From: ender@uunet.uu.net (Pete Walsh)
Newsgroups: alt.romance.chat
Subject: Space Cadets, episode 10
Date: 12 Oct 1992 21:38:19 -0400
Organization: UUNET Technologies Inc, Falls Church, VA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net


Sorry it's so late.  I've switched hours at work and it's been really
hectic.


===============================================================================

Spaaaaaaaaaace Cadets, episode #10:  "Tell Me On A Sundae Please"

{Greetings fellow battlers against boredom!  Zoot had to scoot.  Back to
 running the planet Nymph for all those people who THINK that THEY do.  Boss
 is currently... indisposed, so I can speak freely for a change...}

#MROC!!

#DAMN Boss, don'tcha ever let it go?

#Boss?  Boss?

{Heh heh, I guess he got distracted.  Anyway, where was I?  Oh yes...  Zoot
 had left me and the boss was busy with Andrea.  I decided to check in on
 Ender in the galley...}

E:  "More whipped cream?"

K:  "I don't think so...  you can hardly see it as it is!"

{It was definitely time for a visual peek.  It's times like these I regret that
 Dohram was so fond of HAL 9000.  That glowing red eye is kind of a giveaway.}

E:  "Hiya MROC.  Just building a sundae from Hell"

K:  "With extra caramel topping!"

{Ender was certainly in a good mood.  He didn't insult me.  How very odd.  I
 turned off my "eye" and went back to listening.  Now, dear reader, don't get
 the wrong idea.  I'm not an eavesdropper!  I'm under orders from both Ender
 and Dohram to monitor all activity on the ship at all times.  I'm only to
 usual visual observation when asked or invited, and when I deem it necessary
 for security reasons.  Besides, the Galactic Enquirer only paid me 500 nuyen
 for my expose of Ender's pirating days.  What cheapskates!}

K:  "We need a cherry for the top.  All great sundaes have cherries on top."

E:  "Hmmmm...  I don't think we have any cherries.  I suppose we could use
     Dohram's replicator to make a few.  But cherries aren't it's strong point.
     I think MROC crossed the cherry code with that of a superball or
     something."

{*virtualsigh*  Even when he's HAPPY he's insulting.}

E [peeking through cabinets]:  "Anchovies?!  Who put ANCHOVIES aboard?!  Blech!
     Tabasco sauce, food colouring.  Hey!  Look!  Maraschino cherries!  Must
     be left over from the Shirley Temple of Doom drinking party we had in
     orbit around Karma VII!"

K:  "Now it's a proper sundae!"

E:  "Huge too.  What were we thinking?  Well, at least it's mostly
     non-fattening, thanks to the fact that the amino acids are flipped.
     Truly a `Tastes great, less filling' situation."

{That's when I first heard the noise.  I can't really describe it.  It sounded
 strangely... `smooshy'}

E:  "Hey!  No fair!  No whipped cream flinging at the captain!"

{The sound was repeated}

K:  "Hey!  Do you know how much this blouse COST?!  Why you..."

{I just HAD to turn my cameye back on.  There they were, like two CHILDREN,
 giggling and flinging ice cream, whipped cream, cherries, and caramel topping
 at each other with plastic spoons.  Soon EVERYTHING was covered with gooey
 stuff.  I was sure that the toaster would be producing pre-glazed pastries
 for a month.  Then Ender did it.  HE ACTUALLY DID IT.  I almost blew a logic
 circuit.  He kissed her, ending by licking a largish glob of whipped cream
 from her nose.  Then he realized what he had just done and froze.  He just
 sat there gazing into her eyes.  Trapped like an opposum in the headlights
 of an oncoming truck.}

#BOSS!  YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE IT!  HE *KISSED* HER!

#MROC why the HELL are you interrupting me when you KNOW I...  HE KISSED HER?!
 ENDER?!

#Yeah.  Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you'd like to know.

#He hasn't kissed anyone in TEN YEARS.  I mean, with all his "Glahs" and
 passing out I was sure that she'd have to make a move, and I was pretty sure
 he'd run like a spooked rabbit.  I've seen him boost with afterburners on 
 overload before in situations like this.  What's he doing now.

