Part 31 (1/2)
”Got it.” Dug said. ”Like quantum physics, the ”spooky” connection between the two aspects of a divided photon. What happens to one is reflected in the other, instantaneously, though there is no apparent a.s.sociation between them. Even Einstein had a problem with that, because-”
”Dug,” Kim murmured.
He smiled ”Okay. The point is, there can be devious connections between two things having a common origin, such as bits of light or Queen Irene. The Xanth Xone folk a.s.sociate with their Land of Xanth counterparts, but it's not direct.”
”So they can't just say 'Better half, send help,' and have it understood,” Kim said.
”Right.” Dug agreed, for he now had the full import of Nimby's thought. ”But in quantum physics, sometimes you can do on a ma.s.s scale what you can't do in a single instance. If many Xanth Xone equivalents send a message, some may get through.”
”Like scattershot.” Kim said. ”Got it. So what's the message?”
”It has to be masked,” Chlorine said. ”So as not to be obvious, and thus alert Dearth.”
”Who?” Kim asked.
”Sorry. Demon E(A/R)th, or D. Earth. We don't know whether he is watching the GigaGrid, but better not chance it. So it has to be something that isn't obvious, but will be understood in Xanth.”
”Coded,” Dug agreed. ”Seeming innocent, to those who don't know the background. But an immediate alert, in Xanth.”
”Okay,” Kim said. ”So what's the message?”
”To GM: Nimby eats dust.” Chlorine said.
”To Giant Motors? What do they?” Kim paused. ”The Good Magician. I get it. But is that enough?”
”It contains the problem and the solution,” Chlorine said. ”In your vernacular, as we understand it, eating dust is to be in trouble.”
”Close enough,” Kim agreed ”But what's the solution?”
”To fetch magic dust, which carries the magic of Xanth. If some of that can he sent to Nimby, he will recover some of his power, and be able to do what he needs to.”
”Oh, I sec. In Xanth, Nimby is the source of magic, but he's in Edsel's Mundane body, so lacks most of his magic. But with the dust, it would be like a little bit of Xanth, An island in Mundania.”
”Yes. With that, he would be proof against Dearth. For a while. And could continue his exploration without concern.”
”Got it.” Kim said, echoing Dug's comment. ”Let's get the message out.” She typed in the address, and made her way to the Xanth Xone, doing it for Chlorine because she was much faster. This is Salmon Ella with a public message, non spam, for all Xanth Xone regs. Please send these four words to your namesakes only: ”GM-Nimby eats dust.” She looked up. ”Anything else?”
”Better clarify that it isn't done via the keyboard,” Dug said.
”Oh. Yes.” She typed again. This is afk effort.
”Will they understand?” Chlorine asked anxiously.
”We'll have to hope they do,” Kim said ”We can't clarify it online, because that could alert Dearth, but they'll be discussing it privately, and a number should catch on and spread the word. Then they'll go to it with a will. What each wants most is to have a genuine contact with Xanth. They should enjoy making the effort, even if they don't get through.”
”How will we know they're doing it?” Chlorine asked.
Kim laughed. ”No problem there. They're already doing it. Look.” She turned the screen so that Chlorine and Nimby could see it.
Mela Merwoman: I sent it. I think I got through.
Electra: I tried; don't think so.
Draco Dragon: We winged monsters are taking off.
Chlorine: Couldn't make contact. Will try again. :-) ”That's me!” Chlorine said, with a mixed thrill.
”That's why she couldn't gel through.” Kim said. ”You're not in Xanth at the moment.”
”Yes. So she's honest What's that punctuation?”
”You read it sideways. It's a face. The colon is the two eyes, the dash is the nose, and the end-parenthesis is the mouth ”
”Oh, it's smiling!”
”Yes.” Kim said. ”They can smile, or frown, or make variant expressions Some get pretty sophisticated. It's a way of conveying emotions in lieu of the facial expressions we can't see. What this means is that they are getting on it. and word is spreading ”
”But if they're writing about it, on the screen, won't that alert Dearth?”
Kim nodded. ”Probably so. But he won't be able to do anything about it. because there will be too many to catch. He can't shut down the whole GigaGrid.”
Nimby touched Chlorine. ”Actually he could shut it down.” she said. ”Because electrical effects are part of his power. But Nimby thinks he won't, because he can't be sure this isn't just a game similar to others the Xoners play, and there would be quite a reaction if the whole Grid collapsed. Dearth doesn't like to be obvious, any more than Nimby does; it's bad Demon form. He prefers to let the ants play out their antics on their own.”
”The Demons see people as ants?” Kim asked.
”When they notice them at all,” Chlorine said. ”Except for Nimby. When he had to partic.i.p.ate as a mortal creature, and win one tear of love or grief, he got to know some of us, and now he accepts us as people in our own right.” She smiled at Nimby, loving him. ”But the other Demons would step on us without knowing or caring. We're just an infestation in their territories.”
”Well, at least we know where we stand.” Dug said, shrugging. ”Now we've set the ball rolling, we can get on with our camping trip.”
Chlorine looked at Nimby, who nodded. ”Yes. We can have the fun we planned on, knowing that Dearth won't be able to interfere.”
They rode and drove to the nearby mountains, surveying the situation. The mountains were impressive. They would be able to disappear into their green forest and get the feel of Mundane nature. That was part of what Nimby really wanted. They would come out here in the morning with their camping gear, and have days and nights in the wilderness.
They returned to the motel and relaxed. They watched the Mundane gourd: Nimby paid special attention to the news, learning everything he could about this realm. They finished on a public service channel, which had a nature program about the pollution of the sea.
”Why do they despoil it?” Chlorine asked. ”Xanth is so much nicer.”
”People are short sighted.” Dug said ”And corporations care for nothing but making more money. But folk are beginning to be aware, and things are starting to be done.”
Chlorine managed to get through her insulin shot without too much discomfort or messiness. ”But this is a pain,” she told Nimby. ”I'd rather be rid of it.”
Nimby looked at her.
She nodded. ”Yes, why don't you abolish it? When you get your magic, it wouldn't be hard to get rid of the diabetes, and maybe trim down some of the fat on this torso As appreciation for letting me use this body. It would be a nice gesture.”
Nimby nodded.