All standard disclaimers that I have already used so far with any of the various stories that I
now have on fanfiction.net will apply. For your information, all of the characters that you may not
actually recognize well enough in this story are original characters of mine, unless otherwise stated, in
fact. All the Galaxians, for instance, are mine, whether in combat form or in civilian form. So please
don't steal my original characters from this story or any others, for that matter.
Now without further ado, back to the story. And I hope that you'll all enjoy it, of course.
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The Inverness Chronicles
Book One
Chapter Six
After Ken eventually woke up and left for his flight to Gemaria, Lita retired to her bed for at
least a little while. But not before asking the Kroskutches to watch the younger children while she slept,
of course, so that if those children actually needed her, she could take care of them as required.
Hopefully, her younger children wouldn't need her help for at least the time being, for all the obvious
reasons. But if needed, the Kroskutches would still let her know, of course, if and whenever they had
to do so, here.
When Juniper and Verana saw the strange couple, they asked their mother who they were,
quite naturally enough here. Lita said, "These two are people we just met a little while ago, and they've
not been able to come here before to visit us. Perhaps later, you can meet with them more here. We'll
just have to see if that'll be possible here in the near future, though."
Verana and Juniper soon afterward left for school as soon as they could then do so. For they
both realized that their mother wasn't much in the mood to talk a lot to them at the current time. And
they were both at school in enough time to make it to their first classes of the day easily enough, in fact.
They encountered Melanie Keyes as she and others headed to each of their respective lockers,
and then Verana quietly asked her, "Are you going to be at our martial arts school tonight, Melanie?"
"Emara and I were thinking about hitting the malls near, if not in, Inverness's downtown area
tonight."
"Well, do you think that you could wait on that for a while, at least?"
"Why do you ask, Verana?" asked Melanie.
"Juniper and I wonder what you think of the people that our mothers brought home with them
to our respective homes this morning, Melanie."
"They seem nice, from what I saw of them earlier today. One of them, if not both of them,
seem to be young enough to still go to high school in their lives, however. The other one is married, I
believe, but I could be wrong about that here. But if one of our visitors to our residence is married, I
think her husband wasn't currently with her, when the Crystal Scouts met her just like they did this
morning. Mother didn't say all that much to me about the quite crazy battle that the Crystal Scouts then
had in at least the last few hours or so against any number of quite strange monsters, though. Moon and
Crescent Moon found them with Mercury's help. And then they periodically healed the humans that
apparently had been caught by any number of strange monsters or beings, in fact, Verana and Juniper."
Then Rini passed by, and Verana quietly asked, "Rini, I heard that you and several others had
some action as Scouts last night or this morning. Is that true here?"
"Yes, we did. Come to my house tonight, and I might be able to discuss such action with you
later, if at all possible, Verana. Supposing, of course, that your mother lets you do so here, quite
naturally."
The four girls very briefly conversed with each other, before they all eventually had to go to
their first classes of the current day at school, of course. They all eventually parted, if they didn't have
to do it immediately here, for all of the obvious reasons. And they all stayed on their school's campus
at least until their lunch period came to them all here, quite naturally. And while they did so, they only
discussed Scout-related matters with each other whenever they possibly could do so, in fact. Which
most likely wasn't all that often, if at all. Or at least while they all were still on their school's actual
campus, if not even longer than that, in actual reality, for all the obvious reasons, of course.
Robert decided to leave the campus temporarily to patronize one of the nearby restaurants, for
his lunch. And when he did so, several of the girls in his grade at EMHS then decided to follow him, to
see where he might actually go here. And he came to a restaurant about two blocks away from the
nearest part of the school's campus, and which was located closer to downtown, most likely. He went
to a place that primarily was a pizza place, if nothing else as well at the same time, as a matter of fact.
And he ordered three reasonably-sized pepperoni and three cheese pizzas, two blueberry yogurts, a
bottle of orange juice, and two small cartons of 2% chocolate milk, for his lunch. He received those
things from the necessary people in the restaurant. And then he went over to one of the dozen or so
booths that were located elsewhere in the restaurant. He soon began eating his ordered food, of
course. And as he began consuming it, or at least as much of it as he'd want to eat at that time, several
girls followed him into the restaurant. They ordered some food for themselves, as well, of course. And
then they came over to his booth, hoping that he'd not actually mind their present company here.
Among those girls that followed him were Rini Shields, Melody Thurston, and Melanie Keyes,
in fact. When he saw them near him here, he then asked, "Why are you girls following me right now,
Rini and Melanie? Didn't I just tell you yesterday I wasn't really looking for company at the present
time? Or not for the next few days, at least, if not a long while?"
"We all wanted to ask you if you'd be willing to consider going shopping with us eventually,
Robert. Besides, Robert, you only said that to Rini and Melanie here, it seems to me, in fact. Would
you actually mind doing so with us eventually?" asked Melody, in very short order. She asked this
between two good-sized bites of some macaroni and cheese covered with various spices and fruit
slices, wherever possible here.
"I don't know. You're Melody, if I remember correctly here?"
Melody nodded, and then he said, "I don't normally go shopping with people I've just met in
my life, girls. And I believe that I only met you yesterday, if I'm not too mistaken here."
"I see. Do you have a girlfriend, by any chance, Robert?" asked Rini, as she took a bite from a
hamburger that she'd just ordered for herself here. As she asked him her question, Melody laughed
almost totally, if not totally, in an inaudible manner at an inside joke that Melanie had secretly just
written on a nearby paper napkin of sorts.
"No, not at the moment. That's if I read your meaning well enough here, of course, Rini."
"I suppose you do, Robert. Just asking, though," said Rini, while tossing her hair back just a
bit, in fact. She did this because some of her quite-pink hair had just fallen in front of one eye rather
unexpectedly here. "You can't blame a girl for asking, can you?"
"No, I don't suppose that I can here, at least, if not all the time. However, I'm really not
expecting to have a steady enough girlfriend for at least another year or two, in fact, Rini. I'm not
expecting to have one until I'm at least 14 or so years of age, as well, girls. And I don't think that I
really will want one before I'm at least 15 or so years of age in my life. If that disappoints you, I'm
sorry. But I don't think that I'll really want or need a steady enough girlfriend for myself before I get
into at least ninth or tenth grade in my life, girls."
