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Today's Topics:

1. Re: Log 2, part 1 (Kaizan) (Brian A. Dewhirst)
2. Re: Log 2, part 2 (Kaizan) (Brian A. Dewhirst)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 16:41:07 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Brian A. Dewhirst" <dewhirst@...>
Subject: Re: [Enclaves] Log 2, part 1 (Kaizan)


(I'm going to have to split this up into parts, as it is longer than I
thought)

This is the second log, which includes much of what happened immediately
after being de-souled by Fiona

---

And Kaizan rushed forward, taking Fiona by surprise. She barely had time
to cry out ... to lift her hands ...

A sizzling sound, and a foul smell - and Fiona screamed in good earnest -
a cry that reverberated through the palace.

Kaizan, his cigar pressed to her eye, had a sudden sensation of falling
... falling ... not backwards as the others perceived, but forwards,
through the maimed Fiona and on and on ... to the ground ...

And then through the crystal plantaxy ... into it deeper and deeper ...
and hands were reaching out ... hundreds of hands ... to reach and grab
and hold him .... thousands ....

And he was still spinning down and down ... deeper into the plantaxy.

> Kaizan grinned grimly. She had messed with his mind before, but at least
> claimed that her magicks did not work as she intended. This was a
> gamble, and he was all in.
>
> He instinctively called upon the chaos which now rested within his
> breast and assumed that his flesh was still somewhere near Fiona. With
> one hand, the one which had so recently held a cigar, he thrust forwards
> further and allowed the agonizing painful shifting of digits to take
> place... to try to weld his brachal nerves directly into her occular
> cavity and hold on. If she was going to thrust him into hell, that was
> fine... but she was coming along for the ride too.
>
> If his lips still worked, somewhere far far above him... they said "You
> first... here is the value of sacrifice!"

His lips weren't working - but his hand seemed to be shifting and moving,
with agonising slowness.

Power seemed to be growing ... he felt it - that he could walk, and stand
and speak ... the strength of Chaos ...

(cut, to show what the list saw)

++++ (what the list saw)

And, as though animated by her gaze, one of his hands began to twitch and
stretch. At first it simply seemed a sign of returning life ... but then
it began to distort, horribly, the fingers becoming claws, talons -
impossibly, inhumanly long. The hand lifted, but not far - it was
crawling along the ground with somehow a ghastly eagerness, the twisted
fingers gripping at the plantaxy. And it was strong, too, horribly
strong, for it was dragging Kaizan's body after it. There was silence in
the palace, save for the scrabble of the claws, and the susurration of
Kaizan's clothes as his body was dragged across the floor.

Fiona began to smile - a terrible smile that twisted her ruined face.

"Stop it!" said Amon hoarsely. "Stop it!"

"Not today," Seth said, and Werewyndle was suddenly drawn and pointed at
Fiona's breast. "Not today. You can't do that and block me and do a death
curse at the same time... not here, not now. If you want to take him on
later, that's your business. But I need him today. As far as I'm
concerned, he just made us square for what you did to Merlin." His grip
tightened on the sword's hilt. "You'll get another body. You always do."

> Striding out purposefully from among the ruined plantaxy, a tall gaunt
> figure made his way towards Fiona. Tangled black hair whipped around
> his face as the loosely bound rags on his body joined it flapping in the
> wind- he looked for all intents and purposes like a scarecrow- other
> than the lean angular golden face, the clawed hand that dripped blood on
> the pristine plantaxy, and the malevolent emerald eyes that now focussed
> on the small woman with murderous intent.
>
> The young woman that trailed behind him was the only familiar presence
> that marked who the man was, as Amba struggled to keep up with this
> being who was her father.
>
> "Not always," Shirow said. "Not inevitably. And not this time."
>

Fiona looked at him ... at Seth ... at the hand that was still creeping
blidly across the floor to her.

"How are you doing that?" she said suddenly. "I ripped out his soul -
he's in the plantaxy now, along with the rest. There's nothing there ...
nothing lefft ... " Her voice was rising, a little hysterically, and she
scrambled to her feet.

