A conversation with ortega

Subject: Ricardo Felipe José García Ortega

Registration ID: Charge

Defunct RID entries: Marshal Charge

Birthdate: 26th of May, 1982

Blood type: B+

Height: 6ft/183cm

Weight: 190lb/86kg

Classification: Type B modified human

Modifications: Neural weave, enhanced joint/bone structure, electricity generation.

---

Subject: Julia Esperanza Maria García Ortega

Registration ID: Charge

Defunct RID entries: Marshal Charge

Birthdate: 26th of May, 1982

Blood type: B+

Height: 6ft/183cm

Weight: 163lb/74kg

Classification: Type B modified human

Modifications: Neural weave, enhanced joint/bone structure, electricity generation.

---

Below are attached documents, depending on whether Ricardo or Julia is the Ortega in question.

---

(since some people had issues downloading, I am amending this post with the interviews. First Julia, after that Ricardo).

--- JULIA---

Transcript of A Night With The Stars, 02x09 - unaired.

[Pre-Show sound test, not for broadcast. Julia Ortega and Marcus Campbell on set]

Ortega: "Ah, Mr. Campbell, it's been a while. They didn't tell me you would be doing the interview."

Campbell: "If they had, would you have agreed?"

Ortega: "Of course. You're a consummate professional and I am sure you will write an article that won't get you sued this time."

Campbell: "Oh please, we only know you are agreeing to this because of all the bad press lately."

Ortega: "Maybe I was bored."

Campbell: "That is true, you were injured. I hear you don't heal as well as you used to."

Ortega: "I thought we were saving this for the cameras?"

Campbell: "I thought we were being polite on camera? I've got strict instructions."

Ortega: "Ah, instructions. The one thing both of us are so fond of."

Campbell: "Your charm won't work on me, Julia."

Ortega: "It will on your viewers."

A1: "The sound is fine, Mr. Campbell, we are picking up both of you perfectly. No interference from Ms. Ortega's mods."

Campbell: "Good, we're ready when you are Davies."

[Music plays]

Campbell: "Welcome to 'A Night With The Stars', I'm your host, Marcus Campbell, and tonight I am sitting down for a conversation with none other than the former Marshal of Los Diablos herself, the famous Charge."

Ortega: "Thank you, Marcus, it's certainly been a while. I do have to say, I love your new studio."

Campbell: "So the question on everyone's lips right now is your decision to call off your upcoming thirty-ninth birthday party. Any comments what lies behind that decision?"

Ortega: "With events recently, it didn't feel like it was the best time for another public gathering. Besides, I already got the best birthday present any woman can hope for, so I'm good."

[studio laughter]

Campbell: "So it had nothing to do with worries about approaching forty?"

Ortega: "I still have another year to go before I'll wrestle that particular beast. It really was just unfortunate timing."

Campbell: "No thoughts about settling down and start a family? I am sure that enough people have reminded you that the clock is ticking."

Ortega: "They certainly do. And they have nothing to do with my choices in life, and whether I start a family or not."

Campbell: "If I may strike a more serious tone here, you did retire once, what made you come back to active service?"

Ortega: "I resigned as Marshal after a terrible event that I know many people in this city remember with me. The Heartbreak attack cost me two of my closest friends. They died in the line of duty, to stop things from becoming even worse than they were. I might have succeeded in stopping the threat and keeping the city safe, but I failed as Marshal. I failed as a friend."

Campbell: "But you reconsidered?"

Ortega: "I did. Grief didn't mean that the city had become any safer, the team was short-handed as it were, so I returned to active duty. "

Campbell: "As an ordinary Ranger."

Ortega: "I won't lead people into battle again. Marshal Steel handles that part excellently."

Campbell: "Was that the reason why the attack on the benefit gala was that badly handled? Because the Marshal was not present?"

Ortega: "You would have to ask the Marshal about that. But I can say that yes, we failed. There was no indication of an attack, the villain was unknown to us, and they succeeded in dividing and conquer."

Campbell: "High praise for an enemy, I am surprised."