"Fair enough, I suppose," said Rini. "Are there any questions that you wish to ask us, then?"
asked Rini, as she also watched Melody eat her macaroni and cheese, and Melanie eat some lasagna
and black cherry yogurt.
"How about telling me what you know of the incident at the jewelry store yesterday, if I
remember correctly enough here, if you possibly can tell me such things here? My mother told my dad
of it, and he told me of it."
"What about it?" asked Melanie.
"Well, I heard that a pink-haired girl and several others took care of some monsters that were
causing the incident there. And I was wondering if any of you knew more about it here, while we're
talking here. For it seems that the pink-haired girl and others eventually changed two of the monsters
back into humanoid form as well, Melanie."
As Melody took another bite of her macaroni and cheese, and as Rini had some of her nearby
pink lemonade, Melanie finished a bite of her lasagna. Then Melanie said, "I believe that there are at
least a few girls in this town or nearby ones with pink hair who might have done that here. But I don't
think that we'd really know them here, Robert. I mean, I think that a pink-haired girl fighting monsters
here would be rather easy to spot here, most likely. You might see pink-haired girls around here
periodically, of course. But if they fought, I think that they'd stand out quite easily when compared to
any number of other girls who might also be around here."
"True enough, I suppose, Melanie," replied Robert, as he then finished one of his blueberry
yogurts and one of his three pizzas. After which, he then finished the first of his small cartons of
chocolate milk, in very short order. He then put the other two pizzas in a portable cooler. And he did
so that his other family members could eventually have some pizza as well for a late afternoon or an
evening meal, in fact. He also put his remaining yogurt and milk in there, before rising and heading
toward the front register of the restaurant for a little while. He then went over to that front register so
that he could settle his bill, of course. And then he came back over to his booth again only long enough
for him to gather up his now-empty bottle of orange juice, his backpack, and his now-dirty eating
utensils. Where it was now appropriate here, he then disposed of whatever he still had to attend to
here, at least as it now related to his current eating at the restaurant.
Rini said, "I suppose you want to get back to school, then, before it's too late here for you to
do so, Robert."
"Yes, I believe that I do. And Rini and Melanie?"
"Yes?" asked Rini and Melanie together, already knowing what he was about to say, probably.
But they still asked him that, just the same.
"As I asked you two girls to do before, please give me my space here, for at least a little while
longer, if at all possible. I'd hate to have to tell your parents on you here." He said this to both Rini
and Melanie, in fact.
"Understood, Robert," answered Rini and Melanie, not more than a few moments later. This,
of course, was for all the obvious reasons here, quite naturally. Especially since they knew that if their
respective parents ever found out about this, they'd most likely find themselves in a whole lot of trouble
here that they might not want to find themselves in at the current time.
"Melody, I'll catch you some other time, then, perhaps."
"I think that I'd like that very much, in fact, Robert." Then Robert wasted no more time that he
absolutely didn't have to waste in the restaurant, for all the obvious reasons. He left, and then the girls
finished all their lunches in very short order as well, of course. They all finished their meals, paid for
them all, and they were all out of the restaurant no more than five minutes later, in fact. They all made it
back to the school about a minute or two before the end of their lunch period, about two or three
minutes after Robert had done so. And then they were all able to get to their respective classes just
before that period actually ended for them all, if they weren't all in the same fifth-period class during the
current school day. Either with or without Robert at the very same time, that was still the case for any
and/or all of them here, just the same.
The rest of the school day was rather quiet, at least for the most part, for Robert and quite a
few others at his school, in fact. That was if it wasn't rather quiet for all the necessary people here,
instead, of course. Robert soon left the campus, after the school day ended. And then he hurried home
with all his things, including the food that he'd not already consumed before, as well. Rini and several
other girls chose not to follow him home, either.
He went home, just as quickly as he then could do so here. And after arriving there, he soon
found his father checking on both sets of quints for a little while. All ten of those children were currently
asleep, in fact, after his father had fed, bathed, and changed them as needed here, not too long before
three in the afternoon. And his father had just put them all in each of their beds or cribs, as he'd then
needed to do here. When Robert the younger finally walked into the room that his youngest ten siblings
usually slept in, the older Robert soon asked his eldest son, "Did you have a good day today at
school?"
"I had an okay day at school today. It was rather quiet for me, in fact. I think that some girls
might be quite interested in me at my new school. But I'm not likely as interested in them as they seem
to be in me, I think."
"Why do you say this, son?"
"Because the past two days, they seem to be quite curious about me here. At least two of
them, that is."
"Do you think you'll be as interested in them as they now seem to be in you?"
"Not for a while, at least, I think, Dad."
"Did you hear that there was a big battle near or in Edinburgh Heights last night and this
morning?"
"No, I don't think I heard that here. What happened during it, if you can tell me here?" asked
the younger Robert, a few moments later. And he did this just after his father finished putting on some
classical music from one of the local radio stations.
"Some monsters showed up there, and a considerably-sized group of people opposed them in
a fight there. I heard about it from friends of mine who live in that part of our nation. And they told me
that two of these people, at least, healed several of those monsters with some sort of wand or
something else entirely."
"For some reason, that sounds familiar enough to me here now."
"I think so too, son."
"I have a question, then."
"Is that so, R.T.?"
"Yes, I do. Was there a girl with at least some pink hair present at this fight, by any chance at
all?"
"As a matter of fact, that's what my friends said to me when they told me about the fight last
night and this morning. They told me that she was apparently about your age as well, son."
"What did they call themselves?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"The people that fought and/or healed the monsters in or near Edinburgh Heights, Dad."
"They called themselves, I believe, "The Sailor Scouts", son. That's if I'm not too mistaken
about such things here, of course."
"I see. And why have they showed up here now, I wonder?"
"I have no idea yet, son. But I'm sure that we'll find out why soon enough, if the need ever
arises for them to let us know why they're here as they evidently are now."
"I suppose you're right, Dad. Well, I think I'd better get to work now on my homework for
tonight, before it's too late for me to do so here, in fact. For I think I might want to go out again
tonight, after supper, if at all possible."
"Fine with me here, then, son."
"I put some pizzas in the refrigerator for all of us to consume later, for your information, Dad. I
had one pizza for myself at lunch. And I brought two others that were the same size as the one I ate for
lunch home for everyone else, for all the obvious reasons here, in fact. Just as you'd asked me to do
this morning before I left for school today."
"Are you going to have some food to eat while you do your homework, as well, son?"
