Doctor Who the Eternal Champion-Book 2 ch. 1: Since You've Been Gone....

"Now that you've set a day what about the time where exactly will it take place?" E'eysha asked the Doctor, smiling a fey smile.

"Oh, I was thinking about...." the Doctor begins, glancing over at the significant other member of this upcoming event.

That's when the telephone on the Timelord's TARDIS begins to ring. Now, being that it is wasn't supposed to be used for idle chatter, that meant whoever was on the other end probably had something serious to talk about.

"Creator, it's been a long time," Inquirer says softly as the Doctor goes over slowly to answer it.

It's been an interesting, relatively quiet ten years here. In that period of time my family has grown by one in the manner that I never had thought possible before coming to Terra Prime. My mother given birth to a beautiful boy baby she and my father had named Gabriel. I had talked the Doctor to announce our wedding later at my baby brother's birthday party later on here, but if that telephone call happened to be from the Rules and Agents I believe that we'll have to put things on hold.

As important as our business would be, the business of Rules and Agents takes precedence. Heck, considering the magnitude of that business it would be utterly foolish and petty to complain. Besides, I and the others are rather looking forward to some excitement.

Oh, not like we've been sitting on our laurels doing nothing.. While the whole world of Terra Prime was on a slow, forty year journey to modernization (could have done it in ten, but the growing pains would have been horrible to see) I and the others have been doing our part. It's not an easy upgrade here on Terra Prime in the year 1511 AD (local calendar), but we (the Champions and such) do what we can. I, an Ethiopian Marquise, have been aiding my father (sometimes known to his friends as Count Zero) improve the living standards of who live on the land granted to us by Regent Malachi. Various Freds and Astras have brought forth new children into the world and the elders of the John/Thessamer/D'Honaire clans are pleased and proud grandparents because of that.

On matters closer to home, I and the others have been helping the Doctor once in a while with his classes. Not that he's not up to the task and doesn't have a lot to teach some very talents elfin children (some of whom have proven to actually be the re-incarnated elves from a universe which mimicked an old black and white independent 20th century comic book named Elf quest....long story....don't ask).

Boy, the thing's we did.....the part we played....in getting some folks out of this strange Red Pyramid....

The Nameless Book is as annoyed as a magical artifact can be in this case. Rather, it's VERY angry...in as far a magical artifact can be. First, there was the fact that the Book was being blocked from sensing what was happening with it's "guests" AGAIN. It's fears about the potential problems those magic users was justified. Second, the Book had, while attempting to repeatedly dispel the magical cloak bloaking it, sensed that the cloak was somehow being augmented by.....a fellow Atlantian artifact! Somehow, the impossible had happened and the created had turned upon the master, because the Book was doing his Master's will....and this upstart called the "Crystallic" (silly name!).....was against him! Unheard of! The SOB even went so far as to keep insisting that all of Atlantis was destroyed and the dragon who was the Book's creator was nothing an imposter!! That it's true creator (both it's and the Book's) was dead!

Well, the obvious thing that would soon happen next was that the "guests" would attempt to break out. The Book was ready!

Whether by magic, or by this eldritch "science" stuff....it was ready!

But the Book doesn't know about what the Champions are planning.....

Magical shields have been placed and plans have been laid and one element in these schemes is a definite welcome addition to this escapade. While the mages figured that it had been possible before, this addition makes the odds much more favorable.

And this "element"?

"We shall who is the better being," the Doctor (the Time Lord one) says fiercely, looking at the Red Pyramid from the observation located a bit away from the magical edifice.

"Yes, it should prove interesting which will give first.....Atlantian super sorcery or Time Lord super science," Inquirer agreed, nodding and giving the Doctor a more than friendly pat on the shoulder. "Those not in the know would find the later indistinguishable from the former....."

And so it began, and the Book......

The Books is....indeed in the fight of what passes for life for magical creations of it's type!

Tau Ceti Gambits, Posti Theorems. This and many other vague and mysterious strategies, scientific and magical items that the Doctor and Sigin have learned over their long lifetimes are trotted forth, with a Synizn who's yet to meet the demifoxes he's sworn himself to acting as a relay for those forces on the ground outside the Red Pyramid and inside as well.

