<< OOC ... for those knowing the famous work - 'DISCWORLD' from Terry Pratched ... N'Joy! For the others ... a great parody of fantasy literature, with Ricewind the wizard (who cant do any magic), DEATH (aye, death itself - he likes cats!) and many other 'shifted' fantasy figures ... hey just imagine ... thw whole world lies on the shoulders of four gigantic elephants who are astanding on A'Tuin - the GREAT galactic turtle! >> *** Holodeck Starbase Kinsi *** The evening's forrest was unusually quiet. There were virtually no forrest sounds to hear ... no animals hunting their preys, no birds singing their songs ... even flies seemed to be quiet and wait. But for what? The squire frowned a bit at the unusual forrest and bent down to examine a leaf. It was a small and round shaped leaf and the squire watched it intensively. Suddenly he looked up and froze in surprise. From the nearby bush run out a strange figure and passed him with almost warp speed while yelling like an afraid sheep.The figure was a young man, quite tall and all dressed in a red wizard robe ... with magical signs and occult symbols. The same fast as it appeared, the running wizard figure disappeared in the nearby bush on the other side. The young woman, standing at the Squires side, stepped back in alarm. "My Lord..." she exclaimed, pressing her hand to her throat "Who or what was that?" The squire shrugged: "It looked like a running red ball of clothes my lady ... I would not wonder if it would be some enchanted scarecrow" He looked at the young pretty lady: "But I am a bit concerned at the yelling ... sounded like something was chasing him ...." Lady Elizabeth looked around warily, drawing her velvet cloak closer as though for protection."I think we should leave this place and return another time...I feel as if I am watched." The Squire Bajaja raised his sword and said confidently: "Don't be afraid my lady, I'll protect you from whatever might come out of the wood" Looking at the barely 1 feet shortsword in his hand and considering it for a moment he added: "Unless it will be taller then 2 feets ..." "It's quite possible that it would be!" Lady Elizabeth replied looking from the sword to the Squire and back again."Please...lets select the...." her words were cut short by a second disturbance in the undergrowth.The sound of snapping twigs and bushes grew louder as someone ..or something..made its way towards them. Bajaja looked in the direction of the new horrible sound with a little of fear. Nothing living could do such a noise ... it must have been either an angry dragon group or a small warband of mountain trols. Either way no nice expectations for two humans in their way. He turned to the lady and said: "Erm ... mylady ... I think the sacrecrow was right in one point ... we should run too!" Lady Elizabeth needed no second bidding and picking up her skirts asked "Run to where Bajaja? The squire pointed towards the direction where the reddish running figure disappeared a moment ago ... "That way!" ... but before the couple could do anything ... a large wooden pirate chest emerged from the nearby bush and set its course directly at the couple that froze in surprise! Lady Elizabeth smothered a cry of alarm and stared in growing amazement at the wooden chest. "It has feet!" she said, her voice gone squeaky in surprise. The chest skidded to halt and the little feet shuffled round so that the chest 'faced' her.She edged away, glancing at Bajaja. The chest edged after her. "My Lord?..its....its ...looking at me!" Elizabeth doubted her own words for the chest had no 'face' yet she couldnt shake off the feeling it was assessing her. Bajaja looked at the chest with a mix of wonder and amazement. The chest had of course no face ... but even he was VERY convinced that it was looking at them ... with little anticipation he guessed. The chest gave an impression that if you would part with it in a bad mood ... it could chase you all over the continents ... it would follow you with its steady slow pace ... but one nice sunny day it would catch you ... and that day you would wish not to have been stepping out your bed. An idea stroke his head. he pointed the direction the wizardlike sacrecreow left ... " That way, he