"You... are looking for kidnapper?" asked the Westerner, his Korean
accented and slow.
Bong-soon and Min-hyeok shared a glance. "Yes," she said. "He
attacked a friend of mine, but got away before I could catch him."
The Westerner nodded his helmeted head. "I, also."
Min-hyeok frowned. "Why?" he demanded. "You're a foreigner. Why
do you care?"
The Westerner looked genuinely puzzled. "Am I not... guest in your
land?" He gestured at the unconscious thugs around them. "I have...
skills police do not. Should I not use them to help... protect my
hosts?" Then, almost as an afterthought, he added in his own
language, "<Sacred hospitality is important.>"
Bong-soon looked confused; as Min-hyeok well knew, her English was
far from the best. His English was much better, and he understood
what the man had said -- and what he meant. It was a rare Westerner
who comprehended the mutual responsibilities of guest and host.
Min-hyeok nodded thoughtfully, then said, "Very well, you may aid
us."
"President!" Bong-soon objected.
"Do not ... worry, young lady," the Westerner said with a smile, and
slid a panel open on the side of his helmet, and tapped the keypad
within. "You may have... more than human strength," he continued,
and they both stared with wide eyes as he lifted up in the air to
hover a meter above the ground. "But you... are *not* ... only one
with powers."
accented and slow.
Bong-soon and Min-hyeok shared a glance. "Yes," she said. "He
attacked a friend of mine, but got away before I could catch him."
The Westerner nodded his helmeted head. "I, also."
Min-hyeok frowned. "Why?" he demanded. "You're a foreigner. Why
do you care?"
The Westerner looked genuinely puzzled. "Am I not... guest in your
land?" He gestured at the unconscious thugs around them. "I have...
skills police do not. Should I not use them to help... protect my
hosts?" Then, almost as an afterthought, he added in his own
language, "<Sacred hospitality is important.>"
Bong-soon looked confused; as Min-hyeok well knew, her English was
far from the best. His English was much better, and he understood
what the man had said -- and what he meant. It was a rare Westerner
who comprehended the mutual responsibilities of guest and host.
Min-hyeok nodded thoughtfully, then said, "Very well, you may aid
us."
"President!" Bong-soon objected.
"Do not ... worry, young lady," the Westerner said with a smile, and
slid a panel open on the side of his helmet, and tapped the keypad
within. "You may have... more than human strength," he continued,
and they both stared with wide eyes as he lifted up in the air to
hover a meter above the ground. "But you... are *not* ... only one
with powers."
-- Bob
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....