The Voyages of the Penelope and the Yydryl

Walking along in the gathering gloom, nenothtu paused here and there, squatting down and searching. Finally finding what he was looking for, he gathered a handful of some sort of dead, dried moss and leaf mold. Carrying onward, he gathered up a somewhat larger collection of twigs and small sticks, and hunkered down on the lee of small rock cliff, and bent to his work.

Squatting on his haunches, and leaning the spear he had constructed against his shoulder, inside his encircling arms to keep it handy, he put the notched piece of wood on the ground under his bare feet, put the blunted, rounded end of his "arrow" in the dimple at the apex of the notch, and used the other piece he had split from that wood as a cap at the top of the "arrow", to maintain a downward pressure on it. With his tinder in place under the notch, and his "bowstring" looped once around the arrow shaft, a single twist of the bow to tighten it, he began sawing the bow back and forth, causing the "arrow" to spin in the imprisoning dimples of the wood.

After several minutes of this sawing, the friction-caused heat generated thereby set the dust produced by the sawing to smoking in thin wisps. Keeping up the activity, nenothtu produced enough of the heated dust to finally send a spark of heat into the tinder. dropping the firebow setup, neno blew on the spark to cause it to flare, and was wholly unprepared for the sudden blossom of flame from the tinder which flared up far enough to singe his days old growth of whiskers and send him reeling backwards to escape it.

"They must soak their forest in gasoline or alcohol around here!" he exclaimed. He threw the twigs and sticks onto the fire to keep it going, and cleared out a wider area of bare dirt around the fire. That's all he needed, a forest fire getting started! Nenothtu aimed to prevent that unhappy occurrence, which surely would mean the end of him. He set aside the smaller sticks he came in contact with to feed the fire, but keep it as small as possible, and discarded the larger ones. The wood itself burned normally, so neno determined it must have been some compound present in the tinder he'd gathered that caused the unexpected blaze.

As yet, nenothtu hadn't found anything to call food, and so had nothing to cook. He had built the fire to finish his spear mostly, but it also served to keep night creatures at bay, and the small amount of heat it gave off, reflected from the rock wall at his back as well, wasn't entirely unwelcome later in the night, or earlier in the morning if one preferred to see it that way, when the air cooled and became more humid, producing a mist in the forest. The fire served to keep the humidity somewhat driven off, and had been constructed so as to present a minimum of advertisement through the forest, being visible from only one side to the open woods.

A pointy stick is one thing, but a pointy stick intended to puncture quite another. For that enterprise, the pointy part of the stick had to be harder than normal. That could be accomplished with a stone point, but for that one needed fastening material and something glue-like, and the points were brittle and more difficult and time consuming to produce than his crude axe. The next best method was fire-hardening the wood itself. That's what nenothtu was going to do to his pointy stick. He held just the very tip of it, perhaps the first inch or so, slightly above the licking flames. By that means he heated the wood without actually burning it, which would have weakened it rather than strengthening it. The wood in the affected area scorched, but didn't burn, As it scorched, the moisture was driven out, shrinking and hardening the wood and sap in the targeted area, leaving the rest of the spear as green and supple as it could be expected to be, separated from the world as it was. Neno scraped the hardened wood, to bring it to a finer point.

When he was finished hardening the spear, neno fed the fire once more, and leaned back against the rock wall. the upper piece of his fire kit he laid across his lap, as a makeshift club, and the spear was leaned up against the rock, inside his arms again. Nenothtu STILL felt the eyes out there. He had no idea what sort of critter it was, but it was following him. In neno's experience on Khalamzadar, the reason things followed one in the woods was that they had a general perception of making you their next meal. Neno had no intention of accepting a dinner invitation here, wherever "here" was, especially not as the main course.

At one point, neno picked the little blue globe off of his chest and regarded it. "I dunno why you switched yourself off, but it just ain't sportin' to drop a fella off in the middle of nowhere, and refuse him a ride back home. Not sportin' at all. Pretty globe you've become, though..."

He catnapped sitting up with his back against the rock wall, weapons to hand, and roused occasionally to feed the small fire again, and wait for the dawn, listening to his belly growl in protest at it's mistreatment, in a symphony with the cacophany of night creatures all around.


[edit on 2010/6/22 by nenothtu]

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A cold mist seeped into the woods and BIAD's feet protested
about the drop in temperature, BIAD ignored the complaints
and watched the stranger build a fire.

The occasional mumble still fell from the naked man's lips,
but BIAD no longer bothered himself to listen. Smoke lazily
rose from the pile of dried leaves as the man busied himself
with fire-making.

After a few minutes... as BIAD had crept around the man and
settled behind a Zavier bush at the base of a cliff face... the
scene before BIAD, told more of somebody who was preparing
for any attack.
The man was hardening the point of a spear he had fashioned
in the flickering flames and BIAD's smile tightened again.
Was he going to hunt food? Was he afraid of marauding beasts
that might come in the night?... BAID looked behind him as this
thought arrived.

The chirping night moved on and BIAD could see the figure
sat against the rock face, he seemed to be dozing. The amulet
or machine... BIAD wasn't totally sure what is was, lay dull on
the man's chest.

BIAD's mind looked for a scheme... what if the jewel-thing only
worked for the stranger? What if he attacked now... (which BIAD
knew was a wasted effort, as the guy had weapons!)... and the
machine automatically 'shifted' the stranger away...?
BIAD glanced at the sky and wished the answer would come.
Then he heard the man's stomach grumble and BIAD knew what
to do.

Leaving the scene quietly, the man/girl set off with the comfort
of having a plan. Many years ago, when Father used to bring
the young BIAD out into areas that would force the misshapen
creature to find items that would keep him alive, BIAD had first,
accepted the skills his creator had taught him and then honed
them.
Shelter, food, weapons and the key one -advantage, were all
the requirements for survival and BIAD had called on this
knowledge many times to keep ahead of the game.

The food he was after lay just beyond the stream, the slabs
of granite that lay under the Calder bushes were ideal places
for the soft sweet plants.
Staver Peas always grew in the clefts of rocks near water.
BIAD's fingers tapped lightly along the space between the
soft moist soil and the granite edge.
Then he felt them.

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After gathering two handfuls of the peas and finding a fairly
clean piece of Torsen bark, BIAD set the meal together near
the water's edge. Though the moss on the land had a tendency
to flee when cornered, it's lush green cousin, that lay just under
the stream's surface had no qualms about being manhandled.

BIAD's offering looked swell, the Stavers and the surrounding
moss would sustain a man for a couple of days and BIAD hoped
that his plan would work.
Keeping low, he made his way to the glow of the fire and ghost-like
(or so he hoped)... he crept near the naked and man and placed
the platter of greenery onto the ground.

Without taking a breath, BIAD retraced his steps, wiping any
markings of high heels from the dusty earth as he retreated.
The stars looked down in the late night and waited with BIAD to
see if he was to finally get off this planet.

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Time sat beside BIAD as the man slept on and the lull of the forest
called for memories and recollections.
The wigged eyeless man/girl wondered again, about Jenson's words
and what occurred later in that day in the Triton prison.

The information about the transporting blue stone and Jenson's
concern that he knew a man that owned one, BIAD had taken with
a pinch of salt.
During the break times, when the prisoners were allowed to wander
the yard under the hot sun, many groups formed and many tall tales
were spun, BIAD had heard most of them.

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But Jenson had assured BIAD that what he said was true and though
BIAD had no eyebrows, Jenson was sure BIAD's would be raised in
disbelief.
That's probably why the fight started.

It was around an hour later when the note was slipped to BIAD in
his cell, the droid that constantly swept the balcony had a penchant
for gun oil and a small vial could get you many favours.
A metallic arm clicked and creaked in between the plasma bars and
the small piece of paper floated to the floor.

Dear BIAD,
after deep deliberation and certain decisions regarding
the satisfaction of several officers of this establishment, it's been
decided to hold a Fight-To-The-death and we have nominated you
as one of the contenders. Our close friend and bodyguard -Bland
as agreed to be your opposition and we know you would, along with us,
like to thank him for volunteering. We know that it may seem that this
sudden request has been thrust upon you without your consultation,
but to be candid, we don't care.
Mr. Jenson will arrange seconds for you and you may ask one of
your 'friends' to assist. But we must press home that failure to take
part and step up to the plate will be met with the strongest of negative
feeling.
Thank you for your time,
TEN.

