14579/The New Vice President

The New Vice President
Date of Scene:	03 April 2023
Location:	White House, Washington DC
Synopsis:	A new Vice President is announced and he makes waves reorganising the way Superheroes operate under the law with proposed new legislation.
Cast of Characters:	Lex Luthor, Natasha Romanoff, Diana Prince, Richard Stadler, Steve Rogers, Janet van Dyne, Donna Troy, Clea, Pete Ross

---

Lex Luthor has posed:
It's a beautiful blue skies sunny day on the White House lawns. White chairs laid out in even rows as the people mill about finding their perfect spot to sit and witness. There's large rows of cameras and several dozen microphones all set up in front of the podium. The front rows are crowded with journalists.

Naval guards stand stoic and at the ready at key positions, pillars of structure to define the space that the public is allowed in. The guest list is fairly broad but security checks were done on everyone. Even though the threat of HYDRA seems to have abated, Lex is not taking chances.

The marines brass band strikes up Hail to the Chief. There are certain ceremonies that are required when you're President and let's face it, Lex likes the pomp and circumstance celebrating Him. That probably explains the choir singing the lyrics to Hail to the Chief.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The Black Widow doesn't get exhausted. She doesn't get mentally run down. Even two city level possible catastrophes close together are within her limits, no matter hwo much they push her physically and mentally. But she is still drained from recent events.

But there is always duty and threat. The Vice President dead, the President holding a press conference.. All the mcuh better a target for a revived Hydra.

So, nearby the White House the Black Widow has taken up a sniping position, surveying the grounds.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana Prince is in attendance here this afternoon. Dressed in casual attire of blouse and skirt, her hair tied back in a braided ponytail, and a pair of sunglasses covering her lightly makeup-hued face. She had been mingling with those near to her, leading up to the music queing-up. Now, the Princess of Themyscira is merely standing off to the side, observing with her fingers interlaced together.

Richard Stadler has posed:
Richard was someone's +1 ,at the moment; a rather vibrant, smiling redhead in a nondescript pantsuit. It was easy enough to get in, even so, of course; he kept his security clearance up to date, and certainly nothing had been hindered by having a rank to go in front of the name. He nodded to security, his own suit well-enough put together, but several shades down from the undoutably fashionable and expensive garments worn by others. The only bit of flare he choose was a small combat medical badge on the lapel. Enough of a coversation piece for the limited mingling he'd have to do before the main event.

He stands up when 'Hail to the Chief' plays, of course, politly and prefunctionary clapping as Lex moves to take the stage. Courtesy, of course, just like his host, in a sense that Lex was the President, but he certainly hadn't voted for the man. At least it allows Natasha to get a good view of him and his companion through her scope.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers had been in town for an opening at the Smithsonian over the weekend. An exhibit of the Allies battle against Hydra that had some new pieces, a mix of things in the condition they were recovered, and others that had been painstakingly restored.

Leaving his plus one behind to talk with some of the curators about some Far Eastern pieces of interest, Steve had come over to the White House for the press conference, one of the Avengers representatives. Also it didn't hurt just to be on hand, given how things had been going lately for the government. The show of support hopefully helpful to the nation, and the world at large who were watching.

Steve is in costume, for that reason, his shield on his back. He moves over to greet Diana Prince quietly. "Diana," he says, tipping his head to the woman he first met many years ago. And she hasn't aged a day as far as he can tell. He looks back to the podium. "Anyone in particular that we're hoping for?" he asks.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet's up front with Luthor's campaign staff. The fashionista has long been one of Luthor's more vocal supporters and exchanges friendly hellos with people who are able to approach the podium. Her clothing would almost be sensible save for the stylistic design, a brown jacket and black skirt that add S-shape structure to the slender superheroine. A splash of hazard yellow spills from her throat down to her mid-sternum in an aesthetic triangle. Even her curvy little pumps match the aesthetic. When she moves, a 'Luthor 2024' pin glitters next to an Avenger's pin on her faux lapel.

