
1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask...
2 ************************ INSTALLED: 1 JAN 85 ****************************
3 Welcome to BWMS (BackWater Message System)  Mike Day System operator
4 *************************************************************************
5 GENERAL DISCLAIMER: BWMS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INFORMATION
6                     PLACED ON THIS SYSTEM.
7 BWMS was created as an electronic bill board. BWMS is a privately owned
8 and operated system which is currently open for use by the general public.
9 No restrictions are placed on the use of the system. As the system is
10 privately owned, I retain the right to remove any and all messages which
11 I may find offensive. Because of the limited size of the system, it will be
12 periodically purged of messages. (only 629 lines of data can be saved)
13 To leave a message, type 'ENTER' and use ctrl/C or break to get out of the
14 ENTER mode. The message is automatically stored. If after entering the
15 message you find you made a mistake, use the replace command to replace
16 the line. To exit from the system, type 'OFF' then hang up.
17 Type 'HELP' to see other commands that are available on the system.
18 ************************************************************
19 
20 mMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMm
21   Dan followed his benefactor for what seemed like forever.  He could not
22 understand just how the rather unimpressive building (sitting in a 
23 suburban industrial park) could contain such volume.  Hurrying his steps to
24 keep up with his companion, he said as much.
25   The man wearing the inkblot smiled.  "Actually, what you see here is a small
26 part of this operation.  You may have noticed that this building was built 
27 next to a large hill.  We have been under that hill for the last five minutes."
28   The man wearing the inkblot stopped at a set of double doors and tapped a
29 complicated sequence on a numeric pad inset in the wall.  The doors opened
30 to reveal an elevator.  Getting in, Dan looked at his companion inquiringly
31 as instead of the ubiquitous floor buttons, it contained another numeric pad.
32   The man wearing the inkblot smiled reassuringly as he tapped out another
33 code.  "Don't worry, it's actually quite easy to learn.  The next step is home."
34 mMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmM The Machrioness mMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmMmM
35 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
36  Running again. Just like the other night. Fellows followed his rescuer to
37 a parking lot down the street from the hotel. The man unlocked the doors on
38 his rather dumpy import, and helped Fellows get seated. While sitting, Fellows
39 accidentally brushed one of the car's speakers, which went crashing to the
40 wave pavement. The car's owner muttered an oath, and replaced the speaker
41 precariously on its mount. No way to thank the man who just saved my life,
42 thought Fellows.
43  The man didn't give his name, but he didn't ask Fellows for any ident-
44 ification either. He did tell Fellows they were going to go to his apartment
45 on the other side of town, and get cleaned up and straightened away. The
46 clean up part was quite welcome, the straightened away part worried Fellows.
47  The drive was uneventful, but Fellows couldn't help but notice the man's
48 entire body was shaking. His hands left perspiration marks on the wheel,
49 which reflected the light from the street lamps overhead. He is in bad
50 shape, thought Fellows. Dangerfield must have meant something to him in the
51 past. That explains the remark about coming back. I wonder...
52  Fellows mind was now racing. He was using a derivation on the scientific
53 theory model for expanding facts and producing conclusions taught by the
54 NET. The mystery man drove on, and Fellows was slowly but surely putting
55 the many bizarre pieces together.
56  We are almost there, the man told Fellows. So am I, Fellows said under his
57 breath. The pieces were falling into place. But I need to get a good look at
58 him;too much rush;too dark so far. As the car approached the apartment complex
59 parking structure, a large sodium light gave Fellows the perfect opportunity
60 to play out his little plan. He started violently coughing, and the man
61 turned to see what was the matter. The light from above shown perfectly on
62 his face as he looked. A quick glance. It was! Joshua! He held in check his
63 excitement. He had to play this cool. No telling what mental condition he
64 was in. A small voice inside reminded him he was still in good enough
65 condition to assassinate Dangerfield.
66  But bringing in agents from the field, especially after capture by the
67 enemy, was no easy task. The agents are on the razor's edge. Sometimes
68 they can't separate friend from foe. Like a wounded animal, they can strike
69 out at anything that approaches.
70  Fellows ran through the NET agent retrieval procedures. Joshua parked
71 the car in slot 23. Let's see, a building less than 10 stories, 23 means
72 floor two room three. Fellows had to be ready for anything. He still wasn't
73 even close to recovered, but the recent events had certainly given him a
74 new lease on life.
75  Joshua lead the way to the elevator. His hand seemed to shudder as he reached
76 for the call button, but he remained silent. During the ride up, Fellows was
77 consumed with planning his next steps. Joshua fidgeted nervously. Finally the
78 bell rang, and the doors opened. Apartment 23 was two doors down on the left.
79 Joshua seemed to be looking for something along the door frame. Whatever it
80 was, he didn't find it. He pulled out his gun, and quietly motioned me back
81 behind the wall. He slowly unlocked the door with his key in the other hand.
82 He clicked the 9mm safety to off, and turned the door knob. Here we go again,
83 Fellows fretted.
84                                                 Fellows
85 @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
86 
87 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
88 The term was bulky, but I didn't mind; it could be purple and yellow polka-dot if it wanted to as long as it spewed
89 forth with the information I wanted... Ah!  At last, a connection.
90 >AUTOID:<, It asked.  The term replied with a twenty-odd character long string.
91 >ROA Granted to GOVTERM #5693.  Awaiting search string.<
92 I carefully tapped out, "O'Hara, John K.".
93 >Searching... O'Hara, John K. Found.<
94 Tap, tap, tap... "Display last orders"
95 >Last orders: No such data<
96 What?, I thought.  No orders?  This didn't jibe with what I knew of John.  I gave it another try: "Display entire file"
97 >O'Hara, John K.  Director of UNDOUND, also assigned occasionally to work in government labs.    Has PhD in ^C<
98 >Awaiting search string<
99 "UNDOUND"
100 >No such data<
101 This was *VERY* suspicous.  Not only was John not what he said he was, he was head of something that didn't exist.
102 Well, enough in that direction.  "NET"
103 >Unauthorized access.<
104 So it *DID* exist.  This was getting more interesting by the second.  NET existed without a doubt now.  I wondered if
105 I could get anything more out of this thing.  "Request: Grant access to 'NET'"
106 >Enter password:<
107 Arrrgh!  I typed in, for the heck of it, "Nuke 'em Ronnie sent me"
108 >Access denied, but nice try.<
109 A smarty-pants, too.  I tried again: "Joshua"
110 >Special access granted to subfile 'NET' (Joshua).<
111 Success at last!  "Display entire file"
112 >Joshua, agent of NET: Lost.  Presumed dead, but recent evidence refutes this.  Beleived to be dangerous due to 
113 repeated brain-washing and counter-brain-washing.  Wanted by NET to keep secure information within his mind and to 
114 regain one of their finest agents.  All NET agents are to be on the lookout for agent Joshua, and are to see to his
115 return if possible.<
116 >More data waiting.<
117 I typed in, breathlessly, "Continue"
118 >Access denied.  Logout 03:03pm.<
119 BEEP!  **** No Carrier ****
120 I almost shut the term off when something caught my eye on the screen.  The last random characters that occur when the
121 carrier is lost spelled something: 'net'.
122 Was NET responsible for logging me off?  Did I get too close to something valuable?
123 I shut the term off.  "Farley?", Fred piped up.
124 "Yes, Fred?", I said, wondering what I had done in a previous life to deserve this.
125 "Is something the matter?"
126 "Life, Fred, life- that is the matter."
127 "Why so?"
128 "I feel as if I were playing baseball, at bat.  Someone just threw me a curve."
129 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# Farley #$##$##$##$##$##$##$# 01/01/84 - 03:10 (almost put the wrong date down) #$#
130 
131 FARLEY - ACTUALLY, YOU DID GET THE WRONG DATE, IT'S 1985 NOT 1984...
132 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
133      The clock in the hall tolled the midnight hour.  The New Year began.
134 Victor held Ashley in his arms, gazed into her eyes, and kissed her... a
135 long and lingering kiss.  Nikki turned from her guests and saw her husband
136 holding another.  Her eyes widened in disbelief.  Fade to black... Time
137 for a commercial.
138      Dr. Frankenstupe leaned forward and snapped off the television set.
139 The last episode of the Young and Restless for 1984 was over.  Frankenstupe
140 chuckled to himself, "I knew that Victor and Ashley would get together."
141      A man in a white coat entered the room.  "Mail call, Doctor."
142      "Thanks."  Dr. Frankenstupe took the stack of letter and began to sort
143 through them.  The orderly left unnoticed.
144      "Hmmmm... What's this?"  Frankenstupe held an aqua-hued envelope 
145 scented with sandalwood in his hand.  The stamp was unusual bearing the
146 likeness of a bewhiskered man scowling menacingly.  The man reminded
147 Frankenstupe of a foul tempered Santa suffering from viral hemorrhoids.  The
148 Doctor opened the letter and began to read.
149      Dear Frankie--
150           Happy Holidays.  If you haven't guessed yet, Mohammed and I are
151 in Iran.  Mohammed has made peace with Leroy (temporarily) and is helping
152 him import hairless chipmunks into the country.  Poor little guys, the 
153 Americans are using them for food. Have you ever seen a bar-b-cued chip-
154 munk?  Yuk!  I still don't think Leroy is wrapped too tight.  I don't know
155 if Mohammed is going to double-cross him this time, or visa versa.
