CommandoBob
AbstractArt
Great Library
Deep in the bowels of the Great Library of Sugar Mountain, a middle-aged man searched old texts and manuscripts as he chased down ancient ideas that might be able to reuse in his day and time. He was in an older portion of the Great Library, known to the locals simply as Down There. Very few came to this area; the mustiness caused by rotting parchment and rumors of unfriendly ancient spirits were enough to keep away the mildly curious. Only those who had a driving need came to these bookshelves, magazine racks and card catalogues.
So deep was his concentration that he did not notice anything else; day and night had long since ceased to have any meaning this far beneath the earth. Food and drink he had brought with him and he was upwind of the nearest latrine. Lights, both those suspended from the ceiling and carried in his hand and stacks upon stacks of long forgotten writings were his only interest these days.
So he completely missed the change of possession of the Great Library. And no one told the new owners about him, either.
Several months after the change, the new owners began to hear noises from the further reaches of the complex. Food began to disappear from the central storage area (which supplied all the vending machines on the various levels), but no crumbs or droppings were ever found. Coffee pots turned off in the evening were found full of coffee the next morning, fresh and hot, with signs of a coffee debauchery on the floor next to the unit: opened packets of sugar, creamer and the multi-colored remains of various artificial sweeteners, mixed in with warm coffee grounds.
These were the only signs that something was amiss. No one ever saw the personage responsible for the events. No one was ever harmed or even mildly frightened. In time it became an institutional joke that only the night workers took seriously, even going so far as to leave powdered donuts and cinnamon rolls from the vending machines next to fresh pots of coffee that they brewed far from where they worked. They suspected that their workmates actually consumed their offerings, but they were never quite sure.
Eventually, the Director of the Great Library took matters into his own hands. With much fanfare he announced his intention to search all of Down There for whatever was lurking in its depths. He asked for volunteers but there were none. The new stewards of The Great Library were insistent that he have an armed guard but he refused their request, arguing that one life was enough to risk. He also pointed out that grues, which were known to live in the area, were very fond of the colour purple. So he went in alone, armed with a stave, a lamp, a pocket knife and a large ball of thread.
This is his story.
Sorta.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Robinton, you old scoundrel. Are you ready to leave this burg, you and Zair?’
‘Been waiting for you go give the word, Robert. Everything is packed and ready to go. Do you want to examine the set scene? I can’t wait to get home and have some decent red wine for a change. That black wine just reminded me of klah.’
‘Black wine is the local specialty, especially when it is heated.Oh yeah. How far away is it?’
‘Right over here. Look,’ said Robinton, raising his lamp high.
The area where they stood was next a crime scene. Drops of blood were splattered on the walls and bookshelves. A large blood smear was on the floor and evidence that a body had been dragged down one of the hallways. Carefully Robert emptied the oil from his lamp into a storage container, leaving only a thin layer of oil on the bottom. He then set the lamp down near the largest blood stain. He took off his shoes and replaced them with boots from Robinton. The shoes were relaced and placed near the smoldering lamp.
‘Now to me it looks like someone was suddenly attacked and killed in the dark and their body taken away. What do you think, Robinton?’
‘Well, some will disagree, since they will never find a body, but the evidence is pretty overwhelming. I mean, why would the Director of The Great Library go to such lengths to falsify his own death? You don’t have any life insurance, do you?’
‘Nope, no life insurance. This is sure to give the conspiracy nuts a new topic of conversation for the next few years.’
‘I wonder what stories they will come up with. Will they tell the tale that we have set before them? Will they suspect that the mysterious Masterharper Robinton of Pern dwelt here for many years, studying the ancient masters?’
‘Do you think anyone will figure out that The Director of the Great Library was really an agent of Team Free, working his way up through the ranks, to obtain access to untold secrets?’
‘Nayh, not a chance,’ said Robert, laughing.
‘So, where is Zair?’
‘Zair is outside, waiting for us. She really doesn’t like this place. She gives me images of nasty things down here in the dark.’
‘Grues,’ said Robert. ‘Yuck. Let’s leave while we can. Which way do we go?’
‘This way,’ said Robinton. ‘It’s about five miles to the meeting place, once we leave this facility. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us.’
‘Onward, then, friend, onward, and let us not waste time.’
