Elmer Studios presents... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Episode 84! Back to the (Original Flavour) BGC universe! There's an enigmatic villain with a world domination agenda and only one group can stop him! Ho hum. Bubblegum Climax: Freefall is copyright Rick. Bubblegum Crisis is copyright Artmic/Youmex. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [The scene - a well furnished apartment, with two couches in an L formation in front of a large cabinet that includes a wide-screen TV and video recorder. The apartment has a few doors to who-knows-where, and a small kitchenette. A coffee table sits in front of the two couches, and a desk, home to a well-equipped PC sits off to one side. There are two Silver Mallies resting on the bench in front of the kitchenette. A cardboard box sits by the bench, with the tattered remains of a plastic Christmas tree and pieces of tinsel sticking out.] [Tsuneo and Dan enter, chatting] Tsuneo: But there's no comparison between them, that's the thing. Dan: Come on, you're being unreasonable. Tsuneo: No I'm not. Sure the names are the same, but the characters are completely different. [Rick and Rebecca enter] Rick: Yeah, that's what turned a lot of old BGC fans off the new show. Dan: I'm still not convinced. I mean, they're not really all that different, are they? Rebecca: Dan, get it into your thick skull. The original BGC characters and the Tokyo 2040 characters are very different. Dan: Okay, what about Priss? she just the same in both shows. Rick: Have you even watched 2040? Dan: Yeah. I mean, new Priss isn't as hot or anything, but apart from that they're alike. Tsuneo: Okay, let's put it this way. What if the two Priss' met? Dan: I dunno. Rick: well, let's see. Original Priss tries to chat with her and just gets annoyed, since new Priss is just ignoring her. Dan: I guess, yeah. Rick: And then old Priss says "Go on, say something already!" Rebecca: And the only response is "Who does your hair?" Dan: Okay, bad example. What about the others then? Tsuneo: Well, the two Sylias are the biggest contrast. Rebecca: Oh, yeah. New Sylia starts out with "Wow, you're gorgeous" and such, telling her how much better she'd look wearing a few scraps of clothing. Rick: And all the time old Sylia's trying to be serious and talk about the boomer problem. Rebecca: And so new Sylia tries to throttle her. Dan: Makes sense. Rebecca: Linna's a different story. They'd hit it off right away. Rick: Yeah. trading fashion tips. [Snigger] Rebecca: Or discussing their high-powered vehicles. [Snigger] Rick: Or the vital role they play in the Knight Sabers! [Rebecca and Rick both break out laughing] Dan: Yeah, very funny. Rick: Then old Linna asks what new Linna's doing with her money and offers to invest it for her. Rebecca: And promptly loses it all. Dan: But at least the two Nenes are alike. Rebecca: Oh yes, they'll natter on inanely and do each other's hair. Dan: See? They are alike. Tsuneo: How do we get through to him? Rick: Well what about the other characters? Rebecca: Leon and Leon, for example. [Leon 2040] Kid, this is what you'll look like in ten years. Rick: [Leon] Shove off, grandpa. I'm off to chase crucial babes. Dan: Then what about the two Masons? They're just the same. Tsuneo: I may grant you that. Rick: Hey, they could trade secretary boomers for a night. Tsuneo: But even you have to admit the two Quincy's are very different. Dan: Well, maybe one of them's just older. Rebecca: No, I know exactly how the meeting would go. Rick: Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeeee. Rebecca: And there's old Quincy, holding a power cord and grinning. Tsuneo: Um... I guess we proved a point. I'll go and check the fanmail now. [He goes over to the computer and waves around the mouse in a way that probably doesn't actually achieve anything] Rick: We get anything? Tsuneo: Some. [They all crows around the computer.] This first one's from MM. > Greetings, this is MM speaking, and I love your MiSTings. Long time > listener, first time caller, so to speak. CLT is, IMHO, one of the most > stand alone fics you guys have done (Actually possible to read, that > is), Dan: I'm proud that we seem to have prevented a CLT 5 from ever happening. > and as for Issei, he can go to hell(Har)! Keep up the good work, > and stop harassing the monkey! Rick: What monkey? We don't have any monkey! > P.S.: Tsuneo is so cool! Tsuneo: Thank you. > P.S.S.: Tango better watch out, his Anti-Asuka behavior could attract > negative attention... Rebecca: To which he'd probably "Ha ha ha, bring them on, I can take them all at once, me and my faithful pet wildebeest Bob." > P.S.S.S.: I am the worlds #1 Asuka fan, Dan: Ahem! Number two! > BTW. And leave Kensuke alone! Rebecca: Why? He's a convenient, slow-moving target. > P.S.S- aw, hell with it. Bye! Tsuneo: Well thanks for dropping us a line. Our next letter is from Matt White on various fics. > Funny, funny, funny. Not much more I can add to that, except that may the > Voice continue the merciless torture until his powerless victims crack likes > eggs under a T-72's treads. Rick: Gee, thanks. Dan: What would you know Rick, you're not even here half the time. > Except for Tsuneo. He needs a vacation. Tsuneo: Here, here! > From Eva/Slayers 3: > >Rebecca: Oh come on, not even Xellos is this omnipotently annoying. > >Close, but not quite. > Maybe it's Q? Rick: You're right, only Q's that omnipotently annoying. > From Magical Fairy Princess Ayanami: > >Rebecca: Say, why is it that the uniform of all Magical Girls everywhere > >is a variation of a Japanese schoolgirl's uniform? Why not something a > >little more practical? Or at the very least with a longer skirt? > She could wear a dress like Devil Hunter Yohko. Rei in a cheongsam. Mmmmm. Dan: Mmm... [Rebecca whacks him with a cushion] > >Tsuneo: Yui? Yui's the evil queen? Now I've seen everything. > >Rebecca: Poor Fairy Princess Rei's going to have a real identity crisis. > That's not the half of it. Megumi also did the voice of (Tuxedo) Pen-Pen. Rebecca: I did not know that. Tsuneo: For the record, ADV also re-voiced the penguin. > And regarding Cyclone... dammit! The most irritating, obnoxious, repulsive > and annoying avatar yet has MY NAME. That does it. I'm going to go write > that fanfic I've been meaning to, about a new student who's not an Eva pilot > and has no chance in hell of synchronizing with one but has NERV operatives > constantly stalking him and subjecting him to tests, despite his 0% synch > ratio. Tsuneo: I like that. I'll read that. > Either that, or I'll just finish that Eva-Hazard crossover I've been > working on... Rebecca: EVA... Oh, my. Tsuneo: And thank you also for writing in. Dan: We've had two in a row saying they like Tsuneo. Rick: I'm concerned for the human race. Tsuneo: ... Rebecca: Anyway, we've got one more from Peter Barnard on his Magical Fairy Princess trilogy. Dan: Oh boy. This should be amusing. > Hi. [They all wave] > Just read the MSTing of my Magical Fairy Princess Trilogy. Apart from > being laugh out loud funny, it was nice to get some critical feedback > (rather that "it rocked"/"it sucked"). If I may, I'd like to comment on > these. > Whether it was serious or spoof. Actually I couldn't decide and I suppose it > suffers somewhat for this. In real life I have problems with being serious > or silly at inappropriate