|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- FOREMAN ITTENER PIER--CUP 1--"THE ONES WHO STARTED THE PARTY" --------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Foreman Ittener Pier  ||  -------> (Cup SRfi001, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = I had a dream that I was at a party, and right at the beginning, there were these really important people--the ones who set the party up and everything, but they left right after the party started. For a little while we all wondered why they left, what we should do, when they'd be back, and all that. But soon several folks emerged as natural leaders, taking the place of the original ones. And we were all having such a good time, that we forgot all about the first ones. As time went on, the new leaders made elaborate plans for how the party would progress, ie, what games we would play, what music we'd listen to, etc. The party had been going for a real long time, and it seemed so well planned-out that we all felt we knew what was coming up--but then I heard a rumor that one of the original ones was back at the party. Then things began to go awry. Then more original ones had apparently returned. And it seemed that all our plans, so carefully laid out, were being tossed aside by the slightest whims of the original ones--they were the ones who started the party, and even after such a long absence, they still had utter control over it. And their return signaled something wild. I remembered that I was getting bored by the party, but when the original ones returned, the whole thing took a sharp turn and began to get incredible. I don't really remember what happened after that--but I think the replacement leaders got mad--and various factions began forming, and a fight was brewing. I think that's when I woke up--when they were asking me to choose sides and stuff. Weird dream. As I remembered it, I was slumped over on a little table. Stirring, I blinked my eyes and looked around--I was in the banquet hall in Stormbolthouse Leitmotif. And--and everyone else was unconscious--a few of them snoring. Other than that, it was totally silent. Across from me, I saw Baw Veppen also slumped over, who I'd been talking to before. Before what? I remembered sitting in the corner, talking Baw, and feeling generally unsure of what was going on. Zoipin Jurple Jupter came over and started talking to us, then he left, saying he was gonna try and gather some more information. I know Daptin left, but no one said anything about it. Then it was just me and Baw talking, and--and I don't know. I remembered talking about the varying levels of technology in Aconck, and about how space travel was a hoax, and stuff. But then--it must have hit us all suddenly, whatever made us all lose consciousness. So now I was the only one awake. I wondered what I should do--my mind was racing. I had a feeling something bad had happened. I started to stand up, but stopped midway as a wave of dizziness hit me. I used the table as support as I tried to stand. It was weird--it felt like something about the environment rather than an internal confusion. I was able to stand, but my inner ear was utterly confused as to what was up and what was down. I felt a little anti-motion-sickness superstrength kick in. Good thing. I took a few steps and then stopped, discouraged. So I tried another on my Overwhelm hung intrinsics. "80-C Clarity." I said. Things got a little better. The dizziness was still happening, but I was better able to separate the visual and inner ear data my brain was crunching. I took a few more tentative steps toward the central table, and then I saw some motion on a couch across the room. It was a hand, reaching up to the back of the couch, which was facing away from me. I froze for a second, assessing the possible danger. Habit, I guess, from the traditional royal combat training of my youth. But momentarily the person sat up, and I saw it was one of the crewmembers of the Urbandersnacheron--Hilltop Jone Rallity. Huh. In an instant, I recalled her from the time when we intercepted the galleon. She had been in a real bad mood then. I spoke to her once or twice at Bay House, as well. She was one of the Primates I had only read about in the company newsletter. Sweet, innocent face. Tall--very tall--maybe a little taller than me, even. Well-built, wearing a brown and tan frock/dress/whatever sort of thing, with leather boots and a wide-brimmed tan hat. Her hair was somewhere between blond and red, and it flowed down over her shoulders in delightful curls. And in her mouth was a stalk of grass--the kind you chew on in youth. To complete the picture, a nice-lookin' rifle was slung across her back. Yeah, Fife might say he didn't--but he definitely designed his algorithm to choose only the most attractive women. And what's wrong with that? -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----