Here's your March QnA and oh boy, it's big.

Hi I just joined your patreon (love your first book) is Chen only attracted to Male MC or is he also attracted to NB MC? Sorry if it's been asked before. I tried to romance him as NB MC (my usual gender) but he doesn't seem into it? Looking forward to reading retribution in it's full! 

Chen can indeed be romanced with a NB Sidestep that doesn't present too female for him, but the route is a little more complicated at the moment (and not in the open alpha). 

Just out of curiosity, what would be the relationship deal-breaker for each ROs?

Not going to tell you that, would take the tension out of things. 

Also, my SideStep is a prankster at heart, so he would likely romance the ROs with the puppet, butcher the puppet in front of them, and then reveal that he is, in fact, the puppet all along. Which one of the RO would most likely be OK with this, haha. (Sorry if this is too weird lol)

Sorry, I am not implementing any Catastrofiend romances, so none of them.

Has ortega ever been into día de muertos? If so, did they ever do anything for sides and anathema? 

I imagine so. Ortega is both nostalgic and slightly maudlin, and it would have been a way to cope with their loss. It probably took a few years before getting to that stage though.

Ignoring personal relationship values, if Step were to deliberately fall off the radar and go into hiding, and is REALLY good at it, (e.g. Changing their name/appearance/mannerisms/voice/movements, avoiding cameras, taking on different personas and identities to throw people off their trail, switching up their routes/vehicles to avoid tracking, using their telepathy) how good would the Rangers be at finding them? Individually and as a team?

So what I am reading is which Ranger will be the most likely to find you in case things go bad? I'm not sure I want to tell you that. Each of them has their own particular areas of expertise, and also has friends to call on.

What would you say were the most badass moments the Rangers had that were caught on camera? What about off-camera? I know Lady Argent put up an amazing fight against the Crack, but what about the others? 

Ortega has had a ton. But, ironically enough, the ones caught on camera are rarely the ones against the strongest villains. But, the one that really made the headlines was back when they were fairly new as Charge, back when Hood was Marshal. They used the city electrical grid to channel a massive lightning bolt at the villain Flashback. It was caught on tape, looked massively impressive, and cemented Charge as the number one electricity user in Los Diablos. Also nearly fried their system.

Lady Argent had an impressive fight caught on camera back in San Francisco, against Swashbuckler, a lieutenant and enforcer of Lord Ember. It was broadcasted live, and one of the reason why Lady Argent was recruited as a Ranger.

Herald did some impressive rescue work during the United California fire. Diving into the highrise fire to get people out won him a lot of fans (and burns).

Steel had a very impressive fight with Psychopathor early on, when Ortega was new as Marshal. It was a true slugfest, and the reason why Psychopathor focused on taking out Steel from a distance in the later rematch.

In Rebirth, you mentioned that Steel fought even ‘the Calamity’ into a standstill. Who were they? What were they known for? 

The Calamity is officially a modded villain in power armor. There are few attacks attributed to them, but their final stand was destructive enough to damage large parts of El Segundo until the Rangers stopped them. The truth is slightly different. There never was a villain called the Calamity, that was constructed after the events, to give an explanation to what happened that didn't incriminate anybody important.

In reality, the Calamity was a rampaging AI enhanced prototype military MBA (Main battle armor). It is still debated whether it was an AI malfunction, or whether the pilot suffered a psychotic break due to interface issues. The Calamity armor was massive, thick and strong, made for frontline assaults. It had limited flight/jump capabilities due to the weight, armor piercing micro missiles, internal flechette anti-personnel rounds, a close range plasma burner and an experimental anti-tank rifle. Steel had been present at the base for armor modifications, and was the first of the Rangers on the scene. Once the others showed up, the battle had moved from base into the city, and Steel had been holding his own against the best the US military could build for half an hour.

Will there be an epic telepathic battle that we can have in the series?

Yes. Might be some fun ones in book three, and oh boy, book four is tasty. I can't wait!

Can we have a heartbreaking argument with Steel about his long held crush on Ricardo if we’re NB/M!Step romancing him? Sidestep can feel worthless when Ortega was flirting with other people, can we also have something like that with Steel for breaking Step’s heart? The kiss scene with the brief ‘Ortega. He shouldn’t even be thinking about it.’ made me flinch.

Thank you for helping me find a bug (a faulty indentation)! That thought is just supposed to pop up if Sidestep is already flirting with Ortega as well, and is a precursor to the big talks they can have about it (including a possible poly route) in later chapters if you end up in certain paths. 

