Steelsheen

Stave 16 Hewkii was surprised to find that the Fire Toa who had stolen the discs had not covered her tracks very well. Her name was Alkah, and she was an experienced mask maker in Ta-metru's second district. Apparently, she had gotten a little too obsessed with her job. Which doesn't say much for her intelligence. In Metru-Nui, if you're going to steal something, at least make it hard for people to find you, he rolled his eyes as he grabbed onto one of the metal support rings inside the chute to slow his ride. Timing his movement with the flow of the magnetized protodermis walls, he jumped out and steeled his nerves to land on the ground half a dozen bio below. Getting out at a chute-stop might be easier, but it would also require a detailed explanation to the Nuurakh, the Ta-metru Vahki. And they were not known for either patience or understanding. More than likely, they'd make me explain myself to the district manager, by which time, Alkah will have gotten away. He landed smoothly on his feet and glanced around. The forges of the fire metru blew a thick cloud of smoke and smog that never quite dissipated - an uncomfortable climate for a Toa used to the clear desert air. A few Ta-matoran carted kanoka discs or tools to and from different factories, but most were indoors, smelting the metal and tools for which they were so famous. Except for the major chute-stations and important foundries, the Nuurakh would have few patrols until nightfall. Provided you don't get caught, it's the ideal metru to get in and out of without detection, he smiled. Of course, if you do fall into Vahki hands, chances are you'll end up mindlessly doing some embarrassing chore. Hewkii quickly made his way to the forge where Toa Alkah worked, using back streets and smoke for cover. Using his powers to shift the stone street, he carved a passage under the walls and into a storage room. Carefully, he listened, trying to get the feel for who was where in the foundry. His element was almost useless for detection in here, since everything was made of metal; he would have to rely on his new Mask of Stealth to navigate. He had no doubt there were Nuurakh here, guarding the precious stores of new kanohi. After a minute of listening, he activated his mask and slowly stepped through the doorway inti the main room. To his surprise, there was no one around. The forge was completely deserted. The machinery was running, but there were no operators, no mask makers, and no foremen. The floor was strewn with ash and dust, which seemed normal enough, but among the dirt lay pieces of smashed masks and... Was that Vahki armor? "What's with this place?" he muttered. "Have the Ta-matoran finally started taking lunch breaks?" "What are you doing here?" a voice demanded. He whirled to face Alkah, who held her Toa tool - a spiked mace with flames dancing over the surface - pointed at him warily. "You came to my metru; I'm just returning the favor." he replied coldly, sizing her up. She was obviously older than he, but from her stance he guessed she had little to no combat experience. Bullying matoran, not the art of fighting, had been her life's work. Looking closer at her Kanohi Matatu, he noticed there was something just slightly off-kilter, something not quite right about her face. It's her eyes, he told himself. They're green. "Visit your metru?" she laughed harshly. "I'd rather face a stone crawler with a broom." Hewkii took a step back. If she decided to use her element in here, where there was already so much heat, he wanted to have a little space to maneuver. "The discs. Where are they?" he demanded. "Broken. All broken." Alkah glanced down at the floor and seemed to sigh. Her foot moved a piece of broken protodermis. "Like you, like me. All broken, all gone." "Cut the drama." he snapped, slowly reaching for his axe, which was clipped to his back. "There's no way a master crafter like you broke all thirty." She laughed again; a laugh that, like her eyes, was not quite right. "Moron! You see the shards, and you refuse to accept it! But you are broken, too... Cracked and tossed aside, like a flawed mask. Soon, he'll melt you down, too. Make you into something new, something useful." Her expression suddenly changed to one of anger. "Useful... For a time. Then you break again, and he melts it, remakes it. Only a tool... That's what you are!" In one smooth motion, Hewkii grabbed his axe and swung it at her. She blocked with an unearthly ease, catching his blade in the spikes of her tool. "Ha! You think you can fight him?" she cackled. "I knew stone Toa were stubborn, but not stupid." "Snap out of it, Alkah!" he yelled. "This act isn't going to save you!" Her face twisted between rage and pity. "Don't say that name." Hewkii shifted his weight and broke his axe free of the deadlock. Using his Mask of Speed, he dodged her blow and darted behind her, aiming a punch at her back. Again, she seemed to anticipate his move and sidestepped, throwing a fireball as she did. It barely touched his arm, but even so, the heat penetrated his armor painfully. "For embezzlement, you might have gotten a demotion and a slap on the mask." he growled. "For that, you're going to get whole lot more." "I wish." Now she sounded like she might cry. "It's already too late. Too late; for you, for me, for everyone in this blasted city! The darkness has won." Alkah suddenly dropped to her knees, sobbing. Hewkii looked down at her warily. What's with her mood swings? It's almost like she's... No, she can't be! The mendarii would mean she'd have the rash on her mask. It's just an act to get me to let my guard down. Just like a female. "Ahh!" A blood-curdling cry escaped Alkah's lips as she leapt back to her feet. "You will feel my pain - you will suffer like me!" She swung her mace wildly, spraying fire in a wide circle around her. The flames were white-hot, fueled by her anger. Hewkii wasted no energy on words. He pulled a block of stone up through the metal floor as a shield against the heat, then began throwing dagger-like cones of rock as a diversion. "The matoran fled this place." she cried; in anger or sorrow, he couldn't tell. "They sent Vahki to release me from my pain, and they failed. Why should you do any better? Tell me that!" With the words, she spun and smacked her mace squarely into his blockade, cracking and melting the solid rock. She's gotten herself into such a rage, even her armor's glowing from the heat, he thought, leaping to avoid her next swing. He tried to form a stone chain around her hands to limit her motion, but the moment it appeared, the rock melted to slag. Great. Where's Macku when I need a Toa of Water? But even as she threw another blast at him, he noticed her wincing and looking at her hands. Some of the molten rock had slipped through the cracks in her armor and scalded her. For anyone but a Toa of Fire, the pain would have been excruciating. That's it! If she can anticipate my moves, then let her defeat herself! He rolled, came up on his feet and swung his axe at her left leg. She dodged yet again and raised her mace for a deathblow with a savage cry. He barely ducked the attack and forced the floor to buckle under her feet. She instantly sank into the sand pit he had created. As her hot armor touched the tiny pieces of stone, the sand became liquid glass. She fell further into the widening pool of hot sand, screaming wildly as the glass found the gaps in her armor and burned her flesh. Hewkii shook off the burns he had received from her last effort and spoke quietly. "The more you heat yourself up, the worse the pain will get. Give up, Alkah." "Don't call me that!" she yelled. Her armor was almost as hot as the flames she wielded now. "I left her behind long ago! I hate her!" Her voice trailed off into another shriek. "Stop heating yourself, and the pain will stop." he repeated. "You left yourself behind?" "Always serving, always crawling." she moaned. "Well, I broke away! I broke free of him! Free, free! But it was all an illusion; none of it real. You can't outrun him when he's in you." She cried and laughed at once. And in the light of her glowing armor, he could finally see a streak of greasy, grey-green slime on her kanohi... the surest sign that the mendarii, the madness, had her in it's grip. "How long have you been sick?" he asked, refusing to show any of the horror he felt. "Years... Eons... A week. It's all the same." She was still increasing the heat, but now she seemed unable to feel the pain. "All one long dark tunnel. And you'll see! One day, you'll look back and see him over your shoulder, controlling your every move and thought. And if you rebel," she shuddered, "he'll break you, like he broke me." "Who? Who broke you?" He had a feeling he already knew the answer. "Him! Him, you imbecile!" She laughed again; the sound somehow embodied all the pain of the ages. "You'll see!" Her breath was coming in gasps now. "Never liked Po-Toa. Always caring about what you see, not what is." She shuddered again. With a start, Hewkii saw her hands burst into flame. Not as if she had summoned the fire, but as if she was burning from the inside out. And I think... she is. More flames spurted up from the pit of glass and sand, melting even Alkah's armor. For a moment, even above the roar of the fire, he could hear her wild, throbbing screams. And then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, the flames died. There was nothing left but her half-melted kanohi and blackened glass. He stared at the hole in shock and disgust. What did she mean? Was it all madness babble? She seemed sane enough at some points... But then why kill herself? A squad of Nuurakh smashed the door open and surveyed the scene. One of them came up to Hewkii and scanned the district identification code that was welded onto his armor. The Vahki nodded and shrugged him off. The other five machines were surveying the forge, taking digital images of the evidence and chirping to each other in their annoying beep language. Even without speech, he got the message: "We know who you are, and we'll visit if we need you. You're free to go." Slowly, he turned and left the battle-struck foundry. "Next time a Toa steals, I think I'll just report it to the local Vahki." He was not smiling.Review