Inside the Pyramid, Jarlath 2 and the other magic users are hard pressed to hold off the servants that the Book sends at them. Since the Book finds it's spells blocked by Synizn's Crystallic, it is reduced to sending it's silver eyed servant creatures in its steed. However, this proves most distracting and almost adequate for quelling this "jailbreak." It becomes necessary, more than a few times for those warrior types armed with swords or other weapons (like fangs or fantastic strength of the Manimal) to employ them.. Several of the Freds would have stood back in awe at the later, if there had been time.

......

The Book was losing, and it knew it. Worse, this upstart, traitorous Altantian artifact known as the Crystallic, along with it's user, had landed some telling blows. Some telling blows that were weakening the Book. If the Book's creator had been here, using it, then this Synizn fellow and the Crystallic would have been easily overcome! Artifact to artifact, and mage to mage, the Book's side would have been by far the more powerful. Thus is why one version of Lord Tesla (the Book's real creator, who FYI, was killed by the Terra Prime version back in the Land of Nod...) had hidden it's existence right before everything fell apart back in Atlantis so long ago. Alone, the Book was in deep trouble....

Finally, the last of the Book's magical shields begins to collapse and a grinding sound fills the air over the blasts and sizzles of spellworks impacting outside, thrown by the mages located there.

Enraged beyond endurance (to a point that would have done credit to an actual flesh and blood being), the Book lashes out with one last....intense and hateful strike at it's opponents.

"You've forgotten the face of your father!!" the Book shouts (yes, shouts) at the Crystallic.......a phrase that a certain Gunslinger would recognize instantly!

The Book bursts into fire (who's flames is confined only to the small part of the shelf due to magical countermeasures against library fires) and an intense burst of magic reaches out....and hits.....

It's a curse in some circles (definitly a curse in the human centric empire of Atlantis). Very rare. Very powerful.... It's the curse of the Changling..... And it has a rather large area of effect....

Made possible by the Book's death blow.....

We find out how the group outside the Pyramid has fared.

Figures, Inquirer grumps as she looks up from the floor where she sits, After that little stunt I pulled on the Master..... (re: 8974).

The mechanical maiden gives off a discouraged croak, and the others look down at the small frog that now sits in the very spot that Inquirer had stood a moment before.

"Well, we now know at least what one of the two curses that Book tried throwing at us," Sigin says softly to himself, subdued.

Point in fact, the battle with the Book would have been more intense and fatiguing if it hadn't been for the very strange geometry that the Book's spells had to travel through.

"Well now," the Doctor smiles a small smile as he walks over and gently picks up the frog, "This doesn't happen too often. Not like with some of the other Companions, who always seem to be in need of my aid."

And few to none get this kind of aid, my knight errant! Inquirer mentally sends to the Time Lord just before he kisses her.

With a small flash Inquirer finds herself returning the kiss, frog curse broken. They break after a moment and nod. There is still work to do. Work as in cleaning up the pieces. That and they had to repair the damage sustained to the TARDIS during the course of battle. A months work, easily, before she'll be fit to make travel to other universes!

Right now, they must see to those seven sets of Freds and Astras, that they were able to intercept when the Book tried to teleport them to goodness knows where for whatever unholy purposes it had in mind. That is, Sigin tells them that they were able to intercept the majority of the teleports (a feat that had enraged the Book to no ends.....and precipitated the last act of spite).

"God willing, we'll be able to somehow track them and aid them," Sigin mutters to himself wearily as the TARDIS materializes at the spot where the others are. "At least we were able to get most of them to stay on this world......"

Those outside the Pyramid do not know of the Books success with teleporting some of those inside the red edifices because of the communications blackout (re: 15610). Not yet, at least. Most of them know (those outside and inside) know of the original seven "detainees" (everyone, including the oldest, call themselves that, to differentiate themselves from the newer kidnapees....the sets that the Book brought in later who the Book was going to originally start processing)

.....

Don't look at me like that! That's how they describe themselves here!

Anyway....

However, upon exiting the TARDIS (after a rather shaky landing), one does know something is amiss when she lays eyes upon the ONE Fred from inside the Pyramid who's teleport only got deflected to the immediate vicinity outside it.

Jarlath's group who'd been outside the Pyramid attacking it at various points start to shuffle back. While a bit tired from their spell casting efforts, they're not spent. The Book's efforts had been more concentrated on the TARDIS, those inside the Pyramid, and Synizn.

Inquirer's eyes flash red as this Fred, who been scratching at a greying spot of skin on his left hand, seems spellbound as he looks at her crimson barrette.

"Holy shit!" she says softly.

The mechanical maiden, without a word (or permission) goes right up to the still staring Fred and grabs his hands before he can snatch the hat from her head.

"Unseelie," she says softly, sniffing at the spot on this Fred's hand.

She recognized the stench well enough, if not this particular species. She should, seeing that she'd had more than her fair share of encounters with those vile Unseelie scums. Point in fact, her barrette was modeled after one of those blood stained hats (that she'd taken from one of them after killing it for having slain a human child). It was a combination fashion statement, trophy, and a challenge to all other Redcaps, that copy she wore.....

"Huh?....What?" the Fred blinks, confused as he comes out of the spell that he was under.

"You, I, and the others have a problem," Inquirer says softly, looking at him, then back at her companions, "We seem to now know what that second curse from the Book was all about, and I'll bet we'll need Synizn's Crystallic to break it!"

We return to the Pyramid to find out whether Astra 9b's idea works.

The mages are out of it for the moment, but Astra 9a remembers the old legends about princesses and frogs. Well, it's worth a shot, she thinks, and gently picks up the frog that she believes to be Astra 5b and kisses it.

"Ribbit," the frog croaks, looking up at the disappointed Astra 9a.

"Good idea but wrong sex," Alicia says from the side.

"Wha....oh," Astra 9a blinks, seeing the shefox's point.

In those old legends, the frogs in question being kissed were male while the princesses (of course) were female. Astra 9a was kissing a female frog, apparently.

So, with a few adjustments the animals are soon restored to their rightful form. That it takes a bit longer than expected when the kisses of the non- Champions prove to be ineffective (something that raises a few eyebrows), but it happens soon enough.

"Maybe after the magic users recover enough, they can examine them?" Joan 2 says softly to Astra 9a and Annafird 2, looking over at the non- Champions worriedly.

No sooner than Joan 2 says those words, several of the non-Champions shout in surprise. It seems that her worries heard her, and decided to manifest themselves. Some now seem to be looking at various parts of themselves. Some sport patches of fur. Some sport on their heads the beginnings of budding horns. Some find that they have the beginning of a fine fur all over their body (along with large clumps of hair on their head falling out).

The only non-Champions that are unaffected are the demifox cubs and the human infants. Seems that either the Book deemed them unimportant enough to target them in its anger, or that the promise made by the Rules and Agents to protect them from harm during this quest shielded them.....

Before those effected can start to get really frightened, a loud explosion in the next room.

"They say that enough high explosives will solve any problem," a voice some recognizes as Inquirer comes from the other room, "Not true, but that stuff from Ace sure does open doors!"

Those on the outside, still unable to break through the magical enchantments on the Pyramid, resort to more mundane means after determining a safe spot to blast via tricorder.

After a brief reunion (and a bit of staring from those Champions who got duplicated), those of the outside and the inside tell what they know and have seen.

Malachi, having dealt with a similar situation with the Fred of her group who'd gotten dragon's blood in a wound (and thus slowly had been changing into a dragon), says that this "changeling" curse is similar.....but much more powerful.

"I agree with the Golem, Inquirer." she says finally, after examining the anxious non-Champions, "We need to speak with this Synizn fellow....and see if this Crystallic is powerful enough to break the curse before it's too late!"

She was rather looking forward to meeting this other dragon, who'd she'd never met before (the tradition of Dragon Circles and such never formed on her world). That and after a week (a month at most for some) it would be too late according to her calculations. Soon, their new forms would demand evil things of the victims.....and goodness knows how long they could last against that!

So, they all pile into the TARDIS and head off to the last place they knew that Synizn was broadcasting from.....

That proves to be a bit more difficult than expected. You see, due to some quirk in the changeling curse, it's an "all or nothing" evolution. That is, all of the non-Champions are cured of this dread affliction, together, at the same time.....or none will be cured! That'll entail tracking down not only those other people scattered hither and yon all over Nantucket Earth, but those who actually got teleported AWAY to other realms in other realities entirely! Worse, transporting the afflicted through time....so that all could get together was a bad idea (would cause the "cure" to fail).

"But how are we going to do all of that?" one Fred (who's trying hard not to scratch at the one patch of skin on his hand), "How do we find all of them in time?"

