At the shoot...

It is a large hangar with photo equipment, and a small dressingroom. The backdrop of the shoot is a blue sky and then a bedroom set. The photographer and his assistants are busy setting up the equipment.

"Hi, Aura," the agent says. "My name is Dave Scrimm and I'll be your interviewer today. First we're going to have you do the photoshoot. It's real quick we only need four photos and then we'll do the interview-- sound ok?" he asks with a bright smile.

Gwen grins and nods her head. "Sounds great! I've been really looking forward to this! Still not sure what Pete's reaction's going to be, but *I* think it's great that we'll be in the same issue!" she grins mischievously.

The photographer walks over and smiles at Gwen. "Hello, Ms. Aura. We're ready for you. We have some outfits over here for you unless you've brought your own?" he asks raising his eyebrows.

Gwen grins and waves her hands dismissively. "Oh no...I'd rather see what YOU guys have! I've seen enough of your covers now to get an idea of what's in store!" she laughs. "And I'm up for anything!"

"Excellent," the photographer says. He walks her over to the dressing room and shows her the several bikinis, a towel, and some shear outfits to wear. "Now of course you won't be naked. We'll put things to hide your body strategically."

"Aaaw..." Gwen pouts. She holds up the towel. "A towel??" she asks, and then laughs, putting the towel back. She peruses the clothing, and finally picks a bikini-ensemble made pretty much entirely of thin black leather straps that would just barely cover her nipples and BARELY cover her more intimate parts.
"Ooh...what about this one? Can I be posing in a tough, dominatrix-like pose? You know...with some caption about how I spank my enemies, or something like that?" she grins, wiggling her eyebrows. "It's just an idea-- I'm excited to hear what you guys got!"

"You bet!" the photographer says nodding enthusiastically. "Alright then let's get to it." he says.

The session goes well, with a shot of her flying with her suit on, and then a shot of her in bed with a guy dressed as a villain, and another with her in bed alone giving a sultry look at the camera. And then the last with her costume on for the cover.

When it's done she changes and sits down with Dave.

"Alright looks like you had fun with that. You'll be our cover girl, I just heard that from the editor." he says. "So shall we begin?" he says. "Alright first question, 1. How does it feel to be part of StormWatch? Is like living out a childhood fantasy?"

Gwen smiles. "My brother just asked me that same thing! Actually, my childhood fantasy was to win gold in the Olympics, but we'll just tip-toe around that one! Being in StormWatch is like being in a very exclusive club, almost. They spoil us, but they also expect a lot of us. Really, it feels just like any other job where you work with your friends, except that at our job our lives can literally be in each other's hands. I guess that's how police or firemen or soldiers feel, too. You get to know your partners really well...you joke around a lot...but then you have to be serious and focused or someone could die. The only difference between us and police/firemen/soldiers is the fame that goes along with being novas."

Dave nods, "I see I see. Alright, next question...2. Are you seeing anyone?"

Gwen throws her head back and laughs. "Didn't expect THAT one so soon!" she grins. "Yes I am, in fact! You may remember another Olympic athlete who was booted off his team after he erupted...Andre Corbin. He was the first nova I ever saw erupt. He's part of Team Tomorrow and therefore stationed in Geneva, so we don't have an official relationship, but we do make it a point to spend as much time as we can together when our paths cross." she smiles, the glow back in her face.

"Nice," Dave says looking over at the tape recorder. "Next question, 3. What turns you on?"

Gwen grins, lounging back in her chair. "I'll rattle them off as they come to my head. Winning any kind of competition; punching Frost in the face-- she's a traitor who works for Divis Mal now, apparently; public exhibitionism-- whether posing for a magazine like Maxim...or "accidentally" flashing people on the street...or having sex in places where we could be seen; wearing sexy lingerie under my clothing when I know I'm going to have sex later that day; nova men in general! Not ALL nova-men...don't get any ideas about me and Damage or Watcher!" she grins. "But I find that I get VERY turned-on watching most nova-men fight or use their powers! Especially the big, muscly ones! I guess I see those types as a physical match for me...someone who might actually be able to overpower me...dominate me...take me-- as difficult as that may be to imagine!" she winks. "Andre's going to pout when he reads that, but it's only fair! The first time I tried to come on to him he said I was 'more woman than he could handle!'" she grins.

