Sir Gawain and the Dragon 1 06/04/2005 (this is the second of Sir Gawain's adventures. To read the first adventure, click here)The Geek looked up as he finished reading Sir Gawain's report from the previous day."Things have been quiet of late, haven't they Gawain?""Yes, Boss," replied the knight, "everything seems to have settled down and is running smoothly.""Well, I'm afraid that's about to end." The Geek settled back into his chair as though expecting a long discussion. "Big changes on the way.""Yeah? What sort of changes?"The Geek made a rueful face. "Looks as though we might be installing a completely new operating system. And, to begin with, they're going to be testing another system defender."The knight looked sharply at his Boss. "You mean...?""Yes, I'm afraid so, Gawain. They're saying that you would still be useful but..." The Geek shrugged unhappily."Wait a minute. Who is this ‘they' you keep talking about?""Oh, it's all political, you wouldn't understand," said the Geek. "Comes from on high, you know, upper management."Sir Gawain narrowed his eyes. "I get the feeling you're not happy with this, Boss."The Geek shook his head. "What do you expect? I've spent years on this system and now they're just going to throw it all away. And for what? Some crappy bought-in system full of holes and bugs. But they won't listen. It's all that...." He paused and then sighed. "Ah, what's the use? It's politics, Gawain. You wouldn't understand.""Try me," returned the knight."It won't help any, Gawain. There's nothing we can do about it.""So tell me anyway." The knight struck a pose of determination, hands on hips and jaw thrust forward.The Geek looked at him for a moment and then sighed again. "Oh well, it can't do any harm talking about it," he said. "Might even help, getting it off my chest." He rubbed his stubbled chin a moment and then began."It's the CEO. Chief Executive Officer. He brought his nephew into the Company a few weeks ago and now he wants him to re-design the whole system. Damn kid's fresh out of college and thinks he knows everything. And he's pushing for them to adopt the networking system by Miasmasoft; says our present system is so archaic it ought to have been replaced years ago. My boss is running scared and agreeing with everything the squirt says and, of course, nobody listens to me."The Geek looked directly at the knight as he continued, "And the worst of it is that I think the kid got the idea for a new defensive program when he saw you. He's put an interface on it that looks just like another knight. But bigger and fancier, of course. Bastard."Sir Gawain was shocked. This could be the end of everything he held dear. He knew enough about the workings of the Company to realize that he would soon be deemed unnecessary if this plan were instituted. His purpose in life and his whole world were crumbling as the Geek spoke."Bloody hell, Boss," he breathed."Yes, I know," replied the Geek. "I'm sorry, Gawain. But there's nothing I can do. I've argued with them and told them all about the flaws in Miasmasoft's system but they won't listen. Running around like chickens with their heads cut off, they are. Anything to suck up to that jumped-up little squirt. He got one of the programmers sacked yesterday. And all the guy had done was point out where he could shorten his coding in the project he's working on."The Geek slumped back into his chair. "I tell you, Gawain, I think this might be the end of us. They'll get rid of me as soon as they can prove that the new system works. I guess we just have to hope that it falls on its face."A glimmer of light appeared in the gloom of the knight's thoughts. "True, Boss," he said slowly. "And how about if we help it on its way a bit?""Thought about it," said the Geek. Then he shook his head sadly. "Hard to do it without being detected though. And I'm not sure I want to. If that's all the thanks I get from the Company, I don't think I want to continue with them.""I could do it," said the knight."Yes, I'm sure you could," replied the Geek listlessly. "To be honest, I don't care anymore. If you want to try something, go ahead; I won't interfere. Just feel as if I could pack up and go work for the Opposition. If they push me any further, that's what I'm going to do."The knight looked at the Geek and saw that everything depended on himself now. He had never seen his Boss so depressed and detached from their work together. Gawain understood