MSTed by: Mark Foster - foster@powerup.com.au Original author: Marc McKenzie Appleseed is the creation of Masamune Shirow and is owned and copyrighted by Masamune Shirow, Seishinsha and Dark Horse. MST3K is copyright Best Brains Inc. Gundam 0081: Trial by Fire is the work of Marc McKenzie. -------- [Briareos, Fang and Sokaku all emerge from the theatre. The viewscreen has a flashing button and Briareos runs over to press it.] HITOMI: [on V.S] Well, how'd you like it? BRIAREOS: Umm, a tad heavy on the details. SOKAKU: It's very generic. FANG: A few spelling mistakes. But not bad otherwise. HITOMI: [on V.S] Oh poopy, but don't worry. There's more coming your way! Send them the fanfic, Yoshi! YOSHI: [on V.S] Yes, ma'am. [The Fanfic sign flashes.] BRIAREOS: We've got the fanfic sigggnnn! SOKAKU: Again. BRIAREOS: Man, I miss Deunan. [All three rush into the theatre. They sit down in order: Sokaku, Briareos and Fang.] > > MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: 0081 > Trial By Fire. > Part 2 > > Written by M. Mckenzie; based on the various books, movies, and OVAs > of the GUNDAM universe. > > > The Story So Far: > The One-Year War has been over for several months now. However, > a new BRIAREOS: -game show was being produced by Channel 7. More mindnumbingly vapid contestants are being sought. SOKAKU: They have to appear stupider than Frank Warrick did in '$Million Chance of a Lifetime' > crisis has emerged at the Federation base on the colony Rutherford, > located at Side 4. Two Mobile Suits were destroyed in a routine BRIAREOS: -trip to the corner store. SOKAKU: Unfortunatly, they went to the Mt. Thomas corner store and were mugged, kidnapped and ultimatly murdered in a typical day in the Victorian country town. BRIAREOS: Personally, I don't think 6 cops is enough for a town of 1,000 or so people. Maybe they should station another 100. FANG: Might do something about their crime rate then! > patrol, leading the base commander to an uneasy question: could a Jion > splinter group be responsible? BRIAREOS: Oh sure, blame everything on the Jions you Xenophobe! > > PART 2: The Cargo. SOKAKU: The Press heard Shane Warne was starving himself because England had no baked beans for Warney. Another emergency 100-ton shipment was arranged. FANG: Sounds more like you Sokak. SOKAKU: Har-de-har. > > May 23, 0081. > > "22...14...7...HUT! HUT! HUT!!" BRIAREOS: 47! FANG: 26,942! SOKAKU: PIZZA! PIZZA! PIZZA! > As soon as Brandon DeCessno heard those words, he barrelled past > the > lineman on the opposing team and headed down the field. > It was a football game; FANG: I think they mean Gridiron. BRIAREOS: I prefer AFL myself, it's an odd mix of brawling, ballet and football. > the pilots and personnel on station at > Powell FANG: Colin? > Base played it on the recently revamped parade field a short distance > from the sprawling Federation complex. Dressed in civilian SOKAKU: -lingerie. > sportswear, SOKAKU: Oh. Close enough. FANG: Huh? SOKAKU: Don't tell me you haven't seen how female uniforms are gradually showing more and more flesh? >they often used their off-hours to play one or two games. > Not that Brandon cared; his team, the Helldivers, were down by one > point, with less than a minute to go. They needed this touchdown > against the Bulldozers. BRIAREOS: Place your bets. Place your bets. The odds on the author avatar winning the game is 1-1. > He could see Guthrie and Tate peeling away from the Bulldozers' > linemen > (and women; no one really cared what gender you were, as long as you BRIAREOS: -could play a mean Tuba! SOKAKU: -stripped off in the shower afterwards! BRIAREOS: Mmm... Duenan in the shower. [Both Fang and Sokaku look at Briareos and shake their heads.] > could play the game). Snapping his head back for an instant, Brandon > saw Morgan Fulop evade two opposing players and let fly with a SOKAKU: -real stinker! FANG: Ewwww... BRIAREOS: Fulop? What kind of name is Fulop? > beautiful