Unicorn Point

17 - Fleta

Fleta trotted along comfortably, carrying Tania, as they approached the region of the West Pole. She had known of Tania’s designs on Bane from the outset, but allied with the Adverse Adepts as she had been, she had not been in a po sition to protest. After all. Bane had no woman in Phaze, and Tania had once been intended for him, or vice versa, because they were the only two of their generation definitely slated to be Adepts. Tania had been scrupulous about not vamping Mach, so that Fleta had never had cause for a challenge. That was just as well, because though unicorns were proof against most magic, they could not stand against any Adept. She knew it was neither integrity nor fear of her horn that had kept Tania honest; it was the fear of losing her chance at Bane if she ever glanced sidelong at Mach. Tania was unscrupulous but hardly stupid.

Then, gradually, the unexpected had happened. Bane had been proof against Tania’s charms, which were considerable (for those who might like that type), but she had not been proof against his. She had fallen in love with him, and in the process had assumed his virtues. Fleta had watched this pro cess with private amazement, but there had been no doubt of its validity. Her own attitude had suffered a corresponding shift from enmity to friendship; she knew pretty closely how Tania felt.

Now they had shifted sides together, and Fleta was glad of that; they would never have to oppose each other. They worked well together, because they now knew each other well, and their abilities were complementary. Fleta could travel readily, while Tania could handle threats. But the question remained: what of Tania? She was doomed not to have her love returned, and Fleta feared she would take a drastic mea sure: the same one Fleta had taken, when she had seen no future in her love for Mach. Fleta did not want to see this happen, but what alternative was there? She knew what. She would have to share. There was a precedent for having alternate loves in the frames; Fleta’s love was Mach in Phaze, but Bane was available. Similarly, Mach was free in Proton. Tania had changed sides and done good service; she was entitled in each frame to what it of fered. Fleta just had not yet been able to bring herself to make it official.

Now they were checking on the Translucent Adept, because he had mysteriously declined to attend the ceremony of the transfer of the Book of Magic. Had there been some skul duggery between Adepts? It seemed likely, and the Adept Stile wanted to know, because he much preferred dealing with Translucent. Also, Flach remained on the undersea isle, with Sirelmoba the werebitch, and Fleta hoped to see him. There seemed to be little chance of that, because they were supposed to remain unobserved, but there was always hope. The Red Adept had given them an amulet that would protect them from observation by all except Adepts—but Translucent was an Adept. Certainly there would be no way to rescue Flach.

A bat appeared before Fleta’s nose. She jumped; she had not seen it approach. Then she recognized its smell. “Al!” she fluted in horn talk.

“Where be thee, 0 Aunt Fleta?” he piped in bat talk, the pitch so high she could barely hear it. “I see thee not!” Because of the amulet. She nosed forward and nudged him with her horn. With the contact, he saw her. He changed to boyform, maintaining the touch. “0 Aunt Fleta, I used my father’s spell to locate thee. He has been enchanted!”

Fleta changed to womanform so quickly that Tania barely had time to dismount. “The Red Adept enchanted?”

“Aye, mare. The Purple Adept did it. Tan, I mean. He got the Book o’ Magic, and then—”

“My brother!” Tania exclaimed. “I knew it!”

“Tell us exactly what happened,” Fleta said. “Fear not discovery; an thou maintain contact with me, naught be o’er heard.”

Alien was reassured. He slowed down enough to give a coherent report. “Purple and Tan came to the Red Demesnes as scheduled, and Stile was there with my father the Troll and my mother the Bat, and they gave o’er the Book o’ Magic. Then Stile asked for my friend Flach, thy foal, and Purple said no, he had decided to keep Flach to commune ‘tween the frames instead o’ Bane and Mach, ‘cause a child be more amenable. He quoted the terms o’ the agreement, and nor Stile nor Red could gainsay him, being much disappointed. Then Stile departed, and without warning Tan and Purple turned on Red and together they stunned him so that he fell in deep swoon. My mother cried out ‘gainst this treachery, but Tan stunned her too with his Evil Eye. Me they saw not, for I was peeking from hiding. Then they consulted how they would send a goblin garbed like Flach to tell Stile he escaped, but the goblin would loose a spell to take out Stile and Bane and all else in the Blue Demesnes, for they thought thee there too, that no major Adepts be able to oppose Purple’s designs. But I knew thou wast elsewhere, and came to warn thee o’ this treachery!”

