KnightRaider

from one vet to another, rest in peace Sir, and may the family and friends find comfort in this tough time for them. He will be missed.

we need a 1911 option. It is after all the perfect pistol designed by the blessed hand of John Moses Browning after all. ^.^

But drama is fun! there's character development, plotting out and moving storylines forward, conflict, resolution, heroism, villiany, I mean its...what? not that kind of drama? oh uh...

never mind ^.^

I should be there, not sure about the booze or not.

Ruins of Denver, several years ago

It was dark. It was always dark, the clouds whipping around the ruins of what was once Denver International Airport, an ugly greenish cast to the sky above. the earth wasn't happy with the way things had gone the last few years Jeb Kincaid though as he munched a protein bar, standing in the commanders hatch of the M1 called Snowdog. The tank was ancient, yet one of the few vehicles still running in what was left of this part of the plains. Formerly belonging to the Colorado National Guard, it now flew the flag of Praetoria from the radio antenna. Not that Colorado really existed anymore, since the Devouring Earth came up from the plains. If he cared, he could have used the tank's targeting system to zoom in on the ruins of Denver in the distance, skyscrapers still choked with vines.

Still, the war was over. Cole had done the impossible, and beaten the Devouring Earth. Jeb wasn't sure what came next, he'd been fighting alongside Marauder ever since the big man came across their small community years ago near what was once Fort Carson, under siege from would be warlords coveting the mil-tech in the ruined base.

Now Marauder was called Praetor White, Cole himself had offered him the job of Praetor of Security, and White took it. Not that Jeb blamed him, hell he had gotten an offer to move as well. He'd acquitted himself well in the wars, and could have had a tank command in the Praetorian Guard near the new Imperial City. He'd turned it down though, he was hoping to get back to Alaska one of these days now that things had settled down. Besides, there were rumors about Praetor Tilman, probably not true but enough to make his wife not to want to go within a thousand kilometers of the new capital. You didn't have to be psychic to see that coming to the attention of the government wasn't necessarily a good thing, and Tabitha was. He sighed, tossing the wrapper for the bar in a garbage bag as the dismounted troops came back into sight out of the ruins “any sign Casey?”

“negative Sir” the lead trooper replied, “looks like the raiders bugged out long before we got here, just found a jury rigged transmitter that was playing that message we picked up”

“crap...why would they go through all that to lure us out here...not for an ambush, they learned that lesson the hard-” he stopped in mid sentence as his wife's mind-link hit him. Images, fire around the radio tower, people shouting in fear and pain. Lots of pain. < Jeb, they're here! >

“It's a diversion! They're at New Boulder, hitting it now!”

Everyone looked alarmed and started scrambling towards their vehicles, Snowdog's driver scrambling back into her seat, the big turbine engine wailing to life. Still...it took them most of the day to get here-there was no way, none for them to get there in time. Even at max speed, with as bad as the highways were choked with rubble, they'd arrive in time to bury the bodies-assuming there were any. These raiders were known for ****** their victims to death, eating their flesh, and sewing their skins into their clothing. And if they were very, very lucky, doing it in that order. There was one thing he could do though...but that would betray Tabitha's secret, bringing the attention to her that she so desperately wished to avoid...and he knew his wife well enough to know she was fighting the invaders, sending up a psychic flag big enough that Praetor Tillman would have to be blind drunk to miss. Once again he felt the touch of her mind <beloved? Do as thou must for the sake of everyone >

he simply nodded and switched his com over to the command satellite frequency, the one that had been set up for reporting found psychics “This is Major Kincaid, Praetorian Guard 15th Squadron requesting assistance in New Boulder, str...strong psychic detected and is under attack by raiders.”


It almost felt like a physical blow, very different from Tabitha's gentle touch * one of MY Children! Threatened! Do not worry Major, Mother has forces on the way!*


shaken, he almost lost his grip on the edge of the hatch “l..lets get going, helps on the way people.”
<she is coming > he sent on the link to Tabitha <don't stay, get moving, let the reinforcements fight them! RUN !!>

<running is no longer an option. She knows of us now, but she shall not have us. This day was foretold in the stars before you were born. We will wait for you on the other side, then we shall build or heaven together. >

“Wait what?” he said, unaware he was speaking aloud. He saw glimpses, the raiders had an armored vehicle as well, the leader a burly mutant wearing a hockey mask and having blades poking from his skin. He smelled his breath, felt Tabitha's telekinesis reaching out...searching for a fuel line on the vehicle....then bright light, blinding him, and the link was gone.


Imperial City, present day

It had been years. She would have been in school by now, his daughter who died with his pregnant wife who sacrificed her own life rather than let Tilman get a hold of her. Tilman was furious when she'd arrived, not even enough left of her prize to bury. He'd walked away from the Guard after that, trying to find peace. Yet here he was, underneath the fortress-hospital where his wife and daughter would have ended up. Nodding to the other resistance members with him, he checked his Glocks one more time, then looked up, his eyes as cold as an Alaskan glacier. “It's go time.”

it kind of reminds me of the Hungarian-English Phrasebook sketch MPFC did. ^.^

If my fiancee doesn't drag me into a raid in WoW, I'll be there ^.^

[ QUOTE ]
I have been delighted and maybe lucky so far in RPing on Virtue. I've yet to see a single cyber in the corner at Pocket D...yet to have anyone tell me how to rp my toon, I can find RP practically anywhere in the game where there are people...

I must be doing something wrong=P

[/ QUOTE ]

nah, I've had similar experience, though I have had someone hit up one of my char's trying to pick them up to cyber with them in the D. Schrodi. Who drinks coffee brewed in Deuterium, and has an attention span measured in nanoseconds. it was...amusing. for me anyway, I think I broke his brain when she kept not understanding what he was hinting at, launching into paragraphs of technobabble untill he ran off.

sadly I will be in an aluminum tube over the atlantic then, gone for a week. But congrats on five years!

Arc Name: Is it bright where you are, have the people changed?
Arc ID 85050
Faction/neutral
global/forum @snowdog/knightraider
Dificulty: moderate to hard
Synopsis: What started as a simple search for missing college students turns into a race to stop a deranged scientist from destroying the world.

