QnA for June! (Patreon)

Are there boosts that took the hero drug and gained notable powers from it, but didn't choose to become a hero? do they live their lives normally, but with added superpowers?

Some do. There are powers that are useful for a career out of costume, which would give you great advantages in real life. Unfortunately many of the people desperate enough to chance the boost drugs did not start with having a normal life, so it would be hard to go back to one.

If telepathy is a relatively rare power, how rare is telekinesis?

It's more common, but it's rare to have it on a level stronger than what you could lift normally. Might run into a user in book three...

Does the hero drug work on animals?

Oh yes. Animal testing is very common, and there has been some very dangerous creations that has escaped in the past. The most well known is the laser dolphin who is making shipping uncertain on the Los Diablos coastline. This was also how the Rat King was created.

How much of a strain would it be on sidestep to connect to the mind of someone with an incredibly active mind, such as someone with OCD or Schizophrenia? 

Not much of a difference, honestly. Just like switching to a different station on the radio.

If you are mob boss can you control your crew like you controlled the wolfpack when they fought the Regenes?

Potentially, yes. So far it hasn't been necessary.

What does Steel think of the possible armor combinations as both a user and something he is going against? As a part of this, are the telepathic boosters something that people can notice in general?

The telepathic boosters are not something most people would notice, you would have to do a through technical scan to pick them up. 

As for Steel's views:

Armor/Strength: Standard military bruiser, dangerous but straightforward. Deploying heavier weaponry should deal with them, preferably at a distance.

Speed/Strength: Dangerous glass-cannon. The one with the potential to inflict the most damage. Area attacks should work, collateral damage is acceptable.

Speed/Telepathy: Annoying. Very hard to hit. Almost as if they've got eyes in the back of their neck. Slowing them down would be a priority. 

Armor/Telepathy: Defensive. Manipulative. Make sure to plan for anything.

How big of a deal would it be if the entirely of The Guardians were wiped? Would this reflect poorly on the major? Can this come to pass if Sidestep plays their cards right?

It would be a big deal, and it would affect the Mayor. Perhaps not reflect poorly on her, but she would lose a strong asset. And yes, Sidestep might be able to do that.

In Rebirth, when you meet Ortega again (and "had a thing" in the past) they say "But you were the one I was..."  Could you finish that sentence please?

"But you were the one that I was in love with." Yep. Indeed.

Did Ortega find Sidestep by following the Puppet that early on?  It was said that the Puppet had found the bland café first, but it better suited Sidestep, so they began to go there....

Yes, that is entirely correct.

If it isn't too much of a spoiler, can you tell us a little bit about what Ortega's intentions are with Hollow Ground if they were to ever catch them? Do they plan to turn them over to the authorities? 

Oh boy. I'm not even sure Ortega knows. The problem here is that the authorities might just not care at this point, Ortega's turned rather paranoid. More... permanent measures might be needed.

How exactly did Sidestep escape from the Farm, especially the second time? Is this headcanon territory, or will there be any choices regarding this?

It will most likely remain headcanon territory for the first escape. The second one we will get into at one point, and yes, there will be choices involved.

Would we be able to give ratking a body device  that they can control?

In most paths, yes.

Can we add something more to our suit or it stay the same since the start?

I am not sure yet, it is possible. We'll see if I want to deal with the coding.

Why didn’t Elena get into the Olympics?

She had problems with injuries, which eventually put an end to her career.

Was Ortega raised Catholic? If so, does that at all influence them in present time?

Yes, but it was not a deeply religious household. I think they are more culturally catholic than religious. The influences are mostly there on holy days and celebrations.

When Sidestep says they have “an extensive education”, what does that entail?

Several languages, a solid basis in history and politics, a general knowledge of the arts and culture. 

Is there anything you can tell us about Regina and her relationship to Sidestep? Just how much of a hand did she personally have in creating the mess that is our beloved protagonist?

I won't give many details yet, but she did have a big hand in creating the Sidestep mess. She's driven, manipulative, competitive, competent and ruthless.

How old was Anathema at the time of their death?

28 years old.

Just how much do the Rangers + Mortum trust their intuition? Neither of them strike me as superstitious, but are they? How much do they believe in fate?

