Tron Legacy Rating

Tron Legacy

The previous rating is still valid. 8.5

The Lion King (1994) rating

The Lion King (1994)

9.5/10.

120 Beginnings of 2019 - Reverse Map Game 2019 - 1963

1963

North America

Canada

Tensions continue to rise ahead of the referendum the next year.

United States

President John Fitzgerald Kennedy is assassinated while on a tour of Detroit in mid November. Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson becomes President.

NASA leases the Cape Canaveral site in Florida from the Venetian Government. The Project Mercury continues to launch from Vandenburg in California, but Projects Gemini and Apollo would launch from Canaveral.

Central America

In Panama, the percentage of native speakers of Darien Norse drops below 1 percent.

South America

Tensions in Argentina continue to rise before the Civil War begins the next year.

52 Tales of 2019 - Doctor Who Character Thoughts - Empress of Mars

Empress of Mars
Godsacre
Who is this 'Doctor' that he thinks he can tell us what to do? Other than Friday, there is no one here!

Quinn's Code - The Esteemsters Code - Part 5

Jennifer entered the classroom where the Esteem-a-Teen class was held and sat at her usual (by now) place next to Jane Lane. Soon afterwards two new students entered. The first was a shaggy haired boy. He sat to the left of 'The Head' (She wasn't sure of his real name. It was one of those names that wasn't easy to remember. Everyone called him 'The Head' for the MTV character emblazoned on the shirts that he wore to school). The second was Daria. She smirked, remembering the history class she'd told Quinn about.

'There has to be a story about why she is here,' she thought. Everyone had a story.

Mr O'Neill began taking attendance, starting with her.

“Jennifer Burns?” he asked.

“I'm here,” she said. She wondered why he had started taking attendance. 'No one has truanted the first session before, as far as I know,' she thought.

“Jane Lane?”

“Yo!”

“Daria Morgendorffer?”

“Here.”

“Esteem... a teen. They don't really rhyme, do they? The sounds don't quite mesh. And that, in fact, is often the case when it comes to a teen and esteem. The two just don't seem to go together. But we are here to begin realizing your actuality... “ Mr O'Neill began.

However, Daria interrupted. “Excuse me. I have a question.”

'This is new. Good on you, Daria,' Jennifer thought.

“Sorry, question and answer time is later.”

“I want to know what 'realizing your actuality' means,” Daria said.

'You and I, both,” Jennifer thought, with an inward laugh.

“It means... look, just let me get through this part, okay? Then there'll be a video!”

“He doesn't know what it means. He's got the speech memorized. Just enjoy the nice man's soothing voice,” Jane said, to Daria.

'Someone had to answer her, I guess,' Jennifer thought. She knew that Jane didn't have any friends in the school.

“How am I supposed to follow him if I don't know what he's talking about?” Daria asked Jane.

“I can fill you in later. I've taken this course six times,” Jane said.

“Ok,” Daria said.

Jennifer then listened as Mr O'Neill droned on.

Mack's Valiant once again pulled up in front of Andrea's house and Quinn got out.

“Thank's, Mack,” she said. Once the car had driven away, she turned to face the house. “It looks just as creepy as yesterday!” she said. She then went through the front gate and went to ring the doorbell. 'I hope she isn't watching another movie like yesterday,' she thought.

“Why did you agree to take Quinn to Andrea's, Mack?” Jodie asked as Mack turned a corner from Andrea's street into the direction of the Landon's house.

“I'm doing a favor for her. She seems nice,” Mack said. Jodie looked at him.

“Don't worry. You're the girl for me,” Mack said. 'You have nothing to worry about, you're the girl of my dreams,' he thought.

“Good,” Jodie said, smiling.

Andrea came to the door and let Quinn in.

“You brought your laptop with you, good. We'll do the test up in my room,” Andrea said.

“I take it everywhere,” Quinn said as Andrea closed the door behind her.

“Ok,” Andrea said.

Andrea's room looked the same as the day before. Quinn placed her laptop on Andrea's work bench and started it.

“Multi-boot, cool,” Andrea said.

“Yeah, 2 Linux distributions and 2 versions of Windows,” Quinn said, selecting the Windows 98 Second Edition option.

“Here is your objective,” Andrea said, handing Quinn a sheet with instructions.

Quinn read it over. After she was sure she understood it she put it down next to the laptop and opened the BASIC IDE.

