Diamond_

This one was my favorite ad for the whole night

Cap looked cooool!

Thor more of the same but I will still go to see it.

CB & Aliens looks really neat too so did the Battle : LA clip

as for the commercials?

I really did think the mini Darth Vader running around trying to use the dark side kinda cute ..especially when his dad keyed the car on ... he almost jumped out of his mini breath mask

August 1st, 2010 - Skyway City


She sat in the darkened office, staring intently at the screen before her. The face from the criminal file always grinned back at her, mocked her, laughed at her failure. She barely noticed the flickering of the other files and leads as they flashed rapidly over the screen. She ignored the many faces of the other issued warrants. For her there was only the one.

The face that haunted her.

She saw that face everywhere. Countless times during her numerous and relentless raids she had led over the last year or so, she had almost started running after some innocent bystander because she thought she had seen it. When she closed her eyes to erase the images, it floated before her, haughty, confident, mocking. The face was with her wherever she went. She could not escape it.

She didn't want to.

That face had almost become her obsession, her reason for existence since Katrina's disappearance. She must find this woman; she would find her. And then...then she would reclaim her dignity, her honor. She would not fail again. Failure was her deepest dread, her own personal nightmare.

She would never admit it, though she suspected a couple of people she worked with knew. It was such an intrinsic part of her now, such a core element of her being, that it was difficult not to notice. She wondered vaguely if it had anything to do with her lack of a true social life. Something so many seemed to be concerned about, not that it would help to suddenly involve herself in one these days.

She took a sip of her now cold coffee, grimaced, and continued her musing. She was not proud of having failed at being as social as she had once been. She wished she were able to love and commit to another person, and not just her 'job'. However fate and her choices had left her little choice. The core of all of them it would seem appeared to be a fear of failure.

She was so deathly afraid of, not rejection, exactly, but the idea of not being sufficient. So often since her powers emerged it had been the case. For one such reason, She simply would not allow herself to get too close to anyone any more. She had friends, sure, but no one who really knew her beyond the force of justice facade she put on. No one she could confide in with her deepest secrets. Her deepest reason beyond such a fear of failure had been known to only a few, a few no longer really around, nor were likely to remember.

She didn't know if she had really wanted to be social, or if she even remembered how to be anymore. It had been so long since she had done anything beyond taking care of her daughter, seeing that she had been cared for before once more donning her costume and continuing with her hunt for Spooky Child. How much time could she really devote to someone else?Let alone a collection of friends to go out...to drink...to share...to dance, when she had a lost child to find. Her little ward taken from school by the villainess Neurosculptor. A psychopathic ex neurosurgeon bend on getting revenge on her best friend Lucianna Addo.

Eventually her passion for the hunt had consumed her life, making her more Diamond these days than she had ever been Kara Reynolds-Dengo. She had regretted the loss of social contact with many of her friends, but she soon found she was not really sad. Though she had been close with many of them, she had her 'crusade' to save little Katrina to fill the void as they moved on to other things in their own lives. That was how it was with most of the people in her life.

There was only one person she truly missed.

She was, in her eyes, perfect. Smart, funny, sweet, tough, and beautiful, they had found each other not soon after Kara had joined the New Porter Institute. Kara smirked softly as she remembered the awkward attraction.. She had loved her intensity and confidence, something Kara had been lacking at the time. It was a difficult time back then for them both. She was the only one who had ever been able to safely touch her after one of the most traumatic experiences of her early career as a hero. Her time with her had been the best of her life, and she had never wanted it to end.

But it had.

Perhaps time had made the memories of their time together more pleasant, it hardly mattered to her. She had undergone many problems when they were together, the one that stuck the most with Kara had been her failure to solve any of them. Even when they were parted she had tried so hard to be supportive, to stand by her as she was assaulted by the Crey Experiment she had been subjected to. Battle after battle, Kara had fought to solve the disease spawned from Hammidon that was consuming the one true person in her life. To no avail however and eventually that failure lead to their complete separation.

Unable to end her pain, and now no longer to stand beside her, Kara had been left to imagine the depth of her failure. Beginning with the night she froze, confronted by the one thing she had dreamed off, she froze and missed an opportunity that eventually lead to more heartbreak. More pain caused by a failure of hers.

She had tried to save her and failed.

She vanished soon after her stay in a New York Hospital, a last ditch effort to stem the disease the Crey had infected her with. Much like little Katrina had vanished. How could she accept failure now? She thought as she continued to stare at the screen.

She heard the elevator doors hiss open and glanced up. Her breath caught and her eyes, which had been so tired lately, widened. An old fear resurfacing, feeling cornered and alone. Attempting to remain casual as she fought the fear that still gripped her heart, she turned back to the computer screen. Some scars never go away, she thought as she fought to remain calm.

"Thought you, Kevin and Bill were going for Chinese."

"Yeah. I, uh, forgot something." Her friend, Sapphire Rose, or Nancy said as she searched her desk. Kara nodded as she continued to stare at the screen.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Nancy said hopefully.

Kara looked up and over to Nancy. Her friend seemed genuinely concerned. For a moment, Kara considered it, Luci and Bill's advice fought a battle against her own will, but in the end her 'work' called to her, taunting her, daring her to fail once more. She returned her gaze once more to the monitor as she simply replied. "No, thanks."

"Okay hon." Nancy didn't appear to want to go. "Well, see you tomorrow night then?." She then turned and walked slowly back to the elevators.

"'Night, Katerina," Kara called absently.

Nancy paused and looked back, confused. "Nancy, Kara" she corrected.

Kara blinked and looked up again. "Sorry?"

"Nancy, not Katerina," she repeated.

"Oh, right. Sorry," She apologized and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm just tired sweetie."

"Are you sure?"

Kara nodded and then looked back at the computer screen "Yeah..I'm like fine, just need to finish up and get home to little Phil"

"All right" Nancy muttered unconvinced and more than a little concerned. "Tell her hi for me...and see you tomorrow." with that she entered the elevators and left Kara to her work in the darkened 'bullpen'.

Alone again, Kara chastised herself for calling Nancy that. She supposed it was just an honest mistake; he had been thinking about Katerina and.....well 'her'. Nancy, Bill and Kevin were still rookies in their own way. Younger heroes she had taken it upon herself to look after. In a very real sense she was terrified of letting them down too each night, wanting to protect them as much as work beside them.

She had a little one to find, to bring home to the parents that also searched for her every night. In a way Kara almost regretted never really letting Nancy, Kevin or even Bill inside, letting them know about her fears and one time hopes. Yet they had become almost tools in her hunt for the littlest Templar. Almost everyone in her life had become such a role, assets to be relied on, not expendable mind you, but assets none the less. Whether like RJ who looked after her daughter Philomela, or Luci who searched for Kat on the west coast, Bill and his team who aided her raids, Molly and Dani who had become much the same as the others. it wasn't that she hadn't appreciated their efforts, it was just what had to be done until Katrina could be brought home.

She had failed someone she loved once, she would not, could not fail again.

She was determined to sacrifice all she had to find her little ward, and yet in the dark when she was all alone it kept coming back to haunt her. Her fear of failure, her deepest nightmare. She would wish things were different, wishing she were different, yet knowing she could not change.

Not now.

She sat in the darkened office, staring intently at the screen before her. The villainess' face grinned back at her, mocked her, laughed at her failure. She barely noticed the flickering of the other reports and leads as they flashed rapidly over the screen. She ignored the many faces of the other issued warrants. For her there was only the one. The face that haunted her.

She would not fail Katerina, she would not fail this child.

Like she had failed someone else.

April 23rd, 2007 - Undisclosed Location


The dim light of the office strained his eyes as he read the latest report. He turned the pages slowly as he held the report in his soft Carmel hands. The only light he allowed was the tiny desk lamp, he found as he always did, comfort in such simplicity.

He sighed peacefully as the gentle music from his computer wafted throughout the darkened office. He reveled in the soft beauty of the melodious sounds of the gentle Spanish guitar.

He read the information so carefully put together by his agents in the field, pleased with their progress as they 'bunkered' up as his associate Blue would've called it. He was pleased that so many of Alpha's renegades had been salvaged and folded back into the ranks.

One such renegade had caught his eye, a man named Ferguson. He was impressed by this Tac Officer, to show such dedication and loyalty to Alpha, even as he became aware of his friend's mental collapse. He smiled with a fond admiration as he read the man's efforts then, to save as many of the renegades as he could. He wondered what meeting such a man might be like, despite the disgrace that now befell his name among the ranks of his fellow Malta.

He was still contemplating this as a shadow fell across his desk.

"Yes?" The Specialist said softly closing his eyes as he allowed the soft tune to embrace him. He knew who this was and what he wanted.

"All sectors report bedded down and the delta shift is now in place....for the 14th time now..." The Gunslinger sighed. "I'm not understanding this boss...why the hold?"

"Because my dear gunslinger those are your orders" The Specialist said softly. "The dancer is to be left alone for now, she has far too much going on and we are not to interfer"

"Not to interfer...she is overloaded and .." Blue sighed exasperated. "We had her isolated...you yourself could've brought her in that day while she was on the streets ..I mean damn it boss ...what the hell kinda hunt is this anyways?"

The man at the desk silently folded his folder shut and paused a moment as the guitar softly played around them. His eyes gently fluttered open as he regarded the gunslinger. His voice carried with a soft note of sympathy as a teacher to a child who try as he might would never fully grasp the lesson of the day.

"Hunt? " he shook his head sadly. "Who ever said this was a hunt any longer?"

Blue opened his mouth to respond and was cut short as the Specialist lifted his hand "In point of fact, this is anything but a hunt. "

Blue gaped at his superior "But I thought..."

"Indeed and that perhaps has been most of your problem my dear gunslinger, you do not see what is truly unfolding. No longer are we to capture and remove the dancer from the stage...we much like choreographers are to guide her toward her final and most important dance...to prepare her for the performance that is yet to come."

Blue narrowed his eyes "I don't like these games...she is too dangerous to play with sir"

The man nodded "Indeed she is, and you are right of course to think that. I can not fully reveal all that I know or have guessed my dear friend. Just know that you are helping to build a better world....we are both helping to make a better world..."

His tone grows softer as he regards the idle warrior, speaking before the frustrated soldier can voice any more of a protest. "The situation in New York is being contained properly and there are those who do not want the Dancer yet removed from the stage, especially in light of the clumsy fools who have now stumbled into her performance"

"This thing with Giga Gal?" Blue sneered

"Mmm yes exactly, fools yes but professionals " The Specialist added "They are to be left alone as is the Dancer, however other steps are being taken to....assist"

Blue's eyebrows floated up and into the brim of his worn and faded hat "Assist.../her/? You have got to be kidding me!"

The man shook his head sympathetically "No ..not you nor any of our men, there will still b plenty to do. I am not ceasing all offensive actions just yet. " He smiled softly "We have a man in the field and you and yours will continue to assist him, but you can see we can not allow the Dancer to be fully harmed by this new group's actions...all will be made clear in time my dear gunslinger...now that will be all, go and get some rest"

He reopened his file and began to read. Blue watched him a long moment before with a long sighed turned to go. "Fine Ill just leave you to this awful noise you are listening too then " he grumbled over his shoulder.

"Cavatina" whispered the man as he read his file.

"Cata-what-a?" Blue paused at his door, his features twisted in a mild display of disgust, his tone mildly amused. "Let me guess 14th century Spanish composer that knew something about war and used his guitar as a metaphoric sword?"

