NUMBER OF LINES: 999 001=Usr:0 Null User 06/30/87 20:34 Msg:0 Call:0 Lines:19 1$If you are in need of help, you need but ask... 2$************************* 27 JUN 90 ************************************** 3$Welcome to BWMS II (BackWater Message System II) Mike Day System operator 4$************************************************************************** 5$GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS II IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION 6$ PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM. 7$BWMS II was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS II is a privately 8$owned and operated system which is currently open for use by the general 9$public. No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the 10$system is privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all 11$messages which I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the 12$system, it will be periodically purged of messages (only 999 lines of data 13$can be saved). To leave a message, type 'ENTER'. Use ctrl/C to get out 14$the ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering 15$the message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to 16$replace the line. To exit from the system, type 'BYE' then hang up. 17$Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system. 18$************************************************************************** 19$ 002=Usr:1 CISTOP MIKEY 06/27/90 23:33 Msg:5344 Call:29848 Lines:2 20 Fear has the largest eyes of all. -- Boris Pasternak 21 ******************************************************* 003=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 06/28/90 07:47 Msg:5347 Call:29849 Lines:7 22 &*&*&*&*'s 23 At the top. Looking down. Imagining the inevitable sound, of the floppy 24 drive which will start and stop. 25 26 An Astral Dreamer 27 &*&*&*&*'s 28 004=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 06/28/90 10:25 Msg:5348 Call:29850 Lines:6 29 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 30 Looks like you get the wards this time, AD. :) 31 32 'I... don't like birds.' 33 34 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 005=Usr:259 michel shannon 06/28/90 23:23 Msg:5349 Call:29861 Lines:6 35 [*=*] DELTA FIVE [=*=] L'homme- interesting developments and many delays. Final 36 bought a motorhome and am waiting, waiting,...for insurance settlement and then 37 will be on the road back to Orygun. No more Smogifornia! Are you on MCI? Please 38 leave voice number there for JANCKR. 39 40 006=Usr:92 Katherine Dohert 06/29/90 10:51 Msg:5350 Call:29866 Lines:3 41 ********************************************************************* 42 Some things change, some things stay the same. 43 *********************************kathyD****************************** 007=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 06/30/90 20:58 Msg:5351 Call:29883 Lines:98 44 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 45 46 "So here we are." 47 48 Michael started suddenly as a wave of hot desert wind exploded into his 49 face. The dry sand kicked up, tiny shards of glass raking against 50 raw, exposed flesh. The metal taste of sillicon tingled in his mouth as 51 he helplessly swallowed raw grit, his teeth clamping down in the shock of 52 his return to the corporeal, coming into contact with the brittle 53 resistance of the dried flakes of stone-skin. 54 The sun beat down overhead. 55 Michael slowly rose on protesting legs and feebly hobbled over the dune 56 towards the tiny encampment. Shakily, he withdrew his retracted staff and 57 extended it, the comforting coolness of the steel rod in his hands a kind 58 reminder of his successful return to what had once passed for the real 59 world, but now seemed less and more. Even as he walked, he could still feel 60 himself prodded along, scrolling, just hanging over the raw cold of the 61 Abyss, could feel himself prodded by the invisible strings of whatever 62 fearsome id dwelt in those dark halls, could feel himself dizzyingly slide 63 down DISKA and into his borderland of mentality, the mental state of Zephyr, 64 of the Medalic Prophet who, he realized, knew what the future held for him for 65 a reason. It was comforting. 66 *Michael! I saw what happened.* 67 In his musings, Michael had failed to notice the storm die down or the 68 arrival of his faithful companion. 69 "You saw DISKA? You saw the Abyss?" 70 Muklul regarded him, his head tipped to one side. *Abyss? I saw 71 the loop closed. You were brilliant. Speaking temporally.* 72 "Temporally." He laughed, as if the word held meaning, but the words 73 still came out hollow. He embraced his shaggy companion. "Mukluk... did 74 you see the Tower?" 75 *Yes.* the canid turned away and looked into the sky, watching the 76 storm flit into the arms of the deep horizon. *Or what began as that. 77 You did what you have to. I know now that Day's hold on the probabilities 78 has forever rendered that false dream as but the illusion it is.* 79 "His hold is not as strong as it appears... I have been..." he sought 80 the words. "...away. You know where I was." 81 *Obscure Time.* 82 "Farther. I journeyed to the borderlands that encompass our vision 83 of what lies in forever. I learned that a great battle of mind and soul 84 is being waged at the outskirts to our reality, and the battlefield is named 85 Backwater. Envision if you will a grand chessboard with hundreds of 86 subtle and crafty players, each vying for that which Day holds. His 87 will is great, his power greater, but he is not master of destiny, nor does 88 he hold sole ownership to the worlds of probability. His mastery is nothing 89 more than an illusion, yet reality for us just the same..." 90 *As I said, hopeless.* 91 "No. The Medalic Prophets of the 349 Worlds are now free from their war 92 against the Anglers. Day knows this. He let it be. The exodus of mind is 93 completed. But the war will continue on. Against the hated foes... the 94 whales call them the twin sisters Apathy and Ennui. They are far more 95 dangerous than any Anglertr threat of ursurpation of the Mainframe of 96 the Backwater." He shrugged when Mukluk looked puzzled. "I don't 97 understand it either. Mukluk, such knowledge fills my head as I have 98 never dreamed. I see billions of thoughts and minds and times and souls 99 and variety I never considered a possibility... I was made aguest at 100 time's passage from present to past, and watched a new present flitter in 101@and explode into --real-- around me 102 and explode into --real-- around me as I watched. I'm learning things even 103 I don't understand." 104 *What does it mean?* 105 "I know this. The Tower must rise soon. Day knows this. His hold 106 against it cannot continue forever. His private struggle against the dark 107 minions of the sisters is taxing him to his limits at present. But the 108 Abyss remains wide. With one of the Tanisian Whales I bridged the gap of 109 DISKEB, what was once DISKA, myself, almost. Others helped... but their 110 numbers are few... Parity, the Astral Dreamer, voyeur..." He held his staff 111 in a white knuckle grip. "Too few names! But they're there. And my 112 job would have been much more difficult without them... It's really so 113 paradoxial. We wait for Day to fail and relent his hold on Tanis, and yet 114 wee must continue our own struggle against his enemies, for they remain 115 our own as well. But we shall prevail, and I promise you that, with the Tower 116 and the A'aaalian Pool behind us, and your Thoughtthere, we'll find her." 117 *She may have perished. I didn't tell yyou what I saw in Tanis' void 118 when the Dragon sent me there. She was with th Destroyer...* 119 "You told me enough. You'd know if she were dead. Your link with 120 Pure was stronger than that and you know it." 121 *Where do we go from here?