Standing near Bleys was a man who was both broadly muscular and tall. I estimated him to be near 7' in height. Dark red hair, nearly brown, cut short, framed a face which was calm, composed, and clean-shaven. His eyes were dark grey, unblinking.

Bleys said, "Flavel, meet Matt. Matt, meet Flavel."

I bowed briefly from the neck, "Well met Daniel." Ever had one of those days when you brain get's cross-wired? I had meant to say "Well met Matt."

Internally I shrugged it off. Chalk it up to the recent Trump travel. Matt nodded in similar fashion. Then he looked to Bleys for an explanation.

Bleys leaned back against the wall. "Matt, this is one of the people I discussed bringing. Flavel, Matt here has some people in need of moving. Unfortunately, there's a prophecy involved which seems to involve my newly-discovered child."

I folded my arms and leaned against the wall. "Well, that may solve one person's curiousity, but I'm still in the dark. But I've been out of touch with the family until just recently. Would you

care to elaborate?"

Bleys shrugged, "Apparently, Matt here needs an Amberite as part of the prophecy. In his search for one, he found a daughter I didn't know I had. I got involved investigating your cousin Duncan's death. Now, I can move the people, but prophecies are funny things. Nobody can ever

quite predict how they'll work out. Matt, would you care to tell us your story?"

"What do you wish to know?" he folded his arms.

I asked, "What is this prophecy I hear about for starters?"

Matt quoted,

"When merry Fire

Meets distant Water,

When wounded Air

Meets questing Earth,

Then the Child of Light,

In Virtue and Truth,

Show the way for the people lost."

I unfolded my arms, and scratched my head, "So I take it we are down to finishing up the last line of the prophecy then. May I ask what happened to Duncan. I knew him not but I don't care to hear that a cousin has passed away."

Fiona had mentioned attacks on my cousins, but she didn’t know of any deaths. Either his death was relatively (bad pun) recent or Fiona wasn’t aware of this Occurance. Probably the former.

Bleys said, "He died unexpectedly. Richard is backtracking the people there at the time. As for where we are in this prophecy, that is uncertain. Any opinion on that, Matt?"

I racked my brain but the name Richard eluded me. File under miscellaneous relatives. Bleys must be closely involved in the investigation of Duncan’s death. He seemed well informed. Then again, maybe the elders held weekly conference calls via trump.

Matt pushed his arm forward, and a flap of skin flipped back to reveal a multitude of dark machinery. Bulging forward at his command, five stones emerged, each one bearing a different color: red, blue, gray, gold, and white. The white one was glowing faintly. "This began to

glow in Lisa's presence," Matt explained. "Thus, she is the Child of Light."

My eyes widen slightly then narrowed. At length I shook my head. "Okay, so these people we are moving...Why are we moving them?"

Is it a cyborg or a robot? Cyborg I think for there is much that looks to be flesh and blood. Though there is something odd about this one.

"So they are not exterminated," Matt replied, and his flesh sealed up neatly.

Since when did we become the red cross for refuges in war zones?

I shrugged, "Okay, well I don't have a problem helping out as long as it doesn't take terribly long. I'll probably be needed in something like 3 days hence."

Bleys raised an eyebrow "Three days? What happens then?"

I cocked my head slightly in Bleyss' direction, "Then my presence may be required elsewhere. I was...am currently involved in some investigations. We are currently in a lull in our activities,

but that will change eventually and when they do I may be called back."

Bleys nodded, "Suits me. My idea is to do a brief reconnaisance of Matt's Shadow, see what it's like in detail and see if there are any problems to moving people out first. What do you see as the major problems to this evacuation, Matt? "

Matt turned his head. "The warlords. They are able to detect K'Tah bearers, and will kill them without hesitation. They send out Trackers, which is what I have been partially forged of. I will

download the data on them if you prefer."

For me, the problem with jumping into the middle of things has always been getting up to speed. Every time Matt or Bleys would say something three more questions would come to mind. Depending on the complexity of the situation I was dumped into, it could take many a day to get it all sorted out. Getting a print out would be a welcome change of pace to asking question after question.

I said, "If we have computers available here, that would be grand."

