Hudson Leick Newsletter

June - 1999

From the editor's desk

Hello everyone and welcome to the newsletter and my first time heading it. First off - thank you to everyone who dropped me some very nice notes wishing me luck. Some people were wondering how I came to be here - well it started a long time ago - in a small town...Oh wait - I guess here as the editor for the newsletter <smile>. Debbie felt that 'new blood' and a different perspective would help keep the newsletter cruising along. The work I was doing as one of Convention Co co-ordinators had tapered off and I was willing to give it a go. That was after I passed the initiation rite that involved traveling to Borneo and bringing back the flower that blooms once every 1,000 years. Of course, my cat ate the flower so Debbie really had to take my word for it. Next, while many of you may have already sent your comments to him I wanted to say kudos to Wesser for the revamped look of the HLOFC Website. He keeps that site looking great - he's all that and a bag of chips too. Lastly, thank you to everyone for the submissions that made up this newsletter - it made my first time relatively painless. There are some great things this edition - we have an article from Mr. Kevin Williams, producer, director and writer of Blood Type - sharing what it was like working with Hudson. Blood Type had its industry screening in April, (the screening that allows distributors a chance to look at it) so keep your fingers crossed that a distributor picks it up and we see it this summer. We also have more of the ongoing adventures of those Oddity Twins and company, another piece by Kevin Wong from the Callisto's Tales authors, some great fan fic, poetry and feedback. While the final release date for Chill Factor has yet to be announced, it has been speculated to have been pushed back to late summer, early fall. Regardless of when, I know that I am going to be looking forward to it. And by now - we will have seen Hudson reprise the role that she made so memorable on Xena:Warrior Princess - Callisto. Given the newsletter question and perhaps theme of redemption that this newsletter took - I began to have my own thoughts on this matter. Redemption is a word that has multiple insinuations - but I began to think about it - because Xena's journey began as one of redemption - there was the irony. That Callisto's wanted her vengance after Xena had started down her path of redemption. How easily could Callisto have become the hero in going after the Destroyer of Nations? Beyond the archetypical manifestations that I think are represented in the characters called Callisto, Xena and Gabrielle - are the questions of forgiveness and compassion. While I love the character of Callisto for the voice she gives to rage and hurt and sorrow - I also feel for the child that lost her family and perhaps never had anyone who cared enough to intervene to help her heal. In light of the news from this spring's activities both in the news and in our lives - I think again of the word redemption, and other words like forgiveness, understanding, empathy and compassion. My own answer to the question of whether or not I would like to see Callisto be offered redemption? I must confess - that I would like the tortured soul that is Callisto to find her peace. Transcend. Have a great summer everyone. And thanks again to all of you. Dyann

Hudson Leick and Blood Type
by Kevin Williams - Writer, Director, Producer Blood Type

Hudson and I met for the first time at a rehearsal for the film here at my home with several of the other cast members. We all sat around a table in my back yard and read through the entire script together. Each actor read their respective parts and my script supervisor read the action.

From the moment I met Hudson I knew she was an intelligent and intense person who also had a very caring side and could be very supportive of friends and family. Her intensity was evident in her desire to find the inner motivations of her character for the film. She sought this deeper meaning from which to draw out her performance. I think she found it very nicely.

I knew that Hudson was a very capable actress prior to even meeting her. I gave her the part without any auditioning, simply by communicating with her agent.

The shoot was hectic at best and as a director it is my responsibility to maintain and control the overall level of anxiety on my set. I did everything within my power to shelter the actors from any of the production issues that arose during the photography phase of the production. I was successful. In doing so, Hudson, Jim Hanks, Nicolas Coster, Wolfgang Bodison, and Deborah Shelton, to name a few, were insulated from the wackiness and able to deliver some extremely good performances.

Hudson was extremely positive on the set and always knew her lines. Her level of professionalism made my job that much easier. Her presence on the set was indisputable, and clearly made its mark on the mostly male crew. But professionalism on their part always won them over and the boat sailed smoothly.

Hudson was right on with the directions I gave her. There were some extremely intense emotional scenes that she performed amazingly well. She managed to create an air about her that was unmistakably "Tiffany"...her character. I won't soon forget the deafening silence that drowned the entire set directly after one of her most dramatic scenes. It was the scene in the Emergency Room where she finally confesses to the other characters that she had been lying not only to them but to herself and could no longer stand her denial. Strong. Very Strong. After the camera movement and her performance were over, I took great pleasure in delaying my "Cut" command simply to hear the silence and awe that followed her performance. It was one of the most memorable moments of the shoot.

That scene still "gets" people, and ever since the premiere I receive compliment after compliment on Hudson's performance. Her performance really stands out for several reasons, the most importantly of which is her delivery of her very distinct character. I feel that this performance may be one of the best of her young career. She certainly had to draw upon some extremely deep emotions to pull it off. She does. There isn't much left to say about working with her beyond that. She was great and has helped reinforce the quality and strength of Blood Type.

I haven't asked her how she feels about her own performance, but from the overwhelming responses from everyone who has seen the film, Hudson has really created a memorable and believable character that exemplifies her acting abilities.

