Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 7c
                               Chapter 2

[Ed. Note: These posts came in interspersed with the ones in Part 1,
but have been separated here for ease of reading since they all occur
after the wedding.]

Subject: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Fri, 18 Jan 2002 13:34:51 -0500
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010683

     One week after the wedding...
     Michael Seven held the child to his chest, wrapped snugly in the
black and silver knit technomage blanket that kept a close eye on the
temperature of the baby and made sure it was always at an optimum
setting for the infant's health.
     Standing at the peak of a mountain in the Swiss Alps, Michael
knew the machine had its work cut out for it, were it not for the
identical vest and belt around his waist that essentially did the same
for him and them both, respectively.
     Thus, while it was a cold, sunny, April day there, they felt
quite comfortable.
     A series of glowing spheres of various colors spun slowly around
their heads, shimmering and rippling like water. The baby was held,
entranced by them, occasionally reaching toward them, wanting to hold
them.
     Michael smiled at the baby in his arms, and said quietly,
"Someday, David, this will all be yours."
     He ran a finger around the delicate bonework around the back of
the infant's head, the faint red hair barely visible around it, and
beeped the tiny nose. David's eyes, one black, one amber, crossed to
watch the finger, then gurgled gleefully.
     Mike continued, saying, "And your sisters' and your niece's, and
your cousin's. And anyone else's that joins the clan by the time I'm
gone beyond the veil."
     The infant started to frown at him.
     Michael smiled, slipping into a singsong voice, "But don't you
worry, that day's a long way coming. I've lived for three hundred and
sixteen years, I've got a few millenia left in me yet."
     The baby squealed happily. Michael chuckled.
     "Well, we came up here to figure out how to do what I have to do
next and here I've been playing games with you instead. But, I guess
that's really what it boils down to, doesn't it? It's my time to relax
and play a few games."
     David yawned in Michael's arms and lulled his head to one side,
closing his eyes.
     Michael looked at him for a few moments, then looked heavenward.
"Nick, run program, 'Showoff One.'" He kissed David's forehead, "No
time like the present, as they say."
     Michael turned his mind toward the Lens-Link, focusing on all the
Army of Light members in turn, then sent out a call to each.
     /If you have a moment, I need to talk to you all in the Place,/
he sent simply. After a brief moment of consideration, Mike looked at
David, wrapped snugly in the technomage blanket, and sent that image
and the addendum, /It's good and bad-ish news. This is the good. The
bad-ish you'll have worked out by the time you get there, I suspect./
     In the Place, an X-window opened onto the view of a solar panel.
A green blueprint of a sphere composed of solar panels appeared, then
disappeared after a few seconds. The view turned 180 degrees, showing
the panel was part of a series of panels running off into the
darkness.
     No stars were visible as the view ran along the length of the
panels, gradually pulling away from them over about five seconds until
they were no longer visible to the eye, then turned to focus on a
light source, a star the size of Earth's sun, as seen from the
asteroid belt.
     The X-window sped toward the star, then bypassed it, arcing
outward to a small blue-green planet with rather recognizable
features, those of earth. Moving further inward toward central Europe,
then toward a mountain range before finally arcing around a particular
mountain, the portal finally stopped before a familiar figure standing
at the summit holding a small bundle.
     Grinning, Mike stepped through the X-window only to be met by
Michael Callahan with a bottle of formula and a glass of Jolt Cola.
     "On the house," Callahan said in a low rumble, "Let's me get
first look at the kid, too." Michael Seven smiled and accepted
gratefully.
     David stirred briefly in his arms then went back to sleep as Mike
sat down to await the gathering.
     Once everyone had arrived, Mike kept it simple, "Well, he said,
first off, introductions. This is David Marcus Seven. Named after
David, Flarn's brother and Marcus, a mutual friend who passed on a few
years before the wedding. Some of you may know alternates of him.
     "I've never held one of my own children in my arms like this
before, not at this young an age. Tink was five when she 'came into
the world', the twins were twenty. Molly was, well, I never held her
until she was an adult, too. I know not everyone subscribes to what
I'm about to say, and I'm not faulting anyone for it, but I personally
just can't look at his face and then go off risking my life anymore.
I'm not worried about protecting him or anything, I'm not worried
about not coming home one day, I just don't want to miss anything.
It's time I retired, folks, stepped down as whatever the heck I am in
this bunch and got to some other business that's been drawing my mind
further and further away from personally going out and stomping bad
guys and more towards helping good guys in ways they can't
themselves."
     Mike jerked his thumb towards the X-window. "The earth in there
is one of several orbitting suns like the one outside, powering my new
TARDIS. One of them's called the garden, the entire useable surface of
which is turned into agricultural land. I had an urge to feed the
hungry, so I found an empty Earth and turned it into a farming planet.
I've got another one for medical plants, and three that just grow
wild. Mostly to help with biodiversity and endangered species, though
one was from a reality where apparently the Loch Ness monster and Big
Foot were real. That's been a ball to study," Mike added with a
child's grin.
     "All the problems I grew up with as a kid and couldn't do a thing
about. I know every world I help is just a drop in the bucket, but
it's something I need to do." He looks down at David, "I don't want
him growing up to be as calloused as I was. Just because it's not
going to change everything doesn't mean it shouldn't be done."
     Mike looked up at the rest of the Callahaners, "So that's my
speech. We'll be by to visit every chance we get." He cleared his
throat, sounding a bit hoarse, then laughed, "God that sounds lame.
Someone else take over and spare me further embarrassment."
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Sat, 19 Jan 2002 02:54:52 -0800
Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00010687

>On Fri, 18 Jan 2002 13:34:51 -0500
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010683
>
>     Grinning, Mike stepped through the X-window only to be met by
>Michael Callahan with a bottle of formula and a glass of Jolt Cola.
>     "On the house," Callahan said in a low rumble, "Let's me get
>first look at the kid, too." Michael Seven smiled and accepted
>gratefully.
>     David stirred briefly in his arms then went back to sleep as
>Mike sat down to await the gathering.

Harlock, a portion of his newly-expanded consciousness (OOC: more on
this later, folx) focused on the Place at all times, noted the arrival
of several members of the CAoL. Curious, he chanted a spell of
transport to join in on the action.

