Adjunct

Real Name:  Alexis Lovelace
Renegade Name:  Adjunct
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Age: 28
Gender: Non-Binary (she/her/Ms.)
Race: Meta-Human
Hair:  Blonde
Eyes:  Green
Height:  1.7m (5'6)
Weight:  58kg (130lbs)


Though she is is scant above average height, Alexis could fill a room with her drive.  Friendly, professional, and dedicated; no task is too great or too small when she puts her mind to it.  She often dresses in a sort of utilitarian chic, attempting to combine fashion with a practicality.  

Alexis has a problem sitting still.  She will often busy her hands with some bit of work or attempt to do something on the side.  She is never entirely relaxed, as if waiting for something to happen.  Her movements are crisp and her expressions are often subtle and small, constantly self-regulated.




At her core, Alexis Lovelace is a romantic and an idealist.  She feels a very great sense of obligation to the people she connects to, often viewing them and their needs as far more important than hers.  This has lead her into several very unhealthy relationships, both romantic and platonic, and caused her to do some very unethical things.

Outwardly, however, Alex maintains an air of friendly professionality.  She tends to be hesitant in forming close friendships with new acquaintances due her past and her power set.  Inevitably, though, the aloofness cracks and bonds begin to form.  


What would you give up for the people you love? For Alexis, that question had always been easy - everything. Her family did the same for her. In an age where middle class is afforded less and less opportunity, Alexis' parents stopped at nothing to make sure their child had the best life possible.

Intelligent and hardworking, Alex drove herself single mindedly toward whatever goal was placed before her. Academics and extracurriculars all were accomplished with aplomb. Her powers manifested when she was just leaving college, just after the death of her parents. Suddenly isolated from her peers and having no other close family, Alexis found herself isolated for the first time in her life.

Entering the corporate sphere in this state was not the best thing. Alexis immediately latched onto whomever would give her the least bit of personal interaction, bonding with anyone who was even remotely friendly to her. This caused problems as her powers continued to mature, giving her odd insight into her employer and her coworkers.

Alexis worked at an import/export company, which was a front for a smuggling operation with many shady dealings. Having bonded with the owner, Alex became one of the company's best troubleshooters. All was well, until her employer was killed for failing to live up to the terms of a deal. The backlash nearly killed her.

It has been six months since that time, and only now is Alex restarting her life...



Overview:
Ms. Lovelace possesses the meta-human ability to psychically bond with people and objects.  This manifests as a preternatural understanding of their quantum state, as well as being able to draw on that state in order to strengthen her own capabilities.  The bond requires physical or social interaction as she 'links' to a prospective host, both before and after it is formed.

This manifests in the following ways:

Object Bonding
 Her power allows her to bond to people and objects, but the effects of a bonded object vary based on the subject.  This gives her an intimate understanding of the object in question, and is what allows her subsequent senses to affect it.   This also allows her to use a bonded object with incredible mastery.

Typically, Alexis is bound to the custom-built computer she carries around in her attaché case.  This has given her enhanced cognitive function as well as immediate access to any records or programs she has stored.  

Alexis has not attempted to bond to any weapons or magical artifacts.  She is wary of the results.

Personal Bonding
 Like bonding to objects, bonding to a person gives Alex an intense understanding of their physical needs.  When bonded, Lovelace can tell when a person is hungry or tired or physically ill.  She also begins to acquire personality traits and attitudes commensurate to that individual.  When fully manifested, this can also cause her to manifest minor versions of powers or mystical abilities they possess. This also allows her to understand the thoughts and emotions of her host, even if she cannot transmit them back.

Quantum Entanglement
   When connected to another entity, Ms. Lovelace has an immediate understanding of their wellbeing.  She can perfectly judge the exact distance to her bonded companion, and is in mental contact with them whatever the range.  This also allows a limited form of precognition, having a general sense of when something will alter the state of her connection.  This can manifest as an understanding of immanent danger, intense empathy, knowledge of what is wrong with the entity, or just knowing when they are a bit peckish.

