Evangelia had a good long meeting with Dynamistress of the Liberty FORCE tonight and there's some interesting news on the coalition front. The LF have been approached by another SG -- apparently an established and active group -- with the idea of forming a "closed coalition" of ten SGs that will sort of permanently link together, and not coalign (? what is the verb form, anyway?) with any other groups. Members of the coalition will basically treat other coalition members as if they were their own SG; the idea is basically forming in effect a super-sized SuperGroup.
The other group is part of a small coalition of four groups, and the LF has invited us to go in on the deal with them. I like the idea, it sounds like it has potential, but I wanted to throw it up for general consideration.
-- Bob
---------
Visit beautiful Boston, proud successor to Seattle as
"City Most Scared Of Its Own Shadow

And it's a doozy! Without spoiling too much, Hild really, really wants her little girl back, and is curious about bringing her little girl's half-sisters along. The volume ends on a cliffhanger...
This volume is notable for another reason: For the first time ever, Fujishima-dono actually uses the term "Norn".

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

Many thanks to Kouten for editing.
------
"They never learn, do they?" Miyu thought to herself, looking down
at the bounty hunter who was hiding behind some kludged together machine
on top of a building. He hadn't noticed her yet on the catwalk above and
behind him, he was too busy aiming his sniper rifle. Miyu silently
dropped down behind him, before darting forward and delivering a spin
kick to his head that spun him head over heels backwards, to land with a
thud on the roof.
Feeling for a pulse with one hand while the other hand searched him
for weapons.
"Good, he will live," Miyu thought to herself as she felt for a
pulse with one hand while searching for weapons with the other. Further
feeling his skull for fractures, and finding none, she bound her captive
and checked over her loot, using his own handcuffs he to tie him up.
"Neat! A Firestar M40, I have wanted one of these for my collection for
a while now. The rest of this is worthless junk though, even his wallet
is empty." Checking once more to make sure the bounty hunter was
unconscious she went over to the sniper rifle and set up for the shot.
No need to let an opportunity like this go to waste.
Miyu wasn't sure what she was feeling as the cross hairs of the
sniper rifle lined up with the messy brown hair of the Professor, tears
pooling in her eyes as she thought of what he did to her, what he meant
to her. He was the bane of her existence, her creator, the one who took
her away from Allysa, her master whose every command she had to obey,
the man she loved. It was with that last thought that she pulled the
trigger.
The shot rang out and a piece of metal flew at supersonic speed
crossing the distance in moments even to Miyu's hyper sped up
perceptions, closing inevitably with the Professor's head. Several
emotions raced through her, joy at being free, regret, and a pulse of
anger at Catty who had the current bodyguard duty that she didn't
prevent this. Then the bullet bounced of with a loud twang of the
Professors hair. Sighing, not sure if it was with relief or regret at
her failure, Miyu stood up. "Bulletproof hair gel, I should have known."
*_*
A little latter back on the Sol Bianca, Catty came across Miyu
stalking the other way, visibly bristling with fury. Smirking, Catty
decided to help Miyu out by letting her vent a little. "She always
gets a little too tightly wound after an attempt to kill the boss. A
good rant and she'll feel better." Reasoned Catty to herself, "besides
baiting Miyu is fun."
"Hey Miyu, aren't you glad the Prof wasn't hurt today?" asked Catty
with a mocking smirk.
For one moment, Miyu's hydraulic pump stopped, her guilt,
disappointment and rage vanishing into pure panic as one thought raced
through her head; "She knows what I did!" Followed by a renewed surge of
rage, "she knows and is still baiting me!" Riding the surge of anger
Miyu grabbed Catty's neck and slammed her into a bulkhead, before
rationality reasserted itself. "She couldn't know, she's just baiting me
as usual."
"Dammit Catty! The Professor could have gotten hurt today!" Miyu
screamed into Catty's face. Seizing one of the reasons Catty would
understand for her being upset she continued, "You where on bodyguard
duty! You were supposed to prevent close calls like that!"
Calmly taking Miyu's arm and removing it from her neck using her
far superior strength, Catty waited until her feet touched the floor
again before responding calmly, "He didn't get hurt at all."
"That is not the point! What about next time? He could have died!"
"That's generally what people expect when they shoot someone. If
you had knocked that bounty hunter out just a bit earlier the Professor
wouldn't have gotten shot, now would he? After all it isn't as if you
would shoot him now would you?" Catty prodded her, smirk widening, and
adding a knowing wink hat chilled Miyu to the core.
Miyu's slap echoed down the corridor. "Don't joke about that! Just
don't!" And with that, Miyu turned around and stalked off, leaving
Catty to rub her red cheek.
"What was that for?" Wondered Catty to herself.
*_*
Later that day Miyu was in her room, which was rather spartan, except
for the walls, which were covered by weapons of various kinds mostly
firearms, a few even hung from the ceiling. Miyu was busying herself
attaching the new sniper rifle to the ceiling, the pistol already
cleaned but not put in with the other weapons she had yet to use,
because she wanted to add it to her collection soon. Forcefully
drawing her thoughts away from the pistol and what she was going to
use it for. Miyu concentrated on aligning the rifle perfectly, and
looking for any blemishes, though after spending three hours
obsessively cleaning it there where none. Anything to distract herself
from what she had almost done, from what each and every one of these
weapons signified, from what she was going to do with the pistol.
Finally done with her self appointed task Miyu allowed herself to
breakdown and collapse on the utilitarian bed, crying.
"Why?" She sobbed into her blankets, "Am I going insane?" Miyu was so
engrossed in her own misery and self-doubts that she didn't notice
Ryoko entering until she sat down next to Miyu setting down the tray
she was carrying.
"You missed lunch, " said Ryoko, setting down a tray with steaming
food. "But that's no reason to cry." Reaching out Ryoko started
massaging Miyu's shoulders.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Here. As usual, we are giving our loyal readers in the Forums an 8 to 12 hour jump (at least!) on the FFML and RAAC. Enjoy!
-- Bob
---------
Visit beautiful Boston, proud successor to Seattle as
"City Most Scared Of Its Own Shadow

