Matthew S. Williams's Blog, page 172

Superhero Challenge Part III: Catchphrase and Outfit

Just one last hurdle remains before I can declare the New New Justice League complete and ready to fight crime… or cause it, whichever the case may be. And that is the selection of an outfit and a catchphrase. To be fair, some of you have already done this, specifying that you want to fight in high-heels or erotic dress (wink, wink). However, the majority of us who have created characters still need to stress how we are going to appear in public and what they plan to say when busting up their enemies.

Keep in mind, the costume is absolutely key. It is the visual personification of your superhero ethos, your motivation and modus operandi encapsulated in a few feet of tight leather, spandex, or super-resistant high-tech fabric. So choose carefully, and keep in mind the following options:

Mask – this is especially important since it hides your true identity. For some, its enough to simply remove their glasses and add a cowlick to their hair (who you fooling Superman?). For others, a full mask that not only covers but protects is key (Batman), and others still get by with a simple eye-covering addition. And let’s not forget the bad guys who turn masks into deadly and scary appendages (hello Bane!). Just make sure your opponents can actually hear you and understand what you’re saying.
Cape – a classic when it comes to fighting crime or being a flamboyant villain. Sometimes, its even used as a a tool of weapon (you again, Batman). But even if its strictly decorative, its an important part of the ensemble, and can hold your logo or just carry your colors.
Skin-tight suit – men and women enjoy this option! Composed of leather, indestructible fibers, or molded plastic, having a suit that fits your form and enhances all the right things (i.e. pecs, shoulders and boobs), the suit can be intimidating and distracting to the enemy. Just remember, sacrificing form to function only goes so far! Looking good is important, but not as important as being able to comfortably, run, jump, and kick ass!
Armor – There’s no rule that says you can’t look good and afford ample protection. But for those who don’t want to be seen wandering in around in skin-tight skivvies, a suit of body armor is a safe and effective option. Not only that, but it can be shaped to enhance your natural physique and make criminals and your personal enemies think you’re a lot bulkier (or bucksome) than you actually are.
Mits/Boots - you may not think so, but what you wear on your hands and feet can be just as important as what you have covering your face. For example, rough and tumble superheroes tend to wear armored gloves so they can bash in their enemies faces, while your crime-fighting lady superheroes of the past tended to wear arm-length gloves to give them that demure look. Much the same is true of feet apparel, with the men sporting heavy boots and the ladies using high-heeled shoes or something else completely impractical. In modern times, things have gotten a bit more sensible, with female superheros wearing more combat-friendly, sensible shoes and hand gear. Though some ladies (such as Catwoman) still seem to prefer high-heeled boots to flats because, let’s face it, they look kick-ass!
Distinguishing Marks/Disfigurement – in some cases, the superhero/villain are themselves their costume! This is the case with the Hulk, the Toxic Avenger, and guys like the Joker. Beyond the occasional article of clothing (like Joker’s purple suit) there really is no costume. The makeup and the scars are what identify him. And in the case of the Hulk, transformation into a giant green beast is what identifies him. Oh, and speaking of beasts, there’s Beast! Like Mystique and Nightcrawler, the outfit is a permanent part of their person.

Catchphrase time! I can’t specify any rules or parameters here, since there really are none. The only thing that matters is that it be appropriate to your characters motivation and/or persona. Keep it short, sweet, and direct. Intimidation factor is a must, but then again, so is comedic value. And remember, you get bonus points for play-on-words and puns, provided they are clever! Go to town!

Three-Man Soyuz Crew Headed for ISS

I just came across this news story on cnet.com, of how a Russian Soyuz rocket departed Earth to deposit a team of two rookies and one veteran cosmonaut on the International Space Station. Hmm, a three man crew is heading for the ISS aboard a Russian-built Soyuz rocket? That sound familiar to you? Provided you’re a fan of Big Bang Theory, it damn well ought to seeing as how this is exactly how the last season ended.

In any case, this mission has a somewhat unusual profile: to test the effect of zero-g on aquariums and aquatic life forms contained therein. I kind you not. The Soyuz craft, which lifted off at 4:51 p.m. (local time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, was carrying with it a tank with 32 medaka fish that were bound for a zero-gravity research aquarium aboard the ISS’s lab complex.

At the same time, the crew will be shuttling supplies to the station and conducting routine maintenance on the station’s spacewalk while they are aboard. This will consist of fixing a leak in the coolant system of the station’s far left-side solar array, which is responsible for dissipating heat within the station. The mission is expected to last a total of 143 days, with the three man crew returning to Earth in March 2013. Personally, I can’t imagine being in space, or anywhere, for that long! I hope they packed plenty of digital devices, and at least have an internet hookup up there

News From Alpha Centauri!

It seems another star system is making the news recently. And much like Gliese 581, the subject is the discovery of a planet that is said to be Earth-like in orientation. Located in Alpha Centauri, a star system just 4.3 light years from our Solar System, this exoplanet is the closest discovery yet to be made by scientists and astronomers.

Those with a penchant for science fiction will be immediately familiar with the name Alpha Centauri. As the closest star system to our own, it has been mentioned and used as the setting for countless science fiction franchises. Star Trek, Transformers, and most recently, Avatar have made use of this binary system and its system of planets. But up until now, speculations as to its ability to actually support life (at least as we know it) have been just that.

Officially, the planet is known as Alpha Centauri Bb, in that it is the second observable planet that orbits Alpha Centauri B, the larger of the stars in the binary system. It took a research team nearly four years to classify the planet and determine that it boasted a mass similar to that of Earth’s. According to Xavier Dumusque, the lead author of the planet-discovering study: “This result represents a major step towards the detection of a twin Earth in the immediate vicinity of the sun.”

But of course, there’s a snag, at least as far as colonization would be involved. According to the same research team, Alpha Centauri Bb is closer to its host star than Mercury is to our Sun, and they estimate that surface temperatures average around 1200 degrees Celsius (2192 Fahrenheit). Forget Pandora, can you say Crematoria? If humans were ever to set foot on this world, it would only be because of terraforming so radical that it completely altered the nature of the planet. Still, it is an exciting find, and is another step along the road to locating nearby exoplanets that humanity might someday call home.

In the meantime, check out this video from the European Southern Observatory. It’s like Google Earth meets the Milky Way Galaxy – Google Galaxy! I like that!

Source: news.cnet.com

Whiskey Delta Now a Double Novel!

Hmm, I think that title might be a bit misleading. What I mean to say is that my serial novel – Whiskey Delta – which I’ve been posting for the last few months, is now officially twice the prescribed length of a novel. Yes, according to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel Writers of America, a novel is any work that is 40,000 words or higher in length. And, as of my last count, Whiskey Delta weighed in at a hefty 82,675 words.

I was really kinda hoping this novel might be the exception that proved the rule. Instead, it’s just reinforced the rule! The rule being that I love to go on and on and can always find a reason to say more, write more, and keep going until they turn the lights off. But some people seem to like what I’m doing with it – you know who you are! – so I plan to finish it forthwith, and word counts be damned!

Speaking of which, it is only a few chapters short of completion. And once it is finished, I will be placing all chapters into a single compendium, tidying it up a bit, and of course, adding more chapters! Yes, after reviewing much of what I wrote I felt some pacing chapters and background might be needed for the sake of turning it into a true novel, and not the sort of thing people read in installments. Brevity, thy name is not Matthew, Williams, or any combination thereof!

I hope people will look for it once it’s complete, and will stay tuned for more on the Whiskey Delta front. Once the first novel is finished, I plan to begin work on the sequel: Pappa Zulu! Yep, I figure whereas the first book was all about the war on the zombies and the mission to find Patient Zero, book two will deal with the race to find a cure, and answer some mysteries that were laid out in the first. For one, it will become clear that the “Mage” is not all that he appears, and that he may have an agenda which goes far beyond fighting the dreaded undead. And of course, the main characters will be back for more action, once they heal from all the wounds I gave them.

Onto more writing and more zombie fiction! Stay tuned, and thanks to all those who have made a point of following my first serial novel on this site. Can’t imagine I could have done it without your support, encouragement and constructive criticism, and I don’t care to either

The Superhero Challenge Part II: Backstory!

I got to say, I was impressed with the response my “Superhero Challenge” got. I knew that the topic was a fertile one, hence why my wife and I started talking about it. But I wasn’t sure how much thought other people were likely to put it into it. I’m so happy there are plenty of geeks like me out there! For those of you who came in and selected your powers and a name for your character, kudos! Now we just need to get to work on your backstory.

Every superhero and villain has one. They give them depth, motivation, and an origin story that makes their actions and purpose seem relatable. After all, a hero who does heroic things just because is no hero at all! He’s just a cardboard stand in whom no one can relate to. But a hero who helps others because of personal tragedy or to bring meaning to their own life is something we can all get behind.

Heck, the same is true for a super villain isn’t it? No one believes that a bad guy could kill, maim and plot the destruction of the world simply because he’s Evil the Cat. He too needs a history to explain how he became the way he was. It’s simply the way people work. We desire explanations and love a good origin story!

So I’ve prepared the following list of motivation/creation factors. I’d say pick one, but since there are some obvious places where overlap occurs, feel free to pick a second if it’s appropriate. And just to be creative, I’ll include a list of possible factions/forces that could have been involved. Circumstances are one thing, but going from that to the five W’s (who, what, when, where, and why) is a different matter. Read on and select:

Tragedy - this can be the death of one’s parents, a wife, a husband, a sibling, or even a child. The loss effected you deeply, and led you to resolve that you would never let that happen to anyone else. Or maybe you just want some payback on the bastards who did it! Either way, the tragedy has become your weapon, and those who would harm innocents fear you now!
Vendetta - a slight variation on Tragedy, this involves a purposeful attack on you which left you scarred, angry, and motivated to seek vengeance on the ones who did it. Whereas the loss of family is a tragedy that would have hurt you deeply, this is a wound that has left you pissed and determined to see the people who did it suffer horribly!
Accident - maybe you fell into a vat of chemicals, got bombarded by some high-energy gamma rays, survived an atomic blast, had a brush with near death, or just stumbled onto something you weren’t supposed to. However it happened, the experience left you scarred and forever changed. Fighting crime or doing evil is now your outlet over the pain of the life you lost, and a means to put your freaky new abilities to work!
Mutation - similar to option two, this could be your mother having been bitten by a vampire (a la Blade), the result of evolution (a la X-Men), or again exposure to some process that isn’t exactly scientifically possible. But it’s left you with powers and there must be a reason for it, or at least a positive (or selfish) way to use them.
Alien Influence - alien technology came to Earth and picked you as its beneficiary. Or maybe you just accidentally found it and decided it was mighty cool and useful. Hell, maybe you ARE an alien who fell to Earth (i.e. Superman), and being one gives you strange and awesome powers that no one else has access to. How will you use it though is up to you. Will you be a savior, or a terrible force to be reckoned with?

