From Newsgroup: rec.arts.comics.creative
--000000000000e09224063aef7190
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
And we're back in the past and can check the eyrie archive
once again.
Here's where you can find this and more NTB One Shots:
https://archives.eyrie.org/racc/ntb/One.Shots/
And it's the next part of The Wrath of The Administrator.
And it's the next part of The Wrath of The Administrator.
Part Thirty-Seven is by Andre "The Question" Condon.
Part Thirty-Eight is by Scott "Ramaj/Deft" Emery.
Time for LJC to really smoke hard on her cigarette?!
And will Deft ever have time for a shower?!!!
Find out in...
C L A S S I C
N E T T R E N C H C O A T B R I G A D E
A D V E N T U R E S #381
=====================
W R A T H O F T H E A D M I N I S T R A T O R
Part Twenty-Three
=====================
P A R T T H I R T Y - S E V E N
------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lady Johanna Constantine stalked dedown the street, smoking hard on
her cigarette. Distracted by her worry for Kit, she almost bumped into an
old acquaintence...
"Question! What the hell are you doing here?"
"Your pardon, Lady Johanna. I was trying, in fact, to find the rest
of the Brigade. You wouldn't know where 'Buckets' is, would you?"
She tossed her hair out of her eyes and blew smoke in his face. "Of course I do; the rest of the present Brigade just got sucked into an
alternate
dimension through it. Why weren't you with them?"
"Customs, dear lady. Your O'Hare airport is rather set against my bringing along Obsidian here...I was delayed."
"Obsidian, huh? Cute dog. Never figured you for the Scottish
terrier
type though."
"Actually, I'm not. Sid, do something about that, okay? Now, where are you off to, Lady Jo?"
"You know how much I hate that, Question. If you must know..."
"I always must."
"Fine. 'I love a mystery.' Play it your way. I'm trying to find a
way to t'get into the Administrator's office so that I can find out what's happened to the rest of the Brigade and Kit, and I can't be standing here wasting time with you and your mind games." She started off down the street
in the direction she had been heading.
"Then wait a moment, my lady. I should like to accompany you on this quest. We just need pause for Obsidian..."
In a dark alleyway not far away, the shadows suddenly flickered and died, leaving the mouth of the alley shrouded in dim light. The hellhound
came back out, now standing slightly over three feet tall at the shoulder
and
with glowing green eyes. It silently walked up to the Question and stood at his heels.
"Now we are free to go, my lady," the Question stated. Lady Johanna glared at him and stalked off ahead.
"Funny how the Netromancer managed to catch so many precognitators
off
their guards, isn't it?" the Question asked, more to himself than to his
tem-
porary companion. She, for her part, ignored him, having learned long ago
that
the Question lived only for answers and tended to find them himself.
However,
this time, she was too concerned about Kit to get upset over the Question's little obsession. He was already talking to himself again.
The Question came to an abrupt halt in front of a brick wall. He looked thoughtfully at it for a minute and then reached into his satchel
for a
bit of glass. He ground it into the masonry, sending little bits of brick
and
glass everywhere. He tore a corner off the page he had torn from Donaghue's book and gathered the particles on it. "Lady Johanna, I need a light..."
She
grudgingly walked back and dropped some ashes on the paper. It burst into violet flames producing a thin blue smoke. The Question gazed into the patterns for a moment and then dropped the items. He walked around the building and inside. Lady Johanna followed him.
"The only way to get to the Administrator is through here," he gestured. "Here" was a nondescript corridor stretching for a little way.
Lady Johanna glanced in, blew smoke at the doorglass, and turned the knob.
"Then let's get to it," she stated emphatically.
She walked in and tried a door. Locked. She tried another, and further along, another. The Question repeated her actions on the other side
of the corridor. They kept to their tasks for a long while, neither
noticing
how long the hall grew as they did. Eventually, the Question glanced up.
"My lady, I fear this may take longer than..." She was nowhere to
be
seen. The Question pondered this for a moment, and then continued on his
side
of the hall. "This would be a great deal easier if I still had the Eye," he muttered to himself. Then he smiled thinly. "Of course, that's why I'm here... Ramaj, I do trust that you shan't try to con me when I do catch up
with you." He twisted a knob, and the door swung open, its swing arm
squeaking. Taken aback for the nonce, he closed it again. After a second,
he
swung it open and stepped inside.
The secretary didn't even look up from his work as he strode into
the
room. Nightshard pulled gently against him, towards the door, as Obsidian keened lowly at his heels. The Question involuntarily shivered. Rarely
had he
experienced such cold impersonalness, not even in Hell. At least there the torments were customised to the victim--the last time, anyway. Still not having looked up, the secretary asked, "Have you got an appointment?"
"No," he replied, already backing to the door. "I'm afraid I must
have the wrong office," he continued, and exited as quickly as he could.
