EderynMartinVirtualGreetingsSB: Ederyn Martin Noys Virtual Greetings(Continued from The Education of Ederyn Smith and Martin Flight into Eternity) As Ederyn’s attentions focus, he finds that this trump call is a three-dimensional, immersive experience. He appears to be standing in a large room He is startled and, briefly, wary, but Noys' calm presence reassures him and he glances around curiously. He's wearing modern-style clothing, trousers that aren't quite jeans and a blue T-shirt; the shirt shows off his well-muscled upper body, but he doesn't seem to be aware of that. For the rest, if Eric had ever worn his hair down to his shoulders - and had a much less commanding presence - this is what he'd look like. Above him is a skeleton of ribs of brass. Glass panels allow the diffuse light of water shining through it to illuminate the room. This light is occasionally dimmed slightly by the passage of fish. The rest of the hall has a metallic look to it, all coppery and silvery. A table and chairs dominate the center of the large space. Some of the walls have doors, others stands with what seem to be pieces of art. Noys gestures toward Martin. “Ederyn, this is our cousin Martin. Son of King Random, but not officially heir, and very glad of it.” “Martin, this is my brother Ederyn, from the shadow of Norwend.” “Oh, and that is Godfrey.” Noys indicates the human shaped creature of metal and gears standing off to one side. “Like you,brother, Martin likes to create things.” “Greetings, Ederyn” the metal construct says. Ederyn can hear the whirr of something. “I was unaware that the late King Eric had additional confirmed children.” Ederyn stares at the thing in astonishment and doesn't even try to answer. "Pleased to meet ya, Ederyn," Martin says. "Welcome to the Family. Where you been hiding yourself?" The man tears his gaze away from Godfrey. "Hiding?" he says uncertainly, in strongly accented Thari. "I only stayed in the place where I was born." Martin looks like, well, Random, albeit a taller and slightly stockier version of the Random on the Trump. He's dressed in casual clothing from some high-tech Shadow, if the cut and sheen of the fabric is any indication. He grins. "It's an expression," he says. "I mean, where have you been that we haven't met you before now?" "Ah," Ederyn says, accepting what he had half-suspected. "Norwend, then." He smiles slightly. "I have learned that it is cold, poor, and primitive a place. I am glad to have traveled to Amber and to meet my father's kin." His nod includes Martin in that general category. "Dad kept a number of secrets from everyone, including me." Noys says to Martin. "Like the fact that I had a brother." She looks at Martin. "After Malachi showed up with that woman who claimed to be my sister, I went up to Tir, see what I could learn, last full moon. Couldn't find a ghost of her, but concentrating on a sibling brought me to a primitive hut where a man was forging items." "Ederyn, here." She gestures to her brother. I also got the intimation that Ederyn was going to journey to Amber. Of course, given Tir, it could have been a year or a century before it happened. Happily, he was already long since on his way. Nothing to do with Valerian's Dream Magic, either, before you ask. No, Ederyn came on his own initiative." She looks speculatively at her brother. He shrugs. "I waited a long time for a road to open," he says. "And to learn more than a handful of facts about my father." "You're with the expert, then," Martin says with a head bob at Noys. "You're lucky you found one another. I had to unlearn a lot of stuff about my Dad. I grew up in Rebma, and he was... 'vilified' I guess is the best word to describe it." Ederyn looks more comprehending than might be expected. "I've met a Rebman," he says. "It went poorly." Noys nods with a sigh. Martin looks chagrined for a fleeting second. "See, here we are in this virtual Trump construct, and even if I got Godfrey to summon up a virtual bar and some beers, they wouldn't be real. Then you could tell that story, 'cause I'd like to hear- Oooh! Tactile interactive virtual creations within the Trump matrix! I am soo inventing that, and soon." "Such an environment would require an additional output of trump energy." Godfrey says, with a whirr of gears. "However, nothing in my memory banks points to its impossibility." "I am impressed by this as it is." Noys says. "It takes real effort to lose some of your concentration and be aware of the outside world. This would not be useful in tactically dangerous situations. And I imagine mental conflicts in this space would be...pyrotechnic." "Mental combat exercises would be possible within a dojo-styled space." Godfrey puts in. "The use of Logrus or other powers in such exercises would likely collapse the construct, or cause it severe damage. However, psychic combat would be possible." Ederyn once more stares at the talking metal thing, unsure what to make of it. "Godfrey is both my assistant and my greatest creation," Martin says, seeing this. "Artificial intelligence with gears and wheels. I have yet to find the limits of his posi-sprocket-tronic brain." "Oh," Ederyn says, feeling that some kind of response is called for. It's clear that he doesn't really understand what most of that meant. "Hmm." Noys says. She looks between Godfrey, Martin and Ederyn