warpfairy: (neutrality)
Author: warpfairy
"Well," says Isabella, peering at the disappointing results from the computer analysis of network activity on the planet below. "That's going to be... inconvenient."
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"No plagiarism," Lalita observes. "Well, it had to happen eventually. What's your backup plan?"
warpfairy: (shoulder)
Author: warpfairy
"Nothing concrete. I've thought about it, but don't have a general approach for the situation. Could skip this one. Could disguise myself - they're humanoids, if I land in a desert I can wear one of those headwraps and be unidentifiable - and directly offer the plans to someone and disappear. Could hide them somewhere where they'll be found, with a dead scientist's name on them."
dream_me_up: (⑨ listener)
Author: dream_me_up
"Dead scientist seems like the most plausible way to get it done," he says. "Let's find one who was working on something that mostly seems like the right direction."
warpfairy: (neutrality)
Author: warpfairy
Isabella nods and starts translating the new parameters into computer-executable instructions.
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
He smiles.
warpfairy: (highly illogical)
Author: warpfairy
While this civilization has all the prerequisites for the Cochrane Equation to lead readily to warp drive, it doesn't look like anyone was working on the right mix of math and physics, but eventually there's a list of four who tie for closest.

"I don't think my computer is sharp enough to narrow it down from here. It might be necessary to collect a body of each one's work, learn to read it, and come back later when we've picked one," muses Isabella. "Or I suppose we could choose at random."
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"I'll happily read the alien science," he says, grinning. "But we'll have to pick someone who's as recently dead as possible, or it won't make as much sense for them to have undiscovered works..."
warpfairy: (neutrality)
Author: warpfairy
"Right. This one only died a month ago," she says, pointing at a name. "Let's find out where he used to haunt..."
dream_me_up: (⑥ you know I know)
Author: dream_me_up
It's all very exciting. He is excited.
warpfairy: (shoulder)
Author: warpfairy
Eventually they find a place where he was known to visit. "But," Isabella says, "if it's been not found for the last month - one of us should go down in person and tuck it into a nook someplace. Landing it on a desk won't work. Unless you can do the math precise enough to find a place to tuck it all rolled up where it'll still poke out enough to be spotted soon."
dream_me_up: (⑧ it's a better day)
Author: dream_me_up
"We'd need better scanning equipment for that," he says. "All right. You want to go down or shall I?"
warpfairy: (engineering)
Author: warpfairy
"I think I can pass for a local more easily, if only because I'm female and have an excuse to wear one of those headwraps to disguise the fact that my ears don't touch my shoulders. Of course, if I get caught at all, I hope you will be paying attention to a moment when no one's looking to fetch me up again."
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"Of course."
warpfairy: (shoulder)
Author: warpfairy
Isabella has headwraps; she doesn't wear them much, shipboard, but they can be part of presenting Vulcan if she feels she needs to do that. With a little work she's all wrapped up like a native. "Suppose this will do?"
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
"You look very fashionable," he assures her, kissing her nose.
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
She laughs and kisses his nose. "All right. Let's see if we can find an image of his actual signature instead of just writing his name in our own handwriting."
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
"Deal."

They do find his signature. Lalita forges it.
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
"Nicely done."

And Isabella sets up the lifesign scanner for one of the dead scientist's erstwhile haunts and settles in to wait. The headwrap is really very fetching. Possibly she should wear them more.
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
What if Lalita snuggles her while they wait? What then?
warpfairy: (momentary)
Author: warpfairy
Then snuggling will be accomplished. That is what will happen if he does that.
dream_me_up: (Default)
Author: dream_me_up
Excellent. Snuggling should be accomplished as often as possible.
warpfairy: (neutrality)
Author: warpfairy
Snuggling is accomplished! Lovely snuggles.

And then beeping!

She gets up and kisses him. "Wish me luck," she murmurs, and she steps onto the transporter pad, signed plans rolled up in her hand.
dream_me_up: (① nothing you can do about it)
Author: dream_me_up
"Good luck!"
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
Isabella scopes out the office. She eventually finds a place that looks like some paper on a desk could have fallen there, but where it will be found - even if not right away.

When she did this herself, she had the transporter on a timer. This time she can just say into the communicator she picked up when shopping on Betazed, "Going up."
dream_me_up: (⑤ you'd have to be half mad)
Author: dream_me_up
And he brings her back, just like that.
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
It is time to celebrate with kisses!
dream_me_up: (⑥ you know I know)
Author: dream_me_up
Mm. Kisses.
warpfairy: (neutrality)
Author: warpfairy
And then it is time to get out of Dodge. Well, the system.

