QnA for June! (Patreon)

There was a lot of questions this time, and some fun ones! 

---

Are you more of an Architect or Gardener?

Hmmm I think I'm very much a Garden Architect. And by that, I mean that I have a central structure (which I need to have in order to be able to seed clues and misdirection) for where the series is going. However, the majority of the story is not tied directly to this structure, I am allowing myself great freedom in how the characters in the story acts and relates to things. I need that freedom in order to have fun, if I already knew everything I would be bored writing it. 

I have also realized that while I need to know WHAT needs to happen at certain points, I don't need to know HOW. By the time I get to those points, anything I would have come up with at the start will probably be outdated and less fun.

To finish off the garden metaphor, I have built the walls around the garden, charted the paths and put the main beds and boundaries in. However, the plants are put in as I go along, and if I need to move some beds, or smash them together or make new ones, I will do so.

Is the Farm technically known as the farm, or is it just a colloquialism?

It is a colloquialism/nickname used by the people that work there.

Are there plans to bring up the Heartbreak movie in-game?

No plans, but it might happen. It's one of those things that might be used as a dialog bridge to get where I need to go.

How old is Locus by the time Retribution starts?

Locus was born in 1999, so she would be 22. She debuted as a vigilante in 2013, which was far, far too young for any kind of license or sponsorship, but since she wore a mask and hid her identity, people tended to assume she was older than she was, especially considering the fact that she was African American. 

What’s the standard age for someone to be a hero, and also what age is considered too young?

There is no standard age, especially since many of the more restrictive laws are nonexistent on the west coast. Boosts tend to be younger, because the odds of surviving the boost drugs are higher if taken in the early teens. Mods are older, because they either requires money or a sponsor.

There are teen heroes/vigilantes out there, and they are slightly controversial. Many people feel that they shouldn't do dangerous work like that, but they are also very popular with the media so they have an easy time getting sponsors. Luckily, many of the sponsorships mostly entail being corporate representatives that are cool and looks good and doesn't require going into actual combat. You can enlist at the age of 17, that's the age many companies use before they officially sponsor someone.

Okay, silly question, but I have to ask (and if it's been asked before, ignore me)... what was Ortega and Chen's reaction to finding out that Herald was a massive Sidestep fan?

Ortega was delighted, Chen probably rolled his eyes when Herald wasn't looking.

If it's not a too much of a spoiler: Does Ortega knows where Step lives (if not in the secret base)? If they do, How did they found out?

Not going to tell you that, you will have to keep being nervous and try to figure it out.

I think it was mentioned a while back that Rat King's abilities are getting stronger thanks to their interactions with MC. If that's the case, then is it possible for other telepaths to experience this sort of growth by interacting, in a similar fashion, with more powerful telepaths?

Yes. Like other powers, it grows stronger with training, and interacting with other telepaths enables people to learn faster and to pick up new tricks. We'll know more once this weeks lore dump goes live.

What types of pranks would the rangers pull on each other? Also do any of them have merch of each other?

Hmmm I don't think any of them are big pranksters, with the possible exception of Argent if she's mad about something. I'm not sure what she would do then. Argent has some Charge merch, as does Herald. Chen got various Ranger's merch for Spoon. Ortega has Charge merch as well, they make for great gifts (and Ortega is sometimes involved in the design).

If step sleeps in close enough proximity to the rat king, can they prevent nightmares and let step have a nice sleep?

To some extent. It has probably happened now and then, and Sidestep didn't notice.

What’s the Rat King’s opinion of the Rangers and Mortum if Sidestep has a high relationship with them? Are they “aware” of the dissonance when Sidestep is fighting them?

Yes, they are, but they trust Sidestep. Rats playfight a lot, that's what they see it as right now.

How did Ortega react to finding out that they were immune to telepathy, and how did they feel about it? Did they know for very long that Sidestep was a telepath without knowing Sidestep couldn't hear their thoughts?

In an earlier FAQ I said Ortega found out through Sidestep, but after some thinking, I realized that was unrealistic, thus this is now the correct answer: Ortega found out pretty early on in their Ranger's career, there are training programs people have to go through to help minimize leaks. They thought it was pretty neat, meant they didn't have to sit through all the boring stuff. It did take a long time before they knew Sidestep was a telepath at all, Sidestep kept that pretty close to their vest.