Donna Troy has posed:
    On the one hand, Troia of Themyscira is here as part of the large contingent of foreign diplomats and dignitaries that inevitably show up for things like this. On the other hand she has chosen to show up in her armor and is clearly playing the part of Donna Troy of the Titans. This causes a bit of a headache for the poor people handling security, who don't really know what to do. She's a known quantity though, and diplomatic ranking allows for certain eccentricities, so after a minor hold-up she's inside. They'd have been nicer if they knew about all the satellites she and the other Titans blew up, but they haven't really told anyone about that, and she keeps the complaint to herself. The fact that she's a little late when she joins her sister inside probably goes unnoticed -- it's Troia, she's late for things all the time anyway.

    She could have just left Diana to handle this. It's not like it's not going to be all over the news in real time anyway. Still, it's a good idea to keep abreast of these things. Apparently vice-presidents are a bit volatile these days. She greets Diana with a grin, and gives Steve a nod and a quick "Captain," but is content to leave the two to talk amongst themselves while she awaits the announcement.

Clea has posed:
Clea doesn't have a set costume, she just sort of shows up wearing some shade of purple when there is public gatherings or other things. Maybe eventually she'd get one, but she's happy to just cloth herself for the time being. The white haired woman's hair is braided back from her face in intricate braids and hangs down her shoulders as she levitates where she is located. She might stop that when she's feeling like too many people are watching her. She does give a smile to those in attendance and seems open to being approached if anyone tries to.

Lex Luthor has posed:
The turnout for a President Lex address is always big. Still they kept the numbers for this one tighter. There's plenty of access to the speech online and over television networks and radio after all. The Secret Service is all about keeping things manageable right now.

Lex strides out to the music with his hand aloft, waving to the people. Hands rest upon the podium and he glances at the auto-prompter which is near invisible to the guests and off camera for the remote audience.

"My fellow Americans. We live in turbulent times. Never in the history of this country has there been an explicit attempt by a terrorist group to infiltrate and sabotage any regime as much as has happened in mine. Yet, we endure and our checks and balances that make Democracy great have prevailed."

"With the aid of our nation, and planets, great heroes we stopped the attack by HYDRA. Vigilance by our mutant population raised the alarm first and we listened. We planned. We responded."

"Tragically, Vice President Reese, a dear friend and colleague, lost his life in the attack. Caught amidst the battle the force fields were not able to withstand the attacks by HYDRAs weapons. And though no one could ever replace Dondi Reese, the position of Vice President is an essential cog in the wheels of government."

"Both houses of congress have held an emergency sitting to vote on a proposed Vice President. In a stunning display of political solidarity, both houses confirmed a new Vice President in record time." Lex looks out at the crowd gathered and then motions back behind him, "I present to you a man whose integrity and bravery saw him battle against a phantom menace, be captured by them, survive it and fight back. A man who exemplifies the American Way of life. Mr. Peter Ross, your new Vice President of the United States of America."

Lex begins to clap as the music strikes up again and the cameras adjust their focus to the door way of the White House behind Lex.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Her weapon slung over her arm, Natasha scans the crowd. Any attacker from the crowd is likely to be a decoy. The president will be screened by any heroes near the stage and security personnel.. So if there's an attack, anyone from the crowd will just be a decoy. But significant enough that it has to draw in some of the Amazons and other heavy hitters to leave the president vulnerable. NOthing from the air or large scale assault.. Hmm.

The way the Red Room would do it is simply have someone amongst the president's escort ambush them on the way to secure quarters then make some kind of public statement. Probably an override of the airwaves to announce it. At least, that's how Natasha's training would handle it.

Perhaps even something that Natasha has done herself a few times.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is quick to offer Captain America a big smile upon his approach to her side. She keeps her eyes forward, for the most part, though. "I am just hoping for peace and serenity through this." She softly says back to Steve before she sees her sister on-approach, decked out in her full regalia armor.

"You must have had fun at the checkpoint." Diana playfully tells her sister, showing her a big grin before she looks forward to listen to the President speak.

