Disco Fever [1972]

[Heridfel]

Icarus' sudden appearance with ASTRO Labs draws a fair amount of surprise. Regular working hours have ended, so the only people who remain in thebuilding are those who don't have lives outside of work. Whether that's a good or bad thing, that describes a fair number of people at ASTRO Labs.

He has appeared in the middle of a large workroom. Parts of what appear to be rocket bodies take up most of the floor, and computers that appear positively ancient to anyone who has lived through the '90s (and more than half of the '00s) are stacked against the walls. Icarus looks around at the startled scientists. Now that he's here, he realizes that he has no idea what to say.

"So... any of you working on time travel?" he says, then mentally kicks himself for such an awkward opening. Still, now that he's done it, best to forge ahead. "I'm displaced 30 years, and I'd like to get home."

[Veiled Malice]

Ren looked about the front room, and although it seemed as though something should have been different since they had switched places with "Grandpa Lou", logic apparently held little sway over whatever laws governed magic. "Nothing new out here," he yelled back to Lynn and Mr. Silberman.

Suddenly a thought occurs to her, and Lynn yells over her shoulder. "Hey Ren, come on back here; maybe we have to touch it together."

Well, that made about as much sense as anything that was going on here, so Ren trudged into the back room again in time to hear Lou finishing up his explanation of stage magic. He shakes his head slowly then raises his hand. "Can I just say that trusting my safety and well-being to an ancient prop from a stage magician's show seems... forgive my words, but more than a little bit unsafe?"

[Veiled Malice]

Ren looked about the front room, and although it seemed as though something should have been different since they had switched places with "Grandpa Lou", logic apparently held little sway over whatever laws governed magic. "Nothing new out here," he yelled back to Lynn and Mr. Silberman.

Suddenly a thought occurs to her, and Lynn yells over her shoulder. "Hey Ren, come on back here; maybe we have to touch it together."

Well, that made about as much sense as anything that was going on here, so Ren trudged into the back room again in time to hear Lou finishing up his explanation of stage magic. He shakes his head slowly then raises his hand. "Can I just say that trusting my safety and well-being to an ancient prop from a stage magician's show seems... forgive my words, but more than a little bit unsafe?"

[Heritage]

When her grandfather finishes describing the mirror trick, Lynn begins rummaging through the trunks and suitcases. "Maybe we have to find the wand and use it somehow, like it acts like a trigger."

Well, that made about as much sense as anything that was going on here, so Ren trudged into the back room again in time to hear Lou finishing up his explanation of stage magic. He shakes his head slowly then raises his hand. "Can I just say that trusting my safety and well-being to an ancient prop from a stage magician's show seems... forgive my words, but more than a little bit unsafe?"

Lynn looks up and smiles at her concerned would-be boyfriend. "I wouldn't worry about it; it can't be any more dangerous than riding the Ferris wheel at a traveling carnival, and I do that all the time." She gives him a goofy 'I'm insane' grin and continues digging for a wand.

[Heritage]

When her grandfather finishes describing the mirror trick, Lynn begins rummaging through the trunks and suitcases. "Maybe we have to find the wand and use it somehow, like it acts like a trigger."

Well, that made about as much sense as anything that was going on here, so Ren trudged into the back room again in time to hear Lou finishing up his explanation of stage magic. He shakes his head slowly then raises his hand. "Can I just say that trusting my safety and well-being to an ancient prop from a stage magician's show seems... forgive my words, but more than a little bit unsafe?"

Lynn looks up and smiles at her concerned would-be boyfriend. "I wouldn't worry about it; it can't be any more dangerous than riding the Ferris wheel at a traveling carnival, and I do that all the time." She gives him a goofy 'I'm insane' grin and continues digging for a wand.

[Veiled Malice]

"I feel sooo reassured by that," Ren replied sarcastically. Once it appeared that she wasn't going to stop looking for the wand in question, he rolled his eyes and dug into the nearest container of junk in search for the same thing.

