From: johnsd2@jec328.its.rpi.edu (Dan Johnson)
Subject: Storming the Pearl Gates, Ch 10
Date: 10 Mar 1994 20:23:47 GMT

We're almost to the end; there is one more chapter after 
this, 2 at most.

It starts a bit slow, I think, but hang in there; it gets better.
As usual, send comments to me, I want to know what you think.

I do plan to repost all this stuff in a.a.s. when I can post on a.a.s;
*if* I can ever post there. But for now, here it is.

              Chapter 10       Judgement Day

[Fade in extreme close of up of Stryder. Lotsa sweaty eyebrows,
you know how this looks]

Stryder: [voice-over]
"There I was... pinned down by heavy sweetness and light in front
of the Palace of God. He'd gotten his defenses in order only just
in time;"

[A blob of hot sugar plops down near Stryder, and fire
singes his eyebrows.]

Stryder: [voice-over]
"there was just one last chance, and I was it. Because I had
our last secret weapon.. Windosil, the M-16 that was bent,
and which has been straighted."

[Pan back to show the Main Force hiding behind a ridge,
near a clearing. God is in a Throne, surrounded by his
Angelic Bodyguard, who are, most annoying, shooting at our
heros, as mentioned above.]

Arturo Magidin:
"Hey! Does anybody know why Stryder's looking intense?"

[Suddenly Stryder leaps out of hiding, M-16 in hand,
and beings peppering the defending Angels from the ridge!]

Dan Johnson: "Stryder! Get down here, you'll be.."

[SPLAT! Something white and gooey hits Stryder, and he tumbles down
behind the ridge again]

Terence Rokop: [runs up, examines Stryder, and the blob of goo]
"It's saccarine! Have they no pity!"

Geoff Arnold:
"It's is own fault! The putz should have known better
than to jump up there."

Jim Hogan:
"Here! Give him these!" [offers some little blue pills. Terence
feeds them to Stryder. Moments later, Styder gets a glazed
look and a broad smile.]

Terence Rokop: "What were those?"

Jim Hogan:
"Percocets! My favorite!" [swallows a handful, then wanders
off aimlessly.]

[Just then, Angela Dyer swaggers up from behind.]
Angela Dyer:
"Hello there, all. How's it coming?"

Geoff Arnold: "Not so well; we're pinned down here;

Angela Dyer: "I noticed."

Geoff Arnold: "and they got Stryder."

Angela Dyer: "Looks like Saccarine and Percocets, to me.
Not the worst way to go."

Geoff Arnold: "How did your search go?"

Angela Dyer: [evil smile]
"I got 'im. Not a problem."

Dan Johnson:
"Yeah, well, unless somebody has a bright idea, I think a strategic
retreat might be in.."

Arturo Magidin: "Look! What's that!"

[A great horde of Angles is marching up the road towards the Throne
of God; they carry banners reading "More Instruments!" and "We won't
settle for Cloud 8 anymore!" and so on.]

Dan Johnson:
"I'm not sure if this is good or bad, but it is weird. There
is promise in that, at least..."

[As the crowd approaches we see Clark Adams and Bob Beauchaine,
yelling slogans with the rest of them.]

Geoff Arnold:
"Of course it's weird; Beauchaine and Adams are in there,
together."

[The crowd rounds a corner and the Angels defending God see
them, and look rather surprised. But the crowd keeps on coming,
and soon it envelops the defenders. But there is no shooting; and
pretty soon all the angels are yelling slogans. God looks a bit
nervous.]

Dan Johnson: "Nice of them to stop shooting at us."

Geoff Arnold: "Yeah, but are they ever going to go away so
we can do the dirty work?"

Angela Dyer: "We just need some crowd control."
[sticks two fingers in her mouth and whistles loudly.
Moments later, some horses canter up.]

Dan Johnson: "Where did you get these guys?"

Angela Dyer: "They... owe me one."

[One of the horses looks adoringly at Dyer]

Angela Dyer: "Later, big guy. Everybody, mount up!"

[Everyone mounts up.]

Angela Dyer: "No, on the *HORSES*!"

Everyone: "Oh!"

[Everybody tries again and gets it right.]

Angela Dyer: "Now, most of these guys haven't seen
a horse since they died. They'll keep their distance."

[The Our Heros meander down the hill and barge into the crowd.
It's not long before they have God isolated.]

Dan Johnson: "Ha ha! Now we have you!"

Geoff Arnold: [whispers]
"Psst! 'We have you now'! It's 'We have you now'!"

Dan Johnson: "Uh, yeah.. We have you now!"

God: "I *do* hope you enjoy it. But don't do anything
rash; I could send dragons after you."

[Cut to behind the ridge, where, if you'll recall,
Stryder is still bemused. He is looking very pleased
with himself, the nearby trees, the air three feet in
front of him, and so on. A robed figure walks up, so
Stryder looks pleased at him, too.]

Figure: "I am Scott Sauyet, Comic Knight. I must see
the proceedings."

[Stryder is quite entertained by this]

Sauyet: "You will take me to the proceedings, now."

Stryder: [stirring himself to speak]
"I will take you to the proceedings.." [stands]
"ah.. next week?"

Sauyet: "You will take me to the proceedings, *now*."

Stryder: "I will take you to the proceedings, at noon!"

Sauyet: "I should know better than to use mind control
on someone whacked up on percocets. You *will* take
me to the proceedings, *NOW*."

Stryder: "Oh, now. C'mon"

[Stryder staggers down to the proceedings, with Sauyet in tow.
We rejoin Our Heros as they try to decide between lethal injection
and large explosives. Adams and Beauchaine have joined
the congregation around God.]

Dan Johnson: "We just want to be rid of him, completely. Explosives
will destroy the body..."

Geoff Arnold: "Messy! And uncivilized! And what about the Angels?"
[Gestures at the still-yelling Angels around them.]

Stryder: [points at Sauyet]
"Scott Sauyet, Comic Knight!"

Dan Johnson: [sees Sauyet]
"Oh, Hi. Moving up the world? We're just about to blow up
God. You can tell us about your search after that."

Geoff Arnold: "That's *almost* right.."

Sauyet: "I must be allowed to speak!"

Stryder: "The comic must be allowed to squeek!"

Dan Johnson: "Well, fine, squeek, see if I care!"

Sauyet: "No! Speak!"

God: "Oh no, I really would rather they tried to blow me up.
That'd be jolly."

Sauyet: "I am *going* to speak; you can either profit by this,
or be destroyed!"

God: "Oh, in that case, I'd like to profit. What do I win?"

Sauyet: "Just kidding. You're going to be destroyed."

God: "Oh, foo." [Big smile]

Dan Johnson: "Very *well*, if it'll destroy stuff, I suppose
we can listen."

Sauyet: "Thank you. Now, doesn't it seem a little unfair to you
to just execute this guy?"

God: "Yeah!"

Sauyet: "Acting as judge, jury, and executioner!"

Dan Johnson: "Yeah. So?"

Sauyet: "So let's convene a trial! We'll collect a jury of
God's peers, try him, convict him, and execute him!"

God: "My peers? Who would that be? I haven't got any!
You can't try me."

Sauyet: "Judge me by my sanity, do you?"

Dan Johnson: [sarcastically]
"Oh no, of *course* not!"

Sauyet: "And well you should not! For the script is my ally,
and a powerfully ally it is!"

Dan Johnson: "Scott, why are you talking funn.. oh my..."

[An 'oh my' prompted by the fact that the crowd of angels,
the throne, the horses, and the field are gone. Our Heroes
and God, are in a large courthouse. Sauyet is sitting in the
Judge's chair.]

God: [applauds]
"Oh, very nice! That's splendid!"

[But everyone else is slightly flabberghasted.]

God: "But I'm afraid, pretty though this is, that I have no peers."
[Takes a deep breath] "MUAHAHAHAHAHAH! You'll never convict me! Never!"

[Fade out]