The Voyages of the Penelope and the Yydryl

~*~ Dust to Dust... ~*~

Pip looked around at the make shift mourners, hats in their hands, his tear stained face radiant in the morning light. Waiting for something he stood there beside his father’s burial mound the fresh dirt turning shades of pinks and oranges the wooden cross casting a dark shadow amidst all the color.

‘Aint no one gonna...say nuthin?’ He hiccuped looking pointedly at Neno. The real Neno. The two other ‘Neno’s’ wearing the U-Man suits stood back unwilling to join in the earth custom of burying the dead in the ground. The ritual repulsed Chumley (he preferred a good burning) and caused Carpet to reflect mightily on his decision to leave Ship and join the land of the mortal.

Neno cleared his throat and looked anywhere but at the boy which was a mistake. He caught Silo’s eyes and flinched. The girls scowl was as loaded and steely as a double barely about to go off her stare pinning him in place. A horse whinnied from the corral forcing quiet.

BIAD, trail weary and ‘y’-sore from ridding took a step forward and cleared his throat only to remain silent. Gep’s dog who’d followed his master down the trail and to his death only days before sat at the feet of his grave and howled.

..............................................~Goodbye Again and Hello Again~...............................

The mid-morning breeze pulled faint streams of woodsmoke from the remains of Hobbs End
as Tibbs and Mucklebones stepped towards where their friends waited at a gravesite.
The small Being wanted to race towards Nenothtu, Silo and Boy In A Dress, but the solemn
occasion warrented that restraint was in order, the taller Alien-Witch eyed the group warily.

"We have been brought together to move the young man's Father to another place..." BIAD
suddenly said aloud, his scarlet-nailed hands were placed at the front-hem of his red dress.
"... Time counts and keeps counting, man is merely a second hand on that grand clock"

The Man-Girl looked up from his reverence and glanced at the ragged boy with the dirt-
smudged face, the words in his head struggled to join in a sentence, but he soldiered on.
"Gep leaves his son here to carry on his good name and we can only ask that Pip will
aspire to do make a path in life that his Father would be proud of"

The Vithian nodded at BIAD's words and Silo placed a gentle hand on Pip's shoulder.

"Gep's passing has brought sorrow, but let it bring us hope that somewhere... there is a
place of peace for all of us. Rest in that peace, Gep" BIAD said softly and stepped back from
the grave and looked to Neno for any advice on the next move, the long-fringed Being was
surprised when the GunMan took a stride to the pile of fresh earth.

"Gep died doin' his best by his kin... that marks 'im well in ma' book" the tall Vandal said in
a menacing voice "...Ah'll be expecting no harm will come to him now... and I KNOW yer'
listenin' Death" This brought everyone from their head-lowered thoughts.

Chumley looked around with a confused look and a conforting hand from Silo eased his
furrowed brow, it was still odd having two 'Nenothtus'
Then with an emotionless look at Pip, Neno snapped "Nuff said" and swishing his dark
-coloured Duster, he turned away from the gravesite.

Pip kneeled into the soil that skirted his Father's resting place and laid a hand around the
rough-furred shoulders of his Pa's dog, the wimpering Cur showed loyal-sad eyes at the
the young lad.

"Ah'm alone Pa... alone with strangers, but ah' thank yer' fur all yer've done. Rest with
Ma" Pip mumbled and let the tears darken the brown earth.

There was no welcoming happiness from Tibbs and his lover, no back-slapping and no
handshaking, the group just followed the Gunman from the grave to whatever lay ahead.
Pip nibbled his lip and wondered if he and the dog should follow.

..................~~Too Little Too Late~~.........................

Charon and the Raven Mocker were both watching as this awkward ceremony took place.

Pip's head lowered and his tears dripped directly onto the soil of the mound. The dog sat panting, patiently, and leaned a little so that they two were shoulder to shoulder. It was when he began to growl, low and privately, as though muttering to himself, that Pip snapped back to the reality of the moment.

Following the dog's gaze, Pip felt the hair on his arms and neck rise. The dog's hackles did so as well. Though Pip could not see him, The Raven Mocker stepped out from where he'd been concealed in the nearby brush and lifted an arm, pointing a long finger at the little boy. The dog's growling turned to a snarl.

Pip warily stood, placed a hand on the dog's head, and said, "Let's go, boy. Sumpin ain't right here, I know. I feel it, too."

He looked in the direction that the mourners had gone and hoped that they would allow him to join their band. And then, as young boys do, he began to run. The dog kept stride and neither looked back again as they moved away from Gep's grave.

Charon spoke first. "You're too late for this one, too early for that one, my old heart-eating comrade."

"And who was it that kept me at bay?" asked the Raven. "Which of those beings has the medicine that prevented me entering when it was time?"

"Why would I tell you, even if I knew?" said Charon. "And why are you here? You had another quarry in queue before you missed the boat on this one." He chuckled at his pun. "Get it? Missed the boat. Now why don't you fly off somewhere and leave those folks alone? They are not of this world, and you know you are relegated to those who are natives of this place."

"And you, instead, have the privilege of ferrying anyone at all," said the Raven sourly.

"Oh, I won't be taking this one either," said Charon. "Improper burial, you know. The fare was not paid. This one will be going it alone. I merely came to see what Death's brother would do. And now that the party is over, I know. Time for the next phase of the plan. Pandora is heading the Neo's way even now for the grand seduction. I plan to be there to see her in action." After a pause he added, "Aren't you the one responsible for getting the youth from Fairy Stone Park?"

The Raven nodded. "But his marker was in the hands of another, and I've no way to track him now. The blood was spilt, the marker rallied, and I appeared, only to find an older man with the blonde. The youth was not with them.
They have now escaped my radar. All of them."

Charon shook his head. "Oh, terrific. That's just terrific. Fiona said it would be simple, she had it all sorted."

"That's the thing about us trying to meddle. We don't have enough of a foot in the material world to stop things like horses bolting, riders swapping, people stupidly wandering off into the dark without provisions." The Raven sighed.

And he vanished. Charon made his way to Gert's hut alone, anticipating with relish Pandora's debut as the seductress of the Neo.

Official Document For Council 767 Approval Only.
A128493.bac
*************
SENSITIVE
*************
MINUTES FOR ASSESSMENT FROM THE COUNCIL 767 AND JOINT
COMMITTEE TO ESTABLISH PEACE IN SECTOR TWO.

Perusal of Current situations regarding Time-Leveller IX known as 'Tibbs'
Council 767 Meeting Held 847 (B4). Vithian Gate.
Subject: Possible intervention to assist with IX's project and summary
of humanoids known and accepted to The Council as 'The Crew Of The Yydryl'

....................................................................................................................................

AB42-27CC.
After discussions with Security and Development Agencies, concerns have arisen in
regards of the Vithian known as Tibbs and the current situation with the humanoids
known and accepted as 'The Crew Of The Yydryl'

The humanoids have recently been divided during a unusual event of returning to a time
on the planet known as Earth (VT755) from where some of the crew originated.
Interacting with remaining indigenous species, the group known as The Crew Of The Yydryl
have allegedly involved themselves with so-called 'Sentient Beings'

Though this Council has serious doubts that such races exist, we feel that an investigation
should be conducted by a separate party to bring the Council further evidence.

The matter of The Splitter was also discussed and The Council agreed with Honourable
Secretary -Croll Mavison, that this particular Time-Mechanic may have gone 'rogue'
Chairman Toyme notified The Council that The Treem Agency have agreed to investigate
and resolve any difficult circumstances in regards of The Splitter.

