| Before doing anything else, Malachi ensures that the surviving Phantom
and the Lizards are stripped of everything and transferred to prison cells.
There is no need to interrogate them, since Dr. Vincent knows everything
that was in their minds. Since these agents were field operatives rather
than senior commanders, what Vincent has learnt, though very useful, falls
well short of a complete guide to enemy plans, however. Perhaps most important,
there is now proof that at least some of the Phantoms are allied with the
Lizards.
"You say that it will be an hour or more before your ghostly counterpart
can pose a threat again?" Inquirer asks Dr. Vincent. "Yes. He shouldn't
be as dangerous away from his tower, though, since he won't have its many
devices to call upon. Since he can't carry anything with him, he won't
be able to use science but only magic. And of course, we are now forewarned,
which should make a big difference. Even so, it would be a mistake to underestimate
him." "I don't think we are likely to do that," says Malachi dryly. "To
spring what he did, on so many mages, was quite a feat. On second thought,
I think that fixing the world may have to wait until after we have dealt
with him. First, though, I guess we had better wake everyone up. And I
think laying on a supply of coffee might be a good idea, if they feel like
I did when I awoke."
There is a short period of great confusion as everyone is woken up.
No-one knows where they are, except for Alicia 2, who has been in this
room before and recognises it immediately. Nor does anyone know just what
has happened. And Fred 3's group and Manbear Synizn see a lot of people
they don't recognise, not to mention two Malachis. Eventually Malachi
Dronicis manages to get everyone's attention above the general hubbub,
explains briefly what has happened, and introduces Dr Vincent and Inquirer.
Inquirer then introduces Dragon Fred, Malachi D'Honaire, Alicia 2, Carradene
2, Sigin Vulpine and Rosepaw. "Not
more analogs!" someone is heard
to mutter.
Fred 3 is somewhat nervous when he sees the two Bobos, but Dr. Vincent
assures him that while in his presence they are quite harmless. "I'd like
to congratulate you and Astra on your wedding," he goes on. "I hadn't counted
on meeting you in person, or I'd have brought a present. I've been following
your adventures since you left me with much interest, though I lost track
of you several times - especially when you got dragged into this reality.
I managed to trace you again eventually, though." Fred is a bit uncomfortable
at the thought that he and Astra 3 have been under surveillance, not just
by Dr. Vincent but just recently, it would appear, by various other people
as well. "At this rate," he thinks, "Vincent's ghost soon won't be the
only paranoid one!"
"How long were we unconscious?" someone asks. Dr. Vincent takes a strange
device out of his pocket, holds it to his ear, shakes it, and then looks
at it intently. Probe half expects him to say: "But it was the best butter."
What he actually says is: "Over two hours." "No wonder this lot are crying
to be fed, then," says Astra 3. With some help from her husband and Demifox
Synizn, she carries her babies over to a corner of the room, turns her
back on everyone, and starts feeding them. Rosepaw is already doing the
same for her twelve demifox cubs.
"Twelve!" marvels Astra 3. "How on Earth do you manage? I find seven
quite hard enough. They'll be even more of a handful once they start crawling,
of course." "I'm told that twelve is very much on the large side even for
a fox litter," replies Rosepaw. "However, Sigin [Vulpine] tells me that
it's not so out of the ordinary as a litter of seven is for a human. And
based on what he's told me of his experience of your analog, it seems as
though you manage pretty well." "Analog? Which analog is this?" asks Astra
3. Rosepaw has been told the whole story by her mate, so can recount it
to Astra 3. [#2105, second option.] Astra 3 is distressed to hear the fate
met by such "close" analogs of herself, her husband and Demifox Synizn.
"Something must be done," she thinks, though even with so many mages and
Crystallics to call upon she isn't sure whether identifying particular
analogs and transporting them between realities can be done at all, let
alone safely. Anyway, that will have to wait for the time being.
Meanwhile, Probe and Inquirer have much to discuss. So too have the
two Malachis. Malachi Dronicis manages to avoid looking across at Dragon
Sigin too often. The two Freds are naturally interested in comparing their
respective stories, and so are the two Sigins. Alicia 2, who has a particular
interest in science, starts a conversation with Dr. Vincent.
After a quarter of an hour, Malachi Dronicis claps her hands to get
everyone's attention. "We have much to do," she says, "and I think we ought
to get started. Now we have got so many mages and so many Crystallics together,
we have an ideal opportunity for curing some of the ills that have recently
afflicted this world. Five Crystallics can do most things, though they
can't bring back the dead nor, regrettably, cure the Phage. I'd also like
Dr. Vincent, perhaps with additional explanation from Probe and Inquirer,
to brief everyone about what the group known as the Phantoms have been
up to, in conjunction with the Lizards. Before all that, though, I think
we need to deal with the ghostly version of Dr. Vincent."
"Can't we use the Crystallics to send him to another reality?" asks
Dragon Fred. "Possibly," Malachi Dronicis replies. "However, that seems
rather unfair on the other reality. And in any case, even then I'm not
sure that he mightn't be able to find a way back. No, I think that in this
case traditional methods will be best. Our options are:
"To send him to the great beyond by resolving his unresolved business
that keeps him here. I doubt that any of us, even his live analog, can
guess what the unresolved business of such a strange and powerful mage
might be, so that's probably out.
"To give the ghost's mortal remains a decent burial or funeral service
by any type of clergy or minister.
"Finally, to utterly destroy those mortal remains. Fire would do it.
That looks like the most practical option. I'm wondering whether it would
be possible to use the Crystallics to find the remains and destroy them
at a distance. If not, then someone has to go inside the tower and search
for them, and I don't imagine I'd have too many volunteers for that!"
-
 There is silence for a
moment, whilst everyone considers.
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