156           Salazar has taken a night job as athletic director in the 
157 Sunnyvale Rest Home.  Nobody wants to play shuffleboard at 3 AM, so he has
158 plenty of time to work on his book.  It's about he, Mohammed, and I met.
159 Both Mohammed and I have threatened to sue his boxer shorts off, but 
160 Salazar perseveres, the chump.
161            Since you've heard from Pam recently, I'll call off the search.
162 But FRankie, you should realize by now that she comes and goes according
163 to her own design.  Enjoy her company when she's there... don't fret when
164 she's gone.
165          Time to close now.  The funny guy in the long robes is back to 
166 chase me around his palace.  Keep healthy and well.  Wish all in the Inn a
167 Happy New Year.  Hope to return soon.
168                                         Love, Serena
169      Frankenstupe carefully folded the letter and slipped it into the 
170 envelope.  Silently he added his wishes for a happy New Year to all those
171 in the Inn.
172                                              Dr. Frankenstupe
173 +_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
174 
175 JoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshua
176 Farley - don't gloat TOO long; one of these days I'm gonna work YOU into
177 my story.   Heh heh heh....
178 And then of course there's Petrov...... (sound of hands rubbing together..)
179 JoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshuaJoshua
180 
181 -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
182 a message to tilean:  could it be that you are the big Mac?
183   if so, could the hill you mention have something to do with the
184   VIXEN-MONO CORP. that "we" have recently "investigated?"
185      if so, i'm glad to see that i really know who someone around
186   here  really  is.
187 _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- abacab _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
188 
189 ~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%%~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%%~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%%
190 The Opening - by the Chela
191   The old man and the boy rested under the big oak tree.  The boy asked,
192 "What is Life."  The old man thaught first for a minute, and then 
193 deciding that the boy could indeed handle the truth, becane to speak.
194   "Life", he said with a long drawn out voice; "Life is many slended
195 hings", recalling some poem from long ago.  "Everything is Life", he
196 reflected.  "Many people ask for the world to stop, so that they
197 can get off.  This is foolish, for everyone of use must live out 
198 our experiences here in this plane of existence.  If we bypass them,
199 we must just come back to them again, someday, in a future life, until
200 we have learned them all.  Then, and only then, can we progress to the
201 higher planes to stay."
202   "So, how do we progress", said the boy with a puzzelled look on his face.
203 "Thru the sound of truth", said the old man.  "But how does one find
204 his 'Sound of Truth?'", asked the boy.  "One does not find IT, IT finds
205 you", replied the old man.  "But that, is another lesson."
206   The old man stood up and started to walk out of the park.  "That
207 will spark him", thaught the old man.  "Not to much at a time."  For
208 the old man knew that to much knowledge, to soon, may crush a young
209 boy (or anyone).  He must be careful about that.
210   The young boy watched as the old man walked away.  What an
211 interesting thought, I must learn more about what he taught.
212 From down the street, someone was shouting for him.
213   "TILEAN",     "TILEAN!!!"
214 He sprang up and ran down the street toward home, still with a puzzled
215 look upon his face.
216 ~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%%~~~~~~~~~~%%%%%%%%%% The Chela
217 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
218 Close to my header but not to close.  Well PaPa Smurf has cooled a bit.
219 Have been having a hard time getting on lately.  Oh, for school to
220 start again and the young ones to be in it.  Ha Ha.
221   The NETstories and their babies are getting very good, my 
222 hat is tipped toward the writters.  The intreget (sp) plot of the stories
223 is very interesting.    I LOVE IT.       must head out of the house now.
224 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The ever lurking      PaPa Smurf     1-1-85   18:50
225 See, I did put 85, not 84.  Somebody higher up on the disk had better
226 remember that or all of their checks are going to have problems.
227 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PaPa
228 Hello, I'm Entropy.  I'm new to bbs, but from what I've seen this
229 one is great!  New Year's CHEERS to you all, and MORE STORIES!!!
230 They're really good.  Hope to see more soon...
231 		         ^.^  Entropy       
232 				     1-1-85
233 _[
234 
235 tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
236   
237   at a loss for words... so many things have been said about me... and i only
238 left my name a few days ago... odd... i will try to respond to everything i saw
239 in the last disk... things went by so fast... i am afraid i forgot someone... if
240 i have please forgive me...
241 
242 tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
243 
244   the chela...
