YAY!!!  C&C at last!!!  Now I can go over all those tricksy little
plotholes, inconsistencies and errors and make everything perfect!!!

Oh, by the way, do you keep a record of all your reviews?  Maybe you
should compile them all or something into one big file; y'know, sort
of like a fic about Windir, Frito and Lyra.  Or maybe you already
have done... I dunno.  Anyway, I just gotta say, this has to be the
most enjoyable peace of C&C I've read (not because of the praise, but
because of the characters).

Sorry it took so long for me to reply, but the college technician was
ill, and we only got our first mail download since the weekend
yesterday: that being Wednesday.  Anyway, onto the reply....

Take 3.  First Pegasus completely messes up the FFML address
(calling it fanfic@fanfic.comfanfic), an error that was probably a
sympton of the technician deleting my attachments.  Next, I
entrust Compuserve with the task of delivering these as
attachments.  It fails.

Windir: This should be a surprise? There are certain things that could be 
said about the corporate entity known as CompuServe, very few of them 
complimentary.

Well, that's over with now.  I'm now officially an ex-Compuserve member.
Unfortunately, our forays for a new provider have ground to a halt since
the Pentium's C drive decided to completely crash, so until that's back
up and running, they'll be no surfing at home, that's for sure.

Anyway, asides from that, enjoy the fanfic.

[Editor's note: Don't worry, we did. Except maybe for Frito; a little too 
much wit for his tastes. Then again, there was the fortune cookie I got 
at dinner tonight: "Wit is the seasoning of a meal, not the food." I 
wonder if it was telling me something. <wry g>]

So what's the condiments?  ^_^  Anyone for ketchup?

Windir: Upon reading this prologue, my first impulse was admittedly to 
lay this story aside; this plot device has been used many times, so 
frequently that it usually degenerates into hackneyed cliche. (As in that 
particular television show on the Fox network, which may sadly have 
blocked the re-introduction of a show both near and dear to our hearts.) 
I am, in fact, rather surprised that I continued, and had the opportunity 
to discover the skill with which this particular instance was handled.

Hmm, I'm wondering which television show this is...  care to enlighten
me?  We don't get things like the Fox network over here in Britian <sigh>

 However, one of them has no author.  It is lying on a shelf on the only
bookcase that is still standing.  It's open to a page near the beginning of
the book, except it's obvious from the size of the tome that many pages
have already been covered.

Frito: Uh-oh. I think our friend ain't gonna be gettin' home any time 
soon. <Cackles> And he deserves it! Runnin' away from a bunch a babes 
like da Knight Sabers...

You don't know how long.  The entire Books saga is slated to last four
years (and no, I'm not detailing every single one of his adventures...)
Since "Boomers and Youmas" is set eight months in...

 It had been his curiosity, as usual, that had gotten him into trouble.
A few subtle hints led him to a secret door in the store, which had opened

Frito: What kinda hints? Ya gotta be more specific! Da light shinin' 
under da door? Da big sign sayin' "This way to the Grand Adventure"? Da 
eldrich chantin' comin' through da PA system?

Windir: Pay him no mind, sir. It's a minor point at best.

I actually started off the Books saga with an episode called "Prologue",
which detailed this entire part with the bookshop.  In fact, the adventure
game I'm writing has the first section in it as well, including running up
the staircase and jumping through the portal.

In fact, I've started a few other episodes as well, including the mentioned
Ranma 1/2 one.... however, I always fell down on plot difficulties.
For the moment, "Boomers and Youmas" is the only one I'm actively working on;
it was started in late August.

to reveal a vertical pit as a room that would never, under the normal laws
of space and matter, have fitted into the small confines of the bookstore.
 He remembered the door slamming shut, and the stairs going around the
pit collapsing, forcing him up to the top of the cylindrical chamber.  And

Lyra: Um, how would stairs *collapsing* bring someone to the *top*? 
Unless he was going up them at the time, and trying to stay ahead of 
steps crumbling behind him. This needs to be cleared up.

