Trial & Error

It had withered there in isolation for what it deemed eternity. The time had not been set idle, however. It had spent many hours in passing contemplating it's life and world view.

It decided that it was going to have a name, that 'creature' or 'it' wasn't true at all. That title, it understood, wasn't too specific. So it was then he decided. And decided to even curve the ball again, when decided a name. And just so there would be a revelation of some kind to anyone who looked deep enough, that curve ball name was going to be uncharacteristically spelled. lxxy, then it became. Unique, like everyone else.

Since he had been brought back to his home away from isolation cell all of his possessions, even his trusty Amiga, had been stripped from his quarters.

He laid on the top bunk of his bed and eyed the window, watching a guard go by every few minutes. The faces that passed by his window were patently routine, and he recognized this one in particular from two days ago.

The night shift would probably be easier, though. With a sigh of frustration lxxy laid down and closed his eyes, humming a song and hoping he wouldn't fall into deep sleep.

For tonight he was going to realize his dream.

I've chased this dream since I was five,

And I have barely stayed alive.

While folks have fallen off this ship,
While I have never lost my grip.

So hate me,
You might as well hate me.
And go on, berate me,
Until the day you die.

I'll go strait through,
I'm not gonna hate you.
But I won't wait for you,
Until the day I die.

Some folks will tell me I'm all wrong. (He's all wrong.)
But I won't listen, not for long. (No, not for long.)
My whole life I've planned this trip. (He's planned this trip.)
To my plan I'm gonna stick. (He's gonna stick.)

So hate me,
You might as well hate me.
And go on, berate me,
Until the day you die.

I'll go strait through,
I'm not gonna hate you.
But I won't wait for you,
Until the day I die.

"Dr. Weird's Mystery will be continued shortly.

By the way, doctor, is mystery your soul pleasure?"

"Young man, what could be more pleasant than mystery?"

"Well, music. I mean the kind of music a man can hum and whistle when they feel on top of the world."

So hate me,
You might as well hate me.
And go on, berate me,
Until the day you die.

I'll go strait through,
I'm not gonna hate you.
But I won't wait for you,
Until the day I die.

Doc began to power cycle the flux capacitor, the either end of an electric meter was jammed at a connection point inside the housing. He needed a better meter, he thought to himself...one that would actually read into the gigawatts.

A hum that grew louder was synchronized with the ever brightening lights fashioned into the Y-manifold. The phone rang loudly from across the work space, and Doc glanced up and scurried over to answer. "Dr. E. Brown twenty four hour scientific services, how may I help you?"

The hum began to scale slowly into an Upper C. "You need a what? A bomb made from plutonium?" Doc shook his head. "You're from the United States, right?" He nodded listening intently to the character's story. "No, no, I don't doubt you, I just don't know if I have time for that right now, I'm really busy.."

Suddenly smoke begun erupting from the flux capacitor housing, just before the power supply it's self caught on fire. "Great Scott!" Doc sat the phone down while his caller related his story in more detail. Picking up a fire extinguisher he ran towards the billowing flames wielding the hose wildly, but somehow still managing to extinguish the blaze. "Oh no! That was the last of my plutonium!"

Ambling back to the phone he picked up the receiver just in time for the caller to finish their pleas. "Okay. You've got a deal!" He hung up the phone and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Well, at least time and space have not been irreparably altered."

With sirens blaring and lights scanning the dark lxxy made sure to hug walls. He wasn't in the mood to be shot, or worse yet, hurt another being. As soldiers rushed right by in a fit of panic, he saw that the nearby light posts were not able to cover each other. Feeling his muscles quicken he took a deep breath and ran towards the electric fence, leaping over it with a three foot clearance.

He wondered why his captors never decided to jump after him, glancing momentarily as one pointed to his location. But there was no time to dilly dally, for he was the target they were trying to acquire.

He began running towards the base proper knowing full well where he would find Chief Master Sergeant Nimziki. lxxy felt that if only he could speak to the highest authority available he could rightfully claim sovereignty and obtain his freedom. He certainly wasn't going to go about it as the Libyans were, at least.

His pace was not quick enough, so he begun to leap forward clearing the ground faster than the jeeps could follow. A missile or two missed him, and he figured that was enough of playing Spider-Man.

Running down a corridor of barracks and into a large building he hopped over the guards on duty only to land feet from the dazed and confused stare belonging to an MP officer. "Hold on there, you're the one we're looking for!"

lxxy looked around for a second then smiled, formulating a plan. "What do you mean? I'm just here to fix the fax machine."

The MP shook his head, training his rifle chest level. "I don't think so, get down on the ground now!"

lxxy held up his hands to show he was defenseless. "I'm really sorry, but I'd hate to have you fired for catching the wrong guy, don't you have a description of the person you're referring to?"

With an aggravated growl the MP allowed the rifle to dangle from his side as he pursued looking for something in his many pockets. "Yes, of course, I have it right here..ahh!" He pilfered a piece of paper from his left breast pocket and unfolded it. lxxy moved as to read over the officer's shoulder. "See," the highly trained officer said. "It says right here, 5'6", very pale, auburn hair, brown eyes."

lxxy shook his head. "Wow, I'd have to agree with you, that does bare remarkable resemblance to myself. But look at my eyes!" He smiled as the officer gazed into them, then promptly unleashed a searing glow. "They're green, not brown!"

Cradling his face the MP fell to the floor shouting curses. "I can't see, you freaky hybrid alien mutant!"

Undaunted lxxy decided now was not the time to make sure this particular person was going to be all right. Besides, he was sure that cyberoptics weren't too far away. Gazing through the building directory he spotted a name in brass reading Chief Master Sergeant Albert Nimziki.

So close now, he could feel it.

<--- Trial und Error | TR1AL UND 3RR0R --->