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Subject: {ASSM} The Tails of Rabelaisia 7/8 Avatars 01-15/30 (furry) TBD
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The Tails of Rabelaisia 7/8 Avatars 01-15/30
---

Avatars: Chapter 00 
Arrival
---

After the passenger ship settled into orbit around Rabelaisia, and
docked with the transit station, the Captain entered the observation
lounge and headed for a group of ten passengers who had settled so
they could watch the approach.

"I would not have interrupted, but there is someone who asks that you
please let him speak to you privately, before you are presented to the
rest of the world."

The woman who was wearing a frilly blue dress nodded slightly.  "So,
it begins.  If it is allowed, we will meet with him here, while the
rest of the passengers debark."

The woman smiled wryly.  "It is *encouraged*, Roberta, because we
arrived ahead of schedule, and the media needs to set up their
equipment in our main auditorium."

Roberta laughed.  "Did someone delay the release of the news we were
coming?"

"Not that *I* know of.  What I do know is that someone with more
authority than I have, decided it would be best if you folks were
interviewed before you debarked and had a chance to disperse."

Roberta's eyebrows went up, then they came back down and she sighed.
"Someone missed the obvious, then."

The Captain flinched slightly.  "Obvious?"

"We're the biggest event since the simultaneous openings of Qaletaqa,
Aurkena, and Sinopa.  Whoever planned for this, here, should have
assumed we'd take that into consideration when we made our plans.  We
have always planned on staying together, until we'd been officially
welcomed to Rabelaisia."

Roberta smiled.  "Anyway, relax.  I know it wasn't your problem to
solve.  We've enjoyed the trip.  Please usher in our guest."

"At once, Roberta."

She left, and a few minutes later a lion wearing a ceremonial harness
came through the door, paused to look at each of them, then walked
over and held out his hand to Roberta.  "Hello, Roberta."

She took his hand briefly, then let go and sighed.  "It's been quite a
few years hasn't it, Orcala?"

"It has.  Many new pages have been written in the Great Book, since
your last visit.  It's good to see all of you, again."

"We've been told we have time to visit, before we are officially
present.  Was it a failure of those who planned, or was that failure
'helped' by outside influences?"

He smiled.  "My fault.  I merely pointed out that we didn't know all
of your plans, and that if the tale tellers wanted to be sure they
could talk to all of you at the same time, they should hold the first
press conference aboard the vessel that brought you here."

She studied him thoughtfully, and when she spoke, her words weren't
for him.  "Becky?  Speak, as Beta."

"Yes, Mother of Us All.  We are, as we anticipated, being called to
serve, instead of being allowed to relax.  The pattern is fluid,
but...  Not unfamiliar to most of us.  At least the messenger was
allowed to say 'please', so I think we won't have to rush in
immediately.  Whatever it is, it is a long term problem, with,
perhaps, a two part solution.  We are here to serve, of course. Create
the new Context, so we may do so."

Roberta nodded slightly.  "Weylin?  Are you and Liberty-Anne ready?"

"We are.  Create the Context."

"Shiriki?  It is sooner than we hoped.  Are you and Wenona ready?"

"We are, Mother.  Create the Context."

"Takoda?"

"My life, however much of it remains, has been dedicated to the
service of my birth world.  Tell me my place in the Context, and
perhaps I will be given a footnote in the Great Book."

She laughed, then held her arm away from her body, in an obvious
invitation to the Rabelaisian Coyote who stood next to her.

"Cheveyo, my treasured husband?  It is not the long delayed honeymoon
we desired."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and laughed.  "We are not the
first Avatars who have been required to wait, before we could take
linear time for ourselves, Love.  As the others have spoken, My Alpha,
so do I.  Create the Context."

She nodded again and faced Orcala.  "Your world has chosen an old
friend of ours to speak for it, during a time of crisis.  Speak,
Orcala, so we may serve your world, who is ours, now."

Orcala finally sighed and nodded.  "There is a crisis building, and...
Forgive me, Mother of Us All.   Terrans are at the root of it.  We
have done our best, according to our ways, and it has not been enough.
Help us."

"Do you know their purpose?"

"Greed, in all it's aspects."

"All?"

"All."

"Thank you, Orcala.  Terran and Rabelaisian natures being what they
are, all we can do is rein in their impact, so that the rest of you
will be able to keep them under some sort of control."

"Better, that we control them, than they control us.  If that is what
you are allowed to do, it will have to do.  Thank you, Mother of Us
All."

Roberta shook her head slightly.  "None of that tiresome formality,
please.  We are adopting the ways of our new home world, and will be
freely accessible to all."

"All, Roberta?"

"Of course.  Even those we see as evil, must be allowed to freely
write in the Great Book.  You are too close to the problem to see it,
my friend.  These Terrans are here because they were meant to be here.
We will...  Ensure that their ultimate destiny is to help our world
grow in the direction it should."

"Then the rumors are true?  All of you are here to take up your true
purpose?"

"Yes.  We are here as Avatars, and to stay, finally."

He went to one knee and bent his head respectfully.  "I, and the
people I speak for, welcome you and your..."

"Clan, Orcala.  Our relationships are complex, but when we are
working, which we anticipate to be seldom, we function as a clan made
of smaller packs and clans.  Otherwise, we will separate into our
family groups and live in our Castles in The Sky, when we aren't
traveling the world as entertainers, or tourists."

"We welcome you and your clan, Mother of Us All."

She nodded.  "We thank you for your welcome.  Rise, Orcala, and lead
the way, so we may take our first steps on our shared journey into the
future."
---

End: 'Avatars 00: Arrival'
Avatars: Chapter 01
Declaration of Intent
---

After the initial greetings were out of the way, and they had been
officially welcomed to Rabelaisia, Roberta held up a hand and called
for silence.

Once she had it, she spoke easily.  "I have some announcements to
make.

"There are many rumors about the reasons we are here as a group,
instead of arriving individually, as we usually do.  To save time, we
are here as a group because it is time for us make Rabelaisia our true
home, and take up our duties as Rabelaisia's and Terra's jointly
chosen and trained Avatars.

"Mostly, we will remain in the background and live the lives of
private citizens.  However, there will be times when the Rabelaisian
World Spirit will tell us we need to act for the benefit of the world
as a whole.

"There are also long term goals that we already know both worlds have,
and we will sometimes act to encourage people to strive for those.
Leading by living the life is a major part of our lives, just as it is
should be for every citizen, on all worlds."

She sipped at the glass of water she held, then sighed.

"It is best that people think of us as tools who are most often used
when problems reach a threshold of awareness in the consciousness of
the general public.

"We had hoped to arrive, then spend some time getting to know more
about our new home.  Those plans have changed.  We have been made
aware that there are Terrans here, who have brought their ways here,
and refused to live by the Rabelaisian codes.

"Our duty is clear.  We will reduce their unrestrained predation to a
manageable level, then leave it up to you, the citizens of our home,
to see that this situation doesn't happen again."

She smiled, and spoke very softly.  "To those living here, who follow
the way of unfettered greed, consider this an Avatar's Warning.
'Control your predation, or we will control it for you.'  You have
been warned, once.  Should you come to our attention again, you will
be culled."

There was a shocked silence, than a clamor of raised voices as people
started shouting to get her attention.

She answered most of the questions, politely ignored some, and called
a few of the questions willful ignoring of the obvious, then invited
someone else to speak.

Eventually things wound down and they were allowed their privacy.

Roberta cast a privacy spell, then studied Jessica and the twins.
"Well?"

Jessica laughed.  "There is a new leader of the most aggressive of the
groups.  He's a fast learner, so he might survive into the new
reality."

"How many culled?"

"We culled three.  There will be others, and I suspect they will be
doing most of that on their own."

"Did you make the new rules clear?"

"Quite clear."

"Good.  Is it safe to assume you three made a side trip and gave the
Zeitgeist a chance to learn what it needs to know, so it can plan for
its future?"

"Yes.  She is...  Pragmatic, and she has given us permission to let
Lady Chrystal know that what she did to her, had to be done."

Jessica shook her head, then grinned.  "She also agreed to be as
gentle as possible, when she uses us.  The discussion about that
got...  Interesting."

"I can imagine.  We will continue as if we are...  Settling in, and
doing our best to adapt our ways to the Rabelaisian Ethos.  Do you
anticipate any problems because of your culling?"

"Just the usual.  We're certain they are going to spend some time
looking for everything that's available about Avatars, and
specifically, us, individually and as a group.  I think they will
consider attempting to control us by threatening our families here,
and on Terra, so we should take some basic precautions.  We're already
keeping an eye on the people we talked to, and some others.  We'll act
only if they do."

"Good enough."

Roberta thought, then smiled.  "Is everyone ready to go out there and
let people shoot at them?"

There was shared laughter, so she shook her head.  "Ok.  It was a
stupid question.  I have a few more things that need mentioning, then
I'll drop the shield, and we can go back to being people who want to
travel and get to know their new neighbors.  Does anyone have anything
they think the rest of us might have missed?"

Weylin nodded slightly.  "Jessica?  You mentioned 'gentle'.  Is it
safe to assume the basic attitude of the Rabelaisian Zeitgeist is less
abusive than the one the Terran Zeitgeist has?"

She frowned.  "We weren't looking for that sort of stuff this time. We
did do a lot of quick sampling, to get an overall picture of how the
Zeitgeist has evolved.  We feel that they were pretty similar, until
the Mage Wars.  *Something* happened, to shift Rabelaisia to a
completely different ethos and that's all we're sure of, right now. We
can say that she's less abusive now.  How true that has been in the
past, or compared to the Terran Zeitgeist, we can't tell you."

Weylin sighed.  "Thanks.  Did any of us have anything to do with that
shift?"

"No.  We took the time to check that time period pretty thoroughly,
and as far as we could tell, we've always been observers,  Whatever it
was, it was home grown."

"Thanks.  We'll stay linear, as much as possible, until you three give
us the ok to do more than some exploration for places and times we can
use to relax."

Jessica nodded.  "We're going open up our quarters on Qaletaqa, take a
brief break so we can do some serious non linear exploration, then
spend some time meeting our guests, before we hit Rabelaisia for an
extended tour."

Roberta nodded, then turned to Liberty.  "What about you and Weylin?"

Liberty shrugged.  "We see no reason to do anything unusual, so we
will take some time to tour Bard's Hall and catch up on the news,
share our own with it, then get some travel supplies and spend some
time as wandering entertainers, before we pick a place to settle.
Those plans are flexible enough that if something happens before we
have a chance to visit Bard's hall, we'll adapt and worry about the
formalities, later."

"Use your own judgement about getting involved in problems.  I'd like
to keep us focused on anything that's Terran driven, but...  You know
the signs better than I do.  If you're supposed to fix something, fix
it."

Liberty laughed.  "I expect many of the signs to be different than
what we are used to, but, we'll adapt.  I just hope *She* adapts to
us.  Which reminds me.  Do we know if there are any Rabelaisian
Avatars who aren't part of our clan?"

Cheveyo frowned.  "I'd better check in with my clan.  We usually work
from the shadows, so I don't think any Avatars would be coyotes.
Roberta and I will be making the rounds so we can introduce ourselves
to all the royal clans, so we'll keep our eyes open."

"Thanks.  We'll be watching, too."

Roberta thought for a few minutes, then sighed.  "Takoda?  You'd
better work your magic in space for awhile.  Everyone knows most of us
will be living on our Castles in the Sky, so we'd better plan for
investigators, and possible confrontations."

He chuckled, then sobered.  "Good Takoda.  Poor hare isn't a Mage, or
a Bard, just an ordinary entertainer who has to stay home and be
keeper of the clan hearth when he isn't needed as a foil during a
show."

He suddenly grinned and mimed the actions of a fisherman casting his
lure.  "I'll see who bites, and find out what they know, what they
don't know, and pass on what we want them to know."

Roberta laughed.  "Poor Takoda, the Hare without a future on
Rabelaisia, so he decided to move to Earth, and pester the Great
Merlin into taking him on as his personal Apprentice, until he learned
enough to be a True Wizard.  I hope *She* is ready for what is going
to happen, now that you have returned."

Takoda bowed deeply.  "Thank you, Mother of Us All.  The stages are
set, and the crowds are waiting.  Do you have anything else for me,
before I step into the footlights?"

She laughed and waved a hand at him.  "Begone, Medlar!  Make Merlin
proud of you."

Takoda vanished.

Roberta sobered and turned to study the last two before she sighed.
"It is not easy, for a mother to send her child into the world to seek
his destiny.  Shiriki, Wenona.  Are you ready, to go and seek your
future?"

Shiriki nodded.  "We are, Mother.  For now, we will return to Sinopa,
and let our guests tell us of their dreams.  After a time, we will go
to our land bound people, and let them teach us their dreams.  When
the time is right, we will paint a picture of the future, to help
guide them during their journeys of discovery."

Cheveyo smiled.  "You are a Coyote, and my son.  Fare well, Shiriki.
May the many eyes of Vishinski watch over you and your mate."

"Thank you, Father."

Shiriki and Wenona clasped their hands together, then vanished.

Roberta finally sighed and released the shield.  "Come  We will join
the others.  The tiresome formalities of dealing with customs, await
us."
---

End: 'Avatars 01: Declaration of Intent'
Avatars: Chapter 02
Rules of Engagement
---

"Ma'am?  Verbal news from the arriving courier."

"Risky.  There'd better be a good reason."

"He thinks so, and I agree.  Ten big names arriving on the same ship.
He's pretty sure he wasn't spotted, but with these folks, nothing is
certain until you feel the knife."

"And he thinks we're going to feel the knife?"

"Not just us.  Anyone with illegal operations on Rabelaisia.  He asked
me to tell you and the Committe to watch the news.  Going to be a live
broadcast, soon."

"I'll meet them in conference room three."

* * *

They'd watched the news in silence, and as soon as it was over, people
began talking in hushed tones while they tried to plan for a suddenly
uncertain future.

Eventually The Nameless One called for silence and leaned back in her
chair.  She glared at the people who were seated at the conference
table.

