Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4
                            Drisoll's story

Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 09:37:27 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:Where the &*^$^??

On Thu, 30 Apr 1998 09:44:10 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004204

 Driss moans softly and holds his head remembering hte worst hangover
he ever had and trippling it to measure this pain. "ow."
 He looks around and see Roscoe still asleep on the metal deck
plating. (metal deck plating??) As awareness slowly seeps its way into
his mind he looks around himself. Crowd noises slowly become apparent
as the ringing leaves his ears. As his vision clears he sees dozens of
people going this way and that along the corridorr in front of he and
Roscoe. Driss spots his floppy hat upsidedown near his feet and drags
it up to his hand with his toe rather than bending over. Looking
inside were several plastic chits with alien writing on them.
 Driss looked over at Roscoe as the wolf went into a series of sneezes
and woke up. Whispering to his fey companion, "Where in the nine hells
of Sh'Aluth are we???"
 Roscoe slowly raises his head and looks around. /Uncle Boris's Last
Chance Spaceport and Fireworks?/
 Driss chuckled at that and realized Laughter may be the best medicine
but it sure made a head hurt worse. "What would make you think of a
stupid name like that?"
 /It's on the uniform of the Security guard walking up behind you./
 "ALLRIGHT YOU DRUNKS! No panhandling in the thuroughfares. We gots
respectable people visiting this fine family joint and we don't need
mooches cluttering up the scenery." Bellowed the large yellow furred
alien (Translated mentally by Roscoe) as he flashes sharp teeth adn
gave Driss a swift kick.
 Driss scrambled to his feet and scooped up the hat. "Uh yessir
yessir. umm where is the nearest bar may I ask?"
 The alien looked at him with a funny look and muttered (again
translated by Roscoe) "Damn humans can't they learn the language like
everyone else?" Then in badly broken Mandarin Chinese, "YOU GO THERE
NOW! (pointing down the way) GET OUT STUPID LUSH!"
 Driss's headahce jumped three levels on the reichter scale. Muttering
to Roscoe, "Why is it if you don't know the language they just keep
increasign the volume until they either destroy your ear drums or find
a language you know?"
 /It's one of the great mysteries of hte universe./
 Driss and Roscoe merged with the crowd and were swept away by the
momentum leaving hte cross-looking guard behind them.
TBC
===========================

Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 12:07:10 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:there are Bars and then there's Bars.

On Thu, 30 Apr 1998 12:16:32 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004205

 Driss and Roscoe wandered a while through the crowd while Roscoe
fished around for local information in the minds of those around. most
were travellers and didn't have a clue about where what was in the
station but finally a regular popped up who knew where the nearest bar
was.
 Shaggy's Nose Hair Bar was unusual to say the least unless you
rememebred where you were. To srat off with, the bar itself was set in
a Zero-G field and was vertical in what looked to have once been an
elevator shaft. The bartender looked like the child of Cousin It and a
giant spider and just HAD to be Shaggy. He scuttled up and down the
bar serving the patrons who sat on chairs that more resembed floating
silver beach balls. Driss kicked off the wall and floated over toone
and sat down, finding the "chair" eminated its own small gravitational
force to keep him from floating off of it freely. Roscoe more
doggiepaddled to the seat next to Driss.
 "OK what now keemosabi?"
 /I think it's been too long since I had a Morgan's. BARKEEP!/
 "Do you think YOU should be calling him? won't it look suspicious?"
 /In THIS place?/
 Shaggy scuttled over to the adventurers and chittered something
Roscoe translated as "Whattle ya have ugly?"
 "A better dispossition in Bartenders would be nice. But a Captain
Morgan's Rum for my freidn here and a Gin and Grapefruit juice for
myself." Qwipped Driss as he pulled out some of hte plastic chits that
Roscoe had foudn the worth of.
 The bartender gave them a razzberry with a long purple tounge and got
the drinks with two spare legs, sliding htem in front of the pair as
he swipped up the credits with a third.
 Driss looked at his purple drink, and kicked himself for asking for
such a drink from and alien and downed his gin and grapejuice quickly
before ordering in Guiness Extra Stout. Shaggy handed it to him and
scuttled down to another customer quickly.
 "Ok, as Roland would say, how in the nass did we get there? Shit! I'm
quoting people in the CaoL now? I'm getting WAY too attached!! Maybe
this break is what I needed."
 /Yeh, but now we're _really_ not going to be able to find Squee. This
is a non-magic dimention. there are no ties to Arcadia from here. By
the time we find a way to get to another magic dimention and make it
to Arcadia his trail will be ice cold./
 "Look...umm... I'm sorry. I ment what I said earlier, but I do kinda
sympathize a bit I guess."
 /Save me your pity bullshit./ snapped Roscoe as he lapped up some of
the Spiced Rum.
 "Look my pity is not Bullshit it's real genuine pity! OK I wasn't all
that attached to the little squirt. I'm not big on rugrats. I'm not
big on the family thing, I wasn't even big on my own family. But I
know you are adn were. And that you really did care for Squee. And I
guess...well...you're the closest thing I've ever had to a family I
cared anything about. So when you feel bad I feel bad too but I can't
change how I am just to please you more."
 /I know. I'm sorry too. I just can't help wondering what I could have
done to keep him for running into the arms of Isla./
 "The kid was magic happy. You knew that from the outset. You told
that to me yourself. Isla knows a lot of magic. It was a natural lure
for him. Then with all that time in Limbo wiht nothing to do but for
them to talk... well..."
 Driss felt a crimson tentacle wrap around his neck gently and a
burbling behind him that Roscoe translated as "Heya pinky. You into
furthuring interspecial relations?"
 He turned around to see an alien floating behind him with a figure
that on a human would have made him go ooo-la-la but on her it just
made him go ooo. Maybe it was the tenticle arms but more likely it was
the beard of small tentacles that made up her face and probably could
have won her the Miss Cuthulu pagent.
 He was about to reply when the power went out. there were a few
outcries and her tentacle tightened abit about him in fear. Then a
blaster shot lit things up for a nano-second and Driss felt somethign
pressed into his hand a moment before hte lights came on.
 Driss tried to drop it but forgot he was in a Zero-G field so the
blaster pistol just floated there beside him. But he was too shocked
to notice it. In front of him and actually attached to him floated the
body of hte woman, black balls of ichor floating aroudn her where it
bubbled up from between the tentacles of her face.
 Other patrons were all in motion. Some diving at Driss yelling
various things in their native tounges, others fleeing for the Exits.
Driss fended off attacks from the crowd as best he could but was
thuroughly beated by the time Security showed up and dragged them off
him. One officer put the gun into a small stasis field while another
shackled Driss and Roscoe and began taking them off. Driss was in no
shape yet to fight them and Roscoe wasn't feeling inclined to tossing
his life away like that on futile combat.
 Driss woke up again feelign cold metal against his face but this time
it was a cell floor, not a hallway. He did a quick check and foudn
that all his wounds had healed themselves and Roscoe was alseep on the
bunk looking non-the-worse for wear. He opened an eye as Driss
stirred. /Well this is another fine mess you've gotten me into./
TBC
===========================

Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 15:36:52 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:The plot Sickens

On Thu, 30 Apr 1998 14:55:07 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004208

 Driss gorans loudly as he sits upright. "You know for such a small
spaceport I find myself goign out way too often. Twice in less than a
half hour? Sheesh!"
 /So the question is what do we do now? They didn't bother to take
your cloak or boots, but it's questionable how well they would work
here anyways. Your Rapier and 8 daggers they took when they strip
searched you./
 "Strip search huh? I hope they were gentle."
 /I never heard you complain./
 "Well time to find out what's going on here. GUARD!! YO! LARDBUTT!
GUARD!!!!"
 A 7' tall alien who looked more like a stick figure wearing oversided
blast armor came through a door blasting curses that Roscoe didn't
need to translate. Then switching to a very good Mandarin Chinese,
"What do you want you stupid Xenophobe? I hope they burn your fleshy
butt soon so I don't have to put up with you."
 "The condition of my butt should be my own concern thank you and as
for burning it, whyever should they do that? I haven't done anything."
 "Haven't DONE anything!! What gall. You think we aliens don't even
exist or something? You fried J'ex'plech if front of a bar full of
patrons for no better reason than she made a pass at you. She was a
slut and had poor taste but those of us on this station are close and
we liked her."
 "I have never killed anyone or anyTHING for making a pass at me, and
I certainly did not kill her whatever her name was. I was framed.
Someone else blasted her and then framed me with the gun."
 "And why now would they be doing that? Jealousy? She slept with a
different race every night. Everyone knew that. Money? she had nothing
to steal or inherit. Spite? Like I said we all liked her there was
nothing to kill her for except human Xenophobia. And that's what
you're on trial for right now."
 "Right NOW??? This doesn't look like a courtroom to me. How can I be
on trial sitting in a cell?"
 "You ain't on Terra no more. Earth boy." With that the guard left
quickly.
 Driss set his jaw. "This whole thing stinks worse than a garlic
limburger and sardine sandwich. And I don't plan on sitting around
here while I get railroaded into some intergalactic prison." He moved
to examine the lock on the cell as best he could. Unable to get a
decent look at it, he tried reaching into his cloak. At first teh hand
hit resistance, but slowly it moved into the cloak, as if he were
pushing his way through a tub of jello. Finally his fingers wrapped
around the item he saught.
 Pulling out a small explosive charge about the size of a silver
dollar he set it on the door where hte lock should be, touched a
button and dived on top of Roscoe in teh corner of the cell. An
instant later as blast of force hit him silently, cracking a few bones
and causing a few lacerations where shrappnel fromt eh door hit him.
Standing as best he could while his bones mended he winked at Rosce.
"Hushaboom. Gotta love the stuff."
 Grabbing a loose bra that was on the floor he ran to the door adn
pressed himself against it. "GUARD GUARD YOU SPINDLY LITTLE EXCUSE FOR
SECURITY. GET IN HERE I NEED YOU." He could hear the cursing before
the guard even reached the door. It slid open and the guard halted in
his tracks as he looked at the devestation. Driss didnt' give him time
to take it all in as he hit the alien over the head with all his
strength with the metal bar.
 The alien crumpled to the floor and Driss lept over him and out the
door.
 Into a room with 6 other aliens fo various types wearing the same
style armor.
 "Oh bother said Pooh as he hid Piglet's corpse." Qwipped Driss as he
dived behind a nearby piece of furnature that must have served as a
desk.
 /WHAT????????????????????????????/ Sent Roscoe as he dodged through
legs tripping up two of hte aliens into each other.
 /Just something I picked up long ago. You know how hard ti is to
think up witty lines on the fly?/ Smirked Driss mentally as he started
searching through the desk, coming up with a small blaster pistol.
 Looking at the small weapon Driss frown and looks at the floor. "I
think I'd rather risk sucking vaccum than slugging it out with these
guys." Setting the beam on a tight beam setting he quickly cuts
through the floorplates and dives through followed by Roscoe.
 The find themselves freefalling for a while before slowing and
settling to a stop, then heading up again. /What the?/
 "We're on top of an elevator car. they must use the same sorts of
grivity controls to move as there were in the Nose Hair. that make
sense, but ti doesn't help us get out fo here." As he begins looking
for a hatchway a blaster shot impacts with the roof of the car a few
feet to Driss's left. Driss cranks the setting back to a wider beam
and fires five shots in rapid succession straight up the shaft. He
pulls the trigger a sixth time but nothing happens. "Out of charge
already? talk about cheap manufacture..."
 More blaster bolt impact the car as Driss spots a maintainence
hatchway coming up fast. Grabbing Roscoe he launches himself towards
it and through it just as the car passes by. Taking a deep breath
Driss starts pulling hismelf along the shaft followed by Roscoe. A few
turns later they figure they must have lost their captors and start
looking for another door.
 Pushing the first one they find open, Driss and Roscoe find
themselves in the kitchen area of a resteraunt. Most of hte lights are
out and everything is cleaned up making it obvious that it's after
hours and they should be alone. Driss risks his cloak again and pushes
his way into it with both arms this time. The right hand comes out
wiht a small suitcase, the left with clothing and a cloth dufflebag.
 Opening the suitcase Driss revealed a complex disguise kit. Working
quickly via the lights aroudn the mirror set into it. His hair is died
a dark brow with a bit of colored gel. A beard is quickly glued on. A
bit of putty and facial sculpture add a few lines to the face and a
different shape to the nose. A skin dye darkens Driss's normally fair
complection to more of a dark tan, and finally a bit of silver inked
into the hair and beard complete the effect.
 Then disrobing he pulls on a pilot's jumpsuit with various ship
patches and insignia and tosses his old clothing into a dufflebag. As
a final touch he strap on a Star Wars Universe heavy blaster pistol
onto his hip. Driss tehn begin to touch up Roscoe's coloring changing
his normal grey and black to a golden yellow, daps red contacts into
his eyes and ads a pair of antennea onto Roscoe's head and a shash
with some of the same insignia as Driss. Shouldering his duffle bag
Driss looks Roscoe over. "Well, I think it's time for Jose' Hernandez
and Chit to go clear Driss and Roscoe's names don't you think?"
  With that they unlock a side door and slip out before anyoen can
come in and investigate.
TBC
===========================

Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 21:24:36 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:Heya Brother can you spare a credit?

On Thu, 30 Apr 1998 20:37:28 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004216

 Jose' Hernandez and Chit walked confidently in the crowd down the
walkway. Even in the early morning (at least as far as Driss could
recon time on this station) the crowds were thick. It made one wonder
where they all could possibly be housed.
 Soon he found they were nearing the docking ring entrance and the
"customs station" exacting it's "tariffs" on the incoming and outgoing
luggage.
 Trying to look inconspicuous Jose' and Chit got close the the customs
area, then Jose' ducked down pretending to adjust his boot and check
on Chit. Standing again, he merged with the incoming crowd and headed
back into the station.
 As they moved onto the thuroughfare a Security officer latched onto
Driss's sleeve and forcibkly yanked him out of the crowd to get a
better look at him. Chit followed dutifully after.
 "Hey man, watch wha choo do ta the threads man. Dis is a very
expensive suit man. Don't mess with the suit man. whachoo want from me
man? I ain't done nothin'!"
 The red pigsnouted alien snorted at him. "You're Human. We're looking
for a human. We don't get a lot of Humans here."
 "Well you gots at least two now man cuz I just got here man. Dat ship
just drop me off, ain't even my stop but for no reason whatsoever they
boot my butt out here man and say I gotta find myself another ride to
Earth man. So here I am just tryin to get by when you come and start
givin me a hard time too man. Why you do that man? You tryin to give
me a complex or a simplex or somethin man??"
 "I don't understand half of what you're even saying Human."
 "Look man ya can't just go calling me Human man, It's jsut not polite
you know. It'd be like me calling you pig faced pig man ya know what I
mean man? The name's Jose', Jose' Hernandez. And dis here is Chit. You
wanna know why I call him Chit? Cuz he's almost as full of it as you
man! Now why don't you go and let me go on my way man? I ain't done
nothin, don't you understand that yet?"
 "Show me your papers." The officer snorted again and put his hand on
the butt of a strange looking pistol, perhaps a needler. Jose'
followed suit by putting his hand on the butt of his own blaster.
 "You go takin' your hand off yours and I'll take mine off mine man.
'Til then we gots what I call a Mexican standoff cuz I is a mexican
and I is standing you off man. Now you wanna see my papers but I tolds
ya already they just go and kick me off the ship. I'm a jackabout, I
don't carry no papers from here. I gots these but these ain't from
here cuz I ain't never BEEN here before." With his left hand Jose'
thrust some papers and cards from one of the suit's pockets at the
Officer.
 The officer looked them over puzzledly, finally thrusting them back
at Jose'. "I don't recongise any of these."
 Jose' threw his hands up into the air, "Ain't that what I been
tellin' ya man? I ain't FROM around here, so I ain't GOTS any papers
from around here. But you point me in the direction I needs to go and
I'll go get you whatever papers you want man! Hey I'll even track you
down the Sunday funnies if you wants em boss!"
 The alien grabbed at Jose's wrist and before Jose could resist let go
again. a band was left wrapped about the wrist. "That is a tracking
beacon. You will go to this office and register. You will be tracked.
If you deviate from the course your arm will be blown off and we will
come to arrest you." He growled. Jose just beamed at him.
 "Oh wow man what a freindly place. You want me to go I'll go there
boss, no problem boss!" He looked at the screen the Officer was
gesturing at and hte officer he had highlighted, charted a course
there and took off.
 A hour and the total credits from three picked pockets later, Jose'
Hernandez and Chit where legally registered Humans aboard Uncle
Boris's Last Chance Spaceport and Fireworks. They had even been given
a dormitory bed assingment with only 50 other deadbeats who couldn't
afford better housing. Not feeling liek checking out the 5 star
accomidations he had been assigned, Driss found his way to a new
reader and slipped a few credit chits into it to look up the up to the
minute local news. He soon foudn waht he wanted.

