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

I don't really see a need for it to be removed just yet, d'E. After all, it's not hurting anyone. Plus, it seems to know when whatever's in there is thinking something really bad. Besides, I've been looking for an old one of these for a while. I thought that they'd all vanished for good.

*The idea is slowly taking shape in GL's head. Right now, if this were a cartoon, a lightbulb would be appearing above his head. However, the lightbulb wouldn't be lit yet.

GL notices that he is getting quite warm here, and another clue drops into place. The lightbulb begins to flicker.*

Almost there, guys. Another post or two and we can see if this incipient idea is any good.

[Protoman] I'm almost tempted to barge in there and see what's what, but there's a little matter in the way called "The Third Law of Robotics."

No there isn't. If there was, Mega Man wouldn't ever bother to face off against the other robots.

*Affy notices the lightbulb over GL's head. He contemplates turning it on, but that would increase the heat which is a tad strong*

[Protoman] Yes there is. He was saving the world from Dr. Wily; even if the bad doctor is extremely defeatable, he can't be defeated if nobody /tries/ to defeat him.

OK, I won't remove it. Besides, it's fused itself to Zeppo's collar. If we want to get it off later, we'll have to cut the collar.

Ah, but then why do Dr. Wily's robots fight? Their track record indicates that they always lose.

Well, it's certainly an odd thing. I'll see if we've got any decent replacements for dog collars upstairs if we get back there.

[Protoman] Easy: they were told to. And come to think of it, Dr. Light told Mega Man to figh them. Second Law beats Third Law. And I think Dr. Wily modified them so that the First Law only applied to him. That's what he tried to do to /me/, anyway.* He failed miserably and only managed to corrupt an MP3 file I had.

[*Footnote: "Mega Man 3"]

Altering the first robotic law in that manner really is pretty tricky. Asimov himself wrote that it really couldn't be done.

[Protoman] Well, with me, I can understand why he failed. With the others, he programmed them, so he must have done things differently.

[Roll] Can we get on with this?

*Suddenly, the light bulb goes on.*

Heat! Of course! Why didn't I think of that before?

Affy. Do you remember when this place was being built, we got in a contractor to do some of the work? And the idiot contractor installed heating ducts down here? Heating ducts! Big ones, too. Thought we wouldn't notice them on the bill. Ha! Was he surprised when we caught up with him a few years later and demanded our money back. And we would have gotten it back, too, if he hadn't just lost all his money in a card game.

Anyway, those ducts are here, and they would provide another entrance to that room. We could sneak up behind whatever is shooting in there.

*Walks over to a large machine that sits against a wall of the room. Tries to push the machine to one side, but it is too heavy.*

Someone want to give me a hand here. The heating duct should be behind this machine.

*Affy heads over and pushes as well*



This could take some work....

[Protoman and Roll help.]

*helps too*

/* Zeppo's ears perk up at the mention of ducks. d'Elaphant joints in pushing */

Let's try this.

*Sets her mini-gun to silicone, aims where the bottom of the machine meets the floor opposite where the others are pushing and squeezes the trigger. A fine spray is applied to the floor.*

Ooh, that's clever!

[The machine starts to noticeably move.]

*With just a small amount of effort, the machine is out of the way*

Great thinking, WM.

Every now and then I come up with a good one.

Who's going through the vent first?


We need a lightbulb smiley.