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December 5, 2007
UPDATED Feb 2008 - Laser Tag 2.002 Release
Alright finally - it is here. Laser Tag 2.0 Mac and PC version.
Thanks for being so patient - a lot of time and work has gone into making Laser Tag 2.0 super nice, super dope and super easy to use. NOTE: To see a video of the first version of this system in use check it out here
Laser Tag 2.0 is a Graffiti Research Lab project and is written by Theodore Watson and Zachary Lieberman using openFrameworks. It may be used free of charge as long as it is not used for marketing, advertising or promotion and especially not for lame guerrilla marketing events!
Some new features:
- 4 main brush modes - each with their own qualities and different brush types.
- You can design your own brushes by making png files.
- If you want to code your own brushes there is a super simple system for that too.
- Built in music player for playing your party jams while Laser Tagging.
- Network connection for sending the laser tag data to flash, Processing, openFrameworks, Max / Msp etc.
- Color! - editable color xml file - add up to fifty brush colors - works with all brushes.
The equipment:
Here is the essential equipment you will need for your Laser Tag system.
1x fast laptop (PC or Mac) that can connect to an external monitor. It helps if the laptop has a dedicated graphics card, so a Macbook Pro would be preferable to a Macbook for this reason (though macbooks seem to run it just fine!).
1x video camera that you can connect to your laptop. Video cameras that have manual controls tend to be a lot better at tracking the laser than ones that automatically adjust the image depending on how bright it is.
1x projector. Anything over 2000 lumens should be good. 1x laser pointer between 5mW and 80mW in power.
For this setup we are using a Asus F9S laptop with a Logitech Messenger camera, a Benq 2500 lumens projector and a 70mW green laser pointer. This is fine for a small setup but for larger scales you will need a brighter projector and a better camera.
Setting up the projector.
PC - The Laser Tag software is setup to work with the projector acting as an extended desktop to your laptop's main display. If you have a PC laptop and an NVIDIA graphics card you need to set your display to use horizontal span mode (or extended desktop) and set the total display dimensions to 2048 by 768. If you don't have horizontal span look into Realtime Soft's Ultramon which works with all graphics cards.
Mac users will need to setup the projector to be to the right of their Desktop and then launch the Laser Tag app, type Command-',' and then check the box that says 'use extended desktop'. Once this is done quit the application and the settings will be saved to your preferences. Set both your laptop's display and the projector to 1024 768 and you should be ready to go
High Res Guide:
Setting up the camera
To effectively track the laser we need to disable the camera's Auto White Balance, Auto Exposure and Backlight Compensation. In the Laser Tag software hit the 'C' key to bring up the camera settings box. Go through the settings box and set as much as possible to manual.
Projector alignment:
Now we are ready to align the camera and the projector. Run the Laser Tag software and hit the 'F' key to enter fullscreen. Now hit the spacebar to show the edges of the projection area. With your mouse drag the corners of the white projection quad so it fits onto the surface you are projecting onto. Hit the 'S' key to save your settings.
Camera alignment:
In the top left corner you can see the video panel of the camera. Make sure that the camera is covering the whole projection area and is in focus. If you can see the four corners of the projection quad with the camera then just drag each corner of the yellow camera quad so they line up. If the camera image is too dark to see the corners of the projection quad then have a friend beam the laser at each corner and drag the corners of the camera quad that way. Hit the 'S' key to save your settings.
Tracking the laser:
In 'Tracking settings' start off with saturation at 0. See if you can distinguish the laser just by adjusting the brightness (value) threshold alone. Note: Reducing the brightness in the camera settings (see step 3) to the point where only the laser is visible can make the this step much easier. If you are still seeing a lot of white noise in the tracking panel try using the 'Sat Threshold' to track by colour as well. Hit the 'S' key to save your settings.
At this point adjusting your camera settings to make the image as dark as possible but the laser still bright will make tracking a lot easier. Notice how in the above image the laser is isolated from the projected image even though the camera can see the projected 'paint'.
Testing the setup
If everything goes well you should be able to now tag with the Laser Tag software. When you are tagging the projected 'paint' should always appear to come from the location of the laser point if it doesn't try to re-align the camera to the projection area. If the tracking seems 'jerky' try adjusting the tracking settings till the motion
seems nice and smooth.
Clearing the image:
You can always hit the 'D' key to clear the projection manually but it is more convenient to set up an area as a button that clears the projection when hit with the laser. You can enable the clear zone in 'Clear zone settings'. The clear zone shows up as a red box in the video panel. Adjust the x, y, width and height properties to position it somewhere outside of the projection area.
Drawing settings
'Brush mode' allow you to change the type of brush you use. There are four basic brushes: The pngBrush, the graffLetters brush, the vector brush and the gesture brush. The pngBrush uses user created png files to draw with. Use 'Which brush image' to switch the image used and 'Brush color' to change the drawing colour. You can add your own png brushes to the app by saving them to the data/brushes/ folder and you can edit the /data/settings/colors.xml file to add colors. The vector brush also has a bunch of different styles - check the fat style bellow.
Drips mode
For ultimate realism enable drips in the 'Drips settings' to make drips come down from your tag as you are writing. You can also adjust how drippy and the speed of the drips with the other drip settings. Have fun!
Notes and tips:
For details about the all the settings check the guides which explain in more detail:
Brush Settings Guide (jpg)
Tracking Settings Guide (jpg)
Clear Zone Settings Guide (jpg)
Network Settings Guide (jpg)
Camera Settings Guide (jpg)
For framerate improvement: try tracking without advanced quad.
Stay tuned for the full video tutorial live from Lausanne!
Laser Tag 2.0 Software Download - Updated for Leopard and Vista
Laser Tag 2.002 Mac App 0S X 10.4 + 10.5 - Optimized!! (Feb 2008)
Laser Tag 2002 PC App - XP and Vista - Update for Camera settings Fix (Feb 2008)
Laser Tag 2.0 Source Code
XCode Project (needs Xcode 2.4 or greater) (Updated Feb 2008)
Visual Studio 2005 Project (Updated Feb 2008)
Re: Laser Tag 2.0 - How To - Download and Source Code
2007/12/06 by Anonymous • • Reply
omfg yay!!!!!!!!!! Theodore, I have to say that I love you! lolololol
OMFG, I CAN SHOW THIS IN MY COMPUTER TECH CLASS!!!!! *does flips of joy* :D
Comment Trackback URL : http://www.muonics.net/blog/bblog/trackback.php/26/694/
omfg yay!!!!!!!!!! Theodore, I have to say that I love you! lolololol
OMFG, I CAN SHOW THIS IN MY COMPUTER TECH CLASS!!!!! *does flips of joy* :D
Comment Trackback URL : http://www.muonics.net/blog/bblog/trackback.php/26/694/
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Air Force life was a dream
Staff writer
Sharolyn Tibbetts of Hillsboro is one of the few that can say she lived a dream come true, and she's not even retirement age yet.
At age 63, Tibbetts enjoys swimming every day at the USD 408 Sports and Aquatic Center, she enjoys getting to know people at the Hillsboro Senior Center where she serves on the board of directors, and she enjoys involvement at Hillsboro United Methodist Church along with her husband, Gary. The dream she lived however, was seven years of service in the United States Air Force where she learned to ask questions, multitask assignments, and prioritize her responsibilities.
"The military is not for everybody," she said. "But for me, it was a chance to live my dream. I had so many varied experiences. It was fascinating."
Sharolyn and Gary were both Derby High School graduates, but when Gary enlisted in the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., Sharolyn enrolled at Fort Hays State University to study home economics.
"My goal was to become a home economist," she said. "But my father insisted I add the education part of it, while my real interests were in interior decorating. Looking back, it is very interesting how all those things came together and prepared me for experiences later in life."
Gary and Sharolyn were married in 1971 when Gary graduated after four years at the academy and become an enlisted officer. They moved to San Antonio, Texas for his first assignment, and Sharolyn found work as a crafts and fabrics department store buyer.
"The first time we were in San Antonio, I really thought I might want to enter officer training school to join the Air Force, but Gary didn't want us both to be military employed," she said. "I found out later it was because he didn't want me to outrank him."
It was not until nine-years later, when the couple had moved to Washington, D.C. for a year, to Edwards Air Force Base in California for several months, and then back to San Antonio for another Air Force commitment, that Sharolyn got the go-ahead from Gary to apply for enlistment.
"It's just something I always wanted to do," she said. "I was aware of the challenges from watching Gary. I saw the opportunities and rewards, and I was lucky to get in at a time that many old standards were changing."
Sharolyn was one of the first married women allowed in the Air Force. She also had two children at home by that time, and took advantage of a three-month on-base training course that led to her ranking ascent from Lieutenant, to Corporal, and finally Captain.
"There were three ways to get into the Air Force," she said. "The first was the traditional way, four years at the Air Force Academy, the second was ROTC at any university, and the third was the 90-day wonders."
Tibbetts said her 90-day officer training experience was not physically hard, but it was very stressful.
"There was no way to possibly get through the officer training sessions without a lot of frustration," she said. "They built the program to force you to fail. Time management was so stressful; there was just no way to get it all done. But that was the way they taught you how to evaluate what was important and how to prioritize tasks."