Ortega: "As was I. We were there as guests, not to provide security. The re-opening of the Heroic Heritage Museum was a grand event for this city, and I would have supposed that Mayor Alvarez would have taken the risk of an attack into account."

Campbell: "Are you putting the blame for this on the Mayor?"

Ortega: "Of course not, the blame lays squarely on the parties responsible for the attack, but I would have assumed that the number of important guests would have warranted more security than was present. The Guardians answer directly to the city council, they would have been the obvious choice."

Campbell: "According to the Mayor's statement, they had been sent north to assist with clearing the area around Soledad."

Ortega: "Of course they were. I am sure that was within Mayor Alvarez jurisdiction as well."

Campbell: "Well, well, we are not here to talk about the Mayor, but about you. Now that you have some distance to your time as Marshal, would you think you have lived up to Marshal Hood's legacy?"

Ortega: "That's a tall legacy to live up to."

[studio laughter]

Campbell: "He was not named after Mount Hood just for his earth powers."

[more studio laughter]

Ortega: "That is a tough question to answer, though. Hood was the first Marshal appointed to Los Diablos after the president made the Ranger system official back in -97 but he was already a seasoned hero. He had roots in this city that I doubt any of us can equal. Ten years as Marshal is tough to compete with."

Campbell: "And you had what? Six years?"

Ortega: "Almost seven. So, I don't think I can compare. Los Diablos might have been smaller back then, but it was also more violent."

Campbell: "As was his end. That is your big unsolved crime, is it not? You never pinned down a murdered despite your very public vows."

Ortega: "I'm not retired yet."

Campbell: "Any leads?"

Ortega: "You know I can't talk about that."

Campbell: "Can't blame me for trying. But I do have to say you look better than I expected for someone who was in the hospital not even a month ago. A new spring in your step. A glint in your eye even."

Ortega: "Well thank you for noticing."

Campbell: "Is there perhaps someone new I should be asking about? It was a while since your last whirlwind romance graced the headlines."

Ortega: "I leave that to the younger generation, even I have to slow down some time."

Campbell: "Ah yes, Lady Argent and Herald, have there been any issues with an in-team romance?"

Ortega: "I wish I could say no, but workplace romance always means trouble. I am sure the kids will work it out eventually."

Campbell: "You know there were rumors about you and..."

Ortega: "You know better than to go there, Marcus. I thought we were talking about me?"

Campbell: "Fair. I do want this talk to be nice and civil."

[studio laughter]

Ortega: "Would be a shame if you had to get a new studio again, I mean."

Campbell: "You had an interview with Mel Ruiz over at Channel 3 where you were quite vocal about what you felt about the villain that landed you in the hospital. Anything you want to elaborate on here?"

Ortega: "Not in a nice and civil way. But the truth of the matter is that there are always new villains in this city. Most don't last. Ask me again if they're still here in a year."

Campbell: "You wouldn't rank them as a major threat then?"

Ortega: "That's for the betting sites to decide. But my definition of a major threat is the Catastrofiend, so I think they have ways to go yet."

Campbell: "Speaking of the Catastrofiend, it has not been spotted since the Phoenix massacre, can we really hope that monster is dead?"

Ortega: "It has never stayed quiet this long before, none of our sources have turned up a thing. I am cautiously optimistic."

Campbell: "Cautiously? Charge? Is there a name change in store in the future?"

Ortega: "Cautious doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well."

Campbell: "That is true, and if I am not mistaken, Charge was your nickname back in your youth as well?"

[video footage of a young Julia and four other youths roll on the screen, they are waving at the camera, wearing climbing gear]

Ortega: "Where did you... dios mio, where did you find those old videos? I thought that they had all been purged?"

Campbell: "I got in contact with an old friend of yours that still had the originals."

Ortega: "Amazing, is this from the El Capitan climb? What can I have been... seventeen?"

Campbell: "Yes, that's correct. Weren't you supposed to return later to attempt a free climb?"

