<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0076</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0077.txt">Next (Page 77)</A><BR><P><P>"Uh Daptin, it's a small point, but as you might remember, Iterator of Rail Avenue likes to be referred to by her full name, the full 'Iterator of Rail Avenue'," said Granticaine, shifting in his seat to try to hide Pantry Lurkin, who was looking out the window and acting hyper, from a group of college students across the train who seemed fascinated by the little fellow. For some reason, they didn't pay much heed to Daptin's flaming vest or submachinegun.<P><P>"Sorry," Daptin said to Iterator of Rail Avenue. "I remember you saying that way back when, but I kinda thought you were joking. I didn't see much of you on my Quality Scouting."<P><P>"Well it's okay," said Iterator of Rail Avenue, "but it makes no sense unless you say the whole thing. Just saying 'Iterator' is meaningless. It sounds totally wrong."<P><P>"Okay. 'Iterator of Rail Avenue' it is, Iterator of Rail Avenue," Daptin said.<P><P>"Thanks."<P><P>"Yeah, and where did that name come from anyway?" Daptin asked.<P><P>"I could tell you but we don't have time," Iterator of Rail Avenue said.<P><P>"Hers is an odd tale, indeed," Granticaine added.<P><P>"Oh, hee hee!" Pantry Lurkin said with an evil grin, turning to face the group. "A silly silly odd tale, a wonder! Weird mystery, the super duper duper doo!"<P><P>"Now this feller," Granticaine said, "this feller you can call just Pantry, as he misses his, the one he lurked in for such a time."<P><P>Pantry Lurkin sat back in his seat, and closed his eyes with an exaggerated smile on his face. He remained so for several moments.<P><P>"Stop it Pantry, you scare me when you act like that," Iterator of Rail Avenue said. <P><P>Pantry Lurkin's eyes shot open, and he began to giggle under his breath hysterically.<P><P>"I think some of those alien faeries got into his system," Granticaine said.<P><P>Pantry Lurkin instantly stood up on his seat and pointed his finger toward Granticaine, with his arm fully outstretched.<P><P>"Oh no--not them!" the strange little fellow said, with a mockingly serious look on his face.<P><P>"You're weird," Iterator of Rail Avenue said.<P><P>With this, Pantry Lurkin pointed his finger at Iterator of Rail Avenue for a few seconds. And then in a flash, he sat down again and held his knees tightly to his chest, staring weirdly at Iterator of Rail Avenue.<P><P>"I'm glad to see you have such stable people on your team," Daptin said to Granticaine.<P><P>"He's just like my little brother," Wreckage Mallie said.<P><P>Pantry Lurkin shifted his stare to Mallie.<P><P>"A total hyper spaz," Mallie continued. "He can't sit still."<P><P>With this, Pantry Lurkin pointed his tiny index finger skyward, and noisy multicolored sparks started to gather above it. A few of the college students got up to see what was making the noise. Granticaine looked calmly over at the students and then gently put his hand on Pantry Lurkin's back.<P><P>"We're on the train, Pantry. It's a public place," Granticaine said in an even, relaxed tone. <P><P>The sparks stopped, but Pantry Lurkin kept his finger in the same position, as he smiled weirdly at Grant.<P><P>The train then lurched to a halt, and the students sat back down.<P><P>"Uh, we have a stop signal," a voice said over the intercom. "We'll be moving shortly."<P><P>The five individuals sat silently for several moments.<P><P>Finally, Mallie spoke.<P><P>"So can you tell us more about the mission now, Grant?"<P><P>"I think we may be far enough away from Cagapin," Granticaine said, but then things changed.<P><P>For a few moments, it was as if there were two or three superimposed images of the five in the same space, and it got totally silent.<P><P>"What's happening now?" Iterator of Rail Avenue said, bracing herself against her seat.<P><P>Pantry Lurkin jumped up to again stand on his seat, looking back and forth with a wide smile.<P><P>"It's the Coffee," Daptin said. "The Coffee. The Coffee.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0077.txt">Next (Page 77)</A>