The handwriting was neat and in ink, which around here was rare
indeed. BIAD stared at the piece of paper and read it a second time.
The TEN were a group of convicts that ran most of the organised crime
in this sector and BIAD had even worked for them once.
Kershner was the meanest of them and BIAD guessed that it was him,
with a small amount of help from Jenson, that had decided to create
a nice evening in.
BIAD looked through the bars at the cell across the way and pondered
whether to ask his friend -Peebles.

It was going to be a long night.

[edit on 23-6-2010 by A boy in a dress]

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The stranger stirred and BIAD watched to see if his grip on the
home-made spear would loosen, but all seemed the same.
The food that BIAD had provided still lay on it's bark plate and there
was enough light from the dwindling fire to see that the naked man
hadn't noticed it.
BIAD waited in the undergrowth.

"... the trick with this character, BIAD... is to dodge and weave."
hissed Peebles into his ear. BIAD nodded, but his focus was on
the huge Krugon -Bland, who held his massive seven feet frame
under the ring's spotlight and shook his sledgehammer fists at the
oncoming BIAD.

The silhouettes of the guards could be seen on the main hall
balconies and the gleam of gun metal showed that they weren't
taking any chances.

The sound was deafening as most of the inmates were here to
see a rare treat, the mighty Krugon ripping apart the man/girl that
was supposed to be able to get out of any corner... BIAD's heart
sank.

As Peebles pushed his way through the crowd and BIAD followed
in his wake, there was only a few pats on the back for the slump-
shouldered hermaphrodite, these came from the 'Pheebs'

The Pheebs were a small band of prisoners who pride themselves
(although, never aloud) that they were the brains of organised crime.
Many were Bookkeepers, some were Bankers who moved vast amounts
of wealth for their crime Bosses and of course, all were accountable to
a crime.
BIAD used to listen to the group in the Walk Yard and he eventually
accepted as one of their own. Peebles had been the first to approach
him. The raven-haired man with the thick spectacles and the shuffling gait
had seen BIAD loitering near them and asked if BIAD had a view on
their discussion.

They were talking about the author Shelley, a writer from way back...
long before the Great War. The group were sat near Triton's Main
Bay, where supplies were delivered.
The Guards were always vigilant, but looked on these weak, servile
men as harmless... they wouldn't dare try to escape through the Bay.
BIAD whispered that he knew nothing of this Shelley guy and shrugged
as if to say he wasn't interested.
Clifton and Peebles, smiled at each other and it was the gangly Clifton
who softly told BIAD that Shelley was a woman.
BIAD blushed, but nobody laughed. They had accepted him.

The M.C announced from the ring that the fight was to commence and
assured the crowd that no animals would be harmed in the event. The
audience erupted in laughter and the M.C pushed on with his introductions.
Peebles' voice came back into range and BIAD could hear him shouting
above the roar that as long as he kept away from those big arms, he had
a chance, BIAD lifted his head to look a Peebles and through gritted teeth,
he mouthed the words 'thank you'

The heat from the Krieg Lights was intense has BIAD pushed himself
through the ropes and stood facing Bland, the giant grinned at the wig-
toting creature and BIAD grinned back.
This was going to hurt.

[edit on 24-6-2010 by A boy in a dress]

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The night sky was fleeing West as the sun tried to ambush the moon
and BIAD watched the endless story unfold. The jewels that sparkled and
danced across the heavens, blinked out one by one, as daylight arrived
stage-left.
The naked man slept on.

BIAD dozed among the fronds of the caressing plants and the thoughts
of his encounter with the toad-skinned Bland continued.

"In the Blue corner, weighing in at 78 kleets is our friend from Krugon,
King of the ring... the Damner with the hammer... the mighty Blllllaaaaand!!!"
The M.C roared into the microphone and BIAD scanned the dark shapes
that rose to greet the call. The noise was louder and BIAD's sensitive ears
sizzled with the cacophony of sound.

Bland raised the tree trunks that were his arms and BIAD could see sweat
coursing down the man's bald ugly head. Bland's face, a tough leather-
hard visage, showed menace and a sense of enjoyment when dishing
out cruel brutality... this was his trademark. The pig eyes of his opponent
should dumbness and no mercy.

Barnabus Fallon, the big-mouthed announcer snake-smiled at BIAD as he
turned to the 'red' corner. BIAD stood in his short red dress and his scuffed
high heels, awaiting the worst.
Whatever Seconds Jenson had promised, hadn't materialised and BIAD was
glad of that at least. If he made it through the first round, he would
be likely able to crawl back to his corner only to have rock salt rubbed
into his wounds.
The M.C wandered over to the small long-fringed figure.

"How yer' holding up, young fella?" Barnabus asked softly and placed a
fatherly arm around BIAD's towelled-covered shoulders.
"Don't even" BIAD hissed and brought his focus back to the mottled-
skinned thug that was cracking his knuckles, across the ring.
Fallon showed his disgust with his eyebrows, straightened his neon-lit bow
tie and stepped back into the centre of the makeshift arena.

"... And in the Red corner weighing in at... well, I won't say, after all he's
a lady!" Barnabus snapped and grinned into the darkness. The hoots and
laughter flowed over BIAD and his shoulders sagged further.
The M.C went on, "Here he is, straight from the chorus line in Vegas..."
The crowd were in hysterics with the gags and BIAD glanced over at Peebles
who was busy wiping his glasses. Peebles looked up and smiled... very, very
weakly.
"... and here tonight, to entertain you. Let's have a big Triton welcome for
the girl-with-the-swirl, the-pig-with-the-wig... your very own Krugon-fodder,
BIIIIIAAAAAAAD!!"

The crowd went crazy and BIAD was startled by the noise, then it dawned
on him that this wasn't support, they were mocking him and couldn't wait
to see his dismembered body thrown about the ring.
BIAD's lips tighten and he readied himself for the onslaught.

Bland lumbered back to his corner and BIAD could see Jenson there
giving tips to the nodding ogre, Jensen glanced over a couple of times
and then whispered something to Bland, BIAD could only guess at what
instructions had come from The TEN.
The bell sounded for Round One and BIAD, towel neatly folded and put
to one side, stepped out onto the canvas.

[edit on 24-6-2010 by A boy in a dress]

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The first thing we should discuss is the pain.
When Bland hits you, the nearest thing to it, I suppose... it's like
being hit by those big tankers that carry quartz from the Methon
Mine, up near Albion. Those babies trundle along at speed and
weighing over 50 tons, chances are that the average humanoid
will not slow one down!
Bland's like that.

BIAD stepped towards the shambling Bland and put his fists up
in the way the old-timers used to, Bland just picked up speed
and roared in.
The crowd were shouting louder than ever and BIAD could sense
the faces around the ring, all wanting blood.
Bland reached a huge hand out to grab BIAD and the man/girl ducked
to the left, the air from the swipe making BIAD's hair sweep back.

BIAD danced around the ring with no idea of what to do, the giant
before him tracked his movement and lunged again.
There was no Referee to assist here, the rules were simple...
the one left alive is the winner.

BIAD dodged another sweeping arm and then found himself
being herded towards a corner. BIAD glanced to his right for escape
and that's when the fist hit him.
Peebles guessed later, that BIAD travelled six feet across the ring
before he touched down, but the blow should have made sure that
the thing with the permo-wig would never have appreciated the landing.

BIAD saw stars... if he had eyes, he'd have seen stars, but the
imaginary celestial lights were in his head and the pain on his
left cheek numbed the crowd's applause for a few moments as the
twinkling orbs danced around his mind.

But that's all the time Bland needed, he grabbed BIAD's hair and
lifted him high into the bright lights for all to see.
BIAD struggled to gain his senses and then he felt a blow to his
stomach. Bland struck again, hitting the squirming BIAD in the chest,
the air whooshing out of the dangling hermaphrodite's lungs.

