SunfallE

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]I did a quick look in the knowledge base for Microsoft and the only thing it turned up was that it could be this ?MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION? If it is here?s the link to the article on possible causes and how to fix it. [URL=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329284/en-us]Article[/URL] I?ve actually had this happen before and it turned out that one of my memory chips was faulty and had to be replaced. If you have two chips, try removing one and see if you still get the error, if you do replace it with the other one, if the error goes away then the chip you took out is probably faulty. There are other reasons listed on the page as well. Anyway, good luck. ^_~ [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Let me get this straight. If I understand the whole argument, they are saying that since boys and girls learn differently they need to be separated? Sounds more like an excuse from the teachers being unwilling to teach more than one method in a class instead of a need to separate the kids. I?m with Aaryanna on this one. The advantage of shared classes is that you get exposed to different methods of learning instead only being given the ones that are supposedly easier for guys or for girls. By separating the kids we would be teaching them to not think out of the box. We are essentially telling them that since you are a guy or a girl, you can?t learn to do certain things. For the sake of this argument I?ll say that kids do learning differently based on gender, something I do not really believe, anyway, if they really do then wouldn?t we be increasing their learning by teaching them different ways to solving problems? And the old argument that guys are better at math and chemistry is garbage, our society has forced girls into the stereotypical role of women aren?t good at certain subjects. Or at least they have tried, as I never had any issues with learning math or chemistry. The same goes for guys. The idea that they can?t knit or cook is stupid as well. The fact that there are plenty of guys who design clothing or are chefs just proves that point. I can understand if they want to do this if they lack the funding to have smaller classes so the teacher has the time to work with the kids to help them learn what method works best for each kid, but if they are solely doing this so they can get away with only teaching the same method to the class, then our education system is being lazy and doing the kids a disservice. They are setting them up to fail by not exposing them to different ways of learning. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Aaryanna][COLOR=DarkOrchid']And now that I?ve said that, put it up already! :p Oh and I like how you clarified a bit as to why the crystals were so important. I'm fairly certain you didn't clarify that before. [/COLOR][/quote]You're right, I didn't. It's a detail that I thought I had already added, and then realized that I hadn't when I was preparing it for posting. Anyway, as requested, here's the next chapter. :p [B]Chapter nineteen: [/B] Daniel sighed, of all places why did High Command have to send him to sector fourteen? And of all ships to be assigned to work with, why did it have to be Commander Sandra?s ship? He had worked so hard to earn the rank of Commander. And although the ship he was assigned to command was a much smaller battleship than Sandra?s ship, he was still quite pleased with the assignment. By becoming a Commander at age thirty-four he was the second youngest Commander in history, only Sandra was younger than he was. It had only been ten years but he felt far older than being forty-four. Daniel sighed again; he didn?t have a problem being assigned to work under Sandra?s command. What he didn?t care for was he would have to deal with Nathan again. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn?t get the details from his mother about what Nathan did that upset her so much! He had known as a child that something had broken her heart but he didn?t know what. It had taken some research to find out that they had known each other and when he did he wanted to kill him for leading her on like that. Daniel also wanted to slap his mother silly for still caring about a scumbag like Nathan. But she had asked him to please leave him alone and Daniel reluctantly agreed to do as she asked. Daniel had been required to serve under Nathan when he was required to gather information from Earth. He had tried to pry information out of him but Nathan simply didn?t answer any of his questions or threats. And now he would have to work with him as his ship had been assigned to work with Sandra until further notice. Daniel had originally been assigned to the fleet prepared for the invasion of Earth, but with the recent increase in activity by the resistance group High Command had postponed the invasion in favor of using the extra resources to track down and crush the resistance cells that had been showing up. He had agreed with the decision as he felt it was foolish to proceed with an invasion when there had been such an increase in activity. It would be unwise to invest so much time in taking over Earth if there was a possibility of problems deep within the Empire. It took time to take over a world and implement all the changes necessary to ensure they would be unable to break free. It was part of what made them so successful. They always made sure things were deeply in place before moving on to another world. He would never understand why people felt that underdeveloped worlds should be left alone. It wasn?t like they even had the intelligence his people did, and most of them were like Earth, short life spans and riddled with all sorts of health issues as they lacked the ability to use genetics to reproduce. High Command had tried to use enhanced learning to make aliens more useful, but so few of them were actually able to absorb the knowledge. You didn?t try to make your dog smart! You took care of it and taught it how to be useful! Admittedly aliens from other worlds weren?t dogs, but take Earth for example, they were so absorbed in thinking they were better than others that quite a few of them fought with each other on a regular basis! Their reasons for war were supremely petty! They fought over absolutely everything! Religion, race, money, power and land were only a few of the things they fought and killed over. At least as a citizen, even if you were required to work, every one had shelter, food and entertainment provided, and the law applied to everyone! And if you worked hard and proved yourself capable you had the opportunity to move your way up by serving in the military, unlike some of the Earth?s societies who never allowed you to advance because of class, gender and other reasons like religion. That would be like telling Sandra she couldn?t command a ship because she was a woman! He couldn?t even imagine telling her she couldn?t do something just because of something stupid like that! Daniel turned his attention back to the present, he would be arriving in sector fourteen three days before Commander Sandra?s ship. According to High Command they were to search for a suspected resistance base on one of the worlds here. Unlike Earth this system had no planets capable of supporting life. Which is probably what would have attracted the resistance to use such a location in the first place. There were no shipping lines or regular space travel through this area. His first order of business would be to set up communication relay transmitters. He didn?t really need them but Sandra had forwarded a report regarding a new scanning technology developed by Nathan and an Earthling. Although setting them up would only take a few hours Daniel liked to be prepared. Even if there was a base here, the resistance simply didn?t have any ships capable of taking on a battleship, even a smaller one like his. Unless they had somehow managed to get their hands on one, battleships were just to expensive and time consuming to build. It would be extremely difficult to hide the fact that you were building one. A beeping noise from the computer alerted Daniel that they were about to drop out of hyperspace. Thirty seconds later the ship shuddered as the computer automatically shut down the hyper drive system. Daniel sat back and watched as his crew started performing the basic and simple scans to make sure everything was all right. A split second later the computer automatically took over and maneuvered the ship hard to the right. Daniel nearly fell out of his chair as the sudden force from the maneuver threw him sideways. ?[B]What just happened?[/B]? He demanded. ?[B]Checking sir,[/B]? his second in command said. She switched the view of the main screen to show a small ship that they had barely avoided colliding with, a few seconds later the computer gave her an answer. ?