If the circumstances allowed it, would Herald take a break from being on the Rangers to go on leave to train himself and his powers? I have a feeling that between his duties as a Ranger and with Steel being the tactician/Argent and Ortega being the spearhead/support, Daniel doesn’t have many opportunities to develop and grow into a fully self-actualised hero. If he does, what sort of hero role do you imagine him growing into? 

I think Herald would absolutely take that opportunity. He knows he needs time to work things out on his own, but life with the Rangers is very busy. Given time, he could be a good leader and commander.

Would a telepath be able to tell if someone with epilepsy is going to have an attack? (Like would the static in their minds change in any way?)

If attuned to it, yeah.

Are Heralds powers limited to just flight or does he have a more general “flying brick” set?

Herald's powers are mainly flight, but there are some weird aspects to it that makes him more durable and stronger.

what are the Rangers  routines like?  What do they do for training?

It's a bit like for top athletes. Lots of basic physical training to keep up with the demands of the job. There is also much fill-contact fighting, both to work better as a team, and to find their own weaknesses. 

Ortega trains the most, easily. They are very aware that they are getting older and hates every second of it. Lots of endurance and agility, though they have more muscle and heft than in the old days. 

Chen needs specialized training to deal with the effects of his mods, and the demands they put on his body.

Herald does a lot of training his powers, Ortega chides him for being too lazy to go for a proper run.

Argent tends to train on her own, Ortega would tease her for slacking off, but she could kick their ass in a fight, so...

Regarding Sidestep’s telepathy, can they communicate with animals to some extent? Like actual conversations? I can imagine city-dwelling animals knowing some smattering of English, and we’d be able to get informed by what’s been happening in their area… I do know that certain corvids are interesting when it comes to telepathy, and raccoons are near-indistinguishable from human mental imprints. Maybe we can create a secret intel system composed of nothing but city-dwelling crows?

Sidestep could lean more into communicating with animals, yes. Connecting this long to the Rat-King has meant that they are more open to how non-human mental communication might be like. It's not english, but it can be understood.

^^ In addition to the previous comment, will we be able to go into Spoon’s mind/pseudo-‘talk’ to him and learn that he ate one of Ricardo’s ties? Find out where he’s hiding Chen’s missing socks? Can we tease the Rangers (especially Ricardo and Chen!) about this information??

Spoon will certainly be one of the animals there will be a possibility of connecting closer to.

If Daniels brother had survived what would his boost be? Fire related?

Yes. He was very much a pyrokinetic.

Can Argent turn back to skin colour at will or is she permanently silver? If it's permanent, how does she feel about never being able to blend in as a normal person? 

She is permanently silver, and she plays it off like she doesn't care (but she does).

Can Regenes have their memory wiped like a computer? 

Yes, and it was common practice to do with malfunctioning ones, especially early in the training process when not much experience was lost.

Would numbers have helped in the Heartbreak incident? If the Rangers knew it was telepathical, why didn't they use numbers in the first place? 

Numbers are not common, most people do not know they exist. Yes, even the Rangers. It was simply not available to them, and they hoped that the portable dampeners would suffice. Numbers might have helped, or there might have been overload and bleedthrough, just like with the dampeners.

The dangers with the numbeners are that while they are very good at preventing minds being read, they are less good at preventing them to be influenced on that primal level Heartbreak worked.

How high are the Los Diablos taxes and how does the government afford to pay the Rangers so much?

There are no taxes in Los Diablos! However, there are lots of fees and mandatory insurance policies, which essentially amount to the same but with a more palatable name. The government also gains a lot of income from corporations, paying for their voting rights. In essence, the more they pay into the city, the more say they have into how it is run. However, the Rangers are paid by the US government, not Los Diablos, so they are not on the city budget.

What percentage of the book is in the open demo? 

About 50% looking at the wordcount. Lots added both before and after the open demo cutoff.

Do the Rangers, Dr. Mortum, or HG trio have a favorite movie or favorite movie genre they like to watch? 

Ortega: Fond of thrillers, seventies action and film noir.

Steel: Likes documentaries more than fiction.

Argent: Watches the most of anybody, and has very diverse taste. She is very fond of visual flair, horror, adventure and camp.

Herald: Science fiction.

Dr. Mortum: Fond of musicals and costume dramas.

Hollow Ground: Romantic comedies and sappy endings.

Nocturne: More fond of TV-series, movies end too fast. She likes mysteries.

Jake: Likes visual action movies with snappy dialog. NOT horror.

