Usual Fridays.

Gallagher returned from a planet/moon/rock/whatever named "Ralph" where he had been trapped in a cave-in for a few days. He managed to retriever MacGuffin and find a better hiding place for him.

Meat Sticks on a stick, Giant Marshmallows, Cock Fights then barbecued chicket. Tested out the WORST JETBOOTS EVER! WORST! EVER!

Big Changes for Moira

Moira has been thru some changes since our reunion. When she first came out here from Bellerophon, she was the spoiled child I remembered from out childhood, still mostly in her nightclub clothes.



After our disastrous attempt to make some extra money on a salvage mission, she touched on her serious side.



The nature of the troubles required her to fall back on her medical training to try and get some info on the black market organ transplants on Zenobia.



Moira was a volunteer nurse at the end of the original Unification War. After the war, she finished her education and became a full doctor. Hearing that the Independents had no doctor and were refused medical treatment elsewhere, she volunteered again.



Even tied down her hair.

Major Cooperstone and Captain Rhiadra were on hand to officially accept her enlistment and she was granted the rank of Captain and showed her the rebuilt medbay.

I am a little concerned about this, but I am glad Moira has found a direction for herself.

Usually I try to find some significance in events like these and the feast days. This week is the Feast of Saint Barnabas. Barnabas is usually invoked as a peacemaker. I don't know how that might relate.

It is all very exciting and I wish her the best.

P.S. I got a few leads on Mindo and I got a hold of Gallagher. Gallagher is going to help me track Mindo down so we can help LilyBell.

LilyBell is Missing and Ill

Monday morning, I am testing my new skydiving equipment with Lily's tower as my target.



There's a dead guy on her roof with a laptop computer. New flags too, very styley.

Lily runs off and can't hear me over the static of her radio.

Later in front of Fook Yoo's, LilyBell explains that the dead body on the roof was a Blue Sun Operative trying to install some naughty electronics. I suggested she might want to clean it up, but she does not want to use explosives so close to her home.

I show up in Hale's Moon today and Emma Ditko has a message from LilyBell that she got information off the computer of the dead Blue Sun Operative on the roof of her tower. She was heading off the Mindo's House to get cub. And to tell Gallagher.

I send a message to Gallagher and try to get LilyBell on the radio. Negative on both counts.

Emma comes with me to LilyBell's Tower, hoping to find maybe the computer. I check a few other places where I have seen LilyBell dispose of bodies, and even Gallagher's Officer. No luck.



We tracked down what turned out to be a dead lead in Shadow and returned to Hale.



AuroraBlue was there and bit both Emma and me. She explained that the bit protected us from Mindo.

We followed AuroraBlue to Madame Mayor Seana's Office. LittleBoots bit Madame Mayor Seana HARD on the arm, drawing blood.



AuroraBlue said she only just got out of quarantine and that she could smell LilyBell's and Ben BigBoot's scent, but they were not there anymore. AuroraBlue said LilyBell made her stay in quarantine so that she did not end up like Mindo. Her skin hurts.



AuroraBlue confirmed that men stole samples of the synthesized compound Mindo used to create reavers. Also that LilyBell's body was manufacturing the compound that creates the Reavers and that it will kill her and will make her moodier, more violent and crazier. Also that Mindo's cure does not work, only temporary. It does act as a sort of inoculation. Mindo's sister (xoxo) took Mindo to Shadow and Imrhein hid him in the wastelands somewhere underground.

LilyBell will want to fight more and more. An increased interest in fighting. The sight of blood or meat excites her. Running away without explanation. Moodier than usual. She does not know it is happening. Yet she resists it. But the symptoms indicate her time is nearly up. AuroraBlue explained that she bit her several times but it does not seem to stop, it only seems to temporarily stop it.

[12:08] AuroraBlue LittleBoots: There is one other thing Mei-Mei (she looks at Seana very directly).

[12:09] Seana Kawanishi looks calmly at AuroraBlue

[12:10] AuroraBlue LittleBoots: I will have to release Blue. It would be bad if he were to become part of the Reaver experiment. And I cannot protect him any longer. Mindo knows he is here now.

[12:12] AuroraBlue LittleBoots stood and bowed seriously toward Seana, her little body a perfect shaping of respect at the same time, fully in control of more things than her stature would indicate.

[12:13] Seana Kawanishi: Little one . . . We are not going to let it end this way.

