THE MOMENT
"This is a surprise." E-Leaguer was genuinely caught off guard by Orion's sudden visit. They'd met the previous week when the Texas team was being created. Ellen 'E-Leaguer' Guerra was awarded the task of assembling a team, and Orion laid out Chroma Corp.'s expectations in that first meeting. It'd only been about nine days, but E-Leaguer already had three new recruits out patrolling the state and establishing themselves. Everything had been going so well that Ellen hoped Orion was there with good news. Ellen was in her office when Orion walked into the room without using the closed door. She gestured at the seat as she asked. "What can I do for you?"
"You can tell me about your new recruits." Orion nodded as he sat down and got straight to business.
"What's to tell?" Ellen shrugged. "Dynamic Joe is the traditional powerhouse with super-strength and flight and all that. QuickDrew is a gunslinging speedster, and W-Heather can control the weather. Between the four of us, we can cover the whole state already, but I'm still on the lookout for more. I did send you the proper contracts, didn't I?" she asked. She knew she did, but she was still trying to draw out his purpose for being there.
"The four of you?" Orion asked.
"Well, alright," Ellen laughed and shook her head. "I guess maybe I don't count, but I'm still filling out the team."
"Is there anything else noteworthy about the team you'd like to mention?" Orion asked. Ellen realized he had something specific in mind. That more than likely meant she was caught, but she wasn't going to act like it.
"No?" She shook her head. "I mean, they're NPCs... but that's not noteworthy, is it?" Orion nodded with a smile.
"Chroma Corp. would argue that it is the most noteworthy aspect of your team," he said. "And to avoid any further vagueries, let me be clear. Chroma Corp. does not approve of the use of NPCs for Super work that humans or fae could be doing. Over a week from the start of the contract and you are still the only active hero in your state, in spite of Chroma's mandate."
"Isn't it better to use NPCs for dangerous jobs?"
"In a vacuum, sure," Orion nodded. "Being a hero is more about what a person inspires than the good they actually do. No single person can do more than a single person, but they can inspire billions. It tends to leave humans feeling cheated if they discover they were inspired by soulless NPCs. You have all the resources you need, including, apparently, manpower, and the largest pool of citizens in the country." Orion chuckled.
"You have one week to recruit a full roster of 36 human or fae Supers. If you can't manage that, you'll have failed and will be removed from the position." Orion smiled as he stood up again to leave. A black portal appeared in the air next to him as he stepped into it with some final advice. "Don't let us pressure you, though," he laughed as he disappeared into the portal, and it closed behind him. "Your personal failures won't disrupt anything on our end. The project will proceed without you."