Song: Rocky Horror Picture Show – Science Fiction Double Feature
Then something went wrong
For Fay Wray and King Kong
They got caught in a celluloid jam
Then at a deadly pace
It Came From Outer Space
And this is how the message ran...
Eldritch Holiday
By Dr Megalomania
But When Worlds Collide
Said George Pal to his bride
"I'm gonna give you some terrible thrills"
Prologue – And this is how the message ran…
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Check in!
Damnit, Mats. When I say check in, I mean more than just three times in six months. Call me. Howard.
To: Mike Howard
From: Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Check in!
Hi Howard, not much time. Just about to catch a flight. Am excited by Leighton's latest email. Call when I land.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Mats. Planes don't take five days to land. Call me.
To: Mike Howard
From: Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Reception's awful here. Got my laptop hooked up to what I think is this town's only internet café. Can you believe it? Anyway, I'm fine. Just out in the sticks. Waiting on more information from Leighton. He's found something amazing. A meteorite crash landed just south of his lab and it sounds like its knocked something loose in the quarry he was working in.
Can't wait to get clearance to check it out. Seriously interested in the chemicals they've picked up. And the meteorite! Got some interesting carvings on it. Doesn't sound like it's gonna be another colony fragment.
He also sent me some weird tape. Got some kooky sounds on it, but I've only got a beat up old Walkman to play it on. Missing my lab now!
Enough work, how's you? How's the crew? Tell David that I don't miss his snoring.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Mats – surely they have got some kind of phone system in place? Fine.
Still working on that project? Duo would love to see some of those 'interesting carvings'. You know he's still nuts for it.
David says he's not missing your sweaty feet either. I'm staying out of it. Crew's doing great, got a sweet gig with the preventers at the moment – salvaging some old MS from the bottom of the Atlantic. Fun times. Gotta say, I can do without the ex-Alliance Preventers teasing the ex-OZ Preventers about the holes in their ex-MS… Making things a little tense around here.
You get back to me soon, you hear me? I'll be a whole lot less tense when I know you've set up somewhere good.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Sweetheart. I'm sure those pictographs are fascinating. But seriously, will it kill you to pick up a phone and call me? Tell you what, give me a number I can try and I'll call, leave you a message and then you can get back to me? How's that sound, Mats?
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Mats. Call me.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Mats, send me your location.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Mats, don't make me call in the Dogs. You got one more day.
To: Mike Howard
From: Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Howard, honey, I'm fine! Don't worry, dropped off the map for a while, travelling around Happiness is like travelling through a blackhole. Damned place doesn't really do modern technology. Still waiting to hear from Leighton. Says he found a strange rock. He's going to meet me when I get to East Happiness. That's just two more days, they don't do shuttles in this county. Train travel is so old fashioned, it would be so much fun to sleep on one! Missing my bunk, Howard! Talk soon.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
We can put whole colonies in space; you'd think they'd scrub up places on earth. Damn it, Mats. I did a quick google of your location and it sounds like I might not hear from you for a while. Can you get this Leighton fella to contact me?
To: Mike Howard
From:Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
You're worrying, old man. I did ask, though. It might be a while. He's asked me to stay where I am at the moment – sounded super worried when I called. I think something's happened and he wants to verify it before he makes me travel any further. He's making it sound like it's something dangerous, probably some background radiation from the black rock or something.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
I am entitled to worry when a couple of days pass every time before you answer. I promised your daddy I'd keep an eye on you. So, what's going to happen now, kid?
To: Mike Howard
From: Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Looks like it's too dangerous, I'm booking my tickets back home. Leighton's sent an email, he reckons the rock's actually just wreckage from a colony, he says I should just head home. I'm a bit crushed, but at least I got to experience the sea air around Happiness. I'll drop you another line before I get on a plane.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Sorry to hear that, kid. I know you were excited. In all honesty though, Happiness looks like it needs flattening and rebuilding. The whole of the eastern side of the county just lost its electricity. And yes, I have been looking it up. I don't trust a place where you can't even street view it. Even the satellite images are blurry.
To:Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Mats – guessing you've started travelling. Just wanted to warn you that there's a storm brewing. Looks like a big one. Get the hell out of there.
To: Mike Howard
From: Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Been super busy – Leighton changed his mind. Look. I might be getting into something over my head, but the sweepers taught me – balls to the walls, and all that. Leighton says he's found something interesting, and that he might have been wrong about the wreckage. Sounds like he needs a second opinion.
Not likely to be dangerous, and I feel like an idiot just typing this, but civilisation in this area is sparse. You got me worrying – so stupid, it's not like this back-water place is plotting to take over the government with no reliable electricity.
This place is weird, and the storm is weirder still.
I'll be fine – don't worry!
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Mats – Pulled a favour with the preventers, nearest outpost isn't what I call close, but they're going to keep an ear out for trouble. You've got some back up if you need it. I'm allowed to worry, what else is this old man going to do?
To: Mike Howard
From: Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Attachments:
My daddy didn't raise an idiot. I'm getting a weird vibe. I know contact's been patchy, but I want to be absolutely sure. I'm attaching all my details and my travel itineraries.
If you don't hear back from me within two weeks, maybe you could pull in more preventer favours and have them come look for me? I know you got my back and I'll owe you one if it turns out to be a stupid prank.
Better safe than sorry, I guess.
To: Prof-N-Matsumi
From: Mike Howard
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
Don't worry, kid, I got your back. Even if it turns out to be nothing but an old man worrying.
To: Mike Howard
From: Prof-N-Matsumi
Subject: Re: Re: Check in!
I am fine, old man. Do not worry. I have deviated from my original travel plans but cannot send you new details. I will contact you again. Tell David I do not miss his snorting.
Howard turned in his swivel chair and looked up. "And it looks like she sent that three nights ago." He tilted his head, "But that last one… that doesn't sound like Mats." He shook his head, and puffed on his old cigar for a long moment. "I just don't like it, and figured maybe I'd get you to take a look before I pulled in the Preventers proper." He gestured the screen loosely, "It just don't sound like her, man…"
"Howard," Duo's strange coloured eyes glowed with a manic pleasure, "That." He grinned broadly, "That is a trap!"