The Uli Rouge

[Craines]

It was not often that the Ska Feshir was in orbit long enough to make General Artifice angry. However, this was one of those rare times; an exception that he loathed and would storm about the length of the ship, conversing with the only other living being. This time, however, was different, as the other being had asked to be moved down onto the planet. General Artifice was not happy with this arrangement.

"I do not care what orders you have, you can not commandeer a shuttle! Especially one capable of... well, you know what it can do, blast it, and I don't think that you should be moving it down there! And with the C'Tanlings...! A damn AQS was detonated on the surface, and what may very well be a moving black hole has been detected... you do not have the authority!"

The figure was suspended above the ground, the twelve slender, mechanical legs keeping him aloof. The figure raised his hand to silence the general. "I have more authority than you will ever imagine and should you attempt to stop me again I will kill you. Now, move out of my way. I shall go alone. Artificer be cursed, I won't use your precious shuttle, either. These legs are nanorobots, Artifice, and they can form into a shield about me. One capable of entry into a planet's atmosphere. And I assure you, nothing can detect me. Not even the C'Tanlings."

The figure moved into the hatch, the legs becoming fluid and wrapping around the figure. The door opened, and the nearly-invisible sphere dropped out. The door closed again. "Artificer will not be pleased," General Artifice muttered, punching into the ribcage of an Abom that happened to be walking by. "Artificer will not be pleased at all."

---

On the planet, the ball had impacted deeply. The shield had not been seen or detected, and it had once again become fluid. The twelve legs reached out of the hole, evenly spaced out, and pulled the figure out. He looked at the Uli Rouge, and knew that it was where the target resided. Beginning to gallop towards the villa, the figure let out a bellow that echoed across the plain.

---

Sylvia and Pops had made it to the gate at the beginning of the mountain when they noticed that lock-down had been initiated. There was no way to enter the Rouge, as the intercomm system had been disabled. Upon attempting to contact deSicev through her chip connector, Sylvia found that she was unable to. She turned at Pops and shrugged. "Perhaps we should go see if Jay needs anything?" Reggie suggested. Syvlia nodded emphatically. They began again towards the Veranda Incognita.

---

The Doctor swirled about in space, looking at all the possibilities of life. For many, life was a parade to be viewed from the side, able to see the curves it has taken. But for the Doctor, and a select few others, life was a parade to be viewed from the top. Each curve it could take was presented before him. A female chuckled behind him.

"Still toying with my followers, Egrezy'Hais? Oh, that's right, you haven't used that name in generations... since before Atlantis, if I remember correctly. You left Earth and C'Thulu came on in... my my! I didn't think you'd actually succeed in becoming a metadeity... but alas, you have! What ever do you do nowadays, my dear Egrezy?"

"Eris. What a long time it has been. What a pity you hadn't joined me. I am, as you so peculiarly stated, a metadeity. Not a god, not any more. Less powerful than a god, in many respects. Omnipotency is no longer mine. I cannot take a physical form. But in some respects, I am more powerful than you pantheons. I do not require worshipers in order to have my abilities. I do not follow any rule. Perhaps even best, I do not 'control' an aspect of life: I 'am' an aspect of life. Go, Eris, and view any man who is insane. View any man who has died. View any man who has learned something. I have become those aspects of life, Eris. And best of all..."

"Best of all, Hais?"

"Best of all, Eris, I may intervene in any events that I so choose to intervene in. Whereas you may not, so sayeth the 'all-powerful' Zeus, I may. I can turn men insane and omniscient within a moment. You cannot. And if you have no worshipers? You do not exist. Or have you forgotten what happened to Zoroastrian?"

Eris smiled in a pained way. The Doctor had struck a nerve with her. "So, Hais, you intend to kill me as you did to Zoroastrian? Kill all the followers and the god shall be destroyed as well?"

"You deserve worse, my Apple. You deserve far worse. Inform any of your followers and I'll rupture their brains. You have kept quiet about our past for over one thousand years. We both know why. Let us keep our peace and enjoy the parade. After all, my Apple, the chaos of the world is balanced with the order. I do believe that it shall keep you entertained for ages."

"And you? What entertains you now?"

"I gave up that luxury when I became what I am today. Now enjoy and be silent on the matter. I must find Loki and C'Thulu. They are the only gods to have made it here, I think, and I need to have a word with them."

---

The Ska Jaktar was stationary. It had detected a strange anomaly in the space-time fabric, and it was initiating the stasis fields. If the sensors were correct, there was a horrific machine moving towards the Sirius system.

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