Yeah, I'm doing this nice and early, since RL might be calling later.... so apologies if it's a bit too soon for most of you. (btw, I've checked with Chris, and she assured me it is Sunday over the pond) Anyway, enough prattling on, the word is..... Unbelievable

Originally posted by KT1972 Yeah, I'm doing this nice and early, since RL might be calling later.... so apologies if it's a bit too soon for most of you. (btw, I've checked with Chris, and she assured me it is Sunday over the pond)

It's been a while, but I've said this before -- if it's Sunday where the person posting the prompt is, then it's acceptable as far as I'm concerned. I don't think it's necessary to begrudge people to calculate the time zone differences. (I've found myself thinking "Okay, it's 3:00 pm Tuesday here, so it must be, oh, 2017 for littlewolf...")

I'm good with the concept of 'if it's Sunday for anyone', which gives almost 2 days of leeway. I find it unbelievable that people would be so picky as to suggest otherwise! (See? Did you notice how I oh-so-subtly worked in the prompt? )

Originally posted by Transmute Jun (See? Did you notice how I oh-so-subtly worked in the prompt? )

*groan!*

I'll admit to posting late Saturday night knowing that it was Sunday somewhere.

This one's for K2. One of her comments got the wheels spinning ... --- Jason caught Princess in the hallway, Keyop in tow, just before they were due to enter the meeting room to face more Galaxy Security brass. "What's he doing here?" Jason snapped, thrusting a shoulder in Keyop's direction. "The Chief wanted you and me to handle this one alone." Keyop jutted his jaw and threw back his wings. "She n-n-needed me to g-g-give her a ride," he declared. Jason raked his eyes over Princess, his gaze stopping at her visor. "You look like hell." Princess sniffed. "I don't know if I can do this, Jason," she whispered. "I can't deal with any more questions about Mar-" He cut her off. "Unbelievable!" he snapped, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "I miss him too, Princess. But you know when we get time to grieve? When Mark's killer is dead. So get yourself together. We've got to convince another set of Gal Sec reps that we're good to go." At her lack of response, he grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look him in the eyes."Understand? You - will - not - break down in there. You start crying and they're gonna disband the team. That's what these meetings are all about." "Understood," she whispered. "Keyop, you are dismissed," Jason said coldly. The young boy left the hallway, shoulders slumped, as his older teammates opened the door and entered the conference room.

Frankly, I think it's a good thing Keyop's not in there. He's as hotheaded as Jason, but with less ability to control himself when he really has to. It also seems like Jason's plain talking is what Princess really needs right now.

It's hard on all of them, but Jason's right. They've got to keep it together if they want to stay together.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun It also seems like Jason's plain talking is what Princess really needs right now.

Same thinking, here! Princess's grief is understandable but now she has to pull herself up for the team's sake and even for hers! Such grief cannot be washed out in an instant, but I'm sure Princess would be capable of handling things more reasonably after Jason's "cruel to be kind" words! You took the right track, Julie!

Originally posted by amethyst I'll admit to posting late Saturday night knowing that it was Sunday somewhere.

I'm one who doesn't complain, for sure, knowing that I'm almost always a day ahead!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun It also seems like Jason's plain talking is what Princess really needs right now.

Thirding this! And I can so see Jason saying "You look like hell" to Princess. Also, it sounds like she might need a

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jublke - I have to agree with all the comments so far. As much as they want to grieve for Mark, it really isn't practical for them at the moment, it's sad, I know, but true. You would think the brass from Gal Sec would have some compassion for them, but, it doesn't seem to be the case here.

KT: Shhh! Don't let it get out that the Condor is really a big ol' softie. LOL.

KT -- do you think Joe could practice by giving me a bath now and then? I have been called a female dog a few times....

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Oh dear, EW, poor Joe, it seems Nambu will only believe what he wants to where the Condor's concerned... although I'm sure there would be police and/or fire reports to verify Joe's version of events.

Geez, Joe always has the weirdest things happen to him! What's next? Abduction? Good to see you posting here again, EW!

KT- that would be the last thing I'd think Joe would do, too. Wait until the first dog bites him. EW -Joe could have taken pictures of the car fire to show Nambu.

KT, we always knew Joe had a soft spot for puppies... EW, I can totally see this happening. It's exactly in line with canon, although a little more BOTP than Gatch, I think.

Poor Joe ... it seems like this prompt is giving him a hard time convincing Nambu with his theories, whether they're true or false! Nice use of the prompt, KT and EW!

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jublke: Jason might be a bit too tough in his tough love, there, but he's right, they can't look like weak kids at this point if they want to stay in the fight. Not to mention that he's dealing with his own grief. He gives her something to focus on, which is good. KT: I'm not sure I entirely believe Joe that it was fully thought out and didn't involve a girl. *grin* But, it's something that would probably help him to control his temper better, if studies and programs for at risk kids and prisons are any indication. EW: LOL, poor Joe, can't catch a break. Though, if he wasn't always arguing and giving excuses for being late, maybe Nambu might be more inclined to believe him. (and me too!) Yay, finally got to read the stuff. I won't let myself until I post my own partly as motivation.

Love Joe dreaming about his future racing career. LOL. His interaction with Jinpei was definitely cute--and funny how those tears magically disappeared huh? Jun and Adam? Hmmm. Really enjoyed the descriptions of the Siren Project. Perfectly creepy and evil. Heheh.