Dave laughs and shakes his head. "That leads me to question 4. Just how strong are you?"

Gwen thinks for a moment. That's a rather complicated question! "Well, my limit is a rather fluid thing because it seems to depend on how focused I am on what I'm lifting, but I can lift 10 tons without exerting too much effort-- that's without using any powers. If I'm using my mind, it's limitless...or seems to be. If I'm a little distracted, sometimes I have to try repeatedly before I can lift something REALLY heavy. But if I'm in the zone, I can lift and throw semi-trucks...whole parts of buildings...sometimes it feels like I HAVE no limits..." she muses.

Dave shakes his head. "Amazing...absolutely amazing. 5. What's it like having that kind of power?"

Gwen grins. "Intoxicating. I don't want to scare the readers...I'm no mindless throwing and smashing-creature like Geryon...but the knowledge that you can't be hurt-- or are really HARD to hurt-- and can defend yourself against pretty much anything that's thrown your way can give you a sense of cockiness. And someone like Frost who threatens to kill my brother Pete? It feels soooo good to hit her with all your force, and know that you could defend your loved one all on your own! And I love my telekinesis. I've had Iraqis try to stone me...shoot guns at me...and all I have to do is think and the missiles fall harmlessly away. Imagine if your husband or wife had that power! You'd never have to worry about their safety on the streets! Or YOURS if you were with them! So all in all, it makes you a little cocky, but gives you a lot of security."

Dave nods and rubs his chin a moment. "Alright 6. What do you think of Divis Mal and the Teregen? Do you still consider yourself human?"

Gwen sits up again. "I'll answer the last question first. As a first-generation nova I consider myself to be of human origin, but no longer human as defined biologically. My parents are human, and I spent the first 20 years of my life human. My evolution to nova was like lightening, so I think I could be termed a human/nova hybrid. Now if I had a baby with another nova, no...I wouldn't consider that baby to be human. It's a little tricky defining exactly how close to being human we are. Some of us don't look anything like humans anymore. But others of us look almost the same as we did before we erupted. So are the exotic novas not human but the rest of us are? It's a fine line that needs definition." Gwen says honestly. "Whatever we are, our basic emotions and needs are the same as humans, but then again all living creatures seems to feel the need for food, sleep, shelter, and sex don't they?"
Gwen thinks about this for a moment, and the moves on.
"Now I'll answer the first question. The first time I saw Divis Mal I have to admit I really liked him and thought he was great. He did what the rest of the civilized world secretly-- or openly-- wished someone would do! I was a little turned on by his power and drive! After that I was approached by very intelligent, rational members of the Teregen who explained their goals and motivations to me, and I found them agreeable. But then everything seemed to blow out of control. Divis trying to tell novas what to do, or force them to do what HE wanted them to do...even though the first tenant of his beliefs used to be that novas should be allowed to do what they wanted. Now instead of attracting intelligent, well-spoken novas he's been recruiting things like Geryon and Frost who I'd be surprised if Divis Mal even trusts! His idea of a better way to live has corroded into some kind of thug-party. There are just too many loop-holes in his rules that haven't been addressed. He could create something incredible and fantastic if he had the right people at his side. He really could."

Question 7. "Hmmm so are you saying that you are not bound by human laws anymore?" Dave asks thinking for a moment.