[12:13] AuroraBlue LittleBoots: It will not end.

[12:14] Seana Kawanishi: It will.

[12:14] Seana Kawanishi: Everything ends, little one. Entropy always wins in the end.

[12:14] Seana Kawanishi: Ich habe mein gluckliches Ende.

[12:15] AuroraBlue LittleBoots: Not this time. Goodbye my warrior. Your time is at hand.

Emma, Krenshar and I tried to follow AuroraBlue, but she disappeared just like Mindo did last week, near the mine entrances

I will see if Duncan can get me a lead from Immy.

Happy Birthday LilyBell and Krenshar!

Happy Birthday LilyBell and Krenshar!

It was LilyBell's and Krenshar's birthday. Easy enough, yes? Noooooo. Welcome to Hale's Moon, campers. Nothing is easy or simple. At least not to me. The people who try to explain it, don't make a lot of sense either. I shouldn't ask LilyBell to explain some things.

I find LIlyBell at Firefly's being all happy dancy fun. They have this button there that for some reason I feel compelled to press, it says POINT. Boring maybe to you, but I couldn't stop myself.

It's all good, LilyBell rides Milo the dog and we're checking around to see if anyone is a ninja. Grei wears a kimono, but LilyBell says he is not a Ninja. Zade says he is not a ninja, but... Oh wait, off the point.

Ummm....OH YEAH! Then LilyBell yells "DADDY!"

I fumble for my liberty hammer (now left handed), but no one seems upset.

Understand my confustion. I find out that Mindo is Lilybell's Daddy, uh creator.


Then she calls this other guy, TDStraightjacket, "daddy" also.

http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss359/JaiRaghilda/TDSdtraightjacket.jpg



I think TDStraightjacket looks like Mindo with washed hair and without his gloves.

Anyway, lots of presents for LilyBell, Nack gave her the bar, candy and shiny things.

Lily finds out that TDStraightjacket is married and tries to pick a fight with his wife.

Lily shakes it off and we go cruising in her shuttle and we find an alliance medical ship in orbit over the wastelands at 3000m or so.

Nack seems concerned, but not much came of it. Pfft, barflys.

The next morning, I a testing my new skydiving equipment with Lily's tower as my target.



There's a dead guy on her roof with a laptop computer. New flags too, very styley.

Lily runs off and can't hear me over the static of her radio.

I chase her down to Fook Yoo's and she chases me around with her new bow and shoots at me.

We sing happy birthday to Krenshar. Lily did an ear splitting opera aria version and shot me with her new bow while I attempted to sing in French. They profess their mutual love for each other, very touching.

I gave LilyBell a heartbox full of bacon and a cockfighting set. She was very pleased. She gets a little too excited after a couple of rounds and kills the roosters herself. She also bit me.





We relaxed with a few friendly rounds of cockfights between waves of Reaver Attacks. I managed to shoot a couple a few times and not end up face down in a puddle of my own blood. That is good for me. Lilia kicked some reaver butt, but needed to be taken to the medical bay. She was very heroic. Emma Ditko, Zade and I laid down suppressing fire from rooftops while Lilia, Emma is a great climber. I have to use my EVA safety tether, she just scrambles up the walls. Gabe, Lilia and LilyBell gave them "what for" on the ground. Captain Mikie from the 12th Air Cav, Zade and a fancy hatted man named Ziggy responded to requests for asistance.

Lilia's cock was the final winner of the cockfights, LilyBell killed it and ripped it apart, eating it raw in front of us. There is really no winner in cockfights.

I sang and Emma hummed a Kumbaya variant of happy birthday for Krenshar. Kumbaya is an old Earth That Was song. I think Kumbaya means, "I don't really know the words" or "Come By Here" or something like that. But its a catchy tune and it seemed natural to sing when everyone is standing around in a circle. Kumbaya and Cockfights, who says there is no culture in the rim.

LilyBell also used some incendiary explosives to clean up the reaver bodies, very tidey gal. She explained that the dead body on the roof was a Blue Sun Operative trying to install some naughty electronics. I suggested she might want to clean it up, but she does not want to use explosives so close to her home.

Lily explains that she is the new owner of Firefly's when Lorelai and Nack are not around and the Zade Karu works for her now. She gave him a raise and made him clean up the cock fight blood.



Zade prepares his special order milkshake in celebration of his raise. Pay attention to this picture, I refer back to it later.

