Travelers Aid

original cover art: see this issue
front cover by Harold W. McCauley
and the back cover by Frank R. Paul

Below on this page is a new science fiction story called "The Prisoner of L2". After the Editor is provided with access to Nyrtia's Reality Simulation System, he uses it to investigate the development of teleportation technology in the Asimov Reality. Yōd and the Editor visit Numenes, the capital planet of Alastor Cluster. They are following up on a hint that was found in a story from the Archives of the Writers Block concerning R. Nyrtia's role in making teleportation technology available to humans. Starting from a tourist resort on Numenes, they take transport to the nearby community known as L2. 

"The Prisoner of L2" should be viewed as fan-fiction that is set in Alastor Cluster, one of the literary inventions of Jack Vance. Readers of "The Prisoner of L2" might benefit from reading The Historical Archive, but "The Prisoner of L2" is intended to be a stand-alone story. The events depicted in "The Prisoner of L2" begin shortly after the events at the end of The Historical Archive.

The Prisoner of L2

I was busily trying to write an account of what I had learned about the cloned sisters Beta and Gamma Gohrlay, but it was hard for me to ignore the whispering telepathic linkage that I had to Zeta. 

Zeta and Nora were out in the hot tub and I could sense that they had both slipped into a shared orgasm trance. I could sense the delightful pleasure that Zeta was experiencing and that distraction made it impossible for me to continue writing. Having known that Zeta's orgasm was on the way, I was ready with a plan. I telepathically told Zeta: I'll be right back... I want to check on something.

mind clone network

I had the index for the Reality Simulator System set for my son's house in Australia. I'd nudged the temporal selector right up against the edge that was labeled NOW. My son was out in the field collecting geological samples and would be away from home for several weeks, which is why Nora was visiting us. However, I knew that Rylla and her daughter Marda were living with Nora and my son. I usually contact Rylla via internet video conference, but I could see no reason why I could not make use of the Simulator System to make a quick visit to Australia. 

I brought the index up as my front window, picked up my phone, stood up, turned away from my computer and took a step across the room. When my foot landed, I was in Australia. It had been several years since my last visit to my son's house, so I looked around and tried to orient myself. I could see that Nora had made some major changes to the decor of the house, but my immediate concern was to verify the date and time. I looked at my phone and was confused by the time being shown. I could sense a weak telepathic connection to Rylla and I glanced up at the ceiling. Figuring that it was not polite to drop in unannounced, I called her. She opened the connection and asked, "What's going on?"

"I had to get out of the house for a while, so I decided to try that idea we talked about."

"You are here? In Australia? Is that your mind I'm feeling?"

Returning my phone to my pocket, I spoke loudly, "I'm downstairs!"

A moment later Rylla came running down the stairway. She was dripping wet. At the bottom of the stairs, she stopped and wrapped a towel around herself. "This is the Simulator?"

I nodded. "Yes, we are inside the Simulator. I'm from about an hour in your future."

Drops of water continued to fall from her long hair. "When we ended the videochat I decided to take a bath."

source

"After we spoke, I decided to try making a quick visit to Australia. I had to get up my nerve. I'm still a bit worried about the possibility that I'll get duplicated every time I use the simulator."

Rylla was flexing her fingers. "I feel like this is all real. If this is a simulation, it is a great one." She approached me quite closely and started using the towel to dry her hair. She warned me, "Watch your step, this tile floor gets slick when wet."

I glanced at the trail of water drops she'd left on the floor and tried to ignore her alien anatomy. I suppose since we were in a simulation, Rylla had no inhibitions about putting her beautiful body on display. Trying not to look at her two sets of breasts, I said, "Well, I just wanted to know if this kind of visit was possible."

Rylla asked, "How do you control your exit from the Simulator?"

"Nyrtia provided me with some nanites that can return me home."

We could hear Marda upstairs. Rylla returned to the foot of the stairs, turned and told me, "You should enter the Asimov Reality Simulation and check out that rumor about Nyrtia."