“Cool,” she said.

Jennifer walked out of the Self-Esteem Class. 'That was a waste of time as usual,' she thought. She stood to the side of the door.

Daria and Jane exited the classroom ahead of 'The Head' and the shaggy haired boy.

“Jane, Daria,” Jennifer called as they walked by her.

“Did you hear something?” Daria asked Jane.

“Here,” Jennifer said, waving slightly.

“What do you want?” Daria asked.

“I was wondering if you'd like a lift home or something,” Jennifer said, softly. 'Unlikely but other unlikely things have happened this week. Like a popular geek.'

“Did that sound like what I thought it sounded like?” Jane asked.

“Yes,” Jennifer said. Unlike what most people at the school thought she did have a few friends, but they weren't particularly close friends. 'This is an opportunity. Quinn seems nice, and Jane is misunderstood by everyone,' she thought. She didn't know what to think of Daria though. She was an enigma.

“We could get home sooner,” Jane said, to Daria.

“Ok,” Daria said.

“Where are we going?” Jennifer asked as she drove her blue VW Beetle out of the Lawndale High parking lot.

“111 Howard Drive,” Jane said.

“And you, Daria?” Jennifer asked.

“I'll visit Jane,” Daria said in a monotone.

“Thanks, Amiga,” Jane said.

“And in the class after the role-playing the boys and girls are separated and a female teacher talks to us about body image,” Jennifer said.

“What do they talk to the boys about?” Daria asked, although she knew what they would most likely talk about.

Jane looked at Daria in the seat next to her. “A classroom full of guys and a male teacher?” she asked rhetorically.

Jennifer pulled the car up. “Nocturnal emissions,” all three said (although Daria and Jane's exclamations drowned out Jennifer's). Jennifer then drove off again.

“I don't get it. You both have got the entire course memorised. How come you can't pass the test to get out?” Daria asked.

“I could pass the test, but I like having low self-esteem. It makes me feel special,” Jane said.

“Me too, but I thought that I wouldn't give Ms. Li the satisfaction,” Jennifer said, as she turned into Howard Drive.

The Beetle pulled into the driveway of a cream coloured old house with an ill-maintained yard that had an interesting looking ornament in it. Daria could see that the mailbox had Jane's last name on it and that the house was near the end of the street. Jennifer pulled up behind an old blue Plymouth Satellite.

My brother's home,” Jane said, as she got out.

“Brother?” Daria asked.

“His name is Trent. You should meet him,” Jane said, smirking.

“Looks like she's going to try to set you up with him,” Jennifer said.

“I hope not,” Daria said, as she clambered out.

“He's asleep,” Jane said as she came down the stairs.

“Asleep?” Daria and Jennifer asked in disbelief.

“He sleeps an average of 15 hours a day. You have to know him for it to make sense,” Jane said. Her eyes widened.

“What's wrong?” Daria asked.

“The Bank!” Jane said with foreboding

Jennifer and Daria looked outside. Two tall, well built, men had pulled up near the letter box and were walking up the path.

“They're foreclosing?” Daria asked.

“Not if I can help it!” Jane said.

Jennifer slammed the door and locked it.

That's not going to hold for long. Try to hold them off, whilst I try to find a checkbook and forge my Mom's signature,” Jane said.

Jennifer leaned against the door. “Your Mom's not here?” she asked.

“She's in Kenya, or is it Uganda? One of those East African nations anyway. She is studying native pottery,” Jane said.

“What about your father?” Daria asked.

“He's taking photos in Namibia or Angola, or was it Botswana or even South Africa? Somewhere there,” Jane said, as she dashed off.

The suits knocked on the door.

“This is not good!” Jennifer said, not so relaxed as usual.

“I hope the other doors are locked,” Daria said.

Jane locked the door from the garage into the kitchen and then ran and locked the back door. She shook her head. She knew that the other members of Trent's band, Mystik Spiral, had forgotten to lock the doors after their practice that morning.

The door was moving back and forth. “They're trying to break the lock!” Jennifer said.

“We're going to need a chair,” Daria said.

“You can get it. I think I'm stronger,” Jennifer said.

“You may be right,” Daria said, she then went towards the kitchen.

Jane was rummaging in the her parent's bedroom for a checkbook. So far she had emptied all the drawers onto the bed. 'One has to be here! I don't think they would put it up in the attic.