The Question shuddered in the corridor, his fists clenching and
opening
as he marshalled his forces. "Obviously what I need to do is to move
outside
pthe system. Easy enough most of the time," he said to himself. Obsidian
gave
a start. "What now?" the Question wondered.
Down the hall, there was movement. The Question darted towards it.
When he got close enough, he recognised the signs of Elric's passing
through:
papers flying everywhere, people wandering in a daze, Chaos reigning
supreme.
"Everyone's coming out of the woodwork on this one," the Question thought grimly to himself as he entered the office and broke its single exterior window. He looked at the wreckage behind him. "The kid's good, I'll grant
him that," he whispered as he climbed out the window.
He entered the floor below, announced by broken glass and the sudden absence of any local shadows. He straightened up, brushed off Nightshard,
and
waited briefly for Obsidian to reform itself. "Things are looking up
already,"
he stated, walking out the door, leaving a very upset group of personel to requisition repair forms behind him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by
a_condon@unhh.unh.edu
P A R T T H I R T Y - E I G H T
------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ramaj was aching from an unearned hangover and various serious abrasions. He was thankful for the immediate distraction from his
surroundings. Everything around him seemed to be catching a severe and malignant alternative genesis fever. This could have been the realm of
the dancer, but there was something unsettling about the change. Ramaj
had a sense that the changes were not occuring as he witnessed them but somewhen in the past or future. A land were destiny was unchained and capricious. He looked at his hands and watched the play of the colours
he could have been across his skin. He shut his eyes and in the back of
his mind his dirty secrets winked out to be replaced by others, some
benign, some unspeakable. He looked to his friend for support. Deft was
just there staring. Ramaj had to do something. He shut his eyes and concentrated.
"Deft, I don't know how to say this, but have you checked into
a more effective anti-perspirant."
Deft seemed to snap to and rattled off, rattled, "Yep, Every time
we run around like this I worry about when my next shower will happen.
Spike a vampire, go through counseling with a werewolf, run from a mummy
and then there is a suprise moment to take a shower. If you don't have
your soap and stuff with you then you are just out of luck. Heck, might
as well remember to pack a change of clothes too... All mine are in the
train locker things at the airport. D'ya think that there are enough trenchcoater types to support a specialty luggage line? Just think of all
the extras you could include that you just don't find on mundane luggage.
I really need to get a wider mouthed duffel for Ol' Bart. While we are complaining about things, I think I lost five pounds from my lower back.
I don't think that I will ever skate like that again, and don't believe
that I did. How do you talk me into these things?"
"I have never found it necessary. There is an amazing amount
of cruft that you can pack into a trenchcoat. I had the components for
seven major summonings and dispellings in case I needed them, it was
a good thing they have a lot in commmon. Xeroxes was just a lucky guess
that basically duplicated a lot of the other summonings' components anyway.
But Deft... I didn't have my lighter... "
"Ah, which question were you answering?"
"I seem to remember that you borrowed my lighter for something,
do you still have it on you?"
"Your lighter? Oh yeah, it was in here. What's this about
Xeroxes?"
Ramaj had been talking with his eyes shut. As he started to razz
Deft he felt his own comfortably nasty secrets reassert themselves in his skull. He opened his eyes and saw the skin which had marked him, begin to reassert itself as he reached for the Zippo. What was needed was another professorial episode, it was too bad that he didn't know much more than
rumors about Xeroxes.
"Well, it is said that Xeroxes is one of the indistinct powers,
A Faceless One. One of the beings created to fill the voids that nature
so abhors. The first record that I have been able to dig up that might
be related is a reference to a deity of pharonic bureaucrats, one that
did not adhere to the animal head motif that was popular around that
time, but appeared to the faithful in an unusual guise. Each of the
worshipers would swear by what was left of their immortality that this
deity would appear as themselves, even when groups ..."
"Hey, I feel better now! It's been all wierd, but now that you
are starting to bore me, it's all better!"
Ramaj, now in full possession of his precious lighter, patted
his tweed trenchcoat and to his suprise quickly found his case. As he
pulled out his nails, Deft rolled his eyes and stood back. Ramaj lit up, inhaled the sweetest incense known to man and felt his eyeballs explode
in pleasure. Deft gave him the "you know you totally killing yourself
but there is just no sense in talking to you, I should know" look. The
wierd effects of wherever-this-was seemed to diminish as he smoked.
