From: wolf@cheshire.oxy.edu (Clinton Richard Wolf)
Subject: [KQ]: The Shunrunners face strange phenoms...
Organization: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041 USA.
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1992 20:25:59 GMT

    Things were pretty quiet that day, until Largo skipped in with the news...

    Drew sprawled on his 'throne', contemplating what a particularly boring
time he was having. No news... no messages... no visitors, no inits... no noth-
ing. He scanned the room again. In the corner, Sarah Tuff and Eddie Napspring
were playing Nine-men's Morris, Sarah winning handily, as usual, and Eddie
still stubbornly clinging to the hope that he could actually win once, as us-
ual... Near the far wall, Noggy Tom was hunched over his desk, poring through
through the day's copy of the Generican Examiner he had gotten from Jacinthe, 
as usual. And Jack Puggs and Bill Sodley were just lounging on the floor, laz-
ily wondering what they should do...

    Drew idly traced an old scar on his arm, wishing Largo would come back from
scouting the local Buffers. And hoping he would have some news... if this kept
up, Drew had half a mind to just waltz naked into the Center. The Center was
never boring, at least... 

    "Humph." Not shaftin' likely, thought Drew. He picked up his set of darts
again, for the fifth time that day, and tossed them at the board ton the left
wall. *THUNK*. Bullseye. *THUNK* Bullseye again, although adjusted a bit to the
right so it wouldn't disturb the dart already there. *THUNK*. Bullseye. *yawn*.
*THUNK*. Bullseye, knocking all the other darts out, like Drew had planned. Ho
hum. Drew fingered the final dart, idly considering tossing it right into Tom's
skinny hinder, just to get some action. Nah, not worth it. Noggy Tom was so
buried in his paper he might not even notice...

     Shrugging, Drew thought about what to do with the final dart. Perhaps
stick it into the back of the other one? Nah. He didn't want to damage them.
Flick it so it rested on the first without hitting the board? Neg, he'd al-
ready done that a thousand times over... Perhaps if he tried it backwards, tho.
Yes thatwas it. Backwards, and while standing on his head. And bouncing it off
the ceiling beforehand. That should be a challenge... oh, yes! and with his
ocks shut tight! Excitedly, Drew contorted into the proper position on his
chair, relaxing... letting it flow... aiming... now slide the hand back, get
the angle right. Ready... ready... now,...

     And that was when the door slammed open, and a wide-eyed, breathless Largo
burst into the room like Creepy Charlie was nipping at his hinder. Noggy Tom
turned so quickly his papers went flying everywhere. Eddie turned around also,
and Sarah seized the opportunity to surreptitously switch all the playing pie-
ces around. Drew lost his balance and tumbled off his throne, his shot sticking
into the ceiling. He would've landed in a heap, but his reflexes took over and
he managed to land on his feet. Jack and Bill just stared...

     "Drew!" Largo shouted. "Robes is back! Elly Smith's mum just vizzed him
awhile ago, takin' a whole buncha wierd types into the Center!"

     Drew was immediately all business, though inwardly he jumped for joy at
this godsend of an event. "Wierd types, eh? Were they capped, like the other
one was?"

     "Neg, Drew. In fact, it looked like it was the other way around. And Robes
looked pretty scrambled in the nog, too, laughin' and droolin' and such...
What the shaft is goin' on around here, Drew?!?"

     "When was this, Largo?" 
  
     "About thirty minutes ago... Sammy says they were linin' right for the
center of the Center!"

     The room erupted in confusion and horror. "The Dead Zone?!?" cried Sarah.
"They're all bloody shafted in the nog, if you ask me!!!"

     "Shaft it, Drew!" said Tom. "Nobody goes to the Dead Zone! WE don't shaf-
tin' go to the Dead Zone!!! What's goin on?!?"

     "I don't nog, mascs and fems! This is the strangest phenom I've ever auded
in my 19 years... what did the wierdos viz like, Largo?"

     "A whole mix n' match, Elder! Adventurer types, it looked like. But Ser-
geant Kron was with 'em!"

     Drew didn't think the commotion could get any louder. But it did.

     "Horowitz' hinder! The bloke who killed Creft?!?" shouted Bill.
     
     Jack smacked him. "You funny in the nog, Bill? Kron didn't kill Creft. 
That shaftin' Waster Blink killed creft, on Robes' orders. I auded it meself
at their HQ, 'fore they all skipped."

     "Yeah." piped in Eddie. "But then Robes up and shipped that ring off to
prove Kron ng! I thought that was really wierd, Elder..."

     "Robes shipped off that ring?!?" Drew asked in shocked disbelief. "I did-
n't know that! You didn't pip that to us, Eddie!"

     "Thought it was, y'know, not our business. Not Buffer business..."

     "I didn't nog it was either, mascs and fems, but this gives me the shiv-
vies. I got a feeling this is all connected, and connected with the Dead Zone,
and frankly, Runners, I'm scared shitless about what it means, 'cause I think
it means Robes ain't the boss, and the real boss is..."
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      Sarah was the first to speak after the barrage ended.

      "Holy... holy shit... 
      "That was the Press. That was the shaftin' PRESS, Drew!!! The SHAFTIN'
PRESS JUST EXPANDED INTO THE BUFF'!!!!!!!

      Drew sat, ashen faced. A few moments later, he spoke. Quietly.

      "Largo, round up all the Runners. Everyone in the Buff' probably felt
that wave, and some of them might not have been able to take it. Round up a
team and check everyone. Tom, stay here and brief anyone who comes in. Bill,
I want you to skip to the North spoke. Jack, the East. See if you can find
out any info. Eddie and Sarah, come with me. We're going in. We're gonna get
to the bottom of this phenom... 

      "We're going to the Dead Zone..."