Jarv IV spoke at length about The Splitter and requested that the statement below should
be entered into the Minutes.
"The Splitter has always done things his own way, Hell... if I had a Jill for everytime he
went off on one of his long-winded learning-curves, I'd rival Chairman Toyme's coffers!"

(The Council laughed)

..."I think that you will find that The Splitter does things his way, I for one will not doubt
the Time-Mechanic's intentions"

The Council were also informed that Jordan XX has agreed to monitor the 'Tibbs' situation
from a safe distance and report on any possible hazards in any Council actions of Time-
Reformation.

Verr Temp commented during the Meeting:
"... with the appearance of these so-called 'Deities' I strongly feel that Tibbs' endeavours
to bring this character called 'Neo' to a central status may have to be put on hold, this
particular species -if they do exist, could be deemed as a problem"

The Council 767 discussed the idea of recalling Tibbs (IX) from the project and -though
accepting the vote to halt any further interaction, Hon. Secretary Mavison asked the
members to pause on their decision until Jordan XX could update them at the next Meeting.
The Council accepted the proposal.

....................................................................................................................................

The Council discussed their concerns of Time-Shifters known as 'The Green Man' and the
lack of discipline among The Crew Of The Yydryl to retain said-mechanisms. Jordan XX
agreed to look at the problem and report back.

Due to commitments elsewhere, the Meeting was adjourned and The Council agreed to
convene at the earliest opportunity to discuss options on closing Tibbs' project -If future
circumstances require it.

Meeting Closed: 3374.

edit on 3-3-2012 by A boy in a dress because: Adjusting Of Context

~*~ Pip ~*~

‘My book!’ Pip hollered, spun in place and with boots sending pebbles flying took off at a dead run back past the freshly covered mound of dirt containing the remains of his father, past the horse corral, past the dog house and outhouse and into the cabin he once called home.

‘What’s up with the kid?’ Neno’d turned his horse and trotted back to where Silo stood watching Pip a hand over her eyes shielding them from the bright yellow sun.

‘He forgot...something.’ Silo answered not knowing why she didn’t tell Neno what Pip had forgotten was the book ‘Serendipity’ by CindyMars. The feeling of excluding him left her stomach knotted and empty. Sensing the change Neno’s eyebrows dropped over the bridge of his nose where he looked down at her from his horse. ‘Neno it’s a long story, just never mind.’ Silo sighed and dropped her hand but not before fluttering it in his direction shooing him on his way.

“What’s that little thing you just did there with yer hand there missy?’ Neno snorted and dismounted not put off for a moment. Reigns in hand he stood at her side where the big roan lipped his pocket looking for a treat.

Ignoring his question Silo sighed again and raised her hand back to her eyes. ‘You know, you shouldn’t hand feed that horse. It’ll make it bite.’ Silo shot them a dark look from the corner of her eye wishing Neno and his horse would go away.

‘He likes cigars. Like me. He can’t resist them.’ Neno took a stogy from his pocket, snapped it in half, gave his mount the lions share and lit the stub his eyes squinting around the smoke the horses eyes scrunched closed chewing in bliss.

‘You too make quite a pair.’ She chuckled reluctantly and went back to watching for Pip.

‘So do you and that kid.’ The hint of jealousy in his voice was lost in Silo.

‘It’s been tough on him. A lot of changes in such a short time. Or maybe he just decided to stay...‘ Her voice trailed off.

‘You think he’d do that? Stay here?’ Neno switched the cigar to the opposite corner of his mouth. His roan went back to nosing his pocket for more tobacco.

‘He might.’ The hurt in her voice wasn’t lost on Neno.

‘Well don’t let him. That kid’s got a sack a grit but not that big a sack.’ Neno mounted and wheeled back to the group. Silo let him go without a second thought.

~*~ The Two Neno’s ~*~

‘Jenovah Chumley! How could you have lost it!’ Carpet leapt from his horse into the back of the jostling wagon sending it’s occupants into swoons of delight. Handing the reigns to one of the yellow haired girls he started poking around under the buckboard.

‘Aint my fault.’ Chumley grunted. ’It aint my fault.’ He repeated doggedly ‘fault’ sounding much like the bray of the two mules pulling them up the trail. ‘It was in dat bag der. I knows it.’

‘Well it’s not there now.’ Slapping his forehead Carpet sucked in his breath and held it. ‘What are we going to tell Silo...and Ship!’ Carpet’s breath whooshed out in a long sigh causing the girls to giggle louder. ‘We had the Green Man and we lost it!’ Carpet cursed long and loud the girl holding the reigns eyes wide as an owls her mouth rounding in a small moue.

‘You tell dem. I done tell dem, YOU tell dem!’ Chumley yelled back at Carpet startling the mules into a rough trot. Chumley groaned. His butt hurt. The man suit didn’t have enough padding in the rear and the wood under his hind end was hard and unforgiving. Every time a wooden wheel crippled over a rock the Regalian felt the jolt rocket up his spine to rattle his teeth. He wanted to go home. He hated this place with it’s hot sun, sand, and not a cold Crandorian ale in sight. He hated the U-Man suit. He hated the young U-Man females laughter. He was hungry. He had to fart.

Neno trotted past ending their argument. ‘Listen up Boys. One a ya take a horse - and a spare - and go back for Silo and the kid.’ Breaking into a gallop before one of the ‘boys’ could respond Neno missed both Carpet and Chumley’s curses.

‘Carpet go. I wagon driver.’ Chumley pulled his hat farther down over his brow hunching his shoulders and closing himself off to debate.

Jumping from buckboard back into the saddle Carpet moves were so gracefully the trotting horse barely noticed. Leaning back he reached for the reigns of a copper colored mare who’d been hitched to the wagon his fingers brushing against the girls. Tipping his hat to the young U-Man female Carpet wheeled his horse and galloped back down the trail. The yellow haired girl Jeni clutched her hand to her heart and swooned.

................~~A Doctor and his Pair (of Droids)~~...................

Adam and Sslar, along with Skinny and Squibbs, looked around for a lantern or light switch of some kind. Finding none, they were limited to Cecilia beaming her headlights into the hut. The surrounding shadows were unnerving to Adam.

He sat now with the sword in his lap, and Sslar was purring and rubbing up against his shoulder.

"Ye're a bonny lass," he muttered. "Skinny, what is it we're meant for here?"

Skinny shrugged his shoulders. "So far, doctor, we were simply to come here. I am not clear as to why."

Sslar growled, her eyes narrowed and her tail twitched as she looked into the darkest recess of the cabin. Adam swallowed hard, gripping the sword's hilt in reflexive defense mode. Then out of the shadows Charon appeared.

Adam jumped (though he remained seated). "Blast! You again!" he said. "What will ya be wantin' of me now?! I'm no inclined to take yer bait a second time, and won't be following ye anywhere, either!"

Charon chuckled. "Aw, come now, doctor, Fiona rescued you, didn't she? I'd not have left you in the bog to drown. It was a planned rendezvous."

"No kidding," Adam said. "And where is that lass Fiona now, eh?"

Charon smiled. "Not here. The question is why are you here, now? There was a meeting arranged for this hut, and the guest list most assuredly did not include you or your..." he looked the droids up and down with disdain "....machinery. But how now, what is this you hold in your hand? Where did you get it?"

"None of your business," said Adam. Sslar continued to snarl at Charon, which made Adam feel braver, even though she could not have brought Charon down. "I owe ye nothing by way of explanations." In truth, Adam was not sure where Sslar had got the sword, nor could he recall being aware of needing it. "It's rightful owner is a friend of mine, and I intend to return it to him."

