Challenge 689 - Something new every day

[m_findlow]

Title: Something new every day
Character: Jack, Owen
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 200 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 689 - Element at tw100
Summary: Owen can't help his limited knowledge of the universe. A double drabble.


Owen peered through the microscope, continuing to make a voice recording of his observations as he went. 'Substance is molecularly dense, but otherwise yet to be identified by the mass spectrometer.'

'It's quaxium,' Jack said, peering over his shoulder at the larger projection on the laptop screen.

'Bollocks, it is not,' Owen replied, pulling away from the microscope. 'You're just making stuff up now.'

Jack threw his hands up. 'Honest I'm not. That's what it's called.'

'That doesn't even exist.'

Jack snorted. 'Well, maybe not in your prehistoric little periodic table it doesn't. Four hundred and fifty seven elements when I went to school. You people have discovered, what, half of them so far?'

'Yeah, alright Captain Smartypants. Sorry that the cavemen here have only just learned how to make fire and invent the wheel. Anything else useful you can add while you're here?'

'Nope, that's it. Know what it looks like - not that I particularly enjoyed chemistry - but haven't a clue what it's used for. Though I would say it's a teensy bit radioactive, so maybe having it at waist height isn't such a good idea.'

'Haven't you heard? Twenty-first century cavechicks dig when it glows in the dark.'

Comments

[bk_forever]

Ah, but do you want to remain fertile and in working order, Owen?