“But why?” Fleta asked, appalled. “The Adverse Adepts have already won! What need for this?”

“I can guess,” Tania said darkly. “Nor Purple nor my brother e’er trusted Translucent; they wanted to take power from him. They must have taken him out first, then struck at the rest, so they can rule; an they had waited. Translucent would have taken control, and been more generous. So they timed their treachery when none suspected—and now thy Adepts Red and Stile and Rovot be ensorceled, and mayhap killed when Purple feel secure. Brown be no match, and we be helpless.”

“But we be free,” Fleta protested. “We can go and—”

“And be trapped also,” Tania said. “They expect that. Be assured we can stand not against their magic; likely already there be goblins in search o’ us, and our time be measured.”

“But one thing—“ Alien said.

Fleta glanced at him. “There be yet more?”

“My father gave me an amulet long since, saying an disaster e’er strike, invoke it. Be this the time?”

“Aye,” Fleta and Tania said together.

The boy brought out the amulet, which he wore on a chain about his neck. It was in the shape of a tiny tube. “I invoke thee.”

The tube expanded in his hand, turning silvery. It twisted, so that the mouthpiece pointed southeast. They stared at it. “That be a little flute,” Fleta said. “What use be that?”

Alien shrugged; he knew nothing of this. But Tania’s brow was furrowed. “A flute—there was one, once, before our time, when Stile separated the frames. May hap—”

“The Platinum Flute!” Fleta exclaimed. “The elves made it, and keep it now. It—when it be played, it—”

“Brings the frames together,” Tania finished. “But only one can play it, and he be long gone from Phaze and Proton frame. Now, with the frames fore’er parted, there be no use for this. And e’en were it so, what point? The Adverse Adepts rule here, and the Contrary Citizens there.”

“This be a mystery,” Fleta said. “But surely the Red Adept knew whereof he spoke! Why give Al this token, an it be not the key to aught important?”

Tania nodded. “It be our only hope. Needs must we go where it points, and find the Flute.”

“But that will take time, and there be naught!” Fleta pro tested.

“It be all we have,” Tania said grimly. “But mayhap thy dam will know what this portends. She was e’er close to Stile.”

Fleta brightened. “Aye! An she had her secret will, I’d be foal o’ Stile ‘stead o’ Stallion! An any know the key to this riddle, it be Neysa.”

“But it be far to go, and I can change not my form. An thou wouldst go alone—”

“Nay,” Fleta said decisively. “An we meet magic, thine Eye be needful. I will carry thee, as before.”

“I had hoped thus,” Tania confessed. “Al, change form and stay close; else we can protect thee not.” Then Fleta reverted to ‘corn form, and Alien to batform, and Tania mounted. The bat flew to perch on Fleta’s head. She started off at a gallop. Fortunately she was rested; they had been proceeding cautiously, and she had grazed recently. However, the amulet of privacy was giving out; they were becoming audible and visible. It might be restored somewhat by another invocation, but that should be saved for an emer gency.

She followed the direction indicated by the amulet-flute, deviating only to take advantage of open and level ground. This took her to the Animal Head Demesnes, which was a problem, as they were allies of the Adverse Adepts. Sure enough, a crow-head spied her, and she encountered a line of manlike creatures with assorted animal heads. They were armed with clubs and spears; she would not be able to run that gauntlet without getting hurt.

She slowed. Tania sat up tall and Eyed the leader, a lion head with a magnificent mane. “We be on special business,” she said. “Direct thy minions to let us pass, and one to lead us the best way through.”

It was that simple. The lion-head, fascinated by the Evil Eye, gestured his minions back. A hawk-head ran forward, leading Fleta, and in a short time she was through what had seemed like a difficult thicket, and facing another open re gion. “We thank thee, lion!” Tania called as Neysa acceler ated.

Tania had already justified her presence, apart from being a friend. Still Fleta could not bring herself to say what she needed to: that her objection to Tania’s play for Bane was withdrawn. She was finding herself as foolishly stubborn as her dam!

Fleta could not run forever. In the evening she had to stop. But Al had a suggestion: “An thou be hummingbird, Tania can carry thee, and I can use my night eyes to spy the way through the dark.”

“But needs must I also eat,” Fleta protested. “I can find thee sustenance,” he said eagerly. “What wouldst thou have?”

