Speeding right along

. . .

Interesting how things can get sped up if certain factors pan out in one fashion than another. Indeed, things are moving along much quicker here than what would have found inside the book cover, you see! In the book, which this reality mimics, out heroes didn't set out to seek information on their adversary until the fifth of March (and here in this place and time it is still the third)!

Of course, the advanced events are not totally due to the presence of the Champions, some of it lay within some of the members of the League itself. Allan Quarterman, due to his particular addiction, had earlier (secretly just before heading off to Coote's school and meeting the Champions) asked around the docks where the Nautilus is berthed about the "medicine" to ease his pain, and had gotten certain names. This saves time because he and the others with him now need not waste time asking around Chinatown in a search for a place like they soon find themselves in front of: Shanghai Charlie's Barbershop. And unlike the storybook Mr. Hyde, this one when he came out and was offered amnesty had been smart enough to not go off on a snit and threaten his interrogator. Instead he readily agreed and signed, knowing that signed contracts mean nothing really. Not like he was going to allow Dr. Jekylll the satisfaction of getting RID of him, right? Frankly, however, he'd been surprised that his interrogator hadn't followed up after his readily agreeing to the pardon and possible cure for his condition. See, it was just a simple lie which he'd had a whole song and dance to make it seem sincere. However, since Bond wasn't really interested in following up on such an obvious ploy matters were left standing at that. So each side was left with thinking the other was nothing but a fool, period.

Then, of course, there was the fact that events and people outside the League and the Champions were in a hurry themselves. Yes sir, the "manager" wanted to have . . . words with a certain "sales representative" named Lo Ling being one example. Something about taking more from business transactions than what he'd been entitled to, actually. And then, of course, there was that business back on Mars that earlier versions of "our" very Artizza and Fertal were involved in, you know (re: 48156)! Some time earlier (local clock time) they'd walked that worlds red sands of that dying world and given the means for the inhabitants to escape

See, there is a certain irony here. Only a bit earlier Cuthbert's ship had come (causing QUIET a stir) and buzzed London

Yes, that "Business" that the Dark Elves got involved in here somehow got tangled in another's business. Business involving a punitive strike a bunch of Mollusks would do upon Earth for what a certain John Carter did against them. Now, instead of it being years off it was . . . going to happen VERY soon (getting it ironically back on track along the lines of what we'd see in the book). . . . But of course, it would be more than for just revenge, it would be for survival! A place where, after knocking out the most powerful nation/state of this world, also using England as a staging ground for . . . . further conquest AND defense, what being that old "friends" would be paying them visits soon afterwards.

Even space invaders need a home base, you know!

. . .

No, but that's for latter.

They had just gotten back outside from talking with Quong Lee (purveyor of fine teas), so of COURSE don't immediately notice a newspaper headline that's grabbed Inquirer's attention It is just past actions in ANOTHER universe (which'll be gotten to in due time) intruding on present day situations that had LEAD to those . . .

Confused, well . . . . Let us just say that Mina's world is not the ONLY pastiche world out there . . . One John Crichton's homeworld is . . .

Nevermind, you'll see.

Stay tuned for that. But right now . . .

Right now, let us instead turn back to Mina and friends. Anyway, Inquirer (for the most part) had been more than happy to let Mina run the show because she'd been doing a right good JOB of it. That and Griffin had behaved himself (managed to keep his darker thoughts to himself instead of muttering them aloud to the world). Oh, not to say that he didn't say disturbing things and that events hadn't (for the most part) followed that comicbook storyline that Elrondir never got a chance to read.

Anyway, they exit the shop and Griffin's complaining about the round about answers they'd gotten.

"Huh," he grumps, looking resentfully back over his shoulder at the tea shop. "Wisdom of the Orient, my eye! All bluff. He clearly didn't know a thing!"

"Actually, I do believe he knows quiet more than he could safely tell.

"All he can do was hint," she finishes up, suddenly noticing someone missing. "I say, where did . . . er . . . Mrs. Gilbreth get off to?"

She, of course, stops herself from calling Inquirer by her real name, being that it was rather . . . too odd for casual use, out in the open streets of London.

"Over here," Inquirer calls, carrying back a newspaper she'd bought from a newsboy.

And we might have more problems than we know, she continues on, mentally explaining "War of the Worlds" and how events in that book had similar headlines in it about eruptions on Mars as what is found on the front page, here and now in the newspaper she's holding.

She then pauses, eyes locking on a sign saying for all traffic for the Rotherhithe bridge being off down the street. In her Earth's timeline (unlike in so many others), a certain tunneling project to connect Shadwell and Rotherhithe had succeeded (though later on refinements would make future projects like it MUCH more safe and financially secure).

In her researching of the Victorian era (to give more believability to her role playing gameworlds), she'd come across that odd footnote in history.

Since HERE there was a bridge here vice a tunnel . . .

Ms. Murray, Inquirer blinks. putting aside certain fears she has, instead suddenly going for her purse and pulling out a strange object (a tricorder as it was known in the Star Trek universe but totally unknown in this one). Maybe she and the others could finish this "quest" up before other problems fall from the sky to interrupt. Mr. Lee did say that the dragon was below the water and the water below the bridge.

1. By any chance was there a tunneling project that failed where that bridge now stands? she finishes up.

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