08/25/06:

                Susan showed up this morning in full uniform and practically sneered at Walter and Leo in their old, worn fatigues - let's just see who's more comfortable by the time we get to Vegas! Sven also showed up; he's decided to go back to Vegas as well. Did I mention that Scooby gets really cozy with that many people inside? Anyway, it was quiet for a few hours. We were closing in on Cortez when we heard some traffic on the Kingdom's radio frequency - they were trying to mobilize the guard posts.

                Rodrick got on the radio and said, "Scooby here, what's up guys?"

                "This is the Kingdom Defense frequency - get off the air."

                Rodrick persisted, "We're escorting His Majesty's ambassadors and are in the area, can we help you?"

                The guy changed his tune (and his tone) and explained that they had been holding the leader of a group of raiders for trial, but he had killed his guard and escaped with his floozy. The two were currently headed east on highway 160 (right towards us) in a stolen Kingdom vehicle. "One of the good ones, a V-8; pursuit special on methane!"

                So Rodrick got out the spike mats we'd taken from the cops in Sacramento and spread them across the highway while Leo got Scooby out of the way. While we were waiting we listened to the updates on the radio; it was pretty dull until the fugitive got on and started ranting and raving about how he'd never be caught.

                It was just like a bad movie.

                Finally we could hear them, and then we saw them come zooming over a rise at us. The guy spotted the spikes and braked the car right into a bootlegger's reverse.

                He thrust his arm out the window, flipped us off and headed back the way he came.

                Olivia and Rodrick both opened fire and missed. Leo fired and took out a tire. The guy managed to maintain control and kept going. Then Susan pulled a wand from her sleeve and let loose with a purple ball of energy. It hit the driver and he immediately slumped over. The car careened out of control, spun, went over the top of an embankment and flipped before coming to a stop.

                We went to check it out and we were amazed to see that the guy was still alive. His woman, on the other hand, was quite dead, still handcuffed to the 'oh-shit' bar. We had just pulled both bodies out when the security forces appeared. "Is the car okay?" was their first question.

                When they realized that the raider was still alive, the officer in charge pulled out his sidearm and shot him in the head. "He got that from hitting the windshield," he said, challenging us to claim otherwise.

                "Should always wear a seatbelt," I said.

                Olivia mended the blown out tire and the windshield and then the manly-men flipped the car back onto its wheels. Except for some dents, it was in pretty good shape. The men thanked us for our help and we all went our separate ways.

                It was quiet again and we were soon approaching Monticello, Utah. The IFF alarms sounded and showed a half dozen emissary motorcycles and some other miscellaneous vehicles. We armed up and activated our weapons systems so we'd be ready. The gates to the town were open and it looked as if the entire population had lined up on Main Street to 'greet' us, men, woman, and the older children were all armed. None took any kind of action, but the hostility was palpable.

                Alfred said, "Maybe driving a stolen NDR Juggernaut thru Utah wasn't such a great idea."

                At the west end of town we were 'met' by NDR forces. But they too were just lined up - watching us pass by. The were standing in front of their vehicles, dozens of them - bikes, Hummers with RPG's, and some smaller pursuit vehicles, but they never moved.

                After they were out of sight, Olivia asked, "What was all that about?"

                "They were making a statement," Leo said.

                "A statement?" I asked.

                Rodrick nodded, "That they know who we are and what we have done. They have the resources to regain their property, but chose not to waste those resources in the doing."

                Then we saw a sign, "Welcome to the New Deseret Republic." It made us all pretty uneasy and we were unanimous in deciding to not stop for the night. Leo offered to take the next shift at the wheel and Olivia got him some Go-Juice to help out.

08/26/06:

                We hit Moab around midnight. The people were scarce and the road was non-existent. We were off-road thru it all. Fortunately, there were enough ruts to show Leo the way, even at the river crossings. Just before sunrise, Leo woke everyone up by hitting the brakes - hard. There was a sign, "Land Mines Ahead! Halt!"

                "Someone's running a toll booth," he said.

                Some lights appeared and waived us forward; Leo complied. A filthy, disgusting man (whatever happened to personal hygiene?) approached Leo's window. "Good morning folks. Like the sign says - we've got a minefield here. But you are in luck, my friends, because I have mapped a safe route thru it. And for a mere 1,000 talents, a copy of that map is yours."

                "Talents?" Olivia asked, "We don't have any. What else will you take?"

                "Deodorant?" I thought to myself. "Maybe some mouthwash?"

                "Hmm, bring your valuables out here so I can take a look."

                "No, name your price in some other currency."

                "We don't accept no other currency. Got any food?"

                Rodrick interrupted and announced that a couple of men had just laid a mat of spikes behind Scooby's rear wheels to prevent us from backing up. Olivia ordered Leo to seal all the vents and windows. He did and she cast a Magic outside of Scooby. Immediately we heard coughing, gagging and screaming coming from the outside.

                When all was quiet for awhile, we got out to take a look. Everyone was dead. Rodrick collected the spike mat to add to our collection, while I gathered up all the weapons I could find. The sun was up now and Olivia, Alfred and Leo searched around and discovered that it was all a ruse - the road was perfectly clear ahead.

