Variant Earth 13 E Mail Game Archive Number 2

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Tue, 22 Dec 1998 18:26:02 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Natasha jumped a bit as the strangely clad man materialized.

"Damnit! There _was_ somebody in the car with her. Well, glad to know I wasn't hallucinating, but who the hell are you - besides someone who just saved our asses?!" she belted out, suspiciously looking about the room for any other "surprises".

"Oh, and yeah, Jinx is fine." she added quickly, never dropping her guard.

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Wed, 23 Dec 1998 14:20:07 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:

> Natasha jumped a bit as the strangely clad man materialized.
 
> "Damnit! There _was_ somebody in the car with her. Well, glad to know 
> I wasn't hallucinating, but who the hell are you - besides someone who
> just saved our asses?!" she belted out, suspiciously looking about the
> room for any other "surprises".

> "Oh, and yeah, Jinx is fine." she added quickly, never dropping her
> guard.

The mystery man bows before you, never taking his eyes off of either of you for an instant.  "I am known by many names, my dears, but you can call me... Zartan.  I do apologize for eavesdropping on you like I did, but when she hired my minions back at Burger King, I was intrigued."

"So, I figured, since you'll be trying to get your hands on one of Roy's neuropathic processors, well, why shouldn't I try for one myself?  I can
think of all kinds of people that would like to have one, as well, and they'd pay me anything I asked for it."

He stops and grins at this point.  "So, shall we ally in our quest for this new technology?  We both want it, and our odds of getting ahold of the processor are much greater if we work WITH each other.  Are you with me?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Wed, 23 Dec 1998 14:32:22 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Natasha sighed, shrugging and turning to Time-Out, her guns never lowering from the strange man, threw out a question:

"So, what do you think? Personally, I don't trust the guy, but he is right, it'll probably be easier with an extra target for the goons on the other side of the wall.

"Oh, and what the hell can you do besides go invisible and take a bullet or three?" she questioned, her force field murkily reflecting the scene.

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Wed, 23 Dec 1998 15:25:07 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> Natasha sighed, shrugging and turning to Time-Out, her guns never
> lowering from the strange man, threw out a question:
 
> "So, what do you think? Personally, I don't trust the guy, but he is
> right, it'll probably be easier with an extra target for the goons on
> the other side of the wall.

"Nice attitude", this so-called Zartan says in response to your off-color remark, while Time Out simply shrugs.  "I guess we can use him for now, but there's one big, hairy condition:  if there's only one of these chips, WE have dibs.  Or else you can walk, tough guy."

His smile fades at that, but Zartan rallies soon enough.  "Very well.  If there's only one neuropathic processor to be had, I can simply settle for some other sample of advanced technology in that room.  If Roy put together this processor, I bet he's come up with some other goodies."

"Can we go in, now?"

> "Oh, and what the hell can you do besides go invisible and take a 
> bullet or three?" she questioned, her force field murkily reflecting 
> the scene.

Stopping in mid-step before opening one of the sliding, mirrored doors, Zartan looks back at you.   "Well, if you must know, I have a natural... talent... for blending into the background.  A talent that I've augmented with my revolutionary holographic technology.  See?"

Suddenly, the man looks just like you.  And then Time Out, and then Bruno.  "However, that's not all", he says, changing back to normal, "as I am also quite a martial artist, and can do awfully mean things to a person with a bow.  These guns are usually more efficient, however."

He pulls out one of his holstered pistols and twirls it around his trigger finger, mostly for show.  Stopping it on the third twirl, he holds it in a somewhat menacing stance, and starts for one of the sliding doors.  "Are we ready, yet?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Wed, 23 Dec 1998 19:11:04 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

"Right, Mr. Invisible, after you...We'll be right behind you!"

Jinx grinned under her field, rechecking her weapons and adjusting her goggles, flicking from standard to infra-red to see if Zartan's heat signature became more pronounced.

~Come on you bastard, you've got to be visible under some spectrum!~ she silently cursed the mysterious man.

Once she completed her equipment check, she stepped off to the side of the doors, waiting for some sign of the security systems activating or guards opening fire.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chinese Takeout, Anyone?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 03:53:03 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Christopher W. Acers wrote:

>> As you thunder off into the great gray yonder, you can hear Och 
>> yelling behind you.  "Hey, wait for me!  It's not like I have a 
>> horse!!"  You can see him beating feet behind you, doing his best to 
>> keep up despite the fact that he can't run anywhere near as fast as 
>> that horse o' yours...

> Skidding to a stop, which is quite impressive on a horse, I turn 
> around and head on back to my forgotten party muttering all the way.

> *Drat! Short legs do not accomodate speed do they...And the lady. I
> suppose I should go back, Wouldn't do me any good to not. They are 
> good people, if a little strange...well not strange..maybe ..no..they 
> are good people, for they are my friends...The ladies hair looks like 
> it was done by a professional....Maybe a nice coat of green .hmm I 
> wonder..Drat again!*

> Skidding to another stop, because I passed them whilst talking to
> myself, I concentrate very hard on not talking to myself and head back
> to them. Giving them two thumbs up I ask :
 
> "I might have an easier way of getting there..Do you have any other 
> sort of transportation besides that sinking thing you do Silouhette? I 
> mean I could get us there Once I know the location and that would 
> require a ..out of body experience, as you might call it, on the part 
> of myself. Its pretty fast and then I could Get us there real fast. 
> Not as fast as say the speed of light, hell I cant even go plaid, but 
> plaid is so garish anyways. Never really matches anything except maybe 
> my socks and it is really hard to paint on the ceiling and... sorry... 
> well would you mind?"

Och is still just staring at you, having watched you thunder off in one direction, and then come back and fly past, and then coming back yet again.  Of course, then there's your long laundry list of magical stuff you've been spewing out, which seems to have left him behind.

Mentally speaking, that is.

"Er, what?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chinese Takeout, Anyone?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 04:23:02 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> As you thunder off into the great gray yonder, you can hear Och yelling
> behind you.  "Hey, wait for me!  It's not like I have a horse!!"  You
> can see him beating feet behind you, doing his best to keep up despite
> the fact that he can't run anywhere near as fast as that horse o' yours

Skidding to a stop, which is quite impressive on a horse, I turn around and head on back to my forgotten party muttering all the way.

*Drat! Short legs do not accommodate speed do they...And the lady. I suppose I should go back, Wouldn't do me any good to not. They are good people, if a little strange...well not strange... maybe ..no... they are good people, for they are my friends...The ladies hair looks like it was done by a professional....Maybe a nice coat of green .hmm I wonder... Drat
again!*

Skidding to another stop, because I passed them whilst talking to myself, I concentrate very hard on not talking to myself and head back to them. Giving them two thumbs up I ask :

"I might have an easier way of getting there..Do you have any other sort of transportation besides that sinking thing you do Silouhette? I mean I could get us there Once I know the location and that would require a ..out of body experience, as you might call it, on the part of myself. Its pretty fast and then I could Get us there real fast. Not as fast as say the speed of light, hell I cant even go plaid, but plaid is so garish anyways. Never really matches anything except maybe my socks and it is really hard to paint on the ceiling and...sorry...well would you mind?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 04:43:48 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:

> "Right, Mr. Invisible, after you...We'll be right behind you!"

Zartan bows again.  "But of course.  I wouldn't want to put you in any undue risk, here."  With that, he slides the first mirrored door open, and he walks into a steel-coated laboratory, full of robots.  Well, parts of robots.  Lots of partly constructed electromechanical things.

> Jinx grinned under her field, rechecking her weapons and adjusting her
> goggles, flicking from standard to infra-red to see if Zartan's heat
> signature became more pronounced.

> ~Come on you bastard, you've got to be visible under some spectrum!~ 
> she silently cursed the mysterious man.

> Once she completed her equipment check, she stepped off to the side of
> the doors, waiting for some sign of the security systems activating or
> guards opening fire.

Your infra-red spots the man just fine, right now, though you note that he quickly vanished from even the heat spectrum once he entered the lab.  He's darn good at not being seen when he doesn't want to be, as you can tell, but you can hear him making slight footfalls, still.

As if to reassure you that he's here.  For, after all this trouble to mask his visual presence, you can't help but think that the man can move with absolute silence if necessary, since he apparently did when you all were in that stairwell, minutes before.

Anyway, it looks as though you've walked into a modern Frankenstein's lab, as these robots give you the distinct impression that they want to be human, or at the very least, human-shaped. Bits of articulated legs, a perfect looking chrome hand, and tons of other bits, as well.

As if the robots were occasionally discarding their humanoid ideals for ... more interesting shapes.  And then, across the robotic graveyard, you can hear a grunting sound, and the 'Ya-Hoo!' of success.  Looking around the room, you eventually find life.

He's sitting on a wheeled cart underneath a robot, and this one looks like it's been completed, unlike the others, which could possibly be prototypes, or spare parts.  This robot, in fact, looks downright mean, with a big ol' gattling cannon on its left shoulder.

And those rippling, chrome muscles.  This thing looks as if it were built to be human, or at the very least, superior in design to mere human beings.  And it's eyes are glowing red.  Real red.  The man under the robot, after you soak in its appearance, wheels out.

"Well, hello!  My name's Roy.  Roy Shijitzu.  Nice to meet you, Natasha, Sandra, and... hm.  Thought that there was another person there with you for a second, there.  Hm, indeed.  My mind must be playing tricks with me again, but then, that's what it does best!"

You note the use of your first name and, more significantly, Time Out's, since she never revealed it to you, at ALL.  Either this man's a master of espionage or he's a mind reader.  Either way, that bodes bad for you, especially since he's sitting here with a big ass robot at his command.

"So, what are you fine, fine ladies doing here, in my lab, no less?  I never get visitors, because the lab seems to put people off, what with it looking like a metallic morgue or some such.  Oh, and I tend to put people off, too, since well, I know things about them."

"Lots of things.  I can see into people's Souls!"

You're not sure if you buy that line, as the man simply looks like your standard grease monkey, sitting there in an oil-soaked pair of canvas suspenders, smiling at you with that grin which can represent either raw madness or sheer genius.  You can't tell, at least, not yet.

He pulls back his two locks of hair, growing off the very front of his forehead, the rest having been long since shaved down to about one quarter of an inch, wiping sweat off his brow, and looks at you with a gleam of curiosity in his eyes.

"So, what can I do for you fine, fine ladies tonight?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chinese Takeout, Anyone?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 10:03:31 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> "I might have an easier way of getting there..Do you have any other sort
> of transportation besides that sinking thing you do Silouhette? I mean I
> could get us there Once I know the location and that would require a
> ..out of body experience, as you might call it, on the part of myself.
> Its pretty fast and then I could Get us there real fast. Not as fast as
> say the speed of light, hell I cant even go plaid, but plaid is so
> garish anyways. Never really matches anything except maybe my socks and
> it is really hard to paint on the ceiling and...sorry...well would you
> mind?"

Sil looked at them, <<Once you get a location, I can teleport all of us there... That's actually pretty easy to do..>>

Subject: Re: [v13] Chinese Takeout, Anyone?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 14:08:23 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> Sil looked at them, <<Once you get a location, I can teleport all of
> us there... That's actually pretty easy to do..>>

"MMmphhh, mpkjkhjjhhhh!"

*Damn, I still can't do that.*
"Right on, I mean! I'll be right back. We'll mybody will still be here,
just don't lett anyone take my stuff. I made this costume myself and my
mask, well thats my mascot you see. Neat stuff I say. I can see into
peoples soul with it, well not really but it sounds impressive, makes
'em think twice.."

With that I sit down and assume the meditating position and get right
back up and add...

"Sil, you mind if I call you that? I was wonderin' I could probably get us there just as fast, as your method of travel is so disconcerting. I feel like a marshmallow, but I can always close my eyes and Hum something. But does your method require the exact surroundings? Working like normal teleportation and such. And is it employed by any sort of...Technological device. I abhor those things, bad news I say. Magic is always the right way, sure it takes a wrong turn sometimes but it always ends up in the right place in the end. You don't need a map for magic, just maybe some Cliff's notes."

I sit down again, feeling a bit better and reassume the position. Closing my eyes i enter the astral plane and zoom on over to the source of magic.

What do I see Denny?

Subject: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 14:33:40 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Christopher W. Acers wrote:

> I sit down again, feeling a bit better and reassume the position.
> Closing my eyes I enter the astral plane and zoom on over to the 
> source of magic.
 
> What do I see Denny?

You glide across the astral plane for approximately one mile, until you arrive at last at an old and abandoned church.  Well, abandoned looking, as you find out from watching the place for a few minutes that there is indeed a couple of people inside, since they just walked out.

They're... kind of odd people, though.  Sure, they look normal enough, but they're all wearing a circuit board around their necks on a golden chain, and occasionally holding it up and talking to them.  Furthermore, you didn't sense it until you got on top of the building, but...

But there's a lot of magical power here.  Tons, even.  And, it's so cleverly disguised that you wouldn't have ever spotted it from the mortal plane.  This church is a hot-bed of magic power, and you're right on top of it!

At any rate, hoowever, doing a fly-by of this building, you indeed spot a man without a circuit board 'round his neck hanging about, but he's got a magical amulet.  Furthermore, he's looking rather... dark, down in that alleyway, all gothic and vampirish, in his 18th century gear.

The weird thing is that he seems to be arguing with his amulet.  "No, you prick, you didn't say it was going to be like this!  This really, really sucks, and I don't want it anymore!"  Oddly enough, despite the fact that you don't actually hear it, you can almost feel ...

... laughter in the air ...

Then the man wanders off, kicking his way into an adjacent building via a poorly boarded up door, and grunts as he heaves himself and the apparently heavy amulet inside with him.  You think you've got your man, but it's hard to say.  I mean, how many magical amulets are there?

Subject: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 14:45:56 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Sil looked at them, <<Once you get a location, I can teleport all of
> us there... That's actually pretty easy to do..>>

"So, you both can teleport about, then?  Interesting.", says Och, who seems almost lost in thought all of a sudden, when you get a tiny little pang of alarm in the back of your spine, Silhouette.  Sounds something like "Aargh!  Get them away from me", or some such... it wasn't clear.

You're not sure, but you didn't receive the mental transmission via mere telepathy... it almost sounded like you got the voice transmission via another medium, as if it came from... from the shadows, nearby!  "Be Quiet!  I don't care if you're a toaster oven!  I don't care!!!"

"I hate toast!"

(What'cha gonna do about that, Silhouette?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 19:19:46 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

>> Sil looked at them, <<Once you get a location, I can teleport all of
>> us there... That's actually pretty easy to do..>>
 
> "So, you both can teleport about, then?  Interesting.", says Och, who
> seems almost lost in thought all of a sudden, when you get a tiny little
> pang of alarm in the back of your spine, Silhouette.  Sounds something
> like "Aargh!  Get them away from me", or some such... it wasn't clear.
 
> You're not sure, but you didn't receive the mental transmission via mere
> telepathy... it almost sounded like you got the voice transmission via
> another medium, as if it came from... from the shadows, nearby!  "Be
> Quiet!  I don't care if you're a toaster oven!  I don't care!!!"
 
> "I hate toast!"
 
She'll drop the tall, scarecrow guy out of the shadows, like from the top of his head to his chest, while keeping the rest of him submerged just to see if he's awake in there...

Otherwise, she's going to pull out a maglite and shine it in the direction the voice came from....

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Thu, 24 Dec 1998 22:02:55 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:
 
>> "So, you both can teleport about, then?  Interesting.", says Och, who
>> seems almost lost in thought all of a sudden, when you get a tiny 
>> little pang of alarm in the back of your spine, Silhouette.  Sounds 
>> something like "Aargh!  Get them away from me", or some such... it 
>> wasn't clear.

