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ScifiShort fiction

Devil’s Deck: a Psi-Kicks story by: GF Willmetts.

<<Why Australia, Sara? We couldn’t be further from the Maxs.>>

Sara Seeker turned and looked at Sheena Ramone. They had followed her without question and that needed some thought. Why was the purpose of Australia in the reality of the world and would the same forbidding fear exist here? A giant land where most people lived in the coastal areas. Fewer people in the outback and that was where they were going. Why they were here was a lot easier. They were going into the outback. No choice. Whatever had hurdled Medea across the world centuries ago was still there and still existed in this microverse. That still depended on whether the two Maxs had modified reality or created a second version.

Until now Sheena hadn’t questioned, despite the fact that all the plans to attack the two Maxs had been dropped for a different plan. Sara looked at Sheena, who was scanning her thoughts. Unconsciously, she shielded and saw Sheena’s face change finding herself blocked out. She wasn’t easily blocked. Psionically, by Sheena’s boosting by being nearby, they were on par with each other but with her own extra edge. Even if they had different abilities and certainly the boost was making her tracking ability stronger than ever and just enough of an edge to keep her out. She had kept the reasons to herself until now.

If the two Maxs or the Pattern or remembering to call them Patrons had got wind of this, it would only add to their problems. Everyone with her had literally came with her knowing she knew what she was doing but not privy to the plan. That depended on the knowledge gained from Medea. It had to be something powerful, maybe even more powerful than the Maxs but why would it let itself be brought here. Maybe enough to get some of them back to normal reality.

As redhound, this was probably the only way to find out for sure, she had to track. The Stable had been staying away from Australia because of whatever it was had thrown Medea half-way across the world a couple centuries back. In this reality, there was a chance to find out what and it could be their salvation or loss. Even so, she could feel something was out there.

‘We could have done with some farsighters to at least check our options but we have bigger fish to fry. We’ve kept the Patrons at bay here, now we know their plans to take over, we need to check who they’ve replaced in our regular reality. We can’t do it from here and its going to take too much time to beat the two Maxs.’

‘Can we beat them?’

‘You people have been playing their games for two years, trying to break it and we’ve only come once since I got here. We need an edge. A different edge.’

‘In Oz?’

Sara reached out. Across the dock, Libertine Rush  was walking towards them in her full Baroness Samedi regalia and yet no one here seemed to notice it as being odd. In the heat. A top hat and trench coat. She hadn’t brought her sword but had revealed she had left a couple here years ago. If she was carrying a sword now, it was hidden by her coat. Then again, they were all dressed in black themselves and enjoying the heat supplementing their psionics.

Although she couldn’t scan the Blank Courtney Adams, Ludomere Shear was talking to someone which must have been her there as well. It has been tempting to bring Medea herself with them but the smaller the team, the less they looked like as assault team. The Baroness would be scary enough if it was known what she could do but she was needed for a different purpose. Courtney was the edge, a Blank invisible to Psionics. Ludomere was the edge that she wanted to keep an eye on, especially as there were two of her and she only brought one of them here. They had come to Australia by different routes just in case either Max and certainly any Patron was watching them. After all their pursuit of them, now they didn’t want them watching. The only trick was for them to arrive within hours of each other.

Sara sank to the floor and began to reach out. Now she had to be precise. The boost had meant she could extend beyond the local population which wouldn’t have happened normally but nothing here was normal. The native Australians didn’t go walkabout over the whole of Australia which might explain why any potential myths over what attacked Medea seemed to be missed. Even so, they were sensitive enough to danger to avoid some places, even if it meant much of the desert. They would need something more precise than that.

Unlike the other longlifers she had met, this one had really hidden herself. Her own instincts would have to kick in. assuming it was a person, would it be totally isolated? What about water and food? Even Medea had to eat. Ayers Rock or Uluru in its red rock glory kept coming up. Central Australia. Reasonably isolated and even the native Australians saw it as sacred. Multi-languages but that was irrelevant to Psionics. If nothing else, it could be a good starting place.