"It's about time I visited Renée," observes Isabella, peering at her calendar.
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"Are you going to tell her about your alien concubine?" he asks mischievously.
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"Does my alien concubine wish to meet my mother?"
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
"Sure," he laughs. "As long as we lie to her about where I came from."
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
"As long as I tell her how we met, I do not think she'll pry."
dream_me_up: (⑤ you'd have to be half mad)
Author: dream_me_up
"Well, you can let her have that much, then."
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
"I expect she will think it is cute."
dream_me_up: (① nothing you can do about it)
Author: dream_me_up
"In that case, I think I think she's cute," he giggles.
warpfairy: (momentary)
Author: warpfairy
"I believe you and Renée will get along."
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
"Good!"
warpfairy: (shoulder)
Author: warpfairy
Isabella plots a course for Earth. "My mother sometimes calls me 'Bella'. I do not prefer it, but I allow it from her; I would prefer you did not adopt the habit."
dream_me_up: (⑥ you know I know)
Author: dream_me_up
"Okay," he says agreeably.
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
Flying flying flying.

They're on the edges of Federation space - Isabella cannot venture too far afield, or her Prometheused planets will run into Klingons or Romulans or similar before they run into Starfleet, but she does have to go a ways to get anywhere that meets her criteria. The trip will take four days. Surely they can find ways to occupy themselves.

He could carry on teaching her Klingon, for example.
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
Yes!

Also, they can have more sex.
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
There is room for both of those things on a four-day trip.
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
Perfect.
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
Quite.

Isabella docks at one of the stations orbiting Earth, and refuels so she doesn't have to do it after having decided it's time to leave the Solar system. And then they can both head to the shuttlebay and board a craft that will take them right to Phoenix. All very convenient.
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
Very extremely convenient! Look how convenient. This amount of convenience should be celebrated. With hugs.
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
The other passengers on the shuttle sure think they're cute.

Renée is there to meet them at the port. She hugs Isabella. "Welcome home, my Bella, how have you been, is this your young man?"

"This is Lalita," says Isabella, leaving aside the question of his youth. "Lalita, this is my mother Renée."
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
"It's a pleasure to meet you," he says, smiling.
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
Renée hugs him too. "Likewise! Now how did you catch my Bella's eye?"
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"Oh, the usual," he says. "Distress signal in deep space, she was the first to respond... do you want to tell the rest, darling?"
warpfairy: (highly illogical)
Author: warpfairy
"I was on survey, and I got his signal that his engine was misbehaving, and I could not tow his ship but I could take him back to Betazed," says Isabella, turning a little green at 'darling'. "And we enjoyed each other's company." She coughs. "Mother, on a subject I dearly hope you will not solicit details about - if you are ever, as my next of kin, consulted about my characteristics for medical reasons, the date of my first pon farr relative to the Earth calendar is June 28, 2269."

"Oh. Oh my," says Renée. "All right. So you went to Betazed."

"And his ship was retrieved but would not admit of repair, and so it now belongs to a museum and Lalita keeps me company on my surveys."
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
"It's more fun than it sounds," Lalita says brightly, sliding his arm around Isabella's waist and kissing her on the cheek.
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
"I always did worry about you all alone in deep space," frets Renée.

"There is no need to worry, Mother."
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"Yes, and now she's not all alone anymore," says Lalita. "She has her - " he pauses deliberately, then finishes, "boyfriend."
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"Well, let's get you both home, shall we, it's just a few minutes by subway," says Renée, and she leads them through the shuttleport to the elevator to the subway platform. "Tell me what you've been up to, you don't write nearly often enough."

"Lalita has been teaching me Klingon," offers Isabella.

"Oh, say something in Klingon!"

"This is a sentence in Klingon," recites Isabella obligingly.
dream_me_up: (① nothing you can do about it)
Author: dream_me_up
Lalita giggles.

"I love you," he says to Isabella, in Klingon.
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"What are you saying?" asks Renée as they board the subway, clapping her hands with amusement.

"I said, 'this is a sentence in Klingon'," says Isabella.
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
"And I," says Lalita, hugging Isabella again, "said 'I love you'."
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
"I thought that might be it but I wasn't sure," Isabella murmurs.

"Awwwwww," says Renée.
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
Lalita gives his girlfriend a kiss.
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
Public display of affection!

"So there has been a fair amount of Klingon opera aboard the Prometheus," says Isabella when the display has concluded. "It is growing on me."
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"It's beautiful," says Lalita. "I'm glad you like it."
warpfairy: (momentary)
Author: warpfairy
"You know, I don't think I've ever heard a Klingon opera," muses Renée.

"Perhaps while we are here that can be remedied."
dream_me_up: (Default)
Author: dream_me_up
Lalita laughs.
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
"But you will have to explain to me what everything means," says Renée.

"I'll do the best I can, and where my knowledge is still spotty, Lalita will be able," replies Isabella.

