PHALANX - The series

Episode nine: The quest for peace.

 

 Frederic and Jennifer where lying on some tropical beach, with Jennifer's body resting on Frederic's, her head resting on his chest. Frederic held on to her with one arm, and both her hands held on to it.

Frederic took a bunch of grapes, and held it out for her. They both laughed as she tried to take one with her mouth, but he withdrew it just so much she couldn't get to it. Jennifer raised her head a little, and was just quick enough to take the lowest grape. Again, they laughed.

"Ahh, this is the life. A good beach, great food, and a lovely woman by my side. I could get used to this, you know," he said, holding on to her with both arms now. She cuddled deeper into them.

"I know. So could I," she purred, while closing her eyes.

They both relaxed, and entered that private, intimate place that was their private link. Their minds entwined, their emotions where shared, until no one but themselves could tell them apart. In reality they became one mind. There existed no Frederic, no Jennifer, just their shared feelings and thoughts.

Daphnix walked up to both of them, and smiled at the sight of both his friends, merged into an embrace, the look of pure satisfaction and happiness betraying where their minds where at the moment. He shook his head, turned around and walked back to the bridge.

"Linda, what's the status? Anything I should be aware of?" he asked, sitting in the command chair.

Sorry.

"Great. All this technology and not a thing to do. I'm bored," Daphnix grunted.

If I may make a suggestion: Why don't you take a trip? There are a lot of unexplored parallel universes out there.

Daphnix's reclining form shot up. "Great idea! Linda, begin preparation of the Daedalus III, and run through the checklist. I'll be right there."

Will do.

Daphnix shot up from the command chair and walked to the main storage cabinet. He put in his command authorization, and took out a 'survival pack', a backpack filled with a tent, spare clothes, extra fusion batteries, and 10,000 dollars in gold. Very soon Frederic and his friends had realized that dollars weren't the main currency on every planet, and gold was accepted everywhere, so they used gold as money.

Daphnix strapped on the backpack and walked to his quarters. He strapped on his sword, and walked leisurely to the main fighter bay. The door slid open on his approach, and Daphnix walked up to the Daedalus, already powered up, and ready to go.

"Linda, close door and switch to internal systems. Open fighter bay door." The artificial life form acknowledged the orders. Daphnix carefully piloted the small ship out of the hangar, and away from the large battlecarrier.

"Take over, Linda. Select a random dimension, and get us under way," Daphnix said. He tapped a few controls, and the main control panel stopped responding to his given orders. He sighed, and relaxed in the pilot's chair, his feet coming up to the panel he had locked out. He relaxed and enjoyed the view of the red dimension shift.

As suddenly as the spectacle started, it ended. Linda piloted the craft in a high orbit, as not to interfere with the satellites orbiting the planet. The ship automatically went into a level-one cloak, so it wouldn't register on any of the sensors.

Daphnix slowly sat up straight, and reactivated the locked-out panel. He activated the transponder, so the Ortega would know where to find him, and dressed himself in normal everyday clothes. The sword was carefully concealed in a secret compartment in the clothes.

"Linda, anything interesting I should know?"

Maybe. There's a small town in Maine. It's called Rockport.

"What's so strange about it?"

It registers the largest VR system on this planet. I also read that there is very advanced technology present there. For this planet that is. It is mid-21st century on our planet.

"I see. That might be interesting. What's the weather there for the moment?"

A warm midsummer's day.

"Damn. I knew I should have asked first. Now I have to change clothes again. And where in Hell am I going to conceal my sword?"

May I suggest your backpack?

"Thank you. Linda, clothes. Normal for this planet. Shorts and a T-shirt. And some hiking boots as well. I want to appear a hiker." The clothes appeared, and Daphnix changed clothes. Again. He beamed down a kilometer outside of the town, and walked towards it.

He walked casually into the town, and headed straight for the first bank he saw. He exchanged 1000 dollars worth of gold for local currency. They gave him 1100 dollars.

Cool. This planet should be visited more often, he thought as he walked to the finest restaurant he could find, and treated himself to a late lunch.

 

"Miss, could I have the check please?" Daphnix asked after he had finished his cup of coffee.

"Of course," The blonde said, and returned a few minutes later with the check. Daphnix opened his wallet, and started pulling out notes.

He put the money on the table. He handed the girl, who had been so helpful during the afternoon, a ten-dollar bill. "This is for you. Thanks for the service. I have to go now." He got up.

"Thanks. If you happen to pass through here again, don't hesitate to come back."

"I'll do that. Bye," Daphnix said.

"Bye," The girl said, and returned to work. Daphnix turned and left. He walked around the town for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Frederic was playing the piano, singing 'candle in the wind'. Jennifer was laying flat on her stomach on top of the piano. It was one of their favorite songs, although sad and slow. Frederic, lighting up the mood, started a classical piece of music right after.

Jennifer looked on as Frederic's fingers raced across the keys. She slowly got up, and walked around to Frederic. She put a hand on his shoulder as he played. Slowly, she sat down next to him, and removed her hand from his shoulder. She put both her hand next to his on the keys, and together, they played. The music rising in strength and intensity every passing moment. After the piece was over, Frederic leaned closer to Jennifer and very slowly and passionately, they kissed. Few kisses ever where as sensual as theirs, enhanced by the countless millennia of memories they possessed.

After thirty seconds, they broke the kiss, and smiled at each other. Their foreheads rested against each other's, and their link deepened once again. After a few more minutes of deep intimate contact, Frederic got up, and held out his hand in a courteous manner. Jennifer put her hand in his, and lifted herself to her feet. Hand in hand like this, they walked to their quarters.

Private message from Daphnix.

Frederic read the blinking message on the monitor. "Well, at least he left us in peace this time," he muttered, and ordered the message.

"My friends, I did not want to disturb your peace this afternoon, so I left without notice. I have gone on a trip with the Daedalus III. I will activate the transponder when I arrive, so you'll be able to find me. I've taken one survival pack, and plan to have some vacation. Join me as soon as you can. Or are willing." Daphnix's recorded face disappeared with a smile at this last comment.

Frederic and Jennifer looked at each other, shrugged and both said at the same time: "Why not?" They burst out laughing, and walked to the bridge.

"Linda, take us to Daphnix," Frederic said, opening the storage cabinet and took out two more supply packs. After almost closing it, he also took out three combat jackets, with full gear, minus the magical weaponry. He ordered the supplies to be beamed to the APV, the packs beamed to the back seat, and the jackets into the trunk.