          HUMANHUNT!
  Last cycle at about 43:84 Diaxian singer J'ex'plech was found shot
 dead by a close range blaster pistol shot. The murderer was detained
 by dutiful tavern patrons until officers could arrive. The unknown
 Human and his canine (here were pictures of an unconcious and badly
 beaten Driss and of Roscoe) were taken into custody for questioning
 and trial, but escaped before a verdict could be reached. Anyone
 seeing the Humans in question are to report him to the nearest
 security officer immediately. Any ship agreeing to transport this
 felon from this station will be held liable for aiding in the crime
 and will find their ship forfeit for it. Remember, Xenophobes such as
 this human are dangerous and must be stopped before they kill agin.
 If you see him do not approach him as this may provoke him to kill
 again. Report him immediately for all our saftey.

 "Ahhh they fair and unbiased news media, you gotta lvoe them ehh
Chit?" Smirked Jose.
 /Oh yeh just great. at least they got a good picture of me in there.
Of course with your picture you needn't have even bothered to disguise
yourself. So what now?/
 "well now I find out a bit mroe about our miss J'ex'plech and see if
I can find out why someone wanted to kill her and frame a cute and
innocent looking human like me for it."
 /Cute maybe, but INNOCENT LOOKING?/
 "Keep it up fuzzface and we'll just see if you can pay for your OWN
drinks from now on!"
 A little more searching on the newsnet found out that J'ex'plech had
perforned at a little place who's name translated into English as the
Green Horny Toad. A quick map search and Jose adn Chit were on their
way.
===========================

Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 22:48:40 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:What's an alien like you doing in a dive like this?

On Thu, 30 Apr 1998 22:58:38 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004222