Deep in the bowels of the Great Library of Sugar Mountain, a middle-aged man searched old texts and manuscripts as he chased down ancient ideas that might be able to reuse in his day and time. He was in an older portion of the Great Library, known to the locals simply as Down There. Very few came to this area; the mustiness caused by rotting parchment and rumors of unfriendly ancient spirits were enough to keep away the mildly curious. Only those who had a driving need came to these bookshelves, magazine racks and card catalogues.
So deep was his concentration that he did not notice anything else; day and night had long since ceased to have any meaning this far beneath the earth. Food and drink he had brought with him and he was upwind of the nearest latrine. Lights, both those suspended from the ceiling and carried in his hand and stacks upon stacks of long forgotten writings were his only interest these days.
So he completely missed the change of possession of the Great Library. And no one told the new owners about him, either.
Several months after the change, the new owners began to hear noises from the further reaches of the complex. Food began to disappear from the central storage area (which supplied all the vending machines on the various levels), but no crumbs or droppings were ever found. Coffee pots turned off in the evening were found full of coffee the next morning, fresh and hot, with signs of a coffee debauchery on the floor next to the unit: opened packets of sugar, creamer and the multi-colored remains of various artificial sweeteners, mixed in with warm coffee grounds.
These were the only signs that something was amiss. No one ever saw the personage responsible for the events. No one was ever harmed or even mildly frightened. In time it became an institutional joke that only the night workers took seriously, even going so far as to leave powdered donuts and cinnamon rolls from the vending machines next to fresh pots of coffee that they brewed far from where they worked. They suspected that their workmates actually consumed their offerings, but they were never quite sure.
Eventually, the Director of the Great Library took matters into his own hands. With much fanfare he announced his intention to search all of Down There for whatever was lurking in its depths. He asked for volunteers but there were none. The new stewards of The Great Library were insistent that he have an armed guard but he refused their request, arguing that one life was enough to risk. He also pointed out that grues, which were known to live in the area, were very fond of the colour purple. So he went in alone, armed with a stave, a lamp, a pocket knife and a large ball of thread.
This is his story.
Sorta.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘Robinton, you old scoundrel. Are you ready to leave this burg, you and Zair?’
‘Been waiting for you go give the word, Robert. Everything is packed and ready to go. Do you want to examine the set scene? I can’t wait to get home and have some decent red wine for a change. That black wine just reminded me of klah.’
‘Black wine is the local specialty, especially when it is heated.Oh yeah. How far away is it?’
‘Right over here. Look,’ said Robinton, raising his lamp high.
The area where they stood was next a crime scene. Drops of blood were splattered on the walls and bookshelves. A large blood smear was on the floor and evidence that a body had been dragged down one of the hallways. Carefully Robert emptied the oil from his lamp into a storage container, leaving only a thin layer of oil on the bottom. He then set the lamp down near the largest blood stain. He took off his shoes and replaced them with boots from Robinton. The shoes were relaced and placed near the smoldering lamp.
‘Now to me it looks like someone was suddenly attacked and killed in the dark and their body taken away. What do you think, Robinton?’
‘Well, some will disagree, since they will never find a body, but the evidence is pretty overwhelming. I mean, why would the Director of The Great Library go to such lengths to falsify his own death? You don’t have any life insurance, do you?’
‘Nope, no life insurance. This is sure to give the conspiracy nuts a new topic of conversation for the next few years.’
‘I wonder what stories they will come up with. Will they tell the tale that we have set before them? Will they suspect that the mysterious Masterharper Robinton of Pern dwelt here for many years, studying the ancient masters?’
‘Do you think anyone will figure out that The Director of the Great Library was really an agent of Team Free, working his way up through the ranks, to obtain access to untold secrets?’
‘Nayh, not a chance,’ said Robert, laughing.
‘So, where is Zair?’
‘Zair is outside, waiting for us. She really doesn’t like this place. She gives me images of nasty things down here in the dark.’
‘Grues,’ said Robert. ‘Yuck. Let’s leave while we can. Which way do we go?’
‘This way,’ said Robinton. ‘It’s about five miles to the meeting place, once we leave this facility. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us.’
‘Onward, then, friend, onward, and let us not waste time.’
That was great. 
nice story. Took me foreign speaker some time to get through - and I surely will never understand all references to movies, previous MTDG and SGotm spoilers (?) and all the other related stuff. 
