. Blackbird & Countinghouse Presents: ( ) CONCLAVE OF SUPER-VILLAINS ( ) I An Academy of Super-Heroes Universe Comic I I copyright 2003 by Tony Pi I #25 - VILLAIN'S APPRENTICE IV "Altar Egos" =========================================================================== [Cover: An elegant invitation to the wedding of Triton and Sultry. R.S.V.P.] =========================================================================== TRITON Derek Murdock Radner Groom Gadgeteer/Electricity SULTRY Zuri Angeline Croft Bride Weather Control CHALLENGER Robert Coulter Best Man Cybernetics CONFLICTO Eugene Kwan Usher Friction/Viscosity FADEAWAY Lana Smith Flower Girl Ghosting SPIRAL Anya Kirova Bridesmaid Telekinetic Torque MYRIAD Alpha Rho Fourteen Bridesmaid Shapeshifting GLYPH Zephirah Reuben Architect Magical Sigils TERRASTAR Polla Hectrix Termiddo Architect Earth Control KALIBAN ? Guest Monstrous Strength TIARA Princess Ursula of Monaco Guest Master Thief BURNOUT Trish Catrall/Tyra Dumont Party-Crasher Ash Elemental LIGHT ERRANT Petra 'Irrlicht' Hollander Party-Crasher Wispform, Hypnosis ============================================================================ What the world saw was a fairy tale come true. Saint Valentine's Day, 2025 marked the wedding of the century between the Chancellor of Khadam, Derek Murdock Radner, and Zuri Angeline Croft. It was a royal wedding without equal. Even the spectacular union between Prince Maxim Rainier Charles Etienne Montesquieu de Grimaldi of Monaco and Renata Cassar Delia in 1989 paled in comparison to the literal magic of the blessed event in South America, at Angel Falls. You will remember this, from the official vids: picture perfect weather at the world's tallest waterfall, a tranquil scene. It was dry season, so only a thin stream of water fell from the top of the tepui and faded into mist. But the mists coalesced into an icy replica of Westminster Abbey, suspended a third of the way from the base of the falls, the result of a complex spell by Glyph. And Skyhaven appeared out of thin air, a hundred meters above the falls, signalling the beginning of the ceremony. First, a flower girl appeared at the top of the falls. Surprisingly, it was Lana Smith, the first Burnout to join the Conclave of Super-Villains. Despite her current affiliation with STRAFE and the circumstances of our last encounter with her, her friendship with Angeline still trumped politics. She floated down, ghosting petals from her basket back into existence. You may find it interesting to know that the rose petals they scattered were of a hybrid created especially for Sultry by Khadamite botanists, and named after her: the Sultry Rose. Drifting down from the top of the falls came Sultry, wearing her original Juliana Silvestri white wedding gown. The revealing dress and its long train were, of course, water-resistant and aerodynamic. Carrying the train were Myriad, who had taken the form of an angel with golden wings, and Spiral, who used her telekinetic torque to power a custom-designed parasol that kept herself aloft. Once inside the floating ice cathedral, you may have caught a glimpse of the impressive assembly of guests: ex-CSV master thief Tiara, the princess of Monaco, dressed in a stunning Silvestri recreation of a medieval gala dress; Juliana Silvestri herself; the Khadamite cyborg-general named Alloy; a Pranir noble merchant who gave the name "Clarity-Amidst-Chaos"; even Rex Umbrae took an unusual excursion out of New York to attend the festivities. Only Arnold Zugmann was conspicuously absent, but viewed the ceremony from Khadam. As best man, I stood with Derek at the front. Derek was all smiles. He was dressed in the Chancellor's official attire, instead of his Strafe armor. However, due to the lesson we learned at the bachelor's party, he'd had Glyph tattoo a summoning sigil in the shape of a trident on the back of his right hand. A simple coded tap would warp his suit to encase him no matter where he was on Earth, provided that the mystical link was renewed after each summoning. The two stood face to face at the altar and exchanged their vows. Triton put a ring on Sultry's finger, while Sultry capped his ring finger stump with a specially-designed wedding ring that dampened the crackling electricity. When they kissed, lightning passed between them, sealing the union for all the world to see. A perfect story to