1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask... 2 ************************* INSTALLED: 21 APR 85 ********************* 3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System) Mike Day System operator 4 ************************************************************ 5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION 6 PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM. 7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privately owned 8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public. 9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is 10 privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which 11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be 12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved) 13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the 14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the 15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace 16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up. 17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system. 18 ************************************************************ 19 20 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# 21 En la cima! 22 L'homme: Sorry to have missed you at what was probably the last informal 23 Backwater Irregulars meeting at PC&S, but since my ride has set times to 24 arrive and leave, I had to go. TTYL on PCS, no? 25 Piper: Don't let those music-haters at PCS get you down, I enjoyed what little 26 you were able to play. 27 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# Farley #$##$##$##$# 10:40-04/21/85 #$##$##$##$# 28 29 Victor and Ashley held each other close and kissed... gently at first, 30 then with more passion. Another episode of the Young and Restless faded to 31 black. Dr. Frankenstupe snapped off the television and sighed to himself, 32 "Gosh, I enjoy that mushy stuff." 33 "Ahem, I do believe you're an incurable romantic." 34 "Why Sigmund, I didn't hear you come in. Please sit down." 35 Sigmund settled into an easy chair and said, "Doctor, I understand you 36 finally went to the PC&S tavern and met some of the Inn patrons." 37 "Yes, I was a touch nervous at first, but soon relaxed and enjoyed 38 myself." Frankenstupe said. 39 "Were the patrons what you expected?" 40 "I really didn't know what to expect. I found them all to be very 41 individualistic, creative, and intelligent. I met some old foes, Joshua 42 and Leonard, who turned out to be rather nice. A couple of the strong 43 personalities, the Guardian and kathyd, were quite charming. Mad Max was 44 well... Mad Max." Frankenstupe turned wistful for a moment. "Piper and 45 MiG were there, too, but I didn't get a chance to say hello, but overall, 46 it was fascinating." 47 "No regrets then?" Sigmund asked. 48 "Well, there was one person missing. Someone I still want to meet." 49 "Ah yes, I know who you mean." 50 "I'm sure you do. Maybe someday..." Frankenstupe became lost in 51 thought. Sigmund smiled to himself as he left he room... and the Doctor 52 was left to his daydreams. 53 Doctor Frankenstupe 54 P.S. Guardian and kathy d: It seems I have been gulled by the vandals and 55 compounded my error by engaging my typing fingers before using my brain. 56 Sorry about that. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to try and get this egg 57 off my face. Dr. F 58 +_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+ 59 `,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`, 60 Kathyd: If these vandals are using your name without your permision, I hope 61 everything will work out and they (the vandals) will go back to the 62 rocks where they came from... Maybe they just missed getting on to 63 that twit-bus and they are gone by now. 64 `,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`,`, [Mark] 65 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 66 Doctor Frankenstupe: thanks for the compliment(?)... I think... EOT ACK 67 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------MM 68 ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]] 69 Dr. Frankenstupe: Not only was NET repesented, UNDERGROUND was lurking about, 70 making a grand total of about...letsee here...around 40 personalities present 71 (of course, one actual person might be as many as 7 different personalities). 72 Let's face it, we're a schizophrenic bunch. 73 74 John K. O'Hara 75 [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ 76 ________________________________________________________________________________ 77 NEW BBS!!!!!!!!!!!!! 78 CALL T-COM AT 635-xxxx 79 IF you are good enough you can qualify for limited remote sysop statuss on 80 your own board!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sysop control on your very own board!!! 81 mind you-you have to be GOOD at one of the topics or come up with a 82 new one. This might just prove to be one of the best bbs's around 83 second to the warehouse!!!!!! 