<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0122</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0123.txt">Next (Page 123)</A><BR><P><P>"Comin' up Rillekon's?" asked Snoppy Parser, AKA Permanent Pioneer, wiping his mouth and standing up to get a look out the window.<P><P>"Uh-huh," Evelyn responded.<P><P>"Does he have enough stuff?" asked Enc Larabeth, AKA Accurate Rebellion, with a smile.<P><P>"Oh yeah," Evelyn answered wryly.<P><P>"Hey Snoppy," Enc said, "he still live up at Last-Wave Jixie's?"<P><P>"Yup," Snoppy said, sitting down again and forking another block of pancake stack.<P><P>"He's so funny," Evelyn said.<P><P>"Yup," Snoppy said as he chomped down the huge forkfull of pancake.<P><P>The three sat there for a while, eating and watching as Darnazy Thonc made his way toward them. Thonc was a huge man--maybe seven or eight feet tall, stocky, with red big hair and a massive red beard and mustache. He wore a huge assembly, something like an overcoat, in which he carried an amazing variety of stuff, like brooms and mops, a portable gasoline-powered electric generator, food enough for weeks, electronic amusement machines, guns and bombs, sporting equipment, apparel, toys, and the like.<P><P>"I get this feeling," Enc finally said, "that we might get an assignment on the teletype today."<P><P>Enc Larabeth had a smug look, glorious, flowing, curly blond locks of hair, and reserved, almost handsome beauty. She wore her eyes narrow mostly, as if she were constantly assessing the situation. In full outfit, as Accurate Rebellion, she donned a suit of brasslike armor and wielded a great black sword. Right now, she had on a T-shirt with a royal crest and a pair of yellow jeans.<P><P>"That's funny, I don't get that feeling at all," Evelyn said, smiling. "Just kidding. I get that feeling too."<P><P>Evelyn Fangdoor had this drunken sort of look about her all the time, but it was borne more of her cavalier attitude toward life and her great confidence than actual overindulgence. Her skin was several shades darker than Enc's china white. And like Enc, she was tall. Her hair was long, black, and straight. All over her skin, she had strange geometric tattoos. As Appomattox Flight, she wore a black leather outfit with many tassels, and a belt made of fire.<P><P>"Well dang the dang teletype," Snoppy said, "I was figgerin' on chonkin' over to Marriage Town this afternoon!"<P><P>Snoppy Parser had a few scars, wore his brown hair very short, and wore his vast experiences in his face, along with a well-groomed mustache. His steely gray eyes were intelligent, but could at times be piercing and accusatory. He wore a black T-shirt, black jeans, a brown leather jacket, and black boots. As Permanent Pioneer, he donned a strange black cowboy-type hat and a brown leather trenchcoat with white ornamental design highlights. He also wielded a rifle, a knife, and a mean little crossbow.<P><P>"You've been saying that for awhile," Enc observed, sipping coffee from a mug with a 'Winter Stadium Them' logo on it.<P><P>"I know I have, Enc. I know I have," he said distantly. "But it's time I had me a wife."<P><P>Enc regarded him.<P><P>"I thought you were going to marry Bolt Cutter America."<P><P>"Bolt Cutter America is in Gnoboslast!" Snoppy snapped. "Ain't no way we'll ever see each other again, with her there."<P><P>"You got out," Enc said.<P><P>"Yeah, but I'm Permanent Pioneer--she ain't."<P><P>"He's comin' real fast now," Evelyn said, and they all saw Darnazy walking in fast motion.<P><P>"Damn unpredictable roadway!" Snoppy complained.<P><P>Darnazy disappeared from sight under their window, and they turned their heads as fast as they could, but Thonc was already at the top of the stairs, looking at them with a calm yet edged smile.<P><P>"That was some slip!" Darnazy said, wiping his brow where a little sweat had collected. "Have not seen it like that for years."<P><P>"What causes that?" Enc asked.<P><P>"Uneven pitch," Snoppy said. "Inequalities between the phase grands.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0123.txt">Next (Page 123)</A>