From: aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey)
Subject: Alethia
Reply-To: aaron@space.ualberta.ca
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 03:52:02 GMT


<The esteemed Julian F. Waldby gave me the alliterative quartet

lethargy lackluster liquid licorice>


Alethia was a quiet little Midwest town.  In fact, lethargic was more the word
for it.  Despite the decided lack of immobilizing summer heat, there was still
nary an inhabitant to be seen stirring anywhere on the streets, and no noise
came from any of the houses, for as far as ten miles from the center of the
town.

The townsfolk's lethargy was such that they didn't startle easily. 
Nevertheless, startlement was near to the emotion engendered by the
unmistakeable sound of bells and hoofbeats coming down the main road.

Said road had been paved many years ago, but was now cracked in numerous
places, and ruts were worn into the road by the minimal but regular traffic
into and out of town.  The horse-drawn wagon was a little unsteady, but its
passengers didn't seem to notice, being used to roads this poor and worse. 
Nobody was sufficiently roused by the noise to actually read the side of the
wagon, but if they had, they would have seen, in the best archaic curlicue
font, the words:

ZURCHER AND CANONACO

LIQUID LICORICE DELIGHT

and a listing of prices for various sizes of Liquid Licorice Delight and a few
other assorted products, such as the more familiar string licorice in various
lengths.

In any other town, the wagon would by now have attracted a following of
children, eager to sample the licorice and pet the horse, which was a novelty
in many areas.  But not in Alethia.

The two sitting atop the wagon, one holding reins and one not, displayed no
surprise at their lack of reception.  The most Alexis Zurcher would allow
herself was a small amount of resigned dismay.  "This is the worst yet," she
said.  "He's been through here recently, maybe in the past few days.  We're
catching up to him, Soledad."

Soledad, the one holding the reins, nodded.  He didn't mention that one of the
beneficial side effects of their quarry's influence was the lack of reaction
to his Hispanic features and accent this far north.  He hadn't appreciated
this fact until the events in Monette a week ago, but now he was glad at the
paucity of glances he was garnering.  "Think we'll get anyone to talk in this
place?" he asked.

Alexis considered.  "It wasn't that hard in Lennard, once we got some LL into
the folk.  That was the main obstacle, and a really determined pitch can
probably get through even their dim brains."

They fell silent again as they chimed their way into town.  They let the horse
slow to a walk, to give the townspeople more time to become aware of the
strange presence in their midst, and hopefully take in the writing on the
wagon.  It would have been more likely to penetrate if they'd had time to get
it done in neon or something, but there just hadn't been the time.

She needn't have worried.  Their passage was drawing a crowd after them,
although a silent and slow-moving one, that obliged Soledad to slow the
horse's pace so as not to leave them behind.  Eventually, they reached the
city center and halted in the middle of the square.  The crowd of followers
joined them, and spread out to encircle them in silence.

Alexis stood atop the wagon and started her pitch.  She extolled the virtues
of Liquid Licorice, using phrases drawn from old sales of Elixirs and
Physics.  She waxed rhapsodic over its curative and purgative properties, and
its stimulation of the body's natural energies, adding several comments about
its delicious flavour loved by children everywhere.  Meanwhile, Soledad had
activated a low-frequency sonic transmitted in the body of the wagon, which
was stirring the brains of the Alethians to life.

When Alexis finished her pitch with a flourish, there was a scatter of
lackluster applause.  It's working, she thought.  She leapt down to the ground
and opened a panel in the side of the wagon to reveal the Liquid Licorice
dispensers.  Soledad brought out a package of paper cups, and they both
started serving the Liquid Licorice to the townsfolk, who had lined up in a
spiral around the wagon.

Half an hour later, those who had first been served were starting to look
around them curiously.  Alexis left Soledad to deal with the last few
customers and approached the newly-awakened.  "Have you seen a man in a wagon
like ours pass through here?  With a helix pattern on the side?"  After
explaining to one of them what a helix was, they shook their heads.  As more
and more townsfolk regained awareness of their surroundings, she asked them
the same question, and eventually got some positive responses.  Finally she
rejoined Soledad and said, "Only a few reports, but it seems conclusive that
he's not heading north anymore.  He's turned east, probably trying to throw us
off."

"So he knows we're after him."

"He knows that >somebody< is after him, and there's no reason any of the
natives would come after him.  No, he's expecting an informed pursuit.  So
he'll be more dangerous now."

After thanking the townsfolk for their help, Alexis and Soledad set off
eastward, once more on the trail of their quarry.


--
---Alfvaen(Canadian SF Quasi-Activist)
"It's not my fault.  The orchestra has disappeared."
   ---Hector Berlioz
Current Album--George Harrison:Gone Troppo
Current Read--Jack McDevitt:The Hercules Text