What do the Rangers consider their priority to be as a Ranger? Do they have different opinions on it or all of them in agreement in that regard? If they have different opinions, what would each of them consider their priority to be?

While the majority of them share the same general priorities of keeping people safe, there are differences in how to go about it which have led to rifts in the past and might do again in the future.

Ortega's priority is taking down the people that the LD justice system can't touch. By taking down the people that create conflict and problems, they believe that the city will be safer.

Steel's priority is responding to threats too dangerous for other people to deal with. He sees being a Ranger as being reactive, once something has appeared on his radar, he will take it out. At this point, he thinks building a better society or changing the system is for others. This might change.

Argent's priority is to do what the others can't/won't and get away with it. She sees herself as the final solution, in more ways than one. She also sees being a Ranger as holding herself accountable in case she starts going off the rails.

Herald's priority is saving people and keeping them safe. He hasn't thought about systems much yet, he'll do what he can within his limited grasp.

What were Lady Argent’s and Herald’s first meetings with Ortega and Chen like? 

Herald's was a bit like when meeting Sidestep. Starstruck, awed, impressed, and really trying to do his best and give a good first impression.

Argent was not impressed by Ortega, who was at a low point at that time. She found common ground with Chen since they shared many of the same views what the Rangers were meant to do. She warmed up to Ortega once they got their snark back.

What was HG’s meetings with Psychopathor and Catastrofiend like? Did they actually get to properly talk with Catastrofiend?

The meetings with Psychopathor was very civil, this was after the Void had been destroyed, and Psychopathor didn't want to be the next target. They agreed on their respective territories and influence.

The meeting with the Catastrofiend is spoilery, maybe HG will confide in the future.

We know that there are regular, i.e. non-enhanced, people who are active as heroes/vigilantes (like Handyman) in Los Diablos, but are there any enhanced people hired by regular law enforcement like the LDPD?

Yes, the LDPD has a section staffed mostly by mods/boosts who deal with powered crime. They tend to be looked down on as second-rate, since the general view is that anybody with real talent would be a company hero or join one of the big teams like the Guardians or the Rangers.

Will our choice in base-picking in FH: Retribution have any significant impact on the story or be mostly for flavor? Will we have to choose wisely?

It will have an impact, yes. But there is no choice that is wiser than any other, it all depends on the path and the story.

Will we have the option to claim more trophies from defeated foes in future installments of Fallen Hero? I think it would be really cool to furnish my Evil Lair™ with souvenirs from Heroes and Villains who crosses my path >:)

That is a good idea, actually. I will take it into consideration!

Are any of the Rangers friend with other heroes besides each other? 

Oh yes. It's a weird line of work, and sometimes the only people who can understand you are others with similar experiences. This is not an exhaustive list of names, but rather a general thing:

Ortega has lots of friends, and even more rivals. Meets people at Hoots and various functions, and is not above going to hang out in more gray area vigilante or even villain bars on occasion. Also has some friends on the wrong side of the law. However, the term "friends" is misleading, acquaintances might be more accurate. Ortega might be smiling a lot, but very few gets under their skin.

Steel has some hero friends, but they tend to share his military past. He also has some hero friends in the gay community that prefers, like him, to keep a low profile.

Argent has vigilante friends, some decidedly more towards the lawless side of the spectrum. She often works together with them when not on the job as a Ranger, and is the one, together with Ortega, who most often involve outsiders in her business.

Herald has a few, but he tends to hang out more with people outside the hero business. He doesn't like his job to be his entire life, he likes just being Daniel.

What is Steel's relationship with the Mayor like? Does Ortega have one with her?

Ortega doesn't have much of a relationship with the current Mayor. They have met at parties, sure, but Steel is the one who deals with her. Steel is never fond of dealing with politicians, and view her as a combination of superior officer of another unit, and a necessary evil. 

In a previous Q&A, you mentioned how Steel would view different armour combinations of our Step. What about the Speed + Armour upgrade?

An interesting combination speaking of someone who is more afraid to get hurt than hurt others. A rather defensive loadout.

In a similar previous Q&A, Chen appreciates a good back… what about the other ROs? Any particular body parts they like? Legs? Chest? Ass? Something else? 

Spontaneously what pops into my head is that Ortega likes mouths/lips, quirky smiles, frowns, the movement of the face. Argent is all about poise/grace, how people move. Herald has a thing for eyes, but also legs/ass.

Can we ask more than one question? If so then in addition to my previous one, how powerful would our armour be if it had all the upgrades and whatever else Dr. Mortum wanted to add if time and money were no problem?