pass...in Brandon's direction. > "Got it!" Brandon thought to himself. Only a few yards to go. > He cut to > the right, checking every corner. The Bulldozers had quit chasing BRIAREOS: They recognised his avatarness and realised there was nothing they could do. > Guthrie and Tate and were heading towards him, but they were too far > away. The TD SOKAKU: Any relation to DM? FANG: DangerMouse? SOKAKU: [as Penfold] Ohh err, DangerMouse! FANG: [as DM] Oh, shut up. > was in the bag. The ball came in a perfect arc, > spiraling down... SOKAKU: It was then Brandon realised that it was, in fact, a bomb! ALL: *dramatic gasp* > A cheer went up from the Helldivers as Brandon jumped for the > pigskin. FANG: Babe, is that you? SOKAKU: Lemme tell ya, Babe sure tasted good with BBQ sauce. > His fingers brushed it, caught hold-- > --When he was hit broadside. > "WHOOOOMPHHHHH!!!" ALL: [imitate sound of deflating ballon] > He folded like a broken twig. The world nearly went dark as he FANG: Who turned off the lights? > hit the > ground, as if in slow motion, with an audible thud. Incredibly, the BRIAREOS: -ground opened and swallowed him. Lithos had a use for this one. FANG: Your taste in games sucks, Bri. SOKAKU: Yeah, you goober. BRIAREOS: Shut up. > ball was still in his hands. His fellow players came running up, SOKAKU: -running over and dismembering him. > surrounding him. A brown face, full of concern, came into his field > of vision. "Brandon! You okay, buddy?" Someone thrust an > outstretched hand at him. > BRIAREOS: [as Brandon] God, is that you? Take me away from the pain! SOKAKU: HAND! > > Coughing, Brandon took it and slowly got to his feet. "Yeah, > yeah, I'm BRIAREOS: [as Brandon] -the God! I'm THE GOD! > all right, Rod." SOKAKU: [as Brandon] Except now I have a strange urge to wear a dress. > He passed a hand through his thick black hair and > winced in pain. > FANG: Is just me or does the author have some sort of hair fetish? He seems to love describing it all the time. BRIAREOS:(slowly) HE... HAS... THICK... BLACK... HAIR. SOKAKU: HAND! FANG: That's enough, Sokaku. > Roderick Kane regarded him warily. "You sure you don't want to FANG: [as Rod] Call me Roderick Foster Kane. > check with > the infirmary?" Brandon shook his head, and although he felt a twinge > of pain, he repeated that he was fine. > BRIAREOS: And then his head fell off. > > From the side, Del Guthrie shouted angrily at the brown-haired > woman BRIAREOS: (slowly) SHE.... HAS.... BROWN.... HAIR. > who > had tackled Brandon. "Jesus, Steph, what the hell's the matter with > you? Are you trying so hard to prove that you're so good that you'd SOKAKU: [as Guthrie] -strip off for a hundred bucks? > try this shit?" > > > Stephanie Harada thrust her face directly into Guthrie's own. > "So I got SOKAKU: [as Stephanie] -Cooties. > carried away, Del, but so what? Brandon's okay, as you can see." > SOKAKU: [as Stephanie] See, only his head fell off. > > Guthrie's complexion became a dangerous red. He balled a fist SOKAKU: Guthrie Hand? FANG and BRIAREOS: Ewww! SOKAKU! FANG: I said that was enough! > and held it > up. "Listen here--" BRIAREOS: [as Groundskeeper Willie] - you cheese eating surrender monkey! > "Enough!" Rod Kane stepped between the two, his brown face now > creased in FANG: Maybe Rod should consider ironing his face now and then. > anger. "Cool it, you two. The game's over, and anyway, we've got to BRIAREOS: [as Rod] -have our generic simmering tension. > report back to base." > "But who won?" someone asked. FANG: Ensign Someone makes his exciting Gundam debut. > Tate Haymes answered, "We did. You were good Steph, but Brandon > made it > over the line with the ball. There's no need for a field goal attempt > anyway." BRIAREOS: Told you! FANG: Like it wasn't obvious. > From the Bulldozers came sounds of curses, lamentations, groans. SOKAKU: And moans. But that was from the shower area. > Yet no > one contested Tate, and the