Cende

(Yes, finally. Sorry.)

Since this story is very long, comments go into a separate comment thread. The comment thread can be found here.

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Chapter 53.

Paragon City, Friday evening

Marcus reached out tiredly and picked up the glass of scotch from the table next to him. Taking a long swallow, he sighed and leaned back in his chair, feeling his shoulders finally beginning to unknot after a particularly long and tedious day. Breathing deeply, he inhaled the faint, lingering scents of spices and incense that perfumed the room, and gazed around in the dim light. Without knowing Cende's charm, he'd had to light the candles and lamps by hand, so he'd only lit enough to see by. He'd started off with the overhead light turned on, but that had somehow not felt right in this room. He couldn't remember that light ever having been on previously, and he was just as glad to have it off now.

Getting into the apartment had been no problem. Several weeks before, she had dropped off her spare key when he'd asked if he could look through her bookshelves for a set of legal precedents he wanted to review. She had been on bodyguard duty and wasn't able to help; he'd forgotten to give her key back and she hadn't asked. Sighing, he tossed back his scotch and poured another glass, wondering when exactly it was that this small apartment had come to be more comforting than the house he had lived in for decades. No, it's not the apartment, he thought, it's the thought of being near her. Closing his eyes, he pictured her on the couch, her feet tucked up under her as she sipped her tea, and began to tell her about his day.

"The call came in from Positron, of course, before dawn. He'd been contacted by one of his researcher friends in the Shadow Shard - a science team had sent out a distress call, and the rescue team sent after them couldn't get through to perform the extraction. It should have been a simple thing, in and out, but nothing in the Shard is ever simple."

"The first thing to go wrong was the team makeup. Brawler had to stay behind to man the fort and act as mentor - Jessie usually does that, but she'd been sent off by Alexis, and so it fell to Michael. He doesn't usually mind, but today he was itching to cut loose, and there was nothing we could do. We lost Citadel to continued bomb investigation, but that's a high priority investigation, and I absolutely refuse to pull him off that. So we started off down two. I expected Positron to add his lady to the group, but she's working on both the bomb threat and on the Rikti problem, and can't be spared. I figured we'd find someone as we were getting the details, but I'd forgotten that Jessie had been sent to Firebase Zulu, so when we got there, she was waiting for us and joined in as if there were no question about her coming along."

Marcus absently poured another glass of scotch. "Waiting with her was Foreshadow. He said he'd seen that he would be needed at that place and time, and so he was there. So there we had our working team - Positron, Synapse, Psyche, Manticore, Numina, Jessie, Foreshadow, and myself. The first problem was solved and if that had been it, maybe things would have gone differently."

He shook his head, remembering.

***

"So, I heard your girlfriend ran away - couldn't she handle the heat?" Ms. Liberty hadn't even greeted him; she'd just started sniping at him. She was obviously unhappy to be in the Shard and blamed him for it.

"C'mon, Libs, let it go." Synapse had arrived, holding three backpack flight units. "We have more annoying things to think about - like these. We're going to be going at a snail's pace in these. How're we supposed to rescue anyone in a timely fashion if we never get there?"

"It's better than falling," Numina pointed out. "You could fall a really long way if the gravity geyser has fluctuated and you miss the jump."

"That's what these are for." Positron snapped a cuff around Synapse's upper arm, and pointed to an attached sensor on his own armor. "If you start to free-fall, it'll emergency port you back to the base. It also boosts your medi-porter. "

"That's great, but we're still going slow!"

Statesman had rolled his eyes and looked over to Manticore and Sister Psyche, standing off to one side. They were having an intense conversation, and Shalice looked more than a little upset. With care he extended his senses, concentrating on overhearing what they were saying. Their personal discussion might be none of his business, but this was already shaping up to be a questionable undertaking, and he wanted to know if their problems were going to cause more issues on the team.

"... no, the reason I don't want kids right now is not that I'm interested in anyone else, Shalice, you should know that. And if you don't, you can look in my head to find out. Yes, I notice other women - we're in a city full of beautiful women wearing skimpy clothing, it's hard not to notice them. That doesn't mean I want anyone but you. You're the most beautiful woman in my world, and that's not going to change."