Bleys smiled, "We have computers. Come with me." and he led us to a small study, equipped with its own computer system seamlessly integrated into aged bookshelves.

Matt took a few moments to look it over. He stepped forward, and glanced back at Bleys. "May I begin?"

Bleys nodded, "Be my guest."

The cyborg inclined his head succinctly, then stepped to the console. His lean fingers flew over the keys, working quickly, which left Bleys and I to chat for the moment.

I casually studied the room, "Nice place, is this your flat Bleys?'

Bleys chuckled softly, "Thank you. It's a home I use sometimes. Technology has its uses."

Letting Bleys take in my covert glance at Matt, "Yes, I guess your right at that." I hoped Bleys would see my point. Matt seemed like a great tool, but I wondered if it was Bleyss’s toy or an independent…or worse being controlled by some other party.

Bleys nodded, "Indeed. The medical facilities here are also compatible with the tech level of Matt's Shadow."

I mused, "Are the people we are to rescue in a high tech shadow as well?"

Bleys nodded, "I was there briefly as part of my investigations."

I shook my head, "I hate combat in high tech shadows. It's difficult to anticipate the range of detectors, and the weaponry is typically very accurate and destructive."

Bleys nodded, "You're going to love where we're going then."

"Interfacing complete," Matt withdrew one step. "You may browse through the data at your convenience. However, my knowledge may be outdated at this time. I am uncertain."

I reached over and accessed the files date/time stamp, "Are there any differences in time flow between the target shadow and this one?"

Bleys nodded, "We're slightly faster here."

I nodded, "Thats to our advantage then, as less time will have passed for this data to become out of date."

Puzzled at the file’s esoteric, non-julian, quadratic-hex decimal timestamp, I turned to Matt. "How old is this data?"

"By my status, eighty-nine days have passed since I left."

I took a step back. "We will have to go over this data before making the journey I assume. Or are we pressed for time?"

Bleys shook his head, "There will be time. How long will you both need?"

Matt looked at me. "I am ready to depart at any time. Sooner is best."

I glanced again at the file size and said, "Give me 3 hours with the data. I should be ready by then. Since I take it you both are already familiar with this shadow, can you suggest any equipment I would need?"

Bleys thought for a moment then said, "Basic survival gear is a good idea. And we won't be going into the Shadow itself, but very near."

I nodded, "If guns work I'll be needing one as well."

Matt looked faintly amused. "Something stronger will be needed."

I glanced up from the data that I’d been skimming, "Which is why I asked what equipment I would be needing. Don't keep me in the dark Matt, I'm trying to render assistance." For some reason Matt was irritating me to no end. It might have been his machinelike demeanor. I was having trouble deciding whether to treat him as a piece of machinery or as another person.

"There is a weapons file there, and armor classings on the Trackers. That will supply enough information, if you are versed on technological weaponry." Matt looked to Bleys. "I assume you are more advanced in such matters in this world?"

Bleys nodded, "We are, but higher tech weapons aren't much use if they fail to work. For that reason, I suggest we stick with weaponry that is more suited to your world."

I skimmed through the files, my eyes unblinking as the glowing text flowed rapidly up the screen. Without taking my eyes off the monitor I said; "Issue me whatever equipment you think necessary for our mission. You can brief my on it's usage as we sojourn." I paused

to run multiple files in a split screen configuration and added, "Who are these trackers you've mentioned?"

"They are highly advanced machines, adaptable to environments and various types of weaponry. The Warlord uses them primarily to 'track' those with K'Tah in their blood and exterminate them. We will encounter many upon our arrival, since you are both K'Tesh." MATT had the blandest of expressions on his face, the living image of a talking computer. Then his emotionless eyes turned to Bleys. "I will require hyper-pulse plasma ejection pistols if you have them."

I frowned. Still reading the data, I considered Matt's words. Warbots were notoriously deadly, being able to give and take incredible amounts of damage. Depending on their sensor suite, they could sometimes be evaded, but given the relative sophistication surrounding this place...I shook my head. Nobody in their right minds would attack warbots without a likewise composed force.

Recalling my decades as a engineer constructing robots and computer systems, I realized the biggest weakness in robots lay in their processing and decision making routines.