and then speaks. "Brother, think of Godfrey as sort of like the boar the dwarf Etiri made, Gullinbursti" Noys explains, to Ederyn. "Except, instead of being strong and fast, Godfrey is intelligent and can think like a man." "Gullibursti." Godfrey says. The sound of whirring gears takes a few second. "Norse myth of a strong and fast golden boar created as part of a wager, along with Mjolnir and Draupnir." "And he has a lot of knowledge he has learned." Noys smiles. "Like the computer I am letting you learn on." She looks at Martin. "It took a bit to get Ederyn used to a computer, Martin, he is slowly becoming comfy with technology." "Once you get used to Godfrey, you'll be set," Martin says. "Computers don't have to look like the sit-down boxy kind, obviously. Nor do they have to run on electricity." After a moment, Ederyn realizes he ought to say something in response to all this. "That's interesting." "Perhaps" Noys says, looking at her brother and then at Martin. "You might tell us what part you are going to play in Uncle Benedict's upcoming sortie against the Omphalos?" "Uncle Ben's kind of detached me," Martin explains. "I've got authority, but not a fixed command. At the moment, Kieran and I are planning to build a gate to the Omphalos big enough to run an army through. And then, that's exactly what I expect will happen." "A gate ... with a Trump?" Ederyn guesses. "That would be the way I'd bet, given Martin, and what I know of Ederyn." Noys says, turning to regard Martin. "Or, are you two planning to try and commander a Door and repurpose it somehow?" "I haven't been there yet," Martin says, "But it's a place where there was a door. I dunno if it's still a door, but that's where we're going to make our door. If it's the same door. Could be, or maybe not... sort of like Schrodinger's cat, isn't it?" Ederyn looks perplexed. "You will try using their own magic against them?" "Well-l, we're throwing our own magic out there, and if their magic is still around to help out, that's a bonus," Martin says. "I'm not going to rely on theirs, but it might help out. Also, I love the opportunity to turn the tables." Ederyn deduces what that last idiom means, and gives another of his slight smiles. "Then, we go in. Most everyone Ben's gathered together, I expect. Got any spare armies lying around?" Martin says. Noys' eyes widen. She turns to Ederyn excitedly. "You do have an army, brother. If you're willing to put it to use. I can't imagine they would not leap at the opportunity to make you a war-leader." "Failing that." she says. "If you didn't want to..." she looks at Martin. "Most of the military connections I have are on the company and battalion level. Not on the level of something larger." Ederyn crosses his arms over his chest and looks stubborn. "And I have none at all," he says. "I am not going to be trying to learn these 'larger' things in the middle of this war. Small will be dangerous enough." His tone suggests that the subject has come up before. Martin nods, once. "I understand," he says. "That's a personal preference. Individual Heroes on the field, they can make all the difference." Ederyn's glance suggests that this is not at all what he was thinking. "This is true." Noys says, turning to look at Ederyn. "But your sworn vassals would be happy to take on leadership roles, brother, even if you feel inexperienced. Get Boaz to handle logistics, make Cyrus your warmaster and set Kezia as your adjutant and intelligence officer. After they recruit their clans to your banner." Her brother opens his mouth to respond, then stops and looks thoughtful. Dubious, but thoughtful. Noys turns from Ederyn to Martin. "You see, Martin, on his way to Amber, my brother stopped in a shadow that our father has had influence in, and according to a tradition of theirs, stemming from Father, he was named Jarl and has suzerainty over the clans of shapeshifters there." "My mother called them the Kriegshund, but you know them better by their name in Amber and the name of the shadow. The Weir." "Ahh," Martin says. "Not yet had the pleasure. But I've heard good things! Sort of." He smiles, then turns to Ederyn to show he caught the look. "What was it that you meant?" Ederyn blinks, measures Martin with his gaze for a moment, and then says, "I saw enough fighting in Norwend to believe that 'hero' and 'dead' are are really the same word." "The etymology of the two words is not congruent." Godfrey comments with a whirr of gears. "Then I think we're using two different definitions of the word 'hero'," Martin says. "I meant Hero in this case to mean, 'an individual on the field who has the capability of affecting the outcome of the battle'. Then again, maybe what you're saying still applies. Didn't mean to be confusing." "Well," Ederyn replies, his expression definitely warming, "I think it's more likely that six score Weir will affect these outcomes, not just me." "A hundred to two hundred Weir would be useful to Uncle Benedict." Noys agrees. "This is going to mean a detour for us to Amber and then to Weirmonken before we head to Benedict's rendezvous. Once we finish any education we can squeeze in, too." "And don't let my brother sell himself short as asset." Noys adds. "The Omphalos we encountered in Arden underestimated his arcane abilities to their regret." "Everybody's going to be bringing