(RFC) Untitled SI (Nanoha)

[Bluemage]

One note.  This chapter was written before I got a handle on Cinque's character.  She's slightly off-voice, and will be revised for the SB thread.Rob:  As opposed to what, an action hero?  They always have a quip handy.
yesilmavi:  I did answer that in the SB thread.  That was a red herring, and a reference to an earlier concept for the fic.  Was going to be a point-driven trollfic, but then I started writing, and, well...
CD:  Fair enough.  Somehow, I automatically thought of it in terms of a ground combat spell, or an urban, between-skyscrapers one.  My mistake.
It's amazing.  Every time I write Sein, d'awws come out.  She'll get more serious when she goes out on a mission.
**********

"Hey, Cinque."
Cinque stopped in mid-throw, catching the knife she'd just started to let fly, and turned around.  "Imma.  What brings you here?"
I sighed.  "Boredom, mostly.  I needed to take a break from work.  Thought I'd wander the base for a while."
She blinked, puzzled.  "How can you be bored?  You've got so much to work on."
Yeah, yeah.  Rub it in, Cinque.  We can't all be built for close-range combat.I glared at her for a second.  "Thank you so much for bringing that up.  While you're at it, why don't you give me a paper cut, and pur lemon juice all over it?"
The sheer look of incomprehension on Cinque's face was brilliant.  "...what?!"
Cinque really needs to get out more."What do you mean, 'Cinque really needs to get out more?'  I leave the complex every week."
Huh.  I thought I had that inner monologue problem licked, I thought to myself, carefully making sure my mouth was shut the entire time.  That's more like it.
Maybe this could be an opportunity.
As I was thinking that, I closed the distance between me and Cinque, until I was standing right next to her.  "For any number of reasons, sister mine."  I threw one arm over her shoulders, pulling her into a one-armed hug.  "For one thing, 'needing to get out more' doesn't quite mean what you thought it would.  For another, why do you leave the complex every week?"Are you getting used to being confused yet?  You've been doing it often enough.
"For missions, of course."
I smirked, giving Cinque a friendly squeeze.  "And these missions of yours involve what, exactly?  Breaking into isolated compounds on barely populated planets, blowing up robots and criminals and the occasional researcher, capturing strange relics of ancient empires?" 
She nodded.
"So if you had to infiltrate a building in the middle of a city, how would you do it?"

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[Tennie]

"So if you had to infiltrate a building in the middle of a city, how would you do it?"

Hoo boy, I sense hijinks a-comin'...

And on another note, are you going to do any more snippets involving the actions of a certain admiral (you know, the one you mailed a package to)?  I'd like to see those, either here or on SB (Though in the latter case I'll have to wait until SB finally gets its servers unfucked.  Seriously, their server problems are greatly ruining my enjoyment of their forums!).

[classicdrogn]

I think SB's server problems are mainly due to straining under the massive traffic it gets during peak hours. Hopefully the cache rebuild will help that somewhat, by making it faster to access what it needs out of the database, but a real solution would probably require more capacity (and hence more expenses.)

As for today's clip, I think Imma may have taken Cinque's comment a little harder than she meant it - I know my mind went to all the spells that have been discussed that need to be developed and refined, various degrees of research or planning, etc., not "If you have time to be bored, you have time to train and get stronger!" though physical practise is on the list of projects to advance.

That said, a family trip to the mall or the beach or something (Does Mid have amusement parks? Maybe mini-golf?) with the Numbers (probability of prying Jail away from the lab: Low; probability of it being a good idea to take him anywhere public: Nonexistent) promises both hijinks and d'awws, and almost certainly a story that begins, ends, and features multiple repetitions of "It's not our/my fault!"
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[robkelk]

Rob: As opposed to what, an action hero? They always have a quip handy.

As opposed to a soulless killing machine. (They're programmed with appropriate quips, according to Terminator...)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Tennie]

I think SB's server problems are mainly due to straining under the massive traffic it gets during peak hours. Hopefully the cache rebuild will help that somewhat, by making it faster to access what it needs out of the database, but a real solution would probably require more capacity (and hence more expenses.)

Which is pretty much what I meant about "getting the servers unfucked".