Through compact learning and subtle messaging, Tibbetts said she learned how to determine what was really important. Her mastery of those skills propelled her to top-level jobs in administrative positions in San Antonio, London England, and Montgomery, Ala.
She especially enjoyed organizing parades in London, but after seven years of service, she decided she had fulfilled her commitments and asked to resign her commission.
"We were getting ready to move again, I had lost a child, and to progress in my field I would need to take some remote assignments," she said. "While I enjoyed every minute of my service, I knew it was time to do something else."
Sharolyn spent the next 14 years as a unit clerk and admissions control technician at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, continuing to use all the multitasking and prioritizing skills she learned in service.
"I just retired from Wesley last June," she said. "I am really enjoying decorating my home, keeping up with family, and making connections here in Marion County. I've always liked asking questions and learning to know my people. I am just continuing to do that."
Gary and Sharolyn Tibbetts have lived in Hillsboro for three years. Gary serves on the city planning and zoning commision and works as a security guard for Boeing.
Last modified Jan. 24, 2013

subset: commoncrawl


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New York (Reuters) - Phil Angelides, formerly the chairman of a federal commission who led investigations into why the financial markets collapsed, is heading an investment group that hopes to "do a good thing" for America while turning a profit from the wreckage of the housing market.
The startup company, of which Angelides is executive chairman, seeks to raise money from investors to purchase troubled mortgages from banks and other financial institutions in order to help keep homeowners from being foreclosed upon, according to a January 4 letter reviewed by Reuters.
The company, Mortgage Resolution Partners, claims its strategy of using "legal and political leverage" to acquire the loans could generate a 20 percent annual return for investors. The company intends to purchase mortgages at a steep discount and re-work them to enable the homeowners to continue making payments, with the firm collecting the proceeds.
"We just might do a good thing for America, and along the way get a great return on investment," says the letter to prospective investors. "If our hopes do not pan out, the amount wagered should be a deductible loss."
In the letter, the mortgage company refers to its political connections as its "secret formula."
Angelides, a former California state treasurer, Democratic politician and land developer, was head of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission until last February.
Planning for the Mortgage Resolution Partners began last summer, less than five months after the Commission wrapped up its work in Washington, D.C. In January 2011, the Commission issued a 662-page report that highlighted Wall Street's role in the collapse of the U.S. housing market. ( here )
Angelides did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Emily Lenzner, a spokeswoman for Mortgage Resolution Partners, said the mortgage crisis was affecting millions of families in California and beyond, having a devastating impact on communities and the economy. She said political initiatives had come up short and "Mortgage Resolution Partners is exploring business and public policy solutions to this critical matter."
In a September interview with Bloomberg television on the housing crisis, Angelides said: "The banks unfortunately aren't doing enough to fix the housing crisis." He added: "I think we need to be much more forceful now about modifications. There are millions of people who can stay in their homes if they have principal reductions."
His move into housing comes at a time when hedge funds, private equity firms and other deep-pocketed investors are looking to scoop up foreclosed homes and earn money by renting them out. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, recently received proposals from hundreds of investment groups interested in acquiring and renting out single-family homes federal agencies have foreclosed on.
"The big question is, 'How can he possibly jump to the front of the line when everybody's been jockeying for this and to get to this feeding trough. Perhaps because he knows where the front of the line is?" Laus Abdo, executive director at TriArchic Advisors, a Las Vegas real estate advisory firm which has been focusing on rentals of single-family homes acquired through foreclosure.
Mortgage Resolution Partners is starting off small, aiming to raise about $6 million to study the feasibility of its plan, which mainly focus on acquiring home loans in distressed communities in California.
Most of the group's founding members have deep ties to California and have either political or finance backgrounds. The letter lists former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown Jr. and Putnam Lovell Securities founder Donald Putnam as early backers of the company.
Putnam, who now heads private equity and investment advisory shop Grail Partners LLC, declined to comment, beyond saying the group "is trying to think of ways to cut through the Gordian Knot of the mortgage crisis." Before Grail, Putnam was involved in numerous transactions including Allianz Group's acquisition of PIMCO Advisors LP and Deutsche Bank AG's acquisition of Zurich Scudder Investment.
Gordian Knot, a reference to a legend involving Alexander the Great, is often a metaphor for an intractable problem and appears to be the inspiration for the investment vehicle that controls Mortgage Resolution Partners - Gordian Sword LLC.
In November, according to the January 4 letter to "potential investor members," the founders of Gordian Sword and at least two dozen other people met at Cavallo Point in Sausalito, California, a posh estate in Golden Gate National Park, "to hammer out a business plan and chart a course through 2012."
But the letter, which asks potential investors to sign a non-disclosure agreement before receiving any further information, is sparse on details. It says the company will use "computer models and other techniques" to determine the best price for a so-called underwater mortgage - a loan on which a borrower owes more than a house is worth. The goal is to acquire loans at a discount and write down the debt to a point where a borrower can continue to make payments.
A good deal of the success of the program rests on Mortgage Resolution Partners' "secret formula," which the letter describes as its leverage in "California politics" and an executive chairman in Angelides, "who will be front-line center stage nationally."
The idea of investment groups buying distressed mortgages and writing down the principal and attempting to make money by keeping homeowners current on their new mortgages isn't totally new. A handful of other investment funds are trying that, including Selene Residential Mortgage Opportunity Fund, founded by mortgage-backed securities pioneer Lewis Ranieri.
But the more common approach is for investors to raise money to buy foreclosed homes and rent them out.
Lenzner, the spokeswoman for Mortgage Resolution Partners, said since the group has just been launched "it's premature to determine" the firm's final approach to the mortgage problem because it is "still in the research and development stage."
Reporting by Matthew Goldstein and Jennifer Ablan; editing by Claudia Parsons and Edward Tobin


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As usual, Griner stands above rest as top WNBA draftee
It would be hard to blame the WNBA if it moves next year's draft to Houston. The league's top talent keeps coming from here.
Highlighted by No. 1 overall pick Brittney Griner, two Houston-area products were selected in the top five of the WNBA draft Monday night.
With the way she dominated the college game while at Baylor, the 6-8 Griner, a Nimitz graduate, was the obvious pick at the top. She went to the Phoenix Mercury.
Griner had a difficult time answering questions on the ESPN2 broadcast. In the interview, she said she was at a loss for words.
"My heart kind of stopped (when I got picked). My mind stopped," Griner said two hours later. "I was frozen in time."
Griner is the second consecutive Houston product to be picked No. 1 overall. Cy-Fair graduate Nneka Ogwumike was selected first in 2012 by the Los Angeles Sparks.
Kelsey Bone, who played at Dulles, skyrocketed into the elite category thanks to a big improvement during her last season at Texas A&M. The forward was selected No. 5 overall by the New York Liberty. She is the only Texas A&M player ever to be drafted in the first round.
Bone said her love of basketball began with the now-defunct Comets, who won the first four WNBA titles from 1997-2000. And she noted Houston's imprint on the WNBA can be traced to the era of Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson.
"Our city will be on the map for a very long time because of what the Comets did," Bone said. "They were the dream. They put this sport on the map. We are children of the Comets."
Other picks of note included Delaware forward Elena Delle Donne, who went second to Chicago, and Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins, who went third to Tulsa.
The Houston area had three players drafted in all. Westbury Christian grad Waltiea Rolle of North Carolina was taken by Minnesota with the 36th and last pick.
Griner's Baylor teammate, forward Brooklyn Pope, went to Chicago with the fourth pick of the third round.
Corey Roepken is a freelance writer.


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This can also be prepared with duck breasts, which is how it is often made in Tuscany. Either way, the dish is good with rosemary-flavored mashed potatoes and sautéed artichoke hearts.
- Yield
- Makes 2 servings; can be doubled
- 2 chicken breast halves with skin and bones
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup (packed) slivered prosciutto (about 1 1/2 ounces)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Add onion, carrot and celery to skillet; sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet; add wine, prosciutto and sage. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Serve chicken with sauce.
Related Video
Nutritional Info
- Calories400
- Carbohydrates11 g(4%)
- Fat24 g(37%)
- Protein25 g(51%)
- Saturated Fat5 g(26%)
- Sodium654 mg(27%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat3 g
- Fiber4 g(15%)
- Monounsaturated Fat14 g
- Cholesterol71 mg(24%)


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1 completely legal and consequence free way to hit a girl that has pushed you to the limit
My girl wouldn't keep her mouth shut about me not taking out the trash. So i Victory Hit her into the coffee table. Looks like she will be taking the trash out now
by iToad April 23, 2011
buy the domain for your travel blog


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Item 13 of 13
Posing at Pleasant Mountain, Bridgton, ca. 1955Item 18910 info
Ski Museum of Maine
This photo underscores the appeal that skiing held for women after many of the sport's rougher edges had been removed or at least buffed smooth.
Skiing became a social scene and the publicity photos from that period reflected that set of values.