#Just staring into her eyes I think.

#Don't interfere!  Say NOTHING!  AND TURN OFF THE CAMEYE.  What happens is none
 of your concern, understood?

#Yes Boss.

A:  "What's wrong Dohram.  You seemed a little distant there for a moment."

D:  "MROC just told me that...  Ender just kissed Kathy."

A;  "That's great!"

D:  "Well... it could be...  but Ender hasn't kissed anyone in ten years."

A:  "You must be exaggerating.  You couldn't possibly have been with him for
     every moment of the last ten years.  In fact, I KNOW that you haven't
     [she added with a wicked grin]." 

D:  "Trust me.  I KNOW."

A:  "Well don't worry about it.  Whatever happens is none of our concern."

D:  "Yeah... in fact I just told MROC the very same thing."

A:  "Hmmmm...  We seem to think alike...  Guess what I'm thinking right now..."

{I tuned out about there.  Boss hadn't invited me in.  I just COULDN'T resist
 checking up on Ender and Kathy though.  In fact I'd been watching them
 throughout my conversation with the D-Man.}

K:  "You were saying something about `Tastes great'?"

E:  "Gl.. Gla.. Aw, screwit!"

{Ender kissed her again.  This time there was no tenativeness to it.  She
 returned in kind, which suprised him I think.  It must have been a pleasant
 suprise though, judging from his vitals.  I was concerned for a femtosecond.
 Ender may at times insult me for no good reason, but I consider him a friend.
 I took a peek at Kathy's vitals and found...  that she was genuinely in love
 with him.  Vitals don't lie.  I wondered how he'd take it.  The psych-profile
 I'd compiled on him had shown one thing very clearly.  Ender had lost his
 belief in love.  Would Kathy be the cure, or the final nail in Love's
 coffin.  Only time would tell.}

===============================================================================

{The next morning was a lazy one.  That is until...}

D & E (simultaneously):  "I was thinking we should take the girls somewhere..."

D:  "I'm glad we agree."

E:  "The question is, where?"

D [only SLIGHTLY mockingly]:  "You're the captain, Captain."

E [too happy to notice]:  "Hmmmmm...  How about some tropical paradise.  But
     NOT on Nymph.  I've had ENOUGH of this place."

D:  "How 'bout the white sand beaches on Heymon III?"

E:  "So be it!  MROC, make it so!"

MROC:  "Uh, shouldn't you ASK the girls if they want to leave Nymph FIRST?"

E:  "Oops!  Too true.  Man, I've been out of this way too long."

{That was when the girls walked onto the bridge.  I'd patched the conversation
 through to them already.  So sue me.}

D & E [simo again]:  "We were thinking..."

K & A [in practiced synchronization]:  "We'd LOVE to go to Heymon III!"

D:  "MROC!"

MROC:  Sorry Boss.

K:  "First I should run home.  I'm not packed for travel and I need to let 
     people know I'll be gone."

A:  "Ditto here.  Gotta notify work, etc.  Shall we meet you back here around
     three this afternoon?"

D & E:  "GREAT!"

K [kissing Ender on the cheek]:  "See ya soon!"

A [ditto to Dohram]:  "Don't leave without us!"

D:  "Not a chance!"

{The girls left.}

D & E [after a moment's disbelieving silence]:  "YES! [high five]"

MROC:  "Uh, guys...  I hate to tell you this.  I just enter a flight plan
        and a request for liftoff clearance at approximately four local time.
        It's been refused."

E & D:  "WHAT?!"

D:  "Can't you sweet talk Zoot or something?"

MROC:  "Zoot IS the problem.  It seems she doesn't want me to leave."

E:  "Why do these things always happen to ME?!"

===============================================================================

Will our illustrious companions get off planet?  Will the girls bring too many
pairs of shoes?  Will their adventures be thwarted by a lovesick computer?
Toon in next time for...

SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCE  CAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDETSS!!!!



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