Endtown by Aaron Neathery for September 28, 2012

She’s finally out of her uniform for once.

So…she had been living with the hope of reuniting with him up until the time she discovered his brain had been harvested? Having her hopes that he was alive and they’d be together shattered like that would be devastating enough.

Correction. She was out of a uniform as a prisoner. I guess this is the first time we’ve seen her in a dress.

The soundtrack to this piece: “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

Aww Flask’s in a dress. Looking utterly miserable, poor girl. Oh man, the next time she sees Petey may very well be when he is a head in a vehicle. I agree with rickD and Nabuquduriuzhur. Ouch!

Hope. Aaron you have presented a very powerful lesson. Thank youBlessed Be

@ Three Steps Over JapanAnd she still hasn’t shaved her legs…

There are some things I DON’T want to think about…

Ok, so Flask is going to follow in hope’s footsteps. First step is to check the job ads for something that gives her unlimited access to the internet. Second, she sifts through the personal dating sites for posts like “single male humanoid looking for suitable mate. Must be into head games.”

Flask was a engineer-sort in the pastDesigner of satellites for the TopsideThrough this adventure she’s got free at lastEmotionally, we’ve been along for the rideBut engineers typically aren’t combat-trainedNor deep-drilled in stealth to any extentBut we’ve seen her do this will skills unexplainedIn Wally and Holly’s capture eventOf course, “Blackie’s” shakes when she first fired backAnd killed their attackers in that Topside routSuggests that the battle almost made her crackThere’s more in her background I’d like find outThe last scenes are somber: Demure PhilomenaConservative dress on a quite-troubled lassShe’s hoping the future has grass that is greenerBut in this world … there is no grass=|====/ Level HeadVote for Endtown 2.0And for Doc Rat, tooThe Endtown ForumThe Endtown AuctionThe Endtown Books

Okay, folks.. This is the final day for this week’s auctions.. They end at midnight, CST.. Huge thanks to all who participate.. All proceeds help keep Endtown alive! Also, I’d like to take this opportunity to stress how useful reviews are to the continuing visibility of Endtown. If you ordered the books from Amazon, please consider taking a little time to review them, even briefly.. And I still have a few sets in hand to send to established critics for review, so if you know of anyone online who might be interested, drop me a line: aaronneathery@gmail.com Thank you!

Food for thought. We’ve got a happy ending (so far) with Holly and Wally. She is no different than us in the respect that no one is completely evil, just as no one is completely good. Mr. Marx does not seem to have any limits as to what he can do (so far). If he can hold Flask together as he seems to be doing, then why can’t he put Flasks’ lovers’ brain into a body similar to hers (but male, as Flask knew him), and at least let her have SOME happiness with Petey (as a couple).

Does it strike anyone that Flask has invested a LOT of emotion and feelings in someone she only talked with a few hours, and there is no indication thus far they have spent any additional time together? She may have set him free from vivisection or worse, and he helped her mutate while asleep, avoiding the appearance of a monster. Does that repay his debt to her, and they are square. She tricked and threatened a Topsider to help her escape then betrayed him , why not some sort of karmic payback for her. How does she know that guy became Petey. Meanwhile, presuming that was Ally and Lio yesterday, is she now in Endtown, or some prescreening community. She still has to get that figure flattering Topsider uniform and a working zero gun.

On an unrelated note, one of my 4 week old kittens often walks in an erect position on his two hind legs. SurfStuff55, I checked, USPS does not ship kittens. I really do not know how to get them to Baltimore from here about 2.5 hours by car, east of Aaron’s hometown, or to any other city. Short muzzled pets have trouble with high altitudes, like flying. I am about 2 hours east of Med Center, and for a while I could have claimed voting residency there.JusSayin

There’s got to be a significant portion of this story to be told yet. Petey2B is obviously not in Endtown, and if she’s going to look for him, that means going topside. (Not to mention also acquiring her significant sidearm.) Easiest way to do that would be to volunteer for scavaging duty. The whole “Blackie” business was so important to the identification of Petey, I can’t believe we’ll be left to just assume he gave her that nickname somewhere off camera. I can’t shake the feeling that they must meet up again before they reformat Petey’s brain. Whatever happens, Flask ends up ignorant of his ultimate fate, because she sure never expected to find him in the PT glovebox.

I’m here.Maybe she did shave. After all the dress is long and flowing. All I can say is BEAUTIFUL art work. Instead of having Gustine toss things at attacking Topsiders just let her charge them. It worked for her before. Remember “Never turn your back on a RHINO!”To TSOJ.You are on a roll bro. Get on the internet. Head games. I can see her post. “Pretty Crazed Killer female with slight augmentation surgery looking for single male who talked me into this. MUST BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. Interrogation possible.”I got a feeling Hope is going to chomp her butt.

….but in the end she is still dead……..I can’t believe Marx would do the “God” thing and bring her back to life….this is a comic after all……well, maybe it could happen……

I also think Flask in a dress would be a high price at the auction based on the comments I’ve read!!!!