84 call now!!!! 635-xxxx 85 Jason Thorn is running it. He is pretty cool, and so are some 86 of the sysops already set-up with there own boards!! 87 88 call........Call......CAll........CALl..........CALL!!!!!!!!!!! 89 /ex 90 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PaPa 91 Ah, it is indeed sorry to hear about the possible ouster of the PC&S, 92 although I may not have attended there more than twice now, I am indeed 93 sorrowed to hear about it leaving. The information concerning Piper 94 being asked to de-pipe himself was especially heart-breaking. I enjoy 95 pipes what little I have had the opportunity to hear, and am astonded 96 that they would do such a thing with such a large clientle that seemed 97 to be quite infavor of them. Things do seem to be going downhill these 98 days. My life as well as everyone else have taken a turn for the worst. 99 Maybe its just Halley's Commet (you know that Cybermen have planted a 100 bomb in Halley's and its going to hit us). An interesting thought no 101 doubt. I attended the Doctor Who Convention held saturday at the Benson 102 Hotel and the people to Portland who like the Doctor really turned out 103 for the convention. They had some 500 chairs in the ballroom and it was 104 standing room only! Being early we got great seats at about row 5. It 105 was really neat. Why in such a block form now? I'm really not sure. 106 Maybe I just wanted to save the space. Who knows. KATHY: sorry for 107 not having any oreos in the house, Mike had already polished off the 108 last bunch that was in the house and I have not bought any more at the 109 store. Again, Sorry. I'm also somewhat sorry that I have not been able 110 to call BWMS as much as I use too. I do enjoy all of the stories that 111 are placed upon these disks for everyone to read, such a neat board. I 112 am glad that Mikey decided not to throw in the chips several months ago 113 when the big scare hit about shutting down. My Mike and I are really 114 moving in strange and different circles these days. Each of use I think, 115 thinks the others circle is bad for them. But then again. I don't 116 know, I'm so confused these days. But then again, Such is life. Well 117 I've taken up enought of the most important boards time and space. 118 Especially the space part. I think I'll go read a bit of B before wandering 119 off to something else. Then again, you never know. To all of the 120 Inn folks: Please, I raise my warm mug to you all, and my hats off to 121 all of the wounderful personalities here at the Inn. It is a most needed 122 place for you. To each and everyone of you, I hope you find your true 123 self, at the Inn. May the blessing be. 124 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PaPa Smurf ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 125 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 126 "I love breaking tough guys." 127 Mohammed peered into the glaring light of a powerful hand lantern. 128 Silhouetted there, he saw several figures. One towering over the rest. 129 "Colonel Igor Dorkonovich, I presume." Mohammed said. 130 "Very good, Wassir." Dorkonovich stepped into the circle of light. 131 Clad in a dull green uniform, the Russian stood 6'7" and weighed 280 lbs. 132 Short bristly hair covered his head. He stared at his captives with beady 133 pig eyes... eyes full of hate. 134 "Colonel Dork, what happened? You give up mud wrestling for an honest 135 job?" Ming's wisecracking helped cover his fear. 136 "Ming Louie, you have taunted me for the last time." Dorkonovich 137 smiled in anticipation. 138 "Wassamatter Dork, Natashia complaining about your limp noodle?" 139 Dorkonovich reddened and sputtered in rage. He complusively clenched 140 and unclenched his fists. Mohammed worried that the Russian would fall 141 into one of his infamous rages, spoke to break the tension, "Colonel, I 142 must congratulate you on finding us. Since we are at your mercy, may I 143 ask how you accomplished it?" 144 Dorkonovich flashed Ming a look of hate, then turned to Wassir, "Why 145 not tell you? Our operatives in Inisfall have reported that Pam has been 146 kidnapped. Not our operation, I'm afraid. But I knew you two would hurry 147 out of Afghanistan to rescue her." The Russian puffed his chest out 148 proudly... smug in his logic. 149 Ming and Mohammed looked at each other in amazement. "Pam kidnapped? 150 So that's what Salazar wanted. Hmmm... I wonder who?" Mohammed said. 151 "Not that you can do anything about it now, Wassir. I have a recep- 152 tion waiting for you in Kabul. Nothing fancy, but several of my men want 153 to discuss tainted borsch with you." Dorkonovich smiled, revealing large 154 yellow teeth. 155 "I told you not to put saltpeter in their borsch, Ming." Mohammed 156 said to his friend. 