ADVISORY NOTE FROM WEB PAGE MAINTAINER, DAVE PISTONE:  Without giving too
much away, let me jsut say that parts of this story may be a little
intense...  Also, a certain part deals with capital punishment, so if you
can't stomach reading about somebody being hanged, then either stop now,
or jsut skip over that part when you get to it.  Otherwise, enjoy.
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*** File Begins ***

Summer Days
 
by -- Joseph DeLaCroix
 
This story is based on characters created by Service and Games (SEGA), and
on characters created by Archie Comic Publications, Inc.  Any resemblance 
to actual characters are not coincidental.  ;)
 
Joseph, Bahb, and all other independent creations of Joseph DeLaCroix are
the copyrighted property of JoCo Inc.  Commander Packbell, Bookshire
Draftwood, and Sandra Nightweaver are the copyrighted property of David
Pistone.  All rights reserved.  Etc.
 
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Part I:
 
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The morning broke above the Great Forest, wiping away the black clouds
from the sky that had brought the usual thunderstorm during the humid
summer months.  Fog hung over the Forest like a shroud, lowering visibility
to yards rather than miles.  It was a cool morning, so the fog probably
wasn't going to disperse until the heat of the afternoon began.
 
Knothole had weathered the storm rather well.  A tree had fallen here and
there, and a few huts had minor roof damage.  A particularly unfortunate
lightning bolt had set one of the unused huts on fire, but had been quickly
extinguished by the quick actions of several citizens.  The roads were 
muddy, and some of the carts and other vehicles had become lodged in the 
moist earth.  But overall, Knothole had survived the storm in fine shape.
 
The electrical storm had also been kind to Robotropolis.  The usual acid
rain hadn't corroded anything enough that a good polish wouldn't remove,
and the electrical storms had only knocked out power to those parts of the
city that were lost causes, anyway.  Some water damage had been reported
in the multiple SWATBot facilities, and a gas main had blown near the edge
of the city, causing some of the metal forges to be temporarily disabled.
Other than that, the city wasn't any more doomed than before.
 
The Dome, however, had taken some serious structural damage to its roof.
The lightning blast had almost demolished the upper 45% of the curvature
of the structure, which had to be tended to immediately.  Repair drones
began working on the reconstruction of the Dome, using tempest-hardened
crystal, as soon as the storm broke early that morning.  Inside the
structure, Joseph and Sandra were sweeping up the place, still stunned
by the occurance...
 
"Look at this mess," Joseph said, "my lobby is ruined."
 
Sandra threw a broken chair into a waste-bin.  "It's no big deal...all
of your stuff below here is safe and sound.  It's not like anything really
-bad- happened."  She smiled sheepishly.  "Except for that, of course."
 
Joseph frowned.  The issue of `that' was a sensitive one.  Knocking a
ruined endtable into a disposal drone, he looked over to Sandra.
"I'm sorry," he said, pain in his voice.
 
She dropped her broom, going over to hug him.  "It wasn't your fault."
 
Joseph took her into his gentle embrace.  "Yes, it was.  I should have
built the roof better, seen the warning signs..."
 
Sandra carressed his back warmly.  "Now stop that.  You couldn't have done
a damn thing about it, so stop dwelling on it."  She looked into his 
eyes.  "I'm alive, safe, and with a fox who loves me.  What else do I 
need?"
 
Joseph kissed her gently on the forehead.  "A warm, safe place to live."
 
She smiled up at him, sneaking her hands inside his coat and rubbing his 
sides.  "Mmm.  Why can't I just curl up inside that big trenchcoat of 
yours?"
 
He laughed.  "You're such a yiff."
 
She blushed.  "I am not!"
 
Joseph dropped his hug and ran to the back of the room, yelling out 
"Sandra's a yiff!  She's gotta get it every night!"
 
Sandra chased after him, grabbing her broom and giggling.  "Ooh!"
 
He laughed, running around in circles.  "Look at her!  You *know* she
wants it right now!"
 
Sandra swatted him a few times in the backside.  "Just wait until I...!"
 
He jumped over the sofa, landing on the other side of it.  "Ha!"
 
She swooped around the other side and shoved him into it, causing it to
flip backwards.  When she landed completely on him, they were deposited
unceremoniously on the floor by the now-busted sofa.  "Oof!" they both 
said, lying in the middle of the room.
 
He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her again.  "Got you now."
 
Sandra pretended to struggle.  "Fiend."
 
He kissed her.  "Yiff."
 
She kissed back.  "Mrr."
 
Then, they both kissed, holding it for a long time.  They probably would 
have been there all day like that if it hadn't been for a knock on the
portal.  "Everything okay in there?" a familiar voice inquired.
 
Sandra disengaged from the kiss.  "Yes, Sir Charles."
 
He laughed.  "Mind if I come in?"
 
"Sure," Joseph said, rolling out from under Sandra and climbing to his
feet.  "Just one moment."  Dusting himself off, then helping Sandra to
her own feet, they both walked to the portal and turned the manual-opening
crank for the malfunctioning diamondium-titanium-crystalline alloy door.
 
The deroboticized Sir Charles entered, looking rather well for a hedgehog
is age.  His quills had taken on a light blue-white tint, and his 
moustache was a bit whiter than before, but he looked in good spirits 
and healthy.  It was amazing to see the change in him after being 
deroboticized.  "Hello, Joseph, Miss Nightweaver."  He smiled at them 
gently.  "Was I...interrupting anything?"
 
Joseph smiled, patting Charles on the back.  "Hey there, Uncle Chuck."
Unlike Sandra, Joseph was allowed, unconsciously, to call Sir Charles
`Uncle Chuck'; partially because of their scientist-scientist relationship,
and partially because Joseph was more `respectible' in polite society than
Sandra was at the moment.  "No, we were just...cleaning.  What brings you
to this part of the forest?"
 
He looked around.  "Oh, just stopping by to see how you were."
Uncle Chuck poked at some of the rubble with a stick, dispersing a few 
repair drones.  "I see you suffered some storm damage," Charles said, 
with a mildly concerned look on his face.  "Anything serious?"
 
"No, Charles, it's okay.  Just did some structural damage to the roof,
and a little bit of water damage.  Nothing more."  Joseph didn't really 
want to tell anyone about what had happened to Sandra, nor about the 
mysterious way she had been renewed...
 
"Ah.  Well, I just came by to see how you were doing...and to tell you
that one of those flying objects you control got hit with something
and crashed into Rotor's hut last night."  He smiled in the manner that  
only old males can perfect, and laughed.  "He wanted me to tell you to
come and pick it up, because he doesn't know how to fix it."
 
Joseph smiled, glad to get off the subject of his roof.  "I'll be down 
there to pick it up shortly.  Anything else of note?"
 
He shook his head.  "Nope, everything else seems to be in order."  He
glanced between the two of them.  "Are you sure everything's alright?"
 
"Yes, Charles, Sandra and I are fine."
 
He smiled.  "That's very good, boy.  I'll leave you two alone now."
Chuckling, he plodded off towards Knothole.  "Don't wear yourselves
out, y'hear?"
 
Sandra blushed, while Joseph just laughed.  "Get outa here, you old
'vert!"
 
As he wandered off, Joseph smiled and shook his head.  "Crazy old codger."
 
Sandra stood behind Joseph, wrapping her arms around his waist.  
"Honestly, I think most people believe me to be your concubine."
 
He frowned slightly.  "The others are fools.  They know nothing of us,
and I'd rather it stay that way."
 
Sandra hugged him.  "But that's not the truth."
 
Joseph mmmed and smiled, stroking her hands gently.  "Since when have 
you cared about the truth?"
 
"Ever since I actually could operate overtly in Knothole without being
arrested," she said, "that's when.  It's bad enough that people think me
an untrustworthy thief..."  Her eyes softened behind him, and she rested 
her face against his back for both physical and mental support.  
"...but now they all feel I'm a whore!"
 
He frowned, his eyes thinning to slits behind his sunglasses.  Within his
mouth, his fangs automatically sharpened, and pain-dulling endorphins
flooded his body.  "Lies," he snarled, "of the most vicious kind.  Any 
who I discover spreading such vile rumors will answer to me."
 
Sandra rested her head more firmly against his back.  "But you'll never 
know, Joseph...not even your devices can read the collective unconscious."
 
He calmed himself, after briefly allowing it to boil to a raging froth,
then forcing it to drift off into the atmosphere.  Rage could not solve 
the problem, he realized, but only time would.  He hoped.  "Yes, I suppose 
you are right," he growled quietly, "but still, if the opportunity 
presents itself..."
 
Sandra rubbed her muzzle against his back.  "I know you would, Joseph."
 
His claws idly extended, sharpened to the point where only wrought steel 
could resist their power, and then retracted with a deadly silence.  
"My own moral code demands it."
 
Her eyes softened a little more.  "I fear the day when your wrath will be
brought down on another, Joseph...you would kill rather than to accept 
dishonor, and the prospect of you going through the Mobian legal system..."
 
Joseph's eyes became like diamond-cutters, his fear of being seperated
from Sandra and his indignation at the Mobians for even considering such
an option playing out in his mind.  "I'll never leave you.  I'll destroy
this entire planet before I let anyone..."
 
Sandra gripped him tighter.  "Ssh...no need to frenzy again, Joseph."
 
He frowned, embarassed at his frothing anger.  "Sorry."
 
"Well, I don't feel like being stalked again..."  A question entered her
mind.  "Joe?"
 
"Yes?"
 
"Do you remember that time you told me about that vixen who tried to kill
your father back on Ur'thae?"
 
He nodded quietly, manuvering Sandra around while he continued to sweep.
 
"Well, would you...I mean, if something like that happened...could you...
kill me?"
 
He stopped dead in his tracks for a moment, making not a sound.  Sandra 
loosened her grip a bit, somewhat concerned about his sudden secessation
of movement.  Then, he turned around, took off his sunglasses, and looked
into her eyes.  It seemed like days before he spoke to her, but it was
only a few moments later that Joseph chose to reply.
 
"Yes..."
 
Time seemed to crystallize around them.  Nary a bird tweeted for the
duration of the word...Joseph actually replied in the affirmative!
 
An aeon later, he said the second half.  "...but only in that situation."
 
Sandra looked shocked for a moment, and then realized the grim reality of
Joseph's upbringing/programming; above all else, his elders must be 
protected and honored.  All other bonds, physical, mental, or emotional,
could not break the sacred trust between sire and sired.  Everyone else,
no matter what their station, came second.  
 
Initially, she denied it.  Certainly the love between two foxes could
weaken the hold between father and son.  Maybe he didn't love her as much
as he said he did.  Maybe he was holding something back; she might have
been seeing someone else behind his back, or...no.  Joseph had no reason
to lie to her, nor would he ever.
 
Then, she looked into his eyes.  Joseph's green eyes always fluxuated
in a way that she could read, making his true feelings plain.  His
love for her mingled with his honor and bond to his kin, and they were
only counterbalanced by the memory of the _Apocolypse_ and the crimes
of his own people.  If his father was on that ship, he'd help them
until he was too weak to push a button.  That was the only thing that  
would stop him, otherwise...it would take more than one vixen to sever
that link.
 
Finally, she accepted this reality for the first time, and remembered 
their own deep love for each other.  She knew and respected that Joseph 
had to do what he had to do, and she knew that he'd never intentionally 
hurt her unless she attempted to destroy his father; he had given his 
life to her after she had spared his own after his first berezerker rage, 
so even an attack on him would go unchallenged.  And since his dad 
was dead, anyway...  
 