times as well. I guess this rubs off on my work. > Characterisation (or lack thereof). Fair point also. This is my first > fanfic, and having read some bad and some good fics, I went for low on > detail rather that too heavy. With hindsight a bit more detail would have > been better. I also helps to be detatched from the project, as I didn't spot > where I had refered to background I hadn't included wheras you would spot it > immediately. > Trilogy or not. OK trilogy was the wrong word. This is definately a finite > trio of stories but it is not the last of the Fairy Princesses. There is > still a lot of scope in the characters, and lots more angels left:) > Casting. Yeah Misato would have been a better mentor, but I thought Gendo > would be more amusing as a tutor. Personal preference overuled logic here. > Though you can publicly blame Roxy Winters (gunbunni@hotmail.com) for > suggesting Shinji as the third. Shinji staying as a guy was artistic > license, and anyway I was feeling sadistic >:) Tsuneo: Poor Shinji doesn't get enough respect. Rebecca: I thought it was funny. Tsuneo: I don't want to know what's your problem, Rebecca. > Little points. > Globelink's Sally Smedley, thats not so obscure. Rick: Wow! Someone got it! > Tuxedo Pen-Pen isnt lame. My prereader Matt wants to write his own series! Rick: That's what I said, but no-one listens to me. Dan: Shut up Rick, you're hardly ever here. > Mishtal wsa a standin till I found someone better, but I didnt spot her > during editing (oops) > Copy and paste was deliberate, but notice the differences (Prereader Tim > pointed out that in her second transformation Rei is naked and so the > clothes couldn't be stripped away) > The dingy bar is a reference to the villains of Sailor Moon Super S (didnt > expect anyone to get that one!) > Cat hair wsa a reference to Ritsukos cats, but not a particularly good one. > My only decision now is wheter to continue the series or do a Directors cut > of the first three. Hmmm > Thanks a lot, and dont give up the MSTing. What else could I do on a > Wednesday afternoon? Dan: Go outside and get some nice healthy exercise! Others: Yeah, right. Tsuneo: and thank you for writing in! Glad you weren't too offended. Voice: Good morning, people. Rebecca: Morning, Armstrong. Tsuneo: Well that's obscure. Voice: Very cute, Rebecca. Rebecca: I try. Rick: So what is it today? More EVA? Voice: Actually, no. [They all cheer and dance around. Streamers and balloons fall from the roof. Party music comes on] Voice: It's a BGC fic instead. [Music stops. Balloons and streamers mysteriously vanish. Everyone is still and quiet.] Dan: Original flavour or new and lime-scented? Voice: Original flavour actually. Tsuneo: So that rush of 2040 fic you predicted hasn't appeared yet, has it? Voice: They're coming. I'm sure of it. Rebecca: Poor voice is grasping at straws. [They sit - Tsuneo and Rebecca on the forwards-facign couch, Dan and Rick on the sideways couch.] [The TV switches on.] > GeoClimber@aol.com > Here's a revised version of the first installment in the BGCX > series. Tsuneo: [Authour] Any errors that slipped through are entirely my fault. Rebecca: So has this been re-edited? > Feel free to e-mail me at geoclimber@aol.com. The second > installment is on the way, named Dark Horizon. Rebecca: They have some serious smog problems. Dan: Wasn't that the film with the guys in the gothic spaceship? Rick: No, that was Event Horizon. > It should be finished by the time you read this. Dan: Well I don't see it. Rebecca: Don't take that as an open invitation, skull. > Bubblegum Crisis, Crash! and other related characters, concepts, etc. Tsuneo: And your thoughts and the thoughts of your friends, associates and family. > are copyrights of their > respective owners including AnimEigo, Youmex, Polydor, Artmic, > General Motors...sorry, not GM. All: Huh? > I used a Compaq Presario 850 and Word Perfect 6.0 in writing this, Dan: That's very nice for you. Rick: We used Notepad for the riffing. Can't you tell? > so does that entitle them to any rights? NOT! Tsuneo: It's the authour's notes, and we've already lost the plot. > B U B B L E G U M C L I M A X Rebecca: That's what Priss and Linna are up to. > F R E E F A L L > Nene looked up at the display screen for the third time in > two minutes: Tsuneo: She sighed with relief to see that it was still there. Rebecca: Talk about your short attention spans. > First Global Airline Flight 204 from Berlin should > have arrived five minutes ago, but its name was yet to appear under > "Arrivals." Dan: It's late. Get used to it. > She tapped her foot impatiently on the gleaming > synthetic marble floor and glanced around. Rebecca: Her hookup was late and there were cops hanging around. > There must have been > thousands of people, but it did not look a bit crowded under the > huge, encompassing dome of the Mega Tokyo Airport. Rick: What? A non-crowded airport? Never! > I wonder how Sylia's doing. Nene thought. I'm bored. All: We noticed. > The past month had been uneventful, Rick: Boomers had rampaged, Priss had wrecked her motorslave, Linna was complaining about her stock options, epic clash between the forces of good and evil for control of the world... You know, stuff. > ever since the Knight Sabers' apocalyptical Tsuneo: Is apocalyptical even a real word? > battle with Largo at the Tokyo Atomic Plant. Even > boomer crimes declined, for the first time in the past five > years. Dan: Might have something to do with all Tokyo's boomers being fused into one lump then blown up. > There was nothing to do and she was worried that she would > gain an extra pound or two sitting there all the time. Rebecca: Don't you know? You gain weight just by breathing in. > That's why > she was so glad to receive Sylia's call about a job offering last > night. She could really use some exercise! Tsuneo: Go to a gym! Rick: [Nene] Mind-numbing terror is just what I need to build up a sweat. > "FGA flight 204 has arrived, Dan: In Murmansk. > we apologize for the > inconvenience the delay has caused you. Passengers will exit > through Gate 54." Tsuneo: Why is it that the gate you're after is always at the other end of the airport? > Nene's thought was interrupted by the public > address announcement. > "About time." She checked the maze-like map on a nearby > board Rebecca: She was looking for the little bell she rings to get the cheese. > and started walking toward Gate 54. Rick: This could take a while, you might want the bus instead. > "I tell you the guy's late, Linna." Priss said inside the > car. Rebecca: [Priss] Can we start without him then? Tsuneo: Let's not go there. > "He was supposed to be here ten minutes ago! How much longer > you want to wait?" Dan: [Linna] Well he is a mechanic, and the car's kind of broken... > "As long as it takes for him to show up. Rick: Three months later... > This job is too > important to loose." Linna replied. "Can't you settle down and > wait? For once?" Rebecca: [Linna] Stop squirming down there. Tsuneo: Can we not go there? > "I should never have come. Dan: [Priss] I'm jeporadising the whole mission just by being here. Vader's on that ship. > I'd still be in bed if not for > some jerk who said wait for him here and wouldn't show." Priss > crossed her hands behind her head and leaned back on the seat. Rick: Poor Priss, she's up before three in the afternoon. > Just