BIAD swung like a ragdoll, as Bland displayed his trophy to the crowd,
the cat-calls and laughter swirled around BIAD's head and the thick-
skinned monster's face loomed into view mockingly.
"Had enough, girly?" Bland shouted in BIAD's face, spittle spattering
BIAD's bruised cheek. The bewigged puppet merely hung there and
awaited the killer blow.
Then something happened.

Bland's face contorted from hatred, through to surprise and then to
a look of pain. BIAD stared at the ugly visage and wondered what was
happening. Bland dropped him as if he was hot and our poor hero fell
to the canvas.

BIAD shook the dizziness away and looked up at the retreating brute.
Bland was holding his hand and staring with bewilderment at it.
The skin was lacerated and blood seeped from the hundreds of paper
cut-like wounds. BIAD stood up, wavered a little and then strove for
his true height, Bland was still focused on his bloodied fingers.

The crowd called for flesh-rendering and buckets of gore, but the
two fighters merely stood and waited. Bland grimaced as if the wounds
were stinging, BIAD just glanced over to his corner and saw Peebles
shouting something.
"Your hair, BIAD... your hair did it!" he bellowed and BIAD's head tilted
dog-like to try and understand.

Many years ago, when BIAD and his Creator had taken a trip to Calico,
The old man had told BIAD about some of the talents that the man/girl
possessed. The thrusters had burned again and the two of them had
continued to shoot down the steel highway towards the busy streets of
'Calico - Where All Your Wants Are Met'

"You're quite fortunate, my little friend..." the Creator had softly said,
"... you have powers that will come to your rescue, only when you need
them" BIAD had nodded, but he wasn't sure what this wise old sage had
meant. "This way... you can never intentionally harm anyone " the Creator
finished with and peered out across the dune-landscape.

BIAD's hair coiled and slid snake-like across his head, BIAD gulped,
but remained ready fot the next assault.

BIAD looked back at Bland and the long painted fingernails tucked them-
selves away inside fists as BIAD decided enough was enough.
The giant Bland scowled and put his bleeding fingers out of sight, the
Krugon that had broken the neck of a Crigger steer when he was just ten
years old, wasn't going to be hurt by a skinny long-haired creature that
stood only chest high to him.

Bland thundered towards BIAD, he was going to tear him apart.
Kershner had relayed through Jensen, that the match should last two
rounds at least, but Bland's anger had produced the red mist and all the
giant knew was that the figure before him, was to be obliterated right now.

[edit on 24-6-2010 by A boy in a dress]

Nenothtu noticed the fog start creeping into his darkness, and had by now determined that it was an indicator that he was slipping into the 'tween. That was just not a good place to be when he needed his wits about him, exposed and stranded as he was in an unknown place with... things... in the woods. Ever so often, the maniacal shriek of one thing or another had awakened him throughout the night, but as dawn approached they must have been leaving off the hunt in favor of denning in for the day, and the peace thereby promoted allowed him to slip into deeper slumbers than he had intended.

The fog of the 'tween, acting as an alarm of sorts, warned him that he was slipping away too deeply, and cause him to force himself to wake up. Cracking his eyes open without stirring, as was again becoming his habit, he was startled to see a piece of bark with something on it in the area he had swept clear around the fire the night before. Opening his eyes slightly wider, he swept his gaze around the area without yet moving his head. After determining there was nothing in his immediate vicinity to present any danger, he slowly cranked his head left and right, on creaking neck bones, clearing the area before arising to poke and feed the fire, and then examine the new decor.

It was what appeared to be a double handful of some sort of purple berry-looking things, and some moss, arranged on a slab of bark. Nenothtu squatted on his haunches before it, and, picking up a stick, poked at the strange pile of stuff a couple of times.

The stuff just sat there.

"'Least it ain't tryin' to crawl away from me this time" he said out loud. "Wonder how'n the hell it crawled here to begin with?" Then it dawned on him that SOMEONE had to have placed it there. Losing interest in the apparent food momentarily, neno did a more thorough scan of his immediate vicinity, but saw nothing out of place.

" Imagine that!" he grunted, then turned back to the pile. It looked, for all the world, like an arranged platter of food. But who in the world would be setting a plate for him out here in the middle of nowhere? His curiosity - and growling belly - got the better of his caution, but not too much. Picking up one of small purple globes, he bit it in half, and let the half sit on his tongue a minute. No burning. Not bitter. It was really sort of bland and mealy, like a pea.

"Probly not poison" he growled around the half pea "but ya just never know. Better go light until I know better". With that, he ate the half-pea, then the other half, and finally two more. "That don't make me sick in a couple hours, I'll chow down." Looking around him, he spied a large leaf that looked for all the world like a banana leaf, pinched it off of the plant, stripped some fibers from the midrib, and piled the food off of the bark onto it. Then he took the strip torn from the midrib, and after folding the leaf into a package, used the strip to tie the ends down to the center of the package, keeping it closed.

Next, he went to a nearby rotting log, and dug some of the doughy wood out of the center of it, and returned to the fire. Putting some of the rotting wood from the log on the ground, he teased a coal out of the fire with a forked stick, and into the center of the pile. Recalling the sudden flare last evening, he blew on the ember to see what would happen. It just wouldn't do to be carrying a bomb unawares. Nothing happened, no flare, no explosion. "Musta been something in that stuff I used for tinder" he mused. Satisfied it wasn't going to get away from him unannounced, neno piled up the rotting wood from the log onto the bark 'plate', which was fairly thin and flexible similar to birch bark back home, then put some embers into that and packaged them up like the food package. Picking up his spear and fire kit in one hand, and packages in the other, he set off back to the creek for a drink.

After slaking his thirst, and poking at some of the crawling moss just for fun, neno determined his course of action. He'd head downstream during the days, and back off into the woods at night, away from the water. Most habitations and settlements were built near water, frequently at forks, confluences, or river mouths. By heading downstream, he hoped to run across some sign of habitation, find out where he was, and more importantly, he hoped to trip over some way to be somewhere else. He wanted out of these woods. Bugs were eating him alive.

Nenothtu picked up his kit and headed downstream, following the creek bank.

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A scuffle for an early breakfast between two Slinkers brought BIAD
out of his doze and snapping his head back quickly, he grunted loud
enough to scare the sinewy animals away.
A dead bird, probably a wood pipit and the Slinkers prize, hung from
a low branch by one wing, it's lifeless eyes looked towards BIAD.

The man/girl stretched his legs and ran his long-nailed fingers through
his hair, sleep still called, but BIAD was used to ignoring it.
The naked man was awake, but the fire looked dead to the world.
Even though it could be classed as morning, only a little light from the
new day's sun made through the forest canopy.

BIAD reached for the forlorn creature swinging in the cool breeze and
in one swift movement, jammed it into his mouth.
Feathers, beak and legs all went down and BIAD struggled to stifle a
belch that could blow his cover.
The high brooding trees watched the terrible breakfast feast and swayed
in their possible disapproval of the misfit.

BIAD plucked a breast feather from his teeth and continued to monitor
the naked stranger. The embers of the dead fire were grey and occasionally
fell in on each other as the last of it's heat dissipated.The man was busying
himself with BIAD's offered meal and BIAD saw a young intelligent guy,
probably someone in charge of a band of do-good time-travellers.
BIAD also guessed he could be dangerous.

The stranger moved towards the log where BIAD had been hiding earlier
and took the makings to resurrect the fire. He's efficient, this one -BIAD
thought.

The naked man collected his weapons, some other gear that BIAD couldn't
make out and set off towards the stream again.
BIAD waited in the cool shadows for him to pass and wondered what would
happen next.

The thoughts from his slumber still hung around in BIAD's mental processes
and BIAD wondered if this stranger would be like Peebles.
Peebles was kind, Peebles was smart and best of all, Peebles knew how to
get out of a fix. It was Peebles who came up with the daring escape plan of
using the Maintenance droid to flee Triton Prison.

And it was Peebles who'd told him what had Kershner said.

When the enraged Bland roared towards BIAD with both huge hands held
out to rip the man/girl apart, BIAD had wondered if his end was nigh.
The crowd were screaming for blood now and their chants and shrieks
were hurting BIAD's sensitive ears. BIAD gulped in a breath of air and ducked
at the last second. The speeding Bland, too big to slow up, swept passed
BIAD and crashed into the corner post.
Peebles fell back into a group of inmates, who kicked out at him for his
fear and the bespectacled Second was lucky not to have concussion.