I imagined Jun going "Okay, Jinpei, time for you to work it." Man, I have NO IDEA how they're gonna stop Siren. None at all. Will have to see what happens! Have already started #110.

Originally posted by ChrisW I imagined Jun going "Okay, Jinpei, time for you to work it."

Totally!

Originally posted by ChrisWMan, I have NO IDEA how they're gonna stop Siren. None at all. Will have to see what happens! Have already started #110.

Something will come to you. Glad to hear you're working on the next installment!

Joe's a pushover if he let Jinpei win that easily with fake tears. The Siren project does get creepier and creepier. I feel even more sorry for Ken.

CW ... I'm so glad you're continuing this! It's getting even more intriguing and creepier! The TV scene got me smiling ... I could see myself instead of Joe as that's what always happens when I find some time for myself and the remote temporarily abandoned! ... someone or something always comes up to take it away from me! Looking forward to read the next instalment!

I can imagine in a house of 5 kids the remote wars would be epic. I'm sure Nambu has an off-limits TV in his office for his own sanity, for watching the news if nothing else!

Or there's a schedule so each kid gets some TV time for what they want to watch.

Originally posted by Becky Rock Or there's a schedule so each kid gets some TV time for what they want to watch.

...Until one throws a fit, saying that their scheduled time isn't when their favorite shows are on and their shows are only on during one of the other kid's times...

There would of course be bets and dares and cons to trick the others out of their TV time ... alliances over shared love of a show ... mockery (poor Jun if she likes typical girl stuff) ... mind you, today there's PVRs that can record 4 shows at once, and supposedly they're more advanced (unless you're sticking them with early 70s tech where they can't do that).

Since the initial prompt seemed to spark some interest...... Continued from # 117--Headlines, so read that first! ************************ Prompt# 109 Unbelievable Ken sat in his quarters at the Crescent Coral Base, alone and in the dark. The only illumination in the room came from the outboard mounted light above his one-way window. He leaned back against the wall, propped up by some pillows, grateful for their softness after such a day. His long legs stretched out across his rumpled, unmade bed, one bare foot hanging over the side. In his left hand a cold bottle of beer, one that he swiped from their ready room a few floors above him. One of Joe's that he found stashed way in the back of the fridge, behind an open jar of garlic pickles and a package of moldy cheese. Something he obviously hid for a later time. And woe to the one who stole the Condor's beer. Fuck it. He thought taking a long pull from the bottle. He didn't care. It had taken all of his control not to fly at his second from across the conference room table, all red and white winged rage. Somehow he managed to contain it, that hot blaze of anger. Compacted it down into a tiny ball, smaller and smaller until it drained him of all his energy, leaving him limp from the effort. He felt numb, like he was viewing a movie, as he watched Joe storm down the hallway, all silent smoke and brooding fury. Watched as Joe pulled the black and red helmet from under his arm, and set it upon his head. No longer Joe--his brother, his friend--but the Condor. He barely acknowledged Jun as she slid quietly from her chair and out from behind the table. Jun. Had she known? Joe acting alone was bad enough, but Jun too? Of all the people on the team, he thought he had her implicit trust and support the most. She lay a tentative hand on his shoulder, asking if there was anything she could do for him, anything she could get for him. He recalled the way she sat and watched, silent and horrified at the altercation developing before her. Ken found it unbelievable that she could withhold information from him in such a way, do such a thing. No, it had to be Joe's own doing.... He couldn't speak, only shook his head. He thought she looked relieved, and she slipped out of the room, white wings wrapped securely around her. Ken stared at the completed mission reports--both long and short form-- that lay on his desk across the room, the white papers gleaming in the dark. The ones he was required to fill out each time after the God Phoenix flew a mission. Each page was neatly numbered and filled out in his elegant script, leaving nothing out. Except for what happened back in the conference room. He hadn't followed through with telling Hakase Nambu about the confrontation that happened earlier that day, and about Joe's transgression. At least not yet. He felt his anger start to bubble up within him again. They couldn't function as a fragmented team. He wanted to give Joe the benefit of the doubt. Wanted him to come clean and tell him what prompted his actions. To tell him what the hell had been going through his mind at the time. He snorted to himself, watching the slow moving shadows of the fish and rippling ocean water on the far wall. Right. The stubborn bastard would probably never explain anything to him now. Not after the words that had been exchanged between them. Ken knew that Hakase had long been telling Joe that he needed to reign in his impulsiveness during operations. That his repeated disobedience would land him in trouble one of these days. That there would be consequences. Would this be the time? In the past he would be reprimanded, but Joe always listened with half an ear, and brushed off what he was told. To him, if something needed to be done, you just did it. The ends justified the means. Why go around a wall if you could blow it up? End of story. Grudgingly, Ken had to admit that his gunners brash actions and penchant for breaking the rules had saved their bacon more than a few times. If he went to Nambu he couldn't begin to guess what he might do. Could he take the chance that the Condor would be grounded? Barred from a few missions? Losing any one of them, for any reason, at any time, could be enough to turn the tide in the war against Galactor. With a heavy sigh, he took another sip of beer, grimacing at the bitter taste. Carefully he placed the bottle on the bedside table. He had no idea how anyone could drink this stuff.

Aaarrrgh! So what did Joe do to get Ken so freaking mad, RB?! You're being downright sadistic!

And what part did Jun play in it? Come on, RB, more please!!

Okay, there's gonna be ropes involved if there's not another part of this soon ... *grin*

I can see why Ken would be torn in this matter, and you've painted his frustration well!