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<ooc> XD
The dockmaster informed Harpo that he was wanted in the commander's office as soon as possible. This wasn't exactly news since he had only docked here at Smitten's request. As always, as soon as he stepped into any stations' corridors he wanted to get back in his ship and get back into the open of space.
These were not ITAN's formal offices but a small office in an out-of-the-way station, convienent for meetings. Harpo checked his pockets, he had what he needed.
The one sentry waved him straight in. Smitten's office, or the one he used when he was here, was a small and uninviting space with a desk and one chair. The absense of a second chair was not a problem for Harpo as he had been sitting for hours and preferred to stand anyway.
Smitten's turned away from the data screen on his desk. "I'll get right to the point" he said, while making a tent with his fingers and placed his elbows on the desk. "It has come to my attention that you have been, shall we say, *augmenting* our ship's navigation software again." He leaned forward for emphasis "I thought we resolved this last year."
Harpo tried to look nervous. He knew what Smitten's beef was before his summons even arrived because of some of the *augmentation* he had done. If Smitten's only knew...
He realized that he almost started to smile and tried to put the nervous act back on. Smittens had turned away in the swivel chair and was rising so didn't notice. Smitten's looked about six foot five as he strode forward, but Harpo knew he was only six foot three. He looked to his commanders belt and saw what he was hoping to find, the small emmiter for a Personal Holographic Projector. He was relieved to see that the PHP was a Happy Graphics model 799, just what he had heard. PHPs had become fashionable recently and Harpo could understand why. Slight alterations of appearance were done manualy all the time, why not with one of these beauties? Never have a bad hair day again. Got a last minute dinner date? No need to make her wait while you go home and change, just select what cloths to project over your cloths from the menu...
"and if I ever find you messing about in our secure computer systems again...." Smitten's was on a roll, but Harpo was too excited to listen, he would just nod and act defeated and nervous and he'd read later what he nodded agreement to from his personal log. He estimated that the tirade would be over in about three minutes, so he reached into his pocket and pressed the small button on the side of the device he'd brought.
One really interesting tidbit of information Harpo picked up from the brochure for the Happy Graphics 799, and that of other PHPs, was the fact that the wearer could not see the changes that other's were shown. That little fact had given him his little idea.
Smittens was winding down now, his anger spent. He assigned Harpo to patrol in Itani space for a week which was boring, and a lot like exile, but Harpo thought this would be worth it.
A small beep came from Harpo's pocket, which went unnoticed by Smittens as he was walking back to his desk. Harpo knew what it ment; that his update to the PHP's firmware was complete. Smittens was six foot three again, the PHP was restarting...
The change was sudden. A good 550 pounds was added to Smitten's reduced stature. Jowels which could each contain a large rodent flapped as the commander spoke. Harpo coughed to cover up his own reaction and kept his head down, coughing some more. Since the lecture was over Harpo heard himself dismissed by the commander. He coughed while leaving the office and until he was far enough away to start running...
*********
Safe in space again with his communications system off line, he knew Smitten's would be initially angry, but would calm down when he looked at the controls for the PHP and would see that Harpo had just changed the settings. He'd put it back to something nicer, decide to use the built-in password feature, and the incident would be recorded as the 'small prank' that it was, if it was recorded at all, which seemed more likely. Time would pass and the incident would be nearly forgotten.
Harpo usually didn't like to attend the ITAN annual banquet which was coming up in 15 days, but this year he just couldn't wait....
These were not ITAN's formal offices but a small office in an out-of-the-way station, convienent for meetings. Harpo checked his pockets, he had what he needed.
The one sentry waved him straight in. Smitten's office, or the one he used when he was here, was a small and uninviting space with a desk and one chair. The absense of a second chair was not a problem for Harpo as he had been sitting for hours and preferred to stand anyway.
Smitten's turned away from the data screen on his desk. "I'll get right to the point" he said, while making a tent with his fingers and placed his elbows on the desk. "It has come to my attention that you have been, shall we say, *augmenting* our ship's navigation software again." He leaned forward for emphasis "I thought we resolved this last year."
Harpo tried to look nervous. He knew what Smitten's beef was before his summons even arrived because of some of the *augmentation* he had done. If Smitten's only knew...
He realized that he almost started to smile and tried to put the nervous act back on. Smittens had turned away in the swivel chair and was rising so didn't notice. Smitten's looked about six foot five as he strode forward, but Harpo knew he was only six foot three. He looked to his commanders belt and saw what he was hoping to find, the small emmiter for a Personal Holographic Projector. He was relieved to see that the PHP was a Happy Graphics model 799, just what he had heard. PHPs had become fashionable recently and Harpo could understand why. Slight alterations of appearance were done manualy all the time, why not with one of these beauties? Never have a bad hair day again. Got a last minute dinner date? No need to make her wait while you go home and change, just select what cloths to project over your cloths from the menu...
