08 February 2007
Short Story: Fenny & Justin v. Terrorist
Care to guess the score? =;o)
[Primary setting: Earth; our reality, c. 200X A.D.]
***
One bright summer day, Fenny the Paladinic Kitsune, and Justin the wolf-pup, were visiting the World of Men*.
While walking near the Empire State Building, Fenny noticed a man fiddling with an odd device, through the open rear doors of a large van.
"Hi there," Fenny yerfed. "Whatcha doin' there?"
"Trying to make this thing work," the man said - with a thick accent.
"What is it?"
"A tool, built by the infidels. It's brrrroken."
"Infidels?" Fenny wondered, headscritching.
Suddenly, Justin used the Soul Ball** to privately psion to Fenny, "You see that book by him?"
"Yes," Fenny replied silently.
"I've seen that sign before.. it was at the museum. I think it's what the humans use to warn about radiation."
"Really? I best take a closer look at that thing in his van, then."
Unbeknownst to either the man or the wolf, Fenny used a magical technique - one that he uses to examine matter, before synthesizing a duplicate from his stored energy.
"Uh oh," the fox silently yerfed.
"What is it, Fen?"
"Trouble. But.. I think I remember how to disable one of these. Our civilization had something like this about 1,000 years ago. It's called a nuclear bomb."
"Bomb? How big?"
"Enough to kill just about everything living in half this city."
"We have to stop it, then - you're sworn to protect mortal life!"
"Already ahead of you, Justin."
The fox put a paw behind his back, rubbing two fingerdigits together.
Justin, at that moment, suddenly felt his bag get heavier. "What did you just put in my bag?
"I'll show you later - but the city is safe. Let's go."
***
***
Care to guess the score? =;o)
[Primary setting: Earth; our reality, c. 200X A.D.]
***
I.
One bright summer day, Fenny the Paladinic Kitsune, and Justin the wolf-pup, were visiting the World of Men*.
While walking near the Empire State Building, Fenny noticed a man fiddling with an odd device, through the open rear doors of a large van.
"Hi there," Fenny yerfed. "Whatcha doin' there?"
"Trying to make this thing work," the man said - with a thick accent.
"What is it?"
"A tool, built by the infidels. It's brrrroken."
"Infidels?" Fenny wondered, headscritching.
Suddenly, Justin used the Soul Ball** to privately psion to Fenny, "You see that book by him?"
"Yes," Fenny replied silently.
"I've seen that sign before.. it was at the museum. I think it's what the humans use to warn about radiation."
"Really? I best take a closer look at that thing in his van, then."
Unbeknownst to either the man or the wolf, Fenny used a magical technique - one that he uses to examine matter, before synthesizing a duplicate from his stored energy.
"Uh oh," the fox silently yerfed.
"What is it, Fen?"
"Trouble. But.. I think I remember how to disable one of these. Our civilization had something like this about 1,000 years ago. It's called a nuclear bomb."
"Bomb? How big?"
"Enough to kill just about everything living in half this city."
"We have to stop it, then - you're sworn to protect mortal life!"
"Already ahead of you, Justin."
The fox put a paw behind his back, rubbing two fingerdigits together.
Justin, at that moment, suddenly felt his bag get heavier. "What did you just put in my bag?
"I'll show you later - but the city is safe. Let's go."
***
II.: Two Hours Later
The man - now alone - stood on top of his van, while screaming like a banshee:
"PRAISE ALLAH - DEATH TO YOU ALL!"
He then pressed a large, red button on the control...
...and waited...
...and waited...
Finally, something happened.
A silly voice recording - set to replay on loop - came from the bomb:
"Bang! Hehe! You're dead!
Bang! Hehe! You're dead!"
Then, a much louder voice:
"POLICE! Get on the ground... he's got a gun!"
This was followed by a very real bang - but not the one the man had hoped for that day.
***
"PRAISE ALLAH - DEATH TO YOU ALL!"
He then pressed a large, red button on the control...
...and waited...
...and waited...
Finally, something happened.
A silly voice recording - set to replay on loop - came from the bomb:
"Bang! Hehe! You're dead!
Bang! Hehe! You're dead!"
Then, a much louder voice:
"POLICE! Get on the ground... he's got a gun!"
This was followed by a very real bang - but not the one the man had hoped for that day.
***
III.: Back to Fen & Justin
Justin opened his bag. "What are these?"
He looked upon several canisters - each marked with the nuclear trefoil - and a little round disc.
"The cans are the uranium fuel for the bomb - sealed in shielded, strong containers. Don't mess with 'em. You can - in fact, please do - mess with the disc. It's the locking device for the weapon."
"Oh neat! It's got a combination lock here," Justin yipped, beginning to play with the digits - followed swiftly by a click. "It won't move anymore."
"You physically locked it up by entering the wrong code - which is what I hoped for. It's useless now, except to the United States Government - whom we're going to take this stuff back to."
"I wonder what happened to that man? He still thinks he has a bomb."
***
He looked upon several canisters - each marked with the nuclear trefoil - and a little round disc.
"The cans are the uranium fuel for the bomb - sealed in shielded, strong containers. Don't mess with 'em. You can - in fact, please do - mess with the disc. It's the locking device for the weapon."
"Oh neat! It's got a combination lock here," Justin yipped, beginning to play with the digits - followed swiftly by a click. "It won't move anymore."
"You physically locked it up by entering the wrong code - which is what I hoped for. It's useless now, except to the United States Government - whom we're going to take this stuff back to."
"I wonder what happened to that man? He still thinks he has a bomb."
***
IV.: Bellevue Hospital, New York City: With Heavy Police Presence
Barely conscious a few hours after major surgery, the would-be radical martyr could be heard mumbling, "That damned infidel.. the infidel with the fur.. I'll never make it to Heaven because of you!"
This was followed by the man screaming:
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BOMB?!?!"
This was followed by the man screaming:
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BOMB?!?!"
THE END
***
FOOTNOTES:
* World of Men = The one you have your tail(s) plunked in right now. =;o)
** Soul Ball: Kitsune of legend have a small ball, varyingly called a "soul ball," or "star ball." In some stories, it appears to be an ordinary child's toy; in others, it glows with a magical aura. Fenny is no different; however, in the Kitarian Universe, there's a twist - it is a tool of subjugation. Whoever holds Fenny's Soul Ball can force him to do things, or initiate private psionic (i.e., telepathic) conversation, even if the holder is a mortal without psionic powers of their own.
¶ 2/08/2007 09:55:00 PM * World of Men = The one you have your tail(s) plunked in right now. =;o)
** Soul Ball: Kitsune of legend have a small ball, varyingly called a "soul ball," or "star ball." In some stories, it appears to be an ordinary child's toy; in others, it glows with a magical aura. Fenny is no different; however, in the Kitarian Universe, there's a twist - it is a tool of subjugation. Whoever holds Fenny's Soul Ball can force him to do things, or initiate private psionic (i.e., telepathic) conversation, even if the holder is a mortal without psionic powers of their own.