Jennifer relaxed in the command chair as Frederic walked up to her. He sat down on the armrest and dropped an arm around her. Seated like that, they watched the transdimensional travel, and heard the report Linda gave of the planet. They ordered the Daedalus III to be found, retrieved and put back in standby mode. The ship was soon found and deactivated.

Frederic and Jennifer walked to the garage, a small space they had dedicated to supplies and machinery concerning the APV as well as the APV itself. After seating themselves properly, Frederic activated the systems.

"Linda, one APV to beam down to the surface. A deserted stretch of road near Rockport, please," Jennifer said. Linda's sensors soon located a deserted road, and beamed them to it.

"Hey, what the hell?" Frederic said as he saw that both he and Jennifer had changed clothes during transport.

It is a warm summer day here. You would draw unwanted attention appearing like you where dressed.

"Thanks, Linda. Please be so kind to go to convertible mode," Jennifer said. The computer just muttered a 'sure', and the roof disappeared. The car changed shape a little, as to accommodate to normal convertibles.

"Now, let's find Daphnix!" Frederic shouted as he floored the car. It shot forward as Frederic hurriedly worked through the gears. Jennifer screamed in delight as the car's acceleration gripped them. They where doing 150 in less than no time. Very soon, Frederic started braking, and at a normal, leisurely 75 kilometers an hour, they drove into the town. He slowed down even more, and soon parked the car in the first available spot they found.

Frederic and Jennifer got out, and as Frederic closed the door, the roof sealed itself, and the car went into maximal security.

Hand in hand, they walked around the town, looking for their friend, looking at shops, and generally having a good time. When the time was around six, Frederic and Jennifer thought it was time to team up with Daphnix. Frederic took a small-size communicator from his pocket, and asked for Daphnix's location. They found him in less than 5 minutes, wandering in a park.

"So, here you are. And? Had a good time?" Frederic asked, a smile on his face.

"I did. So, when did you guys arrive here?" Daphnix asked, after clasping Fred's hand firmly, and giving Jennifer a hug.

"At around four this afternoon. So, anything special in this town we have to check out before we go investigate this VR system that drew your attention?" Jennifer asked.

"It's six thirty. Let's get a bite to eat. I know just the place," Daphnix said, and made a 'coming?' sign. Frederic and Jennifer agreed, and soon they where walking towards the same restaurant Daphnix had his late lunch at. After taking one look at the place, Frederic said:

"We'll need fancy clothes for this place. Linda, clothing beam. Something formal." The beam did its job. The casual clothes were replaced by two tuxedos and an evening dress, with appropriate jewelry, of course. Linda knew her world.

Much to Daphnix's amusement, it was the same waitress that had served him earlier.

"I told you I'd be back." Daphnix laughed. The girl laughed as well.

"Something I should know about, D?" Frederic joked.

"No, just an acquaintance I made earlier today. I tipped her ten bucks for her helpfulness, and she offered to come back whenever I was in town. So, here I am," Daphnix said, laughing.

The girl's pearly white teeth showed at her laugh. "So, what can I get you?" she asked.

Daphnix, Frederic and Jennifer looked at each other. They shrugged at each other.

<<It's been a time we've had some time to ourselves. Why not party?>> Frederic offered. His two companions eagerly agreed.

<<Let's see. We have oh! Lobster! Who's in for a sea-food special?>> he asked. Neither Daphnix nor Jennifer knew what Frederic had planned, but they agreed. When in need for a party, Frederic could come up with some pretty special things.

"What champagne and white wine can you recommend?" Frederic asked with a straight face. The girl almost fell over her own words. Frederic flashed his ID, and she excused herself for a moment, and returned a moment later with a very stern looking man.

"This is the wine master. He'll be able to help you further." The girl stepped back, to allow the man to approach the table.

"Very well. We would like a white wine to go with oysters and lobster, please. What can you recommend? And we would also like to know if you have a good champagne to end this perfect day," Frederic said. The man literally pulled up one eyebrow, and obviously tried to keep a straight face.

The man made a few suggestions, and soon Frederic and the man where engaged in a vivid discussion concerning dry, medium-dry, sweet and bouquets that the different wines have. It only took the wine master one moment to learn that he had a specialist before him. After about 40 to 50 seconds, they had come to an agreement on what would be best. Frederic ordered one bottle of the white wine, and said that the champagne could wait. The man made a small bow, and left.

"We would like 6 oysters for an entrée, please. As for our main course, lobster du chef. I do hope you have a fine chef?" Frederic joked. The girl laughed nervously, and nodded. Frederic smiled and said: "I thought so."

"Very well, sir. Something else?" the waitress asked.

"No, that is all, thank you," Frederic said. The waitress left.

"Well, I just hope we have enough money to pay for all this," Daphnix joked.

"We've got two more packs in the APV. Money enough."

They spent a very enjoyable evening. They talked, drank the superb wine, and enjoyed the really, really good food. Faster than they wished, the evening slid by.

"Nine o'clock. We have to go, if we're to find a place for the night. Unless we're gonna sleep in a tent, or on the Ortega." Frederic said. His two friends agreed. After paying the bill, they left; changed back into normal clothes, and started walking to the car. They didn't get further than a couple a streets, when they saw a red-haired girl being attacked by three men.

"Get off me, you bastards! Go back to Zin!" the girl cried at the men. One of the men silenced her with a punch to the stomach. The girl gave a cry and hung in the arms of her captor. Frederic and his two friends nodded at each other, and ran towards the girl.

Frederic jumped the man holding the girl, and pushed him away from his victim. Before the man realized what had happened, he was laying on his back a few meters away. The second and third man hadn't been treated much better. The second one was holding a broken wrist, and the third had been thrown into a wall, and was now lying unconscious.

"Back off. Go home, get yourself a cup of tea, and pray to forgive your many sins, and maybe we won't come after you. Now, be gone!" Frederic bellowed. The two conscious men pulled guns. They never had time to aim. In less than a second after reaching for the handle of his gun, the first man found himself covered by his own weapon. The second man actually got a hold of his gun. He yelled in pain, as his second wrist was broken in the process of removing it from him.

"You have 5 seconds to get out of my sight. 4…3…2…1…" the men hurried to their feet, and ran for their lives, dragging their unconscious partner behind them.

"Fire," Frederic said. He lowered himself to one knee. So did Jennifer. They fired at the same time. 9 bullets where fired from each gun after the men, but both Frederic and Jennifer had consciously misfired. It was their intention to scare the guys off, not to hurt them more.

