<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0094</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0095.txt">Next (Page 95)</A><BR><P><P>They eventually found the way hard going--it seemed the slay balloon's intensity was so great near the epicenter, that it left only smooth ground--but beyond a few miles, tangles of broken trees made travel difficult.<P><P>"This sucks," Fake said.<P><P>"It would suck even worse if you were trapped on this shithole forever, which is what'll happen if I slip away while we're standing still," Daptin said.<P><P>"Yeah great, but do we have to travel so fast?" Fake said.<P><P>"Let's err on the side of caution, little one," Kesh said, floating easily over a fallen tree.<P><P>Fake climbed over the tree with some difficulty, saying "Yeah, but Daptin, didn't you say it would be like eight hours or something before it happens? I can't keep up this pace. I tried to ride on my cinder block, but I'm too heavy!"<P><P>Daptin looked over at her, her cinder block hovering close nearby. Then he looked ahead at the unconscious form of Jerald Hapal Hatch, floating along, shot through with vectors from Kesh.<P><P>"Yeah," Daptin said, wiping some sweat from his forehead. "This is pretty rough going. But it's not like we're on an innocent hike. We're in pretty deep shit here, Fake. We're talking like never ever getting home if we're not careful."<P><P>"Ha! You'll get back no matter what! You've got the Coffee inside you," Fake said.<P><P>"Not necessarily," Coabler said, bounding over a tree trunk. "If Daptin isn't moving at the moment of return, he too may be left behind."<P><P>Daptin looked ahead at Coabler, not too thrilled to hear that.<P><P>"But uh, Coabler," Daptin said, "couldn't you just use your power then? Move toward the Cup?"<P><P>"That's what I have been doing for a long time, green. It took us eighty years to find it. You fancy trekking another eighty?"<P><P>"Good point," Daptin said. "But you know what I was thinking--like Kesh, could you maybe, I dunno, float a log and let some people ride on it or something?"<P><P>Kesh paused in midair, turning to face Daptin.<P><P>"That's not a bad idea. I thought of it myself, not too long ago, but there are a few problems with it. First off, I have my limits--I certainly couldn't carry everyone. Also--since we're being so purist in terms of travel, could riding a log animated with vectors be the wrong sort of travel?"<P><P>"So what about Jerald?" Fake asked.<P><P>"I'm carrying him, not a log. If he were conscious, I don't think he'd like the feeling."<P><P>"Not much," Fake said, smiling, recalling the creepy feeling of Kesh's vectors.<P><P>"Let's keep it as an option," Daptin said. "But for now, we'll make due."<P><P>"The end of the quest," Classic of Logic said distantly.<P><P>"Who cares about the Cup anymore?" Demolish All said. "I wanna have fun in the 'regular' world, whatever that is."<P><P>"Hey you with the crowbar," Fake said.<P><P>Demolish All stopped and turned. "Me?"<P><P>"Yeah. I saw you blast that tree before. Why can't you blast a clear path for us?"<P><P>"The junk we're climbing through now is a result of your destructive wave. What makes you think mine will be any cleaner? Just do another balloon, kid."<P><P>"That would delay us a lot longer," Fake said, "waiting for the mass destruction to die dow. If you can't blast, it's no big deal. I guess I'm lazy. Always looking for ways to make this trip easier."<P><P>"No big deal, there, chick," Demolish All said, continuing on.<P><P>"I wanna destroy more! Blast 'em!" Pantry Lurkin said, riding on Mallie's shoulders.<P><P>A few members of the party chuckled, but a moment later, a booming voice, deep and resonant, announced "It's Millicent!"<P><P>"Who said that?" Pattern Integrity said, looking around in confusion.<P><P>Ahead of them, the whole group saw a young woman standing on top of a fallen tree trunk, smiling and looking around. She wore a black overcoat, had a round face with neat, straight, long blond hair.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0095.txt">Next (Page 95)</A>