"and if I ever find you messing about in our secure computer systems again...." Smitten's was on a roll, but Harpo was too excited to listen, he would just nod and act defeated and nervous and he'd read later what he nodded agreement to from his personal log. He estimated that the tirade would be over in about three minutes, so he reached into his pocket and pressed the small button on the side of the device he'd brought.
One really interesting tidbit of information Harpo picked up from the brochure for the Happy Graphics 799, and that of other PHPs, was the fact that the wearer could not see the changes that other's were shown. That little fact had given him his little idea.
Smittens was winding down now, his anger spent. He assigned Harpo to patrol in Itani space for a week which was boring, and a lot like exile, but Harpo thought this would be worth it.
A small beep came from Harpo's pocket, which went unnoticed by Smittens as he was walking back to his desk. Harpo knew what it ment; that his update to the PHP's firmware was complete. Smittens was six foot three again, the PHP was restarting...
The change was sudden. A good 550 pounds was added to Smitten's reduced stature. Jowels which could each contain a large rodent flapped as the commander spoke. Harpo coughed to cover up his own reaction and kept his head down, coughing some more. Since the lecture was over Harpo heard himself dismissed by the commander. He coughed while leaving the office and until he was far enough away to start running...
*********
Safe in space again with his communications system off line, he knew Smitten's would be initially angry, but would calm down when he looked at the controls for the PHP and would see that Harpo had just changed the settings. He'd put it back to something nicer, decide to use the built-in password feature, and the incident would be recorded as the 'small prank' that it was, if it was recorded at all, which seemed more likely. Time would pass and the incident would be nearly forgotten.
Harpo usually didn't like to attend the ITAN annual banquet which was coming up in 15 days, but this year he just couldn't wait....
... a few days later, in an empty corner of Deneb, Harpo was keeping his ship still when another ship warped in. It appeared as a red dot but he didn't fire. His sensors gave him the ship's and captain's name, and he was relieved to see that he came alone as agreed. The ship approached to within 1000 meters and stopped.
"First the money, as agreed" came the transmission. Harpo authorized the transfer of funds without hesitation. "Confirmed, money received" came the transmission. A small cargo container was ejected from the other ship, then the ship moved off slowly away from Harpo. Harpo moved forward and using the ship's grapples, brought the pachage on board.
"A pleasure doing business with you" Harpo sent to the other ship.
"I just need to ask, why did you want such a worthless thing brought to you this way. It's not even an illegal trade item" the other captain asked.
"Sorry I can't say at this time, but watch the news religiously next week. And please remember that I'm payning not just for this delivery, but for you to keep quiet about this, at least for two weeks" came Harpo's reply, then he activated his jump engine and was gone....
"First the money, as agreed" came the transmission. Harpo authorized the transfer of funds without hesitation. "Confirmed, money received" came the transmission. A small cargo container was ejected from the other ship, then the ship moved off slowly away from Harpo. Harpo moved forward and using the ship's grapples, brought the pachage on board.
"A pleasure doing business with you" Harpo sent to the other ship.
"I just need to ask, why did you want such a worthless thing brought to you this way. It's not even an illegal trade item" the other captain asked.
"Sorry I can't say at this time, but watch the news religiously next week. And please remember that I'm payning not just for this delivery, but for you to keep quiet about this, at least for two weeks" came Harpo's reply, then he activated his jump engine and was gone....
I *really* didn't want to interrupt this thread... it's *great*!
but the title... it drew me in, and *made* me do this (and it's me in the photo, btw - uh, doing the carrying - rather how I got my nick... so there is a linkage)
but the title... it drew me in, and *made* me do this (and it's me in the photo, btw - uh, doing the carrying - rather how I got my nick... so there is a linkage)
Haha! Brilliant.
That just ain't natural...
But funny as hell.
But funny as hell.
Tandem jumping in general is unnatural =P
Uh... only *sometimes* Lecterious... (okay, most times...) But, I think I am going to be one "interesting" ancient at the old folks home...
*big sigh*...
See... I derailed the thread a bit... didn't mean to...
Please continue! (and sorry for the interruption)
*big sigh*...
See... I derailed the thread a bit... didn't mean to...
Please continue! (and sorry for the interruption)
Thread's actually over. This chapter is closed!
Continue on to the next exciting episode over here.
Continue on to the next exciting episode over here.