157 Ming shrugged and said to the Russian, "Sorry about the borsch, Dork.. 158 but we can't stick around to discuss your sex life." Ming took two steps 159 forward and sprung high into the air. His left foot lashed out, the 160 booted toe caught Dorkonovich full in the mouth. Teeth and blood sprayed 161 into the Asian night. Before anyone else could react, Mohammed scooped up 162 a fist-sized rock and with one smooth underhand motion hurled it at the 163 hand lantern. Glass shattered. The scene plunged into darkness. 164 Mohammed and Ming urgently began to scramble up the jumbled mountain- 165 side. The eerie strobe of Russian submachine gun fire lit their path. The 166 confused shoutsw of pursuers followed them. 167 168 Their climb spurred by fear and the angry whiz of bullets 'round their 169 heads, Ming and Mohammed soon reached the lofty mountain pass. Cautiously 170 peeking from behind a boulder, they saw a Russian helicopter sitting in a 171 large open space. Two uniformed soldiers looked uncertainly from an open 172 hatch, roused by the gunfire. They died with soft grunts, Albanian 173 throwing knives in their throats. 174 "My friend, can you fly this thing?" Mohammed asked uneasily as Ming 175 settled into the pilot's seat. 176 "Hey, piece of cake. You're in the company of a proud graduate of the 177 Montgomery Ward Correspondence Helicopter School. Hmmm... now how did that 178 go?" 179 Mohammed's next words were lost in the roar of engines at the heli- 180 copter rose unsteadily into the sky. It climbed higher, then began to 181 gyrate wildly. Mohammed blanched as they plunged toward the rocks below. 182 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Valinor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 183 184 ******************************************************* 185 SIGH: It looks like the phone line is giving problems again. 186 Hang in there, I'm sure PNB will find the problem eventually, in the 187 mean time we have to suffer. Sigh... 188 *********************** CISTOP MIKEY *************************: 189 ***************************************************************** 190 Kathy: If you are having problems with entries being made under your name, 191 please let me know and I'll take care of it. But unless you say something 192 I won't know, so please tell me. I am sorry if a certain immature 193 individual is causing you problems. It certainly isn't my intent to 194 allow that sort of thing to happen here, but unless you speak up I won't 195 know what to do, so say something! 196 **************************** CISTOP MIKEY ****************************** 197 If anyone is interested in finding "Romeo", I have some info that will 198 greatly reduce the number of suspects... 199 ___________________________Leonard_________________________________________ 200 Dr. Frankenstupe et al: you just missed meeting your old friend Petrov at P 201 C&S - he was up from OSU for the weekend, but had to study. You could have 202 had an interesting meeting, talking about the similarities between the 203 care and feeding of sheep and Things. If you make another appearance (and 204 if there is a place toto make an appearance at), perhaps you'll have 205 another chance. As things stand, he won't be back on a PorSFiS weekend 206 until the summer, but things have a habit of changing. 207 (I really didn't mean "toto"; Enter Only and a flakey terminal program 208 conspired against me). 209 JoshuaJoshua.......................................................Joshua 210 *************************************************************************** 211 Ah, Cistop, that cuts me to the quick--to discover my creations missing, to 212 find that they have been deleted from disk B. Oh well, I'll just have to 213 practice my extemporaneous style a little more. The Satyrist 214 215 (NB: For those of you who suffer from a deficient comprehension of the 216 English/American language (99.5% of you, by my latest count) Satyrist is 217 a pun. There are TWO meanings there--discovering what they are is left 218 as an exercise.) 219 *************************************guess-who***************************** 220 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*Dreamtoucher*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* 221 Piper: Thanx very much for the sounds. The censoring of your music was a dis- 222 appointment to me. Some people got no appreation for the finer things in life. 223 *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* 224 Before Dreamtoucher reentered the INN, he saw an old human, with much 225 magic about him, leave and head down the dusty road. He also noticed that one 226 to be in a troubled state of mind. 227 Within; person had returned. others had come and gone. 228 As soon as he was seated, Dreamtoucher began the story he had promesed 229 earlier to tell. 230 *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* 231 Thenan was on the bridge, along with everyone else, when the Jeluni made 232 planetfall on Lucabethu. 