Yay! Journey Into the Light is back! Well, at least part of it. I can't wait to read the completed work. Congrats on recovering from being hacked, Galigee.-HH

Ah, I see. Yes, Telet probably will appear in a flashback at some point, or more likely, one of Gyet's dreams. I think you mean Stave 15? Wow, I didn't realize I had waited so long over the holiday week to post! Don't worry; I'll post more regularly now that my work is back to a normal schedule. And yes, it was a nod to MoL. I just couldn't resist.-HH

You sometimes emulate the actual (or perhaps original is a better word) Tolkien's Silmarillion in your sentence style. I like it, but at times you try so hard that it becomes a little disjointed and disrupts the flow of a really neat story. However, your prose is strong and your emotions well-established. 8/10-HH

Stave 15 Linkake sighed again. Waiting for Hahli to come back from the city felt like waiting for a Hoto turtle to move. And he had so many questions he still hadn't found answers to; why he had been in the Silver Sea, who had sent him, and what exactly the Great One was. So many questions and so few memories, he thought ruefully. Just dreams, glimpses of faces and people. Nothing real, nothing certain. Not even my own name. Sitting on the floor with him, Leyana was working busily on a sliding puzzle, trying to move the pieces to unlock the little box of sweets Hahli had given her. She muttered to herself as she played. At last, she heaved a sigh and turned to the young male matoran. "Will you helpgive, please? I mean, help me?" Linkake smiled as he took the box. The little girl still occasionally slipped into chutespeak when she was upset, as hard as she tried to speak properly. "Sure, kiddo. Let's see." Jaatiiko looked up from a book he was studying. "Slide the purple down two notches and the green right three notches." Linkake followed the boy's directions and found that the lid sprang open. "That did it. Here you go, Ley." "Yay!" Leyana cried, reaching for one of the candied kojo fruits. "Thanks, 'Tiiko." she said with her mouth full. "How'd you know that would open it, 'Tiiko?" Linkake asked curiously. The boy shrugged. "Math. Those were the only two pieces that were in any position to undo a catch." Kendral grinned, looking up from the stew he was stirring. "He's a whiz with that stuff. Someday, he'll have to be an engineer, or something." "I guess so." Linkake laughed. "And I'll be a spy, like Hahli!" Leyana added. She picked up an imaginary disc launcher and pretended to fire it. "Whoosh! You're gone, bad Toa!" "Ah! You got me; I'm hurt!" Linkake held one hand over his heartlight, wincing dramatically. Kendral only rolled his eyes, but Leyana burst out laughing. Jaatiiko looked on with calm interest as Linkake chased the little girl around the room playfully, both calling each other names that would have shocked the eldest member of the family. "All right; you win." the multi-colored matoran gasped after a few minutes. "You're too fast." "That's... 'cause I'm... a Le-matoran." she taunted between gulps of air. Linkake noticed a light disc launcher mounted on one of the walls. "I bet I can beat you at accuracy, though." "Hahli says I can't use it." Leyana pouted, looking at the launcher. "She says I'm too little." "Well, I'm sure she wouldn't mind just once." he grinned, taking it off its hooks. "Come on, what's the target?" The little girl pointed at a small vein of white rock that ran across the wall. "Hit that!" Linkake raised the launcher and slipped his fingers into the firing mechanism. As he did so, a spark seemed to leap from his hand to the weapon... and with the energy came a burst of memories. A Toa in scarred blue armor flashed into his mind's eye - she was talking to him, teaching him about kanoka. * * * "But remember that type one discs are only to be used as a last resort." she said in a voice that cracked with age. "The reconstitution may last for a few minutes or a few days, depending on the disc, and there is absolutely no way to predict what the target will become." "So I could change a kavinika into a rahkshi?" he heard himself ask. "Or something worse." she nodded. "The best types for you to use would be shrink or freeze discs - even most Toa choose those." He cocked his head and looked over the stack of discs in front of him. "But?" "But," a slight smile crossed the ancient Toa's mask, "I happen to believe that you might do better with a less common strategy, given your... unique style." "Teleports?" he suggested eagerly. "I meant custom discs, Takua." she corrected. "Like this." She handed him a disc with a four-digit code: 4456. He frowned in surprise. "I thought kanoka only had three numbers." The Toa of Water nodded. "Only combined discs have more - discs created by merging two or more of the eight standards. What kind is this?" He had memorized the codes inside and out. "A Ko-metru disc, power level six, and combined discs of 'removes poison' and 'enlarge'." "Correct. Which makes this a disc of poison." "But, Toa Helryx!" he protested in surprise. "Poison is a power of the darkness! You can't expect me to use it!" Her aged face became very stern. "Do you remember what happened to Litna last year? Do you remember the devastation that you saw? This is an enemy you must be willing to fight any way you can." "But I swore to obey the code of the Toa--" "As did I. But you are not a Toa, and Mata Nui is not here to help us. Sometimes sacrifices must be made, when we are left no other choice, Takua." She put a heavy hand on his shoulder. "You, of all people should understand that." * * * "Linkake?" Leyana called. "Aren't you gonna shoot?" Slowly, he lowered the launcher. "Takua." he muttered. "What'd you say?" she asked, looking up at him with big, unsuspecting eyes. "I think... my name is Takua."Review