Sara opened her eyes and looked down. She was floating. Looking up, Sheena was staring at her.

‘When did this happen, Sheena? Did you do it?’

Sheena shook her head. ‘You just floated, Sara girl.’

‘Must have hit on something if it could reach this far. Looks like Uluru is the place to start.’

‘Uluru? Like in Star Trek?’

‘That’s Uhura. Different spelling. Don’t get it wrong there. The natives wouldn’t like it.’

‘Soul of discretion.’ Sheena crossed her heart with a smile.

‘Central Australia. At least we can fly there.’

‘Would this…being live there?’

‘It’s just a starting point but floating means I’ve been noticed. Medea’s memory is frazzled by whatever threw her to the Med. This must be it.’

‘We should have brought Callane.’

‘The Oberon clan have never been to Australia or admitted to it and she wanted to stay with Katya. She hasn’t spent much time with her grand-daughter.’

‘Time to go.’

{{{{{{{{[[[[[[  ]]]]]]}}}}}}}}}}

  ‘I’ve never seen this in the photos of Ayer’s Rock.’

They were standing on the top of the red tinted plateau. Unusually vacant.

‘Maybe it doesn’t exist in our reality.’

Facing them was a giant statue of a sphinx. Almost on par with examples in Egypt except no plinth.

‘What are you talking about?’ Courtney Adams asked, but mimed nothing there and proceeded to walk through the statue. ‘There’s nothing here. Are you seeing something I can’t?’

  <<I think but not see.>>

  <<I scan but cannot scan.>>

  <<Follow the Blank.>>

The three Psionics followed. The illusion was broken as quickly as that.

  <<Matter over mind.>>

  <<Whoever it is can sprite. We don’t come across many who can cast illusions.>>

  <<Let’s hope there’s more to this Psionic than that. I was expecting an extraordinary Psionic, not someone who can cast illusons.>>

  <<Are you sure the Psionic is here, Sara?>>

Sara sank to the ground and suddenly there was a spotlight on her as she reached out and slowly rose into the air again and projected a message.

  <<We are kin. We need to talk or spake if you don’t want to physically meet. No need for Sphinx riddles.>>

‘Let’s get some distance and watch’, Sara said aloud standing up. The verbal was so Courtney could hear the conversation.

The Blank raised an eyebrow but nodded.

There was no telling if this new or old Psionic could be on their wavelength. The main disadvantage of telepathy is other Psionics could listen in, even with close proximity. Doing a tight band spake when they needed to show this Psionic that could be open would be difficult but Sara must think there’s trouble. Did they really want to find another menace worse than the Maxs in this reality?

In a huddle, Sara whispered, ‘There were two presences there. Very faint. It might be a parasite relationship. It could be deadly.’

‘Just pick the right one.’

‘And if I get the wrong one and the other objects? I’m also getting a sense of share. One or both might be psionic. It might be just as easy to share and do it myself.’

‘Youse always makes youse minds up’, the Baroness chipped in, revealing her sword. ‘Ahs takes onsa mistakes.’

‘We need your particular skill searching for Patrons in normal reality.’ Sara paused. ‘I’ll bear it in mind.’

‘It’s a riddle.’

‘Like the Sphinx? That was a Sphinx statue.’

‘Never had an Egyptian long-lifer. You heard of any in your travellers, Baroness?’

‘Many fake gods. Patterns. Feys. Psionics. Pantheons.’

‘Early generations. Must be long-lifers. Egyptian gods died out in the fifth century The Patrons or Pattern wouldn’t have lasted long. That would fit with the Pattern not lasting long.’

‘A Sphinx here. Why isn’t it public knowledge or at least an acknowledgement that it’s a hologram.’

‘The myth is remembered better than the reality.’

‘It might have appeared by your scan, Sara.’

‘Pyramids. Afterlife. Hidden chambers.’

