Authors Note: This is a special Thread for Very Short and non-narrative IC pieces. see This page for details on this thread.

From Alex McKenzie's Diary, 03/05/2012:
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Dream Report: Weird, actually. Had break from regular recurring nightmare (thankyou god!). Instead, got this one. I'm recalling from memory, Will write more as it comes to me.

3rd person perspective. See me older (look older? No. But definitely seems older). The landscape, ruined city, rather generic. I stay silent, but from dream perspective, know that I'm looking for <s>something</s> someone. Can't be certain, but I seemed full of... what? Rage, anger, something like that. This perspective continues for a while, then scene changes. Still 3rd person. I speak (voice sounds... harder than mine), asking "Rossi" to come out. Conversation ensues, unsure of exact conversation. Seemed to be mostly sniping between both of them ("Rossi" stays hidden). Conversation ends, "Rossi" comes out. He looks older, but I still (barely) recognise him from Jordan's image on Foundation website. (Addendum: Jordan addresses me as "McKenzie". Unsure as to meaning, remember to tell Kopulski later).

More conversation (not as much this time, again unsure as to exact content), then Jordan and I fight. Incredibly (to me now, anyway) I actually manage to fend him off (in h2h too!). Whatever I've become here, seem to have learned funky moves. One standout, was multiple TK arms (Remembered from rhyme he used to taunt Jordan "You have two hands/I now have eight/You keep throwing punches/But they come too late"). (Comment: WTF?) During fight, becomes clear that I seem to be enjoying this. (Addendum: I occasionally call him "General". Again I ask, WTF?)

Eventually, becomes apparent that Jordan & I are tiring. Gets to the point where finally we stop, think we have the upper hand, pull guns at each other's head, then... <Dream Ends> I hate it when dreams do that.

Maybe Dr. Kopulski can make sense of this. I sure as hell can't.

In Other Events: Finally took down the Fluro lights in the apartment. I now agree with Sydney, they flicker too much (I've replaced them twice. I now concede it's me, not the lights).

Also tried telling 'Kat about what I actually was. Turned out she already knew. Get this: She knew before I even got into ALNPI. Seems that 30's scanner she has can pick my signals up. She pieced the rest together from various remnants from the Opnet, it seemed. She noted that there's nothing about this in the science journals. Ever. The only one she found that had anything about this stuff was a Parapsychological Society Journal. Have to check with the HAL-Annexe back at Clayton tomorrow, check out our collection. It seems a rather large gap in the learning of the day. Again, must tell Kopulski about this.

It seems Syd's getting restless. I caught him projecting new paint colours onto the walls. I still think that's a damn cool ability. We agreed that Teal was not a good colour for the walls. He's also fine-tuning the new introductory lecture holo-display he's working on. It looked about the same to me, but he says he's still having trouble res'ing the fine details of the +30m lightyear stars. Oh well, as long as it keeps him busy, I s'pose.

Personal Thoughts: I still can't believe how badly I slipped on the Opnet board last week. If what 'Kat said is any indicator, he already knows. I'm glad that there aren't more hyperints on the board. (Scary thought: Lurkers?) Definitely do not tell Dr Kopulski about this. Next time, though, I check the message thoroughly before I post. I have to be more careful about these things.

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[ 04-28-2002: Message edited by: Alex McKenzie ]

[original message from Edward Bandaryan (bigshot@bandarlaw.biz) to Wayne Rourke (buzzword@projectu.net)]

>Well, Wayne, you've done it this time.

Duh. I like doing it.

>Taking the Utopia contract still seems like one hell of a big step, but I'll still cover you legally if I have to.

Eddy Bandaryan proves his loyalty to anyone with money yet again!

>The smartest idea you had was letting me draw up the contract. The dumbest was not reading through it afterward. Hope you don't mind the 25% cut I'm taking.

That's code for "I'm suicidal," right?

>Still, joining Utopia, especially in such a public position, will make a lot of dangerous people think you're a sellout.

That might be because I did sell out. Utopia has all the money, so I'm joining Utopia. It's not as hard to figure out as you act like it is.

And I like being in public positions. =D

>By the way, the lawsuit's stalled. DC comics still has the copyright on the name you wanted. Looks like you will be stuck with being called the Pitchman.

Dammit. I hate that name. Way too accurate.

>The things you've done recently have made you plenty of enemies, do you realize that? Making yourself so well-known is just about the worst move you can make.

Yeah, but considering that I was a short black guy at the time I did that, I don't think they'll recognize me. And you know I can talk anyone out of anything. It's also another reason to join Utopia. They'll have to go through the rest of the Project to get at me.

No matter what *said* you think, you were still willing to put the contract through. By next week, I'll be the "voice of the establishment", like you said. Screw the consequences, they're not guaranteed. The obscene amounts of money and attention are.