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VRDET-OP: The Marraketh Connection
        "Interruptions"
        by: Red Paladin
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	"Don't expect anything and nothing will surprise you."
		-Book One of Lost Swords, Fred Saberhagen (it's 
		somewhere in there)

        Activity was as normal as it could get on the R&D level 
at Verthandic Rangers headquarters. Technicians were busy 
at their desks, hoping to churn out the latest version of a new 
weapon, vehicle, or something completely original. Though it was 
close to noon, the entire room was dark, illuminated only by 
desk lights placed at regular intervals. Most of the techs 
preferred to work in the dark.
        Suddenly, the shuffling of paper, scratching of pencils, 
and tapping of keys stopped as several watches sounded their 
electric chime. It was lunch time. If not for these periodic
reminders, many would forget to eat. The majority of the Techs
got up from their work and began filing out the door.  They were
heading towards the communal eating area for, of course, 
McDonald's.
        "You coming?" asked Brynhild.
        "Just one more line," replied Red Paladin, as he quickly
scratched out one last line on his drawing before he pried 
himself from his chair to follow her. They talked as they walked 
[Yes, that rhymes].
        "What are you working on?" she asked.
        "A new plane design," he responded. "I usually draw the 
thing first and then translate them into equations. I'll show 
it to you later if you'd like. Of all the R&D members, you and 
Necktie are the only ones who even bothered to comment on them. I 
don't think they're so bad that they merit a 'no comment' reply." 
He pushed open one of the double doors to the restaurant, holding 
it for Brynhild.
        "Thank you." she said, as she walked in. "I prefer to 
make desponge devices so I really wouldn't know much about 
avionics." 
        They stepped up to the counter and ordered. Two Double 
Quarter Pounders, large fries and three Shakes for Red, and a 
Big Mac combo for Brynhild. Around them, other VR personnel were 
engaged in various discussions, some serious and some not so 
serious. There was the occasional fry that would fly until it 
found a target, but generally, chatter dominated the room. They 
sat down to eat, talking about anything but work, their voices
joining those in the background. Between bites, there was 
intermittent laughter.
        "...so Moe says 'I got it on loan from the US navy. It 
can flash fry a buffalo in forty seconds,'" said Red. "Then Homer 
replies,'Forty seconds? But I want it now!'"
        Shaking her head, though smiling, Brynhild commented, 
"You watch way too much Simpsons."
        "No, I don't.... Okay maybe a little.... Well, it's a 
lot but.... Alright, you caught me. I'm never miss an episode if 
I can help it." He lowered his head in mock shame. 
        At this, she laugh aloud, almost choking on a fry. After 
recovering, they resumed their conversation. Ten minutes later, 
they had finished their lunch and split up. Red went back 
to finish up his paperwork and Brynhild headed to the library 
for a book to read.