"We have their location recorded on these books," Fred the manfox says, waving at the pile of books that he pulled from the shelves, "While the tome in the library failed to record everything about me accurately.....like my and my wives true name.....due in part to the Rules and Agents I'm sure.....their good enough to find them....after those coordinates get translated."

The plan developed that two teams of Champions would go out. One team would use the teleporters of Dr. Vincent while the other would stay behind to hunt down the afflicted here on Nantucket Earth.

Translating the Atlantian coordinate system was also something that was going to be split between the two teams. That was something that Doctor Vincent would do once the Champions going on the mission to retrieve those teleportees in other worlds, since the Atlantian coordinate system for inter-dimensional transporting was a bit different than for dimensional transporting. The Doctor and the other mages would translate the Atlantian coordinate system.

"We can....bend the rules of time travel," the Doctor says, rubbing his chin, "While we can't teleport the cursed folk, we can teleport the teams going after them....giving us some more breathing space. We can do that for our team here on this Earth, as well as those who'll travel between worlds"

"I know of one group of people who'll make our search on Earth easier," Inquirer chimes in, "The Voyager, even if it's wrecked, we can still use their sensors and such."

"Why do we have to get Janeway involved in this?" Ragan asks, obvious distaste in her voice, "What makes you believe she'll unbend enough to allow that?"

"We shall make her see reason with logic," B'elanna says, smiling, "That or I'll arrest her for breaking the Prime Directive if all else fails."

"Oh, that would be fun," Betty smiles, thinking of the look Janeway would have at that! "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to be speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense."

"Let's hope it does not come to that," the Doctor chides, "Not only would it lead to hard feelings, I'm not sure we'd have much luck with that stragety."

The others of his group nod, but some look like they rather like the fantasy, nonetheless.

It came down to that Jarlath, Joan, Annafrid, Andrea, Astra 9, Fred the Manfox, Alicia, and Alicia 3 will return to Terra Prime while the others remain to either do one of two things. Some need at least a week to recover fully from the terribly draining magic battle they'd gone through, so rest they would back in Nantucket. The other group would conduct the search for those afflicted by that curse. As for those heading back to Terra Prime, the manimals had to return....for while they'd love to stay and aid.....duty to the Pack was calling!

And so it went.....

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Meanwhile......

Several crew members of the grounded Voyager, having just come upon the new cottage (and a large pile of treasure.....a Dragon's Hoard)......blink in surprise as a man in buckskins screams in surprise as he blast through the cottage's front door and lands at their feet.

As they tend to the dazed dragon mage's wounds, Synizn speaks softly.....not quiet aware of his surrounding. It's real, but the people of the Voyager put it down as a fantasy brought about by blows suffered.

"Well, what exactly does this mean?" Synizn says softly, "Well, it means that those who's forms were NOT protected by the virtue of being Champions.....are slowly transforming into various other species. The fey. Long, and disturbing, and irreversible once completed (even by the Crystallic). This problem is made worse by the fact that about half of those effected are whisked by the Slipgate system (at the dying bequest of the Book) to a random reality!

"At least these events are still being recorded in those mystical books the Book had enchanted to document its potential target's lives......

"Right now, however, those in the immediate vicinity where hit by a second....side curse. Less powerful, but still damn effective. Some of the mage's shields cracked under pressure, and the curse hit some.....turning some into various animals! Something akin to a witch's curse, where the form is altered....but readily cured by any competent mage worth his salt. Able to be done because it's not the Matrix being attacked..... So in addition to all this, some Champions are trying adjust to their new frog bodies while their friends (still dazed from the Book's magical backlash), look for them......

"And this is only a faction of what that vile magical artifact had been hoping for by this last move....." the dragon mage sighs, slipping into a slumber as his looks at the Crystallic in his still smoldering hands. "Glad that Jarlath, Astra 9, and those of that group are up and whole....uncursed....."

I....want to help them...so somebody'll be going after...them. the Dragon mage thinks to himself in his sleep.

In the confused condition he's in, he then does something in his sleep he usually wouldn't do.....

"He's finally asle....holy SHIT!" Tom Paris shouts as Synizn's body goes to it's natural, default dragon form.....

"Isn't there anyone on this foresaken world with a bit of good decorum?" an exasperated voice says from behind the humanoid wolf morph Tome Paris, "Please, there are women and children present!"