Gwen laces her fingers together. She always hates this question!
"I think human laws-- or courts, rather-- are so corrupt now that they should ALL be re-vamped-- and I'm talking about for humans' sake. Look at how many murderers...child-molesters...white-collar thieves get away with what they do because of lawyer-tricks! I think the basic laws-- don't murder...don't steal...don't rape or pillage-- those kinds of laws are applicable to humans AND novas. Laws that invade someone's personal rights-- like anti-abortion laws, anti-gay marriage laws, laws that are based on religious conservatives' beliefs-- are all shit, pardon my French. There's no place for them in human OR nova society. I think this is our chance to wipe out the old legal system and put a logical, non-religious-influenced system in its place. So as of right now, no...I don't think novas should be bound by human laws. However, they SHOULD be bound by self-explanatory laws. If a nova murders someone...rapes someone...robs someone...destroys something that belongs to someone else...they should be punished. But humans aren't going to be able to do that because novas are just too powerful. Novas are going to have to create their own jails and prisons and courts before more Geryons erupt."

"Interesting...so my next question," Dave says. 8. "So what kind of man are you attracted to?"

Gwen exhales and sits back again, the smile back on her face. "This is like watching a tennis-match the way you go from fun question to serious question!" she fans her face, pretending to be overwhelmed.
"First and foremost I'm attracted to an athletic, physical man...a man who uses his body to get the job done-- whether it's his fists...his feet...his speed...his sheer strength...that's the kind of man for me! I like a man who's a little cocky about his skills and isn't shy about showing them off. I like a competitive man...someone who sees me as an equal and a challenge-- not some weak damsel in distress! But at the same time I like a man who recognizes that I AM a woman, and doesn't hesitate to express his attraction for me and act on it! No shy guys admitted here!" she grins.

Dave shakes his head. 9. "So no chance for a nerdy loser like me then?" he says laughing.

Gwen grins, crossing one leg over the other. "You may not be a jock, but you work for Maxim so you've got to have a twisted, devious side to you, right?" she winks. "That's something that would be interesting to uncover..." she muses.

"Really?" Dave says pumping his fist. "Yes!!" he laughs. "Ok ok, next question 10. Tell us about your teammates? Let's start with Damage."

Gwen chuckles. "Damage is like Jekyll and Hyde. When he's not the big, orange guy that kids everywhere like to collect, he's this little, nerdy scientific guy! When StormWatch was sent to Venice Beach to fix the plague-problem there, Damage didn't do any fighting because he was busy down in his lab inventing an antidote-- white lab-coat and all! But when he heard Watcher was in trouble he shed the coat and pumpkined-out and came stomping over to smash some heads! He's the best fighting-partner to have in a fix because he's indestructible, and I think we work really well together. I'm like the pitcher, and he's the batter! I send the bad guy his way and he demolishes him! Although I wouldn't mind trading roles once in a while!" she grins.
"When we're not fighting I love to tease him like a little brother! In fact...here's a little greeting-card I made after he passed out!" she grins, passing Dave one of the "Happy Holidays from StormWatch" cards she made earlier that week.

Dave laughs at the sight of it and when the laughter subsides he shakes his head. "You guys seem like a family. But that's another question. Lets get to the next one. 11. Tell us about Cerro?"

"If Damage is like Jekyll and Hyde, Cerro is like a volcano. A LITTLE volcano, but a powerful one! She seems quiet and peaceful, but there's a firey temper under there! She didn't speak for the first few months we knew her, and then suddenly she's on TV debating Divis and representing StormWatch! There's a lot about her life that she keeps secret, but her personality is definitely getting more assertive. She's the thinker of the group...the analytical mind...but lately I think she's felt rather vulnerable in battle and has been working hard on strengthening her fighting-skills, so we'll see what she's like when she comes out of training in the next few weeks!" Gwen smiles.

Dave nods, "So she's the brains and he's the brawn...ok." he says. "Question 12. The Watcher, how is he and who is he?"

"The Watcher is probably the most enigmatic of the four of us. We don't know anything about his human life. He's very quiet and aloof...likes to spend his free-time by himself flying around the city. He's very independent, yet I know he likes fighting with our group because it gives him a chance to do what he does best. While me and Damage are distracting the enemy, Watcher is free to analyze...track...shadow...and then suddenly swoop down from above. He's the unseen presence-- delicate as an angel's wing, yet deadly as a demon's talons. People like me and Damage-- we can get a little cocky thinking we can do everything on our own, but after the scare earlier this week when we thought Watcher was dead, we realized we can't do this without him." Gwen says a little somberly.

