<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0059</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0060.txt">Next (Page 60)</A><BR> Just realize that you have been but an enormously high-level reference for a great amount of time. That I found you is a miracle."<P><P>"If the world's ended, the universe, whatever, then where are we?"<P><P>"This is a high portion of existence, discreet from the universe. You were essentially dumped here as reality purged it's high sectors. That is, the universe over, a lot of unfinished business could be taken care of, you being a very small piece of business."<P><P>"Now, uh, Obfuser. Have you like waited like, billion of years since I last saw you?"<P><P>"Sort of, Daptin. But it's not as bad as it seems. You finally get to see me in a more appropriate form. Had I manifested thus in Spoin Hall, I would have demolished not just your planet, but most of your galaxy as well. Now, in this area, I'm free to be who I am. You can even touch me. Here, try it," Obfuser said, holding out his shadowy black hand.<P><P>Daptin reached out carefully and touched Obfuser's hand.<P><P>"I don't understand," Daptin said.<P><P>"I was wondering how it would feel for a human to touch me in my true form. You seem lost for words."<P><P>"It's just too much. Like, too much for my senses to even begin to decode."<P><P>"That makes sense. And to me, too, the sensation of touching a human hand in direct manifestation is intriguing. You know, no human could possibly be brought to a place like this. I certainly couldn't do it. So you being here is a marvelous find."<P><P>"Almost sounds like you wanna keep me here. I mean, not send me back, if there's no way to get anyone back here."<P><P>"Oh, worry not Daptin! I can reference this area as many times as I want, refinding you each time. Chronologically speaking, this is the first time. Or at least, the second or third. I don't know how to describe it in your language. It's very hard for me to speak in your language, but a challenge, since there are so many things to say and so few words to use. But anyway."<P><P>"So like, where can I return to?"<P><P>"Oh, anywhere Daptin. From the reference, you were in a bad situation when you left, so perhaps you don't want to return there?"<P><P>"Well, I'm not even sure where there was. I mean, like, okay--can you just tell me all about this damn Cup? I mean, there's like such mystery about it. Maybe you could lift the curtain?"<P><P>Obfuser turned away and looked skyward.<P><P>"Daptin, even I, an Ultra Occult Entity, have my limits. The Cup is too deeply referenced. I can only tell you a few things. Like you've discovered, displacing the Cup's spatial state will cause it to move in a direction I can only call 'cupward'. There is no apparent destination, only a direction."<P><P>"You mean even you don't understand it?"<P><P>"I understand some of what it does, but like I said, it's too deep to get at. That's why you survived--the depth of the reference required depositing you and the Cup in a temporary area. "<P><P>"And what about Tavmatey? Or the origin of the Cup?" Daptin said, rotating the cup in his hand, and staring at it intently.<P><P>"Well Daptin," Obfuser said, "Tavmatey Numblem was in a line with a version of you, but the thing is, with the Cup, whomever held it like you held it would have been the person she knew. If Jerald had bore the thing, it would have been him, see? A simple construct. Anyway, she is, in your contact with her, stuck in the near future as a high school student in the suburbs of what you know as Honorcora. The cup utterly reshaped situation around her. A funny effect."<P><P>"How could we rescue her?" Daptin asked.<P><P>"Hard to say. I would have just used the vocal link to make a full-info fill, bringing her back, but I guess you wouldn't know how to do that."<P><P>"No," Daptin said, still a little dazed from disappearing back.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0060.txt">Next (Page 60)</A>