New Years Eve

Music=
1. The Agony Of Laffitte
   -Spoon
2. Spells
   -Cannons

"What you are is what you have been.
What you'll be is what you do now "
-Buddha 




UFOtext=
I. The Venetian World
The Count & Princess Lei awoke. Ivy watched in fascination.
"My Lady- are you recovered?"
The Count & Princess Lei held hands- both visably shaken.
"I don't know. It was so real."
"My Lady- it will be real. There exists a power beyond our comprehension."
"I felt so disturbed- yet loved."
"Indeed- so did I... What do you remember?"
"I don't know. It's like a fog in the cosmos. I felt so sad & so happy at the same time."
"My Lady- I remember your image like a dream- a snowflake melted upon your bosom- the Yin diamond disappeared. But my memory obscures the future- a thief of my dreaming heart!"
"But Count, this wasn't a dream- I felt it too deeply- it was real. I know we touched the future."
"My Lady- something extraordinary lies in our future- the mysterious wonder of life!"
Ivy watched the Count & Princess Lei fall together- lovers in afterglow.
"Count, Princess- you will never remember everything about your encounter with the future. If you did, then you would know too much. You could then change the future. But there is only one future- & it can't be changed... So the cosmos doesn't let you remember. You only remember surreal fragments of an intense dreamlike experience. But this dream will become a reality."
Ivy smiled demurely.

II. Christmas Island Prelude
Astira brushed back the foliage. The mountain path opened into a small clearing. She could see the roof of black diamond...

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Christmas Day

Music=
1. Lost!
- Coldplay

"Fifteen men on a dead man's chest;
Yo-Ho-Ho & a bottle of rum!"
-Robert Louis Stevenson
 "Treasure Island"






UFOtext=
I. Christmas Island
The sporadic firing stopped. The eyelid of the distant shore closed in a silent & peaceful night.
"Let's go!" said Astira.
Ozymandias pulled on the oars like a machine. The bow of the boat lifted up from the water & the small craft rapidly powered out to sea. The hours passed like minutes & the shores of the island loomed in shadows of black jade. Jamu finally broke the silence-
"Ozymandias! Let's go around to the backside of the island- out of sight from the Lost City." 
Soon the boat ran aground a dark invisible sand bar. Luminous fish scurried away. A dark bird of paradise perched on the bow, screeched eerily at the travelers, & then flew away. Astira jumped out of the boat with a splash. Her space boots sank into the black jade sand. She could see the lush infrared forest of palms running up the side of the mountain. A fiery dragonfly lit up in the air. She smiled at last...

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Christmas Eve

Music=
1. Christmas Eve 
  - Night Flowers

"Go to your bosom; Knock there, & ask your heart what it doth know."
- Shakespeare 








UFOtext=
I. The Venetian World
The Count opened the white curtain of falling snow. He smiled.
"My Lady, the snows of Valloire cannot hide the warmth of your smile. Please, come in from the cold."
He ushered her inside. She stood still as he urgently brushed her coat. He removed the damp garment & handed it to Ali. She looked urgently into his eyes. One stray snowflake melted upon her luxurious bosom. She broke into a half broken smile.
"Count- unbelievable news- the Foundation has fallen to the Mule."
The Count stood suspended. He held the Princess close beneath the mistletoe.
"My Lady, tomorrow never knows..."
The hands of Ivy spread like the whispering wings of an angel.

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The Infinite Black Hole

Music=
1. Blank
   -Smashing Pumpkins

"Ignorance is a night of the mind, but a night without moon or star."
-Confucius 




UFOtext=
I. The Dark Sea
Astira turned off silent mode. She linked i6 to her laser pen. One quick touch & its laser beam wrote a line across the distant shore. In a blink, the shore lit up in a deadly cone of light- an orange fireball swan burst out from their hideaway & floated to the dome of the cavern. Then nothing- the shore blacked out.
"OK. Blank. Swan song. Start over." 
Astira stood up & looked back at the Dragon, Jamu & Ozymandias sitting in the middle of the boat. Beyond them she could see the small island several miles out to sea. 