233 The Jeluni had been on a routine planetological expedition when it was 234 diverted by an urgent request by the sector councel on Decimelu. University 235 research vessels are not usualy used on a mission of this risk but her crew 236 weren't exactly first year students and no other was available. While it is 237 true that Thenan was doing post-grad in galactic nav at the University of Na- 238 bathebe which owned the Jeluni, the course and the trip were mostly a sabatical 239 for him, away from the rigors of elected servitude as a Lananaran coordinator. 240 Captian Rica, herself experianced in xenozoology, was nominaly the ship's 241 master. 242 The landing sight appeared to be a natural amphatheatre. 243 One of those ubiquitous four wheel boxes with arms, cameras, a panoply of 244 sensors and compartments for spy-eyes and microbots, which Lananarans refer to 245 as a masterbot, was sent out to sniff the air and generly test conditions 246 before any of the crew could be permitted to risk exposure. 247 Not that Lucabethu wa a totaly new or unexplored world, mind you. Its 248 just that the current population was falling! Indeviduals vanished into thin 249 air, often as not in the presence of friends and neighbors. 250 A frantic call to the sector capitol had resaulted in the Jeluni's div- 251 ersion. 252 The precautionary masterbot reported back nothing obviosly worrisome or 253 contrary to the old report that been filed prior to colonization. One 254 puzzeling find was the faint trace of an energy field they were unable to 255 catalogue. Its traces dicepating immediatly, precluding the taking of more 256 precise measurement. A glitch perhaps, within acceptable noise levels. The 257 anomily was duly logged and forgotten. 258 Assigining Lejab, engineering joat, and Lala, propulsion systems, to 259 ships watch, the rest of the crew, in light protective gear, truged up out of 260 the bowl of thair landing site. 261 *=*=*=* *=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* *=*=*=*=* 262 incase you hadent already guessed, Thenan is the name Themnax's co-parents 263 rolled up for him at birth. 264 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* 265 ************************************************************* 266 Guess who: Punnacious behavior lecherous or otherwise is one 267 thing, but defamation of character be it direct or indirect is 268 quite another. Why not use your writing abilities to be creative 269 instead of destructive attacks on another? Who knows, you might 270 even receive something unexpected... praise. 271 *********************** CISTOP MIKEY *********************** 272 273 ================================================================= 274 It had been hard keeping track of the black car as it speed 275 thru traffic. But it's destination was becoming clear, it was 276 headed towards the airport. I was not prepared for when it 277 deverted to the air freight company entrance, and almost lost it. 278 I stopped just outside the gate, then pulled in and parked 279 in the customer lot. The limo I had been following continued 280 around the office building, and headed towards a hanger in the 281 back. Getting out of my car, I ran after it. 282 A security guard stepped into my path. "Hold on there! Where 283 do you think you're going?" He shouted. "Out of my way! Police 284 business", and I flashed him my fake Police badge that I had 285 gotten out of a box of Cheerios. That seemed to satisfy him, and 286 I speed on. As I rounded the corner of the building, I saw 287 them pulling the young lady out of the back of the limo and drag 288 her towards a 707 jet that was being pulled out of the hanger. I 289 waited until they had entered the aircraft, then quickly sprinted 290 towards it. 291 The engines had already been started, and the ground crew 292 were taking the gear back to the hanger. The cargo hatch hadn't 293 been closed yet, so I quickly climbed in and hid behind a crate. 294 Moments later, they closed the hatch and I felt the plane begin 295 taxiing. 296 I pulled out my pocket scanner and turned it to the local 297 tower frequencies. I was rewarded with a message moments later. 298 "Roger November charlie one seven zero, you're cleared for take 299 off, for Denver." 300 Oh wonderful, I'm going to regret getting involved with 301 this, I thought. I crawled over to the radar transmitter and 302 pulled the air exchanger exhaust hose off. That should give me a 303 little pressurization and heat. I poked around in the cargo, and 304 found a sleeping bag. I unrolled it and crawled in preparing for 305 a long cold flight. 306 "Why do I get myself into these situations?" I said to no 307 one in particular. 