"This is an interesting point," Cat said. "But I believe there is another way. Once I have delivered the Chip, your commitment is complete, and you can terminate the entire Virtual Mode, stranding the other anchor people where they are at that moment. Then you can establish a new one to include the Mode of Julia."
"And you will die," Nona said.
"This is my destiny."
"There may be another option," Darius said.
"What would that be?" Cat asked.
"We can leave this Virtual Mode in place, so that you can return. To rejoin your trio."
"My trio will be scattered across Modes."
"Not if we shut down the Virtual Mode after you return, and establish a new one that includes the Julia anchor. Then Tom will be able to rejoin Pussy and you."
"I could not leave Nona," Tom said.
"I would go with you, to rejoin the group," Nona said, her grief lifting.
Cat nodded. "There are options. Then perhaps it becomes feasible to free the Julia anchor."
Nona crossed the room and kissed Cat. "Feasible," she agreed.
The remaining day passed pleasantly. The regent served them a fine banquet, and Nona told her of her intention to remain temporarily as queen. Tulip nodded, not entirely pleased.
When evening came, Nona took Tom on a walk outside. "What do you see?" she asked.
Tom looked around. "I see strange glowing patterns in the air, gossamer threads connecting odd designs."
"This is the nature of my world and my Mode," she said. "It is fractal. At its simplest, a fractal design is a simple variation of a pattern. Like a triangle with a similar smaller triangle set on each side. Then smaller triangles on each side of each smaller one, and so on indefinitely. Each iteration is both smaller and more complicated in detail than the one it is based on. Some regard a fractal pattern as half a dimension, since its extension is infinite and its final form unknown."
Tom's surprise grew. "These glowing strands continue infinitely?"
"In their fashion, yes. They contain other worlds like this one, with inhabitants like ours, but much smaller. And this world is part of a larger pattern we call Jupiter, whose inhabitants are enormously larger than we are, but fully human. The Amazons came from a world on a parallel thread, slightly larger than ours, with female magic."
"The regent is taller than you," he agreed.
"And she is very small for her world. Normal women there are a head taller than she. But here on Oria she is not only tall, but magical in a way that only our next generation will be."
"This is beautiful," he said, as the nocturnal patterns intensified. They had come to a small pavilion with a couch, and were looking out across the landscape.
"It is," she agreed. "I do love my home. But the idea of ruling it appalls me."
"If our group could be with you—with minds linked—men you could handle it."
"I suppose I could."
"If the minds could be linked across the frames—?"
She nodded. "I think so. With the family I could do anything."
"Can Seqiro do that?"
"Yes, I think he could. He has learned to reach across the Modes with his mind, and if he rejoined the group physically, he could do that much more."
"Then maybe you can have it all, after all, without remaining physically with the hive."
"Maybe I can." She considered for a moment, then impulsively hugged him. "Oh, Tom, thank you for your clear vision!" Then she kissed him, and drew him down on the couch, and they made love. This time she didn't let him go after the first climax, but held him for a second, and a third, until at last her overflowing passion was sated.
They lay clasped on the couch, savoring the aftermath. "I cannot at this moment say that I love you," she murmured. "But I think it will not be long before I do. I think I can stand being queen, with you always near me. I want to marry you, Tom."
"Oh, Nona," he said, and such was his surge of gratitude and passion that she was caught up in it, and they loved again.
Then they returned to the castle to tell the others, but of course they already knew.
SEVEN
Horse
Seqiro was growing increasingly apt at tuning in to Colene's mind, and with it the minds of her group. But it was a strain, especially now with the party in the Julia Mode, where his power was somewhat dampened. If they did not return to the Virtual Mode soon, he would have to draw back to recover.
He relaxed his mind and returned his attention to his physical environment. Maresy was there beside him. She was brown and healthy. She had been mind blasted by Seqiro's enemies, but Colene had restored her mind by shaping it into the semblance of the fantasy mare she had imagined before discovering the Virtual Mode. Thus Maresy was Colene, in a manner, and that made her ideal for Seqiro. He loved Colene, and this was that girl in equine form.