"Well, lets get up and walk around some... We are obviously in
the wrong place. Meanwhile, I will continue with your therapy. The
Greeks apparently had contact with a similar entity, but I haven't been
able to find any reliable info on it. During the Dark Ages, many
monasterys were destroyed for 'suspicious efficiency', but no direct
references were made. Toward the beginning of the Renaissance there is
a lament 'for our brothers who adopted the daemonic organizational
practices of the bastard devil of Far Cathay' which may place Xeroxes at
the foundation of the brilliant Chinese governmental structure. Xeroxes
was a forward thinking entity and kept up with the bureaucratic
innovations that his mortal charges invented. At first he used papyrus
and quills, then he moved to vellum and quills but those were slowly
replaced
by paper and well... more quills. This was all very portable stuff, but
then the mortal bureaucracies began using adding machines and filing
cabinets and tapes... things that require shelter... Xeroxes adapted. In short, he plucked a room from the Room-Continuum and took advantage of
his new flexibility. Gradually it acquired the trappings of the modern
office and was able to do more of the eternal work of catagorizing and
filing automatically. Then Xeroxes drops from the record. There was some disturbance in the sixties that could have been the office, but most
data about it have been erased. There are few powers in the universe
that would motivate Trenchers to um, unite, and Xeroxes was one of the
outside chances. But it seems like his office has hung out it's own
placard."
"Hey, why aren't those guys changing?"
In the clearing was a card table surrounded by two remarkable characters. One floated on the left, dressed in black and wearing a fedora.
In his right hand he held a staff and in his left a pair of cards. His
opposite number was a short intense-looking man with black and curly
hair and were he a cat he would have just swallowed a canary.
"Moriarity, Ms. Holden"
"Aha, a pair of Fuzzies, I win this round."
The tall man crooked the staff in his right arm and bent down to shuffle the Net.Back deck.
Deft spoke up, "What are you playing there?"
"A different game, from a another place."
"Ah, well. Hi, I am Ramaj Singh, I don't believe I caught your
name."
"You are known to me Ramaj Singh, but I cannot answer you. When
I had a name I was counted as hero, perhaps a force for good, but Now I
am Only A Stranger".
The Dvandom Stranger looked down and was non-plussed. Ramaj and
Deft were looking up at him, *still listening*. These NTB people usually interrupted by this time, How did the rest of it go? An uncomfortable
silence ensued.
"And I am formally known as Conty, though the informal titles
make quite a list. Who is the tall one?"
"I'm Deft, just Deft."
"This is just the perfect place for you then, any crazy fantasy
can be satisfied here. It makes for a perfect getaway from the habit of
serial thought. Any combination of never existing phenomenon can be
experience. You could experimentally verify cold fusion."
"That sounds too good to be true.", Ramaj said carefully.
The Stranger knew this to be his cue.
"This is not a Story! Not a Dream! and Not an Imaginary Tale!
You are close by the Elsewhirls, but you are Outside the Continuity.
Here lay all the realities too improbable to exist, retired or unborn,
side by side. Here you just need reach out to grasp the change in your
life that you feel you need, if you can pay the price."
"So this place might be called 'Giant Wierdness Magnet Playground'".
"Call it what you will, this is the caulk that holds dreams
together. The improbable found inside each of us. Directed by Will it
can change reality".
"So the Trenchcoat Brigaders are bending local reality by tapping
into the power outside of the Continuity. This is how I was able to hit
the window from atop a charging skateboard and how Deft could prosecute
his marathon skate through the building of Chicago without counter-suit."
Ramaj felt the tingle of being hot on the trail of a secret.
"And the friction of their local reality against the reality that
they are imbedded in, causes all sorts of strange reactions", Conty
confirmed.
"So this is what a wierdness magnet really is, the observable phenomenon of realities and opinions colliding".
"Each of your trenchcoaters has their own interpretation of what
makes their lives so... special. Remember that their intrepretation rules
in their own reality".
"So since it is working for them, we should probably leave well
enough alone", Deft broke in.
"(Isn't he supposed to be the stupid one?)", Conty hissed at
Ramaj.
"He is likely to be going through withdrawals. He hasn't seen any wrestling for about six hours now".
"Yeah, and I am pretty annoyed, too. It is time we went home."
Ramaj awoke refreshed, aching slightly. The covers that remained
on his bed had that familiar smell. He lay back for a moment, practicing breathing. He got up and practiced movement for a little bit. His injuries
were minor and he had no trouble limbering up. He heard the slight whine
of the plumbing, complaining about the downstairs drip. He was going to
have to fix that or the State Water Nazis would be after him. He listened
for the electric hum that would signal that Deft was awake... there it
was. He padded past the second stairwell, none of the sigils showed
signs of strain. He checked on the study and then, ritualistically did
the down-the-stairs free-fall, catching a glimpse of Deft in the living
room as he fatilistically faced the door. He opened the door and looked
out. There was no junk mail and the paper was sitting pretty on the mat, advertising the skill of the paperboy's perfect throw. Ramaj slowly
picked it up. It was the San Francisco Chronicle. For thoroughness sake
he opened the mailbox and confirmed that there was no mail at all. He
knew that he might have no allies at all, but decided to beard whatever
was in the living room.
Thankfully it was definitely Deft who looked up at him puzzled and said, "This channel is showing nothing but reruns".