"They're gone now. Now, let's check out their victim," Frederic said, taking apart the gun, while Jennifer did the same to hers. He knelt down next to the redhead, and asked her if she was ok.

The girl coughed "I'm <cough> ok."

"Let me see." Frederic moved his hands over her. "You'll be fine. No internal damage. You're lucky you have those strong abdominal muscles." He held out his hand, and helped the girl to her feet. She almost fell over again as she gripped her stomach.

"He must have hit me harder than I thought," she coughed.

"You're in no condition to go home by yourself. We'll give you a ride. I'm Frederic, by the way. This is Jennifer, and that's Daphnix," Frederic said, supporting the girl as they walked to the car.

"I'm Jessie Bannon. I don't know about the lift, though. I probably should go home by myself. I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Nonsense! It's only normal to help someone when they're in need. What did those guys want anyway?" Jennifer asked.

"They were sent by a man named Zin. He's been after my family and my friends as long as I can remember." The girl responded with a moment's hesitation.

 "I see. Damn mob practices. Well, they won't be bothering you anymore with us here," Daphnix said with a smile. Jessie laughed as well.

 

"THAT's your car?" Jessie shouted when she saw the APV. Frederic looked at his friends. They hadn't thought about the APV.

"We had some extra's installed. Linda, open doors. Security authorization Fromthefield alpha-one," Frederic said, reaching over to the car. The doors unlocked. Jennifer slid next to Frederic on the front seat, while Daphnix put the backpacks in the trunk to have some room. He saw the weapons, and nodded. Better to be ready.

"Linda, auto-cruise mode. Jessie, where do you live?"

"The place is called the Quest compound. It's near a lighthouse."

"Linda, destination Quest compound."

Searching database. Quest compound located. Destination set. Course plotted and auto-cruise enabled. How about some music?

The small map indicated their route, and their ETA. Jessie's eyes almost popped out at the sight of all the gizmo's, and the HUD in the windshield.

Frederic looked at Jessie. "Something to relax the nerves, Linda."

Brandenburg concertos?

"My thoughts exactly." The music started playing, and for the rest of the trip, no one spoke. Frederic and his friends because they were unsure of how to proceed, and guessing at where this damn Quest compound is anyway. They had left Rockport over 5 minutes ago, and they where now deep into the woods.

Jessie didn't feel like talking. She was still shaky. Linda just drove the car.

"Hell, there's no one in sight. Linda, normal cruise. Engage super-sight mode." The windshield changed to the enhanced vision, and Frederic took over the wheel. He kicked the pedal, and the car roared to life. Linda gave direction every now and then. The car roared at over 130 kilometers and hour down a desolate dirt road. Suddenly, he slammed the brakes.

"Whoa! End of the ride. Security barrier," he said. Jessie stepped out and opened the gate. She motioned to come on. Frederic and his two friends shrugged and drove on. They parked the car in front of a large mansion.

Frederic and his friends stepped out, and the car went into security lockdown.

They let Jessie open the door. She motioned them in.

"I don't know if we should intrude like that. No one's expecting company," Frederic said.

"Nonsense. Come on in," Jessie urged.

"Why not, dear? The worst that can happen is that they eat us," Jennifer joked.

"Ok, love. I guess you're right," Frederic gave in, and followed Jessie inside. Jennifer and Daphnix followed right suit.

They hadn't fully closed the door yet, or a white-haired man came storming into the hall.

"Jessie? Weren't you going to the movies? What are you doing home so early? And who are they? I thought I told you to talk with us before bringing over friends. And certainly when there's three of them!"

"Dad, listen! Zin's men attacked me, and these three people saved me!" Jessie said to her father.

"Frederic, Jennifer, Daphnix, this is my dad, Race Bannon." Jessie tried to change the subject. At the sounds of commotion, three more people came storming down the hall. A blonde boy, an Indian boy with a white turban on his head, and a man with black hair. A dog also came running up to them, looked at the three strangers, and seemed to decide they where not worth wasting his time. The animal took one final glance, and disappeared back into the living room.

"These are Jonny Quest, Hadji Singh and Doctor Benton Quest." Jessie completed the formalities. "And the dog is Bandit."

"Nice to meet you," Frederic said, "Although I do wish we met under better circumstances."

Daphnix and Jennifer felt their instincts surface. They both scanned the hallway they where in, looking for cover, hideouts, tactical strong points and eventual escape routes. Frederic knew his two companions. He knew he could rely on them when things go bad.

"What does he mean, better circumstances?" Jonny asked.

"I was attacked by three of Zin's men. They got me pretty bad, until these three people literally ripped them apart. I tell you, I've never seen anyone move that fast," Jessie almost cried out.

<<She's strong, and so are the others. None of them seems shaken by what happened. Probably because they're used to it.>> Frederic sent, while saying:

"You give us too much credit. We didn't do anything that no one else would do when they're in the possibility to help," Jennifer said, having completed the scan of the hall. She noticed that Daphnix had refocused on the conversation as well.

"Yeah, they weren't expecting us. We got them by surprise. By the time they were ready, they were too beaten up to do anything about it," Daphnix said. Frederic just nodded in agreement.

"Well, are we going to stay here in the hallway for ever? Come into the living room. It's much better to talk there." Dr. Quest motioned to the door.

Frederic, Jennifer and Daphnix followed Dr. Quest, while the rest of the people followed behind the newcomers.

Not long after that, they where all talking. Jessie and Jonny kept asking Daphnix questions about the car, while Frederic and Jennifer were locked into a conversation with Hadji, Race and Dr. Quest about what they where doing in Rockport, and their studies and so on. Bandit was lying comfortable on Jonny's lap.

Finally, the question came: "Tell me, where did you learn to fight like that?" Jessie asked Daphnix. The other conversation came to a halt.

<<Now what? We can't tell them what we are. How are we going to get out of this?>> Frederic's telepathic voice almost shook.

<<Just tell them we learned martial arts in LA.>> Daphnix's voice was calm.

"We are students of the martial arts in LA," Jennifer said.

"What type of martial arts? Those moves you used are way out of the ordinary to be just karate," Jessie pressed. Again, the three friends looked at each other.

"We came up with some new moves. They come in quite handy," Frederic said.

"Come on, you can't be over 18. Nobody's that good at 18 to be inventing new moves," Race said. His voice betrayed he didn't believe one bit of what they were telling.

"You're right. We are 18. And yes, someone can be that good at that age to come up with new moves when needed. It just doesn't happen very often," Daphnix said.