>     "I've never held one of my own children in my arms like this
>before, not at this young an age. Tink was five when she 'came into
>the world', the twins were twenty. Molly was, well, I never held her
>until she was an adult, too. I know not everyone subscribes to what
>I'm about to say, and I'm not faulting anyone for it, but I
>personally just can't look at his face and then go off risking my
>life anymore. I'm not worried about protecting him or anything, I'm
>not worried about not coming home one day, I just don't want to miss
>anything. It's time I retired, folks, stepped down as whatever the
>heck I am in this bunch and got to some other business that's been
>drawing my mind further and further away from personally going out
>and stomping bad guys and more towards helping good guys in ways they
>can't themselves."

The Bard nods. "I felt much the same way when Erindrea was born. Were
it not for the fact that people kept kidnapping her as leverage on me,
I would have stayed retired until she reached her majority, methinks,
nor would I have fostered her out to another's care, particularly not
to people on another plane. Many things have I regretted in my life,
Michael Seven, but spending time with my family has never been one of
them."

>     "All the problems I grew up with as a kid and couldn't do a
>thing about. I know every world I help is just a drop in the bucket,
>but it's something I need to do." He looks down at David, "I don't
>want him growing up to be as calloused as I was. Just because it's
>not going to change everything doesn't mean it shouldn't be done."

The Bard's eyes soften. "The most heroic deeds almost always go
unnoted. The farmer who stands up to a robber makes not so good a
ballad as the knight who squares off against a dragon, yet the former
happens far more often and, in many ways, requires more courage than
the latter." His expression grows wry as he continues. "The farmer
also has better odds of surviving, but then we sing not the praises of
knights who get themselves burnt to a crisp."

"Still, there is an all-too-common tendency to let somebody else deal
with the problems that anybody could handle, and it requires a sort of
quiet heroism to 'buck the trend,' I believe the expression is? My
congratulations, Michael, on deciding to do what you can, even though
you know it can never be 'enough.' If everybody thought as you do, it
would be."

Looking down at the child, still sleeping in his father's arms,
Harlock smiles and speaks again. "I would grant you the gift of song,
child, but that is no longer mine to give. Instead, I grant you the
performer's knack. Henceforth, you shall be ever at your best when you
have an audience."
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Sun, 20 Jan 2002 15:34:35 -0800
Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00010692

>On Fri, 18 Jan 2002 13:34:51 -0500
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010683
>
>     Michael turned his mind toward the Lens-Link, focusing on all
>the Army of Light members in turn, then sent out a call to each.
>     /If you have a moment, I need to talk to you all in the Place,/
>he sent simply. After a brief moment of consideration, Mike looked at
>David, wrapped snugly in the technomage blanket, and sent that image
>and the addendum, /It's good and bad-ish news. This is the good. The
>bad-ish you'll have worked out by the time you get there, I suspect./

   Your Fearless (and Clueless 8^) Leader just blinked and went, /Huh?
Er, okay, be right there, your timing's good, as it turns out. The Bad
Guys seem to be taking some time off,/ he adds with a bit of pride,
/after a lot of getting trounced lately./
   (OOC: Of course, he's a dad too, only he's still at the adventuring
thing, so the logical leap just doesn't occur to him. 8^)

*Daddy? We go Place?* a gentle, young feminine voice sent.

*Ooh, ooh, go Place!* an even gentler young male voice added.

   *Sure thing, kids, just give Daddy a second to update UNTIL and
I'll be right there,* Roland replied.

"*Mom? Want to come and help ride herd on the terrible
not-quite-twos?*" Folx get the impression that Morgan knows Caitlin
doesn't need much of an excuse to go to Callahan's.

*Aye, sure, just let me tell this maniac to slow down his "iron hog"
tae let me get off. "Seeker, will ye stop this thing before ye kill us
both? I have tae go anyway." There, be right with ye as soon as I say
farewell properly.*

Roland and Morgan exchanged a look. "Properly?" Morgan mouths to
Roland.

   Roland shrugged. *Seeker, there something you want to tell me?*
   *No,* Seeker responded simply, and the connection cut off.
   Moments later the five (two Freelance Immortals, two irrepressible
and precocious toddlers, and one kick-butt grandma) arrived in the
Place.

Long-Drink let out an appreciative whistle at the sight of the lady in
the (tasteful) biker leathers. "Morgan, you've been holding out on us!
I didn't know you had a sister!"

Caitlin laughed. "Flatterer. Ye're a bit late though, ye
blarney-kisser. I never get mixed up with more than five at a time."

Long Drink boggled at this, adding half a shot of Scotch to his
barrel. "Ye're kidding." He turned to Morgan. "She _is_ kidding, isn't
she?"

Morgan just smiled innocently. "Me ma's adapting very nicely to the
21st Century."

>     Grinning, Mike stepped through the X-window only to be met by
>Michael Callahan with a bottle of formula and a glass of Jolt Cola.
>     "On the house," Callahan said in a low rumble, "Let's me get
>first look at the kid, too." Michael Seven smiled and accepted
>gratefully.

   "/No fool, our Mike,/" Roland chuckled. "/Either of 'em./"
   The twins "ooh! baby!" in unison and immediately zipped over to
Mike and David, hovering at a discreet distance. (Well, Rachel _could_
afford to be a _little_ more discreet. 8^) They seem to have a decent
sense of personal space (again, Liam more than Rachel) and Mike
wouldn't be in danger of "tripping" over them even if he had strictly
human reflexes.

>     David stirred briefly in his arms then went back to sleep as
>Mike sat down to await the gathering.

"quiet, honey, baby sleeping," Morgan said softly but firmly. The
twins nodded gravely, and again in perfect unison, holding fingers to
their lips with the deep seriousness only children can have. Then they
went right back to staring intently at David.

>     Once everyone had arrived, Mike kept it simple, "Well, he said,
>first off, introductions. This is David Marcus Seven. Named after
>David, Flarn's brother and Marcus, a mutual friend who passed on a
>few years before the wedding. Some of you may know alternates of him.

   Roland nodded, suppressing a desire to salute. Morgan smiled.

>     "I've never held one of my own children in my arms like this
>before, not at this young an age. Tink was five when she 'came into
>the world', the twins were twenty. Molly was, well, I never held her
>until she was an adult, too. I know not everyone subscribes to what
>I'm about to say, and I'm not faulting anyone for it, but I
>personally just can't look at his face and then go off risking my
>life anymore. I'm not worried about protecting him or anything, I'm
>not worried about not coming home one day, I just don't want to miss
>anything. It's time I retired, folks, stepped down as whatever the
>heck I am in this bunch and got to some other business that's been
>drawing my mind further and further away from personally going out
>and stomping bad guys and more towards helping good guys in ways they
>can't themselves."