"Yes, I intend to do so." Rylla was going up the stairs. I called after her, "I'll let you know how that goes." I waited until she was up the stairs and her cute bottom was out of sight, then I triggered the return nanites and found myself back at home, just two steps away from my computer.

Zeta said, "So, it worked? I got worried when I lost your telepathic link..."

I turned and saw that Zeta was still pink and warm from the hot tub session with Nora. I put my arms around her and explained, "I was just in Australia, but what I really want to try is going into the Asimov Reality."

The AR Simulator

Zeta could telepathically sense that I was thinking about her sister, Yōd. "Is she in that part of Alastor Cluster? I mean, the correct time?"

I shook my head. "No, she and Azynov are not quite that far in the future. However, I believe they can access any part of the Asimov Reality and visit any specified time..."

I could telepathically sense that she was thinking about Nora. Zeta sighed. "Well, I suppose this is a good time for you to make use of the Simulation System."

"Exactly. You two have fun. I'll try to be back before Nora departs. I don't expect it to take too long to confirm or refute this rumor about Nyrtia meddling in human affairs. And besides, I've long wished I could visit Alastor Cluster. Even if I can't find Nyrtia, it will be exciting just to see the far future, out at the edge of the galaxy." I kissed Zeta and then led her to the computer. I clicked on the tab for the Asimov Reality and called up a set of saved space-time coordinates. "This my best guess for when to arrive in the Cluster. I'm excited to see Numenes and its mega-structures."

Zeta kissed me once again and said, "Be careful. You are going to stick out like a sore thumb among the people of the future."

"I hope not." I pointed to the wardrobe panel on the screen. "I've set the Simulator to provide me with clothing appropriate for Numenes and the Simulation System automatically takes care of language problems."

"But you know nothing about that world and how to survive in that future society."

"I know it seems strange, but I believe I can trust what Vance put into his stories. You know, I suspect his replicoid visited Alastor Cluster and then gave Vance his story ideas." I kissed the tip of Zeta's nose, turned and said, "Watch this!" I took a step towards the center of the room and was again caught up in the Simulator. From Zeta's perspective, I simply vanished as I was placed inside the Simulation System.

Katenary Islands

Up in the night sky of Numenes, I could see the under-side of the Palace and I knew exactly where I was: the Katenary Islands. I turned around and saw that Yōd had already arrived. She was relaxing in a lounge chair, but jumped to her feet when she saw me. We had a strong telepathic connection and she told me: I just got here!

I was again impressed at how the Simulator System seemed to automatically make good choices and had synchronized our arrivals on Numenes. Yōd was using a new face and body form that I'd never seen before, but as usual she was very cute and had her blouse unbuttoned in a seductive fashion. I asked: Where is Azynov?

He did not want to take any risks in dealing with Nyrtia. He's outside the Simulator, watching us.

I was please by the idea of having a backup plan just in case we got ourselves in trouble. I asked: How is Roxzel?

Yōd told me: Just fine. She's with Azynov. I could sense that Yōd was not happy about being separated from her daughter.

I was eager to get on with our planned mission. I want to make reservations to get up into space and out to L2, but I don't have any money.

Yōd led me inside through the back entrance of the little tourist house. Now she spoke out-loud, "Money is no problem." She handed me an Alastor credit card that had the name "Eddy Torus" on it. "I already made our reservations for the trip to L2."

I asked, "Eddy Torus?"

Yōd giggled and told me, "That's a joke. A bull shit name for you... the Editor."

I groaned. "What name are you using?"

image source

"I've been using my own name here in this simulation... Yōd passes well enough as an Alastor name."

I asked, "What have you been able to find out about L2?"

Yōd activated a holodisplay and showed me a map of the L2 community. "Azynov and I were able to confirm that there is a secret teleportation research project at L2." She pointed to the map of L2. "This asteroid mining facility conceals the research center. There are multiple layers of military security and no tourists visit L2, so we need to take care with our cover stories. However, if we demonstrate our strong telepathic linkage then we should be able to get invited to join the new telepathy research project at L2."