>> You're not sure, but you didn't receive the mental transmission via 
>> mere telepathy... it almost sounded like you got the voice 
>> transmission via another medium, as if it came from... from the 
>> shadows, nearby!  "Be Quiet!  I don't care if you're a toaster oven! 
>> I don't care!!!"

>> "I hate toast!"

> She'll drop the tall, scarecrow guy out of the shadows, like from the
> top of his head to his chest, while keeping the rest of him
> submerged just to see if he's awake in there...
 
> Otherwise, she's going to pull out a maglite and shine it in the
> direction the voice came from....

You draw forth that tall, skinny man that was tailing Och earlier in the night, and you see that his face is contorted into a rictus of terror...  He blinks suddenly, as if it took a second to actually realize that he'd been brought out of the shadows into 'normal' nighttime again.

"Who are you?  What have you done to me?  And why is everything talking to me all of a sudden!!!"  With that, his eyes start madly darting around the area, and you realize the source of his terror:  a small appliance store to your left, closed for the evening.

You don't see an obvious reason for the man's terror, but he starts screaming at the various devices again.  "So what, you're a T.V.  You think I care?!?  I don't!  I hate T.V., and I hate Matlock!  I don't wanna watch it!  You can't make me!!!  Please, shut up!!!"

Now, you don't hear any voices coming from the appliances, but this man apparently does... and how!  He continues on, babbling to the various blenders, wash machines, stereo boom boxes, V.C.R.s, and other devices on display, when Och walks up to him.

"I can't believe that this man was following me.  Even for New York, this sort of thing tends to stand out, especially when it's following you for a couple weeks.  Though admittedly, he only really started in on this craziness tonight.  I wonder what set him off..."

"I mean, people can't talk to inanimate objects, now, can they?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Fri, 25 Dec 1998 00:45:50 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Christopher W. Acers wrote:

> Nodding to myself, I zoom on back to my body and as if on cue...
 
>> "I mean, people can't talk to inanimate objects, now, can they?"
 
> "Mornin'! The funny thing about that is, anyone can talk to inanimate
> objects, it's when they start talkin' back that is the problem. I talk
> to objects all the time.  For instance, my Door at home is very nice
> about opening up when I ask it nicely. Yet, if i kick it or something,
> it generally kicks back.  This man here seems a bit out of sorts I 
> might say.  Mechanical devices should not speak to you.  I think 
> something is amuck.  What I saw over there was a bit disturbing and I 
> think that we should be a bit careful about how we go about getting my 
> amulet. I don't think it is very nice.  The character I told you about 
> seems none to happy about having the amulet.  He does not want it 
> anymore. So I think we should help him out.  So is this guy dangerous, 
> can we bring him along?  He looks harmless enough to me..."

> Smiling, one can almost see a lightbulb above my head, I move a little
> closer to the guy and attempt to charm the guy. Saying to him:
 
> " Don't worry big guy, I can stop those nasty derelicts of machinery 
> for ya."

> Hoping he is too involved with the toasters and such, I roll a 72 on
> remarkable psyche feat.

> <denny?>

(I'm here, tough guy)

Well, everybody present can see the incandescent blue glow of Masque's, well, Masque, as it bathes the man's mind in charming magics, calming him down enough to at least speak with everybody rationally.  "You can?  Oh, good, because I'm not really supposed to be hearing them."

"Things can't talk to you, you know.  But I hear stuff trying to talk to me all the time.  Like I'm crazy, or something.  Usually, I can ignore them, and eventually they'll be quiet.  But tonight's different, you see, because now everything's talking to me... I don't understand it."

(Well, he's rational, now what, you two?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Fri, 25 Dec 1998 02:48:52 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

Nodding to myself, I zoom on back to my body and as if on cue...

> "I mean, people can't talk to inanimate objects, now, can they?"

"Mornin'! The funny thing about that is, anyone can talk to inanimate objects, it's when they start talkin' back that is the problem. I talk to objects all the time. For instance, my Door at home is very nice about opening up when I ask it nicely. Yet, if i kick it or something, it generally kicks back. This man here seems a bit ouit of sorts I might say. Mechanical devices should not speak to you. I think something is amuck. What I saw over there was a bit disturbing and I think that we should be a bit careful about how we go about getting my amulet. I don't think it is very nice. The character I told you about seems none to happy about having the amulet. He does not want it anymore. So I think we should help him out. So is this guy dangerous, can we bring him along? He looks harmless enough to me..."

Smiling, one can almost see a lightbulb above my head, I move a little closer to the guy and attempt to charm the guy. Saying to him:

" Don't worry big guy, I can stop those nasty derelicts of machinery for ya."

Hoping he is too involved with the toasters and such, I roll a 72 on remarkable psyche feat.

<Denny?>

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Fri, 25 Dec 1998 22:14:06 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx raises her guns, pointing one at Roy's crotch, the other at his head.

"Mr. Shijitzu, please refrain from revealing anymore of our collective 'secrets' or I'll be forced to shoot you. Twice. I'm saying that with a smile, but I can get real nasty if you don't play nice."

She glanced at the completed robot telling Time-Out, "Keep an eye out on the robot, I'd prefer no surprises." then went back to Roy.

"Right, now please point out where I can find one of your neuropathic processors and we'll be going without any need for violence and subsequent bloodshed."

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Fri, 25 Dec 1998 23:49:56 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> Jinx raises her guns, pointing one at Roy's crotch, the other at his
> head.
 
> "Mr. Shijitzu, please refrain from revealing anymore of our collective
> 'secrets' or I'll be forced to shoot you. Twice. I'm saying that with 
> a smile, but I can get real nasty if you don't play nice."
 
> She glanced at the completed robot telling Time-Out, "Keep an eye out 
> on the robot, I'd prefer no surprises." then went back to Roy.

> "Right, now please point out where I can find one of your neuropathic
> processors and we'll be going without any need for violence and
> subsequent bloodshed."

He looks at you, then at one gun, and then the other one, and then back into your eyes again.  "Oh, so that's what's caused you to come up here, making such a ruckus all the while.  You couldn't just ASK me for one, now could you?  Could've saved us a whole lot of trouble, you think?"

"Besides, I always play nice.  That's why I'm going to tell you what I'm about to.  You see, the neuropathic processor you want so badly?  I just installed it IN my cute little robot.  He's a prototype, you see, the first one I've managed to get totally right."

"Mutilator 001, say hello to Miss Huston".  The robot moves it's head for the first time, swiveling it in your general direction (which is downward, beings that it's SO much taller than you), and the plate covering what would be it's nose and mouth moves slightly.

"Hello, Miss Huston", it says in a coarse, digitized voice.

Roy smiles some more, slowly backing away from your twin weapons of mass destruction.  "Now, you really don't want to shoot me, ladies, as my new friend here is totally devoted to my personal well-being, and well, if you hurt me, he'd have to hurt you.  And I don't want that."

"Now, if you want the processor, well, you'd have to get it out of my robot, see, and I don't think that it wants to give it up.  After all, it's the core of it's infant, digital brain, and nobody wants to die so soon after being born, now do they?"

Roy backs up a little more, though Time Out swivels over to cover him.  However, you hear a sudden 'thud' noise across the room, and you can see Zartan standing over a suddenly unconscious Roy Shijitzu, but it's ANOTHER Roy Shijitzu.  Apparently, the real one.

You see, the one that Time Out was covering suddenly vanished with that, and Zartan laughs.  "He actually couldn't detect me, after all.  How about that, self-righteous telepath.  Ha!"  After gloating for a bit, Zartan begins to bind real Roy Shijitzu, when the robot moves.

It looks at the quickly-moving Zartan, and screams in a sort of digital horror, "Aroooooooooo!".  Right afterward, the big, gatling cannon thing on it's shoulder starts spinning, and Zartan dodges behind a robot carcass just as a hail of bullets fire out after him.

"Well, do something, already!  I dealt with the psi, you stupid girls!"  You get the distinct impression that Zartan doesn't plan on fighting this robot, or that his particular bag of tricks'd simply be ineffectual against a nine-foot tall, chromed robotic menace.

(At this point, then, it'd be a good time to roll up your initiative, Bil, as the robot seems to be training on both you and Time Out, as his primary target's currently out of its visual range.  For reference, it has rolled an eight for inish, and has two attacks this round...)

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Sun, 27 Dec 1998 12:29:48 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

"Shit! A psi?! Damnit, that wasn't anywhere in the report!" Jinx yelped as she dove for cover behind one of the work tables, squeezing off two shots at the attacking robot.

The first shot was meant for the huge shoulder-mounted gattling cannon, as she hoped to disable its apparently primary weapon system. The second shot was aimed at the neck region of the mechanical monstrosity, hoping to possibly sever the head unit from the body, thus limiting its sensor efficiency.

~Damn, I hope that neural processor is somewhere in the body or head of that thing! I can't afford to damage it or the D.A.A. will have _my_ head!~

[OK, got a total of 11 for Initiative, rolled a total of 78 on my first shot at the gattling cannon (67 + my last 11 Karma) and 71 on damage. The second shot was: 64 to hit and a 98 for Damage!]

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Sun, 27 Dec 1998 17:05:26 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> Well, everybody present can see the incandescent blue glow of Masque's,
> well, Masque, as it bathes the man's mind in charming magics, calming
> him down enough to at least speak with everybody rationally.  "You can?
> Oh, good, because I'm not really supposed to be hearing them."
 
> "Things can't talk to you, you know.  But I hear stuff trying to talk to
> me all the time.  Like I'm crazy, or something.  Usually, I can ignore
> them, and eventually they'll be quiet.  But tonight's different, you
> see, because now everything's talking to me... I don't understand it."
 
Sil shrugs and looks at the odd man, <<You're not crazy. You're a kind of telepath.... You hear the techno-elementals and spirits that live within the devices. That's all. I could show you how to shut it out and how to make use of it if you'd like...>>

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Sun, 27 Dec 1998 19:07:16 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:
 
>> Well, everybody present can see the incandescent blue glow of 
>> Masque's, well, Masque, as it bathes the man's mind in charming 
>> magics, calming him down enough to at least speak with everybody 
>> rationally.  "You can?  Oh, good, because I'm not really supposed to 
>> be hearing them."

>> "Things can't talk to you, you know.  But I hear stuff trying to talk 
>> to me all the time.  Like I'm crazy, or something.  Usually, I can 
>> ignore them, and eventually they'll be quiet.  But tonight's 
>> different, you see, because now everything's talking to me... I don't 
>> understand it."

> Sil shrugs and looks at the odd man, <<You're not crazy. You're a
> kind of telepath.... You hear the techno-elementals and spirits that
> live within the devices. That's all. I could show you how to shut it
> out and how to make use of it if you'd like...>>

The man looks at you, back at Masque, and finally rests his eyes upon yours once again.  "Harumph", he says, breathing in and out for a few seconds before speaking again.  "And I thought that I - Me - was crazy for a second, there.  But you - you take the cake, greenie!"

"I mean, c'mon.  'Techno-elementals'?  'Spirits' that live within devices?  I'm open to ideas, considering my line of work, yeah, but c'mon, lady.  Even I don't buy any of that new age mystic crap.  Mama Barnett didn't raise me to be no fool."

"Harumph", he says again, apparently not believing you despite the fact that Masque's magical charm effect is still in effect.  Of course, that doesn't help you make any headway with the man, despite the fact that you're probably right about what's going on with his oddball mind...

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Sun, 27 Dec 1998 20:58:07 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:

> "Shit! A psi?! Damnit, that wasn't anywhere in the report!" Jinx 
> yelped as she dove for cover behind one of the work tables, squeezing 
> off two shots at the attacking robot.

"Ha ha ha!", you can hear Zartan bellowing out from behind his jury rigged cover.  "Of course nobody knew he was a psi - people don't go telling the world that they can read minds, now, do they?!  You're just lucky he couldn't spot me, fool!"

> The first shot was meant for the huge shoulder-mounted gattling 
> cannon, as she hoped to disable its apparently primary weapon system. 
> The second shot was aimed at the neck region of the mechanical 
> monstrosity, hoping to possibly sever the head unit from the body, 
> thus limiting its sensor efficiency.

> ~Damn, I hope that neural processor is somewhere in the body or head 
> of that thing! I can't afford to damage it or the D.A.A. will have 
> _my_ head!~

> [OK, got a total of 11 for Initiative, rolled a total of 78 on my 
> first shot at the gattling cannon (67 + my last 11 Karma) and 71 on 
> damage.  The second shot was: 64 to hit and a 98 for Damage!]

Okay, then.

You take your first shot at Mutilator 001 as it swivels it's gatling thing at you, and your shot flies right up into the top barrel of the thing.  You hear a clang and a series of hydraulic panic noises as several things inside it try to turn - and fail.
 
It sort of goes 'whir-whir-whir-BANG' and spreads shrapnel bits all over the room; luckily, by the time you make your second shot (which, incidentally, missed its mark some, putting a big hole in the Mutilator robot's chest plate), you're under the cover of a robotic work table.

Unfortunately for Time Out, she hadn't made it to cover by the time that shoulder cannon thing blew up all over the room; she caught a bit of shrapnel in the leg.  "Goddamnit!", she yells, limping for cover.  "My talents are useless against this stupid thing."

"Leave it to Zartan to take out the easy one!"  She tries to hop aside as the nine foot tall Mutilator robot lumbers towards her, though she fails to avoid getting swatted in the head, almost in a dismissive fashion, as the thing comes for you.

You see Time Out hit the floor, and she ain't moving as the Mutilator's eyes pulse red, and it lifts the desk you darted behind up over its head.  You see these long, metal prods exude from the robot's wrists, locking into the desk, as it throws the thing at you - hard!

(Hey, Bil, roll me up a dodge maneuver, unless you want to be hit by a nine hundred pound metal desk slammed into you by a one thousand pound chromed behemoth!)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Sun, 27 Dec 1998 23:20:15 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Christopher W. Acers wrote:
 
>>> Sil shrugs and looks at the odd man, <<You're not crazy. You're a
>>> kind of telepath.... You hear the techno-elementals and spirits that
>>> live within the devices. That's all. I could show you how to shut it
>>> out and how to make use of it if you'd like...>>

> Masque just stares at Silouhette and then snickers.
 
> "Techno-elementals? Spirits? What on Earth are you talking about 
> ma'am?  These devices are no more alive than a salted slug. But I am 
> not opposed to the idea, these devices seem to be against me anyways 
> and this just might be theier little plot to rid themselves of the 
> truth that they are so afraid of... "

"Now see here, I don't know about that", Och says, apparently speaking from some experience.  "You yourself said that the magic amulet you're looking for isn't very nice.  If a magic device can have feelings, why can't a technological one?  Much less talk?"

"Besides, I tend to think Silhouette is right.  She has mental powers above and beyond those of ordinary men.  And since this man she's holding is anything but ordinary, well, maybe he does have the ability to talk to things.  And to hear their responses, in turn."

> Looking a little frustrated I stop myself from rambling on, having a
> tendency to lose people is not a useful skill and not very good on
> relations.  And believe you me, relations are a good thing to have,
> because proper relations are, well, proper.
 
> "No matter, we have things to do, a world to save and I think that 
> this gentleman here might be helpful.  From what I saw the people that 
> reside in an old church just up the ways might worship these so-called
> elementals and what-not. They could be responsible for this problem of
> yours sir"

> Motioning to the disconcerted Man:

> " Would you like to come along with us, it'll be fun..."
 