* 122 "I've learned some dangerous knowledge. No doubt the Technocracy 123 will have something to say about it when we get-" 124 An explosion pierced the night in an impossibly small beam, which 125 expanded outward in dim light until they found themselves in the orbiting 126 dimensional asteroid. 127 #Heavens! You're back! Michael! The anomaly has faded! And something 128 else! The energy fields around the Triangles have faded as well!# 129 "The Worlds are open!" He looked at the monitor. Each Triangle, all 130 53 of them, was opening up, spewing its world onto the barren, technocratic 131 landscape. Where desert stood new desert appeared, or snow and ice, or 132 forest land, or any one of 349 differenent combinations, each one ripppling 133 over the barren dust of Pyrrix A'aaal. "This is what Day wanted after all." 134 Crystals erupted from the chips that held the land in sway, the massive 135 fiberoptic wheatfields blowing away on a fruitful wind. "Lord, it's so... 136 it's..." The night sky trembled, and yet the people continued, as if 137 unaware of the change. "A Trajsition. It's a great Transition." 138 *Another?* 139 "Not like the last. This will remain Pyrrixall." He quirked, and 140 noticed the new emphasis he placed on the name. "Reality's threads are 141 coming back into order... Look at the planet..." 008=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 06/30/90 21:39 Msg:5352 Call:29884 Lines:56 142 What had been the technological wasteland of Pyrrix A'aaal was now a 143 vast panorama, a monument to the unique and original. Great continents, huge 144 rivers, mountains, lakes, shuddering crystal cities bathed in scalding 145 light, neighbors to the cold dark that had been. "The land has divided itself 146 to the minds of the Prophets... all 349 of them! Each one... is the 147 private domain of the Prophet who first birthed it in the Obscurities..." 148 *How do you know?* 149 "Somehow..." His hands were shaking. "I know. And the Obscure 150 lands are-" He heard a whalesong in his head. "- falliing, sinking back 151 into one great landscape, as this had once been... the Pool! That is the 152 Prime Obscurity... I should have realized that from the beginning... the 153 force that held Pyrrixall to Innisfall was the Pool. The Quantier sought the 154 Pool. Friar sought the Pool. Mukluk, you sought the Pool as well. The Pool 155 is the unifying element, tying the others back together, as the Obscure 156 lands were meant to do... Yet now the situation is reversed, and what was 157 at one time the Obscure has now become the reality... 158 "It's so... beautiful." 159 PRISM was scanning the grounds. #Michael, what remains of Pyrrix A'aaal 160 as it once was is the Central City. I have found it... it is surrounded by a 161 vast landscape of glaciers and trees.# 162 "As it should be. Pyrrix A'aaal as it was was always Zephys dominion, 163 the reflection of who he was. Others journeyed there, yet it remained 164 singularly his. I'm sure Friar's Prophet has his own domain there, and 165 the Astral Dreamer's' his... each one bordering all the others... unique, 166 intertwining words... strange and fearful, yet unified." 167 168 *As I said before, Michael... what are we to do now?* 169 "We've accomplished our goals. The Paradox is no more. Pyrrixall has 170 birthed itself as the Paradox had prevented it from doing. The borders 171 have been created, and yet the old order has found a home. As much as 172 I'd love to tarry among the worlds that await those courageous enough to claim 173 their place, I'd not feel proper taking a barony for my own... I leave that to 174 the Prophets. Zephyr has guided me this far, and I have a feeling he wants 175 me elsewhere..." 176 *And me as well>?* 177 "And me?" the falcon clicked its beak. 178 "All of you, and PRISM. There's yet a universe to explore, and a t 179 thousand thousand worlds yet to save. Fortune favors the bold, and all that 180 sort of ferverous nonsense. We'd best set about to doing whatever it is that 181 Zephyr wants us to do." 182 *And Pyrrixall?* 183 He chuckled. "Well, the ruling Technocracy is probably going to be 184 more than a little upset when they discover that they're only one small 185 government in a world of 349. But I think they'll get over it. As for the 186 rest of them, I think they've taken a step towards something beautifully 187 grand... and we'll probably want to come back here in a year or so and see 188 how things have worked out..." 189 *A promise?* 190 Again he embraced the canid. "A promise, and one we'll keep..." 191 192 FIN 193 194 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 195 Off to amazing new worlds... wish me luck everyone... aand have fun with the 196 mess I've left you. 197 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 009=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 07/01/90 09:11 Msg:5353 Call:29887 Lines:6 198 &*&*&*&*'s 199 Good luck Zephyr, and thank you for an interesting and thought provoking story. 200 201 An Astral Dreamer 202 &*&*&*&*'s 203 010=Usr:186 Wesley Smith 07/02/90 17:50 Msg:5354 Call:29906 Lines:2 204 Sterio fo sale. 205 I have a Sharp sterio in good condition, with turn table,receiver,cassette deck 011=Usr:252 TOM CROSS 07/02/90 19:21 Msg:5355 Call:29907 Lines:4 206@Mike, that sounds familiar...how would you like to make contact so I can 207@give it a test drive? 208 Mike, the drive emulation for CP/M - DOS conversion sounds familiar. How can 209 we get together so I can give it a test drive? (if that's all right with you) 012=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 07/03/90 15:41 Msg:5356 Call:29917 Lines:7 210 &*&*&*&*'s 211 I'm working on a story right now. If I can get 10 or so word perfect pages 212 into it I'll start to post it in parts. 213 214 An Astral Dreamer 215 &*&*&*&*'s 216 013=Usr:165 Bart Simpson 07/03/90 22:00 Msg:5359 Call:29922 Lines:190 217 696969696969 218 Iran-contra affair 219 220 The tangled U. S. foreign-policy scandal known as the Iran-contra affair came 221 to light in November 1986 when President Ronald REAGAN confirmed reports that 222 the United States had secretly sold arms to Iran. He stated that the goal was 223 to improve relations with Iran, not to obtain release of U. S. hostages held 224 in the Middle East by terrorists (although he later acknowledged that the 225 arrangement had in fact turned into an arms-for-hostages swap). Outcry 226 against dealings with the hostile Iranian government was widespread. Later in 227 November, Att. Gen. Edwin MEESE discovered that some of the arms profits had 228 been diverted to aid the Nicaraguan "contra" rebels--at a time when Congress 229 had prohibited such aid. An independent special prosecutor, former federal 230 judge Lawrence E. Walsh, was appointed to probe the activities of persons 231 involved in the arms sale or contra aid or both, including marine Lt. Col. 232 Oliver NORTH of the NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (NSC) staff. 233 234 Reagan appointed a review board headed by former Republican senator John 235 TOWER. The Tower Commission's report in February 1987 criticized the 236 president's passive management style. In a nationally televised address on 237 March 4, Reagan accepted the report's judgment without serious disagreement 238 and also accepted responsibility for the actions of his subordinates. 