The Hideout

Saint Emilion

Music=
1. Embers- Night Flowers
2. Run Right Back- The Black Keys

UFOtext=
I. Paris & The White Castle
"Count, as I said, I cannot tell the whole story right now- right now as we speak over this hyperlink."
The Princess moved her hand over her bosom, touching her black diamond. A circular wavelet of dark static flowed outward from her pendant, undulating her image like waves from a pebble tossed into a pond. Her moist eyes opened up like the petals of a flower, inviting the Count to return to her garden.
"Have you ever heard of Paradox Shipping?"
The Count paused. He thought for a moment.
"I do believe I have." He said.
"Do they not export our finest wines to the Far East?"
And the Count feigned a look of intrigue. But his facade of intrigue quickly faded. Once again he wandered in her garden of mystery- humble & without artifice. Her words became warm gentle breezes of Kiritimati, circling around his shipwrecked soul.
"Yes they do, from the vineyards of Saint Emilion in particular. I've never been there, but they say the climate is heaven, wedded to the ways of the vine."
 And the Princess paused, gazing at the Count.
"My Lady, I know the climes of Saint Emilion well. It's true- drops of wine rain gently from the heavens, blessed by Thor."

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Next Step

Next Step

Music=
1. Between The World & You
- The Hawk In Paris

UFOtext=
I. Paris & The White Castle

Quintana bid adieu. The Count bowed & watched the man from the Andes recede from his view. The late afternoon sun sank low in spirit. The Count felt the heavy shadows fall in curtains upon his heart. And so another day passed.

He turned away from the balcony & sought his interior room of books. And then he bolted awake. He noticed the luminous icon- a pure white jasmine star set upon the black velvet of night- the personal seal of Princess Lei. He touched the icon.

A radiant bucket of light poured out into his room. She stood before him, in his study, a living image with a only a trace of dark optical static.

"Princess Lei, so good of you drop by."

The Count bowed slightly.

"Count- it's so wonderful to see you again. I am at the White Castle. I can't tell you how or why. There are forces larger than all of us at work."

She paused, her Asian eyes slanting down in a wet bamboo garden. The Count could see through her troubled eyes. He walked through her garden, reaching out, seeking her jasmine flower hiding somewhere in the bamboo. But there was only rain.

"My Lady, such as it is now, such as it has been since the beginning of history. Please, tell me your story."

And then the Count noticed something strange. Behind the Princess, he spied a spindly dark shadow, a stick man peeking out from behind a door. The stick man darted out of sight, as if he were hiding. The Count felt a chill run down his spine, as he once felt long ago in the Catacombs of Italy.

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The First Foundation

Terminus

Music=

1. I Had A Good Time- Boston

"Genius without education is like silver in the mine."
- Ben Franklin

UFOtext=

I. Terminus

"Everyone in the galaxy knows that Terminus lacks natural resources- including metals. But the Foundation backs its credits with silver-  & these credits are now recognized across most of the galaxy. That's another reason the Silk Path is so important- beyond the rare Earths used for hyperspace. The Foundation needs an increasing supply of silver to back up our increasing supply of credits. Our credits are in high demand across the galaxy- just like our tech products. But we need more silver- & the Silk Path takes us to Silver Dragon Resources- a huge potential source of silver."

John Atoms paused. Toran leaned back in his chair, taking it all in.

"So let me guess- you want me to contact that Oriental Princess again, set up another deal like the Rare Earths."

Sauveur asked, rather calmly.

"Exactly, as soon as possible,"

& John Atoms sipped his tea earnestly.

"Well, you know, I don't exactly trust her. She almost didn't come through with the Rare Earths last time- remember?"

& Sauveur began to frown.

"I understand. What endeavor is without risk? Nothing ventured- nothing gained. I want you to set up a deal as soon as possible."

Outside the low rise building a young woman stood just beyond the natural light falling out from the transparent wall. The cool night air clarified her thoughts. The Diamonds hung in a necklace just above the horizon of water. Bayta touched her silver pendant & a luminous galaxy appeared. She gently held the galaxy in her hands, turning it around to see the Silk Path. She pulled the galaxy apart, & it grew deeper & more intricate in detail- she could see the Silk Path like a glow worm winding through the nebula. And on the opposite edge of her galaxy, just above the water, a small bright blue diamond hung just beyond the luminous vapor stretching out into the cool black night. Terminus.

