Out of Phaze

The Citizen was an unusually small man, shorter than Agape herself, and of no great girth. He was garbed in a simple blue robe. But his features were unmistakably related to those of Mach.

“Agape has arrived,” the secretary said.

“Thank you, Sheen,” the Citizen said. He focused or Agape. “You love my son, Mach?”

“No, sir,” Agape said, taken aback.

“Who, then?”

“Bane, sir. His other self from Phaze.”

“You believe it was Bane?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You can tell the difference?”

“Yes, sir.”

Blue gestured. A panel opened, and a figure entered.

Agape turned to look at it. And froze. It was Mach!

Or was it? Realizing that this was a test, she went to him, and put her arms around him. The man responded. Agape put her lips up to be kissed, and the man kissed her.

She pulled away. “This is neither,” she said.

“I told you she would know,” Sheen said.

Suddenly Agape made a connection. “Sheen! Mach’s mother!”

“Of course,” Sheen agreed. “But you are a robot. How can you have aged?”

“Cosmetics can do wonders,” Sheen said.

“And you are serving a menial task! But you are married to a Citizen!”

“I am a serf,” Sheen said simply. Agape remembered her mission. “I must tell you— both of you—Citizen Purple has Mach captive. You must free him!”

“He remains intact?” Sheen asked.

“Yes. They don’t dare hurt him, because he represents their only contact with Phaze. But—“

“We were so concerned!” Sheen said. “When he was missing for a week—we knew someone had abducted him, but the records were wiped before we traced them. We could not even sound an alarm, until we were sure.”

“Citizen Purple is an ugly, vicious man!” Agape said.

“Get Purple on the screen,” Citizen Blue told Sheen.

The woman went to the desk.

Blue turned to Agape. “Sit down,” he said, guiding her to a couch, where he joined her. “Citizen Purple kidnapped my son because he believed he has contact with the frame of Phaze?”

“Yes, sir. And he sought to use me as a lever against him, to make him serve the bad Citizens.”

“Because Mach loves you?”

“No, sir. Bane—cares for me. Not Mach. Not that way. But Mach got me free, with the help of—“ She broke off, uncertain whether she should mention the self-willed machines.

Citizen Blue smiled. “My wife is one of them. She knows. No more need be said. But you—it may be difficult for you to continue with the Experimental Project, now.”

“Yes, sir. I think I must go home to Moeba.”

“And leave Bane behind?”

“And make it impossible for the bad Citizens ever again to use me against him. Or Mach.”

“You would stay, otherwise?”

“To perhaps see Bane again, if he returned? Yes, sir. With your permission.”

“You suppose that we would disapprove a liaison between a robot and a living creature?”

And he had married a robot! “No, sir. Between a robot and an alien creature.”

“That would be his choice to make. But I will tell you this, Agape. We have researched everything known about you and your species. We would welcome you into our family.”

“Oh, sir!” she exclaimed, and leaned across and hugged him. Then, appalled, she jerked back. She had touched a Citizen!

“But it be Bane, not Mach, whom thou dost love,” Blue said. “That be a problem thou canst not readily solve.”

Agape stared at him. “Sir,” she breathed.

Blue laughed. “I was reared in Phaze,” he said. “Dost thou think I remember not? Surely Bane does love thee!”

“Online,” Sheen murmured.

Citizen Blue swung around to face the large screen above the desk, visibly hardening as he did. He said no word.

Citizen Purple stared out of the screen. His eye fell on Agape, seated so close beside Blue. For a moment his mouth worked silently. Then he scowled. “It’s a bluff, Blue! That’s a mockup!”

Blue turned back to Agape. “Show him,” he said.

Agape understood. There was only one visitor from Moeba on the planet. She began to melt, her facial features dissolving into formlessness, her arms softening and withdrawing back into her torso.

“Enough,” Blue said. Agape reversed the process, and began to reform her human features.

“But I’ve still got your robot boy!” Purple said. “If you ever want him back in one piece—“

“Is it then to be a test of strength between us?” Blue asked evenly.

Purple looked like a cornered rat. “You can’t do anything as long as I’ve got him, Blue!”

“If you force me to move against you,” Blue said, “I will ruin you.”

“I’m not giving up that machine!” Citizen Purple said. “You know why!”

“Then defend yourself, cretin,” Blue said. The screen went blank.

“No!” Agape cried. “Don’t let them hurt him! I’ll go back!”

Blue put his hand on hers. “Be not concerned, lovely creature. We shall have him soon safe.”

But Agape had seen the malice of Citizen Purple firsthand. She was terrified of what was about to happen.

14 - Appeal

When her keen equine ears picked up the distant commotion, Fleta knew it was time to act. Bane had used his magic to nullify the amulet tied to her horn; it no longer bound her.