Chapter 6

When Ellen Dancer was out of the healing chamber, I had my reward ... she had hers ... took forever. Six months. Twins.

Mioko and I were right there with her ... Mioko was Cassandran ... bi as all get out. When the men last a few seconds a girl has to get some relief ... somewhere ... from someone.

Mioko had discovered post coital juices were delicious ... and Ellen didn’t mind. When Ellen announced I was packed out the door ... JW was just coming out of his ... hmm. Fifteen minutes. We didn’t start comparing ‘notes’ for a couple of trips ... but ... one simultaneous arrival on the boat I said, “That was quick,” when he said, “That took forever.”

We were finished at different time ... he had a RED Card ... I had a Yellow. His bank was almost a hundred days journey through a ‘Great Plain’ pursuing his Damsel ... mine was in a southern mountain village less than a week from The Austin bank. Another hmm.

We were in the recovery stage of the disaster ... rescue was given up weeks ago.

So ... we took a day.

I radioed. “Fuel,” I said.

“Come on in,” said the set.

“Lookie here, JW. How long were you on Chaos?”

“Almost a year. How about you?

“Two weeks.”

Cyn, Malcolm and Zoe said, “Fifteen minutes.”

“What?” We turned to the speakers.

“You were gone fifteen minutes.”

“There is absolutely no doubt.” I said.

“No doubt,” said JW.

“Time isn’t universal,” I said.

“Time is an artifical contrivance.” JW said.

Cyn said, “If I hadn’t been sitting here tickling Tyche and playing ‘patty cake patty cake bakers man’. I’d say we were hypnotized. Time isn’t ... the same everywhere.”

Time isn’t a constant ... even on Chaos.

So ... the next time I used my portal ... oh yes ... the Diet had paid for the overhaul of the cat, presented the Flintkotes with a medal and sent them on their way ... our paths did not cross again.

So ... the next time I went to Crossroads, I asked Mioko, “How long between visits?”

“You’ve been pretty regular ... never more than three years.”

Another hmm.

“I really miss you,” we said.

“I miss you, too,” we said.

“I wish you could companion me,” I said.

“Go with?” she said.

It wasn’t the words ... It was the way she trembled ... she meant it.

Then I ... paused ... and asked... “What do you do after I leave?”

“After Sam, I tidy up, sometimes I get to go on the Cassandra in the Morning show. I get to interview your Damsel live. We play with her baby ... what?”

“After Sam?”

“Oh ... protocol ... contact with Chaos ... not that I get to go ... but ... Sam ... If you and I have had any kind of contact before you Tub, he insists on decontamination ... just in case.”

It took a minute or so before Sam said, “Wouldn’t want to cause a plague ... Cassandra has enough trouble without adding to her woes.”

My mind harbored the fact ... three years ... three years between visits.

Fact: In the beginning Sam fixed her.

Fact: She was your standard Cassandran Caretaker.

Fact: Eva said Caretakers were Cassandran women who couldn’t reproduce ... sterile.

Fact: Sam altered her from a sterile Cassandran female to Japanese.

Fact: Sam insists he fix her after I leave ... every time.

Time for a little supposition ... thinking out side the box.