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The Last Guardian
Written by, Grant-SudWalking on the barren desert sands, the three Matoran trekked onward in complete darkness. There wasn't a light to be found in the land and the sky held no stars or moon. The sun hadn't set on the world in the last five hundred years, and the rivers had long ago dried up. Despite that, the air was damp and warm.Toreck stopped, and glanced over his shoulder with a worried expression on his face as he casted his gaze upon the far sands behind him. His two friends came to a halt, their backpacks clanging with equipment. The Onu-Matoran, Retra, spoke first after a short moment of stillness."Do you see them?" she asked. In these surroundings her black armor made her appear almost invisible to the naked eye. Only her green eyes were noticeable."No."Toreck continued to watch in silence, his Ruru activated to reveal what was in the darkness around him."Do you think they are still following us?""Yes."They watched the lifeless sands below, riding the wind in waves, fluid in motion and colorless, as their Ruru's didn't allow color while in use of its power. They could see no other movement. But that didn't mean they were alone, and that's why the light feature of their masks were being unused.Retra slipped the pack from her shoulders and placed it on to the ground. Toreck intensified his own mask of night vision's power to full, trying to get a better view of things. Shifting through her gear, she checked the rations they had left. About a week's worth, more than enough time to reach their destination and head home. Inside she also found three lightstones covered in cloth and a Hau. Sighing, she zipped up the pack."You didn't bring weapons either, did you Moru?" she asked the quiet Le-Matoran who carried the lightest bags."Besides a few disks, no," he replied simply. "I felt that if we encountered Rahkshi threats out here, no weapon at our disposal would be efficient enough."He sounded cold, but was only naturally so in speech. His face was also filled with slight disappointment at what Toreck had told them."I … I think we should just continue on," Toreck decided. He was a Ta-Matoran, the leader of this small group. And though Retra and Moru could always detect a small amount of nervousness in his voice, which was his nature, they knew the Ta-Matoran's loyalty and determination always overcame his frightfulness. "If we find what we're looking for, we'll make it through no problem." He finished that last statement with a reassuring smile."If we find him," Moru added quietly.Then Toreck shouted in sudden surprise as his sight was filled with a harsh light. He yanked his mask off and threw it to the ground. His vision blurred as he took in the brightness surrounding him. Moru and Retra, who had their masks set on a lower level, squinted and deactivated their masks entirely.On normal vision, the three Matoran looked upward to the sky above where one large square of light shined on the land. Toreck rubbed his eyes and looked out over the expanse. He could see everything, and his heart sank at the sight of the endless wasteland. Only sand and rocks.The light above flickered."I don't know why …" Retra started, but hesitated as she sought the right choice of words. "I wish I could have seen this place when it was worth fighting over. I can't understand why no one minded living and fighting for a cage.""It was a place meant for us, they used to say. It was a home." Toreck explained to her, though he himself couldn't truly understand the sentimentality of this world."We should keep moving," Moru interrupted, unsympathetic to what he saw. "Our home means much more to me and I want to see it again. I don't ever want to come back to this empty shell of Mata Nui."With that the Le-Matoran turned and continued down the lit way, not bothering see if his friends were following. He knew they were. It was only a good minute later that the giant lantern in the sky short-circuited, a sharp pop echoing across the land. Glowing sparks rained from the once again darkened sky, falling as mixture of ash and sand around them. And though they couldn't fully understand why, their equipment and hearts, felt much heavier.***The tent flapped as the wind blew against it, shuddering and threatening to blow away at a given moment. Retra was confident though that the spikes she had placed into the tent would hold despite the softer surface.A small heatstone was placed in the center of the three Matoran. Moru was wide awake and staring into it, as was Toreck who took in the warmth like a long lost friend. Retra rested in her sleeping bag, eyes half closed. There hadn't been much discussion, which was rare for them, but not necessarily unexpected. It had been a long journey into the old Matoran Universe. The three of them had been close at their Koro and knew each other well. And talking about their falling conditions and predicament was just… something they didn't want to spend their last conversation on, if it happened to be so.Not only that, but the Matoran Universe was such a quiet world, so unlike Spherus Magna.Moru however, was not a Matoran to let difficult subjects get in the way of his questions and answers."What do you think they are doing here?" Moru asked Toreck. The Le-Matoran then winced at his question but couldn't help but slightly smile. Why was it that people, including him, were so drawn to his Ta-Matoran friend? They looked to him for confidence even though he seemed to have no real sustenance for his faith."I'm not sure. Rahkshi are rare… and to be honest I wasn't expecting any to be around here.""They were sent after us," Moru explained, already knowing the answer, just wondering what Toreck thought of it.Toreck raised his hands up to the heatstone, and rubbed them together after a minute. He struggled with his words for a second, but only muttered one."Yeah.""Maybe they know about it," Retra said quietly. She was a strong Onu-Matoran, an excellent miner and construction expert. But though she had these skills, she was the youngest out of the three of them and often expressed either high confidence or worry. "We just need to find him before they do, that's all," she added with a smile, shutting her eyes again."I agree," Toreck told her as he fell on to his back, ready for sleep himself.Moru stayed in his sitting position."And once we find the Toa, all our problems will be over."The Le-Matoran glanced over at his friend, who spoke too joyfully."What makes you so sure? Why do you think that this Toa will solve everything? That he'll even be here, all the way out in the middle of nowhere?"Frowning in response, Toreck didn't meet his gaze and shifted against his makeshift bed."I don't know for sure if the Toa will be here. But I hope he is. And if he is, I know he'll start something, he'll prove that we stand a chance." Toreck shifted upward then, somewhat excited as he finally met his friend's eyes. "Haven't you ever thought about that? It's what we all dream to be one day, a guardian. And this person might make that dream come true. It's worth this journey, because it's the only way our people are going to make it. And we will."Moru didn't say anything in response, but considered. Retra's eyes were wide open once again, and she took in Toreck's words like a revelation she hadn't acknowledged before. "And tomorrow, we're going to find him," she finished, a smile on her face.Snuggling back into her covers, she tried falling asleep again, as did Toreck who felt safer and didn't worry about the Rahkshi for now.Moru was the only one who couldn't sleep so easily.***"Are we close?" Toreck asked, turning to Moru. The Le-Matoran's vision was limited to what he saw ahead, but his own Ruru could make out the lines and notes in his stone map. He placed a finger to the tablet and scrolled it slowly upward, murmuring to himself before looking upward and giving a definite nod."Very. Just a few more miles and we'll reach the fortress."Step after the step the group took in the darkness, occasionally glancing over their shoulder for the Rahkshi they could only assume weren't around. Perhaps they had given up days ago, which would explain their absence for so long. Retra had commented that from the stories she had been told, Rahkshi rarely gave up a hunt, which worried the three even more. If they were still looking, wouldn't they have caught up by now?The sheer cliff appeared abruptly in their path, a giant wall of rock upward miles high. They had had plenty of time to notice it through their masks, but still the magnitude of such an obstacle surprised them. They hadn't seen much of anything besides desert since they had begun their journey into the robot's shell."It's somewhere along this wall," Moru said disappointingly. "I'm not sure which direction for sure.""Just estimate the best you can, my friend," Toreck encouraged. "And what are we looking for exactly?"Moru smiled and laughed halfheartedly. "You know what we're looking for, the entrance into this Dark Hunter Fortress. It should be marked by a large black stone..." Scratching the back of his head in thought, he pointed to the left. "I'm going to say it's in this direction, if my calculations are correct. But there's no way of knowing which part of the wall we're at, and it goes on for miles.""I'll try to pick up anything that's hallow in the rock," Retra added, walking close to the cliff-face and pressing a hand against the stone, a natural ability granted to Onu-Matoran.Making their way along the wall, Toreck and Moru kept a sharp eye for any color difference in the stone, which was difficult while seeing through night vision. Retra kept her eyes closed, feeling out for any abnormalities."I feel it!" Retra opened her eyes and pressed both hands to the rock. It had only been a good ten minutes, much better time in locating the entrance than they had expected. "It's nearby, there's an opening inside, no doubt."Toreck quickly ran ahead searching for any kind of col-And then a large boulder in the cliff, volcanic black in color was before him.It took a few minutes for Retra to locate the secret hatch buried in the sand underneath it. With a sharp pull, she removed the latch and the bolder slowly slid out from the cliff, revealing a square opening that reached far into the mountain's side. The entire opening was built of steel with sand spreading across the floor. Toreck took a quick look inside, and slowly entered, followed by his friends.The stone closed shut behind them, leaving them in perpetual darkness. Assured of being alone now, the three Matoran removed their masks and retrieved their lightstones. Toreck placed on his Mask of Flight, Moru his Mask of Accuracy and Retra her Mask of Strength.Now immersed in regular light, they made their way through the long and abandon corridor.