Missing!

[DoF Archive]

Date: 11/1/1998 3:44 PM Central Daylight Time
From: SpifyMcBng

A defeated frown carried across the older woman's expression. The effect of the intense solitude a quiet library brings upon one's thoughts could not be understated. Her weathered, middle-aged hands clasped and unclasped nervously. Taut skin, slightly wrinkled with fifty years of life past, creased nervously over her eyes. Some casual observers might deduce this was a librarian who had lost a shipment of books.

Arthritis-riddled knees creaked and groaned as she rose, moving again to the picture on her office wall. Often she would gaze at its window-like view of a majestic battlefield, a wordless tale of some distant, make-believe realm devoid of magic or technology, contemplating the kind of blade skill necessary to survive in such an age. Gracefully, her head tilted away from the painting, emerald eyes shining in a slow sweep of her office.

"Decisions, decisions.."

Experience had shown Goon's clothing to be exceptional, most likely magical, as he somehow managed to put an obscene amount of money, Demon Rum, and other assorted knickknacks in that vest of his on a daily basis without it bulging a bit. She'd also heard him tell, in his own unique fashion, about someone sticking a hand in his vest and looking confused as they found nothing, despite having seen him just put one of his economy-sized liquor bottles
in there. Knowing of Titan's final plans, she felt it her duty to retrieve the Opal from Goon before they held him in utter frustration, unable to capture what they knew existed with him.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips. She wondered if Goon had noticed the way she shook as he removed the gem from his vest. Ignorance was bliss, indeed; the librarian saw that clearly after being on the fearful side of that coin. Her information on the mammoth man's "upgrades" left her ever-worried that someday, his trust would fade, and soon after she would be found smashed and broken in her office.

Perhaps it was the woman's own conscience which rendered her paranoid. She was loyal to Titan, this was in no doubt. To be the Goon's watcher when he was brought back to RhyDin Town after all these years was an honor of the greatest magnitude. He was used, manipulated, through her kind words and actions- even this was not bad, for he was ignorant of most things around him, sending him through most days in a happy-go-lucky state of mind. How
could that be wrong?

Testing the Opal... Nova Grey Shadow was strong, yet Icedancer controlled him. Could it be that it used his attempt to command it against him? Or was it simply too strong? What would it do, left unchecked? Goon made for the perfect test subject. Should the relic be too strong, who else would stand a chance of survival? No great harm would come to him. Were she wrong on that count, she could easily convince him that the mysterious stone were
the cause, and obtain it that way.

But.. the unexpected side effect.. his spirit grew weaker. He was still the same bounding, stumbling, bumbling fool who most everyone had grown to accept and appreciate. He still showed the wonderment of a child at the simplest of things. Yet no aspect of his extreme personality shone with quite the same brightness after prolonged exposure to the Opal. For this, Sue Johanssen felt the deepest remorse. She was not an evil woman. Titan was not a
company bent on world destruction. There was a usage in these gems which could be turned to good. That's why they tried to retrive the gems, that is why she helped.

Right?

The after-hours cleanup help had departed long ago. Alone, aching fingers pulled the painting aside, along with the safe-hiding door behind it. She worked the numbers with ease, belying the pain it caused.

Where had she gone wrong? Her loyalty was unquestioning. Was it the power she knew existed within the bluish tint of the rock? Her selfish desire to hoard it, keep it for herself? Or fear at the doubt in her employer's motivations?

A stray tear fell at her indecision. For over a week, she had held the gem in the confines of this wall-bound vault. Pulling the handle, she knew it could not last much longer. Someone would come searching. Questions would be asked. A change of heart had to come soon, for waiting too long before turning the Opal over would leave her excuses dry and dull, unbelievable, making interrogation a certainty.

Green orbs fell lifelessly upon the emptiness of the opened safe. A flood of strange emotion coursed through her. Fear of reprisal? Joy of not having this burden on her any longer? Sorrow for losing the one thing which held her connected to her captive student, whom she had tutored in the ways of the civilized world for months?

Only one thing stood out.

The Opal was gone.