308 ====================== Marvin Deepe ============================ 309 310 ************************************************************************** 311 Cistupe: I came here to bury you, not for praise. 312 *******************************moron********************************** 313 /=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/ 314 Away from the realm of fine satin cloaks, rawhide jackets, and an occasional feathered hat exists what may be 315 called the Real World; a place of denim jeans, polyester & nylon, and baseball caps. This is where we were today 316 (yesterday, Sat 21 Apr), and this is where we may possibly no longer meet. What I mean is that we could have just 317 looked at our last day spent together within the Inn incarnate, the place we have at one time or other been to or 318 heard mention of. This is a place we have known as the friendly PC&S Tavern. 319 At first it was intended as a simple meeting of minds, a meeting for friends. We didn't know what we had in 320 store for us. It started something like this.... 321 At about two or three in the afternoon, a couple of friends walked in off of what were the drizzling streets 322 of downtown Portland. As they strolled by the barren and half filled tables it became apparent that they had arrived 323 ahead of the crowd that made it a habit to congest the back tables during their biweekly visits. Seating themselves 324 somewhat stategically, they began to give the menu the once-over for a bite to eat; in an effort to make it to the 325 event on time they had both missed lunch. As they were reading up on their choices, a third person came in and was 326 seated. It was at about this time that their cordial host approached the table and began with his lighthearted 327 barrage of "So what'll it be this time?" inquiries. Since the fellow taking our order is usually in good spirits 328 and lets the feeling show, we almost shrugged off a comment he made about the apple juice. 329 "I'm sorry, but we just ran out of the last of it, and haven't reordered since we may be shutting down." 330 "Oh, you're closing down, are you?" came the casually jesting reply. 331 "Yes, we are....." 332 333 334 He then proceeded to inform us as to the reasons of the situation. It appears that their ten year lease is 335 due to expire at about the end of the month, and the organization that owns the building, the German Aid Society, does 336 not wish to have it extended. 337 Shortly after having been served our meal with side order of bad news, more than half dozen Patrons came 338 through the door to take their places in this day's meet. They were filled with smiles and chatter, expecting to 339 regale in conversation that may be so rarely shared with in person between a mojority of these individuals. 340 Some small talk, and some not so small talk had been flying through the air for quite awhile when all of a sudden it 341 was all cut short by a tremendous wailling came from the center of the establishment. It was now very clear that that 342 the character of high repute had once again been able to survive a voyage into the heart of the city. 343 Yes, the piper's creator had returned with bag in hand. After the initial shock had died down, and a couple of 344 "isn't that?" and "I told you so"'s were passed on the crowd began to resume the ordinary din to its original level. 345 But after a short pause, just long enough to attach the bag to the mouthpiece (ecuse my lack of proper terminology), 346 the piper rose and began to play a melody that would have been intended to lift the sagging atmosphere that 347 accompanied the news of the forthcoming closure. It was getting everyone's attention, and it was going to work but a 348 wrench was thrown in the works of this as well. There had been a request (or even a complaint) that it would be 349 better if the pipes were not to be played. How stunningly ironic. It seemd that not only the structure that held the 350 allure of the Inn was gone, but the spirit of it was dying as well. There were many that were watching with an eager 351 eye and a hopeful ear to partake in the merrimemt that could in some way transfer them mysteriously back to the other 352 realm, another reality that is Inisfal. It was not to be, the hope was cast aside. 353 354 After awhile the Patrons and other guests started to disperse to the places they needed to be. Some left 355 early and others lingered on for prehaps hours. A few faces that were (almost) new t the crowd had voiced their 356 name's and proclaimed their identities that covered them by pen and keyboard. Some were able to rattle off three and 357 more names while others only mentioned that they had one or remained silent as to the possibilities of their other 358 selves. There were two men that sat next to each other that commented under their breathes to each other that they 359 could both take credit for more than six or seven personas of their own. 360 Things settled down after some time, but the gloom that the meeting place may very likely be closed before our 361 next visit has haunted me to the point that I knew I had to be the one that made this statement. Fragments were bound 362 to have been mentioned, but they needed to be pieced together. I only hope I haven't missed anything. 