"And the others?"
"Reruns"
"Well, we might as well eat."
The Dvandom Stranger was pleased with himself, "*Forces* are *converging*", he intoned forcibly, "which threaten to upset the precious balance on which the Cosmos depends".
"Really, Mister Stranger, you have quite nearly caused Deft to
pass his grilled cheese sandwich through his nose. Is this dignified
behaviour as you were taught it?", Ramaj was reflexively talking, terrified, "Your mother should probably give you a good talking to, what is your
home number", Ramaj stopped. This last was probably pushing it a bit.
"Ahh.. I've got blisters on my sinuses!"
The Stranger smiled grimly to himself. These two were starting
out a bit hazy, but they had the NTB cheek. "Once I had a number and
people would call me, Now I am only A Stranger", he said patiently. Soon
they would be interrupting him during that bit, but now they needed
guidence.
"So, can you explain that?". Ramaj pointed at the paper lying
mostly folded on the table, lacking only the comics section that Ramaj
had in his lap.
"You are still Outside the Continuity in a non-existent place
where you have regularly received the paper since you first subscribed.
You may live here until your days run out if you chose."
"There are people who... depend on me, I cannot stay".
"If all they show is reruns, I don't want to stay. Geez, that
hurts!"
"Your absence threatens that which I am sworn to protect. I will
guide you to the fulfilment of your desire". As he gestured impressively
with his staff.
"Wait a minute, by all accounts I have read, the Stranger is someone that rarely does anything for those who petition. Why are you sending us
home?"
Ramaj started to stand up, worried.
"Here we stand Outside the Continuity where all such accounts are meaningless and I did not say that I was sending you home."
The air crackled.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by
emery@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov
==========
Next Week: More NTB Fun with Wrath of The Administrator Part Twenty-Four!!
==========
Arthur "Same Classic Channel. But Same Time? Probably not." Spitzer
--000000000000e09224063aef7190
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<div dir=3D"ltr">And we're back in the past and can check the eyrie arc= hive <br>once again.<br><br><br>Here's where you can find this and more=
NTB One Shots:<br><br><a href=3D"
https://archives.eyrie.org/racc/ntb/One.S= hots/">
https://archives.eyrie.org/racc/ntb/One.Shots/</a><br><br><br>And it= 's the next part of The Wrath of The Administrator.<br><br>And it's=
the next part of The Wrath of The Administrator.<br>Part Thirty-Seven is b=
y Andre "The Question" Condon.<br>Part Thirty-Eight is by Scott &= quot;Ramaj/Deft" Emery.<br><br>Time for LJC to really smoke hard on he=
r cigarette?!<br>And will Deft ever have time for a shower?!!!<br><br><br><= br>Find out in...<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0C =
L A S S I C<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 N E T =C2=A0T R E N C H C O A T =C2=A0B R I G A D E<br><br>= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 A D V E N T U R E S =C2=A0#381<br><b= r><br><br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 W R A T =
H =C2=A0O F =C2=A0T H E =C2=A0A D M I N I S T R A T O R<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 Part Twenty-Three<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 <br><br><br><br> =
P =C2=A0A =C2=A0R =C2=A0T =C2=A0 =C2=A0T =C2=A0H =C2=A0I =C2=A0R =C2=A0T =
=C2=A0Y =C2=A0- =C2=A0S =C2=A0E =C2=A0V =C2=A0E =C2=A0N<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 ---------------------------------= ---------------<br><br><br>------------------------------------------------= -------------------------------<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Lady Joh= anna Constantine stalked dedown the street, smoking hard on<br>her cigarett= e.=C2=A0 Distracted by her worry for Kit, she almost bumped into an<br>old = acquaintence...<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Question!=C2=A0 What t=
he hell are you doing here?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Your=
pardon, Lady Johanna.=C2=A0 I was trying, in fact, to find the rest<br>of = the Brigade.=C2=A0 You wouldn't know where 'Buckets' is, would = you?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 She tossed her hair out of her ey=
es and blew smoke in his face. =C2=A0"Of<br>course I do; the rest of t=
he present Brigade just got sucked into an alternate<br>dimension through i= t.=C2=A0 Why weren't you with them?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 "Customs, dear lady.=C2=A0 Your O'Hare airport is rather set a= gainst my <br>bringing along Obsidian here...I was delayed."<br>=C2=A0=
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Obsidian, huh?=C2=A0 Cute dog.=C2=A0 Never figu= red you for the Scottish terrier<br>type though."<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2= =A0 =C2=A0 "Actually, I'm not.=C2=A0 Sid, do something about that,=
okay?=C2=A0 Now, where<br>are you off to, Lady Jo?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "You know how much I hate that, Question.=C2=A0 If you m= ust know..."<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "I always must."= <br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Fine. =C2=A0'I love a mystery.=
9; Play it your way.=C2=A0 I'm trying to find a<br>way to t'get int=
o the Administrator's office so that I can find out what's<br>happe= ned to the rest of the Brigade and Kit, and I can't be standing here <b= r>wasting time with you and your mind games." =C2=A0She started off do=
