Decision Time

Inquirer

"Well, what have you learned?" Mina prods me as I turn back to her, still keeping half an eye on the Invisible (not to ME) Man).

So I do tell her what I have learned and while Mina's sorting all that out--it IS rather a large lot to take in, some of it-- and muttering conjecturings that Bond's parents were never married I then take a second or three to speed read through those transcripts.

. . .

You know, the ones that I had to lean heavily on Bond to obtain?

. . .

Oh bloody Hell . . . !

Yes, you guessed it. Inquirer just got to the part where a certain Earther name--John Carter)--is mentioned and while Bond and M might not know enough to make sense of it all, Inquirer's newest friends (Fertal and Artizza) mentioend that chap in their last Quest. Mentioned him and the gift they had left behind what would be the means for the native Martian's salvation (re: 48156) . . . as well as a MAJOR threat to England (and the rest of Earth once the H.G. Wells' invaders--who are NOT native Martians but aliens from another unknown realm entirely who'd just tried to invade Mars first before taking a shot at Earth--get done with her).

. . .

Well, the transmission from Mars/Barsoon (whatever) was to serve as a warning and heads up to the people of Earth, a courtesy if nothing else. Honestly, after some honest conflict with the invaders, the Martians (and John Carter) aren't too sage about Earth force's chances (what with all the Hell the Martians had had up to that point with the invaders before they'd stolen a march on them to Earth).

No offense to any English readers out there, but let us be honest. Back in the novel by Wells the humans didn't do such a smashing job at fighting the invaders . . . . Only a miracle in the way of Earth germs did the trick and....

And that's besides the point now.

Still, it was hoped by Carter (who may or may not have a beef against England for a rather . . . less than robust aid with his side during what he terms "The War of Northern Agression") that at least the Earth forces (British forces at least) can delay things long enough for the native Martians to establish a beach head on Earth (down in Africa) to be able to fight the invaders anew...

Anyway, the transcript (rather one sided) was a rather terse message which in the end contained combat data on what weaponry the invaders have (data which is more detailed than what Inquirer and friends provided but meshes up with what they'd shared) . . .

Data which is MISSING from the transcript (what with it having gone straight to M and bypassing Bond, who'd probably wouldn't have foolishly inflicted Griffin on the League and the Champions IF he'd read it beforehand) . . .

Data which'll make M rather . . . ticked off at Bond for this latest "bumbling".

As for the League and the Champions . . .

Well, let us just say that all of THIS is serves to further discombobulate Allan and the others back with Trilling Blackfeather.

Nemo had already been somewhat ill at ease with things upon discovering how . . . civil and sentient Trilling was, what with the fact that his ancestors had been known to hunt some of the few remaining gryphons back around his homeland. What kind of harm did his ancestors actually DO to their karma, what with it being imminently clear that THIS particular gryphon was anything BUT a dumb beast!

Allan is a little bit out of sort at first being taken aback at the sight of Trilling actually drinking tea (a new favorite brought to him by the humans), NOT because he's able to drink tea (quiet a feat considering his beak). It's due to the fact that it appears that ALL gryphons have the ability to a limited form of shape changing (limited to their forepaws). Usually gryphons go about with animal-like front feet, but when they want to manipulate tools and objects . . . they can will those limbs into workable clawed hands!

And when he hears the name "John Carter", let us just say it rings a vague bell . . . which is another story...

He's yet to hear about how the Doctor was the inspiration for H.G. Wells' The Time Traveller, but AGAIN that's is another story for later...

As for Hyde . . .his discombobulation is . . . He is rather taken aback about just HOW the Champions know about him (nobody had told him about his life being chronicled in the Champions' fiction and all that until now). THAT came up when he's somewhat . . . disappointed that the Champions are not as put off about certain revelations about just why Dr. Jekyll had felt compelled to "quarantine his sins" (in the LXG comicbook it was due to him masturbating sometimes while thinking of other men, according to Hyde). Elrondir had muttered something about that gibing with certain literary theories about the storybook version of Hyde and . . .

Well, just say that this latest bombsHell (foretold by a still rather miffed Inquirer dropping the now unconscious Griffin on the carpet after carrying the madman into the room) . . .

Well, who needs a scarf when you have THIS kind of wonderful distraction, eh?!

1. Now, it is time for the Champions and League to discuss what to do now with this latest betrayal (Griffin spying on them for Bond) coming to light...

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