Chapter 7

Thankfully the games went off without a hitch, and Mandy was getting some great sketches in. I was working mornings with Cliff if Becky was at work, and doing games and articles in the afternoon. By now I had quite a stack of systems ready to go, and was fixing those that were broken. Some I pretty much gutted the case and rebuilt with parts Cliff had laying around, and stacking them neatly off to the side.

Just a few days before I had to leave, I drove home and after hanging out with Dee got my old SX-64 out of the garage. Sure it sucked now, but I had quite a backlog of articles and games done up, so for just light typing and games that would be fine. Dee laughed when I told her what I had done with the Compaq, and said she wanted to see our set-up when it was done. I was surprised but said it should not be a problem.

“Hell Pete, I am thinking of doing it as an article, to be honest. You are taking something that did not sell and selling it yourself. I will love to see the finished product, Most just do basic work, photocopies, then staple them together. You really are doing a professional product by the sounds of it.”

“Well, I was honestly thinking of doing them for $10 each, and kinda like what you described. Becky is the one that insisted on limited edition, signed at $25 each. But numbered, only 250 of each.”

“And I promise they will sell. She is right, I have been watching the value of your older stuff rise for a while now. Those are some of the few that seem to be going up in value, and not down. Especially if they are signed.” I shook my head, amazed at this. But then again, I had only attended two conventions in the last four years.

Becky came home my last night there, and she loved my using rice with the alfredo sauce and chicken. Then we spent half the night making love. It was after midnight when we finally curled up to sleep, my head and neck propped on pillows as I cuddled behind her. Finally able to cuddle her as I loved to do, with her wet but lovely bottom pressed against my wet and soft cock.

We showered together in the morning and made love a final time in there. It was fun and we were both laughing when we were not moaning, and had to rush to finish as the water was getting cold. She was still a bit revolted as she saw me putting peanut butter on my pancakes. And she admitted she hated the stuff, equating it to growing up poor as her mom made that for her half the time as she hated to cook.

Then after a long tight hug and soft kiss, I got in my car and drove back to San Diego. I checked in off of leave, and was setting up my computer and meeting the new people in the ward. The next day my therapist was pleased with my progress, and the doctor examined me also, with more x-rays and scheduled me for another MRI. Most of my nights were now reading or playing games, and calling Becky every other night.

The real surprise was when I got a memo from admin, telling me to report in at the formation tomorrow morning in uniform. I wondered what that was about, as we rarely participated in the formation or wore uniforms, but what the hell. Our normal morning formation was normally just the corpsman in charge of the ward coming in and doing a headcount.

And I was shocked when they called me to the front of the formation with about six others. The first was a Navy Achievement Medal to a guy that had been injured with burns on his arms rescuing a shipmate from an oil fire. The next was a similar award, this time for a gal who was an MP at Pendleton who had won Marine of the Quarter the month before she had a blowout while chasing down some illegal alien smugglers on base and rolled her car.

Me, they stepped in front of me, and read promotion orders. I had no freaking idea I was even in the zone, as I had not even checked my score or the cutting score in months. And now I was a Sergeant. Yeah, go me! Then I was presented with two more awards, the ones that I was supposed to get in Yuma. An Air Force Commendation Medal, and a Navy Commendation Medal.

Everybody in the ward congratulated me, and I put my uniform back into the closet and got into sweats. But I made sure to call everybody, and they were all glad to hear the news. The next week Lisa came to visit, and we had lunch together. I filled her in on what had been happening to me since she last visited, and she admitted that she had decided to reenlist for another four years. I was a bit surprised, but she said she was also close to Sergeant, and was going to put in for a tour on Okinawa next.

“Well, at least there you get your own room. Heck, in three years you might even be in the Staff NCO BEQ before you return.” She nodded and said it was her hope, but she was not going to hold her breath.

The next week I got called in by the Captain in charge of Orthopedics. “Well Sergeant Culver, we just got confirmation. This is your last week here with us, on Monday you check out, and report to Long Beach. I talked to the Commander there already, you will be in a ward for a week for more testing, but after that released more than likely, and only check-in for therapy. Expect your discharge in about to eight months after that I would guess.” I thanked him for everything, and he shook my hand and wished me luck.

I told everybody the news, and as much as I hated leaving the Corps, it was time to start the next phase of my life.

I went to admin and asked if I could leave the ward on Friday, and just report at Long Beach on Monday morning. The Lieutenant Junior Grade said it was unusual, but I explained that was close to my house, so I could spend the weekend with my family. And not have to return here just to turn around and leave again. She checked with my doctor, and asked me for my orders. And less than an hour later I had another set, this time a special order amending the first which detached me on Friday night.

I then called Brad and got a confirmation for the convention on Memorial Day. “Oh, you had better be there. I got you booked for a slot for a public demonstration of ‘Chaos Among the Gods’. Oh, and Ral Partha is releasing the figure on the same day. And we have scheduled quite an event for that, they are also paying for part of it.”

And wow! They had booked all of us into a 3 bedroom suite in the penthouse floor. Mandy and Holly were also being paid to attend, and the “meet and greet” had been moved to one of the smaller convention halls after the main presentation, so they could continue with the main ones. Holly was being presented with the first figurine on stage, and we were both expected to say a few words. Nice! Finally, Holly was getting the recognition she deserved.

I checked out as expected, and Becky was waiting at the door with it open as I walked up. We kissed deeply, then proceeded to try and pump me for more information than I had given her on the phone. “Honestly, that is about all I know. A three room suite, I guess they figured it was better to just keep us all together in one place so we get into less trouble. And both Holly and Mandy are getting paid as well, so I’m sure that will come in handy. And I did not ask, but it would not surprise me if most of the copies they have there for sale are the Deluxe editions, with her artwork in a booklet. But we really gotta get moving on the ones we want to sell if we are going to have them ready.”

She kissed me, then had me sit down as she laid a nicely spiral-bound booklet in front of me. I read the title, “Journeyman’s Mishaps, by Peter Culver and Amanda Carol. Copy XXX of 250”. And the front cover was of one of the characters fighting off a party of orcs with a broken staff, a broken half in each hand. That had been the cleric Peggy had been playing, she had gotten bad rolls and it had broken in the fight. So she fought on with it broken like that. I smiled as I saw her combination of Asian and elfin features, twisted into a snarl.

I looked through it, and it was damned good! Two columns of text, illustrations well placed, including one for each of the pre-made characters. This was not a tournament module, but I wanted to include them anyways so it could just be pulled and used, or used as an example of what a party for this should be like, and with what equipment. Even the map looked professional, and like it was set inside of a scroll.

“Damn Becky, this looks amazing! You did all this?”

“Yep, Cliff got me a copy of this program called ‘Ventura Publisher’, it runs on this graphic operating system called GEM. It took me a bit to get it down, but I think I got the hang of it now. It really looks professional, like what Brad would be making. This is the first, the other three are ready also. Check them out this weekend, and come Monday I will start printing them off. I have fifteen cases of paper being delivered that day, and five toner cartridges. They assured me that would be more than enough, as well as a case of clear covers, a case of white cardboard covers for the back, and all the rings. Dee is going to help me, as is your dad and Mandy.”

I kissed her and said I was amazed at how far she had gone. “Well, you are working too. Tomorrow, we are going to get the truck, and getting the table and bringing it here. Then we are going and getting the workbench and shelves, I already bought two of them, we just need to pick them up and bring them here. The garage is cleaned and ready to go. And your hand is probably going to be sore from all the copies you have to sign.” I laughed and kissed her. And soon we were kissing and doing even more in the bedroom as she spread her thighs and pulled my face in between them.

We drove to my house the next day, and dad already had the table taken apart. We loaded it into the back of the Scout, and drove home and I backed it into the driveway as Becky went in to open the door. We took it out, and in about 20 minutes had it all set up, with both leaves installed as well as the chairs spread around it. And when she was happy with the placement, we drove to the used office store. The bench and shelves were already broken down, and they showed me some already set up, so I knew how to put them together. We had to stop at a hardware store to get a rubber hammer, but soon those were set up also, and then we moved in the computers. Becky ran to get some extension cords and power bars, and I drove home to get my car. I even went into the garage and pulled out my old stereo.

