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If you find any mysterious leatherbound tomes wrapped in locked chains... open it and take a look. It might even be harmless.
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Bluemage Wrote:Odds of a ROB being involved are high. Hey, man, it wasn't me!
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Okay, with Nanohaverse confirmed, you no longer get to complain about wanting to go home, until and unless you prove utterly unable to get so much as a glowing ball in your hands. Because MAGIC.
Punching the universe in the face with your brain until it bows to your will.
I'm serious, not a word.
--
"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
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Actually, in the Nanoha-verse, it's punching the universe in the face with your multiple doctorates in advanced mathematics or your portable AI computing device with the equivalent expertise, which isn't quite the same thing.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
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It never hit me before Bob, but when you put it that way it suggest a Crossover That Should Not Be: Nanoha and The Laundry
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OK, my analysis is as follows:
1) You're either pre-TSAB or in the Post-A's era at least, given that mister mage has distance attacks. Ancient Belka had them, but it ended up lost until Hayate gained control of the Tome. I'm leaning towards Post-A's myself.
2) Mister mage is either a TSAB Enforcer in the Chrono Harlaown mould, or a experienced Knight.
3) Mister mage's use of Japanese is what kicks this to be a Post-A's setting to me.
4) None of the Named characters use a Device like the one described. One point for original character.
5) None of the Named male characters look like mister mage, even aged up. No mention of a tail leaves out Zafira.
Everything else is currently up in the air.
Looking forward to more.
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nemonowan: That's a very scary concept. Very Scary. If I could, it'd come under Section 3 of the OSA. ^^
Dartz: No Latin in front of the books. No German, either. I'm not that much of an idiot.
robkelk: No, you didn't do it. You're a Rob, not a ROB- just like how Bob's a Bob, not a BOB. Mind you, I wouldn't say no to Bob being a benevolent omnipotent being, but given his posts so far, I doubt it.
ClassicDrogn: I just began writing Entry 17. This post includes roughly half of Entry 12. Remember this.
Cobalt Greywalker: Very interesting analysis. I'd like to address a few points.1) I've very carefully not had the mage firing off any long-ranged attacks. There was one line that was sort of ambiguous (Entry 11, talking about blowing up trees with every missed shot), but the thing about that is that I didn't specify the range. There's a difference between having no attacks with range to them, and not having any long-distance attacks, if you get my drift.To use a Ranma analogy, Tatewaki Kuno can hit targets beyond the range of his bokken. He doesn't know any ki projectiles.2) :33) I'd very much appreciate a source on that. My headcanon at the moment is that the language most Mid-Childans speak is essentially identical to Japanese. If I'm definitively wrong, I'd like to know, so I can revise things.6) Thanks!
**********
Entry 12 (Day 6)
...that could've gone a lot worse, really.
I'd just finished writing the last entry and put my computer on standby when I heard it; three knocks on the door of my car. Startled, I looked over, only to see the mage I'd been watching standing right outside, Device still held in one hand. He motioned with his free hand, clearly wanting me to exit the vehicle. I, of course, complied... as if I could do anything else.
Once I got out of the car, the mage uttered a few sentences of- yes, that's German, all right- in a very no-nonsense, professional tone. I caught the acronym TSAB, the name Lancia, and what sounded like some sort of title, but nothing else. Note to self: Learn Japanese pronto.
I took a second to think through my options. I could try to give my name in what little German I can fake. I could probably get my point across, but nothing else- and even that might take dropping some Latin or something into it. Might make him realize that I don't really speak the language. I could try mime... no that'd probably get me shot on principle. Sure, he's probably a TSAB agent, but even a nonlethal shot probably hurts like a mofo. I could just try English... he'll either speak it or not, and it might get me handed to an expert if he doesn't... ah, heck with it. Might as well.
Looking him in the eye, I very slowly raised my hands in surrender, and said, in the clearest, most deliberate tone I could muster, "I'm sorry, but I don't speak your language. I don't know where I am, or how I got here. Is there any way you could help me?"
The man looked sort of befuddled at that... for the first sentence, at least. After that, his expression softened, and he reached his free hand up to stroke his chin contemplatively. The mage talked with his Device for a bit (which, I was pleased to note, lacked a visible cartridge system), before turning back to me, and speaking again. This time, his spiel came out in English- oddly accented, but entirely understandable English.
"My apologies for the miscommunication. I'm Enforcer Piros Lancia of the TSAB. How long have you been on this world, and where are you originally from?"