Who hurt /changed and/or effected you? In short, what was the motivation behind the thing that made you what you are today? The list of possible candidates is potentially long, so I’ll try to break it down to as few possibilities as I can. And off the top of my head, and calling to mind all the examples that I can think of, I have come up with a list of seven different kinds of people/organizations who usually have a hand in the creation of superheroes and villains. Select one and proceed to the end:

Crime Kingpin – every city has its share of crooks and criminal masterminds. Did you, your family, or someone else you care about run afoul of these villains? Did you, they, owe them some money, protection fees, a debt of blood which they exacted, thus leaving you hurt, bitter and angry?
Negligent Superhero – let’s face it. Sometimes superheroes do bad things. Whether its collateral damage from their crime-fighting antics, the result of too much force, or maybe they were just having an off day, sometimes they hurt people without intending to. This is sure to leave some people angry, scarred, and looking for payback. After all, the Joker was either a hapless victim or a petty thug (depending on which back story you believe) before Batman sent him into that vat of toxic chemicals. And you got to figure a lot of victims get caught in the crossfire whenever there’s a big showdown between the good guys and bad. And in some cases, the victims blame the heroes…
The Government – yeah, we all know they’re up to some clandestine stuff, or at least they used to be! And whether they decided to quietly bury the outcomes of their ugly projects and black ops, or simply don’t know about them anymore, you were the end result and now the truth must be brought to light. Expose their crimes, and if the ones who did are still around, make them pay! Otherwise, they might do it to someone else!
The Corporation   – and when it’s not the government doing dirty, crooked things and then trying to cover it up, it’s usually the private sector! We all know there are plenty of corporate magnates out there who love to experiment with weapons, chemicals, radiation, and risky ventures that will leave people dead, mutated, or just plain altered. And you know they won’t be held accountable for it. No sir, not by the courts and not by the law! It’s up to you to bring these bastards to justice, or perhaps they are after you because you are now in possession of something they want. Doesn’t matter, as far as you’re concerned, the initials CEO stand for Chief Enemy Officer!
Aliens – sure, there are plenty of nice aliens out there. ET, Alf, and the Predator people can be pretty stand up if you know how to stay on their good side. But alas, there are plenty of aliens out there that are just like us humans. Cruel, manipulative, and irresponsible when it comes to how they treat other people and dispose of their technology. Maybe you came into something powerful by accident, or maybe it was the result of something they purposefully did to you. Either way, you gotta follow this up and figure out who they are. And while you’re at it, show off whatever it is they gave you!
Vampires/Paranormals - far be it from me to discriminate against folks on a count of their background or supernatural affiliations. But when Vampires, Werewolves and other paranormal creatures start hurting people, it’s on! Was it you they hurt, your family, your friends, or do they just have it in their heads that “your kind” needs to be destroyed or pushed out of the way? Doesn’t much matter, because the end result is the same. Death to (fill in the blank)!
International Villains - sometimes, its not our own governments or their secretive agents that we need fear. Sometimes, the threat comes from aboard, either in the form of renowned terrorists, spies, or assorted Bond-like villains. And when they crossed you, your family, your friends, etc, they went too far! Now it’s up to you to make them pay for their crimes. This may be a fight you pursue alone, or as part of a team or a government agency. But in the end, you will bring the fight to their doorstep!

Okay! That’s it, that’s all on my end. Once again, the challenge is to make your selection and combine them with your characters powers and name to come up with a profile that is all your own! And please feel free to comment and include a small bio blurb which I will then include in a list of superheroes in my third and final installment. I plan to call it, “The New New Justice League”! Okay, that name is negotiable, but the intent is pretty clear right? Let’s make some new and interesting comic book icons!

Artificial Trees to Fight Climate Change?

The indices of Climate Change have been growing in the past few decades, culminating in some serious trends that have left the scientific community worried and the general public far from calm. In addition to Arctic sea ice levels reaching a record low and record high temperatures being set during the summer, North Americans also experienced the worst wildfire season in recorded history. Over a million acres of forest burned up in the US alone, but the extended range of the fires reached from as far south as Texas to as far north as Nunavut.

For many years now, those on the forefront of climate science have been arguing that things will get a lot worse before they get better, and argue that some drastic geoengineering projects might be the only way to avert disaster. Many of these involve advanced climate science, such as evaporating more water around the mid-latitudes or “capturing” carbon in the upper atmosphere and converting it to harmless compounds. But as Gaia Vince, a science writer from BBC’s Future pointed out, the solution may be as a simple as improving upon an existing “carbon capture” technology, otherwise known as the Tree.

For some time now, climatologists and naturalists have understood the role that trees, plants, algae and plankton play in the carbon cycle. Unfortunately, the long life-cycle of trees, and the various ecological issues surrounding the artificial stimulation of algae and plants, make this aspect of ecoengineering somewhat impractical. What’s more, the growing demand for agricultural space is also putting pressure on existing green spaces. As our population continues to grow and more farmland is needed to provided for them, simply planting plants and trees more may not even be an option.

Luckily, there is an invention that takes all this into account and provides a possible solution: the artificial trees. Designed by Klaus Lackner, director of the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy at Columbia University, this “tree” is capable of absorbing CO2 from the air using “leaves” that are 1,000 times more efficient than the real thing, but at the same time does not require exposure to sunlight in order to carry out the process.

As Vince himself describes them: “The leaves look like sheets of papery plastic and are coated in a resin that contains sodium carbonate, which pulls carbon dioxide out of the air and stores it as a bicarbonate (baking soda) on the leaf. To remove the carbon dioxide, the leaves are rinsed in water vapour and can dry naturally in the wind, soaking up more carbon dioxide.”