The Specialist raised his eyes to meet Blues softly "Actually, this particular piece was written by an Englishman named Stanley Myers. He composed it for a film that was never produced. It was almost lost to obscurity until it was chosen as the theme song for a film in 1978 called "The Deer Hunter" "

Blue nodded "I see...never saw the movie"

The Specialist smiled sadly "I am sure about that." He sighed then "The composer grew up as a young child during his country's hardships during World War II"

He returned to his report softly adding "as for its relevance to war, it should be obvious...only someone who has experienced such horror can create such peace in his work...it is his love and passion and it shows"

The Specialist sighed to himself as he returned to studying Fergusen's file. He knew without looking up that the gunslinger, frustrated had departed without waiting to hear the full answer on the lovely piece of music playing so peacefully through the office.

Pity, he thought. Contempt prior to investigation was a sin of arrogance, and such a sin would have to be dealt with harshly before it ruined such a grand performance....

and interfered with the coming storm...

Global Name: @Diamond

Server: Virtue

City of Heroes/City of Villains

RP Characters:

Diamond/ Kara Reynolds/ Kara Reynolds./ Kara Dengo

Dark Chylde/ Dark Chylde. - (semi-retired and due for a name change)

Shocktrooper

Ice Star

Dark Thorn. (villain)

Type of RP: Medium to Heavy RP, In missions, Supergroup and character based.

Can be contacted: In game mail,Global & Forum PM's and SG Forum PM's.

Times on: I usually log in around 9PM to 12AM CST, But I sometimes get on later depending on work between 3am and 6am.

Timezone: Central Standard Time.

He's an underprivileged shark-wrestling househusband on the wrong side of the law. She's a mentally unstable communist mermaid with a knack for trouble. They fight crime!

Try again!

Now if this was a TV show...I'd watch it.

Wow

March 26th, 2007 - Undiclosed Location


His eyes moved across the screen as the images of the disaster at the warehouse unfolded for him. The elegance and precision of the four heroes was actually quite impressive to watch. The dance of the two front line heroes swirling and cutting their way through his men combined with the precise fields of fire laid down by the two others was impressive to say the least.

His eyes shifted a bit to focus on his dancer once more, her green energy charged bubbles easily deflected round after round fired at her and her companions. The fight was technically over in moments, but still they swept through the warehouse making sure they had arrested everyone of his men and those of Dr. Nemesis.

"The Nemesis Liaison has reported that they lost that monitoring station we turned over to them as part of the deal last month...all hands arrested" Blue reported.

The Specialist sighed a little but could not help but smile. "Who are these other two?"

Blue looked up from his clipboard now overstuffed with printouts from tonight's debacle. "Well Paul Angel we know..."

The man held up a hand, "Of Course these other two..I suspect I know one...the other is very new"

Blue nodded "The one is Tenebraxa, that cloud of shadows and Claws....The Malta have had extensive contact with her, more so lately than usual um..for some reason."

The man nodded his eyes never leaving the screen. "and the other?"

Blue frowned "This one is new, well to us....Corps has her registered as 'Lunatic Sin'. Sources say that she is new to the Templars..." he clicked his tongue and shook his head "She fights like a little demon...."

"Yes, yes she does as if that was her purpose" The Specialist nodded noting that "As does Tenebraxa, such a passion her hatred for us is deep...very deep to the point I would call it personal"

He smiled watching the double nova of the pair of energy producers that leveled a last line of defense and brought and end to the footage. His eyes remained fixated on his dancer as he spoke.

"Thank you my dear gunslinger you may go now and open files on these two as well. Have our men study the footage and begin training on the styles of these two as well..."

Blue frowned "But the grouping may have been casual...I mean.."

"I will not make the mistake Alpha did my good man." The Specialist intoned. "We will prepare for any contingency of allies she may bring to bear...now please carry out my orders"

Blue sighed then turned to depart the darkened security center leaving his commander to stand there studying the paused footage.

A soft burr of a ringing phone shook The Specialist from his silent reverie as he studied her face. He reached for the phone and spoke, he gaze never leaving the screen.

"Yes?" He listened as the voice spoke to him in clipped tones "Yes Ive just been briefed...Yes Ive seen it....yes I quite agree....and yes Ive heard about her investigations...no I believe that was contained....yes the arrests will not be able to be beaten..."

He sighed inwardly, he knew so little of the true goals of the speaker yet he had his orders.

"No I do not yet know how she learned of the weapons deal's location nor time...Well ...well I would imagine she and her team learned of the monitoring station from one of the nemesis warriors or perhaps from one of the captured Malta...yes of course..

He quirked a brow as he listened to the next question, he searched his thoughts as he repeated it aloud...

"Do I believe we are compromised and have a security leak...."

His thoughts immediately went to a distraught father, a man lied too a man who had a crisis of faith and committed the ultimate betrayal that a father could committed, to turn his back on his own daughter...his own answer came immediately and did not surprise him at all.

"No I do not know of any such leak...How then? My dear friend, the woman is a professional and works with National and World based intelligence operatives...it does not take much of a stretch of an imagination to see how she might have learned of our weapons deal with Dr. Nemesis toy soldiers...if you were to ask me I would first suspect a leak on their end..."

He allowed himself a small smile as that answer was accepted. after a few moments he hung up and returned his gaze to the screen. His dancer's eyes were now alive and excited as she fought through his troops. As if a spark had once more re-energized her sense of waning purpose....

As if she had reconnected with something lost to her. The Specialist smiled a bit more. He would allow this for the time being, it would change nothing of what was to come and would go a long way to undoing the unnecessary damage caused by his Crey compatriots and their overwhelming lack of compassion.

He would of course keep a closer watch on Dr. Reynolds, he would of course do nothing to stop him.

After all he was doing nothing more than a true father should. He respected that..

He understood that...

...and when the time came, it would make things all the easier for him to bring his dancer into the fold.

Just in time for the storm to begin.

He smiled wider as he reached out and thumbed off the screen, leaving him standing in total darkness.

....then order would begin.

July 9th, 2010 - Skyway City


"No...no...no, don't put me on hold again, the last three times you did that you cut me off!" A long pause followed by a click on the other end of the phone. "Aaaargh!" Bill Chamberlin, the hero known as Guardian Star dropped his head to his desk in frustration as his call was cut off again.

"Something wrong, Bill?" Kara asked, rounding the partition separating the hero 'bullpen' from the precinct offices and taking a seat at her desk. The heroine also known as Diamond took special care to lay out her folders and arrest reports as she looked over with a small degree of amusement at her friend and fellow hero.

"If you must know, Kar I'm still trying to get the power company to put the power back on in my apartment." He sighed wearily. "It's been two weeks!"

"And all this happened because Freedom Corps screwed up your paperwork?"

"Yep, " Bill sighed. "They had me declared dead, withdrew my security clearance, my Hero ID and driver's licence and notified my bank that I was killed in that last major Rikti Raid," Bill recited with no small degree of annoyance in his voice.

"Like let me guess…" Kara mused "The bank froze all outgoing payments from your account, including your power bill, resulting in the power in your apartment being cut off."

"Nice work, Diamond, anyone ever tell you, you should consider a career as an investigator?" The frustrated defender quipped.

"Surely the corps can so do something to sort this out." Kara said.

"Not until I complete a pile of paperwork that I can't even fly over and then I have to take a full physical that they haven't scheduled yet." Bill groaned as he looked over to her. "I'm telling you Kar, this whole being dead thing is ruining my life!"

"Oh, like so stop whining," Kara giggled. "Besides, you should be thanking your lucky stars that Psywarp is letting you stay with him until you can move back home."

"Thank my lucky stars? Can you hear yourself, Kar?" Bill repeated incredulously. "It's not that I don't appreciate that he's letting me stay in his apartment but this is Kevin, I mean it is like living in nerd central....I don't think I have missed an episode of Star Trek yet..."

"Hey! I totally like Star Trek too" Kara smirked.

"So do I....but in small doses...Kevin has all of the Dvd's.... of each season...of all five shows, not to mention the movies. We are watching them in order...one of each show a night." Bill shook his head "To make matters worse Nancy seems to enjoy it and encourages him"

"Well she is his girlfriend..." Kara returned to her arrest report. "She is only taking an interest in his hobbies"

"Its not a hobby to him it seems....its a way of life...I mean I feel like I am living at Starfleet Academy...like some kind of twisted sci-fi boot camp," He moaned "its like I died and went to hell!"

"Consider it a dress rehearsal, for like when it actually happens," Kara grinned at him. "So you'll totally know what to expect."

Bill frowned in confusion. "At Sci-Fi Boot camp?"

"No,for when you get to hell!" Kara said in a sweet sing song voice.

"That hurts, Kara," He said feigning offence.

"Guardian Star!" Longbow Warden Benson barked as he appeared in the bullpen, with a cup of steaming coffee held in his right hand and a stack of folders held in the crook of his left arm. "Any idea when the people at Freedom Corps are going to resurrect you?"

"Working on it, sir." Bill gulped a little, startled by their officer's sudden appearance. "Is there a problem?"

"You mean, besides the fact that you're dead?" Kara quipped once more in that sweet taunting tone of hers.

"Ha…yeah, Kar, besides that," Bill replied.

"I wanna stop these damn phone calls." Benson said with a glare at Diamond. "As news of your tragic death spreads, I'm getting calls from heroes all over the city."

"Really?" Bill asked, his eyebrows quirked up with interest. "Wow...that's kinda nice...touching really but really not that unexpected." Bill smiled confidently now "I suppose it's only natural that after learning of my untimely demise, my grieving fellow heroes would reach out across the city to offer their condolences."

"Condolences be damned!" Benson shook his head. "Your fellow heroes are reaching out across the city to apply for your job!" The officer then jabbed a finger at Bill "Fix this...now!"

Bill silenced Kara's muffled giggles with a glare.

"Aw William, you know, I so almost feel totally sorry for you," She said before pausing to contemplate her statement for a moment. "Nah, so must've caught me at a weak moment…I don't feel sorry for you at all."

"Sir, I've been trying to get it fixed!" The hapless defender said. "This whole thing's snowballed into some massive bureaucratic nightmare!"

"You finished that paperwork the corps require?" Benson asked. Kara feigned curiosity as well at Bill's discomfort.

"Not quite. Before they'll schedule my physical, I need you, my doctor and a third party who was present at the incident to sign off on an FCS855 form stating that I'm actually alive."

"Oh come on…you're SO kidding, right? They actually have forms for that?" Kara asked.

"We work for the federal government, Kar, they have forms for everything!" Bill replied.

"Okies so, just what is an FCS855 form?" she asked tapping her pen against the surface of her desk.

"Request for Transfer of Hero's Status from Deceased to Living," Benson quoted by rote.

Kara's jaw dropped open. "That's like so crazy!" She shook her head. "I so don't know what is like more shocking....that there is a form for such a thing...or the fact that like such a thing happens so often there needed to be a form for it."

"That's your tax dollars, hard at work, Diamond." Benson muttered as he headed back to his office.

"Anyway, the lady from the corps said it could take another week or two before I'm officially returned to the land of the living," Bill grumbled. "That's not so bad…besides, what else can go wrong?"


================================================== ==============================


The information trail about the most current shipment of superdyne into Independence Port was getting colder by the minute, causing their squad's boss, Benson to vent his frustration loudly and frequently each night. Bill and Kara had worked solidly all evening following their long list of raids on a complex paper trail, only stopping to exchange a few knowing looks when the lead agent growled in their direction. They both breathed a sigh of relief when the grumbling officer was called up to his supervisor's office.

