>
>He navigated through traffic expertly and got them to the pier
>in record time,
MMK: ...by running through the mall, through the park, past the fountain, turning right at the pet store, going under the bridge, and catapulting above the seaport...
NeoVid: Crazy Taxi: Hutchins edition.
> skidding to a halt next to the truck and shutting down
>while piling out.
Rebecca: He then checked his full tank of gas, his half-pack of cigarettes, the lack of ambient light, and his shades.
>As Linna climbed into the back of the truck to suit
>up, he opened up the armor case on the roof of the car while stripping
>off his clothes and throwing them in the back seat through the open
>window.
Jonatan: So, instead of Linna offering the world a free show, we get Gryphon. [sarcastically] I feel so blessed.
MMK: Can't we see Goldust instead?
>Within thirty seconds he was in his armor and powered up.
Tango [Gryphon]: Rider... CHANGE!
Jonatan [Gryphon]: Power CHANGE!
MMK [Gryphon]: Flame on!
(MMK bursts into flames.)
Rebecca: Umm... MMK?
MMK: Yes?
Rebecca: Do you realize you're on fire?
MMK: Yes. (He ^_^s)
Rebecca: ...why do I bother?
>"What's the situation, O most lovely-yet-mysterious-and-
>unreachable employer-type?"
Tango [Sylia]: We're out of donuts, O wise-cracking-yet-still-annoying God-fanboy-type.
> he asked, climbing aboard the truck. "Or,
>if you prefer: `what the hell's so bloody important?!'"
>
>"We're getting ready to enter a GENOM research facility where
>they've been working on a new type of combat Buma," Sylia replied,
>looking up from a planning table. "Indications are they've already
>got it operational, so we're going to need all the firepower we can
>get."
Jonatan [Sylia]: We can't take any chances. I've heard it's got a pointed stick.
MMK [Gryphon]: Ah, but fortunately I just built in special anti-stick weapons.
>"Why, pray tell, did you decide to storm this place tonight?"
S.D. [Sylia]: Duh! X-files is on tomorrow night.
>"It wasn't my idea,"
NeoVid [Sylia]: The voices in my head threatened to withhold the endorphines if I didn't do it.
>Sylia replied. "Fargo called me less
>than half an hour ago to inform me that they're cleaning the place out
>in the morning,
Vidstudent: Hmmm... early spring cleaning.
NeoVid: It's a must for any household.
Tango: Speak for yourself!
Jonatan: The race of superintelligent dustbunnies in my livingroom get really ornery when I try to use thew vaccuum...
> so I decided we had no choice but to go in tonight.
>By tomorrow they'll be gone."
Vidstudent [singing]: Stay tonight/We'll fight the break of dawn/Come tomorrow/Tomorrow I'll be gone...
>MegaZone sauntered over, running diagnostics on his LightSaber
>armor.
>"So why are we attacking it at all, if they're leaving
>tomorrow?"
Jonatan: ...hello? Because they won't be there after tomorrow? Because they'll be gone and impossible to find until you get *another* lead? Fire up those sedated neurons, Bilkovic, and THINK.
>"USSD wants the Black Box that controls the orbital defense
>satellites back," Sylia replied, "and they're paying us $20 million US
>to get it.
MMK: Wasn't this the plot of Warrior's Legacy part two?
>In addition, this development is illegal,"
S.D. [Sylia]: So we're not doing this just for the money, no sirree!
NeoVid [Zoner]: Ah, thin guise of altruism, how versatile.
Sylia
>continued. "If we can break the place up and leave some of the
>evidence intact, ADPolice will finally have a case against GENOM, and
>Fargo informed me that none other than Brian J. Mason is there
>tonight, supervising the final stages.
S.D. <Cel-I-AAA-3>: What news, 003?
{Bailesu 0wnz j00. ~S.D.}
[Happiness is mandatory. -J]
> If we can get him..."
Rebecca [Sylia]: ...I can make him my lovemuffin.
Jonatan [Sylia]: ...we can mail him with three cereal boxtops and get a free limited edition Buma!
>"I see. In other words, it's Sylia Stingray's personal
>crusade."
>
>"Your sarcasm is noted. Gryphon, I am truly sorry for
>interrupting your evening,
MMK [Sylia]: It's not like I deliberately messed up someone else's lovelife just because I'm expecting to enter into one of my own that I am vehemently against if only I can act on my own free will...