"Yes, I think I will. I'll have my remaining blueberry yogurt and chocolate milk, at least, for
myself while I do my homework in my room."
Then the younger Robert left his youngest ten siblings' room with his father, before they parted
from each other at least until supper, if not longer. Supposing, of course, that they didn't actually have
to be with each other again before then, in fact. Robert was done with his homework by 6 o'clock, at
the very latest, as well. He then decided to go for a short walk to the same park that he'd earlier
visited with his father a little while before. But only after his mother first told him that supper would be
at 7:30 pm local time, of course, did he then go for a short walk to there.
He walked near the same pond that he'd walked near with his father two evenings or nights
before, for at least a little while. And just as he'd done before, he periodically skipped some stones
across its watery surface to at least some degree, if not to a complete enough degree. He was still
doing this when he was suddenly joined near the pool by a currently-unknown woman to him.
This woman, in fact, was Commander Deanna Troi Riker. She came up behind him, while he
was still skipping stones periodically across the pond's watery surface at least partway, if not totally.
She came up to him very quietly, in fact. For she'd sensed that he was in rather deep thought about
various things in his life. And she really didn't want to startle him when she finally encountered him in
person in a physical enough sense here. She sensed him from about forty to sixty yards away, as she
was walking elsewhere in the same park for a while. And when she did, she also got a sudden
empathic impression that he might eventually want to talk to someone else about his current situation in
his life. Possibly even by the end of the night, in fact, elsewhere in town.
When she finally sat down on another bench near the same pond, several wood ducks and
some silver-winged seagulls on a far bank of it all started to pick at some bread pieces that'd blown
toward the pond from elsewhere in the park. She watched the ducks and seagulls amicably pick at the
nearby bread pieces, in fact. And she continued to do so at least until Robert finally noticed her
presence on another bench near the pond here.
He spoke first, and he said, "I've not seen you around town before, ma'am."
"I've only been around here for about a day or so, in fact. I found myself here all of a sudden
from somewhere that's quite far away from here. Where exactly, I can't tell you for sure, because
you'd most likely not believe me, if I told you. Supposing that I could tell you, in fact. I can say that I
am Commander Deanna Troi Riker, and I am a stranger to this place."
"Commander is a military rank, I know. Most women that I know in my life are not in the
military, Commander Deanna Troi Riker. May I ask what military you're part of, if that's not too much
of a problem here?"
"I'm not from around here. And you probably wouldn't recognize my nation's name, if I could
share it with you here. Which I really don't think I could do here, for many reasons that might be too
numerous to mention here in sufficient enough detail to you. I could be wrong about that here, though,
of course. May I ask your name, since I've told you mine here?"
"Fine. My name is Robert Masbogarin, in fact. Pleased to meet you here, then, Commander.
You can call me Robert, if and whenever we're alone with each other for any reason at all."
"Call me Mrs. Riker, or Deanna Riker, here, please. I think it'd be best if we leave military
ranks alone for at least the time being. Just in case whatever sent me here like I came here comes here
as well, and tries to find me."
"Where are you staying now, if I may ask you this here, then?"
"I am staying near Inverness Heights High School, at the 'Crescent Star Crystal Hotel',
Robert."
"That's a ways away from where I live here in town, Mrs. Riker. I don't often get to that part
of town, I believe. I normally find myself elsewhere in Inverness, in fact."
"I noticed you were obviously in rather deep thought about some things in your life, Robert.
May I ask what about, if it's not too much of an imposition for you here?"
"I don't think that I really want to talk about such things to a total stranger right now, for all the
obvious reasons, Mrs. Riker."
"Fine. Come find me if and when you actually want to talk to me later about such things. I've
been checking out the area a bit since I got here like I did yesterday, in fact. You might find me
periodically elsewhere in town here. Look for a pendant that looks like this." She then showed him a
mostly gold and silver combadge that was in the exact shape of an actually-current Starfleet insignia.
And she then placed it at the bottom of a necklace she'd traded a few classical music tapes for earlier
that same day. This combadge was of current issue, at least back where she'd been taken from
elsewhere in her Universe, in fact. That was only the case, right here and right now, if it wasn't actually
the very same Universe that both of them were in now, as of the current time, for all the obvious
reasons.
"I see. And you will be wearing this pendant, if I need to find you?"
"Yes, of course I will, Robert. For it will have to be with me in order for me to be able to get
back where I come from, most likely. If you see me wearing this pendant, then you might be able to
find me easily enough. How often do you come here?"
"Often enough, whenever I feel the need and can do so, in fact."
"I see. And if you need to talk to me, you know where I'll be staying now, Robert," said
Deanna.
"All right. But right now, Mrs. Riker, I have other things that I will have to do very soon here.
Like go back home and eat my supper with my family," said Robert.
"Understood. Take care, then, and maybe we'll see each other around here. Maybe we'll talk
later, as well. But in the meantime, take care, Robert."
"Agreed, Mrs. Riker." Then Robert soon left the park behind again for his own family's
residence, of course, for all the obvious reasons here. Deanna watched him leave, and she also
wondered if and when she might see him again around town, in fact.
After he left, Deanna remained in the park for a while longer, and she watched the seagulls and
ducks as she did so. While she was watching the ducks and the seagulls, a man came into her field of
vision from elsewhere in the park, after she turned to find him elsewhere in the park. This man was
wearing a mostly brown Jedi robe of some sort, but it was largely an undecorated one. She had
unexpectedly felt his presence in the park, just after he entered it as quietly as he could then do so. At
least in a physically audible enough sense, anyway. But his mind was currently broadcasting at least
loudly enough for her sense of empathy to pick his presence up well enough here. Normally, it might
not. But in this case, at least, if not others as well, it was doing so at the current time.
This man in a Jedi robe of sorts was, in fact, the Jedi Knight/Master Luke Skywalker. And he
was looking for a place in Inverness where he could calm himself down well enough for a while. He
soon walked past her. And then, for some reason neither of them yet understood, if either or both of
them ever would eventually do so in their lives, she said, "Jedi Master Luke, please sit down near me,
so that we can talk to each other."
With a quizzical look on his face, then, after having been called that by her, he eventually
nodded at her. And then he sat on the same bench that Robert had earlier occupied before he'd left for
his own place of residence. Then he asked, "Madam, how do you know my name and rank?"
