Memoirs of a RAFian

[Cloak]

Something something something lark aside.

Sorry couldn't resist.

CHAPTER TEN:
Ash's Suggestive Song

"So what do we do --" Underseen began.

But, suddenly, a rhythmic drumbeat began to pulsate through the forum. The RAFians were so accustomed to these things, they did not question this.

"Who's phat and flashy
With the big green eyes?
Who know nearly all
And can put you wise?"

Ash had appeared, her form anything but static. Broken replied, with mild amusement, unable to surpress a smile, "Chestshire Ash, who else?"

Ash continued the song, using her shapeshifting to emphasize the points:

"You know, I see those Arquillians in a lonely room,
Where the Fmek commander's got 'em locked away.
Now, he's one bad dude.
He's in a nasty mood.
And he wants to be big one day.

Now,if you're gonna rescue those Arquillians,
Then split this group in two.
A few of you
Protect Yarin from malice,
And, the rest, here's what to do.
You don't need to go up.
You don't need to go down.
But remember what the RAFian said:
You just go where your hi-top sneakers sneak
And don't forget to use your head, no, no.
Don't forget to use your head, nah, nah."

The music ended, and Ash had vanished. But Cloak was well aware of where she was.

"Wouldn't it have been --easier -- if you just said, 'split into two groups'?" Parker asked.

Ash and Saffa spoke at the same moment, "Where's the fun in that?"

"Right," Richard said. "Poparena, Aquilai, Goom, Kelly, Underseen, Gaz. You're on guard duty. Cloak, Parker, AniDragon, Blaze, Horse, Faerie. You go and rescue the Arquillians."

[redtailedsaffa]

I rapped this in my head.

[Cloak]

Internet's being wonky.

Anyway, I finished planning out Book CC ("Conscience Corral"), and started in on Book CCI ("A Toy Story"), which is shaping up to be a rather sad book.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Guard Duty

One would think simple guard duty was boring, tedious, or mind-numbing. But this is RAF -- and even guard duty is anything but.

And guarding an impatient, miffed Nyac was not the most pleasant thing in the world.

"I said I don't need to be guarded!" Yarin snarled, pacing back and forth, like a bored zoo animal. "I can take care of myself!"

"Yarin," Kelly said ina gentle, would-be soothing tone, "we know that. We're just --"

"Insurance." Poparena put in bluntly.

"You think I am incapable of dealing with Helmacrons?!" Yarin demanded.

"No one said that," Aquilai said, holding a staff/glider that was in reality his TARDIS. Apparently, he fixed something called a "chameleon circuit" in it. Just don't ask him about it -- unless you want a long explanation. "Just calm yourself, Yarin. It's just a precaution, you understand."

"Yes, we mustn't leave anything to chance." Goom said.

Yarin looked like he very much desired to give the Goomba the "Mario treatment". He folded both sets of arms -- Nyacs are tetramands -- and muttered mutinously.

"Um," Underseen said, "quick question. How do the Fmeks and Helmacrons even know about Yarin's microwave?"

"FOOD YIELD INCREASER!!" Yarin bellowed.

"Uh, yeah, that," Underseen amended.

"That's a good question," Kelly observed thoughtfully.

"Don't forget, that micro--" Gaz began.

"FOOD YIELD INCREASER!!!" Yarin erupted, flushed with anger.

"--wave caused Horse to involunarily see what the fifty-foot woman's life was like, but as a radioactive seal." Gaz said, blatantly ignoring Yarin's outburst. "I think eventually that story would get around."

Then Poparena said, "Helmacrons, inbound."

Gaz whistled, "Laserbeak! Playtime!"

The Cybertronian bird took great glee in chasing the deluded egomaniacs. Their Dracon beams did not even mar his metallic hide.

"Have fun!" Gaz said. Then she turned to the others, "Now, what were we talking about again?"

[redtailedsaffa]

Of all things I didn't think the microwave would make such a spectacular comeback.

[Underseen]

You should never know what the expect Saffa.

[Cloak]

You should never know what the expect Saffa.

*smiles broadly, in a good-natured way.*

[DinosaurNothlit]

Poor Yarin.  Lol, in some weird way he kinda reminds me of Einstein right now.  Except, of course, that Einstein had the wisdom to FEEL BAD ABOUT IT when his inventions and equations were twisted to create the atomic bomb. 

[Cloak]

Poor Yarin.  Lol, in some weird way he kinda reminds me of Einstein right now.  Except, of course, that Einstein had the wisdom to FEEL BAD ABOUT IT when his inventions and equations were twisted to create the atomic bomb. 

Heh, different sensibilities for different species? I'm not sure Yarin would be happy with me portraying him in such a way, though.

CHAPTER TWELVE:
Exosuit Exhibitions

Why were they being so loud? Cloak thought, mildly bitter. He thought the footsteps of the others, which echoed in the most ominous fashion, in the huge expanse were prohibitively loud. Even Faerie's wing strokes seemed sinisterly loud. Cloak carefully padded along, ears back, like a tiger after prey.

They walked through the warehouse, with everything eeriely still and motionless.

"When did this turn into a horror movie?" Faerie whispered.