Tango [Zoner]: Shut up, bitch.
MMK [Sylia]: Yes, dear.
>but I need you and Linna for this
>operation. It's important. Not only to me and USSD. If we can
>expose this operation and shut it down,
S.D. [Sylia]: ...I'll give you a Scooby Snack.
NeoVid [Gryphon]: No.
we'll cripple GENOM's combat
>Buma development into the next fiscal year!"
S.D. [Sylia]: And I'll give you a Scooby Snack.
NeoVid [Gryphon]: Well...rokay.
>"Right, right. Well, I'm here now, so there's no sense in
>arguing, right? Hit me with the battle plan," he said as he opened
>the heavy weapons locker and pulled out his minigun mount.
Vidstudent: Gladly, Gryphon, gladly. Head or groin?
>"I think it's in this direction," Nene reported.
Tango [Nene]: It's... (points) thataway!
>"There's too
>much electromagnetic interference in here for me to say for sure,
Rebecca [Nene]: Zoner, *please* turn off your phone.
>but
>this is the most likely direction."
Tango [Nene]: It's... (points) thataway!
>"Gryphon?"
>
>"Yeah, she's right--this place is a sensor's nightmare.
Jonatan: The one when it went to sensor school without any clothes on, and all the other sensors laughed.
>I
>can't get anything useful out of my sensors at all,
Tango [Gryphon]: Wait, scratch that. They actually make pretty good bottle openers.
>and I'm in full
>detection mode. Nene's sensors are a dozen times more sensitive and
>accurate than mine anyway. I should work on that...put it on my `to
>do' list, right after `stop global warming'."
???: ...which, incidentally, is after "get a life."
{Feel free to delete if it's too much past the author-bashing threshold. -M.Poa}
[I kinda personally loathe that pretentious phrase... so if anyone wants to keep it, make it someone else's. Thankee. -J]
>"Gryphon..."
>
>"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sheesh." His collision alarm howled;
NeoVid [Gryphon]: What's that, collision alarm? Did Zoner fall down the well again?
>Gryphon threw the armor into combat mode
Vidstudent: As it sailed into battle, he realized he had forgotten to get in first.
>as he ducked, shoving Nene
>aside in the process. His would-be assailant landed where he had just
>been, and another near Nene's old position;
Tango: Third base?
MMK: Who's on third?
Tango: No, I said Nene was on third. Who's on first.
MMK: Who is?
Tango: Yes.
{Bastardized, I know. ^^; -M.Poa}
> a third was engaging
>Sylia.
NeoVid [Third]: Marry me, Sylia.
Rebecca: Call in Armitage. Quick!
Jonatan: Third? Probably a flunky of Second... [growls] That vindictive, pontificating, dimension-skewed little bastard...
>Over his comm system he could hear the others encountering
>resistance as well; then he turned his attention to his attacker.
>
>It was a woman, or at least looked like one, dressed in a
>garment similar to a hardsuit undersuit.
Jonatan: Translated: leotard underwear. [pause] If it starts laughing madly and throw roses, I'm not spending another second here.
> Full sensor scans showed
>that it was anything but a normal woman;
All: ...
MMK: I don't suppose everyone got the same idea I got?
Rebecca: If it has something to do with "double equipment", just nod.
(All except S.D. nod.)
Vidstudent: Gad, I feel dirty.
S.D.: What, am I the only one getting flashbacks to Ranmapunk?
{See previous note about Bailesu and 0wning j00. ~S.D.}
> some kind of Buma, then.
Jonatan: Or maybe a cunningly disguised toaster oven.
>Gryphon locked her into his targeting system and engaged the minigun,
>which obediently swung up, locked, and opened fire.
NeoVid [Linna]: Gryphon, when did you attach a minigun in your groin?
>The slugs plowed into the Buma's flesh,
Jonatan [slug, singing]: ...I'm Mr. Plow/ That name again is Mr. Plow!
> but did little more
>than superficial damage, even when combined with the gauntlet
>chainguns. Then Iron Man's attacker closed the distance between them
>with a leap and plowed a fist into his gut.
Jonatan: Lots of plowing going on in this fanfic...