Based on Lackner calculations, a single tree would be capable of removing one tonne of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere in a single day. By that reckoning, a forest of ten million would be able to remove 3.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide in a single year, the equivalent of about 10% of our global annual carbon dioxide emissions. One hundred million would solve our emission crisis altogether!

As for the resulting mass that the process creates, Lackner claims that could be turned into liquid fuels to power vehicles. In fact, when CO2 and water are combined, the end result is what is known as syngas, a fuel that is easily converted into methanol and diesel. So basically, while the artificial trees are scrubbing the air of fossil fuel emissions, they are also actively creating the means to generate more fossil fuel. Might seem ironic, but this in turn will allow humanity to keep using their carbon engines, all the while knowing that they are producing less than the trees are extracting. This will give the scientists of the world more time to invent a clean alternative to the fossil fuel engine, and that by the time they do it won’t already be too late.

Although some question the viability of this entire process, mainly where the issue of total cost is concerned, Lackney stresses that as global fuel supplies dwindle, fuel companies will see the wisdom in buying into this process, mainly because it offers them the possibility of fuel retention. Yes, by investing in artificial trees, oil and gas companies will be able to turn their own carbon emissions back into hydrocarbon fuel. Which will come in handy if the oil runs out as quickly as some analysts say it will. In addition, us consumers can expect a break the pump if it all goes well!

Does this strike you as ironic, or just a weird and interesting take on recycling? Who knows? All that is certain is that the technology is making some pretty bold forecasts, and if it should prove successful, we are likely to see a great deal of investment towards this new method. I can see it now, countless roofs and skyscrapers with fields of artificial trees lining their roofs. Water circulation systems that capture the CO2 once its sucked off the leaves and then channeled down to the fuel cells in the basement. And the rest trucked off by trucks that bear the logo of Haliburton, Shell, and Petro Canada. And for once, the drivers won’t feel a lick of shame!

Whiskey Delta – Chapter 42

“In any problem where an opposing force exists and cannot be regulated, one must foresee and provide for alternative courses. Adaptability is the law which governs survival in war as in life.”

-Sir Basel H. Liddel-Hart

Smoke was rising from the Stryker, thin clouds of a black and grey emerging from every open hatch, and threatening to get worse. They were almost finished with the load out, just Braun needed to be hoisted into the back now. He was proving the least cooperative of them though. Still dazed from shock and morphine, he was nevertheless determined to make sure Saunders remembered something…

“The head… don’t forget the head…” he muttered.

Saunders looked back over her shoulder. Mill was still inside looking. She kept uttering reassurances to Braun, but he didn’t seem to be buying it. Whether he was more conscious than they gave him credit for or simply unable to follow what Saunders was saying, they didn’t know. He was just insistent.

“It’s all that matters… get it out…”

“We’re working on it,” Saunders said as they finally got him to the bed and began hoisting him up.

“Stop!” he yelled. They did. “Turn me around. C’mon!”

Saunders looked to Kobayashi and motioned downward. Slowly, they brought him to his feet and turned him around, in the direction of the Stryker. Braun took several deep breaths and fought to keep his head up. His mutters became a bit more clear, though he had to fight to enunciate every word.

“Where is he?”

“He?” asked Saunders. “You PFC Mill?”

Braun shook his head heavily. “Where’s Mance? We aint leaving without Mance…”

Saunders cleared her throat and shared another worried look with Kobayashi. What were they to make of that? Conscious enough to know that Mill still hadn’t emerged from his head-finding mission, but talking about a disembodied head as if it were still attached to a living person. Might that be an indication of drug-induced delirium, a waking episode? Either way, it was a good thing he had already been relieved of command.

“C’mon… bring me Mance…”

Saunders looked back to the vehicle. She had her own reasons for being worried at this point. Mill was just behind them a moment ago, but he was lingering inside. Another minute or so and the Stryker was likely to be on fire, or worse, go up. All that unexploded fuel and munitions that were still inside. Fifty-cal rounds, five-five-sixes, grenades and what was left of their unexploded Claymores and C4. All it would take was for the diesel to start a chain reaction, and that was going to happen sooner or later…

“C’mon, Mill,” she said herself. Mance could be damned at this point, but she wasn’t about to lose another soldier to an accident. Not when they were still this far from home.

“Fuck,” she said, removing Braun’s arm from her shoulder. She handed him off to Kobayashi amidst the LT’s grunts of protest. “Get him in, I’m going back.”

“Uh, ma’am?” Kobayashi managed to get a hold of Braun just fine, despite his struggling.

“Just do it.” She ran for the Stryker and keyed her comm. “Mill, what the hell’s taking you so long in there?”

She got a strained reply as he came on, his voice sounding heavy and thin. “Can’t see anything in here. The smoke is too thick. I can’t breathe with this helmet sealed either.”

“You’re just feeling claustrophobic. Turn on your thermal, you should be able to see okay.”

“There’s fire all around me! I’ll be blind as shit!”

“Mill, you’ll be fine, keep your eyes low,” she said calmly. “It should be on the floor somewhere. That cave-in probably knocked it from its compartment.”

A pause before he replied. “Alright, ma’am. Switching to thermal. Wish me luck.”

She waited. A few seconds passed and there was some dull clunks coming from inside the cabin. A loud one sent her reaching for the comm in a hurry.

“Mill, are you okay?”

He was breathing hard when he came on again. “Yeah… just looked into the flames for a sec. Fuck, it hurt!” She was about to chastize him but he cut her off. “Good news is, I think I got it. I got a hold of something plastic, feels like a big fucking potato inside.”