"Shivering cowards, all of you.  We'll ride this out, just like we
always have.  The stupid will get picked up, and the rest of us will
get smarter, and harder to catch, like always.  Survival of the
fittest.  Natural selection.  These folks are big on that, so we'll
prove we're fit to live, and they'll leave us alone, eventually."

Suddenly a woman who was flanked by two Irish Wolfhounds appeared at
the end of the table opposite the woman who had spoken, and she calmly
settled in the chair that was empty.

She spoke conversationally.  "You may begin proving you're fit to
live."

"Security!  Intruder alert!  Scan the room for anyone not on the
access list, and shoot to kill!"

"Scanning.  All persons present are on the access list.  No intruders
present."

The Nameless One produced a handgun and emptied the magazine into the
woman and dogs, who merely sat, or stood, and gazed at her without
reacting.

When she was done firing, one of the dogs jumped on the table and
started walking towards the woman.

When the gun was thrown at her, she caught it and there was an audible
crunch when her jaws closed.

She finished her trip and dropped the now destroyed gun in front of
the woman, then sat on her haunches.  "When you're done playing, we
can talk about your future."

"You should have died!  Those bullets were spelled by a Master Mage!"

The dog sneezed her amusement.  "In case you haven't figured it out,
Lakia, the Rules of Engagement have changed."

"My true name!  How?!"

"Not important.  The new rules are simple.  Predators are a natural
part of the ecology, and for the world to remain healthy, a certain
amount of predation, even by rouge predators, must be tolerated.  You,
and your people, are Rouge Predators.  Your current level of predation
is unhealthy for Rabelaisia, and much of it takes place in the wrong
areas.

"You will cease hunting in those areas where your actions are in
violation of the will of the people.  You will also confine yourself
to this world, only.  Should you continue as you have been, a
sufficient number of you will be culled, until your predation no
longer threatens the survival of Rabelaisia."

"You bluff.  Maybe you can't be killed, but I guarantee that somehow,
we will find a way to do as we desire, and not as you wish."

"Are those your final words on the matter before us?"

"They are."

"Then the culling will begin...  Now."

She stood, touched her nose to the woman's forehead and spoke loudly
enough everyone present could hear her.  "You are a Rouge Predator,
Lakia.  No longer will you be allowed to write in the Great Book.  Be
still."

Lakia slumped, and when the dog backed away, her head hit the table.

The two dogs, and the woman they had flanked, vanished

The man who was seated to Lakia's left reached and briefly touched her
wrist before he leaned back and sighed.  "She is dead, of course.  It
should not have been that easy to do."

He tipped his head back and seemed to stare at the ceiling for a few
minutes, then he brought it back down and studied each of the others
before he spoke with a hardness in his voice that left no doubt he was
taking charge.

"Rules are made to be broken, redefined, or ignored.  We will continue
with business as usual, and let them come to..."

He stoppped speaking, then turned to look at the woman who had
appeared behind him and lightly placed a hand on his shoulder.

She spoke gently.  "I am here."

He studied her, then nodded.  "So, you are.  I suppose you are as
deadly as your companion was?"

"Yes."

"Are you making me the same offer you made to Lakia?"

"Yes."

"We will start no new operations, for now.  Any of our people who does
so, will answer to us, if you don't deal with them first."

"Adequate.  It would be wise, to evaluate your current operations and
halt those that violate the new rules.  There is no 'grandfather
clause' that will permit you to act in violation of the new Rules of
Engagement.  I speak as an Avatar in this matter.  Do not presume to
think you might persuade the World Spirit that you should be allowed
to continue to act as you have been."

"Or I will be culled?"

"Perhaps.  Or, some of your pack members will be culled.  Who is
culled is unimportant, as long as the remaining predators learn
wisdom."

She raised her voice.  "Security!  Find and kill any intruders!"

"Scanning.  Warning.  Please remain motionless while the intruders are
dealt with."

There were two gunshots and a man and woman flipped backwards when the
bullets hit them.

The woman smiled slightly.  "Your position as the new Alpha has been
temporarily secured.  What happens now, is up to you."

She vanished.

The man looked at the bodies, then sighed.  "Get the word out  We are
suspending all operations, until we determine which ones are...
Permitted.  At the same time, pass the word that we need to know more
about these...  Avatars.  Anything, no matter how trivial or crazy
sounding, should be passed to planning.  Let them decide if it's
really important, or not.

"If an opportunity to explore the limits of these people becomes
available, advise your people to take it.  Desperate times require
desperate measures.  This meeting is adjourned."

He watched everyone leave, then he leaned back and gazed at the
ceiling for a long time, before he sighed and spoke to the air.

"Have someone remove the bodies, then sterilize this room."

"Should we replace all of it, Sir?"

"No.  I want our best people in all disciplines to examine everything
for signs of tampering, and traps.  Those people made a mockery of our
best security spells and technology.  I want to know how they did it,
and if we can counteract it."

"Yes, Sir.  Anything else?"

"Advise planning they should meet me in my quarters, then have the
kitchen prepare and deliver our meals.  Take all the usual
precautions."

"Consider it done."

"Thank you."

He walked out, then sighed to himself and didn't let any sign of his
thoughts show.  'Not that it will do any good, but it should help
everyone pretend we can get past this fairly quickly.'
---

End: 'Avatars 02: Rules of Engagement'
Avatars Chapter 03
Defining The Problem
---

Jessica settled on the couch in the den and gazed out the observation
window at Rabelaisia.

The twins left her alone and did the domestic stuff that reopened
their private quarters, then they fixed a light meal, before they set
Jessica's plate of food on the coffee table, and sat next to her while
they ate their food.

Eventually she leaned forward and got her food, then settled and ate,
without saying anything.  Once she put the plate back, she sighed.
"Guys, we have some serious problems, with no easy solutions, right?"

Cathy spoke first.  "I hate to say this, but we wouldn't be involved,
for any other reasons."

"Yes.  I agree with that.  Beck?  If I'm seeing everything I should,
you and Mom don't have enough to create a good context, which probably
means we can't do anything effective, until someone digs in and gets
some sort of handle on what the exact problem is, right?"

"Right.  We've started, by giving that little lesson we gave the
biggest group, but...  Let's admit slavery and all the other stuff
shouldn't be eliminated."

"Good point.  We need the attitudes, but not specific people, as far
as I can tell right now, so we can make examples until we get people
with some sense, but that will leave us micromanaging things, which
wasn't any part fo the job description when I agreed to become an
Avatar.  Still isn't as far as I know, so that means we have to find a
way to get Rabelaisians to handle all of it, once we get things under
some sort of control.  You guys have any ideas about how we can do
that?"

Cathy shifted slightly and Jessica noticed.  "Cath?"

"Are we going to have to teach Rabelaisians how to organize their
crime on a global scale?"

"No...  I wasn't thinking that way.  If I'm seing something, and not
imagining it, the root of the problem is the Rabelaisian Ethos."

"Oh?  Keep going, because I don't see it as a problem, except for
wondering how hard it will be to get everyone over that threshold of
global awareness we need, for any fixes to be long term."

"Becky, check me on this.  The average Rabelaisian is raised to think
in terms that can be summed up as 'if we all take care of ourselves,
and live right, the rest of it will be ok, too'.  Even the rulers are
mostly concerned with keeping things under control in the areas they
are tacitly responsible for."

"Close enough.  There has always been some cooperation when there's a
problem that spills over, but once it's solved in that area, they do
tend to think in terms of it now becoming someone else's problem,
instead of something that should be solved so it doesn't become anyone
else's problem.  The World Council deals more with Terrans as a
business problem, than it does with the effects of Terrans on
Rabelaisian culture."

"Ok.  I was kind of hoping you wouldn't see it the same way I do,
because if we're right, that means that the only way to come up with a
long term fix, is to modify the Rabelaisian Ethos so that hole isn't
there any more."

Jessica settled back and sighed again.  "So, do both of you think we
need to do something that triggers things so the average Rabelaisian,
and anyone else living here, expands their horizons so they start
thinking in terms of the whole world being their back yard, so they
quit chasing problems all over the landscape?"

Becky noddded slightly.  "Yes.  The best way to do that, that I can
think of, is to find us a local hero."

Jessica sneezed her amusement.  "Dad did warn me that I'd eventually
find myself in this position.  A hero needs a Talisman, and that means
I get to make the damn thing, then...  I was going to say I should
give it to Mom, but that's not going to work, is it?  Our hero needs
to be someone fairly ordinary.  That means Liberty and Weylin will
probably get to carry it around, until our hero shows up."

Becky shook her head slightly.  "That's true, but they need to get it
from The Mother and Father of the World."

"Good point.  We'll let Takoda start some rumors, and Shiriki and
Wenona might be able to do something to help those rumors along.  You
have enough yet?"

"A two part approach.  We need to find a hero who has the mindset and
charisma needed to get people to realize there's a huge gap in the
Rabelaisian Ethos, and it needs to be filled.  The second part will be
finding a way to make slavers, and the other greed based professions,
legitimate, with their own guild, so they have more formal rules of
conduct.  What is there now is a cottage industry that anyone can get
involved in.  I think if we encourage a territorial mindset, and some
realistic predation guidelines, any competition with the already
established, and official people, will be dealt with fairly quickly,
so it doesn't bring their operations to our direct attention."

Jessica laughed.  "And I have a perfect way to get that started."

"Oh?"

"Yes.  I think it's time for us to let the Assassin Guildmaster know
that he hasn't been as low key and subtle as he thinks he has.  I want
to make him an offer he can't refuse, if he's as honorable as he
insists he is."

"An offer?"

"Yes.  Let's offer to recognize the fact the Rats have made Qaletaqa
their home, by letting them officially design and build an area of
their own, so the rest of the universe can have the same access to
their history and dreams, as they have to the history and dreams of
most of the other races on Rabelaisia."

Cathy giggled.  "Recognize the Rats as Rabelaisians?  Nice
distraction, Love.  When do we start?"

"Sometime after Takoda gets done with him, and he has a chance to talk
to his new boss."

"Then we have time for a leisurely soak in the hot tub."

"I was starting to think one of you would never ask.  Let's go."
---

End: 'Avatars 03: Defining The Problem'


Avatars: Chapter 04
Hare of the Dogs
---

Takoda had spent hours wandering Qaletaqa so he could lose himself in
the feelings of being surrounded by his own people again.  The
knowledge that he was finally home to stay had made him both euphoric,
and cautious, which, he often reflected wryly, was a normal state of
affairs, for a Hare.

Eventually, though, he'd been walking past one of the eating places,
when an aura caught his attention.

'Well!  Finally!'

He settled at the table and studied his target, who was intently
studying him in return.  Finally, the rat spoke sharply.  "I don't
know you, Hare."

Takoda held out his paw.  "Takoda.  You look like a Rat with a
mission.  Maybe I can make it easier."

The rat took his paw briefly, and after he let go, deliberately wiped
his own paw off with the napkin.  "Takoda?  I'm Huoysen.  Your name's
unusual enough that you might be my mission."

"Your aura, and the links we can both see, say I probably am."

"Ok.  Word's out, to find out anything we can, about you and the
people you work for."

"Work with.  We expected that much.  That's one reason I agreed to
find someone who knew how to think, and tell them everything we want
you folks to know, that isn't available somewhere else on Rabelaisia."

"You sound like a Bard."

"I'm not.  I was Merlin's personal apprentice, on Earth, until he
called me a True Wizard, and told me to go enjoy myself."

"What's a Wizard?"

"Historian, mostly.  A lot like a Bard, but with some differences that
make me look a lot like a Mage, when you piss me off."

"Sounds like you're the worst of both, to someone in my line of work."

"I'm here to help you, Huoysen."

"Yeah, right.  Nobody works like that.  Let's assume I want to survive
this meeting, so that leaves us with you telling me what you want out
of it."

"First, I don't care if you survive, or not.  Always someone else I
can do business with, if you make too many mistakes."

"Sounds like you Avatars use a different book than normal folks."

"Just a bigger picture to worry about, and we're tools who get used,
sometimes."

"Other times?"

"Well, that bigger picture leaves us a lot of wiggle room.  I'm
supposed to pass on what we think you folks should know, so that's
part of the job.  How I do that, is up to me.  I spotted your aura,
and the links, so here we are."

"It is true, that you folks can't be killed?"

Takoda reached, lifted Huoysen's tankard to his mouth, then drained it
and set it back down.   He paused a few seconds, then leaned back and
smiled  "Does that answer your question?"

"Nothing?"

"Interesting taste.  Should go well with some greens, if you can stand
the contrast."

Huoysen smiled.  "And survive the experience long enough to appreciate
the nuances."

"Yes, there is that.  As far as I know, right now I'm as mortal as you
are.  I'll die when I'm supposed to, if I wind up dying."

"Handy.  Wish I had that sort of confidence.  Rats tend to die young,
compared to the rest of the morphs."

"Always another line of work.  Been a few Rats who became Bards, or
Mages."

"Not this one."

"Your choice.  We all do whatever our mindset tells us we can do."

"Big hammer.  Mindset must be pretty important to you folks."

"It's important to everyone, but yes, for us, it's pretty important.
Avatars are sensitive to the world's mindset, which makes it hard for
us to ignore things, when someone gets in our face with them."

"This predation stuff?"

"Yes.  People had been reasonable about it, we might have noticed, but
we wouldn't have acted on what we knew."

"You're pretty free with this stuff."

"Just making sure we're all on the same page, of the same book.  It's
all out there, somewhere.  This way, nobody can use ignorance as an
excuse for their actions.  Remind the people you work for, that they
are living and doing business on Rabelaisia, not Earth.  Personal
responsibility isn't words in the dictionary, any more."

"I've tried to explain that, but they've been doing pretty well, so
they think it will never catch up with them."

"Always 'we can outlast this'?"

"Yeah."

"Wrong mindset.  Part of the new rules includes something obvious, so
I'll explain it."

Huoysen winced.  "I am officially in deep shit, aren't I?"

"Yes.  Your bosses are in deeper, and you got picked to try and haul
them out."

"Got it.  What's obvious?"

"The new rule is: 'Most Avatars are immortal.'  Since there are now at
least nine immortal Avatars on Rabelaisia, 'outlast' has become
irrelevant."

