Martian Dreams Transcript

The Worlds of Ultima: Martian Dreams transcript was produced with the help of the nuvie team at [nuvie.sf.net nuvie.sf.net]

Dr. Spector
a lean, dark-bearded man with kindly eyes. "Absolutely not, $P. You must do the rewiring yourself.& He glares at you and hands you the tools. "I'm not stupid, I'm not expendable, and I'm not going.& He steps back and crosses his arms, tapping his foot in annoyance. "Oh dear, $P! The phlogistonite must have been @stolen!& "These tremors indicate that Raxachk's threats were not idle boasts. "This must be why the Mariner and Viking probes found no sign of Martian civilization: the entire surface of the planet will be reshaped by the middle of next century, and it is certainly no place to remain now. "We must get the phlogistonite back to Carnegie and leave as quickly as possible!& "Yes, $P?& "You really are a glutton for punishment. If you use rubber gloves, as I believe I already told you, you would not get shocked.& "If you use rubber gloves, you won't get shocked so badly.& "Here, $P. Use this pair of mine.& "Well, you could take them if you hadn't loaded yourself down so. Put something down and I'll give you these to protect you.& He hands you a pair of rubber gloves. "Now use these and try it again!& He shakes his head, frustrated by your behaviour. "I have some, Dr. Spector. They can use mine.& "Thank you, $Y. Now, $P, take those and let's get this done.& "We'll probably have to go back to Dr. Tesla to see if he has a pair. I seem to have left mine somewhere.& He looks slightly embarrassed. name "I am Dr. Johann Spector, of course.& "Are you feeling well, $P? You know, oxygen deprivation can cause a temporary loss of memory...& spec,doct "No, please, just call me Johann.& joha "Yes, $P, how may I help you?& job He grins. "To keep you out of trouble, $P. "No, really, for now, I'll be content to be your assistant in your explorations.& $P,avat "Yes, that's how we refer to you. Are you sure you're feeling well?& freu,sigm "Definitely an interesting man. Highly intelligent. He has yet to do most of his influential studies, you know.& bloo,c.l. "Actually, I don't know too much about his work. I know he worked... sorry, works... primarily with the use of oxygenated air on patients.& bly,nell,eliz,coch "A fascinating woman. Did you know she travelled around the world alone? "And made it in less than the 80 days hypothesized in Jules Verne's book. She's pretty unique in this day and age.& garr,dall "I'm afraid I don't know much about Mr. Garrett. He certainly seems like a classic cowboy, doesn't he? "I'm sure he'll be useful to have along.& tesl,niko "Tesla is a first-class scientist. Definitely unorthodox in his approach, but he achieved some miraculous breakthroughs in his career with electricity and magnetism. "I'm glad he's on our side!& He grins. lowe,perc "The reports of Lowell's odd behaviour have me worried, $P. He's one of the premier scientists of the day. "I do hope nothing serious has gone wrong.& carn "He must be told about the theft immediately! If only we had a @clue about the identity of the thief...& "He was, or rather is, an industrialist. Of the various men who made fortunes during the industrial revolution, he was the one who first turned to philanthropy.& mars "The hypotheses of the Victorian age don't seem to correlate with our modern discoveries about the red planet, $P. "We'll have to see if our science or their intelligent guesswork is more reliable.& He grins and gestures you closer. "Considering your history of travels to worlds with fantastic creatures and scientific mysteries, would you care to bet on the scientific reality of this particular Mars? "I thought not.& He chuckles. game "Sorry, $P. You'd know a lot more about that than I would.& sava,empi "Yes, indeed, a grand adventure in it's own way. I'm certainly glad you were there to help me with that one. "I don't know where I would have been without you.& "I am sorry you had to leave the princess behind. Maybe next time, lad.& He sighs and shakes his head. worl,ulti "As a name for our adventures? Yes, perhaps. Maybe I could write out a journal, or present articles to the society. Yes, yes, possibilities,...& brit,lord "Isn't that something from one of your other travels? I'm sure you mentioned it, yes? "Not that I would know anything about it. The king sounds like a unique man, just and wise. "Of course, appearances can be deceiving. But then, I don't know the man.& glov "Yes, they are indispensable when working with high voltage electricity.& "I tend to wear rubber gloves because I work with electricity and chemicals so often. They aren't as warm as some hand coverings, but they'll ward off a nasty shock or chemical burn.& stol "Perhaps we should return with this news to Mr. @Carnegie and see what he thinks.& "Could you state that a different way?& clue Spector spends a moment in thought. "Most modern forensic techniques haven't been invented yet, but perhaps this metal band could provide some information nonetheless.& Spector grins. "I'm afraid I'm as clueless as yourself, $P.& join,acco,acom "I'm right with you, $P. Are you feeling OK?& "Of course, $P. I was hoping you would ask.& wait "I'm not going anywhere anyway, $P. Unless you ask me to come with you. And you should. Ask me, that is.& He raises an eyebrow and taps his foot impatiently. "I'd rather not separate, $P. We can certainly accomplish our goals faster if we stay together.& leav "No, you needn't worry about me abandoning you after you had asked me to @join.& He shakes his head firmly. "No, $P. I realize that you are a seasoned warrior, and an intelligent person, but you are not a trained scientist, and you are in a very unusual situation.& He smiles. "Besides, you must allow me my delusion of being needed. "It's important to my self-image. Just ask Dr. Freud.& self "As a scientific man, I am eminently qualified to witness and document these current events. "My objective judgment and excellent capacity for reasoning shall be indispensable, my friend.& chea,help "Nonsense. I'm sure we'll get through this on our own if we just keep our heads.& spam "Never liked it myself. I guess canned rations are popular with military logistics officers and fantasy characters, but not with troops or scientists.& Spector grins at you. bye "Yes, yes. We'll talk later.& "Could you state that a different way?&

Nellie Bly
a comely, well-mannered woman in her late 20's. "You expect me to do what?! I may be adventurous, $P, but really! Climbing that in skirts is unthinkable! "Besides, I may have a reputation for doing almost anything for a story, but that is simply too dangerous. You'll have to do it yourself if you want it done.& She smiles, her dimples flashing. "After all, how would I write the story if I never lived to return home?& "This will be quite a story, but only if we live to tell it. We must get the phlogistonite back to Mr. Carnegie as quickly as we can so we can leave Mars before these earthquakes destroy the space cannon!& "My dear $P, so nice to speak to you again.& Miss Bly begins paging through her notebook. She reads: "According to Dr. Blood, it was vital that we find a reliable source of oxygen, to allow us to function normally in the rarified atmosphere of Mars...& "It became apparent that to restore the power, we must take the torn conveyor belt to Captain Trippet at Olympus. He could repair it so that we could reinstall it on the conveyor at the power station...& "Lt. Dibbs described strange Martian relics called Dream Machines, which were somehow tied to strange behaviour among the members of Lowell's expedition.& "If Mr. Lowell and his companions were actually trapped in this Dream World, it was essential that we gain access to a working Dream Machine or repair a broken one.& "...entering the Dream World, $P discovered four Obelisks, apparently leading to dreams in which four of our missing fellows were trapped. The others must be trapped within another Dream Machine...& "Upon the advice of the friendly Martian, Prektesh, we determined to gain the trust of Tekapesh and the other Martians at Elysium by helping them to plant and nurture a new Martian body.& "...having earned the trust of the Martian leader Tekapesh, we were given access to the Dream Machine at Elysium, allowing us to rescue the humans trapped within.& ...the dying Martian, Prektesh, implored us to pursue the plan formulated by the scientist Kaxishek, by which mechanical bodies might be constructed to house the Martians.& "We were sent by Mr. Carnegie to gather iron ore for the completion of the Space Cannon. He mentioned that Major Duprey described iron ore deposits in the mines at Syrtis Major. "Unfortunately, the canals must be filled before the ore can be moved from Syrtis to Olympus.& "...in order to fill the canals, we must first repair the Lens Towers described by Admiral Peary. These lie along the edge of the northern ice cap of the planet.& "...supplied with the iron ore he required, Mr. Carnegie directed us to recover the phlogistonite fuel which had been left in the cargo hold of Mr. Lowell's ship.& "...based upon Commissioner Roosevelt's conclusions, we determined to enter Argyre and confront the Russian, Rasputin, regarding the disappearance of the phlogistonite.& "Since recovering the phlogistonite from the Dream World would destroy that dimension, we had to find some method by which the Martians there could be brought to Earth without attracting attention...& "...while Mr. Segal oversaw the transferral of the remaining Martians into the disguised metal bodies, $P and her his fellows returned to Argyre to enter the Dream Machine and retrieve the phlogistonite.& "As the world collapsed around us, we rushed to bring the phlogistonite back to Olympus, so all the humans and Martians on the planet could escape the cataclysm...& "At the moment, I have no record of a task you or we have been asked to perform but have not finished! Perhaps we should ask someone what can be done to help us all return to Earth...& "I believe that comprises all of the information that has been laid before us.& Nellie closes her notebook. name She puts aside her @notebook and offers her hand. "I am currently using my nom de plume of Nellie Bly, although my given name is @Elizabeth Cochrane.& bly,nell "Yes?& eliz,coch "Although I believe Elizabeth Cochrane to be a fine name, I decided to adopt the name Nellie Bly after hearing my editor at the 'Dispatch' hum the Stephen @Foster tune of the same name. "I believe it fits me well.& job,repo "I work for Mr. Joseph @Pulitzer as a reporter for the 'World', which I feel to be the finest paper in print. "Perhaps you have read some of my writings. I have written of the horrible conditions of the inmates of @Blackwell's Island. "I even had myself committed in order to gain firsthand experience of the poor souls' wretched existence.& Puli,puli,jose "I do feel for Mr. Pulitzer, for he suffers terribly with his failing eyesight and insomnia. "He has a heart for a good story and shares my enthusiasm for a fiery, revealing form of journalism.& fost,step "Oh, Stephen Foster is one of the most talented composers that I know. His works are very popular in Pittsburgh.& worl "The 'World' is a wonderful paper to work for. I am thankful that Mr. Pulitzer and Mr. Cockerill agreed to give me an opportunity to express my observations on our society.& blac "Blackwell's Island Asylum for Women. It is a despicable place, where the inmates are cruelly treated and many women who are as sane as you or I must remain, judged by incompetent doctors.& acco,acom,join "I've already agreed to accompany you to record our travels.& wait "Wait around, indeed! I would much rather accompany you on your explorations.& "No, I think it best if I stay with you to help record the events of our expedition. After all, you may find yourself needing my assistance.& leav "Leave? I refuse! You will have to get used to having me around.& tesl,niko "Mr. Tesla is a very interesting man. He seems to be quite adept in many physical sciences, especially the study of power and electricity. "Mr. Pulitzer felt that he would be an excellent choice for an expedition leader.& freu,sigm "Dr. Freud is a psychologist. He has been asking us the most unusual questions to further his research. "He strikes me as a bit odd, though, and reminds me very much of the doctors in New York that I was able to dupe into believing that I was insane.& dall,garr "Mr. Garrett is quite a charmer! He was our guard and provisioner while working at the laboratory in Colorado. "Unfortunately, I didn't get to speak to him much before we began our journey.& bloo,doct,c.l. "Dr. Blood has had a difficult career of late. His theories concerning oxygen are interesting, but I can't determine if he has truly made any important discoveries. "Nonetheless, I am glad to have his services on this expedition.& bye "Very well, $P. We can continue our conversation at a later time.& note,book,ques,task "I have been dutifully recording any details of our journey up to this point. "I am certain that this will make an intriguing article for publication in the 'World'. That is, assuming we are able to return safely.& Nellie takes out her notebook, opens it and pages through it for a moment. "We have received information that I thought might be useful in furthering our progress. I believe that following up on these notes will be critical in securing our return to Earth. "If I may, here is what I have written down so far.& "I would wager that information you've learned is vital to secure our safe return to Earth, and could become the basis for any articles I wished to write. "Please tell me what you have learned.& Nellie writes quietly in her notebook as you take time to relay the information that you have learned during your travels. "Thank you, $P... This is wonderful material and it will prove useful, I feel.& "Oh dear, I'm afraid that I can't help you with that. Perhaps the kind Dr. Spector or Mr. Tesla can be of assistance.&

Dibbs
a young British cavalry officer. "Oh, no, $G! I mean, begging your pardon, and all that, $G, but I know nothing of such scientific matters. "This would be better handled by someone such as yourself, $G.& He hands you the tools, salutes, and steps back a pace. Or two. "Begging your pardon, $G, but we must get the phlogistonite to Mr Carnegie on the double!& "$G! Jolly good to see you again, $G. May I be of assistance?& The man in blue leaps to his feet and salutes smartly. "Thank God you've made it, $G! I moved my camp here in anticipation of your arrival. "I had begun to worry, though, that a second expedition might not be sent.& He begins collecting equipment and seems truly overjoyed to see you! "It will be wonderful @exploring with you, $G. Let's go to the @traders' outpost at Arsia Mons and get you outfitted for survival on Mars!& "Yes, $G? Oh! I say! Those metal bands you've got from that propellant shipment? What say we take those to Mr. Roosevelt? "I'm quite sure he could do something to help us find out who it is that took the propellant. "Yes, indeed, capital idea! Glad I thought of it. Yes.& He straightens his uniform and throws back his shoulders proudly. name "Dibbs, $G. Leftenant, Her Majesty's Black Horse Guard.& job "Well, $G, I was commander of the ceremonial guard at the British exposition at the time we left. "Now, I've been waiting a long @time to contact the second expedition. You, $G. "Mr. Lowell said we could expect another landing. I've been camped out here for a month or so, waiting.& Dibb,Nevi,Lt.,Lieu,Left "$G! How may I assist you, $G?& long,time "I've been here several weeks, $G. I've learned quite a lot about @surviving in this area.& Mart,nati "All dead, $G, from what we've found. Apparently gone quite a while. "We did some @exploration of the area and could find no one.& brea,oxyg "If you have @oxium, $G, you and your companions will breathe much easier.& expl "After the first few months of working on the space @cannon, $G, our expedition separated into four groups to reconnoiter. "You see, we had run out of iron ore for Mr. Carnegie to make into steel. "Production of the @space cannon depends upon acquiring more steel. We haven't found it yet, you know. "One group became @traders. "The other groups were led by Mr. Jack @Segal, Mr. Percival @Lowell, and a Mr. Grigor @Rasputin. There were some interesting @findings.& find,foun,disc "Yes, $G, we found deserted @cities and some interesting evidence of advanced @technology. "Some of it is rather dangerous, I believe, $G.& citi,civi,dese "We discovered the remains of four centres of civilisation, $G. "We referred to them as @Elysium, @Hellas, @Olympus and @Argyre.& tech,adva "Greenhouses for growing young plants, $G, and transport @tubes for swift travel. Canals with @bridges. There is also a Dream @Machine...& He looks grim and unyielding. "A most dangerous @machine, $G. I will have nothing to do with it.& tran,tube "They are deuced convenient for moving around the planet, eh wot?& "At least, that's what they seem to have been. Looks like the doors and possibly the devices themselves were powered by electricity. Which we haven't discovered how to turn on.& brid "I only know about the ones which were already extended when we arrived. "Those would be at: 18N 111W north of Olympus; 4S 121W north of the trading outpost; 25N 121E just north of Elysium; and 36N 163W northwest of Olympus Mons.& mach,drea "Most @dangerous technology, $G. I wouldn't get involved with them if I were you. Most @dangerous.& dang He scowls and sighs. "If you must know... "There seems to be one in each of the major @Martian @cities. They are in various states of repair. "The one in @Elysium is in fine working order, dash it all.& Elys "Mr. @Lowell's party. Or what's left of it. The location is 20N 114E. "Mr. Lowell was signalling Earth for all of us until the big reflector was destroyed. "There's definitely trouble up there, $G...They have one of those blasted Dream @Machines working. "They attempted to utilize it. It drove them all @mad, $G. Absolutely raving. "They believe they are Martians!& refl,mirr "Shortly before they went loony, someone smashed the reflector. No one knows who.& mad,ravi "Most of those who have gone insane are still in the @Martian city of @Elysium. Some wander about the countryside. "But all believe they are now reincarnations, or some such, of the original Martians. Tripe, I say, $G. "Utter nonsense. Stark raving, they are, $G.& Hell "Hellas is to the west of the landing site, $G, at 27S 77E. Originally, none of the parties were based there. "After the blokes in @Elysium starting showing signs of being a bit balmy, if you know what I mean, $G, one of their members, Marcus, took up residence in Hellas.& Marc,Chan "Actually, I call him @Crazy Marcus, $G. He lives down at Hellas, all by himself. Claims to have gotten out of the Dream Machine safely, but I have my doubts.& craz "Well, $G, @Marcus claims to be sane, but I've heard him, $G. Talks to things, he does, $G. Objects. "He says he knows secrets about the Dream Machine, $G, but I certainly wouldn't count him as trustworthy.& Sega,Jack "Mr. Segal's group travelled northward. They are now settled in at @Olympus.& Lowe,Perc,lead,expe,firs "Ah, $G, a sad tale, indeed. The distinguished Mr. Lowell was, at the outset of the adventure, a fine commander. "His exploration team travelled northward to @Elysium. What's left of them is still there, $G. "When they found the Dream Machines, they thought that they could be the key to our rescue. Communication, and all that, you know. "Those that used them were never the same again. "Sad, indeed. Damned Dream Machines!& Rasp,Grig "Yes, $G. A Russian monk, I believe. He led the third party to explore. "They traversed the area to the east, where they found the abandoned city of @Argyre. "Secretive now, $G. I don't trust that lot! Queer sort.& Argy "It's in an ancient crater to the east of here. The coordinates would be about 30S 107W. "The party there has occasionally supplied me with provisions, but I don't truly trust them. "They're keeping too much to themselves, if you ask me, $G. "They are led by that @Russian chap, @Rasputin. Supposedly investigating Martian technology. "Deuced strange, if you ask me, $G. Hmph.& Russ "Queer chap, $G. He's leading the @Argyrians in researching the Martian @technology. "Doesn't seem to be very interested in sharing the findings with anyone else, though, if you know what I mean, $G. "He uses the excuse of the 'dangerous nature of Martian technology' and 'avoiding the disaster at Elysium'. Horsefeathers. Load of tripe. "Doing something dangerous he is, $G, I'd wager my commission on it.& He looks as though he's smelled something noxious. spac,cann "Indeed, $G, work had already begun on the return vehicle. We dug the shaft at @Olympus and placed the lining. Olym "Olympus is Jack Segal's settlement to the north. The coordinates are 10N 110W. "It's where we originally began construction of the space @cannon. "After Mr. Segal's group took over the cannon site, however, not much work could be done. They're a bit @cautious of others, $G.& caut,grou "Some of the expedition saw the dangers of the Dream @Machine as did I, $G. I stayed with them for a while. "Their reactions have been a bit extreme, though, $G. "They have fortified the site of the space @cannon and defend against anyone they consider @contaminated.& cont "Yes, $G, contaminated by the Dream @Machine. They will no longer allow me access to their camp, for example, because they consider me a threat. "I have had contact with the others and may be tainted, you see.& He smiles apologetically. "I'm not sure I blame them, $G.& surv "The two main things you'll need to prepare for, $G, are extreme @cold and the different @atmosphere.& cold "It will drop far below freezing at night, $G. We must either bundle and sleep, or prepare warm clothing to travel. "Just like the Arctic, eh, wot?& He grins jovially. atmo "There is less oxygen here than on Earth. Thankfully, Mr. @McGee has found a vast supply of @oxium.& oxiu "If we need more, perhaps we'll go to the @traders.& "An odd substance, $G. It's precious, so we tend to use it like money. "It seems to be a naturally-occurring mineral. When chewed, it releases oxygen. Damned convenient for us, $G.& He blushes slightly. "My apologies, Miss Bly. Such language should never be used around lovely ladies such as yourself.& "And yourself, also, of course, miss. Ahem.& He blushes slightly. "My apologies, miss. Such language should never be used around lovely ladies such as yourself.& "Although my supply is almost gone, I am willing to share it. Just take some of mine when you need it.& "We're running low, $G, we should pay a visit to the @traders.& mcge,coot "Odd man, $G. Thoroughly delightful. He supplies most of the @oxium for the colonies. He prospects it in the mountains to the east.& Bly,nell,eliz,coch "She's right over there, $G.& "Who, $G?& Spec,joha "He's right over there, $G.& "Who, $G?& Bloo,doct,c.l. "Bloody smart, wot? Should be a great help getting us home. "Knows a lot about air and oxygen and all that.& Sher,rich "Yes, $G, he was with us on the first expedition. He, Duprey, and Yellin went off to explore on their own. "Well-known explorer, you know. Haven't seen him of late.& "He's right there, $G.& Dupr,majo,greg "Yes, $G, he was with us on the first expedition. He, Sherman, and Yellin went off to explore on their own. "Marvelous fighter. Military man. Haven't seen him of late.& "He's right there, $G.& yell,davi "Yes, $G, he was with us on the first expedition. He, Sherman, and Duprey went off to explore on their own. "Talented anthropologist. Bit eccentric, but good around a campfire. Haven't seen him of late.& "He's right there, $G.& $P "Yes, $G, that's your name, $G.& He looks respectfully confused. Tesl,niko "A brilliant chap. I do hope he can return us to Earth...& capt,trip "You mean Captain Trippet? Nice bloke. One of the group in seclusion at @Olympus. Used to be a seaman.& belt "Yes, $G, some of the machinery seems to be belt-driven. There's an old sea captain or some such up at Olympus who could probably @fix anything like that.& fix,brok,torn,ripp,sew "If you wish something fixed, $G, you might check with the folks up at Olympus. They're resourceful if nothing else, $G.& cala,jane "Rather odd female, $G, if you don't mind my saying. Intriguing, though. Useful to have around, too. "Has just about anything you can imagine for sale. Pretty shrewd @trader, $G.& buff,bill "Fascinating man, $G. Spends most of his time with that Calamity Jane woman. "Helps her with supplies and such for all the rest of us. Wild west and all that, you know, $G.& He grins and fakes the quickdraw of a six-shooter in your direction, then quickly recovers his normal dignity. "Ahem. Sorry, $G.& trad "Yes, $G, if you wish to trade anything, you should check with Buffalo Bill or Calamity Jane. They would have most anything you could want at the @outpost.& outp "The @trading outpost is to the east, $G, at Arsia Mons. I believe the approximate coordinates are 12S 129W.& join "Yes, $G. Right with you, $G.& He looks confused. "I would be honored to accompany you, $G.& He excitedly begins collecting equipment, and is soon ready to depart. wait "Begging your pardon, $G, but I might be of more use scouting around, either by myself or with you, $G. With your permission, of course, $G.& "I would prefer, $G, to stay with you until we are on land. If that is all right with you, $G.& "Certainly, $G. If you wish to maintain a guard here until you return, I will remain here for now.& leav He clears his throat, clearly embarrassed. "Begging your pardon, $G, but I cannot swim all that well. "I would rather remain with you for now, $G. With your permission. $G.& "Begging your pardon, $G, but I believe you'll be needing several people to complete what must be done to enable us to return to Earth. I would prefer to stay with you for now. $G.& bye "Yes, $G. I look forward to further conversations, $G.& He looks embarrassed and confused. "I'm sorry, $G. I don't believe I have any information on that subject.&

Richard Sherman
a blond, sharp-eyed man in his early 30's. "Now that you have recovered the phlogistonite, you must rush it to Mr. Carnegie so we can load the space cannon. "I only hope we can be away from Mars before one of these shocks damages the cannon!& "You know, now that we have these lens towers fixed, the icecap should begin melting. "We should check the pumping station to be sure that everything is working properly. It's down around 18N 167W.& He looks toward the sparking towers and back to you. "I believe that you would be a much better candidate for this endeavour, $P. I apologize, but I'm a bit afraid of heights.& He brushes off some dirt from his clothes. "I say, I am certainly glad that Yellin was able to find someone to free us from that damned cave-in. He looks at you closely, then says, "Pardon my staring, but your face is quite familiar.& Sherman looks at you and says, "Yes, $P? What is it?& name "Richard Sherman, from Philadelphia.& rich,sher "Yes, $P. What can I do for you?& sham "No, no, Sherman, S H E... Wait a minute, that does sound familiar... No, it's gone. Sorry. Don't know him.& job "Since our arrival on Mars, I have been exploring with my companions, Dr. @Yellin and Major @Duprey. "Most recently, we were searching for another source of @iron ore for Mr. Carnegie, so that his steel-making efforts can continue.& yell,davi He gestures towards Yellin. "David is a noted anthropologist back on Earth. He and I met in Philadelphia when he was on holiday. Since then, we've travelled together on many @expeditions.& dupr,majo,greg He points to Duprey. "Greg, or should I say, Major Duprey was attached to the 7th regiment, 3rd Calvary. We became friends during an @expedition into Apache territory.& expe "We've travelled a great many places together. Before our unexpected trip to Mars, we three were @exploring the Congo and Orinoco.& expl "It's in the blood, you know. "We've been exploring Mars for the last two years fairly thoroughly. "There are some very interesting @locations we've discovered.& loca Sherman strokes his beard, and says, "Yes, many. We placed markers near them as we passed, for topographic reference. "If you ever have a question about a particular location, ask me.& brid "There are a few bridges we can use. Most of them are not extended, and we would apparently have to turn on the surface power for them to work. "In the meantime, the ones which are already extended are at: 18N 111W north of Olympus; 4S 121W north of the trading outpost; 25N 121E just north of Elysium; and 36N 163W northwest of Olympus Mons. "These should be enough for us to get around fairly well for now. They're all we've had for the past two years!& "With all the bridges working now, there are quite a few we can use. "There are the ones we already had extended: 18N 111W north of Olympus; 4S 121W north of the trading outpost; 25N 121E just north of Elysium; and 36N 163W northwest of Olympus Mons. "And there are the others which weren't working before: 23S 120W southeast of Arsia Mons; 41S 157W south of the 1893 space-ship; 30S 65E in Hellas; and 13N 111E south of Elysium.& elys "Strange lot there. It looked to be an abandoned Martian city when Mr. Lowell and those who followed him established a settlement. "They're all insane now, claiming to be Martians. "The city is at 20N 114E.& hell "An abandoned city, but there were signs of human habitation. "When we passed through, however, we saw no one. "It should be down around 27S 77E.& argy "We were unable to explore there. "The Russian, Rasputin, @barred the gates, and they're only accessible by the @canals. "It's located at about 30S 107W.& barr,gate "I'm no engineer, but I would guess that it would require something that packs quite a solid punch. Perhaps a @cannon blast could blow the doors down.& cann "I've seen some of the canal barges with cannon mounted on them.& olym "That settlement is where Jack Segal and his people are located. "They're a bit isolationist, but otherwise a pleasure to visit. "In fact, we were searching for @iron ore for them when you found us at @Syrtis Major. "Olympus is at 10N 110W.& iron,ore "Mr. Carnegie needs ore to manufacture steel, which they are using to construct a space cannon to return us to Earth. "Unfortunately, the mines have run dry. We left to search elsewhere.& syrt "We had hoped to find a supply of iron ore there, but the mines are too unstable and prone to @cave-ins.& deut "There is a ruined Martian city there, apparently abandoned well before the disappearance of the Martians.& cave "Indeed, my thanks for rescuing me and Major Duprey.& arsi "There are a pair of cowboys there that have set up a sort of 'Trading Post', if you will. Still, it's a convenient place to trade for @oxium.& oxiu "It's absolutely vital for travellers upon Mars. If you don't already have a good supply, let's go and speak with the pair on @Arsia Mons.& cana "My guess is that they were used as a system of transportation. "Yellin seems to concur as well.& "There must be some means of restoring them to their proper function. "Perhaps we should inquire with the people at the @Olympus settlement.& "Canal barges are quite slow, however. I suspect that the Martians had some other form of transportation for themselves. Perhaps it was related to the buildings with the @tubes in them.& tube "There are buildings near each of the Martian cities which seem nearly identical. Each has four large tubes protruding up from the floor. Our guess is that they were a second transportation system used by the Martians. "The canal barges are seemed to be capable of carrying heavy loads, but not quickly. He searches through his pockets and retrieves a scrap of paper. "The tube buildings are east of @Argyre, south of @Hellas on the east side, northeast of @Elysium, and south of @Olympus. The ruins in the @Deuteronilus Mensae don't have one.& sign,vouc,note "I have signed a voucher for you once, $P. Wasn't that sufficient?& "You don't have anything for me to sign. Did you leave it somewhere?& He takes the voucher from you and examines it. "Of course, I should have known. Segal can be so paranoid at times.& He signs the paper and hands it back to you. "There you are, my friend.& E join He looks at you cock-eyed and says, "I have already agreed to accompany you, $P.& "I would be honored to join you in your adventures!& "There seems to be an adequate number of people in your group already.& wait "Wait? Wait for what?& leav "We can leave whenever you like.& wher "Sorry, I'm not sure. Perhaps if you used a sextant...& bye "Certainly, $P. Just let me know if you wish to converse further.& He shrugs casually and says, "I don't know about that, $P.& "Wouldn't you say so, Duprey?& Duprey looks at you and says, "Yes, indeed. Quite a match for the "I'm certain that we have met before.& "Nevertheless, I owe you my life. Please, allow me to accompany you on your explorations. I've been many places on the planet, and my knowledge might prove beneficial.& He gathers his gear and readies himself to follow you. He pauses after seeing the size of your party. "I would join you in your adventures, but I can see that my help is not required at this time.& pretty schoolmarm out in Wichita.& bartender of the Lucky Lady Saloon in Kansas City.& Sherman glares at his companion. "That's not what I meant! "Nevertheless, I owe you my life. Please, allow me to accompany you on your explorations. I've been many places on the planet, and my knowledge might prove beneficial.& He gathers his gear and readies himself to follow you. He pauses after seeing the size of your party. "I would join you in your adventures, but I can see that my help is not required at this time.& "You should get Yellin to sign this voucher as well. I'm sure Segal holds him in his trust.& You hear Sherman yell, "I can see that my services are no longer required. This lady should know as much, or more, about Mars than I do. "I will not take any arguments, $P. I must withdraw from the party so that you may continue on with this lovely lady. "Besides, I should get back to my companions to see what trouble they've gotten themselves into while I've been away.& He smiles and winks, bows, and walks away.

