{"id":358,"date":"2026-01-03T20:35:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T20:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/piers-anthony-apprentice-adept-06-unicorn-point-anthony-piers\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T20:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T20:35:14","slug":"piers-anthony-apprentice-adept-06-unicorn-point-anthony-piers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/piers-anthony-apprentice-adept-06-unicorn-point-anthony-piers\/","title":{"rendered":"Piers Anthony – Apprentice Adept 06 – Unicorn Point – Anthony, Piers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Unicorn Point<\/span><\/p>\n

Book Six of the Apprentice Adept<\/span><\/p>\n

By Piers Anthony<\/span><\/p>\n

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CHAPTER 1<\/span><\/p>\n

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Stile<\/span><\/p>\n

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Stile took the Lady Blue in his arms. “Thou dost know what we are about,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Lady was fifty years old now, and her face was lined, but she remained beautiful to him. Her hair still fell to her waist, fair but seeming tinted with blue because of her blue gown and slippers. She stood slightly taller than he, because of his diminutive stature; it had never been an issue between them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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After a pause, she murmured, “I know, my love.” <\/span><\/p>\n

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“I will return in a few days,” he continued gravely. “Thou shallst have company.” <\/span><\/p>\n

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“True.” But there was a tear on her cheek. <\/span><\/p>\n

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He kissed her, then went outside the castle. There was Neysa, her head turning white, her socks falling down about her hooves but her hide glossy black between, and her mus- cles still firm. She remained a fine figure of a unicorn; as her kind put it, her horn retained its point. Stile mounted her bareback, and she trotted across the drawbridge over the moat.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa paused without being asked, so that Stile could turn and wave to the castle. A blue kerchief waved back from the window. Stile felt a pang, because all three of them knew that much more was afoot than this simple excursion.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Then Neysa turned away, and trotted from the Blue Demesnes. They were on their way.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“We have time,” Stile remarked, reverting to the dialect of his origin, as he tended to do when alone with her. “Let’s take the scenic route.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa played an affirmative note on her horn, and bore west. Stile, reminded by the sound, which resembled that of a harmonica, brought out his own harmonica and began to play. In a moment Neysa joined in, and they played a duet, as they had in the old days when both were young. The music was pretty, and there was an enhancement around them, because music summoned Stile’s magic. He seldom used it these days, because a given spell could be invoked only once, and he preferred not to waste any. Magic, even for an Adept, was often the last resort. But it was all right to summon die ambience without drawing on it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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After a while Stile paused in his playing. “I remember when you protested my power, old friend,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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She played a laughing bit of melody. She had forgiven him his power a quarter century before, at the time he made his Oath of Friendship to her. From that time on, all the unicorns of her Herd, and all the werewolves of Kurrelgyre’s Pack, had been her friends too, charmed by the peripheral power of that Oath. There had been no war between Herd and Pack, despite significant changes in their compositions as members grew and bred and migrated, and the Oath had become a minor legend. It had been the proof of his status as the Blue Adept, for only Adept magic could affect unicorns against their will.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Aye, I remember well,” he continued, experiencing the nostalgia of old times. “I was an injured jockey from the frame of Proton, discovering the strange new world of Phaze. I decided I needed a steed, and you were there, you beautiful animal, the finest of your kind I had seen, and small like me. I loved you that moment, but you did not love me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa played a note of agreement. Her horn was musical, but she could talk with it in her fashion, and he understood her well. All the advanced animals of Phaze could communicate well in other than the human mode, though not as well as they could by using it, because the conventions of notes or growls or high sonics were less versatile than the completely developed human languages.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“So then did I challenge thee, and mount thee and ride thee, and thou didst try to throw me off, and we careered all over Phaze!” he continued, playfully switching back to Phaze dialect. “I think I kept my place chiefly by luck-” Here she snorted derisively. “But then thou didst get set to leap from the high point, and I thought we both would die, and I let thee go-and won thee after all.” And she agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Then there came to me a woman, young and fair and small, and lo! it was thee in human guise, and I learned what it meant to befriend a unicorn,” he continued. “And now we be old, and I have my son Bane and thou thy filly Fleta, and they both be grown and have offspring in their fashion. Were we wrong to oppose their unions? How much mischief might we have avoided, had we accepted their pleas!”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa did not comment. She, with her unicorn stubbornness, had not yet changed her mind about her position. They proceeded a while in silence. Stile mulling it over. His son Bane had managed to exchange identities with his opposite number in Proton, who happened to be a robot: the manufactured son of the humanoid robot Sheen, once Stile’s lover. The robot youth, called Mach, had occupied a living human body for the first time, and fallen in love with the human form of Fleta before properly appreciating her nature. Across the frames, the robot and the unicorn-the impossibility of this relationship had been evident to all except the protagonists. Only the conniving Adverse Adepts, who sought to use the boys for their own purposes, had supported the union. Bane, in the robot body in Proton, had developed a similarly difficult relationship with an alien creature. Thus Stile had lost his son to the enemy. He had recognized his mistake, in retrospect, too late; the boys were working for the enemy, and Stile and his allies were suffering.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Yet now there be Flach,” he said, vocalizing again, knowing that Neysa would have no trouble following. He pronounced the name “Flash”; it was the merger of Fleta and Mach, with the hard ch become soft. “The first man-unicorn crossbreed, and a delight to us both. Perhaps in time he will develop abilities drawn from both our stocks. And little Nepe, in Proton-“<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa’s ears perked. She was listening to something. Stile paused, so as to give her a better chance; her ears were better than his. It was probably nothing significant; still, it was always best to be alert, because there were more monsters than in the past, and not all of them had learned proper respect for either unicorns or Adepts.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa elevated her nose to sniff the breeze. She made a musical snort of perplexity. Evidently this was not routine. “Do you wish me to intercede?” Stile asked. As an Adept, he could handle just about any threat from anything less than another Adept, and at present the Adepts were not harrying each other despite their enmities.<\/span><\/p>\n

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But the unicorn was independent, true to the nature of her species. She preferred to handle this herself. She broke into a trot, and then into a gallop, moving at the velocity only her kind could manage. Stile crouched low, hanging on to her mane, enjoying this run as much as he had her easy walk.<\/span><\/p>\n

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They broke into open country, much as they had a quarter century before, covering ground at a rate beyond the powers of any horse. The magic of the unicorn was not merely in her horn! This time she was trying not to throw him off, but to outdistance something. What could it be, that caused her to react this way?<\/span><\/p>\n

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Stile looked around, craning his head to see the ground behind them. But their pursuer was not on the ground. It was in the air, flying strongly. A small dragon? No, the shape was wrong, and the mode of flight; it seemed to have birdlike wings and a running body.<\/span><\/p>\n

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He ran through his mental repertoire of monsters, but could not find a match. This one seemed alien to Phaze. What could it be? No wonder Neysa was concerned; she did not trust anything unfamiliar.<\/span><\/p>\n

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He continued his effort to place the creature. It had to be something^. It had a body like that of a panther or lion, and a head like that of a bird of prey. It reminded him of the old heraldic devices in the history texts-<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Griffin!” he exclaimed. “That’s a griffin! Head and wings of an eagle, body of a lion!”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa made a musical toot of agreement and continued running at speed. She had known it by the sound and smell.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“But there are no griffins in Phaze!” he exclaimed after a moment. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Yet there it was, and gaining on them. A classic heraldic monster. Obviously it did exist here.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Stile’s brain was now racing at almost Neysa’s pace. Sparks were flying up from her heating hooves, and figurative sparks were emanating from his head. There were only a few ways that such a creature could be in Phaze. Was it possible that all the surveys of the wildlife of the frame had been wrong, and had overlooked this creature? He doubted that; those surveys had been competent and conducted magically. The griffin might be an illusion, crafted by another Adept. But he doubted that too, because Neysa had heard it and scented it; it would require an extremely thorough illusion to cover sound, smell and sight in a manner that would convince a unicorn. So it was probably a form assumed by some other creature.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A number of Phaze creatures could change their forms. There were the unicorns, each typically having two forms in addition to the equine one. The werewolves, who changed from wolf to man and back. The vampires, who were bats and men. And the Adepts, who could do almost anything they chose. But though the animals could change forms as many times as they wished, they were limited to those few they had mastered, and Stile knew of none who had elected a nonPhaze form. The Adepts could take any form, but only once. Thus it would be necessary to find new variants of the spell to achieve the same alternate form, which seemed like too much trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n

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However, a single appearance in this form might be enough, depending on its purpose. Why should an Adept assume the form of a griffin to chase another Adept? Was one of the Adverse Adepts breaking the truce? Trying to take him out anonymously, using this shape in case Stile escaped and tried to identify the perpetrator? That was possible, for some Adepts had few ethical scruples, but unlikely, because the Adverse Adepts already had the upper hand and were likely to win the complete power they sought, in time. They had succeeded in tilting the balance of power in their favor when they had given Mach and Fleta sanctuary. Now Mach and Bane were both working for them, and their facility with magic in this frame, and with science in the other, was inevitably growing. Stile and his allies were waging little more than a holding action at this point, staving off the reckoning.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why should the enemy try to kill him, when this would only stir up his allies to desperate measures, and change nothing?<\/span><\/p>\n

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Yet there was the griffin, closing the gap between them. “Neysa, I believe I should intercede,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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But she remained stubborn; she wanted to pull this out herself. She was angling toward the Lattice, that dread, demon-infested pattern of cracks in the ground. She had done that during their first encounter, trying to shake him loose; could she shake loose a flying predator? Since he wasn’t sure how to proceed, he let her try; if the griffin actually caught them, he would invoke a spell that would set back even an Adept. The truth was that a single Adept could seldom really harm another Adept; their magic tended to cancel out. That was another reason it was easier to abide by the truce; violation was not likely to be effective.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The shadow of the monster was coming close, and the griffin itself was descending, its front talons reaching down. Stile readied his spell, but withheld it; he did not want to affront Neysa by demonstrating a lack of faith in her effort. Now she had reached the Lattice, and her hot hooves were clattering on its pattern of little cracks. Those cracks were widening into crevices, and the crevices to deep clefts, as they penetrated to the center of the region.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Soon Neysa was stepping across enlarging gaps, and then jumping over them. The gaps were now broader than the landing places, and the ratio continued to shift. That was the devastating thing about the Lattice; the farther it went, the worse it got. There was a way across it, but that way was devious, like a route through a maze, and could not be navigated blindly. The griffin hovered above as if uncertain how to proceed; perhaps it was not familiar with this network. Then it folded its wings and dropped down toward them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa leaped down into a channel, surprising Stile. Now the walls of it rose up on either side. In a moment the two of them were below the level of the surface, and the griffin could not follow, because its wingspan was far too broad. Neysa had succeeded in avoiding it!<\/span><\/p>\n

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But at a price. Now the demons of this domain showed, and they were not friendly to man or unicorn. They ducked into cross-passages to avoid the spearing unicorn point, but only just far enough to let Neysa pass; then they closed in behind. She could of course run on through and up and out the far side of the Lattice-but the griffin hovered above, evidently waiting for that. Had they played into its trap?<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Maybe if we go on through, I can throw a spell at the griffin as we come out,” Stile suggested. “There has to be Adept involvement, so-“<\/span><\/p>\n

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She sounded a note of agreement. They both knew that they could not afford to dally long here in the Lattice, for the demons would surround them and set up a barrier to stop the plunging unicorn. Then they would have to deal with the demons, and it would be messy, because this was the demons’ horne territory. But this intrusion had caught the demons by surprise, so they had not yet massed or organized sufficiently, and would not be able to do so before Neysa galloped on out.<\/span><\/p>\n

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They passed the nadir of the Lattice, and began the gradual incline toward the escape at the far side. Stile watched the griffin above, ready to time his spell so as to stun it as their heads came out of the chasm.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Suddenly Neysa faltered. Her stride broke, and she ground to a painful halt. Stile was almost thrown from her back, because he had been watching the sky rather than the Lattice, and had not seen the obstruction. Now his eyes wrenched down-and there was no obstruction.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The demons were advancing, appearing from all the interlocking crevices of the demon warren. This was evidently no surprise to them!<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Neysa-what happened?” he cried, dismounting. He could see that she was in pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

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She changed form, becoming a woman of about his own age, petite and fit and attractive, but graying in the forehead, exactly as in her mare form. “Founder,” she breathed in anguish.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Now he saw that her hands were held awkwardly, the fingers gnarling, the joints swelling. Her feet, also, were swollen. She was in serious trouble. “Change to firefly form,” he urged her. “That will take the weight off your feet.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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But demons were closing in, and some had nets; they were prepared for this also.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Stile sighed. He knew better than to try to reason with this type of demon. He would have to back them off with magic. He took a breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Abruptly the demons froze in place. Stile gaped; he hadn’t done it! This was very powerful magic; who had interceded?<\/span><\/p>\n

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The griffin landed just above. It changed form. Suddenly a young man stood there, hair tousled, handsome.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Bane!” Stile cried, surprised and relieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“No, Mach,” the man replied. “I am sorry; I did not mean to drive you into the Lattice. I see Neysa ran afoul of the demons’ founder spell. My fault; I will abate it,”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Mach!” Stile said. Normally he could tell them apart, though they used the same body; their manners differed. His distraction of the moment had dulled his perception. “Why were you pursuing us?”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“You can be hard to locate, Adept,” Mach said with a smile. “The other Adepts watch you, of course, but I never bothered to spy on you. I prefer to search you out at need. So I assumed a form I knew you would recognize as alien to Phaze. But then you wanted to make a game of it, so I played that game. I did not realize that would put Neysa in the way of the founder spell.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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A game! Stile realized that he had been dull; he should have realized that. Had he just taken the trouble to sing an identification spell, instead of letting Neysa run-<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Dam Neysa, if I may …” Mach said. Abruptly the woman straightened, her pain gone, her hands and feet unkinking. The Robot Adept had freed her without showing any sign of magic; no sung spell, no gesture. It was a power Stile could only envy. Originally Mach had been clumsy with magic, his attempted spells going awry, but after the Red Adept had trained him with the Book of Magic he had become the most powerful of all the Adepts, Bane included. He should have been on Stile’s side-had Stile not blundered calamitously.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa resumed her unicorn form, and Stile mounted. They moved out of the Lattice. Mach awaited them at the edge.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I thought we weren’t associating,” Stile said with a smile as they emerged. “Aren’t you on the other side?”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Would I be, if we had the past five years to live over?”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“No.” Indeed, the major reason for Stile’s opposition to Mach’s union with Fleta had been nullified by events. He had needed an heir who was Adept, and offspring by that heir who would also be Adept, so as to have the continuing power to hold off the Adverse Adepts. He had thought that there could be no offspring of man and unicorn, and that a robot could not become Adept. Had he known what was to happen, he would have welcomed Mach as a savior, instead of opposing him as an interference.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I gave my word, and Bane gave his,” Mach said. “We would have chosen otherwise, and still our sympathies lie with you, but our word is sacred, so we work for the other side. Because the Adepts know we can be trusted, we have complete freedom.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I would not have it otherwise,” Stile said sadly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“But there are advantages for you also,” Mach continued. “Because of this, the Adepts are bound to take no action against you personally, and the children are free to visit you and Citizen Blue. We are also working to make the shift in power more compatible; the status of the unicorns, werewolves and vampires is being safeguarded. There will not be the disaster there might otherwise have been.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“But once the Adepts achieve power, will their guarantees be honored?” Stile asked grimly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Translucent’s will.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“But how long will he retain power, once the others see no further need for his leadership?”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“That is not our business,” Mach said, frowning.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“But it is mine. We all know the nature of the leadership I represent; none know the nature of the leadership that will emerge from the Adverse Adepts once their present constraints are gone, but it will surely be inimical to Phaze.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“My word binds me,” Mach said tightly. “I would not use my power directly against you, and do not use it for the Adepts, but to the extent they can profit from my contact with Bane, they are entitled. I think it is fair to say that this profit is significant.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“It is overwhelming,” Stile admitted. “If I can not stop it soon, I will lose hope of ever doing so.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I have no comment.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Of course he didn’t. He knew that what he was doing was shifting the balance to favor the Adverse Adepts in Phaze, and the Contrary Citizens in Proton, but he was bound by his word. Surely he hoped that Stile would somehow prevail, but doubted that this was possible. Thus had events mocked their preferences. “Why did you seek me?” Stile asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“It is personal. In three days Elach will visit you for a week, as he has been doing every month. We are concerned about him, and hope you can help.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Flach is a fine lad,” Stile said. “A joy to Neysa as much as to me, despite our foolishness in opposing his generation. He thrives as both man and unicorn, and we always look forward to his presence.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“But we expect more of him,” Mach said. “By this time he should be developing his third form, and perhaps progressing to others, as well as learning magic. But he shows no sign of this, and has become increasingly withdrawn. Fleta fears he is retarded.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa made a musical snort of. negation. “He is not retarded,” Stile said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“But four-year-old unicorn colts generally have mastered their third forms,” Mach said. “And they are open, expressive, inquiring. Flach is not. We fear that something is bothering him, or that he is coming to recognize his inadequacy compared to the unicorns, so is withdrawing. Will you explore this?”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I hardly need to,” Stile said. “I know the lad is advanced rather than retarded, and is developing powers we hardly anticipate. Your concern is groundless.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mach shook his head grimly, not wanting to contradict his elder, but certain he knew better. “Fleta and I know you will do what you can for him,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Always,” Stile agreed gruffly. “I assure you that your son will surprise you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I hope so,” Mach said. He glanced at Neysa. “Fleta asks your forgiveness.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa faced away. This had become almost routine: Fleta had alienated her dam by marrying Mach and joining the cause of the Adverse Adepts, and that remained unforgiven. Neysa well understood and respected Fleta’s reason, but felt she should not have surrendered principle for love. Neysa herself had not. Thus Neysa did not associate with Fleta any more than the barest minimum necessary to fetch Flach and return him. Fleta longed for a change, but it never came. Unicorns of the old school were unyielding.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Then we part,” Mach said regretfully. “I shall return to Proton; Bane will be in touch.” He became the griffin, spread his wings, and launched into the air. Soon he was gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“I know you want to restore relations with Fleta,” Stile said as they resumed their journey. “Perhaps some day something will enable it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neysa did not answer, but that was answer enough. Her nature prevented her from forgiving her offspring, but she loved Fleta, and hoped that some legitimate avenue of forgiveness would develop. Just as Stile hoped that he would somehow be able to prevail over the Adverse Adepts. Perhaps both hopes were futile-but perhaps not.<\/span><\/p>\n