   Roland grew thoughtful, considering this for a long moment. "I envy
you," he finally said. "My home world has plenty of...entities...that
have chosen evil, and not a few of them want a piece of me personally.
It looks like your personal demons have been laid to rest.
   "I admit, there's a great deal of satisfaction to be had, being a
symbol for something better, but..." he looked at the twins, hovering
gleefully around Mike. "...if I had that option, there's a good chance
I'd take it."

"We could probably find a quiet reality where our enemies would never
find us," Morgan noted quietly. "But it wouldn't be home."

   Roland nodded. "And it would be leaving 'home' at the mercy of..."
he trailed off, the rest of the thought speaking for itself.

"Exactly."

>     Mike jerked his thumb towards the X-window. "The earth in there
>is one of several orbitting suns like the one outside, powering my
>new TARDIS. One of them's called the garden, the entire useable
>surface of which is turned into agricultural land. I had an urge to
>feed the hungry, so I found an empty Earth and turned it into a
>farming planet. I've got another one for medical plants, and three
>that just grow wild. Mostly to help with biodiversity and endangered
>species, though one was from a reality where apparently the Loch Ness
>monster and Big Foot were real. That's been a ball to study," Mike
>added with a child's grin.

   Roland chuckled. "Bigfoot? He's not a bionic creation, is he?" At
Morgan's bemused expression, he added by way of explanation, "I was a
fan of the Six Million Dollar Man as a kid. Long story, short version,
Bigfoot kept nosy hikers away from an alien enclave."

"Of course," Morgan replied, keeping her expression even.

>     "All the problems I grew up with as a kid and couldn't do a
>thing about. I know every world I help is just a drop in the bucket,
>but it's something I need to do." He looks down at David, "I don't
>want him growing up to be as calloused as I was. Just because it's
>not going to change everything doesn't mean it shouldn't be done."
>     Mike looked up at the rest of the Callahaners, "So that's my
>speech. We'll be by to visit every chance we get." He cleared his
>throat, sounding a bit hoarse, then laughed, "God that sounds lame.
>Someone else take over and spare me further embarrassment."

   Roland favored Mike with a lopsided grin. "That," he said with
conviction, "sounds like my cue. Though I should give you a little
grief for sticking me with being in charge of this travelling disaster
area and then bailing." He pauses for a beat. "There, that's done." He
winks.
   "Now then, to the mushy stuff." Roland spun a chair around and sat
down, arms leaning on the chair back. "First of all, we've seen what
happens when someone tries to change everything at once." As a
reference to those unfamiliar with the incident, Roland opens an
X-Window to the closing events of AAE IV.
   (OOC: I'll do the same here:
http://silver-gateway.com/caol/chapters.shtml#part-4 -- the finale in
particular, for those interested)
   "You're doing plenty -- and more than most of us, at that. Second.
Parenthood changes everything, as Morgan and I can attest. You don't
see it much with us, but we do understand how it goes. He's going to
be the center of your universe, and that's only right. Finally." He
gestured around, at the Place and the CAoL. "Don't be a stranger,
okay? We've already got one of those." He smiled and stood. "You've
earned the right to your happily-ever-after, Mike, Go enjoy it."

"And if ye ever need a sitter, how many do you know who have their own
Danger Room?" Morgan quipped. "Between us, I don't think timing will
ever be a problem."

   Roland kissed his beloved on the cheek. Then he thought better of
it and gave her a real kiss. "Anyway." He thinks for a moment, decides
words have gotten him as far as they're going to get him, and gives
Mike a one-armed hug (so as not to squish David). "You take care now."
He then realizes that he doesn't see either twin orbiting them.

"Liam? Rachel?" Morgan asked, looking around, and then at her mother.
Toddlers having the attention span that they do, after a few minutes
of David Not Waking Up, they wandered off in search of other
entertainment.

"Don't worry, I've been keepin' an eye on 'em," Caitlin replied.
"Liam's talkin' to that dog an' Rachel's in that room over there," she
explained, pointing at the entry to the Danger Room.

   "Oh, no!" Roland blurted, racing for the Danger Room.
   "Don't worry, Roland," Mike (Callahan) explained. "The safeties are
on full. I told Caitlin she'd be fine in there."
   "I'm not worried about _her,_ I'm worried about the DANGER ROOM!"
Roland explained quickly...and too late.
   The door exploded off its hinges, a transporter beam whisking it
away before it could jostle someone's drink. Thick black smoke
billowed out from the room. A Dr. Doom mask bounced out through the
doorway before dissipating. Roland winced.
   Rachel floated out wearing an X-Baby uniform (hers is basically a
chibi-version of the X-Men movie outfits), with a stern expression on
her face and her arms folded. "Bad men go 'boom.'"
   Liam looked at Rachel from where he was curled up in front of the
fireplace, sighed, turned to his companion and barked in a deep (for a
toddler) voice. Ralph von Wau Wau, who was sitting opposite Liam,
barked back, nodding as he chuckled. "Your pup zpeaks good wolf,"
Ralph noted to the Freelance Immortals. "A bit high-pitched, but hiz
acczent's better zan mine."

Morgan looked at Mike and smiled. "Welcome to parenthood," she
deadpanned.
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Sun, 20 Jan 2002 20:41:44 EST
SkyeFire Said As CAoL Message # 00010693

In a message dated 1/20/02 6:45:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, rolandx
writes:
>   Moments later the five (two Freelance Immortals, two irrepressible
>and precocious toddlers, and one kick-butt grandma) arrived in the
>Place.

   Followed shortly by the equally irrepressible, ever-lovin',
insanely popular, chaos-magnetic, pun-ridden, cosmic-whipping-boy they
sometimes wish they *weren't* related to...

>Long-Drink let out an appreciative whistle at the sight of the lady
>in the (tasteful) biker leathers. "Morgan, you've been holding out on
>us! I didn't know you had a sister!"

   Roger, que'ed by this comment, takes a look, has a double
take...then a triple...and then, just because he's Roger, a quadruple.
At which point he winces, bellies up to the bar, and asks for a Pan
Glactic Gargle Blaster. It's going to be one of THOSE nights...

>Caitlin laughed. "Flatterer. Ye're a bit late though, ye
>blarney-kisser. I never get mixed up with more than five at a time."

   Roger whimpers slightly.

>Long Drink boggled at this, adding half a shot of Scotch to his
>barrel. "Ye're kidding." He turned to Morgan. "She _is_ kidding,
>isn't she?"
>
>Morgan just smiled innocently. "Me ma's adapting very nicely to the
>21st Century."