Chsheket
a woman, now a shapely, beautiful redhead. golden and shining. "Quickly, $P, we must take the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie. It is time to leave!& "Hello, $P. How may Chsheket be of assistance to Earth?& "The rubber sealant has no dye in it yet, $P. We need rouge berries processed into @dye.& "I believe the sealant must have some coloring substance in it for the sprayer to operate properly, $P.& "Greetings, person of Earth.& The Martian intelligence looks in wonder at its @metal body. "I do suggest, $P, that we spend some time testing this solution to make sure it is a viable one before we try any more transfers.& "I must agree wholecormedly, doctor. I would not presume to endanger any of my plantals without being sure of this plan's success.& "Hello, $P. How may Chsheket be of assistance to Earth?& Chsheket tips her head and smiles. She seems happy. "Thank you, Dr. Spector, for giving me this - what is it called again? Oh, yes, clothing. "I gather that I should wrap myself in it at all times?& Johann blushes slightly. "Ah. Yes, well. Most times. Perhaps you should speak with one of the ladies about that.& "Thank you, doctor. I will do that.& She smiles and dimples, and Johann blushes a little deeper. "I must thank you all for giving me this - what is it called again? Oh, yes, clothing. "It is a strange custom, but one I understand I must adhere to. As you look at the woman Chsheket has become, you realize that you recognize her. A century from now, she will appear at your door with an envelope for you and Dr. Spector... "We must speak to your fellow humans at Olympus Mons. They are the largest concentrated group. They have a greater number to help us. "Our next move depends upon their leader, the one called Segal. "I do not believe we can liberate those Martians still in the Dream World without his assistance.& Dr. Spector adds, "We must speak to Segal about the phlogistonite, as well. "We have plans to make. Let's be off!& He strides quickly away, gesturing for you all to follow. "We have plans to make. Let's be off!& He strides quickly away, gesturing for you all to follow. The Martian looks up at you shyly. Then it looks at Nellie. "I believe I have a little understanding of your life cycle. I would be pleased if you would consider me 'female.' "Of course, this body shall never reproduce. But perhaps I will carry some seeds with me... "I will not age. I am durable, too; practically indestructible.& name "I believe it would be best for me to use my own name for now. Call me Chsheket, please.& chsh "What can I do for you, $P?& job "I am the @Ambassador of the Martians of Hellas Grove. "I must test this body to be sure that it is safe for my grovemates.& body,meta J	"Yes, we must change this body. We should act upon Miss Bernhardt's suggestion as soon as possible.& "If only there were some way to make a body such as this more passably human in appearance...& Nellie Bly says, "Sarah Bernhardt would know quite a bit about makeup and disguise. We could ask her, $P.& "I believe we must try, then. Please, $P, for the sake of my Grovemates. "We should also check with the leader of your people at Olympus.& amba "In @Prektesh's absence, I must speak for the plantals of my Grove.& prek "Prektesh was @Agrarian for our Grove.& agra "The title has connotations of being our governor and our grandparent, as well as being in charge of the future of the Grove.& stea "No, steam cannot hurt me. All my joints are well-sealed.& valv "That would be easy! I am glad to help you, $P. I believe this body to be much better suited to that task than yours would be.& "That was a simple task, $P. No thanks are necessary.& rubb,coat "My integument is holding its color well, thank you.& "That is an excellent sealant. My people often used it to protect our mechanical servants.& "It might also prove an excellent simulation of human flesh!& roug,dye "The berries suitable for rouge grow solely at @Argyre. "Miss Bernhardt could make the berries into dye for us.& "There must be something that would work. Perhaps if one of your people were familiar with changing their appearance.& berr "There are, of course, several kinds used for various functions. "We use berries for moving heavy objects, seeing through walls and in dark areas, and communicating with objects.& "And, now, we have learned of the berries which are used for coloration of substances.& argy "It is still the home base for that weed, Raxachk. I wish there were something we could do about that.& "It is a shame. It was such a beautiful city. As were they all.& tran "We had two major transportation systems at the time of Raxachk's plague. The canal barges carried heavy loads, and the transport @tubes carried Martians from city to city.& The canals are still empty, but the tubes should be functioning.& tube "The tubes connect the major groves together. As an ambassador, I was one of the primary users of the tube system.& "Each tube station contains one incoming tube and three outgoing tubes, one for each of the other stations. I don't know the details of their function beyond the fact that the tubes run deep underground.& "The stations locations are: in Hellas, south of the grove on the eastern side of the canal; at Argyre, east of the grove; at Elysium, northeast of the grove; and at Olympus, south of the grove.& sega,jack "He is your leader at Olympus, is he not? He seems fairly capable...& join "I will follow you wherever you go, $P. I must learn how to operate this body efficiently.& wait "No, no, $P. I must not miss any opportunity to experience life in the Real-World. It has been so long!& leav "No, $P. I am with you until we leave this planet. "I am saddened if this does not agree with your wishes, but I will not change my mind.& bye "I look forward to conversing again later. Of course, I look forward to everything now that I am alive again!& She smiles. It is a strange sight with her golden face! She smiles, complete with sexy dimples. "Obviously, I must study your dialect more diligently. I do not understand.&

Tesla
a good-looking, dark young man with an intense stare. "Friend $P! I am glad to see you! "I am quite concerned about these seismic tremors that began approximately upon the death of Raxachk. By my calculations, they are growing progressively stronger. "Soon they will be strong enough to warp the space cannon and render our return to Earth impossible! "You must get the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie immediately, so we may flee this planet!& "Go ahead, my friend. Pry open the door. Let us begin the grand adventure!& "Ah, $P.& "Come, my friend. We have landed! "Let us see how close my calculations were for our landing site.& He strides to the window and stares out for a few seconds. He moves toward the door of the capsule. "Good, good! My calculations were precise, as usual. "We are not far from the site of the @1893 landing. "It should be just east of here, within easy walking distance.& "I am sorry, $G, but I cannot yet allow you to exit the capsule.& "No, my friend, I must first know that you are adequately prepared to face the dangers that lie ahead.& "Alas, my friend, we have run this charade before. "I do hope that you have studied the information I have given you to better prepare yourself for the hardships ahead.& He glares at you sternly. "We do not have time for foolishness here. Now...& "The others may have important information you can use on your journey. "It would be wise to speak with everyone before exiting the capsule.& "I would also check with Mr. Garrett for some @utensil with which to pry open the @door of the @capsule. It seems to be jammed closed.& name "Tesla. Nikola Tesla. Fine Serbian name.& He smiles companionably. job "It will be my job to monitor the @communications from Earth through the giant @reflectors.& tesl,niko "Yes, my friend?& 1893,firs "Indeed, it is of paramount importance that you find the landing site of the earlier expedition. The @sextant we brought should help immensely.& Bly,nell,eliz,coch "A fine young woman. Good adventurous spirit. Strong, too.& Spec,joha "Certainly an adequate scientist for our purposes. He will be a help to you in your travels.& Bloo,doct,c.l. "As fine a doctor as you could find. Knows a lot about @oxygen. "If you are ill or @injured, you should locate him immediately.& Garr,dall "A bit rough, perhaps, but a handy man to have around. Good with @tools, he is.& Freu,sigm "An interesting man. He has some very exciting theories about @dreams and the workings of men's minds which are of great interest to me. "I must speak with him soon...& His attention seems to drift from you for a moment. Mars "A fascinating planet. There have been audio signals received from here, you know. "I've heard them myself. And now we are here! Fascinating world.& elec,magn "I have done many experiments using the powers of electricity and magnetism. They are powerful forces. "No one completely understands them yet.& He snaps his fingers, and a small ball of flame appears in his hand. He moves it from hand to hand, watching it intently. "But I have come closer to understanding than most.& Smiling, he snaps his fingers again and the flame disappears. oxyg "Indeed. We all, as you undoubtedly know, require oxygen to live. "The Martian atmosphere should have less oxygen than on Earth. "Actually, if you are truly interested, you should speak to Dr. Blood. He is the expert on oxygen and air.& cann,spac "Yes, my space cannon must be finished in order to return us safely to the Earth.& inju,sick,ill,hurt "If you're not feeling well, my man, be sure to speak to Dr. Blood. He'll soon have you fit as a fiddle. "And don't report to me again until you're well. My health is of the utmost importance to our mission.& comm "Communication must be maintained with the Earth to prove that my mission is a success. "I will take care of it personally to guarantee its accuracy.& tool,uten "Yes, we may have need of some during our travels. You should ask Mr. Garrett what we have available.& door,hatc,jamm,stuc,clos,brok "I have tried the door, yes. It seems to be jammed. Please do ask Mr. Garrett specifically for something with which to open the hatch.& "I'm afraid it's truly broken now, my friend.& caps,ship "Indeed, it has worked even better than I expected. It is rewarding to see my theories proven correct.& mirr,refl "Communications are achieved through the means of light reflection by huge mirrored surfaces. "We will set them up if they are needed and I will monitor them personally to insure emergency communications.& drea "Your mind can deliver some amazing revelations while you sleep. "I understand that Dr. Freud is interested in discovering exactly what these revelations may mean and how to interpret them. "I must speak to him. I have had many dreams...& Lowe,perc "Mr. Lowell is a gifted scientist. Or was. He must have erred in his calculations, however. Something has surely gone awry. "It is a good thing I have taken charge of this expedition personally. Our success is thus assured.& sext "There should be a sextant in the hold. If you learn the @coordinates of a place you wish to go to, the sextant will lead you there.& coor "The location for a place should be calculatable using the sextant. It will give you a set of two numbers which you can then use to find the spot again later. "The coordinates for the earlier landing site, for example, are 28S, 153W.& join,acom,acco "No, no, my friend. Thank you for the honor, but I am the only one able to complete the preparations for our departure. "I must remain here.& He smiles regretfully, shaking his head. wait,leav "I don't think we have a choice until we get this door open, friend.& bye "Certainly, my friend. We are both busy. We will speak again later.& "I apologize, my friend. Could you rephrase that?& yn "It looks like you've overloaded yourself there. Why don't you put some of that back in the ship? I'll give you the gloves when you come back.& "Certainly. Here you are.& He hands you a pair of rubber gloves. "Alright. If you need them later, just ask.& name "Tesla. Nikola Tesla. Fine Serbian name.& He smiles companionably. job "It is my job to monitor the @communications from Earth through the giant @reflectors. They will be set up if I feel that emergency communications are necessary.& tesl,niko "Yes, my friend?& 1893,firs "Yes, I see you have found the landing site. Good, good.& "Indeed, it is of paramount importance that you find the landing site of the earlier expedition. The @sextant we brought should help immensely.& Bly,nell,eliz,coch "A fine young woman. Good adventurous spirit. Strong, too.& Spec,joha "Certainly an adequate scientist for our purposes. He should be a help to you in your travels.& Bloo,doct,c.l. "As fine a doctor as you could find. Knows a lot about @oxygen. "If you are ill or @injured, you should locate him immediately.& Garr,dall "A bit rough, perhaps, but a handy man to have around. Good with @tools, he is.& Freu,sigm "An interesting man. He has some very exciting theories about @dreams and the workings of men's minds which are of great interest to me. "I must speak with him soon...& His attention seems to drift from you for a moment. Mars "A fascinating planet. There have been audio signals received from here, you know. "I've heard them myself. And now we are here! Fascinating world.& rubb,glov "Well, certainly, I have a stock of them for prevention of the spread of disease. Would you like a pair?& @Y or @N drea,mach "I have heard much of the Dream Machines from Dr. Freud. He is fascinated by them. "I really hate to suggest it, but if you're wondering about the workings of any of the Martian machines, you would probably be better off asking that old curmudgeon, Edison. "He has been here for quite a while. Surely he has learned something by now.& elec,magn "I have done many experiments using the powers of electricity and magnetism. They are powerful forces. "No one completely understands them yet.& He snaps his fingers, and a small ball of flame appears in his hand. He moves it from hand to hand, watching it intently. "But I have come closer to understanding than most.& Smiling, he snaps his fingers again and the flame disappears. powe "Yes, isn't it marvelous? My theories have been proven! The towers work!& "Certainly, $P, it would be an improvement to have power available. All we would need is some structures to broadcast the power after we made sure the source was working correctly.& towe "I knew they would work all along. That fool, Edison, has no vision.& "If there are towers here, $P, they will work. Of that I am certain. Broadcast power is the wave of the future.& oxyg "Indeed. We all, as you undoubtedly know, require oxygen to live. "The Martian atmosphere has less oxygen than on Earth. "Actually, if you are truly interested, you should speak to Dr. Blood. He is the expert on oxygen and air.& cann,spac "Yes, my space cannon must be finished in order to return us safely to the Earth.& inju,sick,ill,hurt "If you're not feeling well, my man, be sure to speak to Dr. Blood. He'll soon have you fit as a fiddle. "And don't report to me again until you're well. My health is of the utmost importance to our mission.& comm "Communication must be maintained with the Earth to prove that my mission is a success. "I will take care of it personally to guarantee its accuracy.& tool,uten "Yes, we may have need of some during our travels. You should ask Mr. Garrett what we have available.& door,hatc,jamm,stuc,clos,brok "I have tried the door, yes. It seems to be jammed. Please do ask Mr. Garrett specifically for something with which to open the hatch.& "I'm afraid it's truly broken now, my friend.& caps,ship "Indeed, it has worked even better than I expected. It is rewarding to see my theories proven correct.& mirr,refl "Communications are achieved through the means of light reflection by huge mirrored surfaces. "They will be set up in case of emergency and I will monitor them personally. "It is unknown at this time what happened to the mirrors of the @first expedition.& drea "Your mind can deliver some amazing revelations while you sleep. "I understand that Dr. Freud is interested in discovering exactly what these revelations may mean and how to interpret them. "I must speak to him. I have had many dreams...& Lowe,perc "Mr. Lowell is a gifted scientist. Or was. He must have erred in his calculations, however. The earlier mission has certainly not achieved its purpose. "It is a good thing I have taken charge of this expedition personally. Our success is thus assured.& sext "There should be a sextant in the hold. If you learn the @coordinates of a place you wish to go to, the sextant will lead you there.& coor "The location for a place should be calculatable using the sextant. It will give you a set of two numbers which you can then use to find the spot again later. "The coordinates for the earlier landing site are 28S, 153W.& join "No, no, my friend. Thank you for the honor, but I am the only one able to complete the preparations for our departure. "I must remain here with my capsule.& He smiles regretfully, shaking his head. bye "Certainly, my friend. We are both busy persons, but please feel free to speak again later.& "I apologize, my friend. Could you rephrase that?& "And now, I must test your knowledge of the world outside this portal.& The Martian year is how many Earth days long?& @(Mysteries @page @2): What gas keeps the Martian airsquid aloft?& @(Mysteries @page @9): Which creature fills the Martian ecological niche of Earth's wolves?& @(Mysteries @page @12): Which plantimal uses crude weapons?& @(Mysteries @page @14): What type of Martian tends a birthing plot?& @(Mysteries @page @20) : What type of lens topped the towers discovered by Peary?& @(Mysteries @page @23) : Buffalo Bill killed how many buffalo?& @(Time @Travel @page @10) : Marie Curie discovered the radioactive properties of radium and what other substance?& @(Time @Travel @page @13) : 23 Percival Lowell built his observatory in which state?& @(Time @Travel @page @17) : F3 687 Z3 d4 hydr Z3 d4 hedg Z3 d4 prot Z3 d4 Cult Z3 d4 ruby,red Z3 d4 4000 Z3 d4 polo Z3 d4 Ariz Z3 d4 Tesla smiles, pleased with your answers. "It is obvious that you have been studying your materials. Excellent. "You are indeed well prepared to venture forth on the planet's surface. You may proceed with your prybar on the hatch, my friend.& Tesla looks disappointed. He sags visibly, and sighs. "I am sorry, friend. It disturbs me to know that you have not adequately prepared for the ordeals you will face. "You must return to the reading materials you have been given. "When I know that you are knowledgeable enough to meet the challenge that lies beyond this door, I will allow you to depart. "And not before.& He turns and walks away, shaking his head sadly.

Freud
a distinguished man with a probing stare. "Machen sie schnell, $P! To pardon beg for such haste, but we must the phlogistonite give to Herr Carnegie immediately!& "Guten Tag, $P. What may I do for you?& name "I am Sigmund Freud.& sigm "Ja, that is my name. I prefer to be addressed as Dr. Freud.& herr,freu,doct,dr. "What may I do for you, mein Fraulein mein Herr ?& psyc "That is my chosen profession. It is psychology which has been the @goal beckoning me from afar. "I have begun work on theories of the structure of @personalities.& goal "Ja, my goal is to infer or to guess how the mental apparatus is constructed and what forces interplay and counteract in it.& pers "I believe that it is comprised of three components: the @Id,the @Ego, and the @Superego.& id "It is the mechanism for the release of tension that is brought about by a stimulus.& ego "It is the means by which one deals with reality and one's external environment.& supe "This is the portion of the personality that defines one's morals.& door,outs "I would confer with Herr @Tesla about that.& tesl,niko "Herr Tesla is much more knowing than I about Mars. "You must confer with him if you wish to be learning more of the land. "Hmm. A desire to leave the enclosed safety of the capsule. Yes, very interesting...& He mumbles and stares intently at his notes. bloo,doct,c.l. "I have spoken briefly with Herr Doktor, and I am curious about his repressed anger. "He seems to be suffering from feelings of inferiority...I will have to delve deeper into his problems before I can determine what to recommend to relieve his dilemma.& dall,garr "Herr Garrett is a humorous case...he is clearly continuing to associate with his childhood even into adulthood. "Perhaps this is the reason he feels he must act so possessively with the equipment that we brought with us.& spec,joha "Herr Doktor Spector seems like a fine gentleman, although a touch nervous at all times. It would be interesting to learn more about his parents and his home situation when he was young. "This would possibly give us some insight into his compulsively protective tendencies.& bly,nell,eliz,coch "Miss Bly is all too outgoing for a member of the fairer sex. I surmise that she was raised in an environment where her parents were overly strict. "Thus, she developed very aggressive and proactive tendencies.& job He smiles and fishes a notebook from his pocket. "I am currently studying @dreams, for they are a good indication of the @psychological structure and personality of the dreamer.& drea join "Nein, I cannot. I have too many @notes to transcribe.& note "I am working on a @book and do not wish to forget details that may be relevant.& mach "I'm sorry, $P, but I know little about the workings of machines. Perhaps you should speak with Herr Tesla or Herr Spector about this.& book "Ja, I will call it 'The Interpretation of Dreams'.& hear,vale "You haf dreamt of a heart? It means that you are a warm und giving person. "You should play more sports. That will both supply the companionship you hunger for and build your body'scoordination.& swor,knif,dagg "You haf dreamt of a weapon. No, I do not believe it is a sign of impending collapse. "It simply means that you long to be physically stronger.& book "From the papyrus scroll to the parchment to the book, the book is the symbol of wisdom and knowledge. "Tell me, was this book open, or closed?& @O or @C He scrawls something on his notepad. "I see...& mars "Who would have believed it, travelling to Mars? "This is a good time to study reactions from everyone. "We may get to know one another well.& moth "Interesting. Why do you feel the need to talk about your mother? "Perhaps you are feeling insecure and are longing to return to your home?& wait,leav "Ja, I will wait right here until we are ready to leave.& bye "Goodbye, $P. Feel free to discuss your concerns or your @dreams with me at any time.& "I'm sorry, I did not understand you. Could you rephrase that?& "Are you referring to those machines like the one at the city of Hellas?& @Y or @N yn "Ach! They are quite a mystery. I am unsure how a machine could transport a man's consciousness to an alternate reality. "I surmise, in fact, they are only a means of tapping into one's own subconscious, which is the portion of the mind that controls dreams. "If the dreams are particularly unpleasant, then the subject may claim to be possessed, especially if unable to interrupt these reveries.& He makes a note, then says, "Ja, they tell much about the person involved. "For example, many people dream that they are being chased by something they cannot see. "This usually indicates the individual is feeling oppressed by something, or has a duty to perform that is in some way unpleasant to them.&

Dr. C.L. Blood
a middle-aged man dressed in black. "You are still safe! This is good. I was worried when we had not heard from you for a while. "You must get the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie as quickly as possible. I don't want any more patients to deal with on the return trip!& He smiles and waves you in Carnegie's direction. "Good $T, $P!& "Greetings, my friends!& "Let me check you over while you're here. Can't be too careful, you know.& After completing his examination, Blood proclaims, "No one here is in need of my services.& "I can tell by your demeanor that someone has been injured.& "$P, this air is too rarefied for good health! I am sure that should anything happen to you, your friends can help you get back here.& Dr. Blood reaches for your pulse. After he listens to your heartbeat and breathing, you see that he is concerned. "Best that you acquire some kind of @oxygen supply, so that you will be in top form in case of trouble. "I will prepare some of my Oxygenated Air canisters for you. Use one on anyone who is injured or has fallen. "Each canister will only work once. I will continue to manufacture them so that you may occasionally return for more. "I will remain here to help if needed.& He frowns a moment. "Good heavens, $P; you weren't going out alone, were you? Better have someone accompany you!& "Heavens, $P! We were certain we'd lost you! We sent Yellin out to find you, but weren't sure he would. "Too bad he had to leave the the Phlogistonite behind. I believe you're healthy enough to go fetch it back now, though.& "I say, you're decidedly lucky that Dr. Yellin came across you when he did. "If I had not been able to start treatment as early as I did, well, you wouldn't have survived.& Methodically, Dr. Blood sets out his instruments and wipes his hands clean. "Very well, what have we here?& he says as he examines you. He turns toward $Y. "Ahh, this should not present a problem. The wounds are superficial in nature.& Blood applies the necessary ointments and bandages. "This is a little more serious--some kind of burns on the fingers.& Dr. Blood pours a carefully measured portion of medicines into a small phial, which he insists be drunk at once. He then applies some pungent ointment from an airtight jar. Dr. Blood's brows furrow as he turns to the body $Y carr ies "This case is quite serious!& Blood quickly uses a small canister of his Oxygenated Air and sets to work treating the most serious wounds. After he has completed his work, he reaches for a bottle of ammonia. "Very well. With luck, $Y should respond...& Miraculously, color returns to $Y's face. Dr. Blood examines the body for a few moments, then shakes his head sadly. "I am afraid that there is nothing that I can do here.& Drawing a cover over the face of the body, he says, "I shall see to a proper burial.& After a few moments, Blood looks up from his treatments, and addresses you. "It seems that Lady Luck has favoured us,& he says. "You "All in your party are now well.& Dr. Blood looks at Chsheket and calls Dr. Tesla over to help. "Dr. Tesla, I require your assistance to treat this patient.& Sounding impatient, "A moment, Dr. Blood.& After a short time Dr. Tesla walks over to Chsheket and examines her. "The damage is actually quite simple to repair.& "I'm sure anyone could do it if they just took the time to learn.& Dr. Blood responds, "Many thanks, Dr. Tesla,& and then under his breath, "Arrogant man, is he not?& Dr Blood looks at the still body of Chsheket and sighs. "This will require the aid of Dr. Tesla,& then turning toward him, "Dr. Tesla! Please assist me with this case!& Seeing the condition of Chsheket, Dr. Tesla gathers some instruments and hurries over. "How could this happen!& He begins working immediately, his hands moving quickly between his tools and Chsheket's damaged body. After a time, Chsheket is repaired. Dr. Tesla wipes his brow and turns to you and says, "You cannot treat a precision piece of machinery like this. I am sure you will take my advice to heart.& That being said, Dr. Tesla walks away. Dr. Blood calls after him, "Thank you for your help, Dr. Tesla.& name "Dr. C.L. Blood, at your service.& job,doct "I am a @physician by profession. I @heal those who are @injured and I specialize in diseases of the @lungs.& bloo,c.l. "You called?& inju,sick,ill,hurt "Indeed, if anyone is not well, they should come to me immediately. I will heal them as best I can.& lung,inno "I have promoted the use of @Oxygenized Air, which I feel is critical in the treatment of ailments of the respiratory system.& oxyg "Yes, it is imperative for survival that one have sufficient oxygen. Without such, the brain ceases to function properly. "I fear that while on Mars, we shall suffer from oxygen @deprivation.& door "Why, my dear friend $P, the door is already open.& "What, are you mad? If you open the door to the capsule, we will be exposed to the Martian atmosphere. We cannot be certain it will support us.& tesl,niko "Very curious, Mr. Tesla. He seems to have many interesting habits. However, I am grateful that he chose to include me on this expedition.& freu,sigm "He claims to be some sort of doctor, although I am certain that his background in not in physical medicine.& bly,nell,eliz,coch "A very outspoken woman, indeed. I am certain that her spirit and determination will be quite an asset to our company.& dall,garr "Ah yes, Mr. Tesla felt it necessary to include a guard of some sort. I must admit that I do not know him very well.& depr "If you carry on in an oxygen-poor environment, you will notice a marked reduction in your physical strength and agility. "Furthermore, the lack of oxygen flow to the brain will most certainly cause you to suffer a reduction of your mental faculties. "Certainly, $P, this is not a manner in which you should operate for any length of time.& phys "You know, a doctor. Admittedly, I have fallen from favor in the medical community, as my @innovations are too 'modern' for those who favor the status quo. "At any rate, I still maintain my practice and operate an office at 27 Bond Street in New York.& oxiu,geod "Yes, I have been curious to examine this unique substance. "I surmise that with proper use, it would counteract the lack of oxygen in the Martian atmosphere.& "I am afraid that I have no idea what you are talking about, $P. Are you certain that you do not mean @oxygen, instead?& heal join "I'm afraid that would not be wise, $P. I shall remain here with my instruments and medicines. Should anyone require healing, bring them here.& wait "I fully intend to remain here with Mr. Tesla and the others.& leav "Are you implying that I should leave the camp? I think not, $P.& bye "Safe journeys, $P.& He thinks for a moment and frowns. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that.&

Dallas Garrett
a weathered man in his 30's. "Mr. Carnegie will be right happy to see that phlogistonite! We need to git ourselves back to Earth before Mars blows up!& "Howdy, $P. Anythin' I can help you with?& yn "I already gave you my prybar, $G. Givin' you another one isn't in the budget.& "If you think you can find somethin' that'll work better, you go right ahead. You'll be back.& He grins. "Looks like you've already got a heap of stuff, there, friend. "Why don't you come back when you put somethin' else down?& "Right. Here you go. You just put that at the edge of the door and pull. "She'll come off real easy with this.& "Before you use that, I'd check that hold for some warm clothes and @gear. "I'm bettin' you're gonna need it when that door busts open.& name "My name's Dallas Garrett. You just holler if you need anythin'.& dall,garr "Yep, $G, that's my name.& job "Well, now that we're here, I reckon I'm gonna be keepin' an eye on the home fires here. "I'm a pretty good shot, if need be.& He pulls out a six-shooter and twirls it expertly, slamming it back in the holster with a confident grin. heal,inju,sick,ill,hurt "If you're ever hurtin', you make sure to talk to Doc Blood. He'll fix you up good.& tool,uten "Yes, $G, I do carry a lot of different tools with me, and I know how to use 'em. Got me a @prybar and some other doodads.& "Speakin' of equipment, one thing you might oughta do is check out the hold over there to see what we have in the way of @gear. "I hear tell they've got everthin' we need in there.& gear "I believe they've got us some warm clothes and some equipment they thought we might be needin' out on the planet. "Might be worth your while to take a look-see and see what's there.& "If you got everthin' out of the hold you think you'll be needin', you've got everthin' we brought along for ya. "You might be specially sure to check for that there @sextant. Could be purty useful.& sext "Yep, that should be in that there crate over by yonder wall. Purty good for findin' your way around.& pry,pryb,crow,leve "This here prybar works like a charm on anythin' what's stuck together. You @need this for anythin', jest ask.& door,hatc "What about the door, $G?& ship,caps "Yes, $G, she's a beauty, ain't she? Quite a lady we got here.& need,jamm,stuc,clos,brok "Well, $G, I have this here prybar that should fix the problem. Would you like to give her a try?& @Y or @N tesl,niko "Mr. Tesla's a fine man. A fine man. I don't mind takin' orders from him none at all.& freu,sigm "I don't know much about him.& He looks edgy. "I aim to keep an eye on our Mr. Freud. He sure asks some funny questions.& bly,nell,eliz,coch "She's sure a sweet little filly, ain't she? Asks a lot of questions, though.& bloo,doct,c.l. "Ol' Doc Blood seems like a fine enough leech to me. Course, I don't reckon I know much about medicine. But I'd trust him to fix me if'n I was broke.& spec,joha "Specs? He seems like a fine enough feller. He seems awful nervous about this expedition, though. "I keep tellin' him we'll do just fine. We'll get everthin' done on time.& He grins and winks. join "Well, thank you kindly, $G, but I reckon I'd be most useful keepin' an eye on things here. These here scientist types need some takin' care of, you know?& He winks at you and grins. wait,leav "I really think I'd be best used stayin' right here until y'all give us the go-ahead to head on home. You just let us know when y'all are ready.& bye "Shore nuff. Y'all come back any time.& "Beg yer pardon?&

Pukchep
a strange-looking man. You recognize the speech of Pukchep, the Gatherer. "Greetings once more. I must give you thanks for your sacrifice, soft one. "You have done as you have promised, and new life is possible for myself and for all of my podfriends. "Now we must ask you to save us all once again, now that Raxachk has been vanquished. "Once Mr. Carnegie has all three of the precious cannisters, we may leave our old home and go to the homeland of the worms, to learn your ways and your seasons. "I will miss Mars, my home... I shall dream often of this place!& "You must take the fuel to Mr. Carnegie with all haste, $P. The ground shakes with more urgency, and we must be away.& Plashef_ a peculiar red-haired youth. "I am Plashef. Perhaps you recall my name, shell-less one?Well, no matter now. You must get the fuel cannisters to Mr. Carnegie, friend. "The tremors are closer together now. We do not have much longer before our home is destroyed. We must go.& "You must hurry, my friend. Mr. Carnegie is waiting for the fuel.& Xaktsesh_ a lady kneeling before you. "You would not know, but I am Xaktsesh.We have spoken before, in the world of Dreams.& She seems terribly calm despite the tremors. "You are busy bringing the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie now, $P, but perhaps later I shall recite some poetry to you.& "You have not taken the fuel to Mr. Carnegie yet, $P. You may not hear my poetry until our journey is begun.& She smiles softly, but with a trace of censure.

Cooter
a crusty, weathered-looking man wearing cowboy clothes. "Thanks, pardner. I thought those gol-durned critters would eat me fer sure. "How in the wide world of Mars did you get here, anyhow? Did you find my @note?& @Y or @N yn "Shee-oot! I shore am glad you did. I was worried that I'd never get outta this here cell. "I tell you what, to show my gratitude, let me give you a @ree-ward.& "Oh well, I'm jest glad that yore here! Tell you what pardner, how's about I give you a bodacious @ree-ward for helpin' me out.& "Now don't you worry 'bout me. I'll be up an' tradin' in no time flat. "Anytime you'd like to chat with ol' Cooter, you jes look for my cave over in @Noctis.& name "Cooter McGee, an' proud of it.& coot, mcge "Yep, that's my name.& job "Well, pardner, I @prospect all over Mars fer @Oxygen rocks.& pros "Yep, an' I've done pretty well fer myself, too. Leastways, until them gol-darned @raiders from @Argyre came and captured me.& noct "My home is on the north side o' that maze of canyons that runs east-west.& oxyg,oxium "Them Oxygen rocks is what keeps us alive here, ya know. Why, without them, we just pass right out. Jest stops breathin'. "Ya jest put a little pinch in front of yer gum, there, and it'll keep you in air fer a while. "Ya jest gotta remember to @spit ever once in a while, and you'll be fine.& spit "You jest be sure ta use the spittoons you'll find ever so often when you do that. Miz Calamity, she gits right upset if she sees ya spittin' without usin' a spittoon. "An' you don't wanna see her upset. She don't miss too often.& He grins and cackles. ree,ree-,rewa "I done already told you about the map to my @stashes. There ain't much more that I got to give.& "Tell ya what. I'll tell you where I hid a @map that shows where I hid some @stashes of them Oxygen rocks. On Mars, they're as good as gold.& map "I already done tole you about the map to my @stashes. There ain't much more that I got to give.& "I buried it to keep them varmint raiders from takin' it and lootin' my stashes. It's hid one pace west of the sign left by the @Explorers at Coprates Chasma. "Now, I hid a @shovel near there, too... now where in blazes was that?& shov "Oh yeah, I remember. It's about 4 paces west of the marker hid under a big rock.& stas,cach "Yup, $G, I gots little caches hid all over the place. Most of them are small, an' the map shows where they are. "I'm still tryin' to get my hands on the @motherlode that I seen, though.& moth,mcla "Well, I was down explorin' at the station at McLaughlin. Down under in the underground, there's what's got to be a ton or more of them big oxy-rocks. "If it weren't for that darn @door, I'd have gotten the whole lot of it by now, an' be set fer life.& door "Well, ever since the power come on, I figure that powered door's got to be open.& "Yep, the whole load's behind this dag-nabbed door that runs on eee-lectricity. Problem is, there ain't no durned @power to run the thing. "I jest can't stand to think about all them oxy-rocks, stuck behind that door.& powe "Well, I ain't no eee-lectrician, but I figure that there's gotta be some way there at McLaughlin to turn it on. I'd bet that @Edison fella could figure it out.& edis,thom "He an' a bunch of other well-to-do folks decided to live on Mount @Olympus. I decided that I'd rather go prospectin' and make my own place than live up there.& olym "They're mighty picky about who they let in up there. Right unfriendly an' stuck up.& miz,miss,cala,jane "She runs a tradin' post up on top of Arsia Mons. I regularly trade oxy-rocks with her an' her partner, Buffalo Bill Cody.& buff,bill "Right nice fella. He's in charge of tradin' ammunition for the tradin' post. I've invited him out once or twice for a drink.& raid "They're a bunch of low-down, good-fer-nothing varmints what hog-tied me up an' captured me. "Said that I had gone an' angered their boss, a Russian fella named @Rasputin.& rasp,grig "He stowed away on Mr. Lowell's cannon ship. Turned a bunch of the hired hands aginst us, too. "Now he's tryin' to take over the oxy-rock market, shore 'nuff. He sent a note that threatened unless I came here with the map, he'd do me in. "Guess I showed him a thing or two, huh?& argy "It's an old Martian city down southeast. That lousy @anarchist, Rasputin, he set up his base down there. I'd stay away unless you want trouble. "Ar-jire. Funny furrin name,& he mumbles to himself. anar "That means un-American son-of-a-gun,& he explains. note "I left one in my cave to lead someone here to come save me. I guess you figured it out an' came runnin'.& expl "There's three of them fellas. They run all about the planet and place markers around so's people can find their way about. "Their names are @Sherman, @Yellin, and Major @Duprey.& sher,rich "Yep, that fella there. Got a nose for finding his way around like an ol' hound dog.& "He was on the capsule that brought us here. Got a sense of die-rection that makes you think he's got a compass stuck in his head.& yell,davi "Quiet fella. He's an ant-throw-polly-jist...I guess that means he studies bugs.& dupr,majo,greg "He shore is one rough, tough, son of a gun. I'd not cross him if I was you.& join "Shore is right kind of you to ask, but I've been itching to get back to my prospectin'. If you ever hear of someone buildin' a way to git back home to Earth, though, don't fergit ol' Cooter.& home,eart,rock,cann,ship "Really? Ya don't say. Wall, glory be!& wait "Wait? After bein' cooped up as long as I've been. Shee-oot! I'm getting back to my oxy-rock trade.& leav "Allright, pardner. You take care of yoreself now, you hear?& bye "Allright, pardner. You take care of yoreself now, you hear?& His face twists as he strains to think of an answer. "I'll be dipped! I'm 'fraid that I can't help you with that.&

Major Greg Duprey
a ruggedly handsome American soldier. The blond man gives a great sigh of relief. "Thank you, $G. Things were looking mighty @grim until you arrived.& "Very good to see you, $G. I hope you are taking the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie so we can be away before these ...err... Marsquakes destroy our space cannon!& "Well, good day to you, $G.& He gallantly kisses your hand.\ He gives you a strong, firm handshake. name "I'm Major Greg Duprey.& greg,dupr,majo "Yes, $G. How can I be of service?& job "Used to be with the United States @Cavalry. Now I usually ride shotgun wherever Yellin goes.& cava,hors "I'm much more fond of ridin' than shootin'.& He smiles. than "You're welcome, friend.& grim "That cave-in was more frightening than a band of @Comanche. Seen that first-hand, too!& coma "Well, I used to be an Indian-fighter. Then one day I met up with some @Sioux.& siou,indi "It was my duty to escort them to new lands. "Nicest bunch of Indians you could imagine.& He frowns. "What the U.S. Army is doing don't seem right to me. So I put in my papers and got a discharge. "I've been workin' with @Yellin since then.& yell,davi "Well-& Yellin interrupts, "And there's no one I'd rather have at my back when things get rough!& Duprey grins shyly. "Thank you, Yellin.& "He's saved my bacon many a time.& note,sign,affa,vouc "I've already signed, $G!& "You don't have anything I can write on.& "You want my signature for old Segal, eh? Sure, I'd be glad to!& He takes the note and puts his signature on it. join "Well, if I wasn't already workin' with Yellin, I'd jump at the chance. "But, no, my place is with Yellin.& sher,rich "He's right here.& Sherman nods quietly. around here somewhere. Sherman?& tube,expl,loca,elys,hell,olym,argy "I just come along on Mr. Yellin's expeditions. You might ask him, or Mr. Sherman, about the details of what we've seen.& bye "It's been pleasant talkin' with you, $G.& He gives you a casual salute. "Can't help you with that. Sorry.&