The Voyager crewmembers turn and see Count Yorga and others (who'd landed nearby in the TARDIS). The former vampire is shaking his head sadly, as if saying that the sight of a man turning into a huge dragon before his eyes was no excuse for profanity.

"Take us to your leader," Betty says in a hokey alien voice, smiling.

So while Jarlath's group went about in other realities tracking down the Unseelie afflicted out there, our group stuck around on Nantucket Earth and rescued those here. Their adventures are hairy (and confusing enough), but I guess we'll make it simpler here for consumption and just stick to MY groups involvement in things.

But if you feel curuious, go here to read up on it:

Anyway, back to the story:

Nantucket Earth, Nantucket

After the Doctor picks up the adventurers in his TARDIS from the Key's insertion point that had already been determined by it's prior visit to this world, the male pixie and the woman that's on her way to becoming a goblin are dropped off at the holding facility where the other accursed non-Champions afflicted by the Unseelie curse that have already been recovered (drawing some odd looks from the only other prisoner there....one William Walker....but not much more, as the presence of Dragon Synizn seems to keep him behaving for some reason, re: 15531).

The group is about to insist on having the Doctor take them back in time a bit so they can continue on their quest. However, they all decide to break for a bit for lunch.....and the Doctor insists on one particular Nantucket restaurant. The Time Lord feels like having a bite to eat there, and it has the benefit of having fast service AND good food. The Doctor adds that the others must eat something, else they'll soon fall flat from hunger! They'll do a better job to be properly fed in their quest.

He also adds that perhaps they'd like to replenish their supplies (Thessamar ix'latl had been ravenous and when offered a bit of food from the Champions had in quick order put a large dent in their supplies.....before she'd stopped herself in shock). While the provender was getting the order together, they may as well use some of this down time to get a warm meal (God knows when another opportunity presented itself in this fracas).

So, after placing an order at one of the new general stores in Nantucket, the group takes a well deserved small meal break. As they order their meals the note the buzz of the crowd seems to center around the events that have happened today. Talk abound about two strange tribes called the Tesh (who seem to like dressing like the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz) and the Sevateem (who seem to like running around in leather and could use a bath). Talk also seemed to be somebody in the Sevateem was looking for a young woman named Leela by the name of Tomas. There was much discussion about the glowing, impossibly tall tower of cards that Stephen King had been building before meeting one of his own story characters. Somebody tries knocking it down, only to get cuffed by several people who are frightened to death by doing that would unleash. The guy tumbles and the table collapses, only to leave the blasted house hanging in mid-air! This causes the room to pause in consternation. Then, the buzz starts up again, with a relieved air in it.

Finally, there was talk about what was going on in one corner that attracts the attention of the adventurers and they all go over.....to see another....new Champion in the company of several special elven children (one what they recognize as Jenny Elf of the Wolfriders and several ex- Wolfriders). They are talking with two comic book authors named Wendy and Richard Pini and one Piers Anthony. The authors look a bit befuddled, though not as befuddled as Stephen King, in meeting people who's life mirror stories they wrote. The Doctor and others, interested, move over to speak with Eric Jones and friends.

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"I had a dream of Dor and Irene.....meeting with Queen Irene.... Did.....Dor say something that....er....he only thought back in Centaur Isle?" Piers Anthony asks Jenny Elf. "Something that could have been.....considered rather insulting if actually said aloud?"

Jenny Elf had a pretty good idea of what Piers was talking about....her ears had been sharp enough to hear it all... It had been rather embarrassing (re: 13401)....

After a short delay, as required by royal protocol, she and Willian join them there.

Queen Astra and King Willian get a feeling, after a few false starts made by the Xanthians (some of them had such quant ideas about how things would be run in Aqaularia) that this would be rough going. Thankfully, Queen Astra's newest "sister" (putting much put upon in some cases) is able to iron out some of the more insulting gaffes made by the others.

On gaffe involved the dating system of Terra Prime just being put down as "something to do with some type of religion" (that gaffe was made by some young man by the name of Dor).

The new Astra is able to make a calming joke about it, disarming the situation.

Then, somehow, something about almost breeching some "Adult Conspiracy" comes up, and the elder diplomatic member of the group, a junior member, and Astra nip this in the bud before it can continue.

"Will you're Majesties excuse us a moment while we.....sort out something?" Elder King Trent (one of the members of the ad hoc Council of Kings) asks nervously. Queen Astra smiles a small, tight smile and nods graciously.