tell all your children. But the truth behind the glitz? When the king of the seas marries the queen of storms, you'd better batten down the hatches. * * * * The real spectacle came right before the wedding reception, which was to be held that night at the top of Angel Falls, in a replica of the Parthenon created by TerraStar. The wedding guests adjourned to Skyhaven, while Triton summoned the current members of the CSV, along with Tiara, to go over some last minute details of the reception. Conflicto was still sniffling, while Spiral rolled her eyes in disgust. "Be a man, Eugene!" she chided. "B-b-but it was beautiful," Eugene said. He was dressed in a white leather suit fringed with tassles and studded with sequins. "And I can't hold back my feelings anymore." He fell to one knee and reached for Spiral's hand. "Will you marry me, Anya?" "Puh-lease!" Anya pulled away. "Of course not! You're too immature, I'm sorry to say. I need a worldly man, you know what I mean?" Ursula and I stood by the wedding gift table and watched in half- amusement and half-embarrassment as Eugene began to throw a temper tantrum. "So, Princess, how is your father?" I ventured. The princess sighed. "As Glyph and I left him: a madman. I hate having to do this to him, but he left me no choice." I did not press for an explanation of Prince Maxim's transgressions. "I am regent for now, but in a year, if his condition still persists, then I will be crowned as official ruler of Monaco." She let her hand drift over the wedding gifts. "Which one of these is yours?" she asked. "Actually, none," I said. But before I could elucidate, several screams interrupted our conversation. Two uninvited guests had appeared at the top of the steps into the mock- Parthenon, hand in hand. The first, I recognized as a red and grey version of Cockatrice. The second was a blond woman dressed in blue: a quick search through my CSV recognition files told me that it was Petra Hollander, otherwise known as Light Errant. "Damn," whispered Tiara. "Coulter, I better fill you in while we have the chance. 'Crowns and anchors aweigh', my boy." As soon as she finished the codephrase, I remembered. Gimble; Rebus's child; Devlin Marx and the Pope. Apparently, a lot went on when I was aboard _Perfect Silhouette_ that had been temporarily erased from my active memory. "You and I need to talk," I whispered to Tiara. "Yes, but now's not the time." She slipped a few things from the table behind her into the voluminous folds of her dress. "Be a dear and fetch me a flute of champagne?" * * * * Several of the Khadamite High Guard rushed towards the party-crashers, but Cockatrice simply glanced at them and turned seven of them into statues of ash, as if they had been burnt up without burning! "Intruders!" shouted TerraStar. She raised her GeoMace and leapt at Cockatrice. "Oh please," sang Cockatrice. She winked, and in a split second, TerraStar suffered the same fate as the guards: turned into an effigy of ash. "Halt!" Derek shouted. "Nobody make a move, if you value your life. Cockatrice and Light Errant. What do you want?" He had his finger over the tattoo on his right hand, ready to summon the Strafe armor. "Don't even try it, Derek. Or can you do that in the blink of an eye? And by the way, I am not entirely Cockatrice," hummed the woman who looked like Cockatrice. "I'm Burnout." "Tyra? Then you're not here to cause us trouble?" asked Sultry. "This is my dream wedding. Don't mess it up, girl." "This isn't about your little ceremony, Angel. I never tendered my resignation, remember? I am still a member of the Conclave of Super- Villains, and I brought a date. I'm sorry I missed the main event, but I do come bearing gifts." "And you start by killing TerraStar?" shouted Derek. "Only to drive home the point that I mean business. Petra, please show our guests to the new venue." Light Errant nodded, and with her free hand unleashed seven will-o'-the- wisps. Two of the foxfires swirled about her and Burnout, while the last five flew towards Tiara, Triton, Sultry, Conflicto, and me. I felt a wave of nausea come over me, and suddenly, the seven of us dropped out of reality.... * * * * ...and reappeared at the top of St. Joseph's Oratory, in lost Montreal. The sight immediately silenced the lot of us. When last the Conclave of Super-Villains tried to invade Montreal, Solar Max had unleashed a flare that