Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 12:54:48 EST
From: OneTommyW (at) aol (dot) com
Subject: SLAVE TO LOVE part 2

This story deals with sex among males.  If you shouldn't be reading this,
don't.  It's a fantasy, set in a time when sex was safe.  It isn't now, so
don't be a risk to yourself and others.  Always play safe.  The copyright
for this story lies with the author.

Virtual chocolates & chard to my friend Tim Mead without whose help and
encouragement I couldn't (and wouldn't) have done this.  You can't imagine
how patient he has been.  He beta'ed this thing, but of course I fiddled
around with it afterward, so any remaining faults are mine.  This goes also
for the plotholes.  Greetings to the rest of the Nifty Six: Patrick, Evan,
Ash, and Mickey.

I want to dedicate this part to the staff and dancers of the Lindenbrauerei
in Unna.

So, have fun, everybody, and let me know how you liked it under
OneTommyW(at)aol(dot)com - yes, it's a new addy.

--Tom


SLAVE TO LOVE, part 2


RAGEN:

Malik is no child.  Not only not "just a child", or "a mere kid", as I put
it so casually, when I saw him for the first time.  Now I rather think
Rikk's first assessment of the brat was correct.  He's a demon, a spawn of
hell.  I commanded him to go and spend the night in Tarik's tent - after
all Bolgar, Rikk, and I wanted to celebrate our reunion - and the brat
refused to go.  He said I couldn't order him around, and he wanted to sleep
with Rikk.  Then he choked and pressed two tears out of his black eyes, and
just like that Bolgar was bowled over.  I can't believe it.  Rikk and I
looked at each other in amazement.

"Should we go and sleep with Tarik instead?" I murmured toward him, not
really meaning it.

"No," he replied, "we'd better not leave these two alone."

I thought he was making a joke, and grinned.  He didn't^Å

The four of us cuddled together under the blankets.  No sex, of course.
There was a child present, after all.  And to be truthful, we were kind of
tired.  So we slept peacefully and undisturbed.  Until the morning, that
is, when I was awakened by an almighty roar.  Bolgar's.  He was sitting up,
with his hair standing on end, a wild look in his eyes.

"He . . .he . . !" he sputtered, glaring at Malik, who was crouched between
the giant's legs.  The boy had a most satisfied smirk on his face, and
worse, drops of pearly white cum on his chin, clearly visible against his
dark skin.  Rikk tried to suppress his laughter, but in vain.  I didn't
even try; I was howling with it.  Bolgar threw us a baleful glare.  Then he
directed his glower at Malik, who was still licking his lips and looked
like the cat that got the cream.

"You, boy!" Bolgar growled, pointing with one majestic finger at Malik's
chest.

"Yes?" Malik asked, trying to sound innocent, but failing completely.

"Don't you ever do that again!  I don't have sex with children!"

"I'm no child!  I'm old enough!  And I have sex with who I want!  And I
wanted it!"

"But I didn't want it!  You can't just go and jump unwilling people!"

At that point Rikk exploded.  "You talk about consent, Bolgar?  You're such
a hypocrite!  Remember what you did to me!"

Bolgar shouted right back.  "You were a slave!  That's different!"

"You think so?  And how are things now?  If I refused you now, what would
you do?  Tell me, Bolgar!  Would you just go and take it from me?  Would
you?"

Bolgar had gotten very pale during Rikk's outbreak.  Now he took a deep
breath and , looking into Rikk's eyes, he said, quietly, "I would never
hurt you, little one.  Not again.  You must know that in your heart.  Don't
you?"

Rikk lowered his gaze.  He was silent for a while, then he said, "Yes,
you're right.  I know that, Bolgar."

"Well, come here, cub.  Let me hug you.  If you want, that is."

Rikk practically threw himself into Bolgar's arms.  I, however, turned
toward Malik.  I wasn't very happy with his behaviour.  On one hand, I
liked his brashness, on the other hand, he seemed like trouble to me, and I
figured Rikk, Bolgar and I would have enough to do just trying to make our
triad work.

I nodded at the boy.  "We need to talk.  Let's go outside."  When he didn't
move I took him none too gently by the arm and dragged him to the edge of
the camp.  He fought me all the way.  He'd have some bruises on his arm
afterward.  When we reached the trees I let go of him.  He threw me an evil
glance and rubbed his arm.  I just looked at him until he began to squirm.
Didn't take long.