Charon chuckled again in his disdainful way. "Indeed. That friend is supposed to be here, as a matter of fact. He was on the guest-list, though, so if you'll be so kind as to give me that item, I will deliver it to him on his arrival. It is a closed meeting, you see."

"No a chance I'll be handin' it over to ye," said Adam. "Ye must be daft if you think I'm going to trust you. The lot o' you are nowt but a bunch of sneaky freaks, and I've no need for more friends than I already have. I'm not ashamed to say I don't like you. Just sayin'."

Just then the trap door lifted, and a feeble flicker of lamplight illuminated Charon's face as the little bell rang. The ghastly vision caused Adam to involuntarily breathe in a gasp. Charon smiled wider. "Meeting time."

The next thing Adam saw was a most beautiful vision. Pandora had not adopted a disguise this time, like she had at the reading of the legend of Coyote v Acme. Her loveliness was mesmerizing, and Adam was instantly enamored by her dazzling aura, and naturally aroused by her skanty outfit. He swallowed hard.

"Who are ye then?" he asked.

Pandora stepped up onto the floor of the hut and lowered the door to the floor, and then looked at him. "Well, well. I hadn't expected anyone to crash our little clandestine plans here. I assume you are looking for the one called Dag?"

Adam now struggled to his feet, the hefty sword still in his hand and pointed at her. Sslar remained between him and Charon. "Aye," he said. "Tell me where she is now, afore I skewer ya both."

Pandora laughed at this. "Come now, doctor, hand over the weapon, you've no use for it. She's where I've just come from, actually. I'm sure she'll be delighted to see you all. Right through that door."

Adam shook his head. "I'll not be doin' yer bidding, lass, no matter how lovely you might be. I'll keep the sword, with thanks. Now, Skinny, would you lift that trap door, please? We're leaving this meeting. All of us, with the sword. Find yer own if ye're needin' one."

The light on Squibbs' top turned green, and he hoisted his cylindrical self up a couple of notches. Skinny moved to the trapdoor and opened it. Adam, stealthy, without taking his eyes of of the two deities, kept the sword pointed at Pandora, and gestured for the droids and Sslar to go down into the passage.

Pandora smiled warmly at hiim. "You go right ahead, then doctor. No problem. You take your sword, and we'll just carry on with our meeting here. You will find your friend in the Cave of Enchantment."

The droids did Adam's bidding, naturally, though Skinny had to assist Squibbs down the narrow, steep steps. Adam followed them as Sslar stood guard, snarling and roaring at the two deities, who remained quiet. Then she followed Adam, and Skinny pulled the trap door back closed.

"Latch it firmly," said Adam.

"Yes, Doctor," said Skinny. "This is our objective from ship?"

"I don't know, but Cecilia brought us here on Ship's orders, and I intend to stop being a coward. If Dag is down here, I intend to fine her. Let's go."

Skinny bolted the pin on the trapdoor, and they headed for Dag. Above them, Pandora and Charon exchanged smiles.

"Perfect," she said. "Right into our hands." She rubbed her palms together menacingly. "Delicious. Now where's the Neo?"

Nenothtu galloped forward to the head of the little column, where the road was blocked by three men on horseback. When he was in shooting range - but before he was in grabbing range - he stopped and waited for them to state their business.

One of the others spoke up. "Howdy, fella! Fine day fer ridin' ain't it?"

Guardedly, neno replied "It'll do until another one comes along, I reckon." His horse jinked and pawed, but jinked in such a way that it would be easier and faster if neno's gun needed to come out and play, presenting a 3/4 broadside to the road block. 'Smart critter', neno thought. 'I wonder if that was an accident, ofr if he's been taught that?'

"We'll not hold ye up long here. We just wanted to parlay, and find out what you want fer that waggin-load of yaller haired gals ye've got there."

Confused, neno replied "What I want?"

"Yessir. Yer obviously on yer way to the slave market with 'em, and we thought we might jus' take 'em off yer hands and save you the trip, if yer price is right."

"You want to buy people?" neno asked, incredulous.

"Naw, just them yaller-haired gals ye've got there. They ought to fetch a fine price, figgered we might could turn a little profit and save you a trip. They's jus' split-tails. Why are ye getting yer dander up over 'em?"

"They're people. they ain't fer sale" neno replied. "Now if you don't mind, stand aside and we'll be on our way".

The talker in the other group hardened his eyes, and neno thought 'ah hell - here it comes!'. he flipped the tail of his slicker back to clear his pistol. the other fellow growled "We don't step aside at NO man's order. You can go around... or we kin jus' TAKE them yaller haired gals offen yer hands... and yer hosses, too."

Nenothtu spit a stray sliver of tobacco from his cigar off of the tip of his tongue - without taking his eyes off of the Talker - and simply said "No you won't."

The other men started edging their horses forward, the two at the sides spreading out to flank neno while the talker in the middle said "You shouldn't oughtta said it like that. Now we ARE gonna take 'em. What do you think yer gonna do about that agin' the three of us?"

All in one motion, neno drew his pistol and shot the man dead square in the middle of his chest. "That" was all he said. a flurry of movement from the rider to his left caught his attention, but before he could acquire the target there was a loud BOOM from just behind him and to his right, and the rider toppled from his mount. Glancing back, neno saw Margo with a rifle in her hands, smoke curling from the muzzle, and keeping the downed man covered.

The last rider, seeing that now it was HE who was outnumbered, wheeled his horse and took off at a dead run, screaming "The boss ain't gonna like this! We'll be back, you kin count on that!"

Almost regretfully, neno muttered "I wisht ye hadn't said that". and drew a rifle from the scabbard on his own horse - uncharacteristically for a cowpoke it was an ancient antique M-16 - drew a bead and shot the man right out of the saddle as he ran away.

Margo plodded up abreast of neno and said "Why did you shoot him in the back like that?"

"On account of he was going to bring more friends to the party, dead men tell no tales, and I didn't feel like ringing up another 'no sale' today. Who the hell buys people? I ain't sellin' what ain't mine to sell, and them sumbitches ain't takin' it, either."

With just a hint of a grin, Margo said "You'll do."

"Fer what?" neno queried.

Ignoring the question, Margo said "I didn't feel like being sold again, any way". and rode off to check on the girls.

Nenothtu called after her retreating back "Again? What do you mean 'again'?" and when no answer was forthcoming, he rode out to gather up the dead men's horses and drag the bodies off the trail into the brush.

Taking the 3 "new" horse back to the buckboard and tying them to the rear of it, neno remarked "I sure hope they don't still hang horse thieves."

Margo looked at him sideways and replied "No, it appears that some people just shoot them and save on rope."

Gruffly, neno said "Well let's get this mob to the Tumblers and off this rock before we run into more 'traders'."

Hell on Heels

Riding along lost in thought, neno wondered just what Margo had meant about not being sold "again". How many times had the woman been "sold", and was it real slavery, or just prostitutional transactions?

From what she had told him previously, she had been stranded on Earth for 70 or 80 years. It looked like in all that time, some "owner" at some time or another would have noticed she wasn't aging because of her cyborg status. That, in turn, would lead to suspicions in the superstitious locals, and THAT could lead to real trouble for her.

Along with wondering if they still hung horse thieves, neno wondered if they still burned witches, for surely that would be the first explanation hit upon for her lack of aging. If anyone discovered her "condition", then some one, some where, would either have killed her or used the knowledge for leverage.

