Ersatz Low Men and Other Jokes (Part 2)...

Ti'mma

"Chiana," the Doctor begins. "Dear, would you be so kind as to let me see that Detector wand we left you with for safekeeping?"

"Uh sure," Chiana answers, seeing as she hands it over we are a due to the subdued hush we all seem to have. "Why?"

Ah, there is something within her face that tells her true age and shows that there is still something of a child within. Don't believe she's aware of that and perhaps would be embarrassed that I'd recognize that. Then again, when you have experienced as much as I have over the centuries (albeit in another life), I can do things like that..... I can tell.

.....

Hm. By the way Chiana suddenly is looking at me and the others seem to be smiling a little bit, a bit of my "old self" must be showing again. Happens from time to time to myself and all of my . . . . children. Meaning that a ghostly image of the body I had worn in my other life (back before being reincarnated at a Terra Prime elfin lass) imposed itself over my frame. Has something to do with the unusual circumstances surrounding what lead up to the Rules and Agents finding it necessary to have me and my children reincarnated, but that's not really important right now (and frankly since I and the others don't totally understand it ourselves I rather doubt I could explain anyway). The reincarnation business (ala Terra Prime variety) can be so confusing at times. Why, given the right mental powers (a panache for hearing the voices of the dead) one could overhear surface thoughts if you're not careful!

Believe that B'Elanna said something about that happening with a man named Stark when she remembered an introduction to one of Betty's scifi shows that seemed to fit the strange situation, somehow (re: 22616).

Well, no matter. Or rather, all that what I've just told you (just swift thoughts that had fluttered through my mind, really) doesn't really matter. What happens next is important, if only for politeness sakes. Being that the slight nod both the more aged members of our group (Sigin and the Doctor), it falls to me to explain. I am (in a way) perhaps the eldest member of this party (cannot tell for certain, stopped counting after the first five hundred years, back in my prior life) and custom (elfin custom) demands that in situations like this.

.....

Strange, still all the same. If my other sisters of my clan (the "Timmain" clan) had a similar upbringing. I, in this life, was raised by parents with a long lineage of heroic nature within their souls. It was catching, you see, and I caught it in this second life! Meaning that if my damn sisters had gotten a backbone . . . any OTHER ones . . . . they'd have become the leader of the other children! Oh . . . I suppose I'm being quiet unfair to them but then again my eldest sister typifies a common problem that . . . my upbringing seems to have overcome within me. My eldest sister could have stepped in a thousand places before things finally happened, but....

No, some other time... Needless to say that my children have, in a sense, permanently elected me as their leader (of sorts) of my family. Their "chief of chiefs". Meaning that only I, if I so chose, would get to wear the "Chief's locket" (the topknot that the Wolfrider tribe chose to symbolize leadership) or the "Cheif's braids" (the four braids that the Go- Backs have)....

Not even A'eitia, in her hero worship of the elfin cheiftess Kahvi, wears her hair that way.

Later, perhaps, I shall explain to Chiana the quirks about my reincarnation, but first thing first.

"We need to return those named Artizza and Fertal to the form we found them," I begin.

At first, Chiana looks at me as if I and the others if we have lost our mind.....

....

Hm, that little odd twitch she gave me just before that was rather like the one I used to use . . . centuries before the incident that got me reincarnated. The partner I'd trysts with back him back then (cannot remember exactly his face....the brain structure of the specie I'd been back then tended to eventually had memory fade to make room for more current information as time went on). The memory shan't fade any more, now that I'm a Terra Prime elf, but that all said I do at least have fond memories of that little twitch....

....

No, at first things first which is to further explain to young Chiana and then again to the elfin couple (once we reconstitute their body)....showing via spell image the map we figured up after interrogating our "guests".

".....and time is perhaps of the essence," I finish up. "While it might be easier to go the long rout of the outer passages on the right, well away from our guest's master. However, goodness knows how long we have before that ship up on the surface will wait for us."

Any survivors of the crash might be able to repair the ship and vamoose before we get there and God help us then. Just a thought, but being components of this Dark Tower key is the reason why they (the proto- Dark Elves) were ejected from Hell. If we fail in this Quest, does that mean that they'd be sucked back?! Rather not have that on my conscious, thank you.

Don't think that Chiana, though she tries to hide it, wants that either. She tries to hide her heart, but I believe that our young dragoness learned that to appear to care was an invitation for getting exploited.

You don't hide such things from those (like me and my children, or Manimals like Manfox Fred). We are empathic (amongst other things).

Do hope that in time she'll drop those habits she had learned to survive within the Uncharted Territories soon enough. Then again, as Champions we have time enough....

"And doing it this way should....with luck....demoralize that thing enough to let us pass," I finish up. "There would be not bloody point, you see, considering what you and your love are."

Yes, being that elves being elves (and being analogs of the various Freds and Astras), they've followed a very familiar route of my family. Yes, their hearts have chosen each other, you see... Ah, it's grand to be an elf....

....

Hrmph, well anyway....

"And if not it shall be a grand battle," A'eitia whispers softly from the side, not without some relish.

....

Actually, I'd rather like that myself. Yet another something I inherited from my parents when I came into this second life.

And being that these two inky black eyed elves before me ARE analogs of my parents, I can see within them the same thing.

Chiana

" . . . I still think this is a really bad idea," I say softly to my husband, to only where he can hear.

1. "And why the Hezmana is Inquirer, of all people, was so hot in wanting to knock about this mummy and it's minions?" I continue. "What with us playing 'Low Men' or some dren like that?"

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