>"Oof!" Gryphon observed, tumbling backward. He rolled back to
>his feet and backed off, standing the guns down, as they did little
>more than make small bloody holes in his adversary.
Jonatan: Which has been enough from guns for several centuries, but of *course* monkeyboy needs better stuff.
>Very realistic
>bloody holes;
Rebecca: Only the finest, reddest brand of ketchup for this model.
>apparently this was a combat-replicant model. Wow.
>Just how illegal were those these days?
Vidstudent: Only slightly below your own munchkinned arsenal. Next question?
>She advanced as he backed
>away, occasionally making some attack or another which he either
>dodged or parried. Her attacks got faster and more complicated,
MMK [narrator]: Though you'll have to imagine them for yourself... cause I ain't telling!
Jonatan: The fanfic that takes the bold step of *not* including the reader!
[And now I miss Yasha. Damn. -J]
> until
>finally she got through his guard with a spinning kick upside his
>helmeted head, which almost took him off his feet from sheer force and
>left his skull ringing.
MMK [Sylia]: Could someone get the Gry-phone? His skull's ringing.
{Crap. Can't resist that pun. -M.Poa}
>She pressed her attacks,
Ranma X: Making a tall glass of refreshing attack juice.
[All look at him.]
Vidstudent: And you are...?
Ranma X: Crap! I'm in this too! I've been here all the time!
[Count his riffs so far. Go ahead. -J]
>hitting him twice
>more in the gut and giving him a palm strike to the chest that knocked
>him back against the wall.
>
{Can anyone think of a good Legacy ref for this next paragraph? ~S.D.}
>He responded by using the wall as a springboard for his own
>leaping kick,
Jonatan: But landed on his ass instead.
NeoVid [Gryphon]: What do you mean, 'the Matrix isn't real'?
>which caught her under her jaw and knocked her a good
>dozen feet away. He decided to try something else
Rebecca: His debut on Broadway was a roaring success.
>and, as she
>recovered and charged him, fired the unibeam at full power.
Tango: It fires unicycles at its targets.
>The blast
>vaporized her extended lower left arm and went on to melt a
>decent-size hole in the wall beyond; undaunted, she launched another
>kick at his head.
Tango [Buma]: Rider... KICK!
>Iron Man sidestepped and ducked, letting her make a sizable
>dent in the metal wall, and threw his right elbow into first her ribs
>(or at least, where they belonged)
Vidstudent: How about throwing this fic where it belongs?
>and then the side of her jaw. She
>stumbled away; he turned to face her and then let her have it with his
>repulsors.
S.D.: Believe me, he's repulsive enough as it is.
>The result could be described as some form of modern
>abstraction art--
[Jonatan takes out a kevlar canvas and places it in one seat. He then takes out a large-caliber shotgun and looks it over.]
Jonatan: Ah, no art like neo-brutalism. Very visceral. Anyone care to model? [receives looks.] Anyone at all? [receives more looks.] Fine, be that way. [throws the equipment away] I'm just a struggling artist trying to make ends meet. Bitches.
>perhaps akin to the things that young Japanese
>gentleman does with large pieces of canvas, buckets of paint, and a
>jet engine.
>
>"Yuck," remarked Iron Man before turning to see how his
>comrades were doing.
>
>"All clear," Sylia reported. "Nene, get me a fix on--"
>
>"Uh, I don't think that's going to be necessary,"
NeoVid [Zoner]: 'Sides, I need that fix. I need it so bad...
>Zoner
>interrupted her, pointing. "Here it comes."
>
>From the back of the building came a huge red apparition. It
>looked like a standard Type 55c Buma, but larger, and slightly more
>articulated, and of course red.
Vidstudent: Sounds more like a Master Grade Sazabi.
>Iron Man didn't like the looks of it,
>and his battle computer liked it even less, tagging it as a Class VII
>Threat.
S.D.: And that might actually have been useful to know, if that had been in any referental to something.
>It opened the discussion by snarling and launching itself
>forward on flight jets, ignoring Priss's railguns and
Jonatan: --getting filled with holes as a result.
>bashing Nene
>right out of its way.
>
>"Hey!" Iron Man shouted, outraged. "Nobody steps on a gweep
>in my town! Waste 'im!" He launched himself up into the
>superstructure until he was on even elevation with it, then unleashed
>his pulse bolts at it. The plasma pulses slammed against its chest,
>almost halting its forward motion; it replied by blasting Iron Man
>with its mouth particle beam, knocking him against the far wall.