"Lookin' for something that's going to kill me," he mumbled half-heartedly as he did so. "Must be nuts... That's it, I'm crazy. She's gone and driven me off the deep end. Useta be a villain... okay, I sucked at that, but still, I didn't answer to no one... except my landlord... man, I need to get that jerk to look at my friggin' sink, leaking all the time..." He stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder at Lynn's backside as she rifled through her own area. "'Kay, so I'm not completely crazy, just a guy... that comes with it's own pile of stupidity attached..." He continued to mumble along the same lines for some time.

[Veiled Malice]

"I feel sooo reassured by that," Ren replied sarcastically. Once it appeared that she wasn't going to stop looking for the wand in question, he rolled his eyes and dug into the nearest container of junk in search for the same thing.

"Lookin' for something that's going to kill me," he mumbled half-heartedly as he did so. "Must be nuts... That's it, I'm crazy. She's gone and driven me off the deep end. Useta be a villain... okay, I sucked at that, but still, I didn't answer to no one... except my landlord... man, I need to get that jerk to look at my friggin' sink, leaking all the time..." He stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder at Lynn's backside as she rifled through her own area. "'Kay, so I'm not completely crazy, just a guy... that comes with it's own pile of stupidity attached..." He continued to mumble along the same lines for some time.

[Heritage]

"I feel sooo reassured by that," Ren replied sarcastically. Once it appeared that she wasn't going to stop looking for the wand in question, he rolled his eyes and dug into the nearest container of junk in search for the same thing.

"Lookin' for something that's going to kill me," he mumbled half-heartedly as he did so. "Must be nuts... That's it, I'm crazy. She's gone and driven me off the deep end. Useta be a villain... okay, I sucked at that, but still, I didn't answer to no one... except my landlord... man, I need to get that jerk to look at my friggin' sink, leaking all the time..." He stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder at Lynn's backside as she rifled through her own area. "'Kay, so I'm not completely crazy, just a guy... that comes with it's own pile of stupidity attached..." He continued to mumble along the same lines for some time.

From inside the cavernous trunk she's digging through, Lynn's amused voice can be heard.

"You know I have really good hearing, right, Mr. Mumbles? Just be glad I'm not a telepath. Bad enough I have to hear my mother say my thighs are fat." She stops digging and turns to face Ren, a touch of worry in her eyes. "They're not fat, are they? I mean, if I made them any thinner, I think I'd bend in half."

[Heritage]

"I feel sooo reassured by that," Ren replied sarcastically. Once it appeared that she wasn't going to stop looking for the wand in question, he rolled his eyes and dug into the nearest container of junk in search for the same thing.

"Lookin' for something that's going to kill me," he mumbled half-heartedly as he did so. "Must be nuts... That's it, I'm crazy. She's gone and driven me off the deep end. Useta be a villain... okay, I sucked at that, but still, I didn't answer to no one... except my landlord... man, I need to get that jerk to look at my friggin' sink, leaking all the time..." He stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder at Lynn's backside as she rifled through her own area. "'Kay, so I'm not completely crazy, just a guy... that comes with it's own pile of stupidity attached..." He continued to mumble along the same lines for some time.

From inside the cavernous trunk she's digging through, Lynn's amused voice can be heard.

"You know I have really good hearing, right, Mr. Mumbles? Just be glad I'm not a telepath. Bad enough I have to hear my mother say my thighs are fat." She stops digging and turns to face Ren, a touch of worry in her eyes. "They're not fat, are they? I mean, if I made them any thinner, I think I'd bend in half."

[Veiled Malice]

Ren sputtered a bit when Lynn revealed her far above average hearing abilities. "No! Of course not! I mean... it's not like I was looking or anything..." Note to self: when mumbling, only do so in Japanese. "... they're fine, just the right size for your..." He turned back to his own container and began frantically digging into it. "So! That wand! Where is that thing, d'ya think?"

After a moment, though, Ren looked up from his crate. "Wait, your mother? Wow... um, you might want to break up her and Sean then. You know, unless you like the idea of Icarus being your dad in the future."