<<Escape?>> Frederic sent.

<<Escape.>> Daphnix agreed.

<<Escape.>> Jennifer agreed as well.

"Now, please excuse us. We have to get going. We have to find a place to stay for a couple of days, so we'll have to find a hotel that still has some rooms available," Frederic said, getting up. His two companions did the same.

Dr. Quest looked at Race, who shrugged. The teenagers had by now figured it out as well. Jessie whispered something in Race's ear. He sighed, and nodded after a few seconds hesitation.

"If you would be interested, you could stay here," Dr. Quest offered.

Frederic looked at his two friends. They both said 'why not?'.

"Very well. We'll stay here. Thank you. But just one more question: Why? We're total strangers."

"You saved Jessie. That's all the introduction into the family we need," Dr. Quest said.

"In that case, thank you for your hospitality, Dr. Quest. But I do hope that we won't be a bother to you," Jennifer said. Frederic and Daphnix nodded.

"No, of course not. It's the least I can do. Now, let me show you to your rooms."

After they had retrieved their bags from the car, they walked upstairs. Dr. Quest showed them to the guest rooms. After carefully explaining to him that Frederic and Jennifer were married, they got an apology. Only single rooms were available.

Frederic and Jennifer looked at each other, smiled, and burst out laughing. Daphnix didn't take long after that.

"What? What's so funny?" Dr. Quest and the others where genuinely perplexed.

"Inside joke," Frederic explained. "When we first met, we used to sleep in a single bed for a couple of months, before we realized that it would be more comfortable with a double bed. This will be just like the beginning. Don't worry about it, Dr. Quest."

The rest smiled at that. Love so strong was not seen very often. After bidding them goodnight, the three Slayers went into their respective rooms, changed for the night, and went to sleep.

 

"What do you think of our guests, Benton?" Race asked.

"They act very adult for their age, I have to admit that. They are also quite educated," Dr. Quest said, thinking deeply.

"I don't know. There is more to them than meets the eyes," Hadji said. After receiving 'explain or die' looks from the rest of the family, he elaborated. "I sense deep teachings in them. They are able to control their emotions and their reactions to a great extent. I believe they have become what I want to become."

"Yogis, Hadji? They're Yogis?" Jonny yelled out.

"Yes, but it is more than that. They have this aura of power around them. Almost inhuman in one way, and more human in another. I can not explain in adequately. Maybe the night will bring enlightenment. Good night, my friends." And with that, Hadji left a very confused family behind. For the rest of the evening, not much new came up.

 

Sleep did not come for Daphnix. He sensed that his two friends were awake also. He pushed through the wall, and stood right in their bedroom. Frederic and Jennifer, sensing him approaching, were not surprised. They turned on the lights, and sat down cross-legged on the floor.

They talked about the strange events that evening, and about the place they were in now. They decided not to share the reality of their awesome beings, except under the direst circumstances.

After another hour of talking, Daphnix went back into his own room, and now they all found sleep quite easily.

 

Frederic slowly awakened. He loved the feeling of the moment, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time: being with 2 in a single bed. The closeness, the warmness and most of all: the intimacy of spending the night so close together. He slowly opened his eyes, and looked at the face of his wife, still fast asleep.

He just stayed that way, looking at the sleeping woman next to him, enjoying the feeling of her warm body breath so close to him. He detected a slight tremor in her breath, and realized she was starting to wake up. A moment later, she opened her eyes.

"Good morning. Slept well?" he asked.

"Good morning to you too. I slept like a brick. And you?"

"Haven't slept this well in ages. We should do this more often, you know."

"I know what you mean. Come on, it's 6:30. We'd better get up," she muttered, and started untangling her limbs from Frederic's. He followed her, and by 6:45, they were in the backyard of the Quest compound. They found Daphnix sitting on the edge of a huge cliff, overlooking the sea. Frederic and Jennifer sat down next to him, and after the obligatory good mornings, they found themselves staring over the ocean.

After another half an hour, Frederic said it would be time to do some exercises, or they would loose their shape. Daphnix and Jennifer muttered an agreement and got up. After some warm-up exercises, they started sparring, very careful to use only moves that normal people would be able to do, just in case someone was watching.

By now, it was 8 o'clock, and they went for a run. At nine, they returned to the compound, and went inside. They found the entire family sitting around the breakfast table.

"Good morning everyone," Frederic said. His two friends said good morning as well, as did the other people present.

"Where have you been? We thought you were still asleep," Jessie asked.

"O, no! We've been up since 6:30. First we spent half an hour overlooking the ocean from the cliff. Beautiful view. After that, we sparred a little, and then we went for a run. Now, we have to take a shower. See you all later," Frederic responded, and left with his two friends trailing him.

"Up since 6:30? Don't those guys sleep?" Jonny asked.

"Apparently, 7 hours of sleep is enough for them," Hadji responded, and continued eating. The morning talk around the breakfast table resumed.

10 minutes later, Frederic and his two friends where downstairs again. They where just about ready to leave as Dr. Quest said:

"Before you go, let me show you around the house first. And here's a key, in case you want to get in. The front gate opens with voice recognition. Just state your name, and the gate will open."

"Thank you Dr. Quest. That is most appreciated," Frederic said, and took the key.

 

They arrived at the last room of the tour.

"Here is the entertainment room, complete with piano," Dr. Quest said, showing them around the room. Frederic and Jennifer threw glances at each other.

"Oh, we'll be spending some time here. I can assure you," Frederic said, putting an arm around Jennifer's shoulders. She smiled and nodded.

"You play? Care to give a little demonstration?" Dr. Quest asked. The man was genuinely interested. Frederic shrugged and looked at Jennifer, who nodded.

"Why not?" Frederic said, and sat down. He started playing one of Chopin's most complicated, but also one of his most beautiful plays. Dr. Quest and Daphnix soon sat down in the leather chairs that decorated the room. Jennifer sat down next to Frederic. A look of understanding was all that was needed. Together, they played. The music came to life with the two pairs of hands racing the piano keys. After a short time, they both got into it. Nothing existed except the music, the piano, and each other.

The piece ended, and they took their hands away from the keys. Applause broke the reverie the music had put them in. They turned around, and looked at the entire household amassed there. Frederic and Jennifer got up, and made a simple bow.

"That was beautiful. Where did you learn to play like that? I know professionals who can't put as much feeling in that piece as you can," Dr. Quest said.