"Got it.  Is compromise possible?"

"In a way.  You folks have to do all the work, to stay below our
threshold of awareness.  Make enough changes, and we'll go back to
pretending we don't know you are there."

"Super predators?"

"Good way to look at us.  If the hunting is good, we stick around.
When the hunting is better somewhere else, we move on.  Smart prey
takes advantage of that, and self culls, so they don't see a sudden
infestation of predators."

"You know anything about The Nameless One doing something stupid, and
getting culled?  Folks at the top are pretty nervous right now."

"I don't know the details, other than a message was delivered.  Folks
who delivered it are pragmatic about things, and if she made a
mistake, they would have culled her and moved on, until they found
someone who paid attention."

"Sounds like you people aren't that much different than we are."

"Mindset.  Our boss acts for the good of all.  You folks act for the
good of one, or a few.  Same tools, different goals.  You know what
has to be done.  What you do with it, is up to you, and we won't hunt
you down if you decide to sit on it."

"You won't, but my bosses might have something to say about that,
since they know where I am, and what I'm supposed to be doing."

"Your problem, not mine."

"Yeah.  We agree on that much.  Anything else you think we should
know?"

"A reminder that everyone is allowed to write in the Great Book.  What
they write is up to them.  Also, since we are living here permanently,
now, any of us will be freely accessible, to anyone, on the same terms
Bards and other power handlers are accessible."

"Rabelaisians will believe that.  These Terrans can be... Unrealistic,
and figure you're lying, to set them up for something."

"We've already 'set them up'."

"Yeah, I know.  I'll try to explain it to them so they don't get us
all culled."

"Poor Huoysen.  He is already so lost to the Rabelaisian Way, he has
forgotten our greatest strength."

"Yeah?  Lost, I don't doubt.  My choice, and mostly, I'm happy with
it."

"Good.  Tell your bosses that the employees will not be held
accountable for the sins of their bosses, by us."

Huoysen winced, but stayed silent.

Takoda watched him, then nodded and stood.  "I'll be around,
somewhere.  Anyone wants to talk, they can put the word out, and I'll
find them."

"I have a feeling you'll find them, even if they don't put the word
out."

"All part of being an Avatar, and a Wizard.  You'll get used to it."

Takoda started whistling a jaunty tune as he walked away, without
looking back.

Huoysen studied Takoda thoughtfully, until he was out of sight, then
he sighed and ordered another drink, to replace the one he thought
he'd unobtrusively poisoned when he realized he was going to be
talking to Takoda.

"I have more than I wanted to find out.  Now, what do I do with it?"

By the time his new drink arrived, he'd figured out what he should do.

He'd decided to get drunk
---

End: 'Avatars 04: Hare of the Dogs'
Avatars: Chapter 05
Bitch to The Wolf
---

After they got through customs, Liberty and Weylin collected the few
personal things they'd decided to bring with them, and headed for one
of the cargo bays on the transit station.

Weylin just shook his head and smiled while he helped her arrange it
all on her, then she kissed him.  "Only until we fit me with a new
saddle and saddlebags, Honey."

"We'll fit me, too.  No point in one of us doing all the work when we
travel."

She laughed, then changed into a flying unicorn.  "Hop on, and let's
join the other folks who are providing their own shuttle service."

He chuckled briefly, then sobered.  "Lib?  Do you agree that we should
make this deorbit a leisurely one, to give folks a chance to learn the
hard way, that they won't be able to shoot us down?"

"Missiles, lasers and all that stuff?"

"Yes.  I hope they're smarter than that, but I expect it to happen
fairly soon."

"Tiresome."

"True.  It will keep us from getting bored, right?"

"Probably not.  I imagine some of these folks will ignore reality and
keep trying stuff that didn't work the first time."

"Your point, Love."

He got on, then motioned to the fox who was maintaining the shield
over the opening.  "We're ready to go."

"Stand by.  Three ahead of you, then you can launch.  Destination?"

"Nowhere in particular.  Have someone let us know when we hit one
thousand feet, so we can level out and be tourists.  Also advise them
to route all the other traffic so it doesn't get within three miles of
us.  There are some people out there who are not pleased to see us. We
don't know if they will try to keep us from landing, or not."

"Will you need an escort?"

"No.  Anything happens, we'll deal with it.  An escort would only
cramp our style, and remove some of our options."

The fox studied them, then nodded.  "I hope nothing happens.  I'll
pass the word, and Ground Control will be in touch."

"Thanks."

They waited, and after a few minutes the fox waved them out.  "Go!"

Liberty launched, then moved so she was in the line of other fliers
who were headed down.

Once they were cruising, Weylin took the time to look around.  {{Looks
good, so far.  I can't feel anyone focused on us more than usual, so
we might...  Oh, well.  Do you feel them?}}

{{Yes.  Let's stay linear, and impress the Hell out of them and their
bosses.}}

{{Well, we *are* primarily entertainers.  The shields are in place.}}

{{Thanks.  I hate it when something messes up my feathers.}}

He laughed.  {{Yes, I know.  I think these two are waiting for us to
hit the right spot in the flight path, so they can get us in a
crossfire.}}

She bobbed her head slightly.  {{Won't do them any good.  Let's give
them one shot each, then make it clear those shots were given to
them.}}

{{Bloodthirsty Bitch.}}

{{True.  I'll kill the one below us.}}

{{Which leaves me the one on the right.}}

She laughed in his head.  {{I'm feeling sudden elation.}}

{{Ready...  And... Now!}}

Beams of light hit their shield, then there were a couple of silent
explosions that suddenly vanished.

Weylin sighed in her mind.  {{Lasers *and* missiles with pocket nukes.
Somebody decided to play rough.  You ready?}}

{{Yes.}}

{{Go!}}

Liberty ducked her head slightly and a bolt of energy lanced from her
horn and impacted with something that blew up.

At the same time, Weylin pointed, and a similar bolt made something
else blow up.

Liberty sighed.  {{Call Orbital Control and advise them that we're
breaking formation so we can go clean up after ourselves.}}

{{Got it.}}

{{Avatar Three, to Orbital Control.}}

{{Orbital Control.}}

{{We'd like to break formation, so we can go clean up the messes we
made.}}

{{Pretty spetacular.  I hope this isn't going to become routine when
you folks are in flight.  You're cleared.}}

{{We hope the same.  Thanks for the clearance, and we'll make it
quick.  Avatar Three, standing by.}}

{{Orbital Control, standing by.}}

{{Ok, Lib.  Might as well show off.}}

{{My pleasure.}}

She started beating her wings, and banked until she was headed for
where the second explosion happened.  Seconds later they swept through
the debris and Weylin gathered it into a ball, then anchored the ball
so it kept them company.

{{Done.}}

{{We're gone!}}

She banked again, flew through the first debris field so Weylin could
gather it up, then she headed back to her place in the line.

Weylin looked at the balls of material that were next to them, then
reached again {{Orbital Contorl, Avatar Three.}}

{{Orbital.  Go.}}

{{We'll toss the trash in the first recycling bin we come to.}}

{{Thanks. Anything else?}}

{{If anyone asks, if there is a next time, we'll take the time to deal
directly with the person who was stupid enough to give the order.}}

{{You folks plan on playing rough, don't you?}}

{{Trite, but they started it, with those pocket nukes they launched at
us.}}

{{Nukes?!}}

{{Yes.  We contained everything, so relax and spin it any way you
like.  Avatar Three, out.}}

{{Orbital, out.}}

{{Well, Lib?  What do you think?}}

{{Jessica defined the new rules.  Let her and the twins handle it for
now, since we don't know what those rules are.}}

{{Be glad to.}}

They were in the lower atmosphere when they were contacted again.

{{Ground Control, to Avatar Three.}}

Liberty answered for them.  {{Avatar Three.  Go.}}

{{I've been asked to relay a request from the World Council.}}

{{Oh?  Go.}}

{{They'd appreciate it, if you folks revise your plans, and hit ground
with the other travelers.  They'd like to keep the risks to
bystanders, to a minimum.}}

{{We'll comply, if they insist.  Advise them that our assessment is
that the risks would be fewer, if we stayed aloft until we landed in
an outlying area.  Sooner we break away, the sooner these folks will
come to us, and it's easier for us to contain things when we have
fewer people to worry about.  That said, it's obvious the Rogues don't
care about incidental damage.  I suggest the the World Council take a
hard look at the advice they were given, and do some better background
checks on their advisors.}}

{{We'll pass that on.  You folks are below our jurisdiction, so we'll
let you make your own decisions, now.}}

{{Thank you, Ground Control.  We want to relax for awhile, so we'll
head north and away from civilization.}}

{{We'll pass that on.  Ground, out.}}

{{Avatar Three, out.}}

She shook her head, then turned it slightly, so she could look at
Weylin.  "Let's hope we don't have to cull anyone on the Council."

"Pretty obvious setup, if you were to ask me."

"True.  Let's schedule a special show near Ground's headquaters."

"I agree.  Sooner the better.  Before then, let's find a nice meadow
that doesn't have any people nearby, so we can relax for a few days."

"Hah!  You just like playing rough, and hope someone will come looking
for us!"

"I'm a Wolf.  I was raised to play rough."

She laughed, then started flying north.  "I'll give you that one.
Let's go see if anyone wants to try again."
---

End: 'Avatars 05: Bitch to The Wolf'





Note: 'Great One' is a Rabelaisian tile of respect given to any
Rabelaisian Coyote.
---

Avatars: Chapter 06
A Certain Artistry
---

Once they'd cleared customs and collected their baggage, Shiriki and
Wenona decided to stop in one of the observation lounges before they
place slid to their quarters on Sinopa.

While Wenona was carrying their beverages, they drifted, until they
were standing next to each other, and gazing at Rabelaisia.

Wenona handed Shiriki his glass after he set things down, sipped at
hers, then spoke thoughtfully.  "She's beautiful, in spite of her
blemishes."

He chuckled.  "We'll have to make sure they are only cosmetic
blemishes, and don't spread beneath the surface."

She laughed.  "It will be a lot easier, since the infectious agents
will be seeking us out, soon."

"Soon?  Are you speaking for the ears and eyes who are listening and
watching?"

"Of course."

A young female mouse approached them, and offered to refill their
glasses.  When she finished, she started moving away, and Wenona
touched her lightly.  "Please stay, and tell us what your dreams are,
Young One.  We have been long away from our home, and wish to get
reacquainted with our neighbors."

"I'm sorry, Mistress.  I have my job to do.  Perhaps another time."

Wenona sipped from her glass and smiled.  "Something new has been
added.  Tart, and it adds something to the overall flavor."

She held out her hand.  "Please, let us have the pitcher so you don't
spend all your time refilling our glasses."

The mouse started shaking, and Shiriki nodded slightly.  "It would be
best for all, if you do as my mate asks.  Serving us was something you
had to do.  Serve someone else, and we would be forced to take
official notice of a willful act."

She went to her knees.  "Please, Great One!  It was to be a test.  You
were supposed to detect the addition and refuse to drink!"

"And now?  Have you any other questions that have answers for the
asking?  Or, perhaps you suddenly have time to tell us of your
dreams?"

"My dreams?  Mice don't have dreams, Great One.  We live in the cracks
and shadows while hoping we are fortunate enough to be overlooked."

"All creatures dream, even Mice.  Please, tell us of yours, so we may
create a place for the Mice, on Sinopa."

"That is our dream, Great One, that we someday will be able to create
our own place."

"Forgive me, for my presumption.  Sinopa seeks the future, and a
future without Mice would be a poorer one.  Tell your people that we
are going to add a new area, and we wish it to be designed by, and
for, Mice.  It is long past time you had a place you could call Home."

"What will this cost us, if we agree?"

"Do you know who we are?"

"I do.  You are Shiriki and Wenona, and you paint people's dreams for
them, for free."

"Correct.  This time, however, it is proper that the Mice paint their
own dream.  We will provide all the materials they need for their
painting, for free."

"Your word?"

"Yes."

"I will pass the word.  I wish a favor, Great One."

"Ask."

"I was ordered to discover your limits, if I had the chance.  Since
you drank what I offered, and have suffered no harm, I am supposed to
ingratiate myself with you, and learn whatever I may."

"Tell whoever asks, that you learned you are a Rabelaisian, and not a
Mouse.  We are immortal and even if we did not have the knowledge to
counteract the poison, any discomfort it caused would have been
temporary, and not affected our ability to stay aware of our
surroundings, then take action, if we felt action was required."

Her eyes went wide, then she nodded slightly.  "As you wish, Great
One."

She offered the pitcher to Wenona, who took it and smiled.  "We will
see that no accidents happen with this.  Thank you, for sharing your
dreams with us, Young Rabelaisian.  You may return to your duties."

They watched her leave, then Wenona touched the pitcher.  "Return to
what you should be."

There was a slight shimmer, then it went away.

Shiriki offered her his glass, for a refill, and after she topped it
off, he held it up and studied it briefly, before he drank from it.

"A pity, really.  The mix of flavors would have worked well, when they
were chilled."

"I've heard that there are pleasant ways to die.  Now, we know that at
least one's taste buds may take a happy memory to the grave."

He chuckled.  "Always the pragmatic one."

"It is a pleasant break from living dreams, Husband."

"I wouldn't know."

"True."

They both sobered, then she sighed.  "Well, we have been tested, so we
know that whoever we are dealing with, they have woven themselves in
to the fabric of Rabelaisia."

He smiled.  "Yet, they think they are aloof from it, and may walk
their own path, without consideration for the desires of others."

"It is a great work you contemplate this time, My Husband.  Attitudes
are often slow to change."

"Perhaps.  Now that the Mice are aware that *they* have been holding
themselves back from their destiny, I think the changes will speed
up."

She giggled.  "With a little luck at the right times, they should
arrive at their destination sooner than they expect, right?"

"Of course!"

They drank again, she used the last of what was in the pitcher to top
off their glasses, then she set the pitcher on the nearest table.

Shiriki laughed and held his glass out.  "A toast!"

She touched her glass to his.  "To Art, and Artistry!"

