NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/alt/callahan/14086

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-24 | 3.5 KB

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From: [e-mail] (Jay Brandt (Jason))
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: An Introduction
Followup-To: alt.callahans
Date: 24 Nov 1992 01:23:46 GMT
Organization: University of Oregon, Architecture
Lines: 49
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: aaa.uoregon.edu

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(Krum, David Michael) wrote:
> With a flash from a poorly written cyberspace display procedure, a figure
> appears in the doorway.
> Confused and shaken by improper virtual reality entry, Dave "the Wave" creeps
> quietly into a corner and listens in.  A familiar voice and figure catches his
> attention.
> "Hi, I'm David Krum, a Junior Engineering and Applied Science Major at Caltech.
> I specialize in computer science.  I have a Navy ROTC scholarship which means
> I am in the Navy Reserve, I get to wear cool uniforms, but I also get chewed
> out a lot, have lots of inspections, have to wake up at 3:45 in the morning to
> get ready, and drive the 110 freeway through Downtown LA at rush hour to
> get to USC where NROTC meets.  Fortunately, it pays all my tuition."
>
> "Dad," he whispers to Boss Troll, "What is this place anyway?  Did I touch on
> some cultural taboo here?  Is this a bar?  Is this virtual reality?  Is this
> cyberspace?  Is this the holodeck or 10-forward?"

A man in a black leather jacket and black Greek fisherman's hat looks up at
Dave 'the wave' as he introduces himself. The stranger presses a button on
the Cyberdeck in front of him, and disappears with a soft <ping!>. A moment
later he reappears next to Dave. <ping!> There he is, with his cyberdeck
resting on the bar, connected to him by a 5mm black cable that runs to a
computer interface on the back of his head, just under his short pony-tail.
His hair and beard are both dark brown. There is a small black kitten
walking on the bar, next to his deck. When he speaks, it is in a rich base
voice. "Well Dave, for some of us, it's Cyberspace, and for others an
alternate reality. I'm Jason, one of several resident Deckers here at
Callahans. I'm a computer tech at the University of Oregon, and I also
write cyberpunk stories on alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo . I also happen to be
ex-Navy. Welcome aboard!"

While they have been talking, the kitten has walked behind Dave, purring
quietly. Suddenly, the purring got much louder, and a feminine hand rested
on Dave's shoulder. When he comes down from the ceiling, he sees that the
kitten has been replaced by a tall, feline/human woman, with downy golden
fur, who is sitting on the edge of the bar. She has the ears, whiskers and
tail of a cat, and is wearing a black velvet mini-dress with a low
neckline. She stops purring, giggles, and says "Hi Dave. Didn't really mean
to startle you like that. My name's Thyra. I'm one of Jason's friends.
Welcome to the place!" As Dave watches, she slips to the floor and shrinks
down to become an ocelot, with a black velvet collar. Jason orders a brandy
Alexander in a saucer from Mike, the bartender, and puts it on the floor
for Thyra, who laps it up happily, purring all the while. Jason laughs
"Don't let her get to you. She's a shape-shifter, who prefers feline forms.
She can still talk to you in any of her forms, although the smaller ones
usually use telepathy, since their mouths and throats just aren't made for
human speech. Can we buy you a drink?"
.