Inwardly, I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't sure if the guy was a renegade or not earlier. Looks like I lucked out.
In my best deadpan, utterly serious voice, I responded. "I'm from an alternate version of a currently non-administrated world where the society you've lived in all your life is the setting for a child's animated cartoon."
Piros's eyes widened for a second, before he caught himself, and fixed me with a stare. "Bullshit."
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Way to get straight to the point there. Of course, proving it is the tricky part, since the MSLN system seems to be rather lacking in the more subtle, woo woo mystical stuff that might explain that without needing to completely break the paradigm like the series creator having a touch of Seer talent. Then again, it's hardly as if we've seen a comprehensive list of Rare Skills.
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OK, as to language I'm going by http://nanoha.wikia.com/wiki/Device]the device page on the Nanoha wikia. The general gist of things is that the Device speaks the base language of its Magical System (English for Mid-Childan, German for Belkan), but due to the synchronisation between Mage and Device the Mage always understands the Device.
The implication is the Translation Convention is in effect, and Devices can translate for their users (or that there are low-level and/or easy to maintain translation spells available. Telepathy IS a widely used spell/skill).
None of this PROVES that the TSAB doesn't use a Japanese analogue as their main language, but I'd be sceptical. Japanese as a majorly recognised language (among the OTHER Earth/N.A.W. 97 languages) probably doesn't become part of the standard language package until AFTER the Aces make their mark.
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Hah... Lancia. He's probably a little rusty so. Might explain the collateral damage to the local forestry.
As every good Call of Cthulhu player knows, the fun doesn't really start until after some poor unfortunate enterprising curious soul reads the book.
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CD: I was very tempted to have him drop a flat "What.", but decided the ST2K9 homage would work better. Also, yeah, that'd be a pain and a half to prove.
Cobalt Greywalker: Well argued, and done!
I AM A GREAT MAGICIAN! PIROS NOW SPEAKS GERMAN!
Dartz: Why do you think he's rusty? Because he's one of the classics?
That actually gives me a good idea. More on that never.
As for your other point, in Soviet Russia TSAB, book reads you!
**********
...well, that didn't work. Quick- damage control! I held the man's gaze for a second or two more, before looking down, smiling ruefully. "You caught me, Enforcer. I really am from an unadministrated world, but I've got a few friends from Vaizen who like to visit every so often. I asked one of them for a lift to Mid... oh, about a week ago... so I could get tested for mage potential."
I put on my best abashed look. "...I probably shouldn't've let him do it after a night out on the town. I think he flubbed some of the coordinates."
Piros snorted at that. "Let me get this straight. You went out and got drunk with this friend of yours, so he teleported you to an uncolonized world at the ass-end of dimensional nowhere?"
Is he actually falling for it?! Might as well keep going, I guess... "Well, it'd been quite a night. I was a little too tipsy to realize it wasn't a good idea." I shrugged, grinning a bit. "Still, he got me where I needed to go, and nobody died. I'm not all that upset."
The Enforcer quite clearly disagreed, if the the long-suffering sigh he made was any indication. "Stupid kids... we've been telling them not to drink and 'port for almost a century now, and what do they do?" It was all I could do to keep the manic grin off my face- he'd actually believed me! He facepalmed, muttering to himself for a little while- the only bit I caught was "...should make those punks do the paperwork..." I didn't really worry too much about it until the muttering turned into demented cackling.
...did a freakin' ENFORCER just have a psychotic break?!
...thankfully, it didn't last. The cackling subsided, and after a good ten seconds of slow, deep breaths, Piros went back into 'professional mode'. "Right. I don't have the range or the power to get both of us back to Karnarog, so I'm going to call in the Preta. She'll ferry us back to civilization, and you can hop a ferry to Mid, or Vaizen, or wherever the hell you feel like going.
If you have the potential, the TSAB is always looking for more mages. Just ask around- anybody can point you in the right direction." He looked me over for a second, taking in my lack of physique, habitual squint, and the like. "...though you might find one of the other organizations in TSAB space more to your liking. Perhaps the Infinity Archivists?"
I opened my mouth, intending to provide a witty retort, when both of us were suddenly somewhere else.
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It's well known that Lancia's always get rusty fast if you don't keep an eye on them.
Both stories do come across as a bit hard to believe. Especially teleporting way out to an empty colony world by accident - too far to teleport back home. I wonder if Lancia isn't just leading out intrepid author along a little to get him somewhere secure?
