You experience a moment of disorientation.You almost wish to look
back to see if you've entered the wrong room.
The Monitor on the far wall displays the message:
[Welcome Querl]
This room bears a
striking resemblance to the laboratory downstairs. The
walls are covered with vid screens and holo dispays showing
complex equations,
strange molecular structures, and other items related to Brianiac
5's current wo
rk. Strewn about the room are various pieces of equipment and
several machines t
hat are busy performing some arcane task. The only thing missing
is a Van De Gra
af generator with lightning arcing between its antennae. You
sense some sort of
order to the chaos of the room but you can't figure out what it
is. You'd probab
ly need a 12th level intelligence to do so. Stuck off in a corner
is a bed that
doesn't look like its ever been slept in, a table, a couple of chairs, and a
small cage.
Apparition says "Yes?"
Brainiac 5 says, " What would you do if, someone you knew
asked you to do something you knew it was wrong,
yet the outcome would make someone very happy, and if you said
anything
it would make things very bad.. Yet, morally, what you were
thinking about doing was wrong?"
Ultra Boy walks in, as he knocks.
Apparition says "Would that someone be truly happy with the
outcome,
if they knew it was because of someone doing wrong?"
Ultra Boy looks a bit upset. "Is something wrong?"
Apparition looks surprised, "Hi Jo, no nothings wrong, just chatting with Querl here."
Brainiac 5 nods toward Jo.
Apparition is standing around Querl's bed.
You say "we were just discussing a moral quandry, one that's been preoccupiying me."
Ultra Boy looks to Apparition, then B5. "What is it, Brainy?"
Brainiac 5 looks at Jo, "Well, I really want to solve it myself, I really haven’t spoken with Tinya about it."
Apparition watches the intereactions between Jo and Querl closely.
Ultra Boy says "If I can help, let me know."
Ultra Boy says "If I am interupting something, I can leave."
Brainiac 5 nods. "and Jo, I'm not called Brainy."
Ultra Boy smirks.
Brainaic 5 says "Wait, Jo."
Brainiac 5 says "I was just talking with Tinya, about
something, tinya, recommended we sit down and talk...I mean,
it would be terrible if we had something bad hanging over our h
eads.."
Ultra Boy looks a bit uptight. "And a shame to destroy any progress made."
Brainiac 5 says, "What some might percieve as progress isn't"
Ultra Boy says "That could just be negitive
thinking."
Brainiac 5 says, "No, it couldn't"
Apparition looks a bit lost... "Guys, if you want I could leave...so you could talk more freely..."
Brainiac holds his hand up. "Please Stay Tinya."
Brainiac 5 looks Jo in the eye. "No, I was
thinking..."
I probably won't be able to fix that lead syrum Andromeda
wants right away...I know she had her heart set on it, but
I can't risk hurting her. I'm sure there won't be any hard
feelings
between us do you think?"
Ultra Boy turns to Brainy, witha determined look in his eye.
Brainiac 5 says, "I may NEVER be able to fix that lead syrum..."
Ultra Boy says "Well, do your best. That is all she can expect."
Apparition nods, "Most people would understand, if they were told you were trying to be careful..."
Brainiac 5 says, "Yes, I will try. that's what friends
do, but of course,
I won't break any laws or ETHICAL codes to do it. I pretty much
REFUSE that.
NO, I won't do THAT."
Apparition nods, "That sounds good to me."
Brainiac 5 nods. "So Jo, Perhaps we could hang out
tommorrow. Me and you and
Tinya, I'd like to do some fun stuff on my vacation maybe with
you guys?"
Ultra Boy says "The attempt is an act of friendship
Brainiac.
The only thing that would not be is attempting to sabotage the
action, or a refusal to do it."
Ultra Boy folds his arms.
Apparition looks puzzled at Jo.
Brainiac 5 clears his throat. "ahem, well Jo,
Considering, um the implications, I think I've been pretty
clear...
This way, nobody get hurt."
Ultra Boy looks at Brainiac 5. "Then, you should be prepared for the results.
Brainiac 5 narrows his eyes and looks right at Jo. "I
think, Jo, that given the situation,
the results can go either way. I mean there are at least two sets
of variables."
Brainiac 5 also looks at Tinya, in an attempt so Jo Can see EXACTLY what he means,
[OOC] Apparition says "I mean mental notes of course..."
Ultra Boy says "Some variables may need to be eliminated."
Brainiac 5 says, "Tinya, would you excuse Jo and I... We
really do have to talk about the implications
of this problem
You say "Tinya, would you excuse Jo and I... We really do
have to talk about the
implications of this porblem"
Apparition says "Sure...Jo. I'll talk to you later"
Apparition leaves the room.
Ultra Boy looks to Brainiac. "What, the deal is off?
Brainiac 5 crosses his arms. "I've thought all week about
your blackmail. I r
efuse to rat you out in front of her because In a way I respect
you. but it isn'
t a deal, it's blackmail. And by doing it in the first place
you've shown you arn't my friend
and that you will never be my friend."
Ultra Boy says "It is a deal."
Ultra Boy looks to Brainy. "You wanted something, I
wanted something. It was
not blackmail, just a barter.
Brainiac 5 says, "No, call it what you want, you can call
in a sprokkin Khund, but it's still
black mail. Now here's my deal, which is a pure deal. We start
new now.
I'll help you make Tinya leader, but the honest way, one that
doesn't undermine me
or treat me like Sprokk and I never tell Tinya we ever had this
conversation, ev
er. And you and me try. I think I'm showing you well enough that
I'm willing to
be your friend by not ratting you out to the woman you love. It's
not blackmail
it's just an ending. It goes away I forget, We try to be friends,
but even if we
don't it goes away anyway. Understand?"
Ultra Boy says "Do what you want. You will anyway."
Ultra Boy heads towards the door.
Brainiac 5 says"Jo, I'm going to show you the honest way,
even if you don;t like me, If
i was really your enemy I'd have told her. Never did, and I
never will"
Ultra Boy says "Brain-boy, maybe you should try to
translate using other peoples
labels and not just yours. I will see you later."
Ultra Boy walks through the doorway leading to Fourth Level - LSH HQ, and the door glides closed behind him.
FADE TO BLACK: