The Space Opera Working Thread

reply to post by silo13


Fixed it (See the story above again)
and below is BIAD's survey... and I apologise now for the
freak's answers. He's clapping his hands with joy as I type this!

Survey.

Name given at birth:
Boy In A Dress.
Nicknames:
BIAD.
Hometown, or where you were born:
'Born' in a Lab in Corona -New Mexico
Current residence:
Wherever he parks his high-heels.
Age:
Unknown... he arrived in Dr. Charles Shaw's laboratory on 6th July 1947, but certain parties
believe he could be much older.
Class:
Brother of entity known as Death and possible candidate for the position as Lord Satan
(in a future somewhere)
What do you do, your main function in life/society:
Being of a possible immortal status, BIAD searches for a soul-mate and attempts to discover
his creator's murderer(s).
Have you ever gone skinny-dipping/do you know how to swim:
Yes and Yes.
Do you make fun of people?:
No. BIAD looks for the good in everyone (too-much 'Little House On The Prairie)
Favorite color:
RED.
Ever committed or been convicted of a crime?:
BIAD did commit the crime of murder, and though it was out of revenge, he knew he had
done wrong. The crime was committed to get the Man/Girl into Triton Prison that held him
for two years (he believed one of the inmates was involved in his Creator's killing.
He escaped two years later.
Closest friends/How did you meet?:
Nenothtu, Tibbs, Silo13, Dag, Chumley, Adam, Mucklebones and Carpet.
Met on the Ship -The Yydryl and a planet.
Pets:
None.
Favorite type of music:
BIAD enjoys 'Losing My Mind' by Liza Minnelli and most of the songs from a movie called
'Paint Your Wagon'
Hobbies/Pastimes:
Hair-combing and Ice-sculpturing.
Favorite food:
BIAD rarely eats, his nutrition needs seem to be drawn from elsewhere.
Parents living or dead. If dead, how did they die:
Dr. Shaw was discovered murdered in a old abandoned railway carraige. From declassified
files of the Military - it seems this took place somewhere in the North-West of The United
States of America.
Do you have family, where are they?:
Boy In A Dress has a supposed brother -Death, but he looks on the Yydryl's crew as family.
Your sleep patterns:
BIAD rarely sleeps... The Utah experiments showed that he needs hardly any REM sleep.
Most humiliating moment:
Hanging from a jutting flag-pole by his dress-hem in downtown DragonTown near the city of
Albion. ( He had been trying to rescue a cat!)
Proudest moment:
Dancing with his Creator/Father at Dr. Shaw's and his wife's 30th Wedding anniversary.
What do you look for in a romantic partner?:
BIAD has never known that part of human interaction, he presumes a soul-mate will bring
such an experience.
Remember your first kiss:
Due to his time being spent in the company of Doctors, scientists and male soldiers, that
sort of behavior passed him by. Later, whilst on Vilos IV, BIAD became involved in a
kidnapping of the daughter of folk who had taken him in. In a rage, BIAD rescued 'Sukie'
and slayed the kidnappers (See Page 40 of The Opera)... and as the hermaphrodite carried
the little girl home, she kissed his cheek.
Who is your immediate overlord/boss?:
BIAD has no superior, although holds a fellow-wanderer called Nenothtu has a leader
and tends to agree with the GunMan's qualities.
Favorite vacation place/spot to relax:
Ideally, the coast AND wherever they sell Cotton-Candy.
Education history:
BIAD is not from this reality and acquiring any scholary education seemed unnecessary.
Craziest / silliest person you know:
See any of the names listed in 'Closest Friends'
Do you keep in touch with childhood friends?:
Due to recently declassified Military records, it seems BIAD had no childhood friends.
AND FINALLY:
LIST 10 THINGS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU.
Boy In A Dress-
(1) Has no eyes and at this time, nobody knows how he perceives the world around him.
(2) Bears hair known as a 'Permo-wig' that BIAD can control at times, it seems to have a built
-in sense of survival for the Man/Girl.
(3) Enjoys Cotton-Candy.
(4) Wears a short red-dress that seems impervious to damage, the high-heel shoes did once
lose a heel -but this may be due to a using the heel to destroy a Dragon.
(5) Really does enjoy Cotton-Candy.
(6) Interacts with Death at times, and it may be that the Grim Reaper has plans for his
'girl-like' brother.
(7) Can tolerate extreme heat and well-below zero temperatures, one of the aspects that
the Military found interesting. Many tests revealed BIAD's other gifts.
(8) When threatened, BIAD's hair becomes hostile along with his sharp-red fingernails.
(9) Has been informed that he will become a 'Devil' and leader -of sorts in the future.
Boy In A Dress is hoping to avoid this event.
(10) Once won a large green-Octopus in a competition at Six-Flags in Utah (Vacationing
from DugWay Proving Grounds with Dr. Shaw)