I know my mind went to all the spells that have been discussed that need to be developed and refined, various degrees of research or planning, etc., not "If you have time to be bored, you have time to train and get stronger!" though physical practise is on the list of projects to advance.

For some reason, when I read this my mind almost immediately recalled how Nanoha used an intense training regimen during the first two seasons.  It made her into quite the powerhouse, yes, but it also lead to her suffering horrible injuries on what was supposed to be a relatively easy mission.  I can only hope that Imma doesn't do anything that will endanger his life in the long run like that!

Does Mid have amusement parks?

IIRC, it does.  I believe that in one of the episodes of StrikerS some of the Fowards visit an amusement park (of course, I could be wrong, but I finished a marathon viewing of StrikerS only a few weeks or so ago, so my memory should still be fresh.).  So there's a possible option...

almost certainly a story that begins, ends, and features multiple repetitions of "It's not our/my fault!"

Oh God, that world be like the, er, "Lovely Angels" multiplied by however many of the Numbers have been activated at the time!  Although, as long as nothing could plausibly be tied back to Jail, they should be fine.

(They're programmed with appropriate quips, according to Terminator...)

Ah yes, good ol' "Fuck you, asshole!"  Sometimes that's all you need...

[classicdrogn]

Oh God, that world be like the, er, "Lovely Angels" multiplied by however many of the Numbers have been activated at the time!  Although, as long as nothing could plausibly be tied back to Jail, they should be fine.

Well, considering the way the two missions we've seen have gone...

...Hey Bluemage, any chance of meeting a certain pair of Trouble Consultants in the future?

(buildings are collapsing, while Ford & the Angels race toward where Mughi can pick them up in the ship)

"You... you two... this mission..." (twin growls, anticipating the usual reaction) "...it's like (pant) being back with (dodge debris) my sisters!"
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[ECSNorway]

SB also has the problem of incredibly STUPID coding in the actual software. Every time it loads a page, it has to load THE ENTIRE THREAD, then parse it for the posts to display, then display those posts. This is why they keep putting limits on thread length.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Bluemage]