                There was a bridge out, however. Luckily the river it spanned was running slow and shallow.

                Before we left, we searched the gang's 'Headquarters' (an old lean-to) and found some fireworks and a couple maps of the 'safe route'. We also found a bag of gold. It had been pressed into different sizes of small rectangles. They had the Holy Maroni on one side and a denomination on the other. Adding them up, there was 157 talents, total.

                We continued on all day without seeing anyone else until we finally hit the junction with Interstate 15 at sundown. We were tired, cranky, smelly, and just about out of gas, so we stopped and set up camp. I created water that we used for washing and then Olivia changed it into gas which Rodrick and Leo handled getting into Scooby's tanks. I created as much as I could and had to stop.

                I volunteered for first watch. About halfway thru, I spotted some headlights coming towards us from the northeast. I woke everyone up to get ready.

                When they were about a mile off, the lights stopped and our CB radio crackled, "Break 19 for a roadside check."

                Olivia picked up the mike, "Hi there."

                "I-15 and I-70 do you copy?"

                "Yes, what do you want?"

                "State your intentions."

                Olivia hesitated, "Umm, camping? You know - tents, roasted wienies."

                "And s'mores!" Rodrick yelled.

                "What are your intentions?" Olivia asked.

                "Just passing thru."

                "Well okay then."

                The lights began to move again and we soon saw a semi hauling two cattle cars packed with livestock.

                There were also quite a few people with guns.

                Guns aimed at us.

                We waived as they passed and yelled, "Where ya' headed?" But they ignored us. Alfred was the one who noticed that the trailers had Bellagio's colors on them.

                "Steaks for Dallas?" I asked. "Maybe we should invite ourselves over for dinner."

                After the trucks were out of sight, all was quiet again. Now it's time to wake Rodrick for second watch.

08/27/06:

                I spent a few more hours this morning creating water to be changed into gasoline. By noon we had full tanks and we were ready to go. We made it as far as Cedar and decided to stop for the night when we saw a sign reading, "You are no longer in the NDR! Welcome to the Free Zone of Cedar City!"

                There were a couple trading caravans in town and the bars and brothels were jumping! We paid some locals to guard Scooby and went to the hotel the recommended. Ten talents per person got us rooms with private baths - no electricity though. The desk clerk suggested the local movie house for anyone not interested in the brothels. "They've got generators and I do believe they're showing 'Blazing Saddles' tonight."

                So, Leo and I cleaned up and headed for the theatre. Alfred and Olivia met us there with Susan, Walter and Sven. Rodrick didn't join us; he took his girls for dinner and drinks.

                Popcorn and a movie, laughing our asses off. Do we know how to live it up or what?

08/28/06:

                There's a reason people don't try teaching pigs to sing.

                I spent almost the entire morning trying to explain Mel Brooks to Sven, and in the end, I failed. I was saved by our coming across a small settlement built around an oil refinery. They had signs proclaiming, "Buy! Sell! Trade! Fuel! Food! Women!" Since we had all of those things, we kept going.

                We made it to the Vegas territorial limits with no further encounters - just a few trade caravans, mostly animal powered. No more mobs of refugees, for which I was grateful. You want to feel sorry for them, but most are like locusts - they'll kill you and strip everything of value from you in a heartbeat. Anyway, Olivia tuned the radio to the Vegas station and a few minutes later we were welcomed by the DJ, who then said "Now, by standing order from Caesar himself, for when the contingent from the New Outlands returned…"and he rolled out 'The Boys Are Back In Town'.

                Susan looked annoyed while Rodrick and Walter looked tickled.

                At the border station, the guards asked Lord Excalibur if he wanted an escort into town.

                "If it would make you feel better," Alfred told them. So we had a full police escort to the front door of the Excalibur. On the way in, we passed the refugee camp and noticed that it was considerably smaller than when we left. Thank goodness!

                In town, there were more people out on the streets, and as we passed, lots of them cheered and waved (and not just the people wearing Alfred's colors). Watching that, Rodrick asked Alfred if it would be possible to borrow some money to get his girls started.

                "Of course," he said and then asked the girls, "So what do you want to do, now that you're here?"

                One of them asked, "Are there any jobs available that don't involve selling our asses?"

                "There are."

                "Well then, I want one of those," she said.

                "Me, too."

                "And me!"

                Alfred mumbled to himself, "A new Domain? Employment? I'll talk to Caesar about it."

                Leo parked Scooby at the main entrance where most of Alfred's staff was lined up to greet him. We all worked our way thru Bellagio's news crews and found both Dallas and Connors inside waiting patiently. Dallas shook Alfred's hand and said, "Welcome back my good friend. I return to you your Domain. It is as profitable as when you left."

                "I thank you. I knew it was in good hands. Please come to my suite and you can tell me all that has happened in our absence."

                Once we got to the Lord's Level, Alfred and Dallas went off to talk business and the rest of us got comfy. Allison made sure that everyone had a drink as introductions were made.

                "And the young ladies are with…?" she asked.