"Bleys," she said. "Bleys ... help me."

"No," said Merlin. "No ... he won't. You see - he's not the one. You
and he parted ways millenia ago ... and you never realised."

But Amon's face was twisted with pain, and he took a step forward.

"Fi ... "

And suddenly Kaizan's body convulsed as though, by a supreme effort, he
had forced the semblance of life back into his limbs. He jerked upright,
more like a marionette than a man - with that terrible hand elongating and
twisting as he reached for her ruined face. His lips peeled back from his
lips, his gums, and a strangled voice began to speak ...

"You ... first... here is the value ... of sacrifice!"

And suddenly a blinding, dazzling white light, almost a phospherous burn
of light filled the ruined palace ...

When they could see again, they realised Kaizan was gone.

But Fiona remained.

Seth brought the sword back up to guard, for the point had dropped in the
events. He continued to have it pointed at Fiona.

"Kaizan..." he said, his voice unsure.

++++

(back to off-list)

And then a blinding white light/pain in his eyes/brain - it was hard to
distinguish which it was ...

The hands that had reached for him were falling away - he heard voices
calling, lost voices, voices filled with pain.

Then the light changed. No longer painful - it was soft ... almost
comfortable. A reassurance.

And his senses suggested something ... strange.

He seemed to be in a dorest ... or an orchard ... an orchard made of trees
of plantaxy, where all the fruit that hung from the tress was plantaxy
too. And he ...

He was a tree in the orchard too - clear plantaxy through and through, yet
still with his own consciousness. It was different from his own
escavations within the plantaxy he had worn ... this was the difference
between a tree and a matchstick. And yet, more powerful than that too -
for he could gow - he could reach out, he could ....

He could see a body stretched out at the roots of his tree. And he knew
it was his body.

Stripped of some essential essence, given to the plantaxy.

And then, She came. Stepping delicately through the woods, her eyes
luminous and dark, her long curved horn gleaming in the strange crystal
light of the plantaxy.

The Unicorn.

> Kaizan wished to take a deep, slow breath... but he was a tree. He
> settled for a rustling of leaves which produced a tinkling music which
> was oddly familiar.
>
> He needed to think. What he had been doing, it seemed to have been
> working. It might have cost him greatly... but then something had
> happened. There had been a flash, two... and the Unicorn had been there.
> The patron of Amber of old, she had done... something.
>
> Perhaps tearing Fiona down into the plantaxy, perhaps that would have
> been a bad thing. Perhaps calling forth chaotic forces while his soul
> was within the plantaxy... if it had actually been inside the
> plantaxy... would have been bad. It was possible, of course, that this
> was another illusion from Fiona. Something about this tranquil place,
> however... it made him question whether Fiona would have jumped to this
> peaceful non sequitor.
>
> If that really was his body down there, it had been transported as
> well... and not by what he had been doing. Fiona wouldn't have laid it
> at his feet with the unicorn there, she would have blasted it to bits or
> sent it into the sun or something.
>
> He, that which was essentially him, was present here now. His body was
> not far away, as was the Unicorn. Did she want him to try to stabliize
> the plantaxy as Seth walked, he wondered? Could he even do that?
> Relucantly, he admitted he most likely could not while hundreds of
> hungry sorcerous clones were within the crystal.
>
> The question was, what would do the most good... to return to his body,
> or to stay within this tree to do... something else.
>
> If he could reach out, perhaps to re-enter his body, he could perhaps
> also use this capability to... ask.
>
> He focused his attention on the unicorn before him, and tinkled his
> leaves and shook his fruit. He pictured it as something like his trump
> contact, or his out-of-body elemental powers, and sought to ask a simple
> question...
>
> ~What can I do, which will do the greatest good... without regard for
> myself?~ he asked the unicorn.

The Unicorn moved to look at the tree, her deep eyes examining the fruits
on the tree carefully.