Instead of addressing things by person, I'll just throw them out in order this time around.
-This may very well be foreshadowing.  It might also be part of a plan to suborn as many as eleven young women, or just a way to get Nakajima Cinque a bit ahead of the curve.  Who knows?
...well, okay, I sort of know.  Not entirely, though.
-I did that intentionally, CD.  For one thing, Cinque doesn't really get how limited life on base actually is- I'll probably make that line 'so much to work on here' in the SB version.  That's sort of the point.  She's thinking of physical training, magical training, spell construction, team training, strategy work, and all the other ways the base offers to increase combat capacity- not just her forte.
For another, I have a tendency to assume the worst re: other people's opinion of me, so that's exactly how I'd take it.  Also, consider that not everything I say out loud is accurate- internally, at this point, the Numbers are half fictional characters, half NPCs to manipulate, and half friends/family members to help (the fictional half overlaps the other two).  My internal reactions are equally divided- here I'm being more manipulative, so my reactions are more like how I'd act if a stranger talked to me like that.
I tend to take familiar concepts, figure out how the tech would alter what we're familiar with on Earth, then put my own spin on the result- the goal being to create something familiar-but-different.  There's going to be some equivalent of an amusement park in the 'verse, regardless of whether or not it's in StrikerS, and I'm increasingly interested in writing a visit to one of them.  Actually, there'd be several trips- starting with the more mature older Numbers, then working up to ones like Wendi and Nove when they get decanted.  The goal would be to have no less than one person who knew how to behave to every three who didn't.
Hijinks would still occur, but I'd at least have some people around to say 'I tried to stop her/them, but...'
Needless to say, the doctor would not be invited... though I bet he'd clean up at miniature golf.  He'd be the sort to look over the course, think for a bit, then make one putt that'd get to (or nearly to) the hole.  Unless the holes were demonstrably rigged, in which case he'd probably order me to disintegrate the entire establishment.  Probably best to keep him out of that.
-There's a reason I'm so far into the fic, and haven't yet caught up to Nanoha's level of growth.  I don't have the same talents, nor do I work myself into the ground... and I spend more time on spell creation than she does.
-Hmm... I'm sort of against doing direct cameos of anything clearly belonging to a different 'verse (though historical/future references, trolling, and indirect references are A-OK).  I could plausibly fit in characters based on them, though.
**********
Cinque didn't even have to think about that one.  "Why would I ever have to infiltrate a building?  That's what Due was designed for, and what Sein's IS is best at."
I turned as best I could to face her, waving a finger on my free hand in the classic tsk-tsk-tsk motion.  "That's sloppy thinking, Cinque.  Due's IS makes her invaluable for long-term assignments; what are the odds she'll even be on the same planet when you need her?  As for Sein..."
I cradled my forehead in my free hand, and sighed.  "Sein's a good kid, and I love her as much as any of you, but she's not really cut out for that sort of job.  She's too flighty, too energetic... I'd almost suspect that Rare Skill of hers was a mutation, rather than something the doctor planned her around."
...and if you go check, you'll find out I'm right.  Won't that be great?"My point is that you won't always have your specialist around when you need something done.  They might be captured, busy, or just too far away to get there in time.  What would you do then?
Would you just blow a hole in the wall with your Rumble Detonator, fight your way in and out of the building, and then keep on fighting until you could secure an exit?  How would that go over, I wonder- you, in full uniform, revealing our existence to all of dimensional space in a brutal assault on an apparently normal building in broad daylight?  Do you think that would advance our goals?"
Cinque shook her head.  "No, that wouldn't work at all.  Any reputable company would be secure enough to hold me off for several minutes... long enough to get my target to a panic room.  My IS can breach corporate panic rooms, but it takes time I wouldn't have.  The TSA would have aerial mages en route in minutes, and army units soon after that."  She spent a good thirty seconds contemplating the scenario, mumbling to herself as she went over her options, before sighing in defeat.  "How would you do it?"
I reached out, lifting Cinque's chin with two fingers, bringing her head up to where she could see me grinning.  "Why, dear Cinque, the answer is simple.  If my best infiltrator is busy, and my rare talent can't do the job, then I send in my second-best infiltrator, and have my hacker subverting any systems the infiltrator can't bluff her way through.  In a good combat team, there's no such thing as an indispensible man- or woman, as the case may be.
To bring this back full circle, if you understood civilians- how they live, how they act, what they do, and why- you wouldn't need a dedicated infiltrator.  If you can look like everybody else and act like everybody else, you can get anywhere there's a crowd.  Half of getting into places you shouldn't is looking like you belong there, after all."
Cinque looked thoughtful.  "...what you say makes sense.  I'll consider it."  She gently pushed me out of the way, lifted her knives, then stopped.  "If I were to try to understand civilian humans, where would you suggest I start?"So she is interested.  Let's see if this works.
I rubbed my chin (I miss my beard!), apparently deep in thought.  "If I had to suggest something, I'd suggest you start with literature.  Most everybody is introduced to the classic works of fiction at some point in their lives- during their education, if nowhere else.  You can use them, along with news stories and perhaps some textbooks, as context for more recent fiction, which will give you a decent understanding of modern culture.  At that point, you'd be ready to go out and gain some first-hand experience."
I smiled.  "If we do this right, you'll be socially capable well before the doctor's plans are ready, at no real cost to your combat potential."
Cinque nodded.  "I will consider it.  For now, I need to continue my training."  She turned back to her target, reactivating it with a mental command, and let fly.
As I walked out the door, I turned to look at the results.  How did she get all those knives in that tiny little bullseye?  The tips of them must be touching in there!

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[classicdrogn]

I didn't mean the Angels to show up as a cameo crossover, more as a long term item, perhaps a shorty interlude bit after his first post-MSLN stop, when he's feeling homesick and really missing the Numbers as he does the transit out - Plop him down somewhere early in pretty much any DP TV or OVA ep and there's time to interact and get any relevant jokes that stack up between now and then fired off, but no particular overarching plot to worry about beyond the immediate.

Sadly, it looks like I deleted my DP episodes after watching them last because they really did take up massive amounts of space, so I can't be more specific. While them being a couple of roving Enforcers or similar to Zest's team (Familiar Mughi?) wouldn't be too bad a fit, if there were more Aces on that level I'd expect to have seen them called in during the various all-hands bits of StrikerS.