wn the street<br>in the direction she had been heading.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Then wait a moment, my lady. I should like to accompany=
you on this<br>quest.=C2=A0 We just need pause for Obsidian..."<br>= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 In a dark alleyway not far away, the shadows su= ddenly flickered and<br>died, leaving the mouth of the alley shrouded in di=
m light.=C2=A0 The hellhound <br>came back out, now standing slightly over = three feet tall at the shoulder and<br>with glowing green eyes.=C2=A0 It si= lently walked up to the Question and stood at<br>his heels.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Now we are free to go, my lady," the Question = stated.=C2=A0 Lady Johanna<br>glared at him and stalked off ahead.<br><br>= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Funny how the Netromancer managed to catc=
h so many precognitators off<br>their guards, isn't it?" the Quest= ion asked, more to himself than to his tem-<br>porary companion.=C2=A0 She,=
for her part, ignored him, having learned long ago that<br>the Question li= ved only for answers and tended to find them himself.=C2=A0 However,<br>thi=
s time, she was too concerned about Kit to get upset over the Question'=
s <br>little obsession.=C2=A0 He was already talking to himself again.<br><= br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 The Question came to an abrupt halt in front=
of a brick wall.=C2=A0 He <br>looked thoughtfully at it for a minute and t= hen reached into his satchel for a<br>bit of glass.=C2=A0 He ground it into=
the masonry, sending little bits of brick and<br>glass everywhere.=C2=A0 H=
e tore a corner off the page he had torn from Donaghue's<br>book and ga= thered the particles on it. =C2=A0"Lady Johanna, I need a light...&quo=
t; =C2=A0She<br>grudgingly walked back and dropped some ashes on the paper.= =C2=A0 It burst into <br>violet flames producing a thin blue smoke.=C2=A0 T=
he Question gazed into the<br>patterns for a moment and then dropped the it= ems.=C2=A0 He walked around the <br>building and inside.=C2=A0 Lady Johanna=
followed him.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "The only way to get to = the Administrator is through here," he<br>gestured. "Here" w=
as a nondescript corridor stretching for a little way. <br>Lady Johanna gla= nced in, blew smoke at the doorglass, and turned the knob. =C2=A0<br>=C2=A0=
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Then let's get to it," she stated emph= atically. =C2=A0<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 She walked in and tried a d= oor.=C2=A0 Locked.=C2=A0 She tried another, and <br>further along, another.= =C2=A0 The Question repeated her actions on the other side<br>of the corrid= or.=C2=A0 They kept to their tasks for a long while, neither noticing <br>h=
ow long the hall grew as they did.=C2=A0 Eventually, the Question glanced u=
p. =C2=A0<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "My lady, I fear this may tak=
e longer than..." She was nowhere to be <br>seen.=C2=A0 The Question p= ondered this for a moment, and then continued on his side<br>of the hall. = =C2=A0"This would be a great deal easier if I still had the Eye,"=
he<br>muttered to himself.=C2=A0 Then he smiled thinly. =C2=A0"Of cou= rse, that's why I'm <br>here... Ramaj, I do trust that you shan'=
;t try to con me when I do catch up<br>with you." He twisted a knob, a=
nd the door swung open, its swing arm<br>squeaking.=C2=A0 Taken aback for t=
he nonce, he closed it again.=C2=A0 After a second, he<br>swung it open and=
stepped inside.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 <br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 The secretary didn't even look up from his work as he strode int=
o the<br>room.=C2=A0 Nightshard pulled gently against him, towards the door=
, as Obsidian<br>keened lowly at his heels.=C2=A0 The Question involuntaril=
y shivered.=C2=A0 Rarely had he<br>experienced such cold impersonalness, no=
t even in Hell.=C2=A0 At least there the <br>torments were customised to th=
e victim--the last time, anyway.=C2=A0 Still not <br>having looked up, the = secretary asked, "Have you got an appointment?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "No," he replied, already backing to the door. =C2= =A0"I'm afraid I must<br>have the wrong office," he continued=
, and exited as quickly as he could.<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 The=
Question shuddered in the corridor, his fists clenching and opening<br>as =
he marshalled his forces. =C2=A0"Obviously what I need to do is to mov=
e outside <br>pthe system.=C2=A0 Easy enough most of the time," he sai=
d to himself.=C2=A0 Obsidian gave<br>a start. =C2=A0"What now?" = =C2=A0the Question wondered.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Down the hall, = there was movement.=C2=A0 The Question darted towards it. =C2=A0<br>When he=
got close enough, he recognised the signs of Elric's passing through:<= br>papers flying everywhere, people wandering in a daze, Chaos reigning sup= reme.<br>"Everyone's coming out of the woodwork on this one,"=
the Question thought <br>grimly to himself as he entered the office and br= oke its single exterior <br>window.=C2=A0 He looked at the wreckage behind = him. =C2=A0"The kid's good, I'll grant <br>him that," he = whispered as he climbed out the window.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 He e= ntered the floor below, announced by broken glass and the sudden<br>absence=
of any local shadows.=C2=A0 He straightened up, brushed off Nightshard, an= d<br>waited briefly for Obsidian to reform itself. =C2=A0"Things are l= ooking up already,"<br>he stated, walking out the door, leaving a very=
