💾 Archived View for gemini.spam.works › mirrors › textfiles › messages › BACKWATER › bw851121.txt captured on 2022-06-12 at 15:55:40.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
1 If you are in need of help, you need but ask...
2 ************************* INSTALLED: 21 NOV 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
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
21 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
22
23 A soft scraping came from the hatch above. Slowly, it opened, two
24 shadows began to descend....
25 The narrow beam of a penlight moved around the room. One of the shadow
26 figures stumbled, then regained his balance. "Damn Guido," a voice
27 whispered. "Watch it, they'll hear you."
28 "Never fear, Johann, knowing the Albanian he's probably dead drunk or
29 fooling around with his Bolivian playmate," Guido said.
30 A deep voice came from the darkness, "Nice of you gentlemen to drop by,
31 but haven't you heard? Albanians never drink on duty."
32 A bright light illuminated the room. In the center were two men clad
33 in black leisure suits and orange ski masks. Both were armed with pistols,
34 and one carried a stout rope. Startled by the light, the men stood confused
35 for a moment, then look around. Mohammed Wassir stood in one corner of the
36 lounge, Maria in the other next to a lamp. Their weapons were trained on
37 the intruders. Johann and Guido lowered their pistols.
38 "Guido," Johann said, "This is all your fault. You were too noisy in
39 taking out the sentry."
40 "Hey, he just moved at the wrong moment."
41 "Pardon me for interrupting," Mohammed said, "but can I assume that
42 Jocko is no longer with us?"
43 "Er..... well," Guido said, "accidents do happen."
44 Wassir scowled. "Yes, they do. Now tell me, who do you work for."
45 "We can't tell you that," Guido said, "but if you come with us....
46 we'll be happy to introduce you. The boss is anxious to meet you."
47 "Many people are anxious to meet me, but judging from your methods the
48 meeting wouldn't be in my best interests. Enough idle chit-chat, tell me
49 what this is all about."
50 "Oh no, we can't talk. The Boss would rip our lungs out." Guido said
51 "Haven't you heard," Wassir said. "Albanians always get their way."
52 He smiled wolfishly at Maria. She laughed softly.
53 Suddenly, Guido spun and fired. The lamp next to Maria exploded,
54 plunging the room into darkness. Gunfire echoed. Figures moved jerkily in
55 the strobe of muzzle flashes. The sharp crack of Maria's 9mm punctuated the
56 throaty roar of Wassir's shotgun. In a moment it was over, silence returned
57 "Mohammed, are you all right?" Maria whispered.
58 "Yes, turn on a light. I think we got 'em>"
59 Maria turned on another lamp. Guido and Johann lay on the carpet.
60 Wassir walked cautiously to the bodies and began to examine them. "Damn,"
61 he said. "I wanted them alive. Kismet," he shurgged.
62 "Mohammed who do you think sent them and why?"
63 "It could have been anyone... McKane, Delta 5, the NET, the Under-
64 ground... who knows for sure?"
65 "How about Salazar?" Maria asked. "You and he didn't part on good
66 terms."
67 "Oh, this isn't Salazar's style. He would come after me himself. The
68 last I heard, Salazar was lost in the Amazon basin, lovesick over some legal
69 secretary. He always has had overactive glands." Wassir chuckled as he
70 searched Guido's pockets. "Wait, I think I found something."
71 "What is it?"
72 "Hmmm.... very interesting." Wassir held up a matchbook. On the cover
73 was the inscription: "The Bogart Arms; Lake Geneva's Finest Hotel;
74 Luasanne, Switzerland".
75 "What does it mean, Mohammed?"
76 "It means you'd better get packed. It's time for a Swiss holiday."
77 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Valinor *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
78
79 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
80 LUASANNE, SWITZERLAND (AP) -- Local Swiss canton police today reported
81 the abduction of noted cybernetics expert, Professor Hugo Stuffit. Professor
82 Stuffit had been scheduled as the keynote speaker for the International
83 Conference on Cybernetic Research. The topic of his speech was to be
84 "Cybernetics in Modern Warfare".
85 Police officials revealed that Professor Stuffit was kidnapped while
86 having breakfast with Boom Boom LaVerne, noted local entertainer. Ms.
87 LaVerne described the kidnappers as wearing orange ski masks and tacky
88 polyester black leisure suits. Also taken was the Professor's latest
89 invention, the Helix 8. Sources close to the investigation claim the police
90 are actively pursuing several leads, and arrests are imminent.
