Tail/Tale

Somewhat later Loyal is emerged in his think bath.He is sitting under an oak tree on a warm summer morning at mid-twilight.In a branch slightly above him is his muse,a talking raven named Oscar,"What you are seeking,"crows Oscar,"Is not a linear history lesson,but more of a ancient story...a parable,if you will,we call this story,'The Tale of The Tail'.......... ".

Steep

"Father,Tipid is correct.No on loved Theophilus more then me...and...even though we have no idea who the VI are,should we just automatically keep going back again and again?"

"Your words of caution show your fear LMDC.Not only will I steep myself in a think bath,but I will acknowledge the books as well before we proceed,"Then putting his forehead to Timber's,"I feel you have bought us,at least,that much time."

Gravity

The gravity of the situation was not lost on Tipid,"We must not be rash in our decisions,Brave Loyal.This tragedy maybe the catalyst that leads to a lasting peace,or treaty of understanding."

Basket

Loyal and LMDC look at each other.Who or what were The VI?

Suddenly,Timber arches up,hands spread out,and shouts,"Theophilus!Theophilus!'She clutches hold of Loyal and LMDC,"They,they gave me Theophilus' head in a basket."

Things were amiss.Theophilus was a pilot.You could not take him unawares.Right then and there,Loyal knows that he will find the answers-loop or no loop-even if he has to go to Hell and back to find them.

Twirl

"Your head is going to twirl around with ideas and thoughts for an hour or so,"begins Loyal,"And it maybe days before your memory fully recovers...But,my dear Timber,are you coherent enough to tell us what happened aboard The Maid?"

"There were VI aboard,"She tilts her head as if having an earache,"But it is funny..I don't remember what VI are."

Seperate

They lead Timber to a ground chair and have her sit.They put their foreheads together with her's.LMDC covers her with a comfort cloth,"I never had to do that before,"Timber says,rolling her head,"I am having a hard time keeping time seperate.There are two of LMDC weaving in and out.And...it's so confusing."

Combination

Loyal looks to LMDC,"The combination of having her atoms dispersed throughout the voice transmission is vastly different then walking through the doors.It is far more unsettling.She will have very limited memory of the past 48 hours.Now,knowing that,let's go welcome her."

Mantra

Loyal helps LMDC to her feet and then they head to the room of transport.Suddenly,near the door,off to the side on a pad,there comes a mantra like hum,"Em,em,em,em,em,em,em,em,em,em,em."Wind wisps in a circular fashion becoming a tornado type whirlwind which instantly dissipates into the bulking form of the beautiful naked Timber.

Heal

"But why did she not just come through the door?"LMDC asks in desperate panic.

"The Maid blew up[a loud gasp from LMDC].Tipid says there is enough data to save her."

"The others...."

"It depends on how current their transmissions are.We will replicate them as best we can-if that was their will-but we have more important matters.I feel this time line is injured as well..."

...'And time heals all wounds,"mutters LMDC,"I understand."

Hover

"AAAaaaaH!"LMDC wakes with a start.She is having trouble catching her breath,panic striken,"Mother!?!Mother?!!"

Loyal rushes to her side.The Akron rumbles like it is being hit by an ocean wave and then settles down.She looks into Loyal's eyes,"Father,what has just happened?"

A duel image of LMDC seems to hover behind her.Fire seems to to shot out of this transparent double's hands:AT HIM.Loyal puts is forehead to hers,"Quiet,daugher,"and then he whispers to her,"Be brave,your mother is being brought abroad via voice signal."

Cadillac

"No!"yells Loyal,pounding the window."No!"

"The explosion,"states Tipid calmly,"Was caused by a core breach to the cadillac converter.It appears that Timber knew this.She transported her owners code via the voice signal...That caused the voice glitch that we heard.We can retrieve her."

Maid

As Loyal thinks these thoughts,he watches as the reflecting starlight illuminates the faraway starship.It is 'The Maid of Zarlingo'.It is Timber's ship,named after the nameless maid from the planet Zarlingo that hid Al -Yeshua in the hold of the escaping Macon.

Every youngling knows the story:"She is nameless,because she is every woman."

Tipid speaks,"There is an incoming message from 'The Maid'..."My Kindred,I had a dream which speaks to the holy trio.You must[unintelligible] go back and fix...."

Loyal smiles at Timber's voice.He is still smiling when the glow of 'The Maid' intensives and brightens and expands in the darkness of space.

Stream

Loyal knows that Timber will be very interested in their adventure into The Time Stream...and more then likely-now more then ever-want to meddle.He sighs.He knows instictively that that is the wrong thing to do.

Rocky

Timber is coming back from her negotiations with the Hellions.Hell is one of the 'Three Planets'...Earth and Heaven being the other two....that are 'Untouchable'.

The negotiations had gotten off to a rocky start right from the beginning.If Timber could not have regrown her limbs,she would be handless,now...and that Satan breeder and his horde would still be around to gloat.

Clasp

Timber is aboard this Starship.They are both Children of Keturah.He is a son.She is a daughter.He embraces their time of reflection.Naked,they will clasp their hands together,and raise them in worship as they touch foreheads,noses,lips,on down.Giving praise to Al-Yeshua always means more with her.

Surge

As Loyal almost unthinkingly watches the far away starship,a surge of anxiety floods through his being.Destiny is a fickle ally,he thinks,yet...here it is.

Deeper

"We can go deeper,"states Tipid,"I believe she can handle it."

"Yes,but should we?Is it worth putting her through the trouble?We could just end up making matters worst."

"If you are afraid for her,THEY had a machine....Perhaps...if we go back,I can tap into myself,and learn how to construct one."

Loyal hesitates..."I am afraid of THIS machine on many levels." Out of the window Loyal sees a distant star that appears to be moving-the telltale sign of an incoming starship..."I am afraid we will create a LOOP."

Kettle

Loyal,has the right to worry.Have they not just settled the Kettle Rebellion?Weren't there still raiders on the outskirts?Wasn't bureaucracy slowly destroying the Holy Empire from within?Yet,his inner self doubts he would have allowed such meddling unless there were something deeper-more drastic....but then that was the crutch wasn't it.He wasn't in charge there-they had had a King.

Flame

Like a flame suddenly put out,LMDC,Tipid and Loyal are back aboard The Akron,"She is asleep,"states Tipid as she raises her hands off the teenage girl and Loyal.

Loyal goes over to his daughter and puts his forehead against hers,"Sleep well,my French and Spanish daughter.We are Kindred,"He raises and turns to Tipid,"We caused this.How?"

I sensed machines.Something we are incapable of."

Loyal puts his hands behind his back and looks out the window,"We must have been desperate....I wonder...did we make things better or worse?"

Outback

The holy trinity watch the ancients as they talk,"Nik is going out on a date tonight with a poet named Alice."

"Really...Good for you,Nik.Where are you taking her?"

"Oh,"said Nik,biting into his sandwich,"I don't know,either Applebee's or the Outback Steakhouse."

Suddenly,between The woman and the elder man,a reflection-like that of something in the water-appears bridging the gap between them,"Oooh,"sighs LMDC weakly,her eyes widening,her knees buckling.

Loyal and Tipid both see what she sees.They both gasp.It is Tipid between the male and female.

Disparate

The older tree worker kisses the pretty woman and thanks her for bringing the food.

"This moment causes a disparate rift in time,"Loyal states holding his hands out like he is trapped inside of an invisible box,"We...."he pauses as if trying to hear a faint noise..."We..we had a King and Queen."