Maybe someone like MacAllister or Taggart. Maybe that was their grip over her, which had been broken at their deaths. Neno muttered "well that was a job well done then." and put troublesome musings about slavery behind him.

He didn't need to be thinking about Margo or her predicaments any how. that was her lookout, none of his business. Margo, for her part, didn't see it quite like that, but neno had no way of knowing that, After all, he was just a man, and thought with a man's mind. He never burdened himself with female thought processes.

Margo was "settin' her cap" for neno, and like a bug under a magnifying glass, he was blissfully unaware of that. More unaware than he was of the childish infatuations of the "yaller haired gals", which amused him and annoyed him at the same time.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and teenage women who had yet to learn self control were 10X worse.

Multiply that by six, add in Margo's machinations, factor in the audacity of pampered rich kids, and neno didn't have a clue what was coming about behind him.

................................~Best Served Cold... Especially In The Desert~...........................

"Are you sure you want to it this way?" Charon offered and waited until Pandora shuffled
herself comfortable, the unkempt hair and dirt-smudged face made the FerryMan double-
take the prone woman and he still wasn't sure about this plan.

"Don't fret your barge-pole my Darling..." Pandora cooed and waved her hand to have the
dried tree lowered onto her calves, the stone-washed denim jeans would stop any danger
of scratching.
"... the dumb cow-poke won't be able to resist a damsel in distress and then I'll get even
with that Man-Girl freak" the last words sounded like a viper under a bucket.

Pandora pondered whether to keep her water-weathered hat on and decided she would
look both sexier and more vunerable with it jammed among her wild tresses.
The sun-heated dust warmed through her buckskin shirt and with forced tears trickling
down her cheeks, she knew she was ready.

Charon shook his head at the inflated lips of Death's lover, but said nothing. It was true
that the look gave her a fragile face and being stuck under a log would almost guarantee
that no red-blooded man would ride on by.

It was within these thoughts that he looked up towards the approaching group, the tall Spirit
began to fade as he did and left Pandora with a parting piece of advice.
"Don't come on to him too fast and make sure the Margot-creature doesn't get suspicious"

Pandora twisted her smile and frown at the waning FerryMan "you think a machine can
stop the Neo from resisting me?" she whispered and revealed an evil smile.
"The sap doesn't stand a chance"

The cabin stood around a hundred yards behind the waiting Pandora and glancing back to
make sure Adam, Sslar and the 'tin-heads' won't spoil the trap, the beautiful woman under
the sun-dried wood breathed in deeply and accepted her role... she called out.

Nenothtu's horse heard the faint human voice and splayed his nostrils to pick up any scent,
the oily-black eyes scanned the trail ahead and deep inside his equine head, the big horse
wondered what sort of creature gave off no smell.

"Come on in -said the spider to the fly" Pandora muttered softly and waited for the long
shadow to reach her.

~*~ Stay or Go ~*~

‘So you regret’n you stayed behind with me?’ Pip asked from his side of the bed.

‘No, not really. Why?’ Silo replied not exactly honestly.

‘’Cause you and that Neno guy seemed kind’a mad at each other before he left.’ Pip squirmed under the covers.

‘That ‘Neno guy’?’ Silo chuckled and rolled on her side watching the moon outside the window wondering where ‘that guy’ was.

‘What you laughing at?’ Pip asked and started squirming again.

‘Nothing.’

‘Yeah right. ‘Nothing’s’ just what my Pa used to say when he didn’t want to answer me.’ Pip stilled his squirming, his voice thick with emotion.

‘Tell me this bucko, how’s it you’re in bed with me instead of sleepin’ in the trundle where you belong? Silo tried brightly to steer the conversation away from their pain.

‘Cause your friend Carpet’s gonna use the trundle when we switch the night watch remember?‘ Pip answered matter-of-factly while twisting a corner of the bed quilt between his fingers, ‘and cause you an me both miss my Pa.’ Pip sniffled and turned away from her to face the wall.

‘You’re a hard one to fool aint’cha boy.’ Silo sighed ruefully in the dark listening to his staggered breathing knowing he was crying but not able to do more to help than laying her hand across his shoulder giving it a small shake.

‘Go on and try to catch some sleep son, we got a lot a territory to ride tomorrow.’ Silo ruffled his hair. kissed his cheek and left the bed.

Setting herself in the willow backed rocker next to the window, wrapping a quilt around her body to ward off the cold Silo stared at the moon in silence until she fell asleep.

~*~ Going to Town ~*~

Drawing her horse back to a walk as the burnt out compound came into view Silo caught her breath. Pip reigned his mount along side hers shielding his eyes. If anything the ruins of the city looked more menacing than ever and Silo rethought her decision to take the boy any closer. On one hand if they were together she wouldn’t have to worry about him and another set of eyes was always better. On the other hand...

‘Quit worrying. If anyone’s gonna get into trouble it’s you. You’re the girl.’ Pip was good, too good at reading her thoughts but was honestly referring to Macalister's slave trading females not her ability to protect them.

‘Do I look like a girl?’ Silo asked from behind her dirty face, the boy’s old hat pulled down over her ears and her shoulders hunched beneath Gep’s old ridding coat.

‘What you look like and what slavers can ‘smell’ aren’t the same.’ Pip replied innocently then laughed out loud at Carpet who blushed to the roots of his hair at his turn of phrase.

‘But Macalister’s dead and so is Taggart so what we got to worry about?’ Silo thought aloud wishing Neno was near. Pulling one of his used cigars from her pocket she lit the end and choked a little on the pungent smoke.

Pip laughed, ‘What do we have to worry about?’ He snorted. ’If you think those two were the only ones runnin’ girls you’re wrong.’ Heeling his horse into a trot Pip urged his mount forward. Silo and Carpet exchanged worried looks and followed the boy into town.

~*~ Lost and Found ~*~

‘Come on Pip we found what we came for...let’s get going.’ Silo dropped her hand from fastening the Green Man at her throat to the boys thin shoulder giving it a small squeeze. She wanted to get out of this town and the sooner the better. It smelled like hell and held too many memories that turned to nightmares when she closed her eyes. The burnt out black bones of the saloon and motel, what was left of the slave cabins, the whole place made her jumpy.

Pip grunted something unintelligible but didn’t make a move to leave. Absentmindedly he turned ‘Serendipity’ over and over in his hands while his eyes searched the room for something that wasn’t there. Silo squeezed his shoulder again and let him take another moment. A lifetime had passed since they’d watched helplessly while Pip’s father died here on the cabin floor. The weak lemon lamplight still flickered lamely, the water barrel rested full, the one dingy window still sported it’s one long crack as before. But life had moved on and now Pip recognized what he was looking for. Release. He’d come to find his book and found something greater along with it. The possibility to go on. Cleanly. The past never forgotten but put behind him now making room for his boyish vibrancy and rebound to do the rest of the healing.

‘You two ready to go?’ Carpet called from the doorway where he stood guard his rifle held loosely across his chest.

‘Yeah sure. As ready as I’ll, as we’ll ever be.’ Pip answered bravely meeting Silo’s eyes with a small smile before puckering up to blow out the lantern with a puff of his breath.

Riding from town Carpet maneuvered his horse beside Silo’s and dipped his head for privacy. ‘We taking the boy back to Ship?’ He asked acidly. Carpet didn’t like Pip, that was obvious, though until now Silo hadn’t wondered why.

‘I told you before. It‘s up to him.’ Silo ground out between clenched teeth while tugging at the reigns when her horse started jigging.

