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Wayback
AUTHOR: bcfan SUMMARY: When worlds and cartoon characters collide. "Set the Wayback Machine for 1973, Sherman. Today we're visiting a small town in Rhode Island. Quonochontaug." "Quonochontaug, Mr. Peabody? I didn't know anyone famous lived there." "Not famous in 1973, Sherman. But destined to be famous. Fox Mulder, commander of rebel forces and key strategist - with Dr. Dana Scully - in defeating the alien invasion, grew up in Quonochontaug. He has a problem. We can help." "Gosh, Mr. Peabody. How can we help Fox Mulder?" "By erasing his memories of a tragic, key moment in his life. We'd better hurry!" - splink! - Mr. Peabody and Sherman suddenly appeared in the living room of a typical suburban home. But the living room scene was far from typical. Two men in biohazard suits, silhouetted in the harsh light of a black sedan's headlights, stepped carefully around scattered game pieces and a tilting coffee table to lift a small girl. The third bent down to check the pulse of a slim boy, who loosely clutched a gun in his prostrate hand. Mr. Peabody shrank back against the wall, pulling Sherman with him. Sherman trembled and started to speak. "Quiet. They can't see us," Mr. Peabody whispered into Sherman's ear. After long moments, a trail of pale smoke followed the men out the door. "What - what's going on, Mr. Peabody?" Mr. Peabody's eyes were solemn behind thick glasses. "Evil men have just kidnapped Fox Mulder's sister. If he wakes and remembers this scene, he'll grow up determined to find her, searching to the ends of the earth." "Why is that bad, Mr. Peabody? Is it because he won't be able to find his sister?" "No, Sherman. If Fox Mulder searches the earth, he'll never think to look to the stars. And we both know how important it is that he considers all possibilities - for his own future, and the future of his planet." "You're right, Mr. Peabody. How can I help?" "Lift his head carefully. I'll administer this special expungapotion, and Fox Mulder won't remember what happened at all." "Gee - won't that be dangerous?" "No, Sherman. His conscious memories of this event will be totally erased, and even his dreams will be vague. This potion will ease his mind until future circumstances set Fox Mulder on the right path." After carefully slipping the potion between the boy's slack lips, Mr. Peabody stood and solemnly considered the earth's future saviour. Sherman was smiling as they re-entered the Wayback. * The vid was spooling the credits when a voice called from the next pod. "Zaphod, are you doing your homework?" "Yes, mumma, my history." "History - it sounds like another vid to me." Zaphod scowled and sucked a tentacle, his purple brow wrinkling in frustration. "It's part of an assignment - Earth history." "That teacher," he heard mumma mutter, "Why can't he concentrate on Reticulan history?" Zaphod lowered the vid sound, ready to disc another Mr. Peabody. Lawrence of Arabia? The Royal Canadian Mounted Police? Mata Hari? They were all so interesting! Off world history was his favourite subject. "Zaphod - no more history. Start your trigcalc assignment instead. I'll be there in five nans to check your progress." Zaphod sighed. Another homework time had begun. But as he bent to his task, Zaphod's thoughts wandered to other worlds, other futures. Just like famous hero Fox Mulder, he was ready and eager to consider the possibilities. |