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Post By Al B. Harper Sun Jul 25, 2004 at 05:56:00 am EDT |
Subject
Why Al B. is a Legionnaire, and a response to Untold Tales #159... | |
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Why Al B. is a Legionnaire:
Muffy Framlicker unlocked the heavy bolt on the warehouse-style door of the old Fire House and slid it open along its hinges with a fair amount of effort.
“Well, here it is,” she said to her companion, motioning to the somewhat dark insides. “There should be a light-switch here somewhere.” She fumbled around on the inside wall for a minute before the lights came on.
Al B. Harper followed her inside. The place was a bit of a shambles, although a space had been cleared over by the south wall, and it was there that Miss Framlicker now stood, removing sheets from some pretty impressive looking tech that she had stashed there.
She patted the dimensional interface generator. “Like I said, it’s pretty old, but can still get the job done…hopefully”
Al B. worked his way across the room, stepping over old banana peels and peanut shells that littered the floor (remnants of the former occupants of the building no doubt). “Impressive,” he said, “not the latest model sure, but we can work on that. Rewire a few transfer cables here, add a new CPU with quantum diametric pressure backups there.” His eyes lit up at the thought of working on something new. “You know Muffy, I just may join you in this little business after all.” He took out his bubble pipe and looked at her with a twinkle in his eye.
Miss Framlicker grimaced at the use of her first name, but said nothing, she knew she needed him in this venture. “And your time with the Lair Legion won’t hold you up?”
“It shouldn’t.” Al B. replied. “After all, many of the full members have lives outside of the Legion. Mr Epitome, the new member, seems to be heavily involved with the Government. thuddy has his hectic drinking schedule, even Dancer seems to disappear outside of Legion missions. I am committed to my role as scientific advisor, and have now joined as an associate member, but that doesn’t stop me from pursuing my own scientific and business interests.”
“Yes, I’d heard you’d officially joined.” Miss Framlicker said. “I was quite surprised.”
“Really?” Al B. replied. “I don’t see why. While on the face of it I seem to have joined because the new member thought it was somewhat incredulous to have a non-member hanging around with so much access, it’s the very situations that the Legion get themselves into that offer an unique opportunity for research and scientific endeavour that entice me. You know I lost my job after that time-delaying incident that was my first involvement with the Legion? After that I really had nowhere else to go. My life up until then seemed like a dream, and here I was, in the midst of something fantastic, yet totally overwhelming at the same time. I made a snap decision to go with what my heart was telling me and haven’t looked back. Oh the buzz you get from saving the world is good too, don’t get me wrong, but it’s those opportunities you find yourself in that are once in a lifetime that drive me. You said it yourself when you first told me about your plans here, working at the very frontiers of science, how could anyone say no to that?”
Al B. blew bubble rings from his pipe and there was silence for a while as each of them reflected on the brave new world they were about to embark. Miss Framlicker herself was no slacker in the science department, she too knew of the intellectual passion that drove Al B.
After a while he spoke again, “So, what are we going to call our business?” He asked.
“Well,” answered Miss Framlicker thinking, “How about Parodyverse Express or something like that?”
“An obvious choice.” He answered. “But why go with the obvious? Besides, it only gives ITC advanced notice of competition if we do that…no, I think we both know the opportunities from this enterprise won’t just be in the realm of interdimensional transportation, although that is what we’ll be focusing on first. Like Cook in the Endeavour, our plan may be to head to Tahiti to view the transit of Venus, but who knows what new lands we’ll discover on the way? Our name should reflect that.”
“That’s it,” said Miss Framlicker excitedly “Endeavour Enterprises.”
“A fine homage to that noble craft of scientific discovery, and a fine reflection on the scientific endeavours we’ll face ourselves, no doubt.” He smiled back at her and offered his hand. “So put her there partner, here’s to Endeavour Enterprises!”
Miss Framlicker shook his hand with gusto. “Partner.” She said, “I like the sound of that.” She smiled. Al B. thought it was nice to see her smile for a change.
Footnotes:
Captain James Cook did indeed set sail on His Majesty's Bark Endeavour in 1768 bound for Tahiti with a bunch of scientists on board to observe the transit of Venus. After observing the transit he mapped the east coast of Australia, amongst other things, paving the way for further European settlement of the distant land in 1788.
Al B. Harper
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