Our last prompt of 2012: Contributed anonymously -- Slippery

Oooooh, I like where my imagination has taken me for this one. Soap suds and showers..... Now, I wonder if I can just get it written.

hee hee hee, CD, I like where your imagination is going too.... don't keep us waiting too long, will you!

Hmm....methinks there will be a few Rubber Room entries this week!

Oh my...this will be a slippery slope for many authors...

promises promises!

Originally posted by Daniella T Oh my...this will be a slippery slope for many authors...

I look forward to seeing where this prompt may take others.

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Not sure if I'm correct, but I thought I'd give it a try anyhow... sorry if it doesn't follow suit Ken and Joe gathered in the rec hall, while the picture window clearly showed the seen of one mangled up G2 machine. Knowing it could be fixed wasn't the issue with it. The fact that there hadn't been a battle in quite a few weeks was. Ken stared down his second in command. "Joe, just how in the heck does something like this happen?" Joe stammered as he tried to find the correct words to use "I uh.... it was slippery is all.." His eyes looked everywhere, except to meet Ken's glare. "Hogwash!" Ken spat. "I've seen you drive that thing on mountains covered in ice and rain. Now your expecting me to think that's too slippery for you to control. Your hiding something. and I will get to the bottom of it. You just better hope that it doesn't affect my plans on going out tonight to celebrate the New Year. Nambu's not going to be happy when he hears about this." " Yeah, well...." Joe couldn't complete his thought for fear of revealing too much information of the last days events. One thing he did learn was to never let the girl drive regardless of how much she "does" in return. He knew in his thoughts that if he was grounded to the base for his actions, happy thoughts of last night would get him through.

KT, I love the whole speed dating thing. My mind has toyed with the song That Don't Impress Me Much by Shania Twain and some unknowing female meeting Nambu, Ken, and Joe.... in a dating thing like that

KT - I wonder where Hakase will go for his holidays! Somewhere with no single,women, probably Gatchgirl - oh to get a glimpse of the Condor's face

KT, what a great way to wrap everything up! Hmmm.... the Widows of Galactor.... sounds like a new fighting force! GG, and here I thought that the girl was 'servicing' the Condor as he drove!

GG, that was great, typical of the Condor to put pleasure before anything else during the rare times of peace.... As for what she did in return, I think our imaginations can fill in the blanks

KT - that was a great wrap up, although it leads me to believe at least two members of the team, if not all the senior ones, knew what was going with Nambu. GG - you did a great job using the prompt, and so like the Condor. I would love to see what Hakase has to say when he sees the scene.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun GG, and here I thought that the girl was 'servicing' the Condor as he drove!

Same thing, here! GG ... you did a lovely job with this prompt, getting our naughty minds rolling! KT ... great explanation! Guess there'd be no more speed dating events for Hakase!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Hmmm.... the Widows of Galactor.... sounds like a new fighting force!

....Or a really bad girl band! That was an interesting scheme to get back at Nambu, I must say! GG, I'd say you've got the idea! This ficlet gave me a couple of giggles.

Okay, here's a little something off-the-cuff.... ========== The monitor showed nearly identical scenes from around the world: the remains of a factory, and nobody in the surrounding community being able to get their footing. And there were no ice storms that made the earth so slippery. The adult members of the Science Ninja Team looked on in disgust, Joe having the most severe expression of all. Jinpei had been sent off on a snipe hunt, since kids his age should not know the details of some topics, even if he regularly fought the biggest terrorist organization in the world. "As if I didn't have enough reason to slowly wring Katse's neck!" Joe grumbled. "Worldwide shortages have already begun." Dr. Nambu said as though nobody else had spoken. "What has me baffled is why Katse decided to destroy all the world's lubricant plants simultaneously...."

EW, shouldn't this piece have a nose-cola warning?