ultraviolence,Thanks for your catches on those grammar errors; I always seem to insert "it's" where "its" should be, for some reason. I also did change the "red liquid" to blood, but I still feel it's a bit redundant. That's just me. Oh, and that sentence describing Hewkii has been clarified in the story - the actual thought is that Hewkii needed no pain.I'm glad you like it so far. Macku and Matoro are seen quite a bit, a few staves down from where you paused your reading, and as Macku/Hewkii are the main romantic element of the story, you'll be seeing them frequently. Also, it's nice to know someone else appreciates treespeak.In your response to Stave 1, you said: -emphasis addedI guess I didn't make it clear enough; Telet is dead. Very much so. His friend Gyet (also known as number Nine, in case I didn't make that clear enough either) does have a major role in the story, but Telet has been terminated. Sorry to have misled you. As for your other points, you're obviously correct in that the Great Spirit isn't the Great Spirit. But your theories... Well, you'll have to wait and see. No, not because I like to hold it over your head and tease you... It's because telling you would take all the fun away. And I like holding it over your head and teasing you.-HH

Zarohum,You have a real jewel of an epic. Most of it is well written and has a sort of rapid, gasping pace; in a way, the story itself reflects how you Toa Zarohum feels. At times, the amnesiac sense isn't given enough development, but rushed seems to be your style, and you make it work. I'm assuming that as more memories are revealed, we'll get to see more of Zarohum's character and moral code, but I think you're letting his personality develop (or show up) at a good speed.Toa Varian is a character I always felt was over-explained in the beginning, then tossed aside by the Powers That Be (read GregF), but you've given her a fresh start, and some much-needed personality. She's impatient without being rude, corrective without being bossy, and gentle without being a pushover. She also brings the wit and humor that this story needs.Ah, Jorasha. I haven't seen much work on Makuta who held true to their purpose and refused to join The Makuta Teridax, (sorry, old habits die hard) but really I like your take on the pressures and turmoil facing such a Makuta. Why was he left behind when everyone fled the universe? What are his unique powers, and has the collapse of the world changed his morals? Questions are all I have for this character, as I haven't seem much of him... yet.You did have a sort of awkward spot with that little interlude in chapter IV, when you suddenly halted the story to add links to your MOCs. Don't get me wrong; your creations are unique and well done, but that section really belongs at the bottom of the chapter, not in the middle. It's pretty confusing.Great job so far, and I'll be awaiting further chapters. When you get your wi-fi back. -HH

Stave 14 Gyet worked more hastily than usual, nearly dumping the new tools on the rack. He wanted to have a few minutes to concentrate. If I can learn to control these dreams, I will. I need to focus. Just a few more loads, and my quota will be done. The door to the forge opened and shut quietly. He turned at the sound, assuming it was a foreman or perhaps the regional Toa, come to check up on him. But the last thing he expected was a Ga-matoran with streaks of black paint on her scarred armor holding a kanoka disc launcher. "Quiet." she whispered. "I've got a level five explosive disc, and I will use it if you don't do exactly what I say." Hahli ignored the perspiration beading on her mask, her whole attention on the Ta-matoran. Gyet nodded, not daring to move. His eyes darted around the room, looking for a way to summon the nearest Vahki. The hot tongs... If he could get to them, they might serve as a weapon. But her voice recalled his attention. "You're Gyet. I know a lot about you. Word is, you study history off the job." She slowly moved away from the door and towards the open window. With one hand still on the firing mechanism, she pulled the shutter closed. "You do what I ask, no one's going to come after you, no Vahki knocking on your door. Got it? I just have a couple questions." "You have a strange way of asking, Ga-matoran." Gyet returned lightly. "There's no need for the disc." "Just answer my questions." she shot back. "What do you know about Rahaga?" Gyet blinked, searching his memory. The answer was easy. "Never heard of them." She was apparently not satisfied. "You have a clean record right now. Well, I can fix it so you end up staying under the Coliseum for a very long time. Or just end it now." The female took a few steps closer. "What do you know about Rahaga?" "I don't know anything! I swear by the Great One!" He took care to keep his voice low, not wanting to anger her further. After a moment, Hahli backed away. "Okay, that was the truth. What about someone called Mata Nui?" For the merest fraction of an instant, Gyet's eyes went wide in shock. How did she know that name?! The tablets mentioned that name! Like a kavinika crouching for a death spring, she smiled. "You do know something about that, don't you? Tell me." "I... I've seen it once, mentioned in an obscure book." he lied. "It was supposed to be some sort of rahi." "Wrong answer." Hahli tightened her grip on the launcher threateningly. Gyet saw falsehoods would not fool this matoran, whomever she was. "What I know, I will die to protect." Hahli's eyebrows went up. "Why? I'm not going to hurt you, if you just answer the question." Despite the danger, Gyet laughed softly. "That's a Mask of Illusions you wear. You're not a matoran; you're a Toa. And I'll tell you nothing." "Would a Toa dress as a dirty Ga-matoran?" A flicker of a smile played on her lips; not a cruel smile, either. "You'd do anything to make me trust you." She scoffed. "I don't want your trust; I want what you know. This Mata Nui - he's the real Great Spirit, isn't he? That's what you found." Gyet was silent, betraying neither fear nor acknowledgement. Hahli suddenly lowered the launcher. "Look... I don't expect you to believe me - I wouldn't believe me - but I know the truth. And I know some people who claim to know the real Great Spirit, but they've been... lost for a while, and they need to know more about the city. I know you can tell them that; you're one of the few matoran left who remembers the beginning." She held out her hand. "You bring them up to speed, and I'll bring you back here safe. I'll even make sure your name stays under the Vahki's radar." The old matoran shook his head. "And why should I believe you? One moment, you're threatening to kill me, and the next you offer to help?" "Maybe because you're a matoran who still believes in doing what's right?" a strange voice suggested. A hunched, red figure with a reptilian head emerged from the shadows as silently as a cat. "I hope there's still a few of those left in the city." "I thought you and the others were waiting outside." Hahli said to the strange creature, not taking her eyes off the Ta-matoran. "We suspected your tactics would not inspire confidentiality." Norik returned with a smile. Gyet gasped, unable to look away from the Rahaga. "You... I've seen you before!" "Where?" Hahli demanded. "In my dreams."Review