“An ounce of nectar would fill my bird belly, but that be hard to come by.”

“I will come by it!” he promised. He assumed his batform and disappeared into the twilight.

Soon he was back, hauling something that staggered his flight. It was a leaf cunningly drawn into a bag, and inside it was a pool of sweet nectar.

“How couldst thou harvest so much so soon?” Tania asked. “Each flower has but a trifle!”

“I found a big flower,” he said proudly. Fleta assumed bird form and tried the nectar. It was excellent, and more than she could finish; they had to store the extra for future use.

Then she settled in Tania’s tan tresses, and Tania walked, with Al flying ahead. She slept.

She woke at dawn, well rested. She flew up to spy the land, and incidentally loose some droppings; she had not felt free to do that while nesting in Tania’s hair. They were significantly closer to the Purple Mountain Range and to the Harpy Demesnes. Tania had really been exerting herself! Indeed, as she flew back down she saw that the woman was staggering; she had moved as fast as she could all night.

Fleta assumed woman form. “Enough! Thou must eat, and I will take my turn.

“I ate on the way. Al found fruits.”

Fleta was further impressed. The bat boy was doing his share too! She assumed ‘corn form, and Tania mounted, and Al came in. Now it was evident that he too was tired; he had been all night aloft.

She set off at a trot, following the contour of the foothills of the great mountains. She could tell by their respective postures that both woman and bat were almost instantly asleep. They deserved their rest!

At mid-moming she spied a dragon aloft, for the Dragon Demesnes were just south of the mountains. She hesitated, then decided that prevention was better than risk, and re invoked her amulet. Then she ignored the dragon, because she knew the amulet shielded her sight, sound and smell from its awareness. She did, however, make sure to tread on hard ground, because any tracks she left would be visible. But this was about the last use she would be able to make of the amulet; its magic was exhausted.

So it went. In two days they reached the Herd where Neysa grazed, and made themselves known to her. “So we know not what it means,” Fleta concluded. “We can fetch the Flute, an the elves yield it to us, but only the Adept Clef can play it—and he be far removed in space and frame, and can join us not.”

Neysa considered. “I have thought on such matters be fore,” she said. “I have discussed it-with Stile. Finally I made a point, which he in his humor called the Unicorn Point, and we laughed, thinking it lacked relevance. Now methinks he took it more seriously, and this be the reason for Al’s amulet.”

“A point?” Fleta asked blankly.

“It be this: that the most fundamental force in both frames be the same, and that its difference in the frames be but perception. In Phaze we see magic, and in Proton they see science, but the split between them be illusion. An we knew how, we could do science here, and they could do magic there. It be naught but a—a geis, or what they call a program, a rule that makes it be one way or the other.” Fleta exchanged glances with Tania and Al. All three were baffled.

“But science works here not,” Fleta said. “And magic works there not. I have been in both, and tried.”

“Because of thy mindset, and that o’ the frame,” Neysa said. “It be the same for all. The geis be unbreakable. But an the frames be merged again, both would work, drawing on either interpretation o’ the power o’ the basic rock Phazite or Protonite. The curtain between frames be but a window o’ awareness, like the screen o’ a science computer. Merg ence be the answer: that be what Al’s amulet means. Only when they be together can the frames be truly at rest.”

“But we can merge the frames not, with the Flute here and the Player there,” Tania said.

“Methinks Stile could,” Neysa said firmly. “An he be ensorceled, thou must do it instead.”

“I be no Adept!” Fleta protested. “I be but a mare in want o’ her colt, sore beset!”

“Thou dost be more than that,” Neysa said. “The frames be already one, an we but perceive it. Since the separation, the parallelism be more, mayhap lacking other way to abate the imbalances caused by the acts o’ people. Once there were two Lady Blues, one in each frame, but when the one in Proton died, the other could cross and fill her place. Now with no crossing, the void be filled by another, and that be the Lady Sheen. All the Adepts and most o’ the others be parallel, or growing so. The events too: what occurs in one frame, occurs in the other, if not exact, then close. Each contest was won by the same side; it could be not otherwise. Now what thou dost here, thine other self be doing there. If thou canst prevail here, so will it be there, and the way will open. What thou achievest be known in Proton, though there be no seeming contact between thee and the alien. All that thou canst accomplish be double weight. That be the remain der o’ the Point.”