“Good job! I’m coming to get you out.”

She ran for the vehicle and was up onto the back in no time. Adrenaline and the urge to dust off was putting some mighty springs into her steps. She landed just shy of the hatch and reached inside. Her had to keep her visor down to avoid the smoke, and elt the comm do the talking.

“Can you see my hand? I’m right on top of you. Can you see it?”

She saw another hand waving smoke away a few feet from her. It searched forward and grabbed a hold of hers. No more words on an open comm were necessary, just for the adrenaline to give her an added burst of strength. She pulled.

Mill didn’t come easy, but once she got him high enough to reach the seat with his foot, he managed to give himself a boost and nearly toppled out on top of her. The bag swung and hit her in the hip, nearly sending her over the side as well. She grabbed a hold of him to steady herself and flipped her visor up.

“Alright! Now let’s get out of here, this crates about to blow!”

Mill nodded and jumped with her from the rear. Making sure the bag was still intact, they took off towards the pickup truck. Whitman honked a few times and revved the engine as they sprinted towards him. She didn’t look back until they finally reached the cab and Mill had jumped in the rear. She took the bag from him and opened the passenger door, paused for a second to give their vehicle one last look.

What a waste, she thought.

The Stryker was now a big plume of smoke. Black clouds poured from her hatches and small orange flames began to poke up from the rear door. Her fuel tanks were now completely ablaze, and the interior was sure to go up in a matter of seconds. She saw the look on Whitman’s face too; the look of a kid who just had their favorite toy taken away and then smashed in front of them. For the first time since they pulled him from the wreckage, the loss of their Stryker seemed to be hitting him. It seemed appropriate, he knew better than the rest.

She tossed the bag in the door and jumped in. Beaumont was in the middle, sandwiched next to Whitman. Neither looked particularly happy about her sending the bag on in ahead of her. Whitman managed to curl his injured tongue in tight enough to get a few audible words out.

“Shih! You gotta ride up fromp wiff that fing?”

“It’s our objective, Private. I wanna make sure we don’t lose it in transit.”

“Ugh, then give it to the Elw-Tee. He sheems fwond of it.”

She looked at the soon-to-explode vehicle ahead of them, the one which they were too close to to be having this argument. “Just get us the fuck out of here, you stupid hick! That vehicle is going blow!”

“I know, goddawmit!” Whitman sobbed and threw the truck into reverse. They cleared the lane and nearly smashed into a wrecked car behind them. He shifted it into drive and paused just long enough to kiss his fingers and plant them on the windshield.

“I’m sowry babe!” he said to her before brining them into a tight turn and shooting them off in the direction of Chinatown and stepping on it. Only when they were several meters clear did Saunders begin to breath easy again. She didn’t even flinch when, several blocks away, they heard a loud thud behind them and saw smoke rising in the rear view mirror.

“Holy shit,” she muttered. “No more close calls.”

Beaumont looked at her with panic stricken eyes. Clearly, he was in complete agreement on that. Unlike her, he couldn’t take another, let alone tolerate one. He still didn’t appear to be addressing the loss of another one of his men, but she hoped her gesture would prove meaningful to him as well. In the rear, Sanchez continued to hold vigil over his friends body while Kobayashi watched over Braun and Dezba. Mill, however, stood guard, hanging onto the rear of the cab. He had retrieved his trust SAW from the Stryker and was now their gunner for the remainder of the journey.

Yes, she thought. The remainder… and checked her chrono. Just twenty-five minutes to the hour, which gave them exactly fifty-five minutes to get on scene and be ready to go. As per their briefing, they knew that the Herc making the pickup would only be able to circle a few times before having to pull back and refuel. Contingency plans were available, but the Colonel had been most insistent that it not come to that. Perhaps she now understood why…

Provided they had no more contacts, either from Whiskeys or – God forbid – another chopper – there was just the matter of making contact with the evac plane and convincing it to land. That all depended on the state of the runway. She felt an unwelcome tinge of anxiety as her mind was forced to consider this last point and wonder what that might be like.

Dear God, let it be clear, she pleaded. Saunders had never been much for praying, but if a last minute conversion would help them get out of this mess, what was the harm?

She discretely crossed herself and uttered a little prayer for clear skies and clear roads, all the way home!

The Superhero Challenge

Earlier today, my wife and I started having a conversation. It was one of those moments where an idea pops into your head, totally irrelevant and unimportant, but fun nonetheless. I asked her, if she could be a superhero and have her choice of three superhero abilities, what would they be. Come to think of it, it doesn’t seem that irrelevant does it? I mean, let’s face it. We’ve all dreamed about being superheroes at one time or another, haven’t we? To have superhuman abilities that would allow us to fight crime, save the world, or just beat people up and make us feel big.