245   i enjoyed your story very much... it was a shock to see my name mentioned in
246 it... i enjoyed the mention... thank you... but what now...? i would love to
247 participate in the line of thought... if i may...?
248   abacab...
249   i am afraid i am not the big mac... iam not pretending to be the machrioness
250 either... i'm afraid... sorry that you don't know anyone personaly on this
251 computer system... many of them go to a science fiction society meeting every
252 other week though... and i went to the last one... it is a lot of fun and most
253 of all... you get to see the faces of people behind all the stories, and entries
254 and everything else...
255 
256   speaking of great writing...
257   all of the writing i've seen on these last two disks are terrific... i am glad
258 that these disks in particular are good too... i am getting school credit for
259 using this system... and my communications techer wants to see it... again... 
260   especially nice writing... everyone...
261 
262   gaudy minsky...
263   when i handed you the note after porsfis... you said you would get back to me
264 soon... and i thought that meant on one of the systems i mentioned... please...
265 contact me there... i only use a few systems and i don't get around to all of
266 them too often... anyway, thank you for reading the note... four pages it may
267 be...
268 
269   it seems there were not nearly as many people as i thought... which is bad...
270 actually... this means that i must be forgetting somebody...
271 
272 tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
273 
274 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
275         BEEP BEEP
276         Ian stopped dictating to the terminal as a window appeared on
277 top of the report he was preparing for NET HQ. 
278                       **********************
279                       * Priority Two Alert *
280                       *       <F15>        *
281                       **********************
282 
283         Ian muttered, "This had better be good", as he pressed the 
284 indicated key.
285   SHOOTING REPORTED IN WESTON-BENSON. POLICE CALL WAS CANCELLED.
286   INFORMANT XZ7 UNCERTAIN AS TO EXACT DETAILS, BUT INDICATES THAT
287   VICTIM APPEARS TO BE IMPORTANT MEMBER OF 'NEESHIES. RUMORS THAT
288   MA PREM DAVIS WAS VICTIM, BUT UNABLE TO CONFIRM. ALSO RUMORS OF
289   ESCAPED PRISONERS. END.
290         The terminal inquired, "ORDERS, SIR?"
291         "Yes, get some of our people in there AT ALL COSTS! We MUST find
292 out who was shot, what condition they're in, and who the prisoners were
293 - if there really were any..."
294         After recieving acknowledgement of the orders from dispatch,
295 Ian resumed the report.
296         "... infiltration of agents into chip design teams progresing
297 according to schedule. Interim goal should be reached..."
298 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
299 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
300 ELIZABETH WANDERED INTO THE OFFICE CLUTCHING THE NEWSPAPER UNDER HER ARM.  THE
301 AD READ "ADVENTUROUS PEOPLE WANTED FOR VARIOUS WORK."  SHE THOUGHT OF HERSELF
302 AS ADVENTUROUS, AND SHE NEEDED A JOB, SO HERE SHE WAS.  THE OFFICE DOOR READ
303 'UNDERGROUND AGENCIES'.  "THIS CAN'T BE IT" SHE THOUGHT.  ALAS, IT WAS.  
304 BEHIND THE DESK SAT THE UGLIEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD.  "I CAME ABOUT THE AD
305 IN THE PAPER" STAMMERED ELIZABETH.  "SURE YOU DID" SHOT BACK THETHING (WOMAN).
306 "GO ON IN, HE'S NOT DOING ANYTHING."  ELIZABETH SLOWLY STARTED FOR THE DOOR
307 AND CAUTIOUSLY TURNED THE KNOB.  THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN SLOWLY AS THE MAN IN THE
308 BIG LEATHER CHAIR SWUNG AROUND.  "YOU!!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" ELIZABETH 
309 CRIED....
310 =*=*=*=*=*=* ELIZABETH RYAN =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* ON AT 11:15 01:01:85 *=*=*=*=*
311 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
312 Elizabeth:  Cute, cute... not one of your better efforts, but all right for now.
313 Joshua: Imagine me sitting at my computer, smirking.  Then imagine me wiping the smirk off my face, repentant.
314 There, will that get me off the hook for saying your mind resembles scrambled eggs?
315 Above: So I made a mistake... It takes a while to break old habits.  Anyway, I don't have a checking account, thus
316 I can't get into trouble with my checks.
317 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
318 Fred was having a hard time believing what I had told him about John.
319 "Listen, Farley, I know John.  Why don't you trust him anymore?"
320 "Because he's head of a department that doesn't exist, according to that computer.  Did he ever tell you that?"
321 "No... but the computer could be wrong, Farley.  Just think back a while... not too long ago I was wrong about the ELT."
322 "Yes, and you could be wrong this time, too."