II. The Venetian World
Thor cracked the night in bolts of light. Edmond felt the roots of terra firma in the sea. The joy of panic seized his brain & he crawled senseless to the shore...
"Awaken!" said Ivy.
She smiled demurely. The Count came to his senses slowly. He drank the white potion offered from Ivy's cup. The soft white gloves of the Princess consoled his shuddering frame.
"Are you ok?" she asked.
"Yes my Lady. My dark prison of Christmas Past fades like a phantom in the night."
Soon regained in strength & intellect, the Count nodded to the Princess & turned his eyes upon Ivy. 
Her long blonde hair lay mysteriously woven around her bosom. Her floral eyes sought entry into the barred garden of his soul.
"Ivy, the black diamond of Yin- what do you see?" asked the Count.
With a quick flick, Ivy brushed back her golden hair.
"Count, Princess, look into the crystal ball. What do you see?"
The Count & Princess leaned over the table. Ivy's supple hands caressed the crystal ball. Slowly but surely the Christmas ball bloomed in a silent melody of falling snow. The Count & the Princess held hands tightly- both faces blank & dreaming. 

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The Merchants Of Venice

Music=
1. Gagliarda
   -Mannheim Steamroller

"The current that with gentle murmur glides, thou know'st, being stopp'd, impatiently doth rage!"
~Shakespeare




UFOtext=
I. The Venetian World
A string of moons hung in the night sky. The bow of the gondola parted the waters into an undulating necklace of pearls, unclasped from the heaven above.
"My Lady, there exist alternate doors to esoteric knowledge. Tonight I introduce you to Ivy, my fortune teller of many years. Her crystal ball divines not only the future, but can see around the corners of life. I suspect she may help us recover the Yin diamond."
The gondola docked with a bump in the night. The cold leaden hand of the Count grasped the soft white glove of the unbelieving Princess Lei. 

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Probability=Zero

Music=
1. Zero
   -Smashing Pumpkins
2. Star Of Wonder
   -Tori Amos

"Ignorance is a night of the mind- but a night without moon or star."
-Confucius




UFOtext=
I. The Dark Island
Astira crawled through the door. The Dragon lit a pile of driftwood in the sunken room. Soon, flickering golden light filled the sunken ruin; it beamed outward through open windows into the dark cavernous void. Astira slid down to the floor. She stood up. Awestruck, her naked eyes wandered about a flickering moment of ancient history, a climactic moment sealed in a tomb of millennia. But time pressed forward. She firmly planted her laser pen in a bed of sediment by a nearby window. She nodded to the Dragon.
Minutes later, Astira & the Dragon reached the boat. Ozymandias manned the oars, scintillating erratically.
"Hurry!" said Jamu.
"The Clan warriors are just minutes away!"
Astira stepped into the boat & looked back at the ruin's golden glow, softly fading into a canopy of black diamond. She lurched backward at the first surge of the boat, suddenly powered by Ozymandias pulling on the oars.
"That one definite strong." she thought, evincing a faint smile.

II. The Crescent Lake
The First Citizen stepped down from the Black Star.
"Welcome First Citizen. Your visit is our honor & privilege."
The Son of the Tiger Master bowed.
"Enough." said the First Citizen. 
Black robes covered his body & face. A visor covered his eyes. His demanding voice overpowered the moment.
"Where is the Dragon?"
The Royal Son paused.
"The anarchists hide in a vast cave. First Citizen, we apprehend them as we speak. Our Union Of Worlds remains safe."
"Take me to the Dragon. Now."
"First Citizen, tonight we honor you with a state dinner. Tomorrow we will take you the Dragon & his  band of anarchists."
The visor of the First Citizen glared deep red.
"There is an immediate change of plan. You will take me to the Dragon. Now."
Outside the red carpet cordoned area stood a crowd of tourists. A young mother & child stood in a corner. The mother watched the First Citizen with her almond eyes. The Dragonfly felt her wings open to a position of high alert.