She had just beat me home, and with the radio playing some song called “Never Gonna Give You Up”, we were hard at work setting up the computers. Becky was commenting on how she had already learned how to play that song, and promised to play it for me later on. Finally, it was all done, and she started printing off the first copies. Wow, I did not realize how long it was going to take!

I said this would take days, and Becky nodded. “It takes about five minutes per copy, and we constantly gotta add more paper. We may want to consider shopping this out next time though, we will just have to see how many problems we have with this run.”

“Well, we can always look at getting more printers I guess. Do you know if anybody makes a larger and faster one?

Becky actually laughed. “Oh yes, I did find one. It came out last year, the ‘HP LaserJet 2000’. Quite a bit faster, but you can get it with a 2,000 sheet feeder. The price, let’s just say they are so new you are not going to find them yet for sale used. And if Mandy let us keep all of the money and we sold every copy, we could get one.”

I whistled myself. “Holy hell, $25,000?”

“Close enough. If nothing else, we start looking for more of these, maybe three more so each one prints a different adventure. Oh, and the store space is still available. I will go and check it out with Dee next week, then again with you the week after. This is really going to be a family operation I think.”

I nodded, surprised Dee was getting so involved. “Oh, she and I talk all the time. She is thinking she will move and work out of there, just set up a play and sleep area for Georgie in the back. She thinks it will be good to get out of the house and have an actual work area again.”

Once inside, she showed me a document she had prepared, including costs for tables and a workbench for the store. She figured around $700 a month in expenses, so we would only need to sell eight computers a month to make a profit. Actually, a high return, as it was only costing us time. We went to visit Cliff, and although it was almost closing time he welcomed us inside. And I saw Becky had been at work here also, as the front was much cleaner and better organized. And the back was completely redone. Everything was now neat and sorted, and the workbenches cleared or in use. “Wow, it looks so much better back here now Cliff.”

“Well, you finally got me off my ass. That back shelf in the corner, that is ‘hands off’, everything there I’m keeping.” I looked and nodded, seeing some really old machines there, as in first generation home computers. “And I got a few more going, even four Apple II systems. And yes, I want to do this. You sell them, give me an accounting each month at the end, and profits we split 50-50. Not gross, net profits.”

“Wow, really? Are you sure?”

“Yep, I’m sure. I can’t have you losing money, and it’s not like these cost me much. A lot of them I got for free, or for less than the parts cost in trade. Oh, and Herb in Canoga Park wants to come and see you once you are set up. He was amazed at how much better my shop looks, and wants you to do the same for his shop. Help him clean it up, organize it, take his stuff like this and sell it, split the profits. But he is offering straight split, not covering expenses like I am. So that gives you some time to see if this will actually move as you hope.”

We both thanked him, and Becky asked him if he knew of anybody selling used laser printers. He said he thought he knew one guy, he would check for us. He asked what for, and we told him about the sideline we were getting ready to do. He thought that was impressive, and he would keep his ear out for anything that might come in handy.

“Oh, do you have any networking stuff? We are going to be really working these hard. And instead of swapping around disks, a network would be nice.”

He grinned at me, and asked if I had worked with networking in the past. I explained that I had used Banyan Vines, as we were one of the units testing it when I was in Japan. He then asked me about the cards we used, and what kind of cabling. After a few minutes, he smiled and nodded. He opened a filing cabinet and pulled out a box.

“These are spares, I can get more. These are Ethernet cards, you can hook them up with a kind of coaxial cable. Run them from one to the next, then just install the software. And that I have.” The cards and cabling I was familiar with. I asked him about termination on both ends and grounding on one, and he smiled. “Yep, the exact same. Now I don’t have a copy of what you used, but I do have this.”

