Back when I worked at an office supply store, Who Moved My Cheese? was frequently bought by the higher-ups to give to middle managers, who had to implement cost-cutting measures (usually layoffs and job consolidations). We would know the situation was really bad at the company if said higher-ups also bought What Color Is Your Parachute?
"Hussar," Valerosa' mental voice was almost screaming along the network of thoughts Aspirant had established, "Shield Eel!"
But, fast as he could fly, the odds of him swooping down in time to save my ass alternated between 'slim chance' and the even worse 'fat chance'. Damn if he didn't try though, arching towards me with great speed, bullets bouncing off of him. Maybe he would have made it, but one of the Talent decided to use his newly bestowed super strength, MY strength, and leaping- tackled that crazy kid from Illinois from the side with enough force to drive him to ground.
Well, I thought, as the light from the glove before me flashed, I'm dead!
"NO!" a woman's voice rang out.
And I realized I had underestimated the fastest hero in the room. While Hussar had been diving from above to my rescue, Trailblazer was moving as well, even though she hadn't been called on. Weaving past punches, and bullets, she blazed like her name sake and shoved me to the side far faster than I could have moved to safety myself.
It was a brief shove, and good thing too, or else the contact would have burned me right through my costume. As it was, it was at least a singe, and I was stunned to find out how much slamming to the ground hurt. I was 'normal' again, and abrupt kinetic motion? Well, it hurt.
I was more worried about Trailblazer, her protective field was impressive, but if a blast was meant to kill me, it would surely vaporize her! It was all happening so fast, even I didn't have time to call out.
Which is just as well, because it turned out I was completely wrong about her being vaporized. I had seen this blast before; Ophiotaurus had adapted the technology of Rex's scepter and put it in glove form! And this time, THIS time, Trailblazer was trying to absorb it, and not just letting it happen.
She went from bonfire, to inferno! And whether it survival instincts, training, or just dumb luck, I rolled as quickly as I could to get distance from my fiery team mate.
The control console Ophiotaurus was behind didn't have the advantage of being mobile. As the waves of heat roiled off Trailblazer, she quickly redirected it at the console and melted it to slag. Then looked over at the doctor turned villain who been forced to dive away from it, with his force field likely set at maximum and wisely so.
Various members of the talent looked confused, then cursed "##### took out Coms network and camera relays all over the base."
"Are you kidding?" Trailblazer almost spat at them, "I'm going to melt your toys one by one before your eyes until you surrender," And damned if she didn't look intimidating, hair fluttering in the wake of the heat she had just used to destroy his selection of buttons, levers, and who knows what else, "As some of your toys are currently part of your wardrobe, you might want to think about the ramifications of that."
It was a badass line, unfortunately, these guys were hopped upon Eel energy, and between that and their training, they didn't blink. One moved forward and socked Trailblazer in the jaw- she had speed, but even she needed a moment to collect herself. He had skill, with the a punch that spoke of familiarity with boxing, he sent her careening, only her blazing buffer kept her from a smashed jaw. As it was, her mouth was bleeding as she was dazed and vulnerable after it. Of course, the fact her attacker just burned his hand on her helped buy her time.
They might only have three fourths of my strength, but that and a well delivered jab could do a lot of damage.
I felt helpless.
I hate feeling helpless.
Even my senses felt dulled and I realized why. I had lost the ability to see in shadows that I had taken for granted. Whole sections of the fight were going on that I could no longer keep track of. Mind you, Trailblazer made a pretty good light source but it stretched the shadows erratically. I almost didn't notice the winged one above me.
Hussar had just booted off the guy who had tackled him, and was flying towards the dazed but fiery teammate to assist her.
And, it turned out, assist me as well.
"Catch" he threw something down to me. The BFG Aspirant had brought with him landed in my arms. For a moment, I imagined it going into another firing fit in random directions but I joggled it carefully and moved to a support column to brace myself so the recoil wouldn't shove me like an air hockey puck.
I no longer felt helpless.
Having a boom stick will do that for you.
I grinned, picked a target and cried out "Now I have an concussive force ray gun. Ho Ho Ho!" And fired.
I really owed my grand uncle for taking me out hunting. This weapon was nothing like the rifles we used when he did, but at least I had the basics of aiming down. I wanted to fire at the big bad himself, but as a member of the talent was closing on my now fragile hide; I decided he had just volunteered.
The pulse I sent hit him like a cow's kick hitting a cold handed dairy farmer! That particular minion tumbled backward and forced a peer to dive out of the way.
Damned impressive weapon. Field tested, Hick approved!
You're welcome! came Aspirant's sing song voice in my head. It was a touch of bravado, his emotions carried through and under the sense of satisfaction there was worry and fear, but it was overpowered by resolve.
Yes yes, okay, I owe you for the loaner, I thought at him, Now hit Ophiotaurus with your own big gun, the brainy one!
On it! he focused , reached into Ophiotaurus and tried to hit our doctor turned villain with some heavy pyshic trauma from Bench's own memory.
And Ophiotaurus and Aspirant? They BOTH screamed with such heart wrenching anguish I realized I might have just sent the rookie into a psychic minefield without proper preparation. I knew this, because all of us at once, joined by the link, felt just a mere aftershock of that pain- and each and everyone of us was gasping from it.
And the talent wasn't waiting for us to find our focus again.
I'd made the wrong call.
I mean... all those products have humans, too right? Are we over using humanity in games? Even Skyrealms of Jorune had people it, and its the most un-Medieval fantasy setting I've ever seen. All those books you mentioned: humans. What can we do with humans that hasn't already been done to death?
its not about doing them to death, its about finding a connection for players to enjoy. I mean, just because something is in a game doesn't somehow compel a GM or players to use it in any case. There's nothing about the existence of alternate races that's any way more dull, offensive, corrupting, repetitive, or dull than... not having them.
But people keep coming back to Tolkien, Tolkien, Tolkien. My main influences are much earlier than that, stuff like Faerie Queen and King Arthur and Roland and Norse and Greek mythology, and books like Fafhrd and Gray Mouser or Elric of Melibone (*cough* an interesting take on elves). Elves were not invented by JRR Tolkien. They weren't even defined by Tolkien. He has his version, others have theirs.
Yeah I liked The Postman too. It might have been a little adolescent but it was pretty good overall. It was better than the book, to which it was only tangentially related.
Honestly I can't imagine anyone thinking The Last Jedi was the worst move when The Rise of Skywalker came after it. TLJ was a mixed bag but TRoS gave way to all the worst demands of the fandom. But the worst film I ever saw was Starship Invasions. To be fair it was low budget 70s Canadian science fiction. What the hell was wrong with Robert Vaughn's finances that he was taking this kind of gig? I think the best part of Starship Invasions was the part where they fixed the flying saucer with parts purchased at Radio Shack. For worst big budget movie...maybe Wild Wild West?
A long post on the invasion from the standpoint of a Russian "special services" analyst. Facebook, Russia, internet, translation--take this with a grain of salt. Translation spoilered for length:
Lawnmower Boy got a reaction from Chris Goodwin in More space news!
