Robot Adept

He had to laugh. That was the least of his worries! “You remain here, while I exchange,” he told her, disengaging. “We don’t want another four-way crossover!”

“Or to find ourselves in the wrong lover’s arms.” She was being very pointed. He nodded, and turned, and walked about fifty feet, coming to the spot where Mach waited. Then he slowed, as if not quite sure of the exact spot, and passed through it without stopping.

Mach! he thought as they intersected. Exchange not yet. There be a trap for me here I needs must spring. Then he was out of phase.

He turned, as if reorienting, and walked back into Mach. Understood, Mach replied. I will wait.

Bane stopped just beyond intersection, spread his arms as if in discovery, and put a dazed expression on his face. He blinked, and began to lose his balance. Then he looked up, as if reorienting on the landscape of Phaze after being in a chamber of Proton. He opened his mouth.

Tania appeared immediately before him. “Bane,” she said. Then she hit him with her power.

The effect was emotional rather than physical, but it was potent. Suddenly she seemed to glow, to become the ultimate and eternal woman, perfect of form and feature, phenomenally desirable. Her tan tresses shone with a golden luster, and her tan eyes bore on his magnetically. It was as if the entire frame were dissolving, becoming unreal; the only reality was here.

And she was beautiful. He could not deny that, objectively. She was not creating the illusion of appeal where none existed, she was enhancing a formidable base. Her face had seemed relatively plain, but her body was excellent, and now that her expression was animated, even her face was good. But that was merely physical. He had seen her destroy the little bird; he had seen her cruelty. He knew she was no prize.

More important, he was not vulnerable. His love was not uncertain or compromised. “Agape,” he murmured. And saw the faint splash.

The ripple spread outward, almost invisible. But when it passed Tania, she screamed. She knew in that moment that she had lost, and that the trap had been for nothing. She had tried to exert her power on a man whose love was true.

The Translucent Adept appeared, floating in his watery bubble. “What be this?” he demanded, staring at Tania.

“That wench tried to fascinate me,” Bane said. “Be this the way thou does honor the truce?”

“I had no part in this!” Translucent cried angrily. “I knew of it not, nor was it mine intent.” There was another faint splash as he spoke, vindicating him. “The wench was to test only Mach’s identity, lest there be deceit; thereafter she was to have no part of this.”

The Red Adept appeared. “There was deceit on both sides,” he said. “The Adverse Adepts set goblins to track the couple, to capture Agape, and to bring Tania to catch Bane. This be the proof o’ that.”

“Then be mine oath compromised,” Translucent said grimly.

“But it were Bane who went last to thy Demesnes, and spied on thee,” Trool continued. “Thus be mine own oath compromised, by the dealing of mine associates. I learned o’ this late.”

Translucent gazed at him. “Dost proffer offsetting injuries?”

“Aye.”

“Accepted. Let us have no more o’ this.”

“No more o’ this,” Trool agreed. “Needs must we fashion an end to this standoff, that the issue be decided fairly and openly.”

“Aye. But how?”

“The Tourney!” Fleta called.

Both Adepts glanced at her in surprise. “What dost thou know o’ that, mare?” Translucent asked.

“It be the fairest way in Proton to settle an issue,” she said stoutly. “First be the Grid played, wherein be strategy, but none may know ahead what game can come o’ it, then be the game played, and the victor be determined by skill or luck or agreement as may be, but none may know ahead for sure who will prevail. Settle the issue with a tourney!”

“But this be Phaze,” Translucent protested. “There be no tourney here.”

“There be contests,” Fleta said. “The Unilympics, the Werelympics—”

“Animal shows,” the Adept said disparagingly. “But in any event, this be a matter between frames, not to be settled by a contest in one. And we can not have a contest between frames.”

“We could,” Tania said, speaking for the first time since her failure.

Translucent turned on her a look of irritation. “Be thankful I banish thee not to the depth of the sea, wench!” he snapped. “I’ll have no input from thee!”

“I cheated too,” Fleta said. “I knew I was with Bane, not Mach, in thy Demesnes. I be guilty as she.”

“Then let her speak,” Trool said, intrigued. “There be only two who can communicate between frames,” Tania said. “Or maybe four, but only two on their own. One sides with us, the other with Stile’s forces. They be alternate selves, inherently even. Let them vie with each other, one in each frame. Let the loser join the side o’ the victor.”

Translucent looked at Trool, who looked equally amazed.

“And let their loves assist them,” Fleta said.

Trool spoke to Bane. “Dost thou concur?”