steampunk Wednesday (Open)

"Nothing else, no ominous warning or anything - just smashing a mirror?" blinking at him and shaking her head.

"On a scale of Dan Aykroyd to needing a young priest and an old priest, this one was surprisingly... dull."

"Just how bizarre. I wonder why it growled?" with a deep breath "You think it would of given you a doom and gloom message first."

"It could have just been passing through and making a warning sound to deter interference. Much like a passing cougar might growl when seeing others."

"Besides" he smiled "There are scarier things in this world than a disembodied and growling voice"

"I agree, most drag queens without make up." with a smirk at Victor, because she was obviously making a joke.

"Perhaps. But I find their false breasts are equally disturbing."

"The greatest monster on earth is humanity. No creature of myth and legend; no werewolf or demon, or banshee have ever created an atomic bomb, nor stockpiled them in such quantities as to be able to wipe out all life on this earth multiple times over."

"But we are humanity, and we are our greatest enemy - from fear and fear of things different then ourselves." with a sad sigh "This is why in the end we will have no one to blame but ourselves."

"And yet we survived. We have not blown ourselves up, we have pulled ourselves back from the brink of disaster. Even war is winding down. Minor conflicts can be shown live on CNN, it's hard to fight a war anymore."

"And I hope it stays that way." with a nod to him "I'd rather not see World War III in my life time."

Victor smiled softly while staring into his largely untouched drink. "I don't think you will."

"You know, the Soviets parked nuclear missiles in Cuba, aimed right at the United States. What nobody really talks about, is that was a response to the US parking missiles in Italy and Turkey, and the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Two nuclear superpowers playing chess with each other, and using the people of the world as pawns. Oddly enough, the development of ICBM's reduced the need for this sort of stupid brinkmanship..."

"ICBM's?" looking at him confused.

"I like the fact that you don't know that term. Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles. A rocket that could launch multiple nuclear warheads across the globe. The US and Soviet Union each had such horrors that could fly through the edge of space to strike other continents. Of course the US, Russia and China still have them, but China has always behaved well, and the US and Russia are disarming and inspecting each other's stockpiles via treaties."

"Well I'm glad I didn't know the term either." with a frown "Wish I still didn't know the term. Would rather not get hit by one." with a shake of her head. "I don't see people as collateral damage."

"Nobody is going to fly one. The US and Russia are not at war and maintain a direct communication line with which to discuss anything that could set the other off. China maintains a policy of no first strike... it will never launch unless attacked first. The US and Russia have too much at stake to shoot at each other. Pakistan and India posses long rang capabilities, but are both interested in keeping the other at bay, which makes China edgy, and so keeps them both under control. North Korea would like to be able to do that, but cannot even put a functioning satellite into orbit, nor has been able to build a bomb of any great size. Israel has the bomb, but no ICBM's. No, the world is a rather safe place at the moment."

"You know you are not making me feel any better, new topic. Favorite book?" with a hopeful smile at him.

"Tom Clancy's The Sum of All Fears" he smirked and waited for a reaction before giving an honest answer

"Honestly? The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. It has a couple plot holes if you are familiar with his work, but it is a very good read and demonstrates the power of a clever mind and the human will to survive and even thrive."

She rolled her eyes at his first answer then perked up at his second answer, "Mine is silly but Then there were none by Agatha Christie, and how the reader and the group make assumptions - it's a good reminder. Redone in Identity the movie." with a smile at him.

"Ten Little Niggers in the original print run... very good book. I have a copy myself, and have enjoyed reading it many times."

"I never knew that, but I do enjoy the book. Favorite type of music?" while she kept working but the place was already clearing out early it seemed the steampunk crowd wasn't staying out late, but as she cleared out tabs they did tip some.

She came back to hear his answer.

"Favorite music? Hmmm... that is hard. I do like the Beatles though"

"Not my thing.... I'm more a dance music girl Shakira is my favorite." with a grin at him.

Victor's lone eye blinked. Slowly. "Who?"

"Oh no really?" with a look of disbelief on her face. "Should I make you a CD?"

"Dance... music? I am white. And crippled. White men can't dance. White crippled men even more so."

"You can tap your toes and fingers.' with a rich laugh "And you'd enjoy her video's."