He handed me two boxes full of disks. Holy hell, Novell Netware 286, fifty user license! I asked him how much for five cards and the software, and he said $500, he would make me a copy of the disks. When I tried to say it was not enough, he laughed. “Pete, these cost me almost nothing! A bunch of these computers you were going through came from an old Security Pacific Bank branch that closed last year. I made an offer on their computer system because I was told they were not going to keep it. I got the entire thing for $4,000, sold the server and most of it already. But I kept a copy of the software just in case. No, you only owe me for the cards, that is what I paid for them a few months ago.”

Becky and I left, and had dinner at an IHOP before heading back home. I think she was looking forward to this as much as I was, and I knew exactly how excited she was as we had barely walked in the front door when she had me pushed against the wall, and was rubbing herself against me. We did not even make it to the bedroom for the first time. After she sucked me hard she got up and bent over the kitchen table, pulling up her skirt as she pushed down her panties. I moved up behind her, and she gave a soft sexy whine as I moved my cock between her wet pussy lips, then eased myself inside. I still felt the now familiar resistance as I eased in, and her almost grunt as the head finally slid inside. Then gripping her hips I started a slow in and out motion, until I was fully inside of my lover.

After resting in her for several seconds, I started to slip in and out, sliding almost fully out, then back into her again. And I felt her hand under my balls, caressing her own clit as I plowed into her body. I knew without her even saying anything that this was not to be a long session of me taking my time. I held her hips and pushed in and out over and over again, every few strokes pushing in deeply and savoring the mashing of her tight bottom against my hips before I resumed my thrusting. And looking down I fell in love with her fantastic bottom all over again. Her thin waist flaring out at the hips, her slender bottom now bare as her skirt was pulled all the way up to her waist. And her fingers never stopped moving on her clit, never slowed. And I knew when she was getting close, because her moans and muttering started to come in Spanish.

I recognized the feminine word for “dog”, so I had an idea what she was saying. I fucked her faster, now my hips slapping against her ass, hearing how wet she was as there was almost a squelching noise each time I pushed back into her. And almost a torrent of moans in Spanish as she tipped into her orgasm. I moaned “Fuck, you are so sexy Rebecca, I love you my darling!” as I came inside of her.

I laid across her back, pulling her hair to the side and kissing her neck as we both panted, regaining our breath. I would not remain as deep inside of her in this angle and position, and sooner than we liked I felt myself pop out of her, and Becky quickly pushed me back and waddled to the bathroom, her hand between her legs. And I saw cum leaking down her thighs, and when I went to tuck myself into my pants, a large glob of it on the tile floor. I grabbed some paper towels and with a grin wiped it up.

I could hear her in the shower, but it was a fast one as she came out a few minutes later, a towel around her body and blushing a deep red. “I guess I did not leave it as deep inside as I thought.”

“Oh no. You felt so deep inside of me in that position! But when you came out it was like I could immediately feel it flowing out of me.” I nodded, and told her I had already cleaned some that had dripped onto the floor. She blushed even deeper red, and I pulled her to me and kissed her deeply. She then had me sit on the bed, and removed my shoes and socks, then the rest of my clothes, kneeling on the floor in front of me and smiling the entire time. Then she removed the towel and crawled into bed, and I snuggled up behind her.

The next morning after breakfast, I called most of the group and said we were having a game here at our house. The only one that balked was Jack, saying he was planning on going to the beach that day. And he had yet to come to a single game, so I flat out told him “Dude, I am sitting on two different thirty page treatments right now, and have been waiting to give them to you until after you come to a game as you promised. Either you come today, or I’ll just consider this has all been a bunch of shit you were throwing at an old friend to try and impress him.” I then called Holly last, and she said she would be there in an hour, but that Dan had to work that day.

I sent Becky to the store for more of the burrito fixings, but chicken and beef only as I started a pot of rice. I had grabbed two fans earlier and set them up in the garage, and I opened the back door and the front door to knee level, and set the fans in the front to blow warmer air out the back door. I quickly moved all of the computers and stuff onto the shelves, and started to place chips, plates, bowls, and the like on the bench.