Here's the Man/Girl catchin' his supper!

reply to post by A boy in a dress

Busts out laughing - again - at 'Paint your Wagon'...
Silo want's to GO THERE...

HINT HINT...



No telling when - but even if it's future - well
It can still be past for the gang right? I mean
Can't we figure out a way?
Ergo - maybe a short story? Or...

A....
Story WITHIN a
Story???



I mean, this could be all of the gang... ESPECIALLY ERNIE...



'Home is made from comin' from, for dreams of going to, which with luck will never come true...'

And I still want to hear Neno sing:



Oh we made need a new NPC - 'Elisa'....

WAIT! I can hear Neno singing this now!!!

reply to post by nenothtu

"This town was so bad that we was ashamed to name it."

Yeah, that's where I want to go, lol.

'No name City...'



Silo's headed West...

From there? Only the wind knows... Mariah of course... And no I wont post that video. I know you've all got the song playing in your heads already.

Oh wait, I better go back and check BIAD's post first!!!

reply to post by silo13


BIAD actually worked in the mines -although they weren't Gold ones.
Mentioned in the early pages of BIAD's coming-on-stage... Page 40.

Around seventy years ago, BIAD could have been found cutting quartz deep underground in a
small mining outfit, South of Albion.
Seventy years... BIAD had watched the man eating the donated meal and sighed at how time
had passed him by.

BIAD knew that in most life spans, seventy years would make a human a white-haired
slow-moving wreck, but BIAD had just stayed the same.
He wished he talked more to his Creator about that.

The big mine... the Methon had full employment and certainly wouldn't of entertained the
likes of a woman-shaped, eyeless, underwear - flashing man/girl running around in the dark
with it's employees and a laser-cutter... it would be like spraying fulmar onto a naked flame.

So BIAD worked the Petrie Mine with four Barbados's monks, who supplemented their monastery's
income with the back-breaking toil. The monks never bothered BIAD, no ridicule of his appearance
and no attempts at petting... BIAD admired them for that.

It was during BIAD's time in Tunnel Four, when Brother Kamm had asked BIAD about companionship.
BIAD had scanned the skinny pock-faced man to see if he was coming on to him, but the dark-robed
youngster had just kept on cutting a large piece of rock out of the tunnel wall, without turning around.

"... what I mean to say, is do you ever feel alone in the world?" the monk's voice warbled as he pressed
home the laser beam. BIAD had smiled in the darkness and told Kamm that he had accepted his way
of life and was content with it.

Kamm had nodded and the pair had worked on in silence. It was later in the afternoon -although afternoon
was just a hope when you're deep down in the blood-red crust of the planet -the Supply Man had passed
with the canteens and the large doughnuts, when Kamm had asked again about loneliness.

The lights had flickered back on after the last power-outage and the reddish gloom made the mineshaft
look like it belonged in 'Aunt Kate's House of Realms' BIAD had wiped the water from his chin and flicked
his dust-covered permo-wig to make a small red cloud around his head.

The kid in the monk's robe was sitting across the tunnel with a sympathetic look on his face...
BAID guessed he was looking for a convert.
"Don't bother with usin' your teachings on me, son..." BIAD had said softly across the red haze
"... I'm beyond salvation" Brother Kamm had nodded sagely and waited for the creature across the way
to speak further, BIAD had chewed the doughnut and faced towards the entrance of the tunnel.

"But your..." the monk waved a hand to imply BIAD's demeanour, "... it must alarm or may even deter
others from seeking friendship with you?" Far off, the dozers rumbled by and BIAD knew that meant
that the shift was nearly over, he wondered what Kamm was driving at...