What does Ortega think about telepathy? How would they make use of it if they had telepathic powers?

Ortega thinks telepathy is pretty neat, but does not understand the implications or consequences at all. They'd be a terrible abuser of telepathy, would probably be considered a villain if they had them. They already have problems with boundaries.

The RO's from best to worst with kids and why?

Oh boy... I truly have no idea, going on instinct here: Ortega, Herald, Mortum, Chen, Argent. I know too little about kids myself to have an idea.

What is the Rangers and Mortum's worst nightmare?

Hmmm... for Mortum, it's stress ones, an experiment going wrong and trying to fix it, but everything they do make it worse. 

For Ortega, it's a tie between the Nanosurge and Heartbreak. Often the two mix together in unsettling ways, but Sidestep dying tends to be at the heart of it.

Argent's are spoilers, but if you know here background, then you can guess.

Herald's is reliving the night he and his brother took the boost drugs, mixed with the hospital afterwards. Distant parents included.

Chen varies. It's what the current worries are, so they shift. But like with everyone who went through it, Heartbreak is present.

What is the RO's and tia Elena's best dream they had/have?

I don't know. Good dreams are seldom as memorable as bad ones, trauma leaves greater scars. I think the only ones who would vividly remember dreams like that are Herald and Mortum. Both their dreams were about being respected in their fields, Herald as a hero, Mortum as a scientist. They both crave recognition. Tia Elena probably had a few like that about the olympics she never went to. Good Chen ones tends to involve being whole, but they always leave him depressed when he wakes up. Good Ortega ones tend to be rerunning past memories, and they also are depressing once they realize it was all a dream. Argent sometimes dreams of life before her change. She doesn't like it.

Did the Rangers ever had in the past and/or the present a "spicy" dream about Step or each other and How did they felt/feel about it? Did They brush it away, or made them ponder/realize something about themselves or what they may feel for that person? 

A resounding YES for Ortega and Herald. On both counts. 

Do our little adorables Rat King, dream? If they do, they have singular/personal dreams or they dream together

They do dream, and they tend to intermingle. Some are separate, some are as a whole, and some are exploring other nearby minds. This is especially true if the villain has the tunnel base, or the old waterplant, because there are plenty of nearby rats to connect to.

Did Ortega meet the USA president in person when he became Marshal?

Yes, all Marshals do. It's a very official occasion, set in the White House itself. It's one of the ways that the US imposes power on the free territories.

Did he make awful jokes/tell puns if he did

No. Ortega was very taken by the gravity of the moment, wanting to make a good impression. This was right after Hood's death too, so they were stepping into some big shoes.

Can regenes be double boosted? If so what's that process like? 

They can, but it is a risky process. If someone is picked out for a possible double boost, they go back in the tube post the first decanting and assessment, the process takes about an additional year. The ReGenes selected for this are either ones with powers deemed too weak, and the ones with powers the scientists think might help surviving the second dose. For the latter it's a gamble and they don't always get approval, because powers that boost durability and regeneration are very good for additional modding as well.

What's Chen's favorite thing to dress Spoon in?

He likes variation, but he's always been very fond of the little raincoats. He has one in the Ranger's colors, with the logo.

Do the olympics exist? Can people who are modded or boosted participate?

Yes, the Olympics are still running. The free western territories are not a recognized nation, but people from there can compete if they do well in the US trials. Mods and boosts are not allowed to compete, there are lots of tests done, but like with doping, there are always suspicions and the occasional scandal. 

There are alternative competitions that do allow both boosts and mods, but they are controversial. The most famous one is the Uranium League, an offshoot of the Diamond League catering solely to boosted/modded athletes. It's become a way for various nations to compete and compare scientific and military progress in a safe setting. It started out close to traditional track and field events, but has evolved since then, in order to showcase what humanity is capable of.

What's the goat's name?

The goat's name is Snowball. She's a nigerian dwarf goat, and as the name suggests, mostly white, except some black and tan around the head and neck.

