Scatter Brain

Mule

"We rest.—A dream has power to poison sleep;
We rise.—One wandering thought pollutes the day;"
- Percy Bysshe Shelley 1

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I. Far East

The Dragon turned away from his possibility tree and looked upon his daughter. An orphan of chaos, she survived as the Empire lost control over the worlds of the Far East. For the last 21 millennia the Empire ruled, stealing much of the wealth and priceless treasure built up from the time of ancient dynasties, some predating the Empire itself. The legendary lost diamond of Yang- one luminary example in this regard.

"Yes, I just received word from Astira. I believe she is in great danger. There is no one she can trust. The Second Foundation is destroyed, at least in the Euro & Central Sectors."

"I see." said the Dragon.

"Yes, I wish to travel to the Euro Sector and help her find the Second Foundation- if it still exists."

The Dragon looked at the Dragonfly but only saw his daughter. She had barely escaped the Empire- and now this?

II. Prague

"Fair young Lady- Time spent well doth sow a treasure of roses. Perchance thine spare but one carefree seed for Time's Fool?"

And the deranged puppet smiled in uncertain lines.

The shell of Astira smiled back, amused by the fancy language. But her deeper pattern of thoughts hid in the external memory of correlated atoms and molecules in her surroundings- her deeper emotions changed color in flashes of autumn leaves.

"OK. But what you want from Astira?" she asked. And she stared at the puppet through her curious mask.

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