She nodded softly and looked into his eyes, and thus approved of and
understood the ramifications of Joseph's words.  "I understand."
 
Joseph put on his sunglasses.  "That subject is unpleasant.  Let us
discuss something else."
 
Sandra took the offered option quickly.  "Has the stone spoken with you 
again, Joseph?"
 
He shook his head slowly, memories of knowledge given by the stone
resurfacing again.  "It has been silent...but I understand it now."  He
looked into space, his pupils turning slightly orange behind his shades.
"I understand so much now."
 
She feared the change in Joseph initially, but also instinctively knew 
that the stone was that of the light, not the dark.  Thus, her fear faded
to a steady level of awe.  "Do you think that the stone is...?"
 
"A Chaos Emerald?  Of course it is.  It is the other most powerful one on
this planet.  It is the Negative Master Chaos Emerald, and it is possessed
by the male/destructive/negative spirit of this world's lifeforce, Mob."
 
She was stunned for a moment.  "How did you know all that?"
 
He looked into her eyes as if she had asked him to add one and one 
together, but then reconsidered her statement logically.  How -had- he
known to say that?  "Well, umm...I just -knew- it, you know?"
 
Sandra waxed contemplative.  "Perhaps your contact with the stone
somehow gave you...some sort of...err..."  She attempted to speak
like Joseph.  "Dermal/Neurologic Linked Information Transferrence?"
 
He looked surprised.  "Sandra, I didn't know you knew of that term!
You mean you actually read my level one thesis of DNLs?"
 
She smiled secretively.  "I read many things around here."
 
He grinned dismissively.  "Well, that might be what happened...of course,
the magickal tends to ignore the paths trod by the scientist.  Perhaps
I can learn to accept both paths as the same in time..."
 
She nodded softly, smiling at him.  "I think you and that stone are going
to do great things."
 
Joseph crossed his arms and smirked smugly.  "Of course."  A thought
entered his mind.  "I better check on our guest.  He's probably either
half-mad with fear by now..."
 
Sandra grimaced.  "I forgot about Snively."
 
He sighed, as if he was about to undertake some awful personal chore.
"So did I.  I better do this myself."  Pulling away from Sandra, he
kissed her on the brow before decending down the step-shaft to the
laboratory...
 
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He arrived in the laboratory smoothly, and walked over to a distant 
corridor that led about 50 yards away from the main laboratory area.  
When he reached the end of the corridor, he rubbed his left forefinger 
over a certain spot in the wall, revealing an additional portal 
immediately in front of him.  Walking through it, he entered 
another room that had another little alcove implanted into it at the 
far end.
 
The alcove had a forcefield in front of it, and two massive UsagiBOTs 
flanking it on both side of the entrance.  Behind the alcove, there was
a 12 foot by 6 foot by 7 foot room, which had a replicator, a subspace
reciever that picked up various `human'-interest programming, and a bed.
Lying on the bed, watching the reciever's wall-mounted liquid crystal
monitor, was Snively.  
 
The cell had been built because Joseph had become sick of Snively's
complaints about the makeshift cell that had been hastily constructed
in the lab.  Tired of his continual chatter, Joseph made the new cell
to pacify him.  After all, he was probably going to be killed once 
Joseph turned him over to Sally, anyway, so he might as well live
his last few months comfortably.
 
Joseph came up with a quick ruse, and began acting on it.  "Oh, good.
You're alive."
 
Snively looked over at Joseph.  "What?"
 
"You mean you didn't hear that racket outside last night?"
 
Snively looked back over at the monitor in a blase' turn of his head,
lying through his teeth.  "No, not a thing."
 
Joseph looked over his shoulder uncomfortably.  "Oh, good.  Then it
probably won't find you."
 
Snively's brow dotted with perspiration.  "`It'?  What's `it', sir?"
 
"The demon I accidentally conjured out of my..."  He quickly thought
up a good name, stalling under the guise of fear.  "...interdimentional
portal device.  I was trying to tune in the Void, but I apparently found
some sort of Rift."  He pretended to attempt to soothe Snively. 
"Don't worry, it's only as big as me."
 
Snively stuttered involuntarily.  "D-demon?"
 
Joseph grimaced.  "Yeah, and it was a nasty SOB.  Long, razor-sharp teeth,
a tail like a scorpion, several gaping maws all around its head; dripping
spittle so vile that it could eat through a fox in under a minute, their
tongues lashing out into the air; huge claws that could tear a tree in 
twain, rippling muscles that were as hard as wrought iron, glowing red
eyes that could paralyze even the greatest Ur'thaen warrior..."
 
He yelped softly.  "And i-it's here, s-sir?"
 
Joseph smiled proudly.  "Nope.  I wasted the ugly mother with my cannon..."
He allowed his smile to fade.  "At least, I might have.  I either 
vaporized it or teleported it."  He resumed his smile.  "Well, I 
just thought you might like to know what happened last night.  I know
-I- like to know when unusual things happen, don't you?"
 
Snively nodded shakily.  "Y-yes."
 
"Well, I'll be off now.  Later."  With that, he walked from the room,
allowing Snively to hide under his bed.
 
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Joseph returned to Sandra, who was finishing up the removal of the debris
so the repair-bots could start reforging the roof.  "Everything go okay,
Joe?"
 
He nodded.  "Oh yes, wonderfully.  He'll be quiet for days now."
 
She smiled.  "Good.  Well, let's get out of here until the roof gets fixed.
How long do you think the robots will need?"
 
He mused for a moment.  "About a afternoon.  It's not totally broken, after
all."  He whistled, and the drones began to organize their plan of attack.
"Come now, darling, let's leave them to their work."
 
As they walked out, various robots popped blades and sanders out of their
appendages, and moved steadily towards the inside of the once-glorious
structure...
 
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Knothole was pleasantly cool after the storm.  Some of the huts were being
repaired by their various owners, and a few people strolled about gawking
at the damage.  The majority of the people of Knothole were, however,
simply enjoying the pleasant weather for the first time in several years.
 
She watched him walk down the street, right next to her yet miles away,
and observed how he looked through the crowd with the eyes of a machine;
scanning the crowd for potential threats, noting the slight collective 
swells and ebbs of mood, calculating trajectories of moving objects, 
sensing the slight temperature changes from place to place, listening
to mumbled dialogue throughout the crowd, and observing, silently, 
her every variation of feeling.
 
To the outside world, however, they appeared as a pair of freakishly tall
foxes walking down the street; one abnormally neon orange, the other an 
unnatural ravenish black...their strides nearly identical, their bodies 
complimenting each other in every way, and their eyes cool and mysterious.
A few mothers pulled their kits towards them as they wandered by, either
alarmed at Joseph's appearance or nervous that Sandra might steal one for
herself.  The old silently appraised the pair with slitted eyes, years of
an endless war callousing their hearts to the point where even a rather
quiet and trustworthy-appearing scientist was one to be watched.  
 
Yet, there were those in the village who were friendly to them.  A few 
of the teenagers shouted out to Joseph as he wandered by, blaring the 
boombox he had repaired during his last outing loudly in appreciation.
David Prower waved at them in passing as he flew through the village,
testing out some of his newer hardware, and some Keld'yrians smiled 
at Joseph and Sandra as a group of them went into the community center.
 
But despite some of the friendly looks and hails, the majority of the
village was either wary of Joseph's odd appearance and stature, nervous
about his SpyGlobes and other robot minions, or afraid of his sheer 
influence over the lives of 90% of the current Mobian population; or
they were afraid of Sandra's own odd appearance and stature, jealous
of her if they desired Joseph in some way, disgusted that a thief and
a spy could suddenly be showered with such power just because an 
`eccentric' person like Joseph came upon her on a snowy winter night,
or angry at her for some past crime.
 
Sandra stayed close to Joseph as they walked, realizing full well 
that a good majority of the people in the village disliked her 
passionately.  As long as she was with Joseph, however, she knew that
nobody would dare say a single negative thing about her, or even sneer
as she happened by.  After all, a few people in the village had forgotten
that Joseph had a very short tolorance for negative feelings about Sandra
during a previous excursion...and only a chance arrival of Sonic had 
broken up the imminent fight.
 
Since then, most people in the village had learned to keep their tongues
firmly bitten when Joseph was with Sandra, not even acknowledging them if
they had been one of the few who had caused Joseph's rage to foam.  This
seemed to suit Joseph just fine, seeing that violence against `primates'
(as he referred to those Mobians who were not foxes of some kind, or who
had personally annoyed him) was `distasteful'.  Sandra, however, liked to
know exactly how anyone felt about everything, so the silence was very
bothersome to her.  Almost intolerable, but the fact that Joseph could 
easily observe, at length, any one of them with the use of his recon 
devices was enough to keep her curiousity in check while they plodded on.
 
It was almost lunchtime in Knothole, and several people had ceased their 
work to dine at Knothole's only cafe, the `Hedgehog's Quill'.  It had been
named that informally in honor of the village's resident demigodish hero,
Sonic, after the Doomsday `affair'.  It had only been appropriate, after
all, after Sonic had single-handedly (well, that's what everyone thought;
Sally had only come along `for the ride') saved Mobius and killed Robotnik.
And since the cries for `King Sonic I' had increased dramatically after 
that, the owner of the restaurant decided to get in good with the future
`king' by naming the cafe which he ran `The Hedgehog's Quill'.
 
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It was a nice establishment, and was made mostly out of synthetic wood.  
The entire area was built on a raised `wooden' deck, which was about 
5 feet off the ground.  The concrete supports went up from the ground to
form the vertical axis for the railing, which was about three and a half 
feet from the floor of the `wooden' platform.  Horizontally, it sported 
sanded granite `pipes' to keep people from falling off, and the occasional
basket of flowers that hung off the side for color.  
 
The patio itself was a very meticulously-arranged affair, with `oak' tables
being surrounded by `redwood' chairs.  A plastic umbrella that was mounted
into the table gave the customers shade, if they so desired, by raising 
or lowering the parasol's control rod, and the laminated surface of the 
tables made cleaning simplicity itself.  There were always a few people
sitting around there, drinking or chatting, and gossiping about the comings
and goings of the inhabitants.
 
However, Joseph never sat in the patio unless he absolutely had to.  "It
makes me feel like an exhibit," he'd say to Sandra or whoever he was eating
with, and then step inside the large interior of the cafe.  
 
It was set up like any other bar and grill one might have found during the
great days of King Acorn's rule, which pleased the Princess' nostalgic
side.  A large bar that had been put in went from one side to the other of
the back of the building, and was tended by three teenage hedgehogs with
artifically bluened headquills.  A dance floor had been built on a slightly
raised platform in the middle of the structure, and was spotlessly clean
no matter what time you entered the cafe.  Around the sides of the `Quill'
were several more tables similar to those on the patio, and were tended 
by waiters and waitresses of all species, but with blue hats that simulated
Sonic's quills.  (Apparently, the owner of the restaurant, one Harold 
Weasel, wanted to really impress Sonic with his `devotion'.)  And hidden
in the far left corner of the establishment was a DJ booth, which was
usually quietly manned by a somewhat-crazy old wolf in a loud tropical 
shirt.
 
The motif of the `Quill' was a testament to Freedom Fighters around the
world.  Those of Knothole who weren't knowledgable of the other pockets of
resistance around the world could easily be educated by entering into 
`Hedgehog's Quill' and taking a look at some of the pictures, papers,
and stories about the various people who made the resistance what it was.
Posters from the `old days' of favorite bands or events were also displayed
proudly in the establishment, and a huge portrait of Sonic and the Knothole
crew hung behind the bar, which was a refreshing break from the various
shelves of consumable (?) liquids that were stored there.
 