Kevin Williams - Producer, director, writer - Blood Type


Mosaic by [Ralf Schuenemann]

Her Crowd: The Adventures of Hudson Leick and Company

The Cast: Melissa Monson (MM), Matt Peters(MP), Trancer(TR), Jeff (Jeff), Gene (Gene), Galloway (Gallo) and Pandora (Pan). Also is Hudson Leick (HL) and other cast members to be named later as I write this as I go along cause this was supposed to be in *last quarter’s* newsletter but the Evil God of MAC software decided that I had been too long devoid of tension and decided to MESS WITH MY STUFF!

Anyway...

The Last We Saw of our intrepid if odd adventurers, they were on their way to Tibet, everyone was cold and Gene was considering cannibalism. To fast forward past a few more snowball fights and one instance where Hudson lost her sense of self and bit down hard on the nose of a Shirpa.

So really, the story begins as they enter the Forbidden City of Lahsa. Matt is still being bought and sold around the globe.

(At the city’s gate)
(Knock knock knock)
HL: No answer. Think they’re all gone?
MM: A *city*?
HL: Could be.
MM: (blank stare)
Jeff: (Mel, I know what you’re thinking)
Gene: (And yes, it would be a crime)
HL: Stop using telepathy to talk dang it! (Ed Note: Hudson never said "dang it!" but something far worse)
MM: Why can’t I smack her? Just once. Matt’s writing this, he can have me smack her with impunity. (Auth. Note: Dyann is the editor. I do my best not to tease the editors. When someone ends up on the clock tower, I want to be on the Side of the Good.)
TR: Hey, someone’s coming.
All: (steps away from Gene)

(Main Gate opens)

Tibetan Guy #1 (TG1): Hello. How can I help you?
Gallo: Ice pick?
HL: Um...I’m Hudson Leick and I called earlier.
TG1: Oh yes, follow me.

(minutes later inside the main Temple Hangout Place Thing Area)

TR: Um, isn’t that Geek and Ephany on the ceiling?
Gene: Damn they’re good.
Jeff: You can’t say that, this is PG.
(Ephany and Geekgrrl are suspend from the ceiling painting a mural.)
Eph: Hey look! It’s Hudson! All hail Hudson!
HL: Nix on the hailing
Eph: Hailing frequencies closed, Ma’am.
MM: (glaring up) What? No....WHY?
Geek: Well, it’s all part of our plan to spread Excel to Tibet. The Dali said that if we painted a mural, he’d switch over to our wonderful dime-a minute deal, or even our seven cents a minute deal. No worries of "Oh is it the right time of day for my discount?" garbage - just one rate ALL the time! If you’re interested email Matt, he needs the business.
Pan: Okay. Whatever. So we’re here running from the cops and need a place to hide out. (to assorted Tibet guys) You got some room?
Gene: I think the thing we need to do first is decide just where we’re going to sleep and what to do about the cops?
Geekgrrl: Well we can offer them a lower long distance rate.
MM: (blank stare)
Geek: Of course. I'm pure dripping sarcasm, with a pH of -3
Eph: Where’s Matt?
Gallo: Um…we’re not sure.
Eph: Did you feed him to the Shriners again?
MM: No. Honest.

So later, after everyone was fed, accounted for (except Matt who was still MIA and somewhere on a South Island being chased by a drunken Marlon Brando who swore Matt ran off with his banana peel slipper socks) the group retired to their rooms. Trancer, Pandora and Melissa got one room, Gene, Hudson, Jeff and Galloway got the other. Apparently there are only three spare bedrooms in the Main Temple Hangout. Who knew? The third being Geek & Ephany’s.

MM: (lying on bed talking out loud) It's weird to think that dinner, IRC and a Bonanza episode is a good evening. I need to get away from work more often.
Pan: Time to drag out the ol' "Dark Bible." Mel needs some cheering up.
TR: Teletubbies 4:21
MM: I thought they were on at 3:00?
Pan: You're in the Central Time Zone
MM: Ohhhh.
TR: Is that the verse after the one where they all smoke pot and listen to the Dead?

Meanwhile in the boy’s & Hudson’s room.

Jeff: You really can be a slob, you know that?
HL: (looking up from half eaten Suzi Q) Not a slob - (Suzi smear on her face) just less anal about my stuff.
Gene: (walking out of bathroom with a pile of pantyhose) (to Hudson) I almost hung myself with these.
Gallo: No, those are mine.

Back in the Girl’s room. (Watching television. PAX Network of course)

TR: I never did quite figure that thing out: the guy was against churches advertising in the yellow pages?
Pan: It looks like he thinks organized religion is the work of the Devil, and thus the Yellow Pages are doing Satan's work? "Look, this year's Index of Damnation, honey!"
MM: Shhhh! Seventh Heaven is on. And it’s the one where the youngest kid drops out of school to follow Glen Danzig on tour. Special appearances by both Abe Vigoda *and* Jimmy Smits!

Just then there was a crash. Geek and Eph heard it in their room and ran out into the hallway, nearly running over the boys and Hudson.

HL: What was that?

TR: It came from their room!

(Everyone kicks down the girl’s room door)
Inside there were overturned furniture clothes scattered about, and a ransom note that read: *We have them now."

Elsewhere...

MM: Good God I’ve gone blind!
Pan: No you haven’t you have a sack over your head.
MM: Oh.
MM: Hey!
TR: We all do. We’ve been kidnapped.
Pan: Yeah. Shanghaied.
MM: So the bag is nothing personal?
TR: No.
MM: Good. So where are we?
Pan: Did I get here before you? We were kidnapped and are now in the hold of a ship.
TR: Yeah, smell that. (sniiifffff)
MM: What?
TR: Salt water. We’re out to sea.
MM: Oh that’s just great. This is the worst day ever.
TR: Worse than the time in the back of the clown car?
MM: Way worse.