Dr. David Yellin
a lean man with a greying beard. "Hey, there! I need help! My companions are caught in a @cave-in!& "You've found them! Thank God you were in time to save them!& "Again, $P, you rescue distressed folk. This time, of course, you will save all of us from the destruction of Mars. "Oh, but you haven't given the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie yet! Do hurry!& "Thanks again for your help. Anything I can do for you, friend?& "Please, $G, what can I do to help you rescue my friends?& name "Call me Yellin. Dr. David Yellin.& He shrugs cheerfully. He smiles and davi,yell "What can I help you with, $P?& "Please spare the delays, $P. We must help my friends!& job "My companions and I have been charting Mars since our arrival in 1893. We are looking for @iron ore.& cave "Sherman, Duprey and I were @surveying in this old mine.& "You know the rest, $G.& surv "We're looking for @iron ore.& "There was a sudden rumble and the ceiling fell in. "Sherman and Duprey are still trapped inside the @mine! We have to @drill them out.& dril "That drill saved my friends' lives.& "I've found all these parts of what I'm sure is a Martian drill in the shack outside the mine entrance, but I lack the @tool to assemble it.& tool "That wrench certainly came in handy.& "A wrench would do it.& "I happen to have a wrench!& "Yes! That wrench will work just fine. I do hope we're not too late!& "I recall Mr. Garrett packed one for the 1895 expedition. If we do not have one with us, we could hurry back and get that one.& "I do hope we're not too late!& mine Dr. Yellin points to the nearby mine entrance and says,"The entrance is right over there. "You make sure to take some @oxium with you.& "The unassembled @drill parts are in the shack to the west outside the mine entrance.& oxiu "Just chew some oxium, and it will give you all the oxygen you need down there. And anywhere else on the planet, too. "Without it, it's difficult to stay conscious for long. Keep chewing and, if you need to ...um... relieve yourself of some of the liquid, be sure to use one of the spittoons you'll find here and there.& "I regret having to be so blunt, ma'am, but this is, after all, a frontier, albeit a red one.& iron,ore "Mr. Carnegie sent us out to find some to finish the @space @cannon.& spac,cann "Talk to Mr. Carnegie about it. He's in Olympus.& olym "We go there from time to time. Segal is a bit @stand-offish, but he's the only one still working to get us back home.& tube "We did notice the buildings with the big tubes in them, near each of the major Martian cities. Mr. Sherman has our notes about them, so he might be able to tell you more.& stan,offi,sega,jack "He's just trying to protect the others, I suppose. Though he does seem to be a bit... self-motivated, shall we say, eh?& carn,andr "Not a bad fellow for someone who could buy us all. And he never lets anyone forget that.& iolo He gives you an odd look. "No, my name is Yellin.& sher,rich "He's my trusted partner, along with @Duprey.& dupr,greg,majo "Ol' Super-Duper and I go back a long way together.& He grins and winks at you. vouc,note,sign,affa "I'm sorry, but we haven't time for that now. Sherman and Duprey are in peril of their lives!& join "No, friend, but I thank you for the offer.& wait "No, no, I think I'll be of more use to everyone if I continue my explorations. If you need me, I won't be far away.& "Certainly, $P, I'll wait here until you get back. You will hurry, won't you? I'm really worried about the cave-in.& leav "Yes, I'll be leaving now to get on with my travels. Stop by anytime for a chat, will you? See you soon.& "No, I'll be right here until we get my friends out. Hurry, please! I'm really worried about them.& bye "So long, friend.& "We should hurry. My friends cannot survive much longer!& "You're leaving at a time like this? But my friends, in the @mine!& "Why, no, I can't say I know anything about that, $P.& You recall there was a wrench packed on board Tesla's 1895 expedition... kisses your hand. gives you a firm handshake. "Pleased to meet you, $G. Sherman says, "I believe there is a @voucher to be signed...& "I believe I have already signed it.& "You don't have any voucher for me to sign.& "Oh, I'll sign, and gladly.& Dr. Yellin moves his spectacles nearer the tip of his nose. With a small fountain-pen, he signs the voucher. He hands the voucher back to you. "I can hardly repay you by signing this note. "I will, however, do my very best to insure the safety of you and your companions. Mars is full of hidden dangers.&

Calamity Jane
a short, homely woman who could easily be mistaken for a man. "Howdy, stranger. Welcome to Calamity Jane's Tradin' Post. "Chances are, if you need it, I gots it. "Did you run across them critters that roam 'round the base of this here hill?& @Y or @N yn "I hope you fought some of them off. Those pesky things get into my goods and carry stuff away.& "Hmmpf. You got lucky. Those varmints cause me an' Bill a load of trouble.& "Right now, though, with our @supplier gone, business ain't so good anyway.& "Howdy, $P! Best you be hurryin' that phlogistonite stuff to Mr. Carnegie, so we-all kin get off this here planet!& She stumbles away, with an easy, rolling gait. "I ain't had this much trouble walkin' since I got hoot-owl drunk in Dodge City that time. Yee-haa!& "Howdy, $P. Welcome back to my outpost.& "We ain't got any oxy-rocks today. Still no word from our @supplier. Guess he's still stuck in whatever mess he's got hisself into.& "You know, you said you'd go an' help him out, but we ain't seen him yet.& "OK, I can trade you either @clothing or them funny @berries that Cooter uses. "I can also trade you @oxy-@rocks for @berries, if you need any. Which would you like?& clot funn,berr oxyg,oxy,oxy-,rock,oxiu "I don't know about anything like that. Ask Mr. @Hearst. Or maybe Bill over there has some.& "Here ya go, pardner. I got @hats, @boots, @gloves, @pants, @jackets, an' @neck warmers. Which would you like?& hat,hats "I'll take fifteen of them little oxygen rocks for a hat. How many would you like?& boot "It'll cost ya twenty little oxy-rocks for each pair of boots. How many pairs would you like?& glov "I'll trade you one pair of gloves for ten little oxygen rocks. How many would you like?& pant "I'll give you one pair o' pants for thirty little oxy-rocks. How many would you like?& jack,coat "It'll cost ya forty little oxygen rocks for one of these here jackets. How many would you like?& neck,warm,muff,scar "I'll take ten little oxy-rocks for a neck-warmer. How many would you like?& sex She looks you up and down. "Nope, I ain't doing that line of work up here. Get some elsewhere.& ammo,tent,oil She waves a hand over at Buffalo Bill. "Go an' ask my pardner Bill for those things.& "Nothing that I got you want, huh? Well, you'll be comin' back later.& "Strange things, these berries. I got @purple ones, @brown ones, and @green ones. "Don't know 'xactly what they do, but I sell 'em. Which would you like?& move,tk,purp "Well, I want fifty of them little oxygen rocks for twenty of those berries. How many sets would you like?& see,clai,brow "It'll cost ya fifty little oxy-rocks for each set of twenty berries. How many sets would you like?& talk,psyc,gree "I'll trade you twenty of those berries for fifty little oxygen rocks. How many sets would you like?& "I can trade either the @little blue oxygen rocks, or I got some of them @huge things that you gotta bust up first. Which would you like?& litt,blue "I'll take fifteen of them purple berries for each set of 20 little rocks. How many sets would you like to get?& huge,geod,rock "I'll take thirty of them purple berries for each big rock I trade you. How many big rocks would you like to get?& "Would you like something else?& @Y or @N yn "You can't afford #0 hat\s. She takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 cowboy hat\s. "I ain't got that many 'round at the moment!& "You can't afford #0 pair\s of boots. "You can't afford #0 pair\s of gloves. She takes #1 oxium rocks from you and gives you #0 pair\s of gloves. "You can't afford #0 pair\s of pants. She takes #1 oxium rocks from you and gives you #0 pair\s of pants. "You can't afford that many jackets. She takes #1 oxium rocks from you and gives you #0 jacket\s. "You can't afford #0 neck warmer\s. She takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 muffler\s. "You can't afford #0 berries. She takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 purple berries. "You can't afford #0 berries. She takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 brown berries. "You can't afford #0 berries. She takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 green berries. "You can't afford #0 little oxygen rocks. She takes #1 purple berries from you and gives you #0 little oxium rocks. "Now when you use these, if you have to spit anythin' anywhere, be sure you use one of them spittoons. You hear me? "I don't take too kindly to steppin' in anythin' unnatural on the desert. I get a mite cranky. And my trigger finger gets a mite itchy. Understand?& "You can't afford #0 rock\s. She takes #1 telekinesis berries from you and gives you #0 Oxium geode\s. yn She smiles at you and says, "Good. We all need that supply of oxy-rocks. "Lemme tell Bill to give you some of them oxy-rocks to help along the journey.& She hollers over to Buffalo Bill. "Cody, give this'un here some of your little oxy-rocks, so they can go and save Cooter's hide!& Bill grunts his agreement and begins to fish through his stuff. "An be sure to tell 'em how to find Cooter's place, too!& Bill grunts again. "That should do you. Jest you go ask Bill and he'll give you what ya need. "Once you save Cooter, you can come back whenever you want an' we can talk trade for them rocks.& She gives you a mean stare and spits on the ground. "Well, if you don't want to I can't make ya. "Until somebody does, though, I can't sell you any @oxygen rocks.& "Say there, $P, mebbe you've changed your mind about goin' and savin' Cooter. "You think that you might go and set things right with him?& @Y or @N yn She smiles at you and says, "Good. We all need that supply of oxy-rocks. Lemme tell Bill to give you some to help along the journey.& She hollers over to Buffalo Bill. "Cody, give this'un here some of your little oxy-rocks, so they can go and save Cooter's hide!& Bill grunts his agreement and begins to fish through his stuff. "And be sure to tell 'em how to find Cooter's place, too!& Bill grunts again. "That should do you. Jest you go ask Bill and he'll give you what y'need.& "Your choice. We could all benefit, though, once he starts bringing oxy-rocks back again.& name "I goes by the name Calamity Jane.& jane,cala "What?& job "Me and my pardner Bill @peddle goods. At least, we peddle when the @raiders aren't fussin' about.& raid "They're outta @Argyre, southeast of here. They disrupt our tradin' and've been hasslin' our @supplier somethin' fierce.& argy "The whole city seems to be a place for low-lifes and varmints of all types. "We don't go trading with them anymore, you jest can't trust 'em.& pedd,trad "Yep, me and Bill got the best shop on the planet. Much better than that stuffy rich @fella over on Olympus. "If you want to @buy anything, jest say so.& stuf,rich,fell "His name's @Hearst.& hear,will,rand "Yeah. He's big on collectin' Martian junk, not useful stuff like our @oxy-rocks.& buy supp,sour "Well, his name's @Cooter McGee, an he's a prospectin' type. Brings us @oxygen rocks ever so often.& oxy,oxyg,oxiu "Until ol' @Cooter starts makin' his supply runs again, we're fresh out. Sorry.& "It's our standard for trade 'round here. After all, ya can't breathe right without any. "Only problem is, the @raiders keep hasslin' us for our supply. "We don't deal with their low-down kind, but if you want to @buy some, we can deal.& coot,mcge "I see you're still lookin' for him. The sooner you find him, the better.& "Yep, he's a wild one all right. Got him a place over in @Noctis that he gets his rocks from, I suppose. "You know, business would shore be better if someone like you could go and find out what's ailin' him. "That way, I could start sellin' oxygen rocks again.& She pauses for a moment, then looks you in the eye. "Would you go and find out what Cooter's problem is and set things right? I'd be much obliged.& @Y or @N "He's the fellow that brings us our oxygen rocks and those funny @berries. "Got him a nice spread over in the @Noctis Labyrinthus. Bill's been there once.& berr "Well, there's three types. Course, I @trade all kinds if'n you're interested.& Noct "You'll have to ask Buffalo Bill about it, he's the one that's been there.& join "What, go and leave my spread and goods? Yer mind must be half-froze solid. Me and Bill's got us a good thing goin' here.& wait "Wait fer what? I ain't goin' nowhere.& leav "Well, that's not very neighborly of you, friend.& She fingers her gun in its holster and glares at you. "Here I am tryin' to help you, and you jest want me to go away. Well, that's fine. I'll leave. "But you better be real nice to me later if'n you need anythin', ya hear?& She strides off, looking back suspiciously. bye "Later, pardner. If you need anything, jest come and see Calamity again.& She scratches her head and looks at you, confused. "I don't rightly know, $P. Mebbe you should ask Bill what he knows.&

Buffalo Bill
a rough-looking cowboy with a short beard. "Howdy. Welcome to Calamity Jane's Tradin' Post. I'm in charge of dispensing the ammunition and other necessary trail items. "If you haven't met Miss Jane yet, I reckon that you should see her next. She's got some real useful things herself.& "Our main @supplier hasn't been by in a spell, so I've actually got more to sell than Miss Jane.& "Howdy, pardner! I hope you got that propellant stuff for Mr. Carnegie! We-all need to shoot ourselves away from this planet as quick as we can! "I done some rough ridin' and breakin' in my time, but I never done tried to saddle break a whole planet! Whoa, Bessie!& "Howdy, pardner. Need more shells, I imagine.& "Our @supplier still hasn't been by. Darn shame, too, 'cause we could really use those @oxy-geodes he brings.& "Well, pardner, I can trade you either @ammunition or various @trail goods. "What kind of things are you looking for?& ammo,ammu,bull,shel,roun trai,good "I don't have anything like that. You might check with Miss Jane.& "I got @pistol rounds, @shotgun shells, @rifle rounds, @elephant gun rounds, and even some @sling stones or @arrows. "Which would you like?& pist "I'll take ten of the little oxygen rocks for ten pistol rounds. How many sets of ten would you like?& shot,shel "It'll cost you twenty little oxy-rocks for each set of ten shells. How many sets of ten would you like?& rifl "I'll trade you a set of ten rifle rounds for thirty little oxygen rocks. How many sets of ten would you like?& elep "I'll give you ten elephant gun rounds for forty little oxy-rocks. How many sets of ten would you like?& slin,ston "It will cost you five little oxygen rocks for ten of these sling stones. How many sets of five would you like?& arro "I'll take ten little oxy-rocks for a dozen arrows. How many would you like?& oxy,oxyg,oxiu,berr,cloth He nods towards Calamity Jane. "You'll have to go ask Miss Jane for those things.& "Can't help you with that, pardner. I'd check with Miss Jane, though.& "These here goods are just what you need to make your trailblazing more livable. You can trade for @tents, @tinderboxes, @weedkiller, and @lamp oil. "Which would you like?& <	tent "I need fifty of them little oxygen rocks for a tent, pardner. How many would you like?& tind,fire "It'll cost you fifteen little oxy-rocks for a tinderbox. How many would you like?& weed,kill "I ask thirty little oxiums for a can of weed killer. How many would you like?& lamp,oil "I'll trade you a can of lamp oil for ten little oxygen rocks. How many cans would you like?& Would you like something else?& @Y or @N yn "You can't afford #0 rounds. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 pistol rounds. "You can't afford #0  shells. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 shotgun shells. "You can't afford #0 rifle rounds. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 rifle rounds. "You can't afford #0 elephant gun rounds. He takes #1 oxium rocks from you and gives you #0 elephant gun rounds. "You can't afford that many sling stones. He takes #1 oxium rocks from you and gives you #0 sling stones. "You can't afford #0 arrows. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 arrows. "You can't afford #0 tent\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 tent\s. "You can't afford #0 tinderbox\es. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 tinderbox\es. "You can't afford #0 can\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 tin\s of weed killer. "You can't afford #0 can\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 can\s of lamp oil. name "My name is William F. Cody, though most people call me Buffalo Bill.& will,cody "Call me Bill.& buff,bill "Yes, $G?& job "Miss Jane and I @trade various goods for @oxygen rocks.& hear,will,rand "He's set himself up at @Olympus, trading Martian artifacts.& olym "It's Jack Segal's place. The people there are a bit touchy about outsiders. We usually don't go too far past the gate.& pedd,trad,buy supp "Our main supplier's a fellow named @Cooter. He prospects for @Oxygen rocks and we sell them around the whole planet. They're mighty handy.& "Ever since those @raiders from Argyre started giving Cooter a hard time, he hasn't been around.& raid "Yep. My guess is they've carted him off someplace.& He grins and shakes his head. "Though why they'd want to keep that old coot is beyond me.& "Somethin's got to be done about them folks. Think they can run around and disrupt ever'body's lives. Hmph.& oxy,oxyg,oxiu "As much as I'd like to, pardner, I've given you all that I can spare until you free Cooter and the supply starts up again. "I'd bet that once you find Cooter, you'll find some of those rocks.& "Miss Jane is the person to ask about that. I just sell @shells and @trail goods.& "Miss Jane is the person to ask about that. I just sell @shells and @trail goods.& "Miss Jane said to give you a few of these to help out on your way to check up on Cooter.& He opens a small strongbox and hands you several small bluish rocks. "Sorry I can't spare more than this, but we're in pretty short supply right now. I figure that everyone will run out sooner or later until Cooter gets free. "You just put it behind your lip, there, and it'll give you all the oxygen you need to keep goin'. "Be sure to use the spittoons when you spit, though, or Miz Calamity'll have your hide and mine both. "Better take some of these here berries, too. Cooter said somethin' about needin' these to get into his place. Wish I knew what he does with 'em. "Cooter's place is over in Noctis, in the center of the northern canyon. The entrance to Noctis is at about 20S and 113W. "You wander around in there until you get to 12S 81W by one o' them sextants and you should find Cooter's place right off.& coot,mcge "Mr. McGee lives over in the labyrinths of @Noctis. I've been over to his place once, and it'll be quite a spell afore I do that again. "You have to cross the bridge a little to the northeast of here. I think the numbers for that are about 4S, 121W.& "Of course, with Cooter gone, trade's going to be light. No oxygen rocks, no trade.& Noct,cave "@Cooter's place is a cave set back along into the rocks to the north side of the northern canyon.& argy "It's southeast of here, but I'd stay away from there if I was you. Those thugs and that pesky @Russian runnin' the show have sealed the town. They must be up to somethin'.& rasp,russ,grig "He came along on the 1893 capsule with the rest of us. Soon as we arrived, he lit out of camp to set up his base at Argyre. Haven't seen him at all these last two years.& join "No, I can't. I've promised Miss Jane to keep up my half of the business. I must admit, if I could find a @horse, I'd love to go riding. Worst thing about this place, no horses.& hors,roug,ride "Yes, $G, I sure do miss being back home, riding in the shows with my Congress of Rough Riders. You know, we had quite a setup right next to the exposition couple of years back. "If not for that damn cannon blast, I would still be home doing the shows.& ammu,ammo,bull,shel,roun,trai "I've got all kinds of things like that. Would you like to @buy anything?& @Y or @N wait "Sure, I can wait. What should I wait for?& bye Shaking your hand, he says, "Take care, $P. Come see me before your stock of shells gets too low.& He looks up at the sky and says, "I'm not familiar with that. Maybe Miss Jane knows.&

Wisp
a ball of light. "Once again a local manifestation addresses the Xorinite dimension. "Do 'you' have memory-imbued Martian @soil for 'me'?& "Your cooperativeness is noted and appreciated. "Please do not @destroy this @manifestation.& dest,harm,hurt,kill "@Xorinia has already suffered several setbacks in the attempt to bring @business to this continuum. "Allowing this '@wisp' unit to continue its existence would be beneficial to both continua. "Furthermore, let 'me' inform 'you' as a potential customer that eliminating remotes in non-private locations may incur a karmic debt.& karm,debt "Regrettably, no further information is available on that subject.& name "There is a high probability that a manifestation of the Xorinite dimension seen by a human will be called '@wisp.' "Since this @manifestation is not truly an autonomous entity, this reflects something of a misconception. "'You' may more correctly address 'me' as @Xorinia when communicating via a '@wisp'.& wisp "That is short for 'William of the Wisp,' also shortened to Will-o-the-wisp. Other names include 'Foo-fighter'and 'Bogey.' "None of those names are registered trademarks. "This has been a free information sample, compliments of Xorinia. "Normally there is a fee for @information.& mani "This manifestation relays information on activity along the temporal axis. "It is at this point in the space-time continuum observing the life-form that may be called '$P'.& xori "In this plane, a distinction is made between statements such as 'I inhabit this plane.' and 'I am this plane.' "This subtlety of your grammar is unclear. 'I' do not know which statement is more correct. "Suffice it to say that the continuum 42 vibrational quanta subsequent to this one is 'my home.' "'You' may refer to said continuum as 'Xorinia', just as 'you' refer to 'me.'& job,busi "Xorinia acts as a conduit for information between different planes, dimensions, continua. "Xorinia also retains information which will improve Xorinia. "If 'you' have any @information to trade through the manifestation '$P', 'I' will be willing to act as @broker.& fee,brok "Fair recompense between dimensions and timelines is always a relative thing. "Suffice it to say that Xorinia is seen as the best in the business, the finest of professionals. "Each customer must feel that they have been treated fairly, in order for Xorinia to maintain its sterling reputation. "Furthermore, any imagined grievances may be addressed to the Department of Imagined Grievances on/in Rklbwm. "Have 'you' any @information 'you' currently wish to trade?& @Y or @N yn "What is the nature of this @information?& "Then perhaps 'you' could assist Xorinia by bringing it specific @information.& info,fee "The Undrian Council of Wemsh have expressed strong interest in the indigenous culture of the planet 'you' call 'Mars.' "However, this @manifestation has been unable to make contact with any aboriginal plant-animal units. "There is a standing @reward for the Martian equivalent of Earth-human written media such as books. "Recent analysis shows that a substantial amount of Martian information is stored in even the smallest decaying pieces of it. "Therefore, a reasonable fragment of the information known as 'Ancient Martian Culture' is sought. "Xorinia seeks a quantity of information-rich @soil for the @Undrian Council of Wemsh.& soil "Xorinia recognizes 'your' usefulness. There is no further need at this time-place.& "It seems to be a method of storing @information used by the once here-now 'Martians'. "The unit '$P' has brought a fine specimen!& The wisp glows brightly and a soil coin dissolves into sparkles and flecks of cool colored light. "Now for the exchange. Xorinia has examined the near future of this continuum, and appropriate @payment has been determined.& "This one perceives that you have not yet procured a soil sample.& paym "'$P' will need to comprehend the nature of the 'Dream World' in order to successfully return to its native time-space location. "All sentients are composed of 'mind,' 'body,' and 'soul'. Proportions may vary greatly. A creature with a 'mind' can dream and be alone. "But through the Mystical component called 'soul,' much deeper connections exist. No sentient being is ever truly alone. "Therefore, the 'Dream World' has both a personal mental existence and a universal spiritual one. "A being with such a broad consciousness as '$P' may further extrapolate that dreams can have a physical reality, as well. "This means that someone of sound '@mind,' 'body,' and 'soul' could remove physical objects from the 'Dreamworld' and bring them into this one.& The wisp allows you a moment to digest this information. "The transaction is complete. 'Farewell', '$P'.& "'I' must remind 'you' that @information has not yet been given unto Xorinia.& body,soul,magi,real,myst "Sorry, no further information is available at this time.& mind "This is the prime component involved in such elementary tasks as psychometry, telepathy, and telekinesis. "'I' have a high ratio of 'mind' to '@body-and-soul,' while 'human' life units seem to be evenly mixed. "The unit '$P' seems to be exceptionally well balanced.& wems "Wemsh is plasmic and liquid-based rather than galactic and gaseous with stars and spherical metallic impurities.& undr,coun "The Council is composed of two colonial organisms, the Weegon and the Yamrrr. "Both the Weegon and Yamrrr are chlorophyll-utilizing organisms, not unlike 'the Martians'.& mars,mart "If the organism called 'the Martians' is to regain full consciousness, it will need new bodies. "These must be grown without benefit of precious @information-laden Martian soil. "Xorinia has already determined that the original taint which decimated this civilization long ago is not present in this continua at this point on the time axis.& bye "For prime @information, speak to a local 'wisp' early and often.& The wisp makes no reply. "Please elaborate.& "'I' begin to understand, but further @information is needed to clarify the matter.&

Cooter McGee
a crusty, weathered-looking man wearing cowboy clothes. "I reckon you folks got that flow-gis-ten-ite that Mister Carnegie wants to juice up our space cannon with. I won't be keepin' ya, pardner!& "Well, lookee who we got here! Howdy, pardner!& "Say, I sure could use some of that @chaw. Care for a @trade?& name "Cooter McGee, an' proud of it.& coot, mcge "Yep, that's my name. Don't wear it out.& job "Well, pardner, I still @prospect all over Mars fer @Oxygen rocks. Do a spot of @tradin', too.& pros "Yep, an' I've done pretty well fer myself, too.& trad "There's only one thing I still run out of, an' that's Martian @tobacky.& "Would you swap a plug of Greenman Tobacky fer a @devil pod?& @Y or @N yn "Suit yourself, friend.& "Thar you go. Much obliged!& toba,gree,chaw "I mix it in with the oxium; makes it taste much better. "That fella Carver's the one who growed it from Earth seeds. He's shore got a green thumb. "Don't fergit to @spit every once in a while...& devi,pod He holds up a big red fruit the size of a pumpkin. "Thar's a mean little varmint inside. Whenever some critter gives me a hard time, I chuck one of these to give it somethin' to play with.& He chuckles. "Course, you gotta make sure to throw it a ways away. If'n you jest set it down gentle like, it'll sit there till judgment day, quiet as you please.& noct "Nice, ain't it? Looks kinda like Arizona.& oxyg,oxium "Better see Bill or Miz Jane fer that, pardner.& "Here's a few to tide you over 'til you get there.& spit "You jest be sure ta use the spittoons you'll find ever so often when you do that. Miz Calamity, she gits right upset if she sees ya spittin' without usin' a spittoon. "An' you don't wanna see her upset. She don't miss too often, if you get my meanin'.& He grins and cackles. ree,ree-,reew,rewa "I done already told you about the map to my @stashes. There ain't much more that I got to give.& "Tell ya what. I'll tell you where I hid a @map that shows where I hid some @stashes of them Oxygen rocks. On Mars, they're as good as gold.& map "I already done told you about that map to my @stashes. That's the only dang map I got.& "I buried it to keep them varmint raiders from takin' it and lootin' my stashes. It's hid one pace south of the sign left by the @Explorers at Coprates Chasma. Now, I hid a @shovel near there, too... now where in blazes was that?& shov "Oh yeah, I remember. It's about 4 paces west of the marker hid under a big rock.& stas,cach "Yes, $G, I gots little caches hid all over the place. Most of them are small, an' the map shows where they are. "I'm still tryin' to get my hands on the @motherlode that I seen, though.& moth,mcla "Well, I was down explorin' at the station at McLaughlin. Down under in the underground, there's what's got to be a ton or more of them big oxy-rocks. "If it weren't for that darn @door, I'd have gotten the whole lot of it by now, an' be set fer life.& door "Well, ever since the power come on, I figure that powered door's got to be open.& "Yep, the whole load's behind this dag-nabbed door that runs on ee-lectricity. Problem is, there ain't no durned @power to run the thing. "I jest can't stand to think about all them oxy-rocks, stuck behind that door where I cain't git 'em.& powe "Well, I figure that there's gotta be some way there at McLaughlin to turn it on. I'd bet that @Edison fella could figure it out.& edis,thom "Mr. Edison's right handy with that newfangled stuff called ee-lectricity. I think he calls it that 'cause he gits it from eels. "He an' a bunch of other well-to-do folks decided to live on Mount @Olympus. I decided that I'd rather go prospectin' and make my own place than live up there.& olym "They're mighty picky about who they let in up there. Right unfriendly an' stuck up.& miz,miss,cala,jane "She runs a tradin' post up on top of Arsia Mons. I regularly trade oxy-rocks with her an' her pardner, Buffalo Bill Cody.& buff,bill "Right nice fella. He's in charge of tradin' ammunition for the tradin' post. I've invited him out once or twice for a drink.& raid "They're a bunch of low-down, good-fer-nothin' varmints what grabbed me an' hog-tied me. "Said that I had gone an' made their boss right angry, a Russian fella named @Rasputin.& rasp,grig "He stowed away on Mr. Lowell's cannon ship. Turned a bunch of the hired hands agin us, too. "Now he's tryin to take over the oxy-rock market, shore 'nuff. He sent a note that threatened unless I came to Coprates with the map, he'd do me in. "Guess I showed him a thing or two, huh?& argy "It's an old Martian city down southeast. That lousy @anarchist, Rasputin, he set up his base down there. I'd stay away unless you want trouble. "Ar-jire. Funny furrin name,& he mumbles to himself. anar "That means un-American son-of-a-gun,& he explains. note "I left one in my cave to lead someone here to come save me. I guess you figured it out an' came runnin'.& expl "There's three of them fellas. They run all about the planet and place markers around so's people can find their way. Their names are @Sherman, @Yellin, and Major @Duprey.& sher,rich "Yep, that fella there. Got a nose for finding his way around like an ol' hound dog.& "He was on the capsule that brought us here. Got a sense of die-rection that makes you think he's got a compass stuck in his head.& yell,davi "Quiet fella. He's an ant-throw-polly-jist...That means he studies bugs, ya know.& He puffs out his chest and looks pretty proud of himself. dupr,majo,greg "He shore is one rough, tough, son of a gun. I'd not cross him if I was you.& join "Shore is right kind of you to ask, but I've been itching to get back to my prospectin'. "If you ever hear of someone findin' a way to git back home to Earth, though, don't fergit 'ol Cooter.& home,eart,rock,cann,ship "Yeah, I jest cain't wait to git back and breathe the good ol' air back home. Then I won't have to mess up the flavor of my chaw with this danged oxium stuff.& wait "Wait? After bein' cooped up as long as I've been? Shee-oot! I'm getting back to my oxy-rock trade!& leav "All right, pardner. You take care of yoreself now, you hear?& bye "All right, pardner. You take care of yoreself now, you hear?& His face twists as he strains to think of an answer. "I'll be dipped! I'm 'fraid that I can't help you with that.&

Tekapesh
a dark-bearded man, very unkempt. "You are not of my grove. What is your business in this place?& @Y or @N yn He thinks for a moment, then turns back to you. "While this is certainly a worthwhile cause, I do not trust a worm to have the intellect to do this properly. "I apologize, but unless you are the last resort, I will not allow my plantals to participate in such a dangerous scheme. "I would ask that you visit the Hellas grove and request their help in your endeavour.& "Well, good. Do not take offense, but I could only trust the lives of my plantals to another plant. "I could not allow them to cooperate in a worm's weedbrained scheme. Only the Hellas grove would be so desperate. Hmph.& @Y or @N yn He looks at you suspiciously. "I had heard that there were possibilities... "All right. I will agree this far, and this far only. "I will agree to allow you access to our Dream Machine. Consider it done. "As soon as you have devised ways to free all of the humans in the Dream World from their nightmares, and they are waiting in the Hall of Dreams for the transfer, I and my plantals will consent to returning the bodies to the humans. "We will then wait in the Dream World for you to prepare new bodies for us. But I warn you - "The wait had better not be long. Or we will find a way to shorten your existence. Do not doubt that we can.& He turns his back on you and is silent. "There is nothing I can do for you at this time. While I admire your persistence, we will not transfer to the Dream World until all of the humans are also ready to transfer. "If I cannot trust you to save all of your people, how can I trust you to save each and every one of us? "Return to me when all is prepared. And not before.& He turns and strides away. "We will now go to the Dream Machines and trade places with the free humans in the Hall of Dreams. "We will wait in a secret place in Dream World to be called to new bodies. "We will not wait patiently, and we will not wait long. We will find you if you do not fulfill your part in this matter. "And you will regret having forsaken us. I promise you, you will regret.& He goes to a central area and calls to his plantals. When they are gathered, he announces that he has agreed on their behalf to trust you, and to return to the Dream World for the time being. There is some discussion, mostly in favor, and the Martians file in an orderly fashion to the Dream Machine. When they are in place, you activate the machine, and... "It seems that your plan has failed. I have sorrow for the passing of the brave plant who risked his life in your venture and lost. "You have, however, proven your dedication to our cause. I will cooperate in your schemes from this point forward. "We will prepare the last of us for proper composting and farewell. Thank you for returning him to us.& name "I am Tekapesh, though your species believe I am called Lowell.& teka "Yes, $P-worm.& job "I have the honor to be the @Agrarian of the @grove of @Elysium.& "My primary duty at this point is the @rebuilding of our civilisation.& elys "Elysium is the first city of Mars, which surrounds you.& grov "My grove includes my kinsmen and the soil in which we sink our roots. We are the last @hope of the Martian race. "Pashesh, the assistant Ambassador, knows more about each individual in the grove than I do. You should speak to him about any specific plantals.& agra "An Agrarian, such as myself, is the guiding force of a grove.& hope "We are dedicated to the @resurrection of the true Martian @form. We must cast off these fleshy, disgusting shells and live as civilized @plants once more.& "We still have hope that we will be able to @grow new plantal bodies for our consciousnesses. "We believe in action. Those fools in Hellas are content to wait forever for a miracle. They do not understand our methods. "We have broken official communication with Hellas for the time being.& form,plan "I doubt that one of your limited animal intelligence can even comprehend the glorious advancement of civilization as developed by our plantal race. "We are, of course, the most advanced form of intellect in the system.& resu "Centuries ago, a dread @plague covered the surface of Mars, contaminating our environment. "Several of my race fled into the Dream World, cormbroken at the prospect of leaving behind our elegant plantal forms. "Now that the plague has dispersed with the passage of time, we have emerged from that stasis to @rebuild our race.& rebu "We do wish, eventually, to @transfer our superior intellects from these wormlike @bodies to more suitable forms using the @Dream Machines. "We must, after all, have something with the ability to transfer knowledge and memories from generation to generation. "Your bodies begin blank and must relearn everything. So tragic. That is why we are more advanced. "The key to our plan is the @cultivation of new, healthy Martian @pods for my grovemates.& "Obviously, with the soil contaminated from the remnants of the plague, fresh @pods are impossible. We must find a viable alternative.& tran "You wish to test a transfer to a new body?& "You have tried a transfer, worm. We have lost a brave plantal because of it. I cannot agree to another test. "There may be an alternative, however. I seem to remember that one of the Hellites was attempting a plan to construct artificial bodies. "@Kaxishek was an odd one, alright. But who can tell? Perhaps he succeeded.& kaxi "He was one of the Hellas plantals. Rather an oddball scientist.& "His plan for alternate bodies certainly had possibilities. I do not remember any of the specifics, though. "You should ask Xaktsesh of the Hellas grove if you think it worth pursuing. She was one of his podmates.& drea,mach "The Dream Machine is the last refuge, the last hope of my plantals.& "I cannot allow you to see it or to use it. It is too critical for our survival. "It is, indeed, a shame that some of your people are trapped in our machine. Such great worm intellects as Lowell and Melies. A shame.& He smirks. lowe,meli,perc,geor "Great intellects for worms, I suppose. Some of your people might almost be able to comprehend our wisdom.& cult,grow "The details of the growth process are under the control of my Cultivator, Cheshef, whom those of your species call Carver.& help,aid "If you really think you can do any good in our endeavour to create new bodies, you should speak to my @Cultivator.& "I do believe now that you mean it. The best assistance you could give us now would be to learn all that you can about @Kaxishek's experiment.& plag "It was released as a weapon of war by @Raxachk, the Warlord Agrarian of Argyre, in his zeal to rule the planet. "Because of his greed and lust for power, our race was totally destroyed physically. Only our intellect remains.& raxa "If you wish to know more of the history, my Ambassador, Bikchiz, is better versed in it than I. You would do well to speak with him.& bodi,body "We will abandon these shells when there is a more suitable form available for us. Not before.& pod,pods "Cheshef is developing a method for the growth of new plant forms for my people. If you are interested, you should speak to him.& "Pods would of course have been our first choice. We will retain these shells unless something @better is offered. "We still hope, of course, to be able to transfer our knowledge to our descendents. We shall see.& bett "There is no better answer to our need than the beautiful, functional plantal bodies we have always had.& "You believe you have a plan for something better than either pods or worms?& tube,trav "The tube system allows plantals with need, such as ambassadors and agrarians, to travel from grove to grove quickly. "I did not make use of the system as often as did Bikchiz. He would remember much more information than I.& join "I think not.& wait,leav "I will shift where and when I please. And no worm will tell me otherwise.& He turns his back on you; the audience is over. bye "It has been ... entertaining.& "You seem to have difficulty expressing yourself with any intelligence. This is no surprise. Try again, worm.&