This place is a dump.
No, not my apartment. It's not much, but I do keep it clean.
No, it's the *rest* of Mercy Island.
Still, I can see cause for optimism in Arachnos' operations here. It'll take time, but independent operators like myself are gradually getting the snakes and the gangs cleared out, and once that's done the reconstruction can begin. (They'll probably have enough rubble to build another island too...)
We'd all better keep on our toes though, because it looks like those scumbags at Longbow are trying to sink their claws in here too. They operate as openly here as in Paragon City! I hate leaving them alone, but Longbow is like a hydra - kill one head and another springs up to replace it. And these guys, more like eyelashes and toenails. It wouldn't accomplish anything worthwhile right now.
Of course, some of my supposed comrades are just as much trouble. They seem to have gotten this idea that because they're opposed to the so-called "heroes" of Paragon, that means they are obligated to be villains. At least there's not much harm they can do in this part of the island, but I hope they wise up before they get enough of a reputation to move on. Port Oakes doesn't need any of this stupidity.
My own projects are going well. I don't have enough space to set up a lab here, but I've already started making contact with suppliers for the equipment I'll need. As for something to analyze... Well, given Longbow's dedication to PR, it shouldn't be difficult to get them to send some of their pawns after me. I have to be careful though... It's fine to pretend you're trying to rob a bank, but I don't want to damage anything that'd be difficult to replace. There's a lot of innocent people who have money on those banks. They suffer enough because of Longbow, they don't need me making things worse. It's not a problem after I get the blood sample, because then I can just run away, but before then I have to be an obvious threat without actually doing much damage. It'll take more control than I'm used to needing here, but I'll have time to practice.
It sounds simple when I say it like this, but really I've got a long ways to go to accomplish anything. Still, I knew it would be difficult when I took up the mission. And for now at least, things are going well.
~Amanda

Dungeon Runners is allowing referrals again - can you send me an invite so I can try it?
c_j_angel (at) hotmail--
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel
"Camaraderie, adventure, and steel on steel. The stuff of legend! Right, Boo?"

Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the angels' hierarchies?
And even if one of them pressed me suddenly against his heart:
I would be consumed in that overwhelming existence.
For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror,
Which we are just able to endure,
And we are so awed because it serenely disdains to annihilate us.
Every angel is terrifying.
-- Rainer Maria Rilke, Duino Elegies
-- Bob
---------
Visit beautiful Boston, proud successor to Seattle as
"City Most Scared Of Its Own Shadow

Sometimes, hanging out in Pocket D, the Icon Store or Atlas Park will net you some real winners in the weirdness department.
In many cases, it's easier to lock onto a persons name and read their bio than it is to get a closer look at the costume.
But TRUST me, most of these people had costumes that were well up to the task of equaling the weirdness in their bios.
First up, a guy I noticed in Icon. Modi was the name. At the time he was just wearing a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. Must be incognito. Okay, I'll bite, he's level 50 AND actually has the name locked down without using "creative punctuation! Must have been around for awhile. Let's click the bio and...
Well he's got the whole Norse BRAG thing down, that's for sure.

I was on with Panzer XII in Mercy Island when I noticed a brightly colored Mastermind. Looking closer, I'm thinking... "No... he did NOT just go there..." Clicking on the bio.
"Oh my god, he went there."
That is disturbing on so many levels.

Right! Moving right along! Our next contestant has the seeds of an interesting concept hidden among the detritus of some truly horrendous editing and one of the most unintentionally HILARIOUS typos I have ever seen.
And BTW, why is his name Scion of SORCERY?? His origin is SCIENCE!!

This next one isn't really a bad bio so much as one that is reeking of snark. ^_^
Nope, not much of a stretch at all, really.

This one is one that I've seen around on Virtue server off and on. His costume looks like a wearable version of the palette and design sense from Yellow Submarine. In other words, Peter Max threw up.
Paging Mr. Duke, your pharmacist is here with the GOOD drugs!

Robot Apes! That's what City of Heroes needs! Cybernetic Apes FROM THE FUTURE!!!
Rock me Dr. Zaius, R... r..r..r..rock me Dr Zaius!

So many things wrong here. So much lack of sense. So many affronts to fashion and color. As bad as the portrait is, the whole costume was MUCH WORSE.
I wonder if Dr. Trippy and this guy hang out?

Okay... Is it a Harry Potter spoof? A Willie Wonka reference? All I know is that I'm going nowhere NEAR that cat!
Don't know what to say, just kinda disturbing, really...

But nowhere NEAR as disturbing as THIS guy! I saw him in Pocket D. As if the pink battle armor wasn't disturbing enough on its own, it was the fact that it was only HALF of a suit! The bottom half was nowhere to be found. He's barefoot in tighty whiteys! Good god, man! Put on some PANTS!
And then I read the bio...
No... Just... NO... Not going there, man. Just not going there... that's a dark and lonely place...-Logan
-----------------
"Wake up! Time for SCIENCE!"
-Adam Savage
-----------------

For those of you who havent stopped by EPU yet,
Rogue Squadron #3 is now available, and yet another shining example of just how much G rocks as a writer.
"I was an Otaku before those kids came along and changed the meaning of the word."
-- HM "Howling Mad" Wilson to more than one team-mate.
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

Filed under: Whiplash or face-to-pavement moments for a speedster upon hearing as you zip by...
S.W.A.T. Officer: "I'm not kidding you. Like, FIVE gigantic Lost crammed into a mini. Most hysterical thing I've ever seen."
Have I mentioned lately how cool I think the writers of this game are? ^_^-Logan
-----------------
"Wake up! Time for SCIENCE!"
-Adam Savage
-----------------