sheared off the top of Mount Royal. The Oratory was spared, and had remained the sole structure that overlooked Montreal from the remnants of the mountain. Months later, during the Battle of Giza, Peregryn banished the Viaus...whose mystical links to Montreal also tore the island out of existence. But it was clear that we were in Montreal, though we had no idea where Montreal was. All we knew was that a giant statue of Caryatid was standing on top of Mount Royal, holding up the angrily roiling yellowish-orange sky. And off the shore of the island of Montreal, a titanic wall made of entwined statues of Labyrinthe penned in the water. Much of the surface of the island had been cleared and converted into farmland, which seemed to possess an unnatural vibrancy under the baleful skyglow. "Whoa," said Conflicto in a sniffle, looking up. "Caryatid sure has big..." "Shut up, Eugene," snapped Derek. He tapped Glyph's sigil, trying to summon his armor, to no avail. "Damn. I don't think we're on Earth, anymore." "Quite right," sang Burnout, as she exchanged glances with Light Errant. "Bienvenue a Montreal, lady and gentlemen. Welcome to Venus." * * * * Burnout and Light Errant led us inside the Oratory, and we went willingly, curious as to the nature of the events that had landed us on Venus. The old Catholic iconography had been replaced by images of Caryatid and Labyrinthe. Some citizens of Montreal were venerating the Viau twins inside. "As far as we can deduce, we are inside the impact crater known as Cleopatra, atop the Maxwell Montes, the highest place on Venus," said Light Errant. "When the city was mystically dropped here, everyone would have been killed by the atmosphere, if not for the intervention of the twin mages. All of their mystical power was directed towards the preservation of the city, and they are trapped in their roles as protectors and providers of sustenance. They will not answer, but the people still hope. And worship." "How did you manage to find it?" I asked. "And how did you bring us here?" Burnout laughed. "It doesn't matter. Light Errant and I are the keyholders who can open the portal to Montreal. Imagine it, Triton: the Conclave of Super-Villains being the vanguard in the development and colonization of a new planet. A secure and secret location from which we can launch missions to procure untapped resources. A new world to conquer, right under the noses of the United World. You think Khadam a jewel in your crown? Then Montreal is the crown itself." "Any pre-existing problems here?" asked Derek. "The Sans Rouge, under the current leadership of a liberated Polaire, runs the city and fosters the Cult of Twins. But a few Marshals have gone underground, he says, and command a resistance movement. With our help, though, they will soon be routed." Tiara raised an eyebrow. "But this city comes with a price, of course?" Burnout nodded. "You can keep your role as Chancellor of Khadam, Triton. But I want leadership of the Conclave of Super-Villains, or else you can enjoy your exile here, for the rest of your life. You have one Earth hour to decide." * * * * Burnout and Light Errant left us to talk on the observation level. "Yvan...and Claudette," said Derek. "We've found them at last, and yet they are still trapped." "Derek, I will not spend the rest of my life here. Not without our children," said Sultry. "I don't think we have a choice." While they talked, I tried to puzzle out the strange behavior of Burnout and Light Errant. My reporter's instinct told me that there were oddities that I had to address. Why kidnap just the five of us? Spiral, Glyph, Kaliban and Myriad were as much a part of the CSV, even more so than Tiara was at present. Was it just random? And why kill TerraStar? I knew Cockatrice from New York, and she did not kill with her powers with impugnity. She was a manipulator, much like Mister Strings. If she couldn't control her minions through fear, then and only then did she resort to her icy gaze. And if Mister Strings shared her body, it made no real sense to waste Polla without even trying to manipulate her. What was I missing? "Maybe we should let Burnsy call the shots," said Conflicto. "I mean, Montreal's a fun city, but do I want to be stuck here forever?" "If you had invited Kleinvogel and Lana was here, maybe another wormhole could get us out of here, Derek," I joked. "If only." He