Betty Highside
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| "Wanna Ride?"
Digital art by Sorah Suhng | |
| Betty Highside | |
| Player: @SoulTrain | |
| Origin: | Technology |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Corruptor |
| Security Level: | 29 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Betty Harris |
| Known Aliases: | Highside, Betty, Betts |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 22 |
| Height: | 5'8" |
| Weight: | 150 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Hazel |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | United States Citizen |
| Occupation: | Thrillseeker, Thief |
| Place of Birth: | Ashland, OR |
| Base of Operations: | Rogue Isles |
| Marital Status: | Single, Not Looking |
| Known Relatives: | Mariah Harris (Sister, whereabouts unknown) |
| Known Powers | |
| Assault Rifle/Kinetics | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Basic street brawling, riding motorcycles, stunt skydiving, pissing off cops | |
| Equipment | |
| Turbocharged 2001 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa, Longbow "Nullifier Special", Crey Industries Kinetic Inducer (Experimental) | |
 This profile contains material that may not be suitable for children or overly safety-conscious adults. Ms. Harris is very much a thrill seeker, and has an intense disdain for cops, especially highway patrol officers. She's said that the only ticket she'll pay is one where the cop beats her in a race, and not use the radio or tire spikes or other tricks to spoil her fun. | |
...Cross the finish line first, or ride bitch.
The concept for Betty Highside[1] came about from my love of sport motorcycling and sport-touring. She's the embodiment of the thrillseeker crotch-rocket 'squid' persona that I cannot in good conscience allow to surface when I'm riding, as squidly behavior gets you hurt in the Real World.
Soul 15:38, 13 April 2007 (MST)
Contents |
Summary
Betty "Highside" Harris is a minor villain known for high-speed hijinks, such as BASE jumping off of buildings in Port Oakes or riding her motorcycle up or down the side of the Golden Giza Casino in St. Martial. Her philosophy isn't that of most villains, in that she's out for more power or more riches or more... whatever. She just wants to be left alone, un-hassled by the Man, allowed to live life on her terms. As such, she's rather uncomfortable associating with most villains; they 'creep her out'. Influences are Bohdi from "Point Break", Dominic from "The Fast and The Furious", the MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi, and lastly, the totally awesome Tim "Pashnit" Mayhew.
Personality
Personality-wise, Betty's rather flippant and disrespectful of authority, except where that authority is earned. She also tends to be flamboyant when it comes to riding, or partying. On the job though, she's all business; she takes her teammates into account, and tries to plan "jobs" so that it goes off quickly, quietly, and without undue bloodshed or damage to property. Occasionally she'll cut loose where the whole POINT is to attract attention and then thumb her nose at the police that are dispatched to the scene[2].
However, this outward flamboyance hides a very insecure and hurt young woman. Disowned by her father after she was caught burglarizing small shops to fund her motorcycling activities, she's come to rely on herself as the only person that can be trusted. Her experiences with Wild Childs have reinforced this.
Powers
| |
| M-76 Mauser Sniper Special | |
| Owner: | Betty Highside |
|---|---|
| Classification: | Assault/Sniper Rifle |
| Bestowed Powers/Abilities | |
| Confidential | |
| Known Materials | |
| Case-Hardened rolled steel barrel, walnut stock | |
| Usage | |
| Confidential | |
| Can fire several different rounds and payloads, but is mostly used for sniper work. | |
M-76 Mauser Sniper Special
|
Betty carries a custom-made M-76 Mauser sniper rifle, a modified long-range version of the Kalishnikov AK-47. | |
|---|---|
|
|
Quickly fires a short Burst of rounds at a single target at long range. Damage is average, but the firing rate is fast. Can also reduce the target's Defense. |
|
|
Fires a heavy-caliber Slug at a targeted foe. This is slower than firing a Burst, but it deals more damage, has longer range, and can knock down foes. |
|
|
Fires a cone of Buckshot pellets at close range, and can knock some foes down. |
|
|
Launches an explosive Grenade at long range from beneath the barrel of your Assault Rifle. The explosion affects all within the blast radius, and can knock them back. |
|
|
Fires a single non-lethal Beanbag that knocks the wind out of a target. This deals little damage and takes a long time to reload, but renders most targets unable to attack for a good while. |
|
|
You take some time to aim, and fire a precisely-targeted high-caliber rifle round. This shot does considerable damage and can knock the target back, but you may be interrupted while lining up the shot. |
|
|
Spews forth a cone of flames from underneath the barrel of your Assault Rifle, setting foes on fire. Very accurate and very deadly at medium range. |
|
|
You direct your Flamethrower at the ground, setting it ablaze for a few moments. Foes caught in the blaze (or who pass through it) will get severely scorched. |
|
|
|
Betty usually loads the magazines with dum-dum rounds of the appropriate calibers, and tends to aim for the sternum or solar plexus, so as to knock targets unconscious instead of killing them. She's also swapped out the usual napalm mixture for a fast-burning alcohol mix. It burns bright, and hot, but evaporates quickly, resulting in only minor burns (but it sure freaks people out a lot!)