So based on the assumption that there are other people out there who think like I do and have actually dedicated some thought to this question, I have prepared the following list. The goal here is to pick the three abilities that you think would make an ideal, well-rounded, or at least interesting superhero. Remember, you only get three, so choose wisely (and please note that the following list is merely the product of superheroes that I can recall and is by no means complete):

Ability to Fly
Acrobatics
Advanced Technology (i.e. Ironman suit)
Alien Technology (i.e. Green Lantern)
Animal Control
Babel Ear (understand any language)
Camouflage
Cybernetics
Elasticity
Elemental Control (weather)
Energy Absorption
Energy Emission (i.e. shoot energy from your body)
External Shell
Fire control
Gadgets
Godhood (i.e. Thor, Loki)
Guns (i.e. Punisher)


Gills
Healing (others)
Heat vision
High-tech vehicles (i.e. Batmobile, Batjet, etc)
Inertia (i.e. Juggernaut)
Invincibility
Invisible means of conveyance
Invisibility
Mad Fighting Skills
Magnetism
Multiplication (ability to make many of you)
Precognitive
Regeneration (self)
Suggestion (i.e. mind control)
Super Smarts
Super Speed
Super Strength
Telepathy
Teleportation
Telekinesis
Transmutation (shape shifting)
Vampirism
X-ray vision

Good! Now that you’ve selected your three abilities, it’s time to pick a name. What monicker best represents your hero, your abilities, and your particular manifesto. Is it truth, justice and the American Way (holy cliche, Batman!), fighting crime and protecting the citizens of your city (now that’s Batman!), or terrorizing the piddly folk and making them piss your pants at the sheer sight of your face (that sounds like the Joker)? Once again, be sure to choose wisely. The right kind of name can make your career, the wrong kind of name can make you a pariah!

Whiskey Delta – Chapter 41

“The battlefield is a scene of constant chaos. The winner will be the one who controls that chaos, both his own and the enemies.”

-Napoleon Bonaparte

With Wilcox clear, Saunders was able to get free of the smoking ruin. A good thing too, as its insides were beginning to get very thick with smoke. Worse, she feared more of the ammo would start to go and turn the fuel tanks into smoking diesel fires.

She was surprised to see Whitman up and about. He was holding his jaw with one hand and that hand was bloody, but he was on his feet and even looking after the others. Mill was nearby, checking on Braun and Dezba. They all turned to notice Wilcox being laid out at the edge of the vehicle and became deadly silent.

There was no point, but Kobayashi still did a quick check. It took only seconds to rule out a pulse, air, and retinal response. He closed his eyes and crossed his hands over his chest, lending his body a more dignified repose than the one he died in.

Sanchez went over the body and began weeping. Further off, Beaumont was watching and seemed strangely at ease. Perhaps he was caught between relief and grief, knowing that at least one of his men survived. She knew how he felt.

She dropped down off the Stryker and walked past the somber display. She found Braun and Dezba leaned up against the wall of a nearby building and Whitman standing over them.

“Private,” she called. Whitman looked up at her and tried to reply. A clumsy, muttled sound was all he managed, and he quickly moaned from the pain.

“Don’t mind him, ma’am. He bit his tongue pretty bad. Cut up his lips when his face hit the driver’s column. Really shouldn’t be talking.”

Whitman nodded and moaned an affirmative, pointed to his jaw. In spite of everything she was feeling, Saunders wanted to laugh.

“Can he drive though?”

Mill looked to Whitman. He moaned some more and held his thumb up. She resisted the urge to laugh again. What was it about this guy that he could turn anything into a comical display? Was he as simple as they gave him credit for, or a hidden genius? That thought also made her want to laugh. A small snicker was all he could manage.

“Alright. We need to get some transport,” she said as soon as she found her composure. “Mill, you and the uh, joker here, find us a vehicle with some fuel in it that still runs. Preferably one with the keys still in the ignition.”

Whitman began muttering something unintelligible, waving his hand dismissively. She shook her head and looked to Mill to translate.

“He says don’t worry about it, he can hotwire it.”

Why am I not surprised? she thought.

The two of them proceeded down the alleyway back towards the far end of the street. They steered left once there, avoiding the flaming wreckage of the chopper. This left her alone with Kobayashi, and a discussion she wasn’t particularly looking forward to. After looking over their wounded one last time, he joined her away from the wrecked vehicle and the balance of their sqaud.

“Ma’am, we got problems, not sure where to start.”

She shook her head unhappily. “Just say it, Koby. It’s not like its a secret, you know.”

“Alright then, how about the good news? We lost only one member of the squad in that accident.”

“You mean disaster…” she said.

“Not your fault.”

“I was in charge.”

He sighed. She wasn’t helping things by blaming herself. But he didn’t want to argue the point. He got to the bad news as tactfully as he could.

“On the downside, half our squad is now inoperable. Lieutenant Braun, Sergeant Dezba, and now Cobb. Beaumont and Sanchez are both in relative shock over the loss of their man, and I don’t think either one can be trusted with a weapon much longer.”

She looked at Beaumont and frowned. He was still standing there, holding back as Sanchez cried over his friends body. He looked so plain, she hadn’t figured he was in a bad way. But the look of disaffection was clear to her now. He wasn’t so much holding on as withdrawing into himself. That could pose problems in short order.

“On top of that, I heard you tell Sanchez we’re transporting his friends body with us?”

“Leave no man behind,” she said automatically.

“Fine, but we got three invalids already.”

“If Beaumont can’t be trusted, let him and Sanchez do it. Whitman can still drive. That leaves us three to take care of our own.”

“And who’s going to cover us now that we got no vehicle?”

“Mill and Whitman are procuring transport.” Kobayashi sighed again and shook his head. Saunders felt a sudden spike of anger. What did he expect her to say? That they were fucked? Did he want her to admit that they were hopelessly overextended and couldn’t possibly hope to make it home again? What good would that do them now?

“You got a suggestion, Koby, or did you just want to remind me of the fucked-upness of our situation?”

Kobayashi didn’t reply immediately. He simply looked at the mess of their wounded and back to her. The questing look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. The anger reached a crescendo. She did her best to keep her voice even, not wanting the others to hear.

“Don’t you fucking say it, big man. Don’t even think it.”

“I’m not saying, ma’am.”

