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DarkStar
dark_star000@hotmail.com
Induction
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        Hola fellow readers and writers and any combination of the pair.
Good to be writing again, even if this isn't my main story.  But for
any reading this and wondering about that, I should have the next
chapter of ATTR up and out within a week or so.  Until then I hope
this and the beginning of Roving Soul will keep you happy.  If not
please direct any suggestions to me where it shall be sorted by one of
my personalities.
        *groan* The formalities.  This is where you start screaming "No
NO!!!!!  Don't torture us with formalities!!!" but alas we must.
*sigh*  Nephlyte, Zoicite, Jedite, Malicite, Darien and... ok, we all
know the list.  They all belong to Good old NT but all the others are
copyrighted to yours trully.
        As for authors notes, this story is based thirteen years before
the destruction of Moon Kingdom by Queen Beryl on Earth.  Nephlyte's
human name is Nephrone Kings, Zoicite's is Zarina Albakor, Jedite is
Jedden Meldor, and Malicite is Malcom Stimy.  Other then that, is for
you to discover so enjoy.
        Lastly I'd like to dedicate this to the woman I love, Veronica
Glustien, Moonshadow.  A suggested author for romance fans.
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Prologue:

        Biting winds ripped across the plain, sun glinted off the
glittering snow, and biting cold chilled to the bone.  A vast expanse
of nothing, nothing but pure simple white.   Ice and snow as far as
the eye could see, clear and pristine, pale blue in shadow and
blinding white in sun, harsh and cruel, yet soft and inviting.  For
centuries the snow had brought fun and entertainment to children.
Just as it meant death to the lone, weary traveler.  And it was one
such traveler trudging across the tundra, a trail of small imprints
marking a path from the lonely wayfarer to snow covered mountains, a
thin line of smoke rising from one.
        The wind whipped the heavy cloak around the voyager, trailing
the end of a far lighter shawl over the shoulder.  From under the
cloak the clanking of metal on metal could be found in the fanciful
sword tucked in the sack hanging from her shoulder.  And tucked under
her other arm, a tightly wrapped bundle of cloaks and quilts.
        Under her, her footing slipped knocking her to the snow, as she
barely was able to roll to keep the bundle from entering the cold
powder.  Sudden worry seared through her and she lifted the edge of
the bundle, smiling to see it was unharmed.  Once more, she climbed to
her feet.  Collecting the rest of her clothes, and the sword she
looked out across the snow covered hills.
        A weight dropped onto her seeing nothing but featureless white
and searing peaks.  "By the light, why did the nav system have to
fritz out on me?  How am I ever going to reach my contact from all the
way up here?"  Finding her footprints embedded in the snow, she began
again along the path she had set for herself.  "Awful place this is,
why did he have to choose this place?  Its so cold, so far away,.."  A
strong gust blew across the pale snow whipping through the cloaks and
shawls, freezing her to the bone.  "And too COLD!!!" she muttered
through chattering teeth.
        "I'll never make it like this." she admitted to herself.  "Wrong
clothes, no food, no end in sight to this ..... whatever it was
called.  Snow?  Whatever."   From within the bundle came a shudder of
movement.  She pulled the bundle to her face, pulling away the sheet.
"Shhh.... its ok, back to sleep.  Don't worry, when you wake up we'll
be somewhere warmer."  Without further delay the bundle immediatly
returned to sleep.
        Sighing the woman slipped it gently under her arm, trudging on
through the snow.  On and on, feet trumping through the heavy snow,
her shoes slowly getting bled through by the icy cold, her feet
becoming numb.  And with each step, more of her strength left her,
eventually her steps growing so heavy and sluggish that barely could
she move.  And still the snow went on, mountains and glaciers
everywhere, with no break in the pure white and gray of rocks.
        "I'm never going to make it." she admitted.  "Its to far, and
I'm to weak."  From her side the sword fell into the snow, digging in
perpendicular to the ground.  Beside it dropped her bag, as she
collapsed to her knees in the snow, even now keeping the bundle above
the freezing cold powder.  Lifting it to her face she whispered "I'm
sorry, I've failed you."  With her last strength she rolled to her
back, resting the bundle upon her above the frost.

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        Well hope you like how this story starts.  I wonder if anyone
has guessed who everyone and everything is.  heh heh, but then part of
the fun is in the guessing and discovering.  Well enjoy.