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VRDET-OP: The Marraketh Connection
         "Lockdown[1]"
        by: Red Paladin
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	"Is it supposed to take this long? What's a good time for 
	a mass evacuation of the entire plant?"
	"Forty five seconds."
	"And what's our time so far?"
	"I don't know, sir. This stopwatch only goes up to 
	fifteen minutes."
	"Damnation! What kind of slow coaches do I have working 
	for me?"
	[Homer runs out the door. He shuts the door and secures 
	it with a bench, before he runs, panting, to his boss.]
	'I think I won, Mr. Burns."
	"Yes. [hauntingly] You won, all right. You won more than 
	you bargained for.
	"Woo-hoo!"
		-Mr. Burns, Smithers, and Homer, _Simpsons_

	Red resisted the urge to say "Doh!" to relieve some of 
the tension that he felt.
	Bryn responded. "OK, I guess, for an involuntary 
halfling. Once I face the total impact to my food budget, R&D 
work, self-image, and ability to ride rollercoasters, I'll 
probably be fine." He just stared. She rolled her eyes.
	"Well, what did you expect me to say? I feel fabulous, 
this is the greatest thing to ever happen to me? I'm sorry to 
break it to you, but this just isn't what I consider a positive 
life change. Next thing I know, I won't be able to fight because 
I'll be covered under the Endangered Species Act."
	*Well, it was a thought* "I'm sorry... I... " Red was at 
a loss for words. He hated these kind of situations.
	She cut him off. *Not again!* "Don't say you know how I 
feel, because trust me, you don't." Red nodded slightly. It was 
such a subtle movement that Bryn did not seem to see it.
	"Listen, are you sure nothing else is wrong?" This 
attitude seemed another symptom of the shrinking.
	"Wrong?! Oh, nothing! Being transmutated into a member of 
what is possibly the least threatening race in existence is just 
an everyday thing for me. If you'll excuse me, I probably have 
some riddle-games that need finishing." *Huh?* He did not have to 
take this!
	He shrugged. "Forget it. I'm sorry, I'll talk to you 
later." Red moved to a darker part of the room, about to 
Shadowslip[tm] out.
	"No, wait! My God, Red, I'm sorry. I'm taking out my 
frustration with the world on you for no good reason. Hell, you 
may have saved my life, and I... I..."
	Red turned. "I understand. I probably wouldn't have 
reacted any better if I had been in your place." *Prolly a lot 
worse, if I know me (and I do)*
	"Thanks for everything, Red. I'll find some way to make 
it up to you." She changed the subject. "So, we get shipped out 
to Rhye today?"
	"Today? Damn! Well, guess it's alright," Red said, 
smiling. Then he looked worried. "But are you..."
	"Sure I'm ready to travel? Hell, yeah. We still do have 
to save Katze, you know, and there are spongies that need Good 
Food[tm] or killing something awful. No reason for me to shirk... 
besides, Kendren says the reversal spell should work within the 
week. I'll be back to normal soon enough." Red smiled.
	"Good to hear that. But, I hate to ask this, but what 
exactly _are_ you? I know it's a bad question, but...." Red 
could not help wondering. This change was very... different. Not 
to mention unique.
	She sighed, more from contemplating how to explain it 
than anything else. "Not as bad as you'd think. To make a long 
story short - shorter- Jamie decided that I'd be so much better 
as a hobbit."
	"Hobbit?" *What the heck is that?*
	"The short, simplified explanation? A mythical humanoid 
race used by J.R.R. Tolkien. Well, they were mythical two days 
ago, at least. Predominant features of this race: average height 
of about three feet; hair on feet, making shoes unnecessary, not 
to mention an unpleasant experience; a tendency towards 
stockiness; steadfast, if naive, dispositions. As you can see, I 
have the first three covered, if not the fourth.
	"Here, read this for a better explanation." She picked up 
a book. _The Hobbit_ it's title read. Red caught it as Bryn threw 
it. "Try the first chapter. That should explain everything you 
need to know."
	"Okay," he replied, and looked at the book. *This could 
prove interesting* "I'll read this before we leave and get it 
back to you."