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I suppose that depends on where he thinks Bluemage is from? There had to have been some useful destination nearby or whatever he was fighting either wouldn't have come out this way or wouldn't have been noticed. (By anyone but the unlucky dimensional traveler they nommed on.)
--
"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
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Dartz: Telling the truth was half for the lulz, and half to see if they'd believe it. Since it didn't work, I shifted to a more believable lie. Oh, and I never said I teleported- I said that a friend of mine teleported me, and that I was from an non-administrated world (implying that I'm not a mage, and therefore couldn't get there or back on my own).
The bit about a game of cards was a bit much, though, so I've edited the last snippet a bit. Story-me now just suggests that his friend messed up the teleport because he was drunk, and does mention the time he's been there.
I'm sort of trying to make this convo feel like a cop catching a teenager drunk driving... only the teenager is a mage, and the guy he found wasn't the guy doing the magic. If he was more important to the plot, I'd work in a bit of backstory about how Piros spent ten years as a law enforcement mage for/trained by the Belkan Saint Church, and has had to deal with ENTIRELY TOO MANY drunk kids abusing teleport spells. He isn't, though, so I didn't.
CD: He can tell fairly easily that my tech isn't the sort of stuff you find on administrated worlds, and that I've been here for a while. Between how dirty I am, my beard, and the condition of my car and clothes, my claim of being stranded here is fairly believable.
As for why his opposition were here, :3.
**********
Entry 13 (Day 6)
For the sake of posterity, I should mention that Nanohaverse teleportation isn't quite instant. In objective time, I'm given to understand it takes at least three seconds. Subjectively, I can confirm that, and really should record that you're aware of being where you started, where you're going, and being stretched out across the intervening distance, all at once, for the duration of the translation.
It's quite an interesting experience. I don't recommend it.
Once I realized that we were teleporting out, I'd dredged up everything I could remember about dimensional starships. It wasn't much help. I did remember that the Arthra (or was it Asura? I can't remember) had a teleporter on the bridge, but that didn't really seem like a smart place to send us. If I were designing the ship, I'd have the teleporter in an easily-secured room, just in case.
When we appeared in the middle of a veritable maze of boxes, I was rather surprised. Looking around a bit, I realized a few important things; namely, that standardized shipping containers looked the same no matter where you were, and that whoever ran the teleporters around here was nice enough to bring my car along. Given those facts, the INCREDIBLE POWER OF LOGIC suggested that they just beamed us up wholesale into their cargo hold, probably because it was the best place to put the car.
For a minute or so, I amused myself with the mental image of a mud-spattered coupe appearing on the nice, clean bridge of a dimensional ship. Even as I type this, the concept makes me chuckle.
Speaking of teleporting to the bridge, guess where Enforcer Lancia took me, and how we got there?
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I'm guessing you drove to the bridge.
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Well, he could have marched you to the brig, I suppose, but that's not too likely when you weren't the one Casting Under the Influence. I'd kind of be hoping for a quick stop at the infirmary for a shower and a couple quick spells to clean my clothes (or a loaner no-insignia uniform) and a scan for anything I might have picked up in the wild before meeting any more authority figures, myself.
--
"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
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I think you missed my point. It still seems like something of a hokey story to me.... or maybe to an experienced enforcer. If he's too far out to be teleported back to civilization by a skilled Mage, then chances are he's to far out to have been teleported in, even by a drunk mage stuffing up a cast. An experienced enforcer would definitely find something odd the story--- if not about the result. Our intrepid hero is definitely somewhere he can't get away from, but there's a bigger mystery there than just a mundane with a motorcar being beamed in.....
Maybe it's just my thinking mind. It sounds like a nice mountain to drop on the hero rather than making everything too simple. I like dropping mountains on main characters when they least expect it.
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No, I get what you're saying, though I can't speak for BM, my reply is that this is the fringe of TSA influence, so it's likely unadministered worlds are nearby, in the direction (for whatever meaning that has to an interdimensional civilization) away from their core worlds. A drunken 'port falling short of target isn't a surprise if a sober, experienced mage can't pull it off from 'closer,' but stupid kids overestimating themselves is nothing new in the slightest.
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"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
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On the Credulity of Enforcers: I've revised the lying bit again. Made it so I don't even expect him to fall for the line I'm giving him, but he has an adverse reaction to it.
