So Far

Come to Spider Battle Part 2

Shisen climbed in to the APC and settled in for the ride to the transit pyramid.  Yorghi sat in the driver's seat her tail wrapped around its support column.  Occasionally she tapped the floor with the end of her tail to some music that ran around in her head.  Shisen was used to it by now.  Yorghi turned the seat around and faced Shisen with two of her tentacles back at the console behind her. "Joys of the HUD not having to face forward throughout each and every moment of every trip."

"If you insist.  I'll keep my skills to my swords and magic and leave the driving to you."

"I could teach you if you wanted.  It's not super different from a truck or a hovercycle.  I've seen you handle those efficiently."

"You're not entirely pathetic with your mechanical sword.  But still I'd prefer to take any duels that are offered."

"You aren't so hot compared to Daavi so I'd watch what you say."

"I have not weilded the sword as long as Daavi.  There will always be someone better at the thing you excel at.  Get used to is snake."

"What is this?  Pick on the Vernulian day?  You know, _that_ Thosl threatened to treat me as a snack if I don't watch it."

"Then perhaps you should behave."

"What?  <Stangling sound.>  It's a conspiracy I tell you.  She's maybe got the weight on me but I'm just as long as she is.  Now mind you that animal of hers could eat me in a matter of minutes.  I've seen that thing eat.  What did she say it was again?"

"A bear.  We have them back..."

"Back where?"

"Quiet Yorghi.  We have them back on... on... damnit.  I feel almost like if I unlaced my tongue and took it out I could read the name on it. Damn, that phrase is so familiar too."

"Don't get your brain in a tangle.  Someday you'll remember.  As to your phrase don't sweat it as they say it's a human expression, well without the unlacing bit.  I am familiar with the concept myself since picking up on the audible language bit."

"What's it like reading people's thoughts as a matter of course.  I know what people feel if I put my mind to it but to communicate by mind to mind and effortlessly, it's something I could only dream of and of course wonder."

"It's no biggie.  You have to watch what you're thinking to yourself.  It's not the enlightening event that some people think it is.  It's just like speaking except without opening your mouth except that when you mumble people 'hear' you all too clearly if they're so inclined and they usually are.  It does make some things easy though.  Things like relationships.  Words are so lacking in comparison.  They say that for the longest time we didn't even have words.  There was no need for them.  We communicated on thought alone, wordless thought, not the clutter that we have in our minds now like the primitive peoples."

"Well us primitives work with what we have."

"Do you ever feel that you have transcended your maker?"

"I couldn't say.  ...Intellectually it is somewhat demeaning to be made by someone who was made by someone else.  Whoever made me isn't like my god or anything but presumably he, or I guess even she, probably had their own god.  Personally though I care not either way.  I am what I am and I have no recollection of who made me or what I did before coming to this dimension so I would have to say that I am my own man and that aspect of the past is irrelevant."

The Teleport Transit Unit hummed to life and the rift opened within the containment rings with a thunderous roar that rolled off into the distance.  A Sphinx crouched upon a TK Wing Board looped out of the rift followed by a tank-like APC.  "That would be the squad that we were awaiting Colonel Gedd, sir."

"Good.  <Turns to the group.>  Excuse me, but I must speak with Granmarljin.  I have important news regarding your mission."

The Sphinx skidded the wing board lightly to a halt in front of Colonel Gedd.  "I am Granmarljin.  What news do you have for me."

"Greetings.  I am Colonel Gedd of the Tolkeen Transit Division.  The target you seek has moved from where the Intelligence Division first determined they would be.  They ran afoul of a Brodkil squad and accordingly moved their base camp.  I have the new co-ordinates.  <He hands them over on a disc.>  Not a huge difference but enough should I not have caught you."

"How fortuitious.  Indeed, how did you catch us?"

The Colonel beckoned to the other soldier, "Private Sanford here foretold that you would come through our gate here.  I'm just glad he got the day and time correct."

"Prophecy can be troublesome."

"Yes."

"Our shifter chose to come this way.  I presume it was the only choice given our schedule.  We will remain on schedule?"

"Certainly.  In fact this turn of events will give you a little extra time to reconnoitre the new situation."

"Good.  Well then we should best be on our way.  Thank you for your assistance.  And thank you Private Sanford."

"You-ou'rre uh, welcome sir."

"Farewell gentelmen."

The wing board lifts off and the APC follows it out of sight into the distance.

"Colonel sir, is this going to be a common occurence?"

"Yes Private I am afraid that we are going to see a lot of monsters come through here.  Come through everywhere.  This war is going to be messy.  We just have to hope we have chosen our allies wisely.  Guys like these are alright.  Monster is only a name less ignorant people applied to them.  But some are monsters, like those Brodkil.  They'd just as soon rip a man's arm off and beat him with it as look at him."

"Sir, in the next five minutes we're expecting a group of three Witchlings and nine Black Faerie."

"I think you'd best not be here for that."

"If you think so sir."

"Yes."