"Just here and there. Music is one of our hobbies. The biggest bonds are forged in creative endeavor, whether it is art, computer games or the martial arts. Everything that is shared, and comes from the soul, has the potential to create the strongest bonds, friendly or otherwise," Frederic said, while his eyes drove deep into his wife's.

"Computer games? From the soul? Come on man, don't take that stuff so seriously," Jonny said, shaking his head.

"Do you, or do you not use feelings when playing games? Do you not attempt to destroy your enemy, beat your opponent, or best the odds?" Daphnix said.

"Yes, I do, but…" Jonny was cut off by Jennifer.

"When emotion is used in creative relaxation, it forges a bond. Sharing of emotions is one of the most basic levels of communication the human race has," she said.

"I think I understand. Emotions come from the heart, not the head. Real emotions do not tell lies, or attempt to conceal. Therefore, the emotions are the mirror of the true man inside," Hadji said, pondering.

"You are one of the few people I've met who understands that wise lesson, Hadji. Real emotion is not something to be afraid of, but something to treasure. He who conceals his emotions has something to conceal, he who uses his emotions, and lets them flow free, can be known and trusted," Frederic said, the smile on his face apparent.

"This gives me something else to think about," Hadji said.

"Come on, stop the philosophy lessons. So, you three play computer games, huh? Ever been in VR?" Jonny asked.

"We do play computer games. We haven't used virtual reality yet, but is sounds interesting enough," Frederic said.

"Fine. Come on, we'll show you something else to philosophize about," Jessie said, while she and Jonny led the way. They walked outside, and went to the lighthouse near the Quest mansion. When they entered, Frederic, Jennifer and Daphnix looked around at the room. It was lined with computer equipment, and one wall was completely filled with a huge video wall. Parallel to another wall was a control console, with screen and keyboard. The center was completely free of equipment.

"Who wants to be the first to get his ass handed to him?" Jonny asked. Frederic smiled as both his friends looked at him.

"I get the point. I will be first. But before we start: tell me, what are we going to play?" Frederic asked.

"I want to see how good you really are. Let's play QuestCombat," Jonny said. Jessie nodded and smiled. She went to the control panel, and started loading the game. Jonny pulled two chairs, and two small circular devices.

"Sit down in one of the chairs, and put the headpiece on over your ear." Jonny showed, as he sat down.

"Quest world, startup. Subjects Frederic Fromthefield and Jonny Quest. Going hot in 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1," Jessie said from the panel, where Daphnix and Jennifer where looking on as well.

The myriad of colors ended as Frederic regained his composure, and he got the bearing of his surroundings. He looked around, and saw Jonny standing a few hundred meters away.

"I'll go easy on you, since it's your first time," Jonny said. Frederic nodded. "Thanks."

He tried out his powers, and found them not working. He then tried his physical abilities. He moved his arms, faster and faster. Soon, he found out that normal rules did not apply here. There was no limit to movement or strength here. The computer was programmed for normal physics, and normal humans. Frederic's mind was stronger, more analytical than a normal human's.

Frederic leaped up over a hundred meters in the air, and landed right in front of Jonny. He danced around the astounded boy. His movements were becoming faster and more agile every second.

"Your simulation is not accurate. There's no limit to speed and strength. Only the strength of the mind matters here," Frederic said, hitting Jonny in the chest. The boy flew back several meters. He got up.

"Only lucky our normal physical bodies don't get damaged. I'd be dead now otherwise. Ok, wiseguy. Let's see how you do against Questworld weaponry." Jonny pulled out a large axe, and charged Frederic. Frederic shook his head, knelt to one knee, and crashed his fist into the ground. A small crack appeared, and slowly got larger, its speed increasing.

Frederic stepped back, jumped and landed a hundred meters back. Jonny fell into the now large canyon. "I can begin to like it here. Questworld, inventory of weaponry."

Frederic got a list of available weaponry. He selected two guns, and jumped into the ever-widening canyon, after Jonny.

Jonny was slowly getting up. "How can this be? This guy's beating me at my own game. How?" Jonny too, selected a gun. As Frederic touched down, Jonny fired. Frederic's body twisted and bent like a reed in the wind. He evaded the bullets.

Jonny's mouth dropped. "Nobody can move that fast!" He said. Questworld, log off!

Both Frederic and Jonny got up.

"That was interesting, to say the least. I could learn to love this. Have you got something else?" Frederic said.

"How could you do that? Nobody can move that fast!" Jessie shouted. "Even the refresh rate of the monitors couldn't cope with it!"

"I have a theory. In the virtual world, the limitations of the real world do not exist. Only the built-in limits of the human mind keep you tamed in. Frederic's mind does not have these limitations, and he consequently was able to enhance his performance from muscle-speed to brain-speed," Daphnix said, after thinking for a moment.

"That would explain it. But how come he doesn't have limitations?" Jonny asked.

"I do have limitations, but I simply choose not to believe them. Whenever I do something, I keep my mind open for possibilities. This is one of them, obviously," Frederic said. "Now, have you got something else to play? Virtual fighting is cool, but I like it better in reality."

"Not before I kick your ass, you don't!" Jennifer said, and sat down in one of the chairs, and took Jonny's headset. Frederic grinned, and sat down as well.

"Questworld, startup. Subjects Jennifer Fromthefield and Frederic Fromthefield. Going hot in 3…2…1"

Again, the myriad of colors disappeared as the surroundings began to take shape. Frederic looked around, scanning for Jennifer. She leaped from a nearby overhanging cliff, directly at him. Frederic's body twisted around, and she missed by centimeters. Her fists began launching at Frederic, so did her feet. Frederic's body twisted, ducked and blocked. Not one of her attacks got through. Second after second the rate of movement increased, along with the strength.

"Very good. Now, don't forget you have martial arts skills as well, honey," Frederic said. Jennifer nodded, and began launching in difficult martial arts combos. Frederic retaliated, and managed to get her several meters back. Their bodies twirled around each other, no longer bound by gravity, air resistance or other limits. Speed, strength and stamina were all that was needed. Now Frederic's body was folded at the knees, hanging mere centimeters above the ground. Then both of their bodies were launching at each other, remaining airborne for several dozens of seconds.

Finally, they decided to call it a draw, and logged off.

"Now that's a workout," Frederic said, as he sat up straight in the chair. Jennifer nodded as well. As they got up, they saw that Race, Hadji and Dr. Quest had joined them as well. The astonishment was visible on all their faces. On all of them, except Daphnix, that is.

"How is that possible? No-one can move that fast!" Dr. Quest said.