Daria returned with a chair and placed it under the knob.

“Good, they're getting restless,” Jennifer said.

They both could hear rather descriptive expletives being yelled.

Jane finally found the checkbook at the back of the top shelf at the back of the walk in closet.

“I don't know why they left it up there,” she said as she forged her mother's signature on one of the checks. She then went to see how Daria and Jennifer's efforts were holding up.

The door was bulging when Jane jogged up to it. The handle was cracking as the goons tried to push the door despite the chair and the efforts of Daria and Jennifer.

“I've 3 signed checks, but how are we going to give it to them without them giving the foreclosure order?” Jane asked.

“Go out a window?” Daria pondered.

“Good idea,” Jane said. She opened the window to the right of the door...

Ten minutes later the three new friends were relaxing in the kitchen. “It's lucky that you did offer to take us home, Jennifer. I would have had a very nasty surprise when I got home,” Jane said.

“You're welcome,” Jennifer said.

“Was an interesting experience, to be sure,” Daria said.

“Daria, would you like to come with me to pick up your sister from Andrea's? I don't want to go to her house alone,” Jennifer said.

“You think that Andrea's house is creepy too?” Daria asked.

“It is very creepy,” Jennifer said.

“Bad enough that Quinn thinks its creepy, but you too?” Daria asked for clarification.

“Amiga, you haven't been there. It has a creepiness that one cannot describe!” Jane said, shivering.

Daria turned to Jennifer. “I'll come with, but why are you picking up Quinn?” she asked.

“I would like to get to know her better,” Jennifer said.

“I guess so,” Daria said.

Jane waved as the blue Beetle drove off. 'Who knew that Jennifer was actually interesting once you got to know her,' she thought. She turned to go back inside and saw Trent coming down the stairs.

“Hey, Janie. How was school?” he asked.

“I met a new friend, Daria. She's just arrived in Lawndale. You'd like her. I also made friends with someone else whom I'd hadn't considered before, Jennifer. I think she has been to some of your gigs,” Jane said.

“Cool,” Trent said.

“Quite an interesting situation back there, don't you think, Daria?” Jennifer asked. 'She may seem antisocial, but she's actually shy,' she thought.

“It's an inspiration for my writing,” Daria said.

That piqued Jennifer's interest. “You write stories?”

“Amongst other hobbies, yes,” Daria said.

“Cool,” Jennifer said.

120 Beginnings of 2019 - Meeting a Community

Meeting a Community

As he parked his car, Benjamin Danielson wondered whether he had made the right decision. Quite a lot would depend on what he chose. There was nothing else for it. He would have to go in.

As he entered, he heard at least one of the hymns that the congregation would be singing as they practiced for the service. One of the welcomers came up to him. “Welcome to Macquarie Vale Community Church,” the lady, who seemed to be about his age said. “I’m Sarah Louise.”

“Benjamin,” he said, shaking her hand. She seemed to have a strong shake, but a little reserved.

“Are you new to Macquarie Vale?” Sarah Louise asked.

“Yes. I just moved here. I needed to find a church,” he answered. He didn’t need to say that he had been a Christian since he got saved as a teenager. Not yet.

“Cool,” Sarah Louise said.

“I’ll go in now.”

As he entered the sanctuary’s main hall, the worship team began practicing another hymn “Our God He bridged the great divide

To offer us eternal life…”

‘Must be a new one,’ he thought. He hadn’t heard that one before. He soon found an empty pew and opened his Bible. He looked at the bulletin Sarah Louise had given him.

Macquarie Vale Community Church

Bible Reading

Philippians 4:4 – 9

Trusting God and Thinking on His Word

The Engineer and the Time Lady - Nina v1.1

2. Nina

Regeneration. You never knew what you were going to get. But that was jumping ahead...

Oneenejpenlumbra ducked as the Dalek trained it's gunstick on her. “EXTERMINATE!”

Too late. The Dalek's beam hit her...

She was in her second incarnation when the Time War had gone 'hot', with the Daleks attacking Gallifrey itself, having found a way to neutralise the Transduction Barriers. Therefore she thought she knew what regeneration was like. She was wrong

The Beam hit her, and she fell. Her memory went into overdrive as the regeneration started. She nearly lost conciousness.

“ALERT! REGENERATION IN PROGRESS!” the Dalek was still there.

She stood up. “I'll take you with my current incarnation!” she said.