Ranma X: He should've used the ducking ability.
Vidstudent: Can you blame him, though? It still looks like he should have his blue head taken clean off.
>
>Zoner kept the Buma occupied with slashing attacks from his
>pulse lasers. "I knew I should have worn the fraggin' backpack!"
Jonatan: Even better, he should've taken the Unnatural Axe.
[Munchkin the card game. Play it. Love it. Crush your friends and gloat with all your heart. -J]
>"Nene! Gryphon! Are you all right?" Sylia called.
>
>"I'm fine," Nene replied, getting slowly up. "Ow ow ow..."
Jonatan [Nene]: Could someone hand me my liver?
Ranma X [Nene]: Ewww... my spleen is so ugly!
>"Gryphon?"
>
>"Yeah...ouch...just a second. Armor's rebooting."
NeoVid: Stupid ScanDisk's taking all day...
>Iron Man
>pried himself out of the wall in time to see Linna go up and over the
>thing, whacking it right in the head with her impact blaster, to no
>discernible effect. Sylia tried much the same thing, jumping onto its
>shoulders and firing her palmgun with the muzzle right against the
>thing's head, but managed only to break some of the armor before being
>grabbed and thrown clear.
>
>"I've got an idea," Iron Man announced, fine-adjusting his
>targeting system on the red Buma's head and setting his repulsors to
>145% emergency power.
MMK: He's downloading his magnum opus, <extremely ludicruous title here> into the opponent!
Rebecca: Isn't that against the Geneva Convention?
[Okay, can anyone think up a really full-blown lampoon of an Eyrie title to put there? Or is it too cruel? -J]
>"Stand clear!" He raised his hands, palms
>open, and fired.
>
>Zap! The twin bolts of energy converged perfectly on the
>damaged part of the Buma's head, which promptly vanished in a blast of
>smoke and fire. The ground started shaking; Iron Man's sensors
>informed him with some alarm of the extreme level of ionization in the
>air.
[Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker reference, anyone?]
Jonatan: Of course. As soon as the bad guy's defeated, the fortress collapses.
[And I'm off to sleep... -J]
>
>"Sis!" Mackie's voice cried over the comm. "The orbital
>defense satellites--they're synchronized--"
>
>"That's impossible!" Sylia replied as Zoner rapidly manhandled
>her out of the target area.
>
>BOOM. The air turned white for an instant as half of the
>building just disappeared, leaving a smoking crater.
MMK: Remember, kids: smoking isn't "cool" or "hip", and it's bad for you, even if you're a crater.
>The red Buma,
>headless, staggered forward, blind but still functional, its crushing
>fingers seeking a target, any target.
>
>"Linna!" Priss shouted. "Hit it again!"
>
>"Right!"
NeoVid: Left!
>Linna replied, diving forward and plunging her impact
>blaster into the damaged area of its chest armor.
MMK: ...and taking out its still-beating heart.
Tango [MK Announcer]: Linna wins! Fatality!
> The resulting
>explosion blew most of the plate off in the upper chest area; Linna
>tumbled artfully clear as Priss put three railgun spikes into the
>wound and MegaZone cut its innards free with his blades. The red Buma
>staggered, faltered, and then exploded very prettily.
All: Oooooh...
>"I think we should definitely get out of here now," Iron Man
>observed as the ionization level started increasing again. They
>cleared the building just before the second shot the dying Buma had
>called down hit, destroying the entire complex.
>
>"Well," Gryphon observed, packing his helmet back into the
>case as they watched the building burn, "bang goes the Black Box, ay?"
>
>"Bang goes $20 million," Nene said wistfully.
>
>"Who cares about that?" Linna replied, stretching and yawning.
>
>"God, I'm exhausted. Sylia, can we go now?"
>
>"Hmm?" Sylia replied, looking away from the fire. "Oh, yes.
>Certainly. I'm sorry about this."
>
>"Sure, no sweat," Gryphon said, buttoning his shirt. "See you
>at the lab tomorrow--got a couple of things I want to work on."
>
>"Right. Goodnight, Gryphon, Linna."