As for this bit, I am both amused and apalled at the blatant manipulation of your cute kuudere oneechan. Do you have actual siblings to base this interaction off of, or are you just that good? And does the planned outing also include a http://gairon.deviantart.com/art/BHTSY-5-09-324017481]piggy-back ride from Big Brother?
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Bluemage]

I know where I'm going after MSLN.  Incidentally, I *don't* really know Dirty Pair, nor do I have much motivation to learn it, so I doubt I could do it justice.
Hel, I'm hard enough pressed to not foul-up MSLN massively, and I know it fairly well!
I was actually thinking that expies of the Pair would fit the bounty-hunting arc better than anything else.  They'd be independents, so the Bureau not calling them in for Incidents would work... not that I need to justify that.  I'm already trying to establish that this version of the 'verse is bigger than what you've seen on screen- I could just fold them in as Bureau mages, off doing Important Things in the far reaches of dimensional space.
...after all, if they're off in the space boonies, they can't break any *important* planets, stations, ships, people, cities, space-time continuua, and/or budgets, can they?
I'm an only child- was actually a rather sheltered one at that.  How much of your question was sarcasm, anyway?
I've never really been all that good at really manipulating people IRL, either.  What I am is really good at making things sound logical, and significantly aware of the subtle differences between one word and another- even when said words are commonly used interchangeably.  I just happen to be dealing with abnormally rational, socially inexperienced 'combat savants' that consider me far more of a family member than I realize.  Situational advantages, ho!
...while I might be built strong enough for something like that, I probably wouldn't think of it, and would likely dismiss it out of hand if I did.  I know I'm stronger than I was, but I haven't fully internalized that... or realized that I have good enough balance to compensate for a shoulder-sister.  Even if I had, I don't think many of the Numbers would go for that.
**********

This is the life, I thought to myself, idly sending another spell downrange.  The math is working out, my spells are getting better and better, and Sein can't just pop into magical containment rooms willy-nilly.
"Hey, little bro!  What'cha doing?"
I sighed, slumping a bit.  Speak of the silly, and she appears.  Hasn't she ever heard of privacy?  "Hey, Sein.  How'd you get in here?"
That got me a funny look.  "The door was unlocked, so I walked right in!"
How did I miss that?!
While I was kicking myself over my lapse, Sein came up behind me, crossed her arms, and leaned over, resting her arms on the top of my head.  "I still want to see what you're working on, little bro."
I scowled, pushing her arms off my head.  "Older brother, Sein.
Anyway, I'm trying out some ideas I had for new spells.  Mostly, I'm trying to figure out how I should be using my IS."
I felt Sein's arms land on my shoulders, as she set her head on top of mine.  "Oh, yeah, your IS!  What is it?  What's it called?  What's it do?"
I smiled, just a bit.  "It... doesn't really have a name, any longer.  As for what it does?  You see that target over there?"  I pointed at the target- a stereotypical round bulls-eye disk, held in a stand on top of a wood block- at the other end of the range.
Sein looked up, in the direction I'd pointed.  "Mhm!"
I lifted one arm, Malleus shifting to shooting mode, and took aim.  "Watch this."  One volley of missiles later, and the target disk slammed into the floor, ripping straight through the stand and wood block in the process.  Another target appeared, and I fired another group of missiles at it.  This time, the stand holding the target plate bent and snapped.  The plate fell, bouncing off the wood block, and falling to the floor with a dull clonk.
I felt Sein, her head back on top of mine, blink a few times.  "You can create gravity?  Wow!"
Okay, she's smarter than she acts.  Need to remember that.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[classicdrogn]

I think if you're going to use them as more than a one-line extra, it would probably be better to remix them and a few others into (relatively) new characters, rather than a crossover-without-crossing-over. Maybe mix it up with some Kiddy Grade and Coyote Ragtime Show? (The Kiddy Grade lipstick-ribbon-weapon thing is crying out to be a Rare Skill, like Wing Road only smaller and whippy.) How you want to handle it really depends on whether you want them to be allies, competitors, or opponents, but one thing that springs to mind is if they're from the "frontier" regions beyond where the TSA has organized things after the chaos of the fall of the Belkan Empire, and are either hired as local guides/muscle or hire your bounty hunter persona because they're just as originally portrayed, using high-tech but with no more than somewhat dubious and untrained "esper" grade rare skills and want a mage along while looking for (objective.) Possibly some relic (not Relic) that Jail's organization got hints of but nothing solid enough to send the Numbers after since they were needed for more critical parts of the plan - but now there's Ford, an extra asset available to investigate.

