Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: Doc Pan gets got -- [outside Generica]  & [inn]
Message-ID: <tim.719298211@mik.uky.edu>
From: tim@mik.uky.edu (timothy c huesman)
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1992 05:03:31 GMT
Keywords: Doc Pan Prill Lek meteor, bad guys

ADMIN:   with this I will put Doc Pan on the back burner for a while.

    The group made haste across the plains, eating dry rations instead
 of foraging.  There was little conversation and 'Tasha, Beat, Alfie,
 and Lek used the time to rest up from their sexual escapades.  They
 were travelling at a good clip and settled sown to rest for the
 evening. 
    "Gads, me legs are killing me!" groaned Alfie.  "How much farther
 we got to make a real bed?"
    "We're a little over a day from Generica," offered Pan, "but we
 can probably catch a wagon about midday and make it to the gate
 afore nightfall.  There you'll find your bed.  I think you might
 try sleeping solitary for a......!!!"
    Pan realized Alfie wasn't paying any attention to him and turned
 his gaze to the source of the boy's interest.  Coming across the
 sky was the slowest moving shooting star the Doc had ever seen.
 What's more, it was of a large size and made a fireball easily visible
 in the twilight.  Coming West to East, it appeared to be headed right
 for them. 
    "Take cover!" yelled Lek as he threw himslef into a ditch.
    Doc Pan stood his ground and watched as it approached.  "Not to 
 worry.  The horizon makes it appear to be headed right for us, but it
 looks to be passing North of Generica and will hit North and East of
 us."
    As if the streaking ball of flame heard him it moved on past...
 overhead and slightly North.  Lek pulled himself out of the muddy
 ditch and the youths all were chatting animatedly.  Pan turned to
 look at Prill.  She was solemn and was no longer looking at the
 fireball as it went beyond sight and surely burned up or impacted.
 "I know." was all the Doc could say in answer to her unspoken 
 warning.
    The Doc called for all to clear their eating gear and make ready
 for sleep.  His stern tones sobered the youths and they forced
 themselves to hold off talking about the meteor.  Late that night,
 while the young slept, Doc Pan and Prill spoke in hushed tones what
 they had feared to speak earlier.
    "Could it be they?" Prill asked, her face as always unreadable
 but her voice carrying more than enough expression to show she was
 barely holding fear in check.
    "Doubtful.  They are but one people of a myriad of peoples from
 a myriad of worlds.  And I cannot see what this world would have to
 interest them anyway.  There are no Psi-Statics here other than
 myself and many of the powerful are merely visitors here.  It was
 merely a meteor.  Or at the worst, some mage construct.  Get sleep,
 you know how easily spooked the rural folk are... they may not be
 willing to take a wagon into town for a few days and so we may have
 to walk."
    Prill nodded and pretended to go to sleep.  She was not fooled
 by the doc's lies.  For one such as Prill, to whom the slightest
 nuance of voice can have varient meanings, the Common language
 was like a spell of true-speak.  She knew the Doc was concerned.
 And she knew he wasn't concerned for his own self.  In her heart,
 beating at a mad pace, she knew he should be.

    Two days later a blood-smeared Lek burst through the doors and
 rushed to the first empty table.  For all his gangly thundering, he
 held a small burden in his hands as though it were the most fragile
 of treasures.  Gently he placed the still body of a bird... a 
 mockingbird by all appearances, upon the table and wrapped his
 cloak around and under it.  He called out in pleading tones, "Please,
 get a physic!  Lady Prill is dying...and they've taken the Doc!" 
    
--

  Doc  Pan       tim@mik.uky.edu          Tim  Huesman