The Nexus

Montmartre

Music=
1. Monuments
   -Smashing Pumpkins
2. Gotta Get Away
   -The Offspring

"All warfare is based on deception."
-Sun Tzu






UFOtext=
I. Montmartre
Astira, Yogi & the Mule

"Yogi- you cheer up. Forget that Prague. That story old one.  Astira have big new plan."

Yogi's mask melted- just a bit. But then he asked

"Do you think I was born yesterday?"
He stared unamused.

Astira paused. She looked ruffled- just a bit. Acting edgy, she shifted self consciously in her chair. With a prim left hand she reached down to pull on her skirt. At the same time, her magicians right hand discretely grazed her laser pencil- unlocked & loaded. She smiled- demurely.

-To be continued.

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Time Flies

2nd Foundation & Mule

Music=
1. The Shakedown
-Yellow Ostrich

"The trouble is you think you have time."
-佛


UFOtext=
I. Paris

For a precious moment Princess Lei basked in the warm rays of the rising sun. Bosco hovered above her, gazing intently with paranormal eyes. And then the Paris sun reversed direction in the sky. She felt the cool autumn mist of her youth return. The jade leaves of summer now scintillated prismatically in the early morning mist. She looked high above in the sky. Stallions of the Empires gathered in confusion on the high mountain ledge. She slipped quietly into the jade forest. She left no electronic footprint- apart from the dissipating infrared heat of a forest animal. She had only 24 hours- somewhere the Buddha was laughing.

The Count poured a small rivulet of cream into his black coffee. From his high balcony he watched the sun slowly rise above the Paris rooftops. He pursed his lips. He had 24 hours to solve the mystery of the Yin diamond- that was his sacred promise to Princess Lei.

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The Last Sunset

Foundation & Mule

Music=
1. Run2me
-Smashing Pumpkins





"Build your opponet a golden bridge to retreat across."
-Sun Tzu

UFOtext=
I. Paris

The morning sun spread like a golden rose. Songs of birds flew across the 7 mountains of heaven. Princess Lei anxiously felt her time flow like water- the twined bamboo rope bridge over the Shaoshi mountain pass hung in two useless sections, one near, one far, dangling & twisting in the light morning wind. No escape.

She turned around. Far below, riding up the mountain at breakneck pace, she spied the horsemen of the Emperor's elite guard, . No choice. She carried the message of revolution.

She walked to the ledge. She gazed down at the narrow ribbon of water cutting a silver path through the side of the mountain. She held back her fear & listened to the song of the birds. This was their last sunrise. She held her breath & dove into the high cushion of air & into it's cascade of water...

She opened her eyes. The frost of winter kissed the jade leaves of summer. Sanctuary was hers!

Bosco leaned over.

"My Lady, are you alright?"

He looked concerned.

She looked around to get her bearings. The morning mist lifted with the Parisian sun running into the sky. She felt half awake.

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Back To The Life

Yogi*

Music=

1. Outlier -Spoon

"If you make a mistake & do not correct it, this is called a mistake."
-Confucius

UFOtext=

I. Paris

Astira grabbed a high density photo shot of the computer display. The Mule apparently had an interest in the history of the Dark Island. Vivienne lived on the Dark Island, & she had some sort of special connection to the Mule. Nobody in the Second Foundation knew anything about the origin of the Mule- except maybe Joshua- right now on the Dark Island investigating Vivienne.

Astira looked at her hyperspace text to Joshua. "Message received but not opened" indicated her i6. Astira frowned. Not good, but maybe he was asleep. Or maybe he was dead....

Astira peered cautiously through the cracked door. The puppets danced around but after 5 minutes the coast cleared. She reentered the dimly lit larder & slipped out unnoticed into the dark inebriated crowd.

"Astira. Well, well, my precious one."

Astira recognized the voice. Ice water flowed through her veins.

"Yogi." 

She could just make out his face in the dim bar light.

"Business or pleasure?"

She asked perfunctorily. Yogi stepped much closer, his breath in her face.

"Is there any difference?"

He then smiled with assurance. He took Astira's arm & led her to a corner table. Out of the corner of her eye Astira noticed two well armed men in high fashion suits follow just behind. Yogi ignored them & held out a chair for Astira. She sat down & Yogi ordered drinks with the snap of a finger. He then looked seriously at Astira.

"Astira. You left our little club in Prague without saying goodbye. That wasn't very nice."

And Yogi made a sad clown face.