With Mister Ross being announced, Diana is one of the many who offers applause for the new Vice President, yet she still leans over to Steve to speak softly to him. "I would be curious to know your thoughts on all of this." She says in a hushed tone of her accented English.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers turns towards the podium as Lex is getting ready to speak. Spotting Clea in the crowd, he tips his head towards her. Also Donna Troy is given a nod of greeting from the man before he answers Diana quietly to not interrupt the news that is being given. "I suppose I'm hoping it's not someone with a longstanding beef with Dr. Banner," Steve confides in Diana. His eyes sweeping the area for Thaddeus Ross.

But then the announcement is made and at least that is one potential bullet dodged. A bullet that Steve would have feared Hulk chewing up and spitting out had it been fired.

"I'm not too directly familiar with him," Steve replies to Diana quietly. "Though I understand he comes well-recommended by one of your friends. Though I don't know their history, seems the kind of recommendation I can trust in," he tells her.

Richard Stadler has posed:
Well, if there wasn't a who's who of the 'hero community about here. He certainly knew who Steve Rogers was, and felt annoyingly starstruck; that was /Captain America/, after all. He fought in World War II, served with the Avengers. Half those things would require a conversation. There was someone up on stage, too... He couldn't place the face, and he really needed to do his homework at these events. A quick lean over to over to the woman next to him, and the question he asks. "Janet van Dyne. Also some Themyscarians, from the look of it, boss."

Rick nods to his seating companion, before his eyes move to the... rather agreeable woman floating in shades of purple. It was rather hard to hide the staring, so at least he offered a respectful nod. "And her?"

His companion offered a saguine smile of her own. "Not on the magical side of things, boss. I'll do a work up if you'd like."

Richard gives tiny shake of his head, as Luthor gets to the heart of the annoucement, and gives the name of the new vice president. Rick frowns for a moment, doing a bit of a mental search in his head. State Department... before, at least. Deputy Secretary of Defense... Pierce's number 2? Lord hopes that congress vetted the man for a week before confirming that.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet keeps right in line, a smile fixed in place while Luthor runs through his speech. She's emotive; laughing with the prompts, sorrowful when Vice President Reese is mentioned. She keeps her body turned towards Luthor's podium while facing out at the crowd. Though not there as a superhero, Janet's presence certainly bolsters Luthor's credibility.

Donna Troy has posed:
    Donna gives a rueful grin of acknowledgement to Diana. No doubt coming differently attired would have been easier, but on the other hand you never know when you're going to get into a fight these days. Such cynical thoughts! She doesn't have a whole lot of faith in Diana's hope for peace and serenity either. After all, whoever this new guy is, they're going to be a politician. America! These guys should just leave leadership to a truly /wise/ queen with thousands of years experience and the blessings of the gods. That's clearly the ideal form of government.

    Then the announcement is made, and Donna's just as in the dark as she had been before it had been made. Who? She gives a small, unconscious shrug. If Steve Rogers thinks he's okay, he's probably okay.

Clea has posed:
Clea gives a dip of her head to Cap and a smile as she is noticed. She then looks up to the announcement that Lex gives and there is a bit of a blink. She knows the name and what that name did to Bruce. But she keeps a well practiced smile on her face and brings her hands up to applaud. No reason to make that two dead Vice Presidents in rapid succession afterall. "I'm glad I didn't ask Doctor Banner to come along." she mutters to herself.

Pete Ross has posed:
Pete walks out of the White House with his hands raised, waving. Dressed in a smart suit, there's still a small smudge of a bruise under his left eye. Since his address to the nation about Alexander Pierce, his boss at the time, his approval ratings have shot up through the roof.

More than a logical choice for Vice President, Pete walks up and claps a hand on Lex's shoulder. Lex turns and pats Pete on the back and then steps out of the way for Pete to address the nation.

"Ah.. Good evening. I'm not the kind to give the big fancy speeches like Lex here." A small chuckle from the crowd, "I was born and raised in small town America, Smallville. Just a quiet little place where we grew corn and lived our lives. I never thought one day I'd be standing on the steps of the White House giving a speech to the nation."

"I'd like to honor Dondi who came before me and I will honor this office with the integrity it deserves. And on that account, I need to thank all the incredible people who put their lives on the line and helped save my life in the process."