239 240 Select committees of the Senate (11 members, chaired by Democrat Daniel K. 241 INOUYE of Hawaii) and the House of Representatives (15 members, headed by 242 another Democrat, Lee Hamilton of Indiana) conducted televised hearings in 243 partnership from May to August. They heard evidence that a few members of the 244 NSC staff set Iran and Nicaragua policies and carried them out with secret 245 private operatives; that the few officials who knew about these policies lied 246 to Congress and others; and that the contras received only a small part of 247 the diverted money. Former national security advisor John POINDEXTER stated 248 that he personally authorized the diversion of money and withheld that 249 information from the president. William J. CASEY, the director of the Central 250 Intelligence Agency, who died in May 1987, was implicated in some testimony, 251 but the extent of his involvement remained in doubt. Clearly, however, the 252 bizarre events shook the nation's faith in President Reagan and tarnished U. 253 S. prestige abroad. The report of the select committees said, "The common 254 ingredients of the Iran and contra policies were secrecy, deception, and 255 disdain for the law." 256 257 Special prosecutor Walsh continued his investigation. On March 11, 1988 258 Poindexter's predecessor as national security advisor, Robert MCFARLANE, 259 pleaded guilty to criminal charges of withholding information from Congress on 260 secret aid to the contras. A year later McFarlane was fined $20,000 and given 261 two years' probation. On March 16, 1988, a federal grand jury indicted North, 262 Poindexter, and two other persons on a number of charges including conspiracy 263 to defraud the U.S. government. The trials were delayed by legal maneuvering 264 that in part involved questions of releasing secret information. In May 1989 265 a jury convicted North of 3 of the 12 criminal counts he was ultimately tried 266 on; in July the court fined North $150,000 and gave him a three-year 267 suspended sentence. More legal maneuvering further delayed the trials of the 268 remaining defendants. A wider and more surprising development of the affair was 269 22 by Attorney General Edwin MEESE, 3rd, who said information had been found 270 by his aides that millions of dollars from the sale of arms to Iran had been 271 diverted to the Nicaraguan contras, the guerrilla forces opposed to the 272 Marxist government of Nicaragua. This information was uncovered in the office 273 of Lt. Colonel Oliver L. NORTH, an officer in the NSC and a subordinate of 274 National Security Adviser John M. Poindexter. Attorney General Meese related 275 that both President Reagan and Vice President George BUSH had told him they 276 had no knowledge of the diversion of funds to the contras. President Reagan 277 announced on November 25 that Admiral Poindexter had resigned from the 278 National Security Council, and that North had been relieved of his NSC duties. 279 Meese stated that North had been in charge of the diversion of funds, and that 280 Admiral Poindexter was aware of the operation. The same day, the Israeli 281 government acknowledged that it had sent arms to Iran "at the request" of the 282 U.S. government. The following day, President Reagan appointed a three-member 283 committee--consisting of John G. Tower, former Republican Senator from Texas, 284 Edmund S. MUSKIE, Secretary of State in the Carter Administration and former 285 Democratic Senator from Maine, and Brent Scowcraft, a former National Security 286 Deputy--to undertake a study of the NSC and to recommend if any changes were 287 needed. President Reagan issued a denial on December 1 that he had any 288 knowledge of the diversion of proceeds from the Iranian arms sales to the 289 contras. On December 2, Reagan announced that he had requested the appointment 290 of an INDEPENDENT COUNSEL (formerly called special prosecutor) to look into 291 the case and to determine if any laws had been broken. He also appointed Frank 292 C. Carlucci, former Deputy Secretary of Defense and former CIA Deputy, to 293 assume the post of national security adviser. Admiral Poindexter, in a closed 294 hearing of the Senate intelligence committee on December 3, declined to answer 295 questions and invoked his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. 296 Colonel North had similarly declined to answer questions, on December 1, 297 before the Senate committee. 298 299 BACKGROUND 300 301 The complex series of events that turned into the most serious crisis in 302 Ronald Reagan's presidency apparently began in 1984 or earlier, when North, 303 allegedly in an effort to circumvent Congressional restrictions on official 304 U.S. aid to the contras, made arrangements to funnel aid through other nations 305 and through U.S. private citizens and groups. Early in October 1984, the 306 Congress tightened restrictions under the Boland Amendment, forbidding any 307 official U.S. agency from providing military aid to the contras. In November 308 1984, Munucher Ghorbanifar, an arms dealer of Iranian origin who lived in 309 Western Europe and maintained contacts with the Iranian regime, made inquiries 310 of U.S. citizens with government connections about a swap of American arms to 311 Iran in exchange for Iranian help in freeing U.S. hostages held in Lebanon. In 312 mid-1985, Adnan Khashoggi, a billionaire Saudi Arabian businessman, arranged a 313 meeting between Ghorbanifar and several Israeli arms dealers. In August 1985, 314 according to National Security Adviser Robert McFarlane, President Reagan 315 authorized McFarlane to tell the Israeli Government that any arms they shipped 316 to Iran would be replaced by the United States. According to McFarlane, U.S. 317 Secretary of State George SHULTZ and U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar 318 WEINBERGER were opposed to any such deal, but presidential approval 319 nevertheless was granted. In August and September of 1985, two planeloads of 320 U.S. weapons were sent to Iran by Israel. Hostage Benjamin Weir was released 321 on September 14. Israel reportedly made another shipment in November, with 322 Khashoggi assisting in the arrangements. McFarlane resigned as national 323 security adviser on December 4, 1985, and was replaced by Admiral Poindexter. 324 President Reagan reportedly reversed his earlier decision and signed a secret 325 intelligence order in January 1986 calling for shipment of U.S. arms to Iran. 326 Colonel North allegedly set the prices of the armaments much higher than their 327 book value. Money from the weapons sale was deposited in Swiss bank accounts, 328 reportedly set up by the CIA and managed by Colonel North. McFarlane and North 329 flew to Tehran in late May 1986 in an aircraft supposedly containing military 330 spare parts, presumably expecting all remaining American hostages to be 331 released from captivity in Lebanon. McFarlane later reported that North told 332 him profits from the arms sales would be funneled to the contras in Nicaragua. 333 In June 1986, The U.S. Congress approved a grant of $100 million in military 334 and nonmilitary aid to the contras. On October 26 and 27, the U.S. government 335 sent its final shipments of arms to Iran. Although two more hostages had been 336 freed in Lebanon--supposedly through Iranian influence on the kidnappers-- 337 three additional American hostages had been seized in Lebanon. Some political 338 commentators said they believed the overriding reason for the extraordinary 339 actions of the Reagan Administration lay in the president's concern for the 340 release of all of the Americans held hostage. President Reagan, however, 341 continued to deny that his motivation was a simple swap of arms for hostages. 342 His critics insisted that this was how the exchange was perceived by the 343 Lebanese kidnappers and by the Iranian regime that supported them. Other 344 critics charged that the Administration had in any case been swindled: the 345 Iranians had possession of the arms, but American hostages still languished in 346 captivity. 