EW, my mind traveled in many areas in your ficlet... let's just say that I'm enjoying the laughter they have caused... ;-}

you know, I hadn't totally thought of that possibility (not sure why) guess it's cause I use the reasoning of my guy on his teen years... think everyone has pretty much connected the dots LOL

KT: I imagine Nambu would find it near impossible to attend such an event without risking something like that, especially if people knew in advance he was coming. gatchgirl: There's nothing to be correct about. That must have been some girl for Joe to let her drive!!! I bet those memories definitely would keep him company if he's grounded, hehe. EW: Poor Jinpei, he'd have enjoyed the slip N slide!

KT - Okay, that is JUST the sort of cracked-out scheme Galactor would come up with! Poor Nambu. He may never try dating again. Or maybe he'll meet someone nice on his vacation. gatchgirl - Ahahah I love how Joe's kind of like, yeah, that was worth it... EW - I love how no one wants to be the one to explain things to poor Jinpei. I can imagine all the guys looking at Jun, like, "Uh, YOU adopted him - you tell him." And then fleeing. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

Okay I am using this prompt as a blatant excuse for Joe pinup art (NOT SORRY). Art ramblings: Btw...this is my FIRST attempt at "cell shading"! Like where you use the select tool to highlight a whole section and then color-fill it (as opposed to just freehand painting the whole thing). I am not satisfied with it but WOW it was fast! This was a little over an hour of artwork. O__O

Very nice Lunulet. no need to be sorry.....

HOOOLLLLYYYY....CONDOR! OMG- That is awesome! Lunulet- you are so talented- I just love your work! You've captured him so perefctly with the feather and the cocky attitude! And I think this coloring technique looks great! I need to learn new techniques- wish I lived closer so I could learn from you!

Lunulet, that is fantastic. You may not be pleased with it but it does look great. I would be very happy to have that pinned up in my room .... if I knew I would get no weird looks.

Sorry it's taken me a little while to respond, Lunulet -- my keyboard kept shorting out! (Looks like I'll have to replace it with a drool-proof model, especially if you keep posting pics like that!)

LOL,EW. Maybe that is why I was given a plastic cover for my board this Christmas .... I thought it was because I kept getting crumbs between the keys.

I'm not able to make technical commentary, but I can tell you I'm going to be staring at this one for a long time!

Lunulet: Yum. I can almost see a thought bubble: "Yeah, enjoy it while you can, you perverts ..."

Condor mumbles to self "Jeeze can't a man take of his shirt without all these women fainting everywere" or "Ah bloody hell these means another lecture of Nambu about leaving bodies in the wrong places"

Originally posted by littlewolf Condor mumbles to self "Jeeze can't a man take of his shirt without all these women fainting everywere"

quick answer "NO"

KT--nice wrap up to what went on earlier this year, even though it was bit info-dumpy where it came to Jun sorta explains it all. Sorta like where they had Kate Jackson tell how it all went down at the end of almost every episode of "Charlie's Angles," back in the seventies. I wouldn't have minded a few more eps of this tale where the facts were revealed a bit slower. Gatch-girl-nothing wrong with that little fic bit at all. Kinda like how Joe is remorseless for his actions. EW- a very slippery slope indeed...along with everything else. Lunulet-Nice art! Looks like it was fun to create! Very pretty, and I like the soft tones. Just like morning sunlight.

EW: I loved the little details of Joe being the one having the most disgruntled expression on his face...poor guy... Lunulet: Eyes popping out of sockets! More! More!