Transponders could be immitated, IFF signals could be meaconed, telemetry data could be jammed. It all depended on how they communicated. But time was short and this kinda gagetry would take awhile to set up. What was needed was a quick way of leveling the playing field.

I wondered if we could just send up a stratospheric detonated nuke. That would scramble communications, and fry anything electronic that wasn’t shielded.

I turned to Matt, "Are these Trackers EMP shielded?"

"Yes," Matt replied. "As am I."

I continued to peruse Matt's log files detailing recent conversations with humans. The dialogue lost some detail in text format but switching to audio/video modes would take the output to a crawl.

After a couple of minutes I paused the text scrolling and turned to Bleys, "Congratulations on a daughter." Okay, so on reflection Bleys had as much told me he was a dad earlier, but he dropped that note at about the same time he mentioned Duncan’s death now that I thought about it.

Bleys smiled and replied, "Thank you, Flavel."

At length I stood and stretched. "I think I'm up to date. Or as close as I'm going to be reading the files."

Which was to say I had the data loosely committed to memory. I would continue reviewing it as events unfolded. I’m not the fastest reader in the family, I only read at something like 4,000 words a minute. I think my mother could stick an ISDN line into her ear and both translate and record the information.

Bleys nodded, "Alright, I'd prefer we view the Shadow from the outside. However, on the chance that we have to enter it, I will shortly take you to the armoury to be outfitted."

I liked that idea. Caution being the better part of…well, it’s just better.

Just at that, the door opened and a young woman walked in, clad in a dress of a deep green-blue. Although she had Bleys' blue eyes, her strongest resemblance was to Fiona.

She looked uncertainly at me (smart girl, I liked her already), but curtsied to us all. There was frank relief in her eyes as she looked at Matt.

Bleys smiled, "Lisa, dear, come and meet Flavel, your cousin. Matt, as you can see, is now fully repaired."

Lisa walked over to stand between Bleys and Matt. In a lilting voice, she said, "Good morning, Flavel. I'm pleased to meet you."

I returned the gesture with an easy bow, "I'm pleased to meet your aquaintence Lisa. Matt and your father have been bringing me up to speed on the situation. I have agreed to lend assistance for the time being."

Lisa smiled at me, "Thank you. It's very nice of you to help." At that moment, another person came into the room. A tall, raven haired young man with blue eyes looked around. Lisa immediately moved to the young man's side. Softly, she said, "This is Falkner, my step-brother.

Falkner, as you can see, Matt's better now. And my father Bleys you already know. This is Flavel, my cousin."

I stared momentarily at Falkner.

An "almost cousin" this Falkner..and Lisa's protector and brother.

Performing a curt bow, I said, "I've read briefly of your exploits Falkner. I'd be honored to be included in your company."

Falkner only looked further confused. "Are we going to Matt's world, then?"

Bleys nodded, "Matt, Flavel and I are, on a reconnaisance mission. In the meantime, I would prefer you and Lisa to remain here until we return."

I added, "I sincerely doubt we will be gone long."

Bleys looked at Matt and asked, "Is this plan to your satisfaction?"

MATT nodded succinctly. "Do you have a way of disguising the fact that you are both K'Tah? The Trackers will seek us out immediately otherwise."

As I rapidly reviewed Matt's log files that I’d committed to memory, I pondered the growing implications in gradually increasing alarm.

There's too many unanswered questions. I'm missing the big picture. Unless I've missed the mark, somebody has designed warbots to hunt Amberites and here we are making plans to rescue some natives?!? We should instead be declaring war and anhilating this shadow entire or at the very least terminating whoever is responsible….

I turned to Matt and asked the cyborg. "It might be difficult to mask something that you haven't adequately explained to us. I hadn't seen a definition of what K'Tah or K'Tesh is, in your files. Please define." My voice took on a hard edge, "Why your at it, please identify your origin. Who is your creator? I noticed in your log file you reported to a purple sphere of light. (OOC: reference post: #1349.) Please explain this sphere. Who did you report to and who is currently your controller cyborg?"

Though Matt's voice and expression do not change, displeasure seemed to mark him. "You were not authorized to access those files. I cannot answer your questions at this time regarding my superiors, for protection and privacy purposes." He blinked once, signalling that the topic had shifted. "K'Tah is a special ability to use magic. I have identified those who are K'Tesh as yourself, Bleys, and Lisa."