Hmmm I think the one who trusts their intuition the most, is Ortega. The second one is Herald. Argent and Chen are more skeptical, as is Mortum. None of them are truly superstitious. In a way, I think Mortum would be the most superstitious of them, but about weird lab things. I've yet to meet a scientist who wasn't.

It's been mentioned a couple of times that Ricardo's relationship with his father and Julia's relationship with him differs somewhat. I was curious if there are also some nuances in their relationship with Elena? Or is that relationship essentially the same?

The relationship is essentially the same with Elena, I don't see any difference there. Well, I think perhaps that Ricardo gets more praise for helping with the houswork, but life is unfair like that.

What happens to Sidestep’s body when they go to another person’s mind? (like they can do if they agree to “help” Lady Argent). Does their body go comatose/unconscious like it does if Sidestep takes possession of other people?

In short, there are four stages of telepathic contact. The first one is the subconscious one, what Sidestep uses all the time to pick up on threats and keep track of where people are. Think of it like peripheral vision but for telepathy. The second one is reading thoughts, it can be shallow scans, or deep readings, but Sidestep is still in their body, and though they might get distracted, they are aware of their surroundings. The third one is where things gets tricky (and most telepaths never get here).

To go into someone's mind is essentially leaving your body on autopilot. Sidestep is still somewhat aware, their body remains in what position they left it (at least if sitting, standing can have balance issues), and if they are hurt, they would feel it. In other ways they are blind and deaf to the world, sees nothing, hears nothing. Pain is the one thing that breaks through, a final safeguard to stop getting lost. This is what was used when 'helping' Argent.

The fourth step is possession, fully taking control of the host body and not just influencing it. Then Sidestep's body is entirely abandoned. It collapses to the ground, seemingly comatose. It is unknown whether there are any brain activity that would show up on scans, Sidestep has not exactly explored that. Nothing that happens to the abandoned body registers, it is unknown whether enough damage would trigger an instinctual return. 

How old was Marshal Hood when he took the boost drug? Why did he take the drug?

Marshal Hood was fifteen. And, as he would have put it, he took it because he was a damn stupid kid who thought he was immortal and that it would have been a kick to have superpowers. He is a west coast native, and was twelve when the big one hit. He never was one of the ones lucky enough to be evacuated, and lived through the worst parts of the disaster. He didn't feel he had much to lose, and when the biker gang he was part of at the time got hold of a cache of the drugs, he was all too eager to take the chance. Let's put it this way, it was not a coincidence that he got geokinesis powers.

Do any of the Rangers or Dr. Mortum have any recurring dreams? 

Ortega has them, especially when stress (which is most of the time lately). There are two common ones, one a true nightmare which is a mixture of Sidestep's death during Heartbreak, and their own fall. The details might change, the terror does not. There is also one which is more of a stressmare, walking around a big party filled with faceless people looking for someone but being worried about what to do when they find them.

Herald has nightmares about his brother's death on a regular basis.

Argent doesn't remember her dreams.

Chen doesn't have any recurring ones, they tend to vary, working out what's been stressing him during the week.

Dr. Mortum used to have a recurring dream, an academic version of being naked in front of your audience, stripped down so everyone could see the truth. But it was a long time since they had them now, some wounds time does heal.

What kind of morning routine do Dr. Mortum and the Rangers have?

Ortega: Proper breakfast, shower and coffee, or they will be grumpy all day.

Herald: Bagel on the go, often eaten while flying, but a shower is a must.

Chen: Cybernetic cleaning and self-care and something to drink, then walking spoon before work. He's up the earliest of all of them.

Argent: Leisurely breakfast. Possibly takeaway from the night before, she always orders extra for the next day. Then picking up fresh baked goods on the way to work for a second breakfast there. On good days, physical therapy.

Dr. Mortum: Leftovers, coffee and reading up the latest science news. Tends to spend an hour or two each morning reading before work, it's easier to find the time to do that before they gets wrapped up in something. The last one of them to wake up, they are a night owl.

How did villain days Mortum feel about their monologues and their act as a villain? 

Villain days Mortum was acting the part. If they wanted respect as a villain, they needed to act like one. It was fun at times, sure, but their heart wasn't really in it. It was for show more than anything, but at the time they were very used to playing a role.

Friendship wise, how different is Ortega’s dynamic with Chen and Lady Argent?

They are both good friends, but the dynamic is very different.

With Chen: There's always been a straight shooter/wildcard dynamic with Chen. While they superficially might seem different, they do have a lot of things in common. If anything, they tend to exaggerate certain parts of themself because they trust their friend to shoot down their worst ideas. Theirs is a relaxed friendship, they know each other well, and though they do argue, it's always with the knowledge that they also rely on that. 

With Argent: This is a different dynamic. Angie reminds Ortega of themselves, they have many similar urges and habits. Here, Ortega gets to be the more mature one, calming down situations Argent might have exacerbated. 

Is there specific reason why Sidestep became a hero?

I am leaving that one up to headcanons, but I think it is safe to say that Ortega at least had a lot to do with them remaining one.

What was HB trying to convey to Sidestep if they made Sidestep see the vision of the experiment? 

It might not have been a voluntary act, but catastrophic bleedover, powers and memories mixing. At the time, Heartbreak was hardly coherent, so it was unclear if they were attempting to convey a message. But if they were... what would it be? (No answers from me... yet)

How was Sidestep doing money-wise back in their hero days? 

Not good. Whatever money they got was burned through quickly, and Ortega and Anathema worried a lot about their finances. Signing on with the Rangers would have brought some stability to their live.

What happened to the apartment building where the Heartbreak occurred? Is it still in use? 

It collapsed in an explosion. The rubble was cleared away, making space for a new building, but the project was abandoned halfway through. The building, and the surrounding block, is all but deserted. It has a very bad reputation for disappearances, and the current consensus is that it's haunted. The people who've stayed in the neighborhood are the ones too desperate to move or care. It's become an urban legend, covered in graffiti. It is a common challenged to go there, tag it, and take a pick to prove you were there. Not everyone returns.

What kind of mask/persona do Dr. Mortum and the Rangers prefer to show in public? Do any of them act lot differently with people they don’t know well compared to people they are close with?

Ortega: You know that mask, the charming, confident, flirty hero. A bit of a swashbuckler, not too smart, but with sharp enough wit to gut you if you let your guard down.

Chen: Retreats to military training. All business. Short with people he has no patience for. Goes full officer when he has to deal with politicians.

Argent: Fickle, sexy, dangerous. Can walk away from interviews. Implies threats now and then. The Rangers media team has a handful with her, but they've learned to work with it.

Herald: Considerate. Soft-spoken. Can project authority when he need to. Gives people he talks with the feeling that he actually wants to talk with them.

Dr. Mortum: Flamboyant. Confident. Professional. Always in control.

If Sidestep would have been forced to meet Dr. Mortum from the very beginning how different would Mortum have been toward them compared to Puppet? Would Mortum have dared to accept their job offer (let alone deepen the relationship from mere business to friendship or romance) or would they have been too wary? Would Sidestep even dared to approach the good doctor? 

Dr. Mortum would never have accepted that offer. They do research on prospective clients, and they would have spotted the Sidestep connection. Not worth the risk, a telepath and former (they say) hero is dangerous. Sidestep would not have dared to approach Dr. Mortum in person for the same reasons. Being recognized would be bad.

What do Herald and Lady Argent think of Ortega’s lonely crusade against HG?

In this they agree, they are worried Ortega is taking it too far. But, on the other hand, it keeps Ortega busy, and it's better to be busy than depressed.

Considering Dr. Mortum’s curiosity on the strange and unknown, what did the good doctor think if Sidestep managed acquire a sample from Lady Argent? 

Fascinating. Dr. Mortum would have loved a larger one, perhaps with flesh attached.

what is a memory (or memories) the Rangers and Dr. Mortum like to think/remember when life around them feels too difficult or complicated? Would any of them rather distract themselves by doing something rather than dwelling on memories?  

Honestly, they are all prone to distract themselves by doing something rather than think or get lost in memories. They wouldn't have ended up in the positions they are otherwise.

Do any of the Rangers or Dr. Mortum have a memory they would consider their “happiest”?