Grandville, Rogue Isles



Everything was going according to plan. Well as much as anything went to plan around here. The various officials in the American government had been ‘persuaded’ to approve the visas for Kelly and her group-though that was the sticky point. Dr Aeon looked down at the list in his hand. Three people she had asked to bring with her-and all three of them were registered heroes in Paragon City, and had caused a vast multitude of problems for Arachnos. Irine Jacobsen, formerly of the FBI, until outed as the martial artist Violet Raccoon, Rhonda Evans, aka Polekitty, who had defaced the grand statue of Lord Recluse by painting a large Groucho Marx moustache on His cowled visage, (after helping to beat both his inner circle and Recluse himself into the ground like tent pegs, and destroy the Web Device prototype to boot) and…the third. Modern Samurai. Even the best intelligence had not discovered his true name, though it had to be somewhere. Not but a few months ago he had single handedly breached Ghost Widow’s tower, and now? He was listed as ‘manager’ on the form.

Still it was not really unexpected. Kelly was still rather naive in the ways of the world, and the Defenders of Paragon would have talked her into taking some support incase if was a trap of some sort. Still, Jacobsen was an accomplished bass player, and Evans was listed as a photographer-from the dossier that one of the Arbiters had handed him on her earlier, she was in line for a possible photojournalism scholarship when she finished high school. The swordsman on the other hand…that was obvious. He was there as insurance, and also as a challenge.

“Dr Aeon?

He almost jumped at the tap on his shoulder. Quickly gathering his composure he nodded to Lord Recluses’ major domo “yes, what is it?”

“Lord Recluse shall see you now sir.”

Taking a deep breath and with confidence he didn’t really feel, he entered his Lord’s chambers.


Recluse’s mood as was ever, dark. There were bloody teeth on the floor, testament to the last briefer who was the bearer of unpleasant news. “You wished to see me my Lord?”

“What is the status on Project Songbird”?

“We have received the list on who she wishes to bring with her-“ he began, holding it out, only to have it snatched from his fingers by one of Recluse’s extra robotic arms. Trying not to sweat too visibly he watched as the lord of the rogue isles went over the list.

“Not surprising, she has worked with us before on that nuke ‘problem’ three years ago, and PoleKitty is a close confidant of hers-“ Recluse’s voice stopped, and a small tic formed over one eye.

Aeon groaned inwardly as the PDA shattered, a white-hot glare of fury on Recluse’s face. He closed his eyes and winced waiting for the blow-

“Approved. Notify our consulate in the Bahamas and have them notify Miss lamb that her party’s visas are granted.”

He nodded and bowed, backing for the door before his Lord changed his mind, only to be stopped short by an ominous growl. “And ‘Doctor’”

Aeon gulped “yes my lord?”


“This had BETTER work.”






Alpha Sanction Base, undisclosed location, Rogue Isles


This must be serious she thought as she winged in through the hallways, to take her off the Malta incident case. The pink winged mutant landed gracefully in the main room, pausing to glance at herself in the mirror, one does not appear before an Arbiter looking like you just woke up, even if you had. While her coloring did tend to make it hard to do much in the way of undercover work, huge pink feathered wings matching her hair, and almost bobcat like ears, a legacy of parents who survived the meteor strikes on Bloody Bay, it did tend to make sure that those she fought definitely remembered her. Taking a deep breath she squared her shoulders, knocking on the commander’s office door.

“Enter!”

She stepped in, closing the door behind her, standing at attention before his desk. That was one of the things he liked about her Saka thought. Others had their own agendas, their own plans and schemes that such as summons would have not produced the same response. Oh they would have come, but their displeasure at their own plots being disrupted would be obvious.

Talana however, was like himself in many ways. She was not in this for the glory, or money, or power-but because these isles had been her family’s home for hundreds of years. Her father had served as an Arbiter, a fact not known to her or her mother until his death during the first Rikti invasion, and thus had followed in his footsteps, serving Arachnos and defending her home. He smiled “have a seat, there is something special that has come up.”

She nodded, noticing then that the commander was there as well, Operative Bane actually behind the desk. He gave her a quick reassuring smile as well as the young mutant sat down. “Yes Sir, how may I serve?”

He handed her a file “what do you know of this person?”

She opened it and blinked “Kelly? Well, she was a former lackey of the so called Emperor Xanatos, escaped prototype from Crey industries, had her mental conditioning broken by the vigilante Aurora, then moved to Paragon city-“

“No, I don’t mean what do you know of her dossier, and I am impressed that you have obviously read it” he replied,” I mean, what do you know of her personally?”

“Oh, well I’ve run into her at Pocket D, she’s a nice kid. I’ve never seen or heard of her having a bad thing to say about anyone, and She’s a great singer.”

“You’ve heard her?”

Talana nodded “yes Sir, it was in a report from several months ago, there was a situation that the Vanguard needed taken care of, she and I were some of the ones available for Lady Grey.”

Saka nodded “I remember that, there is a commendation in the works for you in that matter by the way.” She blushed and he held up his hand to forestall her protest “no, you have earned that and more. But continue, you mentioned something in your report about her turning the tide?”


For a moment she saw it again in her mind. Rikti, thousands of them, their so-called four riders were tearing the team apart. She and one healer from the mainland were doing all they could to stem the tide. Her mentor had fallen and before she could get to him to heal his wounds he selfishly teleported out, another dammed ‘hero’ looking out for himself first. She had been staggered from a vicious blow from a chief soldier, his alien alloy blade gleaming in the dim light of the tunnels-then she heard it-a lone voice, singing, loud and strong

“One life Im gonna live it up
Im takin flight I said Ill never get enough
Stand tall Im young and kinda proud
Im on top as long as the musics loud

If you think Ill sit around as the world goes by
Youre thinkin like a fool cause its a case of do or die
Out there is a fortune waitin to be had
You think Ill let it go youre mad
Youve got another thing comin”

The Rikti officer had snarled and turned, ignoring her, as he spun towards the small sheep hybrid, the blade skittering off whatever sort of defenses Kelly had. She diddn’t even stop singing along with her iPod she thought at the absurd tableau before her, as the nine foot alien warrior was sent sailing into the ceiling , out cold by ehe small fist of the four foot tall hybrid.

She didn’t even like Judas Priest, but she found the music renewing her confidence as she cleared her head, getting to her feet, the flames curling around her, healing her near fatal wounds. (and a few minor nicks on the lamb) Kelly just smiled and said “stick close to me” before diving back in again, singing at the top of her lungs to be heard over the cacophany of war.