‘So you’ve not changed your mind. You’ll stay if he does?’ Carpet hissed but it was Neno’s eyes that narrowed making them ugly in a way Neno’s never did.

‘Yes!’ If she hadn’t of made up her mind before the look Carpet gave her would have done it then. The look she despised. The one she learned from watching Mac. The look a man gave a woman that said ‘I own you, you’re mine, you’ll do as I say.‘ Angered and hurt Silo healed her horse into a canter and whooped over her shoulder to Pip. ‘Last one home’s a chicken!’ Pip squealed and answered by leaning over his horse’s neck entering the race.

‘I’ll be waiting at the Tumblers!’ Carpet hollered at their backs. Without waiting to see if Silo heard him wheeled his horse in the opposite direction making his own trail back to Neno and the others.

.............................................~Mr. Jordan Gets A Family~..........................................

Tumbler I maneuvered a little closer to the ground and after checking that communication
with Ship was still valid, scanned his companions behind him. They were on source-name
terms now and Akron felt that this was the nearest to family he'll ever have.

"What will become of us after this rescue mission...? will Ship have us parked in some dusty
Bay with the company of an occasional Maintenance-Droid?" he asked and vented a blast of
waste gas.

Cecilia shuffled her massive legs and waited beside Mut, the question had never occured
to her before, she had just lived in the moment and followed The Yydryl's instructions.
'Tumbler-talk' had become a habit on a special frequency, so any concerns of eaves-dropping
from Ship, Corky Bunion and Drake were not needed, Akron switched off his hull-lights and
waited for a response.



The early-morning light nudged closer as each vehicle pondered their future, but it was Mut
who answered first.
"It's always been this way..." Tumbler II growled and folded his one arm back into it's cradle,
"... we are merely transport for the 'two-legs'... no insult intended Cecilia" A large metal
finger stroked Mut's upper-shell and the female voice murmered kindly "none taken"

The dawn creaked over the horizon and the three Tumblers waited for the Doctor, Squibs and
Skinny, the huge cat-creature was part of the pack too -Akron guessed.

Cecilia switched off her main beams and listened to a far-off bird whistle as her cooling lights
ticked, Akron's question jumped around her hardrive and wouldn't go away.
"We could ask Ship for more missions..." she transmitted earnestly "... our behaviour up to
now will stand us in good-stead" the other Tumblers remained off-line and only the early-
bird brought sound to the waiting trio.

It was a few minutes later when another voice broke the silence.

"Your fears are unfounded, my dear Tumblers... there are more missions ahead" Mr. Jordan
said softly and stepped into the make-shift circle that the craft had made.
"Forgive my intrusion and please, do not fire on me... I am here to help" the Vithian asked
and smiled up at the Tumblers, beams of red light flickered across his dark-Preacher attire
and reflected back off the buckle on his black hat.

Akron puzzled at the figure that waited near the trail to the cabin, the Tumbler had enjoyed
perusing Ship's Memory Banks for history of this planet and the image of a character from the
17th century Earth had come to his attention almost immediately.

Mathew Hopkins -or better known as WitchFinder General, wore black clothes that reeked of
religeous discipline and intolerance, this fellow who now stood smiling up at the floating
conveyance, wore the exact-same garb, Akron scanned the humanoid again.

"Is there something wrong, Cecilia...?" Corky asked from his pilot seat and leaned towards
the viewing screen, the desert floor showed nothing except sage brush. "... Your systems
are doing odd things" the Bay-Droid mumbled and rubbed his chin in thought.

The Tumbler with her massive hands on her hips saw Mr. Jordan shake his head and took a
leap of faith -something that made her diagnostic boards buzz and reported back to the big
Droid with the gold-plating.

"Everything five-by-five. It may be radiation effects... I'll run a check" Cecilia answered and
realised she had told her first lie, Tumbler I and Tumbler II actually gasped.

"Thank you dear Lady, I will be brief" Mr. Jordan said held his hands up to show that all was
okay "The future is where all your answers lie, but I must ask for a secrecy between us... for
now"

Mut spoke almost at once "If it means we'll be away from any drafty-old Bays... count me in"
he said confidently and hovered closer, his dull-yellow hull waited only feet from the Being
in the Preacher hat.
"I'm in too..." Cecilia said and the words sounded like a dare, the sexiness wasn't lost on her
fellow Tumblers "... this is exciting and do so want to see the Universe" she said with a sad
hope.

The two Tumblers turned to Akron who dug at the sand with his pincer-claw, the furrow was a
foot-deep and ten inches-wide. "We'll get caught and be dismantled" he snapped and
checked that Adam and his entourage hadn't left the cabin yet.

Jordan XX or now known as Mister Jordan nodded his head in agreement "what I ask of you
is perilous and Tumbler I is correct, if we are discovered and our plans to aide your crew in
elevating The Neo to his place are thwarted, I have to agree with our friend Akron, you may
be taken apart"

(Continued Below)

(Continued From Above)

Mut took two seconds "I'm still in" he growled and looked to the standing Tumbler for her
call, Cecilia whispered "me too"

Inside the female-voiced vehicle, Corky adjusted the scanning spectrum and wondered what
the shimmering shape was below Cecilia, it was barely discernible against the ambient heat
from the desert dust. "Tumbler III... is there someone out there?" the big Droid called into
the console with the grilled vent above him, Drake was still dickering around in the Engine
Room.



Cecilia steeled herself and answered.
"I'm picking up residue-signals from Squibs' dynamo, you may have to ask Drake to take a
look at it when they get back" she said and stifled a giggle at the falsehood she performed
-so easily, Mut snickered and patted his partner's leg-casing.

"Tumbler II here... I'm getting a strange noise from my retro-jets... I think I have a small
leak... what do you suggest Corky?" Mut said lightly and placed the same claw over the
front window as if holding in a laugh, Mr. Jordan beamed and beamed.

Corky the Bay-Droid scrambled from his Pilot-seat and went to see Drake, the Head Repair
-Droid would have all the answers and struggling through the hatch-door, Corky worked on
how to ask the questions.

"Will be together...?" Akron asked the smiling man in the Quaker-like clothes "... what I mean
is, will we be like a family?" and scanned the unusally-tall Vithian once more.
Mr. Jordan reached up and caressed the scratched plating of Tumbler I "You were the first of
your kind, you should be the one who shows the most concern" he said softly and with a tone
of kindness.

The sun glinted off the three metal craft as the stranger in the Preacher outfit whispered
"You are family now and you will be family in the future too. We will do great things together
and the ones who rely on you will come to know you as equals" the bird that had sang earlier
landed on Mr. Jordan's shoulder as if too emphasise the moment.

Pandora and Charon passed unoticed to set their trap for the one known as Nenothtu and in
their hurrying, Mr. Jordan went unseen.

Mut and Cecilia struggled with their joy as Akron announced "then I'm in too"

................~~Reversal of Fortune~~...............

Adam, Squibs, Sslar, and Skinny moved down the passage and when they came to the spot requiring Wellies, they all stopped.

"Short circuit predicted," said Squibs, and his light turned orange.

Adam looked at the little can-shaped droid. "Ghaaaah," he pushed out of his throat.

"I can carry him," said Skinny. "My feet are submersible."

"Aye, good and well," said Adam. "I'll no be leaving either of ya, and time's ticking. Let's go."