363 Having heard the names mentioned, I could list them off by organization or reality but will just leave you with this. 364 Piner. 365 /=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/=/ 366 367 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ --->the Guardian 112:03 368 369 NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT 370 I'm sure some of you well remember the likes of one Captain Barefoot. 371 (aka. alchemist, Mesolithic Mathematician, Melissa, and heaven only 372 knows what other various Inndentities) If the rumors I hear are true, 373 few have seen his physical presence outside the Backwater Inn. I'm 374 not sure if he still visits here (lurks) or not. Knowing that I place 375 myself at risk of his double bladed wit, still the news must be told. 376 Thumbing through an early edition of the Monday Oregonian a feature 377 article in the Living Section catches my eye. If my memory of things 378 told here at the Inn are correct I suspect the person referred to is 379 none other than the captain himself. (Sorry if I gave you away Capt'n, 380 chuckle, grin.) Can you BELIEVE it????? 381 For obvious reasons this alert is brought to you sans byline. 382 NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT -- NEWS ALERT 383 384 ppppppppppppppppppppppppp lurk mode today pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp 385 \`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\ 386 The room as too small to be comfortable. The only light was directly over 387 the table, striking the dark tabletop like a fist. Reflections of its impact 388 lit three of the faces at the table with an erie half-light. These three had 389 papers spread before them, the whiteness of them harsh in the brillant light, 390 making their faces clearer in the gloom. 391 All three were smoking, their ashtrays overflowing. One butt had even rolled 392 unnoticed to the floor, its fire now slowly dying. 393 The forth man leaned back from the bare table in front of him. His face all 394 but invisible in the darkness. A narrow cane hung from the arm of his chair. 395 He was not smoking. 396 The paper on the table were spread about in frantic patterns. Bright evidence 397 of some lengthly if not fevered activity. But for this moment nothing moved in 398 the room. The eye of the storm. 399 \`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\` the runner \`\`\`\`\`\`\`\ 400 ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 401 Guess-who: The purpose of this board is not to degrade others using false 402 names...It is to stimulate the natural creative ability that is not usually 403 in some. If you must continue, and I hope you don't, then don't drag the rest 404 of us down to your level... 405 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? The Doctor ????????????????? 406 PS: The double meaning of your name is not too difficult. I mean,t took me 407 a whole 3 seconds... 408 ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? The Doctor Again ??????????? 409 ___________________________________________________________________________ 410 R. Rommel & Associates 411 4717 Territorial Way 412 Portland, Oregon 97207 413 Mr. A. Salazar 414 1600 Tonguelash Building 415 Portland, Oregon 97232 416 RE: Future Employment Opportunity 417 Dear Mr. Salazar, 418 You have been recommended to me by a mutual business acquaintance, 419 a Dr. Frankenstupe, with whom I and my clients have done business 420 with in the past. He has given me the utmost assurances as to your 421 professionalism as well as your ability, and therefore I am taking 422 this opportunity to contact you in regards to a certain event that 423 may have a bearing on specific highly profitable business ventures 424 in which I am engaged. 425 It is my belief, as well as that of the local constabulary, that one 426 of my clients may have recently been the victim of foul play. It 427 has been reported to me by usually reliable sources that it is highly 428 possible she has been illegally detained, and may in fact now be in 429 transit to a South American country of unknown origins. 