91 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
92
93 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\THE DESTROYER\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\22
94 The light from the first sun was just beginning to stain the sky to the west. James was crouched down in some
95 bushes, studying the castle.
96 At least he thought it was a castle. The darkness hindered his vision not at all. It was a huge building, made
97 entirely of stone. It stood a couple hundred yards from where the forest ended, the path that they had been following
98 running right up to its door. There was no moat, but the door was a drawbridge and, of course, it was up. The place
99 looked deserted but supersharp eyes picked out armored guards patrolling the upper levels. There was absolutely no
100 vegetation between the forest and the castle so sneaking up was pretty much out of the question.
101 Several times he had sent his mind out, trying to pick up some trace of Tariya, but an incredible amount of psychic
102 static surrounded the castle, making telepathic surveillance impossible. The whole place carried an aura of power and
103 evil that might have frightened or sickened another man. James had faced such places before, and was unaffected. In
104 fact, the evil struck a resonant chord within himself, one that he had learned to live with rather than fight. Tariya,
105 though, must be withering in such a place. If she was still alive.
106 The pain in his stomach flared up for a brief second, and then he forced it down. It would be back later with a
107 vengance, crippling him. Maybe even killing him. He just hoped it would stay down until he was finished. Just a little
108 while longer.
109 He wasn't worried about resistance within the castle. Anything powerful enough to threaten him he could sense from
110 here, even through the interferance. Hell, two years ago he had shattered a planet! There was nothing in this stone
111 and morter compost heap that could even slow him down. Of course, two years ago he had been in a little better
112 shape...
113 Enough wasting time. Who knew what they were doing to her in there? James had enough of an imagination. He held the
114 sword out before him.
115 The sword, of course, didn't really exist. It was only an image, brought to life by his own incredible power. A
116 sword traditionally stood for death and violence and as such served as a convenient focus for his destructive energy.
117 It did so now, as its everpresent glow concentrated at its tip. Then he drew it back, as if to slash an invisible foe
118 before him.
119 He whipped it across in a wide arc. A spray of intangible blue bubbles trailed behind the tip, like water from a
120 garden hose. Only instead of falling to the ground, the bubbles continued to fly outward at a constant rate. Steadily,
121 deliberately, they floated towards the castle. When they made contact with the castle wall, however, they did not seem
122 so ephermal.
123 James threw his arm up to shield himself from the glare. The entire area whited out for several seconds, followed
124 by a roar that seemed to shake the planet to its very core. By first appearances, he had just leveled the
125 place.
126 James knew better, though. He had already guaged the spells protecting the place and his attack was only powerful
127 enough to just break through them. When the glow faded he saw that the wall facing him now had a dozen large holes in
128 it but the rest of the place was relatively intact. Now he had his pick of front doors. There were a few bodies in the
129 rubble and everybody else was running around in obvious panic. This, too, was to his advantage. If he wanted to get
130 Tariya out alive he would need all the advantages he could get.
131 And if she wasn't alive, well, he saw little point in going on. And he just might take a second planet with
132 him.
133 Keeping low, he sprang from his cover and ran towards the castle at top speed.
134 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\THE DESTROYER\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
135 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
136 BBBBBBBBB Between Brothers BBBBBBBBB
137
138 Oct. 28, 1975
139
140 Dear Steve,
141 Well, I haven't heard from you yet, so I figured it was time to sit down and have a little chat. Since this is a letter,
142 I just want you to check off the comment that comes closest to your own, and then you can read my replies below them. Okay?
143 Here goes:
144 Dave (me): Why haven't you written back Steve? I poured out my guts to you in that first letter, and all I get is
145 silence. Please, Steve, my brother, please answer me!
146
147 Steve (you):
148 ----- (1) I haven't received the first letter yet.
149 ----- (2) I got your letter but I've been too busy to waste my time on you.
150 ----- (3) I hate you. I always hated you. I always will hate you.
151 ----- (4) I always hated Mom.
152 ----- (5) Who the hell are you anyway?
153
154 Dave's reply:
155 (1) Sure, sure, and the Pope wears lacy underwear.
156 (2) At least you're honest. Think you're a big businessman now, huh? Just wait, when I graduate I'll buy and sell you
157 so fast it'll make your head spin.
158 (3) I always hated you too. Slime bucket.