then, the sound of a motorcycle engine broke the > morning's silence. Tsuneo: Someone ought to get that thing tuned. > Linna lowered the driver's side window and > called for Priss to pay attention. Dan: [Priss] Why, is something going to blow up? > Moments later, a racing bike > appeared around the corner of the street. Tsuneo: With a whole bunch of guys in clown costumes chasing it. > Through the moist > morning fog, Linna could see vaguely that the rider was wearing a > black biking suit and a helmet of the same color. He(She) Dan: Wouldn't you be able to tell if they're in an outfit like that? > stopped right beside the designated phone booth Rick: Hey, is that Maxwell Smart in there? Rebecca: Not any more. > and, after seeing Linna's car parked across the street, Tsuneo: How could you miss a lime-green minivan with a Garfield stuck on one window? > put something on the small counter inside. Dan: A wad of used gum. How nice. > The rider then turned the bike around and sped off, > disappearing into the fog. Linna brought the car to a stop beside > the phone booth, Rebecca: Just walk there, it's on the other side of the damned road. > looking inside. Sure enough, there was a datadisk > sitting on the counter. Rebecca: [Linna] Hot XXX nudes... Priss, it's for you. Tsuneo: Do you mind not going there? > Making sure nobody was around, Linna reached out and took the disk. Dan: [Linna] Eew, it's all sticky. > "Hey, call Sylia and say that we made contact. Priss, are you > listening?" Dan: [Priss] Sorry, they're playing that Candi Bentar song on the radio, and I just can't stop listening. > Linna found her staring at the direction the bike has > gone. "What's wrong?" Rick: [Priss] Where can I get a bike like that? > "Why do I have the feeling that I've met this person before?" > Priss said, still gazing out of the window with intensity. Tsuneo: I'm sure she knows plenty of androgynous black-clad bikers. Dan: Oh, wonderful. We're going to do the "Priss' old boyfriend" routine again. Rick: Maybe they met in a past life. Rebecca: Who was Priss in a past life? Rick: I don't know, I think she was the Tasmanian devil. > "Well, what's the chance of that? Tsuneo: Getting better every day. > It could have been anyone, > you know, and we are not supposed to intrude on the customer's > privacy anyway. Rick: You mean you don't hand out customer's private details to advertising companies? Dan: Clearly the Knight Sabers don't have their own cookie-laden web page. > Let's go, you can still catch some sleep on the > way to Sylia's place." Linna hit the gas pedal. Tsuneo: Feel the tremendous surge of power! Rick: Put. Put put. Putputput. Put. > Neither she nor Priss noticed the dark, helmeted figure Dan: So their contact was Dark Helmet? > who watched them from a nearby alley. Rebecca: [Linna] Never mind security, we're going to lead them back to base. > One hour later, Rick: Boy, Traffic's murder at this time? > Linna and Priss arrived at the newly built Lady 633. Dan: Newly built? Where have they being hanging out for the past four years? Tsuneo: Well, Priss had a wild party that sort of got out of control. > After a short welcome back party for Sylia Rebecca: [Priss] Welcome back! What about the job? > at the insistence of Nene, Rick: [Nene] I'm going to whine until you do! > the Knight Sabers started the briefing. Dan: [Sylia] This is a cow. Any questions? > "First, I want you to see this." Tsuneo: [Sylia] In a radical cross-promotional effort, I'm redesigning Nene's hardsuit with a short skirt and pigtails. > Sylia turned on the TV screen. Rick: Hey look, Baywatch is on. > The Mega Tokyo Daily News was just on, hosted by the > computer generated anchorman D.J. Tommy who, Rebecca: Had stalled due to a fatal exception error. Tsuneo: And tonight, Megatokyo Nightly News presents the blue screen of death. > as usual, was spitting out words faster than machine gun. Dan: Any less competent and they might as well let a toaster host it. Rick: They aren't already? > "The new Orbital City Space Habitat is finally complete. Rebecca: This is the one you've never heard of before. Dan: Some guy in a silly helmet has already sent it crashing to Earth. Rick: [Emperor] Prepare to witness the power of this fully operational battlestation. > The formerly SDPC's Genaros Space Station, Dan: Nowadays we call it Fred. Rick: The space station formerly known as Genaros? > partially rebuilt and > refitted to accommodate permanent human settlement, Rebecca: Weren't there humans up there before? Tsuneo: Yeah, but they had to camp out on the hull. > has been opened to tourists." Dan: Well that was quick. > Video clips appeared on the screen, showing a giant > wheel with a dozen cylindrical arms that was the Habitat itself Rick: Wasn't Genaros kind of cylindrical before? Tsuneo: Okay, so we completely remodeled it. But hey, it was pretty ugly to start with. > and the many accommodations inside it: artificial garden, Rebecca: Does that mean it's full of plastic plants or something? > observation > lounge, and apparently, honeymoon suites with huge round rotating > bed. Rebecca: [Priss] Hey Linna, can we get one of those? Rick: [Linna] Only if you pay. Tsuneo: Could we please, please not go there? > "Contact the Phoenix Travel Agency near you to experience free > fall, zero gravity and more. Tsuneo: And it'll only cost you five years' wages. Dan: Hey, is the news or a paid advertisement? Rebecca: Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. Rick: Obviously DJ Tommy was programmed by John Laws. > Now, for last night's . . . " Sylia turned the TV off. All: Aww... > "Our customer this time is the International Aerospace Agency, > who now controls the Orbital City. Dan: Doesn't that sound suspiciously like SDPC to you? Rick: They had a facelift and a makeover. > They have received indications > of illegal arms traffic going on inside the Habitat, Tsuneo: Reports are that they've smuggled a Kampfer on board. > which has > happened before while the installation still belonged to the > SDPC." Rebecca: [Sylia] You remember? D.D battlemover? Big red thing we blew up? Love of your life died? Whoops, didn't mean to mention that again. > Sylia paused and turned to Linna. "The datadisk, Linna?" > "Yes. Here." Linna handed the disk to Sylia who inserted it > into the computer. Tsuneo: Inserting disk! Switching unit on! Dan: This is so exciting. > A middle-aged man, the CEO of IAA, appeared on the screen. Rick: Say, is that Sir Royston Merchant? > "Knight Sabers, your job is to investigate and possibly stop > the illegal arms dealing on board the Orbital City. This matter > must be kept secret at all cost, the tourists on board must not > be disturbed in anyway. Rick: [Darth Vader] No disintegration. Dan: [Sylia] Sorry Priss, you don't get to blow it up. > $30,000,000 is our offer, with an extra > $20,000,000 if the parties involved are caught without drawing > public attention. All: Whoah! Dan: Fifty million bucks? That's ridiculous! Rebecca: Obviously the authour missed that the figures mentioned in the show were in Yen. > Additional information is included on the disk. Rick: So what else is on the disk? Rebecca: Let's see, tourist map and blurb, a couple of dirty pics he got off the internet and missing scenes from the Blair Witch Project. Dan: There were missing scenes from the Blair Witch Project? Rebecca: Actually, it's mostly footage of some guy's shoe. > Your service will be greatly appreciated." the message ended. > "That's a big sum, Sylia. Tsuneo: [Linna] Is that after tax? > I don't think we should miss out on > this one." said Linna. It sure beats working eight hours a day in > the stock market. Dan: [Linna] Heck, we can all retire off this. > "Right. So we'll have to start getting ready for the trip > right away. Rick: We have to pack way too much stuff into small suitcases, then try to figure out what we actually need. We need to lose the shuttle tickets and run around in a panic until we find them. One of us will be unable to locate their passport and we have to designate whose job it is to worry about leaving the oven on. > The shuttle tickets have already been reserved." Dan: [Sylia] We're flying Valuejet Spacelines. I hope you don't mind the giant slingshot. > "Hey, sounds like a paid vacation to me." Nene said, > stretching out on the sofa. Rick: So her idea of a vacation is dealing with potentially dangerous arms dealers? Rebecca: Yeah, last year she took two weeks in Chechnya. > "I'm ready for some exercise, too. How about you, Priss?" > "Huh? Oh, sure, not like if I've anything else to do." Priss > answered hastily. Dan: You know, band? Singing career? Hordes of fanatical devotees? > She had been thinking about the mysterious > messenger who delivered the datadisk this morning. Tsuneo: Who was that masked genderless person? > There's a certain familiarness about this person that Priss couldn't > exactly define. Rebecca: Even though she couldn't see their face or tell what gender they were, she could recognise that bike anywhere. > It was like seeing an old friend but couldn't recall the name. Dan: This is going to turn into the "Priss' ex-boyfriend" ploy, isn't it? > "All right, if all goes as planned, we should be on our way > to the Habitat by tomorrow afternoon. Rebecca: [Linna] No way! How can I cram a week's worth of panicked packing into one day? > Personal business should be > taken care of before that." Sylia concluded the briefing. Tsuneo: So one day's notice is enough time to get a week off from either the ADP or the stock exchange? > In a dimly lit room on board the Orbital City Space Habitat, Rick: Well, it's either a bunch of guys plotting a conspiracy or a bunch of role-players. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. > a man stood in front of the observation port, taking in the > grandiose view. Dan: [Man] When they said "water views," this isn't what I expected. > The Sun was rising slowly from the other side of the horizon, Tsuneo: If it was coming from this side, it would be setting. > basking the swirling clouds in golden light. The dark > rim of the Earth looked like a ring mounted with a fire-colored > pearl. Rebecca: That's a touching metaphor. I may weep openly. > A beautiful world, full of potential. He has always found > himself deeply moved by the scene no matter how often he sees it. > Well over seven feet tall, Rick: I'm huge! > he was an imposing figure by any standard: muscular torso, Dan: Who is this gentle stranger with pecs like melons and knees of fringe? > powerful biceps and legs. Dark, flowing > hair fell to his immensely broad shoulders. Rebecca: He has trouble going through doors. > Everything is normal about him except for one: Dan: The fact that he's about seven feet tall? Tsuneo: No, it's the word "villain" stamped on his forehead. > he's not completely human. His name is > Demond, a cyborg or an "enhance person" as some people preferred. Rebecca: Those who couldn't type, at least. > Cybernetic implants beneath his bronze colored skin Dan: That's a killer of a tan for a guy who lives on a space station. > gave him the power of a boomer and the cold logic of a computer, Rick: [Demond] I am a very boring man to be around. > yet he retained a human's dreams and ambitions. Tsuneo: [Demond] I'm evil! With a capital "E!" > Abruptly, the computer monitor on the desk behind him came to > life. Rick: It's alive! It's alive! Dan: [Chirpy] You've got mail. > A figure wearing a black motorcycle helmet appeared on the screen. Rebecca: [Biker] You like it? This is my formal wear. Tsuneo: Oh look, it's the enigmatic stranger. > A gloved hand pushed up the visor, revealing the beautiful > face of a young woman. Rebecca: Oh, so that's where Priss has seen her before. It's the old "Priss' ex-girlfriend" routine. Tsuneo: Can you please try not to go there? > She had a narrow chin, flawless smooth skin, > perfectly proportioned nose and full lips, all framed by strands > of lavender hair. Her most prominent features were her gray eyes: > eyes that shone with a special light, Tsuneo: So she's with SOLDIER? > but were opaque as the tinted visor. Dan: I'd be worried otherwise. > "Your report?" Demond turned around and asked. Rebecca: [Biker] Stuff happened. It was cool. > "I have successfully infiltrated the IAA. Dan: [Biker] I told them I'd failed my exams. They lapped me up. > They have hired a > mercenary group called the Knight Sabers for the job. Rick: [Demond] Which job was this again? Rebecca: [Biker] The one that involves them coming up there and busting your operation. Rick: [Demond] Good work. Er, I think. > I delivered > the datadisk containing the information about the offering > myself." Rick: [Biker] It didn't cross my mind to interfere with our enemy's objective or to try and find out who they are. > "The Knight Sabers, ha? I've heard about them. Rebecca: [Demond] I've got nothing to fear from a bunch of wand-waving girls in short skirts. Tsuneo: [Biker] Sir, that's the wrong group. Rebecca: [Demond] Oh. They're not going to attack me with one of those Evangelions, are they? Tsuneo: [Biker] Forget it, sir. > Well done, Rena. Dan: -Mero? Please? > Return on tomorrow's shuttle flight. It's going to get more > interesting after all." Tsuneo: [Demond] We don't need an inside agent after all. > "Understood. Rena out." The transmission cut off. > Demond looked out of the view port again. Rick: [Demond] Say, what's that big, black, rectangular thing? > Glittering lights > could be seen coming from the night side of the globe---the only > marks of human existence. Dan: I thought you could see the Great Wall of China from up here? Tsuneo: Obviously, they lied. > One day all these will be mine, then > the lights will go off, one by one. Dan: [Demond] Hm, I believe now is an appropriate juncture to indulge in some maniacal laughter. > "Passengers, you may unbuckle the safety harness now that the > artificial gravity has been activated Rebecca: Since when has the BGC universe had artificial gravity? Tsuneo: For about five minutes now. Rick: [Announcer] Actually, we just lied about the artificial gravity. Suckers. > and the shuttle is on course > to Orbital City. Please feel free to move around. Refreshments > will be served shortly." Dan: [Announcer] Thank you for flying the "Mayflower." > Nene quickly got out of her harness. "What a bumpy ride! Rebecca: [Priss] Well, if you hadn't kept squirming around. Tsuneo: Let's not- [Rebecca hits him with a cushion] Rebecca: I can and will. > Lucky I didn't eat too big a breakfast." Rick: She limited herself to only two bowls of Chocolate Cookie Crunch. > "Yeah, wait 'till the trip back home." Linna said, seated > beside Nene. > "I'll worry about that later." Nene pushed aside