Then I said, "Listen, boy.  I won't watch you messing with what's mine.
Bolgar and Rikk are mine.  If you want to stay with our group, you better
keep away from my guys.  We don't need a fourth, much less a child.  Of
course you don't have to stay with us.  You can go wherever you want.  I
won't stop you.  But if you stay, you gotta behave.  So, what's it gonna
be, boy?"

Malik's eyes were blazing.  I just knew he'd have loved to tell me to go to
hell.  But there was no way he would make it on his own, whatever he wanted
to do.  I knew it, and so did he.  He swallowed his pride, looked up at me
resignedly, slightly pouting, and said, "Okay.  I'll be good.  I'll try to
behave."

I nodded.  "Well then.  I'm going to give you to one of my men.  See that
you get along with him.  If it doesn't work out, you'll have to leave.
Understood?"

"Yeah," Malik replied morosely.  I smirked.  I knew just the right man to
deal with this willful little wildcat.  At least I hoped I did.  Tarik was
the son of my older sister, not twenty yet, but after Bolgar the one of my
men I trusted most.  He was reliable, courageous, and usually had a firm
hold on his temper.

I walked Malik back to the camp.  When I spotted Tarik, I waved him over to
us.  "Yuck!  What happened to HIM?!" Malik whispered when Tarik came
closer.  His steps faltered and I had to practically drag him the last few
feet.  Well, I had to admit Tarik's face was not a beautiful sight.  Not
since its encounter with a Scarsian battle axe that pretty much smashed its
left side.  An ugly twisted scar ran from his cheekbone down to his chin
pulling his mouth slightly down on that side.  He had been lucky to keep
his left eye, but his mouth seemed to be drawn in a perpetual sneer.
Together with his coal black eyes and long dark hair it made him appear
quite intimidating.  I ignored Malik's struggles and addressed Tarik.

"Tarik, I've got a special task for you.  This boy was a slave of the
people who attacked us.  He escaped them and helped Rikk to free us last
night.  I need you to keep an eye on him.  Keep him out of trouble."  I
turned to the boy.  "Malik, I'm not giving you to him as a slave, but you
have to listen to this man and absolutely obey him!  You can learn a lot
from him, too.  Understand?"

Malik nodded, reluctantly.

"Tarik, is this okay with you?"

The tall youth had listened silently, never showing any reaction at all.
Now he nodded at me.  "Okay, I'll take him."

"Take me?  I hope you don't mean that, like, sexually, scarface!" Malik
sneered at him.  "There's no chance I'll ever let you touch me, ugly mug!"

Tarik looked at me, one eyebrow arched, then down at Malik as if the boy
was a particularly nasty insect.  Narrowing his eyes, he grabbed the boy's
arm and pulled him along with himself.  "Come, boy.  You've got work to
do."  I saw Malik fighting his grip, as they went.  Five minutes later,
though, the boy was sitting before a giant heap of blood-encrusted swords
that badly needed to be cleaned and polished, and I allowed myself an evil
giggle.  Come evening Malik would be in no mood to harass innocent people.
Tarik was probably safe from him anyway, and Bolgar, Rikk and I would
finally be able to celebrate our reunion properly.  I must say that I got a
very insistent hard-on at that thought.


RIKK:

I barely noticed Malik and Ragen leave the tent.  I was completely lost in
the blissful feeling of being held in Bolgar's powerful arms.  How I had
missed this!

"It's good to hold you again," Bolgar growled softly into my ear.

"Glad to have your fucktoy back?" I asked.

"Very much so," he replied, after a tiny pause.

Damn.  That was nice, yes, but not what I'd hoped to hear.  For a moment I
stiffened in his arms, then I relaxed back into his hold, resignedly.  I
was where I wanted to be, wasn't I?  It was better not be bitchy.

"Rikk, look at me," Bolgar continued.  I did.  His eyes bore into mine.
"Last night you freed us and saved us from being sold as slaves, or worse.
We'll be forever in your debt for this.  You're not a slave anymore.  You
don't have to stay with us, either.  If you want, we will escort you home
to your folks, or wherever you want to go.  But I'd rather you stayed here,
with Ragen and me.  And not as our fucktoy, either.  What do you say?"

