Luke Vance, code name: Apollo
Now 

          Unusually, the door into Shae’s living room was unlocked.  I suppose, looking back, that was a good thing, because I don’t think a locked door would’ve even slowed me down right then. 

          I barged in, prepared to read my little sister the riot act- and then I stopped.  I had, apparently, not given Shae quite enough time to switch into her street clothes.  I caught her on her in the room between her bathroom and her bedroom, startling both of us.  She glared at me, standing in her hallway, wearing nothing but the towels she wrapped around her body and hair. 

          “Jesus, Luke,” she snapped, “Don’t you knock?” 

***** 

Now 

          “So, you figure out what it is, yet, Professor?” 

          Moe was looking curiously over the older man’s shoulder as he tinkered with the tiny device.  She’d found it outside the warehouse while the firemen had been finishing up their sweep of the warehouse.

          The professor had planned for the arrival of authorities, fortunately, and his work had been covered and hidden, leaving very little in the way of suspicious evidence- and nothing the police would be able to use in order to get a warrant. 

          Meanwhile, Moe had been scouting outside near where Professor Stearns had first detected the energy fluctuation.  Whatever had created it was long gone by the time the firemen pulled in, but, apparently, she’d left something behind. 

          Stearns had been quite excited when she’d given it to him- he didn’t know precisely what it was, nor did he know how exactly it worked, but it was clearly technology of some sort.  It was about the size of a grain of rice, maybe a little bigger, and incredibly fine, hair-like wires sprouted from its body. 

          “It is incredible, is what it is, my dear,” Professor Stearns breathed.  His use of the endearment brought a flush of pleasure to Moe’s cheeks and she bit her lip. 

          “It is a transmitter and receiver of some sort,” he continued, “incredibly advanced.  I could never make something like this- whoever did this is many years, perhaps decades, more advanced than current terrestrial technology should allow for.” 

          He frowned. 

          “What is it, Prof?” Moe prodded. 

          He rubbed at his chin.  “I am convinced,” he said at length, “this thing is of terrestrial origin.  I believe, perhaps, someone such as Polygirl might be able to design something like this and I do not doubt Stranger Industries could manufacture it… but the design is a bit eccentric. 

          “Technologists, like any other artists, are egotists at heart.  There will be a signature, here, and I will find it.  When I do…” 

          Moe waited.  It was all she could do to keep from tapping her feet with impatience. 

          “When I do, Moe, I want you to invite this clever individual to visit with us.”

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Hey, look- CHEESECAKE!  Okay, seriously, it's in the story, so it's not entirely gratuitous.  Actually, as the scene was originally written, Shae was wandering through her house in a bra and panties, but since had the towel prop available...

This picture- and all the artwork for Shooting stars- is brought to you by the amazingly talented and lovely .

Shooting Stars is an epic tale (okay, maybe that's pushing it, but I've always wanted to call something I wrote an epic) taking place in  and will feature characters by , , and an appearance of Esau by .

All the characters in this section belong to .

Polygirl and Stranger Industries (both mentioned) belong to .

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