Bland was not so lucky.
The post shuddered, but remained firm and BIAD watched as the giant
bounced from the metal stave and dropped like felled tree backwards onto
the canvas.
BIAD stood puzzled at what to do next and the tale could have ended there
if the bell for the end of the first round didn't ring.
Bland was dragged by his huge arms back to his corner, the slabs of meat
that surrounded his torso rippled across the ring floor as he slid along.

BIAD stumbled back to the Red corner, where Peebles appeared with a wet
cool cloth to soothe BIAD's bruised cheek.
The noise lessened a little as the prisoners pondered a change in the
outcome.
Kershner stared over to where Jenson was wringing cold water from a towel
into Bland's face, the giant's eyes were half-open and a nice dark bruise
was starting to show on his forehead. Jensen glanced once at his boss and
continued to administer the nearest thing to first-aid to the bewildered body-
guard.

Peebles looked into BIAD fringe-covered face and wondered what the
freak was thinking. "You doin' great Slugger" he said and smiled to show his
humour, BIAD smiled wanly back.
"He's so big and those hands are like vices" BIAD said between his panting,
the room was hot with the amount of excited bodies here.

Peebles nodded as he wet the cloth and squeezed droplets down BIAD's
dress front, it seemed odd at the time, but BIAD enjoyed the relief.
"BIAD...?" Peebles said quietly, "... I overheard something Kershner said
earlier" BIAD's nod was imperceptible, his face was aimed at the opposite
corner.
Peebles licked his lips and continued, "Kershner was telling Jensen that..."
He took off his glasses and rubbed them with the almost-dry cloth. "...that
he wanted to see you as dead as that old sot that created you" the last part
Peebles spat out, the words tasted of poison.

BIAD's memories of the fateful day rushed in as he remembered how his
Creator's body had looked, beaten and bloodied in the disused train carriage
on a weed-clogged siding in a boomtown rail yard.
Peebles's eyes widened has he saw the hair move again, it was like watching
jet-black snakes come alive. The permo-wig strands slid and wrapped together
and seemed to dart forward, almost wanting to bite at the huge Bland in the
other corner.

BIAD's face was white, the lips were taught and no teeth showed for a change.
Peebles stepped back slowly, grabbing the towel and the bucket. He knew
it would be better if he kept out of the way now.
BIAD slowly rose from the metal stool, the automatics kicked in and the seat
snapped back into the corner post.
BIAD stretched his neck to the left and then to the right... he was ready.


[edit on 25-6-2010 by A boy in a dress]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5d80046ed41f.jpg[/atsimg]

Peebles's brow creased as he watched his friend up in the ring,
though the large arena was full and the crowd gave off a steady
pulse of testosterone heat, the area around BIAD seemed cool,
possibly chilly.
The bell rung out again and BIAD roared.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/9adf6746e899.jpg[/atsimg]

Two weeks before the fight, Clifton... the long legged Banker
who supposedly knew where four Lycean tonnes of stolen Mayan
gold was stashed, had asked BIAD what would make him angry.
Clifton could read people on sight, and after a couple of meetings
near the Bay, Clifton had dared to ask the newcomer.

The quiet man/girl had looked at the ground and stirred the grit there
with his high-heeled foot. "That's a hard one..." BIAD had said softly,
"... I usually can sense when danger is close and get out of the way
before it gets bad" He neared the gnarled picnic table that served as
their meeting place and sat down on the end of the bench.

"The only time I was really upset..." Peebles and James Grissom's
life-serving lawyer came and sat beside BIAD. "... was when my
Creator was murdered" A coldness suddenly crept up and stole the
heat of the afternoon's sun away.
BIAD looked out into the wasted land passed the crackling fences,
his mind summoning up that dirty rail yard and the slumped derelict
train carriage.
Clifton leaned forward and placed both hands on the table, "what
happened?" he said in a whisper.

BIAD explained how his Creator had found out or seen something
that he shouldn't of. What that was, BIAD had never found out and by
cosying up to the crime Bosses, he'd thought that the answer would lie
somewhere within the organisation.
The lawyer -Davis, ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, even in
this heat, he always had his collar button fastened and that had impressed
BIAD. "What made you come to that conclusion, my long-haired friend!?"
he'd chided.

BIAD reached down the front of his dress and plucked a piece of metal
from the darkness there, all eyes were focused on the emerging object.
"It's an cufflink..." BIAD hissed and let the trinket roll around in his lined palm,
"I found it next to my Creator's body" he hissed and with his long red-painted
fingernails, he held the cufflink up.

The face of the cufflink was decorated in minute clear stones that they all
agreed later, were Skite-diamonds and in the centre, with the bottom of
one of the legs curling away, was the letter 'K'
"You've worked with many of the heads of the gangs in here, Clifton...
who scrolls his 'K' like that?" BIAD tossed at the man in front of him.

Clifton face was ashen and his flinty eyes darted around to see who might
be listening. "You already know, don't you?" this really wasn't a question,
the lips of the man/girl were parting into a sneer.
Clifton stared into the long fringe of BAID and whispered "Kershner"

Bland was still a little groggy as Jenson and two others hauled the giant
to his feet. BIAD's stance dripped of hatred, his open fingers, shown as
claws, made his fingernails look like talons under the Krieg lights and his
teeth glittered with malice.
The coils of hair darted forward, wanting the lumbering oaf that came towards
BIAD.

BIAD raced in and left the ground.
If you spoke to some of the inmates later, they would have used the word
'Banshee' because that's what it seemed like, a flying man/girl alighting on
Bland's chest area and reaching to rip his foe's eyes out.
It was just that, no circling and sizing each other up, BIAD had just torn into
the ogre and set about killing him.
Hair jammed itself down Bland's throat, it seemed the BIAD's permo-wig
had stretched taffy-like and filled Bland's gagging mouth.
Long nails, now more red with the Bland's blood slashed and gouged at the
ugly face... all the time, BIAD was screaming.

Kershner stood up from the darkness and shouted for Jensen and his fellow
thugs to something. Unknown to most, the crime Boss had rather a large
wager on Bland with one of the senior guards and to lose would put his
reputation in odour.
BIAD pressed on, saliva dripped from his mouth and his long nails sought
Bland's wattled throat. Jenson just froze... he knew that if he jumped into
the ring a bullet would either penetrate the canvas before him or penetrate
the skin on his thigh. Jenson just stared at the vista with wide eyes.

The crowd were roaring and cursing, several chairs were thrown Kershner's
way, this wasn't going to plan.
Bland was staggering, his hands had pulled at BIAD, red weal marks showed
on BIAD's back and arms, but the hermaphrodite ignored the thug's earnest
attempts and ploughed on.

Then Bland toppled, the huge frame slowly leaned backwards and a man of
words would have thought of Easter Island and one the towering heads
falling down. BIAD hung on, his hair still seeking the brute's nostrils and ear
cavities.
Peebles and now his fellow-Pheeb, Clifton who'd dared to join him, cheered
BIAD on, but their positives were lost among the clamour of the angry crowd.

The ring creaked and groaned at the fallen body, Blands huge arms
bounced on the canvas and lay still like angel wings.
BIAD continued to tear the head apart, a hoarse sobbing leaving his
lips as he mutilated the dead Bland.

The crowd's noise softened until it was a murmur... the scene before them
had stunned even the most hardened of criminals there, this wasn't a fight,
it was a reckoning.
BIAD eventually slumped onto Bland's chest and sucked huge breaths of
air in, he was exhausted.
The audience looked on and the murmur became a silence as they witnessed
the butchery before them.
Clifton placed a hand on Peebles's shoulder as he set off to help BIAD to
his feet. "No... let him be, he needs to finish it" Clifton whispered.

