TheStarsAreRight:CarlNote3

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On the Boat

REDLAND

Redland approaches Carl looking pale and frail.

"Hey, Carl, while hurling my breakfast into the endless expanse of water, I got to thinking about our problem with the 'many gods' plan. Namely, what are we going to do about the oceans? I understand how they would have been taken care of under the 'one god' plan, but I'm a little hazy as to how we're going to put together a large group of likeminded people to protect the seas... and if we can't protect the oceans, the rest of the plan will crumble, right? If we get some blasted octopus-monster sitting out in the Atlantic, it will spread it's corruption onto the land from there. Even if it doesn't, we need the oceans to survive."

CARL

Carl blinks once, then grins. “Well, that’ll give everyone something to do, won’t it?

“No, seriously. I’ve been thinking about the oceans for quite a while. It is a problem, under any plan, including Pentheus’, and was one of the reasons I was so interested in the one-god notion in the first place.

“There are a couple of issues. First, as you say, the plan we’ve talked about deals first with *us*. Humans, mostly, on land. It’s what we know, and frankly, it’s what I am most concerned to protect. The King of Life’s duties do not stop there, of course, but that’s another thing, as hopefully you will see.

“The Outsiders are coming to feed, or to breed, or to live, yes? The Earth is a succulent fruit. But the juiciest most attractive bits are those with the most Power – ponics – and Life – vitalics together. On land, that’s us. Humans. Places where there are a lot of people are the places the monsters want to be, even while abandoned lifeless places are the ones that are easiest for them to reach.

“The oceans aren’t lifeless, really. So I’m told. Even the dark depths have a lot of things living there. In fact your tentacled monsters are already there, I hear. I also understand that there are groups of things in the seas already, here and there, that have just as much Power and life force and intellect as people do. There simply aren’t as many of them. Some of them even have societies, and have active contact already with the Outsiders. Consider them enemies. They’ll work against us all the way.

“So – yes – they’re out there now. As things get worse, Outsiders *will* come to the oceans. If, as you say, we cannot protect the oceans, the plan doesn’t crumble. It merely lengthens the running battle. We, and our allies, and the various defender groups, must be prepared to fight them however we can. They will be a common enemy.

“Which is not a bad thing, really. … even if we do not have an easy ‘win’.”

REDLAND

"While I certainly don't want to rehash the Pentheus side of things again, it's my understanding that the oceans wouldn't be a problem under this sort of strategy. That is, the 'one god' and 'many god' plans are, for lack of a better term, war strategies. With this type of strategy. we'll need to defend every scrap of our planet. A Pentheus-styled plan is a trade based strategy. We don't need to worry about the oceans under this type of strategy, since we've agreed with the Outsiders (or one or more groups of Outsiders) to only deal with each other in certain land-based zones. The ones we're dealing with, presumably, have an incentive (either negotiated or just in general) to keep other Outsiders out of our world... hmmm, maybe we could look at the former strategies as 'total war' and the latter as 'limited war'?

"What worries me about any total war strategy is, I assume, that (at least some) Outsiders are cunning. If their presence inevitably taints the world (as you and Auda indicated in my Lake Disappointment example), all that a patient Outsider would need to do is set up residence in a convenient body of water and wait. Eventually, whatever world-warping properties they possess will spread and spread and they can, essentially, smoke us out. (Sort of similar to what happened to the Fae/Nightsiders, I guess... though I suppose we could adapt in some fashion, just as they did, though that might end 'humanity' as we know it).

"As to these ocean-dwelling creatures... well, you know what I'm going to say next. Can I talk to them? Perhaps they don't need to be our enemies. Perhaps we can come to some under...."Redland laughs, "blah, blah, blah, right? You know how the rest of this spiel goes."

CARL

“Of course you can talk to them,” Carl says mildly. ”Assuming they’d be willing to talk to *you*. Historically that’s rarely the case. Though there’s at least one group off the coast of New England that has done more than talk – they’ve even been interbreeding with the locals.”

Carl makes a sour face.

“In any case, I disagree with you about the Pentheus plan. Pentheus hasn’t accommodated the oceans or their inhabitants either, insofar as I’m aware. The inhabitants probably have their own agendas that don’t dovetail well with Pentheus. However --

“The Circles of interaction within the oceans and on land connect so sparsely that there is a significant amount of, ah, insulation between the two. Much more than in a river or lake. Which makes us less affected by them, and vice versa. But less doesn’t mean none. Even if a crafty Outsider sought to lurk unseen somewhere, land or water, the very creep of corruption you speak of would give it away long before it could smoke *us* out .. and then we would be alerted, and hopefully be able to attack. That sort of stratagem works best if we’re not paying attention – which I hope we will be – or have no resources to attack with – which I hope we will. In fact, the current version of the Many Gods plan is intended not only to create new active fighters in the Fight, but to free up existing fighters so they can respond more readily where they are needed. Places like Africa, or South America, where we haven’t yet established defenses. Or the deep seas.”

REDLAND

Jack looks like he's about to say something, when he halts for a moment. He then abruptly states, "Ah. Sorry. I have to go. I have an urgent appointment at the side of the boat."

CARL

Carl looks contrite. “Go,” he waves. “Poor fellow!”

He’ll wait around, in case Jack comes back; but knowing how he’d feel if it were him, won’t go along to witness poor Jack’s misery.

More Boat Stuff

REDLAND

Redland comes back, looking like $10.

"Sorry about that."

He pauses a moment.

"Well, it sounds like you have the ocean situation under control. I'll probably add talking to the 'sea folk' onto my agenda."

Maybe it's the boat (or maybe something else), but Jack seems a little more scattered in his focus than normal.

"I was thinking about our itinerary once we get back on land. I assume our first step is to try to talk to Mr. Becker. I believe your plan is then to return to Wisphers and then push on to talk to Ms. Hamilton in Switzerland. Although I wouldn't mind looking in on Laura to see how she's doing, I could probably push straight through from London to Vienna after (if?) we've talked to Mr. Becker. Given circumstances, I'd probably rather not see Ms. Hamilton, and I would like to get this bond-breaking show on the road. Perhaps I'll have more success than Henrik and Rebecca. Er... does that sound reasonable?"

CARL/REDLAND

Carl hesitates, watching Jack for a moment.

“Maybe you should be ill more often,” he says dryly, “it seems to have done you a world of good! I don’t suppose you’d like some tea?”

Redland interjects.

"You'd think tea would do me some good, but it seems that whatever I put down just comes right back up. I'm thinking about going on a bread and water diet for the duration of the voyage... hold the bread."

Jack blinks a couple of times and cracks his neck and generally looks a bit beleaguered as Carl continues on.

Carl scrutinizes Jack a bit more closely. Is Jack just ill, he wonders, or has he been messing with the Pharaoh out here? Or something else? Lord knows there’s enough opportunity for confusion in this business…. But Jack’s hurried speech sounds like a bum’s rush – like he’s trying to push something through.