Mandy arrived first, and we greeted Becky as she came in. I helped stash everything away, and seeing that the rice was done I started a batch of brown rice. I told Becky to show our friend the new game room, as I grabbed the four bottles of soda from the fridge.

Mandy loved it! Becky was telling her how everything was laid out before I put it all on the shelves, and Mandy loved we were working on our old gaming table. “This old thing has a lot of memories for me,” she said. “In fact, you might say I got my cherry popped on it, as I really got into D&D at this table.” She was caressing it softly, almost sensually and Becky was staring at her as she did. I grinned and asked if she and the table wanted a minute or two alone. Mandy came over and gently slapped my cheek, then kissed me. “Bastard!” she said, but all three of us were giggling. We heard a car pull up, so I went ahead and opened the door and saw Peggy and Mike walking up to the house. They came over and said the arrangement looked great. Keith and Jan arrived shortly afterwards, and she said for them it was perfect timing as her mom had the baby that day.

Jack was the next to arrive, and Mandy gave a small scream and ran out and threw herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. They laughed and hugged, and Becky lightly elbowed me in the side. “Playing matchmaker, baby?”

“Naw, he’s Holly’s old boyfriend. Mandy can still act like a cute little girl when excited, she has not seen him in years.”

He finally came in, and I introduced him to Becky, then to Keith and Jan, who he had only met once. We all sat around the table, and I passed around the sample copies Becky had done up. I described what we were trying to do, and that the artwork was all Mandy originals. I gave them the rundown on the idea, and that we were now in the small home publishing industry.

“Oh, and in a few weeks, I will be running Friday Night games at a computer store we are opening. It’s over near Burbank, but you all are welcome. Or just to come and hang out, both of us will be there when we can, and Dee also. Come to talk games, come to talk computers, come to just hang out with us, it’s all good.

Mandy had sat next to Jack, and was pointing out her artwork to him, and he looked a bit dazed. Then I grinned, and it was perfect timing as Holly arrived. She gave Jack a big warm hug and kissed him softly, then the same for everybody else. She looked over the test copies, and said they looked great.

“OK, now the next part. This is something Jack talked me into over the holidays. He talked me into writing up a screen treatment of a Kaos adventure, he wants to turn it into a script and shop it around. Well, I had that done by the end of January, but part of the agreement was that he gets back into gaming. And I have been sitting on these since then, waiting for him to show up!”

I handed the two folders to Holly, who started reading. “So finally I got tired of waiting, hence the reason for this. Jack, if you want these treatments, you stay today and play. After that, I consider our deal met and you can go back to avoiding us. But I was not kidding, we all missed you, and wanted you back in the group.”

He blushed and apologized. Holly was laughing, and said “Pete, what the fuck did you just write here? And this is almost like the last, but different. Kaos is a whore?”

I laughed. “Jack could not make up his mind if he wanted to make a script for an R rated movie, or a PG one. So I wrote two treatments. In the PG one, Kaos is how you remember me introducing her to the group. Later on, I often made Kaos as working in disguise as a prostitute, who tries to solicit one of the characters and pick his pocket. And yes, the blue folder is the R rated one. But if you really want me to Holly, I can make one that is XXX rated.”

“Oh that would be great!” Mandy said. “We can get sis to play Kaos, but instead of a Valley Elf, she is a Valley Slut. Oh, but we have to change the name. How about ‘Klitoris’, with a ‘K’?” Holly gave a mock growl and hugged her, then started to tickle Mandy in the hug as everybody else laughed. Jack looked thoughtful.

“Naw, nobody buys scripts for porn. The producer and director largely make them up as they go. But if this works, I would not be surprised if somebody was to later make one.” We all laughed at his deadpan delivery of that, and he grinned.

I then pulled out the sheets and handed them around, and we got to playing. This was another of my unsold adventures, one I had made in Japan so nobody here had played it. Jack took a fighter as he said he was a bit rusty, and Becky took a magic user. And I saw Holly wink at me as later in the game Mandy was flirting with Jack. We finished just before noon, and I kissed Becky’s cheek and said I was going to go get lunch ready. I heated up the rest of the fixings, and soon she came in to help as we brought everything to the garage.