The stairs were crumbling behind him, so spot on Lyra.  The paragraph has
been restructured to make this clear, adding a little more detail as well.

 /No.  I'm not going to even think about that.  I am not going to even
consider the word `man...'  that genre./  Ian looked around fearfully.  /It
might return to haunt me./

Frito: Too late, fryboy! Yer in for it now!

As Ian himself has once remarked, he's the luckiest man alive.  But he's
not quite sure what kind of `luck' it is....

Windir: This seems rather a bit manipulative on the author's part. The 
purpose of this scene -- aside, perhaps, from a certain amount of comic 
relief -- is to establish the MacGuffin driving the engine of the BGC 
sequence, namely, his supposed identity as the inventor of a matter 
transport device. However, it also has -- in the rather colorful language 
of my not-so-esteemed colleague -- plot holes 'large enuf ta smash a 
truck through.' Ian is allowed to leave the ADPolice station... after 
suddenly appearing in the middle of their prison block, mind you... with 
gaping holes in his story and his record. For example, one would assume 
that the database check that Nene does at the beginning of Chapter 2 
would be part of standard procedure... yet Ian is able to leave the 
building without anyone noticing this rather obvious false name. *Or* 
taking a closer look at his gun. The author plays up Fraser's impatience 
and frustration, apparently as an excuse, but I believe something more is 
necessary.

Okay, okay, point taken.  Admittedly, that wasn't one of the places I
was worrying about, but now that it has my attention....

Right, got it.  It also explains Nene not checking her activity logs
(thanks Lyra).  Basically, ADP is expecting a huge amount of paperwork
to come in late afternoon as those who control their budget attempt
to find out whether ADP really needs so much of it.  Unfortunately, due
to the reduced amount of boomer rampages, the evidence required to get
better equipment takes an awful lot to find.

One suspects Genom's hand in this... ^_^

 He received yet another glare, and a raised eyebrow.  "I thought faulty
equipment usually have shorter ranges?"

Frito: How come? It's just as easy ta have somethin' go wrong with a 
power surge as anythin' else, ain't it?

It's gone.  And now substituted with a more appropriate (or at least
plausible) answer.

 Yet despite the fact that they had firearms, and had eventually been
forced to use them, the guy had simply stood there, not seemingly harmed at
all.  If it was a guy.  Anyhow, one of their number was down on the floor,
hit by some sort of weapon the guy had.  It now seemed obvious who was
performing the show of force.

Frito: Sounds like somethin' outa Sanctuary or somethin'. 

 At that, one of the gang panicked and ran.  He got three paces when a
green bolt hit him in the back, taking him out completely.  Max kneeled by
his fallen comrade and checked his pulse.  Nothing.
 "So," came the voice, "do we have a deal?"
 "Yeah," Max replied woodenly.  "A deal."  /Just as soon as you turn your
back, man.  Then you'll get what's coming to you./

Lyra: Famous last words.

Frito: 'Cept for da Bloody Deckers, outa dat Foglio book. *They* was cool.

Sanctuary?  Bloody Deckers?  Um... care to enlighten me again...
<sigh>  Sorry 'bout this....

 Sometimes Ian wondered exactly how far the thing worked.  Judging by what
he remembered from Douglas Adams's book, the translation should only have
worked one way, and only if the person was present.  But through live
experimentation in worlds that had adopted a native language other than his
own, he found that not only could he understand those near him, but they
automatically understood him, no matter what language he spoke.  Seemingly,
everyone he talked to thought he replied in their native language, which
made for some awkward encounters.  Plus, he could even understand foreign
transmissions.  Maybe brainwaves were somehow caught in recording media, or
something.  In fact, the strangest thing was, he could even understand
talking computers, things that didn't have anything organic in them at all.
The only limitation to the Babel fish that Ian could find was that it
hadn't helped his reading skill any; Japanese was still a funny set of
squiggles to him.