~Stop using chaos for starters?~ an almost familiar voice said in his
consciousness. ~The last thing we need right now is to destabilize the
plantaxy. It's already about to panic. I'm doing my best to keep it
calm.~

~You need to tell Seth to follow my trail. I'll lead him to the pattern.
But no using chaos! And tell them to stop spilling blood! Who knows what
kind of power that will give Brand if he's still around!~

The Unicorn spoke as though this was so easy ...

But trapped in the plantaxy, it seemed an impossibility ...

> ~Well then, I'll be needing a chip on my shoulder... and a shoulder. I
> can see I've already got the chip. I assume, with your help, it will be
> possible for me to return to my body? I am... ready," Kaizan said
> reluctantly. The grove was so peaceful, his tree so calm after so
> long... but there was more work to be done.
>

The Unicorn looked down at his former shell. Tapped it gently with her
horn.

~No, it is dead,~ the voice said sadly. ~You will not be using this form
again. The only ways you will inhabit flesh and bone again are either to
take another clone's life, or await the rebirth of the Pattern.~

She looked up at him. At the tree with its crystal fruits. ~If you will
move into ones of these fruits I will transport you to Seth and his
companions,~ the voice said.

It seemed a cruel confinement after the expanse of his peaceful tree - but
perhaps a necessary prelude to rebirth, whatever form that would take.

> As frustrated as Kaizan was that he couldn't sigh well, he tried his
> level best. This accomplished, he focused his will on drawing himself
> down into a symmetrical 12-sided plantaxy fruit. It was like being
> nailed into a coffin after resting in a massive featherbed, but Kaizan
> understood brutal neccessities.


The voice almost laughed in his mind. ~Plantaxy is larger than you might
think. And its confines are as malleable as shadow to those trained.~

The Unicorn reached with her horn, and hooked the forked stem of the fruit
with its tip. The stem broke with a soft 'click', and the twig of
plantaxy that held Kaizan's presence slid down her horn to rest on her
brow.

~But beware while you are in plantaxy," she said more somberly. ~This is
Brand's realm. The plantaxy has expelled him, but I rather doubt we have
heard the last of him. Practice manipulating the space of plantaxy.
Listening with it. Listening through it. Arm yourself with knowledge.~

And Kaizan began to perceive that - even in the small jewel of plantaxy
that he was - he could reach out through the plantaxy ... where there wre
others ... a vast, unnumbered host of the lost, trapped in the crystal.

But he had something that most of those had lost long ago ... the same
thing that had driven Benedict all those long years.

Awareness.

> Benedict had long ago learned the tricks of sight, speech, and hearing
> through his castle, and the lands surrounding it. These were lessons he
> would need to re-learn, but as he had once been able to hear with his
> elemental, that would be where he began.
>
> He cast out his mental ear, understanding that the mechanisms by which
> this worked would, of neccessity, be different. He sought out Seth's
> voice, amongst the thousands and thousands who cried out across... and
> within... plantaxy.

But it was harder than he thought. Benedict, old and wise and strong, had
had centuries to hone his skills. Kaizan was trying to do the same in
minutes.

The voices were sad and happy, wistful and bitter - all tempting him to
step aside. But Seth's voice was not there ...

Then suddenly he was lifting, rising ....

And they were in the hall where Fiona had killed his body, and he was now
being worn like a jewel on the unicorn's horn.

++++

(showing up in main thread again)


But as Seth turned, they became aware of someone ... something else
present.

The Unicorn was stepping delicately over the broken plantaxy of the ruined
palace towards them. If she was majestic, it was in her very simplicity
... her coar of white, her large dark eyes and the long opalescent horn
that was bearing a single crystal of plantaxy, a perfect dodecahedron,
resting against her brow.

Seth smiled, a slight sad smile. He saluted, holding the sword upright and
bringing his right hand across, over his heart, before bowing.

"I know, I've got to be getting on with it," he said. "Is there time to
free those two back there? Or do they need to stay there until I'm
finished and the plantaxy starts to retreat?"