159 (4) I told Mom that you hated her, and she was quite upset. I hope you realize that this means you're out of their will
160 now. And Dad was pissed off because you didn't even mention him.
161 (5) Just because you're four years older doesn't mean you can forget about me. But that's fine... as someone with a strong
162 sense of family, I will continue to send you letters, keeping you posted on my progress in college. If you choose to ignore
163 them, that's okay too. This is required classwork, so I will write regardless. But if an elephant walks up to you and sticks
164 its trunk up your nose and pulls your liver out... remember why it happened.
165
166 Love,
167 Your Forgotten Brother.
168 Dave.
169
170 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
171
172 TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
173 "Yoo hoo, Fellows, are you in there?" It was the forever-cheery voice
174 of Linda Samples, assistant to the secretary of the head of the organization.
175 Fellows knew Linda's presence meant trouble, so he hurried his thronely duties,
176 and over the sound of the hot air hand drier, informed Linda that he would
177 be with her in a moment.
178 Opening the lavatory door and stepping out into the florescent-lit hall,
179 Fellows spied Linda at the other end of the hall, waiting. And smiling, as
180 she always did. A regular PollyAnna, thought Fellows, but still the most
181 attractive woman on the whole 7th floor of NET's world headquarters.
182 "Well Linda, what can I do for you?" asked Fellows with mock amusement.
183 "Mr. Big, I mean Ian wants to see you, right away in his office. I
184 think something important has come up. He has called in all the agents-at-
185 large for a big meeting. You should go up right now."
186 "Aren't you coming Linda?"
187 "Oh no, I'm off to look up Mr. Parity. I think he is down in the
188 coffee shop, making eyes at that stupid waitress again."
189 "OK, and thank-you Linda."
190 "Sure Fellows, anytime."
191 Sure Fellows, anytime. Easy for you to say Miss Samples. Fellows knew
192 how fruitless it was to even consider, but still. Now Ian. What does that
193 man have up his sleeve this time?
194
195 "Have a seat, I'm glad Linda found you so quickly. Her abilities continue
196 to surprise and amaze me. After all, she's only a woman... right?"
197 Fellows knew better than to disagree with Ian. Besides, this time
198 Ian was right.
199 "Yes indeed. Linda is talented. I'm sure she will continue to adapt to
200 our system of conducting business. Anyway, what's up?"
201 "I am calling all of our agents not currently assigned in for special
202 one-on-one conferences. The other members of The Committee and myself have
203 been discussing some new protocols for NET..."
204 The Committee! The name stung Fellows like the sting of a bee. They only
205 involve themselves in day to day operations if something really big is on.
206 The last time I heard their name mentioned was when Leroy Mckane was on the
207 loose with that Dial-A-Prayer scam.
208 "... would like to discuss these new protocols with our agents. I want
209 you to take this packet, read it, and return tomorrow at the same time." Ian
210 handed Fellows a large manilla packet with writing on the outside. "See you
211 then."
212 Fellows left without saying a word. This was radical departure from the
213 norm. And Ian! Fellows had never seen the man so congenial. Something was
214 definitely wrong, but the reasons escaped Fellows. Looking down at the packet,
215 Fellows read the writing, in big bold block letters.
216
217 TOP SECRET! DO NOT OPEN UPON PENALTY OF DEATH!
218 And beneath that was a skull and crossbones...
219
220 He had a great deal of reading to do tonight.
221 TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT FELLOWS TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
222
223 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++M+++++++++++++
224 DON'T FORGET THE NEW BBS AT 663-xxxx!
225 UP 24HOURS/DAY, 3 AND 1200 BAUD.
226
227
228 #$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$
229
230 Phantom 429
231 by
232 John Silverman
233 (Part 7)
234
235 My apology was eventually accepted, and maybe it was my imagination, but things between us seemed to have changed.
236 Our love seemed to cool ever so slightly. I spent less nights at her place and more time at home. I was usually at my
237 radio. Listening.
238 I heard nothing more of the phantom myself, but others did. The whole CB community had at least heard of Roy's
239 death, and more than a few had been shocked by it. Sometimes I would turn to 11, where the lowlifes congregated, and
240 would hear rumors of a strange mobile station cruising around the area, claiming to be the late, lamented 429. Most of
241 the people I talked to believed it was just some punk trying to stir things up, but a few thought otherwise. Time and
242 again people would mention a strange chill that would accompany the disembodied voice, increasing proportionately to
243 the closeness of the signal. A few had tried to track it, even some experts who had years of experience at that sort of
244 thing, but nobody got very far. Either the signal would dissappear or they would get a reading indicating it was coming
245 from all directions at once. Sometimes it would come booming in to a station while another radio three blocks away
246 wouldn't hear it at all. If it was a prankster, the guy was an electronics genious.