teams slowly filed off the field. BRIAREOS: Where Cancer Man filed them away in a dark basement to never be seen again. FANG: Basement! SOKAKU: [as Leena] Aawww. Do I have to go there? It's soooo dark ~^o^~ BRIAREOS: How'd you do that? And WHO is Leena? SOKAKU: Errr... [Sound of wall getting smashed.] SOKAKU: Well, there goes the fourth wall. > Brandon, Rod, and Del were the last. Rod was worried at Brandon's BRIAREOS: -fashion sense. A white dress after Labour day? Who's he kidding? > limp, but it was only temporary. Stephanie came up and fell FANG: D'ohh! Not very convincing competition, is she? > into step with him. FANG: Oh. > "Hey, I'm...I'm sorry about what happened, okay?" SOKAKU: [as Stephanie] Like, you're not going to sue me because your head fell off and you're suddenly cross-dressing? > Brandon fixed her with a stare, then a smile. "It's okay. I'm SOKAKU: [as Brandon] -always like this in private. I just HAD to come out of the closet. > not dead > yet." The truth was, he didn't know _how_ to respond. At twenty, > Stephanie was two years younger than him, and, like Brandon, had been BRIAREOS: -forever scarred by Gilligan's Island re-runs when they were young. > born on Earth. He considered her a close friend. At times, however, > she seemed like his worst enemy. They would be involved in serious > exchanges that would make their fellow pilots cringe, and then they > would seem to be on intimate terms. It had been quite a year on > Rutherford for the two. Both were MS pilots, and along with 50,000 FANG: -friends, they could become ordinary people. Will you be one of Stephanie and Brandon's 50,000 friends? > military and civilian personnel, had been placed in the colony listed SOKAKU: -as Jion territory. They were really behind in their paperwork at HQ. > as "R & R'd" by the Federation- SOKAKU: Ripe & Ready to die? FANG: Rich & Rotten? BRIAREOS: Rikon suru & ratai? FANG: What? BRIAREOS: Divorced and nude. FANG: You sick puppy. > -Repaired and Revamped. ALL: Oh. > The colony, SOKAKU: -was a giant strip joint! > however, held up to 25 million people before the One-Year War. One > guess to the low population had to do with the unease of being close BRIAREOS: -to Raye. I won't say Raye is fat but she has her own moons! > to Side 3--the center of the former Jion Arduchy. Even so, it was > still a busy colony. Much of the work invovled routine patrols, > transporting supplies betwwen Earth and the surviving Sides, as well > as Konpeii Island, and training new personnel. BRIAREOS: So it's an Ensign Redshirt factory then? SOKAKU: That would be Zaku or GM pilots in Gundam. > > Brandon glanced up and saw the large strips ALL: Ooooohhhh! > of residential areas ALL: Awwww... > and glass > "rivers" above his head. To a new arrival from Earth, the view would > appear frightning; but given time, it would become familiar as the > cool blue skies of home. BRIAREOS: Unless you lived in Tokyo or Sydney. > Home. Back on Earth were his parents, relatives he had not seen > up close SOKAKU: Not to mention his bookie whom he owed several thousand dollars or several body parts. FANG: Well, if I had the chance to escape my relatives, I'd take it too! > except in video calls and letters. He had been away from them for > close to two years, and although he wanted to go back, there was still > a lot to do during the Reconstruction. Turning to Stephanie, he said, SOKAKU: [as Brandon] Is Rumble red and Frenzy blue? Or is it the other way around? > "One more thing, Steph. Try not to hit so hard next time, okay? You BRIAREOS: [as Brandon] -might make my other body parts fall off. I hate having to stich them on again all the time. FANG: So Reg Shoe is a good mate of Brandon then? > could make a nice guy really jealous." He caught a brief glimpse of > her smile, then followed Rod and Tate into the barracks. SOKAKU: [as Brandon] Hmm... I wonder if I can get Rod to drop the soap again? > > From the window of his