The Voyages of the Penelope and the Yydryl

............................................~Lights, Action And Smelly Water~...............................

Back in the 21st Century, the way that information and entertainment was accessed by
the public, was to watch a medium called 'Television' There was a box in the corner of
the room that showed images in color and realistic sound would be pumped out to give
the impression that one was actually there inside the picture.

When such images were shown, if a pulsing light was used in a story-telling movie,
then a sign or a 'voice-over' would warn those with photo-sensitive epilepsy -that the
images could cause a seizure.
Those with this condition watching the events in the tunnel under the cabin, would be wise
to look away at once, it was that bad.


Nenothtu came around the corner low to the water's surface, the Mini-Gun began it's
'clack-clacking' in it's revolutions and the darkness flashed white every half-second as the
'majic' bullets left the barrels.

Death fired once and the slug flicked at Neno's hat-rim, he then dived left and set off along
a moss-hanging tunnel that he knew would lead to a half-finished root-cellar, the smell of
turnips wafted into his face as he ran.

Kokopelli laid down cover-fire and Nun'Yunu'Wi fired his nickle-plated pistol empty before
resorting to tossing a flash-grenade, the colour-less one-second image etched on everyone's
retinas showed Dag and Adam cowering behind the corner-ledge where they had been
sitting. Ben and Gert were plastered against the tunnel wall opposite the Doctor and the
wide-eyed girl with him. Kokopelli is seen grinning behind a Heckler & Koch HK91, his
huge muscles painted with tones of green.

Pandora could be seen kneeling in the water and with straight arms, firing her Desert Eagle
towards where she hoped the enemy cowered.
Charon pulled the machine-gun trigger and sent flashing lights all around the ceiling of the
tunnel, it was a few seconds before he got the weapon under control.

For our friends of The Yydryl, Nenothtu -as said earlier, was streaming off a hail off brass
shells from the side of the Mini-Gun. The idea of no bullet-chain sliding across his forearm
was a little off-putting, but somehow -the weapon talked-it's-talk.

Silo13 and Boy In A Dress were stood behind the crouching Neno and hanging on for all they
were worth to their convulsing weapons, BIAD grinned and Silo could be seen grinding her teeth.
The new addition of a sidearm for BIAD hung from his narrow waist, a donated pistol and
belt from our dear-departed Dread, but it was the Industrial Grease-Gun that sang a bullet song.



Chumley fired from around the corner. True -the area was cramped and so he and Carpet
could only put their arm around the smooth brickworked corner, but there was no indication
of fear behind their 'Neno' masks.

"Which one... which one?" the stone-skinned Deity shouted and reloaded his pistol, the
rifle hanging for his shoulder was too cumbersome to use in the body-jammed tunnel.
Nun'Yunu'Wi yelled the question again and as Kokopelli ran-off his magazine of bullets, the
burly-God shouted "who cares... shoot all of 'em!"

Nenothtu pushed on and squinted his eyes in humour as he saw the three Beings ahead
take a step backwards... he'd got them moving.

(Continued Below)

(Continued From Above)

Nun'Yunu'Wi took a hit to the shoulder and now the bullets born from Mucklebones and
Sslar's 'moistures' -did their work. He spun and in the sparodic gloom, he showed a look
of shock at the idea his 'stone-skin' was actually penetrated.

A bright red-glow began to emanate from the wound and realising that he was being lit-up
for all to see, the once-powerful sorcerer high-tailed it down the tunnel away from the
other Deities.
The dull-scarlet sheen on the walls as Nun'Yunu'Wi ran showed that the weird spell was
increasing.

A thought that the retreat may be a ruse to force Neno to follow Death -did occur to the
GunMan in the hem-soaked Duster, but he felt that the way the firefight was going, then
he would gladly take the bait and see what these guys had to offer.

Then Silo13 cried out and dropped with a splash beside him and at the same time, the
place went quiet and dark.
Two rubber-skinned hands reached out for the grunting girl and dragged her back around
the bend, Chumley's soothing tones were a welcome to Silo's ears.

Back in the firing-area, the tunnel took on it's usual quiet-self and apart from the odd droplet
of water, nothing stirred.
"Are you there?" a hissed voice asked after a few seconds and another answered "yes,
I'm here" A voice that sounded suspiciously like Boy In A Dress' whispered "I'm here too"
and this brought a barrage of gunfire.

Again, along with the steady drip of water, a voice asked "did I get 'em?" and the response
across from the enquiring words came "Yes, I'm dead and now I haunt this ..." The sentence
was never finished as the guns cried out again in the tunnel.

Nenothtu veered into the crumbling hole that Death had gone into and his parting words
"And I wuz never here" brought sparks from the ricocheted bullets on the stonework around
where the GunMan had crouched seconds before.

BIAD giggled in the dark and 'felt' Pandora slip away into an over-flow drain, the entrance was
narrow, but it was the sound of her holster scraping the bricks, that gave her away.
"And now the game begins" the Man/Girl muttered to himself and followed the ripples in
the standing water.

Originally posted by wildtimes
.............~~Playing Catch Up~~............

The darkness of the cave returned, along with the quiet.

"What happened to the lights?" Adam rasped in as low a voice he could to no one in particular. The echo indicated he was crouching as close to the ground behind the ledge as he could be.

"Shh!" snarked Dag. (As per usual, he couldn't see her roll her eyes. So much for being my hero, she thought. "Sslar? Kitty?" she called the big cat. Sslar purred and began to move closer to her. "Can you get us outta here, girl?"

The enormous feline rubbed her soft head up against Dag's hair. "Okay, good girl," she said. Then she spoke to Adam. "Take my hand, here, Adam, we'll follow her. Ben?" Her voice rose a bit.

"Here," he answered. "I've got the crone, too." Gert could be heard gasping as he seized her upper arm none too gently. "Cat! C'mon, then...."

The sound of the party's movement through the water was minimal -- more like something being pulled through water than like steps or splashes.....Sslar kept up the purring as an audio-guide and (presumably) to minimize any understandable terror the U-mans might be feeling. The group of five, Super-Cat in the lead, were a few steps away from the bend where Chumley and Silo, Carpet and Muckles waited, listening, when the lights came up again.

"Heh heh," cackled Muckles. "Fixed yer wagon, 'eh, then, Witchy? Betcher not used ta dealin' with yer peers. Nice try, though. But we're a team not to be reckoned with. I'm hunchin' that yer somehow a .... what did they used ta call it?"

"Double agent," Tibbs replied, as the rescued party joined Team Yydryl. "And now we've got her captive. Let's get outta this hell gate. I've no doubt neno and BIAD can handle the wrap-up, and they'll be wanting to skee daddle as soon as possible."

Ben, Adam, and Dag stood with their mouths open, however. Adam rubbed his eyes repeatedly. "What the Hades...? What in Jenovah's name is going on here? Are you three seeing this? Am I the only one with doubl---" he broke off for a moment. "No .... quadruple vision going on here?"

"Nah, I see 'em, too," said Ben.

"Yeah," Dag answered. "But Sslar isn't worried about it, and she's the closest to nenothtu's aniimal side. If she's cool with it, so am I."

"Well, then, who are these guys?" Adam said louder and pointed at the neno-suits. "They all look like neno, of course she's going to trust them!"

Then one of them laughed, and it was with a feminine lilt. In a soothing voice she said, "Adam, it's us. Silo. Chumley, and Carpet. We're in disguise. The valid neno has gone deeper into the network. So has BIAD, now c'mon, let's get outta here."

"Yes, ma'am," said Adam. There was no disputing it was her voice, and her manner. And she was still the Yydryl's CO, and not to be questioned. His expression, however, remained dubious.

"Chums," she said, "you bring up the rear. Carpet, with Chumley. Sslar, c'mon girl." And Silo moved abreast to Dag on the other side of the giant cat. Dag had her own version of mistrust on her face, but did not protest.

"It's really me, Dag," said Silo. "And you know we females are more intuitive. I'll explain later."

"'Kay," said Dag.

"Ben," Silo added, "you take the...crone....she got a name?"

"Gert," said Dag.

Silo continued "...Gert, there... up front, and I don't care if it's as a guide or a hostage, but she sure is not going to escape back into that cave. Whatever is top-side is gonna see her emerging first.Maybe she's on our side, maybe not, but--"

"Not, if'n ya ask me," grumbled Ben.

"Okay, then, she's not...she's also a stranger, and the newest participant here, unknown to any of us, so she goes first. Desperate times require not coddling the new guy."

"Glad you agree," said Ben, "And after all, she's the hostess with the mostess....it's her shindig, ya know."

Ben dragged the crone up toward the front of the group.

Tibbs uttered, "Oh bother. Oh dear," and he kept repeating to himself.

"I know, I know, me love," said Muckles. "We'll just have to deal with it-- them-- when we get there. But at least we got two of us 'witches' here. As long as Gert stays on our side."

She looked over at Gert, whose "acceleration" and "direction" were being controlled by Ben's tight grasp on her arm and just then passing the Gray Canyon Witch and her small man. The ancient Vandalian sneered at her, and Muckles stuck her tongue out in response, and added a flourish of her arms in a pouncing gesture and thrust her head forward suddenly. Though she had no chest to speak of to puff out, her threat was clear. She'd like to be pulling Gert's hair and clawing at her face, and doing it "now."

Hence, the party of ten, all but one being the nearly-reunited crew of the Yydryl, minus nenothtu and BIAD, slogged their way out of the water and into the passage that led back to Gert's hut. The tension was as would be expected by a group in such a circumstance, in the process of escaping a confined firefight with deities of vast power.

They continued in some silence, each reflecting on the recent events in his or her own particular idiom.

Chumley spoke up next. "What means 'mostess-hostess'?"

Ben chuckled. "It means the lady throwin' the party is purdy darn good at it. But we'll see."

Indeed, they were not "out of the woods" on Vandalia yet. Nor was the party anywhere near "over.

..............................................~Underground And Underneath~..............................................

The trail that Nenothtu followed smelled of dark-enjoying mushrooms and forgotten
mouse droppings, but at least the water had gone, the Vandal hunkered low and watched
for any head-banging outcrops.

There was no light, but his night-vision -grown from his time with the Rootak 'parents'
kept him on the track of the Grim Reaper. The occasional report of gunfire from behind
wound it's way over his shoulder and as Neno jinked left and then right, he wondered just
how long folk had waited underground for the radiation to ease.

Far ahead, his ears brought the sound of a body moving fast, Death was leading him
somewhere and having left his imagination back in those days of living with those Beings
that wore the forest like a familiar coat, Neno didn't dwell on where that 'somewhere' might
be.

"You can have those days back..." came a mocking voice ahead "...all-after could be just a
dream, you could spend your days among the ones who live with the land" Nenothtu moved
his head from side-to-side and estimated Death was only just ahead of him.

The GunMan admitted to himself that his life had seen many cases of loss and regret as it
wound it's path all the way up-to today, Margot's face flashed in his mind and that's when the
Reaper spoke again.

"A family, a normal life that one such as you deserve. You know you want it... you know you
need it" Death hissed with serious tones, there was no hint of fear from the Deity ahead.
Nenothtu knew that responding would give his position away and merely grimaced as he
missed banging his head on a nasty-looking jutting stone. 'Must focus' -he warned himself.

.............................................
Pandora panted her way through the sandy-floored tunnel and pondered on what mishaps
were about to befall the red-dressed fool behind her, a smile of cunning played across her
gorgeous mouth.

Boy In A Dress shuffled after the female soldier and pondered what the outcome of this
chase would be, the Lady of The Sins wanted him dead -for some reason and it was this that
held the Man/Girl's attention. "Why do you hate me?" BIAD called into the darkness and from
not-too far off, he heard female laughter.

"You stopped me becoming like you - with your tomfoolery, your innocent bungling and the
idea that friendship is something valuable" Pandora said with venom, and a bright flash
ahead warned BIAD that a bullet was winging it's way towards him.

"But you wish to hold worlds under your thumb, you wish to rule?" the hermaphrodite asked
and shuffling along on his hands and knees, the sentences were punctuated by the thigh-
slapping holster hanging from his waist.

The tunnel leaned downwards and BIAD felt a thin draught of warm air tickle his fringe, a
sudden thought crept into his mind. "Are you taking me to Hell?" he said and pushed his pace
on, he could now hear Pandora's laboured breathing.

"Ah...!" the Temptress scoffed "...Hell is your abode alright, somewhere in your future,
you actually create one" Pandora tossed over her shoulder and for the first time, BIAD
'saw' the woman's swaying backside, he was gaining on her.

"Nice butt" the Man/Girl muttered and laid himself flat in the warm sand as a curtain of
bullets sliced the air -where his head had been only seconds before.
The blood-light that leaked from ahead, told of a long-ago Boiler-Room and a faint
memory came to The Boy In A Dress.
The day of his first kiss.

.............................................
The tall figure of Death waited in the gloomy room and the eldritch-green light that
leaked from spaces in the brickwork showed a determined shadow-face of He Who
Waits At The Door.

Nenothtu stood to his full height and scanned the silhouette ten-feet away, a rifle
hung from his left hand and the Vandal noticed a relaxed way in Death's stance.
"Well my friend, here is our impasse. I want to be like you and you could so-easily
take on my role... for we are the same -you and I" Death said and the 'commando'
clothes faded to the Reaper's black robes.

Neno levelled the Mini-Gun to aim at Death's waist, if he moved then the GunMan
would attempt to cut him in half. "Ah'm a man of simple tastes, thanks-but-no thanks"
he quipped.

(Continued Below)

(Continued From Above)

Death sighed from under his hood and muttered "The Neo never learns, time repeats
itself once more" and with a wave of his hand, Kokopelli, Charon and the wounded
Nun'Yunu'Wi appeared behind the long figure of Death.

"You perceive your existence in the typical human mono-brow way, it is true that you
are immortal, but your physical form can be damaged" the Reaper stated and tilted his
head in the same manner as his wigged-brother.

Four weapons were trained on Nenothtu and with two of them, red-dots showed on
the chest area of his dark-coloured shirt.
"Then the body that you have become accustomed to will now be ripped apart... goodbye"
Death said with mock-sombreness and Nenothtu dived left.

.............................................
"Why can't you see that you are one of us..." Pandora said as she held the Desert Eagle
pistol to the side of BIAD's head, the muzzle pressed against the black-fringed temple
shook slightly with her words. Boy In A Dress had entered the 'Boiler Room' on all-fours
and as he had slowly stood erect, Pandora had rushed him from his left.

"...You could have so much, worlds-upon-worlds to hold in those red-painted fingers" the
beautiful Deity whispered into where she believed the Man/Girl's ears were.
BIAD was still puzzled why his hair hadn't attacked Pandora, a gun at his head would
certainly warrant the hand that was holding the weapon to be shredded -he thought.

"I don't want such power, I just want to be with those who wish to live in peace" BIAD
said evenly and heaved his chest with a sigh.

Pandora also took in a breath of resignation and muttered "You tricked me Boy and that
is a act that is unforgiveable" The Eagle pressed harder into the strange strands of hair and
the words said through cletched teeth told of her rage.

"Do you like Cotton Candy?" BIAD asked in optimistic tones and licked his red lips at the
thought of his favourite food, the weapon wobbled slightly again. Pandora's small tongue
copied the action, but remained silent.

The room that Boy In A Dress awaited the bullet from the woman that held his brother's heart
-belonged to a time when Man believed in heating his abode with wood and oil. A hulking
cylindrical Boiler waited on the otherside of the gloomy room, the red-hue came from the
small window in the heater's door.

"It's over and your weak U-man-trained mind will accept that the bullet will extinguish your
life, goodbye Boy In A Dress" Pandora whispered and leaned to kiss the grinning freak on the
cheek.

BIAD -the ever-curious, turned to look at the Darling Of Hades in the eyes and the action
caused their lips to meet. The Boiler urged heat into the room some may say that it wasn't
just the cast-iron contraption that brought sweat from the two Being's pores.

The Desert Eagle never released it's killing-lead and for some strange reason that possibly only
females can explain, Pandora didn't pull away.

K-I-S-S-I-N-G... and better than Cotton Candy.

The group, with Gert in the lead, followed very closely by the pointy end of the Caliburn extended from Ben's free hand, made their way up toward the trapdoor. Sslar's continued purring helped to focus everyone, and the further they got from the cave, the more they gelled back into the calm, lucid working Team that they had become.

Silo spoke over her shoulder to Muckles and Tibbs. "By the way, you two, I don't recall Neno giving you permission to join the rescue party." Her voice rose, "Carpet and Chumley, you two as well....did you all take it upon yourselves to come down? You could've all been slaughtered, you know that?!"

Her voice was taking on that 'tone', the same one she had used with Yydryl just a while ago when she'd insisted Pip remain with Toby on board Mut. "I shoulda known. I shoulda known you would come tagging along." The frustration in her voice was enough to heighten the tension that Sslar was working to contain.

The enormous green cat, still walking between Dag and Silo, emitted a low growl, softly enough that only Dag and Silo could hear it, but the warning was all that was needed in combination with her ears flattening.

Dag's slender fingers stroked the cat's head. "Silo," she said, "We're all alive. There's not much point in citing hierarchy and orders of command now."

Silo knew her best good friend was right, and took a deep breath. "Yeah, well," she muttered to Dag, "they could've been killed. And besides, now who's up there to make sure Pip is okay?"

"We will all be 'up there' in very short order. We need to simply plan for what happens next, not gainsay what's been done. There'll be time for that once we're back home, we can have meetings and things to establish a system of command, as well as delineate when it's acceptable to make independent decisions and in what circumstances that is called for."

Ahead, a bright flood-light effect seeped into the passageway, with raggedy-edged shadows framing it.

Topside, Cecilia shifted her weight while making certain the jagged entrance was still illuminated. "Cecilia," said Ship, "they will be emerging in a few seconds. I want that witch immediately placed in your hold. Move closer, and extend your pincer in preparation to seize her at once."

Cecilia snaked her limb into the hut just as Gert's footfalls could be heard on the rungs of the ladder below the trapdoor. As soon as the old woman's head appeared, the machine's pincers clamped around her neck like a metal collar in a dungeon of old, and whisked the immortal witch out of the hut before she had time to look around her homeplace.

Behind her, Ben was startled by the sudden grab.
"Whoa Nelly!" he cried out. "What the--- Who's up there? Dammit I'm tarred o' this." And without hesitating, he thrust his own head up into the hut. It was completely dark now.

