It was a step that could not be taken back.

I sat on the top of the Baxter Building, and my mind was full of stars.

There were layers upon layers of this Awareness, and indeed, it was a measure of the mind of those Aware that determined how well they could use Cosmic Awareness. Less-developed minds had struggles pushing past their limits up or down, and so only the most basic enhanced perception of the time and space around them, or great disturbances, would attract their attention.

That was the level Uncle Ben was dealing with and trying to expand upon. He could feel the presence of cosmic beings nearby and communicate with them, as well as hide himself from their attentions if he desired. He could reach across the solar system and be roughly aware of what lived there, and more importantly, be aware of any great confluences of Fate bringing vast events here, giving him some warning ahead of time, as well as awareness that there were many other cosmic beings out there.

They weren’t necessarily stronger than he was, but they were definitely older, wiser, and more knowledgeable.

He was working on it.

Cosmic Awareness went up and out, as well as down and in. I could feel the existence of connected microverses as readily as parallel realities and other planes of existence. It didn’t extend into other planes, only the one I was on, without using other means to send my mind there or travel there physically.

I could open my thoughts wide, and I could feel Eternity brushing past me. The manifestation of the living universe, like one atom in your body suddenly being aware of you.

I could collapse them down, and see one person from across the galaxy, and his relevance to Fate and Chaos with the choices he would make.

I could see others with less adept Cosmic Awareness casting forth here and there, not knowing I could feel them, and others who turned when they could feel me, but did not know where and who I was.

I could look up and down the strings of Time... until those strings interacted with Briggs and Sama, and the future became illusions, and the past became unalterable stone. How clearly I could see was up to my power and myself.

Thanos was one of those. I couldn’t get a direct read on him, only his effect on an area, but he definitely felt my Awareness flit past him.

I could see the seething dark matter at the edges of the universe, and the roiling energy of The Crunch that formed the barrier to the Negative Zone reflection of our universe. I could see stars aging, and knew when they would die.

I could see a whole fucking knot of Fate and Chaos coming together around Terra, like the biggest goddamn cat’s cradle in existence boiling off our little world here with the choices we made.

And none of the really big stuff extended off into the future, making it even crazier.

Fuuuuuuuccckkkk...

It was a good thing I was totally damn crazy with Dauntless, or I would have curled up in a ball and hid in a corner with the size of some of the things on the way. There’s comprehending the things that are out there, and then being able to see them all, too...

Fifteen Wishes. Fifty goldweight each, two hundred and fifty pounds of gold per Wish. Just the mental Inherents, nothing more.

Intellect to 53, 57 for magic. Wisdom to 35. Charisma to 37.

I had to withdraw my Awareness, fighting the urge to look more and get lost endlessly in the sheer amount of what was out there.

I’d been ragging Wanda about it, but this was the same thing. I was smart enough and open enough to do vast things with my Awareness, but I wasn’t sure I could withstand all the implications to my mind and soul if I did.

There were things I understood now because I could simply look at them and see, and lo, that’s how it was, better than any instrument I could devise.

My Dupes and Dealer were pretty glad this was a Prime-only thing, like my Pact, and wouldn’t spread to them without individual visits to Eon. None of them particularly wanted it, although there was no doubt just the spillover was going to affect them in some ways, particularly Ursula.

“If I’m not intruding, you look like someone just shot your dog.”

I glanced up at the woman coming down from the sky. I knew she was coming, of course, how could I not? She wasn’t Astral Warded or anything.

I managed a bad smile and got to my feet. “Ah, just my life blowing up in stars in front of me. It’s more a poor little rich girl thing,” I answered as she alighted on the roof.

I had several first impressions on multiple levels.

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And my first impression is...

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The first and most basic was that she might have been the most physically attractive woman I had ever seen. It was like someone rounded up a bunch of gorgeous women in tremendous physical shape, took all their best features, and za, that’s where this stunning brunette came from.

She definitely had a Shielder’s physique, but she was moving like a Widow, the automatic allure and sensuality drilled into them until it became a part of them. Combine that with a simply titanic level of physical power, control, and restrained energy, and just, wow.

She was totally aware of it, too.

The second was that she was a Madrox-type-clone. I could see the temporal shadow as clear as day. The only one of her kind, too.

The third was that I had an extraordinary sense of familiarity with her, as if I had already met her numerous times.

The fourth was that this wasn’t the form she was born with, but it was hers now.

“Do you have your own name, or should I just call you Callie, like your prime?” I asked reasonably, offering my hand. “I’m absolutely sure you know what to call me.”

She gave me a considering look as she took my hand. I didn’t fight the squeeze, as I wouldn’t be as strong as her even with my full Buffs. “I’ve been considering it, but we’re still working on my role. I might end up being a secondary storehouse of useful abilities that can be quick-absorbed by my prime, and then I can be re-duped out with the same set as her.”