"Ask Jonny. I already explained everything to him. Now, please excuse me. I think we need to calm down a little," Frederic said. Jennifer followed, as did Daphnix.

"Now, what is that all about? What did he explain to you?" Dr. Quest asked Jonny.

"Wait, we have it recorded with the security camera. It's pretty complicated. Something to do with mental limitations," Jonny said, as he began fumbling with the controls.

 

"This is not good, my friends. If they have indeed mastered their own minds to that degree, they are among the most strong-willed humans in the world. I know Yogi masters who have trained for 40 years, and never mastered this level of mental control," Hadji said.

"What do you mean, Hadj? How can this be useful?" Jonny asked. "They said it themselves, in the real world this doesn't work."

"Very simple. Imagine a human, capable of altering any of his body's systems with a single thought. No pain or injury can divert them from their chosen path," Hadji continued after Jonny still shook his head. "Can you imagine trying to get information out of them when they do not want give it to you? Torture, both psychological and physical, would be useless. They have the ability to completely cancel out any pain they feel, or ignore injuries as long as they aren't life-threatening."

Now Jonny let out a "Oh!" and the rest of the people present just gasped.

 

Daphnix was resting under a tree, his back against the stem, his head back, supported by the tree. Frederic and Jennifer calmed down their raging minds in a more elaborate way, their bodies moved perfectly in sync, following the movements of one of the wisest teachers in Oech-anya history.

"Calmness of the mind comes from within. Only by balance can the mind and body calm down, and will control and inner peace be achieved," They whispered.

Their bodies where presently performing the most difficult part of the exercise: their bodies where supported by one leg, the other leg crossing just above the knee. Their backs bent just above the pelvis, so their upper bodies where in front of the one foot supporting them. Their arms where bent sideways, with the index finger and thumb pressed together. They where perfect statues for minutes, if it weren't for their breathing. The inner calmness washed over them as their minds found balance in the turmoil that where their minds.

For nearly 15 minutes, they remained in the advanced meditation posture. Daphnix closed his eyes, savoring the piece of the place they had found here, in the forest not far from the Quest mansion. For a moment he thought about joining his two friends, forgetting about the world, blocking out everything but the balance, but he couldn't. One nagging thought kept spooking through his mind: They have found out that we aren't normal. What'll happen now? What are we going to tell them?

Daphnix shook his head as the question roared through his mind. He tried everything short of a mental block to keep them out, but they kept coming. He finally opened his eyes, and went for a walk, as he heard both his friends get up from their positions. He heard the shallow footsteps of tired and cramped muscles. Not one of them talked. The doubts and questions where shared among them, and they all knew it.

 

"Where are they? It was ten thirty when they ran out, and it's eight thirty now, and they still aren't back. Do you think something's happened?" Jessie sounded concerned. Jonny mimicked her sentiment. Hadji was his usual calm self, and he doubted that something could have happened, not to people like Frederic and his friends.

Race shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they didn't want to expose themselves like that. Or maybe they are unsure of how to face us after we found out what we did."

"It gets worse. I consulted the computer, and nowhere is a trace to be found on any of them. No passports, driver's licenses, tax registries, nothing. It's like they don't exist," Dr. Quest said.

"What? How's that possible? Have you tried the license plate on their car?" Jonny asked.

Dr. Quest nodded. "I did. It came out in the presidential car park. I tried it again five minutes afterwards, and it came out as the US air force general's car. Whoever is protecting them is big. Very big."

At that moment, the front door opened quietly. Jonny and Jessie shot up. Hadji, Race and Dr. Quest come up a little slower, but still came up anyway. Together, they walked to the hall.

"Sorry about disappearing like that. We needed some time to think, meditate and get our minds off things," Frederic said, when he saw the welcoming party.

Jonny decided the direct approach. "How come you guys don't exist in any of the computer files? How come your license plate can't be traced? Who are you people?" the accusation ran from his voice.

Frederic looked at his friends, and bowed his head. "I whish you hadn't done that. Now we have to leave, and it is best you forget you ever saw us." Sadness was plainly audible in his voice.

"What? No explanation? You saved Jessie, for that I am grateful, but now you leave without so much as who you are, what you are and what your business was here?" Race's voice came like a slap in the face to all of them.

"You won't believe us anyway. It's a fantastic story, a long one, and no sane man will believe us. That's why we don't exist," Frederic said.

"Trust us. We have come across some pretty interesting stuff as well," Jonny said.

"I know. Aliens, phantoms, and soul vampires. Those are in our story as well, but there's more. More unbelievable than those," Frederic shook his head again.

The mouths of the Quests fell open. "How do you know that?" Jonny asked. "Those files are encrypted. It can't be broken."

"It can. Quite easily, if you have access to a bio-neural artificial life form. Since you won't give up, very well. I will tell you everything about us. You can still choose to believe us afterwards." Frederic walked into the living room, his two friends following him. The rest of the Quests looked in bewilderment. Jessie lipped 'bio-neural artificial life-form?' Dr. Quest shrugged, he knew as much as she did.

As they were all seated, Frederic began to tell.

"Until the age of fifteen, I was a genius, along with my friend here." He pointed to Daphnix. "We knew nothing more than we were, just normal kids with a great mind. Then, one day, I was in a plane crash. During the calm that followed, I had a dream. In this dream I found three stones, the blue, red and green stone. With each stone came more and more super-powers, and more and more wisdom. I got a teacher, after the three stones combined and released the powers of the universe to me."

"That's all very interesting. Now, what does that have to do with you being here?" Race interrupted.

"Can I please tell the story? You wanted to know, so I'm telling. You do want the complete story, don't you?" Frederic shut Race up quite effectively. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes, the powers of the universe. Under this teacher's guidance, I became more proficient with my powers, stronger, more cunning. I was a God. One day, it was revealed to me that I had a dark alter ego. I spent months trying to find him, but I was unable to. During this time I developed the Alpha virus, with the capability of altering the human mind. It united the human race on Earth, and on the different earths in parallel universes. By the time I finally found the dark alter-ego, I had over 150 parallel universes united under one central government."

"I fought him the first time, and nearly lost. I was saved by a member of a near-omnipotent race, and I slowly regained my self-confidence, and my strength. In the Stone I found the wisdom of an ancient conversion program, so to say, giving me the ability to destroy the dark alter ego. I did so, and on the moment of my victory, I woke up from the coma. I was angry at myself and the world. I wanted to go back, and have those powers again. In my rage, the glass next to me cracked, without me touching it! From that day, I put everything into getting better."