And now for something a bit more sedate -- compared to the steamy fics and pics produced this week -- the prompt fitted nicely with how I wanted to continue the story of Anderson and Sarah. So, picking up from where we left them during the "cake" prompt, with Anderson facing five annoyed teenagers... //The report Mark handed him seemed, initially, to be quite innocuous. It was a standard document from the ISO's administration, setting out the latest version of the paperwork referring to G-Force, as it had to be updated in view of the imminent hostilities. To Anderson, it did not seem like anything warranting a mutiny. But the team's faces were definitely mutinous. Why, even Keyop looked mutinous, he noticed in surprise. "I don't see what the problem is..." he started mildly. Better not to antagonise them immediately. "Yeah, you wouldn't, would you?" snarled Jason. "That's why we decided to bring it to your attention personally instead of letting it lie in your in-tray." "Jason, it's been a long trip, and I'm tired. What's the big deal with this document?" "Check you the penultimate paragraph," said Princess, sulking. Anderson's eyes scanned the document. Aha! So that's what the team was so upset about. They were right, he wouldn't have noticed it himself. Still, he tried to dismiss the problem. "It only says here that until you are eighteen, you will remain, legally speaking, wards of the ISO. You knew that. That's how it was until now. Why are you so angry? This update only repeats, in this particular paragraph, what the previous terms of reference said." Mark took a step forward, his face inches from the Chief's. "When the previous documents were drafted we were trainees. We were NOT about to go out and risk our lives in this war. So you want us to be combattants, to be the elite force in the galaxy, and still be considered underage legally? Is this your idea of making us responsible?" He was so angry, he couldn't continue, so Tiny took the floor. "Chief, this is not fair. It will still be some time until all of us turn eighteen -- for Keyop, it will be years! And all this time we will fight to protect the Earth from Spectra, but we will still be considered...children? Is that what you want?" Anderson drew a hand through his hair. This was one battle he could not win. If he wanted his team to fight a war, it was only fair to treat them as adults. He would have to get the ISO lawyers to work on it, finding a way of making all of them, including Keyop, adults in the legal sense. "You're right. I will find a solution. But you know what this means, don't you?" he snapped. "It means you are adults, not only when you're in the field but in all other circumstances! Which means I expect you to behave as adults! All the time!", he added, looking meaningfully at Jason. Jason had the good grace to look down. "Chief, while we're at it, could we also look at our contracts again? Get some more leeway to spend the money we earn instead of keeping it in trust?" said Princess, looking at him pleadingly. In the way that he found hard to resist. Anderson felt he was on a slippery slope. If he started giving in to all their demands, there was no knowing where it could end. He decided it was time to distract them. "Princess, no way. We hope that one day the war will be over. And you wil need the money you are saving now. However, on a different note...and as you want to be treated as adults, I expect you to behave as adults when certain rumours concerning me reach your ears." He paused for effect, having gotten, for once, their undivided attention. "I assure you that the rumours are true. I am dating Dr. Sarah Petrides."// Note: I know I'm making biiiig allowances here, but I assume that the team got paid at some point for their work.

Very nice addition, DT. And it explains a few things we see in the series - like Keyop being able to drive when he is obviously too young to have a liscense. BTW: I don't think you are making allowances about the team being paid ... I too have always assumed the same idea. Although I decided ISO gives them a minimal allowance, mostly to keep their true identities "under the radar" so to speak. If they were seen as making large sums of money, then it might attract the attention from unwanted eyes.

I agree, it explains an awful lot about the civilian life of the team, not just their earnings, but why they never go to school, or are seen home tutored either. a great addition Daniella, I'm hoping you will continue with it.

Originally posted by ElectricWhite Sorry it's taken me a little while to respond, Lunulet -- my keyboard kept shorting out! (Looks like I'll have to replace it with a drool-proof model, especially if you keep posting pics like that!)

EW, you took the words right out of my mouth... was going to say my keyboard won't stop shorting out. VERY nice Lunulet... DT, I like your addition to this challenge. I've had some of them same ideas with pay myself... been working (cough, as it gain dust) on things like that myself

DT: Poor kids, can die for the safety of the galaxy but can't have a beer. I can see Jason rueing this day at some point if he gets arrested for something. Right now I"m picturing them having blank stares before bursting into laughter at the thought that the Chief is dating anyone.

