[The Park] Date #2

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

Marshall and Lisa Cuddy are out in the park. Marshall is setting up a model rocket and smiling geekily at Lisa every now and again.

Comments

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

Lisa shivers a little bit, even though the evening is quite warm for this time of year. "So, did you build this from a kit? It looks... professional."

She smiles at him, obviously impressed.

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

"Um, yeah, some of the parts are from kits, because I don't have the resources or time to really, y'know, manufacture them myself. But the design is mine. It's a boomerang rocket. It'll return to the exact point of origin."

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

She looks a little worried. When Marshall invited her to test the rocket, she immediately went online and spent hours researching them - almost every type on the market, and all the science behind them. But she didn't read anything on boomerang rockets.

"Wow, that's... really cool. Does it have a name? Do rockets have names? Space craft do, and ships, do rockets count?"

Oy, with the rambling.

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

"I call it Lisa um... why don't you name it? I, uh, can't really send it off without a name. I mean, well, I could but that would... they say it's bad luck and I'm kind of running on more good luck than I'm used to lately and I'd kinda like it to stick around." He fished a Sharpie out of his messenger bag. "If you'd like to..." he said, offering the marker to her.

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

She takes it and smiles, pondering for a moment. "How about The SuperSwank6000 Lester? I mean, just because we both like Beakman's World, and I thought... you know, for good luck."

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

Marshall grins and fails to mention that Lester was unerringly wrong about everything vaguely scientific. In fact, he fails to think of it. He just thinks something along the lines of "Omgwow" in Klingon. "Yeah, that'd be completely neat."

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

Lisa grins, not realizing she may have just totally compared herself to a giant, talking rat. She labels the rocket appropriately, although her handwriting isn't exactly stellar, and then places it back down. "Ready?"

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

"Um, yeah. Definitely." He fishes two pairs of dark glasses and a gigantic remote control. Putting on one pair, he hands the other to Lisa. "Put these... put these on... and get under the bench with me." He pulls the antennae out of the remote.

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

This is where logic, and fear for her own safety, should come into play.

Instead she giddily takes the glasses, snaps them on, and wiggles under the bench with Marshall, pressing her side against him even though there's plenty of room.

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

Marshall hit the big green button marked "Zowie!" The rocket sat on its launcher, unmoving.

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

Lisa gives Marshall a little reassuring smile. "Maybe I messed with something by accident when I wrote the name on it, I can go check if you want?"

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

"No. Just wait..." The rocket makes the smallest of small noises and begins to vibrate almost imperceptibly.

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

"Ahhh... a delayed 'Zowie!'" She says in a whisper, as if she will ruin the launch with her voice somehow. "Happens to a lot of guys."

She realizes she just said that in front of Marshall, and not, you know, anyone else on campus, and backtracks. "Not that I would know anything about that, or anything. I mean, I know about it. I could draw you a..."

She stares straight ahead, hoping for a misfire straight between the eyes.

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

The rocket's tailend flashes, buzzes... the light actually begins to swirl. "Yesyesyesyesyesyes." Marshall's hand reaches out and clutches Lisa's, the excitement overcoming him.

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

She smiles happily and squeezes his hand back. The lights continue to shine and the rocket is making some supremely funky noises, which Lisa as a good sign - looking at Marshall's reaction.

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

The rocket shakes and bursts off of the launcher spiraling in the air. As the projectile reaches the apex of its flight, Marshall hits another button and a tiny module drops off, spinning the rocket backwards right as it makes another short burst, heading back for the launcher. The science would seem faulty if it weren't for the magic of magnets guiding the flight.

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

Lisa pulls off her goggles for a second, staring wide-eyed.

"That's... the coolest thing I have ever seen."

[flinkmeister.livejournal.com]

Marshall frowns. "It didn't do the secondary launch of the little rocket that said 'Hi Li..'" He coughs. "Li Flammable. Highly Flammable. Because, um, I'm a fan of ... combustion. Sometimes. Um..." He wriggles out from under the bench and runs a hand through his hair. "That should have worked better."

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

She stays under the bench for a moment, tilting her head and pulling her goggles fully off.

"What do you mean? That was great. Plus, I don't think Goddard got it right every time," she says with a smirk.