Shorthand Episodes....

So, meanwhile, Betty and the remaining people are approaching Dr. Leebig's estate....

Ragan

I look down from the hill (hidden from sight by the forest there) moving a lock of red hair from out of my eyes, seeing the odd man in question frantically trying to revive the dozens of downed robots with his vast skills. Futile, but I got to give him an "A" for effort!

"Let's see," I think I mutter, thinking aloud as I look out from where we stood at the large estate being touched by dawns early light before us, "Roxanne and Inquirer did say that that fellow down there is much more comfortable with his robots than with people."

"To the point of reverting to the point of sucking on his thumb by the mere thought of meeting with Baley in the book," Betty added, or so she thought she had said.

"So I can see," the Doctor agrees, "I have to ask, based on that episode: do you talk to yourself a lot ordinarily?"

"Oh yes." I chuckle, looking over at him, " That bit of characterization was quite accurate."

My sister also smiles, amused by the bemused look on the Timelord's face.

"That is not exactly what I was speaking of, my dear." he then says gently, causing me to blink.

"I was speaking instead of the....er....shorthand you use there?" the Doctor asks, "I must say, while the TARDIS gives me the ability to speak and understand all spoken languages.....I couldn't follow half of what you'd said there until the very end."

I blink again and glance at Betty, who looks as surprised at that as I.

"Oh, that's normal after a while when analogs are speaking with each other,"B'Elanna says softly, "Why, my "sisters" back on the Voyager sometimes do it unconsciously at the drop of a cloth if they aren't careful. Doesn't interfere with normal conversation and ship operation with others, being that the 'shorthand' only happens in personal conversations."

I remember Glimuriel and E'eysha saying that similar things had happened with their analogous brothers and sisters back on Terra Prime. In fact, smaller episodes had happened in the past to me and Betty. I guess that in the course of things we forgot to make an effort to overcome the urge when we feel it coming on. It took but a small effort of will, and always would, to drive it off. Just this time we slipped.

Haven't seen the Doctor do that yet, but.....

"I believe we should go ahead and apprehend Leebig," Elrondir says, pointing down at the man in question, "I fear that if he gets any more frantic he'll be liable to do something unfortunate....."

1. He trails off as we see that somebody appears to have approached Leebig already....and Leebig isn't liking it at all!

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