>
>"Night all." Gryphon climbed into his car and belted in; to
>something of his surprise, Linna got into the other side. "I thought
>you said you were exhausted?"
>
>"I am," Linna replied, "but I'm also wired. I couldn't sleep
>now if my life depended on it. Want to head back to your place for
>some hot chocolate or something?"
Jonatan [Gryphon]: I'll take "or something."
>"Sure," said Gryphon, tagging the autocruise button. "Home,
>Blandwell."
>
>"`Blandwell'?"
>
>"It's a long story."
MMK: Story ti--Crap!
Vidstudent: Old habits are hard to break, huh?
>"Well, we've got all night..."
>
>"Well, in that case... Well, first of all, Sam Waterson sends
>the spy guy in the Piper Cub over to Russia, to the restaurant with
>the bad service..."
>
>
>Sylia and Zoner checked the hardsuits back into their storage
>lockers. Zoner was concerned over the new wiring traces he had
>installed during recent upgrades. Sure, they tested out fine, but
>there was no test like battle. He caught her glancing at him a few
>times, mostly because he was glancing back. Well, what was he afraid
>of anyway?
Jonatan: The Big Bad Wolf?
>Just before they finished he broke the silence, "Would you
>like another espresso?"
>
>Sylia smiled openly, "Yes, I'd like that."
MMK [Zoner]: A buck fifty, please.
S.D.: Can we *please* stick with one Sylia here?
Rebecca: If Badass 2040 Mackie shows up, I'm screaming.
>They finished their tasks and retired to Zoner's office, where
>he fired up the espresso machine. Sylia settled onto his couch, while
>Zoner slowly paced about. Both nervously skirted around any serious
>topics, and eye contact was right out. The espresso seemed to take
>forever. He couldn't avoid looking at her to hand her the mug. Oops!
>Eye contact. Damn!
Ranma X: ...and Zoner turned into a stone statue.
>"Uh, here you go. So, um, how've you been doing?" Oh yeah,
>real smooth, dummy.
>
>"Well, I've been well." Loosen up.
>
>"Good, hate to think anything was amiss." Amiss?! What?
>
>"Thanks for your concern." I sound like a form letter.
>
>"Well... Oh hell... Sylia, I'm no good at this. I can't do
>small talk, look at me."
MMK [Zoner]: Check the pecs! Hu ha hiya!
Rebecca [Sylia]: I'd rather not.
>Sylia laughed. "Ok, I'm not much good at it myself. I think
>what you're trying to say is that you like me as more than a friend."
>
>"Well, yeah, I wouldn't be quite as direct, but yes. I guess
>watching Linna and Ben has gotten me thinking.
Jonatan: That's pretty dangerous, you know.
>We've been working
>together for some time now, and I've developed more than just a
>professional respect.
Tango [Zoner]: I guess you can call it professional lust.
> I just like being with you for any reason. To
>the point that I go out of my way to find excuses to work with you."
>
>"I've noticed. I know how good you are with the tech, you
>don't need me for all the things I've helped with. But to be honest,
>I really don't mind." She gave him a sidelong glance.
NeoVid: ...he traded it in for that T-shirt he really wanted.
>"Well, hmm, what now. I don't seem to have planned that far
>into the future, I ran out of ideas about a minute ago." Zoner
>finally stopped walking and settled onto the couch next to Sylia.
>
>"I'm not sure, I... I don't really have much experience... I
>mean... What I'm trying to say is..."
MMK [Darkheart One]: LET'S HAVE *SEX* NOW! =D
Vidstudent: This public service message brought to you by the Octagon Rumble.
[If it wasn't so in-jokey, or if I didn't have a personal deference against it, I'd put a DH1 reference right here.]
{Eh? Why not? :P - M.Poa}
>"I understand. You've devoted your life to your fight and you
>never made time for yourself. You never found someone who understood
>you, because they would have to understand the fight too.
MMK [Sylia]: That is right... the fight is all.
> You've
>never had a relationship, have you?"
>
>Sylia seemed a little embarrassed, and slightly upset, "No,
>never."
Rebecca [Sylia]: Unless you count Priss, Linna, and Nene... er, oops?
>"Hey, don't be upset," he turned her face to his with a slight
>touch on her cheek, "I won't tell anyone if you won't." Her
>expression lightened a bit. "And it doesn't change the way I feel."