Cloak looked around intently, haunched over. He saw the exosuit mausoleum, all with faces opened. A male youngster, a young lass, a forest ranger, a park ranger, a waitress, a preschooler, a young girl, a fisherman, a scientist, a karate master, a nurse, two clerks, a janitor, a harlequin, a engineer . . .

"I swear if anyone pops out and says 'boo' . . ." Parker said. He was on edge.

Cloak continued to examine the exosuits. There was a backpacker, a lady with a parasol, a hiker, a baseball player, four cheerleaders, a teen celebrity heartthrob, a heiress, a soccer player, a football player . . .

"Something should have happened by now," AniDragon said, worryingly.

. . . a tennis player, a biker, a breakdancer, an artist, a bikini-clad woman, a roughnecked cueball, a Speedo-clad man, a kid with an inner tube, a detective, and an old gambler. Then Cloak realized something that caused his ears to prick up and him to stand up straighter.

"They're all empty," he said. "There's so many, and they're completely empty."

"The ones that tried to infilitrate the forum aren't here, though," Blaze pointed out.

Horse's eyes widened. "I get what Cloaky's getting at. Why go through so much trouble to obtain so many? To procure so many, but not use them?"

"Because it's a diversion," Faerie said. "They wanted us to come here!"

Blaze's voice contained shock. "Because they're going to go after Yarin!"

"But let's free the Arquillians anyway. Then we can return to the forum." Cloak said.

"But --"

"Have faith in the others, Blaze." Then the Realm Walker searched with Eathsight. "They're over there. Let's go."

[Gaz]

Enjoying this thoroughly. It makes for a nice homework break.

[redtailedsaffa]

Lol, it interrupts my homework. But I'm not complaining.

[Cloak]

God, I was on my feet too long. And would be very surprised if Dino comes here tomorrow, with it being 9-13-13. . . . And we're on Chapter 13. Huh.

And I can't tell if RAF is being wonky or if its my internet again.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:*
Fmek Offs!**

Laserbeak perched in a tree, looking thoroughly put out and disgruntled. He had lost his new toy! He let out a morose chirp before returning to RAF and Gaz.

Meanwhile, the Helmacron ship's crew was full of their usual undeserved bravado and irritating bluster. Crowing on how they "frightened away" the "bloated mechanical bird". Of course, they got needlessly careless (even by Helmacron standards) and began to hover out into the open.

<Do you see how the robotic turkey fled before the might of the Helmacron Empire?> one demanded. How one ship was representative of an entire empire was anyone's guess.

<Yes! All cower before our collective armada!> Now, Helmacron mental fluidity could be responsible for this madness of theirs. But even that has its limits.

Suddenly, the ship was rocked violently as a human-looking hand seized it.

"What is it?" the Fmek commander, still wearing the same exosuit, only this time he kept the face closed. He addressed the mailman pilot, who held the ship.

"A vermin capsule, sir."

"Oh," he said, disinterested. "Dispose of it. Make sure all the little vermin are dead."

Clearly, the Fmeks did not understand nor care about the Helmacron's post-mordem mental fluidity.

<Release us, bloated beanbags!> a Helmacron hollered. <Release us and live as our defiled beasts of burden!>

"Um," the commander feigned thoughtfulness, "no."

<You will not get to the creator of the amplification device!> another Helmacron cried out. <He shall rebuild it for the glory of the Helmacron Empire!>

"'Rebuild', you say?" the Fmek commander said. "So. It's been destroyed."

<Release us -->

"Oh, shut the vermin up already." the Fmek commander said irritably. The mailman pilot crushed the ship like a toilet paper tube.

"Sir," said Girl Scout, "does that mean we're stuck piloting these ugly things?"

"The stature amplification device may have been destroyed," the commander thought aloud, "but that doesn't mean that it can't be rebuilt."

Clearly, he wasn't aware of the recent destruction of all Yarin's notes and blueprints of the micro . . . er, FYI.

---
*Oh, Dino, stop hiding underneath that blanket!

**Yes, I know it sounds like an expletive.

[redtailedsaffa]

It's already Friday the 13th here. And I started it in grand style by oversleeping and missing my first class. Well.

[DinosaurNothlit]

*quickly posts while it is still the twelfth in her time zone*

Hmm, for some reason I had thought the Fmeks and Helmacrons were in cahoots.  Not sure where I got that idea, but it would seem I was wrong.

Also, I keep wondering what AmberKatira must be thinking about all this.  Isn't she a Helmacron?

*Oh, Dino, stop hiding underneath that blanket!

No.  Not coming out.  You can't make me.

[Cloak]

Also, I keep wondering what AmberKatira must be thinking about all this.  Isn't she a Helmacron?

Isn't she also a lurker?

Uh, I'd explain it away as the Mark interrupts the postmortem mental fluidity of Helmacrons, making them saner?

Anyway, I'll be off tomorrow, so I'll post as many chapters as I can. But I'm gonna hang out with a friend on Sunday, and don't know for how long.

[redtailedsaffa]

Not quite a lurker, last I checked she was at full member status. She's very active on the Mafia board.