"Where are you going?" Kara asked, as she watched Bill reattach his cape and close his laptop.

"I need you to cover for me for the next briefing, Kar," He said.

"Oh no you don't. You've seen what Benson has been like this morning" The heroine shook her head "Besides, you and the others answer to him, like I don't. I am a volunteer here remember?"

"This is important, Kara, with my bank freezing all outgoing payments from my account, I've got to get some cash fast so I can pay my bills." Bill explained.

"Like before Patti comes back from her trip?"

Bill winced at the mention of his girlfriend "Well yeah there is that too"

Kara sighed "Omigawd William...Like you totally haven't told her yet, have you?"

"Look that isn't important right now" He grimaced as his friend rolled her eyes at him. "What is important that I get money and pay bills"

"Like what are you gonna do, William? Rob a bank?" Kara smirked.

"Whatever it takes, Kar, whatever it takes." With that he headed out to take care of this on going mess before it could get any worse.


================================================== ==============================


"What do you mean you've been arrested for bank robbery?" Benson yelled into his phone causing Kara to almost choke on the coffee she had been sipping.

Eyes wide with shock, the loud buzzing in Kara's ears cleared in time for her to hear the loud click as Benson disconnected the call and shot to his feet.

"Sir?" Kara said in a still startled voice.

"Your pal Chamberlin has been arrested for bank robbery. He's being held at the 33rd Precinct in Steel Canyon" the lead agent growled.

"Oh, my God, I so totally didn't think he was serious," Kara muttered before she could stop herself.

"What?"

"I…er…said, oh my God, you SO can't be serious!"

"You think I'd make this up, Diamond?" Benson said, rounding past her desk and heading for the elevator. "Keep checking the evidence trail, I'll go and see what the hell happened."

Twenty-five minutes later, the Longbow officer identified himself to the desk sergeant and demanded to see his 'hero'. The desk sergeant escorted him to the holding cells, then leaned against the far wall, giving the officer a degree of privacy but still interested to see how this would play out. Benson found the younger man pacing anxiously in the small confines of the cell. Though still in costume, Bill had laid his cape over the small cot in the rear of his tiny cell.

"Sir! Thank God," Bill said, approaching the door to the cell. "Tell them this has all been a mistake so I can get the hell out of here!"

"Bank robbery, Chamberlin? What the hell happened?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds, sir," The jailed defender laughed nervously. "It was actually a simple mistake."

Unamused, Benson glared in reply. "Let's have it…start at the beginning."

"Okay, well, you know that the corps advised my bank that I'd died last month in a Rikti Raid?"

Benson nodded. "The bank then froze all outgoing payments from your account."

"Right!" Bill brightened a bit at that and continued. "Well I needed to pay some of my bills. So I went to the ATM to withdraw some cash but the freakin' machine retained my card."

"Okay."

"I had my check book with me, so I went inside to the teller, who was really kinda hot. Who knew tellers could be like runway model good looking? If I'd have known that, I would never have signed up for electronic banking."

"Chamberlin!" Benson growled impatiently.

"Sorry, sir, where was I? Oh yeah, I was talking to Rebecca, that was the name of the teller, and I explained what had happened and wrote a check. Everything was fine, she was going to give me the cash and even seemed like she wanted to give me her phone number."

"You get it?"

"Her phone number?" Bill looked confused and a bit indignant "Sir...I'm seeing Patti. We have been dating for..."

"Your money!" Benson interupted with a huff of frustration.

"Oh…ah, no money and no phone number," Bill sighed. "One minute, she was keying the details of my check into her computer…the next minute, she told me she needed to get her manager to sign off."

"Then what?"

"Well, I wasn't really paying too much attention, sir. I mean I tend to get the 'look' anyways when I am doing something simple like this in my costume, but I saw the manager looking at me very oddly and then he nodded to someone behind me. Well....turns out it was a rather nervous security guard who put his gun in my back and told me to not to move because the police were on the way."

"The police."

"Well, apparently, when Rebecca…the hot teller…keyed my account details into the computer, it flagged some kind of deceased restriction. So they thought I was trying to steal from the account of a dead hero, even going so far to dress up as him and the manager had activated the silent alarm."

"Did you show 'em your ID?"

"Kinda." Bill said sheepishly.

"You kinda showed them?"

"Well the corps rescinded my Freedom Corps photo ID and I had to return it. They said they'd issue me new one with a new number once I've proved I'm not dead. They also cancelled my drivers licence, so they took that until they could get it reinstated."

"So you had no photo ID?"

"No, but I tried to explain that to the security guard…I calmly turned to face him and…that's when he totally wigged out."

"He wigged out?"

"He starts yelling, 'everybody down, this guy's gonna attack!'....you know because of the greenish aura around my forearms or something like that and the other alarm starts ringing and everyone starts screaming and yelling and diving to the ground. It was kinda like the bank heist scene in Heat…you know, with De Niro and Pacino, but without the shooting and killing and, of course, no one was actually robbing the place."

"Go on!" Benson growled through tightly clenched teeth.

"Oh…okay, well the security guard is swinging the weapon around in his hand…at the people cowering on the bank floor too, telling everyone a hero would be here soon with the police..." Bill shook his head "I tell ya, Boss, it's lucky nobody got killed."

"Then what happened?"

"Well, it was obvious that talking wasn't gonna do me any good and I was getting kinda sick of that guy's gun waving in my face, so…I… might have knocked him off his feet with a very, very small force bolt and taken his weapon," Bill said with a grimace.

"You might have?"

"Okay…I guess I did. But the way he was waving that gun around, I thought he was gonna kill someone."

"And?"

"Once I had his attention, I told him that I was a hero and had zero intention of robbing anyone and then I tried to show him my temporary PPD badge."

"What did he say?"

"He didn't see it. He um...well he kinda had his eyes screwed tightly shut and was yelling something like 'please don't kill me, please don't kill me'…and that's when the cops arrived with this very eager rookie hero. " Bill sighed "And well Mr. 'brand new in spandex, recently arrived, I'm so going to enforce justice wasn't really ready to listen."

"So, the cops and this rookie hero arrived to find you standing over the security guard, holding the weapon that you had forcibly removed from his grasp while he begged you not to kill him."

"Right! So you see, sir, the whole thing was a misunderstanding. I gotta tell ya though, being dead is sure not as easy as it looks."

The Longbow Officer continued to stare at his jailed hero for a few long seconds before finally turning his attention to the desk sergeant, still standing at the back of the room with a rather bemused smile on this face.

"Let him out," Benson said.

Bill grabbed his cape and walked through the holding cell door, stopping in front of the lead agent and flashing a confident grin.

"Hey,Sir? You think this is gonna be one of those stories that we look back on one night over a couple of beers and laugh?"

Benson gave him a look that could have started the ice age.

"Nope, neither do I," Bill said with a sheepish smirk before turning on his heel and heading for freedom.


================================================== ==============================


After what had been a rather long and frustrating day Benson had finally released the team to go home. As grateful as Bill was that his friend Psywarp had provided temporary accommodation, Bill cringed at the thought of another night spent in the far off reaches of the Alpha Quadrant, while Kevin began yet another rant about why the show Enterprise never followed true trek canon.

Knowing the power was off in his own apartment, Bill grabbed a flashlight and headed for home to collect his portable DVD player and selection of his favourite films. Tonight he would introduce Kevin to the wonderful world of the classics.

The classics every man ought to be introduced too.

Bill inserted his key into the lock and cursed softly when it didn't turn. He examined the key, confirmed it was the right one and tried unsuccessfully again. 'What the?'


================================================== ==============================


"What do you mean you've been arrested for breaking and entering?" Benson yelled, sitting up quickly and hitting his head painfully on the underside of the car he often spent time customizing. His loud cry caused his wife who had brought him his phone to jump and clutch at her heart.

"Where the hell are you?" He asked, cutting off what was likely to be a lengthy explanation by the person on the other end of the phone. "I'm on my way!"

Standing up he handed his wife the phone and headed out of the garage muttering to himself.

Thirty minutes later, Benson strode into the 14th Precinct on Talos Island and, after a brief discussion with the desk sergeant, was directed to the holding cells in the back. He rolled his eyes as he watched his civilian attired hero engaged in conversation with four scantily clad hookers in the adjoining cell. Bill's head swivelled in a comical double take as he saw the Longbow senior agent approach.

"Making new friends, Chamberlin?" Benson quipped sarcastically.

"It was either them or Barney Bodyodor over there, Boss," he replied, gesturing with his chin toward the sleeping, yet obviously, inebriated man. "That guy's been stinking up the whole joint since he staggered in here."

"What the hell happened?" Benson asked. "Psywarp said you were just going back to your apartment to get some of your DVD's?"

"I was…I did," Bill muttered.

"So whose apartment did you break into then?"

"Mine!" Bill spread his hands out helplessly.

"You broke into your own apartment?" Benson rubbed the bridge of his nose as he fought to understand.

"Yes…no…well kinda!"

"You forget your keys?"

"No, I had my keys."

"Then why didn't you use them?"

"I did use 'em!"

"Then how can you be accused of a B&E if you used your own keys?"
"Because well I used my keys but they didn't work."

"So…you reported it to the building supervisor who let you in," Benson hoped in vain.

"No, I…" Bill paused in thought. "Actually…I didn't think of that," Bill then winced slightly. "But as it turned out, the building supervisor was the one who changed the lock."

"Why?"

"Because when Freedom Corps told the employees of my bank that I was dead, they not only froze all utility payments from my account but they stopped paying my rent! Can you believe that? They didn't even tell me!"
"How could they tell you Chamberlin? You're dead!"

"Huh? …that's right…anyway, when Denny, the building supervisor, called the office to ask me why I was behind in my rent, he was put through to the corps who told him that…"

"...The Hero known as Guardian Star was killed in action," Benson finished for him.

"So Denny changed the lock on my door until Patti gets back from California and could sort out my estate...such as it is"

"So how did you get in?"

"I flew up to my window and um...slipped inside."

"Then what?"

"Well, I used my flashlight to find my DVD player and I picked a selection of DVD's. I made sure to pick some great movies that I thought Kevin might like, the classic Spencer Tracy, the raw power of De Niro and, of course, no collection is complete with Jack Nicholson in Chinatown. 'He passed away two weeks ago and he brought the land a week ago… that's unusual.' He quoted in a more than passable Nicholson impression that was halted by a quick slap to the back of his head from the annoyed Longbow agent.

"Sorry," Bill winced yet again. "That's kind of apt though, don't you think?"
"What happened next?" Benson sighed.

"I was getting ready to leave and had my DVD player and DVD's in my hands when the PPD's answer to Heckle and Jeckle burst into my apartment, brandishing their weapons and told me to freeze."

"Why didn't you tell them you're a legally deputized hero in your own apartment?" Benson asked.

"I did! They didn't believe me!"

"And you had no ID on you to prove you were a hero?"

"Well, not exactly. I had my temp badge but I wasn't in costume this time."

Benson asked impatiently. "Then why didn't you show them that?"

"I tried to but they were a little over zealous and threw me up against the wall to pat me down for weapons. Which sorta startled me and I barely stopped my fields from powering up...but the flash of green light..."

"And they figured you were about to attack them?"

"Well they thought I was an Outcast...and well then things got a little crazy," Bill explained.

"So, you're saying they never saw your badge?"

"Oh, no, they saw it. Once they had me pinned to the wall like a spider pins an insect and had their guns pointed at my head, they took my badge from my jacket."

"And?"