 The Green Horny Toad wasn't a very long trek away but Driss needed
some funds before he got caught doing all this pickpocketting no
matter how easy it was in these crowds. Picking one last pocket he
headed off towards a casino called Fat Thr'ukal's. He looked around at
the games but found them very alien to him. Just his luck. A game of
skill always has better odds than just one of dumb luck. But if you
don't know the game you might as well stick to the slots. Still Driss
was never one to be slow at picking up a game.
 He headed over to one that seemed like a barbaric sort of rat race. A
small alien creature was let out at one end and ran dodging and racing
past several traps with betters guessing where the rodent things would
end up dying at. Driss watched for several turns looking for the hook.
There was always something for the House to keep thing in their favor.
The payoffs for being on the space the rodent died at were too big to
risk dumb luck.
 After about twenty races Driss began to notice a pattern to the
rodents. There were actually ten differnt ones that either must get
miraculously healed or cloned. Each's abilities generally placed it up
to one area within four or five spots, each paying 30 to one. And it
was usually the section with teh least betters.
 His new strategy in mind Driss waited until he saw the rodent picked
and then made a last minute bet spreading all his cash over six spaces
jsut to be sure. The rodent was let loose and ended up crunched in a
jaw-like device on Driss's third space. Then next three turn he did
the same and soon had a tidy wad of bills as well as a pit boss with
four very large arms and a holder in each armpit looking intently at
him. It was time to move on.
 Back in the mindset of Jose' he went directly to the Green Horny Toad
to see what kind of place this club was and see who could tell him
more about the broad Driss supposedly killed. At first the bouncer, a
700 lb blobbish alien, gave him trouble and wasn't going to let him in
but a 100cr note soon changed his dispossition and Jose' was led to a
nice stageside booth. Ordering a Yargblat at random fromt eh drink
computer at his table Driss settled down to the show, whihc turned out
to be mainly stripteases by a variety of different aliens. Many of the
specieses did very little for him, but then She went on. She was
gorgeous with four lovely breasts and long humanoid curvaceous legs.
Her face was more startling even though. Almost a perfect Marilyn
Monroe look alike if Marilyn had had purple skin and black hair.
 Touching the computer he found her name to be Yalee Grum. Jose' had
found his first person to try to interview. Another 200 cr got him
backstage past the guards and to her dressing room. Rapping softly on
the door he heard her sultry voice beconing him though he didn't know
the language, he knew the tone...
 Til Roscoe broke the spell by translating it. /Directly translated it
means "What the hell do you want? leave me alone I didn't want to be
disturbed you oaf."/
 Undaunted Jose' opened up the door and stepped in, to be rewarded
with a makeup bottle thrown at his face which he caught neatly. "I
think you dropped this oh beauteous one." he replied in her own
language with some prompting from Roscoe as to the words. He bowed
deeply and thust out his hand with the bottle in it towards her.
 She moved as if to backhand him, but then seemed to change her mind
in mid-swing as she sifted her direction and knocked hte bottle to the
floor. "What do you want Human? I said I didn't want to be disturbed."
 "I know adn I'm ever so sorry about the intrusion, but I wondered if
you knew J'ex'plech, the poor woman who was murdered recently. I think
I recognise the accused human and I know he wouldn't have done it and
I want to try to figure out who did."
 She snorted a laugh at that. "Feeling compassion for your fellow
human ehh? From what I saw of the news story he doesn't deserve it.
Expecially if he could kill someone as sweet as J'ex'plech. She was a
slut, always looking for a new thril with a new species, but she had a
big heart and was a very caring freind. I hope they find that bastard
and toss him out an airlock."
 Jose' winced a bit at that. "I hope they find the guy who actually
pulled the trigger too. But I doubt it'll ever happen while people are
looking for Driss."
 "Is that the Bastard's name?"
 "It's my friend's name. I don't know who the Bastard is yet."
 "Why are you really here Human?"
 "Jose' please. Human sounds soo ugly a word around this place. I told
you I don't want my freind persecuted for something he didn't do. And
lets say I like to stick up for sluts. I can understand what it's like
to look for hte next thrill. And I bet you'd be quite a thrill." Jose'
replied admiring her still half naked body.
 A smile crossed her lips. "Well maybe we can make arraingements on
that. Where are you staying?"
 "A hole in the wall. No wait, that's probably rating it a bit too
high. Haven't gotten the nerve up to look at it yet."
 "Perhaps we can get a bit more sociable in my quarters."
 instead of answering, Jose' just pulled her towards him and embraced
her lips with his own.
 TBC
===========================

Date: Fri, 1 May 1998 08:36:26 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:Into the darkest depths, let there be light.

On Fri, 1 May 1998 08:51:07 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004229

 After a few hours Yalee had finally fallen asleep, but with a tight
grip on Jose', provign to his mind it was only from sheer exaustion.
Lithfully he worked himself loose and went over to her personaly
computer terminal tripping over Chit on the way.
 /What are you doing Driss?/
 /Trying to get a little more information on J'ex'plech./
 His fingers flew over the keys silently, soon bringing up an
interesting but uninformative personal diary and finally a personal
address book with J'ex'plech's room listed in it.
 Jose' turned off the computer and moved to get his clothes when he
noticed Yalee was laying on her side on the bed looking at him. A
smirk crossed her violet face, "Some of your body dye came off on me
last night...Driss."
 "Umm I told you I'm Jose'. I use the dye cuz...well... others think
I'm too pale to be Mexican and it embarasses me. Ain't you never used
makeup to augment your beauty?"
 She giggled but Chit just rolled his eyes, "Nope what you see is all
natural me. And I'm not going to buy that Jose' stuff anymore. I'm not
completely stupid. But it's obvious you're no Xenophobe either."
 "No I'm not and I didn't murder that girl. I'm just trying to clear
my name before I get off this rustpile of a station. Now the question
is, you know who I really am, so what are you going to do about it?"
Driss's hand edged a bit closer to where his blaster lay in its
holster on the table.
 "Like I said, you're no Xenophobe, and as far as I'm concerned, I
have no idea where this Driss freind of yours is. That _is_ if you
promise to come back without allthe makeup and let me see what you
really look like after this is all over."
 Driss's hand came up to take hers and he pulled her into his embrace
locking lips with her while their tounges danced a tango. "It's a
deal."