"Telepathy?" I'd been expecting to investigate a teleportation research project at L2, but I was amazed at the strength of my telepathic linkage into Yōd's mind. Yōd and Azynov were on an extended mission in Alastor Cluster exploring how human telepaths had been selectively bred during the Asimov Reality.

"Yes, it is a new secret scientific effort by the Connatic and their cover is that a second L2 mining facility is ready to open. The Connatic is launching a new initiative to study telepathy genes." Yōd tapped on a blank region of the map. "The new facility is not on any maps, but it is there."

For a minute I studied the map which showed hundreds of labeled space stations. "I was picturing one big space station not this jumble..."

in the Ekcolir Reality

"The residents use little space flitters to zip between the stations, but many families have their own home station. The largest stations are the education center, the shopping center, the arts center and the recreation park and three planned residential communities. Each of those are almost as large as the teleportation research/mining station."

"I wonder why Vance never mentioned this sort of community in any of his Alastor Cluster novels."

"Space communities like L2 are rare in the Cluster. Most people prefer to live on planets."

"Is L2 safe?"

"The greatest danger is space pirates, but here so close to Numenes there is a huge concentration of military patrol ships. If pirates attacked L2, they would never make a safe escape."

"How do we get there?"

"We'll go up the space elevator and catch one of the regular shuttles to Blazon Spaceport. From there, we'll take a spaceship out to L2." Yōd showed me the flight plan on the map.

"Now I get it! Blazon is at the L1 position and L2, amazingly enough, is at the second Lagrange point."

Yōd asked, "Lagrange?"

"Lagrange was an astronomer. He realized that there are gravitationally privileged places in star systems, at a few particular locations near massive objects like planets."

Yōd shrugged, "I'm not sure that anyone in Alastor Cluster remembers that ancient Earth history."

I asked, "When is our flight?"

in the Ekcolir Reality

"Are you in a hurry?" Yōd gestured with a wave of her arm. "We have this cottage for the next 20 hours. You don't want to relax for a while?"

Yōd was playing her usual game, acting sexy and seductive. Her unbuttoned top barely concealing her cute breasts. I'd never been willing to trust myself alone with her and I did not want to end up having to explain any sexcapades with Yōd to my wife. Still, Zeta was having a rather wild sexual romp with Nora and wasn't it fair if I just happened to... Yōd told me: Don't worry, I wont take advantage of you. We can head on over to the space elevator right now... if you insist.

Thank you. I'd love to spend the night with you, but I'd never be able to explain that to your sister.

So don't explain. Why do you always make trouble for yourself?

It is a reflex. If we made love tonight, I'd never be able to stop myself from thinking about you and then Zeta would see it in my thoughts and it would be another sore point... just like Ivory Fersoni.

Yōd shrugged. "Yes, it is a sad situation. You don't know how to lie, so I miss out on an opportunity for a perfectly good orgasm. And I can tell you this... when we demonstrate our telepathic link to the Whelm, they are going to suggest we experiment with orgasm trances."

"We'll just say that we've tried that and it does no good. We already know that for you and I, brain pattern synchronization happens best during sleep, not during an orgasm."

"You don't know that." Yōd slowly ran a hand over one of her breasts and now I could the pink, erect nipple. "What if we need to boost our telepathic powers in order to learn about the teleportation project?"

orgasm trance

"Okay, let's make a deal. If we need to boost our telepathic abilities then we can try an orgasm trance. Otherwise, stop tempting me." I buttoned up the front of her blouse. 

Rather exasperated, Yōd muttered, "Sure, old man."

I was in my younger body, probably something between 25 and 30 years old. "I'm still young at heart..." I reached out and let my fingers slide through Yōd's lovely hair. "... I don't want to make Azynov jealous."

Yōd laughed and put her arms around me. She had never looked more alluring. "I suppose Azynov can simply restart this Simulation if he is offended by something you do."

