Chapter One
Genesis
January 1st, 5328
Tonight is new year’s eve. Better known on Caelum as Genesis. A time for new beginnings, fresh ideas, progress, and the celebration of moving forward in time.
We've celebrated it for as long as we can remember. Even on Earth our ancestors celebrated the transition. It's only right to keep the tradition going.
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Maybe you've made resolutions. Maybe your life stays the same. Maybe the world around you changes. Maybe the world around you is ignored.
Everyone in Glenys City is talking about the Genesis Ball. People from all over New Erewhon have traveled to the Silver District in order to participate this year.
Almost as long as Aegis has existed it has opened its doors to the public to celebrate with them, meet the agents, dance, wear that nice outfit you've been meaning to wear one day, part take in good food and drinks to make you feel warm inside.
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Such a beautiful thing to celebrate together.
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To celebrate the world.
To celebrate life.
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Most importantly, to celebrate you.
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Our heroes of tomorrow. New and old. Today, recruits will be earning their Aliases. Today, our most respected and looked up to heroes will be awarded for another wonderful year of service.
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Below the surface, it's a little different.
The New Year marks two years now that Epoch has existed. We’ve grown from a handful of people intent on helping the Bronze district to a thriving vigilante task force in the underground.
We're finally ready to tackle more than just petty crime in the Trench.
Ultimately, our goal is to lift up the Bronze and Silver districts by taking down organized crime that’s flown under Aegis’ radar, providing care to the sick and the poor, helping Unnatural Elementals live comfortable lives, and protecting our people.
We want the Gold district to share their wealth and prosperity and for Aegis to represent all of the city’s people equally, but Aegis is not our enemy.
There's a lot of work to do, but it's everything we've been preparing for.
This year, we're ready to shine.
40 YEARS TOO LATE
40 YEARS TOO LATE
40 YEARS TOO LATE
tHE gREASERS
The Daily News
Aegis? Epoch? Greasers?
Last night, Genesis was interrupted by a series of crimes that shook Glenys City.
Everything seemed to be going fine as guests filtered into the Genesis Ball, hosted by Aegis at their very own headquarters, but things went wrong seconds before the new year.
At exactly 11:59 PM, the power in Aegis HQ went out, plunging guests into darkness after the awarding of agents. Aegis' guard appears to have been down, allowing multiple crimes to occur.
Reports say that two ball guests, by the names of Callum Kingsley and Laura Stanford were kidnapped, along with DEADBOLT. A third victim who sadly lost his life is yet to be identified.
While Aegis agents tried to keep the guests under control, and chased a mystery vehicle controlled by time, a fire broke out in the training room, and the science wing was robbed right under their noses.
Are we really safe?
LUCA BENINI, a criminal sent to Claw Island Prison 14 years ago has escaped, killing 220. 50% of the prison's staff. More later passed away from radiation related injuries in the hospital or on site.
The front half of the prison was destroyed in a nuclear explosion caused by the inmate, and the area is now a quarantine zone until further notice.
The prison break was reported two hours after its happening, due to radio interference. The fire had been contained by then, but LUCA remains at large.
Several crime scenes have been set up around Aegis HQ, and the Scorpion Cove Amusement Park, where two NEW groups of Unnatural Elementals have been discovered.
At least we think it's two.
The Greasers, seem to be a group of unnaturals who have taken credit in the happenings the night of the Genesis ball. The only known affiliation was a man who went by "CHEESE" who escaped the scene of the ball.
The criminal organization led Aegis to the amusement park, leaving a message for them to see.
40 YEARS TOO LATE...
HAPPY GENESIS
- THE GREASERS
Agents are investigating who may be behind this.
At the scene of the amusement park, Aegis ran into a rag tag group who claim to go by EPOCH. Their supposed leader was taken in for questioning, as the rest of the group went home to have multiple cases of radiation sickness treated.
EPOCH claims to have been in pursuit of LUCA BENINI, and lost him at the scene, which suggests the higher than normal radiation levels found in the surrounding area.
EPOCH has been placed on Glenys City's watchlist, but due to their cooperation, they have not been detained, and their leader was let go after questioning.
What is going on in our perfect city?
Is this the rise of Unnatural Elementals?
Petty criminals trying to frighten us?
Or something more sinister?
Wilde World Newspaper
Is AEGIS losing control?
It's time for old heroes to retire, and new heroes to get in line.
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"Economic Equity for the Bronze - Leash the Golden Corrupt!"
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From the stage during the Genesis award show, long-time hero TERRAFORM bellows insults to the Gold District. Citizens of Gold in the crowd stop their cheering. Smiles fall. Agents ZEPHYR and POLARIS rush to regain control of the ceremony, as if ushering one's grandfather to bed after he says something offensive at Genesis dinner.
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Is this really the treatment our good city deserves?
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After all, we are one city. Without Gold, there would be no robust economic foundation to keep Silver afloat. Without Silver, there is no glue keeping us together.
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Many citizens of Gold tonight told me that they found TERRAFORM's accusations unfair at best, and completely inappropriate at worst. Others still have asked, "Does he even know what he's saying?"
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Tonight, I witnessed firsthand the mess that is the elderly and the youth of AEGIS.
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The newly assigned alias ARCHANGEL took to the stage drunk for his acceptance speech. After watching him fumble over himself like a buffoon throughout the party, I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the heroes who stand tall and proud.
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MISTRAL, an Alias for two years now, continues to prove that all she brings to the table is her brash attitude. Having completed nine months of training and served for two years, it comes as a shock that she still presents herself as an incapable rookie. After all this time, does she really still need the more experienced heroes to hold her hand?
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We have grown to adore our finest heroes, the protectors of our city and the blueprint that all other heroes should follow. ZEPHYR, POLARIS, and HELIOS maintain their poise and confidence. Where are they when their team is running wild, though?
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HELIOS, hand in hand with ICARUS, slipping out of the garden halfway through the ball and back into the public eye. Perhaps he has his own method for keeping the rookies in line, but then, his efforts are focused solely on ICARUS!
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We witnessed ZEPHYR and POLARIS in their attempts to calm the unruly heroes on stage, but many of the citizens I spoke to after the ball expressed wishes that our Chief and his Deputy had done more. We saw no consequences faced by the confused and drunken heroes who interrupted the ceremony.
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As if things weren't bad enough already, the Genesis Ball suffered a vicious attack by unnatural elementals. Three people were taken captive right out from under Aegis' noses, including one of their own, the beloved DEADBOLT.
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This night begs the question. Is Aegis losing control?
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Heroes such as TERRAFORM have protected our city for years, but it's clear that he's growing far too old for the pressure of being an Alias. It's high time that he and others like him retire.
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Aegis' youth, on the other hand, show no respect for their badges at all. They drink, scream, and party while danger lurks just around the corner.
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This is a call for our heroes to do better. If Aegis can't control its own heroes, then how can we expect them to control threats in our city?
Reported by:
Emerson Wilde
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