Joseph entered with Sandra through the main door, and was led quickly by
a waitress to his usual table on the far back right, near the kitchen door.
As they drew closer, the refreshing smells of grilling cabbit and roasted
yakamule stimulated Joseph's hunger further, and put a slight smile on his
face from his memories of the exquisite meal he had consumed last time he
had been there...
 
Ahh, cabbit.  It was the very food animal that Joseph felt made saving 
the mudball in which he was now hopelessly entwined worthwhile.  A
freakish mixture of feline and lepus, it had the very qualities of the
turkey-like ch'rllbah that had been native to his own world.  The
psudobovine/equine consumable yakamule was also a delicious feast, 
and produced all sorts of tasty products.  
 
He pulled out a seat for Sandra, got her situated, and then took a seat 
himself.  The waitress returned a moment later, bringing Joseph his usual
Fizz [tm] ("I just can't get enough of this stuff," he'd always say when
asked why he always had Fizz [tm] with meals, "it just tastes so good.")
and an ashtray for the eventual cigar.
 
She was a very polite and somewhat alarmed mink named `Rachel', who stood
at nearly the same height Sandra did.  However, minks, like some types
of foxes, were expected to be tall.  A sort of Mobian fluke of genetics,
most of the canine and mephit species of the world were taller than most
of the other inhabitants, only exceeded by ursines and those of pure
equine stock.  She was an attractive young female of perhaps 20 or 22,
and was wearing the usual outfit of the organization; the usual hat that
couldn't contain her voluminous blond mane that was called her `headfur',
a tight blueish t-shirt with the words `Hedgehog's Quill: Where The Food
Is Fast, The Ale Is Cold, And The Customer Is Always Right' stenciled in
a bright red calligraphic font, and a short (but not unreasonably so) 
skirt.  Her eyes were also blue, but had shades of silver in them as well.
Her form was also properly mephit, possessing a healthy amount of material
in those areas attractive to the opposite sex, and a deficit of material in
those that would not appear attractive with much.  
 
Yet, Joseph barely gave her a second glance when she bent over to Sandra 
and inquired as to her beverage this afternoon.  However, Sandra gave her
a very cool, bored look when requesting her drink.  "Give me a glass of 
Mobian Black Wine, please," she said, "and be -sure- it is properly 
chilled."  Despite Sandra's rudeness, she smiled as a good waitress who 
expects a healthy tip does, and disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve 
a glass for Sandra.  Joseph considered saying something to Sandra about
her behavior, then thought better of it.  Perhaps the Mobian `time of the
month' was due for her.
 
On the table, there was the usual bucket of peanuts, as well as a small
card that explained that the Quill was the Finest Surviving Bar and Grill
on Mobius and that they allowed Smoking in the designated sections.
Joseph's ashtray was by his right palm, where his cigar was idling between
his index and middle fingers.  Two glasses of water were by both Sandra's
and Joseph's lefts, with a simple fork and knife wrapped in a napkin
occupying the right.  Slowly becoming bored, Joseph put the cigar into the
ashtray for a moment, and rolled his head around on his neck.  A moment
later, Joseph took a peanut, opened it, and tossed the salted legume into 
his mouth.  While continuing to wait, Joseph chose to take a look around at
the customers during the lunch rush.
 
The usual group of wanderers, locals, and rowdies had crowded into the 
place for their usual specials; grilled yakamule steak, Quill's `Legendary'
chili dogs, or the ever-popular cabbit salad.  The clientele was mostly
teenagers to young adults, and the distant smell of alcohol could be 
detected from some of the louder tables.  Occasionally, someone in a 
Quill's uniform would quietly escort someone to the door, who would sneak
back in and be thrown out a bit more loudly.  
 
However, most of the people there were civil, and mostly kept to their 
own affairs.  Every once in a while, a song would come over the speakers
that would motivate a mass dance.  Usually, it would be a slow song...but
when the fast stuff came on, the whole restaurant would literally rock on
its foundations from the sheer number of customers dancing.  That was how
popular the bar was...it was nearly a `club'.
 
At the moment, a patriotic tune was playing over the speakers, and was
enthusiastically being sung along with at some of the more 
alcohol-influenced tables.  "Bluuuuue streeeak...uhh, somethin' somethin',
Sooooonic the heddddgehooogg!!"  
 
Sandra was not so enthused, however, still waitng for her and Joseph's
drinks to be brought to them by their waitress.  "What, she got lost
or something?"
 
Joseph rubbed Sandra's paw.  "Now, Sandra, give the poor thing a break.  
She looked pretty frazzled as it was when she was -at- our table.  Who 
knows what else she's been dealing with today?"
 
She was not calmed.  "I don't care.  I come here to be fed, not to wait 
years and years for my wine."
 
Joseph ate a peanut.  "It's not like we haven't ate today..."
 
Sandra folded her arms and reclined in her chair a little.  "That's not the
point, Joe.  This place is supposed to have `the fastest service alive'.
I'm not seeing it."
 
He consumed another two peanuts.  "Patience is a virtue, Sandra..."
 
Sandra smirked, looking into Joseph's eyes jadedly.  "I once waited all
night inside one section of an air conditioner's vent, perfectly still, 
for the opportunity to sneak past a guard, through a lazer-tripwire system,
two snarling dogs, a tall titanium spiked `fence', and a sturdy glass case 
to get the Jewel of the Three Kingdoms."  He put her thumb and forefinger 
together.  "It was about that big, and was worth about twenty million 
Mobiums to my employers."  She smiled gently.  "If patience is a virtue,
I'm a frigging nun."
 
He laughed.  "Then waiting for a glass of tangy grape juice should be
no big deal."
 
She glared at the kitchen door.  "Yes, it -is-."
 
Joseph frowned a little.  "Sandra, you seem different today.  Is something
wrong?"
 
Sandra looked at Joseph with a very cool, yet very calm, look.  "That 
waitress," she said, "was my arch-nemesis in high school.  She was my
one competitor for everything; men, seats in the auditorium, new hats,
spots in the cafeteria line, you name it."  She gritted her teeth,
holding back her anger.  "She -never- got in trouble for anything, 
while I continually got sent to the ISD room and sneered at by my 
teachers."  She dug her claws into the table.  "Since then, I promised
to make her life miserable in any way I could."
 
Joseph looked a little surprised.  "She looked like she didn't mean you 
any malice to me.  I've come here lots of times without you, too, and 
she had always treated me nicely."
 
Sandra's eyes would have flashed red if she had cybernetic enhancements.
Her voice grew in rage, but maintained a steady volume.  "You mean she's
-been- working here?"
 
He grew a little nervous in this alarming change of mood.  "Yeah, since
like two or three months ago, when the last big group of people were 
deroboticized..."
 
Suddenly, she calmed a bit.  A little smile graced her face.  "Roboticized,
was she?  I should have known...too stupid to get out of the city in time."
 
Her rapid mood swing didn't help Joseph's feelings of nervousness.  "You
aren't going to try to make her unhappy, are you?"
 
She looked at him distrustingly.  "Why should -you- care?"
 
He folded his arms.  "I think that holding a grudge for -that- long is 
very unhealthy."
 
Sandra's initial suspicions of a tryst faded as she realized Joseph's 
actual reason for trying to quell her vengeance.  "You don't understand,"
she growled in a soft whisper, "she -deserves- to be abused!  This isn't
just a one-sided attack on someone who happened to get some things I 
wanted -fairly-!  She was -worse- than me!  She--"
 
She arrived then, putting Joseph's dram of iced Fizz [tm] down in front of
him, while putting a goblet of Mobian Black Wine, cooled in a freezer of
some sort, in front of her.  Sandra looked at her with a sudden blase'
look,which made the mink obviously more nervous.  Very frightened, she
turned to 
Joseph.  "W-what would you like, sir?"
 
Joseph smiled, making his usual polite request.  "Just my usual, please.  
The chef will know what to do."
 
She nodded, apparently thankful for his promptness.  "And y-you, ma'am...?"
 
Sandra looked at her with a very bored look, intensely focusing her
superiority right into her eyes.  "I wish to have one of the `Legendary'
chili dogs that this establishment serves, with extra chili."  She
yawned.  "And do it -now-, please."
 
The mink ran off after saying the usual `that'll be just a moment, enjoy 
your afternoon at the Hedgehog's Quill', looking like she was going to 
collapse from terror.  Needless to say, this was beginning to seriously
displease Joseph.  "What possible pleasure can you be deriving from this?
Whatever she had done must have been so long ago that it couldn't possibly
be affecting you now.  You are going to give her a heart attack...with...
whatever the hell you are doing to make her so afraid."
 
She clawed into the table.  It was starting to becoming noticable.  
"You -can't- understand!  She's a million times worse than I ever was!  
I hurt people because I -had- to!  She does it for fun!"
 
Joseph switched to Ur'thaen, seeing that people were starting to notice
their heated discussion.  << "I'm not seeing much evidence of bad intent
in that mink.  All I see is a very frightened girl, wondering if you'll
sic me on her for not chilling your drink enough." >>
 
Sandra followed, knowing enough of the language to be able to speak it
like a native.  << "That's an act!  She's a evil bitch, waiting for the
right opportunity to strike!" >>
 
He waved his hands around expressively.  << "Strike?  She can't harm either
of us!  I've got enough tactical weaponry to wipe this part of the mudball
into dust!  What could she do to you?" >>
 
Sandra leaned forward, trying to contain her voice to a whisper.  
<< "She uses people, then -kills- them!  I let my victims -live-, for 
Goddess' sake!  Rachel does away with them to cover her tracks!" >>
She growled, trying to make Joseph listen with sheer force of will.
<< "She's evil!" >>
 
Joseph sat back, shocked.  << "A killer?" >>
 
Sandra calmed down, seeing that her point had come across.  << "Yes, she's
killed about 10 men...covering it up by making them `suicides', tragic 
`accidents', various `mysterious disappearances'...and she's never been
caught!  She even tried to make -me- look responsible for one, but she 
didn't have enough evidence to frame me!" >>
 
He was still in a state of dumbfounded amazement.  << "But...she's always
looked so nice!  I've always gotten my food quickly and hot from her." >>
 
Sandra shook her head slowly, frowning.  << "The foolish bitch has been
trying to soften you up...she probably wants you for the reason that
everyone thinks -I- want you; power." >>
 
He looked agast.  << "You know that's not true." >>
 
<< "That's not the point!  She's dangerous, and she hates me with an 
undying passion...she's afraid now, only because you fight like three
Hells and Packbell rolled into one, and you're incredibly loyal." >>
She smiled for the first time in what seemed like years, but then returned
to her initial annoyed expression.  << "Thank Goodness for that...if you 
-were- having an affair with her, who knows what sort of damage she might 
do!" >>
 
Joseph reached inside his trenchcoat.  << "Well, I'll put a stop to--" >>
 
Sandra stopped him with her paw.  << "No!  Killing her yourself will only
damn you in the eyes of the people, and probably get us both lynched!" >>
 
Joseph sighed, resting his arm on the table.  << "What the hell are we 
supposed to do, then?  I can't let a murderer run free within Knothole." >>
 
She laughed for some reason, which alarmed Joseph a bit more.  << "Joseph,
there's an entire prison full of people in this restaurant alone.  Look
around!" >>  She guided him discreetly from table to table, showing him
the various criminals which were present.  << "That fox over there is 
a professional assassin, that wolf is a very elite safecracker, that 
couple of porcupines are two of the finest bankrobbers on Mobius, and
the middle hedgehog behind the bar is an anti-monarchy anarchist." >>
 
Joseph looked sincerely surprised.  << "Goddess' bosom!  If the Princess
knew what sort of people she was harboring..." >>
 
Sandra put a finger to his muzzle.  << "Too bad she won't, Joe.  Some of
those thugs have saved my life more than once." >>
 
Joseph looked shocked, then resigned himself to it.  
<< "I will not tarnish your professional honor." >>
 
She nodded.  << "I figured you'd understand." >>
 
Joseph ruffled his headfur.  << "But what are we supposed to do about this
witch of a waitress?" >>
 
Sandra smiled darkly.  << "Leave it to me, Joseph.  Just play along." >>
 
She returned, bringing Joseph his exquisitely rare yakamule steak, 
slathered in piping-hot au jus, with deliciously spicy potato wedges 
with it.  A bottle of even-more spicy sauce was given to him with it, 
and his Fizz [tm] was refreshed with the arrival of the meal.  
 
