Writer's Block: Ground Control to Major Tom

[a_time_slip]

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A boat.

I'll purchase a yellow cabin cruiser, and use it to sail through the years and cosmos.

Comments

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah. She was your daughter with Ian before the timeline split. Could she be Ian's somehow? Some kind of genetic copy?

[Though where the copy came from is more the issue here]

[a_time_slip]

I, um. Ran DNA. [She hasn't admitted it to anyone yet]

It wasn't fair to her, so I- Ian doesn't know, I um. Well, I managed to get some DNA from him. I tried him, Xander, Gio... everyone I could get to. Finally I told her she didn't have a Father.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Okay. [Doesn't see this as particularly unusual in Lynn's case, or wrong. And he's particularly relieved that it isn't Cattivo]

Did you test me, by any chance? I mean, my people have made attempts to produce clones, or use their own genetics to mix with that of other races - it's never worked.

[a_time_slip]

I- no.

Um. [She can't look at him.] I, give me a sample. I. um. Please?

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

[He steps forward and puts a hand on her shoulder] It's okay. Of course.. here.

[He calls a medical swab and a glass tube into existence, takes a samples from the inside of his cheek, putting the swab into the tube and replacing the stopper] I really.. Janie, I know it's not possible.

[a_time_slip]

I know it's not possible, she just- she feels like ours.

[Janie takes the swab, and gets a clunky machine out of a pocket. The swab goes in, and she's quiet as it analyses]

It's not a match! It's not, that means you're not her father! [In her excitement, the machine drops and buzzes, having found something strange]

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

[He moves to comfort Janie, with that usual feeling he gets of it being 'all his fault'.. and jumps a little as the machine clatters to the floor. Part of his make-up can often confuse equipment like this, and it gives Phoenix the germ of an idea. At least it's something they can try]

This just a bio-scanner? [Phoenix reaches down and picks it up] Or can we run some quantum tests on it?

[a_time_slip]

No, It can do almost any quantum test. I altered it because the bioscanners have a few problems, and entirely too much empty space. The casing hasn't been altered in some time and since fans aren't needed anymore I thought I'd-

Um. Yes. Any test. It's still functional.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

[Is actually quite interested in the techno-babble]

It's not always down to biology... well, with some living beings. kinda. [He's tinkering with the scanner] You got any of Lynn's DNA at all?

[a_time_slip]

[She's used to people not wanting to hear it]

I understand that. [She pulls a tiny vial out of her pocket] Here's a bit. I keep some on me just in case.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

[But he's a closet geek. About some things]

[Phoenix takes a tiny amount and feeds the scanner. After a few seconds, he's sort of, just, staring blankly at Janie]

You sure this is Lynns?

[a_time_slip]

I'm thinking of redesigning it. Something more compact, because I can reduce the size of the chips since-

[She looks annoyed]

Yes. I think I'd know, wouldn't I?

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

[Frowning at the scanner, He tries recalibrating, and feeds it just a little more of the sample]

It's uhhhm.. Hnh. [Much angelic puzzlement]

[a_time_slip]

...What's wrong? Phoenix, tell me.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

[Cue sensible, analytical mode]

Wull.. With no coherent theory on anything that isn't Kaldoan, but contains significant traces of the Perseus particle. The only possible logical explanation is.. [Irritably tosses the machine over his shoulder] ..Your scanner's fucked.

[a_time_slip]

That's not possible, and there's NOTHING wrong with my scanner. [She catches the scanner before it can fall, and yes, moves very quickly to make sure it doesn't break]

It clearly shows that she's my daughter. I ran that before anything else, which means nothing is wrong with it. If you look at her you can tell! She's mine. You must have contaminated the sample.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

[Slightly affronted by the suggestion he's even remotely a klutz] How could I have contaminated it? You watched me, I didn't even dare breathe that second time.

Anyway, it doesn't work like that. We can't accidentally pass the particle to another being.

[a_time_slip]

[She pushes him and walks a few steps away] I don't know! Nothing about this makes any sense.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Wish I could get some fucking access to Ylaia's lab...

[Seeing Janie's getting worked up, Phoenix calms down some, and moves to her side, putting a hand on her shoulder] She showed up at Roberts, right? Just out of the blue?

[a_time_slip]

[Looks annoyed, but doesn't push him away just yet] Right. He said she showed up in November, and knew who he was, and asked about us.

I need to know what's happening here. I need to know if someone is just messing with me so I can beat them into another century.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Sweetheart, if I had any ideas...I'd.. the only creatures that have that particle in their make-up, have been created by the Danae nebula. Not just the immortals, but some of the Ancients, some Demons.. the more unusual Kaldoan races.

[He stops and considers for a while] I'm thin on embryons myself, more than any of my lot. Lynn's reading was pretty similar to mine.

[a_time_slip]

Why would the nebula? No, this still doesn't make sense.

No. No. I'm not Kaldoan. It's home but I'm not native to there. She wouldn't have any, unless- but I've tested everyone adn they're not matches.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Uh.. hm. [He's pacing himself now, biting a nail and thinking] When we're made, there's no real parent at all.. just a manipulation of subatomic matter and genetics.

It has made copies in the past. The Nebula. Some of the hell creatures were failed attempts. [Okay, so Lynn's a teeniest bit wayward, but she's hardly hell material] Maybe it's had successes that we don't know about?

[a_time_slip]

...Are you saying she was made? The nebula just decided one day to throw a little hell child in my lap?

She's not a hell child! [Yes, selective hearing seems to be taking place]

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Not made so much as copied.

[Blink] I'd.. never suggest she was for one second. Maybe Lynn was a success.