***"If Lariska was right about everything…" Moru started."It's here?" Toreck asked, awed by what could be beyond the steel hatch. The door was hexagon shaped and glowing at the edges was a white light. His excitement was evident by the way his fingers twitched at his sides. This was it."Yes. Trapped in the Shadowed One's Throne Room, is where we'll find the Toa. This should be the chamber. Now when the Toa wakes up, we'll need to be easy with him. He's not going to understand a lot right away.""Retra," Toreck turned to her. "Do your stuff.""On it," she said, grinning from the edge of her mask to the other. Quickly, she slid down to her knees on the right side of the steel hatch. There, she began to study the code construct, riddled with an old Matoran Language and other odd symbols."Set up the lightstones around me?" she requested, and the two did as they were told. Placing one right beside her, she quickly located another stone tablet from her own pack. Notes and sketches were written across it. Lariska had theorized at the code word when she had told the legend years back, so they had a good idea of what it was. But the translation from the Spherus Magna Language to the Matoran Language was a difficult one. If anyone could do it, Retra could, having studied up on the history of the Matoran Universe as much as Moru."Okay…" she pressed a button and then another on the panel. "Yes! This is it!"With a sudden lurch, the door's hinges unhooked and a dust cloud formed around them. The door slowly rose upward, descending-And then it stopped."Hold on," Retra said, activating her mask. "I think it's just caught."She moved to the hatch and held on to the underside of it. She started to lift with a heavy grunt."Toreck," Moru tapped on his friend's shoulder. He had a distant look in his eye, the Ta-Matoran. It was as though he was in a dream and wanting to live it. "Toreck… listen."Blinking, his friend concentrated on Moru."I know what you think, that this Toa will be the start of something great, and yes I think it will change everything too…" he looked a little saddened. "But don't ever think that we're not worth-""Got it!"Another roar of the steel grinding against stone, and the door automatically lifted, with Retra standing in its opening. She didn't say anything, couldn't say anything at the sight before her.Inside was a large dark room of polished stone, to the far left a massive throne and around the room along the walls were shelves and shelves of masks and weapons. The weapons looked personal, not powerful but having significant value to them. All the masks were scarred, as though their owners had all perished at the marks long ago. But it was how she was seeing these things, from the light source at the far end of the room right across from the doorway that had stopped her in her tracks. There was a large container, cylinder shaped, transparent with a tall figure standing upward and frozen inside. The cylinder emitted a light like one from the heavens, light blue and pure, which revealed the features of the being. There was no room for doubt in the Matoran's heart. And though she had never seen one before, she still knew what she saw.It was a Toa.And then abruptly, the placed lightstone beside her shattered into pieces. Retra, half dazed and half surprised by the sudden disruption, slowly turned to look over her shoulder.The heat from the laser as it made its way across the ground before them seemed to come in slow motion to her. She could only watch it frame by frame, unable to move in a sudden fear that had taken hold of her. Only one word came to mind as the beam swiftly moved upward and cut into her armor, body and mask.'Rahkshi.'Struck down without mercy, Retra fell to her knees, her body smoking from the new scar that was etched into her. Her eyes seemed dead and she collapsed on her side."Retra!" Toreck cried out in devastation, not fully taken in by what had happened. The next beam cut across the wall and toward the two Matoran left standing."Move!" Moru grabbed a hold of Toreck's arm and pulled him into the chamber the laser slicing above their heads.Moru glanced upward, seeing the attack barely miss striking the Statis Tube where the Toa was held.Quickly, he reached behind his back, activating his mask on full power and swung out with his acquired disk. A level three teleport disk, which soared directly at the body of the orange colored Rahkshi. The creature fired another stream of heat which missed the disk and instead struck the right arm of Moru. The Le-Matoran cried out in pain as the Rahkshi immediately disappeared by the disk's effects."They're…" Moru sucked in his air. "Trying to kill the Toa."Toreck's eyes widened as he turned to find two more Rahkshi right outside the hatch. A red and brown one, evil looks to their eyes which were said to be that of a dreaded Makuta's. He lost track of his breathing as the events unfolded far too quickly for him. Moru rushed forward, shoving Toreck out of the way and outstretched his arms as a wave of power erupted from the brown Rahkshi's staff. Uplifting dirt in its wake, the Le-Matoran took the energy in full, stopping it from reaching the Toa.A saddened look to his face, the Le-Matoran fell backward, armor scarred and marked and ripped apart. His mask had been half disintegrated from the attack. Toreck shouted out his name but Moru couldn't even hear it and only witnessed his friend by fading vision as he took him in his arms and leaned over him."I… I… I protected … for you… make sure, they… they can't be allowed … the last…" he didn't have any more control of his lungs after that, but he strangely felt no pain, and just watched his friend as he screamed deafly. He gave a prayer that'd Toreck could make it through this. That he wouldn't see his friend on the other side so soon.And then he passed away.Toreck cried, unable to fight back and unprepared for the sudden loss of his companions. He was supposed to be stronger than this. He was supposed to fight, like Tahu had taught the Matoran long ago. A reason to exist was what they needed to live, as the Great Toa had said. But Toreck couldn't remember why he was living right then, not when everything had been taken from him.On the outside, as the Rahkshi of Fear began to move into the chamber with its brother, Retra slowly reached upward with her arm, and retyped in the code she had punched in. She didn't think about what was next, only the present. After she was done, the Onu-Matoran fell back into the ground, eyes dimming as the hatch began to seal shut. The Rahkshi hissed in anger and turned to her, seeing the smirk on her face."Tell the Toa, I said hi … okay Toreck?"Then she died before the sons of Makuta could kill her.***Erratic breaths were pitifully drawn from Toreck as he watched the hatch close and seal. Tears in his eyes, he realized he had been given a chance. There was still an opportunity to finish the mission and retrieve the prize. And he was wasting it.Moving slowly past the corpse of Moru, not barring to watch his friend any longer, Toreck approached the Statis Tube. He placed a hand against the glass, and slowly slid it across the container until it reached the smooth stone wall. There, a single lever waited.He pulled on it, and the prison's glow faded away. The glass opened, steam filling out across the room. When it cleared, there the Toa of Psionics stood leaning slightly against the wall with unlit eyes.***…Norik…She inhaled, gasping as though life had always been across the street, waving and smiling but never rushing to meet her. Her eyes started to glow and her legs unbuckled from beneath her as she fell.Then she felt hands desperately catch her torso and hold her up for a moment before being laid to the cold ground. She couldn't make out anyone before her, though she knew someone was there and she only couldn't hear.Dizziness struck, her vision blurred and as her body received the air it needed she immediately felt as though she needed to sleep again.But she refused that call. Somehow, she knew she had been asleep for a long time.Movement against her side for too long, she slowly started to make out the muddled noise reaching her ears. Opening her eyes again, she noticed the small red being beside her. It looked familiar, but she couldn't recall its name, though it was in the back of her mind, somewhere. He shook her body, pressed his mask down toward hers and started to speak."You…" she could make out.Grudgingly, she moved her arms up and pressed her palms to the floor slowly lifting herself up. She fell, and tried again as the ringing in her ears stopped."Who…where am I?" she asked, her voice not her own. Though she couldn't remember exactly what she sounded like before. The room was very dark, and besides a noticeable throne at the end of the room which looked all too familiar, she couldn't recall where she was."You're female!" the red being responded in surprise. "I- I'm sorry, we had just assumed, because of the legend."For some reason that answer confused her all the more and before she could think about what she was saying, she spoke."Of course I'm female, I'm a Toa of Psionics."And then with that word, Toa, memories started to burst free from the dam of her mind. Too many memories; fighting … for something, living in unnamed lands, working with unnamed teammates.Except for the name, Norik. She could remember that one."What was I thinking… you were around before the time of Spherus Magna," the little one started to ramble on. "But that's fine! You just said it! You're a Toa! I … Toa I …" and then he started to tear up a little and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad …" he half finished, too emotional to end his statement correctly."Where am I? Why can't I remember …" she moved his hand away and pressed both her palms to her forehead as she sat up. Immediately her attention was drawn to the other side of the room. There a large door with smoke spewing out the sides, started to rumble.The red one looked frightened as he looked over as well.Matoran! He's a Matoran! Her mind screamed."Listen to me! I don't have much time to explain… Toa of Psionics, you've been imprisoned for years, hundreds of years. You're still suffering from the effects of Statis, but it should wear off soon. My name is Toreck, and, uh and I've, I mean we, have been looking for you, for a long time."His words were jumbled together, as though he was unsure what he himself was doing there.Some of it made sense, she was a Toa, and she could remember sleeping. She didn't remember having dreams though."Varian…" she finally responded. "That's my name.""Toa Varian," he said, firmly in a tone of kindness that made her meet his eyes. "There's a prophecy that says you are our salvation, you're a Toa who's supposed to be able to defend us, and save what we lost. This is going to be hard for you to understand, and I promise I'll explain everything soon…" he was interrupted by another rumble that struck the hatch. "You are the only Toa left, Varian. For four hundred years, they've been missing. That means," he continued slowly. "You are the Toa in the prophecy. And I need your help. The Makuta's sons are right outside."Toa from a prophecy… she couldn't remember ever being associated with things like that. She only remembered bits and pieces of her life before. Like how she and Norik had been betrayed by a Dark Hunter, how she had been able to negotiate her imprisonment for his life. She remembered roaming the universe, wanting to be able to grow into an accomplished Toa who lead the team, instead of the scout her powers allowed her to be. Day after day, running around in the large universe taking down the bad guys with her friends by her side had