347 348 LEGAL QUESTIONS 349 350 Critics of the Iran-Contra operation said that several U.S. laws may have been 351 violated. They pointed out that the Congress--under the Boland Amendment-- 352 prohibited any part of the U.S. government from "supporting, directly or 353 indirectly, military or paramilitary operations in Nicaragua." This 354 Congressional prohibition was in force from October 1984 to October 1986. The 355 National Security Act of 1947 required that Congress must be informed of any 356 international covert operation conducted by any U.S. intelligence agency. The 357 Congress, under this act, is to be notified "in a timely fashion" of any such 358 operation. The Arms Export Control Act forbids military aid to any nation that 359 supports terrorism. Other possibly relevant laws include the Antideficiency 360 Act, which prohibits shifting of government funds from one purpose to another, 361 and the Export Administration Act, which forbids the sale of materials to 362 nations that support terrorism. 363 364 INVESTIGATIONS 365 366 In late December 1986, both houses of the U.S. Congress established select 367 committees to investigate the Iran-Contra affair to establish what had 368 happened, who was involved, and what violations of federal law may have 369 occurred. The 11-member Senate committee was headed by Sen. Daniel K. INOUYE, 370 Democrat of Hawaii, and the 15-member House committee was chaired by Rep. Lee 371 H. Hamilton, Democrat of Indiana. After extensive hearings of numerous 372 witnesses over a period of three months, the proceedings ended on August 3, 373 1987, and a 690-page formal report was issued by the Congress on November 18. 374 The report was endorsed by all 15 Democrats on the committees, and by three 375 Republican senators. All of the six Republican members of the House committee 376 dissented from the conclusions of the report, and they were joined by two 377 other Republican senators. The majority report placed the blame for the arms 378 scandal on President Reagan, faulting him for supporting a policy that was 379 surrounded with "secrecy, deception, and disdain for the law." The report said 380 that it was unable to determine the extent to which the president was familiar 381 with all the details of the scheme--particularly the use of proceeds from the 382 arms sales to support the contras--but stated that if the chief executive did 383 not know what his advisers were doing, then a serious lapse of responsibility 384 had occurred. The committee blamed Admiral Poindexter for guiding the covert 385 operations of Lt. Col. North, and for withholding essential information from 386 President Reagan. Under the Independent Counsel Act, Attorney General Meese 387 had asked early in December 1986 a three-member panel of federal judges to 388 choose an INDEPENDENT COUNSEL (formerly called a special prosecutor), to 389 investigate all aspects of the Iran-Contra affair. Their choice, made on 390 December 19, 1986, was Lawrence E. Walsh, a former judge and prosecutor, 391 former deputy attorney general, and a former president of the American Bar 392 ~rAssociation. In an interim report issued on April 28, 1987, Walsh replied to 393 query from Sen. Warren B. Rudman (R, NH), saying that the independent 394 counsel's office had "ample basis" to implement a wide criminal investigation 395 of the arms scandal. ROBERT SHOGAN 396 397 Bibliography: Bradlee, Ben, Jr., Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver 398 North (1988); Cohen, William S., and Mitchell, George J., Men of Zeal: A 399 Candid Inside Story of the Iran-Contra Hearings (1988); Mayer, Jane and 400 McManus, Doyle, Landslide: The Unmaking of the President, 1984-88 (1988); 401 Trager, Oliver, ed., Iran Arms Scandal (1988). THE CONTRA CONNECTION 402 403 If it wasn't true, it would be unbelievable fiction. 404 405 696969696969696969 406 014=Usr:261 KEN WILSON 07/04/90 08:36 Msg:5361 Call:29925 Lines:3 407 ALL--WHY ALL THE MYSTERY OF BBS- LOOKS LIKE A ONE-SIDED DEAL IF ALL WE KNOW IS 408 HOW TO DOWNLOAD. WHERE DO WE LEARN UPLOADING AND ALL. IS THERE A BBS FOR 409 BEGINNERS OR WOULD COMPUSERVE BE THE WAY I HAVE TO GO. 015=Usr:11 L'homme sans Par 07/04/90 14:30 Msg:5364 Call:29927 Lines:9 410 *%@*%@#(_)($!@)($_)!(#*%_)($!_)(!@_)#(~_)#(!)_*$#%*_(%_)!#()@!_$%*(($!$(! 411 voyeur: yo voyeur! Are you out there? I have a question to ask about your 412 VGA card again. Gimme a call one of these days, will you? 413 414 people@redsun.uucp: Will you have your machine poll qiclab. If you don't 415 poll, how can you get cnews? How can you get cnews if you don't poll? 416 (gee, why does meat and pudding come to mind now?) 417 %*_@*%@#(%_)#%@#_)(%#%*(@#%(% L'homme sans Parity *%_@#*%_)(%_)@#*%_)%!_% 418 016=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 07/04/90 23:53 Msg:5365 Call:29934 Lines:7 419 &*&*&*&*'s 420 redsun isn't polling qiclab? D*mn, and I thought I had it fixed. I'll check 421 it out tommorow first thing. 422 423 An Astral Dreamer 424 &*&*&*&*'s 425 017=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/06/90 21:03 Msg:5367 Call:29962 Lines:76 426 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 427 #Hold it, Punk.# 428 The voice of glass tickled the fugitive's spine, tracing a rough 429 angle from top to bottom. The Patriot was before him, smoking, steaming, its 430 bright red candyapple body glowing its unearthly heat in the dim night. 431 The monster's LED lights sparked, its red electronic eyes narrowing in 432 in preparation for the kill. #Thiss area is off limits to New Users...# 433 Steel vibroblades hummed, accompanied by the grating of tempered steel 434 against gunmetal along the creature's grossly distorted hunchback. 435 The fugitive's eyes watered from the hot, oily breath that steamed over 436 him, erupting periodically from between twin jaws that retracted and clamped 437 together in rhythmic pattern no matter what the creature said... its facial 438 features on the readout in contrast to the pathetic twitchings of its mouth. 439 Red glaze shined on steel teeth tipped with diamonds that glimmered with the 440 hydraulic fluid that spilled across the black tongue and out the left side 441 across a dent that never seemed to have been repaired properly. 442 The man facing the Patriot ran, his adrenal glands spewing hot, primal 443 hormones spattering across raw muscles. He raced through the Central 444 City, across the skylit walkway. A Network simp fell from the heights as 445 the escaping fugitive crashed into his brittle bones and legs weak from 446 overexposure to Psykodine cracked and pulped on the dirty asphalt miles 447 below. 448 The Patriot pursued, rocket pods belching sickly fire and acrid smoke, 449 singing the flesh of those hapless enough to be taking a stroll alon the 450 skyway. #What we HAVE...# A plasma, thick and steamy, erupted from a 451 glowing nozzle and incinerated a mother and child. #...Is a failure to 452 communicate.# 453 The fugitive darted down stone steps and across a green carpet in an 454 iron hall. The Patriot whirled, its torso folding in on itself to 455 accomodate the smaller surroundings. Green mist trails filtered across the 456 carpet, blending except where blood stained the heavy shag. The creature 457 fired its vibroblade, shattering the fugitive's ears and breaking windows. 458 A quick stroke across the sensitive lobe revealed to the fugitive that he 459 was bleeding. 460 He passed through the door, locking and barring it, and headed for 461 the Borderland Chamber, racing without care across the silver catwalk. 462 The Patriot, free from the confines of the building, sprung to 463 its full height, spraying a thick coat of fluid as newly freed pumps exploded 464 into life. #Random LineNoise.# It hissed, flicking black foam onto 465 the fugitive's heels. 