a fable told in palindrome

[sgt.null]

They were at a small dugout hidden by a ragged copse. Couch dug through till he found a way in. Entering they found a two rucksacks. The first contained navigation equipment. She claimed this quickly. The other held an ancient cap and ball pistol. She tucked that into her belt. Covering the entrance as they left, they both felt the necessity of moving on.

They hugged for a long time, holding nothing back as they wept for lost friends and better times. At last they seperated, he waved at his saddlebags.

"Miller's wife and daughter, I have enough money to send them both back east." He looked above and to the right of her the entire time. She took a long breath and told him of her plans and her name change. He simply nodded, understanding completely. They both nodded and turned their steeds in opposite directions and rode on.

She would not see Couch again until many years after that...

[sgt.null]

The two men were arguing loudly enough that the Killer found no challenge in tracking them. The younger one still had the shotgun he had killed Miller with. The older one shifted on his horse to address him. "Listen White, Doc sends us out for what, a year now?"

White interrupted "Green, what can I do - he signs the scrips." And so it went until they came along a clearing and decided to rest. White stepped into the woods, resting his shotgun against a tree to relieve himself. She snatched the shotgun up, clubbing him in the head midstream. Circling around the clearing until she was behind Green she clubbed him as he tried to start a fire.

She waited until they woke up, finding themselves tied upright to trees facing each other. She smiled as she walked up to the younger, drawing a large knife from her belt. Fixing her sight on Green. "You tell me where Doc has crawled off to you, this turns out better than you can hope." With this she plunged the knife into White's belly as he screamed. A high-pitched pathetic thing. Then she pulled the knife straight up until she hit bone. Turning the knife at an angle to help with the rending. She left the knife there as White struggled to hold his breath, believing it may keep his insides from falling out. He cried as he tried to plead with her. "Please, help my mother expects... I'll be good. help me, I don't want..." With this he coughed blood all over her, resuming his screaming as he saw himself exposed. But now it caught in his throat, turning into a series of weak hacks.

Green woke up to find her pressing up against him. He could not tell her fast enough what she wanted to know. She smiled the entire time.

"I have a message for Doc Six, tell him the Killer of Pain is riding after him." With this she started to cut out his left eye. She had to wake him again after she finished with the bandaging. She kindly helped him to his horse. Pointed downhill, informing him of the miner's camp that would help. Swatting the horse she mounted up and headed off, ready to kill anyone who got in her way.

[sgt.null]

The Killer was nudged awake gently. She was in handcuffs and leg irons. Captain Wheelock helped her up. "By the numbers please." She nodded her acceptance and moved stiffly forward.

They were finally at the reservation. Her breath was taken away by the beauty of her surroundings. Red mesas occupied her field of vision. She grimaced at not being able to enjoy it. Ned followed behind her. "We'll get her to the Divvy van, no worries. Then I need to get rotten, where can I find a pot of good cheer?"

Sarah grunted as she was taken to a waiting ambulance, "Dry county, sorry mate." Ned stalked off cursing. The Killer was set in the back of a sheriff's cruiser. She did notice Gravity King landing next to Captain Wheelock as she was driven off.

The sheriff's station turned out to be another adobe, undistinguished amongst the others surrounding. the sheriff helping her out of the cruiser introduced himself. "Madam I'm Adam, High Sheriff Darc is out on patrol now, but he'll be back later."

Settled in to her cell soon after she was surprised to find a visitor...

[sgt.null]

Jimmy Couch stood just outside the bars, wearing ragged snow gear. Before she had a chance to respond Abraham Mosher was standing there. The Killer drew herself into a combat stance, warily looking at the figure before her just as he vanished, this time replaced by Sgt.Null.

"What is this..." she hesitated. The voice that responded was Captain Wheelock. 'It is lunch, I assumed you were hungry. Tuna fish sandwiches, I hope you like ginger ale."

As she ate her meal people milled about, nervous energy surrounded the cell. She saw Wheelock talking with Gravity King, but was unable to hear any of their conversation. She needed to make a decision and was surprised to find herself comfortable with the idea of treason. She knew Lord Baltimore and what he did to keep power. Hellfire, she was his instrument to that end, even knowing what she did was wrong at times. Not everyone deserved their fate as offered at her hand. But could she fight for concepts? Did she deserve to stand alongside the others in this quest? Well she knew she was better than Ned at least.

[sgt.null]

Ned sat in his room, miserable and sober. The Ghost had been lecturing him for some time now.

Sarah was in radio contact with her operatives back in Midlothian, desperate to find out how much Baltimore knew.

The Affable Mr. Jones was searching through stacks of books, trying to find an elusive volume he was certain would help the Killer of Pain to decide to join them.

The Governor and Poet were meeting with the recently deceased Sgt.Null also hoping to find something to convert the Killer.

Meanwhile back at his palace, Lord Baltimore was giving instructions to a trio whose loyalty went beyond question. He owned their souls, in a box buried deep in the Texas clay. He could feel the Killer slipping away from him, soon she would be lost to him forever.

Off the shores of Galveston Island, The Lost God of Confetti noted the sudden appeareance of the USS Eldridge.

And in the exo-sphere Major Tom lay strapped into his spaceship. Fuel spent, orbit decaying above the counter earth...

[sgt.null]

Phyllis was on her front porch looking at the night sky. She knew her husband was gone when a bright star crossed over the horizon.

The Killer was in her cell reading a book The Affable Mr. Jones had delivered 'The Land of Nod' by Roy Downs. Mr. Jones was dressed in a faded three-piece. His shoes scuffed, his walking cane barely able to support his fatigue. When the Killer looked at him her heart ached with regret, missed chances and opportunities not repeated.

"Is it true?" was all she managed.

An hour later she was gearing up for the long ride back into the heart of Texas. Ned and the Ghost silently packed. Neither talked to her at all. Captain Wheelock was now in charge; guided by Sarah and the low static that connected them. Two of the new additions were already packed and ready to go.

The man in the sharp suit and bowler hat was Ampersand the Pinkerton Man, a detective hired by the Governor. His companion was notorious throughout the borderlands; Judge Gallows. The Killer knew him reputation and he cut quite the figure in his heavy duster and gas mask. A fedora completed him for the moment, as he loaded a suitcase with his weapons onto the bus.

The driver was an MP Officer named Vincent; their new vehicle was a short, yellow schoolbus. Their objective was to head due south into Texas and meet up with a second group that was tasked with flushing out the trio of killers that Lord Baltimore was sending after them.

After another thrity minutes passed the group was on the road, silent in contemplation.

[sgt.null]

The Killer was dreaming...

Jimmy Couch was cooking some small animal he stumbled across that grey morning. The Killer lay in the lean-to, dreaming...

When she woke, the Killer had to take some time to remember which dream she had woken from.

Ampersand was staring at the corpse strung from the overpass. Judge Gallows had already made his way topside and had started sawing at the rope holding the dead man.

The others were huddled at the back of the school bus. Ned already had a pile of cans started.

The Killer felt as if she had slept some nine months. Gestating in the acrid smoke of bitter dreams.

She heard the body fall as the Judge completed his task.

[sgt.null]

[from Captain Wheelock's journal]

There are different accounts of Kammler's death:
That he committed suicide with a cyanide capsule on 7 May 1945.
That he shot himself in the head on 9 May 1945.
That he asked his aide Zeuner to shoot him.
That he was shot by his aide-de-camp in Prague.
That the Soviets executed Kammler along with 200 other SS soldiers
That he died in the USA many years after the war.

[deer of the dawn]

My dear null, I have read this twice and I still don't get it. I feel like there are too many inside jokes I don't get.