Back in Tibet..
HL: (hangs up phone) Ok, we got some intel ...
Gene: *Intel*? What are you a Soldier of Fortune extra?
Gallo: What have you got, Hudson?
HL: I got a confirmed visual down at the wharfs that they are moved onto a ship, a freighter, that goes by the name SS Yammering Idiot and flying the Cody Flag.
Jeff: Cheese and Rice! (Okay, he really said something else but there’s kids reading this) You don’t mean...
HL: Yes, they’ve been abducted by Kathie Lee and scuttled aboard her sweatshop frigate, all to make black market beanie babies.
Jeff: Black Market? Not real ones?
Gallo: No. TY is a responsible and decent company. Kathie Lee makes ones like "Itchy the Crab" and "Nipper the Pitbull."
HL: Dear God.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next up: Mel and the girls meet the other members of their abducted castaways, Christopher Walken and Mick Fleetwood. Hudson calls in some debts and a rescue mission is launched to Kathie Lee’s secret pirate island.

An Interview With Some Callisto's Tales Authors

Part 4. Wight -------------

Our next author is one of the more prolific writers of Callisto fan fiction. Wight hails from Europe and is a regular contributor on the Hudson Leick Mailing List. His stories span from the short and introspective 'Last Light' to the longer action yarn 'Shadow of Light'.

As usual, the first twelve questions are standard and were asked to each author in this series. The other questions are specifically for Wight.

I urge people to read the stories at Callisto's Tales and write to the authors. They are all too happy to correspond with readers.

-- Kevin

[Kevin]

What was your first Callisto story? Why did you write it?

[Wight]

My first Callisto story was 'Last Light'. I had been writing battletech fanfic before that. When I discovered the official hudson leick fan website, I was immediately captivated by the wealth of fanfic stories out there. I read through all of them, and then decided I wanted to write Callisto fanfic myself.

[Kevin]

Have you written any other fan fiction besides those on Callisto's Tales? Were these written before/during/after the time you wrote your first Callisto story?

[Wight]

Yes, I wrote fanfic stories for the online batteltech league. This was before and during the time I started writing Callisto fanfic. When I quit the (battletech) league, I quit writing those stories.

[Kevin]

When you write, how far ahead do you plan? Do you have the whole story thought out beforehand, just a chapter, nothing planned?

[Wight]

Just the events. Sometimes, not even that. I almost never know what the character is going to do. For instance, I know what encounters the character wanders into, but not what the end result is going to be. I just place myself in the position of my character and see how he/she would react. This sometimes causes unplanned story twists (in 'Forces of evil', I had planned for Abazar to die in the first four chapters, but he ended up being a key part to the story)

[Kevin]

How would you summarize who Callisto is, what motivates her, what her goals are?

[Wight]

Can I pass on this one ? :) No really, who she is would take an essay to write up. What her goals are depends from story to story. Mostly, I think she wants to find peace, but how she tries to achieve that depends.

[Kevin]

When you write your stories, do you prefer Callisto as a mortal, immortal, or Goddess? Do you feel any of those is substantially harder to write for?

[Wight]

When I write ? It doesn't really matter to me. I have a slight preference for Callisto as a mortal, because that makes the story a little more challenging (obstacles are a lot easier to overcome if you wield divine power :). But I just go with whatever the situation calls for.

[Kevin]

How close do you think your characterization of Callisto comes to the one shown on "Xena: Warrior Princess"? If there are differences, why did you include/exclude them in your characterization?

[Wight]

Hehe, I write her based on *my* interpretation of the character. I don't include or exclude anything (about her character. I do exclude certain events which I think are inconsistencies). So for me, I'd say the characterization is pretty damn close. But I know I have a really weird interpretation of the character (for one, I like her because she is evil, not in spite of it), so I figure others will probably think I might stray from time to time.

[Kevin]

When you write Callisto stories, how important is it to keep within the Hercules/Xena Universe as depicted in both TV shows?

[Wight]

Within the universe ? Very important. But if the show-writers write something which I think doesn't add up, I conveniently close my eyes and deny that it ever happened :). I don't like stories which take Callisto away from the Hercules/Xena universe and set her in another (like the present, for instance), so you won't see me writing that.

[Kevin]

Do you read any other Callisto fan fiction? How about other fan fiction in general? Is there any fan fiction that has influenced your writings? How has it influenced your writings?

[Wight]

I read most of the Callisto fanfic that appears on Tower's website. Other fanfic, yes, I read it if it is sent my way.

Fanfic that has influenced my writing ? No. There are a lot of really good stories out there, but I can't really say any of them influenced my own.

[Kevin]

Which is your personal favorite Callisto story that you have written? What makes it your favorite story?

[Wight]

That I have written ? I'd have to go with Last Light. Why is it my favorite ? Cause it deals directly with Death, my favorite subject :)

[Kevin]

If you had to do it all over again, are there any stories that you would change substantially? What would you change?

[Wight]

Nope. I write those stories to have fun. I had fun writing all of them, so they accomplished their goal :)

[Kevin]

Who do you write for? Who is the intended audience for your Callisto stories?