  Another hour later, Jose' Hernandez found himself outside the door
to J'ex'plech's small suite. The lock was a numerical keypad, but
Driss had had over 200 years of experience bypassing all sorts of
locks. Popping the access plate he soon had the keypad bypassed and
reset the code. Sealing it all up again, he punched in the new code
and popped himself in.
 The smell coming out fo the room was enough to make him have second
thoughts about entering, but he needed clues and they were probably in
there. Choking on the stale sour love scents of several races he
stepped in closing the door behind him before activating hte lights.
 The room was small, smaller than Yalee's had been and dominated by a
large bed surrounded by various, lotions, oils and impliments. It was
more than obvious that the bed didn't get most of its use in sleeping.
 A small dresser was covered in more bottles and such, probably
special pheremones and makeup. A few papers were underneath a bottle
and appeared to eb various phone numbers so Driss pocketed them. A few
pictured were attached to a mirror so he pocketed those as well before
moving over to her personal computer terminal.
 Hacking into it he found two journals, one with nearly no security
whatsoever that documented her various sexual sprees and experiences
Driss skimmed through it but finally set to work hacking into the
other one. The second one was much more difficult to get into with a
strong encryption program guarding it btu Driss finally got through
and whistled a low soft whistle. It was a log that read mroe like a
military journal. Military star ships that docked, who the senior
staff on them had been, their troop capacities, the armorments and
defense systems and they next stop. Bringing up the first log again in
a small window he began examining dates adn could see how she was
getting her information. Now he had a good idea about _why_ she was
killed. Now he just needed to find out by who and the answer to why
_he_ had been framed.
 Bringing up her personal address book he began comparing the comm
numbers to those listed in the book and found three that weren't
listed. Pocketing those numbers he brought up the station's directory
and began to search the pictorals for the photos when there was a
pounding on the outside door.
 "WHO'S IN THERE? OPEN UP! THIS IS SECURITY! YOU ARE IN A RESTRICTED
ARE ADN WILL BE ARRESTED FOR SUCH. SURRENDER NOW!"
 Jose' motioned to Chit and they scuttled over to a ventilation duct
and squeezed through as the door began to open. Driss pulled the grill
back on and shuffled down the duct as the door finally slid open adn
Security officers moved into an empty room with the computer active
and logged into the station directory.
===========================

Date: Fri, 1 May 1998 11:06:57 -0700
Subject: AAE:Thoughts from the bottom of a glass.

On Fri, 1 May 1998 11:16:16 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004233

 Jose and Chit sat in The Green Horny Toad drinking and pondering what
to do next. He knew he was looking for a killer of a spy. And he had
three numbers that J'ex'plech hadn't wanted to put in her database. He
also had a handfull of pictures without any idea who they were of.
 Going back to her apartment was out f the question adn besides, he
had found everything he was going to find probably. But he needed a
private access database. And he only knew of one person he might be
able to ask. Yalee.
 Once again her act was hte big Finale but this time it only took 50cr
to get backstage. still Jose was going to have to make another trip to
the gambling tables soon. This time when he walked into Yalee's
dressingroom there was nothing thrown at him, but that's because she
was busy in the embrace of another Alien. This one was a stoutish
green man wearing expensive clothing. Neither of them had noticed him
so Jose' slipped into the room and hide behind a small sofa whit Chit
waited outside listening in Telepathically and translating for Jose'.
 "Oh darling I wondered when I was going to see you again with this
whole mess going on..." Yalee cooed
 The green man gave her another gentle kiss, "From you I could never
stay away. Besides, no one can connect me to anything yet. Two birds
killed with one stone. The bitch dead, justice for the Cruiser she had
destroyed. And a human nailed for the crime, making sure that they
will never be welcome in the Council."
 "I don't care about any of that. I just want _you_ _NOW_ Klegg..."
replied Yalee with a playful snarl as she began undoing his clothing.
 Jose' slipped out again angry and disgusted and foudn his way to a
bottle to begin crawling into. So Yalee was in on all this all along.
there hadn't been an alarm in J'ex'plech's room, Yalee must have
called security and ratted him out. Right now she probably thought him
safe in custody again, but when she found out he wasn't, what was
there to stop her from giving away his new identity and making sure he
ended up there?
 Jose' slipped the blaster out of his holster and looked it over
thinking how quick a solution it could be. He moved the switch from
stun up the scale to lethal and back dwon again before slipping it
into his holster. A death was no solution. He couldn't clear his name
by killing yet another person. he had to find a way to get proof.
 TBC
===========================

Date: Mon, 4 May 1998 23:35:35 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:Sheep in Lion's clothing

On Mon, 4 May 1998 23:36:38 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004258