Ortega: "It was staged as a rehearsal yes, that's what we sold the footage as. But between you and me, once we got up, we had to call off that idea. Too risky."

Campbell: "Too risky for Charge?"

Ortega: "It was a group decision. And it was a moot point anyway."

Campbell: "That is true, your next project was the one that..."

Ortega: "That ended with my accident yes. We split up after that."

Campbell: "Did you know Marek sold the footage of the accident?"

Ortega: "I did tell you we split up. That was one of the reasons."

Campbell: "He told me he did it to pay for the hospital bills. You were not the only one that was injured."

Ortega: "True, I have no hard feelings these days."

Campbell: "Back then?"

Ortega: "I was furious, of course. I blamed him for it. I also blamed God, the weather forecast, fate... and eventually myself."

Campbell: "It can't have been easy, paralyzed at such a young age. Not with the life you lived. Daredevil, parkour artist, free climber..."

Ortega: "Anything that would shoot a good video. We had fun, me, and the rest. Better than what other options we had back then."

Campbell: "No thoughts of joining your army like your father?"

Ortega: "Not until I couldn't say no, I might not wear the uniform, but it is military technology that enables me to be Charge."

Campbell: "Why don't you? Wear the uniform? Most Mods that the military invest in do get sent abroad."

Ortega: "For the same reason that Steel doesn't. The initial investment might have been US Army, but it's the Ranger's project that's footing the bill now."

Campbell: "Do you think your father would have wished you to? To my knowledge, he was instrumental in you getting chosen to get Enhanced after your accident."

Ortega: "My father is dead."

Campbell: "That is true. I take it that's no comment then?"

Ortega: "I can't speak with the dead."

Campbell: "And your mother then? She was a promising gymnast before settling down after she married. Do you think she would rather have had you follow in her footsteps and become an athlete rather than this risky a career?"

Ortega: "I am sure you already tried to ask her that before this show, didn't you?"

Campbell: "We do our research. Alas, she declined to comment."

Ortega: "As she should. You're skirting close to making this episode unairable, you know."

Campbell: "You have to take risks to make good television. If I wanted a polite interview about approved subjects I would have stayed with my old employers."

Ortega: "I can't argue with that. Let's see how this goes then, that particular call is out of our hands."

Campbell: "I am going to ask another question then, which I am sure is on the mind for many of our viewers. Any plans for new members? Ever since the Heartbreak terrorist attack, you have been more shorthanded than is usual for a Rangers team."

Ortega: "You know I can't answer those speculations, Marcus."

Campbell: "I know Sentinel technically is retired, but he has been helping out with disaster management so maybe he is getting restless?"

[footage of Sentinel in action, a stocky black man in an armored skinsuit, blue cape whipped by winds as he's taking off]

Ortega: "He also has a family, and being a Ranger is a different kind of commitment than helping out."

Campbell: "Fair, and I suppose there still has been no sign of Sunstream?"

Ortega: "It's almost been a decade. Let her nurse her wounds in peace."

Campbell: "So you are in contact with her then?"

Ortega: "I didn't say that. Just that she was in bad shape when she left, and if she wanted to be found, she would have reached out by now."

Campbell: "Ashfall was one of the most promising associates, any comment about the fact that he chose to join the San Francisco Rangers instead of Los Diablos' once he got accepted?"

[footage of a masked young man in a grey skinsuit, fighting modded henchmen]

Ortega: "Ashfall... no, I'm sorry. It's Pyroclast now I suppose. I can't blame him for wanting to leave town, we were all hurt by what happened."

Campbell: "There are rumors of an argument between you and him?"

Ortega: "There are a lot of rumors about me, and I had stepped down as Marshal at the time. I doubt I was the deciding factor."

Campbell: "You do seem to be having a string of bad luck with potential members though. Wasn't there talk about Locus being considered?"

[footage of a young black woman in an ornate mask and skinsuit, barely reaching Steel's shoulder as she talks to him]

Ortega: "I can't comment on that, but the point is moot after her disappearance."

Campbell: "As I said, a string of bad luck."

Ortega: "We'll manage."

Campbell: "I am sure. Oh, and before our time runs out tonight, I wanted to hear your views on the planned movie."

"Movie?"

Campbell: "The one chronicling the Heartbreak terrorist attack? I hear they have started the casting process over in Atlanta. Any thoughts on who you would like to star as your younger self? I hear that Sidestep will be....kzzhzzz..."

[recording ends abruptly]

--- RICARDO---

Transcript of A Night With The Stars, 02x09 - unaired.

[Pre-Show sound test, not for broadcast. Ricardo Ortega and Marcus Campbell on set]

Ortega: "Ah, Mr. Campbell, it's been a while. They didn't tell me you would be doing the interview."

Campbell: "If they had, would you have agreed?"

Ortega: "Of course. You're a consummate professional and I am sure you will write an article that won't get you sued this time."

Campbell: "Oh please, we only know you are agreeing to this because of all the bad press lately."

Ortega: "Maybe I was bored."

Campbell: "That is true, you were injured. I hear you don't heal as well as you used to."

Ortega: "I thought we were saving this for the cameras?"

Campbell: "I thought we were being polite on camera? I've got strict instructions."

Ortega: "Ah, instructions. The one thing both of us are so fond of."

Campbell: "Your charm won't work on me, Ricardo."

Ortega: "It will on your viewers."

A1: "The sound is fine, Mr. Campbell, we are picking up both of you perfectly. No interference from Mr. Ortega's mods."

Campbell: "Good, we're ready when you are Davies."

[Music plays]

Campbell: "Welcome to 'A Night With The Stars', I'm your host, Marcus Campbell, and tonight I am sitting down for a conversation with none other than the former Marshal of Los Diablos himself, the famous Charge."

Ortega: "Thank you, Marcus, it's certainly been a while. I do have to say, I love your new studio."

Campbell: "So the question on everyone's lips right now is your decision to call off your upcoming thirty-ninth birthday party. Any comments what lies behind that decision?"

Ortega: "With events recently, it didn't feel like it was the best time for another public gathering. Besides, I already got the best birthday present any man can hope for, so I'm good."

[studio laughter]

Campbell: "So it had nothing to do with worries about approaching forty?"

Ortega: "I still have another year to go before I'll wrestle that particular beast. It really was just unfortunate timing."

Campbell: "You have been showing off your graying temples lately, a less confident man might have done something about that. Aren't you afraid that people will look at you and see a has-been? A hero that should have retired years ago?"

Ortega: "First, Marcus, my powers are not in my hair. And second, I would like to think that with age comes experience."

Campbell: "I am sure we would all like to think that. But, if I may strike a more serious tone here, you did retire once, what made you come back to active service?"

Ortega: "I resigned as Marshal after a terrible event that I know many people in this city remember with me. The Heartbreak attack cost me two of my closest friends. They died in the line of duty, to stop things from becoming even worse than they were. I might have succeeded in stopping the threat and keeping the city safe, but I failed as Marshal. I failed as a friend."

Campbell: "But you reconsidered?"

Ortega: "I did. Grief didn't mean that the city had become any safer, the team was short-handed as it were, so I returned to active duty. With a few more gray hairs."

Campbell: "As an ordinary Ranger."

Ortega: "I won't lead people into battle again. Marshal Steel handles that part excellently."

Campbell: "Was that the reason why the attack on the benefit gala was that badly handled? Because the Marshal was not present?"

Ortega: "You would have to ask the Marshal about that. But I can say that yes, we failed. There was no indication of an attack, the villain was unknown to us, and they succeeded in dividing and conquer."

Campbell: "High praise for an enemy, I am surprised."

Ortega: "As was I. We were there as guests, not to provide security. The re-opening of the Heroic Heritage Museum was a grand event for this city, and I would have supposed that Mayor Alvarez would have taken the risk of an attack into account."

Campbell: "Are you putting the blame for this on the Mayor?"

Ortega: "Of course not, the blame lays squarely on the parties responsible for the attack, but I would have assumed that the number of important guests would have warranted more security than was present. The Guardians answer directly to the city council, they would have been the obvious choice."