We were sitting around catching up with Jack and he with us as we ate, and Holly came up and asked me the same thing Becky had earlier. And I honestly told her that had never crossed my mind. “After all, he was your boyfriend Holly. How would I know she was attracted to Jack?”

“Well, he is cute, nice, rich, and had a nice member. But unless she is considering converting to his religion, it will never be more than that. Let’s just say he may fuck her, but not put a ring on her finger otherwise.” Holly smiled, and I nodded.

It was getting a bit warmer, so we opened the garage door a bit more and went back to playing the second adventure I had printed out. This time Becky took a thief, and it also was a more bland adventure than I usually do. And when we finished we all sat around talking.

“Pete, you guys should do well with these. Yes, they are not your usual work, but they are also signed and numbered limited editions. I have seen movie posters that sell for $10 each sell for $50 and up just because of that. And nothing even special about it, just signed and numbered. And most who buy it will not even play them but once, they will hold onto these as collector items. Maybe even hang them on the wall.”

“Mandy! Check out some of your art stores, see how much it would cost to get frames for these! We put some in frames, and if somebody is silly enough to do that, I say we make it easy for them.”

“Pete, even better!” Becky said. “We get enough frames for the first say twenty. We then put numbers six through twenty-five into matched frames, print a certificate stating they own a special limited edition set, and sell them with that framed certificate for $150. That gives them five things they can hang on a wall, and we can make even more.” I saw everybody at the table nodding.

“But Becky, why start at six?” Jan asked.

“Simple, Pete here is keeping all the number 1 copies, Mandy the number 2. I get number 3, Holly number 4, and Pete’s dad number 5. We will sell none under 6. But if you all want, we will give you XXX numbered copies like those we showed you here for free. Who knows, those might be worth even more someday as they are even more limited.” Everybody laughed, and of course wanted one.

Mandy showed us all the basic sketches she had made as we were playing, and Becky kissed my cheek and went into the house. She came back a bit later with beers, and started to hand them around. She sat in my lap as we all talked, and they started to pump me for information about the computer store. I told them the address, and said we would probably be open by next month. “I am actually working with the guy that owns a store next door. I spent a lot of time on my convalescent leave helping him clean it up, and I am selling his older stuff cheap. He even knows a guy in Canoga Park that wants me to do the same thing.” Keith asked me how much I would be selling them for, and even he was impressed at how cheap they would be. “Now these are all older used systems, about like my first one actually. But even then, $250 for a full working computer is still a good deal even if it is used.”

After we all had a few beers, most of the people were wanting to play another game. I grinned and said we could do that, but I had a few conditions. They go and get the food, as they had already eaten what I had prepared, and somebody else gets the beer. Jan added some wine, Becky added wine coolers, and that no matter what we played they pretend it was the first time, and nobody leaves once we start.

They all agreed, and Mandy and Jack took off to get the booze, as Holly and Becky went to get the food. The rest of us sat around and talked, and I mentioned to Peggy I was a bit surprised at how well Mandy and Jack were getting along. “Oh Pete, Mandy had crushes on both of you. You were both off-limits, but we had talked about it back then. And let’s just say she is probably more than a bit curious.”

“Curious? Curious about what sweetie?” Mike asked. Peggy blushed, and leaned forward. “Holly, Linda, and us sometimes talked, and well, compared notes. Let’s just say that according to Holly, even though Farmer John is the one that makes the ‘Dodger Dog’, Jack’s sausage comes mighty close.” Jan giggled as us guys started laughing. “Plus he’s cute, smart, has a great sense of humor, and is a nice guy.”

I chuckled and thought back to the times we had done double dates with Jack and Holly years ago. I had never really gotten a good look at Jack’s equipment, but thinking back it did seem that Holly had a few issues taking him all in, and always seemed more vocal than she was with Keith when he was riding in the saddle.