Fire At StarLabs: One Rat's Hair-rowing Tail

By Dawn <rfield@infi.net> & Anne D. <anned2000@yahoo.com>

Rating: G

Submission: July 2001

For almost a year now the Index Crew has been doing the weekly updates of fic posted on Zoom's board. Two of us decided to pay a tribute to one of our group, the recently appointed EIC of the Archive :) We hope you enjoy this little salute to everyone's favorite rat :)

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Version 1: Fire At StarLabs: One Rat's Hair-rowing Tail

by Dawn F.

Without warning, the explosion ripped through our building. The aftershocks of what must have been an experiment-gone-bad on a lower floor of the glass edifice could be felt throughout the structure. Emergency sirens klaxoned their warning to all occupants to vacate immediately.

Bernie managed just in time to salvage his beaker of sustenance, saving it from ending up on the floor with the other broken equipment.

"Everyone out!" Bernie yelled at staff, as they attempted to rescue what they could of their work.

The heat from below could be felt through the floor. It wouldn't be long before the flames made their presence known in the lab.

Bernie looked around frantically, trying to determine how he could save it all, as the sprinkler system kicked in. Around him, the heat from the fire was causing the chemicals in other beakers to pop and explode, sending noxious materials into the air and onto the floor.

Bernie looked up from his workspace at the sound of a distant siren. Maybe they would be in time.

But he couldn't stay much longer. The floor was getting hotter by the moment, and already smoke was beginning to fill the room.

Trusting his life's work to the city's finest, Bernie grabbed the disks containing Superman's files and, ducking, ran from the room. Before he left he looked longingly in our direction. I knew he wanted to come for us, but he couldn't. It was too late for him to save us.

The smoke became thicker, stinging my eyes, and soon flames were beginning to lick their way through the floor. Visibility was nearing minimal. By now we were all soaked to the skin from the sprinklers.

I was finding it more and more difficult to breathe. I squeaked for help as loud as I could.

And then he appeared. The most handsome man I had ever seen.

Even through the smoke and covered in protective gear, I knew. My savior was here.

He carried me - all of us - to safety. It was a horrible trip, but my hero protected us as much as he could and we finally made it outdoors!

"Way to go, Stuart! You saved the animals!" someone yelled to him as he exited the building with his burden.

Though they were burning from the smoke, I couldn't take my eyes from him as he carefully set me down and rushed back into the inferno to continue his job.

It was after he was out of sight that I noticed that Superman was there as well, in the air above the building, getting the fire under control. It looked as if the lab would be spared, after all.

Bernie was pleased, I knew. I saw him out of the corner of my eye rushing towards us, visibly glad that we were all okay. I knew he hadn't been able to get to us in time. I didn't blame him. If he had, I wouldn't have met my hero.

He mumbled over and over as he checked to make sure that we were okay how sorry he was that he had to leave us and how happy he was to see that we were safe. But I only had eyes for Stuart as he went about his work with his fellow firemen, trying desperately to save our home.

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Version 2: Fire At StarLabs: One Rat's Hair-rowing Tail - The Story Behind the Story

by Dawn F. and Anne D.

I know I'm dreaming, but it's wonderful. I don't want to wake up. I feel like I'm floating... mmm... so tall, so handsome... my hero. Mmm... His eyes are... so gentle, so kind... so caring... mmm... don't make me wake up...

"Psst, hey, Rover!"

What was that and how can I get it to shut up?

"Yeah, cat?"

Cat?!?!

"See that rat and chimp that Dr. Joyce just carried in? Over there in those cages? Those are the ones I heard her talking about earlier. I understand they were rescued from a fire yesterday. Must be pretty important, because another doctor came by to check on them this morning. Don't see too many rats and chimps here."

Can't a rat get some sleep around here? Interrupting my dream like this! All this yakking... important, hmm? I like the sound of that. But I really could use some more shut-eye. Between that cat and dog over there and the chimp snoring... I'll see if I can go back to sleep anyway. My eyes kinda hurt and that dream was so...

"Hey, rat!"

Guess not.

"Yeah?" I stood up and stretched. Might as well give up on sleep. At least the cat didn't look hungry... and he couldn't get to me anyway.

"What's your name? You had a visitor earlier."

A visitor! I wonder... I hope...

"Was he dressed in a firemen's uniform and looked like a god?"

"Nope, I don't think so. He looked more like a balding doctor," the cat answered.

Oh, just Bernie. He's nice, but...

"That's Bernie. I work with him and he probably wanted to apologize again for not being able to rescue me."

"What happened?" asked Rover.

Hmm, an audience always makes me feel better.

"It started a couple weeks ago when I heard Bernie talking to another scientist about Leroy. He's a college student, majoring in chemistry, and they described him as an accident waiting to happen. They wouldn't have hired him, but he was related to some Big Cheese at StarLabs. I guess all their worries were right because..." Regretting the lack of pencil and paper, I looked off in the distance as I began my story, visualizing the words as if they were written on paper.

***

Without warning, an explosion ripped through our building. The aftershocks of what must have been an experiment-gone-bad on a lower floor of the glass edifice could be felt throughout the structure. Emergency sirens klaxoned their warning to all occupants to vacate immediately.