He splashed into the water, remembering the nasty feel of the eels that had been submerged in the bog. Wincing, he moved forward, holding the Caliburn out in front of him in a reflexively defensive stance. He turned to see that Skinny had Squibs well above the surface of the water, and then he saw the snorkel tube. Sslar had curled her tail around her feet and was seated at the water's edge. She would not go beyond that point.

"Damn and blast," he muttered, and his eyes shot downward, peering into the water looking for eels. He lifted each boot to ensure he was not bogged down again....but even so, the snorkel tube was moving quickly. Adam turned the sword from a 45-degree upright position into a vertical downward, the sharp end just above the water, warily watching the snorkel tube.

"Skinny," he said, "kick it."

"Eh?" Skinny asked, shifting Squibs to recenter his gravity. "Doctor, if I try to kick anything, our friend here might be, well, it would not be an optimum outcome. We would all perish."

"Ghaaaaah," croaked Adam again, privately congratulating himself that he had asked them to accompany him.

The tube came closer. Adam raised his hand, prepared to strike at the underwater breather if it came any nearer. It did, and he did. Just as he thrust the Caliburn's tip (still in its scabbard) beneath the surface it was ripped from his grasp and pulled under.

"Ah, BLAST!" he shouted, and started kicking frantically, not daring to stick his hand in the water. Then his ankle was grasped firmly, and down he went.

"Doctor!" called the droids.

The water was only mid-calf in depth, but Adam was thoroughly soaked by the plunge. He regained his feet, and as he stood, as though a mirror image of himself, the underwater breather stood as well.

"You!" Adam said. "I'm beginning to really hate the lot of you!"

Fiona stood there, smiling, the Caliburn in her hand. She reached with the other hand and removed her mask.

"Thank you, Doctor. Your mission has been accomplished," she said, and withdrew the sword from its scabbard, aiming it at his neck. "You won't be needing this, as you've no idea who it belongs to."

"'Tis the property of my friend, and ye're a thievin', lyin' trollop," he said. He got to his feet and lunged at her, but Fiona darted away and ran down the passage further toward the Cave.

"Run!" called Adam to Skinny, and Squibs' light turned a vivid magenta. Skinny did his best to keep the droid above the water, nearly stumbling more than once, but after about 50 yards, the passage turned off, and the echoing splashes of the four feet faded slowly away. They had come to dry rock again.

A light shone from beyond the next bend. There was no sign of Fiona.

Skinny set Squibs gently down and the trio moved toward the light. Adam hoped his friends could not see the tremors of his fear, nor the hair standing up on the back of his neck.

After a few more feet, the passage opened up into the Cave. There Adam saw the back of Gert, who was staring down Dag, and the Splitter (still holding Gia's jewels) was being approached by Ben. Ben made eye contact very briefly with Adam without signaling to the others he had done so.

As Ben came closer, the Splitter put the jewels behind his back. Adam, seizing the moment, leapt forward and grabbed them and then rushed to Dag's side.

"ADAM!" she gasped.

"Are these significant?" asked Adam.

Gert cackled. "Significant? Ha haha...only partly so, son. Well, well, I see you've mustered the courage to come after her. Frankly, I'm a little surprised, considering the weakness of fortitude you've shown so far. Now we have almost everyone, and everything where it needs to be. If you'll just hand me the jewels, Adam, you and she, and the rest of your friends may go. Many thanks for playing." She grinned evily.

"As soon as you give me the Caliburn," said Adam. "Where's that Fiona?"

Gerts eyes opened wider. "Fiona?"

"She's got the sword, and I mean to retrieve it from the wench," said Adam.

Just then a blood-curdling scream came from somewhere beyond the group, and a loud roar. This was followed by silence. The entire party looked toward the sound's source, and no one moved a muscle.

"Found her," said Adam. Though praying that Sslar had not been skewered, he actually wondered if that was the case.

Ben spoke then, "Fiona? Where is she, I've a word or two to ram down that slender throat o' her'n as well."

He grabbed hold of the Splitter and hoisted the little being into the air, his elbow wrapped firmly round the spindly neck.
"C'mon, yer a-comin' with me, ya little trouble-maker," he snarled.

Skinny and Squibs placed themselves between Gert and their two friends and began moving toward her, slowly, forcing her back into a crevice in the cave. Dag then looked at Adam and threw her arms around his neck.

"You came for me! You really did!" she said.

Adam smiled, "Of course I did." He saw Gert roll her eyes, but Dag did not, and that was good enough for him.

A shout from Ben broke the embrace, and they all looked toward the passageway. First emerged Sslar, the sword safely clamped between the vice-like jaws. Ben followed, with the Splitter still dangling from one raised arm.

"Where is she?" asked Gert.

Ben dropped the Splitter abruptly and kicked him with a scuffed boot. The Splitter stuck his tongue out at him.

Ben looked at Gert. "Dead," he said. "Stone dead." Sslar licked her lips and purred, her eyes narrowing.
"So now what, ye old bat?"

The party rode along in relative silence for some time after the encounter with the slavers. Nenothtu, apparently lost in thought, was startled to hear Margo's voice speak from right beside him.

"Second thoughts on killing those fellows?" she asked.

Shaken from his reverie, he replied "Hmm? Oh, HELL no! Them boys needed killin'. Practically begged for it. I was more'n happy to oblige them. I don't believe I thanked you for haulin' my fat outta the fire and killing that second Slave Rustler, so thanks!"

You didn't seem perturbed at the prospect of dying." Margo said. "I don't think I've ever run across anyone who really and truly didn't care if they died."

"Point's moot" neno responded. "I can't die. No challenge in it like that."

"You can't die? Are you a cyborg too, then?"

"Nope. 'Gift of the gods' or some sort of trash like that" neno sullenly responded. "I jus' can't die... well, I can die, but the condition evidently isn't permanent for me." After a moment, he added "They called it a 'gift', but I wonder if it wasn't more along the line of a curse."

Thinking back to her own quest for immortality, which resulted in her decision to merge her self with machinery, resulting in the cyborg she now was, Margo couldn't quite grasp the notion that anyone would view immortality as a curse. "Mister Neno, who wouldn't want to live forever?"

"It's neno... just 'neno'. No 'Mister' attached to it. I would set yer question jus' the other way 'round. Who the hell wants to live forever?"

"Everyone, I should think" was Margo's response. "No sane person wants to die."

"Mebbe that's the key, then" neno shot back. "mebbe I ain't entirely sane." he paused, then continued with "You know, I've really never cared much whether I live or die. Thought I didn't anyhow. It's never been important to me whether I live or die, it's been important how and why I live or die. The thing is, when they deprived me of the chance of dying, they took part of the thrill of living right along with it. Like I said, there just ain't no challenge in it no more."

Mulling that over, Margo said "you're a strange one, you are. You aren't quite right... you know, in the head I think."

Nenothtu grinned. "You ain't the first to tell me that!"

Not wanting to think who else may have told him that - it may have been too close to home, she thought - Margo changed the subject slightly, deflected it back to the matter of life and death. "When you did die back there in the town, when Taggart stabbed you to death, what was it like?"

neno snorted. "Whut? gettin' stabbed? hurt like bloody hell, it did!"

Margot shook her head. "No, not that... what was it like being dead? Did you see bright lights? Tunnels? All those things people say they see when they die and come back?"

"Nope." neno said. "it was like being asleep... umm... DEAD asleep. Like being so far asleep you don't even dream, or think, or know anything at all... until you wake back up and wonder whether you're awake now, or just starting to dream. Now, I have it on good authority that being dead... PERMANENTLY dead, that is, is like being alive but not being limited to a physical body."

"Good authority?" Margo queried.

