MiSTed: "Dark Queen of The Sea" (MiST on the Ghost Planet)

[Jen White6]

MiSTed: "Dark Queen of The Sea"
MiSTing by JenW...@aol.com
Original story by Cristi Muth

[Interior, The Green Room in the Ghost Planet Industries building. The
lights are very dim, except for one bright bulb illuminating the table at
which Zorak, Tansit, Lokar, and Brak are seated. They are very intent on
playing cards. However, there are no chips at the table. Lokar is the
dealer.]

Zorak: Hit me.
[Lokar passes him a card. Zorak looks at it and scowls.]
Zorak: I'll stand.
Brak: [to Zorak] Got any twos?
Lokar: Nope.
Brak: Nuts.
[Tansit lays a "Wild, Draw Four" card on the middle of the table.]
Tansit: [triumphantly] Clubs!
[Lokar draws four cards, shuffles them around briefly, then lays his hand
on the table, cards fanned out for all to see.]
Lokar: Gin.
Brak: Aw, nuts, again?!
Tansit: Oh... phooey!
[Zorak growls and bites a beak-shaped chunk out of his cards. Lokar
calmly gathers the other cards up and begins ordering and shuffling them
skillfully, in the manner of a card shark. Then he notices the damage
Zorak has done.]
Lokar: [annoyed] How many decks must you ruin in that manner?
Zorak: Rrrrgh! I'm sick of this anyway.
Lokar: [looking around at the other three and grinning smugly] You
know the stakes.
Tansit: Yeah, yeah, we know.
Lokar: Well?
[Zorak, Tansit, and Brak go to the couch in front of the monitor. Lokar
leaves the room.]
Zorak: I wish we got paid. Then all we'd lose is MONEY.
Tansit: I wonder how he always wins!
Brak: Well, he says it's all in the cards.
[Brak takes a few cards out of his pocket and peers at them, front and
back, very intently. Then the monitor turns on. Brak puts the cards back
in his pocket in time to see text appear on the screen:]

> This story takes place about a year after Darkwing Duck met Morgana
> McCawber for the first time. This short story is not meant to weird
> anyone out and is also not really meant to be taken all that seriously.

Brak: Um, what *is* it meant for?

> This was inspired by the recent Valentine's Day episode of "Buffy the
> Vampire Slayer." If you didn't see it, that doesn't matter because the
> story doesn't actually have anything to do with it.

Tansit: Huh?
Zorak: So, what DOES it have to do with?

> This story was also
> inspired by my friend's continuing remarks about Megavolt's butt.
> Strange as that may seem.

Tansit: [to Zorak] You just *had* to ask, didn't you.

> -------------------------

Brak: It's The Line King!

> DARK QUEEN OF THE SEA

Tansit: Dark Queen Duck?

> By: Cristi Muth (a.k.a. The Mighty Cristabelle)
>
>

Brak: [singing] Cristabelle-y, Cristabelle-y, all I hear is
Cristabelle-y-

> "Hey, guys, why don't we ever go on dates?," asked Reginald
> Bushroot, quite innocently one day.

Zorak: [Bushroot] Yeah! A bunch of supervillains like us ought to
be beating the chicks off with a stick!

> Quackerjack giggled, "you mean, with each other?"

Zorak: No! With babes! Dates with BABES!

> Bushroot frowned and Liquidator hit Quackerjack upside his head.

Tansit: Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk, woop-woop-woop-woop-woop!

> "You know perfectly well what I mean," said Reggie, "I think we
> should all go ask some women out."

Tansit: Like Ellen DeGeneres? [giggles]
Zorak: That's ask women OUT, not ask "out" WOMEN.

> Quackerjack giggled again, "yeah, that would go over about as
> well an Urkel look-alike contest...",

Zorak: Talk about a contest where the winners are the losers.

> Liquidator cut him off, saying,

Zorak: [Quackerjack] Road hog!

> "excuse me, miss; are you tired of the same old losers time and again?
> Do you long for the "real thing?" Then date a super villain! Sure to
> bring a smile to your face and a cop to your door!"

Brak: [moodily] That line doesn't work. I've tried it.

> Bushroot sighed, "never mind," he said.
>
> Through this entire exchange, Megavolt had remained silent. "Hey,
> Sparky, penny for your thoughts," said Liquidator

Zorak: [Liquidator] Do you have change?

> (the only one brave
> enough to ever call Megavolt the 's' word.)

Zorak: I can think of an S word to call him.
Brak: Hey, whoa!

> Megavolt looked up, a little dreamily, "oh...nothing," he said.

Brak: So... he said nothing. Okay.

> The other Fearsome Five members looked at each other, knowing that it was
> definitely not 'nothing'.

Brak: But he just SAID nothing! It's right up there! C'mon!

> Megavolt had been acting weirder than usual
> since a Hamburger Hippo heist that morning.

Brak: Hamburger Hippo heist! Say that three times fast! Hamburger
Hippo heist! Hamburger Hippo heist! Hamburger Hippo heist!
Zorak: [As Brak speaks] Hamburger Hippo heist, Hamburger Hippo
heist, Hamburger Hippo heist. That wasn't hard.
Brak: Yeah, but it sure is fun. [mumbling] Hamburger Hippo heist...

> All they could do was wonder
> what was going on in Megsy's fried little brain. Not that it mattered.

Zorak: Megavolt's made of *anti*matter?
Brak: I thought that was Negaduck.
Tansit: Maybe the first Negaduck, not the second.

> He'd probably forget it within the next hour, anyway.
>
> * * *

Brak: Three ones! Just need snake eyes and I got a Yahtzee!

> Morgana McCawber entered Darkwing Tower with an uninvited guest.

Zorak: How can you have an uninvited *guest*?

> The younger female duck behind Morgana looked around the tower above the
> Audubon Bay bridge in awe.

All: Awwwwwww. [pause] Wah-wah-wah-wahhhh.

> Morgana glided across the floor with

Brak: Floor wax.
Zorak: And fell out the window on the other side out of the tower,
plunging into the icy waters of the bay.
Tansit: [long "falling" whistle] Splash!

> confidence and appeared behind Darkwing Duck.

Brak: Wait, she was invisible when she snuck up on Darkwing?

> "Hello, Dark," she said, causing him to go flying out of his chair.

Tansit: Ego attack with knockback, 2D6! Roll for stun damage!

> "Morgue!," he said upon his return, "don't do that!"

Zorak: [Darkwing] Don't you EVER say "hello" to me again!

> She shrugged and smiled with an air of casual indifference.

Brak: It was Friday, y'see, which means she could wear her casual
indifference instead of her business indifference.

> It didn't take long for Darkwing to notice the unknown person in his
> secret hideout.

Tansit: [Babs Bunny] Darkwing, you are so... alert.
Brak: Well, he IS a master of deDUCKtion. Ah ha ha ha ha ha!
[Zorak groans loudly.]

> "Um...who's that?," he asked Morgana.

Brak: And what's she doing off first?

> he asked Morgana. She smiled and floated over to the
> younger duck.

[All begin humming the "Young Ones" theme]

> "Darkwing Duck," she said, properly, "I present my cousin, Adrienne
> McCawber." Darkwing looked over Morgana's cousin.

Brak: He had to stand on a box to do it.

> She appeared

Brak: Huh? Waitaminute! She just appeared? Then how was he just lookin'
at her a moment ago?!

> to be
> about sixteen and was somewhat shorter than Morgana, Darkwing would guess
> around 5 foot 2.

Tansit: Huh? Uh-uh! Morgana's not that tall!
Brak: She *is* tall, 'specially with that hair.
Tansit: No! When we saw Darkwing Duck with humans in "Twitching
Channels", he was only three feet tall! So Morgana's only about *four*
feet tall!
Zorak: FANBOY!
Tansit: Stop it!
Brak: Wait. I bet they mean *duck* feet.
Tansit: Well... okay.

> She didn't resemble her cousin much, either.

Zorak: What is it in this story about telling us what things AREN'T?
Arrgh!

> Adrienne's dark brown hair hung down past her shoulders and had thick,
> natural curls in it. Darkwing also noticed that her feathers were more
> of a tan color.

Zorak: As opposed to a tan *smell*?

> She was quite pretty, but seemed shy.

Tansit: But Darkwing didn't notice that part.

> Darkwing figured
> that his scrutinizing her probably wasn't helping, but he couldn't help
> that. "Hello," he finally said, before pulling Morgana aside.