 Jose' started intently at the holodisplay in front of Uncle Shelbey's
Toys and Munitions. A small holographic baby was repeatedly pushing a
button and exploding a small skyscraper while the slogan "You can make
things go Boom even straight from the Womb" slowly circled the scene.
 /So she lied to you Driss. It's not as if you two had a life
reafferming relationship for anything like that./
 /That's not the point Roscoe./
 /Than what is? I'm sick of recieving all these sour thoughts from you
while you mope./
 /I'm not moping I'm thinking. Someone's set me up, apparently trying
to set up the entire human race for no apparent reason. But why in the
hell do it this way? It makes no sense. But neither does that scene
back there with Yalee./
 /OK I'll agree with that. But what's new? You're touched by Chaos.
You're a wierdness magnet Driss. You know that. You should be used to
that by now. So why all this self doubting psychobabble?/
 /Because I'm not as sure as usual that I'm the only oen being screwed
with by Chaos this time./ Jose replied mentally as he moved on down
the walkway past Neiman Mucchus Furniture and Pan Galactic Smuggling.
/And I guess I'm starting to get second thoughts about the people who
get in my way and wind up dead, all because Chaos wants to play
around./
 /But isn't that also part of Chaos's nature? The sensless deaths? The
unreasonable reasonings? No win situations and solutions that don't
fit the question?/
 /Yeh and that's the point. In getting myself out of these things am I
hindering Chaos, or helping? Either way there's more that I need to
know before I go blasting away this time. I want some more answers to
settle my own soul./
 An hour or so later Jose foudn himself at Yalee's door. She was at
work, but he had just happened to notice the combination to her door
from when she let him in previously. The lock quickly clicked from red
to green and the door slid open to show a room in a shambles and Yalee
laying on the floor badly bloodied.
 Jose whipped out his blaster and hit the door switch closing it
behind he and Chit and plunging hte room into darkness again.
Exceptional hearing from his elvish Grandmother soon decided that the
room was empty and he touched the lighting pannel illuminating the
room.
 Jose' knelt down and placed his cheek over Yalee's mouth and was
rewarded with the light feel of air. She was breathing but not well.
She stirred a bit and her eyes opened. Recognising Jose a greater pain
than here mear physical pain was aparent. Her voice was a choked
hoarse whisper.
 "I.....I was... was a fool. I...I...I'm Soooooo sorry. So many...so
many people.... all because of... of... I'm sorry..." Jose gently
closed her mount and placed his fingertips on her lips. Then standing
up he activated the comm pannel and called for the emergency medical
response team and made his exit. They should arrive in time to save
her life, but it was obvious that he wouldn't be getting the answers
to save his face here right now.
TBC
===========================

Date: Wed, 6 May 1998 10:37:25 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: AAE:Tracking a terror

On Wed, 6 May 1998 10:46:50 -0700 (MST)
Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00004280

 Jose needed to "access" two differnt apartments' computer terminals
before he found the information he saught. Both times sheer luck kept
him from getting nabbed by Security. Someone, probably that Grakk guy,
had already put the swing on Yalee's beating and attributed it to a
homocidal sociopathic Driss. All Humans were being rounded up, which
wasn't all that large a number from what Driss had seen. there had
been maybe 3 other human faces in teh crowd. But now Hiding became
even more complicated.
 Grakk was a bigg time shipper and investor in Uncle Boris'. Finding
him in the directries had seemed to be an impossible task until in a
fit of uncreative boredom Driss had been zipping through the history
files of the station and seen his picture. A few hours ago, Driss had
been mad enough at Yalee to beat her soundly, and now he was tracking
down the man who probably had. Fate was funny sometimes.
 Shedding the Jose' costume, Driss stole a large green hooded robe
from a clothing store for aliens, made a small opening in one of the
folds of cloth to allow him to draw his blaster quickly, and went
looking for Grakk.
 Seven security guards dodged later Driss was shedding his robe inside
a maintainence conduit that would lead to a private ring for the high
and mighty. Looking out vent openings he saw the crwods of hte outer
ring was non-existant but replaced instead by heavy patrols of armed
guards. This was not going to be easy.
 Finally Driss spotted a vent with Grakk on the other side. As well as
two bodyguards. Driss settled in to wait. Grakk would end up alone
sometime or other. Fifteen minutes later as muscles began to complain
in the tight space, Grakk waved off the guards to make a private call.
Driss decided to make his move.
 The venting was made of a blaster resistent resin compound so Driss
decided to go the more oldfassioned route. Concentrating and focussing
his entire body Driss shot out his leg with all the energy of his
being and shattered the steel hard material. Diving into the room he
quickly got between Grakk adn the door teh bodyguards ahd goen through
and made sure it was locked.
 Grakk looked up from the comm pannel where he ad still been entering
the number to call. A strange mix of fear, confusion and wonderment
where evident on his face as Driss walks up blaster in hand. Touching
the erase key Driss cleared the screen. "I only have one question for
you Grakk. Why?"
 "I could ask you the same thing. You think the guards can't unlock
that door if they need to? Or that you're going to get out of here
alive after killing me? What do you actually mean to accomplish here?"
Grakk asked nonchalently.
 "I'm not here to kill you. I could have doen that from the vent. I
want some answers. You've been screwing with my life ever since I
appeared on this damn rustball and I don't even know why. I've delt
with a lot of shit in my life and it's bad enough when it's stuff I
deserve to have happen to me but when people are getting hurt and
_dying_ in my name, I get mad fast." Driss said softly and
deliberately.
 "Oh I assure you there has been nothing personal in any of this. I
don't even have the slightest clue who you are. Just that a secutiry
officer reported you fit hte requirements I told them to look for.
Human, vagrent, obviously nomadic with a real possibility of hostile
ability. After that it was a simple matter to have a mentalist pull
your strings into possition into the Nose Hair without your slighest
knowledge." Grakk replied as he moved to pour himself a thick purplish
sludge into a glass.
 "That doesn't answer any of the whys I need to know. Why J'ex'plech?
Why did it have to be a human? How was Yalee invovled? And what did
Yalee do to get out of your good graces?" Driss snarled.
 "Ahh you are a very demanding creature aren't you? Oh and I might as
well advise you that Security has already cut off the maintainence
hatchways and have a dozen officers in the other room ready to
aprehend you when I desire." Grakk replied as he lowered himself into
a large voerstuffed chair and licked up some of his "drink" with a
long prehensile tounge.
 "We'll deal with all that later." Driss replied firmly not telling
Grakk that in a claculated move Rosce was transmitting this to
everyone his mind could reach in the station. "But I guess there's no
need for the pretense that I'm goign to use this them huh?" Slipping
the pistol back in its holster Driss hovered over Grakk, "But you're
still not answering my questions. Start spilling it."
 "Yalee came to me a while back the poor girl... Distraught over the
loss of her brother and wanting revenge on J'ex'plech for it because
she was sure it was J'ex'plech who gave away the ship's location in
space. I comforted the poor lass for several nights and promised my
men would investigate it. She is quite fun to confort as I'm sure you
found out by now. It is quite ironic her considering J'ex"plech the
slut..."
 "OK you can forget the personal overviews and just get on with the
story." Driss snapped.
 "Oh all right if you demand to be boorish. J'ex'plech was indeed
spying from here. Bad for business if it had ever gotten out so I
needed to take care of her. At the same time I had my own motives that
could be helped if it was a human who pulled the trigger. Thus
Security was told to look for a sap to place the blame on. And you
came into the picture. Knowing J'ex'plech's preferences I calcuated
that she would end up making some sort of advance on you and simply
waiting for the oppurtunity. When it came, the lights went out, the
assassin fired and you were given a weapon you couldn't get rid of in
the zero-g before the lights came on again."
 "But WHY A HUMAN?"
 "Humankind are one of the newest races encountered by the
Councilette. We had known of Sol's system for quite some time of
course and mined the uninabitated planets for the very rare minerals
there. When Humankind ventured out enough to explore their own system
they were outraged and went to war with the Galactic Council. Normally
this would have been an easy war for hte Council to win but they
didn't expect the extremem adaptability and ruthlessness of the
Humans. Lost equipment quickly increased the human tech level and made
every victory all that much sweeter for Sol. Finally the treaty was
written up in which Terra was given rights over all bodies in her
solar system in exchange for giving up rights to ever sit on the
Council as a civilized world would.
 "This was one of the stupidest moves the Council ever did. Terra has
become rich with just the minute supply of minerals they have exported
fro sale while more deserving planets sturggle to get by without. But
there is nothing anyoen can do without breaking from the Council by
going against the treaty. BUT another war could be declared if it was
shown Humans were committing terrorist-like acts outside of
human-space. So I have been giving evidence that htey are doing that
very thing. Starting with here. Once word gets out about teh
Xenophobic Marauder on the station other copycats will happen in other
locations and soon the Council will be forced to move to gain us back
our mining rights and put Terra back in its place as a second rate
mudhole."
 "Profit. You're doing it all for profit and predudice. I don't know
which motive is more sick."
 At that moment the door slid open and Officers began streaming into
the room, "Grakk Hkerble, You are under arrest by the right of the
Galactic Council code 35268.435 with approximately 450,000 witnesses
to your confession."
 Grakk looked at Driss with open shock. "HOW? This room is secure from
any forgein transmitting devices, the panel on the wall would haev
detected them and alerted me. And I was told you are no mentalist. HOW
did you do it?"
 "I'm not a mentalist, but your high and mighty hireling never checked
my Wolf. Roscoe is. He's been back in the vent listening in and
transmitting it throughout the station. Me, I've ject been recording
it for hard evidence." Driss reached down into his boot and pulled out
a small recording device and clicked it off and handed it to the
guard. Lokoing up at him Driss quipped, "So when can I come get my
Rapier back? I feel naked without it."