	A two hours later, in the hours of the early morning, and 
their fifth day in Marraketh, (having past five nights [no movie 
references, please.]) Bryn was ready to leave and recovered as 
much as she would be. She consulted with Kendren about possibly 
locating the other Rangers.
	"But don't you want to go to Rhye?" he asked.
	"Yes, but so do our friends," explained Red.
	"Okay. Please follow me." Kendren lead them to a scrying 
pool. Moving his hands in fluid motions and chanting is monotone 
syllables, images appeared and then focused. It showed Calculus, 
and Maruchan and Theseus sleeping quietly in some shelter. Calc 
was on watch.
	"Are these them?" he asked.
	"Yup, that them," Bryn replied. "Would you mind if you 
help them get to Rhye as well? We're sort of in a hurry."
	"Alright. Please let me get together with some of my 
colleagues first. We'll need more energy for this spell."
	He left us staring at the pool.
	"Spiffywell. You know, we forgot to ask him about Nexx 
and Phoe."
	"I'm sure they're fine," Red said.
	Ten minutes later, Kendren returned as promised with 
other druids. "We can do this. To the Teleportation Room!" 
Kendren said.
	"Coo'." Red said, smiling. Kendren looked up, not quite 
sure what expression meant. "Figure of speech," Bryn explained. 
"C'mon, Red. The others are prolly waiting for us." 
	The room was quite far away.
	"Read that, once you're in Rhye. Be careful and don't 
lose it!" Red sensitive hearing overheard.
	The room was what Red expected. It was typical of the 
transport rooms in Chiaroscuro. Sigils and runes outlined on the 
floor, and various other magical items stacked carefully on 
shelves.
	"Both of you stand here," Kendren instructed the two 
Rangers. The circular pattern and symbols matched those of the 
room with the dark green pillars.
	Kendren and the other druids chanted in monotone 
syllables and waved their arms in flowing motions. The scrying 
pool showed the other three Rangers outside Rhye.
	"Thanks," Red said. "Now, it's our turn. Thanks for all 
your help Kendren."
	"Yeah. Thanks," Bryn said. "Alright, let's go!"
	The druids energy was re-focused towards them, and Red 
and Bryn appeared beside the other three Rangers.
	"What the hell was that?" Calc said as he saw that he had 
his surroundings changed for him. Thes woke instantly, and Red 
judged he had been sleeping fairly lightly.
	"Whaaat..." Maru woke up groggily. She looked around. 
"Where? Who? How?" Red tried holding back laughter as he saw 
Maru's new punk hairdo.
	"Well, I guess that leaves 'Why' and 'When'," Red said. 
	Calc spoke. "Red, you have a lot of explaining to do. 
Like, why are we just outside Rhye? And another thing..." He 
paused to look oddly at Bryn. "Umm... ah.... Who?"
	"Hi, it's me," Bryn said smiling. "It's a long story."
	"A long story indeed."

	After Bryn told her long story, Red concluded it with the 
teleportation. Maru, was still not happy about that.
	"You couldn't have told us first?" she asked, sarcasm 
dripping from the words. However, humour inflitrated her voice as 
well.
	Red shrugged, jokingly. "Enh, I didn't think of it at the 
time. Besides we save you a long walk, I'm sure." He grinned. 
Then he proceeded to dodge a flying VRDET survival pack.
	Afterwards, Maru began telling Red and Bryn of their 
adventure through Marraketh. Laughter interrupted the story 
frequently.

	They waited near the city, unsure what to do next. 
*That's it. I'm going in alone* Then Red suddenly spotted a 
jet-black dragon flying, closing in on Rhye, and advancing 
quickly towards them. It was an hour past sunrise, approximately 
six thirty, Red's timesense told him.
	As the dragon came closer, he and some of the others 
recognized Councillor Nexxus Kline. She was with the others 
including Commander Aris and Selvane whom Red thought were lost. 
They had found them. Red breathed a internal sigh of relief. 
*Wait, where's Kapella?* This did not go answered.
	Nexx addressed the group. "Now that we're all here in 
Rhye, we still have to get through the city and storm the 
castle." *So close and yet so far!* "As for the city... let's 
just say we have a little diversion planned. We're going through 
there as one big group. The castle's another story. We're going 
to have to sneak in, so we're going to do this in groups of 
three. I'll get to that later, though."
	The dragon had its version of a smile on his face.
	The Rangers moved through the city swiftly. The city was 
composed of three separate layers, each divided by walls. The 
final wall loomed ahead, and Red could see a large castle sitting 
behind it. Fifteen minutes into the city, Red spotted the black 
dragon shooting flames just two blocks ahead. The group stopped, 
except for Red, who circled around, looking for an entrance. He 
felt that a single person could slip in and out unnoticed. 
	"This is our..." Nexx started.
	Red did not heard this as he was already out of earshot. 
The chaos had increased security within the castle, and Red found 
out too late.