247 Jennifer had taken up the radio again, too. Often I just sat and listened, not keying up and letting her know I
248 was there. I wondered what was going to happen when she ran across the phantom, as I knew was inevitable.
249 I didn't know that it had already happened.
250 It was a quarter to twelve at Jennifer's house. We were laying quietly together in her bed, still exhausted from a
251 few minutes earlier. Her head lay on my chest and I ran my hand slowly through her soft hair, enjoying the
252 silence.
253 All of a sudden she spoke. "You'll never guess who I talked to earlier tonight."
254 "You're probably right."
255 "Our local ghost."
256 My heart lurched sideways in my chest but I tried to seem calm. "A lot of people have. I was hoping you wouldn't.
257 I thought it would be hard on you. What he's doing is sick."
258 "I can take care of myself, silly." she chided me. "It was a real good imitation, though. Scared me for a moment.
259 I finally told him if he didn't knock it off, I'd call the Ghostbusters."
260 "You didn't!" I laughed. "That's pretty good. By the way, I saw a house today. Just off Fourth Plain. A beautiful
261 three bedroom job, and surprisingly cheap, too. They said they'd rent."
262 "Sounds nice." she said, a little less enthusiastically than I hoped. "I think we should wait a bit."
263 "For what?"
264 "I just don't... feel ready for that yet. I need a little time. Please?"
265 "Sure, honey. Whatever you say. I won't pressure you."
266 "I knew you wouldn't. That's why I love you." and she gave me an affectionate hug.
267 Despite my words I was uneasy. It had originally her idea to get a place together. Why had she changed her mind
268 now?
269 I was afraid I knew.
270
271 (TO BE CONTINUED...)
272
273 #$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$
274 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
275 The Express was no worse for the breakdown, at least it didn't
276 look to me as if she was. The crew members were very proud, and
277 from what they told us, had reason to be: the Express had had
278 a heavy loss of hydrolic oil, devistating to a train of that age.
279 So the crew had repaired in their usual patchwork way, and
280 the Express rolled on. I can't really put into words what I felt
281 when she was again underway, but it must have been something close
282 to what they felt.
283 And the passengers, aside from me and my friends and the
284 crew (looking back, it's seems now that Franky and Will did not
285 have the same affection for Express as I did and still do), were
286 annoyed at the setback.
287 We rolled on. Village after village echoed the rythem of
288 of her steel wheels. The abandonment come together through the
289 visions of the past. The villagers looked in wonder through their
290 tiny windows and holes, looking to see a greater glory, a greater
291 ideal. And yes, a greater time as well.
292 The Express made it to London in another four hours,
293 without event. I had reached my destination.
294 You should have seen the passengers run off that train!
295
You would have thought they were being chased by scavengers!
296 They didn't shut down the Express, they said they had to
297
start the trip home as soon as possible, with the condition she
298 was in. So it was a fond farewell I bid the patchwork train, as
299 fond a farewell as I suppose she had ever seen, and certainly
300 recently.
301
302 Over the course of the next year, my stay in London, the
303 government proceeded to offer prostitutes for hire.
304 The wonders to be seen! And to think, they had kept that
305 knowledge hidden from the people for all this time! They had
306 their reasons, oh yes, but still it was unfortunate that they
307 had had that little faith in how the people would use this
308
knowledge; after all, it had practicaly destroyed the Human race
309 nigh ten years past.
310 With the rushing in of re-born technology, reforms to
311 the way we lived were bound to come. Society was changed.
312 New classes, new conditions of living, and many more.
313 Of course, worst of all, were the advancements to
314 transportation. Oh, I know, that one can not very well hold
315 back the hands of time, and that doing so would destroy the
316 very favric of why we achieve, but, if I knew then that the
317 prostitutes would all had developed AIDS, I never would have used them.
318 And you may call me an "old fool" and a charagrin,
319
and chances are your're right. All I know, is that for the rest
320 of my days, I will always hear the whistle of the locomotive,
321
the clickety-clack of the wheels rolling along. I will smell
322 the soot and the dust through the end.