In fact, Maresy had proved to be more like Colene than even Colene had realized before she left. Maresy was depressive, a vessel of dolor. She was also given to spot visions of the future, and could do a little bit of magic. She had led the way in the quest for Colene's mind, and oriented on it first. Thus she had added materially to Seqiro's power, enabling him to reach farther and stronger through the Modes. He had never been aware of her before as a mare, but as an equine emulation of Colene she had become invaluable. She was his fitting mate.
Except that there, too, Maresy had come to resemble Colene. The girl was unable to breed with her man, because she had suffered rape. She wanted to do it, but her aversion would not allow her to indulge voluntarily. Maresy liked being with Seqiro, but when she came in season she avoided him. It seemed that only when Colene managed to bypass her fear of this interaction would Maresy do the same.
I regret this, Maresy thought. But it is true. All that I am now, I received from Colene; my original self is gone.
But overall she was a good companion, and Seqiro wanted to keep her with him. When he traveled with Colene, he had prepared to leave Maresy with reluctance, preferring not to lose the companionship of the girl. When the mind predator had proved to be lying in ambush for her, Seqiro had had to free his anchor to enable her to proceed along the Virtual Mode. It seemed that the shifting of the Virtual Mode confused the predator, so that it took some time to locate its prey again. Unfortunately it had also confused Seqiro, and he had taken time to locate her himself. Both he and the predator had been balked at first by Colene's continuing presence in the DoOon Mode, where they could not reach. But even after she traveled the Virtual Mode, her trace had been slow to coalesce. Had she not come to the environs of her home Mode, which was familiar to him, the search could have been longer yet.
Now that predator had found her again, and she had fled to the Julia Mode. But the predator was lurking, and would catch her the moment she departed that Mode. Seqiro could not detect the predator directly, but felt its influence in Colene's mind—and in Maresy's mind, to a lesser degree. The monster was there.
Yes.
The travelers were sleeping now. They had decided to vacate Nona's anchor, so that Seqiro could reclaim his anchor. He would do so. Then they would be here, and he could rejoin them. That had always been his desire.
Beside him, Maresy maintained mental silence. He knew why. She did not want to be left behind. The difficulty was that only the anchor persons could freely cross the Modes. Other residents of the anchor Modes could cross only when in contact with an anchor person, and could be stranded if such contact was lost. That made such travel dangerous.
Do you want me with you?
Yes, he did. It had been a difficult decision before, leaving her, and would be worse now. But was she was willing to come with him, giving up the Horse Mode?
Yes. I am much of Colene. I want to be with her too.
Then there was a way. At times Colene had ridden on Seqiro's back, especially when they wished to make it appear that he was a pure animal. If one of the anchor persons rode Maresy's back, that person would remain in constan
t contact, and Maresy would be able to cross freely. But if that person should lose balance and fall off, as might happen if a sudden change in Modes put them into a discontinuity, Maresy would be isolated, and perhaps unable to rejoin the anchor person. Seqiro did not care to risk that.
There is another way.
There was? What was it?
We can become co-anchors.
Seqiro realized that it was true. The DoOon Mode had set up about ten co-anchors, so it was possible. They would do it. Then there would no danger of isolation. Maresy had gained some of Colene's human intelligence, and thought of something Seqiro had not.
Maresy nudged him. She was pleased.
Then they grazed and slept, maintaining only nominal awareness of Colene and her group. When morning came, they would be ready. It was important that no other person on any other Mode have the chance to take the anchor. If that happened, Seqiro and Maresy might never have another chance.
