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#Post#: 257--------------------------------------------------
July 5th: Hertz
By: insert name Date: May 25, 2017, 8:11 pm
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The guest quarters in the so called 'Texas White House' are
amazing. Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising how luxurious and
fancy the rooms are ina house that literally has Air Force One
parked on an airstrip in the property, but still.
Having sex in the Texas White House isn't exactly having sex in
the White House, but the thought's enough to get drunk Rita in
the mood, which makes for a fine end to a great night.
It's after a fitful night's sleep, and a hearty breakfast served
up by the staff (who, even in the home of the Civil Right's
champion, are all black), that Johnson takes Dr. Hertz for a
ride in a bright blue, somewhat boxy convertible, to have a
private chat.
"God, I love a good drive round the ranch," LBJ says as he heads
onto dirt paths. "Fresh air, jostling bumps, it's what it's all
about. Now, Wally, I want to talk to you about the big question.
According to you, and some other boys from the expensive
colleges, think that this metahuman thing is contagious, right?
So, my question is, what kind of outbreak are we looking at? And
how do we make sure the right people get the powers?"
#Post#: 260--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: PlebeianTyrant Date: May 26, 2017, 5:44 am
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Hertz smokes a casual cigarette while out on the drive. If he's
going to take a vacation, might as well live it up.
"We don't exactly know contagion rates, sir. Some people seem to
give the powers away like candy on Halloween. Others seem to
very low infection rate. What I can tell you right now is that
it seems to be getting weaker. After doing some research into
what incidents and who is the origin point for other metas, I've
found that the amount of powers metas are demonstrating are
diminishing or there continues to be an ever increasing amount
of conditions that must be met for powers to work. It is my
hypothesis that we dealing with a sort of generational dilution
of powers. The further we move from Mrs. Sykes in infection
steps, the weaker metas become. I don't have enough data yet to
tell me if infection rates are affected by this, but a
registration system would definitely help me with this. Not to
mention it would do some good in the whole public security
situation. However, data mostly points out that when a power or
a meta-capability is used on a person is when the contagion
spreads." Hertz shifts slightly uncomfortably at a passing
thought.
"We also haven't noticed any meta-animals that aren't human.
There is a concern I have that whatever this dark energy is is
of no natural origins on this world or dimension. And I suspect
that it may be targeted to our species. Since phenomena
surrounding it seem cause and effect based, but it never
deviates from its script I would argue that it is designed
artificially. Given this information, the pertinent question
regarding your question would then be 'Who designed this and
gave it to our species?' Then the next question should be 'Do
they want to hurt us or help us?'"
#Post#: 264--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: insert name Date: May 26, 2017, 8:17 am
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"God or the Devil, then," LBJ says grimly. He catches himself
and smiles, "Sorry, Wally. I know you're not big on the
religious explanation, but it's the only explanation that makes
a lick of sense to me. Contagious from use..." he becomes
extremely sober and serious, "We did it, didn't we? We gave
Vietnam the metahumans when we sent Amanda over there. Shit.
I've got the whole damn country telling me to get out of there
lately, but now it really is my fault. Christ's sake, how am I
to live with that?" He let's out a long sigh, "Worst fear
confirmed, then. So, what do we do from here? I can't say I'm
fond of letting fate just take its course. We need to start up
some kind of recruitment drive, get our metas using their powers
on people we can trust. Figure out the spread, and get it all
under one tent. No more handing this out to our Goddamn enemies.
I want you on this, Wally. God knows we've got enough on our
plates, but this changes everything. We have a chance to make
the next set of metahumans actual Goddamn heroes, instead of
maniacs running around hurting people!"
Johnson focuses entirely on Hertz while he's talking. The whole
time he becomes increasingly animate and loud. Hertz doesn't
even realize they're going off the road till there's a sudden
lurch and the car hits the river.
A moment of panic sets in as fear for the president sets in...
it's alleviated when the president laughs. Water isn't getting
into the car.
In fact, the cars floating.
"God, you should see yourself right now," Johnson says. He
sighs, and begins driving the floating car down the river, "I
thought we could use a moment of levity, there. But, I'm serious
about all this. We need to get on top of who becomes a meta
next. Shit... maybe we should have gotten Castro to spread to
some of our boys before we..." he looks at Hertz seriously, "We
need to look at West's victims, see if anyone's manifested
pow..." he cuts off mid word as he realizes something, "Damnit,
that's how Bobby Horne got it, isn't it? How the Hell did I miss
this before?"
The answer, Hertz suspects, is that he didn't entirely miss it.