[Wight]

Me. No really. I love to write, I find it really relaxing and calming, and it allows me to put myself in someone else shoes for a while (and leave my own behind).

[Kevin]

How important is feedback from readers? How does reader feedback influence your writings?

[Wight]

Well, first of all, everyone likes kind comments, so naturally, if people tell me they like my story, it puts me in the mood to keep writing them (and more importantly, to keep sending them out, cause I'll write them anyway, even if no one reads them :). Now, my characterization of Callisto is pretty much set in stone. Others can write me about it, and I'll discuss it with them. But I won't change it. Everything else, especially events and side characters, are wide open. If someone writes me and tells me this or that scene would be better if done in another way. I'll consider that, and if I think he/she makes a valid point, I'll take that into consideration. Basically, what I like about feedback (especially criticism), is that it puts new ideas into the story. I'm still one person after all, and without people telling me to change things from time to time, everything will soon start to look alike.

I would also like to get more feedback on writing style rather then the story from time to time. English is a second language for me, and my writing style is far from perfect. But without people telling me what I'm doing wrong, I'm never going to change.

[Kevin]

You have written both short and multi-part stories. Do you like one format more than the other?

[Wight]

Actually, I prefer short stories. The multi-part stories are more action oriented. Just telling a story like the ones you would see on TV (well, I doubt you'll see 'forces of evil' on tv, but you know what I mean :). The short stories are more philosophical (or at least, I try to make them more like that :). They have more from myself in them.

[Kevin]

Your stories range over a lot of situations. Where do you get your story ideas? Can you give some examples?

[Wight]

From my mind, mostly. Sometimes from dreams, or from imagination. I played a lot of roleplaying games, so I can draw a lot of ideas from there. Mostly though, I start off with just one element, and build the story from there. In 'Forces of evil', I started from the idea that I wanted to have Callisto and Darkness together in one story, and went from there. In 'Heart of Stone', I remembered the legend about Medusa and took that as my starting point. In 'Past Not Forgotten', I just said to myself: "What would happen if Callisto went back to Cirra ?" and began to write.

[Kevin]

You recently wrote your first Cirran Restoration Society multi-part skit, which was posted on the Hudson Leick Mailing List. (For those readers who don't know what the CRS is, I humbly suggest visiting the excellent and entertaining Oddity Twins' Web Page at http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Set/7385/ ) How is writing a skit different than writing a story?

[Wight]

Hmm, in many ways. It's a lot easier, for one, because you don't have to worry too much about descriptions, emotions and that sort of thing (not like in a fanfic story anyway), it's just some mindless bantering (at least, my skits are :).

It's also different in that in a skit, you don't want to be all that consistent (unlike in fanfic), and ... I like to hide as many references to movies or other stuff in there as I can.

[Kevin]

Are you comfortable characterizing other CRS members' characters?

[Wight]

Yeah, sure. It's all in good fun, right ? Besides, if I go wrong, we chalk it up as yet another CRS inconsistency.

[Kevin]

Do you find you characterize the Goddess different than Callisto?

[Wight]

Yes. More like a father figure, to the new Cirrans. Tough, but not at all uncaring ... And a little more insane :)

[Kevin]

Thanks Wight for answering my questions.


Mosaic by [Ralf Schuenemann]

Fan Fiction and Poetry

THE GOLDEN WOLF
by Wight

A great forest ...
A densely vegetated area ...
A river shore ...
An oak tree ...
A single woman.

Callisto looked up at the sky. It was almost night. Already, the last glows of the sun were but a shimmer on the horizon. That suited her just fine. She liked the night, found it more peaceful then the day. It soothed her racing mind.

She was not, in fact, dead, as the world believed. Hind's blood was a myth. Only a god could kill a god.
She had sensed that truth when she had killed Strife. The hands of a mortal held no danger to her, certainly not when wielding a rusted dagger coated with long since dried up blood ...

So why had she played the facade she had ? The answer was simple. To get away from it all. The have some time alone, and find the answers she so desperately sought.

The Goddess hunched down and used both hands to scoop some water from the flowing river. She gazed at it with fascination, maybe ten seconds long, before finally letting the liquid slip through her fingers back into the flow it had come from. In a sense, she too had come back where she came from. After Cirra, she had fled into the forest. Had lived here, alone and unseen, for years. It was her home ... and now, she was back.

A scene entered the Goddess' mind. A memory, burned deep into her soul. It was Gabrielle's death. Her sacrifice, as she knocked both Hope and herself into the lava pit down below. And more importantly, Callisto's own reaction to it.

She had felt absolutely nothing ...

And that realization was more shocking then anything she had ever witnessed before.

Nothing ...

The sheer absurdity of it had caused her to burst out in laughter at that time. Laughter, which had caused the Warrior Princess to finally snap and turn on her. Not that Callisto blamed her enemy. She probably would 've done the same, had she been in her place.

Callisto looked to her left. Overgrown, she barely noticed the path leading up onto the mountain side. Yet even one glance at it, and suddenly, she found it intimately familiar again. With a wave of her hand, she made the bushes move aside, and the sandy trail become visible fully. Taking the same steps she had made taken many times before, Callisto began her walk...

Some time later, though it must have been longer then it appeared to be, for the sun was already completely gone, Callisto reached her destination. A lone, dark cave-entrace into the mountain wall. Old memories flooded back to the surface, but the goddess pushed them aside. She wasn't ready for them ... yet.