As such, no fatalities have been recorded in any engagement with her. At least with anyone who reports such things.
UPDATE: As she's seen firsthand what happens when the truly vicious and disturbed go free, Betty has begun to use killing force on some of her jobs. Again, she hates to kill, but sometimes... it's better than the alternative.
The Crey Industries KI290-A Kinetic Inducer
|
This forearm-mounted device is capable of altering the subatomic energy flux of persons and/or objects Betty comes across. She's not quite familiar with all the possible modes of the device. | |
|---|---|
|
|
Transfusion drains an enemy of some endurance and reduces the target's regeneration rate, and transfers that energy, in the form of hit points, to all allies near the affected foe. You can use Transfusion to heal yourself as well as your allies. |
|
|
You can siphon the power from a targeted foe, reducing his damage potential. The power is transferred back to you, increasing your own damage potential and that of all nearby allies. |
|
|
|
|
|
You can siphon the speed from a targeted foe, slowing his movement and attack rate while boosting your own. Can be used as an incidental travel power, but use requires a target. |
|
|
|
|
|
You can hasten a single targeted ally. The target's movement speed, attack rate, and endurance recovery are all greatly increased and the target gains resistance to slow effects. You cannot use this power on yourself. |
|
|
You can reduce your inertia, along with that of all nearby allies. The affected allies can then jump incredible distances for a while. Also eliminates 'drift' while flying. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Powers
The Mercy Shot
As a target is damaged, Betty looks for ways to 'put it down quicker'[3]. Most corruptors look to make a victim's demise as painful and gory as possible. Betty goes for the mercy shot.
Affiliations
With the disappearance of Sayuka, the Crimson Dawn is no longer a safe place for Betty. So instead she's arranged a cover identity as a college student at Aeon Univeristy.
Costumes/Gear
An avid thrillseeker, Betty keeps herself in shape for the next 'Big Stunt'. As such, she's quite fit. She's usually seen in full motorcycle leathers and a helmet, the pink color matching that of her 2001 Suzuki GSX1300R "Hayabusa"[4]. The motorcycle's top speed is approximately 215MPH. It has been modified with a kinetic shield to protect the bodywork in the event of a crash. It is also fitted with a Mr Turbo intercooled turbocharger, and a small 'jump boost' device positioned just forward of the bike's center of mass. This allows her to leap over small obstacles without the use of a ramp.
- Custom Alpinestars two-piece leathers (jacket and pants),
- Dainese back protector
- Shoei full-face helmet with Chatterbox communications rig
- Frank Thomas motorcycle boots
- Joe Rocket gloves.
This is Betty with her helmet off, but still in her leathers. You might see her riding like this, but not very often.
- Custom Sunglasses by Oakley.
And lastly, there are times when you gotta leave the heavy thick protective stuff behind, and show up in something a bit more friendly.
- Castoff River Run jacket, with a dyed leather fringe shawl
- Hot Topic mesh maillot and fishnet stockings
- A pair of black pumps, and a weightlifter belt she found in a thrift shop someplace
- A novelty 'collar' choker she got at Spencers.
- Fingerless gloves with fishing weights sewn into the back of the hands.
Call her 'goth' at your peril.
Storylines
Betty has had a bit part or two in a few Virtue storylines. I've yet to write up a full story for her though.
Irresponsible Hate Anthem
Betty was one of hundreds of villains deposited in Paragon during the chaos, but instead of killing or burning or 'blowing shit up', she pretty much just rode around at high speed making cops spill their coffee.
She did commit a break-in at the Steel Canyon Icon, taking a small prototype called a Polyphasic Closet. Basically this device is a "pocket dimension-based" storage unit that allows her to stow her bike and riding gear on her person instead of having to find a place to park it and/or lock it all up.
Once she escaped with the device, she led cops (and soldiers) on a merry chase through Paragon, culminating in Atlas when she lowsided her motorcycle and was arrested. However, soon after she was tried and sentenced on a plethora of lower 'scofflaw' charges, she inexplicably vanished during transport to the Zig, out of a locked SWAT van while it was in motion.