Brak: [Darkwing] Miz McCawber, did you know that your tail lights are
out?
Tansit: [Morgana] Fresh!

> "Morgue," he whispered, "does the term "secret hideout" mean anything to
> you? Accent on the 'secret'."

Tansit: Yeah, revealing the location of your secret hideout is BAD
LUCK, DUCK.

> Morgana looked momentarily angry, then
> seemed to get over it.

Brak: [Lokar] *You* need to get *over* yourself, lover!
[Zorak and Tansit turn and stare at Brak.]
Zorak: You do that too well.

> "She's my favorite cousin and I know she can be trusted." Then, Morgana
> leaned closer and whispered, "besides, she doesn't have many friends.
> There's not really anyone for her to tell."

Tansit: And she wants him to trust his biggest secret, next to his
identity, to someone who doesn't have friends and is the cousin of an
ex-crook? Pff, yeah.

> Darkwing walked over to Adrienne and extended his hand, "it's nice to
> meet you...Adrienne, was it?" The younger duck smiled, "yeah."

Brak: And then she said, "grin."

> For lack of anything else to say Darkwing politely remarked,
> "Adrienne is a very pretty name."

Zorak: [Darkwing] It almost makes up for you looking like a sewer
rat.

> Adrienne perked up at this, "thank you. My full name is Adrienne
> Theresa. It means "Dark Queen of the Sea."

Zorak: Huh? Since when?
Brak: [Adrienne] It means that Adriennese, which I just made up. So
there.

> Morgana interrupted here, "Dark, the reason I brought Adrienne up
> here to meet you is because she's going to be living with me for a while.
> Her parents have been fighting a lot lately and we McCawbers are famous
> for our

Zorak: Bad hair?
Tansit: Lack of feet?
Brak: Barbecue recipes?

> fights.

All: Oh.

> So, everyone thought that Adrienne would be safer
> elsewhere."

Zorak: [everyone] Where we couldn't CLOBBER her!

> "Oh, no pressure there," said Darkwing, sarcastically.

Brak: [Launchpad] Whoops, I'll go pump up the tires, DW.

> Adrienne spoke up, "if I'm in the way here, I'll just go, okay?"

Tansit: [Darkwing] It's the second door on the right.

> Her big Bambi eyes made Darkwing feel guilty and he said,

Zorak: [Darkwing] A deer DIED to give you those eye transplants!

> "no. It's fine
> if you look around or...whatever."

Tansit: Yeesh! She's just met him, and already she's playing mind
games.

> Morgana suddenly became excited and addressed her cousin,
> "Adrienne, tell Darkwing what happened to you this morning."

Zorak: [Adrienne] Morgana took me out for a pony ride! And then we
got some ice cream-

> Adrienne sighed, "oh, it wasn't really a big deal. I was at a
> Hamburger Hippo when some weird guys robbed it."
>
> "Weird guys?," questioned Darkwing, "what did they look like?"

Brak: Lookit who's asking. A guy in a goofy-looking costume and a
mask!
[Zorak and Tansit look at Brak]
Brak: What?

> Adrienne thought for a moment. "Well," she said, "there were four of
> them. One was blue, one was green, one looked like a clown, and one
> looked like he'd stuck his finger in a light socket."

Brak: But it was no big deal. I see people like that all the time.
Tansit: Have you *seen* Morgana's family?

> "The Fearsome Five!," exclaimed Darkwing, "er...Four. Whatever.
> The most dangerous criminals ever!"

Tansit: [Darkwing] And it's up to JUST US to bring them to JUSTICE,
DUCKS!

> Adrienne shrugged," they didn't seem all that dangerous to me.
> In fact, the electrocuted one was rather polite. He asked me how I was

Zorak: [Adrienne] able to do that thing with my legs -

> and my name and everything."

Brak: And since he asked me about *everything*, well, buddy, I was goin'
for hours. Some of it was about frogs!

> Darkwing was incredulous, "you didn't tell him, did you?"

Zorak: [Darkwing] How you do that thing with your legs? And would
you show Morgana?
Brak: [whispering urgently to Zorak] Better watch it - Morgana can do
that zappin' thing too!

> "Sure I did," said Adrienne, "why not? He was even kinda cute..."
>
> "Cute!," interrupted Darkwing, exasperated, "he's a super villain!