That’s right heres where the talkin ends
Well listen this night therell be some action spent
Drive hard Im callin all the shots
I got an ace card comin down on the rocks

If you think Ill sit around while you chip away my brain
Listen I aint foolin and youd better think again
Out there is a fortune waitin to be had
You think Ill let it go youre mad
You got another thing comin


Snapping back to the office she nodded “yes Sir. It was totally random too, she just sang along with whatever was on her iPod set on shuffle. It was weird, it seemed like whatever came up was oddly appropriate to the situation at hand.”

Bane laughed a bit “Dr Aeon actually spent several months studying if Apple had some how put mind scanning technology in those, my own tends to pick songs that fit the situation at times. Almost like it’s psychic.”

The arbiter nodded, well the devices were ubiquitous as he looked back at the report on his screen. “Even with your numbers reduced, you still managed to defeat the Rikti’s four horsemen and their ‘honoree’. Most impressive.

She blushed again, though with her dark coloring it wasn’t easy to see thankfully as Saka continued. “Arachnos has a new task for you” he said, handing her a sheet of paper. She glanced down at it and blinked, it was a concert flyer “Kelly Lamb at the Golden Giza? She’s coming here?”

“Yes” he replied, handing over a folder, large “top secret” lettering stamped on its cover “this is Project Songbird, which you are now a part of. You will be the official liaison between our Lord’s government and Miss Lamb’s party. Make sure they have everything they need.”

She nodded, putting aside the thought of ‘why me?’ because she knew why. While many of her teammates were good people, in many ways she was like Kelly. She fought because she had to, not because she enjoyed it. Setting people on fire was a particularly poor way of changing their minds, and more fatal than she liked to think about. It was a reward, something important that didn’t involve mayhem after the last few weeks. “When are they due in?”

“End of the week, and the concert is one week after that. Keep an eye on them, especially the Samurai” replied Bane. He had many clashes with the swordsman himself in the past “Jacobsen is former FBI, Evans is about your age. I don’t expect any trouble with those two, but as for him-something worries me.”

Saka nodded “if there is a threat, it will be from him, but we have intelligence that has promised miss lamb to be on his ‘good behavior.’ They will be arriving from the Bahamas straight to the Giza at 1600 Friday.”

She nodded and rose “I’ll have everything ready by then sir.”

The arbiter actually smiled. He’d worked with her father, it was a sad day when he died, but he died honorably serving, and he could still see him in her at times “I know you will, dismissed.”


After she left Bane looked back at the Arbiter “you know that file was from Dr Aeon, it doesn’t disclose everything about the project.”

Saka just smiled enigmatically and sipped his tea “Yes, but she is like her father. She will figure it out herself, and make it work as our Lord intends.”

Steel Canyon, 19th floor, Violet Raccoon's apartment


Irine was feeling moody. True, the fact that she was feeling anything at all was tantamount to a miracle, having been nearly blown in half by an explosive round from the international assassin formerly known as The Dutchman, but still. It was one thing to be the registered hero Violet Raccoon with your cover blown, totally different to be infused with an alien in order to survive. The Kheldian transference had enabled her to survive not only her initial wounds, but a second assassination attempt.

Now however, she was on medical leave. Oh she was healthy, in fact healthier than she had been before the incident. Problem was, the Bureau didn't have any procedures for dealing with Kheldian agents-while she was cleared, her new half was not. According to the assistant director, due to the nature of the injuries she sustained in the line of duty, she would probably qualify for full medical retirement-not what she was looking forward to at the age of 24, barely out of the Academy.

There were worries that the Alverez cartel would try again to come after her, hence her being moved to a new apartment in a building built by the Wolftec construction division. After the alien attacks, giant squids, supervillian infestations and the like that Paragon City had been through over the years, the building was designed to survive anything short of a nuke, and even that was debatable. It wasn't a bad apartment, it just wasn't feeling like home.

&lt;you are being silly again, home is where you wear your hat&gt;

That caused her to chuckle “you've been watching old movies again haven't you while I'm asleep?” she asked her other half. His name wasn't exactly pronounceable in any earth language, but she'd taken to calling him Harvey, which seemed to amuse the peacebringer for some reason.

&lt;I admit nothing, but you did have your netflicks account transferred to your new address..&gt;

“Fine, but if Zoolander shows up in the mail, it's calamari time”

There was an amused chuckle from the other mind. It had been weird at first, but he (she? It?) was new to earth, and devoured popular culture like a sponge trying to learn as much as possible, especially about bringing evildoers to justice. (fortunately he was over the Starsky and Hutch fixation he had been on for a few weeks). While continuing the registered hero gig would be something to fill her time, it wasn't what she wanted. She'd grown up watching her parents rise through the ranks for the FBI, and being an agent was one of the things she'd wanted since she was in grade school. The other, helped pay her way through college, or more accurately, she paid more than it paid back. Still, the Gibson Thunderbird IV was one of the better Bass guitars on the market. She had played through high school and college, and had been in an all girl punk band who's members were ironically Bureau employees.

They lost their drummer however during the second rikti invasion, killed in the attacks, and their lead singer was promoted to a position in St Louis. She hadn't really played since then, though on the urging of Harvey she'd picked it up again. She slipped the headphones on, even though the new apartments were well insulated, she'd gotten into the habit from living in her old place, and closing her eyes, started playing.





She wasn't sure how long she'd been going when she could feel Harvey's hackles (if thats what they were) rising &lt;There is someone lurking outside the window, shall we bring them to justice?&gt;

“outside? We're nineteen stories up” she said turning her head, then relaxing. It was a familiar face, and one even the bureau guards watching the front doors would have let in. She slipped the headphones off and set the bass down, going over to open the window “How long have you been out there, and why didn't you ring the doorbell?”


The small sheep hybrid known as Kelly Lamb just grinned as she floated in through the open window “about 20 minutes, and I did ring the bell. The man downstairs said you were in, thought you might be playing, so came to listen” she said as her polished hooves lightly touched the floor.

“what, to see how out of practice I am?”

Kelly smirked “don't sell yourself short, thats what you always told me isn't it?” Which was true, Irine had been one of the leaders of the Defenders of Paragon, though had stepped down that position once she became an active agent with the FBI, with Kelly taking her place. “anyway, that's sort of why I stopped by. I got an offer to do a concert, and I would like to have you there with me. I need a good bass player.”

“I'm not that good-”

Kelly just gave her a look “you were playing YYZ-pretty darn well I might add.”

&lt;she does have a point, you do tend to understate your own skills, and from what I have heard listening to you, and to others, is you are more skilled than you give yourself credit for&gt;

That caused her to blush “thanks....so, this isn't going to be Celine Dion type stuff I hope? And where is it going to be?”

“oh no, the only thing they want me to do is a song from the Phantom of the Opera, other than that, I can do whatever I want. And it's at the Golden Giza.”


“oh that's good-wait, you mean St Martial?!”

“uh huh! I already have Visa's and everything, both from Etolie and the US-though we'll have to fly to Bermuda, there's no direct flights.”


“Wait-visas? The State Department is ok withyou going?”

She nodded “apparently they feel it will build good will, and reduce tensions or something.”


“But these are the same guys that kidnapped you not long ago.” She'd read Modern Samurai's report of his rescue of Kelly from Ghost Widow's tower, though it made for surreal reading to be honest. Still, she'd met Ghost Widow, and had actually been to the Rogue Isles herself officially several years back, working on a joint investigation into rogue nuclear weapons being sold. Neither Recluse nor the US wanted those on the open market, leading to a rare moment of cooperation.

&lt;something in this does not seem right&gt;

(you're right) she replied mentally (still, if they did give her the visas...either they have someone in our government, or the whole thing is legit.)

&lt;you are considering this? Traveling to that den of Evil?&gt;

(not everyone there is, in fact the majority of the population just wants to live their lives. Still, I think we should-assuming they let me go)

“Alright, though I'll have to run it by the Bureau, I may be on medical leave, but I still need to let them know about something like this. I don't think they'll say no.”


Kelly squealed happily and hugged the red headed girl “thanks! It'll be great, I just know it!”

there was a pause from Harvey &lt;...I've got a bad feeling about this&gt;

Kelly Lamb's apartment, Steel Canyon


“you want me to what?”

“A concert, whatever you want to perform, at the Golden Giza. The song you recorded in the isles has been played constantly on WSPDR, it's one of their more requested ones” the younger man, Al he said his name was replied, pulling up the radio stations website on his laptop. There it was, in the top five on their most requested list.

“I don't understand though, why me?

“you're rather popular in the isles and I've always had a soft spot for the underdog” Mark, the older one replied. Which was true, while he was in business to make money, no concert promoter got into the business for not loving music. And the money that came with it sometimes. Several of the smaller local acts he had found and promoted had gone on to greater things, some in North America, others in Europe or central and south America. “we've made arrangements with our government, full A level Visa's for you and your band.”

“I don't have one really, there are some folks I play with here, I could ask them if they wanted to go...”

“and we have musicians available as well” replied Al, glancing down at the computer as he tapped on the keys , bringing up a photo “That man who sang with you when you recorded Phantom?”

“I didn't really have a choice in that you know, Ghost Widow made me sing that. Still, I enjoyed singing it, and he was really good.”

He turned the computer, showing a slim young man with round glasses, in civilian clothes (it was figured it was better not to make too big a deal that he was a soldier for Arachnos “Name is Grant Nekki, he's from Port Oakes. Good guitarist as well, the kid has real potential”

“you realize that I don't have any songs of my own really yet

“thats quite alright, young musicians cover other peoples stuff all the time. Besides, our rights people work to make sure that you're covered legally to perform whatever you pick.” Which was true, while they may be from the Rogue isles, Giza Entertainment feared the music industry lawyers almost as much as people feared Recluse, perhaps more.

Kelly stood up and looked out the window. Outside, there was even through the glass the usual cacophony of police sirens, traffic noises and the occasional hero flying by. She turned slowly looking over her apartment. Over the years, the walls were literally covered with rack upon rack of CD's, concert posters and instruments. Music had been what saved her when she got down to it, it was her haven, her refuge. It was what allowed her to break from her programming , from being just a tool to be used to being her own being. She sighed putting down her teacup. “I'd love to be honest, but I would have to get approval from both the government...and my probation officer.” she groaned remembering that “who I have an appointment with in a half hour.”

Mark nodded and smiled charmingly as he and Al stood up “I understand, we're willing to help as much as we can in this.” He handed her a business card “we'll be in town for a few days, if everything works from the legal standpoint, give us a call.” The two of them left, leaving Kelly looking at the shimmering gold card in her hand. Sighing she put it in her pocket, no way they'd let her go, then looked out over the city. She'd have to fly , only way to get there in time. She locked the front door and walked out to the balcony. Clicking play on her iPod she started laughing at the irony of what it shuffled up, Geddy Lee's song filling her ears as she flew off towards the Row.


“Living in the limelight
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem
Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme “



Kings Row

Valeria Gonzalez looked through her office window at the scum of the earth, all of them. Criminals, parasites on society, and it was HER job to make sure they stuck to the law or she'd happily throw them back in the pit where they belonged. She really wasn't cut out to be a Probation officer, but until she finished her degree and passed the bar, it was the best she could do. Then she'd become a prosecutor and throw these slime away for good. The previous occupant on this office had believed in foolish things like rehabilitation. Like this one. villain, she didn't believe anyone could be an ex villain, and that whole thing in her file about being controlled? Bull*#$.

She glanced up at clock, two more minutes she'd be late, and Valeria had a rep of calling in late parolee's to be re arrested.(though her supervisor had made her push it back to the third missed appointment) Minute thirty seconds-and she knew it took more time than that to get from the elevator to her office. Third time she thought as she reached for the cuffs she always kept in her desk, wouldn't THIS be something, her throwing a cape in the zig? There, the ding of the elevator, and the clip clop of the little freaks hooves on the ancient lineolium in the hallway. There was a knock on the door “Enter!” she said, getting up , a smile on her face, which faded as she saw that it wasn't hooves, but the cowboy boots her bosses boss, the DA wore.. He looked down at the handcuffs in her hand, an annoyed look on her face “is there any reason you have those out Miss Gonzalez?”


“This is Kelly Lamb's third time being late, that violates her probation, I thought you were her and was going to place her under arre-”

the DA stopped her in mid word “No. She is not here. Nor is she under supervised probation anymore.”

