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Badger
Stripey Forest Dweller
Joined: 18 Mar 2002
Posts: 924
Location: UK |
Once upon a Tube Fab Alpha, while I pawed my account books over,
Lamenting many a lost and errant ton of Ore,
As did I fret my mind unwrapping, about the needed Ore so lacking, suddenly there came a tapping, as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my airlock door.
"Some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my airlock door,
Only this, and nothing more."
How well I recall the tiny city, which was my station in “Priests Pity”
Vigilant for its resource gritty and always grasping more.
Fastidiously its wants I tended, but never seeing its great thirst ended
Its rapacious nature with mine was blended in yearning for its beloved ore
For that rare and gratuitous moment that came with surplus of Ore,
Sought after here for evermore.
And the frigid fear of uncertain supplying, while with competitors constantly vying,
Bound my very soul with terrors never felt before;
And now in my silent chamber sweating, all calls and callers meticulously vetting, this tapping on my nerves so grating and chilling to the core,
"Some visitor requesting entrance at my airlock door?”
This it is, and nothing more.
Presently my heart grew braver, it could be the help, the hired labour.
"Hello?" said I, "Is that a neighbor, standing in my corridor?”
”So intent was I on my books of keeping and my attention to ought else so fleeting,”
”And with the tannoy constantly bleating, I heard you not when you knocked before.”
Then gathering my courage, a cloak about me, I stood and flung open my airlock door.
A Vacuum there and nothing more.
Deep into that vacuum staring, while impressions of moments ago comparing,
Surely tapping to my airlock caused my haring, out into the corridor?
Yet the vacuum stood unbroken and now the tapping seemed but a notion,
And the only sound was a word barely spoken, a ghostly whisper,….. “Ore.”
This from my lips escaping, the vacuum shattering, the silence breaking.
Could this have been my delivery of Ore?
Merely this, and nothing more?
Then into my quarters returning, my curiosity within me burning,
Again I heard a tapping and knocking somewhat louder than before.
"But wait" said I, "my airlock is silent, no-one stands there with intentions violent,”
“The sounds come from my viewing port that stands across the floor!”
Let’s clear this up, let’s solve the puzzle, it’s the riddle I abhor,
Let me quickly grab a blaster, then force my feet to move faster,
To my viewing port where I’ll see I’m very sure,
That it’s space wind and nothing more!
Pressing a button I opened the shutter, then, with a hum and transporter beam flutter,
There stood a Teladi Trader whose eyes into mine did bore,
“Just who are you Teladi captain?” I queried as he stepped in,
Though this he did ignore.
Without so much as a wave of greeting and ignoring more conventional seating,
He leapt and sat above my airlock door!
Sat upon a bust of Ban Danna just above my airlock door,
There he sat, and nothing more.
Then down at my books the trader was glancing and realization to my mind came dancing,
Across the void the Teladi come prancing with many goods in store,
"Though your entrance here was somewhat uncommon, your presence in fact is hardly unwelcome, come bring your goods to the fore.”
”Come lay out the rocks I seek and tell me what profit you hope to score.
Quoth the Teladi, “I’ll sell you Spacefuel, but never Ore!"
“Never Ore!” I wailed “Evil spirit most foul!” and I stamped and I seethed and I swore,
But I knew his bent and I guessed his intent was to bump up the price of the Ore,
”As is your knack you have guessed what I lack and I know it’s more profit you claw.”
I glared upward and spied the gleam in his eye and I tried to smile once more.
None other I guessed had ever been blessed with such a fiend above his airlock door.
A fiend so cruel and heartless above his airlock door.
But the trader merely smiled and said
“I’ll sell you Sunflower Oil, but never Ore!”
Silently I wondered into what I had blundered,
This Teladi and the meaning he bore,
Perhaps become jaded by what he had traded he wondered was there nothing more?
Caught in unhappy occupation certainly a Teladi aberration
But now sat above my door
Atop the lofty bust of Ban Danna above my airlock door,
But in reply the trader simply winked his eye
I’d sell you Meat Cahooners, but never Ore.
Then I thought I saw more clearly, my scaly visitor was merely
An escaped mental patient denied the light of wit and unknowing of Teladi lore,
And as I watched he scratched his crotch, then bit his nails and spat them upon my floor.