It would be powerful, but still not military grade. To get there it would need to bulk up a lot. This armor is still more body armor than proper armored suit.

Building on a question above, what does  Chen think of a Strength + Telepathy upgraded armor?

Aggressive. A bruiser, who also doesn't neglect their main asset. Best defense is a good offense.

Was there any particular reason Sidestep chose to go to Los Diabolos for their first escape? Had they ever been there before for a mission?

They had been their before, and it has one of the highest concentrations of boosts in the continental US, easier to stay under the radar with so many oddities around.

Any more cute/cursed "fluff" info about the Rangers + Mortum + HG that you can share? I love the random tidbits you included in the past Q+As!

I have so many questions this time! But next time my brain goes on a curse facts tangent I will make sure to include it.

What did the Rangers think of Enhanced and heroes before they became one?

Ortega thought they were cool and rad. Steel didn't pay them much heed, just another celebrity. Argent and Herald are younger, and had posters growing up.

Will we ever get the chance to watch a hero/villain movie featuring Sidestep themselves in it?? Both hero and their current villain persona??

Who knows? Not me actually.

If they have such a flaw, what would be the Rangers and Dr. Mortum's biggest flaw/trait that hinders their capacity for change/growth? 

Ortega: Secrecy.

Chen: Cynism.

Argent: Fear.

Herald: Naivety.

Dr. Mortum: Rigidity.

what would the Rangers and Dr. Mortum a consider a "perfect day" for themselves personally?

Ortega: A long bike-ride on narrow, winding mountain roads with good company, ending the day at a cozy bar with good food, a warm shower and a soft bed (with good company).

Chen: No work. Spending time with Spoon. Maybe go for a walk.

Argent: Winning the bid for some rare videos and curling up to watch them with fresh snacks and a quiet head. Being able to be distracted, and relax.

Herald: Being able to spend a whole day just painting where nobody can reach him. He misses that.

Dr Mortum: A good day in the lab, with projects that move forward.

If the nanovores are telepathically sensitive/have some sort of telepathic interface, does their um preference for humans comes from an ability to track and locate sentient minds within the vicinity?

Partly. But it's mostly chemical signals (smells). It's a complex algorithm which gets stronger the bigger the swarm is, and the more processing power it gets. In essence it's a basic feedback loop. Consume matter fitting the right profile for procreation, identifying patterns connecting to said matter, find more, repeat. Things like sound, movement, lots of stuff goes into it, and the longer the swarm lives, the better it gets and finding what they term "people". This is the algorithm Mortum interrupted, and also why Sidesteps neutered nanos are less dangerous. Since they subsists on mainly petrochemicals ("inorganic" matter but carbon-molecule based) they grow slower, and doesn't risk triggering the swarming urge. While they "eat" things like metal and concrete, they don't get sustenance from it.

Could we possibly meet the person who is tasked with designing and keeping track of all the regenes' barcodes?

Yeah, in book four.

Who was the boost who could teleport? Did they become a hero, a villain? Are they still alive?

One of them was the Void, who was a villain, and is dead. There might be others, but they were the most high profile one.

Was argent ever under ember's employment in the past?

No.

Are the "second voice" in the Catastrofiend post and whatever the Fiend is asking "Query: What is 'Lance?' Query: What is 'Heaven?'" in its POV related?  

Not a bad guess.

What happened during the Catastrofiend fight? What did Ortega say to it? Did the Catastrofiend reach Ortega's generator when it impaled them? Was Ortega's generator already equipped with a plasmacore at that time?

Ortega did a massive amount of shit-talking, mainly not to be terrified. What didn't they say is a better question. Ortega was not equipped with a plasmacore generator at the time, just the smaller, original one which was mainly battery powered. And luckily enough, the Catastrofiend didn't cause major damage to it, but there was still major surgery needed to get Charge back up and running.

Is Ashfall/Pyroclast single? :fulloflove~1: 💍

Yes.

Chen saw regenes on the battlefield while he was still with the army.  What were his impressions of them then?  Did those impressions differ at all when the rangers ended up working with Special Directive regenes?

This was heavy duty modded war-regenes. I don't think Chen connected them to people at all, they were more akin to autonomous robots and armors, something the army was also experimenting with at the time.

was there much in the way of differences between the original openly deployed for combat regenes and the ones they train/develop for special directive, given its black ops?

Oh yes. The Special Directive Re-Genes are more based on heroes in their look. Less mods, more concern for style, sleek suits and so on. The army ones are all utility.

you mentioned radius of step's abilities is related to their force value, would there be a wide range difference between high and low force steps?