EW ... that was such a "slippery" way of thinking and writing! Yeah ... poor Jinpei, for having been left out of the fun! And, I too loved Joe's expression in particular! Lunulet ... WOW ... just wow! ... and so hot! Did I ever tell you that I simply love your style?! ... and your Condor?! Am so glad that I have found some time alone, without the kids around (they're still on holidays!), in order to stare at him over and over again! Daniella ... I love this addition of yours! Like the others are so well saying, apart from the continuation of the story, the facts that you're adding in are most plausable and explaining as to what happens in canon! Funny how it would have been difficult for Anderson to explain his relationship with Sarah but then found it so convenient for him as a deviation from the hot topic he was confronting! Wonder if this were to turn out to be a case of from the pan in the fire for him!

Daniella, I love that you took on this issue! The show just does a casual handwave about them being kids (lalala *handwave*) but from the start I've always craved a more logical explanation of their living/employment arrangements. This is why fanfic is important, heehee. Soooo...he must be pretty serious about Sarah. He just told his kids, er, I mean the team, about their relationship.

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I didn't know of this cocktail, but I'm certainly going to look for it now. What a steamy fic this was! Joe's languid hands reaching for the drink...the slow patter of high heels...I wonder if there will be more! Plus I also wonder whether (a) Joe's hallucinating (b) the lady will try to kill him So I hope there's a sequel, Marie!

It's a mixture of Baileys and Sambuca, Daniella! And, why is it taken for granted that any woman who approaches the Condor will end up trying to kill him?! ... ahem ... that's a retorical question, isn't it?! Glad you liked it!

Oooooh, very hot Marie. And very nice. I think I had heard of such a drink, but with all the "weird" names cocktails have it did not surprise me when it was mentioned - I at least recognized that she was inferring about a drink and not a body part. Last, I don't think it matters if you use two or three prompts in one write up .... especially if it leads to something like this.

I think "slippery nipple" was mentioned once on The Big Bang Theory, when Penny was learning to mix drinks, and Howard asked for one. I thoroughly enjoyed your piece Marie, I think it's surprising how the opportunity of a night with a glamourous woman can make him forget his exhaustion! You're not the only one to use several weeks of prompts in one piece either. Hope you continue with it as and when you can.

Daniella, I think you've come up with some very good explanations for the background of BOTP. I also like how Princess asked for access to her funds, but was denied. It explains why she works at Jill's, rather than having her own place, as Jun does. And Marie, I too will join the chorus of 'will she kill him'? It's just too convenient. Joe is hot, but in his state I can't see a woman being quite that aggressive!

Marie, I'm joining the others in the will he be killed, but I laughed a little too hard with the drink reference...

gatchamarie... OH JOE DON'T YOU KNOW THIS CHICK IS GOING TO TRY TO KILL YOU. Don't you ever learn. I love this! Make it Katse in disguise and my heart will be yours forever.

Ah Ha! But there are many kinds of " deaths" Perhaps Joe likes his little "La petite morts / the little deaths" they make him feel more alive.

gatchamarie: Woo! As Joe is now completely propelled by his gonads ...

Thanks for your comments, guys! I must admit that when that shooter name came to my mind I only wished to find a way how to incorporate it! I know Joe wouldn't be that gullible, normally, but you know, even if dead tired and frustrated, men do sometimes tend not to think with their minds but with something else! (with all due respect! )! Whilst writing I then thought something mystical about the girl could do the difference, as if she might have had some special power just on him ... yes, Lunulet, Katse could be a great candidate, poor Joe! Would have liked to elaborate more but my kids were already rompiing around me, and the room, and my mind couldn't concentrate enough! Just wished to send in something on the day as I know that today I only have just a few moments to spare!

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Originally posted by Lunulet Okay I am using this prompt as a blatant excuse for Joe pinup art (NOT SORRY)

Uh, there's no need for an excuse for Joe pinup art. Just keep 'em coming as the mood strikes.