> And giving him a thumbs up and one of those winning smiles I say with
> absolute honesty,
 
> "Trust me"

You're not sure it's because he was charmed by your magical masque, of course, but the man readily says "Okay!".  Mind you, that might not be something he'd really want to do, of course, since his aversion to inaninmate objects so far hasn't been so positive.

However, for the time being, he seems hyper-ready to go, but the only problem, now, is that Silhouette's still got him grasped in her otherworldly, semisolid shadows.  Of course, if you could convince her to let him go, well, you're in business!

Of course, you still don't even know who the heck this man is....

Subject: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 00:16:00 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

You wheel into downtown Omaha, Nebraska feeling rather tired, yet you
know you can't stop just yet.  You've been living out of your van for
several months now, ever since your accursed conscience forced you to
bail out on the sinister Terran Directorate.

It wasn't that they're a bunch of filthy fascists.  After all, you've
done some shady work for several sneaky groups in the past, like the
Direct Action Americans and the Technologists' Guild.  But after a
little while, the Directorate started to get downright creepy.

The missions they were sending you on were just savage, when you got
down to it.  And then, when they told you to blow up that special
orphanage in Dallas, the one with that blue-skinned little girl inside,
well, they crossed the line, and you bailed out.

Of course, that was six months ago, and you've been on the run ever
since, wiping out the ops and mercs that they've sent your way.  You've
struck back at them in turn, however, demolishing their safe-house in
Kansas City and that secret barracks they maintained in Wyoming.

They seem unwilling to blow your cover, though you're technically dead,
probably in fear of your spilling the beans on their agenda.  After all,
they pose as a humanitarian agency out to help solve the homeless
problem - though nobody knows how they actually handle homeless folk.

If anybody actually found out what the Directorate did with the poor,
innocent folks that they helped 'rebuild their lives', they'd be
horrified.  Terribly.  But there's no need to dwell in the past, at
least, not now.  For the imminent future is what concerns you.

When you demolished that Directorate barracks in Wyoming, you found out
that the group was going to hire a top-shelf merc in Omaha to bring you
down.  You're not sure who the guy is, but you're pretty sure that if
the Directorate is going to this much trouble, he's bad news.

After driving around in the downtown area of Omaha for a little while,
in the so-called Old Market, you spot a Directorate van parking in front
of some restaurant called 'Spaghetti Works', and see two men in black
suits hop out and make their way inside.

For your reference, the restaurant is on the corner of two bricked
streets, with an old trolley car parked in front as a curiosity for some
customers to eat inside.  After a few minutes, you see the men seated
inside, along with some other guy.

A rather tall man, over six foot tall, he's kind of balding, with
several scars dotting his face, indicating either a lifetime of combat
or mercenary incompetence - you suspect the former.  He's simply wearing
camo pants, a leather jacket, and a white muscle shirt and dog tags.

They just sat down, presumably to negotiate on the amount necessary to
convince this man to come after you.  Luckily, you've got the advantage
here, and have a choice about how you want to deal with these jokers. 
What'cha gonna do, Hardcore?

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 00:39:24 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

>> Sil shrugs and looks at the odd man, <<You're not crazy. You're a
>> kind of telepath.... You hear the techno-elementals and spirits that
>> live within the devices. That's all. I could show you how to shut it
>> out and how to make use of it if you'd like...>>

Masque just stares at Silouhette and then snickers.

"Techno-elementals? Spirits? What on Earth are you talking about ma'am?
These devices are no more alive than a salted slug. But I am not opposed
to the idea, these devices seem to be against me anyways and this just
might be theier little plot to rid themselves of the truth that they are
so afraid of... "

Looking a little frustrated I stop myself from rambling on, having a
tendency to lose people is not a useful skill and not very good on
relations. And believe you me, relations are a good thing to have,
because proper relations are, well, proper.

"No matter, we have things to do, a world to save and I think that this
gentleman here might be helpful. From what I saw the people that reside
in an old church just up the ways might worship these so-called
elementals and what-not. They could be responsible for this problem of
yours sir"

Motioning to the disconcerted Man:

" Would you like to come along with us, it'll be fun..."

And giving him a thumbs up and one of those winning smiles I say with
absolute honesty,

"Trust me"

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 12:05:38 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

>>> Sil shrugs and looks at the odd man, <<You're not crazy. You're a
>>> kind of telepath.... You hear the techno-elementals and spirits that
>>> live within the devices. That's all. I could show you how to shut it
>>> out and how to make use of it if you'd like...>>

> Masque just stares at Silouhette and then snickers.
 
> "Techno-elementals? Spirits? What on Earth are you talking about ma'am?
> These devices are no more alive than a salted slug. But I am not opposed
> to the idea, these devices seem to be against me anyways and this just
> might be theier little plot to rid themselves of the truth that they are
> so afraid of... "
 
> Looking a little frustrated I stop myself from rambling on, having a
> tendency to lose people is not a useful skill and not very good on
> relations. And believe you me, relations are a good thing to have,
> because proper relations are, well, proper.
 
> "No matter, we have things to do, a world to save and I think that this
> gentleman here might be helpful. From what I saw the people that reside
> in an old church just up the ways might worship these so-called
> elementals and what-not. They could be responsible for this problem of
> yours sir"
 
> Motioning to the disconcerted Man:
 
> " Would you like to come along with us, it'll be fun..."
 
> And giving him a thumbs up and one of those winning smiles I say with
> absolute honesty,
 
> "Trust me"
 
Sil gently lets the shadows seep around him again, and mindspeaks only to Och and the loquatious mage, <<I think he'll be better off in here..... Let him rest for the moment.... Shall we be off?>>

The two others and the horse start sinking into the shadows of the alley, only to reemerge in the shadows an an alley behind the church he'd mentioned...

tbc..

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 13:31:32 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>
 
Lady Arakne wrote:

>> And giving him a thumbs up and one of those winning smiles I say with
>> absolute honesty,

>> "Trust me"

> Sil gently lets the shadows seep around him again, and mindspeaks only 
> to Och and the loquatious mage, <<I think he'll be better off in 
> here...  Let him rest for the moment...  Shall we be off?>>

As he slips back into his shadowy cocoon once again, you can almost hear
the man moan in despair, "Awww!".  Och seems to have taken an interest
in the tall man once again, and tells you "Just don't lose him... he
hasn't answered all the questions I would ask of him yet."

> The two others and the horse start sinking into the shadows of the
> alley, only to reemerge in the shadows in an alley behind the
> church he'd mentioned...

As you emerge from Silhouette's teleportational cocoon of shadow, you
take in all of the details of the alley surrounding you.  Normally,
being in a New York City alleyway, one would think that there would be
all kinds of trash, refuse, and possibly bodies laying about.

This alleyway contains no such things.  In fact, it would appear that it
has been meticulously cleaned up, for some bizarre reason.  The concrete
looks freshly lain, the stones in the buildings facing the alleyway seem
almost restored to newness, and the trashcans are orderly - and empty!

The only thing that seems out of place, actually, is the four of you. 
The fourth member of your group being Masque's horse, of course, who has
just now left a pony 'apple' in the alley behind it.  Which is when the
really weird things start to happen.

Two men come running out of the church rear, bringing a scooper and a
broom.  Now, while this is bizarre in and of itself, since not too many
people seem willing to clean up after a horse, much less somebody
else's, these guys have big grins on their faces.

The grins aren't the only funny thing about them, though.  They're both
wearing brown, monkish robes, and have some sort of circuit board held
around their necks with a golden chain.  And they're wearing brand new
Nike shoes.

"Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen!  Don't mind us, we're just cleaning up
this little mess.  Wouldn't want to offend brother Alleyway, now, would
we?  This'll just take a second, and we'll be out of your way.  There. 
All done, see?  Thanks for your time!  Good bye!!"

You see that one of the freakish church-goers has indeed picked up
Masque's horse mess, and there doesn't seem to be any trace that it was
ever there.  In fact, you get the bizarre impression that not even the
slightest molecule of... horse mess... has been left behind...

(Anyone?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 14:30:47 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

At 12:16 AM 12/28/98 -0600, you wrote:

>You wheel into downtown Omaha, Nebraska feeling rather tired, yet you
>know you can't stop just yet.  You've been living out of your van for
>several months now, ever since your accursed conscience forced you to
>bail out on the sinister Terran Directorate.

>It wasn't that they're a bunch of filthy fascists.  After all, you've
>done some shady work for several sneaky groups in the past, like the
>Direct Action Americans and the Technologists' Guild.  But after a
>little while, the Directorate started to get downright creepy.

>The missions they were sending you on were just savage, when you got
>down to it.  And then, when they told you to blow up that special
>orphanage in Dallas, the one with that blue-skinned little girl inside,
>well, they crossed the line, and you bailed out.

>Of course, that was six months ago, and you've been on the run ever
>since, wiping out the ops and mercs that they've sent your way.  You've
>struck back at them in turn, however, demolishing their safe-house in
>Kansas City and that secret barracks they maintained in Wyoming.

>They seem unwilling to blow your cover, though you're technically dead,
>probably in fear of your spilling the beans on their agenda.  After all,
>they pose as a humanitarian agency out to help solve the homeless
>problem - though nobody knows how they actually handle homeless folk.

>If anybody actually found out what the Directorate did with the poor,
>innocent folks that they helped 'rebuild their lives', they'd be
>horrified.  Terribly.  But there's no need to dwell in the past, at
>least, not now.  For the imminent future is what concerns you.

>When you demolished that Directorate barracks in Wyoming, you found out
>that the group was going to hire a top-shelf merc in Omaha to bring you
>down.  You're not sure who the guy is, but you're pretty sure that if
>the Directorate is going to this much trouble, he's bad news.

>After driving around in the downtown area of Omaha for a little while,
>in the so-called Old Market, you spot a Directorate van parking in front
>of some restaurant called 'Spaghetti Works', and see two men in black
>suits hop out and make their way inside.

>For your reference, the restaurant is on the corner of two bricked
>streets, with an old trolley car parked in front as a curiosity for some
>customers to eat inside.  After a few minutes, you see the men seated
>inside, along with some other guy.

>A rather tall man, over six foot tall, he's kind of balding, with
>several scars dotting his face, indicating either a lifetime of combat
>or mercenary incompetence - you suspect the former.  He's simply wearing
>camo pants, a leather jacket, and a white muscle shirt and dog tags.

>They just sat down, presumably to negotiate on the amount necessary to
>convince this man to come after you.  Luckily, you've got the advantage
>here, and have a choice about how you want to deal with these jokers. 

"Just in time," Hardcore thought to himself, "Guess now would be as good a
time as any to go ahead and introduce myself to the boys."

With that, he drives his car to a parking space a few blocks away from
'Spaghetti Works'.  Dressed in his usual outfit of loose fitting jeans,
sleeveless Marine-issued shirt, combat boots, and sunglasses, Hardcore
swiftly reaches underneath his seat for a long, slim, black case.  Opening
up the case, he takes out a pair of gloves, putting them on, and removes
two seemingly innocuous canes.  Tucking both canes under his left arm, he
leaves the driver's seat of the van and begins to briskly make his way down
the street towards the restaurant with his head down and both hands stuck
firmly in his pants' pockets.

Once again thinking to himself, "This probably ain't gonna go too smoothly.
 But this might be my only chance to get the drop on those S.O.B.s before
they have the hounds back on my ass again... and it looks like they might
have a new lead dog runnin' after me.  

"If that guy really is a merc, then I know what buttons I gotta push to try
and persuade him that maybe tryin' to hunt me down ain't the smartest way
to make a livin'.  If that doesn't work, and with all of the money the
Directorate's probably throwin' his way, it probably won't-- well I guess
I'm gonna have to hope that I can take care of Terran's stooges and their
new golden boy real easily, or get out of there as clean and quickly as
possible.  I don't think anybody wants a bloodbath on their hands today,
but then again, I've gotta stay two steps ahead of the Directorate or I'm
toast.  Now's no time to start pullin' my punches."

As he reaches the restaurant, Hardcore straightens up, taking his hands
from his pockets and walking confidently towards the table where the three
men are sitting.  (A few patrons look on, a bit bewildered by a second man
entering the restaurant in less than formal military attire-- this one
generously tattooed, with a pair of canes under his arm to boot.) As he
proceeds across the room, he looks over the third man one more time, trying
to size him up as well as he can before they come face to face.

Upon reaching the table, Hardcore crosses his right hand over his chest,
warily grabbing the end of the bottom cane, and says "How's it goin',
gentlemen?  I assume that the three of you are familiar with who I am, and
I got a pretty fair idea who the three of you are, so there's no need for
introductions."  Looking to the two men in suits, he goes on.  "Now I don't
want to waste any time and energy taking care of you two worthless pieces
of trash today-- you and everybody else in your evil clan are gonna get
yours soon enough-- but I am gonna have a few words with your friend here."  

He turns to the third man, "Now I don't know what the Directorate's
promising you to come after me, but I suggest you think twice before you
decide to throw your lot in with them.  'Cause if you're with them, you're
against me, and I don't know whether these two have told you yet, but
that's not the best position to be in.  I've been knockin' out their
cronies for months.  You may think you're tough enough to be the one who
finally cleans up the Directorate's little mess, and if you've already made
your decision, old man, then it's nothin' personal, but I'm gonna have to
take care of you the same way I have every other lackey they've sent after
me.  And if you haven't come to any terms with these two evil little
bastards... then I guess this is your last chance to get smart and save
your hide.  I know better than anybody that they can throw a whole lotta
money your way, and that looks pretty damn good sometimes, but every dollar
you earn trying to finish me off is gonna be the hardest you ever made.
Trust me, in the end it just won't be worth it.

"So what's it gonna be?"

(After doing his best to intimidate this new potential nemesis, Hardcore
awaits some sort of response.) 

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 15:17:48 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com

Andy Hicks wrote:
 
> "So what's it gonna be?"
 
> (After doing his best to intimidate this new potential nemesis, 
> Hardcore awaits some sort of response.)

The two men just sort of look at you for a minute, stammering, while the
large, tough looking hombre they were meeting with just smiles.  "I like
you.  You're tough, and have guts to spare to come right up to me and
tell me 'how it is'.  Y'know, back in 'Nam, I could've --"

Before the merc can go off on a war story, a bunch of people start
jumping out of their seats in the nearby booths, some of which are armed
with various edged instruments.  The two suits smile and look at you,
when one finally pipes up for the first time since you showed.

"Ha!  You think you're so smart, 'Hardcore'.  You walked right into this
simple, simple ambush.  We weren't sure you'd actually fall for it, but
here you are.  Now you are ours!!"  With that, the two suits start to
pull out guns, but that merc deals with them before you can.

He kicks the table out between him and them, bowling them onto the floor
and knocking their guns out of their hands.  As the two scrabble on the
floor for them, he comes up behind them and kicks 'em back down.  "You
USED me!  You used ME!"  He proceeds to stomp on one of their heads.

Of course, while the merc's dealing with them, that leaves four of these
Directorate goons on you, and all four of them are armed with sharp and
pointy things.  Two have knives, one has a hand axe, and one's got,
oddly enough, a machete.

Seeing this, however, the restaurant patrons panic, and for the next
several seconds, you hear nothing but screams and thundering footsteps
as the spaghetti-eating Omahans run for their lives.  By this time, that
merc's begun to work on the second suit.  He's stomping pretty hard.

However...

(Yeah, you're in a panicky restaurant, but an initiative roll'd be good
at this time.  For your reference, your foes have a 1, a 3, and two
sevens for initiative, and luckily for you, only one attack each; the
problem is that they're circling around you...)

(Andy?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 16:45:45 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>Of course, while the merc's dealing with them, that leaves four of these
>Directorate goons on you, and all four of them are armed with sharp and
>pointy things.  Two have knives, one has a hand axe, and one's got,
>oddly enough, a machete.