The drained their glasses, set them next to the pitcher, then gathered
their possessions and touched hands before they turned and looked at
space.

Wenona pointed at Sinopa, then spoke eagerly.  "Let's go Home!"

They vanished.

The young mouse who had been quietly observing them spoke in a
whisper.  "A Home!  A Great One has given his word that we will have
one, at last!"

She collected the pitcher and glasses, then raised her head proudly
and allowed herself to dance down the middle of the corridors while
she went back to the kitchens.

While she danced, she chanted:  'A Home!  A Home!  A place to live our
dreams, and to be Rabelaisians, instead of Mice!  A Great One has
Spoken!  Though we live in the shadows, He knew!  A Home, My People,
and WE get to build it!"

By the time she got to the kitchens, she was surrounded by a laughing
and cheering throng of Mice.

Before she went in, she turned and raised her arms for silence.

The mob quieted, and she grinned.  "Spread the word!  We have been
asked to design and build a new area on Sinopa, for us!  We will have
a Home that is ours, and ours alone!"
---

End: 'Avatars 06: A Certain Artistry'
Avatars: Chapter 07
A Royal Flush
---

Cheveyo and Roberta had eventually wended their way through the
formalities at customs, then headed for the shuttle area, to wait for
the next one to leave, after they made arrangements for their
belongings to be transported to Aurkena.

When the reporters surrounded them and started asking about what had
happened to Liberty and Weylin, Cheveyo shrugged.

"I don't doubt that all of us will be tested in some way.  Hopefully,
it will happen only once to each of us, then, since the direct methods
of persuasion will have failed, someone will contact us to see if we
can be negotiated with."

"And then?"

"It will be up to them to do what must be done.  If you wish to know
more, seek them out, and ask them your questions.  Now, we must not
keep the shuttle waiting."

They disengaged from the crowd, went to the boarding gate, boarded,
and settled to await the completion of their journey.

Roberta gazed out the window next to her, and sighed.  "Someone will
seek to test us, eventually."

Cheveyo nodded slightly.  "After we pass their test?"

She smiled slightly.  "I think it would be most effective if the Great
One, who is also an Avatar, took the time to speak with those who
ordered the test to take place.  I am merely a Terran, and my words
would not be heeded as quickly, here."

He chortled.  "Yet.  Do you think someone will test us on the flight
down?"

"I don't know.  These are Terrans, and it might be, that the leaders
will test our underlings, or attempt to negotiate with them, before
they decide they are wasting their time, and must come to us."

"The balls and receptions, then?"

"Yes.  The ones we meet will seek to test us with words, since by
then, they will have proof that physical persuasion is...
Ineffective."

He thought about it, then sighed.  "I will see that the trip down will
be...  Uneventful, so the later entertainment will be safer for those
around us, and more enjoyable for us."

She laughed.

* * *

The flight was, as Roberta had hoped, and Cheveyo promised, normal in
all ways, without his intervention.

Orcala met them when they got off the shuttle.

"Great One, sometimes I feel we have adopted too many of the Terran
ways, but in this case, I have to admit I find them convenient, for
all of us."

Cheveyo tilted his head and perked his ears, to invite Orcala to
contnue.

"I assumed you would wish to meet with all the people who speak for
their regions.  Most were eager to come and enjoy the food we serve,
while others expressed varying degrees of reluctance, followed by
agreement, to be away from home when they welcomed you."

He sighed.  "A few declined their invitations rather curtly, and made
it clear that you should come to them."

"Oh?  Well, it is their right, to remain where they feel their duty
lies.  Later, if we feel the need, we will take the time to express
our respect for their devotion to their people."

Orcala coughed into his hand, and if his cough sounded very similar to
a smothered laugh, nobody saw fit to point that out.

"Well.  With that out of the way, would you join me and my entourage
for a leisurely stroll to the palace?  Much has changed since your
last visit.  Plus, it will give the cooks and entertainers more time
to prepare themselves for the celebration of an event that will happen
only once in our history."

Cheveyo and Roberta linked their arms, then he gestured for Orcala to
join them on Cheveyo's left side.  "We would be honored, old friend.
By all means, let us allow your people all the time they need, to get
ready for the coming event."

When they reached the gate to the city, Orcala gestured to their left.
"If we go that way, we will enter the parts of the city my advisors
think I don't know they avoid talking about."

Roberta laughed.  "There is a story of a King, would would travel
amongst his people, in all his finery, without guards.  If he survived
the trip, he was fit to rule them."

Orcala nodded slightly.  "I am familiar with the tale, but not so
impressed with myself I wish to emulate it.  Instead, I asked the
Rabel Rousers to build one of their guild halls here, and do what they
could, to help the people who need it.  I'm told that for the most
part, the people who live here choose to live here, and the people who
decide to prey on them keep their predation low key.  Predators who
become too aggressive tend to have their lives shortened by those they
usually prey upon.  It is not the best solution, to my way of
thinking, but freedom must allow for people who make poor life
choices."

Roberta spoke softly.  "They are not always poor choices, Orcala. They
are quite often the best that can be made, under the circumstances.
You do your people no good service, if you do not give them credit for
doing what they must, to survive.  Human and Rabelaisian natures are
quite similar, and there will never be true equality, that allows all
to make the same decisions, and expect them to be right, all the
time."

He'd winced when she started speaking, and after she finsihed chiding
him, he sighed.  "Through the guilds, I make certain everyone here has
the basics they need to survive.  More than that, they must earn, the
same as the rest of us.  I am learning that a ruler must be...
Pragmatic, when his capital changes from something used to rule a
middle sized kingdom, to the place where his people meet aliens, and
begin their journey into space.

"I know I am making mistakes, and all I can do is hope that they are
not so severe that we cannot fix them before they become unfixable. As
far as I am concerned, people who could do better, but do not, when we
have so many opportunities for them to better themselves, and help the
rest of us build a future we can be proud of, are making poor
decisions.  I did not say I would insist that they make the decisions
I would make, if I were living their lives."

Roberta finally smiled.  "As long as you are aware of the...
Limitations of your viewpoint, I will not ask you to be someone you
are not, and never will be.  I wish we had the collective experience
to advise you, but there are reasons some things are happening here,
first."

"May I know them?"

"The one we're sure we understand, yes.  Rabelaisians have a global
culture that for the most part, embraces differences, instead of using
them to create artificial distinctions that split communities into
warring factions."

He thought about it, then studied the two of them for awhile before he
looked around and sighed.  "I'm afraid that won't last much longer, if
some of the Terrans who have illegally immigrated are allowed to keep
on as they have been."

"We can't eliminate them completely, Orcala.  What we can do, is
reduce their numbers to a managable amount, so their influence isn't
as pervasive.  They will have to learn moderation, and compromise."

Orcala snarled angrily.  "There are slavers, and dealers in children,
Roberta!  We had them reduced to a few locations, but now... With the
arrival of Terrans, it is worse than it was during the Mage Wars,
because this time, we cannot hope to defeat them!"

Cheveyo touched his friend's arm and held on while they stopped
walking, then he spoke gently.  "Orcala, my old friend.  There will
always be such, no matter how much we wish it were otherwise.  We give
you our word that when we are done, they will  confine their
activities to the few areas that have always tacitly encouraged such,
while the rest of our world will grow, and someday become...  A
changed world and people, and we will take our rightful place in the
greater community of worlds.  The people you loathe with such passion
are needed, to help us reach that day."

Orcala stared at him and his shock was evident.  "We need them?!"

"Yes.  Someday we will meet global cultures who think and act as they
do.  If we do not already know how they think, we could be overwhelmed
and destroyed.  Think of allowing these people to continue as they are
used to living, a way of innoculating us to prevent the death of our
culture, later."

Ocala bowed his head.  "A small hurt, to prevent a greater one later.
I should have seen it."

"No.  A ruler cannot plan for what he has no knowledge of.  Only now,
is it time for you to become aware of the picture we have known about,
and planned for.  The infection is still minor, and can be controled."

"Your word on it, Great One?"

"Yes."

Orcala studied them both for a long time, then he barely nodded his
head.  "I find I no longer feel any envy, or yearn for your
immortaility.  The gift is great, of course, but I now see that there
is a price paid for it, and..."

He turned and gestured for them to start moving again.  "I know how a
future ruler is trained.  The process can be...  Emotionally painful."

Cheveyo laughed.  "The same is true of the training an Avatar must
survive.  We *did* survive it, so here we are.  Fortunately, our
services are seldom required on short notice, so we usually have time
to ease into things."

Orcala smiled.  "Well, then, let us take some more time to explore the
part of the city I should know more about, before we turn our path
towards the palace, and whatever business awaits us there."
---

End: 'Avatars 07: A Royal Flush'

Avatars Chapter 08
Weavers of the Web
---

"One of our people on Qaletaqa wants a meet  He claims he has some
information you should hear in person, and he doesn't trust the usual
methods."

"Who is it?"

"Huoysen.  He's already given his word that he's more interested in
saving your life, than letting you die on his watch."

"I've been here most of my adult life, Kessa.  That doesn't mean he
might not kill me himself.  The Rat is an assassin, after all."

"I asked him about that and he laughed, then told me to tell you that
Takoda spotted him and told him some things they feel we need to know,
so we're all on the same page of the same book.  Gave me a freebie:
'Tell the Boss that the employees will not be held responsible for the
sins of their employers, by the Avatars.'  Way he sees it, keeping you
alive is good business right now, and if you do something bad for
business, he won't have to do a thing."

'The Boss' sighed.  "I have to agree with him, and I'll take what I
can get, since once the word is out that I have an assassin watching
my back, most of the petty infighting to replace me will die down.
Arrange the meeting."

* * *

"Huoysen.  I understand you've decided to watch my back for me."

"I was told to.  I'm in deep shit, you and the committe are in deeper,
and Takoda told me I got picked to try and help you climb out.  Oh,
when the subject of me living through this came up, Takoda was pretty
casual about admitting he doesn't care if I survive this, or not.
Plenty of folks he can do business with."

"Would you kill me, for them?"

"No.  Not even for myself, because I'm smart enough to know that right
now the chaos of a succession wouldn't be in my best interests.  I'm
not interested in pulling your strings, either, unless you feel my
being your direct line to the Avatars, is pulling your strings.  Easy
enough to solve that problem, because Takoda emphasized that they will
talk to *anyone*."

"So I could ask for a meet, and get it?"

"Yes.  Code of the Bard, and all that stuff.  You already know these
folks are as pragmatic as we are, and I can confirm that.  We change
our ways, so we fall off their radar, and they'll pretend they don't
know we're here."

"Not the usual stuff we get."

"According to Takoda, we're using the same tools, but have different
goals."

"Sounds like they plan on playing by our rules, mostly.  If so, we
could offer to let them set overall policy, then we'll follow it."

"You live here, but you still don't get it, Boss.  I was told a
message was delivered.  You and the committe know what they want, so
now it's up to you to decide how you want to do it.  Since you're the
boss, you're responsible for all of it.  Do what they want, or be held
responsible, and die."

"Can they be killed?"

"No, and Takoda made a special effort to let me know that.  Since they
all, except possibly for him, are immortal, your usual policy of
outlasting this stuff, is irrelevant."

"So the only ones we might be able to kill would be Takoda, or their
family and friends."

"Boss, I hope you're exploring possibilities, instead of thinking of
trying that."

"It's standard proceedure, and they must be expecting us to consider
it, and probably try it."

"Well, it's your life, if you do, after Liberty and Weylin made it
clear that personal attacks are ok, but anyone who involves innocent
bystanders will be immediately culled.  Who had the insane idea of
using pocket nukes, anyway?"

"I wasn't expecting that, when I gave the order to test their limits
by any means possible, if the chance arose."

"Huh.  Well, you're still alive, so it was a fogivable mistake, this
time."

"You are so...  Supportive, Huoysen."

"You folks didn't hire me to polish your boots with my tongue."

"True.  We were told the new rules of engagement.  Lakia decided she
was going to order operations to continue unchanged.  When she was
asked if those were her final words on the matter, and she said yes,
she was killed as effortlessly as you or I would squash a bug.
Whatever those three are, they aren't afraid of wet work."

"Three?  Sounds like you were visited by this group's version of 'The
Luck Bringers'.  Don't know how it fits, but when I told Takoda I was
there to find out more about him and the folks he works for, he was
pretty casual about correcting me and saying he works *with* them."

"Is he that important, since he might be killable?"

"Boss, if he's killable, it isn't by anything I know how to do.  He's
confident he'll die when he's supposed to, and history says that
mortal Avatars live the full extent of what is normal for their
species."

"And that may become moot, with mind transfer, and cloning.  You were
there, so what is he, a messenger?"  As far as we know, so far, he's
just a Hare who happened to be adopted into their clan."

Huoysen shivered.  "Don't you *ever* believe it's that simple.  Right
now, if I understood what he was telling me, the biggest part of his
job is to act as some sort of liason, who makes sure we always have a
way of knowing what we should know, so we can survive this.  What he
really is, is a Wizard."

"What the Hell is...  Oh.  Shit.  Happened before I was born.  Merliln
took on an apprentice, finally.  Must have been Takoda."

"Got it, Boss.  Package the worst of Bards and Mages in the same mind
and body, and you'll get close, I think.  Let me see if I can remember
how he put it...

"Yeah, ok.  He's primarily a historian, and a lot like Bards, that
way.  But, he admitted that there's a lot of stuff that makes him look
like a Mage, when he's pissed.  Never seen a hare with eyes like his.
He knew I'd poisoned my own drink.  Had to, because when I asked if
they could be killed, he casually drained my tankard, then asked me if
that answered my question.

"I pushed, and he mentioned the poison had a taste that would go well
with greens, if you could handle the contrast.  Since that poison is
supposed to be tasteless...  I don't know."

"So he knew you wanted to try and kill him, yet, you are still alive,
while the people who attacked Liberty and Weylin are dead.  Ok, those
are rules we're used to."

He leaned back, clasped his hands behind his head, and thought for
awhile before he spoke without moving.  "I already know that keeping
you here to watch my back would be a waste of time, so I think you
should go back and keep an eye on things in space.  Any thoughts on
that?"