Herald: When he was accepted into the Rangers, that was a dream come true.

Argent: Probably a childhood one, but she'd be hard pressed to pick one.

Chen: The latest time Spoon did something cute.

Ortega: Too many. Would not be able to pick one. Lots of them are Sidestep and Hood related.

At what point of Re-genes development is the boost drug given to them? 

At what stage of their physical development are ReGenes administered the boost drug? (e.g. when they're embryos, toddlers, etc.)

It varies. The Farm is still working on perfecting the process. Sometimes it is added early, sometimes late. Sometimes in a big gose, or several smaller ones, or a constant drip during development They are trying to perfect the process. In general, it is around the midpoint of the growing process, as losses then are less expensive than at the end stage.

If Puppet is friends with Ortega, is Dr. Mortum aware of it? If yes, is Mortum aware whether the friendship is genuine or just trying to get information?

In some cases, if you haven't had the talk yet, I'm not going to divulge the information yet. 

Were Anathema, Sentinel, or Sunstream aware of Ortega’s crusade against HG? Did they have any thoughts on it? 

Anathema understood, and was probably the most supportive one (if not much help). Sentinel and Sunstream shared Chen's views and thought it had become an obsession. Cant bring back the dead.

Where would fighter Sidestep, tactician Sidestep, Ortega, Chen, and Lady Argent fall in the terms of fighting skills if there were no powers involved, just pure skill? Also, would any of the mentioned characters be aware of their ranking or would any of them think they are actually better or worse?

Oh, pure skills. Hmmm... some of them rely on their powers so much but I will make an attempt, and arguments can be made for a different ranking. From best to worst.

Ortega. Lost of experience, training, and very good body control even without (and before) powers. Very fast natural reflexes and strength.

Fighter Sidestep. Same as for Ortega, but I would rank Ortega slightly higher. They would argue about it forever though, each claiming they were better than the other. If I should specify, I would say a tall Sidestep might rank higher than Ortega, the others would lose out due to reach.

Chen: Solid foundation, much experience, good reflexes and high strength. Falls short because he's not as unpredictable as the other two.

Tactician Sidestep: Same as Chen, but not as strong.

Lady Argent: She's the one relying on her powers the most, not at all the same base in training and skill as the others.

Have rest of the Rangers met Spoon much?

Yes, he's often spending time in Chen's office when he knows he has to do a lot of paperwork. Ortega spoils him silly, Herald tends to dogsit when meetings pop up, and Argent keeps a respectful distance. 

What differences and similarities do infiltration Re-genes and fighter Re-genes training have? Are infiltration and fighter Re-genes allowed to interact with each other or are they kept separate due to their different purposes? 

I won't go into detail, but there are difference. Infiltration units learn more about human culture in order to fit in, they never bother with that for the fighter ones. On the other hand, the fighters recieve a lot more tactical and weapons training. They are allowed to interact, but much of the training is separate, so there is a noticeable divider between the two groups.

Is Hollow Ground aware/suspecting that Sidestep's villain armor was made by Dr. Mortum?

Yes, very much so.

Without saying who, are there going to be deaths that are completely unavoidable?

No.

Hollow Ground claims to have kept their hands clean the entire time they've been working under the alias. Ortega at the very least Knows that they are the one who sent the kill order for Hood, but are they aware that, assuming HG is being truthful, they weren't the one who directly killed Hood? If yes, what happened to the person who did pull the assassination of? Is Ortega aware of their identity and if so what they do with them? Alternatively, are they still working under Hollow Ground/are they even still alive?

Ortega equals sending the kill order with actually pulling the trigger. No difference. In fact, they are less obsessed with the actual assassin than the one who sent them. Ortega has an idea who it was, and they are still alive and working for HG. Ortega is biding their time...

What would the Rangers + Mortum each list as their biggest flaw and their biggest merit? What do you consider their actual biggest flaw/merit?

Ortega: impatient/clever (actually stubborn/loyal)

Chen: hesitant/thorough (kinda agrees on that)

Argent: harsh/controlled (actually overconfident/protective)

Herald: insecure/empathic (actually insecure/inspiring)

Mortum: reckless/brilliant (actually insular/brilliant)

Roughly, how many regene are currently known to be alive?

