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Where Legal Eagles Dare: An Opco Boone Adventure: Difference between revisions

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Where Legal Eagles Dare: An Opco Boone Adventure (view source)

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“But, boss,” said the third, “that was ''dash-dash-dash—dot-dot-dot—dash-dash-dash''.”
“But, boss,” said the third, “that was ''dash-dash-dash—dot-dot-dot—dash-dash-dash''.”


“Right, George. It’s Morse code.”
“Right, Aggie. It’s Morse code.”


“I ''know'' that, Opco. But it says, ‘''O. S. O''.’”
“I ''know'' that, Opco. But it says, ‘''O. S. O''.’”
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The towers re-energised and beamed out some more: ''dot-dot-dash-dot—dash—dot-dash—dash-dash-dash—dash-dot-dot''.
The towers re-energised and beamed out some more: ''dot-dot-dash-dot—dash—dot-dash—dash-dash-dash—dash-dot-dot''.


George rifled through her code book. She furrowed her brow. “What the h —”
Aggie rifled through her code book. She furrowed her brow. “What the h —”


“What is it, G?”
“What is it, G?”
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Algy’s dirt-bike punched through that drape of flying sand, over the gunship’s lazy spinning wheels, and landed clean. Algernon whooped. “Let’s blow this joint, Boonester.”
Algy’s dirt-bike punched through that drape of flying sand, over the gunship’s lazy spinning wheels, and landed clean. Algernon whooped. “Let’s blow this joint, Boonester.”


Boone snarled into his wrist-com, “We’re not home yet, Algy. Any sign of George?”
Boone snarled into his wrist-com, “We’re not home yet, Algy. Any sign of Aggie?”


Algernon gunned his Kawasaki. “She’s tangling with the other cruiser, boss. Her eso failed. Sticky bogey, I guess.”
Algernon gunned his Kawasaki. “She’s tangling with the other cruiser, boss. Her eso failed. Sticky bogey, I guess.”
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----Boone’s com-link crackled. “Heads up Boonester: you got company.”
----Boone’s com-link crackled. “Heads up Boonester: you got company.”


Georgie’s dirt-bike burst into view off a low ridge, exploding through scrubland and she pulled wheelie.
Aggie’s dirt-bike burst into view off a low ridge, exploding through scrubland and she pulled wheelie.


Boone punched the dash “Yo! Georgie! Where you ''been'' all my life!”
Boone punched the dash “Yo! Aggie! Where you ''been'' all my life!”


“Not now, Boone, you got work to do — eyes right.”
“Not now, Boone, you got work to do — eyes right.”
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Clippy said, ''Hi!''
Clippy said, ''Hi!''


As he passed out, Boone’s last coherent thought was, ''where the hell are you, Algy?'' The Eagle Squadron commander slipped into unconsciousness with the hopeless image of his old school chums [[Georgia Apathy|Georgia]] and Algy, back at the refectory at St Crustard’s frantically trying to finish their ''Defence Against Indemnities'' homework before the bell went.
As he passed out, Boone’s last coherent thought was, ''where the hell are you, Algy?'' The Eagle Squadron commander slipped into unconsciousness with the hopeless image of his old school chums [[Agatha Panthus]] and Algy, back at the refectory at St Crustard’s frantically trying to finish their ''Defence Against Indemnities'' homework before the bell went.


''The counter ticked past 3:45.''
''The counter ticked past 3:45.''
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''The counter ticked past 3:42.''
''The counter ticked past 3:42.''