The Unicorn looked at the cage. Then she turned her head to look at
Fiona. Her eyes grew grave as she looked at the Amberite.

Fiona lifted her ruined head. "I did it all for the best!" she protested.
"All those clones ... my most brilliant creations! I sacrificed them all
to control the plantaxy. Bleys .. you helped me ... tell her!"

But Amon was staring at Fiona in horror.

"All those people, Fi," he said. "All those lives ... "

Fiona shook her head - and blood spattered and sizzled on the plantaxy.
"They were clones," she said impatiently. "Made to serve us."

Where Seth's sword was touching the plantaxy cage that imprisoned Shirow,
it was beginning, slowly, to melt.

...

As Seth pressed and the plantaxy began to melt, both Seth and Shirow had
the oddest feeling that on the very edge of the melt, eilvery letters were
beginning to form in the plantaxy - a message perhaps. But they faded and
melted before they could be read.

The Unicorn turned toward Seth, and the meltpool forming at his feet.

She dantily stepped toward Seth, then lowered her horn and made what
almost could be a shooing motion with it to Seth.

The plantaxy jewel on her brow slid down most of the length of her horn,
hanging a few inches from the point.


Seth's eyebrows shot up, and he stopped pressing on his end of the sword.
He stared, astonished, at that plantaxy, then glanced back at the cage and
the lettering... then back at the unicorn. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached
out with one hand to take the plantaxy on its chain and hang it around his
own neck.

"Thanks," he said, and with a slight frown of concentration, pushed again
on the sword. He looked carefully to see if he could discern the letters
on this try...

But there were no letters to be seen now ...

++++

> Perhaps now that the unicorn had brought him closer, he would be able to
> hear and see his immediate surroundings. He focused his will on this
> more moderate goal.

He could see the room - but the view he received was fractured, as though
divided between the different planes of his plantaxy - and external sound
seemed similarly refracted.

> Next, he sought to create sounds. Specifically, he tried to cause his
> plantaxy to vibrate at the frequencies of the beginning of his songline.

It seemed as though, by a tremendous effort, he could make some sound ...

>> Through the bug-eye lens of his planatxy home, Kaizan could see the
>> plantaxy melting before Seth's sword. He focused his will on that
>> melted plantaxy, and sought to shape a thin tracery of script writing
>> into its surface.
He asked the unicorn, as he struggled, ~Any advice on how to go about
> this?~

~My suggestion would be to not try to melt the substance you are trying to
learn and control,~ the Unicorn replied dryly. ~It's much more
coorperative if it thinks you aren't planning to destroy it.~

And perhaps Kaizan could see the point of this - for as soon as he had
formed the letters, they began to fade away ...


~Good luck,~ The Unicorn thought to him as he slid down her horn.
~Seth's never been one to listen,~ she said enigmatically.

~You might try music...~

As Seth took the plantaxy, Kaizan could feel his presence very close ...
it seemed that he could reach out to him now ...

It would also be easy to show him the minute flaws that Kaizan was now
aware of in the plantaxy cage, which would allow him to melt it much
faster.



------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:34:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Brian A. Dewhirst" <dewhirst@...>
Subject: Re: [Enclaves] Log 2, part 2 (Kaizan)


> ~You might try music...~
>
> As Seth took the plantaxy, Kaizan could feel his presence very close ...
> it seemed that he could reach out to him now ...
>
> It would also be easy to show him the minute flaws that Kaizan was now
> aware of in the plantaxy cage, which would allow him to melt it much
> faster.

> Rather than engage in something Seth might consider an attack, he tried
> to vibrate at the frequencies of Seth's songline. Rather than fixing his
> mind on how his crystal must vibrate to produce sound 'just so,' he
> recalled in his mind what it sounded like as Seth has played it for him,
> not far from here, so long ago.

++++

(in the real world)

The plantaxy was melting, freeing Shirow from his cage - even as Seth
became aware of something strange - the plantaxy that the unicorn had
given him was seeming to pulsate and throb in a familiar pattern - his
songline.

