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ffuturesContinuing my Worm / War of the Worlds crossover story. Another fairly short chapter to end the first day of the story.
The previous chapters are archived on these sites:
On Twisting the Hellmouth - https://www.tthfanfic.org/story.php?no=33872
On AO3 - https://archiveofourown.org/works/39112812
On Fanfiction.net - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14083560/1/The-Martian
On Spacebattles Forum - https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-martian-worm-the-war-of-the-worlds-au.1034761/
See chapter I for disclaimers.
VIII - Podkayne of Mars
The Martian
VIII: Podkayne of Mars
By the time we got home on Saturday night Danny AKA Dad #1 was looking tired, and I was too. Aunt Hannah AKA Miss Militia AKA Dad #2 seemed to be taking it better, but I remembered that she never needed to sleep. Panacea had warned us that Dad would need plenty of food to replace the reserves she'd used to heal him, so Hannah cooled down some protein shakes she'd brought with her from the PRT base, one each for us and two for Dad. They came in thick plastic quarter-kilo sachets of greenish-gray goo, and the only label on them was a list of ingredients - mostly soya, lentils, flavourings and complex biochemicals - a Canadian flag logo, and a long identification number.
I slurped some, liked the taste, and asked "These are really good, what brand are they?"
Hannah dropped some red weed flakes into her shake. "They're NATO standard meals for Martian troops, the Canadian version. A subsidiary of Dragon's company makes them, the texture and taste are theoretically much more like real Martian foods at low temperatures. Most of the American brands have way too much water and not enough glycoproteins, this stuff stays liquid well below freezing point."
"You'd think they'd market them here too. They'd do really well."
"That's pretty much why they don't sell them here. One of the companies that supplies the armed services claims they violate NEPEA-5, that case has been going through the courts for about three years now. Limited sale for military and PRT purposes is permitted, no more than a third of the total for US forces, but they're not allowing civilian sales until the case is settled."
"Typical protectionism," said Danny, between gulps. He'd nearly finished his first shake.
"Pretty much," said Hannah, "but Taylor will have no trouble getting them once she's a Ward, and they're about the same price as the civilian versions."
I finished my shake and went to throw the sachet away, but Hannah stopped me. "You need to be a little careful with disposal, remember that they're not supposed to be available to civilians. Could be a clue to your identity. They're biodegradable for easy disposal when troops are in action, I usually just cut them into strips and flush them."
"Okay, I'll take care of it when everyone's finished."
"You need to get an early night, I'll do it."
We talked a little more then I headed upstairs. I did feeel tired, but I couldn't resist having a look at PHO before I went to bed.
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Topic: Tentaclemobile
In: Boards > Places > America > Brockton Bay
> Bagrat (Original Poster)(Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Posted On Jan 8th 2011:
Anyone else see a really weird vehicle a few minutes ago? It had PRT markings but moved on mechanical tentacles instead of wheels. Looked like a modified PRT carrier, but I only saw it for a few seconds as it drove past my office, did't have time to get a photo. Headed downtown, maybe from the docks area. Armsmaster was following it on his bike, but didn't seem to be chasing it, more like an escort.
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
First! Saw it in the car park at Brockton General Hospital. Photo [here]. Looked like something Uber and Leet might have built, but it was parked in the PRT bay at the hospital with the Armsbike next to it, and a couple of PRT troops nearby.
(Showing page 6 of 14)
> BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster (Verified Petrolhead)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
We tried building something like that on the show a couple of years ago but the tentacles kept falling off Clarkson's pile of junk, James ended up upside down and couldn't turn back again, and my engine blew up about a minute after I got it mine moving. Some highlights [here].
(Showing page 8 of 14)
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster: OK, I take it all back, the thing I saw today was a masterpiece of engineering by comparison.
> Procto the Unfortunate Tinker (Not a tinker)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster: ROFLMAO!
>(Showing page 11 of 14)
> Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
I can confirm that a vehicle matching this description was road-tested in Brockton Bay today. It's an all-terrain prototype based on designs developed by the Marine Corps in the 1970s. During the trials it was the closest vehicle to an incident in the docks area, and was used to transport injured civilians to the hospital before returning to base.
>(Showing page 12 of 14)
> Bagrat (Original Poster)(Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Posted On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Miss Mercury: Any connection to [reports of shooting] in the docks area this afternoon?
