Top Secret: Knives of Artemis

Classified Correspondence from Agent Indigo to Crimson

I’ve compiled more information for you on the sorority of killers, my old sisters, the Knives of Artemis. We’ve received confirmation from several investigative heroes that there is a highly secretive inner core to the Knives, who call themselves the Sisterhood of the Huntress.

During my years of training and service, I never came across this faction – the elite of the elite, I suppose. They were apparently in the process of a quasi-mystical sacrifice to an aspect of the goddess, Artemis. I don’t know if there really is an Artemis or not, or whether they were trying to pay tribute to some other force masquerading as the Greek goddess. (NOTE: DJ Zero apparently has ties to certain beings who claim to be gods. Maybe we can drop in on him and inquire?).

I’ve also riffled through the files of the MAGI, DATA, GIFT, ELITE, and SERPAH to gather more current field reports from various heroes. You may find this interesting.

<<Hero ID: Lahar, Internal ID# 85x2f351>>
<<Cross Reference: Moonbeast, ID# if08z790//  Shadow, Doctor, ID# 759il1qv>>
<<Audio account REF KOA98142159>>

<<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT…Okay, see, Moonbeast contacted us. He was on the trail of something important [crossref MAG-AZUR560724076] and had tracked it to cavern on the outskirts of Talos. By the time me and the Doc got there though, it was full moon, and Moonbeast was mostly just howling and barking, so we weren’t sure what to ‘spect. We followed him into the caves, and walked right into an ambush. Fortunately for us, though these babes had amazing gear and could fool ya into not seeing 'em, they couldn't fool Moonbeast's nose, so we had some warning.

They sure came in swinging though. Never had so many pointy objects sticking outta me. But I ramped up quick, I got a way with heat and earthquakes, and made those ladies dance. Doc used his inta’dimensional mojo on 'em and Moon, well, rend and tear. Teamwork! Their officer lady was a toughie, and I was one tired hot rock when we finally managed to KO her. Moonbeast snagged the thing they were after and we called in the cleanup crew.

Tough ladies these. Meeting them was like steppin' in front of a Semi.<<END>>

<<FBSA files indicate Lahar is classified as a Fire/Stone Tanker. See Portal Corp Ref: VIRTUE for more details. Lahar was a former truck driver whose powers manifested after a spectacular accident…>>

The Knives are also reported to be operating more brazenly in Paragon City. Are they on particular missions, or are they trying to more directly extend Malta’s territory?

<<Hero ID: Kumo X, Internal ID# 37223tqo>>
<<Audio account REF KOA65764508>>

<<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT…I'd heard of a "black ops" branch [of Malta], subcontracted to keep things even more separate in an already clandestine outfit, but I had never seen one of these ladies until my freelance work in and around Paragon City. I never would have, if it hadn't have been for that tingling I get at the back of my neck at just the right times.

I struck out and connected -- knocking her into some empty crates. I didn't even see her, or that she had the knife drawn, until I saw her sprawled amongst the kindling. It was only a glance, but she was everything you'd expect from a modern military ninja: muted green fatigues, NV specs, and an extensive collection of small, easy-to-reach weaponry.

I had questions for her, but I heard another knife being drawn behind me. Like an idiot, I turned to look. Stupid, they would never make any noise they didn't want you to hear, would they? In the half-second I had turned away she was gone, and so was my only lead. <<END>>

<<NOTE: Look into FBSA files on Kumo X. See Portal Corp Ref: GUARDIAN. What does he mean by freelance? Who is he working for? Will he be at cross-purposes with our tasks? And most importantly, was this a coincidental encounter of the Knives want something from him?>>

You haven’t made a lot of friends by sending heroes out after the ninja chicks, you know? You probably have this filed away on your DVR data files.

<<Hero ID: Summon VII, Internal ID# 0399g2u2>>
<<Audio account REF KOA98123709>>

<<From News Center 24, Paragon Live on Channel 55…>>

<<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT…My god, I'm going knock –CLASSIFIED– teeth  out. That was the first time anyone had sent me up against these Knives of Artemis, and he completely forgot to mention the whole "massive amount of caltrops" thing. My feet feel like bloody pincushions. "Don't worry Summon VII, I won't send you anywhere I don't think you can handle," –CLASSIFIED– said. It was like dancing on a cactus while juggling friggen swords!

And how the heck was I supposed to know their goggles actually DID something? That one boss [censored] shot me from a mile away!