Frederic proceeded in telling about the early development of powers, the Pentagon, their role in his parents' death, and so on. When the story ended with Frederic and his friends coming to this world, the Quest team looked astonished.

"I said you wouldn't believe me," Frederic said.

"You can't be serious. Nobody can do those things. I…" Dr. Quest started to say, as Frederic cut him off.

"Please wait a moment." Frederic said, and he got up. He came back half a minute later, carrying a meat knife from the kitchen. "You wanted proof? Here you have proof," he said, and plunged the knife in his chest. He sank to the ground, and Jennifer gently pulled out the knife. The wound closed, and Frederic awakened with a start.

"Proof enough?" Frederic asked as he floated himself back to the couch.

"O, yeah! Cool man! Do you have any more tricks up your sleeve?" Jonny asked. The rest just nodded. Yes, that was certainly proof enough for them.

"Lots of them. But I won't use them unless absolutely necessary. Most of humanity isn't ready yet," Frederic grinned. They had accepted them.

"Good, now that we've established you are who you say you are, what happens now?" Dr. Quest asked.

"It appears our vacation is over. Now that we have been exposed, we will leave," Jennifer said.

"You don't have to do that. We will keep your powers secret. We've kept many things a secret over the last few years," Jessie said. "We owe you that much, at least."

Frederic nodded gratefully. "Thank you. We will stay, as long as we're not in the way."

"Of course not. Stay for as long as you like. Besides, I'm dying to find out more about you, and the knowledge you have," Dr. Quest said.

"A lot of my information my not be shared by you with the rest of the human race. They're not ready. Under those conditions, I agree to share with you," Frederic said. Dr. Quest nodded his agreement.

 

"So that's the real story behind Stonehenge. Fascinating. Simply fascinating," Dr. Quest said, after putting down his pen he had used for taking notes. Frederic grinned.

"Yep. The sphinx, the lay-out for the great pyramids at Gizeh, and the layout for the temples in the Cambodian rain forest are all created by the same forgotten culture, 10,500 years ago," he said again. "You know, I could give you more than info on the places themselves. I could give you the grand tour," Frederic offered.

Dr. Quest jumped at the offer. He immediately rushed to talk to the others.

Frederic had no trouble convincing Jennifer and Daphnix to come. They too where mighty interested in seeing the ancient buildings themselves. Dr. Quest found Jonny, Jessie and Race willing to accompany him. Hadji had to decline. He wanted to take some rest, claiming he had a headache.

"Everybody ready?" Frederic asked. After getting a 'ready' from everyone, he called for transport.

 

"This has been enlightening," Dr. Quest said, after Frederic had shown them around at the most ancient of Earth's monuments, the culture long forgotten in the obscurity of the millennia, but its signs still visible nonetheless. The rest of the Quest team agreed.

"It was my pleasure showing you around. Now, let's get back, shall we? Linda, 7 for transport, Quest mansion, back yard."

After the shimmer died down, all of them gasped. The mansion was damaged; parts of the back wall destroyed; and steel plating, obviously some kind of security system, where mangled and ripped aside. Fire had started, but it had stopped before more damage could be done.

"Hadji? Hadji? Are you there!?" Dr. Quest yelled. No answer came. After running inside, they found their fears become reality: Hadji wasn't there. Bandit came unharmed from under the debris. There was nothing wrong with him that a good bath wouldn't cure.

"Iris? What happened?" Dr. Quest asked a security apparatus. No answer. He manipulated the controls, and soon had a security tape playing on the screen.

Spider-like robots moved towards the mansion, ripped through the wall and the security doors that had closed to protect the inside of the house, and had kidnapped Hadji. Then the tape went into static.

"Damn. Only one person has the technology to have this kind of technology: Zin!" Dr. Quest said. "If we only knew where he had taken Hadji."

Frederic was mad as hell. "That guy again? Linda, trace life form known as Hadji Singh. Where is he?" he called to the Ortega.

Sensor logs show that Hadji Singh disappeared over the event horizon 32 point 5 minutes ago. Course suggests he was headed for the Australian subcontinent.

"Thanks. That helps a lot. Get the Daedalus to the extension position, as of five minutes ago," Frederic said, and motioned his two friends to follow him. He walked to the front, and retrieved the three battle gears. He then called for transport of the APV. Jennifer and Daphnix each geared up, as Frederic disappeared back inside the mansion. The Quest team stared, speechless, at the equipment the two warriors where putting on. Frederic soon returned, with the three backpacks.

As Frederic geared up, Jennifer and Daphnix retrieved the three swords, and the gold-money from the backpacks, then called for transport of the three backpacks and the left-over battle gear.

"Ready?" Frederic asked as he strapped on his sword. Jennifer and Daphnix nodded.

"Very well. Dr. Quest, Race, Jonny and Jessie, we are going to rescue our friend. Do you wish to participate?" Frederic's emotion-block had slipped in place, giving his voice a cold tint. The Quest team nodded.

"Good. I thought you might. Linda, eight quantum pistols, four combat jackets, and four neutron accelerators, sized for our four friends here." The equipment appeared on the floor. The Quest team hurriedly dressed up.

"These weapons are normal. Point, and squeeze the trigger. The pistols have a range of 250 meters, and destroy what they hit, without doing collateral damage. The neutron accelerator fires a one-meter wide beam, and travels in 20 seconds to its maximum distance of 500 meters. It destroys whatever it hits, so be careful when using them around hostages. I would recommend using the pistols only. The jackets are bulletproof up to anything but anti-tank missiles." Frederic gave a brief explanation.

"Linda, beam us to the possible landing side of Hadji's life-sign." The computer complied, using the Daedalus to relay the transporter signal around the world..

"So, here we are." Frederic sniffed the air. His long-unused powers of tracking in nature resurfaced. He detected the faint smell of an Indian boy. "That way." Frederic pointed. Jennifer and Daphnix nodded in understanding.

"Nature powers resurfaced?" Daphnix asked. Frederic nodded. "I forced them to resurface. That way," Frederic said, pointing in a different direction. "The robots altered course here."

Dr. Quest and the rest just followed. "How far do we have to go?" Jessie asked. Frederic shrugged. "Linda, buildings?"

Only one. It's located 20 kilometers at a course of 197 degrees.

"Thanks. That's going to take some time to get there. Unless… Linda, can you beam us one kilometer north of the building?"

Possible.

"Do it." Transporters did their work, and soon Frederic and his team found themselves one kilometer north of the suspected structure.