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Red Footsteps

Music=
1. Not Turning Off
   -Spoon

"I never see what has been done. I only see what remains to be done."
-Buddha







UFOtext=
I. The Seaport
Ozymandias led the hikers into town. Astira noticed they left behind a trail of vapor red footsteps- except for Ozymandias. He remained a dark shadow- except for intermittent glints of light from his brain. He is a strange one she thought.
"We are in the seaport." said Ozymandias. A tiny glint flashed between his eyes.
Astira looked around. She could see ancient ruins poke above the ground. Their doors opened halfway above ground, just enough to see inside, but not enough to walk through. She would have to crawl & dig to explore, like an archeologist. But time pressed- no time to explore- just time enough to survive, warn what remained of the Second Foundation & defeat the Mule- the mind bending time traveller to Future Infinity.
"We're being followed." said the Dragon.
Astira went ice cold- frozen in the dark. Ozymandias lit up in a flash- a brief network of light.
"The Clan of the Tiger is on our trail." said the Dragon.
"It is now time to be one."

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The Black Diamond

Music=
1. Crystalised
  - The xx

"There are two mistakes one can make along the path to truth- not going all the way, & not starting."
-Buddha







UFOtext=
I. The Seaport
Astira lost track of time. No sun, no stars & no moon- invisible days dragged by on the hidden face of a slow cosmic clock. Invisible miles & hours echoed in data accumulated on her electronic bracelet. It told her the seaport must be near.
"Can you see the bay island?" exclaimed Ozymandias.
He raised a shadowy arm & pointed outward to the crimson sea. Astira touched her shades & magnified her infrared vision. She could see a small dark volcanic island adorned with ancient ruins, overgrown in subterranean fauna. 

II. Paris
The Count rose early. His dream faded, but a white jasmine flower glowed, imprisoned in the twilight air, a small ghost lingering from the long kiss of midnight. He touched the small cloud.
"My dear Count, I hope you slept well. I have important news."
The image of Princess Lei paused, her face veiled in concern. Her vanilla gown opened gracefully on her bosom, flowing around her body in soft ribbons of light & shadow. Only the black diamond of Yin lay missing from a consummate perfection of her natural beauty.
"My Lady, I slept well. A granite floor is to me but the royal bed of an emperor! But enough of this- what is your news that is so important?" 
The Count eyed her carefully.
"I received a ransom message for the Yin diamond. It's exorbitant beyond belief."
The Count smiled faintly. 
"They always are."
He paused & thought deeply.
"Count- breakfast is served."
The Count turned toward the door.
"Thank you Ali, I will join you shortly."
He nodded politely, & turned back to the Princess.
"My Lady, the mystery of the stolen Yin diamond goes beyond Paris & the Crescent Lake. It's something galactic in scope, historic. Let us get together as soon as possible. Do not trust the avenues of normal electronic communication. There exist no secrets of the heart, except those to Machiavellian scoundrels."

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iTelescope

Shades*

Music=
1. Shades
   -Yellow Ostrich

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-Arthur C Clarke






UFOtext=
I. The Dark Sea
Astira pulled her shades down & touched her bracelet. Instant magic- the Dark Sea glowed in dim waves of deep infrared. Jamu & the Dragon hovered nearby, blurred in ghostly red. Just beyond, the rocky shoreline made a bed of hot coals breaking the hissing waves.
"Astira." said Ozyymandias.
Astira looked to her right. She couldn't see Ozymandias. She could only make out a dark shadow on a dim red background. The dark shadow moved toward her & grabbed her arm. Astira flinched.



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* Pic=Jocelyn Chew

They Want My Soul

Honey Moon & Lotus

Music=
1. Nobody Gets Me But You
   -Spoon
2. Up All Night
   -Cannons





"Liberty of thought is the life of the soul."
-Voltaire

UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert
The fierce blaze of the emperor sun ruled the desert. Master Lie stood before the Son of the Tiger Master.
"Where is the head of the Dragon?"
Master Lie hesitated.
"Tiger Master. The Dragon & girl are missing. A warrior tells me they buried themselves in the desert."
"But you have no bodies. Where are they? You will find them before the sun sets on your life  of dishonor. Your empty words insult me. Leave & do not return until you bring me the blood of the Dragon."
The Noble Son placed his impatient hand over the sacred Tiger Claw, waiting in its sheath of gold. Master Lie bowed. The high sun burned above the valley of death.