 Driss ended up sitting in "protective custody" for another 36 hours
before he got his rapier back again. As he left the office through the
front door for the first time Yalee came running up to him. "Jose!
Driss! Whatever you name is! Please wait."
 Driss pulled up short and stood there while Roscoe rolled his eyes.
"Yalee. I see they patched you up."
 "Yes. I...I wanted to thank you for that. I...I..I probably would
have died there if you hadn't have come in and called medical. I'm so
sorry all of this happened. There was never anything personal against
you Driss, you need to believe that. I...I really do find you quite
attractive. that was not an act either."
 Driss simply looked her in the eyes for a few moments, then pulled
her towards him giving her a deep passionate kiss until he began to
feel her going limp in his arms. Then he stood back and whispered
softly, "That was because you are very attractive as well Yalee." Then
without warning his fist flew up backhanding her across the face and
sending her sprawling to the floor.
 /DRISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/ Roscoe screamed
 "And that was for setting me up for the fall and lying to me. Maybe
it'll make you think twice before getting into something like this
against another person down teh road."
 /DRISS!!/ Roscoe snapped again.
 /Stow it Rosoce. You're not my father. We've got our loose ends tied
up here. See if you can use one of those links to get in touch wiht
the otehrs and get us out of here./
 Roscoe began to form a reply mentally and then dropped it. Tapping
actively into the Lens and Sigil links Roscoe was relieved to be able
to touch minds with the rest of the group and with a bit of mental
dimentional triangulation managed to give Nemesis's Driss and Roscoe
clones (Who I tkae it were getting a bit concerned trying to find them
Fuzzy?) their location to get pulled out back to London and the
relaxation of an invasion force.

FINI
===========================