“EMERGENCY RETREAT!” the Dalek moved backwards as it attempted to retreat.

“No!” the Time Lady said as she redirected the regeneration energy towards the Dalek.

“UNABLE TO RET...” the Dalek was interrupted as the regeneration energy overcame the Battle Unit's defences, blowing it up, along with the creature inside.

She then retreated herself, back towards her TARDIS, which she had landed close by...

She entered the ship and collapsed. “No!” She crawled to the console, stood up and set the ship in motion, back to Gallifrey, and collapsed again as the regeneration continued.

One never knew what they were going to get.

Something was wrong. She crawled away from the console room. “Must... get... to... Zero... Room!”

She would later reflect that she got to the Zero Room with hardly any time left, certain that the TARDIS had ensured that the route was as straight and short as possible.

One never knew what they were going to get.

She awoke and looked around the Zero Room. She was relaxed in the simplistic environment. 'But I need to check if I'm back on Gallifrey,' she thought. However, as soon as she exited the room it started. She could hear that Dalek in her mind.

EXTERMINATE

It caused her to look around the corridor. Her hearts were racing even as the TARDIS tried to calm her. “Stop!” she said, her hands at her temples. She started running through the corridors, back to the console room. However, she only got so far, before she turned back to the Zero Room in a panic.

She closed the doors and breathed heavily. Something was definitely wrong. She reopened the doors, and felt the TARDIS' presence in her mind. The ship was pensive, clearly worried about her pilot. “OK, I'm going to run to the console room.”

She ran though the corridors, trying not to think, but anxiety rising. However the TARDIS was making it easy. The corridors weren't a maze, but rather more-or less a straight line, between the Zero Room and the Console room. She entered the console room in a panic. She breathed deeply and looked at the instruments. She could see that the TARDIS had landed. She was back on Gallifrey.

There was a TARDIS, another Time Lord had arrived, bringing news of the ongoing defeat. But he or she hadn't yet come out.

“Not again!” There had already been many instances of Time Lords returning to Gallifrey with their minds affected by trauma related to fighting the Daleks. With their more complex brains, psychological issues were more complex than in other species.

“Do we know who's TARDIS this is?” another of the Time Lords asked.

“Checking,” a third Time Lord said. There was a beep. “Oneenejpenlumbra. She was defending an outpost in Sector 27.”

“I see,” the first Time Lord said. He was interrupted as the TARDIS door opened and Oneenejpenlumbra stumbled out.

“Home!” she said, in a tired sounding tone. But suddenly she shuddered and placed her hands on her temples as if trying to ward something off.

The three Time Lords could see that something was wrong with her. “Are you OK?” the first Time Lord asked.

“No! I've just regenerated, of course I'm not alright!”

“There's something more...”

“Can you get me to a Zero Room?” Oneenejpenlumbra asked, before she fell into one of the Time Lord's hands.

“You need more than a Zero Room.”

Oneenejpenlumbra awoke. It was the second day after she had returned to Gallifrey. She looked around, she could see that she was in a Zero Environment. “Lay out the worst,” she said to the person next to the bed.

“The Regeneration went wrong. It intensified the trauma of your previous incarnation's final moments, rather than suppressed it,” the medical technician said.

“Is there anything you can do?” she asked. She shuddered as the memory stirred in her concious thoughts.

“It has become firmly embedded into your memory,” the technician explained.

“So, I need therapy, is that it?” Oneenejpenlumbra asked, with some sarcasm.

“Wit,” the technician commented, quietly “As good as a coping mechanism as any other.” He raised his voice, and answered “Yes.”

“Great!”

“Sarcasm is a good way to deal, but you do need help.”

Oneenejpenlumbra nodded.

Some time later

The Time War waged on. More Time Lords were incapacitated psychologically. Oneenejpenlumbra was merely one of the first.

The news wasn't good. Oneenejpenlumbra wanted to go back out and help, but even the thought of confronting a Dalek was enough to bring on an anxiety attack, so she wasn't allowed to. At least she was helping others who were in similar predicaments. She came to a room, where one of those she was helping was assigned to. She opened the door, and found it, empty. Empty? “Where is he?” she asked herself. He had to be somewhere.

She looked for him, but he was missing. There had been rumours, of Time Lords fleeing, but she didn't expect this. 'How many have fled?' she wondered, not for the first time.