>Seeing this, however, the restaurant patrons panic, and for the next
>several seconds, you hear nothing but screams and thundering footsteps
>as the spaghetti-eating Omahans run for their lives.  By this time, that
>merc's begun to work on the second suit.  He's stomping pretty hard.

>However...

>(Yeah, you're in a panicky restaurant, but an initiative roll'd be good
>at this time.  For your reference, your foes have a 1, a 3, and two
>sevens for initiative, and luckily for you, only one attack each; the
>problem is that they're circling around you...)

"Son of a--"

Hardcore pulls the cane he had been holding with his right hand, while
opening up his left arm to let the other cane fall into his empty hand.

He then attempts to leap as far as he can from the merc and the two men in
suits in order to get some breathing room, while attempting to dodge each
of the first two attackers.  

**I rolled a 3 plus 3 for a total of 6 on Initiative, so I think at least
one (if not both) of the dodges comes first (and without penalty, if I'm
correct) to try and avoid the two goons that got the jump on me.  

If I should have rolled up the dodges here, please let me know.  I've still
got to try and get the hang of this.  Sorry about the confusion.  

Also Denny, could you do me a favor and point out any of the nearby layout
in the restaurant that could come into play (bars, counters, walls, etc.)?  

Thanks.**

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 18:16:09 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:
 
> "Son of a--"
 
> Hardcore pulls the cane he had been holding with his right hand, while
> opening up his left arm to let the other cane fall into his empty 
> hand.
 
> He then attempts to leap as far as he can from the merc and the two 
> men in suits in order to get some breathing room, while attempting to 
> dodge each of the first two attackers.

> **I rolled a 3 plus 3 for a total of 6 on Initiative, so I think at 
> least one (if not both) of the dodges comes first (and without 
> penalty, if I'm correct) to try and avoid the two goons that got the 
> jump on me.

> If I should have rolled up the dodges here, please let me know.  I've 
> still got to try and get the hang of this.  Sorry about the confusion.

(Yes... thanks to your combat sense, you get TWO dodges without any sort
of multiple action penalties.  So I suppose you could've rolled those
and sent 'em in with your post, but that's no biggie.  Still sort of
getting used to the e mail thing myself...)

(Further, if you so choose, you can make an atttempt to roll on your
Fighting for an extra dodge; a green FEAT with your fighting will add
one, and a red will add two.  Of course, if that FEAT fails, you could
be in trouble (but I'll get to that later)).

(Normally, you wanna do that at the beginning of a turn, but since we're
just starting, and since nothing's actually happening yet, that's no
biggie.  So don't mind me, we'll just sorta work this out as we go. 
That's what these beginning soloes are for, no?)  :)
 
> Also Denny, could you do me a favor and point out any of the nearby 
> layout in the restaurant that could come into play (bars, counters, 
> walls, etc.)?

> Thanks.**

Ah.  No problem.  Essentially, your 'pals' were in the corner of two
intersecting rows of booths, which are on the outside walls of this
restaurant.  Opposite these rows are another set of booths, that are
surrounding the open 'hallway' that you're currently standing in.

There's plenty of windows on one side to look out, though the other wall
the booths are abutting against are of solid brick.  Or so they look.

There isn't really a bar near you, though there is a salad bar thing
about ten feet from you, around the corner after about three booths. 
Further, the restaurant has several sub-rooms and alcoves that allow the
placement of several booths within.

Towards the entrance (about twenty feet from you), there is a bar and a
sort of podium where the 'host' of the restaurant can seat people from,
and there's a sort of coat room nearby that.  The rest of the place is
just full of tables and the occasional booths (they're all over).

Of course, there's a lot of mess on the floor, as well, as people are in
the process of leaving in a really big hurry.  Fortunately, I guess,
that means that they're not in your way...  But then, that also allows
your sudden enemies to get a better bead on you.

But I digress.  

That help any...?  :)

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 20:17:42 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Natasha cringed within her field as she saw Time-Out get wholloped by
the Mutilator, but didn't have time to worry about her unconscious
partner.

As the robot lugged the desk over its head, Jinx attempted to slip
between its pilon-like legs, possibly overbalancing her attacker.

"Damn you! Fall down you God damned gun-toatin' toaster!" she screamed
at the chromed monster.

[87 for a Dodge!]

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 21:02:28 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>That help any...?  :)

That was extremely helpful.  Thank you sir.

Alrighty.  Let's get it going again.  I rolled an 89 for the first dodge,
and a 22 for the second.

What's next?

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 22:20:17 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> Natasha cringed within her field as she saw Time-Out get wholloped by
> the Mutilator, but didn't have time to worry about her unconscious
> partner.
 
> As the robot lugged the desk over its head, Jinx attempted to slip
> between its pilon-like legs, possibly overbalancing her attacker.
 
> "Damn you! Fall down you God damned gun-toatin' toaster!" she screamed
> at the chromed monster.
 
> [87 for a Dodge!]

You slide between the monstrous Mutilator robot's legs, and it abruptly
stops the crushing of you that it had intended with that big ol' metal
desk; instead of doing that, it instead blindsides you with it's feet. 
While you're under the thing, it opens several foot-ports.

The things then ignite, spraying you with a fiery fuel exhaust that,
being on top of the vents as you are, cause you to take Incredible (40)
SD Energy damage as the thing flies up to the ceiling, and hovers there.
It picked a great time to tell you that it could fly...

Apparently this bugger's pretty crafty, as far as robots go, since he's
actually managed to set you on fire (for your reference, you took ten
points of damage after yer force field; the thing just got downright
lucky with it's changing actions and secondary to-hit rolls).

"Ha ha ha!  Stupid Bitch!", you hear a newly-conscious Roy Shijitzu
bellowing out over the roar of the thing's Jump-Jets.  "Didn't expect
that, now, did you?  Thought you had dumb ol' Roy Shijitzu over a
barrel, now, didn't you!  Ha ha ha!  Ha ha - ack!"

>From his desk-like hidey-hole, you can see that Zartan shot Roy with his
bow, and that the arrow that hit him was laced with something.  This
Zartan's definitely not a nice guy, since Roy has suddenly erupted in a
spray of vomit.  "Oh, do shut up", he says after shooting the psi.

Now that the telepath has again been neutralized, that just leaves you,
once again, with this damnable robot.  And, unfortunately for you, it's
still hovering about eight feet off the ground, holding that desk as if
it still wanted to crush the life out of you with it.

(Round 2, Bil!  You'll want to roll Initiative again, and you also need
to make an Endurance (res) FEAT roll against Good (10) rank, lest you
take another ten points of damage from that fuel exhaust; you're still
aflame, so to speak).

(Your opponent, meanwhile, has only rolled a three, but still has two
attacks this round.  And Time Out's already been taken care of...)

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 22:21:30 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

[42 for the Endurance Roll so, nope, I take another 10 points of damage.
I total 13 for Initiative and take two shots, one at each foot-based
jumpjet. The first shot: 84 to hit, 80 damage and 83 to hit, 77 damage.]

Jinx let loose a howl as her flesh charred, "Ow! Damnit! I hate fucking
jumpjets! I'll show you what you can do with your fancy feet, ya tin-can
bastard!"

With that, she took a single shot from each hand-cannon, hoping that
they would hit both of the jumpjets, yet again disabling one of the
robot's "aggressive" systems.

[Whoo!] 

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 22:47:22 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:

> [42 for the Endurance Roll so, nope, I take another 10 points of 
> damage.  I total 13 for Initiative and take two shots, one at each 
> foot-based jumpjet. The first shot: 84 to hit, 80 damage and 83 to 
> hit, 77 damage.]
 
> Jinx let loose a howl as her flesh charred, "Ow! Damnit! I hate 
> fucking jumpjets! I'll show you what you can do with your fancy feet, 
> ya tin-can bastard!"

> With that, she took a single shot from each hand-cannon, hoping that
> they would hit both of the jumpjets, yet again disabling one of the
> robot's "aggressive" systems.
 
> [Whoo!]

(Yeah Yeah Yeah, Woo Woo Woo)

The Mutilator, while floating above you senses your imminent attack, and
tries to hover behind the cover of some robot carcasses hanging from the
ceiling to its left - to no avail.  Your first shot pegs it dead in the
foot, causing the appendage to explode spectacularly.

This, of course, causes the thing to start rotating rapidly in a circle
on the remaining Jump-Jet, which you similarly peg with your second shot
(since the thing is totally out of control at this point, and you almost
can't help but smash the Mutilator's other foot).

It hangs in midair for another second after that, almost as if it hadn't
realized you'd blown up it's other foot, and then all one thousand
pounds of Mutilator robot come crashing down on the floor - and that
desk doesn't help it any.

Of course, it's not finished yet, and after it digs itself out of the
pile of scrap metal that was the desk, Mutilator 001 looks different.  A
whole lot different.  It seems to have ejected it's lower legs, having
deployed a one-wheeled unicycle sort of mechanism to stand on.

it then releases those prongs from its wrist again, and comes wheeling
at you - really, really fast.  Quick, Jinx - roll me a dodge to see if
you can avoid becoming chopped liver - those claws are dripping
something that simply looks unpleasantly oily...

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 22:51:53 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:
 
> What's next?

Well, the two dagger men both take a swing at you, the first one missing
by a long shot, and the other actually managing to nick you with his
knife.  Luckily, he didn't have much punch behind that strike, and you
only take Poor (4) Edged Attack damage from the cut.

You couldn't tell that by listening to him, however.  "Ha ha ha!  First
blood, Hardcore!  We're taking you down, you loser.  Teach you to bail
out on the Directive!"  He would appear as if he's readying for another
strike, but you can tell his hit has made him real overconfident.

Of course, now you're in a position to strike back at your attackers, in
turn.  You have your choice of all four opponents, as that merc type
seems to have those suits well in order.  So, who do you wanna take down
first, tough guy?

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 23:30:03 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

At 10:51 PM 12/28/98 -0600, you wrote:

>Andy Hicks wrote:
 
>> What's next?

>Well, the two dagger men both take a swing at you, the first one missing
>by a long shot, and the other actually managing to nick you with his
>knife.  Luckily, he didn't have much punch behind that strike, and you
>only take Poor (4) Edged Attack damage from the cut.

>You couldn't tell that by listening to him, however.  "Ha ha ha!  First
>blood, Hardcore!  We're taking you down, you loser.  Teach you to bail
>out on the Directive!"  He would appear as if he's readying for another
>strike, but you can tell his hit has made him real overconfident.

"Shut yer hole, ya dumb bastard!  I got worse cuts than that shavin' this
mornin'."

With that, Hardcore takes a hard cut with one of his canes at the goon that
landed the blow.

**I rolled a 5 to hit, so I guess there isn't much use in rolling for damage!**

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Mon, 28 Dec 1998 23:52:51 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:
 
> "Shut yer hole, ya dumb bastard!  I got worse cuts than that shavin' 
> this mornin'."

> With that, Hardcore takes a hard cut with one of his canes at the goon 
> that landed the blow.

> **I rolled a 5 to hit, so I guess there isn't much use in rolling for 
> damage!**

"Haw!", he says in turn, "And me, I guess, can hit flies harder than
that.  You're getting old, tough guy, and I guess you're goin' down
faster than we thought.  This should be an easy ten grand!  Haw Haw!" 
He seems to be getting ready to move in for the kill.

The two that haven't struck yet, those with the 'exotic weapons', are
now taking a shot at you, believing their friend's bad words in your
direction.  You'll wanna roll your other two dodges at this point, since
they're movin' in for the kill, as well.

Meanwhile, it would seem that mister merc has totally flattened the two
suits that set you up, as he's standing alone amongst their bodies. 
They might be dead, but you doubt it; you're not that lucky, especially
today.  And he speaks, too, pointing at the man with the machete.

"Hey.  Four on one ain't very nice", he says, and out of the corner of
your eye, you can see him putting on some brass knuckles.  You're not
sure why, but this guy seems more inclined to beat up these folks than
you, which is odd, considering that he was being hired to get YOU...

(dodges, anyone?  now, your third'll be made at -2 CS and the fourth'll
be made at -4 CS.  That whole bein' out-numbered thing sucks, no?)  :)

Subject: Re: [v13] Roy Shijitzu's Fun Ride!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 00:04:05 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

[Got a 63 to put myself out and a 61 for my dodge]

Cursing violently, Jinx threw herself behind another desk, cringing as
her burnt flesh crackled. Luckily, the impact managed to put out the
last vestiges of flame, thus taking care of one of her worries.

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 00:35:09 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>The two that haven't struck yet, those with the 'exotic weapons', are
>now taking a shot at you, believing their friend's bad words in your
>direction.  You'll wanna roll your other two dodges at this point, since
>they're movin' in for the kill, as well.

>Meanwhile, it would seem that mister merc has totally flattened the two
>suits that set you up, as he's standing alone amongst their bodies. 
>They might be dead, but you doubt it; you're not that lucky, especially
>today.  And he speaks, too, pointing at the man with the machete.

>"Hey.  Four on one ain't very nice", he says, and out of the corner of
>your eye, you can see him putting on some brass knuckles.  You're not
>sure why, but this guy seems more inclined to beat up these folks than
>you, which is odd, considering that he was being hired to get YOU...

Hardcore thinks to himself, "This just ain't my day-- fall ass-backwards
into an ambush and then can't finish off the Ginsu Brothers... And I still
got G.I. Jack behind me to deal with.  If I don't straighten myself out
real quick the Directorate's gonna finally have my ass."

"What's all this BS I'm hearin'?  You ain't done with me yet, boys, so
don't think that I'm so old that I can't take a chunk out of the four of
you punks!"

As the second wave of goons makes their move, Hardcore attempts to duck the
first attacker, then somersault into the center of the four goons while
dodging the second man's attempt.

**For the two more dodges, I have a 41 on the first, and a 32 on the
second.  Uggh.

I'm going to take a shot at an extra attack or two next round, so can you
send a brief explanation of what column I'll be rolling on (and what I'll
have to get for either 1 or 2 extra attacks) with the next set of actions?
I'm a little unclear on that one too, even after having read the combat
instructions on the website.  Sorry again.  Hopefully this will be the last
time you have to waste your time with me on the basic stuff.**       

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 01:19:51 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:

> Hardcore thinks to himself, "This just ain't my day-- fall 
> ass-backwards into an ambush and then can't finish off the Ginsu 
> Brothers... And I still got G.I. Jack behind me to deal with.  If I 
> don't straighten myself out real quick the Directorate's gonna finally 
> have my ass."

> "What's all this BS I'm hearin'?  You ain't done with me yet, boys, so
> don't think that I'm so old that I can't take a chunk out of the four 
> of you punks!"
 
> As the second wave of goons makes their move, Hardcore attempts to 
> duck the first attacker, then somersault into the center of the four 
> goons while dodging the second man's attempt.

> **For the two more dodges, I have a 41 on the first, and a 32 on the
> second.  Uggh.

Indeed.  Luckily for you, the machete man was distracted enough by the
merc to miss you totally, though he made an impressive 'whoosh' noise
when he did so, at least.  The hatchet man was a little better at his
job, though, and buried his weapon in your back.

You feel the crushing impact of the thing as it penetrates your back
flesh, and it actually inflicts Good (10) Edged Attack damage, bringing
you to your knees for a second, until he pulls the thing back out for a
second try.

"Huh huh huh... looks like we're taking a chunk out of you, Hardcore. 
Hey, when we kill you, I'm gonna have to take your name.  I mean, I'm
being much more hard core than you, tough guy.  I think I like the sound
of that.  Hardcore.  Call me Hardcore 2.  Huh huh huh!"