"Then why?" Psyche's arms were crossed and her body was stiff. "Justin, the crime rate isn't going down anytime soon, things aren't going to get any safer if we wait, and we're both very visible. Something could happen to either of us at any time. If we don't start now, we might not ever have a chance to start. Don't you want children with me?"

Manticore groaned. "You know I do. I just... Look, maybe we should take a vacation, get away from this place for a while. Get away from the crazy and find a little normal. Maybe that would make a difference. Can we talk about that?"

Statesman pulled his attention away as Psyche nodded, and sighed softly to himself. There was no way this day was going to go well.

The rescue attempt lived down to his expectations. Although the team managed, despite ongoing bickering, to free the captive soldiers and scientists, they learned that there was another group not only researching in the area, but doing so by dissecting the native population. Both Positron and his contact were insistent that immediate investigation into the other group had to happen.

"The Shadow Shard isn't cleared for general access. It's too dangerous, and the native population is too unpredictable to risk an outbreak through an uncontrolled portal." Positron was adamant as he began to scan the maps inside the base.

"Not to mention the possibility of unleashing a mad god." Numina's voice was distracted as she faced deeper into the Shard. Statesman noticed that Foreshadow, standing near the ghostly woman, faced the same way.

"Damn, we're going to have to continue going this slow?" Synapse was practically dancing in place as he waited. "Please tell me that wherever we're going is nearby."

"Well, what do you expect? We have an old man along." Ms. Liberty didn't even glance at her grandfather as she said it, she just crossed her arms and leaned against a wall, looking bored.

Statesman clenched his teeth and tried to keep his temper under control.

Over the next several hours, they managed to hunt down a large gathering of the Rularuu near the Firebase at Point Bravo, rescue another group of scientists, and hunt down another group of Rularuu near the main FireBase Zulu. Much to the rising disgust of both Manticore and Synapse, however, there was a mounting pile of evidence of Crey involvement in the problem - culminating in the discovery of several small groups of Crey explorers and scientists near the Zulu base.

"Crey," Manticore spat. "It's bad enough that they run unchecked through Paragon City, and that we can't stop them from doing anything in the Isles, but now to have them here? No. I won't allow it."

"Right there with you, dude," Synapse agreed. "Although only when we're on the ground."

Psyche looked pained. Statesman touched her gently on the shoulder. Are you all right? he tried to ask.

This place is tiring, and everyone is a mood, she responded. Trying to keep all of you from killing each other and focused on the task at hand is exhausting. I have a headache. Do me a favor?

Anything.

Think about Cende. It makes you happier, and you'll add less to the problem.

Statesman dropped his hand and stepped back. Taking a deep breath, he glanced around, then looked at Positron. "You're the one who knows how this all works. What's next?"

It was hard to tell under the armor, but Statesman though Positron looked guiltily at the frustrated Synapse before answering, "Well, there's another missing group of explorers..."

That rescue was accompanied by more bickering, but it gave them enough information to start actively hunting Crey in the Shard. One running fight, a half-built camp, five Shard bases, and two Paragon labs later, the group had managed to destroy large amounts of illegal technology of Crey manufacture and gathered up the blueprints and other information crucial to the building and running of the portals.

"Nemesis," Positron sighed, looking at the blueprints when they had returned to Firebase Zulu. "It figures."

"Of course it's Nemesis." Ms. Liberty studied her nails. "Since our world-premier hero hasn't managed to take him out in eighty years, he just keeps popping up wherever he wants to be."

"Jessica Megan Duncan, that's enough," Statesman snapped. "If you're going to act like a bratty teenager, I'm going to treat you like a bratty teenager, and I'll start by turning you over my knee!"

"And what would Grandma say to that?" Ms. Liberty threw back. "What would Grandma say to any of this?" The blonde turned her back on the room and went out to stand on the catwalks, pasting a bright smile onto her face and waving to the military men as they passed by.