"Thank you, your Highness," he says graciously.

He smiles, then turns and calls over several of the offending members to him.

The smile drops, and there is ICE in his harsh whisper.

"What in the name that is holy are you doing!?" he asks, incredulous.

"Making a difficult, humbling task into a major fiasco, that's what!" the youngest Trent (newly Crown King....much to his surprise). "You left these two in charge during several diplomatic trips? And the other is your....my....er....your daughter?"

Last is said with a slight jerk of the head at a young couple made of a Dor and an Irene.

Queen Astra, while her guests are quietly bickering, leans back and grins over at Willian, who smiles back. Unbeknownst to the Xanthians, each and every word can be heard through a trick of acoustics up on the throne area of the room. It had originally been designed for the idea of any and every advantage a Queen could get over hostile neighboring nations should be employed, on the battle field and in negotiations.

Intitially, Queen Astra had qualms about it, but after some rather annoying dealings with the remains of Hespan, Mal Bacton, and the like (before cowing them) she thanked the wisdom of her foremothers.

As for the slight gaffes about attitudes about what was seemly for what a child should and should not know about sex (the very core of the dreaded Xanthian "Adult Conspiracy")......that was a matter of understandable culture clash that WOULD be squelched here and now. While visting Xanth, she would not insult their customs and beliefs. But the Xanthians damn well better reciprocate in that regard when visiting her land!

As for the other social gaff (Dor's slip about sounding dismissive of Christianity in regards to the dating system)....while Queen Astra was not a Christian.....it would behoove the Xanthians to remember that this was a new....strange world they were on. Some people would NOT be so understanding.....for religion (especially Christianity) was very much a large part of life in many parts of Terra Prime. Her Church was also, but that was another story for later.

She was happy to have been able to see to the conversion of a large section of the surrounding, recently acquired territories. Unlike places like Mal Bacton, a set religion hadn't been forced upon the masses with Aqualaria....and there had been a drifting BACK to olden religious (hidden) beliefs.

Something for later....

The Elder Trent (after ironing out some differences and settling business), turned back to the Queen of Aqualaria....

Thus being that she had little to know talent at hiding her inner feelings, the look that briefly told Anthony enough. He winces, remembering the dream had also told him that the parents had been distraught about their son now being engaged to two woman (they'd thought that the "Test of the Roses" would have cured that foolishness....but had instead sealed the deal as it were). It was a terrible breach of royal protocol, but it couldn't be taken back....without losing much political face. This "distraughtness" had trickled over into this meeting, making both parents less than political savvy (almost political morons.....in a way). They'd never had to deal with a situation like this before! No Xanth citizen had....until now. Now things had changed. That was neither her nor there and.....

"It's none of your business, sir." Jenny says simply, a look of anger in her young face. "You shouldn't be asking, even if you did create a character based on me so that that young paralyzed girl, Jenny Gilwarg, would react to the outside world after that drunk ran over her)."

Anthony sighed, and nodded.

"Sorry." he said simply, and just walked away. Jenny sighed and scratched Sammy Cat, who purred in contentment.

Meanwhile, let's turn to the discussion between the ex-Wolfriders and the Pinis....

"I notice....you have....a 'cyberjack'?" Wendy asks, surprised, "Isn't that....er..... a bit out of character for you, One Eye?"

Wolfriders were something of a "get along with nature" kind of people, and cybernetics kind of classed with that philosophy.....

Point in fact, that philosophy was pretty much the philosophy of the Pinis (mostly Wendy). In fact, she'd only bowed to the need of replacing a bad knee with an artificial joint when previous surgeries had failed to fix it..... This kind of was almost a slap in the face for them, really.

"That was then....this is now," the son of Eric Jones says simply, "Medical science was able to safely install it...and I like the stuff I can do with it. Things change....as you can well see by the new body I have now....."

"Wasn't like I tried to talk him into it," Eric said to the still distraught Pinis, "But it's his right and he knew the cost it'd had on his budding magical talent....."

Indeed, Eric had almost drawn pictures to spell it out back then.....but his son still followed in his footsteps (to be a better mechanical genius).....

The Pinis look at each other, bow to the fact that these real life folk shouldn't be expected to follow the storyline.

"Sorry if we insulted you....it just took us by surprise," Wendy finally said.

