From an anonymous contributor: Nemesis

Hmmmm, where to go with this one? I feel little twinges racing through my mind ... let's see if they lead to anything.

Go for it, CD!

Their eyes met, locking in recognition, each of them acknowledging that the battle was about to begin. In this time, in this place, they were nemeses, the ultimate opponents, calling on all of their training, all of their experience, to bring each other down. Nothing was at stake. Everything was at stake. Concentrating on every tiny movement of his body, Mark tossed the tiny white ball into the air, smacking it with his paddle, aiming precisely at his opponent. Jason returned the shot with equal concentration, his eyes never leaving the small object that represented the contest between them. Ready Room ping pong tournaments were serious business.

Love it, TJ...esp the "nothing was at stake, everything was at stake," line...very much a young man's competition...

You know, the "Battle of the Paddles" slipped my mind! I enjoyed the way you summed it up, TJ.

LOL, they're young men... everything is a life-or-death competition!

Hee hee hee, that was such fun, TJ, and must be the only way to pit the teammates against each other without causing a rift between them..... depending on how heated the competition gets of course....

Very nice TJ, left me wondering who and what they were doing until the very end.

Originally posted by KT1972 depending on how heated the competition gets of course....

Sometimes I wonder if all if that ping pong is one long game, broken up by calls to missions!

hehe TJ, I wonder if it started with "so-and-so gets to play the winner next" but neither Mark nor Jason ever officially wins, and the others have given up.

Love it, TJ! I guess for them every game would be like the gunfight at OK Corral...

I think the others have ceded the table to Mark and Jason. It would be like someone else picking up Princess' guitar or Keyop's drums! As for the intensity of the game... well they are both intense, competitive guys, so I'm assuming that would carry over.

[unrecoverable text]

Hmm....somehow I get the feeling she won't be a "nemesis" for long, if Joe has his way!

Whatever could you mean EW?

Oh, I see...I'm reading too much into Joe's reaction as an impressive blonde walks over to meet him!

I haven't decided yet, lol, anything could happen with these prompts!!

KT: Woo, somehow Joe's mind is no longer on racing!

And clearly she's been watching him too.... Love this, KT!

And as we know, Joe never learns from past mistakes...

LOL, we all know his track record where women are concerned too

[unrecoverable text]

LW: Hehe. Why do I have the feeling this would a birthday they won't forget?

Yep, LW, you've shown that only Jun can give a whole other meaning to "birthday blowout"!

"She wore all the correct safety equipment." LOL! Maybe she should cook in bird style!

And this is exactly the kind of cake Jun *should* make... one that should explode!

[unrecoverable text]

phew, need a moment to recover from that! That sure was exciting, and not fully understanding much more than the basic laws of physics, I found it all totally believable.....

Littlewolf---loved the little baking scene. Giving Jun an, "A" for attempt....hope it works out for her.

Well...now you have me all thinking. Was this my subconscious extending Bradbury #33 "Ignore this one" Have the Red Rangers and Cronus done something to upset me? and what Chemical ingrediants was Jun baking with?

I love that Iona turned Galactor's trick against them! I just hope that she and Jun can land the God Phoenix successfully!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun I love that Iona turned Galactor's trick against them! I just hope that she and Jun can land the God Phoenix successfully!

There is still one fighter left out there...the one that shot the missile.

Good old Bradbury Jar! All of you are still doing a great job, coming up with ingenious variations pending on one, small word! Lethal ping pong games, lethal blondes, lethal birthday cakes, and lethal women at war! Way to go!

k2: Action-packed. Just some flying factoids: Pilots practice stall recovery all the time so it'll be reflexive if they do stall. Given that the God Phoenix is a flying brick, it's probably got a very small glide ratio, and is gonna fall more than it'll glide. I'm sure that Iona has practiced recovering from stalls on simulators at the very least, but hopefully in the ship itself as well. However, even with that, doing it in a combat scenario with enemy fighters, enemy missiles, and a helpless commercial airliner is gonna be stressful.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun And this is exactly the kind of cake Jun *should* make... one that should explode!

Oooo ... frosting all over the place ... which means uniforms would need to come off ... which means nekked Rangers ... yum yum! And ... lucky me! ... they're alllllll mine!

Originally posted by RIgirl And ... lucky me! ... they're alllllll mine!

You're welcome to them. And I mean that very sincerely.

you can kiss their "boo boo's" better

Hmm ... I know something about frosting and it's really verrrry sticky and messy, especially when in contact with heat! Guess that even if they'd take off their uniforms there'd be enough frosting left, scattered on them needing to be taken off or licked! You know, some many semi-unbuttoned shirts when at leisure! Hope you have a sweet tooth, RIgirl!

Before Cross Karakoram ... All my life I had one nemesis ... everything being Galactor! Every second that passes I breathe revenge! Along the way I forgot all about communication and trust! People I care for keep falling dead in front of me, all because of this ruthless enemy! I look at the only family I still have, and that I made my own ... the only few persons who have stayed by my side no matter what, and who accept me for whom I am ... those persons who always manage to read between my silent lines, something which I always deemed impossible! Yet, I still can't reach out to them! I've been chiselled into a person made of stone! And, now that I need them the most, I'm pushing them far away ... not because I wish to, but because I love them! ... I don't want them to see me crippling away, the way I'd never wish to see them! Though we keep on winning battles with Galactor, up till now ... though I've been winning every tiny, personal battle with the enemy, somehow I feel that the enemy is slowly winning over me, also! Galactor has taken a great part of my life away from me, together with a great part of my humanity! I don't know whether I'd live enough to fulfill my dream ... my one purpose! I only know that, in case I might not succeed, my family would surely grant this wish for me! But ... I don't know how to tell them ... I don't know how to ask for their help, and ... I'm so afraid to die by myself! Yes ... I always knew who my true enemy was ... now I'm thinking whether my true nemesis is my own self!

marie: Some good Joe introspection, there. Seeing his own weakness, angry at himself for it, but helpless against it at the same time.