left that way" The chest lowered itself to the ground,its many little feet stretching out in the long grass. Elizabeth looked at it...it looked back...Elizabeth looked at Bajaja. "What do we do now?" she asked. "It seems...quite settled there." Bajaja shrugged and gave the the only logical reply: "Run". Turning the lady in the right direction he started to run and hoped that Lady ELizabeth was a better runner then her dress suggested. He dare not to look behind them ... even if he knew ... the chest was following them. They crashed and plunged their way through the undergrowth, coming at last to a small clearing."Please stop" Lady elizabeth gasped, placing her hands on her aching sides. She looked behind her. "I think we lost it" she said smiling to Bajaja but her smile froze as she looked past him and saw another figure. The scarecrow was peering out from behind a wide tree. "Have you seen it? Have you seen it?" The scarecrow yelled out at the two unsuspecting humans. His knees were shaking like an yellow pudding and his eyes changed position like a running hedgehog. "What should we have seen?" Bajaja asked carefully ... the scarecrow looked a bit too crazy to be not dangerous. "What?" The scarecrow asked. " the Dragon" he added, " big, silver, two wings ... breathes fire" he said and looked afraid around. "Dragon?" Elizabeth asked doubtfully. "You mean a 'dragon' dragon?...or just a little one?" she added hopefully.The scarecrow scowled at her and stepped into the clearing. "Excuse me...but arent you a wizard?" Elizabeth asked pointing to the hat the figure wore. She looked at Bajaja to see his opinion. Ricewind looked at the lady and asked in an somewhat afraid tone: "WIzard? Me? DO I look like a wizard?" He looked at his robe and added: "OK, I DO look like a wizard but I am no wizard if you search for a wizard ... but if you dont, I am Ricewind ... just Ricewind." Bajaja looked at the figure bewildered: "Erm ... nice to meet you Ricewind. This is lady Elizabeth and I am Bajaja" he said. "Yes, yes ... me too" Ricewind replied, "and the dragon is the BIG one ... you cant miss it ... higher then a house ... all silver, all flame ... Havent you seen it?" Bajaja shook his head. "I HAVE SEEN IT" came a voice heavy like a lead crypt. All three spun round in surprise. "Oh my..." Elizabeth murmured to herself edging slowly backwards to stand behind the Squire. A tall extremely thin and extremely boney figure, draped in a black cloak stood to one side of the clearing.It carried a gleaming well honed implement in one hand...a scythe. Ricewinds knees started to shake again as he froze up in fear. A slight frown run up Bajaja's neck as he looked at the bony figure. The hood from its head was removed by a bony hand and a full yellow-ish aged skull looked at the little group. The skull wore a broad smile ... and to be honest it had obvious no other choice, but Bajaja felt no happines in the figure's expession. "Erm" he started, "excuse me ... but who are you?" Bajaja asked. A voice resembling graveyeard chored replied: "I AM THE END OF EVERYTHING, THE LAST JUDGE, LAST DOOM OF ALL LIVING" "Erm ... yes?" Bajaja asked not getting the meaning ... "DEATH" the bony figure added a bit surprised about the lack of knowledge. "A sakra" Bajaja breathed out. Lady Elizabeth gulped in a most un- lady like way.Death turned his skull in her direction and fixed a piercing blue gaze on her from his eyesockets."You took us by surprise" she said. Death shrugged "HAPPENS" he stated offhandedly. "Are you...er...looking for one of us?" Elizabeth asked timidly.From the corner of her eye she saw the wooden chest get up and sidle over to stand beside her. It too looked worried. The bony figure nodded: "YES" sounded a voice resembling to an old long forgotten crypt. "Ah ... I knew it ... I knew it" yelled Ricewind like crazy. "I knew that today was a bad day .. since the old dwarf on the road throw the bucket on me ..." Bajaja looked at Lady Elizabeth and then at Death: "The Dragon?" "YES" replied the lead heavy voice. "You cant help us a bit, can you?" he asked. "NO, I AM SORRY" ===== End of part 1 ===== Lady Elizabeth (LtCmdr. Rangi Summers disguissed) & Squire Bajaja (Cmdr. Shane Guzman disguissed)