h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been mostly procrastinating... For 3 weeks!

Right. I've been preoccupied with the encounter between with the final encounter between Arthur and Daltremoreby. The obvious problem to me here is how to make the whole thing less routine, to avoid the obvious back and forth exchange of accusations and counter accusations. I have therefore come up with a highly scientific idea. The final encounter should take place in a space aboard the shuttle which is leaking, consequently the air is running out and it is getting ever harder for eh two to actually here each other. I have no idea at all whether this makes sense scientifically but I quite like the premise.

I like it!

The ideas we'd batted around so far were:

a) they have to communicate by radio for obvious reasons.

b) any fights have to be in slo-mo, because of the weightlessness.

c) Daltmooreby as triple agent is now out for himself, he intends to destroy to the cult AND the agency that ruined his life.

d) he is using the WRONG diamond to focus the beam on purpose.


SO - using your idea -

How about the first shot misfires completely, rupturing one of the oxygen valves, and the shuttle starts venting atmosphere? Daltmooreby doesn't care, he re-calibrates for the next shot, which is when arthur approaches and tries to stop him and daltmooreby fatalistically reveals everything about his real mission and current intent.

(Grobsvaughn meanwhile dies from lack of oxygen and passes successfully through the Hall of Two Truths.)

During Arthur and Daltmooreby fight the damage from the missfired shot sets of an explosion that rocks the shuttle and Arthur and Daltmooreby are separated. Arthur tries to save Daltmoreby but can't. The ship starts to loose orbit and re-enter the atmosphere.
The damaged wing tears away and Arthur momentarily looks out into space and the Earth spiralling away beneath him.

Just then X grabs him from behind, they both pile into the escape pod and eject.

Arthur peers out of the portal window and sees the shuttle incinerated. (but did Daltmooreby get out?)

Cue: the end.

Sounds good to me. Sorry I took so long to respond, real world concerns y'know.

SO how it goes.

I've been sick all of xmas and new year,

Well now I've got a clear idea in my head of how that scene will play out, I can maybe try and actually write something....

How's it going here clive?

It's been a busy week not written anything I'm ashamed to admit.

Been looking after an elderly relative with dementia they left over the weekend, and real life intrudes as ever. I was serious about having a clear idea of what to do so I'll find some time to sit down and be creative.

I can't help feeling that i've really contributed little or nothing to the process since I came on board. Sadly it seems I will be moving again in the next few days so my availability -and indeed my internet access- will be uncertain, but let me know if you need any help and I will do what I can.

One of us! One of us!

Have I passed some sort of complex indolence based initiation test?

I was *thinking* about this the other day and ....STILL didn;t sit down to write it. Gah I am useless!!!

Real life can intrude rather, can't it? I should be finalising the business of a second run of whatever next as we speak, but I had to move unexpectedly so it's not gonna get done when I said. Also, I have a uni project that's been in abeyance for about 2 years...

Seeing as Terran's just started up a new one of these in Askh2g2, it seemed apposite to stir the embers on this long unfinished thread. Now that the night' are drawing in, shall we make another attempt to finish it?

I mean, it's only been going for ....six years.

The problem is I'm completely lost with this one now

And I think there was only you and HPB who knew how to finish it. Give me a day and I'd come up with an ending, but not necesarily one you'd like...

By the way please feel free to post in the other thread, I'm still trying to get the bandwagon going for that one...

Just seen your post, ignore my last message

I'm a little lost on it too to be honest.

Well maybe we should set a deadline. If we can't come up with anything in a month, I'll write a Deux-ex Machina style ending - that no one will probably like but at least will draw it to a close? How does that sound?

I seem to remember we set a deadline of the new Indiana Jones movie being released.

Didn't work then.

The annoying thing is, the ending we kind of decided on, it was the getting to the ending...