Hmm.

Carl continues, “Cecil Becker. Yes. We should talk about that some more. And I must see Cedra Foundry while I’m here, and speak to some people about English Faerie sites. I could be in England for a few days. Of course, you can go on ahead if you like, though I must say, sometimes it feels as though you don’t care much for my company,” he smiles.

“What I would recommend, however, is that you go to Wisphers and do some reading. There is a lot of information there, about the various ‘sea folk’, underground dwellers, Powers, remnants, all that sort of thing. All those folk you wish to speak to.

“For me, after England, Wisphers, yes. Then Emma. Then Vienna, perhaps, or Egypt. Or any of three or four other places. It depends on what Theo’s doing, and Auda, and several other things.

“You like working by yourself, don’t you?” Placid stare.

Jack lets the conversation lag for a few moments, as Carl finishes speaking. Then he begins abruptly.

"Hmmm. Cedra Foundry doesn't sound familiar to me. Heck, I'm not even sure if that's a person or a place.

"I do like working by myself. Perhaps I'm just more comfortable that way, since over the years, that's how it's been.

"I'd like to avoid the Fae, if possible, but I have no objection to going out to Faerie sites.

"Oh, before I left earlier, I was going to ask your opinion about something. I was considering looking up one of my colleagues, with who I am (or I guess) was still friendly, while we're in England. I was thinking about the 'many gods' plan and intellectuals, you know?"

He continues on discursively.

"I think when I'm by myself I am often... bolder. When I'm with others, I tend to defer. I mean, when I defer to you in situations, that makes sense, since I'm a neophyte in many of these matters, but I'll even let Henrik take the lead in situations when we're together, and what in Hades does he know?

"Can I even get in to Wisphers? Will I not be ... 'zapped'?

"I wasn't sure if it would make sense to show my old colleague one of these sigils. Would that be a bad idea?

"Yes, I agree that we should discuss our plans concerning Cecil Becker. A lot has happened since we last tried to speak with him. I'd also like to discuss how to deal with this young lady in Venice. I should really figure out her name.

"I'm really very timid, you know. It's just that ..."

He trails off and then looks at Carl intently.

CARL

“Yes, Jack?” Mildly, watching.

REDLAND

Jack seems to be sweating more than one might anticipate on a crisp, autumn day. He focuses on Carl.

"Er, so, right. As I was saying, we need to go to Vienna... er, Venice... to get that, uh, bond broken so that Rebecca can get away from Auda. I don't know if you noticed, but she had bruises on her arm, caused, I think by him. She's too young, I think, and we need to intercede to protect her. I'm not sure how freq..."

Redland staggers back and collapses on the deck.

CARL

Okay, that’s it. I’m not sure where we are exactly (I assumed on deck somewhere, but it could be anywhere really – let’s say for now it isn’t in one of our cabins.)

Carl springs forward, trying to catch Jack or cushion his fall, with a quick pulse of alarm to Julian (**Jack collapsing, sickly; no one nearby**) and even if I can’t, straighten him on the deck, make him comfortable, and give him a quick once-over, kneeling by his side. Is he feverish? Cold? Clammy? How’s his pulse? His Power level? Anything weird, from taint to scars or wounds? Scenarios flash through Carl’s mind like a Rolodex – ‘flu? Malaria? Drugs? Blood loss? Ponic overdraft? Exhaustion? Stroke? Most importantly, is he getting worse?

Jack's Collapse

REDLAND

As Redland crumples to the ground, Carl manages to grab him and keep his head from smashing into the deck. As he lowers him carefully to the ground, Jack continues to ramble.

"Where's John? Where's Rebecca? Where are they when I need them? Carl... Carl, it's no use. Everyone lets you down in the end."

As he checks Jack's pulse, it quickly becomes apparent to Carl that Jack is running a high fever and his heart is racing. It's unclear whether he is getting worse, though he is shaking and he continues to rave.

"It's important that you know. When we first met, it wasn't fate or destiny. I ... I mean, with General Henrik and ... and maybe ... maybe John the Paladin, yes. Perhaps they were fated to be there. But I am ... I was just visiting my sister. It was a coincidence. Do you see? ... I'm glad you're here Carl. I think I mis..."

Redland spits out a little blood. Carl is worried for a second, but it appears that Jack just bit himself when he fell. Carl continues his other scans.

CARL

Hmm, not good. **Julian, can you bring some water and some aspirin? And a damp cloth? I’m on Deck Three, aft of the smokers’ lounge..**

“It’s all right, Jack. I’ll help you. What do you need?”

Hand him a kerchief, if he can take it; and open up to Sofia, to draw in some of the world’s energy, ready to strengthen and give him comfort if it is needed.

REDLAND

Jack takes the handkerchief, shakily, and wipes at his face. Carl notices that his other hand slips into his pocket. He seems to look a little more lucid for a moment.

"Carl, where are we? And why is it so frickin' cold?"

He tries to sit up but slumps back down.

"Ughh. I don't feel too good. I'm just gonna..."

He lies down and closes his eyes, one hand in his pocket and the other clutching the handkerchief. He's still shivering and he appears to be trying to say something, though it could just be aimless mumbling.

CARL

[ Well, I need Jan’s input if there’s anything odd happening on the magical front, or if Carl’s antennae twitch for any other reason. Failing word from her, I assume there isn’t, and continue…. ]

“We’re on the ship, Jack. The Berengaria. What’s happened? Are you ill? Lie still, don’t try to get up.”

It’s that damned watch – I’m sure of it – it’s involved somehow. We’ll look into that later. For now, though … keep him comfortable, and talking, and wait for Julian. If someone else comes by, and wants to help, send them for water.

Jack, Jack, what did you do?

Crummy Last Words

REDLAND

[I figure changing the subject heading makes it more of a 'page turner'. Also harder to track what's going on, but what're you going to do?! :) ]

"The Berengaria? That doesn't sound right. Oh. Is this the boat we sent to pick up the guardian stones? That's probably a good idea."

He rolls onto his side and throws up.

"Dang. I just can't believe I have anything left down there."

He chuckles weakly.

"I don't mean to sound melodramatic, but I don't think I'm going to make it. Blast, I can't believe I'm going to die on a fricking boat. If you don't mind, I'm just going to stay on my side here, so that I don't choke to death on vomit."

He chuckles again.

"Wait. Those are terrible last words. I'm glad you're here, Carl. You're a good man."

He closes his eyes and seems to slip into unconsciousness, shivering.

Carl is unable to detect anything 'mystical' that may be wrong with Jack. His power level seems a little low, perhaps. Other than the fever, vomiting, shivering, disorientation, racing pulse, and general dying-like behavior, everything seems alright.