"Poor Wretch," I cried, "I’ll call the medics, come down I implore,
Come down from Ban Danna
Quit my airlock door
But the fiend spat and grinned
“I’ll sell you Warheads, but never Ore.”
With that the camels back was breaking, I quaked with rage, my fist was shaking.
"Get back into the blackness outside my station before I break your jaw!”
”Leave no scale as a token of my heart which lies broken!”
”And quit the bust of Ban Danna above my airlock door!
Take your Vulture from out my dock, and take yourself from off my door!"
Quoth the Teladi "Never Ore!"
And the Trader, never shifting and defying all attempts at lifting,
Still sits on the proud bust of Ban Danna just above my airlock door,
His eyes glint with silent laughter in the firelight of my anger
As I bend to lift my blaster where it lays upon my floor
From it’s impromptu resting place on my cool and shiny floor.
And as I aim and measure up the weight of my grizzly chore
I know the Teladi will hunt me down, I’ll be on the run for evermore
No more trading, no more station…..
and never Ore!
_________________
"Ducks are Dumb!" Badger-2005. Go ahead... quote me! |
Thu Mar 04, 2004 3:33 pm |
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cfmdobbie
High Emperor
Joined: 01 Jul 2002
Posts: 1859
Location: London, England |
Fantastic! 
One of my favourite poems, and transferred so beautifully. I take my hat off to you, wordsmith! 
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Charlie Dobbie
=Member of The Nonflamers' Guild=
=Moderator of the Morrowind/Oblivion Forums= |
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Thu Mar 04, 2004 8:13 pm |
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Cm
Sentinel of Light
Joined: 26 Jan 2003
Posts: 5209
Location: Missouri USA |
I'm not sure Badger, but I think your stories are better than the game. I also bow to your twist of phrase. 
_________________
=Member of the Nonflamers Guild=
=Member of Worshippers of the Written Word=
A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.
Mark Twain
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Thu Mar 04, 2004 9:08 pm |
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Val
Risen From Ashes
Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 14724
Location: Utah, USA |
A most amusing rhyme, good sir. 
_________________
Freeeeeeedom! Thank heavens it's summer!
What do I have to show for my hard work? A piece of paper! Wee!
=Guardian, Moderator, UltimaDot Newshound=  |
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Thu Mar 04, 2004 10:11 pm |
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corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia |
A brilliant rendition friend Badger. You should publish this over at Egosoft as well. Keep them coming.
_________________
If God said it, then that settles it!
I don't use Smileys, I use Emoticons!!
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Fri Mar 05, 2004 7:48 am |
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Badger
Stripey Forest Dweller
Joined: 18 Mar 2002
Posts: 924
Location: UK |
Badger
_________________
"Ducks are Dumb!" Badger-2005. Go ahead... quote me! |
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Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:14 am |
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Lintra
Elf Friend
Joined: 23 Apr 2002
Posts: 9448
Location: Bermuda, the triangle place with SANDY BEACHES |
Brilliant Badger!
Very well told. One of these days I may even get a copy of this grand sounding game.
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=Member of The Nonflamers' Guild=
=Just plain clueless= |
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Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:18 pm |
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Val
Risen From Ashes
Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 14724
Location: Utah, USA |
A little off-topic, but I love the way your new clothes look Badger. 
Although I still like the title: The pen and sword are both mighty!
Oh well. Enjoy!
_________________
Freeeeeeedom! Thank heavens it's summer!
What do I have to show for my hard work? A piece of paper! Wee!
=Guardian, Moderator, UltimaDot Newshound= |
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Sun Mar 07, 2004 5:39 pm |
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corwin
On the Razorblade of Life
Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Posts: 8376
Location: Australia |
It's a brilliant piece of work Val, you have tons of talent as we all know. Badger you look superb!!
_________________
If God said it, then that settles it!
I don't use Smileys, I use Emoticons!!
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Mon Mar 08, 2004 7:42 am |
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Badger
Stripey Forest Dweller
Joined: 18 Mar 2002
Posts: 924
Location: UK |
It does doesn't it.
I've put a thankyou post in the NFG and duplicated it in the RPGdot.
Badger
_________________
"Ducks are Dumb!" Badger-2005. Go ahead... quote me! |
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Mon Mar 08, 2004 12:28 pm |
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