"The other shoe drops," Seth said, and stepped back a step to give Shirow
room. He whistled the last notes of his songline.

++++

The voice that spoke in his mind was unmlike any he had heard before.
Clear, cool and remote, it offered no view of the speaker, but Seth knew
who it was well enough.

Kaizan.

There was urgency in his tone.

~Seth, I hope you can hear and understand me. The Unicorn has traced your
path with her hooves. Chaos enrages plantaxy. Spilt blood strengthens
whatever of Brand might remain. Tell the Unicorn you understand, then
start to follow her path. Chaos and the Hunter war not far from here, and
it shall only get worse the longer we wait. There must be a better world;
I will help.~ Kaizan thought over the mental bridge between them.

"She did what?" Seth said aloud, and then shook his head. ~I knew it was
time. We're on our way.~


The voice came again ...

~The Unicorn has walked, or is about to walk, over your pattern. You must
follow her melting hoove prints. I trust that was rhetorical, but wish to
be clear.~

Aloud, again, he said, "It's time. The path has been laid out. Merle..."
He turned to face the others. "Whoever else is going, come ahead. Merlin,
I may need you still, but it may not be a blind stab in the dark like I
thought. Let's go."

~Benedict had centuries to learn his lessons... I will need to ad-lib.~

...

(I'm cutting out the bits that don't relate to their conversation...
Merlin acting, Fiona being carried off, etc)

~Kaizan...~ Seth thought back. ~If I manage to walk the Pattern, if the
plantaxy melts, what will happen to you?~

~The unicorn says that I will be restored, but if I must die that the
universe might live anew, that is not so high a price. Men who want to
live don't attack Fiona with lit cigars, Seth,~ the mental voice replied.

...

(they move to the pattern)

----

~Kaizan?~ the Unicorn's voice sounded in his head. ~Have you managed to
contact Seth? I am concerned with the amount of chaos below. And the
fighting. I fear for what this will do to the attempts to clear the
Pattern.~

(here is where Kaizan figures it out... I'd worked it out slightly
earlier)

~Opal? Never mind... I shan't allow the familiarity of your 'voice' to
distract me. I had thought you would have already walked his path. I have
expressed your warnings to him, but feared that further delay would only
endanger matters even more. If I shield his mind, and help calm the
plantaxy as he walks, do you believe Seth and the Corwin within him can
complete the labors ahead?~ Kaizan thought in reply.

~Well... with Pepin trying to walk the pattern before Seth arrived and the
fact I wasn't aware of the armies approaching have distracted me slightly.
Not to mention the fact I'm making huge puddles everywhere just by walking
around,~ the voice said with an annoyed tone.

~But do I think Seth can do this with Chaos and War just down the slope?~
Kaizan felt a mental shrug at that. ~I'd rather try this after the
fighting is over, but it's Seth's call. It's his brain and soul, not
mine.~

> To the unicorn, Kaizan thought, ~I am so much less comfortable now that
> I'm aware you're a fallible mortal. I'll spare Seth the same uncomfortable
> truth,~ with a hint of his old cynicism 'audible' in his mental voice.

~Grandmother is busy. I'm here. She sent me. Deal with it,~ the voice
said with a hint of annoyance.

~And ask Seth what he plans to do about the armies,~ she added, as the
Unicorn stretched her neck slightly to look down and out over the warring
armies.

> ~He'll either songline Jenever or Benedict, or have it done for him. His
> decision will be based on their assessment of how long... that... will
> take to clear up,~ Kaizan thought as he directed his attention to what
> looked almost like the beginnings of a rout below.

(kaizan talks to Seth. I'll hop back and forth.)

+++

(meanwhile... Seth/Kaizan)

Seth heard again Kaizan's voice, echoing from the plantaxy he wore.

The mental voice from the gem around his neck remained calm, even as the
rate of thoughts passed what lips could easily deliver without stumbling.

