[LNH/Acraphobe] Road to Killfile Wars #6

[cabbagewielder at yahoo.com]

"Breath in, breath out, breath in," Vel muttered.

	The fumes filled the room.  Indistinct noise muttered behind him. All
of it gibberish, but he oddly felt as if they were in two different
languages.  As if they were in two distinctly different kinds of
gibberish.   He held his breath.   The voices became distinct.

	"The sand or the sea," echoed an eyrie yet familiar voice.
	"I figured as much. Today, I set fourth on this planet a new code. So
our people will not be savages.  And I personally will be its
champion," said a voice with a Dorfian accent.
	"First you made us take that magazine plant tour.   Now why are we
going to the Cracker Jack warehouse?" Electra said.

	"Electra? What did she have to do with all this?" Vel said.

	  Vel had met her briefly during that dimensional rift thing more than
two years ago.

	"No, Speed Richardson, I don't know why we're trying to help. Johnny
Appleseed just told me it was important," Tyler said.

	"Tyler Bridge?  That loony ghost who wandered the sub-basements and
annoyingly called him Velnarc Peterson in every single conversation.
Okay, this is just crazy," Vel said.

	   Tyler had occasionally helped Vel scavenge some parts for
experiments. Vel became more and more perplexed.

	"Sword?  What sword?" Electra said.
	"I am but a guardian.  I am not the idea.   Ideas cannot die.  They
endure.  And so will I... in your hearts and minds.   In that sense, I
may come again.  But so will a million others on hundreds of thousands
of worlds.  Heroes are not unique.  They are as common and as numerous
as all mankind.  There is a barge where I shall reside... and it
lies..." the dorf said grasping for breath.


		The Road to Killfile Wars #6 of 12
		Pride Goeth
		By Jesse N. Willey

	Carolyn walked down the hallways of the hospital.   She was looking
for a room.  There were literally hundreds of doors.   She could hear
the sinus shattering screams from each of them.   She wiped blood and
sinew from her face.  The wounds themselves healed just fast as they
formed. The lights in the hallway went dim and the screams ceased.   A
man with a bucket on his stepped out in front of her.

	   "The sand or the sea," Appleseed said.
	  "You!  I should I have guessed," she said.
	  "The sand or the sea," he repeated.
	  "I-I haven't decided yet," she said.
	 "I think you have," he said.  "Don't worry.  Help is on the way."
	"What?" She asked.  "What is this going to cost me?"
	"You'll see," Appleseed said.

	______________________________

	Vel watched as the sun rolled backwards ten thousands of years in
seconds.  He could smell the Qo trees... which was a weird combination
of lilacs and fresh cooked Cinnabons.   A crowd of Dorfan guard were
gathered around two scuffling men.   The crowd was pelting the man who
appeared to be winning the fight with bricks.   It didn't seem to phase
him.

	"This ends now, Melgrat!   You lead these--- these children into
battle against Clan Vek for what?  Enemy bases in your territory which
don't exist?  You have the blood of your people... the sons of this
village on your hands," the dorf leading.
	"You, Moakonzi," Melgrat said as he grabbed a rock and threw it at the
other man's crotch.  "are a deluded idealist."

	Moakonzi caught the rock in mid flight.   He leapt forward and pinned
Melgrat to the ground.  With one lightning fast swipe Moakonzi had sent
the rock through Melgrat's nasal cavity and into his brain.  Scatttered
bits of grey matter were littered across the sand.

	"The King is dead.  Long live the king.  The King is angry... and
demands the honorless war stops.  Yesterday!" Moakonzi yelled. "Unless
any of you want to challenge me?"

	The Guard stopped for a moment.

	"Long Live the King!" they shouted.
	"I figured as much. Today, I set fourth on this planet a new code. So
our people will not be savages.  And I personally will be its
champion," Moakonzi growled.

	______________________________

	Electra was not amused.  For the past two months she had been dragged
across Middle America by a half delusional weirdo and taken to the
oddest places.  The World's Largest Ball of Twine.   The diner where
Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly had his last meal.  But what really pissed
her off is that she was now wearing a crappy blue t-shirt that
proclaimed to the world: 'I could be in Magazines...'.   Which was
true.  Her body was not unattractive.  It was a point Dalton made at
least twelve times a day.   It was the back that got to her: 'and
Printing Museum of America'.

	"Come on, we have one more place to go," Dalton shouted.
	"First you made us take that magazine plant tour.   Now why are we
going to the Cracker Jack warehouse?" Electra said.
	"Because obviously, what we were looking for wasn't there," Dalton
said.
	"What's so obvious about it... and how do you know we didn't see it?"
Electra asked.  "I mean... you said you didn't even come here for
anything in particular.  So how could you be looking for something?"
	"Didn't I explain that to you already?   I'm always looking for
something.  I just don't know what it is yet," he said.
	"Then how will you know when you've found it?" she said.
	"I just will," Dalton said.
	"And you're looking for it because.." Electra said.
	"Names have power.  My middle name... it means The Fool or The Finder.
 I prefer the latter, so I just keep looking," Dalton said.

	 A bright light flashed in front of them.