Carl has alerted several people on the ship to the problem and they are moving in to help.

CARL

[ LOL! I trust you’ll keep things in order. BTW, why do you keep dropping Jan off the list? Did you hear back from her? ]

“You’ll be fine, Jack. Just hang on. You’re ill.” Carl is touched by Jack’s words – no one ever says nice things like that to him – but this is hardly the time. Clean him up a bit with the kerchief. “Why do you need Rebecca?”

Carl places his hand on the back of Jack’s neck, feeling the heat and the pulse there, and gently pushes life into him, strengthening and supporting him as others draw near.

[and if you’re talking to Jan about this stuff, I can give her details, rolls, etc. Otherwise we can play it out in drama form.]

REDLAND

It's unclear if Jack hears Carl's words, but if he does, his response is something of a non sequitur.

He mumbles, "The oracle was right."

Someone asks Carl, "Should we move him into a cabin?"

There is a general babble of conversation as people try to assess the situation and figure out what needs to be done.

Redland states, "What good is a macro model without micro foundations?"

After adding some life to Jack, Carl's assessment is that Jack's belief that he is dying is probably overstated... at least in the very short term. Whether he will continue to get worse is hard to say without knowing the underlying cause of his condition.

CARL

[ You’re back! I was wondering if we were waiting for something. ]

Carl spends a moment or two fending off well-meaning passengers, cleaning Jack up a bit, and hopefully getting him out of the walkway – to a deck chair perhaps. I’d like to get him to his cabin before the purser shows up, but I (chaz) am not sure how far that is – so I’ll accept the help of someone nearby to get Jack to his feet and move him to his stateroom (or mine, whichever is closer.) Variations on a theme of “He’s not well – he fainted”, “we’re travelling together”, and “I’ll take care of him, if we can just get him to the cabin” are used as necessary. If Jack can walk, I can manage on my own – otherwise, if we get help, I’ll be sure to get the helper’s name so I can properly thank them later.

Obviously, no more meaningful conversation between Jack and Carl takes place while this is going on … however if any of Jack’s ramblings are illuminating, I’m all ears.

REDLAND

[Howdy! I've had some late nights finishing up reports (Sept. 30 is the deadline for most clients' quarterly reports). How strong are Carl's healing abilities, in general? Do his powers have differing effects on 'mystical' issues as opposed to 'natural' illnesses?]

As Carl helps Redland to his feet and wards off passengers, Julian arrives in response to Carl's early communication and the two of them assist Jack back to his cabin. Along the way, Jack doesn't seem to say anything terribly enlightening, though he is adamant that 'the solution is monetary policy.' He mumbles out disparaging comments about those who 'insist on shackling the money supply' and 'the long disproven efficacy of fiscal stimulus'.

Jack's cabin is kept fairly tidy. At first glance, an open book and a closed satchel are all that catch Carl's eye. Jack clearly can't stay upright on his own, and Carl and Julian lower him as gently as possible onto whatever passes for a bed. Jack's speech has gone from strange ramblings to pure incoherence. He snatches at blankets and curls up into a ball.

CARL

[Carl’s healing abilities … good question. He and I are still learning just what they can do. He can’t “heal wounds” of the physical sort aside from using that spell, but he has, as King, a number of broad skills related to the life force and patterns in living things. He can strengthen weak systems, encourage growth and regeneration (sometimes astoundingly – I grew a tree sapling from a twig in less than a minute once), vitalize and ”tune” things to be more optimal and true to their natural state, and also a number of tougher processes that actively guide, change or enhance the potential of the system in various ways. These he is not attempting to do here – only to make Jack strong and help his system to repair itself and fight off whatever disease or malaise affects him.

Carl has a fair amount of experience with the “feel” of different sorts of system failures. Power-related issues leave distinct marks on the structure; diseases affect the body in different ways than cancers or wounds, and those can all be felt. Anything involving mixing of energies with another, be it Fae or wild Earth energy or Outsider or whatever, leaves distinct flavors in the structure that stand out like beacons. That is true both of ponic and vitalic effects. Carl has no direct experience with the effects of Logos energies, however, he can barely detect it at all…. And I don’t have a clue as to what a good old-fashioned non-magical addiction would ‘feel’ like.

So, yeah, if what’s happening to Jack has a magical cause, chances are it leaves a mark Carl can sense, even if he doesn’t know the details. If it’s active intervention by someone or Someone else, that would be very obvious, even to some clue to the identity of that other. Carl fully expects to see an entanglement in Jack between him and that doohickey he got from the Dark Pharaoh; I bet the Pharaoh’s ‘scent’ is all over and through the man. I’ve never had cause to look deeper until now, to see if there is change or damage resulting from that link. Maybe now’s the time.

Just at a simple glance, and based on what you’ve already said about no outside influences, this really does look like straight-up influenza or the effect of an infection. If there’s more to know, do tell. J ]

First things first; get him on the bed, and comfortable, and get a cool wet cloth on his forehead. If Julian brought the aspirin, I won’t have to look for any here. If he’s capable at all of responding I might try to get him to drink some water, but that’s secondary.

I do want to get off his coat and shoes, get him under blankets … and detach him from whatever he was trying to hide from me in his pocket. :)

Cabin Fever

REDLAND

Julian hands Jack a couple of aspirin and he sits up and holds them in his hand confused. She mimes putting them in her mouth and he blankly follows her lead. Carl hands him a glass of water and he takes a couple of sips with a strange expression on his face, before collapsing back no the bed.

Carl and Julian try to make him comfortable by situating the blankets and they place a damp cloth on his head as he lies back. Jack moans a bit restlessly before drifting off into an uneasy sleep. This gives Carl a perfect opportunity to liberate the watch from Jack's pocket.

[On the 'mystical' front, I'd guess that Carl can detect in Jack some mark from the Dark Pharaoh, a mark from the King of Life (hey, that's you!), and possibly something from the Fae, though that might not be around anymore. That's probably everything. As to what is causing him to be ill, it appears to be something natural.]

CARL

Wow – it’s been too long.

Poor Jack. And poor Carl too; he is at a loss to do more than he has, in a case like this. Neither he nor I have ever seen someone react quite like Jack, whether the cause be from fever or something deeper … and if it doesn’t have an occult cause, the King’s abilities don’t seem to be any help. So all Jack can do is suffer, and all Carl can do is worry about him.

Which is not to say Carl won’t remove the watch. He doesn’t trust the Pharaoh one bit at the best of times; and that watch is like a chain of servitude as far as Carl’s concerned. Jack’s choice, sure – but not one Carl likes or approves of.

So he’ll remove it, and look at it, and dislike it, learn what he can of it from careful observation without “poking”, and then wrap it up in a handkerchief and put it in a drawer or something. Likewise, he’ll glance at Jack’s open journal book enough to see what’s on the open page – hey, he’s human – but is scrupulous enough not to flip around or read anything else. At least that’s his intent. :)

REDLAND

[Since I'm going to be without email from Thursday to Sunday (and I'm also going to miss the game on Sunday), I'll try to put this into a place that doesn't leave you hanging before the next session.]

On the open left page of Redland's journal, there appears to be the ending portion of some musings on 'agency and sacrifice'. This section has some ponderings on the 'world soul' and cognition.

Below this, are the beginnings of a table. The left-side column says 'centralization strengths', with the word advantages lined out and replaced by the word strengths. Underneath it has three data elements: 'short-term coherence', 'focused resource direction', and 'tax collection'. The right-side column says 'decentralization strengths'. It has one element underneath: 'local knowledge'. It appears he intended to come back to the chart later, as he has left some space before starting his next entry.

On the right page of the journal, it looks like he's started an entry describing how he was mugged in New York. The entry likely continues on the next page.

Jack's style seems to shift a lot between the two main entries. The one on 'agency and sacrifice' reads somewhat like he's writing an academic paper, whereas the New York mugging entry reads as conversational.

At some point when Carl's in the room (it's unclear when this is to Jack, as his sense of time is a bit messed up), Jack stirs and speaks urgently.

"Carl. It's imperative that we don't waste anytime dealing with the Lady. I know you probably can't spare Rebecca, but when we get to the port, could you have Elwar bring me to a hospital?" Chuckles. "Maybe he'll have time to read to me some of his crummy story. You won't need his assistance at Bailey, will you? I'd rather not be alone, but if you think you'll need him, I understand. I can catch up to you later if I recover."

While he's speaking, Jack seems to be searching something, patting around with his hands.

CARL

So sorry, Rob! My office was closed yesterday – so despite your best intentions, I didn’t get to read the post until Thursday anyhow. Do have fun on your trip!

The chart is fascinating, of course – and I really delight in Jack’s ability to ponder and organize these things. So many others don’t bother! As for the rest of the theory musings, you’re such a tease…. J

Was Jack mugged in New York? Hmm. Note to self – ask Jack about this later.

When Jack speaks, once again (quite clearly) referring to another time, Carl responds in a gentle tone.

“Yes Jack, you’ll be fine. There’s a doctor on the ship – we’ll get you to a hospital if necessary. I need you all at Bailey; but we’ll adapt, if we must. We always do.”

Recovery?

REDLAND

About a day outside of port, Jack wakes up, his mind feeling more focused than it has for some days. He tries to sit up but then slumps back. His entire body aches, and he has a terrible pounding in his head. His fever seems to have subsided and he no longer feels cold. He struggles to get up again, but he gives it up for a lost cause. Closing his eyes, he tries to recall where he is and what exactly is going on.

CARL

(rolling dice….)

The first time Jack wakes, he is alone, in his cabin on the ship – whether this is familiar or confusing I can’t say The ship’s still at sea, so the motion is noticeable. About 15 minutes later, though, the door opens and Carl slips in, sets a tray of things by the bed and checks your temperature to see how you’re doing.

“Well, hello there,” he says quietly to himself, “this is better!” And, if you show signs of wakefulness,

“Welcome back,” in a friendly tone to you. “How do you feel?”

REDLAND

Redland replies in a low voice, "Terrible... but, on the other hand, I don't think it's an 'I'm dying' sort of terrible, so it's not totally bleak."

With visible effort, he forces himself to sit up so that he can take a drink of water from the tray Carl has brought. His hand trembles slightly and he spills a bit of water on himself, but he mostly seems alright. He pauses for a moment.

"I guess we're still on the boat? Did I miss anything? Where are we going? I'm not holding you back, am I?"

He looks around briefly and looks like he's about to say something, but instead falls silent.

CARL

“No, Jack. All is well. We’re just concerned for you, that’s all.” Carl helps him with the glass. “So is the ship’s doctor; he’s been here a few times. Your fever broke last night. We’ve been taking turns looking after you. We're on our way to London.

“Would you like something to eat? All I have here is toast – but I can get something else if you’re hungry.”

REDLAND

"Well, I am starving ... on the other hand, I think if I throw up again, I may just die. Hmmm. How close are we to solid ground? Maybe I can just ride it out until I'm back on good ol' British soil."

CARL

“We dock tomorrow, sometime after one o’clock. Hmm… maybe a bowl of oatmeal or porridge or something? You really oughtn’t to wait – and I imagine they can whip that up.”

He stays silent for a few moments, waiting to help you take another drink.

REDLAND

"Alright. If you think I'd be best served by eating something, let's go with the toast. Nice, dry, solid toast."

"I don't want you to hold back on account of me, when we get back to England," he non sequiturs. "I've had some time to think recently (some of that time was even spent thinking clearly). I believe I've displayed a great deal of hubris ... (is that the word I want?) ... and I'm not sure if my presence has been, on net, positive."

He continues, "Given my state of knowledge, my priors should be weak. If I'm to be a good Bayesian, I should listen considerably more attentively to those who have vastly more information and experience than I possess. "My mind is still a little foggy, and I'm a bit hazy on almost everything after we went to Greece, but I get the pervading sense that I've been ... more rationalizing than rational."

CARL

“Toast it is then. And you’re in luck; this is an English vessel so you get nice dry English toast.” Carl grins, and passes the plate.

While Jack nibbles, Carl goes on.

“Greece was quite a while ago, Jack; is that really the last you recall? What about our discussions with the Fae? Pentheus? And .. what’s a Bayesian?”

REDLAND

"Let's see, I recall that the Dark Pharaoh is one weird character, Milo loves his mule, Pentheus is of vital importance, and Alanna is very pretty."

He takes a sip of water. He looks a bit concerned.

"I'm, uh, not too concerned, at least not yet. I'm sure it'll all come back to me. I'm just a little ... fuzzy right now, and I don't think my brain is working at full capacity. I'm hoping that 'time heals all wounds' and whatnot."

His confidence seems to return a bit, though his voice is still weak.

"Thomas Bayes was a mathematician. Yet one more fine product of the British Isles. He's most famous for (the cunningly titled) 'Baye's Theorem', which deals with conditional probability. Namely," he says almost chanting, "the probablity of x given y is equal to the probability of y given x times the probability of x all divided by the probability of y."

He continues, "I was referring to the school of thought that, essentially, uses this theorem in a way that I think of as 'Bayesian updating', in which you should constantly be updating your beliefs based on new information, in relation to how probable your prior beliefs were and how valuable the new information is.

"Put that way, I guess it probably doesn't sound too profound, but I think it is the only proper way to think. Unfortunately, although I strive to be, I'm often not a good Bayesian (just like I'm not always a good Utilitarian), and I overweight the value of my prior beliefs. It's often easier to trivialize new information than it is to admit you were mistaken and be forced to 'rearrange your mental furniture'."