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For there was much that was not spoken. All of them knew that the Adverse Adepts kept constant watch on Stile and Neysa and the Lady Blue, so as to block any action they might initiate against the Adepts. Anything spoken was overheard and analyzed. Perhaps the Adepts were foolish enough to believe that there were no unspoken plans, but Stile doubted that.<\/span><\/p>\n

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So he said nothing truly private aloud. This had become automatic these past five years. But he spoke freely of other things, so as to maintain the semblance of carelessness, and also to fatigue the snoopers with trivia. That way if something private slipped out, it just might be overlooked. After all, constant surveillance was also a constant drain on their magic.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Mach’s power is greater than I had thought,” he said. “He cured your founder without seeming effort. I could have done it, but not nearly so readily.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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She made a musical agreement. Unicorns were resistive to incidental magic, but Adept magic was hardly incidental. The demons must have plotted for a long time to obtain and place that founder spell, and it had been devastatingly effective. Yet Mach had nullified both the demons and spell as if such magic was child’s play-which perhaps it was, now, to him. Stile was glad that the Robot Adept was not his enemy, even if he was not his ally.<\/span><\/p>\n

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They traveled north, now, not running but not dawdling. Stile had an appointment to meet Icebeard, the snow demon leader who was also a chess master. They had played several correspondence games since getting started when the demon agreed to train Mach in chess; the demon had wanted to play Stile to determine who was the ultimate chess master of Phaze. Since Stile preferred a fair game, even though Mach was on the other side, he agreed, and had played the demon, and it had been an excellent game. But it had concluded in a draw, and so had the following ones. Finally the demon had suggested that they play a “live” game, with time limits, and another, and another, until they had one that did not draw, and that would determine who was champion. Of course there were variants of chess that prohibited draws, but both of them were conservatives in this respect: for the championship they preferred the classic game. So Stile was on his way to play, though Icebeard was of the enemy camp; this was another advantage of the truce. But there was more to it than chess, as Neysa knew.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Stile had spoken accurately when he said that his grandson (and Neysa’s) was advanced rather than retarded, and would surprise his father. Mach had dismissed that as optimism or encouragement, but it was neither. Stile had been training the lad, and soon the extent of Flach’s progress would become known. But that revelation had to be coordinated with action in the frame of Proton relating to Nepe, the child of Bane and Agape, because the moment one child’s abilities were revealed, the other would be suspect.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach was only four years old, and indeed he could change freely between his human and unicorn forms. But he could also assume other forms, unknown to his parents. Stile had cautioned the lad as soon as he learned to speak, and Flach had responded beautifully. His seeming slowness was a twoyear act, masking his true progress. But Stile had known that this could not be concealed indefinitely; eventually the Adverse Adepts would catch on, and then they would act to eliminate the threat. The boy’s great progress had been possible without attracting the notice of the Adepts because they were not watching him; they assumed he was too young to practice great magic. That was their colossal error.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The key was this: Flach could communicate with Nepe across the frames. Just as Mach and Bane could. That meant that Stile and Citizen Blue could develop similar information to that which the enemy had from Mach and Bane. Had both been male, they might even have had the potential to exchange, for they were parallels, perhaps alternate selves. This represented a possible shift in the balance of power, turning it back to Stile’s side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stile had been holding off action as long as possible, so as to enable the children of both frames to mature. But there was too much at risk; the action had to be now. This was the real reason for his chess trip: it provided him the opportunity to do what he had to do, without giving his motive away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Because he had to escape the surveillance of the Adepts while he told Neysa what to do. A few seconds would suffice; then it would be out of his hands. He hoped he was doing the right thing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa picked up her pace, so as to arrive at the White Mountain Range at dusk. That would make direct visual observation trickier. She knew the importance of timing; everything had to be right. If they did not achieve their dialogue without suspicion, all might be lost.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the light waned, they approached the base of the range. The snow demons spied them, of course; they were expected. They entered the track that led to the pass that opened on the demon chiefs cold caves. Stile waved, then singsonged a spell, while Neysa played a theme to help intensify the magic.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Make us warm despite the cold; Make us private till it is told.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Immediately the chill of the mountain dissipated; the snow remained, yet they felt warm. But it was the second part of the spell that counted more: the privacy. This was masked by the larger spell the demon chief had arranged to prevent any information being exchanged magically while the chess match was in progress; he wanted to be sure that nothing but the two great minds was operating. There was a certain vagueness at the fringe of the region, because the boundary of the demon’s spell could not be precise. Stile had researched this well. Thus his own spell of privacy should not be detected, and the spying Adepts should not realize that they were being excluded. They would assume that Stile and Neysa were passing through a region of interference, that would clarify as they reached the center and the demon’s spell took full hold. He could have made his privacy spell back at the Blue Demesnes, but that would have attracted the notice of the spying Adepts, and they would have doubled their watch, making Neysa’s action impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Neysa,” Stile said now. “It is time. Fetch Flach, take him on the circuit of allies, and take no note when he leaves you. Bring the golem to me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She made a querying note.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“He will ask you,” Stile replied. “Signal yes, then cooperate with anything he asks. His life will be at stake. He will be afraid; support him. This is the crisis.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She blew an affirmative note. Stile said no more. The spell of privacy depended on his intent as much as on his invocation; now it dissipated. The music summoned his magic; the intent interpreted it; the words denned it, approximately. Another person might sing as he did, and speak similiar words, and wish the same effect, but would not be able to achieve the same result because only the Adepts had the necessary underlying talent. Any person could do some magic, but most could perform only poorly unless gifted with the talent and willing to train carefully. Some tried, but the established Adepts were quick to detect such effort and to act against it; they did not desire competition. So successful Adepts were few; usually the only new ones were those protected by existing Adepts. Thus Stile’s son Bane had been training to assume the status of Blue Adept, and the Tan Adept’s twin offspring had trained to become the Tan Adept. Sometimes an Adept died without a successor; then there could be a certain free-for-all, unless some accommodation was achieved with the other Adepts. As a general rule, those who became Adept were not nice people; rather, they were the most talented and unscrupulous. That was why the majority of them opposed Stile; they preferred to operate without ethical hindrance. Only Red, who owed his position to Stile, and Brown, in her time somewhat smitten by him, were on his side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But now they were coming up to the pass, and the snow demons were waiting. They were about to suffer the hospitality of Icebeard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stile had been to these mountains before, a generation ago, but had encountered a different chieftain: Freezetooth, who had had a passion for a lovely fire spirit whose proximity would have melted him. Stile had enchanted the snow demon to make him invulnerable to fire, and a heated romance had followed. Relations with that tribe had been amicable for twenty years, until the communication between Mach and Bane had polarized the Adepts and tribes of Phaze and forced new alignments. It was possible that Icebeard remembered that, and that the chess challenge was his way of maintaining relations despite their status as enemies. There were as many tribes of demon folk as there were human folk, and demons differed as much from each other as did human beings, and were subject to similar constraints.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa had not been along on that trip. Instead Stile had ridden her brother Clip, now a Herd Stallion. Neysa was not partial to any demons, no matter what their heat or color, and was hard put to avoid an impolite snort as the white creatures closed in. This was however no attack, but an honorary escort. Icebeard wanted very much to play chess with Stile, and would do nothing to interfere with that.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They were ushered into the palatial ice caverns that were the demon’s throneroom. Icebeard tried to maintain his chill reserve, but could not. He jumped down and approached Stile with an attitude that in any other creature would have been positive, but with him was merely less threatening. “Now we play!” he exclaimed. “Thou and I alone!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye,” Stile agreed. Then he glanced at Neysa. “The mare liketh not these Demesnes; if thou willst grant her safe passage out, she will depart and return for me when the issue be settled.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Icebeard looked at Neysa. “Be this not Fleta’s dam?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa made an affirmative note.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“And she play not chess? Fleta be a better player than Mach; comes she oft here to challenge my minions.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stile had not realized this. But of course Fleta had come with Mach when he trained here, so had had opportunity to pick it up if she wanted to. Of course there was no reason a unicorn could not play chess if she wished, but Stile had not heard of it happening before. “Interesting,” he remarked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Methinks the filly be a better gamescreature than Mach overall,” the demon confided. “My affinity to unicorns be not great, but that one dost have charm.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa stood awkwardly. Naturally she was pleased to hear her offspring praised, but she was not speaking to Fleta, as perhaps Icebeard knew. Demons had ways of teasing. Stile did not comment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“She it was, methinks, made him what he be,” the demon concluded. “A filly worthy o’ any male, like her dam.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa did not react visibly, but the snow around her was beginning to melt. At last the demon had mercy, and directed his minions to escort her out and to keep lookout for her safe return perhaps a week hence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It occurred to Stile that he could get to like Icebeard. As<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa departed, they walked to the chessboard with its pieces crafted from ice. He did not care to admit it, but he had looked forward to this game as much as had the demon, because Icebeard was indeed the best other player in Phaze.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

And, with luck, the Adverse Adepts would relax, believing that Stile could not make any initiative against them while locked in a chess game in the cold White Mountains. He was counting on that. Chess was not the only game he was playing at the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Let’s get on with it, pretender,” Stile said. “I expect to wipe the floor with thy king before the hour be out.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Icebeard swelled up like an advancing glacier. “Thou dost call me pretender? Thy king shall be meltwater, and thy queen ravished ere mine be threatened!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stile smiled grimly. They both knew this was going to be great fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

2<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mack<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach felt the disorientation of the exchange. It was both physical and emotional: physical because he moved from a living to a machine body, and emotional because the frame of Phaze was so different, with its magic and his unicorn wife and son. He hated to return to Proton, though his existence here was hardly a negative one. It was merely a less feeling one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then things firmed, and he looked around. He was standing in Bane’s apartment in Hardom, and before him was Bane’s wife. Agape, and Bane’s daughter, Nepe. Mach spent as much time in Proton as in Phaze, alternating months, but each time he saw Nepe she seemed to have grown another notch. She was in human form, a four-year-old child, and rather pretty. Of course she derived from alien stock, and could assume any living form she chose, with sufficient application and practice, so could be just as pretty as she was able to imagine.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach smiled, a trifle grimly. “The exchange has been made; I will leave you now.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Of course,” Agape said. She was pretty too, possessing the same ability as her daughter. It was always a bit of a jolt to encounter her naked, after a month of life in Phaze, where human nakedness was often a signal of sexual readiness. In Proton, of course, all serf’s were naked. He normally adapted to the situation in minutes, just as he did to the change to a body that was a machine. He had existed many years in this body before discovering what life was like; he could endure it for another month. Bane, after all, was suffering the same readjustment, returning to his horne frame, separated from the woman and child he loved. Agape, three syllables, with the accent on the first; Nepe, two syllables, accent on the first. His computer brain always clicked through such details as he oriented on his other selfs family.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He turned to the door panel, and extended one hand. The panel irised open, showing the hall beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Uncle Mach!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach paused. “Yes, Nepe.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Can I go with you?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Agape was startled. “Nepe, he is going to report to the Tan Adept, whorn we don’t like. You would not be welcome there.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I don’t give a-what’s a bad word?-about the Tan Adept!” the child said stoutly. “I want to see.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Pollution,” Mach said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Beg pardon?” Agape said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The bad word.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe considered. “No, plution’s too legitmet. Maybe one about excement.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nepe!” Agape exclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach smiled. “I am a robot. I have no need of a bad word for excrement.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Don’t patonize me!” Nepe exclaimed furiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Horse manure,” Mach said contritely.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe smiled victoriously. “I don’t give horsemanure for the Tan Adept!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Now see what you’ve done,” Agape said sternly. “She will be using that word everywhere.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“She has to learn adult usage some time,” he pointed out, amused. Then he spoke directly to Nepe: “But if you say that to his face, he might swell up and burst, and the smell would be horrible.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Really?” she asked, delighted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No, not really!” Agape said, darting a frustrated glance at Mach. “But don’t do it, anyway. We have to try to get along with these people.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Why?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Let her come along, and I will try to explain,” Mach said. He was flattered by the child’s wish to accompany him; normally she treated him with supreme indifference. In fact, for the first time she was making him feel like a real relative, causing his humor and flattery circuits to activate very much the way they would in life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But she has to go visit her grandfather, Citizen Blue,” Agape protested. “The plane is ready to take her to his country dome estate.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I can catch it after!” Nepe cried. “I know the way. Besides, it’s autmatic.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“What has gotten into you?” Agape inquired. “Your father would have taken you there, if you had asked!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It’s all right,” Mach said. “I will take her. Probably my son Flach is pestering Fleta similarly, in Phaze.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe turned sober. “I want to meet Aunt Fleta.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It wouldn’t work,” Agape said. “Even if she came here, she would be in my body.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Over there,” Nepe said. “I want to meet the uncom!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’d better take her to the Tan Adept,” Mach said. “She will be all right, and I will see that she boards the plane on schedule.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Agape nodded, yielding without liking it. It was hard to see her as an alien creature at a time like this; her reactions were completely human, as were those of her daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe took his hand, and they stepped out of the chamber. The panel closed behind them. “Why did you make that scene?” Mach inquired as they walked down the hall.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I heard something,” the child confided. “Something fun, maybe.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The Citizen Tan doesn’t serve ice cream,” he cautioned her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Bettem that! But it’s a secret!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh.” He knew better than to question her further. He might learn the secret, but it would spoil her fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He checked his watch. He was early for his appointment with the Adept, by about an hour. Normally he would have retreated to his own suite and used the time to check for accumulated messages, as well as verifying the operation of his body. Bane tried to take care of it, but Bane had been brought up as a living creature, and still tended to assume that minor scratches would heal on their own. Also, Bane spent a lot of time with Agape, and that would be wearing on certain circuits. It was generally best to check those circuits, not with any intent to snoop on his other self, but to ensure that they remained fully operative.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But this time Nepe was with him. The child would not be very patient about an hour of stasis on his part. As a living creature she could not turn off or internalize the same way. Her closest equivalent was sleeping, and like most children, she would rather die than sleep during daylight hours. Very well; his systems check could wait; certainly it wasn’t urgent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It will be a while before I meet with Tan,” he said. “If you would like something to eat first-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I want to play a game with you. Uncle,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Such as piggy-back riding?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No piggy-bank riding! A real game!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh, you mean a Game!” he said, understanding.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“A Game,” she agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Some of those games are unsuitable for a person your<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

