The Voyages of the Penelope and the Yydryl

.................................~Ahoy Me-Hearties~...................................

It was February of 1945 and the War seemed to be turning in Europe. The Russians agreed
to step into the Pacific fray and 'pitch-in for the big one' The Allies were overcoming.
German submarines still skulked the seas and with a waning conviction, still loaded their
torpedo tubes in readiness.
Iwo Jima was about to step onto the stage and to the solitary Marine Officer waiting in the
camera room, missing that assault would be something that would gaul him for his entire
career.
But Groves was here, at sea, at night and watching a freak take a midnight swim.

In a place just west of the tip of Ireland, the Atlantic ocean held a secret, a secret that no
submersible could reach and no war could intimidate.
The opaque stone that would dog Boy In A Dress as he wandered the universe lay on
the seabed, deep below any prying eyes. In a place legend called 'Hy Brasil'
Two mile down... not a thousand feet -as the good scientists had informed the eyeless
volunteer that now doggy-paddled in the thick-green water.



BIAD felt the cameras on him as he swam away from the ship's open hull-doors, the huge
craft had been built under the guise of exploring for rare minerals on the ocean's floor and
was supposedly created by Howard Hughes' company.
But Colonel Groves, the man in charge of this venture knew, it had Military written all over
it.

"He's down twenty feet and steady" the baby-faced crewman whispered as he rose from the
monitoring seat, Jessup knew he would be told to leave the room when the 'Brass' and the
'Egg-Heads' walked in, he only knew what his bunk-mate Watkins had told him.

That the cold-shouldered guests that they'd picked up at Key West were supposedly
looking for a downed seaplane with the body of Eva Braun in it. Watkins had imparted in
his usual side-mouthed-whisper that she'd found out Adolf Hitler was gay.
Seaman Apprentice Chet Jessup left the Camera Room without another word.

Bubbles swarmed around the fool in the revealing short dress and Groves had to place
his hand to his mouth to stifle his teeth-grinding, no Marine should endure this -he thought
to himself and breathed deeply through his nose.



"The subject is leaving the ship's area..." Dr. William Hout said and tapped the monitor with
a pen-tip, apparently scientists like to emphasise with a tapping sound Groves noted without
humour.



"Oh God!" he whispered as BIAD twisted left and with a widening swish of his legs, proclaimed
the reason for 'Boy' in his name. The light was struggling at this depth and Groves thanked the
same deity he had just exclaimed to.



The light was poor, BIAD panned his head left-to-right in the hope of seeing a faint sign of a
seabed or outcrop of coral, but the gloom below stared back. He swam on.

The ship's huge hull lay far above him like thundercloud as he entered the half-light.
there seemed to be shapes below and the hermaphrodite hoped that he would find the 'big glass'
quickly and be allowed to go back to the desert Base.
Dulce seemed an eternity away right now -he thought sadly and kicked his bare feet with haste.

The small boat had given into the lifeforms of the sea and resigned itself to be 'Hotel Yydryl'
At least that's what the mussel-wrapped nameplate on the vessel's side told BIAD as he swam
onto it's crusty deck.
It lay on a shelf that only promised deeper places further out and the tired-and-broken trawler
made a poor guardian of those dark-promised places.
Boy In A Dress knew it was a boat... but that was the limit of his knowledge when it came to
marine craft.
Or anything else -to be truthful.



Boy In A Dress only knew what he had learned from the medical staff that he had encountered
at the Base, his perception of what the world looked like or what went on outside of the underground
facility was limited -to say the least.

In the centuries to come, BIAD would encounter a man that he would learn to trust and admire,
a rare breed and the Man/Girl would know to hold that friendship dear.
His name would be Nenothtu and Nenothtu would say that Boy In A Dress was a dumb-ass.

Dumb-a... I mean Boy In A Dress left the boat and pressed on deeper and the shark followed
in his wake.

(Continued Below)

(Continued From Above)

"He's coming up on one hour, Colonel... we estimate he could be halfway there" Dr. Wigner
commented to the stoic Marine with the determined features, Colonel Groves had said nothing
since they had entered the Monitoring Room.

The sonar had lost Boy In A Dress twenty-minutes ago and now the three scientists and the
Military man wondered what the hermaphrodite in the short attire was enduring in the cold
Atlantic depths.

The large shark held no-such wonderment, it merely cruised in to take a bite out of the bare
rump of the eyeless stranger of his realm. BIAD stopped his swimming and turned to face the
big fish.

He'd felt the shark's presence awhile ago and had hoped the 'smiley-fish' would be friendly.
We can only assume that Wigner and his colleagues had forgotten to mention their concerns
of sea-predators. Again, BIAD's future friend and confidant -Nenothtu would advise the
grinning Man/Girl and reader that this probably wasn't so.
[snip]

The shark circled twice and then lunged towards the water-treading creature with the
flowing locks and if these 'killer's-of-the-sea' could communicate to us, I'm sure it would later
relate that it considered itself lucky to come away from the scene with at least one main fin
intact.
It was that damned black hair.

In the thrashing and slashing that followed the shark's attack, Boy In A Dress found himself
fending off the nine-foot brute with long-red fingernails that had magically grown in an instant.
The clawing and shredding hair strands were also a surprise to him, BIAD had never known
of this gift of protection and in his state of confusion, struggled to understand how his body
was controlling the coiling-cutting tresses.

The fingernails took out huge chunks of meat as the Mako shark began to see the error of
it's ways and seek a retreat, I can assure the reader that it's teeth never got anywhere near
BIAD's backside.
Phew, huh?

One Hour and ten minutes In:
The German U-Boat ghosted past as Boy In A Dress swam onwards and nothing happened.
Submarines do that sometimes.

[snip]

The grinning-diver went deeper.

(To be continued)

............................~Just Hold Your Breath And Count To Ten~...........................

Boy In A Dress came across the cavern about one hour-thirty minutes into the dive
and his initial thought was where was all the light coming from?
It was supposed to be dark down here, the man called Hout had informed the 'volunteer'
that Colonel Groves had provided. BIAD had been perusing the files in the small cabin
when Dr. Hout had entered and placed the small white rod on the table.

"This may help you when reach the crystal..." he had said and looked away from the
bright-red fingernails of the strange would-be diver.
William Hout had heard about the Base under the New Mexico desert, his colleagues
had told him that experiments in time and space were being performed there and that
there had been several 'accidents'
Hout pondered that he maybe standing beside one of those accidents right now.

"...It's going to be cold and dark down there and this glow-stick may assist" he had
said and left Boy In A Dress to his information collating.
Unknown to the scientist, the Man/Girl didn't understand a word of it.

BIAD gazed around at the white-glow that seemed to come from the cavern walls.
There were no fish, but the hermaphrodite had noticed the lack of sea-life about
forty-minutes into his descent and guessed that temperature may be a factor.
Plucking the glow-stick from his cleavage and snapping the tip off, he swam into
the wide mouth of the cavern.



"Don't show him..." Dr. Wigner said softly and breathed deeply through his nose,
the high-altitude image was classified as Red One and even though the Colonel
sitting statue-like in the Monitor Room may well have clearance, Wigner felt that
it could hinder the mission.



"...Groves will abort and look to discover the what the anomaly is" he hissed and
slid the photograph back into it's brown-paper sheaf. Hout and Schulze merely
glanced at each other and remained silent.
It had always been this way since Fort Bliss.

The cavern walls seemed to be metallic to Boy In A Dress' touch, the red nails that Dr.
Hout had puzzled over now looked like polished silver as they brushed the strange
surface.
The half-buried box lay just a few feet away and with a flick of his bare feet, BIAD
made his way forward.

Professor August Schulze stood in the corridor that led to the hold and licked his lips,
Hout knew this meant he was angry at Wigner's decision. "There's a craft of some-sort
down there and he wants to ignore it?" the thin-faced man who had discovered anti-quarks
for the Nazis whispered to the approaching figure.
Dr. Hout gently laid a hand on his companion's shoulder and shook his head in agreement
"There'll be a day when we will return my friend... one day" he answered and the pair moved
off towards the ship's vast hold.

BIAD slowly turned his head and waved his black mane from the view, there was something
else down here he thought. The dark sphere lurking in the gloom seemed to be watching the
Man/Girl has he manouvered to recover the two-feet long box, BIAD guessed the glass rock
was inside.



"I have and always will be your partner" a strange thought swam lazily into the hermaphrodite's
head as he pulled on the smooth-surfaced rectangle, the words made his fish-white hands
falter in their action.

"Come with me -my bride and we'll rule the universe as one" the voice whispered again and
BIAD pursed his red lips in concentration.
This was no time for madness he assured himself.

Dr. Hout removed the crystal from the weird-looking container and with shoulder-length
rubber gloves, placed it into the machine known as 'The Streamer' Schulze and Wigner had
been working on the device for months and convinced Colonel Groves that it would render
the large diamond-like element safe.
Hout still felt the sweat trickle down between his shoulder blades as he flicked the Streamer's
switch.

Boy In A Dress sat on the examination table in the ship's medical room and tried to make
sense of the last few hours... or at least the last two days he spent with the strange men with
the almond-shaped eyes.

(Continued Below)

(From Above)

(Click for music if you wish!)


Drying his naked form from a recent hot shower, BIAD wondered how -one moment, he was
at the bottom of the ocean and then in an instant, standing on a sea shore with long-robed
men talking in a language he had never heard before.

It was during his hot soak that a fleeting memory of something called 'Utsuro-bune' and
a round machine came to mind, whatever had occurred was powerful enough to make
the bare-assed Man/Girl fall to knees in astonishment.
##snipped##

He remembered the flash of light and he remembered the odd-toned voice... he remembered
a shape coming towards him.


Was this another symptom of madness?
Best not speak of it -he decided and felt a sudden need for something chocolate-coated.
I mean Gosh... it couldn't have REALLY happened, could it?



The Gadget moved off through the rend in space/time and wondered about the massive craft
that lay just-west of where it had encountered Boy In A Dress.
It travelled in space, that was obvious and there was something else, something familair
about it's lines.
The Atom Bomb slipped into another time and as it did, it's spherical shape altered and
became smaller. Small as a moth to be exact.
##snipped##

"You've done a man's job Sir..." the gruff-sounding voice came from behind Colonel Groves,
the young man knew better than to turn around and face the ones who were steering his
career. The hooded figures stayed in the shadows of the Monitor Room and Groves wagered
that there was three of them this time.
The smooth-faced Officer smiled to himself as he imagined what rewards his promotion would
bring. Whether the small strangers smiled too, we'll never know.



"...Take the assignment to Los Alamos and seek out a man named Robert Oppenheimer" came
the whisper in his ear and Groves would swear he could smell cinnamon.
Moments later, the Marine's senses told him that the small humanoids in their robed attire were
not in the room.
Gone back from whence they came he wagered again.

Groves stood up and switching off the display, he too left the room.

* ~ * Looky Here * ~ *

Stepping into a small clearing dappled with golden light the gunslinger rubbed his chin rough with stubble and summed up the situation. Two humanoids bound and strung upside-down by the live vines and just a man‘s height off the forest floor. Neno made no move to cut them free.

The man was huge. Neno swore softly at just how well he illustrated the word. In contrast the dark haired boy tied to him was all pup and colt his hands big, his feet bigger the rest of him long bones and rawhide. There was something familiar about the duo Neno couldn’t quite put a finger on but whoever they were they sure were in a doozy of a fix.

Rounding them full circle coming face to face Neno locked eyes with the man who returned the look straight on - kind recognizing kind. Neno ignored the boy with his locked jaw and chin stuck out in stubborn pride despite the evidence of his fear spewed soupy and sour beneath them. With a long drawn out whistle falling down the octaves Neno thumbed his belt loops and shook his head. ‘Nice day for practicing a little woodcraft.’

‘I’d be agreeing with you there man-o.’ The man responded calmly and nodding once said no more.

‘English. Lucky break that.‘ Neno scratched his chin crossing his arms over his chest taking a neutral pose.

‘It’ll do in a fix.‘ The man’s eyes nearly crossed before going mute once more.

He wasn’t going to give an inch Neno thought and perversely Neno was loath to be the first to break the silence. Stepping back the gunman trod on a tendril of vine trying to wrap itself around the instep of his boot. Startled he nearly drew down on the thing when it reared back, screeched and was sucked back into the underbrush with astonishing speed. Snapping his mouth shut Neno scowled fiercely, spit over his shoulder and shook his head. He’d have to do something about the damned vines.

His attention back on the captives Neno‘s eyes narrowed. The man was grinning ear to ear. Neno gave him that. Startled by a little vine? Neno’d a laughed too. Fleetingly he wondered what it would be like to have this man as a friend.

‘Either of you catch sight of a big green cat? Lots of tooth.‘ Neno held his hands up to either side of his cheeks elbows akimbo index fingers pointing down like Sslar’s long white fangs. Admit it, he told himself. He wanted to see the boy smile. It backfired.

Red mustache twitching the man translated the question in a language Neno didn’t recognize. Neno grimaced when the boys eyes bulge in fear a gob of vomit flying from his hair when he shook his head an emphatic ‘no‘.

‘Well then I best get back to looking. Loosing daylight.’ Neno dropped his hands and turned to go. He didn’t envy the man’s predicament but he liked his style. He hadn’t begged for help nor had he allowed the boy to beg for what he would not. A rare spurt of admiration left a dip in the corner of his mouth.

‘May luck go with you finding that beast of yours.’ The warrior called jovially, ‘And is there a name for it’s master we can be telling the creature if it happens by?’ His nonchalance under the circumstances added a layer of respect atop Neno’s begrudged admiration.

Neno checked over his shoulder before answering, ’The names Neno,‘ as he spoke his hand rested on the butt of his gun. Trussed or no people had a strange habit of reacting peculiar when they found out who he was.

‘Neno is it?’ Furrows creased the man’s forehead rumpling his brows in barely concealed surprise. ’I be Angus. This boyo here is Flint.‘ Argus didn’t stop scowling, neither had Neno who’s expression matched the other man’s.

It was hard to tell who was more surprised, Argus learning he was face to face with The Neno -or Neno who should have recognized the pair by their looks and manner alone. These strangers who were not strangers. Argus and Flint come alive from Adam’s stories. The two men appraised each other anew.

Flint couldn’t take it anymore. Panting out a string of unintelligible syllables Neno didn’t need to know the language to get the gist of it when the boy pinned his eyes on his hands, to their weapons laying just out of reach on the forest floor then back to Neno again.

Argus supplied the verbal translation. ‘You’ll forgive the lad but he’s wondering if you’ll hand him his sticker. The lad’s got an awful strong attachment to the thing.‘ Done asking what Flint could not Argus glared sideways at the boy and clenched his teeth over his lower-now-upper lip giving him a strange dog-will-bite appearance.

‘It’s the least I can do.‘ Neno replied, meaning it.

Kicking the machete aside Neno flipped the puke covered ‘sticker’ with the toe of his boot, caught it midair by a clean spot on the handle and wary of the vines wrapped around the lads wrists slipped the knife handle between Flint’s fingers waiting an extra moment to make sure they'd not gone so numb he couldn’t keep hold of his weapon. Thankful the machete was mostly splatter free Neno bent, retrieve the weapon slipping it neatly between his gun belt and pants.

Grumbling something under his breath Angus knocked his forehead against Flint’s who looked abashed then spit out rebellious ‘Thank You’ in Neno‘s direction. The ‘th’ fell like a hard ‘d’ from the tip of the boys teeth but Neno got the idea.

Tipping his hat to the boy Neno offered his hand to Argus. When the man lifted his great bushy eyebrows accompanied by a ‘I would if I could’ shrug Neno dropped his hand, tipped his hat once more and with a lazy spin on his heal melted back into the bracken as silent as he‘d arrived.

‘I’ll be coming for my knife before the days out man-o!’ Argus bellowed after him.

Neno didn’t answer. Neno smiled. He was looking forward to it.

.........................~~What, No Candles On My Birthday?!~~.........................

The hot breeze ruffled the young boy's straw-coloured hair as he gazed out past
the blade-like leaves of the agave, it was early July and the heat waited with him.



Jake pondered the flapping red cloth that danced on the branch of the stunted
Pinon pine and wondered if the stranger in the white coat had put it there as some
form of trap. The backdrop of this squirming scarlet lure offered thunderheads
that promised an evening storm, the kid knew he didn't have much time.