[B]The computer identifies it as a ship know to be in use by the resistance![/B]? Daniel smiled. So High Command had been correct about a base being in this sector. ?[B]Engage tractor beams! I want that ship![/B]? He ordered. His second in command didn?t even take the time to reply. Her fingers flew over the controls as she activated the tractor beam catching the resistance ship. Daniel continued, ?[B]Disable their engines, fire the lasers at half power![/B]? The ships gunner took aim and fired, scoring direct hits to the engine room. Daniel could see explosions rocking the tiny ship. Then the ship began to emit a white glow. Daniel didn?t even bother to issue the order, as he knew what they were doing. He switched the energy shields protecting the ship so that all power went to the front shields. A split second later the ship detonated, rocking his ship violently. This time he was thrown from his chair to slam painfully into the control console next to his second in command. He felt something give in his chest and a horribly sharp pain quickly followed. He managed to get up and go back and sit down in his chair overlooking the bridge. All over the bridge his officers were picking themselves back up and helping a few that had been knocked unconscious when they had been tossed around. ?[B]What?s our status Kim?[/B]? He asked. Kim got back up in her seat as well and started checking the system. It took her a few minutes to get the information. ?[B]Front shields have been reduced to ten percent. Our main engines are offline, and interplanetary communications are offline as well. Two crewmembers in the forward bay have been killed as the sudden shock of the explosion punched a hole in the storage room they were in. Emergency bulkheads in that area have engaged protecting the rest of the ship. A number of other areas are seriously damaged and are being evacuated until the integrity of the ship in each area can be tested. Bulkheads associated with those areas are being manually activated in case the hull buckles. I?ve also run a few scans with the short range scanners that are still working and other than the one ship there doesn?t appear to be any others.[/B]? She replied. ?[B]Are you injured?[/B]? He asked. ?[B]Other than some bruises I seem to be okay Commander[/B],? She paused and then continued. ?[B]You should be more worried about yourself sir.[/B]? Daniel looked down to see what she was referring too. His entire right side where he had hit the console was covered in blood. ?[B]I see, then I will leave things to you while I go visit the doctor.[/B]? He said. Daniel tried to get up but found he was too dizzy. The Ensign standing next to his chair helped him stand and supported him while he walked to the lift doors. Daniel turned to Kim and said, ?[B]Be sure to inform me the moment the interplanetary communications are restored, they are to take top priority as we need to inform Commander Sandra and High Command about what happened here.[/B]? Kim nodded her head and said, ?[B]Understood Commander.[/B]? Daniel turned and with the Ensign supporting him entered the lift. He winced when it started moving as it sent ripples of pain through his side. He sighed, as he hated visiting the sick bay. The sooner he was treated the sooner he could return to his duties.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Having just got this game this week and having already spent several hours completely enjoying playing it, I had to post about it. Considering how much fun this game is I?m surprised that no one has created a thread on it. Though if there already is one and I missed it in the directory and the search I did I?m going to feel like an idiot. ^_~ Anyway, basically after seeing all the funny pictures Charles has done with animations from this game I got so curious that I went out and bought it and so far it has been far better than I expected. I thought at best it would be fun and since I had seen it used in some funny animations I would still enjoy it. Having now played it through the first two cases I?ve come to the realization that the animations I saw done by Charles are but a tiny glimpse into what a funny and fun game this is. For starters Phoenix Wright is a point and click type of game where you are a rookie lawyer. There are two main areas where you play the game, one is investigation where you gather clues, search for evidence, question people involved or associated with your current case. And if you think that?s boring, the game throws in wacky and zany people that you deal with keeping you from getting bored. Half the fun is watching how they react and what Phoenix is thinking as he talks to them. Then once you?ve finished that aspect you start the court proceedings. The game is very helpful in keeping track of your evidence for you so you can access it easily. Instead of tedious hunting you are left with the task of figuring out why the evidence is relevant, so you won?t spend a lot of time wondering if the evidence you have is any good. (At least in the cases I?ve solved so far that is) The part of the game I?m enjoying the most is when you get to cross-examine your witness in the court. The witness?s testimony is broken down and you have the option to press them for more clarification. The antics between pressing them and then presenting evidence that shows their testimony has flaws to outright insults being flung about is totally hilarious and so far I find myself just cracking up during this part of the game. It?s wonderfully done as even the music reflects the changes as when you find the correct point to show the flaws in a testimony you get a victorious type of flashy music that?s just too funny. And watching the witness or person you cross examine go through all the expressions they use depending on their mood is priceless. At this rate, this is definitely going to be one of my all time favorite games. If you haven?t played it yet, you?re missing out. ^_~ So who else has this game and what's your take on it? I've heard there may be another released and I certainly hope so as I've really enjoyed playing it. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]For the most part anime, or any other show for that matter, doesn?t make me cry. But every know and then one sneaks in that manages to get me. And in this case it was Yu Yu Hakusho. It was the very beginning of the series during the episode when they are holding [spoiler]the funeral and everyone is all upset [/spoiler]that I found myself actually crying a bit. It wasn?t really a totally sad moment since the main character [spoiler]comes back to life.[/spoiler] But watching everyone in that moment reminded me too much of all the real [spoiler]funerals I?ve attended, including the one for my brother [/spoiler] And even though I know it?s just an anime, it always gets me every time I watch that episode of the show. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Well earlier my two most recent games would have been both Star Ocean: Till the end of time and Dragon Quest VII: Journey of the Cursed King. Both of them have been very enjoyable and I?m still playing them as I?m getting close to beating both of them. Then this month I got a DS Lite (finally!) and my first game for it was Animal Crossing: Wild World. I?ve had it for two weeks and I?m still enjoying playing it. One of the best features I think is the ability to visit a friend?s town and play at the same time. I?ve yet to get a wireless adaptor but I?m looking forward to checking out playing with people over the net. Then just this week I picked up two more games for my DS Lite. The first one Lunar: Dragon Song I?ve yet to play, but I?m excited about it as so far every game I?ve played in the Lunar series has been great fun. But I haven?t gotten to it yet as I?ve been too caught up in my other new purchase. And that is a purchase that I blame solely on Charles?s influence. :p Ever since I?ve seen some of the funny pictures he?s posted that use scenes from the game Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney I?ve been curious to see if the game was just as funny as the pictures he made. And now that I?ve had it for a few days I?ve been loving it. ^_^ The way the characters expressions change depending on what they are doing, to the way things are run in court to be theatrical and melodramatic just crack me up to no end. And the music for it fits it so beautifully as well. The whole game plays as a ?we know we are melodramatic and we enjoy it? and it?s got a wonderful cheesiness and sneaky humor to back up the lack of seriousness. I was worried when the first case was so quickly done, but then the next one isn?t so quick and you realized that the short first one was only to get you acquainted with the game. At