	Amid the disorder, the resident Sponges were too wide-
eyed with terror and wonder to notice Red. He extracted the tiger 
claws from his belt and began climbing. Once at the top, he 
quickly scanned the inner courtyard for any guards.
	He had scanned too quickly. Almost immediately upon 
landing on a Sponge below him, he found himself surrounded, 
crossbows aimed at his face, and swords drawn.
	"Sorry about your friend," Red said, smiling. "Wrong 
address. If you'll excuse me." They did not understand. "Oh 
right. Communications barrier." Red raised his hand slowly and 
Sponges nodded assuming he was giving himself up. When he reached 
the hood of his Cloak[tm], he quickly pulled it over his head, 
and became invisible.
	The guards, not expecting this, opened fire. Fortunately, 
Red had ducked, and the bolts took their casualties or worse. In 
the confusion, Red managed to push through most of the crowd. The 
word that should be emphasized is most. The spongin had taken to 
running to avoid any more pain. Red, under this stampede of 
washed brains, suffered that pain for them as he was stepped on, 
repeatedly. Despite this, Red's training held, and he still did 
not make a sound. Somehow, the hood came off and Red became 
visible once again. Before he could think to put it back on, he 
lost consciousness.

	Red woke, thinking that a small tidal wave struck his 
face, sputtering. The Fire[tm] flared up in anger, and brought 
him to full alertness. He was in a cell. *Damn!*
	He went to test the bars and locks, and found them solid. 
The usual rattling of bars that told of a loose fastener was not 
present. He went for his set of barely used lockpicks. They were 
not there. Neither were the rest of his weapons.
	He looked up to find them resting on his Cloak[tm] far 
down the dark stone hall. He then notice something else. Or 
rather someone.
	"Councillor Katze Brenner?" Red shouted to the cell 
across from him.
	"Yes, that's me," she said. Her tone was more content 
than he thought it would be.
	"Are you alright, Kat?"
	"I'm more than alright," Katze Brenner replied. "How did 
they get you?" She was speaking to him, but her mind seemed 
somewhere else, pondering.
	"Uh, well... umm," Red began, trying to think of a better 
explanation than what really happened. *Ah, forget it!* "I tried 
rescue you alone, and they caught." *That's sort of the truth*
	"Well, where are the others?" she asked.
	"Last time I saw them, they were on their way," Red 
explained. "Nexx was forming a plan, but I wasn't..." he trailed 
off.
	"Paying any attention?" she finished for him. Her voice 
still seemed distant.
	Red laughed nervously. "Yeah. Heh. There was this black 
dragon that brought them too. Do you have any idea who that could 
be?"
	She replied. "Could you repeat that in English, please?" 
He found her speaking like all those Druids in there underground 
dwelling. *Marrakethian, wasn't it?*
	"That's Shad. He's a fellow officer in TRES Corps, and a 
good friend of mine." Red nodded slightly, then fell silent as he 
heard footsteps.
	At that moment, a man in his twenties entered. Brown 
haired and the same height as Red, though much more heavily 
built. He addressed Kat in Marrakethian.
	"What do you want?" Kat asked him, angrily.
	He merely responded in Marrakethian, and nodded at Red, 
acknowledging his presence. After a few exchanges, he reached for 
keys that were hanging on the wall. He was speaking in a 
genuinely apologetic tone. He inserted one of the keys into the 
lock on Kat's cell, setting her free.
	As he watched, a bright shape entered the corner of his 
vision and aimed.
	"Josh!" Kat called out to him. He started to run, but the 
speed of the crossbow bolt knocked him to the ground. *Damn!*
	Kat had been taken away, and Josh lay sprawled on the 
floor, only half alive. In the peripheries of his eyes, Red 
spotted another figure coming down the stairs. As he came closer, 
Red groaned inwardly and muttered a complaint.
	"No, not another Lyran! I hate Lyran!"

To Be Continued And Concluded In "Rentrez"

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Footnote(s):
[1] Reference to Starcraft, a real-time strategy game by Blizzard 
Entertainment[tm]. A "spell" or special effect by a Ghost 
Espionage unit that causes temporary immobility.
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(C) A Neutral&Chaotic Production, 1998.

Neutral&Chaotic Publishing since 1997.
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The preceding segment is a work of fiction. Names, characters, 
places and incidents are either the product of the author's 
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual 
events or locals or persons, living or dead, is entirely 
coincidental.