Isaac looked over the library from a metal gangway in the rafters. The last bastion of human knowledge and culture. So much had been lost. Hundreds of historic site thousands of years old obliterated, museums and galleries desecrated by the war, and even the everyday culture of the world laid in ashes. He leaned on the railing his metal arm clanging against it. The device had raised him to rival some of the metas in the town, but Isaac swore it was his intelligence that let him keep up. That was his fear now that one day this knowledge would fade away leaving the normal people here with nothing left. He didn’t want to see humanity survive he wanted them to thrive.

Another set of footsteps came clanging down the gangway. Isaac looked to see technopath binary who also functioned out of the archives for the network in the citadel. Isaac stepped aside best he could sitting on the railing basically.

“It’d be nice if our infrastructure was as advanced as our technology right?” Isaac joked somewhat scorning their lack of resources, “A city run by superhumans and we can’t even get a solid source of concrete. At least the emergency rations are full, for as far as I’ve known, for the first time ever.”

“I think that’s the first positive thing you’ve said in weeks.” Binary remarked, “Also you’re going to be late to the meeting you scheduled.”

“Sorry hard finding a watch that fits on this thing” Isaac said tapping his metal arm.

The Citadel Intelligence Agency, or CIA, was an overseeing group for the archives. Isaac largely ran the group having devised the database that stored and connected all the information stored there. Binary held a very high position as well creating the network for access by the normal citizens. Mostly the other members were librarians and historians more or less a couple minor metahumans, a few magic users, and a number of humans. Lexicon was the head of the magical library a mage with a perfect memory able to retain and learn things near instantly, information like spell casting is near perfectly retained. Shame the man was in his late nineties and needed a wheelchair. Neil Fawkes was the other major player in the archive once a master criminal he used his superpowers to burgle the biggest museums of the world. Now he was kept as the “recovery expert” able to get of rare works as well as restore them.

The major members were all gathered up in Isaac’s office. A simple room with only a cot, a computer, and a desk with papers and pencils. Neil and Lexicon were sitting there with a deck of cards and book respectively.

“Sorry this is on short notice, but that’s what Pariah gave me, and I don’t like going to those meetings without hearing from you guys. I’m not sure what the topic will be today, but anything you guys need to tell Pariah?”

Everyone exchanged looks and considered.

“Besides the energy problems? We do drain tons of energy for all the machines we have here. Without a new source they may start cutting us back.” Binary admitted drumming her fingers against the wall nervously.

“Yes yes. We’ve all been over this. The scavenger groups know to report that kind of stuff. I’m assuming your alchemists haven’t gotten anywhere Lexicon.” Isaac huffed sitting at his desk

“No. Simply not enough materials to try and create an new fuel source. We can’t just turn dirt into uranium.” The old man said closing his book.

“I sometimes wish it was that easy though. Keep them working on it though. We still don’t know enough about how all this works. You of all people know how hard it is to get our hands on new arcane knowledge. Neil heard anything from your contacts?” Isaac looked over at the lean man on the floor.

“No. Nothing smuggled into the city that could help. Not sure we can fit a new generator in under someone’s hat anyways.” Neil said not looking up from his solitaire.

“Just remember I only keep your methods protected because you get results.” Isaac glared, “We’re doing what must be done to survive. To preserve what’s left of humanity. Now we’re in agreement then that making sure there is power for the archive is our first priority now. correct?”

Everyone nodded.

“Alright second and last point. I’ve been looking at getting a real workshop up and running here. Something to teach more advanced engineering to people. We need more people putting this information to use. The database has been working hard to put together everything we’ve collected, but it can’t actually make anything we’ve theorized yet. Yes we won’t have the resources needed immediately, but I think within six months we could actually be in production of new advanced tech for the citadel. Thoughts?”

“I certainly wouldn’t mind some more useful things.” Neil remarked, “Even with powers that wasteland is a nightmare. It’d also give the archive more leverage to keep a focus here.”

“I’m not certain on your date, but it may be possible. I’d like to think on it still.” Binary said only somewhat confident.

“Not really my field. So long as this won’t interupt me and my novice’s studies carry on.” Lexicon waved the topic aside.

“Alright thank you. I’ll be keeping it all in mind. I need to get going through Pariah’s meeting it shortly.” Isaac concluded before heading out.

=====


“Hold on there.” Said a man raising a metal hand before the convoy, “You don’t plan on just ripping those panels off the roof do you? I’m coming with to make sure you don’t screw up everything.”

Isaac climbed up into the back of one of the trucks spotting a frequent source of good stories, Hayden Zhang. Isaac had interviewed the man multiple times for stories to add to the archive. The man was intelligent if not a bit full of himself.

“Well well, finally run out of stories and going to get some more?” Isaac asked sitting down near the older metahuman.

Waiting for a reply Isaac started to check his arm. He adjusted the machinery to calibrate the arm cannon, checked the grappling cable, and then extended out the silvered blade.

“Heh. Lovely piece of tech isn’t it. Nothing beats the classic elegance of a sword.” Isaac said admiring the blade.

“I don’t know. I think a Colt always has it’s high points.” said a smooth young man.

Another man climbed up into the truck. Dressed in a duster and cowboy hat there was no mistaking it this was Jack Wright, Reaper. He sat down smirking to all the other guys.

“So anyone who wants to follow the nutbag with a sword is free to anyone who’s sane enough to fight at long range can be with me. What you doing out here anyway Isaac?”

“The cargo we’re going for is solar panels I don’t want anyone ruining them. I’m the best engineer there is, and the power problem concerns me a lot.”

“Ah that’d do it.” Jack nodded it all making sense now, “Ya do love your electronic garbage.”