My Ultimate Sign-in System Made Me Invincible

The training was short but fun, and the group got quite a lot out of it. Liam’s friends got to experience what it felt like to fight someone extremely powerful—not just theoretically understanding the gap but viscerally experiencing it through repeated, systematic defeat that somehow felt educational rather than humiliating.

The one who benefited most was Matt, who had secured himself a personal space shuttle by enduring almost five minutes of what any reasonable person would classify as a near-death beating. The fact that he was already mentally designing the Titanium Eagle’s interior layout during the flight home suggested his priorities remained entirely intact despite the recent unconsciousness.

As the group flew back across the Atlantic, they chatted amongst themselves through the exosuits’ communication system, rehashing moments from the training with the kind of fond retrospective that came from surviving shared trauma.

"I still can’t believe you fought all of us without even activating your exosuit," Harper said, his voice carrying a note of disbelief that had been building since they’d left Antarctica. "You were just standing there in normal clothes the entire time. In negative forty degree weather. While we were in advanced powered armor."

Alex chuckled, the sound crackling slightly through the comm system. "I mean, someone who can cause visible shockwaves by just moving doesn’t really need an exosuit. The suit would probably slow him down at this point."

"Fair point," Kristopher added thoughtfully. "The exosuit enhances normal human capability to superhuman levels. But if you’re already operating at levels that make superhuman look mundane, what exactly would the suit add?"

Stacy’s voice carried amusement. "I’m just trying to imagine what kind of threat would actually require Liam to use his exosuit. Like, what would that even look like? What’s powerful enough that Liam in his normal state wouldn’t be sufficient?"

"Probably something on the level of a god," Alex said, and there was only half-joking speculation in his tone. "Like, literal divine entity. Ancient demon. Cosmic horror from beyond reality. That’s probably the threshold where Liam would think ’okay, maybe I should put on the armor for this one.’"

Liam’s laughter came through the communication system, genuine and warm despite the absurdity of the conversation. "I appreciate the confidence, but I’m not even close to strong enough to face an actual god. If I encountered something on that level, I’d be turned to dust immediately. The exosuit wouldn’t change that—it would just mean I’d be slightly more expensive dust."

The group fell silent for a moment, processing this statement.

"I refuse to believe that," Kristy said firmly. "You just knocked Matt unconscious with a single punch while holding back significantly. You moved so fast we couldn’t track you even with enhanced perception. You have spacecraft and lunar bases and technology that breaks physics. And you’re saying there are things that would just instantly destroy you?"

"Many things," Liam confirmed, his tone matter-of-fact rather than concerned. "The universe is considerably larger and more dangerous than Earth’s current understanding encompasses. What seems overwhelmingly powerful from one perspective is often barely adequate from another. I’m strong relative to normal human capability, yes. But in the broader context of what exists out there? I’m still very much in the ’trying not to get killed by actual cosmic threats’ category."

Matt, who had been quiet since they’d started the return flight—probably still recovering from the concussion—spoke up with characteristic enthusiasm despite his recent unconsciousness. "That’s somehow both terrifying and incredibly exciting. Like, we’re already operating at levels that seem impossible, and you’re saying there are entire tiers of power beyond even that?"

"Multiple tiers," Liam said. "Many, many tiers. It’s humbling, honestly."

The conversation drifted as they flew, the Atlantic Ocean passing beneath them in a blur of dark water and occasional whitecaps. The exosuits’ HUD systems tracked their progress, showing estimated arrival times and optimal flight paths that kept them well away from commercial air traffic corridors.

When they crossed into U.S. airspace, they increased speed, the stealth systems ensuring that even though they were moving at velocities that would have scrambled fighter jets if detected, they remained completely invisible to radar, satellite surveillance, and visual observation.

The eastern seaboard appeared on their displays, the sprawling metropolitan areas creating light patterns that were visible even from their altitude. They split up as they approached their respective destinations, each person peeling off toward their own home with quick goodbyes and promises to continue the discussion later.