age.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes,” she said zestfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But your mother would smite me if I played one of those with you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe frowned, acknowledging the truth of this concern.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But I know the difrence. We’ll play a suitble game.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Very well.” He guided her to the Game Annex. They came to a Game Console. This was set up with screens on either side, for the two players. He fetched a bench for Nepe to stand on, and lifted her up so that she could supervise her screen. “Do you know how to do this?” he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Natchly,” she said. “Get to your side.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach went to his side. He knew that Bane and Agape had increasing concern about the child, who seemed to be a slow learner. She did not seem slow to him, but he realized that he had little proper basis for comparison. She seemed to be fully as alert as and somewhat more expressive than his son Flach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But that of course was the problem. Flach was not keeping pace with either fully human or unicorn children his age. He spoke more slowly, and lacked interest in academic pursuits, and had mastered only two of the three forms expected of a unicorn. They had hoped he would go beyond the ordinary in both the human and unicorn respects, and for a time it had seemed that he would, but then progress had slowed. That was why Mach had intercepted Stile in Phaze-to no avail, as it turned out, because Stile had refused to acknowledge that the problem existed. Stile liked his grandson, without doubt, and that went far toward mitigating his early objection to the unusual marriages of Mach and Bane, but Mach had not expected that to distort his judgment about the boy’s progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Could it be overcompensation on Stile’s part, or advancing age? Technically Flach was the child of Bane, because Bane’s body had generated him; genetics took little note of which mind occupied the body at the time. Thus Mach’s son was Stile’s grandson, and no one debated this, but the question always lingered in the background: was this entirely legitimate? Stile might compensate for that doubt by seeing no evil in the boy. But Mach had too high a regard for the ability and character of the man to be satisfied with this explanation. Stile was on the other side, and he was clever; his optimism about the boy might be a mere mask, preventing acknowledgment of a developing liability in the assets of his enemy. But how could Stile profit by such a pose? Mach had become the leading Adept of Phaze, thanks to the input of the Book of Magic, but he never deceived himself that he was the smartest person. He suspected that Stile was playing a game whose nature he hardly understood.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Are you going to choose. Uncle?” Nepe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach glanced at his grid. As always, it showed the four major categories across the top: 1. PHYSICAL 2. MENTAL 3. CHANCE 4. ARTS, and four types down the left side: A. NAKED B. TOOL C. MACHINE D. ANIMALS. He had the letters. Quickly he touched A. NAKED. Here in Proton the word had no social significance, as all serf’s were naked; it simply meant that no tools, machines or animals would be used. He felt this was the safest course for a game with a child, because it eliminated most of the most complicated ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Immediately the new grid formed: 2A. NAKED MENTAL. He had not needed to worry about inappropriate tools; her choice of MENTAL had negated most of that. Across the top were 5. SOCIAL 6. POWER 7. MATH 8. HUMOR, and down the side were E. INFORMATION F. MEMORY G. RIDDLE H. MANIPULATION. He had the numbers this time, so selected 8. HUMOR.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She had chosen as quickly as he, and the third grid appeared: HUMRUS MANPLASHUN. Good enough; he should not get into much trouble there. The point of this Game was to satisfy Nepe, not to win or lose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then he glanced back at the grid heading, startled, but the title had already faded. Had he imagined Nepe’s language there? How could that happen to a robot? He looked at the child, but she had assumed a mask of complete innocence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They set up the final grid, filling in improbable choices relating to illogic and jokes. Nepe’s choices evinced a proclivity for naughtiness that would have distressed her mother; apparently the child felt free to express herself more openly in the company of her uncle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They played the grid, and the final choice of games was made: STRUCTURED LYING. Mach shook his head. “Your mother-” “Isn’t playing,” the child said quickly. True. So Nepe had her way, and could now tell lies with impunity. This variant, as structured, required that each make a statement, while the other challenged any lie. If a lie was accepted as valid, or a true statement challenged as a lie, a point was scored by the originator. If the statement was called correctly, the point went to the challenger. The trick was to cause the opponent to challenge some seemingly outrageous but actually accurate statement. A lead of two points decided the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach made the first statement. He was not very good at lying, because it was foreign to both his training and his robotic programming; a good lie required imagination of the quality only a living brain could achieve. Fortunately his opponent was a child, and a childish example would suffice. He presented one of the classic ancient riddles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I know of a chamber filled with gold. The gold is wrapped in a silken shroud, and set in a transparent liquid, which is sealed in a container that has no doors or windows or openings at all. Yet-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“An egg,” Nepe said, not waiting for him to finish. “So it is true.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You’ve heard it before,” Mach said, chagrined to be thus readily bested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No, I guessed. I figured you’d start with something pretty elmentry.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elementary: indeed he had. Still, Nepe did not strike him as even minimally retarded. She had made a swift and accurate connection, after correctly analyzing his strategy. She showed potential for master gamesmanship.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now it was her turn. “The man rode on the horse, and yet he walked beside it,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach pondered that. Surely it was a trick statement, appearing impossible, just as his riddle of the egg was supposed to be. But what was the rationale that made it true? Either the man was on the horse, or he walked beside it. Unless there were two selves in the two frames, Phaze and Proton, with one self riding and the other walking. But that would require alternate selves of me horse, too, and mat made four creatures in aU. The Game Computer was unlikely to allow so farfetched ‘an interpretation; structured humor had to be narrowly defined.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

One man, one horse: how could it be? Mach was somehow sure it could be, but his robotic logic did not fathorn it. “That’s a lie,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe smiled, as he had known she would. “Yeti is the name of the dog,” she said. ‘ “That one’s as old as your egg.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach groaned, seeing it. Not “yet he” but “Yeti,” sounding the same when spoken. An interpretation that was valid in humor, if not elsewhere. He had indeed blown it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“So did I win, huh?” she inquired joyfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You won,” he agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Gee-my first and last,” she said with a mixed smile. “Thank you. Uncle.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her last victory? He doubted it! He wished Flach had her ready wit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They were at the Tan Adept’s office precisely on time. Serfs were always punctual when dealing with Citizens, because a rapid process of selection eliminated all who were not. The normal manner of elimination was firing, which meant that the serf had to leave the planet unless he could find a new employer-a forlorn hope. But there were few questions when serfs simply disappeared, though all knew this could not happen by the serfs choice. No serf ever gave any Citizen reason for annoyance if it was possible to avoid it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

As it happened, Mach had given Citizen Tan reason for annoyance, and Fleta (in Agape’s body) had given him reason for rage. But they had survived because Mach was an essential resource and Agape was under his protection. Bane (in Mach’s body) and Agape called themselves married, but this was an affectation; there was no marriage among serfs, merely an informal tolerance of a continuing association. If the closeness of Bane and Agape ever abated, she would have to get offplanet in a hurry, for her protection would be gone. There seemed to be no danger of any separation, considering the presence of Nepe; nevertheless. Agape normally remained well clear of Citizen Tan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They were on time, but the Citizen was late. That was the Citizen’s prerogative. They waited in the office antechamber, watching the pretty and efficient human secretary brush her lovely hair. This was not any abuse of her position; it was a tacit demonstration by the Citizen that he had no legitimate use for her, and maintained her only for show or for any other purpose he chose. A serf with a brush was unusual, and none would perform any personal toiletry on the job without the express directive of the employer. The implication was that the person waiting for the appointment was virtually nonexistent; not even the secretary cared for his opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tan did not like Mach, but had to work with him. Their direct encounters were always formal and polite; the animosity showed only in this indirect fashion. Tan was making Mach wait-and Mach had brought a visitor. No other serf would have had the audacity, perhaps not even Bane. But Mach knew his power, and used it to counter the subtle manifestations of the Citizen’s ire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why had Tan chosen to be the one to work with him? That had always been a mystery. The Contrary Citizens could have arranged to have any of their number, or some trusted highplaced serf, deal with Mach and Bane, yet it was Tan. Tan, whose genitals Agape’s body had squeezed during Fleta’s escape from him, before Bane had joined the Citizens and thereby guaranteed her safety. No other person had ever committed such an act against a Citizen and lived a day, let alone five years!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Gee, you’re pretty!” Nepe said to the receptionist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The receptionist glanced at a panel on her desk before answering. Discovering no signal of negation there, she smiled. “Thank you, Nepe.” Indeed, she was more than pretty; she was as well formed and featured as a serf could get, considering that serfs were allowed no enhancements. Her hair was silvery and shoulder length, almost shining, and her gray eyes seemed almost like silver too. Mach had not seen her before; she either was new, or had been transferred in from another office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Howd you know my name. Tsetse?” She pronounced it “Setsy,” with the accent on the first syllable. Mach knew the word as the name of a fly, the carrier of sleeping sickness, and wondered how the woman had come by it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Again the secretary glanced at her panel, careful to say nothing not authorized. “We know all who associate with your uncle,” she replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You mean you watch us?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes. To be sure that nothing happens to you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The child shrugged. “Not close ‘nough.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then the secretary did a delayed doubletake. “How did you know my name?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Uncle Mach told me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach would have jumped, had he been alive. He had not even known the woman’s name before Nepe gave it! What mischievous game was the child playing?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then a signal flashed. “The Citizen will see you now,” the secretary said. “Nepe will remain here.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Of course,” Mach said, though he did not like this. He knew better than to counter any directive of the Citizen, but if Nepe were subjected to any ill treatment, even purely psychological, Mach would be in an extremely difficult position.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’ll be okay. Uncle,” Nepe said brightly. “Tsetse’s nice.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach hoped so. He braced himself and stepped through the opaque force-curtain into Citizen Tan’s inner office.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tan was standing, garbed as usual in his tan robe, his hair tinted tan, and his eyes matching. He was actually a fairly handsome figure of a man, and Mach suspected that the lovely new secretary really did not mind the uses to which he surely put her. But he was arrogant in the manner of most Citizens, and ruthless, and he used women as he used men: with complete indifference to their sensitivities.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Sir,” Mach said respectfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You have the information?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes, sir.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tan smiled with genuine warmth. “We are very close, after a tedious delay. This may be the batch that puts us over.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes, sir.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Because once we have enough basic information from the Book of Magic in Phaze, and the Oracle here is able to compile it, we shall finally have the mechanism to achieve key leverage in the monetary arena. It is amazing how closely magic parallels financial dealings! You know what that means?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes, sir.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“State it in your own words.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The Contrary Citizens will be able to use their wealth to control the government of the frame of Proton, and Citizen Blue and his allies will no longer be able to prevent this. Thus victory for you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tan rubbed his hands together. “It has been long in coming! Blue has used every conceivable mode of interference and delay. But under the terms of the agreement he had to allow you and Bane access to the Oracle, and that has made the difference.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“For the precise hours that his grandchild visits him,” Mach agreed. For that had been the nature of the hard-fought compromise: Oracle for Nepe, in Proton, and Book of Magic for Flach, in Phaze. That was why the Citizens and Adepts put no obstacles in the way of these visits. Indeed, they would be glad to allow more time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“In two hours you will have your session with the Oracle, and obtain the translation of your information,” Tan said. “I believe that this will indeed mark the turning point. The matter will therefore no longer require my personal attention. I will assign an associate to work with you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“As you wish, sir,” Mach said, surprised. Citizen Tan had always evinced keen interest in’this project, despite his enmity to Mach and Bane.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I shall turn this matter over to her now,” Tan said. He snapped his fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A young woman entered the room. She was a serf, for she was naked, and well formed. Mach’s gaze traveled to her face-and he stifled his dismay. “Tania,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Naturally I trust my sister to represent my interests competently,” Citizen Tan said. “You have some objection?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No, sir,” Mach said quickly. But this was a meaningless denial, as the others knew; he preferred to remain well away from this dangerous woman. He had snubbed her other self in Phaze, and made mischief for her here in Proton, when he was helping Fleta escape. Tania had a score or two to settle with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“How nice,” Tania said, approaching him. Her eyes, hair and skin were tinted tan like those of her twin brother; she was naked but clothed in this color. “I’m sure we shall get along intimately.” She came to a stop immediately before him, and put her arms around him, and pressed in closely.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach was a robot, and he was in his own body now. That meant that he had complete control over his physical reactions. This was fortunate, for Tania had undeniable sex appeal, and evidently intended to tease him with it. She was a bad woman, selfish and cruel, but that seemed not to detract from her allure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Citizen Tan disappeared. Mach was alone with Tania. At least he did not have to say “sir” to her. She had great power, because of her relationship to the Citizen, but she was legally another serf. “What is your intent?” he inquired, attempting to disengage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It occurred to me that you have no romantic interest in this frame, Mach,” she said. “Since we have to work closely together anyway, we might as well enjoy it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You know I am a robot,” he said tightly. “You should have no interest in my type.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If truth be told, I am bored with human men, and with androids,” she said. “Youare not just any robot; you are the most advanced model on the planet, and you have demonstrated abilities worthy of any living male. I believe you will be interesting.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I am married.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Not in Proton. Come, Mach, kiss me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“There is no requirement that I do such a thing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Shall I tell my brother that you are uncooperative?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Obviously Citizen Tan will react in whatever manner he has decided to. Why should you wish to initiate a type of relationship that can only complicate a strained situation?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I doubt you need to know that,” she said. “But I don’t doubt you can figure it out for yourself. Now kiss me, and we shall proceed.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Proceed with what?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She laughed, her breasts moving against him. “Assimilation of your new information, of course. Did you think to have your desire of me within minutes?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I have no desire of you!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Perhaps not yet.” She lifted her face, waiting. Mach realized that she intended to establish her control over the situation by making him do what she chose. She could have no physical desire for him; it was not in her nature as either an aloof woman or the sister of a Citizen. Obviously sex was merely a tool to her-in this case, a tool to embarrass him. If he didn’t kiss her, she would require more of him, making him regret his resistance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He lowered his face and kissed her. He felt a surge of guilt, thinking of Fleta. But he damped it down, realizing that he really had no choice. Perhaps after playing with him for a time, Tania would lose interest, as a cat did with a dead bird.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania broke, with a flicker of irritation. “As if you mean it,” she said. “Again.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Whatever I show, I will not mean it,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Perhaps not yet,” she repeated, waiting. He kissed her again, as if he meant it. Unfortunately his circuits were cued to a degree to his actions; it was a feedback loop that normally enhanced his human emulation. That meant that to an extent he did mean it, at least for the moment. This time she was satisfied. “Now speak the formulae,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“They will be meaningless to you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But they will be recorded. They may not be meaningless to our analysts.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He doubted that, because in five years no one other than the Oracle had been able to make sense of the strange statements he had brought from the Book of Magic. It was as if the magic were in some alien language, that only the Oracle spoke. That was another reason that progress had been so slow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, he was obliged to humor her. He spoke the formulae, and Tania listened as if interested. It did not take long.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Now we shall send the child on her way, and go to the Oracle,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe! He had almost forgotten her! He was getting more human all the time, and suffering the liabilities of the state. A true machine forgot nothing that was not expressly erased. Of course he was no longer a true machine; half his current experience was human, in Phaze. There he was called the Robot Adept (or, as the natives had it, “Rovot”), but he was really a living man with considerable power of magic. Perhaps it wasn’t surprising that the human liabilities as well as the human delights carried across the frames.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They emerged to the front office. The child was sitting on the desk, watching a cartoon on the receptionist’s screen, her little legs swinging and tapping the desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe looked up immediately. “Were you surprised. Uncle?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You knew?” he asked, surprised again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh, sure. Did she vamp you yet?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach froze, appalled at both the question and Tania’s likely reaction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Not yet,” Tania said, laughing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh, goody! Can I watch, then?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But-” Mach started.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Certainly,” Tania said. She turned back to Mach, and put her arms around him, drawing herself close. “Kiss me,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“This is pointless and unnecessary,” he said, not yielding.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If you don’t,” Tania murmured, “I shall make demands on you that are apt to embarrass you before the child.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He knew her well enough to have no doubt of her sincerity. Fuming in a manner that would have done credit to a living person, he bent his head to kiss her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe clapped her hands, applauding. “She’s making you do it!” she exclaimed. “I bet Tsetse she would!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Tsetse?” he repeated, chagrined at the openness of this matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Tsetse-my receptionist,” Tania explained, misunderstanding. She pronounced the name as Nepe had, but with the t’s sounded. “I brought in my own personnel, since I am to handle this case. I named her, because she is good at making men sleep. Does she please you?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I have no interest in her,” Mach said. What a name to hang on such a pretty woman! Tania’s cruelty was showing. Tania turned to the woman. “Take Nepe to her ship.” “No, I’ll do that!” Mach said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“So you do have an interest in her,” Tania said, “because she affects the welfare of your niece.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“To that degree,” Mach agreed. What was Tania trying to do? He saw no consistent pattern in her actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania read his doubt. “I am showing you that there are ways and ways I can affect your interests if you cross me. We have a covenant, and no one will be hurt. But you could have to do things you dislike, and the child could witness things you prefer she did not. Now Tsetse will escort her safely to her ship, and you and I will dally on the way to the Oracle. Need more be said?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This ruthless woman would do whatever she thought would be effective in bending his will to hers. Already she had let him know that he would do what she wished in a social sense, or see her ire taken out on little Nepe. His robot logic made it clear: it was better to do whatever Tania wanted. If she overstepped her bounds. Citizen Tan would call her up short.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But that could mean having an affair with her. As a man or robot in the frame of Proton, he had no technical reason not to; his marriage to Fleta had no bearing here. But emotionally the prospect appalled him. His body was the one Bane used, when they exchanged, and so Agape was concerned, while his mind was in love with Fleta, making Fleta concerned. Thus it was not a simple matter of catering to the demands of a demanding woman without any emotional involvement, as a normal robot could do. There were deep social conflicts. That seemed to be why Tania was doing it. Was it merely her normal cruelty, or was there some more sinister reason? He was profoundly dismayed by this development.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’ll be fine. Uncle, and so will you,” Nepe said, jumping off the desk to take Tsetse’s hand. “Thanks for the game and the demstration!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You are welcome, Nepe,” he said, wishing he had never brought her here. Obviously he had played into Tania’s hands. Yet the child seemed quite satisfied, and she was evidently not entirely innocent of the games adults played. This could not be accounted for by the malice of either Citizen Tan or his sister.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe and the receptionist departed. Mach braced himself for Tania’s dalliance, seeing no alternative.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But she surprised him. “I have no greater personal or social interest in you, Mach, than you have in me, “she said. “Certainly I have no need to coerce you into anything. I can have any plaything I desire, with no difficulty. I do confess that a challenge is intriguing, and you are a challenge, but at this stage I want only to impress on you the current realities.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You have done so,” he said gruffly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“With that understanding, we may proceed to the Oracle.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach nodded grimly. The worst of it was that her evident personal interest in him, for whatever cynical reason, evoked a complementary interest; he was now aware of the beauty and texture of her body. Even her mind intrigued him. Fleta was straightforward and honest and positive and nice, and he loved her; Tania was devious and dishonest and negative and cruel, and he knew little of this type, and found it uncannily fascinating. Fleta was completely open; he always knew where she stood and how she felt. Tania was the opposite, which gave her the quality of mystery-and that lured him in the manner of a candle with a moth. He was disgusted with himself, but the lure remained.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She nodded in return, her eyes narrowing appraisingly. She was experienced enough to know the type of appeal she had for men. “The time will come when I do not have to tell you to kiss me,” she said. “Like all males, you are fascinated by bad women.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach did not answer, as there was no honest refutation he could make. He set up a circuit mask that would detune his awareness of her physical features and prevent him from reacting to them, but there was no simple way to do the same for his emotion. He had learned too much of the living response, these past five years, and hardly cared to diminish that lest it affect his relationship with Fleta.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oracle,” Tania said to the desk. It responded to her voice, and put through the call to the Oracle. This took a minute, as the Oracle was a highly restricted apparatus. It had resided for many generations in Phaze, until Stile had engineered its exchange with the Book of Magic, making both fully operative.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Sit at the desk,” she directed him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“There is no need,” he said. “I do not fatigue.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I see you are after all a slow learner. Sit.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach circled the desk and took the comfortable chair vacated by the receptionist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania followed, and sat in his lap. He had to do an emergency short-out of his tactile receptors in that region to prevent a reaction as her firm naked buttocks made contact. There was no subtlety whatsoever in her approach, but it remained effective. “Every time you balk, I will react unpredictably,” she said, reaching across him to touch a button in the chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abruptly his receptors turned on again. “What?” he exclaimed, startled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I have nulled your shorting mechanism,” she said, tensing and relaxing a buttock. “Did you suppose I knew nothing of robotics? This office is appropriately equipped.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He should have known. His machine defenses were useless here. He was no Adept, in this frame, and that made him vulnerable. She could make him react when she chose to.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oracle.” It was the connection. With relief, Mach plunged into his recitation of formulae, tuning out his body’s awareness of hers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But all too soon the information had been covered. The Oracle signed off; it would now devote itself to integrating the new information with the old, and compiling the whole into something useful to the Adepts. Mach’s job was done, for the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Have you learned your lesson?” Tania inquired, turning so that her left breast pressed against his chest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes.” But he doubted this would satisfy her at this stage. She considered him a challenge, and that would motivate her even if she found him sexually repulsive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“How nice. But perhaps I should make certain. I must say, I had forgotten the pleasure of seducing an unwilling male. I think we shall be seeing a good deal of each other this month.” She twisted around, her thighs sliding across his thighs, her breasts making better contact. The sensations sent electrical pulses through his body, and both his mind and his loin responded. Damn that override she had turned on! He was unable to curtail any of his natural reactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She reached up to draw his face into hers. Her tan hair spread out, framing her face, descending to brush against his body. Her tan irises seemed to grow large. She kissed him, and he was aware of his resistance crumbling. She was an infernally attractive figure of a woman, never mind her unattractive nature, and his body wanted hers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

