donutsweeper: (Default)
donutsweeper ([personal profile] donutsweeper) wrote2008-06-09 08:57 pm
Entry tags:

Alphabet Soup

Title: Alphabet Soup
Pairing/Warning/Rating: None, rated G
Word Count: 640
Beta: [profile] smithy161
Summary: Jack discovers that his team has a certain pastime when it comes to tracking his deaths.
Author's Note: A birthday present for the wonderiffic [profile] _medley_, because what's a birthday without a few laughs?

On his way back from changing into clean clothes, Jack was slightly suspicious when he heard something that sounded like giggling from the others.  He stopped mid-stride when Owen called out, “Oi, it counts!  We’re up to ‘M’ now.”

Careful to stay out of sight, Jack continued to listen in as Gwen argued, “No.  It doesn’t count, it has to be alphabetical order.  We agreed.”

“It did follow in alphabetical order, he was lynched!”  Owen sounded very smug.

“No, he was hung.  Again.  That’s a repeat of ‘H’ which means we start again.”  Jack rubbed his neck thinking back on his recent death.  He wondered what exactly it must be that they were arguing about.  Why would it matter if he had been hung or lynched?

“Nope, I looked it up.  Definitely lynched.”  Owen paused and Jack could hear frantic typing.  “See,” Owen was obviously reading off the computer screen now, “it says ‘to put to death, especially by hanging, by mob action and without legal authority.’  That’s what happened.”

“Tosh?”  Gwen called out.  “You’re the list keeper here.  What’s your opinion?”

There was a pause before Tosh replied, “He’s right.  So, what should we call it?  Lynched by a lecherous legion?”

Gwen groaned, but it was drowned out by Owen’s laughter.  “That’s bad, Tosh,” she said when Owen had quieted down, “even for you.”

“So, what do we have so far?”  Ianto joined the others, carrying a something that rattled a bit.  Jack assumed it was the afternoon round of coffees. 

“Well,” Tosh began, “are you sure we should be counting that time you and he...”  Jack realized that Ianto must have nodded because then she began reading off a list of his recent deaths. “Autoerotic asphyxiation.”  There was more laughing from both Owen and Gwen at that.  Jack felt himself flush over the thought that Ianto had told the others about that little mishap, but didn’t have a chance to think on it further before the list continued.  “Bludgeoned by a bugle.”

“Oh, now that one was a classic!”  Owen sniggered, only to be hushed by Ianto.

“Are you going to keep interrupting me?”

“Sorry Tosh.”  Owen didn’t sound the least bit contrite.  “Go on.”

“Choked on a chestnut....”

“I thought we were going with ‘cut’ for that one?”  Gwen interrupted.  “That Crespallion nearly cut his head off trying to help.”

“He choked before being cut, but I think either one would work in that case,” Ianto explained, “besides, does it really matter?”

“No.” Jack was pretty sure Gwen shrugged her shoulders as she spoke.  “I suppose not.”

“So, where were we?  Ummm,” Tosh searched her place on the list she was reading from, “discovering defenestration, then there was that extraterrestrial echidna-like thing exsanguinating him, followed by being flattened by a falling fardel.”  All four members of his team snickered at that death.  Jack didn’t know what they found so funny, how was he supposed to have known that such a small cute little thing could have such sharp spines?  And who really expects a twenty eight kilo bundle of futuristic rebar to randomly slip through the rift to land on top of them?  “Garroted by a Gorgon.”  Jack nearly interrupted them then; it wasn’t a Gorgon per se, rather one of the race of creatures on which the Greeks based the myth.  “Then he was hung by the Horda.  Immolated to Isis....”  Okay, now that was taking things a bit too far.   He hadn’t had a choice, either chose to sacrifice himself on the pyre or all of Earth would have been burned.

Jack decided that a good, strong drink was in order.  With a shake of his head,  Jack left them to have their fun and headed back to his office.  Tosh’s voice drifting behind him,  “After that came the time he was jettisoned from that junker...”

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
rebar's weird looking
It's all twisty like barley sugars *nods*

ignominious ways for Jack to be killed
Rain of toads next then?

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)
*snicker* although there's no alliteration in that. (not sure I spelled that right, I need more coffee)

trampled by toads?

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 03:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Darn it I forgot the alliteration:
Trampled by ten foot tall tEntacled, toads...?

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
see, now that works better!

I also had the idea of "death bingo" where everyone had cards made up with different deaths on them and the first one to have five in a row won a prize.

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 03:44 pm (UTC)(link)
and that way you don't have to come up with an alphabetic list of deaths or worry about the alliteration. But you do need a lot of deaths and impressive sounding ones wouldn't hurt...

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 03:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmmm of course some of them could appear on more than one card... How many squares are there on a bingo card??

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
I googled it, it looks like they can be 3x3, 4x4 or (the most common)5x5. It even looks like you can make your own cards (http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/5/) online! (there were a ton of sites that said that you could do that)

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-10 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
I am evil. Go see (http://pics.livejournal.com/donutsweeper/gallery/0000da06)

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 06:45 am (UTC)(link)
Death ray for the win :D You should distribute them randomly amongst your f-list before next season.

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 04:23 pm (UTC)(link)
I had entirely too much fun making up those bingo cards, I made a whole set (even more than I uploaded there).

I have this picture in my mind of Jack finding one with several of the deaths crossed off but with little arguments written in over others... like assaulted being crossed off but then circled and "you can't count pummeled and assaulted for the same death, Owen" scribbled above it

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
with little arguments written in over others...
I am so glad I haven't made myself that cup of tea just yet *sporfles*

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
*bats eyelashes innocently* I have no idea what you are talking about....

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
You've been practicing that innocent look (I can tell) but it still won't wash with me!

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 08:41 pm (UTC)(link)
*scuffs toe is dirt* darn

I shall have to try harder next time!

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
It's probably a good thing I don't have art ability. Mucking about with those bingo cards would be quite a bit of fun

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Are you trying to prompt me into art? Because I could so brainstorm with you on stuff to scribble over them... but not tonight this beta I am doing is waaaaaaaaay overdue.

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I hadn't been, but... if you're offering *g* (and no, not this minute, whenever is fine)

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 09:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Hoist by your petard indeed *nods*
One day when we are both feeling particularly silly *g* we shall do it, yes!

[identity profile] donutsweeper.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 09:12 pm (UTC)(link)
*rubs hands together in anticipation*

Excellent! Absolutely excellent!

[identity profile] mad-jaks.livejournal.com 2008-06-11 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
*very big grin*