“You’re the squads fucking medic, you can’t go there!”

“I’m not, ma’am,” he said forcefully. For a second, they both looked at the others just to make sure they weren’t taking an interest. Safely assured that they were still speaking privately, he lowered his voice and continued. “I just think you need to consider that four healthy people have far better odds of getting out then four people tending to six people who are either incapacitated, out of their minds, or dead.”

She couldn’t help but notice his choice of words. “I need?” she echoed.

“Yes, ma’am. You’re in charge. Whatever you say goes, come hell or high water. It’s not your fault we got more invalids on our hands, but you need to consider whether or not we need to keep having them.”

Saunders felt her head spin. Kobayashi’s explanation for his reasoning was only making it seem worse. She wasn’t sure if she should feel infuriated, patronized, or what. She sure as hell couldn’t bring herself to feel thankful for the helpful advice. Nor could she take what he was saying seriously. It was beyond cold and ruthless, it was unthinkable.

And yet, even as she told herself that, she couldn’t help but feel her mind drifting to that place. Weighing the odds of their survival free and unencumbered, considering that some would have a better chance of making it out instead of all. She tried to fight it, but the logic of it was insidious and seemed to be growing in strength and intensity. The more she tried to fight it, the worse it became.

“No,” she said finally, shutting down all internal debate. “I wasn’t prepared to write any member of this squad off before and I’m not about to do it now. They’d all be dead in there if we hadn’t seen to their rescue. They come with us.”

“You sure?” Kobayashi asked. Saunder might have hit him, but the resolve she now felt made that completely unnecessary. She was in charge, and he would obey.

“Yes, I’m sure. What’s more, I know they’d do the same for us.”

Kobayashi nodded and forced an awkward smile. She frowned at him. “What’s so goddamned funny?”

The big man was about to answer, but they were interrupted by the sound of wheels coming around the corner. They looked up to see a large, red pickup pulling in ahead of them. The paint was chipped, some sections rusting, but the engine sounded lively and smooth. Whitman brought her to a screeching halt just a few meters from them and jumped out. Mill did the same from the other side.

“What do you think, Alpha leader?” he asked, slapping the hood. “Got a half tank of gas, and the engine seems to be running just fine. Whitman even gave her a look under the hood and is willing to sign off.”

Whitman smiled, his thick, swollen lips giving it a very comical rendering. Saunders ran to the side and inspected the rear. Aside from a spare tire, it was open and empty. And it looked to be spacious enough to fit five people, assuming they could cram another three into the front. She nodded approvingly.

“Where’d you find it?”

“Just up the road, parked in the lot by an old Walmart. Probably a family out shopping for supplies. Even found a box of shell casings under the driver’s seat.” Mill held up the box and laughed suddenly, looked over to Whitman. “I’ve sad it before and I’ll say it again, Billy. Thank God for people of you ilk!”

Whitman smiled sardonically and gave a sideways nod of his head. Saunders smiled, but ceased to when she was forced to looked back to Kobayashi.

“Get down there,” she nodded to the others huddled around their vehicle. “Help get the ‘invalids’ into the back.”

“Ma’am?” he said just as she was about to turn away. “You might want to consider appointing and NCO too. So far, you’ve been running things without a second. Might be a good time…”

She smiled tightly, looked at Mill. “Private! You’ve been promoted. You’re my second until we’re out of here one of us dies.”

Mill snapped out a quick salute. “I won’t let you down, ma’am!”

“Good, now start getting our predecessors into the back. Mr. Reaper here will help you.”

Mill ran off. She was once again about to tend to their vehicle, but saw Kobayashi still standing there in the corner of her eye. When she looked back, she saw him smiling again. No interruptions would stop her now. Marching over to him, she curled her fist and made ready to hit him if his answer wasn’t satisfactory.

“What the fuck is so funny, Koby?” she asked.

“Nothing, ma’am,” he said, turning deadly serious.

“Then why the hell are you smiling again? I’ve shot you down twice, I’d think you’d be angry.”

“You didn’t shoot me down, ma’am,” he said plainly. “I never said we should leave people behind, just that you should consider it. It’s your duty as commander, after all.”

Her fist tightened. “And?”

“You made the right call. You did the same when I suggested selecting an NCO. Mill’s the obvious choice.”

Shit, she thought. She had worked up a perfectly good sense of fury, now her anger was now fluctuated unpredictably. She wanted to hit him, thank him, shove him to the ground. She split the difference and just punched him in the arm. He winced mildly, and smiled again.

“You are a weird fucking man, Mr. Hiro Kobayashi!”

“Yes, ma’am. Being the voice of tough love is a tough job.”

She grunted. She didn’t care much for that characterization at the moment, even if it might be partially true. She pointed to their wounded.

“So is being the toughest guy in the squad. Now get over there and help, dickhead!”

The Walking Dead, Season 3 Episode 2

Welcome back to The Walking Dead, Season Three! I tell ya, one can wait so long for a show to premier again that by the time it gets going, they find themselves falling behind on their watching and reviewing. Would you believe I didn’t get to watching the latest episode til this morning? Yeah, it’s crazy I know. But I hope this review makes up for that and piques the interest of anyone who has yet to watch it.

Now rumor had it that this episode was the best one yet. That’s a pretty tall order considering that the show has set some pretty high standards thus far for action, suspense, and good old fashion gory kill fests! But I went in with an open mind and tried not to expect too much. Mainly, I just wanted to see what they would choose to reveal and what other cliffhangers we could expect.