Matt was the last to separate, his flight path taking him toward his family’s house with the kind of slightly erratic trajectory that suggested he was still dealing with some lingering disorientation from the knockout. His friends watched him go with a mixture of concern and amusement, confident that the exosuit’s automated flight systems would prevent him from accidentally flying into a building but less confident about what he’d do once he actually reached his destination.

Liam watched them all disperse, a slight smile on his face, before altering his own course toward Bellemere Mansion.

***

The Swiss Mission to the United Nations occupied a modern building in Manhattan, and at precisely 9:47 AM Eastern Time—carefully calculated to be early enough to demonstrate eagerness but not so early as to seem desperate—Ambassador Friedrich Müller personally delivered a formal request to the U.S. State Department for forwarding to Nova Technologies.

The request was impeccably formatted, printed on official letterhead, and accompanied by the kind of documentation that suggested Switzerland’s bureaucratic apparatus had been working through the night to prepare it.

SWISS CONFEDERATION

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Official Request for Observer Status

Re: Nova Technologies Medical Nanite Clinical Trial

To Whom It May Concern at Nova Technologies:

The Swiss Confederation formally requests permission to send qualified medical observers to witness the clinical trials of Medical Nanites as announced on [date]. Switzerland proposes to send a delegation consisting of:

- Two physicians with expertise in neurology and regenerative medicine

- One bioethics specialist

- One representative from the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products

Our observers would attend strictly in observational capacity with no expectation of access to proprietary technology or confidential procedures. We seek only to witness the trial protocols and outcomes as announced in your public statement.

Switzerland recognizes that Nova Technologies operates under no obligation to accommodate government observers, and we appreciate your consideration of this request. We are prepared to work within any reasonable framework you establish for observer access.

We respectfully request clarification on the following:

1. Will observer access be granted on a first-come, first-served basis, or will selection criteria be applied?

2. What are the expected concrete timelines for trial commencement and observer notification?

3. Will observers be permitted to document their observations through written notes, or will confidentiality agreements restrict information sharing?

4. Are there limits to the number of observers per nation, or can multiple delegations be accommodated?

We appreciate your time and consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Ambassador Friedrich Müller

Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations

***

The request reached the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs within the hour, where it was immediately flagged as high-priority given the ongoing institutional chaos surrounding Nova Technologies’ announcements.

By noon, similar requests had arrived from seventeen other nations.

Singapore’s request was characteristically direct and efficient, a single-page document that made no pretense about their strategic interest:

REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

Ministry of Health

We request four observer positions for the Medical Nanite trials. Our observers will include clinical specialists in oncology and neural regeneration. We understand this is an unprecedented request for an unprecedented technology. We are prepared to accommodate any reasonable requirements Nova Technologies establishes.

Primary questions:

- Timeline for observer selection?

- Required credentials for medical specialists?

- Restrictions on post-observation reporting?

We appreciate Nova Technologies’ consideration and remain committed to productive collaboration.

***

The United Kingdom’s request arrived via their embassy in Washington, routed through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office with the kind of formal diplomatic language that the British bureaucracy had perfected over centuries:

FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

His Majesty’s Government

Her Majesty’s Government respectfully requests observer access to the Medical Nanite clinical trials. The United Kingdom proposes to send qualified representatives from the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

We recognize that Nova Technologies has indicated regulatory observer presence is optional rather than required. However, given the profound implications of this technology for public health, we believe transparent observation serves both Nova Technologies’ interests and the broader public good.

We seek clarification on several procedural matters:

1. What criteria will Nova Technologies use to select observers from among interested nations?

2. Will observers be required to sign confidentiality agreements, and if so, what restrictions would these impose?

3. Can observers publish findings after trial completion, or would such publication require Nova Technologies’ approval?

4. Will the off-world facility location be disclosed to observers prior to their commitment, or will this remain confidential?

We appreciate your attention to these matters and look forward to productive engagement.