Rachel then carefully gave Sandra her meal, with a side order of fries
and a refreshment of her drink.  "W-would you like anything else, sir?"
 
Joseph dismissed her with a wave.  "This will be fine for now, thank you."
As she left, Joseph began to eat as he always did.  Sandra, however, kept
an eye on Rachel while she was eating, and waited for her to enter the
ladies' room before acting.
 
As she got up, Joseph watched her and made a fair guess on what she was
about to do.  "Go on," he muttered while he consumed a piece of saturated 
bread, "I'm right out here if you need me."  Of course, Sandra would have
gone off to the ladies' room anyway, even if Joseph hadn't noted that he
approved.  After she'd gotten out of sight, Joseph resumed eating, hoping
that she'd not get them both thrown out of the establishment.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The ladies' room of the `Quill' was done in a psudorustic style.  
The sinks and mirrors were done up in fake wood, and were obviously 
reenforced marble by the very look of the `wood'.  The floor was sanded 
and polished concrete, which was so painted to make it appear to be 
linoleum.  A fan was constantly going in the background to freshen 
the air, and the stalls of the lavoratory were tall and wide enough 
to accomodate the largest Mobian female.  The area was clean and 
smelled vaguely of pine.
 
It was also almost empty, except for a single mink who was grooming 
herself in front of the mirror, and the tall black vixen who is the 
focus of this episode...
 
Sandra strode in, some of the smoke from the outside draping behind her 
as a cloak and highlighting her menacing figure.  "So.  You lived."
 
The mink turned slightly to Sandra, still combing her lush blonde hair.
"I could say the same for you, dahling."
 
Sandra was unphased, and walked up to a nearby mirror to do some grooming
of her own.  "Well, I knew that it was time to get out of the city when 
I lost contact with my fence in Rivertown about 50 klicks from here.
That gave me the distinct feeling that it was time to go."
 
Rachel did her lashes.  "Of course, the fact that you swiped the
roboticizerplans for Ivo might have given you a hint as well, -honey-."
 
Sandra held back an instictive desire to tear open her throat.  "I'd 
thought you'd believe that nonsense, knowing you."
 
She kept grooming.  "So it's not true that you sold the world out to that
miserable deceased dictator?"
 
Sandra combed her hair.  "No, it's not."
 
"Then who did, Sandra?  Aliens?"
 
Sandra looked into the mirror, boring deeply into her own eyes.  She was
close, very close.  That, or she was being sarcastic.  "It was probably
one of the various spies that were all over Charles' lab during the last
weeks of the monarchy.  It's not my problem any more."
 
The mink seemed to lose interest in the subject.  "Well, whoever did it 
certainly yiffed herself, didn't she?"
 
Sandra washed off her hands.  "Definitely."
 
The mink smiled darkly.  "So, how's your freak boyfriend?"
 
Sandra took a towel from the wall and dried off her hands.  "He's less of
a freak than you are, `Black Widow'."
 
She laughed.  "Sure, honey.  Still a little bitter about being the second
best seductress on Mobius?"
 
Sandra folded her arms.  "My days of seduction for money or power are done,
Rachel.  I found love.  Haven't you?"
 
Rachel flinched for a moment, then resumed her usual composure.  "Love?
More like the motherlode, Sandy-dear.  You don't even need to compete any
longer; all you gotta do is cross your legs and the freak'll get it done."
 
It took all of Sandra's will to keep from killing Rachel the instant she
said that.  "Your mouth is still as vulgar as your methodology, yifftoy."
 
Rachel laughed, tying back her hair and putting on her hat.  "I'd like to
see you do something about it, dear.  Without him, you're nothing but a 
thief and a spy."  She looked into her eyes with a confident sneer.  
"And he -will- be mine, eventually.  Already, I've convinced him that 
you're nothing but a power-lusting bitch by how I've reacted.  It's too
late to warn him now...it's already begun."  She paused to let it sink in.
"How does that make you feel, Nightweaver?  Your days are numbered."
With that, she walked out the bathroom door, her tail flicking at her in
disrespect as she strode out.
 
She got herself a disposable cup, filled it with water, and got a drink.
"You get all that, Joseph?"
 
Through the subvocal implant behind her brain stem, she `heard' a slightly
distorted voice say, "Loud and clear, Sandra.  What a bitch."
 
Sandra took a drink.  "Didn't I tell you she was dangerous?"
 
"Damn straight," the `voice' said.  "remind me to remove the particle of
saline solution from my mental evaluation process when I hear a statement
from you."  He burped quietly.  "Now what?"
 
Sandra wiped her mouth, looking into the mirror with a dark smile.  
"We wait for her to make the next move."
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Joseph was just polishing off his glass of Fizz [tm] when Sandra emerged
from the ladies' room and took a seat.  However, she noticed that her 
chili dog had mysteriously disappeared.  "Hey, where's my lunch?"
 
He smiled and dabbed off the sies of his mouth with a napkin.  "It was
getting cold."
 
She scowled at him for a half-second, then smirked and took a seat.  
"I waited a long time for that!"
 
He smiled.  "It wasn't very healthy."
 
She held the smirk.  "That's no excuse!"
 
"I thought she might have poisoned it...?"
 
Sandra kicked his shin gently under the table.  "Wrong."
 
He winced and grinned softly.  "I was hungry."
 
She folded her arms, leaning back a bit in her chair.  "Well, that's 
the honest answer.  It's still not an excuse."
 
He laughed.  "Too bad.  I paid for it."
 
She smiled very slightly.  "That you did."
 
"Don't worry, I'll feed you something more tasty later."  He winked.
"A whole four-course picnic later tonight.  What d'ya say?"
 
She smiled, appeased.  "Well, only because you know how I adore picnics."
Sandra caressed his face with the back of her hand.  "You are forgiven."
 
He piled up their dishes in the middle of the table, took a fistful of 
peanuts, and shoved them in his coat pocket.  "Good.  Let's get the
smeg out of here before whatshername goes psycho."
 
Sandra smiled, getting up first, then allowing Joseph to stand.  Lunch 
had ended about 15 minutes ago, so the restaurant was mostly abandoned.  
A thought entered her head, however, as she stood.  "Joseph."
 
"Yeah?"
 
"Rotor."
 
He thought about it for a second, then smiled.  "Ahh."
 
They walked out the main door, Sandra walking next to Joseph...with the 
mink's hateful stare following them as they left.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Rotor's hut was in its usual state of unrestrained chaos.  Parts were 
strewn all over the eccentric walrus' hut, as was the occasional SWATBot
part.  Today, however, a table had been cleared away for a single 
basketball-sized object, that was restrained in a vice.  It seemed to 
have suffered from a blunt object colliding with it in some fashion, and
obviously required repair.
 
Rotor was still bent over it, poking at it with a probe, when Joseph 
entered the hut.  Sandra trailed from no great distance behind him, and 
stood at a safe distance away from the two tinkerers when they met.
 
"Rotor, pleasant to see you again."
 
The walrus looked up at the tall fox, and smiled.  "Hey, Joseph.  I found
your device spinning in one spot outside the village today, and I figured
you wouldn't mind if I tried to get it to work."
 
The fox smiled.  "Heavens no.  I like to see the innovative spirit in the 
denziens of this world."  He extended his palm to caress the device.  
"Please, show me what you've learned."
 
Rotor nodded, and opened up a hatch on the side of the device.  "Okay, 
here's what I think happened..."
 
As the technical aspects of the conversation took precedence, Sandra
wandered off to explore the rest of the hut.  As she walked around, she
noticed other things besides parts inhabited the area.  For example, a 
bed was in the far rear of the room, as were some pictures.  Most of the 
art on the wall dealt with Freedom Fighters at work and play, but a few 
had mostly walruses.  Perhaps this was a sort of family album for Rotor, 
she thought, but it mostly consisted of those in the village.  How odd...
where do you come from, Rotor?  How did you get here?  Perhaps she would
never know...
 
A popping sound and the smell of ozone filled the room, which returned 
Sandra's attention to the table and the tinkerers.  
 
Joseph waved away some of the smoke from the erupting device, and coughed.
"Well, looks like the master power conduit was just about to blow anyway."
 
Rotor coughed as well.  "So -that- is what that silver glob was.  I knew 
it had to be something like that...ah well."
 
The creator of the device smiled.  "Hey, I had to trash a few of these
objects before I learned how they worked.  You can keep this one for 
future study."
 
Rotor beamed a bit at Joseph.  "Really?  Thanks!"
 
He put up a paw benignly.  "No problem at all.  I have lots more."
 
Sandra walked back over to Joseph, returning to his side as if she were a
well-trained falcon.  "Well, darling, let's leave Rotor to his work..."
 
Joseph smiled and nodded.  "Just call if you have any questions, friend."
 
Rotor smiled.  "Oh, I'm sure you'll be sick of my questions soon enough."
 
They all laughed.  "You'd be surprised at my patience.  Now, if you'll 
excuse Sandra and I, there's some other business that needs to be attended
to."
 
Rotor nodded, and bent over the device to explore it further.  Content that
the walrus would be occupied for a few years, Joseph and Sandra strode off
into the village, heading home again...
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Sandra and Joseph returned to the Dome, seeing that the repairs to it were
nearly complete.  The final polish was being put on the Dome's new roof,
which consisted of clouded clear crystal, rather than the old brownish 
kind.  Joseph appeared surprised when he saw this, but was not angered.
"Good show," he said to the drones, "make sure the rest of it matches."
They twittered and began to comply as Joseph and Sandra entered the 
inside of the structure, and then descended below to the first sublevel.
 
Joseph replicated a proper basket, while Sandra took the time to think of
things to have for dinner.  "How do you feel about having some ham  
sandwiches, Joseph?"
 
He removed the completed basket from the side of the wall, and put a 
blanket inside of it to sit on.  "Nah, had ham last time."
 
Sandra hmmed and walked over to the food replicator.  "Turkey?"
 
Joseph fiddled with the basket a bit.  "Yeah, turkey'll be okay."
 
Sandra smiled and hit the proper buttons.  A few moments later, a packaged 
set of turkey sandwiches were created, which Sandra carried over to the 
basket for Joseph to stow.  "You think Rachel will try to bother us?" 
asked the orange fox to his mate.
 
Sandra frowned.  "Why would she?"
 
"I know how females can get," he said as he put the sandwiches in the 
basket, "especially ones with a penchant for homocide.  She's dangerous."  
He paused to finish packing the turkey sandwiches up, then shut the lid 
of the basket.  "We have to do -something-!"
 
She thought for a moment, and looked into Joseph's eyes.  "Like what?
You honestly think our word alone can get that hussy arrested?"
 
