[identity profile] engarian.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] b2mem
B2MeM Challenge: B-1 – Maglor in History 1 – The Launching of Sputnik
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Drama
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Characters: Maglor
Pairings: None
Word Count: 291

Summary: Maglor finds out about the launch of Sputnik and reads about speculation of the future use of space.








A New Straight Road?



I was sitting down in my chair at a table of a Parisian cafe. The waiter brought me a steaming cup of cafe au lait and a brioche, while I opened the newspapers I had purchased from the nearby kiosk to read. “Merci,” I said and settled down to my morning routine. I glanced at the newspaper. The headline of LeMonde caught my eye. 'Russians Launch Earth-Orbiting Satellite' 'Sputnik Orbits the Earth Every 90 Minutes'. Hmmmm...that seemed worth reading.

Settling down to my brioche and coffee, I began to read. “Sputnik ... Russian satellite … radio signals … possible uses for war ...” I put the paper down in disgust. For war. Admittedly, World War II was not that far distant, and the Korean War had only ended slightly more than four years earlier. But here again was a wonderful scientific achievement that immediately was being speculated as appropriate for waging war. The warlike psyche of mankind had taken the airplane, one of my favorite inventions, and made it into bombers and fighters. They had taken the beautiful ships of Cirdan and the Teleri, expanded them, built them from metal and armed them with large guns and weapons, following in the footsteps of Sauron and Ar-Pharazôn those many Ages ago. Too many of the amazing inventions of the 20th century to this point had been warped into being used for conflict. I shivered.

I turned my mind to my own dilemma. I was tied to this Earth for as long as the Valar desired. But how long would that be? “Is the Straight Road visible from space?” I wondered. “Could I perhaps go home again?” I returned to my coffee and newspaper, my wishful thought never spoken aloud.


Date: 2012-03-18 12:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] keiliss.livejournal.com
,,,,,,, omg, what were the odds? My 'learns about Sputnik' is also set in a Parisian cafe with him drinking coffee!! Guess he'll be relocating *g*. As well I'm not posting my pieces at this time, it would have gone up this afternoon, lol.

That was just --- strange. He has a pastry too....

And somewhere (possibly in Paris) the real Maglor is having a good laugh about this.
Edited Date: 2012-03-18 12:34 am (UTC)

Date: 2012-03-18 01:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] keiliss.livejournal.com
He was sitting at a pavement cafe in Paris, legs stretched out comfortably, his second coffee and a pastry on the table before him...

Temporary mind meld - LOL!

Date: 2012-03-18 02:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silver-trails.livejournal.com
Interesting take on this prompt!

Date: 2012-03-18 02:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silver-trails.livejournal.com
Well, Elves are no better. Maglor would know.

Date: 2012-03-18 03:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silver-trails.livejournal.com
And in Tirion just before the Lights went out.

Date: 2012-03-18 11:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] just-jenni.livejournal.com
I really love your Maglor! Poor guy always seems to be involved in wars, or at least thinking about them in some way. Can he not just relax and enjoy his coffee and brioche? Maybe not, as it's in his nature to be a warrior. ;)

Date: 2012-03-18 12:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] just-ann-now.livejournal.com
Oh, I like this! I keep forgetting about Maglor as a Flying Dutchman kind of character (perhaps he was the Flying Dutchman?) doomed to wander. Paris, coffee, brioche, and introspection sounds like a relatively pleasant situation to be in though. *grin*

Date: 2012-03-20 08:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] blslarner.livejournal.com
It would be wonderful if space exploration could somehow bring him home at last. But agree with the concern that every step forward seems to end up twisted into a new weapon. One of our not so lovely traits.

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