Yeah, but I have no specific numbers. Above 75 is when it really starts to show massively.

Why was it just step and ortega fighting the catastrofiend in 2010?  Where was everyone else?

It was Step and Ortega at the start, the rest of the team arrived in time. Neither Step nor Ortega had planned on cornering the Fiend on their own, but hey, sometimes shit happens and you have to deal with it.

Hypothetically, who would win in a fight between Locus and Step? Like telepathy v telepathy, or fighting skills v fighting skills?

Not telling, and not sure. You might find out in book three.

Had Argent and Herald heard Sidestep's actual name before the day Ortega brought them to HQ in Rebirth?  When did they find out step was a telepath?

I think both had heard the first name mentioned by Ortega, because there's been a fair amount of wistful reminiscence. Probably also where they learned Sidestep was a telepath, the nanosurge stories would have made that clear.

Is Regina boosted or modded?

Nothing apart from small quality of life mods.

Has tia elena ever thought about what being a grandmother would be like?

Many times.

Forgive me if this has been asked, but did Tia Elena ever imagine ortega moving on from step, if ortega was in love with them? Or was it ever sorta like that feeling of step was The Person (ha) her child only ever had eyes for?

Elena knows how stubborn Ortega tends to be with their likes and dislikes, so she knew it would take time if ever.

How much did Tia Elena “help” ortega out after HB? Like being there for her child physically, emotionally, etc? (I’m sorry I got a lot of Elena feelings today ;—;)

Ortega spent a lot of time with Elena at the ranch, basically rebuilding their life, sober up, and start getting back in shape and do things they liked again rather than just wallow in memories.

What are the Rangers' and Mortum's social lives like?  Do they have/make much time for a social life?

Chen and Argent doesn't have much of a social life. They have a select few they hang out with, and most are connected to their work (Argent) or past memories (Chen).

Ortega and Herald both have a thriving social life, though Ortega has less time for it these days. They have friends, hobbies, goes to parties, and makes time for people outside work.

Mortum works a lot and is rather insular, but also likes the occasional party (especially organizing it).

Did the Sidestep days Rangers ever have to pull PR nonsense like fake dating each other or is that a relatively new phenomenon? If new, when did that stuff start? 

Not that Sidestep was aware of at least. It was stepped up as a way of focusing on more positive rumors after Heartbreak. The new Media director preferred more hands-on ways of manipulating people's opinions.

If we're villain revealed and living in our bases, will we ever be able to invite our ROs over since they already know?

Yes. I look forward to writing their reactions.

If the Rangers were to pick secret villain bases, what would they be? And would they live in them or someplace else? 

Oh boy. Herald's would be either outright inaccessible on top of a cliffside or an island, and he would definitely live there. No place near where normal people could get hurt. Steel would be in the center of things, hidden under a normal surface. Would also live there. Ortega would have a cool base in case of hero fights, probably industrial property, but would want a nice apartment to unwind in and pretend to be a regular person. Argent would have the glitziest most high-tech place she could, preferably outside town, far from people. And she would live there.

Can you tell us more about Sidestep's handler? I know some things will be open to choice, but what are the set elements that will remain the same across the board?

I honestly haven't decided much yet. I trust future Malin to come up with cool options once it's time.

When did Herald get a speech coach after moving to LD?  Why was having an east coast accent seen as enough of an issue that they couldn't wait for it to naturally acclimatize?  Was getting a speech coach something Herald looked into himself, or was it for one of his corporate hero jobs?

It was for his first corporate hero job. There is still a schism/rivalry between the west and the east coast, with a lot of historic grudges since the Big One. It's not good press to be an east-coaster in a high profile role.

Was Mia still spying on Argent and Herald arguing at the gala even if you don't go to the balcony

Yes.

What were the circumstances of the stunt that Herald pulled off with the bus that made Sentinel think he was ready for the big leagues?

Classic hero stuff, catching a bus crashing off a bridge during a fight.

Was he technically capable of lifting that much already or was that like a little boost level up moment from pushing himself?  kind of like with step and the nanosurge

It was a small boost moment, yes. Adrenaline does wonders.

What kind of career did Chen imagine for himself before he went into the army? Does he have any hidden skills or hobbies he enjoys pursuing in his free time?

He liked math and physics, wouldn't have minded working as an engineer or in similar fields. However, right now he is married to his work (and physical rehab). Spoon and occasionally playing chess in the park is the extent of his free time.