"No," said he, "but there are ways to snare even the craftiest foe..."
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Several hours later, they emerged from the Dome to have their dinner.  
Both had been cleansed, and a few hours of exercise had made them hungry 
for the healthy food contained within said wicker basket.  Joseph dragged 
the basket along while Sandra wandered around the areas surrounding the 
Dome to find just the right spot.
 
They followed a old stone path that led away from the Dome a mile or two,
and found the beautiful Green Hill at its end.  Thinking this would be
the best spot to have dinner, they ascended the hill and set up camp on 
the very top of the hill.  An orange tree provided them shade from the 
setting sun, and their blanket was set up around it so to take full 
advantage.  Their food was set up around the blanket for easy 
consumption, and both foxes were pleased at the subtle trap they had set.
 
Joseph knew Rachel was following about a half-mile behind them, and was 
silently tracing her progress through his network of hidden spy devices
and motion sensors.  Quickly, Sandra and Joseph set the stage for their
plot, and prepared a special prop just for the audience of one they would
have later...
 
Rachel breached the perimeter of the areas of Green Hill, and could now 
hear unseen from the bottom the conversation at the summit of the 
gentle hill...
 
So it begins, thought Joseph, reciting his lines perfectly.  "I don't 
-believe- what I'm hearing!"
 
Sandra smiled internally, beginning her part of the ruse.  "She is!  Don't 
you believe me?"
 
Joseph tuned his voice properly to accentuate his false rage.  "No!  This 
is ridiculous...there's no way that waitress could have been plotting to 
kill me!  I think you've lost your mind!"
 
"Oh, now -I- have lost -my- mind.  I see.  And I suppose your little
obsession with watching her `au natural' is -sane-?!" 
 
Joseph found this hilarious, but let no vestage of hilarity cross his
angry visage.  "That's a blatant mistruth, you harlot!"
 
Sandra stood, allowing Rachel to plainly see her from her spot at the 
bottom of the hill, and drew a massive silver knife from a hidden sheath 
behind her back.  "How dare you!" she shouted, and plunged the knife right 
into Joseph's breast.  He cried out once in a roar of agony and rage, but
quickly slipped into silence.
 
Rachel, shocked, broke her obfuscation at the bottom of the hill and 
rushed to the top to see with her own eyes what had happened...
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Sandra kneeled in front of Joseph's dead body, as blackish fluid flowed 
from his chest.  Her head was in her hands, and she was heavily sobbing.
"I killed him!" she kept repeating to herself, crying rather dramatically.
The picnic's parts were scattered about randomly, and a jar of mustard had
been knocked over and broken in the sudden scuffle.
 
Rachel regained her composure, and stood behind Joseph's sprawled form with
her arms crossed.  "Well, well...look what we have here.  Looks like Miss
Nightweaver here is a murderer after all."
 
The black vixen stood suddenly, wiping her eyes off and glaring into her 
eyes angerly.  "Now neither of us can have him, you miserable bitch...I'd
rather have him dead than see him in your vile arms!"
 
Rachel was nonplussed.  "So what, honey?  Now I can slay you myself, with
total justification..."  She pulled out a small pistol from the back of 
her jeans, and aimed it at Sandra's forehead.  "You see, dahling, no matter
what you do, I'm always better.  It's just like how I killed all ten of
those idiots; I took what I needed, then I left.  Jack Fox, Charles Weasel,
Pierre Wolf, Michael Falcon, Andrew Mongoose, Emmanuel Lemur, Robert Mouse,
and those three McMasterson brothers.  Now, you join the list...and I'll
be a hero to boot, because I killed the bitch who destroyed the inventor
of the deroboticizer!"  She started to laugh rather demonically at that
last statement, and her thumb moved to the hammer of the sidearm...
 
Sandra backed up a bit.  "You fiend!  And I suppose you'll tell everyone 
that I was behind the roboticizer theft as well!"
 
She laughed coldly.  "Idiot.  Of course I will...it'll cover my -own-
tracks!"  She laughed a bit more.  "Yes, Nightweaver, *I* took those plans
from Sir Charles, and now my secret will die with you!"
 
Sandra could only look on with terror as Rachel flicked back the hammer 
with her thumb, continuing to laugh ever-more psychotically...
 
However, it is rather hard to fire a weapon when it is suddenly punched 
out of one's hand, especially when a sneak attack was thus launched by 
one you thought was formerly dead.  Immediately after the gun was forced 
out of Rachel's hand, Joseph slammed her, painfully hard, into the 
blanketed ground.  The knife that was in his chest was now absent, and 
the wound seemed to have disappeared in a way that put in question it 
ever existing.
 
"I don't think so," said Joseph calmly, rubbing Rachel's snout into a 
pool of spilled mustard.  "You're done, baby."
 
Rachel growled and thrashed around, but simply didn't have the strength to
escape his superior mass.  "Fool!  You'll never prove a thing!"
 
"Is that so?" a familiar female voice said.
 
Sandra looked over to the new arrival surprisedly.  "Princess Sally?!"
 
The Princess nodded to Sandra and walked over to Joseph, kneeling down by 
his victim.  "I'm afraid, young lady, that Joseph transmitted the last few 
moments of your rant over the public subspace system."  She gestured in 
the general direction of the tree.  "It is, by the way, admissable in 
a court of law."  She looked over to Sandra.  "Mobius owes you an apology, 
Miss Nightweaver, for the rumors that were passed around about your 
involvement in the Roboticizer Affair."
 
Sandra nodded politely and looked over to Joseph.  "You didn't tell me 
you bugged that tree!"
 
Joseph smiled, looking up from his struggling foe's gesticulations and
curses for a moment to glance at Sandra.  "I did it before I met you...
I figured it would be a good precaution in case of something like this."
 
Sandra smirked.  "No matter.  The important thing was that we captured 
*her*--"  She snarled at Rachel.  "--before she could hurt anyone else."
 
A pair of large wolves climbed up the hill to relieve Joseph, and grabbed
Rachel before she could get away.  She cursed and kicked at the trio, but 
the large lupines dragged her down the hill before she could harm anyone.
 
Joseph stood back up, dusted himself off, and started cleaning up the area.
"That takes care of that now, doesn't it..."
 
Sally looked over to Joseph.  "Joseph, one question."
 
Joseph didn't bother looking up, still knocking debris into the center of 
the blanket.  "Yes?"
 
Sally put her right hand on her hip, gesturing with her left.  "How did 
you do that thing with the knife?"
 
Joseph finished knocking the garbage into the blanket, closed it, and
stuffed the menagerie into his basket.  Then, he looked up at Sally, and
extended his palm.  Slowly, a silver psudopod emerged from his wrist,  
stretching beyond the tip of his middle finger, and eventually detaching
his extended wrist.  It slowly formed itself into a cross-shaped blob, 
then refined itself into a blade, then the hilt.  Various details 
gradually emerged, and after it seemed to solidify, Joseph grabbed it 
in his other hand.  "I formed it from the metal that forms my internal
nervous system, then filled it with some of my vit--blood."  He suddenly
shoved it into his breast, which bled for a moment.  "When it broke against
my skin," he continued unabated, "the blood came out, and the knife seems
to cut me."  Slowly, the knife melted into his chest.  "Shortly afterward,
the knife is pulled back into my body to reform various parts of my nervous
system...thus, the illusion is complete."
 
Sally looked on amazed as his t-shirt revealed his body closing up behind
the knife, and purifying itself as if nothing had ever happened.  Only 
his soiled shirt revealed it had ever occurred.  "Wow."
 
He smiled and bowed a bit.  "It took some thought to come up with the 
illusion, but I think it did the job nicely."
 
Sally seemed to become a little nervous.  "Well, I better get back to
Knothole.  Again, good job, Joseph, Sandra...I'll see you around."  With
that, Sally jaunted down the hill, heading off to catch up with the 
guards.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
"Well, that was interesting," said Sandra after they had returned home.
 
Joseph took off the bloodied garments and put on a thick white robe.
"I'm just glad it's over."
 
Sandra flopped backwards onto their bed, resting her head against her
pillow heavily.  "How tiring.  At least we got the bad guy."
 
Joseph laid down as well, resting his head gently against Sandra's 
stomache.  His legs bent over the side of the bed slightly, even though the
bed was rather gigantic.  "Yes, that is a relief, isn't it?"
 
Sandra smiled softly, and stroked Joseph's headfur as if he were a kitten.
"I'd say.  The fact that she somehow had survived the coup was by itself
enough to alarm me."  She leaned back a bit more into the pillow.  "At 
least she'll finally be brought to justice.  I wonder if the Princess will
enforce the death penalty..."
 
Joseph hrmmed and relaxed a little more on Sandra's midsection.  "She
should, but I doubt she will..."
 
She sighed gently and closed her eyes.  "Oh well.  At least she's finally
gotten caught..."
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the planet:
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
He strode steadily onward, his cloak flapping behind him in the wind.  The
ship that had been promised had arrived to recieve him, and soon he would
be off...off into the blue waters of the Great Ocean, to travel to the
mainland.  
 
It was a good ship, large enough for one other besides himself.  The sail 
was in good condition, and the boat had obviously been well-cared for.  It
would be very easy to navigate this ship to its destination, and he was 
sure that the First's statement about the current warlike state of the 
peasantry was grossly exaggerated.
 
He climbed into the craft, pushed it off the shore with a nudge of his 
walking stick, and let the enchanted sail do the rest.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The starship grew closer to the world, its massive size not yet registering
with the meddling Keld'yrians.  Good, John thought, the cloaking device 
they had bought off the self-proclaimed `Lost Ones' worked as well.  They 
would get a substancial bonus if all the other things they had acquired 
from them operated properly as well...they might even be allowed to 
plunder and sack the planet first, he mused, after he had the Chaos 
Emeralds in his possession.
 
He looked out of the main viewscreen as his crew continued to steadily come
out of the cryogenic storage sections of the ship, and return to their 
former posts, ready to serve his will.  The Keld'yrian base on the second
moon of Mobius, something known only to him at the moment, would make an 
excellent test subject for the improved master gun.  Not only would it 
raise the morale of the crew to a fever pitch, but it was sufficiently 
large enough to make a good test for the souped-up weapon.  
 
Yet, the vision he had seen in his dream still bothered him.  Even though 
their victory over Mobius was practically assured, and the Chaos Emeralds
only inches away from his grasping paw, what he had seen still made his 
fur stand on end.  A powerful defender of the Chaos Emeralds the echidna
had not been; he certainly lacked the raw power it would take to transform
into a mighty bird of flame!  But visions do not always tell what actually 
happens in physical reality, he noted.  It may appear that the defender 
becomes a powerful Phoenix in the Umbral realms, but sometimes the forces
of magic are more subtle...
 
No matter.  Any attempts of resistance would be crushed before they 
attained sufficient altitude to harm him.  The Chaos Emeralds would 
be his, and the foul Keld'yrians would be trounced.  So was his will.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Part II
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
A few days went by.  Rachel was put into a hastily-constructed jail, 
and was guarded around the clock by the strongest males the village could
afford to assign to the task.  The new roof of the Dome was tested for
electrical resistance, and passed with flying colors.  The new look for
it was also well-recieved, seeing that cloudy clear-white seemed to 
meet everyone's approval more easily that the original dirt brownish hue.
 
Yet, just a week and a half later, some new and nearly frightening events
began to occur...
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Floating 50 yards above the middle of his pond, Joseph vaguely pondered
the events that led him to this current prediciment, and mused slightly
about why it would have to have happened to him.
 