this rate it?s definitely going to become one of my all time favorite games. ^_^[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue']I'll second that along with a suggestion. You could always put up two chapters at once instead of just one. Especially since I'm thinking that the next chapter is a little on the short side. [/COLOR][/quote]I'd hate to see what your idea of long is. o_O It is a tiny bit shorter, but the next one isn't so I don't want to put too much up. Plus new elements are going to be introduced in the next chapter so I'm thinking it would be better to post them separately. ^_~ [B]Chapter eighteen:[/B] Jared got up from the computer console in his quarters and stretched. He had been working out the details for their next mission since he had gotten up that morning. All of all his scout teams from Earth had already been recalled back to the ship, as he was certain that there wasn?t a resistance cell operating there anymore. Jared sat back down at the terminal to finish putting a few details in his report for the Commander regarding Earth. Once he was finished with that he forwarded it to the Commander and then switched the terminal off. Funny how sitting at a computer terminal for most of the day had left him bit tired and there was no need to continue as the plans for scouting missions for the next assignment could wait until tomorrow. They wouldn?t even be leaving for another two days and it would also take an additional two days of hyperspace travel to arrive in sector fourteen. Jared stretched again before getting up and going over to the terminal to order some dinner. Once he finished the preparations for the next mission tomorrow he would have three days with little to no duties to be performed. Jared sent the order for dinner off and then went to his room to change out of his uniform into something more comfortable. He pulled out a soft brown silk shirt and pants from the compartment in the wall by his bed and quickly changed. He left his boots by the bed as he enjoyed the feel of the soft carpet in his quarters. It was one of the first things he had done when he transferred to Sandra?s ship, as he preferred the feel of carpet to cold hard metal flooring. Jared walked back out to the main room and sat down on the sofa to wait for his dinner. It was ironic that replication technology was so simple and yet because the crystals necessary were so difficult to cultivate perfectly that there was only two them on the entire ship, one for the officers and one in the sick bay. As a result one had to order what they wanted and there was a small crew whose only duty was to insure that the food was delivered to each person. And even then because this was a battle ship the replication was only used for officers, the rest of the crew had to make do with the food at the mess hall. Jared remembered that in his previous post, since it was a smaller battleship it only had one for the sick bay and he had to make do with the tasteless stuff provided by the mess hall there. If Celestia was really so smart perhaps it would be a good idea to have her researching another method that didn?t require the crystals or to see if she could improve on the technology to make them. Energy was far easier to produce than food was. But without the crystals they had found that replicated food after a while left people with deficiencies in their diets as the replication was flawed. Jared stretched again and put his feet up on the sofa. He had an idea of how to spend his time while they traveled to the next system. True to her word the doctor had sent him the report of Jason?s progress and he had been pleasantly surprised to read that according to the doctor he was completely recovered. The doctor stated that her estimate of several weeks and been inaccurate and that if he was a regular officer she would be clearing him for duty. When he had taken Jason to his quarters for the first time, it had been extremely difficult for him to leave. Just that brief touch had been enough to almost make him forget that he had planned to wait until he could use the drugs. Other than Jason seeing him he had made a point of not being alone with him, as he didn?t want things to get out of control. If there was one thing Jared hated, it was not being in control. It was thrilling to be so powerfully drawn to someone, yet it disturbed him a bit to be so affected by his own desire for him. Although the doctor had said he was recovered over four days ago, Jared wanted to wait until he had a few days free so he could completely enjoy himself. Jared smiled to himself, besides it wasn?t like he didn?t have other ways of entertaining himself. It was supremely ironic that the crew considered him so ruthless. Despite the threats and rumors he had never actually been with a woman. It was easier to use the drugs and have them think he had taken them. Twice he had used that tactic to remind his captive just who was in charge. They had died thinking he had taken the woman they loved. It was also ironic that a few of his choices had actually enjoyed the experience. Jared had never been in love with anyone but he had a few lovers he knew felt that way about him. They were so delusional that it didn?t even bother them that he didn?t love them in return. They still professed their love knowing that he was unfaithful to them on a regular basis. He also found it supremely ironic and amusing that people could be so blind and foolish. Though they did make a nice diversion on occasion. It was funny how some of them practically fell over themselves for a chance to get into bed with him. Jared sighed, only four more days until the next mission, he would be finished preparing the details tomorrow. Not including the day of arrival, that left two whole days that he could do anything he wanted with Jason. It would be the perfect chance to make full use of the drugs and methods he preferred. It had been a while since he had the luxury of the full treatment. It was hard to wait, but nothing less would do. So few of his interests aroused such desire in him and he wasn?t going to spoil it by being impatient. The chime indicating someone was at his door sounded. Jared voiced the command for the door to open. A young man entered carrying his tray; he took it over and set it on the table and then turned to leave. Jared smiled, as it was one of his lovers. He got up and caught his arm to stop him from leaving. He pulled the young man towards him, unfastened his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, as the shirt fell to the floor he moved to kiss him, dinner could wait until later.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Well if I wanted to go back to some of the very first games I ever played, it?s just not possible. My father worked in the computer department at the university here and as a result we had several apple computers at home with games written by students on the older floppy disks. Most of them resembled arcade games like Pac-man, Tetris and other such games. It didn?t matter that we had a crappy green screen; we spent hours playing those games. And now they are gone as the computers and disks in question gave out years ago. Then my next phase of geeking out was with the Nintendo NES and the super Mario Brothers games. Even with the lack of a three-dimensional world we had tons of fun playing them. But the one I remember the most was shortly after I got a SNES and some of the games to go with it. Secret of Mana, Illusion of Gaia, Secret of Evermore and of course the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. I still have that system and the games and I occasionally pull them out and play them. Though my power cord for my SNES system has been misplaced so I have to get a new one. >_< I?ve thought about selling them, but I have so many fond memories of those games I can?t bring myself to do so. The Nintendo 64, other than the Zelda games was a huge disappointment as at that point most of the RPG games I liked were going to either Playstation or to the Game Boy system. I like the DS Lite, but the Game Boy was something I never cared for. So then when Playstation2 came out I started picking up the older playstation games like Final Fantasy VIII (which is my absolute favorite in the series, though that?s probably because it was the first one in the series I had ever played) And then there were other great games like Chrono Cross & Chrono Trigger. But probably my favorite game other than Zelda is the Lunar series. I absolutely love Lunar 2: Eternal Blue. Even with it?s older styled graphics, it?s wonderful fun with all the wacky characters. I love how they?ve done the voice acting for it and how they have over an hour of anime cut scenes woven into the overall story. It wasn?t the best storyline, but the characters and the way it was presented just made playing it lots of fun. I also picked up the Lunar Silver Star Story: Collectors Edition, and it?s just as fun as the other Lunar game. My only regret about that game is that last year my Playstation2 was stolen and the second disk to that game was in the console, so I?ve never gotten to finish it. :animesigh [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][QUOTE=Sandy]Honestly, I'm many times more worried about the amount of nuclear weapons that USA has in stock than whatever North Korea has. [B]Popquiz:[/B] What country is the [I]only one[/I] in the history of Earth to ever use a nuclear weapon against another nation? Pot calling the kettle black here...