the cover > on the view port. Rick: Nene don't do that, there is no view port! > "Wow, check out the view, Linna! Dan: I'm too busy checking out the view of Linna. > Isn't that fantastic?" Rick: That's tremendously exciting, Nina! > The blue-white sphere that was the Earth occupied one > corner of the view port, a crystal ball one could almost reach > out and touch with a finger. Tsuneo: Don't take that as an invitation. Dan: [Nene] I dunno, it looks like a badly painted on sci-fi background to me. Rebecca: [Sylia] She's wising up! Rock the "ship" a bit more! > The rest of the sky was filled with > innumerable number of stars, Tsuneo: My god, it's full of stars. > unblinking now that the atmosphere > no longer separated their mysterious lights from the eyes, like > diamonds on a tray covered with black swan velvet. Rick: This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Okay, hand me the bomb. > "It is beautiful. Holo-vids and photos just can't beat the > real thing." Linna came alongside Nene. Rebecca: [Priss] Yeah... Rick: [Linna] Priss, the window, not me. Rebecca: [Priss] Oh. > "Well, we'll have plenty of time for sight seeing once we > reach the Habitat." Sylia said to them both. Then she noticed > Priss sitting in her seat silently, arms folded across her chest, Tsuneo: Have we just swapped Prisses or something? Dan: Normally she should be complaining or something by now. Rick: Is her skin all pale? Just wondering. > seemingly to have drifted off into her own deep thoughts. Tsuneo: [Priss] The flowers in bloom... > Could she be thinking about Sylvie again, after all this > time? All: Set-up! > Sylia wondered, remembering the incident years ago. Rebecca: Oh, it's just an "incident," is it now? > It's like visiting a friend's grave, isn't it? Dan: No, going to outer space is nothing like visiting a grave. > After a sixty minute flight, the shuttle arrived at the > Orbital City Space Habitat. Rebecca: Sixty minutes to get from Earth to Generos? It's at L-5, which would be about thirty-six hours by shuttle. Unless there's been a dramatic break through in shuttle technology since Sylvie and Anri escaped from the station a year ago, it's nigh on impossible. Not to mention the acceleration needed to reach 250,000 kph required Would ahave splattered the passengers all over the back of the shuttle. Dan: All right, we all bow down to your awesome knowledge of space transport. Rick: Maybe they're getting there in the Star Eva. > Robotic arms gently moved the shuttle > into place in front of the docking bay. Rebecca: No back! Back! CRASH! Oh, forget it. > A tube-like corridor then > extended out from the dock and connected with the shuttle's > airlock. Tsuneo: Am I the only one here who thinks they'd be better off docking the shuttle in a pressurised bay or something like that? Rebecca: It's only a universal feature of science-fiction. > "All docking procedures complete. Passengers may now exit > the shuttle. Dan: [Announcer] The weather report is very, very cold. > It's been the crew's pleasure to serve you. We wish you > a happy stay in Orbital City." Rick: [Announcer] Now get out! > "Whatever." Priss muttered, Dan: You're just bubbling over with boundless enthusiasm. Rick: It's a PA announcement. You don't need to answer it. > followed the other passengers > into the docking corridor. Sylia, Nene, and Linna fell in behind. Tsuneo: Who let her lead? Dan: Best not to argue, she's having one of her moods. Rick: Oh, right. Just give her something expensive to break and she'll be fine. > Suddenly, Priss caught something familiar-looking in the > corner of her eye. Dan: [Max the bunny] Is moon dust poisonous, Sam? > It was somebody wearing a tight-fitting, black jumpsuit, Rebecca: And trust me, Priss- [Tsuneo hits her with a cushion] Tsuneo: I warned you. > like the one the mysterious biker wore. Dan: Gee, I wonder who that could be? Rick: You mean Rena's only got one set of clothes? What kind of cheap-assed evil overlord does she work for? > But before Priss > could get a closer look, the person reached the other end of the > corridor and disappeared. Rebecca: They were never seen again. > Could it be the same guy? Priss thought. Tsuneo: Er, Priss? There's these lumps on the front, you might notice it's a girl. > Sylia approached her, "Is something wrong?" Dan: [Priss, monotone] No. there is nothing wrong. I have not been replaced with a pod person. Now come here and let me eat your brain. > "Not really . . . no, everything's fine, Sylia." Priss > decided not to trouble Sylia with the matter, at least for the moment. Rick: [Sylia] Fine, but when we all get killed due to something you neglected to mention, you do realise it'll be your fault. > "All right, if you say so. Now, Nene and I are going to check > on the equipment being unloaded. Dan: So who want to tell them their hardsuits have been sent to Kreblekistan? > You and Linna can go ahead check > in our hotel room, which will be our temporary base of > operations. Tsuneo: You're sending Priss and Linna ahead to make a good first impression. Wait a sec. > We'll meet there in half an hour." Rebecca: [Sylia] We'll follow the trail of destruction. > Later that day, Priss and Linna went to patrol the area of the > Habitat around the Main Cargo Hold, Rebecca: That was their story and they were sticking to it. Tsuneo: Do you want a time out? > where smuggled weapons were supposedly hidden. Dan: So if the employers know that, why don't they get their security to check it out? Rick: Their security force consists of Ensign Throwaway and Johnny Expendable. > Although there was no different between day and night in space, Rebecca: Wouldn't they dim the lights for a night cycle? > most people in the Habitat still followed a regular > timetable. It was 12 P.M. station time, so there were very few > people in the corridors, Tsuneo: Twelve PM is the middle of the day. Wouldn't it be busy? > which made keeping the investigation secret a lot easier. Dan: Oh sure, I'm sure nobody will notice a pair of attractive young women wandering around the cargo bay in the middle of the day. I know I would. > Priss walked down a long narrow passage way amidst the cargo > containers. Rick: Let's see... BFG 9000, HERC parts (useless), beagle probes, actuator parts. > There must have been thousands of them or even more, Dan: There's thousands, or... Thousands. > since the Habitat was also the supply center for the Moonbase. To > Priss, every crate looked the same. Tsuneo: [Priss] Ah, who cares about labels? > "Hey, Linna, how are we supposed to know which one of these > damn crates contains weapon? Tsuneo: Contains Weapon? I think it's a bit too big to fit in a crate. > They are all alike!" Priss said over the hand-held communicator. Rick: Hey... look at that. It looks just like the communicators from Star Trek. > "Keep it down, will you? Just look for the ones with > suspicious markings." Rebecca: [Linna] Look for the crate labeled "Smuggled weapons." Rick: Or Wileys Jeeps. > Linna replied from the other end of the > giant hold, knowing just how fast Priss could loss her patience. Dan: [Priss] But I haven't blown anything up in weeks! > "Yeah, do that and we just might find it in a couple of weeks, > if we are lucky." Priss continued down the dimly lit passage way, > looking right and left at the seemingly endless rows of crates. Rebecca: [Priss] Let's see... "Ark of the Covenant?" > Suddenly, she heard footsteps in front of her. Turning around the > corner, she confronted a shadowy figure standing in the middle of > the passage way. Tsuneo: Oh look, it's the ubiquitous and strangely omnipresent Rena again. > Seeing Priss, the person swung about and ran > toward an open corridor nearby. All: Run away! Run away! > "Stop!" Priss yelled, went after the person, one hand going > for the gun in her jacket. Dan: BANG! BANG! Freeze! Victorian police! > Linna heard the yell and started running toward Priss's > position. "Priss, hold on! No solo actions!" Rick: Are Chewbacca actions OK then? > The shadowy figure ran into the corridor, in doing so passed > under a light panel. In a flash, Priss saw that the person was > wearing the same black jumpsuit she saw twice before. Dan: Wouldn't she be able to tell the gender by the way they're running? Rebecca: Clearly this version of Priss is none to bright. Rick: So hang on... how does she know it's the same jumpsuit? Couldn't it be a different jumpsuit that just looks the same? Seeing as she doesn't know what this person looks like, she can't really tell if it's the same person as before. > After the > person went in, the corridor's steel door started to lower. "You > are not getting away this time!" Tsuneo: When you say something like that they usually do. > Priss dived for the small > opening between the door and the floor. She got in barely. Rebecca: If it was wide enough to let her hair through, it can't have been that narrow a gap. > The door thudded behind her. Rick: Well, wiseguy. What now? > "Priss!" Linna arrived just in time to see Priss dashing > into the corridor. Seeing that there was no way to get in, Tsuneo: Not even an "open door" button? > she took out the communicator and contacted Sylia. Dan: [Linna] Sorry boss, she's done it again. > It was peach dark Tsuneo: Peach dark? Rick: Yeah... that mean's its a kind of light orangey-pink darkness. > inside the corridor. Priss switched on a > pen-sized flashlight to get a better look. She could see a bare > wall about 30 feet in front of her, where the corridor turns to > the left. Dan: You are in a thirty foot long corridor, leading to a door. There is a spiked pit trap in front of the door, concealed by - Er, forget I said that last bit. > Priss started moving forward cautiously, her trusted Cobra > Automatic in hand. As she reached the left turn, Rick: She went... Left! [They all gasp in surprise] > someone suddenly > kicked out at her from around the corner, sending the flash light > flying out of her hand. Dan: Here's a hint, go for the gun next time. > Priss jumped back and Rebecca: Up into a tree. Tsuneo: Tripped over a ridiculously convenient fire extinguisher. > fired one shot > blindly. The shot apparently did not score because immediately > afterward she felt two hands on her shoulders, Dan: Guess who? Rick: [Priss] Um... Rally Vincent? Dan: Close enough! THWACK! > pulling her back. > She instinctively ducked and held on to one of her attacker's arms. Rick: [Priss] I could use this thing later. > Using it as a lever, Priss carried the person over her shoulders, > dumping him(her) Rebecca: (It) Dan: (Them) > onto the ground. > "Why do you follow us?" she picked up the still-working > flashlight and shone the beam upon her attacker's face. Rebecca: [Rena] It's just the way that suit clings to you... > "Sylvie . . . " was all Priss had time to say before someone > knocked her out from behind. Tsuneo: [Priss] I think I'm going to have a concussion now. THUMP. > Meanwhile, Linna had gotten back to the hotel room where Sylia > and Nene were monitoring the situation. Rick: They were also dialing up room service and charging it all to the employer's account. > Nene tapped into the > Habitat's main computer and brought up on the display screen blue > prints of the area around the Main Cargo Hold. Dan: [Nene] Okay, what I was thinking is we might put the kid's room here, and we'd extend the bathroom to put in a spa... > "The corridor Linna described doesn't exist according to > these diagrams." Tsuneo: Grey seventeen is missing. > Nene zoomed in on the exact location from where Priss disappeared. Rebecca: Wow, it's a door! For a minute there, I wasn't sure what to expect. > "It seems that the SDPC did not give up all their secrets when > they turned the station over to IAA." said Sylia, attempting to > analyze the situation. Rebecca: Wouldn't they have noticed it when they were completely rebuilding the whole space station? Dan: It somehow slipped their attention. > "Maybe they were connected to the arms traffic after all. Rick: Maybe they just forgot it was there. > But apparently the business did not stop after they closed shop." Tsuneo: If they closed shop, they stopped the business. That's what closed shop means. > "You think there's a secret base of some sort on board?" > "They've got to hide the weapons somewhere, don't they? Dan: How about in all those big unmarked boxes? Rick: How about disguising them as an art-deco sculpture? > Nene, overlay the cross sections and see if you can find anything > suspicious between the walls." Rebecca: Check if they've got any Jaguar sports cars or Apollo capsules. Tsuneo: Well that certainly is obscure. > "Okay." Nene quickly keyed the commands. After a thorough > scan of the area, she located a large between-the-decks space, > unaccounted for on the blue prints. Tsuneo: See? Grey seventeen! > "Suit up, Nene, Linna. We're moving out." Sylia gave the > order. Dan: [Nene] We are? I was getting to like this place. > ". . .Why did you do it, Sylvie?" Priss asked, hot tears > running down her cheeks. Rebecca: [Sylvie] Well, Linna said she wasn't doing anything tonight... Tsuneo: Bad girl. > "To be . . . free . . . Priss," Sylvie answered in her arms, > with a weak, barely audible voice. "like you . . . " Her head > dropped back as the last strength left her. > "Sylvie?" Priss hugged her closer as if to warm her, Rebecca [Sylvie]: Our child... would have been beautiful. > to win her back from death's grip . . . > "Sylvie!" Priss screamed, waking up from her nightmare. Rick: At least it wasn't the one about going to school wearing only your underpants. > Trying > to sit up but couldn't, she discovered that her hands and feet were > tied. Dan: Say... Rebecca: I guess Rena's into that kind of thing. Tsuneo: Time out? Rebecca: Geez... > She blinked a couple of times before her eyes adjusted to the > bright light. Rick: [Priss] I was in a dark tunnel... Then there was a bright light... > A man's face came into focus. He had strong facial > features and dark, shoulder-length hair. Dan: Oh my... It's... The man. Rebecca: It's... What was your name again, mister villain? > "You were lucky that I didn't crack open your skull." the > man said in a menacing tone. Rebecca: Crack open Priss' head? Never! Rick: Are you kidding? She can survive a four kill hit! A punch is nothing! > "Oh, shit . . . " Priss began to feel the pounding headache. Tsuneo: I'm beginning to feel that one too. > She shook her head to chase it away. [They all make rattling noises] > A quick glance around revealed a storage room of some kind. Dan: Can't anyone ever do this sort of thing in more civilized surroundings? > "What were you doing in the Main Cargo Hold? Rick: [Priss] Cargo hold? I was looking for the food