They all turned and looks again. The Sphinx illusion had returned.

‘Our presence must have activated it. Would explain why the norms never triggered it.’

‘Are you sure its not a Max manipulation, Sara?’

‘Shielding doesn’t help.’ Sara paused. ‘Court can’t see it so it has to be something dependent on our talents.’

‘We’re talking riddles.’

‘That’s what the Sphinx is there for, isn’t it?’

‘It’s also designed to keep us out. Perhaps Medea got caught in its defences.’

‘She survived.’

‘Just. She’s still recovering after a couple centuries. I doubt if any of us could be that durable. Even you, Baroness.’

‘We have a plan?’

‘No, but I have one advantage. I can scan.’

Sara walked to the edge of the Sphinx illusion and sat cross-legged. As she scanned, she slowly rose into the air again.

‘She’s sharing off you, Sheena?’ Courtney Adams asked. ‘I thought telekinesis wasn’t sharable.’

‘I’m not doing it to her. This place is…weird, Court. Floating might be her…our best protection and whatever it is, is giving it to her.’

Sheena closed her eyes and the Blank saw her rise a little higher into the air and so did the others. Looking down, Courtney found herself doing the same thing and raised her eyebrow. Blanks were supposed to be immune to psionic manipulation.

‘Sara says its protection.’ Sheena shut her eyes and there was an audible click. The Sphinx vanished and beneath it was a hole opening. Less a hole, more like a tunnel.

‘Bet they never opened a pyramid burial site like that.’

‘So if Medea had done this, she wouldn’t have been thrown across the world. This Psionic is more powerful than you or Chris put together.’

Sara turned, ‘I’m not doing this neither. Soon as I started scanning, the device causing it cut its power. It was waiting for people like us. I suspect it would throw off our enemies.’

‘What have you found out?’ Courtney called out. ‘Why not a pyramid? Or at least an illusion of one?’

‘A Sphinx associates more with riddles and thinking than a pyramid. There is a chamber down there. Looks like the equivalent to the subterranean chamber in the real ones.’

This time they all looked oddly at Sara, expecting answers.

‘I’m not that much of an expert. Pyramids have three chambers. Two for the king and queen and one beneath the pyramid called the subterranean chamber which no-one knows what it was doing there. Looks like we’re finding out its original use.’

‘A burial chamber?’

‘Something’s alive down there. Low metabolisms. Possible hibernation. They’re waking up. Getting powerful signatures.’

‘Do we go down?’

‘Do an Indiana Jones and be chased by a boulder? No need. They’ll be up. Seems like they had some hi-tech back then? Not much survived or they kept it away from the norms. Think of the Antikythera Mechanism. There’s a working model down there. Early computer timing device. No need to walk into any more of their protective traps. ’

‘I take it you’re flashing images into each others heads’, Courtney smiled, ‘but I have heard of it. How could the Egyptians be so sophisticated on some things and so primitive on others?’

‘They’re weren’t but earlier Psionics might have been. Maybe that’s why they kept it out of their hands. The Egyptians were only shadows of their gods and filled in gaps their own way. Look at how they embalmed people. They didn’t know anatomy. These people have been hibernating a long time. Would they trust their survival to the Egyptians?’

‘So they had a people posing as gods for a while and then they died or moved on?’ Ludomere Share finally spoke up.

‘Medea and the gorgons are examples of that. They moved on. Nomads. Staying too long and the natives will eventually turn on them. Not all of them are long-lifers like them and the Baroness. Various pantheons have been regarded as immortal but you might not want them around all the time. Many of the Egyptian gods looked like chimeras. Easy enough for early Pattern.’

‘These are Pattern?’

‘Wrong mental signature.’

‘One less problem.’

‘I wonder what they are feeding on?’

‘It feels like us,’ Sheena remarked. ‘They’re not leeching too much. Good thing there was enough of us to go around. Just be patient.’