office, located in the main adminsitrative > building > of Powell Base, General Birshbaum watched as the group of pilots and > workers returned. BRIAREOS: Isn't this the same General Birshbaum that confessed he couldn't stand to see any more of his pilots going to their deaths? Why didn't he resign? He seemed dangerously close to mental breakdown. FANG: I guess he must've gotten better. > "Amazing. Even in the midst of all this work they have time for > a game." Lt. Toni Valdivia, his assistant, spoke up. "Well, you > suggested that FANG: [as Toni] -they should 'get a life'. > they should take some free time, sir." She adjusted her glasses on > her delicate face. "By the way..." SOKAKU: [as Toni husikly] I'm free tonight. You can watch me adjust a lot more than my glasses! FANG: Sokaku, you really need to get out of the house more. > Birshbaum turned around to face her. "Yes, I know, Toni. The > gift from > Santa is arriving today." [All sit there stunned for a moment.] FANG: Isn't he a little too old to believe in SANTA? BRIAREOS: [as Brishbaum] Dear Santa, can I have a little brother? SOKAKU: [as Santa] You can have one of my kids, just ask the female elves. Try the '75 vintage 'ho. > Toni handed him the datapad she held. Taking it, the General sat > down and > mulled over the information. SOKAKU: Can he do that in mixed company?? > Finally, he placed it on his desk and > leaned back in his chair. "I just don't understand those beaurocrats. > Who in their right minds would want to test a new Mobile Suit right > near the doorstep of the Jion Republic?" BRIAREOS: The Earth federation, the Titans, any incompetent military organisation. For example, any earth based one. > "It's not as bad as it seems, sir. Konpeii Island is closer to > Side 3 FANG: [as Brishbaum]-'s Mt. Thomas colony. They need as many GMs as possible to keep order in that lawless country colony. SOKAKU: So Side 3 is Victoria? FANG: Yes. SOKAKU: Jeff Kennett IS Degin Zabi! > than we are. They have a lot more men and hardware than we do. > Besides, Brite Noah is delivering the MS himself." > Birshbaum sat upright. "You mean _Captain_ Brite Noah, Lt." > "Yessir. Along with technical consultants from Jaburo and > Anaheim > Electronics." > "Anaheim?" FANG: Anaheim. BRIAREOS: Anaheim? FANG: Anaheim. BRIAREOS: Anaheim. FANG: Anaheim? SOKAKU: If Nina is among those technical consultants then I will self-destruct! Annoying *beep*! > "The word is that they're interested in Mobile Suit design and > construction." > Rubbing his jaw, Birshbaum gave a slight nod. "I see...Lt., get > on the > horn right now. ALL: Ewwww! > Inform _everyone_ on this base about the incoming BRIAREOS: -plot contrivance. > shuttle and what's on it. I'll give them a detailed report after it > docks and the cargo is unloaded. By the way, are you sure about the > name?" SOKAKU: [as Birshbaum] I mean, 'The Prid of Ankh-Morpak'? > "It's definite, sir. The shuttle is not the Goddard; it's the > Mongeluzzo." Toni saluted the General and left. BRIAREOS: Thank you for that entirely uniformative sentence, Toni. I'm sure we could have worked out that it's NOT the Goddard ourselves! > > The layout of Powell Base was typical of any major military > center. In > one area were the main buildings, dealing with intelligence, BRIAREOS: In a major military center? [laughs] > administration, communications, and training classes. Next to these > were the barracks for the pilots and enlisted men, another for the SOKAKU: -Star Wars Episode 1 toys. > mechamen and secondary workers, and finally, barracks for the new > cadets. The hangers for the Mobile Suits stood at a distance, but > were surrounded by a network of roads and landing pads for helicopters > and VTOL aircraft. > It was the MS hangers that Brandon DeCessno ALL: [laugh] FANG: What kind of name is DeCessno? It sounds like a car. > was heading to. The > time was FANG: -meaningless as the 'fic dragged on and on. > almost