Prektesh
a young, newly-grown Martian. The Martian slowly looks itself over, marvelling at each limb and appendage. It takes a deep breath of air and slowly exhales. "My friend! It has worked! I cannot express my gratitude!& He pauses to contain himself, then continues. "This is wonderful! I feel weak, but I am sure it will pass. Now I can see to it that our race is saved from the Dream-World.& Prektesh makes a coughing sound, and his voice trembles with fear. "$P! Something is terribly wrong! I feel like...like I'm rotting away inside! Help me, I'm @dying! name,prek "If anything, my name should be 'fool'.& job "I cannot complete my task of restoring my race. You must do this for me after I @die.& die,dyin,dead "I feel that I am contracting the plague! That cannot be, for it has been too many years for the poison to remain in the @air.& air He coughs, "Your bodies require air also, do they not? Why am I in pain when you are unaffected?& He ponders a moment, then says, "Your life-form is not plant-based, is it, $P? My poisoning must be because I am a plant. "What then, is the cause? Plants require air and sunlight, and... "...By the Two Moons, SOIL! The poison is in the @soil!..& soil "The plague has settled into the soil!& It pauses, lowering its head. "Chkaf! This means that my people are twice doomed. Any bodies that we grow will be born with the poison inside them, as I was. "The @alternate bodies, they are the only hope. Seek the polar lab that Kaxishek was using. There, you may find a way to save our race after all.& "You must speak to my Arborist, Xaktsesh. Her podmate was working on @alternate bodies that would be immune to the plague. Return to Hellas in the Dream-World, and seek her.& alte "Xaktsesh's podmate, Kaxishek was developing bodies to resist the plague. His laboratory was located in the north polar region. "Xaktsesh knows better than I where it was. Seek her advice.& He doubles over, overcome by a horrible convulsion. "You must win the trust of Tekapesh to accomplish any of these tasks. "There is only one way this can be done... "You must take my body to him.& bye "Wait, $G, I have more to tell you. "I fear my @job will never be complete.& "I am sorry that I will not be able to fulfill my duty to my people. "Go to Tekapesh now, and win his confidence. Take me to him. "You, $P, must do what you can to save my race. "You MUST!& It bows, its energy spent. Gasping, it says, "Your voice is fading, $P. Are you there?& name "It is I, Prektesh. Do you not recognize me, friend?& prek "Yes, $P?& job "I must now concentrate on the @task of restoring the Martian race.& weak "My new body feels strange, but I feel fine! I can now undertake the @task of restoring the Martian race.& task "Now I have returned from the Dream-World, it is our duty to re-grow all of the bodies necessary to allow our race to return to the Real-World.& join "We have already joined our efforts, $P.& wait "There is too much to be done, $P. We must continue to work towards our goal of re-growing bodies for my people. There is no time to wait.& leav Standing his ground, he states, "I will not leave you until our task is complete.& bye "You talk too much, $P. We must work to grow more bodies!&

Bikchiz
a scruffy-looking blond man with a sly look about him. "Welcome to the Grove of Elysium, my friend s. . How may we be of service?& name "I am Bikchiz, Ambassador of the Grove of Elysium. Some of your kind insist on calling me Wells, whatever that means.& bikc,well "That is what I am called, shell-less one.& job "My function is to handle all of the Grove's dealings with outsiders, as well as Elysium's relations with other cities, such as @Argyre. "I am also the official @historian for the grove. It is a job with a great amount of responsibility.& He puffs up rather like a great toad, obviously impressed with his own importance. teka "Well, yes, he is the nominal leader of my grove... I suppose it would be beneficial for you to speak with him.& hist "I know much of the history of our grove. Our most recent history, of course, is rather closely tied to that of @Argyre. Not through any choice of our own, I assure you.& Argy "That is the home of the tyrant, @Raxachk, whose desire was to be Agrarian for the whole of Mars.& Raxa "He sought to dominate the planet through control of various resources, including water and soil. When he failed, he resorted to @blackmail.& blac,plag "Raxachk forced his gatherers and cultivators to manufacture a disease which would attack young seedlings, killing them before they could mature.& He shudders delicately. "The monster then @threatened to release it if the other cities and groves failed to comply.& thre He shakes his head forlornly. "We thought it was an empty threat. "When we refused to cooperate, he followed through, releasing an airborne version of the plague. It swiftly destroyed all of the @seedlings on the planet.& seed "Those of our own kind, as well as those of many of the wild beasts. The effect on the @ecology was devastating.& ecol "The plague, alas for us, lingered for several years, killing all new seedlings before they could develop. "Our @population dropped rapidly, and many species of wild beasts were greatly affected as well. "The Mars of today is but a shadow of its former beauty and @fertility.& He looks dramatically off to the distance, a tear glistening visibly in one eye. fert "We believe that now, centuries later, the plague is gone from our atmosphere. "That is why we have borrowed your grovemates' bodies, to enable us to develop new pod forms and rebuild our world.& "As we now know, due to the plague's contamination of our soil, our former dream of renewing that fertility is an impossibility. Ah, cruel fate!& popu "During the onslaught of the plague, most groves exhausted themselves struggling to raise viable seedlings. They died out completely in that losing battle. "A few far-thinking groves, like my own, of course, fled to the Dream World to wait. We waited many years for an opportunity to rebuild our superior culture. "And now... that opportunity has arrived!& tube,tran "The transport tubes run deep underground to connect the major groves together. Each station contains one incoming tube and three outgoing tubes. "The station locations are: at Elysium, northeast of the grove; at Hellas, south of the grove on the eastern side of the canal; at Olympus, south of the grove; and at Argyre, east of the grove.& join "You wish me to join a grove of worms?& He laughs loudly for a while, wipes a tear from his eye, and chuckles softly, wheezing. "I apologize. I simply cannot envision leaving my position of responsibility to the preeminent grove of Mars to travel with worms.& wait,leav "You dare to tell ME what to do? I think not, vile shell-less worm. I will do as I please!& He stalks away, obviously in a huff. bye "Indeed. If you feel the need for further education, come back anytime.& He gives you an expectant look, waiting for you to continue. You get the distinct impression that he did not understand you, but refuses to say so.

Fazek
a dark, scruffy-looking man with long, uncombed hair. "Another intelligent worm! Will wonders never cease?& "Hail, worm. What do you need this time?& name "I am known to my plantals as Fazek, though worms call me Melies.& faze,meli "Yes, worm?& job "I am the @Gatherer for the Grove of Elysium.& Gath,coll "I am responsible for gathering the @materials to prepare the soil for raising the grove's @seedlings. The education of our youth is an important responsibility. "I also traded soil and @chemicals with other groves, most notably Hellas, to insure the highest quality mixture. "Water, of course, was plentiful in the past. Now, you might have to go break a chunk from the icecaps, as we did during the worst droughts.& mate,soil "The organic products of the grove, including cast-off leaves, dead grove members, etc., are @composted to enrich sterile soil. "This is the way we pass on information to future generations, through our soil and by @trading with the other groves for a more healthy mixture. "I understand that worm young are born with no knowledge and must be trained later. How inefficient.& comp "If you want to learn more about the composting process, Sisik is the plantal you should speak to.& seed "Those are the responsibility of the Cultivator, Cheshef. She will tell you more about them if she wishes to.& plag "The horrible plague was spread through the air. It killed all of the seedlings as they grew. It was devastating, cormbreaking to watch. "Bikchiz is the plant to ask if you want more information about that.& chem,fert,trad "In the past, our chemicals came mostly from a grove to the south of us, Hellas. Their Gatherer, Pukchep, and I did the actual trading. "Their Cultivator, Plashef, had quite an impressive chemical @laboratory. He also was in charge of their seeds.& nitr,phos,pota "Yes, I believe that was one of the @chemicals we often traded.& tube,cana,barg,tran "When I traded with Hellas, Bikchiz and I would travel by tube, but the bulk shipments went by canal of course. "I do not know about the operation of either transport system, however, as my own job is my only concern.& lab,labo "Yes. If you have a sun-angle device you can find it at coordinates 25 S, 75 E.& join "Nonsense. My plantals need me.& wait,leav "I have duties to perform. I will do them as I see fit.& bye "Certainly. Perhaps we will speak again.& "I do not understand you, worm.&

Xichak
a tan, weathered man. "Well met, worm. You know, I am constantly amazed by the standard of intelligence evidenced by you humans. Talking @animals. Hmph.& "Well met, worm. How may I assist you this time?& name "It is Xichak. Worms seem to prefer the name Earp for this body.& xich,wyat,earp "I am here, worm.& job "I am the naturalist for the Elysium grove. I have @explored and observed much of the Martian wilderness.& expl "Yes, my travels have taken me from one pole to the other. I have encountered many strange and wonderful @creatures.& "At this time, most of my exploration is in search of a source of @water.& wate "I've searched the area and not found a good source. It seems that the best answer for now would be to go to the @icecaps.& "You could go to the ice caps, still. Or, the canals might be a possibility.& ice,caps,cap,icec "To bring water back from the poles, you would use a pick to break off a @chunk of ice and bring it back.& chun "You would, of course, need to put the ice in a bucket to bring it back. Otherwise, it would melt and you would bring back nothing.& anim "On Mars, true intelligence has developed only among plants. Humans are a much more developed species of @worm than we are used to seeing here.& worm,crea "There are two branches of life on Mars - vegetation, of which the Martian race is, of course, the most highly evolved example, and @subterranean shelled worms.& subt "Yes, the worms live underground, where they do not have to compete with the more adaptive and viable plants. They are exemplified by the @rockworms, @ammonoids, and @canal worms.& rock "They are large worms with anchored shells that live underground. They are often found in close proximity to radium deposits. "I'm not enough of a scientist to know exactly what they do with the radium, but I do know that if you search their empty shells, you'll find unusual amounts of radium stored there.& ammo "These are multi-tentacled worms with chambered shells. Their bite is dangerous, and their shells are very difficult to penetrate.& cana "Canal worms are the largest worms on the planet. They have shed their shells and they live under water. They pose a great threat to @barge travel.& barg,trav "Our barges are mounted with cannon, specifically to repel the attacks of the worms.& tube "Transport tubes are quicker than barges, and not subject to canal worm attacks, but are not suited to carrying cargo. "I didn't use them very often. You should check with Bikchiz or with @Tekapesh for more information.& teka "Tekapesh is our Agrarian, the coordinator of our grove. He would be a good plantal to approach for information.& join "No, thank you anyway. I believe I'd prefer to explore on my own.& wait "No. That's why I'm a scout. So I don't have to stay in any one place too long.& leav "That's not a bad idea. Intelligent worms. Hmph.& He wanders away, mumbling to himself. bye "Perhaps we will meet again.& "Maybe you're not as intelligent as we thought. Can you say that another way?&

Chaktsaf
an older man, dirty and dishevelled. "Ah, worm. I have heard of you. What do you seek here?& "Greetings again, worm. How may I assist you?& name "Chaktsaf is how I am called by my plantals. Yours refer to me as Tiffany.& chak,loui,comf,tiff "You learn faster than I expected, worm.& job "I am the @Arborist here in Elysium's Grove.& Arbo "Yes, I tend to the @health of the mature Martians in the colony. I am also responsible for contacting the Gatherer for proper distribution of @compost. "Always busy, always busy!& "I will also be assisting with the @transference process to the new seedlings.& comp "Compost refers to the materials we leave behind when we die. "There are also minor contributions made when we drop a leaf, amputate a branch, or lose any part of our bodies as well as the whole. "The Gatherer takes care of the distribution of the compost for the growth of new seedlings. "My assistant, Sisik, might be able to give you further information concerning the process.& tran "Once Cheshef has raised a @young Martian, we will be able to transfer the consciousness of one of my grovemates into it. "There must, of course, be a willing plant sitting in the Dream Machine in the Dream World. "When the machine is activated with a plant in that machine, and a seedling in our machine here, the consciousness will be transferred. "There will be a known and loved grovemate in the body of a plant once again.& "The transferrence appears to have been a failure. At least we know that growing a mature Martian pod is now impossible. "We must think of alternatives. These worm bodies are too disgusting, and are a dead end for our knowledge and abilities.& bodi,body "There is no body that could ever match these of green, which built the marvellous machines and the beautiful cities on Mars!& "We will have to find an alternative answer to our problem. One of Xaktsesh's weedbrained podmates was working on something...& youn "Usually, our seedlings are cultivated in the soil composted of our ancestors' remains. This allows them to absorb the knowledge and memories of our grove as they @mature.& matu "When a seedling emerges from its pod, it is already an adult Martian, fully capable of living self-sufficiently.& "In this case, however, we will be raising the pods in @barren soil.& barr "Barren, sterile soil will prevent a new consciousness from developing in the growing Martian, leaving it open to possession by one of our number residing in the @Dream World. "Of course, all of our soil is sterile right now.& "Obviously, the soil is not completely barren. It still harbors the bacteria which caused the deadly plague so long ago.& drea,worl "It should be possible to transfer a Martian from the Dream World into a prepared body by placing the new body in the seat of a Dream Machine and using the Machine. So much to do, always so busy!& heal "Most of us were fairly healthy before the @plague. Most deaths were due to either old age or improper early growth patterns.& plag "The plague was the invention of that demented plant, @Raxachk. It makes me ill to imagine what kind of a mind would conceive such purposeful destruction of their entire race.& Raxa "He is evidently a planticidal maniac. He is so power-hungry that he never really considered the consequences. Do you know that it destroyed all of our @seedlings? All of them!& seed "They were our only hope for survival of our @race. He knew that. Their deaths were @horrible. And without them, our race is doomed.& horr "The newest ones were mutated, so twisted in their growth patterns that they were unable to survive. The older ones were poisoned, they withered...& race "Yes, we may be the end of our race. "You see, without new seedlings to survive us when we compost, there is no passing on of the knowledge of our race. "That knowledge has been grown into our descendents for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years. Without seedlings, our physical and mental heritage are gone. "We are the last.& tube "I never used the tube transport system. Perhaps you should speak with an ambassador or agrarian.& join "No, no, I must remain here with my kind.& wait,leav "I can't do that. I must continue with my work! In fact, I'm already behind!& He scurries away rapidly. bye "It is my wish we should meet again.& He bows slowly, formally. "You worms are so hard to understand. What did you say?&

Pashesh
a grim, long-haired man with a straggly beard. "Cursed worms. You are everywhere! What do you want from me?!& "What is it you wish from me?& He bows, grudgingly. "Of whom or where do you wish to learn, @worm?& name "I am Pashesh, not that it is any of your business. Your kind call me Lenin.& pash,vlad,niko,leni "What is it, worm?& job "I am assistant to @Bikchiz, Great High Ambassador to the @Grove of Elysium. I know all about the most important @plantals and @places. "I have also learned some of the knowledge of your kind.& He looks pained. "I even learned something of your primitive navigation tools to better communicate with worms.& grov He sighs, as though his patience is being sorely tried. "I occasionally forget exactly how culturally handicapped you worms really are.& He speaks slowly and loudly, as though to a small child. "A grove is the basic unit of society here on Mars. Plantals such as myself gather in groups to form groves. "This grove of Elysium is the most socially progressive grove. We are culturally more advanced than the others, and, therefore, better. "The @plantals here are the most sophisticated of our race. We are an elite grove.& plan "The important ones, of course, are the members of this grove. If you have need to know about any specific plantal, ask me. I will know.& plac "The only places worth knowing about are the major groves - which you call 'cities' - of Mars.& Bikc "He is a great plant. He is the only one with a true sense of the relations between the groves.& Teka "Tekapesh is the Agrarian of this grove. He is the nominal leader of our plantals. "He is, however, willing to deal with literally anything. He is not very sensible, politically.& He sniffs, and looks disapproving. Faze "Fazek has an important job gathering, but because of the nature of the job, he is always so dirty and so socially unpleasant. Just not the right sort of plant to associate with, you understand.& Xich "If we have to have a scout plant, at least Xichak is competent at the job. And he does bring back useful gossip. I mean news.& Chak "As our Arborist, Chaktsaf is a useful individual in the grove. I'm not always in very good health, and he has been of great assistance.& He assumes a martyred expression, as though he has been through great hardship. He does seem the sort, though, to avoid hardship at all costs... Ches "I'm sure Cheshef is indispensable in his role as Cultivator. He has a job I certainly wouldn't want, tending the immature seedlings. No glamour, no excitement! How dull.& Sisi "Sisik is the assistant gatherer. Second in line to the dirtiest job in the grove. Need I say more?& Raxa "Such an evil, calculating plant! You almost have to admire his mind. He is, however, a planticidal maniac, that cannot be denied. He destroyed our world as we knew it. And I was due for a promotion!& He throws a small tantrum, then recovers. Rasp "Poor, deluded @worm. He thought he would get power by cooperating. Raxachk never gives power.& worm "Being a worm is such a disgusting prospect. Worms are the natural enemies of our young plantals when they are still in the pod. "Not being able to pass on everything we are to our descendents because we live in the bodies of worms is even more horrific.& Argy "Argyre is the grove of @Raxachk. We will pay him back someday! Argyre was a beautiful city, surrounded by mountains as it is. It is located at 32 south, 42 west.& Elys "It is our most glorious homeland, located at 25 north, 114 east. It is the most beautiful of all colonies.& Hell "It is found at 23 south, 69 east. Its inhabitants thought it was pretty grand. I think that we have shown them the error of their ways.& He chuckles unpleasantly. Olym "Olympus is now populated by worms like yourself ... just desserts for a city that was once so arrogant about its superiority. And so wrong. You will find it at 11 north, 107 west.& tube "The transport tube system allows rapid travel between distant groves. Worms could never invent such a clever and reliable system.& join "Not a chance. Why would I do that? Ha!& wait,leav "The day I follow instructions from a worm is the day the icecaps boil!& He turns and strides away. bye "Good riddance!& "Would your feeble intellect care to rephrase that?&

Cheshef
a dishevelled black man. "You are a true worm! What do you want with me?& "Yes, great worm. How may we help each other?& He bows deeply. name "I am Cheshef to my plantals, though your folk insist on calling me Carver.& ches,geor,wash,carv "Ah, a worm can learn my name!& job "I am @Cultivator to Elysium.& "It is my grove responsibility to @nurture the Martian pods that will be our last chance for @survival.& "My duties are uncertain at this point.& He appears sad and confused. cult "In truth, I am an assistant Cultivator. I advanced myself after the death of the Cultivator of Elysium, shortly before our flight to the Dream World. "I am all that Elysium has at this time, though my @qualifications are sadly lacking.& qual "I know the basics of plant growth. One must have soil, @water, and proper @fertilizer. "Unfortunately, I know no more than that. It is a shame you worms have not proven intelligent enough to assist us with our problem.& He looks at you with contempt, yet you detect a glimmer of questioning hope. "And now, thanks to you worms, I know all I would need to grow a seed. It is a shame it is also useless information.& fert "Three ingredients are required. I do not know what they are. I wish there were some record of the process, but my predecessor did not keep written records. "Unfortunately, treatment with the wrong chemicals could harm a fragile @seed. We must not take the chance. "Fazek used to trade for some of our chemicals from the Hellas grove. He might remember!& "Yes, it is good to have information on the correct components of the fertilizer, even though there is no way to grow new forms for us. Who knows, in generations to come...& seed "To grow new pods, one would need healthy seeds. Alas, ours are contaminated from the plague. "One would need to retrieve seeds from Hellas or Argyre to grow pods here. And they have secured their seeds well.& "There are still healthy seeds if they are ever needed again. Maybe someday...& wate "Our scout, Xichak, has been searching for water. You should ask him what he has found.& nurt,rais,grow,youn "To raise a young pod, one must dig a hole to bury the seed, add the appropriate chemicals for @fertilizer, pour @water over the seedling, and @wait a few days. "The seedling must be ritually attended by the plant who does the actual placing of the seed in the soil. "The seedling must be visited three times during the nine day growth cycle, or the growth will be arrested.& wait "In about nine days, a mature Martian has developed in the pod of the plant, and can be released by using a knife to cut open the pod.& surv,body,bodi,plan,form "We are hoping to perpetuate our race by transferring our consciousnesses into prepared bodies. "Our Arborist, Chaktsaf, can explain the transference. You must speak with him if you wish more information. "We still hope to be able to attempt the transfer to our own beautiful, green bodies.& "We know now that a transfer to our former bodies is not possible. "Once we made many mechanical beings to labor for us in the sunless underground. Perhaps now we must create new @bodies for ourselves. "Automatons, of eternally bright metal! Yes, perhaps that is what we must do...& He wanders off, deep in contemplation... nitr,phos,pota "Yes, that could be one of the components of the fertilizer.& "In previous times, we acquired the chemicals from one of the other groves. Fazek, the Gatherer, would probably know which one. It was not part of my job.& tran,cana,barg,tube "Transportation is in the province of ambassadors, and occasionally gatherers. I know nothing of it.& join "Oh, no, great worm. Many thanks, but I must remain here.& leav "No, no, I must remain here.& bye "Certainly, worm, we must speak again later.& "You speak strangely, worm. Is there another way for your folk to express that?&

Sisik
a man with a full moustache and a glorious mane of white hair. "Welcome, worm. What do you need from us?& "Welcome back, worm. Now what do you need?& name "I bear the designation of Sisik. Your worms call me Clemens or Twain. They seem to be confused about that.& sisi,mark,twai,sam,clem "Yes, I answer to that name.& job "I help @Fazek.& Faze "Fazek is my supervisor. I am the @assistant @Gatherer. He does most of the actual collecting, though.& gath "He collects soil with the leaves and bodies of our grovemates composted into it. We trade it to other groves for their soil and prepare it for our seedlings. "Or we did.& He looks confused. "Things are all so different now.& assi "I take the gathered materials and follow instructions to create the proper @soil environment for each individual seedling.& soil "The soil contains the accumulated @knowledge of the individuals which were preserved in that particular batch of @compost. "Now, of course, all of the planet's soil is barren.& know "Everything a plant has learned and all of its memories are stored in the @compost to pass on to its @descendents.& comp "We use both the dropped leaves and remnants and the bodies of our mates who are deceased.& desc,seed "The new seedlings are grown in the compost and learn from it. When a Martian is released from its pod, it is already what you @worms would call a young adult.& worm "That, you see, is the tragedy of your race. You cannot pass on knowledge after your death. "That is why we do not wish to retain your bodies permanently. "That and the fact that it would be wrong of us to leave your grovemates locked in the Dream World.& "This is why we must find a body which would allow us to live long enough to store and transmit our collective knowledge in some artificial way.& He sighs. "It will not be easy, but we have no choice.& tube,barg,cana,tran "You should ask an ambassador, like Bikchiz, or possibly @Tekapesh, for information about transportation.& teka "Tekapesh is our Agrarian. He is the closest thing to a governing plant that we have, though he is really more of an organizer. "He is a plant with much knowledge.& join "No, thank you. I'm sure it would be interesting, but I must remain here and continue my work.& wait "No, no, I must stay busy. It prevents me from thinking about our problems.& leav "Yes, you're right. I must continue my studies.& bye "Goodbye, then. May the sands be still, may the sun be bright, and may your leaves always be green.& He smiles gently. "Or something like that, eh?& "Do worms have another word for that? I don't know that one.&

Lowell
an older, distinguished-looking man. "Ah, $P. Please bring the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie. I must return us to Earth with all haste!& "Ah, $P. It is indeed good to see you again. Perhaps this time I may be of service to you?& Lowell smiles and shakes kisses your hand. moto,powe "Edison would be your man for that.& glas,lens "You should ask Mr. Peary where to find it.& "You should ask Mr. Tiffany how to fix it.& plan,weed,vine "If you need to know about plants, Mr. Carver would be your best source of information.& came,phot,plat "I believe Monsieur Melies has some knowledge of cameras.& canv,belt,rope "If it's anything having to do with a ship, or something similar, Captain Trippet should know how to fix it.& ener,sour,radi "Madame Curie has been doing some research with that. You should speak with her.& clue "If there is any detective work to be done, I would start with Commissioner Roosevelt.& iron,ore,stee "Mr. Carnegie would be your expert on that.& make,disg,cove,colo "With Miss Bernhardt being an actress, I would talk to her about anything having to do with disguise or changing one's appearance.& "I don't know anyone who can fix something like that.& name "Percival Lowell, of course. You should know that by now.& He smiles. perc,lowe "Yes, $P. I am at your service.& job "I am the designated leader of the first expedition, and also the first man to set foot on @Mars. Quite impressive, eh?& Mars "Yes. It is quite beautiful, is it not?& He sighs rather wistfully. "It was the correct destination, but a premature @expedition.& expe "Scientifically speaking, the @1893 trip will have to be counted as an unsuccessful experiment. "We have conclusively proven there was a civilization on Mars, it is true. "But it was not a controlled set of conditions. Perhaps if the @participants had been chosen for their qualifications rather than by happenstance, it would have been otherwise.& part "I have learned a bit about each of the members of the expedition over the last two years. If there is anyone you wish to know more about, I could tell you a little. Or you could ask them yourself.& 1893 "Quite a shame, really. It might have worked. Now we must return to @earth without a firm scientific thesis and evidence for it.& eart,home "I do wish our @communications could have been steadily maintained. So much time has been wasted!& comm "We were supposed to relay messages of our progress on certain experiments. The work on the @space cannon was also unnecessarily delayed.& spac,cann "Yes, we almost completed the cannon, before the fiasco with the @Dream Machine. We only need a bit more @iron ore to complete the project.& iron,ore "You'll have to speak with Mr. Carnegie for more information on that. He knows a lot more about the metallurgical end of the cannon construction.& drea,mach "That blasted device! If we had resisted its lure, none of this would have happened. The @Martians based it on a very interesting premise, though. Living your dreams and @nightmares. What an intriguing pastime!&\ mart "Amazing, isn't it, that they waited all this time for bodies to use as a way out of the dream world. I am certainly glad that they gave them up in the end! We must help to find a solution to their problem.& towe "There are the energy broadcast towers and the @lens towers for the icecap.& lens "In order for the lens towers to operate, the lenses must not be @broken and the lenses must be properly @focused to melt the ice.& focu, alig "The lenses on the towers must be focused in order to melt the icecap and fill the cisterns. You must enter the proper alignment coordinates. "Controls for such a device normally rely upon entering the approximate time of day.& fix,repa,mend,brok,dead "If you tell me exactly what needs to be fixed, I might be able to tell you who to ask.& ship "Yes, our ship was certainly a beauty, wasn't she? Ah, well, the new one will be at least as wonderful, I'm sure.& Rasp,Grig "He's a power-hungry madman. He deserted the rest of us with his thugs as soon as we landed. If it were not for him, this experiment might have succeeded!& nigh "That was absolutely horrible! It was merely a @trap set up by the @Martians so that they could keep our bodies.& trap "Yes, I don't know how we would have escaped without you. Thank you again. I never thought I'd get back to Earth!& He grins. Coot,mcge "Definitely an eccentric man. He has an abundance of useful mining knowledge, though.& Cala,Jane "She's certainly rough and tough. She's a better wilderness scout for it.& Buff,Bill "He's been very helpful as a supplier of necessities.& Sher,Rich "He's a good explorer. Has an uncanny sense of direction.& Yell,Davi "Fascinating anthropologist. He has some wonderful stories to tell.& Dupr,Greg "He's an incredible fighter. Former military man, you know.& Maur,Gord,Mile,Fent "One of Rasputin's thugs. Mindless followers of a fanatic.& Elys "Elysium is such a beautiful city. I can certainly see why they would fight for it.& Meli,Geor "He is a marvelously inventive man. He has several ideas for new film techniques.& Well,H.G.,Bert,Herb "That is a distractingly creative man. He has not been successful so far as a scientist, but he has an idea for a new book when we return. I think he'll go far as an author.& Earp,Wyat "That's one tough hombre, as they say. He would be a good man to have at your back.& Tiff,Loui,comf "Such a marvelous artist! He has an amazing grasp of color. He decorated the White House a few years ago, you know, as well as Mr. Clemens' home.& Leni,Vlad "Mr. Lenin is an intense individual. He seems very devoted to his ideals.& Tesl,Niko "He is definitely a scientific maverick. He is either a madman or a genius - or both.& Carv,G.W.,geor,wash "Such a quiet, dedicated man. He is very talented in his chosen field.& Clem,Samu,Twai,Mark "An effective satirist. He provides witty, droll companionship at all times. I would watch my back, though, if I were you. Nothing is sacred!& Sega,Jack "He's a sly one. He definitely has a strong sense of self-preservation and a lot of ambition.& Hear,Will "Hearst is a skillful entrepreneur. He knows how to make money. He's been a bit of a packrat while here, though. I don't know if those particular efforts will come to anything.& Trip,Capt "What a delightful sea captain! His tales of the world are quite entertaining. And he has some useful talents.& Nath "I don't know much about him, I'm afraid. He is a large, capable man. And quite loyal.& Curi,Mari "Madame has proven to be surprisingly intelligent. She is quiet, with good concentration. She is also a brilliant scientist.& Roos,Tedd,Theo "Straightforward, thorough, trustworthy. He's good at his job, and he's an excellent leader. Mark my words, we'll hear more of him someday.& Edis,Tom,Thom "He's an eccentric, crochety scientist. Not very open-minded, if you ask me. He's got talent, but he seems to prefer to scavenge ideas from others.& Carn,Andr "I've never met anyone more caring of his fellow man. He uses his riches well and thoughtfully. He's also well schooled in steel manufacturing.& Legr "He is most loyal and caring. He is also devoted to his brother.& Jean "That incident was a shame. A total waste of human life. He was a nice young man.& Pear,Admi,Robe "He is a veteran explorer with a lot of experience on ice. Good tales to tell, too.& Bern,Sara "She is so beautiful and delicate. It hides a very forceful personality! But she is also, most probably, the most talented actress of our time.& Gold,Emma "Such a strange woman, very forceful, with dangerous ideas. The last time I saw her, she was helping Rasputin.& Dibb,Nevi,Left,Lieu "Ah, yes. Dibbs. Quite independent for a military man, but, in this case, rightfully so. It has been a good thing for us all that he was stubborn enough to camp at the landing site.& Teka "I understand that is the name of the Martian which inhabited my body while I was gone. What a strange concept!& His eyes widen as though he has just thought of something unpleasant. "Oh, my. I do hope he didn't do anything unseemly or embarrassing while he was me.& He laughs and winks. "I may have some explaining to do later, eh? C'est la vie.& tube "There is a building with four large tubes in it located near each of the major Martian cities. After our experiences with the Dream Machines, I have suggested that no one meddle with them.& join,wait "Oh, my, no! I must prepare for the return voyage!& leav,bye "Yes, you're right. I must get ready for our return!& "I'm afraid you've stumped me on that one.&

Melies
a dapper, bearded man. "Oh, good Avatar! It is of importance that the phlogistonite be in the hands of Monsieur Carnegie at once, for we must all be away from this planet before we are undone!& "Ah, Monsieur Mademoiselle l'Avatar! It is good to see you again.& "I have told you that I do not work at this time of day. You must return later.& "It is, however, too early for me to begin work today. You must return after 6 a.m.& "You persist in annoying me at the most inconvenient hours! You must return tomorrow morning for me to do that.& "It is too late for me to develop it today. Please bring it to me tomorrow morning.& "You do not seem to have the plate with you now. You may bring it to me later, yes? Then I will develop it for you.& "I've got the plate, sir.& "Excellent! I will return in a while.& A short time passes, and Melies returns with the photograph. "I have it! It is a fine photo. I hope it is what you need.& $Y takes the photo. name "Georges Melies, of course. But you know that.& geor,meli "Yes, $P. Can I help you?& job "I deal mostly with theatre and @magic. I run a small theatre in France, you know? "I am also learning about @photos and cameras. Quite fascinating!& phot "Yes, photographs and photographic @plates. I work often with them.& plat "A plate must be @developed to produce a photograph from a @camera.& deve "Oui, you have seen me do this developing for the plate which you brought me before, yes? It is an interesting process.& "Oui, I could do that for you.& came "I often operate a camera. I use it to make @moving pictures.& movi,pict "You must see some of my work after we return to @earth from this @Mars.& Mars "There are some good photographic possibilities here on Mars. I only wish that I had had my camera with me on this unexpected @expedition.& expe "I would rather not have spent this much time away from my endeavors.& 1893 "Mon Dieu! Two entire years gone! I am ruined.& Lowe,Perc "He has been a fine leader. I must wish, however, that we had not succumbed to the lure of the Dream Machines. Ah, well.& Hear,Will "I understand he has become a mad collector! He is accumulating things which he hopes to take back to earth and sell for great amounts of money. "He has a large collection of unusual, and seemingly useless, items. We shall see, eh?& nigh "Ah, those horrible @walls! There was such a feeling of despair, of nowhere to go...just like the Martians, eh? They also have nowhere to go.& cann "Yes, I remember the cannon of the expedition.& "It made an interesting photographic composition, non?& wall "Oui, those walls closing in, the @perspective constantly changing, such terror!& pers "The perspective altering as you watch is very - how do you say? - disorienting. "You know, that may be interesting to use in a moving picture. Oui, I must remember this...& He begins excitedly scribbling notes. eart "I cannot wait to get home and work on these ideas which I have had while I was here. This could change my career!& magi "Magic is defined, you see, by illusion, perspective, point of view - all tres important, non? It is very similar in some ways to working with cameras. "The same manipulation of the reliance on the sense of sight occurs with both.& join "Non, non, I thank you, but I have things to do here.& wait "Non, I am much too busy to remain here. I must prepare for the leaving, non?& He scuttles away, mumbling to himself. leav "Oui, I have many things to do. We will meet again.& bye "I hope I have helped you. We will meet again, oui?& "Pardonnez moi. My English is not that good. Could you try another word, please?&

H.G. Wells
a scholarly looking man with dark blond hair and a moustache. "Oh, good to see you again, $P! "I hope you are bringing the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie. This last-minute escape from the Red Planet is a tale all the stranger for being true!& He looks up from scribbling and jumps, surprised to see you standing there. "Good to see you again, $P! How may I return your favor?& name "Wells, H. G., of course. Actually, that's my pen name. My friends call me Bertie.& well,bert,h.g. "Yes, $G?& job "I am an author, of course. Can't you see I'm @writing a @book?& writ "Yes, writing is what I do best. I've tried science and teaching, but debate and short stories have so far been my forte.& book "I've been working on one while we were here on @Mars. I have most of the notes in my mind. Those dratted @machines gave me the idea.& mach "The one here on Mars controls your @dream state. I have hypothesized that machines could be created to control other things, such as @time.& time "Yes, a machine that allows you to travel through time. Quite an exciting concept, eh? You will have to read my book after it is published!& drea "I never realized how important dreams can be. They can certainly show your present state of mind, but they also seem to exert force in the opposite direction, with @nightmares influencing your choices in life. Fascinating.& nigh "It was ingenious of the Martians to use our fears to trap us in our dreams. That @invisible creature was truly horrible!& invi "Such a terrible feeling, to be pursued by something which you cannot see. The idea of invisibility is riveting, though. Perhaps another book...& Mars "It is such a cold, forbidding planet. It reminds me of my failed geology classes.& He shudders. "Ah, well, I didn't give it my all, I suppose. It is definitely time to go back to @earth when I begin reminiscing about geology. This accidental @expedition has taken away two years of my life.& eart "I think I shall appreciate it much more now. I can't wait to return to my @Jane.& expe "Yes, speaking of nightmares! It was an incredible adventure, though, wasn't it? Maybe I can use the experience as the basis for another book. Yes, something to do with Mars. Or Martians...& Jane "Ah, my lovely darling. Her real name is Amy, you know, but she will always be my Jane. We are scheduled to be married as soon as I return.& join,wait,leav "Oh, heavens, no. I must remain here and work on my notes. No more time must be wasted.& bye "Certainly, $G. You must remember to purchase my book when it appears on the stands!& He looks distracted. "You'll have to ask someone else about that, I'm afraid.&

Wyatt Earp
a short, wiry man with a short temper. Your voice startles the man--he looks up at you and quickly drops his hand to his belt. But he recognizes you, and relaxes. "Yeah, what is it? I don't like to be bothered much, so speak your piece and get outta here. "Don't waste time talking to me! Get that cannon powder to Carnegie before we are all doomed!& Earp looks at you and says, "You again, huh? I already told you, I don't like being bothered none.& name "Wyatt Earp.& wyat,earp "Yes $G?& job "I'm a U.S. Marshall. That's a @lawman out west, in case you didn't know.& lawm "Yep, in Tombstone, Arizona. I had to travel back East to escort a prisoner to Washington. On the way back, I passed through @Chicago.& chic "Too damn crowded, if you ask me. Anyway, there was this Wild West show settin' up next to the fair while I was there. It was called @'Buffalo Bill and his Congress of Rough Riders. Sounded good.& buff,'buf "He also got trapped and shot to @Mars with us. He lit out with some ugly woman and set up shop over on Arsia Mons.& mars "I sure don't like it here. It's too damn far from home." "Now that I'm freed from that blasted machine, I'm going @hunting.& hunt "Yes sir, there's some really unusual @game here, and my trigger finger's feeling ignored.& "Yes ma'am, there's some really unusual @game here, and my trigger finger's feeling ignored.& game "Well, I've seen the @bushaloes, them @panther-things, the @plantellopes, the @rock-worms, and even something that Mr. Wells called a 'Leviathan'.& bush "They remind me of buffaloes back home. They're not dangerous unless you provoke 'em.& pant "Well, they're really called planthers, with an 'L'. I call'em panthers 'cause that's what they're like.& plan "They sure can run away faster than a rat outta...well,you know. Shy critters.& rock,worm "Leave them critters alone! That oozy stuff'll eat your skin right off!& levi,'lev "Brrrr! That thing's the stuff in your nightmares! I don't know how to tell you about it, 'cept it's got tentacles like an octopus and it'll come outta the ground without warnin'!& join He looks you up and down. "Nope, you look like your strong enough to survive on your own.& wait "Wait for what? I don't like to wait.& leav "Goodbye.& bye "Goodbye.& "Say what? I don't know what you're talkin' about.

