Preparations - The Lone Marine

Long and the short stranger kept staring at each other while TLM was trying to get ther're attention."helloooooo" anybody home?".suddenly Long jutted his hand out and told TLM to get back to the tank and keep workin."whatever."he said as he started to walk away towards town.

When he got towards the local computer store he started to browse around the aisles. He then saw a dusty old cd-case in the back with a strange title and description.AI it was called and it's description was your artificial inteligence for your everyday supercomputer. Then he noticed three small robots on the back."ah wut the h*ll"he said as he started walking to the register.

He also took 1 of the tours of BHQ. He saw a strange seen on a screen in the gamers lounge.there was a zergling in W3. He scratched his head and then saw goo fly out of the screen and onto the gamers crowded around the screen. He casually walked in and said whats goin on? They told him a bunch a strange stuff was happenin on W3. He then left and got lost and then noticed by jim for taking a picture.he was then taken outside and he strted back for the tank.

while all this was happening long had kept staring at the short stranger when out of the blue he turned into a buncha blue haze.Long with a puzzled look on his face started back for the tank.When TLM finnaly got back to the tank Long was there lookin for
him."where have you been?"Long asked."O just browsin
around.i got some kind of software program and got a tour of
blizzard."he replied"Are they gonna have lings in
it?"Long raised his shoulders as in saying "I dunno."

TLM shook the thought off his mind and started inside.he heard the rattling from inside and then banged on it."Quiet in there!""Hello?"came the weak voice of the CEO.TLM then tossed a jug of water and some chips inside."These should hold ya over."then locked the door again and started for the main computer.

When he turned it on he immediatly put the AI cd in the drive and it started up it's autorun.he then installed it which took about 15 min."must be one big file."he said to himself.

Then when it finnaly got done he heard the message "Please release my robots sir."It seemed to be coming from everywhere."WHAT THE HELL!""Please release my robots." came the voice again.it seemed a bit computerized.he then quickly looked for the package the cd came in and released the robots."thank you sir.I am glad you have decided to use AI as your computer's voice.now let me introduce myself.my name is--"

"Wait a minute let me get this straight."said TLM."You're the computer?""yes sir now let me introduce myself again.My name is whatever you want it to be.So please select a name.""ummmm.....how's about....Mellisa.""good choice sir.now i see here that you are trying to hook up a rocket device am i correct?""yes I am.""let my robots help and you'll should be done in 5 hours and 12 minutes and 58 seconds.""ok then lets get to work."TLM said as he started to head out the door.

Long,who was drawing up plans,didn't notice the small robot floating above him."man do you ever get the feeling you're being watched?"Thats when he noticed the robot floating above him."HUH??""dont worry my name is mellisa and i am the computer.""HUH??""She's the tanks computer ok and if we start workin we'll have this done by tonight."said TLM."ok. i guess."and he got back to drawing plans.

Exactly 5 Hours 12 minutes and 58 seconds Later they were finished."phew."said TLM while he rubbed the grease off his arms."Finnaly finished."Said Long."yep."Replied TLM. "well i'm gettin outta here.i've got a long way to go.""Can i come said Long?""sure why not.Mellisa we're getting ready to launch.""Yes sir."and then the 3 Robots hurried inside the tank and alligned themselves up neatly on the shelf.

When they jumped inside they shut the hatch and sat down."Well looks like we've got a long trip ahead of us."said TLM as he stared into the night sky from the screen.Sudddenly they were being lifted up!"we'll need to be facing upwards to achieve the right Velocity to get into space."Said Mellisa."Hello?"came the fammiliar voice of the CEO.TLM then banged on the door and said"I thought i told you to SHUT UP!"

"Begin the countdown sequence.""Begining now." 20.....19....18.....17....16....15....14....13....12....11....10....9. ...8....7....starting engines....4....igniting boosters....2....1....

A loud soind started to fill the room as they started thier ascent into space.