Bernie managed just in time to salvage his beaker of sustenance, saving it from ending up on the floor with the other broken equipment.

***

"Whoa!" Rover interrupted me. "Edifice, sustenance, pretty highfaluting words for a rat."

Straightening up proudly, I looked at him as I explained, "I have you know that I'm a writer. Words are my business!"

"Yeah, right. A writer." The dog looked like he had the audacity not to believe me. But then he smiled apologetically and said, "Well, continue your story. What happened next?"

"Hmmph! Well, as I was saying..."

***

"Everyone out!" Bernie yelled at staff, as they attempted to rescue what they could of their work.

The heat from below could be felt through the floor. It wouldn't be long before the flames made their presence known in the lab.

Bernie looked around frantically, trying to determine how he could save it all, as the sprinkler system kicked in. Around him -

***

"Water!" The cat interrupted me with a shriek! "Water! How could you stand water?"

Stupid cat. "Hey, listen, I much prefer getting a little wet over catching fire!"

"But water's so... messy..."

I watched, amazed, as the cat started grooming herself, probably imagining in her pathetic cat brain that the disgusting liquid had fallen on her too. I guess this proved the rumors I had heard about the vanity of cats. But I did see her point to an extent.

"Yeah, I don't particularly like getting wet either, but you gotta remember the room was getting hot and smoky! I just hoped that the water would help with that, besides making me look like a drowned rat."

Rover snorted, "Don't pay attention to the cat! Get on with your story..."

"My pleasure," I responded, trying not to preen. I continued, as I tried again to visualize the words on paper.

***

Bernie looked around frantically, trying to determine how he could save it all, as the sprinkler system kicked in. Around him, the heat from the fire was causing the chemicals in other beakers to pop and explode, sending noxious materials into the air and onto the floor.

Bernie looked up from his workspace at the sound of a distant siren. Maybe they would be in time.

But he couldn't stay much longer. The floor was getting hotter by the moment, and already smoke was beginning to fill the room.

Trusting his life's work to the city's finest, Bernie grabbed the disks containing Superman's files and, ducking, ran from the room. Before he left he looked longingly in our direction. I knew he wanted to come for us, but he couldn't. It was too late for him to save us.

The smoke became thicker, stinging my eyes, and soon flames were beginning to lick their way through the floor. Visibility was nearing minimal. By now we were all soaked to the skin from the sprinklers.

I was finding it more and more difficult to breathe. I squeaked for help as loud as I could.

And then he appeared. The most handsome man I had ever seen.

Even through the smoke and covered in protective gear, I knew. My savior was here.

He carried me - all of us - to safety. It was a horrible trip, but my hero protected us as much as he could and we finally made it outdoors!

"Way to go, Stuart! You saved the animals!" someone yelled to him as he exited the building with his burden.

Though they were burning from the smoke, I couldn't take my eyes from him as he carefully set me down and rushed back into the inferno to continue his job.

It was after he was out of sight that I noticed that Superman was there as well, in the air above the building, getting the fire under control. It looked as if the lab would be spared, after all.

Bernie was pleased, I knew. I saw him out of the corner of my eye rushing towards us, visibly glad that we were all okay. I knew he hadn't been able to get to us in time. I didn't blame him. If he had, I wouldn't have met my hero.

He mumbled over and over as he checked to make sure that we were okay how sorry he was that he had to leave us and how happy he was to see that we were safe. But I only had eyes for Stuart as he went about his work with his fellow firemen, trying desperately to save our home.

***

"He was magnificent," I added, as I finished my tale.

"He does sound pretty good," Rover agreed.

"Yes, he was. I know when someone says 'hero', most people think of Superman -- I've met him, you know. He comes by to see Bernie often." I was pleased to see Rover and the cat looked suitability impressed. "And he's not only a hero, but spectacular looking, no matter how he's dressed." I had to snicker then. Bernie's a smart man, but humans are pathetic sometimes. "But, Stuart... he'll always be the only man in the world for me now. And I know..." I had to sigh then, "I know that sometime, somehow, I'll see him again and when I do..."

"Let's be realistic. You probably won't even recognize him without his firefighting gear," the cat rudely interrupted.

"Hey, I'm not a human! I can see what's in front of me." How dare that cat! "I'll recognize Stuart even if he's dressed differently with his hair different and even if he's wearing glasses too."

"Don't mind the cat. She's just kidding you..."

"Yeah, what he said. Why don't you come over here and shake paws with me to show you have no hard feelings?" The cat looked like he could barely restrain himself from licking his chops.

"Um... no, thanks. I believe you. But, like I was saying, someday Stuart is going to come around and, even though Bernie is a great guy and all, I'm going to go home with Stuart. And he'll be pleased to see me again too. I just know it. It's my destiny!" And I knew I was right.

The End

Table of Contents

Fire At StarLabs: One Rat's Hair-rowing Tail

Version 1: Fire At StarLabs: One Rat's Hair-rowing Tail

Version 2: Fire At StarLabs: One Rat's Hair-rowing Tail - The Story Behind the Story