Fleta knew it was true. She was awed by the realization; the evidences of the parallelism had been there all along, but she had never appreciated them this way. She had to succeed! “But an somehow the frames be merged—what o’ the folk?” Fleta asked. “Willst become just one set o’ folk for both?”

“Aye.”

“But I—“

“Will merge with Agape, methinks. And all others, as their pairs exist. It be a monstrous notion.”

“A monstrous notion!” Fleta echoed, intrigued and appalled. She liked Agape, but how could she be merged with her? What then of Mach and Bane—and Tania? Of their triangle?

That was all Neysa would say. Neysa had never been much for words, and once she had made her point—her Unicorn Point—she was done. She was old, and they did not want her to risk the rigors of their mission (or to be slowed down by her: that was unsaid), so they left her at the Herd, pondering her insight. The Unicorn Point—what mixed promise and mischief lay there!

Another day’s travel brought them to the spot at which the flute-amulet pointed—and there was nothing there. It was on the slope of the Purple Mountains, in the Elven Demesnes, with nothing but silvery flowers growing. They paused, baf fled. First the mystery of the Unicorn Point, then this! It was Alien who figured it out. “The Flute be under ground! The little folk keep it not up in plain sight, and their warrens go ne’er direct. We must find the entrance!”

They quested about, and in due course discovered an elven^ entrance. Fleta assumed woman form, removed her amulet, and handed it to Tania. “Mayhap this will protect thee aught. I must broach them now. Al and I will do it, while thou dost hide, in case.”

“In case what?” the bat boy asked.

“Elves be not always friendly.”

He nodded, sobering. Then Fleta knocked at the portal, alerting the elves. ‘

A man appeared. He was about the height of Alien, but considerably stouter. His clothing was the color of platinum, and his skin light blue. “Well, two prisoners!” he exclaimed, drawing his sword. “A fair damsel and a servant boy.”

“Nay!” Fleta cried. “We be ‘corn and bat, on a mission o’ surpassing import!”

“Not any more,” the elf said grimly.

Fleta didn’t want to have to fight him, but she could not let herself be considered a prisoner. She would have to change to unicorn form, which would be competent to deal with the sword.

Then the elf man turned, startled. His eyes glazed. “Oh, aye,” he said. “These be emissaries.”

Tania had stepped in. Out of contact with her, Fleta could neither see nor hear her other than dimly; the dwindling power of the amulet was more effective with only one person to cover. Evidently she had touched the elf, and used her Eye to fascinate him. Now, in effect, he was their prisoner. The elf led them into the passage in the hill. Wan light struggled down so that it was not completely dark, but it remained uncomfortably close. She would not be able to as sume unicorn form here; she would be jammed into the walls. At least Al would be able to move; as a bat he could readily handle this region.

They came to a chamber wherein sat an extremely wizened elf, obviously a leader. He wasted no time in amenities. “Thy magic be that o’ the Adverse Adepts. Know, 0 intruders, that we be overtly neutral, but privately we favor Stile and will help thy side not.”

Fleta smiled, relieved. “Canst thou be Pyreforge, friend to my foal’s grandsire? I be Fleta, and this be Alien, son o’—“

“And thou be helping the wrong side!” he snapped. “Be glad I grant thee the courtesy o’ truce, else—“

“Nay, we changed sides,” she cried. “Now Mach and I be with Stile, only my foal be captive, and there be enchant ment on Blue and Red and Bane, and we alone be free to seek-“

“How can I know that? That Evil Eye—“

“Tania changed too! She be aiding Stile now!”

Pyreforge stared at her. “An thou canst convince me o’ that, with her Eye hooded, mayhap my aid be thine.” It took time, but in due course the old elf was satisfied. He turned over the invaluable Platinum Flute. It was in pieces, in a box, but could be readily assembled at need. “But we know not how to use it,” Fleta said. “The amulet guided us here to it, and. my dam says we must merge the frames, but—”

“Let me research in my references.”

More time passed. The elves gave them bread and water while they waited, treating them with courtesy now that their loyalty to Stile was known. Tania had to give up the fading amulet of privacy and become fully apparent. “Ah, now I see!” the elf exclaimed as he saw her clearly. “Thou hast the stigmata o’ love for Bane! That be why thou didst change sides!”

Tania was taken aback. “Shows it thus?”

“Ordinarily, nay. But thy whole nature has changed, and that be evident. But an the frames merge, what o’ thee?”