"I don't exactly know how, but I do know that your first name is Luke. And that you are a Jedi
Master, though I don't yet know what that is, in fact. And that sword on your belt is obviously not just
for decoration, Master Luke. True, you don't have it activated right now, but I still know that you've
used it before. Just as I somehow know that your right hand is not actually a natural hand."
"Yes, that's true, Madam. You look a little familiar to me here. Could we have met just a few
days ago, at the most, by any chance at all?"
"As a matter of fact, I think we did, after Super Sailor Crescent Moon healed us both
somehow, Master Luke," answered Deanna.
"I can't keep on calling you Madam, lady, if we're likely to run into each other around here for
as long as we're both here on this strange world. May I ask your name, if that's not too much to ask
you for here?"
"My name is Deanna Troi Riker, and my rank back where I come from is Commander.
Commander of what, I can't exactly say yet, for I don't know you well enough here yet, I believe. But
maybe in time, I'll be able to tell you here, well enough, Master Luke."
"My name is actually Luke Skywalker, and as you obviously know by now, I am a Jedi,
Commander. I don't think that I've met many people who seem to have at least an empathic sense, if
not also a telepathic sense as well, in their respective lives, though. Maybe you can tell me what world
you're from, if that's not too much of a problem for you here."
"Might as well. You're going to learn it soon enough already,. I somehow suspect. So you
might as well learn its name before it becomes public knowledge around here. As I suspect that it might
eventually be, for some reason that I'm not yet aware of enough here and now, Master Luke. I am
from the planet Betazed, and that is a planet a long way away from here. How far exactly, I don't
currently know, if I ever will, in fact. And what is the name of your own world, as well, Master Luke?"
"I am from a planet called Tatooine, Commander."
"When you're around me, you can call me Commander, or Deanna, if you want to do so. But
if we're around each other in public, please call me Mrs. Riker."
"Mrs. Riker?"
"Yes. I took my husband's last name, and added it to my own when I married him."
"I see. And may I ask his name?"
"His name is Will. Some people call him William or Bill, but I believe that he prefers to be
called Will whenever possible, as a matter of fact, Master Luke."
"I see. Well, if you want me to call you Mrs. Riker around each other in public, then I'd like
you to call me Mr. Skywalker, whenever possible, in public as well."
"I can do that. Or at least I believe that I can do that well enough in such situations here, in
fact, Master Luke."
"In situations like this, just call me Luke, whenever possible."
"Fine, I'll try to remember that, of course."
"May the Force be with you,. then, as you try to do just that while we're both on this world
here."
Not too much later, then, Deanna left him and the park behind again for her hotel, for she was
getting somewhat hungry, in fact. But before she did so, she then suddenly told him, "Live long and
prosper, Master Luke" as she also gave him a Vulcan-style salute, in fact.
He then suddenly returned the salute that she'd just given him in like manner. But instead of
saying the exact words that she'd used while saluting him as she had, he said, "Peace and long life,
Commander Riker." He didn't yet know why either of them had just said and done what they'd just
said and done, if he ever would. But he still hoped that he'd eventually be able to do so, before they
were both returned to wherever they'd both been earlier. Supposing, of course, that they were each
ever able to return to each of those places, if not to only one of them, for all the obvious reasons here.
Then Mrs. Riker quickly left for her hotel again. Luke stayed behind for a while longer, until he
too felt that he had other things to now do in his own life at the current time. He then left the park, and
soon came to a group of trees elsewhere in town that had a multi-noded hotel of sorts within their
leaves and branches. This hotel of sorts was in a rather large group of trees close to the southwestern
corner of the Inverness Heights part of town, in fact. And this group of trees reminded him in large part
of the homeworld of one of his closest friends, back where he actually came from in his life.
That friend's world was basically, if not entirely, an arboreal one in its nature. And it was a
world called Kashyyyk, as well. The trees that his hotel was now in were quite tall, and they reminded
him at least a little of another type of tree that was often found on Kashyyyk. That type of tree was a
wroyshyr tree. And several of them could also often intertwine their various branches with each other.
Supposing of course, that they all were actually close enough to each other to do that, so as to suggest
that they were not more than one distinct tree, but only one tree, in fact. These trees could be miles
high, in fact, or they could not, back on Kashyyyk.
But the trees that his hotel was now in weren't actually wroyshyr trees. They were a certain
kind of tree that the locals might call "Katoglia Purkakisiani", in fact. Or "Katopurk" for short. That
kind of tree was sort of a cross between various kinds of walnut, oak, cedar, hickory, elm, and pine
trees, in actual reality. And it had been discovered not long after the first people to colonize this part of
Munrodoste had arrived in this particular part of his world. The native peoples of this world actually
had known of it for many years, as well. But the people that had come over from the various Great
Powers hadn't yet known of it well enough, at least until they were over here for a long enough period
of time to know of it well enough. His multi-noded hotel was in a large circle of about forty or so
Katopurk trees, in actual reality here.
He soon came to the base of one of them, and then he palmed a hidden panel on the nearby
trunk of that tree. An elevator platform of some sort then materialized near him on the outside of the
tree. He then stepped onto that platform again, just before palming the same panel again. After he
palmed the panel again, a somewhat opaque bubble of some sort then materialized around him,. This
was the case, so as to hide him from most people's view if they were close enough to him to see him
before he did that. He became quite invisible to them after doing that, even though he actually wasn't
while he was on the platform now in question here. Sure, people outside the group of trees might have
seen him before he palmed the panel for the second time, of course. But he didn't actually de-
materialize, in fact. He was still there, even if nobody outside the group of trees could then see him well
enough anymore. When he palmed it the second time, he also said where he wanted the elevator of
sorts to take him. And that place, in actual reality, was his own current hotel room. He was staying at
the "Silver Shard Inn", and that was still in the southwestern corner of the Inverness Heights part of
Inverness, as well. The elevator took him to his room just as quickly as it could, and then he soon
began taking a nap in it on his current bed there.
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Another good-sized battle will take place in Chapter Seven, somewhere. And it'll then
introduce several more characters into the story at least a little bit, if not a lot, readers. Other chapters
that are still to come here will then introduce even more people into the story as well, in fact. Until then,
though, you'll all just have to see what's coming up soon enough. But I promise you at least a few
more crossover elements will be added to the story as well within the next few chapters, at most, most
likely, readers. So please read, review, and enjoy, if at all possible. Until later, then, this is "The
Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers!