Windir: A plausible rationalization. Perhaps.

Lyra: A paragraph that could stand some optimization, anyway. A little 
too verbose.

It'll be tough, but I'll look into it.   Can't promise anything
for that last paragraph though.  Surprised you chose that one
in particular as the verbose one; I'd have thought one of the
others would have made a better candidate ^_^   As a friend of
mine once commented: another entry into the Guide <sigh>.

However, I must defend this one segment; this is one of the few
Guide paragraphs that is _really_ necessary.  Since there are no
planned episodes between the Ranma 1/2 one and this one, Ian gets
his Babel Fish in between the two.  Therefore, in the timeline,
this is the first time he gets to make use of it.

As you can possibly imagine, the Ranma 1/2 one (when I finish it)
is going to be chaotic for Ian (whose known Japanese extends to
the words "baka" and "gaijin").

 There is a little part of the story of how Genom stole the knowledge of
creating boomers from the scientist, Dr Katsuhito Stingray, and how they
warped his legacy into the military scheme it was now; and a little part
how Dr Stingray's daughter, Sylia, set up the vigilante group, the Knight
Sabers, to bring down Genom and their twisted ideals.  But that isn't

Windir: "There is a little part"? "A little part" of *what*, perchance? 
The sentence is confusing; it lacks an object.

Little part of the story, Windir.  But changed anyway.  Thanks for the
comments; I want to relieve as much confusion as possible.

Oh, and Lyra, if you could let me know where those other couple of times
are....

Lyra: Poor guy. Just keeps getting caught in the middle. 

Yeah.  I'm probably the only author on the FFML who could be
plausibly revenged by his own character ^_^

 Most perplexing.  Well, perhaps this `inventor' would be worth observing.
"Keep him under surveillance."
 Madigan bowed, and then turned to leave.
 "Wait."  Quincy smiled.  "Keep him alive.  He may be useful."
 "Do you expect there to be an attempt on his life?"
 "Just observe him.  But make sure he's alive when I decide to have him
brought in."

Windir: From small acorns do mighty oaks grow...

Lyra: Except he's a rather large nut, isn't he?

Who is, Lyra?  And what do you mean by a large nut anyhow....

 Chronos turned towards him.  "I apologise for the... imprecise nature of
your firearms.  I was pressed for time, and had to make do with the Mk I
plans.  Watch out for the plasma rifle overheating as well.  I'm afraid you
can only use short bursts, before it gets too hot to work.  Then you have
to wait for it to cool down.  However, this should be sufficient for now.
Perhaps when you come back, I'll have a couple of Mk II's ready."

Frito: Yah, right. And da check is in da mail, already. Sheesh. Losers. 
Pigeons. I could take 'em in five seconds, easy.

Windir: I believe that is intentional, Frito. I happen to be more 
interested in the rather convenient nature of the limitations of the 
rifles. Intentional? And on whose part?

Hmm, interesting comment.  Chronotroopers were originally designed to
come in three makes: Mk I, Mk II, and predictably, Mk III's.  However,
Mk III's are very rare, and Chronos usually takes about a month to get
the materials and production lines to start making them.  However, the
Mk III's are extremely powerful, negating almost all the flaws of the
original two Mk's (except for the laser into the visual array; except
that the effect isn't as permanent...)

But there is the possibility that Chronos has deliberately underpowered
the Mk I Chronotrooper so as to make sure that Ian lasts longer against
them, for reasons which are made known in Chapter 6....

 Ian stopped suddenly, and glanced around.  He was *sure* he was being
watched.  It wasn't Chronos; if it had been him, he would have shown
himself far earlier.  He *hoped* it was a good guy.  And then he hoped that
they knew that *he* was a good guy.  Convincing them that usually took
quite a while. Or a short battle with Chronos.  Ian knew which one *he*
preferred.