"They'd never heard of Guardian Star and thought my badge was something I'd either bought in a toy store or stole." Bill sighed exasperated. "You know, Sir, I really need to talk to someone about hiring a publicist or something, I mean Kara doesn't seem to have the problem of people not knowing her."

"She has been a heroine of the city for six years and has been classified as such three times now." Benson shook his head "and you aren't her...So, you're pinned to the wall, without any photo ID,not in costume, flashing your powers, a flashlight and what the cops believe is a fake badge?"

"Right!"

"What about the building supervisor? This clown Denny? Why didn't he tell them who you were?"

"Well, apparently Denny left on vacation a week ago and the guy standing for him doesn't know me." Bill sighed. "Which is starting to become a regular issue now"

"And the neighbour across the hall that you were dating before you met Patti?. Why didn't you tell the cops she'd vouch for you?"

"Ah…things didn't end so well with her," Bill replied, looking a little uncomfortable. "She was the one who called the cops when she heard noise from my apartment. Apparently, Denny, who's a nice guy but gossips like an old woman, told her that I was dead. When the cops knocked on her door and asked if she knew me, she looked like she'd seen a ghost."

"I'm sure."

"But then she looked me right in the eye and told the cops she didn't know who I was! Can you believe that?"

"A woman scorned, Chamberlin," Benson said, shaking his head sympathetically. "Let's get this straight, we've got breaking and entering, petty larceny, attempted assault on police officers and impersonating a deputized hero."

"Well, yeah, it sounds bad when you say it like that," Bill said sullenly.

Checking his watch, Benson saw it was two in the morning and gestured for the officer leaning on the far wall to open the cell door. As Bill was released, he looked at the Longbow agent, who was rubbing his hands over his tired face.

"Hey, you alright, Boss, you're looking a bit tired. You really ought to try to get more sleep."

Benson let his stare drift up to the ceiling and sighed.


================================================== ==============================


"What? No, wait, Kerry…don't hang up…I swear…it really is me! Hello…hello? Dammit!" Bill said snapping his cell closed.

"Evening, William," Kara said brightly as she stood in front of her partner's desk. "Trouble in paradise?"

"If you must know, Kar, a friend of mine who works in the state department was supposed to meet me for lunch this afternoon...well she stood me up," Bill grumbled. "I called her just now to find out if she was okay and she burst into tears and called me a demented lunatic who calls up pretending they're dead people."

"Ah…she heard of your sad passing." Kara grinned.

"I'm telling you, Kar, being dead is murder. I was going to see if Kerry would help me with this whole dead thing."

"Well, maybe you could…wait a minute…Kerry?…you don't mean MY contact in the State Department? Kerry Hollenfield? I have four missed calls on my cell from her!" Kara shook her head. "She was trying to reach me all last night"

"Out late again were we?"

Kara glared at him, her tone cooling a little "Yeah....leading about a dozen raids last night"

"Oh yeah..the whole Spooky Child thing still...sorry" He kicked himself for almost forgetting about the missing little heroine. Avoiding eye contact, Bill added. "We better get to work on those arrest reports though Kara, if Benson comes in here and we're not working, he's not gonna be a happy…come to think of it…I've never seen Benson happy."

"Never happy with you, you mean....and don't change the subject, William, how do you know Kerry? Wait!…how did you get her number?"

"I'm a trained investigator, Kar, it's what I do."

"You…you…cracked the password on my PDA and looked up Kerry's cell, didn't you!" Kara said, appalled at her friend's blatant breach of her privacy.

"No, I didn't!"

"I SO don't believe you!"

"Believe what you want but I never touched your PDA, Kara!" Bill protested in vain.

"Did."

"Didn't."

"Did."

"Didn't."

Though he should have expected it, the stinging head slap took the besieged defender by surprise.

"Sorry, sir, but Kara started it this time."

"I just finished it," Benson replied calmly, rounding the edge of the bullpen, heading into his office and taking his seat. "Get to work on those reports, division needs them for the DA's office."

"Getting to work, sir," Bill answered, ignoring the blistering look from Diamond that guaranteed the conversation would continue later.

As the evening progressed, Benson grew increasingly tired of the sniping that continued between the two heroes in the bullpen beyond his office. Though he hadn't been present to see what had started their latest spat, he knew that, despite his protests of innocence, Guardian Star had done something to yank the senior heroine's chain.

"Who's getting the coffee?" he eventually called out to the other two.

"Kara!" Bill called out without hesitation and smiling wickedly at her as Kara thought to protest then simply huffed and grabbed her purse.

"We've got work to do tonight, so make it snappy…Chamberlin." Benson said.

The expressions on his heroes reversed immediately as Kara wore an ear-to-ear grin and Bill huffed in exasperation. Benson watched the younger man out of the corner of his eye as he sheepishly walked to the Longbow Officer's door and cleared his throat before speaking.

"Ah, sir…you know that little problem I'm having with my bank?"

Sighing in resignation, the warden pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Bill, who turned on his heels and headed for the elevator.

"Chamberlin! I want the change this time and no small talk about movies at the store, I want my coffee hot."

"On it, Sir!" Bill yelled back as the elevator doors closed.


================================================== ==============================


"What do you mean you've been arrested for purse snatching and impersonating a hero?" Benson's head fell into his hands and felt his blood pressure rise. "I'll be right there," he said.

The Longbow agent wearily got to his feet and looked across to where Kara and Sapphire Rose were discussing the night's upcoming raids.

"Diamond, when you're finished with Nancy there, check with your friend Izzy and see if her detectives have matched the evidence for our warrants for tonight. I'll be on my cell, Guardian Star's been arrested again."

"Again? What for this time?" Kara asked completely stunned.

"At least we know what happened to our coffee" Nancy added.

"Purse snatching and impersonating a deputized hero" Benson replied through a tightly clenched jaw.

"Impersonating a hero? They've been letting him to do that for three years!" Kara chuckled, earning an icy glare from the Longbow warden.

"Oh my, wow that is lousy!" Nancy threw in.

"There a problem, Nancy?"

"Knowing Bill's penchant for partying in his off duty hours, I had "public intoxication" in the office pool," the little defender confessed. "I should have thought about "impersonating a deputized hero" I mean, it's really quite obvious…"

"Someone's running an office pool on Chamberlin getting arrested?!!" Benson bellowed, causing every nearby hero and police officer to duck their heads and turn their attention back to their own work.

"Not anymore," Sapphire Rose lamented, wondering which of her fellow coworkers had won the pool. Her pondering was quickly answered as Kara whispered.

"Dinner's on me, sweetie." Kara eyed Benson, "Tell Kevin."

"Why thank you, Kara!" She whispered in reply.

"Don't thank me, thank Bill!" Kara quietly giggled. "If he keeps this up, I'll like so have my credit card paid off in no time."

Nancy chuckled softly as Benson headed to the local police station wearing a murderous expression.


================================================== ==============================


The Longbow Agent's mood hadn't improved as the two arresting officers led Benson into the holding area of the police station. He took in the occupants of the two cells – his hero sat on a low bunk in the far cell while a 350-pound, bald-headed Skulls gang member occupied the other.

"This is getting old, Chamberlin," Benson said. "Keep this up and Freedom Corps will declare you alive just in time for me to kill you."

Bill shot to his feet as the lead agent approached.

"Sir, this isn't what it looks like," he said hastily.

"Are you under arrest?"

"Yes."

"Are you in jail?"

"Well…yes."

"Then it's exactly what it looks like," Benson said. "What happened this time?"

"Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

"Start with the bad news?" Benson replied.

"The bad news is that little old lady had her whole life savings in her purse and that low life Skull scum pushed her over and took off with it," Bill said, pointing at the huge man in the next cell.

"O-kay, and the good news?"

"The good news is that I was able to easily run him down and get it back, well, that is until the cops arrived and thought I'd taken it and arrested me instead."

"That's the good news?"

"Well, not so much good news as the slightly better than bad news…news."

"Ya think?" Benson asked feeling the beginning of a very bad headache. "From the beginning, Chamberlin."

"Okay, so I was on my way to the coffee shop that you like, when I heard a scream. I looked up and saw Tiny over there push an old lady to the ground and steal her handbag... so, naturally, I gave chase," Bill explained.

"Naturally," Benson replied, as certain of his hero's inherent need to help as he was of his hero's ability to attract trouble. "Go on."

"I identified myself as a deputized hero and yelled at him to stop but this guy can run like crazy for such a huge guy!"

Benson did a double take, mentally comparing the 350-pound man to his tall, lean hero. "He tried to out run you?"

"He may be big as a freaking house,but he's deceptively quick. Like a rhino and a panther...the massive, powerful rhino set the pace for the first few city blocks but the sleek, agile panther had the speed and endurance to run him down."

"What about your powers, panther?"

"Come on sir...I shoot radiation blasts, There were too many people around, despite the sizable target I couldn't risk a stray shot hitting someone else. Plus that sorted limited my flight choices too"

"So you kept chasing."

"I kept chasing and I saw him enter an alleyway off 5th Street, so I powered up and flew in. There are two exits from that alleyway and I didn't see where he went. Next thing I know, he comes out of nowhere and slams me into the sidewalk."

Benson scanned his hero for injuries. "You hurt?"

"Few bruises, nothing serious, I got my field up almost in time. He was fine - I managed to break his fall with my body. Anyway, he tries to pin me with his weight and as I get ready to blast him, I go for the handbag and manage to rip it out of his grasp," Bill started to squirm and grimace at the memory. "That's when it happened."

"What happened?"

"He kneed me in the...um..well you know."

"He got through your fields?"

"Well no...I mean I hadn't had them up to full strength yet...but still...you feel such a shot sir, even a near miss, anyways he then took one of the two exits from the alleyway"

"Which one?"

"Well, I think the left one's a little swollen but, to be honest, they're both pretty tender."

"Thanks for the graphic image, but I meant which exit did he take?"

"Oh…ah…I didn't see," Bill replied. "By the time I stopped seeing stars and got to my feet, I took the 4th Street exit and was limping up the street looking for him when the cops arrived."

"You tell them who you were?"

"I tried to, but once they saw I had the handbag they weren't exactly open to conversation."

"They thought you were the purse snatcher. Even in costume?"

"Well apparently my costume matched the description of a recent 'bank robbery attempt'...and then it was déjà vu all over again, sir."

Benson sighed heavily. "You had no photo ID, they'd never heard of you, thought your badge was store bought and when they phoned to confirm you were a deputized hero, they were told you were dead."

"You're probably not gonna wanna hear this next bit."

"There's still time to stop yourself."

"The cops took me back to the old lady and she identified me as the guy who knocked her over and stole her purse."

"She confused you with a 350-pound, bald, Skull?"

" She was really old, sir, she couldn't see very well."

" Ya think?"

"Anyway, they started to charge me with purse snatching when other witnesses came forth and cleared me. They brought Tiny in about thirty minutes ago, so now they're only holding me for impersonating a deceased deputized hero."

"Open the door," Benson told the officer standing nearby.

As Bill walked from the cell, he turned back toward the large Skull, silently assessing the man.

"Ya know, Boss, he may be the size of a city building but I know I could have taken him if I had a clear shot at him."

Benson glanced at the other man and rolled his eyes.

"With a clear shot and Diamond backing you up, maybe," he said as they walked toward the door. "I mean come on he is a Skull and you fight Rikti Chamberlin of course you SHOULD have taken him."

Bill sighed nodding, chastising himself for not taking the Skull seriously enough in the first place.

"By the way Chamberlin?"

"Yeah?"

"You still owe me a coffee."


