<meta name="LineWrap" content="true"><TITLE>SR_Bk1 0163</TITLE><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0164.txt">Next (Page 164)</A><BR> "So anyway, V and Vike are using superstrength to rip the cables and chains and stuff out of the docking mechanism and attaching them as tow cables. I'm gonna go help them soon--I'm naturally superstrong, you know."<P><P>"Yes, we know," Treyess said. <P><P>"Oh!" Den said. "We picked up another survivor! We found her hiding behind the front desk of a motel in Sapsip. She seemed awfully confused. Her name is 'Sleep' or something. You know, sleep, like what you guys were just doing before I rudely interrupted you. She has cool hair."<P><P>"Don't worry about it, Nevrippa," Treyess said, sitting up a little. Ferrajalt cringed as her body was revealed up to her bellybutton. <P><P>But then, the Prince thought, she didn't have anything to be embarrassed about.<P><P>"We did sort of leave you all hanging," Treyess continued. "We'll try and get back soon. Now where are we getting back to now?"<P><P>"Oh!" Den said. "Our new leader, Mr. Ledrant Hate, has moved the base of operations to his Warhome on the river, right by the Repsiridescent. So just come on up river."<P><P>"Yeah," Ferrajalt said. "So what happened with this Hypergod guy? You beat him up?"<P><P>"Oh yeah! You know, he came up to me and V in the van and said he felt like doing some killing. He said we weren't included in the bargain he made with you guys, since we weren't in the room, and he ripped that van in two almost, and was serious. Lucky I'm such a healthy girl. He tried to disembowel me--he wasn't kidding around. It did kind of tickle, but he didn't laugh when I punched through his armor and squished gore. Screamed, that bastard did. I ruined him. I think he's still alive, though."<P><P>"V was okay?" Treyess asked.<P><P>"Yeah," Nevrippa Den said, "he kind of backed off--well--kind of ran at full speed away from the fray. Did see something funny though. Did see that cube of his arch up and get all prickly and colorful, and flickered up. He may have something there, but he didn't stick around to find out."<P><P>"Um," Ferrajalt said, "isn't like, wasn't that guy like as powerful as a god or something, or more? How could you have just beat him up like that?"<P><P>Treyess looked over at Ferrajalt.<P><P>"Now come on, my Prince--you know our little Nevrippa Den is a talented little filly. Credit where credit is due."<P><P>"Yeah," Ferrajalt said. "Well, he deserved it if he tried to kill you like that. I knew we couldn't trust that guy. The old 'following an agreement by its letter rather than its spirit'. A sure sign of evil."<P><P>"That it is," Den said. "That it is."<P><P>"Oh yeah," Treyess said. "That reminds me--whatever became of those four weird people you guys told me about? You know--the ones who were--the girl who was the guy from the future, in a future incarnation, who had time travelled back to--well, you know--what happened to them?"<P><P>Den nodded.<P><P>"Well let me tell you about that. From our Warhomes, we're scanning them all back at that Noyage Parlour, but no one feels like going all the way down to Hennonly to investigate. Let 'em die, for all I care."<P><P>"Die?" Treyess said. "Shouldn't reality just come back around them?"<P><P>"Well," Den said, raising her eyebrows and nodding in mock thoughtfulness, "it seems that Injy has revised his estimates a little. He says that this shaky reflection of Timber Serious may have only survived due to the supportive-array of Aconck or something. That is, this Earth's reality system was able to hang on by a thread due to Aconck, or something. I really try to understand Injy, I do. But so much of the time his figures and calculations fly right over my head."<P><P>"Like all of us," Treyess said.<P><P>"Yeah," Den said. "So it turns out we have to follow the Repsiridescent into the Office Complex. In the planes, y'know? But I'm sticking with the ship--I'll be attached to it, after all.<BR><A HREF="SR_Bk1-0164.txt">Next (Page 164)</A>