I come back late in the night to see the party at Fook Yoo's. I am too late to see Krenshar and LilyBell. LilyBell was off with someone named Ben Big Boobs or something like that.

Madame and Mrs. Mayor were in good spirits and there was balloons and a cake. Big pic of Krenshar and LilyBell too.



After Madame and Mrs. Mayor depart for some vigorous marital arts, I settle in and figure the weirdness is over with.

Pariah says she is not a cat. I learned the hard way from LilyBell, hard bitey way that is, not to broach that subject too vigously. Pariah says that she simply has fur, ears and tail like a cat. She did not comment on my inquiry about whether it is more likely that there is some nefarious Dr. Moreau type mad sciency guy behind this supposedly random mutation.

I need to get my glasses prescription checked. Or maybe it is the punch they served, or the frog soup or something in the cake. Was there some sort of dosed refreshments? RAVES IN THE RIM???!!!!









Do any of these people look familiar to you?

But Zade also. Look at this closeup of Zade shaking his moneymaker for LilyBell



No tail.

Now look at him (THE SAME DAY) at Fook Yoo's



A TAIL.

Despite the weirdness, I maintained my composure mostly and tried to stay in the conversation. The financial opportunities during military action, blowing up the ship of rapists, lists of people needing killing, defensive capabilities of cargo shuttles, the independents on Shadow are doomed, whether it is child abuse to bring a child into this crazy world with reavers and raiders, etc. The usual bar small talk.

General Parkin choked on a jellybean.

As per his request, I slap Zade around then have to leave.

I arranged dockage at Suzhou, progress every week. That's 4 total so far. Hale's Moon, Shadow, Zenobia and Suzhou. Very pleased

Just another Monday in Hale's Moon.

Searching Mini Zebes in Blackburne Wasteland

Galagher had a possible lead on the possible location of one of the cryostatic Reaver Virus victims, an underground lab someplace in the Blackburne Wasteland owned by a person named "Mini Zebes". How these people get these crazy names is beyond me. LilyBell didn't want Gallagher to go and didn't want me to go with him, saying it was too dangerous. Gallagher said that he couldn't wait, else the lead would be cold.

I couldn't wear my regular clothes, else we would attract too much attention. The only cover clothes I had was a mink cloak that I borrowed from my cousin Moira (she is going to be so angry at me). I dunno, I don't think I blended too well.



We went dirtside in the mule bike in case we had to move the cryostasis chamber.





The area was a total dump, not in a metaphorical sense either, it was a dump, junkyard, disposal area.



Gallagher figured out exactly where it was, it took some searching.



It was this hole in the ground. Once again, not a metaphor.



The lab was deafening and had an internal arrangement and transport system that was very disorienting. I got lost a few times. Hey, I'm a pilot, not a navigator. And try to keep up with Gallgher, good luck.



Gallagher disabled the few internal robotic sentinels, beat them into debris actually.



Gallagher grumbled that it was a dead lead, but I managed to download some info and looking at the bio-chambers, it was obvious that at least one of the bodies had been there, or at least samples. He called it a red herring. Sigh, I will have to explain what a red herring is to LilyBell.

Hopefully Lilybell will consider Imitation to be the highest form of flattery

To hear people talk about Mindo Lupindo, I was expecting a combination of Dr. Frankenstein, Jekyll and Moreau with at least a little Dr. No thrown in. But he was like a greasy stoner nerd with bad hair.



Gallagher and I found the tapes that Desmond left. One was in the sheriff's office and the other underneath the apartments. I can't give you details, all secrety cool.

Gallagher's vhs player is busted and so we can't play the tapes right away. Damn ancient Earth technology, they should have gone betamax. Desmond left Gallagher video games. Desmond is a strange...uh good guy.

So, I'm sitting on the chilltastic box, and some tweaky guy is banging on the door of Lily's old apartment. Gallagher runs out and takes his M4 rifle with him grumbling something about Mindo.

Gallagher is fast, by the time I catch up, Gallagher is on the veranda of LilyBell's old apartment and holding Mindo back at gunpoint.



Mindo seemed oblivious.

[6:48] Mindo Lupindo calls out softly "lily. Lily. Open the door".

[6:48] Hale's Door: Mindo Lupindo knocked at the door

[6:48] Mindo Lupindo: Lily I have AuroraBlue. Open the door.