"None taken," Eric's son said, nodding.

Richard, trying to sort out himself, coughed and then turned to another topic.

"So....Ti'mma," he begins, trying to be friendly, "How's Skywise? Has....anything?....."

"Ah....sorry," the young elfin girl sighed, remembering that in the comic book there had been speculation about her and 'Skywise' getting together as a couple, "I never met him, all eight of them, fell for various others, including some of my analogous sisters....."

Most of the ex-Wolfriders had up to eight versions of themselves from time fracturing. She herself was unique in having eight other selves like her (eight other sisters). She'd been the one who'd been up in the new Palace of the High Ones when Rayek merged his Palace with her's....destroying everything. She'd only survived through a freak set of circumstances, a burned out slab of flesh who'd the Rules and Agents had transformed into the elfin baby girl known as Ti'mma and given her to her parents so long ago (re: 10187). Being as she was, it kind of made falling for Skywise unlikely, since she'd never met him before.....

she explained all this the best she could (as confusing as it was), and Richard nodded....saying that he was glad that Ti'mma had gotten healed and all....and hoped whoever she did fall for in the future would be a "good catch."

"So do I.....and it will....that's how elven hearts of Terra Prime work," she says, smiling a slightly fey smile.

That's when the Doctor and the others come over. They meet and its' a pleasant meeting... Their conversation soon turns to the incredible amount of food that the one known as Thessamar ix'latl ate.

"If we have to keep feeding her and the others like that......" Astra 9 sighs, shaking her head.

"Well, you could feed her these emergency rations," Eric Jones says, referring to the emergency supplies he always took around with him (even off duty).

Never know when a crisis will come up, so one must be prepared. The equipment and rations were so compact and concentrated that it all fit within a small backpack size pack.

"Well.....it'll do the job.....keep her fed for days with one tablet...really," Jarlath nods, "But....er.....don't those things have a rather.... bad effect on the bowels?"

The food tablets had been designed to be rather concentrated (one tablet per week) and low stool producing....but it also had a nasty habit of producing constipation in the consumer over prolonged use.

"I believe that the laxative will take care of it," Eric says with a slight drawl.

That is just about the time when Eric's son, Solik'tril Jones, decides to add to the conversation.

"It will all come out in the end," he says dead panned, but with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

The others look at him, then....

"Dad!" Jenny Elf says in an embarrassed, aggrieved voice as the other elves from Terra Prime break out in a fit of childish giggles.

Great, my parents and the Mother of the Wolfriders are having a second childhood! Jenny thinks to herself, ruefully shaking her head and then smiling.

"Uh, quiet....." the Doctor says as Eric fights down a smile.

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They all complete their meal (answering a few questions and hearfelt thanks for the Doctor for helping with Xoanon from some of the Nantucketers) and, after taking a rather circuitous route through town (to avoice future versions of themselves) the Doctor transports them back in time by TARDIS. Then they break to go off to their various tasks. The Doctor goes to see how Inquirer and the others are doing as they guard the Unseelie cursed while Jarlath's group gather up their supplies and gear from the General Store and, without even a flash of light from the Key, they go.

And so do we as well. We still had Freds and Astras to round up. Then, on our next pickup of them in Nantucket, we find out how bad things are....

hey drop off Belinda, climb aboard the TARDIS parked nearby (unlikely it was anything else but the TARDIS....what with a lack of blue police boxes on Nantucket and all)....

"We need to talk about how to proceed here," Jarlath sighs, "What with the new things that have come to light."

Jarlath then pauses, slumping down and looking into his cup of tea and muttering something scatological. The Doctor (the others are aiding with the search for the last Unseelie victim on Nantucket Earth) waits patiently as Jarlath bolts down the tea as if it was a shot of whiskey. Joan takes up the conversation thread.

"Simply put....we have a problem with time," she says with a slightly ironic glance at the Time Lord, "We thought we had a large time margin afforded us by the TARDIS. Not so. We have a day at the most with the advanced state of transformation with Belinda. Unlike Fred, who'd only been touched by the Unseelie curse, moving the Unseelie afflicted about through time would cause the curse to flare and seal their fates." "We thought we had a week.....but we have only a day," Dragon Synizn explained with a trace of exasperation to the startled Doctor, "perhaps even less. Something is accelerating the changes....and the curse has as you know grown....contagious (witness Fred here). I have NO clue as to what is causing this extra acceleration. None."