II. The Dark Sea
Ozymandias stood by the bonfire. Astira could hear the rhythmic breakers of the dark tide. She watched him pause in deep thought- some sort of computation in his mind. No matter, she eagerly devoured her roast fish wrapped in a subterranean seaweed- her first real meal in several months. She moaned quietly from the simple pleasure. 
"It's about 40 miles along the coast to the nearest seaport. It's been 50 millennia- I don't know what we will find other than ruins. Maybe we can build or dig up a boat."
Ozymandias paused; he had barely touched his roast fish. The man ate like a bird thought Astira. What a pity. But he was a strong one for sure.
"Ozymandias, draw us a map so we can see."
The Dragon handed a long stick of driftwood to Ozymandias. Ozymandias took the stick & drew a few simple curves in the sand.
"We are here." Ozymandias drew an X. 
"The seaport is here." He drew a small circle.
"And the spaceport?" asked the Dragon.
Ozymandias extended the coastline. The contours of the map took on the appearence of a lotus flower in the sand.
"And the lost treasure of black diamonds?" mused Astira.
"The Crescent Lake." said Ozymandias with a bizarre glitch.
He spoke in another voice, a voice with a very strange & musical accent. Then he mechanically drew a small crescent moon in the sand. Astira stared at Ozymandias- or whoever he was... 

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The Dark Sea

The Dark Sea

Music=
1. Appels + Oranjes
  - Smashing Pumpkins

"He is terribly afraid of dying because he has not yet lived."
-Franz Kafka





UFOtext=
I. The Dark Sea
No end in sight- the spiral stairs plunged without mercy into the deep darkness. Step by step the tedious hours crawled by. Astira felt a chill slowly creep into her body & soul.
"Stop!" said Ozymandias.
Jamu shined the light on the obstruction. The metal stairway folded in & blocked the passage.
"This stairway is more than 30 millennia old. The tunnel caved in."
Ozymandias said nothing more & matter of factly studied the obstruction. Astira felt a sense of panic rise within her. She felt it begin to spike.
"What now?" she demanded.
"I will try to fix it." said Ozymandias.
"Yea good luck with that one.."
Astira held back her tears. She didn't want to die like this. Not like this. No blaze of glory.
Ozymandias crawled into the folded metal & grabbed on. He then strained to pry open the stairway. Astira gaped in disbelief. He must be crazy. He is crazy one & now we all die she thought in horror.
Astira, Jamu & the Dragon stood transfixed. They watched Ozymandias in the spotlight. The metal joints began to creak. Ozymandias shifted his position to brace himself & then strained his arms with all his might. The metal stairway bended gradually. Suddenly it gave way. The passage opened. Astira stood stunned. Impossible she thought. No one is that strong. No one. She bit her lip & felt a tear of joy. It just a freaking miracle.
"Ok- let's go. We're almost there." said Ozymandias calmly.
The next 3 hours sailed by. Astira floated down the stairs. She felt a joyous rapture, as if she had been granted a second life, a new chance.
"We made it. We made it." said Ozymandias.
Astira picked up a faint scent- slightly mephitic, but strangely fresh like the sea. Ozymandias & Jamu jumped down off the stairs. She looked around in the dim light & finally she jumped. The sand felt soft around her boots. The light shown around her & she saw the black sand. She saw the black water. She saw the gentle waves. She saw a flying fish jump out of the waves- glowing in the dark. She knew she would wake up. She sleep walked in a dream. Everything impossible. Wake up right now she thought. But she didn't wake up. She broke into a girlish smile.