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The Long Solstice

The Long Solstice

Music=
1. Move With The Season -Temples

"Study the Past, if you would define the Future."
-Confucius

UFOtext=
I. The White Castle
Late afternoon dragged. Would the sun ever flash cherry red & slip beneath the twinkling cover of night? Princess Lei touched her black diamond. Now she could see through the walls of the White Castle, & watch the dark infrared silhouettes of the people inside. A small group of warm silhouettes hovered by the gate. She touched her black diamond. Now she could hear their distant voices whisper in her ear. She noticed Magnifico perk up his ears, & then smile weirdly, as if he were amused.
"My Lady. Thine crystal quill doth write upon the Heavens all that is known to our Cosmos. Can it write the Future?"
& Magnifico looked curiously into her eyes.

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The Ribbon World

Everlasting June

Music=
1. Mesmerize- Temples

"a continuous garden, swimming in the eternal morning of an eternal June"
- Isaac Asimov
Chapter 16,
"Foundation & Empire"

UFOtext=
I. Northern Coast

"Count- Free Traders from 27 worlds meet on the ribbon world of Radole within the month. The Foundation, the Free Traders, the Union of the Mule & even remnants of the old Empire, swirl in a toxic mix of confusion. Danger is rife throughout the galaxy. Your investment in Paradox Shipping is in peril."

The Count sighed & looked across the channel waters. Seadoos streaked the afternoon water- like shooting stars in every direction. And like the stars in a warped galaxy, they were spinning out of control.

II. Southern Coast
"My Lady, behold the White Castle!"
Magnifico stretched out a spindly arm, as if he were a bare but lovely tree, & pointed to the distant cliff on the coastal horizon.
Princess Lei touched her black diamond. A virtual lens formed & magnified her view. She could see the majestic castle spires rise above the rock walls of the cliff, waving colorful pennants like ribbons in the sky, far above the violent white breakers of the sea. After a long minute perusing the castle, she touched her black diamond & the optical lens vanished. She turned to Magnifico.
"Magnifico, how long will it take for us to reach the castle?"
"My Lady, the White Castle remains a stout bastion of the centuries against the ravages of time & the sea. One mortal sunset counts but a trifle."
And Magnifico curled his lips into a barren smile.

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Mind Woes

XX

Music=

1. Mind Eraser- The Black Keys
六月早
"As a flower that is lovely & beautiful, but is scentless, even so fruitless is the well-spoken word of one who practices it not." 
-佛

UFOtext=

I. The Deep Forest

Magnifico led the Princess to the caravan. Teams of russet horses pulled a line of country wagons along a dirt road in a wide dell. She could smell the warm equine odor as she watched Magnifico trott along side a team of horses, moving his head up & down, back & forth, making whinny noises as though he were a horse.

After a long day, at nightfall, the stars appeared one by one in unfamiliar patterns. Magnifico smiled at the Princess.
"My Lady. The petals of a budding rose hath not your patience. Yet in due time a rose spreads it's scented wings, & no flight of heaven's fancy can compare."

xx= tumblr_mk34lphJo71s8hacuo1_500

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The New Normal

The Mule's Normal

Music=
1. Mental Traveler
    -The Kickdrums

"What the eye doesn't see & the mind doesn't know, doesn't exist."
- D H Lawrence

UFOtext=

I. Cottage On The White Cliffs

"Archimedes- In Prague I hid my deepest mind in the trees, & left behind only surface thoughts for the Mule to examine. In this way I escaped detection as a member of the Second Foundation. But believe me, his mental powers are extraordinary. The Mule could have crushed the real "Astira" out of existence. I would turn to Zombie, & smile stupidly all day long."

Archimedes listened with great concern. The Dragonfly lowered her eyes, seeking an inner light, high above the dark restless waters before the storm.

II. The Deep Forest

She didn't quite know what to think. She stared at the spindly green man, his frame now upright, his large brown eyes watching her every move. The man had a face only a mother could love- his elongated nose formed a crooked beak, casting a crooked shadow in the moonlight.

"Who are you?" Princess Lei asked.

"I am Magnifico Giganticus- Fortune's Fool, my Fair Lady!"

& he bowed once again, though briefly, & not so deeply.

"This is getting weird." She thought to herself. Magnifico's face drooped a bit.

"Still, perhaps Magnifico can help me find the Mule, perhaps in the White Castle." And she continued thinking in a quiet thoughtful way.

Magnifico looked at her, slowly growing a faint sly grin.

"My Lady. Let me take you to the White Castle by the sea. With any luck, perhaps you might meet the the White Queen!"

Princess Lei stood amazed for a moment. How lucky she was! It seemed like Magnifico had just read her mind!

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