Or just do what you already have planned, I'm just throwing things out here.

WRT siblings - as the youngest of three, I was the one getting talked into things, but you've nailed it by me. Sarcasm was minor and for humor purposes only.

But... but if you don't give your little sister a piggy back ride at the amusement park, how can she balance the ridiculously huge teddy bear she made the booth attendant break down crying by winning (this IS little-miss-throwing-knives we're talking about) on your head?

Maybe if she talks you into carrying it for her, by wrapping the arms around your shoulders ala piggyback ride...

...come on, I'm trying to set up random bystanders for hyperglycemic shock, here. Work with me, man!

And with Sein, no, a sunny disposition does not equal bubbleheaded. It's a very important distinction SI has noticed, and he'd beeter remember it if he doesn't want to make mistakes later.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Inquisitive Raven]

Err, I don't think hyperglycemia usually causes shock. Comas, yes, but not right away; shock, no. Hypoglycemia causes shock. I like to phrase it as: "Too much blood sugar or too little will kill you, but too little does it faster."

[Bluemage]

If I knew either of those series, maybe.  I do like the 'hired as mage assistant' angle, and plan to use it eventually.  It's a bit more refined than my nebulous plans were.
Huh.  And here I thought I'd massively screwed that up.  That segment will get less editing for SB, then. ^^
It wouldn't be a piggy-back ride.  That wouldn't suit Cinque.  No, by that time I'd be in the late teens/early twenties, and she'd be using me as mobile high ground.  *Clearly* a different thing.Oh, and of course I'd be carrying her bear.  Who else would be tall enough, and have long enough arms?
Work decided to kick my rear end today, so my writing didn't go too well.  On the good side, I'm no longer a temp.  On the other hand, my boss was gone, and some major IT catastrophes decided to occur.  This is why I have buffer.
**********
"Surprised?  I could see the disk rip through the rest of the target.  What else could it be?"  Sein's fingers tapped against the armor on my torso.  "The second one was a little bit more complex... you broke the stand, right?"
I couldn't help but nod.  Sein laughed; a remarkably pleasant sound, especially from where I was.  "Looks like you're pretty good at making things fall down.  What's the problem?"
I sighed, shrinking Mal back to his base form, and reached back to give Sein a clumsy reverse hug.  "That's exactly it; I'm good at making things fall down.  If I can shoot it, I can slam it into the ground... but that's all I've figured out how to do.  There's more to what I can do with this- I know it!- but I'm having problems figuring out how to do it."
She lifted her head, resting it on my shoulder instead of my head, and gave me a hug.  "You'll figure it out sooner or later- I know it!  You figured out how to make things fall harder; you'll figure out-"
I reached back, and put a finger on her lips.  "Hold that thought.  What did you say?"
Sein didn't say anything for a few seconds.  Finally, she bonked my head with hers, making muffled sounds like she was gagged, and I remembered to move my finger.  "Better!  I said that you'd figure it out sooner or-"
I put my finger back on Sein's lips.  "Not that part.  After that."
Before I could move my finger, I felt a sudden pain in it.  Looking over, I saw Sein had leaned her head forward and bit me!  She saw me looking at her, stuck out her tongue, and finally started talking.  "Well, after that, I was saying that you'd figured out how to make things fall harder easily enough, but I don't see how that's relevant."
By this point, I was grinning madly.  I leapt out of Sein's arms, turned around, and hugged her myself.  "Don't you see?  That's the answer!  I haven't been creating gravity- I've just been making it stronger!  That's why all my other ideas weren't working- I need to figure out how to create my own gravity, and then I can make things fall in any direction I want!"
I leaned up, and planted a kiss on Sein's forehead.  "You're a genius, little sis!"  Before she could respond, I ran out of the room.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[robkelk]

Work decided to kick my rear end today, so my writing didn't go too well. On the good side, I'm no longer a temp.

I sighed, shrinking Mal back to his base form, and

... letting him write more Fenspace fic.

What? "Wrong Mal"?

