HappyHappy (part 10)
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Mr Zoat
Dedicated ragequitter
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1st September 2013
12:43 GMT -5
Hub City is progressing nicely, I see. I get reports from the other Orange Lanterns as well as from Mayor Connelly, but I like to fly by at least once a week to observe the results of my work with my own eyes. Yes, Anarky and the mess with Atlantis set it back a little, but the factories are functioning, the…
Huh. Looks like the queue for g-sanchong implantation is… Longer than I expected. I should probably check what that's about in case there's been some sort of disease epidemic that I haven't heard about. I transition to the mayoralty building, phase through a wall and knock on the door to the mayor's office.
"Yeah?"
I open the door and step inside, Mayor Connelly sitting at her desk with paper… Architectural drawings spread out in front of her and typing something on her keyboard. She glances up at me for a second-
"Just a minute."
-and keeps typing for a couple more before freezing, her eyes returning to me and staying there.
"Good afternoon."
"Orange Lantern. Our next meeting isn't-."
"No, no, I was just wondering-."
"Vic hasn't.. been back."
I close my eyes and turn around before opening them again. "That's a shame. I could really do with a chance to run a few things past him."
"He disappears sometimes. I try not to take it personally."
"Right. Ah, reason why I'm here. It looks like there's a bit of a queue outside of the genomorph clinic? Anything I need to worry about?"
"I don't think so. We've had a steady stream of healthcare tourists coming through since the portals went live. After they started advertising, they told me they had to start making more. We actually lay on bus routes just for them."
"So the crowd there now..?"
"New portal location. I think this time the hospital organised things so that everyone who could benefit from a g-sanchong could get there the first day. Usually, people are at least a little uncertain about things."
I nod. That's… Good, I suppose. "Have they been able to keep up with demand?"
"They had to open a new… Ah, do they breed them or clone them?"
"They're clones-. Or at least, they were last time I visited Cadmus. It's possible that they've changed their techniques since then."
"Does that mean that each genomorph is identical to every other genomorph of the same type?"
"No, there's a little genetic variety, but they're pretty similar. More similar to each other than humans are to each other. A new facility dedicated to g-sanchong is probably a good thing. We're not going to run out of humans who can benefit from it anytime soon, and it's probably helpful to see exactly how particular versions of g-sanchong mesh with particular humans." Hm. "So, that was it? A hospital was just a bit more organised?"
"I think so. They haven't said anything."
"I've got a few hours. Do you want me to build a bigger reception area?"
"No, the weather today is fine and there's not a lot of space in that part of the city. It's fine, Paul."
"Alright." I walk towards the wall. "Sorry to have bothered you."
"Was that why you came here?"
"Ah, it's why I came here to your office, yes. I'm in Hub City because Bleez is renting a studio here and I want a word with her."
"Oh, the thanagarian woman? Yes, it was abandoned and it's in a part of the city that isn't due for demolition until next year. Not unless things go a lot faster than we're planning. Do you need a map?"
"No, I can find it. But while I'm here, is there anything that you need me to take care of?"
"No, I don't.. think so. Is there a reason why you're.. not looking at me?"
"Yes. If I look at someone I unavoidably start seeing their desires. I can turn it down but I can't turn it off."
"Oh, is that a problem?"
"It doesn't cause internal problems, but it can cause problems for other people if their stated desires are visibly divergent from their internal desires. As I said, if you see The Question, please ask him to get in contact with me."
I trigger my phasing system and fly through the wall, out into the Hub City air.
Huh.
Looking down a major thoroughfare, I… Can actually see that there's less pollution in the air than there used to be. Could just be the… Huge reduction in industrial output from global economic collapse, but I like to think that the fact we've been supporting new forms of energy generation during the rebuild has had something to do with it.
Don't really have a reason to build full-scale atmospheric scrubbers, and Earth doesn't have the technology to maintain them anyway. It would be nice, though. I think I remember Ra's doing a rant about modern people not knowing what clear air tastes like in… Tower of Babel?