BIAD struggled to his feet, his hair lank now, tired from the killing as the
thin man/girl was who stood over the body.
BIAD's voice was croaky and Peebles could see flecks of blood on his
teeth as he spoke. "This man..." BIAD shouted into the prisoners, "...
was part of a group that killed my Creator" BIAD gasped for more air
and stumbled towards the ropes at the front of the ring
"My Creator was everything to me... he was..." BIAD's breathing was still
laboured, but the gasping had eased.
"... he was, my..." BIAD said and looked at the standing Kershner.
Peebles gripped the towel until his knuckles were white and whispered to
nobody, "go on... say it BIAD"
BIAD reached for the top rope and leaned towards the sweating crime boss.

"He was my FATHER" BIAD hissed and Kershner's eyes widened as he saw
the thing's hair move like vipers. BIAD smiled the smile of an insane killer
and whispered... "and you're next"


[edit on 25-6-2010 by A boy in a dress]

The old wise one sent all others from the room. Cim was more or less inebriated from the elven wine. She wondered if she looked it as she really needed her wits and resources about her. “I am truly sorry to have kept you restrained.” says Elowho, but I want to discuss your identity and life on Earth in the twenty-first century.”

Cim perked up at this, hoping that he was not alluding to, what she thought he might be alluding to. He stands and walks over to a bookshelf and removes a book. Cim’s shoulders tighten as she recognizes the book by color. Elowho holds the book up in front of her eyes and gestures for a reply with a mere upturned hand.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/aeb7847aca7a.jpg[/atsimg]

“But, but….how did you..” she stammers. Elowho raises his large bushy grey eyebrows
“I have my ways, you are not the only time traveler I know and not the only one to be sitting here in your position.”

Cim who was not usually nervous or in a position of being scolded, knew that she now had to face the consequences of her actions. “Who?” ask Cim.

“I am asking the questions here.” Elowho says rather sternly. “Do you realize how reckless it is of you to profit from the future and the past?”

“Yes.” Cim answered very softly.
“Sorry, couldn’t hear you”, he puts his free hand up to his ear, “I am a very old elf, you know!”

“Yes, I said yes!” she said more emphatically.

Suddenly there is an urgent tapping at the door. “Enter” says Elowho.
Two very tall elves with bow and arrows enter and speak to their elder in native tongue, Cim does not understand but is happy for the distraction.

The old wise one answers them, the two elves look a bit distressed to Cim and then Elowho laughs. He looks up at Cim, “Well a bit of good timing from your scolding, which will continue but….we need your help. The Nargs are a dark clan of Elves that were once like us and now are changed. They are about 50 longs from here a day or so away”, he pulls on his beard, setting down her book with her picture face up on the back cover and picks up his pipe and light’s it puffing and puffing. “Can you pull up a shield of my village and this area?” He ask even though he knows that she can.

“Yes” says Cim diminutively.
“Sorry, what’s that?” he feigns not hearing again.
“I said yes, you know that I can!” Cim is acting a little childish as she feels like one for the first time in a long, long time.

“Also there is a naked human man and some bipedal creature in my wood, friends of yours?” Elwho looks up from his pipe, smoke bellowing in the air.



[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f5f87acd7806.jpg[/atsimg]


[edit on 28-6-2010 by cindymars]

'Carpet, just let me knock! We've gotta talk to Bransom about the Neno!' Silo complained from where she crouched, her back the wall outside Chumley's quarters.

'Would you keep it down I can't hear!' Carpet hissed.

'Didn't anyone ever tell you it isn't nice to eavesdrop.' Silo grumbled picking at Carpet's nap beneath her feet.

'Who said I was nice? Stop picking at me and be quiet or leave!'
Carpet who rarely lost his temper with Silo did now.
In fact he'd been acting touchy ever since her little crying jag, she thought, but curiosity got the best of her, as always, so she stopped to listen as voices from inside the room grew louder.

'But Chumley, it's an honor!' A voice that could only belong to Bransom cheered.
'You're finally going places!' She crooned, the pleasure she found at the Regallians recent military advancement acting like an aphrodisiac on the President.

'First Security Officer no Chumley.' Chumley answered pouting. 'First Security Officer Whisper.' Clearly the big Regallians opinion wasn't to be budged.

'Whisper! All you talk about is Whisper.' She mocked making 'Whisper' a two-syllable sing song. 'Now come here and stop talking Whisper. Whisper was your commanding officer and now you're First Security Officer.' Bransom's heavy breathing could be heard in the hall where Silo and Carpet cringed in open revulsion at the wet kissing sounds coming from the room.

'Chumleyyyyyyy, please, be happy!' She whined, 'You're finally...'

'Going places.' Chumley parroted still pouting. 'Chumley don't want to go places.'

'Oh please! You should be glad this Whisper is gone!' Bransom said in exasperation.

The sound of fists pounding on a firm surface made Silo and Carpet jump in place.

'WHAT DID YOU SAY?!' Chumley bellowed causing the Yydryl to shift underfoot.

'Now Chumley, you don't have to get upset hun...' Bransom crooned placating.

'WHAT DID YOU SAY!' That time the Yydryl didn't just jolt, but rolled under Silo's feet causing her to trip in place.

'WHAT DID YOU SAYYYYY!' Chumley repeated the words again, this time his anger turned to pure agony.

'Silo!' What's going on here?' Ship asked from nowhere causing Silo to jump and squeal. Carpet for his part bolted half way down the hall before laying his tread back to Chumley's door.

'Shhhh! Keep it down!' Carpet recovered quickly to silence Ship in much the same way he'd done Silo.

'Why? What are you two up to, and what's all that yelling? Enough stomping in there to tilt my course.' Ship asked again but quieter this time.

'We came by to talk to President Bransom but we're, um, kind'a waiting.' Silo hesitated, 'We don't want to interrupt them...' She said red faced.

Sounds of breaking glass and Chumley's thrashing about punctuated Silo's words.

'You mean you're eavesdropping.' Ship deadpanned. 'Didn't anyone ever tell you two...'

'That it's not nice to eavesdrop, we know!' They replied in unison before another crash, louder this time, came from somewhere in Chumley's chambers.

'CHUMLEY'S NO GLAD WHISPER IS GONE! CHUMLEY'S MISSING WHISPER!' His voice rising to a pained hysteria was hard for his friends listening in to hear, but obviously not the President.

'Now Chumley calm down. Missing your Commander is noble. Yes, it's very commendable of you.'

When Chumley responded with another howl and fist to the wall, Bransom, sounding all the part the reproving mother addressing a naughty child raised her voice shrilly and continued.

'Missing him or no it gives you no excuse to yell! No, not one excuse at all! Chumley, I don't like your tone of voice. Not one bit. And your demonstrations are becoming quite infantile!' Placating having failed they could hear the hackles rising in the President's voice.

'Now Chumley, compose yourself and tell me just why you're so upset about the EX First Security Officer abandoning his Federation given post!' The emphasis on 'Ex' and 'abandoned'.

At this the eavesdroppers made ready to bolt and Ship nearly called for security droids but they all hesitated in wait for Chumley's response as he'd said something, but either had his teeth buried in Bransom's neck, or was speaking too low to be heard.

'What was that Chumley, speak up now, speak up!' Bransom, patience completely lost didn't even try to mask her annoyance. 'Take your tentacles away from your face and tell me what you're sniveling about!'

Relieved but hardly believing Chumley hadn't strangled Bransom on the spot the trio's collective hearts went out to their friend overhearing his misery.

'Whisper's a lady. Chumley loves Whisper. Chumley want Whisper to come back.' Chumley repeated, his voice choked with emotion, the loving caress as he pronounced her name heartbreaking to hear.

Bransom greeted Chumley's disclosure with a pregnant silence so deep it could be felt in the hall where the bystanders were frozen, dumbfounded. They couldn't believe their ears. Chumley had finally given up his secret and to President Bransom!

The waiting was excruciating, the quiet unbearable. Just as Silo was about to ask Ship to take a 'peak' in the room Chumley's door hissed open and Bransom exited his chambers regal as a queen.

Cool as an iceberg Bransom turned back to the doorway, lowered her head into her shoulders and sneered, 'And I hope she NEVER comes back!' Bransom shot, the scorn dripping hot from lips smiling a smile that only enhanced the evil intent behind her words and eye's.

No one moved, no one dared even to breath.

But Chumley it seamed wasn't about to take the baiting.
He didn't explode from the room to squash the President into oblivion.
He didn't yell, or scream, pound the walls with his head...

What he did made Bransom's face change to an alarming shade of pale.

With eyes round and growing wider Bransom retreated from the door, a fast backwards shuffle that didn't stop until she made it to the far wall of the corridor.

But not quite far enough to evade the thick cloudy green stream of Regellian pee jetting from the room, through the doorway and across the hall to splash precisely on top of the President's glossy black boots.

Staring in horror, her mouth unable to articulate the obscenities screaming through her mind Bransom sputtered, caught her breath and sputtered again before letting out with a mind numbing roar.

'YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT YOU... YOU... HEATHEN!' Bransom bellowed clutching her uniform close and shuffling sideways to escape the stream of putrid juice stills aimed her way.

'You too, you little THING!' Bransom spat at Silo where she'd spied her crouched against the wall. Intent as she was to escape, still Bransom's stopped long enough to shoot Silo an evil gleam full of raging hate from beady little eyes gone maniacal.

Eyes narrowing to slits in her contorted face the enraged President's voice lowered even more threateningly.
'And If you think, for one moment, I'm going to spend, another minute on this despicable excuse of a Bio-Starship, without reporting to LAB that one of their four-eyed little EXPERIMENTS has gotten loose you've got another guess coming!'

Voice having risen to a scream Bransom stopped, gasped for breath, blinked and looked for all she was worth like she'd just woken from a appallingly bad nightmare.
Righting herself on squared shoulders the President brushed at her arms, the front of her uniform and pointedly lifted her chin.
Executing a precise about-face and without waiting for a response the President marched smartly down the hall ordering working droids to pack her things as she went.

'Creator help me, she's going to tell on me...' Silo sighed in shock letting her back slide down the wall to bury her head in her hands.

'She insulted me!' Ship replied in a mixture of awe and challenge, leaving Carpet and Silo to deal with Chumley as she made off to confront the furious President.

'He peed on me!' Carpet wailed mortified.

'I sorry little Carpet.' Chumley's face poking out from the doorway couldn't have looked more miserable had he tried.

'You PEED on me!' Carpet wailed again.

Silo burst out laughing but it didn't take long before the laughter turned to tears.


[edit on 30-6-2010 by silo13]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5d80046ed41f.jpg[/atsimg]

The stranger with the spear neared the edge of the forest and
BIAD wondered if this naked man knew where he was going.

When BIAD had been cast out of the Nargs place and held
accountable by the Clansmen for the supposed crime of
'brigandry' -he had overheard two of the Law enforcers talking
about another village or town far off.

As the Clansmen busied themselves tying the supposed unconscious
man/girl to the Tree Of Woes, they had muttered of plunder and spoils.
BIAD had just stayed still and kept his breathing shallow... there was
always a way to escape, he knew.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a8c085879156.jpg[/atsimg]

So as BIAD slipped through the undergrowth tracking the bare-assed
man with the slightly-sunburnt shoulders, the hermaphrodite pondered
that they may well be nearing this 'other' village.
The Nargs were strange dark-skinned and small, BIAD had thought to
himself that the tales of elves and fairies that his Creator had told his
little BIAD, all those years ago, could of evolved from this tribe.

BIAD assumed that they were small, because of the deficiency of
a mineral or something. Arriving here on the escape pod of the
burning remains of 'Mesilla One' BIAD had wandered for days in
the thick woods and wind-strewn meadows, without coming across
any normal-sized folk, but he was confident that they existed... after
all, all humans are the same size, BIAD assured himself.

And now, this naked man with the spear and the remains of BIAD's
food-offering showed that the man/girl was correct.
BIAD dropped a blackbird's egg into his mouth from a nest he'd
found this morning and smiled... things were going to get better.

[edit on 30-6-2010 by A boy in a dress]

3 hours later and 8 miles further downstream than he had started the day, nenothtu finally decided that he wasn't going to suffer any ill effects from the donated food he had found at his overnight camp. He stopped, not far from the stream he was following, but not within eyesight of it, either, to seriously break his fast.

Unwrapping the food bundle, but leaving the fire bundle intact, nenothtu divided the food into two portions, and fell to one of them. He still couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, but had never been one to worry overmuch as to his table manners any how. Completely devouring the half of the food, he carefully re-wrapped the other half, and went to the stream for water. After satisfying his thirst, he stood and did a 360 degree survey of his immediate surroundings. Still, he could detect no hint of the watcher, beyond a general 'feeling' of being watched - and of course the fact that he had just eaten, without having hunted.

Making a decision, neno picked up his kit and called out to the woods in general, and nowhere in particular, "Come on then, if you're going the same way. I don't suppose you intend to kill me until you've fattened me up a bit more, anyhow. I'm moving on now."

With that, he strode off downstream once more, without so much as looking back.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5d80046ed41f.jpg[/atsimg]

BIAD stood up.
The man without clothes had shouted into the forest his request
and then showed his acceptance of the situation, by walking onwards.
BIAD liked this stranger, even when naked, he showed no fear and the
hermaphrodite knew that was quite a feat for a male.

"Come on then, if you're going the same way..." the man had called
out and to BIAD, that sounded like he needed company, he knew
this thing was important to humans.
After being left for dead by the Clansmen, BIAD had pondered his
life as he hung on the Tree of Woes.
Who was he...? where was he going...? BIAD had stared blankly at
the forest gloom from his bindings and waited for the answer.

Around seventy years ago, BIAD could have been found cutting
quartz deep underground in a small mining outfit, South of Albion.
Seventy years... BIAD had watched the man eating the donated meal
and sighed at how time had passed him by.
BIAD knew that in most life spans, seventy years would make a human
a white-haired slow-moving wreck, but BIAD had just stayed the same.
He wished he talked more to his Creator about that.

The big mine... the Methon had full employment and certainly wouldn't
of entertained the likes of a woman-shaped, eyeless, underwear
- flashing man/girl running around in the dark with it's employees and
a laser-cutter... it would be like spraying fulmar onto a naked flame.

So BIAD worked the Petrie Mine with four Barbados's monks, who
supplemented their monastery's income with the back-breaking toil.
The monks never bothered BIAD, no ridicule of his appearance and
no attempts at petting... BIAD admired them for that.

It was during BIAD's time in Tunnel Four, when Brother Kamm had
asked BIAD about companionship. BIAD had scanned the skinny
pock-faced man to see if he was coming on to him, but the dark-robed
youngster had just kept on cutting a large piece of rock out of the
tunnel wall, without turning around.

"... what I mean to say, is do you ever feel alone in the world?" the
monk's voice warbled as he pressed home the laser beam.
BIAD had smiled in the darkness and told Kamm that he had accepted
his way of life and was content with it.
Kamm had nodded and the pair had worked on in silence.

It was later in the afternoon -although afternoon was just a hope
when you're deep down in the blood-red crust of the planet -the
Supply Man had passed with the canteens and the large doughnuts,
when Kamm had asked again about loneliness.
The lights had flickered back on after the last power-outage and the
reddish gloom made the mineshaft look like it belonged in 'Aunt Kate's
House of Realms'

BIAD had wiped the water from his chin and flicked his dust-covered
permo-wig to make a small red cloud around his head. The kid in the
monk's robe was sitting across the tunnel with a sympathetic look
on his face... BAID guessed he was looking for a convert.

"Don't bother with usin' your teachings on me, son..." BIAD had said
softly across the red haze "... I'm beyond salvation"
Brother Kamm had nodded sagely and waited for the creature across
the way to speak further, BIAD had chewed the doughnut and faced
towards the entrance of the tunnel.
"But your..." the monk waved a hand to imply BIAD's demeanour,
"... it must alarm or may even deter others from seeking friendship
with you?" Far off, the dozers rumbled by and BIAD knew that meant
that the shift was nearly over, he wondered what Kamm was driving at.

BIAD wiped the crumbs from the doughnut onto his dirty red dress
and grinned at the young Banardos monk, "it's their problem... not
mine" he said and reached for the cutter. "I'm here and that's all that's
real, son" BIAD finished and grunted as he stood up.
The rest of the shift was in silence.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a313b1810d5d.jpg[/atsimg]

So again, BIAD had stood up.