Recovery? (Bayes)

CARL

“That’s very clever.” Carl seems impressed. “I’ve never heard of Mister Bayes. Not surprising, inasmuch as I have an engineer’s background, but still. Clever. And you also – for seeing how to adapt the paradigm to our rather different situation.” He smiles again. “Bravo, my friend.”

Carl frowns a bit, thoughtful.

“Is there more of this? This … mathematics of causality?” He tips his head. “Could be very useful. Though I’m having a bit of trouble putting it into concrete, real-world terms. Let’s see. The probability of x, given y … say, the probability of me dying, assuming I caught the plague … is equal to … what? The probability of me having caught the plague, assuming I died, times the likelihood of me dying in general, all divided by the probability of me catching the plague…. Hmm. Not intuitive, in the particular case, is it? But interesting. I’ll have to think about that.”

He nods, obviously pleased. “Thank you!”

REDLAND

Jack thinks for a moment.

"Let me try to give something akin to a 'practical' example: Let's say we're in New York in the financial district (or whereever the heck it is that the Pentheus offices are located). We're sitting at a cafe when we see a peculiar looking man sitting alone at a table toying with his Pentheus ID card. We think nothing more of it, when another man comes in and says, 'Hello, Donal,' and sits down with the man and they start conversing.

"Now, we've been looking for John Elwar's friend, Joc. With a name like Donal, this close to Pentheus, we realize that this Donal might actually be Joc. However, we recall that there are actually three Donals, so that reduces the chance to one in three. If we felt reasonably sure that this was Joc, we'd approach him, but if it is one of the other two Donals, it might be dangerous (due to the murders and whatnot)."

Carl notices that, as Redland talks, he seems happier than usual. It's a bit odd, because he so rarely seems happy.

"Now, from our prior research, we know that there is a ninety percent chance that Joc works for Pentheus. We don't know much about the other Donals, but from our experience with coincidence and the World Soul, we think that each of the non-Joc Donals has a ten percent chance of working for Pentheus. What then is the true probability that the Donal we see before us is actually Joc?

"Well, let's use Baye's Theorem! Now, the unconstrained probability that a guy near Pentheus, named Donal, is our man, Joc, we have stated as one in three. So, let's say the probability of J equals one in three. The probability that a man is a Pentheus employee, assuming that the man is Joc, we have stated as nine in ten. So, let's say the probability of P given J is nine in ten. Finally, the unconstrained probability that a man named Donal is a Pentheus employee, is point one, times two (for the two non-Jocs) plus point nine (for Joc) all divided by three (for the three Donals). So, the probability of P is one point one over three.

"That's all we needed. We now just need to multiply probability of P given J with the probability of J and divide by the probability of P. This gives us, let's see, one in three times nine in ten divided by one point one over three. Hmmm, the threes cancel and we have point nine over one point one. Let's convert to a percentage. Hmmm. Multiply by ninety. We then have eighty-one over ninety-nine.

"So, the probability that our Donal is actually Joc has been calculated to be about eighty-one point eight percent. With that high of a probabililty, the minute his friend leaves we swoop in to talk to the man."

He finishes with a flourish.

"Well, anyway, with all the assumptions and whatnot, perhaps it's not that practical, but it's still fun! Also theoretically interesting, I think."

CARL

Carl laughs, delighted. “That was impressive! Did you ever lecture, Jack?”

REDLAND

Jack smiles sadly. "That is, or was, my job. I'm hoping when all of this is over, if my reputation isn't completely in tatters, to get back to it. I suppose if I can't find a position in Britain, I might be able to secure a position at Auburn or NYU. I know some sympathetic people there.

"Ah. One last thing on Baye's Theorem. Normally if I were teaching this, I'd motivate it with the following, perhaps counterintuitive example (we economists love results that are counterintuitive). I'll make it brief!:

"Suppose you have a diagnostic ritual for the plague that is 99.9% reliable. You know that plague is relatively rare and infects 1 out of every million people. You perform the ritual on Rebecca and she tests positive. Question: How worried should she be?

"Answer: Not very. Probability of testing positive equals 1 in 1000. Probability of testing positive given you have the plague is, basically, 1 in 1. Unconstrained probability of having the plague is 1 in 1,000,000. By Baye's: 1 in 1,000,000 times 1 all divided by 1 in 1000 equals 1 in 1000. Thus, despite testing positive for your 99.9% reliable ritual, she only has one-tenth of one percent chance of having the plague. Put another way, your ritual will return roughly 1000 false positives for every true positive."

He closes his eyes for a moment.

"Well, if you think that probability theory is the key to staving off the Outsiders, I'll probably be able to pull my ..." he reaches under his blankets and pokes at his ribs for a moment, "... rapidly declining weight."

"Say, since it doesn't look like I'll be able to walk anytime soon, is there anything you need me to contemplate before we reach port? I'm a bit hazy on what we were doing traveling to England, but I have to imagine it involves some combination of meeting with Henrik's patron, Cecil Becker, trying to figure out what's going on with the Principle of Compassion, or possibly attempting to discover what Detective Hanson was doing in Sandoy and whether or not it was connected to findings there of the Kansas City Flu. I suppose we could also be there to administer a beating to Keynes for his pernicious efforts to destroy the economy of England and restore me to my rightful position at the university ... but that seems less likely."

Recovery? (Memory)

REDLAND

Before Carl can reply, Redland interjects, "Sorry, er, you said that 'Greece was quite awhile ago.' What's the date today ... tonight ... whatever?"

CARL

(::chuckle:: thanks – this one slipped through the cracks – it’s been busy at work.)

Carl hesitates, then looks worriedly at Jack. “It’s the second of May, Jack. A little bit after eleven o’clock.” He glances at the curtained porthole. “In the morning,” smiling.

REDLAND

Redland is silent a moment, as if thinking.

"Well, that's unfortunate. So that means I'm fuzzy on about six weeks from last year, including Christmas, and I'm missing another eight weeks or so from this year, including my birthday. Perhaps I'm justing getting senile, but it strikes me that maybe I need to start being a little more careful. I'm probably just confused from this illness here, but maybe I suffered a concussion or somesuch ... or maybe all of this ... magic stuff ... isn't good for me. Hard to say."

CARL

Carl sighs.

“We all lost Christmas last year. Don’t you recall? Or perhaps you don’t. . . .”

He takes a deep breath, lets it out.

“We went to Bailey in December to confront the Lady. Came out the next day – and discovered it was February.

“What do you last recall, Jack?”

REDLAND

"Let's see. I sort of remember bits and pieces of things, but the last thing I remember clearly (or at least the last long, 'uninterrupted' time) would be the last day I spent with the Fae community in Los Angeles and most of the train ride from Los Angeles to New York."

