"You'd need to find a compatible esper to enable you, or you'd get backlashed till it killed you, trying to do supervillainy as an esper."

"But that also holds for heroes, right?"

"Yes, but like, your partner doesn't have to also be a hero, they can just do whatever with their powers and meet up to hang out for guiding after you get out of a dungeon. And there are institutions invested in making sure everybody who wants to be useful has a partner to do it with."

"Huh, I guess I can see how that might help but I'd still expect lots of supervillains? They have institutions that could do that too, here."

"Why isn't anybody taking down the meta-villain institutions?"

"Uh, depends on what level? Locally the Undersiders did take down institutions that existed but they've just replaced them. Globally you have groups like the Gesellschaft, which a local gang was an offshoot of, who have enough people and powers to keep themselves around despite European cape groups trying to take them down."

"Huh. Yeah, I'm not completely sure why the dynamics would be so different."

Eventually Lucien checks with Rete to see if they have talked enough.

"This person either has Lorica's personality or is an exceptionally gifted Thinker."

"Yeah, Tattletale seemed pretty confident it was the first. Is it possible you could help her get in contact with Lorica's dad? Assuming you think he would be willing to help with her current state. If not I can keep this up."

"I will see what I can do. Where should I send him should he become available?"

... Lucien is going to trust Rete and transit with his current address rather than put May through a move.

"If you don't mind, I will send a drone there first."

"That works I suppose - please don't share the address more broadly unless you believe I've mislead you or something."

"I understand."

He hangs up.

"Sounds possible Lorica's dad will show up here at some point - Rete is sending a drone ahead, probably to make sure this isn't a trap."

"Okay. Maybe he'll take me off your hands, I guess."

"I do not particularly need him too, I can continue this for the week I'm pretty sure. But I imagine he might be better for you than I can manage?"

"Don't you have... things to do?"

"I'm supposed to be getting ready to take over a territory for the Undersiders but....I think it can wait if it really has to and I can do some of that remotely maybe."

"What does that even consist of?"

"Uh, getting to know the people in the neighborhood, figuring out patrol routes to keep an eye on things, checking to find out what sort of systems I need to set-up to make sure people get aid - Skitter set-up an orphanage and some medical distribution and some work projects to help speed along rebuilding with civilian help and I'd definitely want to replicate something like that."

"Somebody's codename is 'Skitter'?"

"Yeah, my boss."

"Kind of a weird choice, what does she do, walk on walls?"