Louis Comfort Tiffany
a distinguished older man with a trimmed, white beard. "Again you save us all, $P! As soon as Monsieur Carnegie has the phlogistonite, we will be safely away from here!& "Well met, $P! How may I help you today?& "I have already given you a beautiful lens. You have not lost it!& "I must have the broken lens to be able to create the new one.& "I have told you that you must come back at a reasonable hour.& "It is early morning! You must return after 6 a.m.& "You must realize that it is too dark for me to do the repair now. If you bring the lens back tomorrow morning, I will do it.& "It is too dark to repair the lens now. Please bring it to me tomorrow morning.& "You must bring it to me from the tower.& $Y says, "I have the lens with me, Mr. Tiffany.& "Excellent. I will return shortly.& He takes the lens and disappears to another room. Soon he brings back a delicate, multicolored glass lens. "This should do the job.& He hands the lens to $Y. name "Tiffany, my good man. woman. Louis Comfort Tiffany.& tiff,comf,loui "At your service, $G.& job "I am an @artist and a sometime interior @decorator.& Lowe, perc "Lowell was an effective leader, until the Dream Machine escapade.& Mars "It is indeed a beautiful planet, second only to our beloved Earth. It has given me many inspirations for my art.& glas "Glass is such a flexible medium for artwork. It is a pity that not many artists have discovered the joy of working with it.& lens "Was that not a beautiful lens I created for you? It is almost a shame to leave it behind.& "Yes, lenses are made of glass. I don't know that I could create one from its conception, but I'm certain that I could repair a @broken one.& brok,smas,shat "You have a broken lens?& fix,repa,mend "You have something which needs to be fixed? What is it?& towe "There are some interesting towers with @lenses by the @icecap.& cist "I know that there are some cisterns for holding water. "The lens has apparently helped to fill them by melting the icecap.& "I'm afraid I don't know much else about them.& wate "There should be water in the cisterns now.& "There is ice at the icecap. That's the best solution I have.& icec,ice "There is the large icecap to the north with the towers next to it. "It is the source of @water for the cisterns.& "It is the only source of @water we have right now.& melt "The icecap seems to be melting into the cisterns, as planned.& "The @lenses on the towers seem to be there to melt the icecap. There must be something wrong with them since they are not working.& desi "I can make or @fix almost anything made of @glass.& deco "I have @designed the interiors of many types of structures, from the White House to armories to private homes.& arti,art "Right now, I am working mainly in @glass.& join "No, but thank you. I have many other things to do.& wait "Oh, no! I am much too busy to stand here and do nothing. I must keep working on my designs!& leav "Yes, of course, I have other things I could be doing. I will hope to see you again.& bye "I will hope to see you again soon, $P. Good luck in your travels.& "Pardon me? I don't think I understand.&

Nikolai Lenin
a severe-looking man with a trimmed beard. "Ah, it is the one they call the Avatar. Zdravtsvuy, brother.& sister.& "I am glad to see you, and the gladder that you are working again for the good of all people on Mars. Quickly, bring the phlogistonite you have rescued to comrade Carnegie!& name "You may call me Lenin.& vlad,leni Da, comrade.& job "My premier occupation at this time is to organize socialist reform and revolution in @Russia.& Russ "My homeland is now badly governed. The majority of the people are oppressed by the @Tsar.& Tsar "@Assassination is not now out of the question. It is an alternative to be considered.& assa "It can be a useful @tool when used for political @advancement of the people's advocates.& adva "Political advancement, in this case, leading to better living conditions for the people.& tool "Assassination used as a tool is sometimes not recognized or understood by the @masses.& mass "As here on Mars. The masses did not understand Raxachk's @motives.& moti "It is sometimes necessary to @weed a garden. Occasionally, some good plants must perish for the cause.& weed "Raxachk's tool, if used with wisdom and discretion, could have brought about a @social revolution.& soci "The revolution would not have been destructive to the people - or plantals - in general. It would only have destroyed those standing in the way of social @progress.& prog "Unfortunately, Raxachk is not wise or discrete. He planned to use the tool only for personal advancement and @power, not for the good of the masses.& powe "In a case of power misused, as for Raxachk, assassination must be considered as an appropriate means to achieve a desired @goal.& goal "We must be allowed to return to Earth. There is much there that I must accomplish.& join "I cannot join your party. I am already the leader of another party.& He smiles. wait "The time for waiting is over. There must be action.& He strides away energetically. leav "Yes, we wish to leave as soon as possible. You must get to work.& He bows slightly and walks away. bye "Indeed, we are both busy men. Do svedanya.& "I do not understand. Maybe in a different language?&

George Washington Carver
a young, thin black man. "Hello, $P. It is good to see you again.& "Mr. Carnegie is anxiously awaiting the phlogistonite. "We will have time to talk on the trip back to Earth.& name "George Carver. Actually, it's George Washington Carver now. There was a man in Minneapolis who kept getting my mail, so I had to add a middle name.& He chuckles softly. geor,wash,carv "How can I help you, $P?& job "Well, I've done everything from @painting and lace-making to ploughing, cooking, laundry, and shanty-building. "Right now, my job is to learn everything I can, mostly about agriculture and @plants, so that I can help my people.& plan "It is amazing that an entire @culture can be based on a plantform. I wish that I could have studied them in their prime.& cult "Their culture was - is - greatly advanced. Their method of passing on their @knowledge is fascinating.& know "I sure do wish we could do that - just pass our knowledge straight on to our descendents. I must try some experiments with Earth plants and composting when we get home.& weed "Most weeds do have some purpose. Still, many of them must be @destroyed to allow more beneficial plantlife to exist.& dest,kill "The quickest way to destroy a non-sentient weed would be to use @poison.& pois "There is some which would work, and a sprayer with which to apply it, on our @ship. It's a long journey south from Olympus.& "I would guess Buffalo Bill would have some of that with him by now. He doesn't miss an opportunity for a good barter.& ship "Yes, the space-ship from the @1893 expedition.& 1893 "Well, at least all of my time has not been wasted here. I have some wonderful notes and hypotheses to test on Earth, as well as having continued my @painting while we were here.& pain "I was at the 1983 Exposition to study the displays of Art, Science, and Horticulture, but my 'reason' for going was to accept an award for one of my floral paintings. "I wanted to be an artist, you know. But there's no living in painting, and I can contribute more to my people through my love of plants. Ah, well.& He looks sad, but content. join "No, I must stay here and gather my notes for the trip home.& wait "Certainly, I'll still be here when we are ready to leave. Where would I go?& He seems amused. leav "Yes, I hope we will be leaving soon. For now, though, I will continue with my work. And bless you for all your help.& He shakes your hand and walks away. bye "Good-bye, then. My prayers are with you.& "Excuse me?&

Samuel Langhorne Clemens
a friendly, white-haired old man with a large moustache. "Good day, friend. Best get that propellant to Mr. Carnegie right away. I don't fancy taking up permanent residence here.& "Greetings, friend. Pleasant weather we're havin'.& name "I suppose you've forgotten already. Well, that's fine. Best call me Clemens, Sam Clemens. Most folks who read know me as Mark Twain, though.& sam,samu,clem "That's the name I sign on legal things.& mark,twai "That's the name I sign on important things.& job "I try to make a living as a writer. Usually works. I've been putting together a journal of our stay here on @Mars for publication when we get home. "I think it'll sell. I don't know if many people will be able to use it as a tour guide, though.& Mars "The beautiful red planet, home of talking greenery and conversing @crops.& crop "Yep, they would make one heck of a @salad if they didn't talk back.& sala "You could make a great @meal here if you never wanted to eat meat. Of course, the same objections people have to eating meat would apply here to plants. "I suppose they'd just have to overcome their finer instincts, or starve. Always been a carnivore, myself.& He shakes his head, resigned to others' strange behaviors. meal "Mind you, I've been known to be particular about what I eat. I have known those who would seemingly eat anything if they were hungry enough. "Why, I've been to places and watched @foreigners eat just about anything and everything.& fore "When I travelled through Europe and the Holy Land, I came up against people who would put all sorts of things in their mouths. "I tried a few, but I'm just too @American for most, I guess.& Amer "I mean, where I come from, we do things with frogs other than eating.& frog "Speaking of frogs, did I tell you about the 'Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County'? I'll have to get you a copy to @read sometime.& read "Yes, I've had some of my writings published by nearsighted editors. Lots of newspaper articles and letters from @places I've been.& plac "I've been pretty much all over the United States, the Sandwich Islands (you know, Maui, Hawaii, that group), Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Holy Land. "I mostly @travel and write letters back to those more fortunate than I who got to stay home.& trav "I also talk to folks and tell them about where I've been. Imagine, people will pay other people to tell them about things they've done and places they've been. "You'd thind they'd rather spend their money doing it than hearing about it. Oh, well, if folks were always sensible there'd be nothin' to write about.& huck,finn "Never heard of him,& he says with a little wink. tom,sawy "He's some sort of juvenile delinquent, ain't he?& [he says, winking. join "I'll have to thank you for thinking of me, but I think Livy'd kill me if I didn't make it home alive. I'd best stay here.& wait "If you think it'd be best for me to wait here, then I'll wait here. I just want to get home. You just make sure you get us there.& He sits down and leans back to take a nap. leav "Yes, I'll be ready to leave whenever you are. You just let me know when.& He leans back and closes his eyes. bye "That's fine. You get to work and I'll wait right here.& "You'll have to put that a little plainer.&

Jack Segal
a dark, slick-looking man with slightly shifty eyes. "$P, old friend! I see by your expression that you have been successful. I never doubted you.& He puts his arm around your shoulder. "You know, this is quite an impressive earthquake. "Taking it to be an omen of impending doom, what say you hurry on over to Carnegie at the cannon site with that phlogistonite, eh, old friend? "I look forward to chatting on the trip home, but, really, for now, you should get moving!& He pats you on the back and shoves you softly in the direction of the cannon. "Now, hurry! Whoa!& He staggers as the ground heaves yet again. "Hello, old friend! I see you've succeeded in the matter of Martian bodies. This is wonderful!& You briefly describe to Segal the creation of a metal body. "This is fantastic! I understand that Rasputin has our propellant. "You must retrieve it at once, old friend. Face him down! Let him know we won't stand for his interference! "While you handle that little problem, we here in Olympus will gladly do our part. "With your instructions, we'll create metal bodies for all of the Martians. "By the time you return with the phlogistonite, we shall all be ready to leave this God-forsaken planet. "Now, go, man, go!& He strides purposefully away, calling out and gathering his people. "Hello, there, friend! It is, indeed, good to see you. "I do hope that you are making swift progress in finding our propellant. "I say, that's a different kind of mechanical person, isn't it? Oh, my, is that what you've devised for the Martians?& He stares, then breaks out into laughter. "I do apologize...& He laughs so hard that he has difficulty breathing. "Oh, dear, $P. You'll never be able to take that... thing back home. "I say, your next task should be to find a way to disguise this body. Maybe some clothes... "Look, why don't you check with Miss Bernhardt to see if she has any ideas. The sooner the better! "And once you've done that, get on with finding that propellant!& He stumbles off, still chuckling and wiping his eyes. "YOU! You're the fiend who killed my dear Legrande, my faithful servant! Villain! GET THEM!& "Well. Nathaniel must have cleared you if you've gotten this far. Welcome to the beautiful colony of Olympus!& He smiles widely, vigorously shaking your hand. "I assume that your appearance means that a ship has arrived to rescue us. This is good news, indeed. "If there is any way we may be of assistance, please do let us know. "Also, we would appreciate your assistance in locating any other @right-thinking humans who may be out there. "We'll need all we can find if we hope to make it home.& "Greetings, $P. Good to see you back in fair Olympus!& name "Segal. Jack Segal. Honored, $G.& He smiles broadly, and pumps your hand. jack,sega "$P, what can I do for you?& job "Why, it is my solemn responsibility to take care of these good people of Olympus. Someone has to watch out for them, you know.& You get an impression of insincere martyrdom. righ,sane "Indeed, there are very few sane people left here on Mars. Those unfortunate folk who used the @Dream Machines are completely insane. Dangerously so, in fact. "It is well known that the only way to be safe is to avoid the Machines at all cost. @Marcus disagrees, but look at him! Talking to inanimate objects. Really!& Marc "Right, Crazy Marcus. He lives by himself in @Hellas, since I persuaded him it was best for all that he leave. "He used a @Dream Machine and we just couldn't trust him after that.& He shakes his head sadly. Hell "Hellas was one of the Martian centres of civilization. @Marcus lives there now, talking to objects. Says he's sane. Ha! "Anyway, it's southwest of here, at about 25S 57E. "It has one of those damned @Dream Machines, but you can't get to it. It's blocked by an empty @canal, thank God. He examines you suspiciously. "You're not thinking of going there, are you, $P? I can't tell you how dangerous that would be. "We need you. Don't endanger yourself unnecessarily!& He seems sincerely concerned for your welfare. And his. cana "It seems that these empty man-made - sorry, Martian-made,& he says, smiling condescendingly, "These Martian-made ditches used to be filled with water. "We've seen no reason to fix them. That would only allow access to places we have no need to be.& "They seem to have been a major mode of transport for the Martians, especially for heavy items.& iron "We'd have that space cannon done by now, I swear it, if we hadn't run out of iron. "There must be another source of @ore, there MUST be, or we are stranded here with those insane characters over there in Elysium.& "Yes, thank you again, my good man, for finding that source, for we've found enough iron to be able to leave soon.& ore "Mr. Carnegie has been collecting the ore and refining it into steel to complete the space cannon.& wron "When people stopped working the mine and started searching for more @iron, they had time on their hands. "Idle hands are the devil's playground, you know. That is when they began spending time in the @Dream Machines. "Thank God I had the sense to stay away from them! Those who dallied with the evil creation went @crazy.& He looks smug and self-righteous. craz "They declared themselves to be Martians, and ran off to @Elysium to set up their own colony. "Well, I say that those who are contaminated by the madness may keep their distance far from me and mine. We will get home without them!& He strikes a heroic pose. Elys "It is certainly a misbegotten situation over there. "They all solemnly declare that they are Martians, and spend their time trying to grow plants. Plants! I ask you! "@Lowell is still their leader, but he's as wild as the rest. Truly a shame. Such a great mind.& He shakes his head sorrowfully. "For your own good, $P, you must stay away from Elysium.& Lowe,Perc "Yes, Percy was always a little odd, one of those inventive geniuses, you know the type. "We lost him completely after he used the @Dream Machine. Absolutely useless to us after that. "Of course, once the communications reflectors were smashed, we were lost anyway. No way to keep in touch with Mr. Tesla after that, you see.& He motions you closer and whispers. "I think that one of Rasputin's henchmen carried out that dastardly deed, myself. "Wouldn't spread that around, though. Bad for morale.& drea,mach "We had one of the infernal machines @here before I used my considerable influence to convince the people to destroy it. "Invention of the devil, I said! Evil, pernicious creation! Of course, they listened.& here "Yes, the machine was in a building here in town, the one with two fountains by the front entrance. "What's left of it is under guard. I intend to take no chances with this @dangerous technology. "Mr. Edison, especially, was showing a dangerous interest in the machine. Why, he even hoped he could repair it! Foolishness.& dang "Yes, $G, I cannot possibly overemphasize the importance of this matter.& He puts his arm around your shoulders, and whispers conspiratorially. "You're a reasonable man, woman, $G, well-travelled, and with much influence. This technology no doubt destroyed the Martians. "I'm sure you see the necessity of preventing it from falling into the hands of the uneducated masses. "We men of education must occasionally makes such decisions for the rest of mankind.& He straightens and looks into the distance, posing for effect. Olym "This is a fine place, $P! Many @right-thinking humans here to help with the building of the space @cannon. "Many of the finest people on the trip have chosen to live here in my fair colony. We have Madame Marie Curie, Admiral Robert Peary, Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, "Mr. Thomas Edison, the divine Miss Sarah Bernhardt, Mr. William Hearst, Mr. Andrew Carnegie, Captain Trippet, Nathaniel Peters, and Legrande and Jean Couillard.& cann,spac "Yes, indeed, the miraculous vehicle on which we plan to travel back to mother Earth. "Mr. @Carnegie was working on that project, after Lowell went to Elysium. Until we ran out of @iron, of course.& Carn,Andr "Mr. Andrew Carnegie, yes, $G. He knows quite a bit about steel and such, you know, and was helping to build the cannon. "You should speak to him about anything concerning steel. "You should be able to find him down in the mines. The entrance is on the southern side of the mountain. "Take the first left after you enter. He should be down there, working on the project.& capt,Trip "The captain has been quite useful, with his broad knowledge. "Of course, much of it is specific to water craft, so it has a limited application here, eh? "If you need to talk to him, he resides on the north side of town. Just ask around for his current whereabouts.& canv,belt "If you want information about something made of canvas or sailcloth, Captain Trippet here in Olympus is certainly your man. "He's had a lot of experience @sewing that sort of material.& sew "Find Trippet for that. He should be somewhere in the north central part of our fair city.& fix "If you need anything fixed, there are several people here who might help. It just depends on exactly what it is that needs repair.& azur "I'm afraid I don't know anything about that. You might check with Mr. @Hearst, though. He has a collection he's been adding to since we got here.& hear,Will "Mr. William Hearst, yes. He's accumulated all kinds of Martian objects to take back and sell. "Thinks he'll make even more money than he's already got, I suppose.& nath "Nathaniel had better still be at his post at the front gate, where I told him to stay. I don't know him well, but he's been an effective guard.& argy "That's where that lunatic, @Rasputin, is living with his henchmen. They also succumbed to the evils of the @Dream Machine. Don't trust them!& Rasp "That demon! I'm convinced he's responsible for all of our troubles. "He took off for Argyre with his henchmen as soon as we spread out to look for iron ore. "We haven't seen him since. He won't let anyone into his city. Arrogant swine!& expl "The three explorers have been a great help to us. Conscientious, trustworthy lot. Good men.& Yell,Davi "Yellin is quite a successful anthropologist. Interesting man. Bit vague sometimes, but quite intelligent.& Sher,Rich "He became familiar with the land very quickly. Obviously knows his field.& He grins widely. "Land, field! Ha! Good joke. I'll remember that.& He looks quite pleased with himself. Dupr,Greg,majo "Major Duprey is a fine soldier. Honest, straightforward, courageous, strong...we have a lot in common.& Curi,Mari "Quite an intellectual, for a woman. Always locking herself away with one experiment or another. "Her results are always useful to us. And she is always willing to share them. Her findings about @radium, for example.& radi "Yes, something found by Marie to be a powerful source of energy. Apparently, it was used to power the mechanical men and the infernal @Dream Machines. "I plan to invest in it as soon as we get home. Confidentially, of course.& Roos,Tedd "Fine man, fine. Excellent police commissioner and talented detective.& Edis,Thom "An interesting man. Definitely strong-willed and devoted to his ideas of the way things ought to be. "He's been of great use to us here, fixing this and that, getting things running.& "His job should be much easier now that you've gotten this power working. He's got a bee in his bonnet, though. He was sure it wouldn't work at all!& He chuckles. Legr "He's a good man, a loyal follower. Guards the Dream Machine with great dedication.& Jean "Legrande's brother. We lost him in the mines. Shame. Legrande hasn't been the same since then.& You mention that you found Jean's body. "Well, good. I mean, that's a shame, but maybe now Legrande will turn to his attention back to his job.& Pear,Robe "A great explorer. His specialty, though, is arctic exploration, something we haven't had much call for.& meta,gate "I don't think that's important. At least I haven't seen it. "If you need information on something in a distant place, you should probably check with Admiral Peary. He's done a lot of wandering about.& Bern,Sara "A talented actress. I'm sure we'd have all gone insane without her efforts to keep us all entertained. "She even had a few costumes and her make-up kit in her possession! Quite a woman.& oxiu "Thank God something was done right on this god-forsaken planet. It would take a lot longer to get anything done without oxium to keep us alert and alive. "We get ours by trading with @Cooter.& coot "@Cooter has been a fairly reliable source of oxium, if a bit eccentric.& "Haven't seen him around in days. Probably got lost somewhere in those darned @chasms...& chas,darn "Cooter likes to gallivant about between the cliffs of Noctis Labyrinthus and Coprates Chasma.& join "Sorry, old man, but I must remain here. These people need me!& wait "I can't, $P. Far too busy to stand here and wait for you. Hmph.& leav "Well, really! And where would you have me go? No, no, I'll stay in Olympus, thank you! Hmph!& He stares at you suspiciously for a moment, then strides off, obviously offended. bye "Indeed, $G, we are busy folk, now, are we not? I do hope we'll meet again. Farewell!& "Ahem. I'm afraid that's not in my area of specialty, $G. Check with some of our other fine residents about that.&

William Randolph Hearst
a pale-skinned man with a gangly build. "I'm sorry, but I understand that you're wanted for questioning in reference to this murder we're investigating. "While I'd love to get the real story from you sometime, it wouldn't do for you to be seen here at this time. Sorry, friend.& He turns and walks away. "$P, old friend! So good to see you again. It appears that you have managed to find our phlogistonite. "I would suggest getting that to Carnegie as soon as possible. The world seems to be falling apart!& You both stagger as the ground heaves under your feet. "Hello. Have you come to barter for my goods?& He suddenly spots Nellie Bly, causing his complexion to redden and his voice to raise in pitch. "What is that... that... woman doing here? She is a spy for Pulitzer! Remove her from my sight at once!& "Mr. Hearst, please compose yourself. I am certainly NOT here to undermine your expedition. "In fact, with the aid of my friend, $P, we are hoping to get us off of this God-forsaken planet.& Hearst takes a moment to compose himself, then continues. "My apologies, $P. The last two years have been quite trying, indeed. How may I help you?& "How may I help you?& "Hello, it's good to see you again. How may I be of service?& "So you wish to trade? Good! I have many interesting items here that I am willing to exchange. "Are you interested in purchasing Martian @artifacts or @weapons?& arti weap "You may have to check with someone else for that.& "I've got @spoons, @jewelry, @drums, and @candles. Which would you like?& spoo "I'll take ten of the oxium rocks for one spoon. How many would you like?& jewe "It will cost twenty oxium for each set of four pieces of jewelry. How many sets of four would you like?& drum "I'll trade you a drum for thirty oxium rocks. How many drums would you like?& cand "I'll give you ten candles for forty oxium. How many sets of ten would you like?& "I'm afraid that I don't have any of those available for trade.& "These are certainly useful out in the wilderness. I have @revolvers, @rifles, and @sabers. Which would you like?& revo "I need fifty of the oxium rocks for a revolver, $G. How many would you like?& rifl "It will cost seventy oxium for a good rifle. How many would you like?& sabe,swor "I'll trade you one good saber for twenty oxium rocks. How many would you like?& Very well, $G. Would you like something else?& @Y or @N yn "You can't afford #0 spoon\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 Martian spoon\s. "You couldn't carry that many spoons. "You can't afford #0 pieces of jewelry. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 pieces of jewelry. "You couldn't carry that much jewelry. "You can't afford #0 drum\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 drum\s. "You couldn't carry that many drums. "You can't afford #0 candles. He takes #1 oxium rocks from you and gives you #0 candles. "You couldn't carry #0 candles. "You can't afford #0 revolver\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 revolver\s. "You couldn't carry #0 revolver\s. "You can't afford #0 rifle\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 rifle\s. "You couldn't carry #0 rifle\s. "You can't afford #0 saber\s. He takes #1 oxium rock\s from you and gives you #0 saber\s. "You couldn't carry #0 saber\s. name "I am William Randolph Hearst, editor and proprietor of the San Francisco Examiner.& will,rand,hear "Yes, $P, what can I do for you?& job "I was the primary backer for Mr. Lowell's expedition in 1893. Sadly, I never envisioned actually participating in the mission. "Since my arrival, however, I have taken to collecting and @trading Martian @artifacts.& rose "Oh, that was some sled owned by a friend of mine named Kane.& trad,sell,deal arti He shifts his stance and you see a gleam enter his gaze. "Yes, I have had the good fortune to have accumulated many fascinating items. If you wish, I could tell you about my @collection.& coll,hoar Beaming with pride, he beckons you to step closer. Reaching for a small bag, he says, "Come and see!& He produces a number of small, curious-looking items, none of which seem overly valuable. "These items I was able to trade for from that explorer fellow, Yellin. I am certain that once I return to Earth, that I shall become quite rich after my paper shows exclusive evidence of the Martian craftsmanship. "Better still, I have come into possession of a number of blue @gems that should net a fortune!& powe "Yes, I suppose it has made life a bit easier to have the power on. "It means I can search for interesting artifacts at all hours now instead of having to wait for daylight.& "Power? Oh. Yes, I suppose it would be more convenient to have the power on. I hadn't noticed.& gem "I hope that azurite I gave you proved helpful.& "You have returned to retrieve it, eh? Certainly, I have it right here.& Pulling one from his pocket, he says "Look! This stone is an @azurite. It was used by the Martians to power some sort of machinery. What a waste! "It won't garner much publicity back on Earth, but its value should certainly provide me with a substantial return.& azur "Yes, it is quite a beautiful gem. I hope you put the one I gave you to good use.& "You have returned to retrieve it, eh? Certainly, I have it right here.& favo Hearst thinks for a moment. "If you could do something for me that would further the circulation of my paper, then I might part with the stone.& Snapping his fingers, he exclaims, "I know! I had sent a man to go take a photograph of the new cannon being built on the top of Mount OIympus. "Unfortunately, the man never returned; his name, I believe, was Boringstoke. Reginald Boringstoke, if I'm not mistaken. "Naturally, I'm quite concerned and worried by the whole affair. "You see, that photograph is very important to me, as it represents proof of our travels to Mars. "I simply must get that camera and photograph back. Why don't you go climb Mount Olympus and see if you can recover the camera, or at least the photograph? "If you do this favor for me, I'll gladly give you a gem.& came phot "I'm very grateful to you for bringing me that photo. It should be wonderful as a souvenir!& Meli,geor "I believe there was a Frenchman named Melies living at Elysium. He has an extensive background in photography.& meta,gate,argy "I've heard about the large metal gates around Argyre. I haven't been very interested, though. They're too large for me to take and sell, you know. "You might ask Admiral Peary about it, though. He's been around.& join "Me? Join you? I don't think so. I am quite comfortable here in Olympus.& wait "Oh, we are all waiting, I assure you. Until Segal and his cronies finish that blasted cannon, we are all stuck on this rock.& bye "Farewell. If you encounter any valuable, unusual items, remember me!& He twiddles his fingers, then says, "Sorry, that I know nothing about.& "Why do you ask so many questions? Is there some reason for your inquiries?& @Y or @N yn "You want the stone, is that it? I could never part with it, unless you would perform a great @favor for me.& "Oh, then let us change the subject.& He pockets the stone. He takes the camera and breathes a sigh of relief. "Good! I was worried that something might have happened to the camera after all this time. "Now, I need to get the completed photograph, from the plate from the camera. If memory serves, there was a Frenchman named Melies, who was living with those lunatics in Elysium. "He had quite a background in film, so you can go and ask him to develop this plate inside.& He hands you a heavy undeveloped photo plate. He looks around eagerly and asks, "Well, have you got the camera?& @Y or @N yn He waits for show it to him. When you do not, he sneers, "Holding out, eh? Let me tell you I've dealt with your type before. "Just remember, you were the one needing my gem. I truly dislike being strung along like a child!& He looks at you with an astonished look. "Well, what are you bantering about here for? Go climb that mountain!& He looks to you to give him the photograph, which you do not possess. "No photograph yet? Look here, I must get it before I will consider giving you the gem.& He hustles you towards the door, "Get along, now, and bring me that photograph!& You show him the photograph, which he snatches immediately. "Hmmm... the composition is not quite as I had hoped, and the frame is not very dramatic... "However, a bargain is a bargain.& "Oh, It looks as though you can't carry it. I'll just keep it here until you determine how you want to deal with it.& "My thanks for your part in this, $P. I hope this azurite is what you need.&