================================================== ==============================


As Bill left the Skyway Precinct following the team's night of raids and headed for Kevin's home, he reflected on the last couple of days. The back-to-back warrant raids and long hours were made all the more difficult by his ongoing battle to have himself "resurrected from the dead" and the occasional altercation with the local police.

He landed in front of Kevin's building and let himself into his friend's apartment, swiping a bottle of water from the fridge. Bill had to hand it to Benson, each time he'd found himself inadvertently on the wrong side of the law, Benson had been there to pull his tail out of the fire.

He looked around the sparsely furnished home he knew almost as well as his own now. He smiled to himself Patti would be home soon and help straighten all of this out. She always had a way of making things right in his life. Kevin was out with Nancy for a few drinks and dinner and wouldn't be back for a few hours. Bill was restless and his body ached with tension. He was in desperate need of a run.

He changed out of his costume and into his sweats and shoved the twenty he'd borrowed from Kara into his running shoe. He planned to stop at the liquor store down the road during his jog, as neither he nor the warden were big on flowery sentiment, he'd pick up a bottle of that bourbon the man drank as a thank you for all his help.

Bill made good time as he reached the small row of shops located about two miles from Kevin's apartment. He stopped at the bench on the corner, and spent a few moments doing some warm down stretches. His trained eyes zeroed in on a young man standing twenty yards away. He was smoking a cigarette, chain-smoking if the cigarette butts at his feet were any indication, and looking nervously toward the entrance of the liquor store.

Dressed for jogging, Bill had neither his costume nor his temp ID with him. However he started for the liquor store to alert the shopkeeper, when the man stubbed his cigarette, pulled the hood of his sweatshirt over his head and placed his hand in his pocket the outline of the gun becoming obvious.

Making sure to avoid eye contact and ensuring his body language remained casual, Bill walked toward the liquor store, arriving at the entrance as the nervous young man pulled the handgun from his pocket. Bill lunged for the pistol, struggling with the shorter but stockier man until he'd finally wrestled the weapon from the would-be bandit's calloused fingers.

The store owner looked up in surprise as two men walked through the store's entrance and then began to fight for possession of a handgun, their intention to rob him was obvious. Having been victim to several robberies in the past few years, the man decided that, this time, he was not gonna wait for heroes and fight back. Taking a bottle of gin from the shelf he moved in from behind and, just as Bill had wrestled the gun away from the other man, the store owner smashed the bottle over the hero's head. The would-be robber dashed back out the door and raced away. Bill's vision greyed around the edges and grew to a foggy haze as he fell to the ground in a heap.

Sirens were heard in the distance and his final thought as unconsciousness beckoned was "Benson is gonna kill me."


================================================== ==============================


"What do you mean you've been arrested for attempting to rob a liquor store?" Benson barked, the frustration and weariness evident in his voice. "Where are you?.... I'm on my way."

Forty minutes later, Benson walked into the 27th Precinct in Atlas Park and, flashing his badge and identifying himself, he was shown to the holding cells where he found his hapless hero laying on the bunk. Bill's eyes snapped open and he climbed to his feet as the warden approached.

"Sir! Thank God! I know what you're thinking but I can explain. This really wasn't my fault. Tell these guys who I am so I can get the hell outta here!"

Benson walked to the front of the holding cell, silently appraising the younger man and relieved to see no visible signs of injury or discomfort.

"There's been a mistake," The older warden said to the uniformed officer. "I've never seen this man before in my life."

Bill's jaw dropped open in shock as he watched the Longbow Agent leave the room.

"Sir? Agent Benson? No,! You gotta get me outta here! I'm gonna go insane!!!...Sir???! Sir??!"

Bill's muffled shouts could still be heard from the charge desk as Benson addressed the desk sergeant.

"That's Guardian Star, he is a deputized hero working with the PPD and Longbow. He seen a doctor?"

"Yes, Sir. No concussion, but he's got a lump the size of an egg on the back of his head. Doc says he's fine."

With a sharp nod of his head, Benson started toward the exit.

"Wait, what do you want us to do with him?" the desk sergeant asked.

"Give him some Tylenol and make sure you feed him. I'll be back for him tomorrow."

"You want us to keep him locked up all night?"

"Believe me, he's safer here!" Benson replied.

By the time he'd reached his car his anger had grown. This mess clearly had to stop. The young hero had been lucky tonight but good luck and Guardian Star weren't synonymous. He steered his car toward his home precinct. He was through waiting for the pencil pushers to get their act together. Even if he had to go to Ms. Liberty himself, he vowed not to leave the office until this bureaucratic nightmare was resolved and his hero's credentials, security clearance and bank issues were reinstated and resolved.

In the meantime, he rested comfortably in the knowledge that finally Bill was safely locked away for the night.

I love the shard and the TF's but OMG yes they are totally in need of a healthy revamp.

March 22nd, 2007 - Unknown Location



He stood in his quarters and listened. His eyes closed in the darkness of his room and allowed the beautiful music to wash over him, course through his senses. It was for moments of true peace like this that he truly believed mankind struggled and fought their way up the evolutionary paths.

The melody of the violins and cellos almost seemed to caress his very soul as he embraced this very song for a deeper reason beyond enjoyment. Yet he himself found himself confronted by the temptation present in the lovely composition to forget his purpose and simply enjoy its pure beauty.

It is truly a work of art, he mused. No wonder she enjoyed it so much.

"Sir?" The gunslinger's voice cut through and shattered his momentary reverie. A stark flash of rage at such ignorance rose within him, a desire to simply kill this fool with but a thought, faded quickly as he reminded himself that they were of a shared purpose. Allies of a belief.

"Do you not hear it" The specialist breathed softly as the music continued around them never opening his eyes.

Blue sighed, her truly loathed these useless game his superior seemed to take delight in "Sir? hear what?"

"The beauty, the purpose, it speaks so clearly of what and who she is" he said sadly to his fellow operative. Blue listened to what his tastes told him was arrogant and over the top posh society garbage.

"What this 'noise?' " Blue scoffed "This speaks to you about the target?"

The man sighed deeply, his tone still even though graced with a hint of sadness. He opened his eyes the moment shattered once more by reality. He walked over to the sink in his room and with a twist turned on the water letting it flow gently over his hands.

"This noise my dear gunslinger is Pachelbel, Cannon In D Major, one of the worlds most loveliest of all compositions. The order and melody of the strings is so often moving that only the sturdiest of hearts or dull of wit prevents one from being moved to tears merely listening to it"

Blue smirked "I guess Ive got a sturdy Heart then"

The man reached down and brought a handful of water to splash it across his chiseled features "Yes" he said simply.

"Sir " Blue reported eager to report "There has been..."

The man rose and reached for a pure white cotton towel that he kept beside the sink to dry his face. He turned his eyes to his compatriot and said softly "Do you know she once danced to this piece"

Blue opened his mouth then snapped it shut before sighing "Sir?"

The Specialist walked over to the thick paned glass to overlook the city, when he spoke his eyes looked to Blue's reflection in the darkened glass "Oh yes, when she was just 16, an audition to The Julliard School of Dance. Such a bold piece and a bold choice of audition"

He smiled looking back out at the city. "Her father has the performance on a DVD, transferred from a videotape filmed by his own hand." he shook his head "The girl was unaware that he had made the performance..."

Blue looked down and sighed, what the hell does this have to do with anything, he thought annoyed.

The Specialist continued undaunted "She danced an impromptu ballet, she had been asked to choose a piece and dance as she felt the music move her." He shook his head "Her performance was exquisite in its beauty my dear gunslinger, it was as if she become the music personified, yet as I watched I could not help but to wonder who she danced that piece for...as far as she knew there was no one there but strangers...yet it had such a personal feel...she dances for others ...do you not see this?"

Blue decided it was best to put through this and tried again "Sir....she did NOT 'dance' at all tonight for us"

The specialist turned and regard his companion with sad eyes for a moment "Indeed, that is a surprise"

Blue smirked "Yes it would appear a change in tactics, followed so soon after a visit from the Sverund girl"

The Specialist turned back to the city and sighed "I see...that will be all my dear gunslinger"

Blue blinked "That is it?" he frowned when he didn't get an answer "Sir?"

Still nothing as he watched the back of the Specialist. Annoyed the gunslinger turned and left the room.

Fine, he thought to himself. I guess its time to squeeze the noose a bit more. With a snap of his comm he raised the Crey Security chief. It was time to deal with this new ally before the Target could raise any more of the masses that seemed to always flock to her side.

Back within his dark quarters, the Specialist smiles sadly to himself. She had not danced tonight. She played this game quite well. It was now time for the second movement of their shared ballet. He keyed his comm and spoke but one word to his only true trust friend and ally...

"Again"

He deactivated the comm, knowing he needn't have heard the response. The Survivalist was a true artist in his way as well. He closed his eyes determined to enjoy the rest of this piece.

There in the blackness, he watched her perform across his mind's eye. Such grace and beauty, it was a pity that is was he who had been charged with her downfall.

Yet those were at times the costs when you are helping to building a better and safer world.

For now however, he enjoyed her performance, his mind's eye running it again and again remembering in complete detail her dance...

"..who is it you /dance/ for my dear dancer..." he muttered softly as the music finally ended, leaving him in darkness..

"We're sorry, but we are unable to accept your order at this time. Please try again later or tomorrow. If you continue to have problems, you may wish to visit one of our retail partners."

I just had this hit me as well just now as I tried to buy the Mutant pack

March 19th, 2007 - Unknown Location


"....Breach Team...Breach Team Go Go......Tango Two Rally ...Tower Security Response Greater than Expected..."

The Specialist entered the main security of hub of the primary lab quietly as screens around the main platform were filled with helmet cam and raid sensor data. His eyes flowed across the screens as he took in the information as quickly it was displayed.

"...Man Down.....Team 2 GO GO......Intruders! .....Metahuman Intrusion....Baker to your left look....Sweet Christ He has an Ax!...Who the?"

Slowly his head raised to look at the main screen. His tone even as he asked the senior Security Chief "This is of course not one of ours?"

"No sir, Different Project team" The chief said with a bit of a quiver to his voice. "This was Operative Clark's Team"

"Hmm" the Specialist nodded "And yet I was summoned at this hour because?" he smiled a hint of well hidden excitement creeping into his voice.

"Well partner I had summoned because of this part" Blue said stepping out of the shadows where he had been conferring with the man in the dark suit. The Specialist smirked as Blue . "Keep watching..."

"Not watch my dear gunslinger...I have already heard" he reached forward and pressed a side console that was turned down almost to mute and raised its volume. A familiar voiced sounded from across the PCPD Bandwidth...

"Understood and received, like be advised PCPD, This is Diamond I'm on site at the Skylar Tower scene, I will assist any and all units responding..additional SWAT and Ambulances required!..."

He smiled as he listened to Paul Angel's voice sound a moment later. His dancer had returned, though he had not expected her to field herself so quickly, surely not after whatever she had faced in New York. Shortly after as they listened Mindwork's voice sounded in as well to support and back up her fellow police officers.

The specialist quietly watched the rest of the battle and frowned softly. Her performance was different and unexpectedly full of fury. He canted his head a bit to the side in wonder as he watched her gracefully waltz through the Crey Forces and go directly for Clark. She directly sought him out and hammered at him fiercely...

"You came as the tank...." he whispered "You left as the dancer and returned as a hammer..."

"How was that again?" Blue asked stepping over to him.

The Specialist didn't pull his eyes from the screens as he saw her forcibly restrain herself to escort Paul to a series of rooms of which they no longer had access, But audio and team cams now showed a force being routed by Skylar forces and the PCPD.