466 He darted towards the glowing field. His heart ripped away at the 467 flesh that passed for his chest, already numb from gasping breaths. His teeth 468 tingled, andhe couldn't feel his hands. He lunged at the field... 469 The Patriot followed, lodging its body in the pathway, even as the 470 world around the fugitive began to reshape itself. The last sound that 471 the fleeting man heard from Central City was the cry of animal despair 472 mingling within the green mist with the shredding of steel flesh, the 473 scraping of metal fingers flipping away like chainmail sacks filled with 474 gritty sand... 475 476 The world shrunk into a pinpoint of unimaginably bright light, and then 477 expanded outwards again... 478 479 The fugitive found himself in the next borderland. He dropped onto the 480 green grass and relieved his aching soul, relishing in the cool scratchings 481 of the soft greenery against his many cuts and bruises, the dew stinging. 482 Marlana approached him, gripping his hand in hers. "You survived 483 Zephyr's border..." 484 "The Central City has changed little since the Catastrophe. The 485 only real difference is the kill ratio for the Patriots..." Each word was a 486 struggle. "Now... now that we can get to another BorderZone." 487 "All that matters is that you are safe..." 488 "We won't be safe until we reach KathyD's borderlands. I've a Hold 489 there, hidden near the secondary border. We should be able to reach 490 it by nightfall, Central Time. If we hurry." 491 "Have you a Route?" 492 "Yes." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a glowing map. "I've 493 got one of the Technocracy's Zone Calendars... We'll take the next border to 494 Thingfish, skip through Forest Asterisk during dusk, and then whomever ends up 495 at the Top will take is to KathyD. Hopefully..." 496 "Pyrrixall is changing." 497 "Change is for the better." 498 499 FIN 500 501 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 018=Usr:13 voyeur 07/07/90 23:45 Msg:5368 Call:29969 Lines:3 502 :::::::O O::::::::07/07/90::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::23:48:55::::O O:::::: 503 Huh, even quieter than usual today. I guess everyone's at WesterCon. 504 :::::::O O:::::::::::::::::::::::::voyeur:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::O O:::::: 019=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 07/08/90 01:06 Msg:5369 Call:29970 Lines:10 505 &*&*&*&*'s 506 Well, I've been bbs'ing for 2 years plus one day now. Onward into year three! 507 508 'The time in which we have to seek the answers to our questing thinks, 509 Is not unlike the metal band, which raps the world in its magnetic hand, 510 And delimetes for us the kinks of north and south.' 511 512 An Astral Dreamer 513 &*&*&*&*'s 514 020=Usr:394 Rayall the Pirat 07/08/90 14:36 Msg:5370 Call:29974 Lines:9 515 ArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrA 516 517 Back in my day we didn't have any computers. We only had our sextons and 518 trusty scimitars to keep things in line. 519 520 Now they have all this electronic stuff that pollutes the Earth's enviroment 521 . What is this world coming to? 522 523 ArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArr Rayall ArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrArrAr 021=Usr:92 Katherine Dohert 07/09/90 11:20 Msg:5372 Call:29985 Lines:1 524 ********the***kathyD***border?*********************************************** 022=Usr:4 Milchar 07/09/90 16:56 Msg:5373 Call:29988 Lines:1 525 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Milchlurk ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 023=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/09/90 17:40 Msg:5374 Call:29991 Lines:67 526 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 527 kathyD: Yes, the kathyD border... it had to be SOMEONE'S! :) Hope I didn't 528 violate any treaties... I have green card! I have green card! 529 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 530 531 "Then there's nothing we can do to halt the emmigration?" 532 --nothing legal, excellency. i fear the citizens have familiarized 533 themselves with the new order.-- 534 "And the Patriots?" 535 --day's permutation of the scape has rendered them useless beyond the 536 boundaries of central city. they just cease to operate. we've been dragging 537 them back through borderzone gates all week.-- 538 The creature perched on the asphalt throne was pensive. With the 539 hand that wasn't propping up his sagging head, he dug through a pocket 540 of his FabriSteel (C) (TM) (R) uniform and withdrew a white wafer cookie. 541 Pressing the center, a holographic chart erupted from between the brown 542 cardboard slats. "Population..." The wafer clicked, and the chart reflected 543 the Central City Population Growth Chart. The line was suicidal. 544 --as you can see, the density just isn't what it used to be before the 545 transition.-- 546 "The price we pay for living in a collective mentality." 547 The creature's silvery companion nodded dumbly. --of course.-- 548 The creature sighed. "I just wish they'd make up their minds. Day's run 549 through some twisted modifications in the past, but this one takes the 550 carcinogen..." The Emperor of Central City let his watery eyes wander through 551 the view just outside the SaniFresh (C) (TM) (R) Protective WindowScreens. 552 Even from this distance, he could see the faint blurring where Zephyr's Hold 553 ended and the next BorderZone began... whatever it was. He let himself drift 554 outward, trying to pierce the hazy Gate shield. Suddenly he rose. "I'm going 555 for a walk." 556 --is that wise, milord?-- 557 "No, but I'm going to. Have the guard prepare a field suit, and inform 558 the Technocracy of my impending absence from tonight's council meetings. Their 559 talk of exporting to Astral Dreamer bores me. Lord knows I want as little 560 to do with *his* Zone as possible." 561 --forgive my asking... but did something occur to place you in such 562 a frightfully unpleasant frame of thinking.-- 563 The creature withdrew a thin steel rod and melted the silvery 564 companion, shivering with each death scream the tiny 'bot gurgled. "No... 565 nothing especially. I just hate it when someone else gets the Ward." He 566 clicked his fingers, and another 'bot whirled into the room, skittering over 567 the thick pink fluid that still frothed from the joints of his predecessor. 568 -oh my.- 569 "Your first official order is to clean up... *that*." He pointed. 570 571 - - - 572 573 The Emperor had trekked for some time towards the Gate, becoming quite 574 annoyed by the toadying praise growled by passing Patriots and the satannic 575 glares of Network scum. Eventually, he reached the borderzone and stepped 576 casually through. 577 578 Time froze, and the world shrunk down into a dizzyingly small point of 579 light suspended in blackness. Then, just as suddenly, time resumed its 580 course, and the point of light burst forth into new surroundings. 581 582 Looking down at himself, the Emperor was disturbed to see that he 583 was now packing only a six-gun. 584 "Draw, ya runt!" 585 The voice came from a gruff and unshaven individual standing at 586 the other end of a narrow, dusty street littered with shells. "Excuse me?" 587 Grunting, the slovenly opponent withdrew his shotgun and the Emperor's 588 final thoughts, "I wonder if Hoffa ever dealt with this?", cascaded through his 589 exploding consciousness even as the cool steel of the bullets fluttered 590 through his heart. 