[/QUOTE]You and me both Sandy, especially considering who we have in charge right now in our government. :animesigh It's almost silly to worry over a country that if they really did go nuts and start attacking others.. Well they would be clobbered by all the other countries out there that are far more powerful when it comes to weapons and such. I do think talking with them is a good idea, but on some level I think it's being blown out of proportion, as I don't really see them as a serious problem or threat at this time. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue] [quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue']I agree with Aaryanna, the additional conversation is a nice improvement. And in my opinion it defiantly helps to build the growing relationship between Jason and Celestia. Anyway, I know you have more ready so post! ;)[/COLOR][/quote]I?m glad you guys like the change. I actually had originally planned on expanding the conversation in that spot, but I guess I forgot. When I was going over it and preparing it for posting I realized I hadn?t finished it so I did. ^_~ Especially since I agree, leaving it hanging was not what I had intended in the first place. [B]Chapter seventeen:[/B] Nathan sighed with frustration. In only two days they would be leaving Earth to head for the next system. He had already finished preparing the program to hunt for a hidden resistance base. Once again he was impressed by how smart Celestia was as her contributions to the program looked like they would increase how effectively it screened for higher-level energy signatures. Nathan was also surprised by Jason?s contribution as well. He was obviously studying quite hard to understand their technology and it was paying off. Nathan made sure to include his observations of Jason?s progress in his daily report to the Commander. If nothing else it would help guarantee that Jared wouldn?t kill him. Though he was beginning to wonder about that, as Jared hadn?t killed anyone in over a year now. Usually once Jared was bored he got rid of who ever had caught his interest. Nathan remembered it all to well as twice Jared had taken an interest in one of his assistants. The first one had lasted all of a month before Jared got tired of him and killed him. But the second one he had left alive. At first Nathan was confused, but then it happened again and again with other guys. It seemed to him that Jared enjoyed the fact that they were powerless to stop him if he decided to bother them again. Before Jason was captured Jared had been taking an interest in his assistant that he had left alive. He would leave him alone for a few months and then go back to doing what ever he pleased to him. It was a vicious cycle that pained him, as he was powerless to stop it. Nathan finished the report and sent it off to the Commander. Now the real problem was getting Celestia and Jason off the ship in the next system. He had received confirmation that there would be a ship waiting to take them when they arrived. Now the trouble would be the timing. He would have to find the right moment to take both Celestia and Jason to the bay in order to escape. Nathan already had clearance to take out a shuttle with the new scanner he had built with Celestia?s help. But he didn?t have clearance for Celestia and Jason to accompany him in the shuttle. He wasn?t even sure if he should ask. Even he knew that the Commander would be suspicious if he wanted to take them off the ship. Especially since he could easily set up a relay to the computer room where he could be in direct contact with Celestia. The Commander would definitely wonder what his motivation for wanting to take them would be. Nathan sighed, somehow he had to take them there and make sure he took off without them knowing they were on board for a few minutes. He only needed a few minutes to run, as the ship waiting for them would be waiting for him to perform an emergency landing. If he could manage to get just 3 minutes it would be enough time for them to escape into hyper drive. Nathan sighed again. Unfortunately the only advantage the resistance had was their hyper drive systems. They were faster than the military?s. So far the military hadn?t been able to catch a ship intact in order to copy the improvements. And the resistance members they had caught and tortured didn?t have the information they wanted. It was also one of the reasons Nathan would commit suicide if he was ever revealed. He was one of the programmers who helped build it. So far he had been able to avoid having Celestia work on understanding how it worked, but at her rate of learning he wouldn?t be able to put it off for long. Nathan felt torn. If he couldn?t escape with her, could he bring himself to kill her? Could he also kill Jason and himself? He had known when he joined the resistance that this day might come, but deep down inside he had hoped it never would. It would only take two days of hyperspace travel to reach the next system, which meant he had only four days to decide. Perhaps he would have Celestia and Jason help him calibrate the equipment in the shuttle. If he made it seem like they had left by using her holographic program it would give the illusion that they had left. The real question was could he prepare the program in time. Nathan shut down the computers, and left for his quarters as he was finished for the day. Besides there was no way he could write the program here in the ships lab. It went without saying that anything he did was accessible to Jared and the commander. No if he was going to prepare a program he would have to use the hand held device in his quarters. He could encrypt the program to erase itself if someone other than him used his or her access code to turn it on. Using something connected to the ships main computers would be foolish and irresponsible. Even doing this would be dangerous. It was a good thing that he had made sure nothing was in any of the ships computers. If he was discovered, he had long ago made sure absolutely nothing regarding the resistance was in any of the systems. Everything he knew was committed to memory and not some secret file. It was another reason why he had been so successful. If anyone did a search on him, there literally was nothing to be found. Nathan entered his quarters and sat down on the small sofa. He put his feet up laid down and closed his eyes. Only four more days until the moment of truth, although it pained him to lose his position as an insider he knew there was no other answer. What truly pained him is he wouldn?t have a chance to warn Anna of his decision. Although she didn?t know he was a member of the resistance, it was possible she would be interrogated if anyone remembered that they had been seeing one another. It had pained him to cut off contact with her. Especially since they had decided to have a child together. The necessary arrangements had been made and once the genetics had been completed the completed egg had been put in her womb to finish the process. A few of the Versilans thought that reproduction through genetics was deplorable, but Nathan disagreed. By abandoning the practice of sexual reproduction they had increased their lifespan and virtually done away with many of the diseases and genetic imperfections like the people on Earth had. Besides they hadn?t gotten rid of sex, they just no longer used it as a method of reproducing. Nathan sighed, when he had realized that he had decided to join the resistance that he couldn?t afford to drag Anna into it. With no explanation other than he no longer desired to see her and that he didn?t want their son to know who he was, he had left to serve under the military. Although it had hurt him to do that to her he knew it was the only way to keep her safe. Even if she was interrogated she knew nothing. He had run into her briefly as their son Daniel had been assigned to his team when he was sent to Earth. Although Anna had respected his wishes and Daniel didn?t know he was his father, somehow he had found out that Anna had loved him and that he had hurt her by leaving without any explanation. Daniel had made it quite clear that he considered Nathan scum. And that if wasn?t for his mother?s wish for him to leave him alone and the fact that it was his sworn duty to serve the Versilan Empire and gather the necessary information to prepare for the invasion of Earth, that he would kill him for what ever it was he did to his mother. Nathan had just kept quiet and said nothing. He was just glad that no one had discovered that he had erased the files and made it look like someone else was Daniel?s father. He had taken the file of an officer who knew Anna who had died during a skirmish between the military and the resistance and placed his information in the files indicating he had been the genetic donor and was therefore Daniel?s father. Nathan was pretty sure Anna knew, but she had never disputed the records and kept the fact that Daniel was his son a secret. His only regret if he should die was that he wouldn?t get the chance to tell Anna how sorry he was for lying to her all these years.