hall. > You are one of the Knight Sabers, aren't you?" her captor asked. Tsuneo: [Priss] No! Rick: [Demond] Oh. Okay, you can go now. Rebecca: He's really one for jumping to conclusions. > "Who the hell are you that want to know?" Priss said in > return, angry over both her present situation and her > carelessness. Dan: Oh wow Priss, you ran off chasing something and got yourself into trouble. Like that's never happened before. > "I am Demond, if you want to know. Dan: [Priss] Well, I asked. Rick: [Demond] Oh yeah, you did. Heh. > I run the business around here." > "So you are the rat who's been smuggling junks onto the > station." Tsuneo: I get it, they're smuggling Chinese ships, not weapons. [Pause] Huh? > "I wouldn't call those junks, since every one of them can > blow you to pieces, or pretty much anything else for that matter." > Demond said half-amusingly. Tsuneo: [Demond] I am making no sense. I will omit random words for no good reason. Dan: Do you think he's missed a single villain cliche yet? Rebecca: So much for mister cold and logical. > "You are gonna be sorry for this, I promise." Priss said > between her teeth, Rick: Well, obviously. > wanting just to punch the man square in the gut. > "I'd like to see you try, if you ever get the chance." Demond > turned around and walked to the exit. "I'll leave her to you for > now, Rena." Rebecca: [Demond] You've been good, and you deserve a reward. > he said to someone outside and left the room. Tsuneo: [Demond] Having just explained all my plans to you loudly and clearly, I'm going to leave you alone in the hands of an incompetent lackey. > With his > words, a young woman wearing the ever familiar black jumpsuit > came into the room. Rick: I still want to know what's so distinctive about this Black Jumpsuit. Rebecca: Maybe it's Colonel Pribluda. Tsuneo: Is it morally wrong to make Adam Warren references in a BGC fic? Rebecca: Do I care? > Priss was again stunned by her resemblance to Sylvie: her > face, her hair, even the way she walked. Dan: Even though Sylvie had black hair and Rena's is purple? > But yet there was > something different about her, something in her eyes that told > Priss this was not her dear Sylvie. Tsuneo: They were grey? > Rena took several tentative steps toward Priss, as if afraid > of her. Rick: She's the smart one. > She looked her over carefully, then asked in a low voice, > rather hesitantly, "What's your name?" Dan: Wow. Marvelously evil minion. > "Priss." Priss had to tell her---Sylvie had said the same > words, in the exact same way that night when they first met, a > life time ago. Rebecca: Actually, about a year. But who's counting? > "I'm Rena, as you already know." Rena became a little relaxed, > knowing that Priss would talk. Dan: [Rena] I'm not allowed to work for any wrestling organisations, so here I am. > She knelt down beside her. "I heard > you say the name 'Sylvie' couple of times while you were > unconscious. You must know her then?" She asked with a certain > hopefulness. Tsuneo: Do you know how many people called "Sylvie" there could possibly be in the world? > "She was my friend." Priss forced back the rising tide of > emotion in her heart and looked at Rena right in the eyes. "She > looked just like you." Dan: Except for her hair. and eyes. And different taste in clothes. Tsuneo: Hang on, if Rena here looks *just* like Sylvie and wears a *tight* riding suit, wouldn't you at least be able to tell her gender? > "That I had thought so, since I'm cloned from her." Rick: Do you reckon she gets around in a Spiderman costume then? > "Clone?" Priss was surprised to hear that, even though it > seemed to be the only logical explanation. Rebecca: Couldn't they have built another 33-S that looked just the same? Rick: You're being sensible and reasonable again. Rebecca: Of course, silly me. > "Right. It is a relatively new technology, rarely practiced > even today." Rena explained to Priss. "The 33-S Sexaroids made > perfect testing tools because of their mostly organic composition, > nearly identical to humans. Tsuneo: Good call. Perfectly in line with BGC technology. Now just why did they do it? Rebecca: Someone on the station wanted a spare, but was too cheap to order it. Dan: Mmm... Two Sylvies... > I was cloned from Sylvie's cells when > she was transferred to Genaros, but I never got a chance to meet > her and she probably didn't even know I existed. Rick: Geez, what kind of ungrateful sister are you? You never called, you never wrote, you didn't even tell her you existed... No offence Dan, but that sounds as bad as your family. Dan: Hey! We write. I get monthly death-threats. Rebecca: Somehow I'm not surprised. > She escaped soon thereafter . . . I heard that she died . . . " Rick: Actually she moved to Cleveland. It's pretty much the same thing. > Rena lowered her > eyes for a moment. "Please tell me about her, Priss. I really want > to know." Tsuneo: Cushion on standby. Rebecca: ... > she looked up again and asked most eagerly, her eyes > shone with anticipation. Rebecca: [Rena] For starters, do you know who killed her? Dan: [Priss] Um... > Priss looked at Rena silently: Only if she looked like someone > else. Tsuneo: So you'd only tell Rena if she looked like someone else? Rick: What if she looked like my Aunt Edna? Rebecca: No-one should be allowed to look like your Aunt Edna. > But the hurt was starting to go away now, yesterday's > bittersweet memories rushed forth in its place. "That was a long > time ago, Dan: In a galaxy far, far away... > when I first met her on the freeway . . . " It was a > tale Priss never dreamed of telling. Rick: [Priss] We crashed into each other. We hit it off from there. > In a well-hidden spot in the middle of the Main Cargo Hold, Tsuneo: Well hidden in plain sight. > Demond briefed his subordinates Dan: Hey, is that boomer over there wearing a "witless minion" T-shirt? Rebecca: You need one of those, Dan. Dan: Huh? > to set up a "welcome party" for the Knight Sabers. Rick: [Demond] You, you and you are in charge of the catering, you two do the decorating, set up some baloons or whatever... Tsuneo: [Ruri] This man's an idiot. > "We'll see how tough they are." Dan: [Shakes hands] Ooh, scary. > Demond had confidence in his > crew, which were all made up of first rate combat boomers. Rebecca: Funnily enough, they fell off the back of a truck. Rick: Somehow I just don't think Crapola's B.B-56Q Combat Boomer and Salad Spinner is top-rate. > Besides, even if the ambush doesn't work, he still has a few nasty > surprises in store. Tsuneo: [Demond] Ho ho ho! Even if the Knight Sabers manage to survive my deadly combat boomers, I've got an even nastier surprise in store for them! Dan: [Boomer] Uh, yeah! A nastier surprise! Yeah! I'm sure it must be, uh... uh... More nasty! > After the Knight Sabers are taken care of, nobody will be > able to stop me. Victory will just be a matter of time. Tsuneo: [Boomer] Is this an appropriate juncture for some diabolical laughter, sir? > "And I have all the time in the world. Ha, ha, ha . . . " > Demond laughed sinisterly. Tsuneo: I so much enjoy this sledgehammer-subtlety storytelling. > A repulsor car, standard passenger transport of the Space > Habitat, was moving fast along the tunnel-like highway. Rebecca: Are you sure it wasn't just a highway-like tunnel? > Sylia sat > behind the wheel. The many lights