   "Mike, I've changed my mind -- I'm going to skip the PGGB. Just
give me a whole lemon peel and a gold brick."
   It's indicative of the Place that no one bats an eyelash at that
order...or at the fact that the Mick O'Time just happens to have the
materials under the bar.
   "Some parts of my life now make more sense," he comments to
Callahan. "I can blame Kei on genetics...but what about Yuri?"
   "Redheads," the big Irishman agrees genially. "Can't live with 'em,
be bored to tears without 'em."
   "You can say THAT again."
   "Redheads. Can't live--"
   "DON'T. Please."

>>     Once everyone had arrived, Mike kept it simple, "Well, he said,
>>first off, introductions. This is David Marcus Seven. Named after
>>David, Flarn's brother and Marcus, a mutual friend who passed on a
>>few years before the wedding. Some of you may know alternates of
>>him.
>
>   Roland nodded, suppressing a desire to salute. Morgan smiled.

   Roger rememered a quicksilver grin and a rapier wit, wrapped around
a throbbing mass of old, old pain...and sent up another prayer for the
easy rest of the deserving dead.

>>     "I've never held one of my own children in my arms like this
>>before, not at this young an age. Tink was five when she 'came into
>>the world', the twins were twenty. Molly was, well, I never held her
>>until she was an adult, too.

   Roger, having something approximating zero experience in this area
(beyond being Babysitter Number One for the Wonder Twins), listened to
this quite a bit more carefully than his outward demeanor might have
suggested.

>>I know not everyone subscribes to what I'm about to say, and I'm not
>>faulting anyone for it, but I personally just can't look at his face
>>and then go off risking my life anymore. I'm not worried about
>>protecting him or anything, I'm not worried about not coming home
>>one day, I just don't want to miss anything. It's time I retired,
>>folks, stepped down as whatever the heck I am in this bunch and got
>>to some other business that's been drawing my mind further and
>>further away from personally going out and stomping bad guys and
>>more towards helping good guys in ways they can't themselves."
>
>   Roland grew thoughtful, considering this for a long moment. "I
>envy you," he finally said. "My home world has plenty of...
>entities...that have chosen evil, and not a few of them want a piece
>of me personally. It looks like your personal demons have been laid
>to rest.
>   "I admit, there's a great deal of satisfaction to be had, being a
>symbol for something better, but..." he looked at the twins, hovering
>gleefully around Mike. "...if I had that option, there's a good
>chance I'd take it."

   [Hah,] Roger thought without rancor. [*Certain People* have too
much Hero in their makeup to change. OTOH, I could probably help out
some...let him have more time off. Light knows he could use it,
especially with the Twins so young.] He grins into his glass.
[Besides, I'll need him and Mom to return the favor if/when *I* ever
have kids, someday.]
   No one in the Place ever quite understood *why* they all
experienced a brief "stepped on their grave" sensation just then...

>"We could probably find a quiet reality where our enemies would never
>find us," Morgan noted quietly. "But it wouldn't be home."
>
>   Roland nodded. "And it would be leaving 'home' at the mercy of..."
>he trailed off, the rest of the thought speaking for itself.
>
>"Exactly."

   [Like I said. Besides, if they tried it, the Twins would probably
go Heroing on their own. It's a family...trait. I'll have to talk to
him about taking more downtime -- after all, I can fill in fairly
well, if the Champions'll put up with me.]

>>     Mike jerked his thumb towards the X-window. "The earth in there
>>is one of several orbitting suns like the one outside, powering my
>>new TARDIS. One of them's called the garden, the entire useable
>>surface of which is turned into agricultural land. I had an urge to
>>feed the hungry, so I found an empty Earth and turned it into a
>>farming planet. I've got another one for medical plants, and three
>>that just grow wild. Mostly to help with biodiversity and endangered
>>species, though one was from a reality where apparently the Loch
>>Ness monster and Big Foot were real. That's been a ball to study,"
>>Mike added with a child's grin.

   "Nessie and Yeti and dragons, oh my!" Roger piped childishly.

>   Roland chuckled. "Bigfoot? He's not a bionic creation, is he?" At
>Morgan's bemused expression, he added by way of explanation, "I was a
>fan of the Six Million Dollar Man as a kid. Long story, short
>version, Bigfoot kept nosy hikers away from an alien enclave."
>
>"Of course," Morgan replied, keeping her expression even.

   As Roland's ever-loyal backup, Roger leaps into the breach. "It's
true! Really! And Steve went mano-a-monster with him, and got beat up,
and then ripped Bigfoot's arm off, but that turned out to be okay
because it was bionic, and then Steve got knocked out by the aliens'
sonic weapons, and then he and Bigfoot had to work together because
the volcano the aliens were using as their power source was about to
go BOOM, and he'd been sent to use a tac nuke to relieve the magma
pressure before it caused an earthquake that would drop California
into the ocean, and..."
   Thankfully, most of his "audience" had tuned out this babble near
the beginning of the second sentance...

>>     "All the problems I grew up with as a kid and couldn't do a
>>thing about. I know every world I help is just a drop in the bucket,
>>but it's something I need to do." He looks down at David, "I don't
>>want him growing up to be as calloused as I was. Just because it's
>>not going to change everything doesn't mean it shouldn't be done."
>>     Mike looked up at the rest of the Callahaners, "So that's my
>>speech. We'll be by to visit every chance we get." He cleared his
>>throat, sounding a bit hoarse, then laughed, "God that sounds lame.
>>Someone else take over and spare me further embarrassment."

   Roger pulled out a cream pie, juggled it one-handed for a moment,
and then sighed and put it back.

>   Roland favored Mike with a lopsided grin. "That," he said with
>conviction, "sounds like my cue. Though I should give you a little
>grief for sticking me with being in charge of this travelling
>disaster area and then bailing." He pauses for a beat. "There, that's
>done." He winks.

   "Draft him for mutual babysitting duties," Roger recommended.
"Light knows *I* could use some help. Plus, it would force the Sevens
to drop by more often, give the Twins a contemporary to play with,
*and* it would count as sufficient karmic punishment for leaving you
holding the bag without an XO."