"Daphnix, Jennifer, standard sweep. I want all exterior info you can gather. I'm going to try to locate Hadji. Dr. Quest, you and your friends stay here, and cover us in case we need it. I'm sorry, but this is the best way. We'll reconvene here in 20 minutes… Now!" Frederic said, and soon the three warriors disappeared in their cloaking fields.

"You have to admire those people. They know their stuff," Jonny muttered. The rest could only nod in agreement, draw a pistol, and do what was ordered: give cover in case it's needed.

 

20 minutes later, the three warriors appeared right in front of the Quest team.

"East Side: 4 guards on the roof, 5 on a roving patrol, with an interval of 15 minutes. Armament: assault rifle, Glock pistols, and combat knife. The guards are minimally trained only. The roving patrol is using a jeep."

"West Side, ditto to East Side, with the addition of 4 guards guarding the main entrance. The code lock is a standard 5-cipher code. Code is 94825. Armament of entrance guards identical to other guards."

"Interior of the building has roving patrols on all 4 levels, security cameras on normal vision. Hadji is on level 3, just below the roof. Cell: reinforced steel door, security camera. No windows. Minimal resistance expected."

The Quest team looked open-mouthed at each other, to the warriors, then back. "Where did you get this info?" Race finally asked.

"We checked them out. Now, we'll immobilize the entrance guards, while under a mass cloak. Please keep as close to me as possible. We'll see each other, but they won't see us." Frederic said. The Quest team nodded, and moved close to the warriors. As soon as this was accomplished, they walked slowly out in the open, across the grassy area, to the main entrance. Nobody noticed them until it was too late. Three guards where incapacitated immediately, as Frederic and his two companions snapped their necks. The fourth guard was killed by Frederic throwing his sword through the man's heart. The Quest team hadn't had the time to move a finger.

Jennifer put in the code, and the large entrance door slid open. They moved carefully along the hallways, ever cloaked, until they reached the place where Hadji was held. The door was destroyed by Frederic, who threw a spell of destruction on it. They managed to open Hadji's handcuffs, and get him into the sphere of invisibility.

"Am I glad to see you! Zin thinks he can trap us," he said.

"By using you as bait. Yes, I thought as much. He hadn't counted on our abilities, obviously." Daphnix said. "Now, let’s get you out of here."

"That will not be possible. Zin is going to disable all the computers in the world, by using some kind of high-energy electromagnetic radiation," Hadji said. "I overheard him talking to his head-supervisor, a Gordon Zells."

"Damn! That's the same guy who tried to double-cross us in our reality as well, but I managed to get him imprisoned. It seems that here he's free as a bird," Frederic said. "We have to stop him. This guy's dangerous. Linda, 3-D overview of the complex. Deep-penetration scan, all levels. I want this guy located. NOW!" Frederic shouted in the communicator. The hologram of the complex appeared above the device. Frederic looked at it, and nodded. A red dot indicated a control room.

Frederic drew his pistols, and so did his two friends. They stood, their backs to each other, ready for transport. The Quest team nodded, gave Hadji a quantum pistol, and joined the circle. Frederic called for transport, and they where beamed directly into the main control room, still cloaked.

Zin was talking to the man that was known as Gordon Zells: a two-meter tall brown-hared man, of obvious physical strength. Out of the conversation, the fact that he was also highly intelligent was apparent as well. Zin ended the conversation, walked to a control panel, and pressed a few buttons. A countdown initiated, and the computer voice said that something called magnetic shielding was active.

"We have to stop him," Frederic said, and dropped the cloak. In less than no time, the guards where dead, and the technicians had ran for their lives. Only Zin and Zells remained.

"So Phalanx. Long time no see. This time, I will be the one walking away. Computer, emergency Zells alpha-one." The man disappeared in a vortex of swirling energies.

"DAMN! It's the same one we imprisoned. And he has access to dimensional technology? Shit!" Frederic cursed. Zin was getting desperate. His plan hadn't worked, only the electromagnetic pulse could do some damage, but it was still charging.

"Zin, for working together with a convicted criminal, for endangering the computers of this planet, and for kidnapping a friend of the Phalanx of the human race, I sentence you to death." Frederic raised his pistol, and shot the oriental looking man right in the chest. He died before hitting the ground.

"Linda, do we have a fix on the outgoing dimensional transport?"

Negative. The transfer was masked with one hundred decoy transports, and a general interference field. It is untraceable. I have disarmed the EMP, though.

"Thanks. Level this place when we've cleared the blast radius," Frederic said, as they started walking to the outside.

 

Frederic decided that the world of the Quests did need a team of warriors to look over it, so he trained Jessie, Jonny and Hadji as master Slayers. After the training, he found the three Swords, which where scattered on this world, because there was no vault on Avalon here. After presenting them with the Swords, the rings, and the immortality of a Master Slayer (both the Fountain of Youth and the Holy Grail had to be found first, but that didn't take too long.), he also gave them a control chamber, with all the equipment they could need. No magic training was given, since Frederic thought that it wouldn't be needed here. After some more vacation, the three warriors where ready to leave.

Frederic and his friends where standing next to the APV, with the entire Quest clan whishing them a good journey, and the promise that, should they ever need it, Frederic and his friends could always find help here.

"Now, before we go. There is one more thing I'd like to give you," Frederic said. "As a sign of our appreciation, and our gratitude for allowing us to stay here."

"Come on! Don't be silly! You've done so much already!" Race said for all of them.

"I did much for Hadji, Jonny, and Jessie. This is a gift for you and Dr. Quest," Frederic said.

"What is it?" Race said, suddenly very curios.

"For Dr Quest, I have prepared a package of information, about the ancient monuments, the ones that aren't explained by modern archeology. And for you, Race, I have a package of information, containing 150 forms of martial arts. Actually, the term isn't entirely accurate, but that is the closes description there is in English."

"Alright. I'm going to accept," Dr Quest said.

Frederic nodded. "This will only take a few seconds. Please, don't be alarmed if we both don't respond for a short time," he warned the rest.

He copied the package he had prepared. Dr Quest's mind started analyzing it even before Frederic pulled out. Race accepted his present too, after he heard how enthusiastic Dr Quest was.

Frederic copied his entire database on defensive and offensive moves to Race. He too, was wildly enthusiastic after reviewing the new knowledge.

"Well, we really have to go now," Frederic said. The good-bye was long and emotional. Finally, they left, leaving three new Slayers behind, along with one very skilled human.