Earlier today I'd arranged for Petro's short term storage at Juli's. This was going to cost me an unspecified favour sometime in the future. This annoyed me as I don't care to have things hanging over my head. Oh well. After that I'd gone home for supper and an early bedtime. In the middle of the night every other resident of Gimpy's, except me was awakened by the "watch" thumping on the door. First I knew of any of this was when I myself was awakened by a pounding on my door. I was sort of expecting this so I wasn't too surprised. Yelling that I was coming I quickly dressed and stepped outside. Parzel Post greeted me with a real dirty look when I made my appearance and confused me totally when he gestured sourly downstairs and grunted, "The watch want you, Placidus." I smiled apologetically, feeling terribly confused by all this and followed him downstairs.
I saw his brother and Morey the Short at the base of the stairs and things started making more sense when I saw that instead of the regular watch it was the nightwatch, some trollkin Jorjar had brought with him from Adari to use for night patrols. The "sergeant", well he did have stripes on his sleeve though they might have been booger tracks gestured for me to step outside as the boss wanted to talk with me. I decided on bravado and asked, "What are you going to do if I refuse? Club me on the kneecap?" He smiled showing his snaggly teeth and said, "No, me bite you in groin." This statement was rewarded by a wince and an immediate adoption of an instinctive hunched protective posture by all the human males present, myself and the owners to be precise, and of course my complete and immediate cooperation. I waved a jaunty goodbye to the Post brothers and Morey. They waved uncertainly back, still hunched over.
After we got outside to the street the sergeant smiled again, said "Don't worry me no bite, me take you friends" and gestured for me to follow him. I shrugged again and followed him through the darkened streets. His five troopers followed us to preserve appearances. We travelled a twisted trail to Bob's Bisonburger, no surprise there, and the sergeant led me around back where he knocked on the door in an obviously coded pattern. The door opened and he turned to go without so much as a cheery wave goodbye.
It was dark inside, of course, but I squared my shoulders and entered. Once I was inside the door closed. Someone lit a dim lamp and once my eyes adapted to the light I almost died from fright. Leaning against the grill directly opposite from me was a Zorani Death Lord in full combat rig. A hand touched me on the shoulder, even closer to death there, and the familiar voice of Chomper said, "Here he is boss." The Death Lord didn't deign to look at me and I realized that the comment was actually directed at yet another troll who I'd missed while swiftly calculating the best escape route. Great I'd had this dream, sorry nightmare, before. Just me and three trolls in a kitchen. Wonderful.
To be continued.
Oliver (sorry about the delay in continuing)
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