“WHAT? You gotta be kidding me! The last two appointments she never even showed up for-”

“Because she was otherwise occupied-”

“SHE'S A CONVICTED CRIMINAL! SHE HAS TO OBEY THE LA-” Valeria backed off seeing the building rage in the DA's face, realizing she'd gone over the line “sir, the statues are clear, she missed two appointments-”

“Because , Miss Gonzalez, they took place in the MIDDLE of a Rikti attack! Instead of being in here listening to your ranting, she was out doing something useful,”

“But she disobeyed the LAW!”

The DA turned , growling over his shoulder “I'll make sure to tell that school bus full of kids she picked up and flew out of the battle zone that caused her to miss the last one that she should have left them to die to meet your appointment. Good Day Miss Gonzalez...”

He was grumbling on his way back to the elevator. Really he should have done that months ago. It was surprising getting a phone call from the representative about her case, but he supposed as busy as he'd been, it slipped his mind. Still, Kelly Lamb wasn't a threat. Pulling out his pda he made a note from himself to look into the possibility about getting her record adjudicated once enough time had passed, really, folks like her he didn't worry about in the slightest. Flipping open his phone he dialed the congresswoman's number, she wanted an update as soon as possible.



Washington DC

“Thank you for calling me back, oh I'm glad it was no trouble. I've just has several constituents asking me about her situation, it's not really fitting to have a hero of the city have to sit in a probation office twice a month. Yes, I agree. I'll see what I can do from this end, thank you very much. You too.” The Congresswoman sat the phone down on the cradle, there that was done. Now one other thing to do. Her aide was out for the afternoon, she'd let her off early when she'd gotten the message on her cell phone. They'd want an update she thought as she dialed the number from memory, 210 area code. The call however was answered by a computer, encoded, and sent via satellite to Bermuda, where it was relayed out to sea. Seconds later a phone rang on a desk, a white armored glove picking it up, knowing who was on the other end. “go ahead.”

“I talked to the DA, she's off supervised probation, and he's looking into getting her totally clear, but she should be ok to travel with no problems now.”

The Arbiter smiled “thank you very much, we are most appreciative of your help.”

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
“We were thinking about calling it Project Minmei, but that would be a dead giveaway to any of our opposition. So we're going with a simpler name, Songbird.”

[/ QUOTE ]

You realize of course with the "Project Minmei" line in there, Kelly will have to start dating one of the ghosts from Fort Hades in Port Oakes.

That way she can sing "My Boyfriend is a Pirate."

[/ QUOTE ]

(Aeris said it best. "I'm going to start wounding you now. I'm not sure when I'll stop."
Also, if anyone else wants to get on on the bandwagon so to speak, lemme know ))

Grandville, Inner scantum of Lord Recluse



Dr Aeon looked nervous. But then he often did when in the presence of the man who ruled the archipelago known as the Rogue Isles with an iron fist. Still, unlike several other visits to his Lord's office, this wasn't for something he did, or for something the heroes had foiled, but a simple briefing

“We were thinking about calling it Project Minmei, but that would be a dead giveaway to any of our opposition. So we're going with a simpler name, Songbird.”

The Lord of the isles looked over the data “Just from that one song alone that you recorded in Ghost Widow's tower, efficiency is truly up by this margin?”

“Well Andrew Loyd Webber IS popular, and WSPDR has been broadcasting it regularly, it's one of their more requested songs. She already has a bit of a following here in the isles anyway, due to her reputation, and obvious talent.”

Recluse looked out from the window. Below, like ants, freelancers scurried to and fro on missions trying to rise high enough in the food chain to gain his approval, while his troops watched over all. He hummed to himself thoughtfully, hitting play on the disc player again. “the male, who was doing the part of the Phantom, who is he?”

“Private Grant Nekki, he enlisted in Arachnos when he was denied a visa to travel to the mainland to study music. Capable trooper, spends his off time in several dives, both on and off limits.” Aeon said, looking over the display on his tablet PC, a cheap Crey knockoff of a Toshiba model. “not for drinking or any other vices, he is a talented musician, and goes where the live music is. Our Intel prediction is he will probably serve one or two hitches, then get out and try to make a living as a musician.”

“All must rise to the paths they are most suited to in life” replied Recluse “you have talked to the people at the Golden Giza I assume”

“Yes Sir, they were more than happy to accommodate our request, one for obvious reasons, and two, well since we're allowing them to sell tickets for this, they should make a bit of profit.”

Lord Recluse nodded. “approval granted, begin phase 2.”



Steel Canyon, Paragon City RI


The sun finally peeked over the War walls that divided the city, the soft golden light flooding into Kelly's bedroom. The smallish sheep hybrid groaned as the sunbeam reflected off of the glass covered 2112 poster on the wall, right into her eyes. It was too early to be up, she'd been called out late the night before due to yet another Rikti attack, at least they seemed to be tapering off again. Still she had to get up, she had an appointment with her probation officer. The one she used to have died when the tram car he was riding was demolished by a Rikti bomb, the new one...ever since the Paragon Sentinel bombing, she held a grudge against anyone with a registered hero license, especially those like her who used to be on the other side of the law, even if it wasn't by her own free will at the time. Still, this was close to being over. She wasn't sure what she was going to do once she was no longer required to stay in Paragon City and go out fighting all the time. She did it, even willingly when innocents were in harms way.

But she didn't like it. But then a lot of people do what they have to, not what they want to she thought as her hooves clip clopped across the bathroom tile, glancing over at the mirror. Four foot two, eyes of blue. A foot shorter than the girl Dean Martin sang about, and probably wouldn't ever get much taller, lucky to weigh 100 pounds when she was dripping wet. Still at least she filled out some over the last couple years, frowning a bit at the pink line running across her chest, from where the Rikti Dropship's beam had hit her last night. It was down to a thin scar, in another day or so she would never even know it was there. Not for the first time she wondered who the heroes were that Crey spliced together with the clone sheep DNA to make her. Stepping into the showered she sighed happily in the warm spray.

Six years. It was weird sometimes being the product of a genetic experiment. Every now and then she'd have a flash of memory that wasn't hers, RNA perhaps from one of the donors. She'd had the psych tests, regularly both as a condition of her probation (Paragon City never really trusted ex villains, while she was an exception to that in most peoples eyes, rules were rules) and as part of the settlement with Crey. They paid her medical, in return for running non invasive tests on her now and again, and were going to pay for her college as well. Mentally, she was equivalent to someone about Rhonda's age, Polekitty getting close to graduating high school, and as time went on she'd probably improve as well. Still it was only six years since she was 'born'. The State of Rhode Island wouldn't even let her drive for another ten years, even though she was considered a legal adult. Soaping herself up she sighed, life was so complicated sometimes. Wish it was simpler.