now how the Boss could contemplate leaving but it was not an option for the knight. His programming ensured that his devotion was to the system that the Geek had designed; there was nothing beyond that world that could compensate him for its loss. It was, in fact, his entire reason for being and he would not give it up without a fight. He snapped to attention and saluted, just as he had always done when given a task."We're not beaten yet, Boss," he declared. "Sir Gawain is on the case."The Geek smiled weakly. "You're a good program, Gawain. Finest bit of programming I ever did. If anyone can fix this problem, I believe you could." Then he looked away and sighed again. "But I think they have even you beaten this time."Sir Gawain turned to go but the Geek called him back. "I forgot to tell you. They'll be testing this new defensive program from today onwards. He's being installed at the moment so you'll probably meet him sometime on your rounds. I'm supposed to get you to show him around and answer any questions he has."The Geek had a wry expression on his face as he added, "Do with him whatever you want, Gawain. I really don't care anymore."(to go directly to Part 2, click here)
Clive
Mad Ooooooh go get 'im Gawain! *Cheerleads from the sidelines* Date Added: 06/04/2005
Gone Away My thoughts exactly, Mad! ;) Date Added: 06/04/2005
Way Now, aint this the oddest? Two geeks on the same day; unrelated, of course. (waves a flag for Gawain, as well) Date Added: 06/04/2005
Gone Away There is no such thing as coincidence! (or is there...?) Date Added: 06/04/2005
Way The ping is loosed. Date Added: 06/04/2005
Gone Away 'Tis not only pennies that drop, it seems... Date Added: 06/04/2005
Way Mebbe Ping is a metaphor of things that drive us nuts, eh. I crave the pounding rain, while those in places like Kaula Lumpur can go mad with it. :D Date Added: 06/04/2005
Way (it's easy not to typo KL, dammit) Oy bloody vey. Date Added: 06/04/2005
Gone Away I'm subverted by this computer thing, Way. Say "ping" to me and I immediately think of contacting another site, say "geek" and I think "programmer". What delights of misunderstanding are available when a new technology just uses old words for new things. ;) But surely it is only those who have grown up in hot and dry climes who can long for good, hard rain. I'm the same, I missed having real rain in England... Date Added: 06/04/2005
Ned Another Gawain story, how wonderful. "Mangosoft", clever. Looking forward to the triumph of Gawain (I don't doubt his abilities for a moment). Date Added: 06/04/2005
Gone Away Gawain is up against it this time, Ned. With even the Geek giving up in despair, who knows whether the knight can defeat the forces mustered against him? (see next episode) Date Added: 06/04/2005
Keeefer Good ole Gawain, He'll win through....round 12 he'll pull himself up on the ropes just before the bell a'la rocky Date Added: 07/04/2005
Gone Away Ah, but will he? Perhaps this is my way of killing him off so I don't have to write any more of these. ;) Date Added: 07/04/2005
Keeefer Kill him off?.......deres gunna be a lynchin Pah Date Added: 07/04/2005
Gone Away I jest, Keef, I jest! :D Date Added: 07/04/2005
keeefer :D Date Added: 07/04/2005
Rusty Ah yes, I finish one and get a fresh new thing to wait for. Date Added: 07/04/2005
Gone Away Hehehe gotta keep ya coming back, Rusty. ;) Date Added: 07/04/2005
Jodie Hurray! Gawain and the Geek are back! I love the "Mangosoft". Makes the operating systems sound, well, squishy and overripe. Date Added: 07/04/2005
Gone Away Glad you approve, Jodie. :) Am writing the next episode as we speak (err, type). Date Added: 07/04/2005
Josh Woot, more Gawain. This is my favorite. \:D/ Pretty funny that you picked MangoSoft out of the aether, Gone -- I like it as an apocryphal name... But you know, in this day and age of rabid commericialism, )www.mangosoft.com) you gotta get up preeeeeetty early to beat the ad wizards. ;-) Date Added: 07/04/2005
Gone Away Hmmm, you're right, Josh, hadn't imagined that there really would be a Mangosoft. I'd better say here and now that no software system in this story is intended to bear any relationship to an existing product of a real company. Actually, I think I'll edit it slightly - after thorough checks this time, of course! Thanks, Josh. Date Added: 07/04/2005
Gone Away Done. :D Date Added: 07/04/2005
Josh Heh, I didn't think it would garner an edit. ;-) I was just funnin' about. Anytime I make up some name like that, I try and run through the thought progression of the dummies in the board room. Reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies, The Hudsucker Proxy, as they tried to come up for a name for the Hula Hoop: "The Hoopsucker!" "The Hudswinger!" "The Shazaameter!" "The Daddy-O!" "How about 'The Wacky Circumference'?" Date Added: 07/04/2005
Gone Away Hey, I rather like the Wacky Circumference! :D I wouldn't want to insult anyone's software, Josh (especially if it's a large company with plenty of experience of the law courts), and I figured Miasmasoft actually fits quite well anyway. Have a look at the meaning of "miasma"... ;) Date Added: 07/04/2005
Way > O < It's for kids! Date Added: 07/04/2005
Robert Looking forward to the next installment. Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away I was hoping to get it finished today, Robert, but life intervened. Will definitely go up tomorrow. Date Added: 08/04/2005
Josh Oh, I know what miasma means. One of my former roomates roommates (now an english teacher) used to complain about a "miasmatic cloud" after I had indian food. :-P Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away By the way, if anyone (apart from regular readers who will know this) gets bored waiting for the next episode, a previous adventure of Sir Gawain is at A Very Parfit Knight, episodes 1 - 6. Have a look in the Contents... Date Added: 08/04/2005
Josh Whoops, it would seem my delete key is plotting against me. Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away Personal experience huh, Josh... ;) Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away Blame it on Blogger. Oh no, this isn't Blogger, is it...? Date Added: 08/04/2005
keeefer i'll blame it on blogger, bloody progs stopping me posting on me own site Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away Hah, Blogger is a terrible disease. Ask Dr Mad, he has a cure but I don't think he has the time to offer it to you... ;) Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away Actually, it's just occurred to me that Josh is working on a blog for everyone. Why not see if you can come to some arrangement...? Date Added: 08/04/2005
keeefer a blog for everyone? maybe i will, but only on condition he actually reads my blog Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away How d'you know he doesn't? Date Added: 08/04/2005
Rusty Miasma. SAT Word of The Day, back when I had to update the school website. Gotta love it.I tried to throw some traffic your way today, though it would be tiny. I was actually going to link directly to both of these stories, but I got lazy.Go figure. Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away Thanks, Rusty - all efforts that improve traffic are much appreciated. And I kinda liked "miasma" too. :D Date Added: 08/04/2005
Josh Nah, With the app I am working on, you have to want it. :-) It requires getting into the guts of hosted webspace, but if you want it that bad, and you have the elbow grease to spare, there are benefits. Like being able to see who visits your blog, and if they read it. :-P Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away That sounds pretty useful to me, Josh. I know that there are some blogging apps out there, such as Wordpress, that require a fair bit of knowledge. Yours might be no more demanding. Date Added: 08/04/2005
Wayne You wouldn't know it from the comments that I'm not leaving, but I've been reading your updates! It is still my habit to print up your blog entries on Sunday mornings and read them over coffee as my lazy morning shifts begins.Anyway, I can't tell you how glad I am that you're bringing back Sir Gawain and the Geek! Very entertaining -- looking forward to the next installment. Date Added: 08/04/2005
Gone Away I am honored, sir. And may I say how much I enjoy your site too. Trust all is going well with the new house! Date Added: 08/04/2005
Andy You have a good ear for dialogue. It seems well crafted. I am eager to read further chapters over the next few days and weeks. Date Added: 16/04/2005
Gone Away Thank you, Andy. I think there will be seven parts to this particular Gawain adventure and the final part should be posted on Monday, April 18. Of course, that's if everything goes to plan; I'm sure you know how characters within a story can suddenly decide to change the plot! Date Added: 16/04/2005
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