Frito: Ayup.

Lyra: I wonder if he's trained with the Doctor, yet? Might be rather 
useful, and our Gallifreyan friend has certainly had lots of practice.

Hmm... interesting idea.  Any takers?  I don't have any expertise with
Dr. Who, I'm afraid, so if anyone thinks they could have a decent go....

Of course, I'm not promising a thing (never make a promise that you can't
renege....)

Frito: Um... I din't mean it, Windy... <Small voice> uh-oh...

Windir: Boot to the head! <He attempts the kick, skids on the spilled 
pop, misses... and kicks Lyra's tub of popcorn over into her lap.

Um, where'd this "Boot to the head" come from anyway....  this isn't
the first place I've seen it....

 Now he was five feet underwater, attempting to avoid plasma bolts shot

>from a Chronotrooper who was standing on a jetty just above him.

 On top of all that, his ankle had started hurting.

Frito: <Wiping whipped cream off his face> Ain't life a bitch?

...and then you die, and then they put you in a hole in the
ground, and then they throw dirt in your face, and then the
worms eat you.  Be glad it happens in that order. ^_^

 However, despite the pulse laser being lighter and far less damaging by
itself than plasma bolts, it does have one major advantage.  Because pulse
lasers are made out of light, they are effected by the same laws as normal
light; reflection, refraction, etc.

Windir: "Affected," I believe.

Ack!  Spelling mistake!!!  Oh no!!!

But it's gone now...  all gone...  no more spelling mistake...  ahhhh...

Those of you who think I'm over obsessed about these spelling mistakes,
the panic button is over there.  Please join the back of the queue.

Oh, and because Lyra raises a valid point (Ian's not good, just very, very
lucky.  Ever seen True Lies?  The way the machine-gun just bounces down
the stairs, mysteriously missing the heroes and taking out every one of
the bad guys... ^_^), I've changed the offending sentence.

 "We have to go in *there*?"
 "Aw, come on Linna.  Where's your sense of adventure?  All we gotta do is
catch up with the boomer and trash it.  And find out why the hell it's
following that guy," she added as an afterthought.

Frito: Ya said it, baby! I mean, comeon! Ya got an M-16 tank ta wear, and 
dese schmoes ain't got a clue!

An M-16, huh?  Well, if ya wanna go in there with just a rifle, Frito, be
my guest.  Now me, on the other hand, I wouldn't even go in there if you
gave me an M1....  course, if we're gonna get technical, I suppose I'd agree
to co-pilot a F19 (as if you'd really think I'd be crazy enough to pilot
it...)

Anyhow, something tells me that modern 20th Century weaponry, while cool,
won't quite be as useful against a boomer....

 It hadn't yet occurred to Ian that if a fight broke out between the
boomer and the police officers, he would be in the line of fire.

Windir: Minor problem.

Lyra: Not so minor, I'm afraid.

I agree with Lyra here.  Ever tried staying dry while standing out in the
rain?  Even when it's only spitting?  Now imagine that instead of rain
we've got... well, I think you can guess the rest.

 In metaphorical terms, the match was hovering over the fuel.
 And from the sky, four females in hardsuits came to light it.

Frito: BOOM! Boom boom boom! He he he...

Lyra: Oh, you're ready for another chant of the B5 mantra?

Frito: Erp... <Sheepish look> Uh-uh, I'll be good. Promise.

B5 mantra?  I know loadsa mantras (being an Ultima fan helps), but
B5 is a new one on me.  What's it do?

 Megacorporations battling for control.  Individuals became pawns for use.
On a piece of paper somewhere, Ian had said he was a scientist working on
Matter Transportation.  He now thought he had an inkling on just why so
many people were after him.
 The realisation just made getting out of here a more urgent objective.

Windir: Another Maalox moment, I believe.

Lyra: Or another tally on the OSQ.

Windir: OSQ?

