<div class="floatleft">(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/theathaschronicle/images/3/3c/78d56837c65dd199791a76dc0a5a6558.jpg/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/450?cb=20171023104112)</div><strong>Niles the Nerdist</strong><br/><br/>A sigh left his lips as he sat in the University's Nerd HQ (really a club his newest and brightest followers named as such for the fun of it). The young men and women sat at the round table along with him, with a few automatons cramped into the tiny room for good measure. The nerds wore looks of varying worry and even excitement; the bots wore the same blank expression they always did; both teams were adorable misfits in their own rights.<br/><br/>One of the students spoke up. A girl with ginger hair and the thickest, foggiest glasses you've ever seen. "Are you seriously considering...?"<br/><br/>"That's right, Martha. We are going to take Professor Bey down a peg. Respectfully, of course! All in good fun. Somewhat."<br/><br/>"But, what if she boots me from her course? I need the credits."<br/><br/>"What are credits, dear scientist, in the face of revolution! Also, she's a very nice woman. She won't kick you out." Or at least he thought as much. It had been quite a few years since he and Lakshmi were students together, and even now she wouldn't know who he was. After all, he was no longer the quiet elf girl he used to be. Not since Incident Number 5...<br/><br/>"Um, Niles?" The voice came from a dark haired lad with brown skin and a face like pepporoni pizza. "Your eyes are all shiny. Is that normal?"<br/><br/>"Of course it is, Davis! Why it's the glint of exceptional determination. A glint I hope to see in each of your eyes as you write these flyers out and spread the word. And remember: Lakshmi is an excellent teacher and should have to focus solely on that. 'She has a mind for clock-ticks, not poli-tics.'"<br/><br/>He was met with stares at that, broken by a giggle that quickly quieted. Even the automatons seemed to judge him. The traitors!<br/><br/>"Okay, maybe we use that slogan on just a few flyers."<br/><br/>The stare continued. And a cough.<br/><br/>"Okay, one! It'll be the golden ticket!"<br/><br/>"Ticket?" asked Martha.<br/><br/>"The golden egg! It will give us influence galore. In fact, make sure it gets into the hands of that Grizzy B. She'll make it big. And funnier than I ever could."<br/><br/>"Oh. Okay!" Martha was pleased by that solution, and so were the others in his newfound Nerd Squad. And as they all went about creating the flyers to spread to students and favored teachers, he rose and exited the room. Another sigh escaped him when he was finally alone, this one deeper than before.<em>Sorry old friend. I hope it's not too harsh.</em>