2712/The Bill Comes Due

The Bill Comes Due
Date of Scene:	31 July 2020
Location:	Penthouse - Kord Co
Synopsis:	Booster Gold searches for some way to get back on top of the super-hero popularity game. The Blue Beetle comes through in the clutch ... but with unanticipated twists!
Cast of Characters:	Booster Gold, Ted Kord

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Booster Gold has posed:
Late morning.

Booster Gold sits at the dining table, a bathrobe over his costume. He scours a number of documents spread out messily over the table-top. Skeets floats nearby, a long ticker tape continually unrolling from its undercarriage, a green banker's visor set atop its chassis.

"...telling me that I need THIS many new subscribers per day just to stay afloat?!" Booster slaps one palm against his temple.

<<Indeed. There were some experiments with automated fans to initially increase numbers, but they're expenses, not profits.>>

"But--but--but what about my heroic deeds, Skeets?!"

<<Perhaps committing some would help, sir.>>

Booster replies by slumping forward, his head colliding against the table-top with a 'conk' sound.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord enters the living room, hungover. It is a lingering bit of collateral damage from Bordeaux Porterhouse's visit, and three bottles of wine. As the sunlight hits him he recoils visibly and quickly slips sunglasses on. "Why didn't you tell me when I died bud? I was such a nice guy, I'd have sent flowers. Bwa-ow! No not doing that now. How are you doing? That nutcase really seemed to upset you," Ted says. He pats Booster on his shoulders as he passes and then says to Skeets in a scolding whisper, "You just better keep quiet about my little drunken confession... got it? Or you'll be getting recharged from lamp posts!" He trundles along to getting a bottle of water. Coffee would be... no! Hangovers are partially dehydration, coffee intensifies that dehydration or something. He thinks if he was stupid he'd be able to drink some coffee.

Don't you mean ignorant?

Shaddap.

My gosh, my inner voice is sounding like Skeets.

Booster Gold has posed:
Sighing, Booster lifts himself back up and props his head in his hands, elbows on the table.

"Tedward Q-bert Kord, don't even try to act innocent or forlorn or whatever it is you're trying to present here. Skeets told me everything. /Everything/." Booster groans and reaches out to crumple up some of the papers nearby.

"The worst part of all is that you're not even a social media sensation like me!" He brings the crumpled papers to his face, hiding it within them. "Why can't /I/ be the one to get the Bordeaux bump by bumping Bordeaux?"

He sighs and leans forward back to the table, cheek resting on its top. "Everything I know is a lie." He pauses before mumbling, "And you'd still better be willing to bring me to that party..."

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord holds his breath for a moment, then smiles at Skeets and gives the remote a little fist bump and thumbs up. Then his eyes narrow at Booster. "Listen you big lug... I got us three invites to her streaming party for you me and our mean grandpa-Vic. She swore she'd make her viewers (or whatever) yours to atone for upsetting you and trying to stream your... booster. I'm going with, I'm playing nice. I'm asking her all warm and friendly to help you out. For what it's worth I don't think she meant to upset you and was genuinely eager to make amends. Are we good?"

Booster Gold has posed:
Booster slams his fists on the table, further crumpling up his papery mess. He slides his chair back with a shrill squeak of wood on wood and then stands, walking until he's inches from Ted.

Eyes narrowed, Booster sets his jaw. "You son of a bitch ..."

There's another pause, and then he leaps forward, hugging Beetle tightly. "I'm in. You beautiful bastard, I'm in!"

Booster laughs, patting Ted on the cheek and then spinning around. "Skeets! We've got a stream to prep--'Booster Gold's Porterhouse House Party!'"

He struts, all but dancing, about the penthouse. "I'm back, baby! I'm back!"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord feels his swol head for damage, then checks his ribs. "Ahuh. Well I'm glad that's taken care of... one more thing. Bordeauxthinkswe'regayandwe'recomingoutatherpartybut we'retellingeveryonewe'restraightandViciswritingthisallup. Ahuh. Okay?"

Booster Gold has posed:
Booster stops mid-strut. He very slowly, to an almost painfully slow degree, turns his neck and then his body toward Ted.

"I don't think I heard you right." He takes a deep breath and sighs, eyes closed.

"What I /hear/ you telling me ... is that I have the chance to ramp up my numbers with a live-streamed coming out party where I reveal my straightness? You /son/ of a ..."

He starts laughing hysterically. "I'm /so/ in! This is an incredible opportunity! Alvin Simon Theodore Kord, you're a genius!"

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord fistbumps Booster. "All right calm down... you been drinking soda again? You know what that sugar does to you. Hangover dude, use your inside voice. Now, I been thinking about these career issues you've had. First, forget that underwear crap. I knocked these babies out and was waiting to show them to you." He opens a desk drawer wincing as it scrapes. He pulls a pair of size fifteen blue, black and gold sneakers out.

"The latest from Kord Co! These babies keep track of steps, taken, weight, global positioning. They send out an alert if you get knocked down or faint. You work out their marketing plan."

Booster Gold has posed:
"Will do! I'll kick out these jams, no sweat. You make sure we don't lose that party invite, and I'll take care of everything," Booster says, grabbing the sneakers and beginning toward his apartment door.

"Maybe I can even show these off when I'm announcing to the world my incredible heterosexuality. What do you think, Skeets?" he asks, closing the door.

<<Certainly, sir. They'll pair quite well with the footage of Mr. Kord revealing his love for you.>>

Skeets plays back the footage of a drunken Ted noting that he 'loves the doofus'.

"Wait, /what/!?" Booster exclaims.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord is frozen as he watches the scene played back. "T-t-t-t." As the scene finishes he regains his wits, or what is left of them. "I'll kill him. Let me at him! What the hell ever happened to Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics? He just violated number two and number three big time. You character assassin! You lousy narc!" The rest of Ted's comments are such to get his player banned were he a character in a MUSH, say or other role-playing game madness. The inventor goes running at Skeets,grabbing the nearest weapon at hand to bludgeon him with.

Fortunately the nearest weapon is a throw pillow.

Booster Gold has posed:
Skeets flees, making a bee-line directly toward Booster as fast as it can move. The hero of tomorrow barely manages to recognize its approach in time, and he turns to cradle Skeets in his arms like catching a touchdown pass.

Unfortunately, the momentum of both means that Booster ends up crashing through the glass doors leading out to Ted's balcony and pool.

"Heisman ... worthy ..." Booster groans, letting Skeets go.