Silo, behind Ben, said "What happened to the light?"

"How in hell should I know?" he snarled. "Y'all was the last ones up here, missy!" He now stood on the ladder, head above ground, disembodied, swiveling to see any clues as to what had happened since he and Dag had entered the tunnels. Below the door, his 'decapitated' body was still. Then he felt the Caliburn being grasped and he ducked to see who was daring to take it.

"What the---ouch!" his cheek scraped against the splinters of a broken plank. "Who's---!"

Sslar's jaw had clamped once more around the blade, and her eyes met Ben's. Her tail twitched as they narrowed. She was standing on the tunnel floor, her front claws wrapped around the rung just below his feet. "Aiight, sister, aiight," he said, and loosened his grip on the hilt.

Once the sword was released, Sslar gingerly returned to all fours, turned, and watched as the U-Mans and the rest of the bunch ascended. When Skinny and Squibs reached the ladder, Skinny lifted Squibs and handed him up to Ben, who was crouching at the top to grab the can-shaped droid. Chumley and Carpet were the tail end of the parade, and the group were all standing in the small room when Cecilia's floodlight came back on.

Blinded for a moment, they all squinted (except Skinny and Squibs). Below them, Sslar had raced back down the tunnel after ensuring that everyone was above. Now she bounded for the Gunman, the Caliburn once more to be delivered unto his hands.

Outside, Gert could be seen in the cockpit of Cecilia, screaming in silence as she raged against the machine.

Brittle had watched her being extracted from the scene, captured firmly and shut within the shuttle's impermeable hull. He smiled at that, but when Dag and Adam came out of the hut, his smile faded.

There was still a reckoning to be made, and he had no doubt that its time was now.

....................................................~Cain Slew Abel~..............................................

The ghoul-green light that leeched from the walls spoke poorly of where Nenothtu had gone,
the gunfire had stopped and the sulpherous smell of spent-gunpowder filled the small-dark
room under the earth. Kokopelli clicked on a chest-torch and looked for signs of Neno's
mangled carcase, but just craggy stone walls stared back.

The white-light panned the area where the Gunslinger had dived into and the burly flute
player stepped past Death and peered closer, a broken crate and scrurry-hole was all that
could be seen.
"He's gone in there" Kokopelli growled and leaned closer in hope of hearing Neno groaning
in pain, the Mini-Gun's barrels stared back and began it's merry-go-round.

The well-muscled Deity was suddenly glowing with dull-scarlet holes and the Min-Gun's
noise whined faster and faster as the Vandal knee-shuffled from the cramped fume-vent.
Kokopelli's Heckler bucked in his hand bringing brick-splinters down from the ceiling above.
Landing on his knees, the tattooed-Spirit crumpled in on himself and was gone.

"GET HIM... GET HIM!" Death screamed and pulled the trigger of his Ingram, Charon followed
his lead and jammed the M60E3 to his shoulder, ignoring the swinging leg- struts, he fired
wildly towards the U-man in the black hat.

What happened next -we must keep to ourselves... for now.

If you ask Gerald or Captain Cholla back in the City, they would tell the yarn that they
heard from a guy-who-heard-it-from-another-guy. The classic way of relating information.
He didn't rise off the floor and whoever started the rumour that Nenothtu actually wore a
shining Knight's armour -should leave the Boom-Boom booze alone.

Death, Charon and the weakened Nun'Yunu'Wi threw down a firestorm that should have left
the tall grinning Vandal a pile of ribboned-flesh. For his part, Nenothtu's only regret was that
his cigar had gone out.

The bullets did hit him, and most of his flesh was torn -along with his clothes and yet, the
curious thing was his hat... it stayed on his head throughout the incident.
The stone-skinned Deity fired directly into Neno's face and as bone and slim muscles
appeared, Nun'Yunu'Wi ignored the red holes in his own form and sneered "I gotcha-I
gotcha!" in a high-piercing voice.

The Vandal spent around five or six seconds on why he hadn't buckled at the onslaught and
in typical-Neno fashion, lost interest and continued to shoot the Mini-Gun at his foe.
Nenothtu ran the Mini-Gun hot and at one point... after realising the rapid-firing hail of slugs
were not killing him -he pondered on whether to hold the heavy weapon with one hand and
reach for a match. He switched the cold 'gar' from one side of his mouth to the other and
pushed on.

Nun'Yunu'Wi went first, like a tissue set on fire in the night air, he flamed for a few seconds
and then was gone. Death and Charon ignored the disappearance and in unison, reached for
their handguns. Stunted gunshots now littered the Ingram and M60 sounds.

The FerryMan's chest and arms began to bloom with the cardinal roses from the 'Majic'
bullets kindly enhanced by the Witch of The Canyon, Charon actually began to choke as he
winked out of this reality.

Nenothtu's face resembled Death's now, with just grinning bone and hatred-eyes, the
uncanny look-a-like lifted the terrible spinning weapon and the red blooms began to
spatter the across the Reaper's robes.

Just the hooded figure of Death and grim-faced Nenothtu stood in the small burrow in
the bowels of the earth and under the flashing gunfire, they stepped towards each other.
"YOU WILL NOT OVERCOME ME!" Death roared and seemed to jam both of his weapons
ahead, as if urging the lead to take Neno's life, the ragged-GunMan took another step and
his cold eyes told the Reaper that he wasn't listening. Flames jetted from the side-vents of
the barrels as they neared each other and kept up the firing.

The tall-tale from the small Beings back in Temple Cross, The City or even the remaining
residents of Hobbs End does not hold the real truth to what happened at the end of the fight.
That is the part we'll keep to ourselves.

(Continued Below)

(Continued From Above)

Sslar came from nowhere and leapt over both shooters, but as the huge Cat passed the dark
figure of Death, she doubled her lithe-body and sank her teeth into his dusty shoulder and
reached with sharp-claws for a better purchase.



"Neno... here!" BIAD shouted and tossed the Caliburn sword towards the bloody-skeleton
in the black coat, Neno dropped the smoking gun and grabbed the comfortable handle of the
fabled blade in one-easy movement, Boy In A Dress gasped at the horrid features beneath
the bullet-holed cowboy hat.

The Man/Girl glanced back down the tunnel to see if Pandora had followed him and with
a wry-smile to himself, he guessed she was still sleeping off the events of their recent 'Date'
BIAD never spoke to anyone about that... ever.

The Xang-Cat hissed her breathing through her large teeth as Death struggled to dislodge
the feline, Sslar dug in and clenched her neck-muscles in concentration.

As veins began to creep over the bare-ivory of Nenothtu's face and muscles stretched to
connect back in their proper place, the GunMan took one-more step to where Death moaned
in his exertions to rid himself of Sslar, the Caliburn glittered wickedly infront of him.

"You will never find peace... you will wander the void looking for your own home, but it
will allude you..." Death grunted and as the smoking-blood lights around his body enlarged,
his voice became fainter and fainter.

As Sslar licked her chops at the evaporating form that she once held, Death spoke again.
"You have picked your side, my brother... beware" and the dark shape slipped from this 'now'
It was quiet again.

Nenothtu looked down at the tatters of his clothes and was genuinly surprised to see them
mending themselves, holes filled with fabric and flapping tears reached to obtain their
regular position, Neno guessed his body was doing the same.
Thanks to Ben, the sword had been used in the correct hands and now it was safe.
Let's just hope it stays that way.

"Neat" was the single word as he struck a lucifer on the stone wall and cigar smoke filled the
air around him. Sslar slunk to sit down at his right shin, she still licked her huge incisors to
rid them of the Reaper's taste.
Boy In A Dress approached his friend and watched the wonderous sight of his face rebuilding
itself "Welcome back" the hermaphrodite chirped with a smile.

As the trio wound their way back through the tunnel, Neno made the suggestion to not speak
of the effects of his battle with the Elementals and the BIAD agreed that it would be wise.

"Cain slew Abel... by proxy" the Man/Girl said later and a strange smile played on the tall
U-man with the grizzled chin "And keep a weathered eye over your shoulder from now on"
Neno warned.

The hatchway beckoned and the the GunMan, the Man/Girl and the big green cat looked
forward to smelling the desert air.

Emerging from the trap door to the hole in the ground in Gert's cabin, nenothtu blinked at the sudden assault by what seemed far too much light after his adjustment to the darkness below. He pondered on recent events. Death had announced that neno "WOULD NOT OVERCOME HIM!", and neno allowed as how that much was true - HE had not "overcome" Death, it was whatever god, gods, or whatever-they-weres who had gifted (or cursed?) him with this immortality who had actually "overcome" Death. All it really took to "overcome" Death was not to die, and in this case that was not of nenothtu's own doing.

Neno had just been along for the ride, and to make noise and tear stuff up.

Something else bothered neno. Actually, a couple of somethings. One was what had happened to the "deities". They had vanished, just dissipated and disappeared it seemed to neno in the darkness. just faded away, glowing bullet holes and all. Now logically, neno knew that he could not have killed them, since they were immortals just as he was. So then, what HAD BIAD's "magic bullets" done to them, and where had they gone? It left neno with a vague feeling of unease to leave living adversaries behind him, and in this particular war, he could leave no other kind.