591 592 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 024=Usr:13 voyeur 07/10/90 01:36 Msg:5375 Call:29996 Lines:33 593 :::::::O O:::::::07/10/90:::::::::::::::::::::::::::01:41:32:::::::O O:::::::: 594 from _LOCUS_ : 595 Sci-Fi Channel Problems 596 There are problems facing the fledgling Sci-Fi channel, despite ambitious 597 plans and an aggressive subscription campaign. The 24-hour cable television 598 network for sf/fantasy/horror programming, due to launch on December 31, 1990, 599 may be grounded by federal government plans to reregulate the cable industry. 600 Sci-Fi Channel president MItchell Rubenstein needs an estimated five to 601 seven million subscribers (10% of the U.S. subscription base) by the launch 602 date to generate sufficient ad revenue to survive. The most recent information 603 reports 1.5 million subscribers. 604 One problem is capacity. Cable operators are reluctant to add new channels 605 to already crowded line-ups when the threat of imminent rate reregulation makes 606 capitol expenditure on expanding channel capacity a dangerous propositon. 607 Rubenstein's timing is off. A key bill designed to regulate the industry was 608 introduced in November, so some action is likely. The reregulation issue will 609 have to be resolved in Congress before cable operators open their wallets. 610 Another problem is Rubenstein's lack of major corporate backing - his is 611 essentially an entrepeneurial enterprise. Other channels are in line for 612 space, including Time Warner Inc.'s Comedy Channel and Viacom's HA! The TV 613 Comedy Network. There is a possible merger between the two comedy networks that 614 will affect operator space allocation. In order to woo cable operators, 615 Rubenstein has had to offer charter affiliates two year's license fees free 616 and stock options in the channel. 617 Still, plans are progressing. The logo is designed, satellite space is 618 reserved, and a Gallup poll has defined the target audience for the product 619 (males 26 1/2 years old). Rubenstein will try to sell ads to products such as 620 cars, athletic shoes, and high-tech goods. 621 Waller Capital Corp. has been hired as a cable broker, and Shearson 622 Lehman Hutton Inc. will be attempting to raise capital. Rubenstein estimates 623 $20 million in launch costs, plus $30 million in operating costs over three to 624 four years before the channnel is profitable. 625 :::::O O::::::::::::::::::::::::::::voyeur::::::::::::::::::::::::::O O::::::: 025=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/10/90 11:38 Msg:5376 Call:29999 Lines:1 626 They're trying to get rid of SFTV and keep the Weather Channel? :::::Z===== 026=Usr:92 Katherine Dohert 07/10/90 13:26 Msg:5377 Call:30000 Lines:1 627 **********************lurkiousmodious*********kathyD*************************** 027=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/12/90 08:41 Msg:5378 Call:30018 Lines:3 628 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 629 Coyote - Slaverius Grotesquia 630 :::::Meep=:::::Meep=:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 028=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 07/12/90 17:24 Msg:5379 Call:30028 Lines:13 631 &*&*&*&*'s 632@ 633@though not without its merits. 634@It balances the different sides and keeps them all at bay, Its been around 635@for all of time, not just yesterday and today. 636@ 637@ 638 The change command don't work. I tried ch /old string/new string/ and it 639 killed the whole line. 640 641 An Astral Dreamer 642 &*&*&*&*' 643 029=Usr:267 phoenix polymorp 07/12/90 19:07 Msg:5380 Call:30030 Lines:4 644 this is world watch three>>>>>>>>> 645 dig this phoenix is back! screamin' across cyberspace with my atari 800, 300 646 baud! somebody speak to me! 647 wwiii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 030=Usr:267 phoenix polymorp 07/13/90 00:03 Msg:5381 Call:30034 Lines:18 648 this is world watch three>>>>>>>>>>> 649 This is Phoenix Polymorph reporting. What I want to know is, why in this new, 650 enlightened era of understanding, why does bigottry still linger? I have faced 651 it several times this evening. All I do is access a system and am automatic- 652 ly slammed off-line, simply because I opperate a 300 baud. 653 Obviously this new generation of sysop has forgotten us of the early days 654 befor the computer was God and the sysop was Priest, back when 8K was a break- 655 through, back when a reporter could get away with run-on sentences, poor 656 speeling and bad gramar. 657 658 Enlightenment and maturity is what I respect the most about this board and 659 is why I return to it whenever I can. 660 Now if I could only get my thermal printer to work.... 661 wwiii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 662 Phoenix polymorph is brought to you by FIZZ cola. FIZZ for that blast of 663 caffine, that rush of sugar and clean floors 664 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>nw/0 665 ^C 031=Usr:13 voyeur 07/13/90 00:33 Msg:5382 Call:30035 Lines:6 666 ::::::O O::::::::07/13/90:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::00:40:43:::::O O::::::: 667 I noticed the same problem with the CHange command - on line 613 I had said, 668 "there is possible". I tried CH / p/a p/ to insert the missing 'a', but the 669 whole line disappeared. Or maybe the space between the 'CH' and the '/' is 670 not allowed? Huh, I don't recall. I guess they're right when they say 671 :::::::O O::::::::::::::::::::::::::::voyeur::::::::::::::::::::::::::O O:::::: 032=Usr:92 Katherine Dohert 07/13/90 09:03 Msg:5383 Call:30038 Lines:9 672 *****************madatcats*************************************************** 673 Kitties left me a surprize this moring. I don't know which one of the little 674 fur balls did it. I opened the front door and found the far flung remains of a 675 mature robin. Yech, I sure hope it wasn't someone's mother. Reminds me of 676 just what natural instinct is and for "lesser" animals how the patterns are so 677 totally immersed. Hopefully, humans will soon be able to recognize their own 678 self serving destructions and make steps to relearn new instincts. But, I'm 679 still.. 680 **************madatcats*************************kathyD************************* 033=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/13/90 20:38 Msg:5384 Call:30068 Lines:85 681 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 682 kathyD: This wouldn't happen to be one of the notorious breed of Drooling 683 Cats of long ago, now, would it? 684 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 685 686 "I'd like to book passage." 687 ^Business or Pleasure?^ 688 "Pleasure... Private vacation." 689 ^Did you have any particular BorderZone in mind, sir?^ 690 "Something varied..." 691 ^Time reference?^ 692 "Localized... Modern convention technology..." The traveller eyed his 693 watch. 694 ^Please be specific.^ 695 The traveller stared atRoboTemp EROS-#55 blankly. "Excuse me?" 696 _Do you need a list._ LED eyes narrowed. 697 "No... no. I suppose I-" Suddenly he found himself feeling 698 very uncomfortable. 699 ^Please be specific.^ 700 "Circa Terra 1990..." 701 ^Geographical locale?^ 702 "Oh, it doesn't really matter. Like I said, I need something a little 703 varied... Forest, grassland, mountain 704 range areas... Snow... And rain. Lots of rain." 705 Synthetic gum exploded from silver lips. ^Terran Oregon areas?^ 706 The traveller thought for a brief moment. "Why not? Do you really have 707 any Borders here close enough to that sort of scape?" 708 ^Pyrrixall is a favorite hunting ground for DIM runners from Terra... 709 We get them here all the time... A lot of the Baronies are Terran owned and 710 operated... from all sorts of different time periods. Just last week a new 711 Barony near The Astral Dreamer's Hold established itself, with a ruler from 712 Earth's 1600 Old Reckoning...^ 713 The traveller gulped, having heard only one small part of the 714 sales pitch. "Hunting ground?" 