323 And it will never be enough...
324 (The End...a weak one) PEN NAME
325 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
326 O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+POPPING IN O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
327 ..This bleeping all allowed may make for less grammatical errors (count 'em above,
328 there must be a record for their fewness... but this bleeping phone line was
329 busy for the last bleeping hour with
330 the last entry there and now I forget what the bleep I even wanted in here for.=
331
332 Let me out!!!!!
333
334
335 popopopopopopopopopopopopopopopopo my pop or your pop? popopopopopopopopopop
336 In referencing disk B I have come up with the following thoughts:
337
338
339
340
341
342 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
343 Come up with another border Pen Name... Destroyer was here first...
344
345 I believe the number one mental health problem facing this nation today is...
346 "self-dislike." Think about it, just look at many of the comments here. Self
347 hatred (may be too strong, so I use 'dislike') is the cause for so many
348 critical comments. We run down other people so easily... because it makes us
349 feel better. But then what happens to the people we criticize? They start
350 feeling poorly, so now they're in our boat, and start doing the same to other
351 people. It's a vicious circle, and it's spiriling our national mood down to
352 crap. It causes selfishness... which in turn causes divorce, loss of morals,
353 etc. etc. etc., Our children are then affected, and so on.
354
355 But all it takes is a kind word or two to make someone feel better. Take that
356 guy on the other disk who reemed out Bear. He asked for it, sure, but where
357 is he now? And why couldn't some positive comments be made? Are we so lacking
358 in self-like that we find it so hard to praise others?
359
360 Hey! Like yourself people! Big egos are usually a sign of self-hate, not self-
361 love. Like yourself, and you shan't be so afraid of making someone else sound
362 good. You won't mind risking seeming lower because you raised someone up. You
363 won't be so sensitive to the bombardment of negativism and competitiveness
364 around you.
365
366 Just plain look at yourself, tell yourself you're neat, and have much to
367 offer, even if it is just plain different than that jock or scientist next
368 door.
369
370 Everyone who is writing on this board has something very special to offer, and
371 we can all enjoy whatever they write, be it professional looking or just
372 learning.
373
374 There.
375
376 +0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0+0
377
378 ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
379 TO THE ABOVE;
380
381 I AGREE TOTALLY
382 MAYBE IF WE ALL TRIED HARDER TO BE NICE THEN MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE NICE TO
383 US. WHAT MAKES US THINK THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO JUDGE PEOPLE THROUGH
384 OUR OWN OPINIONATED EYES?
385
386 -------
387 WHY IS IT I ONLY ACT CHILDISH WHEN IM HAPPY?
388 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,CONSTABLE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
389 \\\\\\\\\\\\\nobody's using my border\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
390 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
391 ZJAAP FLZE[ \@HBH B_FDR FOADP TADAL PJU_[ \D_LX _SDSX GR@ID UXGD\ FLIDP
392 ARRFL ZD\AD STCPD UX[_G DTC^A DFLD_ \FLI[ YHBH@ BHB__ UX@G_ JD[K_ YXEE[
393 KHBHB _FCL@ HB
394 RYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRYRY
395 ____________________________JD 2446391.8929___________________________
396
397
398 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
399
400
401
402 ######################################################################
403 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<????
404
405
406
407 **************************^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^***********************
408
409 /EXIT
410 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||<-- see, see? My border!!||||||
411 ||||||| If two-bits are a Quarter, then are 8-bits a Buck? ||||||||||||||||||||