something," Martin says. His head tilts back a little as he ponders. "Can you imagine it? This giant amalgam of people and armies and skill sets. It'll take a Benedict just to make everything fit together right. Of course it _is_ Benedict, which means it's going to work like a well-oiled machine." He smiles a little at Ederyn. "Arcane abilities. I never really got into the whole magic thing." "And I've been fascinated by it for a long time," Ederyn replies equably. "Do we know just how many people Uncle Benedict has asked?" Noys says. "As one of his inner circle for a long time, you probably have the best idea on how many people Uncle Benedict decided to invite, Martin." Noys says. "Or is he operating on such a level that even you are just a rook on the chessboard he is playing?" She shakes her head. "I don't know how many," Martin says. "I know a half dozen or more that's been asked, but I haven't gotten the patented Benedict enlightenment debriefing, or anything. And if he did tell me, I'm not sure I'd totally believe it. He's like that." "Hmm" Noys says ."Familially ambiguous of him. I suppose that's why he has lived so long. Or a reason. Pity, I was hoping to get a sense of the possible pawns, err players involved in this operation." She smiles. After a pause, Ederyn asks, "What have you been interested in, Martin? If not magic?" "Technology," Martin says. "That's my forte, nowadays. Lasers and explosives, electrical impedance and positronics. And on and on. Lately I've hit a cog and sprocket period." "I am one of the fruits of his labor" Godfrey puts in. "In turn, this virtual space is the result of his programming me to be able to access the local computer environment and manipulate it." There is a distinct whirr of gears, Ederyn finds, as Godfrey speaks. "Martin" Noys says. "Do you think your cog and sprocket period is something under your conscious control?" she asks. "Or does have to do with the business with Jayson and Corwin's Pattern?" "Pretty sharp," Martin says. "Yeah, I think walking that Pattern had everything to do with the vintage technology. It's not like I can't build anything I want, but I just like how things are done this way. More...elegant, at least I think so. And the tech works in more Shadows." "Jayson? Corwin's Pattern?" Ederyn says. "Some very recent events, brother." Noys says. "Stuff that Lorius probably hasn't put into the curriculum, even." She glances at Martin and then back at Ederyn. "The short version. Jayson, that's Sand's son, got himself, err, infected by a God, Apollo. Apollo ran rampant in the universe that Corwin made with his own Pattern--you might not have gotten to that point in the history. Apparently, this was inadvertently Jayson's fault." A bunch of us, including Martin, teamed up with Jayson to stop Apollo, which involved a trip to Corwin's worlds. Think of it as another Amber, but with different rules and players. We ran into some very strange things and people. However, things went badly when it came time to actually stop Apollo. Jayson had to walk Corwin's Pattern and purge himself and the universe of that God. It sort of collapsed the connection we had to the place when he did. Not all of us, from what I can tell, made it out before that happened. Not only Jayson, but a number of our cousins are stranded there, out of touch and contact." "Something to think about." Noys says to Martin " *after* the Omphalos problem. If you and Kieran can build a gate to their world, maybe one day we can rescue Leigh, Oliver, Bhangbadea, and Jayson. Uncle Corwin might like a way back to his realm, too. 'Course, given she's Corwin's daughter and was from there, Alais is probably running the place now." "So Jayson might be alive?" Ederyn says. "Yes, brother" Noys says. "He might be. I can think of only one person who could confirm he is, without getting into Apollo's realm. But he couldn't prove the negative." "I calculate that there is a 1 in 2184 chance that the events of the destruction of Apollo caused Corwin's universe to completely implode." Godfrey says after a moment. "There is a 69 percent probability that visiting the realm without extensive preparations will remain impossible for the next century." Ederyn considers asking Godfrey what the other 2183 possibilities might consist of, but thinks better of it almost immediately; the creature might actually try to list them. Martin looks a little distracted, remembering. He shakes his head a little. "Hadn't considered it fully collapsing. What's Corwin doing now?" "He's in the Castle with Deirdre, last I know, which was a couple of days ago, my time." Noys says. "He is taking Trump calls. Mine, anyway." "Ederyn and I have been in a shadow where outside time is relatively slow, so he's likely still there. Both Corwin and Aunt Deirdre are not in the best of shape, Martin; Deirdre is nowhere near herself after her experience in that icy prison of Brand's, and Corwin is recovering and staying far away from his Pattern." Ederyn is startled and uneasy at the news that Corwin is actually in the castle. Noys regards her brother's unease quizzically and moves to stand next to him again. "Having Elders falling down is probably a reason why Uncle Benedict is asking the likes of us instead of his siblings." Noys says, once the move is complete. "As well as the obvious social reasons for doing