From: andrea@cm.deakin.OZ.AU (Andrea Todkill)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: Kadrys has a look at some of Generica's citizens.
Message-ID: <3405@sol.deakin.OZ.AU>
Date: 26 Jun 92 01:10:38 GMT

Kadrys reacts to the news of the approaching rioters in a way totally unlike
the other listeners. He sits still a moment, letting the first few defenders
crash out of the door and attract the attackers' attention to themselves.
Surrounded by stunned and horrified faces, he allows his own face to break
slowly into a smile. But it is a very different smile from his normal wry,
wistful expression. It is feral, eager, _hungry_ rictus, a baring of razor
fangs. There is a sense of sternly maintained restraints falling away from him
as he rises to his feet and stalks soundlessly toward the door, melting into
the chaos and the darkness outside as if he were a part of it.

He slips through the melee, twisting aside from the wildly flying fists and
flashing weapons of the inn's defenders, moving beyond their circle. A
particularly burly fellow clad in shabby leather armour, and wielding a rusty
mace sneers as he spots the movement. "Ha! The rats are already running!" he
roars, lunging to intercept the slighter figure. Kadrys whips his head round
and simply stands staring at the charging man, wide-eyed and expressionless as
if terrified. The attacker skids suddenly to a halt and stands rock-still, eyes
unfocused and empty, lips twisted in what on a less scarred face would be a
dreamy smile. He remains standing, totally insensible to the furious activity
surrounding him on all sides. Kadrys eyes the man's throat for the merest
instant, but the continuing noise of the mob makes him shrug regretfully and
melt into the shadows, emerging elsewhere to tap another man on the shoulder
and gaze into his eyes. So it goes, with Kadrys weaving his way stealthily
through the thickest of the mob, making eye contact and leaving enraptured
statues in his wake. But he can only hold one set of eyes at any one time,
and the streets are flooded with a roaring sea of humanity.