become tiring and she grew exhausted. She hadn't been strong enough to handle the constant blows, and that had gotten her captured.She couldn't break the hope of this Matoran, but how could she lie to him? If there were no Toa left, then experience was telling her that the world had changed for the worst.With a slight cough in her sigh, still not having fully recovered from the Statis effects, Varian answered."And if, that prophecy was wrong and I'm not who you say I am? What if I'm not this Toa you need me to be?"Varian watched Toreck's expression lower and his eyes dim. He looked as though he didn't have an answer for that question.But when she looked down the floor and started to stand upright fully, he spoke."Legends say that a Toa is someone who protects and strengthens others. They're loyal, as strong as they need to be and put others needs ahead of their own. They choose a path," a rumble from the door and it started to glow bright orange as the metal melted. "And stick with it, no matter what obstacles fall their way. Is that true Varian?"She laughed a little at and shook her head."Yes. It's never that easy, but for the most part it's true."Toreck smiled."Then you're everything I've been searching for. For me, you can't be anyone else."With a hiss and the bending of metal, the hatch door blew off the wall, clanging unto the ground before the Toa and Matoran. Three Rahkshi made their way into the chamber, watching for movement and the thirst for death on their minds. Their armor reeked of it. The red one, a Turahk, roared ferociously as it caught sight of the Matoran they were searching for. With a moment of hesitation it noticed a new creature standing beside it. Taller, lean and gold and blue in color. It had never seen anything like it before, and it felt no sense of fear from the being. That was fine though, because a Rahkshi of Fear was also never afraid. What could match its power, what could terrify fear itself?At least, that's what it had believed, until the being before them opened its glowing, furious, light blue eyes.***The first blast of energy that struck the Rahkshi was so abrupt and forceful, that the dark creatures were pushed off their feet and into the stone behind them. The attack was transparent, but the air was noticeably pulsing as it flowed forward, tinted with blue. Dust leaped off the walls in a cloud, moving in an upward formation like a spiraling wave from the ocean.The orange colored Rahkshi pushed itself up, anger screeching from the Kraata. Its eyes started to burn like fire, a charge of heat building up.The Toa raised her hand and the head of the Rahkshi was pulled toward the left directly at its brother, Panrahk. With no way to expel its power, it fired the laser at its brother's armor melting and cutting through to the Kraata inside.The Toa released its grip on the Rahkshi of Heat Vision, as the Turahk charged forward. Immediately it halted, seeing three of the same Toa standing before it. Growling, the creature released its negative power of fear to the Toa, watching as its essence spread to each one."You think you can scare me? A Toa of Psionics always has her mind on the defensive," it heard a voice say.All three Toa vanished as two strong arms reached around the body of the red Rahkshi, filling its thoughts with tiredness. The Rahkshi slowly stopped struggling and fell into sleep. But she made it start to fall deeper, until the Kraata itself wouldn't awake for years. The Turahk fell to the floor with its armor clanging against the ground. She took a momentary look at her enemy, before turning to the last one.The Rahkshi of Heat Vision faltered in its stance as it watched the Toa, meeting her eyes. Charging its energy once more, it took a desperate shot.The beam passed through the Toa, striking her like a mirage.Two small holes were seared into the smooth wall, and a silence followed. The Rahkshi turned, and now couldn't find the Matoran, who had been backing away since the fight began. It was alone.It could only find the dead like Turahk and sliced open Panrahk.With a whistling sound ringing in the creature's ears, the last Rahkshi spun around at the noise. But it never caught sight of the Kanoka disk which froze it on the spot.***Varian held Retra upright in her arms while Toreck carried Moru. She had tried to take both Matoran, since she knew such a task was probably difficult for him, but he had remained stubborn. He felt partly responsible, he had said.The rest of the blame, Varian knew, was hers.Their loads included the two Matoran, three bags containing supplies such as food and masks, and one newly acquired Rahkshi staff picked up by Varian. They reached the outside of the fortress, greeted by a gust of sand which surprised the Toa. She took in her barren world, which was covered by night and dust. A lowly feeling came over her. What in Mata Nui's name had happened to the Universe? Reaching out with telepathy, she found no source of life for miles. Everything was gone. She couldn't even locate a Rahi.With a small push of her power, she created a proper grave large enough for both Matoran. Sand rushed around them as they moved into it, placing their friends gently down. Toreck had been the only one who knew them, and he spoke a few words. The Ta-Matoran spoke about how faithful they had been, and that their sacrifice wasn't in vain. He said they were greatest friends he had ever had, and he'd take care of Moru's pet ussal crab, Puki, when they returned home, and find a good place to keep Retra's journals in the library.Varian gave a heartfelt thank you, and wished she had gotten to know the Matoran.With a wave of her hand, sand began to fill the hole and cover the bodies slowly."Here," Toreck said, passing her a Ruru. "You'll need this to traverse the desert. It's more efficient than a lightstone and less noticeable."She took it and replaced it for her Mask of Fate. "Not that anyone is out here to watch us," she replied.Toreck laughed a little. "Yeah, there isn't really much here. But I guess to you, this place was home.""What happened?" she asked suddenly, eyes stern and concern abundant. "You need to start telling me everything.""I agree," he replied, nodding. "Um… where to start? Well, let's head out. Once we leave this Universe, things will get clearer.""L-leave the Universe?" ***When she found herself outside the robot of Mata Nui, disbelief struck her.She was supposed to be prepared for it. Toreck had explained everything, starting from the Brotherhood rebellion which a lot of she had no idea about. He had explained Spherus Magna, Mata Nui's purpose, the war between the Great Spirit and Teridax.Varian shaded her eyes with her hand, taking in the abundant plant life, the jungle that awaited them. She looked behind her, seeing the giant … which wasn't the right word. Taking in the enormous metal shell they had walked out of and finding the sharp contrast between the two worlds. They continued their journey three days into the desert only to abruptly find life, and too much of it for her telepathic abilities to take. She reduced her elemental powers, lowering the mental radar she had activated.Walking through the jungle, she couldn't help but be amazed at how large their Universe was. That after five hundred years, many parts of the robot hadn't been used for supplies. That miles and miles of the complex universe remained untouched, rotting away. Karzahni, that it fit, barely took up any space on the planet of Spherus Magna at all!With the migration of Matoran, following Teridax's fall, came a new dark age. The evil that had begun through the Matoran Universe spread to the same on Spherus Magna. Skakdi, Dark Hunters, the Brotherhood, Skrall … they all had a common enemy. Their enemy was still a new born, unsure of who to trust and how to function.In time, the Order of Mata Nui was reduced to nothing, and the Agori and Glatorian were forced to join into the society of the powers that be. Matoran and Toa were refugees, hidden and smuggled throughout the planet. With constant rebellions, power struggles, the Matoran race began to dwindle into a hand full and Toa, less than that. Years after when beings finally saw the corruption for what it was, and fought for a new peaceful world, Matoran had been long left alone.The lush bushes around them, dew dripping from the palm branches above their heads, looked too peaceful for a planet of war. But then again, there weren't many to fight against one another any longer.The Toa had lost.Toreck had explained how a Great Toa, Tahu, had led an army against the most corrupt part of the new society. Toa had been being killed for over a hundred years since arrival, planned and assassinated by a new being who had appeared from nowhere it seemed, Marendar. The Toa had led a battle to kill this … machine, a final fight to the death.Varian still had a hard time believing that the Toa would sacrifice themselves in a fight they couldn't win."It wasn't so much that the Toa wanted things the way they used to be," Toreck explained while they walked. "Things were too far gone for that. Tahu put it best, and his words are in writing still, which we'll see when we get home. He said that, "We all have a reason to live. We just need to find it ourselves. And though Spherus Magna has no place for us, I refuse to be treated so unjustly. If Spherus Magna won't remove the evil of Marendar and the Kings who now rule with darkness over the planet, then we Toa should stand against it. Because that's what Toa do, believe and put faith in what's right, even to the point of surrendering our own lives."Toreck stopped at the end of a steep cliff where the tree line ended and an open expanse was revealed to them. Varian looked out to the world and gasped at its sight. There were tall mountains that were covered by light fog and jungles, reaching far into the clouds. Rivers poured out from its cliffs and throughout the land. She saw giant bird Rahi, soaring above them in clear skies. It was nothing like she had ever seen before; the world fascinated and terrified her.Her Ta-Matoran companion didn't even give it a second glance, and leaped off the slope, gliding down with his mask power. She stared at him, still slightly dumbfounded by the Matoran ability to use masks, and followed.Marendar was killed in Tahu's final assault. They said that a Legendary Toa, one of no name, but with a destiny that was meant for no other, struck the final blow to the monster. The battle field was said to have been lit by a bright light, so intense that some said the stars in the sky now burned twice as brightly in admiration.However, from then after, no Toa had ever returned and none had ever been found again.That battle held great significance. Beings began to view Toa as a lost race, and held respect for them. The long disbanded members of the Order of Mata Nui, was reorganized with beings of all kinds. The few Matoran populations that were in hiding and slowly reducing in number were contacted and joined together by the New Order of Light. It was run by a former Dark Hunter known as Lariska. Her organization was sponsored from her old ties to the Shadowed One's disbanded crime syndicate. Lariska and her people found the Matoran; smuggled supplies from their universe so that