The Age and Country Hotel - Part III; Evolution from the Glitch | Forums

[Toztabud91]

Perhapse it would be a good idea to create a New Mexico plotline, so that people can join into something if they are new or have been away for some time.

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Meanwhile, the Trump Corporation had caught a whif of the hotel's predicament and decided to take advantage of the situation. Partnering themselves with a smaller, less known company they began making their move.

A small team was sent to set up replacement services, with all legal issues covered via contacts and bribes. This team had now arrived and was beginning to set up in the hotel remains, as well as the nearby New Mexico cleft.

[T.O.O.O.]

The Library Age

The ringing of Tan-lee's cellphone woke them both. She looked at the screen. "How could he possibly reach me out here?"

Tyree sat up groggily. "Who?"

She showed him the screen. "My boss, who else?" She climbed out of bed and reached for her robe.

"What does the Donald want now?" he asked. "Besides, I thought you were going to quit?"

"So did I."

[Toztabud91]

As the vikings, Leon and the cult clashed it out, Toz continued to puzzle the large "HAROHS EETOTGIB" that hovered over their heads.

"Does anyone know what it means?" he asked.

"Try reading it backwards," TOOO suggested. "See how it becomes 'bigtotee shorah'? It's very poor gramma D'ni."

"Very!" Toz agreed. "It should have been eetotgib harohs --shorah bigtotee --peace and blessings. Perhaps the sender speaks very poor D'ni. And why is it backwards, anyway?"

"Maybe we can find someone to explain in camp," Gisli suggested.

Toz nodded, not really hearing. His mind had driffted to something else, now.

"I hope these merchants know what they're doing, since there seems to be a strong wind about... wait! I don't think the storm's completely gone, yet. We may only be in the eye. Charmaeleon, we may need all the help we can get. Come out!"

As Toz let out Charmander, Tir

"Just what do you think Charmeleon can do?" She asked.

"I don't know," Toz replied, "but I'm willing to try if he is."

[marae]

Marae and Tully are sitting on a moss-covered rock, watching the construction efforts, while Duke grazes placidly nearby. At least, Marae is watching. Tully is alternately fiddling with his N-band and his KI, in a vain attempt to get some connection with the larger picture. At last he gives up in consternation.

Marae turns to him as he gives an audible sigh of frustration. "What is it, love?" she asks.

"Nyrond technology is supposed to be - well, that is, at one time it - oh, frod it. It's old, it's patchy, and it has a mind of its own. I suppose it's no surprise that I can't keep up with all the information that's being passed around."

"Information?"

"Yes."

There is a long silence as the two consciously avoid a conversation about all that they don't know about what's going on in other parts of the universe, that everyone else seems to know is going on, that they ought to also know is going on if everyone else knows it's going on. Then they spend a few more minutes avoiding another conversation about how rivers usually flow from mountains to lowlands, but this one seems to have done the opposite, and further, found a large river to dump into at what should have been its headwaters. This is starting to feel very surreal, like one of those worlds based on geometry or literary device, Marae thinks. Like Flatland or The Phantom Tollbooth. Not that I've ever read Flatland, but.... She breaks off musing and turns back to the Vikings. "Oh, look, Tully! They've found a sail!"

"Funny, I didn't know sails grew on trees. But then, what do I know of trees?"

Marae looks at him and smiles slightly. "Sails don't grow on trees, Tully, you're right about that. Let's go see where they got it from, shall we?"

The two amble down to the work area, where they are met by an excited TOOO. "A merchant caravan! They've found civilization!" he babbles as he runs up to them.

"Who's found civilization?" Marae asks, then waits while TOOO catches his breath and explains.

"The vikings! They bought a sail from merchants. There's a caravan around here somewhere."

"And that's civilization?" Tully mutters, amused.

"Well, it's somebody, which is closer to civilization than we've been in a while," TOOO retorts.

"Like the hotel was ever 'civilized,' " Marae grins. "All right, let's find this caravan, shall we?"

[Toztabud91]

"What is information and where does it come from?" Toz wonders aloud. "And how powerful would a being be with ultimate information? And what if that being was infinately wise? Would He talk to us? I believe so. How? By His Word?"