715 ^Don't let it ruffle you. Terrans like to talk tough, but most of them're 716 softies. We'll be sure to equip you with everything you need to get them to 717 cuddle up to your good side. Just remeber... the three most important 718 things to a Terran are-^ The dry mechanical voice settled into a hum of 719 anticipation. 720 "Sex, sex, sex?" 721 ^You've read up.^ 722 "The period interests me... but it really is hard to get a perspective 723 without seeing one. A Terran, I mean. Books just aren't enough." 724 ^They are a little on the cute side, aren't they? Listen, you know 725 the score. Libidos Formidable'... The Seige Prophylactic...^^ A sly wink 726@crossed the red readout display. "Looking for a little Dimensione au 727 crossed the display. ^Looking for a little D&D?^ 728 "Of course not!" He barked louder than he needed to. 729 The RoboTemp switched modes with an audible click. _^ Look, dear... 730 nobody's recording this... I'm a Travel Agent. If that's why you're 731 going off-Zone then we'll book you up in the best area for that sort of 732 thing._^ 733 "I-" He tugged at the collar that ran around his slime soaked, 734 scaley neck. "... Okay. Yeah." 735 _^Can't blame you... Dimension au Dimension gets *real* interesting... 736 Especially with humans... They'll take anything._^ 737 The traveler looked on, disgusted. "So what's the deal?" 738 Another click. _Flat rate for a D&D locale... Typical Oregon, Terra, 739 1990, Humanix D-RIM Latch. Credits: 60,000 Base 10 Modifier..._ 740 "When can I get off Zone?" 741 The Agent whipped out a Zone Calendar, one of the few that 742 existed, scattered as they had been after the Triangle Transition. 743 A third click, like the first. _^Why, whenever you're ready. At current 744 topographical placement, a Zone fitting the description of this one should take 745 shape beyond the barrier in a few short second.^_ 746 The traveller pressed a claw against the table. "What happens if 747 something goes wrong?" 748 ^_We don't control the Gates... We have only a 1% Zone Failure rate, 749 and a 10% Locale failure rate... and if the locale is wrong... you can just 750 Trek through the Zone until you get to where you need to go at our 751 expense.^_ Her smile buzzed neon. 752 "Ok. Sure." Quickly, the traveliccked up his bags and 753 stepped through the chamber. 754 755 *-*-* 756 757 Time Froze, and the world slipped downwards into a dot of incredibly 758 bright light.. Then, just as suddenly, Time Resumed, and the world exploded 759 outward around the traveller from the center of the dot. 760 761 *-*-* 762 763 He was wet. 764 The world was water. 765 He was drowning. 034=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/13/90 21:18 Msg:5385 Call:30069 Lines:37 766 The water burned. 767 Something had gone terribly wrong... 768 He could feel the fire that pulsed through the water boiling away 769 his clothes... those slick Slorpskin gloves, his Deccator rings, the tight 770 Galiph red-jeans, his Winnowool shirt. Fire and pain flowed around him. 771 Fire and pain in the burning water... 772 Pain... 773 Burning... 774 Burr... 775 Burrrrrr... 776 He tossed, swimming up towards the light above that signaled escape. He 777 thrashed his head about, trying to escape dim buzz of the fire, the pain, 778 seething in the back of his skull like a rabid moth. His vision blurred, 779 melting away into an impossible red rage... Rage... Rage... Hate... 780 He exploded up from the water, reveling in the raw power that the 781 pain had brought forth... The trip was forgotten... the RoboTemp was 782 forgotten... D&D was forgotten... All fell back into the red, wild haze, the 783 boiling well of violence that now ran quick through pumping veins. 784 He felt alive... the sun burned in the sky... the water droplets 785 cascaded across his great scaley form. The world was a mass of red shapes 786 sticky th 'being...' The urge to rend and tear coursed through him with 787 the electric hum... 788 789 Far away, on a stretch of land, were the humans, forgotten, too, in 790 his newfound power. He forgot their needs, their desires, their... 791 talents. He forgot that they were smaller than they were supposed to be. 792 Nothing mattered but the hate... 793 794 One of the humans looked out at the ocean and screamed. He should 795 have understood the words, but they were forgotten in the red... 796 797 "Look!! It's Godzilla!" 798 799 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 800 And the legend was born. Bet you never knew what REALLY happened! :) 801 Before now. 802 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 035=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/14/90 16:33 Msg:5388 Call:30089 Lines:3 803 804 And now for something completely different. 805 036=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/14/90 22:43 Msg:5389 Call:30099 Lines:113 806 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 807 808 STRANGERS BEYOND THE PLANE 809 810 - - - 811 812 "I wrote that, you know..." 813 ?Pardon? The grossly overweight gerbil pulled his grey fedora from 814 over his eyes to see where the Terran voice came from. 815 "That book... The one you're reading. I wrote it." A smartly 816 attired Terran, or perhaps simply a cultist to that type of environment, 817 pointed a stubby finger towards the novel that rested in the gerbil's lap. 818 "I'm a novelist." 819 ?Do tell? The gerbil perked into wakefulness, rubbing sand from his 820 glowing blue eyes and stretching. His muscles ached from the time spent in 821 the uncomfortable chair during the train ride. ?From whereabouts? 822 "I hail from Asterisk originally. Moved to Saunders six weeks ago." 823 ?Saunders? The old gerbil chuckled,, a low purr in the back of 824 his scratchy throat. ?How're things thereabouts? 825 "Fine, fine. The Green is alive, as she might say... 'Hopscotch & 826 Brandywine.'" 827 ?Never changes, does she? 828 "What does, in the Green?" 829 ?True, isn't it? And you were telling me about this novel of yours? 830 That got the Terran interested. He cleared his throat. "Well, as you 831 might have noticed, the book was published in Central City. Zephyr 832 isn't exactly lenient when it comes to freedom of speech, but I think that 833 the integrity of the work managed to get through. There are other versions 834 with the complete manuscript, though. You can tell," he pointed again. "by 835 the covers. Do you hail from Central City?" 836 ?Me? The gerbil huffed. ?Why say a thing like that? Don't you know 837 who I am? 838 The Terran's voice quavered a bit... "Afraid not." He seemed hurt 839 by the outburst... Probably a shy one. 840 ?I'm Phinneas Thornsworth, aren't I? 841 "Ah! The noted metaphysicist from the Astral Dream! I've read your work 842 and I must tell you I'm fascinated... Particularly your theory about genetic 843 exchanges from one temporal reality to the next... on a planetary scale. 844 Really topper stuff you have there!" 845 ?You think so? 846 "Absolutely!" 847 ?You must realize then why my reaction was as it was, do you not? 848 The Terran sighed. "Afraid so. I'm all too familiar with Zephyr's 849 thoughts on metaphysics... and on books, as I've said before." He did 850 his best to imitate the Baron, slicking his hair back haphazardly with one hand 851 while shaking another. "One Mind! One Truth! One Pulse! THESE, then, are 852 the Ways to Glory... the Triumverate!" 853 ?Smashing, wouldn't anyone say? Phinneas wiped his tiny round 854 spectacles with a pink cloth. ?Now, that wouldn't be the reason you left 855 Central City, would it? 856 "You mean, why I'm on this train? Oh,heavens no. I'm actually just 857 between publishings, and I'm going to be discussing the possibility of 858 adapting Michael Day's life story into an epic biography..." 