Last, I should mention that thanks to a friend (hi, Khaalidah!) I’ve taken it upon myself to learn all I can about the comic books and how this show relates and deviates from them. Thanks to my initial research – still looking to get a comprehensive volume of the first 90 or so issues – I noticed a few things in this episode that were pretty significant as far as the overall storyline goes. But more on that later. Here’s what happened this week on The Walking Dead:

Sick:

The show picks up where the premiere left off, with Hershel bleeding on the floor from an impromptu amputation and Daryl discovering that there are inmates still alive and uninfected inside. After hurrying Hershel back to a cell where they try to stop the bleeding, Daryl, T-Dog and Rick have a strained chat with the inmates. Eventually, they come to an accommodation. In exchange for helping them clear out a new cell block for them to occupy, the inmates agree to share what’s left of the food supply with them.

At first, this doesn’t go so well as it is clear that the inmates are not used to fighting as a single, disciplined force. They make a mess of things as they come upon their first group of Walkers and begin stabbing them in the stomach and rioting on them. However, things improve with subsequent encounters, and slowly the group begins to get the hang of Rick and his group’s tactics. Namely, go for the head, stay together, and don’t let them get around you!

However, the biggest man, ironically named Tiny, disobeys these rules and slips off in the middle of an encounter, causing him to get scratched. The groups begins to debate what to do with him, but that ends when the inmates de facto leader (the only one with a gun) bashes his head in and they move on.

When they reach the cell block, a pitch battle ensues to the take out the last guarding the doors. During this fight, the same prisoner tries to take Rick’s head off, accidentally-on-purpose, and tosses a Walker on him when that doesn’t work. As soon as they kill off the last of them, he pretends it was all an accident. To this, Rick responds, “Yeah, I get it… Shit happens.” And then plunges his machete into the mans’ skull!

Another runs, and ends up getting locked out by Rick, to be eaten shortly thereafter. Of the last two, Rick and the others try to decide what to do with them. The one insists that unlike their companion, he is no killer and just wants to live. The other refuses to plead, and tells Rick to do what he will. Rick decides to spare them, and they enter the new cell block. They find that the former inmates were all shot in the head, execution style.

Meanwhile, Hershel goes from bad to better as Carl manages to slip off and find the infirmary. Coming back with gauze, bandages and peroxide, he even boasts that he killed two walkers. Naturally, his mother is incensed, but he insists he’s just looking out for the group. And the medical supplies help, as Carol gives Hershel’s stump a proper wrapping that will ward off infection. They also cuff him to his bunk, as a precaution…

What follows is on the most touching scenes as Maggie has some time alone with Hershel and tells him its okay for him to let go. Unlike her little sister Beth who hopes her father will recover, Maggie is convinced that they must be prepared for the worst, and tells her unconscious father that she and Beth will carry on as best they can. They have a close call when Hershel stops breathing and becomes suddenly reanimated after Lori gives him CPR, but everyone calms as they realize he’s still alive. He even comes out of his coma shortly thereafter to the relief and delight of everyone.

However, Carol has impending woes as she knows that Lori’s baby is due soon and may have to be removed by C-section. She doesn’t know how to do this, and at the time it seems as though Hershel will not be on hand to do it himself. Hence, she asks Glenn to help her procure a female Walker so she can practice on it. After finding and killing one in the yard, she gets to work on slicing open its stomach. As she does, she is watched from the treeline by someone… or something!

Things come together in the end as Rick and Lori have a private chat. They commend each other for their quick actions and being cool in the crisis. All in all, they agree that it was a good day. However, Rick still can’t talk about all that’s happened between them. The episode ends with him telling her how thankful they all are for saving Hershel’s life, and then leaving her alone.

Summary:

Hm, best episode yet? Not in my humble opinion, but definitely a good one! Personally, I am waiting on next week’s which the previews have indicated is where Michonne and Andrea will meet “The Governor” and be brought to his little town. What’s more, hints are given that Merle Dixon, Daryl’s crazy-ass brother from season one, will be making an appearance. If this episode had some people thinking it was the best yet, I’d tell them to wait on next week’s. Promises to be revelatory!

But of course, this weeks episode still needs a little play by play. For starters, it was damn good because of the way it juxtaposed the group’s fight to save one of his own members alongside the rather ruthless display Rick made with the prisoners. After cutting a deal with them but realizing he couldn’t trust them, he quickly dealt with their ringleader by splitting his head in cold blood! Then he even trapped another one outside where he was eaten by Walkers. As the Joker would say, “See, even to a guy like me, that’s cold!”

What’s more, hints are given that Carl is heading down the dark path as well. After running off to fetch supplies, he had absolutely no patience for his mother telling him that he took an unnecessary risk. In addition, the scene when Hershel is revived and they suspect he might be a Walker ends with Carl holding his pistol whooped out and at the ready. This, along with last weeks episode shows how Carl has progressed from little kid to dedicated killer. And when it comes to his parents, he’s showing some clear signs of identifying with his father at the expense of his mother. You might say he’s picking up on the conflict between them and picking sides.

Also, there was a little revelation that put me in mind of something I read about from the comic books. During this episode, Rick tells the prison inmates that they all have the virus, and that as soon as any of them die, they will be reanimated as Walkers. To my memory, this is the first instance of this being mentioned in the series, though I could be wrong.But if it is, it means they have now tackled an important part of the comic book series, which was the grand revelation that any one of them, including people who die while still human, has a strong chance of coming back as a Walker. Remember Shane? Well, if they choose to follow the comics on this point, Rick will have to travel back to where they buried him, unearth him, and put a bullet between his eyes.

Like I said… cold!