Four Misfits
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 5876
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As the shuttle resumes its journey, Probe tells his companions: "The
problem
that we've had reminds me that I ought to warn you not to come to rely on
this mode of transport
always being available.
Sooner or later - and it's more likely to be sooner - someone in the fleet
is going to remember
that two serviceable shuttles have been left on Terra. I'm afraid that
when that happens
they will be seen as far too valuable not to be reclaimed." "So, rather
than using a shuttle for
ferrying settlers and supplies to a suitable area, we may have to travel
the old-fashioned way,"
Fred 3 comments. "At least that should help weed out any applicants who
are misguided
enough to think that it will be an easy life," his wife replies. "We ought
to radio
Fred and Astra 4 to make up their minds quickly if they want to join us,
though. If they
couldn't come by shuttle, then they'd risk not reaching Aqualaria before
our expedition sets out. It
must be a journey of weeks if not months from Ethiopia by sea, and I
imagine it's too far for travelling by dragon
to be a practical alternative."
Meanwhile, back in Ethiopia the four Helenas who had been rescued from Zerm's clutches are discussing what they should do with the rest of their lives. Having spent the last eightyfive years as living statues, they find the modern world strange and uncomfortable in many ways. Of course, that is made worse by being in a foreign land, but they know that even back in Aqualaria they would feel out of place. Customs have changed, ideas have changed, fashions have changed, even people's manner of speech has changed. To avoid confusion, the Helenas have allocated themselves the numbers 1 to 4, but it does not necessarily follow that Helena 1 is the great-aunt of Astra 1 and so on. It has proved impossible to establish for sure in every case which Helena matches which Astra, and indeed it is possible that one or more of the Helenas comes from a slightly different analog Terra to that of any of the Astras. (If that is the case, though, that particular Astra's great-aunt must still be unaccounted for.) Helena 4 is several inches taller than the other three, who could pass for identical triplets. Indeed, it is only differences in their hairstyles that allow people to tell them apart.
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JH
11/29/1999 5:56:12 AM
Extending Enabled
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