Frito begins snickering.

Lyra: <Blushing> The "Oh, sh*t" quotient.

Windir: Ah. <Wisely decides to say nothing further.>

Lyra: <Still blushing> Nicely done, anyway. Good scene.

Thanks.  Maalox, huh?  What's that?

As for the OSQ, I _might_ just use that.  Then again, Ian's OSQ tally
would be interesting to say the least....

 Why had he looked up at her just before he disappeared?  He had seemed
frightened of something.  Frightened of what?
 Who was he working for?  And what was this new faction all about?  Nene
foresaw a lot of work ahead of her analysing the scraps she'd found.  As
well as all the data she'd intercepted from the surveillance boomer.
 She resolved to answer those unanswered questions later.  The guy would
turn up somewhere.  Nene was sure of it.

Windir: A definite bone among the dogs, here, if one wishes to re-use 
that rather tired cliche. 

Lyra: It'd be interesting to follow-up on this later, and see just what 
they all make of it...

Windir: Perhaps, but that is not the author's story.

Um...  Windir, you're just ever so slightly wrong there.  "Boomers and
Youmas" is a 7-part story arc; and the only two books it jumps between
are BGC and SM.  Part 3 sees Ian's return back to the Bubblegum Crisis
universe he left, a few hours after his abrupt departure.  However, I'm
not gonna say a word on where he turns up yet....

 /Aw man..../  Ian hurriedly leapt behind a potted plant as the monster
started to flick energy bolts at _him_.  He set to work, feverishly pulling
down on the charging mechanism; the pulse-laser pistol only stored a
limited charge before it had to be `recharged' by pulling a hard-to-move
mechanism back and forth once, similar to a pump-action shotgun.  With Ian,
it always seemed to happen at the _worst_ possible times.

Lyra: Another manufactured plot device?

Frito: Aw, it's just anodder gimmick.

Lyra: Cute one, though. 

<sigh>  Well, the pistol does need recharging sometime, and I thought it
a little unfair for Ian to give it the same restraints as the now broken
ShieldGen... in other words, I needed an alternative to the old 5000 AAA
batteries required.

Well, it was either that or the lightning conductor ^_^

 Long ago, back before all this business with the bookshop had ever
happened, back when the worst Ian had to worry about was homework being in
late, Ian had been `introduced' to Japanese anime by a friend of his.  One
of them had been a dubbed series named "Sailor Moon".
 "CRESCENT BEAM!"
 "Oh god, oh man, oh shit...."
 Ian, personally, couldn't stand it.  The closest thing he had to compare
it with was an American TV programme called "Mighty Morphin' Power
Rangers", a show so corny and stupid that it didn't even merit watching for
the idiotic monsters.  The plot of each episode of MMPR was identical to
every other one. New monster goes around causing chaos.  Power Rangers go
and trounce new monster.  Evil megalomaniac sorceress controlling operation
causes new monster to grow to Godzilla height.  Power Rangers call their
dinosaur inspired mechanoids and trounce Godzilla-size new monster.
Admittedly, they didn't then all go back home and have a round of ginger
beer, but the last five minutes of each episode appeared to be devoted to
learning some kind of moral.  Apparently, Power Rangers had done really
well in the States.

Lyra: You know, I think our friend here would really get along with Mike, 
right about now.

Oh, has he got something against MMPR as well?

 He was stuck for twenty-four hours in the middle of a book he neither
liked nor cared about.  A little girl's book.  He believed `kawaii' was the
word his friend had described it.  Japanese for "cute".  And that it was.
Ian could almost puke.
 "FIRE SOUL!"
 He was in their reality now.  He was bound by their laws of physics and
their way of doing things.  He was, to all intents and purposes, trapped.

Frito: Dum, da DUM dum! Dum, da DUM dum dum DUMMM...

Windir: Frito, if you are going to attempt to hum the Dragnet theme, you 
could at least attempt to hum in tune.