There was a ping from the screen. Tania paused, a quirk of annoyance twisting her mouth. “What?” she rapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Notice of problem,” the screen said, showing matching words. “The child Nepe has gone astray.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“What?” This time it was Mach, unable to damp down his alarm circuitry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“She boarded her plane,” the screen said and printed. “It took off. It disappeared from surveillance. It seems unlikely to arrive at its destination.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That’s impossible!” Tania exclaimed. “Recheck!” She started to get up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach’s arms clamped around her body with the power of machinery. “That child is covered by the covenant!” he said. “As is Agape-and my wife and child in Phaze.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I know she is!” Tania said. “We haven’t done this!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Haven’t you?” One of his hands closed on her upper arm and began to squeeze. Now the override prevented him from moderating his developing emotion of anger. “You thought to distract me while you acted against my niece?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He was hurting her, but she refused to cry out. “I thought to seduce you, yes. Nothing more. No harm to Nepe. Now let me go so I can pursue this matter.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He realized that it would make no sense for the Contrary Citizens to make such a move, even after they gained sufficient information to achieve their power in Proton. He and Bane remained the Citizens’ only contact with the opposite frames. He released her. His desire for her body had been nullified by his awareness of the threat to Nepe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Quickly Tania ascertained that the plane, flying preprogrammed, had at first suffered what appeared to be a malfunction of the tracking equipment. It had ceased to show on the screen. But when they compensated by orienting with another tracker, they had been unable to locate it. A direct physical check had also failed to turn it up. A crash in the polluted desert was a strong possibility; a robot search party was now proceeding to the site of last observation. “The timing remains suggestive,” Mach said tightly. “What reason would we have to take her out, knowing it would jeopardize your cooperation?” Tania asked, looking genuinely nervous.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“This is what I am trying to ascertain. Your receptionist conducted her to the plane. She could have planted something on the craft, or sent a signal to an accomplice. While you made sure I was not there, because I might have interfered. It all fits together rather neatly: Citizen Tan stepping aside at this time for you, your hireling taking the child-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No!” she cried. “The timing is coincidence! We were trying only to-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You did set this up?” he asked, stepping toward her.]<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No! Not to hurt the child! We have nothing to do with mat! We don’t want anything to happen to her! We want her on our side!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“What are you talking about? Nepe is only four years old! She’s no part of the struggle between Citizens.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But she will be! She-” Tania stopped, realizing that she had said too much.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I think I had better question you more authoritatively.” She drew herself up angrily. “You have no right!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Listen, Tania, you are a serf, just as I am. If your brother dies, you may inherit his Citizenship-but if my father dies, I may inherit his. You are human, I am a robot, but you are no better than I am either legally or socially. Not till your side wins its case against Citizen Blue and starts subverting the new order. You gained my acquiescence to your advances only because I care for the welfare of my niece. Do you wish to try whether your good will is more precious to the Citizens than mine? Do you wish to try whether I will not destroy you as readily as I would have played sex with you, if that child is in peril by your device? Whether I can do this with impunity, as long as I continue to bring across the formulae your Citizens require? In that case, summon your brother and put it to him before I do. It was my love for Fleta that brought me to your side, but I believe the Adept Stile would accept our union now. It is honor, not love or fear, that keeps me in your camp, and it is dishonor on your part that will break that tie. You have one way to establish the nature of your complicity in this matter, and you will do that now or suffer the consequence.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You damned arrogant machine!” she flared. “You should be junked! No one talks to me that way and lives!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I am not alive. What is your decision?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I hate you!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach smiled. “I take that to be your acquiescence.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes,” she whispered, defeated. In that moment of her genuine humiliation, he found her more appealing than she had been when arrogant. Stripped of her imperialistic manner and her cruelty, she could be a truly attractive woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach spoke to the desk. “One interrogation unit to this site,” he said. He realized that the receptionist was late returning; probably she was under orders to stay clear until her mistress had completed the seduction of the robot. That particular plot had gone awry! But if Nepe was in trouble…<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But a condition,” Tania said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No conditions! I mean to have the truth!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You pride yourself on honor,” she said, speaking so low that her voice hardly carried. “Deal with me with honor.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You never dealt with me with honor!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That is irrelevant. You are not me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She had a point. “What are you asking?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If I demean myself in this manner, and prove out, you owe me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Owe you what?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She merely looked at him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach was shaken. Could she be telling the truth? If so, his humiliation of her would prove to have been unjustified. He would, indeed, owe her, by his code. But she was a clever, nervy woman; she could be bluffing, trying to make him change his mind without proof.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Granted,” he said shortly. And felt a twinge of guilt. Had he any right to make such a bargain, regardless of the situation?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania went to the desk. “Admit the machine, then seal off all communications until further notice,” she said. She sat in the chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thus this questioning would be only between the two of them. The interrogation unit would hot tell; it would be erased after use. No one else would know what happened here, unless one of them told.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The unit arrived. It was a standard cylindrical robot, with several extensible arms and assorted recesses. “Subject?” its speaker grille inquired.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Me,” Tania said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The machine rolled to her. Efficiently it fastened metallic bracelets on her wrists, ankles and head. She submitted to this with unconcealed aversion, but made no move to interfere.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Testing,” the machine said. “Speak truth: what is your name and station?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Tania, human, serf, heir to Citizen Tan.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Speak false: what is your name and station?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Mach, robot, serf, heir to Citizen Blue.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach had to smile; she had given his identification, true for him but a falsehood for her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Speak half-truth: a statement of your choosing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I am in love with Mach.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach was startled. Could any part of that be true? He had assumed that her play for him was entirely cynical.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Alignment is complete,” the interrogator said. “Proceed.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her half-truth had aligned? This promised mischief of another nature!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Though shaken by her statement, Mach knew he had to make this count, because he would never get another opportunity. He could not afford to let any aspect of the truth slip by him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He started obliquely, because now he wanted a broader truth than he had initially. “Why did you attempt to seduce me? Provide such detail as you believe is warranted to clarify this matter.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That is not relevant!” she flared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I believe it is, because Nepe disappeared while you were doing this.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Indeed, the interrogator challenged it. “Subject’s statement is false,” it said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She grimaced. She was in no sense drugged or under any duress other than the need to tell the truth or be immediately exposed in her lie. “It was my brother’s plan. Pleta humiliated him and got away. Now she is back in Phaze; he can not reach her, either physically or by the terms of the covenant. But he can not rest until he has his satisfaction of her. Therefore he asked me to win you away from her. That would be a fitting vengeance for him, that can reach her wherever she is. In addition, this would bind you more firmly to our cause, so it is practical; that is why the other Citizens agreed. Nepe is involved only in the sense that she would be affected by the breakup of the marriage of her parents.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She paused. After a moment the interrogator spoke. “That is not the whole truth.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania’s lips tightened. “I had no need to agree to this, because I am his sister and his heir. He could have used Tsetse for this purpose; indeed, that was the original plan. But I volunteered, because it is better to keep it in the family; it would be dangerous to have my employee gain your loyalty. She might get notions of independence. With me, there would be no risk, because never would I betray the interests of the Citizenship I am slated to inherit.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another pause. Then: “That is not the whole truth.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It is enough of it!” she snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“True,” the interrogator agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach was surprised again. She had backed off the machine! But his own curiosity had been aroused. “Give the rest anyway,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You owe me,” she reminded him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If you prove out.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I was influenced by more than loyalty to my brother and my side,” she said. “For a decade I have known of this sophisticated robot, Mach. I am older than he, but this has little relevance in our society. At first I was outraged that he should be designated heir to a Citizen. But when he established communication with his other self, and went to Phaze, I realized that he was much more than a robot. I saw the mischief he made for our side, and I learned how he became an Adept in the other frame. I know how hard it is to do that. I studied him, and was fascinated with him, as a machine who had become human. That was all there was to it, until the time of our dominance neared, and we knew that the enemy had to make his countermove soon or be forever lost. Then it seemed wise to bind Mach more tightly to us, and the Citizens were ready to give my brother his vengeance. Then, as I considered the advantage of doing the job myself, I realized that my interest was more than this. I have found no man worthy of more than occasional dalliance; but Mach, though he is a robot, may be worthy. I became intrigued to the point of fascination. My mission may be one thing, but my heart is another, and I want him. It was my intent to seduce him first, then wean him away from Fleta by repeated demonstrations of my effectiveness as a lover, and, perhaps, to love him myself. In the end, perhaps, to win Bane also. Because these two represent our only known contact with the frame of Phaze, and Phaze remains a dream for all of us, even those of us who have never seen it, a magic world like none other. I would give my power and pride to live in Phaze, the frame where enchantment is literal. If Mach could take me there, or exchange me with my other self there for a time, as he did with Agape-the very notion, however farfetched, fills me with an unutterable longing, and I would love him for it no matter what else occurred between us. And that is the whole of it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That is the whole of it,” the interrogator agreed. It did make sense. Tania might be arrogant and cynical, but she had desires too, and she wanted the best for herself. He understood her longing for Phaze; that longing had never left him. So there was genuine desire, under her artificiality.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But what of Nepe?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Tell what you know or suspect of Nepe’s disappearance.” “I used her only as a lever to force your acquiescence. I know nothing of any plot against her, and do not believe that there is any. Her disappearance is a mystery to me. Indeed, I am chagrined by it, because it completely destroyed my initiative with you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

There was the pause. “That is the whole truth,” the interrogator said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach, amazed, tried once more. “Do you know of any other plot against me or Nepe or Agape, or have you any suspicion of such?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“No.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That is not the whole truth.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Damn that machine!” she flared again. “Only in the sense that the child is valuable. She is developing powers that could make her a significant asset to our side. She might even learn to communicate with her opposite in Phaze. Therefore we have instituted a watch on her, to ensure that we know at such time as her powers develop. We have no plot against her, only the intent to keep her with us, by whatever means is required. Her disappearance is as much a concern to us as to you, Mach, and we shall make every effort to recover her unharmed. That is the whole truth.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

And the interrogator agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Surely she would have known or suspected, had there been any plot. She had exonerated herself and her side.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But Nepe is-considered retarded,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“She is not. She hides her developing abilities from you. We see this because we have tracked her constantly, when she is not in the protected suite of her grandfather. Recently we have observed less; we suspect this is not because she is slowing, but because she has learned of our observation.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But how could she have escaped your surveillance?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We are very interested in learning that. I can only conjecture that some third party has taken action.” Then she looked directly at him. “We really are on the same side, Mach, in this respect.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That is the truth,” the interrogator said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

So it had come to nothing. Tania was relatively innocent, and he knew no more of Nepe’s disappearance than he had before. “I must go to her mother,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Remember!” she called as he turned away. “You owe me, Mach!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That is true,” the interrogator said as Mach left.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He went to Agape’s apartment and put his hand against the door panel. It recognized him and admitted him immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She was there. When he was inside, she touched a button, and an opacity closed about them. It was the privacy shield, normally invoked for lovemaking; but she knew he was not Bane, and there was none of that between them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She was out of focus, and he knew she had been, in her fashion, crying. Her alien flesh did not lend itself readily to this; instead it melted, making her features formless. Evidently she was holding her shape only with an effort, because of this crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I questioned Tania with an interrogator,” he said without preamble. “She is innocent of this. She wishes to seduce me and subvert me, in an effort to punish Fleta for humiliating Tan, but she has no complicity in Nepe’s disappearance. It seems that some third party whose identity we do not know is responsible. That means that Nepe is probably unhurt, but captive. The Citizens will do everything they can to recover her, because they believe that she has or will have powers we do not suspect. I came to reassure you of that.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nepe is safe,” Agape said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He paused, assessing this. “You have information of a tangible nature?” He did not want her to delude herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Your father sent a message. It arrived just before you. He-he engineered this. Or they did. Stile and Blue. Nepe got the message, and knew it was time, and she escaped.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nepe did it? But she’s a little child, and the Citizens were watching, and the plane was programmed! And-” He stared at her. “Stile? How could he-1 brought no message from him!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nepe and Flach-they made contact,” she said. “They were waiting for the signal. Stile sent word to Flach, and he gave it as you exchanged, and Nepe knew then. She is hiding.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach’s circuits were overloaded with this seeming nonsense. “No one else has contact between the frames! Only Bane and me!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“And the children. We never suspected. They have gone into hiding.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“From usT’ he asked, appalled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“From the enemy we serve. They will work with the other side. The Citizens and Adepts suspected; that is why they watched. But the children eluded them, and now no one knows where they are, except perhaps Stile and Blue, and they will not tell.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“So they were not retarded,” he said, remembering his conversation with Stile, and Stile’s certainty. Now, also, he remembered odd things Nepe had said, indicating her knowledge of what she was about to do. He had been caught as flat-footed as the Contrary Citizens!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“They were far, far ahead of us,” she agreed. “They planned for most of their lives. Now they are gone. I can not say I am unhappy.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then, despite her words, she dissolved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach knew how she felt, because he realized that he had lost Flach in the same manner. He and Bane were on the wrong side, but their children were not. What was to come of this? Would the children be able to remain hidden? Would they even survive? They had kept their secret, and kept it astonishingly well, but they were only four years old.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

3<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach was waiting as Neysa trotted up. He was at the castle of the Red Adept, where his father Mach had brought him for the exchange. Mach got to study the Book of Magic which the Red Adept controlled, during the time that Flach visited his Grandpa Stile. That was the deal they had made, and it had existed as long as he could remember. This was because Stile and the Adverse Adepts were enemies, and the Red Adept was with Stile, and he had the Book of Magic, so they had to trade off if they wanted to use it. Until recently it had seemed to Flach that he had the best of the deal, because he hardly cared about any dusty old book, while Grandpa Stile was wonderful to be with.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But he had come to understand that it was the other way around. The Book had spells that were even better in the other frame than here, and the Adepts over there-the Contrary Citizens-were getting very strong. Before long they would be stronger than Grandpa Stile and his friends, or rather, Nepe’s Grandpa Blue, really the same thing. So now he felt guilty about the fun he had visiting, knowing that it was costing his grandfather a lot. Maybe it was time to stop the visits.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

These thoughts were fleeting, however, for Granddam Neysa moved rapidly. She was old, but still strong, and her black hide was glossy. He liked her about as well as he liked Grandpa Stile. She never talked much, but she was great for traveling in the wilderness, and he always felt safe with her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mach lifted him up to sit astride the unicorn. He needed no saddle; it was not that he was an apt rider, but that she would never let him fall. “See you later, crocogator,” Mach quipped, smiling. He always had something fun-stupid like that to say, from his memories of the other frame.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“In a while, allidile,” Flach responded dutifully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then Neysa was off, Flach clinging to her flaring mane. She moved slowly at first, making sure that he was secure, but gradually picked up speed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They bore west, heading for the Blue Demesnes, where Flach was to have a week’s visit with his grandparents on the human side. But as they passed through a section of forest, Neysa sounded her horn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach had been trained in horn talk. He understood immediately. She had just told him that now was the time to act.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He did not acknowledge directly. He knew that they were being watched; they were always watched. He merely squeezed his knees to her sides, acknowledging. Then, as they emerged to an open region, he spoke. “Granddam Neysa, I have to pee. Can we stop?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The unicorn slowed and halted. Flach slid off her back. She assumed human form. “Why didn’t you see to that before we started?” she asked, with timeless annoyance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Didn’t have to go, then,” he said, walking to a head-high patch of bushes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She returned to equine form and made a snort of resignation. She took the opportunity to graze the lush grass here, keeping an eye out for any danger.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach wedged his way into the bush, reached for his trousers, looked back, and sang a spot spell:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Privacy<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

