Roadkill watches the approach of the sheriff through his side mirror. Even though Roadkill had "gone straight" the sight of an approaching lawman with a posse set off the road warriors warning bells. The fact that he had a couple of fugitives in the back probably had a large part to do with that but he also couldn't help but start asking himself if he had ridden through here in his outlaw days. No, they had mostly stuck to the midwest back then but the approaching lawman still made him uncomfortable. Nothing he couldn't handle mind you, but it's still enough to make the trucker pull out "Ol' Faithful" his trusty sawed off shotgun and hold it casually in his lap below the window line where it shouldn't be visible from the ground.

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #33):

Luckily, the Sheriff/Law Dog was diverted by Brother Edgar and the Colonel just before he could see a fugitive wanted for, among other things, breaking out of his jail, was there in the cab of the truck that was pulled up right in front of him. The chance was small because the windows had been replaced by armoured shutters, although those shutters had been pulled up for the sake of ventilation.

"Brother Edgar! Me and the boys were about to head out. Did you find what you were looking for? Is that bastard Mendoza still in charge down there? The road down to Las Cruces clear?"

Unfortunately, Edgar knew that Law Dog Mendoza had been killed, but at least the road was clear insofar as they had traveled up it that morning.

In the back of the Technical, Jane kept her cool, lounging against the Ma-Deuce. Firing such a weapon at close quarters might be counterproductive at best, so she wasn't committed to using it at this time. Rowan sat alertly on the hoverbike's padded saddle seat, everyone else save Smoker, Arthur and Michaela seemed to be similarly preparing in some way to react to trouble.

Roadkill didn't need to be specifically worried from most Law Dogs; he'd been pardoned by what passed for their organisation at the behest of Fast Eddie and the Convoy. That didn't mean a corrupt Law Dog like Vandee couldn't make trouble if he felt like it, trumping up some kind of charge. For example, Smoker had run afoul of the anti-looting law, scavenging in the ruins without a permit.

In reply to The Marshall (msg #36):

Brother Edgar moves a bit quicker to intercept the Marshal as he is hailed.  Not a military man, but his survivor sense tells him this could go very bad, very quickly.  His face betrays nothing but his practiced calm however.  In answer, he nods, "The road is clear as far as I am aware.  But, Sheriff Mendoza died defending his town...  A brave man, so I am told.  His light will be missed in the Bright Utopia."

In reply to Brother Edgar (msg #37):

Vandee cynically raised an eyebrow by didn't comment on Brother Edgar's pious remarks, but they served their distracting purpose and were still heartfelt.

"Too bad about Medoza, he did protect his people so I can't say I'm glad to hear he's gone."

He sighed, shaking his head. An old van with light armoured plating rolled up from behind the police station and wheezed to a stop. "All right boys, here's the Mayor now. We can be there by noon if we leave now."

The militia started loading supplies, otherwise ignoring the convoy members as they got sorted out. No one offered to introduce them to the Mayor. The drawbridge remained down, waiting for them to cross it and hit the road again.

Rowan waits for the Good brother to indicate they are leaving

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg #39):

Strictly speaking, the convoy was ready to roll immediately. Both the semi and the technical had enough fuel to make it to Near Wichita. Neither the hoverbike nor the sportbike did, but they could draw enough fuel (about 14 gal) from Roadkill's tanks to get them there. The fuel had been provided free by the survivors of Shalam Colony for all of them to share.

Distance to Near Wichita from Las Cruces: 940 miles.

Vehicle:      Fuel Cap. x MPG =   Range

Hoverbike      3 gal.     100    300 mi.
Sport Bike     3 gal.      80    240 mi.
Semi          50 gal.      20   1000 mi.
Pickup     30+20 gal.      30   1500 mi.

Clearly, if they didn't want to waste time in refueling, picking up a few 5-gal. jerrycans some place to increase the bikes' ranges to meet that of the other vehicles clearly wouldn't hurt.

The good Brother Edgar nods, lifting a hand up in peaceful salute to the Marshal and his men, "May the light of the Glow bless you.  Through such cooperation and care we pave the road to the Bright Utopia."  Blessing thus offered, the Doomsayer heads for the cab of the truck and climbs back in again, ready to roll.

