|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- FOREMAN ITTENER PIER--CUP 24--"DEEP VIOLT C" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Foreman Ittener Pier  ||  -------> (Cup SRfi024, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "So do you see where I'm going with this?" Carroll said. "With access to Deep Violt C, I should be able to find Coltish--as well as seek out a solution to my own unique problem." "Yeah, I see. But tell me--how did this gay guy get the deed to an interdimensional building? I mean, what's going on there?" "Ferrajalt, even with my heavy senses, I couldn't make any sense of the insanely complex situations surrounding Stone Beverly." "I see. But this building--what's the deal with it? Who built it? If it's C, was there an A and a B Deep Violt, or whatever it's called?" "I assume." "And you were back in time to see all this?" "Not really." "So how then?" "There are places where many things become apparent." "Obviously this isn't one of them." I said, and Carroll laughed. "She's coming." he said, still laughing. I heard a knock on the door and got up. I looked through the peephole and saw the beautiful face of Lunatether--or was it the face of Hilltop Jone Rallity? Whatever, I opened the door a crack and looked at her. "We have a visitor." I said calmly. "He's kind of scary-looking and generally menacing, but I have the situation under control. So don't be surprised." I opened the door and Lunatether arched her neck to peer in before entering. She caught sight of Carroll and looked puzzled. "Why is there a scarecrow here?" "He's formerly of the Unreal Sixty-Four." "Ah--Carroll Mammock?" she said. "That's me." Carroll said. "Isn't he an enemy?" she asked, looking at me. "He certainly WAS at some point." I replied. "But he claims to no longer be associated with U-64. He's asked for our help, and made a very intriguing offer." "I see." she said, examining the scarecrow. It was strange--the way she was looking him over sort of reminded me of a mechanical scan--she still had a strong machine element to her personality. Huh. I wondered how she would feel if she heard that, heard that even though she wears a human body she's still at least part machine. "I'll explain it all to you if you wish." Carroll said. "Do." she replied, sitting down in the chair across from the scarecrow. "Knowing that any aggressive action will mean your death." "That is not an eventuality we need be concerned with." Carroll said, and I wondered if it referred to him attacking us or him dying. No matter. So he described the whole situation to Lunatether. "Okay..." she said once she had it all. "So if we decide to do this, we'll have to--what--go back and set up camp in Peeferkihint while we execute the plan?" "Yes." he said. "Since it will take a month or two, we should set something up in the city. I can see... you have a large quantity of gold in your vehicle outside. I imagine it should be sufficient to fund this adventure." "Yeah, yeah." she said. "But I'm still wary of just hiring some young hustler to provide Beverly companionship. Won't he get suspicious--decide to keep the deed and keys for himself?" "If he does," the scarecrow said, "he can run, but he can't hide. From me." "Huh." she said, then turned to me. "What about Walker Fantive and getting back to Overwhelm?" "I don't know." I said. "I've been thinking about it--we needed Overwhelm to get us back into the swing of things. If Carroll's plan really works, then we don't need 'em." "W... Walker Fantive?" Carroll said, looking distracted. "Primate?" "Yeah." I said. "I--I think I see him approaching." "What?!" I exclaimed. "He coming be air--some sort of cloaked personal flying machine." the scarecrow said. "Why?" Lunatether asked. "I don't know." I said. "But his probability antennas probably picked up that we weren't gonna make it to the base, so he's coming out to see why." "What should we do?" she asked. "Hold on--" I said. "How far is he?" "I--it's hard to say. He might get here as soon as five minutes. Could be longer, though." "I say we exit the situation." I said. "Carroll--are you ready to travel, no problem?" He nodded his head. "And your friends--Anderson and whoever--are they nearby?" "Uh--no." he said hesitantly. "So you can come 25 years ago with us?" "Uh--yes." he said. "That should be no problem." "What do you say?" I asked Lunatether. "She's tired." she said. "No way she can do 25 years tonight. I wouldn't do that to her. But maybe a couple of years--we can stay at this same motel, and then go the rest of the way tomorrow?" I looked at Carroll, who nodded slightly. "Okay." I said. "Too bad we're gonna lose the van." Carroll's head cocked slightly in curiosity. "You'll find out." I said. "Come on." -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----