along the way reflected off the > car and her gleaming hardsuit, throwing dancing shadows > everywhere. > "I'm not picking up anything." Dan: How about this: Lose some weight, try varying your wardrobe from just frilly and pink, and do something about your hair. > Nene had been scanning the area. Rick: When in doubt, try switching it on. > "Strange, Priss's homing signal ended right around here." > Linna expressed her doubt. Rebecca: Right about here? care to be any less precise? > "They could be using some kind of anti-radar device. Tsuneo: [Sylia] Not that it would effect the homing signal. > We'll have to stop and check." Sylia slowed the car down, as they > approached the Main Cargo Hold. Rick: [Nene] Good. I need to go! > "Gee, I rather hoped that they'd show up, so we can kick some > butt, boomers' or otherwise. Dan: Please tell me this isn't Nene talking. > Right, Linna? Dan: It is Nene? No way. I cannot possibly see Nene saying "kick butt." "Kick some booty," maybe... > Let's . . . " Nene was interrupted by a loud explosion. Rebecca: I'm guessing Priss is around here. > The car veered off to one side as > the shockwave swept in. Sylia fought to keep the car under > control, while more explosions went off all around them. Dan: Where are they coming from? Rick: Oh, nowhere. They're just random Hollywood explosions. > "Happy now?" Linna picked herself up from the floor and said > to Nene in mock anger. > "Sorry, I thought nobody ever listened to me." Nene replied > defensively. Rick: Well they don't, but never mind. > Sylia lowered her face guard. "It's an ambush. Dan: Very observant, Sylia. Tsuneo: That was for the hard of thinking, like her two passengers. > Knight Sabers, Go!" > "Roger!" Nene, Linna complied in unison and both leaped out > of the car. Rebecca: Um, guys? The boomers are the other way. > At the same time in the secret hideout, Priss felt relieved Dan: [Priss] I've been waiting all day for that. > after finishing her story. She glanced at Rena who had listened > attentively throughout: Tsuneo: Actually, she's gone into a kind of trance. > they both share the same memory now. Rick: Or at least, the edited highlights. > "So how did you throw in with Demond?" Priss asked. Rebecca: [Rena] He put out a help wanted ad. "Busty young girl for witless minion. Must be prepared to be hero's potential love interest." Tsuneo: I want to know what happened with her owner. > "I joined him in the fight for my people." > "Your people?" Dan: You know, Dolly the sheep, Scarlet Spider, Yuri mark two, Minagi, Colonel Proust, Rei Ayanami and ten spare Nagas. > "Yes. Boomers, cyberoids alike." Tsuneo: But boomers and cyberdriods are the same thing. Rick: [Rena] They are? Wow! My job's just gotten a lot easier! > Rena suddenly became less subtle, raising her voice. Dan: Uh-oh, she's gone into rant mode. > "Humans created boomers to be their > helpers and partners, but instead they look upon us as mere > slaves, or simple pleasure units. Rebecca: But that's what they made you for. You just said that. > I intend to prove that we are much more . . . " > "By supporting terrorism and killing innocent people?" Rick: [Rena] You know, now that I think about it... > "I...I don't know. Demond said that a new world must be > created, for us. Maybe death is an inevitable step of that." Rick: So in other words, Demond here is just a knock off of Largo. Dan: There you go, that's why she's thrown in with him. Fellow clone. > Largo . . . Priss had a brief flashback of his haunting words, Tsuneo: [Largo] Read my lips. No new taxes. Rick: [Largo] By 1990, no Australian child will live in poverty. > what he had said as they faced down on Genom Tower and later, at > the Mega Tokyo fusion plant. This Demond sounded just like him. Dan: Because he's... A rip-off! Rebecca: Hey, maybe he's a cheap Taiwanese Largo knock-off! > "But killing only results in more meaningless killing!" Priss > shouted. Tsuneo: That's rich coming from little miss vengeance trip here. > "There was a time when I'd hated all boomers: so many > people died because of them. Rebecca: And yet you smoke and ride a motorbike. > But now I believe that they were not meant to be weapons, Rick: Try telling that to your friendly neighborhood BU-12. > that humans and boomers can coexist together. Dan: [Priss] Once we've wiped them all out, that is. > Sylvie must have believed it too, or she could not have met me." Tsuneo: Yes she could, that was long before your change of heart. And you didn't know she was a boomer. > Rena became silent. She looked outside the small porthole > where Earth hung in the dark void like a blue-white marble. Rick: [Rena] Wow, the people look like ants from up here. Tsuneo: They've got a porthole? TYhis is a very well-appointed hole in the station. > She felt confused. Sylvie believed it, should I believe it too? Rebecca: You have two choices. Stay with the villain and die, or side with the good guys and live. Tough one. > Suddenly, an alarm went off, together with the sound of heavy > gunfire outside. Rick: [Rena] Friends of yours? > "I'm sorry, Priss." Rena ran out of the room. > The door closed after her. > "Wait!" Priss yelled, knowing that Rena wouldn't stop. Dan: [Priss] You couldn't untie me first? Oh, never mind. > The rope did not feel very tight, Tsuneo: What kind of lame-assed moron tied her up? Of course, Demond. Silly me. > so she started to try to break free. > Soon her left arm became unbounded. Rebecca: Unbounded? Is that even a word? > Looking up, she saw the air vent above her head. Rick: [Priss] Oh look, it's a ridiculously convenient air vent to facilitate my escape. > I have to get out of here quick. Priss > started to undo the rest of the bound. > to be continued in part 2... Dan: Weather we like it or not. [The TV switches off.] Tsuneo: I take it we're going to get part two rammed down our ever- loving throats? Voice: Of course. Rick: Don't sound so eager, Voice. Rebecca: I'm just wondering how many more villain cliches Demond can commit before the fic ends. Dan: Odds on he's got a doomsday device. Tsuneo: At least he doesn't have any close relatives to turn on him at a crucial moment. Dan: What about Rena? Tsuneo: No, she's a witless minion. But she'll betray him anyway. Rebecca: And his last line will be "Ha ha ha, I am invincible!" Rick: And he'll be killed just before he activates the doomsday device! Dan: So voice, are we right or what? [Dead silence. The screen goes blank] Rick: Oh dear. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riffed by: Jinas & Rick R. Mortis (rickr@one.net.au) Dan and Tsuneo are copyright 1995-2000 Max Fauth (Jinas) Rebecca Bartley & Rick R. Mortis are copyright 1995-2000 Alex Fauth (Rick R. Mortis). Elmer Studios!: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2628/elmer.htm All of Elmer Studios' MSTings, artwork, character profiles, AAA conversions and the Satellite of Predacons in one spot. Rick's Mecha Madness Page: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/7194/index.htm AntiKevs, Mekton Z conversions, fanfic drinking game, the one and only Common Sense Timeline, crazy Fighters' Anthology .lib and missions, and Utterly Disturbing Nova Satori Shrine. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > $30,000,000 is our offer, with an extra > $20,000,000 if the parties involved are caught without drawing > public attention.