323 For some reason, Fred shut up after hearing that.
324 For the next five minutes, we drove peacefully.  Then-
325 "Farley, there's been a report of two men leaving a hotel.  One was covered with what appeared to be blood stains."
326 "It's probably a prank of some sort- those 'blood stains' are most likey just ketchup."
327 "Okay, but how do you explain the gun that one of them carried?"
328 "Gun?"  Perhaps this was something, after all.  "Get us there, fast."
329 Fred wasted no time and followed as few of the traffic laws as possible, while I made sure that ol' Betsy was loaded.
330 Soon we pulled up to the hotel.
331 "Where are they, Fred?  I don't see them.", I said.
332 "Scanning surrounding area... No sign of them.  Hmmm, that's peculiar."
333 "What?  What are you talking about?"
334 "Oh, nothing.  My scanners are unable to penetrate a portion of the traffic ahead.  Seems to be centered about four
335 blocks away."
336 "Can't penetrate?" My mind raced.  Something purposely blocking the scanners..?  "Follow the area you can't penetrate."
337 "How did you know it was moving?  Never mind.  Engaging engine."
338 We set off in pursuit of the strange null area in Fred's sensor range.  I hoped that they wouldn't turn it off, for
339 if they did, then we would lose them......again.
340 "Keep back, Fred.  Just keep him within range.  I want to know where he's going."
341 Luck was with us, for the moment.  The car in question (we could see it now, barely) pulled into the parking area of 
342 an apartment complex.
343 "The null area has disappeared, Farley.  Two people are getting out of the car...  Heading up to an apartment."
344 We pulled in, just in time to see the people get into the elevator... A woman and her child.
345 I parked Fred.  Walking nonchalantly towards the other car, I looked about.  No one to be seen.
346 A quick search of the car revealed a small disk that had held onto the car magnetically.
347 "Examine this, Fred.", I said as I showed the disk to him.
348 "A jammer, of the type that would generate the field that I sensed, or rather, didn't sense."
349 "In other words, a decoy."  My hopes were fine china, falling to the floor- smashed into hundreds of pieces.
350 "I'm afraid so."
351 #$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$##$# Farley #$##$##$# January 1st, NINETEEN-EIGHTY-FIVE (how's that?) #$##$##$##$##$##$##$#
352 --------------------------------------
353 Back Water is a great way to rid one's
354 self of depression...
355 -------------------------------Mad Max
356 =============== Baa Baa Black Lingerie ===============
357    The day wore on like any other.  In the morning, the man fed me the usual food
358 and made those noises which I couldn't understand.  His tone was nice.  
359 I decided to be friendly.  "Baaaa, Baaaa!"  ("Good morning nice man!")  The end
360 of the man's mouth curved up.  He said something I couldn't understand.  His
361 tone was real nice.  The man left.
362    All went well until the time between when the milk was taken from the big
363 brown animal, and when the man fed the birds which don't fly.  It was then that
364 the strange man came.  He said something I couldn't understand.  His voice
365 sounded different than that of the man who fed me.
366    I went with the strange man.  He put me in a small room and sat down next to
367 me.  Everything outside the room moved by very quickly.  "Baaaa, Baaaa"  
368 ("I don't like this very much.")  The man ran his hand along my hair and said 
369 something I didn't understand.  He made me feel better.  Everything stopped
370 moving.  We got out of the room and went to a new room.  There were lots of
371 strange people around here.  The man started peeling off his skin.  His 
372 under-skin was black and flimsy.  I couldn't tell if he was a ram or a ewe.  
373 He put his hands on me.  Suddenly he said something in a very mean tone.
374 /////////////////////////
375    Petrov burned with rage.  "I specifically asked for a FEMALE!"  Picking up
376 the animal, Petrov went back down to the street.  He noticed that the sheep had 
377 a confused expression on his face.  "I'm sorry boy.  It's not your fault. 
378 But if someone saw me with a MALE sheep they'd think I was perverted or
379 something."  Petrov thought wistfully of the candle-light dinner with romantic
380 music that wouldn't be.
381 
382 	<We all know how our hero was picked up by the Portland Police
383 	 Kinko-Squad.  If you don't, the pictures and articles can be
384 	 found in any major newspaper. (Petrov is now widely recognized
385 	 and his image was severely tarnished. (Harumph))  We pick up
386 	 our story with Petrov being released from the police station.>
387 
388    Petrov had made a pet out of his sheep.  "Come on Loam, le's get out of
389 here."  He thought for a moment.  "I don't know why I named you that, maybe
390 you reminded me of someone."  It wasn't until Loam was turned around and facing
391 the other direction that the resemblance struck him.  "Oh yeah!"