Jacob -or Jake as his Father called him, panned his blue eyes towards the small
building with no windows, the man with the Doctor's cloak had gone into town
and the kid watching from the scrub-dunes wondered how the ruse would work.

"Scientists are smart" Jake muttered to himself and guessed the distance between
the tree and the adobe property. Ten feet and a flattened meshed fence, the twelve
year-old made a silent wager that he could outrun the ambushing body-slashing
surgeon if he sprung from the shadowed door.
The red material with the thin straps beckoned to the boy with a flutter of it's hem
and with a resolute jut of his lip, Master J. Carpenter stepped forth into his future.



......................................

He was dead. Boy In A Dress contemplated what he had seen during his time
in the nightmare-world under the desert and calculated that he been killed.
Maybe the explosion had something to do with it -he guessed.

It was quiet in the void. Of course, Boy In A Dress had no idea he was between
worlds and realities, he just knew that he was naked and the sound of the explosion
still made his head throb. But there was a peace, a long moment of serenity that
would make any sentient-being smile.
Such is the way of the eyeless-fool with the nice bod.



The critical mass, the fissle material and something called plutonium were a mystery
to BIAD, he had been bundled into a car by Colonel Groves and the blonde-haired
woman from... the Man/Girl twisted his lips in thought as the galaxies turned and
twisted around him, he couldn't remember where he'd been kept.
How odd?



'Groves... yes that's his name' the hermaphrodite mused and placed his red-nailed
hands over his chest area. After all, it is said that the stars look down -BIAD thought
sagely to himself.
......................................

Jake heard the Hudson Commodore rattle across the cattlegrid as he was about to
reach for the red vest, it was a vest he was sure, no dress was that short.
Certainly not in 1947 New Mexico.

As the windshield fired a sundog off it's surface, the kid with eyes as blue as
the usual desert sky dove behind the large juice-filled agave plant and stifled a
sneeze from the rising dust. The heavens brooded above with brusied clouds.

When old-man Tibbit had owned the property, Jake had hidden his rabbit-traps
about the place and now he felt the uncomfortable jab of a stake that held one of
those snares in place. Grunting to himself, he shifted his weight and watched for
the evil scientist.
......................................

Boy In A Dress couldn't recall the soldier that had ordered him inside the metal
sphere in the desert. It was on the tip of his tongue... Graves, Grant or something.
This was getting silly -he thought and twisted his ruby lips in concentration.

A nebula-like flash caught his attention (not a difficult thing to do) and BIAD saw
a fleeting memory of himself laying on a table in some-sort of operating room.



He saw blue gowns and heard fake-soothing voices, they were about to do
something painful to him. The blonde-haired woman was there. the one called...
The name flapped away to dwell amongst the cosmos and the butt-naked Boy In
A Dress sighed to himself. He just waited for the next thing to happen.

(Continued Below)

(On From Above)

Professor Charles Shaw fumbled the keys from his elbow-patched tweed jacket
and stepped up to the door, the brown paper bag of groceries threatening to spill
out onto the arid red soil.
The test was ready and after the telephone call from Rosalind, the balding man
entering the lonely adobe structure felt confident that he was about to make
a life-altering breakthrough in DNA exploration.
As Shaw stepped over the threshold, the hot wind tugged the red dress from it's
moorings and carried into the laboratory on the scientist's wake.
Jake offered a surprised face over the jagged desert plant and wondered what to do
next.

"He's makin' a monster..." he whispered to himself as the low hum of electricity
throbbed through the sandy-soil. The lad had heard the rumours from his classmates
in Roswell and his Ma had once told him that the stranger called Mr. Shaw was doing
work for the Government, important work.
If it was that important, wouldn't the guy have shut the door behind him?
Jake elbowed towards the corner of the building and weighed-up the odds of getting
a look-see.

......................................

"Hello...?" BIAD called out into the blue-black void, vast constellations churned over
the Man/Girl's head as he searched for any company in his possible-bardo. Eternity
here would be peaceful -Boy In A Dress thought, but it's always nice to have someone
to talk to.
The nebula flashed again and this time it seemed that far to it's right, something answered
with a faint flicker of light. That was when the voice came from behind the hermaphrodite.

"We haven't much time, he's looking for you again" the golden-stranger said slowly and
BIAD wrapped his arms tighter around his naked body. The smile changed to a 'O'-shape.
"You have many miles before you sleep, my little diablo..." the soothing female voice
cooed from beneath the liquid-like wrap "...and every journey begins with a single step"



BIAD nodded as if he understood, but he didn't.

......................................

The first rain came around five o'clock and the ten year-old boy staring in through the
open doorway of the old-Tibbet's place reckoned he should call it a day before the
deluge came.
His Ma had already whupped him for coming home wet after helping out at Barney
Barnett's ranch and without thinking, Jake reached behind himself and rubbed his
rump with the memory.

The shadowy room that the 'Goverment-Man' had slipped away into held strange
devices with pulsing lights and coils of wires that snaked away into darkness,
he didn't fancy investigating further.
Quietly dusting off his off-white T-shirt, Jake carefully picked his way from the shack's
entrance and that was when he saw the Fair-light display.

......................................

The ghostly faces that glowed and faded past Boy In A Dress during his descent
showed time-hardened characters and souls of serious-thought, your strangers of the
future -the 'Golden Lady' had called them.



The flicker of light that had first initiated the appearance of the auriferous being was now
becoming as bright as a star and as BIAD had looked over his shoulder at the unknown
concern, the gilt stranger spoke for the final time.



"Take your first step my boy" the Lady had said nodded her leave-taking. At that moment,
BIAD began to fall.

......................................

The heavy droplets beat a staccato sound on Jake's small shoulders as he watched
the lights dance, the red and white orbs played just above his head as if waiting for something.
The lightning flash pulled the lad from his thoughts and with collar held tight, he set-off for
home.
The accompanying thunder rumbled that he had made a wise choice.



(To Be Continued)

***~~Distant Memories~~***

After the strange visit from Margot and Dag in her 'semi-sleep', Wild had fallen into a deep slumber. Her dream was one of those "seems so real" kind -

she was aboard a great ship - as a prisoner, being taken to the New World from England.

Her husband was also aboard - the scoundrel! the cur who had beguiled her - a young country lass gone to the city meeting a foppish outlaw - her cousin's brother in law. She had foolishly fallen for him, married against her parents' wishes - and her life had turned into a living hell. There was something to do with being in a cave, and having to forge a letter in the name of a courtier - telling a lie - to a king?

She found herself standing in front of a great assembly, as an Earl shouted her sentence - she would be sent to the New World, in exile....

Now there was the ship's captain - a man called Hilario - she is in his cabin, reading Shakespeare to him, drinking fine Spanish port - he has to go below? Why? The trap-door (escape in case of ambush from the door) opened - it was her husband --- he meant to rape her - to punish her!!

The captain burst back into the cabin just as he was shoving her legs apart - and grabbed him off of her - and took him away. This captain is her friend...a dashing Spaniard, he takes her under his protection...taught her to shoot, and how to pirate...but where was her husband?

Now their ship was being attacked and boarded by rival pirates who had overtaken them on the high seas - she is holding a pistol of some kind - aims it - and fires!

Wild woke with a start, sucking in her breath in a gasp as though she'd been underwater.

It took her a moment to get her bearings - where was she now?
Then she recalled what had happened before she fell asleep.....

They had been at the new Landlord's reception ceremony - there had been a giant green silhouette - The silhouette she'd seen was the same colors as Sslar, and they (the colors) seemed to ignite something in her. Something about...a 'Sisterhood'??....she couldn't quite keep a grasp on it, but when she had looked at the sleeping Brittle, there seemed to be an 'energy exchange' between them.....

What was it?
What had happened then?!

Ah yes. The shimmering shapes of two women had come into view ...
"You, too, are of the Sisterhood," they had raspily whispered. "There is one called Dag...another called Mucklebones, and a third called Gert..
Dag is now in our realm - or was, but now Death has her hostage. Mucklebones and Gert are still in your realm. It is imperative that you commune with them, to get a grip on ..." On something...what had it been?