Pete gives a friendly wave down to Diana in particular, "I think we all know in our hearts at this point just who superheroes are to us. They're symbols of freedom and justice. They've been doing the hard slog for decades now, fighting the good fight. Sometimes they're rebranded as the enemy, sometimes they're just ignored, and sometimes they're celebrated."

"As Veep - hah, wow, feels strange saying that. I'll get used to it.. Well, it's time we pooled our resources and linked law enforcement, intelligence, and superheroeing groups together. It's obvious how well they all work together as evidenced by this attack by HYDRA and the attack on the Spaceport."

"I intend to introduce, with the help of President Luthor, the Superhero Confirmation Act." The cameras flashing and journalists rising up rapidly all throwing up their hands. Questions abound are being thrown out in excitement and curiosity.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Sweeping her rifle scope through the air, Natasha continues to scan silently. With e nough heavy hitters present there's minimal chance for an interruption that can't be handled. But still, if Hydra wanted to takea nother crack at things, hitting the 'we'll be getting back to normal/the threat is defeated' time would be their normal propaganda counter. The scope is switched tos can for infrared as she moves to glance about the field from her cocnealed position where she has a full range of view.

She doesn't bother to give any updates on the comms. If she sees something, she'll inform them. No need to update them on every few moments if she has no data to send.

Diana Prince has posed:
A curt nod is given to Captain America, from Diana. "Well, that is good to hear." She softly says back to him before her sunglasses-covered eyes return to Mr. Ross as he mentions her. She shoots a smile across the distance back to him, and offers a light nod to him in return.

Diana had assigned a pair of Amazon women to guard Mr. Ross, and she'd been there with them at his residence when things had gone very poorly. But in the end, he was recovered, and here they are now.

Diana watches as a reporter stands up and speaks up to the new VP. "Sir, can you speak on some additional details of this proposed superhero legislation?? How will this effect all the active heroes around the country, let alone Washington, or New York?"

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers stands stoically through the speech by the new Vice President. Listening, though also glancing around the area. Augmenting the view that he knows that Natasha Romanoff probably has through a sniper scope right now.

He crosses his arms as he listens, keeping an eye on the area. Though Steve looks back to the stage with a bit more of a curious expression at the mention of legislation relating to superheroes. His gaze goes over to the reporter who asks what was on Steve's mind as well.

Richard Stadler has posed:
Richard frowns for a moment, still contemplating the name that was an ill-timed heart attack away from being the leader of the free world. Certainly with what he's said in public, combined with government experience, should have left him in a good position to take the reigns after VP Reese. Still... Perhaps it was just him being paranoid. Not that it hasn't been a useful survival trait thus far iin his life.

A reflexive scoff at the mention of Smallville. It always seemed like you got political leaders from the empties places immaginable in the name of Small Town America. Granted, if the unthinkable happened, it would mean Kansas would have the birthplace of two Presidents. Statistically odd, but there it was."

There was a raised hand from a reporter nearby Rick. "Sir, Nicholas Hickman, Detriot Free Press. Is this legislation an intelligence sharing measure? Are you looking to bring the hero groups in as organs of the government?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    The words 'Superhuman Confirmation Act' aren't ones a Donna Troy who's already feeling in an extra cynical mood due to the earlier confrontation with Secret Service agents over choice of attire wanted to hear. It makes her think there may be /work/ involved. Especially when you have to wrangle a huge team most of whom seem dedicated to the erroneous belief that super-teams run themselves and there's no actual administration involved. Especially when several of them aren't even of the age of legal majority.

    Hell, two of them haven't even been /born/ yet, legally speaking.

    Maybe this is something to pass on the Nightwing's lawyers then. Anything for an easy life. Maybe there's nothing that has to change on the individual level? After all the team are all registered under the Metahuman Registration Act already. Surely this new Veep isn't going to undermine /that/ as his first act on the job. Not after having his life saved by supers.

    Surely.

    If only Donna wasn't feeling so cynical today.

