Getting The Idea

By: Dan Ectodude Shannon

August 11, 1995

Outside Ghostbusters HQ

3:41 PM

Peter: What are we out here for, Egon?

Egon: Dan said that he had a surprise for us, not that I really like surprises.

Ray: Well, whatever it is, it's taking Dan and Winston a long time to get here.

Just then, a black pick-up with green and purple lights on top, green and purple stripes, and the familiar, "NO GHOST" logo on the side pulled up on the curb in front of the 3 Ghostbusters.

Dan:: Climbs out of front seat:: Hey Guys!! How does she look?

Ray: Wow! She's beautiful.

Egon: Absolutely stunning!

Peter: Well… it is nice, but all beautiful things have a price tag. How much did the work cost?

Dan: About… 50$ for the logo alone, but don't worry, I took care of the lights, the stripes, the radio, and the car wash at my own expense. I even got the ES license taken care of.

Peter: Well, that's good. Now, I got another question, green and purple? Isn't that a little strange to be on an emergency vehicle?

Dan: Hey, if you don't like it, save it for someone that cares.

Winston:: Still sitting in Lucky with the door open.:: Now that we're all done insulting each other, lets go inside.

And all the Ghostbusters proceeded to do so. Dan was the last to enter the firehouse, but before he stepped into the door, he looked back at the truck and smiled. Then he stepped in and shut the door behind him.

Inside HQ

5 minuets later…

Egon had just resumed his work in his lab, when Dan and Ray enter the lab talking amongst themselves.

Dan: …Do you think it's possible?

Ray: It may take some time to get the physics worked out, but maybe we can pull it off.

Just then, Egon swiveled his chair around to insert himself into the conversation.

Egon: May I query you gentlemen?

Ray: Sure, Egon.

Dan: Query away, my good man.

Egon: What are you talking about?

Ray: Dan was wondering if you could make a jet propulsion system out of one of our Proton Packs.

Dan: Yeah. Do you think it's possible to make some kind of powerful thrust from a pack?

Egon: I believe it's feasible to make a proton/electron discharge powerful enough to elevate the body to towering heights and accelerate to a tremendously rapid speed of 205 MPH.

Dan:: Looks back at Ray.:: I'll call that a yes.

Egon: The question is, why?

Dan: Well, I figured that if ghosts can fly, and humans can't, we make our throwers into jet packs.

Egon: But we already have Ecto-2. There's no need for jet packs.

Ray: Yeah, but Egon, with the gas prices going up, we could use this idea to save us money on gas, maintenance, and the annual permit renewal.

Dan: Not just that. Consider the fact that we can't take Ecto-2 with us all the time. I mean just think, your Proton Pack can help you get to a high spot, and can help save your life from falling out of a window.

Egon: Okay, so you got a couple superior persuasions. As a matter of fact, now that you have me thinking about it, it looks to be a new project we're going to have around here.

Dan: What? I was just wondering if it could be done.

Ray: Uh, Dan? Can I speak to you outside for a moment?

Ray and Dan walk out of the lab into the hallway.

Dan: What is it?

Ray: Good work.

Dan: Huh?

Ray: Do you realize you are the first person to persuade Dr. Egon Spengler into doing a project?

Dan: I am? How did I do that?

Ray: Well, back in 87', we were busting a ghost on top of one of the World Trade buildings. What happened was in the process of trapping it, the ghost through something at Egon, and he fell over the edge. Luckily, Winston was in Ecto-2 and he ended up catching Egon. After what you said, that experience must of came back to him and made him except the idea and now he's going to make a project out of it.

Dan: The fell of the trade center? ::whistles in astonishment.:: Damn. He must have had nightmares for weeks.

Ray: Lets just say, it caused problems on the rest of us.

Dan: Do you really think it'll work?

Ray: If Egon says it can be done, it can be done.

August 30

Top level of the Empire State Building

4:38 PM

Winston:: Over the radio:: Okay, are you ready, Dan?

Dan:: Responding to Winston:: As ready as I'll ever be. ::clips radio to belt:: I can't believe this! Here I am, busting a ghost on a really tall building, at around 4:30 at night, and on MY birthday.

Winston: What for my signal…

Dan: Happy frickin Birthday to me.

Winston: Fire!

Dan and Winston opened fire on the puke yellow colored ghost. Dan through the ghost trap underneath the specter, and stomped on the pedal. The ghost grabbed hold of the fence pole that held up the fence surrounding the edge of the observation deck, and through it at Dan. The pole hit Dan in the head, which made him take his foot off the pedal, and then fell into the fence. When the ghost got free of the traps pull, it rammed into Dan, causing him to go through the fence, and fall to the ground.

Winston:: Runs over to the edge.:: DAN!!!

Just then, Egon is floating in midair holding Dan by his Proton Pack's straps.

Winston: Egon? Who…? How…? Huh?

Without saying a word, Egon dropped Dan on the floor, upholstered his thrower, and fired at the ghost. Winston re-pressed the trigger pedal on the trap, and caught the spirit. Dan was still sitting on the ground, looking straight ahead and breathing heavily.

Dan: Wha… What the hell just happened!?!

Egon: Remember that idea you had about the proton/electron discharge we were talking about?

Dan: Yeah?

Egon: Well, here's the prototype, and you get to use it. Happy Birthday, Dan. ::hands him the Proton Pack.::

Dan: Damn. I thought you're just going to give me some kind of air freshener for my truck.

Winston: Whoa! Egon, you mean to tell me that you where working on such a project, and we didn't know? Dan, did you know about this, since you gave him the idea?

Dan: He said it was possible, but I didn't know he was working on it, and it didn't even take that long, either. ::Puts on the pack.:: Whoa, this thing is heaver than the other pack.

Egon: That's because it has foldable wings behind the alice pack, a joystick that helps you control the elevation and the acceleration, and a special light on back to help you see in the dark.

Dan: Alright! ::Stops a second.:: You know, I might as well just save it for a special occasion. Lets go home.

Winston: Dan's right. I'm ready to party.

Egon: I agree. Let's go back to the firehouse and begin the festivities.

Dan:: sighs and shakes his head.:: Egon, if you weren't a scientist, I'd swear you were smoking something.

The end