upset group of personel to <br>requisition repair forms behind him.<br><br= >--------------------------------------------------------------------------= -----<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 by =C2=A0<a href=3D"mailto:a_condo=
n@unhh.unh.edu">
a_condon@unhh.unh.edu</a><br><br><br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 <br> P =C2=A0A =C2=A0R =C2=A0T =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0T =C2=A0H =C2=A0I =C2=A0R =C2=A0T =C2=A0Y =C2=A0- =C2=A0E =C2=A0I=
=C2=A0G =C2=A0H =C2=A0T<br> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 -----------------= -------------------------------<br><br><br>--------------------------------= -----------------------------------------------<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0=
=C2=A0 Ramaj was aching from an unearned hangover and various serious<br>a= brasions. He was thankful for the immediate distraction from his<br>surroun= dings. Everything around him seemed to be catching a severe and<br>malignan=
t alternative genesis fever. This could have been the realm of<br>the dance=
r, but there was something unsettling about the change. Ramaj<br>had a sens=
e that the changes were not occuring as he witnessed them but<br>somewhen i=
n the past or future. A land were destiny was unchained and<br>capricious. =
He looked at his hands and watched the play of the colours<br>he could have=
been across his skin. He shut his eyes and in the back of<br>his mind his = dirty secrets winked out to be replaced by others, some<br>benign, some uns= peakable. He looked to his friend for support. Deft was<br>just there stari= ng. Ramaj had to do something. He shut his eyes and<br>concentrated.<br><br= >=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Deft, I don't know how to say this, = but have you checked into<br>a more effective anti-perspirant."<br>=C2= =A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Deft seemed to snap to and rattled off, rattled, &= quot;Yep, Every time<br>we run around like this I worry about when my next = shower will happen.<br>Spike a vampire, go through counseling with a werewo= lf, run from a mummy<br>and then there is a suprise moment to take a shower=
. If you don't have<br>your soap and stuff with you then you are just o=
ut of luck. Heck, might<br>as well remember to pack a change of clothes too= ... All mine are in the<br>train locker things at the airport.=C2=A0 D'=
ya think that there are enough<br>trenchcoater types to support a specialty=
luggage line? Just think of all<br>the extras you could include that you j= ust don't find on mundane luggage.<br>I really need to get a wider mout= hed duffel for Ol' Bart. While we are<br>complaining about things, I th= ink I lost five pounds from my lower back.<br>I don't think that I will=
ever skate like that again, and don't believe<br>that I did.=C2=A0 How=
do you talk me into these things?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 &qu= ot;I have never found it necessary. There is an amazing amount<br>of cruft = that you can pack into a trenchcoat. I had the components for<br>seven majo=
r summonings and dispellings in case I needed them, it was<br>a good thing = they have a lot in commmon. Xeroxes was just a lucky guess<br>that basicall=
y duplicated a lot of the other summonings' components anyway.<br>But D= eft... I didn't have my lighter... "<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 "Ah, which question were you answering?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2= =A0 =C2=A0 "I seem to remember that you borrowed my lighter for someth= ing,<br>do you still have it on you?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 &= quot;Your lighter? Oh yeah, it was in here. What's this about<br>Xeroxe= s?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Ramaj had been talking with his eye=
s shut. As he started to razz<br>Deft he felt his own comfortably nasty sec= rets reassert themselves in his<br>skull. He opened his eyes and saw the sk=
in which had marked him, begin to<br>reassert itself as he reached for the = Zippo. What was needed was another<br>professorial episode, it was too bad = that he didn't know much more than<br>rumors about Xeroxes.<br>=C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Well, it is said that Xeroxes is one of the indi= stinct powers,<br>A Faceless One. One of the beings created to fill the voi=
ds that nature<br>so abhors. The first record that I have been able to dig =
up that might<br>be related is a reference to a deity of pharonic bureaucra= ts, one that<br>did not adhere to the animal head motif that was popular ar= ound that<br>time, but appeared to the faithful in an unusual guise. Each o=
f the<br>worshipers would swear by what was left of their immortality that = this<br>deity would appear as themselves, even when groups ..."<br>=C2= =A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Hey, I feel better now! It's been all wi= erd, but now that you<br>are starting to bore me, it's all better!"= ;<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Ramaj, now in full possession of his preci= ous lighter, patted<br>his tweed trenchcoat and to his suprise quickly foun=
d his case. As he<br>pulled out his nails, Deft rolled his eyes and stood b= ack. Ramaj lit up,<br>inhaled the sweetest incense known to man and felt hi=
s eyeballs explode<br>in pleasure. Deft gave him the "you know you tot= ally killing yourself<br>but there is just no sense in talking to you, I sh= ould know" look.=C2=A0 The<br>wierd effects of wherever-this-was seeme=
d to diminish as he smoked.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Well, lets=