~Seth. An update. The Unicorn had other matters to attend to, so has not
yet started her walk. Fighting down the hill with its consequent spilt
blood and Chaos energies present a challenge should you begin your walk
now. You may wish to songline Jenever or Benedict, or have the same done
for you. If the worst is almost over, it may be best to postpone. The
decision on when to go is yours. Whenever you go, I shall armor you as
much as I can, and may be able to provide some insights en route.~

...

+++ (Unicorn and Kaizan)

> ~Perhaps... the appearance of the Unicorn on the field would cause the
> armies to pause? You do seem able to flit about quite well. Best take
> Shirow with you... to deal with Dot,~ Kaizan offered.

~Who is Shirow? And what is he to Dot?~ the Unicorn asked confused.

> ~Shirow is the other one who was tossing Chaos around in front of Fiona.
> He was also supposed to be watching Dot after I retrieved the Eye from the
> Serpent, but he was... understandibly... a little put off by the Abyss I
> guess. He may be able to convince her to put away the firehose of evil.~
> Kaizan thought as he projected a mental image of Shirow's face to Opal.
>
> He would have pointed, perhaps, apart from the lack of fingers..

If Kaizan could hear someone sigh mentally, he could imagine he heard it
now.

~What... does Dot have to do with this... firehose of evil? as you so
quaintly put it? I have been a little out of touch lately.~

++++

> "The unicorn hadn't walked the path," Seth said. "She's absorbed in the
> fighting below- it's affecting things up here." He paused, then whistled
> Jenever's songline.

He was conscious that this was augmented, and giving a strangely plangent
note ... Kaizan, trapped in plantaxy, also sang along with Seth, note for
note, as he sung Jenever's songline.

There was silence, for a moment.

>> "It's all good," Seth said, holding his hands up. "I'm ready to walk
>> the Pattern. But we've run into trouble- the battle is affecting things
>> up here. I've got, of all things, the unicorn passing along her
>> worries. How do things go down there? I can start whenever the fighting
>> tapers off... or take my chances if things are going badly."

Silence, again, and then Seth stiffened, as if punched in the gut. He
pulled the dodecahedron plantaxy up to look at it from eye level.

(Poor Jenever... good thing I only used my powers for good )

As she fought to overcome the remnants of Julian's army, Jenever became
aware of her songline in the clashing of the weapons. But her songline
had never been so strong, so powerful, even when it came from Benedict
himself. And before she could even chose to answer it, she saw Seth and a
dahdowy figure who looked like Kaizan before her.

(this discussion took place over list. Mostly Seth/Jenever, with a few
comments from Kaizan)

...

++++

Even as Seth began to speak to Jenever, a voice spoke in Kaizan's mind as
forcefully as though the words were being deluivered on the point of a
horn.

~Kaizan. Tell this one...~ and an image of Rook came to Kaizan's mind,

~that one of his people,~

And someone who looked very much like Mac who had been wounded back in
Nexus appeared in his mind.

~is being brought here because we need him.~

+++

(back with Jenever/Seth)

~Ouch. I need to go, other call on the line. The short form: Jenever, if
any of Brand remains, spilt blood on the plantaxy may give him strength.
Dot is using Chaos, which is almost worse than Brand here and now. If you
can reason with her... that would be good. If you can perform a master
stroke, a coup de grace, to end the fighting in one go... then do so. My
request is unreasonable, I know, but you and Benedict are the very best in
creation. Until Amber.~ Kaizan projected into her mind. With the last two
words, he saluted before he started to become more translucent.

Although Seth moved away, the link with him was still open ...

+++

(After-words started to come through - a babble in Seth's mind.)

"Rook... another is brought. One of yours. Mac. We need him."

Rook seemed oblivious - he was talking to Deirdre as they were standing on
a nearby part of the rim. It seemed they were discussing the battle - and
both looked grim-faced.

If Kaizan was trying to project to Rook, it wasn't working. Seth seemed
to be his only point of contact.

