SB003:  Much Abu About Nothing

     The Dinosorceror was frozen in awe at the graceful and fearsome reptilian
female before him.  The request for peanut butter M & M's went completely
without a response from him, so X held the rifle at her side and stood talon
to talon, muzzle to muzzle with Dino.  His eyes were transfixed on hers.

     X took a long and slow sniff of Dino, then cocked her head to one side.
"I haven't smelled inexperience like this in quite a long time...you're
nothing like your predecessor."

     Dino's curiousity stimulated him into verbalization.  "You mean...you
knew that alien that landed yesterday?"

     "Alien?" X snorted.  "That is the most disrespectful term I've ever
heard.  If you only knew of the accomplishments of the Dinosorceror before
you, you would refer to him only with love and respect."  She snorted again,
and turned to scan the remains of the kitchen, and sniff the food-like debris
on the floor.

     Dino bowed his head, closing his eyes, collecting his thoughts. 
"I'm...I'm sorry," he sighed.  "I've been through an awful lot in the past
twenty-four hours."  X payed him little mind, still hunched over and sniffing
around the room.  "But I hope you don't expect me to be the Dinosorceror
my predecessor was.  I'm just a buffoon who had this happen to me."

     X stopped sniffing momentarily, then stood erect as she returned her
gaze to Dino.  "Perhaps...perhaps I am being too harsh," she said softly,
stepping closer to Dino again, "...because the previous Dinosorceror once
said something very similar."

     Dino smiled.  "So, when do we get to do the nasty?"

     X threw her arms into the air, rolled her eyes, and exhaled loudly,
heading for the door leading outside.

     "What?  What?" Dino whined, rushing after her out the back door, then
giggled, "Oh, you know I'm only kidding," as he reached her side on the back
porch.

     X scanned the horizon and the skies.  It was a little past noon.  "Well,
there's very little we can accomplish here.  Let's go create your Fortress
of Solitude so we can have a proper base of operations.  You did get the
crystal that was forwarded, didn't you?"

     Dino's silence provoked X to turn to him again, asking, "Didn't you?"

     He winced, inhaling.  "Um...yeah.  But I sort of...used it already."

     "_Used_ it?  Here?  Then where in the worlds is it?" she asked, striding
around the yard.

     "Um...it's right between your legs now."

     X stopped in her tracks, and looked at the little crystalline structure
between her feet.  Her sickles tapped on either side, gouging little cones
into the ground.  "You just couldn't wait, could you?"

     Dino slapped his arms to his side.  "Well, how was I supposed to know
you needed a lot of ice to make a big enough structure!  Besides, I could
just use the 4-D Lens to make it bigger, couldn't I?"

     X turned swiftly to face Dino, nearly crushing the Fortress.  "What?
You've got the Lens?"

     Dino looked down surprisingly at his pendant.  "Well...yeah!  I mean,
I thought it came part and parcel with the job?  Doesn't it?"

     X walked slowly up to Dino, turning her muzzle to eye the Lens closely.
"By the stars...that crazy old fool actually did it!"

     "You mean...this wasn't really the Dinosorceror's?"

     X stared for a moment more, then shook her head.  "It would take too
long to explain, and we'll save that story for when we're in a more secure
location."  She looked over her shoulder at the tiny Fortress.  "And you
shouldn't try using the Lens to such a large extent for the time being...not
until you get used to it.  It would take a lot out of you.  For the time
being, you should simply change your own size to match that of the Fortress.*
You have tried that out, haven't you?"

     Dino nodded.  "Yes...yes, I have.  It seemed to work okay."

     "Good.  Then grab the Fortress and let's go.  We'll stop someplace and
pick up supplies on the way to my base of operations."

     Dino walked over to the Fortress, and picked it up gingerly. 
"Okay...there's a supermarket down the hill.  We can get food there. 
But...can you wait a second?  I really should wash this Fortress off."

     X started to walk back into the house.  "I really don't envy your
incredible responsibilities, Dinosorceror.  You've got a lot of hard times
ahead."

     Dino replied as they walked through the door, "Yeah, I know.  This is
going to be a bitch to de-odorize."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

     The creature stirred in his leathery seat.  "So...that old fossil of
a Patriarch sent someone to help that fool...he thinks.  Bring in my warrior."




*Editor's note:  a thinly veiled explanation to keep the Dinosorceror small
 for extended periods of time.