CARL

“Ah.” Relieved look. “That’s just last week. You’ve lost this current trip across the Atlantic, and the few days in New York and New Jersey before that. Let me try to help. Do you recall your dinner with Miss Kane? Our trip to the forest in New Jersey? The interview with Roderick Usher?”

REDLAND

Redland is continually slow to respond as he attempts to recollect.

"The bad news, is that I don't recall very much prior to that last day with the Fae. At least, not very well. I recall a couple of visions from the Dark Pharaoh. One involving Pentheus and one featuring a fellow named Valentine. Hmmmm. I also recall looking at some pictures that represented people's souls or somesuch. I seemed really interested in them. I also recall pretty much everything from the time I went to visit my sister up to entering the 'gate' in Greece.

"It's not a complete washout, as I can also recall reasonably well what I was thinking while on the train. Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time thinking about how pretty Alanna looked when the breeze caught her hair just so." [Sighs] "Luckily, I managed to ponder a few other things, in particular, what I was going to do about Pentheus, what I'd do when the fellow I asked to look into the Donal matter got back to me, and whether it was important to search for a replacement for Milo. So I'm not totally, pardon the pun, at sea.

"As to the rest of what you mentioned. I don't recall anything about Miss Kane, except that I think the Dark Pharaoh suggested that I contact her, I don't recall ever going to New Jersey, and I don't recall talking to Usher, though the name rings a bell.

"Sorry about that."

It's hard to read his mood.

CARL

“There’s a lot to go over, then.” Carl is uneasy. “Some of those missing events were pretty important to you I believe. And why would your memories be missing?” He starts to say something else, then stops, glancing away from the porthole.

“Who is Alanna?” he asks, looking back at Jack.

REDLAND

Jack performs his customary pause while he orders his thoughts.

"I can think of a few reasons:

"1) Physical damage. Namely, I may have suffered some sort of head trauma that caused some sort of damage to my brain. Alternatively, this fever I just experience may have caused some portion of my brain to overheat or something. I have only perfunctory medical knowledge, so I'm not sure if that is plausible or not. It strikes me that the memory loss is both too great and too little to be caused by some sort of physical brain damage, but I could certainly be mistaken.

"2) Psychological damage. Perhaps I saw or experienced something that my mind couldn't handle and so 'it' forgot things to keep me sane. If this were the case, it would seem likely that memories would return over time. The extent of memory loss seems overly large, but I'm also not a psychologist, so I'm just not sure.

"3) I'm lying. This would easily account for the exact nature of the (alleged) memory loss. From what you know of me (at least through Greece), my adherence to the truth doesn't always seem complete. However, at the very least, it's difficult to imagine what my motive would be for this. Also, I can tell you that I'm not lying (though that might be a bit circular).

"4) External manipulation. I've, presumably, encountered a number of people who would have the ability to erase my thoughts through 'magic'. I wouldn't be shocked if the Dark Pharaoh and any of the 'Kings' had the ability to do something like this. I have been known to poke my nose in other people's business, so I may have learned something that was uncomfortable for someone. For whatever reason, they didn't wish to kill me, and, perhaps, erasing a small section of memory would elicit suspicion, hence accounting for the large-scale loss.

"5) 'Mystical' damage. I've never dealt with 'magic' prior to December of last year. Have any studies been performed on the effect exposure to magic has on 'normal' people? Maybe Kings and Generals and whatnot can deal with magic extensively and be unaffected, whereas normal folk may experience debilitating side-effects.

"6) Outsider externalities. Similarly, maybe being around the Dark Pharaoh has damaged me in some way. I've heard that the Outsiders change the nature of reality by their very existence. Perhaps I spent too much time in close proximity to the Pharaoh. Unlike external manipulation, this would be accidental. Maybe the gem he gave me has pernicious effects.

"That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Um, let's see. Oh, Alanna. She is a member of the Fae community in Los Angeles. She's relatively new, and is, I believe, 'unaligned' at this time, so Dr. Parkhurst thought she would be a good person to help me out with the whole 'communion' business. I have to confess that I was pretty infatuated with her. Even now, knowing that I was under some sort of influence, it's hard to parse out what I was feeling then with what is my 'true' feeling, or if there is even any meaningful distinction there. We're seeing now that memory itself is fragile, and, although I'm by no means a logical positivist, it is, perhaps, difficult to ascertain whether 'feeling' has any objective meaning. Perhaps it is, and should be, entirely subjective...

"Er, sorry, I got a bit off-track, there. More to the point, I feel that she is a really outstanding person. Superlative in every attribute. As noted, though, my objectivity may be lacking here, for several reasons."

CARL

Carl smiles. “I’m going to assume for the moment that you’re not lying, Jack. You may hide things sometimes, but I’ve never known you to baldly lie.

“As for the others, well, if it were any sort of physical or emotional trauma, it would have had to happen here on shipboard while we’ve been at sea, and there certainly wasn’t any sign. The effect of fever perhaps; like you, I’m no expert. The disorientation did seem to come over you while we were talking. You were quite feverish at the time, and then you collapsed.

“I confess I suspected some malign magical influence. I’m predisposed to that,” he shrugs, “and I don’t trust the Dark Pharaoh at any distance. A number of us, including me, have actually lost memories to Outsiders before, and even exposure to too much ponic radiation can damage the mind; but that would leave signs that we could detect, and frankly we don’t see them here in you.

“Some sort of mental surgery? Possible. If so, they’re on the ship.” He pauses. “I did want to ask you about the watch you carry. What do you feel, when you hold it? While you were delirious, you kept searching for it with your hands, as if it gave you comfort. Does it affect you in some way?”

REDLAND

"Yeah, when I lie, it is always with a luscious head of hair ..." Jack pauses for a second and frowns, "... sorry, they can't all be gems...

"Anyway, let's see, regarding the watch, I'd say that it actually reminds me a bit of of the 'communion' thing, with a couple of differences. That is, after I took communion, I found my mind constantly turning towards Alanna. The difference with the watch would be twofold, I believe. First, I imagine that the ... what're they called ... supporters(?), companions(?), whatever, would feel the 'enchanting' effect diminish over time (and, in fact, I felt it diminish as I was on the train). Thus, it would start overwhelming and then degrade into a kind of background noise. The watch (or, more to the point, the gem) seems to operate in the opposite fashion. That is, at first I barely noticed it. Over time its ... attraction ... has increased. Though, it is different than communion, insofar as I don't really ever, consciously, think about the watch."

He stops abruptly for a moment.

"Huh. You know, although I think I've lost my memory, I, apparently, recall my feelings towards the watch. Maybe I've only (or primarily) lost my conscious memory? Or maybe I'm just recalling something the Pharaoh told me when he gave me the gem and my mind has integrated it into a coherent narrative that I now believe to be true, even though I never (or don't recall) experienced it?

