Project
Utopia
Many novas are affiliated with this Aeon
Society-founded international organization in a variety of capacities, ranging
from the luminaries of Team Tomorrow to the support members who handle Utopia's
less glamorous and more pragmatic concerns. Most novas experience Utopia's
hospitality at least once in their lives, as they are invited to one of
Utopia's Rashoud facilities and tutored in the
rudiments of controlling their powers. Many novas elect to remain with Utopia
following their initial eruption, and many more retain some ties to the group.
After all, all Rashoud facilities are open to any
nova so long as that nova is registered with the Project and not considered a
threat.
Utopia's stated goal is to employ novas' vast power to
better the world for nova and baseline alike. Less overtly, Utopia also takes
great pains to cultivate a good public image for novas as a whole. The typical
Utopian nova knows nothing of Project Proteus' existence and views the Aberrants' claims of a "shadow project" within
Utopia as so much seditious propaganda. Most Utopians are highly disturbed by
the recent "Slider scandal" and the rise of the Aberrants,
viewing the Aberrants as traitors, murderers and
dangerous subversives possibly allied with the Teragen.
For its part, Utopia loathes the Teragen, seeing the
movement as a band of selfish and destructive radicals. Not only is the Teragen the antithesis of everything Utopia stands for, but
its actions could well turn the tide of public opinion
against novas. Thus, Utopia does everything in its power to monitor Teragen sympathizers (and take them down when necessary).
From what little Utopia knows of the Directive's existence, it considers the
agency a hostile, reactionary cabal combining the worst aspects of J. Edgar
Hoover and the llluminati. Utopia takes a benevolent
public stance toward unaffiliated novas. In practice, it makes an attempt to
monitor and otherwise keep tabs on nova elements not directly tied to it; novas
whose "selfish agendas" threaten the "cultivation of global
harmony" are often approached and reasoned with, subtly or otherwise.
Proteus is a
true shadow organization. It exists so deep within the heart of Project Utopia
that most Utopians are unaware of it. Few records of its presence exist, and
those that do are highly encrypted and classified. Indeed, most Proteus
"members" are unaware of their allegiance; Proteus tends to use
mercenary elites, Utopians or other unaffiliated individuals, sending them on
missions that advance the project's goals without ever letting the agents in
question know for whom they're really working. Proteus is absolutely committed
to secrecy, and it will do anything to maintain it, including terminating
agents or entire branches.
Those Proteus
novas who are aware of their affiliation believe that Proteus is a necessary
adjunct to advance Utopia's less telegenic goals.
They see Utopia as a good organization, necessary to continued harmony between
humans and novas; their role, then, is that of the gardener, subtly pruning the
Project where necessary, pulling up any weeds that surface and spraying
destructive pests if need be. Most Proteus ops believe the Aberrants
to be traitors, perhaps dupes of the Teragen, and
they scoff at the Aberrants' claims of anti-nova
sentiment permeating Utopia. After all, most Proteus agents are themselves
novas.
Many Proteus
novas hold "official" positions in Utopia, or even Team Tomorrow;
some maintain covers as international celebrities or act as spies in government
and corporate enterprises. No Proteus op ever admits to being a Proteus op
except in absolute secrecy (and often not even then). As far as the world is
concerned, Project Proteus does not exist, and Proteus' directors intend to do
everything in their power to keep it that way.