Date: Wednesday, 2 Sep 1992 17:56:41 EDT From: Message-ID: <92246.175641BANNON@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [R] Hazy Pesters Karl References: <1992Sep2.171721.7502@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca> Karl turned down an alley formed by the walls of two courtyards which were connected by graceful arched bridges spanning the air above the way. The tops of palm trees could be seen through high half-moon windows made secure with elaborate wrought iron grates. The air in the alleyway was rich and fresh with the earthy scents of the greenery growing in the city oases. Hazy drifted over to one of the windows to admire the rather exotic gardens and then wafted down to join Karl on the street. Deciding that since she was not alone she could manifest herself visibly she switched to her light gray color. She had a few dozen questions she wanted to ask Karl so she settled next to him and took his arm lightly. In the heat of the Pashar sun her cool, damp touch was more refreshing than it would be in other environments. He didn't seem to mind. She smiled pleasantly and then let her questions start to tumble forth, "Karl, why did you tell those men you were called El Cardinal, or whatever it was you said? Who were they and who were those other two men you spoke to earlier?" Karl opened his mouth to offer some sort of response but once Hazy started asking questions it was hard to stop her, they kept coming. "Who is Artifice? You know, this Amaan sounds rather fiendish,-- why would you want to take such an awful man to Generica? Do you think maybe there could be two Amaan's? Maybe there has been a mix-up, hunh? You won't let him sacrifice anyone will you? I couldn't stand it, could you?" She let go of his arm and started to lift off the ground a bit, lightening to a white as bright as sunlit clouds. She sort of danced around in front of him, barely touching the earth beneath her feet. He opened his mouth again, but another thought burst from Hazy's mind and onto her tongue, "Hey, what was that thing you guys were doing with your hand and fist? You know, at first I thought that waiter was going to punch you when he did it. Karl closed his mouth again for a second time, a gentle, amused smile curling his lips. Hazy must have noticed she hadn't let him get a word in edgewise, at any rate, it seemed she was trying to get her excitement under control. She said, "It's o.k. if you don't want to tell me all at once. I just can't help asking all at once. You probably still want to take a nap, hunh?" Karl gave her a sort of sideways look, still silent. He wasn't about to open his mouth again until he was sure she was finished. She figeted a bit bouncing off her feet into the air a few inches and drifting slowly back down. She blurted out, "We're almost there, you know." His smile broadened. She was like a little girl that had been collecting berries in an apron and then had suddenly let them all fall out. Her questions were scattered in the air around him like tumbled berries. He supposed it fell to him to help her pick them all up. He opened his mouth to speak finally and Hazy swooped over to his side and nabbed his arm again, and whispered suddenly, "Say! Is this stuff secret?" Hazy