Never mind...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Seraviel]

Bluemage wrote:

---

I couldn't help but nod.  Sein laughed; a remarkably pleasant sound, especially from where I was.  "Looks like you're pretty good at making things fall down.  What's the problem?"
  

"I cast the spells that make the people fall down!" Imma suddenly yelled.
Had to say it.

---

Seraviel, FAIT (Fanfic Author In Training)
-People may die, but ideas are forever. Je suis Charlie.

[classicdrogn]

It is always so helpful to have a sibling to point out the obvious thing you're doing wrong. With greater or lesser degrees of sarcasm to various words in that statement.

I'll also second Rob's sentiments, congratulations on securing permanent employment, or as close anything gets in the 21st century. Hopefully the crisis was not too troublesome to resolve.
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Bob Schroeck]

Seraviel wrote:

---

Bluemage wrote:

---

I couldn't help but nod.  Sein laughed; a remarkably pleasant sound, especially from where I was.  "Looks like you're pretty good at making things fall down.  What's the problem?"  

"I cast the spells that make the people fall down!" Imma suddenly yelled.

Did you want me to hear that sung by Barry Manilow in my head?
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.

[robkelk]

Seraviel wrote:

Bluemage wrote:
I couldn't help but nod. Sein laughed; a remarkably pleasant sound, especially from where I was. "Looks like you're pretty good at making things fall down. What's the problem?"

"I cast the spells that make the people fall down!" Imma suddenly yelled.

Did you want me to hear that sung by Barry Manilow in my head?

Oh, good - I wasn't the only one with that reaction.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bluemage]

Rob:  I prefer to think of my Device as more the independent freighter captain type, myself.  That, a robot, or a heavy weapon.
Seraviel: YES.  EXACTLY... except now I'm figuring out how to cast the spells that makes the peoples fall up, or sideways, or...
Regarding The IT Crisis: Malfunctioning server room AC.  Exactly as bad as it sounds, but it seems to function now.
Regarding Barry Manilow:  What does he have to do with a Black Mage reference?
**********

The lab never truly slept.  There was always something going on, someplace inside the cavernous complex, no matter the time of day.  Much of the time, that 'something' involved unspeakable blasphemies against the laws of man and nature.  Even after Jail retired for the night, though, the machines in the bowels of the complex toiled tirelessly, churning out gadget drones by the hundreds.
Even though the lab never slept, it did have a day/night cycle to it.  At 1600 Mid Standard time every day, the lights dimmed down, and the loudest of the machines quieted down to a less carrying din.  Most of us retired for the night soon after that, unless missions or training made that impossible.
I'm usually an exception.  Between Tre and my own intensive training, I'm often up at all hours, day and night.  Even on days when I end my training early, I find myself wandering the complex, too awake to fall asleep easily.
Tonight was one of those nights.
After a nice, aimless stroll through the lower levels, looking at nothing in particular, I found myself headed back up into terra cognita- specifically, the doctor's main lab.  I'd sort of made a habit of coming back here at the ends of my walks, looking at the walls and thinking about my sisters-to-be, right before going back to my room.  Tonight was no different.
What was different this time was that I wasn't alone.  When the door opened, I was greeted by the cheerful beeping of one of my sister's keyboards. 
"...Uno?!  What are you doing awake?"
Uno spared me a glance, before turning back to her console.  "Imma.  I could ask you the same question."
I nodded.  "Very true... but I asked first."
She nodded, not taking her eyes off her work.  "True."  After a few seconds of silence, she spoke up again.  "I live by a set of rules, Imma.  One of them is that I rest when my work for the day is complete.  Today's work was uncommonly long- nothing more."
That... makes sense.  For what we are, and what we can do, that's a fairly practical way to do things.  "You really have that much to do?  I know you're the doctor's assistant- is there more to that than helping him work and handling communications?"
Uno sighed, cupping her head in her hands.  "...you really don't know, do you?"

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[Tennie]

Looks like Uno has a few extra things up her sleeves...

...And why do I have this sudden feeling of dread?  Then again, I suspect that that question will be answered within the next few entries or so.

[robkelk]

Regarding Barry Manilow: What does he have to do with a Black Mage reference?

One of his hit songs, back in the day, was I Write the Songs. I'm not going to look for a link to it; it's an "elevator music" style softest-of-soft ballad.