>   "Now then, to the mushy stuff." Roland spun a chair around and sat
>down, arms leaning on the chair back. "First of all, we've seen what
>happens when someone tries to change everything at once." As a
>reference to those unfamiliar with the incident, Roland opens an
>X-Window to the closing events of AAE IV.
>   (OOC: I'll do the same here:
>http://silver-gateway.com/caol/chapters.shtml#part-4 -- the finale in
>particular, for those interested)
>   "You're doing plenty -- and more than most of us, at that. Second.
>Parenthood changes everything, as Morgan and I can attest. You don't
>see it much with us, but we do understand how it goes. He's going to
>be the center of your universe, and that's only right. Finally." He
>gestured around, at the Place and the CAoL. "Don't be a stranger,
>okay? We've already got one of those." He smiled and stood. "You've
>earned the right to your happily-ever-after, Mike, Go enjoy it."

   "Amen."

>"And if ye ever need a sitter, how many do you know who have their
>own Danger Room?" Morgan quipped. "Between us, I don't think timing
>will ever be a problem."

   "Didn't I just say that?" Roger said plaintively to the room at
large. As usual, the room ignored him.

>   Roland kissed his beloved on the cheek. Then he thought better of
>it and gave her a real kiss. "Anyway." He thinks for a moment,
>decides words have gotten him as far as they're going to get him, and
>gives Mike a one-armed hug (so as not to squish David). "You take
>care now." He then realizes that he doesn't see either twin orbiting
>them.
>
>"Liam? Rachel?" Morgan asked, looking around, and then at her mother.
>Toddlers having the attention span that they do, after a few minutes
>of David Not Waking Up, they wandered off in search of other
>entertainment.
>
>"Don't worry, I've been keepin' an eye on 'em," Caitlin replied.
>"Liam's talkin' to that dog an' Rachel's in that room over there,"
>she explained, pointing at the entry to the Danger Room.

   "And I've got Dupes following them."

>   "Oh, no!" Roland blurted, racing for the Danger Room.
>   "Don't worry, Roland," Mike (Callahan) explained. "The safeties
>are on full. I told Caitlin she'd be fine in there."
>   "I'm not worried about _her,_ I'm worried about the DANGER ROOM!"
>Roland explained quickly...and too late.

   "Don't WORRY, Dad. I said I've got it covUGH! OW!
&*)&)%###@*(_*%#!!!!!!"

>   The door exploded off its hinges, a transporter beam whisking it
>away before it could jostle someone's drink. Thick black smoke
>billowed out from the room. A Dr. Doom mask bounced out through the
>doorway before dissipating. Roland winced.

   "Oooooog...."

>   Rachel floated out wearing an X-Baby uniform (hers is basically a
>chibi-version of the X-Men movie outfits), with a stern expression on
>her face and her arms folded. "Bad men go 'boom.'"

   "Ow. Dad...I think we need to move up the class on 'Collateral
Damage: Acceptable and Unacceptable Levels.'" The Roger-dupe that was
in the DR with Rachel staggers up behind her, smoldering from various
parts of his anatomy, and fixes her with a stern big-brother look.
"For example: Vaporizing your Beloved Big Brother while nuking Doc
Doom is *strictly* out of bounds, young lady."
   Rachel stares up at Big Brother for a moment, then giggles at him.
"Roger SILLY."
   The Rogers groan in unison and cast about the room, looking for
sympathy (which is conspiciously absent). "You see what I have to live
with?"

>   Liam looked at Rachel from where he was curled up in front of the
>fireplace, sighed, turned to his companion and barked in a deep (for
>a toddler) voice. Ralph von Wau Wau, who was sitting opposite Liam,
>barked back, nodding as he chuckled. "Your pup zpeaks good wolf,"
>Ralph noted to the Freelance Immortals. "A bit high-pitched, but hiz
>acczent's better zan mine."
>
>Morgan looked at Mike and smiled. "Welcome to parenthood," she
>deadpanned.

   Roger (the non-smoking one) added: "May you survive the experience.
That reminds me...I need to put together an Elder Sibling Survival kit
for Tink. Although I don't think David's likely to be as troublesome
for her as the Wonder Twins are for me..."
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Mon, 21 Jan 2002 19:03:12 -0800
Morgan Said As CAoL Message # 00010694

>On Sun, 20 Jan 2002 20:41:44 EST
>SkyeFire Said As CAoL Message # 00010693
>
>>In a message dated 1/20/02 6:45:01 PM Eastern Standard Time, rolandx
>>writes:
>>
>>   Moments later the five (two Freelance Immortals, two
>>irrepressible and precocious toddlers, and one kick-butt grandma)
>>arrived in the Place.
>
>   Followed shortly by the equally irrepressible, ever-lovin',
>insanely popular, chaos-magnetic, pun-ridden, cosmic-whipping-boy
>they sometimes wish they *weren't* related to...

   Roland replied melodramatically, as a hologram of a clown in a
refrigerator appears next to Roger, "_I_ didn't expect to see _you_
here!"

"Honey," Morgan said evenly with great deliberation, "_nobody's_ going
to get that without fifteen minutes of explanation."

   Roland shrugged, chagrined. "It'll give us an excuse to see people
again, assuming that I haven't been disowned on the spot."

>>Long Drink boggled at this, adding half a shot of Scotch to his
>>barrel. "Ye're kidding." He turned to Morgan. "She _is_ kidding,
>>isn't she?"
>>
>>Morgan just smiled innocently. "Me ma's adapting very nicely to the
>>21st Century."
>
>   "Mike, I've changed my mind -- I'm going to skip the PGGB. Just
>give me a whole lemon peel and a gold brick."
>   It's indicative of the Place that no one bats an eyelash at that
>order...or at the fact that the Mick O'Time just happens to have the
>materials under the bar.

"Mike, don't encourage my son to be any more of a goldbrick than he
already is," Morgan commented with a smile.

   "But he _does_ have a-peel," Roland fired back.

Morgan conjured a peanut out of thin air and "pinged" her husband. He
bowed gallantly back to her.

>   "Some parts of my life now make more sense," he comments to
>Callahan. "I can blame Kei on genetics...but what about Yuri?"
>   "Redheads," the big Irishman agrees genially. "Can't live with
>'em, be bored to tears without 'em."
>   "You can say THAT again."
>   "Redheads. Can't live--"
>   "DON'T. Please."

   (OOC: Finally decided that he's married the Dir/H/H/H Lovely
Angels, eh? <EG> *Sound of evil GM rubbing hands together*)

>He grins into his glass. [Besides, I'll need him and Mom to return
>the favor if/when *I* ever have kids, someday.]
>   No one in the Place ever quite understood *why* they all
>experienced a brief "stepped on their grave" sensation just then...

   Roland shivered for a moment, without quite knowing why...