Inside, there was only blackness. Then, a strong flame, appearing out of nowhere, burning where it couldn't possible burn, turned the darkness away. The cave became lit. There was nothing inside, other then a few rocks, yet Callisto knew this place had not been disturbed since she had last left it.

She walked over to one of the cave's walls, and looked down. There, at the very bottom, a series of vertical scratches had been made into the wall. She had made them. One for each year, or part of that year, that she had spend here. Sometimes, there were empty spots, indicating she had not come to the cave that year. The words of a woman she had met in her warlord days flooded back to the surface: "You can never go back to the little girl you once were ... but you can stop trying."

The last one was her sixteenth year. Then the thirteenth. Then the eleventh, and so all the way back to the very first time she had come here. Her ninth birthday ...

It was a dark night. The worst one ever. Cirra had been gone for almost two weeks now, and the little girl running through the forest had long since ran out of tears. She was alone, and cold, soaking wet from the pouring rain, afraid from the explosive thunder up in the sky and the howling of the wind. Then, the first howl had rung through the forest, and through her very soul ...

She could hear them in the distance. Almost see their twinkling eyes in the dark. Wolves, a pack, hunting her. Their howls chilled her bones. Terrified to the point of insanity, the little girl had run. Run as fast as she could. Why wouldn't anyone come rescue her ? Why was she all alone ?

And then up ahead, into the blackness of the night, an even darker hole had loomed up. Like a little girl trying to find a place to hide from the monsters, she had run up to that hole, almost slipping and breaking her neck in the dangerous climb. Yet after a while suddenly she was surrounded by blackness, the forest was gone. She crawled forward until she could go no further, and there, cringed into a little ball, she had waited for death to come. Quickly, a deep sleep had settled over the little girl ...

Death had not in fact come. The climb was too difficult for the wolf pack to make, which had caused them to abandon their pursuit in search of an easier prey. Callisto didn't know, not until the next morning.

The world had changed. Completely. The little girl opened her eyes as light from the sun gently nursed her out of her sleep. The violent noises were gone, replaced by the chirping of birds and the sound of nature blooming. As if out of a bad dream, the girl had stood up and went outside. The night and the rain were gone too. Now, there was spring and sunlight. And for the first time in a long time, the girl had smiled. A true, genuine smile ...

Callisto turned around. On the other wall, there were drawings. They were crude, black and not at all like anything she had seen before. They looked as if they had been made by a child, yet were too complex at the same time. And ... they had been there for ages.

Strung together, they told a tale. A tale about a wolf. A golden wolf. Callisto remembered beholding those pictures for the very first time, that morning, and believing in her heart that the golden wolf had heard her pleas, and had rescued her. She remembered wanting to be that wolf ...

The cave had been used as a safe haven in the days after. From there, the little girl could discover the secrets of the forest. Could scout out the terrain, and always return to her hiding place. At night, she slept sound, for the golden wolf watched over her, keeping her safe.

Winter came. She would 've surely frozen to death, had she not at a certain point given up before it was her time. The golden wolf was gone. She was alone again, now colder then ever. Not wanting to live anymore, Callisto had set out into the forest, made herself a crude spear, and had presented herself as a target for a hungry wolf. Yet, somehow she had survived, and her attacker had died. That was her very first fight, and also her first wolf-skin blanket to sleep under.

From there things got better. She learned how to defend herself. Learned to hunt, and to move about undetected. It wasn't until she found the city, half a day's travel to the north, that she was confronted with mankind again, and with the nightmare of her birth-town. A nagging, un-ignorable feeling had entered the little girl's mind, and, after a while, she had left her new home behind ... on a mission of vengeance.

Now she was back. She looked at the cave wall, at the story of the golden wolf, and, instead of just glancing at the pictures, began to actually read the story. Maybe, for the first time, she was able to.

The golden wolf had lived a long time ago. Having lost it's pack, it had been adopted by a kind sheep- herder who had instructed it to take his flock over the mountains, to the promised land beyond the horizon. The wolf, faithful, had set off on it's quest, hopeful and with a sense of purpose. Soon however,he had encountered difficulties along the way.

The sheep, being just dumb animals, couldn't understand they were heading along a certain path, and all too soon, one of the sheep strayed. The wolf, wanting to stay true to his promise, took it upon himself to bring the strayed one back, or if it would not come back, to kill that sheep, so that it's call would not cause others to lose their way. Only, with each stray sheep the wolf had to go after, other sheep remained untended, and started straying as well. Before long, the wolf spend all it's time hunting down the lost sheep, and stopped walking forward upon his path to the promised land. Worse even, after a while, the wolf himself began to lose direction. So many strays, so many places he had to go, and after a while, when the strays outnumbered the flock, the wolf forgot who his charges where. He no longer hunted just the strays, but began to hunt everyone.

Eventually, the inevitable happened: All the sheep got killed by the lost wolf, all ... save one. The very same animal that had gotten lost the first time. The wolf stood in front of this last sheep, for a long long time, and eventually made his choice. He could either kill the last animal, or ...

He turned around and walked away, never to be seen or heard from again ...

Callisto smiled. A true, genuine smile. The first one in a long, long time. Then, she turned around and walked away, into the forest ...