Very nice reflections on Joe's part. Nice to see you participating again Marie.

Thanks CW and CD!

Marie, that's a wonderful insight into the emotional turmoil Joe is experiencing at the end of the the first series.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Marie, that's a wonderful insight into the emotional turmoil Joe is experiencing at the end of the the first series.

Thanks, TJ! Just enough to scribble something down, cause only who's in such a situation could tell how he really felt! His wasn't a nice place to be at that time!

K2: I don't understand the physics but I understand that one was one exciting piece of writing! Now let's see how the girls handle the other fighter! Marie: That was very powerful! Poor Joe. RIgirl: OK, you can have the Rangers, but if a bit of frost flies, let's say, on Joe, he's mine! Hands off! Down, girls!

This week's prompt inspired me to do a little "out-take" on the fic I'm currently writing, "Irreplaceable". This one is from a rather different POV... //When Mala called to tell me that her mission had been succesful, I almost didn't believe her. You see, I'm so used to failures. And to the Federation foiling every one of my plans. But no, this time she had succeeded. Goes to show, perhaps, that one lone woman could accomplish more than my battalions. So after a moment or two of savouring our triumph, I told the good news to the Luminous One. Who couldn't care less, truth be told. "And what are you going to do with a security chief, Zoltar? Ransom him?" "My idea was that the Federation will eventually replace him," I mumbled. "Your plans always fail, Zoltar! Make sure this doesn't happen this time!" I bowed and left without a word, not trusting myself not to blast out against the Luminous One. Yes, I fail. It would help, however, if I had decent intelligence to work with. If I had decent military commanders. I am the one chance for our planet. And it's not going well. Back in my office, I wondered what the Earthling would think of us, here, on our wasting planet. Surprisingly, I found myself wondering what he would think of me. Not that I care. But it will be interesting. For the Federation, I am a bit of a clown, a hopeless leader. Let's see if he feels the same after he sees me on my own pitch. A message was relayed to me that the transport had arrived, and I got ready to meet my nemesis. Chief Anderson was on his way.//

Oh nice DT, this really does fit well with what I've seen so far of Irreplaceable. Almost makes me feel sorry for Zoltar!

Originally posted by Daniella T ... but if a bit of frost flies, let's say, on Joe, he's mine! Hands off! Down, girls!

Do you realize how much danger you've put yourself in, DT? Are you sure you can fight off the entire Condor nation?

Hmm .. am seriously behind here! Let's see what I can do to catch up ... TJ -- loved the game between the guys! As guys, you just know that they keep score and pick up right where they left off! Chris -- I know you posted in the "naughty" section, but I'll comment here -- I'm totally loving this! *snerk* and I can't wait for the others to join Ken and Joe. Maybe then Joe won't feel so much pressure about keeping an eye on Ken all the time! k2p2 -- Wow! That was one fast-paced post! I don't know much physics either, but it all sounded good to me! Gatchmarie -- I loved the internal thoughts and struggles; his was definitely not an easy position to be in and you do wonder what they must have been thinking while all of this was going on. Danielle -- LOL! I can well believe Zoltar being more than stunned that a plan actually worked! They are an interesting pair, Zoltar and Mala ...

Originally posted by Transmute Jun You're welcome to them. And I mean that very sincerely.

You know, TJ, they're actually a fun group of guys, once you get to know them ... why, at birthday parties, they play "musical jets" and "pin the tail on the Ranger" and, of course, the always-popular jet fighter pinata ... hmm ... wait a minute ... TJ holding a stick, while standing in the same room with Cronus ... okay, maybe that's not the best idea ... never mind ... Gatchmarie ... I like how you think! I'm not a fan of icing or frosting, but exceptions can always be made! And Danielle, if you want to fight all the Condor lovers out there, go for it! I'll stay with my Rangers!

RIgirl: Hehe ... we'll see what kind of state Joe is in by the time Jun gets there. And how far she gets before Ryu arrives.

Gatchamarie--a nice deep look at Joe. Daniella...whoa...the suspense builds, can't wait to read more....I am sure the Chief has a card or two up his sleeve.

Daniella and Gatchamarie--thanks for the nice comments...one more installment in this...and then it should be done...depending on the prompts.

Daniella, I love this little peek into Zoltar's daily life! And how like him that he's insecure enough to care about what the Chief thinks of him... I'm wondering if the Chief can somehow use that to his advantage...?

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Daniella, I love this little peek into Zoltar's daily life! And how like him that he's insecure enough to care about what the Chief thinks of him... I'm wondering if the Chief can somehow use that to his advantage...?

Oooooh surely Anderson is one for noticing others' weaknesses!

Daniella ... that's such a good insight in Zoltar's mind, revealing his deep insecurities! I agree that you managed to make me feel sorry for him!

Daniella, RIgirl, and k2p2 ... many thanks for your lovely comments!

TJ- Ping pong battles - perfect! EW - you have to trademark "Battle of he Paddles" KT - oh, Joe is in so much trouble... LW - for Jun to prep to make a cake would be like a war. And another Simi fan. Pass the BBQ sauce! K2 - Who allowed themselves to get a Galactor transponder put on them? Nambu's going to have a fit. Way to go Iona! GM - Very deep. I've always thought Joe was his own worst enemy. DT - Poor Zoltar. He's so abused - not! RI - 'Musical jets' - do they have to be completely in their cockpit when the music ends to win?