<puzzled>  Where does Dragnet come into this?  <sigh>  Caught the ending
of the film once, still want to see it, still can't.... <deep sigh>

Author's Notes:  Fourth chapter.  It's over, thank god ^_^

Windir: <Raising an eyebrow> Oh? You seemed to handle it quite capably.

As I said earlier, it wasn't that it was particularly hard.... (well...)
just that I did it in a breathtakingly quick time (for me).  I've slowed
down a bit since then, but, well, maybe I'll pick up speed again.

Books/Bubblegum Crisis/Sailor Moon
"Boomers and Youmas"

Part 2 : "Kawaii Just Doesn't Cut It"

Frito: <Making Bambi eyes> What'sa matter... don't you like me when I'm 
cute?

<grins>  Just for that, Frito....  <begins to write with gusto, creating
out of nowhere:>

Elmyra:  Oh boy, a cute lovable critsy-witsy!  I always wan'ed one!  <glomps
onto Frito>  I'm gonna love you, and squeeze you, and hug you, and feed
you, and....

<grins evilly>  Well, it was either that or Azusa.... and I _don't_ want
to deal with Azusa.

 /Sticking around in the vicinity of a crazed monster... uh-uh, as before,
there are people stupid enough to stick around and watch fights like this.
Screaming "No" just after they whipped the monster's ass... nope, that
couldn't..../  He stopped, and went over that thought again, more carefully
this time so his mind could cope.
 /Uh oh./

Lyra: Heh. Another good passage. I really like these moments of Awful 
Realization, you know...

Yeah, they're great fun aren't they.  Y'know, if I ever do write a
revengefic, I'm as good as dead.  Even without the Ranma 1/2 team.

 Ever so carefully, hoping not to break any stalemate that might be in
force, he put his gun away.  He thought he could hear the senshi whispering
fiercly to each other.  He turned, a little faster than he really wanted
to, and started making for the nearest exit.  The words "Dark Kingdom" and
"Youma" drifted to him from the girls, as well as the strange paranoid
feeling of furtive glances being directed at him.  He started walking
faster.  Not running, at least, not yet.  He'd learnt that lesson the hard
way; running brings attention.  He remembered reading a very good book that
had something about that.  Something about the time to run was when someone
said....
 "Hey, you!"
 /Oh yeah, that was it./
 Ian ran.

Windir: With a herd of crazed sumo wrestlers in pursuit, no doubt.

I really haveta borrow "Interesting Times" again sometime....
...I take it you have by now realised that Ian suffers from a severe
Rincewind complex?  ^_^

Frito: Windy, is dere somethin' wrong with your eyes or somethin'? Those 
are some bodacious babes!

Uh, Frito, there's one thing you gotta understand.  It's canon.  When
there's one man, and a whole load of women, and the women are chasing
the man, the man doesn't stop.  Ever.

1st Corollary:  The horde of women's feelings of the man will depend on
the personality of the man themselves.  If the man is a hentai, then the
women will be bent on revenge.  If the man doesn't care much for their
attentions, then invariably, the women are chasing him in love.  It's
fate, and never happens the other way round.

2nd Corollary:  Never get in the way of an angry female mob.  Few things
can stop such a mob, excepting the object of their pursuit.


Oh, yeah, did I mention that Ian didn't care much for the Sailor Senshi?
And the fact that they are about fourteen years old at the time?  A little
underaged even for you, eh Frito?

 The woman behind it looked at him, or rather the state of his attire, in
astonishment, but Ian gave her no chance to respond.  He placed the note
carefully in front of her, and said, half in a daydream, "One coffee,
please."
 The waitress turned and picked up a mug.  She got as far as the coffee
machine when Ian cleared his throat.
 "I meant a pot," he continued, stopping her in her tracks.  "Black,
please."