Dragons take great pride in their magical knowledge. While they readily admit that there is much more to learn and much they still don't know.....it's not easy for this particular Dragon Mage to accept all this..... He feels by this lack he's letting the others down.....

The Doctor knows the theory of magical super saturation would have on the Unseelie curse, indeed. The Doctor is well enough into his magical training to know how certain types of magical curses could be sped up by the exposure to a fantastic ammount of magic. "Super saturation" it's called. Good and well. But there is an irony here. See, somebody has already visited the very world of Rift's Earth where such super saturation is in existence. Another irony is that the Doctor and his Companions were (after years of playing AD&D and Torg) finally going to get around to playing a Palladium game named You've got two "were"s - one just before the bracket and one just after it. Rifts (the very game that mimicked perfectly the world of Rifts Earth). See, it might have been even sooner if not for the fact that one can spend as much time making a character as playing the game..... That being the case, no connections are made.

"And I somehow know that by the end of the time we get all the others together....I'll be nearing the end of the time I'll be able to hold out......" Fred the pixie says softly, shivering, remembering the episode where he'd almost succumbed to the allure of the Fey. His eyes had even changed in response to it. Changing from human to.....something resembling those of a cat.

Joan had told him of it....and it made him...uneasy to say the least. Less and less about the loss it would/could mean to him....but more for what it would mean for the others if he succumbed..... While Fred the curse had only touched him, if he succumbed and became a full fairy then he would seal the fate of the Unseelie afflicted.

Mention was also made of the fact of a sneaking suspicion that the Book had used, somehow, its list of worlds which it had been spying on (mostly who had a Fred or Astra on it....as it appeared)....but little was said about it. What difference would/could it make now...except perhaps they'd have yet more company to bring back (and more lives in the balance). It made some want to throw up their hands in frustration....but that wouldn't help matters at all...so they just concentrated on the tasks at hand and prayed for the best.

All they could do....

"I....I'll see if we can skate the edge of time paradox a bit closer," the Doctor says softly.

That was what they finally decided was the only thing that they could do....for now. Other ideas were bandied about, but most sounded to be the counsel of the desperate. Especially one made by Fred the pixie.....

Others are just out and out weird..... Andrea, having seen a cartoon that would pretty much sum up with an old Warner Brothers' saying: "How Halloweeny can you get?!"

She only thinks this of Jarlath's suggestion. She doesn't say it aloud, in order to spare her friend's feelings.....

As for the Doctor, while the number of lives at stake was way less than before (a handful vice a planet full as before with the Book), the Time Lord still was a knight errant at heart and hated the thought of losing these accursed people to this dire fate.

Anyway, they break and prepare. The Doctor, going over to the TARDIS' controls, fondly strokes the masculine version of the same kind of ring that Inquirer wears. It had only happened after the prescribed ten years of courtship, as per Time Lord custom (he'd been amazed that Inquirer had insisted on following Time Lord custom vice Earth custom in this matter). Time enough to get to know each other better and not rush in....as in a manner befitting beings who have such long lives.....even before "Champion"-hoodness.

The next step would be a mere month after he and Inquirer had finished up this business with the Red Pyramid.....

But.....

"First things first," the Time Lord sighed, setting the coordinates on the Control Column.

So the were off again, got their target and returned, and I told them what I could about about Rifts Earth (the one world chuck full of magic that appeared to be the curse accelerator,as it were). We got them armed and armored best we could, and so they went off again...only to run into a causality loop!

See, during a critical juncture in time where the Elder Champion called Morgana was actually trying to cure one of the Unseelie Afflicted, the presence of Triakoth (who'd became a fairy due to his brush with a future, changed version of the Unseelie curse) caused the Unseelie curse to change and mutate (eventually to go out and inflict the one we now call Triakoth)....er....look, just say it's a bit of time travel paradox, push the "I beleive button" and go with it. Okay?

Well, we finally (with some powerful help from a good version of an Atlantian mage named Zerm, we got things straightened out as best we could

Right now, Jarlath's group felt obligated in helping the ones who'd gotten dragged to the Red Pyramid the best they could and have helped many of them, but are right now between advenures to attend my Wedding!

We will go now to a future wedding guest already in progress. So the invitations are sent out and one of the people to get invited....a woman named Betty Ragan!

1. Earlier....