Emil Čížek

Emil Sebastian Čížek, better known by his pseudonym 'Gravitace', was a prominent member of the Meta-Human Protection Agency's supervisory board and head of the organization's search and rescue branch. He was also one of the leading voices of the MHPA's extremist wing, supporting the view that meta-humans are superior to regular humans and should thus take control of Earth, by force if necessary, although he did not advocate for the extermination of humankind. These opinions put him in direct opposition to Niklas Leonhart Yarin, the MHPA's chief diplomat, who favored peaceful coexistence with the wider human race.

In his role as the Head of Search and Rescue, Čížek was often at the forefront of MHPA field operations, organizing the protection and safe retrieval of illegally trafficked meta-humans. As a result, he commanded the bulk of the MHPA's military assets, including a group of 24 meta-human soldiers, who were known as the organization's strongest and most elite warriors. This elite group, colloquially known as the 'Bane of Humanity' was loyal only to Čížek, which was seen as a significant risk to the cohesion of the MHPA, by other leaders of the organization.

### Appearance

Čížek was a tall muscular man, with short blonde hair and light blue eyes covered by contact lenses. He carried a prominent facial scar on his left cheek that consisted of a deep horizontal slash wound surrounded by burnt skin, as well as extensive surgical scarring on his chest indicating some form of operation to the ribs and lungs.

As the Head of Search and Rescue, Čížek was most often seen dressed in the MHPA's black military uniform adorned with the organization's heraldry. His attire could also quickly and easily be complemented with assault gear, such as body armor and helmet, should he need to move out on a moment's notice.

### Personality

Emil Čížek was a highly educated man, having completed a master's degree in physics and mathematics. He was also a very direct man, he seldom hid his feelings and detested it when people beat around the bush or attempted to actively mislead him. Despite this Čížek was not an aggressive person, instead, he always analyzed scenarios carefully and methodically before resorting to actions that could put a significant number of civilians or his soldiers in danger. This was irrespective of whether the civilians at risk were human or not. Čížek took his role very seriously but treated it purely as a job and did not take any pleasure in armed operations. However, he did take a great deal of satisfaction in rescuing and protecting exploited meta-humans and ensuring they could live a life away from trafficking, slavery, or forced military service. Finally, the MHPA's military leader also had a closely guarded emotional side that was only known to the Bane of Humanity's operational commander and wife to Čížek, Sena ....

### History

Čížek was born in the Czech Republic in the city of Karlovy Vary, as the oldest of three brothers, to a pair of Czech physicists. His parents' jobs as physicists fascinated Čížek from an early age and influenced his decision to study physics and mathematics in Munich, Germany. These studies were unremarkable until Čížek was about to complete his master's degree when he was approached by a man in a black suit calling himself Nullity Masquerade. He offered Čížek a place in his Masquerade Troupe, a group of humans who received a variety of unique and powerful abilities due to the 'Project Ascendance' accident. A project, by the Federal United Nations's (FUN) research branch the Anomalies Research Consortium (ARC), that attempted to create superhuman soldiers. Čížek refused Masquerade's offer, but the latter persisted. This came to a climax right after Čížek's graduation ceremony, when Masquerade cornered him in an alley causing the freshly graduated man to snap and use his powers for the first time.

### Story

The Amphibian Army came to know about Čížek because of this first use of his abilities. Čížek accidentally increased the gravity of an office building, which caused the building to crumble, killing civilians in the process. Finding this event suspicious the Army began investigating it but failed to identify Čížek as the culprit. Instead, the Army discovered Nullity Masquerade, his Troupe of meta-humans, and the plot to kill his brother and Amphibian Army member, Jarbis Masquerade. Čížek was not involved in the resulting conflict between the Masquerade Troupe and the Amphibian Army, having managed to flee from Masquerade's clutches, during the Army's first attempt at neutralizing the Masquerade Troupe.

From there Čížek went back home to the Czech Republic, hiding at a relative's house close to the border with Slovakia. There he began experimenting with his powers and slowly started to gain a better grasp of them while keeping them hidden from everyone. As a result of this and his hidden location, Čížek did not get involved in the First Drake War either, as the FUN had no way of recruiting him. But after the war had concluded Čížek was approached by another meta-human calling herself Numeria, who due to the FUN's use of meta-humans in the First Drake War, wanted to establish an organization dedicated to the protection of meta-humans and their rights, the Meta-Human Protection Agency (MHPA). She had gotten her hands on Masquerade's data related to meta-humans and wanted to recruit Čížek as one of the MHPA's founding members. Čížek accepted the invitation having been convinced by Numeria that a safe haven for meta-humans was not only important but necessary.

