04-03-2009, 10:54 PM | #321 | ||||
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellflower, CA
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Re: [IC] Wear a Badge, Carry a Gun
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No, no. I meant the...fox trot. I thought that took longer than, well, that. Quote:
Kiloni looks at him in surprise when he starts. But that quickly gives way to delight. By the time he is done with his recital, she is completely starry eyed and enraptured. Quote:
Kiloni I am so nervous! I know I am so inexperienced, I'm going to be really boring to you. But...<Blushing furiously as she struggles to get the words out>...will you stay with me anyway, please? |
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04-03-2009, 10:56 PM | #322 | |
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oz
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Re: [IC] Wear a Badge, Carry a Gun
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Nothin' would give me greater pleasure. Last edited by Agemegos; 04-03-2009 at 10:59 PM. |
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04-03-2009, 10:57 PM | #323 | |
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellflower, CA
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Re: [IC] Wear a Badge, Carry a Gun
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04-03-2009, 11:01 PM | #324 | |
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oz
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Re: [IC] Wear a Badge, Carry a Gun
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*fnord*fnord*fnord*fnord* Last edited by Agemegos; 04-04-2009 at 12:05 AM. |
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04-03-2009, 11:04 PM | #325 |
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oz
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Disembarking from the 'Stratheden'
On Wednesday 23rd of January, 573, the 20:00 seating for dinner is postponed half an hour. Old hands at space travel have been self-medicating in the cocktail lounge for just such an emergency, and retire to their cabins "to dress for dinner" at 19:45. At 20:07 chimes once more ring through the Stratheden. An officious contralto announces that the ship will come out of warp in five minutes. Again, there are no instructions that anything need be done, for indeed there is nothing to do about it. At 20:12 the speakers chime a mournful and urgent little tune, and the revolting wrench of jumping into warp is repeated, this time with the feeling of having stepped onto a non-existent stair and fallen ten centimetres in every direction simultaneously. Stratheden is once again in the immensity of normal space.
Taking the spin off the ship is postponed until 21:30, to allow for dinner, and it is announced that the spin will not be restored. Stratheden will de-spin, then accelerate for half an hour, then coast for twelve hours with an end-for-end flip in the middle, then decelerate for half an hour, and then orbit in free fall while the passengers are landed in lighters. First-class passengers disembark first, according to the schedule available on the InfoNet. Atalante Szábo, Kiloni, Penny, Bear, and Willem Chu have their trunks packed for the robots by 07:30 on Thursday morning, and take their breakfast on the Promenade to watch the Big Twitch. The Promenade is mostly deserted with the ship in free fall, and its transparent, inflated wall give a perfect view of the swelling disc of Rohan, its vast and brilliant polar caps. The moment comes to each at a different time, but it comes to each. At one instant Rohan is a swelling ball off to the side, blue and tan, frosted with ice and clouds. Then, suddenly, without warning the perceptual trick occurs, the Universe twitches through ninety degrees, out becomes down, Rohan is a world, and the observer is hanging, falling, a million metres above a landscape. Penny Wow!Szábo Gets you every time.Waiting for disembarkation by lighter is normally tedious, but today the characters enjoy for the first time a privilege of Imperial officers. They are sent down in the first lighter "with the despatches". |
04-03-2009, 11:07 PM | #326 |
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Bellflower, CA
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Re: [IC] Wear a Badge, Carry a Gun
Kiloni watches the entire spectacle in awe. She is sitting with Willem and holding his arm and hand tightly. She is very excited but nervous about what is coming.
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04-04-2009, 10:46 AM | #327 |
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Newcastle, Australia
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Re: [IC] Wear a Badge, Carry a Gun
Penny also watches, with a feeling of wonder.
She thinks to herself: It's great that, even in these days of being able to travel to stars whenever we wish, we're not so used to it that sights like that seem mundane. |
Tags |
flat black, mysteries, planetary romance, sci-fi, ultra-tech |
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