He would have to ask BIAD just what those magic bullets had really done. Probably unrelated, but he also wondered briefly what had caused his clothes to become "immortal" and repair themselves before his very eyes as well as his flesh. Did the sword have something to do with it? He dismissed the thought as irrelevant and not of any immediate concern.

The last thing on his mind was Death's taunts about neno's "home". Death had offered him a "do over" for hearth and family, and neno knew in the back of his mind, that was only smoke and mirrors. There were no "do-overs", and he conveniently forgot that the very ground on which he stood at that instant had not existed scant weeks before - the Earth had been blown up in a different reality... HIS reality... and thinking on alternate realities as vehicles for "do-overs" made his head hurt, so he never did that. He just took things as they were.

No, "do-overs" were jokes the universe played on you when you weren't looking, and neno wanted no part of them. His family was what it was, and he couldn't go back and fix what was broken. What was done was done. Death's final words to him returned to his mind - "You will never find peace... you will wander the void looking for your own home, but it will elude you..."... neno snorted. When had he ever known "peace" anyhow? And home... home had always lived in his heart as this very place he now stood. Wherever he had gone, this was where he believed he had belonged.

With the echoes of Death's pronouncement slamming against the walls of his skull, neno stepped out of the cabin and looked around. Desert greeted his eyes.

Desert.

Nenothtu spat in the dry dust and announced to no one in particular "y'know, when I wuz a kid, this place was covered in forest. Thick and green. It was the nearest thing you could find to a temperate version of a jungle, and had been since time immemorial. Not so now. I dunno if it was saving the Universe and bringing Earth back, or if it's just the Badlands creeping in, but it ain't no more. Amazin' how much a place can change in one man's lifetime - iffen he lives long enough."

He looked at BIAD and said "That no 'count brother of your'n mighta been right. This ain't home, much as I thought it wuz. I reckon there's always the Penelope" he shrugged. "Aiight - I'm ready to saddle them contraptions up and ride the hell outta here." He spat in the dust again and strode off towards the tumblers, never looking back.

.............................................~All Aboard The Ship Of Fools!~........................................

The Yydryl turned her huge body away from the small blue planet that held good and bad
memories for her occupants, Ship's surface sparkled and glittered in the brilliance of the Sun
and somewhere deep inside her many-rooms, Pip squinted at sunlight reflecting from the
water trough that his horse drank from.

The day was just starting and the massive vista of rolling meadows and clear-blue sky was
still a mystery to young man. One moment he was inside a cramped-machine that roared
away from the world where is Father's grave would become overgrown and forgotten, in the
next instance -a giant craft waited in the darkness of space.

Bustling the animals from The Tumbler was a chore in itself and staring wide-eyed around at
the innards of a SpaceShip known as The Yydryl, stopped that lad from forming any thoughts
on what was happening to his future.

Thankfully, Silo13 was there all the way through his transit, a guiding hand in a sea of busy
Droids and tired humanoids. 'This will be home' -a small voice inside said.

The horse shook it's head and droplets of water spattered on Pip's shirt, 'a clean shirt for a
clean start' Silo had announced as she had placed it in his hands. The water trough also
showed the lavender-haired woman's reflection and as the ripples eased, a beautiful smile
shone too.

"It's time we were gettin' on and hustle these dawgies to our new home" Silo said with a
easy-sigh, she stood resplendent in her denim jeans and blue-gingham shirt, the previous
days had washed away it seemed -thought Pip.

"Are we gunna be safe here?" the kid said as he pulled himself onto his mount, the animal
that once belonged to Dread waited by a neaby tree and cropped the rich grass around it's
base, Silo's saddle was strapped to it's back.

"Yeah... we'll be fine" she answered soflty and then suddenly broke into a coughing-laugh as
the pig that had been snuffling around the stone-trough quacked a fart.

Pip -who had always been brought up to believe tears to be a sign of weakness, gushed liquid
from his eyes... (and his nose!) in merriment and it took all of his focus not to fall from the
horse in guffaws of laughter.

'Yeah... they'll be fine' Ship thought and began the journey that Tibbs had related to the
crew after their arrival.
A world somewhere across the Universe. An individual from the end of time and a quest to
save the day... usual-stuff for this rag-tag band of odd Beings.

The Yydryl passed the planet's moon and only for her own benefit... and for a humour that
only Bio-vessels can fully appreciate, Ship amplified the pig's involuntary-venting and fired
the sound over her interior-speakers.

"Exactly" said Nenothtu from his bath -flicking cigar ash onto the floor littered with his
Western -style attire and two empty bottles of Rye, he sucked on the cheroot with relish.
He still had his boot on... tut-tut.

"Sounds like a Nebula being born...?" Tibbs muttered to Mucklebones and revealed a wicked
smile at the tall Alien-Witch removing her poncho.
"Come here" she hissed and grabbed the little Vithian with a grin to rival his.

"Did you hear that?" Adam said looking up from being lost in Dag's hair, their room looked
like a tornado had hit it and the bed was strewn with pillows and two pizza-boxes.
"Shut-up" Dag moaned and pulled the good-Doctor back under the covers.

"I can do that" Boy In A Dress said to nobody and with a idiot-smile, looked through the window
at the receding watery planet. One day he would return and find his Creator's killers... that
mission was still ongoing.

The heavens called and The Yydryl answered.

New Beginnings

Nenothtu's head snapped around at the sound of the door whisking open. Who would dare disturb his ablutions? He was occupied getting the accumulated dust and grime off in quantity enough to actually turn the water and the few remaining suds a bright reddish brown, almost but not quite mud in it's own right. He expected it to be a 'droid, but as it turned out it was only half 'droid. It was Margo.

Immediately upon realizing who it was, neno ducked lower in the water, leaving just his head from the lower lip up sticking out on one end of the tub and his boots sticking out the other end. "Margo! Y'know I'm buck nekkid under this mud, right? What the hell d'ye think yer doing?"

Margo suppressed a grin and laid down two packages on a stand in the corner before replying "Why, I'm just delivering mail." She was amused at nenothtu's chagrin. Teasingly, she added "Why Sir! I didn't think you were capable of blushing!"

Gruffly, neno replied "I ain't. The.. the... the water's just too hot is all. Makes my head look all cherry red... that's all! By the way, did I ask you yet WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE DOING IN HERE?"

"I told you" she replied "delivering mail.... and right now taking a seat. For the show, you know..."

"NO THE HELL YOU AIN'T!" neno thundered.

"Hide and watch, neno, and see if I don't." She couldn't hide the grin by now, rather enjoying his discomfort. How often did one get to see nenothtu flustered? "You could always get up and throw me out..."

"See them clothes in the floor there. Margo? Know why they're there? 'CAUSE THEY AIN'T ON ME! Now you gonna get the hell outta here, or what?"

"Nope." Margo fought the grin, but it was a loosing battle. "Are you going to read your mail, or what?"

"Soon as you git gone, I might."

"I've got time." She replied. "I'm not in a rush." She neatly dodged the soaked wash cloth that neno balled up and threw at her head, It went SPLAT! against the far bulkhead.

"Ah hell!" Neno exclaimed. "Hand me my mail, then."

"Do I look like a servant?" Margo responded. "get up and get it yourself!"

"You'd love that, now wouldn't you?"

"I might." Margo commented, trying to sound noncommital. Nenothtu decided she was enjoying his discomfort just a bit too much.

"Did I mention that I don't bathe WITH MY CLOTHES ON?" neno tried again.

"You might have mentioned something like that in passing."

"So HAND ME MY MAIL!"

"Nope. Get it yourself. I've got all the time in the world to wait. Eventually you'll be shrivelled up like a prune if you don't get out some time."

"I CAN'T" neno roared. "It's that whole I'M NEKKID thing, you know..."

"And?" Margot queried, then added "You ain't got nothin' I ain't never seen before."

"Well ya ain't seen MINE!"

"You don't know that for sure - you were pretty out of it when I hauled you out of the jail cell, you know... being dead, and all that... tell ya what, nenothtu. If I see anything that I've never seen before, I'll grab it in a death-grip and scream for help, OK?"

"I'll break yer damned arm, I will!"

"My arm has titanium 'bone'..."

Nenothtu decided to try another tack. "Might as well shuck them clothes off and jump in here too, then."

"You have to be kidding! I'M not getting into that muddy mess!"

"Fair is fair" neno said.

"You're just trying to see me naked." Margo teased.

"And YOU'RE doing what again?" neno shot back.

Not trying to see ME naked - I can do that any time!"

"Hussy!"

"I've been called worse by better." Margot parried.

"DAMMIT! Well turn yer head, then so I can get my mail."

"Uh, no, I don't believe I will - but thanks for asking."

Nenothtu looked around for his towel, and only then realized that Margo had 'accidentally' kicked them out of reach on her way to deposit the packages on the stand.

"JESUS!" he exploded.

"Better call on someone that knows you." Margot quipped.

"Eh? Oh, we've met, a long time ago."

Margot raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't comment.

Seeing that Margot appeard to be settled in for the long haul, neno determined right then and there to shorten it. He bunched up and vaulted out of the tub, sending water flying everywhere - even managing to splash Margo. Then he shook like a dog and sent more spray flying. He snatched up the towel and wrapped it around his waist, not bothering to dry off with it.

Margot couldn't resist teasing a bit more. "Is you bath water cold?" she asked in mock concern.

"Shaddup." neno grumbled as he reached for the packages. "I oughtta feed you to my cat."