***

The European Union’s request came through multiple channels simultaneously—the EU delegation to the UN, individual member state embassies, and a direct communication from the European Medicines Agency:

EUROPEAN MEDICINES AGENCY

European Union

The European Medicines Agency requests observer positions for qualified medical professionals representing EU member states. We recognize that Nova Technologies has chosen to conduct trials outside traditional regulatory frameworks.

However, we believe European observation serves important public interests:

- Verification of safety protocols

- Assessment of efficacy claims

- Documentation of trial methodology

- Evaluation of potential integration with existing healthcare systems

We understand Nova Technologies maintains no obligation to accommodate regulatory observers. We frame this as a request for cooperation rather than an assertion of authority.

Key questions requiring clarification:

1. Will observers be selected by geographic region, or can individual EU member states each send representatives?

2. What liability protections will be provided to observers in an off-world facility?

3. Will observers have access to volunteer medical histories and ongoing monitoring data?

4. Can observers interact with volunteers, or will observation be strictly passive?

We await your response and remain open to any framework Nova Technologies establishes.

***

By the end of the business day, the State Department had received formal observer requests from forty-three nations, ranging from major powers to smaller countries that recognized the strategic importance of being present for what might be the most significant medical advancement in human history.

The requests varied in tone from Switzerland’s diplomatic professionalism to Singapore’s efficient directness to smaller nations’ almost pleading language that suggested they understood their requests might be denied but felt obligated to try anyway.

What united them all was a careful threading of the needle between expressing genuine interest in the technology and avoiding any language that suggested they believed they had authority over Nova Technologies’ operations.

Every request acknowledged, either explicitly or implicitly, that they were asking for permission rather than asserting rights. The power dynamic had been established by Nova Technologies’ announcements, and the governments’ requests reflected their acceptance of that reality.

The State Department compiled all the requests into a single folder, added their own summary noting the diversity of nations interested, and prepared to forward the entire package to Nova Technologies through the Whitlock back-channel that had become the de facto diplomatic route.

While those countries could had sent the emails directly to Whitlock or JP Morgan, it would had caused a friction between them and the US government. This was especially so with how sensitive things related to Whitlock and JP Morgan are, all thanks to their connection to Nova Technologies.

As for the State Department, before they could send the compiled emails, they received an email directly from Nova Technologies’ official communications address.

The message was brief:

We have noted the international interest in observer access to the Medical Nanite clinical trials. Formal response regarding observer selection, criteria, and logistics will be issued within 72 hours. Nations that have submitted requests will be notified directly.

All questions posed in observer requests will be addressed in the forthcoming statement.

- Nova Technologies Communications

The State Department official who received this email sat back in her chair, reading it three times to make sure she understood correctly.

Nova Technologies had been monitoring the observer requests in real-time. They’d seen everything that came in, probably before the State Department had even finished compiling them. And they were going to respond directly to each nation rather than working through diplomatic intermediaries.

It was another subtle demonstration of the same principle that had characterized all of Nova Technologies’ communications: they operated as a peer to national governments rather than as an entity subject to their authority.

The official forwarded the email to her supervisor with a single-line note: They’re watching everything. Responding within 72 hours. They don’t need us as intermediaries.

Her supervisor read it, typed a brief response—Noted. This is the new normal.—and filed the entire exchange in the growing folder labeled "Nova Technologies: Institutional Adaptation."

Because that’s what this was. Not a crisis to manage or a problem to solve, but a fundamental shift in how global institutions would need to operate when dealing with an entity that possessed capabilities, resources, and operational independence that exceeded most national governments.

The requests would be answered. Observers would be selected. The trials would proceed.

But the process would happen on Nova Technologies’ timeline, according to their criteria, within frameworks they established.

The governments making the requests understood this. The diplomats crafting careful language understood this. The bureaucrats processing the paperwork understood this.

Understanding didn’t make it less jarring. It just made the adjustment process slightly more manageable.

And in offices across dozens of nations, officials waited for Nova Technologies’ response, knowing that whatever framework was established would become the template for future interactions with an organization that was rapidly redefining what institutional power looked like in the modern world.