FPD (First Person Dialogue) By Mary Kleinsmith (Buc252@aol.com) Rating: PG13 Category: Post-ep, MSR Spoilers: First-Person-Shooter. Very slight ones for Ghost in the Machine and Kill Switch (Can you find the common denominator? ) Summary: Mulder and Scully talk about being caught in the machine. Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me. I'm only borrowing them. Besides, we'd never get to hear them say things like this on the show. Author's Comments: This was written for ATF's First-Person-Shooter challenge. It's a little mostly-dialogue piece that involves some things I just thought needed to be discussed and others I just to. Feedback: Love it! FPD (First Person Dialogue) By Mary Kleinsmith (Buc252@aol.com) "Well, what would you have done in my situation?" Mulder demanded. "I wouldn't have gotten into your situation." "Yes, but once you had . . ." Scully exhaled a puff of air. "Look, I had no choice but to go into the game. Langley, Frohike, and Byers would've been killed." "You'd have been killed, too, need I remind you?" "We'll never know for sure, will we." "No, we won't." Silence fell between them; the recent conflicts had become a slight bane on their relationship. "If it helps any," she admitted, almost shyly, "I'll grant you, I was stupid, too." "Oh? How so?" "Once I was in the game, I missed the perfect opportunity to keep us both safe." "And how is that?" "Tell me, Mulder. . . how did the game know where you were? Where in the game you went?" "The sensors, of course." "And where were the sensors? Not in the walls, or in the environment." "No, the walls were clear. They were in the . . ." Mulder's voice trailed off, and he adopted an embarrassed expression. "In the breastplates." "Exactly. All we had to do was remove the breastplates, and we'd have been safe from her. Maitreya wouldn't have been able to find us." "We don't know that for sure, Scully." "It's the only logical explanation. How could she have shot at something that she didn't know was there? She may have blasted the crap out of the things, but otherwise, nothing would have happened." "And how would that have helped matters?" "We would have been safe." "Yes, I agree. But in the long run, the game would still be deadly." "I really don't think there was any way to defeat Maitreya from inside the game. The only way - the way that to happen - was what did happen. The kill switch." "Do you have any idea how overly familiar we've become with those words?" "Yeah, I know." Scully looked thoughtful. "Mulder, this is at least the third time we've had to fight computers run wild. Do you ever think that humans have reached the point where they're creating the method of their own destruction?" "Are you kidding? Pollution, poison, cars that go way too fast and kids that are bent on self destruction? Scully, I think that we've been creating the method of our own destruction for a long time now." "So what do we do?" "What we've always done. Everything in our power to stop it." "Even if that means taking on virtual reality?" "If we don't, who is going to? Think about it, Scully. How many people could have died if those games had shipped out on schedule? Hundreds? Thousands?" "And FPS would be looking at a hell of a lawsuit." "More likely criminal charges, I'd think. Criminally negligent homicide carries a stiff sentence." "Yes, it does." They sat together for quite some time in companionable silence. Finally, a slight grin overtook her face. "So, would you still like one of those breastplates for your birthday? "Does a game of virtual reality go with it?" "Seriously, Mulder." "Well, to be honest . . ." "Honesty the best policy," she interrupted. "To be honest, there was really only one part I enjoyed about wearing that breastplate." "And that was?" "When you took it off me." He grinned lasciviously. "Your removing mine was kind of fun, too," she smiled back. "And may I say that you're gorgeous when you're testosterone-pumped?" "You didn't like it much during the cockroach case." "No, but I've learned to use it to my own advantage since then." Her eyes glinted dangerously. "And don't think I don't appreciate it," he commented wickedly. After a pause, he asked, "Scully, what's the female equivalent of testosterone?" "Why?" "Because I really enjoyed taking yours off you, too." He pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms so she couldn't move. "Seriously, though. Why did you really come into the game like that? You could've been killed." "Is it or is it not my job to cover your ass?" "You could put it that way," he grinned. "Well, that's the story of my life." "Backing me up?" "In a way," she grinned, moving her hands from the middle of his back to a little lower. "I cover your ass during the day, so I can uncover it at night." Unable to come up with a suitable response, he simply captured her mouth with his own, silencing them both for quite some time. The End