Trippet
a man dressed in the garb of a seaman. He looks up and squints, focussing blearily on your face. "You're the one they say killed Legrande. Hmph. "Well, I'm not one for condemning a man before the proof's in, but it could be bad for business to have you in here. I'll have to ask you to leave.& He turns his back on you and shuffles away. "Ahoy, mate! I say, this reminds me of my old shipboard days. I'll have my sea legs back in no time! "Have you gotten that fuel to Mr. Carnegie yet? He's watching for you, friend. Best hurry!& He starts as if interrupted from slumber. "Eh, what? What do you want?& He gazes at you bleary-eyed. He raises his head and smiles. "Oh, it's only you again, $P. What is it now?& "First, I need to see what you want fixed. "Once I've looked it over, I can mend it.& He takes the belt from you and begins to work. Not even looking up at you, he says, "This shouldn't take long at all.& He sews furiously on the tear in the belt, occasionally applying hot, thick glue. After a short span, the belt is repaired. Holding it up to inspect it, he grins at his work. "There you are, good as new. Try to be a bit more careful with your belts next time, though.& He hands you the fixed belt. He waits impatiently as you go through your possessions. He looks at your belongings and smiles. "There's nothing I can help you with now. If you find something else, feel free to ask me.& name "Captain Trippet. Ex-merchant marine, at your service.& capt,trip "Yes, $P?& job "Back on Earth, I worked as a sailor in the merchant marine. I was recruited by Mr. Lowell to operate the @canal @barges. "Seemed at the time like it might be interesting work. It's been a dry and dusty couple of years, though. "Without any water in the canals, my job consists of sitting on my duff and sleeping.& "When it's needed, I play the @handyman.& cana "They filled with water some time ago.& He glances forlornly out at the sand. "They must have been used as a means of transportation, but with no @water to fill the canals, they're not much more than ravines.& He sighs, "God, how I wish I'd stayed in Chicago.& He looks at you enviously. "I'd bet it was green when you left. Ah, well. Maybe I'll get back there some day.& barg "Those are the vehicles that were used to transport goods and people on the Martian canals. Most of them seem to be armed with cannons. I wrote down the locations of the intact oneswe found, hoping to pilot one someday.& He searches his pockets until he finds a small notebook. "There was one between Arsia Mons and Noctis Labyrinthis at 25S 120W, one west of Olympus Mons at 8N 162W, one on the canal spur northeast of Argyre Planitia at 4S 9W, and a really big one in Hellas Planitia at 27S 62E. "Those last two had cannon.& wate "Rumor has it that the water in the canals comes from melting ice.& "Well, I'm no engineer, but there must have been some method for making and storing water. "Could be the Martians melted the icecaps for a source of water. But I guess whatever @system they used must not be working, or there'd still be water in the canals.& syst "Mr. Segal tells us that those lenses at the icecaps were fixed, and that they're melting the polar ice. "If there was a system to melt the icecaps, it would probably be located near one of the poles. Maybe it'll start working again soon. "My guess is that there's a better chance of everything working right now that the power is on.& He glances your way with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm betting someone I know had something to do with that little escapade, eh?& "I suppose part of the problem might be the lack of power, but we haven't found any way here to get it working again.& He pauses to think. "You know, Admiral Peary just got back from exploring near the North Pole not too long ago. Maybe you should ask him if he saw anything up there.& hand "Oh, little things. If Miss Bernhardt needs something mended, I don't mind turning my hand to a bit of @sewing, for instance.& fix,sew,repa,belt,canv "I've already fixed that belt. Did you lose it?& meta,gate,Argy "Don't know much about that, myself. If you want facts about a place that far off, you'd do well to talk to the Admiral. Peary's been just about everywhere on this planet, as far as I can tell.& join He looks surprised at your request. "Thanks for the offer, but I can sleep safe here at Olympus. "You can never be too sure of just what might be roaming around outside , even if your barge does have cannon .& wait He looks at you curiously and asks, "What exactly are we waiting for? "Until there's @water in the canals, there's not much reason for me to go anywhere.& leav Pointing to the exit, he says, "If you want to leave, the door is right over there.& bye "Good day, my friend. Hopefully when next we meet it will be on the barges.& He scratches his chin and frowns. "Nope, don't know. Maybe Mr. Segal can help you.&

Nathaniel Peters
a burly man who watches your every move. "Do you take me for a fool? I trusted you once, and look where it got me! Legrande killed! By you! Get out, you murderer! And don't come back!& "Whoa, there! Where are you runnin' off to? You'd best get that fuel to Mr. Carnegie as fast as your feet will carry you. It's the only thing that can get us out of here!& He stumbles sideways as the ground shakes under your feet. "Hold on there! No one may enter the city of Olympus who is not @known to us.& "Ah, it's you, $P. You may pass freely.& name "My name is Nathaniel Peters.& nath,pete "That is my name.& job "Mr. @Segal ordered me to prevent any of the @loonies from @Elysium getting into our settlement.& know "Before you may enter our settlement, we must have @proof of your integrity and soundness of your mind. "We have had too many incidents with daft people from @Elysium.& proo "We must be certain that you are not one of those raving madmen from Elysium. "To insure this, you must be certified by three men whose character is known to us and whose soundness of mind is certain.& "I say, sir, would my voucher for $P qualify? If so, I will gladly give it.& "What? You? You haven't been by our settlement in weeks! I am certain that your signature would not be worth the paper it was written on.& Addressing you, he says, "No, we must have the signatures of at least three men known to us.& "Very well, if my signature will not pass muster, what of those of the three @explorers, Sherman, Yellin, and Duprey?& He thinks for a moment. "Yes, if they will vouch for you, then I can let you pass.& "For example, if you could bring me the signatures of the three @explorers: Sherman, Yellin, and Duprey, then I could allow you to pass.& "The last time I saw them, they were headed to the west. Said something about checking out the area around Syrtis Major. "You might try around the coordinates 10N 71E. They could be in that area.& expl "These fine gentlemen have been circumnavigating the globe, placing markers so that finding your path between sites of interest is easier. "Their names are @Sherman, @Yellin, and @Duprey. I believe that they were last seen headed to the west.& sher,rich "Richard Sherman is a thin, blond fellow with sharp eyes. He has quite a knack for finding his way about places he has never seen before.& yell,davi "Dr. David Yellin is an anthropologist who has been extremely useful in determining the function of certain Martian artifacts.& Dupr,majo,greg "Major Greg Duprey led a company of the 3rd cavalry. He acts as the leader of their party.& ore "We used to have a plentiful supply. We started construction of a space cannon that could return us to Earth--until we ran out. You'll need to ask Mr. @Segal about the details.& "Until your integrity is @known to us, I can't release that information.& carn,andr "He is in charge of constructing the space cannon. Currently, with no ore, the project is dead in its tracks.& "Until your integrity is @known to us, I can't release that information.& Sega,jack "He is the leader of our settlement. I suggest that you go and speak to him at once. You will find him in the secluded buildings at the northwest corner of the settlement.& "Until your integrity is @known to us, I can't release that information.& meta,argy "I haven't had much time to wander around to the different cities. If you want information about other areas, you might check with Admiral Peary. He's done some exploring.& powe "It has helped the community to have the power on. Things are a little safer now.& "It would certainly be safer to have lights. We just haven't discovered any way to turn the power on.& join "That is impossible. Mr. Segal has stationed me at this gate to prevent any of the @crazy people from Elysium from entering the settlement.& craz,loon,Elys "Everyone living in Elysium thinks they're Martian. This started soon after they figured out how to use some kind of Martian dream machine. "Mr. Segal says that they have all lost their minds, and could be very dangerous. You should stay away from there. "Also, if you meet Marcus, make an excuse to leave and get out of there. He's also used the machine, and now claims to be able to talk to it. He is clearly insane.& tube "The Martians built buildings with large tubes in them near each of their cities. After what happened with the dream machine, we have learned to leave unexplained Martian machines alone.& "Until your integrity is @known to us, I can't release that information.& wait "I'm not going anywhere.& leav "I cannot. Mr. Segal's orders to remain here were very clear.& bye "Farewell, $P. Should you wish to speak to me again, I shall be here.& "Goodbye.& He turns back to his guard duties, ignoring you. Shaking his head, he says, "Sorry, I don't know anything about that.& "Well, have you brought the signed note I told you to bring?& @Y or @N yn "So what are you doing back here? Until you have those signatures--get out of my sight!& "I cannot admit you until you are @known to us.& "Let's see it, then.& "Hmmpf. You haven't got any such thing. Get away from here and don't come back until you have those signatures I told you to get!& "You've got a note? Let me see it to make sure the signatures are in order.& He takes the paper from you and examines it thoroughly. "I see that you've got Sherman's signature. That counts for one. "You haven't gotten Sherman's signature yet. That's required, you know. "Ah, yes. Yellin's signature is perfectly acceptable. "This document is lacking Yellin's signature. It must have that to be admitted. "Major Duprey's signature will do nicely. "I don't see Major Duprey's signature. I must have that to allow you to pass. "I'm sorry, but without all of the required signatures, I can't allow you to enter Olympus. "You had better try harder to get those signatures before you return.& "It seems that your paperwork is in order. It's good to see that there are more normal people like us instead of those @loonies like at the Elysium settlement.& "Take this note and get their signatures.& He sees that you don't even have an empty pocket to keep the note. "I don't want you to lose this note, so come get it when you can keep it without losing it.& He gives you the note.

Marie Curie
a plain, slightly plump European woman. "You fiend! Sacre bleu, that you have the gall to enter my laboratory when you are a known felon. You murderer! You have killed Legrande, my countryman! You may get out! Now!& "Ah, my friend! It is good to see you alive and well. You must take the fuel to Monsieur Carnegie as soon as possible. We must leave now!& "Bonjour. It is very good to meet you. "Pardonnez moi, my English is not too good. I am very involved in my @research, so be not offended if my attention does not seem fully upon you.& "Bonjour! You have returned. What assistance may I do for you?& "Psst, $P! That is like the worms we saw down in the mines where we found Jean! "These are much smaller, of course, but they could be the...uhm, how do you say...IMMATURE stage of the same animal.& name "I would be pleased if you call me Madame Curie. I like to take the name of my fiance, whom I miss very much.& mary,mari,curi,mada "Oui, $P?& job "I am continuing my studies in physics, to aid in our escape from this planet in whatever way is possible.& rese "Upon our arrival, I soon discovered that the planet was containing a large amount of a specially @reactive @rock. "It seems that it is quite... plenty? No, uhm... abundant!& reac "It seems to @radiate energy which may be harnessed for various uses.& radi "Yes, radiate. I know! I shall call it radium. Yes, that is a good name for it. I shall use that name.& "Oui, the radium seems to almost pulse with the energy. You can almost feel it if you are close to it.& rock "Oui, the Martians must have utilized the energies released by the element to power their various machines. "This is, of course, in addition to the electricity which has been miraculously restored so recently. "I believe this to be in addition to the use of electricity, which, unfortunately, is not operational at this time. "The electricity powered the lights and water pumps. For their machines and their mechanical men, they apparently used the radium rock "There are signals of larger pieces used for a stationary device of some kind. The machine Monsieur Segal ordered destroyed might have been of the large type, but I do not know. "It is quite an amazing source of power. I have collected small samples from the @mines for my studies. "Be warned. This element attracts the most horrible @worms that I have ever seen. They seem to be attracted to the heat of the radium rocks.& Dr. Spector nudges you in the arm and says, "Radium is quite dangerous, you know. "In large concentrations, the amount of radiation emitted could be fatal, unless one takes care to @protect themselves.& prot She looks at Dr. Spector, confused by his statement. "Protection? I suppose if one wanted, one could use the tongs to pick up the rock, and storing it inside a lead box would protect one from almost anything. "You are, of course, welcome to anything in the lab which you feel will be useful to you.& Dr. Spector smiles and says, "Madame, these protective measures should be quite adequate.& She returns the smile, and says, "Bon! If only the @worms were so easy to...uhm, how do I say?...mollify.& "Protection? I suppose if one wanted, one could use the tongs to pick up the rock, and storing it inside a lead box would protect one from almost anything. "You are, of course, welcome to anything in the lab which you feel will be useful to you.& She sighs pensively. "If only the @worms were that easy to...uhm, how do I say?...mollify.& worm She glances at a hole in the floor and mutters a curse. "I hate them! They are nearly impossible to do away with, and are always returning. They have grey-green shells from which they crawl and attach themselves to a rocky surface. "Here, let me show you.& She walks to the corner, and reaches down to the floor. A moment later she returns, bearing a small, worm-like creature. "If you look carefully, you will see the many small, sharp teeth.& "They seem to prefer radium the energy rock, and the larger the concentration, the stronger the attraction. In fact, if you look inside the shells, you will find small amounts of it. "They also @grow very fast when exposed to radium the rock . They actually thrive on its radiated power. "And, I must say, they can deliver a very painful and damaging bite. I can see no good in these creatures.& She goes back to the corner and unceremoniously drops the worm to the floor, brushing her hands on her skirt afterwards in disgust. grow "Oui, the worms grow very quickly near radium energy rock . I would suppose that if there were a large enough concentration of it, that there would be very large worms nearby. "It also follows that if you find a large worm, there is a large concentration of radium energy rock in the area!& mine "Oui, there are many mines under this mountain. It is the first place that we have begun our search for more @iron ore. "I imagine that there are large deposits of radium my energy rock as well, but far deeper than I have searched.& iron,ore "You should speak with Monsieur Carnegie concerning our iron shortage.& sega,jack "Monsieur Segal is the leader of our settlement. He has been very concerned with maintaining our safety as we build our space cannon.& meta,gate,argy "That is not my area of expertise. I have not had the opportunity to range very far on the planet. "You might speak with Admiral Peary. He would probably know about that.& fian,pier Her eyes drift for a moment, and she says, "I do so miss my dear Pierre. We are to be married as soon as I return from Mars.& join She stares at you contemplatively, then looks back at her equipment. "Merci, non. I would prefer to remain at my @research.& She smiles and shrugs. "It is a difficult decision, mais non? Ah, well, c'est la vie!& wait She seems confused by your request. "Pardon? I have no need to wait for anything.& leav "I will not! My duties here at Olympus are tres important.& bye "Au revoir, $P. Perhaps we shall speak again soon.& She looks slightly confused. "Pardonnez moi. I do not understand.&

Theodore Roosevelt
a broad-shouldered man with an equally broad grin. "You're the one I've been looking for! I have some questions to ask you. "You were the last one to see Legrande alive, were you not? We have reason to believe that you may be implicated in the murder of one Legrande Antoine Couillard. "Until more evidence is found, I must ask you to remain where you may be easily reached for questioning. "In the meantime, I'll have to ask you to leave the premises. Wouldn't do at all for me to be seen consorting with a suspected felon, you know. Keep in touch.& "I say, it certainly is good to see you! You must get that phlogistonite back to Carnegie quickly. Step to it! We are all ready to leave!& He swaggers away, gently gathering people together in groups. He grips your hand a bit too firmly and pumps it up and down vigorously. "I say, good day there! Quite pleased to meet you. Ahem, quite.& He looks up from his work and smiles broadly at you. "Oh, I say, hello! Quite good to see you again. Quite.& name "Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt. I usually am addressed as T.R., however.& comm,theo,tedd,ted,roos,t.r. "Yes, $G! How can I help you?& job "Here on Mars, my duties as a police official are, as you may imagine, reduced. "Nonetheless, I am still in the business of solving crimes. "In fact, I believe I know who was the culprit that @sabotaged our 1893 @expedition and caused Mr. Lowell's space cannon to discharge prematurely.& caps "Our capsule can be found at 30 S and 150 W. You did bring a sextant with you, didn't you, $G?& sext "I cannot imagine that Mr. Tesla, whose ship you arrived upon, would fail to pack a sextant.& expe "Yes, the ship that landed at 30S 150W was Mr. Lowell's.& culp,sabo "I am positive that the Russian holy-man, @Rasputin, was the fiend that did this act. "I have been able to collect samples of @fingerprints in the original expedition's ship. "I have endeavoured to reveal the identity of the person who left this incriminating evidence. "I also believe that one of Rasputin's troublemakers was behind the destruction of the @reflectors used to communicate with Earth.& refl,comm "These large mirrors were used by Mr. Lowell to send Morse code to observers back on Earth. "When they were smashed, we could no longer reply to messages sent by Mr. Tesla.& fing He folds his hands behind his back and his voice takes on the tone of an instructor. "Yes, quite. The technique of lifting the fingerprints is a recent addition to the field of criminology, developed by Jean Vucetich of Argentina. "No two sets of @prints are the same, which provides undeniable @evidence of a person's involvement.& prin "I must thank you for being so cooperative about that. Not everyone understands how important my collection can be to effective law enforcement.& "I have been getting a set of prints from everyone in our settlement, and anyone else who will agree to leaving their prints on file. "Would you allow me to record your fingerprints as well?& @Y or @N evid,thef,crim "Yes, the evidence you brought me has certainly cracked the case. I deeply appreciate your involvement as a concerned citizen.& He shakes your hand firmly. "Yes, in this particular case, I lack any samples of Rasputin's fingerprints with which to compare the prints that were collected near the @capsule fuse. "I desperately need to lay hands on some sort of @clue that I know has been touched by Rasputin or by one of his henchmen. "That would allow me to show positive identification of Rasputin as the criminal.& "For instance, if I could get a set of prints from the scene of a crime which matched those by the fuse, I would know that the crime had been committed by Rasputin. "I'm still collecting evidence on that one. He's definitely not to be trusted.& powe "Yes, indeed, it is a good thing that you've gotten the power back on for us here. There's more crime when the lights are out, you know. Made my job a lot easier.& "Blasted power. Constant darkness has made my job that much more difficult. Crime rate is high. "Dratted Martians. Why couldn't they just have a light pullcord and a backup generator like any civilized community?& clue,band,seal,meta "We must use one of a detective's best tools - patience. We will simply watch for now. He will slip sooner or later and give us the clue we need to convict him.& join He glances sharply at you and his grin widens. "Join you? Bully! I'd love to!& He begins to gather his travelling clothes, then stops and puts his things away. "Dash it all, I can't. I could not in good conscience leave Olympus with no one whom I could trust to keep a close watch on Jack Segal. I don't quite trust him.& rasp,russ "That thief must be apprehended to pay for his crimes. I would ask that you go to Argyre and place him into your custody.& "I'm sure he's the one responsible for launching the space cannon a day earlier than planned and trapping us on Mars. "His claim was that visions had driven him to commit his foul deed, but that excuse in no manner absolves him from his crimes and facing justice.& argy,gate "I'm afraid I don't have much first-hand information on that area, my friend. You should probably speak with Admiral Peary. I believe he's been down there fairly recently.& wait He stops what he was doing and looks at you expectantly. "What is it?& leav "As much as I would enjoy getting a closer look at what's going on about the planet, I'm staying here in Olympus to keep my eye on Jack Segal. I don't feel that I can trust him.& bye "I say. Good day, $P. Do drop in again.& He puffs his chest out, but then lets out a sigh. "Hmmm. I'm sure that's quite unimportant. Quite.& He smiles. "I think your best bet would be to look in our ship from the Lowell expedition. "If there is anything suspicious which might hold a fingerprint, you should bring it back to me and I'll take a look at it.& "Yes, that band did the trick, didn't it? We've got him now!& He grins and looks quite pleased. yn He grins and says "Good! I shall be prepared in a moment.& He takes a small pad of ink and a sheet of fine white paper and sets them out. Taking your hands, he first presses each finger onto the ink pad, then rolls your fingers onto the white paper, leaving an ink copy of your fingerprints. He hands you a cloth, and you wipe your hands clean. He puts the equipment away, and places the paper amongst his records. "Thank you, $P. I appreciate your cooperation.& He eyes you suspiciously, and seems to be taking mental notes. After a short pause, he says, "Very well, I shan't force you to cooperate. Be forewarned, $P, should any further crimes occur, I shall need to speak with you and I WILL require your prints.& Roosevelt looks up at you. "Have you got anything that I can use to search for fingerprints?& @Y or @N yn He examines your possessions for usable evidence, then turns away disappointed. "No, I don't see anything that would have retained the fingerprints in a manner that would show conclusive evidence.& He thinks for a moment, then says "Please go and search further for some evidence. Perhaps there is something that was left behind at the 1893 @capsule that would prove useful.& He looks disappointed at your findings. "Dash it all! Before he can be brought to justice, there must be incontrovertible evidence.& He strokes his moustache, then says "You'll have to search harder for evidence. I would wager that the 1893 @capsule might contain something that would serve.& Roosevelt looks eagerly at you. "Has your search for items that could contain fingerprints proved successful?& @Y or @N yn He walks up animatedly and begins to look through your possessions. After a moment, he pulls a metal band from your things and takes it to his work area.& He begins to examine the band, and after a moment, shakes his head in disgust. c He says, "Oh, well.& "Would you have a microscope with you? I must use it to get a good match on the prints.& Roosevelt takes the metal band and microscope and begins to examine the band closely. He then looks at a fingerprint sample under the microscope and whistles to himself in triumph. "There is no doubt that the Rasputin prints collected near the capsule fuse Rasputin set off and the prints on the band you retrieved are identical. "As I recall, this band was used to bind the barrels that held our supply of phlogistonite together. It is clear that Rasputin has stolen our propellant!& Turning to you, he says "I would ask that you go and confront that so-called 'holy' man and try to retrieve the propellant. "It is vital to our return to Earth. Personally, I will stay behind to insure that Segal does not get involved. "By the way, I notice that you have partially solved the problem of finding bodies for the Martians. But, really, I don't think that the average resident of Earth will be able to accept them in that state.& He examines Chsheket consideringly for a moment. "Hmmm. Well, I don't really have any solution for THIS problem, but I will suggest that you get the help of a professional in the matter of disguise. I would speak with Miss Bernhardt if I were you.& "Best wishes, friend. Let me know how this all turns out, will you?& "Of all the luck! I shall require a microscope before I can complete my examination of the prints on this item.& "If I may, $P, I believe that we have seen such an instrument before. Pray allow me a moment.& She examines her notes from the journal she has kept of your travels. "I believe that there was a microscope in the Martian laboratory in the settlement of Hellas. "Would that suffice, Mr. Roosevelt?& "Yes, quite. "Very well, go and retrieve it and return. I shall await you here.& "I believe there is a Martian lab near the settlement of Hellas. I would travel there and see if you can find a microscope there.&

Thomas Edison
a dapper gentleman. "OUT! I don't allow murderers in my shop, thank you! I've heard what you did to Legrande, poor man. Get out! Out!& "Well. Glad to see you finally returned. Hmph. Good job. Yes, good job. Now, let's go home!& "How do you do? I'll have to ask you to speak up, my @hearing isn't very good.& He doesn't notice you for several moments. Finally, he sees you and says, "Oh! You again.& "It seems that the power for the entire planet is generated somewhere underground. "The method of distribution is apparently handled by a series of @towers that transmit electricity through the air without need of cables.& Cringing, he grunts, "I would imagine that upstart @Tesla was ecstatic at this discovery.& "They've got those blasted @towers up as though they'd be able to broadcast electricity, just like that whippersnapper Tesla keeps saying. "But he's crazy, and the @towers don't work. Heh, heh. Told HIM!& He chuckles, obviously pleased with himself. "Blasted things are somewhere over north of Argyre. Peary's seen 'em. Hmph.& @Y or @N yn "You do? Great! Where is it? Can I see it?& You shake your head. "Ah. Haven't got it with you right now, is that it? Well, I'd surely like a chance to examine it later. You just bring it on by, and I'll take a look.& "Well, that's just wonderful! Could I take a look at it? Is it functional?& "Oh. Oh, well. I'd sure like to see more examples of this Martian technology. They couldn't have been too smart, though. Using those darn towers to broadcast electricity. Hmph. Too much like that blasted Tesla. Hrrmph.& You shake your head. "Ah, broken, is it? Even better. Let's have a look.& You nod your head. "That's wonderful! May I have it?& @Y or @N yn "Oh, that's wonderful. I've been wanting to inspect one of these for quite a while now. Just haven't gotten around to finding one.& He takes the motor and retreats into his work, oblivious to your presence. "Oh, well. Oh. Maybe if you find another one? All right. Well, then.& He looks disappointed, but resigned. "I've got it. Here you are, sir.& $Y takes the motor out of a pack and hands it to Edison. "Oh, this is easy to fix. Just a moment.& He rummages around, searching through his tools. Eventually, he finds what he's looking for, and settles down to work. A few minutes later, he holds out the motor. "There you go, good as new. Fascinating technology. Not very bright, though.& "Oh. Looks like your pack is pretty full, there. I'll just hang on to this motor until you can take it.& "I am an inventor by trade. Here on Mars, I had been trying to ascertain how to reestablish the flow of @power to Olympus. "Since the power came on, I've really been at a loss for what to do, other than my tinkering.& "I am an inventor by trade. I have been endeavoring to find some means of restoring the @power to our settlement, in case it is necessary to finish the construction of our space cannon.& "You look a bit overburdened. Perhaps you should make sure you've got a place to put them.& Reaching into a drawer at his worktable, he hands you a pair of rubber gloves. "Here you are.& @Y or @N yn He shrugs and says, "That's one part that I never could understand. I've always intended to try to determine how it works, but I've never gotten past the guard that Segal posted over the parts of the machine here in Olympus. "Best as I recall, they weren't destroyed when the machine was taken out of commission.& He looks sheepishly at you and says, "I do apologize. What is it that you said?& You show the control panels to Edison, who picks them up one by one and examines their interiors. "This won't take long to do. Why don't you wait over there?& He gathers his tools and puts on his rubber gloves, then begins to work. A few minutes later, he hands the panels back to you and puts away his tools. "There you are, ready to go. "Place them in the correct control cabinets in the Dream Machine and insure the connections are firm. "They'll only work in a Dream Machine now. I hope that's what you wanted. I don't hear so well some days, you know.& You show the control panel to Edison, who picks it up and examines its interior. "This won't take long to do. Why don't you wait over there?& He gathers his tools and puts on his rubber gloves, then begins to work. A few minutes later, he hands the panel back to you and puts away his tools. "There you are, ready to go. "Place it in the correct control cabinet in the Dream Machine and insure the connections are firm. "It'll only work in a Dream Machine now. I hope that's what you wanted. I don't hear so well some days, you know.& name "Edison. Thomas Alva Edison.& He points to his ear. "Speak up!& thom,tom,edis "I am right here, $P.& job "What was that? I couldn't hear you.& powe He steps a little closer and says, "Could you please repeat that?& towe "Yes, the big ones scattered about the planet. They are meant to broadcast the power from a central station, I'm sure of it. "There are also certain @devices that operate by power stored in @radium, but they are much less common. "You know, those towers and all that power beamed about the place is probably the very thing that destroyed the Martians.& "What flowers? Aren't there some that will attack you if you stray too close?& lens,icec,ice "Oh, yes, I heard Admiral Peary saying something about that one day. There really are lens towers, too, eh? Up there by the icecap? "Well, I don't imagine I'll ever see them. I'd sure like to hear how they work, though. What kind of @motor they've got and all. Ah, well.& meta,gate "Can't say I know much about that. You might check with Admiral Peary. He's seen a lot of this world that I'll never see.& moto "Ah, you're ready to try again, I see. Here's that motor.& He holds out the motor. "What's that? Do you have one of the motors with you?& niko,tesl Snorting, he says, "Tesla, hah! That self-impressed little charlatan! The man has no respect for the advantages of the apprentice system. "You know, we were associates once. He was utterly uncontrollable and we had a falling out. Never could understand his strange behaviors.& Grinning evilly, he says, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch the name. Who did you say?& lowe,perc "Mr. Lowell was a fine leader until he used the Dream Machine. We sort of lost him then. "Of course, we were already having problems, what with the communication reflectors being broken. I still wonder who did that.& carv,g.w. "It's a shame Mr. Carver lost so much work time being in the Dreams. That man is really a sharp cookie. "He's been working on some of the most amazing uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes. Would you believe it? Sweet potatoes!& radi "You should go and talk with Madame Curie about that. I'm not a chemist.& devi,mach "Yes, the Martians have built some truly fascinating machines! I could nearly spend my entire life trying to understand how they operate. "Indeed, the @Dream Machine stands out as one of the most unusual that we've encountered.& drea His eyes light up as he speaks. "It was quite beautiful, and was full of mystery! I spent as much time trying to determine exactly how it functioned as I could. "Alas, I was unable to complete any serious @study before Mr. Segal had it destroyed. It is utterly unusable now. "It's just sitting over there in the building with the fountains out front, just moldering away. A shame, it is. A real shame.& stud "Yes, I learned very little. I was able to fathom the wiring of the @control panels that sit next to the machine, but how the machine is able to interact with the thoughts of a living being is beyond me.& cont,pane "It functions on a simple arrangement of relays and switches. In fact, the design is elegant and simplistic enough that almost any of the panels like those found in the underground machine areas could be wired to function as an original. "I'm fairly sure that I saw one once down in the underground access tunnel right here in Olympus. You might check down there to find one. "If you bring one of those back to me, I'll try to rewire it for you so it'll work on a Dream Machine.& "You want me to rewire one so it'll work on a Dream Machine? Hmmm. I suppose I could do that.& rubb,glov He seems unsure of your request, then exclaims, "Oh, yes, I have rubber gloves. If you're going to do any sort of work with live electricity, you should be wearing a pair to insulate yourself.& He nods and says, "Very useful items. You know, you should wear them anytime that you are working on any sort of electrical equipment that might be powered.& head "Are you referring to the headgear for the Dream Machine?& hear,deaf "Yes, I had an accident as a youth that severely damaged my hearing. Over the years, it has grown worse and worse. Now I have difficulty hearing anything at all.& join He considers your offer, then says, "No, I prefer to stay here.& wait "Late? Whatever am I late for? You just arrived here yourself!& leav Frowning at you, he states, "No. I will remain here. Why should I want to leave?& bye "Good day, $P. Thank you for being patient with my poor hearing. If you need, please come talk to me anytime.& "Don't know anything about that.&

Andrew Carnegie
a spirited, sharp-eyed man in his 60's. "I'm sorry, but I don't discuss business with murderers.& He turns his back and walks away. Carnegie turns to look at you, and extends a calloused hand. "Good day! It's good to see that your journey to Mars was safe. Hopefully you've come with fresh @resources from Earth.& "Ah, 'tis you again, $P. How may I be of assistance?& "We need all three barrels of phlogistonite to return to Earth.& "Excellent! As the Martians are all again corporeal and waiting, let us go home!& Would that be acceptable?& @Y or @N yn "Good! Then we'll get started. It's a good thing that there's plenty of steel. Making a few cannonballs won't endanger the construction of the cannon. "Please make yourself at home. This could take a while.& Carnegie disappears into another area, and loud noises soon emerge. After a short time, he returns. "Eureka! I knew I could do it. You can do anything, you know, if you really want to and are willing to work for it.& He emerges with a pile of shiny cannonballs. "Ah, ready for another try, eh? Let's see if you've left enough room in that pack this time for all this weight.& You try to fit the cannonballs in your backpack, but there just isn't enough room. "There you go. Now go find our phlogistonite, friend, and we'll all go home!& "Well, if that won't do, I'm afraid I can't help you.& You explain that the phlogistonite is missing from the space capsule. "Oh, dear! Do you have any clue who might have stolen it?& You shake your head. "Perhaps you can find something at the scene of the crime that you or Mr. @Roosevelt can use to deduce the identity of the thief.& You show him the broken metal band. "Perhaps Mr. @Roosevelt can use his criminological expertise to determine the thief from that. Please, take it to him.& name Drawing himself up, he says, "Andrew Carnegie, at your service.& andy,andr,carn "What is it, $P?& job "While on Earth, I was what you might call a 'self-made' businessman. I was the founder and chief executive of Homestead Steel. "Here on Mars, I was placed in charge of milling steel with which to rebuild a @space cannon like the one that brought us here.& reso Sighing, he says, "We've had a grave need for iron @ore for several months. At first, we were able to locate a mine nearby that gave us a good supply, but its lode is spent. "It gave out on us with only one full cartload to go.& "Thanks to you, we now have all the ore we need to complete our steel-making.& spac "Aye, the cannon was to be a replica of the one that Mr. Lowell constructed for the exposition in Chicago. "Mr. Lowell had everything going on schedule, until the @madness affected him.& madn Shaking his head, Carnegie says, "One day he came to the project site, announced that he was now someone named 'Tekapesh', and was leaving to try to work on replanting the planet, or some other such hogwash. "He and the other people who went mad from the Dream Machine are now over at Elysium. As you know, we don't want them around here making trouble.& iron,ore,mine "Thanks to your help, we now have enough ore to finish our work.& "Once our mine here at Olympus became tapped, we started looking for alternate supplies so we could make more @steel. "We sent out various search parties, including the three @Explorers to try and locate more ore. "@Jean, one of the Frenchmen that was aboard our capsule, was searching deeper in our Olympus mine, but he never returned. "The most promising report was from Major Duprey, who found some at Syrtis Major, but was unable to find a way to @transport it here. "We only lack one cartful to have enough to finish the cannon!& "Ah! More iron ore! Where did you get it?& You explain that you found the ore at Syrtis Major and used the reactivated Martian canal system to transport it. "Oh, that is very good. I'll send some of my men to mine as much more as we need. At last we can finish our space cannon and go home! Thank you, $P, from all of the humans on Mars.& He adds, "Oh! We will, of course, need our propellant, the phlogistonite still stored in our space capsule. While my men are mining the ore, would you and $Y and your party bring that here for us?& tran "Apparently the Martians used their canals as an extensive transportation system .&, but without water in them they are useless to us.& jean "Never got to know him personally. Perhaps you should go and speak to his brother, Legrande. "He's the guard that Segal posted over that blasted Dream Machine after we smashed it.& stee "We take iron ore and coal and place it into a Martian smelting @machine. It's nearly like magic to watch, because we only have to put the materials in and rolled steel is produced out the other end. "From there, we took the steel straight to the project site to be riveted onto the @space cannon.& smel,mach Chuckling, he says, "Aye, if I could take that beauty home with me, I could replace an entire factory full of equipment with just one of those machines.& His face then turns serious, and he says, "But I could never do such a thing. After all, that machine would put hundreds of workers out of a job, an act which I could never condone.& expl,rich,sher,davi,yell,greg,dupr Glancing at Sherman, he says, "They've been indispensible to our efforts. You can ask Mr. Sherman there about his friends, for he certainly knows them better than I.& "Aye, Mr. Sherman, Yellin, and Major Duprey are all fine, upstanding men. Their reports have been quite useful. "You know, if you were able to convince one or more of them to join you, their knowledge of the planet would prove invaluable.& door,Argy,gate "I wouldn't know much about that. You might check with Admiral Peary. He's done a lot of exploring, and might have some ideas.& powe "Having the power on has definitely been a boon to this city. There is so much more we can do with electricity.& "It would be advantageous to have electricity. We have not as yet discovered a way to implement the power.& cann,ball "I'm sorry, but making cannonballs just doesn't seem worth the time required. We really don't need them, and the @space cannon is much more important.& "I wouldn't know how to make a lead cannonball, friend. Wait! I could make some of steel! "I believe they're usually made of lead. There seems to be some around in various locations. "You might see if Peary knows anything about them.& "Oh, no. Wait. We haven't found a source of iron yet. "And without that, I can't make steel. I'll tell you what. If you'll find me the iron, I'll make you the cannonballs.& phlo "You must confront Rasputin and attempt to recover it!& "Phlogistonite is the special substance Mr. Tesla and Mr. Lowell developed to propel our space capsules.& "Once the space cannon is complete, we will get the phlogistonite from our ship and pack it into the breach of the cannon.& clue,band,stra,stol "You must confront Rasputin and recover our phlogistonite!& roos,theo,tedd "Mr. Roosevelt is an experienced policeman. He lives in the northeastern part of the settlement.& join "While I appreciate your offer, an old man like me would only slow you down.& wait He pauses, then says, "I don't have much choice really, do I?& leav "That's not possible. There's no other settlement in which I would feel comfortable.& bye He nods as you take your leave. Ruffling his beard with his fingers, he says, "That's a new one to me, $P.&

Legrande Antoine Couillard
a haggard man with a far-away stare. "We must leave Mars now, $P. Thank you for your help in finding my brother, Jean. I can never repay you.& He stumbles away, griefstricken. "I suppose you want to see the @Dream Machine, $G.& "My friend, l'Avatar! You have found news of my brother? I hope all is well.& He sighs unhappily. "I hope that you bring news of my beloved brother, @Jean.& "State your business, $G.& You notice his eyes are red from crying. yn "Well, no harm in asking, I suppose.& "Things must have changed greatly since I left Earth, sister.& "Well met, brother.& yn "Oh, thank you, thank you. I knew there would be someone who would help me!& "Oh. Oh, well. I understand. It was worth a try.& His shoulders slump, and a tear runs down his cheek. "I am sorry, I can't let you in, $G. It's smashed beyond repair anyway.& He pauses, as if a new thought had just occurred to him. He continues in a lower tone of voice. "But since you are a fellow Mason, perhaps we can be of service to each other. If you can find my @brother for me, I will let you in to see the machine.& "But I am very worried about my @brother. If you can find him for me, I will let you in to see the machine despite Segal's orders.& name "Legrande Antoine Couillard.& He shakes your @hand in a peculiar way. legr,anto,coui "That is my name, $G.& hand,shak,pecu "Are you a Mason, $G?& @Y or @N job "Segal makes me guard the @Dream Machine.& He looks towards Olympus Mons. "But I wish I could search for my @brother. Perhaps you could @help me.& brot,help "Yes. My brother @Jean, he is missing.& "I am very grateful to you for your help. At least I now know what happened to him.& His voice catches and he turns slightly away from you. jean,miss,symb "You have brought news of my brother? Do you bring back only a sign of his death?& @Y or @N "I was ordered to guard the machine, but Jean was sent to find iron ore in the Olympus @mines.& mine Someone should look for Jean but most everyone is @afraid to.& He looks at you hopefully. "Maybe you...? No, no, you wouldn't be interested. But, perhaps...? You might not be afraid. Could you look for Jean for me?& @Y or @N "He must be lost, or worse. I'm so depressed... "The mine. Yes. It is a dangerous place.& some,most,ever "I'm not @afraid, but Segal insists I must stay at my post. As a fellow Mason, I'm sure you understand!& afra "They say there are monsters down there: huge worms that scour the tunnels for prey!& drea,mach "Jack Segal smashed it up because it was dangerous. I suppose I could let you have a look, just this once. "The least I could do for a friend and fellow Mason, $G!& "But please promise you won't tell anyone about this.& proo,prov Legrande thinks a moment. "His Masonic @symbol, $G. If you recovered it, it would greatly put my mind at ease.& "You have already given me all the proof I need, $G.& His voice catches slightly. bye He looks at you mournfully and gives you a salute. "Sorry, I know nothing of that.& yn You nod your head. "Let me see it, please.& You shake your head. "But I must have proof! I cannot believe that he is gone without proof.& He sobs and turns his back to you. You hand him the symbol you took from Jean. "Jean's Square and Compass insignia...& Legrande bows his head and tries to keep from crying. He fails. "Give me a moment to myself.& You cannot produce the evidence. "You have no @proof,& he mutters nervously. You hand him the symbol. "Jean's Square and Compass insignia...& He embraces you and sobs for a moment. Then he regains his composure. "Keep the symbol, $G. I need only the memory of my brother.& "I need a moment alone now, $G.& You cannot produce the evidence. Legrande bows his head. "I believe you, $G. A fellow Mason would not lie to me.& "Please give me a moment to myself.& As you turn away, you see he is crying. <Jean a man who is mortally wounded. Jean has already passed. Nellie says,"Good gracious, $P! "I think those are the worms Madame Curie was telling us about, the ones that are attracted to radium.& Dr. Spector whispers to you, "This man is obviously mortally wounded by them.& "No iron here...I hope Sherman found some... ...or they'll be stranded here forever...& Jean coughs for a moment. "...Please, $G, take this to my brother. Tell him what became of me.& He drops his Masonic symbol at your feet. He presses his Masonic symbol into your hand. His voice is now but a whisper: "...Legrande will need this, he is almost third degree... "...the worms...damn the worms... "...God take pity on my soul...& His blood warm upon your hands, he sinks back against your arms and sighs his final breath.