"Why is this relavent?" Tir asks.

"Because we need His power," Toz replies.

Suddenly, TOOO, Marae and Tully run up behind him.

"Is this the caravan?" Marae asks, noticing the tents flapping about in the wind.

"Everybody stay back!" Toz warns. "We're still in the eye of the storm!"

[marae]

Marae blinks. "Toz, what makes you think that?" she asks. If Toz intends to reply, it is cut short by a yell from one of the merchants, who seems to be trying to corral one of the flapping canvas sheets. Tully arches an eyebrow at Toz, glances up at the sky, shrugs his shoulders, then makes a move towards the merchant to lend a hand.

"Stay back!" Toz warns again.

Marae rolls her eyes. "Toz, if we're in the eye of the storm, how is 'staying back' going to help us? 'In the eye' means the storm's all around us - assuming there even is a storm still out there." She quickly turns to Tully. "Do you think we are in the eye of the storm?"

"Well," he says, "judging by how long it's been since we were set down, if we are still in the eye of it, I'd say it's a remarkably big storm." He turns once more to go help the merchant.

"How big?" Marae persists.

"Big enough to move a hotel," Tully answers off-handedly, "and the planet it was sitting on. Not very far, mind you," he quickly reassures her, his eyes twinkling. "No, love, I don't think we're still in the eye of that particular storm. Something, however...." He resumes his trek to the merchant, retrieves a wayward rope and helps secure it. "Something," he continues, returning to the others, "is definitely out of the ordinary here. But I don't think it's a storm."

[T.O.O.O.]

Shouting over the wind's fury, Jo ran up to TOOO. "TOOO!" she called, "Where's Cannax? I can't find her anywhere!"
He turned in surprise. "What?!"
"Was she with you?" Jo asked, reaching the group.
TOOO looked around in near panic. "Cannax!"

Only the gale replied.

[marae]

"Well, that certainly sprang up quickly," Marae gasps. "Are you sure we're not in that storm?"

Tully sighs; the wind drops significantly, and the tents are now merely billowing gently in a slightly gusty breeze.

"I think the weather is entitled to a bit of stiff wind now and then, without it being called a storm," he asserts. At this moment, the merchant whom he had just helped comes up and presses a small item into Tully's hand. The merchant grins and nods, says something in a language Marae does not recognize, makes a short bow, and then exits.

"Thanking you for your help?" Marae asks, as she tries to get a look at what was handed to Tully. The item, however, has already vanished into his pocket.

"I suppose," Tully says, somewhat absently. "Love, do we have enough food for a between-meals snack? I am suddenly feeling rather hungry."

"Um, sure, love..." Marae has noted TOOO's agitation; the shouted "Cannax!" is a bit hard to miss. As she pulls off her backpack to get at the food, she calls over to him. "Is something wrong?" she asks with concern.

[T.O.O.O.]

"It's not like Cannax to wander off," he replied. "And I doubt that the storm took her. So, where is she?"

"Tell you what," Marae suggested. "If she doesn't show up in a few minutes, we'll go look for her."

"Besides," Jo added, "you know how tough she is. Wherever she is, you can bet she's not taking it lying down!"

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"Oof!"

Cannax found herself face down in the straw-strewn floor, as the cage door was locked behind her.

Rising to her feet, she looked at the other hapless strangers in their cages, watching her, mostly out of boredom.

"Oh, great," she muttered. "Slavers!"

"You speak English!" one young man cried out.

[MystNovice]

The Vikings have actually been with us from the beginning. Which begs the question, where'd the Viking presently in New Mexico come from?

On Topic:

Now Here

"YAY!!!" Boppy cheered, "The boat's done!" Between phantom storms, invasions by mysterious black robed figures, and various other distractions, it had taken an exceedingly long time, but the group now had an authentic Viking longboat. The little mog expected everyone to be impressed, even if his contribution to the effort was slight, but they all seem to be absorbed in their own dramas. "Hello," he called to the group, "We have a boat now. Didcha even need a boat?"