"Yup. I was told that by a dead gal."

"You talk to DEAD PEOPLE?" Margot asked incredulously "Who?". She realized an instant later that the last part may have been the wrong question.

"JESUS Margo! Don't ask - you don't wanna know! I ought not to have even brought it up!" and he spurred his horse and shot ahead, ending the conversation.

It wasn't until he had slowed the horse down several dozen yards ahead of the rest that he heard the woman screaming from the edge of the wood line, trapped under a fallen log and begging for help.

"Ain't that sumpin'" neno muttered. "Who the hell would cut a tree down on a woman, and then jus' run off an' leave 'er there pinned to the ground like that?"

Suspicious of an ambush - it just didn't feel right, someone cutting a tree down on a woman and then just leaving her pinned there on the ground under it like that - nenothtu edged forward towards the fallen tree and the pinned woman.

When she came into view, and neno saw how gorgeous she appeared to be, the feeling that said "AMBUSH!" intensified. "Looks like perfect bait fer a bushwhackin' to me" he muttered. Considering the recent encounter with the woman-slavers, he couldn't quite buy anyone leaving this particular woman laying for buzzard food.

He COULD, however, imagine them using her for ambush bait. Eying the treeline and surrounding brush for motion that might betray an imminent assault, he went within hailing distance and shouted "havin' a bad day, are ye?"

"HELP!" the woman screamed. "I think my legs are broken! Help me, PLEEEEASE! I don't want to die here!"

Nenothtu spat into the dust and replied "Livin' is sometimes over-rated."

The woman screamed again, a blood curdling scream ending in "HEEELP ME! PLEEEASE!"

"Aiight, lady. Hold on to yer bloomers. I can't move that big assed log by myself. I'll have to get some help. Be back in a minute." and he wheeled his horse and headed back to the caravan.

As he turned and left, Pandora smiled to herself and thought he's taken the bait, then. Typical man. Lord, what fools these mortals be, forgetting for the moment that neno wan no longer a mortal.

When he arrived back at the caravan, neno started issuing orders. Some things are so ingrained they can never be shaken off. "Chumley! I need some he'p. There's a woman trapped under a log up there. One of us is gonna have to lift, and the other pull her out from under it. I'm suspicious of an ambush, so we'll need cover while we extract her. Margo - bring yer rifle and stand back fifty or a hunnert yards. Watch the trees and brush fer an assault, and if you see anything out of the way, shoot first and ask questions later. BIAD - I'll need you to stay here and guard the wagon and these gals. they might be tryin' to draw us off so's they can swoop in and abduct 'em. If anything happens, tear hell up like only you can do, and scream like a banshee - we'll come a runnin' back."

"That's it every one - let's MOVE!"

Thinking of a possible ambush, and being unwilling to put Chumley too close to the potential assault line - after all, Chumley could be killed PERMANENTLY dead - neno told Chumley on the way "I'll pry the log up, then you pull her out from under it."

Chumley protested. "I strong! I lift, YOU pull."

"No, Chumley. I'm old - you can probably get her out faster, and that log ain't going to hold itself up forever. We'll do it jus' like I said." He didn't want to mention that bullets were more allergic to him than they were to Chumley, and whoever did the lifting would be closer to the treeline. That might hurt Chumley's pride.

"Hokay. You right - I fast, too!" Chumley accepted it with just a hint of smugness.

Stationing Margo a ways off from the potential hotspot, armed and on the alert, the two nenos approached the log, neno-neno from behind, along the woodline, where he would be the first to be alerted in the event of untoward activities, and Chumley-neno from the front getting in position to snatch the woman out from under the log as soon as neno-neno had it cleared from her.

Neno found a stout sapling that had been toppled in some past storm, tested it for strength, and worked it under the log. When it was in position, he grunted and lifted, edging the log upward just enough for Chumley to snatch the woman out. Chumley gripped her by the shoulders, watching the log as neno lifted, and as soon as it cleared the woman's legs, snatched her out from under it rapidly and with main force.

Her reaction was instantaneous. "My HERO!" she screamed, and glommed on to Chumley like an octopus. Chumley, being unsure whether he was under attack or not, and being caught entirely off guard by the reaction, immediately and reflexively grabbed her in a bear hug, intent on pinning her arms down against her sides to preclude an assault. For her part, Pandora misinterpreted the "hug", laid her head against Chumley's chest and though Aha! Got you now! Took the bait hook, line, and sinker!

Neno dropped the log as soon as she was out from under it. Seeing the look on Chumley's face, he guffawed and said "Yer mighty spry fer a woman with busted legs, you are!" and stepped around into view.

looking first at Chumley, then at neno, then back and forth between the two with a look of bewilderment, the woman released her grip on Chumley and just wagged her head between the two, unsure of which was her quarry now. She hadn't counted on TWO nenos.

The look of bewilderment on her face sent neno into paroxysms of laughter.

~*~ Threes a Charm ~*~

Spurred on by the woman’s screams and his horse in a lather Carpet plastered himself to the neck of his mount and asked him for more speed. The sturdy gelding dropped gears and gave him a flat out run. Someone, some woman was screaming like her life depended on him and out here in this dangerous land there was no time to second guess what the trouble might be. All he could do was get to her. Fast. His hands full of reigns and mane Carpet didn’t dare reach for his gun, yet, but he knew he’d be ready when the time came.

The time came sooner than he’d though. Rounding a drop of rocks and scraggly trees it was all Carpet could do to sit up and back, pulling and sawing on the reigns. Fleetingly he felt for the animals mouth but he had to stop him quick or plow the beast right into Neno, Chumley, and one of them holding a beautiful girl to his chest.

Sliding to a halt the horse’s haunches dropped and nearly ground dirt. Momentum send Carpet like a spear head right over the geldings head and forward into space. Reaching out for anything to catch his fall Carpet grabbed at the girl who’d put her hands up to block the flying cowboy. Entangled they ended up in a heap on the sand the girl crushed roughly under Carpet’s body. Dripping his own seat, horse sweat and tears from the wind stinging his eyes Carpet didn’t make a move to take himself off the girl who’s arms pinned beside her could do nothing to push the cowboy off or wipe the goo from her face.

It was the ‘oomph’ of Carpet’s impact that did Neno in.

The gunslinger hadn’t seen anything so funny since he didn’t know when. The look of pure unadulterated outrage on the girls face when she’d seen two Neno’s had tickled him pink. Laughing even as a third Neno entered the scene to go flying through the air only to land in a belly flop atop her sent him into gales of the stuff. The gelding snorting at the pair tangled up on the ground blowing horsy boogers all over the girl was like wiggling fingers between the soft spots of his ribs. Chumley snorting mad robbed of his hug standing there with his arms open looking to beat Carpet into a wet blob in the sand. It was just too much. Neno was waylaid.

Laughter rose from his toes, right up through his belly and boomed across the canyon like happy thunder. Tears rolled from his eyes and wipe them away as he tried they just kept a comin. Trying with all his might to flatten the uproar made it worse. Slappin’ his thighs he tried closing his eyes but the scene still played out like a picture show behind his lids. And everywhere he looked from there hilarity ensued. A passel of girls attaching themselves to Chumley cooing and petting the outraged Regalian who resorted to dancing on his tippy-toes to escape the ‘little ladies‘. Carpet laying atop the strange girl trying to catch his breath, his mouth gapping open and closed like a beached trout. The girl under him, her beauty spoiled by stray gobs of gunk Neno didn’t want to identify.

It was the dirty deadly look behind the strangers narrowed eyes that finally sobered Neno enough to take Carpet by the back of his shirt and yank him onto his feet.

‘Boy, time you get off that girl,’ He laughed, ’I happen to value my jewels, even if you’re a wearin ‘em.’ Clapping Carpet on the back Neno took the horse by the reigns. The winded animal needed a good walking and Neno needed something to calm his own heaving.

‘What? You’re not going to help me up too?’ The stranger lay there with her hand in the air looking incredulous.

‘No mam, don’t think I will.’ Neno bust out laughing anew and started walking the gelding.

Margo walked up to nenothtu as he was walking Carpet's spent mount and said "What was so funny, neno? You shouldn't have laughed like that. It wasn't very gentlemanly."

Between snorts and grins, neno replied "Didn't you see it? That was hilarious! 'Sides, I ain't never been accused of being a 'gentleman', anyhow. You know how we define 'gentleman' around here? A gentleman is a man what can counter ever' hair on...." at which point he broke down into uncontrollable laughing again.

Margo didn't blush at the definition, although she had heard the full version before. She just said "No, it WASN'T funny. That oaf could have injured the girl" putting just the faintest stress on "girl" to demarcate her separation from what Margo would call a "woman", hoping neno had already made that distinction.

Regaining just enough control to speak - barely - neno said "Yes, it was funny! As far as injuring her goes, the gal had just had a LOG fall on her and was no worse fer the wear - at least she glommed on to poor old Chumley like all her parts was in lithe, working order. What more could a Carpet flyin' at her do?" The reminder of the sight sent nenothtu into renewed laughter, tears streaming out of the corners of his eyes. If this keeps up, neno thought, I'll have this poor old horse laughing pretty soon - it's contagious!

In fact, the horse was starting to snort sort of peculiarly as it caught it's breath.

Margo, not to be deterred, said "You're impossible!"

As seriously as he could muster, neno drew himself up and said "No ma'am, I'm not impossible, just incredibly difficult. 'Sides, I done tole you about my 'delicate condition' - I gotta find humor wherever I can - and iffen ye got a good look at that gal, you'll realize she ain't got enough clothes on fer me to jus' grab on to sumpin' an' lift, like I did with Carpet - how gentlemanly would that've been?!"

" 'Difficult' and 'delicate' my ass!" Margo exploded in exasperation.

"Yer ass is difficult but not delicate? You sure 'bout that? Mebbe I oughtta quit eyeballin' it then as a waste of effort... "

The look that brought to Margo's face was more than neno could withstand. He burst into peals of laughter anew and fell to the ground, rolling and trying to hold his ribs together. "OH! Make it STOP, Margo! It HURTS! It HURTS!" and he rolled away from her flailing foot as she tried to kick him, laughing the whole way.

Margo turned before neno could see the grin forming on her face and said "It should hurt, you blasted Philistine!", throwing the words back over her shoulder as she walked away from the laughing neno in all the huff that she could muster. That fool's laughing is contagious she thought to herself - but would never, EVER admit to neno.

.............................................~To The Rescue~...........................................

Death sighed, glanced up at the smirking FerryMan and tossed the stolen GreenMan
onto the flesh-pages of his book. Pandora's plan hadn't has much backfired, as more of
multiplied... he sighed again and looked back into the mirror that held the comical
scenario.

"Did you know he'd set this 'costume-thing' up?" he said without looking at Charon,
the tall Being with the gnarled pole in his hands was enjoying this -Death thought.
"No... and she's going to be furious at any moment, where is her Box?" The grey- robes
from the sailor of the Styx swished as he stepped towards the darkened corner of Death's
Library.

"She will summon this and there will be hell to pay... figuratively speaking" Charon muttered
and grunted at his own humour. The ornate crate sat where the beautiful Pandora had left it,
the dull glow told the Boatman that the Jar of foul wonders within had been monitoring
Pandora's situation on the planet.

Death sighed again and looked at the floor, his brother wasn't with them and unlikely as
it seemed, he counted that as a blessing.
.........................................

Mr. Jordan smiled at the console in his hand, the handset showed that Tibbs wasn't at
the scene with Nenothtu and the two impersonators, the Vithian straightened his black
hat and turned to the three Tumblers.

"It's time, people... get them out of there" he said with a tone of confidence, Mut banked
left, Akron right and the towering Cecilia fell into a dead-run that made the ground tremble.
"Go-go-go" Mr. Jordan said with a broad smile, the dust cloud created -absorbed the odd-
looking Pilgrim and when it settled, he too -was gone.
.........................................

Pandora stood up and patted the dirt from her coarse-fabric jeans, she could see that Death's
brother wasn't here, she could see that some-sort of trick had been played on her and the
mocking laugh of the tall GunMan near the horse sent all thoughts of seducing Nenothtu
into handing Boy In A Dress over -from her mind.



The three GunMan were going to pay for this insult.

Ignoring the torn-shirt that revealed quite a bit of her best assets, she raised her arms and
closed her eyes, the summoning of The Box would bring these ridiculous humans to their
knees in fear and they would know what it was to cross a God.
Then the vibrations began.

Pandora breathed easily and with locked lashes, she called to the container of all the evils
that ever were through clentched teeth, she hissed it's name.
"Oh Pithos of Lanbrun, oh Jar of Sin... I call on y..." Pandora stopped her incantation as the
trembling below her feet increased, it was a little early for The Box's entry -she thought.

The dirty-yellow spaceship came out of nowhere and within an instant scooped up the
horses and one of the Neo-impersonators, another swooped in from the right and even
though a squirming female with a rifle hung from one it's metal claws, the craft grabbed
the remaining two 'Nenothtus' and took off over Pandora's head.

She screamed... she screamed her rage and the ground shook again. Pandora should have
wondered about the vibration at this point, possibly deduced that it wasn't part of her
ritual and took steps to regain her revenge on the Man/Girl with the huge grin.

Cecilia felt Mr. Jordan's instructions slide across her main circuits and ignoring Drake
and Corky Bunion yelling into the overhead microphone to halt, she acknowledged the
Vithian's request with a demure 'Yes'

(Continued Below)

(Continued from Above)

The vehicle that bounded across the desert floor, the craft that was built for merely
transporting humans and cargo from The Yydryl and possible use in planet expoloration,
the clanking giant under the morning sun... had an idea of how to stop the woman with the
jet-black hair from finishing her spell.

"It looks like I'm gonna have to punt" Cecilia said calmly as she neared the anger-featured
bitch who was supposedly the envy of every female in the Universe and with all her organic
-hydralic might, that's just what she did.

Akron was a good flyer and Mut could barrel-roll until vomit flew from one's nostrils... but
Pandora's flight across the desert bettered them and even gave Carpet's frantic assault on
the vixen in the Rancher attire a-run-for-it's-money.

One may recall the name 'Mathew Carpenter' from the report of Tibbs and Mucklebones'
time-slide across the country, the young boy that accompanied his Father along the West
coast of a long-ago America, yes?

Well, Mathew arrived home later and settled down to watch cartoons on the black-and-white
television set that his father had bought recently and the 'toon' that the freckled-faced
youngster watched showed a smart-talking buck-toothed rabbit fly through the air in a
similar way that the wailing temptress flew.

The dust plume of the impact was the same, only this time, it was real.
.........................................

Death held his head in his hands as the mirror before him showed the large robot-like
shape lumber across the ground towards the cabin where the other two vehicles waited.

"Oh yes, my dear Charon... there'll be hell to pay" he muttered.