Kelly had just gotten out of the shower when the doorbell rang. She frowned, not expecting anyone, not that she had many visitors. Tossing on a bathrobe she called out “Just a minute”

She opened the door and looked up, a common reaction for someone her height. There were two men in the hallway outside the door, one older, in his 40's, the other about half that age, both wearing fairly nice suits “Miss Lamb?”

“yes?”

“We're from Giza Entertainment, we've got a proposal for you...”

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[I'll wait and see. I think it'll end well, but in the very long run]

[/ QUOTE ]

((Son of a swashbuckling hero with a mean streak vs. his evil ninja MILF of a mother? There's gonna be lots of fighting involved.))

[/ QUOTE ]


((MILF? Shouldn't that be VILF ? ))

((this will end well....not. ))

((mmmm...Javelin. wanted one of those since I was in high school myself many moons ago ))

o.O

O.o

That is...wrong on so many levels.

It was a long day. Ssgt Irine Kanahoe, USMCReserve was tired, more tired than she'd admit to anyone else as she landed semi gracefully on the roof of her Kings Row apartment. She usually was better than that, but the Warhulk she'd taken down detonated, munitions within, or maybe a fuel cell, damaging her armor. It was gonna take a bit of work out to get the dents this time. Irine sighed as she dispelled it. She needed a couple days off anyway, and while it was self repairing, it would be a bit until it was back to 100 percent FMC.

The feline marine frowned as she came around the big air conditioning unit on the roof, there was a flash of green smoke, and a woman screaming. Yep, It was them again. She stepped around the corner of the big Trane condenser, there was four of them, Paragon City's own chapter of the Silly Hat club, chanting as they prepared to sacrifice their victim. “Didn't I tell you kids not to mess with the dark arts? It'll stunt your growth and you'll get hair on your palms.”

The thorn wielder's eyes widened as he half heartedly pulled out his blade “uh, yeah, we were just , like..leaving, yeah....listen, do you think we could go without the flying lesson this time?” He stammered nervously as she approached, tail swishing back and forth, her fists glowing a bright red

Kanahoe just grinned, a very feral look on the felines face “I don't know, every time I tell you to stay off my roof you're back the next-yow!” She turned as a Spectral Knight materialized behind her, attacking.

“FOOL! YOU DARE TO INTERUPT THE RITUAL?” It screamed as it swung at her, its ghostly blade cutting through her tank top, and the fur on her back, leaving a shallow red line. The others in the circle glanced at each other, the Thorn Wielder's face resigned, as he dropped his blade and stuck his fingers in his ears..


The spirit was confused, it was a powerful attack, it should have felled that mortal! Looking closer at her he began to see his error, it was no ordinary mortal catgirl..this one's aura showed a vast power..and growing anger...


On the front steps of the building, First Sgt John Wilson, USMC (ret) sat relaxing, sipping a cool iced tea, and keeping a watchful eye over the neighborhood kids playing in the vacant lot across the street. There had been a few of the zombies wandering around earlier, but they'd been cleaned up by one of the spandex types, still, never a good idea in this city to let kids out of sight. He nodded at one of his neighbors, coming home from work “Evenin Miss Watkins.”

“Evenin John, might want to tell the super, kept hearing noises up on the roof earlier, might be that cult dabbling in black magic aga-” there was a thundering explosion, and a bright flash of blue light filled the sky from the rooftop, with several robed figures soaring through the air , ok, more of an uncontrolled ballistic trajectory, the mages squealing like little girls, one of them vainly flapping his arms trying to gain altitude.

John chuckled “I think Sgt Kanahoe took care of them Miss Watkins, they're kind of like termites. Gotta spray for em regularly to keep them away.” He opened the door for her then sat back down, chuckling. Be a while till they came back to this building at least.


Irine grumbled as she headed downstairs from the roof, she was tired, and having to use up that much more energy just made her more so. Still, the look on their faces was priceless. Opening the door to her floor she noticed the hall light was burned out again, not that it bothered her, feline eyes seeing quite well in the dark, but old Mr Lewbowski next door, he might trip..and there was someone by her apartment door...first Circle apprentices, now Skulls? It was just not her day.

She had gotten within a couple meters of him when she paused, he wasn't acting like he was a threat, in fact, just standing there, leaning against the wall as if waiting. Wasn't wearing the usual mask either. She cleared her throat, watching him jump in the air in surprise, relaxing a bit herself as she recognized him, it was the kid from 4b, Roberto, who gotten mixed up with the skulls last year.

“Geez, scared the crap out of me! Sneakin up like that” he said, rubbing the back of his head where he'd hit the wall.

“shouldn't be waiting in the dark then” she said, getting a better look. He was clean, unlike most of his former friends, something about gang bangers and bathing didn't go together. He stood a little taller too somehow “so what brings you here?”

He blushed a bit “I just wanted to say thank you, for kicking my [censored] last spring. Gave me a lot to think about while I was in juvie. So I got my act together, ended up getting probation, and went back to school. Got my Diploma, but that's not the important thing.”

she relaxed a bit, that was good news “I'm glad to hear you got straightened out, like I told you then, you're too smart to be breaking into cars.”

He just grinned “well now I'm gonna be fixing them. Well, not cars, trucks actually. Report to MEPS tomorrow, then after I'm processed, I get to spend 12 weeks in sunny Paris Island, South Carolina.”

“well I wouldn't call it sunny, muggy maybe, and sand flea infested for sure.” it was a good thing it was dark in the hallway, something was in her eyes, allergies maybe.

“Anyway, you probably saved my life. Most of the guys I ran with back then...are dead, in the Zig or probably going to end up there. I just wanted to say, thanks.” There was a shout from down stairs and he turned his head “Be right there ma!” shrugging he started to leave “Ma's takin me out to dinner tonight, figure it's probably the last Paragon style Pizza I'm gonna get for a few months, so might as well enjoy it while I can.”

Irine chuckled “the food's not THAT bad, well maybe the MRE's..anyhow tell your mom hi, and congratulations. I know you'll make it through with no problems.”