I tried, but I couldn't say a thing.  I was so choked up, and tears were
streaming from my eyes.  Here it was, everything I'd hoped for, and there I
went, crying again.  "Yes," I said in between sobs, " yes, I want to be
with you.  Any way I can."

He smiled, and from the shine in his eyes I could see that he was really
glad about this.  His hold on me tightened and I was pressed against the
hard, muscled planes of his body.  It was so good to feel his power, his
strength.  I sighed contentedly and lay my head back on his shoulder.  A
long time we just stayed like that, unmoving, just being together.


TARIK:

Well, I'd never say no to uncle Ragen, but what the hell had he been
thinking saddling me with that brat??  My fingers were still itching to
give that boy the spanking he deserved!  But having him clean the weapons
wasn't bad, either.  He'd be feeling those muscles for days.  Just the
right training for such a spoiled pet slave.  Yeah, I knew that kind.
Always crouching at their masters' feet, getting hand-fed with tasty
morsels or sucking their masters' cocks under the table.  Weaker than
women, and even more moody.  I despised their ilk.  Right then I swore to
myself that I'd toughen him up!  But take him?  In his dreams!  He was a
slut.  Everybody knew that.  Everybody'd heard Bolgar's yelling this
morning.  Actually I'd found it all quite funny, then.  It didn't seem that
funny to me now.  Mentally shrugging my shoulders I strode over to the
group of chained-up prisoners in the middle of the camp.  I had some
unfinished business with one of them.

It was midmorning, and we'd be leaving about noon.  They'd lain there since
the night, bound, unable to move.  The flies were already swarming around
them.  Nobody was hurt real badly, but there was enough blood and muck to
attract them.  Ragen had announced we all could choose one of the prisoners
for ourselves, if we wanted.  That was not what I intended, though.

The miserable wretches snarled and tried to kick at me as I made my way
between them, looking for the one who had defeated me two days ago and
taken me prisoner.  He was easy to find.  Even though speckled with
brownish clots of congealed blood his wheat-blond hair stood out.  And he
recognized me, too, if the gleam of his eyes was any indication.  The long,
wavy hair, these bluegreen eyes, together with his tanned skin were a
striking combination.  I'd seen people with this coloring before, far away
from here on the coast of Brygia.  Two days ago, his looks had made me
hesitate just long enough to give him the advantage he needed over me.  I
resented him for that.  He'd knocked me out with a club - yes, with a
bloody friggin' club, for Luki's sake! - and I had awoken, my hands and
feet bound securely, to a stream of hot piss directed at my face.  His
piss.  For that, I resented him, too.  Now, he scowled up at me as I
approached.  I just smiled.

Slowly, deliberately, I took my cock out, aimed, and let loose.  Hot
steaming yellow piss poured down on him, hit his wide-open eyes, and when
he screamed with rage, it flooded his mouth.  Soaking him from head to toe
I watched him sputter and cough.  My bladder had been so full, it fuckin'
hurt, but by Bilari's guts, this was worth it!  Finally my piss petered
out; I shook the last drops off, and tucked myself back in.  I was about to
turn around and walk away from him, when he hissed at me, "Pissing's surely
the only thing you ever get to do with that pathetic thing!"  And I froze,
swallowed, and slowly turned back.

I didn't stop to think about what I did then.  I just took out my knife,
stooped down to him, and holding his head immobile by that flaxen hair of
his, I carved a big "T", for Tarik, right in the middle of his forehead.  I
didn't cut very deep, but nonetheless blood began to well up.

"What have you done to me?" he grated, blue eyes blazing.

"Just gave you a little something to remember me by," I said.

"Bastard!" he hissed.  And then, in a deadly, low voice, "I swear, I'll get
you for that!  You'd better kill me now!"

I smirked.  "I'm not worried 'bout you.  I'm letting you go now, but I
won't be so lenient next time.  If you're smart you'll stay away from me."
I got up, and walked away toward my tent.  On my way I passed Malik, who
was still polishing weapons.  Not surprisingly, he threw me a dirty glare.
I stopped to check his work.  Not bad at all.

"You're doing well," I said.

"Fuck you, scarhead," was his reply.

