Saturday, April 16, 2096

6:05 am

Portlandia, New America

It's been two months since we last receieved dispatches from the crew of the Black Flea. They were stuck on Earth as their passports all expired on or about March 1, 2096. The crew had to split up while waiting to have their passports renewed, with Red and Shoko citizens of New America and Syvil and Warubozu Usagi citizens of New Hawaii.

With the Black Flea parked in New Hawaii without its quantum compter operator (Shoko), dispatches had gone dark to the frustration of Wu-chan. Shoko and Red, with the Little Black Flea, have finally finished building their own quantum computer for the Little Black Flea.

This constitutes the first dispatch from that new device, with its own ability to create temporary micro wormholes for limited communication transmissions to the past.

Shoko: (waking up, putting her glasses on) Red, what are you doing up so early?

Red: (busy staring at the screen) Shoko, how do I send a message back to my gramma?

Shoko: Oh you sweet Tanuki, you can't risk sending messages to your grandmother. Do you want to test the time-travel paradox?

Red: No, but I miss her, you know? She used to get me roasted chestnuts whenever I got a B in school.

Shoko: You mean an A?

Red: No, no. I never got As except in phys-ed and shop. I wasn't much of a scholarly type like you.

Shoko: (regretting bringing it up) Oh, well um, you're very talented in mechanical things, you husky shell of a Tanuki. Only you can fix just about everything on a ship.

Red: (kindly breaking the uncomfortable subject) Isn't it unusual that Wu-chan and Syvil haven't sent us any messages or called?

Shoko: (smiles) Oh no, Wu-chan had been trying to get in contact with us but I programmed the phones and our accounts to reject their calls and messages.

Red: Why?

Shoko: Red, they're in New Hawaii. Surely he has better things to do than to constantly communicate with us, like pay attention to Syvil.

Red: Ohh! Is that why we have Meri with us?

Meri: Wuf!

Shoko: Well, that and I wanted to upgrade her parts and give her the ability to jump a floor, isn't that right Meri? Meri, jump!

Meri: (launches into the air and onto the roof of the Baby Black Flea) Wuuuuf!

Red: Whoa. Can you do that for me, too?

Shoko: You sweet, adorable Tanuki. Your mass is three times higher than hers. I'm so sorry.

Red: Aww.

Shoko: I can put retractable wheelies in your feet. How about that?

Red: (Red rushes to Shoko to give her one of his big Tanuki hugs.) Yes!

Shoko: Ohh, okay now, big boy. Calm down.

Red: Can you make my eyes shoot lasers like Meri?

Shoko: (sternly) NO.

Red: Wheelies it is!

Shoko: (slithering back under the covers, in a muffled voice) And make some coffee.


— The Warubozu Usagi