ask, then asked anyway. "How secure are the basement facilities? I mean, could they really hold a metahuman who wanted to get out?"

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"I actually based some of our procedures on what you went through at the Goodman Building," he exclaimed as he lead them back to his office, "since, well, that was pretty much a textbook example of how to 'process' an arrival from another dimension! I also got some feedback from the folks at Blackstone, since they have the most experience in restraining metahumans. Though this is no a prison, of course -- if a patient wants out, and they are not a threat, we will not stop them. If they are a threat, well, they would be at Blackstone."

Which reminds me, I still owe Abby a call on those new inhibitor chips. Also, drinks! She needs to get out more.

"That said," he added as the double doors to his office opened before them, "we do have a number of tools to keep our patients, and those working with them, safe. The superstructure of all ArcheTech facilities incorporate certain proprietary super-alloys, and we have chambers made entirely of such materials. We can also erect force screens for added security. We have a host of devices that can nullify metahuman powers, though those are confined to only certain areas; we have ones that can nullify almost all Metahuman abilities, or tailored devices that just interfere with certain ones. The dorms can also be tailored for the patient's preferred environment, different atmospheric mixes and pressures, temperatures, even gravity levels. Part of our preparation for making a big inter-species space station," he winked.

Shame Dark Star has been so absent, he was soooo helpful! Not that Star Knight has not made any useful contributions -- she has!

"And throughout the building there are suites of sensors to monitor unusual activity -- patients as well as any intruders -- and neural stunners as a non-lethal deterrent should negotiations prove insufficient. I am also working on a secondary deterrent, capturefoam projectors that could restrain intruders or enraged or unruly patients."

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"I see," Wander said, sounding interested and a little bit disappointed all at once. Though ArcheTech might have the proper infrastructure to contain Erin's so-problematic counterpart, it didn't sound like the sort of project they'd be at all interested in. Not that she could blame the doctor for that one. It looked like it was going to continue to be Blackstone for the foreseeable future. "You're really trying to build a space station?" she asked instead. "Like a big one, not just a Freedom League outpost? When are you going to do it?" Despite everywhere Erin had been, a trip to space had thus far eluded her.

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Aww, she sounds disappointed! But why? Well, perhaps this will cheer her up!

"Built one, actually," he replied with a huge smile. He tapped a few spots on his desk, and the wall of monitors on the right side of the room switched from their news feeds to showing images of the Earth from high up, and of a large eight-pointed star-shaped structure in orbit. "ArcheStern has been in orbit for a few years now, and has been of invaluable help to both the work we do and our mandate to help others. It is a research station, currently in geosynchronous orbit over Brazil, as part of a rainforest surveying project. It is, of course, a boon to astronomy and astrophysics work, since it offers a view of the universe without clouds or other atmospheric phenomena getting in the way. The microgravity environment is also useful for certain electronics and chemical manufacturing processes; we have had some promising work growing synthetic Daka crystals!," he beamed. "About half of it is devoted to research laboratories and workshops, some of which we use, some of which we rent out to other companies. It is, as you can imagine, a fairly unique commodity we can offer," he chuckled.

But wait! There is more!

"But that is not the station I refer to," he continued, after giving her a moment to take in what he'd said and was showing her. "I hope to build another station, one devoted to diplomatic work with extraterrestrial races. Where we could work out our differences peacefully, and avoid the horrors of interspecies war."

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Erin blinked, her eyes widening a little bit at the impressive display of technology. She'd seen enough in the past two years that it wasn't as flabbergasting as it might have been, but it was still something to see. "That's amazing," she said sincerely, looking over the pictures and schematics that she could only vaguely understand. "How will you make it pay?" she asked curiously. "I mean, if the other one is for doing experiments and stuff, and this one is all for diplomacy. Are you going to lease it to the government or the UN or something?"

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That is an excellent question! Miss White continues to impress!

"That is the way we are leaning," he replied, rocking back in his chair a bit. "The second station will be largely a philanthropic thing, funded by donations from myself, my company, and other interested parties, as well as funds set aside by the UN. Though if an exchange of technologies and cultural artifacts can be set up, it could become even more profitable than ArcheStern. But it is a long way from getting off the ground -- there are UN committees working to decide where to put it, who to send up, how to go about First Contact scenarios... the bureaucratic work going into this is becoming more intensive than the technical work!," he laughed.

"So," he asked after he calmed down, "any other questions? Or concerns?"

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"Um, well... how soon will I know when you make your hiring decision?" Erin asked diffidently. What the doctor had been saying definitely seemed encouraging, but she wasn't quite sure that he didn't give this tour to everyone who came to visit him. He was a really enthusiastic guy, a lot more so than she remembered, actually. And he'd lost his bizarre accent too. Maybe he'd taken advantage of the company-sponsored therapy too. "I need to get an apartment and stuff set up for after I graduate, so I'm hoping to have my job stuff settled quickly."

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Ah, that makes sense. No sense in keeping her waiting, then!

"Ah, well, in that case," he reached into his desk and pulled out a thick manilla envelope, "you had best start reading this, so you will be prepared for orientation when you start the first Monday after graduation!"

He stood, smiling broadly, and offered his hand to her to shake, "I have already run every background check on you I would need to, and your heroic record speaks for itself. The only question I still had was whether or not you wanted the job, and I see that you do! So welcome aboard!"

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Erin looked startled for a minute, then smiled as she took the folder. "Thank you," she told him sincerely. "I really appreciate you giving me a chance. I'll do a good job." Holding the weight of the envelope in her hands, she felt as though a weight on her chest was starting to evaporate. She had a job, she was going to have a way to make money and pay for her own rent and food and clothes. Things were going to be okay. She wondered a little what background checks he'd run and what they'd turned up, but maybe she didn't really want to know. The important thing was that she'd passed. "Is there anything I should do before then to get ready?"

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Archeville was quiet for a moment, stroking his chin in thought. At last he nodded, "yes, there is something you should do before starting here," he said in a very serious tone, "something which will help you immensely, both here and in other endeavors."

He placed both hands on his desktop and leaned forward slightly, and fixed her with his Rhine-blue eyes. Eyes which soon crinkled around the edges as a grin came to his face, "have a wonderful time at graduation, Miss White, and at any graduation parties you attend! You have earned it!"

She has overcome so much, and done so much for the city -- she should celebrate!

~fin~

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