I honestly have no idea. Perhaps a hundred, more if we count ones under development.

After this series is finished will you be making more choice games? If so, would they also be superhero based or something else?

Yes. I have fallen in love with interactive fiction. Would be hard to go back to books. I think I want to switch tracks, I've got way too many ideas for stories, in wildly different genres. I think I will have said what I wanted to say with superheroes by then.

Would Julia have had a quinceañera?

Yes. And there probably hangs a picture on Elena's wall of the most pained looking Julia in a pretty ballgown trying to smile for the camera. She was deep in her rebellious teens then, no belle of the ball there.

Other than their mother are there any other relatives Ortega is/was quite close to?

Not super close as seeing them often and talking to them all the time, but there's probably some aunts and cousins they keep in contact with outside the times they meet during holidays and family get-togethers. I haven't detailed any of them though, so I can't name names.

How does ortegas family feel about them being modded/being a ranger?

 Elena has made her peace with it, the rest of the relatives range between slightly horrified, impressed, and bragging about my cousing the Ranger all the time.

What is Tia Elena's opinion on Ricardo's moustache?

His father would have hated it.

Does she prefer he have one facial hair style over another?

Not really her son is handsome no matter what.

If Ricardo shaved off the moustache or started growing a beard, does she wonder what prompted the change?

No, Ortega tends to do things like that on a regular basis, at least the hair is not blue this time.

Is the rival variable something that’s planned to evolve in the next two books, either with new rivals added to the list or by disappearing altogether as relationships and Sidestep’s self-perception evolve?

I'll have to see, it is planned to evolve, but in exactly what way I don't know yet.

Oh and actually........... could you spare a teeny-tiny detail or two about Ortega’s mindscape?

Noooope. 

I'm curious, What actually happened between Riley and Ortega

Basically, Riley and Ortega had a fling. Or rather, Ortega saw it as a fling, but Riley saw it as something a lot deeper and when Ortega started to pull back, things turned bad. Lots of passive-aggressiveness, threats of self-harm, and from Ortega's view, Riley was on the verge of a proper breakdown. They got cold feet, and thought that Sidestep might help to fix it, break the fixation. Taking the easy way out so to speak, better for both of them.

Bit of a silly question, but now that Sidestep's back in her life, would Julia ever consider growing her hair back out again?

Possibly, but it will take some time.

For the un-Boosted ROs: Who would survive getting boosted? And for the ones who do, what sort of powers do you see them manifesting?

Hmmm rolled the die to check, neither would survive. 

Unique powers notwithstanding, how tech-savvy are the ROs + the Hollow Ground trio? How would you rank them in terms of their knowledge?

From most to least: Dr. Mortum-Lady Argent-Chen-Nocturne-Ortega-HG-Herald-Jake.

What sort of relationship would Anathema have with Herald and Lady Argent, had they survived?

Anathema would have liked them both! Would have become best friends with Lady Argent.

Is tia elena aware of sidestep's abilities?

To some extent, yes.

I couldn't help but notice Lady Argent doesn't make an appearance in the Villain AU.  This suprised me a bit because Dr. Mortum and even Ace are briefly mentioned. So I was wondering, what's she up to in that AU?

Still with her family, never became a hero.

What would happen if you were to put a virus on a Re-genes chip? 

Probably leading to them getting purged before the process was complete. They have good quality control.

What happens if for some reason they can't tattoo a Re-gene? Like if their boost were to give them skin similar to Argents.

So far, that has not been an issue. The method they use is very powerful.

Does Hollow Ground have an armored suit? Or has he never really needed one before? 

Nope, never needed one.

Are any of the Rangers or Dr. Mortum going to watch that Heartbreak movie? 

Argent would, and probably Herald. 

Would Ortega have reacted differently to a Puppet that looks like Sidestep if he had never run into Sidestep at the diner?

Perhaps, it is hard to say. I am honestly not sure here.

Okay, silly question, but how are the Rangers as drivers, ranked from best to worst? 

Ortega-Chen-Lady Argent-Herald. Dr. Mortum might give Ortega a run for the title depending on whether it's car or bike.