The subway arrives at their stop, and out they go.
dream_me_up: (⑨ listener)
Author: dream_me_up
"A lot of it's about people killing each other over power or honour or both," says Lalita. "Sometimes they do it for love instead, just to switch it up."
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"That sounds very... violent," says Renée.

"So is a fair amount of Earth fiction," Isabella points out.
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"Especially the old stuff," says Lalita, nodding.
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"I suppose that's true," sighs Renée. "It's so much easier to judge, when it's from somewhere else, isn't it?"
dream_me_up: (⑧ it's a better day)
Author: dream_me_up
"Always."
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
Here is Renée's house! It is little and cute and there are roses growing around it in six colors.

"Welcome home, Bella."

"Thank you, Mother."
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
"Your house is adorable," Lalita exclaims.
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"Thank you!" laughs Renée. "I try to make it, you know, inviting." She pats a rose blossom as they pass through the yard into the building.
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
"It's cute! It suits you."
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
Inside, Renée has apparently anticipated guestly hunger; there's a crumb cake and a brewing pot of tea on the coffee table. She picks up the teapot and starts pouring. "I know how Isabella takes hers; Lalita?"
dream_me_up: (⑦ love and war)
Author: dream_me_up
"It varies," he says. "Today, with nothing."
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
He can have his tea with nothing, then, and Isabella gets hers with a splash of milk and one lump of sugar. Renée takes three sugar lumps and considerably more milk; the "tea" part of her tea is underrerpresented. "Have you seen anything pretty in deep space?"

"There was one very lovely nebula. We took pictures," says Isabella.
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"It was very pretty," says Lalita.
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
"And there was a ringed planet, but the pictures did not come out very well because of some electromagnetic disturbances."
dream_me_up: (⑥ you know I know)
Author: dream_me_up
"That was a shame," he agrees.
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"I like ringed planets," says Renée. "There's a teacher's conference coming up that takes place on a cruise around Saturn; I think I'm going to go."
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
"That sounds lovely," says Lalita. "I hope you have fun."
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"I think I will. So now you know what I do with myself, if you didn't already; what about you? Apart from accompanying Isabella on survey and teaching her Klingon."
dream_me_up: (⑨ listener)
Author: dream_me_up
"Nothing really," he shrugs. "I had a ship for a while and I liked to travel in it, but then it broke down and I had to sell it to a museum, so now I travel with Isabella instead."
warpfairy: (Default)
Author: warpfairy
"Sightseeing, then?" Renée inquires.
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"Sure."
warpfairy: (meditative)
Author: warpfairy
The visit to Renée lasts two weeks. They see tourist attractions and movies and are shown off to Renée's friends. Then Isabella and Lalita shuttle back up to the spacedock, board the fully supplied Prometheus, and hie off to a system (inhabited, but with stone-age people who wouldn't know what to make of a warp equation, alas).

Then they check out a black hole, and then they are off to their next recipient of largesse.

"Oh, this is easy," laughs Bella when the computer summarizes the state of scientific exchange on the planet.
dream_me_up: (② we're all mad here)
Author: dream_me_up
Lalita giggles.

"No plagiarism," he says. "In a slightly different way. Okay, let's find the right semi-anonymous network to post this to."
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
"And come up with a clever pseudonym. I don't think 'polarbear' will blend in here."
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
"Hah. No. Leave it to me," he says, kissing the top of her head.
warpfairy: (momentary)
Author: warpfairy
"All right then." He can fuss with the language, she can guide the computer to tell her about the salient characteristics of the science networks.
dream_me_up: (④ from one minute to another)
Author: dream_me_up
He fusses with the language. He dives into some literature.

About half an hour later, he announces that he's come up with a clever pun on a line from a play that was widely quoted several years ago but has fallen out of the public sphere since.
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
"Lovely. And I have found a place to put it."

Putting the plans online rather than on paper means doing a lot of cutting-and-pasting, since their systems can't actually type these letters, but eventually the thing is done, the name is registered via elaborate proxy that pretends to terminate at a broken server, and the equations are posted.

(They get to watch reactions in real time: "Whoa, this is revolutionary!" "It'll never work in practice." "Where would you get enough material with the necessary properties?" "This is the most elegant equation set I've ever seen.")

And off they go! They "were never here".
dream_me_up: (⑨ listener)
Author: dream_me_up
"That was cute," he declares.
warpfairy: (momentary)
Author: warpfairy
"Yes. It was."
dream_me_up: (⑤ you'd have to be half mad)
Author: dream_me_up
"Shall we celebrate?"
warpfairy: (satisfactory)
Author: warpfairy
"Of course."

Celebration!
dream_me_up: (③ or else it doesn't)
Author: dream_me_up
Mmm, celebration.