Jason looked up from the latest issue of Racer as Mark entered the ready room.
“So how was your date”?
“My date is none of your business”, growled Mark, throwing his jacket on the couch, and plopping down after it.
“That bad, eh”? Jason nodded sympathetically, a smirk beginning to play on his lips. “I told you that taking a girl to the Comic Book Store on your first date is NOT a good idea”.
“It's not our first date! I've know Princess for years! And besides, you always take your girlfriends to the Comic Book Store”.
“That, my friend, is part of a technique that I will not divulge to you any time soon. Anyway, I have an idea that can salvage your non-existent relationship”.
“Oh yeah? Why am I worried”?
“Because, Mark, you never appreciate my real talents. Give me your laptop”.
Warily, Mark handed over his computer.
“Now give me your Facebook password”.
“Why? So you can add another entry on what jerks ISO personnel are, just because they don't let you outfit your car with a rocket launcher in civilian mode? And this time use my account to do so”?
“Relax, that was only once. And I noticed all of YOU put “like” under it”.
“Yes, but Anderson threatened to cancel our Facebook accounts”, Mark reminded him, shuddering at the thought that they would lose access to Facebook – and then he would have to go back to spending his free time playing ping-pong with Jason...
“Do you want to make some progress with Princess or not?”
“OK, OK. My password is eagle123”.
“I'm sure you got top grades in school for originality”, sighed Jason. He then typed something quickly, shielding it from Mark. He logged off, and handed the laptop back to his increasingly worried commander, who could feel the sweat starting to run down his back...
In a second or two, Tiny and Keyop burst into the room. Tiny hi-fived Mark.
“Wow, commander, that was very brave of you!”
The sweat on Mark's back reached his waist.
Keyop gave him a friendly nudge and a wink, which, if anything, made Mark feel even worse.
“Most guys would wait a bit, see how things go, but if we ever need confirmation you are the one worthy of commanding us, it's this”, continued Tiny.
Mark grabbed the laptop from Jason, logged on and saw that his status had been updated to read “Mark Anderson is now in a relationship with Princess”. He groaned, his face in his hands.
“Jason, I'll kill you, I swear, even if I am court-martialled and executed”, he managed to say before groaning again, keenly aware that now he was the laughing stock of all ISO personnel he had friended, which meant that soon he would be the laughing stock of the galaxy.
“Don't worry mate, a long series of scientific experiments is on my side”.
“Hey, look, guys. Princess is updating her status”, Tiny said, peeking over Mark's laptop.
“Uh-oh commander”, Keyop spluttered.
Mark's heart was in his mouth, as he prepared to read the abuse that was surely coming. Would she go as far as unfriend him? What had Jason done?
The status update was uploaded, and suddenly Mark's world became a rainbow of happy feelings.
“Princess is now in a relationship with Mark Anderson”.
Perhaps he could convince ISO to let Jason have his rocket launchers...
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