Instead, I'll give you parody lyrics (which can't be worse than the original ones):

I cast the spells that make people fall down,
I cast the spells that keep people on the ground,
I cast the spells that mean the girls won't fly,
I cast the spells, I cast the spells ...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[classicdrogn]

... I kind of feel like this is like one of those moments in the ST:TOS books where someone realizes that Uhura is the head of the Communications department, not just a secretary for the bridge radio set, and asks her what else that entails?
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Tennie]

I cast the spells that make people fall down,
I cast the spells that keep people on the ground,
I cast the spells that mean the girls won't fly,
I cast the spells, I cast the spells ...

I'll admit, that made me laugh.

[Bluemage]

My next post will be in a new thread.
Tennie:  Yes, and I don't know why.
Rob:  Wow.  Just when you think you know music...
CD:  Quite... though the parallel wasn't intentional.  I was basically asking myself "Given Jail Scaglietti, what sort of work would it take to support him in a (slightly) more fleshed-out universe?"The answer ended up being something like "Lots".  That, and Uno really needed some depth.  She was basically Mission Control and window dressing in StrikerS- there had to be more to her than that.
**********
I shook my head.  "Should I assume that that's an understatement?"
She turned to face me, and flicked a window over to hover in front of me.  Reams of data scrolled past my eyes- packed with statistics and programming code.  "This is the weekly review of the automated manufactories."  Another five windows joined it, each one full of coordinates and specifications.  "These are the materials purchase orders for next week's production."  Another large window, this one looking much more familiar, pushed them out of the way.  "This is the budget for all the doctor's enterprises, adjusted for the recent decrease in patent licensing fees.  And this-"
I waved my hands in front of me in surrender.  "No more, please.  I understand."  I swept the windows she'd sent me up, squeezing them into a form I could handle one-handed, and tossed them back to Uno.
She spread them back out, exactly as they were before, and went back to work, a slight smirk on her face.  "As you can see, I'm responsible for far more than just 'helping him work'.  Think of me as Doctor Scaglietti's secretary, assistant, and seneschal- as well as the administrator of this facility.  Even with Flawless Secretary, I have much to do."
"Very true."  After a second, something Uno said hit me.  "...wait.  The doctor has patents?  On what?"
She rezzed up a new window with a thought, flicking it over to me without breaking her rhythm.  "As of last week, I've submitted eight hundred and sixty-four patents across one hundred and twelve false identities, covering everything from office equipment to medical procedures."  Uno's small smile grew- I've never seen her this pleased before!  "Not only have I made Jail Scaglietti profitable, but I'm saving a projected fifty thousand lives every year... including roughly eleven thousand children.  It... feels good, honestly, to know that."
Hmm.  On the one hand, she's loyal to Doc Bastard- she'd say or do anything that advanced his cause.  This might be disinformation.  On the other hand, I always did wonder how the doctor afforded all those wonderful toys.  TSAB backing couldn't pay for everything- not under the table.  I'll believe her for now- but check it when I get access to independent sources.
I moved forward, standing right in front of Uno, and looked right into her eyes.  "The doctor doesn't know about this, does he?"
Uno snorted.  "I love my father, Imma, and I will serve him until the end of my days, but the man couldn't balance a checkbook to save his life.  He doesn't care about anything but his ambitions, his family, and the sciences.  Even if he knew, he wouldn't care."  She sounded dismissive, but I could see a momentary flicker of something- Doubt?  Fear?- in her expression.
I waited a few seconds, just to set the mood, before gently smiling.  "Why should he know?  The doctor has a lot on his mind- worrying about things like money and patents would just get in his way."
Uno's expression didn't change much, and she didn't stop working, but I could see gratitude in her eyes.Instead of leaving, though, I just stood there, deep in thought.  Spells need testing.  Real-world experience best- missions too infrequent- need to find battles elsewhere.  Bounty hunting?  Freelance vigilantilism?  Either way, can't go as Imma.  Can't be linked to JS.  Ford Prefect identity known to TSAB, older than I am right now.
"Hey, Uno?  I've been thinking about something I can do, and I was wondering..."

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[Bob Schroeck]

And because a new thread will be starting, I'll lock this one to keep stray comments out.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.