The review for No Room for Heroes is up! Thanks for your request, cpainter.-HH

ECC Review: An unwilling or unwitting hero is something of a common theme for stories, but a hero who can simply be disposed of, tossed aside the moment the Great Beings no longer want him, is not. You have a very original plot, in that sense, and it does tie in with canon. Well done on that score.Your characters have varying ranges of realism - for example, Hazdrix's reaction to becoming a Toa was well done. But Helryx and Mulcar go through very sudden and sometimes inexplicable emotional swings. Now contrast that attitude with this- It may be that the story is too short to allow for the character development needed to show why Mulcar goes through this journey, but if that's the case, then you might want to consider lengthening and deepening it.On a more practical note, you make several grammar errors that really bog down the story. Which is why it was so important that your mission succeeded. The sentence is future tense. What if they mistook him. Again, wrong tense. Okay, maybe 'ride' wasn't the best word - more like flail and try not to die!And in the two last quotes, the narrator (you) cannot take the place of Hazdrix's thoughts. If that's the way you want him to feel, all well and good, but thoughts don't belong in narration.The scene transitions need to be a little clearer; we jump from place to place, even world to world, with no warning and in mid-conversation. It gets very confusing very quickly, especially combined with the break-neck-Le-matoran speed of the whole story. I really think that slowing down and taking time to develop the the story would fix a lot of these problems.Overall, you have an interesting story to tell, but you don't take the time to tell it well or in complete form. It's like condensed milk in epic format, and it needs a lot of water and stirring to bring out it's potential. Keep working and improving.-HH

Stave 13 "You're what?" Hahli demanded of the strange bipedal rahi - or being - that was now trying to free another of it's kind from a stasis tube. "Rahaga Iruini. You know, legendary rahi tracker and scarer of matoran? Help me get these guys out, will you? The controls are all different from what I'm used to." He grunted in effort, trying to smash the thick outer glass with his fist. "Alright, even I couldn't dream something this crazy." Hahli muttered. "Since none of your other answers make sense, can you at least tell me why you were in stasis?" She stepped warily over to the second tube and began unlocking it. Iruini nodded, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Sure! In addition to being a rahi tracker and walking nightmare, I'm also a great nap taker. What do I look like, a Turaga? I don't even know where I am, let alone why I was in there!" "Ugly rahi with attitude. Just what I needed today." Hahli rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay; look, this isn't easy for me either." the Rahaga shrugged. "Did I mention I don't know where I am?" Hahli stepped back as the second creature, this one black, crawled out of the tube. "Metru-Nui. Well, you're under it, at least." Iruini cocked his head thoughtfully. "Still? But this doesn't look like the Archives at all!" "The Archives are in the Coliseum. You're about four hundred bio underground, and that's a Ga-matoran's estimate." she replied, moving to the next tube. Maybe one of the others would be more coherent than Iruini. "What Metru-Nui are we talking about?" the black one asked. "The Archives have always been under Onu-Metru. It's one of the six wonders of the world!" "Evidently not, Bomonga." Iruini quipped. A white Rahaga shook itself, trying to focus. "We have emerged from stupor into a world that no longer knows us, and that we no longer know." "I don't suppose you have any idea how long we've been here?" Iruini asked Hahli as she freed the fourth. The Ga-matoran laughed sharply. "I didn't even know you existed five minutes ago." "Figures." the green Rahaga sighed. The black one, Bomonga, spoke up. "If we can find an Ussal crab or a cave crawler, I might be able to figure that part out. What I'm more interested in is who put us in stasis in the first place?" "Toa?" Hahli suggested. "Or maybe an ambitious matoran?" To her surprise, the group of Rahaga burst out laughing. "Why in Mata Nui's name would a Toa put us in stasis?" a brown one chuckled. "Because you're.... Well, you're Outlanders. I'd think they'd just kill you, but one of the more curious Toa might try to study you." she explained curtly. She did not enjoy being laughed at. "She's serious." the white one said, studying her face. "Very." she replied. "You guys really have no idea what Metru-Nui's like, do you?" The red Rahaga, the last one to revive, shook his head. "Clearly, this is not the City of Legends that we knew. What is the new one like?" "New one?" Hahli repeated. "It's been this way since it was created!" "Why don't we trade stories?" the brown one suggested. "I'm starting to realize that you're just as lost as we are, matoran." "Yeah... sure." She sat down slowly, feeling more dazed by the minute. What are these things? An old Metru-Nui? The Archives under Onu-Metru? And they've never heard of Toa, either? * * * "So, the one in charge of the city - you don't even know his name?" Gaaki, the blue Rahaga, asked. Hahli nodded. "No one does. He's supposed to be our creator and ruler; he's never really needed a name." Time was difficult to keep track of in the tunnels, but it must have been at least an hour since the last Rahaga had climbed out of stasis. They had been swapping condensed stories with her all that time, but she still felt more as if she were talking to aliens from another world than beings from the past. The Metru-Nui they claimed to have known belonged on another planet. The red one, Norik shrugged. "He would never go by the name of the true Great Spirit, sister, and he could not use his own." "Wait, you know who the Great One is?" Hahli raised her eyebrows. Iruini glanced at the others before replying. "None of us exactly knows how we were put in stasis, but... we had come to Metru-Nui because we were running from someone. Someone very powerful, and very dangerous. Your 'Great One' sounds like the same person." Hahli nodded. "So, did he create our island or not?" "He certainly didn't create the land or city, if that's what you mean." the one called Pouks answered. "And only the Great Spirit Mata Nui can just create matoran. So, no, and no. But he definitely did something to this place. It's all so different." Bomonga stroked his lizard-like chin thoughtfully. "I think we could figure more out if we went to the surface and saw for ourselves." Hahli leaped to her feet. "My master! The protodermis!" At the surprised looks of the Rahaga, she hastily explained, "I came down here to find a hidden cache of protodermis that's supposed to be exceptionally pure, even in it's natural form. My master wanted it to make Kanoka discs. I've got till sundown to get it, and get out of here." Norik stood up slowly. "Then we will assist in your search. The least we can do for the one who set us free." "No, no." With a job to focus on, Hahli's clarity of thought was returning. "You'd be caught by Vahki and turned over to the Toa the moment you got anywhere near the mines. Stay here, and--" Kualus stretched his limbs and got to his feet. Quickly, he slid into the shadows, blending with the darkness of the cave despite his white armor. His feet made no noise as he walked swiftly towards the river and back. Had it not been for Hahli's ability to sense the water in his flesh, he would have succeeded in slipping behind her undetected. "The Vahki won't even know we're there." Gaaki smiled. "Even Dalger hounds can't catch our trail." "Okay, but be careful. I can't risk myself to help you guys if you're caught." the matoran warned, heading back to the water. "Add one more thing to the list of new Metru-Nui weirdness." Iruini frowned. "Selfish matoran." Hahli ignored the quip and dove in quietly, waiting for the splashes of the Rahaga following. Instead, the six slid into the river as smoothly as Ruki fish and began swimming in the direction she indicated. Behind them, the lightstone in the wall flickered and went out. The blank darkness enveloped the group.Review