"Good answer I like that," Dave says. "Alright 13. Tell us about your role in the group. What is Aura's role?"

Gwen thinks and then grins. "I'm the impulsive jack-of-all-trades!" she laughs. "Honestly-- sometimes everyone else takes so long to analyze every detail and think about what they should do that it's almost too late by the time they come up with a game-plan! I never think-- I just do. You've got to go with your first instinct or you'll make mistakes-- that's my motto. I leave the thinking and strategizing up to the others. I can also fill in for many different team-roles. If Damage isn't there, I'm the tank. If Watcher isn't there, I do the flying and spying. If Cerro isn't there, I do the long-range attacks. I've got a good balance of physical skills and special powers-- I'm really well-rounded, if I do say so myself!" she grins, sitting back and lacing her fingers behind her head so her chest sticks out, emphasizing the little innuendo.

"I'll say, and so will our readers after your photoshoot." Dave says with a wink. "14. So tell us what the future holds for Aura?" he says looking at her intently.

Yikes...Gwen's not sure how far she wants to get into this question at the moment! She'd been preparing for the sex-related questions, but not for the nova-related ones so much!
"Well, we have a short while left on our contracts with Utopia, so we've got some big decisions coming up. StormWatch wants to keep fighting as a team, so we need to sit down and decide what we're going to do. We've taken an interest in the neutral novas out there...the solos. We haven't fully developed our ideas yet, but what we have so far will focus on giving them somewhere to go-- no contracts required. We'd also like to create a nova-council where novas from everywhere can meet on neutral ground and discuss these nova-laws and courts and a penal system that I mentioned earlier. I'm really anxious to get on a council like that because I can identify with all sides of the nova-equation and offer my insights."

Dave nods taking all this down. 'This is great! She's so honest!!' he thinks. "Ok lets get back to some serious questions. 15. Say a guy wants to take you out on a date, what's the best date he could take you on?"

Gwen smiles, thinking. "Well, to me food's not a romantic thing...it's a utilitarian thing...a necessity...so I'm not one of those dinner-and-a-movie types. I think my favorite thing to do on a date is get dressed up in something different than I normally wear to set the mood, and then go to an elegant party...some kind of social event...even a club-- someplace with lots of people. For some reason that helps me focus on my date better...I don't know why! I think it creates an atmosphere where we don't have to try to think of conversation, we just walk around together and mingle, and this creates a feeling of anticipation for when we're finally alone-- if that makes sense! Then when we finally can't stand not being alone together anymore, we go to a private place and start a little romance-- whether it's locking ourselves in the guest-room at a house-party, or finding a dark corner at a club, or leaving and going to the park, or just going home, by THIS phase of the evening we've been looking forward to getting ourselves alone for long enough that passion takes over! And that leads to the public exhibitionism I mentioned earlier! Or if I DO want privacy, it leads to energetic use of all the furniture-tops in my penthouse!" she grins and laughs. "Yeah...I'm every guy's dream-girl. My night's got to end with a bang...LOTS of bangs...or I'm frustrated! Oh and by the way, 'hey Pete! How's it going? You still proud of your little sister?'" she laughs again.

"You're talking about Pete Nielsson fullback for the San Diego Chargers. You know he's going to be interviewed in this issue right? " he says with a laugh. "Ok next. 16. You like sports, you're into sex, you're an easy first date...just how many guys are beating down your door?"