I put my second hand atop hers. “Take a name for yourself,” I said calmly. “It’s psychologically healthy for both of you, and it doesn’t hurt. You’re fully autonomous and can think and feel for yourself, as real as she is. By all measures, you’d be considered a daughter or twin sister. Might I suggest Mimi?” I smiled widely.

She blinked, and then burst into laughter despite herself. “Do I look like a Mimi?” she asked, reclaiming her hand and spinning around in a midair bounce gracefully. She was six feet tall, built to break knuckles, and all the fatale gorgeous.

“Not at all,” I admitted. “Thus, perfect for you.”

“I’ve been told you’ve numerous Duplicates of your own,” she said, eying me with interest.

“You’re a Clone, not a Duplicate. Dupes have, mmm, let’s say a reorganizing of priorities about their minds, different aspects of the source psychology move into prominence as part of the effect, so they really are different from me. And yes, I have a Clone running around, too.” I made a gesture of acknowledgement. “She uses a different name and does different things from me. She’s not my replacement.”

“Mimi. I’ll think about it.” Her green eyes twinkled. “What did you need from me? I was told this would be quick.”

“Well, not unless I can get all the people I’m supposed to Mimic lined up, but I can probably head to LaGrange for that.” I smiled slightly. “Surprised you flew in. I could have just walked up to the station through the supply Portal, you know.”

“I’m actually less than an hour old. I flew over from Moscow, wanting to see if there’s any difference in my status. I couldn’t discern any.” She flexed her arms. “Speed and strength exactly as I remember.”

“Copying the ability just takes a moment of looking at you. It’s already done,” I admitted. “Madrox is in Moscow? Whatever for?”

She laughed softly. “The Two decided to make ALL the Dupes of him, and get him properly trained. In both genders. They gender-shifted a Dupe of him who wanted to be a woman, and then Duped off scores of her, too. They are literally sending the Dupes all over the place to learn everything they are motivated to learn.”

“Wow, that is a very generous move.” Basically paying for the training of hundreds of people, after all. “I was actually looking to Ur-Copy him one more time. Permission to do so?” I asked.

She tilted her head slightly, glanced away, then back at me. “Sure. We can set up Primus, Comet, and Flux at the same time up on LaGrange and save everyone some time, if that is what you are looking to do. Do you have a fourth in mind?”

“I have a question,” I admitted. “How much competency and familiarity with their powers is inherited?”

She nodded at the question. “Basically half, the same level as their powers. I’ve had most of their powers long enough to bring up my skill with them on my own, of course. So, encountering a competent hero familiar with their powers is better than encountering a newbie.”

“Limitations?”

“You can instantly grab someone’s powers if they are in range, but you don’t retain them unless you spend an hour in their vicinity. Getting permission to do that is one of the best things about working with the High Guard,” she smiled.

I tilted my head sideways. “Okay, you are definitely doing that deliberately.”

“Doing what?” she asked innocently, only smiling wider.

“You’re changing your body language, wondering if I’ll notice. I have, I’m just wondering why it’s relevant.”

She looked delighted, despite herself. “Oh? What did you see?”

“Peggy, Katarina Novgorova, and Natasha and Yelena Romanova.” I looked her up and down once, and nodded slightly. “Yes, you’re pretty much an amalgam of two elite Black Widows and the first two women Shield-bearers. Isn’t that rather exceeding your Mimic limits?” I asked archly. “Or does this have something to do with the fact that’s not your original form?”

The look she gave me was piercing, and she whistled exactly like Peggy. “Ah! Peggy knows you are sharp, but that is still very disconcerting!” she replied, her eyes dancing with interest. “I think you will like my origin story, when you have clearance to hear it.”

“If I ask them, I’ll have clearance,” I said laconically. “Go ahead, ask.”

A bit surprised, she looked away again for me, and arched an eyebrow in surprise. “How do you have so much trust from them?” she asked. “Especially with so little known about you?”

“Ah, they know everything about me that’s relevant. No, I’m not going to tell you. Ask them, and they’ll probably say no.” Her exquisite lips pursed, wondering very strongly now. I just crossed my arms. “Go ahead, impress me.”

“What do you get when you Mimic four women in psychic gestalt at the same time, during an operation to give you a Skrull liver and appendix?” She lifted her hands in the air and pirouetted gracefully.

“In gestalt?” I considered her. “That would... make a 400% psychic entity. Even absorbing half, you’d wind up with a 200% gestalt entity personality in your head, if you were doing it wrong. She would be more real than yourself. The Skrull organs would respond to the gestalt and adapt your body to the gestalt persona, who would likely take over and become the primary personality, booting out the old one if need be. If you are a gestalt, the whole thing probably only occupies one change Slot, if you’re replicating the Super-Soldier and Widow templates?” I finished up.