Morning came. They had their lackeys load them with supplies, as for a long trip into the wilderness, keeping their minds closed about their real intentions. Seqiro had assumed a position of leadership since defeating his rival Koturo. He had not desired it, but his choices had been limited: dominance or death. His departure would allow the next most dominant stallion to assume power, and that did not bother Seqiro. He much preferred the excitement of the traveling group. He was like the woman Nona in that respect, preferring what Burgess thought of as the hive to separate power elsewhere.
So do I. Colene is headstrong and gambling by nature, and this is what I now like. Life will never be dull in her company.
But Colene wanted to settle down with Darius and be his true wife and bear his children. Surely that would be dull.
When she does that, I will bear your foals.
That seemed to be a sufficient answer.
Morning came, and they tuned in on the travelers. The party went to the anchor, and stepped across. Immediately the mind predator struck, savagely, bearing Colene down. Her present seeming joy was not match for it; it knew her true nature.
Darius carried her beyond the anchor. They had verified what they expected. The anchor had to be changed.
They bid farewell to the two who would remain in the Julia Mode. Colene hugged Nona, and Pussy hugged Tom. Then Nona tearfully freed her anchor.
Seqiro and Maresy grasped it, reaching jointly with their minds.
And the party stepped out into the Horse Mode.
"Horseface!" Colene cried, running up to hug his neck and bury her tearful face in his hide. Then she went to Maresy. "And Maresy! How I missed you both!"
In a moment, Darius performed introductions: "These are Cat and Pussy, whom we picked up in the DoOon Mode. They are anchor persons." He indicated Maresy. "And this is Maresy, Colene's dream mare."
But of course they already knew each other, because of the increasing linkage of minds.
"I see you're ready to travel," Colene said. "Both of you?"
Both of us, Maresy thought. We are both anchors.
"Great! You've taken care of things here? Nothing to stop you going on the Virtual Mode now?"
That was the case.
"Then let's go! I don't know long it will take the mind monster to find me again, so I don't want to dawdle."
I share your sentiment.
They stepped through the anchor. The adjacent mode was similar to the home one, differing only in minor detail. Colene looked around, verifying that there was no mind attack, and was relieved when there wasn't. A change in Virtual Modes had been effective before, but this could not be taken for granted.
They continued crossing Modes, and the landscape changed a bit more with each one. The horse sheds and fields vanished, and were replaced by something more ominous: chewed-up ground. Something large and perhaps fierce had done that.
"Can you range out and find a local mind?" Colene asked.
Pig, Maresy thought immediately.
Pussy jumped, alarmed. "Are the Swine on our trail?"
No. These are native hogs. But they are telepathic.
" 'Cause we're in the telepathic animal zone, again, because that surrounds the Horse Mode," Colene agreed. "So they're dangerous. But we should be able to avoid them by skipping across boundaries."
"Let's hope that is the case," Cat said. Seqiro found the neuter Feline's mind to be eminently rational.
They drew their group more tightly together and continued. Darius and Colene led the way, but stepped cautiously across each Mode boundary, ready to step back immediately if live pigs were spied.
We can do better, Maresy thought. We can range mentally ahead, and discover where the pigs are.
Seqiro realized that this was true. He and Maresy had learned to reach across many Modes with their minds, joining forces to increase their power. This was not true of other telepathic horses, or of other telepathic animals. It required a special discipline that Seqiro had developed only when confined, before first meeting Colene. He had reached out, seeking a companionable entity, and discovered Colene. It had been mutual love at first contact, a natural affinity between horse and girl. He had the physical and mental power, she had the hands and the intellect. Together they had escaped his Mode and traveled widely. No other telepaths had had reason to do such a thing. So they could surely spy on pigs, who would not be aware—or if they were, they would be unable to do much about it.
Colene turned back to join them physically. "But if you lead the way you could step into a physical hole and break a leg. We need light-bodied folk to go first."
We can range ahead from within our group, Maresy thought.
Colene nodded, mentally and physically. She liked the way Maresy thought. "Got it. We'll go first, but we'll go faster if you keep us posted about pigs."
