Lauren Elizabeth Meyers Hastings, born Lauren Elizabeth Meyers, married
Phil hastings, and has three children, to be named later. She is
a 35 year old white girl who’s kept her figure. She is muscular,
but not overly large—she’s been exercising for the past year back in NagaWorld,
largely training in acrobatics. She also has developed a few simple
psionic tricks related to telepathy and telekinesis. She wears normal
twentieth-century clothes--jeans and a T-shirt would be good.
| Lauren awakens at night in a blind alley, not far from a streetlight, in a twentieth-century city. There's quite a bit of equipment scattered around, including a home-made cart filled with junk; the cart is made of a dull black hard polymer, designed to be pulled by hand. At least one kau sin ke, a simple long bow, and a quiver of arrows will be there. | She tosses those loose things in the cart... |
| ...and brushes herself off. "Well, so much for my efforts to make a kau sin ke with a psionic damage bonus. And I thought I could get behind the blast shield if it exploded." | She grabs the cart tongue, and starts walking. |
| She is startled by two men at the entrance to the alley--she nearly crashes into them. "Oh! I'm sorry!" They are also startled. |
These are vampires, but they have gone out of their way to make themselves
look ordinary. They should appear pale (I know—b&w, tough to
do), but dressed in normal clothes. The younger appears to be around
35 and handsome, the older nearer 55, with the peculiar combination of
appearing both very powerful and very decrepit for his age. They
use the names Gavin (the younger) and Jackson.
| Gavin: "Oh, no--I'm sorry." "I didn't think anyone was down there." "Where did you come from?" | Lauren: "Oh, well--I just got into town, and I'm a bit lost." thinks: 'These guys aren't quite right--I might be able to read their minds, figure out what they're thinking.' says: "Could you point me to a decent hotel where I can get a cheap room for the night?" "I can straighten things out in the morning." |
| Gavin: "As a matter of fact, I know an excellent place not far from here. I might have their card here..." Lauren thinks: "This is strange--it's like his mind wasn't human." | Gavin produces card: "Yes, here it is." "By the way, I'm Gavin; this is Jackson." Lauren: "I'm Lauren Hastings." Gavin: "What's in the cart?" Lauren: "My stuff--clothes, equipment, a couple continuing experiments." Gavin: "Experiments?" |
| Gavin: "Are you a scientist?" Lauren: "Well...more of a psionicist." | Gavin looks more serious. "Here--let me help you." "Here's $100. That should get you settled in the room," "and get you some dinner." |
| "You can pay me back once you're settled." "You can usually find me at The Pit--" "It's a night club downtown." "By the way..." | "Have you ever heard of Father Matthew James of the Saint George Mission?" |
| Lauren: "Uh--no, I've never heard of Father--James, did you say? or the mission." thinks: 'But he obviously worries you--and a man's enemies often know him best.' says: "Thanks for the money; I'll pay you back." | She leaves. They watch. |
| Lauren at the desk of the hotel. "I'd like a room." "A gentlemen named Gavin recommended you." Clerk: "Yes, Ma'am. Boy?" | Lauren, headed for the elevator: "Also, could you send up whichever local paper the hotel recommends for serious news--" "whatever is the most recent edition available." Clerk: "Yes, Ma'am. Boy, take this lady's things to 207, and then come back for the paper." "Thank you, Ma'am." |
| In her room, Lauren is looking at the paper. "Well, now I know that I'm in Philadelphia..." "and it's September 4th, 2005--not too far in the future..." | "But what is this place?" "Mayor John Gotti?" "President Marion Barry?" "And these stories..." |
| "Cult of Pan Holds Annual Orgy?" "Sacrifices to Ashoreth Big Success?" "Local Covens Run Membership Drive?" "What kind of crazy world have I versed into?" | "I wonder of Father Matthew James will be able to explain it." |
To be continued....
Back to first story in this issue, Kondor in on the Mary Piper.