Gwen grins and nods when Dave mentions her brother being in the same issue. That's precisely the reason she wanted to get her interview and photo-shoot done before December!
Gwen listens to the question and then gives a little laugh. "You'd think a lot more would be, wouldn't you! Actually, I'm kept pretty inaccessible by the high-security building I live and train in right now. Hell-- I don't even get to run into new novas very often! They've got us all working in different centers around the world! The funny part about being attracted to nova men is that they're all a little quirky. You're interested in one guy, but you're pretty sure he's the boy-scout-type and wouldn't want what YOU want. So then you're interested in another guy, and you're pretty sure he'd be up for what you want, but then you find out he's a psychopath and you might not make it back to tell the tale. Then you find ANOTHER guy who's hitting on you and giving out all the right signals, but when you take him up on it you find out he's just trying to get you to do something for him and doesn't want anything romantically from you unless you do. I'm telling you, Dave, I just can't win! Well, I shouldn't say that! My life has never been better since meeting Andre! He's an athlete...he's cocky...competitive...treats me like a lady and is a great conversationalist! And-- as I'm sure all the ladies have figured out-- he can move faster than any other being on the planet!" she winks. "It's just too bad the Andres seem to be so few and far between!"

Dave shakes his head. Question 17. "Would you consider going out with a normal person? As in not a nova?"

Gwen smiles. "Yes I would. I'd still prefer him to fit the dream-man description I listed before...being a physical, athletic guy and all that...but I'd never write anyone off just because they weren't a nova. I admit that right now I'm only focused on meeting nova-men because it's a new novelty for me, but there may come a time when that doesn't pan out and the game's open to all men!" she grins toothily. "Hey-- I'm an honest person!" she smiles and shrugs.

Dave smiles, "So there's still a chance for me, great! 18. Ok tell us what a day in the life of Aura is like?"

Gwen chuckles at Dave. So persistent! Still, she now knows enough about men to know he's probably just teasing! One thing she's learned is that yes doesn't always mean yes to men! Weird, but true!
"Let's see...it completely depends on what's on the agenda. We usually get up early. Some mornings we have biological tests they want us to take, but they can be taken from the privacy of our own bathrooms. We eat in the special cafeteria to make sure we're getting enough calories and nutrition and all that. If we don't have a mission to do that day we'll go down to the labs to have our skills tested, or to work on improving them. Some of us also sign on to do interviews or work with sponsors, so we rush off to do those. We also have personal agendas we can see to in our spare time. But unless we've been given a number of days off in a row, our schedules are pretty clockwork like that. The exciting part is that even if we DON'T have anything scheduled for the day some kind of trouble always seems to crop up around the world, so we often find ourselves on a jet rushing to the action at a moment's notice." Gwen gives a little grin. "Which can put a royal cramp in your night if you were just about to get to the good part of your date when suddenly you or your nova-man gets paged to meet at the jet!"

"Still sounds exciting. Ok ok now for a serious question. 19. Herman Walker the Governor of Alabama has called novas a dangerous threat to American and Christian life, that's a direct quote. What do you have to say about that?"

Gwen gets a dangerous spark in her eyes and she grins, leaning forward. "First I'd like Herman-- may I call you Herman, Herman? Good. Herman, I'd like you to actually use your brain for a moment, if you're reading this...which I'm sure you or one of your advisors is. Use your brain to think logically, if you can. Has any single nova ever artificially erupted? No. So we all erupted naturally. Who do you think is responsible for nature and natural processes? Hmmm...could it be...GOD? If god finds us a threat, how come you are the only one he's told? Hmm? If we are so abhorrent in his sight, why hasn't he stepped forward to smite us? Why did he let us come into creation-- and so powerfully strong that we could overpower any normal human opposition? Does this make any sense to you?? Secondly, are you saying that once we become novas we're no longer American or Christian? How about you ask the Christian novas if anything has changed with their faith before you tell them they're a threat. I think Herman is so far into left field that he's lost sight of the true meaning of anything that was said in either Old or New Testament. He's just as insane as the radicals in the Middle East, he just has a different name for his god. He also has NO idea what it is to be an American if he's bringing 'Christian' and 'American' into the same sentence. Living in America was SUPPOSED to be about the right to worship any way you want...freedom and all that crap, right? He's abusing his position by even mentioning the word 'religion' in context to government or America because he's alienating everyone out there who doesn't believe the way he does, and he's making this country into the same unfriendly, unwelcoming, close-minded place England was when the pilgrims left in the first place. He should be a real man and admit he has no place in office and step down." Gwen says, her face flushed and fists clenched a little on her chair.