“thanks Miss Kanahoe,er, I mean Sergeant. I'll see you when I get back”

She just chuckled, tail swishing “just remember, never refer to your DI as you, unless you want to see his face turn purple.”

He laughed and headed down the stairs. She rubbed her eyes, damn, getting all sentimental she thought as she stepped into her apartment.

Or,PoleKitty and Kid Switchblade go to the Ford dealer

It had been weeks since it had been destroyed. Oh shed' gotten used to it eventually, the initial stages of loss, anger, grief, had all come and gone, and now she was left with acceptance, and anticipation. The check from the insurance company had finally come in on Rhonda's Jeep Wrangler that the Rikti had so carelessly dropped a building on top of. Normally, acts of war such as that weren't covered by insurance, but then, this was Paragon City. You could get a policy on almost anything, and many people often did. True, they weren't exactly cheap, but with the money she'd brought in doing commercials as PoleKitty from that Japanese soda ad campaign she could easily afford it, plus replacing her parent's destroyed truck, and buying her little brother a new Kawasaki dirt bike to replace the one a Rikti Headman shot out from under him during the attacks.

She'd thought about getting another Jeep, but winters in Rhode Island were much colder than the Florida panhandle, and even though she did have fur of a sort, there was something to be said for a hard roof in the cold, and a decent heater. Especially if the Winter Lords showed up again this year.

Her parent's sat back and let her handle it, figuring that even though they'd still have to sign some papers being she was just seventeen, she was more than responsible enough to make her own decisions, though she still had her daddy go along when she went shopping. Not that it was necessary, while car salesmen often did try to bamboozle young women buying a new car, they weren't much of a problem to someone who'd called Lord Recluse 'Emo Spider'. To his face. Sometimes having a high security rating and the reputation that goes along with it was a good thing. So there she was, ignoring the looks of the onlookers as she rode along on what she hoped was her last tram ride for a long time. There had already been a couple delays, the first one had been in a shipment of cars coming by boat, only to be crushed along with several dozen other new cars by a giant flailing tentacle as they were being offloaded in Independence port.

The second one was on a shipment that had been hijacked and smuggled out to the Rogue Isles, somewhere out there on the rubble that passed for roads, some thief was driving around with HER 08 Shelby GT 500. the third time was the charm or so they said, Lex at Paragon City Ford had called and said her car had arrived. She glanced over at the other girl going with her, Marie wasn't as much into cars as Rhonda was, but then, she'd lived all of her short life in Paragon City. Getting the feeling that someone was watching her, she glanced up the same time Marie did, both girls staring at a pair of men at the other end at the car who wore the ubiquitous cheap yet tasteful suits of operatives of Crey industries. Of course the Crey name badges they had attached to their jackets was another obvious clue, a pair of agents possibly on their way for a lunch break. The two agents met the girls eyes then hurriedly looked away, one of them sweating a bit, moving towards the door of the tram as it neared the station.


“Thought they gave up following you” she said to Marie, also known as Kid Switchblade as the tram pulled into the station. Marie just shook her head “they still want me back” she said , rolling her eyes “but aren't going to do anything stupid after what happened the last time they tried.” She picked up her backpack “so how far is it to this place were we're getting your car?”

“couple miles past the last tram stop, they haven't taken the trams out to the suburbs, we gotta catch a bus from here.”

“Greaaaat... you know, I think I recognized the younger guy. Maybe thats why he started sweating when he saw me.”

Rhonda just chuckled watching them go. “well they're making a beeline for Hooters...what you wanna bet they'd wet their pants if we stopped there for lunch?”

That started the red haired girl giggling “oh we totally should! Except I don't really care for the food there.”

“Me neither, besides, once we get the car, there's this great seafood place bout an hour up the coast from here...”

Marie just shook her head , chuckling. “you'd think you'd get tired of fish being from Florida.”

PoleKitty just laughed as the bus pulled up “Never! Fish is good for you!”

they laughed as they climbed onto the bus, there were a few stairs, mostly Rhonda's direction. Marie could fit in, while Rhonda? Maybe at a furry convention, if she was lucky. There was one that had invited her but they were disappointed when they found out that she wasn't really a skunk, just mutated after being bitten by a radioactive one, so she hadn't decided if she would go or not yet. She ignored the looks, long used to them by now, not many out here saw registered heroes who actually left the war walls, but then not everyone who looked different had powers. There were plenty of strange looking people who couldn't do anything more than light a candle..and that was while using a lighter.

“So I hear the Paragonian Knights are putting on a big Halloween bash, you going this year?” Marie asked as the bus rolled past malls and shopping centers.


Rhonda shrugged “ah dunno, can't ever seem to find dates for things like that, and tired of going alone. Besides, not like I could dress up like anything other than maybe Mam'Selle Hepzibah.”

“Who?”

PoleKitty just sighed “Remind me to show my my dad's Pogo books someday” she said, getting up as the bus pulled up to the stop in front of the Ford Dealer. The girls got off the bus, Rhonda glancing around, not seeing the vista blue with white Le Mans striped Mustang, probably still getting prepped she thought as she walked towards the showroom, only to get headed off by a man with a bad toupee, huffing like a locomotive as he ran.

“Miss Evans!” he panted as he slid to a stop, his hair threatening to slide off off of the top of his head “was just about to try to call you, it seems, well...” the sales manager looked nervous, but then with as much trouble as it had taken just to get one simple Shelby Mustang, any more complications would probably send his ulcer into overdrive “there , well, was a small teensy mistake made on the order form....but don't worry, I'm gonna fire Lex over-”

Rhonda just sighed “no, thats ok, he was confused about the iPod adapter, I can always get one of those put in myself, it's no big deal” she said, ears perking up a bit as she heard the whine of a starter around the corner, and the rumble of a powerful V8 waking from it's slumber “it's still a GT 500, got a manual and the stripes right? Then ah'm happy.”

“uhm..well, it's got the stripes” he said as the service tech pulled the Mustang into view. Rhonda blinked at it, her mouth falling open, at a loss for words. Oh it was beautiful alright, polished 18 inch wheels gleaming in the afternoon sun, the car freshly hand waxed getting the road grime from the transporter truck off of it, and two white stripes...going from nose to tail over gleaming ebony black paint...

The manager kept trying to apologize as she walked towards the car...yes..that was her name on the invoice..