Apparently, mister axe-man's also getting a superiority complex here, as
well.  But, luckily for you...

> I'm going to take a shot at an extra attack or two next round, so can 
> you send a brief explanation of what column I'll be rolling on (and 
> what I'll have to get for either 1 or 2 extra attacks) with the next 
> set of actions? I'm a little unclear on that one too, even after 
> having read the combat instructions on the website.  Sorry again.  
> Hopefully this will be the last time you have to waste your time with 
> me on the basic stuff.**

Hey, don't worry about it...  Like I said, most of us here are new at
the MSH e mail format (especially since I just crafted this particualr
version for this game here... heh heh).  I'll go ahead and eludicate on
the extra attacks / defenses thing here for you now.

Essentially, when I do an MSH game, everybody is allowed one offensive
and one defensive action per turn, without penalty.  Now, additional
dodges can be attempted, though at a successive -2 CS penalty per dodge
(since a turn is basically only a five or six second period of time).

And it's hard to move about so much in so little time.

Now, in order to attain extra attacks (or dodges without penalty), you
must roll a fighting FEAT roll at the beginning of a turn.  To achieve
two attacks (or dodges), you must make this FEAT against remarkable
intensity, and for three, the FEAT is against amazing intensity.

In your case, since you've got such a high Fighting rank, a green FEAT
is all that you need to achieve one additional action of each type
(since you didn't split your Fighting score).  if this FEAT winds up
being red, you're allowed two additional actions.

Now, if you screw up the extra attacks roll (roll white), you only get
one attack (at a -2 CS).  If you screw up your extra dodges roll (again,
roll white), the first dodge you make is at a -2 CS, and each necessary
after that adds yet another -2 CS on top of that.

This represents that you dropped the ball, tripped over yourself, or
whatever.  If you wish to do either, just turn in your result with your
initiative roll (and remember to roll separately for the extra attack
and extra dodge maneuver).

So, to make a long story short, this, in addition to your Martial Arts
type H, should allow you to level your playing field here really, really
soon, no?  Unless, of course, you roll your extra action stuff like you
did yer dodges... heh heh heh.  :)

Any other questions...?  

Subject: Lost Mail...?
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 02:33:06 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

(Hey.  Apparently, these didn't get delivered to you guys, for some odd
ass reason - I don't know why.  Each of ya ought to send a test to the
list to make sure you're getting mail okay, I think.  Methinks something
funny may be up with the bloody list again...)

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> [Got a 63 to put myself out and a 61 for my dodge]
 
> Cursing violently, Jinx threw herself behind another desk, cringing as
> her burnt flesh crackled. Luckily, the impact managed to put out the
> last vestiges of flame, thus taking care of one of her worries.

The thing whirs at you at breakneck speeds, and it's ghastly claws do
manage to connect with you, but they can't seem to penetrate your
probability field - at least, they didn't this time.  Maybe the thing
simply slipped at the last second, you don't know.

All you know for sure is that the robotic beast didn't get it's ooze
into you.  Not this time.  The trick is, do you want to give the
horrible bastard a second chance at you?  You're pretty sure that that's
not a darn good idea.  Roll up yer initiative and such...

Meanwhile, as you're smouldering from the aftereffects of the Jump-Jet
attack upon you, you notice that Zartan isn't playing with your friend
the Mutilator at all.  He's rifling through drawers, and looking for...
papers, it would seem.  He's going through all sorts of schematics.

Perhaps he thinks the fight's over.  Not that you could tell, from the
glowing red eyes of that bloody Mutilator coming at'cha...

(Bil?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 11:59:26 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>Indeed.  Luckily for you, the machete man was distracted enough by the
>merc to miss you totally, though he made an impressive 'whoosh' noise
>when he did so, at least.  The hatchet man was a little better at his
>job, though, and buried his weapon in your back.

>You feel the crushing impact of the thing as it penetrates your back
>flesh, and it actually inflicts Good (10) Edged Attack damage, bringing
>you to your knees for a second, until he pulls the thing back out for a
>second try.

>"Huh huh huh... looks like we're taking a chunk out of you, Hardcore. 
>Hey, when we kill you, I'm gonna have to take your name.  I mean, I'm
>being much more hard core than you, tough guy.  I think I like the sound
>of that.  Hardcore.  Call me Hardcore 2.  Huh huh huh!"

>Apparently, mister axe-man's also getting a superiority complex here, as
>well.  But, luckily for you...

"Aaarrrrggggh!"  

Hardcore grunts in pain before readying himself to spring back up at his
attackers, once again thinking to himself, "Get yer head on straight, dammit!"

**I rolled a 5 plus 3 for Initiative, a 28 for extra attacks (which would
bring me up to 3 next round, I believe), and a 64 for extra dodges (also
bringing me up to 3).  Denny?**

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 13:42:16 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:
 
> "Aaarrrrggggh!"
 
> Hardcore grunts in pain before readying himself to spring back up at 
> his attackers, once again thinking to himself, "Get yer head on 
> straight, dammit!"
 
> **I rolled a 5 plus 3 for Initiative, a 28 for extra attacks (which 
> would bring me up to 3 next round, I believe), and a 64 for extra 
> dodges (also bringing me up to 3).  Denny?**

Ah.  Well, you beat all of your attackers to the punch, so you can go
first.  Three of these thugs are going for you, while the last, the one
with that machete, seems ready to slice and dice your mercenary 'friend'
over there.  Feel free to take your first two swings now.

(That'd be your first attack and the one granted thanks to your martial
arts H; the last one will be resolved after everybody else goes... if
they get a chance, that is).  Go ahead and make your 'to hit' roll, and
then make three dodges (since they'll all be hitting you at once).

Unless, of course, you take on of them out straight away...  :)

(I guess just pick yer targets)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 14:33:12 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>Ah.  Well, you beat all of your attackers to the punch, so you can go
>first.  Three of these thugs are going for you, while the last, the one
>with that machete, seems ready to slice and dice your mercenary 'friend'
>over there.  Feel free to take your first two swings now.

>(That'd be your first attack and the one granted thanks to your martial
>arts H; the last one will be resolved after everybody else goes... if
>they get a chance, that is).  Go ahead and make your 'to hit' roll, and
>then make three dodges (since they'll all be hitting you at once).

>Unless, of course, you take on of them out straight away...  :)

Hardcore lunges out of his crouch towards the loudmouthed fellow with the
dagger, taking a swing with the cane in his right hand, then wheels around
and swings at the goon removing the axe from his back with his left.

He then readies himself for the next wave of assaults from the three men,
at the same time beginning to swing his right leg at his third remaining
adversary...

**The first attack was a 93 to hit and 100 for damage!  The second attack
is 47 to hit and 72 for damage.  The dodges are 21, 50, and 7.  Just when I
thought it was turning around...**

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 15:12:08 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:

> Hardcore lunges out of his crouch towards the loudmouthed fellow with 
> the dagger, taking a swing with the cane in his right hand, then 
> wheels around and swings at the goon removing the axe from his back 
> with his left.
 
> He then readies himself for the next wave of assaults from the three 
> men, at the same time beginning to swing his right leg at his third 
> remaining adversary...

> **The first attack was a 93 to hit and 100 for damage!  The second 
> attack is 47 to hit and 72 for damage.  The dodges are 21, 50, and 7. 
> Just when I thought it was turning around...**

Heh.  Your first cane attack takes mister loud-mouthed dagger-man
completely by surprise - and completely in the head.  You jack him so
hard that you see several teeth pop out of his head as he falls to the
Spaghetti Works floor - and he falls down hard.

You don't think he's getting up anytime soon.

Mister axe-man, on the other hand, jumps straight back in order to avoid
your whirling fury, but to no avail; you manage to jab him dead in the
diaphram with the butt of your second cane, knocking the wind out of him
and simply knocking him out.

He won't be moving in the near future, either.

So, the last remaining dagger-man takes a swing at you, and he manages
to connect with you as well, though he does even worse than the first
guy, in that he only manages to inflict Feeble (2) Edged Attack damage
against you.  And he knows it, too, because he doesn't look that happy.

He says "Crap", and decides that running away is a good tactical
maneuver at this point.  He books for the door as the machete-wielding
goon behind you takes two fist-fulls of brass knuckles, and he smashes
into a table, clearing it of all its contents as he passes out.

Now, you can either run out after your last opponent, or let him flee in
terror for the time being.  For now, though, you've been left with that
bad ol' merc, who's looking warily at you.  "Yep, I was right about you,
you are pretty damn tough."

He wipes the blood off of his hands onto his jeans and picks up a
briefcase the suits brought with them, opening it on a nearby, freshly
cleared off table.  You see him fumbling with the lock mechanism on the
case for a second, and then he smashes it instead of sneaking it open.

"Bastards set me up as a damn lure.  They know that I only hunt my
targets down fair and square.  I'm putting word out over the grape vine
that these losers are contract breakers, so you shouldn't have too many
more mercenary problems for a good long while".

The suitcase itself is packed with cash, at least fifty thousand inside,
from what you can tell.  He smiles, and then looks at you saying "I say
that we confiscate this money, since these asses called me all the way
out from New York City for this stupid job."

"Say what, though.  Why don't we beat feet and get a couple of beers
with it?  I'm sure that'll help us decide how to spend it better.  And
besides, I think the cops'll be showing up soon, if your pals don't beat
them to it.  What do you say?"

(Andy?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 15:40:17 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>Heh.  Your first cane attack takes mister loud-mouthed dagger-man
>completely by surprise - and completely in the head.  You jack him so
>hard that you see several teeth pop out of his head as he falls to the
>Spaghetti Works floor - and he falls down hard.

>You don't think he's getting up anytime soon.

>Mister axe-man, on the other hand, jumps straight back in order to avoid
>your whirling fury, but to no avail; you manage to jab him dead in the
>diaphram with the butt of your second cane, knocking the wind out of him
>and simply knocking him out.

>He won't be moving in the near future, either.

>So, the last remaining dagger-man takes a swing at you, and he manages
>to connect with you as well, though he does even worse than the first
>guy, in that he only manages to inflict Feeble (2) Edged Attack damage
>against you.  And he knows it, too, because he doesn't look that happy.

>He says "Crap", and decides that running away is a good tactical
>maneuver at this point.  He books for the door as the machete-wielding
>goon behind you takes two fist-fulls of brass knuckles, and he smashes
>into a table, clearing it of all its contents as he passes out.

>Now, you can either run out after your last opponent, or let him flee in
>terror for the time being.  For now, though, you've been left with that
>bad ol' merc, who's looking warily at you.  "Yep, I was right about you,
>you are pretty damn tough."

>He wipes the blood off of his hands onto his jeans and picks up a
>briefcase the suits brought with them, opening it on a nearby, freshly
>cleared off table.  You see him fumbling with the lock mechanism on the
>case for a second, and then he smashes it instead of sneaking it open.

>"Bastards set me up as a damn lure.  They know that I only hunt my
>targets down fair and square.  I'm putting word out over the grape vine
>that these losers are contract breakers, so you shouldn't have too many
>more mercenary problems for a good long while".

"Fat friggin' chance.  They've got plenty of money to throw around, and
there's always gonna be somebody like you jumpin' to take it.

"Besides, I usually do a pretty damn fine job of finding my own trouble, in
case you hadn't noticed..."

>The suitcase itself is packed with cash, at least fifty thousand inside,
>from what you can tell.  He smiles, and then looks at you saying "I say
>that we confiscate this money, since these asses called me all the way
>out from New York City for this stupid job."

>"Say what, though.  Why don't we beat feet and get a couple of beers
>with it?  I'm sure that'll help us decide how to spend it better.  And
>besides, I think the cops'll be showing up soon, if your pals don't beat
>them to it.  What do you say?"

"First off, you can go ahead and take the cash for yourself.  I'm done
handlin' their blood money.  Second, just because you and me fought the
same fight, that doesn't make us instant friends.  I respect what you can
do and all, but it'll take a lot more than helping me beat down a bunch of
Terran Directorate pissants to make me trust you."

Hardcore sneaks a peak out the window to look for any activity out on the
street in front of the restaurant, then continues.

"That bein' said, I could use a cold one right about now.  You and me can
hightail it outta here and hit a bar-- I'm gonna choose it-- and exchange a
few war stories or whatever you wanna do, but after that we're gonna have
to go our separate ways.  I've got enough to worry about without having to
keep an eye on you.  I'd just as soon leave our acquaintance as is.

"But like you said, we're short on time here, so if you wanna buy me that
beer I suggest you follow me out the back right now..."

He begins to make his way towards the kitchen, looking for any sort of back
exit along the way.

???

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 17:49:00 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:

>> What do you say?"

> "First off, you can go ahead and take the cash for yourself.  I'm done
> handlin' their blood money.  Second, just because you and me fought 
> the same fight, that doesn't make us instant friends.  I respect what 
> you can do and all, but it'll take a lot more than helping me beat 
> down a bunch of Terran Directorate pissants to make me trust you."

He looks at you and laughs.  "Well, you don't have to worry about that,
friend.  I can take the money with a clear conscience.  But don't worry
about me, 'cause I'm not trying to be buddy-buddy with you.  After all,
I was about to take an assignment hunting you down."

"And I don't want your trust.  I just want to figure out what the hell
made those guys want you so bad.  I mean, killing you is one thing, but
making me mad is another.  All I want from you is to hear all the dirt
you've got on the Terran Directorate."

> Hardcore sneaks a peak out the window to look for any activity out on 
> the street in front of the restaurant, then continues.
 
> "That bein' said, I could use a cold one right about now.  You and me 
> can hightail it outta here and hit a bar-- I'm gonna choose it-- and 
> exchange a few war stories or whatever you wanna do, but after that 
> we're gonna have to go our separate ways.  I've got enough to worry 
> about without having to keep an eye on you.  I'd just as soon leave 
> our acquaintance as is."

"No problem, tough guy."

> "But like you said, we're short on time here, so if you wanna buy me 
> that beer I suggest you follow me out the back right now..."
 
> He begins to make his way towards the kitchen, looking for any sort of 
> back exit along the way.

Okay.  You make it into the kitchen area easily enough, for you can see
the metal doors to that area standing in stark contrast to the rest of
the wood-decorated restaurant.  You head through and find a means of
exit after about ten seconds, since nobody's trying to stop you.

This leaves you in a small alleyway behind the restaurant, and you can
see that it's only about sixty feet either way to the main street. 
Making your way there as soon as possible, in order to avoid any sort of
possible pursuit, you emerge into a sidewalk full of pedestrians.

And cops.  You see six uniformed men running down the street past you,
towards the entrance to that 'Spaghetti Works' joint.  Apparently, the
fuzz is assuming that you're still there.  Luckily, they'll still find
the thugs and suits you left back there.  That'll keep them busy.

Anyway, from your current vantage point, you can see two distinct bars
within a block's walk of your position.  One of them just says 'Bar' on
the neon sign, and the other seems to be some sort of bar and grille,
being labelled as 'Kwan's Steakhouse'.

(Where to, Hardcore?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 18:06:48 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>Anyway, from your current vantage point, you can see two distinct bars
>within a block's walk of your position.  One of them just says 'Bar' on
>the neon sign, and the other seems to be some sort of bar and grille,
>being labelled as 'Kwan's Steakhouse'.

>(Where to, Hardcore?)

A little internal monologue:  "Hmmmmm.  'Bar' sounds like a dive.  My kind
of place.  Of course, that would probably be the first place the cops might
look for a couple of guys matching our descriptions..."

Hardcore heads towards Kwan's Steakhouse.

"Let's see about this Kwan's place.  As long as we can get a seat with a
view of the door, I think we'll be fine.