Off to one side, Manticore was trying to convince Psyche to eat a sandwich as she took more painkillers. Synapse and Positron were arguing about the best way to approach the next objective as they each bolted their own sandwiches, and Statesman eyed Foreshadow and Numina as they spoke quietly, glancing over at him occasionally. He nodded to himself as they seemed to come to a decision and headed toward him. Putting his own quick dinner to one side, he waited to hear what they had to say.

Foreshadow gave a slight bow and began to speak, "I have an unclear message for you. Forgive me, please, for the cryptic nature of it, but I believe it is only this place that allows it to come to me at all."

"I'm getting uncomfortably used to cryptic, my friend," answered Statesman. "I'll take any message you have to give me."

Composing himself for a moment, Foreshadow considered his words, then began to speak. "Two nights hence, in the hour of the wolf, you must go to the home of your uneasy allies. There, that which you most desperately seek shall be found."

Statesman rubbed his forehead, "Well, I have two days to figure it out, at least. Thank you." He glanced back at Positron and Synapse arguing over the map, and noticed that Manticore had joined them and that the argument had grown more heated. "Although, the way this is going, it might be that long before we get to the bottom of this investigation. I'm taking over now, or we're never getting out of here."

Stopping a meeting between Nemesis and Crey led them to two Nemesis bases, one dangerously close to Firebase Alpha and already overrun with Rularuu when they arrived. It also netted them complete information on Crey's plans and their working portals. Several long hours later, they were down to just chasing escaped Rularuu through the tunnels of Oranbega and rounding up the occasional stray mage on the way through.

"This," Positron grunted at one point, as an Honored Brute caught him by surprise and threw him into a wall, "this is why we can't have uncontrolled portals to the Shard."

"We know, Einstein," Synapse snapped. "Are we done yet? I need a good run, and I think I'd like to call Andrea."

"Andrea is going out with me tonight," Foreshadow remarked as he kicked a particularly annoying Overseer into a pillar. "You'll want to call first. Although I am glad I arranged for a late dinner."

Synapse glared at the other man, then put on a burst of speed and ran ahead through the tunnels, scouting out the path. When they finally caught up to him, at the entry to a large temple room, he nodded at a group of Rularuu speaking to a pair of Mages. "I've scouted the perimeter and this is it, the last room of this section. Those guys are negotiating some sort of agreement - I couldn't get close enough to tell what. I don't think we want the Circle and Rularuu to come together, though."

With that, the battle was joined and, shortly after, completed.

By the time they checked back in with Positron's contact, Doctor Quaterfield, and Zulu's General Hammond, everyone was more than ready to call their thirteen-hour day done. Declaring their intent to relax, the group quickly disbanded, heading off to their respective evenings.

Before they could leave, Statesman pulled Positron, Synapse, Manticore and Sister Psyche aside for a quick word. "Listen - I set up a meeting with the leaders of Star Patrol for first thing in the morning. I want you four there, too. It shouldn't take long, but I'd like to get it done before any more emergencies can happen. It's on your calendars; once we're done, you can go to your usual investigations."

The other four nodded and left; Statesman stood alone in the rapidly darkening Portal Corp parking lot and considered heading home. Something inside of him objected, but he knew he needed to change clothing before doing anything else. So I'll get home, get into civvies, and decide what to do after that. I'd like to talk with Cende; she'd put this day into perspective for me.

***

His voice fell silent for a moment, then he sighed again.

"It was the damnedest thing, really. I'd intended to go to Star Patrol headquarters today. I'm done dodging reporters and not seeing you; I want this situation fixed so that we can be together openly. I fully planned to find a solution, and once that was being implemented, have the Patrol tell me where you are. I still will, but it has to wait until tomorrow." He finished off the remains of his glass and realized he'd finished the bottle. It had been years since he'd drunk that much; he wished it still had some of the numbing effects it used to. Standing, he collected his glass and the bottle and placed them in the sink, then blew out the candles and lamps. As he stretched out onto the bed, he softly spoke a promise to the woman in his mind's eye, "Tomorrow, they'll tell me where that damned temple of yours is, and then I'm coming to get you."

I like the penguin / hamster battle.