Wild remembered saying she was confused...

"Of course you are," the ethereal entities had conveyed. "Gert is the one. Gert is the one who was meant to be Dag's servant. Now, since Dag has crossed over, it is Gert's duty to assist you. Mucklebones is aware of this; but her man is enmeshed in something else very crucial, and she needs your assistance to get on with the programmed plans."

"What plans?" Wild had asked them..

"Getting everyone safely off this planet. Everyone," she 'heard' in her mind.
The ethereal figures then faded, visually as well as audially, and Wild lay with her eyes wide, next to the still sleeping Brittle, and wondered where her 'father' Redbeard had gone.

Wild had then felt an overawing sucking at her psyche, and suddenly she was in the ether as well.
She had watched from outside her body while Brittle slept and breathed, ever so slowly. "What?" she had thought. "Sisterhood?"

She had had no idea, and still did not - but now, as the torches of the Deeps were lit by the watchmen, with day approaching - she looked over at Brittle - and gasped.

He had been her husband - on the ship! She hastily moved away from him and stood up, smoothing her clothes. She had to get away from him - but he had said that the new Landlord, the people on stage - were "his people."

Was she stuck with him, then? He had seemed smitten by her, inexplicably - what had caused that to happen?

There was something very peculiar going on here - and Brittle was part of it, so were the others - and now, so was SHE. She felt the blood drain out of her head, and turned and walked out of the chamber. She needed to find those other females.

They had to all get back to their ship - and her father must be stopped from getting the Diamond...
or was it already too late?

She wasn't sure what was going on, but she felt an irresistible urge to act, and act fast - and as she let the door shut behind her, she broke into a sprint, headed for the last place she had seen Alaag and the old man called Ben. Back to the chapel where Dorothy Goodyear had died.

When she arrived, however, no one was there.

........................*The Red-Nailed Finger Writes; And Having Written*........................

The books were stacked high in the shadowy room where Rebo's body had laid for so long
and the solitary figure that quietly read through the flaking tomes felt nothing to indicate
tht the long-dead Khalamzadar IV resident's ghost held any indignation of Boy In A Dress'
intrusion.
Somewhere among all these pages, something was calling to him.

He and Margot had parted after the visit to The Gemini craft, the artificial-female had
felt that Boy In A Dress was angry about something and felt it prudent to leave the heel-
wobbling creature to iron-out his own problems.
With a faint-whisper "Men!" Margot had gone to seek her own man, the far-more grumpier
Nenothtu.



The pliable lime-green flysheet proclaimed it's contents to be a serious document for
serious people, BIAD read the words 'Parliment Minutes No.20977.43' and opened the
binder.

... The more-mountainous regions of Euzkala hold an array of important minerals
for our industries and as we move further into space exploration, the need for quarrying
these deposits may require some relocation of our residents.

The urgency of forest-clearing has become a prime segment in the Parliment's
discussions.
Mar Tulin -Chief Pulifier of BioDiverse recently reported problems with fast growth of
the jungle material and an increasing amount of large plated-creatures being discovered
in the muskeg areas.
Some deaths of employees have occurred.

Maritime Corp reported to the Parliment regarding the issues with so-called 'Freebooter
Forays' along the Western coasts. CEO -Dove Cotter announced early this week that a
firmer-hand would be applied to eradicate the marauding 'Pirates'

The outbreak of the strange malady in the Cherman environs seems to easing.
The reknowned Physician -Jon Fuller spoke of the disease at The Bejar Conference and
assured the congregation that this 'Zom-rage' was merely a seasonal contagion brought
on by climate change and poor water purification.
The Parliment are well-aware of the breakdown of Cherman's slowness to redeem...

BIAD sighed and rubbed his chin, there were Council minutes mixed with personal writings,
all indicated that the-powers-that-were hadn't really took a firm grasp of what was happening
to their planet.
It seemed nature wanted it back and Khalamzadar IV society was slowly coming apart at
the seams.

The next book was bound in dark-brown cracked-leather and offered a feeling of age
and yet, quiet respectability, BIAD mouthed the simple-font title 'Holding Cabotage'
The inset jewel on the hardbacked cover reminded the hermaphrodite of the cheap rings
offere as prizes at Fairgrounds many centuries ago on Earth. BIAD smiled to himself at the
memory and stifled a yawn.

With a comforting feeling of warm weariness, he caressed the faceted-stone and
opened the book.

The Big Sleep Or Tales From The Library.





Pandora awoke to the warmth of Craddock's body beside her and
letting the remains of a strange dream drift away, she turned to
the man that she would use to take Death's place and tasks.
James Craddock stared into the eternal darkness of the Library
ceiling and wondered where it would all end.



"We should be thinking about beginning our journey..." Pandora
whispered and touched the well-muscled chest of her pondering lover
"...Even my powers are limited" she added and gently turned the chin
of the serious-looking human.
Craddock showed the eyes of an unconvinced partner and answered
in a low gutteral tone.
"If he discovers our plan before you open the Box, I'm sure the outcome
will be no picnic" His famous pencil-moustache twitched as he spat the
words.

Without a response, she rose from the bed and went to the drab-grey
cradle that held her baby, the child had grown alarmingly and the naked
temptress scowled at the long-fringe and ruby-lipped smile, it seemed
that was all the infant did... just smile and sleep.
But the son of Boy In A Dress was not asleep.

"This isn't gonna work..." Craddock grunted as he also clambered out from
beneath the satin sheets and began to dress "...You can't take on the
greatest force in Universe and expect him not to see it coming!" James'
voice became louder and the echoing halls of The Library didn't help.

The invisible trio of Death, Dag and Adam looked on during the conversation
of the proposed coup continued.

Pandora slipped into her favourite costume and smiled to herself,
James was -of course terrified, he was a humanoid imbued with beliefs
of mortality and weakness. Flicking back her hair, she wondered if she had
chosen the right one for the task.
"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy..."
came Pandora's reply "...a saying -no doubt, that you are familiar with?" she asked and
carressed the smooth lines of her leathered-body.
Craddock faltered in pulling his pants up and looked at the beauty with the
night-black hair. "Hamlet... Shakespear, but what's that got to do with it?" he hissed
and finished his dressing.

There were troubadours on old-time Earth that would have chirped a canso about
Pandora's looks, light ballads regarding her voluptuous allure and heart-stopping eyes.
Her skin was of alabaster and champagne, her scent was of fresh cookies and
blackberries growing along a forgotten highway.

Pandora sported hair that would roll like an ocean finding a deserted beach and just
like the soft-white sand that waited there, men would yearn to plunge their hands
into her mane and tarry awhile.

Along country lanes -these performers would have exalted the fascination that the
Great Pandora held over any male, maybe they would have sang her glory -to this day.
But all that died out with The Black Death... and I saw that highbrow rise, thank you.

With sultry eyes that hinted of she-wolves in winter, Pandora turned to the man
that she had just bedded. "Because within that quote lies our elucidation" she
whispered and closed the space between them.

"I am looking back to a time before-time, to a continuance that lasted eternity,
to a span of existence before existence... and all things pass" Pandora hissed and
James could see the gorgeous creature before him shimmer and fade.
"Death was there then, and so was his dirty curs..." Pandora licked her lips as if
she had tasted something foul "...The Wolves Of FourWays"
Craddock gulped and struggled for a faint memory of something back at Bisley Deeps.
Something he saw from the corner of his eye.



"The void waited and when I entered, it was the Reaper who took my arm to guide me.
All things pass" She whispered solemnly and the one-time business underling of Victor
Kershner realised that this was some-sort of prayer.
Pandora continued.
"Jenovah enjoys his machinations and froliced between realities. It was during one
of these 'jaunts' that he came across an idea... the undertaking of his greatest venture.
He would forge creatures in our image. All things pass" she sighed and glanced over to
the desolate slumber of her offspring.

"She's one high-toned bitch..." Dag growled and moved the magical scissors from one
hand to another "...but that don't make it right to kill her" she said to the tall figure
beside her.



The gaunt-ghost in the black robe glided towards the stone lecturn that held
The Book Of The Wretched and left a cold wake in his passing.
James shivered without thinking and reached for his shirt.

"The pact still resides on the bargaining table and forget-not the betterment
that the undertaking will bring" Death chided from across the room. Dag glanced
at the couple near the bed and still struggled with the idea that they couldn't hear her.