"In your dreams, boy."  Another one of those death-glares.  I guess I was
pretty safe from his advances.  Behind me, I could hear Ragen snicker at
our exchange.  He and Bolgar were supervising the loading of the horses.
We had lots to pack though we hadn't taken everything from the slavers,
only the best stuff.  Furs, all the coins and jewellery they'd had with
them, and the best thing of all, a load of spices: nutmeg, vanilla, ginger,
assafaran, cinnamon, and a yellow powder we couldn't identify, but whose
smell made my mouth water.  We'd be able to sell the spices further north
for at least the double of their worth here.  I bet those slavers were
already cursing the day they'd attacked us.

"Ragen," I asked, "will we leave before noon?"

"Yeah, I want to be off as soon as possible.  It's still at least four days
till Aquilegia, if the weather's holding.  We can get rid of all of the
furs there and buy cotton cloth, wine and oil."

"Uh, Ragen, I know you said we'd send someone from the next village to free
the prisoners.  I'm not so sure if that's a good idea."

"Yeah, I've thought about that, too.  Why should they set people free who
very probably attacked them before and will do so again?  We need to take
one of those bastards with us instead and send him back to free his folks
tomorrow morning.  That should give us enough of an advantage.  After two
days lying in the cold without food they won't be much of a menace anyway."

And so was it done.  One hour later we set out south.  I was eager to go
there.  This was only my second journey, the other one had been a winter
trip to Seria, and now I wanted to see a sea that was warmer than the
Northern Sea, a land where they grew wine and olives and spoke a language
that sounded exciting and melodious and so different from ours.


BOLGAR:

Damn, but it felt good to be on the road again!  Rikk was riding between
Ragen and me, and a few rows behind us I could hear that boy Malik bitch at
Tarik.  I didn't envy Ragen's nephew his task of keeping the boy under
control.  As I made a respective comment to my men, Rikk frowned and
remarked, "Malik's not a bad one, you know.  Remember, he had to serve his
owner as a sex-slave.  That must have left traces.  And I suspect he's used
to being spoiled rotten.  We gotta cut him some slack.  I hope Tarik won't
be too hard on him."

"Well, let's just hope he keeps him away from us tonight," I muttered.
"That's all I want!"

Ragen and Rikk snickered as we rode on.  We were heading straight south,
and with every mile of progress we made out of the mountains it seemed to
become warmer.  Our destination for today was the Lago Rubio, and we
reached its shores just before it became too dark to travel further.

Great fires were lit and we made camp.  It was so mild and the sky was so
clear we didn't bother with the tents.  Instead, we just laid out our
blankets.  Ragen, Rikk and I carried our stuff more to the edge of the
camp, a fact the men commented on with lewd remarks.

We baked our simple bread on flat stones in the fire, and grilled freshly
caught fish.  It was companionable and easy, just like I remembered the
south.  Still, I couldn't wait for the evening to pass, for the fires to
die down.  By Luki's two tails, I wanted my men!

When finally the circle around the fire had become smaller, and more and
more of our band had retired to sleep, or not to sleep, and Ragen had named
the guards for the night, he, Rikk and I went to where our things lay.  I
got naked in no time, and Ragen and Rikk smirked when they saw just how
hard and ready I already was.

"My, my, Bolgar!  So eager, and you came already today!" Ragen taunted,
undressing himself.

"That doesn't count!" I growled.  "That was the kid from hell, and I was
asleep when it happened anyway!  I want you guys, and now!"

"How about a swim first?  The water was nice when I scrubbed our bowls, and
we're all pretty grimy," Rikk proposed.  He was naked now, too, and Gods,
his slender, boyish body looked so good to me!

"What did he just say?" Ragen cast me a flabbergasted glance.  "He wants to
swim?"

"Yeah, that's what I heard, too."  We both frowned at him.

"What's the matter?  Why do you two look at me like that?"

"We don't swim," Ragen declared.  "We're from a nation of seafaring men.
We use boats."

"You don't swim?  Like, in, you can't swim?  What do you do when your boat
sinks?"

"Go to Valhalla fast and brave," I replied, " not flee our death by
splashing around cowardly."

"Besides," added Ragen, "our boats do not sink!"  Shoulder by shoulder, we
stood there, letting Rikk see our disapproval.  Swimming, really!  I shook
my head.  No self-respecting Norseman swam.  Ever.