One thing was certain, she had to report his disappearance. As with everything, Time Lord society didn't want hear of the disappearances.

Lawndale and Sandi Griffin's Genie - Chapter 2 - Part 4

Anna and Chip entered the Science Block.

“Anna, don’t tell me you are doing what I think you are doing!” Chip said, in a slightly agitated tone.

“Chip, the genie may be hiding up there,” Anna protested.

“That wouldn’t matter if whomever has whatever is standing in for a lamp is not also there,” Chip countered.

“I am still going up there,” Anna said, as if daring Chip to deny her the exploratory opportunity. “Besides, I heard that it was Sandi Griffin,” she continued.

‘The president of the Fashion Clique?’ Chip thought. “You don’t know what is up there,” she said, responding to Anna’s previous comment, as they came to one of the flights of stairs to the second floor.

“I know. Think of it as an opportunity to explore,” Anna said, as she started going up the stairs.

‘It is a good thing that she is a member of the Orienteering Club.’ Chip thought as she followed her upwards.

Two minutes later, the two seniors opened a door marked Roof into a corridor much like all other corridors in the school. There were only minor differences. The floors, walls and ceilings looked the same. The Linoleum, the lockers and the lights were of the same colour. The doors were also the same colour. However something felt off (at least to Chip, if not to Anna).

“So far, it looks like anywhere else in the school,” Anna said, her voice showing a slight disappointment.

“But anything could be waiting in the classrooms,” Chip countered, with a slight edge of fear in her voice.

“Spoilsport!” Anna said, picking up on Chip’s fear. She led the way to a nearby door. It was unlocked. Anna slowly opened it. The science lab inside looked similar to the labs on the floors below, except that it had cruder looking instruments, inkwells in most of the desks and metal chairs.

“It looks more like something out of a Frankenstein movie than a high school science lab,” Chip said.

“It’s not that bad,” Anna said as she stepped into the slightly Frankenstein-ish science classroom.

“Maybe not,” Chip conceded. They looked around that room before moving on to the next room.

“So you are saying that the rumours yesterday were true, that there is a genie, that Sandi Griffin is involved and that you want my help in setting up a distraction so that Ms. Li doesn’t find out?” Jodie Landon asked, incredulously.

“Yes,” Daria said.

“What she said,” Jane said.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Jodie objected.

“Believe me, the last day has been rather strange, but the events happened!” Quinn said. ‘Of course, most of the people did not see what happened for themselves, but that doesn’t mean that they didn’t hear about it,” Quinn said.

“I remember everything,” Stacy said.

“My imagina-ation is not tha-at active,” Tiffany said. She knew that her imagination was not that active ‘If I did have a more active imagination, I would have been able to help more with the discussion at Quinn’s,’ she thought.

Jodie sighed. “If it were anyone else telling me this, Daria, I wouldn’t have believed it, even with that extra floor. I mean that could be a scheme of Li’s accomplished via smoke and mirrors, right?”

“Not really,” Jeffy said.

“Anyway, I’m in,” Jodie said, ignoring Jeffy.

“If Jodie is in, I’m in,” her boyfriend, Michael ‘Mack’ Mackenzie, said.

“That’s great!” Quinn said in celebration.

“The question is; how are eight people going to distract the principal when a genie is potentially causing chaos?” Jodie asked. ‘Eight people can only do so much in the face of such chaos,’ she thought.

“We are going to need more people,” Quinn said. ‘But who else would want to help us?” she thought.

“Like Andrea, and some Sophomore Brains,” Daria said.

“That would be a good start, but what about Upchuck?” Jodie asked.

She was about to say something more when she was interrupted by a synchronised “Eeeeww!” from the Fashionable Trio.

“He is good with magic tricks, He could possibly use smoke and mirrors to hide the genie’s antics,” Jodie said. ‘Once one looks past his ultrasuave act he is actually a good person,’ she thought.

“I thought he gave up that hobby when he started acting all ultra-suave,” Jane said.

“Believe me, he hasn’t,” Mack said.

“If we find Upchuck, we will talk to him. As it is, we are running out of time. We need to start an interim plan now,” Daria said. ‘We are running out of time. There are less than ten minutes until homeroom,’ she thought.

Quinn glanced at her watch, “Yikes! You’re right!” she said. They began discussing an interim plan.