Bonded Power - Augmented Cognition
  (Origin: Custom-Built Acheron-7 Neo-Cortex)
  This manifestation of her bonded power allows Alexis to share processing load with her personal computer.  This allows her to obtain incredible computational speeds, as well as access any program or  data currently in its hard drive.  Alex may also multitask many different mental calculations at once, as the link she has with her computer allows her to instantly give it the concise parameters necessary for a qualitative answer.  This also allows her to use the computer's onboard modem to connect to foreign devices with a thought, as well as to access online for various purposes.

Bonded Power - HUD
  (Origin: Custom-Built Acheron-7 Neo-Cortex)
  Augmented Reality Technology has progress far since the early 21st Century, but even the current state of the science would be blown to dust by what Alex can do.  A sister power to her Augmented Cognition, this allows Alexis to enhance the information gathered with her sensory organs and enhance it.  This has a range of effects, including listing the name and limited dossiers of people she is speaking to, giving her directions when traveling, or even things so mundane as watching the dankest memes while in a meeting.   Alex is the current world campion of Geofinder.

Bonded Power - Hammerspace
    (Origin: Custom-Built Acheron-7 Neo-Cortex)  
  Originally, Lovelace had intended on merely bonding the computer portion of her prized super-science relic, thinking the rest of the case as unimportant.  So it was a great surprise when she one day took hold of an object, and it disappeared.  

 Alexis has the ability to store objects as data housed on her computer.  Simple objects are easiest, with more complex items taking up more space.  Living biological entities take up the most.  She has so far not been able to make the 'space' for an entire human being.  


Getting to Know You  
 It can take some time for a connection to form.  Adjunct requires at least several hours of interaction to form an initial bond.  The effects of the nascent link do not fully mature until at least a week of the same.  

Symbiosis
 The very same ability that causes Alex to be able to form connections with people is also what will kill her someday.  Though some strange effect of her power, her body 'deregulates' itself if not in symbiosis with another person.  This can manifest itself in such ways as diabetes, chronic pain, mood swings, loss of consciousness, depression, heart palpitations, cancer, hemorrhage, organ failure, and death.  Symptoms begin minor and will slowly progress from there.

Familiar's Bane
 Due to the fact that her body takes it's queues from the regulatory responses of a linked consort, if that partner is affected by some ailment or injury, so too will Alexis be affected.  This manifests as an intense pain commensurate with the part of the body afflicted.  This will also immediately deregulate her system, her body acting as if she was affected by the same damage.  Increased heartrate, bleeding, and even shock can stem from this.

Psychic Echo Chamber
 Perhaps what makes Alexis Lovelace a Renegade rather than a cape with a quirky health condition is that she cannot help but take the side of any thing she is bonded to.  Over time, Alexis will begin to align her goals and views toward that of her partner without her notice.   Alex constantly struggles with how much of herself she is willing to give away.  

Social Network (1/6)  
 Despite the power and versatility of her ability, it is taxing to use.  Lovelace can attempt to form a bond with no more than 6 objects or individuals, with even that amount causing strain.  Alex currently limits herself to no more than 4 at one time.  The quirk of this is that having multiple sentient partners allows her to ameliorate the effects of her psychological shifts somewhat, as the competing points of view prevent her from developing a psychic echo chamber.  Alexis must always strike a balance between the people she has connected to.  

Corporate Tool
 Both Alexis' upbringing and her early career conditioned her to believe that a company is simply an extended family, and that the sacrifices one makes for it will be paid back in consideration for her own struggles and circumstances.  A textbook 'workaholic', Alex often pushes herself beyond what could be considered reasonable.  She does not have a work/life balance so much as a work/work balance.  