sighed and looked out at Labyrinthe's wall. "Yvan, what should I do? Lead me out of this maze." Something clicked then. Maze. That was the key to the puzzle. "The WorldMaze," I said excitedly to Derek. "That's the key, see? Light Errant accesses Montreal through Labyrinthe's WorldMaze because she was part of the original ritual, if your files are accurate. And that might explain why only the five of us were taken." I quickly voiced my concerns. "You see, only seven of us came to Montreal, because that's the maximum number that those two were able to transport at any one time. Like the seven youths sacrificed to Minos's labyrinth, each year. "But they didn't take Glyph, because they didn't want a mage present who could undo their new ritual. And they are both devoting their powers to complete the ritual. Burnout creates seven bodies of ash, activating dimensional portals to the quasi-elemental plane of ash, while Light Errant perverts those portals into gates to Montreal." "But there were eight bodies," countered Sultry. "Seven High Guards and TerraStar." Derek grew pale. "No, he's right, sweetheart. Burnout and Light Errant are not mages. They couldn't have done this on their own. They have an accomplice, someone with mage powers." "Glyph?" said Conflicto. "If we were only so lucky," I said. "I'm afraid there was a traitor among us, a hidden mage. She faked her own death." Derek nodded grimly. "I should have seen it from the beginning. TerraStar." * * * * "Bravo, Burnout," said Derek, smiling, when the two women returned. "You've trumped me. There's no way we can escape from Venus, so we are at your mercy. But in truth, I am glad to relinquish my command of the CSV, and focus on my wife and children and the duties of Chancellor. I will step aside and let you take over leadership duties of the CSV." Burnout and Light Errant both nod. "It is settled, then, my friend," said Burnout. "Let us celebrate." "And I have the perfect way to start off the celebrations," said Tiara. She slipped a box of Cuban cigars out from under her dress. Conflicto tried to take a peek but I slapped him upside the head. She passed out cigars to everyone, and Burnout produced a lighter and lit everyone's cigars. She took a puff. "Here's to Caryatid and Labyrinthe, saviors of Montreal and our gateway to the riches of Venus!" Just then, the cigars exploded in her and Light Errant's faces, while we Conclavers threw our cigars at them. Those exploded too, blinding both of them. Eugene immediately altered the women's tears so that they gained the viscosity of molasses. "Okay, okay! I confess! I went for the gag gift!" "Thankfully," said Tiara, who had swiped the exploding cigars from the gift table earlier. She watched Derek punch Burnout with an electrified fist, while I trapped Light Errant in a net of optical fibers dreamed up as a defense against Doublecross's minions. Just in case one of my assumptions had been wrong, of course. But it was strong enough to hold a normal as well. Sultry pushed Burnout down on the ground, hitched up her dress, and put a stiletto heel to Burnout's throat. "I know you can't use your powers, not while you two are engaged in this ritual," said Sultry. "And do you think I'd let you ruin my wedding and keep me from my children? Think again, bitch." "What are you plotting?" asked Derek. "We know you're working with TerraStar. That last gaze was a set-up, wasn't it? To delay us from whatever you're planning on Earth. Tell us what!" "You're too late," sneered Burnout. "TerraStar's off to Monaco, to destroy it." "No!" shouted Sultry, driving her heel down and drawing blood from Burnout's throat. "My mother and children are still there!" Tiara blanched. "Why Monaco?" But she and I knew already why. How did Burnout find out? "You know exactly why, Princess. Gimble is there, and pregnant with Lorenzo Archangeli's child. Or didn't you know that, Derek?" spat Burnout. "Princess here is harboring Rebus's heir, due to be born next month. You and I both know that can *not* be allowed to happen." Derek trembled. I could see in his face that he did not want to face another Archangeli ever again. But was the death of a potential evil worth the lives of his children? "Derek, you can't let it happen," said Sultry. "Make them take us back. I need to hold Cat and Alexander in my arms. NOW." I could see the fury in Derek's eyes, a need to kill