While I pee<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The air clouded around him, so that his body was hidden. In the privacy of that cloud he did open his trousers and urinate. But he also used his free hand to work something out of the lining of his trousers, and set it in his jacket pocket where he could readily put his hand on it. It was a figure like a doll that looked just like him, complete to the outfit he normally wore for traveling: blue jacket, blue trousers, and blue socks and shoes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

His tasks completed, he stepped out of the bushes, and the fog surrounding him dissipated. He returned to Neysa. She walked to a nearby log, so that he could climb up on it and mount her from that height. Then they resumed their journey. There was nothing to indicate that a significant action had been started.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grandpa Stile had coached him carefully on this. Anything he wished known he could do openly, and anything he wished to keep secret he had to cover in some way. So he had brought out the amulet doll under cover of the privacy spell, and he communed with Nepe only when Mach and Bane were communing across the frames, and he did secret magic only when some similar magic was being done in the region. That way, Stile had explained, the traces were covered. His best protection was secrecy, so that no one suspected what he could do. It had been a game, and fun; now it was serious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He was about to go into hiding. Stile had told him how, and Neysa would help him, but he had to go where neither of them knew, and remain hidden until he was big and strong and talented enough to survive alone. He knew that would be a long time, so he concentrated on doing the best job of hiding he possibly could.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Granddam,” he said after a suitable interval had elapsed, so that there would seem to be no connection with her note of information or his pause for nature. “I’m bored with this same old route. Can we go by the wolves and ‘corns?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa blew a note of caution.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh, I don’t mean to stay long, just to pass by and say hi.” He smiled, because his rhyme caused a little atmospheric effect; it thought he was doing magic. “It won’t take long, honest, and besides, you can see your friends too. I’ve never met the Pack you know so well.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa made a derisive trill on her harmonica horn, knowing he was wheedling, but she turned south. The truth was he could wheedle much from her, for he was-of her flesh. She had never forgiven his dam Fleta for mating with the golem Mach, but she loved Flach, and the affection she could not show her filly she showed him instead. However, that was merely the pretext; right now she would do his bidding no matter what it was, because she was helping him hide.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He could have assumed unicorn form and run with her, but unicorns matured no faster than human folk did, and he would never have been able to keep her pace. So he remained in human form and let her carry him and protect him, and it was good. Under Stile’s guidance he had mastered two more forms, but concealed them; this would be the first time he used either out in the open. That made him nervous, but he quelled it as well as he could, because he knew that if he messed up, there would be more trouble than he could imagine, for him and Grandpa Stile and all the Adepts who sided with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abruptly he felt the contact of Mach and Bane across the frames. They were orienting on each other, so as to overlap in space, so that they could exchange. They usually conversed for a time first, setting things straight between them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach knew what to do. Nepe! he called in thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

After a moment she responded. I hear you, Flach. I was specting you, ’cause they ‘re transfring.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It be time to hide! he thought. Be thou ready?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Better be! she responded. Then: Oh, Flach, I’m afraid!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Me too! But Neysa told me, and needs must we do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We ‘ve got to do it, she agreed. Now he felt the fear in her, washing across the contact between the frames.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Needs must be we brave, he thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Do you have some bravry for me?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He had to smile, though he was taut with the reality of what they were about to do. Here be some o’ mine, Nepe! And he sent her a wash of emotion, as positive as he could manage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oh, thank you, brother self! She thought back. It really seemed to have helped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He could tell by the feel that their fathers were about to break off communication and make their exchange of identities. Till -we mind again, sister self! he thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Till we mind again!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then they broke, for it was not safe to push the limits, and they had covered the essence. Nepe’s presence faded from his mind, and he felt a swell of loneliness, as he always did. She was his other self, closer than any other person in either frame, and he felt whole when he was in touch with her, and empty when they separated. That was the way it always was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But now he had to concentrate on his own situation. There were things he had to do, and do right. He could not afford to be concerned about his lost other self. Not right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

As he rode, he risked one minor bit of magic: he made a spell to modify his smell. He had figured this aspect out for himself and was rather proud of it; this spell should go unnoticed because it was so inconsequential and seemingly pointless. But he had his reason. It would wear off within the hour, but that should be enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa was traveling rapidly, as only a unicorn could, and soon enough reached the Were Demesnes. Two wolves charged out to intercept her, growling; then they recognized her and became an escort instead. Neysa was the friend of every member of this Pack, because of a spell Stile had | wrought long ago. The younger wolves were not bound di- I rectly by it, because they had been whelped after it, but their sires and bitches had impressed the situation on them. Indeed, the entire lasting truce between Pack and Herd had dated from that Oath of Friendship Stile had made. They had doubted his status as Adept before then; none had doubted it since. Flach wished he could have seen those great old events happening, for he was sure there would never be any to match them in his lifetime. For one thing, the raw power of magic was only half what it once had been, though that made no difference in Phaze because all Adepts had been depleted equally, and other creatures never had used magic of full potency. Probably if Grandpa Stile made a similar oath today, it would affect only half the Pack and Herd, or maybe only half as strongly, but who would know the difference?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The escort wolves guided them to the current haunt of the Pack, and old Kurrelgyre came out to greet Neysa. The wolf was white around the muzzle, but still strong; his time to be torn apart by the Pack was not yet. Not quite yet. His time would have passed before now, but Stile had seen to his continuing strength.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa played a greeting on her horn, indicating that this was only a passing visit. Several of the older bitches came up to sniff noses with her, remembering old times. Flach waved to several of the cubs; they were after all about his age. But they did not know him, and did not respond.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then Neysa resumed her travel, and Flach was satisfied. He now knew the location and layout of the Pack’s Demesnes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa made a note of alertness. Plach looked up. In a moment he spied what her sharper senses had noted: a formation of three bats crossing their path. He knew that these were young ones, traveling from one Flock to another. This was the season of exchanging, when young bats, unicorns, wolves, ogres, harpies and others joined new tribes, so that they could grow up and mate without inbreeding. Even some human villages did it; it was a convenient way to keep things mixed without disruption.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stile, he realized, had chosen this time for action because of this; it would be almost impossible to trace all the exchanges that occurred at this time. At other times, a new addition to any group was a matter of community interest; often it was because of some stress resulting in a banishment elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Soon Neysa played another note. This time it was a single dragon circling ahead. What was it after? “Maybe we should check,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She sounded a note of negation, because it was dangerous even for a unicorn to cross a dragon. She intended to carry him safely, not into adventure!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But if it be young ones traveling-” he persisted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Without comment she veered to go toward the dragon, and broke into a gallop. She realized now that he had reason for this involvement, and had to cooperate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Maybe if we look first-” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She liked that better. She halted, and he dismounted, putting his hand on the doll-amulet in his pocket. She changed to firefly form,, while he, timing it precisely, changed to batform. The doll he held became a life-sized replica of himself. Instead of him holding the little figure in his hand, now the big figure was holding the bat in its hand. Only a close observer would have noticed any change.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Neysa the firefly flew ahead. The golem walked to the shelter of a leaning many-spoked spruce tree, so as to keep out of sight while unprotected. It put the bat into its pocket without looking at it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the tree, shrouded by the radiating branches, the golem halted. Plach climbed out of the pocket and transferred to a spoke-branch just above it. He crawled along it, blending in with its rough bark. He circled the trunk and crawled out along a large branch on the far side. This encountered a bush, and he dropped into the bush. He worked his way through the leaves to the high grass below, and scurried through the grass until he found the base of another large tree, an oak. He climbed that trunk, up to where it bifurcated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally he took wing from the height of a far branch. For a moment he was unsteady, for he had not flown often, and the sonic method of navigation was not natural to him. But he used his eyes as well, and gained proficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now he flew in the direction Neysa had gone, staying low so as to be sheltered from view by the trees. He never looked at the golem again; it would function as it had been made to do when activated, just like a boy. It even had his texture, weight and smell; Neysa might never notice the difference, until at some point it would fail to react in a living manner. There was only so much a golem could do; such things were not very bright. But whenever Neysa did notice, she would not let on; she knew this would happen somewhere along this journey. She would deliver the golem safely to Grandpa Stile, who would greet it exactly as if it were Flach himself, preserving the secret. So would Grandma Lady Blue. With luck, no one else would know of the exchange, until it was far too late to do anything about it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now he saw the dragon. It was coming down! He swooped forward, eager to discover what manner of prey it sought.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This turned out to be a group of four werewolf pups and a grown wolf guiding and protecting them. But they had foolishly strayed into an open section while the dragon was near, and now it was diving, talons outstretched, using its fire to ignite the dry grass ahead of the wolves so that they could not flee. The mature one knew enough to dodge back as the dragon pounced, causing it to miss, but the inexperienced pups were panicking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The dragon veered to catch one. It yiped-and at that moment Neysa appeared, changing from her unnoticeable firefly form. She was in full motion, her horn oriented on the dragon’s posterior. Now it was the dragon who seemed foolish; it had not been alert for a surprise like this! It dropped the pup and slewed to the side, barely avoiding the horn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a moment it regained its equilibrium and oriented on Neysa. But she retreated to the shelter of another great bull spruce, while the rescued pup scrambled for cover. The dragon could attack her, but could not come close enough to be effective; if it risked the vicinity of the spruce, Neysa could charge within the tree’s cover and perhaps score with her horn. Meanwhile, the prey was gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Raging, the dragon retreated. It could not afford to expend its fire uselessly; better to seek other prey. It ascended and flew away, pausing only to vent a giant dropping. The dropping splatted against the tree, causing the bark to scorch and steam, but Neysa had already moved behind it and was not sullied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The wolf came forward to sniff noses with Neysa. Now Flach realized that these cubs were from Kurrelgyre’s Pack! Naturally Neysa helped them, and the wolf recognized her and thanked her; they were oath-friends. Thanks to her, all of the cubs would reach the other Pack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach flew away, avoiding contact with any of them. He had changed form without being noticed; it was important that he preserve that privacy. Neysa would return to the golem and it would mount her and the two would proceed to her brother Clip’s Herd, and thence north to the Blue Demesnes. When others realized that Flach himself had not arrived there, they would check both the Pack and the Herd Neysa had passed, and find nothing, for he had exchanged identities at neither. So far, his escape was perfect.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He flew roughly northeast, toward the vampire Flock nearest the Red Demesnes. He knew the bats there, and he liked pretty Suchevane, who had babysitted him on occasion while Mach or Bane was busy. The Red Adept was Suchevane’s husband, and their son Al was Flach’s friend. It was from Al he had learned how to fly as a bat; Al had covered for him during the difficult early practicing. Al was unique: a vampire troll, who could make magic amulets. If Flach were discovered, the Red Adept would be able to help him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But not long before this break had come, he had had sober second thoughts. Originally it had seemed that the Adepts would check only the Pack and Herd along his route, and never suspect that he had assumed a new form and gone elsewhere. But then he had realized that they could be smarter than that, and if they managed to pick up his change to batform, they could readily track him to the Flock. That meant that the Flock could not be risked. So now he was only seeming to go there; when he could deviate from this route without being observed, he would do so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He had an alternate destination in mind. The place they might never suspect, because they would check it first and eliminate it, and never think to check it again. Kurrelgyre’s Pack. He had not exchanged forms there, but he would come there in another guise, with a different smell. That was why he had masked his smell as they passed. He hoped this was as clever a move as it had seemed when he first thought it out; now he was profoundly uncertain. He was after all only (bur years old; he knew he was extraordinarily bright for his age, but there was a lot he had yet to learn. Yet this was his committed course; he feared he would get in trouble if he changed his mind now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In this batform he could hear very well, but mainly in the range he needed for echo location. He could see, but not as well as he could in boy form. He could smell satisfactorily, and now he used this sense to do what he needed to do. If he had figured this correctly, there should be-yes, there was one: the smell of a wolf trail.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He landed in a tree near the trail. This was not the one the three outgoing cubs had used. This one came from farther north, and the smell of it was stale. It should do.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He settled down to wait. He was tired from his brief flight, for his bat wing muscles were not well developed. He might have a long wait.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He did. He slept, then foraged nearby for berries. Vampire bats in Phaze did not eat a lot of blood; that was for special occasions. Fruits and insects did nicely for the most part, and in the human form they ate what human folk did. Indeed, they were completely human in that guise, which was one reason he had thought to hide among them. However, they were not the only half-human species.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He hung upside down from a shrouded branch and slept again. Night came, and he wanted to forage, for bats were more comfortable in the dark, but he didn’t dare; he had to be by this path when the wolves came.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Where was Granddam Neysa now? Surely most of the way to her brother’s herd. She would probably turn the golem over to another unicorn while she grazed-no, she surely would know by now that it was a golem, so would not pause there, lest others discover that. She would dally only briefly, then move on, not really resting or eating until she reached the Blue Demesnes. Plach felt hornesick, missing her company, and that of Stile and the Lady Blue. He missed his dam Fleta too, and was painfully sorry he had had to deceive her; he knew she would be distraught by his disappearance, when she learned of it. She would be horrified that he had gone alone into the wilderness, and she would fear he was dead. If he changed to human form, he knew he would cry. But he did not, because the magic of such a change could be noted, and that could give him away. He had to wait until it was time, and then change only when it could be covered by another creature’s magic.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

All next day he waited, and all next night. The loneliness was almost overwhelming. He thought of Nepe, and wondered whether she had escaped. He thought she must have, because there had been no further communion between Mach and Bane. Of course, Mach might be trying to reach Bane, and Bane wouldn’t know unless he came to their rendezvous, so maybe it didn’t prove anything. The two had to overlap, physically, each standing in the same geographic spot of their frames; that was why they always exchanged at the same place, near the Red Demesnes. Flach and Nepe could contact each other from anywhere; he wasn’t sure why they were different from their fathers, or why no one else could do it, but he thought it had to do with their mixed ancestry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He kept reminding himself that his isolation was a good sign, because it meant that no one had discovered his disappearance, or if they had, they had no idea where to find him. The critical period, as Grandpa Stile had impressed on him, was the first week. That was when his absence would be discovered, and when the search would be most intense. After that the risk would diminish, though he could never afford to get careless.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Late in the afternoon of the second day, he jolted awake. They were coming! Down the trail from the northwest: wolves!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This was his next critical step. He could lose it all here. If anything went wrong-<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first wolf pup came into view. Flach let go of the branch, dropped, spread his wings, and looped back up. He hovered before the nose of the pup, who abruptly halted, surprised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Two other pups came up, and then the bitch who was guiding and guarding them. They stared at the erratically behaving bat. The bitch snapped at it, but Flach hovered just out of reach. He looped about, remaining ahead of them, preventing them from proceeding. Every time the bitch tried to drive him off, he came back again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally she had had enough. She changed to human form, garbed in furs, ready to take a stick to him if she had to. That was what he wanted. Simultaneously he changed to pup form.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Instantly she was back in bitch form, growling. Flach whimpered, his little tail between his legs. She advanced on him, teeth bared. He rolled over on the trail, exposing his belly. She hesitated, then sniffed him. He lay there, not having to feign terror.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally she resumed woman form. She was of advancing age, garbed in furs, and she carried a knife. This she pointed at Plach. “Assume this form, strange creature!” she snapped. “I be Duzyfilan, and I would talk with thee.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now Plach reverted to his natural form, lying on his back on the ground. “Please, good bitch, hurt me not,” he pleaded. “I come to beg thy protection.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Who and what be thou?” she asked sharply.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I must be nameless, lest I be doomed,” he said, sitting up-<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She studied him, noting his blue outfit. Any werewolf understood the significance of that. “Methinks thou dost be doomed anyway,” she said. “Knowest thou not that we tolerate the likes o’ thee only for the sake o’ the truce?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I have changed sides,” he said. “I must hide, lest those thou knowest catch me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Duzyfilan considered. “Willst make oath on that?” “Aye.” And from him came a faint splash, that rippled the blades of grass and colored the air momentarily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then must we help thee,” she decided. “No other must know thine origin. A secret spread about be no secret long.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I seek only to join thy company,” he said. “And to join the Pack, and be as weres be.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Thou hast no pup name?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nay.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“A pup be named first by the bitch who bears him,” she said. “Canst thou accept me in lieu, since I be first to receive thee in this guise?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye,” he said gratefully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then I name thee Ba, after what I saw o’ thee that thou must ne’er again be, an thou be called one o’ our kind.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Ba,” he repeated. She had seen him as a bat, so she took from that, as was the werewolf way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“And these three pups must ne’er tell o’ what they saw o’ this,” Duzyfilan continued briskly. “Must each exchange oath-friendship with thee, to keep the secret.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye, an thou sayest so,” Flach agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Turn wolf,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach resumed wolf-pup form.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Duzyfilan beckoned to the male pup. The wolfling padded dutifully forward to sniff noses.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Do these two o’ ye, Ba and Fo, make Oath o’ Friendship, each ne’er to betray the welfare o’ the other, in the wolven way?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Both growled aye, and the splash manifested. Among adults the magic splash of absolute truth was seldom seen, but among the young, who were less jaded by experience, it was common enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The bitch beckoned a female pup. “Do these two o’ ye, Ba and Si, make Oath o’ Friendship, each ne’er to betray the welfare o’ the other, in the wolven way?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Again both growled affirmation, and again there was the splash and ripple.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She summoned the second female. “Do these two o’ ye, Ba and Te, make Oath o’ Friendship, each ne’er to betray the welfare o’ the other, in the wolven way?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A third time they growled agreement, and the splash manifested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Now may ye exchange what confidences ye choose, and ne’er fear betrayal, an ye be mindful who else might overhear,” Duzyfilan said. “But concern me not with it, for it be not my business. We camp ahead; we shall travel not this night.” She resumed bitch form.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