At the same time as Chip and Anna entering the Science Block and Daria et al talking to Jodie and Mack, Brooke was looking for Sandi between the Library and the Arts/Music block. She then heard Andrea saying “Be careful Sandi!” Brooke looked and saw that Torii was already moving in on Sandi.

“Be careful Sandi,” Andrea said.

“I know I have to be careful!” Sandi said.

“There you are Sandi!” Torii said. “This time your time trick won’t work!” she continued. ‘Bring it on!’ she thought, readying herself for what might come next.

“And why is that?” Sandi asked, glaring at Torii. Torii charged, grabbing the emerald. She and Sandi then struggled. Sandi grabbed Torii’s hair. Torii then also grabbed Sandi’s hair. Sandi used her other hand to try to wrestle Torii’s hand off the emerald. This went on for a minute before Torii decided to wish Sandi somewhere else. By this time a large crowd had gathered, including Jean, Andrea (both hoping that Sandi would beat Torii back), Brooke, Ted, Joey and Jamie.

“I wish that Sandi would be elsewhere!” Torii said. ‘Now, I have the emerald!’ Torii thought, gloating.

“No!” Sandi said before she vanished, leaving Torii holding the emerald.

“Where did she go, Torii Jericho?” Andrea asked.

“Why don’t you ask the genie, Hecuba!” Torii said. She purposely wasn’t on a first name basis with unpopular teens to spite them.

“She is still in the school!” Jean said, to Andrea. At Joey’s glare she said “She’s not in the pool though.”

“Good,” Joey said.

Torii looked at the extra floor on the science block. ‘No, I’ll leave that there. There may be no telling what useful nick-knacks may be in there,’ she thought. She came up with a wish. “I wish for bright streamers in the school colours hanging off the side of the library,” she said. ‘That will brighten this school up!’ she thought.

Jean grumbled but granted the wish anyway. Bright blue and yellow streamers appeared, with the usual sound, hanging off the library building.

Elias was outside the cafeteria when Sandi appeared next to him. “Elias, I, like, need your help!” she said, with reluctance.

“Someone else has the emerald?” he asked.

“Torii Jericho!” she said. Elias’ eyes widened.

“Let’s go,” he said. ‘She would be worse than Sandi!’ he thought. He ran off towards the quad, Sandi followed close behind him.

Torii was still deciding what to wish next when she saw Elias and Sandi enter the quad and run towards the crowd. She grabbed the emerald. “Oh no you don’t!” Andrea said, growling. She leapt towards Torii. Torii put herself into a defensive stance, but that was no defence against 145 pounds of Goth Chick moving towards her at 10 miles per hour.

Andrea crashed into Torii, preventing her from making a wish, and knocking her over. “You are going to give the emerald back to Sandi!” she said, as she grabbed the emerald herself.

“Why don’t you want it for yourself?” Torii asked, through gritted teeth.

“It is too big a responsibility, for any one person, especially a person like me,” Andrea said. She saw that Sandi was now approaching the two. “I wish that Sandi would have the emerald back.”

The emerald disappeared from around Torii’s neck and appeared around Sandi’s neck. Andrea got off Torii and looked at Sandi in the eyes. “I hope you realize what a burden having a genie at your command is,” she said.

Sandi was at a loss for words as the bell rang. She did not know what to say in response to Andrea’s statement.

She then wished herself to homeroom.

Anna and Chip heard the bell ring as they exited the third laboratory (which definitely had Frankenstein qualities). “We can come back at recess,” Anna said.

“Possibly,” Chip said as they went back towards the stairs down to the normal part of the science block.

Daria, Quinn and the others heard the bell ring. “At least we have a basic plan,” Quinn said. ‘ I hope it works!’ she thought.

“That we do have, Quinn. That we do,” Jane said.

“Hopefully we won’t need to put it to the test,” Jodie said.

“Murphy’s law may come into play,” Daria said.

“I hope not,” Jodie said. They then dispersed to their different homerooms, after agreeing to meet at Recess.

20 minutes later, Ms Li was handed the incident report about the ‘fight’ between Andrea and Torii.

“That sort of behaviour is definitely not the sort of behaviour that Lawndale High students should be behaving in!” she exclaimed (pronouncing the school’s name in her usual manner), after she read it.

“Ms. Haley-Andrea Hecuba and Ms. Victoria Jericho, report to the Principal’s office immediately!”