You've said everyone in the main cast of FHR could have been the protagonist, and they all have a story to tell. What kind of distinctive characteristics (in style, POV, voice, tone) would you have made sure to include, off the top of your head, if the MC of FHR had been Ortega, Argent, Steel, Herald, or Mortum? Would you have chosen the second-person POV for every one of them?

Ortega would definitely have been first person, and the tone would have been a lot more glib. Lots of narration, commentary, and possibly fourth wall moments. Mystery and romance.

Chen and Argent would be second person. There's more of a distance there, other mysteries to unfold. They both would have very similar styles to FHR, they both have their secrets and scars to deal with. 

Herald I'm torn between first and third person. It would be more of a classic hero story, focused on growth and romance and figuring out who you are and what your powers can do.

Dr. Mortum feels third person to me. A story you follow along and control, but doesn't get in the head off. More managing the disparate parts of your life and build and extend your lab and your network of contacts.

Has Ortega ever had a seizure during a fight besides the one Step can trigger?

Yes. It's not common, but the team has had to pull them out once or twice. Sidestep too. Usually when Ortega has been sloppy about taking their medication, or when it needs to be adjusted.

Are there mods that can imitate telepathy or telepathic effects (mind control, mind defense) to any extent? 

The defensive aspect, yes. It's dangerous though, messing with mods and the brain is never safe. Nothing to the more offensive/active parts.

Sidestep left Mortum with the Rat King and the nanovores while they were building their armor. Did Mortum take advantage of that for their own work before delivering the armor? Did they take any sample, or do any experimenting, or take any important notes that Sidestep is unaware of?

All signs point to yes.

Also, what the hell can Mortum see with their glasses? Thermal vision? X-ray? Can they see through clothes? 

No body scans, that's weird and intrusive. What's under a person's clothes is not interesting to Mortum. Thermal and low-light vision, yes, as well as other image enhancers like various zooms and microscopic options. X-ray needs a bigger power source. It's also an interface with their far, and other equipment. Can work as a targeting and facial identification system too.

Will there be any chances to dig into Mortum's knowledge and/or to possess Mortum and tap into their very useful skills in Book 3 and 4?

You can certainly try...

Does the rat king have a mindscape? What would Sidestep feel/see if they went further into the Rat king's minds instead of... "interfacing"?

In a weird way, the Rat-King's mindscape is the real world. So Sidestep going deeper would just see the real world, but with little spectral rats interfacing with it. 

When Step gets taken to HQ that first time in rebirth they tell Chen their being alive is a long story and Ortega will fill him in.  What did Ortega end up telling Chen?

You have no idea ;). Sidestep trusted Ortega to make up some bullshit. They just wanted to get Chen off their back.

With Step’s sudden reappearance, what did Argent and Herald think happened to Step post-HB?  Did they get told the same story as Ortega fills Chen in on?

Yes, they did.

Are any of the Rangers or Mortum familiar with sign language? 

Dr. Mortum is. Chen knows some.

Ortega's turning forty soon... So, is there or is there not an old wo/man party scene in your outline?

How could I resist? What a perfect time to meet some... old friends.

Does it bother Argent that she carries no lasting marks from any of her fights? Does it ever affect her mentally? Like, make her feel unreal? Is she bothered by the impervious reputation, knowing how much she does acutely feel everything that happens to her and then some?

Yes, it does. She feels very distant from everything.

Can dampeners affect precognition?

No.

Are catastrophic events (the Big One, the nanosurge, heartbreak) commemorated in LD? Are there any memorials? Does the main cast participate, or do they steer clear? 

There are, and the cast takes part. There is a massive memorial in the Memorial Park, which was started to the victims of the Big One, but which has added victims of other notable disasters, like the Nanosurge and Heartbreak. There is also a Nanosurge monument down at the beach where they made landfall. 

The day of the Big One ( Nov 10, often called Remembrance Day) is a day of mourning in the rest of the US. The people originating in the west remembers what they left behind, both people and possessions. A tradition has started to form, of a period of mourning starting Nov 10, to culminate in the happiness of Thanksgiving and family celebrations a few weeks later.

In the Free Western territories, especially the southern, more Spanish-speaking parts (including Los Diablos), the day has mostly fused with Día de Muertos. Here it is a day of remembering the dead, but also celebrating family and life and the fact that people are still here.

Is argent's family still in los diablos?

Yes.

How do Rangers shifts/patrols work?  What do they get up to when they’re on duty?

I honestly haven't detailed that, it is what I need it to be for the book. 

Are there unexpected side-effects to the rapid aging that ReGenes go through ala the Clone Troopers? Does age continue to speed on for less stable ReGenes or are all of the “finished product” perfected by now? 

