OK, I can\'t resist
As others have been posting their losing entries, I can't resist sharing mine. It's a Crusade story, so no Kosh I'm afraid.
'Things That Go Bump in the Night'
Matthew Gideon - 30 October 2267
I was sitting on the bridge, shuffling a pack of cards, when the call came through. It provided a welcome break from the monotony of hyperspace. Whoever said that commanding a star-ship was 99% boredom interrupted by 1% of sheer terror certainly knew what they were talking about.
This was one of the 99% times, when we were cruising through the redness of nowhere, going from one dead world to the next without even the threat of a Fen to distract me. When we got where we were going, I'd probably be terrified. For now, I was bored.
Bored, bored, bored.
John Matheson held his headset close to his ear, cocking his head to one side. His face had an expression I know all too well. Trouble was on its way.
I was proven right when John looked regretful, saying, "Galen is on line one. He'll be here in one hour, and he'd like to see you on his ship in seven hours." John looked puzzled.
"Tell Galen I'll meet him there and then." I stood and glanced at the clock. 17:00. Should it worry me that Galen wanted to meet at midnight? Damn right it should. And the fact that the clock would then tick over to Halloween should worry me even more.
What the hell. I love a mystery.
"I'm going to my quarters. Call me if you need me." I left the bridge, trying to imagine what Galen might have waiting for me. Waste of time. If Galen wanted to surprise me, it would probably be something unimaginable.
*****
I stood on the Flight Deck, looking up at Galen's ship. It loomed overhead, black as night, like an enormous, predatory manta ray. As I seriously considered turning tail and putting as much distance as I could between me and that ship--and on the Excalibur, that's about a mile and a quarter--the ramp lowered, like a tongue descending from a gaping maw. All it needed were big white teeth. All the better to eat me with.
Telling myself I was ten kinds of idiot, I walked up the ramp.
*****
I followed lights set into the floor, arriving in a central chamber. As I entered, a part of the far wall started to glow, illuminating a dark figure standing in the middle of the room. The figure slowly raised its arms, and pushed back the dark cowl that had covered its head.
Galen smiled at me brightly, saying in his most irritatingly cheerful voice, "Hello, Matthew. Trick or treat?"
I stood with my hands on my hips, glaring at him. "Very funny, Galen. Isn't every day Halloween for you?"
Galen smiled more widely. "You may have a point there, but you must answer the question. Do you want a trick or do you want a treat?"
That was confusing. Where I grew up, you had to give a treat to avoid the trick. Technomages obviously played by different rules. Yeah, and what else is new?
I shrugged, deciding to play along. "I usually prefer to play tricks on other people, so I'll take the treat."
Galen did his best impression of a Cheshire cat, retreating into the darkness, leaving just the white glare of his smile behind. "Good choice, Matthew."
I sensed movement behind me, and spun around. Liz Lochley stood there, wearing a pink boned corset, stockings, high heels and little else. I have no idea what inspired that outfit, but I wasn't complaining. When I remembered to breathe, I managed a pathetic squeaking sound that was intended to mean, "What are you doing here?" It sounded more like a bat with its balls in a clamp. Do bats have balls? Never mind.
Liz flowed into my arms, and I kissed her long and hard. When we came up for air, she explained that she'd had a few days R&R due, so when Galen had turned up at B5 and offered her a lift to come visit me, she'd leaped at the chance.
"How long can you stay?" I was rather proud that my voice had dropped a couple of octaves since the last sound I'd made.
"Twenty-four hours. Galen tells me I have to leave by midnight or I'll turn into a pumpkin."
I laughed, sliding my hands down to her firm butt, and pulling her close. Smiling lasciviously, I said, "Plenty of time to make things go bump in the night."
As others have been posting their losing entries, I can't resist sharing mine. It's a Crusade story, so no Kosh I'm afraid.
'Things That Go Bump in the Night'
Matthew Gideon - 30 October 2267
I was sitting on the bridge, shuffling a pack of cards, when the call came through. It provided a welcome break from the monotony of hyperspace. Whoever said that commanding a star-ship was 99% boredom interrupted by 1% of sheer terror certainly knew what they were talking about.
This was one of the 99% times, when we were cruising through the redness of nowhere, going from one dead world to the next without even the threat of a Fen to distract me. When we got where we were going, I'd probably be terrified. For now, I was bored.
Bored, bored, bored.
John Matheson held his headset close to his ear, cocking his head to one side. His face had an expression I know all too well. Trouble was on its way.
I was proven right when John looked regretful, saying, "Galen is on line one. He'll be here in one hour, and he'd like to see you on his ship in seven hours." John looked puzzled.
"Tell Galen I'll meet him there and then." I stood and glanced at the clock. 17:00. Should it worry me that Galen wanted to meet at midnight? Damn right it should. And the fact that the clock would then tick over to Halloween should worry me even more.
What the hell. I love a mystery.
"I'm going to my quarters. Call me if you need me." I left the bridge, trying to imagine what Galen might have waiting for me. Waste of time. If Galen wanted to surprise me, it would probably be something unimaginable.
*****
I stood on the Flight Deck, looking up at Galen's ship. It loomed overhead, black as night, like an enormous, predatory manta ray. As I seriously considered turning tail and putting as much distance as I could between me and that ship--and on the Excalibur, that's about a mile and a quarter--the ramp lowered, like a tongue descending from a gaping maw. All it needed were big white teeth. All the better to eat me with.
Telling myself I was ten kinds of idiot, I walked up the ramp.
*****
I followed lights set into the floor, arriving in a central chamber. As I entered, a part of the far wall started to glow, illuminating a dark figure standing in the middle of the room. The figure slowly raised its arms, and pushed back the dark cowl that had covered its head.
Galen smiled at me brightly, saying in his most irritatingly cheerful voice, "Hello, Matthew. Trick or treat?"
I stood with my hands on my hips, glaring at him. "Very funny, Galen. Isn't every day Halloween for you?"
Galen smiled more widely. "You may have a point there, but you must answer the question. Do you want a trick or do you want a treat?"
That was confusing. Where I grew up, you had to give a treat to avoid the trick. Technomages obviously played by different rules. Yeah, and what else is new?
I shrugged, deciding to play along. "I usually prefer to play tricks on other people, so I'll take the treat."
Galen did his best impression of a Cheshire cat, retreating into the darkness, leaving just the white glare of his smile behind. "Good choice, Matthew."
I sensed movement behind me, and spun around. Liz Lochley stood there, wearing a pink boned corset, stockings, high heels and little else. I have no idea what inspired that outfit, but I wasn't complaining. When I remembered to breathe, I managed a pathetic squeaking sound that was intended to mean, "What are you doing here?" It sounded more like a bat with its balls in a clamp. Do bats have balls? Never mind.
Liz flowed into my arms, and I kissed her long and hard. When we came up for air, she explained that she'd had a few days R&R due, so when Galen had turned up at B5 and offered her a lift to come visit me, she'd leaped at the chance.
"How long can you stay?" I was rather proud that my voice had dropped a couple of octaves since the last sound I'd made.
"Twenty-four hours. Galen tells me I have to leave by midnight or I'll turn into a pumpkin."
I laughed, sliding my hands down to her firm butt, and pulling her close. Smiling lasciviously, I said, "Plenty of time to make things go bump in the night."