Torii knew that she was in trouble if the principal used her full name. She certainly didn’t see any teachers during her confrontation with Sandi or with Andrea, but someone must have been there. She exited the economics class with trepidation (after grabbing a hall pass from Mrs. Bennett). ‘Hecuba will take the fall, no matter what she says,’ she thought.

Quinn and Jeffy looked at each other as Torii exited the room. Did this have something to do with the events related to the genie? Or was it separate? Neither were sure, so they decided to stay put.

“Ms. Haley-Andrea Hecubaand Ms. Victoria Jericho, report to the Principal’s office immediately!”

‘What is it now? I thought no staff was present when I was grabbing the emerald off that ‘Popular Girl’ Torii,” Andrea thought. She also didn’t like the fact that the principal used her first name. ‘Haley is no name for a Goth like me,’ she thought as she walked up to Mr DeMartino’s desk.

Mr DeMartino handed her a hall pass. “Whatever it is Ms Hecuba, come back ASAP!” he said.

“Whatever!” she said as she left the room.

Daria, Jane, Jodie and Mack looked at each other as Andrea left the classroom. They were wondering whether Ms. Li’s call to the office had anything to do with recent events. None of them were sure, so they didn’t follow Andrea.

“Ms. Haley-Andrea Hecubaand Ms. Victoria Jericho, report to the Principal’s office immediately!”

Stacy looked up from her work as she heard Ms. Li’s announcement. ‘Does this have something to do with the genie?’ she thought. She looked at Tiffany, whom was looking at her textbook with a perplexed expression. It appeared that Tiffany hadn’t paid the announcement any notice. She also noticed that Sandi (whom was sitting on the other side of Tiffany) had tensed up when the announcement was made. She also glanced at Jean. The genie however appeared to be engrossed in the work.

But Sandi’s reaction made Stacy think. ‘I have to check it out!’ she thought. She got up and walked to the front. “Mr. Crown, I need to go to the bathroom,” she said. The teacher absentmindedly handed her hall pass without looking at her, and continued reviewing his lesson plan. She quickly exited the classroom.

‘What is Stacy up to?’ Sandi thought as she saw her exit the classroom. She went back to the work.

Stacy slowly edged along the corridor, and ducked into an adjacent corridor when she saw Torii turn a corner into the corridor. ‘Ok, there’s the Popularity Meter Girl, but where’s the Goth Chick,’ she thought. She followed Torii quietly.

Andrea reached the principal’s office first.

“Take a seat, Ms. Hecuba,” Ms. Li said.

Andrea crossed her arms and stared at the Principal in defiance.

“You will take a seat. Your actions this morning quite possibly have tarnished the good name of Lawndale High,” Ms Li, putting more reverence into the pronunciation of the school’s name than usual.

“Why do you have to do that?” Andrea asked, referring to Ms. Li’s pronunciation.

“It shows school spirit! Now sit down, before Ms. Jericho arrives,” Ms Li said.

Andrea reluctantly took a seat. “Now, Ms. Hecuba, why did you attack Ms. Jericho?”

Andrea remained silent.

“I need an answer, Ms. Hecuba,” Ms. Li said, whilst staring Andrea in the eyes. Andrea stared back for a few seconds before responding.

“The Fifth,” she said. Telling the Principal the truth would be a very bad idea. ‘I have no idea of what would happen if she gets a hold of that emerald!’ she thought.

“You are not getting away that easily, Ms. Hecuba,” the Principal said. She placed a thick folder on the desk. “This is your permanent record. Do you want me to go through it?”

Andrea just sat back and glared at the Principal, as if saying ‘bring it on.’

“Fine, I will read your misdemeanours to you in front of Ms. Jericho.”

Andrea raised an eyebrow. ‘She has to be bluffing. There is no legal way she can do that!’ she thought.

“And I’ll read hers to her in front of you,” Ms. Li continued.

‘Still would be a bluff. But if it is not a bluff, it is the price to pay for her not knowing about the genie,’ Andrea thought.

Torii then entered the office. “What is this about, Ms. Li?” she asked.

“You and Ms. Hecuba were involved in an altercation shortly before Homeroom. Why were you fighting?” The principal asked.

Stacy tip-toed up to the office door and then began to peek through the keyhole.

52 Tales of 2019 - Reverse Map Game 2019 - 1970

1970

Americas

United States

The state of Dakota splits, due to disagreements between the north and south on how to apportion funds between the regions.