"Ah. Sorry, I got off on a tangent. I'm not communicating any of this too clearly, I'm afraid, but let me restate. With communion, I found my conscious mind constantly going to Alanna, with the effects diminishing as the necrophage dissipated. With the watch, I find my unconscious mind turning towards the watch. Apparently I 'feel' as though the effect has been increasing, but it certainly is not the overwhelming feeling I had with communion."

CARL

“Your structure and that of the watch have intertwined,” Carl says quietly. “I expect there is a certain dependence.”

He gets up, crosses to the dresser, and retrieves the watch from a drawer, where it is wrapped in a silk handkerchief. He holds it out to Jack without speaking.

REDLAND

Redland takes the watch and checks to see if it is showing the correct time. He then lets his hand fall back to the bed, still holding the watch.

"I wonder why I thought it would be a good idea to take the gem. It seems like a pretty stupid thing to do. Or maybe I didn't have any choice in the matter? Do you have any idea what it does?"

CARL

“In general? It’s a connection between you and the Pharaoh. Allows contact, communication, presumably facilitates whatever deals you made with It. It’s also almost certainly a means for the Pharaoh to spy on us through you.

“I’d wondered if maybe some of your lost memories were … lost in the watch?” Carl shakes his head. “Seems silly, but one never knows.

“Before you left New York, you were quite excited about a dinner date you were going to have with Meriden Kane. Do you remember it at all?”

REDLAND

"Maybe I'll have a chance to do some research on the Pharaoh's gem. There's so much I don't understand ..."

"Hmmm. As to remembering dinner, no. Not a lick, I'm afraid."

Ponders.

"I believe the Dark Pharaoh recommended that I talk to her. I don't recall why that would be, though. I don't think I mentioned this earlier, but, when I was on the train, I associated Ms. Caine with Mr. Usher. I wondered whether she would be at the meeting or not."

CARL

“She was not, but you spent quite a bit of time with her both before and after, I believe. You seemed quite taken with her.” Carl smiles. “In fact you asked my advice on how best to entertain the lady. I believe you went to the opera.” He raises his eyebrows.

“It did surprise me. I’ve known – or know of – Miss Caine for years, but always as a business person, working for and on behalf of the Nightfolk. Your interest, however, seemed quite personal.”

REDLAND

"Heh. These American ladies must be really appealing! Though my memory is clearly no good, I can't remember the last time I went out on the town with a lady prior to my trip to the 'States'. Maybe we should turn this boat around!"

CARL

Carl nods agreeably, but Jack can tell his heart isn’t in it.

“Perhaps you should wire her, or even telephone, when we arrive. She may be able to help you remember. You’ve lost a lot – I don’t even know how much. After Greece you went your own way for a while, and I have no idea what you did before joining us in California. Do you recall Nevada? Or the Pentheus test site in South Dakota? Or our meeting with Roderic Usher? Very important events, all of them.”

REDLAND

[You definitely don't need to recap this stuff if you don't want, but Jack isn't going to remember much of anything that took place after that train trip from L.A. to N.Y. I'm actually not recalling Nevada at the moment. What happened there?]

"That's probably not a bad idea. Might be a bit awkward, though. Hmm. In general, I may need to look into contacting people who can help fill me in on what I've been doing. Of course, I erratically keep journals of events and thoughts, so that might provide some value to me.

"I don't recall any of the things you're talking about ... events at the field test (though of the, er, useful things I thought about on the train, that was the most prominent, so I am reasonably up to speed on Pentheus, other than the actual event), with Nevada and Usher I don't recall how those played out at all."

CARL

[ Nevada was where we ended up when we went into the desert with the old man and his mule. Lizard men, an ancient scroll, and a site where apparently some folks (Pentheus?) had been murdered by Brotherhood men in order to seal their spirits into the land and make a working of some kind. Need more details? ]

“Well. Yes. I think you ought to hear this one then.”

Carl proceeds to describe the field test episode as best he can. He wasn’t there for a lot of it, rather sitting outside the camp watching from a distance, but all the main pieces are there (unless there were parts that weren’t told to him.)

“… We left Rebecca and Henrik on site when we came to New York. They were going to see to the removal of the threat posed by the possessed farmer. They were going to get in touch after that was done, but hadn’t done so by the time we came on board ship.”

REDLAND

[Ah, I'd forgotten that we went into Nevada for that. I was just treating that as an extension of the California trip.]

"Well, it sounds like things went pretty well with Pentheus, so that's good. I don't really like the prospect of having Rebecca and Henrik going behind the Pentheus people's back, but I'm lacking the full context, so I'm guessing you did the right thing. Are the Pentheus people going to be upset with us? Do we even care? Do our plans, going forward, involve them? With anything, let me know what you need me to do. Given that, for the foreseeable future, I'm going to be lacking context (even more than normal), I'm inclined to accede to your judgment in these matters."

CARL

This time, Carl pauses, very Jack-like, before replying.

“Pentheus is a problem, Jack. It will always be a problem. I know you feel differently, so it’s just as well that I regard them as a problem we cannot afford to remove, because they represent a backup if we fail. So yes – our plans, going forward, must involve and be mindful of Pentheus – but I cannot consider them more than the most dangerous and guarded of associates – the enemy of my enemy, but not my friend.

“Yes, we care. We don’t want them upset; but we must walk a fine line. I know, because you have said before, that you are more comfortable with, ah, business models than conflict models, and you see Pentheus’ plan as the former and ours as the latter. To me, the Pentheus model of institutionalized sacrifice lies somewhere between King Minos’ treatment of his people with the Minotaur – a cruel despotism wrapped in ritual that lasts only until someone gets angry and skilled enough to overthrow it – and tribute paid by a weaker nation or entity to a stronger – which lasts only so long as the victim is indeed weaker and accepting of that fate.” He stops, shaking his head. “And so on. You’ve heard it before, even if you don’t recall.”

He looks directly into Jack’s eyes, as if searching.

“One thing, though: Jack, we made a deal with Usher. He has agreed to use his influence with the Elders to help break Auda’s bond with Rebecca, if we can line up the other candidate and introduce her as the Third King’s potential consort. That was important to you, before. I thought you’d better know.”

Recovery? (Conclusion)

REDLAND

[Anytime you don't want to go into detail about something I know, but Jack has forgotten, feel free to give it the ol' "Carl tells Jack about x", if you like. I'm hoping I didn't send this multiple times, I'm, apparently, having connectivity problems.]

"Well, it sounds like Pentheus is on the back burner for now. This is probably for the best, as it is my understanding that I am their only adherent, and clearly it will be some time before I'm an adequate advocate. It is true, perhaps to my detriment, that I would typically choose to appease rather than fight. It is my read on history, that war is the greatest suffering that man can inflict upon himself, and that nearly every victory is Pyrrhic. I've probably said it before, and for that I apologize, but, put another way, outside of sport, conflict is always a negative-sum game, while business is always (expected) positive-sum. Of course, this grants that you value both sides in the exchange/conflict, and perhaps that is (properly) not the case in our situation.