{{{{{{{{[[[[[[   ]]]]]]}}}}}}}}}}

  Half an hour later and the sun was still high, two individuals walked out of the tunnel. The woman was towered over by a giant walking behind her. The woman of slight build and the man much taller. The impression was strong. It took a bit more focus to realise they were Nubian, not white.

Wordlessly, Sara walked over handed them both bottles of water.

‘I’m surprised you could walk. That’s a long hibernation.’

‘You speak many tongues.’

‘There’s a point in the brain called Braga. You might not have called it that but it makes us Psionics fluent to all. Are you hungry?’ They had agreed to let Sara speak for them.

Courtney opened her bag and offered fruit. ‘Eat slowly.’

‘You have an invisible yet visible woman speaking. What are you?’

‘We call them Blanks. Immune to our scans and we believe are high shield Psionics. They help us against people who blindside us. A lot’s happened in your sleep.’

Both of them ate and the team joined them as they sat or rather loosely floated in the air.

‘Your device is still working.’

‘In answer to your question, you are correct. We saw the way the Egyptians embalmed. Scooping brains out through the nose. We didn’t want our hibernation stopped by that and fled. We found ourselves here and quiet.’ She closed her eyes, ‘It has changed a lot since then. Do you know how long we slept?’

‘At least a couple thousand years.’

‘We should have woken earlier.’

‘It has taken us this long to visit here. An earlier visitor activated your trap and when we heard of it, we kept a respectable distance. We didn’t know what it was.’

‘Yet you came here.’

‘We have a problem. Did you have reality distorters in your time?’

‘Please?’

‘Psionics who change or manipulate existing reality by thought. We’re seeking a means to put our reality back to normal, whatever that is. You’ve had the Pattern in your era. One of them fooled a powerful friend who could distort reality and took his form and doubled up the change and got some sort of control. We’ve got them facing off each other but haven’t gone far enough yet. My team has urgent need to return to normal reality and we can follow later. We thought, because of this device, you might have that ability to create a portal…’

‘Please, you make things sound very complicated.’

‘Considering the technology that created the Sphinx illusion, activated only when Psionics are near and only scooping…telekinesis could activate your door, I would think you were more advanced than the Egyptians you lived with. Why did you move? Did the Pattern…shape-shifters cause problems?’

‘They took charge. It was easy for them to pose as chimeras of their legends. The Egyptians adored them and learnt some of body preservation off them, except they got it wrong. Poor anatomists. We couldn’t hibernate and risk them pulling our brains out through our nostrils, so we travelled.’

‘To Australia?’

‘More by accident than deliberation. It suited our needs. No one to wake us up prematurely.’

‘For two thousand years?’

The woman paused. ‘That long. We were rejuvenating. We though your…our kind would wake us earlier.’

‘As I said, Medea, a Nubian description if you will, tried once but your defence mechanism flung her away. We were suspicious of coming here until now. Something that powerful had to be worth investigating.’

‘May I scan? I need to know the current situation.’

‘Take your time.’

Sara gave a curt smile and stood up and joined the others who had already moved and found she was still a couple inches off the ground. The giant stayed where he was and stayed silent.

She put a finger to her lips and they walked further away and breathed shield.

‘Something wrong, Sara?’ whispered Sheena. ‘You haven’t even found their names out.’

‘Or me giving us them. Without me hitting her Braga point, she shouldn’t understand us as long as we don’t spake. It’ll take some time to learn English. Let’s general chat. She said our kind. She might not be a pure Psionic. I scanned some info from her. Seems they, the Pattern and whatever made up the Egyptian pantheon were a working colony letting the norms think them as gods. Wish I’d read more of the mythology but don’t think the legends match what was really going on let alone the real truth.’

‘Cross-breeds?’

‘They got on with the Pattern?’

Sara shrugged. ‘She’s not saying…yet. But she still might be what we want. I go where I track for the right reasons, even if I don’t know why.’

‘And beyond?’ Courtney asked.