"I might feed you to MY cat." Margo shot back.

"You ain't got a ca... SHUT THE HELL UP, MARGO! I'm tryin' to concentrate on important stuff here, like why I'm getting hard copy mail." He picked up the top package, a flat envleope, and tore it open.

Margo added coversationally "It was labelled 'PRIORITY - URGENT' . Otherwise I'd not have disturbed your soaking and scrubbing."

"Like a fat rat's ass, you wouldn't have" neno replied as he pulled out a sheaf of papers. "You were jus' looking for an excuse, that's all " and he started reading. "Well I'll be. I reckon this explains why the Penelope was gone when we got back." He looked up and said "I've been discharged. Honorably - I dunno how THAT happened - with final rank of 'Lieutenant Commander'. I'm, uh... a civilian now. I dunno how to live like that. I reckon Penelope ain't 'home' no more, neither."

"You'll manage" Margot replied, while at the same time plotting and scheming a way to take neno's mind off of what she was sure he thought of as an unfortunate circumstance. Nenothtu tossed the discharge papers aside and reached for the other, bulkier, package. Tearing that one open, he found an inscribed duranium plaque with an embedded homing beacon, and another sheath of papers. Reading the first page, neno whistled and muttered "Well I'll be double-damned!"

Margo stood and crowded in next to neno, to read over his shoulder, since he seemed undisposed to elaborate further. This is what she read:

Claim filed 923021 – 2317 by Captain William Jeffries, Commanding Officer, FSS Daedalus, on behalf of nenothtu, A.K.A. Cecil Frederick Carpenter, on the basis of seven (7) years continuous possession of, and domicile on, the fourth planet of below described planetary system, unopposed and uncontested by either natives sentient beings or any other UEF Citizen.

A diligent search having been performed in the UEF Archives for any prior claimants, and such search failing to turn up any prior claims to said system, possession and ownership of the planetary system, together with all increase resulting from same is hereby granted to the above named claimant, pursuant to UEF-GS 14772,229, Section 17a, paragraph (D) effective this date 407228 – 2317.

Harlan G, Radesaljevic, Clerk, UEF Land Office, L5 Administrative Station.

Margot whistled. "Well! You never told me you were a prosperous man of means! Now I find that you own an entire solar system?"

"Yeah, it's news to me, too. I never even knew a claim was filed - I sure as hell didn't file it. Don't get your knickers in a wad. it ain't nothing but a bunch of rock balls that will EAT you if you sleep too sound on them."

Since Margot was reading over his shoulder, neno never saw it coming until it was too late. She said "Get MY knickers in a wad? You had better worry about your OWN knickers!" and just that quick she snatched the towel from his waist and twisted it into a whip, and snapped his bare behind with the resulting whip.

Nenothtu howled and squalled, but knew better than to try fighting a woman whil he was buck naked. too much disadvantage. Instead, he opted for discretion being the better part of valor, and ran like hell for his cabin screaming "WAAHOO! YIP-YIP-YIP DAM-MIT!", Margot hot on his heels. snapping away and yelling "I've already seen you naked! What's left?".

........................................~They Always Come In Your Sleep~......................................

Death carried the remains of his dead brother towards his final resting place and all who
resided in this sullen shadow-dripping world felt the sorrow writhing underneath the
night-woven robes of the weeping-Deity.

Boy In A Dress hung in the tall figure's arms and onlookers in the surrounding environs of
Purgatory gasped at the unique sight of The Reaper escorting one of the departed to
the Place Beyond.



"They say he was to be the Devil..." one of the damned uttered "... they say he was to rival
the great Nenothtu, he was to bring about the Dark Times"

The quietness changed as Death walked towards the rectangular-hole at a forgotten
roadside, the sound of cheering voices became louder and louder as King Neno strode
towards his throne.

"All hail the Neo!" the crowd cried in unison and red ribbons floated down from the
'above' One of them landed like a blindfold across BIAD's lifeless-face.

The Vandal in the gold Lame Cowboy-suit and rhinestone-studded stetson waved at
the applauding multitude and smiled benignly. Sitting down on the jewelled seat, the Dead
Man/Girl thought he heard a 'quacked fart'

Pandora stepped onto the high stage with the two thrones and winked at the man with the
lop-sided grin, anyone there would tell others later "she made a wonderful Queen... Neno
must be proud"

The smell of tilled-earth swam through BIAD's mind as the crowd cheered from somewhere
outside of the grave that Death dumped his brother's torso in, the thump of the lifeless
hermaphrodite hitting the dirt sounded like a nail being hammered into a coffin.

"You could have had it all -my kin, you could have been great" the hooded monster
whispered and tossed a withered rose onto the stilled-chest of his Boy In A Dress, wolf-
whistles and manly 'whoops' came from far-off as Pandora dis-robed for all to see.

Silo13, Dag, Chumley, Adam, Tibbs, Mucklebones and Carpet all stood around the hole and
with held hands, they kept their gazes low in reverence.

It was the sight of Professor Shaw approaching the foot of the grave -that gave BIAD a clue
that he was dreaming... that and the sound of Nenothtu yelling "CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR
EVERYONE!!" and watching the lip-nibbling mourners slip away one-by-one.

When only Death remained above the bare-legged Being, the gravelled-voice came again.
"Do you wish to have your dress washed, Sir?"


BIAD managed to move one arm and felt air rush into his lungs... he was coming back.
"I can launder your clothes and bring you some food... Sir, Mr. Dress?" the voice urged again
and with the touch of linen pillows and cool clean sheets, BIAD felt the rush of arriving back in
the 'now'

The thigh-high Droid called 'Call-me-Kenneth' shifted his aluminium-plated highbrows
in a saddened expression and waited for instructions.
"If you don't mind me saying, Mr. Dress... you look like Hell" Call-Me-Kenneth said softly
as BIAD rose from the bed.

With relaxing tendrils of hair, the strap-adjusting BIAD cleared his throat and murmured
"that's because I am Hell"

Without another word, the Man/Girl stripped and wobble-wandered towards the Shower
"Bring me some chocolate cake... and Cotton Candy" he tossed over his bare shoulder
and the puzzled Droid trundled towards the exit. "Yessir, Mr. Dress" he said to himself.

~*~ Pip’s Center ~*~

‘Why we walking?’ Pip asked his shoulders only just beginning to droop.
‘Because I like it better when the horses are free.’ Silo stopped and cupped her hand over her eyes watching the small heard exploring their new surroundings in the Center. All to willing to stop Pip did the same.
‘I think they like it here don’t you?’ The smile in his voice made her heart swell.
‘Yeah kid I think they do. But I think the pigs like it even more.’ In reckless abandon like only pigs can have the pair of hogs romped, ran, dropped to their bellies or rooted about for whatever called to their noses from below the grassy plane. It was paradise.

‘You want to rest awhile?’ Silo’s eyebrows rose in question even as Pip threw himself to the ground. One of the pigs, she hadn’t learned yet to tell them apart yet flopped beside Pip for a belly rub. Pip obliged.
Squatting down on her haunches Silo’s knees popped the sound causing the horses to lift their heads and snort. She laughed. The horses were no more scared than they were looking for any excuse to kick up their heels and enjoy their liberty. Quivering in anticipation they waited a moment then dropped their heads back to graze.

Picking a blade a grass Silo popped it in her mouth to chew the milky end. “It feels good to get back here,’ she sighed almost to herself.
‘Ship or the Center?’ Pip asked scratching the pig to make her back leg scratch the air.
‘The Center. The past few months,’ she stopped to think how to explain, ‘have been wearing.’
‘What’s that mean?’ Pip stopped scratching to look at her, the pig grunted and kicked to his feet.
‘It’s been too stressful. Too painful. Everything we’ve gone through’s had me turning into someone I wasn’t. Someone I didn’t like.’ Giving into the temptation of the warm soil under her feet Silo lay on her stomach beside Pip her elbows making two small indentations in the grass.

‘When my Pa got riled up he’d go fishing. Just something to ‘clear his head’ he said.’ Pip’s memories of his father were beginning to mellow fondness replacing the once gut wrenching ache.
‘He was a good man.’ Silo’s own heartache lay dangerously close to the surface, another reason she’d been out of sorts. With Pip to worry about and all the fighting below she’d not had her own time to mourn the man she’d known for so short a time but would love for a lifetime.

‘You miss him?’ Pip asked not daring to look at her.
‘Yeah, I do. More than I can say.’ Forcing levity Silo giggled. ‘I think that’s one of the reasons I was acting like such a jerk.’ Silo snorted admitting her loss of character below on earth.
‘Why, what did you do?’ Pip smiled now eager to hear stories out of school his eyes bright with mischief.
‘Well, I got bossy for one.‘ Silo hopped over to straddle the boy pinning him and started tickling his ribs. Shouts of laughter echoed through the Center. Thrilled the horses responded to his sounds of joy and raced across the clearing heels flying.

