If I could have your attention, please.
Please.
Thank you, children.
Many of you already know that something terrible has happened. Just after noon today, Rikti dropshops appeared over most major cities in the United States, and, if reports are to be believed, many cities across the globe. Within minutes, armored assault soldiers were on the streets. To many of us, this is a nightmare revisited.
We are standing together in a command and control bunker codenamed Alpha Omega. It was built in the aftermath of the first Rikti incursion. It was my hope we would never be standing here together. But here we are. For the immediate future, this will be our home. Alpha Omega has a dining hall, which these fine young men and women of Longbow call a “mess.” There are full living facilities—such as they are—and other facilities to which I sure we will all quickly become accustomed. Longbow personnel will help you to get settled as best they are able.
After the first invasion, it was decided that we needed a secure operations point. You will have to believe me that this scenario was never discussed. We were not ready for the first attack. We are ready now.
Many of you students do not remember the first Rikti attack. No, let me respeak. Of course you remember them. Some of you lost friends and family. Some of you saw homes and neighborhoods destroyed. Some of you witnessed great suffering. Some of you suffered. Of course you remember them. But you do not remember them as we remember them. You were only children then. Some of you are still children today. I pray that most of you will still be children tomorrow.
Today’s students are tomorrow’s heroes. It says that, carved in stone, right above the front door of Saint Joseph School. It was true three years ago. It is true today.
I cannot know what the future holds. But I can guess, with reasonable certainty.
Some of you will want to find your families, to keep them safe. Some of you will be called upon by the needs of Paragon City in ways you cannot yet imagine. Some of you will want nothing more than to try to hold together your lives here at Saint Joe’s. These are your choices, my young heroes. There are many ways of doing good, and we trust that you have learned enough within our walls to know right from wrong, and to make those choices with honor and courage.
This is unlike anything we have faced before. The enemy is back in numbers we did not expect, with weapons and technology far beyond what we believed they had. We need heroes, not martyrs. There have been casualties already. There do not need to be more. Be smart. Be brave. Be heroes, Flyers.
Tomorrow has come early.