I caught Bleyss' eye and arched an eyebrow. I needed to know how my impromptu interrogation stood with my Uncle. Not much there, but since I hadn’t been cut off I decided to hammer out the implications. I got the feeling Bleys knew more than he would admit, but that’s been par for the course for so long it didn’t even deserve a footnote. When in doubt overload…

Turning back to Matt I said, "So let me get this straight. We have one group of machines, these stalkers, that make it their business to atttack Amberites. Then we have another group of machines, of which you are a member, that...well I wouldn't say they help us. They just

require our capabilities to accomplish their missions. Beyond that, we don't know your motives, long term goals, who you work for, your origin...and you expect us to help you? Am I missing anything here?"

"I expect nothing," MATT replied blandly. "I have been sent to ask for help, and I must obey my programmers. As for the other group, there are no others."

Turning to Bleys, I tried to shrug, but instead laughed, "Well Uncle, I feel in my heart we must help him. With it's, err-his reluctance to speak of personal motives and background...I find his

credential impecable. He's just like another member of the family. Let's get started."

Lisa and Falkner had watched and listened to all of this, and Lisa, especially, looked troubled, but she said nothing, her blue eyes continued to watch and stay alert. I disregarded her as unimportat.

Bleys smiled coolly, "Yes, let's get started, shall we. Falkner, if you would look after Lisa, we shall equip ourselves suitably."

Heading out of the door to the armoury, he said "Flavel, Matt, if you gentlemen would be so kind as to follow me?"

I followed, my steps instinctively placing me to Bleyss' left hand side and slightly behind (the most difficult position for Bleys to mount a sudden attack). As we walked out of hearing distance from Lisa and Falkner, I remarked, "I take it you did not care for my sudden questioning in front of Lisa and Falkner?"

Normally, I wouldn’t question somebody in a mixed group. Certainly not when newbies were around, and the specifics of propiety were in doubt. It’s just that the variables were piling up and I didn’t enjoy not knowing the specifics. I didn’t know about Bleys, but I felt lost in a host of unknowns, and in our business, what we don’t know can and will kill us.

Bleys replied quietly, a slight smile on his face, "I didn't mind at all. You certainly gained some interesting reactions."

If Bleys was referring to my cousins it was pointless as the lack of reaction I acquired from MATT. Still, MATT’s lack of cooperation was good to know. I shrugged, "I'm starting to get used to the reactions I incurr. I've been around many of my cousins of late who are new to the game. So far I think I now have at least three cousins who consider me a little odd. But the day is still young."

Bleys turned to Matt, walking off to one side. "Matt, what do you remember of your life before you became a cyborg?"

"I recall nothing," he replied, his eyes fixed on their destination before them. "Loss of memory came with the implants."

I never considered myself much of a bad guy. Wearing a black hat gets old and you can run out of friends quickly. That and the enemies pile up very quickly. But MATT was bringing out the worst in me. I’ve worked with machinary and computers for several years. But this was the first time I’d seen a cyborg that whose computer/machine side was dominant. I didn’t like it. Didn’t like it at all. It seemed a perversion of science. Tools were made to serve men, not the other way around. It set a bad precedent. I wondered if there was a way I could goad it into reverting control to its biological side.

Without looking in Matt’s direction I quipped, "That's because your owner's wanted you on a short leash. Your a boiler-plated calculator with human reasoning capabilities, but without the added baggage of feelings and emotions. It would distract you from your mission. So

they cut the man out of the machine."

Matt's head tilted forward in a half-nod. "It may be so. But logic says that it is not." And he straightened.

I flipped my hand in an absent minded warding gesture. "Every time I hear a robot talk about logic I get bored. I know the unit known as MATT can cogitate. I'm more interested in the lump of flesh that was hard-soldered to this walking trash compactor. The machine says that he must obey his programmers. Is the man behind the machine merely a slave to a sorry collection of processors and relays? I want to talk to the man."

If it's possible for a cyborg to look perplexed, it seemed to fit Matt. "I cannot comply to your wishes," he stated in a monotone voice. "I am not human. I am cyborg."