The Ties that Bind Us
 Relationships are like flowers; they do not bloom if you fail to water them.  So does the same go with Adjunct's power.  If a bond is not maintained, it will fray.  Alexis will slowly begin to lose any Bond and Bonded power if she does not maintain at least two hours of contact with the associated entity each week.  Eventually, the bond will break completely.  




Custom-Built Acheron-7 Neo-Cortex in Attached Bulletproof Attaché Case
 The Acheron-7 Neocortex is a remarkable piece of information technology.  A trinary quantum state computer boasting over 200 petrabytes of storage, this 'home super-computer' was lauded as one of the most powerful personal computing devices ever devised.  Unfortunately, it did not sell very well, as it cost almost three million and was the size of a Shelton pony, having constant problems both with its massive power draw and constant bugginess.  Alexis' obtained one through various means and gave it to a tech genius to pair down.  

 The Acheron-7 is an intensely powerful piece of computational hardware.  Heavily modified, the computer has been sized down to be part of an attaché case.  Using a quirk of dimensional and gravitational super-science, much of the bulk of the object is shifted into a pocket dimension.  The visible 'laptop' portion is only the tip of the larger portion shunted into non-Euclidian space.  This leaves a large amount of space in the interior for other objects.  

Currently in Dimensional Storage
 Cot, minifridge, six days worth of groceries, comforter, mid-sized luxury sedan, three pistols, two spare cellphones, her entire wardrobe, a bottle of a very expensive red wine, sixteen hand grenades, 9x9 block of granite, one grenade launcher, one bullet proof vest, a blood-smeared fancy hat


None as of yet.


Even without her bond power, Alexis is incredibly smart.  However, she tends to ignore the obvious in favor of small details.  It is something the HUD power helps her avoid.

Alex is an avid gamer; she often plays them in the microbreaks she allows herself.  

Adjunct often forgets to eat.  She keeps a small package of string cheese in a pocket in the event her blood sugar drops.

Alex doesn't actually have an apartment.  She keeps a cot and a mini-fridge in her dimensional storage and sleeps in an office.  


A Delivery For Mr. Lee
The ceiling fan was directly over her, but each sweep felt like a blade passing over her head.

"Wow, you are so fired," Daniel deadpanned.  He reached for the paper cup of triple shot cinnamon mocha, and took a few healthy swallows.  Alexis felt her stomach fall onto the floor, having had enough of this bullshit.

Her co-worker laughed at her expression, a smile bright on his suddenly punchable face.  "The old man's not going to care.  So you missed a deadline.  Big whoop."

"I let him down, Daniel."

"Yeah, so?  You're the only one that consistently makes them.  You know what the clients are like.  Blah blah I need my shit here by Tuesday blah.  It's we stopped writing in performance guarantees in the contracts.  Their demands are unreasonable and you know it."

Alexis had to concede he had a point. Many of the people involved didn't understand the logistics of import/export, much less the legal process of clearing restricted goods through customs.  The tariff system alone had caused more than one person onboarding to have a panic attack.  

"Mr. Candlebrand told me that these were not people you disappointed." She glanced down at her scone, and pushed it away with a flick of her finger.  She wasn't hungry any more.  "He gave the contract to me because I had a perfect record."

Scoffing, Daniel took the pastry and stuffed it in his mouth.  "You worry too much, Lexi.  It's fine, really.  At worst, they'll pull the contract and you get a talking to.  Honestly, I think it's for the best.  You take on too much of Rick's shit. "

Alexis scowled at that.  A glowing blue icon began to flash on the lower left side of her vision.  

One New Email - Fredrick Candlebrand

"I have to go."

---

Rick Candlebrand was a tall, healthy looking man in his late fifties.  His slicked back salt-and-paper came off as stylish rather than sleazy, and he had an easy confidence that always put Alexis at ease.  He leaned against his desk while Alexis sat beneath him, tall and imposing.  

Mr. Candlebrand smiled down at her benevolently.  Reflexively, Alexis smiled back.  He leaned back slightly, Alexis leaned forward.  He interlaced his fingers, she folded hers in her lap.  Rick smiled at this.  