> Procto the Unfortunate Tinker (Not a tinker)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Miss Mercury: You said it's based on 1970s designs - is it tinkertech or engineering?
> Squealer (Verified Cape)(Verified Tinker)(Verified Villain)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster: Never made a tentaclemobile, but I did make a tripod once. You guys ever tried that?
> Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Bagrat: The Protectorate cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.
> Bagrat(Original Poster)(Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Miss Mercury: That's a yes then re the shooting.
> Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Procto the Unfortunate Tinker: Sorry, no idea.
> Azavael (PRT Science)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Procto the Unfortunate Tinker: I'm authorized to say that it is conventional engineering, but assembled partly by the use of parahuman powers.
>(Showing page 14 of 14)
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Azavael: Wut? Not tinkertech but assembled by powers? How does that even work?
> BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster (Verified Petrolhead)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Squealer: Love to see video of your tripod, we're thinking about building one for the next series. Is it on line anywhere? Any construction tips?
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
*Deleted by Moderators*
Sigh... Take a 3-day ban... Again
- Tin_Mother (Moderator)
> GstringGirl
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ XxVoid_CowboyxX: Seriously? Mechanical tentacles? Eww...
edit: Never mind, I see the mods have already taken it down. Nothing to see here, move along!
I left it there, there didn't seem to be anything I didn't know being added, and checked the shooting report. It was pretty vague, and implied that the museum had been closed because of the shooting, rather than an hour or so earlier. Sooner or later someone would probably correct that, but it was already old news with no photos or reports of injuries. I had a feeling that my involvement would be minimised, the PRT must have a lot of practice at hiding that sort of thing.
I checked the fiction board and none of the stories I was following had been updated, then made sure that the lichen in my sleeping pit didn't need changing and turned out the light. I had a feeling that Sunday was going to be a lot busier than usual.
TBC
Podkayne of Mars is a novel by Robert A Heinlein.
Comments please before I post to archives.
The previous chapters are archived on these sites:
On Twisting the Hellmouth - https://www.tthfanfic.org/story.php?no=33872
On AO3 - https://archiveofourown.org/works/39112812
On Fanfiction.net - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14083560/1/The-Martian
On Spacebattles Forum - https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/the-martian-worm-the-war-of-the-worlds-au.1034761/
See chapter I for disclaimers.
VIII - Podkayne of Mars
VIII: Podkayne of Mars
By the time we got home on Saturday night Danny AKA Dad #1 was looking tired, and I was too. Aunt Hannah AKA Miss Militia AKA Dad #2 seemed to be taking it better, but I remembered that she never needed to sleep. Panacea had warned us that Dad would need plenty of food to replace the reserves she'd used to heal him, so Hannah cooled down some protein shakes she'd brought with her from the PRT base, one each for us and two for Dad. They came in thick plastic quarter-kilo sachets of greenish-gray goo, and the only label on them was a list of ingredients - mostly soya, lentils, flavourings and complex biochemicals - a Canadian flag logo, and a long identification number.
I slurped some, liked the taste, and asked "These are really good, what brand are they?"
Hannah dropped some red weed flakes into her shake. "They're NATO standard meals for Martian troops, the Canadian version. A subsidiary of Dragon's company makes them, the texture and taste are theoretically much more like real Martian foods at low temperatures. Most of the American brands have way too much water and not enough glycoproteins, this stuff stays liquid well below freezing point."
"You'd think they'd market them here too. They'd do really well."
"That's pretty much why they don't sell them here. One of the companies that supplies the armed services claims they violate NEPEA-5, that case has been going through the courts for about three years now. Limited sale for military and PRT purposes is permitted, no more than a third of the total for US forces, but they're not allowing civilian sales until the case is settled."
"Typical protectionism," said Danny, between gulps. He'd nearly finished his first shake.
"Pretty much," said Hannah, "but Taylor will have no trouble getting them once she's a Ward, and they're about the same price as the civilian versions."
I finished my shake and went to throw the sachet away, but Hannah stopped me. "You need to be a little careful with disposal, remember that they're not supposed to be available to civilians. Could be a clue to your identity. They're biodegradable for easy disposal when troops are in action, I usually just cut them into strips and flush them."
"Okay, I'll take care of it when everyone's finished."
"You need to get an early night, I'll do it."
We talked a little more then I headed upstairs. I did feeel tired, but I couldn't resist having a look at PHO before I went to bed.