“I'm sorry Miss Evans, it seems the paint code for vista blue and white was one letter off from this, and somewhere, a mistake was made on the order...”

“it..but...it...” she stood there gasping like a goldfish. Marie however couldn't hold it any longer, the red haired girl giggling hysterically

“oh come on Rhonda, it's PERFECT!” she said “matches what you wear to fight in and everything!”

Rhonda growled through gritted teeth, trying to get her temper down “Thats cause Serge only comes up with stuff for me thats black and white, he seems to not be able to get the fact through his fabulously styled hair that AH AIN'T A SKUNK!”

She might have said more but then both girls cellphones let out a strange sort of ring, the Vanguard alert channel , another rogue attack, fortunately they were rather infrequent nowadays “Attention, Rikti ships have been spotted heading towards Grandville” came the voice from the speakers, both girls relaxing at that, not where they had to worry, or could even get to.

Marie just couldn't leave well enough alone though , giggling “Quick PoleKitty, to the Skunkmobile!” While impulsive, she was far from stupid, and knew to already be airborne and climbing for altitude before she finished the sentence, Rhonda chasing after her, waving a Louisville slugger that she had somehow pulled out of her purse.

After chasing her for about ten minutes she finally calmed down, lightly landing next to the nervously watching Sales Manager, Marie still hovering in the air out of reach, not that Rhonda couldn't really get her if she wanted to “Ah'm sorry for losing mah temper there, it's just that , well, ah get a lot of that.”

he nodded understandingly “Well when Lex comes back from the test drive he's on with a customer, I'm going to have him escorted out for this, this is the second time his color blindness has messed up a sale-”

Rhonda's head spun around as she stared at the manager “wait-he's colorblind?”

“Found out when the car came in, he thought it was blue.”

“oh.” she looked down, Marie could tell as she landed beside her, though it was hard for others who didn't know her well to tell when she was blushing “Now ah'm really sorry. I thought..it was intentional. Don't fire him, just have him verify the color name instead of just having them point at it like ah did.” she walked over to the car, opening the door, the seats black leather with red inserts “wow, those are nice seats, didn't see those in the catalog”

“they only an option on black or red cars” he said. She slipped into it, inhaling the new car smell. While it was missing the iPod connector, it had the upgraded stereo, and HID headlights. She chewed her bottom lip for a moment thinking... “is there a place that can tint the windows around here? Because all blacked out would be pretty cool..”

“We can do that here, free of charge to make up for the mix up in the color.”

she picked up the clipboard in the passenger seat, with all the paperwork ready to go. Smiling, she got out of the car “hey Marie, get your stuff in the car, soon as I get this paperwork signed, we're getting some seafood”

((Bwaaahaaahaa!! priceless! ))

Rachelle was tired of sweating. Oh yeah, it wasn't summer yet, and already she was hating it. It had been an impulsive thing to move down from Alaska after her brother was killed, to 'take up the mantle' as it were, still. It was damn hot. To her anyway. Everyone else in her department was bundled up in overcoats due to the weather in the 40's, but for someone who spent the last three years of her graduate studies out in the tundra studying the arctic fox population, this was nothing. At least her work with the University of Alaska got her foot into the door, and she was hired by Paragon University as an assistant on a research project on wildlife in the Paragon City area. Most people never even knew there was more than squirrels and pigeons, but she'd seen signs of raccoons, foxes, a coyote or two in Perez park (not counting the two legged kind) and even a few bobcats. The crime problem in the park actualy was helping the animal population, by keeping the numbers of people in the park down.

The crime problem was what was on her mind at the moment though. She'd already had several trips to the hospital. While she'd had her powers since she was sixteen, she'd never really used them, unlike her brother. Of course his didn't come in till his early 30's during the Rikti war. He just made all this crime fighting stuff seem so easy in his letters and e mails. But then, he was a soldier, and if his powers fizzled, could always fall back on his training. Other than a couple semesters of self defense courses in her sophomore year of college, she had nada. Oh, she could use a gun well, no sane biologist went off into bear country not knowing how, unless they planned on being grizzly kibble, but she wasn't comfortable shooting at people unless she had to. At least the people who didn't shoot at her were friendly enough. Jeb's death had ultimately saved much of the city, and unlike a lot of the country, many people here actually looked up to heroes. Not that she considered her self one after sitting up after yet another teleporter trip to the emergency room.


“Glad to see you're awake Snowdog, how are you feeling?”


She looked up groggily at the nurse, at least the one good thing about the teleportation network, the filters in it removed most of the gunk and zombie bits from her clothing an hair “my ears are still ringing”


“So what happened , say, weren't you just in here this morning?”


She flushed a bit at that as she got to her feet “It was five to one, I got four. Who ever heard of making zombies explode anyway?”


The nurse just laughed and went on to check the next patient. At least there wasn't any paperwork to fill out she thought as she slipped out of the hospital, enough of this. She'd gotten the hostages out at least, so they were safe, if there were still a few zombies in the sewers they could stay there for now. She needed a bath. Fortunately she'd parked not far away, not many people drove in the city. She sat down behind the wheel of the blue Buick and closed the door, sighing as she rested her head against the steering wheel of the Rivera. The big 71 boat tail was originally her fathers car, her brother had restored it while stationed at Ft Lewis after graduating from West Point. He'd kept it, and now it was hers. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned the key. Then turned the key again. After the third time she muttered, reaching for the hood release. As her hand gripped the lever she heard a faint ticking sound from up front. “aww nuts...”

She got out of the car, the air chilling around her as she went to the front. Opening the hood, just like she thought. Three clockwork were underneath, they'd already disconnected the battery, one was wearing the chrome air cleaner like an absurd hat

“DAMMIT, I TOLD YOU, LEAVE MY CAR ALONE!” The clockwork scattered, or attempted too, only getting a few feet before she encased them in blocks of ice. Muttering she hooked the battery back up, and rescued the other missing pieces, fortunately they hadn't gotten far. Slamming the hood she considered running over the clockwork, but with the way her luck's been going, they'd punch a hole in the radiator or something. She slammed her door and turned the starter again, the 455 rumbled to life, an angry snarl matching her mood at the moment.

“If it's not zombies, it's robots” she said, as she shifted it into low as the ice thawed around the immobilized clockwork, the cogs running towards the car. Dropping the hammer, she left them in a cloud of tire smoke as she peeled out. “I've got to get a place with enclosed parking.”