and I will never stop or turn away (part LI)

(Continued from part L.)



Emilly sighed, walking in to meet Justine in the hall outside the public study. "I have no idea what we're going to do about the eggs."

Justine looked at her. "Kill with fire?"

"Maybe?" Emilly shrugged.

"So," Justine said. "Lina got rid of some of the monsters by shunting them to an empty universe?"

Emilly nodded. "Along with three-quarters of the Gray Area. Some of it's still partially submerged, burning."

"Only three-quarters of the Gray Area?"

Emilly nodded.

"And in the process, opened us up to detection/incursion by hostile forces?"

"Yes..." Emilly opened the parlor doors, stepping through and going to the doors on the far side of Justine's suite. "If you're *careful*, you might be able to open your balcony door and see them, but...."




"See them?"

"Yeesh. Yeah. It looks like a shrike. Sharp and spiky."



"Sure, but the issue is, that's about...nine?...or more? Different beasts? And when they all attack? It is HARD to move."

"Oh, no," said Justine, eyes widening. She returned to the suite. "Is it time to test the offensive capacity of the Liberators?"

Emilly shrugged. "That...may be a problem for another day, though, unless you'd rather try to nail it down now."

Justine sighed. "First things first. Stopping that six hour timer. Removing one instance of Hiro from this timeline."

Emilly blinked. "The what now?"

"STAN said that was the problem--that we had two active instances of Hiro. Here."

The Duchess just stared at her. "But--then where's the--"

Justine shrugged. "[F*ck] if I know. One problem at a time. I figure, we get him far enough way, Caledon or someplace, so there's not the...instability, causing the rifts."

"So....where in Caledon?" Emilly asked. "I suppose we could drop him off above Stormhold. Let the box puzzle the kitties..."

"Or at the Cal II house."

"Ooh! Yes, that!"

"Can we take it to Mondrago?"

"What?" Emilly laughed, startled. "No, wait. We want access to it."

"I was thinking of witchbombs."

Emilly shook her head. "We don't want the witchbomb above Stormhold as it is. We definitely don't need the diplomatic complication of sending one to Mondrago." She thought for a moment. "Which reminds me, is the one still over Stormhold, over Stormhold?"

Justine shrugged. "We'll find out later."

Both women whirled at a sudden, low growl from outside.

Emilly ran to the window. "Oh, gods, what NOW?"



"Justine! There's more of them outside! And there are...shark...things..."

"What?"



"Justine, there's a LOT of them--"



The door opened behind them, and the poet walked in. "I ran into something downstairs--"



"How bad?"



He brushed at a tear in his suit. "Pretty bad," he murmured. They both nodded.

(Continued in part LII.)