Over and out!
now have on fanfiction.net will apply. For your information, all of the characters that you may not
actually recognize well enough in this story are original characters of mine, unless otherwise stated, in
fact. All the Galaxians, for instance, are mine, whether in combat form or in civilian form. So please
don't steal my original characters from this story or any others, for that matter.
Now without further ado, back to the story. And I hope that you'll all enjoy it, of course.
******************************************************************************
The Inverness Chronicles
Book One
Chapter Six
After Ken eventually woke up and left for his flight to Gemaria, Lita retired to her bed for at
least a little while. But not before asking the Kroskutches to watch the younger children while she slept,
of course, so that if those children actually needed her, she could take care of them as required.
Hopefully, her younger children wouldn't need her help for at least the time being, for all the obvious
reasons. But if needed, the Kroskutches would still let her know, of course, if and whenever they had
to do so, here.
When Juniper and Verana saw the strange couple, they asked their mother who they were,
quite naturally enough here. Lita said, "These two are people we just met a little while ago, and they've
not been able to come here before to visit us. Perhaps later, you can meet with them more here. We'll
just have to see if that'll be possible here in the near future, though."
Verana and Juniper soon afterward left for school as soon as they could then do so. For they
both realized that their mother wasn't much in the mood to talk a lot to them at the current time. And
they were both at school in enough time to make it to their first classes of the day easily enough, in fact.
They encountered Melanie Keyes as she and others headed to each of their respective lockers,
and then Verana quietly asked her, "Are you going to be at our martial arts school tonight, Melanie?"
"Emara and I were thinking about hitting the malls near, if not in, Inverness's downtown area
tonight."
"Well, do you think that you could wait on that for a while, at least?"
"Why do you ask, Verana?" asked Melanie.
"Juniper and I wonder what you think of the people that our mothers brought home with them
to our respective homes this morning, Melanie."
"They seem nice, from what I saw of them earlier today. One of them, if not both of them,
seem to be young enough to still go to high school in their lives, however. The other one is married, I
believe, but I could be wrong about that here. But if one of our visitors to our residence is married, I
think her husband wasn't currently with her, when the Crystal Scouts met her just like they did this
morning. Mother didn't say all that much to me about the quite crazy battle that the Crystal Scouts then
had in at least the last few hours or so against any number of quite strange monsters, though. Moon and
Crescent Moon found them with Mercury's help. And then they periodically healed the humans that
apparently had been caught by any number of strange monsters or beings, in fact, Verana and Juniper."
Then Rini passed by, and Verana quietly asked, "Rini, I heard that you and several others had
some action as Scouts last night or this morning. Is that true here?"
"Yes, we did. Come to my house tonight, and I might be able to discuss such action with you
later, if at all possible, Verana. Supposing, of course, that your mother lets you do so here, quite
naturally."
The four girls very briefly conversed with each other, before they all eventually had to go to
their first classes of the current day at school, of course. They all eventually parted, if they didn't have
to do it immediately here, for all of the obvious reasons. And they all stayed on their school's campus
at least until their lunch period came to them all here, quite naturally. And while they did so, they only
discussed Scout-related matters with each other whenever they possibly could do so, in fact. Which
most likely wasn't all that often, if at all. Or at least while they all were still on their school's actual
campus, if not even longer than that, in actual reality, for all the obvious reasons, of course.
Robert decided to leave the campus temporarily to patronize one of the nearby restaurants, for
his lunch. And when he did so, several of the girls in his grade at EMHS then decided to follow him, to
see where he might actually go here. And he came to a restaurant about two blocks away from the
nearest part of the school's campus, and which was located closer to downtown, most likely. He went
to a place that primarily was a pizza place, if nothing else as well at the same time, as a matter of fact.
And he ordered three reasonably-sized pepperoni and three cheese pizzas, two blueberry yogurts, a
bottle of orange juice, and two small cartons of 2% chocolate milk, for his lunch. He received those
things from the necessary people in the restaurant. And then he went over to one of the dozen or so
booths that were located elsewhere in the restaurant. He soon began eating his ordered food, of
course. And as he began consuming it, or at least as much of it as he'd want to eat at that time, several
girls followed him into the restaurant. They ordered some food for themselves, as well, of course. And
then they came over to his booth, hoping that he'd not actually mind their present company here.
Among those girls that followed him were Rini Shields, Melody Thurston, and Melanie Keyes,
in fact. When he saw them near him here, he then asked, "Why are you girls following me right now,
Rini and Melanie? Didn't I just tell you yesterday I wasn't really looking for company at the present
time? Or not for the next few days, at least, if not a long while?"
"We all wanted to ask you if you'd be willing to consider going shopping with us eventually,
Robert. Besides, Robert, you only said that to Rini and Melanie here, it seems to me, in fact. Would
you actually mind doing so with us eventually?" asked Melody, in very short order. She asked this
between two good-sized bites of some macaroni and cheese covered with various spices and fruit
slices, wherever possible here.
"I don't know. You're Melody, if I remember correctly here?"
Melody nodded, and then he said, "I don't normally go shopping with people I've just met in
my life, girls. And I believe that I only met you yesterday, if I'm not too mistaken here."
"I see. Do you have a girlfriend, by any chance, Robert?" asked Rini, as she took a bite from a
hamburger that she'd just ordered for herself here. As she asked him her question, Melody laughed
almost totally, if not totally, in an inaudible manner at an inside joke that Melanie had secretly just
written on a nearby paper napkin of sorts.
"No, not at the moment. That's if I read your meaning well enough here, of course, Rini."
"I suppose you do, Robert. Just asking, though," said Rini, while tossing her hair back just a
bit, in fact. She did this because some of her quite-pink hair had just fallen in front of one eye rather
unexpectedly here. "You can't blame a girl for asking, can you?"
"No, I don't suppose that I can here, at least, if not all the time. However, I'm really not
expecting to have a steady enough girlfriend for at least another year or two, in fact, Rini. I'm not
expecting to have one until I'm at least 14 or so years of age, as well, girls. And I don't think that I
really will want one before I'm at least 15 or so years of age in my life. If that disappoints you, I'm
sorry. But I don't think that I'll really want or need a steady enough girlfriend for myself before I get
into at least ninth or tenth grade in my life, girls."
"Fair enough, I suppose," said Rini. "Are there any questions that you wish to ask us, then?"
asked Rini, as she also watched Melody eat her macaroni and cheese, and Melanie eat some lasagna
and black cherry yogurt.