The man had quenched himself with food and water, the spear
never too far away from his hand -BIAD noticed and then continued
his journey. It didn't take too much pace and guile to get in front of
the bare stranger.
Once he found a safe area that he could escape from if it all went
'pear-shaped'... as his Creator used to quip, BIAD, pulled his fingers
through his permo-wig to look tidy and then rose slowly out
of the undergrowth.
This was it, BIAD thought and put on his best smile.

[edit on 5-7-2010 by A boy in a dress]

Nenothtu loped through the woods along the stream, a few yards into the woodline from it's bank. As he moved along, he kept alert to his surroundings, trying to look everywhere at once, with the net result that his gaze never rested in one place very long, before moving on to the next. Checking the nearby woods forward of him, and finding them empty, he switched to the stream itself, alert for disturbances, and swept the far side to see if there was anything out of place there. Finding nothing, he cast his glance back to his front, and got a shock. Where nothing had been an instant ago, there now was something.

Neno came to an abrupt halt, so abrupt that he had to jam the butt of his spear in the ground in front of himself to arrest a forward momentum that would surely have caused him to topple, in a most undignified manner. His dignity had already suffered enough in the past couple of days. He assessed the situation.

There, standing in the vegetation, was what appeared to be a humanoid. What a sight this was, out here in the middle of nowhere. The humanoid in question had an ostensibly female form. It was wearing a dress that appeared to have seen better days - a RED dress, of all things, out here in this ocean of green. Considering further, neno decided that really wasn't such a bad idea after all. The forest held flowering shrubs of all colors, and patches of red peeking out from amongst the green really wasn't all that out of place.

A human-sized, human female-shaped patch of red, however, was a different matter.

The humanoid had a wide grin, and neno couldn't determine if it were really a smile, or just the natural facial form of whatever species of being this really was. For all he knew, it could be an expression of anger. He'd seen enough differing species on various worlds to know that assuming that everything was as is appeared - from an Earth-human perspective - could be a fatal flaw. Examining the being further, he saw that it had a shock of hair as humans do, but that shock of hair covered the entire upper half of it's face, hiding it's eyes from view. It's a peculiarity of human psychology that being unable to see the eyes of an 'other' produces vague feelings of unease. As it has been observed, the eyes are the mirror of the soul. The average human was actually unaware as to the amount of subliminal information they gathered from the expressiveness of the eyes. Absent that, the unknown produced the feelings of unease, at a subconscious level. Without being able to see the eyes, the average human perceived any other as "soul-less", until proven otherwise. That unease, in combination with the unwavering smile, was nearly maddening.

Female form. Red dress, to stand out visibly. Putting those two things together, neno thought "might be bait for a trap". Then again, there was the feeling neno had had for most of his stay here that he was under observation. Now, that feeling came from a single direction - the being in front of him. Doing a quick, darting scan around the area, nenothtu could see no indications that there was anyone else about to spring any trap for which this might be bait. Besides, neno had been around enough to know that "human-OID" didn't necessarily equate with "human". On Mardan, for example, the dominant life forms required THREE sexes to reproduce, and what humans would consider the "male" was the one who actually cared for the offspring (they actually had pouches, like marsupials - or sea horses - on Earth), "females" did all the providing, and "indeterminates" did all the chores not covered by the other two. Gametes from all three were required to produce a single offspring.

Curious. It was a wondrous universe, and here was a new mystery to unravel.

Making a determination, neno decided that nothing ventured was nothing gained. The being in front of him didn't advance, and didn't appear to be bunched up to spring an attack, so nenothtu made a slow show of turning the spear upside down, and jabbing the point into the ground, then leaning on it in as relaxed a manner as he could muster, to demonstrate that he wasn't there to fight or threaten. If push came to shove, and it all suddenly went sideways, he could limber it up quickly enough, and in the meantime he presented himself as no threat. After regarding the form for a few seconds more, which seemed more like minutes, neno spoke.

"You the one who's been follering me? It's a real winning smile you got there, but I gotta wonder... do you speak?"

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5d80046ed41f.jpg[/atsimg]

"You the one who's been follering me? It's a real winning
smile you got there, but I gotta wonder... do you speak?"

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/41238365710d.jpg[/atsimg]

The naked man leaned on his spear and waited for an
answer, BIAD smiled wider and cleared his throat. "Er...
yes, I can speak... did you enjoy the meal?" BIAD nodded
to the food bundle.
"Staver peas are good for the blood... so I've heard" a slight
flushing of BIAD's cheeks showed his embarrassment of trying
to make conversation.

BIAD slowly came out into the open ground , he made sure his
palms could be seen and he kept his body slightly turned for
two reasons. The first was to show there was nothing hidden
behind him and the second... which should be the first, was that
a side-on target is harder to hit, even with a makeshift spear.

As BIAD stepped into the small clearing, he wondered what
questions were to be asked to begin this interaction. Most asked
the same ones... what are you? where are your eyes? what the
hell you doin' wearing a dress out here?...that sort of thing.

BIAD waited to see what would happen next and hopefully would
be able to ask a question of his own... how do we get out of here?

[edit on 6-7-2010 by A boy in a dress]

The being - for nenothtu had no better word at the moment, as he couldn't really categorize this individual - stepped lightly out of the brush, and cautiously approached him. Neno noted the caution, and the defensive measures taken, as well as the fact that the being made sure it's lack of armament was on display. This one appeared to be no stranger to conflicts, yet wasn't so fearful as to hang back. That was a good sign.

The being spoke.

BIAD smiled wider and cleared his throat. "Er...
yes, I can speak... did you enjoy the meal?" BIAD nodded
to the food bundle.
"Staver peas are good for the blood... so I've heard"

Neno grinned his own lopsided trademark grin. "Don't know about the blood, but they were pretty good for the stomach. Thanks for that. As you can see, I've got no belt buckle to slap my backbone around, but if there'd been one there, rest assured my backbone would have been ALL bruised up before that meal. I do appreciate the intervention in my dietary distress."

As the being got into full view, neno visually scanned it, trying to get a handle on just what he was dealing with here. Ostensibly female, ostensibly humanoid, but even at this close range, he couldn't detect any eyes behind that shock of hair. How odd. How could this... neno decided that person was a better descriptor... see through that hair? No matter. It was facing him directly, so it MUST be able to see, somehow.

As he scanned all the way to the ground, nenothtu noted that the individual was wearing high heels. Out here. How curious. Neno looked back at the neck area. Didin't appear to be broken. That fact bespoke of a certain grace - one neno hadn't observed in most human females. It was downright unsettling.

"I'm called nenothtu. I don't live here, just passin' through. Ain't meaning to harm no one, just want to find a way out is all. So what's a nice... errr... umm... person... like you doing in a place like this? I got dropped here all accidental-like, and I'm just lookin' to accident myself right on out of here - once I figure out where 'here' is. Don't aim to be no trouble to nobody at all... unless they'd prefer to visit a spot of troubles on me first. I already have enough of those, and ain't lookin' for no more of 'em."

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5d80046ed41f.jpg[/atsimg]

The man smiled and BIAD noticed that the grin had a charm to it, there
was kindness in his face.

"Don't know about the blood, but they were pretty good for the stomach.
Thanks for that. As you can see, I've got no belt buckle to slap my backbone
around, but if there'd been one there, rest assured my backbone would
have been ALL bruised up before that meal.
I do appreciate the intervention in my dietary distress."

BIAD tilted his head and replied "It isn't a good idea to walk around
without covering..." he pointed a red-nailed finger at the stranger's lower
torso and continued "... I'll get you fixed up in some attire"

The bare fellow looked BIAD up and down and the eyeless wig-wearing
thing in the red dress resigned himself to the oncoming usual questions
and was surprised when the naked stranger piped in "I'm called
nenothtu. I don't live here, just passin' through.
Ain't meaning to harm no one, just want to find a way out is all.
So what's a nice... errr... umm... person... like you doing in a place like
this?"

