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(Note: this abstract was never used - pqe only uses the title)
We investigate optical pulse propagation through a high-anomalous-dispersion medium and observe that the pulse is advanced by 70% of its width. Our results are close to the limit imposed by superfluorescence, a quantum-initiated competing process. We also observe a relative delay of 22% when the average frequency of the pulse is tuned to the center of a gain feature, where it experiences large gain and large and normal dispersion. These results demonstrate that both pulse advancement and pulse retardation can occur in the presence of gain.