Actually if one was confronted with a Topsider while carrying a conventional firearm, the best thing to do would be to aim for the head (probably the facial grill) in the hope that the bullet’s kinetic energy would be enough to snap the head back and break the neck. If one hits the soft part of the suit, the suit wouldn’t be breached. The suit may (or may not) allow the bullet’s kinetic energy to be transferred to the body below it. The attackee would feel a sharp blow where the bullet hit. The bullet might actually open a wound in the body and embed it and the biosuit into the wound. Aaron, sorry for the speculation. Its an engineer thing.

I suppose next week will involve Flask grafting herself onto Endtown security, and maybe her complicated relationship with Mallard…I look forward to seeing it, though I’d also like to catch up with Wally and Holly and the others…

Unless it doesn’t, of course…

To cindyorch.I had the same thought about her in dress. Full lenght black sleek formal. Front slit to well you know. Some bling around the neck. That would sell. On a flip side Have her standing there with Dr. Mallard dressed like he does. Beauty and the duck. LOLTo DarwinskeeperThat was what I was wondering. Where are the normal weapons. They should have survived, stockpiled somewhere, it would make sense to store such weapons. Even with the super Zero gun you could still use the old projectile type. Worked in the movie “Wizards” A luger worked wonders on magic fighting.Check it out.

That looks like one of Allie’s dresses.The bridge seems to be symbolic of crossing from one life to another. That’s where Wally accepted his new life in Endtown. If Aaron’s not doing it deliberately, it may be subconsciously.“…and that’s my story. I suppose it’s time to die now.”

“No, it’s time for you to live now.”

“But you said I’m dead!”

“You are. I didn’t say you were going to stay dead.”

To everyoneThe question of her demise is in question. But remember one scene. Marx finds her, she begins to awake, he looks at her face making an icky face, (weapon backfires into face, mush comes to mind), then there is some flaking around her face. I think he remarks “better”. He goes on to tell her she is a “thought” kept alive. He referred to the place they were in as a “crossroads”. Marx comes up as no shape then forms to Marx after he leaves Dr. Mallard. Remember back to Linda and him taking on that Topsider rocket. Linda asks what are you? He says in a seeming menacing voice basically “I am your God!” Then turns apologies for maybe being over the top, too scary. While the fight for control of the ship was going on he just sat there seemingly unconcerned about what was happening. A casual observer to what is going on. No panic. At her end when they meet he even refers to Flask as if he had been observing her for sometime. “My favorite” I think was what he used. He is nowhere in Vol 1 or 2. But I did notice on the final page of Vol 2 after the one with Flask sitting at her desk the FOCUS of three lines converging into one point. Or one line diverging into two different directions. CROSSROADS. (It does not have to be a cross just a point at where the path can change one way or the other.)

FinallyHer story to unfold. The path yet unchose.Redemption.Condemnation.All remain to be told.(I bet you didn’t know I could do poetry. All true warriors can. Some of the greatest art and poetry I ever saw or heard was by Samuri.) Peace..out

I don’t think time for Marx is linear. Remember the tear in Marx’ eye when he left Mallard? I think this whole Flask arc happened to Marx BEFORE he talks to Mallard in that hallway, perhaps before he and Linda confront the rocket.

Her end may be inevitable. Hopes she finds peace.That would be incredible.But story to run.Aaron is not done.The author has not sung the final song.(Some times it just flows out. Thanks to TSOJ and Sapphire. Attitude adjust assimiliated.) Oh by the way.KIRK or PICARD?

Hear that? (Crickets chirping, wind blowing)Where is everybody?I know it night night time in Japan. Sleep well TSOJ. But it is Saturday over there?Everyone else at work? So lonely. So lonely.WAAAKKKKEEEE UPPPPP! Thank you. (Sister Mary Elephant)Oh about the KIRK or PICARD. I prefer KANGAROO best Captain ever.

“Counting flowers on the wall.That don’t bother me at all.Playing Solitare to one with a deck of 51.Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo.Now don’t tell me I’ve nothing to do.”(Oh I don’t smoke those are the words to the song. That is why you don’t hear it any more on the radio) ;)

That one line “till one” I think may be “till dawn”. Yeah I think that is right. Its been awhile. Remember not to put too much emphasis on the “H”

Sitting here listening to a song.Thinking of Flask at the bridge.Blue Oyster Cult Mirrors “In thee”“I wrapped myself in cities I travelled.” “I wrapped myself in dreams.” “I wrapped myself in solitude.” “But I wish I could wrap myself in thee.”Enough said.

As you can tell I have alot of time on my hand.HEELLLOOO!

Okay so much for my break. Back to the lab again.Peace

Well back from the lab. Man those probes are annoying.Oh! Don’t forget. State Fair of Texas starts today.C’mon down for the newest fried, twice fried, refried, covered in whipped cream, and fried till it is no longer recognizable as food. But it is fried. Heck we take bacon, cover it in chocolate and fry it. YUMMM. See you at the fair. Peace out.