NeoVid [Sylia]: What do you feel?
MMK [Zoner]: Horny.
(Ranma X and Vidstudent rush the two but NeoVid and MMK disappear and rematerialize behind the theater. Ranma X and Vidstudent end up smacking each other.)
MMK: Hehehe... you know we're going to pay for that later.
NeoVid: It was worth it. (he ^_^s.)
>"I'm not sure how I feel, it's... different. I've always been
>so focused. I guess I seemed cold."
>
>"Only to those who don't know you. In your own way you've
>shown how much you care. The Sabers are like a family to you. I know
>how much you care, remember, I know a lot about you."
Tango [Zoner]: I've been stalking you for the past three years.
>"Yes, I know. And I'm not sure how I feel about that. I
>mean, to you I'm just some character..."
Jonatan: So you're a bit higher than his usual standards... big deal.
>"Shhh... No, please don't say that. It there is one thing my
>experiences have shown me is that everyone is real. Somewhere out
>there is an entire universe that I helped to create.
Rebecca: And we thank you for this. Really.
Vidstudent: Where can I send the tactical nuke?
>Sometimes I feel
>responsible for everything they went through. Being a god isn't an
>easy job. I still worry about them, about 'me' and 'my' life there.
>But I can't dwell on it, I just can't. And I can't dwell on the life
>I left behind to save that universe. What do my friends and family
>think? Are they still wasting their time looking for me? Have they
>gone on? I will never know."
Vidstudent [Zoner]: I know my heart will go on, but...
[Bapping ensues.]
>Zoner brushed the tears away from his
>eyes.
MMK: Dude! Hide that eye-drop better. I can still see it in your right hand.
>Sylia hugged him tight, surprising herself with the
>instinctive action.
Ranma X: If her instinct is to crush him and smother him to death, I applaud nature.
>But she didn't let go. Zoner returned the hug
>and continued, "I can't think about it for too long, or all of the
>'what ifs' overwhelm me. It was worse when I first got here, that's
>why I hid in the office.
Rebecca: And all along we thought it was because he was an anti-social suicide-prone jerk.
MMK: We did? I just thought he was being chased by bill collectors or something. (He ^_^s)
> My life now is here, this is my home. The
>Knight Sabers are my family too now, your fight is my fight.
Vidstudent [Zoner]: Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God.
>And
>believe me, you are very real to me. And believe me also when I tell
>you that I think I'm falling in love with you."
Jonatan [singing]: Please believe me! I know not what I do! Please believe me, I can't stop loving you!
>They loosened the hug enough to look each other in the eye.
Ranma X: And both turned into stone statues... please?
Jonatan: Wishful thinking.
>Sylia spoke first, "I'm not sure what to say. I didn't realize how
>hard it could be for you. It was always just an interesting
>theoretical discussion for me. I just didn't realize..."
>
>Zoner laid a finger upon her lips to silence her. "You
>couldn't - can't - know what is like, and I don't expect you to. I
>just wanted you to know that I'm serious and that this isn't just a
>fling for me. I'm very serious. I'm in love with you."
>
>Sylia leaned in closer. "I'm not sure, but I think I love you
>too."
S.D.: I'm going to be sick.
Rebecca: I'm going into sugar shock.
Jonatan: I'm going to gag.
Tango: I'm going to Disneyland. ^_^
>They closed the distance and kissed, gently but passionately.
MMK [Troy McLure]: Now comes the part you're waiting for... HARDCORE PORNOGRAPHY.
>
>12 MARCH 2033
>
>Gryphon sat in his room behind the lab, tapping away at a
>file; Zoner knocked at the doorframe, then entered the room.
Jonatan [Ensign]: SI on the Bridge!
>"C'mon in," Gryphon said absently. "Just a second." He
>clicked an icon and fed the document he was working on to the printer.
MMK [Printer]: Hey, where's the pork buns and taters? I always get pork buns and taters on Tuesdays!
{God help me, I made a Cow and Chicken riff. Damn you Eyrie! -M.Poa}
>"What's that?"
>
>"Hmm? Oh, college essay."
>
>"Going back to school?"
>
>"Yeah, I'm thinking of picking up my doctorate in cybernetics."
S.D. [Zoner]: Let me guess: same school you entered last month?
