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The Marraketh Connection
"Strangers in the Night"
Author: Theseus, VRDET

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	The four rangers found their way back to camp without 
incident. Calculus was waiting for them when they arrived.
	He walked over and looked directly at the man the other 
three rangers had been sent to rescue. "Red Paladin, may I have a 
word with you?"
	Red looked around for a moment as if seeking some means 
of escape, then followed Calc meekly.
	As Theseus watched them walk out of ear-shot he couldn't 
help but feel sorry for Red. "Poor guy," he said softly.
	Bryn overheard him and smiled. "You kicked him."
	Theseus turned to her, "Like you wouldn't have enjoyed 
it."
	Bryn grinned evilly in response. Theseus watched Calc and 
Red for a moment then walked over to his tent. He wasn't sure 
when they'd be moving out again, and rather than revel in 
someone else's misfortune, he decided to take the opportunity to 
rest while he still had it.
				**********
	They moved out again about a hour later. It was dark, but 
instead of wasting the evening they walked through the night. It 
was dawn before they stopped and Theseus was ready to collapse. 
They quickly made camp and Maru took the first watch. Theseus 
retreated into his tent and immediately went to sleep.
	By the time he awoke it was just past noon. He exited the 
tent, stretched, and went to try to find Calc. Theseus searched 
for a while and eventually found him by the perimeter of the 
encampment, staring off into the distance and munching on an 
eggroll.
	He seemed to sense Theseus's presence and pointed in the 
general direction of the Rhye.
	"We're getting there," he said. A moment later he seemed 
to remember his manners and held up an eggroll, "Want one? I've 
got plenty of them."
	Theseus was hungry, but he felt that he'd probably be 
better off sticking with the dry rations.
	"No thanks," he answered. "When are we moving out 
anyway?"
	"As soon as everyone's up," Calc replied between 
mouthfuls of food. "If we're lucky about two more day's worth of 
walking will get us to Rhye."
	Sensing that the conversation was over, Theseus left 
Calculus to his contemplation and walked back to his tent. On the 
way back he saw Bryn reading, but as far as he could tell Red and 
Maru were still asleep. Theseus was impatient to be moving and 
considered waking them just so they could leave. He decided 
against it though and in the end just sat and waited. At about 
three they picked up camp and started moving again.
	Eventually they found a small road which seemed to lead 
to their destination. However after a short distance the road 
forked. The two branches led in almost directly opposite 
directions. After a few moments of discussion they decided to 
split up. Theseus, Maru and Calc left Red and Bryn and began 
their journey into the unknown...
				**********
	They walked for the rest of the day and set up camp as 
night fell. Calculus offered to take the first watch and Theseus 
and Maru both gratefully agreed and went to their respective 
tents to sleep.
				**********

	Theseus awoke with a start, his body covered in stale 
sweat. He had only vague memories of the dream that had left him 
in this condition, and those were already fading. He shook his 
head to clear the cobwebs and after a moment noticed a sliver of
sunlight streaming through his tent flap. It was already morning. 
That meant he must have missed his shift on watch.
	He stepped outside his tent with an apology on his lips. 
"Damn. Sorry Calc. I Must've over--" Theseus looked around for a 
moment before his eyes lighted on a small plush hell Wyrm doll 
lying on the ground. "--slept."
	It took a moment for the realization of what he was 
seeing to sink in. He uttered a particularly vehement profanity 
and performed a quick scan of the area. It confirmed his worst 
suspicions. Calculus was gone.
				**********