[Veiled Malice]

Ren sputtered a bit when Lynn revealed her far above average hearing abilities. "No! Of course not! I mean... it's not like I was looking or anything..." Note to self: when mumbling, only do so in Japanese. "... they're fine, just the right size for your..." He turned back to his own container and began frantically digging into it. "So! That wand! Where is that thing, d'ya think?"

After a moment, though, Ren looked up from his crate. "Wait, your mother? Wow... um, you might want to break up her and Sean then. You know, unless you like the idea of Icarus being your dad in the future."

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman has been looking in another chest. He sighs slightly and speaks, "I don't know who Lainey will marry, but I'm pretty sure that she will have had more than one boyfriend before she marries that man. If I tried to stop her from speaking with boys, she would run away from home. She's a good girl for all her complaining, and she won't get herself into trouble."

He looks towards Lynn, "And she's just jealous. We don't get many superheroes in the store, though if you want my opinion, I hope you don't fight crime in stockings like that. There's no need to distract the men around you... it's unbecoming."

He pauses as he feels something in the chest, then turns his head back to look at it. He pulls out a smaller box, a little over a foot in length. He folds it open and pulls out a classic black-and-white magician's wand.

"Here it is. Lynn, you're his great-granddaughter. Maybe you have some connection to it that I lack. Take it, and see what happens," he says, holding it out to her.

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman has been looking in another chest. He sighs slightly and speaks, "I don't know who Lainey will marry, but I'm pretty sure that she will have had more than one boyfriend before she marries that man. If I tried to stop her from speaking with boys, she would run away from home. She's a good girl for all her complaining, and she won't get herself into trouble."

He looks towards Lynn, "And she's just jealous. We don't get many superheroes in the store, though if you want my opinion, I hope you don't fight crime in stockings like that. There's no need to distract the men around you... it's unbecoming."

He pauses as he feels something in the chest, then turns his head back to look at it. He pulls out a smaller box, a little over a foot in length. He folds it open and pulls out a classic black-and-white magician's wand.

"Here it is. Lynn, you're his great-granddaughter. Maybe you have some connection to it that I lack. Take it, and see what happens," he says, holding it out to her.

[Heridfel]

When the technicians have regained the voices, one of them speaks to Icarus.

"So you're the cause of those strange readings we've been getting. Chronitons mixed with gravitons, moving all over the city today," he says. "That kid, Macleod, he thought it was some superhero. Looks like he was right. Here, let me call him in." He picks up a phone at his desk and dials, relaying the information to someone.

A few minutes later, a boy comes in who looks to be a couple years younger than Sean was in this time. He has the beginnings of a mustache and goatee, but it hasn't come in thick yet.

"Ernie, you owe me 10 bucks," he says to the man who called him. Ernie winces, having hoped that Clarence had forgotten. Clarence looks over Icarus with an appraising eye.

"Due to the confluence of particles that you've been leaking, it's clear to me that returning you to your time will be simple. What you've done is a lot like stretching a rubber band and holding it there. All we have to do is make you let go, and you should snap back," he says.

"How would I do that? I'm not trying to stay here," Icarus says.

"Hmm. Come over here," Clarence says. He leads Icarus to part of the machinery covering the walls.

"This is what we used to track you. If I do this, and this, and this..." he says, making adjustments to it with a wrench that he had somewhere in his lab coat.

Suddenly, a portal opens in front of Icarus. It's golden in color, and Icarus can feel it this time, trying to pull him in.

"Wait! There were others..." he says as he is sucked through. Then he's gone, and the portal closes behind him.

"Others? Oops..." says Clarence. "I think I better find them."

Ernie looks over to Clarence, "Does this mean I don't owe you 10 bucks now?" Clarence scoffs and says, "Double or nothing I find them before the sun rises." Ernie grins, "I'll take that bet."

---

Over in the bookstore, Nanowire and Grimalkin both briefly feel a tugging sensation, pulling them into the wall. It vanishes almost as quickly as it came. A couple seconds later, Sean knocks on the doorway and comes in, Lainey trailing behind him.

"Did you guys just feel something?" he asks. "It felt weird, almost like deja vu, but it was pulling me towards here."

[Heridfel]

When the technicians have regained the voices, one of them speaks to Icarus.

"So you're the cause of those strange readings we've been getting. Chronitons mixed with gravitons, moving all over the city today," he says. "That kid, Macleod, he thought it was some superhero. Looks like he was right. Here, let me call him in." He picks up a phone at his desk and dials, relaying the information to someone.

A few minutes later, a boy comes in who looks to be a couple years younger than Sean was in this time. He has the beginnings of a mustache and goatee, but it hasn't come in thick yet.

"Ernie, you owe me 10 bucks," he says to the man who called him. Ernie winces, having hoped that Clarence had forgotten. Clarence looks over Icarus with an appraising eye.

"Due to the confluence of particles that you've been leaking, it's clear to me that returning you to your time will be simple. What you've done is a lot like stretching a rubber band and holding it there. All we have to do is make you let go, and you should snap back," he says.

"How would I do that? I'm not trying to stay here," Icarus says.

"Hmm. Come over here," Clarence says. He leads Icarus to part of the machinery covering the walls.

"This is what we used to track you. If I do this, and this, and this..." he says, making adjustments to it with a wrench that he had somewhere in his lab coat.

Suddenly, a portal opens in front of Icarus. It's golden in color, and Icarus can feel it this time, trying to pull him in.

"Wait! There were others..." he says as he is sucked through. Then he's gone, and the portal closes behind him.

"Others? Oops..." says Clarence. "I think I better find them."

Ernie looks over to Clarence, "Does this mean I don't owe you 10 bucks now?" Clarence scoffs and says, "Double or nothing I find them before the sun rises." Ernie grins, "I'll take that bet."

---

Over in the bookstore, Nanowire and Grimalkin both briefly feel a tugging sensation, pulling them into the wall. It vanishes almost as quickly as it came. A couple seconds later, Sean knocks on the doorway and comes in, Lainey trailing behind him.

"Did you guys just feel something?" he asks. "It felt weird, almost like deja vu, but it was pulling me towards here."

[Heritage]

He looks towards Lynn, "And she's just jealous. We don't get many superheroes in the store, though if you want my opinion, I hope you don't fight crime in stockings like that. There's no need to distract the men around you... it's unbecoming."

Lynn chuckles. "Nah, I never show that much leg on patrol; on a date, maybe, but not the first or second."

"Here it is. Lynn, you're his great-granddaughter. Maybe you have some connection to it that I lack. Take it, and see what happens," he says, holding it out to her.

She nervously takes it like it's a loaded gun; after a few moments, she waves it dramatically a few times, being careful not to point it at either of the others in the room, trying to sense if it's perhaps more than it seems.

Over in the bookstore, Nanowire and Grimalkin both briefly feel a tugging sensation, pulling them into the wall. It vanishes almost as quickly as it came. A couple seconds later, Sean knocks on the doorway and comes in, Lainey trailing behind him.

"Did you guys just feel something?" he asks. "It felt weird, almost like deja vu, but it was pulling me towards here."

Lynn nods vigorously, gently holding her stomach. "Yeah, I did feel it, it was weird." She looks down at the wand in her hand, then to Ren. "Do you think that was the wand, or something else? It kinda felt like it was coming from outside."

[Heritage]

He looks towards Lynn, "And she's just jealous. We don't get many superheroes in the store, though if you want my opinion, I hope you don't fight crime in stockings like that. There's no need to distract the men around you... it's unbecoming."

Lynn chuckles. "Nah, I never show that much leg on patrol; on a date, maybe, but not the first or second."

"Here it is. Lynn, you're his great-granddaughter. Maybe you have some connection to it that I lack. Take it, and see what happens," he says, holding it out to her.

