| "Well, that aside," Probe said diplomatically. "The rest of the mages,
I, and Inquirer have been having a bull session, a meeting to come up with
ideas and share ideas." Sato looked like he was going to ask clarification
to that odd phrase. "We finally came upon"
"Two methods of action which you hoped would work but would have failed
miserably!" interrupted a deep male voice, laughing. Probe's Avatar freezes
for a few seconds, while Probe himself feels a shock of recognition.
He knew that voice. But it was impossible. Somebody was playing a VERY
bad practical joke that he or she's were going to regret dearly!
The humans then jumped back in shock as a ghostly figure appeared, floating
above the table. The ghost was of a beautiful woman with flowing red hair
down to her rear, dressed in the arms and armor of an Aqualarian Amazon
warrior. It looked to be a ghostly Princess Astra, but the only dead Astra
they knew of..
The only Astra they knew of was down in a cryo-unit in the shuttlecraft.
She had a look of peace and contentment, whoever she was.
"One is hypnotizing Dr. Vincent and seeing if he can remember some clue
that he picked up from his ghostly brother," the ghost of the Astra-icle
said softly. "Perhaps while using those funny hats that read some of your
minds."
"The other was to contact the golems of the Sueze Channel (re: 2118)"
said another figure, appearing out of thin air. "Perhaps there had been
an emergency feature that could have been used to teleport Zerm, a possible
high up in Atlantian society, out of danger. Perhaps that could be used
to yank him to you guys so you could kill him."
Probe looked up and stares at the ghost of Ajax, a friend and fellow
Unuit unit that had committed suicide upon learning that he'd been fooled
by the Enemy into killing the almost all of the Dragons.
Probe saw the ghost of the machine, since he's an AI (not a golem like
Inquirer is now). Probe did not see the other ghost, due to some ghostly
law in the Afterlife about such things.
The humans (lycanthopic and otherwise) and those dragons who've been
"contaminated" by humanity (i.e. too human by the defunct Council of Wyrms'
standards) saw the ghostly Astra. The failed to notice Ajax.
The Manimals, Sato, and Inquirer saw neither, and wondered what the
heck was up with their friends. What were they staring at?!
"Neither would have worked," the ghosts said in duet.
There was a babble of voices until the ghosts of Ajax and Astra the
ice princess shouted for quiet. Dr. Vincent then had a brainstorm, and
soon the mages were looking (and hearing) the ghosts by mage sight and
spell.
"We don't have much time," Ajax said, smiling a slightly less than sane
smile. "However, for a very short time, we bring to you the answer to your
man-hunting needs!"
Ghostly Astra nudged Ajax, and the AI/ghost frowned, but then continued.
"Short of it is that, ironically, we find our villain and his ghostly
buddies are back near the street corner in Atlantis the first few analogs
and natives met. Third pyramid to the North. Can't miss it!"
"Yes, he's hiding in the LAST place you'd expect," the ghostly Astra-icle
smiled down at the mirror with the startled looking image of Astra 1 inside.
"He kept out of sight of the 'construction drones', and laughs..waiting
for the collapse of the slipgates.."
"And attacking when we no longer have the Crystallics," Duke Dredrick
nodded.
"Right!" Ajax smiled. "And, my friends and neighbors..we just BETTER
do this quickly. Ghost vision predicts 100PERCENT chance of singularit
- that's black holes folk - in the next 24 hours when you hear the beep!
"BEEEP!" Ajax nearly shouted. The ghostly Astra just rolled her eyes,
annoyed with Ajax.
"Don't forget one last thing," the female ghost reminded the ghostly
AI.
"Oh, thanks!" Ajax blinked, looking surprised that he'd even forget.
He then turned all business, serious and deadly.
"Athentication code Blue cranberry 353 fugit," Ajax says, looking meaningfully
at Probe.
"I have you clear, reading 5/5," Probe whispered, dazed.
An intelligence report from the Beyond?! Probe's mind jittered
to himself.
"Probe, we have a fleet of Enemy ships gathering by this world's Halley's
comet," the ghostly AI revealed. "The comet's tail is hiding it from observation,
and other special elements present in that iceball's tail is spoofing Alliance
sensors. They'll be attacking as soon as it becomes apparent that the counter
to the Phage is well established. Expect it in 48 hours."
Probe looked a little sick at the number of ships, but then smiled when
it becomes apparent that this will be a slaughter: the Enemy's slaughter.
The Lizards would NOT expect a counter attack - if Captain Sterndeck was
told of this revelation in time.
Probe made a quick call as the ghosts stayed around to answer ONE last
question.
"Where is Zular the one that escaped from here?" Malachi D'Honaire asked.
"Presently falling in love with himself, again.." the Astra ghost said
vaguely (and with a touch of embarrassment), not being able to give a clearer
answer. It bothered her to no ends to not be clearer.
"..Flying high again!.." Ajax sang from a ballad by a late Twentieth
century singer named Ozzy Osborne as they (he and the Astra phantom) faded
out.
-
 Ajax and the ghostly Astra
know that their last task on Terra is done. Now, they just have to wait
for the Light..
Go Back
|