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Ashes In The Sky

The Dark Ocean

Music=
1. The Beast & Dragon, Adored
  - Spoon





"Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon or star."
- Confucius

UFOtext=
I. The Dark Ocean
The group of four moved in haste through the makeshift tunnel. Jamu led the way, shining his bright lantern.
"Stop!" said Ozymandias.
"Jamu, shine the light on that nest of snakes."
Jamu aimed the light. The band of snakes slithered away.
Ozymandias pulled out a small device from his pocket. He fingered the device in deep concentration. One minute passed by. Then another.
A small trap door opened beneath the nest. Jamu shined the light into the black hole. A metallic spiral stairway plunged deep into the planet as far the lantern could see.
"This is the stairway to the dark sea." said Ozymandias. He looked at the trio in triumph.
"We will sail the dark sea to an ancient spaceport of the Lost City. I have a small spacecraft there. The Clans who rule the surface of Gobi know nothing of this spaceport. It's electronically dead, except for a few things I need. It is like a museum of ancient space travel. I can take you to another planet but there is danger from the Clans. We will need to be careful & lucky to escape."
"How can you know all this & have ancient spacecraft below the desert & Clan fools know nothing of this?" asked Astira.
"I have lived on barren Gobi off & on for many years. There is no native population to speak of other than a small city by the Crescent Lake. I am unique in the galaxy. Nobody knows what I know. The Dark Sea will take you to enlightenment. But there is no moon or star above the Dark Sea- only an embedded treasure of black diamonds hidden from the worlds of the galaxy."
Astira, Jamu & the Dragon stared in stunned silence at Ozymandias. A snake wrapped itself around his ankle.

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The Door To The Lost City

Honey Moon & Lotus

UFOtext=
1. Thru The Eyes Of Ruby
  - Smashing Pumpkins

"xx"





UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert
A thunderclap rocked Astira. She turned around in horror. On the crest of the dune stood the Dragon locked in a deadly cage of laser beams streaking the smoky night. Exploded remnants of the Clan ship littered the sky in lazy arcs. The Dragon whirled & danced in a paroxysm of death. Then he vanished in the rolling smoke.
"Jamu- jump in the hole. I cover the Dragon!" screamed Astira.
She headed up the dune. Her eyes filled with desperate tears in the acrid smoke. The Dragon appeared- his trailing robe a ribbon of fire. Astira saw the Clan warrior & fired her laser pistol. The warrior jerked spasmodically & fell backward in the sand. Astira grabbed the Dragon's robe & sliced off the fire with her laser pistlol.
"I don't like way you dress- let's get hell out of here!" she hissed with tears of relief. 
"Ladies first." said the Dragon with a wink.
"I follow the moonlight of Zen in the dark of night."
And then they disappeared in the quicksand of reality.
Jamu provided the light in the hole. Ozymandias closed the hatch & locked it with a key. He turned to the trio. This is a tunnel. We walk for one mile to a hidden door."
"Where goes this door?" asked Astira.
"The door opens the past of 50,000 years & the lotus of the galaxy buried in the sands of Gobi"

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Honeymoon Lament

Honeymoon

Music=
1. Rocket
  - Smashing 
    Pumpkins

"The rule is- jam tomorrow & jam yesterday, but never jam today. "
-Lewis Carroll

UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert
 Regular as a doomsdsy clock, 8 days & 8 nights passed. Ozymandias rose at sunset & followed the stars. Astira, Jamu & the Dragon trailed closely behind.
"Ozymandias- how close?" asked Astira. No landmarks broke the monotony of dunes.
"We are close. The astrology of the sky tells me so."
Astira laughed under her breath. But neither her or the Dragon had a better idea.
Suddenly Jamu appeared.
"There's a ship to the north. Take cover."
 Astira felt a chill run up her spine. She cocked her laser pistol & spread out on the the south side of a dune. On the horizon she could see flickering lights. She aimed her laser pistol at the ufo, tracking its rapid approach. There was no place to run & no place to hide.
"Quick- follow me. I found the entrance."
Ozymadias stood up behind the trio. He turned away & ran up a small dune in the direction of the rising moon. Astira followed. She crouched low & ran up the small dune. She found him just beyond, hiding in the shadows. On his knees, he frantically dug in the sand. After a couple minutes he turned to look at Astira.
"I found it. Quick- jump in."
Astira hesitated. Jamu arrived.
" It's a Clan ship. Probably looking for us. Probably picked up our heat. ETA about two minutes. Get ready."
Astira saw a glow in the dark, just over the dune. She aimed her laser pistol.
"Ozymandias- you go first!" she hissed.
"But only I can lock the hatch. I should go last."
"Shut up!" said Astira.
"I trust nobody. Jump in. We follow."
"If you insist."
And Ozymandias jumped into a black hole of arrid quicksand. He quickly disappeared.

