Too much manipution could result in push back, a deal with the Vice President to allow the heroes in and…
As the murmurs in the chamber rose, the Vice President looked up from where he had been staring at Sonya and ined his head, “The Senate reizes Senator Adam Chavez of Florida.”
Behind Sonya and the others, a man in a bck suit and red ie got to his feet. Sonya kept her eyes forward, not meeting his gaze even as his own eyes fixed on the back of her head for a heartbeat, he cleared his throat, “While I appreciate the spirit of Miss ovna’s argument, I disagree on the assertion of a singur guild. If such a movement is to take pce it should be in the hands of the states and indepe anizations. As she said, this is the beginning of a new industry, tralizing it and giving ownership to the federal gover would cripple it before it had a ce to grow.”
Sonya closed her eyes a her expression as stiff as possible, Take the bait.. e on…
The Vice President’s eyes shifted, “The Senate reizes Senator Lucille Haygar of Neshire.”
“Five me, but I ot see how the heroes being supported by ‘indepe anizations’ possibly be a good thing. Is the gentleman from Florida suggesting that corporations be allowed to form their own guilds?” A woman in a suit with a blue ie said, her arms crossed as she cast a scathing look across the chamber.
Sonya crushed the urge to grin, And now the tone is set, it isn’t a matter of whether the guilds should be formed or not, rather who’s in charge and how much autonomy they’ll get.
“tralizing the heroes puts too much power into one pd eliminates flexibility! They must be able to respond in any state of the union, besides, petition is important,” The senator from florida insisted.
“petition? That’s just an excuse to-” The woman shot baly for the Vice President to clear his throat. “Apologies, the Gentleman from Florida raises a good point, but there must be clear rules and standards put in pce if we are going to rely on multiple guilds.”
Sonya finally allowed herself to smile, one of the biggest issues from her previous life had been that eaation had followed the example of a singur tral guild. Guilds were going to be formed across the p over the few years, this wasn’t a matter of ving the govero form a guild. No, this was about making sure a single guild per try never happehere is no way I’ll allow the same culture that gave rise to the so-called ‘Gods of the New World’ to be born. She cmped down on the bubble e that formed in her gut, No, I’ll never let it happen. With this, the world will follow the Uate’s example.
More murmuring filled the chamber as the senators spoke in hushed tones. She watched them like subtitles in her vision.
Sonya’s grin widened a little more.
“You seem pleased with the dire of the versation, Miss ovna,” The Vice President ented, his eyes on her.
She cleared her throat, thankful for her amplified mind so she could think on her feet, “I think the suggestion of detralizing the guilds is a good choice, I’m gd the Gentleman from Florida made the suggestion. I am a businesswoman after all,” She joked. There were some scattered ughs in the chamber as she sat back a bit and crossed her legs, “In all seriousness, I am only here to ehat we keep moving forward for the sake of the future.”
The Vice President nodded, “Well said, I think we know our starting point. We will hammer out a proposal to send to the House to be turned into legistion.”
Sonya ined her head, “Thank you, Mister Vice President.”
“Thank you for ing,” He turo the other four, “And for your service.”
Nick choked a bit o her and she nudged him, “Say something.”
“R-right!” Nick got to his feet awkwardly, “I uh… It-it’s a dangerous job, but that’s why we have these powers, right?”
Sonya’s eyes widened and she gnced up at him, You have no idea what you just said, kid, She mused with delight, That se is going to be oelevision in the try in no time.
–
Martin watched the proceedings from the side with an expression of mixed feelings, his arms crossed. Lu g him a few times before finally letting out a sigh, “What is it?”
“At first it seemed like she wahere to be a single guild, but I’m getting the feeling she got exactly what she wanted,” He grunted.
Lu snorted, “She’s not a god, Martin. I’m sure there was some reverse psychology there, but no os exactly what they want in DC.”
Martin’s eyes narrowed, “Not a god…hmm…”
Lu shook his head, “Don’t get so bent out of shape, it looks like we’re going to have a lot of work ahead of us,” Martin turo him with a raised eyebrow and Lu shrugged, “Think about it, it sounds like the Pandora ittee’s powers are going to explode after this, there’s gonna have to be ht with these guilds, who’s going to be doing that, you think?”
Marti out a sigh and looked back at that woman again, “Ah, fair point.”
–
When the hearing came to a close, the media was in a frenzy outside the chambers. While the photographers and cameramen had been allowed inside, no one was allowed to approach the guests or senators until they left. Sonya spent some time shaking hands, snatg up new products, and greeting more than a few of the Senators who expressed their warm feelings about her words or made some sundry remarks about w more closely together iure. Sonya waved most of the ents off in stride but made sure to log their names and faces for ter. She’d approach them as Ishtar.
“That was quite the speech,” Lucille Haygar said, extending a hand to her.
Sonya took it, Analyze.
That’ll e in handy, I might even be able te it, Sonya mused befiving the woman a winning smile, “I’m just gd the versation moved along smoothly,” She said, “We could be sitting here arguing about whether the heroes deserve to exist or not.”
Lucille shrugged, “I very much doubt that would have happened after st night,” She said with a sigh, “Dharan was a wake up call. Supp the light-touched became a fone clusion, though I’m sure you realized that already.”
Sonya just wi her, “I had a feeling.”
Lucille chuckled, “Have you sidered politics, Miss ovna?”