so." "Somebody's got to do it," Martin says, and smiles a little. "Never seen Benedict lose, either. I don't think anybody remembers that happening." "It's going to be quite interesting, and a challenge for all of us." Noys says. She looks at Ederyn and then to Martin. "Well, cousin. My brother has had a large dose of information, history and perspective from mine and Lorius' perspective." She turns back to Ederyn. "If you wish, this is your chance to ask Martin questions, and get his take on things. I could even disengage from the contact if that makes you more comfortable." "There are so *many* things," Ederyn says seriously, shaking his head. But he thinks about it for a moment, and then says, "Martin, what do you think is the most important thing I should know?" "That's a tough call," Martin says. "The Omphalos don't have Trumps, so there's no point in discussing attacks through them. They seem to be good at the arcane thing, I think, but you've already learned how to use your Pattern heritage to dampen down magic being used around you. And your people. If I recall, Weir don't like silver, so I'd be making it unlikely that silver exists anywhere around my troops." Noys gives a nod of agreement. "The crisis first," Ederyn muses approvingly. Then he adds, sighing, "Remembering to use the Pattern for things will be another thing to learn." "Benedict's summons is a case of throwing Ederyn into the forge sooner rather than later." Noys admits nibbling her lip. "Can't imagine a better support group to watch your back while you're doing it," Martin says with a smile. "I'll be meeting you at the edges of Benedict's shadow, I suppose?" Ederyn looks from Martin and Noys, not venturing an answer since he doesn't know. "I figure we're down to about 4 or 5 days, Benedict and Amber time, to get there." "We might arrange passage with Lorius." Noys continues. "Ederyn has some basic practice with some small shadowshifting, enough to prove his partial imprint works, even if not perfectly. It did put me in mind of Dara's story to Corwin, Martin, about supposedly shifting without an imprint at all. You can do a lot of stuff with a partial or ghostly imprint, more than you'd expect." "We've still a little time for lessons before we go get the Weir" Noys says. "Any suggestions on curriculum foci for my brother that Benedict would appreciate?" she asks Martin. "I think your plate is pretty full already," Martin says to Ederyn. "Maybe if you verified how well your Weir can fight with other forces, sometimes really diverse other forces, I think Benedict would appreciate that." "Three of them took apart some metal things the Omphalos brought ... they must have been like your ... Godfrey ... in some ways." Ederyn frowns slightly. "I was too distracted to really look at them." "Some sort of bronze golems, Martin." Noys clarifies. "Definitely not as intelligent as Godfrey. They injured, was it Boaz?" Noys says sidelong to Ederym "but otherwise the Weir took them apart without too much difficulty once they got their blood up." "Their soldiers weren't much, either, for Princes and Princesses of the Blood. Arden's Rangers were calling Ederyn Swordbreaker by the time we were done." "Of that, I have no doubt." Martin smiles, just a little. "How much damage did the Omphalos do before you put a stop to them? How far did they get?" "We stopped them where the Door was, in the field next to Julian's house," Ederyn reports soberly. "They burned the house, and kidnapped Julian, but Brienne, and Carl, and I got him back. And Aura captured one of their mages." "The other Doors were less successful, as far as I understand." Noys adds. "We did learn some important things that Valerian alluded to but did not explicate. They definitely use firearms in their world. They tried to kill my brother with some sort of machine gun during the rescue operation." "And something happened to Brieanne, Martin." Noys adds. "but I'm not sure what. She did something terrible to herself to open a Gate Carl and Ederyn used to get Julian back." "Between the burning of the Steading and his daughter, Julian is definitely not in a happy mood." she adds. Martin frowns deeply. "I didn't know about that," he says. "That's another marker we can lay at the Omphalos' door. I don't want to traumatize Brieanne, but if this gate thing falls through, maybe she'd be willing to talk about what she did to make it work." "Perhaps. Something is odd about her, when I talked to her last, though." Noys says. "Something is off, and I don't know what. If we weren't in a virtual space and face to face, I'd ask you to help us figure it out. She even showed up in some shadow shifting that Ederyn was experimenting with, I've been so concerned about her, subconsciously" She gives a look to her brother in apology. "But perhaps we should part here, cousin and prepare to meet in several days time in time to rendezvous for Uncle Benedict's ingathering." Noys adds. She looks to Ederyn for his input and opinion. Ederyn nods. "I'm glad to have met you," he tells Martin. "Me too," Martin says. "See you in a few days. Both of you," as he head bobs to both Ederyn and Noys. "And now I'll disconnect us." Noys says. "Until then, cousin." And Ederyn and Noys softly and silently vanish away... (Continued in The Further Education of Ederyn Smith and Martin Gambits In New Cydonia) |