II. The "Black Star" In Kalgan Orbit
The long spindly fingers of the Mule rubbed the black diamond. A video image of Princess Lei & the Count sprang to life.
"My Lady, open the door with the key. The ancient manuscripts tell the story of the Yin & Yang diamonds. Legend says they bring bad luck- except to the rightful owners."
"My dear Count, do you believe in bad luck?"
Princess Lei gazed intently at the Count. She smiled in mild amusement. But the Count stood like a statue, an Atlas of centuries.
"My Lady, extraordinary experiance in life opens many doors of understanding. Nothing is a coincidence- only a mystery."
The Count smiled faintly, the pathos of experiance.
The Princess lowered her crescent eyes. The moon turned golden, a bowl of honey in the sky.
The Mule threw the black diamond across the bridge. It clattered on the metallic deck. He stared through the window at the planet Kalgan. A crown of stars formed a halo.
.

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The Circle Never Ends

The Lost City

Music=
1. The Beginning Is The End Is The Beginning
   -Smashing Pumpkins

"Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds. Heaven's circle, bright in the night."
- Buddha



UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert
Astira broke the infinite silence.
"How deep is it?"
Ozymandias reached down & scooped up a palmful of sand. For one wild moment he held a hummingbird of the desert- then he let it trickle through his fingers. It flew away.
"How high is the sky? replied Ozymandias.
"The Lost City is buried miles below the surface of Gobi- except for one point."
"The Crescent Lake?" interjected Astira.
"Yes- the Crescent Lake. Its ancient tower & stairway to the moon are the only surviving remnants of the Lost City- at least on the surface of Gobi."
Astira looked at the Dragon.
"Remember the Mule? That Mule ran up the tower on our last night. Why he do that? What does that Mule care about Lost City?"
The Dragon's face turned dark.
"Yes- something evil happened on that tower. Not just on that last night in winter- but 50,000 years ago. Something evil that lead to the Empire's destruction of the lotus of the galaxy. Something the Mule knows that we don't know."
Astira looked at Ozymandias. He appeared somber & buried in deep thought. But no tears fell upon the sand.
. 


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Moonlight Circle

The Lost City

Music=
1. Neon Light
  - Cannons

"From a withered tree, a flower blooms."
~Buddha



UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert
"What brings you to this scorched planet?"
The curious Dragon gazed at Ozymandias.
"This world is my destiny." said Ozymandias. He looked earnestly at the Dragon, Astira & Jamu. They sat together in an intimate circle positioned between a bosom of dunes. The plane of the galaxy arced above, the central stars remote & hidden by clouds of interstellar dust. 
"I am from the Lost City. In its day the city was called the Trantor of the East. It was a planet wide city of unsurpassed aquatic beauty- the lotus of galactic civilization."
"What? That city is a myth. Just a myth from 50,000 years ago. It is a lost one in history."
Astira made a face & shook her head. The Dragon sat unperturbed. 
"Ozymandias, where is this lost city of ancient lore? Is it on the Silk Path?" 
The Dragon asked the question matter of factly. His polite skepticism hung in the air.
"Dragon Master, the Trantor of the East was destroyed by the Empire. The Empire showed no mercy. The Emperor proclaimed there was only one Trantor in the galaxy- not two."
"I see. But where is the lotus of civilization today?"
The Dragon paused & waited for an answer. Ozymandias sat thinking- a statue in the sand. Finally, he broke the silence.
"The heart of the lotus lies buried in the sand beneath your feet."
Somewhere in the night the humming sand carried a faint whisper of Qi.

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Ozymandias

Astira

 Music=

1. I Saw The Light

  - Spoon

"I met a traveller from an antique land..."

- Percy Shelley

UFOtext=

I. Gobi Desert

Astira struck out across the dunes in the direction of the dark moon. Up & down she surfed the waves of humming sand. Then she stopped. Beneath a galactic shower of dim starlight she peered over the top of a dune into the valley below. She could only see gradations of shadow. She touched her bracelet. The warm red figure of the Dragon slowly climbed the opposite side of the dune on the other side of the valley. She touched her bracelet & the Dragon vanished. She let her eyes adjust to the abyss of shadows sunken in the sand. Long minutes crawled by & she saw nothing- no movement or any sign of life. She relaxed slightly & crouched in the sand.
"Greetings. My name is Ozymandias."
Astira jumped out of her skin & drew her laser pistol. Stunned, she looked at a svelte figure who stepped out from the shadow.
"I mean you no harm & come in peace."
He stood before her, tall & straight in the dim starlight. He wore fashionable clothing, as if were a man of the city.
"Then why you sneak up on Astira?"
She relaxed a bit, but didn't put away her laser pistol. She eyed the man carefully.
"You are a stranger wandering in the desert. You are wanted by the Clans who search for you as we speak. Perhaps I can help."
Astira holstered her pistol. She knew the Dragon must be close & watching.
"Are you enemy of the Clans?"
Ozymandias tilted his head slightly.
"Let's just say I am a very practical person."
Ozymandias smiled & extended his hand.

