Problems and Solutions

                            By:

                         Fox Cutter

2/7/96:

I stretched a bit, yawning. It was three in the morning, and
I had just spent the last few hours adding two more macros
to my protyping utility.

I grinned wearily, "Not bad for a two bit hack." I mutter,
saving everything and shutting down windows. I had been
working through this sense the start of the weekend, and had
been doing some minor adjustments to make it work for the
past two weeks.

I was about to stand, and crawl into bed, when I felt
someone tap me lightly on the shoulder.

Jumping, I looked back over my shoulder. Standing behind me,
grinning evilly was Oria.

"What are you doing here?"

She shrugged, "Seeing you, it's not like you've been around
the house."

I nodded, "Sorry, I've been tied up a bit with this
project."

She nodded a bit, and picked up a spiral notebook from my
desk. Flipping through it she said, "Dream Time?"

I shrugged, "Just an idea I'm playing with."

She flipped through a few more pages, "Prelude to the Next
Millennia, and Third Year of the Millennia. A new story
Fox?"

I shook my head, "No, not really, just an idea."

"Ah," she said clearing off a spot on my bed. "So, what's
wrong?"

"Nothing," I stammered out, "nothing at all. Just getting
some programming done."

"Bull shit," she stated, her paws on her hips, "You've been
like this sense you had you meeting with Jenner. What did he
say to you, and what are the HammerHeads."

I sighed, "The HammerHeads are a organization of meddlers,
they fix things. Jenner called me because he needed my help.
After thinking it over for a few days, I turned him down."

She looked at me, as she sat down on the bed, "And what
else, what shook you up so much."

I licked my lips, "Well, I wanted to do it. Four or Five
times I almost called and told him yes."

"Why not? Was his request that bad?"

I shook my head, "Nope, just a pop in then pop out job. It
would have taken four days at most. We probably wouldn't
have even broken a sweat."

She nodded, "They why didn't you do it?"

I shrugged, "I would have had to use a bio-drone again, the
thing would have messed up my school activities."

"The mark 7 is out. It's much better, the links be improved
by using your translator then a second chip."

I nodded, "Yes, that was mentioned."

She leaned forward a bit, "So that's not the reason, what
is."

"Um... What do you mean?"

She flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I've pick up a lot
of psychiatry during my time in bed. You're scared of
something. What is it really?"

I sighed, "Fear I guess. Fear of what could happen."

She nodded, "I see, you know the odds of anything like what
happened last time, happening again?"

I nodded, "It would take three 'Heart of Gold's, and then
some."

She laughed, "Oh god, remember what happened last time you
classified something as taking the Heart of Gold to do
something?"

I joined in laughing, "How could I forget! I had a hangover
for a week from just a SIP of a Garglebaster."

This was all referring to one of are miss adventures
together. Her, me, and Becky where random hoping, and landed
on a old space station, that was about to fall apart.

The station had drifted off the fold, so we're where
trapped, and about to die. Right before the structure gave
out I made the comment, "It would take the Heart of Gold to
get us out of this."

About five seconds later we found are selfs laying on the
bridge of the Heart of Gold, with Zaphod taking spit takes
with BOTH heads!

We spent a very entertaining week with him and Trilion.
Going from place to place, running from Vogons (and his
shrink). Watching the universe go foop at Millyways, and
generally have a hell of a time.

After breaking up, trying to stop, and failing for about
five minutes, Oria composed herself. "So, your fear is the
reasons we've not going anywhere."

I nodded.

She stood, and pulled out her portal controller.  "Fox, I
have an idea, something that may help. If your willing?"

I nodded, "Depends."

She hit a few buttons, "All right, I'll tell you what it is
in a few days, I need to set some stuff up. I'll tell you
what it is then. ok?"

I yawned, "Sure. I'll be back at the house tomorrow."

She opened the portal, "See ya then," and left.