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Welcome to Percotran -Part XXVII By: Richard Davidson on 2/23/2003; 8:02 PM Now where has that stupid woman gotten to? Second Vice President of Operations Halbert Scrum III was getting miffed. Couldnt anybody do anything right any more? Shes in here with me, boss, came a voice over the intercom. Richter? No answer was his loud reply. What the hell is going on down there? Still nothing. Scrum was beyond exasperated, and as the Calmometer hummed back to life, he shot it with his personal PDL-351 Harmonic Energy Beam, which was standard Percotran Issue for the top executives, and opened an Electronic Transfer Window directly into the Brainscan Chamber. To his surprise, Richter was alone, and was holding a Technotronix 1181 Sonic Distractor, which had something attached to the barrel with black tape. Dont move, said Richter, still smiling from ear to ear. What have you done to that weapon? asked Scrum. That certainly doesnt look an authorized modification. I have boosted the power of this device, by attaching a Harwell Tube, which will magnify all Theonic Radiation by 10. That was ridiculous. Scrum never did too well in Technical Studies; nor Logic or any of his other classes for that matter, having been groomed to be an executive by the Order of Haam, but even he knew that attaching a simple Harwell Tube to the Technotronix 1181 Sonic Distractor would do nothing. Obviously, whatever reprogramming Richter had been through had softened his once-keen mind. Give me that, you idiot, he said with a snort, taking a step towards Richter. Richter fired, and within 1/100,000th of second, Scrum was a smoldering pile of ashes on the floor. Hated to do that, winced Richter, but you scared me. He smiled as the Sweeper Drone cleaned up the mess. Cute little guy. He was talking about the Sweeper Drone, which he had decided to name Kitty. He picked the Drone up, and petted it tenderly, putting it in his jacket pocket, heading for the door, and wondering if hed find a good dancing partner for tonight. He had a momentary flash of all the Security Forces whod be in the outer alcove within only a few seconds, and hesitated. Silly me, he laughed, I dont want to go out there. He opened another Electronic Transfer Window, and when he emerged on the other side, he stood facing 17, who was furiously working the XP-2,000,000 in the Secured Office of Command Center 2533. 17 turned, astonished. How did you find me? he asked, turning slightly pale. I knew this is where youd come, Richter said with a girlish laugh. I came to thank you. Thank me? 17 had no idea what kind of ruse this was, but this time he would kill Richter if he had to. Thank me for what? My dear boy, said Richter, I spent my entire life learning to grow farther and farther away from my conscience, mastering every type of ruthless discipline taught by The Company. When you reprogrammed my mind, you set me free. Im free! Richter ran around the room flapping his arms. Free like a bird! And now, I will learn how to fly! He jumped onto a desk, and stood there flapping. 17 had no doubt this man was completely insane. Im speaking metaphorically, of course, Richter laughed, flapping one more time, and jumping down from the desk. I know I cant really fly. You cant imagine how comforting I find that, stuttered 17, ready to murder another human being for the first time in his life. I know what youre doing down here, said Richter, and then he sang in a deep, rich baritone, youre trying to take over the company You think that youve made quite the fool of me You wonder if power will steer you wrong You dont know how Im going to end this song Richter took a little run, and then slid on one knee as he continued, Ive led a bitter life, but now I see the light I want to dance away this warm and glorious night You cant get what you want by stealing the command You hold the key to evil in your sweaty hand I beg you sincerely to stop right now I ask you merely to hear my words somehow Why control what you can destroy Well make it right, my dear unselfish boy Turn off the XP-2,000,000 and well have a little talk... Richter placed his hand over his heart, and in a glorious crescendo sang, youve had the right idear but now I only fear your mortal soul is going for a walk. 17 had never heard such atrocious lyrics in his life, but he had to admit the tune was pretty good, and Richters singing was far and away the best hed heard from a Percotran Security Officer, or anybody else for that matter. His mind raced. He had reprogrammed Richter to be non violent, after all, but what if the cagey old warrior had some trick up his sleeve; something in his intense discipline that prevented the programming from being completely effective. His mind told him to kill Richter, but there was something causing him to hesitate. Could Richter really be harmless? 17 didnt want to take the chance. If you have to kill me, then kill me, pleaded Richter, taking the Sweeper Drone out of his pocket, and placing it on the desk, but please dont hurt my Kitty. 17 couldnt kill him. He just couldnt. He was completely dumbfounded at the notion of Richter feeling love for a Sweeping Drone, and although something in his logical mind told him it was ridiculous, in his heart he knew it was true. The XP-2,000,000 truly was an amazing device. 17 called it back into his hand, and to his own amazement, flicked the small silver toggle switch to off. Tears were streaming down Richters face. Oh my dear, dear fellow, I cannot tell you how Im moved by your compassion. Kitty and I will do nothing to stop you, or hurt you; that I promise. We only wish to live on a farm, and find harmony with the Earth. 17 had no idea what a farm was, but that harmony with the Earth thing sounded pretty good. For that to be possible, we have to destroy Percotran International, and all its holdings, once and for all. I know you wanted to take over the Company, and use all its power for good, but that simply isnt possible. Its not? 17 didnt see why not. Why not? Why not, indeed, answered Richter. Do you, Records Handler 17D, have even the slightest notion of the number of lives that have been lost to make this company what it is? Before 17 could answer, he continued, do you know the amount of people who wasted themselves, slaving night and day for a Corporation that only existed to make the maximum profit possible? The Shareholders were misled by greedy, corrupt Executives, said 17. They didnt want it to be like this. Plenty of honest people own stock, and many of the Workers are decent, honorable people. I want to restore power to these workers, and I can do it, with the help of the man Ted met in hallway 2NN17-4AAA, who quite possibly holds the largest percentage of shares of Percotran International in the entire world. And then he added, and youre not going to stop me. I dont aim to stop you. I just ask you to listen to reason. Think for a minute, my boy. Who knows more of the secret dealings of this company than I? Richter had a point. Everybody knew he did all the dirty work for the executives, even a simple Records Handler. They will never let you get away with it. There are powerful men who stand to lose all they covet, should you allow control to go to the Workers. You have two rival companies that are controlled by people who dream nightly of infiltrating this company, and making it theirs. I could tell you things that would curdle your milk, and I will; I will, but right now time is of the essence. Just then, the Triple-Sealed doors of the office turned bright orange, and disintegrated in a small, fiery blast. Youll tell him nothing, boomed the big, imposing Geneticon that sprang through the door, holding a Thermal Detonator in one hand, his other wrapped around the chest of the angry little man he had dragged in with him.
RE: Welcome to Percotran -Part XXVII By: Richard Davidson on 3/1/2003; 12:17 AM This was dropping off of the discussion page, although it never made it to the main page. And now I've done my part.
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