392    While leaving the police station, Petrov's attention was diverted by a report
393 on a nearby desk.  He tried to read it inconspicuously.  Apparently, a number
394 of green-clad followers of Rajneesh Dangerfield had been hanging around a 
395 certain apartment building.  People living in the building had been complaining
396 that the cultists were asking a lot of questions and peering in the windows from
397 the fire escapes.  Petrov memorized the name and address of the building.
398    Who could the 'neeshies be looking for?  Only one answer came to mind.  That
399 man who had escaped from the commune and caused the great commotion!  Petrov had
400 never met the man, but he was anxious to do so.  Though he felt he was grasping 
401 at straws, Petrov needed a purpose and he was still very concerned about 
402 Rajneesh activity.
403    The trip to the building was uneventful.  Once there, however, he knew not
404 where to look.  "You'll have to stay in the car, Loam.  I promise I'll find a 
405 better place for you to stay later."  Petrov's sheep had been attracting quite a
406 bit of attention ever since that news story came out.
407    Petrov entered the building.  While approaching the front desk, he passed
408 by an elderly woman who was visibly offended by his attire.  "Another wierdo
409 like the one in room 23."  Contempt was clear in her voice.  Petrov decided to
410 check out room 23.
411    The age-old hair trick!  Petrov saw the hair strung across the door.  It had
412 already been disturbed, though.  Carefully opening the door, he peered inside
413 the apartment.  Slowly he entered the room.  A piercing noise hit Petrov's ears
414 and an even more piercing bullet hit his left arm.  Swinging around, Petrov drew
415 his weapon and, in a single reflex action, he gunned down his assailant.
416 Turning on the main lights, Petrov found a green clothed figure crumpled on the floor.
417    "Go ahead, make my day!"  A little late, but Petrov had always wanted to 
418 say that.  After tossing a few firecrackers out the window to explain the noise,
419 he began dressing his wounds and waiting for the room's true occupant to return.
420 			Petrov
421 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
422 
423 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     (small msgs)
424 I'm sorry that I can't enter any more of my Young Master West stories right
425 now, but too many guys with funny little buldges and interesting cars have
426 seemed to have dominated the current scene, excepting the will power of Piper
427 and this 'Chela' person.  To the two of you I say -
428      'Thanks for staying on, you deliever good storylines in -this- reality'
429 Joshua- You asked for it so here it is... Your entries- they're excellant!
430      I'm just sorry that I've missed the stories that you (may have) written
431      earlier.             Keep a low-profile, and keep up the good work!
432 Chela- Your name stirs me. I know I've heard that word before but can't put the
433      right, or meaningful explaination with it. Doesn't it have something to do
434      with a raised level of consciousness or something? My studies are slipping.
435 Man in Gray- I think that you have your famed data banks out of whack! hee-hee
436      Yes I have been in Germany, in all honesty, and no the photo I gave you of
437      myself posing in front of the aircraft is not a fake. That is my -real-
438      uniform, and I'm standing in front of a -real- F-106 Delta Dart... Maybe
439      you need to update those maps and files that you're using these days.
440 Gee, the twelfth seems sooo far away...
441 Oh well, my mind has just gone blank  >gasp<  so I will desist for now.
442      See all of You later, I hope.
443 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^     --->the Guardian     0320 Hrs     01 Jan 85
444 
445 -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
446       Well it was really really late and the kid was really
447 getting tired of having to sit all alone on this empty Three-
448 Cities bus in the dead of the morning of what promised to be
449 another one of those miserable days where nothing was probably
450 going to happen and usually did.   "Boy, this bus driver sure
451 is a real Jerk!" the kid said to the person that wasn't sitting
452 next to him. "Jerk" in his book meant "any driver that uses
453 the brake too often and gave you the feeling that you were
454 at sea and not on the road" You know the type, don't you? In
455 this case, it was true.   Having decided that this driver was
456 TRUELY a real Jerk, the kid decided to watch him a little more
457 carefuly to see if he could figure out just what it was that had
458 made God create more Jerks than Smoothies. Although the kid had 
459 just run out of his daily ration of that elixer   -COLA-   he
460 did not let this bother him, because watching does not mean that
461 you actually have to think about watching, you can just watch.
462 This recursivly incorrect bit of logic is what allowed the kid to
463 get away with as much as he already has in life, and would 
464 probably get him into more trouble than we could imagine.
465      Just then the bus driver gave the bus a really good jolt at 
466 the next red light and opened the door to get off.     "Hey,
467 where are you going, Mr. Bus-Driver?" the kid asked rather 
468 stupidly.       "Um gunna git me a cola', itz bin a long night,"
469 said the driver in reply.       Great, just what I need, I'm
470 not going to get Homme at all tonight at this pace, he thought.