        Sitting at his computer, Red put the finishing touches on 
his plane, then began work on a small stack of forms and 
reports that needed filling out.
        "Damn, this is boring," he said to no one in particular 
as three-thirty rolled around and the stack had shrunk to about 
a third of its original size. He decided to take a little break. 
Of course, playing a networked 'Red Alert [tm-Westwood Studios]' 
game made the hours fly. By eight o'clock, he had already 
crushed two bases, and was working on a third. He had two
contingents of mammoth tanks, one land and one by sea transport,
as well as a squadron of fighters ready to move in on another's 
base. 
        "Alright, you're dead, whoever you are," he said to 
himself. "Just a little closer... almost there... okay, {click} 
send in the paratr-"
        {Fzzt} 
        Everything went dark for just a moment. The desk lights 
flashed and the computers rebooted.
        "HELLLL! I almost had him... or her... or whoever. Damn!" 
Other curses were heard throughout the room as more important 
information that was not saved, disappeared. Unintelligible 
shouts were also heard, but one can guess at their meaning. 
*What the f*** happened!*
        They were answered by a young soldier running into the 
room telling everyone to get ready for a mission. Though they did 
not get the explanation they wanted, everyone rose to go to their 
posts. Some were not fighters, and they went to prepare supplies 
and transportation. Others ran to the Exploration Department to 
grab their emergency packs which are always on hand. Red was 
oblivious to all this though, still upset over his interrupted 
third victory, until the soldier came and shook him out of his 
trance.
        "Wake up, rookie! Forget the game! Go get ready!"
        That was all it took. How he knew Red had been playing a 
game was uncertain, but that did not matter. What mattered was
that Red rush to his room, quickly gather his personal weapons
and join the rest of the group. Fortunately, this did not take 
long since he always carried at least half of it.
        Thirty seconds later, as he stepped out of his quarters,
he spotted VR personnel running towards what he assumed was the
gathering spot, and rushed to follow them. The rumbling of 
footsteps on the stairs grew louder as they neared their 
destination. They stopped.
        Red was the last person to arrive. He gasped when he 
reached the door. The room was full of sophisticated equipment. 
In the back, center of the room was an enormous containment globe 
which encompassed ripplings of immense fluorescent blue and 
green energy. Since he had only joined the Verthandic Rangers a 
month ago, he had not had time to explore the whole base. But he
knew without a doubt that this was the much talked about "Gate" 
to other dimensions. Warming it up had caused the slight drop in 
power to the base.
        "Damn!!" he said in awe. He paused. "Wait a minute. 
Where's Brynhild?" He scanned the room but didn't see her 
anywhere, not even the magical signature of her crystal amulet. 
*She must still be in the library.*
        He fled the room, racking his brain to try and remember 
where it was. *Damn!* He sprinted up as fast as he could, 
searching every floor. In between breaths, he thought, *Where...
(huff) the hell... (huff) is it?*
        It took him a full four minutes and thirty seconds to 
search all the floors and climb all the stairs required. He 
practically exploded through the door, searching the 2nd level.
        "Brynhild! Where are you?" he yelled. The response came 
from a small corner room at the back of the long hall, where 
the computers were kept. She was the only person in there. 
She had finished her book and had decided to play on the 
computer, though she was trying to find out what happen to the 
networked 'Red Alert' game.
        "Do you know what? The electricity stopped just as I was 
about to get killed. This player had two contingents of red 
mammoth tanks and a squadron of planes ready to.... What's 
wrong?" She saw Red slightly flushed, as if he had sprinted a 
full mile.
        "Everyone's, or almost everyone, is going on some kind 
of mission. I left before they started briefing, so I don't know 
what it's about," he explained. It came out very quickly, but she 
looked like she was following. "I came back to look for you, 
'cause I thought you'd want to know." Abruptly, he stopped to 
catch his breath.
        She answered very calmly. "Alright, we'll get there. Just 
give me a few minutes to gather my things."
        They ran to her quarters. Actually, Red, not wanting to 
miss the transport, practically dragged her, forcing her to run 
so she wouldn't be caught without the support of her legs below 
her. It was fortunate she didn't fall on the stairs.
        He stood outside her apartment door, on the 5th level, 
waiting for her to get ready. It was just one minute, but seemed 
like an eternity to him.
        "Just like a woman to take so long," he mumbled 
impatiently.
        "I heard that," came the unexpected reply from within.
        "Kidding!" Red exclaimed, surprised that she had heard.
        With that, the door slid open, and she stepped out 
wearing her combat fatigues and the familiar chain around her 
neck to hold her crystal amulet. "Right," she said, as she gave 
him a solid whack to his shoulder.
        "You know I'm joking," Red replied, smiling and rubbing 
her target. His face then turned serious. "Come on. We'll have to 
hurry to catch them leaving."
        They raced down the stairs, Red naturally finishing 
first. He then leaned up against the opened door, pretending that 
he had waited a long time for her to show up. In fact, she was 
only a few meters behind. 
        "After you," Red said with a flourish and a bow, as she 
walked in, but this only led to a punch in his side. 
        They proceeded into the teleportation room and were 
informed they should be in the Situation Room on the Communal
Level for the pre-mission brief as a Technician shuffled them
right back out the door.
        "Race you to the Situation Room?" Brynhild challenged.
	"Sure," Red replied, but Bryn was already a few meters
away.

To Be Continued in "Situation"

(C) A Neutral&Chaotic Production, 1998. 

Neutral&Chaotic Publishing since 1997.
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The preceding segment is a work of fiction. Names, characters, 
places and incidents are either the product of the author's 
imagination or are used fictiously. Any resemblance to actual 
events or locals or persons, living or dead, is entirely 
coincidental.