the two villainesses before him. But I put a hand gently on his shoulder. "Look in your mirror," I told him. He turned to look me in the eye, but I shook my head and pointed at Labyrinthe's wall. He understood. "Let them go, Angel. We'll let them live, because our children's lives are worth more than theirs." He addressed Burnout next. "Take us back, so that I may save my children. I don't care about Gimble or the Archangeli. Just let our children go." "But Monaco!" pleaded Tiara. "Please, Derek...save my country too." Derek sighed. "Depends on whether we can take out TerraStar in time, Your Highness." * * * * The seven ashen High Guard statues burst into pieces, emerging from their wreckage the seven visitors to Venus. The first thing they saw were the unconscious forms of Kaliban, Glyph and Spiral melded into the stone roof of the Parthenon. There was also a smooth granite ball in the center of the banquet hall floor. "We can only transport seven people at a time, but we need to sacrifice seven lives to activate the portals," confessed Light Errant. "One reason why we wanted to control the CSV again was so that we can use its resources to create an endless supply clonses to use as portal fodder." Derek nodded. "My thoughts exactly." He tapped the sigil with an off-beat pattern and summoned his armor around him. He walked over to the sphere and, with a powered-up strike, split it in two. Myriad spilled out of the geode as an unconscious goop. "When and how is TerraStar supposed to destroy Monaco?" asked Derek. "In five minutes, she intends to use the AstroSpear to create an earthquake of extreme magnitude, centered on Monte Carlo," said Burnout. "Even Anchors cannot stop the passive effects." "Five minutes to reach the other side of the world?" Triton shook his head. "Even if we had alien tech, we wouldn't be able to reach there in time." He sighed. "But I suspected something like this might happen. Burnout, can she create the earthquake without the AstroSpear? Would she have it with her instead of just hiding it away from me?" "It would take much longer to set off the quake, and the quake would be much weaker," admitted Burnout. "We had to remove you and seize control of the 'Spear, to pull this off right." Triton nodded, and rubbed his wife's back. "Don't worry, my love. I can stop her." He turned to the rest of us. "Come! Back to Skyhaven, now!" * * * * We arrived on Skyhaven's bridge in record time. "Challenger! I need the remote unit that I gave you. Tiara, access the satellite over Monaco. I want visual." I opened up a storage compartment in my cybernetics, and pulled out the pocketwatch-shaped control. I tossed it to him. "What do you need it for?" "Got her," shouted Tiara, zooming in on TerraStar's position in Monaco. "Jardin Exotique, at the rock garden!" The computer enhanced the image, showing TerraStar impaling the AstroSpear into the rock at her feet. She gripped the Spear and began chanting and pressing a series of buttons. "You see, I planned for the eventuality that someone might steal the AstroSpear from me one day. Over the last year, I installed a remote control device into the Spear, improving upon its designs and adding an ultimate failsafe." He inserted the control unit into a pop-up unit that I had never seen before. "But I couldn't install the device into the Strafe suit, in fear that an enemy would try to destroy my armor first. I had to hide it within easy reach, with someone I trust. You." He punched a few keys in front of him. "So I installed the remote into the Challenger suit remote unit, hiding the coding there, and gave it to you as a present. Now, I can do THIS!" He slammed a big red button. On the screen, the AstroSpear suddenly became electrified with a strange glow, catching TerraStar in a cocoon of energy. She seemed unable to let go of the Spear, and then *imploded*. The Spear smoked and fell over, its searing point winking out. Conflicto had to pick his jaw up from the ground, figuratively. "You vaporized her??" "Not exactly. You see, I've been stumped by the dimensional gate abilities of the AstroSpear for the longest time, until the fight with Rebus. I realized then that I *could* create a minor dimensional pocket, much like the way the first Solar Max could with warp bubbles. But the limited dimensional cell could only be activated by unleashing all the energy in the