Brak: [singing] Meg-a-volt, Su-per-villain!

> His
> name's Megavolt and he eats power companies for breakfast!

Zorak: He's pretty full after that, so he skips lunch and has a
nuclear power plant for dinner.

> What were you
> planning on doing if he decided to look you up?"

Zorak: There's nothing in the dictionary under "Adrienne Theresa."
Brak: I'll betcha it's in the Adriennese dictionary.

> Adrienne grinned, "go out with him."
>
> * * *

Zorak: [Adrienne] Or throw these shurikens at him.

> "What are you doing with that phone book?," Bushroot asked
> Megavolt.

Tansit: [Megavolt] I'm gonna cut it into strips and use it for papier
mache.

> "Looking someone up," Megavolt answered, preoccupied. Before Bushroot
> could ask who, Megavolt slammed the book closed and headed out the
> hideout door, grabbing a handful of roses from one of Bushroot's plants
> on the way out.

Tansit: [Megavolt] Ow! Ow! Darn thorns!

> "I wonder what that was about?," said Quackerjack.

All: DUH!

> "Oh, don't you know anything?," scolded Bushroot, "Megavolt's
> obviously in love...or something to that effect."
>
> "In love?," Quackerjack repeated, "with who?"

Zorak: Y'know, just because you *can* trade capitalization for extra
punctuation, doesn't mean you *should*.

> "I don't know," Bushroot grinned, "but I say we go find out right now."
>
> * * *

Brak: [singing] Three stars in the scene break, each one seeking
happiness...

> The address in the phone book led Megavolt to the front door of
> McCawber Manor. He paused outside the gates just long enough to notice
> how dark and ominous the house looked. Then, he rushed through the gates
> and up to the front door.

Tansit: He got struck by lightning halfway through the front yard, but
for Megavolt that's par for the course.

> Morgana McCawber answered the knock.
>
> "Megavolt!," she squealed upon seeing him, "what are you doing here?!"

Tansit: [Morgana] And can I get your autograph? I LOVE your latest
album!

> Megavolt looked a little nervous, "um, Morgana, I'm here on neutral
> ground, okay?

Brak: Oh, *that's* why electricity doesn't hurt him. He's grounded.

> I was wondering if somebody named Adrienne McCawber lived
> here?"

Zorak: [Morgana] No, but we have one of those visiting. Close
enough.

> Morgana looked a little suspicious but let him enter, assuming
> that she could catch him in a spell before he did anything stupid.

Zorak: Too bad there was nobody to catch HER in a spell before she
let Megavolt in the house.

> "Adrienne!," she called up the stairs, "you have a visitor!"

Tansit: [Morgana] He's a felon, and he talks to light bulbs! Want to
speak with him?

> Adrienne came bounding down the stairs and smiled when she spotted
> Megavolt.

Tansit: She wasn't smiling, she was baring her teeth.
Brak: What's the difference?
Tansit: Uhhh, well, for you I guess there isn't one.

> "Hi," he said when he saw her, "do you remember me from this morning? My
> name's...Elmo."

Brak: [Megavolt] Tickle me.

> Megavolt hadn't said his real name for a very long time
> and it sounded strange in his ears.

Tansit: Megavolt doesn't have ears.
Brak: Sure he does.
Tansit: No, he doesn't. Whenever they showed him without his plug
cap, he had no ears.
Brak: Then how's he hear?
Zorak: I don't have ears either, and I can hear.
Brak: You got antennas. [To Tansit] Hey, does Megavolt have
antennas?
Tansit: [annoyed] NO.
Zorak: [snickering] Fanboy.

> Before Adrienne could say anything, laughter and echoes of
> "Elmo?" could be heard coming from outside.

Zorak: No, you're supposed to tickle HIM, not each other... oh, never
mind.

> Megavolt flushed with embarrassment

Tansit: Don't you mean Liquidator?

> as he realized that his
> "friends" had followed him.

Zorak: [Any member of the Fearsome Three] Does Adrienne have three
sisters?

> "Don't worry," said Adrienne, "I'll take care of them."

Zorak: Whoa! That's gonna be some wild date!

> No
> sooner had she said that then a light blue aura surrounded her and
> lightening flashed outside.

Brak & Tansit: It was a dark and stormy night!

