Out of Phaze

“It be not much of an avenue,” Bane pointed out. “I can exchange places with mine other self, carrying with me my knowledge and memories. I cannot carry anything physical.”

“Messages alone suffice. Dost thou not grasp their importance, Bane?”

Now the Adept was calling him by name. The man was certainly being courteous, but as he had said, he was a member of the forces opposing the Blue Adept, and therefore hardly to be trusted. “What importance?”

‘There be information existing only in Proton, that we of Phaze could use to increase our power. Likewise, some exists in Phaze, that the Citizens there require.”

“What information?” This was new to him.

“When the frames separated, twenty years ago, the Oracle went to Proton, and the Book of Magic came to Phaze.”

‘The Book of Magic—that the Red Adept possesses?”

“The same. Dost think a mere troll could become Adept without it? The spells in that one volume be so apt that a common earth-borer, hardly human, be now, an he choose, the most powerful Adept of all. He supports Blue, who gave him the Book, and that makes Blue the strongest. Whoever possesses that Book holds the key to the governance of Phaze.”

“Aye,” Bane said. “But what would anyone of Proton want with it? Magic works not there.”

‘That be a matter of interpretation. What we call magic, they call science, and both be powerful tools. The formulae underlying the spells of the Book also underlie the scientific applications of the technology of Proton. If those spells be conveyed there—“

Now Bane grasped it. “Whoever has that information has a phenomenal advantage in his frame! Proton could have an Adept of science!”

“Aye. And whoever here in Phaze has access to the powers of the Oracle, called a computer there, can profit similarly- The combination can shift the balance of power.”

“So if you other Adepts had such contact, you could force my father to retreat, and you would dominate Phaze.”

“Aye, in time. But there be problems. The exchange of information be necessarily slow, perhaps one spell at a time, and must necessarily be through thee and thy opposite self. Without thy cooperation, nothing be feasible.”

‘That’s why Purple was trying to pressure me into working with him! To make me carry spells and things back and forth between the frames, so he could increase his power.”

“Aye. And make no mistake, Bane, I want the same. I merely oppose Purple’s method, not his design. And of course I prefer to have that added power for myself.”

“But it be to my interest to use that power for my father! And the Book of Magic be in the hand of our supporter, Red. How canst thou think I would give such power to thee?”

Translucent smiled. “That be why special mechanisms be necessary. Purple thought to coerce thee; I prefer to persuade thee.”

“How canst thou hope to persuade me to act against the interest of my father?”

“It seems, to save thy life, I have made a wager that I can do that thing.”

That set Bane back. It was true; he would have been dead, had not Translucent intervened. He did owe the man something.

Or did he? The Adepts could be devious; suppose they had set it up to make him seem to be beholden to Translucent? Purple could have made the threats, knowing Translucent was waiting to step in at the last moment. In that case, Bane would be doubly the fool to cooperate.

“I trust thee not,” he said.

“And why not, Bane?”

Bane explained his suspicion. “Canst thou deny it?” he demanded.

Translucent smiled. “Aye, I can.”

“With truth?”

Translucent looked about. “I do deny it,” he said gravely.

There was a ripple in the water and in the sea-floor, spreading out from the Adept. It passed through Bane himself.

Bane watched the ripple’s progress, amazed. “That be the splash!” he exclaimed.

“Aye.”

Bane spread his hands. ‘Then must I believe thee, Translucent. I apologize for my suspicion.”

“Be not concerned about that,” Translucent said. “I saved thee because I knew that all of us would lose, an Purple vented his malice on thee. I had to act for the benefit of all. My persuasion be not in the form of any debt thou mightst feel toward me, but in the form of common sense. Thou must agree that it be proper and best to do this; then will all be well.”

Bane regrouped his thoughts. This man had spoken truth—that could not be disbelieved, for the splash could not be feigned—but he remained an Adverse Adept. ‘To do it for thee—instead of for my father? I see no common sense in that!”

‘Thou must appreciate the larger picture. I suppose thou canst not be convinced that thy father’s side might be wrong—“

‘True,” Bane agreed grimly.

“But thou canst appreciate the practicalities of the situation. Like it or not, some you value be hostage.”

“Fleta escaped!”

“But what of those in Proton? Hast thou no interest there, in either thine other self or any other party?”

Shrewd guess! “Aye,” Bane agreed. ‘There be captives there.”