MK, your Devil Star is one calculating operative. I love her scathing assessment of Galactor commanders (she's right). Who is Nona? OMG is that Katse/ Onna Taicho? MORE PLEASE

No, Nona is Katse's self-appointed successor. She, and the commander the Devil Star kills, were introduced in Defiance.

MK: It's certainly a reasonable way to get rid of a thron in her side!

Very good addition. And I like how well planned she is - or how she has everything planned to the littlest detail.

very nice addition MK. I like the insight into the devil star

MK -- I was thrilled to read the Zagreb reference!!! I go there often, for work, and it's nice to see it mentioned in a fic! Have you been there?

MK: I can easily see the "new Galactor" having a big problem with their more unstable "assets" with the massive defeat and loss of their illustrious leader. There's probably been a lot of "housecleaning" to do.

Originally posted by Daniella T MK -- I was thrilled to read the Zagreb reference!!! I go there often, for work, and it's nice to see it mentioned in a fic! Have you been there?

Too cool! I have never been there, not yet stepped foot on Europe (but Scotland and cathedrals in France are on my must-do list, for sure...). Believe or not, a lot of time I rely on aerial photography and really good atlases to help me as I go along.

Google Earth!

MK -- if you come to Europe, stop by at Belgium also, which is where my current abode is

Daniella, I'll be in Italy next June and stopping off briefly in Malta to say hi to Gatchamarie. Do you want to meet up with us? I'll be in Greece too (Corfu for a day) if that helps! Unfortunately, nowhere near Belgium on this trip.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Daniella, I'll be in Italy next June and stopping off briefly in Malta to say hi to Gatchamarie. Do you want to meet up with us? I'll be in Greece too (Corfu for a day) if that helps! Unfortunately, nowhere near Belgium on this trip.

Oh my! I could definitely try to come to Malta! How long will you stay there?

Sounds like fun, I wish I would be able to join you. Someday, I guess when I retire, I would love to find time to do a tour of Italy/Europe. Now I know of a couple of people to drop in on and visit as well.

TJ, that sounds like a fun trip. Maybe someday I shall be able to travel too. Love the dream of doing it

Originally posted by Daniella T Oh my! I could definitely try to come to Malta! How long will you stay there?

Just a day, unfortunately. We're taking a cruise from Venice to Rome, and it's one of the port stops. We spent a few days in Malta in 2011 (And Marie was a wonderful guide and hostess!) so this will be a brief return.

Originally posted by ChrisW Google Earth!

Sorta... Wow, TJ-- sounds like an awesome trip coming up for you! My mom went there twice and found it wonderful.

Originally posted by Mad Katharine Wow, TJ-- sounds like an awesome trip coming up for you! My mom went there twice and found it wonderful.

We're looking forward to it! But the best part of traveling is when I can meet up with other Gatchafans.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Just a day, unfortunately. We're taking a cruise from Venice to Rome, and it's one of the port stops. We spent a few days in Malta in 2011 (And Marie was a wonderful guide and hostess!) so this will be a brief return.

Hmmm (disappointed face)...it might be difficult to come for just one day...But the cruise sounds fabulous! I love the sea!

Daniella-Nice little bit, and I liked how you brought the story around from being about the team to coming back to something dealing with the Chief. My only issue with is is that wasn't in BoTP Keyop small size explained away as him being an android/alien kinda thingy? That he wasn't a child at all, but rather a small adult? Gatchamarie-very nice seductive little piece, and like the others, I came away with the feeling that in the end she's gonna try to kill him. Nice bit. Mad Katherine-Very nice!Very, very nice! Love to read more of this plot, and of this very capable Devilstar. The only thing that had me reaching for my red pen was the abundance of adverbs tripping up the story a bit...In my opinon if you were to pare them back a bit and you have a very taut tale indeed!

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K2 - how can a girl with an eidetic memory forget where she left her coat? this raises more questions than it answers..... there's more to this than meets the eye, so when's the next installment due?