BIAD wiped the crumbs from the doughnut onto his dirty red dress and grinned at the young Banardos
monk, "it's their problem... not mine" he said and reached for the cutter. "I'm here and that's all that's
real, son" BIAD finished and grunted as he stood up.
The rest of the shift was in silence.

reply to post by silo13


While we're doing the Youtube -thing, here's a documentary about
Nenothtu... scary stuff.

SURVEY FOR DAG

Name given at birth: Darling

Nicknames: Dag, missy, li'l lady

Hometown, or where you were born: at LAB

Current residence: the Yydryl. But I'm a drifter. So far.

Age: 2 hundred and some star-years. Really old. But not as old as the universe.

Class
Peon in line for promotion.

What do you do, your main function in life/society:
Answer to authorities is my official "function". Do what I think is right is my personal "function", especially looking after my friends, and my Adam. Duh.

Have you ever gone skinny-dipping/do you know how to swim:
Skinny-dipping? Well, I plunged Skinny into a vat of cotton candy once for BIAD (reportedly), but I'm not sure I believe it. Does that count? Swim? What is that?

Do you make fun of people :
Uh, yeah. Especially the annoying ones. Sarcasm is just one of the services I was programmed to offer.

Favorite color
Lavender/purple spectrum. Saturation preference varies with mood.

Ever committed or been convicted of a crime
Yes, but it was totally called for! Silo13 would've been killed if I hadn't!

Closest friends/How did you meet
Silo13 first. We worked together at LAB. Then Adam, Chumley, BIAD, nenothtu, Tibbs. We met shortly after I left LAB. Sslar and Ernie are cool, too, but Ernie kinda gives me the heebs. Not so sure about Mucklebones yet (she's a witch).

Pets: Does Chumley count?

Favorite type of music
The dancin' kind (Abba! Or salsa. Or the English Beat – Save it for later), or the cryin' kind, (Colin Raye -- Love, Me) or the angry/heartbroken kind (Adelle-- Rolling in the Deep) the Cee-Lo Green kind….("Seen you drivin' round town with the girl I love, and I'm like….." (insert title here) or Enrique or…Beethoven…do you really want to know? It would be a long list.

Hobbies/Pastimes
music, knitting (I think zombies would enjoy it too), watching old movies (nothing prior to 1975 Earth's Year of Their Lord, though). And poetry and history.

Favorite food
Stupid Stupid Duck Chicken Fat Rabbit Stew! LOL. No, just kidding. I like peanut butter. And carnitas with guacamole. And extra onions.

Parents living or dead/ and how is/was your relationship with them. If dead, how did they die
What are parents?

Do you have family, where are they
I consider my posse my family. Their location varies.

Your sleep patterns
I prefer 9-10 solid units in each cycle.

Most humiliating moment
When BIAD dressed me in this weird armor outfit and made me pose like a porn model. That, or when I forgot to do what the Splitter asked me to, which was very important. And he told Adam! I hate being reprimanded in front of Adam. Or anyone, for that matter!

Proudest moment
When I helped Adam escape LAB. Second was when I tripped Bransom in the Recovery Bay.

What do you look for in a romantic partner
see: Adam

Remember your first kiss
doy.

Who is your immediate overlord/boss
Well, I'm not really sure. I guess Silo13. Or Ship, if Silo's not there.

Favorite vacation place/spot to relax
The ruins in the Center are pretty nice. If I don't have access to mountains or the sea-shore

Education history
I am told I was programmed with a detailed knowledge of Earth. Other latent awarenesses remain to be discovered.

Craziest / silliest person you know
Case by case basis. Chumley's right up there, though, for endearing silliness. Neno may be the craziest. But BIAD, well, he's a real piece of work. Regular bizarro, that one. The most psycho, though, had to be Bransom. She's dead now (whew).(I think…)…

Do you keep in touch with childhood friends
No childhood. In my early years I was friendly with all manner of experiments. Edward Scissorhands was prob my fave. He had to go into hiding, though.

AND FINALLY:
LIST 10 THINGS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU.
1) I am definitely female. No going back. And definitely heterosexual.
2) Silo13 is my best girl-friend and I would die for her…unless I had to choose her or Adam…no. Silo. Silo13 is my BFF.
3) Sometimes I roll my eyes at people when they can't see.
4) My eyes are capable of glittering!
5) I want to try on BIAD's dress. If it fits, I want us to share wardrobes.
6) I'm an ace shot with pistol or bow, I can fight with a sword, kick the crap out of anyone who gets too close, and hogtie pirates who get on my nerves.
7) Sarcasm is one of my strongest suits.
8) I hold grudges.
9) I cry when I see roadkilt animals.
10) I want a horse. They're cool.