Like I said in another author's note (and not in the fic, in fine Nanoha tradition), my headcanon for the fic has Lancia having spent ten years basically as a cop before moving to Enforcer. He's had to deal with WAY TOO MANY cases of CUII, and too much paperwork. Enforcer duty lets him do more fighting and less legal work, which is why he transferred/applied for it. I got lucky beyond compare with that- any real, veteran Enforcer would've seen right past it.
Heck, if it were Chrono, I would've had to give him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, including showing him
Worry not. I have mountains already prepared for the dropping. This just isn't one of them.
On the Issue of Teleportation: What he said is that he doesn't "have the range or the power to get both of us back to Karnarog", that being Administrated World #6, if memory serves. Karnarog is, in this fic, home to the central TSAB base in this region of dimensional space, and plays host to both the Enforcer, and the dimensional cruiser Preta. It's not that close to the world I landed on, but it's where he'd RTB to.
I envision teleportation capacity and teleportation range as being linked together, along with the magical power needed to cast the spell. Go further, and you take more power. Carry more? More power is needed. If you hit your maximum power level, you have to trade distance for capacity, or vice versa.
CD has the right of it. Earth is close enough to where I am at the moment (heh) for a mage of decently high power (above average, but well below Nanoha) to send me and the car there. Karnarog is several times the distance. Piros would burn himself out trying to take himself, me, and my car (regulations, don't'cha know) back that way. He might be capable of making several smaller hops, depending on how many places are between here and there, how they're arranged, and which ones can sustain human life, but why bother when he has a cruiser in close dimensional space? It's faster, won't wear him out pointlessly, and has a few other advantages.
Oh, and Jorlem? I wrote this bit several days ago. Well before that Steam chat.
**********
As I walked onto the bridge of the Preta, I was struck by how familiar the place was. It was a lot like the bridge of the Asura, really- a U-shaped lower level with three duty stations at the far end, a raised command level in the 'inside' of the U with one seat for the captain, and a truly ridiculous quantity of wasted space. Seriously- you could lower the ceiling of the bridge by a full deck, and still fit the functional part of the bridge into that room four times over.
We'd appeared on the command level, at the other end of an unnecessarily-long walkway from the captain of the vessel. At the moment, the captain was facing away from us, so I really couldn't see much... well, aside from the Enforcer demolishing what looked like a typical Mid-style mage done in burnished brass. Huh. Robots. That explains the teamwork, the predictability, and the relative wimpiness.
Finally, video-Lancia stabsploded the last artificial mage. The video closed itself with a cheery electronic beep, after which the captain's chair spun around to face us.
Welp. Whatever I was expecting, this wasn't it.
The captain of the Preta looked the two of us over with a gimlet eye. Every sense I had was telling me to straighten up, behave, and keep serious around her... mostly because she gave off the same sort of 'sharp old battleaxe' vibe that Dame Judi Dench's M had, in spades. There was no real resemblance, thankfully, but anybody who can hold an active command position while looking at least 60 years old has to be something special.
Then I remembered that the Nanohaverse had significantly better medical tech than I was used to, and revised my estimate of her age up fifteen years. Almost broke out in a cold sweat at that thought. Do nothing objectionable, say nothing objectionable... as long as I behave, I can get through this intact.
"Well, well, well... our Enforcer returns... and with a tourist, no less!" I swear, she could cut steel with that voice. "Report!"
Piros came to attention, saluting as he went ramrod-straight, and began to go over his deployment to the planet. Boring military-speak... they call those things 'M-Drones'? Fitting. Combat... more combat... there were NINE OF THEM?!... man, that was a long fight... ordering me to run? Good to see I figured that one out. Ooh, he's getting reamed for taking so long to figure their pattern out... he didn't mention my original explanation... and finally done!
With that done- wonder why they had no problem discussing a TSAB military operation in front of a civilian?- the captain turned to me. "While Enforcer Lancia's report is commendably complete, there are still a number of... issues.. that need to be addressed. To begin with, I don't recall you ever giving him your name." As she said that, I felt her attention focus entirely on me.
Notimetothinkcan'tusemyrealnamegottacomeupwithsomething! I blinked, a puzzled look on my face, inwardly trying my hardest to come up with a suitable alias. Almost without realizing it, I blurted out "Ford, ma'am. Ford Prefect." Wonder of wonders, I even managed to say it in a steady voice.