AstroSpear. So, at the expense of having to find a new way to repower my beloved weapon, I saved my children and Monaco." "Is TerraStar gone for good, then?" asked Sultry. "Because I'd like to rip her limbs off, one by one...." "It's not a fully functional portal *to* anywhere, it just turns back upon itself. Depending on the extent of the power TerraStar was hiding from us, she *should* find a way out sooner or later," said Derek. He turned to Tiara. "But you, Highness, have been holding out on me. Gimble *and* the Archangeli heir? You *have* been busy." Tiara grimaced. "Just trying to live up to my reputation, Derek. What are you going to do now? The Pope has already tried to prevent Gimble from giving birth. Will you try to murder Lorenzo's child as well?" "I don't see a choice in the matter," confessed Derek. "You saw that the Galactic Warrior Corps would destroy Earth to prevent Rebus from becoming a god. What if the child had the same ambitions? What if Rebus himself reincarnates in his own flesh and blood? We cannot risk humanity's fate like that. I'm sorry, Ursula." "Death is not always the answer. We can teach the child to be good," argued Tiara. "Wait," I said. "There might be a solution that might please everyone. Exile." All eyes turned to me. "When the baby is born, let Gimble and her child be exiled to Venus. I know you'd have to use conventional methods, like an alien shuttle, to get them there, and be careful penetrating the protective barrier. But once there, it would be very difficult for an Anchor to return to Earth. You can still keep a close eye on the child, and no one would be any wiser as to her whereabouts. Gimble could help with the colonization of Venus, while raising her child, maybe even find a way to free the Viaus without dooming Montreal. And if the Galactic Corps decides to eliminate a god-threat, Earth would still be safe even if we had to sacrifice Venus. You would be firmly in control of the situation, Triton." The group mulled over my solution. After some heated debate, Triton finally consented. "You have it, Challenger. A solution to please us all. The child will be safe, for now. But let no one grow complacent... Doublecross is still out there, and we need to be vigilant. But for the rest of the day, let us eat, drink, and celebrate!" "Huzzah!" shouted Conflicto. * * * * I had to see Derek before the reception, so I asked him to stay behind on the bridge so we could talk. "So, Challenger. How do you feel about these four joining us?" He had updated Burnout, TerraStar, and Tiara's entries on the duty roster, and added Light Errant as a probationary member. I also noted that the status of Caryatid and Labyrinthe had been updated. "You're letting them back into the CSV?" I asked, incredulous. "Tiara too?" "'Keep your enemies close,' that's rule number...hell, I forget which rule it was. When TerraStar extricates herself from her dimensional prison, I will welcome her back as well, though under probation." "Why?" "Because they are right: Venus is too valuable a resource to waste. The progress of humanity may depend upon how we take advantage of this situation. Regardless, someone needs to take over while I focus on family. Sultry and I are out, of course. Tiara's out of her father's shadow, and since Angel and I will be on hiatus, her presence in the CSV will not cause friction between Angel and her. But I expect her to keep a low profile in any case, so leadership shouldn't pass to her hands...they'll be full enough anyway. Spiral's voiced concerns about Eugene's obsession with her, and has asked for a leave of absence. I can't trust the new Triumvirate. Eugene made an error, letting TerraStar into the group, so I am not going to leave the CSV in his hands so soon again. That leaves Glyph, Myriad, Kaliban, and you." "I respectfully decline the honor, sir." "Thought you might. I'm going to leave the CSV under Glyph's capable command, for now. Hope she's up for the challenge. Come on. The reception's in an hour, and we've still got to change." "Just one thing, Triton." I drew in a deep breath. "Remember you told me that I had until your wedding to decide if I could just walk away a free man? I think I will, after the reception." "Oh?" I could hear the disappointment in his voice. "But you've been a valuable member of the CSV, Challenger. We would have fallen many times over, had you not seen what