Hey, Mr. Neathery.I know by your bio you live in Houston but that’s okay.You coming up to get your fried whatever it is they are frying at the State Fair this year? You know you want it, right, right? Remember it is fried. (Just jabbing. I do love your work. I will send email sometime to yours. I would love to have some of your art but do not like buying online with card. Would send funds but not know address. PO box would do. MO would be sent no issues. Your bid price would be meant no issue. I don’t haggle good. 30 for a print of Flask no issue. Her in evening wear to the 9’s priceless. With Prof Mallard as escort even better.)

And on the side Nabu…..man your name is long.What does that have to do with fried foods at the Texas State Fair? (Just kidding. I post Fair. You post Survival Training. Love it!)

Hope is wonderful. Faith that all this world will make sence someday is far, far better.

I’m not an explosives expertin any way, or know much about firearms explosions either, but I would think the greater force created by an explosion would be towards the weaker end, i.e. the barrel. That would mean that Wally would have received the greater force from the exploding rifle. The kickback from the rifle would have most likely shattered her arm and shoulder. And probably pushed her back through the glass. AM is not afraid to lie to get to the bottom of what Flask is doing. We didn’t see her face for possibly more than artistic reason. It may be she didn’thave that much facial damage, if at all. Also, she disappeared before she hit the ground as seen by Petey. I also suspect AM has a personal interest in Flask, referencing the “caboose that won’t quit” statement. I am waiting to see how it all turns out.

Or cats have started evolving towards the Cat on Red Dwarf.

One last comment on gunpowder weapons. They’re not as accurate as, say, a finely tuned Zero gun. You have to get closer to the target, and well within the range of the enemy, to increase your chances of hitting any part of him/her. (Ignoring old-style cached weapons, where you don’t really have the option of practicing enough to get good at using them, either because of the weight limit on how much ammo you can carry back home from the cache per-trip, or because the noise will attract TS patrols.) Based on what we’ve seen so far, most Endtown scavenger hunting parties are small, only 2 or 3 people at a time. Compared to the Topsider’s ability to round up 10 or 15 PTs within a few minutes. Couple this with the Topsider biosuit’s enhanced sensor display systems, which are linked to the PT’s systems, and that includes having the airscouts. The mutants are outmatched, and it’s to their benefit to not engage the Topsiders at all, if possible, and if unavoidable, to remain as light and unencumbered as they can for running through tight spaces in crowded ruin areas. Freeplay rayguns are light, easy to carry, have infinite shots (if you have the time to crank them back up) and won’t hang you up when you scurry through a rat hole. (Plus, if you ARE a rat, it’ll be much harder to control a rifle that’s bigger than you are. Remember, many of the mutants we’ve seen so far are only a couple feet tall. Allie was Wally’s height; Wally doesn’t even come up to Flask’s waist, and Flask was about the height of the average Topsider. Someone smaller, like Holly, might lose a finger or eye if trying to fire a 9mm handgun.)

You know, with all this speculation, the one thing I haven’t seen that really interests me is this. Who or what is Aaron Marx? Super being? Time Traveler? Quirky dude who found a dimensiometer? All in time, I guess. I know this is not germane to the story at this point, but I do love to speculate.

That’s actually a pretty interest (albeit dark) and poignant lesson. One doesn’t usually equate “hope” as being a bad thing, but sometimes misguided or misplaced hope can be a torturous thing. In a real life situation, an example of misplaced hope would be staying in an abusive relationship hoping the partner will change. I think what we might get from this flashback is that sometimes it’s better to cut your losses, let go and move on. Getting rid of the baggage will let you start on a new, possibly better path. Hopefully, despite the possibility that Flask being dead now, that is something she’ll now be able to do.

Please tell me that is not a poodle skirt.

Ever have one of those dreadful thoughts that’ll just eat at you till you post it somewhere?

What if Flask misunderstood what was being done to her after the topsiders captured her?

What she thought was horrible torture might’ve been some kind of medical attempt to save her…from what we’ve seen so far she was important to them, held an important position…maybe they’re not quite as cruel as they seem…

Of course, after her little escapade with the scalpel, their feelings might be a little different…

@NabuquduriuzhurThanks for the bio post. Enlightening, educating and thought-provoking. This is why I return to read Endtown comments over the weekend. Also, to vote!

Aaron Marx, Time Lord. His father, Dr. Who refers to him as Dr. What. AM just calls himself a trixter so as not to be confused with cousin “Q”.

“Some of these timelords have strange names. For example, there’s Doctor Who…”

“Who?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“No, What’s the name of Itt’s son.”

“Why are you asking me?”

“Why isn’t my name.”

“Why isn’t your name what?”

“Because Itt’s not my father.”

“What isn’t your father?”

“Not him either. Please try to keep up and stay on topic… Now, there’s also the Master…”

“The master of what?”

“Forget about him! We’re talking about timelords.”

“Okay, then… Who’s the Master?”

“I think they’ve established he’s not.”

“…I think I need a doctor…”

“Which one? There are eleven.”

“Who are they?

“Yes.”

“…I think you’re going to need a doctor…”

Suggests to me maybe this is how humans started in the earlier stages of evolution. (It reminds me of Andre Norton’s “Breed To Come.”)

I have never seen anyone know of that book but me. Wow High Five! I love that book.