There's at least two brilliant minds close to him that advise on
this kind of thing, Harkness and Maas-Thierry, must have
recognized the pattern. Hell, their tracking work is no small
part of how Hertz managed to develop the theory. Still, they
hadn't made the use of power connection, just proximity, and
couldn't guarantee anything.
[hr]
#Post#: 268--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: PlebeianTyrant Date: May 26, 2017, 11:59 am
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Hertz's skin stops roiling after a moment. He was very close to
dispersing just then.
"It also depends on kind of Metas you want, sir." Hertz places a
new cigarette in his mouth after dropping the last one. "Powers
seem to come from innate and deep desires. If you give me a list
of what we want I can try to make prediction tests based off
psych evaluations from extant metas."
#Post#: 272--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: insert name Date: May 29, 2017, 10:59 am
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"What kind? I want the best!" Johnson says emphatically. "I want
metas who can change the world. Who can handle the asshole metas
we already have and then go on to make this a better country.
We'll set up a committee of... I don't know, metahuman potential
or something. You'll be on it of course, and I'll get some of
the best administrative minds in the country, top scientists,
bipartisan involvement... Hell, we'll even get Hoover and his
swarm of nosy trash pickers involved. We'll find the best people
out tehre, and get them the best powers we can."
#Post#: 278--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: PlebeianTyrant Date: May 30, 2017, 9:17 am
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"Absolutely, Mr. President." Hertz confirms. He can't help but
feel slightly jubilant at the president's enthusiasm. "I can
have a list of panelist and subjects for eval developed by
September, sir. Then give me several months to perform the
necessary evaluations and we could be making our first Metas
from this project by January of next year."
After a moment of thought, Hertz turns to the president. "We'll
need to set up sanctions against unauthorized power usage in
order to maintain control of the Dark Energy spread. Or else
this will be more uncontrollable than preferable."
#Post#: 279--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: insert name Date: May 30, 2017, 12:18 pm
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"Good, good," LBJ says, "I never wanted to be remembered for
this damn war, but these days I swear they'll leave it on my
tombstone. I'd rather be remembered as a president that brought
education to young children, but I suppose now they'll be
putting something about metahumans on there. Let's at least make
sure it's a good something.
"That's what I'd like, though, some way we can use your powers,
or other meta powers, for education. Or keeping babies healthy."
He continues to boat Hertz around and discuss ideas, largely
about the potential committee and how to regulate powers.
"I don't know if we can just make it illegal for people to use
them," Johnson says, "Using them to hurt people, sure, that's an
easy sell, but a blanket ban on anyone without government
approval is going to be hard. Hard to tell people who are saving
lives to start, and even if we get up about weapons someone's
going to pull out the 2nd Amendment. I'll see how much
regulatory legislature we can get, but I can't make any promises
yet."
#Post#: 280--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: insert name Date: May 30, 2017, 12:21 pm
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Later:
After the ride, Lady Bird talks to Hertz while Johnson is off
seeing to the dogs.
"Dr. Hertz," she says, "I'd like to ask something of you on
behalf of my husband. He won't ask himself, and he'll claim he
doesn't need it, but I understand you made yourself and Mrs.
Hertz healthy when you were old. Now, I wouldn't ask you to make
him young again, but... well, Lyndon's had heart problems in the
past. Is there anything you can do to prevent that happening
again? I know it's a lot to ask, but I worry about him."
#Post#: 282--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: PlebeianTyrant Date: May 30, 2017, 1:18 pm
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Hertz rubs his chin, looking at the First Lady and nodding,
"I'll make the offer, ma'am. And I will insist on your behalf."
Hertz takes her hand and pats it gently.
Later that evening after dinner, Hertz approaches Johnson in the
smoking lounge. "Sir, on behalf Mrs. Johnson, myself, and the
United States of America I request that you submit yourself to a
medical examination to evaluate your health and longevity."
Hertz pauses for a moment after the ridiculously formal
statement then smirks and tape Johnson in the chest. "Gotta make
sure your ticker keeps ticking, old boy."
#Post#: 284--------------------------------------------------
Re: July 5th: Hertz
By: insert name Date: May 30, 2017, 10:12 pm
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"Goddamn it," Johnson says, putting down the papers he's
holding, "I keep telling her that there's nothing wrong with
me." He snuffs out a cigarette and looks meaningfully at Dr.
Hertz. "It's true I was in a state before the election, but that
was just stress and nerves." He grows abruptly serious.
"You're probably right. I keep putting it off, but if it's you
doing the tests I doubt it will take long." He nods, "Do it."
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