> As Megavolt watched, Adrienne's hair became
> somewhat electrified and she began to levitate. Megavolt

Brak: Passed a metal hoop around her to show that no wires were holding
her up.

> looked away
> from her and glanced out a window,

Zorak: [Megavolt] Ho hum, witch acting demon possessed. Yawn.

> from there, he could see Liquidator
> losing all control of his motor functions and he ended up washing the
> others out of the McCawber yard and down the street.

All: EWWWWWW!
Zorak: I did NOT wanna see that.

> When Megavolt turned around, he saw that Adrienne had returned to
> her normal state.

Tansit: Calisota.

> "H-How did you do that?," he stammered. She shrugged,
> "oh, I can control water."
>
> Just as Megavolt was about to say how cool that was,

Tansit: Huh? No he wouldn't! Water is Megavolt's weakness! It short
circuits him! He *hates* water!
Zorak: Give it up, fanboy. Darkwing's secret hideout is blown by
someone who has the hots for a rat who talks to light bulbs. Who cares
any more?

> Darkwing
> Duck came strolling into the house with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

Zorak: [Darkwing] Breaking & Entering Flower Company!

> "Hey, Morgue, you home...?," he trailed off when he spotted
> Megavolt. Immediately, he dropped the flowers and pulled out his gas
> gun.

Tansit: [Megavolt] Jeez, aren't you EVER off duty?!

> "Darkwing!," screamed Adrienne, "don't shoot him! We were just about to
> go out!"

Brak: [Adrienne] -of our minds!
Tansit: Megavolt's already out of his mind.
Brak: Then she can just meet him there.

> Darkwing lowered his gun a centimeter, "Adrienne, dear, I don't
> think you understand how evil this man is."

Zorak: MAN? He's a rat!
Tansit: I dunno. He looks like a dog to me.
Brak: Uh-uh. He's got buck teeth. Maybe he's a weasel.

> "Oh," Adrienne said, grabbing Megavolt's arm, "he's no such thing. Elmo
> isn't evil, just misunderstood. Perhaps he needs a good support group."

Zorak: And what's wrong with being EVIL? BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

> Darkwing put the gun away and couldn't hide the smile that crept
> across his face.

Brak: Like a big, fuzzy caterpillar that gets on your pillow when you're
in bed asleep.

> "Elmo?," he said. Megavolt blushed. For some strange reason, the name
> sounded familiar to Darkwing.

Brak: [Darkwing, singing] Elmo, I just met a villain named Elmo.

> "Goodbye, Morgana!," Adrienne waved at her cousin as she exited
> the house arm-in-arm with Megavolt. "Don't wait up!"
>
> Darkwing's mouth dropped open and Morgana closed it for him. "Don't look
> so surprised, Dark," Morgana said, "after all...stranger things have
> happened in St. Canard."

Tansit: Yeah, like Darkwing Duck letting a villain who's wanted for
hundreds of crimes just walk away, just because he's not doing anything
evil *at the moment*!
Zorak: [to Tansit] Whose side are you on, anyway?

> She smiled, broadly, "besides, maybe this is all Megavolt really needs to
> help get his life together." She now gazed at Darkwing, "I mean, look
> how you've changed me."

Zorak: [Darkwing] Well, yes. I've been meaning to speak with you
about that, Morgana - when are you going to hire a new valet, or at least
learn to do your own buttons?

> She leaned over and hugged Darkwing tightly, while lifting his
> wallet.

Brak: Huh? A wallet? Where's he carry it? He doesn't wear pants!
Zorak: There's places. You don't wanna know.

> After he noticed, she shrugged, "well, old habits do take some time to
> break."

Brak: [Darkwing] But until you do break that habit, Morgana, I'm gonna
have to throw you in jail. Think of it as tough love.

> THE END

[All applaud]

> -----------------------

Brak: Those are the most boring macaroni noodles I've ever seen.

> Time, once again, for yet another disclaimer. Seems like I waste
> precious moments of my life just writing disclaimers.

Zorak: What about THIS STORY?

> Well, anywho, this
> story is dedicated to your friend and mine, the original Adrienne Theresa
> (Cousn...@aol.com).

Zorak: Who isn't talking to me anymore, but that's not important now.

> I hope she finishes her "ode to Megavolt's butt"
> soon ;)

Tansit: A POEM about a BUTT?
Zorak: [sulkily] Nobody ever wrote a poem about *my* hinder.