Adam tightened his lips and listened more of Pandora's story.

(To Be Continued)

* ~ * Back On Ship * ~ *

‘Jeni, how longs ’til rondy?’ Chumley mumbled over her shoulder watching as her fingers flew over the console under her touch. She’d spent her time grieving for Adam by learning navigation and every nuance of Ship she could.

‘The rendezvous?‘ She chuckled, ‘Another 12 hours hun. I mean Sir. Sorry Sir.’ She corrected, swiveling to him in her chair.

‘Chumley, what’s wrong? That’s the third time you’ve asked me rendezvous time. Come on give it up? What’s bothering you?’ ‘Is it something about your new look? Jeni wondered tipping back in her chair to get a better view of the Yydryl’s Chief of Security and Second in command.

‘Dis.’ Chumley’s shoulders dropped his hands spread indicating his body. While still green Chumley now sported legs, arms, hands and feet, even his eye stalks had become permanently bound to his forehead, two protuberances bulging above his flat nose. Gone was the big green ball with tentacles and a tail of the past. It was his tail she missed the most Jeni frowned, but didn’t say so.

‘You went through a big change guy.’ Her eyes kind and lipid with understanding forced his smile. A smile still gruesome she thought, wondering if telling him would make him feel better but she held her tongue. She didn’t want to change the subject.

‘Have you tried anymore virtual workouts? Newman said they worked great getting used to his new...self.’ Jeni turned back to her console a few finger punches and a virtual world splayed over the big screen to the front of the command deck.

‘See, this one here you can learn to box. Like he did.’ Her fingers punched again when he rolled his eyes. ‘And this one you can learn to fence.’ ‘No?‘ When Chumley didn’t respond Jeni tried another. ‘Look here! Virtual-mondo disk 23B? You can learn to play piano.’ Her eyes brightened when Chumley stepped up moving towards the screen.


‘Play piano? Me?’ His face glowed in discovery. He remembered the music Whisper used to play in her quarters at night while cleaning her guns. The ‘classics of Earth’ with the haunting melodies by earthling gods like Chopin. Piano. He liked the idea. Whisper. His face dropped again. Whisper.

‘I coulds try piano. Sure.’ He sighed.

‘You can do anything you want to Chumley.’ Jeni called softly her hand on his arm. ‘But you know that. So what’s really bothering you?’ Walking him off the command deck Jeni tugged him beside her until they were far down the corridor of the Yydryl.

‘Ship. She goes back into Ship. She’s tired of being ‘bound’ she say.’ Chumley looked around the hall half expecting Ship to answer. ‘yeah, she all Ship now. Back inside. She tired’a being Biped. Say she can’t stay ‘onto’ a things like dat. ‘Distraction’ she says.‘ Her friend would have continued to ramble if Jeni hadn’t interrupted him.

‘That’s her choice Chumley. She did what’s best for her. That shouldn’t make you sad ya know.’ Jeni was swimming in deep water here. They’d all assumed Ship and Chumley had experienced a...relationship of sorts in their new forms but she didn’t want to come right out and ask.

‘Ship gone. Whisper gone.’ Chumley’s voice cracked. Jeni’s throat swelled.

‘Ship’s not gone Chumley, she’s just different. Gone back to her core. She’s home again.‘ Trying, she was failing. His lower lip hung even lower than before.

‘Listen up Chumley. When you love someone you have to let them go their own way. Take if from someone who knows.’

‘You?’ Chumley‘s eye grew round his lip tucking up.

‘Yes, me.‘ She shrugged, strawberry blond bangs falling over her eyes. ‘I loved Adam. I loved him more than I can tell you...’ Unable to finish she stopped and caught her breath. Chumley squeezed her shoulder to continue. ‘And I’ll go on loving him until I die. But he chose Dag. He chose death. I’ve come to terms with that. He chose death and Dag. And for that, because I loved him? I had to let him go. It’s all about choices Chumley.‘ And those who get left behind...like us, She didn’t add.

‘I gets it.’ Chumley’s hand fell to Whisper’s whip forever strapped to his side. ‘I does. Really.’

‘Alright then.’ Jeni smiled, backhanded a tear from her cheek and leaned into Chumley’s shoulder. ‘Now how about you go start learning the piano. We’ve got a few hours before we need to ready up for the rendezvous and...’

!!!ATTENTION - ALL HANDS ON COMMAND DECK - INCOMING COMMUNIQUE - SHIPS ALLERT!!!

‘Damn it!’ Jeni swore startled by the blaring alarm system. They’d stepped away from command deck for only a few minutes and now this. Incoming communique? That meant a space vessel was close.

‘You have any reason to believe there’s someone out there,’ she lifted her chin to the heaven’s, ’that doesn’t want us here?’ Jeni’s look said more than her words. She’d paled, her mouth gone tight.

‘Lez go find out.’ Chumley’s eyes sparkled and took off back to where they’d come with Jeni tight on his heels.

..........................It's The Way 'Ah Tell 'Em.............................

The shadows of Death's hallowed Library seemed to creep closer to the
bewitching female in the skin-tight attire and even Dag wanted to leave
her man's side to listen to what Pandora had to say.

Adam offered a wary brow and and accompanied his dishevelled lover
to where Death waited near his lecturn, the dark cowl offered no view on
the coming utterance.



The last Keeper Of Hope continued.
Music to accompany the speech!

"The stars that vomited from Jenovah's fingers brought a peace to the
impenetrable blackness that stretched across this new realm.
Barren worlds spun away to find their place in the heavens and fire-
raging suns roared out like Kethner Dragons, there was a feeling of
'the real' -as Jenovah proclaimed"

Pandora caressed the stone plinth where the invisible invaders stood
and felt a fleeting touch of foreboding, she sighed with slow-closing
eyes and turned back to where the credulous James Craddock stood
at the foot of the bed.

"It was said that the age of a 'physical' era was at hand and the one who
sees all would give the gift of touch to those who dwelled among the elite.
We would know the wonderment of the Real and we would swim in it's
actuality... All things pass"

The Grim Reaper seemed to hang his head and glancing at the moving
hood, Dag wondered if -even he, had to acknowledge the prayer, the small
girl muttered the same words without thinking.

Pandora frowned and glanced from right-to-left "did you hear something?"
she whispered to the wide-eyed human with the unbuttoned shirt.
Craddock's adam's apple bobbed as he shook his head.
She went on with the only truth.

"The Creator of this new place divided the creatures that would shamble and
slither among the seraphic orbs. He made male and female, he made them equal
and yet different.
I recall him smiling as he passed his hand across the universe, his words
clarion-like, rang out and exploded nebulas in their wake" Pandora offered her
own look of genuine happiness.

Dag held the auric cutters before her and stepped towards the proud-standing
woman of everyman's dreams, again the words of the prayer fell from the
blonde girl's lips.



"All things pass"

* ~ * Searching * ~ *

Neno shouldered past Newman and begin swinging the machete against the cops of living tangled greens and browns where Newman had waited outside the clearing. Heavy, sharp, balanced - a perfect tool to hack through the underbrush. Neno was pleased with the weapon.

‘Wait. You’re not going to cut them loose?’ Newman hesitated before following behind the gunslinger being careful not to get caught by the vines snatching at him from trees or clipped by the machete Neno swung rhythmically left and right clearing their way.

‘Wouldn’t think of it.’ Neno replied without missing a beat.

‘Why not?‘ Incredulous Newman’s voice dropped like a stone.

Neno didn‘t stop or slow his pace. The sun of Khalamzadar had a way of dropping over the horizon like a marble rolling off a table and Neno didn‘t want to get caught in the jungle - unprotected after dark.

‘Can it wait ‘til we make camp?’ Neno didn’t stop chopping forward regardless of the twin holes burning through his back.

‘It can.’ Newman ground out through clenched teeth but didn’t question the man. Neno had him beat hands down in unknown situations, one reason he’d waited at the parameter of the clearing leaving Neno to investigate the pair hanging in the middle. What he knew was disc learning. What Neno knew, was craft.

The screeching sound coming from the vines as the machete sliced them to death became a welcome distraction over the gulf of silence between the searchers.

