The
Daemon Conflict
SCENE
2
"Mouse
and Ray"
Important
Author's Note: This
is a scene that happened almost directly after the intimate Bob and Dot
scene. Also cut, because it wouldn't
have added anything to the story. This
scene appropriate for PG and over.
***
Mouse sighed as she leaned back against
Ray's chest. This brief respite was
something she sorely needed. She and
her new love had not stopped working since the first refugees had begun to
arrive and finally, after some semblance of order being obtained, Ray had been
forced to practically drag Mouse from the command center to keep her from
cold-cocking Desdemona.
"Should we go look for them,
love?" Ray asked.
"No," Mouse said. It didn't take a genius to know what was
probably happening. The funny thing was
it was Mouse who had all but ordered Dot from the command center to; in an
almost amusing twist of irony; keep Mainframe's Command.com from cold-cocking
Desdemona.
So the two enjoyed the night air and
the deepening sky and Mouse envied Dot and Bob just a little.
Ray nuzzled her ear.
"Just what do ya think you're doin',
sugah?"
"Flirting."
"You're good at that, aren't ya?" Mouse turned to face him, but noticed he was
looking over her shoulder. Mouse turned
and saw what he had – Bob and Dot walking slowly across the compound arm in
arm.
"The chips are going to hit the cooling
unit now," Ray muttered.
"Better prepare them for it."
The two waited for their friends to
approach.
"We were about to send a search party
after you two," Mouse said casually, "Old Desdemona's fit to be tied."
"Really?" Dot didn't seem the least bit concerned. "What ruler does she have up her ASCII,
now?"
"She thinks the two of you abandoned
us," Ray said.
"First she thinks Bob ran off now she
thinks we both ran off?" Dot hissed.
"That's basically it," Mouse said. "So we'd better get back to the command
center right away. For all the fuss she
made though, she didn't seem in too much of a hurry to send out a search
party."
"I told her I'd find Bob," Dot said as
they walked inside. "Thanks you two."
"Anytime."
The moment they walked inside however,
they were accosted by two of Desdemona's guards who smugly informed the group
that they would have to inform Desdemona. Before they were anywhere near the command center, Desdemona came
striding towards them down the hall flanked by four guards.
"So, I see you have returned,"
Desdemona hurled the words at Bob, "Did you contact Daemon like you wanted?"
"As a matter of fact, I did. She's very interested in meeting you,
Des. She said I should take care of you
but I can't hit
a woman. I guess I'll have to kill you
with kindness."
Ray snorted a laughed and Mouse hid
hers behind a cough. Dot was fighting
and failing to keep a straight face.
"You -- how dare you!"
"Oh for User's sake!" Dot broke in, "He was out checking the water
supply. Bob can use his power to see
any impurities. I just got into making
a report and it just took longer than we expected. Now was there anything else?"
Desdemona stared at each of them, then
turned and strode away. The guards,
surprised at first, followed.
"She should log off sometime," Ray
said, "It relieves tension."
Bob chuckled and clapped Ray on the
shoulder.
As the two men walked ahead, Mouse
pulled Dot aside. "Checking the water
supply? That's a good one. You might want to cover that up,
though."
Mouse pointed to the passion mark on
Dot's neck. Her friend flushed
scarlet. Mouse winked at Dot and smiled
reassuringly and Dot returned the smile.