Robert E. Peary
a seasoned-looking man. "I certainly will not assist a known murderer. You may leave.& "$P! Thank God you've returned safely. And with the phlogistonite! This is indeed our lucky day. "Now if you can just get the fuel to Andrew before this planet destroys itself, we will go home!& He strides forward to greet you. "How do you do? It's a pleasure to meet someone who shares the spirit of @exploration.& Peary looks up and nods hello to you. "If Mr. Lowell were consulted on this, I surmise that he could confirm my own suspicions that these lenses were used to focus sunlight onto the ice in order to @melt it. "It also appears that, for whatever reasons, the system has @broken down.& "Judging from the cisterns, it seems your repairs have been quite effective.& He nods. "Yes, each of the towers I found was damaged in some fashion. One of them had a lens broken, another was covered in weeds, and the third had a damaged motor of some kind.& He thinks for a moment, then says, "I'd wager a strapping young lad like yourself could repair them. That way, we could restore the canals to functionality and I would be able to concentrate on my studies of the bridge system.& He thinks for a moment, then says, "I'd wager an outgoing young woman like yourself could repair them. That way, we could restore the canals to functionality and I would be able to concentrate on my studies of the bridge system.& He pauses for a moment then says, "If not for my current responsibilities, I'd go with you to @repair the towers. He pauses for a moment then says, "If not for the @bridges, I'd go with you to @repair the towers. You understand, don't you? "Of course, I'll gladly tell you where all @three lens towers are located.& name "Robert E. Peary. My friends call me 'Bert', and I wish you would, too.& admi,bert,rob,robe,pear "Yes, what is it?& job "Since our arrival on Mars, I have been utilizing my talents in civil @engineering to make our stay more comfortable.& engi,civi "That's right.& He gestures about, pointing out the features of the building you are in. "I have been employed for quite some time by the U.S. Navy as a civil engineer. When we landed, one of my first concerns was to insure that the buildings used in the settlement were of sturdy construction. "I've also been examining the canals and @bridges that are scattered about the planet.& brid "They seem to extend and retract across the canals by operating a switch. I will write a treatise on the Martian canals.& "Their mechanical construction seems quite unusual. If there were any @power to operate them, I would like very much to study their design in use.& powe "Yes, having the power turned on has really made a difference in our living conditions.& "It would be interesting to examine the workings of the planet with the power on. There are many things whose function we can only guess without the power to run them. "I saw some towers over by the McLaughlin crater that looked like they were built to harness energy. Let's see... that would be at about the coordinates 8N 14W. "There are some individual towers like them dotted around the countryside, but those are grouped together like a control centre. "There are also the @bridges, of course, and the the @buildings with the tubes coming up into them, which we cannot enter without power. "No doubt about it, travel would be easier with the power on, and access to certain areas is impossible without it.& buil,tube "They appear to be a transportation system, much faster than the canals would have been, but more limited in capacity. "Because they are located near the major cities, I surmise they are either a transportation system or a communication system. I cannot tell which without a closer inspection, of course. "There are four of the buildings. The one near Argyre is at 34S 64W. The one near Hellas is at 34S 72E. That near Elysium is at 31N 112E, and the one here at Olympus is south of the city at 0 109W.& expl His eyes shine at the mention of the word. "Ah, what a thrill, eh? You know, I can think of nothing more fulfilling than discovering the secrets held by those places previously unknown.& He turns to look north, and says, "I have even been to see the polar @icecap north of here. It is not unlike our own arctic regions on Earth, but without the proper equipment, I'm afraid that my explorations only scratch the surface.& ice,icec,pola,arct "Although I was not able to go far into that territory, I did notice that the ice seemed to be irregular, almost sculptured in its formation. From what I saw, I'm certain that the Martians used the ice as a @source of water.& sour,wate He turns to face you, saying, "Yes, I would wager that water was produced by melting the icecaps. The volume of water would also easily fill the canal system.& "I saw there were some unusual @structures that support my theories.& stru "There was an array of towers. They were @positioned along the fringes of the northern icecap and were topped by what appeared to be ruby focusing @lenses.& "I don't know anything about that.& lens,ruby,focu "I don't know anything about that.& melt "Once melted, the water would flow through a series of huge grates in the reservoirs that I saw near the tower with a broken motor. "No doubt there are cisterns underground to collect the water and distribute it around the planet by means of the canals.& "I don't know anything about that.& brok "If the power centre is not working, I'm not the man to help. You might check with Segal to see if he has any ideas.& thre,posi "Let me see.& Peary gazes northward and gestures toward the polar ice cap, "I placed markers by each one when I discovered them.& He flips through a small notebook, and reads. "The sextant readings were 55N, 125W for the first, which had a broken lens; 59N, 23W for the second, which was covered in weeds; and 55N, 100E for the third tower, which had a broken motor.& "I don't know anything about that.& repa "I can't tell you how to go about repairing them. But if I were you, I'd go ask Mr. Tiffany about the broken lens. "Mr.Carver can tell you how to clear away the weeds from the second tower. "As for the third, Mr. Edison can repair most electrical appliances.& "I don't know anything about that.& labo,lab He seems at first puzzled by your question, then understanding spreads across his face. "Come to think of it, I did see what could have been the entrance to some sort of underground complex under the ice. It could be the laboratory that you're interested in. "It was located at 54N, 112E according to my sextant. "One thing though, it was covered by the icecap, making it inaccessable. With the ice gone, though, it just might be reachable.& Argy "I've seen the city. It has been heavily fortified by Rasputin and his followers. All access to the city has been blocked by thick metal @gates which are barred from the inside.& meta,gate "The gates of Argyre are exposed to attack from the canals. The barge cannons can fire a round of ammunition at sufficient velocity to breach the gates, but the @balls themselves are too soft for this purpose.& ball "If Mr. Carnegie could fashion some steel cannonballs of the right caliber, the barge cannon could breach the fortifications!& barg "I recorded the locations of four canal barges. The smallest was between Arsia Mons and Noctis Labyrinthis at 25S 120W. A slightly larger one, with Martian lamps mounted on it, was at 8N 162W, just west of Olympus Mons. A small one with a cannon on it was between Argyre Planitia and Syrtis Major Planum at 4S 9W. A very large one, mounting four cannons and equipped with tracks for ore-cars was in Hellas Planitia at 27S 62E.& join You see a longing in his eyes as he says, "I would love to go exploring once again, but I must confine myself to the duties at hand. I do, however, appreciate your offer.& wait "Yes, that is the most logical course of action. I shall continue my studies of the @bridge system.& leav Nodding, Peary says, "Probably the best course of action. Go and see what you can discover out there, $P.& bye "Farewell! Perhaps we can meet at a later time and discuss your exploits.& Peary strokes his chin, and shakes his head. "I don't know anything useful about that.&.

Sarah Bernhardt
a beautiful woman with sparkling eyes. "Aren't you... Yes, you're the one they say killed Legrande!& She pulls herself up to her full height and points imperiously at the door. "Out! Out, I say! I will have no criminals darkening my doorstep!& "L'Avatar! All has gone well, I see. That is magnifique! You will take the fuel to Andrew now, non? C'est bon. And soon, we will be home!& She waves to you leisurely and blows you a kiss while the ground shakes under your feet. She greets you in a voice filled with musicality, "Bonjour! Please excuse my accent, I have not spoken much English before I come here.& The woman turns at the sound of your voice, then stifles a gasp of surprise as she sees the mechanical being in your party. "Mon Dieu! Il est incroyable!& Gathering her composure, she says, "Bonjour! Please excuse my accent, I have not spoken much English before I come here.& Pointing to the metal woman, she gasps, "What is that?& The metal woman intones, "Please do not be alarmed. My companion has brought me to you to find a solution for a particular problem. "Apparently you are skilled in @cosmetic adjustments.& Nodding uncertainly, Sarah looks to you for an explanation. Sarah turns at the sound of your voice, then stifles a gasp of surprise as she sees the mechanical being in your party. "Mon Dieu! Il est incroyable!& Gathering her composure, she points to the metal woman and gasps, "What is that?& The metal woman intones, "Please do not be alarmed. My companion has brought me to you to find a solution for a particular problem. "Apparently you are skilled in @cosmetic adjustments.& Nodding uncertainly, Sarah looks to you for an explanation. Sarah smiles as you enter. "Bonjour, mon ami! amie! How goes your travels?& name Looking you in the eyes, she says, "My name is Sarah Bernhardt.& sara,bern She smiles, "It is so good to be recognized! I have worked very hard to gain my notoriety in the theater.& job "Job? I believe you mean what I do? "My 'job', indeed my life has always been the stage. I am an actress, but not on Mars. "I have tried to perform to entertain mes amis here in our settlement, but of late I have found more relaxation in pursuing my interests in @sculpture and @painting.& scul "Oui, there is much beauty in the works left by the @Martians. It is very sad to think that they have passed on.& pain She indicates her room. "I have very few equipments to use, but I have found that I can still render the beauty of the @Martian landscape, even with the few @colors I have available.& "It is wonderful to have light in the evenings now. I must thank you for restoring the power to the beautiful city!& mart,mars Turning to the metal woman, she says, "It is a very great tragedy of your loss. I wish that there was some means of saving your race.& She looks sad and says, "It is a very great tragedy of their loss. I wish that there was some means of saving their race.& colo,pigm,dye "Like the old masters, I have gathered berries to crush and make the pigments for my paintings. "I have found the berries in Argyre to be the most brilliant. Of course, I cannot get to them now. That evil man, Rasputin, has closed the city to all traffic.& cosm,disg,huma Looking at you, she laughs, "You do not need to have make-up. Your visage looks very attractive the way it is.& roug,berr "I use them to make pigment for my paintings.& gate,argy "Oh, I have not ranged that far myself in months. For more recent information, you should speak to Admiral Peary. I'm sure he would know more than I.& join She smiles, and says, "Non. I do not want to leave my friends that I have made here at Olympus.& wait Sarah goes to her dressing table and sits. "I shall remain here.& leav "If you must, you must. Au revoir, $P.& bye "Au revoir, $P. Please do come again.& Batting her eyes coyly, she says, "I do not know that word, my friend.& She looks from you to the metal woman, and she seems at a loss as to what must be done. Dr. Spector says, "We want to disguise the mechanical bodies to look human.& Nellie says, "We want to disguise the mechanical bodies to look human.& She stammers, "You want to disguise the mechanical body to look human? "I can use @rouge berries to make a pigment that will look the color of human flesh, but it will not make the body look human. "Perhaps there is a way to cover the metal with some material that would hold the pigment.& Cheseket interrupts, "You know, the mechanical men at the cisterns are coated in a water-repellent substance that looks as if it has the consistency of flesh. "I am sure that Madame Bernhardt could mix color in with that material to make it appear like worm-skin. "If we find such a substance, Madame Bernhardt, would you prepare a color to blend with the coating to make the metal body appear human?& Sarah says, "But of course! I will be only too happy to assist, Mademoiselle. You should retrieve the @rouge berries as soon as you can.& "The berries are located in Argyre. "Please, go there and retrieve them for me.& Sarah looks at you expectantly, then asks, "Bon! You have, then, brought me more of the rouge berries, non?& You shake your head negatively. "But I need them! Please, go to Argyre and retrieve them for me.& Sarah looks at you expectantly, then asks, "Bon! You have, then, brought me more of the rouge berries, non?& You nod your head and hand her the berries. Sarah takes the berries from you, and walks over to her dressing table. She crushes the berries and mixes the juice with some other makeup, then stirs the mixture into a container. "Here you are, my friend. This pigment should look quite close to the color of human skin.& "Ah, you have come back to me for the dye, eh? Very well. We try again to let you carry it away, non?& "Oh, my. You have already a very heavy load. You must put something down and then I will give you the dye, non?&

Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin
a robed man with luminous, piercing dark eyes. He stares at you, a hot malevolent stare. "Ha!" he bellows. "That is all incidental. I have hidden your precious phlogistonite in the Dream World. "You dare not try to @remove it!& "Again, worm? You'll fare no better this time. Beware! I do not grow tired of displaying my power... "...but continue to be pathetic, and I may just tire of the sight of you.& "Such arrogance! Such impotent violence! Why can you not accept that I am your better and your master? I own the world, worm.& "That which I can @destroy must bow down to me.& "Now what do you want?& "I sense Ambassador Chsheket is with you. "If you think that metal body will gain acceptance from the other worms, think again, Chsheket.& Chsheket looks down dejectedly. "I fear that what he says is true. "People of Earth would never accept @metal people. We would be treated as servants or worse.& Rasputin looks at you. "I am many things, $P, but I am not a liar.& "Well, if it isn't you again, @wormspawn!& name "You can call me Rasputin. But my true name is @Raxachk.& Chsheket gasps in disbelief. "No! It can't be...@Raxachk is the one who made the plague!& Rasputin grins evilly. "Even so.&\ rasp,grig,raxa "Yes, what?& worm,spaw,pawn "Wormspawn, wormspawn. Pawn of worms, and spawn of a worm...! But for now, you will have to be our @host.& host "Is that what is bothering you, $G? Though your bodies are durable, they are disgusting. "Even so, we are forced to inhabit them until the @plague passes.& plag "A brilliant weapon. A pity that it had to be used! But I warned @Tekapesh and the others; they wouldn't listen.& prek "He was a weak-willed fool. His sentimentality and gullibility were his doom! His demise is a tribute to your interference.& teka "Though not crippled by respect for your species, he is foolish to think the plague has passed. "If he thinks to overthrow me by making use of you, then I suppose I will simply have to dispose of him as well.& dest,cata "Indeed. The Dream World would be utterly obliterated by returning the phlogistonite to the real world. "A chain of earthquakes and storms would follow, disasters of such proportions that the face of @Mars would be swept clean.& Chsheket whispers to you."I fear he speaks the truth, $P. "Early experiments by my people show such material transfers to be very dangerous! "We must @free my people from the Dream World before we tamper with the very structures of reality and Dreamreality!& "@Free them?& says Rasputin mockingly. "One such as you could never @free them.& mart "Those who had common sense obeyed me. Those who did not obey me were forced into the @Dream World.& free "The Martians could never be free in metal bodies. The people of Earth accept no one who is different as an equal. "My poor plantals would be kept as slaves or freaks.& Suddenly he begins to laugh maniacally and cry at the same time. "You cannot win, Earth creature. I have won. "You shall never leave @Mars.& job "@Rasputin is rightful ruler of all he surveys.& rasp,grig "Rasputin is the name you pink things give to the vessel that serves to house the mighty @Raxachk.& remo,phlo "I have perfected a way to send real objects to the Dream World. You cannot recover them without setting off a @cataclysm of epic proportions. "More importantly, I can destroy both @Mars and the @Dream World.& mars "With the useful explosive you call phlogistonite, I can shatter this planet like ice beneath a hammer.& Dr. Spector frowns. "Even if he's just hidden the stuff, it's still a possibility, $P! "Even a well-placed dynamite charge could cause the fragile Martian volcanic shelves to fracture. Phlogistonite is far more dangerous!& drea,worl "Since my intellect far surpassed that of any other Martian, it was not difficult for me to devise a machine to take real objects into the Dream World.& "As a safeguard, I have also disabled the Dream Machine here in Argyre. It is inoperative. "The reverse, bringing objects back from the Dream World, is even more difficult, but I can do that, too. With this technology, there is nothing I cannot @destroy!& join "I would have to be mad as well as stupid to do such a thing!& bye "Do you believe that I can destroy @Mars?& @Y or @N yn "Good.& "So even that is beyond your comprehension!& slee He laughs maniacally. "Sleep is for the weak. I do not sleep. I cannot sleep. I must not sleep!& Rasputin frowns as he fails to fathom what you have said."Perhaps if the worm rephrased that...& He looks at you as if you were speaking nonsense. He yawns. "@Sleep would be more interesting than this.&

Maurice
a rough-looking sort. "Hey! I see you there! How did YOU get past me?!& The man in a sailor suit chews his toothpick. "What are you here for? Who sent you?& He waits for your reply. name "The name's Maurice.& He smiles, tips his cap, then spits. maur "WHAT!?& job "I guards this @gate, $G.& guar,gate "Yeah! "And there ain't nothin' thats gettin' in this city. These gates are here fer good. Killin' me won't help you either.& Chsheket wispers, "Actually, given the right materials for one of the barge cannons, the gate could be destroyed. This is not the first time Argyre has been besieged.& "It's no use I tell you!& he laughs. mars,mart "That may be true, and it may not. But if I was a Martian, you couldn't do anything about it!& rasp,russ "You're lookin' to see him? Well, that's just too bad. The boss isn't seein' anybody today.& teet,fron,toot "Lost 'em in a bar fight, years ago. Good thing, too: It's kept me from being drafted several times.& He laughs as if this were the height of wit. tube "They won't get you in here, either! The tube building is outside the walls, to the east!& brib,pay,help,chea,how,what "Give it up, it's no use. I ain't letting you past here!& bye "As you wish.& He grins and you notice his front @teeth are missing.& "That don't concern me. Go away.&

Emma Goldman
a strong-willed, intense woman. "Preparations for our return are done. Bring the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie so we may start home!& "Living humans! I thought that @Raxachk had slain all but me!& "Ah, it is you again, $G. What have you come to @speak about?& She looks you over boldly. "I'm Emma Goldman. "Glad to meet you. Please make yourself comfortable.& @C or @R cr "A crime, you say? Then I must be one of the most @dangerous criminals of the century!& "A right, you say? Then perhaps in you I might find a @sympathetic listener.& @sister in my cause.& name "Emma, Emma Goldman.& Nellie whispers to you, "Careful, $P. I've heard of Emma Goldman before. She's known for encouraging rioters to run through the city streets and loot stores! "She's very unpredictable!& emma,gold "I see that you've heard of me. Good!& job "On Earth I was limited to being an @orator, @speaking to groups. But here I have much more @opportunity!& spea "Human beings must convey all information by writing or speaking. I am a writer and speaker, therefore I am very @powerful.& "And you...you are very handsome...You could help me get rid of @Carnegie...& "But not powerful enough to get rid of @Carnegie by myself...& powe "Only Grigori @Rasputin has more power than I do, here.& here "Don't be silly. We are in my citadel in Argyre.& orat,talk "Do you consider speaking one's mind to be a crime or a right, $G?& dang "Well, I never kill anyone, or even attack them bodily. But the pen can be mightier than the sword, you know. "That's how I intend to topple @governments.& sist,fair "Equal rights for women is what I'm speaking of. "No girl should have to marry for money. No girl should be subject to an arranged marriage. No woman should have to bear children if she doesn't want to. "@Governments are too busy being corrupt for me to hope that these injustices will be addressed. The answer is @anarchy!& gove "Most governments were created to enrich the rulers, not to help the ruled. "That's why there is no hope for any of them. "Even beautiful America is run, not by the President, but by the rich people. "If people are to live in a @fair society, be truly equal, the only power all citizens have is to enforce @anarchy.& rasp,russ "I was manipulated by Raxachk, but I am not afraid of the real Rasputin. He needs my help now.& "He will direct our energies, and so I shall voluntarily assist him. When he has brought us into Paradise, then we shall be @free.& oppo "Yes! A chance to put an end to Andrew @Carnegie, that offensive tyrant!& andr,carn "Grrr!& Suddenly her eyes grow wide and she looks very much like a pit bull. "I'll break his monopoly on the goods on Mars, just as I broke his @reflectors!& refl "After Lowell left, Carnegie took control of them. He must have used them to tell Earth to send him more supplies. "I don't know that Morse code, but I can see a clear opportunity to take advantage of us!& para "Equality of the sexes, food for all, equal labor for all, a lush green garden of free and loving people!& free "Yes. Free of oppression, free of tyranny, free of corruption, free of @government.& anar "On Earth I wanted to burn down the steel mills, free the little children working in the coal mines, and tear the obscenely rich down off their padded thrones. "The only thing in my way was the government. They exiled me because they knew I was close to my goals. "But here on Mars, it's just @Carnegie and me. He knows I'm here and there are no laws for him to hide behind. "His sugar-coated whips and padded yokes for his workers will never fool me!& caus "Have you read none of my treatises, $P? According to the newspaper clippings, I am a notorious @anarchist.& symp "I believe in @anarchy because I have lost hope of making the current governments @fair. raxa "Yes, Raxachk! He murdered Maurice and the others, then forced me at gunpoint to operate the @Dream Machine for him.& "Who?& drea,mach "Raxachk has withdrawn into the Dream World, abandoning Rasputin's body for now. "The Dream Machine had to be reactivated for his escape. I have made sure that it remained functional so that you could follow. "In his madness, I believe he has become bent on the @destruction of all humans on the planet!& "We have one here, but Rasputin restricts its access. That is acceptable to me. I have no need to escape reality, but to change it!& dest "But for now, we must @flee!& "That's the spirit!& "He said he was capable of destroying Mars.& Chsheket interrupts, "If he transfers any objects back from the Dream World to this reality, there WILL be catastrophes!& "Then someone must stop him!& Dr. Johann Spector speaks. "You must stop him, $P!& flee "Yes. We must flee Argyre before Raxachk can compel Rasputin to submit once again to his will, or perhaps use the Dream Machine to destroy Mars.& "Hmm. $P, we must continue with our plan to get the phlogistonite. "Our friend Segal is working to free the friendly Martians, even as we speak. "Miss Goldman, please be so kind as to escort Mr. Rasputin back to Olympus immediately.& Emma replies, "Gladly! Anything to be far from that murderous Martian!& "Without phlogistonite, we cannot leave Mars. You must get it from Raxachk, $G. "As for me, I shall escort Mr. Rasputin back to Olympus. "There we shall await either you or our fates. Farewell.& bye "You tell @Carnegie that I'm coming to slit his throat some dark night!& "Yes, leave now. Farewell.& "We haven't time to speak of that.&

Gordo
a plump thug. This ruffian looks like a wrestler--one who fights dirty. name "I am...I am...I am Vetch. Yes, that is my name.& "I'm called @Gordo.& gord "What do you want?& job "I shall assist Raxachk in taking over this world.& "Well, I used to be a @bodyguard.& body,guar "I would protect @Rasputin from wild animals.& wild,anim "You know, long @cave-worms and suchlike.& worm,cave Suddenly Gordo gets angry for no reason you can discern. "You are very like a worm yourself. Your pupils are round and your skin is a @sapless pink!& sap "If I did not have to continue surviving, I would destroy this decaying sun-forsaken shell I am forced to @inhabit.& inha,shel,dest "Ah, but @Raxachk will find an answer. Perhaps he will find a serum to make these bodies green.& "Surrender to him, intruder. You can do nothing to @harm or stop @Raxachk.& harm,stop "That body he inhabits; he chose the strongest one of all the worms.& "And he has great powers of telekinesis, so no projectile could harm @Raxachk.& raxa "The humans think he is Rasputin of Earth, but he is truly Raxachk, the great Martian Dreamer!& rasp,russ "He's a monk, you know. Pure heart, pure mind, pure body. He's going to lead us into a @new age.& new,age "Yeah. No more wars, no more factories, no more @czars.& czar "I don't actually know what a 'czar' is, but Rasputin says they were annoying and powerful.& bye "Begone, worm!& "O great sun! I've even forgotten what my real name was.& "Bye.& "What does it matter? You have no chance against us, worm.& "Go ask Rasputin himself; he might know.&

Miles
a slender man with a dull stare. "Oy, who are you? "Well, I don't care who you are. You're just trying to take @advantage of me, I know it!& "What is it now, worm?& name "You can call me Miles.& mile "What is it now?& job "I work for Mr. @Rasputin.& adva "You probably think I'm someone you can push around! "Well, I'll tell you right now it won't work. I've been taught to @think for myself!& thin,taug "That's right. Rasputin told me not to listen to others because I'm too easily @influenced.& infl "So I'll show you. I'll show all of you. I'm only going to do what @Rasputin says. 'Cause I'm my own man, a free human being.& rasp,russ "You think you're so smart blowing down our wall, but Mr. Rasputin will put you in your place! "He's got the whole secret @plan worked out. You'll see.& plant,marti "Who, me? Well, go ahead, say whatever you like. But I don't care, because no one else will believe you!& plan "Yeah. He's got the fuel, and no one but him knows where it's hidden. Nobody gets to go to Earth unless they do whatever he says.& "And nobody better @try anything, because if they do...& try "Just go find out for yourself! He's in that building to the northwest. Go past this building and enter the bigger one through the west side.& own,free,huma,bein "Hey, what do you mean by that crack?&\ worm "You are made of dead greenless flesh.& Miles shudders. bye "Yeah, bye.& "Talk to Mr. @Rasputin about that.&

Mr. Fenton
a homely plug of a fellow. "Ah, I see you have come back to talk to me.& With a voice like a creaking door, he says, "What are you doing here? I have not seen you @around.& arou "I thought I knew everyone in this land. @Rasputin sends me out when he needs to find something out.& name "Call me Mr. Fenton.& fent "Yes. The Fenton line goes far back into history. I'm glad you recognize it.& mr "I believe that is the custom, $G, between those not on a familiar basis.& job "I am a...an aid to @Rasputin.& he creaks. aid "I bring him information.& info "That's definitely none of your business, $G.& rasp,russ "Even though you managed to break into Argyre, we aren't worried about you. "Mr. Rasputin has it all under control. He could snap you in half like a dry twig with his telekinesis. "If he wanted to, he could use psychometry on your clothing and know everything you've done while wearing them within the past century. "And he's already read your thoughts, even as we have conversed here. "I'm afraid he has you at a great disadvantage, $P.& bye "Yes, go speak with Mr. Rasputin. You'll see.& "Maybe that is none of your business.&

Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin
a robed man who looks confused. "Ah, $P! All the preparations for our return are done. Bring the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie so we may start home!& "Greetings again, $P.& name "Excuse me, I thought I had introduced myself. I am Grigori Rasputin.& "Grigori Rasputin, at your service!& rasp,grig "Yes, $P, how can I help you?& job "I am a man of God, questing for the means of His glory. "I fear I have been duped by @Raxachk, however.& raxa "His power and brilliance are beyond compare. It must have been he who sent @visions to me on Earth.& visi "They drew me to this Red Planet, with dreams of awesome powers and the ability to @rule the world.& rule "I didn't realize that Raxachk planned to use my body as a vehicle to rule Mars, with little regard at all for myself, @trapped in the @Dream @World, or for Earth. "Still, his strength of will, his enormous intellect, and his mental @powers, mysterious even to a student of strange things, fascinate me.& powe "The Martians dabbled in mental powers, acquired through the use of various berries; specific berries granted specific psychic abilities. "Raxachk himself became so powerful that he no longer required the berries to influence people and events across vast distances or to move huge objects by sheer power of mind.& mart "They took control of our bodies through the @Dream @Machine, and used us for their own purposes.& drea,mach,worl "Raxachk must have been the influence that compelled me to use the Dream Machine. He @trapped me in the Dream World and took control of my body in this physical world.& trap "I dreamt I was at a formal dinner, where I was poisoned by my enemies, but I was not @killed by the poison.& kill "They truly sought my death. When the poison failed, they shot me and stabbed me. Despite all this, I still drew @breath.& brea "At the last they pushed me through a hole in the icy surface of a frozen river. The current pulled me away from the hole, and I was trapped, perpetually drowning. It was a horrible and seemingly eternal nightmare. "It was suddenly dispelled, and I awoke, just moments ago. Apparently Raxachk fled back into the Dream World for his own reasons, and I returned to my body through natural laws.& join,wait,leav "I think I should wait for you back at the Olympus colony. You cannot take anyone with you into the dreamworld to confront @Raxachk, anyway.& bye "Farewell.& "I am afraid I can't help you with that, my friend.&

Tekapesh
a peculiar-looking man. "It is I, Tekapesh, within this new form. Quickly, you must bring the propellant to Agrarian Carnegie! Mars is destroying itself with every moment!& "I have told you to hurry! What more must I do? Carnegie awaits the fuel, and we cannot escape without it! Aaaarrgghh! Slow, stupid worms!&

Bikchiz
a peculiar-looking redheaded man. "The walls collapse! Bikchiz was not meant to die in this fashion! O save me, strange worm! "Our home is destroyed, our numbers decimated! Only you can save us! You must get the fuel to the ship, quickly, before we all die! Aieeee!& He staggers away, screaming. "You have not yet taken the fuel to the ship? We are not ready to leave? We are doomed! Doomed!& He staggers off, sobbing uncontrollably.

Fazek
a red-haired man. "Perhaps you remember me, $G. I was once Fazek, the Gatherer of Elysium.& The ground rumbles ominously about you. "You must bring all three stolen cannisters of fuel back to Mr. Carnegie! We must leave immediately if we are to save ourselves!& "You worms are so slow! Why are you delaying? The only thing that can save us now is to escape in the ship! Take the fuel to Carnegie! NOW!& The ground rumbles and shakes, tossing him to the ground.

Xichak
a capable, controlled man. "I am Xichak. I thank you for destroying Raxachk, but now you must get both the Martians and Earth folk out of here! "The volcanoes are awakening! The crust is shifting! Bring the phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie quickly! We must leave NOW!& "You! Still here! Run, run, you must take the fuel to Carnegie! NOW!& The ground shudders violently under your feet.

