Date: Thursday, 1 Jul 1993 15:22:39 EDT
From: Michael Sander <344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Message-ID: <93182.152239344LWKC@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [BBD] A Matter of Trust

"But that don't matter to us
 'Cause it's always been a matter of trust" -Billy Joel

[ADMIN: Again, thanks to all for input, and for making sure I don't accidently
 make some huge mistake in my wearied condition (midnights suck)]

Yosef led them deeper into Low City, skirting around the Shunned Center,
taking them to an area only a few of them had ever _seen_ before, let alone
knew well.

Kryalla, positioned in the rear with Tarkyn, was one that keenly felt the
unfamiliarity of the place. She never had liked unfamiliarity, and Yosef
recently had expressed it as heavily as the alleyway they just had entered.
The Shrouded One turned to the ranger and said softly, "I do not trust him."

Tarkyn's puzzlement showed, even after he followed her eyes to Yosef. "Why
not? Wasn't he on your side versus this 'Arcania'" he said, lowering his voice
to match Kryalla's.

"Yes, _Yosef_ was! But I fear _that_ is not Yosef, but a daemon in his guise."

Tarkyn could tell by her tone that such a thing was a very real possibilty.
"Why are you only telling me?  The rest should know too."

Kryalla shrugged slightly, as if the point was unimportant at the moment
"I only suspect.  And they have other interests to occupy their thoughts."

Takryn nodded at that. The way Arienne and Lancos acted towards each other,
all knew who held the foremost spot in each of their minds. Even if the
warrior _did_ look around occassionally, presumably to get his bearings and
watch for surprises from the Gutt Man.  Behind them walked Darvos and Kaalzic,
each concerned about a member of the enemy's camp.

"All right, I'll keep an eye out."

Kryalla's shroud moved up and down slightly, expressing her approval. "Good,
because I also expect a set up, and want to make sure I am prepared for it."

And this time it was the ranger who communicated fully his thoughts, despite
a shortage of words, by his understanding glare.

* * * *

Velric felt the telepathic command surge through the bracelet, telling him to
go to the place designated the "Throne Room."  He smiled when he realized the
command had no force behind it, like it had before.  This would be the acid
test then, to see if he could follow orders well enough to satisfy -- and
fool -- BBD.  He walked quickly but steadily down the halls connecting the
rooms.

He came upon the throne room, and entered causally.  Scanning the room in
his best pose of unconcern, he saw the Gutt Man, Parsephalus, and a supply of
daemons from Arcania, along with his "own" creations.  Currently they were
taking commands from BBD, but that would soon change -- as soon as the time
was right.

Velric purposely ignored the rabble, and focused his attention on the man on
the throne.  He gave a small bow, and did his best to imitate his usual
forced politeness as he said, "Yes, BBD?"  But the tone was different this
time; only Velric knew why at the moment, but he pledged to himself that
soon all here would know.

BBD gave the necromancer a small smile. "As you may have guessed by the
presence of the Gutt Man and Pars, the warehouse attack did not succeed. The
self-proclaimed heroes are on the way here, and I have called everyone to
prepare for them."

Velric's lips twitched imperceptibly, almost forming a smile. But he
controlled himself before BBD noticed. 'The time is near' he thought.

BBD waved his hands quickly towards the far wall. An image appeared on it,
showing seven all-too familiar figures travelling through Low City.

Darvos stood out foremost in Velric's mind.  He was the troublesome mage
that had interfered with his first experiment with Lissa.  'Now she's coming
along just fine.'

Similarly, the Gutt Man stared longest at Lancos, the warrior still to blame
in the child-killer's mind for why he had not be able to kill Little Rat and
Lissa; why he had not been fully satiated.  Pars had already evaluated all
the members, and so his face matched that of BBD's, as well as most of the
Thurlans: of universal but impartial hatred, coming from not knowing _who_
they might face.

"See?" BBD continued. "Even now they near us! Out of curiousity, what would
_you_ suggest, my dear Velric? -- perhaps shielding them from us at all?"

Velric knew the correct strategic answer, but a telepathic command was coming
through the bracelet, telling him to answer 'Yes'.  BBD like manipulating
incorrect answers from him.  He like humilating his minions in general, to
try to prove he was superior, and so would not miss the chance to do so now.
Velric swore he would pay for that, but for now the mage only answered "Yes,
that's what I would do", even though he did not have to.

"Wrong!" BBD grinned wide at the incorrect answer. "That kind of thinking is
what prevents you from being as good a second-in-command as Relbin was.  No,
if we kept them out, they would only get more forces, and we would either lose
this house or our lives. Instead, we keep them _in_, trapping them in here for
the rest of their short lives. One day you'll learn."  He smiled at the others
in the room.

Velric only bowed in inferiortiy at BBD. 'Yes.' he told himself. 'One day --
perhaps even today -- I'll have my chance to kill you, and take over myself.
The bracelet stopped me before, but cannot now; only the lack of opportunity
can.'

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