She nervously takes it like it's a loaded gun; after a few moments, she waves it dramatically a few times, being careful not to point it at either of the others in the room, trying to sense if it's perhaps more than it seems.

Over in the bookstore, Nanowire and Grimalkin both briefly feel a tugging sensation, pulling them into the wall. It vanishes almost as quickly as it came. A couple seconds later, Sean knocks on the doorway and comes in, Lainey trailing behind him.

"Did you guys just feel something?" he asks. "It felt weird, almost like deja vu, but it was pulling me towards here."

Lynn nods vigorously, gently holding her stomach. "Yeah, I did feel it, it was weird." She looks down at the wand in her hand, then to Ren. "Do you think that was the wand, or something else? It kinda felt like it was coming from outside."

[Veiled Malice]

Lynn nods vigorously, gently holding her stomach. "Yeah, I did feel it, it was weird." She looks down at the wand in her hand, then to Ren. "Do you think that was the wand, or something else? It kinda felt like it was coming from outside."

"No, that was definitely something else." Ren walked over to the wall where he felt the pulling sensation and put one hand up. When he didn't immediately feel anything, he frowned and put it back down. "Things like that don't just happen. There has to be some sort of energy behind it." His frown turned even more pronounced as he stared at the wand Lynn was holding. "On the other hand, magic doesn't have to play by natural laws, so it's entirely possible I'm wrong about that."

He turned towards Mr. Siberman. "What's behind here? Or is this just next to the alley out back?"

[Veiled Malice]

Lynn nods vigorously, gently holding her stomach. "Yeah, I did feel it, it was weird." She looks down at the wand in her hand, then to Ren. "Do you think that was the wand, or something else? It kinda felt like it was coming from outside."

"No, that was definitely something else." Ren walked over to the wall where he felt the pulling sensation and put one hand up. When he didn't immediately feel anything, he frowned and put it back down. "Things like that don't just happen. There has to be some sort of energy behind it." His frown turned even more pronounced as he stared at the wand Lynn was holding. "On the other hand, magic doesn't have to play by natural laws, so it's entirely possible I'm wrong about that."

He turned towards Mr. Siberman. "What's behind here? Or is this just next to the alley out back?"

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman shrugs, "Just an alleyway out there. I didn't feel anything."

Lainey speaks up, "Neither did I, but it looked like Sean was being pulled by something for a second." She pauses to look at what they're doing and asks, "What are you doing? Dad, you never let me play around with Grampa's stuff."

Mr. Silberman looks around the room and the half-opened boxes everywhere and falls back on a parental stand-by. "Lainey, go to your room."

"But I didn't do anything!" she starts to exclaim, but her father starts making shushing noises over her. "Lainey. Now," he says as he points out the door. She walks out in a huff, and pulls Sean along with her. Once she's gone, Mr. Silberman puts his hand to his forehead.

"Oy vey. I'm going to hear about that later," he says. "So the wand might have done something, or maybe not. Maybe try out the routine and see if more happens?"

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman shrugs, "Just an alleyway out there. I didn't feel anything."

Lainey speaks up, "Neither did I, but it looked like Sean was being pulled by something for a second." She pauses to look at what they're doing and asks, "What are you doing? Dad, you never let me play around with Grampa's stuff."

Mr. Silberman looks around the room and the half-opened boxes everywhere and falls back on a parental stand-by. "Lainey, go to your room."

"But I didn't do anything!" she starts to exclaim, but her father starts making shushing noises over her. "Lainey. Now," he says as he points out the door. She walks out in a huff, and pulls Sean along with her. Once she's gone, Mr. Silberman puts his hand to his forehead.

"Oy vey. I'm going to hear about that later," he says. "So the wand might have done something, or maybe not. Maybe try out the routine and see if more happens?"

[Heritage]

Mr. Silberman shrugs, "Just an alleyway out there. I didn't feel anything."

