Date: Monday, 2 Nov 1992 14:18:01 EST
From: Mike Sander <344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Message-ID: <92307.141802344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [DQ] Week 12: Compare and Contrast

Lancos moved his remaining pawn. "check." he said rather emptily.

Miro moved his king behind the pawn. "Draw or stalemate. Either way, game's
over!"

Lancos nodded. The game had been really over for a while, but for lack of
other entertainment had been continued this long. But now Lancos excused
himself from Miro's company. He felt the urge to speak his mind, to
someone he knew a little better.

He saw 'Raelf and Kadrys discussing something amongst themselves. While
normally Lancos might have preferred one of them as the listeners to his
thoughts, this time he decided to move on to Valgar. The man had been too
quiet for Lancos' tastes this trip anyway -- as if the recent events caused
no emotions for him.

"Hi, Valgar. What's up with you?"

"What do you mean, 'what's up?'? I'm just sitting on this rotting ship
-- which may not even be an improvement over the last vessel I was on --,
waiting to see what bad thing happens to us next!"

"True, you haven't had the best luck with ships recently. But that's not
what I meant. I meant to ask what's going on with you? Inside you or around
you to cause your recent changes? You can tell ME -- I might even be the
most sympathetic to your ordeal."

"What's your problem -- taking over for 'Raelf in the worry department?
And you're quite the one to talk about changes -- with that amulet
everyone's worried about continuously on!"

"Everyone? 'Raelf's the only one who's said anything. I've got no mind-reading
abilities -- if I'd known, perhaps I'd have changed my use of it." Lancos
answers, pausing to think. Actually, there was little chance of any use change
in the past, not unless it was "forced". But he felt the need to say what he
had. "Besides, the situation's different."

"Yes, it IS different. My changes have been purely physical -- the beard and
bleeding and all. Yours have been emotional, and dark emotions at that.
Inside, _I'm_ still the same."

"That's not what I meant! And besides, how can you blame the medallion for
that? There is such a state as being irate, although I'll agree it might
not be the best reaction. The difference _I_ was speaking of involves control.
All I have to do is remove the item to similarly remove all worry, your
situation is unclear."

"If it's THAT easy, why haven't you done that? If I felt uncomfortable
with my situation, I'd do something about it!"

"Well, that's the thing. I DON'T feel comfortable with it on -- in fact,
it's sort of cold comfort --, I just feel better than I do without it on
in this realm. I always remove it at night, through part ritual and I
suppose part fear. But last night was filled with unnatural, unstandable
nightmares, and I could feel the evil of this plane nearly drag me down
this morning until I wore it again. My MAIN regret in using its powers
now is that I cannot bestow the same concept to the rest of you. But what
I have to wonder about you is your experience in dealing with whatever's
ailing you. We don't even known what the cause is. If something happens
to me, you'll know the cause, and can react to it. You? Who knows! I'm
just curious about your problem, that's all."

"Tell you what, rather than debate this point to death, I'll make you a
deal -- you don't worry about my control over my own body and destiny, and
I'll do the same for you. Good enough?

"If that's the way you really want it."

"Yes, it is. My problem won't affect the rest of you -- trust me on that."

"Fair enough, then. I never was the preachy type anyways."

The conversation ended there, as Lancos walked away. But Valgar's activity
was not finished, as he soon found out, when Alita strode up to him.

Alita: "Hi, sweetheart! Anything I can do to wipe that anger off your face?"

"Alita, after that last conversation, your words are comparatively welcome."

"I do believe that's the nicest thing anyone's said to me in too long a
while! You didn't even treat me like that when you were drunk." There was a
slight pause. "Hmm -- whenever THAT was. Anyway, are we on then for some
below-deck activity?"

"Sorry, but it isn't just plain SAFE. Besides, I think I liked you better
when you were quiet and unassuming."

"I should almost hold that against you! But I'd rather hold ME against you,
so all is forgiven. Let me know if you change your mind." She says as she
walks away. "I'll find a real man SOMEWHERE!", she vows to herself...

============================================================================
Michael Sander 344lwkc@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu