Director Carter’s Notes:

Spider-man’s efforts at self-improvement at SHIELD and especially in teamwork started to improve noticeably after this last assessment. He is staying more focused on the business at hand and reading the situation instead of recalling comic books, chemistry texts, or last night’s movie offerings, as seemed to be the normal situation.

He has been asking Red and Blue’s opinions on different equipment loadouts, and what he and the other trainees might want to be employing, then actually devising some of them. Red and Blue were happy to help field-test some of the devices, and they might just make their way into special issue SHIELD equipment.

While Dynamo’s personal assessments of the trainees were kept between them, her recommendations on how to progress through their Tranches is on record, and most are following them faithfully.

Jewel has especially seized on her training as a Mistress of Abusing Flying. Her footwork and kicking skills have improved phenomenally since Dynamo has arrived, and her marksmanship is steadily improving. Were there more people around with instinctive flying ability, we would be designing an entire course for them based on her progress.

Nova remains the same dedicated student as before. However, his new absorption of energy is rapidly increasing his strength, durability, and speed. I have seen the process and it is clearly quite painful, but he is persevering and reaping the rewards of it, while remaining dedicated to the rest of the training process.

Luke Cage is finally branching out from his reliance on his physical prowess to the more fundamental skills that buttress it. Two days ago his heavyfoot started kicking in, and his ability to maintain his footing in combat and while lifting and throwing showed tremendous improvement as a result. He seems quite excited to learn more about profound arts now, especially since he is now learning to truly jump and run.

Iron Fist has made contact with Security Chief Brave Spears at the Tribal Consulate, and begun his introduction to higher combat forms. It is not the standard advancement paradigm of the Iron Fist as I recall it, but Spears related that the Tattoo IF wears makes him a supremely gifted student.

Spider-girl and Silk seem to be taking after both Jewel and Spider-man. SG has been helping SM with making new equipment, and is working on her kicking techniques and defensive handwork. Silk has been throwing herself into training on our most advanced computer systems, and has rapidly exceeded what our programmers are able to teach her. I understand that the Baxter Building’s technology is ahead of ours in this regard, and her training continues apace there. She has also been updating some of our technology in the Center here for pay in her off-hours.

As for Dynamo herself, she is not progressing as rapidly as the trainees, but that might be simply because she is at a higher level. Her known relationship with The Mountain is certainly something that could be worrisome, but does not seem to have altered her behavior, and the man seems to prefer working with her sorcerous associate, the Dealer.

In any event, Dynamo has rapidly become the preferred outside training partner for all the Shields in the New York City area, including the Patriot. Her speed is phenomenal, her fundamentals are excellent, and her stamina and ability to take punishment are superb. If she has cause to use her alchemy, she can make herself very hard to hit and hurt, indeed, which has been inspiring all of us to delve more fully into Dragon Disciplines to offset those advantages.

We definitely have to devise a way for her to stop sticking to our Shields...

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Dynamo’s Recommendations on Advancement...

Jessica Jones:

Primary Tranche: Melee, with a focus on kicks, footwork, and Abuse of Flying. She should continue her development and working with Power Armor to grant her some additional flexibility.

Secondary Tranche: Archer, increasing ranged capability with armor-mounted weaponry or firearms if she takes up an official position. Although Fliers are largely meant to be Archers, her physical strength and power in armor means she should focus her training on that area, as it is more dangerous than ranged attacking.

Tertiary Tranche: Either Expert Levels or Scout (investigator) Levels if she can handle the extra workload. Training should focus on officer-level command and hierarchical training, social influencing, and observational skills to supplement her active combat skills. Jewel does not have the commander mindset, but she would make an excellent lieutenant or adjutant to a more aggressive personality.

Richard Ryder:

Primary Tranche: Melee. The Nova Corps is expected to pursue, and equipped for, primary combat with all manner of foes.

Secondary Tranche: Archer. This is relegated for the higher Levels (Nova Core 5+) when they start being able to project energy beams. Before then, Nova Corpsman must carry issued weaponry. Advise issuing Nova non-lethal ranged attacks (webbing/confinement devices) to practice with in active combat.

Tertiary Tranche: Expert Levels, similar to Jewel above. Nova, however, has a mindset that can grow firmly into an officer’s job. Although he will always be at his best taking orders, he will also be reliable when issuing them.