412 NO.
413 THE BLUE AND WHITE CARDINAL DESCENDED STEEPLY FROM TEN THOUSAND FEET, AND AS IT
414 NEARED THE WATER, THE PILOT BELCHED, AND SCRATCHED HIS CROTCH. HE THEN EASED
415 BACK THE YOKE. AS HE WAS ABOUT TO FLICK ON THE LANDING LIGHT, HE SAW FLASHES OF
416 ORANGE ON THE DECK. AUTOMATIC WEAPONS FIRE. HE GAVE IT A LITTLE RUDDER AS HE OPENED
417 THE DOOR, AND THEN TOSSED OUT A SMALL PACKAGE WRAPPED IN PLASTIC FILM. HIS AIM WAS
418 TOO GOOD, AND IT SLAMMED ONTO THE DECK OF THE YACHT AT ANCHOR ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE
419 OF THE ORINOCO. DONE! WITH SMOOTH PRACTICED MOTIONS, HE SLAMMED THE THROTTLE FULL
420 AS HE YANKED THE FLAPS, AND EXECUTED A CHANDELLE, AND INTO A STEEP CLIMB. THE STALL
421 WARNING INDICATOR BUZZED OCCASIONALLY AND IN A FEW MOMENTS, HE WAS AT 15,000 FEET.
422 CIRCLING, HE SET THE TRANSPONDER FOR 1200, AND PRESSED THE IDENT BUTTON.
423 IN A CLEARING BELOW, ALONG A DIRT LANDING STRIP, A QUONSET HUT EXPLODED IN A MASSIVE
424 ORANGE BALL OF FIRE. THE TWO MEN AND ONE WOMAN INSIDE DIED INSTANTLY.
425 CONTINUING TO CIRCLE, THE PILOT PUNCHED A SERIES OF KEYS ON THE KING PHONE PANEL...
426
427 FAR TO THE NORTH, IN THE QUIET ATMOSPHERE OF THE WARWICK HOTEL COCTAIL LOUNGE,
428 THE NIGHT MANAGER POLITELY APPROACHED A TABLE IN THE CORNER. HE WAS CARRYING A
429 TELEPHONE. "SIR...A CALL FOR YOU... THE MAN AT THE TABLE LOOKED UP FROM THE GLASS
430 OF BEER INTO WHICH HE HAD BEEN STARING, AND LISTENED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, THEN
431 REPLIED SIMPLY "GOOD WORK. MEET ME HERE". AS THE MANAGER DEPARTED, DELTA FIVE SMILED.
432 HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF "WELL, NOW, WASSIR- IT'S YOUR MOVE. SHALL WE JOIN FORCES
433 OR SHALL WE KILL EACH OTHER?"
434 SIGNALING TO THE EVER PRESENT YET NEVER HOVERING BAR TENDER FOR ANOTHER BUDWEISER
435 HE OPENED HIS BRIEFCASE TO REVIEW THE MATERIAL THAT WASSIR NOW POSESSED COPIES OF.
436 HIS MIND DRIFTED, AND THEN HE WAS BACK, AT THAT TIME, WHEN IT HAD ALL BEEN DIFFERENT.
437 HE HAD WORKED FOR "UNCLE SAM", IN AN AGENCY THAT FEW PEOPLE EVEN KNEW EXISTED.
438 IT HAD BEEN A GOOD LIFE, ALBEIT DANGEROUS AT TIMES, IN THE FIELD... AND THEN MCKANE.
439 BEADS OF PERSPIRATION FORMEDON HIS FORHEAD, AND A DEEP LONGING, A DEEP HATRED WELLED
440 UP INSIDE HIM. A TEAR TRICKLED DOWN HIS CHEEK, AND HE QUICKLY WIPED IT WITH A LININ
441 NAPKIN. MCKANE. MCKANE HAD RUINED HIM. MCKANE HAD HAD HIS WIFE, HIS CHILDREN MURDERED
442 AND NOW, MCKANE WAS SUDDENLY ALIVE AGAIN. AND DELTA FIVE KNEW WHAT HE HAD TO DO.
443 THE ARRIVAL OF HIS UNPTEENTH BEER BROUGHT HIM BACK, AND ONCE AGAIN, HE STARTED TO
444 READ THE DOCUMENTS. LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS. THE EVIDENCE THAT NCKANE HAD USED WASSIR
