Support Group A TTR quick 5-minute fiction ***** Roz shook her head. "Come on, Dodo. You've got to come in with us." They were outside of the doorway, and the diminutive, raven- haired teenager was shaking her head furiously. "No... no, I can't. I just can't. I couldn't, um..." Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find a further excuse. "Look." Sara Kingdom continued. "This is long overdue, and you know it. Honestly, the way you've been acting lately... Steven and the Doctor are getting very worried." "Yeah," Adric opined, "you're starting to sound like the Loony whenever that author is mentioned..." The Alzarian dodged a swift kick from the Adjudicator. Unfortunately, the mere allusion was enough. "WELL HE DESERVES IT!!" Dodo snarled, with teeth suddenly clenched and fists balled so tightly her hands were becoming white. "I swear, if I ever see that miserable hack Bishop again I'll tear out his...." Roz shot Adric a see-what-you've-done glare. Sara, though, moved to try to calm the younger woman. "Dodo, yes... we understand. We ALL understand. We've all been through it, and we've all thought the same thing. But he's an Author, and it just isn't allowed. No matter what they do to us, we can't go retaliating against them. Especially not the ways you keep talking about." At this point Adric began to take feign an interest in the clouds above and to soundlessly whistle a tune. Sara, meanwhile, sighed a long regretful sigh that managed to hide some of her own dark thoughts. "Besides, it isn't right, and you know it." she concluded. Katarina, who had to this point hung to the side and away from the others, decided to speak up. "My lady Dorothea," she said, "There are many wise sages who come to these gatherings. They can help you work through your anger, and find a way to use it for good deeds." "Uh huh." Sara agreed. "The chapter president is David Marcus, and he's very good at working with ones like us." "So come on, Dodo." Roz pressed. "Just this one time. If you don't like it, we won't force you to come again." Dodo grimaced, and noted that the other four were standing in such a way that provided little escape should she refuse. She took a deep breath. "Oh, all right." She muttered. "But just this once, do you understand?" The other four nodded, and one by one they entered the doorway. ***** The meeting was as crowded as usual, with most of the attendees talking amicably among themselves. Adric broke off from the others and walked over to have a few words with his old pal Vila; Sara introduced Qui-Jon to the other ladies; and usually shy Dodo actually managed to strike up a conversation with a young girl named Fo Marasame. Finally, it was time for the meeting to start, and as everyone began to take their seats another Marcus (bearded and dressed in dark black, and no relation to the group's president) invited the new members to come to the microphone first to speak. Dodo found herself pushed forward by Sara and Roz. Hesitantly, she approached the podium. She looked first at the microphone, then at the crowd. They all were hushed, and looking at her. She took a deep gulp, and spoke into the microphone. "Um... Hi." she began. "Err, my name is Dodo Chaplet, and...." she took another deep gulp, and looked once more out on the crowd. Somehow, she found the strength to say the words. "...and, um, I'm dead." The members of Dead Characters Anonymous all shook their heads in greeting, and responded with a hearty "Hi, Dodo!" in unison. --DBK 7 July 2000