[6:48] Gallagher Aeon: Lily dont live there no more

[6:48] Hale's Door: Mindo Lupindo knocked at the door

[6:49] Mindo Lupindo looks confused, blinks and stares at the door." I....I will wait here..until it comes..,home. AuroraBlue needs.. calling for..."

[6:49] Mindo Lupindo looks confused

[6:51] Mindo Lupindo looks at the girl

[6:51] Mindo Lupindo: Lily?

[6:51] Mindo Lupindo: Lily.

[6:51] Jai Raghilda: no.

[6:51] Mindo Lupindo: Why wouldn't you open the door.

[6:52] Mindo Lupindo reaches out to the girl

[6:52] Jai Raghilda: no

[6:52] Mindo Lupindo: Lily please. I....AuroraBlue..she's...

[6:52] Jai Raghilda: uh oh. Umm Mindo, why don't we sit in the courtyard

[6:52] Mindo Lupindo looks dazed, and very confused.

[6:52] Jai Raghilda: You am seem tired and need sit near foundtain

[Hopefully Lily will consider imitation to be the highest form of flattery.]

[6:53] Mindo Lupindo: Courtyard. Yes. Lily and Mindo will sit in the courtyard. Yes. I am tired. I am so tired. Why wouldn't you open the door. Brush your hair. Hide you.

[6:53] Jai Raghilda: ...brush my hair, tell me stories

[6:53] Mindo Lupindo: Yes.

[6:53] Jai Raghilda: Come, follow. Am not a cat. Tell me what am on you mind.

[6:54] Mindo Lupindo looks at the girl. "Lily. Not a cat. That's right".

[6:54] Jai Raghilda: it am rule and must give candy and shiny things, it also am rule

[6:55] Mindo Lupindo: Yes. Yes. Lily.

[6:55] Mindo Lupindo looks at her "Lily?"

[6:55] Jai Raghilda: where am cub? No see. Naughty cub, where am you?

[6:55] Mindo Lupindo takes a small brush out of his pocket and starts to brush the hair of the girl.

[6:56] Jai Raghilda: purrs, but not a cat.

[6:56] Mindo Lupindo: Good girl. Good girl.

[6:56] Jai Raghilda: I no see cub.

[6:56] Mindo Lupindo: They like you best. I will show..

[6:56] Jai Raghilda: Cub on your ship? No see ship

[6:56] Mindo Lupindo stops brushing and looks at his hand, looks at the brush. Cub ...live or die? live or die? live or die?

[6:57] Jai Raghilda: Mindo am sick? too many injections maybe.

[6:57] Mindo Lupindo: Lily. I brought you some shiny paper. (hands her some foil).

[6:57] Jai Raghilda: takes. Like shiny paper. Purrs, but not am cat. Am real, like Velveteen Rabbit, not Velveeta Rabbit

[6:58] Mindo Lupindo: Good girl. Good girl. Lily. Why do you not come when you are called?

[6:58] Jai Raghilda: I have much work

[6:58] Mindo Lupindo: Your work is to serve me.

[6:58] Jai Raghilda: look for cub. Many fights. Make meat sticks and frog soup.

[6:59] Mindo Lupindo nods slowly "You are a good fighter."

[6:59] Jai Raghilda: Lily am what Lily am.

[6:59] Mindo Lupindo: You fight like him. I made the best fighter. Better than my ..

[6:59] Jai Raghilda: we go to Mindo ship, Gallagher come with and be good, he promises things to am lilly

[7:00] Mindo Lupindo stares at the girl as he continues to brush her hair.

[7:00] Mindo Lupindo: Gallagher.

[7:00] Mindo Lupindo looks up.

[7:00] Gallagher Aeon: what the hell is going on

[7:00] Jai Raghilda: Gallagher am friend to all, he will go to Mindo Ship. Am not a cat

[7:01] Mindo Lupindo looks up in the sky. "Lily why did you not answer the door? Why do you not come when you are called?"

[7:01] Jai Raghilda: I was not in apartment

[7:01] Duncan Cooperstone is Offline

[7:01] Mindo Lupindo: I will have to stop if you do not come when you are called.

[7:01] Jai Raghilda: Real girls do that. We go now if you like. And take Gallagher

[7:02] Mindo Lupindo pulls at his own hair in a distraught manner.

[7:02] Jai Raghilda: Gallagher friend to all

[7:02] Mindo Lupindo: Where is the Replicant?