noon, Universal Mean Time, and air was crisp. It seemed more > like a cool spring day in his native Pennsylvania; it didn't seem like > climate befitting a thirty-kilometer long cylinder. > Rod Kane and Tate Haymes were with him. All three were dressed in SOKAKU: -giant bunny suits. > > Federation khakis, but Rod was the one who held the rank pins of Lt. > Commander. > Even though Tate was twenty-seven, the same age as Rod and five years > older > than Brandon, he had only joined up with the EMF recently. Brandon, > for his part, was a full Lieutenant. FANG: The Brass had gotten bored and deceided on random promotions for everyone! > Already they could hear the sounds of heavy machinery as they SOKAKU: -approached the Rammstein concert. > neared the > hangers. The complex was the largest part of the base, holding almost BRIAREOS: -all of the fat, lardo generals. > thirty-five Mobile Suits, with an additional twenty if needed. The > trio walked through the large doors of the first hanger and looked > around. > It resembled a vision out of twentieth-century science-fiction. ALL: [monotone] Please stop your very funny puns. My sides are splitting. > People > scurried around the six giant forms that stood encased by support > gantries: the eighteen-meter tall humaniod machines called Mobile > Suits. Brandon recognized his GM Commando immediatly; it carried an SOKAKU: -giant dunce hat. > insignia of a stylized falcon on its torso. SOKAKU: So he's Clan Jade Falcon? > The access hatches of the > MS were all open, giving the impression that the Suit was falling > apart. FANG: Imagine his suprise when in fact, it DID fall apart! > Beside the Commando was Rod's bright red GunCannon, having its SOKAKU: WHAT? A GunCannon? So Rod has a prototype MS that wasn't massproduced until 0083? Unless he's using an MSV design. Huh. > right cannon replaced. It had given Rod a few problems the last time > they had gone out. > Tate Haymes' own Suit was at the very end of the line. It was a > GM Custom, > a model introduced only recently. It resembed a normal GM, but had a > different color and styling. In Brandon's opinion, it could FANG: -look really nice if they painted it pink. > outperform a Commando, but Tate still needed some more flight time to > make it do that. > "Well, fellas," said Rod over the noise, "Let's take a look-see." SOKAKU: That's when Rod pulled out the December edition of Penthouse! > Each man headed to his respective Suit. As Brandon approached > his, he > caught sight of the dark-haired woman BRIAREOS: (slowly) SHE... HAS... DARK... HAIR. FANG: That's enough. >who was wearing the orange SOKAKU: -bikini. > uniform typical of the mechamen on the base. She was helping out two BRIAREOS: Should they be doing that in public? FANG: Only you and Sokaku could transform a completely innocent statement into something like that! > more mechamen on the Commando. He walked up behind her and quickly > covered her eyes with his hands. ALL: [clap] Bravo, bravo. Who didn't see that coming? > The woman gave a yelp and turned around, her face hard in anger. > the > expression softened when she saw him. BRIAREOS: (as woman) Oh you! You pathetic wimp. > "Hi, Arlene," Brandon said. "Miss me?" BRIAREOS: (as Arlene) No, but just so you know I've been having wild animal sex with a male model. > Not caring about the looks of surprise, Arlene Halford placed her > arms SOKAKU: -around his throat and throttled him. Brandon then said "I feel sick" > around Brandon's waist and kissed him full on the mouth. She had to SOKAKU: -kneel in him the crown jewels in order to get him off her. > stretch up a bit to do it; he was a few centimeters taller than she > was. All around them, the place became silent, and from his perch on > the MS elevator, Rod Kane shook his head and chuckled. BRIAREOS: (as Rod) Ha ha ha, she does that with everyone... the skank. > Finally, she stepped back. "Yeah," she replied, "I did." Behind > her the > two