Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: bshsiung@quip.eecs.umich.edu (Bernard Hsiung)
Subject: [R] Amaan & Dariel have a little chat
Message-ID: <1992Oct2.204746.9324@zip.eecs.umich.edu>
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 20:47:46 GMT

     Amaan chortled to himself.  Everything was going perfectly.  He had
scarcely spent a moment outside his cabin since he had set foot upon the
_Arcas_ and he was certain that he was very, very close to tapping the power
of the being, Dariel, that he had trapped in the desert.

     He was sitting at his cramped work desk, the silvery globe resting on a
circular holder before him.  Muttering to himself about the lack of space on
board the ship, he again reached out and rested his right hand lightly on the
globe.  He steadied his thoughts as the image of the sphere's interior formed
in his mind.  The entity looked exactly like a brown-haired young man, although
Amaan knew that it was anything but.

     "Dariel?"  The being opened its eyes.  They were light blue.  Amaan
shivered slightly.  They seemed to be looking directly at him--no, right into
him.  It was only a mental image, Amaan reminded himself.

     "Amaan.  If you are not planning to let me out of here, why don't you
leave me alone?  Your propositions are ridiculous.  I am not interested in
ruling a world.  For that matter, I am not interested in your ruling a world,
either.  Don't you have anyone else to talk to?"

     "Silence!  I will not be mocked."

     "Touchy today, aren't we?"  It paused.  "Would you like to see your
future?"  Dariel's eyes gleamed mischievously.

     At that moment, the door to Amaan's cabin burst open, revealing an
obscured figure brandishing a jeweled sword in both of his hands.  The figure
stepped forward, and, with a shout, swung the sword downwards.  Amaan jumped
out of his chair, breaking contact with the globe, as he pointed his finger at
the intruder, chanting a death spell.

     His incantation for turning spinal cords to powdered bone died on his
lips, half-completed.  The door to his cabin was closed.  He was alone.

     With a passionate curse, Amaan righted his chair and sat down in it again,
reaching for the sphere yet another time...

--
Comments, compliments, and complaints can be conveyed to ...
Bernie Hsiung (eecs.umich.edu)