[continued from previous message]

Vulchario looks toward The Alliant knowing Pierce, Trevor and Major Danes would not be here with the amber wells if they were disputing the legal ownership of Disk-2.
Artrex rises “Let all parties be aware that Frank Harris possesses Disk-1 and Ivan Vulchario possesses Disk-2 and that both disks are dying. Pierce Daniels possesses the Amber Rooms. Disks three through five must be accounted for or gathered. The
new disks must record the old disks or the continuity of the sovereign worlds the old disks authored are not fully established.”
Major Danes shows Ivan his map laying it out on a side table. Vulchario studies it briefly.
“It is a valid specimen. I have the other twenty-nine pages and we could surely find a…”
Ted rolls the map up placing it in the tube and hands it to Ivan, “Restore whatever volume it is a portion of in exchange for viewing the whole.” Danes surveys the cavernous reverberant chamber and moves towards the models for a closer examination
of their intricate details.
Ivan replies, “As you wish Major Danes. Library City is a conscious computation. It is alive.”
Pierce looks at McBain for a prompt. “Ask about your time lapse experiment.” Trevor suggests.
Dr. Vulchario, not wanting to be vague and hoping to gain as much intelligence as he gives up;
“Anything I can shed light on I shall. There is so much detail that can easily be uncovered; that sometimes it is best to search out the broad strokes,
and then hone in on the particulars.”
Major Danes countered, “What are we to make of DATAFACE?” Vulchario nods yes slowly.
“That is a pertinent question from a military mind. The reconnaissance function is performed by beings who have survived the Tower Of Absolute and its
distillation process. This abomination we tend and garden has been refined by us. We train those
who survived and get them to act as one unified whole when deployed. Originally
they were lights trapped in glass beads at the very bottom of the pure essence pools. Eventually we installed screens and filters to question them.
Those who choose eternal rest are placed in pools set aside for that; some survivors relish immortality and choose to participate in the adventure that is
lightmach-24’s Sealand.”
Ted has been taking notes much to Ivan’s delight; Grigori has been coming and going, keenly interested but not overly so. He knows that drawing Azrok and
Juzya away for gaming is not feasible. Grigori cutting to the quick, “Disk-3 is held by
Entropa master of The Carillion, Disk-4 is deeply hidden by Totalus ruler of The Chronos and Disk-5 is actively operated by Arc Volte ruler of The Outliers.
Arc has a swarm similar to DATAFACE that is known as The Mortalex.”
Dr. Vulchario pushes a cigar case towards Grigori and Ivan the First.
Igor continues, “You need to be mindful of your clocks almost a month has passed.”
Dr. Vulchario with mild distress, “Reassure Mr. Eight distinctly and with emphasis we shall appear for battle in a timely fashion. We’ve both made pledges of honor to our gathered forces.”
The two warring parties part after drinks and cigars promising to continue negotiations later.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: www.darkrealms.ca (1:229/2)