Originally posted by wildtimes
Okay, I'm back up and at it now...and to NENO: well, I guess I'll always be able to keep YOU guessing, eh??
Actually I had crashed at 7pm, woke up at 1, wool-gathered regarding

Get in line - EVERYBODY keeps me guessing! It's like guessing is my hobby or something!

A) the rather daunting GIMP learning curve
(I did download it, and was subsequently advised by a graphic artist working at BestBuy that it's every bit as good as expensive Photoshop, just not as "user friendly" -- so I didn't spend my birthday money on a cheapo version...and I suppose I owe you thanks for that suggestion)

There should be internet-based resources like manuals or something. I'll check with my daughter - she uses it. I use PaintShop. Photoshop gives me hives or something - it makes me scratch my head a lot. I have GIMP installed, but every time I open it, I just sit there and stare at the interface for a long time, wondering if it really does anything - same as my reaction to PhotoShop, but without the head scratching.

(it's sleep disruption from the midlife change, coupled with night sweats....but you won't have to learn that the hard way...LOL)

I DID learn that the hard way, and have the scars to prove it! During that time, y'all can go from sweet to psycho in less than 2 seconds!

*Were Adam and Dag ever at the cabin?? I don't recall that. They were pretty new to Ship, too, so they'd not have known CyndyMars. She was gone when 'we' got there.

They have been there. I recall neno's conversation with the good doctor over coffee, but can't recall where the specific series of posts is.

Also, I had an idea at about 01:44:15 to do an exercise, all of us, which is one the apprentices (first three years of performing) routinely use at the local role-playng renaissance festival (I've been participating since 2001). We are given a "character description" worksheet, and after we are cast as a character, we write up a bio. If you guys want, I could post it here, and we could all work up our characters...

It is fun, and worthwhile for building story when interacting in an improv way with other characters...

I did a bio/background on neno here. It may need updated, though in light of recent developments. BIAD has an entire website devoted to BIAD's background.

Silo let's things "slip", occasionally - the mud wrestling episode made my eye bug out - "MA! What are you DOING!"

Originally posted by A boy in a dress
BIAD reporting in...
I've done a write-up where all the characters are seperated -but on the
Earth that Neno indicated.
When...? who knows and where...? probably Vandalia.
Now, do you want it to waaaaaay back in time or waaaaaay-way in the future?

Probably best to start it out in either the "present" or the "future", so as to establish for the readership that the Earth really HAS been saved. I'll follow your cues for which, and if the future how far. There is a "thing" on that mountaintop, about a mile out the ridge from neno's current location, that can establish a rough age and time frame. It's another rock, about the size of a small house, that sits right on top of the mountain. I never figured out how it got there, (it's around 3200 feet in elevation, 1600 feet above the local mean) but there are inscriptions carved in an overhang on the under side of it, many of which are dated. When neno move out the ridge, he has to pass that rock to head downward, and so will find dated inscriptions.

That mountain is scary in places. On the way down from the inscription rock, there is a place where the trail goes over a part of the bedrock of the mountain that is about 2 feet wide, and 400 feet straight down on either side of the trail. Not to worry - the trees would beat you to death on the way down before you could ever die at the bottom.

Only one way down off of the bigger rock that neno is sleeping on, too. Loose dirt on a steep path going through a laurel thicket. Fun fun fun!

Originally posted by wildtimes

So, here, then are the questions:

Name given at birth - Cecil Frederick Carpenter. can't recall what Silo named me at the moment, but she was hoping for a girl

Nicknames - nenothtu, neno

Hometown, or where you were born: - Carpenter's Landing, Autonomous Republic of Vandalia, American Federal Empire, United Earth Federation, Space. - AND - 21st century Oregon

Current residence - the Universe

Age - 53 - I think. I've lost track of Story Time

Class (socio-economic, i.e. aristocracy, peasant, merchant, royal in the context of Ren Fests - but ours will of course be different than that -- or will they?) - military

What do you do, your main function in life/society - mercenary

Have you ever gone skinny-dipping/do you know how to swim -You betcha!