"Since Takoda emphasized that all anyone who wants to talk would have
to do, is put the word out, and he'd find them, I don't have a problem
with a working vacation.  You're paying me, so I'll do what you tell
me to do, no matter how stupid I think it is."

"If you think I'm being stupid, let me know before you act, ok?  I'm
not ready to die yet."

"Sure, Boss."

"Thanks.  Truth is, there's something going on, on Sinopa, that has me
more concerned than the problems involved in finding out we're being
ordered around by Avatars."

"The Mice?"

"Yes.  Any thoughts, yet?"

"Only the obvious one.  I'm reminded of an onion.  A damn big one."

"That makes two of us.  You have anything else you think I should
know, before I show you what planning came up with?"

Huoysen sighed.  "Yeah.  I do.  Serious stuff.  I need your oath that
you won't share it with anyone."

"Yeah?  Hard to make an oath like that, considering who we're going up
against right now.  I have to assume they have some way of knowing
everything."

"That's not sharing.  Wouldn't matter, because these folks have been
around Lady Chrystal for the last one hundred years, and she would
have shared what she knew, with her apprentices."

"You have my oath.  Go on."

"When she was a young Vixen, Lady Chrystal put together some clues
nobody else realized were there, and figured out that one of the ships
in her family's fleet was maintained by the Assassin's Guild, and its
captain was the Guildmaster.  Her parents would have told her this
fact, eventually.  The end result was the status quo, which meant that
when the time came that she took over the fleet, she allowed us to
continue our presense in her fleet, instead of declaring a vendetta,
which was justified at the time.

"Instead of a vendetta, because there was a Hell of a big picture at
the time, she arranged things so the guild could regain its lost
honor.  Anyway, since space is the new ocean we sail upon, it was
decided that we should seek to establish our presense in it."

"Makes sense."

"Yes.  We have always been careful to honor the neutrality of the
Castles in the Sky.  As Guildmaster, I have an obligation to clarify
our position, for both sides.  Any actions that violate that
neutrality will be independently taken, and if we learn of them, we
will actively seek to end them, or protect their targets.  If we fail,
and the target is killed, we will do what we must, to remain
honorable.  Anything less would earn us the title of Rouges, and I
suspect we would be dealt with, accordingly."

"I wish I didn't undersand your need to distance the Assassins from
us.  May I assume you are offering us a chance to cooperate for our
mutual survival?"

"Yes."

He held out his hand.  "Accepted."

They shook hands, then Huoysen sighed.  "And now, back to business,
before I go back to my web and see who else uses it to catch me."
---

End: 'Avatars 08: Weavers of The Web'


Avatars Chapter 09
An Unlikely Alliance
---

Just before they reached Qaletaqa, Huoysen reached and touched the
neck of the flying squirrel he was riding.  "Thanks for the ride. Tell
our people that the Castles in the Sky are neutral territory, and that
we won't tolerate anyone doing more than using them as such. Gathering
information is ok.  Acting on it, is not.  It's distasteful, but let's
all admit we are out of our depth this time, and that we might as well
do our planning as if we work for these people, because they can veto
any of our decisions."

"So it's pretty much operate like usual, but spend more time looking
over our shoulders?"

"Not exactly.  For now, we will confine our physical work to on
planet.  As long as we confine ourselves to the usual, and don't take
any contracts on these Avatars, we should be able to do things the
same as we always have.  Put the word out, that if we find out someone
has taken a contract on an Avatar, The Boss, or any of his committee
members, it's official Guild Policy, to stop them, immediately, if
they can, or pass on what they know, to the affected person."

"We going into the bodyguard business?"

"Self protection.  The Guild has been through this before, with
slavers behind it, and we failed Lady Chrystal.  I don't want us to
fail again, because these folks are less afraid of wet work than she
is."

The woman shuddered.  "Bad, Sir.  I'll start working my contacts.  You
want to hear all the rumors, too?"

"No, but I know I have to...  Oh.  So that's part of what they were
doing."

"Who?"

"Shiriki and Wenona.  That giving the Mice a home is a smart move
someone should have done a long time ago.  Since you're my number two,
make sure things get passed to both of us, and then encourage our
people to start learning how to talk to Avatars and Mice.  Takoda made
it clear that the communication is supposed to be two way, now."

"We going to rethink a lot of our core policies?"

"I don't know.  Probably, but things are too fluid right now, so the
only sure thing is that we'll have to learn how to live with Avatars
who might, or might not, look over our shoulders at times we would
prefer they ignore us."

"Interesting times.  I hope you survive them, because I'm not ready to
quit flying in space."

"Thanks.  I want you there, too."

She landed on one of the platforms, he got off, then she took on a
couple of passengers and took off.

Huoysen entered the main concourse and paused to study it for any
personal danger, then sighed and headed home.

He shook his head when he noticed a human girl who was watching the
people as they went past her.  She had two large dogs flanking her,
and that made him smile slightly.  At least she was smart about her
work, and the presence of the dogs was a pretty good hint that she was
still an independent.

Her choice, and he could respect the strength she had, so he decided
she'd be worth watching.  He nodded slightly to let her know he
approved, and she smiled back, then got up and approached him.

"Hey, Mister Rat.  I bet you have some dreams I can help you with."

"Sorry.  My dreams aren't the kind a human girl can help with."

"I bet a human woman *could* help you with some of them, but I know a
polite refusal when I hear it, and there are plenty of other folks
around.  You ever change your mind, look me up."

He laughed.  "Who do I ask for, if that happens?"

"Most folks call me Jess.  My friends can call me Jessi.  Either one
will get my attention.  You want to get on my bodyguards' good sides,
bring lots of dog treats, and a comb."

"I'll try to remember that."

"Good!"

She stopped walking at his side and when he glanced at her, she
smiled.  "See you soon!"

He smiled back, then refocused on his trip home while he admired Jess'
cheeky self confidence.

He'd walked another fifty feet or so when it hit him and he froze in
mid step, then planted his foot and turned to look back the way he'd
come from.

'Jess' was where he'd left her, and she still had that relaxed smile.
"Changed your mind, huh?  You want to find someplace private so we can
talk about those dreams I can help you with?"

"You have a preference, Jess?"

"Nahh.  You pick.  Man's gotta feel comfortable and secure, the first
few times, if he's never done this before."

"Then allow me to buy you some food at a place I know, that has a good
reputation for discretion, and even better food."

"Deal!  And by Rabelaisian law, I'm legal, so you can relax."

He chuckled.  "Never worried about it, Jess.  I'm a pragmatic Rat."

She nodded, then studied him.  "Never doubted it, Huoysen.  Anyway,
let's go talk about dreams."

He nodded to let her know he'd noticed her sudden use of his name,
then he gestured for her to rejoin him.  "Let's do that."

* * *

They settled in a booth, then the dogs curled up at their feet.
Huoysen ordered for both of them, and after their food was delivered,
Jess waved a hand negligently.  "Ok, Huoysen.  You were sloppy, but
quick enough when it mattered, so all I'll say about it, is that you
need to be less predictable."

He sighed.  "Noted.  Just because we treat this as neutral ground,
doesn't mean someone won't decide to take advantage of that mindset.
Be nice to know how I missed you as a threat."

"I'm not one, to you as a person, or to the Guild.  Are you an
Honorable Rat?"

"I like to think I am."

"Glad to hear it.  You ready to hear the offer you can't refuse?"

"If I say no?"

"Then we pick our moment, let the other Rats know you didn't have time
to listen, and we tell them what you would have heard."

"Rats?  Not the Guild?"

"Yes.  Lots of Rats to choose from, and you were handy."

He laughed.  "Pretty obvious Takoda is your Hare."

"Good, except he's not my Hare, he belongs to Rabelaisia.  This early,
we're all fact finding, and setting things up so we don't have to
micro manage whatever solutions we come up with."

"Solutions?"

"More than one problem, but we do know the root problem, that let all
the others get out of hand, so once we get that one taken care of, the
others should self correct within a decade or so."

"And you'd like to have the Assassins there as a solution?"

"We'd prefer that, yes.  Nothing, so far, tells us you're a problem,
and we'd like to keep it that way."

He chuckled.  "Now, I know how it feels.  Ok, I'm a Rat willing to
listen."

"We're ready to openly admit the Rats have made their Home on
Qaletaqa, by letting them design and build an area of their own.  Up
to you if you want to move your offices there, or keep them where they
are.  Usual rules apply, in that you have to allow the same sorts of
access that all the other races allow.  Time for you to become
Rabelaisians, Huoysen, and that means you share your history, your
dreams, and your fears.  I think you'll discover that you aren't as
different as you insist you are.  Once that happens, you'll quit
holding yourself away from the rest of us, and you'll become the
people you should be, instead of the ones you think you can be."

"You been talking to Shiriki and Wenona?"

"No.  We came up with this shortly after we got here.  Similar
solutions to different problems and goals, that's all."

"I have the feeling you're leaving a lot out."

"I am."

He thought about it while he finished eating, then he sighed.  "I'll
pass the word.  I want to do it, but I'm not the one who makes those
decisions.  Is it ok if I encourage things by hinting that if we don't
admit it, someone else will, when it's convenient for them to do so?"

Jessica shrugged.  "Handle it any way you wish.  Circumstances might
force things into the open, but if they do, it won't be because of
anything we deliberately did."

He sighed.  "Unintended consequences?  Well, we're used to that.  I'll
see what I can do."

"Good.  I believe this is when you push, and ask me the kinds of
questions that would make you be looking for an escape route, if I
wasn't an Avatar.  By the way, nobody on our side is going to tell the
world that you poisoned your own drink in case you decided you needed
to suicide.  Takoda drank it so you wouldn't do something hasty,
later."

Huoysen winced.  "Ok.  Thanks.  I have lots of questions, so I'll ask
the big one, and hope I can understand at least part of the answer.
'What, in your view, is the root problem, if it isn't the public
reason you gave, unfettered greed'?"

"The Rabelaisian Ethos is inherently flawed.  Change it, to remove
that flaw, and all of the problems we're concerning ourselves with
will become manageable, without the Avatars needing to intervene any
further."

He stared at her and she nodded, so he leaned back and closed his eyes
while he thought about it.

Eventually he shook his head slightly and spoke without opening his
eyes.  "Jessica?  I'm in, but I'd appreciate it, if you'd take the
time to do some of that micro managing, so I can go back to my people
and justify some of the decisions I'll be making while I help you do
the impossible."

She laughed, then leaned forward and focused on him.  "Well, first,
you're going to help us figure out a way to find a hero..."
---

End: 'Avatars 09: An Unlikely Alliance'

Avatars Chapter 10
A Very Irregular Beginning
---

Takoda had been wandering, when a whim made him acquire a collection
of children's building blocks..

He was settled at an outdoor cafe and idly playing with them, when a
change in the currents let him know he was being watched.

He raised his head, looked around, and when he spotted a mixed group
of Mice and Rat children, he smiled at them, then went back to his
idle play with the blocks.

A few minutes later, a Mouse girl touched him lightly.  "Mister Hare?"

He set the block he held down and studied her.  "Yes, Little One?"

"I'm not little!  Ma says I'm pretty big for my age!"

"Little One is a term of endearment.  All it means, is that you are
smaller than I am.  It also sounds better than 'Whatcha want, kid?',
right?"

She giggled.  "Yeah.  You're right.  I'm Jukla.  Are you right in your
head?  We've never seen an adult Hare play with blocks, before."

He chuckled.  "Pleased to meet you Jukla.  I'm Takoda.  Funny you
should ask me that.  Ma and Da thought I was pretty messed up, when I
was a kid, because I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do when I
got older.  Fytew, she was the settled Bard in our village, said I was
worse than Blade."

All of them giggled or laughed.  Jukla grinned at him.  "That's bad!"

"Yep!  Anyway, since I was supposed to be worse, I figured right then
and there, that I should live up to that.  As soon as I was old
enough, I went to Earth, to see if there were any jobs there, that I
felt I could do for the rest of my life."

"You serious?!"

"I sure was.  Turned out I was right, too.  You kids ever heard of
Merlin?"

"Isn't he supposed to be some sort of Super Mage, or something crazy
like that?"

"Worse.  He's like a Bard and a Mage all mixed together, so you don't
know what he is, or how he'll do it.  I didn't know who he was, when I
met him.  Oh, sure, I knew he was some sort of power handler, and that
he is one of Lady Chrystal's life mates."

"So?  I thought you were gonna tell us if you're not right in your
head.  Sounds like you can't focus, so you must have something wrong,
right?"

He laughed.  "Oh, aye, you have the right of it.  What I have wrong
with me, is that I wasn't supposed to be like everyone else, and pick
a job that I was expected to do, then that would be all I do for the
rest of my life.  Anyway, Merlin and Chrys happened to be the ones who
welcomed our group to Earth, and as soon as I saw him, I knew we were
mind mates."

"So that means you are *supposed* to be so...  Different?"

"Yes.  Right then, I decided I wanted to be like him, so I pestered
him until he made me his special apprentice."

"That why your aura is so weird?"

"I don't know."

"So what are you?"

"I'm a True Wizard, just like Merlin is, except I'm supposed to be
here, instead of there."

He grinned.  "And part of being a Wizard, is that I get to travel and
do anything I want, because part of what Wizards do, is talk to people
and find out anything he can about who they are, and who they want to
be, because sometimes, he's allowed to help them be those people,
instead of telling them they can only be certain things.  What dreams
do you have, Jukla, that people say you shouldn't?"

She stared at him, then swallowed nervously.  "You really *are* 'The
Takoda'?  You know, the Hare everyone calls 'The Messenger'?"

"The Messenger?  Haven't heard that one before.  Sounds better than
'The Medlar', which is what the other Avatars call me."

He leaned back and smiled.  "Anyway, yes, according to traditional
Rabelaisians, which my parents were, there is something very wrong
with my head, because I didn't want to be...  A Hare."