construction of new Matoran could be made. It was a rough process, and the calculations that were made by the Great Spirit no longer were placed into the formula. It resulted with new born Matoran having no connection with the old universe. Genders were random for every element type. Mental inhibitors were unlocked which allowed mask use. And destinies were no longer obtained.While the Matoran population grew, Toa were extinct. There wasn't a source of Toa power left to be found."That is, until she remembered you," Toreck continued. Varian swiftly cut through a thick vine with her staff, allowing them to pass through the foliage."Are we almost there?" Varian asked. She wasn't sure how to ask, 'Why am I so important?' It sounded pompous. Though it was important she got an answer."We're almost there. We're living inside a mountain based fortress. No one suspects that we're so close to the body of the Great Spirit and no one has found us yet. Only a few of the Order members know where we are. But that's all about to change.""How?" she asked."Lariska prophesied before her death, that it would take a Toa to lead the people back into civilization. She died about two hundred years ago, and at the time not all of Spherus Magna was ready for Matoran to reappear. Our existence is well known, now. They don't know where we are, we have numerous hidden cities. But they do know we are still alive. Some don't want us to return, as you could see by the Rahkshi. But many do want us around. That's why I've been searching for you. I believe a Toa is the final piece that truly will bring the Matoran back to what we once were.""You placed a lot of faith in me.""Lariska believed in it. It's taken time to find your location, and there have been so many pressing matters to attend to… but I was able to get a small team and approval for a search. Once you meet everyone, I'm sure it'll be the final push we need for our return."Toreck looked excited as he turned around."And won't it be amazing! Finally, being able to work with the people on the planet and not living in a cage! I've never been anywhere else but these mountains. I hear the cities are amazing now, skyscrapers that reach up into space! Transport vehicles that fly at the speed of light!"Varian smiled, thinking of how similar this world might be to Metru Nui. But inside, her thoughts started to plague her. Matoran were exiled now, shunned from society. Did Toreck really believe that a return of Toa would change everything? She hadn't lived here long, and didn't understand all of what was going on… but things were rarely so simple.And being the last Toa… Was that a sign from Mata Nui? What if that meant, they shouldn't return or that they were unneeded now? If the entire world seemed at peace, but only Matoran weren't fitting into the mold, should they force themselves into it?She didn't have an answer. And not only that, there was too much responsibility on her shoulders. Varian was the last of her kind. How could she protect them all or lead them, if she had no idea who they truly were or what they had gone through? What encouragement could she give?She couldn't."Would I make a good Toa, Varian?" Toreck suddenly asked, stopping. Dirt picked up from under his feet and the sun lit down on his body, slightly covered by the shade of the lush trees above. "They say only Toa can choose the next Toa. Do you think I can be one? Maybe someday?"Varian smiled, she could answer this one easy."Well, let take a look at you," she walked around him, studying his body, though that didn't mean anything. "You have the right posture … I know you're loyal, a friend. I think you can be, one day. You have the potential."Toreck laughed, beside himself. "Don't tease me now, you give me the chance and I'll take being a Toa in a heartflash.""It'll probably have to happen," Varian replied, a little more seriously. "We'll need more Toa around to unsure they don't disappear again." Toreck nodded at that. "But it's not the greatest thing, to be one of the last…"The Ta-Matoran looked her square in the eye, no longer cheerful."Varian, you aren't one of the last. You're the…"And then with a sudden snap-hiss a projectile soared in their direction. Varian immediately leaped forward and shoved Toreck to the ground. The small green sphere hit a near tree, exploding an acid substance across it which burned through the wood in seconds. The tree sizzled and started to crack before tumbling down. Leaves and branches fell around them as Varian covered herself and Toreck in a telekinetic shield.Slowly picking herself up, Varian focused her eyes toward the direction of the projectile, finding a tall brutish and black Skakdi standing before them in plain sight. His grin was full of malice and tinted with insanity, as most Skakdi were portrayed. He reloaded the Zamor Launcher and with a smile aimed it to her chest. His head gear was distinctly unique but Varian felt like there was a hint of familiarity to it."I haven't seen a Toa in a long time," the Skakdi stated, a look of excitement in his eyes. "And I honestly didn't believe the rumors. Who knew we had missed one?""He sent the Rakhshi after us," Toreck whispered to her. "It makes sense, considering he knew you were out here."Varian nodded. She had dealt with this type of monster before. Skakdi had a greater mindset and harshness to them than most villains. But they all had weaknesses with a personality like animals."So you were around during my time?" Varian called out.The Skakdi's grin deepened."Oh, I was there. You remember it all, right? The constant wars, struggles, all that death; I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen again.""Again?" Varian asked, raising her staff to the level his gun."That Toa don't return, of course. They were the cause of all of all our troubles."She hesitated, just as he charged forward, firing a shot from his Zamor launcher. Varian acted on instinct, reaching out with her powers and redirecting the sphere back at the Skakdi. But he was already on the move to the right, firing a laser beam from his eyes. Varian shouted in surprise and felt the beam cut into her left arm.Varian grasped her arm which throbbed in pain, the metal of her armor having melted against her flesh. Quickly she gave a sharp look to Toreck and sent him a message.'I need you to get going. I'll catch up with you, and take your pack. We'll need it for later.'Toreck looked conflicted, as if unwilling to leave her.She fired a blast of telekinesis at him, shoving him to near foliage. Scrambling upward, he ran into the jungle.Varian smiled and then turned to the Skakdi with a frown. She concentrated fully, confident that Toreck was gone. Suddenly there were four of her on the battle field, all with a healed arm and staff's raised.The black Skakdi snarled."You think I'm wrong, do you?" he asked, as he stepped right into the center of Toa illusions. "Well, I can't be wrong. You see this mask on my face?" he directed a sharp talon like finger toward his headgear. "Years ago, a Skakdi had found a way to fuse masks to our faces. We implemented the same idea. I wear the Mask of Truth."All the Toa suddenly showed surprise in their eyes."You've been asleep for too long!" He thundered in a confident voice as he lashed out to the right, grabbing the real Varian by the throat. "And your people are long dead. Did you know that's what we discovered? Not the dead part, but the peacefulness?"The Toa struggled against her bounds, losing air as his grip tightened and he lifted her up from the ground, feet dangling."Years and years after the absence of Toa, things started to get better. There was no one to fight against, no one to rebel against our rulers. Everyone just obeyed, and you know what? Now, there are no struggles. We make it work."With a swift toss, the Toa was thrown to the ground with force. Varian cried out as she gasped for air."Why would I lie? It's not in me." That grin, that grin he had on his face, filled Varian with discontentment. She tried to push herself up from the soft grass and dirt. It was too beautiful of a day for violence.It's not true. I know it's not true. She reasoned with herself.But was it? Toa had been a part of every battle in her day. There weren't fights they could stop, only ones they could end. If the people were truly happy, why should she interfere?Mata Nui, you aren't around anymore are you? She asked the heavens, though she had recently learned that he wasn't up there somewhere, just living behind a curtain. She had never asked Toreck what had happened to the Great Spirit. Was that something you understood, that Toa weren't needed anymore? That there shouldn't be protectors, because there's no need to protect?Unable to push herself up with her bad arm, she huffed in agitation as she blasted the ground with a telekinetic force, launching herself in the air. She back flipped and landed on a high branch reaching out for another to stable herself. Breathing quickly, she leaped from one tree to the next. A beam of energy shot from under her, cleaving the large branch in two."Agh!" she shouted, leaping upward to the next tree, missing the laser.It started to follow her, and she leapt down into multiple palms which covered her for a moment. She hit the ground, rolled, and moved behind a large tree which reached upward in a vine like shape, erratic. She took a deep breath, trying to get a mental lock on the Skakdi's location, while figuring out a course of action. As long as the Skakdi had that mask on, all of her mental illusions wouldn't work. And Skakdi won't go down with simple energy blasts. She needed something powerful.A vision of alarm struck her mind, and she instantly dropped to the ground as a laser cut horizontally through the tree's trunk. She didn't hesitate this time. Activating her mask of Fate, she leaped high into the air spinning around with her staff in hand. She landed far behind the Skakdi and rushed forward, attempting a strike on the right side. He had armored spikes along his arms and caught the staff's bladed edge with them, grinning. He pushed forward and kept pushing, driving Varian back with his strength until she pushed him back with a mental blast.He shook his head at the attack, the effects weakened by his Mask's power. Varian backed up into another tree."You keep fighting, but you have nothing to live for. Do you see my point?"Varian hesitated, but not at his words. Of others, spoken long ago."We all have a reason to live. We just need to find it ourselves… I refuse to be treated so unjustly … we should stand against it… putting faith in what's right, even surrendering our own lives for it."Norik had been there, listening, when Tahu had said those words. He had placed his trust in the Toa, and agreed with it."You're scared of us," she answered back. The Skakdi didn't say anything, but narrowed his eyes slightly. "Terrified, that if the Toa ever return, we'll start the fighting again." Varian took a step forward, staring the mask of truth square in the eyes."But we fought and struggled because of the evil we lived in. No one would make the change, and so we would be the ones to take the first steps. And you're afraid that once the Toa return, that'll we'll start speaking for the ones who can't." Her voice grew in confidence