[7:02] Gallagher Aeon: dont know

[7:03] Jai Raghilda: Krenshar is off. Is cub on Mindo Ship?

[7:03] Mindo Lupindo: AuroraBlue needs ..(looks distracted, distraught).

[7:03] Jai Raghilda: Want to see cub?

[7:03] Mindo Lupindo: I hide you. I hide the cub. They will not find you. Or eat you. You will be their salvation.

[7:03] Jai Raghilda: yes, lily and cub am special and real, not cat

[7:04] Mindo Lupindo: Here. Here is some sugar dots. Eat them off the paper. (hands her candy). Why do you not come when you are called? Busy.

[7:04] Jai Raghilda: Thank you for dots. Share with cub, where cub. I go look for cub.

[7:05] Mindo Lupindo: It is safe Lily. I keep it safe. As I kept you safe. They will not hurt her. But she needs to (he looks at the ground). Lily. You will not find it. I hide it. As I hid you. They will not hurt her.

[7:05] Jai Raghilda: it am her, not it. Call it her, not it and fix it hair. And her am not it, am her

[7:06] Mindo Lupindo: I fixed its hair.

[7:06] Jai Raghilda: Want cub, take me to cub

[7:06] Mindo Lupindo: "It like it should be now. Shiny. Black." Reaches out and takes her by the neck.

[7:06] Jai Raghilda: show Gallagher where cub

[7:06] Mindo Lupindo drops her. "I....I....Lily."

[7:06] Jai Raghilda: coughs, gags. "I um... let you do that, now where am cub. Get cub, bring cub."

[7:07] Mindo Lupindo stares into space

[7:07] Jai Raghilda: blinks rapidly. Gallagher am doctor, give you vitamins

[7:07] Mindo Lupindo: No. No.

[7:07] Jai Raghilda: give everyone vitamins

[7:07] Mindo Lupindo: No needles. No. Oh God. No.

[7:08] Jai Raghilda: Pills am like candy

[7:09] Mindo Lupindo sits with his head in his hands, sobbing like a child. "I know you hear me LIly."

[7:09] Jai Raghilda: Poor Mindo, he sad, head am heavy

[7:09] Mindo Lupindo: I know you hear me when I call. Why don't you come when I call?

[7:09] Jai Raghilda: That is why I come. Here it am, me am.

[7:09] Mindo Lupindo: I need the rest of the information. For the cub. It is not yet..there is something wrong.

[7:10] Jai Raghilda: Am real, won't come until return cub. Blinks fast. Mindo am sick

[7:10] Mindo Lupindo breathes rapidly and pulls at his hair. "It won't ..it won't do what I tell it to do . It.."

[7:11] Jai Raghilda: Because am real

[7:11] Mindo Lupindo: The cub. The cub. The cub. It won't do what I tell it to do.

[7:11] Jai Raghilda: You must ask and make promises

[7:11] Mindo Lupindo: Promises. They made promises.

[7:11] Jai Raghilda: Who?

[7:11] Mindo Lupindo: live or die. live or die. Where is the Replicant?

[7:12] Jai Raghilda: Wasteland. People stoled from Mindo. Have proof.

[7:13] Mindo Lupindo: Yes. Yes. They stoled.

[7:14] Jai Raghilda: now they make reavers with your injections. Make work for lily, so lily can't come

[7:14] Mindo Lupindo: Steal from me.

[7:15] Jai Raghilda: Yes, stoled from Mindo. We go to Mindo ship, see cub

[7:15] Mindo Lupindo looks at the girl "It bit me".

[7:16] Jai Raghilda: It am her, am real

[7:16] Gallagher Aeon: AuroraBlue bit you?

[7:16] Mindo Lupindo: look at the man. "Who are you?"

[7:17] Jai Raghilda: He is Walter Disney, mayor of happiest place in ‘Verse

[7:17] Mindo Lupindo: rubs his arm above the wrist. "Yes it bit me. I need to see the Replicant."

[7:17] Gallagher Aeon: The Replicant is not here. Where is the cub now?

[7:17] Mindo Lupindo: I hid it, looks at Lily "as I hid you".

[7:18] Jai Raghilda: It am her, not it.

[7:18] Mindo Lupindo: They will not find her. OR eat her.

[7:18] Jai Raghilda: better.

[7:18] Mindo Lupindo: I must find the Replicant.

[7:18] Jai Raghilda: we go to her now

[7:18] Mindo Lupindo shouts: LILY.