“I’m afraid that, while I’m naturalized, I wasn’t born here,” Sonya said with a shake of her head, “Besides, it would get in the way of business for me.”
“Well if you’re ied in brang ASTA out, I put in a good word with the governor,” Lucille said before stepping away to talk with a few others. Sonya watched her go and shook her head, Games upon games.
She turned away and spotted Nid the others speaking with senators and even some representatives of the Pandora ittee. Of all of them, Bluestar seemed to be handling herself the best. She smiled at the right time and ughed when she o, her eyes were everywhere, though. I wonder how she is with administration, Sonya thought, She might make a good guildmaster.
Sonya let out a sigh and pushed the thoughts aside, she was getting tired and there were still dozens of frantiews anchors and journalists waiting outside the chamber doors like hungry piranha. She made her way over to Bandit and Lifesaver who were trying their best to avoid versation and even snagged Firestorm along the way. When they finally mao pull Bluestar away from ahusiastiversation with the Senateia she lead them out of the chambers and into their battlefield.
–
It was hours before they made their way back to the hotel room. When the door opehe first thing Sonya did was throw herself at Marta, “Marta! I’m so tired, e!” She whined noisily. Marta took a strategic step bad Sonya nearly fell on her face with a grunt, catg herself and scrambling back to her feet. She pouted, “Not even a hug?”
Marta raised an eyebrow, “Save it for your arm dy.”
Sonya grinned and leaned against the wall as the others filed in, “Aren’t you gonna ask me how it went?”
“It was on national television,” Marta said with a shrug.
“Boo you’re no fun,” Sonya jeered and walked past her as Marta held up a hand with a small smile. Sonya spped it and grinned back at her, “Lets order pizza!” She shouted to the others as she walked past. Marta was about to protest as the others raised their fists and cheered.
“Oh fine,” Marta grunted ao grab her phone.
Sonya hopped over the back of the coud sat down, looseniie, “How are things going, Amos?” She asked.
“Lets see,” Amos said, setting down his troller after pausing his game, he turo face her, “The munitions will be in Nepal in a few hours, their gover sends their thanks,” He paused, “Oh, and apparently you’re the ‘voice of the hero movement’, now, so, grats I guess?”
Sonya snorted, “Great,” She rolled her eyes, “I’m sure our friend in New York will get a kick out of that.”
Amos cackled, “Oh he’s beei's hirious!”
Before Sonya could ask to see, Bandit slipped into the couext to her with a groan, “Oh my god I’m so tired, how the hell is talking to people so exhausting?”
“It wasn’t that bad, Logan!” Sonya teased, patting him on the shoulder, “You guys did great.”
“I dunno, we really didn’t get to say anything during the hearing itself,” He said, his shoulders sagging.
“Are you sure about that?” Sonya asked him with a tilt of her head, “You said quite a bit just by being there. Didn’t you catch what the Vice President said to you?”
“He uh… thanked us for our service?” Logan said, looking a little nonplussed, “I’m not a veteran.”
“You fought monsters on home soil, you brat,” She ruffled his hair, “He honored you. You came here hoping that maybe they’ll sider supp aimizing heroes, it wasn’t even a versation, the hard part for them is how, not if. You got what you came for and then some.”
Bluestar put her hands on the couch behind them and leaned down, “She’s right, Logan, we did it!” She said brightly, “This is huge!”
Lifesaver scratched his nose somewhere behind them, looking sheepishly down at the table, “It did feel pretty good, didn’t it?”
Logan finally broke into a smile, “So what happens now?”
“Noait and see what they e up with,” Sonya said, “It’s out of our hands but I have a feeling it won’t take very long. They know they’ve gotta do something or the Dharan could be here in the US.”
Amos snorted, “They’re ly known for solving problems quickly.”
“It’s either that or let people like Nick run around with far less puns and ht,” Sonya quipped, thumbing back at Nick who was downing a beer.
Nick choked, “Wh-what’s that supposed to mean?”
Laughter followed, then pizza, then the versation finally drifted away from the topics of the day. They pyed some games and wound down as best they could until night finally took them. It was two in the m when Sonya found herself looking out the window of the hotel room, staring at her refle as her glowing eyes bzed. She reached up and touched the gss thoughtfully before notig a shift in the air and Marta’s refle.
“Voice of the Hero Movement and The World's First Supervilin,” Marta said quietly.
“Mhm…” Sonya nodded.
“Is this what you wanted?” She asked.
“This is just the start,” Sonya said and lowered her eyes, “I’ll manufacture heroes and vilins and pit them against each other and the monsters.”
“Why? I know there’s a lot you ’t tell me, but at least…” She trailed off as she came to a stop at Sonya’s side.
“I won’t let the heroes see each other and humanity as rivals and lesser beings…” Sonya said quietly, running her fingers down the gss, “The heroes o be united with a on goal, the right goal, even if I have to force it on them.”
“Lesser… beings?” Marta murmured thoughtfully and looked up at Sonya, “You think… some heroes will start seeing themselves as gods?”
“Marta, I call myself Ishtar,” Sonya said incredulously, “You don’t think I’m the only one, do you?”
Marta blinked and then looked out the window again. She was silent for a while as she swallowed and mulled Sonya’s words over. She ched her fists, “No one is going to thank you, for doing all this to keep humanity going. They’ll never know how far you went.”
Sonya smiled, “I’m fih that.”