"This is a serious problem, Lex."  Alexis thought his cologne was a little strong.  It always felt like he was an old tiger, trying to dominate a room with his scent.  She could feel her heart beating in time with his.  
"The client is out for blood.  You should have heard Mr. Lee on the phone."  Rick shook his head, snorting derisively.  Alexis began to feel warm inside.  "I looked over your notes myself - very thorough.  I don't think you could have handled this any differently.  It would be humanly impossible."  She felt something inside her untwist.

"However..."  Have you ever had your spine turned into a pretzel?  Mr. Candlebrand apparently had that power inherent to his right finger.  "You aren't human, are you? You're a meta-human; you have powers.  I told you when accepting your employment that your main draw to me was that you could go above and beyond even our best.  Up until this point, I've been blown away.  That ended 4 PM yesterday."

"I expected more from you."  Alexis felt like her world was ending.

"I'm so sorry, sir," Alexis said, desperately.  She felt nonsensical urge to not look at him any longer.  Like she was unworthy after disappointing him so thoroughly.  

"I could accept that from someone else, but not from you."  Rick's fingers extended, pointing two-fingers at her double-handed.  "Mr. Lee has graciously given us a 24-hour extension to deliver the package to him."  Alexis felt a desperate hope in her chest.  Rick turned and produced a slip of paper.  He handed this to Alexis.  It was an address in South Jersey.  

--

Alexis pulled her windbreaker closer around her to stave off the late November chill.  The shipping manifest had said 'Assorted Luxury Goods'.  That was never a good sign.

The complication was that the delivery had been impounded by Customs.  The cargo crate turned out to be lead-lined, and made of a material atypical of the standard shipping container.  The doors were magnetically sealed, and when Customs Officials had taken a blowtorch to the lock, it hadn't left even a scratch.

Needless to say, in a city that had weathered more than it's share of trouble from metas, it wasn't exactly the sort of thing that inspired confidence about it's contents.  Alexis had spent most of the time after the container's arrival talking to various officials and attempting to soothe their nerves.  They had filed all the requisite paperwork, paid all the expected bribes.  

All of which had availed Alexis naught.  

The impound yard hadn't been that hard to get into.  She had tagged the patrolling officers as they passed with a yellow arrow icon, spending hours at it.  Daniel had been able to get her a broadband radio tuner, and it had been only the work of a few minutes to break the code of user account.

The cameras were harder.  She had been able to find the model and calculate the expected range of view after crunching the numbers on her computer.  Throw the values in, as well as her average walking speed... and she had found a window.  1:04 AM.

At 1:07 AM, Alexis stood next to the shipping container that caused her so much grief.  She stared at the baleful thing like it was the cause of all her misery.  

"Well, when bureaucracy fails..."  Alex reached forth her hand and pressed her fingers against the smooth metal.  Strange, it wasn't even cold.  Her mind went to her computer, resting comfortably back in her apartment.  She touched the ice-water feel of it's processor and connected to its internal storage.  

Space Required to Store:  98.3 Petabytes.

Alex's eyes went wide.  It was by far the largest thing she had ever stored to date.  She had anticipated it would be a large figure, but not that large.  

Still, she had enough.  Her power was based on complexity, not mass.   Her storage was more like storing the object as a JPEG.  They were instructions on how to reconstruct the object, rather than the object itself.  That meant whatever was in the container was something of enormous complexity, but not currently alive.  Living objects were intensely harder.

The soul was purely bitmap, apparently.

Quickly checking her HUD's mini-map for the guard patrol, she set an internal clock for 31 seconds.  Each second seemed to take longer than the last.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

To-- "Hands where I can see them!"  A young security officer had called to her, hands on his sidearm and was running toward.

The guard was early.  Or late.  It didn't matter.  She was blown.  

Mentally, Alexis hit the accept button.  The shipping container disappeared.  Overhead, spotlights sprang to life and began to point in her direction, but Alexis was already running.  