Welcome to the Parahumans Online message boards.
You are currently logged in, Podkayne07
You are viewing:
• Threads you have replied to
• AND Threads that have new replies
• OR private message conversations with new replies.
• Thread OP is displayed.
• Ten posts per page.
• Last ten messages in private message history.
• Threads and private messages are ordered chronologically.
You have no infractions and no warnings.
Topic: Tentaclemobile
In: Boards > Places > America > Brockton Bay
> Bagrat (Original Poster)(Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Posted On Jan 8th 2011:
Anyone else see a really weird vehicle a few minutes ago? It had PRT markings but moved on mechanical tentacles instead of wheels. Looked like a modified PRT carrier, but I only saw it for a few seconds as it drove past my office, did't have time to get a photo. Headed downtown, maybe from the docks area. Armsmaster was following it on his bike, but didn't seem to be chasing it, more like an escort.
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
First! Saw it in the car park at Brockton General Hospital. Photo [here]. Looked like something Uber and Leet might have built, but it was parked in the PRT bay at the hospital with the Armsbike next to it, and a couple of PRT troops nearby.
(Showing page 6 of 14)
> BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster (Verified Petrolhead)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
We tried building something like that on the show a couple of years ago but the tentacles kept falling off Clarkson's pile of junk, James ended up upside down and couldn't turn back again, and my engine blew up about a minute after I got it mine moving. Some highlights [here].
(Showing page 8 of 14)
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster: OK, I take it all back, the thing I saw today was a masterpiece of engineering by comparison.
> Procto the Unfortunate Tinker (Not a tinker)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster: ROFLMAO!
>(Showing page 11 of 14)
> Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
I can confirm that a vehicle matching this description was road-tested in Brockton Bay today. It's an all-terrain prototype based on designs developed by the Marine Corps in the 1970s. During the trials it was the closest vehicle to an incident in the docks area, and was used to transport injured civilians to the hospital before returning to base.
>(Showing page 12 of 14)
> Bagrat (Original Poster)(Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Posted On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Miss Mercury: Any connection to [reports of shooting] in the docks area this afternoon?
> Procto the Unfortunate Tinker (Not a tinker)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Miss Mercury: You said it's based on 1970s designs - is it tinkertech or engineering?
> Squealer (Verified Cape)(Verified Tinker)(Verified Villain)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster: Never made a tentaclemobile, but I did make a tripod once. You guys ever tried that?
> Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Bagrat: The Protectorate cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.
> Bagrat(Original Poster)(Veteran Member)(The Guy in the Know)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Miss Mercury: That's a yes then re the shooting.
> Miss Mercury (Protectorate Employee)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Procto the Unfortunate Tinker: Sorry, no idea.
> Azavael (PRT Science)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Procto the Unfortunate Tinker: I'm authorized to say that it is conventional engineering, but assembled partly by the use of parahuman powers.
>(Showing page 14 of 14)
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Azavael: Wut? Not tinkertech but assembled by powers? How does that even work?
> BBC_Top_Gear_The_Hamster (Verified Petrolhead)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ Squealer: Love to see video of your tripod, we're thinking about building one for the next series. Is it on line anywhere? Any construction tips?
> XxVoid_CowboyxX (Verified Idiot)
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
*Deleted by Moderators*
Sigh... Take a 3-day ban... Again
- Tin_Mother (Moderator)
> GstringGirl
Replied On Jan 8th 2011:
@ XxVoid_CowboyxX: Seriously? Mechanical tentacles? Eww...
edit: Never mind, I see the mods have already taken it down. Nothing to see here, move along!
I left it there, there didn't seem to be anything I didn't know being added, and checked the shooting report. It was pretty vague, and implied that the museum had been closed because of the shooting, rather than an hour or so earlier. Sooner or later someone would probably correct that, but it was already old news with no photos or reports of injuries. I had a feeling that my involvement would be minimised, the PRT must have a lot of practice at hiding that sort of thing.
I checked the fiction board and none of the stories I was following had been updated, then made sure that the lichen in my sleeping pit didn't need changing and turned out the light. I had a feeling that Sunday was going to be a lot busier than usual.
TBC
Podkayne of Mars is a novel by Robert A Heinlein.
Comments please before I post to archives.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-29 01:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-09-29 04:52 pm (UTC)