Excellent, excellent! I hate to sound as if I'm parroting everyone else, but really, your style, your plot is simply of a caliber I don't usually see. But I definitely appreciate it!Hahli as a character on both sides, Toa and matoran, is well-developed and believable. The action is balanced, the dialogue well thought out, though there are a few grammar errors. Since this is part of a series, I'm hoping you'll at least hint whether or not Toa Hahli's grim prediction comes true. Or - options - do I sense a Makuta-style mind game here? "Myself creating what I saw" sort of thing? Hmm... At any rate, this is a good piece of work, and I'm eager to see how it all comes out.

Granted, but your incredible strength threatens Chuck Norris' claim to the title of Benevolent Galactic Overlord, and he slams you into a wall. Hard.I wish I had not eaten that extra slice of pie at Thanksgiving dinner.

Stave 12 Gyet hated swimming. Really, all Ta-matoran did. It wasn't that they couldn't do it; it was just that it was so... wet. And dark. And it had that tendency to be cold. Yet, here he was, slipping out of his "borrowed" canoe and into the Silver Sea. Only a few yards away, the Great Barrier loomed high in shining cliffs, hundreds upon hundreds of bio tall. The waves splashed against the rocks, the echoes whispering through the many crevices and coves. Even with the passing of time, the walls surrounding Metru-Nui were inescapable and impregnable. With one exception. Taking in a deep breath, the old matoran dove under the surface. There were no caves or openings in the rocks above the water - Toa of Stone regularly checked and mended any significant fractures in the cliffs. But if one could swim far enough down, fissures and sea caves still existed. None led anywhere; at least, not out of the city. He had had a lifetime to explore and discover. But the one he sought now had an owner... One who could give him some answers. At least, I hope he can. Gyet thought, taking a quick gulp from an air bladder. Nothing is certain when it comes to the Guardian. He pushed himself deeper through the liquid protodermis. His joints creaked and moaned with the effort, but just as his air bladder was beginning to give out, he found the small crack. Squeezing through, he scrambled for the surface, breaking out of the liquid with a gasp. "I'm too old for this." he panted, dragging himself up onto the rock ledge above the water. Here, like in many sea caves, the air inside the cavern kept the sea water from filling the cave, though the atmosphere was stale and somewhat hard to breathe. Gyet took a moment to recover his breath, then walked slowly through the tunnel. Ahead, a central chamber widened out. Four pillars supported the roof of the cavern, one at each corner. But what drew his eye first was the large pool of shimmering liquid that covered most of the floor. The cavern was so still that his breathing seemed as loud as a thunderclap. He stepped slowly to the edge of the pool. "Guardian?" he called, looking down at the smooth surface. "It's Gyet. I need your aid." At his words, the liquid stirred, rippled and seemed to draw itself together at the center. A wave rose, roaring like the ocean tide, but did not move from it's place. A the peak of the wave, the liquid formed itself into the likeness of a head. Slowly, bit by bit, a neck followed. Then an arm, a powerful chest and at last, the wave fell away into the pool and there remained only a tall figure formed entirely of the strange liquid. It's mask was featureless, it's shoulders broad, and it moved with both might and grace. It floated over the surface of the pool, moving towards the Ta-matoran. "You have summoned me. What is it you wish?" The words were soft and gentle, contrasting sharply with the strength and power the figure showed. "I have more questions, Guardian." Gyet lowered himself into a sitting position, resting his legs. He took great care to avoid touching the pool. "What is it that you wish to know? If I can, I will answer." "I have had more dreams, and they are clearer this time. When we last spoke, you said something about how they might be visions." Gyet said eagerly. The liquid head nodded. "That is so. Visions were given to a few, to help them on the road to their destiny, when I knew the world. Your dreams seemed to have similar traits." "In this dream, I saw myself climbing into a sort of round... container. There were Vahki everywhere, and someone told me to obey them. Inside the container was some sort of sleeping drug or gas... I'm not sure about that part. But does any of it mean anything?" The Guardian seemed to sigh, as if considering something. "I told you when you first came here that it has been many lives of Toa since I was imprisoned. The world outside has seen many ages of which I know nothing. That said, I will try to answer. This container you speak of... I believe it is significant in some way." Gyet closed his eyes, thinking. "I may have seen something like it... When the Great One first awakened the city." The Guardian was silent. That is his way, though. He will not speak unless asked a question, the matoran reminded himself. "The containers - or something very like them - were what we all came out of. The Great One was standing over us, and he smiled. He told us he had made us, and that we would be greater than any other matoran in the world. But then why am I climbing into the container in the dream?" "I cannot tell for certain." the Guardian replied. "The dream says you were put in and fell asleep; you say you awakened and climbed out. The two are connected." Gyet leaned forward. "Then the dream is a vision? Perhaps a vision of the Metru-Nui before the Great One?" "I cannot say. It seems to be so, and that is all I know." The liquid body rippled, conveying that the entity was unsure. "It... is possible that in time, you could learn to command these visions or dreams and so see them by day, when meanings and signs are clearer. Much as you learned to shield your mind." The matoran frowned. "But I'm two hundred and sixty-four! I haven't got time to learn!" Again, the Guardian was silent - no question or demand had been spoken. Annoyed, Gyet bit his lip. "Is there anything else you can tell me about my dream?" "Yes. The voice - did you recognize it?" Gyet shook his head. "Then it is important." "Typical." the matoran snorted. "Anything I can't understand or don't know is the key." He stood up, his gears protesting with loud creaks. "Thank you for your help." "That is my purpose, matoran of Fire." The being seemed to bow it's head slightly, then the figure collapsed into a mere column of liquid, which fell into the pool without a splash. The cavern was suddenly still again. Gyet bowed his head to the pool. "Riddles when you want answers. And not even enough riddles to be much help." he muttered to himself as he left the cave. "Still, the voice is something. If I was alive before whatever happened, then perhaps the owner of the voice is, too. And hopefully, they still remember the time before time."Review