~He can't hear you,~ Seth thought after a moment. The chill he felt wasn't
anger; more like shock. ~But before I pass the message along, I'd like an
explanation.~


> Kaizan produced a mental sigh, perhaps out of frustration.
>
> ~The unicorn contacted me. Someone who looks like this,~ Kaizan said as he
> pictured Mac and sent the image to Seth, ~Is being brought here. He was,
> as far as I know, injured on the field of battle. He is one of Rook's men,
> and the unicorn bid me tell him as much.~

~I'll buy that,~ Seth said after a moment. He strode quickly over to where
Rook and Deirdre were standing, leaned in to Rook, and said, "Kaizan says
another is brought... Mac... and that we need him." ~Do you want to go
with Rook, Kaizan? Or with me on the Pattern?~

+++


Those close by heard Seth speak to Rook:

"Kaizan says another is brought... Mac... and that we need him."

"Mac?" echoed Rook, frowning. "I don't know any Mac ... "

> "Mac?" echoed Rook, frowning. "I don't know any Mac ... "

The name definitely triggered something in Shirow's memory...

"Dot," he hissed in an equally low voice. "She's obsessed with him- with
finding him!"

Seth gaped. "You mean Robert?"

> He grimly nodded, adding, "If we need to stop her, this could be the
> exactly weapon we need to pull her from the edge!"

"Kaizan says he's one of your men," Seth said to Rook. "He was injured in
battle... the unicorn let Kaizan know they're bringing him here."

"One of mine, yes," said Rook, "although it's highly unlikely he'd be
involved in a battle, unless his research has taken him in a radically
different line since I left Cyberia."

He gave a slight start.

"There he is - by the Unicorn!"

It was not an oath - it was a direction. But when they looked up, the sky
around the Unicorn, Nora, Lynx and Robert, was filled with falling white
flakes ...


And Seth became aware that the wind was sighing his songline ...

At the same time, he heard Kaizan ...

~The falling flakes are not plantaxy. I hope Rook can persuade this
individual to calm Dot long enough for the Pattern to be repaired.~

Rook was still staring up at Robert, frowning slightly.

"Fardles," Seth said. "Rook, I need to leave that to you. This guy has got
to calm Dot down, so I can walk the Pattern." And with that, he turned
slightly and whistled the last few notes of his songline.

> And he saw Blake's guarded face ....
>
"Seth," Blake said, almost instantly. "Given the forces on the field, we
calculated that we could be of more help to you than on the field." At the
same time as he spoke, he thought other words in a parallel conversation.
~We sent Jenever reinforcements, but of more value is what we took.~ As
grim and guarded his words were, his thoughts were even moreso. ~Julian
is here, under guard from Benedict.~

"Will you bring us through?"

(he brings them through ...)

++++

> While Seth accepted another connection, Kaizan sought to send word to the
> Unicorn again... before she prodded him with her hooves or something.
>
> ~Opal, what is with this snow stuff? I already know it isn't plantaxy.~

~I believe it is snow...~ her mind voice answered, bemused. ~Someone
tried to invoke chaos. I stopped it. For now.~

~This is Dot's Robert I've brought here. You need to get someone to make
him understand the situation and get him to convince Dot to stand down.~

> ~Right. I'll get right on that,~ Kaizan thought back without any obvious
> sarcasm.

After a long moment of silence, and a musical cast falling to their death
over the armies, she spoke again. ~Fiona may be able to help. Somehow
the Roberts and Dorothys are bound together, by her work.~

~I need to focus on the Chaos...~ the thought trailed off, as the Unicorn
stared down over toward the armies below. And the bat men flying toward
them in formation.


+++

> Julian was glowering at Seth for a moment - and then he froze, seeing
> something beyond them.
>
> "Fiona," he said hoarsely. "What's happened to her?"
>
> At that moment, Seth was aware of Kaizan addressing him again.
>
> ~Seth... I'm sorry to interrupt again. There is much that needs to be
> explained to Robert. Can you hand me to Rook, and ask Rook to tell him
> that
> the being inside this crystal will explain? There is a lot of information
> he
> will want, and it may help to speed things up.~

"All right," Seth said, apparently to no one, and moved back to Rook. He
took the plantaxy off from around his neck and handed it over. "Kaizan
says... he'll explain to Robert, if you'll tell him that."