‘Stop it! That tickles!’ Pip squealed until the pigs started romping around them in circles.
‘And that’s not all Mr. Man!’ Silo whooped with glee. ’I got mean’ She growled causing pip to laugh harder.
’And I got snippy!’ She laughed harder.
’And I started talking like a know-it-all!’ Silo punctuated her sentences by digging her fingertips into the soft spots between his ribs until the boy was laughing so hard he could barely breath.
‘What was I Pip?‘ Out of breath she demanded his answer.
‘I’m not telling!‘ He laughed and fought her hands.
‘What was I Pip!‘ Silo hollered again.
‘I’m not tellin’!‘ The boy was strong and broke free to start tickling her back.
‘What was I Pip?‘ Silo couldn’t hold him any longer.
‘A donkey butt!’ They yelled in unison before dissolving into laughter as free as the air.
‘I sure was...’ Silo smiled and flopped back down beside him wondering when she’d get a chance to apologize to the others.

Still breathing hard but thoroughly enjoying himself Pip giggled in his ‘I’m up to no good’ way. He felt her go serious again and didn’t want it.
‘You forgot to ask me what my real name is.’ He provoked.
Silo knew it was a trap but jumped right in. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Catch me and I’ll tell ya!’ Bolting to his feet Pip took off after the horses mimicking their galloping motion. Enjoying the sight of the boy being a boy Silo gave him a fair head start then took after him allowing herself a little buck and kick too.

They weren't so far into the Center Ship couldn’t observe them.
Jealous of their freedom, their ‘togetherness’ Ship’s heart cooled and hardened even more towards the girl she once loved as much as Silo loved the boy.
Leaving them to their outing Ship’s attention returned to the command deck and the others who’d so recently rejoined the Yydryl.

.........................................~Thumb-Twiddling~........................................

"...And remember Nenothtu, no plasma weapons or Mini-guns, this is North America in
1778... Enjoy" Ship said and watched the tall humanoid with the vacant expression step into
the Holo-Theatre.

This was his third visit to the Hall and after wrecking eight of the Photon lamps with his
many-barrelled weapon, Ship had warned him that a banning may be not too far away.
The doors slid open silently and the GunMan felt the coldness of Winter on his face, shards of
wind-tossed ice stung his smiling face... hardship seemed like candy to this guy -The Yydryl
mused.

"Thank ye'r Ma'am" Neno muttered and looked around his new surroundings, snow-heavy
conifers and cold-looking mountains called to his Vandal heart. The actual battle raged just
down from where he stood and with a row of even teeth glittering beneath the wide-rimmed
black hat, Neno strode to where the sound of rage bellowed out the loudest.
................................................................

Tibbs scratched his neck under his long beard and sighed in his annoyance, the records that
Nenothtu had asked him to check -weren't there. The handset, the trusty machine that the
Vithian knew would hold the information, now beeped 'Nothing Found Within Parameters'
on the Library table.

The planet existed, Tibbs had searched the listings of the Haager system and sure enough, a
small world with extreme -but tolerable conditions could be found orbiting the young sun
and seemed to be abundant with oxygen. " A whole solar system!" Tibbs whistled through
his teeth and wondered if the big guy would enjoy sitting on a throne.

The handset beeped again and acknowledged that a 'Harlan G, Radesaljevic' did once exist
and again, the little time-traveller scratched his facial hair.
The Committee had assured Tibbs that all information of the Neo's mathmatically-forecasted
timeline would be available, but this 'owner of some space-thing' -as Neno put it, was not in
the data.

If one peeked into Ship's Library... (She'd set the room up in a way that Tibbs would
appreciate)... you would see the hunched-shouldered Vithian punching more questions into
the little contraption that Mucklebones thought was a nuisance.

................................................................
The British were struggling in keeping the ridge and the Loyalists seemed to have the upper-
hand, for Nenothtu -it didn't matter that much. One soldier after another, the cigar-smoking
Vandal tired himself out in their slayings.

It seemed that as The Yydryl made it's way across the cosmos, the peaceful journey that -to
most, would be a time to rest-up, had Neno pacing his room in restlessness.

Margot and the other women enjoyed the many-activities that The Yyryl had to offer, Tibbs
and his partner did there thing and Dag and Adam never seem to leave their room.
Boy In A Dress...? well, he just busied himself down in the Maintenance Rooms, it seemed
that he had grown a rapport with the Tin-Men and Tumblers down there.

It wasn't until Neno had visited the dimly-lit caverns where the Droids clunked about in their
duties, that he had discovered the Holo-Theatre. Ship tended to use the facility for some
simulations in planetary exploration for her many Droids, the Vandal had asked if she could
produce something else.

"You can make a rodeo...!" BIAD had suggested and placed the half-eaten slice of chocolate
cake back on the crate he'd been sitting on. "You can ride them broncos and have a good time"
the Man/Girl had chirped, the eternal-smile offering optimism.
Nenothtu had sighed and slid his hand over the main-door console "maybe BIAD... maybe"
he had whispered.

................................................................
"Time's up, Nenothtu" Ship called across the snowfield and as the hatchet almost severed the
soldier's head from his body, the blood-soaked Gunslinger stood up from his actions.
Steam billowed about his body and Neno could feel his temples throb with his exertions,
his body screamed with aches and pains.



The mountains faded and the evergreen forest slipped away in a circular-motion, the yells
and screams of the battle became murmers and then silent.

"You push yourself too much" The Yydryl commented as the shower washed away the sweat
from his body, The black clothes that he enjoyed were being cleaned from his perspiration.
"Ah'm not one fur sittin' about Ma'am" Neno said and watched the wall spilt to reveal his
crisp-clean attire.

With a nod of hello to the hermaphrodite teaching Corky Bunion how to disco, Nenothtu
walked back to his room and smiled at the feel of stinging muscles. 'I'll sleep tonight' he
thought and turned left towards the Library.

………~~Back to Normal. Or Not.~~…………..

Dag had lain awake, musing, listening to Adam snoring. He was pressed up against her, sweaty, and his flesh felt feverish. She turned her head toward the room, scooting out of his reach, feeling desperate for fresh air, cool sheets, silence, and solitude. I really need to think, she decided, and slipped out from under the covers.

Adam harrumphed, rolled over, snorted loudly, and then lapsed back into rhythmical snoring. No amount of pushing him, nudging him, elbowing him, turning him, adjusting his pillow had stopped it.

Three hours she had lain there and every few seconds, as she just began to drift off (in between snores) she had been awakened again. Now the artificial dawn they had set before 'retiring' was dimly lighting the quarters.

She had collected her things and walked toward the door. She wondered if anyone else was about. Slipping her slender form into the dressing gown that hung near it, she activated the periscope that offered her a view of the passageway outside. Everything was quiet.

Wary of how many of them were up and about, and not even certain that everyone had made it back to Ship yet, nor that some of those wishing them harm had not also stowed away, Dag had put on her usual field clothes, her pistol and knife, her boots (steel-toes), and ruffled her hands through her hair. Sleep-deprived or no, she wanted to look alert; less likely to be victimized that way.

She thought over the events of the previous night as she made her way to the bank of lifts that would take her to the working portions of the Yydryl. She wanted to know who was on the bridge, where they were going, how far they'd gone from Earth (still in orbit? Or in an entirely new galaxy?), but did not feel confident enough to go there directly from her quarters.

She and Adam had not come back aboard Cecilia… She wasn't sure who had aside from Gert, the old crone. They'd traveled in Akron, arriving first, and had quickly evacuated from the area for obvious reasons of scattering.

Then she stood on the top level, trying to recall the ship's layout…to decide the best course of action, whether to go to the 'common areas' or 'the working areas' on level three . She didn't know her way around the ship very well yet, having been aboard for only a brief while before they'd all arrived on Earth-as-it-Once-Was. But she did recall they had gone 'up' from the loading dock. Perhaps best to start down there, and work her way back.

When the lift arrived and the door cracked open, Dag had heard a feminine voice say, "Ha ha! Got you now!" in a semi-playful tone, and when the door slid wide, she found herself face to face with a total stranger whose expression indicated clear victory, or at least a cat-like satisfaction as though her prey was cornered.

The woman was holding the tip of a twisted towel that she had been spinning, and when her eyes met Dag's, the towel went limp, and her expression disappeared. Dag looked her up and down; tall, long-legged, lean, copper-haired, flushed face. Looked as though she'd been out in the rain, or splashed by mud. Dag's brows screwed up in an inquiring fashion, but she was not by any means privy to the entire crew personnel files. For a long moment the two stood eye to eye silently. Then the red-head cleared her throat, lowered her gaze and head and said, "Excuse me," glancing past Dag into the passageway.

Dag muttered "Pardon," and they exchanged places without further ado. Once the lift door closed, Dag looked at it, puzzled. Well, at least then she now knew she and Adam were not alone on the Yydryl.

But that was about it. She'd pressed the port for level three, the docking bay. Who was that woman? She'd have liked to ask, but she was no security officer, and trusted that Ship knew who was aboard and who was not. The woman had not seemed menacing to her, but who was to say? At level two, the lift stopped.

Dag pursed her lips together and wondered why everyone was using the same lift rather than taking advantage of idle ones. This time as the door slid open, she placed her hands on her hips. And then here eyes grew wider than nenothtu had ever seen them.

He'd been completely nude except for a – sort of improvised -- loin cloth he had, apparently, fashioned from a few of the cloth napkins in the canteen or bar. His brows were lowered over a very menacing grin, and he had one arm extended and the fingers set wide, as though to grab someone, quick as a viper. The hand shot at Dag, and then fell to his loin cloth. He crouched over somewhat.