So it was that Flach joined the formation of pups, falling in line between the two females. They padded on along the trail, first Fo, then Si, then Flach as Ba, then Te, with the bitch following watchfully. This was because trouble was far more likely to come from behind than ahead, and she could meet it there. But if trouble did appear ahead, the pups could pause, and she would quickly advance on it, as she had when Plach appeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They came to a place the bitch deemed suitable for camping. She sniffed it thoroughly, then had them crawl under a thick thorny bush and nestle together out of sight of the trail. “Needs must I hunt,” she announced. “An danger come, hide; an it sniff ye out, bay for me. An I came not in time, scatter.” Then she was gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They were packed in nose-to-tail, but in a moment Fo and Te made .room on either side, and Si assumed human form beside Flach. “Change, oath-friend,” she told him in a low tone. “We would learn o’ thee.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach changed, finding himself jammed against her, because their human forms were larger than their pup forms. She was a girl of about his size, which meant also his age, because the werewolves matured at the rate of their slow component, the human one. It was now too dark for him to see her, but he felt her human mane, soft and fluffy as her fur, and the snug clothing she wore in human form.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“What wouldst thou learn o’ me?” he asked, speaking no louder than she. He realized that she had been chosen, or had chosen herself, to interrogate him; the other two were listening with their superior ears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We saw thee shift from bat to wolf. Ne’er have we known o’ a were also a bat. Be thou a crossbreed?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We be oath-friends now,” he reminded them. “An I tell ye three, you must tell not other.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye,” Si agreed, and the two others growled assent. “I be descended o’ the bitch Serrilryan, who gave her life that the Adept Clef might come to Phaze. An I tell thee aye, I honor aye.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He had heard of the Adept Clef, the one who played the famed Platinum Flute. Si had impressive ancestry, and surely could be trusted. “I be grandchild o’ Adept Stile, and o’ Neysa Unicorn. I be thus ‘corn with more forms, and little Adept.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

There was a concerted reaction. “No true wolf?” the little bitch asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I be wolf now,” he said. “But also other.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Thou willst fight for us, an we do for thee?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“And do magic for we three alone?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nay. An I do magic other than were form changing, they will know, and seek me out. I may not be other than werewolf, till it be safe.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Si made a little sigh of disappointment. “This be less fun than we hoped.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach felt the need to repay them for the fun they had anticipated, because their Oaths of Friendship bound them to far greater risk than they would otherwise have known. “I can tell you o’ the other frame,” he offered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Thou dost know o’ it?” Si asked, excited. “How so?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I commune with my self-sister Nepe in Proton,” he explained. “She tells me o’ her frame, and I tell her o’ mine. But we can commune only when our sires commune, so the trace o’ our magic be covered by theirs.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then how canst thou know when?” Si asked, intrigued.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We feel it. Our sires must align in place to commune, but we need that not. We talk when they do, and only then. Last time, did I tell her to hide.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“She has to hide too?” Si asked, awed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye. ‘Cause an they catch one of us, they will make that one tell where the other be, and catch both. So we both must hide, and ne’er get caught.” He found that it eased his void somewhat to tell of this.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But why didst thou not stay with thy Pack?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

” ‘Cause the Adverse Adepts be wrong. Grandpa Stile and Granddam Neysa told me that, and showed me how it be so, and I believe it. So needs must I change sides-but we knew the Adepts would let me not. It be the same for Nepe in ‘Proton. So we had to plan, and practice, and hide before the Adepts and Citizens started using us. An they knew that Nepe and I can think to each other, and do it better than our sires can, they would ne’er let us go.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“So you join the Pack with us?” Si asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye. Only it must be known not, ’cause the Pack can stand not against the Adepts. There would be awful trouble, Grandpa says, an they found any Pack or Herd or Flock sheltering me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Si pondered. “I wish we had known this before we swore oath-friendship with thee.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Why?” he asked. “Would ye three have made not the oath?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She concentrated for a time before answering. “Mark thee, we be but young pups, and ill grasp adult concepts. But we feel the truth o’ them, howe’er poorly we say them. So I say to thee we made the oath thinking thou wast only an odd were-creature. We would have made it knowing we be truly helping the cause o’ all the good creatures o’ Phaze. Does that make sense to thee?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You would have made it anyway?” he asked, surprised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye,” Si said, and the others growled assent. “All wolves be ready to fight and die for their Pack and their friends and their way of life, but it means more an they know when they be doing it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach was abruptly overwhelmed. “Do wolves cry?” he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye, when they be in human form.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Good. ‘Cause I be going to cry.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Why?” she asked, dismayed. “Did I say it wrong?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nay, thou didst say it perfectly.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Have we treated thee not kindly?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It be ’cause ye three have treated me more kindly than I feared,” he said, the tears starting. “I bring great danger to you, yet you support me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It be the way o’ the Pack,” she said. “We three be traveling to join a new Pack, and we know the way o’ it, but we know also how hard it be to do. We welcome thee as we would have our new Pack welcome us.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I will try to make you glad o’ that,” Flach said, as the tears flowed more copiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Si did not speak again. She put her hands to his face, and turned it toward her, and kissed him passionately. He realized that her face was wet too, with her own tears. She was kissing him for the three of them, for they had accepted him as they knew him to be. He was profoundly grateful, and somewhat in love, as of that moment. After a suitable interval, they returned to wolf form and slept, the four of them comfortably nestled together against the chill of the night. Their noses pointed outward in four directions, so that any warning carried by the wind would receive prompt attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the period before dawn, Duzyfilan returned with her kill: a giant rabbit. They woke at her summoning growl, and scrambled out to join her. The light of two moons shone down, showing the delicious carcass. In a moment each was hauling and chewing at a leg, while the bitch maintained guard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Flach had never had a meal of this type before, and was at first alarmed. But he emulated his companions, and discovered that cooling raw flesh was delicious as well as being a challenge. As long as he was in wolf form! By the time dawn came, he was stuffed on rabbit, and felt wonderful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They slept again, for it was not good to run on a full belly. It was almost noon before they resumed travel. But the bitch knew what she was doing, for she had, it turned out, spied an Adept in the vicinity, and elected to lay low until the Adept was gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

At dusk they reached Kurrelgyre’s Pack. Duzyfilan sniffed noses with the leader, and brought up the four pups, saying nothing. Kurrelgyre sniffed each in turn, growled his approval, and summoned his own chief bitch. She took the four to her den. They were cowed and quiet, but knew the worst was over: they had been accepted. They never saw Duzyfilan go; she had been no more than a courier, and for reasons of her own she did not stay to socialize.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They were given two days to acclimatize to the new Pack. Then Kurrelgyre brought them up before the assembled wolves and gave them each their second syllable, in the manner of the wolven kind. This was their formal mark of acceptance; henceforth they would be members of the Pack in all the ways of pups of their generation, except that they would be free to make permanent liaisons with other Pack members when they matured. They and the other pups from other Packs represented this year’s New Blood: a place of custom rather than honor. Honor they would have to achieve for themselves, in due course.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

So it was that they became Forel, Sirel, Terel and Barel: because they had been lucky enough to be adopted by the leader’s den. They would strive henceforth to do that den honor. It was even possible that one of them might have the supreme honor, when grown, of killing Kurrelgyre. With peace, but threatened war, the Packs were increasing in size, anticipating future losses, so that it was no longer required that a young wolf kill his sire in order to assume adult status. But when a sire became infirm, it remained the duty of one of his offspring to dispatch him cleanly. However, that was a long time distant, and it was quite possible that Kurrelgyre<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

would die in battle before then.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

No one recognized Barel as the boy whorn Neysa had carried by a few days before, because when he went to boy form he assumed an altered appearance with wolven clothing, and his smell was not the one they had encountered. Minions of the Adverse Adepts did pass, searching for someone, but it was evident that only werewolves were here. Kurrelgyre of course had not been told Flach’s identity, and if he suspected, he did not care to give it away. Certainly not to the Adverse Adepts!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It seemed that Flach had made a successful escape. But only time would tell. Meanwhile, he worked hard to become the best were pup he could be, and he did no other magic or shape changes than those of the wolven kind. The focus of the war between the good and bad Adepts had to move elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Only his den mates, his oath-friends, knew of the pain he felt because of his isolation from his true parents. They felt it too, but not in the same way, for they had not also separated from their native culture. They remained with him, and stood by him, so that it was remarked with approval among the Pack how unusually close these four were.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

4<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Agnes answered the call. In a moment she came to inform Citizen Blue. She was getting old and gray, as she had been no young thing when he had hired her from ofiplanet four years before, but she had quickly become his most reliable and trusted servant. Indeed, she was more like a friend, despite being an alien creature. She normally remained well in the background, so that few visitors noticed her at all. “It is for you, sir.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Who is it, Nessie?” he inquired, though he had an excellent notion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Citizen Tan, sir.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He nodded. He gestured to the screen in this room, giving it leave to light, as Agnes disappeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sure enough, it was Citizen Tan. “Your grandchild has disappeared,” Tan said abruptly. “You know something of this.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Now how could I know about that?” Blue inquired. “Isn’t she in your camp’s charge?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You put her up to it!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Did I? That must have been very naughty of me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If you shelter her as a runaway, you will be in violation of the truce.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I wouldn’t think of it. Tan.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We shall recover her! And when we do-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue frowned. “Are you suggesting that you would mistreat a child? I would not care to see that, for I fear it would prejudice your relationship with the child’s parents, who might become uncooperative.” This was of course a cutting understatement; Bane-and Mach, too-would not tolerate any threat against Nepe; she was untouchable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You’re so damned smug!” Tan exclaimed. “But she can’t remain hidden long. We’ll scour the planet for her, and if we discover any complicity at all on your part-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Now why should I want to prevent my granddaughter from making her scheduled visit to me? You know how I delight in her company. Indeed, this smacks of some device on your part, to keep her from me. Should I lodge a complaint?” Citizen Tan faded out, scowling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Agnes reappeared. “She will be all right, sir?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I am sure of it, Nessie. You trained her, after all. Who else could have done it better?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But she is only four of your years old!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“And perhaps the brightest child on the planet.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She nodded, fading back again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now Blue placed a call of his own, to Citizen Purple. The fat Adept scowled, but had to listen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We have operated under a truce,” Blue said. “We agreed not to harass each other directly, your side and mine, and your side has access to the Oracle during the time I am visited by my granddaughter. However, I have not received my scheduled visit this time. This represents a violation on your part.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We’re looking for her!” Purple snapped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I am sure you are. When you find her, and deliver her to me, I shall see that my part of the agreement is honored. Until then, you will be denied access to the Oracle.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Purple’s mouth opened, but Blue cut the connection before the foul language got through. He had just dropped the other shoe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sheen entered. “You are not being nice, dear,” she remarked. She was naked in the serf style, slender and graceful, despite being nominally his age. But her hair betrayed her years, with some gray strands among the brown, and her breasts rode lower than they once had. Yet even these were not true indicators, for they were crafted. She was a robot, ageless unless restyled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“What would a machine know about niceness?” he retorted, smiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Certainly not a great deal from association.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He grabbed her and kissed her. “How long have we been married? Two and a half years?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You may have slipped a decimal, sir.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I get that from association.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I doubt it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He held her a moment more. “Thou dost still so much resemble the metal maid I met and loved, when I returned to life.” He reverted to his native pattern of speech only in times of emotion, or for effect.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I am the same!” she protested. “Crafted to please your other self, shaped to his taste.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“And to mine,” he agreed. “I loved one before thee, but she came to love me less, and so I left her-and found thee. Thy love never flagged.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Because you never changed my program. If you want me to have another personality-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Tease me not! In my life must needs there be one thing constant, and that be thee and thy program.” He squeezed her close, and kissed her again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Careful, Blue,” she murmured in his ear. “You are getting aroused before schedule.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Trust thee to remember that!” he exclaimed, for it was true.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He released her and faced the exit panel. “Mustn’t keep my audience waiting,” he said, reverting to the Proton mode of speech.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Play thy role well, my love,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He smiled. She normally used Phaze language only to tease him, but this time he knew it was more than that. “Fear thou not, 0 Lady Sheen. I shall play them a game that shall keep them rapt.” Then he stepped out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For this was the point of this exercise. He had trained his grandchild Nepe carefully, as Stile had trained Flach in Phaze. He knew about this because the two children were able to communicate with each other: a secret only Stile and Blue and their ladies (Agnes included) had known until this point. Now Stile had given the signal for the children to hide, and Blue had to trust his other selfs judgment. He did not know where Nepe had gone, but he did know she would need about twenty-four hours to secure her situation. It was now his job to provide her that period. The future of this ploy, and likely the planet, depended on his success in creating an effective diversion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now we shall play a game, he thought as he emerged into the hall. A game of high stakes! He knew that every word he spoke and every action he took would be noted, outside the protection of his Citizen’s sanctuary. The Contrary Citizens believed he had some complicity in Nepe’s disappearance, as indeed he had. He had made his provocative calls to ensure that belief. Now he was going out, and they should believe that he was going to contact his granddaughter. If they were assured of that, they would put all their resources into watching him, instead of into the more routine but effective effort of a cordon and pattern search for her. It was a ploy so obvious that only a fool should fall for it-and he hoped to make a fool of the enemy Citizens.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He walked around the halls as if merely exercising-or making sure he was unobserved. Of course there should be no way to shake the hidden observation of the enemy; he depended on that. If they lost him, they might by default get moving on the pattern search, expensive and disruptive, as that would be. He was offering them a seemingly much easier route.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

After he was satisfied that he was alone, he approached a Citizen portal and summoned his transport. This was a box somewhat like an ancient elevator, that traveled through channels unavailable to serfs. The sides consisted of holographs of Phaze, so that it looked as if he were in a glass cage swinging along over the Phaze surface. He loved Phaze, of course, and wished he could revisit it; but he loved this technological frame more. To him, the ways of magic were familiar and frankly somewhat dull, while the ways of science were, even after a quarter century, novel and exciting. With magic, each spell could be invoked only once; with science there was no limit. And Sheen was a creature of science. He had been fascinated by her from the outset, knowing her nature; she represented in one package all the wonders of this frame. To the locals, the notion of a living man loving a robot was ludicrous-but Blue was not a local, he was an immigrant from a foreign frame. Sheen was beautiful, she was conscious, she was feeling, she was loving. Science had fashioned the whole of her, and that was much of her allure. She had loved Stile, and lost him to the Lady Blue; but she had been ready to accept Stile’s alternate self instead, and that had been the key. A living woman would not have done it, but the robot lacked the particular consciousness of self that counted here. Blue had Stile’s body and Stile’s nature; he was Stile’s other self. Sheen was programmed to love the first two, and though she knew of the third, her programming did not find it significant. She had, in effect. Stile under another name.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The carriage halted, and Blue stepped out into a crowded hallway. Naked serfs were walking in both directions; they took no overt note of the voluminously cloaked Citizen suddenly in their midst, but all were careful to leave a clear aisle for him. That was the way of it; any serf ignored any Citizen, unless the Citizen spoke to him. Then that serf obeyed the Citizen implicitly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He was at the entrance to the android laboratory. Each Dome City had its own robot, android and cyborg labs, where units were custom designed for particular purposes or individual Citizens. Sheen had originated in the robot lab, a standard female format with a then-new and sophisticated program for the emulation of emotion. But because she was of the self-willed machine variety, that simulation was virtually indistinguishable from the reality experienced by living creatures. Stile had discussed this with her, and become satisfied that her programmed feeling was as valid as his unprogrammed feeling, for his feelings were the result of his nature and experience. Perhaps that had started him on the route to the acceptance of the self-willed machines as legitimate social entities: people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue had carried that concept further, setting up the experimental community that gave equal status to humans and four other categories in their human forms: androids, self-willed robots, cyborgs and aliens. This was in part his payoff to the self-willed machines who had helped him survive the malice of Citizens, when he had been a serf. But it was also simple cultural justice. The other entities had similar abilities and sensitivities, and desired similar justice. Blue’s experimental community had demonstrated the feasibility of the integration of these five categories as equals. He had placed his own robot son Mach into this community, with greater success than anticipated. Who could have suspected that Mach would exchange minds with his other self in Phaze, and set off a chain of events that threatened to overturn all that Blue had accomplished here!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, this had also resulted in the appearance of Stile’s son Bane in Proton, and his association with the alien female Agape, and their intricately crafted child Nepe. Now Nepe was helping Blue to hold his position as nominal leader of the Citizens. As long as he controlled more wealth than his opponents did, his policies governed; when the balance of wealth shifted, theirs would govern. They would not be able to undo a quarter century of reforms in a day, but certainly the effect would be deleterious to individual rights. The Contrary Citizens preferred things as they had been before Stile started the great change: unbridled wealth and power to the ruling class, and human serfs dedicated to serving the will of the Citizens. It was in its way a classic liberal-conservative struggle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He entered the laboratory. “At ease,” a serf murmured, advising all employees that a Citizen was present.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue walked through the linked chambers of the lab, inspecting the android production line. At the beginning was the tank of “soup”-the living pseudoflesh from which the creatures were formed. A human being was conceived and birthed and grown to adult status, and eventually died. An android being was fashioned complete at one time, and educated rapidly; thereafter it lived and functioned and died in the human manner. Unfortunately, androids tended to be stupid; there seemed to be no proper substitute for nature’s way, when it came to intelligence. Blue’s experimental community had turned out the smartest androids yet, by making them small and letting them grow and learn in the human manner. But this was an inefficient way to do it; for most purposes, an instant stupid android, trained to a special task, was far more cost effective than a smart one who was years in development. Most, of course, were not even humanoid; they were shaped for myriad tasks that were beneath the notice of humans, including cleanup of the grounds beyond the dome.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The intense pollution tended to corrode robots, and was unbreathable for humans, but androids could be crafted who breathed it, needing no special suits.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, Blue’s purpose in visiting this lab had nothing to do with the manufacture of androids. He had come here because this was the most likely hiding place for little Nepe. She, as a creature of alien flesh with robot specifications, could assume any living form, so could readily emulate an android of the appropriate size. Obviously she would hide among the new androids of the lab, because it was in the familiar city and the new ones were not yet trained in specific tasks. She could accept the training and go out on assignment, and no one would catch on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue smiled faintly. Certainly that was the reasoning he wanted the Citizens to follow. The moment he left the lab, they should be closing on it, checking every current android, verifying its origin and nature. The ordinary machines could not distinguish between android and alien flesh, but lab personnel could. They would soon verify the legitimacy of every android, here and in all the other labs of Proton. And in a few hours they would know that Nepe was not among them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In this manner he was generating his first diversion. He was giving them a promising false lead. He knew they were watching him, and he hoped that they believed that he had either made passing contact with Nepe, or tried to and failed. They might believe that she was here, but that he had realized he was being watched, so had shied away. Regardless, they would have to make a thorough check.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He walked slowly on out, having said nothing. He stepped back into his transport, and went next to the cyborg lab. The cyborgs were essentially robot bodies housing living brains; they were more intelligent than androids, but also more erratic. They tended to get notions of their own, and that could be inconvenient for an employer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nepe was small enough to be able to form herself into the brain portion of a large cyborg. She could then direct it, and have a hiding place for some time in the otherwise metal body. The Citizens would thus have to eliminate all the cyborgs, too, and that would represent several more hours of effort, and divide their resources. They could hardly afford to make their search openly; they did not want others catching on. Thus a search that might be completed in one hour would take several, because of the inefficiency of secrecy. Again, it would prove fruitless.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stile returned to his transport. He was sorry there was no alien lab, to further divide the enemy force. But aliens were relatively few, and they were not generated in any lab. Nepe, being one alien herself, was unlikely to try to masquerade as another. In any event, the Citizens would already have run tracers on every alien on the planet. They would know the child was not among them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