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='visualkei']I was just wondering if you guys picked your roomates, or did you just kind of end up with them because of some kind of housing hook-up?[/quote]I don?t know how it is for other people, but other than a few times, I didn?t choose my roommates, they were either already living there, or they moved in while I was there as the management didn?t give anyone a chance to meet the person first. You would just come home to find that the empty room had been taken by a new person. To be fair, although I had a few horrible roommates, I also had quite a few that I got along with just fine. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Aaryanna][COLOR=DarkOrchid'] I?m almost ready to start my assault on the last area of the game. [/COLOR][/quote] I?m to that point as well. I just finished exploring the lower levels of the Mosel Ruins. The monsters in the first lower level were a total pain in the rear to beat. >_< If it weren?t for the fact that you have to get to the next couple of levels to get the [spoiler] trading cards necessary for the different costumes, well at least some of them[/spoiler] I probably wouldn?t have bothered with that area until much later in the game. But according to the guide I only need one more battle trophy to unlock being able to use both the second and third outfits and if I don?t have the [spoiler]trading cards[/spoiler] they won?t work. :animesigh At least I?m finally done with that area. So has anyone else had trouble finding crafting materials? Now that I?m changing the upgrade on my weapons to the [spoiler]boots of prowess [/spoiler] I?ve run out of the necessary crafting materials for [spoiler] refining them twice to give them the +30% atk/def factor. [/spoiler] I was making those and putting them on the best weapons they had but I?ve only been able to fill up three of the eight slots for the three main characters. It?s kind of ironic since I can make the item, but without the materials I can?t refine them. The guide says you can buy it in one of the bonus dungeons after you beat the game, I had wanted to upgrade them more before the final battle though. Meh! I suppose I should quit looking for the materials and just beat the game already.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Well now that I?ve had the game for a bit I?m starting to see how addicting it can be. I still don?t care for having to water the flowers, but I made it easier by moving all the ones that were in random spots to where the town gate is. So now all my flowers are either by a house or some other building. So I just water them when I make my rounds visiting and such. I?ve also gotten use to having the rotating view as I walk around in the town. One thing I really like is how the dresser can hold so much stuff! It?s nice to only need one dresser and to also be able to put a ton of stuff in it. The other thing I noticed is the present floating in the sky, but according to the game guide I need a sling shot so I can shoot it down. So now I need to get one. So is anyone currently playing and doing the Acorn Festival? I?ve been doing it all week. I?ve been getting some pretty nifty Mushroom furniture as a result. The Mushroom TV is just too funny looking. Which brings me to another point. I love how you can actually turn the TV on! ^_^[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='LilyBebeboo']all i gotta say is, what are 2 50 somethings doing living together? "roommates", huh? riiiiight. im sure it was a lovers quarrel gone horribly wrong.[/quote] It may have been a case of lovers, but you?re forgetting something here. There are millions of older Americans who *gasp!* didn?t get married. And since tax breaks favor those who are married, tons of those single people will share a home to help with the cost of expenses. Or they rent out one of their rooms to help pay for the expenses. And there are plenty of people who get into fights and do horrible things who are not lovers. Just do a little research into the common causes of violent crimes and you?ll see that lots of them are between people who simply dislike each other. And many they don't even know the person, they just got in the way of what the other wanted. Another thing LilyBebeboo, you?ve already been warned about poor post quality. Using proper grammar, spelling and punctuation is a must. Members who continue to post with poor quality are candidates for a ban, so please use something like word to type your posts in or Hotmail which is free and has a spell checker. Then just copy and paste your post. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Well I finally got this game yesterday. Since I also finally got a DS Lite. ^_^ And since they had pink available I choose it over the black and white versions. It was quite a bit of fun to play today and to see the differences between this one and the GameCube version. I don?t really care for having to water the flowers, but I?m looking forward to toying with the drawing constellations and such. Mariskah also got the game as she went with me to the store. She also got the game guide and it has some nifty patterns for making shirts and flags and such. I know I?m going to be trying out the Zelda one in the book. ^_~ About the only thing that seems a little weird is that the landscape seems to roll a bit instead of having a more flat appearance. Oh and Mariskah came over tonight just so she could visit my town, so now I have oranges that I can plant as soon as Tom Nook offers a shovel for me to buy. I didn?t know she was coming over though and I had already sold all of my apples. So I?ll have to give her some later when they?ve grown again. About the only thing I didn?t get was the Wi Fi adaptor as I have cable internet. By the time I bought the DS and then the game I was too broke to get the adaptor. So as soon as I have that I?ll put my codes up so people can visit me. ^_^ [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][QUOTE=visualkei]One of my favorite lines from [B]Darkwing Duck[/B], SunfallE, was when DD would introduce himself: "I am the phone call that wakes you at 4 in the morning... I am Darkwing Duck!" =P[/QUOTE]I just finished watching the DVD set I got and it?s just too funny all the things he says from the standard..I am the terror that flaps in the night to the?I am the ingrown toenail on the foot of crime. :catgirl: And I had also forgotten just how funny some of the villains are as well. In one of the episodes the major villain is demanding money from the governments and he tells them to raise taxes. Then the funny part is when he turns and looks at the camera and says?Like they need an excuse right? Hehe! [QUOTE=Gavin][SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting. Quite a few of the ones I grew up on how already been mentioned, Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles (they changed it to Hero over this side of the Atlantic), Darkwing Duck, Captain Planet, Earthworm Jim, all shows that I'll never watch again in case I ruin the pleasant nostalgia I have them envisioned in.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]Well having just re-watched Darkwing Duck, I can say it?s defiantly worth watching again as it was just as funny as I remembered it. ^_~[quote name='Veritas][size=1][color=dimgray] I also really liked X-men, Darkwing Duck, Gargoyles, Tail Spin, Gummy Bears, this show about gnomes, and many more, I love cartoons!!![/color'][/size][/quote]I forgot to mention Gummy Bears! I enjoyed watching that one too. And I also forgot to mention Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers. Some of the best stuff Disney put out. Besides some of the older movies that is. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Charles']You know, I'm not one for economics classes, but the DS launched with nothing I was interested in and when the games I was interested in did finally release, the system had dropped in price, saving me money. Go figure. I don't think that Wii will be as bad a case as the DS was though and we should be seeing more interesting games in a more timely fashion, at least.[/quote]This is actually part of the reason why I won?t be getting the Wii when it launches either. Other than Zelda, I am not interested in any of the other games being released, so it seems like a complete waste of money to spend an addition $250 for a new system and some new features, when I can get the Zelda game for my GameCube and it won?t bother me a bit that I won?t get the Wii features that have been added for the Wii version. And like Charles just said, by the time I probably do get it, hopefully it will have dropped in price making it easier to afford. Ironically the idea of motion sensors and moving the remote to do things does not interest me at all. Though I am sure it will be fun, I have arthritis and I?m worried that the repetitive motion will end up being something that makes playing the game painful after a short while. It?s part of why I rarely buy fighting or racing games. I simply can?t tolerate very much of that without paying for it. So I end up buying games with systems that are a bit less demanding and are more simplistic for the actual action in the game. So if it turns out that it?s a feature that you are stuck with and you can?t turn it off I?m going to be very disappointed in the system as it will essentially lock me out of playing quite a few games. Or I?ll be limited to playing very short sessions which doesn?t appeal to me. I sincerely hope that Nintendo had the foresight to make some of those things an option, like the rumble feature which can be turned off. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Aaryanna_Mom]Perhaps I should pinch you Beth, for getting me caught up in your story! :p[/QUOTE]You just might want to later on in the story. ^_~ Though I?ll be fair and give warning when the story is about to get a bit darker. So at that point you can choose to continue reading or to bail out at that point. Sound fair? :p[QUOTE=Guardian Angel][COLOR=Lime']I love your story! I can't wait until the next chapter. I love it so much that I copied and pasted it on Word. I want to read the whole story and see what happens! Keep up the good work! :catgirl: [/COLOR][/quote]Thank you very much for your kind comment. I?m glad you are enjoying the story. ^_~ [B]Chapter sixteen:[/B] Celestia knew that something was terribly wrong with Jason. She didn?t know what but she knew something had happened since they had been moved to the better quarters. Although he was happy to see her and it made working with Nathan a bit more relaxing with him there, every time Jared was around Jason withdrew into himself and became almost lifeless. Celestia wanted to ask Jason what had happened but the opportunity to be alone to ask never presented itself. They had been working with Nathan for a week when on the seventh day two guards came telling Jason it was time for his weekly check up with the doctor. When he left to go with them Celestia decided to ask Nathan. After she heard from Jason how he had saved him from being more seriously hurt she felt she could trust him. Celestia turned to Nathan and said, ?[B]Nathan, I need to ask you something important.[/B]? To her surprise Nathan looked a bit uncomfortable. ?[B]Very well Celestia, what is it you need to know?[/B]? He finally replied. Celestia hesitated and then made up her mind, she had to know about Jason. ?[B]I?m concerned about Jason. What did Jared do to him? Please! I have to know![/B]? She said. Nathan grimaced at the question wondering what he should tell her. He could tell she was genuinely concerned about Jason, but knowing wouldn?t help her. He sighed and made up his mind. He would tell her. Even if Jared didn?t care for women he would do the same to her if he thought it would give him more control over Jason. He had done it before. He might even hurt her just for the enjoyment of seeing how Jason reacted and Nathan would hate to have her find this out the hard way. Even if it was unpleasant, warning her was the only thing he could do. ?[B]Very well Celestia,[/B]? Nathan said, ?[B]I?ll tell you though you won?t like what I have to say.[/B]? He paused for a moment and continued, ?[B]It?s quite simple, Jared?s prefers men instead of women and I?m afraid that Jason has caught his interest.[/B]? Celestia couldn?t help herself; she gave a little gasp of horror and covered her mouth with her hands. ?[B]You mean he has..[/B]? Celestia choked on the word rape, she couldn?t say it! Nathan continued, ?[B]I don?t know if he has actually raped him yet. I am truly sorry Celestia; there is nothing I can do to help Jason. It pains me to tell you but he may even rape you as well just to hurt Jason. I cannot interfere. I?m sorry.[/B]? Nathan looked away, ?[B]The Commander may outrank Jared but she finds him amusing so she never interferes, in fact she often gives Jared the men he wants as a bonus for all the hard work he does. Also the Commander?s father is a member of the High Council so even if I went above her head no one would listen, I would even run the risk of being punished for interfering in military issues that as they would put it don?t concern me. A few actually tried and paid the price with their lives. I?m sorry.[/B]? Nathan turned away and continued his work. Celestia didn?t even try to stop the tears. She had been terrified that someone would do that to her since she was captured, but it never even occurred to her that someone would hurt Jason that way! She had known some women who had been attacked but never a guy. Celestia had heard the horror stories of guys being raped but she thought that only happened to guys in prison. She had been so focused on her holographic technology how many other atrocities had she not even been aware existed? Celestia was glad Nathan had told her and yet another part wished she could crawl in a hole and just die. If she had never developed Silver One, Jason would never have been dragged into this mess! The door opened and the two guards escorting Jason left once he entered the room. Jason was surprised to see Celestia crying. Before he could ask her what was wrong she ran across the room and hugged him tightly all the while saying she was sorry over and over again. He wrapped his arms around her and held her but she couldn?t seem to calm down. He looked up at Nathan but before he could ask what had happened, Nathan sighed and said, ?[B]She wanted to know what Jared did to you.[/B]? Jason paled. Nathan continued, ?[B]I?m sorry Jason, but Jared wouldn?t hesitate to hurt her too and I didn?t want her to find that out the hard way.[/B]? Jason sighed, ?[B]I see, thank you for the warning Nathan.[/B]? Jason reached down and gently grasped Celestia?s chin and turned her head so she was facing him. He brushed away her tears and gently kissed her on the forehead. ?[B]Please stop blaming yourself Celestia, it?s not your fault, there?s nothing you could have done to prevent this from happening. You?re forgetting that they planed on invading Earth. So even without the game you made I would have ended up a prisoner or dead. If you hadn?t made the game I would have never applied to work for you and I would have never met you.[/B]? Jason held Celestia close while she slowly calmed down. ?[B]Celestia,[/B]? he said. Celestia looked up at Jason. He continued, ?[B]No matter what happens, I?ll never regret that I met you.[/B]? Jason pulled her closer and kissed her tenderly on the lips. He was surprised when she kissed him back. He held her close until Celestia finally pulled away a bit. ?[B]I?m sorry Jason, I don?t know what to say.[/B]? Jason smiled and said, ?[B]It?s okay, thank you for being concerned about me. And please stop blaming yourself okay?[/B]? Celestia nodded and said, ?[B]I?ll try. It?s just that,[/B]? she paused as her face turned red, ?[B]the thought that he might..[/B]? Jason placed his hand on her mouth indicating she should be quiet. ?[B]Don?t worry over something that hasn?t happened yet, and if it should,[/B]? Jason choked a bit at the thought before he continued, ?[B]Lets not worry or blame ourselves over things we can?t control. Okay?[/B]? Celestia hugged Jason even tighter before she replied, ?[B]Okay.[/B]? Jason just held her tight while she composed herself, he was appalled that Celestia knew about Jared and yet part of him realized that Nathan was correct. Celestia didn?t need to find out the hard way what Jared was capable of. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]One of my favorite cartoons which I use to watch is Darkwing Duck. One of Disney?s better productions as far as cartoons go. If you haven?t seen it, the show is basically set in St. Canard (which resembles San Francisco) where the flamboyant Darkwing duck who lacks superpowers but has a variety of nifty gadgets, meddles with the plans of villains. It?s wonderfully hilarious and I just recently got the DVD set. I?m looking forward to when they release the second set as I had forgotten just how much I enjoy this series. The other one I use to watch is TaleSpin. Also by Disney. This one takes characters from the Jungle Book, primarily Baloo the Bear and puts them in a 1930?s pacific setting where Baloo is a pilot. The thing I enjoy most is the wacky villian Don Karnage, an air pirate as his corny sayings use to just crack me up. I also just got the DVD release of this series as well and now that I just finished watch Darkwing duck I?m looking forward to re-watching this series as well. Good stuff! [/COLOR] :catgirl:

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Crazy roommates? Back when I actually did have them I had plenty of nutty ones. The two that stick in my mind the most is one who given a chance would rifle through your personal belongings just to see what she could steal. I ended up having the apartment complex install a key lock on my bedroom door just so I could keep her out. But the one I remember the most was a girl who was a mental patient that her family was trying to rehabilitate. She would do the craziest stuff like strip naked and lie on her bed with the curtains open since we were on the ground level. It wasn?t until later that we found out that she really was mental as the management couldn?t be bothered to tell us that she really was nuts! Her family ended up having to put her back in an institution as within a very short time she ran away. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]Probably because the news isn't new and many sites take down the information after a few weeks. This link should work though. [URL=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11471503/]Click![/URL] As for what I think about it. I would imagine that the two of them had other issues that had absolutely nothing to do with whether or not there was toilet paper in the house. I would imagine that they hadn't been getting along or had some form of disagreement going on for quite a while. And as they often say, that one thing was just the trigger to set one of them off. It's pretty sad since if I disliked a roomie that much I would have moved out a long time ago. It's something I've done in the past when I have had roommates as it's just not worth the trouble to stick around. I'm sure the guy probably had other issues as well as a crime with that much anger behind it usually isn't just triggered by a small annoyance like being out of toilet paper. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Retribution][size=1']That sounds more like a statement of fact than the presentation of an opinion. It's the only reason I posted in this thread. Sure, there is a "But that?s just me" tossed on at the end, but it's a mere afterthought. The entire point of my subsequent post was to say that you can't say that "They don't" astral project.[/size][/quote]If the statement of ?they don?t? was all by itself, then I would agree. But when it?s part of an entire post which is saying the person doesn?t believe in something, then yes they can say it. Because in that context it?s an [I]opinion[/I] and not a statement of fact. As for the topic, I don?t believe in Astral Projection either, and for pretty much the same reason Aaryanna already stated. Having read the book she mentioned I?m inclined to agree with the author, that Astral Projection is actually a form of a Lucid Dream. I?ve had a few very vivid, lucid dreams where I realized I was asleep and if you don?t wake up immediately, things in your dream have a very real feel to it. So I can easily understand how someone would mistake such a state as being out of their body. Or as visiting a different plane of existence altogether.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][QUOTE=Raina][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=3]Wow![/SIZE]He really does care about me, and I really care about him too... But there is one little problem... We have one class at uni together, and he doesn't want to tell anyone from that class that we're together... He said that it would become awkward in class... I understand that, so I said that I would keep my mouth shut.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]I don?t know about you, but if my boyfriend was to tell me that he didn?t want others to know we were seeing each other then that would have me wondering just what in the world was going on. I can?t think of any reason to keep something like that a secret, unless he?s got an ex-girlfriend or a current one that he?s cheating on. I?m not trying to be mean, but that?s the first thing that comes to mind when you said he doesn?t want them to know about you. Also?[QUOTE=Raina][COLOR=Blue]But yesterday, one of the girls from that class asked me if I was seeing anyone... I said no, but that was the hardest thing I have ever done... There's only one more month to go for the class to end... So, I'll be patient and keep my mouth shut. But my friends who do know are saying that we shouldn't deny it... Well, it is just for a month that we're going to keep it a secret...[/COLOR][/QUOTE] Doesn?t it bother you that he?s okay with asking you to essentially lie to others about it? Unless he?s got a better reason than it would be awkward I see no reason to keep something like that a secret. Especially since as you put it the class will be ending in a month anyway. Hardly seems like enough time for it being awkward to become an issue. Well best of luck to you just the same. Hopefully it will be just fine, though if it were me, that would seriously annoy me. [/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue']If you knew what she had in mind you might not be curious anymore. As later on in the story it gets more interesting. I assure you, we aren?t referring to Jared as a mean little shit for nothing. SunfallE may not give every little detail when it comes down to it, but she definitely makes sure you know exactly what is going on. If she gave all the details this would definitely be rated mature instead of just PG-13.[/COLOR][/quote]*pinches indifference* Don?t scare her away! ^_~ She?s right though. Other than a little bit, I tend to leave the more graphic details out. And since there are certain implications in this story, for that reason it has to at least be rated PG-13. But yeah, Jared is definitely one mean little shit. He originally didn?t have much of a role in this story, but he sort of took over and became a major character instead. The more I wrote the more he kept creeping in! LOL! ^_~[quote name='indifference][COLOR=DeepSkyBlue']Also, unless I?m mistaken, did you add a few sentences in this? It just seems to flow a little better than I remember it. But without actually comparing the two I?m not sure. [/COLOR][/quote]You are correct. I played with the conversation between Jared and the doctor a little as I felt it was a bit forced. [B]Chapter fifteen:[/B] Celestia knew that she was attracted to Jason, but until the moment she saw him again for the first time after being captured, she didn?t realize that she cared for him as well. After telling him everything that had happened to her in the last month she decided she wasn?t going to hide it. Celestia moved back next to Jason and laid her head on his left shoulder. She saw the brief look of surprise on his face when she did so. She snuggled closer, sighed and closed her eyes. Celestia smiled a bit when she felt Jason reach up and wrap his arms around her. She thought about what Jason had told her. Apparently he had been tested and run through the same interrogations they had done to her. She wondered if he had been subjected to the same drug that she found uncomfortable because of how it stimulated you. Celestia also wondered what Jared had done to Jason, when she had mentioned his name Jason had shuddered and looked away. She thought he had looked frightened, but she wasn?t sure. She pushed the thought from her mind. The Versilan?s might never allow her to see Jason again and she didn?t want to spoil their time together by dwelling on their situation. Celestia didn?t even realize she had dozed off in Jason?s arms until she felt him stiffen and clutch her protectively. When she opened her eyes she saw that Jason was looking towards the door. Never had she seen such a terrified look on his face. Celestia turned and when she saw what had frightened Jason she felt cold all over. Instinctively she tried to move backwards and as a result she slipped and fell off the side of the bed to land on the floor. Terrified she watched as Jared walked over towards her. To her surprise he reached over and helped her stand back up. Jared smiled and said, ?