I fly towards the recording studio, scanning to make sure that Bleez is still-. Yes, there she is. I could probably have done this over the phone, but thanagarians have a preference for face-to-face discussions-. I have a preference for face-to-face discussions, which is why I'm doing this, but the other thing's true as well. I'm not sure what Bleez personally prefers, and it would be a bit weird to ask.
And there we are. Yes, I see why it didn't get prioritised. The location's not a problem for someone who can fly-. She's dropped off her spaceship on the roof level of a multi-storey car park, and now she's… Doing something with the mixing room controls? Right, I fly towards the building and phase through the wall again. Empathic vision shows… Quite a few other people in the building… Is she actually running a business here? I thought she was just using it for herself.
I pass through several corridors, coming up to the sound booth-.
"-get that kinda gear in here. Heh, only reason it doesn't get stolen is shit!"
The man.. who appears to be instructing her in the use of human mixing equipment happened to look in my direction as I rematerialised. Bleez on the other hand is looking at the desk.
"Is it that bad by human standards? It's not as precise as thanagarian-."
"Good afternoon, Bleez."
She looks up, smiling broadly. "Oh hey, Paul!"
She darts over and hugs me, and that's when I notice that she's… Really dressed down. Loose clothing with a high level of coverage. I'm not used to seeing her like this. The really weird part is how it makes her wings look like they're something separate from the rest of her body. Or maybe that's my human prejudice talking. But usually she wears something that shows the joint-.
She pulls away, looking pleased to see me. "How come you're here?"
"With the human entertainment industry collapsed, I was wondering about the possibility of buying the licence to show Thanagar's entertainment output?"
She frowns for a moment, then shrugs. "I don't know. I don't think anyone's ever asked before."
"Do you know who I'd need to talk to?"
"Yeah? Ugh." She slumps a little. "You want me to set something up?"
"Not right away." I look around, nodding politely to the now-recovered mix specialist. "What have you been doing here?"
12:43 GMT -5
Hub City is progressing nicely, I see. I get reports from the other Orange Lanterns as well as from Mayor Connelly, but I like to fly by at least once a week to observe the results of my work with my own eyes. Yes, Anarky and the mess with Atlantis set it back a little, but the factories are functioning, the…
Huh. Looks like the queue for g-sanchong implantation is… Longer than I expected. I should probably check what that's about in case there's been some sort of disease epidemic that I haven't heard about. I transition to the mayoralty building, phase through a wall and knock on the door to the mayor's office.
"Yeah?"
I open the door and step inside, Mayor Connelly sitting at her desk with paper… Architectural drawings spread out in front of her and typing something on her keyboard. She glances up at me for a second-
"Just a minute."
-and keeps typing for a couple more before freezing, her eyes returning to me and staying there.
"Good afternoon."
"Orange Lantern. Our next meeting isn't-."
"No, no, I was just wondering-."
"Vic hasn't.. been back."
I close my eyes and turn around before opening them again. "That's a shame. I could really do with a chance to run a few things past him."
"He disappears sometimes. I try not to take it personally."
"Right. Ah, reason why I'm here. It looks like there's a bit of a queue outside of the genomorph clinic? Anything I need to worry about?"
"I don't think so. We've had a steady stream of healthcare tourists coming through since the portals went live. After they started advertising, they told me they had to start making more. We actually lay on bus routes just for them."
"So the crowd there now..?"
"New portal location. I think this time the hospital organised things so that everyone who could benefit from a g-sanchong could get there the first day. Usually, people are at least a little uncertain about things."
I nod. That's… Good, I suppose. "Have they been able to keep up with demand?"
"They had to open a new… Ah, do they breed them or clone them?"
"They're clones-. Or at least, they were last time I visited Cadmus. It's possible that they've changed their techniques since then."
"Does that mean that each genomorph is identical to every other genomorph of the same type?"