>>"We could probably find a quiet reality where our enemies would
>>never find us," Morgan noted quietly. "But it wouldn't be home."
>>
>>   Roland nodded. "And it would be leaving 'home' at the mercy
>>of..." he trailed off, the rest of the thought speaking for itself.
>>
>>"Exactly."
>
>   [Like I said. Besides, if they tried it, the Twins would probably
>go Heroing on their own. It's a family...trait. I'll have to talk to
>him about taking more downtime -- after all, I can fill in fairly
>well, if the Champions'll put up with me.]

   Earth-9.
   "Brrr."
   "What is it, Mercedes?" Behemoth asked Quantum.
   "Just felt like someone stepped on my grave, for a second there,"
she replied.
   <g>

>>   Roland chuckled. "Bigfoot? He's not a bionic creation, is he?" At
>>Morgan's bemused expression, he added by way of explanation, "I was
>>a fan of the Six Million Dollar Man as a kid. Long story, short
>>version, Bigfoot kept nosy hikers away from an alien enclave."
>>
>>"Of course," Morgan replied, keeping her expression even.
>
>   As Roland's ever-loyal backup, Roger leaps into the breach. "It's
>true! Really! And Steve went mano-a-monster with him, and got beat
>up, and then ripped Bigfoot's arm off, but that turned out to be okay
>because it was bionic, and then Steve got knocked out by the aliens'
>sonic weapons, and then he and Bigfoot had to work together because
>the volcano the aliens were using as their power source was about to
>go BOOM, and he'd been sent to use a tac nuke to relieve the magma
>pressure before it caused an earthquake that would drop California
>into the ocean, and..."

   "Oh yeah," Roland said. "And then they wiped his memory, which was
a real pain when they did the sequel episodes..."

>   Thankfully, most of his "audience" had tuned out this babble near
>the beginning of the second sentance...

Due in large part to the sound dampening field Morgan had erected
around the fan-boy pair for the safety and comfort of all sane Patrons
present. <g>

>>>     Mike looked up at the rest of the Callahaners, "So that's my
>>>speech. We'll be by to visit every chance we get." He cleared his
>>>throat, sounding a bit hoarse, then laughed, "God that sounds lame.
>>>Someone else take over and spare me further embarrassment."
>
>   Roger pulled out a cream pie, juggled it one-handed for a moment,

   Roland watched him VERY carefully.

>and then sighed and put it back.

"Good call," Morgan said quietly.

>   "Draft him for mutual babysitting duties," Roger recommended.
>"Light knows *I* could use some help. Plus, it would force the Sevens
>to drop by more often, give the Twins a contemporary to play with,
>*and* it would count as sufficient karmic punishment for leaving you
>holding the bag without an XO."

   "Draft. Mike." Roland eyeballs Roger's wonder-jacket. "You got an
army in there you didn't tell me about, son?"

>>   "I'm not worried about _her,_ I'm worried about the DANGER ROOM!"
>>Roland explained quickly...and too late.
>
>   "Don't WORRY, Dad. I said I've got it covUGH! OW!
>&*)&)%###@*(_*%#!!!!!!"

"WATCH that in front of the children," Morgan chided her...well, that
he was older made him her "firstborn," but the fact that she didn't
remember his birth always caught her when she started to think of him
that way. "At least until they're old enough to understand not to talk
that way at preschool."

   "Covered. Right," Roland sighs.

>>   Rachel floated out wearing an X-Baby uniform (hers is basically a
>>chibi-version of the X-Men movie outfits), with a stern expression
>>on her face and her arms folded. "Bad men go 'boom.'"

Morgan turns her face the other direction and covers her mouth. She
did _not_ want to injure her baby girl's pride by laughing, but it was
an effort...

   Meanwhile, Roland winced. "Rachel, honey, you really need to be
more careful when making bad men go 'boom.'"
   Rachel giggled. "Jus' 'bots. And Roger."

>   "Ow. Dad...I think we need to move up the class on 'Collateral
>Damage: Acceptable and Unacceptable Levels.'" The Roger-dupe that was
>in the DR with Rachel staggers up behind her, smoldering from various
>parts of his anatomy, and fixes her with a stern big-brother look.
>"For example: Vaporizing your Beloved Big Brother while nuking Doc
>Doom is *strictly* out of bounds, young lady."
>   Rachel stares up at Big Brother for a moment, then giggles at him.
>"Roger SILLY."

"Whatever else she may be, she's becoming a fine judge of character,"
Morgan quipped, taking her daughter and gently wiping the
smoke-smudges off her face. Yes, Morgan recognizes that this is a
rather surreal moment, but the twins have been giving her those since
the moment of their birth.

>   The Rogers groan in unison and cast about the room, looking for
>sympathy (which is conspiciously absent). "You see what I have to
>live with?"

   Roland looks his toasted demi-son over and 'favors' him with a
lopsided grin. "No. Comment."

>>Morgan looked at Mike and smiled. "Welcome to parenthood," she
>>deadpanned.
>
>   Roger (the non-smoking one) added: "May you survive the
>experience. That reminds me...I need to put together an Elder Sibling
>Survival kit for Tink. Although I don't think David's likely to be as
>troublesome for her as the Wonder Twins are for me..."

   Liam giggled. "Rachel right. Roger _siiiiilly._"
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Tue, 22 Jan 2002 21:57:44 EST
SkyeFire Said As CAoL Message # 00010695

>   Roland replied melodramatically, as a hologram of a clown in a
>refrigerator appears next to Roger, "_I_ didn't expect to see _you_
>here!"
>
>"Honey," Morgan said evenly with great deliberation, "_nobody's_
>going to get that without fifteen minutes of explanation."

   OOC: Okay, I'm stumped. Where's that 15min explanation? (:)

>>   "Mike, I've changed my mind -- I'm going to skip the PGGB. Just
>>give me a whole lemon peel and a gold brick."
>
>"Mike, don't encourage my son to be any more of a goldbrick than he
>already is," Morgan commented with a smile.
>
>   "But he _does_ have a-peel," Roland fired back.
>
>Morgan conjured a peanut out of thin air and "pinged" her husband. He
>bowed gallantly back to her.

   Roger solemnly wrapped the lemon peel around the gold brick, and
began banging it against his head.

>   (OOC: Finally decided that he's married the Dir/H/H/H Lovely
>Angels, eh? <EG> *Sound of evil GM rubbing hands together*)

   OOC: Actually, that happened a long time ago, and they're not
married anymore. They just keep dropping by whenever the Multiverse
decides that Roger's life is getting too sane.