Stave 11 If there was one thing Macku lived for, it was this. She steeled her nerves and tightened her grip on her trident Toa tool. Across the field, her opponent held his crossbow lightly, waiting for the match to begin. "Ready?" he called. "Are you?" she returned, placing one foot on a kanoka disc. The Le-Toa shrugged and jumped onto the two discs on the stadium floor beneath him. Macku responded in kind, using her momentum and the discs levitation power to glide just above the ground. Moving her feet back and forth to build up momentum, she and her opponent circled each other, each gaining speed.* Macku let the other Toa make the first move, trying to analyze his style. The Le-Toa fired a bolt of hard wind from his crossbow, aimed at knocking her off balance. She swerved to the side, avoiding the blast and fired a stream of water from her hand. The Le-Toa flipped from a standstill over the shot and landed cleanly back on his discs. The motion gave him a boost in speed and he slid past her gracefully, swiping at her right leg with his crossbow. She shielded herself by catching his weapon in the prongs of her trident, stopping the blow. At the same moment, she used a bolt of water to propel herself forward, ripping his crossbow away from him. "Wanna play hardrough, do ya?" the Le-Toa taunted, summoning a wind to change his direction. He swooped after her, trying to get his crossbow back. "Then take this!" He directed the air blast at her torso, hitting her as solidly as a well-thrown punch. To his surprise, Macku merely absorbed the impact, allowing the wind to push her faster. "Word of advice," she called, spinning to face him. "You might want to just attack, instead of warning me." A grin played over her lips as she summoned a bubble of water around herself, using her element as a shield against the driving wind. "You can't hidestay in there forever." the Toa of Air laughed, surfing lightly around the field. "You wear a kanohimask of Invisibility, not water-yuck breathing." She shrugged, still holding her breath. She motioned outward with her arms, and the bubble burst, spraying liquid across the stadium like a storm cloud. "I don't need to." The other grinned and surfed back towards her, using his power over the air around her to rip his crossbow away. She saw her chance and dropped her trident to the ground. Stretching out both hands, she took control of the water in the Toa's body and began pulling it out. The Air Toa gasped and struggled, trying to fight this new attack. In a last ditch effort, he called a small whirlwind into being, whipping her into a wall. Stunned from the blow, she fell off her discs, ending the match. Still reeling from the impact, Macku returned the moisture to it's place. "You could've killed me!" the Toa gasped, falling to his knees. Macku shrugged, standing up. "Get used to it. This is how the big kids play akalini." The Air Toa shook his head, getting back to his feet. "You're a whole lot nastymeaner than you look, water maid." "I take that as a compliment." she replied, collecting her trident. After a moment, the Toa of Air added, "Neat trickfeat, though. What exactly did you do to me?" "I pulled the water in your blood away, cutting off your oxygen. Do it for more than a few seconds, and yes, you could die." Her face was a little grave. "It's something only a few Toa of Water can pull off, and it takes a lot of practice." The Toa of Air looked thoughtful. "I supposeguess you learned that from being a ziron Toa?" She nodded and spoke quietly. "And no, normally I don't use it for a game. But I... Well, I wasn't sure what you could take." He nodded. "And for the sake of heart-trust, you wanted to know my borderlimits." They both understood his unspoken reference to the rebels. "Something like that." she shrugged, fitting her trident into the clip mounted on her back. "And you're not bad, for an airhead." "Thanks." he returned good-naturedly. "And I think, since you almost killed me, you at least owe me your name. I'm Kongu." She considered for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. I'm Macku." "And, uh, please," Kongu smiled, "don't ever do that again." She grinned in return and was about to reply when another voice called her name. She turned to see Matoro entering the field, his pace unusually quick. "What news?" she asked, seeing the troubled look on his face. "The word just came that Teran-Nua surrendered two days ago. The Great One had already ordered all the records and artifacts on the island to be destroyed before the last battle." the Toa of Ice frowned. "He's covering his tracks." Macku clenched her fists. "Keeping us from finding out anything that might tell us who he really is." Matoro nodded. "Exactly. I had planned to go myself and take what I could, but by now, there won't be anything left." "Cursed clever smart-thinkers." Kongu muttered. "Is there anyone on Teran that might try to hidesmuggle some back?" Matoro shrugged. "If there is, I don't know them." "Which means we're back where we started." Macku groaned. "Not quite." Matoro replied. "The message said they had taken more than three hundred matoran captives." Kongu cocked his head. "The Great One must have some thoughtplan for how to silencekeep them, too." "I don't see how he could." Macku objected. "That many of them?" Kongu scoffed. "You've been a Toa all your longlife, yet you don't headthink that your overruler has any power? No one think-knows what he's capable of! Or even how he made this islandplace his. I'm betting he has power the matchlikes of which no Toa has." Matoro nodded. "For a Toa of Air, you seem wiser than most." "You learn quickfast as a matoran." he shrugged. "Or you don't live long." Macku bit her lip thoughtfully. "How soon could you get to Teran-Nua, Matoro?" "One, maybe two days. No one would question me for doing so; going to the war is how many earn honor." "Then you'd better get there before the Great One does." she replied. He nodded, and left as swiftly as he had come.Review*If you're having trouble picturing the Toa version of akalini, each Toa stands on two kanoka discs and surfs around the stadium on them, like floating freeline skates.