BIAD opened his red-lipped mouth to answer, but nenothtu raced on.
"I got dropped here all accidental-like, and I'm just lookin' to accident
myself right on out of here - once I figure out where 'here' is. Don't aim to
be no trouble to nobody at all... unless they'd prefer to visit a spot of
troubles on me first. I already have enough of those, and ain't lookin' for
no more of 'em."

BIAD leaned slightly forward to indicate a bow and show that he'd
acknowledged the candour, it was refreshing to hear a civilised person
speak.
"I am known as 'A Boy In A Dress' the name has been shortened to
'BAID' and I too, found myself contemplating a way off this rock..."
the man/girl waved vaguely at the surrounding forest.
"... if you know of a mode of transport, please... may I accompany you?

BIAD waited seconds and added the word "Sir?"
Nenothtu... and BIAD quickly whispered the word to himself, to see how
it tasted.. stood with hands on hips deciding what to do and was just
about to reply, when BIAD's gesture made him stop.

BIAD raised a finger and said softly "if you can wait one moment, I'll
bring you your garments" Nenothtu eyebrows raised as the high-heels
of the creature carried him into the lush undergrowth.
One moment he was there... then gone.
Nenothtu sat down on the carpet of Scarrin grass and fallen leaves
and wondered what this red-dressed humanoid was all about.

[edit on 7-7-2010 by A boy in a dress]

BIAD tilted his head and replied "It isn't a good idea to walk around
without covering..." he pointed a red-nailed finger at the stranger's lower
torso and continued "... I'll get you fixed up in some attire"

Nenothtu considered that. Attire would be good, what with the bugs gnawing on him and the briars scratching at him, But did this person have a suitcase handy?

The individual bowed and continued.

"I am known as 'A Boy In A Dress' the name has been shortened to
'BAID' and I too, found myself contemplating a way off this rock..."
the man/girl waved vaguely at the surrounding forest.
"... if you know of a mode of transport, please... may I accompany you?

Ahh! Nenothtu now had a name to work with. There was something eminently humanizing about having a name...

The fact was, neno had no idea of a means of transport... yet... but he'd damn well find one, eventually. Having company along couldn't hurt anything - nenothtu recalled the years alone on Khalamzadar, and decided having someone other than himself to talk to would be a definite plus. He was about to inform BIAD of that, when BIAD uttered "the word" after a pause...

BIAD waited seconds and added the word "Sir?"

Sir. Nenothtu was just about gathered up to launch into the speech about how he worked for a living, and how there hadn't been a "sir" in his family in over 600 years, when BIAD held up a finger to silence him.

Strangely, it worked. Even Bransom wasn't that efficient at shutting neno down...

BIAD raised a finger and said softly "if you can wait one moment, I'll
bring you your garments"

And just that quick, BIAD spun on a high-heeled foot, and vanished into the brush without so much as a POOF!

Nenothtu raised an eyebrow at the words and the quickness of BIAD's turn, but his jaw actually dropped when BIAD vanished right in front of his eyes.

"I'll be doubly-damned!" nenothtu grumbled as he sat down in the grass. "No wonder I never saw who was watching. I didn't even blink, and BIAD just... disappeared!" It had been some time since neno had seen such a display of woodsmanship. This individual was one to be watched... but apparently not for long!

"Bring me my garments?" neno mused. He had visions of the suitcase in his head. There sure wasn't any PX out here...

"Eh, I reckon a fig leaf or a palm frond is better'n nothing", and he settled down to wait.


[edit on 2010/7/7 by nenothtu]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5d80046ed41f.jpg[/atsimg]

It was around fifteen minutes, when BIAD finally ended his
tailor-ship and the clothes were ready.
Back in the day, his creator had insisted BIAD knew how to do
the mundane chores around the home and BIAD had relished
the time in being 'normal' The hermaphrodite had been taught
cooking and BIAD smiled to himself as he plucked at the grass
and the plants around where he was to make Nenothtu's attire,
he thought of 'The Canastar Cook-Off'

The pants were first and BIAD's hands were a blur as he used
Binner and Tongue grasses to make a thread. If BIAD's new-
found friend had followed the man/girl into the bushes, he would
have been privy to an exceptional vista.

BIAD was spinning the grass thread together with one hand and
the toes of his left foot. The high-heels were parked neatly next
to BIAD's hip as he 'cured' Brimble bark.

Brimble Beech trees were abundant here, BIAD had idly noticed
that on his first day. the unique plant protected itself with a bark
that was flexible and grew around the trunk in a 'roll' fashion.
If one was careful, a great sheet could be unfurled and as long
as you kept a pace brisk as you walked around the tree, the
bark would remain at a constant thickness.

For those in the know -centuries ago, the Nargs celebrated the
warmer time by holding Fetes under Brimble Beeches.
Young males and females danced around the trunk and it was
said that good fortune would be obtained by the young pair with
the largest sheet.
One good Brimble could hold six feet of the rubbery durable bark
and it was this that BIAD allowed his hair to whip.

An eye-opener indeed, the permo-wigs' tendrils lengthening and
beating a steady tattoo on the rubbery surface of the tree's skin.
The Beech bark became really supple under the pounding, almost
like cloth -but with a greater durability

BIAD raced on with stitching the leggings together and a slim length
of Binder grass and Calder vine served as a belt.
The tunic was next, and as he carved the vest and sleeves with his
long red thumbnail, BIAD's hair was already reaching out to assist
in his task.

After leaving Triton Prison, BIAD had travelled out on a freight
ship bound for Vilos IV and during a complex tale of kidnapping
and ransom money being sought, BIAD had become the unlikely
hero in the event that occurred in the only town on the planet,
Canaster.

Canaster is a small boomtown of four hundred people, where the
chief income was from mining for a natural equivalent of element
115. The gravity-defying mineral was extremely rare until a large
vein of it was found near where Canaster sits today.

After twenty years of plundering the soil, the vein had ran out and
only tiny pockets of -what the locals called 'Pilot's diamonds' can
be found and by then, it was decided by the large companies that
it wasn't economically viable.
Kervin Inc, Basalt Mining and Mobile all pulled at out and left the
little town perched on the mountainside to it's fate, and yet the
townsfolk had kept their spirits up and soldiered on.

So The Canaster Cook-Off was an event that they all looked
forward to, grog would be consumed, wagers would be placed
and a merry time was had by all... all except for the Herefords.

Kirk Hereford and his wife Ellen (who, BIAD was sure, was a Elfin
half-breed) lived in a snug little ranch just outside of town and
after finding BIAD wandering across the alpine meadow that skirted
their land, had invited him in to eat.
BIAD had worked for his supper and it was decided that, beyond
the man/girl's appearance, BIAD was a kind and hardworking soul.

BIAD had accepted the invite to stay of the winter, especially because
he could talk to Sukie.
Sukie Hereford was telepath.

Sukie and BIAD would spend hours sitting on the back porch of
her home in silence, except they were really chattering away like
a couple of nesting Night Tarns.
The eleven year-old would ask questions about BIAD that in normal
circumstances, the hermaphrodite would have never answered... but
this girl was special.

So the rage that BIAD felt when she was taken on the day before
the Cook-Off, was the worst since he'd discovered his Creator's
lifeless body.
All that night, he wandered the fields searching for a sign of the
girl-stealers and every word of the ransom note sang in his head.

'After the Cuk-off. leave ten hundred gold at Cleevers Poynt.
No funy stuff'
It was a local for sure, but who...? BIAD had fumed away into the
night.

The Herefords had no such money and after the note had been found,
BIAD had decided to enter the competition to get the poor couple
the ransom gold to buy back little Sukie.

Well, the tale is too long to go into here, but BIAD won the prize, agreed
to deliver the money and then 'heard' Sukie's voice telling of where
she was being held.
So when BIAD met the two burly miners on Cleavers Point... well, it
wasn't a nice scene.
BIAD located the little girl and gave the unwanted booty to the Herefords
as a thank you for his stay.

He still missed Sukie's voice... twenty years have flown by, thought
BIAD as he finished the moccasins and gulped away a tear.
"There" the man/girl said softly and looked at nenothtu's latest attire.

Without another thought, the melancholy slipping away as he rose,
BIAD hurried back with his friend's clothes.
"I hope he likes 'em" BIAD said to himself.

[edit on 8-7-2010 by A boy in a dress]