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Quote:Almost without realizing it, I blurted out "Ford, ma'am. Ford Prefect." Wonder of wonders, I even managed to say it in a steady voice.
I need your email address. I'm about to send you a bill for the keyboard I just ruined after spitting a mouthful of coke all over it.
In other news... fair enough. It was just something that struck me as a little odd.
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I just nodded and figured it would fit right in.
No, really.
I din't blow anything out my nose at all.
Nor choke on the rest.
Well, maybe a little...
--
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And of course H2G2 turns out to be biographical in the Nanohaverse…
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You know what would be evil? The Admiral recognizing the name - because she read the book when she was a child, back on Earth. Yes, it's a time-jump forward and that's Admiral Takamachi Nanoha.
What? Make it worse? Okay, that's Admiral Takamachi Vivio.
(There - either I'm a genius at guessing right, or whatever Bluemage comes up with isn't as bad as that...)
--
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So when I was writing this Entry, I was mentally reading the captain's lines in a combination of Dench's M and Professor McGonagall from the movies. Not the sort of lady you want to cross.
Dartz: It was a little odd, and I appreciate your bringing it up. That's why this is an RFC- because I want opinions on what I've done right, what I've done wrong, and what people (mostly wrongly ) think I'm doing next.
Also, I nearly did that when I had the idea. That's how I knew I had to do it.
CD: /rolls to disbelieve
Seriously, thanks. ^^
Also, you might recognize a familiar sentiment in here. I almost spoiled this chat when you posted it a while back.
Rob: ...I'd've recognized Vivio's eyes right off, and been a bit more careful. As for Nanoha, I like to think I'd've either recognized her hair, her voice, or Raising Heart in inactive mode.
As for your predictions, well, I think I have that Xanatos pic somewhere around here...
**********
The captain blinked, a microscopic smile appearing on her face. "Very well, then, Mister Prefect. I'm told you want to be a mage. Why?
I put on a confused look. "Why, Captain, why wouldn't I? I've always been good with technology, and Devices are the most interesting gadgets ever built. That, and, well, it's *magic*, ma'am! I might end up able to fly, to teleport... who could turn that down?" As I answered the Captain's question, my tone shifted, becoming more passionate. ...and I didn't even have to lie.She mulled that answer over, only to scowl a bit. "And why, Mister Prefect, did you not mention the possibility of combat? It seems to be all our youth think of, these days."
...because you'd never help me out if you thought I wanted to pay homage to Our Lady of Blessed Demolition? "Because I live by a saying. 'No pain, no pain'. Last I checked, combat involved a lot of that... not to mention all the pain involved in getting fit enough to fight." I winced at the next bit. "Besides, look at me! I'm clumsy, I'm not nearly healthy enough to survive combat, and I have the reaction speeds of a rock. To put it simply, Captain, I'm not interested in combat because I have no interest in getting myself killed."
The captain nodded, visibly pleased. "Would you look at that, Enforcer! A young man who actually knows his limits!" She looked back over to me, blithely ignoring Piros' wince and muttered comment of "I'm not old, Captain". "Mister Prefect, report to the infirmary. I've instructed the ship's doctor to give you a complete physical- I daresay that'll tell you everything you care to know about you career prospects! We'll be arriving at Karnarog in approximately eighteen hours- I suggest you take the time to do some research!"
I turned to leave, only to stop in my tracks as the captain called my name- well, my alias. "Mister Prefect!"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"You've been assigned a set of quarters for the duration of the journey. I expect", she said, tart as can be, "you to clean yourself and your belongings up thoroughly before you do anything else on my ship. Is that understood?"
For a moment, I considered snapping off my best imitation of a proper salute... but that'd probably just irritate her. "Gladly, Captain!"
The captain smiled at that. "Good. You are dismissed, Mister Prefect." She then turned to the Enforcer, bringing up one of those nifty holographic windows the mages here use.I didn't get a look at what was on that window, because I was already turning around, and walking to the door. When the captain of a ship speaks, the wise man listens... especially when he's told to do what he already wants to do, anyway.
Five minutes later, I got a chance to say something I'd always wanted to say.
"WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW!"
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(Snickers like the Duck Hunt dog)
Good luck with your plan to avoid painful situations, Mr. Protag- er, "Prefect."
And yeah, I doubt you got anything past the old gal that she didn't choose not to press, but the fact that she seems to have put you in the 'not a threat, humor and observe' category for now is as good a start as you'd have any right to expect.
--
"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
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