Several days ago, while Joseph had been in his lab, an odd event had led 
him to yet another extreme transformation.  He had been holding the Stone 
(as Joseph called it) to see if any further guidance could be derived from 
it...then, he suddenly had become deaf.  The polyalloy had simply ceased 
picking up any auditory input, and no amount of internal rerouting could 
cause it to operate properly again.  So, he had put down the Stone for a 
moment, and physically squeezed some fresh metal from his arm into his 
neck.  His hearing resumed shortly afterward, as if nothing had ever 
happened.  Noting this occurance, he picked back up the Stone again.   
A few moments later, all color drained from his vision.  Becoming further 
annoyed, he put down the Stone and squeezed the steel from his tail, 
pushing it up his spinal column to his neck.  Color again returned.  
 
He came to the conclusion that the Stone must be interfering with his
internal functions somehow.  While he held it the third time, he had a 
scanning device monitor it for any sort of radiation.  It detected 
nothing, even as his sense of touch faded and then disappeared from his 
paws.  He put the Stone down again, and rerouted from another appendage, 
and his sense of sensation returned.
 
He walked away from the Stone for a bit, and sat down on the opposite 
side of the lab.  Logically, he thought, his cybernetic enhancements 
had to be interfering with whatever sort of magick the Stone worked 
through him.  He also knew somehow that he would have to get rid of 
them to make any sort of progress with the object.  But he liked his 
powerful abilities and mighty calculative prowess a lot, which made 
his scientific pursuits far less time-consuming.
 
Joseph thought long and hard, sitting down for over an hour before 
getting an idea on how to go about having both what he wanted and 
what he needed...of course, he thought, make a biological version.
 
He sat down at his terminal, and started designing yet another shell for 
him to use.  The Keldy'rian/Mobian/Ur'thaen mix was still utilized, but 
the central nervous system was radically changed.  The concentration of 
nerves was raised in several key areas, almost 150% more in some areas 
than others.  The eyes were reshaped and chemically altered (only by
organic means, of course) as were several other of the sensory organs.
The brain was overhauled completely, having an extremely uberdense 
concentration of neurons and synapses so to speed up thought and 
comprehension close to that of his current system.
 
A few days of 14-hour shifts later, he had designed the ultimate organic
expression of vulpine perfection; an Ur'thaen body, with the Keld'yrian
genetic background...namely, the ability to transform temporarily into a 
supersonic Mobian hedgehog.  Enhanced sight, hearing, smell, touch and
taste; with a brain that calculated and operated at roughly 80% of his 
current cybernetic mind.  Lengthened lifespan from 100 to 500 years,
with a healthy diet and proper care.  Enhanced immune system to 
compensate for the lack of nanites; it created antibodies for all known 
diseases, and adapted quickly to new viruses and diseases.  The 
circulatory and excretory systems worked very rapidly and powerfully; 
poisons and other toxins could be assimilated quickly and removed before 
any severe damage could be done.
 
However, the disease of vampirism still existed in the new body; 
apparently the genetic makeup of the shell required an occasional 
refreshment of its blood just as much as his current body did.  
The polyalloy wasn't at fault, after all...this annoyed Joseph, 
who wanted to be free of a dependance on Sandra's blood once and 
for all.  But the lure of the Stone, not to mention an acceptance 
of the practice by Sandra as `one of those things', made him
resign himself to designing an organic equivalent of the polyalloy's 
`vampire's fangs' that would introduce the forementioned vitae into his 
system.  
 
But overall, it would be a fun thing to try; he could always return to 
this form, he thought, if the new one didn't work out for the best.
 
The next problem was transferring his intelligence from his polyalloy
to the organics in his new shell.  The reverse was well-known and had 
been perfected to a near-art form.  But this situation had never been
attempted, to his knowledge.  Some research into the problem would have
to be attempted...so, another week of 14-hour shifts was used before 
a breakthrough was made.  (Meanwhile, Sandra was becoming rather lonely,
since she had been accustomed to Joseph's normal pattern of dozing for
most of the day ever since the deroboticizer coding had been taken over
by Bahb...)
 
The device was constructed in a few hours, and was completed just as the
new organic shell had been grown to the proper level.  Sandra stood close
by as Joseph wired himself into the device for the movement of data, 
wishing her mate luck on his new endevor.  "Be careful," Sandra nervously
said, getting a safe distance away from the sensitive equipment as the 
process began...
 
The transfer of information itself took about 15 minutes, but then the new
body had to be `animated'.  Electrical stimulus fired up the heart, while
fresh blood was generated for it to utilize.  The brain was kick-started
with a burst of neurotransmitters, which activated the rest of the 
body's lower functions.
 
Memories flooded the new host body...birth, childhood, the flight from
Ur'thae, the long sleep of cryostasis, the landing, the Dome, Sandra,
the imminent threat from space...
 
Paws clenched into fists as the primal rage flooded his body, the power
that gave the Ur'thaen race the will to conquer all.  The roar of 
awakening filled the hall, and the bonds that held the body broke asunder 
from the might unchained from the chains of reason and logic.  The howl 
shook the walls of the laboratory, shattered beakers, and paralysed 
Sandra with fear of feral extermination...claws extended into talons, 
teeth into fangs, his new body filling with his might...
 
Then, the mind took control.  Rage deadened into diamond-hard resolve,
frenzy into willpower.  His vision cleared, and the roar softened into a
friendly laughter.  Again, his heartbeat drove him forward, and the blood
of three races filled his veins.  The transfer had been successful.
 
He embraced his mate in joy, flesh pushing against flesh really for 
the first time; they were both purely organic, aside from the mere 
anti-virus-boost Sandra's nanites provided her.  Sandra, however,
was merely relieved that Joseph's obsession with understanding and
using the powers of the Stone hadn't caused him to become erased, or
corrupted, or harmed mentally somehow.  Yet.
 
His new body looked similar to his old one, except the characteristics 
were, to the Terran tongue, more `elvish'.  His ears were longer and 
slimmer, as was the rest of his head.  His eyes had seemed to have 
`slitted' a bit more, becoming longer and more oval-shaped.  His muzzle
was more pointed, and his cranium seemed to be more `aerodynamic' in a
way...a odd side-effect from his tinkering.  His body was slimmer, but
seemed to have more muscles to it.  His strength had been increased 
roughly 35%, yet his tone seemed even more subdued.  His legs were also
longer, adding about an inch to his height, and his hindpaws had 
increased a bit in length as well.
 
Yet, Sandra didn't seem to mind his subtle change in appearance, 
choosing instead to hug him warmly rather than criticize his new 
`look'.  It seemed to...suit him?  Yes, it suited him in a way 
that she could not describe...perhaps she would understand later.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
After all had been taken care of in the lab, he had again touched the 
Stone.  Now totally organic, he discovered that no ill effect came of it.  
It was, in fact, warmer to his paw, and seemed to feel `friendlier' to 
him somehow.  And, after a few moments, it spoke.
 
>> "You have purified yourself.  Good." <<
 
Joseph smiled.  "You speak again, Stone."
 
It seemed to chuckle.  >> "Yes, I do.  Allow me to introduce myself, 
young friend.  I am Mob, the male half of the Mobia.  My other half,
Ia, is with the Chaos Emeralds, as you call them, on the Floating 
Island.  Fate fortells that you have seen this place already.  <<
 
He nodded.  "Yes, I have been there."
 
>> "Good," << Mob said, >> "that will simplify matters later.  Now,
I'm sure you have many questions." <<
 
"Yes, I do."
 
>> "Then ask them." <<
 
He smiled.  "Alright.  First one: why me?"
 
>> "You were chosen, Jhosesophae, for the same reason the sky was chosen
to be blue as the water; it is unknown.  Not even I could tell you.  All
that is known is that you are the best male for the job.  The hero of Ia,
your blood-brother Sonic, was chosen for the same reason...and it is 
known that both of you shall preserve us from the evils that each of 
you have been put on a quest to destroy." <<
 
He raised an eyebrow.  "Us?  Who's `us'?"
 
>> "Ia and I are the two attracting and opposing forces of Mobius; my
maleness opposes, yet attacts, Ia's femaleness.  Our individual powers
are personified through the Chaos Emeralds; the waters, the fire, the
wind, the earth, and the magickal powers that hold together all.  Few 
worlds have such magick available in such a fashion...most have the 
magick spread evenly across the world, making all wizards and witches 
roughly equal in potential power." <<
 
Mob continued.  >> "But Mobius is special for some reason.  The forces 
of nature are especially concentrated in the crystals that you have 
called `Chaos Emeralds', and are focal points for all of the powers of 
nature.  Being such, people since the beginning of time, from all worlds, 
have tried to capture them." <<
 
He thought for a moment, staring into the glowing depths of the rock.  
"But wouldn't they be useless anywhere else but Mobius?"
 
>> "No, for the Chaos Emeralds are nothing but focal points.  You could 
use a Chaos Emerald anywhere in the universe, drawing upon the local 
powers of nature, and it would function just the same as if you were 
standing near Ia or myself." <<
 
Joseph looked impressed.  "So why hasn't some other technically superior
race come along and taken them by now?"
 
>> "We know of the threats to our world long before they arrive.  Thus, 
we can make a defender for ourselves; a great warrior, or a powerful 
wizard, to counter the enemy foe.  Drawing upon the limitless power of 
nature, our great fighter, or our great magi, can defeat any and 
all comers." <<
 
He thought for a moment.  "Why can't you just destroy the foe yourself?  
Why use another?"
 
>> "Despite being a powerful force, Ia or myself could not fight an 
agressor.  We lack the ability to focus our abilities in a way to 
vanquish a foe...to do that, a person wise in the ways of using 
our powers must take power from us and use it as they will." <<
 
Joseph raised a brow, and looked oddly at the glowing stone.  "But how 
is your champion supposed to learn how to use the power within you
to fight?"
 
>> "We know how to use our power, we simply lack the ability to put our 
knowledge forth.  You will learn from me as the ones before you have...
I will teach, you will practice." <<
 
Joseph nodded, understanding somehow.  "So I am to be this champion..."
 
>> "Yes.  You will be the Solaris of legend.  But not yet...first, you 
must learn how to use the limitless power presented to you." <<
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
A little bit later, Joseph went outside with the stone to begin his
mystical training, that eventually got him 150 feet above his pond.
Mob apparently chose to teach Joseph the art of flight first, he 
thought, because he had been rocketed upwards at an unexpected 
speed after reaching the pond area...
 
"Aaaaaa!" shouted the fox as he rushed upward through the sky, 
coming to a halt at a very high point above his own private pool.
 
>> "We will begin with a lesson in flight.  In 30 seconds, I shall stop
feeding you energy.  At that point, you must draw it from me and will 
yourself upwards again.  If you do not, you get wet." <<
 
He tried to compose himself.  "O-okay...ummm...how do I--"
 
He started to fall at that point very quickly.  Somehow, he knew how to 
take energy from the crystal, but he had no idea how to go about this 
`willing' himself upwards.  As the water loomed larger beneath him, he
reflected on how he had gotten into this situation, cursed, and thought
very hard of flight.
 
Inches from the water's surface, he came to a sudden halt.  He hovered 
above the liquid for several moments before slowly opening his eyes.
Joseph noticed how clear and cool the water was today, and how healthy
his robotic defense-fish looked at the time.  He then thought of how 
he'd like to take a swi--
 
In Joseph went a second later, with a grand splash of water blasting out 
of the centre of the pond.
 