"Alright, let's ride then," Roadkill says as he starts up the engine once again and starts heading for the exit.

"Find what you were lookin' for?" the trucker asks Brother Edgar without taking his eyes off the road.

The convoy slowly pulled out of the lot and crossed the bridge past the town moat/perimeter. They headed out on the open road, hoping to make up the lost half-hour. Not a big deal overall, but sometimes every minute counted.

As the ride out Rowan slips the marbles back into a side pouch.
Then turns to her fellow rider, "I do not get it what the heck were that bunch aiming to do.
"There are no outlaws waiting for them at the town and the town is not in need of their aid".
"So why the heavy show of force"?

In reply to Roadkill (msg #42):

Brother Edgar nods lightly, "Perhaps so.  Either it is the sought after lens or it was planted to get rid of me.  Either way, I feel I have gotten all that I may out of that town."

Riding belongside her, Michaela answered, "I don't know, Rowan. There's no way to tell except follow them.

"I can't see what they would gain from attacking Las Cruces, either. It's a dangerous world, maybe with the guns and militia escort they're just playing it safe?"

The sport bike bounced a little on its tyres and rode down its shocks as it rolled over the metal plating of the drawbridge. She noted the hoverbike didn't have that problem due to its air cushion.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:12, Sun 26 Sept 2010.

The passengers (the widow, her children and the mutant) going to Near Wichita were settled into the back of the trailer. It wasn't too pleasant being in a barren trailer and there was nothing to see, but at least it was safe.

On top of the trailer facing the rear, Col. Schaeffer noted that volunteers were coming forth from the community, brining supplies and donations for the mayor to bring to Las Cruces. Bringing up the rear in the back of the technical, Jane and Arthur also noticed this display of generosity. Still, there was no way to check what was going to happen next, and it was time to hit the road.

Soon, they were through the silt-choked ruins of Truth-or-Consequences and merging onto the debris-littered freeway that passed above the town.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:41, Sat 25 Sept 2010.

Rowan rides her hair blowing free in the wind and Michelle can hear her singing as she rides

Oh I'd rather go and journey where the diamond crest is flowing and
Run across the valley beneath the sacred mountain and
Wander through the forest
Where the trees have leaves of prisms and break the light in colors
That no one knows the names of

And when it's time I'll go and wait beside a legendary fountain
Till I see my form reflected in it's clear and jeweled waters
And if she thinks I'm ready
She will lead me to the chasm where the rivers of our vision
Flow into one another

I will want to die beneath the white cascading waters
They may beg, they may plead, they may argue with their logic
And then they'll know the things I learned
That really have no value in the end they will surely know
I wasn't born to follow.

Rowan rides happy
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Sat 25 Sept 2010.

"That is kinda strange," Roadkill observes as they ride out of town and down the road. "One second they tell you they ain't got it and the next they tell you to check the office and it's just sitting there."

"Ah well," he finishes with a shrug, "at least you got it now, right?"

In reply to Rowan Dawson (msg #48):

Michaela smiled at Rowan's joy at being on the road and gunned the Viper to keep up with her. "Ride on, girl!"

In the rig, Smoker confirmed that the Brother had picked up the right item.

Now that they were on the open road, the convoy picked up speed but stayed at around 40-50 MPH due to obstacles and damage to the concrete pavement.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:17, Sun 26 Sept 2010.

Rowan grins.

For once no one is shooting at her, no one is judging her.
Perhaps you prefer

Get your motor running'
Head out on the highway
Looking' for adventure
And whatever comes our way
Yeah friend' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

I like smoke and lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racing' with the wind
And the feeling' that I'm under
Yeah friend' go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once
And explode into space

Like a true nature's child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die

Born to be wild
Born to be wild

Rowan lets her voice fall silent and rides for a short while wondering if any where on earth is left as a paradise, where no one is hunted, killed or abused simply for the want of it, or for their belongings.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:14, Sun 26 Sept 2010.