The guard drew his pistol and opened fire.  Alexis felt something bright and hot hit her right shoulder.  She pointed a hand in the man's direction, and the empty shipping container she had brought to use as a dummy materialized between them.  

Alexis ran faster than she ever thought she could.  She dove through the hole in the fence she had cut, and her vehicle appearing before her.  She slid into the driver seat and turned on the engine.  A bullet pot-marked her windshield.  Slamming her foot on the gas, her tires left skid marks as she sped away into the night.

--

There were supers that could ignore bullets.  Alexis had never envied them so much as she did now.

The bullet wound would not stop bleeding.  She had used an utility knife and torn up a silk blouse into long, ragged strips and bandaged the wound.  However, it was not enough.  She felt lightheaded.

However, the Bond she held with Mr. Candlebrand had certain benefits. I Know a Guy..  As she scrolled through her HUD's contact list, new names began to appear in a vibrant green. Rick granted her the ability to know exactly who to talk to when something needed to get done.  In this instance, not bleeding to death.  

The back alley doc didn't know her from Adam.  However, a wad of hundreds in his face got him to patch her up without any questions.  He pulled a .33 slug out of her arm.  He dropped it in a stainless dish she was holding in her lap.  Alexis' vision swam.  

By the time she came back to herself, the doc had given her six stitches and applied a disinfectant gel.  He handed a little cellophane bag of white oval pills and told her to get the fuck out.

--

No sleep 'til Brooklyn.  Or South Jersey in this case.

All-in-all, after the unexpected medical visit and the traffic she inevitably ran into, she was running late.  It did not help that she was also missing her turns.  The lack of sleep and pain medication combined to make her all but a zombie.  Luckily had the foresight long ago to obtain a 1000-count drum of caffeine pills from one of Mr. Candlebrand's special contacts.  After she began to take those, things became manageable. She'd have to get her boss something nice after this.

The meeting place was at an old Victorian house in smack in the middle of Cape May.  It so defied her expectations, that she rechecked her GPS twice.  It was the right address.  

A middle-aged, redhaired man in a green turtleneck smiled as she approached.  She checked her time.  4:02 PM.

"Heck of a day, isn't it?"  

Alexis have the man a tired smile.  She was exhausted in a way she'd never known before.  "Yes, it is.  I have a package for Mr. Lee.  Do I have the right address?"

"You do indeed, young miss," he replied.

"Great.  Where should I leave this?  The package is... bulky."  

The man seemed skeptical, but nodded amiably.  "Backyard is fine."

Alexis went into the well manicured lawn of the old Victoria, and spread her hands.  A shipping container popped into existence a few inches off the ground. It landed with a dull thud.  

A clipboard and ballpoint pen appeared in Alex's hands.  She held them out toward the flabbergasted man.

Alex clicked the pen.  "Sign here, please."

--

Rick was ecstatic when she told him it had been done on time.  He gave her the next day off, and told her to expect a bonus on her next check.  When they hung up, Alexis was smiling from ear to ear.   It was all worth it.  

Alex treated herself that night to a big dinner and six whole hours of sleep.  She felt great despite her recent wound; the regulatory effect of her Bonds preventing her from growing ill or irregular.  There was an email from Daniel calling her 'A Fucking Legend'.  It made his face seem quite a bit less punchable.  

Having decided to stay in Cape May for her day off, Alex decided to window shop.  There were quite a number of themed shops catering to tourists, after all.  It was when she was in a fancy, Victorian style haberdashery that it happened.

A plume of bloody vomit shout out of her mouth.  She felt the burning hot pain of last night again, only this time in her stomach.  She felt like she could hear a whimpering voice.

"We got it there on time.  Please..."  Her heartbeat pounded irregularly in her ears.

Then the pain came again, this time in her head.  A splitting agony that no pill could dull.

Darkness took her, then, as she passed out.