Dave looks at her a blinks. "Wow...very nice. You know he's often a target for ridicule here at Maxim." he says. "Question 20. Hypothetical-You're at a 7-11. It's late at night and you've dropped by to get some munchies. You see a robbery going on inside the store. Call the police or handle it yourself. If handle it yourself how would you do it?"

Gwen grins and sits back, crossing her legs again. "Oh definitely handle it myself! How sad of a nova would I be if I couldn't handle something routine like that!" she grins. "I can use my mind to stop bullets if they have a gun, or simply pull the weapon out of their hands and fly them over to me. I could suspend the robbers in the air with my mind until the police arrived...or I could fly them over to the police station, myself. All without laying a hand on them. If I HAD to lay a hand on them...well..." she chuckles a low, sultry chuckle. "In the words of Clint Eastwood, 'Go ahead. Make my day!'" she winks. "One of the reasons I'm called 'Aura' is that I have a dangerous aura like an electric eel. If they tried to touch me they'd get fried. And lay unconscious on the ground until the police arrived! Again, this is still without me even laying a hand on them. You can imagine what I'd do if it actually came to me laying a hand on them!" she grins, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Sweet," Dave says. He looks at his watch and nods. "Alright, last question. 21. Your ready? Alright You're stuck on a desert island, you can only pick five movies, five cds, and one man. What are they?"

Gwen laughs. This is an interesting question...should she answer truthfully?
"Oh boy...you mean I have to think about this one?" she grins. "Let's see...5 movies...'Terminator I and II', 'Million Dollar Baby,' 'Braveheart,' and 'Mystery Men'-- because you need a comedy in there!" she smiles. "Five CDs...that one's harder. Anything by Korn...anything by System of a Down...Metallica's Black album...anything by Rammstein..." Gwen wiggles her eyebrows. "...and M.C.M.X.C. a.D. by Enigma...because you need something to set the mood!" Gwen thinks for a moment, and then looks back at Dave.
"I'll surprise you with the answer to the last question! See, you're telling me that we're stuck on a desert island-- stuck, meaning that we won't be able to leave in the foreseeable future! So I'd pick Supreme. Why Supreme? Because he's hot, and while I've never actually TRIED to hit on him, my assumption is that it would take being stranded together that long to get him to let me into his spandex!" she winks. "My impression of him is that he's all business, no pleasure. Or that if he finds pleasure it will be in the arms of the woman he wants to marry, you know what I mean? But if his only choice is ME...well...it kind of raises my chances!" she grins. "Aside from the Supreme-challenge, I would have taken Andre, naturally! Sexy Frenchman on an island with me...I could handle that!" she wiggles her eyebrows.

Dave laughs and reaches over and turns off the tape. "Very good. That was an excellent interview Aura. Thanks for doing this for us." he says. "My editor will be very happy with the shoot and the interview." he stands up and shakes her hand. "Well I have to go type this out and get it to him so, it was nice meeting you and hope to see you again sometime!" he says cheerfully.

Gwen grins and shakes his hand back...carefully! 'Don't want to accidentally crush his writing-hand this close to publication!' she thinks to herself cheerfully.
"No problem, Dave! It was really fun! Thanks for moving me into the December issue! Even if some of my answers will make Pete want to bonk me on the head, I think it's great that we'll both be in the same issue!"
She says her good-byes to everyone and thanks them again for calling her, and then walks back outside to her SUV. She's kind of got a happy-high going on right now that she's enjoying very much, so she pushes all thoughts of the impending Phonecall out of her mind for the time being to savor her happiness, because she has NO idea what's going to happen when Pete calls their father.