> All characters related to the "Darkwing Duck" cartoon are
> copyright (c) Disney. I am not trying to steal anything from
> anyone...well, not this, at least. The plot (pointless as it is)

Zorak: At least the author believes in truth in advertising.

> is
> copyright (c) The Mighty Cristabelle

Zorak: ...or maybe not.

> (she is me). The character of
> Adrienne Theresa McCawber is copyright (c) me and the original Adrienne.
> ("I created you!"

Brak: Adrienne's her imaginary friend? Oh, OK.

> "Oh, that's certainly gonna surprise the heck out of mom and dad.") Send
> all questions, comments, and complaints to Avia...@juno.com

Brak: Send honey glazed hams and sweet potato casseroles to
br...@cartoon.planet.

> "Pain is an illusion. An illusion that really really hurts."
>
> -Grin

Zorak: An illusion, my charred exoskeleton!

[The text scrolls off the screen. Brak takes the cards back out of his
pocket.]
Brak: Hey... these cards aren't all the same.
Zorak: Of course not. They got numbers and suits.
Brak: No! Lookit. [points to the back of a card, where we see an image
of Big Ben at night] See, the backs are a little different. The clocks have
different times.
[Zorak snatches the cards from Brak]
Zorak: [looking at the back] Three o'clock, four stars in the sky -
[turns card over] three of clubs. [inspects another card] Eleven
O'clock, one star - jack of diamonds.
Tansit: Those are MARKED cards! That little...ooh! I could give him such a
*pinch*!
[Zorak goes over to the table and gathers up the deck. Lokar walks into
the room. All three glare at him.]
Lokar: Ah, wasn't that refreshingly horrible?
Zorak: [clumsily shuffling the cards] Rematch!
Lokar: Are you sure?
[Zorak looks at Brak and Tansit, and winks. They pause, then grin and
nod. They take their seats at the table alongside Zorak, who slaps the
cards down in front of Lokar. Lokar looks uneasy at their sudden change
in attitude.]
Zorak: DEAL.
[Lokar, now rather unnerved, sits and starts to deal the cards. Brak,
Zorak, and Tansit watch the cards as they are dealt. The camera pans away
to the monitor screen.]

/ |
| /
|/|
/ |
| /
___________|/|____________
| ______________________ |\
| |J#~#-####*###-##*###+#| | |
| |##*#.##-#.##-#.##~##*#| | |
| |##+###+##~##+###+#*###| | |
| |##-#.##+##.-###-####-#| | |
| |#-###-###+#W######-## | | |
| |##~#*###-*###*#+#.####| | |
| |###~#+#~.##-######~###| | |
| |##-#*###-#*~##-#~#.##%| | |
| |##+##*#+##+#-##.###+##| | |
| |#~##*#####-###~*####*6| | |
| ________________________ |/

This MiSTing is copyright (c) by the author, JenW...@aol.com. "Dark
Queen of The Sea" is copyright (c) by Cristi Muth. Darkwing Duck, Morgana
McCawber, Megavolt, Bushroot, Quackerjack, and The Liquidator are all
copyright (c) Disney. Zorak, Tansit, Lokar, and Brak are copyright
(c) Hanna-Barbera. This MiSTing was done in the name of fun, and no
malice is intended to anyone.

> This was inspired by the recent Valentine's Day episode of "Buffy the
> Vampire Slayer." If you didn't see it, that doesn't matter because the
> story doesn't actually have anything to do with it.

so sez Jen "Call me MiSTer!" White.

[Carl Burke]

Jen White6 wrote:
...

> > Her big Bambi eyes made Darkwing feel guilty and he said,
>
> Zorak: [Darkwing] A deer DIED to give you those eye transplants!

*splurt*

Oh, that was painful. Well done, Jen!
Or, as I think whenever I hear the name Bambi:
"This is no place for an entomologist."

--
--------------------------------------------------
Carl Burke, cbu...@mitre.org -- le nu ko batci mi kei cu zdile
My opinions are mine and mine alone, unless you
agree with them. Then I'll share.
--------------------------------------------------
"Ahh, the smell of leather, the taste of boots.
Doesn't get any better than this." -- Rich "Gentle Pressure" Sheridan
--------------------------------------------------