859 ?Really, now? 860 "Yess, really. I find that people in positions of power naturally tend 861 to intimidate the populance into a sort of acceptance of a Leader As God 862 relationship. I'm hoping the book will bring the Pyrrixallian citizens just a 863 little bit closer to the Monarch..." 864 ?The Baronies will have a field day, won't they?" 865 #I'm sure that they will.# The grating, telltale voice of a machine 866 interrupted them. 867 Phinneas and the Terran both looked across from their cubicle at 868 the speaker. 869 #You're Themi TraDesWa, aren't you?# he queried of the Terran. 870 "B-B-Baron!" 871 #Yes, and I've taken sudden interest in this little piece of 872 yours.# Steel claws clacked together, echoing uncomfortably. #Do tell.# 873 "There's really not much to tell beyond what I've already said." Themi 874 stuttered. 875 #Humor me.# 876 ?What more can he say? 877 "Well, a little. I'm probably going to try to put some of the more 878 idiosyncratic factors of his life back together... Piece out some of the 879 'Missing Years' that everyone wonders about... With his permission, of 880 course." 881 #Of course.# 882 "Average stuff... Past history. And I'll try to put that silly 883 Innisfall rumor to rest once and for all. Those Cultists need a harsh 884 taste of reality." 885 #Which Michael will give tthem.# 886 "If he agrees to help with my book." 887 ?Why wouldn't he? 888 "That's the bugger of it all. Above it all, he really is a secretive 889 sort. Tends to try to stay out of the Public limelight beyond his 890 General Disclaimers every so often. Forest Asterisk needs to stay in the 891 forefront of the Wards, after all, now doesn't it?" 892 ?So? 893 "My only real concern is that he might not WANT the missing years 894 dealt with..." 895 #Why shouldn't he?# The Baron eyed a crystal sphere as it played 896 over his fingers. #He's nothing to hide from the people...# 897 ?Or so he says, no? 898 #And did I understand you correctly when you said your book was 899 published under a Central Ciity house?# The way the Baron hissed 900 'Central City' made his feelings more than apparent. 901 "Oh yes, yes, quite..." 902 #I should be interested to read your biography tale when it appears. 903 Be sure to notify me. Saundersinic Astrologers know how to reach me at my 904 Barony.# 905 "I'll send youu a copy." 906 #Do that.# 907 Suddenly, the train lurched to a halt. Only one new passenger boarded 908 and then the great steaming beast resumed its brakeneck pace. 909 The new arrival was a thin, pale man dressed in black leathers... A 910 scarlet bandana was wrapped around his head, mingling in with gelled black 911 locks. At his hip were two six shooters, customary for the area they 912 were presently passing through. He wandered over to the seat next to 913 Phinneas. "Nice day." 914 ?I'd say so, wouldn't anyone? 915 He looked at the book on the gerbil's lap. "Hey! I did the cover 916 art for that!" 917 918 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 037=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 07/15/90 09:53 Msg:5390 Call:30103 Lines:18 919 &*&*&*&*'s 920 921 The wanderer hovered, just outside of the realities. Picking the proper entry 922 point had become trickier recently, what with all the remodeling going on. 923 What looked safe from this side at first glance could be deadly. One way 924 portals being all to common. He wondered if someday his passage would cut 925 of forever. All the more reason to be carefull. Finally he found place 926 that looked safe. He felt no terminating resistance, and the scenery seemed 927 nice enough. He made himself invisible and went in. He started his 928 analysis. 929 930 931 The rules set is can be hard to detect from the other side. One of these days 932 he'd have to see about getting a map... 933 934 An Astral Dreamer 935 &*&*&*&*'s 936 038=Usr:368 Nemesis Warlock 07/16/90 22:26 Msg:5391 Call:30125 Lines:49 937 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 938 939 Zephyr tapped his fingers against the hollowed stone tablet that took 940 up most of the western corner of his highrise office. Absently, he prodded 941 the raised black buttons on his remote control, watching quick, random images 942 flutter across multiple television screens embedded in marble. 943 "*Subtlety was never one of your strong suits, Dreamer.*" 944 He watched on the Cathode set, the fuzzy, indistinct dots of colored 945 light gyrating into a comprehensible pattern... A shadowy presence slipping 946 through an unguarded Gate. Zephyr's supply of available Patriots in the 947 area was growing dangerously low. 948@ Damn Michael. Damn Dy. The two had been in league from the beginning. 949 Damn Michael... Damn Day, for that matter. The two had been in league 950 from the beginning. The 'Angler' threat was probably conconted by Day 951 to consolidate his position in Real Time terms. 952 Now that the Obscurities had been destroyed, folding back into the Abyss 953 when the last Transition occurred, there was nothing to stop the Day from 954 launching physical assaults against those who would have his position. 955 The Medalic Prophets held the outer Baronies, but Day's Wards still held 956 the ultimate lure. 957 Oh, Day had been clever in orchestrating his plans around the 958 arrival of the Temporal Enforcer... It effectively rendered any action 959 on Zephyr's part futile... How could a mortal... even a Creative one... hope 960 to spread an Empire out across Pyrrixall when the Gates transfigured all that 961 passed between them in terms of whatever world was entered... All, that 962 is, but for Day's legions. How... convenient. 963 Frustrated, Zephyr leaned over onto the table, spreading his thin 964 fingers as wide as he could, stretching his muscles until the warm, angry 965 burn tingled through them. He licked his lips, and pressed a button on his 966 intercom. 967 "*Miss Fifch?*" 968 --Sir?-- 969 "*Send in the new boy.*" 970 --Right away.-- 971 There would be time to deal with his mechanations later. There would 972 be opportunity aplenty to find holes in this new logic loop. Plot devices 973 whirled through his head, aching to materialize. Central City belched 974 flame. 975 The door to the office opened soundlessly, and a youth, no more than 976 twenty one years old, slipped in, pattering across the plush carpet. 977 His silver eyes were wide and nervous, and he ran a hand through shoulder 978 length brown hair. 979 Plenty of time, Zephyr mused, allowing the dark Rage freedom in his 980 eyes. But first... work off some steam. 981 "*Fade to black.*" 982 983 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 984 Astral: Well, I never said he was a GOOD guy! 985 :::::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==Zephyr::=====:::::=====:::::=====:::::==== 039=Usr:13 voyeur 07/17/90 00:15 Msg:5392 Call:30126 Lines:12 986 :::::::O O::::::::07/17/90:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::00:25:10:::::O O:::::: 987 L'homme - Howz yer 1024i working? Find the adapter for your NEC? 988 Speaking of modems (huh?), you were right about XTALK - it does 989 handle RTS/CTS flow control if you tell it to. I guess ComSh just 990 doesn't cut it anymore. (It also can't keep up if I have the port 991 set at >= 9600). Maybe I should look into YAM? 992 I finally got a map showing the coordinates of dystopia. If you want 993 to update the tables, it's 45d25'33"N by 122d36'44"W. (quichelabs, by 994 the way, appears to be 45d26'34"N by 122d48'22"W give-or-take a couple 995 of seconds.) 996 You remember Linda, don't you? Rumor has it she's "with child". 997 :::::::O O::::::::::::::::::::::::::voyeur:::::::::::::::::::::::::::O O::::::: 040=Usr:84 Michael Miller j 07/17/90 09:06 Msg:5393 Call:30128 Lines:2 998 &*&*&*'s (At the bottom, the cycle will soon begin again.) 999 &*&*&*'s (This is the edge, home of temporal glitches.)