mechamen snickered. SOKAKU: (as mechamen) She's got a tongue like an electric eel and we love it! > Brandon's face turned beet-red. "Ah, you can say that again. FANG: (as Arlene "ditzy") Yeah, I did. He he he. > How's the > woman here?" He patted the GM's massive foot and glanced up at the SOKAKU: (as Brandon) Wow, I can see up it's skirt! > machine. > "Well, it's ready for another systems check. Are you taking it > out again?" Brandon nodded as they headed for the elevator. BRIAREOS: (as Brandon) Yes, I was thinking of that delightful french restaurant down the road and then I'll take the GM back to my place for some 'system checking' of our own heh heh. > "Yeah, it's another patrol > for me, Rod, and Tate." He waited for her to get in and pushed the up > button. SOKAKU: (as Hitomi) Push the button, Yoshi! > Arlene regarded him with piercing grey eyes. "It seems that's all > you ever > do." FANG: You mean push buttons? What a boring life. > "I know, I know. But, that's the orders from the top. Until the > guys at SOKAKU: -the strip joint come back and it's our turn, we're stuck here. FANG: Sokaku... > Jaburo are certain that no Jions are going to try anything, I'll still > be heading out there." Leaving the elevator, the two crossed over to > the GM's cockpit, which was open. Brandon eased himself into the > pilot's seat and checked the APUs. FANG: Nahasapeemapetlion? > He then gripped both control > levers, let them go, and flicked on a few switches. Putting a > communications headseat on, he tuned it to the right frequency and SOKAKU: As opposed to the left frequency? > indicated to Arlene that he was about to close the hatch. She stepped > back, and the hatch shut with a faint whisper. ALL: [make 'psstt' sound] > Brandon activated the > main moniter screens, and saw everything displayed. FANG: (as Brandon) Wow, they really DO get all the channels here. SOKAKU: (as Brandon) Now where's the Playboy channel? > "Okay, ready." > "All right. Ah, main sensor." > "Main sensor check. Green." SOKAKU: [as Arlene] Strange, it's mauve. > "Main engine." > "Main engine check. All main engine systems read green." FANG: [as Arlene] Heheheh, they won't read green once the bomb I planted in there goes off. > "Beam sa--" BRIAREOS: [as Arlene] Ewww. Put your 'beam saber' away, you'll poke someone's eye out with that thing! > That was as far as Arlene got, because a message came over the > headset. FANG: "This is human resources director Catbert. If you were born on a day with an R in it, then you're fired. If you were born on a day with Y in it, your wage has been cut by half. Have a nice day." > "Attention. All personnel, please report to Docking Bay 4 in fifteen > minutes. Repeat, all personnel please report to Docking Bay 4 in > fifteen minutes..." > Brandon took off the headset and opened the hatch. As he stepped > out, ALL: How nice. How overly descriptive. > Arlene asked, "What's going on?" ALL: That's what we want to know! > "Beats me. But let's go." As they headed for the elevator, > Brandon heard > Rod calling up to him. "What is it?" he replied. FANG: It was an announcement. But thats not important now. > "Tate's gonna grab an jeep for us, so hurry!" > "Okay!" All around the hanger, tools were carefully put away, > machines > were turned off, and people were heading out toward the main docking > areas of the colony. FANG: So they packed up and headed to the docking bays? BRIAREOS: Yes. > When the elevator reached ground level, Brandon > and Arlene joined Rod and the three sprinted over to Tate, who sat > waiting in a jeep. As soon as they jumped in, he put the accelerator > to the floor and the jeep took off with a squeal of rubber. FANG: So Brandon and Arlene joined Rod at ground level and ran over to Tate's jeep and then they all took off in the jeep with a squeal of rubber? BRIAREOS: Yes. Remember, brevity is your friend. This message is brought to by the Brevity Council. Call us for a brief