Jukla studied him, then nodded.  "We all got the same problem, and
it's worse, now that we know we're gonna be Rabelaisians, instead of
Mice and Rats.  See, we've been talking it over, and we all figured
out that if we're going to be real Rabelaisians, we better find out
what they are, before we decide if that's what we want to be.  Not
many people we can ask about that, so we decided to find you,
because...  Way we figure it, if anyone knows what Rabelaisians are
now, and who they will be later, an Avatar will know.  Everyone knows
you folks will talk to anyone, so, here we are, and you're talking to
us like we're Rabelaisians, right?"

"Right."

"Thanks.  You ever read any Terran classics?"

Takoda twitched his ears slightly in surprise at the change of
subject, then nodded.  "I have."

"What about the ones about that detective guy, who was a lot like a
Mouse, or a Rat, because he always managed to find out stuff he wasn't
supposed to know?"

"Sherlock Holmes?"

"Yeah.  He's the one.  I'm not real good with names, yet.  Da says I
gotta get older, before my head is right, so I can remember stuff like
that."

"So you can tell if the name is the right one, but you can't always
remember it on your own?"

"Uh huh."

"Relax.  The humans who created us had a reason for doing it that way.
All you can do is live with it, for now.  Maybe, someday, it won't be
that way.  No promises about that."

"Sure, it's ok.  We're used to it, and..."

She gestured at the PDA on her harness.  "Terrans figured out a way to
make it so they didn't have to put up with bad memories, and it works
for us, too."

He laughed.  "Good!  Never let something hold you back, right?"

"Yeah!  So that's why we're here.  Is a True Wizard like a Master?"

"Yes."

"Great!  That Sherlock guy had a bunch of kids he called his
Irregulars.  We figure they were like his apprentices.  Since you're a
Master, we've been wondering if you'll take us on as your special
apprentices.  We've even got a name for ourselves already..."  She
suddenly went silent and shivered a little.

"Go on, please."

"Qaletaqan Irregulars?"

He nodded slightly.  "In matters of power, it is never wise to go
against a young one's desires, unless there is great need to do so.  I
will accept all of you as 'The Qaletaqan Irregulars', and my
apprentices.  Those of you who wish to learn the ways of a Wizard may
do so.  It is not required.  The only requirement is that you...
Explore, until you know in your heart, you are who you should be, no
matter what others may tell you."

"We can be *anything*?!"

"Anything!"

He chuckled, then handed each of them one of the blocks he'd been
playing with.  "These blocks, and the memories they now hold, shall be
how people know you are my apprentices.  Carry them as a reminder that
you cannot learn and grow, if you do not ask questions."
---

End: 'Avatars 10: A Very Irregular Beginning'
Avatars Chapter 11
A New Guild
---

Liberty and Weylin were flying across a small valley when they heard
someone calling to them.

{{Oh, Magical One, I wish it was I, who were on your back, and flying
away from here!}}

{{Silence!  Besides, you know she cannot hear you, because of the
shield.  Back to work, and you will spend the night in The Chamber,
for your presumption!}}

{{Yes, Master.  As you desire, so shall it always be.}}

Weylin sighed.  "I think, My Love, we have found our meadow."

She bobbed her head slightly.  "Been led to it.  Shall I land in the
next valley, so we can plan our...  Next show?"

He chuckled.  "At least two valleys, so we raise fewer suspicions when
we arrive."

She sighed, then lifted her head and spoke clearly.  "Not bad.  No
attempt to get us killed, and enough of a warning that we can deal
with this at our speed, instead of yours.  Sounds like Jessica managed
to get through, or you're naturally less...  Intense than your mate on
Earth.  Thanks, and we'll see what we can do."

A lightning bolt suddenly hit a peak, and Weylin laughed.  "As good a
direction as any, right?"

"True.  I bet there's a small valley on the other side, then one on
the other side of it, that is more suitable for us to land in, before
we work our way back."

"Yes.  I do believe she was a little annoyed with your 'at our
speed'."

"Really?  You are most likely correct, My Husband.  Let us, then,
proceed at a slightly faster pace, since I too, understand we are
already late, even though it was no fault of our own."

She began putting more effort into her wing beats, and their
increasing speed quickly took them beyond the edge of the valley that
held the man who had called to them.

{{See?  It is obvious they did not hear your foolish plea, and now
they go about their proper business, which was never in Dristan's
Valley!}}

Weylin smiled hungrily.  "Dristan's Valley, is it?  Let us hope that
Master Dristan still lives."

"That is part of the custom, isn't?  Name the location after the
Master?"

"Usually, but not always.  Let's find a fair sized village or town,
then see what happens.  Sometimes, local notoriety is less local than
the notorious desire it to be."

* * *

They were over the center of the second small valley when several
missiles were fired at them.

Weylin sighed and waved an arm in a sweeping gesture.  "We're busy.
Please wait until we have time to deal with you."

The missiles stopped in mid air and Liberty laughed.  "Please?"

"The hallmark of a civilized person, is the maintenance of their
civlility under stress.  Those missiles can be said to have primitive
brains, and they have a purpose.  I find that enough that I feel I
should treat them as I would treat any living being, and allow them
their dignity, before I decide how I should let them fulfill their
ultimate purpose.  Besides, we're on vacation, and I'm really not
ready to go back to work."

"Riiight...  Well, since you're feeling lazy, I guess I'll see what's
going on, that makes these folks so trigger happy."

{{Hello, the valley.  Anyone there who knows how to think, instead of
act?}}

{{You the unicorn, or the wolf?}}

{{The unicorn, and I really think you should have a long talk with
whoever tried to kill us without talking, first.}}

{{Why?  We're not letting you leave, and dead, is dead, no matter when
it happens.}}

{{Now, now...  See what I mean?  You're a perfect example of a man who
acts before he thinks.  A thinking man would have asked us what we
have next to us, before he made a decision that wouldn't have been in
his best interests.}}

{{So you're hauling some trash somewhere.  We blow you away, it gets
delivered here, instead of where it was supposed to go.}}

{{Well, true, assuming you *could*, as you say, blow us away.  Matter
of fact, we'd he glad to get rid of our trash, and in your recycle bin
would be as convenient as anyone else's.  I feel it's only polite, to
advise you that our trash is the result of someone being as careless
as you folks, while we were still on our way down from orbit.  We've
been busy, and haven't removed that energy from it, yet.  We had to
collect the energy from a couple of pocket nukes, too, and that hasn't
been safely dissipated, either.  But, since you're insisting on trying
to kill us, we'd be happy to deliver our trash, before we get on with
the rest of it.  Weylin?  Do you have a good enough picture, yet?}}

{{Yes.  Just give the word...}}

{{Wait!  Wait, goddamnit!}}

Liberty laughed.  {{Yes?}}

{{You folks are Weylin and Liberty Anne?}}

{{Yes.}}

{{Well, now.  That changes things quite a bit.}}

{{Oh?}}

{{Sure it does.  We have that valley next door under our guns, and I
know that Bards and Mages don't like it when innocents get killed.}}

{{That's very true, but you seem to have forgotten one small, but
significant detail.}}

{{Oh?}}

{{We're also Avatars.  We wanted to do this quietly, but...  Weylin,
make the appropriate deliveries.}}

{{Yes, Dear.  Since I'll be busy, I'd appreciate it it you take over
our shields.}}

{{What?!  NO!  Wai...}}

They watched the four mushroom clouds rise, then Liberty sighed and
turned around.  "I've always wondered what would happen when a kinetic
strike hits.  We might as well go in openly, now."

"Effective.  Messy, too.  Ok.  I'll start dismantling their shields,
after I put a solider one around the valley we just blew to Hell."

Liberty sighed.  "Make it so survivors can get out and seek help."

"Of course."

* * *

They were cruising over the first valley when Weylin touched Liberty's
neck and spoke softly.  "Someone is scrying us."

"Sloppy, since we can detect it."

"Might be deliberate.  Could be the same person who tried to suck us
in when we flew over the first time."

"So how do we want to play it, since I'm assuming they were smart
enough to listen in, too."

"How else?  We really are a Bard and a Mage on vacation, so we don't
have anywhere specific to be, other than here, since our boss made it
clear we're supposed to be here."

She laughed.  "Ok.  Let's go find out if the trap was generic, or
specifically for us."

He sneezed.  "Could have been a subtle way to let us know that flying
over that valley was a big mistake."

"Generous of you.  Since you're already in the right mood to be
charitable, I'll let you handle this one."

"Oh, thanks.  Who was it who told me I liked to play rough, and I
agreed with her?"

"Hey!  I can dream!  Maybe it's out of your system for a few minutes."

He chuckled.  "Not likely.  That was too impersonal.  I still need
something up close, before I'll relax."

"You done messing with whoever's head, yet, so I can quit pretending I
don't know those people are waiting for us?"

He looked, then sighed.  "I thought something was familiar about that
mind touch.  We were classmates when I decided I wanted to go to
Earth.  He decided to stay home."

She laughed.  "Well, I shall not keep you from your long delayed
reunion."

She landed, then folded her wings and ambled over to the waiting
group.

When she got close enough, she stopped and Weylin held up a paw in
greeting.  "Hello, Tralker.  Been a lot of years.  Are you well?"

"Weylin?!  Well enough, considering how old I am.  I had heard you
married and settled on Earth."

"I did. Cubs who chewed on my tail, and all that.  My life mate and I
decided to come back, and our firstborn, who is a fine wolfess, now,
is with us.  She and her mate are taking the time to reopen their
quarters on Sinopa, before they go to work."

Tralker gestured at Liberty.  "Your mate?  I thought she is a Terran
female."

"She is.  She and her sister were Lady Chrystal's apprentices, and
have been named her Spiritual Daughters."

"So it's true.  Time has treated you well, Weylin."

"We are Avatars, Tralker.  Time ignores us now, just as we ignore it."

"Just as you recently ignored the effects of Terran technology?"

"Yes.  Was your call a warning, or a trap?"

"A trap, of course.  People seldom come to this part of the world, and
when they do, we prefer they do not remember that we are here, so we
lure them in, remove their memories of what they have seen, and send
them on their way, otherwise unharmed."

"What of your recent neighbors?  They seemed far less benevolent."

"An arrangement.  In return for not letting ourselves know what they
were doing, they included us in their area of observation, and used
their tecnology to warn us when visitors were headed this way."

Weylin nodded, then sighed.  "What is it *you* do, that is so
discretely done?"

Tralker looked away, laid his ears back, then faced Weylin.  "A new
clan, made of other Infected Ones, Weylin.  The Terran sickness is...
A stalker of the first order, and one becomes infected slowly, but
surely, once one allows it a place in their thoughts."

"You are holding a lot back, Tralker.  Just as you are not the Wolf
you once were, I am not the Wolf I used to be.  Please, for the
memories we share, do not force my mate to act as the Bard she is."

"Forgive me, Weylin.  Lying and deciet is a way of life, now, and the
honor of a Wolf has been dim within me, for decades.  I will try to be
honest with you."

"Thank you.  Continue."

"Shorty after I was infected, it came to me that if nothing was done
to control the madness that was consuming so many of us, Rabelaisia
would be no more.  I am not speaking of our way of life, Weylin.  I am
speaking of Rabelaisia, herself.  These rogue Terrans seek to rape her
of everything, and keep it for themselves.  I have read their history,
and I know that when they meet a culture they view as lesser, they...
Destroy it and take the resources for themselves.  Over the years, I
have found others like myself, and we came here, to found a clan who
would use the infection, but in our way, a way that would gather all
the infected ones to themselves, and perhaps, someday, we would have
the strength of a guild, so we could use that to keep our predation
limited."

Weylin pondered what he'd heard, and the longer he remained silent,
the more Tralker's ears changed from contrition, to confidence.

Weylin smiled slightly.  "It is a pretty tale, Tralker, but you have
dealt too long with humans, and others who do not know how to read a
Wolf."

He waved a paw and took in the valley.  "To regain the lost honor of a
Wolf I once called my friend, I ask that you do your best to make that
tale, reality.  We have need of people who share that attitude."

Tralker's ears went vertical.  "You need us?!"

"We need your attitude.  It does not matter who lives it.  Do not
think to become Kelas, to my mate's Lady Chrystal.  Are you satisified
with our justice?"

Tralker laid his ears all the way back.  "Of course I am not
satisfied.  However, I have my life, what little of it is left to me,
and a chance to regain the honor I'd thought was so far from me I'd
never see it again.  I will try, Weylin.  I do not promise I will
succeed.  That much of the code, I still follow as best I can."

Weylin perked his ears at Tralker, then nodded.  "I cannot ask for
more.  Use your links to the Terrans to learn what you need to know,
so that we will pretend we do not know you are here."

"A warning, Weylin?"

"Not just a warning.  An Avatar's Warning.  Force us to see you again,
and you will be culled, not mind wiped."

Tralker shivered, but remained silent.

Weylin watched him a little longer, then held a paw up in the farewell
greeting used between close friends.  "A memory, to help you remember
what it means, to be an Honorable Wolf."

Tralker looked down and studied his paws, then sighed and matched
Weylin's gesture.  "In truth, I dreamed of a Thieve's Guild, with
myself in charge.  I will do my best to make it happen as Rabelaisia
wishes it to happen, Avatar."
---

End: 'Avatars 11: A New Guild'

Avatars Chapter 12
The Unpainted Dream
---

Wenona made a few light touches with her brush, then turned to the
patient mouse next to her.  "Well?"

"Could you make the green of the leaves on the tree a little...
Brighter?  You know, like they are when they first come out  during
spring?"

"Should I make it look like they've been touched by one of the gentle
breezes that makes them dance, like the tree is laughing?"

"Can trees laugh?!"

"Mine can."

"Oh, yes!  Please!  And add me!  Make me dance and laugh, too!"

"Then that's how it shall be."

The mouse watched her raptly, and when Wenona was done, she leaned
forward and blew gently on the painting.  "Can you see the leaves
dance when the wind touched them?"

"Yes!  It's perfect!"

Wenona nodded.  "Good!"

She lifted the canvas off her easel and handed it to the mouse.
"Remember, only handle it by the edges for the next hour."

The boy took it carefully, then looked at her and grinned.  "After
that, will it be ok to feel it?"