In general, age continues as normal once the speed-growth process has stopped. There is a greater chance of cancer, though, but that only shows later. Occasionally there will be an issue with something similar to Werner's Syndrome, where aging will continue at a rapid pace. Those Re-Genes are quickly purged, and the gene combinations used are kept under observation to see if they need to be eliminated from the program.

Were the Rangers informed that Psychopathor had been taken in by the Special Directive?

Yes.

How are those kind of government interdepartmental communications passed along?  Would the Rangers be forewarned if any operations were being conducted in their jurisdiction?  Or a curtesy memo after the fact?  Or would they just not be informed at all?

All of them, depending on the operation in question. In general, they would be informed, if it wasn't too shady.

If the situation arose, would a tech-savvy Step be able to hack the communications in Steel's suit to relay info or for spying purposes? Would the suit be able to do that without needing techy know how? Or do the Rangers use a frequency that wouldn't be able to get hacked?

It would depend on access to the suit, it's not something you do in the middle of a fight. But get your hands on it outside of battle, and it could get interesting.

MALIN HAS MITCHELL BEEN WATCHING? Just there, the whole time?

No. He has a job to do.

Have there been any Sidestep wannabes or vigilante babies trying to take on the mantle, especially in the case of a Hero Step?

Yes. They were given a stern talking to by Ortega.

A few questions regarding Pyroclast:

-Does Pyroclast use his civilian name or does he just go by his hero name (like Themmy)? 

He does, but he likes boundaries between his hero identity and his personal life. Classic secret identity.

-Why did he change his name from Ashfall to Pyroclast?

Wanted a clean break and a new beginning. Wanted a more forecful sounding name.

-How old is he in Retribution?

Early thirties.

-What is his current reputation? Does it differ from his reputation as a vigilante/independent hero?

Yeah. He's got a good reputation, driven, hard-working, if ambitious. Doesn't always get along with people. Described as more harsh now than he used to be.

-What motivated him to take up hero-ing in the first place?

Becoming someone. Making a difference.

-What is he like, personality wise? Has he changed post-Heartbreak?

He has gotten harder, more driven. Life is short, he'll make the most of it.

-Is he currently in a relationship / Is he open to relationships?

No, but he's got nothing against it on principle. Just married to his work.

Are heroes' civilian identities generally public knowledge, or do most try to keep their 'alter egos' a secret? Do those who go unmasked just rely on not being recognized out of costume to uphold some kind of anonymity? Have any of the Rangers had security issues with fans or foes arise from doing hero work unmasked (aside from Ortega, whose apartment is clearly on the map already)?

It varies. Most have masks and secret identities, others live the hero lifestyle around the clock. Even people who doesn't use masks aren't always recognized, it depends on how distinctive they are and how famous. Many corporate heroes are masked or helmeted because it should be easy to replace them when their contract runs out.

There has been security issues for the Rangers, but not as much as you'd think. They are quite capable of dealing with threats, and persistent fans are managed by security. Both Herald and Argent's places are very inaccessible to the general public, and Chen is not as easily recognized outside his armor. Ortega is the biggest issue, but tends to handle it.

There have been many other heroes's sudden/strange retirement or disappearance? If yes, did someone took notice (maybe someone like Vernon or the dear doctor...)? 

There is always someone watching and keeping track...

What was Sunstream’s civilian name? What was she like before the Nanosurge? How old was she when it happened? What was public opinion on her? Was she… okay, when she “left?”

I haven't detailed Sunstream much yet, maybe she will settle into my head one day and tell her story. Until then, everything is very vague. But I can say for sure she was not okay after she left.

Will mob boss step ever get the chance to name their little organization?

Yes!

^Will Mob Boss Step get to name their hideout and use code names? Can we get our henchpeople nifty uniforms to disguise their identities?

Pelayo is already cringing internally. This will be fun.

How likely is it for the media to pick up on possible romances between a revealed Step and one of the Rangers? looking at Ortega and Argent in particular

Less than it was, due to Sidestep blasting NOTHING HERE TO SEE.

Have any of the heroes introduced so far ever used their fame to try their luck as actors taking on roles in movies? If yes, how did that go for them?

You know Ortega would have loved to, I think there's probably a tape somewhere before the Ranger's legal team put a stop to it.

how did Pyroclast feel about Step being kind of adopted by the Rangers?  Did it ever bother him, given his aspirations and the fact that he debuted first?

