From: hutch@ibeam.intel.com (Steve Hutchison)
Subject: [KQ][TGMOAB 7.y] Interrogation
Organization: Intel Corp., Hillsboro, Oregon
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 08:27:01 GMT


>>"So you are Silken.  Wake up.  You've got some explaining to do."

> [ Silken comes to. ]
>   Kron.
>  Suddenly Silken's mind became more fully aware.
>  "Where is Kron? Gods above, will he live? Please, stranger, you must
>tell me!!"

>   Silken's gaze shifted from side to side, looking for the former
>guardsman with a sense of fear for his friend's life.

>  Silken looked at 'Raelf's face. His mind reached out again, but this
>time with more common sense. He felt 'Raelf's answers that might have
>been coming. Kron would live, but he was very badly beat up. Also, he
>learned 'Raelf's name.
>  "'Raelf?" he said, attempting to pronounce the apostrophe.

"Not bad.  Just a slight exhale on the 'R'.  Now, except for the rasty
black duds you seem to fit the description of an elf named Silken.
I heard from ...sage that you were one of the good guys.  What's the
idea attacking Kron?"

Silken shook his head.  "He mustn't do it.  I had to stop him."

"Do what?"

"He mustn't find his sister."

"You're too late, dude.  We already did that scene.  She's been set
free.  All done deal."

"Then we're doomed."

Rhoan startled back, keeping his sword at ready.

"What do you mean?"

Silken looked around, warily.

"It's not safe.  Here."

The elf reached a third time with his mind, pausing at the surface of
the blond man's thoughts.

<<Just keep your two bits worth at the surface.  It's dark and nasty
 and full of hideous things down below.>>

-- A demon named Tangthara.  Sorceror called him - some kind of deal,
   exchange of power, only the thing in the pool kept him from calling
   it here, but now it's too late, she's been stunned and he can call
   call it here.  I had a precognition {flames, a city twisted and
   enslaved by a monstrous presence which fed on the despair of the
   people within, while everywhere else things died in involuntary
   sacrifice to its power} but Kron could stop it if he just didn't
   meet his sister.  Too late --

<<Bummer.  Dude, that's a 65% chance of coming off.  There was no track
  where he didn't meet his sister.  But I'll trade visions with you.
  This had a 98% chance of coming off - branch was Kron NOT freeing her:
   {Cheyenne and Kron, together.  Kron in charge.  It didn't take long.
    Between them, holding the other minds down, making them subservient.
    Clean up the city.  Reaching out.  Not just emotions.  Rule their
    waking thoughts.  Guide them.  Make them obey.  Make them come, we
    grow hungry.  Come to us, come to Mother, feed us.  Bring others.
    Good, bring them all - Rameshan, the Islands, the cat people of
    the plains, draw them all.  We love them all, each of our lovely
    sweet children, good enough to eat.  All of them.}
  Yick.  No thanks.  You wanna look again?>>

There was a flicker, and where 'Raelf had stood, there was a bipedal
feathered lizard, covered in soft grey plumes, deep violet eyes that
had a rainbow glow.  Rhoan startled.

<<Silken, pay attention, I'm still here, I just changed shape.  Open
  up . your . mind . . . See the future branching, there before us.
  See, time knots and twists here, loops on itself, but it sorts out.
  There, your demon.  Let's look back.  Good.  You see what to do.
  Act at this juncture.  Go.  Do it.>>

The bird-lizard looked at 'Rhoan.  "Set him free.  He has something
very important to do."  The voice was a bell-clear alto warble.

The ranger stared.  "'Raelf?  Is that you?"

"Yes.  Go ahead, let him go."  FLICK - the surfer was back.

"Silken, get a move on dude, surf's up!"  He grabbed the staff and
snapped off the restraint field.
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