"No, there's a little genetic variety, but they're pretty similar. More similar to each other than humans are to each other. A new facility dedicated to g-sanchong is probably a good thing. We're not going to run out of humans who can benefit from it anytime soon, and it's probably helpful to see exactly how particular versions of g-sanchong mesh with particular humans." Hm. "So, that was it? A hospital was just a bit more organised?"
"I think so. They haven't said anything."
"I've got a few hours. Do you want me to build a bigger reception area?"
"No, the weather today is fine and there's not a lot of space in that part of the city. It's fine, Paul."
"Alright." I walk towards the wall. "Sorry to have bothered you."
"Was that why you came here?"
"Ah, it's why I came here to your office, yes. I'm in Hub City because Bleez is renting a studio here and I want a word with her."
"Oh, the thanagarian woman? Yes, it was abandoned and it's in a part of the city that isn't due for demolition until next year. Not unless things go a lot faster than we're planning. Do you need a map?"
"No, I can find it. But while I'm here, is there anything that you need me to take care of?"
"No, I don't.. think so. Is there a reason why you're.. not looking at me?"
"Yes. If I look at someone I unavoidably start seeing their desires. I can turn it down but I can't turn it off."
"Oh, is that a problem?"
"It doesn't cause internal problems, but it can cause problems for other people if their stated desires are visibly divergent from their internal desires. As I said, if you see The Question, please ask him to get in contact with me."
I trigger my phasing system and fly through the wall, out into the Hub City air.
Huh.
Looking down a major thoroughfare, I… Can actually see that there's less pollution in the air than there used to be. Could just be the… Huge reduction in industrial output from global economic collapse, but I like to think that the fact we've been supporting new forms of energy generation during the rebuild has had something to do with it.
Don't really have a reason to build full-scale atmospheric scrubbers, and Earth doesn't have the technology to maintain them anyway. It would be nice, though. I think I remember Ra's doing a rant about modern people not knowing what clear air tastes like in… Tower of Babel?
I fly towards the recording studio, scanning to make sure that Bleez is still-. Yes, there she is. I could probably have done this over the phone, but thanagarians have a preference for face-to-face discussions-. I have a preference for face-to-face discussions, which is why I'm doing this, but the other thing's true as well. I'm not sure what Bleez personally prefers, and it would be a bit weird to ask.
And there we are. Yes, I see why it didn't get prioritised. The location's not a problem for someone who can fly-. She's dropped off her spaceship on the roof level of a multi-storey car park, and now she's… Doing something with the mixing room controls? Right, I fly towards the building and phase through the wall again. Empathic vision shows… Quite a few other people in the building… Is she actually running a business here? I thought she was just using it for herself.
I pass through several corridors, coming up to the sound booth-.
"-get that kinda gear in here. Heh, only reason it doesn't get stolen is shit!"
The man.. who appears to be instructing her in the use of human mixing equipment happened to look in my direction as I rematerialised. Bleez on the other hand is looking at the desk.
"Is it that bad by human standards? It's not as precise as thanagarian-."
"Good afternoon, Bleez."
She looks up, smiling broadly. "Oh hey, Paul!"
She darts over and hugs me, and that's when I notice that she's… Really dressed down. Loose clothing with a high level of coverage. I'm not used to seeing her like this. The really weird part is how it makes her wings look like they're something separate from the rest of her body. Or maybe that's my human prejudice talking. But usually she wears something that shows the joint-.
She pulls away, looking pleased to see me. "How come you're here?"
"With the human entertainment industry collapsed, I was wondering about the possibility of buying the licence to show Thanagar's entertainment output?"
She frowns for a moment, then shrugs. "I don't know. I don't think anyone's ever asked before."
"Do you know who I'd need to talk to?"
"Yeah? Ugh." She slumps a little. "You want me to set something up?"
"Not right away." I look around, nodding politely to the now-recovered mix specialist. "What have you been doing here?"
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