    As Donna does her best to keep a soft sigh to herself, close by in the crowd a reporter has apparently been reading her mind. "Mister Vice President? Susanna Keyes, Metropolis Daily Star. Is this Act intended to replace Metahuman Registration Act, or does it have a different scope?"

    Somewhere lost in the crowd behind that reporter, another voice calls out gruffly, not giving their name or publisher: "Does this mean we're finally going to have some oversight of the often irresponsible actions of these self-proclaimed super-vigilantes?" Did someone invite J.Jonah Jameson?

Clea has posed:
Clea stays aloft where she is. Not migrating any higher and not putting her feet on the ground. She wasn't too sure about this whole situation, but she does pay attention to those asking the questions. She was going to ask one herself, but someone already covered that. Though she has a bad feeling about the name of the Act and that alone might be something others should feel.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Another voice pipes up, "MIster Vice President, will this legislative proposal be influenced by the proposed Mutant Registration Act that had been placed before the Senate by Senator Kelly in any form?"

Pete Ross has posed:
Pete motions to the first reporter to get a full sentence in edgewise. "Ah yes. Sorry sir I don't know your name - but the Superhero Confirmation Act, or SCA for short, will be an extension on the current Metahuman Registration Act. Voluntary, it will a hero to be just that - a hero. Right now most states in the union have specialised treaties with the Department of Justice to allow vigilantes to avoid prosecution. As you know the MRA allows a vigilante in their alter ego to provide evidence that can be used in a court of law."

"The SCA will also be administered by the Department of Extranormal Operations and will be acting as a coordinator between local law enforcement, security agencies, and superhero groups and individuals who have registered."

"Speaking on behalf of domestic affairs, one example that has worked exceptionally well is the Titans who operate from Metropolis. They have special agreements with local law enforcement."

"The government has a long tradition of subcontracting actions to companies that provide a service the government simply cannot provide. We have no interest in forcing powered individuals to police the nation - no, we've already seen private enterprises offer a service unparalleled in its effectiveness from the Avengers to the Titans and many other groups."

"What this legislation will do is legitimise this process and those actors within those organisations to act with the authority we currently only grant to law enforcement. They will, of course, be held to the same high standards we place on the FBI, FEMA, and other disaster and emergency services."

Pete nods to Hickman, "In essense. Yes. We need to get the right information to the right people as quickly as possible. The arrangements we have between SHIELD and the DEO have saved countless lives over the decades. We can't expect every powered individual to sign up - nor would we want them to. These are citizens and allies who are standing up to do what's right. The law should back them, not hinder them."

"This country needs our powered responders to be the first to get the phone call when something is going wrong in our country. We hope that other nations will follow in our footsteps on this matter." Pete nods to Keyes, "The scope of this legislation will exist to expand the legal framework and capabilities of heroes to act within the law doing what they already do so well. No more ambiguity as to whether or not standing in front of a bullet to save a fellow citizens life is legal or not. If you feel you need to wear a mask right now for fear of legal reprisals against you, the SCA will mean you won't have to."

"People, we're simply going to acknowledge the truth of our world today. We all have amazing skills each and every one of us. Some people are really good at Sudoku. Heck my daughter is a genius at Wordle. But some people can stop a speeding bullet or catch a building from falling. We are going to play to our strengths and stop stepping on our own feet."

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers listens quietly to the explanation of the proposed legislation. He glances over to Clea, giving her a quick reassuring look, knowing that this part of things might not be something that she's too familiar with, given her origins.

Leaning towards Diana just a bit as he speaks softly, Steve Rogers says, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt matters. Though I imagine most who wear a mask probably do it for protection. Of loved ones, or their normal life. I'm not sure if would swing things much," he says thoughtfully. "Too bad it's even necessary."

