|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- CLOWN CENTAUR ARCHITECT--CUP 10--"FIF" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Clown Centaur Architect  ||  -------> (Cup SRcc010, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Can you hear me?" Thalerdrad asked. "Yeah, I definitely hear it. Let me adjust these rings a little..." The crackling sound was joined with a jarring squeal. "Contacting person, do you read me?" the voice said. "Yes!" Thalerdrad said. "Can you hear me?" "I can hear you." "What's this all about?" "What's it all about? That's an awfully open-ended question, wouldn't you say?" "What?" "We are in contact. Yes. Yes." "Who are you?" "I am Walter Mota, speaking from the body of Mildred, broadcasting from Thatterine College." "I am not familiar with such a place." "What are your current surroundings?" "What?" "Your current surroundings." "Ah--white--all around--and black circles." The static grew louder and Thalerdrad heard the voice say something, but he couldn't make it out. "Hello? HELLO?" "Don't worry, Thalerdrad, we'll get you out of there!" Walter said in Mildred's voice, much clearer now. "How... how is it you know my name?" "Uh... must be a little time distortion. You told us your name, but that might have been in your subjective future." "What?" Thalerdrad said, frustrated. The voice kept on talking, but it sounded like the same voice saying two different things at once, and he couldn't make any of it out. Then, the voice came back, much louder. "...hearing you. Can you tell us your name and current situation?" "What?" "I said, we are hearing you. What is your name and current situation?" "I... I thought you already knew my name?" It sounded like the voice was talking to someone else, though Thalerdrad heard no one else. "...what? You think it could be time-unstable? ...yeah... Uh--contacted person--you could be experiencing some time-distortion in our signal." "You already... I thought you already said something about... time..." "Listen, this message and form of communication is very unstable, understand, but for now, just tell us your name and circumstances." Thalerdrad slowly stood up, looking around to see if he could make out any source for the sound. But upon standing erect, he found himself so disoriented that he sat back down again. "What is it you said about Felptash?" the Triltan said. "Felptash?" "Yes." "We bought this transmitter there." "There?" "Yes... Can you provide name and circumstances?" Thalerdrad looked suspicious, trying to figure out who this might be. He thought it might be some sort of afterlife test, maybe to determine his place in the Land of the Dead. "I am Thalerdrad, son of Dradmer, of Elorimm." "And.. your circumstances?" "I am dead." "That is understood." the voice said. "The... are in the process of--" The voice suddenly grew much louder, and became indistinct, and the squealing began again. "Ahhh!" Thalerdrad yelled out, covering his ears. The ruckus continued, and he buried his face in the pillow, pushing it to cover his ears. But soon, the din subsided, and the voice was back, clear as day. "Thalerdrad--calling Thalerdrad. This is Walter. Calling Thalerdrad. We are back in Felptash." Thalerdrad sat up again, staring wildly into the air. "What about Felptash?" "Oh good--you're there. Thank goodness." "What is it about Felptash? Is he... angry with me for what I did?" "What? Who's angry?" Thalerdrad paused, then spoke. "I don't know who you are--but I know that Felptash could be very angry that I jumped off his highway. If you are a magical agent of his--sent to torment me..." "Listen Thalerdrad--I don't know what you're talking about. Don't you remember our conversation? Could be more time problems... yeah?... okay--just listen to me. We spoke about your situation and I told you we were going back to Felptash, to find someone who could help pull you through. Maybe that's in your subjective future, but anyway--he's here--Felpever Wand--to pull you in. Hold on." Thalerdrad listened to a series of chime-like noises before a husky male voice spoke. "Well now. Got a lost soul do we?" Thalerdrad didn't respond. The husky voice continued. "Okay. This is a somewhat... delicate operation. I'm going to need your full cooperation. I'm going to have to ask you a few questions before I can pull you in. Okay?" "Whatever." Thalerdrad said, giving up on understanding the situation. "Okay. Now--my friends here tell me that you're a lost soul, stuck in some sort of limbo, with no conceivable way out. Other than this. Is this so?" "As far as I know." Thalerdrad said, then added on impulse, "Are you an agent of Xonzeft?" "No, I'm not. Now--do you understanding that if I fif you in here, that there'll be no way for you to return to your current locale?" "What?" "I'm telling you--there will be no way to go back to where you are if you come here. Do you understand this?" "I... if you say so." "Fine. Now--knowing this--do you still want to come through?" -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----