Owl and Sidestep don't appear to be on good terms. Was there a specific incident that caused this or was it the case of personalities clashing? If it was an incident, will we find out what it was in the future?

I will probably go into this incident in the future, Owl might play a part in some paths of book three. But essentially it was a combination of suspicion, and events. Let's just say that Owl does not appreciate someone being able to sneak up on her.

What's something unconventional each of the ro's find attractive?

I do not think I can answer this question, because I'm not sure what conventionally attractive is. Is it unconventional or not that Chen appreciates a good back? I have no idea. I know too little about how people and attraction are supposed to work, and I am not really interested in learning.

What would the rangers be like as villains?

If the Rangers, Mortum and HG trio were in Sidestep's role as the villain, what villain career, HB scar and motivation would they each have?

Ortega would probably be an infamous thief/troublemaker who does things for the headlines. Charming as hell, probably trying to paint themselves as more of a Robin Hood, but liking the lap of luxury way too much to ever make a difference. Thief/Friendless/Life.

Chen would run a crew, perhaps ex-military mercenaries. Just a few people he could trust, taking on tough jobs for good money. Would have some morals, but would keep compromising until there were few lines left to cross. Might eventually end up running a bigger organization if he gets the opportunity. Boss/Outside/Fate.

Herald would be after fame and respect. Might work with others, might clash with them. Probably a big rival to Ortega. Not that interested in money, more in the headlines. Would probably learn to like scaring the hell out of people. Lots of anger issues to resolve. Hunter/Puppetmaster/Anger

Argent would be a loner, and an assassin. Very strong moral code, but if she decides someone needs to die, they'd be gone. Working with nobody. Trusting nobody. Goes after the occasional villain as well. Hunter/Revenge/Revenge

And the ones who are already villains, just in Sidesteps role.

Dr. Mortum: Thief/Friendless/Anger

Hollow ground: Boss/Puppetmaster/Life

Nocturne: Anarchist/Outside/Justice

Jake: Hunter/Revenge/Life

Did sidestep's name ever become public knowledge? Or at least, known by more than a few people?

No, but it was known to people in the hero/vigilante world surrounding the Rangers, and some villains might have picked it up from there as well.

How bad does pain have to be to activate the pain gate? (like it seems like it didn't with Psychopathor leg injury.) How does the pain gate work in regards to shutting off again? Like will it stay active until treatment/painkillers are received or would it just sort of wear off over time regardless of treatment (or lack of)?

The pain gate does not remove pain completely. That would be counter productive, because pain is a good indicator to make sure you don't hurt yourself needlessly (and for punishment). What the pain gate does, is cut the volume down. 

If we take the classic pain scale of 1-10 this is how lvl 7 is described: Make it difficult to concentrate, interferes with sleep, you can still function with effort.

This would be the top end of the scale with a functioning pain gate (and about where you are in the Psychopathor fight). This ensures that you will be able to get away from the situation at hand, won't pass out, and with effort and training, you will be able to treat your injuries. 

A pain gate works well with painkillers, because they are designed to deal with mild and moderate pain that the pain gate won't affect. Someone who has had a pain gate implanted for a long time, might be able to lower the threshold when it kicks in, just like people can be trained in ignoring and withstanding pain.

What is Ortega’s financial situation actually like? They have that debt, but they’re also prone to giving money away, buying things for their friends, enjoy fancy and expensive clothes... are they actually somewhat well off, or just bad at not spending money?

The way Ortega sees it, they won't ever be able to pay off their debts, so they might as well have fun while they've still got a good salary. Money in a bank account does nobody any good, better to spend it on yourself or on other people. No use living like a pauper to pay off maybe 10% of a debt you never asked for in the first place.

If ortega hadn't been in the accident what would they be doing now?

Would probably be a rather famous actor/actress. They have a good screen presence and likes the attention. Might have walked the path of other martial artists/body builders who became stars.

If ortega had been boosted rather than modded (and survived) what powers might they have?

Hmmm. Could see something Spider-Man like with wall climbing and enhanced agility/reaction speed. 

If Mortum hadn't pursued the sciences as a career path what would they have chosen instead?

Wouldn't have been much of a choice, but they would probably have ended up a teacher.

