From: rigler@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Michael Rigler)
Subject: [KQ] [Factory]: Always guard your flank!
Organization: Institute for Astronomy, Hawaii
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 23:34:59 GMT

JOYSTIX FACTORY LEVEL 1:

The Kronquestors pause to catch their breath in the central chamber
housing the large spiral staircase leading down to the second level.
The Captain of the Guard, Wernher, lies dead at Colin's feet, and the
rest of the day shift of the Elite Guard have either surrendered or 
have faced The Slayer this fine afternoon.

Kron and Maleiu emerge from the short hallway leading to the barracks,
where they have just finished tying up the last of the guards.  Strange
sounds are coming from below.  

Kron steps in front of the eastern hallway (unexplored) and glances down 
it warily.  He gestures towards the western hallway -- now littered with 
bodies -- down which they have come.  "Lady Azzar and Captain, please 
guard our backs."  He turns to Colin.  "What's going on downstairs?"

Drawing on his elvish genes, Colin tilts his head and listens.  There is
a sound of steel on steel.  To the ears of a swordsman, it sounds like
two heavily armored knights hacking away at each other and the intervening
furniture with bastard swords.  Then there is a crash as of a large metal
structure (a catwalk?) collapsing.  Then shouting and cries for help.

Colin looks up to Kron to make his report, and his eyes widen in surprise,
as deep in the shadows of the hallway behind Kron, a patch of warmth
detaches itself from wall and moves forward towards Kron, swiftly and 
noiselessly.  The ranger reflexively hisses  "Mordenkoth!" but it all 
happens too fast!

Kron has seen Colin's gaze of alarm, and though he doesn't recognize the 
Elvish word for "assassin", its meaning is quite clear.  The grizzled 
ex-Guardsman twists aside, fearing a backstab, and just manages to bring 
up his sword point as the steel garrote loops down over him.  The razor-
sharp loop is held mere inches from his throat by the flat of his sword.
From behind, there is a sharp squeel of frustration, and the garrote is 
released.  Kron whirls to see a shadow retreating back down the hallwaay
accompanied by the soft patter a feet.  Colin arrives at his side.

"Maleiu, Colin, let us after him!"  Kron hisses.  "Lady, Captain guard our
backs!  Rhoan watch the stairs!"  The three move warily down the hallway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Lady Azzar and Captain peer down the hallway.  Neither has infravision.

"You see anything, Captain?"

"No.  I expect the guards upstairs to start pouring down the ladder
any minute.  We should hear them."

Rhoan mutters.  "I wish Kron and the others would hurry."

An arrow is alread fitted to Azzar's bow, and now she draws it back 
in readiness, focussing her aim on a pillar at the farthest range
of her vision.

Suddenly, from down the eastern hallway, comes a prolonged shriek 
which trails off and ends in a death gargle.  The sound is so horrible,
that Azzar, Captain and Rhoan look away in that direction.

And that is why they fail to see the forgotten rookies of the Elite
Guard, Jalbar and Halbar, come bolting out of the darkness of the 
western hallway.  The brothers are blitzed out of their minds on Joystix,
and are expecting to find their compatriots lying in wait with padded
swords.  Instead, they find Azzar's longbow.

* Tizzzzzzzzz--SPAK!*  "GLEAARRHHHHHHH!!!"  Jalbar goes down with an
arrow in his throat.

But Halbar races forwards in berserker fury, his wooden sword raised for
a death blow to Azzar's cranium.  The Lady knows she is fast, but not 
this fast.  Nevertheless, her body takes her through the smooth motions
of plucking an arrow from the quivver, fitting it to the string, and
drawing it back, while her eyes are locked on the tip of the descending
club.  Time slows for her.  Will she make it?  The club descends...she
draws the string back...At the last moment, she realizes she is meant
to die today --

* THUK !!! *

She opens her eyes to see the berserker lying at her feet in a quivvering
mass, with the Captain standing proudly over him.  As he withdraws his
cutlass from the dying man's body, he feels Lady Azzar's lips press against
his cheek.

"Break it up you two!"  Kron yells.  "There's more work to be done."

Maleiu and Colin dump the body of the assassin/scribe San Gosti on the
floor near the staircase.  Maleiu's spear is bloody.

The Dark Hunter flashes a grin at Colin.  "That was a fine piece of team 
work.  You were my eyes, and I was your spear."

The Ranger smiles.  "Too bad we had to kill him.  He might have known
something."

At this statement, Kron lifts the flap of his leather jerkin, showing
it to be peppered by blowgun darts.  "We had to kill him!  Let's get
moving people!"

The KronQuestors move to the staircase.  Behind them, the trap door
from the upper level slams open, and the day shift comes pouring 
down...