Lyra: If he starts asking for chicken, or the waitress breaks into soul 
music, I'm going to scream. Or kill the author. I'm not sure which. 
<Grins nastily>

Nope.  No Blues Brothers here.  Maybe later (but definitely not a cafe
scene).

 Beryl smiled at that.  "Good.  You impress me, Kunzite, with your quick
thinking.  I hope you will not disappoint me again."
 /Irony,/ thought Kunzite with despair.  /I think I liked it better when
she was more open with the threats./  "Yes, my Queen."  He bowed at his
mistress, and then disappeared into the darkness.

Lyra: Sounds like she's been taking lessons. I wonder how much Havelock 
charged her?

Nothing, of course.  Vetinari never charges.  He merely makes sure they
see his way.

 This is all very tiresome, and there can never be _one_ generalisation,
since somebody somewhere will think of an inventive way to be original, so
all that is really needed is that Ian is classed as a hero, and heroes are
generally very hard to kill.

Frito: Sez you!

Windir: I believe the author was discussing the word 'kill,' Frito. 
<Smiles evilly at him> He said nothing about 'Grievous Bodily Harm,' now, 
did he?

Absolutely right.  In fact, he's slated to be beaten up a little by a
youma in the next chapter.  (No, not Frito (though it's tempting ^_^), but
Ian)

 End Chapter 6

Windir: Ah. So it's that time, is it?

Frito: Where's da next part?

"Da next part", as you say, is currently half-finished, and unfortunately
has remained that way for about a month.  However, I am restarting work on
it.  What has really been taking my time is the adventure game I was
writing based on the Books saga.  Haven't got around to the cat-killing
puzzle yet, but it's coming along.

[Editor's note: It had better be *soon*. Like *really* soon. Trust me.
You thought a DBTFH was bad, wait'll I sic a rabid Frito on you... ^_^]

Windir: <Shudder> Something to be devoutely avoided, I can assure you.

<wonders how long Elmyra will be able to delay the inevitable until
he can complete the next chapter>

Actually, it may be a little while until I can send any more fanfics.
Since the aforementioned problems with the Pentium, the only computer
available at home doesn't have a modem, and the college technician won't
let me send large E-mails (anything more than 20k....)

So, be prepared to wait a while.  Those who can't wait can try David
Kogan, but to discourage this, I'm not giving away his e-mail address
here, and whether he gives it to you or not is another matter.  To
discourage this even further, I'm not telling him about this either.
But, if you're still interested in the half-finished part he's got....

Lyra: <Looks impishly at Frito> Funny, I never notice the difference.

Frito: Why, you --

Frito jumps up and tries to tackle Lyra; she hops lightly up on the 
seatback and runs for the emergency exit, shooting taunting looks back at 
him. Windir settles back, shaking his head ruefully... but with a slight 
smile on his face.

Thanks for the review, guys.  It means a lot to me.  I'll try and tighten
up those early chapters, and by the time I have a new Internet provider, I
should at least have Chapter 7 done, and maybe even Chapter 8 (which will
probably conclude both Day 2 and Part 2).  And then it's back to the BGC
side.  Fun, frolics, and death-defying experiences in the darker dimension.
Did I mention I'm going to get killed in any revengefic I write?  ^_^

Travis Butler
(The Professor, once on Myth and Magick!, now floating off in cyberspace;
tbutler@tfs.net, <http://www.tfs.net/~tbutler/>;
Mac page <http://www.tfs.net/business/tbutler/>)

...Cats are the proof of a higher purpose to the universe.

Maybe Douglas Adams was wrong all the time...  I mean, why d'ya think cats
eat mice?

Anyway, ciao,

                        Terence Fergusson
                     -- Stranded in an Anime-free College
                     -- but surviving....

-----------------------------------------------------------
"Gytha, Greebo would like Norris the Eyeball-eating
Maniac of Quirm if he knew how to put food in a bowl."
                      -- Granny Weatherwax
-----------------------------------------------------------