What are mortums favorite and least favorite branches of science?

Mortum loves building things, so physics, the more experimental the better. Quantum physics is endlessly fascinating. The least favorite would be geology, too boring and no applications on what they do. Both biology and chemistry can at least be useful.

Is there a branch of science mortum is interested in but never pursued?

Computer science but more on the AI side, artificial intelligence is fascinating.

Silly little question: How would the Rangers + Mortum deal with a stray spider in their living space?

Mortum is by far the most freaked out, spiders are a big NO in their book. Kill it with spray, from a distance. Then disinfect the lab.

Argent has never found any, and would not be bothered unless they started making nets, that's not her aesthetic.

Ortega would check to see what kind, then remove it. 

Herald would try to shoo it away or something, what do you do with spiders anyway?

Chen would squash it.

How much of Los Diablos is still messed up by the Big One and other earthquakes? Have most of the areas been cleared up and cleaned up, or are there many places within the city where the buildings are still messed up from the earthquakes? How about roads?

As of 2020, Los Diablos is about half the size that Los Angeles was at the time of the quake (1980). The central areas are all cleaned up and repaired/rebuilt, brighter and shinier than ever. This is where a lot of money has been pumped in, and for people visiting it probably looks like the city has recovered completely. However, if we leave the city center, many of the outlying areas still have issues. 

Some are sponsored/owned by various companies and have nice houses and good infrastructure. Some are repurposed/rebuilt ruins, organized and run by various groups and cooperative organizations. Many of these might have a better quality of life than corporate run ones, but they rarely look as snazzy. Some are more like shantytowns, where it's everyone for themselves, building what houses they can but there's no central organization. And some, especially the areas hit the hardest which didn't have nice views, are just overgrown ruins half buried by mudslides and ash.

The road network is spotty, the city itself only maintains the central areas, and the companies are only interested in what's useful for them. There's no state that can take responsibility for the highways, so they are occasionally in bad shapes. People don't travel between communities to the extent that they used to, most people tend to work close to where they live. The bus transit system is functional as long as you go where the money is, and it's supplemented by private bus companies serving/run by the outlying communities. There is talk about refurbishing the coastal highways to make travel easier, but there are a lot of people who need to work together.

How many people died in the Big One? How much of the Cascadia subduction zone went off? (I watched a video recently on the whole of that and it got me thinking like Dang)

It's still hotly debated how many people actually died in the disaster. It depends a lot on whether people count just the initial events, or the months afterwards were ashfall made many parts unlivable. It is generally accepted that this was the first million+ fatality disaster since the China floods1931 , but the figures vary wildly. Most people died in the aftermath rather than the actual quakes and tsunamis due to respiratory damage, traffic, thirst, starvation, mudslides, exposure, fires, lack of medical care and diseases running rampant among the refugees.

The entire Cascadia subduction zone unzipped, the damage went partly into Canada as well (Vancouver was hit badly).

Also how did states like Oregon and Washington fair after the Big One? Are they considered part of the FEZ?

They were affected as well, thanks to the Cascadia subduction zone going off a few days later. They were spared most of the ashfall, so they were in better shape, but Mt. Rainier erupted, so the communities surrounding Seattle saw a lot of damage, as well as anything close to the shoreline as the tsunami hit. The definition of the FEZ includes Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada.

Does the government ever plan to “take back” the FEZ or are they going to be allowed to do their thing indefinitely?

The lease that formed the base for the FEZ was for 40 years, so it runs out 2032. With only a decade left, some people are starting to worry what will happen.

Just a few questions. What does Ortega think of Sidestep's self harm tendencies if not suicidal tag. Would they be worried it could get worse? Or worried Sidestep could become suicidal?

I don't think Ortega realizes how bad it is yet (it can vary between Sidesteps of course). It worries them for sure, especially with certain Heartbreak events, but surely it can't be that bad? Right?

If Sidesteps vice is alcohol does Ortega think Sidestep drinks too much, are they accepting of it or will it become an issue?

They think Sidestep drinks too much in the way that they themself drinks too much. Should probably cut down, but it's a stressful life dammit. Might be an issue in the future.

Is it possible for boosts to stay inert for a long time after consumed? Is the effect always immediate?

