malinryden

December QnA

Added 2021-01-02 12:16:23 +0000 UTC

How do the Rangers + Mortum go about their holiday shopping?

Mortum is the most prepared one, it's been a year long project, probably mostly done before December begins.

Argent has surprisingly personal gifts, but how she figures it out, nobody knows. Gets them all in one, well-planned spree.

Ortega is not above abusing the contacts of their personal shopper. Always gives out way too expensive gifts.

Herald has that last panic shopping spree, always making sure to keep the receipt if people don't like it.

Steel vainly tries to stop everyone giving him gifts, but will accept them for Spoon. Not above giving away gift cards.

Is there an equivalent to numbers that psy sensitive people can take to lessen Their powers rather except for dampeners?

Yes, it's called Talodine, and various variants thereof.

Does Ortega need to be touching something to conduct electricity, or is it more of an area effect?

Touching. However, if they are suited up, they have access to equipment to help them use their powers at a distance, not unlike what a taser does. Shoot small metal projectile with a conductive cord. Or, like Sidestep used to say, low-budget lightning. Ortega was always quick to point out that their budget was very high.

How many siblings does Chen have (himself excluded)?

Four. Three sisters, one brother. All younger.

Do any of the rangers have drinks named after them?

Quite a few of them. Think the most widespread is 'the Charge', but I know too little about booze to make up recipes.

Theoretically what would happen if Ortega anyone with mods in that vein was hit by something like a taser?

No effect. Mods like that tends to include failsafes against overloads that would work against tasers as well. For Ortega, it might also means a quick topping up, they have limited ability to absorb current.

Is it super dangerous for telepaths to touch minds, or was heartbreak special with how they effected step?

Heartbreak was special. It's not inherently dangerous for telepaths to touch minds, but the potential for things going wrong is bigger. Most of the time it won't be an issue smoking at the gas station, but the signs are there for a reasons. Huge consequences.

What would be the New Years Resolution that the Ranger and our favorite scientist would make, and would they follow through with it?

Mortum doesn't give new years resolutions often, but they would 100% follow through on them.

Ortega does a lot of the classics, like drinking less, or start reading more, and always fails come February.

Argent makes snarky ones that can't fail, like "keep being perfect".

Steel always makes a promise trying to hold Ortega to their promise, and gives up around February.

Herald honestly tries to better himself with making a promise like "will do a drawing every week", but bites off too much and realizes he doesn't have the time to follow through sometime late spring.

Do re-gene tattoos get done by an individual tattooer or a machine? Are they all the same, or specific to each re-gene (except for the barcode)? Are they done before or after the re-gene is decanted?

The tattoos are done by an individual, and each are unique and specific to the Re-Gene in question. They are done after they are decanted and their powers have been classified, since some of the designs and color choices are affected by that.

What kind of jurisdiction do corporate sponsored heroes have? Do they operate more as fancy private security for said corporations' interests, or do they have some kind of actual legal/policing authority?

The Free West Territories have a different approach to law enforcement than the US. The actual jurisdiction varies. On one end, some are nothing more than fancy private security/bodyguards for corporate interest, but you can buy much wider licenses by investing in the City Council system.

In essence, a company can buy a license to operate as a law-enforcing entity. The LDPD and the Guardians can be seen as a communal effort from the ruling companies to pool their risks and resources. Some companies buy licenses for their heroes/teams, and have lucrative deals with the private prisons to make sure they have access to cheap labor. The legal system, while in theory similar to the US one, puts a lot more focus on monetary assets, and there is no jury system. Money talks, in more ways than one.

It's not corruption if the law is on your side.

When it comes to the villain armor designs Sidestep can have, did Dr. Mortum have any favorite design among them?

I think Mortum would be most fond of the mysterious armor with a cape, there's a certain flare that that they would be proud of.

At the Farm how are Re-genes taught to view each other?

Like tools in the same set, working together but not forming close bonds. It's not always successful.

Do fighter/military Re-genes already have their blue-gray skin when they are decanted or is that something that comes afterward?

That is something that is added in the second round of processing, once they have had their powers classified and their tattoos added. It's a gradual shift, building up over time.

When is it decided whether Re-gene will be tasked for infiltration or fighting? Is it decided before they are decanted or after they know what kind of powers the Re-gene has?

After decanting and the initial round of power assessment.

What's every RO's favourite holiday classic?