Čížek began at the MHPA as one of its leading scientists, until immediately after the beginning of the Second Drake War, when his research facility came under attack by the Maelstrom Cataclysm Syndicate (MCS), which was after the technology to control meta-human powers, an apparatus called the 'Ascendance Anchor'. During this engagement, Čížek helped save a majority of his staff by unleashing his powers, as a result, he began to understand how devastating his powers could be in combat. After this military engagement, which ended in a crushing defeat for the MCS in large part due to Čížek involvement, he concluded that due to his powers, he should join the MHPA's military branch. Čížek quickly rose through the ranks in the military branch, partially due to his ability to adapt and learn quickly, as well as due to him being a well-known founding member of the MHPA.

As the Second Drake War continued Čížek was put in charge of a small elite assault unit with the task of finding and rescuing meta-humans, especially those with potentially dangerous powers, from the clutches of other groups of interest, which intended to either exploit or traffic them. These actions actually ended up dragging two initially unrelated organizations, the Crow Wing (CW) and the Irish Cartel Union (ICU), into the Second Drake War. It was in an operation against the ICU that Čížek met his future wife, Sena ..., a meta-human that was supposed to be sold to the FUN, with a subtle yet incredibly dangerous and powerful ability. Čížek also had a handful of run-ins with the Amphibian Army, despite the MHPA's tenuous alliance with the group during Drake War 2, it was during one of these engagements that Čížek directly squared off against the Army's Third Emperor, Ben. A clash he would go on to lose, as his powers were rendered mostly ineffective by the emperor, and Ben easily overpowered Čížek when it came to physical strength. But despite having his face heavily scarred and his ribcage crushed, Čížek still received a lot of praise from his comrades for even attempting to engage in combat with one of the most powerful individuals involved in the Second Drake War. It was after this battle that Čížek gained his moniker 'Gravitace' and started learning the use of firearms to be better prepared and more flexible in battle.

After Drake War 2 ended, Čížek was made the MHPA's Head of Search and Rescue, and he remained active in that role throughout the Third Drake War, where the MHPA only had a minor role, mainly rescuing and protecting meta-humans from both the FUN and High Command (HC). At Drake War 3's conclusion, when Lilia Fatima-Drake recalled the Terran Republic's interplanetary fleet to annihilate HC, she also directed the fleet to destroy the MHPA, resulting in the MHPA headquarters being destroyed, with Čížek and his wife likely being among the casualties.

### Powers & Abilities

Čížek mainly relied on his meta-human abilities in battle. But his scientific mind and basic understanding of the use of firearms could also be significant assets, both to him and his allies.

#### Gravity Manipulation

Čížek had the unique power to manipulate the gravity of non-living objects he touched for between 30 and 120 seconds, including formerly living objects. This gravity manipulation allowed Čížek to increase and decrease the influence of Earth's gravitational powers on an object, making them lighter or heavier depending on his intentions. He could also reverse this within a two-minute timeframe after having touched an object this made, for example, projectiles he threw far heavier on impact than when he initially launched them. The control over gravity also allowed him to carry otherwise weighty loads. He could also use his ability for limited flight by manipulating the gravity of an object he or others stand on. But as the weight of the people standing on the object does not change, this is a risky use of his ability. Finally, Čížek could also use his abilities to manipulate the gravity of the clothes of his opponents.

#### Scientific Mind

Having been a physicist by trade, Čížek had an intimate understanding of how to calculate the manipulation of gravity in the way that best suited his needs in any situation.

#### Basic Understanding of Firearm and Hand-to-Hand Combat

Čížek had a basic understanding of both combat with firearms and hand-to-hand combat. But as he was taught both forms later in life, Čížek was often outclassed by opponents with more combat experience.

### Weapons

After Čížek's loss to Ben, he was always seen equipped with a standard-issue MHPA pistol. He complimented this with a personalized assault rifle gifted to him by his wife when on a mission.