Boone collapsed into glamour-glow visions of Georgie and Algernon, holding hands, astride pink unicorns, in a forest of hyper-rainbows, floating joyfully amongst a flock of cute, fluffy green chatbots that were nibbling delicately and licking at their glistening faces. ''“It’s fine, Opco! Come on over! You will never look back! Everything is — so beautiful!” Operations Officer Kurzweil walked serenely towards him in a silken toga, with a ball of pearlescent light before him. “It is all true, Opco.” Behind him Georgie and Algernon nodded blissfully. “We have solved it. Everything. There is enough management information to satisfy every [[stakeholder]]. You don’t need to worry. There’s an app for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g...”''
Boone collapsed into glamour-glow visions of Aggie and Algernon, holding hands, astride pink unicorns, in a forest of hyper-rainbows, floating joyfully amongst a flock of cute, fluffy green chatbots that were nibbling delicately and licking at their glistening faces. ''“It’s fine, Opco! Come on over! You will never look back! Everything is — so beautiful!” Operations Officer Kurzweil walked serenely towards him in a silken toga, with a ball of pearlescent light before him. “It is all true, Opco.” Behind him Aggie and Algernon nodded blissfully. “We have solved it. Everything. There is enough management information to satisfy every [[stakeholder]]. You don’t need to worry. There’s an app for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g...”''


The last thing Boone remembered was trying to move his arms and his legs, but he could not. His tongue lolled. He dribbled into the carpet in the footwell. Then everything went black.
The last thing Boone remembered was trying to move his arms and his legs, but he could not. His tongue lolled. He dribbled into the carpet in the footwell. Then everything went black.
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''The counter ticked past 3:45.''
''The counter ticked past 3:45.''
----The rig was hurtling inexorably towards the Settlement. The damaged gunship was belching black smoke and running on three tyres, but it was back in the game, exchanging potshots with Georgie.
----The rig was hurtling inexorably towards the Settlement. The damaged gunship was belching black smoke and running on three tyres, but it was back in the game, exchanging potshots with Aggie.


Captain Algernon Farquhar, B.S.C, D.S.O, Acting Deputy Captain of Eagle Squad saw a narrow dirt ramp coming down the line and knew it: ''his time was now''.
Captain Algernon Farquhar, B.S.C, D.S.O, Acting Deputy Captain of Eagle Squad saw a narrow dirt ramp coming down the line and knew it: ''his time was now''.


“Cover me, Georgie!” he barked, and ripped hard on his throttle.
“Cover me, Aggie!” he barked, and ripped hard on his throttle.


The Kawasaki surged forward along side the trailer, mounted the ramp and caught ''big'' air. As the bike sailed over the trailer, he kicked out of his stirrups, let the handlebars go, and back-flipped — he hit the trailer roof with the regulation Eagle-Squad three-point landing.
The Kawasaki surged forward along side the trailer, mounted the ramp and caught ''big'' air. As the bike sailed over the trailer, he kicked out of his stirrups, let the handlebars go, and back-flipped — he hit the trailer roof with the regulation Eagle-Squad three-point landing.
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Over the transom, a large digital display carried the detonator count-down.
Over the transom, a large digital display carried the detonator count-down.


Algy clicked into his wrist-com, and hissed: “Georgie, this is bad. There must be 40,000 [[KPI|KPIs]] here — maybe more. They’re all armed. Every goddamn one of them. The counter’s down to three minutes. I couldn’t switch that many off in that time even if they weren’t encrypted. But —”
Algy clicked into his wrist-com, and hissed: “Aggie, this is bad. There must be 40,000 [[KPI|KPIs]] here — maybe more. They’re all armed. Every goddamn one of them. The counter’s down to three minutes. I couldn’t switch that many off in that time even if they weren’t encrypted. But —”


“What is it, Algy?”
“What is it, Algy?”
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“They’re all [[blockchain]] hashed.”
“They’re all [[blockchain]] hashed.”


Georgie said, “Copy that, Algy. We have to turn the rig around. There is nothing else for it. And it’s ...”
Aggie said, “Copy that, Algy. We have to turn the rig around. There is nothing else for it. And it’s ...”


“Georgie, do you copy?
“Aggie, do you copy?


Georgie sniffed.
Aggie sniffed.


What is it, Georgie?
What is it, Aggie?


