ASH: ASH #114 - A Fire Afar Off Part 1: It's A Small World

[Andrew Perron]

On Oct 21, 1:10 pm, dvan... at eyrie.org (Dave Van Domelen) wrote:

> It was like exhibition
> games more than it was like batting practice.  Gotta get into the groove with
> the genuine article, or it's all just hitting fungos.

"Fungos" makes me think of baseballs made of mushroom matter.

>      "Oh, that sort of guy needs good banter even more," Weapons Master
> backflipped away.  "Few things rattle an opponent more than hearing Captain
> Dull cut loose with a zinger.  It's like a surprise move,"

Plus, the deadpan types tend to be funniest.

> "I'm one of the stars of
> Winterlight, after all!  My bodies will help position the reflectors!  I
> think my banter is pretty good, but the list of things I'm not allowed to say
> seems to get bigger every day.  I can't help it that the 'net is full of
> great one-liners that don't play in Peoria!  And why are you calling him an
> old man?  He's only a few years older than you."

Reminds me of when I get on IRC in the evenings.

> Some of the early models of GLADI8R's "public relations"
> bodies had capable of more human-like expressions, but they were determined
> to be far too creepy and they'd dialed back to an almost retro-deco look for
> any body that needed to show facial expressions.

Always classy.

>      "Well, at least I got a trip to another planet out of it," Daniel tried
> to put a positive spin on the rejection.
>      Peregryn lacked the talent of telepathy, but it wasn't necessary in
> order to figure out what Daniel was thinking.  "And no shortcuts," Peregryn
> warned.  "You won't find a place as my apprentice by abusing pharmaceuticals
> or making deals with demons for greater power.  Only one has ever profited
> from the first, and none from the second."

Jeez, way to ignore the attempted lightening of the mood and go
straight to berating him.

>      Chuck didn't think about Detroit very often, but he could still remember
> vividly the first time he'd been back after things went to hell in '98.  It
> had been quiet.  Not the quiet of peace, or the quiet of death.  The quiet of
> holding your breath and hoping the serial killer doesn't find you in the
> closet.

Ooooo.  Nice line.

> December 14, 1971
>
>      There is much to think upon.

Ooooh.  Very good.  Indeed, I'd say this obviates the need for some of
the lines around it.

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, intruige, suspense, and swordplay!