The details on #3 did it for me. Plus, he's my favorite super.

I like it, despite my constant gripe with the fact that short stories generally make for "un-ended" endings. It reminds me of the Poirot mysteries. You did make a few grammar errors: "Computers on legs" should be in single quotation marks, not italicized. The adjective "topaz" and the adverb "armored" are, in this case, a compound word and need a hyphen between them.That's all I caught, and, really, they're very small mistakes. My favorite bit comes right at the end.

Stave 10 Hahli knew the warning signs even without turning around. The Vahki patroling this section of Onu-metru saw a Ga-matoran as out of place. To the mechanical enforcers, "out of place" meant wrong. How they had seen through her disguised armor and kanohi was a matter to settle when she had time to think - for now, getting out of the mine alive was all that mattered. Not even bothering to try to maintain her cover, she broke into a dead run, heading for the nearest elevator. The Rorzakh who had been creeping up behind her uttered a mechanical screech of warning to it's comrade and took off after her. A third darted between her and the elevator, it's staffs held outward to strike. Acting on instinct, she ducked the swipe and slid between the Vahki's legs, stabbing upward with the modified protosteel switchblade that was built into her left arm. The sharp metal pierced the Rorzakh's armor, cutting the wires underneath and buying her enough time to get back to her feet. The two who had spotted her now joined their comrade, forming a triangle to cut off her escape and guard the elevator. The leader emitted several high-pitched sounds - probably summoning the squad on the next level up. Frantically, she glanced around, looking for another escape route. Except for the one shaft the Rorzakh had cut her off from, all the other elevators nearby went down to the next level. The nearest one had already been called to the lowest section, the cables hanging taut from the pulley. I hate tunnels, she thought, running back towards the shaft. Especially when they only go down. Preferring to take her chances with falling rather than be caught and face failure, she grabbed onto the thick elevator cables and slid down. The three Vahki followed suit a few seconds later. Think, Hahli! The Onu-matoran dig secondary shafts for air - where's the shaft? The cable slid through her armored fingers at a dizzying speed. She threw her head back to look up. The Vahki were heavier than she, and so slid faster. One of them was almost close enough to use it's staff. And if that happens, there's no escape no matter where I run. Rorzakh staffs held the power of transmission - any matoran touched by their weapons unwittingly became the Vahki's eyes and ears. She could hardly run from something that could see where she was through her own eyes. Risking hanging on with only one hand, she reached her left hand back to the disc launcher strapped to her back. The disc already loaded in the barrel read 135*. She smiled. Perfect. She triggered the firing mechanism, sending the disc flying upward. The strong Ta-metru kanoka hit the first Vahki and knocked it aside, causing the machine to lose it's grip on the cable and tumble into the blackness below. The disc continued on towards it's real target: the cable itself. The protodermis struck the metal, unleashing the kanoka's weakness power. Between the weight of the elevator itself, the two Rorzakh and herself, the cable was now too weak to hold. With a sharp crack, the twined metal snapped, sending all three figures into a freefall. The two Vahki screeched and tried to dig their staffs into the wall to stop their descent. Hahli looked down, the sickening realization of failure setting in. The ground was closer than she had reckoned on; at this rate, she wasn't going to be able to fire another disc or a grappling hook to stop her fall. In the darkness below, only a few patches of light could be seen, but one revealed an underground river that ran through the mine. Instinct took over. Flipping as far forward as she could in mid-air, she straightened out for the last ten bio, hoping against hope that the water was deep enough to break the impact. She closed her eyes. * * * Wow, that hurts. Everything hurts. Hahli sat up slowly. Every single gear in her body ached. Her head throbbed with a dull pain. A piece of armor on her right leg had bent inward from the force of her fall, cutting off her circulation. Wearily, she looked around. She must have been carried by the river for some distance - she saw no signs of mining or any matoran activity at all in this cave. Wait a second, she thought, trying to jolt herself back to full conciousness. It should be pitch black down here. Where's the light coming from? The soft yellow glow emitted from a single lightstone in one of the walls. Judging by how dim the light is, the stone must be at least a hundred years old. But if there's no sign of mining down here, then who would bother to put a lightstone in the wall? The light reflected off something glassy on the floor, but she was too bleary-eyed to make it out at this distance. Forcing herself to her feet, she limped to the strange reflective surface... and gasped. On the floor, perfectly aligned, lay six stasis tubes, each containing the strangest rahi she had ever seen. They had reptilian heads and fang-like teeth that showed even when their mouths were closed. Their bodies were small and twisted, somewhat resembling a cross between a baby kikanalo and a kavinika. On their backs, she could make out three flat metal bars that seemed to have no purpose at all. They were ugly, evil-looking things. She cautiously tapped on the glass of one of the cylinders. The creature inside did not stir. The stasis tubes were undamaged, and if the amount of dust on their surface was any indication, they had been here as long or longer than the lightstone. No inscriptions, no plaques, nothing to tell what they are and why they're here instead of the Coliseum. Anything that was this carefully hidden must have some significance... and she doubted the Toa would go to the trouble of putting an enemy in stasis instead of just eliminating it. Her curiosity got the better of her. She wiped the dust away from one of the tubes and pressed the release. The air rushed into the tube with a hiss, and the rahi began to revive. It opened it's eyes, slowly shook it's head and it's limbs, as if trying to escape the drowsiness that had controlled it for so long. She stepped back, warily extending her blade again. With a sudden cry of surprise or pain, the creature wriggled it's way out of the tube. It lay on the floor, panting and looking at her with strangely wise eyes. "Easy, little guy." she said soothingly, still keeping her bladed arm out. She could see now that even standing up, it would hardly be as tall as her chin. "It's okay; no one's gonna hurt you." The rahi coughed on the dust in the air. "Tell that to my throat." it rasped. Hahli stepped back in shock. The fall must have done something to my head. Rahi can't talk! The green creature got to it's feet, looking old and bent. "I don't suppose you have a water flask?" it asked. "Not that I'm ungrateful for my freedom, but you get pretty thirsty in stasis." "I must be dreaming." she said aloud this time. "You're not... You're not talking." The creature - or whatever it was - sighed. "You think I'm some sort of weird rahi, then? Most matoran do. Sadly." She nodded slowly. Between the pain of her injuries and the stale air of the tunnels, she was no longer convinced of anything being real. "Right. So, if you're not a rahi, then what are you?" "Who am I, you mean." it - he - corrected. "My name is Rahaga Iruini. And if you don't mind, I'm very curious as to where I am right now, and why my brothers and sister are still asleep."Review*See this article for more info on Kanoka