A few moments went by before the wet fox thrashed from the water, coughing 
and spitting out the liquid that had crept into his lungs.  "Dammit!" he
swore as he swam to the water's edge, dragging the stone along with him.
As he emerged from the water, he threw off the drenched trenchcoat and
shirt, shaking off as his ancestors did many millenium ago.  "What the
frigging smeg happened?"
 
>> "You broke your concentration.  You were doing very well for a moment,
but then your thoughts began to drift like clouds." <<
 
Joseph spat out some seaweed that had gotten into his mouth.  "Great."
 
>> "It was a good first lesson.  Let's try something else before doing 
that again." <<
 
He rung out his tail.  "Like what?"
 
>> "Wouldn't you like to be dry?" <<
 
"How perceptive," he grumbled, wiping some water away from his eyebrows.
 
>> "Then think of being dry." <<
 
He coughed.  "Why not?  What's the worst that could happen?  I'll 
probably die learning this insanity, anyway."  Annoyed at his failure, 
he grabbed the stone again, closed his eyes, and concentrated totally 
on the water simply evaporating from his fur.  He thought of sunlight 
and fuzzy towels, and deserts and wind...
 
As he held those thoughts, his body got dryer.  A plume of steam rose 
from his back and chest, and his clothing also seemed to mystically dry
themselves in the same way.  After all the water had left him, he opened
his eyes and took his mind away from the task.  Sure enough, the effect
faded away with the lack of concentration, just as his brief 
hovering had.
 
"Hey," said an amazed Joseph, "it worked."
 
>> "You can do nearly anything you wish with the powers of Mobius if you
only set your mind to it.  No task is too great for the power of will to
accomplish." <<
 
He made a fist, and willed energy to sparkle around it.  "Now we're getting
somewhere."  He commanded the energy to spark across his pond, and strike  
a few boulders that laid on the other side.  "This is a lot easier than I 
thought it would be."  The boulders detonated gratifingly, which made 
Joseph smile.
 
>> "The only reason all on Mobius are not wizards is because they lack 
the faith in themselves to believe they can, the strength of will to do 
it, and the temperance not to abuse their might.  This is why you were 
chosen, Fell-From-The-Sky, and is why you were made the wizard rather 
than the warrior; the Way of the warrior focuses more on bravery, might, 
and the other roots of heroism...while you may also have those traits,
Runs-Like-Lightning, Sonic, does not yet hold the wisdom to understand
the Way of the wizard." <<
 
Joseph tried some other feats of will as the stone talked.  "So you're 
saying that while I could have been either, Sonic could only be one; 
therefore, I had to be what Sonic could not be."
 
>> "You are correct.  Both of you are just as vital to Mobius; it is
just that your Way focuses more on mental toughness than physical." <<
 
Joseph hmmed and looked up.  Fired by his recent successes, he balled 
his free fist, and took a breath.  "Think I'll be able to fly now?"
 
>> "Try it and see." <<
 
He closed his eyes, focusing on birds, spaceships, and balloons.  He
willed the energy to fill his lower legs and feet, and imagined they 
were the lower thrusters of an UsagiBOT.  Whoosh, whoosh, fly away...
 
Air rushed past him as the thoughts became more specific.  He willed 
himself to slow down as the wind rushed faster, not wanting to fly too
far away from his pond.  He opened his eyes after he had come to a 
stop, and looked down...
 
The Great Forest laid beneath him, his pond just a sparkling dot.
The lush Great Meadow and the mysterious Grey Mountains could be seen in  
the far distance, as were the smoking ruins of Robotropolis.  Birds flew 
several hundred yards beneath him, punctuating how far up he actually was.
 
Natually, Joseph's first instinct was to scream in terror.  10,000 feet 
is not a place for a fox to be without a spacecraft.  Yet, he somehow 
controlled his panic, grabbing more tightly onto the stone and holding 
the thought of flight in his mind.  If he lost that thought, he'd fall 
like a stone to the earth below...he started to rapidly drop downward.  
Quickly, he shut his eyes and reasserted mental control of his environment.
He was not going to be crushed like a dropped egg as long as he held the 
key to cosmic power in his right paw.  Glide down, he thought repeatedly, 
like a feather...like a landing saucer, like a leaf from a tree...and, 
gradually, the speed of his desent increased to a far less rapid pace.
 
Slowly, he desended to the world below, being very careful not to let his
thoughts wander astray.  Soon the Great Forest exclusively filled his
vision, and a few moments later he was again standing on the shore of his
pond, looking rather relieved.
 
>> "You controlled yourself well, yet you still have much to learn." <<
 
He put the stone down on the ground, and wiped his forehead.  "No kidding."
 
>> "Don't let these early moments of unimpressive last-second 
preservations of life bother you.  You just learned the basis of 
all magic and the ability to fly in less than a half-hour.  It 
usually takes weeks to culture such abilities in most normal 
beings; but because of your abnormal intelligence, we were 
able to make stunning progress." << It paused.  
>> "You should be proud." <<
 
He took a flask of water from his trenchcoat pocket on the ground, and took
a drink.  "Sure.  I almost impaled myself on the world I'm supposed to be
protecting, and I should be proud."
 
>> "Trust me, I've had to teach far worse.  A few of my students actually
-did- impale themselves on Mobius, and I had to train another one just to
put them back together." <<
 
He winced.  "Ouch."
 
>> "You've done far better; a near prodigy at the mystical arts.  It 
causes one to wonder how your initial religion of Science, which 
opposed Magick, led you to this point." <<
 
He slugged back more water.  "Love."
 
>> "Exactly.  Again, you prove beyond a doubt you are the Chosen." <<
 
He sat down on his coat, and looked up into the sky.  "I just hope I'm 
strong enough to keep the evil at bay, Mob."
 
>> "You are.  But much training must be completed before you can march 
off to battle." <<  It glowed more intensly for a moment.  >> "Come, 
let us continue." <<
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
Part III:
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
They worked the rest of the day, Joseph attempting to do what the Stone 
demonstrated for him.  He was becoming more and more proficient at what
Mob showed him, and a few weeks later he was making up `spells' of his 
own.  Meanwhile, however, other things were happening in the world that
would soon cause a great change in Joseph's life yet again....
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The trial itself began a few days after Rachel's capture, but took about 
a month to actually commence.  Even after it started, it was taking a long 
time to complete.  Despite the rather efficient Mobian system of justice,
it was unable to handle the main Judge's continual need to call a recess 
every time some interruption or personal task needed to be completed 
in order to allow Knothole and the rest of the Freedom Fighters to 
keep operating.
 
Sally was, of course, the Judge.  She came to court dressed in the
ceremonial garb of the Royal Court, which were beginning to get pretty
warm during the stretching summer months.  A jury was created by getting
residents of other villages to return to Knothole, so that the various
components of the jury would be personally unfamiliar with the individual.
However, the broadcast made by Joseph alienated a lot of potential jurors,
and made jury selection somewhat of a hit-or-miss affair.  A courtroom 
had been set up in the civic center, and air conditioning was thankfully
provided.
 
The trial had actually began in mid-summer, after everyone had gotten 
their acts together enough to operate such an affair.  Sally attempted 
to keep interruptions to a minimum, but the trial kept slowing down for 
various emergencies; minor brush fires, heatstroke, various festivals, 
etc.
 
Yet, progress was being made.  The defense was rather stymied about how 
to defend a self-incriminating subspace transmission, so was forced to 
fight the other evidence presented by the prosecution; which was far 
more organized and more robustly made.
 
First, the few people who knew Rachel during the times of the various
murders came forward to testify about her alleged involvement.  Now
unafraid of Rachel's vengeance, they told all about her despicable 
`addiction' to killing.  Then, Sandra came forward to testify about 
her overall character, and how she had also known of the various crimes
she had committed.  Not even the most zealous efforts by the defense 
could crack through Sandra's statements; her word now had weight to it.  
The transmission was replayed for the jury, which pretty much killed the
defense's meager efforts to acquit Rachel.  Now, only the final witness, 
Rachel's own ex-boyfriend, remained to be questioned.
 
The district attorney, a hasily elected Sir Charles, questioned this 
particularly informed friend of Rachel's...another mink named Thomas Fargo.
 
"Tell the court, son," said Charles, "about your relationship with the 
accused, and what you know about the alleged murders of Jack Fox, Charles 
Weasel, Pierre Wolf, Michael Falcon, Andrew Mongoose, Emmanuel Lemur, 
Robert Mouse, and the three McMasterson brothers."
 
The male sighed, slicked back his mane of headfur, and spoke softly.
"It all started so many years ago...I had been dating Rachel on and 
off for several months, breaking up with her every time I discovered 
she had been with another man.  Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I 
couldn't stay away; I was being used, and I could do nothing to stop it."  
He stopped to wipe his eyes, then continued.  "But one day, I finally 
could take no more, and confronted Rachel about her actions..."
 
Charles' eyes softened.  "Go on when you're ready, son."
 
He sniffed and blew his nose into a Kleenex.  "Well, she laughed at me
for my `nerve' and very clearly explained that she'd kill me if I left
her, just because it'd serve me right..."
 
The defense attorney for Rachel, a rather meek rabbit by the name of 
Sheryl, spoke up.  "Objection, your honor!  The witness is obviously 
embittered about the termination of the relationship with the accused!"
 
Sally looked over to her.  "So noted, defense."  She looked to the mink.
"Continue."
 
He coughed and wiped his eyes.  "So I had to leave town after that...this
was just before the McMasterson deaths, whom she was dating collectively
at the time...I'm glad I escaped."
 
Charles shook his head slowly.  "Your Honor, I have no further questions.
The prosecution rests...the evidence speaks for itself."
 
Sally sipped some of her glass of water.  "Very well, Charles, you may be
seated."  She glanced over to the defense.  "Do you wish to cross-examine
the witness?"
 
The rabbit stood.  "Yes, Your Honor."
 
Sally nodded.  "Proceed."
 
Sheryl walked over to the witness stand, where the mink was still blowing
his nose and holding back tears.  "How long had you been dating the accused
again, Thomas?"
 
He regained some control of himself.  "Overall, about a year."
 
"And had you," she said, "been emotionally attached to her?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Did you love her?"
 
"Yes."
 
She looked into the bleary, bloodshot eyes of the mink.  "Do you still 
love her?"
 
"No, I do not."
 
"Why?"
 
He snarled, his eyes clearing and the subtle undertones of rage filling his
voice.  "Because she's an evil, backstabbing, murderous bitch."
 
The rabbit smiled for a half-second, then continued her questioning.  
"So you have a dislike for the accused, Thomas?"
 
"Yes."
 
The rabbit's eyes lit up.  "Would you like to see her -die- for her 
alleged crimes?"
 
"Alleged crimes?!"  He looked up to Sally.  "Your Honor, she committed all
of those crimes, and then some!  The broadcast from the alien proved that
with her own words!  She's evil, I tell you!"
 
Sally banged her gavel against her table.  "Witness, please calm down."
 
With a great deal of personal strain, he did so.  "I apologize to the 
court for my outburst, Your Honor.  It's just that I have been living 
in fear of her retribution for so long, seeing her finally at the feet 
of Mobian justice has forced my deep hate of her to foam over."
 
"So noted, Witness."  She looked to the defense.  "Any further questions?"
 
The rabbit looked deflated.  At this point, she thought, perhaps they 
should plea bargain for a quick death.  But yet, she kept some hope 
alive, and remained steadfast in her posture.  "No, Your Honor.  The
defense rests."
 
Sally looked gently at Thomas.  "Then the witness is dismissed."
 