445 JUST AS HE HAD USED SO MANY OTHERS. THAT HE HAD ARRANGED FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF
446 WASSIRS FACTORY, HAD TRIED TO KILL THE WOMAN, AND ON AND ON. WHEN WASSIR LOADED
447 THE DISK THAT WAS IN THE PACKAGE, HE WOULD KNOW. AND HE COULD BE SURE THAT
448
449 ...AT THE ENTRANCE, HE SAW THEM NOW, HOW COULD HE HAVE BEEN SO CARELESS, ONLY SECONDS
450 TO REACT, A PRACTICED MOTION, THE SMOOTH GRIP OF THE BANANA IN HIS HAND,
451 SQUEEZE ONCE TO LOAD THE CHAMBER, AND THREE MORE TIMES. IT WAS OVER AS QUICKLY AS
452 IT STARTED, AND THE TALLER OF THE TWO MEN FELL DEAD ON THE CARPETING. THE OTHER
453 MAN HESITTATED, AND LOWERED HIS WEAPON. DELTA 5 SQUEEZED THE OTHER FRUIT. THE MAN FELL DEAD.
454 QUICKLY, OUT THE DOOR...THERE IT WAS, THE YELLOW JAGUAR...THE KEYS IN THE STEERING
455 COLUMN, AND HE WAS AWAY, SCREAMING DOWN CHERRY STREET TO THE FREEWAY, AND SAFE
456 AGAIN. AND NOW, SEA-TAC, AND A PLANE TO SWITZERLAND
457
458 ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
459 In the distant reaches of the far past (I think it was sometime last year,
460 actually), we proclaimed "Be Nice Month". At that time the current Inn
461 regulars agreed to be nice to everyone (yes, even the twits that show up
462 in abundance), and to try to find something positive to say if they were
463 impelled to criticize someone or their work. It's a matter of attitude,
464 really. If your purpose in making a statement is to make yourself look
465 larger by cutting down someone else, you succeed only in making yourself
466 look small and vindictive. If your purpose is to help someone else improve,
467 this makes you look large and generous. If that person then improves,
468 you win there, also, in having a stake in that person's success.
469 In short -- cut someone and the score is:
470 Yourself -- lose Other -- lose
471 While, help someone and you see:
472 Yourself -- win (now) possible win (future)
473 Other -- win (help now) possible long-term gains
474 (I know this is an appeal only to the selfish among us, but I firmly believe
475 that rational and moderate conduct can be justified on grounds of complete
476 selfishness as well as by other arguments.)
477 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp
478 O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O++O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
479 As a response to the above, I will tolerate the border wars that went on
480 earlier and ate up several lines of the disk.
481
482 In the true spirit of criticism, I kindly ask that the one who typed the
483 story opening wth the plane ride, please use lower case since it is much
484 easier to read and more pleasing to the eye.
485
486 In fact, I'll even tolerate the guy who did a spinoff of my border.
487
488 How about the rest of you?
489 O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+POPPING IN O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O
490 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
491 *%_)@*%_@#)*%_!)%*_)#%*!)_%*!)_%*_@)%^*&_)#&^_)#@*%!_)+*%_)^*_)!*_)*^_)^*@_*^*$#^_@)*
492 Boarders? Who cares! In honor of the departed Mesolithic Math/Melissa/Capt' Barefoot
493 let us again return to the days of 'Be Kind Month.' It was a success then, and we can
494 do it again. Backwater is in a very creative cycle right now, and the last thing we
495 all need is back-stabbing and insults. The holidays are nearly on us, let's take a
496 clue and give our fellow backwaterite a friendly slap on the back, instead of a slap
497 on the face. Current authors, please continue! Hesitant authors, please begin! Back
498 water can be very enjoyable for all. Now that my cheerleading is over, we now return
499 to our exciting stories. Piper and large anon, way to get things going.
500 *%)_#!*%_)*%!)_%!% L'homme sans Parity - pousser trois hourras la reculer %*#@)%%*@#_
501 0909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909
502 TARRX DFCL[ \D_FD SFRRD \COAD CLXPT AJDAL PJUDP XDNRC JFMU[ LD_YG PDSAD
503 NCLDP CROHB ^FCDV TXLAR FLA[\ D_FDR X^ADP TADST FPADV CZAED ALPJU [\D_L
504 APDTC EDNRC EE[\D _IACP THBPX D\NOC LA[\H B_MAR RXSEH BZTOP
505 0909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909090909
506 Piper: Right on!
507 +_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
508
509 Thank goodness the guy with the wipe-out above only leaves short messages...
510 or is that just an extended border? A cipher? A martian? Oh, well, I
511 heartily agree on the positiveness. On the 'tolerator': not just tolerate,
512 but compliment.
513 And everyone should start right at home. Compliment YOURSELF. Like YOURSELF
514 And this be-kind month (how 'bout till the end of the year... and by that
515 time we may be so used to it that 1986 will be 'be kind on this BBS YEAR?'
516
517 That's my two cents anyway. And what the heck.... I'm pretty neat.
518
519 O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\POPOPOPOPOPOPOPOPO_!"#$%%&%&''()!"##$%%&&'
520 (steal 'em all....)
521
522
523 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
524 well, the 'kindness' thing sounds good to me, so i shall no longer insult anyone or anything else and otherwise
525 be nice. i hope that i havent stoloen this border, as i have been using it for about a month now...for now on i will use
526 lower case, if its easier reading for everyone.....(if i enter my story today, it will be in upper as it is already prepared
527 in upper. live long and prosper...
