Thanks, It would be a pleasure to talk about my time at NASA.



I should be the one thanking you Praxis, your music is very popular around here at Science Dept. And yes the name is quite spiffy if I say so myself

Welcome to all the new faces!

If only I could go to space... at least without lots of equipment and this annoying need to breathe. Some Novas have all the luck.

Ah! Eliot Krogen... I've seen (more like heard) your work. You're good at what you do.

I don't really expect most people I meet to know the movies I've done. I mean, I've done a lot of them, but there hasn't been anything to spectacular for the average adult to know. And if you're a kid, than I'll be surprised you remember the names of voices on shows. Regardless, it's nice that you decided to look it up. Look me up.

All the way to New York for a martini? Dear Alexis, I must admit that you are dragging me an awful long way for a martini. What is that, like three thousand miles across a border.

And if I didn't have duel citizenship, than I might think that it would take a while. I will meet you, Dear Alexis.



Well. Including me, I've got five. Sure, I've had several years of time to prepare, but I want to take my time with this. I still need many more people who are willing to disclose one of the most emotional and meaningful times in their lives. Certainly, if anyone here is willing to divulge, in a secluded area, a defining moment in your life, than I will be willing to listen and reveal to the world.



I appreciate it, Sakurako Hideyoshi. I tried finding something specific about you, like something you invented and the like, but I can't seem to find anything.

Just getting started, sir. Trying to find time and inspiration.

I had meant that if you happened to be in New York, we could meet. But if you insist on coming here to meet me, I'll be happy to be your host. Let me know when and where you'll be here. I'll show you around - and get you that martini, of course.

How very nonchalant of you, Dear Alexis. But we shall congress, and it shall no be a wasted trip if only for the martini.

I've heard that the skyline, with the right person, can be stunning.

Oh, it will be - you have my personal guarantee on that. I'll send you private contact information, so that when you decide to check out that skyline, I'll be a phone call away.

Mr. Krogen, perhaps I could offer my transportation services on your trip. I'm a teleporter for a Securities firm in Chicago. I could have you to any place in New York in seconds. It would be an honor to meet an artist of your caliber.

BlackThorn, what an exceptional offer. I will take you up on this.

Send me your information and I will be in touch.

PM sent.

Welcome aboard BlackThorn. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm a junior partner in a sercurity firm, East Side Security Services, in Chicago. Basically, I'm the firms only nova and part of their marketing strategy. I have gained some skills in the business, but mainly I respond to break ins and the like.

We are pretty small time, but that's how I like it.

Cool. That takes instant response to a whole new level. Are you guys limited to Chicago area considering your abilities? I don't have a house to guard, but I will someday.

Some people here in the Houston, TX DeVries offices have put me up in this apartment while in the process of a) deciding whether they want to hire me and b) deciding how to motivate me to join them. One of the perks is OpNet access.

They said I should say "hi", introduce myself here and try to re-join the world. So...

Hi.

Name's Peter Nord: I don't have an alias. I just finished a 10 year stretch and I'm trying to decide what I'm going to do with my life now.

Nice to meet you all.

Hey. Welcome back to society such as it is. Houston huh? I'm from Dallas, but I've been to Houston a few times. I'm not in Texas at the moment though or I'd fly down for a visit. The area around the Galleria is pretty nice. Lots of restaurants and night clubs and shopping of course. Best movie theater in town is just a few minutes north of there too at I10 just west of the loop.

The Galleria, eh? I suppose I should check that out. Thanks for the tip, Mr Fox. I might pop out and catch a movie, see if some focused escapism can jog me out of this sense of unreality. I've been watching the news on the OpNet, trawling through these boards and trying to connect somehow with what's going on around me, but I feel distant from it all, like it's all a weird dream.

Bah, I'm rambling. Thanks again for the welcome and the tip-off.

Call me Daniel. My dad is Mr Fox, I can't even legally Vote yet. Not for a couple months anyway.

Devries is only the best fucking company you could ever hope to work for.

Great pay, great folks, great job.

And that's the word of experience.

Just got back from the Galleria. Good call, Daniel. I needed some new clothes. Thanks for that. Being out and about seemed to shake off some cobwebs from my mind too.

I think I'll take De Vries' offer, Bill, assuming they make one. Thanks for the word of experience.

Update: Well, they made an offer, and I took it. I head for South Africa tomorrow to start evaluation and training. Hope it's all it's cracked up to be.

Welcome to all the new novas. I hope to meet you one day.

Thanks. Got to admit I was tickled when I saw you guys had a bake-off.

If I had been sitting around thinking about what nova life was like outside, I would never have envisioned that. Good idea though: social meeting, fun and games, and not as pressurised a situation as a club or high-profile party.

All in all, sorry I missed it. Bet it was a blast.

Yes, it sounded like fun. I wish I could've made it.

It was a bake-off... No need to wax poetic about it and get all misty-eyed.

In the year of our Lord April 2008
At Flicker's domicile a great feast was ate
And goodly goods baked, and much fun had
But we were not there, and this makes use sad

*wipes a tear from his eye*

So... Why not invite people over to your place and bake some friendship brownies, or something?

I should. My gooey butter cake is especially noteworthy.

Yes, but don't let him bake anything involving chocolate.

Thought I would give you all an update.

South Africa is good; the training is hard as fook, but they keep it interesting.

Oh, and I got my nova name. Guess I'm official now.

Thank heavens for OpNet...

You are a dead warrior?

I remember hearing about you on N! Mr. Nord.

It's a good name.

For this, you win the OpNet. Also, you win one batch of my double-chocolate chip cookies, delivered fresh from the oven to anywhere within the orbit of Jupiter*.


(* I've been practicing.)

Sweet.

Close enough. I suppose I qualify as having gone through Hel and left the life I knew behind. The Superimpose guys liked my natural image enough to build an idea around it, rather than alter it to fit an idea.




Thanks Fianna. That's a good sig line you've got there. That poem is a favorite of someone I knew.

Ah, good luck in your chosen profession then?

Thanks.

Oh, hey, and good luck with DeVries! To hear Bill talk, they take pretty good care of their people. Africa must be phenomenal- tell us as much as you can?

Maybe I should start a blog. I won't be able to discuss confidential stuff, naturally, but I'll be able to provide an overview of life here.

Mind you, there's probably a ton of Elites out there doing similar things. I'll think about that: don't want to be a bandwagon-jumper.