‘One problem at a time. It can’t be worse than being here. These pantheons had portals or gates, so might be the right ones.’

‘She’s relying on spaking for information but has some familiarity. Hibernating and scanning. I wish Ben Fane was here to tell me how much she’s lying.’

‘Must be like watching TV.’

‘Except they didn’t come out.’

‘Rejuvenating. Long life with a difference. Energy depletion. Vampiri?’

‘Ah’s coulds nots jumps dem’, Libertine finally spoke.

‘That only happens with Pattern.’

‘They didn’t notice. They might have thought it was just a scan.’

‘I could be boosting them, Sara, just by being here.’

‘They might not even notice it.’

‘They aren’t threatening us,’ Ludomere noted.

‘She’s scanning for information.’

‘We need to exhibit trust.’

‘Do you want me to take over the negotiations?’ Courtney asked. ‘I can’t be read after all.’

‘They gave the typical Blank reaction. It might pay to sit down and watch for the record.’ Sara paused. ‘Time to negotiate and see how far we can get.’

This time both Sara and Courtney went back and sat down.

‘What is this…woman with you again?’

‘Courtney is a Blank. We use them as negotiators with normal people because as they are immune to being spiked or controlled, they can act fairly. My team want to ensure our talk is fair and neither of us tries to control the other. Would you agree this is fair?’

The two Nubians looked at each other, obviously doing a tight spake although Sara resisted peaking in. There was a need to establish trust at least on her side. This particular ability was shared.

‘A lot has changed since your time. We call vampiri old world psionics but, despite your age, you don’t feel old world. More transitory towards what we are today.’

‘You track other Psionics?’

‘Any I can get a signature on. My family have the speciality. My workmates are a co-operative of Psionics, Fey and odd specialities like the Baroness over there. We are either specialists or have a range of powers. We’ve never had to deal with a reality shift of this magnitude before.’

‘I have nothing to compare this to. There is a reality centred around a school. A rather static one and…one other that seems even more dangerous.’

‘You haven’t seen this one at its worse when we have to play out and beat scenarios here. They left me in the static one and put my teammates here. The school was another transitory one where a minor reality shifter was left for a while before breeching the step into here.’

‘And these two more powerful reality shifters?’

‘One was a friend of sorts and got caught by the Pattern. One of them became a duplicate of him. This is a new generation of them. Probably less like the ones you associated with and caused a reality shift. They’re more world-conquerors and they’ve been after us. We managed to convince some of those trapped here that we need to work together to get reality back to normal but in our regular reality they might still be working towards that agenda which is why we have to get back.’

‘You can detect them?’

‘There are ways. This…these reality shifters have been…elusive.’

‘If you got to him…them…how would you stop them?’

‘The real Max…his name…is a personal friend and I’m sure I can break the hold of the Pattern Max. There have been cracks in their relationship. The real Max wants normality again but feels trapped.’

‘What about the togetherness…your share?’

‘You can do that? We are cautious with powerful Psionics because it can over-whelm. They have years of restraint. Being thrown in the deep end is like playing with a new toy.’

‘You do not drain their power?’

‘More a sympathetic response.’

‘Your plan is full of holes.’

‘We are very good at improvising.’

‘Not at the moment.’

‘The fact that I was isolated means we are the means to bring a conclusion hasn’t slipped our notice.’

‘But two of you are here rather than there.’

‘’We need a different kind of power. You might be able to supply that edge so we don’t kill anyone.’

‘That could still happen.’

Sara shrugged. ‘I could say we’ll play it by ear but it might just be by mind.

‘I cannot sense any of my hibernating kin.’

‘They might be back in our regular reality. They might even have woken up and had their own lives. Another reason to get us back to some normality.’

‘We have to do this and join your…organisation?’

‘No. Our paths might cross but it sounds like you have your own mission. I doubt if your intent is conquering the world. The Pattern wouldn’t have succeeded even without our presence. The Vampiri aren’t keen on them neither.’

