( Read more... )

Somehow, I strike an accord with Sparks and our relationship moves towards a safer direction. I still sometimes feel that she's just biding her time for the next great romantic assault, but we get along. I catch Id holed up in his lab working on optical crystals and rib him gently about trying to seduce Sparks, but he gives me such a wounded beagle ( Read more... )

....or more accurately, I was zinged earlier and just realised.

I was explaining to someone why a particular character of mine was a Mary Sue (that means an idealised me with powers, for those who don't know the term.) They nodded sagely and said words to the effect of "yeah, I never liked him."

Hang on.

That's me you're talking about ( Read more... )

At some point (and it was such a good idea I can only assume it was someone else's) it occurred to me how to deal with Sparks' activities, which is why I'm standing stock still as she climbs over me. The still part is partially to show my lack of romantic interest in her, but mostly surprise. the standing part is entirely due to the fact I can't ( Read more... )

Fifteen showers and a bottle of cologne later, I'm back in Titan's Launch sweating over the lab bench. I'm making fractal based optical crystal, a fancy way of saying a uniquely sparkly lump of quartz, because I can't afford to buy Sparks a suitable "thank you for saving my useless hide" gift, like a small continent. It's stupidly hard, but I ( Read more... )

Sure enough, Sparks comes up trumps. I promise I'll pass the information onto StormAngel, and hold out my hand for the map she's drawn.... and she doesn't hand it over. She's adamant she's coming, apparently viewing armed criminals as something of a lark. I stew, but there's nothing I can do about it but get her to promise to stay the hell under ( Read more... )

I've dabbled with wide area Science in the past, but five minutes tinkering with the sunstone shows I have pretty much zero chance of using it to locate its fellows. Nothing for it, it's time to swallow my pride and ask around the labs for help. I'm vaguely aware as I turn up there seems to be more activity than usual, and some nagging memory ( Read more... )

Four words for you, ladies and gentlemen.

Mice With Human Brains

Every time I feel I've properly shaken off the lure of Mad Science, something like this sucks me right back in.

The comes a time in every Scientist's life when he suddenly starts thinking "Damn, I need more X" where X is always something different, yet inexplicably, the same thing. We all argue over what it is, but we all recognise it when we see it. The Hermetics call it tass, so we laugh at them, but whatever it's name is (Quasistatic Primal Energy, for ( Read more... )

There's a place I go, now and again. So far the only way I've found to get there is to close my eyes, but I know, that if I take the road west and keep looking, I'll find it. Smalltown America, where everyone knows everyone else, the old folks like to bake apple pie, and there's an old mechanic, looking to sell up, but waiting, 'cos the new person ( Read more... )