"Thanks," said Rook doubtfully. He studied the crystal for a moment
before sighing and hanging it around his neck. "And to think I promised
my grandmother to beare of strange Amberites bearing gifts."

+++

Rook was at the top of the slope, talking to Robert and the Unicorn ...

His voice floated down to them ...

"What? Oh. I see."

A pause, and then he said, "Apparently, I'm meant to be conveying a
message to you about Dot that seems to be coming from this ... this
stone."

He listened some more, and then said, irritated, "Oh, you take it.
Here!"

He thrust the stone into Robert's hands. The scientist took it and place
it around his neck with all the caution of one testing a highly toxic
compouund upon himself ...

After a moment he appeared to be listening intently. Soon those at the
bottom of the slope began to hear fragments of his conversation.

"Last few years? Is that really necessary? I was under the inpression
that we didn't have much time ... and I would certainly like to be getting
back to my ... oh, very well."

A pause. "Fiona, eh? I've heard the name of course, and it doesn't
surprise me."

Fiona, standing between Julian and Amon, let out a low keening noise.
Amon tightened his hold around her, his other arm around Elaine.

"All Shadow?" said Robert. "Are you sure? I'd imagine Cyberia would be
protected."

Another pause.

"Hmm. Harmonic interference, you say? Well of course, if I'd been there
... "

Suddenly he stifferened.

"Chaos?" he said incredulously. "Chaos? You let Dot get her hands on
Chaos?"

He swung round and glared sown at the assembled people in the bowl -
clearly seeing them all as incompetents.

"Right," he said briskly. "This has gone far enough. Take me to Dot -
now!"

...

Robert was still speaking as he came towards them.

"Careful guidance? Observation? It was grossly irresponsible, as I am
quite sure you are well aware!"

He stopped abruptly, frowning at them all. Rook was still at the top of
the rim, with the unicorn.

>> "Now, it will be," he said approaching. "But I think we'll take an
>> easier way than travelling across a battlefield."

"Good," said Robert. He took the plantaxy from around his neck and held
it out towards Seth. "It wants to go back to you," he said. "After I've
had a word with Dot, perhaps someone can explain to me the acoustics of
that thing."

He glanced at Shirow. "So," he said, "what sort of vehicle do you have?"

++++

> (in reply to "you let Dot develop chaos!)
>
> ~Dot was under careful guidance and observation during much of her
> research, but I don't think we truely understood her psychology until it
> was too late, and she was under Suhuy's thumb,~ Kaizan projected.
>
> (later)
>
> ~Robert, I'm glad you are willing to speak with her. Shirow was once
> Dot's bodyguard... I believe he might be able to help you get closer to
> her. I need to be returned to Seth, who is standing near Shirow,~ Kaizan
> thought as he suplied psychic photographs of the two men.

++++

> Seth placed the plantaxy back over his own head, and thought, ~Welcome
> back. I'm not planning to waste any time- as soon as I hear something,
> we'll start the walk.~

He heard the voice in his head ...

~I believe I have been successful in persuading Robert. Once he proves his
authenticity to Dot, I believe we can be reasonably sure that Chaos will
not be a direct threat on our precedings. Suhuy may try to stop Robert,
but Shirow understands this. In his old role as protector, he is very
good.~

~You work quick,~ Seth thought. ~Usually I've had to make a speech and
sing something to make that kind of thing happen. Do you know who else is
fighting down there?~

The voice spoke again:

~I push peoples buttons by telling them the ugly truth of things. Cynicism
has its strengths. We know about Jenever and Dot-with-Chaos. I'd assumed
Julian was leading another of the factions. As for the final grouping,
judging by the Gilgamesh routine with the four handed sword I must
conclude Gerard is also afield.~




------------------------------

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End of Enclaves Digest, Vol 25, Issue 36
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