[b]The doctor tells me that the tests on you two are complete. On her recommendation and as a reward for cooperating I?ve decided to move both of you to better quarters as you both will be coming with us when we leave this system.[/b]? Jared paused for a moment and continued, ?[b]I?ll also remove the disruptor restrains and arrange it so your time working with Nathan is together. I suggest you both continue to cooperate as you will never be allowed to return to Earth.[/b]? Celestia paled at the thought of never being allowed to go home. She had known it would come to this, but it still hurt to hear it. The door opened again and several guards entered. Jason?s disruptor restraints had already been removed and one of the guards came over and removed the ones fastened to Celestia. ?[b]Follow me,[/b]? Jared said. Both Celestia and Jason followed Jared out of the sickbay flanked by the two guards who had entered. He took them to the new quarters for Celestia first. When the door opened Celestia was surprised at how spacious and luxurious the new quarters were. It was more like a small apartment with a living room. There appeared to be a small terminal for ordering food, there was a table with several chairs next to it. There were two sofas and several footstools and she could see doors to two additional rooms. One of the rooms was a spacious bathroom with an actually bathtub big enough for two people. And the bedroom hosted a huge bed big enough for two people as well! Jared took them through the room explaining how things worked. In the main front room there was a huge screen on one wall that could be used to display their current location in space or a mural of their choosing or it could be used with the computer workstation in the corner as a bigger screen if they wished. Celestia wondered if she would actually be allowed access to the computer system. Jared smiled to himself as he watched Celestia and Jason?s puzzled expressions. Once again the doctor impressed him. Not just because he would enjoy having Jason so close to him but also because the better quarters would effectively remove some of the feelings of being a prisoner. As an expert interrogator he knew the effect of being treated more like an equal would unbalance them and make it harder for them on an emotional level. Especially once they realized that the only one on the ship with better quarters was the Commander. ?[b]For now only the Commander, Doctor and I will be able to open your door. Continued cooperation will result in that restriction being lifted as well. For today you both will be left in your quarters, take time to explore them so you will know where everything is. Everything has already been provided for you. You will even be allowed limited access to the computer system,[/b]? Jared turned to face Jason and continued, ?[b]Your quarters will be the one next to this one, other than a few of the colors it is identical to this one.[/b]? Jared turned to leave and his two guards motioned to Jason to follow. Celestia watched as the door shut behind them when they left. She felt uneasy about Jason being alone with Jared, though she wasn?t sure if it was because she was worried about what he would do to him or if it was because she didn?t want to be separated from him. On some level she had wanted him to stay even if it meant sharing the same quarters. Celestia sat down on one of the sofas. Maybe later she would explore the quarters more, right now she was feeling too confused by the sudden change of the restraints being removed and being assigned to quarters that to her seemed way to luxurious even for an officer. When Jared dismissed the two guards and Jason realized it meant they were alone while Jared showed him around the new quarters, he nearly fainted. Although it had been a month since he last saw Jared, Jason realized that being near him was worse than it was before. He was beyond terrified and honestly wondered how his heart could keep going. If he had realized just how terrible it had been for his sister when the stalker plagued her he would have hunted the man down and killed him. No one should ever have to be tormented like this. Even if Jared never touched him, though he doubted that he would be left alone, he and others like him should die for their crimes. Jason promised himself that if he ever did get free, not only would he apologize to her but he would also make sure that she never had to worry about the stalker bothering her again. Now he understood why victims of rape and violent crimes often killed their attackers, how could one possibly continue with the knowledge that they weren?t safe? If the feeling of terror and disgust was this bad just from the implication of being used then it must be beyond horrible to actually be attacked. It didn?t help that he knew he was no match for him. Nathan had told him that Jared wasn?t interested in women, but somehow he got the feeling that Jared would enjoy hurting her too. Jason couldn?t help but tremble a bit, if he resisted Celestia would most likely be hurt as well, and he knew it wouldn?t do him any good, as Jared would get what he wanted anyway. Jared smiled as he watched Jason struggle to hide his fear of him. He would do as the doctor recommended and wait until she cleared him for what he had in mind, but it didn?t mean he couldn?t enjoy himself in the meantime. He would have preferred to use the drugs, but he was patient, he could wait until then to make Jason his. But first he would make sure he understood exactly where he stood. Jared moved towards Jason, he smiled when he saw Jason?s look of panic. He continued until Jason had his back to a wall. He waited a moment, then moved until he was so close they were touching. Jason shuddered when he felt Jared run his hands along his back and then pull him even closer to him. He turned his face to the side but Jared moved his hand up along his back and grabbed the hair along the backside of his head. Jared forced Jason?s head back until they were facing again and said, ?[b]I talked to you before about cooperation, I may not care for women, but I have no problem including Celestia if you feel the need to resist.[/b]? Jason shuddered again and closed his eyes. He couldn?t stop the few tears that escaped and ran down his cheeks. With his free hand Jared undid Jason?s shirtfront and then ran his hands along the bare skin of his back. He held him close with one hand behind his back and used the other to hold Jason?s chin forcing him to look into his eyes. Jared said, ?[b]Remember what I said as I won?t repeat myself the next time.[/b]? He released Jason and left. Jason knees gave out and he sank to the floor. He leaned back against the wall and shook. He didn?t even try to stop the tears that came. Now he knew why Jared had allowed him to see Celestia. He was making sure Jason knew what would happen if he didn?t do what he demanded. If someone had told him that one day he would face the reality of being raped and used by another man he would have never believed him or her. He would rather die than cooperate yet the thought that he might touch Celestia sickened him in a way he didn?t fully understand. Jason got up and went into the bedroom to hunt for a change of clothes; his encounter with Jared had left him feeling dirty and unclean. He wanted a bath so bad he could taste it.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='Sandy']I repeat, we are not talking about manic murderers or rapists with no conscience here! The people who drink and drive are your neighbors, your relatives, your schoolmates, your colleagues, it could even be you![/quote]I agree with indifference on this Sandy. Especially since being someone you know one would think they would care enough about those around them to not drive when they are drunk. And others have already pointed out that you can make decisions before you take that first drink to ensure that you are being more responsible. The fact that often they do not would also imply that they too have no conscience if you stop and think about it. Or if they do have one, it wasn?t enough to stop them from recklessly endangering others around them. It doesn?t need the death penalty, but seeing that the person who killed my brother and the other girl in the car had already caused three accidents before that in which people were killed. He definitely should have been put behind bars for life instead of being free to cause the wreck that killed yet again. [B]EDIT:[/B] And just to be clear, I do not drink. After seeing what happened to that poor girl and my brother, I've never been able to drink alcohol as the very idea just sickens me. And when I was a truck driver I saw even more horrific accidents caused by drunk drivers. Those events pretty much killed any desire I ever had to try alcoholic beverages. [/COLOR]