471        Just then another bit of recusive thought struck.
472 I won't get into the details of the thought as they would
473 make a madman of any phiposipher and were quite muddy at the
474 time.     What the kid did next was to go up to the drivers 
475 seat and began to play "she loves me/she loves me not" with
476 the nearest stack of transfers available, waiting for the 
477 driver to get back so he could shut the door in his face
478 tell him what a Jerk he really was, and give him the Razzbarry.
479 Well, it took him almost all the way through the second pad of 
480 transfers to finaly get noticed by the driver. It worked. Just
481 as he was going to say something like "Jus' wut da ya think yer
482 doin' with ma trans-fers?" the kid closed the door on him and 
483 locked him out of his own bus. So far so good. At this time it
484 had struck him as to just how late they really were. With all
485 things not considered, there was only one clear(?) path for
486 the kid to take: Drive himself home. Now. (see what I mean?)
487 At this, he released the brake at the same time that he noticed
488 that the light had just changed to amber. (Another kid daffy-
489 nition: Red:stop; Green:go; Amber:go -very fast- )
490 "Gee, that was easy" thought the kid after he had so kindly helped
491 remove a fire-hydrant and two newspaperstands for the city.
492 "Now for the fun part. Destination:Gresham Transit Station."
493 If mere mortals didn't believe in warp-driven busses before, there
494 were now about a score of pedestrians that did.
495 After gracefuly parking the bus in the womens restroom of the bus
496 stop, the kid picked up his coat of many pockets, his toy briefcase,
497 and proceeded to leave the bus whilst whisteling Yankee Doodle Dandy.
498 "Now," thought the kid, "what can I do to get NET- er, I mean
499 U.N.I.T. to notice me?"  The thirst for cola had returned...
500 _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ abacab _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
501 p.s. I am the one that does MA 7, because that's the smallest it gets.
502  
503 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
504  
505      My hand touches the worn fence, and tiny flakes of faded paint fall
506 from between my fingers to the weeds and brush that have overgrown the
507 grounds.  The evening air is cool and damp, though not as cool as in
508 previous weeks when snow fell specifically to inconvenience the ill
509 humoured of the world.  Even so I find that it chills me, and reminds me of
510 how long I've been outdoors.  The sky has been overcast all day, dour
511 clouds covering the world in a grey blanket, but my attention is drawn
512 suddenly by a shaft of light piercing through from the western horizon.
513 The clouds have parted there just long enough for the sun to bid me
514 farewell as it continues its daily journey, momentarily overwhelming me
515 with its incredible beauty.  Standing transfixed, I watch this lovely
516 display until its end and night finally spreads.  I am reminded again that
517 there is so much to see in this world about us, so much in which we can
518 find delight and simple joy, and like so many others I sometimes am in such
519 a rush that I fail to appreciate them.
520      A thought quickly comes to me which causes me to laugh out loud.  I
521 wonder if the other Inn-habitants like syrup with their philosophy?  In my
522 time I've supplied them with enough to rot their teeth I'm sure!  But it's
523 always what I truly feel so I can do nothing else.
524  
525      A fire in the hearth, a chair by the window, a book, a blanket, and a
526 steaming mug filled with a holiday drink ("Tom & Jerry", was it named after
527 the charming and rather violent cartoon characters?), and I am warm once
528 again.  I think back on my last hurried dash through the Inn, and remember
529 with chagrin my failure to respond to d's message to me.  Always rushing to
530 and fro, I'm sometimes in such a great hurry to reach my goals that I fail
531 to consider the feelings that might be trampled in my headlong flight.  Oh,
532 my fine friend, your words were heard!  Curse me as thoughtless and cruel
533 for such a tardy response!  I have written much intended to be brought
534 here, but so often the subjects are dated by changing events before they
535 can be entered.  Then my words seem so out of place that they are disgarded
536 and I begin over, only to have events pass me by again.  This particular
537 entry seems to fall into that category as well, but I've decided to bring
538 it here anyway since I felt it was needed.  I get to the Inn so rarely
539 these days, but everytime I do it is such great fun, and is especially
540 joyful when you've joined the group.
541  
542      And the Keeper of the Inn, our patron and host.....  I feel the need
543 to express to you that, though I come less often than at one time, I come
544 because I want to.  I am here because I *enjoy* the company of the Inn!  I
545 may sometimes appear tired, or seem distracted, but this is due to events
546 in the world outside of this land and not happenings within.  Some nine
547 months ago I agreed to take a job that required much more of my time, and
548 this has resulted in less energy for those things I enjoy the most.