get up and walk around some... We are obviously in<br>the wrong place. Mea= nwhile, I will continue with your therapy. The<br>Greeks apparently had con= tact with a similar entity, but I haven't been<br>able to find any reli= able info on it.=C2=A0 During the Dark Ages, many<br>monasterys were destro= yed for 'suspicious efficiency', but no direct<br>references were m= ade. Toward the beginning of the Renaissance there is<br>a lament 'for = our brothers who adopted the daemonic organizational<br>practices of the ba= stard devil of Far Cathay' which may place Xeroxes at<br>the foundation=
of the brilliant Chinese governmental structure. Xeroxes<br>was a forward = thinking entity and kept up with the bureaucratic<br>innovations that his m= ortal charges invented.=C2=A0 At first he used papyrus<br>and quills, then =
he moved to vellum and quills but those were slowly replaced<br>by paper an=
d well... more quills. This was all very portable stuff, but<br>then the mo= rtal bureaucracies began using adding machines and filing <br>cabinets and = tapes... things that require shelter... Xeroxes adapted.=C2=A0 In<br>short,=
he plucked a room from the Room-Continuum and took advantage of<br>his new=
flexibility.=C2=A0 Gradually it acquired the trappings of the modern<br>of= fice and was able to do more of the eternal work of catagorizing and<br>fil= ing automatically. Then Xeroxes drops from the record. There was some<br>di= sturbance in the sixties that could have been the office, but most<br>data = about it have been erased. There are few powers in the universe<br>that wou=
ld motivate Trenchers to um, unite, and Xeroxes was one of the<br>outside c= hances. But it seems like his office has hung out it's own<br>placard.&= quot;<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Hey, why aren't those guys c= hanging?"<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 In the clearing was a car=
d table surrounded by two remarkable<br>characters. One floated on the left=
, dressed in black and wearing a fedora.<br>In his right hand he held a sta=
ff and in his left a pair of cards. His<br>opposite number was a short inte= nse-looking man with black and curly<br>hair and were he a cat he would hav=
e just swallowed a canary.<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Moriari= ty, Ms. Holden"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Aha, a pair of Fu= zzies, I win this round."<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 The tall = man crooked the staff in his right arm and bent down to<br>shuffle the Net.= Back deck.<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Deft spoke up, "What are=
you playing there?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "A different = game, from a another place."<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Ah, = well. Hi, I am Ramaj Singh, I don't believe I caught your<br>name."= ;<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "You are known to me Ramaj Singh, but=
I cannot answer you. When <br>I had a name I was counted as hero, perhaps =
a force for good, but Now I<br>am Only A Stranger".<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 The Dvandom Stranger looked down and was non-plussed. Ramaj a= nd<br>Deft were looking up at him, *still listening*. These NTB people usua= lly<br>interrupted by this time, How did the rest of it go? An uncomfortabl= e<br>silence ensued. <br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "And I am formall=
y known as Conty, though the informal titles<br>make quite a list. Who is t=
he tall one?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "I'm Deft, just = Deft."<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "This is just the perfect p= lace for you then, any crazy fantasy<br>can be satisfied here. It makes for=
a perfect getaway from the habit of<br>serial thought. Any combination of = never existing phenomenon can be<br>experience. You could experimentally ve= rify cold fusion."<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "That sounds to=
o good to be true.", Ramaj said carefully.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2= =A0 The Stranger knew this to be his cue.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 &q= uot;This is not a Story! Not a Dream! and Not an Imaginary Tale!<br>You are=
close by the Elsewhirls, but you are Outside the Continuity.<br>Here lay a=
ll the realities too improbable to exist, retired or unborn,<br>side by sid=
e. Here you just need reach out to grasp the change in your<br>life that yo=
u feel you need, if you can pay the price."<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 "So this place might be called 'Giant Wierdness Magnet Play= ground'".<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Call it what you wi= ll, this is the caulk that holds dreams<br>together. The improbable found i= nside each of us. Directed by Will it<br>can change reality".<br>=C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "So the Trenchcoat Brigaders are bending loca=
l reality by tapping<br>into the power outside of the Continuity. This is h=
ow I was able to hit<br>the window from atop a charging skateboard and how = Deft could prosecute<br>his marathon skate through the building of Chicago = without counter-suit."<br>Ramaj felt the tingle of being hot on the tr= ail of a secret.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "And the friction of t= heir local reality against the reality that<br>they are imbedded in, causes=
all sorts of strange reactions", Conty<br>confirmed.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0=