	"Oh crap!  Not another spaceship," Electra said.
	"Nah!  That's just an LNH Class 7J Flight Thingee with convertible
roof," Dalton said. "Before you can ask... I saw the guys driving as
they flew by."
	"Let's follow them," Electra said.
	"Follow those government tools?" Dalton said.
	"I'll make it worth your while," she said.
	"Really?" he said.
	"Come on," she said.
	"It looks like they're headed to the Cracker Jack Warehouse too,"
Dalton said.

	______________________________


	Tyler Bridge landed the Flight Thingee with a bump.   When he got back
he was going to asked Deja Dude or Master Blaster for some flying
lessons.   Not because he thought they were expert pilots or anything.
Just because they seemed to be the only members who had the patience to
try to teach anyone without attempting to kill them.

	"So, can you explain this a little bit more clearly?" Speed asked.
	"No, Speed Richardson, I don't know why we're trying to help. Johnny
Appleseed just told me it was important," Tyler said.
	"And we're doing this because?" he said.
	"He didn't say out right, but I think this sword can cure an immortal.
 Trust me... nobody wants to live like that," Tyler said.

	Speed looked out.  Two dims human shadows were cast in the reflection
of the headlights.  Speed turned off the lights.

	"Mister Appleseed didn't say anything about other people wanting this
thing, did he?" Speed asked.
	"In fact he did, Speed Richardson," Tyler said.
	"I think we've got company," Speed said.

	______________________________

	Speed reached out of the flight.thingee with his hands blazing.   Two
large balls of cellophane burst from his body.  Dalton was caught
completely off guard and became entangled in it.  The more he
struggled, the less he could move.  The second blob didn't get anywhere
near Electra.   She vaporized with one quick blast.

	"Freeze!  LNH!" Speed shouted.
	"Holy Zapruder!  What are you doing, you incompetent Federal
employee!" Dalton yelled.
	"Electra... formerly of Teenfactor.   You're a long way from
Net.tropolis, aren't you?" she said.  "Get my friend out of that crap
before I do to you what I did to that wrapping."
	"I'm your friend?  Really?" Dalton said.
	"Not till you tell me what you're doing here at this Cracker Jack
plant?" Speed said.
	"I-I just wanted a late night snack," Dalton said.

	 Speed stretched the arms over to Dalton and grabbed him.

	"Right," Speed said.

	The grating of the cargo area exploded.  Tyler came out.

	"See, Speed, I told you they weren't the ones out to get the sword,"
Tyler said.
	"Sword?  What sword?" Electra said.

	Tyler smiled.

	"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

	______________________________


	Holgrat, son of Thregrat, raised his blade toward the old man.  The
old man scowled and raised his blade.  Before his arthritic bones could
parry the blow, Holgrat had stabbed the old man in the chest.

	"It is over Moakonzi.  What you began when you murdered my
grandfather, I finish here-now," Holgrat said.
	"Oh do you?" he said.  "Yet you resort to using a poison tipped blade
on an old man?  You'll never learn what true honor is..."

	Holgrat sweep kicked Moakonzi.  The old man fell to the ground.

	"I don't need your 'code of honor'.  Once you are dead and gone, I
will return us to the old ways," Holgrat said.
	"No, Holgrat, you won't," Moakonzi said.

	Moakonzi swung his wrist.   He heard the bone snap, but he had done
his job. His blade went flying through Holgrat's eyes.   At the
crooked angle it took, it would have been hard not to hit brain.

	"I am but a guardian.  I am not the idea.   Ideas cannot die.  They
endure.  And so will I... in your hearts and minds.   In that sense, I
may come again.  But so will a million others on hundreds of thousands
of worlds.  Heroes are not unique.  They are as common and as numerous
as all mankind.  There is a barge where I shall reside... and it
lies..." Moakonzi said grasping for breath.  "heh.. heh... I'll tell
you some other time Holgrat."

	______________________________

 	Vel found the old man waiting for him as he came to.   He was
stirring some hot tea and handed Vel a cup.

	"So, what do you believe?" The Old Man said.

	Vel blinked.  He stared at the Old Man for a second.

	"You-you're," he said.
	"Yes, I am," he said.  "Now tell me what you believe."
	"I believe that there are two Moakonzis.  The historical Moakonzi who
did in fact rule the Dorfan empire for an unprecedented 60 years give
or take... and the Moakonzi of legend.  The Moakonzi who battled
shooting stars and Tos'rels.  Both have their importance.  One because
of the insight he could give regarding the true origin of the Dorfs and
our culture.  The other as symbol which has united and empire for
countless centuries," Vel said.
	"And which am I?" Moakonzi asked.
	"I don't know," Vel said.

	The ship I rocked.   A moon sized ship appeared in the windows.

	"What the smeg?" Vel said.
	"As the Earthman Bogart said," Moakonzi said.  "The stuff dreams
are made."

	To Be Continued...

______________________________________________________________________
Vel, Melgrat, Moakonzi, The Grim Seeder Dalton and  Holgrat created by
Jesse N. Willey.   Electra, Tyler Bridge, Carolyn Forge and Speed
Richardson created by Tom Russell Jnr.    This document is copyright
Jesse N. Willey