"Whaddya think, Old Man?"

Next?

Subject: [v13] Jinx!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 18:15:17 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

[9 for Initiative, only 28 for a Dodge, 80 to hit, 95 for damage, and a
miss with a 10 to hit on the second shot.]

Jinx counted her lucky stars for a second as she felt her field absorb
the strike, then grimaced and threw an insult over her shoulder at
Zartan, "Hey! Capt. Chameleon, wanna help some with this mess?! If you
don't, that's fine, but remind me to shoot you right after I waste this
piece of junk!"

At that, she spun and took two shots at the Mutilator, aiming for the
elbow joints.

~Damn, this thing is taking a beating! I may have to take the time to
reload and go full-auto on its ass shortly!~ she mused, trying to guarge
the damage she'd done to the robot.

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 20:45:09 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> The grins aren't the only funny thing about them, though.  They're both
> wearing brown, monkish robes, and have some sort of circuit board held
> around their necks with a golden chain.  And they're wearing brand new
> Nike shoes.

> "Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen!  Don't mind us, we're just cleaning up
> this little mess.  Wouldn't want to offend brother Alleyway, now, would
> we?  This'll just take a second, and we'll be out of your way.  There. 
> All done, see?  Thanks for your time!  Good bye!!"

> You see that one of the freakish church-goers has indeed picked up
> Masque's horse mess, and there doesn't seem to be any trace that it was
> ever there.  In fact, you get the bizarre impression that not even the
> slightest molecule of... horse mess... has been left behind...

Sil looked at her two companions, <<What manner of wiredos are 
those?>>

She ran a cursery thoughtscan of the "temple" nearby, searching 
for signs of sanity....

tbc... (rolled a 51...)

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 22:16:15 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

[6 Initiative. 73 to hit, 37 damage & 90 to hit and 97 for damage!]

Jinx cursed as the robot's detached hand grappled with her head, "Ack!
Get this thing off of me!"

Realizing that noone was going to help her in this, she squinted and
took her shots, hoping that these ones counted and stopped the hand from
crushing her skull (as she was particularly fond of it).

One shot was set for the zone where the braces of the wheel seated in
the body of the robot [shot #1] and the other was aimed right at the
robot's neck, hoping to blow its head right off!

~This has got to do it! I don't feel like reenacting any scenes from
Evil Dead II!~

[Whoo!]

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 22:23:08 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> [9 for Initiative, only 28 for a Dodge, 80 to hit, 95 for damage, and 
> a miss with a 10 to hit on the second shot.]

> Jinx counted her lucky stars for a second as she felt her field absorb
> the strike, then grimaced and threw an insult over her shoulder at
> Zartan, "Hey! Capt. Chameleon, wanna help some with this mess?! If you
> don't, that's fine, but remind me to shoot you right after I waste 
> this piece of junk!"

> At that, she spun and took two shots at the Mutilator, aiming for the
> elbow joints.

You take your shots at Mutilator 001, and your first manages to total
the left arm of the robot, sending everything below the joint to the
floor in a spray of sparks, scrap metal, and of course, blood-like
hydraulic oils.  A rather satisfying effect, really.

The second shot isn't so lucky, and it goes wild, reflecting off of one
or two metal surfaces before puncturing one of those mirrors that veil
this half of the twenty sixth floor from the other half, and then
piercing a window to the outside with a rather cool spiderweb crack.

You bet that'll be expensive to replace.

> ~Damn, this thing is taking a beating! I may have to take the time to
> reload and go full-auto on its ass shortly!~ she mused, trying to 
> guage the damage she'd done to the robot.

The Mutilator, on the other hand, seems to be calculating its dwindling
odds of success against you, having now lost three useful limbs in its
assault upon you.  It then points its hand at you and fires - fires the
clawed up hand, that is - right at you!!!

You tried to dodge the flying, poisoned claw hand as it rocketed right
at you, but you failed, and the thing grasped you right around your
head.  It hasn't penetrated your probability field yet, but the thing's
working on it.  You might want to get it off of your head, Jinx.

Especially since its main body is wheeling around, still, and it's eyes
are starting to blink in a weird pattern...

Meanwhile, in response to your petty insults, Zartan simply retorts "Ha!
Somebody's got to make a profit out of this.  After all, you're the one
that's claiming the neuropathic processor, if you can manage to finally
kill that stupid robot."

"Besides, my bow isn't very likely going to penetrate the armor of that
hulking monstrosity.  And my pistols, 'mere' Uzi 9mm hand cannons,
aren't going to do the trick if you can only put little holes in the
thing.  Well?"

(Well, Indeed, Jinx.  It's round four or something.  You ought to roll
up yet another initiative, and try to beat Mutilator 001's, well 1.  He
also only has the one attack this round, as well, so maybe you might be
able to finally incapacitate the thing.

Despite your threats, Zartan continues to rifle through the schematics
and such on various desks, and you see him make an 'Ah!' of success as
he apparently finds what he's looking for.  He then shoves several
sheets under his kevlar vest.

You're not able to keep a keen eye on him, of course, but you also see
him palm a small wooden box, slipping that in his pants (probably
because you wouldn't likely go looking for anything there).  You're not
sure what it is, but he does definitely look happy...

(Bil?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 22:46:15 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx flinched a bit before she realized the hand had been removed from
her head.

"Oh, thanks...maybe I won't have to shoot you after all." she stated as
she crawled over to the remains of the Mutilator.

"Now what the hell does a neuropathic processor look like?!" she
exclaimed as she started to poke around the bits and pieces, grumbling.

She hadn't dropped her field so the going was slow, but she didn't trust
anyone enough to drop her defenses while on the job.

[Rolled a 44 on my Reason to figure it out.]

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 22:49:42 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:

> A little internal monologue:  "Hmmmmm.  'Bar' sounds like a dive.  My 
> kind of place.  Of course, that would probably be the first place the 
> cops might look for a couple of guys matching our descriptions..."
 
> Hardcore heads towards Kwan's Steakhouse.
 
> "Let's see about this Kwan's place.  As long as we can get a seat with 
> a view of the door, I think we'll be fine.
 
> "Whaddya think, Old Man?"
 
> Next?

"Old?  Man?", the older man says to you, sounding as if he didn't like
that very much.  He doesn't deny it or anything, you just get the
impression he didn't like the sound of it.  At any rate, he follows you
into Kwan's Steakhouse, where you see...

There's about ten people in the Steakhouse.  Three of them are at the
bar flanking the left wall of the building, while six others are in
various booths on the right side of the place.  The last two seem to be
in a heated game of darts on the back wall, by the kitchen doors.

(For your information, the middle of the restaurant is filled with
regular tables, with about four chairs each; it would seem that
everybody has ignored them for a comfy spot in a booth seat.  Well, all
six of everybody, who're split amongst two booths).

Furthermore, there's a door that doesn't lead to either the rest rooms
or the kitchens.  It's got a neon sign above it that reads "Club
Invertebrate", and inside one can only see stairs leading downward. 
What lies down there you have no idea.

Your current companion heads to the bar and orders himself one Corona,
and gives the bartender a hundred dollar bill, saying "We want free
refills, a'right?".  He then tells you "Go get whatever you want, I'll
nab a table in the back.

He then sits down in the far corner booth, though you can see that he
can see the door, the other patrons, and that entrance to the basement
Club easily from his vantage point.  He seems totally relaxed all of a
sudden, which may not be a good thing.

Though it may, of course, just be a cover...

(Andy?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 23:00:42 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> [6 Initiative. 73 to hit, 37 damage & 90 to hit and 97 for damage!]
 
> Jinx cursed as the robot's detached hand grappled with her head, "Ack!
> Get this thing off of me!"
 
> Realizing that noone was going to help her in this, she squinted and
> took her shots, hoping that these ones counted and stopped the hand 
> from crushing her skull (as she was particularly fond of it).

> One shot was set for the zone where the braces of the wheel seated in
> the body of the robot [shot #1] and the other was aimed right at the
> robot's neck, hoping to blow its head right off!
 
> ~This has got to do it! I don't feel like reenacting any scenes from
> Evil Dead II!~
 
> [Whoo!]

Your shots indeed hit their marks, and once your barrage of fire is
done, the robot simply falls to the ground in several pieces.  Those
eerie red eyes quit glowing, and all sorts of techno-guts come out of
Mutilator 001's robotic shell, along with tons of oils and such.

It looks at you before it falls apart, and in it's tinny, digitized
voice, says "...why?".  Of course, it didn't seem to hesitate to hurt
you all over the place, especially with it's detachable robot hand,
which is still on your head!

The thing starts to squeeze, and you can feel your probability field
beginning to buckle under the stress (along with your skull), when the
thing suddenly relents in its assault upon your head.  Behind you, you
can see Zartan holding the hand in the air.

"Harrumph", he says, looking at the thing twitch at you impotently as he
holds it in the air over your head.  "And you were thinking that I
wasn't going to help you out at all.  Why, I hope that this will cause
you to reconsider your rather low opinion of me."

"In fact, I'll carry your unconscious friend down the stairs for you. 
After, of course, you pull that savage robot's head apart and remove the
neuropathic processor from it."  With that, he went over to Time Out and
picked her up, still holding a gun in one hand, just in case.

(Jinx?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 23:12:27 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:

>> You see that one of the freakish church-goers has indeed picked up
>> Masque's horse mess, and there doesn't seem to be any trace that it 
>> was ever there.  In fact, you get the bizarre impression that not 
>> even the slightest molecule of... horse mess... has been left 
>> behind...

> Sil looked at her two companions, <<What manner of wiredos are
> those?>>

Och just shrugs.  "You've got me.  It's been my experience that humans
are willing to believe just about anything.  Those fellows would appear
to be worshippers of cleanliness, neatness, or some other obsessive type
of behavior."
 
> She ran a cursory thoughtscan of the "temple" nearby, searching
> for signs of sanity....

> tbc... (rolled a 51...)

That's when it all goes downhill for you, once you scan the actual
church itself.  You see, your mind's eye passes over the various
consciousnesses inside, and after about a dozen primarily human thought
patterns, you run across the totally fantastic.

There are hundreds of totally non-human thinking patterns inside the
church, all apparently praying to someone... or something.  The
incredibly weird thought processes that you're intercepting are of a
completely alien mindset than you're used to dealing with.

It doesn't drive you crazy or anything, but it's still a severe hassle,
giving you instant migraine number one.  Your scan has ultimately
failed, then, since you're not seeing anything remotely sane inside the
church's walls.

Noticing your discomfort, Och looks up at you and says "Are you all
right?  You seem to be having a bad time of it all of a sudden.  Do you
need an aspirin?  I have several here in my backpack, as I've been prone
to headaches since I arrived here on this... earth."

"Stress, my doctor tells me."

(Anyone?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 23:12:39 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx drops her field and slips the chip carefully into one of her
insulated utility pouches.

"You got your profit, and I finished my job. Thanks for doing what you
did. Is that better?" she queried Zartan, staring at him coldly.

"Now let's get the hell out of this place before we have to deal with
any more crap!"

Once they got downstairs, she took Time-Out's unconscious form from
Zartan and tried to find her other partner from the D.A.A.

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx!
Date:    Tue, 29 Dec 1998 23:34:44 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> Jinx flinched a bit before she realized the hand had been removed from
> her head.
 
> "Oh, thanks...maybe I won't have to shoot you after all." she stated 
> as she crawled over to the remains of the Mutilator.

"Maybe?!?  Maybe you should learn how to express some gratitude, young
lady.  I could've easily left you and your friend for dead, but did I? 
No... though I may yet live to regret that particular decision."  He
continues under his breath after that, muttering softly as you work.

> "Now what the hell does a neuropathic processor look like?!" she
> exclaimed as she started to poke around the bits and pieces, 
> grumbling.
 
> She hadn't dropped her field so the going was slow, but she didn't 
> trust anyone enough to drop her defenses while on the job.
 
> [Rolled a 44 on my Reason to figure it out.]
 
Well, Jinx, I wish I had good news for you, but that, with Typical
Reason (log), is a big fat failure.  You sit there, twiddling your
thumbs for about five minutes, and you still can't tell which chip is a
neuropathic processor and which one is a potato chip.

Of course, you hear the 'achem' of a know-it-all behind you, and once
you've gotten frustrated (and another five minutes pass), you turn
around to see Zartan looking all smug at you.  "Perhaps, my dear, it's
the chip with the greek 'Psi' symbol on it.  There's only one, there."

You look back in the mess of robo-stuff, and sure enough, there's one
sitting there, dead center in the mass of computer chips and components.
The thing's about two inches square, with about four hundred pins
sticking out of the thing, and three weird nubs that look all funny.

But, it would seem that you've got your quarry, at long last.  And,
since Zartan's got Time Out, now what, Jinx?

Subject: [v13] Jinx's Great Escape!
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 00:12:06 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> Jinx drops her field and slips the chip carefully into one of her
> insulated utility pouches.
 
> "You got your profit, and I finished my job. Thanks for doing what you
> did. Is that better?" she queried Zartan, staring at him coldly.

"Hm.  Perhaps I was wrong.  You actually need to work on your sense of
humor, Jinx.  I was only giving you a hard time.  But never mind, you're
not in a mood for such things anyway."  You're not sure exactly what
he's up to, but apparently he doesn't like your attitude right now...
 
> "Now let's get the hell out of this place before we have to deal with
> any more crap!"

Zartan smiles.  "Now there's something I can agree with, for once.  Let
us be away from here before our friends downstairs cause the national
guard to be called out on us!"  He then runs back into the stairwell,
throwing something at that security kiosk as the stairwell door closes.

You hear - and feel - a powerful explosion come from the top floor as
you hop down the stairs at top speed, and are almost shaken off your
feet.  This causes Zartan to laugh, since he DID do it on purpose.  "Ha
ha ha!  I would seem to have triggered his explosive booby trap..."

Down at about level five, Time Out finally wakes up, the rough shaking
of your running down the stairs acting like several gallons of cold
water suddenly splashed in her face.  "Ugh, put me down!  Okay, we're
running for our lives, so I'm assuming that we got the chip, right?"

Zartan grins at her.  "But of course, though you were asleep for most of
that particular task.  Too bad, because Jinx and I had a whole lot of
fun fighting that robot.  Ha ha ha!"  She eventually pulls it together
and fishes her keys out of her purse.
 
> Once they got downstairs, she took Time-Out's unconscious form from
> Zartan and tried to find her other partner from the D.A.A.

Well, she already woke up, so don't worry about that.  But you can spot
Bruno and those thugs of Zartan's easily enough.  When you emerge from
the stairwell onto level one, you see the absolute carnage that Bruno
and company have wrought.

You distinctly remember how beautiful this building was when you first
arrived, though that would appear to have changed... drastically.  It
looks like you've walked into the third world, as the entire first three
floors have caved in under their own, savaged weight.

"Oy!  Looks like Zartan and the girlies have got what they came here
for!", says the blonde, pointy-tailed one.  The man with the brown hair,
side burns, moustache, and flame thrower says "Heh heh heh... I bet they
did, at that!"

Time Out, while ignoring these biker thugs, runs over to her car, where
you spot Bruno, looking despondent.  "I ran out of bullets and grenades.
Next time, remind me to bring something more personal, like these here
Dreadnoks did.  They're having all the fun!"

Time Out hops into the driver seat, while Bruno and Zartan hit the back.
"Get in, Jinx, we're outta here!"  Of course, you see six or seven green
vehicles parked outside, with dozens of armed soldiers waiting for you
to come out.  Apparently, somebody DID call the national guard.