"Well, I can swim, and now I'll go and do so!" Rikk said, pouting a bit,
and naked as he was he strutted over the short distance to the water's
edge, and jumped into the lake.  He came up, swam and splashed, mocking us,
while we ignored him.  Until suddenly, with a strangled gasp, he went
under.  I thought my heart was going to stop then and there.

"Shit!  We have to get him out!" I shouted.

"Yeah," Ragen agreed, breaking into a run, "come on, Bolgar, hurry!"

We jumped into the water.  I went under like a stone.  Flailing around
wildly, I came up again, coughing my lungs out.  At my side Ragen sounded
like he was doing the same.  Then I saw Rikk's head, maybe ten feet away
from us.

"He's over there," I sputtered, trying to point the direction, which
promptly made me sink under again.  When I came up next time, Ragen had
inched closer to where Rikk had been.  Only Rikk wasn't there anymore.  'Oh
Skadi of the Scythe,' I prayed, 'spare him!'

"Help!" it gurgled faintly from behind me.  Splashing, Ragen and I managed
to turn around.  But there was nothing, was there?  It was hard to tell in
the dark.

"I can't see him anymore," I shouted, getting desperate.

"Me neither!" Ragen shouted back.

"Over here, guys!"  Rikk's voice.

"Rikk, dammit, where are you?"  And then I saw him, his pale, lean body,
glistening wetly in the light of the dying fires.  Standing near the shore,
waving with both arms, and decidedly not looking like a man who had nearly
escaped drowning.  I couldn't say for sure, but it seemed like the asshole
was even grinning at us.

In my surprise I forgot that I still had no firm ground under my feet, and
spluttering I went under once more.  Ragen pulled me up this time; he
seemed to have gotten the hang of this swimming thing faster than me.

"He's been having us on," he stated, his voice dangerously low, while he
dragged the two of us toward the shore.

"He's going to pay for that!" I snarled, feeling beyond mad now.

Rikk must have seen something in our faces.  He bit his lip.  "Hey, at
least you two can swim now!" he yelled, before turning round and dashing
away from us.  Ragen and I exchanged a grim glance.

"Wear him out?" Ragen proposed.

"Nah," I said.  "He'll only break his stupid neck in the dark.  Besides, we
want him lively for later, don't we?"

We chased him a bit, then we brought him down.  We threw him onto his back,
I held his arms, Ragen kneeled on his thighs.

"Tell me, Rikk," I inquired sweetly, "do you happen to be ticklish?"

"Uh, no?" he tried, but the look in his eyes gave him away.  I grinned at
him.  Taking both his wrists in my left hand, I reached with my right for
his ribs.

"Shit!" he screamed, jerking away from my touch.  "Bolgar, I'm sorry!
Ragen, help me, dammit!"  We just laughed at that, heartily.

He fought like a wildcat, but he had no chance against us.  We only stopped
when he seemed close to suffocating.  Leaning back to survey our work, we
saw that Rikk was bathed in sweat, breathless, wheezing from laughing and
crying at the same time.  He didn't even try to stand up.  He lay there,
spread out for us like a feast, not cheeky or cocky anymore, rather, well,
pliant.  It reminded me of the second night we three spent together, when
Rikk had lain there so submissively and had let me rim him, and later had
asked me to fuck him.

"Already he looks well-fucked, and we haven't even started yet," commented
Ragen.

"We should remedy that," I agreed.

Rikk moaned and spread his legs.  Ye Gods, when he's like that I find him
absolutely irresistible.

"Who's first?" I croaked.

"Wait, let me get the oil, we're gonna need it," Ragen murmured, jumping
up.

"Bring a blanket, too", I yelled after him.  Then I knelt down at Rikk's
side.  I looked into his big, shining eyes.

"You," I said, pointing with a finger on his chest, "have been a very bad
boy!"

"Yes, Bolgar," he whispered, spreading his legs a bit more.  His cock was
hardening under my gaze.  Lovely.

"You need to be taught a lesson, don't you think?" I asked, settling
between his thighs.

"Yes, master.  Please teach me!" he moaned, pushing his hard-on up at me.

I couldn't resist.  I sucked it all in, deep into my throat, and kept him
there, swallowing around him, as he screamed and bucked under me.  In no
time he yelled that he was coming.  Suddenly a hand appeared between us,
tugging Rikk's balls down none too gently, and Ragen's voice growled, "Not
so fast, boys!"