I asked, "What do you mean when you say he is outside of the Simulation?"

Yōd shrugged, "Sometimes he takes us... outside. He calls it the workshop. From there we can watch events in the Simulation rather than participate in... this." Yōd nodded to one side to indicate our surroundings.

I pulled myself from her embrace and moved over to a large collection of travel cases that was stacked near the front door of the cottage. "Let's keep focused on our task." I was none too certain that we had come together with the same goals in mind. There were disadvantages to having my strongest telepathic linkage to Yōd while I was asleep and dreaming. "I just want to find out why Nyrtia was handing out advanced technology to humans." I picked up one of the cases. "Why did you pack so much stuff?"

Yōd explained, "Remember our cover story. We're from Earth and moving to L2 so that you can do research for a book you are writing. These cases contain all of our belongings. Don't worry... we don't have to carry everything... it will all be shipped to L2 in the morning." She took my hand and led me through the front door and back out into the soft Numenes night.

R. Nyrtia

I was dazzled by the sight of the Palace hanging over our heads and then amazed by the wonder of the space elevator that took us up and into outer-space. The bustle and specter of Blazon Spaceport astounded me. We had glimpses of strange looking people of several alien species who moved among the crowds of human travelers. 

Intent on learning about the new telepathy research project in L2, Yōd led me to an inconspicuous door in a quiet corner of the space station marked Whelm Personnel Only - Travelers Aid. Inside, we approached a desk where a woman in uniform stood, working at a display console. She looked up and asked us, "May I be of service?"

Yōd replied, "We want to inquire about the L2 telepathy project..." Yōd looked at the woman's ID badge. "Lieutenant Ryksdau."

The Lieutenant asked skeptically, "Are you in the Whelm?"

"No."

"One moment, please." Ryksdau entered data into the console and soon a man's voice was heard. "Please leave the room, Lieutenant."

Lieutenant Ryksdau looked surprised and raised an eyebrow. "But..." She glanced at the office door and then turned her wondering gaze back at Yōd and I. Ryksdau asked, "What's going on?"

The voice spoke to Ryksdau, "These two are on our security watch list. This is a top secret matter, so please step outside for a few minutes." 

Lieutenant Ryksdau objected, "This is my duty station. I can't leave until I'm relieved at the end of this shift."

The man's voice said, "Clear out, Lieutenant. That's an order. I'm relieving you for five minutes. Go!"

Tar'tron

Ryksdau walked out of the little office and as the door closed, the man's voice said, "Yōd, step up to the data console... stand in front of the vidcom."

Yōd moved around to the far side of the console. "Who am I talking to?"

"I'll ask the questions." There was an amused chuckle and then voice from the data console asked, "How did you learn about the telepathy project?"

Yōd gazed at a blank video screen. Whoever she was talking to did not want to be seen. She shrugged and replied, "How else? My husband and I are both telepaths."

The man said, "I see you just arrived at Blazon... Yōd and Eddy Torus. What world are you from?"

Yōd replied, "I grew up on Tar'tron, but I have visited many worlds." Yōd told me telepathically: That will baffle him.

"Tar'tron?" There was a pause of about ten seconds. "Where is Tar'tron?"

Yōd looked at me. I said, "Forget about Tar'tron. We've both come here from Earth."

Yōd now looked at something new that was displayed on the console. The voice told me, "Eddy, tell me what is on the data display."

I could not see the display screen with my own eyes. I closed my eyes and telepathically tuned into Yōd's visual sensorium. I could "read" what Yōd could see with her eyes. "Bey Paqt, L2 military police chief." There was also an image on the display screen, a somber face, apparently that of Chief Paqt.

The voice told us, "When you get to L2, Bey will take you in hand." A buzzer sounded and the door to the office popped open.

Lieutenant Ryksdau came back into the room along with two Whelm soldiers. Ryksdau pulled Yōd out from behind the workstation. The Lieutenant glanced at a display screen and asked, "Why are you going to L2?" She still had hold of Yōd's arm. "You are a telepath?"