Jonatan [Gryphon]: Yeah.
S.D. [Zoner]: Correct me if I'm wrong, but... you do not get a doctorate through a correspondence school!
Jonatan [Gryphon]: But... but... they said guaranteed or my money back!
S.D. [Zoner]: ...
>"Doesn't that mean--"
>
>"Double EE/ME, yeah. With a minor in history."
>
>"Ouch. Pretty major course load, dude. Giving me some
>competition. You're the one who couldn't handle CS--you sure you're
>up for that kind of thing?"
>
>"Did I, or did I not, finish med school in a little under four
>months?"
All: ...
Jonatan: Any plausability this story had just went out the back door and got stabbed by a guy in a ghost mask.
>"Yeah, well, I guess you did." Zoner sat down on Gryphon's
>bed. "I get the feeling Edison had something to do with that."
>
>"Yeah, I get the feeling." His residency had been the same as
>his time with Caine;
S.D.: --a sweet time in a young man's life, where spring heralds the awakening and discovery of his sexuality.
(A pause.)
NeoVid: I would have called it poetic if it weren't for the yaoi subtext.
(S.D. smirks.)
> Edison was at both ends with a big grin on his
>face,
All: ...
Ranma X: What the hell does that mean?
S.D.: Well, I'd explain, but I don't think present company could appreciate it.
> and in between was a blob of time that defied his attempts to
>measure it with his memory, but which yielded up a parade of
>perfectly-recalled individual moments, if he took the time. Gryphon
>took the printout, folded it, stuffed it into
Tango: ...a turkey.
>an envelope,
(Tango snaps his fingers and shrugs.)
> and sealed
>it.
Jonatan: ...with a kiss.
NeoVid [singing]: Yes, it's gonna be a cool lonely summer...
> "I'll just mail this on the way downtown."
>
>"Downtown?"
>
>"Yeah, I told Nene I'd pick her up after work. Her scooter
>died."
MMK: Funeral services will be held on Tuesday. The burial will be on Wednesday.
>"Oh. Where's that to, anyway?"
>
>"The Bavarian Institute of Technology," Gryphon replied as he
>began putting various documents into his briefcase.
>
>"In Munich?"
Tango [Gryphon]: No. Inside a donut shop.
>"The same."
>
>"That's a long ways away."
>
>"I'm aware of that."
>
>"You're really serious, aren't you? Leaving MegaTokyo--that's
>a pretty big step."
>
>"Yeah, well...it's only for a few months. You guys can
>survive without me." He laughed. "'Sides, I'm looking forward to
>seeing the Mackinator again--he's the one who got me interested. Says
>they have a hell of a biocyb program."
>
>"What about Linna?"
>
>Gryphon froze for a second, then slammed his briefcase a
>trifle harder than one would normally close the hood of one's Buick.
>
>Zoner jumped, startled at the violence of the movement.
>
>"What about her?" Gryphon asked in a quiet voice.
>
>"What's the problem?"
>
>"Problem? No problem. None at all. If you'll excuse me, I
>have an appointment downtown." He picked up the briefcase and his
>notebook computer, turned, and exited the room, leaving Zoner
>wondering what the hell he had said. He shrugged and left in search
>of Sylia.
>
>He found her running fusion plant simulations on the DEC
>Epsilon. She was deep in thought was she watched the scrolling data,
>so he thought it best to wait. Besides, he was interested in the
>results too. He wasn't sure how long he watched the simulation, but
>he was absorbed enough to not notice Sylia noticing him.
>
>"Fascinating, isn't it?" she asked.
>
>"Huh? Oh... Oh yeah, it is. I see you've made some
>modifications to the standard toroid. Cut the hot spots down...
>12.4% power increase too. Good design work. How stable is the new
>field?"
>
>"That's what I'm working on. I need to be sure it is safe to
>build and field test a prototype. There are a few fluctuations I'm
>worried about."
>
>"Hmm... Yes..." Zoner slowly stroked his beard as he mulled
>it over. He suddenly started entering data into the simulation.
>"Yes. What if you modify the tertiary coil to provide a perpendicular
>dampening field.
Tango: Don't cross the streams!
You'll still get an axial containment from the
>primary and suitable wave guide from the secondary. Granted you'll
>only have a 9.3% power increase, at least by these figures, but it
>will give you a... lessee... 213% increase in the safety margin.