Do you make fun of people - Never. A function of upbringing, in combination with the fact that sort of thing can get you killed quick in Vandalia

Favorite color - blue

Ever committed or been convicted of a crime - (guarded) Who's asking?

Closest friends/How did you meet - BIAD. Thrown onto the same planet, neither with any visible means of support.

Pets - The cutest giant green and black saber-toothed kitty that would ever eat you!

Favorite type of music - What's that?

Hobbies/Pastimes - Brooding.

Favorite food - whatever doesn't eat me first.

Parents living or dead/ and how is/was your relationship with them. If dead, how did they die - Dead. Excellent relationship. the were killed in the Clan Wars by the Taggart Clan, and the house burned to the ground.

Do you have family, where are they - One son - current whereabouts unknown. One mother, but not sure if she knows that or not.

Your sleep patterns - None. Setting patterns is a dangerous thing.

Most humiliating moment - None. I have no shame.

Proudest moment - None. I have no shame, and so there is no counterpoint.

What do you look for in a romantic partner - (censored)

Remember your first kiss - Not if you're her dad. See also: "Animals" by Nickelback.

Who is your immediate overlord/boss - ME! Heh, heh, heh....

Favorite vacation place/spot to relax - Wherever I hang my hat is home - and I can make a vacation resort out of it, too!

Education history: School until age 17, OJT thereafter.

Craziest / silliest person you know - insufficient space for a listing.

Do you keep in touch with childhood friends - No... or not until recently, that is. I thought they were all dead.

AND FINALLY:
LIST 10 THINGS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU.

1. DO NOT piss me off.
2. DO NOT piss me off.
3. DO NOT piss me off.
4. DO NOT piss me off.
5. DO NOT piss me off.
6. DO NOT piss me off.
7. DO NOT piss me off.
8. DO NOT piss me off.
9 DO NOT piss me off.
10. DO NOT piss me off.

Is there a Bonus Round?

Originally posted by A boy in a dress
reply to post by wildtimes

 

I'd better wait to see if Silo and Neno give it the okay..

Looks good to me. Yydryl has finally made it to Earth, an Old dream of Silo's!

Have I ever mentioned that I had heard a rumor that ErnieBen was born around 6000 years ago, and that his original name began with an "N" too?

he knew sand and rivers, but "modern" civilization leaves him a bit bewildered, having been there when civilization was invented... Of course, his original name lives on into the modern world, but the story around it, well, that story has morphed and grown over time in the retelling...

No, "Noah" is not the name - Noah was a man of of PEACE! (unless he'd been drinking, of course...) The name isn't to be found in the Christian's Bible.

Is he immortal, or does he just give the appearance of immortality because he ages gracefully while skipping big chunks of years back and forth?

Heh, heh, heh...

So we have a time yet?
Just wondering.

Figures, I get a new mouse and my keyboard is dying. I'll get a post up somehow...

reply to post by A boy in a dress

Wow - I wonder why BIAD worked the mines so much. 70 years and then the petite mines for monks? I guess it's like any other work? Once you get a taste for it? Nawwww, there's got to me more to it than that!

reply to post by silo13


I've posted the yarn I knocked up earlier, but I felt it prudent
to leave the Silo-Chumley part out.
I can add it back in if you wish, but it was just with your posting
it may have caused some confusion... which we're Masters at!

BIAD worked in many places in his time, getting the info from him
is labourious and it's only when one dangles a bag of Cotton-Candy
in front of him -does he speak of his past.

reply to post by A boy in a dress

Ok I'll go read - cool. nice to have everyone back in the saddle again!
I know (finally) well almost know where Silo is.
Poor Chumley! Where's he? I've no idea.
Let me go take a peak!

reply to post by A boy in a dress

Maybe you could change his part:

The results of the scans were still being analysed as Silo's eyes flickered open
and the lavendar-haired girl felt the raging hangover roll in.

To Chumley?

Then we'd know where he is!

reply to post by silo13


Changed and now, do you wish me to do a dance...? sing a
little song...?!!!
Poor, poor BIAD... ordered around from-pillar-to-post and now
stood starkers in downtown-Vandalia!

He enjoyed the fish.

reply to post by silo13


You aren't on The Yydryl... are you?
You're out-West, nuh?