“0’ me?”

“Thou dost love the man o’ this frame, who be not with Fleta. Thine other self loves the rovot, who be not with the alien. But—”

“The alien!” Al exclaimed. “My namesake!”

“Aye,” Fleta said. “When she and I exchanged, and she were in Phaze, she helped thy parents get together, so they named thee after her. Likewise there be a child in Proton frame, Mach tells me, named ‘Corn, though me thinks I con tributed not to that.”

“Mine other self!” Al said, pleased.

“As I were saying,” Pyreforge continued gruffly, “An the frames merge, so will thy two selves—and there will be one man with one woman. Bane will have the alien, and Fleta will have Mach, all together in one, and none be open for thee. So what o’ thee?”

Tania looked crestfallen. “I know not,” she said faintly.

This was the matter that Fleta had not been able to raise. It was the separation of Mach and Bane that made compromise possible; without that separation, and the two distinct frames, there would be no free man, or free aspect of him. “Then canst thou labor to merge the frames, an it be pos sible?”

Tania considered. “I sought to vamp Bane, to win him o’er to our side—1 mean the Adverse Adepts—and make a fitting mate for me. I wanted to marry below my station not. But the ploy turned, and he won me to his side, which now be Stile’s, and made o’ me his creature though ne’er did he touch me. Now must I do what he would have me do, and I would save him though I lose him. I can explain it not else.”

“It will do,” the old elf said. “Take the Flute to Blue and it will rouse him and enable him to throw off the geis on him. Then will he know what to do.”

“There be the answer!” Fleta exclaimed. “To fetch the Flute and bring it to him!”

“Else would we ne’er give it thee,” Pyreforge agreed. “An this instrument fall into enemy hands—”

“I will die before that happen,” Fleta said, and the air around her rippled.

“Aye,” the elf agreed.

Soon they were on their way again, trotting north toward the Blue Demesnes. They passed through the Werewolf De mesnes, but they neither paused there nor made themselves known, for fear the enemy would discover them. Fleta carried the Platinum Flute, in its box, tied to her barrel. She could feel its latent power, warming her side and lending strength. She knew it could revive Stile! In two days they were near the castle of the Blue De mesnes. But how were they to get inside? They knew that there would be formidable magic barring their way, and that their amulet would not protect them from discovery here, even if any real strength remained in it. “Mayhap they be busy elsewhere, not guarding this,” Al said hopefully. “I can fly in and spy it out, and if naught happens to me—”

“Aye, go,” Fleta said. She did not like putting him in danger, but she couldn’t risk bringing the Flute near until she knew it was safe.

Alien changed form and flew low and circuitously toward the castle. In due course he returned. “Tan be there, guard ing—but he be sleeping!”

Without a word, Fleta advanced on the castle in her human form. It would have been faster in her natural form, but she didn’t want the sound of her hooves waking the Adept. Tania followed. They took advantage of whatever cover they could find.

They crossed the moat and entered the castle. It was un naturally silent; the animals that usually came for healing were gone, and the normal activities of cooking and working were still. The geis had been laid on it, and it was in effect deserted.

Fleta stepped into the main chamber. There was Stile, sit ting frozen, only his eyes alive. His magic involved singing; he could not sing, and so was helpless. Fleta repressed her horror, and tiptoed toward Stile.

“Hold, mare.”

She jumped, turning to face the voice. It was Tan, awake! Of course he had feigned sleep, to trick Al and lure them in here; now he had sprung his trap all too neatly.

“Look not at him!” Tania cried.

But it was already too late. The Adept’s gaze was on her, meeting her own. The volition drained from her body as his eyes loomed large.

A bat flew at Tan, going for his eyes. But the Adept merely nicked a glance at Alien, and the bat stiffened and fell to the floor, unable to fly. Fleta had some resistance, being a unicorn, but the vampires did not. The boy had done a brave and foolish thing, and now was stunned. The terrible gaze resumed its reduction of her defense; the Adept wasn’t even straining.

Tania leaped in front other. “I will stop him!” she cried. “Take the Flute to Stile!”

But Fleta, tagged peripherally by the Evil Eye, could barely move. She could feel her volition recovering, but the process was distressingly slow. Only her right hand, holding the Platinum Flute, was fully functional; it had not been affected by the Eye. Indeed, it was the source of her recovery; volition was extending along her arm and toward her shoulder. She had thought the power of the Evil Eye was exaggerated; now she knew that her contempt for it had been because of ignorance. Tania had never used it on her, and her respect for Tania was rising.