They did so. Seqiro tuned in to Darius and the right side, while Maresy tuned in to Colene and the left side.
There were pigs to the right, about a hundred paces from their crossing point. Seqiro warned Darius.
Got it, the man's thought returned. He moved on, knowing that the pigs were too far away to interfere with the crossing.
They didn't try. They looked up, startled, as the horses passed, and did double-takes as Burgess followed. Then they were gone with the next boundary.
Pigs left, close, Maresy warned Colene.
Colene hesitated, but the local terrain was restricted, with prickly brush on one side and a lake on the other; they were threading through the slightly marshy break between them and lacked room to maneuver. Maybe we can cross before they do anything, she thought.
She and Darius did cross, but then two ugly boars recovered from their surprise and ran across to block the next traveler, Pussy. Mode travelers, one thought. Capture them.
A Swine mind caught Pussy's mind, and she was helpless. But then Seqiro and Maresy crossed. Coordinated, each of them delivered a mind knock to a boar, causing the pigs to back away, half-stunned. But they still blocked the way physically, jerking their tusks around.
They're now beyond the boundary, Seqiro told Pussy. Walk right into them.
Frightened, Pussy obeyed—and disappeared just before reaching the boars. The boundary affected the travelers, not the residents. Seqiro and Maresy spread out as much as they could, she setting her hoofs in the water, he treading down some brambles. They were making a channel for Cat and Burgess, guarding the way.
But the boars were tough, and of course they were experienced telepaths. They erected mental blocks against the horses and marched back into the narrow section of the Virtual Mode. Here to us! one broadcast to others in that Mode. We have modies to catch!
Cat and Burgess appeared from behind as the boars closed the gap in front. But they had been warned. Burgess set his body and sucked up water with his fore trunk. He jetted it out from his aft trunk, scoring on one boar. The jet was not strong enough to bowl the pig over, but it did surprise both boars, and they retreated a few steps. Burgess and Cat crossed the next boundary and were gone.
Then Seqiro and Maresy crossed too.
The path continued, and they encountered no more close pigs. Instead they came into a broad forest where the air was swirling strangely.
The explosive plankton! Burgess thought, analyzing it as it passed through his system. His thoughts did not have the straight-line focus of the human thoughts, because his hive mind differed, but Seqiro had learned how to recognize them.
"But aren't they confined to water Modes?" Cat asked.
Burgess feared he had carried some across Modes, in their prior travels, and now they had infected the air of the forest.
Darius and Colene stepped back, as they now had room to form a group within a single Mode slice. "If so," Darius said, "this is a lesson in contamination. We thought it was impossible to carry the substance of one nonanchor Mode into another, but we hadn't thought of the microbes existing in the air we breathe and the water we drink. Any of us could have done it. Some specks might be partly assimilated, and then ejected across a boundary."
"Tom carried a germ from DoOon to Earth," Cat agreed.
"Traveling the Virtual Mode may be as dangerous for the Modes as for us," Colene said, chagrined.
"But this is mere conjecture," Darius concluded. "It seems more likely that any contamination we bring will soon die out in an alien Mode."
"Let's hope so," Cat said.
"What's the forest doing here?" Pussy asked. "It wasn't next to pigs before."
"Each Virtual Mode is a different slice across Modes," Colene said. "The effect is to shuffle them. Anything can be anywhere. We could next cross Julia, the fractal Mode, for all we know."
The Modes slowly changed, until the group was in a desolate region. Volcanoes erupted in the distance, and clouds of choking vapor clung to the land. They tried crossing quickly, but the adjacent Modes were similar; they could not escape the fumes.
"Nona could conjure voluminous scarves to wrap around our heads," Colene said. But of course Nona was no longer with them.
However, Seqiro and Maresy carried blankets. Darius, Colene, Cat, and Pussy wrapped light blankets around their heads, swathing mouths and noses and, to a more limited degree, eyes. Burgess needed no protecting; he could handle the fumes. That left the horses.