[7:18] Mindo Lupindo: You can come with me, but you must do as I say.

[7:19] Jai Raghilda: Take Walter also

[7:19] Gallagher Aeon: I’m coming too

[7:19] Mindo Lupindo: Who are you?

[7:19] Jai Raghilda: He is Walter Disney.

[7:19] Mindo Lupindo: Why are you pointing the weapon at me?

[7:19] Gallagher Aeon: I dont trust you

[7:20] Jai Raghilda: It is fun, no? We am play games. Walter point gun at me. Hee hee hee. Much fun. See?

[7:20] Mindo Lupindo: It won't do what I tell it to do.

[7:22] Jai Raghilda: Where am Mindo, ack, I mean where is Mindo

[7:22] Gallagher Aeon: He disappeared

Many Happy Returns

Not a lot of excitement here. Excitement as defined as people discharging weapons in my general direction.

Arranged high orbit dockage in Zenobia, up over 4000m. It will make transit to the system much easier. Got the grand tour of their newly expanded station at 780m and a GINORMOUS ship named the Antares. 170m long, 90m wide and 40m high. I got lost, twice. No one seems to know the name of the Moon over Zenobia, but my dockage is in the second Lagrangian Point (L2) of the Zenobia/Moon orbit.

Moira called, said she has left Zenobia and has news for me about the underground organ transplant outfit when she sees me. She is picking up her medical tools and equipment while in Zenobia.



I ran into Duncan and Imrhein at Firefly's. Duncan was asleep the entire time. Imhrein asked me if I was going to join up with the 12th Air Calvary. I politely declined. They must be very desperate or grossly overestimate my value to the military. She obviously never seen me shoot or fly. If I had a proper pilot's license, I would be in the Core. (I do have insurance. Lloyd's has insurance coverage for unlicensed pilots, there must be a market for it.) I am a chartered accountant, but I don't think they need that. I met someone named AlysonLynn. The chairs and booths in Firefly's don't like me, I had to sit on the table. (How do you pronounce Imrhein?)

Desse visited, I was greatly relieved to see her. She was elusive, obscure and cryptic about what work took her away for weeks, but she seemed greatly relieved and said she might visit Friday night. She was wearing her adventurer clothes.

Professional Paranoid Desmond Serenity of the Dharma Initiative told Gallagher that there are 2 more tapes somewhere in Hale. I went searching for them. I checked the old bunker and around the sheriff office and the caverns underneath the, ....I don't know if I am supposed to say. Haven't found them yet. Lily says she knows where Desmond's old cell is, but she got sidetracked.

Krenshar worked on my vehicles, so that the turbine afterburners are on automatic and not manual activation. After the firefight over Shadow, I have installed my flying mule as an escape vehicle on my Atmoo Shuttlepod.



LilyBell returned. She was talking with Gallagher and Krenshar about Mindo mostly when I saw her. Mindo created Lily. Mindo is experimenting on himself, making himself into a reaver and then back. I don't know how this ties in with Desmond's Reaver Virus theory. There was some heated words spoken about Mindo.



Gabe, who I met after a hit and run with a Finder's Union Cyborg, has wisely bought a pretty horse called "Peanut"

The Finder's Union search the 'Verse for rare items. I don't really know why. I chat now and then with one of their mechanics who repairs the cyborgs.



LilyBell was in a barfight, that she does not seem to recall afterwards. After the fight and on one later time, it appeared that she was hearing voices in her head that was not her own. She is also building something in her tower that she does not know what it is and is awaiting further instructions. I pray for LilyBell. She said I can visit anytime and gave me a snowman cone. Freshly made meat sticks too. ALWAYS ASK WHAT THE FOOD IS MADE FROM! ALWAYS!!!!! Ratburgers, ZohMyGodzilla! I am going to have to make a trip to the Total Recall Clinic to get that out of my mind. LilyBell was wearing Gallagher's Coveralls.

Not a killy type fight, just a brawly type, but one of the guys Raven something of other had a bad reaction to his meds and was getting a little gun punchy. Bel offered medical advice to just "knock him out already". Medicine in the frontier. I calmed him down with the promise of beer.

I got to see AuroraBlue briefly. She has grown a bit (almost as tall as me), has a new haircut (plus dyed black hair) and was a bit ornery. Gallagher and LilyBell chased her around to try and prevent her from leaving when Mindo called. I tried unsuccessfully to lure her with stories and cookies. She did not bit me, so that's a consolation prize.