Honestly, at that point, he was kinda happy about it. Sidestep needed some stability, and since Sidestep were so open about never joining and not being a threat to Ashfall's ambitions, it never bothered him at all.

Was Pyroclast aware of Step's telepathy back in the day?

Eventually, yeah. Not at the start.

What is Daniel's opinion of Hollow Ground? Does he believe in them? If not, when their existence is proven, will he stand against them, or does he, like Argent, see the use of having a system protecting the underbelly against chaos?

Spoilers.

I don't remember if it's already been asked (apologies if it's the case), we know that Ashfall liked Step but if/when we'll meet Pyroclast will we be able to choose what kind of relationship they had (friends or just allies), like for Sentinel or it will be already "settled" like with Themmy?

Not sure yet, most likely choosing. I am more for choices now than when I made book one.

If someone like Ortega, immune to telepathy, would start taking the numbers what would happen? Would the numbers reinforce their natural immunity to telepathy? Could they cause more health issues than in a non epileptic person? 

Not much. The health issues would be the same.

So this might be a very boring question compared to the others but what did Dr. Mortum study in college (other than the basic stuff everyone has to do)?

Focused mostly on stem subjects, chemistry, physics, programming.

Do all government agencies share the  Special Directive's goal of capturing regenes alive because they're so expensive, or are there other branches that would just shoot on sight against escaped genes?

Most would shoot on sight.

I don't remember if it's already been asked but how restful is Step's sleep when their conscious mind is in the puppet? 

It looks restful from the outside, but who would know?

For how long Step can avoid sleep, letting their body rest, while their conscious mind is not there? 

It's complicated, and at this point, Step is not sure. Weeks, perhaps more. Eventually they slip up, and that's when the dreams happen.

And for how long Step's body, and the puppet can stay alive, on their own, without Step's consciousness in them? If the bodies would have medical assistance (for breathing and nutrition) could they stay alive indefinitely? And could they be possessed even after a long period of time (weeks/months)?

Unknown. Like for any person in a coma the decline can come suddenly, or it might last years.

Will there be more opportunities to increase/decrease Steps wealth?

Yes.

Once again i am asking (void lore spoilers) where the hell were the other rangers when this shit with the void went down?  why were step and ortega alone? 

The other Rangers were also in trouble, they got split up... it was a big mess.

More void lore does IB work for the farm and/or special directive?

No.

Void lore related question: who were the other 2 major villains whose bodies went missing?

Not telling.

More void has step ever imbibed or been injected with void blood? 

Yes.

(spoilers for the Void post) If the Void's field messes with mods ("The batteries got fucked up") did Ortega's generator get fried during the Void attack? Were they able to use their mods to fight the Void the same way, or were their mods too severely impacted/mostly useless? 

Ortega's mods got messed up, yeah. Batteries drained of power.

More void! Could you tell us some more about the beliefs of the Cult of the Green Sky?

Standard supremacy bullshit. They believe that the boost drugs are a key to other planes of existence (heaven, hell) and will let humanity evolve into their true form. Bringing out their potential by taking the boost drugs turned into imbibing Void's blood instead, which is far less lethal, especially when filtered through other victims first. It's an offshoot of a movement (The New Flesh) which in addition to extensive modding, were hunting and harvesting boosts and operating/ingesting their bodyparts and organs to attempt to get powers with less risk than the straight drugs. 

MOAR VOID spoilers just in case, Will we be finding out more specifics for how step and ortega actually managed to take down the void in the text in the future? If no, could we please have some deets about how that whole thing went down? Their strategy for finally defeating the void?

Yes, you might, in game. But you have some clues already.

Void spoilers: to what extent does the technology of Vitruvian and Mortum's gun rely on their study of the Void's powers, if at all? Does Mortum still actively use anything they've learned or lifted from the Void today? 

It is connected, yes. But Vitruvian was the one who was really into that, not Mortum. 

still Void spoilers: Is there a link between gates and dimensional planes? Has the Void's blood been used in the HB experiment? 

No comment.

Spoiler Void  Did Step was able to "feel" the Void or they were an "empty space" like for other telepaths? Was the ability of picking up the thought-voids that helped Step to deal with the Void? 

Sidestep could pick out the absence. And yes, that helped, but not the most vital thing.

Void spoilers: if minds operate on another plane, as Mitchell surmises, and if the void cage present in Sidestep’s armor functions like the actual Void’s cages, does that mean that Sidestep could send or trap someone’s mind inside this cage, instead of / along with keeping the Rat King’s in? 

Technically it might be possible, but you're gonna need a bigger boat.