430 Enclosed please find the vital statistics of the individual above 431 mentioned, as well as some past history and all other evidence and 432 names of which I am aware that are pertinant. Also please find a 433 retainer in the form of a check for expenses that you may incur in 434 the course of your investigation. It is my hope that you will find 435 the sum adequate for your needs, but you will find my office to be 436 available to you if this is not the case. 437 I will assume that your standard fee schedule will be in force for 438 this particular venture. We find this completely satisfactory, and 439 you will also find receipt of a handsome bonus on the successful 440 completion of this employment. 441 Sincerely, 442 R. Rommell 443 ____________________________________________________________________________ 444 <*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*> 445 Romeo, my dearest Romeo................handcuffs?......... oh my............ 446 447 <*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>Juliet<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*> 448 449 >>>>>--------------------------------------------------------------------->>>>> 450 The Sentry awaited to be relieved from his evening post by yet another 451 member of the guard. As time passed he realized that something must be wrong, 452 his replacement hed never been this late before... it was almost sunrise. 453 Keeping duty in mind, he ramined at his station. Thoughts of his fellow 454 comrades filled his mind, as well as the ebents that had currently taken place 455 both at House and in town. Trying to make himself more comfortable, he tugged 456 at his chain-mail and repositioned the sword he carried at his side. Since the 457 sun was on the rise, he extinguished the torch mounted in one corner of the 458 small shack he had occupied for the night. He breathed a heavy sigh. 459 #They'll hear about this!# he thought. #But since the commander hasn't 460 been seen for days, things haven't been thm same around here. 'While the cat 461 is away...' I suppose. But still, why has he beeen away for so long?# He 462 crossed his arms and gave a puzzled look to the empty walls. #I wonder.# 463 The sun rose and filled the shack with shades of red, gold, gren and black. 464 The torch had been put out and the Sentry was wide awake, just waiting... 465 <<<<<---------------------------------------- The Sentry ----------<<<<<<< 466 010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101 467 "Mr. Salazar?" said the figure emerging from the doorway. 468 "Yes." Salazar tensed. Since the abduction he had been expecting 469 further trouble. 470 The man held out a small plastic card, about the size of a credit 471 card. "You're investigating Pam's kidnapping." It was a statement not a 472 question. The man continued, "you may run into a marked lack of co- 473 operation in some quarters. This'll help. When you're done, call the 474 number and they'll tell you what to do with the card." 475 Salazar took the card, looked at it and froze. He looked back 476 up and started to ask a question. But the man was gone. 477 He looked back at the card. He heard of the CIA using cards like 478 this in Vietnam, but this somehow didn't have the right 'feel' for a 479 'Company' job. 480 He read the card, 481 "Do not detain or in any way interfere with the bearer of this 482 card." and a phone number in full international direct dial format. On 483 the back were a magnetic strip, some bar code and a long string of 484 numbers and letters. 485 010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101 486 -os-os-os lurking mode on -os-os-os 487 MiG: call voice 488 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*Dreamtoucher*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* 489 The Cathode Plate; episode 2: 490 The story they got from the local councel of coordinators, though more 491 detailed than the origeonal request for diversion, was no more enlightening. 492 Most of the vanishings, as the locals had started calling them, happened eather 493 less than a hexichron after dawn or a similar time before dark. None of them 494 inside anyone's home, all of them in a small number of precise locations, many 495 now known and marked off, yet the vanishings went on. 496 Several sites were visited, each properly protected by saw horses, 497 surveyor's tape and blinking lights. 498 Toward evening, crew having parted company with local coordinators, were 499 on thair way back to the ship. Rica and Nica, who were walking on ahead, 500 didn't see it start. Thenan, who was at the rear, saw in detail. Captain and 501 science 'supercargo' turned at his call. Just in time to see Cila fade from 502 translucence to transparency to not there at all! Only Thenan had seen the 503 faint blue aura that surrounded her immediatly before she began to faide. 504 Nica, a grad student in xenogeophysics, took a reading with her kit. The 505 resaults were oddly similar to the mysterios field glitch encountered shortly 506 after landing. 