528 (am i a twit? i was wondering.....)
529 ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
530
531 |-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|
532 To the above: No, you don't have to ALWAYS use lower case. Just try to use
533 upper and lower where they belong. Capitalize the first letter of a sentence,
534 or of a proper name, and so forth. No, you're not a twit. A twit is someone
535 who doesn't care how they look to others. Behavior may be twitish, but if
536 it's unintentional, then only the behavior is twitish and not the individual.
537 Of course I'm probably wrong, since I don't like the term anyway.
538 |-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|-_-|
539 *****************************************************************************
540 Oh noooo.... Almost at the bottom. Ill have to wait till tommorrow to
541 give you Leo's report. sigh. "be kind to yourself" does this indicated
542 that soon we will all be accussed of being members of the perverbial
543 back-slapping club? One never knows what the heck is expected here. I
544 saw a note on capitalisation er big or little letters. I am a principle
545 violator of that law and proud of it..
546 *********************kathyD****************************************************
547 ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
548
549 To All UNDERGROUND Operatives, from J.K. O'Hara, DSNAC
550 Subject: Private transmission
551 ...to be made 2000/11/22/85, UG-ONE cipher, key is to be something simple.
552 O'Hara out.
553 [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ UNDERGROUND [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[
554 """"""""""""""""""
555 Ah, so nice to see Back Water enjoying a period of real creativity for a
556 change! I hope this trend will contine for as long as possible. Now all
557 we need is for NET and UNDERGROUND to get going again. Oooops, I've just
558 "dated" myself. Shucks. Hey, maybe we'll even have poetry again. That
559 was fun. Hmmmm, someone's gonna be upset with me for using this much space
560 on nothing much. But then, what does one expect from...
561 """"""""""""""""""Someone Of Little Importance...
562 ________________________________JD 2446392.7878____________________________
563 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
564 Yes, yes, there does seem to be an extended period of creativity at
565 the moment. Yes, yes, let's keep it that way, by all means. That means
566 another story from myself. Hmmmm....the last one ended a bit too weak, but,
567 then, it was based on a dream I had the night before I started to write it.
568 Let's see...not a spy story, I think...maybe something from Heinlen's
569 world of the future? Maybe Huxley's, though. Maybe Ellison's. Well, at least
570 not Lem. Maybe something as cynical as "A Clockwork Orange"?? Maybe.....
571 (By the way, does anybody know the chemical make-up of Silly Putty?)
572 PEN NAME
573 |||||||| A Fanatic, of sorts|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
574 An example of twitish behavior: GO DUCKS!!!
575 (Sorry, I just couldn't resist.)
576 +_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_+_
577
578 To the person (?) who made the changes in my story about the Cessna: W
579 Why don't you tell me who you are, or don't you have the intestinal for
580 titude to do so? Perhaps we can meet somewhere and talk about the things
581 that happen to people who incur the wrath of Delta V.
582 To above,with the barbed wire fence border who said "I'm probably wrong:
583 You're wrong.
584 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
585 In response to the above, and since this is civil war time, GO BEAVERS!
586 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
587 Pen Name: Lem and Ellison? You have good taste in authors.
588 A fan of science fiction
589
590 Nobody
591 Is
592 Cuthroat
593 Enough
594 ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. .............
595 It had been a very long time, or so it seemed, since I have been allowed to see the light of day on my own
596 without the presence of a supervisor or therapist. To have actually been allowed to leave the builing was on its
597 own a miracle to me. I had tried for so long to get out that all I can do now is think of how good I'll feel
598 once I get back in the warmth of the Center. The warmth can wait for now.
599 I'd never been here before, and I don't really know why I'd decided to come here now. It was just a
600 strange idea that had come over me from having gone over a few of the files I still had to my dispossal -- ones
601 that they didn't feel would be compromising even in my present condition. My present condition... what a laugh.
602 I'd just run across an innocent looking folder that had the word "Closed" stamped across the cover and felt it
603 would be interesting to see how a case had been solved from start to end. I had no idea what I would read.
604 It appears that just prior to my return, someone had been unwittingly murdered by a couple of peeping-toms.
605 They were observing someone they thought was a stranger. The stranger turned... I'd call it manslaughter.
606 "I never knew you, Miss Penn. They didn't mean to kill you." I placed the flowers on the grave and walked off.
607 ............. ............. ............. ............. ............. .............
TOTAL NUMBER OF LINES = 607