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*Pic from
http://www.chriscolesgallery.com/beverly_hills_crime_boss_nana_plaza.htm

The Long Night

The Dark Island

Music=
1. Dead & Gone
  - The Black Keys

"Can that which is hard to do be lightly spoken?"

-Confucius Book XII

UFOtext=
I. The Dark Island

Joshua ran his fingers over the smooth dark jade. The handle of the black key melted around his fingertips- smooth, warm, almost fluid to the touch. Leizu slowly closed her crescent eyes, holding Joshua close to her bosom. Her supple hands roamed over his backside, pulling him even closer. Joshua looked up & Leizu responded, opening her dreaming eyes. They kissed- & for a moment there was no time.

Vivienne noticed the glow. Joshua's i6 just received an incoming message. She quickly slipped one hand from his back & deftly grasped his i6. She slung it viciously across the room. Joshua blinked & groggily awakened, but Vivienne held the black jade handle of her cane up to his eyes. She waved it slowly & hypnotically.

"Cherub- look into the black crystal. It's all you can see. The whole universe is there for you & I to explore."

And Vivienne cackled in ancient laughter rattling through dank castle halls...

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Kalgan

Kalgan

Music=
1. "Paradise" 
  -Coldplay

"It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere."
-Voltaire




UFOtext= 
I. Paris
"Summer breezes- warm traces linger in mind.  Yet fresh in time, thou art the breath of autumn's being!"
The Count extended his hand to Princess Lei. She stood paralyzed, unsure of the situation.
"Count, the Yin diamond. It's gone. Stolen in the night." She stood before him, a wilting look on her face.
"What!" said the Count, disbelieving his own eyes & ears. He gazed anxiously upon her bosom. It was true, her black diamond, the centerpiece of ancient dynasties & the new shining Foundation, the Yin to the Yang, lay missing. His senses reeled. He gathered his thoughts & then spoke softly- but in a determined voice.
"My Lady, Paris is thick with thieves. I know them all. Give me a day or two. I will get to the bottom of this- I promise."
The Count turned away in a whirlwind.
"Count!" exclaimed the Princess.
"I leave tomorrow morning to begin a new life."
The Count turned back around. He stood puzzled as though stymied by an ancient riddle from the Sphinx.
" A new life? What do you mean?"
"Count. Something wonderful has happened. The First Citizen of the Union Of Worlds has invited me stay & live on Kalgan- it is a paradise of the galaxy."
The Count stared at Princess Lei as if she were an apparition.
"My Lady, the First Citizen is a dictator. You are a freedom fighter. I don't understand."
He looked at her face & it was unrecognizable- an inscrutable Picasso.
"But he is a benevolent dictator, he loves all of his people, & they love him."
Princess Lei smiled with a supreme & manic air of confidence. But the Count felt the warm traces of lost tears. Tears on a younger & braver girl hiding behind a mask of protest in the shadows of occupation.
The iron door locked. Through the iron barred window Edmond could see the blue sky & hear the distant surf.


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Tangles Of Disaster

The Mule At Montmartre

Music=
1. Nightlight
   -Silversun Pickups

"To know your enemy, you must become your enemy."
-Sun Tzu

UFOtext=
I. Paris
Astira entered the heart of darkness. Behind the bar she could see Bosco standing in a dimly lit seedy backroom. He chatted with a few garish puppets, then disappeared. Astira worked her way through the crowd. She crept closer to the dim light.  She stood in the shadow, a wallflower, watching the puppets.
Fifteen long minutes passed. The puppets dispersed. Astira moved quickly, seizing the opportunity. She darted into the backroom & noticed a small side door left ajar. She drew her laser pistol & peered inside. She saw a small desk with a computer screen. Nobody was in the room. She entered.
Astira glanced at the computer screen. It glowed eerily. But then she noticed. She stopped in her tracks, a bit stunned. A small photo image embedded in an ancient manuscript written in Mandarin characters  stood out from a deep forest background. The photo caption read "Princess Leizu & color revolutionary arrested by security forces of the Yellow Emperor." The picture showed Princess Leizu & an unidentified conspirator. Astira stared at the picture. It was unbelievable. Impossible. But there was no doubt, it was a picture of Joshua. But a picture from one millennium in the past.
Astira's mind raced. Joshua was now on the Dark Island seeking any information about the origin of the Mule from Vivienne. She had a mysterious link to the Mule.
Astira pulled out her i6.
From: Astira
To: Joshua
You are in danger. Get the hell off that island.



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