Yōd nodded. "Yes. I can feel a telepathic link to your mind." I could telepathically sense that Yōd was using her telepathic abilities to bombard Ryksdau with erotic suggestions.

Ryksdau smiled at Yōd. "I'd love to chat, but my shift won't end before you depart from L2. We're getting a pretty steady stream of telepaths through here lately. Many of them are aliens. Anyhow, I have to get back to work." Ryksdau glanced at the two soldiers and reluctantly let go of Yōd. Ryksdau told the soldiers, "I think I can still get you tickets for either the Kingley Review or the Lizo-Juk concert."

Yōd took my arm and led me out of Ryksdau's office and off into a part of the station that held a large assortment of entertainment establishments and restaurants. "That went well, don't you think?"

I asked, "Do you know this Bey Paqt?"

"No. Azynov will check her out." Yōd looked at the list of flights. "The next flight to L2 departs from Blazon in four hours." We were walking through a part of the Blazon space station that held dozens of restaurants. Savory aromas filled the air. "What would you like to eat?"

I was not hungry. I wondered if I was going to get hungry or tired in this simulation. Yōd selected one of the eating establishments and led me inside to a table. Yōd told me, "You should eat even if you are not hungry. We have to keep up appearances. We are going to be under observation by Whelm security."

I asked, "Why did you have to draw attention to our telepathic abilities? I wanted to try to slip quietly into the teleportation research facility."

Yōd explained, "Azynov and I have learned to be bold. If we get into any trouble, we'll reset the simulation. If we are overly cautious then this mission could take forever. I don't want to be away from my daughter very long."

Yrinna

I pointed across the room to where a young man in a black suit was seated so that he could watch us. "I think we're already being followed."

Yōd shrugged. "Now that we've revealed our telepathic abilities and being this close to the Connatic's Palace we now have to expect to enjoy the continuous attention of the Whelm." She placed a food order through the table top menu and then got up from our table and went over to the nearby table where the  man dressed in black was seated. After they chatted for a time, Yōd and the man returned to the table where I was seated and he sat down across from me. Yōd introduced me to the man: he was Captain Bolunz.

I reached out with my mind and could sense the fringe of his mind. I asked, "You are a telepath?"

"Low grade. I'm surprised you can detect my pitiful twitino output."

Yōd asked Bolunz, "Are all the powerful telepaths being assembled at L2?"

Captain Bolunz shook his head. "I'd be the last to know, but there have been several cases like yours in the past few weeks... powerful telepaths on their way to L2. Something strange and new is happening out there at L2. Don't ask me what. I just help make sure that folks like you make it to your destination."

Yōd wondered out-loud, "Why shouldn't we?" She was now telepathically sending erotic messages to the Captain.

Captain Bolunz looked over his shoulder and seemed to scan the room with his eyes. "If you want my guess, the danger is pirates. Ever since the battle of Yrinna, rumors of Pirate revenge attacks have been rampant. Everyone is on edge."

A robotic waiter arrived with our food and drinks. Yōd asked the Captain, "Care to join us... for a bite?"

Bolunz shook his head. "I'm on duty. I'm supposed to be watching you two."

twitinos

I could tell that the Captain was only watching Yōd and he had seemingly forgotten about me. I could understand why. Yōd was looking quite radiant and she was smiling at the Captain and her blouse was again hanging open to her navel. Yōd said, "You're a young man, Captain. How did you earn such a high rank?"

Bolunz explained, "I produce almost no twitinos. That means I don't usually attract the attention of other telepaths... so I am valuable to the Whelm. I'm only a good receiver of twitinos." He placed a hand close to Yōd's head. "I'm impressed... I've never felt a telepathic mind quite like yours." He lowered his hand. I could not see his hand, but through my telepathic link to Yōd, I knew that the Captain's hand was now on her leg. "Where is Tar'tron?"

Yōd described the location of Tar'tron in the galactic core. Then she changed the subject and asked, "Do you know Chief Paqt?"