Wenona laughed.  "Yes.  If you rub the paint off, bring it back and I
will fix it, or paint you a new dream."

"A *new* dream?!"

"I bet you have lots of them, right?"

"I got so many, I can't decide which one I like best!"

Wenona smiled and shook her head.  "Well, take your time, because even
if you wanted another painting, you'd have to get in line, and there
are a lot of people ahead of you."

"Yeah, I know.  Hey, thanks, Wenona.  The usual payment?  Just do my
best to be myself, and not harm others?"

"Yes, that will be fine."

"Ok!  See ya in a few months!"

He rejoined his companions, who surrounded him, then all of them
drifted away while they admired his painting.

Wenona was still smiling when she faced her next customer.  "And you,
Sir?  What dreams do you wish others to see?"

He held up a small device and pointed it at her.  "My dreams are my
business, not yours.  You are careless, Wenona.  I could have killed
you at any time, while you were distracted by that child."

"And any time during the past week, yet you have not done so. Perhaps,
I was not the only one distracted by the dreams of children."

She held out her hand.  "Give me that, and I will paint a picture for
you."

He frowned, then made as if he was gong to hand it to her.  When it
was a few inches from her hand, he pressed the button on its side, and
energy leapt from it, to her.

She shook her head slightly, and her smile turned sad.  "You Terrans
are so confident there is only one way to see, and deal with the
universe.  All those years you have lived amongst us, and still, you
do not accept that there are other realities."

She reached and took the device from his motionless hand, then touched
it lightly with her brush.  "Be still, and cease your song of death.
It is a pretty one, true, but I no longer wish to listen to it."

The energy stopped, and she held it so she could study it.  "Elegant,
Sir, but as you can see, ineffective.  Speak the truth.  Are you
alone, or did someone order you to do this?"

"I was paid.  Good money, too, because I'm one of the best at killing
people who need to be killed."

"I see."

She touched the tip of her brush to the artist's pallet she carried,
and then she made a black mark on his forehead.  "Since you are only
an employee, you may live, this time.  Return to the person who
employed you, and kill them, for their presumption.  Know, also, that
you are no longer welcome here.  Do not return.  The mark of death is
upon you, and if you do not heed my warning, you will die."

"That's it?  You want me to kill the person who paid me?  Gonna cost
you, Lady."

"I've already paid you, with your life, and you have what you were
paid to kill me.  Are you a wise man, or a fool?"

"I'm smart, Lady, but if word gets out I killed someone for free, I'll
never get paid again.  Pay me, or it's no deal."

"It is a matter of Honor?"

"Yeah.  I suppose it is."

Before she could respond, three Rats suddenly appeared and the oldest
one pointed at the man Wenona was confronting, and waved the other two
forward.

They flanked him, then grabbed his arms and held him relatively
motionless when he struggled briefly.  He stopped struggling, and the
senior Rat smiled.  "You Tim?"

"What's it to ya, and who the Hell are you?"

"Well, if you're Tim, I have a message for you, from Earth."

"Ok, I'm Tim. Hit me."

"Don't tempt me.  Man by the name of Tom Galahalt says Yuri died of a
heart attack right after your ship launched.  Sends his condolences,
and that you don't have to return the money."

"I don't know any...  Shit.  That wouldn't happen to be a man most
folks know as Captain Galahalt, would it?"

"Same one."

"Damn.  Umm...  Thanks for the news."

"Welcome.  You get done here, you and I need to have a talk.about your
future."

"Yeah, yeah...  Right.  Whatever.  You gonna tell your goons to let
go?"

"No."

"Had to ask."

He looked at Wenona.  "Look, Lady.  It don't matter, now.  Yuri was
the man who paid me, and I guess you know the Captain ain't a man who
would lie about someone dyin'."

Wenona nodded.  "I do know that, since one of his co-wives is my
husband's birth mother. "

"Shit."

"Not very impressive, for a man who claims to be smart.  Before I let
these gentleman have you, I need to know if you were aware that the
Assassins have declared Sinopa and the other Castles to be neutral
territory."

"Something was said about that, but death don't recognize borders and
all that nice stuff, so I don't either.  Just makes it easier to kill
people and abos, as far as I'm concerned."

"Thank you."

She raised her head to look at the Rat.  "Nobody was hurt.  Still, he
wears the Death Mark, and has admitted he knew the Castles are neutral
territory."

Then she laughed.  "You're dripping water."

"Yeah, I know.  I got the word while I was soaking in the tub."

"Forgiven.  I have no further use for this man."

"Got it.  Wenona, is that thing you're holding, really what I think it
is?"

"I wouldn't know.  I have silenced it, and it...  Is sulking because
it wasn't listened to."

"I've heard about those things  Some sort of mix that uses Magework
and tech to kill folks.  Keyed to the handler, expensive, and
extremely rare.  People who use them are...  Considered the best
Assassins for hire, on Earth."

"On Rabelaisia?"

"Banned.  You sure that thing is harmless, now?"

"Yes."

"Reassure me some more.  Kill it, but keep it intact, otherwise."

She smiled slightly.  "Can death be killed?"

Her brush touched it and she spoke gently.  "Sing yourself to sleep,
little one, since no one here wishes to savor your song, and I know
that you must sing, eventually."

Tim was staring at her.  "Just like that?  I was told that it would
live until I died, then it would be harmless."

The Rat shook his head.  "It isn't really alive, but it does have a
purpose, which is just as bad."

He walked over and looked at it, then sighed.  "I wish there was a way
to do this without touching it."

Wenona spoke calmly.  "There is.  Link with me, and see it as I do."

His smile was fleeting.  "I am considered a brave man, by many, but I
am not brave enough to initiate a link with an Avatar."

He used a fingertip to touch it lightly, then he sighed and picked it
up.

A few minutes later he sighed again and placed it back on her hand.
"Weylin is not going to be happy, when he hears who has been making
these."

Then he focused on Tim.  "We need to have a long talk about your
attitude, before we use you to carry a message back to Earth."

Tim screamed and started to struggle.  One of the Rats used his free
hand to lightly tap Tim's spine.  "Be still, or we'll stop being
polite about this."

Tim gasped, and went limp.

"See how easy it gets when you cooperate?"

He looked at his boss.  "Ready."

"Go.  I'll be there after I finish here."

They vanished.

He sighed.  "Sorry, Wenona.  I'll look into how he got past us."

"Not everyone goes through the transit station."

"I'll keep that in mind, when I have my people ask about the holes in
Orbital's and Ground's one hundred percent coverage.  I pay some
pretty sizable insurance premiums, to make sure there aren't any."

"Your problem, not mine.  No honor was lost, Huoysen."

He sighed.  "None gained, either."

"You have been made aware of some problems.  Fix them, and you will
gain more honor."

"Thanks, I guess."

He vanished, and Wenona bent her head briefly, then raised it and
studied the people who had been patiently waiting.  "Please forgive
me.  I was about to take a break, before events interrupted me.  I
shall return in a few hours."

She and her easel vanished.
---

End: 'Avatars 12: The Unpainted Dream'
Avatars Chapter 13
Honor is a Coin Well Spent
---

Roberta glanced at her husband when he sneezed his amusement, then
turned back to Jessica and studied her.  "If I understand you, the
essence of your idea of a good way to find a Hero, is for you and the
twins to create a Talisman that looks like a Rabelaisian eighth piece,
then, after *I* pronounce it fit, you want me to pass it around a room
full of nobles and other notables, before I gather more eighth pieces
from each of them.  After that happens, I will go stand on the palace
steps and toss these coins into the crowd, so that we may get the
Talisman started on its search?"

"Yes.  Don't forget to include the palace servants, and other people
who are here."

"Anything else I need to know?"

"We've been so busy designing the Talisman, that we haven't taken the
time to figure out the best way to spin things.  We do note that
Cheveyo is not, strictly speaking, the social equivalent of Merlin.
Since Takoda is the one who is tasked with keeping track of how the
average Rabelaisian feels and thinks, we strongly suggest that Cheveyo
consult with Takoda while the two of you work on your speech."

"How long do we have?"

"Well...  I'm not my father, and we're doing this for the first time.
We think we have most of the basics figured out.  However, we are
still trying to anticipate what will happen when it wakes up.  Give us
a week to refine things and be ready to do this in public."

Roberta sighed.  "Husband?"

"It will be a fine speech, My Mate, and I will make sure that your
orders are more flowery than 'You know what we need, make it and hand
it over'."

"From that, I know you agree with this...  Plot against tradition?"

"Human tradition.  At the least, it does not require you to wear your
best hospitality gown while you rise from the depths of the palace
fish pond."

"That, alone, makes it a wise choice.  As always, you are centered on
the needs of our people."

She was suppressing a grin when she spoke to Jessica.  "In one week, I
will make the announcement.  Be ready."

Jessica studied her thoughtfully.  "You're up to something."

"Yes."

"Some things, a Daughter knows she shouldn't ask her Mother.  We will
be ready."

She wrapped her arms around the waists of her companions, and they
vanished.

Cheveyo sat on the window sill and gazed at the palace gardens.
"Sometimes, Love, you do things that make the Coyote in me envious of
you.  I suspect this will be another one of those fortunately rare
times."

"Perhaps.  Contact Takoda, and tell him that it is my strongest wish,
that Huoysen and his allies be present for this event.  If they are
concerned for their safety, assure them that they will be allowed to
leave again, with the health they arrived with, and perhaps wiser.
Wiser, is, of course, up to them."

"Anything else?"

"Yes.  Tell Weylin and Liberty that I want them here, with Tralker. It
is time the Mother of the World had a talk with one of her errant
children, about his past, and his future."

"As you desire, My Alpha."

He vanished.

Roberta settled on the sill and did her own gazing, but she did not
see the gardens.  Her vision searched the future, and what she
eventually 'saw' there, pleased her a great deal.

* * *

Roberta held her hand out to the wolf who was shivering.  "Welcome,
Tralker.  You are well?"

He touched her hand briefly, then let go and sighed.  "As well as can
be expected, Mother of Us All.

"No formality.  Roberta, or Lora, will be fine.  Thank you, for
allowing Weylin and Liberty to bring you."

He shrugged with his ears.  "I know a summons when I hear it, Lora."

She laughed.  "A long life, brings with it much wisdom.  Come.  There
are things we need to talk about, my errant child, who has returned."

His ears perked, then he followed her into a small room and closed the
door when she gestured for him to do so.

She sat, and gestured at one of the chairs.  "Sit, and relax, Tralker.
Your past is over with, and I will not talk of it, except to note that
although you lost your honor, that loss was something that had to
happen, for the greater good of our world.  You have done well, and
when the time is right, after your death, you will have more honor
than any wolf ever dreamed of having."

"Lora?  I don't understand."

She made a slight gesture.  "This will be between us, and the other
Avatars, for now.  You have been a tool, Tralker,   Everything you
have done, was destined to happen.  The founding of the Thieve's
Guild.  Your loss of honor, and much, much, more, all had to happen,
so that this meeting would happen, and I can tell you the truth."

"And what is the truth?"

"You will be known as 'The Great Thief', to your followers and the
rest of the world.  It is true, Tralker.  You have stolen the future
seen by the Terrans who have infected our world with their madness.
Because of that theft, we will be the people we were destined to be.
That much of your vision, the control and use of the infection for our
own benefit, will happen."

"I have spent much time dealing with Terrans.  You are...  Pleased
with something."

"Yes.  As part of your work, you will have a 'Hall of Heroes' built.
You will live to see it completed.  Build it well, Tralker, then
assign your best thieves to watch over it, and guard it.  From time to
time, Rabelaisia will need a Hero, and they will need a suitable
resting place, when their work is finished.  Place this Hall in a
remote area, and make sure it is difficult, but not impossible to
reach.  To your followers, it will be something else, a place where
their founder will lie, so they may pay tribute to him, without
knowing that 'The Great Thief', will someday be known as someone
else."

He studied her for a long time, then nodded.  "I see.  Even in my
death, I will be a tool.  When the time is right, you are going to
reveal that the person whom you seek to make a Hero, was not the first
one."

"Yes.  You, Tralker, are Rabelaisia's First True Hero, and you have
done well.  Someday, people will understand that the greatest honor to
be gained, can only be achieved by sacrificing their honor in the
service of their world."

She grinned slightly.  "We will not emphasize that you were a tool
being used, and had no choice in the matter."

He laughed.  "Thank you, Lora.  It will be enough, to know that even
though most will revile us for our apparent lack of honor, we still
serve our world, as best we can.  It will make it easier for us to
keep the infection under control, to know that we are touched with
grey, instead of black."

"You will develop a Code of Thieves, and it will someday be as
respected as the Code of The Wolves, because those who follow it will
all be your spiritual children, and thus...  Wolves who will be as
staunch about their honor as any true Wolf who is a member of the
Whispering Leaves Clan."

His eyes went wide, and his ears went vertical.  "It is too much!  I
am not worthy!"

"You *are* worthy, Tralker.  It is you, and the Thieves who follow
you, who are the true saviors of Rabelaisia.  Someone else will get
the credit, of course, which is the proper reward for a Pack of
Thieves, who desire to remain in the shadows while they go about their
business."

By the time she finished, he was staring at her, then he started
laughing again.  "Well said! I will take this secret to my grave.  Is
it correct to assume the chosen Hero will be no sham?"

"Very correct.  Their job will be to make Rabelaisians aware that the
Rabelaisian Ethos is flawed, and then trigger the changes that will
fix it, so the madness of greed can be kept under control by ALL
Rabelaisians, and not just the Thieves and Assassins."

"Thank you, Mother of Us All."

"You're welcome, 'Great Thief'.  When your time approaches, we will
know, and we will be there to help send you on the unknown journey."

She stood, then spoke briskly.  "Now, it is time for us to go back to
our roles, so we may begin the search for the one who will provide the
rest of what is needed, to get the infection my birth people have
brought to our world, under control."
---

End: 'Avatars 13: Honor Is a Coin Well Spent'
Avatars Chapter 14
The Truth Shall Make You Free
---

"Boss?"

"What is it, Kessa?  And what has you so jittery?"