* ~ * Head Butt * ~ *

‘I don’t understand why you didn’t ask them about Silo’ Newman hung his head over crossed arms and legs from the center of a small ring of fires they’d placed strategically around a makeshift campsite.

‘You don’t understand? Ok, how about I show you. On your feet.‘ Neno shed his gun belt waiting for Newman to join him in the circle of fire.

‘Drop your shoulder and balance your feet.’ Neno instructed.

Newman did as he was told. Before he could ask another question Neno kicked out with a foot hooking Newman behind the bend in his knee. Newman all but toppled over his eyes blowing wide.

‘Change your weight. Your footing. That’s better‘. Neno corrected when Newman stood his left foot forward, the right back instead of visa versa.

‘What does this have to do with my question‘? Newman looked comfortable but wary.

‘I’m showin’ ya.‘ Raising his fist Neno swayed from side to side like a snake.

Before Newman knew what hit him the ground shrunk below only to explode back as he hit the dirt. Hard dirt.

Standing slowly Newman brushed himself off a strange smile peaking the corners of his lips. With a little nod he let Neno know he ‘got it’.

Throwing a jab Neno’s fist met air. His weight thrown forward with nothing to stop him Neno’s balance was off. Newman took the advantage his foot sending Neno sprawling.

Wiping dust from his cheek with the back of his hand Neno rolled over and smiled. The new Biped had game. This was going to be fun.

Ten minutes later without connecting a punch Neno wasn’t so sure it was ‘fun’ anymore.

‘And THAT Newman commentated with a blow of breath fueling a particularly powerful punch whipping Neno’s head back spraying blood ‘Is how George Forman knocked out...’

‘Ok ok, I get it.’ Neno spit. ’You know how to box. But boxing isn’t...’ The rest of Neno’s sentence whooshed out of him on contact. He’d hit the ground again.

‘And that’s a style of dropping the opponent I learned from Ultimate Fight Championship. The guys name? Ruas. Moves like a cat....’ Fists still up Newman danced from side to side panting and smiling.

‘Gimme a hand up.’ Neno grumped, shot his hand, his eyes narrowed.

‘Sure.’ Full of himself Newman dropped his fists leaning into Neno to help him up. He was positively jolly.

“Question is buddy,‘ Neno’s grasp was iron, ‘Have you ever learned to fight dirty.’ Saying it, he did it. Pulling Newman in striking with a heel kick to the gut, rolling his body for leverage and inertia Neno sent Newman flying through the air landing into a campfire sending sparks and logs flying.

Newman’s answer exploded in a rush of air, his back to the flame. ‘Not. Yet.’

Laughing Neno pulled himself to his knees feeling ten times more bones getting up than when he’d gone down. But the work-out was what they’d both needed. Sometimes male bonding meant spilling blood. Even if most of it was his. He cuffed the corner of his mouth the back of his hand a smear of red.

Brushing himself off Newman’s eyes sought Neno’s across the camp. ‘Neno. Why didn’t you tell them about Silo‘?

Camaraderie vanished as if it never was. Neno hated Newman in that moment. It was a fare question but he didn’t like being asked. Especially by Newman.

‘Newman? Did you see that guy? He’s HUGE. He could have busted them outta those vines straining to fart.’ Kicking the broken fire back into a glowing circle Neno continued.
‘And before you ask why he didn’t free himself? He was hanging upside down - and in a lot of discomfort I might add - to help that kid learn to get himself out of a bind.’ Neno dropped his hand from poking the air, his eyebrows rose when his gun didn’t materialize under his open palm. His gun belt lay at his feet. Neno swore long and hard calling himself three times an idiot. He’d disarmed himself while sparing. Unacceptable.

Shaking his head Newman dropped his chin, one hand on his hips the other hooked in his belt. He’d felt the change between them and the change in himself. A tension had formed thick and sickening. ‘You’ve still not said why.’

‘Newman, if there was no way I could,’ Neno corrected himself, ’if there was no way we could protect ourselves against that guy without killing him? How would Silo do up against him?’ Before this little arse kicking I didn’t even know you could bloody protect yourself.’ Neno thought it was enough. It wasn’t for Newman.

‘What is it you’re afraid of Neno? What is it you’re not telling me.‘ Enunciating himself clearly and clearly for the last time Newman repeated, ‘Why didn’t you ask them about Silo?’ Glaring, his dark eyes round with firelight glinting in their middle Newman didn’t blink, didn’t move.

Neno’s voice broke in the yelling. ‘Because I was afraid to.’ His yell grew to a roar. ’I know very little about this freak show of a planet. Very little.’ Neno’s trigger finger and thumb pinched an inch of air measuring smallness. ’And I know even less about those two hanging by their heals who call themselves Argus and Flint!’ Neno swore more roundly than before. He hadn’t wanted let that slip.

Newman paled his head slowed it’s shaking. The real reason was out.

‘Yeah, that’s their names,’ Neno’s finger stabbed the air, ’And the last thing I’m gonna do is tell a guy bigger than Chumley Silo’s out there - alone!’ Neno slapped his thighs and rolled his hat off his head. ’Look, I told him about Sslar cause I’d rather have them looking over their shoulder thinking whatever’s out there might be a Zang cat ready to make their life miserable instead of lost female. Think about it Newman. Think about what they might do to her.’ Neno purely blazed.

‘But those two are Argus and Flint! Neno! We KNOW them.’ Newman threw his hands up in the air in disbelief.

‘Are you insane? You DON’T know them! Argus and Flint were imaginary! Part of Adam’s stories. The stories of a crazy man, a dying man. Emphasis on story!’ Neno spit and spit again into the dirt the taste in his mouth sour and putrid.

‘You don’t know that.’ Newman’s voice was barely audible, his teeth clenched, his jaw shot.

Neno paused. ‘You’re right Newman. I don’t. But I‘m not going to risk Silo with unknowns.’ Slapping his hat back on his head Neno looked around seeing nothing.

‘I don’t agree.’ Newman was already gathering his backpack and jacket obviously readying to leave.

‘Then go back.’ Neno let the statement stand. ‘Here, take the machete. You’ll need it.’ Neno offered the weapon handle first.

‘No, Neno. I wont.‘ Pulling a pistol from his jacket Newman settled into his coat and cocked his head. Replying to the look of astonishment on Neno‘s face Newman smiled a bitter smile brushing his palm over his eyes. ‘You really think I would have let you walk out into that clearing without backup?’

Without pause Newman stepped over the fire and disappeared into the darkness.

Neno didn’t stop him.

* ~ * Waking Up * ~ *

Sslar woke slowly, her tongue stuck to the top of her mouth pasty and foul. She knew she’d been drugged, saw no reason to fight it, she couldn’t have if she’d wanted to. Queen Mag spoke true - Sslar was bound as sure to Mag as she’d been to Neno. Crawling off the stone slab she’d shared with Silo Sslar breathed deep, cleared her head and centered herself. Neno would find a way out of this mess. Of that she had no doubt.

Lapping at water in a weeping rush bucket in the corner Sslar was glad to find it sweet and pure, soothing and lovely on her parched throat. A large aqua leaf lay beside the barrel covered with small rodents and insects the size of her paw. A meal if not a meager one. Chomping away discreetly Sslar ate for the need of it while waiting for Silo to wake. It wouldn’t be long now. Her breathing had changed when Sslar left her side.

Voices from the outside of the compound rung through the morning air above the scattered bird calls and receding night winds. Cocking her head Sslar absorbed the sounds. Two males, a voice not changed, a voice deep and steady. Neither were Neno.

‘Ya did a good job lad. Even got us back home in one piece. The knife. It‘s yours.’ Sslar heard a boys giggle and snorted a ‘thanks‘.

‘Now off with you. Get yourself cleaned up and report to the Queen.’ Argus sent the boy off with a kick to the behind. ’And this time tell her the whole story!’ He yelled after the boy before pushing his way into the healing hut.

Sslar growled, the rough above her shoulders standing straight and stiff. Moving in between the intruder and Silo her shoulders hunched, ready to defend.

‘Why would you look at that!’ Argus whistled through the space between his front teeth his eyes squinting in the muddled light. Appreciate of animals in every form Argus clucked his tongue in admiration. This creature was big and beautiful as anything he’d ever seen before. Unhesitant he moved to her side his hand falling to her fur smoothing it down under a gentle firm hand.