>>   Roger pulled out a cream pie, juggled it one-handed for a moment,
>
>   Roland watched him VERY carefully.
>
>>and then sighed and put it back.
>
> "Good call," Morgan said quietly.

   "Party pooper," Roger replies cheerfully. "What? You didn't think
I'd actually *do* that?"

>>   "Draft him for mutual babysitting duties," Roger recommended.
>>"Light knows *I* could use some help. Plus, it would force the
>>Sevens to drop by more often, give the Twins a contemporary to play
>>with, *and* it would count as sufficient karmic punishment for
>>leaving you holding the bag without an XO."
>
>   "Draft. Mike." Roland eyeballs Roger's wonder-jacket. "You got an
>army in there you didn't tell me about, son?"

   "Several," Roger replies, looking slightly confused. "But all I
should *really* need in this case is one Stereotypical Jewish Mother
with a PhD in Applied Psychology (Guilt Manipulation)."

>>>   "Oh, no!" Roland blurted, racing for the Danger Room.
>>>   "Don't worry, Roland," Mike (Callahan) explained. "The safeties
>>>are on full. I told Caitlin she'd be fine in there."
>>>   "I'm not worried about _her,_ I'm worried about the DANGER
>>>ROOM!" Roland explained quickly...and too late.
>>
>>   "Don't WORRY, Dad. I said I've got it covUGH! OW!
>>&*)&)%###@*(_*%#!!!!!!"
>
>"WATCH that in front of the children," Morgan chided her...well, that
>he was older made him her "firstborn," but the fact that she didn't
>remember his birth always caught her when she started to think of him
>that way. "At least until they're old enough to understand not to
>talk that way at preschool."

   OOC: Well, he actually *said* &*()&&$#@@&)@#@!!!!, not anything
actually dirty. You see, there's this "bleeping filter" that kicks in
whenever the Twins are within earshot....but the adults might hear
"around" the filter, so to speak.

>>>   Rachel floated out wearing an X-Baby uniform (hers is basically
>>>a chibi-version of the X-Men movie outfits), with a stern
>>>expression on her face and her arms folded. "Bad men go 'boom.'"
>
>Morgan turns her face the other direction and covers her mouth. She
>did _not_ want to injure her baby girl's pride by laughing, but it
>was an effort...

   Roger, OTOH, wasn't laughing. Well, not much.

>>   Rachel stares up at Big Brother for a moment, then giggles at
>>him. "Roger SILLY."
>
>"Whatever else she may be, she's becoming a fine judge of character,"
>Morgan quipped, taking her daughter and gently wiping the
>smoke-smudges off her face. Yes, Morgan recognizes that this is a
>rather surreal moment, but the twins have been giving her those since
>the moment of their birth.

   "Thank you for your moral support, Mom," the nearer Roger mutters
in longsuffering tones, before adding:

>>   Roger (the non-smoking one) added: "May you survive the
>>experience. That reminds me...I need to put together an Elder
>>Sibling Survival kit for Tink. Although I don't think David's likely
>>to be as troublesome for her as the Wonder Twins are for me..."
>
>   Liam giggled. "Rachel right. Roger _siiiiilly._"

   The Rogers exchange a look...and then shrug it off. After all, he
can handle anything the Twins can dish out.
   OOC: (tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick...)
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Thu, 24 Jan 2002 05:28:22 GMT, In alt.callahans
Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00010698

>On Tue, 22 Jan 2002 21:57:44 EST
>SkyeFire Said As CAoL Post # 00008458
>
>>   "Draft. Mike." Roland eyeballs Roger's wonder-jacket. "You got an
>>army in there you didn't tell me about, son?"
>
>   "Several," Roger replies, looking slightly confused. "But all I
>should *really* need in this case is one Stereotypical Jewish Mother
>with a PhD in Applied Psychology (Guilt Manipulation)."

As she passes by, arm in arm with Harlock, dancing a jig, Zia glances
Roger's way. "Sure, Rog, any time you need me." The cat-with-a-canary
grin gets flashed at him briefly before she is whirled back into the
mass of folks dancing to the live music.
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Fri, 25 Jan 2002 12:30:08 EST
SkyeFire Said As CAoL Message # 00010709

In a message dated 1/24/02 10:14:02 AM Eastern Standard Time,
ziactrice writes:
>As she passes by, arm in arm with Harlock, dancing a jig, Zia glances
>Roger's way. "Sure, Rog, any time you need me." The cat-with-a-canary
>grin gets flashed at him briefly before she is whirled back into the
>mass of folks dancing to the live music.

   Roger stares after her for a long moment before deadpanning:
"Funny, she doesn't *look* Jewish," and hides a smirk behind his
glass...
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 09:55:39 -0500
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010715

>On Tue, 22 Jan 2002 21:57:44 EST
>SkyeFire Said As CAoL Message # 00010695
>
>>   Liam giggled. "Rachel right. Roger _siiiiilly._"
>
>   The Rogers exchange a look...and then shrug it off. After all, he
>can handle anything the Twins can dish out.

     A small mental voice flows over the room, its epicenter the
blanket in Mike's arms, not in words, though roughly translated as
*{Roger} {go boom} {again}*
     "Don't encourage them, son," Michael Seven says, adding, "Well,
if it isn't obvious, I can't be a stranger, as its a rather short list
of people I could commiserate with about raising kids like these."
     "Welcome to Parenthood indeed," Mike mutters with a good-natured
smirk into his soda.

<OOC: And with that, we close AAE7. Stay tuned for AAE 8, coming to a
computer screen near you!>
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 13:59:57 -0800
Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010716

>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010715
>
>     A small mental voice flows over the room, its epicenter the
>blanket in Mike's arms, not in words, though roughly translated as
>*{Roger} {go boom} {again}*
>
>     "Don't encourage them, son," Michael Seven says, adding, "Well,
>if it isn't obvious, I can't be a stranger, as its a rather short
>list of people I could commiserate with about raising kids like
>these."

/*"OOOOOOHHHH, KIDS!"*/ The small voice of The Stardragon is heard to
exclaim as it appears in The Place. /*"I can make him go BOOM for you.
Hold still Roger."*/, it adds.
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 18:00:51 -0800
Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010717

>On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 13:59:57 -0800
>Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010716
>
>/*"OOOOOOHHHH, KIDS!"*/ The small voice of The Stardragon is heard to
>exclaim as it appears in The Place. /*"I can make him go BOOM for
>you. Hold still Roger."*/, it adds.