>Small price to pay, eh?"
>
>"Yes... Yes,. I think it would work. I was concentrating on
>the interior flux dynamics. Thanks."
>
>"It's what I'm here for. Besides, I wanted to get you free so
>we could talk."
>
>"What about?"
>
>"Well, let's go to my office. We can have some privacy
>there."
>
>"Ok. Must be important."
>
>"Vaguely, yes."
>
>Zoner latched the office door and joined Sylia on the couch.
>She seemed concerned, almost nervous. He tried to put her at ease.
NeoVid: ...through hypnotism.
>"It isn't anything bad really. I just wanted to talk to you
>about a few personal things."
>
>"Ok... what is it?"
MMK [Zoner]: You see, I've been having these discharges from my--
Rebecca [Sylia]: Ewww... too personal.
>"Well, you know about where I'm from, and what I know... I'd
>like to talk a little about that. Actually about you."
>
>"Me?"
>
>"Yes. You know about my cyberware and how that works right."
>
>"Yes, we've rather thoroughly covered the topic."
>
>"Yeah, well, you know it isn't all that different from
>high-level Buma technology. The main tech difference is interfacing
>the electromechanics with the meat. Since I've been here I've
>'upgraded' some of my ware with Buma technology. Have to keep on the
>edge. But what I'm getting at... well... Your father..."
>
>"What about my father?" Sylia was now very interested.
{Why do I think a Star Wars joke would be appropriate here? But then... -M.Poa}
>"Not everything he did was turned over to GENOM. He did some
>fantastic pioneering work. Some of it was radical enough that the few
>techs who did see it didn't think it would work. So it wasn't
>pursued. But it did work, it does work."
>
>Sylia was looking very uneasy. "What are you getting at?"
>
>"Sylia, please believe me, before he died your father
>installed the technology in you."
>
>Sylia gasped and recoiled a bit.
Jonatan [Sylia]: You should have told me this conversation would contain spoilers!
>"Please, don't be shocked. Think about the signs. Remember
>the tape you received after his death, how it triggered such an
>information flow? The tape was encoded with compressed data. The
>ware your father developed is almost organic, a lot like the systems
>in a 33/S series. You would never notice it. He linked it to your
>senses. Notice a natural aptitude for math and science, the ease that
>you took to high-tech fields. This is your father's legacy."
MMK: BubbleGum Crisis: Father's Legacy.
>"No.. no, it's not... he never... I never... I'm human!"
>
>Zoner quickly gathered her into a warm embrace. "Shh.... You
>are human, same as I. You just have some enhancements. You accept me
>for who I am, right?" He was worried that the new knowledge could
>trigger mental shock. A fugue state would not be a good thing.
Ranma X.: It'd be his fugue, likely.
Jonatan: More like a dirge.
>She nodded weakly.
>
>"Now you need to accept who you are. You are still the same
>person you have always been. I know it is a big discovery. But I
>want to help you. I love you, and I will do everything I can to help.
>I've been agonizing about telling you since I first realized I was
>falling for you. I decided to wait until you had developed a trust in
>me. I didn't want you to face this alone. And I'm not going to let
>you do that now."
>
>Sylia hugged him tighter. "Thank you."
>
>"Don't thank me yet. I know this is hard to deal with. Even
>I had problems when I got my first pieces of ware, and I thought I was
>fully prepared ahead of time. I want you to think about something
>ok?"
>
>"Yes," she whispered.
>
>"Consider letting Ben and I install interface plugs like ours.
>If you had them you could fully utilize your abilities, and it would
>let me help you directly. Will you think it over?"
>
>"Ok... I guess it..."
>
>Zoner gently cut her off, "No, not now. I want you to wait a
>while, and be sure about it."
>
>Her reply was a silent nod.
>
>"Good. How about I just hold you for a while?"
Jonatan: So he had us go through all that emotional tripe just to cop a feel?
>Another nod. He could feel her tears soaking his shirt,
Vidstudent [Zoner]: Ewww...
S.D. [Zoner]: I better be getting extra for the cleaners for this.
> and
>hoped that he had done the right thing.
MMK [Hal Jordan]: I only wanted to do the right thing.
This message has been edited by Jonatan on Apr 20, 2002 5:28 PM