I am wondering if Ryu knows why her jacket was taken and if it has something to do with her "lock down."

Regardless, Iona knows more about the jacket than she's saying, and Ryu knows it too.

k2p2: The Keyop as a small adult thing in BOTP was mostly from script notes, and a really, really vague reference to him being "not a child" in one of the episodes with no additional explanation. There's no reason just from watching canon to think he's anything but a kid. I went with the small adult thing because I was intrigued by the script notes. And man it sucks for Iona. "I forgot" is such a convenient excuse for a lot of things! Totally gives her away, though.

k2: Keyop's described as an "android" in the first ep, but then they way they treat him in the rest of the show (i.e., an ep called ", Keyop does it all", which they don't use for any of the other team members), plus his fascination with insects and animals, points more to him being a child. Plus he's more cute this way, no???

k2: I love the phrase of "truth being fluid or even slippery" -- quite true!!!

Originally posted by Daniella T k2: Keyop's described as an "android" in the first ep

If you're thinking about the line where Zark says, "In a way, he was manufactured", I'd hesitate on concluding that Keyop was an android. Remember, at the time the voiceovers for the BotP eps were being recorded, the world's first "test tube baby" had just been born, and there was a lot of debate about her -- whether or not she'd develop normally, for instance. In some circles, it was even argued that she wouldn't have a soul and shouldn't be classified as a full-fledged human being because she wasn't conceived naturally! So, given this string of events, it could also be taken that Zark meant that Keyop was the result of genetic engineering.

EW -- I never thought of it that way! This is even better, as Keyop can be a normal child also according to canon, with this theory!

Well, it's good to know that my ramblings actually do prove to be worthwhile now and then!

Yes, Zark says that Keyop was manufactured in a lab, grown from a single embryonic cell. Which means he had to have been genetically engineered. The comics that TJ is currently posting are the only place that I've heard him called an android. Somewhere on his site, as Chris has pointed out, Jason noted that the scripts refer to Keyop as an elfin alien. There's a lot of leeway in playing with what Keyop actually is.

Originally posted by Daniella T

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Daniella, I'll be in Italy next June and stopping off briefly in Malta to say hi to Gatchamarie. Do you want to meet up with us? I'll be in Greece too (Corfu for a day) if that helps! Unfortunately, nowhere near Belgium on this trip.

Oh my! I could definitely try to come to Malta! How long will you stay there?

That would be so awesome! It's more probable for me to meet Gatch friends who come to visit my country other than the other way round! USA and Belgium are places which I have already visited, so another visit is a bit remote, also financially speaking at the moment! Ahem ... as to the my being a good host ... I hope you'll find me in a better situation than the last time, TJ! Can't wait to see you again! Going out of the subject ... sorry if I'm not leaving any feedback about the latest Bradbury contributions, guys ... I promise I will do so hopefully soon!

Marie, you are a wonderful host, no matter the situation!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Marie, you are a wonderful host, no matter the situation!

back! And, you're always so very welcome!

KT-You're right, Iona didn't forget. CD-This is the first that he has heard of it, but I am sure that he knows what the ramifications of a missing ID would be. TJ-Yes indeedy! I am glad I managed to convey that idea in this bit. Chris-(part 1)I have no idea what it said in the script notes abou Keyop not being a child...I got it from an ep in the series that for some reason I seem to remember quite cleary, and it seems to be one of the things that has stuck with me through the years. Even then I didn't quite buy into the idea of Keyop being just a small adult as it didn't seem to jive with the BoTP stories...so I wasn't surprised at all as an adult and learning more about the true creators' intent in Gatch that he wasn't...just made me sad for the BoTp series all the more. (part 2)Iona didn't forget. She knew where it was, does not mean that it actually stayed where it belongs though, does it? Daniella-Thanks! But I've heard that phrase somewhere else, so I cannot totally claim its use.