I instructed Krenshar to code a memo to himself that the next time AuroraBlue say "Hi Daddy" to him to reply, "Hi Sweetheart." He doesn't get it.

LilyBell let me read something AuroraBlue wrote. AuroraBlue writes much differently than she speaks. She is talking a lot about genetics and markers on many men around Hale and Shadow. It seems like AuroraBlue has a strategy of her own and keeping her cards close to the vest, even from her family.

http://aurorabluelittleboots.blogspot.com/2009/06/i-dont-like-my-hair.html

If you are feeling confused, don't feel bad. I sit thru the whole thing and I have no idea about that synthy family. They are nice though, confusing, but nice.

There was some other strange event that I went to a Total Recall Clinic to erase from my memory. I should not have gotten the discount version, I am still having some nightmares about spanking, spiders and anvils. If its bad enough that you have to go to the Total Recall Clinic, get the premium package.

I chased after LilyBell in the Hale Wasteland hills for a while for what purpose, I don't know. She hissed at me and said that she wants Cub. I lost her after that. She is very fast.

Wow, I was busier than I thought.

I am supposed to take Zade to the Blackburne Wastelands to find part of his old truck that he got from his Mom, but our schedules have not worked out well.

Moira ditches me for the Independents

Dear Coop,

Moira called me from Zenobia today, she has a lead on an unregistered organ transplant outfit. She also verified that those were human blastomeres in those pods. Blastomeres are embryonic tissue, commonly used in organ transplants. She is hoping someone in Zenobia will help her. I am putting in a call to Zeno and Laken.

Moira told me that she is going to join up with the Independents as a Doctor. Over her Mom's objections, Moira was a teen nurse's assistant at the end of the last war. Guess it was what motivated her to go to medical school.

I always viewed Moira as a spoiled child, but perhaps there was some hidden depth that I missed while she was borrowing my things.

I don't have a lot of family left and Moira is the only one I have found thus far. Please take good care of my cousin please. Thank you.

Love Jai.

P.S. Moira wanted to know if the Independents had a theme song like a national anthem. I had no idea. I didn't figure it was "The Ballad of Serenity" as it is a spacer song and not about the independence of a planet or planets.

If they don't have an anthem, I have a couple of suggestions:

"This Old Brown Coat" Based on "This Old Grey Coat" by Trace Adkins of Earth That Was.

This Old Brown Coat

Well they gave me this old coat
Said it will keep you might warm
It will see you through the winter
It's your by God uniform

So I wear it everyday
And I sleep in it at night
Now it's twenty shade of brown
And the waist has shrunk too tight
And the bottoms caked and muddy
And the buttons are half gone
But just like you and me
This Old Brown Coat wears on.

Chorus:
And when I die in this Brown Coat
I'm gonna march though Heaven's door
I'm gonna walk up to Saint Peter
And tell him, send me back for more
Cause I'll be damn if I'll just sit around
Why you boys win the war
Cause even, when I'm dead
Shot full of Alliance lead
And every part of me keeps hangin' by a thread
Of This Old Brown Coat.

When I think of all the places
This old coat and me have been
Through the fat and lean and in between
In the weak through thick and thin

From the ballrooms down in Hera
To the top of Serenity
From Shadow to the Deep Black
And a hundred other fights

Now the collars torn and tattered
And the elbow's wore clean through
But put me in a pinch
This Old Brown Coat will do.

Chorus:
And when I die in this Brown Coat
And when they come to bury me
They commenced a speak of fightin'
And singin', Mirror Lord Thieves
Well be damn sure I ain't just sleepin'
Cause I flat out guarantee
That even, when I'm dead
Shot full of Alliance lead
That the toughest part of lives on in every shred
Of This Old Brown Coat.

Well you can, cut my throat
You can, sink my boat
But you can never stop This Old Brown Coat.
When my bones do toll
When that's, all she wrote
I'll fight on inside This Old Brown Coat.

Chorus:
And when I die in this Brown Coat
I'm gonna march though Heaven's door
I'm gonna walk up to Saint Peter
And tell him, send me back for more
Cause I'll be damn if I'll just sit around
Why you boys win the war
Cause even, when I'm dead
Shot full of Alliance lead
There ain't nothin' that I'd rather wear instead
Than This Old Brown Coat.

This Old Brown Coat
I'll go down
In This Old Brown Coat
This Old Brown Coat.