“Why what a fine puss ye are! Green too!’ His eyes sparkled. Sslar all but swallowed her tongue. He was touching her. No one touched her. Neither was he afraid. And there was no malice in him. Not a drop. If there had been she’d not been standing like a pet under his hand.

‘Now what kind of slop is this my mother has you eating!’ Kicking the aqua leaf away Argus with a grunt of disgust scattered the ‘slop’ underfoot.

‘Listen here Cat. Now the boy’s home and distracted giving us a few moments of peace? It’s time to get some big food. Real food.’ Argus winked pointing at vine as thick as his thumb hanging down the side of his face in front of his ear that swung back and forth by his cheek. ‘Between this thing here, your fine self and me? We’ll find us something big. And bloody.’ His grin split when Sslar’s stomach growled.

‘Come on cat. The girl will be fine and I promise you the lion’s share after Violet here.’ He nodded at Silo curled on the bench his eyes growing soft and warm. Sticking out a fat hairy finger to push a stray stand of bangs from her eyes Argus stopped when Sslar growled.

Argus smiled and let his hand drop. ‘I’ll let her be. For now.’ Argus winked and strolled out the door and back into the jungle he’d just left.

Sslar followed.

.........................*Monologue Time*.........................

"There was joy in the heavens as the multitude of creations placed their
tentative footprints on the road to their futures..." Pandora announced
proudly.
"...It was a time for honour and hope"

Death seemed to sigh and as he did, he placed a gentle hand on Dag's
shoulder. " The time is near for your participation my dear Sister" he
murmered with a voice that would call to mind a thousand year-old
soul weeping in a forgotten mausoleum.
Adam saw his fair-haired friend hitch at the sad sound, but kept still
and quiet.

"Jenovah called across the void that all should go and find peace in
his celestial garden, they should meet in the stars and strive to be
gods -themselves" Pandora said and James Craddock felt a sudden
feeling of dread as the black robe materialised on the jewelled
-adorned dresser where his dark-souled companion often-enjoyed
preening herself.
Craddock moaned softly and began to pull the garment on.

"They would stumble and Jenovah would lift them up, they would
war and 'He-Who-Is' would forgive them and they would doubt and
their Holy Father would love them more. And all things pass" Pandora
raged as she neared her trembling lover.

Her hair seemed to radiate strands of blue-white light as The Keeper
Of The Fabled Box strode confidently towards the counterfeit Reaper
and for the invisible Dag, it caused her to glance over her shoulder
towards the real Harbinger Of All.

"Do yer' think he measues up?" she quipped and placed faith in her words
that the tall scarecrow in the black shroud would deem her query as
levity. Dag let a weak smile accompany the light question.

Pandora pursued her allegory.
"Like wallflowers in an Aldebaran Dance Hall, we watched from the
sidelines as these mewling beasts chittered and hooted at each other with
their suspicion of a divine hand in their creation.
They brayed agnostic locution into devices that could span their worlds and
poured their distrust of having such a gentle and wise begetter into clicking
machines that waited in homes for unsuspecting users"

Pandora's appearance seemed to be almost ghost-like and yet, Craddock felt
her raging force in a way that made her more 'solid' than ever before.
The sweating human in the dark shawl offered frightened eyes to the 'Light
Being' before him "And they were wrong?" his question whimpered.

Dag breathed in deeply and waited for Death's glamour to fade, she would
look the female deity in the eyes during the slaying -she had promised herself.
The deal would be struck.



"I... I can't do this " Craddock sobbed "If we fail I will spend eternity in Hell" he
added and with sagging shoulders, allowed Pandora wrap her arms around him.
The watching Reaper seemed to snort softly and it was only Adam that actually
heard it. "Humans" the Reaper hissed almost imperceptively.



Pandora leaned forward and licked the sheened-sweating forehead of her
lover and enjoying the exquisiteness of the delicacy -for this was the only true
currency of this reality, she delivered the final part of her story.

"You became captivated with materialism, the evolution of your kind brought
you to seek solace in physical wealth and trappings that carried a false
happiness, a ersatz God... you lost your way -my dear James" she said smugly.

"I took the hope that you and other races had been given and became guardian
of that particular faith. It was agreed that I and I alone -would know of it's
whereabouts"
Pandora touched the tear-soaked face of James Craddock and produced her
gorgeous reptile-smile.



"Then Jenovah in his wisdom, began his musings of a being that would
shine a path back to the one-true way, an immortal who could see sin and
goodness and strive to bring the universe back from the edge of oblivion"

Dag mumbled a prayer for assistance in her task and raised the golden scissors,
her hands were coated in the same 'ointment' that Craddocks' head produced
from it's pores, but she pressed on.

Pandora also.
"But there were complications and this so-called 'Advocate Of Suffrage' was
lost to the Almighty along his journey, I suspect foul-play" she tittered as she
stroked the damp hair of her lover.

The Book Of The Wretched suddenly began to flutter it's pages and this caused
all three of the 'eavesdroppers' to turn to the stone plinth, thus missing Pandora's
final words.
"The time of The Neo became and the age of blind-faith fell, all things pass" she
whispered.