"As to breaking the bond between Rebecca and Auda, that sounds like something I'd be interested in facilitating. Though I'll never claim to be a particularly gifted judge of character, my read on him, is that he is abusive and unstable. A nice young lady, like Ms. Hopkins, should not be subject to his depredations.

"What deal, did I make with Mr. Usher, do you know? Did I agree to line up this third candidate? One of the things that is most disturbing about my ... memory issue ... is that it may cause me to fail to fulfill my obligations, and a man who reneges on his obligations is worthy of nothing but contempt."

CARL

[Got that. We can skip the bigger data dumps, tho in general, I prefer to spin the tale out; I find that so often, *how* something is told is as important as *what* was communicated. And I only got this email once, for what it’s worth.]

Carl purses his lips unhappily.

“I made my own deal with Usher,” he says, slowly. “Your deal was … to convince me to perform my task in secret, and not tell those who are affected by it until after it is done. Which feels dishonest to me. I don’t like it, and frankly, I’m rather relieved that you don’t recall all that right now. But I promised, and I will follow through. You will have met your end of the bargain.” He frowns.

REDLAND

[I agree. I don't mind yakking about stuff endlessly (as you know from the incessant Pentheus stuff!) Also, since Carl will often have a different viewpoint on what has happened than Redland would have had, hearing about his past from Carl will have a large effect on how Redland perceives his own past, which could, conceivably, be interesting.]

"What's the old saying, 'if two people know it's not a secret,' or something like that. Well, on the plus side, now you're the only one who knows, so maybe things are looking up!

"So, the lining up the 'third candidate' is something we need to do on top of our agreement with Mr. Usher. Hmmm. What's our status on that? Do we have a timeline and a plan of action? Any way I can help facilitate this, or is this something Rebecca and Auda will have to accomplish on their own?"

CARL

Carl looks relieved that you didn’t probe further.

“Good question,” he says. “On the one hand, though Usher *can* facilitate breaking the link, I don’t think he can do it unless Auda and Rebecca are willing and agreeable and go to him to do it. I’m pretty sure Henrik and Rebecca would agree but I don’t believe anyone’s spoken to Auda about it – at least not since you and I talked to Usher. Breaking balance links is dangerous, possibly deadly. There are very real risks involved, not to be taken lightly.

“On the other hand, there’s not much point in doing that unless and until we’ve some expectation that the candidate – whose name I keep forgetting, for which I apologize! – is herself willing and able to join the fight and stand at Auda’s side – for whatever reason, noble or selfish or what-have-you. That is both a personal and professional concern for Auda. And for all of us, really.”

Carl stirs a bit.

“I believe you and Henrik were talking about that, but I wasn’t a party to the conversations.” He smiles sadly. “Henrik has gotten reticent around me, ever since he accepted the position of Auda’s general, so I don’t often know his side of things.

“You might want to look in your journal, which is there on the shelf. I haven’t read it. Much as I was tempted,” Carl smiles, more genuinely this time.

REDLAND

Redland seems mildly surprised by something Carl has said, but is apparently not concerned enough to interrupt.

"Well, as far as I can tell, Henrik was never blessed (or cursed) with the gift of gab. Also, as far as I remember, I was always much closer to Elwar than I was to Henrik. "Let's see, so the plan, is for somebody, possibly you or I, to put all of the pieces in place, so that Rebecca and Auda just have to meet up with Mr. Usher and go through some sort of bond-breaking ceremony. The main obstacles we need to overcome at this point, are to get Ms. Whatsername to agree to bond with Auda and to get Auda (and Rebecca) to agree to meet with Mr. Usher. Since Auda is such a pile of garbage, we're best served to cut him out of the plan to convince this poor lady to bond with him. Though I guess I wouldn't feel all that great about getting her to commit to anything without knowing exactly what a lackey he is.

"Anyhow, if we can convince her, this will probably be sufficient to convince Auda, which would probably be sufficient to convince Rebecca. So, really, all we need to do is get her onboard and the rest of the dominoes should fall into place.

"Is this something that we can take care of right away? Though I have a hard time imagining a good British girl wanting to associate with Auda."

CARL

Carl looks amused.

“From what I’ve heard, I doubt she’s either particularly good or particularly British.” He blinks, “Or were you thinking of the lady in Cornwall?”

REDLAND

"Ah, Ms., er, Answell(?), Strickley(?) ... um, let's just say, the Principle of Aspiration. I liked her. She was a nice young lady. Like all people with memory problems, not to be trusted, but you know how it goes.

"Anyhow, I think I was just jumping to conclusions. I take it Auda's person is not located in England. Depending on how important you think it is, if she's in Europe somewhere, we can probably track her down relatively quickly. Otherwise, we can just deal with it when it's more convenient.

"What makes you say that she's not particularly good? At the very least, I suppose her alleged lack of moral fiber is probably helpful to us, in regards to Auda."

CARL

“I don’t know her at all, really. If I recall correctly, however, she’s running a casino in Vienna, or some such thing. From the report I got, she’s a sharp tack and a shrewd operator – but I know little more.”

REDLAND

"Hmmm. Well, Vienna isn't too far away. If we need to go to the mainland for any reason, it wouldn't detour us for too long ... though we may have to skirt Germany. I'm not sure what's going on there. The downside, is that we'd need to take a blasted boat to get to the Continent. Ugh."

CARL

“We’ll take the boat train. Get on in London, off in Paris. It’s no less of a crossing, but at least you don’t have to move your luggage three times.”

He sighs. “I wish Auda *were* here. It’d make all this that much more straightforward.”

REDLAND

"Well, let's not get carried away. Wishing Auda was here is like wishing we had the plague onboard. I'm just joking, of course ... I'd much rather have the plague ...

"So, do we have a bunch of stuff to do in England? If nothing else, it'll be nice to be back on home soil."

CARL

“Seems to me,” Carl says, chuckling, “as if you just *did* have the plague!

“In England? Let’s see. I have three or four meetings to set up, which can probably be done within a day or two. Then I have to go out into the countryside and germinate a couple of Fae sites, just like we did in New Jersey and New York …” he falters, “… which of course you don’t recall now. Well. We can talk about that later. There’s another three or four days. Then I’m done with King business. I’m happy to help with anything else on your list, like the search for Donal for example, but I should be done in England within the week, and then it’s on to Switzerland and, I suppose, Vienna.”

REDLAND

Carl finishes speaking and waits for Jack's reply ... nothing is forthcoming. Taking a closer look, it appears that Jack is worn out and has fallen asleep in mid-conversation.

CARL

Carl laughs softly to himself, and sets about cleaning up a bit before setting the journal by the bed and letting himself out. One of us will be back to check in an hour or two.