Drone 23.1

 Drone 23.1 is the first chapter of Drone. Taylor gets pulled out of prison, meets Protectorate and Wards leaders, test time! Weaver and kicks villain ass with butterflies.

Plot
Defiant arrives to escort Taylor from prison, acting as her custodian, although he is quick to tell her that it is only a temporary leave. He attempts to bond with Taylor, talking about his difficulties and issues with leading the Brockton Bay Protectorate and admitting that Miss Militia is a natural leader and he wasn't.

Defiant continues to talk with Skitter as they enter his Dragoncraft, claiming that they are similar in some ways: they've both been leaders and they've both made mistakes that they have been punished for. When Taylor asks about Dragon, he says that she isn't a leader either and that her prison is worse than either of their own. As they continue to talk, Defiant reminds Taylor that she is part of the Wards now and that while many of the Protectorate capes have her back, they could always make her irrelevant and simply bring her out for media appearances.

Later, as they meet with a variety of capes from across the Protectorate, Defiant informs the room that Weaver's new life as a Ward isn't that different to many of the other turncoats and experienced heroes that have joined the Protectorate before her. When Dispatch overrules Defiant, using his statements that Skitter was a "manipulator and a liar" against him, Defiant states that he had the statements retracted.

A lot of fun and interesting things happen in the wards attack on the Adepts base.

When they return to Gardener to bring Taylor back to prison, Defiant attempts to give her further advice, and gives the warden the number of his superior when she questions whether some of Taylor's injuries came from a permitted duty or not.

Major Events

 * Defiant tries to repair bridges with Weaver.
 * Weaver has her first outing as a hero.

Trivia

 * Roughly a seventh the length of a typical novel.