For Politeness' Sake

Inquirer

Just a few more steps . . . Risky . . .But it would be worth the risk for just the look on the look on their faces alone!

As odd as it sounds, I am still carrying the Key (the recall device for Dr. Vincent's teleporter). It still is my turn and despite the fact that last time around it was damaged due to being shot by a filthy Jawa's disruptor (re: 13742) I am not ready to just pass.

Hey, not like I think I'm JINXED or anything like that! Besides, even though it was inconvenient , the delay in the Star Wars universe I wouldn't trade the time I had there for the world!

Not every day you discover a daughter you never knew you had....

That and the head games I got to play with the Empire itself was quiet a nice change of pace!

Honestly, I was beginning to feel like I was in a rut. Was almost always the same thing: see a problem and shoot it. See a problem, shoot it. Bleh.

Yep, and as it stands this next trick I'm going to use is straight from that Sith Lord: Darth Vader. You remember that one scene in Cloud City (in "The Empire Strikes Back") where Vader Force grabbed Han Solo's blaster right out of his hands? Well, while I cannot deflect blaster bolts with my bare hands (much less deflect them with a lightsaber) I can use spellwork to yank things to me (with GREAT force).

Problem is, it is very short range (and those who are familiar enough with magic probably would shoot me before I completed the spell). That, unfortunately for the Sandmen, is NOT a catagory they fall into here!

"Francis, I am not too entirely sure that they are in need of being held at gunpoint," Logan argues, pointing his gun more to the floor than me. Better than it at the floor than ME, but still it's still OUT of it's holster and thus cause for concern. Still, it appears that like his movie counterpart that he's more . . .prone to be reasonable than Francis here. "They ARE unarmed and you must admit . . ."

Francis glances slightly back to the side at Logan and then at Inquirer.

"No," he says firmly. "It's simple, really. We all just go down to the base and sort this all out. Ask a few questions there, but we do it . . ."

Okay, I've had quiet enough of this crap. We tried it the nice way and . . .

A quietly muttered spell and Francis and and Logan yelp as they find their own pistols flying from their grip and into mine. A little Gunslinger trick I learned from brother Roland Deschain (they called it "The Border Slide" in that one cowboy from MY home reality: the Clint Eastwood movie The Outlaw Josey Wales).

. . .

Actually, on balance it was MUCH better than some of the other Westerns I saw. About as good as The Magnificient Seven (if for different reasons) back when I was researching for a long done roleplaying session.

Anyway, with a little flip the guns rotate from having me pointing the business ends AT my stomach to me holding OUTWARDS, business ends at the ready (and my fingers ready to pull the trigger).

Sigh, needn't have bothered in the end. By the lack of motion (even Emotion, on our now slack jawed Sandmen I know that someone behind me managed to get a spell off, sapping our two Sandman off to slumberland.

Glancing back a bit I note . . . it was Bambi who managed it by the way her hands are still raised slightly (as what one would have to do for spellcasting in some cases like THIS).

And here I was worried that nobody was going to be able to just cast spells to resolve this peacefully (and easily)! Silly me! Yeah, with the bulk of the centaurs in the way spell casting would be difficult for the others. . . .at least the kinds that we would WANT to use for this case.

Myself? Well, I was trying to resolve this in a more mundane manner (mustn't rely on magic for every problem needing solutions).

"Ah, I see that Aslan restored your magical powers," I observe, putting the rayguns BACK into their owner's holsters. "Thanks Bambi!"

Bambi

"You're welcome," I return.

. . .

That name will do for now until I figure out a newer and more appropriate name for the . . . new reality I face as a centauress. Besides, she's being polite so why be bothered?

Being polite never hurts, I find. Besides, it's the truth: it IS a very welcome surprise!! See, while Aslan had said to me (privately) that he had given me back access to magic I had thought it was something along the lines of what centaurs . . . . well, the centaurs of MY world have: shamantic magics.

It would have taken a bit of doing, relearning how to do magic that way. Shaman. Those chaps do magic through nature spirits and that involves rituals. Prayers and all that . . .

While not exactly an "athiest" (as my friends call the condition), you could say that I am somewhat lapsed in my faith. It has been . . . That long? Well, too long since I stepped inside a temple for even the most basic of devotions. And let us not mention that the faith I was raised within does NOT have shaman (and thus shamantic practices) within it's domains. That means not only would I have to get more . . . active I would have to switch . . .

And while now it was obviously not the case at the time I'd had a half disappointed thought that this was some kind of cheap trick in FORCING me to start worshiping Narnian gods (or god . . . whatever).

Oh, don't get me wrong it would have been a GREAT step up from being a magicless little street whore (nothing said about being a talking cow). Was thankful for being put to right by Aslan as he was able. Was most relieved that my sexual appetite is now more . . . reasonable.

. . .

Yeah, anyway I just found out after a desperate gamble that I DO have full access to my old style and powers: I'm a necromancer again! Albeit one with four feet, a long flowing mane and tail, and breast but still!! I had not been sure exactly what Inquirer was trying to do (had thought she was setting up to physically take down these town guard types). Oh, we know that she might get a it "shot up" in the process, but with her tough "cyborg" body that Golems have it would be . . . survivable for her. Unless, of course. . .

Well, then again anything for these Champions is survivable....Just it would be a BAD turn of luck indeed if a stray shot should hit something critical within Inquirer and put her out of commission for a LONG time. That is not something I wanted, even though she INSISTS on putting herself in harms way for MY and my . . . battle companion's sake.

Thus the spell attempt (which worked) . . .

VERY good. Honestly, after that little byplay between Inquirer, Logan, and this Francis character I do NOT wish to linger overly long. This "renewal" and "live to only 30" business to keep things in balance is something that says to me that vacating would be a VERY nice idea. Gods only know what they would have done if they'd seen the Doctor (who definitely looks to be of the "over 30" group)!

Francis in particular seemed to have a lot of problems with ME alone, a female centaur. What? He's never seen a non-human before? Absurd!

That said . . .

Inquirer had enough trouble downplaying the shouts of surprise (and disgust) over the "renewal/30 and that's it" THAT business from behind me. Let us see how my analog (who for SOME reason looks like what Fifi looked like before our trip through that damn Transform Door) wishes to travel.

1. With us or stay behind and talk with the nice Sandmen? Shall have to ask . . . for politeness' sake if nothing else. Can't decide for them, being that they ARE in their right minds from what I've seen...

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