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"You know who I am," she said. "What do you want?" he asked. "You know what I want." She put her arms around his shoulders, and drew him into a kiss. The Captain of Sean had never kissed anyone before, and he was surprised how natural it felt. It came to him as easily as duty. # The two Captains spent the night in the headboard, using one of the crew's off-duty quarters. They slept entwined, their skin-to-skin contact allowing their own respective crews to move between them, creating infinitesimally small, yet immeasurably vast changes in both vessels. # In the morning, the two Captains dressed hurriedly and returned to their vessels. The Captain of Sean strode officiously to his bridge, as if daring a crewman to question his unprecedented absence. The crew respectfully kept their eyes turned away as he straightened his uniform and made himself as presentable as a person with no mirror can. The vessel was due to wake up. The remainder of the crew came aboard from the headboard and began warming Sean up, getting him ready to start the day, each crewmember performing their assigned duty with enthusiasm and proficiency. There were several Trishells mixed in with the Seans, but the Captain made no mention of this. Nor did he discourage the handholding that was taking place between his crew and the visitors from the other vessel. In truth, it was as if they had become one crew, with two Captains guiding two ships, but working in close harmony, sailing steadily towards a common goal. And he'd learned something new about the Trishell. The vessel was outfitted to, under the right conditions, manufacture more vessels. In time, the two of them could raise a fleet. As they worked, the crew stole glances at the Captain of Sean. There was no mirror on the bridge, and the Captain had never seen himself, so perhaps he would be the only one who wouldn't notice the change. For this morning found the Captain as a new man, literally. Where Burt Lancaster had once stood, there was now only Sean: older than the others, more rigid in posture, more confident in bearing and voice, but Sean nevertheless. The other Seans saw him as a look at what they may yet become, confident, capable, adult. The Trishells saw him, and they swooned, just a little. # The phone rang at 7:00 p.m. It was Randall. "Yo, man, we're ready to go, here." "Oh damn," Sean said. "I forgot. I can't make it tonight." He and Trishell were on the sofa, a bowl of popcorn between them. She worked the TiVo remote and the Halliwell sisters froze in place. "You forgot?" Randall said. "We've been playing every Tuesday for like ten years. What's up?" "I'm
doing something with Trish tonight." Sean replied. "Dude, tell me that's not true." Randall said. "That's completely not cool." "What?" asked Sean. "It's three hot chicks who use magic and sometimes get into swordfights. How is that not cool?" "It just isn't," Randall replied. "It's a chick show, you know that." "Well, whatever. Listen, I'm not around tonight. Maybe not for a few weeks." Trishell got off of the couch and padded barefoot across the floor. She refilled their wine glasses. "Dude, you can't do this," Randall said. "The game needs Gilladin." "No it doesn't," Sean replied. "Anyway, I gotta go. Tell Christian Traven's in charge, or let him play Gilladin. You should have a copy of him. I'll talk to you later." He hung up. # "He hung up." Randall said. He looked at Christian. "He wants you to play Gilladin." The players all exchanged glances. "I can't play Gilladin." Christian said nervously. "No one's ever played Gilladin but Sean." "Was he really watching Charmed?" one of the other players asked. Randall nodded. Kevin, who played the barbarian Grimslad, removed the plastic, horned Viking helmet he wore and held it over his heart. Randall took a deep breath. He was the Dungeon Master; he had to keep things moving. "The morning comes to Thornfang Forest, and you awake to find Gilladin's bedroll empty. The forest is quiet and still in the first light of dawn, and there is no trace of the paladin or his warhorse. A search reveals no clues. Perhaps it is magic, perhaps it is evil, perhaps it is the will of the god that he serves, but whatever the cause, you all come to realize that Gilladin the Paladin is lost to you forever." There was a moment of silence. Then the team set out, for their quest was an endless one, and they could never pause long.
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