"Dag!" he said. "Erm, uh, I wuz…I just….my cabin had no towels, and…"

"Neno, I see that it is you, not someone in a clone-suit," said Dag calmly, "but, are you all right?"

Neno sputtered, "Ahem, rrmmmph, uh, yup! Just fine, you?"

"Fine!. So, uhm, the person I just saw was… right, she must've been the one bringing you that towel. She's up on one."

"Uh," was the whole of neno's response. Dag had never seen nenothtu flustered (nor even imagined him in his altogether), but his discomfort was unmistakable, and she exited the lift and gestured subtly toward it for him to go ahead. She'd find another way down to the docking bay.

Nenothtu blushed, whisked past her with a "Thanks," and began pressing the door-close button repeatedly (although everyone knew this did nothing to speed up the process).

Dag now stood in the hallway on level two. The lift door closed behind her. Well, at least now she knew nenothtu was also safely aboard. Or, at least, "aboard".

She smiled to herself and realized now that she was hungry, and could use a stiff drink. Apparently they were open for business, so she had decided to head for the bar and canteen instead of the docking bay.

********************************

That had been twelve hours earlier. The bar and canteen had been crewed by droids, and she'd seen no sign of anyone else. She'd gone to a vacant cabin, well-fed and relaxed, enjoyed a long, hot bath herself (after checking to make sure there were towels in her quarters), and dropped into a deep, much-needed sleep. It had taken her longer than she'd anticipated to sleep-until-waking, and now she wondered if Adam would be sulking...for she'd missed their 'date.'

After she had taken her repast, she had returned to where he still laid snoring and gently moved his shoulder.

"Mmm," he'd muttered, and without opening his eyes he'd reached out and taken her arm, pulling her down toward him. She'd resisted, and said, "Adam, I'm going to my own cabin for a while, my head hurts, and I need to sleep. Alone."

His eyes had opened he had frowned briefly, a hurt look on his face. "Why? Sleep here. I won't wake you," he mumbled sleepily.

"I know you won't try to wake me, but I can't sleep here right now. I'll see you in the morning," she'd said and kissed his forehead as she gently but firmly removed his hand from her arm and stood erect. "We'll talk later. Meet me in the canteen at 1900." She smiled. "We'll make it a date."

Adam's eyes had closed again. He acknowledged her with a combined "Mmm-ahmem," and rolled away from her.

But she had overslept the hour for that 'date', and now she needed to explain herself, for standing him up, so she rose and dressed, and headed back for the canteen and bar, not at all sure what she'd find when she got there. Through her mind flashed the image of the red-head, and neno in his vulnerable state.

No doubt things were going on around her, and she was ready to rejoin the activities...whatever they might be.

..................................................~Just Checkin'~................................................

The Maintenance Bays seemed endless to Boy In A Dress, the others had things to
do -BIAD thought, so this was the time that the lonely (although he never considered
himself lonely)... Man/Girl could visit the many hallways and vast rooms of The Yydryl.

After walking for around one hour, BIAD came to a dimly-lit place where it seemed
that metal-refining had been tinkered with, the mile-long foundry looked like it had seen
better days.

"Are you requiring anything in particular...?" Ship asked as the overhead lamps flickered on
"..."you seem to be searching for something"
BIAD smiled and tenderly touched the organic door-surround at the factory's entrance, the
illumination sputtered along the high-ceiling and showed hulking apparatus.
"Just snooping about, calling memories back from long ago" BIAD muttered and breathed
in the smells of old-oil, axle grease and burnt metal.

Massive ore-crusted buckets, hooks that could hold a Banja-Whale, chains that should be
found on the battleships BIAD saw when he went through time to visit The Philedelphia
Experiment and high-heel-tripping stairways that spiralled into dizzying heights.
All called to the Man/Girl and the thoughts of his time in his first job after escaping from
Dugway Proving Grounds brought an old ache of his anger at his Creator's death and BIAD's
mission of revenge.

"Helloooo...?" BIAD called and cupped a red-nailed hand to focus the sound, the echo
answered back. With a loud clip-clop, the grinning hermaphrodite made his way to where
a dusty-looking office waited and peered in through a dusty window.

Through dirt and grease on the thin pane, he saw sheaves of paper on spikes, thumb-grimed
Ledger books and a brooding console of dull-green lights.

"Have you brought the Palantine?" the voice asked from inside the gloomy room, BIAD's hair
stirred on his bare shoulders and he felt his fingernails lengthen slightly.
"Er, no... I didn't" he responded and turned the door handle, the creaking reminded BIAD of
a haunted house.

The robot that sat at the gnarled table piled with the books, turned his dented-head at BIAD's
entrance and with a low hum, one of his eyes lit up. "No Palantine... no forge-work" the
tinny-voice stated and Boy In A Dress looked at the Droid known as Valve Twenty-Three.

Boy In A Dress lowered his body to indicate a submissive posture and placed a foot inside
the office "what is Palantine?" he whispered.
Valve Twenty-Three wheezed and sat back in the metal chair, huge thighs scraped from
under the table as he faced the humanoid in the red dress.



BIAD observed the Droid that had been left to his own-devices in Ship's redundant Foundry,
The Yydryl's organics had occasionally called on metal-constructed apparatus, but the need
had been long, long-ago.

Valve Twenty-Three belonged to that 'long-ago' period, Big clunky-claws, rubber hydraulic
pipes and grills to keep motors cool. The robot looked back at the long-fringed Man/Girl and
decided that the furnaces would not be needed anytime-soon.

"It's the only mineral that'll match-up to what this ole' boat can manufacture these days"
Valve said and stood his full-height. The robot was noisy in his movements, the Droids
back in the other Bays were like Terra-Sprints to this ancient Battle-Cruiser-on-legs.

BIAD lifted his chin to indicate he understood, but he remained quiet, the atmosphere
was thick with the aroma of old-time hard work and diligent accountability.
He was enjoying the feel of the place.

"Me Ledgers say that the last time ah' yer... ah' built anythun' in Palatine, we wuz still in
the Sirius-sector" Valve whined and BIAD wondered if the forgotten robot would just
seize-up in the near-future.

Industrial fans suddenly kicked into action somewhere as they looked at each other and it
was BIAD who spoiled the moment.

"What do you know about duranium?" he chirped and gestured to see if he could sit down,
the robot nodded that it was okay and without looking, a grazed and dirty claw reached
towards a filing cabinet marked 'Metalloids'

(Continued Below)

(Continued From Above)

"Duranium is used in many civilisations..." Valve commented as the massive appendage
gingerly teased out a folder from the sulking cabinet, dust motes danced in the low light.

"...The Shirts-upstairs use it fur message-carryin' and important stuff" he added and ran his
single-eye over the documents.

"My friend received a Duranium plaque and I was just curious of where it may have come
from" the Man/Girl said and showed a thin smile to indicate he was just inquiring.
In the last few days, BIAD had gone over the recent encounter with Death and the other
Spirits. The Reaper's last words to Nenothtu had reverberated inside that black permo-wig
and now, BIAD saw treachery around every corner.

Valve Twenty-Three scanned the few pages of paper and Boy In A Dress followed the reading
by the movement of the dirty-yellow light from the robot's eye, for some reason -the crazy
creature heard the 'Chopsticks' tune in his head as he watched.

"It's found in some systems as a common element, ah' cun' tell yer' that... Troover, Calway IV,
Haager and..." Valve looked up as BIAD interupted him "The Haager system...? where is
that?" he asked and offered a genuine smile.

The file was placed carefully back into the cabinet as Valve Twenty-Three clicked and buzzed
in thought, the robot moved back to the metal seat at the table.
"It's way out on the Veriton Boundaries, there's not much there except a few uninhabited
planets and a broken Moon" the Foundry Administrator with the rusty-ass said, it was almost
break-time.

Boy In A Dress thanked the robot for his help and seeing Valve's impatience growing, he left
the desolate place.
When Nenothtu had told him, Tibbs and the others about his 'inheritance' a few worried
glances had passed between BIAD and the Vithian, Neno was back in Death's bad-books and
they had already tried the sour taste of the Reaper's convoluted plans.
The watchwords would be 'check and check again'

"Did you find what you were looking for?" The Yydryl's soothing voice asked as the Man/Girl
stepped back into the familiar colour-changing corridors and oddly-moving floor.
BIAD caught himself pulling his fingers through his hair and replied "Not really, I just hope my
concerns are unfounded"

Somewhere in the Foundry, a siren called and scraping the heavy-duty chair back, Valve
Twenty-Three croaked "Break time" and the big Droid reached for the kettle.

..............................................~The Garden Of Love~.................................................

"Did she love you?" Tibbs asked softly towards the bare-back of Boy In A Dress, the massive
planet loomed in the window of the arboretum and the breeze-flowing mane of BIAD told
of someone deep in thought.

The Vithain had searched for his friend for over an hour and it only after Ship eventually
admitting to Tibbs that a sad-looking Man/Girl was visiting the wonderous indoor-gardens
-that he realised that BIAD was thinking of Pandora.



"She did want to destroy you... you know that, don't you?" Tibbs offered to the quiet BIAD
and saw a small shrug of the shoulders. "Pandora belongs to my brother and I feel a shame
of betrayal... even to him" BIAD answered.

A small Droid wheeled past with a Watering Can in it's thin pincer-claws and ignored the
two intruding humanoids, Sheila-Two had a schedule to keep and she was behind.