I know too little about holiday classics to say that, we have our own Swedish variants so I have no clue.

How many vehicles has Ortega wrecked over the years?

Oh shit. Quite a few. Maybe between ten and thirty?

Assuming Ortega wasn't dating a same gender/nb step in the past, are they out to anyone?

Yes. At this point Owl knows pretty much all their darkest secrets.

What's Ortega's favorite meal that tía Elena makes?

Chicken Mole.

What's Danny's preferred drawing medium?

Pencils and charcoal, he likes the simplicity of it, he doesn't freeze up and double-check himself like with acrylics. He would love to get better at watercolors, probably one of his many new years resolutions.

This might be kind of random, but do you have any headcanon voices (or I suppose canon in this case) for the characters?

I am so bad at headcanon anything, so sadly I don't.

Would you mind explaining some of the energy aspects of the armor. Like how long can it be used, how is it recharged,how well it functions with no power. Stuff like that.

It varies slightly depending on the build, but here are some general facts:

The armor can be recharged off the grid, plugging it in and leaving it overnight will get it back into shape. There are options for fast-charging, and every base has one of those hookups. If done there, it takes about an hour from completely empty to full.

The armor will work and be mobile with no power, but the Armored variant will be harder to move in. The helmet has to be opened, since the air circulation and the HUD will be down. This doesn't affect/hurt the Rat King.

If the armor is running on low power, the air filter, HUD and general movement aids will work, but the special effects won't. No extra strength, no cooled telepathic coils, no jump-jets and the extra armor will still make it clumsier than normal. It can run on low power for around a week, it's not a draining setting.

Normal power output enables all outputs and maximum fighting capacity. Depending on how recklessly it's used, it will last for two or three fights, or a day or two of full activity. I have not tracked energy expenditure yet since there has been no reason to, but if you end up in a situation where you can't slink away to reload it might become an issue.

What do Rangers and Dr. Mortum like to do on their free time?

Mortum laughs at the concept of free time, but working on their car/driving it might be the closest thing they have to a hobby.

Ortega spends a lot of time on the streets, riding their bike, going to parties/clubs and hanging out with people. Less partying than than they used to, which might be a sign of something. Maybe even growth.

Argent likes to watch movies. She also bakes.

Herald likes to explore the city and it's surroundings, mostly from the air, but he's not above hiking (or at least he used to, before his leg got messed up). He loves the hills and the forests.

Steel likes spending time with Spoon, and talking to people who are not Rangers, and preferably don't know/care that he's the Marshal.

Among Rangers and Dr. Mortum which of them are more focused on fixing the mistakes of the past and which of them are more focused on the present possibilities?

Mortum and Steel are focused on the present. Argent is focused solely on the future. Ortega and Herald are still dragging too much past baggage to be truly free.

Does Dr. Mortum have any particular thoughts or opinions on any of the Rangers?

Mortum has a scientific interest in Ortega, and is quite fond of the ex-Marshal. They never fought, but Charge is an easy hero to be enamored of, even as a villain.

They have no specific views on Herald other than that he's a hero, sure. Steel is of professional interest, but military men tends to be boring, and that kind of mods are just crude. Argent is the enigma, Mortum has some theories, but they all seem very implausible. Would be a nice test subject if they ever had time.

Did Hollow Ground ever arrange a meeting with Psychopathor or Catastrofiend when they became the kingpin?

Of course. It went well with Psychopathor, and was a very expensive one with the Catastrofiend. Still, HG could outbid mostly everyone for their services, so...

Did Sidestep have the power to possess people before the heartbreak incident?

Nope. Wasn't even on their radar.

Not story related, but what happens to the dashingdon game once you submit the final draft to COG? I may or may not be writing my thesis on this series and I'd like to know if/when Retribution is going to disappear on me 😅

It will go down eventually, but I am not sure when. But, rest assured that we can arrange for you to have access for your thesis, so nothing to worry about there.

Do you listen to music while you're writing and if so, what?

Almost always (right now it's Motörhead). I am a metalhead, so it's usually in the thrash-death area, but sometimes I go softer. Beethoven is my goto when I can't have lyrics, and I had a period when I was super into vietnam-era rock. Going to link some spotify playlists here. Most are curated for the order you need to play them in, no randoms:

Retribution metal playlist

Retribution non-metal (put on random)

My personal Sidestep one