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Penny sent the Knight into combat with the jetcopter. When the crash had crippled Nate, and gave her shared mental control of the big alien robots, she hadn't felt certain of her ability to fight. She'd turned out to have a real talent at it; maybe more than Nate had ever had. And just like Nate, when she controlled the Knight, she was the Knight.
Acting quickly as thought, she sent another barrage of "nuisance" ECM missiles -- she only carried so many and she went ahead and used the last of them. She wanted to keep Spartako from tracking Billy. Then she pulled the big atomic jet over her shoulder so it sat on her chest. One short blast would reduce almost anything in front of her to radioactive slag; she just had to stay aware of what was behind her and remember to balance on her boot jets.
As a cannon, the atomic jet made a heck of a good bluff; Nate had never actually used it against a living enemy. So far, neither had Penny. But then, a cyborg wasn't exactly alive.
* * *
Lady Karma sent out a spell to trap the mind of everyone in range who feared for their lives, to get them to evacuate peacefully and without panic. Then she turned to consider Spartako approaching the Knight. Warrior minds resisted being affected in the middle of combat but she might manage a distraction at a critical moment. Or a psychic lance into Spartako's ego center.
Catclaw scooped the semi-conscious LeJeune off the ground and looked around for somewhere to stuff him where he couldn't get away. The crooked cop struggled weakly against Leo's grip.
"Lemme go," LeJeune whimpered.
"Yeah, right," said Leo. "I'm missing the big fight and you ain't going anywhere, mook." He looked at a piece of sheet steel from the fire truck, maybe he could wrap it around LeJeune like a tamale.
"No, no, lemme go! They're giving away those big candy apples at the Wenatchee Farmer's Market!"
"Say what?" Leo shook him.
"Ouch! The green ones with the caramel are my favorites! Please lemme go?"
* * *
"Let's loop around to the north, Billy. We'll come back in by that spur and old Nastyko won't see us until it's too late," said Tessie.
"You got it, insect," said Billy. He'd used the odd endearment with his baby brother, once upon a time.
"Insect?!!"
"Darlin' little bug face?"
Tessie considered. "Better, Mr. Propane-head, but don't push it."
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Comments
Billy and Tessie sitting in a tree ..
Okay,
the robot is finally in the battle, Lady Karma is saving lives and may have a trick up her frontal lobe for Spatako. The corrupt cop is safe and bribable with caramel apples and are Billy and Tessie flirting?
Hey, Billy boy, she's ten! The Urban Commado part of Tessie is 40 something and Tessie seems older than her age but the body is still ten.That is too young even for Arkansas.
John in Wauwatosa
P.S. Better and better, Erin.
John in Wauwatosa
Ten?
I must've missed that... I was picturing her more like 7 or 8
Eight is enough
She's eight, the ten came in with her thinking it would be a decade before she got back into action.
And flirting between young men and pre-teen girls is pretty common, they both get friendly practice they might need later. Flirting is flirting, it doesn't always result in going on to the other stuff nor is it supposed to. Modern thinking on this is pretty warped sometimes. :)
Besides, this is more teasing.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Thanks Erin, Houston/Wauwatosa here, we're breathn' easier
Okay, at eight it's friendly teasing.
We could be seeing the beging of a brother/sister sort of deal or the very early inocent stages of a romance -- in the fullness of time. It would make sense they become close in some manner as she enhances his powers and bring a combination of knowledge and youthful enthusiasm/imagination Billy can't match.
Whatever the outcome, they are better for having worked together. Now what will Tessies' mom and dad say?
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Superhero with supervillian parents?
That's a pretty good question, John. I'm not sure about her mom, but I remember Tessie's dad being established as a (former?) supervillian. If her dad decided to switch sides I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be the first time that's happened. Otherwise, having a supervillian and superhero (even if she's only eight) could probably put a bit of a strain on the family relationships. Of course, such issues could make some fine grist for Erin's story-writing mill. :)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Heather Rose Brown
Author of Bobby's Rainy Day Adventure
Marvel kids
Marvel had a whole series about the kids of supervillains running away from home. :) I didn't get to read it but it's a heck of a concept.
There's one reformed villain in the story already; Catclaw was a member of the Tigerhunt (aka Tigermen), a group of mercenaries, as well as having been in the Carrion Crew with Death Masque (aka Reaperman) before DM's fatal involvement with Masquerade. So Leo has been on the shady side of the street for a long time, until he ended up killing some famous bad guy who... but that's another story. Leo is also now a member of the Pride of Manhattan, a loose superhero group in New York.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
You're thinking of Runaways,
You're thinking of Runaways, and I strongly suggest you look at it. Since April, they've been on the East Coast, and Joss Whedon has taken over the writing.
I dunno if it's related, but actually, the supervillian group in California was also called the Pride.
Uh, Erin?
Chapter 22 ... ?
Or did you just skip the number?
Triskedecaphobia is the fear of 13. But what is the fear of the number 22?
Holly
One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness.
It usually comes back to you.
Holly
It's there now
Just wasn't listed in the sidebar. :)
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I knew I'd read it,
but I just noticed it wasn't in the sidebar and thought I'd point it out.
Holly
One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness.
It usually comes back to you.
Holly
Hrm... should be
Triskicosaphobia (three and twenty phobia)
Outlaw redeemed
With the superhero genre I've always seen it as a lot like the old west. Many lawmen flirted with the outlaw life or out right cross the line. John Wesley Hardin was a convicted murderer of over 40 men who later went on to become a lawyer. (Many would say he made a downward career move.)
Dad could very well make the jump to good guy but how would HIS guests (in his head) take to that? After all they were a bunch of bad guys themselves. Also don't forget Urban fought this guy a long time ago so dad is not a spring chicken and may be getting a bit long in the tooth for this stuff.
I thought Tessie's and Billy's teasing each other very much in character. There is the added twist of Urban's experience and Billy knowing about it but I would think that would be more of moderating factor than anything else.
As far of Spartako goes I want to see the bad guy get his butt kicked, but at the same time I have compassion for the poor soul who is trapped in someone's diabolical web. This scene almost hit me like the tragic samurai warrior figure who seeks to die to end his dishonor and pain.
Doggone you're good Erin to mix so many themes into one story! More please?
Hugs
grover
When Kinghts Were Bold
I tend to think of my super-characters as being like the knights of legend, who would fight among themselves, raid each other's territory and switch sides in the middle of a war. The laws of crown and church were often just excuses for something someone wanted to do anyway. Marvel's recent Civil War series played a lot with that concept in a way and my universe has had the Overman Act since the 50s, a set of laws giving the feds jurisdiction in super crime, but which is often used to punish "heroes" who don't toe the official line. The Blue Stars (or Blue Galaxy) are the "official" federal supergroup, everyone else are effectively vigilantes by law.
Another model is all the competing gods and demigods of Greek and Norse legend, who weren't always easy to divide into good and bad. :)
- Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I thought
that Erin mentioned something about staying youthful for Death Masque
Honestly
He's just not that old, late thirties perhaps. :) Urban was only five years or so older, both started their careers in their teens.
This is comic book reality though, with a flexible calendar. :) Also, this story takes place before Stoney Bottom, by several years since Archimedes is mentioned in the Golden Girl chapter and his origin doesn't come until Daedalos leaves the Centurions to form the New Olympians in the so far unpublished epic "God-Square". :)
- Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Oops
I tend to think of the fighter jock like "Heroes deeds are for the young" but seeing the number of 40ish heroes I'm probably wrong. In a lot ways their stories get more interesting as they start to use the maxim "Age and treach...hmmm... experience will overcome youth and skill."
Hugs!
grover