we were too blind to see." "First, I can't condone the use of clone lives to activate these Venus portals." I suppressed a shudder. "Back in New York, Manson Haight's clones always gave me the creeps. But each one was a real individual with real personality and life, even though they are clones. You can't think that they are free to be slain for the purposes of progress." "Our views differ on that point, then," he said quietly. "Vat-grown specimens are simply that: created life." "Then you don't view Myriad as a full, vibrant person? Is she just a tool? What about Kaliban? Is his life worth less because he was a Khadamite experiment?" I shook my head. "We could argue this for years, but deep in my heart, I just can't be a part of it." Derek nodded. "And the second reason?" "You have Yvan back, sort of. He is a truer mirror than I. Look to him again. I'm not cut out to be a super-villain, mirror or not. But before I go...here's my wedding gift to you. A seven-year publication ban on what really happened today, including everything about Venus, Rebus's child, and your children." "Thank you." Derek reached out his hand, and I shook it. "You will be missed, but you are always welcome here, Robert." * * * * So this is the article I cannot publish, though I have written it to put my own conscience at ease. Instead, I wrote a fluff piece with the standard exclusive cybereye shots for Renny Moss, and threw in a bit that I was resigning from the CSV to become a travel writer. The reception that night went smoothly, as though nothing had happened. As I requested, two nights later, Skyhaven dropped me off in Casablanca along with a motorcycle. I intended to see the world, a bit. But before I drove off into the sunset, I found Anya twirling a motorcycle helmet in her hand, standing before me. "Hey, Coulter," she said. "Got room for one more? I could use the company of a worldly man." "You want to travel with me?" Part of me screamed that she was Triton's plant, keeping an eye on me so I wouldn't divulge anything disastrous. But another part of me wanted to believe she was truly interested in me. "Hells. How could it hurt?" I shrugged. My name is Robert Coulter. I was once a super-villain. THE END ============================================================================= Next Issue: Tony's going on hiatus (see below), so no plans at the moment. ============================================================================= Author's Notes: Good news and bad news. The good news is, I've finally finished the "Villain's Apprentice" arc to my satisfaction, and revealed a lot of stuff that has been brewing in the background for years. I've also freed up the CSV characters for Dave, whose storylines have jumped way ahead of the CSV timeline. Now we're all caught up. The bad news is, I *am* going to take a hiatus from this series. I do have a lot of stories still waiting to be told, but I'd really like to work on a novel (as previous Author's Notes have stated). My other ideas also deviate from the CSV mode, as I am considering a mini-series called "PARAGANGS OF NEW YORK", based on NYC after Warden, and the machinations of Devlin Marx. No timeline for this, as yet. More good news, though: the characters are available for use by other authors, if the storylines they appear in are approved by me and Dave. Some new ASH authors are appearing on RACC, like Wil Alambre, or contemplating writing for ASH. I hope to see people contribute to the future of ASH. One strange coincidence I found: Angeline Croft is the name of Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)'s mother. That was completely unexpected and unintended. But Sultry's full name is Zuri (means 'beautiful' in Swahili) Angeline Croft, so that makes a difference. My thanks to Dave Van Domelen, Marc Singer, Matt Rossi and John Scheibeler for all the input into my storylines in the past. ============================================================================ For all the back issues, plus additional background information, art, and more, go to http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/ASH ! To discuss this issue or any others, either just hit "followup" to this post, or check out our Yahoo discussion group, which can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ash_stories/ ! ============================================================================