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 "So this is what a wierdness magnet really is, the obse= rvable<br>phenomenon of realities and opinions colliding".<br>=C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Each of your trenchcoaters has their own interpr= etation of what<br>makes their lives so... special. Remember that their int= repretation rules<br>in their own reality".<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 "So since it is working for them, we should probably leave well= <br>enough alone", Deft broke in.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "= ;(Isn't he supposed to be the stupid one?)", Conty hissed at<br>Ra= maj.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "He is likely to be going through = withdrawals. He hasn't seen any<br>wrestling for about six hours now&qu= ot;.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Yeah, and I am pretty annoyed, to=
o. It is time we went home."<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Ramaj = awoke refreshed, aching slightly. The covers that remained<br>on his bed ha=
d that familiar smell. He lay back for a moment, practicing<br>breathing. H=
e got up and practiced movement for a little bit. His injuries<br>were mino=
r and he had no trouble limbering up. He heard the slight whine<br>of the p= lumbing, complaining about the downstairs drip. He was going to<br>have to = fix that or the State Water Nazis would be after him. He listened<br>for th=
e electric hum that would signal that Deft was awake... there it<br>was. He=
padded past the second stairwell, none of the sigils showed<br>signs of st= rain. He checked on the study and then, ritualistically did<br>the down-the= -stairs free-fall, catching a glimpse of Deft in the living<br>room as he f= atilistically faced the door. He opened the door and looked<br>out. There w=
as no junk mail and the paper was sitting pretty on the mat,<br>advertising=
the skill of the paperboy's perfect throw. Ramaj slowly<br>picked it u=
p. It was the San Francisco Chronicle. For thoroughness sake<br>he opened t=
he mailbox and confirmed that there was no mail at all. He<br>knew that he = might have no allies at all, but decided to beard whatever<br>was in the li= ving room.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Thankfully it was definitely Deft=
who looked up at him puzzled and<br>said, "This channel is showing no= thing but reruns".<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "And the others= ?"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Reruns"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Well, we might as well eat."<br><br><br>=C2=A0 =C2= =A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 The Dvandom Stranger was pleased with himself, "*For= ces* are<br>*converging*", he intoned forcibly, "which threaten t=
o upset the precious<br>balance on which the Cosmos depends".<br>=C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Really, Mister Stranger, you have quite near=
ly caused Deft to<br>pass his grilled cheese sandwich through his nose. Is = this dignified<br>behaviour as you were taught it?", Ramaj was reflexi= vely talking, terrified,<br>"Your mother should probably give you a go=
od talking to, what is your<br>home number", Ramaj stopped. This last = was probably pushing it a bit.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Ahh.. I= 've got blisters on my sinuses!"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Th=
e Stranger smiled grimly to himself. These two were starting<br>out a bit h= azy, but they had the NTB cheek. "Once I had a number and<br>people wo= uld call me, Now I am only A Stranger", he said patiently. Soon<br>the=
y would be interrupting him during that bit, but now they needed guidence.<= br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "So, can you explain that?". Ramaj=
pointed at the paper lying<br>mostly folded on the table, lacking only the=
comics section that Ramaj<br>had in his lap.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 "You are still Outside the Continuity in a non-existent place<br>w= here you have regularly received the paper since you first subscribed.<br>Y=
ou may live here until your days run out if you chose."<br>=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "There are people who... depend on me, I cannot stay= ".<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "If all they show is reruns, I = don't want to stay. Geez, that<br>hurts!"<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 "Your absence threatens that which I am sworn to protect.=C2=A0=
I will<br>guide you to the fulfilment of your desire". As he gestured=
impressively<br>with his staff.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 "Wait =
a minute, by all accounts I have read, the Stranger is someone<br>that rare=
ly does anything for those who petition. Why are you sending us home?"= <br>Ramaj started to stand up, worried.<br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 &quo= t;Here we stand Outside the Continuity where all such accounts are<br>meani= ngless and I did not say that I was sending you home."<br><br>=C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 The air crackled.<br><br>-----------------------------= --------------------------------------------------<br><br>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2= =A0 =C2=A0 by <a href=3D"mailto:
emery@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov">emery@pioneer.a= rc.nasa.gov</a><br><br><br><br><br>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<br><br>Ne=
xt Week: =C2=A0More NTB Fun with Wrath of The Administrator Part Twenty-Fou= r!!<br><br>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<br><br>Arthur "Same Classic = Channel.=C2=A0 But Same Time?=C2=A0 Probably not." Spitzer <br><br><br= ><br><br></div>
--000000000000e09224063aef7190--
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2