The Karate Maze

shichi (recovered from KM archive)

2006-05-12T03:04:00.000-07:00

私は空手と戦う方法を学んだ

私は失われる

私は戻りたいと思えば空手を使用しなければならない。

空手

roku (recovered from KM archive)

2006-05-12T02:57:00.000-07:00

Sensi Yoshida used to say "Everyone wants a black-belt, but so few people know what it is." He had one, but he spent more time dressing up like a cowboy to sell his BBQ sauce than he ever did wearing it.

Maybe therein lies the point?

He was so Karate.

Hoskins 10th Kyu

go (recovered from KM archive)

2006-05-12T02:47:00.000-07:00

Been pretty quiet in The Maze today. I'm pretty sure it's Thursday. I had dream last night that has kept me rather estranged from the group all day long.

In the dream, I watched as Master Gichin Funakoshi was fishing in a stream. He sat alone and moved not but once, and that to take a long, slow drink from his flagon. By the end of the day he had not caught any fish. He got up to leave and that is when I spoke to him.
"Master, you did not catch any fish today."
"No, it is true, I did not. How is it you know this?"
I bowed to him and said "I have been watching you all day from behind this tree."
"Quit following me." He said and then he beat me unmercifully.

It's not the kind of dream that inspires me to run out there and "solve the maze".

We forgot to go back for Paskewich, by the way. Poor bastard.

Hoskins 10th Kyu

shi (recovered from KM archive)

2006-05-12T02:46:00.000-07:00

My solar plexus has become nearly impervious to ushiro-geri thanks to the "Hitchi Hara Breathing Techneque", however, by shameful contrast my Sagiashi Dachi stance is nothing more than a awkward series of bunny hops. Nicholas mocks me by making quacky, duck noises whenever I attempt it.

I swear if he didn't have the only good Bamboo Kata in the group, I'd kill him myself.

Baker returned hours ago babbling something about "The Icy Winds of Destiny" or something equally ridiculous. Personally I think Laura ditched him so she could leave the group all together and go it alone. Faster that way. She may never make it out, but she'll make good time.

Oh, the radios are working again! It's been so long since the last transmission from the Orthogonal Tower (OT) that we we're pretty sure the batteries were dead. OT Sent us a code that, once deciphered, spelled out the details of Kruskal's Algorithm... E(1)=0,E(2)=E or some such. Buncha red herring horseshit if you ask me.

My watch is up. Gotta go. God I miss Kimbell. His harmonica had a way of soothing me like nothing I've ever experienced, in the maze or out.

Hoskins 10th Kyu

san (recovered from KM archive)

2006-05-12T02:45:00.000-07:00

No one in the group was able to get much sleep. A disembodied moan from somewhere in the south hallway unnerved even the boldest of heart.

Sgt. Applegate sobbed, silently all night long. In the morning he was gone.

Laura and Baker volunteered to scout out the south passage while the rest of us assemble a lean-to from rebar.

I can smell meat cooking.

Hoskins 10th Kyu

ni (recovered from KM archive)

2006-05-12T02:43:00.000-07:00

I can't feel my legs :(

ichi (recovered from KM archive)

2006-05-12T02:36:00.000-07:00

I was sure we had found the way out today.

We had all made it back down to level five (except for Paskewich of course, he was still nursing a bum ankle after crab-walking through a swarm of Mawashi-geri up on seven) when I caught sight of what appeared to be a sliding hatchway. I think I managed to say "This way guys!" before an downward elbow, Empi-uchi, struck me on the chest and neck. I was out for hours.

We will find a way out of this Karate Maze, my friend, or we will spill every delicate ounce of our blood trying.

Arigato Gozaimashita,
Hoskins 10th Kyu