From: "Ryan Mathews" <mathews1@ix.netcom.com>
To: <ffml@fanfic.com>
Subject: [FFML] [QUICKFIC] [TENCHI] How Washu stays young...
Date: Fri, 29 May 1998 00:38:00 -0400


(I prefer "Quickfic" to "Spamfic", since I don't consider this spam...)
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        Sasami walked into Washu's lab to find the scientist working on a
project.  Washu brightened as she noticed her.  "Ah, just what I needed.
Come over here and help me out!"
        "I brought you some lunch!"
        "Thank you so much!  Set it down over there, okay?  Now I want you
to stand at this console here and follow my instructions."  Washu began to
undress.
        Sasami found a small table and set down the bento.  "What are we
doing?"
        Naked, Washu stepped onto a small pedestal.  "If this works, I'll
gain the ability to remodulate temporal quantum flux!"  Sasami gave her a
confused look.  "Never mind.  I'll demonstrate when we're done.  Just hit
the green button."
        Sasami did as she was told.  A transparent tube slid down over
Washu.   "Now enter 45791 on the digital pad, and hit 'GO'."  Sasami did
so, and a humming noise began to build.  Energy glowed within the tube,
caressing Washu's body.
        "Yes!" exclaimed Washu.  "It's working!  It's-- wait.  Something's
wrong.  Sasami, adjust the polar dynamic."
        "What's that?"
        "It's the button next to the---AAAAAGGGHH!"  Washu yelled as energy
crackled within the tube.  "Oh, shit!  Abort!  ABORT!!"
        "I don't know how!" cried Sasami, panicking.  "What should I do?!"
        "Just...  AUUGGGGHHH!"  Energy crackled again, then glowed
white-hot.  "EEEEEEAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH--!"  Washu's screams were cut off as she
was quickly incinerated.
        "No!" cried Sasami.  "WASHU!!"  She ran over to the pedestal as the
tube, now charred black, raised back into the air.  Sasami fought her way
through the smoke, coughing.  Nothing remained of Washu but a small pile of
gray ash.  "Washu!!"
        Around Sasami, Washu's lab came to life.  A monitor began to
display a message: "GENERATING REPLACEMENT CLONE".
        Doors slid open, reveleaing a large tube.  The tube filled with a
pink liquid.  The liquid began to fade in color as nanomachines inside the
mixture assembled the molecules into a new Washu, first the skeleton, then
internal organs, muscles, nerves, then finally, skin and hair.
        The monitor display "LOADING MEMORIES: 0%", then counted up to
100%.  The now clear liquid drained from the tube, a flash of light dried
her skin and hair, and out stepped Washu.  She checked herself over, seemed
satisfied, and walked over to Sasami.
        "Well, what happened here?"
        "You--  You just--"
        Washu grabbed a handful of ash and let it run through her fingers. 
"Oops.  Looks like it's back to the old drawing board."  She looked at
Sasami, whose cheeks were still wet with tears.  "Don't worry about it,
kid.  This isn't the first time I've fried myself.  Probably won't be the
last, either."
        "This has happened before?" sniffed Sasami.
        "Are you kidding?  This," said Washu, clapping the ash off her
hands, "was Washu #2,716.  I'm Washu #2,717."  She picked up the pile of
clothing and began to put it on.
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Well, it makes sense to me!  :-)

------RM