507 Next day, Thenan returned to each site, including the one tragicly dis- 508 couvered the previos evening. He checked for evidence of field generating 509 equipment and for subteranian cavities below or nearby. No such luck. On his 510 way back back to log this dissapointing failure, as he approached the ship, 511 he stoped ware the Jeluni'S masterbot first noted the odd field effect. 512 Right away a cavity registered. He sent for the masterbot which cleared 513 away a few centimeters of top soil to reveal a cast stone hatch of some sort. 514 It took Lejab's diverse background to puzzle out the opening mechanism. When 515 the ship's engineering joat finaly slid back the couver, a virtical shaft 516 with mettal grab rungs down one side, was revealed. 517 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* 518 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 519 There's this beast that grew in my head 520 Today I'm calling him Fred 521 He directs me 522 Almost constantly 523 Like a steering wheel in my head 524 525 He looks out through my eyes 526 He wears me as disguise 527 I tried to tell her 528 Frighten 'er, warn her 529 To mess with him is not wise 530 531 He fits tight inside my skin 532 I feel dry, streached thin 533 I feel like a drum 534 The downbeat to come 535 I sit in my head and watch him 536 537 He took my woman tonight 538 He made her scream in the night 539 He laughed in my face 540 As he took my place 541 I could not take my eyes from the sight 542 543 I watched the light in her eyes 544 And listened to her sighs 545 And I saw her face 546 As he started to place 547 His hand between her thighs 548 549 He liked me watching him 550 I felt him grin a grin 551 He smiles with grace 552 From inside my face 553 He knows I won't fight him and win 554 555 He takes her and he laughs 556 For he sees shadows pass 557 Across my face 558 As I watch her face 559 As the two become one mass 560 561 He watches for my expression 562 Some reaction to their obsession 563 I try to trace 564 No sign in my face 565 To reveal my opression 566 567 I don't want him to see 568 How much he torments me 569 He'd rub his hands 570 And dance in the sands 571 Of my head, and laugh with glee 572 573 There are secrets that he tells 574 That he whispers in my halls 575 When I try to hear them 576 He hides in the bathroom 577 And mumbles in the stalls 578 579 He is like the shark 580 That cruises throught the park 581 By day if you meet him 582 You don't even know him 583 But you buy his drugs after dark 584 585 Now he lives in my head 586 Controling everything said 587 If you should meet me 588 Look closely 589 590 591 you might see 592 The beast that I call Fred 593 the harlequin 594 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 595 \`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\ 596 Three faces turned toward one. As the silence lengthed the cigarettes 597 moved more often, leaving smokey contrails in an arc between mouth and 598 tabletop. The draws were more pronounced, the exhales more like sighs. 599 Small beads of sweat could be seen on three upper lips. One cigarette was 600 extinguished, another imediately lit to replace it. 601 The figure at the head of the table stood and walked to a switch on the 602 wall. He did not use his cane. He limped on his right leg. As his hand 603 touched the switch a low rumble could be heard and th layers of smoke began 604 slowly disappearing through a grill in the wall. There was a moment of 605 hesitation from the table, then three cigarettes were ground out of life. 606 There were none lit to replace them. One pack, a book of matches tucked 607 into the plastic wrapping, was relagated to the breast pocket of a jacket 608 hanging off the back of a chair. 609 \`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\ the runner `\`\`\`\`\`\`\`\ 610 ************************************************************************ 611 The Doctor: I hope you didn't dislocate your shoulder patting yourself 612 on the back---but since you're a doctor, you could heal thyself anyway, 613 right? The Satyrist 614 ************************************************************************ 615 ******************************************************************** 616 gee folks i guess it's time for me to change my border. i was going 617 to finish adventure, but the darn disk is all filled up. 618 mikey: thanks for the support, i was trying to just stay low key 619 over The Satyrist's humor, but im glad you deleted those 620 entries of his(hers?). 621 all: err.. most : your great, i hope we can come up with a new 622 meeting place where the pipes can play. 623 *************************************kathyd************************ 624 roses are red 625 violets are blue 626 you know who 627 loves all of you 628 ******************************************************************* 629 *************************************the end*********************** TOTAL NUMBER OF LINES = 629