END

Finally at Peace
Nancie LilTigg49@aol.com

I couldn't believe it.
Even though I saw it with my own godly eyes.
Mirror images of each other,
With arms entwined together
Falling into the pit of fire before me.
It happened so quickly.
The Warrior Princess pressing the advantage over the
child of darkness, in the likeness of her best friend.
Then out of nowhere, the courageous bard ran forward,
And sacrificed herself to stop her daughter,
As she should have so many months ago.
Chaos erupts.
Confusion, terror and for me, delight.
Above it all, a piercing cry for help
Echoing from the entrance of hell.
In my insanity, all I could do was laugh.
Don't ask why. I just know it felt so good.
In all her rage, the raven-haired warrior ended my eternal suffering.
I looked deep into her azure eyes and realized it was over.
The pain. The emptiness. The rage.
You finally ended what you had begun all those years ago in Cirra.
I finally have the peace I always longed for.
Thank you, Xena.
My creator, my mentor, and in the end my destroyer.

Callisto
M.X. Murphy MockPrufrock@yahoo.com

Callisto...
The name a whippet fast crac
The name of a red blade track
The name of an anguish turned black

She would say she was made that way
She would say what she saw that day
Turned her smile into that
The curl of a cat's
Killing a bird to see it die
Enjoying it with a shadow's sigh

Callisto...
The name of a poor orphan blue
The name with nothing to lose
The name of what's coming for you


Mosaic by [Ralf Schuenemann]

The Newsletter Responses

The question: We all now know of Hudson reprising the role of Callisto on Xena - Do you think Callisto will finally get 'redemption' and would you like to see that? If so why, if not - why not?

DarkTricks@aol.com
Callisto is my favorite character on Xena. I love her because she walks a fine line between evil and insanity. I don't want her to be redemed it wouldn't fit with her character and would make her like number 4 or 5 on the good guy list when she is number 1 on the bad guy list. To that I say "Why serve in heaven when you already rule hell?"

ranjit.singh@net.ntl.com
I would like to see Callisto get redemption. I know that there are some who think that a redeemed Callisto would become another Xena. However the paths to redemption are many and I always figured that whereas Xena willingly chose redemption, Callisto would unwillingly find herself on that path. By doing good deeds she reluctantly realises that she is unburdening her own heart. There is more to Callisto than just a dark streak, there is also pain, sadness and vulnerability. Callisto has paid for her crimes with death more than once and found no peace in immortality or godhood. Now back from "Oblivion" it is about time she found redemption. I feel that she needn't lose that dark edge we all love but can combine traits displayed in "A necessary evil","Ten little Warlords" and "sacrifice pt2". As a pyschological manipulator who gets her kicks killing bad guys - a heroine who is mad, bad and dangerous to know as you can never be sure which side she's on.

garryp@citenet.net
It is in my opinion that Hudson's character of Callisto should get the redemption she deserves.I would truely love to see her get it.If one looks back to past episodes of Xena warrior princess,the character of Xena has done quite worse before she met Gabriel.With the help and understanding of Gabriel, Xena has changed her ways and has redeemed her self.

TPope17526@aol.com
I think Callisto should find redemption. It would make for a great story arc as to does Xena really believe that Callisto has realized the error of her ways and go the path of Xena.

paladin@akula.com
I would like to see Callisto finally be redeemed after all that she had been through. It would be a "growth" for the character and I am sure that Hudson is tired of playing her the same old way. I am sure that Callisto's bad reputation would be hard to get over, but she needs some closure.

mreinhar@infoway.lib.nm.us
I think it might be interesting to "see" temporary or incomplete redemption on Callisto's part. I remember reading that Xena was originally supposed to "turn good" and then die. I have always that sort of Jane Eyre Warrior type characterization would be interesting to see. Also, I think it would be interesting to watch Xena's angst at this change in Callisto and the effect it would have on those who populate her world.

mjw_celtic@hotmail.com
I think I would prefer Callisto remaining the way she is. You gotta admit, most of us fans just LOVE Hudson so much coz she's so good at being bad! Although I think the producers of the show should give her character more depth and understanding. Wouldn't it be great of Callisto were as regular on Xena: Warrior Princess as Ares? But then again, absence makes the heart grow fonder! :-) As for Hudson, I'd like to see how she would do Callisto finding redemption. That will prove her amazing versitilty to other people (just look at how many people love "Intimate Stranger" and "Ten Little Warlords"). But if that scene of Callisto becoming good marks the end of Callisto's appearances on Xena: Warrior Princess, I don't think ANY of us fans would ever want to see that happen. Well, whatever happens, us fans will be behind Hudson all the way! Rest assured about that! ;-)

xfileboy1@hotmail.com
I think that it would be nice to see Callisto get her revenge finally. Even though she died at the end of the last season it would be nice to see it. We all love Xena, but some of us love Callisto more. We miss her on the show and would like to see it happen in her favor, even though she was the villian. To me she made the show and I will always love Hudson for who she is and for her portryal on the show. God Bless Callisto!!!!!!!!

davefuzzey@yahoo.com
It would be nice for her to be redeemed but to sickly sweet for me,good villans are quite hard to come by really,the only 2 that have really stuck with me as a brit are the master(dr who)and darth vader,i think it would be cool in 15 os so years if sci/fi nuts like us remembered callisto like that(i know darth got redeemed in the end but he was still better evil).without the villans the heroes can`t function.

xenagrl1@juno.com
I believe Callisto won't really think she has gotten any atonement, but Xena has pretty much forgiven her and she probably won't comprehend how Xena can do that . Xena wants to move on and get away from her past, she has learned not to hate(in the Bitter Suite) Callisto is stuck in the past and can't get over her hate.