"You are human as well as machine." I continued to walk towards the armory, I allowed a brief expression of amusement cross my face, "Your performing information retrieval from your machine side. Try accessing and processing information soley from your biogical

structure. You might find the results surprising. If you can manage that, you might also wish to cross-reference the results with your machine side. The differences may prove instructive."

The cyborg glanced at me inquisitively. "You are not cyborg," he stated. "How is it that you possess no knowledge of Tracker technology and weapons, yet you possess much knowledge of Tracker mechanics?"

I thought briefly of the time I resided in the high tech wonder shadow of the Escanok Concordium. Decades spent working as an engineer designing computers and robots. I could detail my background to MATT, but the information would doubtless arive back at it’s programmers. So far I wouldn’t trust MATT with my bowling score card.

"I didn't realize you were a tracker. But to answer your question I've had many a friend who was a cyborg. The difference being my friends maintained their humanity. The cybernetics complemented their capabilities. Whereas it seems your programming is intrusive and constricting to your human psyche. In your case the machine is the master. This is easy enough to discern as your speaking digitally. In terms of yes/no, on/off, with your expressions devoted

to logic. Humans are analog devices. We think in terms of maybe, sort of, possibly, or feels like--How do you feel?"

"I do not feel. I am cyborg," MATT repeated. "I do what is required. That is all."

I replied, "You mean your a robot who happens to have some biological aids. A cyborg can feel as well as reason. It's a marriage of biology and technology. Your architecture is...something

else."

On a hunch, I called up the Pattern and began to casually examine MATT as we continued our long walk to the armory. Maybe I could acquire an impression by way of how the Pattern interacted with this walking pile of bolts.

What I saw was a young man who has been implanted with various mechanisms and that young man bubbled with the forces of chaos. Bleys caught my eye and made a small, near imperceptible nod of approval.

I grew quiet and continued to accompany Bleys and MATT. Okay, so I’m in the company of the Mad Hatter, and the left hand of the devil. How the hell did I get into this company?

As we neared the armoury, Bleys casually remarked to Matt "Matt, what do you know of a man named Evran?"

"Do you refer to Stuthguard Evran?" Matt asked, his head swiveled downward to look at Bleys. Upon seeing his approval, Matt continued. "He has formed the Stuthguards as protectors to the people, and commissioned my construction."

Now this was very interesting. I can ask MATT pointblank who his creators are and I get all sorts of unauthorized access crap. Bleys drops a name and all of sudden MATT coredumps. Very interesting.

Bleys nodded, "And what can you tell me of a man named Gith?"

"One of the Warlords," Matt responded. "He is intent on destroying K'Tesh, human life matters not. Gith has great potential with what you call 'sorcery.'"

Bleys nodded, his face neutral, then he answered, "Gith and Evran are one and the same being."

"That is not logical. Their purposes are crossed."

Unsure of the names being tossed around, I contented myself with following the discourse of the Cyborg and High Prince. Momma didn’t raise no fool. Bleys was spinning Matt around on some interesting lines of logic, dropping names I hadn’t heard and confusing the cyborg to know end. I found it incredible that MATT wouldn’t disregard the information as false or misleading. Maybe it couldn’t. Then again, maybe Bleys had reprogrammed the cyborg when I wasn’t looking.

Bleys smiled coolly, his expression eerily reminded me of Fiona, and replied "Nevertheless, it is true. Evran is a shapeshifter and Gith is his true identity. Furthermore, this person is even

now being pursued in connection with the suspicious death of an Amberite, specifically Duncan. My nephew. Even more interesting when one considers that this Gith is himself an Amberite,

wouldn't you say?"

Matt slowed. "My orders are now crossed." Apparently Matt had been asked by Stuthguard Evran to move the remaining innocents from the Shadow. However, Gith wants nothing more than to destroy them. So, if they ARE one and the same, which to follow?

My thoughts were awhirl. It's was obvious that Bleys has done some indepth research beforehand. "There seems to be several possibilities. None of which look appetizing. This Evran or Gith character," I muttered something about shapeshifters, "may have been using MATT as an elaborate trap to pull in more Amberites. That seems thin as our kind could normally care less if a group of people lives or dies." I glanced at Bleys, "Unless are own interests are tied

up in the matter."