‘Do you always do such open bargaining?’

‘We all have something to gain. Now you’re awake, I don’t think you want to stay in Australia.’

The woman looked around. ‘I like the heat.’

‘So do we but too much of a good thing. Have we covered all the angles?’

‘We need to talk.’

‘So do we.’

Sara gave a curt nod and got up, Courtney followed her back to the team.

‘Did you get all of that?’

‘I take it you were negotiating and giving history. No names in case either Max starts looking. Let’s go a little further and give them their privy.’

  <<Hello Sheena. Ludomere isn’t reacting so it looks like I’ve shared their tight spake.>>

  <<Any other abilities, Sara?>>

  <<Not sure. Head’s still trying to assess. It might be purely telekinetic so you’re far more likely to feel something. It’s only when we start using that we’ll know for sure. Not sure I want to try their hibernation. I’ve never considered we might also be long-lived before.>>

  <<This is only ability we haven’t had ‘til now.>>

  <<She’s very self-assured. I’m asking her to shift some of you to the original reality after a long hibernation and just shrugs. She might not be a reality shifter but just as powerful. We could be playing with the devil considering they had a mixed colony in Egypt. Records are so vague.>>

  <<The Egyptians copied them.>>

  <<But got so much wrong. They were convinced their mummified royalty could be revived but didn’t get their anatomy right.>>

  <<Or were misled.>>

  <<That would suggest an act of cruelty or sadism.>>

  <<Their main objective is to see who else survived.>>

  <<Seems a suitable bargain.>>

  <<And we help if needed.>>

  <<Does Court know this?>>

  <<She might suspect but applies my philosophy.>>

  <<One problem at a time.>>

  <<At least we can talk to them.>>

  <<And you can track them.>>

Sara looked at the rest of the group. They’re spake had taken less than a minute. Far faster than a verbal would have given.

‘I’ll take some more food back with me. I don’t want Sheena to accidentally boost them but not sure about their range or if they’ll notice any changes.’

‘I wonder what they make of us?’

‘Have you felt them scanning you?’

There was only a subtle nod.

‘That doesn’t preclude them sharing. I’ve had a taste of them so they might have of me.’

‘Turn them into trackers.’

‘It might help them do the job.’

‘The fact they’re aware of two microverses and the original is encouraging.’

‘But…?’

‘Extraordinary powerful considering they’ve been on ice for so long. We don’t know much about the group that was treated as gods by the Egyptians but they also had technology that they didn’t share with them. It’s putting how long Psionics have been around on end.’

‘So?’

‘They could be a manifestation of Max…or one of them.’

‘Why can’t they just pick a fight with us?’

‘From what you’ve discovered, they play mind games.’

  <<It could also be coming to an end if we let it.>>

  <<But you think it could still be a trap.>>

  <<Been too easy so far. I could have been careless. All to easy.>>

  <<It might be the only way to crack this. You said yourself they didn’t want you here. Maybe they’re trying to get you back to that other microverse again. Flinging us across realities than across the world.>>

  <<You are sharing, Sara. Did you share with Max before?>>

  <<No. A different order of psionic. Like Mary. Dramatics wouldn’t work with me. A question of threats and wish fulfilment, finding out what was in Australia that struck Medea.>>

  <<The problem.>>

  <<All too easy.>>

  <<We’re being given time to think.>>

  <<It’s what you would be doing.>>

Sara touched her finger to her lips and widened her hand as she reached out.

They had assumed she would be able to resist control, instead it had been done subtly, using her interest in the Australian mystery to direct them all here. It might be the real answer or just speculation. Certainly she has told the real Max about it because it had come up when she told him about Medea. The Baroness couldn’t jump them. Was the trap to allow some of them to return home but keep the rest hostage here. Maybe there were too many Psionics to keep control of? A get some out of jail free card? Certainly they would think the Baroness and herself as a threat by why? The Baroness couldn’t jump into them although she could identify who was who. Maybe she was collateral damage when reality was shifted. From a Patron who didn’t mind being called by their old name.