As the convoy finally makes it out onto the highway, Brother Edgar slowly regains a better mood.  He does his best to entertain those in the truck cab with a story or two (that just might happen to have a vague lesson in them).  Somewhere along the journey, the good Brother would show some beneficial uses of the Glow by heating up a mug of water in his hands.  Useful for chicory coffee or tea on the drive.  The trick also works for heating up some of the foodstuffs.  If asked, he would explain that microwave ovens in the World the Was channeled the Power of the Atom in such ways.  The benevolent Glow can be a comfort for those willing to see it so.

He would also, along the way, study the lens, The Eye of Hiroshima.  Perhaps it does have some link to the Truth of the Bomb...

Immediately North out of Truth or Consequences, they passed by the shattered remains of the Elephant Butte Dam. Destroyed in the war, the reservoir behind it drained into the canyon below, flooding out the city they just left. Now the empty reservoir was just a wide flat spot on the Rio Grande.

As they traveled, Brother Edgar studied the Eye. Despite prayer and meditation, it didn't seem extraordinary, except of course for its potential religious and historical significance.

Rowan and Michaela enjoyed their ride. It was a scorching hot day, of course, but there was no traffic and the road was reasonably clear. There was a little greenery along the river banks but sere mountains, red buttes and rugged brown hillsides towered above them.

About three and a half hour later, they approached the ruins of Albuquerque. Above it floated something they'd all seen before: the swirling green-tinted funnel of a Ghost Storm over the downtown.

Peter kept himself as cool as he could as they drove. He wasn't a huge fan of extreme temperatures either way, hot or cold, but he grew up in places where both could show up easily enough so he got used to them. It didn't affect him as much as others might be, but it still didn't make a comfortable ride. He had even gone so far as to offer Jane a place in the cab out of the sun (not that it was unusual for him to offer her that spot), but she so far had declined.

Rowan gazes at the effect of the ghost storm and turns to Michelle.
" You know of the many things I have seen in my travels that is propabily one of the most disturbing".
"I really do not want to go any where near it"
Rowan shudders at the thought
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:51, Mon 27 Sept 2010.

"Yeah, I'm not real keen on driving through that," Roadkill remarks wryly as he stares at the swirling ghost storm. "No offense Brother Edgar but I'm not real eager to get 'chosen' today."

With that said, Roadkill begins looking for a detour that would allow them to bypass the bombed area of Albuquerque.

In reply to Roadkill (msg #56):

"Yeah, I'm not real keen on driving through that," Roadkill remarks wryly as he stares at the swirling ghost storm. "No offense Brother Edgar but I'm not real eager to get 'chosen' today."

Rowan grins mischievously. "Ah now the question to that answer is of course chosen by whom and what".
"Now I will agree that being chosen by the atom seems to me to be a little to life changing".

Rowan watches the storm for a few miniutes
"Reminds me of the song by Johny Cash"

An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
A-plowing through the ragged sky and up the cloudy draw

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
For he saw the Riders coming hard and he heard their mournful cry

Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi yaaaaay
Ghost Riders in the sky

Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat
He's riding hard to catch that herd, but he ain't caught 'em yet
'Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snorting fire
As they ride on hear their cry


As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name
If you want to save your soul from Hell a-riding on our range
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
Trying to catch the Devil's herd, across these endless skies

Rowan shakes her self

"Ah well lets find a way around shall we before that thing comes a hunting us."

Peter slowly turns to look at Rowan with a look of stunned incredulity. "What is it with you and singing songs and reciting poetry, especially at the oddest times? You are such a strange bird." He shakes his head a little before turning to look back at the storm. "Is there a way around it? There is not always. But we can always hope and try."

In reply to Roadkill (msg #56):

Brother Edgar lifts his head slowly from his quiet prayer begun at the first sight of the Ghost Storm.  "Whenever one says no offense, they are admitting that they know what they are about to say is probably offensive."  That said, he slowly takes his eyes off the cloud and looks to Roadkill with a bit of a smile, "But no offense was taken."  He looks back to the swirling clouds of the storm again, "Becoming Chosen is not a choice we make.  It is the Will of the Glow.  Yes, it is, by definition, life changing.  Its is world changing.  Future changing."  With a shrug, he finishes for the benefit of whomever might still be listening, "You may not choose changes that come upon you in life, but how you handle change is always your choice."