Luke Cage:

Primary Tranche: Melee/Mindfist mix. As a Powered individual, Luke should make use of his Core and gain at least some secondary support psionic abilities. He doesn’t have the spirituality for development of Chi abilities, nor of Soul Magic development, although Opening his Chakra is certainly possible for some passive benefits. He has a Brick’s abilities and mindset and should focus on them.

Secondary Tranche: Martial Artist (Monk). Luke should focus largely on the Crystal Style, broadening to Thunder if he can muster the righteousness, and Ocean if he can also master Moon. Fire might be difficult for him, but he has the potential to be a Five-Dragon Master.

Tertiary Tranche: Psion (Biomorph). The most open-ended of Luke’s potential lies in this Tranche, but he may simply not have the mindset to pursue it. If he is unwilling to do so, then simply Scout Levels to broaden his social and investigative skills would be appropriate.

Danny Rand:

Primary Tranche: Dragon Warrior. Danny may wish to retrain all his Melee Levels in order to accelerate his mastery of Chi abilities. While Melee Levels give him a fundamental foundation, he is Powered and the loss of those Levels towards learning the higher abilities is unwise. He should pursue Moon and all four Greater Dragons. His youthful rashness has already helped expose him to Fire, and I have little doubt he will be a Five Dragon Master.

Secondary Tranche: Currently Martial Artist/Monk Levels, if possible these should be retrained to Dragon Hand Adept. The extra Chi Disciplines mastered will enormously supplement the focused power of his DW Levels.

Tertiary Tranche: Scout (investigator), currently Expert. Danny is the son of an extremely wealthy family with vast business holdings, and needs to be skilled enough to run such an empire and know how it works. The additional mental focus and competency of an investigator will support the social skills and business acumen that Danny needs to thrive.

Gwen Stacey:

Primary Tranche: Scout. Gwen is a very social person with a secret desire to be a performer. At the same time, she is quite intelligent with a great gift for chemical research, particularly biochemistry. The Scout Class would provide enough skill points to do both, with a focus on stealth and teamwork techniques that would supplement her instinctive avoidance of combat, incidentally making her an excellent intelligence operative.

Secondary Tranche: Martial Artist/Melee Levels mix. Despite her lack of preference for such things, Spider Totems thrive in agile combat, and she has started to come around on the usefulness of spiritual powers. Her increasing strength and speed will make this more viable.

Tertiary Tranche: Archer Levels. Gwen does not have the mindset to enjoy melee combat, and should be accumulating ranged options to supplement her before she has to go in hand-to-hand. Increased non-lethal ranged options are a must for her.

Cindy Moon:

Primary Tranche: Like Gwen, Cindy does not enjoy personal combat. She is, however, proving to be a fantastically skilled coder, hacker, and computer program designer. Scout Levels would provide the needed offensive skills, with a focus on stealth and teamwork techniques that would appeal to her the most. Her optimal field equipment should be upgraded with miniaturized computers and communication devices to render her a mobile command and control platform, if possible.

Secondary Tranche: As Gwen, above. Her highly developed danger sense is somewhat less useful in close combat.

Tertiary Tranche: Archer levels. This should include extreme ranged options, as the sensitivity of her danger sense means she is able to discern threats before almost anyone, and the ability to reach out and neutralize them is important.

Peter Parker:

Primary Tranche (chosen): His Skill Tranche has already hit Four, so Scout Levels (investigator). The focus on intelligence and mental discipline, as well as the large amounts of training, will only help him and make him thrive. His lack of focus largely comes from boredom. What most people would call a high-stress learning environment, Peter calls a relaxing and engaging learning experience. Throw him in and watch him swim like a duck.

Secondary Tranche: Melee. Peter prefers to engage directly in combat with many of his opponents, even if such is a substandard method of dealing with them, probably part of his Hunting Spider Totem instincts. Part of this is also because of costs, as his normal ranged approach uses up expensive web fluid. With his increasing personal income, this should no longer be an issue and should expand his mindset with other possibilities.

Tertiary Tranche: Alchemist. His intuitive mastery of biochemistry will thrive in the Alchemist side, even if it stays in the Weird Science side of things, and it will further his skills in material sciences and engineering at the same time without much effort. I recommend an intense focus on the higher sciences at the doctorate and post-doctorate levels if he is to be challenged appropriately. This will also aid immensely in the development of new equipment for himself and his allies.