How long does it take someone to go through the boost? What is the process like?

It varies. The drug usually starts to affect the body within an hour, but when those changed becomes known depends on what they are and how fast the process is. In general, a slow process means a greater chance of survivability, and there has been experiments with trying to slow it down. So, while it's not inert, with smaller effects it might take months or even years to notice that anything has changed, and sometimes a traumatic incident might be needed to trigger it.

Do dr. mortum and ortega know each other? or was mortum just worried about seeing them at the gala in rebirth because they're a ranger?

They have met, but I wouldn't say they know each other well.

Besides GeniTech and the US government, have any other corporations/government bodies attempted to create and utilize their own version of ReGenes? If so, how successful were they?

It is a patented process, but there are rumors, especially in other nations. No proof though. 

What is the in universe answer to the question of who's the most powerful ranger past or present in general terms? What would you say is the actual answer to that question?

If we focus only on the Los Diablos Rangers, the online ranking has Sentinel as the most powerful one, partly because his powers are flashy. Someone that can create tornadoes with some effort will always be up there.

The actual answer depends on the definition. Sentinel is definitely up there, though his powers lacks precision if he wants power. Argent is up there, if she goes all out, but Sentinel could take her down in a fight. She's got more utility though. Steel can be very powerful if he starts using military hardware, but it all depends on his loadout and prep. Anathema was very hard to hurt, but acid lacks utility. Hood is up there, he had more utility than Sentinel, but never really cut loose because he feared what he could set in motion in this unstable seismic landscape. In a fight, I think Sentinel and Hood would be able to go toe to toe, neither being able to really hurt each other. So I would give this one to Hood.

Sorry if this has been asked before, but is it possible for a telepath to possess an animal? I was just thinking about how cool it would be to spy on someone as a bird or something lol

It would be possible, but not for all telepaths. It's a very different mindset/brain setup. Sidestep can't do it.

Is there anything unexplained about the fallen hero verse? Stuff like actual magic or aliens. 

Some would say that the boost drug is unexplained, since there's no scientific explanation for why it can do the things it does. There are lots of esoteric explanations for those effects, including magic and aliens. 

Kind of on the same vein as this question, since it made me wonder: are there any particularly outlandish conspiracy theories involving Boosts or heroes in general; is there any sort of cryptid lore like the laser dolphins that are actually real or just super out there and silly.

SO many. Seriously. I can't go into them all, but there are so much cryptid lore out there. Some of the most popular ones are that the Catastrofiend is an actual demon from hell, ReGenes are aliens bred at area 51, the boost drug is just a catalyst for the next step in human evolution, and cryptids of the past were just natural boosts, tying into the theory about human evolution.

What does space travel look like in this timeline e.g. SpaceX style plans to put people on other planets? (Sorry if any of these questions have been answered previously).

Was space exploration ever a thing in this reality? If so, who got to the moon first & when?

Space travel never happened in this world, instead of the focus on rocket science in WW2, the weapon of choice was power armors and walking tanks. Humanity has never gone to the moon, the space race did not happen, and the technological advances were focused on bio-mechanical interfaces rather than computers/spaceflight. The first satellites weren't launched until after the year 2000, and they were military and not civilian. Thus internet, gps, cellphones and everything that relies on satellites for ease of communications is a lot more primitive than in our world. It's cable TV, no satellite dishes, and while there now are civilian satellites for communication it's only just taking off. Think mid 90's for the online stuff.

What does the rangers and mortum hate the most in the world and what their fav thing to do?

Mortum: Dislikes buying clothes, loves driving (and science).

Ortega: Dislikes debriefings, loves hanging out with people.

Chen: Dislikes television interviews, loves walking Spoon.

Herald: Dislikes physical examinations, loves drawing.

Argent: Dislikes holidays, loves old movies.

Will we be able to have a pet later, even if only for good endings?

I had planned implementing pets in the game, but it's got too complicated in Retribution. We'll see, I'm still a fan of it, but if I'm gonna do it I want to do it right.