"How about telling me what you know of the incident at the jewelry store yesterday, if I
remember correctly enough here, if you possibly can tell me such things here? My mother told my dad
of it, and he told me of it."
"What about it?" asked Melanie.
"Well, I heard that a pink-haired girl and several others took care of some monsters that were
causing the incident there. And I was wondering if any of you knew more about it here, while we're
talking here. For it seems that the pink-haired girl and others eventually changed two of the monsters
back into humanoid form as well, Melanie."
As Melody took another bite of her macaroni and cheese, and as Rini had some of her nearby
pink lemonade, Melanie finished a bite of her lasagna. Then Melanie said, "I believe that there are at
least a few girls in this town or nearby ones with pink hair who might have done that here. But I don't
think that we'd really know them here, Robert. I mean, I think that a pink-haired girl fighting monsters
here would be rather easy to spot here, most likely. You might see pink-haired girls around here
periodically, of course. But if they fought, I think that they'd stand out quite easily when compared to
any number of other girls who might also be around here."
"True enough, I suppose, Melanie," replied Robert, as he then finished one of his blueberry
yogurts and one of his three pizzas. After which, he then finished the first of his small cartons of
chocolate milk, in very short order. He then put the other two pizzas in a portable cooler. And he did
so that his other family members could eventually have some pizza as well for a late afternoon or an
evening meal, in fact. He also put his remaining yogurt and milk in there, before rising and heading
toward the front register of the restaurant for a little while. He then went over to that front register so
that he could settle his bill, of course. And then he came back over to his booth again only long enough
for him to gather up his now-empty bottle of orange juice, his backpack, and his now-dirty eating
utensils. Where it was now appropriate here, he then disposed of whatever he still had to attend to
here, at least as it now related to his current eating at the restaurant.
Rini said, "I suppose you want to get back to school, then, before it's too late here for you to
do so, Robert."
"Yes, I believe that I do. And Rini and Melanie?"
"Yes?" asked Rini and Melanie together, already knowing what he was about to say, probably.
But they still asked him that, just the same.
"As I asked you two girls to do before, please give me my space here, for at least a little while
longer, if at all possible. I'd hate to have to tell your parents on you here." He said this to both Rini
and Melanie, in fact.
"Understood, Robert," answered Rini and Melanie, not more than a few moments later. This,
of course, was for all the obvious reasons here, quite naturally. Especially since they knew that if their
respective parents ever found out about this, they'd most likely find themselves in a whole lot of trouble
here that they might not want to find themselves in at the current time.
"Melody, I'll catch you some other time, then, perhaps."
"I think that I'd like that very much, in fact, Robert." Then Robert wasted no more time that he
absolutely didn't have to waste in the restaurant, for all the obvious reasons. He left, and then the girls
finished all their lunches in very short order as well, of course. They all finished their meals, paid for
them all, and they were all out of the restaurant no more than five minutes later, in fact. They all made it
back to the school about a minute or two before the end of their lunch period, about two or three
minutes after Robert had done so. And then they were all able to get to their respective classes just
before that period actually ended for them all, if they weren't all in the same fifth-period class during the
current school day. Either with or without Robert at the very same time, that was still the case for any
and/or all of them here, just the same.
The rest of the school day was rather quiet, at least for the most part, for Robert and quite a
few others at his school, in fact. That was if it wasn't rather quiet for all the necessary people here,
instead, of course. Robert soon left the campus, after the school day ended. And then he hurried home
with all his things, including the food that he'd not already consumed before, as well. Rini and several
other girls chose not to follow him home, either.
He went home, just as quickly as he then could do so here. And after arriving there, he soon
found his father checking on both sets of quints for a little while. All ten of those children were currently
asleep, in fact, after his father had fed, bathed, and changed them as needed here, not too long before
three in the afternoon. And his father had just put them all in each of their beds or cribs, as he'd then
needed to do here. When Robert the younger finally walked into the room that his youngest ten siblings
usually slept in, the older Robert soon asked his eldest son, "Did you have a good day today at
school?"
"I had an okay day at school today. It was rather quiet for me, in fact. I think that some girls
might be quite interested in me at my new school. But I'm not likely as interested in them as they seem
to be in me, I think."
"Why do you say this, son?"
"Because the past two days, they seem to be quite curious about me here. At least two of
them, that is."
"Do you think you'll be as interested in them as they now seem to be in you?"
"Not for a while, at least, I think, Dad."
"Did you hear that there was a big battle near or in Edinburgh Heights last night and this
morning?"
"No, I don't think I heard that here. What happened during it, if you can tell me here?" asked
the younger Robert, a few moments later. And he did this just after his father finished putting on some
classical music from one of the local radio stations.
"Some monsters showed up there, and a considerably-sized group of people opposed them in
a fight there. I heard about it from friends of mine who live in that part of our nation. And they told me
that two of these people, at least, healed several of those monsters with some sort of wand or
something else entirely."
"For some reason, that sounds familiar enough to me here now."
"I think so too, son."
"I have a question, then."
"Is that so, R.T.?"
"Yes, I do. Was there a girl with at least some pink hair present at this fight, by any chance at
all?"
"As a matter of fact, that's what my friends said to me when they told me about the fight last
night and this morning. They told me that she was apparently about your age as well, son."
"What did they call themselves?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"The people that fought and/or healed the monsters in or near Edinburgh Heights, Dad."
"They called themselves, I believe, "The Sailor Scouts", son. That's if I'm not too mistaken
about such things here, of course."
"I see. And why have they showed up here now, I wonder?"
"I have no idea yet, son. But I'm sure that we'll find out why soon enough, if the need ever
arises for them to let us know why they're here as they evidently are now."
"I suppose you're right, Dad. Well, I think I'd better get to work now on my homework for
tonight, before it's too late for me to do so here, in fact. For I think I might want to go out again
tonight, after supper, if at all possible."
"Fine with me here, then, son."
"I put some pizzas in the refrigerator for all of us to consume later, for your information, Dad. I
had one pizza for myself at lunch. And I brought two others that were the same size as the one I ate for
lunch home for everyone else, for all the obvious reasons here, in fact. Just as you'd asked me to do
this morning before I left for school today."
"Are you going to have some food to eat while you do your homework, as well, son?"