That left only the straight robots and the straight humans. Of these, only the robots had a lab. He went there next, though it should be obvious that Nepe could not emulate a completely inanimate being. His tour was cursory; evidently he didn’t expect to fool anyone this time. If they thought he was trying a double fake, and that Nepe was after all hiding here, they would have to expend valuable time anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

At last he went to the Game Annex. Nepe had prevailed on her uncle to play a formal game here; he had made special note of the particular console they had used. The Citizens might suppose she had somehow left a message for him here; they would have to examine the console, perhaps even replacing it with another so that they could take it apart in privacy. All part of the game!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now he was going to give them something more challenging to ponder; so far he had merely warmed up. He touched a finger to the screen of the console.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Words flashed on the screen. WHAT IS YOUR WILL, CITIZEN BLUE? Naturally all the consoles were programmed to recognize all Citizens; in fact, a Citizen could hardly go anywhere unrecognized.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I wish to play with my wife,” he replied with the faintest of smiles. The machine would not pick up the double entendre.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a moment Sheen’s face appeared on the screen. “Yes, sir?” she inquired. In the privacy of their suite she treated him with familiar deference; in public, the familiarity was absent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I become bored,” he said. “Let me play with you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A smile very like his own crossed her face. “Shall I come to you, sir, or will you come to me?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Remain where you are, for now. Address your console.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes, sir.” Her face faded out. The primary grid appeared. He had the numbers, and chose 2. MENTAL. It would be tricky to play a physical game without her presence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a moment the secondary grid appeared: TOOL-ASSISTED MENTAL. 2B. “Two Bee or not Two Bee,” he murmured, frowning at it. He had the numbers again, so had to choose between 5. SEPARATE 6. INTERACTING 7. PUZZLE and 8. COOPERATIVE. He touched 6.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her choices were E. BOARD F. CARDS G. PAPER H. GENERAL: all tools for mental games. She had chosen G, for the new box was INTERACTIVE PAPER GAMES.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They filled in the third grid with games from the proffered list: tic-tac-toe, sprouts, lines-and-boxes, life, magic squares and word games. When they made their selections, the result was CROSSWORD. They would play an interactive crossword game. Victory would go to the one who forced the other into an impossible word.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Of course the watching Citizens would be sure that this was a pre-arranged game-and they would be correct. Blue and Sheen had played exactly as they had agreed to play, before he left the suite. They were playing “long-distance” to ensure that the Citizens could tap into the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The crossword grid was eighty-one squares: nine on a side. Blue had the first move, and represented the horizontal, so he wrote in the word ASTERISKS across the top.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sheen started with the first S and filled in SNOW, vertically, setting a solid end-block below.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue pondered, then put in VOID, the 0 overlapping hers. He had to build on her word, because he was allowed no vertical words himself. Thus it was truly interactive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She countered with VOICES, extending down from his V. The words seemed to come naturally, but they were also suggestive. What message would a cryptography expert see in them? How could a child of four interpret such a sequence? What would he be trying to tell her, that was so important for her to know? Surely there were some very nice headaches being sown here!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He took off from her 0 and made OWED.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She formed KING descending from his K in ASTERISKS.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He filled in FUN, to her new N.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She made FORMS descending from his F.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He made MORE crossing her R.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She called out a pre-existing word by marking in a + above it: I. E. The game was getting tight. He filled in NO below the ER in ASTERISKS.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

U<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

E<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A\tS\tT\tE\tR\tI +\tN\t+\tN\t0\t+ V\t0\tI\tD\t+\tF 0\tw\tE\tD\t+\t0 I\t+\t+\tM\t0\tR c\t\t\t\t\tM E\t\t\t\t\tS S\t\t\t\t\t+ +\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sheen was abruptly left with an impossible word: the RO did not count against her, because he had formed it complete, giving her no chance to improve on it. But how could she make anything legitimate from the vertical letters ENDDM?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“End DM,” she said, appearing on the screen, behind the grid, so that the letters crossed her face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“What does DM stand for?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Dumb Machine.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue laughed. “Sorry, I don’t know any dumb machines, certainly not you. You lose.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

She sighed. “I think the game was fixed.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You have a suspicious inanimate mind.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“What is the penalty?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You have to ask, woman? The usual, of course.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh, no sir, not the usual!” she protested with mock affright. They had played this charade before, and always enjoyed it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The usual,” he repeated grimly. “Get your torso over here.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“There? In public?” she asked, appalled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The very best place. What good is a victory if not publicly savored?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You are a monster, sir.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“To be sure. Do not keep me waiting, or it will go hard with you, serf.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I hear and obey with alacrity, sir,” she said, fading.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue touched the screen again. WHAT IS YOUR WILL, CITIZEN BLUE?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“This game was but a prelude to another. Reserve a jelly vat for my use.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

DONE, CITIZEN BLUE.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Audience is permitted for this game.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

VERIFY: AUDIENCE PERMITTED? That was as close as the Game Machine ever came to astonishment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Yes.” Normally Citizens conducted their affairs with paranoid privacy unless they had reason to chastise a serf in public; Blue’s wife was a serf, but he was not given to doing that to her. His permission for an audience was of course a requirement for one; serfs would be rounded up for the event. Actually this would be no punishment for the serfs; Blue knew himself to be by far the most popular Citizen of Proton, because of his steadfast efforts to mitigate the lot of serfs and his open marriage to a machine. Every group supported him, except the Contrary Citizens. That one exception, of course, more than counterbalanced the rest; had he not been set up with the dominant wealth of the planet by his other self, his tenure would have been brief. Wealth governed Proton, literally, and this was a power he had exercised ruthlessly against the other Citizens, maintaining his position. Only the sophisticated financial instruments devised by the Oracle from the input of the Book of Magic could wrest that power from him-and now he had a pretext to cut off that source of information from his enemy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He walked slowly to the bath region of the Game Annex, giving Sheen time to get there. Yes, wealth was the key-and the Oracle and Book of Magic were the ultimate keys to wealth, and he and Stile controlled both. They had monitored the progress of the enemy, and acted when necessary: just before the balance of wealth shifted. Nepe had kept him informed, and he had trained her, with the invaluable expertise of Agnes. Now her absence froze things as they were. If she remained hidden. Blue and Stile would retain power; if she were found, they would lose it. It was that simple.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He reached the bath region. Sheen was there, having found swift transport. She took his arm, and they went to the reserved vat. They could have found their way simply by zeroing in on the clamor, for as they entered the chamber they spied the audience: about a hundred naked men, women, children, androids, humanoid robots and humanoid cyborgs. They had been clamoring with excitement, for the privilege of watching a living Citizen in an event like this was rare indeed. There was a sudden hush as they saw Blue and Sheen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the center of the chamber was the vat, its sides dropping sharply away from the floor. It was round, about four meters in diameter, and was filled with whipped pseudo-gelatin, limeflavored. This differed from the real thing mainly in being harmless to living flesh even when it got in the eyes, and in being two point three times as slimy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sheen released his arm, stepping ahead of him to gaze into the quivering green mess. “Permission to speak frankly, sir,” she said with-evident distaste.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Denied,” he said, setting his cupped hand on her buttock and boosting her forward. She screamed and flailed wildly as she fell into the vat. The male members of the audience applauded. A Citizen, of course, could do no wrong. Some of the females looked as if they might have another opinion, but were not bold enough to express it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue beckoned to the nearest serf. The young man scrambled up and came to him. “Sir?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Remove my garment and hold it clean until I emerge.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The serf did not answer, as no answer was required. He set his hands carefully at Blue’s shoulders and lifted the voluminous blue cloak. In a moment it was off, and Blue stood naked. He stepped out of his blue sandals while the serf folded the cloak and held it reverently. That serf would be famous for a day: he had Held Citizen Blue’s Cloak!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The other serfs tried not to stare, but were obviously fascinated by the sight of a naked Citizen in public. Many of them would have seen naked Citizens before, but only in the privacy of personal services. The average serf was so far beneath the notice of the average Citizen that clothing counted merely as a matter of status. A Citizen could of course do anything he wanted, including parade naked in public, but it was rare for this to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue knew himself to be quite fit for his age, and had no shame of his body. He stood for a moment, letting them admire it. There had been a time when a grown man who stood, in the Phaze system of measurement, an inch under five feet tall would have been an object of humor, sometimes of ridicule. That time was past. Today that stature was a badge of honor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sheen remained in the gelatin, treading slime, waiting for him. Thick froth matted her hair and clung to portions of her torso. She had been attractive in her normal nudity; she was doubly so when partially shrouded by the foam. Well she knew it, too; now a surprisingly firm breast showed, and now a segment of lithe leg, flashing amidst the green. At one point both legs showed, angling in toward a torso that was artfully masked. The folk of other cultures thought nakedness made a woman sexually appealing; those of Proton knew that it was selective concealment that had the most potent effect. A number of the serfs were gazing at her with envy, for her situation. Any serf woman would have been glad to trade places with her, even if only for this hour. There would probably be a rash of jelly baths following this event.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

And the watching eyes of the Citizens behind their spy lenses would have to track all of it, searching for continuing clues to Blue’s possible contact with his granddaughter. How could an engagement with one’s own wife in public accomplish this? Certainly Blue was not doing this without reason!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He smiled. They would be right: he had excellent reason! This was as good a diversion as he could arrange, given the short notice he had had.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He dived into the vat. The froth was thin at the top, but thickened below, so that it sustained him and brought his body to a halt well clear of the bottom. He stroked until he was upright. There was Sheen, facing him with a hat fashioned of foam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Ha, woman!” he cried, and ducked below the bubbly surface. Sheen screamed again as he caught her ankles and dumped her down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now they were both below the surface, out of sight. But it was possible to breathe here, by sucking air between the teeth to strain out the bubbles. Sheen of course did not need to breathe, except when she needed air for speech.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Hold still, creature!” he cried for the benefit of the audience that peered closely at the heaving surface of froth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Is that an order, sir?” she replied defiantly. There was laughter from above; of course it wasn’t an order, in a game like this.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Now I’ve got you-oops!” Obviously she had slipped out of his grasp. It was almost impossible to hold on to a person in this slippery stuff. Both remained out of sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sheen screamed again, signaling that he had caught her again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Spread your legs, wench!” he ordered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Spread them yourself, sir!” More delighted laughter from above; the audience could picture exactly what was happening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If you don’t, I’ll tickle you!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

There was a pause. Then, hesitantly: “Where will you tickle me, sir?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Maybe on the feet.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That’s all right.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then maybe on the knees.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The knees? I think I can handle that.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then maybe the thighs.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

A pause. “I’ll survive it somehow.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“How about the belly?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Oh, no, not the belly! Anywhere but there!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Anywhere?” His voice was quivering with suggestion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Uh-just where else did you have in mind, sir?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“WHERE DO YOU THINK, WENCH?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’ll spread my legs!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Too late! I’d rather tickle you. Just let me get my finger in there-” She screamed yet again, piercingly. The laughter from above was almost overwhelming.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

What the audience did not realize was that the activity under the whipped gelatin was quite different from that suggested by the dialogue. Sheen opened a breast-cabinet and brought out heavy makeup materials. She applied paint to his hair, wherever it occurred, changing it to match her own. She put green contact lenses into his eyes, so that they also matched hers. She removed both her breasts and fastened them to his body with flesh-colored adhesive, and applied pseudoflesh to his hips and buttocks. She used more of it to cover his genitals and mold them into a mound like hers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This was feasible because her midsection was larger than his; there was room for layering. Soon Blue resembled her so closely that only a careful inspection would give him away.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, instead of tickling her-it was difficult to tickle a robot-he was helping her to assume his form. He removed her hairpiece and put on one that resembled his hair. He used a special pen to draw lines on her legs that made them look thinner and more muscular. He used pseudoflesh to thicken her waist. He removed her ears and substituted a set she had brought that resembled his. And he applied to her crotch a prefabricated unit of pseudoflesh that was cast in the shape of his male genitals. Then he smoothed out her now-flat chest, and painted a few hairs. The double transformation was complete.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

At this point they were grunting suggestively, as though engaged in heavy activity, while the audience above quieted, striving to overhear and interpret what was occurring. All sex was free on Proton, and serfs indulged at will (or the will of their Citizen employers), but again the concealment enhanced the fascination. Blue made a final, satisfied groan, and they were quiet.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then Blue stroked upward through the froth so that his head broke the surface. “Well, I didn’t get tickled!” he said in his best emulation of Sheen’s voice. “Liar!” Sheen called from below, in his voice. “You got well tickled inside\\ If you haven’t had enough-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue looked alarmed, and clambered out of the vat. Patches of lather covered portions of his body, making it more difficult for anyone to tell that he was not a naked woman. He hurried out, as if afraid the Citizen was about to call him back for another round.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It’s better when they resist,” his voice came from behind, as Sheen broke the surface in his likeness. “Next time, translucent gel!” The audience applauded. The serfs had seen far less than they thought, and were convinced they knew what had happened below. A majority of the males now had erections. There would be a mass sex orgy the moment Sheen, as Citizen Blue, gave leave for general use of the vat. It was significant that none of the women was trying to leave early.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He hurried to the connected shower stall, and quickly rinsed the foam from his hair and body. Sheen, in the guise of the Citizen, would have a portable shower brought in, and the serfs would gladly operate it and the dryer, and help her back into his blue cloak. Then she would take his transport back to their suite.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He had to smile. Sheen was a machine, but what a machine! She did things so well. He trusted her absolutely, and yes, he did love her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He emerged from the shower, stood in the dryer a moment, and departed the premises without attracting undue attention. He walked down the hall to a public transport, got on, and rode across the city. When he reached the far side he got off, then took another transport, glancing around as if to see whether anyone was following. Reassured, he proceeded to the jetport and boarded a flight to the dome of Gobdom. This took a while, and he sat absolutely still and straight, in the manner of a robot who had tuned out, not snoozing in the human manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

At Gobdom he walked around as if on business, checking again for any pursuit. When there seemed to be none, he boarded a flight to Anidom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He knew he was being watched, and that his exchange with Sheen had not fooled the eyes that were following him. They would be equipped with sensors that read beneath the surface, fathorning his fleshly nature, and Sheen’s robotic nature. The serfs had surely been deceived, but not the Citizens. Still, it was a good ruse, for it had a reasonable chance of making the Citizens think that he was trying to conceal his activity. Indeed, the exchange would have been effective, had ordinary lenses been used; the best ones were considerably more expensive than the standard ones, and required far more sophisticated application. But for this all-important purpose, he knew the best was being brought into play.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

So the Citizens thought he was trying a simple ruse to fool them, making a public show of his location and a very clever identity exchange so that no one. would suspect. Now they might believe he was going to his true rendezvous. Indeed, they had a potent confirmatory hint in the crossword game he had played with Sheen. For there was a key word written therein, supposedly concealed. From the top left, slantwise down, crossing both the horizontal and vertical words: ANIDOM. The dome to which he was now going.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