I recently tried a playthrough using sidestep as my villain’s name, and I thought the extra bits of dialogue were really interesting. Will there be more unique dialogue for when we officially get ousted? Like, disbelief someone would have the gall to shove the truth out like that for so long? I think that would be interesting to see, but I’m not sure how complicated that would be to implement.

Oh yes. It's not complicated, and the different reactions are fun. There will be a lot more to come.

Whats the most common power people who survive the boost drug have? What are some of the rarest?

Statistically, the most common boosts are the simpler ones, that go together with basic human physiology and wishes. Be stronger, faster, more durable, have sharper senses or heal yourself.

The rarest ones are the ones that few people survive getting, that needs radical transformation of the body. Energy projecting ones are rare, shooting lasers from your eyes and similar.

Do regenes have names, or designations?

Designations. Handlers might give them nicknames, but that's discouraged.

Will we be learning more about anathema later on?

Yes.

What were the other rangers thoughts on Hood's death? were any of them hit as hard as Ortega?

Sentinel. He and Hood were the remaining founding members, and they had been friends for a very long time. Sadly, it's a dangerous life, and Hood was not the first Ranger that died on the job.

How did Ortega find out HG was the one who killed Marshal Hood? 

How did Hood die?

He was shot in the back several times in broad daylight, while discussing a case with one of his police contact. His dying words, and the testimony of the witness was what convinced Ortega that Hollow Ground was behind it. Especially since that had been the subject they had been discussing...

Resident chentega stan here to ask what tía elena would think of ricardo and chen getting together after all these years 🥺

She would be very surprised, but think it was sweet.

What makes mortum and the rangers blush?

Mortum: Hard to spot, first of all, but unexpected compliments that are not about how smart they are.

Ortega: Good luck trying...

Chen: Having dirty thoughts in unwarranted circumstances.

Herald: Being taken off guard by affection, he blushes easily.

Argent: Treating her like she wants to be, not as what she is.

Where were all the Rangers born? Did any of them grow up inside Los Diablos?

Argent was born in Los Diablos, and grew up there.

Herald was born and grew up in Boston.

Chen was born and grew up in New York.

Ortega was born and grew up in Killeen, Texas.

Who is/was the biggest in-universe source of inspiration in the life of each of the Rangers + Mortum? For you, were there any particular sources of inspiration for each character, whether from media or your personal life?

In universe:

Ortega: Marshal Hood was a big inspiration and eventual father figure.

Chen: I don't think he had a particular inspiration.

Herald: Sidestep, obviously.

Argent: Rita Hayworth I think is the closest thing.

Mortum: Alan Turing perhaps.

My inspiration:

I generally don't have outright inspirations for characters (or faceclaims), but I do like mixing various tropes. Have one or two classic that goes together, and then a third one that breaks with what you except. 

Since herald celebrates hanukah, i was wondering if he had a bar mitzvah too?

Yes, he did.

What was anathema doing before they became a ranger?

They never talked about that, so I won't either.

Just how "big" are the Rangers in pop culture in FHR? Are pop culture, media, and the entertainment industry very different in FHR, or is it about the same?

It is similar in style, but with the demise of Hollywood, a lot of the action moved eastward, split between Atlanta (studio space), New York and Miami (the glitz). There is also less social media, and more official outlets/stories.

The Rangers are big, but not the biggest. Think of them in terms of a popular sports team.

So Ortega just pretended to be surprised finding the mc alive? :o  I was reading about him following the puppet early on in a previous post and now i'm confused. :s 

Ortega did not pretend, they had NO IDEA Sidestep was alive. The puppet was tracked for different reasons, they had no idea that the puppet had anything to do with Sidestep.

Do Lady Argent, Herald, or Ortega have opinion on any of the possible armor combinations Sidestep’s armor can have in terms of having to fight against them? 

Lady Argent likes the Speed/Strength combos, it makes for a fun fight. Especially speed.

Herald is more scared of the ones with Strength, as is Ortega.

If pursuing romance or friendship with any of the Rangers or Dr. Mortum, what is the possible main quality they find attractive/enjoyable about Sidestep? With Dr. Mortum, would the quality be different from Puppet? (and if it were, what is the main quality Dr. Mortum is attracted/likes about Puppet?)

This is very hard to say, since Sidestep can be such a different person depending on the playtrough. I will try to pick some general things that most Sidesteps should have in common.