/*NO,*/ Morgan, maternal instincts kicking in, sends in a suitably
parental tone. The sort you hear when the toddler has the fireplace
lighter and is offering to light the candles on the dinner table with
it. You don't want the child to feel like they've done something wrong
(they _are_ trying to do something helpful after all), but you _do_
want them to stop. Now. <g>
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Tue, 29 Jan 2002 01:13:48 -0800
Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00010718

>On Fri, 18 Jan 2002 13:34:51 -0500
>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010683
>
>     Michael turned his mind toward the Lens-Link, focusing on all
>the Army of Light members in turn, then sent out a call to each.
>     /If you have a moment, I need to talk to you all in the Place,/
>he sent simply. After a brief moment of consideration, Mike looked at
>David, wrapped snugly in the technomage blanket, and sent that image
>and the addendum, /It's good and bad-ish news. This is the good. The
>bad-ish you'll have worked out by the time you get there, I suspect./

Fuzzy and Nemisis
/On our way./

>     "I've never held one of my own children in my arms like this
>before, not at this young an age. Tink was five when she 'came into
>the world', the twins were twenty. Molly was, well, I never held her
>until she was an adult, too. I know not everyone subscribes to what
>I'm about to say, and I'm not faulting anyone for it, but I
>personally just can't look at his face and then go off risking my
>life anymore. I'm not worried about protecting him or anything, I'm
>not worried about not coming home one day, I just don't want to miss
>anything. It's time I retired, folks, stepped down as whatever the
>heck I am in this bunch and got to some other business that's been
>drawing my mind further and further away from personally going out
>and stomping bad guys and more towards helping good guys in ways they
>can't themselves."

[Retired?...]

Fuzzy and Nemisis Flicker for a moment.

>     Mike looked up at the rest of the Callahaners, "So that's my
>speech. We'll be by to visit every chance we get." He cleared his
>throat, sounding a bit hoarse, then laughed, "God that sounds lame.
>Someone else take over and spare me further embarrassment."

Fuzzy
"Well lets see,
  There are a few standards to be maintained... ;)"

Fuzzy pulls a small presentation box from a Pocket...

Offering it to Mike,
"Here is your Solid Gold $3 Pocket-Watch."

<OOC: The inscription is in latin,
               Freely translated it reads,
                "Time Waits for One Man!"
                  ;) >

"The Next item on the Agenda,
   If I Remember Correctly,
    Would be Either 'A Party' or 'A Roast',
     Your Choice?"
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Tue, 29 Jan 2002 07:23:26 EST
SkyeFire Said As CAoL Message # 00010719

In a message dated 1/28/02 9:56:54 AM Eastern Standard Time,
technomagetimelord writes:
>     A small mental voice flows over the room, its epicenter the
>blanket in Mike's arms, not in words, though roughly translated as
>*{Roger} {go boom} {again}*

   Roger's jaw(s) drop(s) in utter disbelief, before he chokes out,
"Et tu, munchkin?" One sags against the bar, while the other sort of
slumps against the door to the Danger Room, laughing a bit
hysterically.
   "Well," the Roger at the bar says philosophically while his other
self collapses into a smoldering, chortling heap, "at least they find
me entertaining."
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Tue, 29 Jan 2002 09:11:21 -0500
Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00010720

>On Tue, 29 Jan 2002 01:13:48 -0800
>Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00010718
>
>Fuzzy
>"Well lets see,
>  There are a few standards to be maintained... ;)"

     Mike spocks an eyebrow.

>Fuzzy pulls a small presentation box from a Pocket...
>
>Offering it to Mike,
>"Here is your Solid Gold $3 Pocket-Watch."

     "'Time waits for one man!'" Mike reads aloud, then checks his
watch and smiles, "And fittingly, the watch just stopped." It's the
wind-up variety, Michael just appreciates the irony.

>"The Next item on the Agenda,
>   If I Remember Correctly,
>    Would be Either 'A Party' or 'A Roast',
>     Your Choice?"

     "While I'm sure this bunch could more than adequately handle a
roast," Mike replies, "I think my occasionally hypersensitive ego
would prefer the party. So, let's party."
     [Family, and two parties in two weeks, with barely a break
between. How could I nod come back?] The extimelord thinks with a
smile. David sends out a happily content vibe just to his father, or
perhaps father and son are just feeling the same emotion for different
reasons.
=================================
Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Tue, 29 Jan 2002 09:56:54 EST
SkyeFire Said As CAoL Message # 00010721

In a message dated 1/28/02 9:07:12 PM Eastern Standard Time, ljwolfe
writes:
>>/*"OOOOOOHHHH, KIDS!"*/ The small voice of The Stardragon is heard
>>to exclaim as it appears in The Place. /*"I can make him go BOOM for
>>you. Hold still Roger."*/, it adds.

   Roger just...sighs, with the longsuffering air of someone who's
been down this road before...many times.

>/*NO,*/ Morgan, maternal instincts kicking in, sends in a suitably
>parental tone. The sort you hear when the toddler has the fireplace
>lighter and is offering to light the candles on the dinner table with
>it. You don't want the child to feel like they've done something
>wrong (they _are_ trying to do something helpful after all), but you
>_do_ want them to stop. Now.

   The Rogers exchanged a slightly relieved look. "No boom?" asks
smoldering-Roger. "No Boom," confirms bar-Roger. "No Boom *today,*"
smoldering-Roger corrects morosely. "Boom tomorrow. There's *always* a
Boom tomorrow."

   OOC: Darn, but I miss Ivanova...

--
Roger Greywolf-Phoenix: Plaything for Kosmic Kiddies,
Stretch Armstrong for the Stardragon, Silly Putty for the Seven
Siblings.
And Terribly Tempting Toy for the Twins, as we'll see in AAE8. Owie...
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Subject: Re: AAE7c: End of the Line...

On Tue, 29 Jan 2002 17:56:55 -0800
Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00010722

>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00010717
>
>/*NO,*/ Morgan, maternal instincts kicking in, sends in a suitably
>parental tone. The sort you hear when the toddler has the fireplace
>lighter and is offering to light the candles on the dinner table with
>it. You don't want the child to feel like they've done something
>wrong (they _are_ trying to do something helpful after all), but you
>_do_ want them to stop. Now. <g>

/*"Ah, shucks!."*/ The Stardragon says as it scuffs the floor with its
foot (the PLANET shudders slightly, momentarily, as though it had been
kicked by something BIG).
OOC: <g> LOL.
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