Warwizard34@hotmail.com
yes i think callisto should get redemtion, after all she does have a capacity for good. Just look at her in that ep with Velesca, she didn't have to help.

thmontgmry@aol.com
I think she will. It's about time, too... Not just because she's deserved it for all she's gone through, but if she IS to be redeemed, ever, then it's coming close to the last chance for her. Callisto should go out on a high note.. Not another round of "Hey.. She's here... Let's give her a couple moments of happiness.. okay.. that's enough.. now, smash her down to lower than she was before..." Tragically doomed character.. okay.. But, c'mon.. she's suffered enough.. It's time to be nice to her..

gene@eurekanet.com
She will probelly get redemed. I would like it if she keeps a little of her evil nature. In that way she would not be another Xena. By having er do the same things the villans would do,gives her an edge Xena no longer has. In all it is better if she stays evil.

vamperella1@hotmail.com
As nice as it would be for her character to find redemption, It would be desasterous for image that we've all come to love and hate. Xena's greatest nemisis and the best evil femme fatale to ever cross the screen would be reduced to what? A do-gooding, sweet, loving Callisto? Would she then ride with Xena or travel the world on her own righting wrongs? Anyway, I love Callisto and all her evil and constant mystchief.

psgribosky@aol.com
Should Callisto be redeemed? To that I say sort of. What I would like is for Callisto to finally get even with Xena. Since it's Xena's show, Callisto can't kill her, but as the only one who knows what really happened at Cirra, she can cause Xena tremendous grief simply by telling her the truth about how the fire started. Xena has avoided facing this since Callisto was introduced. She literally ran away from it in "Destiny." Callisto can move on after she evens the score.

BeaHCNB@webtv.net
I would like to see Callisto finally redeem herself. The woman's been through hell, literally, and it's time she lets it go. After all, she knows the pain that Xena's caused her, why does she want others to suffer that way?

warriorjman@webtv.net
Will Callisto get redemption,I have to say no on this. My opinion is Callisto doesn't think she's good enough to be redeemed,also I think it would be a mistake to turn her good. Her main obsession is to make Xena pay for what happened at Cirra. I guess you can compare Xena and Callisto's rivalry,to Ahab and Moby dicks! Callisto will destroy Xena or die trying!

MistressOfCirra@juno.com
I sure hope so!! The poor girl can't go on hating throughout her whole life, ya know!! Despite what Calli went through[considering it isn't exactly Xena's fault here] Calli *could* have chosen a different path other than what she did, and now, after allllll this time, the anger, obsession, hate, rage, etc., I sincerely hope she gets a break from it all and at least tries to lead a somewhat normall life. One word - THERAPY!!!! [I think this answer is gonna bring about some fanfic on my part] Anyhow, if she doesn't get redemption, it'll be a shame. Even though I like the psychotics, I'd still like to see a happy, smiling Callisto. :0)

dragondagger@rocketmail.com
i don't think that Callisto should find redemption because it would ruin her past performances as the character and appear to make her weak, which she is not.Callisto has had her chance and after constantly refusing, it would bore the story line to have yet another refusal. Callisto the character is perfect for what they accomplished and Hudson plays it perfectly.

mjahnke@pdq.net
I would like to see her get redemption, as well as teaming up with and falling in love with Hercules. I think it's about time that he finally found a girl.

darkmark90@hotmail.com
I have my doubts. Callisto's role on Xena is as a villainess. If she gets "redemption" this will invalidate her former role and force TPTB either to make her a "heroine"--they've already done that number with Xena herself--and to try and convince us that she'd be a worthy ally to Xena, or give her a spinoff show. In effect, she'd be a blonde clone of Xena. If Callisto is brought back after having been killed, I have to believe TPTB did so with the intention of using her in further episodes. Thus, I don't see much possibility for Callisto's redemption, at least not in canon. But I could be wrong.

curufea@yahoo.com
I'm all in favour for redemption. Reasons :- It expands the character - continual hate is a bit 2-dimensional. It opens up more plotlines (although it would be regarded as being close to Xena's story) - but then a character who is reliably always going to hate/attack the star of a series is not going to get much choice in her actions. I've seen hate and despair and hysterical happiness, it'd be nice for a change - Callisto being content/genuinely happy.

olly_jones@hotmail.com
Yes I do believe that Callisto will finally get a 'redemption'. I think so because of the way the show is written. I don't really care if she gets a redemtion, I just want to see more of her. She is the only really great "bad guy" on the show. The only real challenge for Xena. Callisto is a really exciting character and is totally unpredictable.