His eyes fixated on the pale detective coordinating with the Emergency teams below. He was waiting for something, something he expected to see when Blue spoke once more...

"Do we assist?" Blue pressed "Ive got three tac teams all warmed up..Clarkie could use a hand"

There! He smiled thinly as he watched Mindwork smile wryly though no transmissions nor anyone else close enough to talk to her. She was connected to the dancer as well. The empath...of course he thought. Blue's question, though he did not answer right away needed an answer, and now he had one.

"No we do not" he softly turned his cold steel eyes to Blue "Stand your men down my dear gunslinger, there will be no need of them tonight" He let his eyes wander to the shadowy man in the dark suit and raised his voice..."Enough mistakes have been made tonight..."

The man in the shadows merely turned and walked out of the hub as the Specialist turned his eyes back to his dancer who was now the hammer tonight and sighed.

"Sir?" Blue tried once more. "are you sure?"

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. " The Specialist almost whispered the quoted phrase, as he watched her performance tonight, a hint of true sadness in his tone.

Blue quirked a brow, "Oh and who's wisdom do we follow tonight?" he added with a sarcastic tone dripping through his words.

"Actually those words were spoken by Napoleon Bonaparte, long before he forgot them at Waterloo." With that the Specialist turned and walked away as the last of the Crey fell to his dancer and the police.

"Napoleon?" Blue shook his head as he watched his project head depart. He turned to the Security Chief "Great now he quotes wisdom from the losers" with a sigh of disgust Blue went off to stand his men down.

Throughout the hub men and women struggled to shift and record the final data obtained to file their reports and see to it the recorded information could not be recovered. They worked expertly to see it was encoded and hidden from possible future legal eyes.

Unseen by them the middle aged doctor high in the darkened observation room could not help but allow himself to smile proudly. He did not always understand the so called 'Specialist' , even greatly feared the man at some level, but tonight.....

Tonight, his daughter had surprised them all, most of all the man who most opposed her. Dr. Reynolds allowed himself to feel the pride he should've felt all along swell inside of him.

He turned to go, he had another promise to keep. He had heard them mention New York. He had to try and find that data from where his daughter had just come from.

It was /his/ turn to do something unexpected...


================================================== =========

March 19th, 2007 - Steel Canyon

Orignally posted by the Templar Skilla


I am a Quaker she reminded herself as she clicked off her com with a hint of a vicious snap. Peace...love...the passive fight against social injustice... she recited as if again a child, reciting her own catechism. The image of Paul's broken wings coalesced in her mind, Rachel weeping in the corner of a tiny white bath tub, Jack's closed and silent eyes, Doug's bleeding, broken body on a snowy, frozen plain.

Rage rose within her, as her hood rose from her neck, eclipsing her coppered hair. Her fangs dropped, as the taste of bitter venom coated her tongue. A vicious rattle shattered the silence of the room.

Delilah looked up from the little rubber bone she was gnawing on and whined softly, cowering in the corner of the couch.

"Sweetheart?" Bryce's voice rang from the balcony above. She glanced up to see the concerned face of her lover looking down, with Samson's fluffy little head peeking through his feet.

"It'sss jussst..." she hissed, throwing her hands up. Bryce came down the stairs two at a time and wrapped his arms around his wife-to-be.

"Frustrated?"

"I want to help, I want to..."

"I know darling..." he kissed the top of her head. "I feel the same way...but we have someone else to think of now..." he laid a hand on her rounder lower belly.

She sighed, almost sobbing as she rested her head on his chest. "I know...I think I'll give Bubbles a call..."

Bryce smiled softly, handing her the phone. "I'll start Breakfast."

May 15th, 2010 - Skyway City


As he wrote his most recent arrest report, Bill Chamberlin decided he just had a natural affinity for words.

He loved how they sounded and how they could have multiple meanings. He enjoyed finding new ways to combine them cleverly so he could sound smart or witty. Bill was always amazed at how words could convey emotions and messages simply by being arranged in the right way. But the thing that Bill enjoyed the most about words was how they felt in his mouth as he spoke them. There was nothing better than a well chosen word rolling off of his tongue.

Very much to the chagrin of his partner Kara Reynolds-Dengo, the heroine also known as 'The Valiant Dazzling Diamond'.

Normally Bill's obsession with anything and everything verbal wasn't a problem. Sure he would agonize over the wording of things while writing his arrest reports for the PPD or Longbow, but that was normal. Kara, whether she would admit it or not did the same thing, and on a regular basis, they would consult one another on what sounded better in a sentence. But some days, Bill would let his love of language get out of hand. That it annoyed his partner was a source of no end to his amusement.

"Tem-pes-tu-ous." Slowly and carefully he enunciated every syllable of what was quickly turning into one of his favorite words, Bill savored every sound. "Temmm–pestuous."

Leaning back in his chair, Bill looked at the half-empty page on the computer screen of the laptop sitting atop the ancient police desk before him. Watching the little cursor blink patiently for his next word, the defender tried out the word once again. "Tempesss-tuous."

Not bothering to look up from the criminal file she was taking notes on, Kara shifted her eyes up to look at her partner. Watching Bill prepare himself for another round of 'Bill Chamberlin's Guide to Enjoying Language,' Kara finally lifted her head up, unable to fully concentrate anymore as she fixed her green eyes at her partner. Forgetting about her notes, the heroine pushed her chair away from the desk a few inches so that she could take in the full scope of the situation.

"Tem… PES… Tu… OUS."

"Bill?" Waiting for her partner to respond, Kara shook her head softly in mild amazement.

"Yes?"

"Like what's going on?"

"Nothing. Why?" Watching Kara shake her head, he knew he had gotten her once again, Bill silently mouthed yet another variation on his word of the day.

Rolling her eyes, Kara couldn't help but wonder if her partner was engaging in his round of word play subconsciously. It wouldn't be the first time his subconscious got the better of him after all. "Alright like what's with the 'Fifty Ways to Pronounce a Word' over there?"

"I am merely practicing and expressing my love for words and language." Starring at Kara, Bill spread out his arms as if to say, 'isn't it perfectly obvious?'

"Yeah… But why are you doing it?" She asked dryly.

"Because Kara my friend, As I am a writer....."

"These are so just arrest reports William....they are like hardly Tolstoy" She tried to interrupt quickly.

Bill, ignored her and continued on "...I'm supposed to enjoy and show my appreciation for words." Bill stared at his partner as if this should be the most obvious thing in the world. He pulled himself back towards his desk, the amused hero now sat with his fingers hovering over his keyboard. "You know, I'm really surprised that you don't stop to enjoy language more."

"Like whoa, I appreciate words." Kara sighed and fiddled with her pen a little, letting her gloved fingers twirl the ballpoint around lightly. "I just don't feel the need to…" She searched for the right analogy, the mildly annoyed heroine began to wave her pen around. "Marinate them."

"Oooh, marinating. I like that. Marinating words." Bill smiled smugly and nodded as if he'd just stumbled upon some great revelation, Bill began to rock his chair back and forth mirroring the movements of his head.

Very tempted to throw something at her friend, Kara began to ponder just how much damage a stapler bouncing off of his forehead would do if Bill failed to get his shields up in time. However, she decided to go with the tape dispenser instead since she was more likely to need the stapler in the near future. She opened her mouth to respond, Kara was cut off when Sapphire Rose poked her mousy brown head in the door.

"Hey guys, meeting in the squad bay is in five minutes." Tapping on the door frame, the young defender turned to leave when she was called back by Bill which caused Kara to sigh once more.

Bill moved from his desk to stand in front of the petite woman. Looking deeply into her eyes, he gently grabbed her shoulders in order to fully convey the seriousness of the question. His performance held all of the reverence of a deeply religious ritual. "Nancy, how do you feel about the word...tempestuous?"

Kara rolled her eyes skyward as she raised her gaze up to stare at the ceiling. "We are sooooo never going to get these reports done now are we?" She said to no one in particular.

"I think it's a fine word, Bill. I mean, it's not my favorite, but it's nice enough. Why?" Much to Kara's dismay, the look on her face was one of genuine interest.

"Oh Nancy…. Save yourself." Kara droned drawing out a warm chuckle from Nancy. " Don't ask." The heroine absentmindedly stuck her pen behind her ear and rose from her old squeaky chair to join her colleagues by the door.

"Kara has this idea about marinating words…" Bill quipped cheerfully.

Grabbing the back of her friends cape, Kara pulled Bill away from a confused Nancy and pushed him through the door. "If you don't want to hear about this for the next week, Nancy, you will SO walk away now."

Nancy began to back peddle as she smiled. "But but..."

Kara just shook her head as she added. "Trust me. SO just walk away."

"Come on, Kara, just say it with me. Just once. Tem…" Bill tried just before he stumbled down the hall with Kara's knuckles pressed into his back. Bill continued to beg and plead with his partner to try out his word of the day.

As a former school teacher, Kara had a natural respect for words herself. So much so that she thoroughly refused to marinate them.

Ever.

Diamond my main, would go if asked indeed. She is very much a silver age style guardian with hints of the golden age heroism in her. People are dying, some have to sacrifice to ensure that others would live. She would give her life for others, it is basically what she does every night...with the chance of dying. This time well its just a guarentee but with meaning.

My Villain Thorn, depends actually, having no love for the Rikti, she isn't against slaughtering them at willl but is not one for self sacrifice. It would take someone important to her (There are really only one or two) being killed by the Rikti for her to be angry enough to die trying to kill Rikti.

Most of my other alts would really not fit into the Omega Team make up. Though as Heroes they would go if asked for the most part.

I just hit 662 with the new Exploration and Story arc badges!

Gratz to all of those who came before me as well

So far I've not run into such a problem, all of my ideas have fit the powers available for the characters I play. I have run into such characters but have often found though they arent the FOTM style they are in a much different way able to assit the teams that I have been in.

To each their own really, the game does allow such creations and they can still be very effective just not always in the assumed role those who take all of the powers 'required' for that AT set.

Just different.

((A horrible triple post that i never caught! ))

((Horrible double post, That i never caught! Sorry! ))

A single streak of light broke the darkness surrounding the grand ship. Looming out of the black like a dark mountain rising from the shifting surface of an equally black sea, the giant aircraft carrier sailed ahead in the middle of her escort vessels. Her massive decks lit only by the occasional twin sparks of light burning brightly from its fighters launching or arriving, dancing over the deck of their mother ship, much like protective children.

Kara banked and turned as she aimed for the deck of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. She had been instructed to meet with the in theater U.S. Navy commander since her Longbow operations and efforts to find Katrina had crossed over with some of their operations here in the Atlantic. A courtesy call she reminded herself. This was hardly her first meeting with such a high ranked military officer, yet she knew such meetings did not always go well. It was hard to let someone with a great deal of responsibility and power know you were about to play in their sandbox...and not necessarily by their rules.

As she approached she keyed her comm to the Navy's frequency. “Air Boss Seven One Alpha, this is Lima Bravo Zero One, cross-decking from the Lima Bravo Special Service Vessel Liberty to Task Force Flag. Requesting approach and landing clearance.”

“Lima Bravo Zero One, we are involved in a fixed wing recovery at this time. Hold off on station off our starboard quarter and stay alert for descending traffic. You are next to land.”

Kara grinned at the casualness of the sailor's voice. Meta-humans had become so routine for the military since the second world war, that she was being treated as nothing more than yet another approaching aircraft to the controller. She only paused long enough to remind herself that starboard was the right side of the massive ship and port to its left. She illuminated her energy fields to a bright blueish hue as she brought herself to a stop, in an effort to let inbound planes know exactly where she was as she slowly followed the carrier as it cut its way through the night.