                "Rodrick," I said.

                "Oh really? I'd assumed they were Miss Olivia's latest acquisitions."

                "Where are my girls?" Olivia inquired.

                Allison said, "Jennifer and Bunny are at the Temple of Ellistrae. They've been helping Miss Debbie with some projects." She also told us that Brenda is still working with Lucifer and that Mitzi is still in town. "Though she spends most of her days at the Venetian because they have a 'real' moat."

                Olivia asked her if Slash had been in town at all.

                "I haven't seen her. But there has been a sharp decline in Ka traffic lately." She went on to tell how there had been an attack on the main terminal at LAX. There wasn't much damage and the insurgents had been captured, alive.

                "They were sealed, individually, into large glass containers, each one just barely larger than the person inside it. And that made sure that there was very little ventilation. Ka dedicated one cable channel to the executions, showing nothing but the prisoners until the last one had died, three days later."

                Then she changed subjects and got to work getting everyone situated, including a suite for Rodrick and his girls and another for Walter. Susan only rated a room (albeit a nice one). I told her that she needn't bother finding a room for Leo, then I asked her to see about getting Rodrick all the licenses that he would need, "Get the bulk weapons one, though."

                Walter said that he would take care of Susan's.

                In the meantime, Olivia had dug out Slash's business card and after several attempts to get her on the phone; she got thru, "How may the Ka Corporation help you?"

                "This is Olivia Mitchell, of the New Kingdom of the Outlands. I discussed your water deal in further detail with King Malcolm, and I have some documents for you."

                "Very good," 'Slash' said, "I'll pass the info on to the managing partners. We thank you for your assistance in the matter. They may wish to speak to you about it; are you back in Vegas now?"

                "Yes, we arrived just today."

                "My, such prompt attention. Shall I contact you at the Excalibur again?"

                "But of course," Olivia said.

                "Very good. Good bye." And she hung up.

                Olivia was frustrated; "She didn't get it!"

                I offered to Send her a message, rather than risk another phone call.

                "Would you do that? Thank you."

                So I sat down and Sent, "It's Jazz, for Olivia. Nothing really new from Malcolm, you'll get your water if Ka behaves. We have a letter from your mothers."

                Her response was, "Thank you, we'll talk later."

                Olivia relaxed and we all made a beeline to the roof to soak off the road grime in the hot tubs.

                Allison promised us that she'd have Scooby aired out for us. (I think that was a polite way of telling us that we smelled bad.) Once we were all clean, we met Alfred for dinner and he brought us up to date.

                "The farms are prospering and the harvest looks promising. Caesar's business has taken a hit with the lack of Ka business since the attacks. But the lack of Ka is making everyone else pretty happy. All in all they survived our absence. But Dallas told me there were a few situations that we could have handled better than the locals did."

                He laughed and said, "And there's a new trend - Overlords with a Drow woman for a personal assistant."

                Olivia said, "I assume you'll be spending the evening with Brenda?"

                "Well I assumed you would have plans with Jennifer and Bunny, so yes," he said calmly.

                Leo asked, "Jazz, would you like to go out tonite? Maybe see a show?"

                Allison volunteered, "They've combined the different Cirque du Soleil shows into one, I can get you tickets."

                "That sounds great!"

                Before we left, Alfred gave Rodrick a stack of chips, and assured him it was not a loan, merely an advance on what we would get from Caesar for the planes. Allison gave him all of his licenses and he thanked her warmly. Then he announced that he was going to take the money and take his girls shopping. We gave him some suggestions and warned him to stay away from Luxor at all costs.

                And with that everyone went their separate ways.

08/29/06:

                Slept in late today, had some breakfast, then waited some more until I thought it was safe. Then I went to Olivia's room - she had just gotten up.

                I asked her if I could use the crystal ball.

                "Sure. What's up?"

                "Well to be honest I'm worried about Olias. He's such a Twinkie, I can picture him - all in a huff - storming out of the House, unarmed and under supplied. I want to make sure he hasn't been eaten by something."

                So she sat down beside me as I cast a Scrying spell on the crystal. When it finally came into focus we could see Olias - alive, whole and uneaten. He was hiking thru a mountainous area.

                I couldn't tell where it was but it was pretty, and it wasn't in Colorado. I don't know how I knew that, I just did.

                I couldn't stop myself, I asked, "Olias, where are you? And how did you get there? And you told me that you would wait 'til I got back."

                He stopped, cocked his head to one side and said, "Alaska, I think. I'm not real sure how I got here and I lied. So what? Who cares?"

                "I care, you had me worried. Did you just wake up in Alaska?"

                He shrugged, "Yeah, pretty much, me and all these supplies - a parka, snow shoes, a good tent. I guess someone wanted me here."

                "Well if you run into trouble and need help - let me know."

                "So you can listen to me scream?"

                "No! So I can help you."

                "I'll keep in touch."

                I didn't believe that, but I played the game, "Please do. I wish you the best, you know."

                He was quiet and I let the spell fade.

                So, feeling a little better about things, I took the day off. It felt great!

Continued...