Central America

In Panama, the percentage of native speakers of Darien Norse drops below 0.75 percent.

Africa

The Egyptian rebels gain control of more land.

Europe

The Netherlands joins the EEC. Trade with the block had been increasing over the past decade, so it was to their advantage to join.

Asia

The Second War of Russian Expansion continues.

The Chinese continue to defeat the Tibetan separatists.

Oceania

Australia

The Dismissal Occurs, after the Labor Government under Gough Whitlam is unable to secure supply. An election is called, and The Coalition wins office. Labor accuses the United States of somehow causing the Dismissal...

The population of Armidale reaches 17400.

The population of Dubbo reaches 27000. The LH Ford Bridge opens but immediately shows structural issues.[1]

The last native speaker of Victorian Gaelic dies in the city of Ballarat.

Space

Apollo 13 is rescued after an explosion occurs while the mission is en-route to the Moon. It is a very near thing.

Apollo 14 is more successful.

[1] In the form of a 'Dip' over the river, which is currently being repaired.

120 Beginnings of 2019 - Men in Black - Trouble in Tokyo

Men in Black – Trouble in Tokyo

Agent M entered Agent O’s office. “You wanted to see me, Ma’am?” she asked.

“Yes,” Agent O responded, as she picked up her pad. “You did well in Chattanooga.”

“Yes Ma’am.” The Wyrm infestation was difficult to deal with, but she had sent them packing.

“There’s a problem in Tokyo. I want you to investigate.”

“You think it’s like London?”

Men in Black International review

Men In Black International

The fourth movie in the Men In Black series, originally based on a series of comics. The intro in Paris in 2016 effectively sets up the film. Agents T and H interrupting the almost engaged couple was a rather good moment of humour. Agent H being absent for a moment sets up some mystery as to what happened with Agent T, effectively setting up the main plot of the film. It also provides a bookend scene for the film (see below). The artistic styling for the Paris street is also interesting (more on that below too).

Then there is Molly, who realises that the world is more than it appears after she meets an alien who looks like a plush toy, and MIB agents neuralise her parents, but not her. The sequence that follows, where she grows up and tries to find out who was responsible was rather good. A great example of characterisation. The sequence where she follows the trajectory of a spacecraft and then sneaks into MIB headquarters shows that she's determined and is great at improvisation. As she states to Agent O, she found them.

She is soon sent to the London Branch, where Agent O says there is a problem. The introduction to MIB London, is done rather well (including the arrival via Hyperloop). Agent O's introduction to Agent H (and the others) is done rather well (even if it is reminiscent of Agent J in the first film.) Then there is Agent H, the playboy agent. (Not sure what to make of that, even if he succeeds at his mission.) That he's said to have changed since he and High T saved the world (with determination and their D7 Deatomisers), just adds to the set-up.

But there is a threat on the horizon (there always seems to be). A pair of gaseous aliens who appear in Marrakesh, and some kind of Hive race. The twins may be bland as antagonists, but that may be the point. The comedy is in the interactions with the alien prince who Agent H has to chaperone (along with an exhasperated Agent M). Not sure why the prince trusts Agent M over agent H with the weapon, but there it is. At least the death scene is moving. The intrigue in MIB London as H and M go on the run with that weapon is certainly interesting.

Who is the mole? That is the question. (Is it, Agent H? High T? Agent C? At this point in the film it could have been any of them, or another agent altogether). Again, a reminder of T and H saving the world at the Eiffel Tower (with determination and their D7 Deatomisers). To Marrakesh! The introduction of Pawney seems a little on the nose. (His culture includes a concept similar to Suppuku, we get it!) At least he is helpful to Agent M (see below). The chase scene through (and above) Marrakesh, was rather good.

The scenes at the island with the intergalactic arms dealer (whom Agent H had a 'dalliance' with) were rather good (including the call back to the start of the film). Then meeting High T at the edge of the island. (A repetition of how they saved the world.) Not until they get back to the London does Agent M realise something's wrong. High T? Back to Paris! Something's happening at the Eiffel Tower. Agent M realises that something happened that night three years before. T and H didn't save the world (with determination and their D7 Deatomisers).

High T is an agent of the Hive! And H was neuralised! At least this twist came out of nowhere (although the breadcrumbs had been laid, as to what might have happened). An interesting film. 8/10.