"Yes. We'll be seeing her as soon as I get you two out to L2."

"What is she like?"

"Even younger than me. L2 is her first posting out of the Academy."

I could sense that he cut off his answer rather abruptly. I wondered what else he knew about L2 and Bey Paqt. I asked, "You don't spend time at L2?"

Not bothering to look at me, Bolunz replied to my questions, "Just the length of a layover, waiting for a return flight. I live here at Blazon."

Yōd suggested, "Maybe you can show us around before we catch our flight." I could telepathically sense that Yōd now had her hand on the Captain's crotch. "I've never seen such a huge... station."

Bolunz now glanced across the table at me and asked, "You two are married?"

Yōd replied with a question of her own, "Haven't you seen our records?"

"I'm reviewing them right now via my datimp. Not much to them, really. I figure you are either cousins or husband and wife. The documents that the Whelm has been able to obtain don't provide any details about your past lives... no marriage record." He asked me, "Are you really from Earth?"

"I am, but I doubt if you'll find any records of my life."

"The Whelm has diplomatic connections to all the major planets, including Earth."

I was tempted to tell the Captain that I was from another Reality, but I simply said, "You don't know my true identity. The name 'Eddy Torus' won't lead you to any records of my life."

"Why are you using a false identity? That sort of thing makes the Whelm nervous... we start thinking about space pirates."

Earth's Reality Chain

Yōd now had her hand inside the Captain's pants. "Relax Captain. Do I look like a pirate?"

Bolunz chuckled. "Relax? My dear lady, you have me in a state of heightened attention."

Yōd added, "And you might as well relax and enjoy it. Your mind is putty in my hands, even if you penis is stiff as a board. But you need not be alarmed. This is all just a simulation. When Eddy and I are done with our mission at L2, the whole simulation will be reset... I'll move on to study other parts of the Cluster."

Bolunz licked his lips and asked nervously, "What are you talking about?"

Yōd sighed and told Bolunz, "Just what I said. Don't try to make sense of it. I've got nanites inside your brain. Just relax and do as I say."

"Yes, of course, my lady."

Yōd told Captain Bolunz, "Relax completely."

I watched with amazement as the Captain's eyes rolled back in their sockets. Yōd brought her hand up onto the table top and wiped some of the Captain's semen off of her fingers with a napkin. I nervously glanced around the room. Telepathically, I chastised Yōd: What if another Whelm agent is watching us?

Yōd shrugged and told me: I can deal with them just as easily.

I can't believe you gave him a hand job in a public restaurant.

I had to distract him until I could take control of his mind with the nanites.

source
(Sedronite, image credits)

Once again I looked around the restaurant. As far as I could tell, nobody was paying any attention to us. Then I did a double take. There was Azynov, walking towards our table. He plated a kiss on Yōd's lips then he sat down beside me. I could sense that Yōd was in telepathic communication with Azynov, but I had no direct link to his mind. He turned to me and said, "Long time no see."

It had been several years since I had briefly met Azynov. I mumbled, "I thought you were... outside..."

"Yes, and I'll stay out of the way... mostly." Azynov turned his attention back to Yōd. "I thought maybe you would be able to talk him out of this wild goose chase."

Yōd gave her head a brief and seemingly fatalistic shake. "I'm intrigued. Why would Nyrtia dare give humans teleportation technology? Just imagine the trouble that would unleash! And I doubt if Manny would ever allow that to happen."

Azynov said, "I've now looked as far as 200,000 years into the future. Humans in the Reality simply don't get teleportation technology, or else it is only used secretly by some minority group."

Yōd looked at me and told Azynov, "In any case, our trip to L2 is a convenient trial for testing his ability to control the Simulator and my growing ability to use my medical nanites for non-medical purposes."

Azynov told Yōd, "Your nanites are very inefficient, so in the future, don't hesitate to use sex as a weapon. I had to reset this simulation five times before you figured out how to gain proper control of the Captain." Azynov inclined his head towards the Whelm agent who seemed to be either sleeping or in some sort of trance.

original cover art by Ed Emshwiller
and Robert Harris; see this.