She turned to look behind her over her left shoulder as the noise of a single engine screamed out of the dark. A single F/A 18 Super Hornet was in the approach path, riding the invisible single beam of the Fresnell lamp down to the carrier's deck. The pilot had lowered the landing gear and tail hook, the graceful plane's flaps all fully extended now. The plane seemed to float hesitatingly out of the sky as if unwilling to give up the freedom of its flight. Then as the flattop came into full vision, the true perspective of the landing became visible to Kara. The last few seconds of the jet's descent became a flashing blur of speed and streaking lights, climaxing with the puff of smoke that marked the impact of its tires with the deck of the carrier on anti-skid.

“Lima Bravo Zero One, this is Air Boss Seven One Alpha. You are cleared to complete cross-decking. Be advised you will be positioned on Spot Three. Watch for your deck controller.”

“Roger Air Boss Seven One Alpha, Lima Bravo Zero One arriving.”

Kara floated down the last thousand yards with a effortless grace, remaining brightly illuminated as she scanned the starboard quarter for her controller. A twin pair of glowing flash bars guided her down to the bright dot of the helicopter landing pad to which she received an approving nod from her controller as she dropped down lightly to the deck of his carrier. He escorted her to a hatch at the base of the huge island that held the command tower for the carrier.

There she was met by a marine orderly.
“Diamond?” he yelled over the clamor of the flight deck. “Admiral Tallman sends his compliments and requests I escort you to his cabin Ma'am.”

Kara nodded and smiled “Very well” she yelled back “Lead on marine”

She followed him into the island structure. As she passed through the hatchway and down into the bowels of the ship, she nodded a greeting or offered a warm smile to any of the sailors or marines who passed them. She had been around the military up in the shard or standing beside them against the Rikti to know any visitor meant a break in their usual routine. Normally a welcome break as it appeared to be tonight. Her escort came up short before a hatch and turned to her “Admiral Tallman is inside Ma'am” with that her opened the hatch and let her in.

The Lincoln's Flag Quarter's were that curious mix of luxury and utility unique to such habitations. Golden oak wall panels and navy blue carpeting challenged an overhead cluttered with cable clusters and insulated duct-work. The large combined office and sitting room was furnished with a comfortable yet masculine looking couch and chair set done in dark brown leather. The two officers occupying the cabin came to their feet as she was ushered within.

“Diamond reporting on station, sir” Kara said smoothly as she congratulated herself at remembering the proper arriving comment. She had every intention at paying heed to the numerous traditions of her navy hosts. They had earned such respect long ago in her opinion, no matter how this meeting went, she told herself.

“You hold an honorary rank of lieutenant don't you Diamond? “ The man with stars on his collar said to her with a crisp formal tone to his voice. “According to your file, what we can see of it that is. You were awarded that for your work with the U.N. Peace-keepers in the Shadow Shard.”

She nodded “Yes sir, that is correct, the Expeditionary Force. It is an army rank sir, First Lieutenant” she tried to remember her navy rank conversions and failing that she took a guess “So...Lieutenant junior grade for the navy?”

He smiled a little at her attempt and nodded “Correct, well then Lieutenant Welcome aboard”. The Admiral was a solid man carrying only a little middle-aged weight. His dark hair was thinning and his rather narrow brown eyes shone with a mixture of humor and shrewd intelligence. When he shook gloved hand after their exchange of salutes, there was a slight bow and a touch of old Georgia courtesy to his manner. There was also a faint smile on his face. He seemed to recognize her attempts to pay heed to traditions that did not bound her.

“Lieutenant, this is my chief of staff, Command Nolan Walker” Kara herself noted he was trying to reign her in already with his repeated use of her honorary rank, yet she smiled sweetly as she noted his firm handshake and returned it, equally firm. She turned to nod to Commander Walker and noticed he was essentially a colorless man. He had gray eyes and pale skin providing no contrast for his graying blond hair. As Kara shook his hand she could feel adversarial sparks jump between them. She couldn't quite tell if it was because she was a woman or because she was somehow a threat to his Admiral's command or his own position. Regardless she smiled sweetly as they exchanged handshakes.

“Like, a Pleasure to meet you, Commander Walker.” She said with a level tone to her voice.

Tallman gestured Kara into one of the cabin's chairs, taking the couch for himself. Walker it seemed preferred to stand, leaning back across the edge of the desk.

“I'm glad we've finally gotten a chance to meet face to face Lieutenant” the Admiral said. “I've heard a lot about you and the work you have done for the military. Not to mention your recent work throughout the Etole Island theater.”

“I hope it has all been favorable, sir” Kara replied politely.

“It has from our intelligence people. They report the work you have done has given them a lot of pretty good stuff on the islands. Many of your reports and the follow up stuff Longbow allows the military to see has provided us with invaluable data.”

Kara nodded “Thank you, sir, though intelligence gathering is not exactly my purpose nor my current goal for my operations. However I guess you could say I've been lucky so far. The Longbow agents and those agents from our government that collate it do most of that kind of work”

The Admiral shrugged. “Its on your watch Lieutenant, and you do the legwork. I am very sorry however about the status of this young girl that you are looking for. Of course anything that the navy can do to aid you in those efforts, within our mission parameters, we will do.”

Kara smiled genuinely at that offer, appreciating it for its value. She could tell the Admiral meant that as a father. If he could help he would, parameters or not. Though she could feel the beginning of a power struggle coming she was beginning to like this Admiral.

“Thank you sir, and if I need such I help it is good to know it is there, I am quite intent in bringing her home alive and safe to her parents.”

The Admiral nodded and looked to Walker for just a moment before adding “Yes I am quite aware of who the Visitor girl's parents are and what they have done for National Security. However like you said for this op they are just parents and this is their daughter. The Navy is equally intent in helping in anyway we are able to”

The Admiral leaned back letting his left arm drape over the back edge of the couch “In fact that brings me to the point of our little meeting Lieutenant, just how many more times do you think that you will need to go into Etole island territorial waters?”

Kara's eyes narrowed a little, so that was the catch here. “Well with all respect Admiral, like its very hard for me to say. My operations are bent at providing pressure on anyone ...well on any organization that may be providing aid to Neurosculptor, the woman who took little Katrina. She is, as the latest intelligence reports hiding on the islands.” she shrugged politely “I am not going to stop meeting with contacts and those willing or unwilling to give up information on her, nor strike at possible leads that may hold the whereabouts of where this woman is in hiding...so I guess we'll just have to see how the situation develops”

“We've just received the post action report on this last so called insertion of yours, Diamond” Commander Walker interjected. “Frankly there are certain aspects of it that concern the hell out of us. Your battle with that shadow thing and it's robot nearly got one of our SIGINT ships caught in the middle of a firefight”

Kara smirked a little at the mention of their stealth ship, whose mission of gather signal intelligence on Lord Recluse's offshore operations drew too near her battle on the docks of Port Oaks. She was just as surprised as the villain's crew to find the ship there. She did all she could to allow the ship to depart and made certain her opponents were delivered to Longbow so they wouldn't divulge just how close a US Naval ship had been in Etole Island waters.

“I agree, it was a tight situation but I was able to coordinate with your ship's captain to allow it to disengage safely, you so have to keep in mind that ship was in no way listed as being in the area when Longbow and I so planned the mission Admiral..I mean..”

It was Tallmen 's turn to smirk a little “A drawback of course of the stealth doctrine Lieutenant. The mission was classified.”

Kara nodded “Like a classic case of the left hand and right hand keeping secrets. However your ship got away with all hands and no one knows it was there. So far I've not had any other conflicts with your deployments Admiral.”

Walker snapped at her from the desk “'So far' being the operative phrase here, Diamond” he shook his head clearly annoyed now. “What happens next time you have to insert yourself on those islands, I mean by this time they have to almost expect you”

Kara looked right at him, her eyes locking with his “They so haven't caught me yet Commander.”

“It is a point of concern though, Lieutenant” Admiral Tallman said. “We are operating right on the edge of the territorial waters of a rogue power. A highly volatile government, and it wouldn't take too much to tip them over the edge.”

Kara nodded and conceded that point “I so understand that Admiral” She had been through something like this before in her dealings with the military. She could sense the trap, so she deciding to bring up a few of her own big guns. “Just as I am so sure Admiral <Chief of Naval Operations> is aware as well, when he and I last met and discussed what I needed to do out here”

She watched as Tallman's eyes flickered over to his chief of staff momentarily. Kara grinned and thought to herself. These two were running 'good cop, bad cop' on her. The loop of the trap would be coming for her shortly; she needed to be ready to duck out from under it.

“The problem is that your operations and that Longbow ship you work off of are not the only American vessels out here, “ Walker said pushing the point “that and these villain organizations and Lord Recluse's military are not going to be worried about American chains of command. If you hit a tripwire over there, or piss off the wrong person, it could be one of our ships that gets tagged for retaliation.”

“As I said Commander” Kara's voice was polite with an edge of ice on it now. “Do you have any suggestions about how we should address it?”

Before Walker got a chance to answer that, the good cop took over.

“We think we do, Lieutenant,” The Admiral said smoothly picking up the line of their conversation. “Now, your operations are strictly Longbow's baby, but since we are both sharing the theater command out here, I would like to establish a set of liaison protocols. Our Intel people are already working together routinely and doing a good job of it. We ought to be doing the same thing /operationally/. It just makes good sense for said right hand to know what the left hand is doing.”

Ahh, there it is, Kara thought. It was very subtly and politely worded, but the literal translation was still: Hey lady this is my sandbox and you, by God, better start playing by my rules.

Kara smiled sweetly. “Like that does sound very reasonable, sir. However I do not think I have the authority to amend my agreed upon operational parameters to such an extent. I so think that the best call would be for you to contact the office of the CNO directly and work up a set of protocols though them.”

Literal translation: Bug off! You're not my boss and we both know it.

Kara awaited the follow-up. Commander Walker straightened angrily at the desk but before he could speak, Tallman caught him with a slight shake of his head.

“You are right Lieutenant.” he replied quietly. “That would be the best and most proper way to handle this. We will look into it” He rose to his feet and extended his hand to her. “I expect you will be wanting to get back to your ship here presently and continue with your search. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

Kara stood up as well and accepted his handshake. “It is so the same for me, sir. I appreciate the opportunity to meet the people I am working /with/ face-to-face.”

“It does promote understanding, Lieutenant.”






After Diamond had departed, Admiral Tallman and his chief of staff worked through a well-established ritual. Commander Walker drew two mugs of strong Navy coffee setting them on the Admiral's desk, while the Admiral unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk and removed a contraband bottle. Opening the fifth of bonded Kentucky bourbon, the senior officer poured a carefully metered ounce into each cup.

Resealing the bottle, Tallman restored it to its hiding place and returned his attention to his aide. “Well, what do you think?”

“I think she is a rogue and a glory hound, and I think in the end she is going to be a lot of trouble.”

Tallman chuckled briefly. “Now, don't you go and hold anything back on me Nolan. “ The Admiral shook his head “What's your real opinion son?”

“I was being serious, sir. Diamond is a loose cannon, and a loose cannon with an attitude.” He said darkly. “She is thinking only about this child and nothing else, This is something we definitely do not need out here right now.”