Ortega: Willing to call them on their bullshit, and being generally unimpressed with their persona.

Chen: Strength of character.

Herald: Honesty (ironically enough), and depth.

Argent: Drive.

Mortum (puppet): A genuinely intriguing individual who feels compatible.

Mortum (Sidestep): Who knows.

If the Rangers, Dr. Mortum, and HG trio had a psychological profile similar to Sidestep's (with exception of infamy/obscurity), where would they fall in the stat scales? 

Dr. Mortum: Arrogance (45), Ruthlessness (70), Daring (15)

Hollow Ground: Arrogance (85), Ruthlessness (80), Daring (25)

Nocturne: Arrogance (25), Ruthlessness (60), Daring (30)

Jake: Arrogance (50), Ruthlessness (70), Daring (80)

Is Lady Argent aware if the new villain got a sample from her? How would she feel if she knew about it? 

Nope, and she would be FURIOUS.

Do rest of the Rangers know about the different possible outcomes that occurred between Argent and the new villain in the sewers? Like whether Argent almost caught the new villain, managed to scar them, lost due to telepathy or because villain was superior fighter? 

Good question. What Argent shared with the team is not something I'll say.

How old was HG when they took the boost drug? What was the motivation behind for choosing to take it? If they had not taken the boost drug, where would they be right now in life? 

HG would have been in their teens, maybe fifteen? The motivation was power, and that youthful notion of immortality and that they were special enough to pull through. If they hadn't taken it, they'd most likely be dead, like the rest of their family. Crime is a dangerous business.

How do the Rangers, Dr. Mortum and the HG trio feel about the system they are living under? Do they feel it's the best it could be under the circumstances, don't especially care, or do they wish it to change?

At the start of Rebirth (before any doubts might be seeded):

Ortega: The world is unfair, but I can't do anything about it. Protect my friends, do the best I can under the circumstances.

Chen: The system isn't perfect, but it's better than chaos. Knows how to work within it, but sees the flaws.

Herald: Failures are more because of individuals abusing it than the actual system. Not very aware.

Argent: The system is what it is, all I can do is exist within it.

Mortum: It is what it has always been, a system for people with money, power and influence. The trick is to use it.

Hollow Ground: The system could be better if I run it.

Nocturne: The system is a system, prone to abuse. How to build a better one is a good question.

Jake: The world is big and complicated, gotta take care of my own.

How did the Big One affect Ortega's, Lady Argent's, and HG's families in terms of lives and livelihood? Were any of their families living in Los Diablos at the time?

Ortega: Ortega's father was stationed in Texas, and helped organize the first rescue operations. Was very busy with that. Their mother had family that owned land in the southern California countryside, there were deaths there, but some managed to evacuate, and were among the first to return once things had quieted down.

Lady Argent: Her family were LA locals, and lived through the Big One and the aftermath as children. Lots of stories there, they were a part of one of the neighborhoods that started to rebuild early on, as more of a cooperative community.

HG: Their family also lived on Los Angeles, and were part of the survivors who also organized their local communities, but in a more criminal manner.

I’ve understood the Rangers would have difficult time to find out anything real about Heartbreak disaster due to red tape, but was curious whether either HG or Dr. Mortum have ever considered or tried to dig deeper to find out what was behind the Heartbreak disaster? Could either of them find anything useful/interesting/suspicious if they wanted to or would it be futile endeavour? 

All that is very much spoilers, but it is an interesting question. Book three might have answers.

If the Rangers and Dr. Mortum would have to choose armor similar to Sidestep’s current villain armor and specialties for it, what armor design and armor combination each of them would have chosen (minus telepathic boosters)? 

Ortega: Speed/Strength.

Argent: Speed/Strength.

Herald: Armor/Strength.

Chen: Armor/Strength.

Dr. Mortum: Armor/Speed.

If HG liked to take care of things behind the scenes, how did HG's siblings like to take care of things? Did HG and their siblings work together as a team? 

They did, it was a family business. The eldest brother was the chosen successor, very much open and brash and out to make a name for himself to live up to dad. I think HG was the quiet, thoughtful one in the family.