Yōd complained, "I'm still learning how to use the nanites, I'll get better. I have to keep repeatedly sending safety over-ride commands if I want to shut off neuronal activity in someone's motor cortex. I'm not that good a telepath, so it is exhausting work."

"Well, although your nanites were not designed for this purpose, you proved that you can control the Captain's behavior. It will be interesting to see if he remembers what happened. Let's hope you did not damage his brain." Azynov then changed the subject. "Now, about Chief Paqt... she'll meet you at L2. Usually she helps new arrivals get settled, but I suspect she will take you directly to the head of the telepathy project. They'll want to do more tests on you two. Tone down your telepathic linkage or else they'll never let you have any freedom of movement out there." Azynov nodded towards the window that provided a view of deep space.

Yōd asked, "Chief Paqt is the head of security at L2?"

Azynov shook his head. "Nothing like that. Bey Paqt deals with lost pets and orbit arguments between neighbors. The secret research facilities have their own security forces."

I suggested, "So, Chief Paqt deals only with civilian matters."

on Yrinna

"Yes, as far as I can tell. However, she's living with a man who is an undercover agent of the Whelm. That makes me wonder if the Chief Paqt identity can really be taken at face value. Maybe she has an additional secret identity and role that I've not yet discovered."

Yōd reached across the table and patted Azynov's hand. "Keep up the good work, darling." She looked over her shoulder. "Is anyone watching us now?"

"No, not as far as I can tell." Azynov shrugged. "However, microsurveil units can be hard to detect."

 I asked, "Who is in charge at L2?"

Azynov explained, "It is something of a mare's nest out there. I'm still sorting it out. There are at least three Whelm Generals there... one for the teleportation project, one for the new telepathy project and another who deals with space ship security on the asteroid runs."

Yōd asked, "Have they been dealing with space pirates?"

"You heard Captain Bolunz. Rumor has it that that the pirates of Yrinna are planning revenge. The Whelm is tying itself up in knots, expecting a counter strike from the pirates."

I suggested, "Standard military procedure. After winning a war, the military has to keep stoking fears so as to keep their funding up."

Azynov stood up. "We shall see. I'm going to get back to my Viewing station and see what more I can learn." Yōd popped up out of her chair and hugged Azynov. She asked him, "Can you share your Simulation Control Nanites with... Eddy?"

Azynov shook his head. "I just tried, but his endosymbiont did not respond." They kissed, then he turned away from Yōd and strolled out of the restaurant.

The mind control nanites

Yōd sat down again told me, "I never should have let you talk me into this."

I expressed my wishful thinking, "If we get into trouble, Azynov will just reset the simulation."

Yōd showed me an expression that was part way between a smile and grimace. "Think it through. The best way to get the Whelm to reveal their secrets would be for Azynov to lead you and I into a trap. Sure, eventually Azynov will yank us out of trouble, but maybe not until after we've been put through the ringer."

Suspecting that Yōd was correct and now feeling nervous about our prospects for an uneventful visit to L2, I tried to put on a brave front. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I don't mind adventure, but I'm not interested in getting caught up in the next battle between the Whelm and the space pirates of Alastor Cluster." Yōd pushed the remnants of our meal into the waste chute. 

I thought back over the sequence of events that had led us to Numenes. "Maybe this is all wrong. That story about Nyrtia and teleportation was found in the Ekcolir Reality. The French Notebook. Maybe it is nothing but fiction. We don't even know who wrote it and how it got into the archives of the Writers Block."

Yōd suggested, "Maybe Nyrtia planted that story at the Writers Block just to confuse us."

I wondered, "Where would you have taken me if I had not suggested this little jaunt?"

Glisten

"Azynov and I have been living on Zeck. Our plan was to let Roxzel reach age five before we get back to investigating the origins of human telepathy. Zeck is very pleasant... I would not mind retiring there."