Trivia
Quotes
There's this zone, where torque and traction and cornering forces are all balanced. One little nudge, and bad things happen, but the longer I stay there, the more turned on I get.
You want to get in my pants? Cross the finish line first, or ride bitch.[5]
I hate having to be the bad girl, shooting people, roughing them up, et cetera. I just like riding on my terms. Is that so wrong?
I never met a cop I couldn't smoke in ten miles.
Do I LOOK like a paddock girl to you?[6]
Yeah, I prefer girls to guys. Guys let their balls do the thinking. Girls are cool with enjoying the ride, no matter who's got their gloves on the bars.
There's a point where you just gotta leave the whole 'civilization' thing in the dust, and just dance with the world. Not many places you can do that anymore.
Some say the Hayabusa is too much bike. It's like straddling a fucking rocket. You gotta get real intimate with the throttle, the brakes, the suspension... you don't think, you FEEL how it's all working. I make sweet love to that machine every time I swing my legs over.
Cagers[7] just don't get it. They ride around in those metal coffins, all insulated from the world. When you're screwing it on in the corners with your knee down on the pavement, it's a dance. You can't dance in a car. All you can do is bob your head to the radio.
Locales
Betty has been known to do 'road trips' when under stress or when needing time to get her head straight. She has toured many locations in the US, including the Sierra Nevadas and the California Gold Country, the Pacific Coast, and several locations around the Puget Sound. However, her favorite part of the country is the deserts of southern Utah and northern Arizona. She came to her decision to turn 'vigilante' while participating in a Navajo ceremony known as the Blessing Way.
iTunes Playlist
These are all songs that I like to have playing when Betty's doing her thing. If I were ever to do a demo movie of her... hehe...
| Name | Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Title | Mark Snow | La Femme Nikita | 1998 |
| Been Caught Stealing | Jane's Addiction | Ritual de lo Habitual | 1990 |
| Low Rider | War | Original Masters - Funk 1 | 1975 |
| Give | Missing Persons | The Best of Missing Persons | 1998 |
| The Word (PMT Remix) | Dope Smugglaz | Swordfish <<The Album>> | 2001 |
| These Boots Are Made for Walkin' | KMFDM | Boots - EP | 2005 |
| Money For Nothing | Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 1985 |
| Pistolero | Juno Reactor | Shango | 2005 |
| Peter Gunn (Featuring Duane Eddy) | The Art Of Noise | In Visible Silence | 1986 |
| Deadbeat Club | The B-52's | Time Capsule: Songs For A Future Generation | 1998 |
| Whatever Happened to My Rock 'n Roll | Black Rebel Motorcycle Club | B.R.M.C. | 2001 |
| Launch DiVinci | Simon Boswell | HACKERS Soundtrack | 1999 |
| Switchblade 327 | The Brian Setzer Orchestra | The Dirty Boogie | 1998 |
| Race Wars | BT | More Fast and Furious: Music from The Fast and the Furious | 2001 |
| Red Tape | Agent Provocateur | The Jackal Soundtrack | 1997 |
| Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing | Chris Isaak | Forever Blue | 1995 |
| Real Cool World | David Bowie | Songs From The Cool World | 1992 |
| Absurd | Fluke | La Femme Nikita | 1998 |
| Battle Without Honor or Humanity | Tomoyasu Hotei | Electric Samurai | 2004 |
Rumors
Heard about a rumor concerning Betty Highside? Edit this section, and add it.
((Not so much a rumor as a song I thought you should listen to, I read page and like the character, a song that would go fuckin' great with her is "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns and Roses, seriously like to a T.)) Silent Sniper 23:56, 1 November 2011 (CDT)
Artwork Credits
Betty Highside
- (C) 2006 by Sorah Suhng
"Now I Need a Smoke"
- Image (C) 2007 by Javier Kisic
Footnotes
- ↑ The term "Highside" is motorcycle terminology for a deadly motorcycle crash, wherein the rear wheel loses traction, slews to the side, and then suddenly regains traction. The resulting 'snap' back to center and sudden gyroscopic acceleration will literally throw the rider off the 'high side' and tumble the bike.
- ↑ Mayhem Missions
- ↑ Corruptor 'Scourge'
- ↑ Since there are no vehicles in City of Heroes, I've had to make do with the Prestige Power Slide as a substitute.
- ↑ "Ride pillion" in Europe and the U.K. - both mean to ride as a passenger
- ↑ "Paddock girl" - girl who holds the umbrella for a pro racer while he or she waits in the starting grid.
- ↑ A perjorative term for a car or truck driver; the occupant is enclosed by a 'cage' of metal