Diana Prince has posed:
The Reporter who first spoke up, responds swiftly. "My apologies. Mitch Hipants, New York Now. Mr. Vice President. If we're going so far as to legitimize super heroes as proper legal enforcers, does that mean traditional standards for them too? Such as Body Cams, and streamlined uniforms? I'm not sure how 'in the know' you are on super hero costuming, but a lot of people online express a fair amount of rage at some ... creative choices for their super hero attire. What are your thoughts on this? Are we stamping out overly scandalous outfits, and equipping these heroes with tools that would give them greater legal defense should court cases arise?"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Another call goes out, "Ben Ulrich, Daily Bugle. For those heroes not officially registered under this proposal, will they have recognition and support withdrawn? Will any evidence or accused criminals they have a hand in capturing will be considered outside the boundaries of being allowed in court cases? Will legal protections be withdrawn?"

Richard Stadler has posed:
Stadler still had a frown on his face; Not so to his companion, who was furiously sending messages via her phone; not suprising, admittedly. Her job would probably be quite affected by this sort of change in legislation. Given how Pete Ross sailed through Congress, and the recent stike by HYDRA on New York, Luthor certainly had a golden oppurtunity here; both houses, both parties would be looking for something, anything to pass to show that they were doing something about the issue. Which meant that it was a particularly... dangerous time, depending on what the act actually said.

Another hand raised, this time by a woman. "Sir, Halley Trier, Des Monies Register." Honestly, it was heartwarming to see the print media still alive and well out here. "Sorry, I wanted to work off Mitch here; what training or certification will be required of vigilantes.... or, rather, former vigilantes who sign up for this act? Will they be required to run through local policy academies or the FLETC?"

Donna Troy has posed:
    How dare he. This... what was his name? Ross? Actually called out the Titans as being a good example. Clearly he's just trying to get on Donna's good side. Here she is, enjoying feeling extra cynical for the day, and this guy is trying to ruin it for her by sounding reasonable and sensible.

    How dare. How very dare.

    Donna is not to be denied. She'll just have to redirect and find a different target. Mitch Hipants. There's a man who needs a good punching. "The Titans already use bodycams and routinely provide complete footage to the SCU," she heckles. "We do want them to be able to convict you know. And if you're going to criticize people for scandalous outfit choices, you should have picked a different tie this morning."

Clea has posed:
"Scandalous outfits are your arguing point. That's unique." Clea mutters to herself. She then sighs softly as she looks to who she is standing next to. Then out to the crowd. She was definitely wanting to see what the answer was.

A man in a rumpled grey suit stands, pushing a hand through disheveled blonde hair, "If we're going to start outlawing tight spandex on our superheroes then what about the Olympic gymnastics team next?" the man points out.

Pete Ross has posed:
Pete grins a moment at Mitch's question and he waggles a finger to him, "The White House is not in the business of telling people how to dress Mr. Hipants. There are already civility laws that cover required decency in public places - and they are state laws, not federal."

Pete looks to Ulrich and responds, "Currently unless a vigilante is registered with the DEO they do not have any special protections beyond the usual ones of a regular citizen. Citizens arrest is a complex law and best left to the lawyers. I'd urge any superhero who wants to get out there and do good to consider your options carefully, but know that Luthor's government is here to make your life easier - not harder."

"Let's be clear here - if a powered individual wants to join the police, they are going to have to go through the same training and certifications as every other office. The SCA and the MRA don't require anyone to sign up to new professional standards. This act is not asking the average powered person to become the police."

"In fact, it's not your job to be the police. But extra-ordinary threats require an extra-ordinary response. If HYDRAs actions have shown us anything, traditional policing, investigations, and security do work exceptionally well already. So much so the villains of this world have to build giant robots to attack us."

"What we clear up with this legislation is what happens when a citizen who uses abilities beyond the norm steps in to stop a crime in action. If people remember some 25 years ago when a bank robber sued Rayserman for burning his hand with his ray gun - with the SCA in place the FBI would do an investigation of the incident and if they do not wish to refer the case to the DoJ then the matter will be settled."

Pete clears his throat, "To raise the voice of a Titan who just responded to Mr. Hipants: The Titans already use bodycams and routinely provide complete footage to the SCU." He nods to Donna and says, "The houses of congress are going to pick this legislation to bits, ya'll know that." He nods his head, "That's the way government works. But with all the good will our heroes have created it's time to use that social capital to help them in return."