and assurance as she spoke. "That I'll come into your Empire, look at your messy and dirt ridden hands right before all your people and say…"She paused, before giving a small smirk."'Clean them.' "The grin turned into a frown, a deep one that was filled with hatred at the one before him."It's why you don't want me back, right?" Varian grinned, finally, starting to feel like her old self. "Come on, you have the mask of truth. What's the point of pretending to lie to you?"He lunged forward in fury, firing another laser in her direction. This time Varian jumped to the left and hurled her staff at the Skakdi, slipping right passed the beam. Repulsing it with a wave of kinetic energy, the blade cut against her enemy's mask leaving a large mark.Varian suddenly tripped in surprise and just before hitting the ground, the Skakdi caught her. He lifted her up under the arms and slammed her into a thick tree, his arms outstretched."You'll die and rot in death forever! Just like all the ones before you…" he seemed conflicted, as though he wasn't sure of his own reasoning. And the Toa's smile just made it all the worse. There was something she knew and wasn't pretending to hide… what was it!?"Mata Nui says it's time to return. I'm already here, you failed to stop my awakening and my power is going to spread." Her grin just grew. "You'll see. It's all started, and it'll start with that Matoran you let loose."He ignored all of it. "You're nothing! Just an ancient piece of metal that's been unburied from a tomb. You hear me Toa!" His eyes started to glow, dangerously. They aimed for her mask. "You're just a memory. A defender of the dead. The last guardian!""No…" And the Toa closed her eyes, her voice dropping like she was ready to sleep. "I'm the first of many."And then a light flickered around her form, and her body vanished from the grasp of the Skakdi, leaving that smile of hers implanted on his mind to haunt him for a while.He looked around, searching… searching… it wasn't possible. How did she…The Skakdi reached up and felt the mark on his mask. It was cut… and that would dampen its power. Maybe even cause it to dysfunction entirely. Was that true for fused masks?When he finally realized he didn't know the answer, he received it. His mask was broken. He had been fighting an illusion since the strike.Despite it all, the Skakdi smiled. That little spawn of Mata Nui had done it, she'd come back from the dead. The Toa were on their way.It was all starting now, the beginning of their end. The people were going to see things differently, and would have to choose all over again. Resistance to their way of things, just what the Makuta had tried to stop for so long.He could try to catch up with her… but somehow he realized this was a rockslide he couldn't stop right now. The mountain was too large for just one person.***Toreck sat at the entrance of BZ-Koro, waiting. The one of many fortresses had been his home for as long as he could remember. Out of them all, it was the most prominent and important. It held the largest remnant of lost Matoran. He stared out over the long expanse in silence. He just took in the world. All the promises it seemed to make and the future it could have, but just hadn't arrived yet.He shouldn't have left her.Even after finding what he assumed was a Toa Stone in his pack, and making his way through the jungle until he reached one of the many passages in the mountain side, he had had no urgency to walk through the opening and meet his people.What was he supposed to say? That his friends were murdered on his quest? That he found their hope, and let her die out there? That he came back with a source of her power, and they could all start from that?That last one was technically true. But … Toreck wasn't feeling grateful for it. He felt cheated.He had relied so heavily on a dream, and it had been torn to pieces. Varian was dead, and he couldn't show the last generation that they were strong too. But he supposed that was the problem. He never believed Matoran alone they were good enough, without a Toa around. He needed something to prove it, he needed Varian.And even after this Toa Power was used, it wouldn't be the same. He'd feel like a Matoran in a Toa's body.He thought about how much importance Varian had found in him, that even though he was just a Matoran, that he existed too. Why couldn't he lead his people into the world? Why did they have to have a Toa? She seemed to think they could have done it themselves.Was he that afraid to stand up and say, "No, this is wrong."?Those last words that Moru was going to say, he'd never hear them. But he could guess, and it was what Varian showed him. She fought for their freedom. He had too as well.Standing he made his way into the cave. All the while he silently gathered the courage he didn't completely feel, to face the others and tell them the truth. For Varian, Retra and Moru. For himself."And you're going to tell them all that, alone?"Toreck stopped. He couldn't move at first, disbelief overcoming any hope he had.But his relief and excitement overcame that disbelief.He turned. He saw her at a distance, walking out the jungle. She was injured, but he could tell she was happy."I - I can do it," he called back. "You can come along if you'd like, but I … I don't need you.""I know," she replied. Her smile remained, and her eyes were filled with pride in her friend."You don't have to join us. But, I," he paused, not letting his determination slip. "Regardless, I do want you to be there."They stared at each other for a long a moment, both unsure of what was going to happen next. What events would occur in their future? Could they repair what they had lost in this world and how long would it take?In the end, as Varian started to step toward him, Toreck decided he didn't care.They would start to rebuild their pieces, regardless if they could only for a thousand years or a hundred, or even just a day. For now, at the very least for right now, the Toa had returned. His friend was here to watch him.Varian had come home._____This is my longest short story to date. I do hope you enjoyed it, but I feel like the story lasted for a little too long and the ending was rushed. =/ My idea was that BZ-Koro, or the Matoran population represented what we are since Bionicle ended. Likewise, Toa Varian making her reappearance represented having it return. Hopefully this fits within the borders of the contest rules and I had a blast writing it! =DFor all those who don't make it through this story, I understand. For all those who did, wow you guy are great. Please leave any comments you'd like below!


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Checking in on… the NECPosted by rtmsf on January 24th, 2010
Ray Floriani of College Chalktalk is the RTC correspondent for the MAAC and NEC conferences.
LYNDHURST, NJ – There is some separation between the haves and have nots, but the group at the front is crowded. Robert Morris and Quinnipiac share the lead. Not far behind are LIU, Monmouth and a surprising St. Francis (NY). Sacred Heart is also right there only a stride behind the leaders. There have been struggles in Emmitsburg but Mount St. Mary's has to be watched and can't be written off yet. Surprise on the other side is Central Connecticut. Howie Dickenman's group is usually right in the mix. This season, to date, it's been a rough go.
Tempo-Free. Included with the standings is a tempo-free breakdown: the average possessions per game and the efficiency margin. Thanks to Basketball State for the data and NEC games only are factored in the results.
Co-Players of the Week
- James Feldeine (G), Quinnipiac – Averaged 18.3 PPG scoring on 60% shooting from the floor, including 8 of 13 (62%) from three point range. Highlight was a 24-point effort in a win over Bryant where Feldeine was 8 of 14 from the field.
- Travis Taylor (F), Monmouth – Posted back to back twenty point efforts as the Hawks earned a split for two road games. Averaged 56% from the floor over the two contests. In a loss at Robert Morris, Taylor scored a team best 22 points while grabbing 12 boards in a 40-minute effort.
Rookie of the Week
- Karon Abraham (G), Robert Morris – Averaged 20.5 PPG and 2.5 APG as the Colonials scored a pair of home victories. Scored all of his team high 20 points in the second half of an 80-73 decision over FDU.
- Robert Morris continues its success under the guidance of Mike Rice. In his third season at Robert Morris, the Colonials are an outstanding 36-6 in conference play. The Colonials won back to back regular season titles in '08 and '09. Currently the Colonials are 6-1 in conference play with 15 straight home wins over NEC competition at their Sewall Center.
- The NEC TV package resumes this weekend with the women's and men's doubleheader, Robert Morris at Monmouth. The conference has a 21-game package that concludes in march with the conference men's and women's championship games on ESPN2 and ESPNU, respectively.
- Jeremy Goode broke the all-time record for assists at Mount St. Mary's. Goode now has 544 assists and passed Gregory Harris who had 529 during his Mount career (1996-00).
- With 1,532 points, Goode is also one of seven NEC players to reach 1,500 points and 500 assists.
- Dave Calloway has 165 career wins at Monmouth. He is four wins shy of passing the coach who recruited Calloway and whom he replaced, Wayne Szoke.
- Ryan Litke of Sacred Heart hit his 100th career point at Bryant. He is the 30th Pioneer to reach that mark, the seventh since Sacred Heart went Division I.
- James Feldeine increased his career point total to 1,086. Good for 26th on Quinnipiac's all time list.
Team Breakdowns
- Bryant – Dropped games to Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart and are still searching for their first victory. Bryant outshot Sacred Heart 51% to 45% and it was the first time the Bulldogs shot over 50% from the floor for the game. Senior guard Adam Parzych scored a season high 16 points (including 5 treys) and seven assists against Sacred Heart. Rebounding leader for both outings was another guard, Michael Chroney. In fact, Chroney leads the Bulldogs in rebounding on the season.
- Central Connecticut State – Lost to Savannah State then split NEC contests against Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart. Loss to Savannah was CCSU's first at home this season. Shooting woes plagued the Blue Devils (under 30%) against Quinnipiac. CCSU found the range shooting 49% from the field at Sacred Heart. Junior Shemik Thompson broke out of a slump with a career high 27 points and a season high eight assists. CCSU's win over Sacred Heart was a complete effort as the Blue Devils outrebounded the Pioneers 41-34 and had 19 assists and 10 steals.
- FDU – Knights went 0-2 on their 'Western swing' with losses to Robert Morris and St.Francis (PA). Senior forward Alvin Mofunanya continued his fine play averaging 17 PPG game for the week and shooting 44% from the field. FDU has four players averaging double figures in conference play. There may very well be another threat as junior forward Kamil Svrdlik, not one of the four alluded to, posted thirteen points and nine rebounds in the St. Francis( PA) game. Big week as FDU hosts Robert Morris and St. Francis (PA) for return rematches.
