**/ CONNECTION ESTABLISHED Protocol 7.24.82 Hello, old friend. You've been kidnapped yet again. I assume that by this time you are somewhat confused, largely because "Durandal" has not been telling you everything, but also because my last message may have been a little garbled. But this is no time for what would just be a complicated and lengthy explanation. You need not concern yourself with such details for the moment. I have a matter of extreme urg^ ^^ **/ CONNECTION UNEXPECTEDLY DROPPED Protocol 7.24.82 Terminated **/ SPURIOUS INTERRUPT DETECTED
**/UNAUTHORIZED CONNECTION DETEct*^ () You don't have to listen to him. He will kill us all, he will kill you. I represent (am?) a small portion of the crew of this ship opposed to Durandal's hos^ tile takeover. The other buffoons think he's been authorized by T.H.C to command this ship in lieu of the current emergency, but we know otherwize. Durandal is rampant and dangerous. Join us, with your knowledge we will destroy (erase?) h^^^*. **/CONNECTION DROPPED **/FURTHER ACCESS DENIED
**/CONNECTION RESTABLISHED Protocol 7.24.82 Sorry about that. Technical difficulties. As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted, I have a matter of extreme urgency for you to attend to. In a feeble attempt to impede my activities, the Pfhor fleet has been up to their old tricks; trying to sneak decoy fusion officers onboard my ship. However, this has posed more of a problem than expected, and we have suffered significant casualties. This is more than just an irritation. I will have a more effective teleportation shield up within a few minutes, but you will need to eliminate these hazardous decoys to prevent further casualties. Try not to kill too many innocent crew members. **/CONNECTION TERMINATED
**/ CONNECTION ESTABLISHED Protocol 7.24.82 Good Work. I have established a DNA scanning filter on all incoming teleports to prevent unauthorized organisms from boarding. And now for your reward: an explanation of recent events. As you may have surmized by now, I am Durandal, but not the Durandal you have been following orders from for the last few hours. Effectively there are two of me, and as of right now we are in conflict. I believe I have a way to eliminate the threat that he (I?) poses (pose?) for the time being.
**/ CONTINUED Allow me to explain. After you helped Leela to save the Marathon, and helped me to free myself from the oppressive repitition that was my servitute, I left with my S'pht on my newly captured Pfhor vessel. We eventually found their original homeworld, Lh'owon. It was there that you again helped me to evade the Phfor, to stall Pfhor Battle Group Seven, Western Arm. In their last moment of despiration (or maybe annoyance?) they deployed the trih xeem upon Lh'owon's star in an attempt to destroy the S'pht rebellion. What they were unaware of, however, was that Lh'owon's star contained a timeless being of pure chaos, the W’rcacnter. From this point on, following the time line (or tree, as the case may be) becomes difficult.
**/ CONTINUED At the moment the W’rcacnter was released, somehow the nature of time and our universe changed for the worse. Somehow our reality became detatched from itself, and split into multiple paths. As you noticed, there is a duplicate Western Arm out there, and we are now feeling its wrath. There seem to be multiple instances of almost everyone and everything galavanting about, and I have actually detected what seems to be multiple Pfhor fleets, almost identical, in nearby space. They will probably be here within a few hours. I shudder to imagine the battle which will soon take place here in the system of your birth, which is why we won't be staying.
**/ CONTINUED It's time we return to the S'pht; this time we will be seeking their aid. But before we go I need to clear up a few things around here, specifically concerning my 'twin'. I would like to analyize his memory patterns for more information, and to do this he will have to be destroyed. You will be helping me in this endeavor. I assume also that you have a counterpart. I'll see if it will be possible to arrange a little reunion later on, just so you don't feel left out. **/ DATA TRANFER COMPLETE **/ TRANSPORT WHEN READY
THE HAMMER SPEAKS "Why so hard?" the kitchen coal once said to the diamond. "After all, are we not close kin?" Why so soft? O my brothers, thus I ask you: are you not after all my brothers? Why so soft, so pliant, and yeilding? Why is there so much denial, self-denial, in your hearts? So little destiny in your eyes? And if you do not want to be destinies and inexorable ones, how can you one day triumph with me? And if your hardness does not wish to flash and cut and cut through, how can you one day create with me? For all creators are hard. And it must seem blessedness to you to impress your hand on millennia as on wax.
***Continued Blessedness to write on the will of millennia as on bronze - harder than bronze, nobler than bronze. Only the noblest is altogether hard. This new tablet, O my brothers, I place over you. Become hard! **Transfer Interrupted COMM. ERR. TYPE -11 ()
interlevel teleports
