OOC: So here's a little snippet that I was working on last night before the thread fucking exploded. Less email, more narrative and based on an earlier email.
November 23, 2016
Korolev Air Force Base
Officer's Housing
Your problem, Noah, is that you have a tendency to gloat too much.
The thought flashed through Mal's mind as he read the latest email to hit his queue. He the turned his gaze from the computer to contemplate said daughter. (Who also happened to be Mal's apprentice, accomplice and girlfriend, but that's largely beside the point.)
Sora, for her part, was busy repairing and hardening the fried DQS sensor on her workbench. Mal held the look for a few seconds, then realizing that Sora was engrossed in her work, cleared his throat.
Sora looked up. "Hm, did you say something, honey?" Mal turned the screen around so Sora could look at it. She scanned the message, her cheeks pinked a little. "Oh. Um, yeah. Are you mad?"
Mal thought about that, then discarded that with an internal shrug. "No, love, I'm not. It was sneaky, underhanded, an end run around authority and exactly what I would've done in your shoes. So no, I'm not mad. In fact," he pitched his voice in a twisted mock-Palpatine, "your training is progressing nicely, my young apprentice."
"Thank you, my master," intoned Sora. In a more normal tone of voice, she continued, "I was worried that you might be duplicating effort, and since Noah's good at handling that, I figured I'd get him in the loop."
"He's right that we shouldn't divide our forces, but then that's what FIREFALL's for – militarily at least." Mal shrugged. "Still, I'm worried that Noah's got too much invested in chasing a white whale to look at the bigger picture here."
"What, you don't think we'll ever find them?"
Mal sighed. "I think it's probable that we'll find One-Ninety-One, and even establish contact. Maybe set up some kind of, I don't know, universal bridge that'll let people move freely between the two worlds. But reverse the effect? That's like asking us to put a man on Pandora using only Congreve rockets. I don't think it can be done, even with handwavium."
Sora tsk'd. "Such pessimism."
"I know, we've pulled miracles out of our hats before," Mal smiled wanly. "I just don't see us waving a magic wand and just... fixing things, y'know? Even if we can, it'll take years. Decades, possibly. So we've got to play the hand we're dealt."
"I'm sure we'll come up with something," Sora replied confidently. "Even if it takes us years, Kohran and A.C. and Dee and Indiana and even the Professor are working on a solution. That's a lot of mental firepower. They'll figure it out."
"And you, of course."
"Of course. I'm not as inventive as they are," Sora allowed, "but if they give me the blueprints, I can build it."
Mal nodded. "While you're busy making the mysterious forces of the cosmos your bitch, I'll take care of the hard stuff downstairs. If we are stuck with these guys for the long haul, then we ought to engage in a little spring cleaning." He gave Sora a look. "I hope you won't be too mad if I drag you away from the workstation every now and then if I need somebody to play adjutant, hm?"
Sora looked thoughtful. "Wee~lll," she said, "I suppose that would be alright now and then. You might have to... negotiate, though."
"Negotiate, huh?"
"Oh yes. Dare I say, they'll have to be... involved negotiations." Sora bit the inside of her cheek to keep from completely losing the innocent expression on her face.
"Well then, my dear, shall be begin negotiating?"
"Thought you'd never ask."
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery
FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information
"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"
November 23, 2016
Korolev Air Force Base
Officer's Housing
Quote:To: "Gen. Mal Fnord, VVS" (fnord@sovietairforce.fen)
From: Noah Scott (bigcheese@stellvia.lib)
Date: November 23, 2016
Subject: Re: EMERGENCY CONVENTION
> Second, keep the warriors bottled up. Turtledove stories aren't my cup of tea, but Kagome tells me that this particular series of his was up there with the Draka stories for unpleasantness. Gen. Fnord, I want you to head this part of the operation. Mr. Marsden, Mr. Rhodes, please assist Gen. Fnord with this.
No, that list of people isn't a coincidence. Yes, my daughter does keep me in the loop, unlike some people. But considering I kept the grimoires secret from you, fair's fair.
Let me know how much kaboomite you need. I'll try to keep Bob from dropping rocks on our new neighbors.
--
Noah Scott, of station Stellvia
Your problem, Noah, is that you have a tendency to gloat too much.
The thought flashed through Mal's mind as he read the latest email to hit his queue. He the turned his gaze from the computer to contemplate said daughter. (Who also happened to be Mal's apprentice, accomplice and girlfriend, but that's largely beside the point.)
Sora, for her part, was busy repairing and hardening the fried DQS sensor on her workbench. Mal held the look for a few seconds, then realizing that Sora was engrossed in her work, cleared his throat.
Sora looked up. "Hm, did you say something, honey?" Mal turned the screen around so Sora could look at it. She scanned the message, her cheeks pinked a little. "Oh. Um, yeah. Are you mad?"
Mal thought about that, then discarded that with an internal shrug. "No, love, I'm not. It was sneaky, underhanded, an end run around authority and exactly what I would've done in your shoes. So no, I'm not mad. In fact," he pitched his voice in a twisted mock-Palpatine, "your training is progressing nicely, my young apprentice."
"Thank you, my master," intoned Sora. In a more normal tone of voice, she continued, "I was worried that you might be duplicating effort, and since Noah's good at handling that, I figured I'd get him in the loop."
"He's right that we shouldn't divide our forces, but then that's what FIREFALL's for – militarily at least." Mal shrugged. "Still, I'm worried that Noah's got too much invested in chasing a white whale to look at the bigger picture here."
"What, you don't think we'll ever find them?"
Mal sighed. "I think it's probable that we'll find One-Ninety-One, and even establish contact. Maybe set up some kind of, I don't know, universal bridge that'll let people move freely between the two worlds. But reverse the effect? That's like asking us to put a man on Pandora using only Congreve rockets. I don't think it can be done, even with handwavium."
Sora tsk'd. "Such pessimism."
"I know, we've pulled miracles out of our hats before," Mal smiled wanly. "I just don't see us waving a magic wand and just... fixing things, y'know? Even if we can, it'll take years. Decades, possibly. So we've got to play the hand we're dealt."
"I'm sure we'll come up with something," Sora replied confidently. "Even if it takes us years, Kohran and A.C. and Dee and Indiana and even the Professor are working on a solution. That's a lot of mental firepower. They'll figure it out."
"And you, of course."
"Of course. I'm not as inventive as they are," Sora allowed, "but if they give me the blueprints, I can build it."
Mal nodded. "While you're busy making the mysterious forces of the cosmos your bitch, I'll take care of the hard stuff downstairs. If we are stuck with these guys for the long haul, then we ought to engage in a little spring cleaning." He gave Sora a look. "I hope you won't be too mad if I drag you away from the workstation every now and then if I need somebody to play adjutant, hm?"
Sora looked thoughtful. "Wee~lll," she said, "I suppose that would be alright now and then. You might have to... negotiate, though."
"Negotiate, huh?"
"Oh yes. Dare I say, they'll have to be... involved negotiations." Sora bit the inside of her cheek to keep from completely losing the innocent expression on her face.
"Well then, my dear, shall be begin negotiating?"
"Thought you'd never ask."
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery
FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information
"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"