Tibbs stepped closer to Boy In A Dress and gently laid a hand on his, the red nails paled with
the orange colour from the watching orb outside. "The mysteries of females are something
no male will ever fathom, my friend... it's a universal enigma" the ancient Time Man chortled
and patted BIAD's knuckles.

The grass grew and the flowers swayed in the artificial wind as the two beings enjoyed a
simpler wonder, that of space and it's celestial contents.

"I had a boyfriend once" Sheila-Two said from behind a rhubarb leaf, the Watering Can was
empty again and she was about to return to the tiny waterfall near the back of th arboretum.
"His name was Fader Crate and he worked on the upper-levels of Ship... in a Barber Shop - I
think" she added and trundled infront of the window to face BIAD and Tibbs.

The grinning so-called Devil tipped his head alittle and waited for Sheila to inform them of
more advice in the ways of love, the small man with the beard showed a dark-frown and
wondered where the 'Off' switch was.

"The only problem was that he was seeing another... a Cleaner-Droid from Area Twelve with
a set of independant catapillar-tracks that turned many a head" Sheila said in lower tones.
Boy In A Dress nodded to indicate that he knew of the feelings of doubt and envy, these
emotions had rarely sat with him, but he had seen the damage that such feelings can do.

Tibbs sighed and narrowed his eyes at the knee-high Droid "Don't you have work to do?" he
said and pulled his robes around his shoulders, the fake-breeze was becoming chilly.
Sheila-Two set the dark-green container down in the wispy grass below the outcrop that
BIAD sat on and answered, all Droids were obligated to.

"Affirmative, I am doing my duties and accomplishing them with minimum of problems"
Sheila stated and turned slightly to face the long-fringed humanoid with the bare-legs.

"He was a darling, he knew everything I wanted and took care to be on time... an admiring
trait for a male-designed Droid" Sheila imparted in the form of a piece of gossip, even going
as far as to raise a claw to hide her grilled-mouth.

BIAD shuffled forward and seemed to Tibbs that he was genuinely interested in what this
miniature 'fish-monger's wife' had to say, with a "hmmph!" he turned on his heels and
went to smell the roses.
Sheila craned her neck to look at the receding planet in the window and reflected on her
lost love, BIAD waited for more input.

"Then I discovered the other, the one his mechanical-heart was really ensorceled by...."
the Gardener-Droid mumbled "...it took me a long time to get over him" she said sadly.
BIAD climbed down from the rock and patted Sheila gently on the head "but you moved
on... you got stronger" he whispered.

Tibbs looked up from enjoying the fragrances of the blue petals and saw the hermaphrodite
walking towards him, the recent woes of romance seemed to have gone and the high-heels
clicked in a lighter step.

"Thank you..." Tibbs called sarcastically over the bare-shoulder of BIAD "it was quite an
experience meeting you" and showed a smile that never reached his spectacled-eyes.
The sound of the Watering Can being picked up and the whine of Sheila-Two's motors
reached the two friend's ears (if BIAD actually has ears!)... and both of them stopped at the
arboretum door.

"What was the other Droid's name...? you know, the one who stole Fader's heart" BIAD
shouted towards the Droid over near a hanging Palm tree. Sheila-Two looked up from her
interest in a resident ant's nest.

"Oh... er, Frank" Sheila said and went back to her observation.

BIAD and Tibbs looked at each other and left without another word.

....................................................~Talk-Talk~.............................................

The room was lit with soothing ambient colours as Tibbs and Mucklebones scraped
their respective-chairs away from the massive composite table and waited for the
others, both the Time-traveller and the Gray-Witch declined any offers of coffee and
doughnuts from Ship.

"I can also provide Tea, wine or fruit-juices" The Yydryl's voice smoothly advised the
lonely-looking pair and it was Muckles who asked for a Kamra-berry drink.
The glass of blueish liquid appeared from the surface of the table and the crone moved
her leathery-skinned head to her lover to show her unawed view of the technology.
"Ah' thank yer'" Muckles mumbled and sipped the drink sheepishly.

The metal door swished open and Nenothtu limped into the Conference Room,Tibbs
twisted his body to watch the bruised and scratched Vandal make his way across to a
recessed area in the wall.

"You're still visiting that Holo-Theatre?" the Vithian asked with a scolding tone and with
a wave of his calloused-hand, Neno dismissed the question. "Coffee please -Ship" he
grunted and slumped into a chair opposite.

Boy In A Dress slipped through the entrance way with his usual smiling features and
humble posture, a stick that once held Cotton Candy hung from his red-nailed hand.
"Hello all" he chirped and sat beside the GunMan.
The four Beings eyed each other and any stranger peeking in would think that this odd
group of individuals had never met. Although... the quiet wasn't uncomfortable.

Chumley blundered in with a rainbow-coloured rug on his shoulder and the Mili-being
known as Carpet and the Regalian were deep in a discussion about Carpet's antics.
"But Chumley not your private-vehicle..." the green giant said as he stepped into the
room and the whole atmosphere changed from a calm feeling to a bustling place full of
waiting questions and struggling explanations.

Carpet slipped from Chumley's shoulder and rippled across the floor, BIAD lifted his
high-heels as he passed underneath his chair and without a word, took a place at the far-end
of the massive table.
Chumley nodded to Muckles as he sat beside her.

The wall behind Tibbs flickered twice and a scene of rolling prairie giving way to blue-
grey mountains, a dark brown-haired woman in a faded pair of jeans and a shirt -tied at
the stomach waved from the foreground "Are we on?" Silo13 asked and pushed her newly-
dyed hair from her forehead.
BIAD waved back and showed an embarrassed face at the others around him.

"...Just get your toenails clipped!" Dag hissed as she and Adam came into the room and the
blonde-haired girl changed her features from her concerns with the Doctor's feet-condition
to an upbeat 'what's going on' look and easy smile.

Adam placed his bottom-lip over his top one and raised his eyebrows tos how the male
-occupants of the Conference Room that he had lost another debate.
Nenothtu cracked a lop-sided smile and a twinkle in his cold-eyes said to the sad-looking
U-man, that he understood.

"Now... we're here to discuss two issues, the first is the news that Nenothtu here, has
recently received..." Tibbs announced and pointed a stubby-finger towards the hunch-
shouldered Vandal with the dark-stubble on his cheeks. Tibbs eyed the tired features of
the Neo and told himself that he would have to talk with the tall Gunslinger later.

"Our friend has inherited a place, a fairly large piece of property that really should have the
new owner visit" Tibbs said and looked over his round spectacles at the mis-matched group
at the table.

"Has it a ranch?" Silo called from the wall and added "sorry" has she realised that she didn't
need to shout, her sunny-smile showed that she was enjoying her time with Pip.
Any chance at nudging Tibbs' seriousness was never ovelooked by Silo and the others, so
the Bio-Wraith took the opportunity.

Tibbs sighed and continued.

(Continued Below)

(Continued from Above)

"The Haager System... as I know it, contains the planet Khalamzadar -where Neno was
found after the Elysium went down. I've done some homework on the subject and it seems
uninhabited" The small handset beeped as he went through the information.

"Due to Nenothtu's time there, it's been deemed that he is now the ruler of this far-flung
place... and I don't know if it has a ranch" the Vithain added the last part with a tone of
condescendence.

Nenothtu stood up and waved the empty mug in his fingers, a small grunt of aching-muscles
slipped as he reached his full height. "Well, ah'm goin' back -whether yer' comin' along or
not" he said disinterestingly and went for a refill.

A small thin Droid drove into the room and placed a platter of odd-looking fruits onto the
table, BIAD glanced twice at the name on the mechanical-servant's chest and turned to see if
Tibbs had noticed. The small man in the robes was engrossed in his handset, so the Man/Girl
said loudly "Thank you Frank" and this brought smiling-eyes from the Vithian.

The Droid left and Neno returned with a steaming coffee, he moved his arm as if stretching
a strained muscle. "Maybe it's time ah' settled down on my own patch of land, maybe this
'King of the Universe'-thing is all just hogwash" the GunMan said with a mocking sneer, he
knew which buttons to press to annoy the dwarf with the white beard.

Tibbs stared at the standing man before him and showed a straight-lined mouth, he knew
the person with the old Colt on his hip was more intelligent -than he was letting on, but
Tibbs would still bite at the bait.

"Your destiny is your own, you cannot avoid it..." the steady voice of the Time-Adjuster
stated "...This is merely a facet of that destiny, you will acquire property as you near your
final goal... my only concerns are that you're not being set-up"

Chumley swallowed a chunk of melon that his flipper-like appendage had grabbed from the
plate near him and asked "you think someone tricking Neno?" Melon-juice was wiped from
his rubbery lip by the smiling Dag.

"We have made enemies..." she cooed at the watching eye-stalks "...I woulndn't be surprised
to find BIAD's brother -or any of the others involved" Chumley nodded with a look of worry.
The hermaphrodite breathed softly and placed the sweet-wooly stick on the table.

"Mmmm... an Ice Giant" Tibbs muttered as he clicked his handset off and dragged his
thoughts back into the present, the others looked back at him waiting for further input.

The subject of visiting Nenothtu's inheritance had seemed to be put to bed by the the growl
from the dark-clothed Vandal "Ah'm going and that's-that"

Tibbs sighed, looked at Mucklebones and then turned to the second concern.