today. > "I guess it's been quite a while since you've done this, Captain." > Brite Noah nodded as he glanced at the instruments then at his > co-pilot, SOKAKU: -a ravishing blonde. They were in the captain's cabin with a bottle of fine red wine. You know what they say about Sailors and long trips. FANG: [sighs] > Ensign Jeremy Massari. "It is," he replied. > Jeremy looked at his Captain and then looked out the foward window > of the BRIAREOS: No-one will be seated during the gripping and thrilling "glancing at the Captain and then the forward window" scene! The director requests that you do not reveal the conclusion of this gripping scene to your friends! > transport shuttle Mongeluzzo. He was trying not to be excited, but it > was hard: ALL: Put that thing away! You'll poke someone's eye out! > Here he was, a co-pilot to the legenday Brite Noah of the > White Base! The heroic Commander of the One-Year War! The thought > subsided briefly as he watched on of the giant docking hatches of > Rutherford slowly open. Guidance lights appeared, and a voice came > over the communications net. SOKAKU: [as voice] My name is Gepernich. You will be unable to resist my dreams, samples. > "Transport shuttle, please identify yourself." SOKAKU: [as Brite] This is the 'Prid of Ankh-Morphak'. Prepare to die you Klatchian dog-eater! > Brite answered, "This is the Mongeluzzo, arriving from the North > Pole with > Santa's gift." BRIAREOS: (as Santa) Ah, those stinking kids on Rutherford never sent me any stinking letters. Coal for all of them! SOKAKU: Hey, wait a minute.... The RX-78NT in 0080 was deleveried to Side ? from the North Pole at Christmas time! BRIAREOS: Well, at least it won't be an Anaheim Gundam. And there won't be any Nina hopefully. > There was a brief silence, then a response. SOKAKU: [as voice] Some sheep's eyeballs, Captain? FANG: [as Brite] Oh, we're playing 'let's see what Effendi will eat' again! Well, I won't fall for it. > "Acknowledged, > Mongeluzzo. > You are cleared for docking. Welcome to Rutherford, Captain Noah." > "Thank you," Brite said. "Commencing docking sequence." SOKAKU: (as Mirai huskily) Ooohhh, dock with ME, Brite! > With a few bursts of its thrusters, the Mongeluzzo approached the > cavernous > bay. Brite turned to Jeremy and asked, "Ensign, why don't you go back > there and tell our guests that we've arrived." BRIAREOS: [as Jeremy shouting] HEY! YOU DOWN THE BACK, WE'VE ARRIVED! FANG: [as Brite] That wasn't quite what I meant, Jeremy. > "Yessir." Jeremy slipped off his seat restraints and floated out > of the > cockpit. When he was gone, Brite sat back and let the shuttle drift > in, then transferred control to the laser guidance bunch in the > colony. His thoughts were all over the place: on Mirai, on Amuro, SOKAKU: And their last shore leave when they all did a fair bit of "docking" themselves. >on > the current state of the Federation, and other things. But his > biggest concern lay with the cargo in the Mongeluzzo's cargo bay. > I don't care how safe it looks out here, he thought to himself, > but the > _least_ those idiots could have done was test the damn thing on Earth. SOKAKU: Gee, I wonder what the Jions will do? FANG: This is such an overused setup. > Or better yet, they should never have rebuilt it. > The vibrations of docking latches came through the shuttle's hull. > Docking > was complete. BRIAREOS: Well, that was quick. SOKAKU: But did Brite leave Mirai sat- FANG: Sokak! You've milked that enough! [To be continued in part 3] ----------- MSTer's notes: You couldn't find a more generic fanfic at Bi-Lo. It's got waaaaayyy too much detail that could easily be shortned. I get the feeling Marc Mckenzie wanted this to be a 1,000 page magnum opus, most first time fanfic authors are like that (myself included). It's pretty good, all things considered. ---------- Stinger: Birshbaum turned around to face her. "Yes, I know, Toni. The gift from Santa is arriving today."