[Tabs and Chords available upon request.]


I can't imagine how "Louie Louie" would have any meaning relevant to the independence movement, but most high school marching bands can play it.

"Louie Louie" By Richard Berry

Louie Louie, me gotta go.

Louie Louie, me gotta go.

A fine little girl, she wait for me.
Me catch the ship across the sea.
I sailed the ship all alone.
I never think I'll make it home.

Louie Louie, me gotta go.

Three nights and days we sailed the sea.
Me think of girl constantly.
On the ship, I dream she there.
I smell the rose in her hair.

Louie Louie, me gotta go.

Me see Jamaican moon above.
It won't be long me see me love.
Me take her in my arms
and then I tell her I never leave again.

Louie Louie, me gotta go.

Gallagher finds something called a VHS

No doubt, utilizing his connections to unsavory underground type, Gallagher scored a video playing device called a VHS. He did not tell me the details, I'm sure its all hush-hush.

I meet him in his office and sit on the back of his Chill-tastic couch and he slips in the tape.



******
Dharma Initiative
Video Tape 1 of 8

Gallagher,

We apologise for the technology used to carry this message. We understnad it coudn't have been easy to view.

On this tape is evidence that the Alliance have been hacking into our media and inserting damaging subliminal messages

Desmond
******

According to Desmond Serenity, professional paranoid, the Alliance hacked their media records and placing subliminal messages.

Pfft, subliminal messages, who believes in that. But just to be on the safe side, I resolve to resist the urge to snack on the Fruity Oaty Bar in my pack.



******
Initiative Classifications

The Hanso Foundation, 1981. All Rights Reserved
******

I forgot to ask Gallagher who the Hanso Foundation is. 1981? I hum to myself the Fruity Oaty Bar jingle.



******
Station 2 - Parapsychological Study
-
-
-
- Clairvoyance/ Clairaudience
******

I totally spaced out for Station 1 and most of Station 2. Station 2 is about Paraphsychology.

I try to keep the words out of my head, "Fruity Oaty Bars, make a man out of a mouse! Fruity Oaty Bars, make you burst out of your blouse. In another time, let them blow your mind! Hey!"



******
Station 3 - Physics
- Boson String Research
- Matrix Mechanic Theor
- Paleogeography
- Quantum Electrodynamics
******

Station 3 is about Physics. Paleogeography, ok sure. Boson Strings? He was the singer for U2, no?

Mmmm, that Fruity-Oaty goodness!



******
Station 4 -
- Cryptozoological Research
- Genus Aberrational Studies
- Pyslogenetics
- Species Allocation & Conservation
******

Cryptozoology? Like finding bigfoot?

I dunno....Gallagher says this is supposed to discredit the Dharma Initiative, but for I know Desmond is into this stuff.

ZOHMYGODZILLA, the subminal programming works. I am so weak and pathetic.

Oh look, there's a Fruity Oaty Bar in my hand. I try to put it away, but my hand defies my will. Mmmm, that Fruity-Oaty goodness!



******
Station 5 -
- Electron Degeneracy Research
- Gravitational Radiation
- Peculiar Stellar Velocities
- Radiative Transport Study
******

Radiative Transport? Ummm...Peculiar Stellar Velocities?

Just one bite maybe.



******
Station 6 -
- Heterogeneity Refinement
- Cryogenics & Cellular Stasis
- Ectopic Integration Studies
- Monoclonal Research
******

It really is fruity oaty good.

Oh, the tape, yeah, ummm. hm. Station 6, ah Cellular Stasis, Ectopic ehhh, uhhh, Monocional....

Damn it, I'm eating this whole bar and I don't care. It's mine, all mine. MMMMMMmmmmm, ahhhh. mmmmm.

I really was not a good student at school, I barely passed with ordinaire, no honors. Solidly in the top 80% of my graduating class.



******
Alvar Hanso
Founder and Director of The Hanso Foundation
******

Who is Alvar Hanso? Founder, director. Yeah, but who is he? Damn, I'll ask Gallagher later.

Mmmm, rich in flavour, vitamins and juices of some kind, each bite feels like a slice of the 'verse.

Fruity Oaty Bars
make a man out of a mouse!
Fruity Oaty Bars
make you burst out of your blouse.
In another time,
let them blow your mind!
Hey!
Fruity Oaty Bars!

Fruity Oaty Bar Commercial