"Do it now!...for your souls and for your Sisterhood" Death snarled and ended
the spell of invisibility, all things do truly pass.
And the blades tore into the perfect skin of Pandora.

~~~~~~There Was A Time When Visitors Used To Knock!~~~~~~

Professor Charles Calvin Shaw stepped up to the large bubbling
tank of synthesised nucleic-enriched fluid, straightened his tie
and wondered if he was correct.

If Crick's theory was valid, then Shaw would produce -through a
small burst of electricity and a slight alteration of the Prokaryote
coding, a triple-strand helix that should never exist in nature.
The balding man in the lonely New Mexico building breathed in
deeply and reached for the Main Voltage switch.

It was 1947 and the desert was cooking-up one of it's Summer
storms oustide. Charles had returned from his grocery run in
Roswell just as the first of the gusts and drops of sparse rain had
begun, the inside of small adobe building now sounded like
a child's tin-drum.
The glass container waited near the gadgets and gizmos that
Charles had managed to beg-steal and borrow from the Fort Bliss
laboratory, the streams of bubbles in the blue liquid brought a
peaceful feeling to counter the potenial-tempest outside.

DNA. The road map to who we are -the scientist thought and
cranked the dial like a modern-day Frankenstein.
A small prayer went out to Rosalind Franklin.

It was blue, the galaxies and that nice 'golden' person had fallen
away and now Boy In A Dress was in blue. A bubbly-blue to be exact.



A shape moved ghost-like through the blue and BIAD reckoned it was
a man, the white coat tickled his memory and brought a puzzled
look to that half-hidden face.
There was something else, but the thought slipped away, something
about a uniform and blonde hair.
BIAD leaned forward to see if he could get a better view of the
mysterious phantom beyond the bubbled-veil, maybe he was still
in the 'here-after' and the stranger was...



Again, Boy In A Dress frowned, the stranger was who? The vague
shape moving around out there was who?
BIAD's mind raced with confusion and even-though around about
this time, most humans would be concerned about the lack of
air-breathing availability, the naked creature in the vat of gloop
merely reached up and rubbed his chin.

During the official Hearing, where Professor Shaw explained how
the experiment got out of hand and the explosion occured, the
Committee asked several times what exactly the middle-age man
with easy smile -was creating.
Thanks to certain parties at Los Alamos, the sitting Committee
were advised to 'bypass' the specifics of Dr. Shaw's work and
so they had moved on to the wreckage discovered later on a ranch
nearby.
Mac Brazel's ranch to be precise.

Boy In A Dress leaned forward to meet the man behind the bubbles
and that was when all hell broke loose -so to speak.



Now whether it was a slight flaw in the glass tank's surface or a
small crack that had always been there, which would explain why
Corporal Stevens at Fort Bliss had been overtly-keen on providing
Shaw with that particular large glass tank -we'll never know.
I favour the idea that BIAD used his fingernails, but I won't swear
on it.



The tank burst and it's contents poured out onto the snaking cables
and bulb-flashing machinery. Again, as agreed in another Hearing
(one that the public weren't invited to)... this was when Boy In A
Dress was supposedly 'born'

At that point, Professor Charles Calvin Shaw wet himself.

* ~ * BackTrack * ~ *

‘Neno was scared...for Silo.’ Newman muttered under his breath plodding over his own footsteps toe to toe and back to where he'd last seen Argus and Flint hanging from the live vines.

‘Makes sense,’ he continued, his own voice a welcome companion against the whirring and chirping night insects, the unfamiliar sounds circling him in all directions. ‘Scary place, dangerous surroundings. And these bloodsucking vines!‘ Newman nearly tripped over a thin lash of green trying to wrap itself around his ankle. He’d stopped to check his coordinated for the supplies Silo and he had hidden near the rendezvous site. He wouldn’t make the mistake of standing still again.

‘The rendezvous!’ Newman swore and slapped his forehead leaving his fingers to pinch the arch of his nose. He hadn’t told Neno about the rendezvous. Hell. He’d have to get Argus and Flint cut down, explain the situation to them - about Silo (he had decided to tell them about Silo) and then return to Neno in time to lead him to the rendezvous and all if he could pull it off in time. Which he doubted.

Reaching the clearing at a jog Newman's stomach sank. It was empty besides a pool of something slimy covered in a blue black layer of writhing flies, pieces of chopped vines leaking vicious fluid and a pair of footprints leading in the opposite direction. Neno was right. Argus let the boy learn, let the boy win. Newman smiled. It was just like Argus. Just like him.

Crunching sounds to his right spun Newman in a circle his gun raised like he’d done it a thousand times. Backing against a broad tree Newman checked it for vines before pushing his back against the bark, rear protection. Whatever it was - was coming his way, making a beeline straight for where he stood gun raised and ready.

When it broke through the clearing Newman didn’t shoot. Didn’t draw a ’bead’ on the creature like he’d learned from practice in the virtual trainer.

Newman froze.

* ~ * Meet and Greet * ~ *

A cold draft prickling her skin Silo rose and sat on the edge of the shelf letting her legs hanging down to just above the ground. Dim quarters, chilly but blessedly she was alone. She had to relieve herself and without hesitation chose an empty stone container tucked in the corner and covered with a soft flap of fur. It couldn’t be helped.

Dipping a cup of sorts into the water container Silo drank and paled. Something soft and sticky scrunched under her food. A dead bug of sorts squishing red and green between her toes. The water hit her stomach with a wracking pain. Head hanging over the piss bucket she vomited and vomited again no power left to wipe her dripping chin.

‘Weak...as...a...baby.’ She moaned to herself what her body already knew. ‘Need food. Help. Have to find Car...’ Her thoughts too foggy to continue shut down.

Wrapping the rough fabric blanket around her shoulders Silo shuffled slowly to the door of the hut, pure willpower moving her on. Pushing away the flap she was faced with another hut this one glowing bright and warm from door and window the smell of food and wine rich on the air.

Her mouth watering, her stomach still cramping, her resolve all but gone Silo forced herself to take the few steps from door to door, shouldered her way under the hide flap and stumbled in.

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...~There Are Two Things Certain In Life And One Of Them Is Taxes~...

The killing was fleeting. In the movies of the 21st Century, death is a dramatic
act and often there is climactic music that gives the viewer the impression
of excitement, but as Dag pushed her aching body away from the
blood-spattered Pandora, she felt no such elation or victory.
With self digust and wished to be in another place.

The long-haired woman in the tight-fitting corset had shown no sign
of defending herself, the eyes that had beguiled males across the universe
and beyond had only shown surprise. Surprise and a tinge of hate.
The shears had torn and ripped, ripped and torn. Dag accomplished the
duty with soft moans of remorse to herself as the blades did their
imbrued work.

How long did the murder take...? a few Earth seconds or a thousand
Martian years. It's all the same to the soul.

The golden scissors made a scittering sound as Dag threw them away
in guilt. The blades went under the bed where Craddock and Death's
'companion of the heart' had been and became still.
Both points facing the shivering male in the fake Reaper costume.

Adam -though a Doctor and in his past had been dragooned into Death's
tasks of slaying and mayhem, also looked on the lifeless corpse of the
beautiful deity with self-loathing and shame.
The pact had been seen through, but was it worth it?

Death merely waited near the granite lecturn until the task was finished,
although he did turn towards the crib for a moment, but it was fleeting.
A shadow, just a shadow -Death mused and brought his attention back
to the scene before him.



Taking the child had been... well, child's play The Splitter thought and
slipped away into time.


"I... I have done the deed..." Dag croaked from the stone floor of the Library,
her cheeks betrayed the tears that she had shed in her degradation, but she
carried her burden -she told herself. She had seen it through.
"...We can go now?" she looked up at the motionless King Of The Shadows
and licked her lips.
She could taste blood.

Death ignored the female with the blood-soaked fair-hair and slid without a
sound across the cold stones to where Pandora lay, blood also waited in
her tresses.
"You evoked this..." Death yelled to the white-face of his only love
"...Your trickery failed you and now, the consequences..." a bony hand
moved up and down above Pandora's prone body to indicate what he
meant "...are for all to see"

Skinny broomstick shoulders moved as if trying to witch-away into an
imaginay Halloween eve and Death's hood moved closer to the doll-like
face of The Keeper Of The Box.
"I have heaped sadness upon centuries and I have brought oceans of tears
to wash at my feet, yet on this hour, I feel nought but sorrow bind these
weary bones" Death muttered "All things pass"



Dag shuffled over to where Adam stood and using his outstretched hand,
she clambered to her feet. "We are done... yes?" she asked with a hoarse
rasp and then her attention was caught by the sound of soft sniffles near
the bed. James was crying again.

The three figures turned towards the trembling James Craddock and even
though the moment hung heavy with seriousness, Adam would silently
wager that The Grim Reaper was showing an evil smile beneath that midnight
cowl.
Craddock seemed to be certain of it and sunk to his knees sobbing.

"Our alliance has ran it's course and so to my part of the bargain" Death boomed
across the shadowy room "But there is propriety to honour" the voice of Doom
became softer and seemed almost kind.
"Please... wash the gore from yourself at the dresser, for fresh water awaits" Death
offered pleasantly.

Dag glanced at Adam and the two silently agreed to go to where the bureau-and
-mirror sat on the far side of the Library. The spider-webs of diamond necklaces
and Chamine Crystal carcanets drew their thoughts away from the pencil-thin
moustached gent with the terrified eyes.

"Well-well-well, here we are" Death whispered and everyone in the room could
feel the viciousness coiled around every word.

"Oh God, please-please don't kill me!" Craddock screamed and began to crawl
towards the sackcloth robes of the owner of The Library, the big Kahuna with
the ebony hood.
Spittal fell from his lips and the great charmer-in-life now cowered and begged
for forgiveness.
'No chance' thought Adam and cooled his neck with a damp cloth from the
slate-grey bowl on the dresser.

"I beg you, I'll do anything, anything... just don't hurt me" Craddock mewled
and splayed himself at Death's feet, the act was desperate and for a moment,
Dag felt sorry for the poor man.

The towering shadow seemed to give off waves of hatred and cruelty and the
two onlooking guests in the Library watched with scared eyes as Death
crouched to lift Craddock's trembling chin from the floor.
The same guests expected that no quarter would be given.

"So you believed to take my mantle and undertake my duties, to perform
my service in a manner befitting it's seriousness, no?" Death whispered into
the tear-soaked features of the human before him.
"It's quite a responsibility and requires an eternal patience... do you own such
capacity for this appointment, Mr. Craddock?"



James merely wheezed his breath and offered wide terrified eyes, it seemed
his faculties were unavailable at this point. The darkness of The Reaper's hood
merely waited for an answer.

Dag ran her fingers through her damp hair and pondered what the poor child
in the nearby crib was enduring, she hadn't seen Pandora's issue yet and was
curious of it's appearance, the empty pillow looked back.
" The baby, the baby has gone" she said and checked Adam with a concerned
look, but eyes quickly scanned to the squatting Master of Extinction.

The moan began the way wind sometimes creeps around eaves as Fall hurries
in after a poor Summer. The sound told of old age and the awful ticking of The
Deathwatch Beetle, it called to the heart and soul of any creature that is self aware.
Then it became louder.

(More Below)