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Robot Dreams

Robot Dreams

 Music=
1. Tiny Little Robots
  - Cage The Elephant 

"I make the robots seem more human."
- Dr. Susan Calvin










UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert

Astira touched her bracelet. A local heat map hovered faintly in the air. Subdued infrared contours hugged the dunes. She could see the infrared figure of the Dragon slowly circle around toward the new moon, now low on the horizon. But in the direction of the moon she saw nothing but smooth undulations of warm red dunes- no sign of a human. Was the Dragon chasing a phantom?

She touched her bracelet & its dull red cloud vanished in the cool air. She cocked her laser pistol & stared in the direction of the new moon. In the dim starlight she could see nothing but dunes stretching out to the thin asymptote of dark horizon. She saw no sign of a spy watching her in the night.

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Twinkle Twinkle

Empire & Foundation

Music=
1. You Are The Stars
2.  Any Wonder
 -Yellow Ostrich







"We all have two lives. The second one begins when you realize you only have one. -Confucius

UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert
The Dragon tells Astira about the fall of the Empire & the birth of the Foundation. A mysterious visitor appears in the desert night.
~
The wind died in a mournful hum. The sky cleared of red rust. The naked stars emerged- a canopy of diamonds. Astira touched her bracelet, an optical image of the desert world glowed in the dark. A crimson dot marked her position. At higher lattitude a blue dot marked the position of the Crescent Lake, the only body of water on the desert planet.
Stardate September 3, about 8 weeks of wandering in the desert, sleeping in the brutal heat of day, & travelling in the cool shadow of night. And for no purpose other than to evade detection.

Astira turned . She heard the faint humming in the sand, the rhythm of shuffling feet. In a shadow of starlight, the robe of the Dragon flowed across the dune.
"Somebody is following us."
Astira touched her bracelet- her optical projection vanished.
"Who is that one?"
"I don't know. It's only one person. But for the last week this person tracked our every move. This person is a space between our realities."
The Dragon closed his eyes in a moment of Zen. He became one with the void.
The Dragon then opened his eyes & the void of sky filled with stars.
"This one exists beyond normal inderstanding. We must become close to stay far away."
"Where is this one now?" asked Astira.
"This one is very close. Just beyond the dune in the direction of the new moon. Do not look in that direction now. Let him be close, relaxed & confident. We must now be humble. We must now be one with the way. We must become the singing sand beneath his feet."
The Dragon's robe swirled as he turned away. His fleeting shadow left no trace on the dunes.


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The Humming Dunes

Humming Dunes

Music=
1. Mental Traveller
2. Echoes
   -The Kickdrums








"Course rice to eat, water to drink, my bended arm for a pillow- therein lies happiness."
-Confucius

Astira

UFOtext=
I. Gobi Desert
Astira & company fake their demise & escape from the Crescent Lake, but are now stranded in the desert world of Gobi. The Mule departs, unaware of Astira's tracking device. The Second Foundation on the ruins of Trantor remain clueless. 
~

Astira opened her tired eyes. The emperor sun bled to rust, eclipsed halfway by humming dunes & undulating waves of heat, resonant with swirling dust. Her clothes stuck uncomfortably on her skin & sweat. A few emboldened stars fought what remained of the retreating light.

"About six weeks- that's how long our supplies last. Then we die."

Jamu smiled grimly. He reached into his backpack.

"Here you go beautiful- catch!"

He tossed a water bottle to Astira. She grabbed it in the air with both hands. 

"From the Crescent Lake- a vintage year!"

Jamu smirked. Astira drank greedily. One bottle equal her daily ration. She would drink half now, half later.

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