549 Friends, family, all have suffered a loss of my time since there is so much
550 less of it to be shared, and I sometimes feel as if I were spread much too
551 thin for my own good.  But please be assured that it is nothing you have
552 done that has caused my visits to be fewer.  On the contrary, you are one
553 of the reasons that I make time to come back!
554  
555      Oh!  It seems to be growing late (as it always does this time of
556 night!), and I've so much to do!  Perhaps I can return to the Inn this
557 weekend, if I can sneak in the door through the crowd that seems to have
558 gathered.  Why do I feel like Alice's White Rabbit!  So much to do, so much
559 to do.......
560  
561 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]PAM+[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
562  
563 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
564   Happy new year everyone!  I'll be leaving the piper and peg for rest and
565 recuperation in the tropics for a while.  In the meantime, here('s something
566 I found in a recent copy of the Mother Earth News.
567 PoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoem
568                           REINCARNATION
569   "What is reincarnation?" a cowboy as'd his friend.
570 "Well, it starts," his old pal tells him, "when your life come to an end.
571 They wash your neck an' comb your hair an' clean your fingernails,
572 Then they sticks you in a padded box, away from life's travails.
573 Now the box and you goes in a hole that's been dug in the ground,
574 And reincarnation starts, my friend, when they plant you 'neath that mound.
575 The clods melt down, as does the box, an' you who are inside,
576 That's when your're beginning your transformation ride.
577 And in a while, the grass will grow upon that render'd mound,
578 Until some day, upon that spot, a lonely flower is found.
579 And then a horse might wander by an' brgraze upon that flower
580 Thet once was you an's now become your vegitative bower.
581 Well, the flower that the horse done ate, along with his other feed,
582 Makes bone, an' fat an' muscle essential to this steed.
583 But there's a part that he can't use an' so it passes through,
584 And there it lies upon the ground, this thing that once was you.
585 And if by chance I happen by an' see this on the ground,
586 I'll stop awhile an' ponder on this object I have found.
587 And I'll think about reincarnation, an' life an' death an' such,
588 And I'll go away concludin, 'Heck, you ain't changed that much!'"
589 
590 PoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoemPoem
591 IS THIS A COMMODORE 64 BBS ?
592 
593   no it isn't... it is run on a nonstandard information storage device... i am
594 not too sure... so you could ask CiCistop Mikey about the restof the information
595 you may want... sincerely... tilean... and i am considering a name change by the way...
596 
597   if no one minds really... and since i only first entered it... would anyone
598 mind if i called myself tylian from now on...? thank you for your time...
599 
600 *_%@#*%#_@!*_!)#*%_@)*_)*%_)$*%)_$#*_)*^&_#$*^_*^_#$*^_)*_)@*%@_)*%_@*%_@)%*%@_
601 <COMSET OPERATIONAL>
602 ? link direct to RY
603 <LINK OPERATIONAL. PROCEED>
604 ? Agent Parity here. Flemming and I are at the Benson, bottom of elevator shaft
605   A1, our old NET office. It seems as if somehow the greenies found out about
606   the place, after we left it, and set up shop for themselves. I can't say much
607   for their interior decorator, but it seems as if they stocked up the place
608   pretty well. Anti-everything mines, small arms, automatic weapons, food,
609   medicine, and colorful beads and trinkets. It was a definite build up for
610   some big operation.
611   The big news is who we found. We managed to persuade the local police that
612   we were 'government' agents, and we got a look at the body. Rajneesh
613   Dangerfield will never turn another convert again. Someone really did the
614   job on him. By the size of the hole in his head, looks like large caliber
615   weapon. Also, five close proximity wounds around the heart. The killer was
616   a marksmen. No sign of the escapees. The entire complex is deserted. Flemming
617   is taking care of the ordinance here. I am going to follow up on the two
618   who were seen fleeing the scene. 
619   No sign of Fellows. Also, Minsky seems to be missing too. I was doing my
620   Billy Idol act, she was Joan Jett. I turned around and she was gone. She's
621   up to something. I'll check in at normal comset time.^c
622 <MESSAGE SENT> <AWAIT REPLY?>
623 ? n
624 <LINK TERMINATED>
625 *%_#)$@*%$#)_
626 	I put the comset away and headed for the secret exit. On my way out
627 I spied a bottle of sheep dip. Hmmm....I wonder.... *%$#)L'homme sans Parity *_)
628 ***************************************  Pam: I won't be here Sunday,  I should be around Saturday and 'late' Friday.
629 Assuming that you might want to talk.    Sorry for being such a cretin.         ********** CISTOP MIKEY ************

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