Yes and no. It's something that emerges later - not too much later - but it's also a reference to one of my favorite satire novels. Why, thank you! I didn't realize such ideas were rare. I enjoyed giving elemental stereotypes a different angle by bringing in the other gender, because it allows me to see some of the understated qualities of each element without getting into "feminist" territory. I'm glad you think it works. I was using the vague writing on purpose, but you're right - it gets overdone very quickly. I'll be sure to be more specific in the future.As for your assesment of the situation on Metru-Nui, as far as an "oppressor and rebels" plot goes, no, it's not original by any means. I didn't really want it to be, in that sense, although it does have quite a few twists coming up. The battle between light and dark, the noble and the selfish, the weak and the strong, in a way, is the subject of every story, because it is also the subject of our lives, our experiance. But on a less metaphysical note, "it's got a standard plot" is exactly what I want you to think. I just love surprises...The non-canon characters will be seen quite a bit as the tale grows, but I can reveal that But that's all I'm willing to give away for now. Again, thank you. Fight scenes are not my forté, and thus, I reserve them for pivotal moments, much like exclamation marks. I find if I use them too often, not only do they become lacking in realism, but they drag the plot down. I also have a philosophical corner of my mind, and I choose Hewkii to represent that at times. Not because he's so obviously a thinker, but because he seems to so obviously not be. There's a lot more in him than just an athlete. It won't happen too often, though.It's not my first story, but it is the first I have dared to actually show someone. I hope I can keep improving it as I go. Thanks for all your notes.-HH

Stave 9 Hewkii carefully read over the report on his holographic computer screen, checking his gut instinct against the data. He had been right; the numbers still didn't match up. At that much protodermis a month, the output should be at least twenty more discs. Someone has to be skimming. He sighed in relief and leaned back in his chair. This was the boring part of being the head of the fourth district of Po-metru exports. Number crunching was not even something he was good at. It was the part that came next that was his specialty - reforming those workers who dishonored the Great One. Since his promotion twelve years ago, his district had the lowest rate of embezzlement and highest output of product in all the stone quarter. It had required a delicate balance of justice and mercy, showing the matoran that the best way to not end up cowering before the district manager was complete honesty and loyalty. Those who followed that path had received better living conditions, better work, and sometimes, even the opportunity to become Toa, although that part wasn't his decision. This particular case involved a matoran given the privileged job of creating Po-metru kanoka discs. And the matoran had made a similar "mistake" in keeping his records before. And thank the Great Spirit for that. That means he's not one of the order. He shook his head and chuckled. Even our expressions are based on the Great One being who he says he is. Matoran who joined the secret rebels had to have a clean record, a show of dedication. It was the best way to ensure that none of them were ever suspected. Although, considering what happened to number eighteen, it's clearly not infallible. He stood up and set out for the crafter's workplace, a grim smile playing on his lips. The irony of a Toa who did not believe in the Great Spirit going to discipline a matoran for disrespecting the same ruler was not lost on him. * * * "Pakarn!" A sand-and-black armored matoran jumped at his call. "Toa Hewkii! What... What an unexpected pleasure! Is there something I can get for you? Anything?" "You can explain why you use twenty-six teres of protodermis to produce only a hundred and thirty-seven discs." The Toa of Stone leaned cooly against a crafters table. "But then, there's really nothing to explain, is there?" "I... I can explain that, Toa." the crafter gulped. "I made the usual hundred and sixty, but some of the discs came out as reconstitute at random; more than usual. I was... Well, afraid that my reputation as a crafter would diminish for making so many illegal discs, so I hid those." Hewkii shook his head and chuckled. "How very convenient! Any chance I could see those hidden discs? We wouldn't want some poor rahi finding them, would we?" The Po-matoran struggled to maintain some level of composure. "Toa... I should have reported it, but I was... She said..." Comprehending the matoran's struggle, Hewkii finished the sentence. "You didn't keep them; a Toa took them and told you to keep quiet." The matoran nodded eagerly. "I would have said something, Toa Hewkii - by the Great Spirit, I swear it! But I have three children and my wife is carrying our fourth... I couldn't risk it! You understand, don't you?" The Toa of Stone gave the crafter a long, hard look. "In other words, your fear kept you from doing your duty to the Great One. Don't fail again." The matoran bowed nervously. "Yes, Toa." "The one who took the discs and frightened you out your little wits - who was it?" "I-I don't know her name, Toa. She wore a mask of Telekinesis, and she was a Ta-Toa. I'd seen her a few times, bringing in shipments from Ta-metru." Hewkii nodded. "That much'll do, for now. This was a lesson I hope you'll remember, matoran." Brushing off the Po-matoran's exclamations of gratitude, he walked away, musing to himself. More and more Toa seemed to be falling for the lure of greed nowadays. He wondered why the devotion to the Great One had been lost. After all, none of them knew the truth. So why was this the fourth case of Toa embezzlement he had heard of in the past decade? Stone cracks when you hit it, sand moves in the wind. Nothing happens without a cause. But what cause could there be for this relative outbreak of disloyalty, of decay in the ranks?Review

Sad, but sweet. Macku's emotions are well-developed and rational, and I felt her pain. It needs an epilogue, though; I want to see her get a bit of hope back.

Sounds really interesting! I'll be sure to read it when you post it! The Hewkii-and-Macku-are-sadly-separated-forever thing should be written about, though. A doomed love is sometimes tragically beautiful. Plus, Hahli ends happily... Ok, so I'm biased in her favor. Flame me.

Thanks! Hewkii is fun to write, somewhat because I base a little of him on my brother (yes, that's you, Leg), and some just because he's so insanely practical. You'll be seeing a good deal more of him in upcoming chapters. Biased you may be, but the good word of a friend (or relative) is worth more because they know all your flaws so well! Thanks for the vote of confidence! And thank you to everyone for 200+ views! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.-HH