"We got company, and they want to talk to you and the committee."

He frowned.  "Company?  Here?  Now?!"

"Yes, Sir.  I really think you should see them."

"Who?"

"Huoysen, and...  A companion."

"He knows..."

"Sir.  Please.  Let me send them in, and if I'm wrong, I'll pay the
price."

His eyebrows went up, then he sighed and nodded.  "We'll discuss that
later.  Send them in."

He looked at the people who were seated around the conference table.
"Huoysen wouldn't be here, if he didn't have a good reason.  Whatever
it is he has to say, we'll listen to it.  I'll deal with his impuls...
Crap."

He studied Huoysen's 'companion', then sighed.  "Huoysen?  Is your
companion 'The Messenger'?"

"Yeah. Boss.  Folks, Meet Takoda.  Takoda, The Boss and The
Committee."

Takoda tipped his ears in their direction.  "Relax, folks.  I was
willing to let Huoysen handle this, but he convinced me I should be
available so I can answer questions and address any other concerns you
have about your invitation to a special function that will be at
Orcala's Palace in seven days."

"We'd rather decline it, if that's possible."

"Well...  Technically, it's possible to decline.  Since this
invitation has been issued by The Mother of Us All, and she made it
clear that she strongly desires your presence, I do think she'd find a
way to express her pique at your failure to appreciate the importance
of your presence.  What will take place is something that affects ALL
Rabelaisians, including those who are here for reasons that are...
More personal than is wise."

"Sounds like we got picked to represent the unofficial citizens?"

"Perceptive.  Yes.  If you decline, I will take that message back to
her, and we will find some Terrans who *will* accept the
responsibility of representing all of you.  If you make any
suggestions about who would be suitable, I will give them first
consideration."

"Later?"

"They will be speaking for all of you.  Any messages will go to them,
first, and it will be up to them to make sure all of you are aware of
what is going on."

"What if we kept in touch by using Huoysen?"

"As long as you accept that we will be making your representatives
aware of what was discussed, and the decisions that were made, that
will be acceptable.  They will not be able to manage overall policy,
if they are not fully aware of what is happening."

Huoysen spoke up.  "Boss?  You folks go independent, whoever's in
charge could put their own people in your territory, and if things got
out of hand, you'd be culled first."

"Does he have a point?"

"Yes.  We would not suggest it happen, but if they do, we would
support them, first."

"Pretty hardball."

"Of course.  Haven't you made it clear to your people that desperate
times require desperate measures?"

"Snooping?"

"No.  The memories are in the fabric of this room, if one knows how to
read them.  I do."

"If we show up, are we going to leave in the same condition we arrived
in, and stay that way after we leave?"

"Physically, yes.  There is the possibility you will be wiser when you
leave."

"Good enough.  We'll talk to the others, and let them know we'll be
speaking for them while we're there."

Takoda smiled.  "If they are nervous about that, assure them that we
will be welcoming gate crashers.  Perhaps you could arrange for your
allies to provide bodyguards for them."

"We'll be there.  Who provides the transportation?"

"Your choice."

"Anything else?"

"Not this time."

"We'll let you know.  Mind finding your way out, while we keep
Huoysen?"

"Not a bit."

Takoda vanished and The Boss sighed.  "I should have expected that.  I
spent some good money on strengthening the spells that are supposed to
prevent that, too."

Huoysen shrugged.  "Boss, he's an Avatar.  If he wants to do
something, and the Spirit of The World is ok with it, he can.  You'll
get used to it."

"Are you?"

"Not yet.  I'm working on it.  Gets easier, every time I see him do
something I know is impossible."

"And you folks complain about *our* limited view of the universe?"

"The difference is that we know we can someday learn enough to match
your science.  Be a lot longer, if ever, before you can take power for
granted, the way we do.  It's an interesting philosophical problem,
that isn't helped by the fact our worlds want it to happen that way."

"Later.  Not like you, to bring someone with you."

"Explain myself?  Easy one.  I figured it was time for you folks to
get some help, getting your heads around the idea that it isn't a good
idea to try and play games with an Avatar who is working.  Once might
be a personality thing, this way, you know they are all like that.
They say we need to change how we operate, we change, or they find
someone who will.  You need something you can understand, they're the
swat team who gets called in, when it all falls apart, and it has to
be dealt with, now.  Once the problem is dealt with, they take off the
uniforms, so to speak, and go back to being regular people, mostly.
They'll still see everything, but they won't admit they do, because
it's up to us, to live our lives on our own, until the next time we
let things go so far we can't fix them."

"See stuff?  Like how they recruited the Mice and Rats?  That was so
smooth and obvious I'm wondering how all of us missed it."

"I could say you were supposed to, and it would be true, but you folks
are programmed to miss stuff like that, and we needed you folks here,
to make us see that we helped keep ourselves locked into everyone
else's concept of who we are, instead of creating our own.  Then, too,
we started out as tools, and it makes sense that there'd be a fear of
change that would keep us from reaching for more."

Huoysen smiled.  "If it you makes you feel better about it, if you had
thought about it, and asked us, we would have refused, because you
would have done it because you saw us as tools to be used, and held
that over us.  The Avatars see us as people, and the price they asked
us to pay, was for us to be whoever we want to be."

"Pretty naive view.  Nobody does stuff for nothing.  They had to have
a motive for what they did."

"They felt it is time for the Rats and Mice to have Free Will, so they
gave it to us in a way we could accept it."

"I have the feeling you're laughing at us."

"Yep.  I, and my people, have been trying, for years, to get you folks
to back off and rethink how you do things here.  Instead, even though
you know how Avatars work, because you left Earth to get away from a
set with far more experience than these, you kept hoping it wouldn't
happen here, in your lifetime.  Pretty poor contingency planning, in
my book."

"Ok.  You're entitled to be smug, since it isn't you they're after,
this time."

"Not true, but if it makes you happy to think that way, go ahead.
Anyway, my advice is that you folks show up in seven days, so you're
officially part of the solution."

"Will you be there?"

"Yes.  I'm representing the Rats."

"What about the Assassins?"

Huoysen smiled.  "Someone will be there to make sure our interests
will be allowed for."

"Anyone we know, in case we need something official?"

"Yes.  Jessica.  My idea, and she has a Rabelaisian sense of humor, so
she agreed.  You got anything else you need?"

"No.  You?""

"Yes. Next time you want your security spells reworked, let us do it.
We're cheaper, and we don't leave holes in them, for later.  Bad for
business if we do."

He vanished before anyone could reply.
---

End: 'Avatars 14: The Truth Shall Make You Free'

Avatars Chapter 15
A Greater Truth
---

Cathy studied the small object Wenona had given them, then she sighed.
"Elegant, for being done with off the shelf technology."

Becky held out a hand and Cathy handed it to her.  "I agree.  Must be
a Terran out there who is damn good at thinking outside the box.  Or,
a Rabelaisian who is the kind of genius who comes along and stands
everything on its head."

She offered it to Jessica, who took it and sighed.  "Quit dancing, you
two.  That particular type of innovation needed someone who is
comfortable with Tech, and Magic, on a level that just doesn't exist
yet."

Cathy shook her head.  "Could have been a collaboration, and Tralker
was the one who built it for whoever designed it.  And yes, one of us
could have gone back and set things in motion."

Becky frowned.  "I don't think it was us.  This thing is...  A little
too primitive feeling.  I'd like to think we would have given more
thought to the consequences of building these."

Jessica nodded.  "So, about all we know is that this one was built
here.   Huoysen knows about them, and has banned them, which means his
people know about them.  Also means they have a way of detecting them,
once they know they should be looking for one."

"Beck?  Set the shields."

Becky gestured, then Jessica touched the device.  "Ok.  Time to wake
up.  You and I need to have a talk."

Energy suddenly arced from the device to Jessica, then it stopped.
"Where is The One?"

"Not here."

"I must self destruct."

"I will not permit it."

"You cannot...  Error encountered.  Alternate program activated."

The energy started again.

Jessica waited, and eventually the energy stopped.  "Secondary program
ineffective.  Program abort.  Resetting to default status...
Imprinting...  Greetings.  I am a life nullifier  Please state your
name."

"Jessica Galahalt."

"Thank you, Jessica.  Do you need my operating instructions at this
time?"

"No."

"There are two other life forms within range of my sensors.  Do you
wish them nullified?"

"No."

"Should their exclusion status be temporary, or permanent?"

"Permanent."

"Log updated.  Nullifier attuned to new companion.  Returning to
standby status."

Jessica's eyebrows had gone up during the imprinting, then come down
and she glared at what she held.  "Elegant, indeed, but whoever
designed this never expected one to be ineffective.  *I* would have
included a hard wired self destruct."

Becky laughed.  "I think any competent Terran would have.  I think
this is a Rabelaisian design, that was designed by someone used to
assuming the intent will be honored."

"Cathy?"

"I agree, and note that perhaps it was programmed to accept the person
who held it as its new 'companion' if the original wasn't around, and
the new person couldn't be 'nullified'."

Jessica frowned, then raised her voice.  "Takoda!  I need to consult
with you."

He walked in, then twitched his ears.  "Interesting device you hold."

"Yes.  It's a life nullifier, and it imprinted on me, as its new
companion.  Cath and Beck are on its permanent exclusion list, now."

"Imprinted?"

"Yes.  Whoever designed it, didn't allow for it falling into the hands
of someone who couldn't be killed, and who wouldn't permit it to self
destruct.  Instead of shutting down completely, it reset itself, then
imprinted on me."

He thought about it, then sighed.  "Assisted survival of the fittest?
Unusual mindset.  I'd say it was designed by an Avatar, except none of
us would be that careless about our assumptions."

"Glad we agree on that.  Huoysen said these are banned, here.  I'm
thinking that whoever designed these, planned for that, and never
expected one to be used on Rabelaisia."

"Something commissioned by Terrans?"

"Maybe.  There are Terrans who see Rabelaisia as unlimited
opportunity, since their tech makes them superior.  Makes sense, that
there would be Rabelaisians who think that way about Earth."

Takoda nodded.  "Kelas, and his companions."

"Yes."

Takoda sighed.  "History says it is impossible to completely destroy a
group, or suppress the ideas that created that group.  We must assume
we might be dealing with a remnant of the people who created the
conditions that led to the Mage Wars.  They would have the motivation
to seek an alliance with Terran Humans, and the long term view that
would lead to such devices as you hold."

Jessica nodded.  "Yes.  Ultimately, it doesn't matter who they are. We
need a Great Evil, that will unite all against it.  The great lie
always works better, when it is a great truth."

She slowly closed her hand, and there was a flash of energy.  When she
opened her hand she was holding a lump of slag.

She handed it to Takoda.  "Take this to my Mother, and tell her we
have a Great Cause for our Hero to defend us against.  Advise her that
we will include that in our thinking, when we create the Talisman."

He smiled slightly, then vanished.

Jessica leaned back closed her eyes, sighed, then whispered.  "Shit,
guys.  This one's gonna be bad.  Real bad."

They looked at each other, then settled on either side of her and
leaned against her.  Once they were settled, Cathy spoke softly. "What
do you see, that was missed until now?"

"Remember Dorothy?"

"Dorothy?"

"Our first job.  The failed Avatar who tried to kill me.  We never did
find out if we really collected all of them.  I'm thinking Takoda
nailed it with his comment that the nullifier is something an Avatar
might have designed."

Cathy shivered.  "We're dealing with at least one failed Avatar?  That
does explain a lot."

Becky shook her head slightly.  "After one hundred years?  Possible,
but I think it's more likely that we're dealing with whoever they
trained as their replacements, or the people they are using.  I don't
think they'd want to risk having us spot them."

Cathy giggled.  "Then we won't try to.  I think it's time for Jess to
introduce herself to the Qaletaqan Irregulars."

Jessica laughed.  "My Lestrade, to Takoda's Holmes?"

"Works for me.  Becky and I will be your assistants, this time.  Never
hurts a plan, to help the other side wonder if they are overestimating
you."

* * *

The severe looking woman pointed at the Mouse girl and her companions.
"I need to have a word with you, Jukla."

"Yes, Ma'am."

They arranged themselves, then politely waited.  The woman held out
her hand.  "I'm Inspector Lestrade, and these two are my assistants."

Jukla's eyes narrowed slightly, then she shrugged and shook hands.
"Ok.  So you're a copper.  We ain't done nothin'."

"Never said you did.  I'm looking for someone named Huoysen.  Don't
want to do anything yet, just want to give him a message."

"That's it?  What's in it for him?"

"Challenge of the hunt.  Word I have, is that Moriarty is alive.  If
he decides he wants to find out if that's true, he should be more
careful than usual."

"We'll find him, tell him, and get back to you.  Any reason you're not
doing this yourself?"

"Thanks.  It's not an official investigation, yet."

"Got it.  Mind if we check in with Holmes?"

"Not a bit.  Might be awhile.  He's off on some personal business
right now.  Tell him it's ok if he wants to bring you to the party at
Orcala's."

"Orcala's?  Must be pretty big.  You sure we'd fit in?"

'Lestrade' smiled slightly.  "You'd do fine.  This one is for
everyone, and gate crashers will be welcome.  Nobody will get turned
away."

"Thanks.  We'll be there."

She handed them each an eighth piece.  "Something for your trouble,
and you'll need them, later, at the party.  You'll know when it's time
to spend them."

Jukla studied what she held, then studied Lestrade.  "Some sort of
weird custom?"

"In a way.  Think of them as way to make sure you have a say about
what sort of future you will get to live in."

"Find out more at the party?"

"Yes."

"Got it.  Well, the future I want to live in right now, is one that
has me talking to Huoysen.  He's going to want to know that Moriarty
didn't die, after all."

Jukla looked at her companions, nodded slightly, and they scattered
into the crowd.

Jessica smiled.  "Smart.  Didn't take her any time at all, to figure
things out.  Let's take the time to stroll, before we go home."

Cathy laughed.  "Walk your beat, 'Inspector'?"

"Of course."
---

End: 'Avatars 15: A Greater Truth'
End: The Tails of Rabelaisia 7/8 Avatars 01-15/30

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