"Fuck!" yelled Rikk in frustration.  "Exactly," said Ragen, who had dropped
the blanket and was now towering over us, arms folded in front of his
chest.  "Not only did you start without me - you, Rikk, nearly finished
without me!" he groused.  I snickered.  Ragen was magnificent, all naked,
still wet and glistening, all muscles and smooth planes, his cock an angry,
urgent red pole waving before my nose.  I reached for it.

"Uh uh," he said, taking a step back.

"Ooh, come on, I gotta have it!" I pleaded, knowing that he'd like that.

"And you're gonna get it," he growled.  "Right up your ass, Bolgar, my
brother.  Here -" he threw me the oil -"get yourself ready for me.  Hurry
up!"

Rikk's eyes got big as he saw me coating two fingers with the oil and
jabbing them up my arse, eager for Ragen's cock.  When I could take three
without too much discomfort, I put my head down on Rikk's stomach, pushed
my arse out at Ragen and said, "I'm ready."

Ragen entered me mercilessly.  He knew very well what I could take.  It
hurt some, but the stretch was delicious and even with the first push he
hit the good place inside me dead-on.  Caught between pain and pleasure, I
jerked my head up and howled like a hungry icewolf.  Above me, Ragen
laughed in satisfaction and pride.  No one else could take me to that
place, and he knew it.

He stayed motionless inside me.  I was so tight around him, I could feel
the blood pulsing through his weapon.  I thought I could come, just from
this.  It was maddening.  "Move, dammit," I ground out.

Slowly he pulled out, just to slam back into me, fast.  "Yes!" I screamed.
Under me, Rikk was panting just from watching us.  His eyes were dark with
need and I wanted to take him, fill him up, but I knew I couldn't, not when
Ragen was fucking me like this.

But Ragen had watched Rikk, too.  "Better get yourself ready," he told him,
"because you're next!"  Rikk's breath hitched in his throat and he
hurriedly grabbed the flask with oil and set to work.  Our gazes locked as
Ragen grabbed my hips firmly and started fucking me into oblivion.  It was
hard and fast, and I yelled with every thrust.  He kept on hitting my love
nut and then I was coming and he just fucked me through it, fucked the cum
out of me, and it splattered all over Rikk.

When Ragen pulled out, I collapsed next to Rikk, suddenly feeling
completely limp.  Rikk lifted and spread his legs till his knees were
practically at his ears.  His hole glistened wetly and he was the picture
of submission.  Still, I could see him worrying his lower lip and wondered
if he might be a bit afraid.

Ragen bent down and kissed him, tenderly, for a long time, until Rikk was
responding just as eagerly.  Then he put the tip of his cock at his
entrance and asked him, "How do you want me, sweet thing?", and Rikk
blinked and replied, "Go slow, please.  Slow and deep."  I could only watch
in awe as Ragen complied and sank into him slowly, agonizingly so, and
Rikk's eyes closed in pleasure and he sighed, "Oh, yes, just like this!"
Ragen continued to take him slowly, on and on, and I could see how he
ground his teeth together from trying not to come before Rikk was there,
too.  I couldn't take it any longer.  Leaning over Rikk's prone body, I
took hold of his weeping dick and began to swirl my tongue around the juicy
head.

"Yes, Gods, yes!" moaned Rikk.  "Just like that, Bolgar!  Fuck!  Fuck me
faster, Ragen!  More!  More, dammit!"

"You want more?" Ragen gasped.  "You're gonna get it!"  And he sped up
until he was really slamming into him and Rikk was yelling and Ragen was
huffing, and then Rikk's cock pulsed and he started to shoot, huge amounts
of hot tasty cum, and I caught it all in my mouth.  One breath later Ragen
spent himself inside Rikk, his arms trembling from the exertion, shouting
out his completion in a hoarse voice.  I waited till he'd got a bit of his
breath back.  Then I leaned over to him, and kissed him deeply, our tongues
playing with Rikk's cum, swapping it back and forth between us.  At last he
pulled out and broke down between Rikk and me.  I'll never forget how heavy
the air was with our combined smells on him.  I remember thinking at that
moment that I was his, just like Rikk was.  And that he was ours.  We
pulled the forgotten blanket over us and fell asleep right there, under the
stars.



To be continued in part three, which is mostly written and will be posted
soon.  Really!