A Mind is a Terible Thing to Waste

"You're insane!" Astra blurted. "You can't just go stealing people's minds from their heads just because you might learn something from it! Now restore us or I'll..."

Looking slightly peeved, Vincent merely made a gesture and suddenly Astra found herself unable to move her mouth again.

"There. It's awfully hard to thin with you prattling on like that, you know. In any event, it's not someting you'll have to worry about much longer. Bobo, if you please."

Wordlessly, the giant purple toaster-monkey thing lumbered over and simply picked the motionless Astra up as easily as a child would a doll, and carried her down a flight of stairs to what looked like a cross between a mad scientist's lab and a magician's worskhop. On a table in the middle of the room lay Sir Fred. His eyes were wide open, but there was nothing behind them - just a blank, unseeing stare. He gave no sign that he was aware of their entrance, or, in fact, of anything else.

"I did tell you, didn't I?" Vincent asked the immobile Astra. "All that is," he said, gesturing at the unknowing, drooling body, "Is a shell, a mere husk that will soon wither away entirely. Everything your companion was is now in me! Oh, don't worry," he added, as he placed several small pads around her temples, "You'll soon join him there, as your thoughts and memories become one with me, ultimatley leading to that most perfect of worlds - where everything and everyone will be extensions of myself, and I will rule, firmly but benevolently!"

He's truly insane! Astra thought to herself in despair. And I see no way to stop him!

"Now hold still," Vincent said with a smile as he held up a small gray box, "This won't hurt a bit." He pushed a small button on the box, and...

1. Astra suddenly found herself looking down at the box - and across at her body.
2. Astra's vision blurred, and she found herself in a dark, silent place - with no body.
3. Nothing happened.
4. Astra found herself in Bobo's body.
5. Astra found herself in Fred's body.
6. Suddenly, Astra was back in the hallway in the Dragon's cavern.
7. The box exploded.

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