There was another pause. Georgie rallied. “It’s — oh, Goddamn you, you ancient brute, Opco Boone!” Georgie’s voice was cracking now. “It’s — it’s what the Commander would have wanted, Algy. ''Do this for Boone''. Remember, you have the element of surprise. There’s no time. You can do this, Algy. Oh! ''LOOK OUT!''”
There was another pause. Aggie rallied. “It’s — oh, Goddamn you, you ancient brute, Opco Boone!” Aggie’s voice was cracking now. “It’s — it’s what the Commander would have wanted, Algy. ''Do this for Boone''. Remember, you have the element of surprise. There’s no time. You can do this, Algy. Oh! ''LOOK OUT!''”


“What?”
“What?”
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''The counter ticked past 2:55''
''The counter ticked past 2:55''
----Georgie squeaked into her bike-com, “Algy! Algy! Do you read me! Algy! Come in, over!”
----Aggie squeaked into her bike-com, “Algy! Algy! Do you read me! Algy! Come in, over!”


Algy hissed, “Quiet, G! He’s in here!” Algy flipped off the ’com.
Algy hissed, “Quiet, G! He’s in here!” Algy flipped off the ’com.


Georgie heard the line go dead and shrieked. “Algy NO!”
Aggie heard the line go dead and shrieked. “Algy NO!”


Kurzweil entered the trailer, Gantt drawn. He moved quietly and efficiently. “Who goes there?”
Kurzweil entered the trailer, Gantt drawn. He moved quietly and efficiently. “Who goes there?”
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Algy made like a hole in the air.
Algy made like a hole in the air.


Georgie gunned her K-bike.
Aggie gunned her K-bike.


Kurzweil unlatched the rear door and peered out. Light flooded into the trailer. Kurzweil was dazzled for a moment, then saw Georgie rolling twenty yards back. He levelled his Gantt. Georgie looped a fat slalom on the bike to throw off his aim. Kurzweil matched her cadence. Georgie carved wider. Kurzweil cocked his piece. Georgie fishtailed. Kurzweil fired — missed.
Kurzweil unlatched the rear door and peered out. Light flooded into the trailer. Kurzweil was dazzled for a moment, then saw Aggie rolling twenty yards back. He levelled his Gantt. Aggie looped a fat slalom on the bike to throw off his aim. Kurzweil matched her cadence. Aggie carved wider. Kurzweil cocked his piece. Aggie fishtailed. Kurzweil fired — missed.


Algy stepped out of the shadow to Kurzweil’s right, cold-cocked him with a five-point cost projection.
Algy stepped out of the shadow to Kurzweil’s right, cold-cocked him with a five-point cost projection.
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“Business case ''this'', Ops boy.”
“Business case ''this'', Ops boy.”


Kurzweil collapsed to his knees. Algy hoofed him off the back of the truck. Georgie threw out another fancy fishtail and gave the operations man the swerve. Kurzweil rag-doll cartwheeled into a bush.
Kurzweil collapsed to his knees. Algy hoofed him off the back of the truck. Aggie threw out another fancy fishtail and gave the operations man the swerve. Kurzweil rag-doll cartwheeled into a bush.


“Got him, Boonie – but are we too late?”
“Got him, Boonie – but are we too late?”
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“Hi!” said Clippy.
“Hi!” said Clippy.
----At its nearest pass, Boone and Algy dropped off the running board, collected Georgie, and the three old pals linked arms and walked the mile back to the Settlement. Clippy the chatbot multitasked, steering the primed rig back to operations HQ.
----At its nearest pass, Boone and Algy dropped off the running board, collected Aggie, and the three old pals linked arms and walked the mile back to the Settlement. Clippy the chatbot multitasked, steering the primed rig back to operations HQ.
----Two klicks distant, Operations Officer Kurzweil picked his aching body out of a clump of thistles and swore himself to eternal revenge.
----Two klicks distant, Operations Officer Kurzweil picked his aching body out of a clump of thistles and swore himself to eternal revenge.
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