I mused, "It would be fun to meet Glisten and Jantiff." I could telepathically sense that Yōd was thinking about Roxzel playing with the two young children of Glisten and Jantiff.

Yōd asked me, "In an emergency, you can pull us out of this simulation, right?"

"I've been meaning to discuss that with you..." I was still confused about the relationship between the Asimov Reality Simulator at Observer Base and Nyrtia's Simulation System. Until I had arrived on Numenes, I was thinking that the two Simulators were distinct. "Where exactly are we? If we are now inside the Eternity Simulation System, then maybe my recall nanites won't work here."

Yōd asked me, "What makes you think Nyrtia has a separate Simulation System beyond what exists in Eternity?"

I spent an hour telling Yōd details about my recent experiences inside Nyrtia's Simulator. "So, I don't know for sure, but I think Nyrtia is trapped in the Sedron Domain..."

Yōd added, "And the AR Simulator of Eternity is in the Hierion Domain. But Nyrtia could have 'backdoor' access to the Hierion Domain from the Sedron Domain."

I complained, "Anything is possible. We know nothing useful about this Simulation Technology..."

Yōd suggested, "Go ahead and do a test. See if you can get out of this Simulation."

I laughed. "I'm not going to disappear." I looked around at the other diners. "Someone will see me vanish."

the Hierion Domain

Yōd stood up and grabbed my arm. I allowed myself to be pulled to my feet. I looked at Captain Bolunz and asked, "What about him."

"He isn't going anywhere. This will just take a minute." She took me into the public restroom and then through a door into a private room with shower facilities. "Hurry up."

I thought about Zeta and her enthusiasm for sexplay with Nora. When I activated the Simulator recall sequence and found myself back home. I quickly went to my computer and adjusted the settings in the Simulation index, moving the temporal selector forward along the Time axis. I wondered: what controlled exactly where I was inserted into the simulation? I thought about Yōd and turned back towards...

I arrived back in the Asimov Reality Simulation. Yōd asked me, "Where did you go?"

"Back home. Earth."

"Damn. I was hoping you'd be able to pull us back to Azynov's workshop."

A strange idea popped into my head. "What if..." I fell silent. Maybe all I had to do was be thinking about Azynov. Would that direct me to his workshop outside the Simulator?

Yōd was trying to telepathically "show" me Azynov's workshop and there was a complex pattern in her thoughts reflecting her emotional attachment to Azynov.

"What?" I was confused by what I sensed in Yōd's mind and trying to think it through. I was tempted to try to jump to Azynov's workshop, but nervous about the Whelm agent we had abandoned. "Let's get out of here." Yōd led the way back to our table. She pointed to the Captain and told me, "Get him on his feet."

I sat down beside the Whelm officer. Still thinking about Azynov and exactly where he was at that moment, I was wondering if maybe the Asimov Reality Simulator of Eternity was being run as a simulation inside Nyrtia's Reality Simulation System. Then Captain Bolunz suddenly turned his head and looked at me. "What..." He seemed confused, almost drunk.

Bey Paqt

I took hold of his arm and helped the Captain to his feet. When I grabbed hold of the Whelm agent, I had a suddenly flashed image of a cute woman in my mind. I realized that the woman was Bey Paqt. Yōd told Bolunz, "Let's stroll over towards our departure gate. Tell us about L2."

For an hour we wandered through the space port while Captain Bolunz told us stories about Bey Paqt and what we should expect to find when we arrived at the Lagrange point asteroidal mining community. When we reached our flight's departure gate, he said, "Without military clearance, you won't be allowed to get near the two research stations."

Yōd looked at the overhead information displays and said, "They've already started early boarding."

"We don't need to wait." Bolunz explained, "I've got top military clearance. I'll get us our boarding passes." He led us to one of the automated kiosks and after our identities were confirmed, our three passes dropped out of the dispenser. A minute late we were onboard the spaceship.

Next: Part 2 of The Prisoner of L2.

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