Meanwhile, Tania blocked off the Adept Tan, countering his gaze with hers. Neither moved; the Eyes were all. “Dost think to oppose me, turncoat?” Tan inquired with infinite scorn. “Thou canst not, and I will tell thee why. I am the Tan Adept, not thee, and this be not because I be male, but because my power were e’er greater than thine.” Fleta, staring at Tania’s back, saw the woman shiver. He was speaking truly!

“Moreover, thou has lost the edge thou hadst,” he continued inexorably. “Thou fool, thou didst let Bane turn the worm on thee, draining thee o’ thy nerve. Now thou dost be mushy soft, thine Eye weak.”

Tania’s body shook. She was losing the contest, and Fleta still lacked control of her legs. She was a unicorn, resistant to hostile magic, but the Adept had stunned her in a moment. If she tried to walk to Stile, she would fall. “Were thou not my sister, it would go hard with thee. As it is, I will put thee merely to sleep while I deal with these animals. At least thou has done one thing right: thou didst bring to me the Platinum Flute, that else would have been their only remaining threat.”

Fleta jammed the box containing the Flute forward, into Tania’s back. “Take it!” she said. “It will give thee strength!” She slid the instrument across the woman’s back, around her body to her arm, so that she could grasp it. Tania’s body straightened at the contact. The Flute was lending her strength! Despite Tan’s brutal words, Tania’s power was nearly the equal of his, and she was able to fight back. She took the box, her gaze still locked with that of her brother, and slowly opened it. Stage by stage she assembled the Flute, and her posture showed that she was still gaining strength. At last she held it before her. Now it was Tan’s turn to shake. The Flute made the difference, and Tania was beating him back! Her Eye was becoming stronger than his.

Tan tried to back away, but in a moment came up against the wall. Tania followed, holding the Flute, never relinquishing her gaze. She had to fascinate him, or he would fascinate them all and take the Flute.

Alien stirred. Fleta, almost completely recovered, went to him, picking him up. Her contact helped; he lifted his mouse like head, his big eyes blinking.

Now Fleta was free to take the Flute to Stile—but she didn’t have it, and couldn’t take it until Tania had finished with Tan. Tania was winning, but it was obviously a debilitating contest; perhaps never before had Eye been opposed to Eye. At last Tan sank to the ground, his eyes clouding. He had lost; his mind was captive to his sister’s. But Tania was little better off. She wavered, and Fleta hastened to support her before she fell. She seemed dazed. Her tan hair glistened with a sheen of sweat, and her eyes were turning bloodshot. Even with the help of the Flute, she had had to give her all in the effort to prevail.

The castle shook. There was a rumble from below. Then the stone floor clove asunder, and the Purple Adept rose through it, buoyed by a waft of smoke.

There was no time for thought. Both Fleta and Alien knew what to do. They hurled themselves at the Adept, Fleta changing to her natural form as she did so. Purple raised his hand. The floor bucked, throwing Fleta to the side. A jet of purple gas shot out of a fissure and swept Alien out of the air. Both landed at Stile’s feet, half stunned. How true it was: ordinary folk had no chance against any Adept!

Now Purple approached Tania as she stood swaying in her sweat-sodden cloak. “I see thou be better talented than we judged,” he said. “Now give me the Flute, girl.” Fleta made a desperate effort to protest, but all she could manage was a double note on her horn.

Tania blinked. She looked at Purple, then at the Flute in her hand. It was obvious that she had no way to resist him; her power was spent, while his was strong. “Thou’rt a pretty thing,” Purple said. “Give it me, and I will spare thee punishment, and mayhap take thee for my mistress. I want not to destroy thee.” It was obviously no bluff, either way; Purple had all the powers of the deep earth, and he liked women of any type.

Slowly Tania lifted the Platinum Flute. Fleta blew another protest, but could manage no more. There seemed to be no way to keep Purple from his victory.

Alien changed to his boy form. He was too battered to rise, but he could speak. “Play it!” he gasped.

Tania paused. A strange look crossed her face. She was not musically inclined. There was no way she could perform on such an instrument. But she seemed to hear a voice the others could not. She did not pass the Flute to Purple. She lifted it instead to her mouth. She blew. Then things became strange indeed.