"I know I'll sleep better at night knowing Spider-Man is going to get a call the next time a school bus breaking system fails. When you dial 9-1-1, you want the best person available to respond as quickly as possible. Sometimes that's a social worker, sometimes that's an ambulance, sometimes that's the police --- and sometimes it's Captain Marvel. We're going to close that loop and make it a reality."

Lex Luthor has posed:
Lex smiles and pats a hand to Pete's shoulder and steps back to the podium, "Thank you for the fantastic questions. Pete's a swell guy. You're gunna love him like I already do." He smiles to the cameras and gives a shoulder snug with the man and says, "Thank you all for attending. I'm going to hand back over to the White House correspondence team for any further questions."

The band strikes up to cut off any further questions and Lex, with an arm around Pete, turns and heads back in to the White House.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Going to sweep the area, Natasha Romanoff finally goes to speak <<No hostiles noted. No signs of infiltration within the press corps or any abnormalities within the members present>> She goes to take another sweep around and then goes tos peak to her comm thoughtfully. Some other things to take account of..

Diana Prince has posed:
Mitch glances down at himself, before looking back over to Donna. He offers her a wide smile before he sits back down amongst the others.

Diana regards Steve after the questions are cut off, she places a hand upon his shoulder. "It is good to see you again, as ever." She tells him then before giving that shoulder a soft squeeze. The Princess of Themyscira then steps away to go speak to Donna, leaning in to whisper something to her, likely about the SCA situation, with relation to the Titans.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers turns back to Diana. "And you. Always nice to see you not needing to be smuggled into Belgium," he tells her, blue eyes showing just a bit of mirth as he brings up a bit from the past.

As she moves off through the crowd to seek out Donna, Steve's eyes go back to the now-vacated podium. He draws in a breath and lets it out. "And if they are directing heroes, what if the hero doesn't agree?" he murmurs to himself thoughtfully.

Wherever his thoughts run, Steve gives a tiny shake of his head and then moves to join Clea. "What do you say we try to find Natasha and catch a ride back with her?" he says.

Donna Troy has posed:
Donna's thoughts have long since moved on from Mister Hipants (and if that's not the name of a supervillain in the makings, she doesn't know what is). She gives Diana a slightly rueful grin as her sister approaches, and nods her heads in the direction of the platform. "Well... I guess that could have gone worse," she comments. "Seemed pretty decent for a politician." So much for Donna's cynicism. She's not very good at it, really.

    The rest of the conversation between the two sisters is too hushed for others to hear, but it's easy enough to guess the general direction. This sounds like a significant change to the way Supers run things -- but will it be as positive a change as the new VEEP Pete Ross claimed? Only a closer look at the final wording of the act -- and time -- will tell.

Clea has posed:
Clea watches the front of the house for the moment and then when she sees Steve there is a dip of her head to him, "Captain." she intones quietly. "Yes, I suppose that there is a lot to talk about on the way back to the mansion. I can assure you that Bruce will not be pleased by this news." she frowns to that as she shakes her head.

Richard Stadler has posed:
Richard let's out a breath as the press conference concludes, before standing up from the chair, and offering the woman he's with a clap on the shoulder. "Appreciate the invite, Senior Chief. You're good with the rest of the night without me?"

"Another beautific smile. "Oh, I'm certain I am. You're fine to go home, papers to grade, and all. Good evening, boss."

A quick, good natured roll of his eyes, and Richards moving toward the exit. Well... almost directly towards it. He can't help but try to walk by Steve Rogers, giving a nod in passing. "Captain." He says, just trying to act casual. That was the standard deal with a celebrity; sometimes you just wanted to make sure they knew you existed, if only for a moment. But the rest was simply walking out and thinking about what they've learned here today.

He wasn't sure he liked what he heard... or exactly why he didn't like it. Coordination was key between agenices, of course, and from the sound of it, this just sounded like they were 'organizing the militia' so to speak; coordinating those that could help with the powers that be. But it put the heroes closer to the government, at the end of the day, and there was a concern on exactly what calls and emergencies they would be pressed towards.