- LIU – Split winning a fifth straight NEC game at Wagner before losing to Mount St. Mary's also on the road. Blackbirds were on fire shooting 66% (10 of 15) from three point range at Wagner. Junior guard David Hicks led the way with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks at Wagner. Despite the loss, LIU committed a season-low seven turnovers. Sophomore guard Michael Culpo hit all three of his three point attempts at the Mount and is 14-21 in NEC play.
- Monmouth – Split road games defeating St. Francis (PA) before losing to Robert Morris. Hit just 10 of 19 free throws at SFPA but bounced back for an 18 of 20 mark from the charity stripe against Robert Morris. Travis Taylor had a noteworthy week and has hit double figures twenty straight games dating back to last season. Senior guard Whitney Coleman is now eighth on Monmouth's all time three point (made) shooting list and seventh in steals.
- Mount St. Mary's – Split a pair of home games losing to St. Francis (NY) and defeating LIU. Senior lead guard Jeremy Goode had a big week handing out 17 assists over the two games. Against LIU, Goode had 17 points and 10 assists and senior forward Kelly Biedler had 15 points and 11 rebounds. That was the first time since January 26, 2002, the Mount had two players earn double-doubles in the same game. The Mount also had a season high 86 points and 20 assists in the win over LIU.
- Quinnipiac – Bobcats went 3-0 with wins over Brown and Central Connecticut and Bryant in conference. Balance was the key as five Bobcats averaged in double figures for the week. Senior James Feldeine set the pace averaging 18 PPG. Care of the ball was another factor as Quinnipiac committed a total 22 turnovers the three games with nine a single game high. For the three contests Quinnipiac had 47 assists against the 22 turnovers , a 2.14 assist/turnover rate. Justin Rutty, the NEC leader with 10.4 RPG, continued his fine inside play for the Bobcats.
- Robert Morris – Swept FDU and Monmouth last weekend to extend their conference win streak to 15 games at their Sewall Center. Have a crucial road trip this weekend as they visit those same two schools. Accurate shooting a big factor as the Colonials connected on 56% from the field last week. Freshman guard Karon Abraham continued to excel while senior forward Rob Robinson had a strong week. Colonials have now hit double figures in the win column nine consecutive seasons.
- Sacred Heart – Defeated Bryant and lost to Central Connecticut. Sacred Heart saw an 18-point lead cut to five against Bryant. Junior guard Jerrell Thompson then canned a trey with just under two minutes to play to give the Pioneers breathing room en route to the win. Thompson had a career high 13 points that game and was 3 of 3 from beyond the arc. Loss to CCSU snapped a four game win streak against the Blue Devils.
- St. Francis (NY) – Went a perfect 3-0 with victories over Columbia, Mount St. Mary's and Wagner. Junior guard Ricky Cadell averaged 19.7 PPG during the week. Cadell had help as another junior guard, Akeem Bennett averaged 15.0 PPG while adding 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists for the week. Terriers have won four of five and interestingly enough, have yet to score 70 points this season. Defense is the key as they limited opponents to 57.6 PPG during that five-game stretch and lead the NEC with a scoring defense mark of 65.0 PPG.
- St. Francis (PA) – Lost at home to Monmouth and edged FDU. The win over FDU, also at home, snapped a three game losing streak for the Red Flash. Senior forward Devin Sweetney had a career high 15 rebounds against Monmouth. In the FDU game freshman guard Umar Shannon drove the length of the floor and was fouled with a second remaining. Shannon sank both shots to give the Red Flash the victory. Upcoming this week are return games at both Monmouth and FDU.
- Wagner – Dropped games to LIU and St. Francis (NY). Seahawks are now in the midst of an eight game tail spin. Sophomore guard Chris Martin continues to lead Wagner in scoring with 12.9 PPG. Martin had 16 points in the St.Francis game. Completing the inside/outside combo is center Michael Orock. The Wagner senior leads the NEC with a 59% field goal percentage. Wagner trailed St. Francis by one with just under four minutes left. The Terriers then went on a 10-1 run to seal the verdict.
Upcoming games
January 28
- LIU at Robert Morris
- FDU at Bryant
- Sacred Heart at Mount St. Mary's
January 30
- Quinnipiac at Mount St. Mary's
- Wagner at Sacred Heart
February 4
- Robert Morris at St. Francis (PA)
- LIU at St. Francis (NY)


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A photo of a premature baby smiling from ear to ear is brightening up Facebook, encouraging others to share photos of their preemie babies.
The photo by Lauren Vinje shows her five-day-old daughter looking wide-eyed and gleefully at the camera. It was originally shared on the "Love What Matters" Facebook page.
Her post says the baby was born at 3 lbs., 14 oz. "Life is so precious," she said.
"This picture was one I looked at often to get me through the ups and downs of our NICU days."
What a cutie! We're sending along our best wishes to the happy family...


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Exaggeration of every kind is as essential to journalism as it is to the dramatic art; for the object of journalism is to make events go as far as possible. Thus it is that all journalists are, in the very nature of their calling, alarmists; and this is their way of giving interest to what they write. Herein they are like little dogs; if anything stirs, they immediately set up a shrill bark.
Arthur Schopenhauer, On Some Forms of Literature (1851)
A long time ago (for me) and in a far away place (actually Harare) I had my first experience of the foreign correspondent's life. Amongst the many lessons I learned on that trip, the most important -- aside from learning how to ingratiate oneself with a policemen armed with a machine pistol -- was the central place of the "mahogany ridge" in reporting.
While events played themselves out in different parts of the city, the real action, the real news in Zimbabwe was to be found at the bar of Meikles Hotel for many of the reporters present. These memories of that exotic species -- the Fleet Street hack -- came to the surface for me in recent weeks as I read a number of stories in the New York Times about events in Holland and Moscow.
I took the Times to task for its reporting of the alleged castration by the Dutch Catholic Church of young men (how that one got by the editors I do not know) and on Pussy Riot and Russian Orthodox Church. I argued these stories did not live up to the standards of good journalism and asserted they displayed a lack of balance, context, sensibility and history.
I was rather hard on the Times. Did these stories rise to the level of journalism decried by Arthur Schopenhauer? Is their flavor akin to Evelyn Waugh's anecdote about the fictitious American reporter Wenlock Jakes in the novel Scoop?
Why, once Jakes went out to cover a revolution in one of the Balkan capitals. He overslept in his carriage, woke up at the wrong station, didn't know any different, got out, went straight to an hotel, and cabled off a thousand-word story about barricades in the streets, flaming churches, machine-guns answering the rattle of his typewriter as he wrote, a dead child, like a broken doll, spreadeagled in the deserted roadway below his window — you know.
On this week's Issues, Ect. host Todd Wilken and I talked about the Times' coverage of these two stories -- and demonstrated my lack of polish as a radio commentator. This is my first foray into internet radio podcasting for GetReligion. We'll see if they ask me back.


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Why aren't there more black folks on bikes? Great question. Here is one organization that's trying to change that and build a movement.
Here is how you can get involved.
Here is more info:
About Us Red, Bike and Green is a collective of Black urban cyclists seeking to improve the physical, economic […]


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U.S. equity indexes sank lower to start off the week as profit taking pressures following last week's massive rally stuck around over the weekend. With no major data releases taking place on the day, investors continued to scale back their risk appetite amid the S&P 500 gaining nearly 20% year-to-date. Looking ahead, investors may get another "fiscal cliff" scare as Congress debates the debt ceiling, while the looming Fed Chairman appointment can also lead to a steeper correction [see 3 ETF Trades To Make Before The Congress Showdown].
Our chart to watch for today is the State Street SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT, A), which may experience volatile trading as investors digest the latest consumer confidence data. Analysts are expecting for the confidence index to come in at 79.5, which would mark a slight deterioration from last month's reading of 81.5.
Chart Analysis
Consider XRT's one-year daily performance chart below. This ETF has been climbing higher within a fairly well-defined trading channel (red lines) since rebounding off its 200-day moving average (yellow line) at the end of 2012. As the chart below reveals, XRT has a tendency to correct lower upon deviating above its upper-resistance boundary for some time; likewise, this ETF has a history of rebounding off its lower-support boundary upon nearing it, as seen most recently at the end of August of this year [see Picture Edition: The Complete History of the Dow Jones Industrial Average].
Click to Enlarge
With XRT currently trading near its upper-resistance boundary, taking on a long position is less than ideal here given the potential for a steeper pullback over the coming weeks; nonetheless, we would advise against jumping into a short position seeing as how XRT remains in a strong, longer-term uptrend [see Picture Edition: Major Asset Class Returns From The 2009 Bottom].
If the latest confidence data comes in above expectations, XRT will have a fundamental reason to rally; in terms of upside, this ETF still has to summit resistance at the $84 level. On the flip side, worse-than-expected consumer confidence can inspire further profit taking; in terms of downside, XRT has immediate support at $80 a share followed by the $76 level. As always, investors of all experience levels are advised to use stop-loss orders and practice disciplined profit-taking techniques.
Follow me on Twitter @SBojinov
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Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.
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