I'm going to give that bald jerk a fist-to-face talk when I get back....<<END>>

<<Hero ID: Memoriam, Internal ID# 41ck68n1>>
<<Audio account REF KOA34944800>>

<<From News Center 24, Paragon Live on Channel 55…>>

This was an interesting interview, where a hero ponders what drives the Knives. I’m not sure I agree with his assessment of the Carnies (I think they are all sociopathic) but his points about the Knives are interesting, at least, to consider.

<<Hero ID: The Legendary Living Hellfire, Internal ID# 0z870wvu >>
<<Audio account REF KOA62834220>>

<<From Access Paragon with Aine Sandice, Paragon Live on Channel 55…>>

This is a fascinating piece from an interrogation in the Zig. This prisoner discusses how the sorority has trained themselves to resist mental domination and mind control. I wonder if he really bested them, or is simply telling a tale to stoke his own braggadocio?

<<Villain ID: Farmer Frost, Internal ID# 0z870wvu >>
<<Audio account REF KOA72715631>>

<<Zig Interrogation>>

<<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT…I was collecting DNA samples from the pitiful Arachnoid monstrosities in the northern slums of Grandville. It was late in the afternoon, so Grandville's towers threw a deep shadow across the sprawling ghetto. This obfuscation coupled with the mercenaries admittedly advanced cloaking technology is likely how the Knives of Artemis managed to get a jump on me.

As superior stealth is what the Knives are best known for, it does not shame me to admit to being blindsided. And when these rail thin beauty queens (resplendent in oversized IR goggles and perfectly coifed hair) brandished throwing stars, caltrops and machetes, I simply had to laugh!

Throwing stars, indeed. Do they order them from the back of Statesman’s sycophantic comic book?

I was keen to see these young ladies scratch fight one another, and summarily unleashed a cloud of Disorder Spores (a virulent strain I developed myself) into their approaching midst. Can you believe they resisted the mind altering toxins?

The ensuing fight was exhilarating. It appears the motive for their ambush was a simple tactical exercise.

I tip my hat to the Knives’ mental discipline and excellent field leadership. Too bad such training couldn’t save them from the jaws of my ravenous fly trap or the razor sharp edge of my frozen sword.<<END>>

<<Zig Interrogation>>

<<Audio account REF KOA42498497>>

<<BEGIN TRANSCRIPT…When I got word that Peregrine Island was ripe for plucking, I called up my regular crew, hopped a flyer over the War Wall, and we started laying waste to everything on our way to the bank.

When me and my girls roll, there’s just no stopping us. Cops, Longbow, heroes…we don’t even slow down. We’re like a juggernaut. Heidi and Haywire up front with the smash, Sophie sweeping up anything that gets knocked astray, and me raining down fire, and keeping the ladies nice and pink and healthy. Behind us, just bodies and debris.

We were tearing up Exposition Avenue, and Heidi spots a couple of these Knives mercenaries in an alley, so she heads off that direction to see what they’re up to. Now you don’t walk in occult circles for as long as I have without hearing about the Knives of Artemis. I’d heard all kinds of rumors about ‘em. How there are only a hundred of them at any given time…how they worship the old Greek goddess herself, Artemis, daughter of Zeus, the Maiden of the Hunt. How killing isn’t just a job for them, it’s a religion. I’d heard all these things, some maybe true, others probably not, but I still wasn’t prepared.

I don’t think they were there for the money, like we were. They were just there for the practice. If we’d passed them by, maybe they’d have beat up some of the PPD instead. Or maybe they would have just gone about their business. But we didn’t pass them by.

Heidi walked right into that alley, and suddenly, they were everywhere.

They didn’t fight like mercenaries or hired thugs. They fought like dancers. They never said a word -- no tough-talking, no excited yells in combat, no noise at all except the click and metal-scrape of their weapons. A twisting leap and glittering shuriken fanned out into the air and a sword was drawn before they hit. The ground was covered in caltrops.

More of these warrior-women melted away from the walls…we’d been surrounded and didn’t even know it. I threw healing spells as fast as I could, but that only lasted a few seconds before they had me tangled in some kind of webbing, then I was stunned and drugged.

How we made it out of that fight…I’m not sure, but we didn’t get out clean. All four of us were hurt pretty bad. The bodies of the fallen Knives were gone by the time I came to, though nobody was sure how.

We never made it to the bank, and by the time we had regrouped the PPD were all around us. When we get out of this joint, we’ll know better than to tangle with them. We’ll stick to our own business. Cops and heroes are easier to deal with.