The mink collected his tissues together, and walked back to the section 
of the courtroom where the onlookers sat.  "If there is no further 
evidence to be provided, the jury may now deliberate over the evidence 
privately.  The court is in recess until the jury reaches its verdict."
She banged the gavel again, and watched the various Mobians file out 
of the civic center, and into a guarded, soundproof hut.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The court was in recess until the next day, when the jurors returned to 
the courtroom to state their verdict.  A tall fox in the jury read the
statement they had written up during their all-night discussion.
 
He cleared his throat before speaking.  "Ladies and Gentlemen of the 
Court, we, the jury of the case of People vs. Rachel Mink have 
deliberated over the evidence provided for us during our recess, and 
have come up with a verdict."
 
He took a breath again, and looked over the courtroom as he read.  
"The various testimony provided from the witnesses, as well as the
transmitted account of Rachel's `confession' to Miss Sandra Nightweaver,
have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Rachel Mink is guilty of ten
counts of Murder, as well as two counts of Attempted Murder, one 
count of Treason against the Crown, one count of Third Level War Crimes 
against the People of Mobius, and three counts of Perjury.  We recommend
the most extreme sentence for the combined crimes she has committed..."
He swallowed.  "Death."
 
Sally somberly nodded, and looked to Rachel with a firm, unyielding stare. 
"The jury has found you guilty, Rachel Mink.  I will now return to my 
chambers to decide your sentence.  Court is adjourned until noon 
tomorrow."
 
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Upon leaving the courtroom after the guilty party had been returned to her
cell, Sally's cool facade began to crumble.  She now had to decide the
fate of the prisoner they had within the hastily-constructed jail cell
in the center of town; should she merely sentence her to life 
imprisonment, or should she sentence her to death?
 
She entered her hut, closed the door, and prepared a mug of hot coffee.
What should she do?  What would her father do?  She didn't know, and 
couldn't...
 
Sally stared into the bottom of the cup, watching the swirling patterns
that formed on the surface of the liquid.  She had to weigh out the 
evidence in her head, then come to a conclusion.  She'd killed ten
people in the past, with no sort of remorse.  Then, she'd spent 15 
years roboticized...perhaps she'd changed, Sally thought.  
 
Then the transmission and the statements of Thomas bubbled up from her 
subconscious, proving that she hadn't changed that much.  She was still
without remorse for her past misdeeds, and was gleeful about stealing
the roboticizer plans from Sir Charles.  She'd destroyed the emotional
self of her various boyfriends by being totally disloyal.  Certainly, 
she wasn't a good person.
 
Yet, Sally didn't want to have anyone killed.  She couldn't even 
-think- of doing such an execution herself...every extra set of 
paws in the fight against Packbell, shackled or not, could be useful.
Perhaps some therapy and counciling would help the criminal mink.  
Sandra had changed; why couldn't she?
 
She drank some of her coffee, and stared into a wall.  A picture that 
someone had painted for her a few months ago was there.  It was a 
nice watercolor of the city of Mobitropolis, only days before the coup.
It was wonderfully done, and she could almost hear the sounds of the
city; children playing in the playgrounds, street musicians singing for
their dinner, storekeepers crying their wares out to passerby, the 
sounds of boats sailing out to the Great Ocean, the laughter of lovers...
 
Then, she saw the Destroyer fly over it, as she had countless times in
her worst nightmares; the sky turned black with smoke, the fleeing people 
suddenly becoming Worker-Bots, blood running through the streets like 
a flood, the screams of terrified children, the evil, roaring laughter...
 
She closed her eyes, a single tear falling into her coffee.  She 
knew what she had to do now; something she should have done the second
she saw the transmission...
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The courtroom was silent the next day as Sally returned to her desk, 
stationed high above the rest of the chamber.  Not even the sound of 
a heartbeat could be heard anywhere as Sally took a sip of a glass of
water, and looked right into the eyes of the damned mink.
 
"Rachel Mink, one day Mobius shall be free of the chains of the deceased
Robotnik, his evil nephew Snively, and his sadistic creation, Packbell.
On that day, all Mobians shall be free of pain, and the foundations of 
Robotnik's city shall crumble into dust."  She paused to let this 
throughly sink in.  "But you will not be there."
 
She continued on.  "On that day, the foundations of our new capital city,
New Mobitropolis, shall be laid.  The ground shall be cleansed of the
taint of industrial evil, the waters shall again be pure and fresh, and
the air shall smell sweeter than the most delicate rose.  It shall be
as if we had emerged from a long and cold Winter, and at that moment a
grand Spring shall rise like the sun from the ashes of our suffering."
Again, a brief pause.  "But you will not be there."
 
"The glorious sound of a child's laughter shall echo through the hills 
and valleys of this great Northern continent, and all shall know on that 
day our true Victory has been sealed.  No longer shall we have to hide 
in our forest fortresses and underground cities, for there shall be 
peace and harmony throughout Mobius.  Men shall walk proudly, without 
fear of capture or assault, anywhere on the earth; and the mothers of 
the world shall let their children play unhidden in the glens and nolls 
of our fine planet."  A pause.  "But you will not be there."
 
"Rachel Mink," boomed Sally with a voice as hard as steel, "you will not 
be there because your bones shall be rotting within the very earth that
the people of Mobius will live and love on, for I sentence you to death;
to be carried out immediately, in a part of Mobius where none shall ever
wish to tread upon ever again, by a method to be chosen by the 
executioner."
 
She took a sip of her water, and gestured to the large lupine guards.
"Get this traitorous wench out of my sight."
 
As they dragged her away, Sally gazed into her smoldering rage-filled 
eyes, which filled her with a slight sense of dread...no fear existed
there, no sorrow, just the undying hate...but Sally knew in her heart
that she and the rest of the world had nothing more to fear from her;
she'd be dead in an hour, anyway.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The guards dragged her beyond the village's limits, and met up with the 
royal executioner on a hillside about 5 miles from the village's most 
outer fringe.  The executioner, an old bobcat named Reginald, stood 
under a tall oak tree wearing his full regal garb; a long, flowing black
robe, with a hood that totally obscured his face.
 
Reginald's existance in Knothole was somewhat interesting to the common
observer.  He had been roboticized very early on in the coup, and had 
worked in the nearby SWATBot factory near Robotnik's main base in 
Robotropolis.  He had regained his faculties by a freak electrical 
accident which was believed by the presiding SWATBots to have killed him.
Thus, he was thrown in a landfill and forgotten about completely.  But 
due to a combination of good luck and physical might, he was able to 
escape the city just as the deroboticizer was first being developed, 
and found his way shortly afterward to Knothole.  Since then, he'd 
worked as a assistant to the Princess herself, and now found himself 
back in his original job.
 
She was brought before him completely restrained, and dropped nearby the 
tree when the guards approached the royal executioner for instructions.
Her cry of annoyance was ignored by all.  "So, this is the harlot who 
helped Robotnik enslave the entire world, eh?  Doesn't look so impressive
to me, gentlemen.  She certainly won't be in top form when we're done 
with her, will she?"  The executioner and the guards all laughed slightly. 
"Okay, lads, let's get this over with so we can all get back home before 
dusk."  He walked out of the grove for a moment, and returned with a 
rope with a noose on the end.  "Attach this to the tree for me, 
gentlemen."
 
As the wolves did so, the executioner walked over to the mink.  "Any
last words, requests, pleas for mercy?"
 
She spat at him, nailing him in the face.  "I'll see you all in Hell."
 
He smiled at her.  "Very well then, madam."  He walked away from her
for a moment, then took a silk rag from the inside of his robe to wipe
off his face.  "Kick her a few times when you're through."
 
The wolves finished setting up the device to hang the mink, and then
kicked her in the stomache several times to pacify her.  She refused
to cry out or curse at all, only hissing at the blows.  After they
were through, the executioner spoke.  "Now go roll a large rock into 
the clearing, so we can set her up on it.  I saw a good one about
50 yards to the east."  They nodded, and went to go get the boulder.
 
The executioner pulled on the rope a few times to test it, and 
adjusted the noose to operate more efficiently.  "What do you want 
on your tombstone, madam?"
 
Rachel spat at him again, but missed by a few inches.  "Eat me."  
 
He continued to fiddle with the rope.  "I'll take that as a `none'."
 
The rock was rolled in on a wheeled cart.  "Ah, excellent, we're just
about ready to begin.  Gentlemen, roll the cart underneath the noose,
put our guest on it, and affix the rope around her throat."
 
The wolves did so, albeit with great resistance from the mink.  She spat
and thrashed around, but nothing she could do stopped the large wolves 
from getting her in place, and putting the rope around her throat.
 
"Gentlemen, take your places, please."  The wolves complied, and got in
front of the cart.  They picked up the reins of the wheeled sleigh, and 
were ready to pull it at a moment's notice.  The executioner nodded to 
them.  "On my mark, gentlemen, pull."
 
He walked to the side of the rock, and spoke at the mink rather than 
to her.  "It gives me great pleasure to announce that Princess 
Sally Alicia Acorn, heir to the Throne of Mobius, has found you
guilty of murder, both completed and attempted, treason, war crimes, 
and being a general bitch.  Our wise Princess has therefore sentenced 
you  to death by a method of death selected by myself.  I have chosen 
termination by hanging, because it eliminates much of the messy 
cleanup that comes from the usual punishment for treason, drawing 
and quartering."  He cleared his throat.  "I hearby execute your 
sentence in the speediest way possible.  May Goddess have mercy on 
your soul."  Then, he spat in her face.  "Paybacks are hell, aren't
they, honey?"
 
He looked to the wolves.  "Pull."
 
The reins snapped taut.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
The executioner and the wolves returned to Knothole an hour later, having
completed their work to the letter.  People were warned not to go to the
willow tree deep within the Forest until a week had passed.  If she was
still mostly intact, her body would be burnt to ashes and buried in a 
thick bag in the Great Swamp.  However, odds were that the cannibals 
that lurked in the deep forest at night would probably find the 
`offering' and deal with it as they dementedly would.  In most people's 
opinion, it was poetic justice.  However, to the very person who had 
sentenced her to death, there were only questions.
 
As she sat in her hut that night, she stared up into the stars and 
thought of what else she might have done...if she had let her live, 
might she have reformed?  Could she have become a productive member 
of society, someone you could count on in times of need?
 
She didn't know; she knew she'd done what her father and anyone else 
who would have been in that situation would have done.  But still, the 
thought nagged at her, and would nag at her for many days afterward.
 
A week later, the tree was visited by the local mortician.  The rope was
found violently torn in twain, with smatterings of blood and fur laying
about the area.  Claw-marks were in the trees, and some pieces of bone 
were also discovered lying in the area surrounding the tree.  Sickened 
by the sight she found, she took the rope from the scene and ran back to
Knothole.  She had to take a vacation from her work for a few days, 
which sealed the area's fate as `The Cursed Tree'.  Not even Sonic 
would head up there then, no matter how hard one coerced him to.
 
Sandra was quieted about the issue of Rachel after the grisly discovery
at the hangman's tree.  Privately, she told Joseph justice had been done,
but publically she would not even speak of the subject any longer.
Luckily, the new developments with Joseph's magickal powers were enough
of a distraction to keep her from lingering on it, and added another 
issue to keep hidden from the general populace.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
On the small ship that was slowly drifting toward the shore of the Southern
Continent, the passenger of the vessel felt a small chill creep up his 
back...he knew not why, or who, or where, but he knew something very 
evil had been awakened...but, after a moment, it faded down to nothing.  
Perhaps his long sleep had skewed his perception.  Oh well, he thought,
it was probably nothing, anyway.
 
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*** File Ends ***