“Yeah I might buy in on the attitude. But then, that is not entirely a bad thing Nolan.” The Admiral took his first experimental sip of his laced drink. “I have worked with Metas who have worked with the Navy side by side for many years now. They are like fighter pilots. “ He chuckled to himself. “They are no damn good unless they are driven, professional and just a little bit cocky.”

“The girl is also a risk taker, sir”

“That is also in their job description Nolan, Just as long as her risks are calculated. Let's face it. Maybe she is nosing into our territory, but she is also coming across with some of the best tactical intel we have gotten in some time about Etole Island operations. Not to mention it never hurts to have a big gun like her in and around to protect our ships should such an eventuality arise.”

The Admiral tilted his chair back “Besides the CNO seems to trust her, and he does not impress easily. Maybe we should just let this ride and see what happens.”

“But...but sir, we do not hand a handle on this woman!” Walker said with no small degree of shock.

“That may not necessarily be a bad thing, either. If something blows up because of her, well she is Longbow's baby. If we don't have any operational linkage, we can just pass it off on them. If she keeps doing things right, hell, it's going to be happening in our own backyard, and we'll catch the glow off of it.”

Walker frowned and reached for his coffee mug. “Well I still don't like it, sir.”

“Maintain an even keel, son. We'll just give the lady all the rope she wants. She'll either hang herself with it, or she'll bring it back wrapped around something real pretty.”

March 17th, 2007 - Brownsville, Upstate New York


Darkness seemed to touch everything in the room around her, even the heavy curtains were shut to drown out the street lights from the parking lot below. She sighed in the shadows. It was as if everything was blackened to try and hide what had happen, She thought what was happening....and where she was.

The whipping wind of the storm outside howled against the enshrouded window pane. The repeated pecks and snaps of the flurries of snow and hail battered against it as if seeking a way inside.

The air in the room was still a bitter cold tonight, the same as the pit of her stomach and the pain in her heart. Feeling she kept hidden behind a smile and a well place giggle during her visit. The sounds beyond the door of the room was full of unwelcome and unrecognizable sounds and the muted voices of the night staff. They had gotten used to her being here, even occasionally brought her a Sprite now, each time she had to be escorted out of the room whenever the attacks got bad.

When they actually got worse.

Each time when she returned, she found the attacks had once more returned /her/ to a deep sleep.

"She is resting now, you can go back in." She was told this over and over again .... resting.

The darkness, the cold outside, the politeness still didn't help hide the one thing that overshadowed her.

The deep heavy, feeling of helplessness.

The doorknob turned causing her a start, her fists clenching the blanket around her shoulders. She relaxed a bit as she saw it was in fact the doctor, someone to save her... right?, a man who was for healing, not for dying...

The older man leaned over to check the readouts from the softly beeping console on the other side of the bed and grunted softly as he jotted down a few lazy notes.

"So?" Her voice softly broke the still. "How has she been doing?"

"No real new progress that I can go into with you, I'm afraid," the doctor replied, glancing at his clipboard. "I'm sorry..."

She sighed at his unstated "as you know you aren't family" but listened as he continued "Her vitals are strong and well she is a fighter" She just looked at him as his tone maintained it usual soft paternal patronizing lilt. "As I've told you, she has been cooperative, at least in regards to the steps we've had to take to guarantee her safety-" he turned and offered her a half smile "She will be fine"

Kara smiled sweetly in return. "Thank you Doctor" She /so/ wanted to melt off his face, but this wasn't his fault. She was just a visitor, and she was thankful she was allowed to stay, but ...again the helplessness weighed down on her. There was a threat, she should be out there facing it, stopping it, saving.../her/.

Looking from Kara and back to his clipboard, he continued, "But I will meet with her again tomorrow morning and go over her next batch of tests with her." he snapped his pen closed and sighed wearily. "I expect her usual reaction"

Kara smirked wryly as he left returning the room to darkness. She pulled the blanket around her own shoulders tighter as the wind howled in vain against the window... sliding onto the edge of the bed beside Rhu. Her slender fingers delicately graced the warm skin of Rhu's cheek, causing her to stir a bit in her sound sleep. Kara sighed and laid down beside her. She rested her chin gently atop Rhu's unruly soft blond mane and closed her eyes.

Outside the dark, now silent room one storm raged... as yet another grew closer.

=========

Independance Port - Paragon City, RI

Darkness seemed to touch everything in the room around him, save for the soft glow from the streetlamps of the parking lot far below. His eyes scanned the city beyond the furiously dancing white. His mind rapidly considering what was happening....and where she was.

The whipping wind of the storm outside howled against the window pane before him as the pecks and snaps of the flurries of snow and hail battered against it as if seeking a way inside. He saw the reflection of Blue even before the man spoke.

"Sir?"

He paused only a moment more as he took a moment to marvel at the beautiful performance that nature had been displaying as if for him alone. "The patrol still yielded nothing"

"No Sir ..which is odd given the fact of the weather and the young girl under her charge..." Blue sighed his southern drawl never more evident than when he was tired. "She had to have left the city"

The man known only known as the Specialist nodded "Of course she has"

"Sir? but then if you knew?"

"Why the patrols then?" The soft brown gaze of his superior seemed captivated by the snow as he asked Blue's own question "because though my dancer is important to us, she was required elsewhere. No matter though, the performance must continue for all of the participants."

"But I thought the point was to drive her into a crazed offensive...make her careless and then nab her" Blue protested.

The man grimaced at the use of the word 'nab' but merely smiled, his tone as even as ever "Of course it is, and we are doing just that, while aiding other factors as well. For we are not mere performers, but choreographers" He turned to look at Blue "Are you a man of faith my dear gunslinger?"

Blue blinked and then tipped his large brimmed hat back a bit with his finger "Well there are times out there i sure do ask for help from the All Mighty Hisself" he shook his head wistfully flashing that all too disarming boyish grin. "Why?"

The Specialist smiled warmly at him and returned his gaze to the fury of nature just beyond the glass "Then have faith and /believe/ Blue"

The gunslinger frowned "Believe? Believe in what?"

Softly as if reciting a beloved poem the Specialist breathed "That the same storm that rages here in Paragon City, rages in New York"

Blue waited for the rest, then blinked and shook his head "...annnd?"

The Specialist smirked, The fool, he thought can not see beyond the target in his sights. With a softer tone he merely said "Contact the Survivalist...tell him to continue his dance here in the city, and stand down the bunkers and labs from heightened alert..."

Blue smirked "And this will bring her back?"

The Specialist turned his eyes to the confused gunslinger "In point of fact...it will not" he nodded "Carry out my orders...and prepare"

Blue turned to go, and then paused "Prepare for what?"

The dark man returned his gaze to the storm beyond as it covered the city "Why for her storm"

Blue smiled wickedly, eager for that fight and nodded as he departed.

The Specialist could only sigh, as he took in the power and beauty of nature's might as it howled and danced before him.

The fool, He thought, the short sighted gunslinger actually thought the coming storm would be 'The Dancer's'...and not the other girl.

He closed his eyes as he listened to tonight's elegant performance....and prepared.

Originally posted by Templar Thornchilde/Thryth

((On the short side, especially Delia's, and for that I apologize, but here's a quick, two-part shot of Delia and Thryth on Halloween.))

October 31st, 2009 - Dark Astoria

The darkness howled, screeched, wailed in pain as it recoiled, skittering back to the mass of shadow that swirled and writhed in an ever widening circle around the graves of John and Sarah Stevens*. Around the hovering, murk-dipped form of a woman who summons crackling rings of runes writ in the ancient energies of the Mu with but a wave of her inky hand. A hundred demonic eyes flicker across the wall of night, meet the glowing green pools smoldering in her sockets as she slowly turns, taking them all in.

Tonight in Astoria, the abyss has found something it does not much want to stare back into.

“I'm, uh, I'm sorry. Was I somehow unclear about this?” inquires Delia, sardonic and rhetorical. “You. Can't. Have them.” Ooze-covered fingers unfurl, punctuating the point with a flick of the wrist that summons more lightning. It plucks an unfortunate thing from the hellish mass, coils of arcane energy slamming the squealing demon to the cold graveyard earth where it writhes in agony until a dismissive flick of her fingers sets it free to scurry back to its fellows fell and damned. Shutting her eyes, Thornchilde balls her fingers into fists, determination pushing the glowing runic circles further and further out, and at the touch of those energies do the demons cry, from them do they flee. “Any of them...”

* The parents of Tammy Stevens, AKA Ultimogirl, one of Delia's closest friends from her C.A.P.E.S. days.

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October 31st, 2009 - King's Row

“Trick or treat!!”

A chorus of young voices gleefully intones the mantra of Halloween, but alas, this is Paragon City – here the words might as well be a mystic incantation, summoning up things far worse than the sugary specter of cavities or an upset tummy.

“Well well WELL!” exclaims the pale, talon-fingered gentleman leering from a nebulous darkness where really there ought to be a living room behind the opened door. “What have we here? Why it's DELIVERY!”

They recoil, the children in their masks that ape the likes of this monster real and true now looming over them. Little feet shuffle back a hesitant step, maybe two, three for good measure, but this is their town, and their holiday, and they are determined not to run.

“Oh, dear me,” gloats the befanged fellow in his long, wool coat, one finger a-waggle as he lectures. “You see, children, that's the beauty of the phrase. Trick OR treat. Sometimes you get a treat, oh yes, it's true, but SOMETIMES you get...” he trails off, beady, monstrous eyes squinting, peering, slowly pulling themselves up from the assembled treats he thought he'd seen to a figure standing just behind them, taller than most of their parents. “...a trick?”

Green knuckles crack. “Yup,” confirms Thryth. “It trick.”

One punch sends the wide-eyed monster flying back, the darkness in which he sheltered seemingly torn from the door frame by the very impact, wrapping around his vanishing form, closing in on itself until there is revealed, indeed, a living room, and a startled, elderly woman with a basket of candy in her lap.

“Oh...!” she exclaims. “That was the strangest thing, I thought I heard someone say trick or treat, but then the lights went out...”

Pensive now, the troll makes to retreat down the steps but a tug on her finger stops Thryth, turns her around.

“See Miss Thryth? See?” says a tiny Statesman. “Toldja there was monsters at Mrs. Murphy's!”

She nods, kneeling, a gentle pat on tousled hair. “Yup, you right. Thank you for tellin' so me can take care of.”

Young arms throw themselves around the startled troll's neck. “Thank YOU for helping us trick 'r treat tonight, Miss Thryth!”

“Yeah, really, er... ma'am. Thanks,” adds one of the assembled parents, a burly, balding man in a heavy brown jacket. “It ain't easy takin' care of your kids in the Row and, well, this kinda stuff's beyond us, ya know? So yeah, thanks for givin' 'em a kinda normal Halloween for once.” He nods, the smile that splits his stubble awkward but genuine.

“Yup,” she says. “You welcome.”

The miniature Freedom Phalanx comes down the steps, their bags a bit fuller now than before, with Mrs. Murphy right behind. Smiling, she holds a candy bar up to Thryth. “I know you're a little old for trick or treating, dearie,” explains the woman who's seen her share of trouble come and go through Kings Row, “but that is just the most amazing Troll costume I've ever seen! You surely deserve some chocolate for that, wherever did you find it?”

Petrified, Thryth stares, one foot already taking a step back before she can muster the courage to pluck the candy bar from the oblivious woman's hand and mumble, “Er... me made it. Thank you.” Turning quickly away, the heroine hangs her horned head and shuffles after the families.

“C'mon Miss Thryth...!” calls out the littlest Statesman, as he turns back to her, waving and holding up three fingers. “We got four more blocks!”