#fenixtj

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For Tweak, for the last few weeks it's been toys toys and more toys.

They tend to be kind of niche interest...science geek kids and such. Someday maybe they'll crank out something that can compete with that damn sidhe count in Apples. But for now, hey, it's a blast to watch the designers and engineers get their creative ya-yas out.

"Okay, see, it's a gyro ball, you throw it, and it furking carries on, those aren't blades, theyre' more like oval shaped roter/glider wings..." one lobs one that whirls and chops past

The whole county has been flooded with Felice Navidad stuff

"Huh." Tweak nods as the gyro-flyer zips past. "That sure to get some biddy-bitches britches in a bunch, but kids'll love it. How many you think you can get rollin' quick? An' c'n we do it at a price point so th' locals c'n get it fer they kids?"

"I got twenty already ready to go, give me the main confabulator line and I can get you that many more in six hours.. my genius is the design"

"Who we got on that right now? Somepin what c'n be put on hold?"

"Well, We got that chain that was making the stockings with coal already included"

Tweak checks the calendar. "Come wit' me," she says with the gyro-guy, and she marches down to the confabulator to talk to the floor steward. "How much longer th' stockings want on this thing?"

"He says they're all brats and he wants to keep it going till Yule" The floorsteward says looking at her chart

"Well, he mostly ain' wrong, but I'm pullin' th' plug. Four more hours, then start switchin' t' start pumpin' out these...uh....hey, whatchoo callin' this thing?"

"The Roto-ball!" The guy says proudly.

Even as the floor steward yells out "Stocking with Coal goes off line in FOUR Furking hours... that's NOCKER time, not Eshu time... not Pooka time.. FOUR...or I use you to clean the factory floor"

Tweak nods satisfaction. "Talk t' distribution. I wan' these suckers hittin' the street locally, but we gotta get some up to El Norte, too." And with that she takes a bit of a stroll about the floor, surveying the workers with a critical eye.

The wiggle worm toy that kids can ride is ..good, really good.. but parents might hate the gallons of slime it spews out

Eh, they'll play with it outdoors. Whatever.

mmm the Krampus versus Santa fight game will be a hit with some kids...

though there's an argument on whether to include Mrs. Claus as another character option

"Hell, yes! Mama Claus throw down while Santa takin' a joy ride."

"Okay okay, but we're gonna have to stay over time to put that in... "

Tweak looks over the team and frowns. "Tell ya what. I talk t' th' numbers peeps. If we c'n swing it, do it. I think it blast th' balls off other toys, but I ain' no slavedriver, an' I ain' gonna promise overtime we ain' able t' afford. Get it set so if I give th' word you c'n jump on it an' get things started." She shoos them back to work and heads to speak to somebody about the production budget.

"I could help them get it done," the dougal sidhe woman says. "Chronos bends time."

Wait, since when does she have a Dougal Sidhe woman working here?

Tweak double-takes. "Who th' fuck is you, anyways?"

"Dame Inneal Topcog, at your service, paid my consortium dues yesterday"

"No shit. Where you from?"

"Scarsdale, trained with some of the best." SHe says "Now, that Chronal manipuation won't be a problem, and if I cast it well, they could have it hours of work done in minutes"

"Hmph. How long it gonna feel like to them? I ain' wanna cheat 'em for th' labor they actually doin'."

"It'll still feel like hours, so yeah, you'll want to pay them for it... but I don't mind helping. My project's done."

"Yer project? Whassat?"

"The Unidentified Dreaming Object " She grins "Come on, I'll show you. "

Tweak's expression is somewhere between curious and dubious, but she follows the sidhe.

It looks like a kid's sized flying saucer with a fall down dome and everything "Now... you're a grown woman so this is a tight fit. but I don't know how to show you otherwise."

Tweak looks it over, then looks at the sidhe. "Nope. I ain' gettin' my ol' ass in that. I try t' fold up like that, I ain' gonna unfold again." Then she puts two fingers to her lips and gives a sharp, piercing whistle, then yells out, "Need a product tester! Somebody who a little shit!"

A young female boggan yipes, and is plunked down into the seat "I'm still young. I'll break five feet any day!" She protests

Inneal Topcog grins "Sure. Now here you go" And she lowers the dome.

"Okay so I just... hey!" From inside the UDO... "It's taking off.... the Earth is getting smaller.." the vehicle shakes and moves a bit

"See, " The Dougal explains, "Its a personal planetarium"

Tweak mutters. "It ain' doin'...." Then she catches on...and grins a moment before catching herself and putting a scowl back on. "What she seein'?"

"Depends on where she flies her space ship" The Dougal says "Star charts from Nasa's discoverys, a bit of star trek level artistry... and she could be skimming over Saturn's rings, or weaving through asteroids. She can leave the solar system and pick a constellation... in 'seconds' she can change the scene to Alpha Centauri... all that we know.... all THEY know, and a lot of what we dream..."

Tweak turns to peer up at the sidhe, a long measuring look.

She's a pretty girl, aren't they all? But her ears have a vaguely satellite dish looking headgear

"Huh." Tweak turns to another boggan and points at the UDO. "Spot her. She barf in there, I wanna know 'bout it. Get 'er out after fifteen minutes max. Then find out from payroll if we can manage overtime for the confabulator crew. I wanna report in half-a-hour." Then she points at the sidhe. "You, come with me." And she marches off toward a nearby office or someplace they can speak quietly.

Dame Inneal follows

A small meeting room, and Tweak shuts the door behind them before turning to look the sidhe over again. "Why you here? Why a commoner kith gig, not some Barbie sidhe dream house place?"

"Why am I here? Because all my life I've wanted to up there, in space.... and maybe one day I will, but if I can't, I can sure as hell shape the next generation of dreamers to try. Do you know how much money NASA gets compared to other departments? A PITTANCE.. it's a god damned crime, it's a betrayal of all that's best in human spirit and more... and they don't think they'll make it to MARS unitl 2050? To hell with that too. Humans can be inspired, and it won't be a 'space defense force' it'll be explorers... the idea of being the first to set a foot on a planet because no one has ever done it before. It'll bring innovation, invention, and more... science isn't the enemy of wonder, it's the express train to it. Now I checked your rules, I pay my dues and met qualifications and I'm in. You never put a no noble policy, and maybe I took advantage of that, but what this place is? It's where I need to be."

A long pause, then a slow smirk. "Fuck, Coggy, you jus' said th' magic word."

"Great...which one was that in case I need it again?" She says

"All of 'em." Tweak turns and yanks open the conference room door again so it CLANGS against the wall. "That UDO, it gonna be a fucker t' make a bunch of 'em, but it gonna be a goddam dream engine. How many you figger we c'n get out th' door afore Santy gots ta shove 'em down chimneys?"