Enhnikki@aol.com
Yes. I believe that ever since Callisto got put into Xena's body, she hasn't been as evil . In " Sacrifice 1 & 2 she acted LESS THREATENING to Xena . She doesn't seem to want to kill her anymore.

mjm86@columbia.edu
Callisto has grown out of seeking redemption. She, in whatever way she is brought back, would most likely want to find her place. Her equilibrium if you will. Any kind of dramatic redemption would probably only serve to devolve her character.

galen1@ivnet.com
Callisto should get redemption. The great appeal of the character is her depth, she is not some cardboard "evil for evil's sake" cartoon. She was scarred by the traumatic loss of her family and it sent her down an evil path. Xena did some pretty vile things in her past and has gone on to become a noble and heroic individual, so surely Callisto deserves some level of redemption.

avery@northgateshead.freeserve.co.uk
I think that if she does receive redemption, it would ruin the show and the character. Her dark side is a reminder to Xena of the old days. To have Callisto suddenly becoming "good" would be unbelievable, an insult to the good characterization so far displayed on the show.

eyore_28@hotmail.com
I think Hudson/ Callisto will get a redemption, but not right away. Xena is too smart for that. I would like to see Callisto get a redemption. I think it would keep her from becoming a boring character but could keep her on the show. I do, however, hope that if Xena and Callisto do band together that Callisto does not lose her attitude. One of the things I love about her character is the fact that she is psychotic! Her carefree, "whatever" attitude is amazing.

butterballer@webtv.net
Theres no way that Callisto,not on this green earth we live in will ever have redemption from her past crimes. Her heart was eaten away by hate and she kept killing and killing until she went insane and torched everybody at every village and destroyed peoples lives. Callisto will always be her killing self, meaning she will never change.

martys@erols.com

atkins@co.mo.md.us

jasonjwb@ix.netcom.com

Web Sites

This month's web site offerings are from the tried and true, new newsgroups and from across the ocean - make sure you stop by and check them out and tell the webmasters Hi.

http://www.starbuzz.net/ablang/

How would you describe your website?
I would describe my website as a nostalgic collection of pictures and videos of her (in her glory days) as Callisto from Xena: Warrior Princess.

What does your website offer?
It offers old pictures, videos, & sound files.

When did you first discover Hudson?
I first discovered her in her very 1st appearance on X:WP. Before her appearance, I had been bored by the ease of which Xena had dispatched her typical enemies. When Cally showed, my attention was riveted on Hudson.

Is this the first website that you have developed and what prompted you tostart the website?
Not my 1st website. I decided to make my own website, because at the time, I wanted to find sources of videos and sound files, and there were none way back in 97.

Additional comments: Thanks for the opportunity to revive my site!

Not a webpage but a new newsgroup!

alt.binaries.hudson-leick is a "new" newsgroup about Hudson.

The newsgroup offers fans of Hudson a place to view, request and exchange Binaries of Hudson. in all forms: Art, Drawings, Sounds, Videos etc.

I first discovered Hudson in Melrose Place. Playing Shelly Hanson.of course Hudson did a great job. Later a friend told me to watch this episode of Xena , theres this great character"Callisto" in it. About 40 minutes into it. I said "that's Shelly Hanson/Hudson Leick" A true sign of a great actress!

The Binary group will work all with alt.fan,hudson-leick.

This is a brand new newsgroup, goal was to have it up by may 9th. Happy birthday Hudson. The control message went out on may 4th. If its not on your ISP yet. Please request it, If anyone wants to see the proposal sent to alt.config or review the Faq and or add to it, Please email me @ paulmholdsworth@webtv.net

And a website from across the ocean:

O.K. it´s the one & only 100% Pro-Callisto site -that means anything the Xena-Story and any Character/person description from Ares to Zeus is from Callisto´s point of view...you can call this a persiflage/response of all Ultra-Xena site´s. So Callisto on my site is the sacrifice/martyr and Xena is the guilty one, because Xena (=murder)has killed Callisto´s family and was later affected by a world changer madness (before she was the "good" Xena, her obsession was to dominate the world, and now her obsession is to change the world. She has never changed her mind...only the targets!!! ) - but all text/content are not new or a fantasy of me... they´re only written from the oppenent´s (Callisto´s) view-that´s the kick which other pages has not!

I think it´s why all text/content in my Page is very realistic and not to overdone. (Someone who doesn't know the TV-serie´s Xena will go out of my page with the opinion that Xena was guilty...) And everyone knows that this was somehow true...

I think the idea I had to create such a site which has no one before here in Germany, because in other Callisto Pages she is always the psychopathic oppenent. That´s wrong , cause it´s natural that you want punishment for a person which has erased your family...thats not psychopatic like some sites describe Callisto -that is courageous and seeking justice!

But Xena was cowardly - because she has let Callisto die in the swamp instead off helping Callisto and to fight it out fairly...Naturally no Xena Fan want to hear she´s cowardly, but why not? - That´s the difference between my page and all the other pages. You can say the design of the page was bad, but not the content...

Come on and make your own opinion at http://user.exit.de/callisto

A useful site in order to translate (somewhat) Shrinkman's site is: http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/cgi-bin/translation? Type in the complete URL of the desired website and chose the language (German - English e.g.). You will immediately get a funny translation. Not a really good translation but it's understandable - sometimes... :)
Ed. Note: Thanks Ralf :-)

Well that's it for this month - I hope it wasn't too painful. And I am gonna borrow a little from Debbie and say: If you ever have any ideas, or suggestions, for something that you would like to see in future issues of the newsletter, please write and let me know. I am "open" to any, and all, suggestions and ideas, so don't be afraid to write me. :)

The next newsletter will be available September 1st, of this year.

Until Then... May the Haze be With You ;-)

Dyann [hlofcnl1@ix.netcom.com]