How might he have gotten this message to Nepe? They would just have to make their own conjectures. Obviously there was a way. Perhaps the child had access to a Game Grid screen, and could tune in to the game he had played longdistance with Sheen. The moment she saw that slanting message, she would know, and she would be there at the appointed hour to meet him. Then they would have her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Blue kept a straight face, maintaining his robotic demeanor, but internally he was smiling. The Citizens would be so sure of their victory-and so disappointed when it slipped away. For Nepe would not be meeting him here, or anywhere else. Her orders were never to meet him or contact him at all. She was entirely on her own. That way no action or word of his could give her away, no matter how closely the Citizens monitored his every eyeblink.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He had confidence in her, and yet he feared for her. She was so young! If only he had had another year to train her, even six months, to perfect it. But he trusted the judgment of his other self in Phaze; if Stile had concluded that the break had to be made now, that was surely the case. Perhaps things had gotten tighter in Phaze than in Proton. Probably the Adverse Adepts had been about to catch on to the true powers of little Flach, and had been planning a preemptive captivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Well, lie was doing his part, protecting Nepe to whatever extent he could. He would dally for several hours in Anidom, poking into obscure comers, and in the course of it perform another identity switch in a seeming effort to shake any pursuit that remained. Then he would give it up and go horne. If the Citizens had not found her by that time, they were unlikely to thereafter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Nepe would be hiding in the manner they least expected: in the form of a robot. Stile could not make himself into a machine well enough to deceive the special eyes, but Nepe could. She could form her flesh into metallic hardness throughout, and function so like a robot that only a physical dissection could expose her nature. He and Agnes had drilled her on this until she had it almost perfect: the impossible identity. She might be one of the mechanical servitors the Citizens used as they searched for her. Blue himself did not know what variant she would assume, or where she would operate. His only concern now was that she hide successfully. The success of this ploy depended on Nepe and Flach in Phaze. But it was also true that he loved the little alien creature, and wanted her safe even if his power and the welfare of Proton were not on the line.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

His thoughts turned naturally to Phaze. Why had he never sought to make direct contact with the other frame, now that Mach and Bane had demonstrated that it was possible, and Nepe and Flach had confirmed it? He had learned that it was his continuing link with Stile, and their exchanged identities, that kept the frames from separating completely. He was a native of Phaze, living in Proton, while Stile was from Proton, and living in Phaze. As long as that was the case, the frames would be linked. Presumably if he overlapped his other self and made the effort, he could exchange with Stile, and be back in Phaze. So easy, perhaps, yet he had never even made the effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He knew why. It was because he preferred Proton, and Stile preferred Phaze. Blue loved Sheen, whose marvels of body and accommodation had been demonstrated today, and never wanted to leave her. Stile loved the Lady Blue similarly. Suppose they overlapped, and exchanged-and were unable to return to their present situations? The frames might be forever separated, their final link cut, and Blue would be stuck in marriage with the Lady Blue, and Stile with Sheen. The Lady Blue was a fine person, but it had not worked out between them, just as it had not worked between Stile and Sheen. No, he dared not risk it, and he knew Stile felt the same. They would never contact each other direct. Not unless the salvation of the frames depended on it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

And if that should ever turn out to be the case-well. Blue had a little ace in the hole that might allow him to rejoin Stile without losing everything. It was so enormous a gamble that he would never risk it except as the final resort. If successful, it would still change the faces of the frames forever. If it failed-there was no telling what would happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He knew, because of the increasing parallelism of the frames, that Stile had a similar notion, to be similarly implemented. For the actions had to be together. And, because one or both of them were likely to be in straits too dire to allow direct implementation, he had set the trigger in a place no one would suspect. It could be summed up in one key word:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Corn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

To guarantee privacy, they held the meeting at the Translucent Demesnes, under the water near the Isle of the West Pole. Tan and Tania rode in a watery bubble the Translucent Adept sent, floating over the forests and plains of Phaze at rapid velocity before descending into the sea. Tania affected the same blas6 reaction her brother did, but the truth was that she got a fair thrill from this type of travel. She could fascinate folk with her gaze, because she shared with her brother the magic of the Evil Eye, but could not perform physical magic in the manner of other Adepts. Hers was not an inferior talent, merely more subtle; when it came to questioning a resistive client, or to persuading someone, the others deferred to her. Yet she often wished for just a little of the other kind of power!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The bubble coursed through the water, brushing aside reaching sea plants, coming at last to the hidden palace. At the entrance it landed and popped out of existence, leaving them standing dry, though the sea loomed around and above them. It was a nice effect; Translucent did things right.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They entered. The other Adepts were already there, having had faster magic transportation: White, who used the runes and glyphs; Yellow, with her potions to govern animals; Black, who was entirely made of lines; Orange, whose magic was of plants; Green, whose hand gestures controlled fire; and Purple, with the forces of geology. Eight of them in all, counting Tan and Tania as one, and, of course, Translucent. Against them were ranged only three: Blue with his singsongs, Red with his amulets, and Brown with her golems. Yet so far the three had had their way more often than not: a distressing situation, long overdue for redress. This was because the Red Adept, a literal troll, had the Book of Magic, the most potent single instrument in Phaze. Now their access to that Book had been cut off, precipitating the crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Translucent began without preamble: “Blue suckered us. He trained the boy Flach to be a nascent Adept with natural form changing from his unicorn side. We were just beginning to catch on, when the boy made his move. He substituted a golem for himself, and that was what arrived at the Blue Demesnes. Blue waited just long enough for the real boy to be thoroughly hidden, then pulled the plug on grounds we had delivered not. Bane tells me the same happened simultaneously in Proton: the little girl took off. The ploy be this: we had a covenant that we were allowed access to the Book of Magic only during the time when the boy was with Blue. Since the boy did not reach the Blue Demesnes, our use of the Book be cut off. Until we recover the boy and deliver him to Blue, we can use it not. It be clear that Blue realized that we were on the verge o’ a breakthrough, and would assume dominance shortly; he acted just in time to scotch that. We be here to consider our alternatives.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I knew thou wouldst bungle it!” Purple exclaimed. “Thou didst say thou wouldst get the damned rovot to go along with us!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“He did, Purp!” White snapped. “And he got Bane in with us too. That’s a potent pair, and they have decamped not.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“They must have been in on it,” Purple said. “How did the brat in Proton know, else?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“They knew not,” Translucent said. “In retrospect we realize that this break be more significant than that. The two children can speak to each other directly. “<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This was news to the others. “Same as Bane and the rovot?” Yellow asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That be our conclusion. We were guilty o’ narrow thinking; we ne’er thought it possible. We thought it mere parallelism or coincidence. Had we caught on, we would have secured those brats instantly.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then we must have those children!” White exclaimed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I had concluded as much,” Translucent said dryly. “I had suspected that the boy was able to assume more forms than just man and ‘corn, and thought to have Tan speak to him to ascertain just what these might be. That would have revealed aught we ne’er dreamed o’! Somehow Blue must have realized, and spirited the boy out o’ our grasp. Nor rovot nor ‘corn parents suspected; they believed the boy retarded.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“He fooled e’en his own parents,” White said, thoughtfully. “That lad be dangerous.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That brat be power!” Purple said. “We capture him, we’ll need not mare or rovot!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Which is where Blue scored,” Translucent agreed. “He knew-and doubled his ploy by making us liable for losing the lad. Gain back the lad, and we score double oursel’es. There be our challenge. But methinks the lad will be not easy to find.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Trace his route!” Purple said. “He started with the mare; where did he leave her?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I have traced the route, and queried the auspices,” Translucent said grimly. “We had warners where’er magic occurred, and tags on both boy and mare. He left the mare only four times. The first was west o’ a pack, when he took a piss break. The second was when the mare went ahead to break up a dragon attack on pups leaving the Pack: she be oathfriend to that Pack, and fought for its pups, but endangered not the boy. The third was near her Herd, when the boy took another rest break, and the fourth halfway ‘tween there and the Blue Demesnes, another rest break. I checked further and learned that traces o’ urine were only at the first stop; by this I conclude that the last two were the golem substitute, making pretense. We are assured it was the living boy up to the first stop, and the golem at the third. That puts the second in question.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Could he have joined the pups?” White asked alertly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nay. They were four coming in, and four going on; an he joined them, there had been five. An he switch places with one, then it be a werewolf riding the mare-and it were no wolf arrived with her.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then where did he go?” White demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Methinks he changed form under cover o’ the mare’s changes; our wamers can tell simultaneous changes not from one. We found no tracks, no traces ‘cept scratches on the bark o’ a tree there. I believe he changed to bird form and flew, and where he be now-” He shrugged.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Bird form!” Yellow exclaimed. “He could have flown anywhere by now!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“True. Therefore our effort to trace him be doomed. We underestimated him, supposing him to be capable o’ but two forms instead o’ four, and thus he slipped away.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Four?” Purple asked. “Man, ‘corn, bird, and what?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Whate’er he changed to when his flying was done. He would not remain a bird; that be too limited a form, its life too hazardous.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“He could be human or unicorn, and merge with a village or Herd,” Purple pointed out. “We can search them all and find him.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That be why he would have a fourth form,” Translucent said. “He made this cunning escape not to be readily recovered.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But he be but four years old! His kind masters but three forms!” Translucent shook his head. “We underestimated him once; needs we must not do so again. He could be anything.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then recovery be hopeless?” Purple asked challengingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nay, merely difficult. We shall be obliged to search every settlement or group, human and animal, methodically, until we find him.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“How can we find him, an we not know his form?” Purple demanded. “That be searching for one straw in a haystack!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Tan must question each prospect,” Translucent said. “We know the lad’s age; only those that age need be checked. An we knew what form, it would be a matter o’ weeks or months. As it is, months or years. But it can be done, and must be done.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Months or years?” Tan asked. “I have aught better to do than that!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then thy sister. Only thou or she can do it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania nodded. “I may do it, but I have a price.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Translucent glanced at her. “Thou art moved not by the need o’ the Adepts?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Let us be not hypocrites,” she said coldly. “Which o’ us be moved by other than selfishness? We cooperate only in the face o’ a common enemy. An I devote myself to this tedious labor, needs must I have recompense.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Translucent nodded. “Plainly put. Say on.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Was once might I have married Bane, uniting in time our power with that o’ Blue. Till he found the other frame, and his rovot self was besotted by the mare. Methinks me-him remains a decent match.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Thou didst try that,” Translucent said. “Unbeknownst to me. Bane fended thee off, and made I oath to him: no more o’ that. Now his power be such thou canst not fascinate him with thine Eye. This be no price thou canst ask.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I ask but this: that I be given leave to do what I can with him, using not my Eye. An he come to me voluntarily, it be no violation o’ thine oath.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Translucent considered this, not trusting it. “For this thin chance, thou wouldst devote thyself to the search for the boy?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye, for this thin chance. An I succeed, it will bring me union with an Adept, and that be what I crave beyond all else.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Translucent shrugged. “Then be it so. Our effort be in stasis till thou hast result.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The younglings,” Yellow said. “This be their travel time, small groups going to new hornes. Only those who traveled need be checked, for a new member be not otherwise admitted to a tribe without challenge.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It still be some search, through all o’ Phaze,” Purple said. “Methinks the human brats should be checked first, and then the ‘corn foals.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Agreed,” Tania said. “An there be resistance to my search, you others support me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Agreed,” Translucent said for the others.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

First she approached Bane, who happened to be with Fleta the mare. That could be for only one reason. “Thou dost seek the boy,” Tania said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Dost have complicity?” Fleta asked sharply.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania turned her gaze on the unicorn. In her human form the mare was petite and full-bodied, with glossy black hair in lieu of her mane, and a pearly button set in her forehead in lieu of her horn. She was attractive enough, for men who might like that type. Bane was evidently immune, but Mach had proved susceptible. That suggested that Bane was susceptible too, but chose not to admit it. But Bane in the old days had been interested in any female form that was young and healthy; his way with ‘corn, werebitch and batlass had been notorious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Well, Tania could compete in that respect. Now she regretted that she had not deigned to do so back during Bane’s days of experimentation; she could have nabbed him readily then, and saved much complication. But she had foolishly hoped for better prospects, which had not materialized. Now she was older and wiser. Proximity, and time, might well do wonders with Bane. Of course he knew her nature, which was a problem; but he had known the natures of the animals he played with too, seeming to care mainly about their human forms for the indulging of his passing passions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Canst not answer?” the mare demanded, taking Tania’s silence for guilt.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oh, how tempting it was to give her a piece of the Eye!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But she had promised not to, and, more important, it would alienate Bane. In fact, it might enrage him, and he was no mean Adept in his own right; she could get in trouble. This had to be defused, much as it grated her to do so. “Nay, mare; this absence discommodes us as much as thee, for we had hope o’ the boy’s aid in our mission. We suspected at first that thou mightest have-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I had naught to do with it!” Fleta flared. “He be mine offspring, my flesh; I love him and fear for his safety!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“My apology for doubting thee,” Tania said easily. She had done what she sought to do: turned the mare to the defensive, instead of herself. “But if thine interest be familial, ours be practical; we want the use o’ the power the lad has. So be assured that we wish him harm not, but rather we want him safe and well. We desire his return, and I be here to join thee in a search for him.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We search not,” the mare said. “It seems Plach fled by choice, and though my heart break, I may not bring him back unwilling.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Fled by choice?” Tania asked, affecting surprise. “Loved he not his dam?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“My father designed this thing,” Bane said. “For that he knew the boy would be useful to the Adverse Adepts, and now the covenant between sides be broken. It be the same in Proton; they acted together.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania eyed him, playing the role of one who had not heard of this before. “Thy father, who opposes us. Be this good news or bad, to thee?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I joined this side because I lost the wager with mine other self. Fain would I have served my father instead, but I be true to my word. I knew naught o’ the powers o’ the children, and thought them slow. This be good news for me to find the children otherwise, bad news to find them lost.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But what news, to find them foiling the change in the balance o’ power?” Tania asked pointedly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I serve thy side loyally, but my heart be with the other. That thou hast always known.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then must thou make thy most diligent effort to recover the boy for us,” she concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye,” he agreed grimly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then shall we work together, and thine other self too, when he returns. Thy service to us was excellent, when thou didst have access to the Book o’ Magic; it must be the same, in this quest for thy nephew.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I shall look for my nephew. But I see no need to work with thee. Make thine own search.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Nay, that be inefficient. There be the whole o’ Phaze to search; two will cover it faster, with no duplication. Also, there be danger, in some locales; the one must guard the other.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bane grimaced. “Perhaps I made not my sentiment plain: I wish not to work with thee.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

At least he was straightforward! “Nay, mayhap it was I who was unplain: I mean to work with thee, and have the backing o’ the others.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Then thou dost have no objection if I verify.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“None,” she said evenly. Already she was feeling the thrill of fencing him in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He sang something, and disappeared. Tania was left alone with Fleta. “And thee, mare-willst join the search?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Aye,” Fleta said through her teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Why so negative? Methought thou wouldst welcome aid to recover thy foal.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Thine interest be more in Bane than in Flach!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“And what if that be so? Be Bane thy man?”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Bane be Agape’s man! We need not thee to interfere!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Methinks Bane be his own man. An he chooses one or t’other, that be his business.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fleta looked ready to skewer something with her horn, for all that she lacked most of her horn in this form. But then Bane reappeared, abating what might have become an interesting confrontation. “We search together,” he said. “But thou willst ne’er have satisfaction o’ it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“That remains to be seen, methinks,” Tania replied, satisfied. The Adepts were supporting her, as she had required.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They checked the human settlements first. These were scattered all across Phaze; most were small, hidden hamlets whose inhabitants eked out their existence by hunting and farming. Bane conjured an accurate map, and they decided to cross out each village after checking it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first one was typical. Bane conjured the three of them to the village of Gnomore, in the Gnome Demesnes. The name was not intended to be punnish; it related to the region, and indicated that the human villagers acknowledged the supremacy of the gnomes in this vicinity. In return, the gnomes tolerated the human presence, and even traded with the villagers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

They arrived in the center square, and caused an immediate stir. Word went to the village patriarch, who hobbled up to greet them. “Be ye Adept?” he asked nervously. “We have no quarrel with Adepts!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We be partial Adepts,” Bane explained. “I be Bane, son o’ the Adept Stile o’ the Blue Demesnes; this be Tania, sister o’ the Tan Adept; and this be Fleta, mate o’ the Rovot Adept. We come to question thee about new arrivals at thy village.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“We take sides not between Adepts!” the patriarch protested. “We be far from the controversy, and minded so to remain!”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“An we be satisfied, we shall depart, leaving thy village so,” Bane said. “Please summon all thy members, that we may question them.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“But they be widely scattered!” the patriarch protested.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Some in the fields, some doing service for the gnomes, some away trading with other villages-“<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tania spoke. “Man, look at me,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The man looked at her. Her eyes widened slightly; that was all. But the patriarch was transfixed by her Evil Eye.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

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Book Preview \u00a0 \u00a0 Unicorn Point Book Six of the Apprentice Adept By Piers Anthony \u00a0 CHAPTER 1 \u00a0 Stile \u00a0 Stile took the Lady Blue in his arms. “Thou dost know what we are about,” he said. \u00a0 The Lady was fifty years old now, and her face was lined, but she remained beautiful … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[21],"class_list":["post-358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-piers-anthony"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epub-book.com\/download\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}