Lainey speaks up, "Neither did I, but it looked like Sean was being pulled by something for a second." She pauses to look at what they're doing and asks, "What are you doing? Dad, you never let me play around with Grampa's stuff."

Mr. Silberman looks around the room and the half-opened boxes everywhere and falls back on a parental stand-by. "Lainey, go to your room."

"But I didn't do anything!" she starts to exclaim, but her father starts making shushing noises over her. "Lainey. Now," he says as he points out the door. She walks out in a huff, and pulls Sean along with her. Once she's gone, Mr. Silberman puts his hand to his forehead.

"Oy vey. I'm going to hear about that later," he says. "So the wand might have done something, or maybe not. Maybe try out the routine and see if more happens?"

Lynn practically has to bite her tongue to keep from laughing; her teen mom (ew!) sounded almost exactly like her older sister Eddi when she got sent to her room...and maybe a little bit like herself a few years ago, come to think of it.

As far as the mirror goes, she studies it carefully. "Well, we might as well try the trick; if it doesn't work, we can see what that weird tugging thing was all about. Here, can you guys pull it away from the wall, and maybe hold it up if it doesn't stand on its own? I need to be able to tap both sides with the wand."

Using a little bit of her own magic, Lynn conjures up her take on Al-Kazar's costume, which owes a lot more to Barbara Eden and Princess Jasmine than to anything her great-grandfather Ira ever wore; it's got curled toe slippers and puffy silk pants, but out of respect to Louis only her arms are bare. She adjusts her golden turban, and continues to wave the wand in gentle arcs as she goes over the steps of the act in her mind.

[Heritage]

Mr. Silberman shrugs, "Just an alleyway out there. I didn't feel anything."

Lainey speaks up, "Neither did I, but it looked like Sean was being pulled by something for a second." She pauses to look at what they're doing and asks, "What are you doing? Dad, you never let me play around with Grampa's stuff."

Mr. Silberman looks around the room and the half-opened boxes everywhere and falls back on a parental stand-by. "Lainey, go to your room."

"But I didn't do anything!" she starts to exclaim, but her father starts making shushing noises over her. "Lainey. Now," he says as he points out the door. She walks out in a huff, and pulls Sean along with her. Once she's gone, Mr. Silberman puts his hand to his forehead.

"Oy vey. I'm going to hear about that later," he says. "So the wand might have done something, or maybe not. Maybe try out the routine and see if more happens?"

Lynn practically has to bite her tongue to keep from laughing; her teen mom (ew!) sounded almost exactly like her older sister Eddi when she got sent to her room...and maybe a little bit like herself a few years ago, come to think of it.

As far as the mirror goes, she studies it carefully. "Well, we might as well try the trick; if it doesn't work, we can see what that weird tugging thing was all about. Here, can you guys pull it away from the wall, and maybe hold it up if it doesn't stand on its own? I need to be able to tap both sides with the wand."

Using a little bit of her own magic, Lynn conjures up her take on Al-Kazar's costume, which owes a lot more to Barbara Eden and Princess Jasmine than to anything her great-grandfather Ira ever wore; it's got curled toe slippers and puffy silk pants, but out of respect to Louis only her arms are bare. She adjusts her golden turban, and continues to wave the wand in gentle arcs as she goes over the steps of the act in her mind.

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman nods and goes to the mirror to pull it away from the wall. As he does, the face of the mirror changes again. Nanowire and Grimalkin disappear from the mirror, and Mr. Silberman can now be seen on it. He lets go of the mirror in a hurry, but it remains the same.

"All I did was touch it," he says in a hurry, after looking back to make sure that they are still there. "I'm sure that means something, but I don't know what."

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman nods and goes to the mirror to pull it away from the wall. As he does, the face of the mirror changes again. Nanowire and Grimalkin disappear from the mirror, and Mr. Silberman can now be seen on it. He lets go of the mirror in a hurry, but it remains the same.

"All I did was touch it," he says in a hurry, after looking back to make sure that they are still there. "I'm sure that means something, but I don't know what."