"Don't worry about them, Jinx.  This car is totally, totally, totally
indestructible.  I stole it last year on a mission the D.A.A. sent us on
against some badass calling himself Mister Matter.  He did something to
this car that makes it totally impervious to, well, anything."

"We're moving out!!!"  With that, she starts up the car and floors it
(assuming that you did, indeed, get in), and flies back out the hole she
made when she first crashed her way into the Ariel-Shijitzu building,
and nails a tank at about forty-five miles per hour.

The weird thing is that she cuts through it like rice paper - a tank -
and just keeps on going.  While the national guardsmen are disorganized,
the Dreadnoks (as they're apparently called) simply file in behind the
invulnerable Crown Victoria and take off with you.

Oddly enough, the Guard doesn't follow your car, and Zartan directs Time
Out to an old gas station about twenty miles outside of Pleasantview,
towards New York City.  "We can hide out here for a day or so", the
holographic master says, "and then we can go our separate ways."

"Though, I must admit, I enjoyed working with the three of you, despite
your... dislike of me, Jinx."  Zartan then wanders into the back of the
gas station, while his minions, the so-called Dreadnoks, break out a
huge array of powdered doughnuts and grape soda.

"C'mon, girls, it's the food of the gods!!"

(Bil?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 03:34:35 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

Smacking myself for not sending the horse away, I send the Horse Away.

*won't be needing that for awhile.*

"Miss,  would you pulleeeze let me know when you are going to do that.
It does bad things to my stomach..Or maybe that is just the
cheese...well whatever. From what the 'priests' just said , I think
that  Och's friend might be a bit of use. Because if he really can speak
with inanimate objects, then he can sure try and speak with Mister
Alleyway and whatever resides in this church. I think that this amulet I
seek, might even increase the going ons of late and the unfortunate
scarecrow. This place is obviously a place of worship for...well
inanimate things and the so-called spirits that reside within them."

Noticing the furrowed brow of Silhouette, I ask her the very same thing
that Och Asked her.

"Are you alright?"

Subject: [v13] magic..woohooo!!!!!
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 03:50:38 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

Denny, do I still have a fix on the amulet?

If not I try and get one again....with a ...nevermind...i do not think
an 8 will do it.

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 12:24:30 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Christopher W. Acers wrote:
 
> Smacking myself for not sending the horse away, I send the Horse Away.
 
> *won't be needing that for awhile.*

Your horse just gives you this really strange look when you go to
dismiss it.  You're not sure, but you think it might've actually wanted
to stay here for a bit.  But then, that might just be because nobody
cleans up after it at home.

"Miss,  would you pulleeeze let me know when you are going to do that.  It 
does bad things to my stomach..Or maybe that is just the cheese...well whatever. 
 
> From what the 'priests' just said , I think that  Och's friend might be a bit 
> of use. Because if he really can speak with inanimate objects, then he can 
> sure try and speak with Mister Alleyway and whatever resides in this church.
> I think that this amulet I seek, might even increase the going ons of late 
> and the unfortuante scarecrow. This place is obviuosly a place of worship 
> for...well inanimate things and the so-called spirits that reside within 
> them."

Och doesn't seem happy about that.  "He's NOT my friend, Masque.  I
really don't like him all that much, to tell you the truth.  I just
don't want to lose him until he answers my question, mental problems or
not.  Where's your amulet-bearing friend, anyway?"

(Just as a side-note, Masque, you didn't need to reroll that magical
detection thing back there, since you already had a fix on the man.  So,
you can still track him, though you don't need to.  You saw where he
went when you were in your Astral form, remember?)

(In the building adjacent to the church, here.  So, in that doorway just
around the corner).

> Noticing the furrowed brow of Silouhette, I ask her the very same 
> thing that Och Asked her.

> "Are you alright?"

(Hmm?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 12:47:52 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Christopher W. Acers wrote:
 
>> Och doesn't seem happy about that.  "He's NOT my friend, Masque.  I
>> really don't like him all that much, to tell you the truth.  I just
>> don't want to lose him until he answers my question, mental problems 
>> or not.  Where's your amulet-bearing friend, anyway?"
 
> *Harrumphh, I suppose that answers that question, sheesh I was trying 
> to help. ....*

> "Right....he went in there"
 
> Motioning towards the door on the other side of the alleyway, I The 
> step up to the door and Knock. After all a polite wizard is a 
> breathing wizard.

Masque moves around the corner and knocks on the disheveled door, which
is already on the ground.  Nothing answers at first, but after about
thirty seconds, you hear a strangled, wispy voice shout "Go... Away...".
Of course, that's when you smell it.

Wafting out of the doorway, you can't help but catch a whiff of it; it's
dead people smell.  It's overpowering, and makes you stand back coughing
for a second or two, as Och comes running up to make sure that you're
all right.

"You all right?", he asks?  And then his face straightens out as if
somebody was pulling on it like a rubber mask.  "Ah, I see", is all he
can get out at that point, 

(and what're YOU up to, Silhouette?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 11:55:28 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> Smacking myself for not sending the horse away, I send the Horse Away.
 
> *won't be needing that for awhile.*
 
> "Miss,  would you pulleeeze let me know when you are going to do that.
> It does bad things to my stomach..Or maybe that is just the
> cheese...well whatever. From what the 'priests' just said , I think
> that  Och's friend might be a bit of use. Because if he really can speak
> with inanimate objects, then he can sure try and speak with Mister
> Alleyway and whatever resides in this church. I think that this amulet I
> seek, might even increase the going ons of late and the unfortuante
> scarecrow. This place is obviuosly a place of worship for...well
> inanimate things and the so-called spirits that reside within them."
 
> Noticing the furrowed brow of Silouhette, I ask her the very same thing
> that Och Asked her.
 
> "Are you alright?"
 
Sil chuckles, <<Shall I drop him out now? I'm not going to let him 
completely out of the shadows, though.. we wouldn't want him 
running off, now would we?>>

She then let's the 'scarecrow's' head and shoulders emerge out of 
the shadows of after she pulls the lid off a trashcan....

<<Ask away, gentlebeings....>> she prods them...

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 11:55:28 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

>>> Och doesn't seem happy about that.  "He's NOT my friend, Masque.  I
>>> really don't like him all that much, to tell you the truth.  I just
>>> don't want to lose him until he answers my question, mental problems 
>>> or not.  Where's your amulet-bearing friend, anyway?"
  
>> *Harrumphh, I suppose that answers that question, sheesh I was trying 
>> to help. ....*

>> "Right....he went in there"
  
>> Motioning towards the door on the other side of the alleyway, I The 
>> step up to the door and Knock. After all a polite wizard is a 
>> breathing wizard.
 
> Masque moves around the corner and knocks on the disheveled door, which
> is already on the ground.  Nothing answers at first, but after about
> thirty seconds, you hear a strangled, wispy voice shout "Go... Away...".
> Of course, that's when you smell it.
 
> Wafting out of the doorway, you can't help but catch a whiff of it; it's
> dead people smell.  It's overpowering, and makes you stand back coughing
> for a second or two, as Och comes running up to make sure that you're
> all right.
 
> "You all right?", he asks?  And then his face straightens out as if
> somebody was pulling on it like a rubber mask.  "Ah, I see", is all he
> can get out at that point, 
 
Sil made a face at the smell of death... not something she was 
fond of, but she took out a charcoal filter mask from her utility belt 
and fitted it over her nose and mouth....

<<What the hell's going on in there....>> she pathed at the two 
she was with...

tbc..

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 13:23:21 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>"Old?  Man?", the older man says to you, sounding as if he didn't like
>that very much.  He doesn't deny it or anything, you just get the
>impression he didn't like the sound of it.  At any rate, he follows you
>into Kwan's Steakhouse, where you see...

>There's about ten people in the Steakhouse.  Three of them are at the
>bar flanking the left wall of the building, while six others are in
>various booths on the right side of the place.  The last two seem to be
>in a heated game of darts on the back wall, by the kitchen doors.

>(For your information, the middle of the restaurant is filled with
>regular tables, with about four chairs each; it would seem that
>everybody has ignored them for a comfy spot in a booth seat.  Well, all
>six of everybody, who're split amongst two booths).

>Furthermore, there's a door that doesn't lead to either the rest rooms
>or the kitchens.  It's got a neon sign above it that reads "Club
>Invertebrate", and inside one can only see stairs leading downward. 
>What lies down there you have no idea.

>Your current companion heads to the bar and orders himself one Corona,
>and gives the bartender a hundred dollar bill, saying "We want free
>refills, a'right?".  He then tells you "Go get whatever you want, I'll
>nab a table in the back.

>He then sits down in the far corner booth, though you can see that he
>can see the door, the other patrons, and that entrance to the basement
>Club easily from his vantage point.  He seems totally relaxed all of a
>sudden, which may not be a good thing.

>Though it may, of course, just be a cover...

Putting my canes in the crossing holsters I keep on my back, I step up to
the bar and order a "Budweiser, from the bottle."  After carefully watching
the bartender open up the bottle and hand it to me (thinking to myself,
"Can't have anybody slippin' me a mickey"), I walk to the booth where the
merc has made himself comfortable, and stand beside it, also facing the door.

"Thanks for the beer.  So, Old Man, what's your story?"

...

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 13:43:45 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Sil chuckles, <<Shall I drop him out now? I'm not going to let him
> completely out of the shadows, though.. we wouldn't want him
> running off, now would we?>>

> She then let's the 'scarecrow's' head and shoulders emerge out of
> the shadows of after she pulls the lid off a trashcan....
> 
> <<Ask away, gentlebeings....>> she prods them...

"Well, I don't think he can move that fast, since I think I caused him
to lose his precious cane back when I first confronted him.  He's got a
bad leg, you see."  Och then positions himself in front of the tall,
lanky man, when he stops short, so to speak.

Looking at the man half-enshrouded in shadows, you can see his eyes are
totally wide with terror.  Och prods him in order to see if he's
actually alive, and the man just starts screaming. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" 
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"  "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"  "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"The voices!  They're everywhere!  That brick!  The road!  That other
brick!  All the damn bricks!  That wooden door frame!  The crud on top
of the door!  Your costume!  The things in your pockets!  Your axe!  The
robe you've got on!  My pants!  Shut up!!!"

Apparently, Masque's magical blue charming aura has faded.  The man
seems in his right mind again, for all the good that's doing him.  "Make
it stop!  Make it STOP!  The change in your pocket is uncomfortable, and
I DON'T CARE!  La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la!"

(Anyone?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 13:58:27 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:

> Sil made a face at the smell of death... not something she was
> fond of, but she took out a charcoal filter mask from her utility belt
> and fitted it over her nose and mouth....
 
> <<What the hell's going on in there....>> she pathed at the two
> she was with...

Och looks at you, looking rather unhappy that he doesn't have one of
those nice masks that you do, and replies "I believe that this odor is
the cause of Masque's friend's actions.  I think, then, that we ought to
make haste to end his threat, once and for all!"

With that, the mystery threat behind the shadows speaks up anew.  "I
said... to go away...!  It is after dark, my friends, so it would
behoove you to leave before my full fury is awakened!  Leave me alone or
I... I will... I will consume your flesh!  Yes, that is what I'll do!"

"I will consume your flesh, like I have so many others that have crossed
my path."  Just when you're starting to think this guy might only have a
few screws loose, he throws something at you.  Something organic.  In
fact, it appears to be a... a leg!!

It's got gnaw marks on it, too...

(Anyone?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 15:27:00 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> Och doesn't seem happy about that.  "He's NOT my friend, Masque.  I
> really don't like him all that much, to tell you the truth.  I just
> don't want to lose him until he answers my question, mental problems or
> not.  Where's your amulet-bearing friend, anyway?"

*Harrumphh, I suppose that answers that question, sheesh I was trying to
help. ....*

"Right....he went in there"

Motioning towards the door on the other side of the alleyway, I The step
up to the door and Knock. After all a polite wizard is a breathing
wizard.

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 14:42:40 -0700
From:    "Lady Arakne" <araknesweb@darkspiral.com>

> "The voices!  They're everywhere!  That brick!  The road!  That other
> brick!  All the damn bricks!  That wooden door frame!  The crud on top
> of the door!  Your costume!  The things in your pockets!  Your axe!  The
> robe you've got on!  My pants!  Shut up!!!"
 
> Apparently, Masque's magical blue charming aura has faded.  The man
> seems in his right mind again, for all the good that's doing him.  "Make
> it stop!  Make it STOP!  The change in your pocket is uncomfortable, and
> I DON'T CARE!  La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la!"
 
Sil rolls her eyes, even though her head still aches a bit, she puts 
up her mental sheilds first, so the "scarecrow" is not so loud, and
then puts a mental shield around him as well....

tbc..

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 15:49:30 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:

>>He then sits down in the far corner booth, though you can see that he
>>can see the door, the other patrons, and that entrance to the basement
>>Club easily from his vantage point.  He seems totally relaxed all of a
>>sudden, which may not be a good thing.

>>Though it may, of course, just be a cover...
 
> Putting my canes in the crossing holsters I keep on my back, I step up 
> to the bar and order a "Budweiser, from the bottle."  After carefully 
> watching the bartender open up the bottle and hand it to me (thinking 
> to myself, "Can't have anybody slippin' me a mickey"), I walk to the 
> booth where the merc has made himself comfortable, and stand beside 
> it, also facing the door.

> "Thanks for the beer.  So, Old Man, what's your story?"
 
He laughs.  "Not much to it, really.  Just your run-of-the-mill thug for
hire, that's me.  Name's Hazzard.  Marc Hazzard.  Mostly, I do the merc
thing, but every once in a while, I'll take a private bounty hunter
contract for anybody that's got the right price."

"Like your friends, there, in the Terran Directorate.  I was kind of
surprised, since I didn't suspect that they actually had any dirty
laundry laying around.  I guess that's why I decided to fly out here to
take their job; I was curious, mostly."

"Of course, then they pulled that ambush crap on me.  Now, if they
wouldn't have done that, I would've been happy to hunt you down -
nothing personal, tough guy - but that's just what I do.  But they
violated my cardinal rule.

"See, if I'm gonna hunt a body down, it's gotta be a fair and square
fight - no dirty tricks, no sneaky moves.  And those bastards knew it."
After his speech, he takes a long, long sip of beer, trying to wash down
an apparently crusty... something in his throat.

After all, it sounds like he's talking through sandpaper.

"What about you?  What'd you do to tick them off so much that they need
you dead?".  He takes another long sip from his beer, almost finishing
it off, when his head suddenly darts over to the right.  Somebody just
came out of 'Club Invertebrate'.  A man in a trench coat.

You can't tell much more about him, since he's wearing a a fidora,
sunglasses, and what appears to be an exceptionally fake beard.  He sees
the two of you looking your way, nods once, and makes his way out of
Kwan's Steakhouse as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

Seeming almost stunned for a second by the passing of that weirdo, Marc
just sits there for about five seconds, and takes a final sip from his
beer, looking at it like he'd just lost a long-time friend.  "No,
really, what'd you do to tick those jokers off so much?"

(Andy?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 16:37:35 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Lady Arakne wrote:
 
>> "The voices!  They're everywhere!  That brick!  The road!  That other
>> brick!  All the damn bricks!  That wooden door frame!  The crud on 
>> top of the door!  Your costume!  The things in your pockets!  Your 
>> axe!  The robe you've got on!  My pants!  Shut up!!!"

>> Apparently, Masque's magical blue charming aura has faded.  The man
>> seems in his right mind again, for all the good that's doing him.  
>> "Make it stop!  Make it STOP!  The change in your pocket is 
>> uncomfortable, and I DON'T CARE!  La la la la la la la la la la la la 
>> la la la la la la!"

Looking rather confused, Och pulls the change out of his pocket.  Six
quarters, two dimes, and an assortment of pennies and nickles seemingly
stare back at him, and Och just lays them down carefully on the alley
floor.  He keeps staring after them, too, as if they were going to bite.

> Sil rolls her eyes, even though her head still aches a bit, she puts
> up her mental sheilds first, so the "scarecrow" is not so loud, and
> then puts a mental shield around him as well....
 
Well, that helps somewhat, as he stops screaming "La la la la la la la
la la la!" so much.  He doesn't seem completely happy, though, as he's
now just sitting there, quivering in terror with his eyes bulging like
mad, as if they were attempting to break free of his skull.

"Hrrrrr...", he says...

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 16:45:24 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>He laughs.  "Not much to it, really.  Just your run-of-the-mill thug for
>hire, that's me.  Name's Hazzard.  Marc Hazzard.  Mostly, I do the merc
>thing, but every once in a while, I'll take a private bounty hunter
>contract for anybody that's got the right price."

>"Like your friends, there, in the Terran Directorate.  I was kind of
>surprised, since I didn't suspect that they actually had any dirty
>laundry laying around.  I guess that's why I decided to fly out here to
>take their job; I was curious, mostly."

>"Of course, then they pulled that ambush crap on me.  Now, if they
>wouldn't have done that, I would've been happy to hunt you down -
>nothing personal, tough guy - but that's just what I do.  But they
>violated my cardinal rule.

>"See, if I'm gonna hunt a body down, it's gotta be a fair and square
>fight - no dirty tricks, no sneaky moves.  And those bastards knew it."
>After his speech, he takes a long, long sip of beer, trying to wash down
>an apparently crusty... something in his throat.

>After all, it sounds like he's talking through sandpaper.

>"What about you?  What'd you do to tick them off so much that they need
>you dead?".  He takes another long sip from his beer, almost finishing
>it off, when his head suddenly darts over to the right.  Somebody just
>came out of 'Club Invertebrate'.  A man in a trench coat.

>You can't tell much more about him, since he's wearing a a fidora,
>sunglasses, and what appears to be an exceptionally fake beard.  He sees
>the two of you looking your way, nods once, and makes his way out of
>Kwan's Steakhouse as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

>Seeming almost stunned for a second by the passing of that weirdo, Marc
>just sits there for about five seconds, and takes a final sip from his
>beer, looking at it like he'd just lost a long-time friend.  "No,
>really, what'd you do to tick those jokers off so much?"

"Nothin' real special...  I'll just say that I used to be one of their
favorite "friends of the Directorate", then we had a little--  

"We don't see eye to eye on too much these days.  All we've got in common
is a whole lotta mutual dislike for one another.  Since we tend to take
care of our problems the same way, you get situations like that clusterfuck
we were in back there.  So far I've been winnin' more than I've been
losin', but I'm not kiddin' myself.  Those aren't really big victories,
lookin' at the big picture.  I'm just one man, and they're gonna try to
keep on sendin' guys like you and the goon squad after me until they've
taken me out and won the little war we've got goin' on.  And I'll keep
pluggin' away, takin' every chance I can get to make some ground myself.  

"That's when it'll all be through I guess-- either I'll be dead, or they
won't be around to do all of the nasty shit they do to anybody and
everybody they have to to get their way-- whether they deserve it, or not.
Looks like you're just the latest in a long line of people they screwed
over, but at least you can fight back."

<<pausing>>

"I hope that answers your question well enough, 'cause that's pretty much
all I've got to say about it.  Anyway, this joint's givin' me a bad
feelin'.  I'm all for mindin' my own business, but don't try and act like
you didn't notice that freak that just walked outta here.  I don't know if
I'm too keen on hangin' around in here much longer..."  

Denny?

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx's Great Escape!
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 18:21:34 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Natasha, shrugged, grabbing a donut and munching casually on it, looking
about for a first aid kit.

"Hey, anyone have something for burns? Oh, and we should probably clean
you up, too, Time-Out." she grumbled, digging through the miscellania
laying about.

Before she went any further, though, she settled down and checked out
all of her equipment making sure it was properly stowed away and that
her guns were fully loaded and easily accessible if need be.

Once that was done, she went back to bitching about her wounds and
making sure Time-Out wasn't bleeding to death from the gashes the
shrapnel created.

"Anyone have any iodine or hydrogen pyroxide?" she called out around a
mouthful of donut before chugging some grape soda.

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 20:50:09 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Andy Hicks wrote:
 
> "Nothin' real special...  I'll just say that I used to be one of their
> favorite "friends of the Directorate", then we had a little--
 
> "We don't see eye to eye on too much these days.  All we've got in 
> common is a whole lotta mutual dislike for one another.  Since we tend 
> to take care of our problems the same way, you get situations like 
> that clusterfuck we were in back there.  So far I've been winnin' more 
> than I've been losin', but I'm not kiddin' myself.  Those aren't 
> really big victories, lookin' at the big picture.  I'm just one man, 
> and they're gonna try to keep on sendin' guys like you and the goon 
> squad after me until they've taken me out and won the little war we've 
> got goin' on.  And I'll keep pluggin' away, takin' every chance I can 
> get to make some ground myself.
 
> "That's when it'll all be through I guess-- either I'll be dead, or 
> they won't be around to do all of the nasty shit they do to anybody 
> and everybody they have to to get their way-- whether they deserve it, 
> or not.  Looks like you're just the latest in a long line of people 
> they screwed over, but at least you can fight back."
 
> <<pausing>>
 
> "I hope that answers your question well enough, 'cause that's pretty 
> much all I've got to say about it.  Anyway, this joint's givin' me a 
> bad feelin'.  I'm all for mindin' my own business, but don't try and 
> act like you didn't notice that freak that just walked outta here.  I 
> don't know if I'm too keen on hangin' around in here much longer..."

He picks up his glass, swishing around the suds of his drink a bit. 
"Well, you got your secrets, that's fine.  I'm not a nosey nag, or your
dad, either, so I'll leave it at that.  S'not like I'm telling you my
life story either."

He glances over at the doorway into the Club downstairs.  "However, I
think you're right about that place downstairs.  Couldn't help but
notice just how damn weird that freak was that just left.  Just not
normal, and this isn't New York, so that's definitely strange."

As if to puncutate his words, another freako walks into the Steakhouse,
dressed in, again, a trench coat, sunglasses, and a fake beard.  But
this one's different, in that he's wearing a tall, stove-top hat.  Over
a foot tall, in fact.

The weirdest thing about him, however, is that where you can see skin,
the man looks almost... scaly.  The man looks at you, and with a sort of
watery voice, he says "What're you looking at, stupid hu-, I mean,
stupid jerks."

He then goes down the stairs.

"Riiiiight.  Let's go."

(?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx's Great Escape!
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 20:59:35 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

William Lockwood wrote:
 
> Natasha, shrugged, grabbing a donut and munching casually on it, 
> looking about for a first aid kit.

> "Hey, anyone have something for burns? Oh, and we should probably 
> clean you up, too, Time-Out." she grumbled, digging through the 
> miscellania laying about.

"Oooh, roight.  Burns."  The Dreadnok with the flamethrower pulls
something out of a pocket and hands it to you.  "I know all about burns,
I do.  Just slab this on ya's, and you'll be good as new.  And here,
have a grape soda - it's good for the soul!"

> Before she went any further, though, she settled down and checked out
> all of her equipment making sure it was properly stowed away and that
> her guns were fully loaded and easily accessible if need be.

> Once that was done, she went back to bitching about her wounds and
> making sure Time-Out wasn't bleeding to death from the gashes the
> shrapnel created.
 
> "Anyone have any iodine or hydrogen pyroxide?" she called out around a
> mouthful of donut before chugging some grape soda.

"There you goes, food of the Gods, that is", says mister flamethrower
again.  "Name's Torch, Jinxie, and I gots the first aid kit over here. 
Anyone that drinks grape soda's good enough for me."  He then gets up,
wandering into the back of the gas station.

He comes back in about ten minutes, with a rather large metal briefcase
that's painted bone white, save for the red 'First Aid Kit' label that's
painted on top of that.  He then opens it up and hands you several
bandages, the peroxide, and a small tank of gas with a facemask.

"Nitrous, man.  Give this to her, and she won't mind you operatin' on
her, see?"  Torch then wanders off, leaving you with the groggy Time Out
and the other two thugs in Zartan's employ.  I guess that just means you
get to do the first aid.  Less you want these dopes playing with her...

(Jinx?)

Subject: Re: [v13] Jinx's Great Escape!
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 21:11:51 -0600
From:    William Lockwood <albedo1@home.com>

Natasha didn't know a thing about anesthesia so she just put the nitrous
off to the side, opening up the first aid kit and perusing its contents.

"Hmmm...gonna need some tweezers and definitely the gauze..."

After finding everything she thought she would need, she pulled off a
belt and gave it to Time-Out.

"Here, bite on this, we don't need your screaming attracting any of the
wrong kind of attention."

After that admonition, she started digging for the bits of metal and
whatnot that were stuck in her patient's body.

"You better be OK, or I'm going to give you a reason not to be, damnit!"

Subject: [v13] Bad Things. Definitely Bad Things.
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 22:27:18 -0600
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@darkspiral.com>

Christopher W. Acers wrote:
 
>> "I will consume your flesh, like I have so many others that have 
>> crossed my path."  Just when you're starting to think this guy might 
>> only have a few screws loose, he throws something at you.  Something 
>> organic.  In fact, it appears to be a... a leg!!

>> It's got gnaw marks on it, too...
 
> "Aughhhhhh....he's got bits in there...did you see that?
 
> Masque motions frantically to the entrance to Doom.
 
> Throwing up my eldritch shield and conjuring up my Hook of hoggoth...I
> advance forward ..and then back.
 
> "I apologize ma'am...but you can put him away again. Apparently this 
> is too much for him. I would hate to have change talking to me. filthy
> stuff they say. Of course, its nice to have in certain situations 
> ..buys all the good stuff like cotton candy and shoelaces... 
> errr...sorry..shall we smite thine enemy ..or mine or somebodies at 
> the very least. Can't have evil throwin' around bits can we?"

"No... don't put me back.  I can still hear them... in the shadows... 
If you put me back there, I'll only have the voices...  Don't do it..."
Perhaps Silhouette's Psychic Screen is helping somewhat, but the lanky
man can at least talk again... if it's strained.

> Again Advancing, I cry the battle cry of the ages...
 
> "Excuse me, but can I have yer stuff?"

> <and the battle...begins to rage?>

Well, Masque, can you see in the dark?  Because it's totally dark in
that room you've just wandered into, magical shield and scythe or not. 
Sure, they emit a bit of light, but not enough to actually penetrate the
darkness you just walked into.  It's almost... supernatural, really.

You take a step inside, and immediately trip over something.  Och
follows you in, as he does have the ability to see in the dark, since he
manages to avoid tripping over whatever it was that you did.  Of course,
you tripped over a body.  A dead body.

Och pulls out his axe at that, sensing danger, and the thing sheds a
whole lot of light, allowing you to see the stuff of horror laying
before you.  In this abandoned little shop, you see bodies laying all
over the place, all of which have been chewed upon somewhat.

Over in the corner, you can see the man you initially spotted in your
Astral form, wearing that golden amulet.  He's wearing a classical,
nineteenth century suit, with the frilly collar and all, with a poofy
white wig, and even black makeup ringing his eyes.

He looks like one of those poser types, you know the type, the ones that
wish they were vampires, but this guy's a bit different, somehow.  He's
got blood running down his chin.  He's apparently been eating people, as
well as just drinking their blood.  That would explain the smell.

Of course, he's fully aware of your presence, and he hisses at you. 
Now, this isn't right, since Old Faceless told you that this guy wasn't
a vampire, but the fool is definitely demonstrating vampiric properties.
Well, properties that the movies and such would attribute to vampires.

He hisses again.  "I told you to leave, but you didn't listen!  Now, I'm
going to have to kill you.  Rend your flesh from your bones, and consume
it in an orgy of carnal pleasure!  Yes, YES, that's what I'm going to do
to you!  Yesssssss......."

(I guess now would be a good time to roll up your initiatives and such,
Masque and Silhouette.  Your foe has a seven for inish, and Och has a
five, with two attacks.  You're not sure how many actions your opponent
has this round, but he's looking pretty spry all of a sudden...)

(Well, I guess this'll be our first test of a multiple PC combat, no..?)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Hardcore)
Date:    Wed, 30 Dec 1998 23:32:00 -0600
From:    Andy Hicks <ahix@mail.utexas.edu>

>He picks up his glass, swishing around the suds of his drink a bit. 
>"Well, you got your secrets, that's fine.  I'm not a nosey nag, or your
>dad, either, so I'll leave it at that.  S'not like I'm telling you my
>life story either."

>He glances over at the doorway into the Club downstairs.  "However, I
>think you're right about that place downstairs.  Couldn't help but
>notice just how damn weird that freak was that just left.  Just not
>normal, and this isn't New York, so that's definitely strange."

>As if to puncutate his words, another freako walks into the Steakhouse,
>dressed in, again, a trench coat, sunglasses, and a fake beard.  But
>this one's different, in that he's wearing a tall, stove-top hat.  Over
>a foot tall, in fact.

>The weirdest thing about him, however, is that where you can see skin,
>the man looks almost... scaly.  The man looks at you, and with a sort of
>watery voice, he says "What're you looking at, stupid hu-, I mean,
>stupid jerks."

>He then goes down the stairs.

>"Riiiiight.  Let's go."

Thinking to myself, "What the hell is goin' on around here?  I've seen some
crazy shit, but scaly lookin' freaks in trenchcoats talkin' trash?  On a
normal day I'd lay into that guy, or whatever that was.  But I think I've
done enough to draw attention to myself today.  Still-- "

Realizing I'd drifted off there for a moment, I tell Hazzard, "Yeah, right
behind you.  Just let me check on somethin' real quick."

I finish off the rest of my beer, and head back to the bar to ask the
bartender a few questions.

"What kinda establishment are you runnin' around here?  The fella that just
went downstairs seemed like he had a problem with us, and we didn't give
him one bit of cause.  Now normally I'd have been on him like white on rice
the second he started in with me, but I've got no problem with your
restaurant here and I don't wanna cause you any trouble, so I let it slide.
 I hope there ain't anything goin' on down there to make me change my mind.

"But I wouldn't mind too much if you told me exactly what IS goin' on down
in," I turn around and look at the sign again, "'Club Invertebrate'.
Whaddya say, friend?"

???    

Subject: Re: [v13] Things and ...Stuff?
Date:    Thu, 31 Dec 1998 00:50:26 -0600
From:    "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers@home.com>

> "I will consume your flesh, like I have so many others that have crossed
> my path."  Just when you're starting to think this guy might only have a
> few screws loose, he throws something at you.  Something organic.  In
> fact, it appears to be a... a leg!!

> It's got gnaw marks on it, too...

"Aughhhhhh....he's got bits in there...did you see that?

Masque motions frantically to the entrance to Doom.

Throwing up my eldritch shield and conjuring up my Hook of hoggoth...I
advance forward ..and then back.

"I apologize ma'am...but you can put him away again. Apparently this is
too much for him. I would hate to have change talking to me. filthy
stuff they say. Of course, its nice to have in certain situations..buys
all the good stuff like cotton candy and shoelaces...errr...sorry..shall
we smite thine enemy ..or mine or somebodies at the very least. Can't
have evil throwin' around bits can we?"

Again Advancing, I cry the battle cry of the ages...

"Excuse me, but can I have yer stuff?"

<and the battle...begins to rage?>