Campbell: "According to the Mayor's statement, they had been sent north to assist with clearing the area around Soledad."

Ortega: "Of course they were. I am sure that was within Mayor Alvarez jurisdiction as well."

Campbell: "Well, well, we are not here to talk about the Mayor, but about you. Now that you have some distance to your time as Marshal, would you think you have lived up to Marshal Hood's legacy?"

Ortega: "That's a tall legacy to live up to."

[studio laughter]

Campbell: "He was not named after Mount Hood just for his earth powers."

[more studio laughter]

Ortega: "That is a tough question to answer, though. Hood was the first Marshal appointed to Los Diablos after the president made the Ranger system official back in -97 but he was already a seasoned hero. He had roots in this city that I doubt any of us can equal. Ten years as Marshal is tough to compete with."

Campbell: "And you had what? Six years?"

Ortega: "Almost seven. So, I don't think I can compare. Los Diablos might have been smaller back then, but it was also more violent."

Campbell: "As was his end. That is your big unsolved crime, is it not? You never pinned down a murdered despite your very public vows."

Ortega: "I'm not retired yet."

Campbell: "Any leads?"

Ortega: "You know I can't talk about that."

Campbell: "Can't blame me for trying. But I do have to say you look better than I expected for someone who was in the hospital not even a month ago. A new spring in your step. A glint in your eye even."

Ortega: "Well thank you for noticing."

Campbell: "Is there perhaps someone new I should be asking about? It was a while since your last whirlwind romance graced the headlines."

Ortega: "I leave that to the younger generation, even I have to slow down some time."

Campbell: "Ah yes, Lady Argent and Herald, have there been any issues with an in-team romance?"

Ortega: "I wish I could say no, but workplace romance always means trouble. I am sure the kids will work it out eventually."

Campbell: "You know there were rumors about you and..."

Ortega: "You know better than to go there, Marcus. I thought we were talking about me?"

Campbell: "Fair. I do want this talk to be nice and civil."

[studio laughter]

Ortega: "Would be a shame if you had to get a new studio again, I mean."

Campbell: "You had an interview with Mel Ruiz over at Channel 3 where you were quite vocal about what you felt about the villain that landed you in the hospital. Anything you want to elaborate on here?"

Ortega: "Not in a nice and civil way. But the truth of the matter is that there are always new villains in this city. Most don't last. Ask me again if they're still here in a year."

Campbell: "You wouldn't rank them as a major threat then?"

Ortega: "That's for the betting sites to decide. But my definition of a major threat is the Catastrofiend, so I think they have ways to go yet."

Campbell: "Speaking of the Catastrofiend, it has not been spotted since the Phoenix massacre, can we really hope that monster is dead?"

Ortega: "It has never stayed quiet this long before, none of our sources have turned up a thing. I am cautiously optimistic."

Campbell: "Cautiously? Charge? Is there a name change in store in the future?"

Ortega: "Cautious doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well."

Campbell: "That is true, and if I am not mistaken, Charge was your nickname back in your youth as well?"

[video footage of a young Ricardo and four other youths roll on the screen, they are waving at the camera, wearing climbing gear]

Ortega: "Where did you... dios mio, where did you find those old videos? I thought that they had all been purged?"

Campbell: "I got in contact with an old friend of yours that still had the originals."

Ortega: "Amazing, is this from the El Capitan climb? What can I have been... seventeen?"

Campbell: "Yes, that's correct. Weren't you supposed to return later to attempt a free climb?"

Ortega: "It was staged as a rehearsal yes, that's what we sold the footage as. But between you and me, once we got up, we had to call off that idea. Too risky."

Campbell: "Too risky for Charge?"

Ortega: "It was a group decision. And it was a moot point anyway."

Campbell: "That is true, your next project was the one that..."

Ortega: "That ended with my accident yes. We split up after that."

Campbell: "Did you know Marek sold the footage of the accident?"