"Yes, I think I will. I'll have my remaining blueberry yogurt and chocolate milk, at least, for
myself while I do my homework in my room."
Then the younger Robert left his youngest ten siblings' room with his father, before they parted
from each other at least until supper, if not longer. Supposing, of course, that they didn't actually have
to be with each other again before then, in fact. Robert was done with his homework by 6 o'clock, at
the very latest, as well. He then decided to go for a short walk to the same park that he'd earlier
visited with his father a little while before. But only after his mother first told him that supper would be
at 7:30 pm local time, of course, did he then go for a short walk to there.
He walked near the same pond that he'd walked near with his father two evenings or nights
before, for at least a little while. And just as he'd done before, he periodically skipped some stones
across its watery surface to at least some degree, if not to a complete enough degree. He was still
doing this when he was suddenly joined near the pool by a currently-unknown woman to him.
This woman, in fact, was Commander Deanna Troi Riker. She came up behind him, while he
was still skipping stones periodically across the pond's watery surface at least partway, if not totally.
She came up to him very quietly, in fact. For she'd sensed that he was in rather deep thought about
various things in his life. And she really didn't want to startle him when she finally encountered him in
person in a physical enough sense here. She sensed him from about forty to sixty yards away, as she
was walking elsewhere in the same park for a while. And when she did, she also got a sudden
empathic impression that he might eventually want to talk to someone else about his current situation in
his life. Possibly even by the end of the night, in fact, elsewhere in town.
When she finally sat down on another bench near the same pond, several wood ducks and
some silver-winged seagulls on a far bank of it all started to pick at some bread pieces that'd blown
toward the pond from elsewhere in the park. She watched the ducks and seagulls amicably pick at the
nearby bread pieces, in fact. And she continued to do so at least until Robert finally noticed her
presence on another bench near the pond here.
He spoke first, and he said, "I've not seen you around town before, ma'am."
"I've only been around here for about a day or so, in fact. I found myself here all of a sudden
from somewhere that's quite far away from here. Where exactly, I can't tell you for sure, because
you'd most likely not believe me, if I told you. Supposing that I could tell you, in fact. I can say that I
am Commander Deanna Troi Riker, and I am a stranger to this place."
"Commander is a military rank, I know. Most women that I know in my life are not in the
military, Commander Deanna Troi Riker. May I ask what military you're part of, if that's not too much
of a problem here?"
"I'm not from around here. And you probably wouldn't recognize my nation's name, if I could
share it with you here. Which I really don't think I could do here, for many reasons that might be too
numerous to mention here in sufficient enough detail to you. I could be wrong about that here, though,
of course. May I ask your name, since I've told you mine here?"
"Fine. My name is Robert Masbogarin, in fact. Pleased to meet you here, then, Commander.
You can call me Robert, if and whenever we're alone with each other for any reason at all."
"Call me Mrs. Riker, or Deanna Riker, here, please. I think it'd be best if we leave military
ranks alone for at least the time being. Just in case whatever sent me here like I came here comes here
as well, and tries to find me."
"Where are you staying now, if I may ask you this here, then?"
"I am staying near Inverness Heights High School, at the 'Crescent Star Crystal Hotel',
Robert."
"That's a ways away from where I live here in town, Mrs. Riker. I don't often get to that part
of town, I believe. I normally find myself elsewhere in Inverness, in fact."
"I noticed you were obviously in rather deep thought about some things in your life, Robert.
May I ask what about, if it's not too much of an imposition for you here?"
"I don't think that I really want to talk about such things to a total stranger right now, for all the
obvious reasons, Mrs. Riker."
"Fine. Come find me if and when you actually want to talk to me later about such things. I've
been checking out the area a bit since I got here like I did yesterday, in fact. You might find me
periodically elsewhere in town here. Look for a pendant that looks like this." She then showed him a
mostly gold and silver combadge that was in the exact shape of an actually-current Starfleet insignia.
And she then placed it at the bottom of a necklace she'd traded a few classical music tapes for earlier
that same day. This combadge was of current issue, at least back where she'd been taken from
elsewhere in her Universe, in fact. That was only the case, right here and right now, if it wasn't actually
the very same Universe that both of them were in now, as of the current time, for all the obvious
reasons.
"I see. And you will be wearing this pendant, if I need to find you?"
"Yes, of course I will, Robert. For it will have to be with me in order for me to be able to get
back where I come from, most likely. If you see me wearing this pendant, then you might be able to
find me easily enough. How often do you come here?"
"Often enough, whenever I feel the need and can do so, in fact."
"I see. And if you need to talk to me, you know where I'll be staying now, Robert," said
Deanna.
"All right. But right now, Mrs. Riker, I have other things that I will have to do very soon here.
Like go back home and eat my supper with my family," said Robert.
"Understood. Take care, then, and maybe we'll see each other around here. Maybe we'll talk
later, as well. But in the meantime, take care, Robert."
"Agreed, Mrs. Riker." Then Robert soon left the park behind again for his own family's
residence, of course, for all the obvious reasons here. Deanna watched him leave, and she also
wondered if and when she might see him again around town, in fact.
After he left, Deanna remained in the park for a while longer, and she watched the seagulls and
ducks as she did so. While she was watching the ducks and the seagulls, a man came into her field of
vision from elsewhere in the park, after she turned to find him elsewhere in the park. This man was
wearing a mostly brown Jedi robe of some sort, but it was largely an undecorated one. She had
unexpectedly felt his presence in the park, just after he entered it as quietly as he could then do so. At
least in a physically audible enough sense, anyway. But his mind was currently broadcasting at least
loudly enough for her sense of empathy to pick his presence up well enough here. Normally, it might
not. But in this case, at least, if not others as well, it was doing so at the current time.
This man in a Jedi robe of sorts was, in fact, the Jedi Knight/Master Luke Skywalker. And he
was looking for a place in Inverness where he could calm himself down well enough for a while. He
soon walked past her. And then, for some reason neither of them yet understood, if either or both of
them ever would eventually do so in their lives, she said, "Jedi Master Luke, please sit down near me,
so that we can talk to each other."
With a quizzical look on his face, then, after having been called that by her, he eventually
nodded at her. And then he sat on the same bench that Robert had earlier occupied before he'd left for
his own place of residence. Then he asked, "Madam, how do you know my name and rank?"
