<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0037</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0038.txt">Next (Page 38)</A><BR> Gives it a fruity flavor," Cursive replied.<P><P>"Well, it says on the bottle that it's completely safe, so I'll take their word for it," Fake said.<P><P>"What'd you get?" Daptin asked Cursive.<P><P>"Oh," Cursive said, holding up a colorful can, "I got a can of Diet Cool Ranch Tempura Honeysuckle Nectar Beer Classic. They had it after all."<P><P>"Hey that's mine!" Fake exclaimed.<P><P>"Hey babe, you agreed on the espresso. Get your own DCRTHNBC," Cursive replied.<P><P>"Oooh!" Fake said angrily.<P><P>"And here's your Cotton Anti, Elaine," Cursive said, handing Elaine a large boxed beverage.<P><P>"Antimatter cotton drink. Now this is good stuff," Elaine said.<P><P>"Antimatter drinks are big these days in Agoopish, if you two hadn't noticed," Cursive said.<P><P>"Hey, why is my Blueberry Mello Yello green?" Daptin asked, pouring his drink into a clear plastic cup. <P><P>"Blue and yellow is green. Q.E.D.," Cursive said.<P><P>"Maybe I could have some water? Some distilled, chemically pure water?" Daptin asked.<P><P>"Come on--drink it. It's good for you!" Cursive said.<P><P>"Let me see that Cool Ranch Nectar whatever can!" Fake said loudly to Cursive.<P><P>Just then, a buzzer went off.<P><P>"Jerald's here," Elaine said.<P><P>"Jerald will be helping you on your mission," Cursive said with a smile.<P><P>"Can!" Fake yelled.<P><P>Cursive placed the can on the table and left the room. Fake reached across the table and grabbed the can. <P><P>"Wow. It's just what I said. So they did have it," Fake said, bewildered.<P><P>"So they have an algorithmic beverage generator--so what," Elaine said.<P><P>"Are you guys gonna retrieve me," Tavmatey said from within the Cup of Coffee, "or are you gonna talk about drinks all day long?"<P><P>"We'll get to you," Elaine said.<P><P>"I hope so," said Tavmatey.<P><P>"Here's Jerald," Cursive said as she entered the room with heavyset fellow with short, straight blond hair. <P><P>"Jerald Hapal Hatch," Elaine said, "meet Fake Cerquaine and Daptin Gone."<P><P>"Hullo," Jerald said.<P><P>"Hi," said Daptin and Fake.<P><P>"Jerald's from Fiestarkoon. Found Agoopish a few weeks ago just like you guys," Cursive said.<P><P>"You guys are from Baskonontana, right?" Jerald asked.<P><P>"Well, I live there now, but I'm originally from Arctica," Daptin said.<P><P>"I'm a native Powerssippian myself," added Fake. "The best area in Baskonontana, if I do say so myself."<P><P>"Huh," Jerald said. <P><P>"Have a seat, Jerald. We have a lot to discuss," Elaine said.<P><P>"Pizza?" Jerald asked.<P><P>"All in good time," Cursive responded.<P><P>--------------------------<P>CHAPTER 10<P>--------------------------<P><P>The TV flickered on and the tape began.<P><P>It was an awkward moment--very, very awkward. Seen from a distance through an open door, President Emmerdine remained sitting behind his desk, but looked as if he might jump up at any moment. Granticaine Chug Perion had burst into the room moments before--pausing a second to catch his breath--even with the object of his mayhemmed advance right in front of him.<P><P>Then the three-man TV crew bounded in, the crew which had been following Granticaine throughout his horrifying assault.<P><P>A small TV set, barely visible, embedded in the President's desk, showed that he was acutely aware that Captain Perion had, in the past few hours, not only verified rumors of his supernatural strength, but had easily surpassed even the most outlandish whisperings.<P><P>Emmerdine glanced down at his TV and noticed that he, himself, was now on worldwide broadcast. He flicked a glance over to the camera, then back to his TV.<P><P>"I suppose," he said, slowly turning back to face the camera, "I ought to make a statement."<P><P>Out of the corner of his eye, Emmerdine could see Granticaine smiling broadly, but he tried his best to ignore it.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0038.txt">Next (Page 38)</A>