Adeon, I endorse your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Also, I sincerely hope that your proposed rewrites spark some "oooh... good idea!" thoughts in the writing team's heads. Preferably before I get crazy enough to finish the Shard TFs I'm still missing.

Ok, the good news first - at least one chapter, possibly more, should be going into proofing sometime next week. If I have any of you left at this point, now might be a good time to go back and refresh the last few chapters (I personally went back and reread the entire thing - and found a bunch of new errors to correct before I put out the final PDF).

Secondly, an apology. I really didn't mean for it to go this long, and I'm sorry. I've been trying to get back to this for months, but... well. You see above what I said about before the holidays (and one of the friends that moved up here moved in with me for a couple of months, which was distracting on it's own), and then after the holidays... Bad Stuff happened.

I started school (which wasn't bad on its own), and that took most of my time and brain, and then got interesting news, which made school more difficult - and then in the end turned out really, really bad, and I'm still recovering from it. Some of you know what that was, and what the really bad part is; if anyone else wants to know, drop me a note and I'll explain, but I'm just not saying anything in public. Anyway, I wound up dropping out of school, and I'd hoped that would be the end of it, but no, of course not.

A friend went into the hospital, and then I went out of town, and then when I came back, I badly sprained (nearly fractured) my wrist, and then when that healed, a different friend had a heart scare, and then I wound up with an infection, and then I went out of town again, and then yet a different friend severely broke his arm, and then I got sick again. And somewhere in there, I got elected back onto my HOA board as president for the next three years, and have discovered that absolutely nobody has any clue what we're doing, and we've got no money.

So in short, this year has kinda sucked.

Getting back to writing is an absolute relief, quite honestly. The characters are opinionated, stubborn, surprising, and frequently don't go where I want them to, but at least they generally make sense.

For those of you who also read The Course of Superhero Romance, Michelle / Samuraiko / Dark Respite has had, while not such a bad year, at least a very full one, and her new job allows her little down time. I know she's been writing off and on, but I don't know, offhand, her project priority list. I think she's been filming more than writing.

Thanks for posting that, Zwill.

Fab, good luck!

Cende (MA/SR scrapper) is frequently solo, or the only melee in a group of blasters, and has Aid Self (and Aid Other, which is handy in that group of blasters who don't have the sense Zeus gave little green worms to get out of range). Unless I happen to be standing in a damage patch (acid, fire, cold, whatever) and getting ticks of DOT (and sometimes even then), I can usually get my Aid Self off whenever I need it, and it's enough to let me finish off the fight.

I'm interested in seeing what they change to Medicine. These changes are likely to make my build REALLY difficult.

Yes in the RP section, and generally pretty nice. Or unresponsive, which is not bad, either.

I was taunted on a regular basis running Night Ward / Black Knight stuff last night, and belatedly remembered this change. Whenever I got taunted, I'd do my only PBAoE (not having an AoE available to me) and that'd usually get whatever was taunting me, and one attack was generally enough to break the taunt so that I could go back to fighting whatever I targeted. Fortunately, however, I had a Grav dom with me, and Singy usually distracted the taunter if I missed him, and that solved the problem handily, too.

If taunt is going to steal my attention away from what I'm doing, I'd rather it completely steal my attention, rather than only partially.

Well, ok, yeah, Marvel has Hercules.

Let's make it weird and go with my Cende, then. One day, Cende's running around Paragon City, minding her own business - the next, some dude at Marvel has her decked out in tights-and-trench and fighting next to Wolverine (has to be Wolverine, he's everywhere).

So what happens?

Now add to that, there's a (really damn long) story over in the RP section about her - if parts of her background from that story start showing up as the Marvel background, then what? Do I get involved, because it's my brain work being swiped at that point?

Complicated.

It's particularly fun to read your account of playing with your son on your lap.

You do know he's going to want his own account in a couple of years?

I voted 1, just to get the marginally better one voted for, but the real answer is "ick. neither." Also, I use AdBlock and completely block it out anyway, so I only have a black background behind the forum, which loads one heck of a lot faster than the pictures.