The Amtrak 3:05 from Albany was always a congested nightmare. Masses of people, so wrapped up in their own bullshit, that they were almost constitutio...nally incapable of even the basest form of politeness. I sat at the front of the train, back to the wall, and allowed myself to indulge in one of the few creature comforts I had. Music. I plugged my ear buds in and allowed the dulcet tones of the likes of Pantera, Mudvayne, and Slipknot, to wash over me.‘A long time ago I never knew myself. Then. Suddenly, before her eyes, arcing ethereal lightning erupted from each claw, dancing along the curved edges, as though alive.“Wow! That’s incredible!” Calara gasped in awe.Jade gave her a wide feline grin, then bounded off down the corridor heading for the Cargo Bay, eager to see what other new tricks she might have developed.John and Alyssa had sat up, and were just about to climb off the bed when John heard tentative footsteps heading down the corridor towards them. He concentrated, straining. "Excuse me", the drunken messenger mumbles, "are you Gurterude the Great. I have a message for a Gurterude the Great."The tinker shakes his head but the messenger busy downing his mug of ale continues anyway."Well, Gurterude, eer eet goes. Der ess dis err princess, end she'd be eternally grateful, , if zum wun would come end rescue er from zom stoned tower that she is locked in. "The messenger then drops a scroll on the table in front of the speechless tinker, and says, "Dis er is a map which. Try that costume out on Ellen, next store. Ihope that she's got her nitroglycerine handy. By the way, did you see wherethat gob of gelatin landed?" " There, on your shoe. It'll wipe clean off without a mark." Phyllissuggested after a moment's uncomfortable hesitation. "Happy Halloween!" Phyllisjammed one candy bar in Bozo's partially open mouth and unpeeled the other. "Here,Bozo will hold it for me!" She turned and walked out the door. Margo decided to allow herself an extra hour to calm down.