Ortega: "I did tell you we split up. That was one of the reasons."

Campbell: "He told me he did it to pay for the hospital bills. You were not the only one that was injured."

Ortega: "True, I have no hard feelings these days."

Campbell: "Back then?"

Ortega: "I was furious, of course. I blamed him for it. I also blamed God, the weather forecast, fate... and eventually myself."

Campbell: "It can't have been easy, paralyzed at such a young age. Not with the life you lived. Daredevil, parkour artist, free climber..."

Ortega: "Anything that would shoot a good video. We had fun, me, and the rest. Better than what other options we had back then."

Campbell: "No thoughts of joining your army like your father?"

Ortega: "Not until I couldn't say no, I might not wear the uniform, but it is military technology that enables me to be Charge."

Campbell: "Why don't you? Wear the uniform? Most Mods that the military invest in do get sent abroad."

Ortega: "For the same reason that Steel doesn't. The initial investment might have been US Army, but it's the Ranger's project that's footing the bill now."

Campbell: "Do you think your father would be disappointed? To my knowledge, he was instrumental in you getting chosen to get Enhanced after your accident."

Ortega: "My father is dead."

Campbell: "That is true. I take it that's no comment then?"

Ortega: "I can't speak with the dead."

Campbell: "And your mother then? She was a promising gymnast before settling down after she married. Do you think she would rather have had you follow in her footsteps and become an athlete rather than this risky a career?"

Ortega: "I am sure you already tried to ask her that before this show, didn't you?"

Campbell: "We do our research. Alas, she declined to comment."

Ortega: "As she should. You're skirting close to making this episode unairable, you know."

Campbell: "You have to take risks to make good television. If I wanted a polite interview about approved subjects I would have stayed with my old employers."

Ortega: "I can't argue with that. Let's see how this goes then, that particular call is out of our hands."

Campbell: "I am going to ask another question then, which I am sure is on the mind for many of our viewers. Any plans for new members? Ever since the Heartbreak terrorist attack, you have been more shorthanded than is usual for a Rangers team."

Ortega: "You know I can't answer those speculations, Marcus."

Campbell: "I know Sentinel technically is retired, but he has been helping out with disaster management so maybe he is getting restless?"

[footage of Sentinel in action, a stocky black man in an armored skinsuit, blue cape whipped by winds as he's taking off]

Ortega: "He also has a family, and being a Ranger is a different kind of commitment than helping out."

Campbell: "Fair, and I suppose there still has been no sign of Sunstream?"

Ortega: "It's almost been a decade. Let her nurse her wounds in peace."

Campbell: "So you are in contact with her then?"

Ortega: "I didn't say that. Just that she was in bad shape when she left, and if she wanted to be found, she would have reached out by now."

Campbell: "Ashfall was one of the most promising associates, any comment about the fact that he chose to join the San Francisco Rangers instead of Los Diablos' once he got accepted?"

[footage of a masked young man in a grey skinsuit, fighting modded henchmen]

Ortega: "Ashfall... no, I'm sorry. It's Pyroclast now I suppose. I can't blame him for wanting to leave town, we were all hurt by what happened."

Campbell: "There are rumors of an argument between you and him?"

Ortega: "There are a lot of rumors about me, and I had stepped down as Marshal at the time. I doubt I was the deciding factor."

Campbell: "You do seem to be having a string of bad luck with potential members though. Wasn't there talk about Locus being considered?"

[footage of a young black woman in an ornate mask and skinsuit, barely reaching Steel's shoulder as she talks to him]

Ortega: "I can't comment on that, but the point is moot after her disappearance."

Campbell: "As I said, a string of bad luck."

Ortega: "We'll manage."

Campbell: "I am sure. Oh, and before our time runs out tonight, I wanted to hear your views on the planned movie."

"Movie?"

Campbell: "The one chronicling the Heartbreak terrorist attack? I hear they have started the casting process over in Atlanta. Any thoughts on who you would like to star as your younger self? I hear that Sidestep will be....kzzhzzz..."

[recording ends abruptly]