"I don't exactly know how, but I do know that your first name is Luke. And that you are a Jedi
Master, though I don't yet know what that is, in fact. And that sword on your belt is obviously not just
for decoration, Master Luke. True, you don't have it activated right now, but I still know that you've
used it before. Just as I somehow know that your right hand is not actually a natural hand."
"Yes, that's true, Madam. You look a little familiar to me here. Could we have met just a few
days ago, at the most, by any chance at all?"
"As a matter of fact, I think we did, after Super Sailor Crescent Moon healed us both
somehow, Master Luke," answered Deanna.
"I can't keep on calling you Madam, lady, if we're likely to run into each other around here for
as long as we're both here on this strange world. May I ask your name, if that's not too much to ask
you for here?"
"My name is Deanna Troi Riker, and my rank back where I come from is Commander.
Commander of what, I can't exactly say yet, for I don't know you well enough here yet, I believe. But
maybe in time, I'll be able to tell you here, well enough, Master Luke."
"My name is actually Luke Skywalker, and as you obviously know by now, I am a Jedi,
Commander. I don't think that I've met many people who seem to have at least an empathic sense, if
not also a telepathic sense as well, in their respective lives, though. Maybe you can tell me what world
you're from, if that's not too much of a problem for you here."
"Might as well. You're going to learn it soon enough already,. I somehow suspect. So you
might as well learn its name before it becomes public knowledge around here. As I suspect that it might
eventually be, for some reason that I'm not yet aware of enough here and now, Master Luke. I am
from the planet Betazed, and that is a planet a long way away from here. How far exactly, I don't
currently know, if I ever will, in fact. And what is the name of your own world, as well, Master Luke?"
"I am from a planet called Tatooine, Commander."
"When you're around me, you can call me Commander, or Deanna, if you want to do so. But
if we're around each other in public, please call me Mrs. Riker."
"Mrs. Riker?"
"Yes. I took my husband's last name, and added it to my own when I married him."
"I see. And may I ask his name?"
"His name is Will. Some people call him William or Bill, but I believe that he prefers to be
called Will whenever possible, as a matter of fact, Master Luke."
"I see. Well, if you want me to call you Mrs. Riker around each other in public, then I'd like
you to call me Mr. Skywalker, whenever possible, in public as well."
"I can do that. Or at least I believe that I can do that well enough in such situations here, in
fact, Master Luke."
"In situations like this, just call me Luke, whenever possible."
"Fine, I'll try to remember that, of course."
"May the Force be with you,. then, as you try to do just that while we're both on this world
here."
Not too much later, then, Deanna left him and the park behind again for her hotel, for she was
getting somewhat hungry, in fact. But before she did so, she then suddenly told him, "Live long and
prosper, Master Luke" as she also gave him a Vulcan-style salute, in fact.
He then suddenly returned the salute that she'd just given him in like manner. But instead of
saying the exact words that she'd used while saluting him as she had, he said, "Peace and long life,
Commander Riker." He didn't yet know why either of them had just said and done what they'd just
said and done, if he ever would. But he still hoped that he'd eventually be able to do so, before they
were both returned to wherever they'd both been earlier. Supposing, of course, that they were each
ever able to return to each of those places, if not to only one of them, for all the obvious reasons here.
Then Mrs. Riker quickly left for her hotel again. Luke stayed behind for a while longer, until he
too felt that he had other things to now do in his own life at the current time. He then left the park, and
soon came to a group of trees elsewhere in town that had a multi-noded hotel of sorts within their
leaves and branches. This hotel of sorts was in a rather large group of trees close to the southwestern
corner of the Inverness Heights part of town, in fact. And this group of trees reminded him in large part
of the homeworld of one of his closest friends, back where he actually came from in his life.
That friend's world was basically, if not entirely, an arboreal one in its nature. And it was a
world called Kashyyyk, as well. The trees that his hotel was now in were quite tall, and they reminded
him at least a little of another type of tree that was often found on Kashyyyk. That type of tree was a
wroyshyr tree. And several of them could also often intertwine their various branches with each other.
Supposing of course, that they all were actually close enough to each other to do that, so as to suggest
that they were not more than one distinct tree, but only one tree, in fact. These trees could be miles
high, in fact, or they could not, back on Kashyyyk.
But the trees that his hotel was now in weren't actually wroyshyr trees. They were a certain
kind of tree that the locals might call "Katoglia Purkakisiani", in fact. Or "Katopurk" for short. That
kind of tree was sort of a cross between various kinds of walnut, oak, cedar, hickory, elm, and pine
trees, in actual reality. And it had been discovered not long after the first people to colonize this part of
Munrodoste had arrived in this particular part of his world. The native peoples of this world actually
had known of it for many years, as well. But the people that had come over from the various Great
Powers hadn't yet known of it well enough, at least until they were over here for a long enough period
of time to know of it well enough. His multi-noded hotel was in a large circle of about forty or so
Katopurk trees, in actual reality here.
He soon came to the base of one of them, and then he palmed a hidden panel on the nearby
trunk of that tree. An elevator platform of some sort then materialized near him on the outside of the
tree. He then stepped onto that platform again, just before palming the same panel again. After he
palmed the panel again, a somewhat opaque bubble of some sort then materialized around him,. This
was the case, so as to hide him from most people's view if they were close enough to him to see him
before he did that. He became quite invisible to them after doing that, even though he actually wasn't
while he was on the platform now in question here. Sure, people outside the group of trees might have
seen him before he palmed the panel for the second time, of course. But he didn't actually de-
materialize, in fact. He was still there, even if nobody outside the group of trees could then see him well
enough anymore. When he palmed it the second time, he also said where he wanted the elevator of
sorts to take him. And that place, in actual reality, was his own current hotel room. He was staying at
the "Silver Shard Inn", and that was still in the southwestern corner of the Inverness Heights part of
Inverness, as well. The elevator took him to his room just as quickly as it could, and then he soon
began taking a nap in it on his current bed there.
******************************************************************************
Another good-sized battle will take place in Chapter Seven, somewhere. And it'll then
introduce several more characters into the story at least a little bit, if not a lot, readers. Other chapters
that are still to come here will then introduce even more people into the story as well, in fact. Until then,
though, you'll all just have to see what's coming up soon enough. But I promise you at least a few
more crossover elements will be added to the story as well within the next few chapters, at most, most
likely, readers. So please read, review, and enjoy, if at all possible. Until later, then, this is "The
Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers!
Over and out!