It isn’t as though she hadn’t considered her plan wouldn’t be attacked. It was more a point of seeing things as they are and why were they all levitating slightly. A reminder that things were not as they seem. More than one sprite? I make all my tasks look easy and this one has been too easy.

That meant they might not be in Australia and any time lapse getting there was also an illusion. All the make-up of the reality shifters. If they weren’t in Australia, then they hadn’t moved at all. She reached out on opportunity and she cued her contingency.

‘How many Psionics does it take to change a light bulb?’

The reaction was open-mouthed at the change of subject.

Sara continued, giving a wide grin, ‘Two. But they have to share.’

‘I thought they would get their Blank to do it,’ Courtney grinned.

They looked towards the two Nubians who were silent but likely to be tight-wave spaking.

‘They could at least walk like Egyptians.’

This time the two Nubians looked their way, completing missing the figure approaching from behind them: Georgire Rothane.

The laughter was now spontaneous. The reach of Georgie’s empathic good nature hit them all. This time, even the Nubians.

Australia faded. They were on a roof in London. They hadn’t gone far at all. Instead of the Nubians, were two identical men.

‘Jump, Liber…’

The Baroness’ body was already limp and the standing Max chopped down on the sitting Max with a heavy blow.

Reality blinked.

It was still London, albeit more noisy all of sudden.

The team was already standing up. The levitation had gone. Sheena advanced on the standing Max.

‘Out, Baronessy.’

The moment was enough, as control shifted from one to the other. The standing Max was still stationary before Sheena guided him away from the fallen Max. Libertine had already jumped to her own body.

‘I thought we were in Oz, Sara,’ Courtney started.

‘I was edging my bets. It was going too easy. Too much wishful thinking. I was being given something I always wanted. To see what was really hidden in Australia. Thing was, they didn’t want us to really travel this time.’

‘And the reason why I was being kept out.’ Sara turned to Georgire, still smiling, ‘Tone it down, Georgie. I need to focus.’

Sara went to the fallen Max and the Blank could only wonder at what she was doing to the Pattern Max’s head, assuming she could get in.

‘Can’t control a Pattern but can keep him asleep. The time you all were stuck there wasn’t wasted, Court. They were just over-confident.’

The Baroness had her sword out and swung it deftly into the heart of the Pattern Max.

‘I was going to scan him…for the best.’

‘Thes deals weese de Patterns.’

Sara kept looking at the Blank. ‘The Pattern don’t want him and he’s too dangerous to leave here. He didn’t return to normal. The plan was to leave them both in that microverse.’

‘And the real Max?’

‘Remove certain memories and back to his old life but a little less wanderlust…except…’

‘Except what?’

‘He’s given me some interesting ideas about Red Rock.’

Sara paused and looked around. ‘Holiday’s over. We have work to do. We need to find out just what the Patrons have been up to in our absence.’

end

 

The Stable Consultancy, Psi-Kicks, Blanks, Sara Seeker, Sheena Ramone,

Libertine Rush, Courtney Adams, Ludomere Shear and Georgire Rothane

© GF Willmetts 2022

All rights reserved

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Devil’s Deck: a Psi-Kicks story by: GF Willmetts.
Devil’s Deck: a Psi-Kicks story by: GF Willmetts.

UncleGeoff

Geoff Willmetts has been editor at SFCrowsnest for some 21 plus years now, showing a versatility and knowledge in not only Science Fiction, but also the sciences and arts, all of which has been displayed here through editorials, reviews, articles and stories. With the latter, he has been running a short story series under the title of ‘Psi-Kicks’ If you want to contribute to SFCrowsnest, read the guidelines and show him what you can do. If it isn’t usable, he spends as much time telling you what the problems is as he would with material he accepts. This is largely how he got called an Uncle, as in Dutch Uncle. He’s not actually Dutch but hails from the west country in the UK.

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