Chaktsaf
a strange-looking woman. "I, Chaktsaf, greet you. Mighty hero, we are all prepared to live amongst your kind. Let the memory of Raxachk's evil deeds never be spoken again! "I hope we will speak more some day, but first you must bring all of the fuel to your leader, Mr. Carnegie. Your duty is clear.& "You shirk your duty! You must return the fuel to Mr. Carnegie with all haste. Our world is shattering, and you pause to rest!&

Pashesh
an odd-looking woman. "I must admit I was wrong about you, human. You have defeated our greatest villain, and we are thankful. "Now you must bring Carnegie the dangerous propellant, all three cannisters of it, so we may leave Mars!& "I knew it! Ungrateful worm! You delay taking the fuel to Carnegie-worm so that we may all die! "Either that, or you are too stupid to realize the consequences of your delay. Aaarrrgghh! Worms!&

Cheshef
a strange-looking woman with red hair. "Help us, great adventurer! We must go before it is too late! "Your Mr. Carnegie awaits his three fuel canisters!& "Quickly, great one! The fuel must be taken to Mr. Carnegie before our world is destroyed!& name "I am Cheshef!& ches "I have been granted this new body, but I am still Cheshef.& job "Only the future will tell. My people will seek to live in peace if only you can get us all to Earth!& bye "Oh, hurry, Earth-hero, get the canisters!& "The canisters are all that matter now, $G!&

Percival Lowell
an older, distinguished-looking man, who appears somewhat distracted. "Hello. My name is Percival Lowell.& "Oh, hello again $G.& "Have you, too, been stymied by the monster, then?& You use the mirror to send Lowell a message in Morse code. He responds: "I'm so glad you have done this for me. I knew I needed a hero for this. Now I can go home and plan my Space Cannon project.& He pauses as if suddenly struck. "But wait a moment! I've already gone to Mars! "I remember now... This is all a dream! "I'm not sure if you are real or the result of my dementia, $G, but I thank you. I shall find my way back to the Hall of Dreams now.& "Hello again, $P. Thank you again for freeing me from my nightmare.& name "Lowell. Percival Lowell.& perc,lowe "Yes, $P. I am at your service.& job "I am an astronomer. I am @studying the @Solar @system. Are you, by any chance, a @hero?& stud,sola,syst,rese "My calculations indicate that there is a ninth planet in our Solar system. I have come out here to visit it, but I can't see it. "I could probably find it from Neptune, but there is a monster of some kind there. I need a @hero to defeat the monster and find the ninth planet.& hero "Please don't admit defeat. I doubt that any more heroes, or even prospective heroes, will come this way. "Remember, signal me with a reflector when you reach the ninth planet. "I need someone to take my telescope to Neptune, defeat the monster there, and find the ninth planet.& join "I'm sorry, but I really must finish this @research first.& bye "Until we meet again!& "Good luck, and thank you.& "I'm sorry, but you don't seem to be making sense.& "All of the humans I know were entrapped by the Martians are now waiting here. Perhaps you can convince the Martians to return our bodies to us now.& name "Percival Lowell, $P. Are you being affected by the @machine?& perc,lowe "Yes, $P. I am at your service.& job "I am an astronomer, and the @leader of the Martian expedition.& join,exit,leav,mars,lead "I believe that those of us who have been trapped by the Martians in this dream world should stay together here until @all of us are freed from our nightmares and, of course, until the @Martians agree to return our bodies .& drea,mach "Apparently, if someone using the dream machine can be caught up in some nightmare long enough, a consciousness residing in this place can take possession of the body left behind in the physical world. "The machine may have other deleterious affects, but we must hope not. I for one, however, have no intention of using the device again once I have my own body back.& mart "The Martians have apparently wished to possess our bodies for some reason of their own. We hope you, who still have a body to return to, can convince them to return ours.& all "All of us trapped by the Martians are now here. "There appear to have been eight of us, in all, trapped here. "We are Mr. Melies, Mr. Wells, Mr. Earp, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Lenin, Mr. Carver, Mr. Clemens, and, of course, myself.& tube "There are buildings with large tubes protruding from the floor near each of the major Martian cities. The doors were unopenable with the power off, so we didn't learn more about them.& bye "Until we meet again!& "Will you do this for me?& @Y or @N yn "Alas, then. I must hope that a hero will come along to help me.& "Thank you. Be sure to send me a signal from the ninth planet if you reach it.&

Georges Melies
a man holding a megaphone. "Ah, hello again, $G. I eagerly await our return to the @real world. "I long to be in Paris once more. Or just New York.& He laughs. "I would even settle for the Olympus Mons encampment.& He holds the cone before his mouth and calls out, "Stay where you are. "Though I am very happy to see another person in this desolate place, I must ask you to COME NO CLOSER! "Please don't @move!& "Ahhh! What a relief to be out of that horrible set! Thank you, my friend! "Ah, it looks like this is your scene, so I'll be going backstage while you take a bow, now.& And, indeed, as the room grows dim about you, you seem to hear faint applause and cheers from an unseen audience! name "I am Georges Melies, maker of moving @pictures.& geor,meli "Yes, $P. Can I help you?& job "Perhaps we may speak again of this under better circumstances.& He glances about nervously at the @walls. pict "I make such fantasies as are wonderful and difficult to imagine!& He looks around him and smiles a small smile. "Or maybe not so difficult...& move "When I first got here, I couldn't even SEE the walls. But every step...& (He pauses dramatically here.) "Brings us closer to our @doom!& doom,wall "I tried the door, but it is old and rusted shut. "Being alone in such an empty place frightened me. "I ran, and now the walls are upon me and I can go no further lest they crush me to death. "If you tread upon @certain of the squares, perhaps you can escape, my friend.& esca,cert,squa "Only some of the squares cause the walls to close. Alas, however, I cannot tell which ones are safe! We are doomed!& join "I would love to join you in your escape from this place, my friend. But, for now, I will remain right here!& wait "Certainly, I will wait! Where do you think I would go?& leav "Yes, I would love to leave, but I cannot!& bye "You must help me to get out of here! Do not leave me alone again!& "Ask me again, perhaps when we are not in this scene.& name "I am Georges Melies, maker of moving @pictures.& geor,meli "Yes, $P. Can I help you?& job "I write, direct and occasionally act in my fantastic productions.& pict "I make such fantasies as are wonderful and difficult to imagine! "Or at least I thought so, until today!& move "Oui, it is nice to be able to move freely again, is it not?& doom,wall "Being alone in such an empty place frightened me. "I am very grateful to you for helping me to escape.& esca,cert,squa "Oui, that was - how do you say? - a close one, n'est ce pas?& join "I am flattered you would ask, $G, but I am very satisfied with my present career.& bye "Adieu, good gentleman.& dear lady.& "I do not know of that.&

H.G. Wells
a pale, nervous man. "Ah, there you are! Good to SEE you!& He smiles at the joke he's made and shakes your hand. "They're back! You made @them come back!& "You haven't killed them yet! Kill them! Make them go away!& "You did it! They're gone! I don't know how to thank you. I'm free!& name "Wells. Don't ask questions now, just get rid of @them!& job "Who cares! I won't live to do anything if you don't get rid of @them!& them "Them! They're @invisible. If you @move, they attack!& invi "Yes, invisible! I know, you think I'm crazy, but they are there!& move,shif,chan,atta,defe,bloc,parr,hit,walk,run "Are you crazy? If I move, they attack! I'm not going anywhere until you get rid of them. And HURRY!& join,leav "I told you, I'm not moving until they are all gone! All of them!& wait "Yes, I'll wait right here! I'm NOT MOVING until they're all gone! Now, HURRY!& bye "Stop talking and DO something! Quick!& "Who cares! Get rid of them!& name "Wells, H. G. Or you can call me Bert.& well,bert "Yes, $G?& job "I'm a @writer. A good one.& writ "Yes, I've written several articles and am now working on a book. "This trip has given me some wonderful source material.& Mars "Horrible planet. Reminds me of all the geology classes I've failed.& lowe,perc "He seems to be a good enough leader. We just need to get home. I miss my Jane.& Jane "That's my wife. Amy, actually, but she's 'my Jane'.& join "No, no, I'll wait here until everyone is ready to go. Lowell insists, and I must say I think he's right.& wait "We're all waiting here until everyone has been rescued. Then we'll go back to Mars. And, hopefully, home. "This has given me an idea for a book. I want to get back and start writing!& leav "I'd love to. Unfortunately, everyone hasn't been rescued yet.& bye "I hope to see you again. After we're free.& "I don't know what you're talking about.&

Wyatt Earp
a weathered-looking man with brown hair. "Howdy, $P. Good to see you again.& name "Wyatt Earp. Of the famous Earp brothers. Surely you've heard of us, girl.& son.& wyat,earp "Yes, $G?& job "I've worked a bit as a scout for this group. Right now, I'm just waiting for Mr. @Lowell to say we can leave. "He's waiting for the @last one of us to get out of the @dreams.& Lowe,perc "Yes, Mr. Lowell has been a fine leader. He's sure done his best to keep our spirits up.& last "There'd be eight of us altogether when we have everybody out. Let's see - there's Samuel, George, Georges (which sounds the same, but ain't), H. G., Louis, Vladimir, Mr. Lowell, and me. Yep, that's eight.& drea "I sure do thank you for getting me out of that situation. It wouldn't be pretty if Ike Clanton thought he could do with me as he pleased. "I was a mite apprehensive there for a while.& clan,ike "That low-down varmint! He's lower than a snake's belly. You cain't trust him to do anything right. If he thought he had power over me, well, it just wouldn't be a purty sight.& join "Oh, no, $G, though I sure do thank you for thinking of me. I need to wait here like Mr. Lowell says until everybody is free.& wait "Yes, $G, that's just what I aim to do. Wait right here.& leav "Well, I sure hope we'll be able to leave soon, but that's pretty much up to you, now ain't it?& bye "If there's anything else I can do for you while I'm here, you just let me know, you hear? We'll chew the fat again later.& He waves and strides slowly away. He scratches his head and readjusts his hat. "I don't reckon I know much about that. You'll have to ask someone else.& TTiffany a frantic, wild-eyed shop proprietor. He appears broken by grief. He looks up at you only long enough to moan, "I am ruined! Ruined! My entire stock is gone!& "Stop that bull! It's ruining everything! Help me!& It's difficult to hear him over the sound of shattering glass. "Oh, thank you. I didn't think anything would be left once that minotaur got through with my collection.& "Hello, $P. Thanks for helping me out in my shop. I am indebted to you.& "Please, you must help me! Do you have anything red that you can use to attract the bull?& @Y or @N "Help me get this minotaur out of my shop! He'll destroy everything unless he's thrown out!& "I am truly indebted to you, $P. You have freed me from my nightmare. I will await you in the Hall of Dreams.& yn "Good! Hurry, use it to lead the minotaur out of my shop!& "Wait! I don't see anything red! Find something red! Fast!& "Wonderful! Please use it quickly to lead the minotaur from my shop! Hurry!& "Well, don't just stand there! Go! Find something! Quick!& name "My name is Louis Tiffany and I just can't talk now. @Help me!& help "Yes, that's right! I need help!& dream "My shop is being @ruined! Do something! Don't just stand there!& ruin "My shop is being destroyed! I have nothing; all is ruined!& bye "Don't leave now - do something!& He stares frantically at you. His eyes implore you to do something. name "I am Louis Comfort Tiffany.& tiff,comf,loui "At your service, $G.& job "I design fine glassware for a living.& Mars "Horrid red planet, isn't it? I wish I had my @body back.& drea "It's really a nightmare.& body "I certainly want to go back. This dream existence just isn't for me.& bye "It was nice talking with you, $P. Thank you again.& "I'd rather not talk about that now. I'm simply too agitated.& He looks away and focuses on something across the room. ULenin a stern, confident man with an athletic build. "It is, indeed, good to see you again. I hope that you have progressed in your duty to return us to our homelands.& "Comrade, it is good that you are finished so quickly. You have finished redistributing the wealth fairly?& @Y or @N yn "It is not worthy of one such as yourself to lie, comrade. I detect that there is still not a fair balance of wealth in the village. "Do you have the extra rubles with you? Let me see them.& "Then why do you disturb me? Do you need further instructions? What information do you seek?& "Greetings, comrade. You seem to be a citizen of the world. Perhaps you can assist me in my great endeavour. "It is my duty to reapportion the wealth of this village so that each person receives an equal amount of money. No one person must receive any more than his neighbor. "What you must do is divide the wealth, which I have gathered together here, into 25 equal piles, for the 25 inhabitants of the village. You must gather the rubles and put them back down in piles. This way, everyone will have the same amount, and all will be satisfied. "When you have accomplished this task, report back to me, and your contribution to the success of my task will be duly recorded.& He turns away and is still, obviously concentrating on something of great importance. "I must congratulate you on your swift reconciliation of the problem. "You have devised a particularly innovative, non-materialistic solution to the problem. The destruction of the wealth is to be lauded as a major blow against capitalism. You are, indeed, a worthy leader of the people. "There is still, however, the matter of the gem. "As it is impossible to divide, it must be given to the state to dispose of properly. That is the only fair way to distribute items of such disproportionately large value. "Do you have the gem with you now, comrade?& @Y or @N "You have saved us! I deeply appreciate your dedication to the cause of the masses. You will be remembered for your selfless action. "Now you must do your duty and help us to find a way back to the red planet, so that I may return to Mother Russia and redouble my efforts on behalf of my people. Spaseeba, my friend. In the English, thank you.& He hugs you enthusiastically and pounds you on the back. yn "You lie. It is not worthy of you, comrade. You are a self-professed hero of the people. Retrieve the gem and we will right the wrongs of oppressive society.& "Wonderful, comrade! It must be donated to the state in the person of an appointed representative - myself - for proper disposal for the good of the people. "Will you give it to me, comrade?& @Y or @N "You must retrieve the gem and bring it to me. I must dispose of it before the people can be content.& yn "Excellent! You are, indeed, a hero of the people. I will dispose of it in an appropriate manner. You will be remembered with fondness, comrade.& "Shame, comrade! You do not carry the gem of the state. You lie! "You must return to me when you truly have possession of the gem. I am disappointed in you, comrade.& "You must now endeavour to complete the division of the rubles so that the people will be content. Until then, I may not rest.& "You must not think of keeping the gem for yourself! I thought that you were as I am, placing the welfare of the masses before considerations of your own comfort. "I see that I was mistaken. You are another selfish capitalist. Ptui!& He spits on the ground next to your feet. You look at him and shake your head. "You must complete the job with equal fairness to all. Report to me when you are finished. Paah.& He looks disgusted. You take out the extra rubles and show them to him. "Keeping the extra rubles is not the solution, comrade. They should be given to the state for use for the good of the people. Will you give me the extra rubles you have found, so that the masses may benefit?& @Y or @N yn "This is good! I will take the extra rubles to avoid dissension, and the rest will be distributed evenly.& "You must bring to me 3 of the rubles, then there will be an even amount left for the people. Come back when you have 3 rubles and the rest of the money is divided equally.& "Now you must dispose of the rest of the money in a fair and impartial manner. I have faith in you to do well by the people, comrade. Report to me when you are finished.& "To divide the money in a completely fair manner, you must give the extra rubles to the state or @destroy them, so that they will not cause dissension. You must make the choice.& rubl,mone,cash "There are here 25 piles of rubles. There are also 25 people in the village. Your task is to divide the rubles evenly between the 25 piles. "There may, of course, not be a number of rubles which is easily divided by 25. If that is the case, there will be some @left.& extr,left,rema "As soon as you have finished dividing the bulk of the money, you must bring the extra rubles back to me and tell me that the rest of the rubles have been fairly disposed.& thre,3 "You have the extra three rubles? Excellent! Let me see them.& gem,jewe,ston "Yes, there is also a gem in the piles. Do you have it with you now?& @Y or @N divi,dist "Yes, comrade, you must divide the rubles into 25 equal piles. If there is any @extra money, you may report it to me.& dest "It is possible to @burn rubles, of course. That would be one way to make the amounts even.& burn "I would guess that you could destroy a ruble by placing it against that candle flame and setting it on fire. It does have a nice sound to it, eh, comrade? The destruction of the materialistic empire. Yes.& He smiles serenely. dona,give "Those things which may not be evenly divided must be given to the @state for proper disposal.& stat "The appointed @representative of the state is in charge of disposing of excess material wealth.& repr "I, of course, am the state's representative in this region.& pile,stac,bunc,grou,part "Each of the 25 piles must hold exactly the same amount before I may leave the region. The excess wealth must be destroyed or donated to the @state.& name "Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Remember it well, comrade.& vlad,leni Da, comrade.& bye "You must return to your duties. I understand.& He turns away. "That is not important at this time, comrade.& name "Lenin. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.& vlad,leni Da, comrade.& job,work "My job is to free Mother Russia from an imperialist dictatorship.& Lowe,perc "He has been a fair leader, though a determined capitalist. Not as offensive as some others I could name.& Mars "It is an interesting planet, but I am ready to return to my homeland.& body,home,leav "I will be ready to leave this place when all of us have been rescued from these nightmares. We will leave here together.& join,wait "I will wait here until we are all together, and we may return to the surface of Mars.& bye "I understand. You have other duties. We will speak later.& "My English is not yet the best. Perhaps we will speak of this again another time.& VCarver a young, black man. "Welcome, welcome, friend. You are just in time to assist me.& "Good, good, you have returned to assist me again.& "It is, indeed, good to see you again, my friend. Is there any way I may help you?& "I do thank you, my friend. You have allowed me to experience the fullness of the Martian life cycle. I was afraid that I would never fully understand it. "And now that we are back in the Hall of Dreams, I am free to go as soon as @everyone else is freed from their dreams.& "I have been trying to complete this experiment, but it is hopeless without assistance. "There will soon be a plant sprouting in the center of this area. It must be allowed to grow to full maturity. "This would normally occur with no assistance. There is, however, one problem here. The worms. "When the plant grows, there will be worms which try to eat the plant or the pod. The plant must be protected from these worms. "Unfortunately, I see that you are not armed to fight these creatures. "What you must do, then, is use the seeds I will leave for you. They will grow plants whose flowers will repel the worms. "If you cultivate these plants properly, they will allow the seedling I leave behind to grow to full maturity. "When the plant is mature, it will bear a pod. You must use the pod knife on the pod to open it. "I must leave you for now, but I will return at the end of the experiment. "Do not forget, my friend. Protect the plant at all costs.& He disappears. "We must obviously work harder to ensure the safety of the seedling. "You must review your treatment of the wormsbane seeds to see where it could be improved. "When you plant a seed in sand and water it, it will grow. If you nurture it with more water, it should bloom. "The flower, which is repellent to the worms, should remain for a while. "After that, you will have a flowerless plant again for a while, and then the plant will die. "One thing which you can do is let the flower remain for a short time, and then pick it. "If you do so, of course, you will have another seed to plant and water. "If you continue this cycle of planting and watering at a fairly brisk rate, you should be able to protect the seedling from the worms. "Right. Well, then. Let's try it again.& He disappears again, leaving behind the same objects you saw before. name "George, George Carver. I help @farmers.& geor,wash,carv "How can I help you, $P?& farm "I love @people and I love @plants. That's why I'm doing so much study on plants and food.& peop "People are funny sometimes. They won't believe me when I say tomatoes are good for them. "They say they're poisonous. "And when I told them that growing goober peas is really good for the soil, they said that the goobers themselves were good for nothing.& He smiles. "Guess I'll have to discover something to do with all those wonderful peanuts besides growin' new goober pea @plants, eh?& goob,pea,food "I've got it! Peanut butter! Hmm, I bet everyone would eat goober peas if they were roasted, ground up and smeared on toast...& job "Well, I sure wish I were back home. I paint and grow @plants.& plan "Yes, I do seem to have a green thumb. I can make pretty much anything @grow.& grow "Sure. It just takes the right soil, warm temperature, water, some sunshine. Sometimes you might need to add a little @fertilizer, but that's simple.& fert "I know what to use on most plants back home. These Martian plants are a little different, but not much. "I was taking some @notes before I came here to the dreams.& note "Sure, you want to see them? I left them in Elysium. My lab is on the northern edge of the city. "Feel free to use my notes for any information you need.& Mars,Mart "Yes, we do need to get back to Mars before we can really go home. I've enjoyed doing research here, but it's about time to leave. "Most of the Martians I've met here have been pretty pleasant folks, though a few remind me of people back home I'd rather not see again.& body "I certainly wouldn't mind getting my body back. I guess I'd need it to go back home.& He smiles shyly. "I think Mr. Lowell wants to make sure that we're all here before we leave the dreams, though. "I guess he's afraid that if we're not all here, some of us might never come out.& join "I do thank you, but I think I'd better stay here until we have everyone together.& wait "Yes, $G, I'll be waiting right here until we're ready to leave.& leav "I would love to leave and go home, but we need to wait here until @everyone is ready to go.& ever "Well, let's see. The ones I know used the machine are Mr. Lowell, Mr. Clemens, myself, Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Lenin, Mr. Wells, Mr. Melies, and Mr. Earp. "I think that's all of us.& bye "Goodbye for now. I do hope we see you again. It's been an honor to meet you.& "I'm sorry. I'm not remembering some things very well in here. Maybe you should ask me later.& WClemens a man in light grey wearing a bow tie. "Come on, now; we have to get to the post office! I'm late!& He throws a pilot's cap at your feet. He hands you a pilot's cap. "You're late, pilot. Where have you been?& "There's no time to talk now--we've got to get the @pages!& "More talk, sonny missy?& "Come on, now, we're late. I'll @steer this riverboat; you get the @pages!& He shakes your hand and thanks you as you step off the peculiar raft. "My goodness! I do believe you're as real as I, or the rest of us Earth folks. "I thought for sure I was dreaming YOU, too!& He grins beneath his bristly moustache. "Guess I should be going now. I'm sure we'll meet again!& "Oh, good, you got all the pages!& He squares them into a stack and they change into a book. The title reads,"The Adventures of $P.& He hands you the book and smiles warmly. "Now you go and @post this.& name "Samuel Clemens. Folks might know me better as author Mark Twain. Mighty pleased to meet you.& "I'm Mark Twain, of course.& sam,samu,clem "That's the name I sign on legal things.& mark,twai "That's the name I sign on important things.& job "I'm a writer. At least, I'll be a writer so long as I'm on time.& capt,pilo,stee "Remember: as long as there are rivers, there'll be riverboats. And as long as there are riverboats, there will be pilots...& He looks at his watch and looks pointedly at you. "Provided they're on @time, that is.& boat "Yep, she's a beauty, alright, a real Mississippi lady.& page "Well, they're a @book now.& "Yes, look, there they go. Scattered on the Mississippi lookin' for all the world like stars in the Milky Way. "Give me a hand, pilot; bring me all my pages! "If I don't gather up my manuscript and get it to the @post box on @time, my publisher in New York'll have my proverbial hide.& time He looks a bit sheepish. "I was admiring my own works when the winds of time blew the pages out of my hands. "All those things I write about, they'll always be there: runaway slaves, paddlewheelers, maiden aunts, and the rest. It'll always be the same. "But I'm just a mortal; a man only gets so much time. Twenty-five pages, that's how many we have to gather up, and I don't know how long I've got to do it.& post,box,mail,wher,book "Whew! Just made it.& "Our destination is the end of the river. "Mind you keep your eyes open, and warn me if there's shoals ahead, too.& shoa,sand "The shallows, you know; can't let our boat get beached on a sandbar!& rive "Well, as long as we can see the sandbars, we won't run adrift, pilot.& bye "So long, friend.& "Right, pilot! Let's get to work!& "Reckon I don't have a say on that, right now. Ask me later.& YPistol a beautiful black stallion. He turns to you and nuzzels your hand, looking for sugar cubes or some other treat. Finding nothing, he turns away. ZAuctioneer a fast-talking gentleman. "Horses! That's what I'm selling! "Would you buy? Would-ya-bid-to-buy? Come on, now! "Give me a @bid!& name He seems surprised that you do not know his name. "I am the @Auctioneer.& job "I sell @horses.& hors "I guarantee fine horse flesh here, $G. If you don't believe me, you can get it straight from the horse's mouth in some cases. Ha, ha, ha! "Would you like to @bid on one?& auct "Whoever will pay the most money gets the @horse up for @sale.& yes,i,bid,buy,sale "Do you want the @black, the @brown, or the @grey?& blac,pist "Sorry, he's already sold, $G. Next sale...& "Very well. Pistol is a black stallion of fine bloodline: Kindly note his strong hindquarters and gentle disposition, ladies and gents.& "The bidding will begin at 25 dollars.& brow,smit "You have already purchased the brown horse.& "Mr. Clanton has already purchased the brown horse.& "Very well. The bidding will begin at 15 dollars.& grey,gray,mars "You have already purchased the grey horse.& "The grey horse was purchased by Ike Clanton.& "Very well. The bidding will begin at 20 dollars.& bye "So long, $G.& He looks puzzled. Clanton springs back to life! "You cannot outbid Mr. Clanton, $P.& "Your bid, madam?& "Your bid, sir?& "You must bid higher than Mr. Clanton, $P.& "You cannot bid more money than you possess, $P.& Clanton springs back to life and yells, "#0!& Clanton yells, "#0!& Clanton jumps back to life! He Clanton screams, "I'll give you #0 for $Y!& "Well, now! Do I hear #0?& @Y or @N "#1! Do I hear #0?& @Y or @N yn "The bidding goes up to #0.& "Going once. Going twice.& "Sold,& cries the Auctioneer, "to Mr. Ike Clanton!& You don't have enough to outbid him. Do you try to outbid Clanton?& @Y or @N yn Clanton springs back to life! He Clanton looks disgusted. "Only an idiot would buy a horse like that for #0 dollars.& "Going once. Going twice. "Sold,& cries the Auctioneer, "to $P!& [Clanton a broad, friendly man. "Nice to meet ya. Great day for @horse tradin', ain't it?& name "Ike Clanton, that's me.& ike,icha,isaa "Look, I didn't pick my name! I'll just pretend you never said a word about it, friend.& clan "Yes, $P, what is it?& job "Oh, roundin' up cattle to make their brands more distinct, testin' the security of frontier banks, that sort of thing.& hors "A @brown, a @black... Some mighty fine horseflesh.That @gray one sure looks like trouble to me, though.& brow,smit "Sound and hale, from nose to tail. Might be a bit tough to handle. "Good luck with him, neighbor. You'll need it.& "I think I might give him to my brother to break for me. He'll shore get a surprise. That's the orneriest horse I ever did see.& blac,pist Clanton inspects the black's teeth. "Too young to tell if he'll be anything for stamina, but he's spirited... "Healthy coat, clean form. Best of the lot, I'd say.& grey,gray,mars "I shore wouldn't have paid that much for that one. He's trouble.& "I'm not sure you did me a favor lettin' me buy that one, friend.& "Don't much like the look in his eye. I imagine some day it'd come down to him or me...& buy "Make your bids to the auctioneer, friend.& sell "No, thanks. The horse is mine fair and square.& "No one's sellin' today but the auctioneer; you'll have to do that some other time.& corr "Meet someone at the corral? O.K.& bye "Right. Let's get to biddin' here, friend.& "What'd you say? Ain't never heard of it.& \Marshall an ornery, charcoal-grey stallion. "Well, I'm surely grateful to you for buying me rather than let that Clanton get his hands on me. You'll @free me now, right?& "What? Who? What's going on here? Who are you? This isn't my home!& "We've met, haven't we? I'm so confused, I can't see straight.& name "Everyone always calls me 'Marshall', so that must be my name.& job "I lead the @herd, and run off any wolves or coyotes that attack.& "I must be @free to protect the @herd!& herd "You know, all of my fellows that I'm sworn to protect.& mars "Yes, $G?& wyat,earp "Yes, what? "No, wait, is that me? I can't remember... "It's all so confusing.& buy "Buy me? You couldn't possibly have enough money! After all, I'm the one responsible for protecting the herd, so I must be left @free!& hors "Of course, I'm a horse, of course. "Well, maybe... it doesn't sound right, what do you think?& ike,clan "He's here? "That low-down, cattle-rustling varmint's a wanted man! "I ran him out of town once already, an' he still robs the bank. You tell him that I want to meet him in the corral at noon to settle once and for all. "An' if he thinks he can get away with it by buying me first, he's got another think comin'! You'll buy me right out from under his nose, right? I said, right?& free,rele "I'm free! I can't believe they almost sold me to Ike Clanton. Now THAT'S a fate worse than death! I sure owe you one, stranger. "You let me know if there's anything I can do for you, you hear? A horse. I can't believe I thought I was a gol' dang HORSE.& "Yes, I must be free! Nothing should stop me from protecting my @herd!& He becomes quite agitated, pulling at the halter that binds him to the hitching post. You have to back away to avoid his thrashing. join "I can't unless you can outbid @Clanton.& wait "I don't want to wait. I've got to get back to the @herd.& leav "They've got me corralled. I can't leave unless you @buy me.& bye The horse snorts and tosses its forelock as it turns away. "How should a horse know anything about that?&

Smith the Horse
an ordinary roan stallion. "Don't think I'm grateful for your buying me. And don't expect me to @carry you around!& "Why should I talk to you, horseface? You didn't think I was worth buying, so you're not worth talking to.& He turns around and flicks you with his tail. "Say-hay, don't I know you from @someplace? You look mighty familiar!& "Why hesitate? I'm the finest there is, pal. Buy me.& name "Smith the Horse. As if you didn't know that already! Who did you expect--Mr. Ed?& smit "Yes, Smith. Are you this smart every day?& mr.,mist,ed "Don't mix me up with that bit-gnawing sell-out! He traded his dignity for fifteen minutes of fame, that mareless son of a donkey!& job "I do only two jobs. Number one, I eat hay. And number two, I keep plantigrades like you on your toes.& carr,ride,hors "What kind of a racist idea is that? Don't take me for a foal just because I've got foa' legs.& He laughs at his own joke. plan,toes,raci,leg,foal,joke "Never mind. It's over your head.& hay "I'm sure they've got some oats here, too, but they're too cheap to feed me right.& some,plac,fami "Hmm, I think I dreamt of you! You're the... the... "I forgot the word. Must not be important.& avat,word,drea "That's right! I've helped you before. You ingrate! "Think of all I've done for you. You've got to get your old pal out of here!& done,sell,pal,chea,help "I know lots of things. Clues, @hints, and answers... You can't afford to be without me!& clue,hint,answ,thin "I suppose we could bargain a bit. Okay, okay. "If you're lost in a savage place, there's a great underground hideout I know. Just use the gem in the holder on the great plateau and go three steps southeast of the central transfer pad. "You'll find the stairway to... Well, the stairway down. "If you wish to soar through the skies of Britannia, you must search for a cauldron underground. The Dungeon Covetous and Lord British's basement both have cookpots that will fly. "If you take uour silk to Charlotte, she'll weave you a web that will take that cauldron out of this world. "Now, get us out of here...& "Gotta @buy me. That's all there is to it, buddy.& brit "Those days are over, pal, and good riddance to them, I say! "Annoying muscleheads putting on a hundred pounds of metal clothing, expecting an honest horse like me to lug them through the wilderness! "Bree-hee-hee! Glad I got out.& bree,hee "That's horse for 'no thanks.'& buy "I'm your ticket to greatness. Buy me from that pinhead on the podium, and we'll breeze this popstand!& "Hmm, you look broke, buddy, and I don't mean saddlebroke! You could borrow money from your friends, now, couldn't you? "You DO have friends, don't you? I may be assuming a lot here...& dead,kill "Well, I hope you took time to bury them all...& ike,clan "Him? Old Ike Clanton's a mean one. Good thing he's gonna buy @him, and not me!& him,wyat,earp,mars "You mean old @Marshall over there?& @Y or @N yn "@Pistol? You've got to be kidding! That nag's such a wet noodle.& "Hmmm. He doesn't talk much, he's got serious conformation flaws, he's lazy, and he eats too much.& pist "No personality, even for a horse. What a plowbeast! Don't waste your time on him.& grat,than "I know your kind. You just want to use me! I suppose you want advice, now...& @Y or @N yn "Yeah, right. You'll be back later for @hints, I'll wager...& He grins, knowing he won't be believed. "Don't go for book larnin'; it doesn't pay to be smart. Better to be strong or fast! "It's all in your dreams, see. Talk to Freud 'bout dreams.& "Tell you what. You do something for me, and maybe I'll do something for you.& bye "Well, now what do we do?& "You won't regret buying me!& "Remember what I told you!& He whinnies with contempt. Smith ignores the question. "Oh, yes, of course.& "Is this necessary, $P? Just bid on me, buy me, and we can breeze on out of this place!& ^Ironbabe a shining, golden metallic woman. "Welcome, traveller, to this place of @hope and @despair.& name "I have no name, as I have no @existence.& job "It is my destiny to be the salvation of the Martian race.& exis "My existence is dependent upon you, my friend.& hope "There is hope, because I will exist. There is no true end where there is a new beginning.& desp "There is despair, because that which is familiar will cease to exist. You see before you the fruits of the Martian plague.& She gestures to the dead Martians at her feet. "These fruits are the end of the known. I am the beginning of the unknown. I am your child, and you are the origin.& bye She turns away. There is no response.

Marcus Chaney
a thin, pinched-looking man who looks bored. At the sound of your voice, he starts violently, then rushes up to meet you. "Hello! Hello!& "At last! A real person to talk to. You don't know how boring it's been having nobody to talk to that would answer me back!& Marcus smiles and says, "Hello again, $P! Do hurry and get that phlogistonite to Mr. Carnegie. "I'm ready to get away from this shaky planet and see some new faces!& Marcus waves at you enthusiastically. "Hello! It's good to see you again. You really should drop in more often!& "With no power for the bridges, or water in the canals, it's pretty hard to get around on Mars. Even with bridges and canals, though, I bet the Martians had something faster, too. "I'd bet it has something to do with those buildings with the @tubes that we can't get into. name "Marcus Chaney. At Olympus, though, they started calling me @Mad Marcus.& mark,marc,chan "That's me!& job "On Earth, I worked as an actuary for the firm of Dicker and Higgins. It has proved to be a wonderful career choice.& mad,'mad,insa,craz Shrugging, he says, "That's all Segal's fault. Years ago, after we first arrived on Mars and set up at Olympus, I used the @Dream Machine that was there. "Segal got angry and threw me out of the settlement, claiming that anyone who used the machines went crazy and started thinking they were @Martians. "As you can see, that's simply not true in my case.& mart,mars "Well, it's true that Mr. @Lowell and his group at Elysium DID act really strange after they used the Machine. "Seems that they all started trying to live like the dead Martians, and forgot all about Earth or trying to get back home. That's when Segal smashed up the Machine in Olympus.& lowe,perc,elys "I went there after I got expelled from Olympus, but I just didn't like it there, what with everyone trying to act like a plant. After all, I'M not crazy. "So, I wandered off and finally ended up here in this abandoned city called @Hellas a few months ago.& hell,aban,city He looks around and sighs. "It sure got lonely here. At first, it wasn't too bad, because I found some Martian @berries that let me talk to some of the old Martian machines that were here.& Looking up, he says, "But now I can talk to you! You're a much better conversationalist than those @machines.& berr,talk "Yes, $G, they really work! Once you eat the berries, you gain the power to talk to certain @objects. "I remember reading about this ability once in the @'World'. It was called 'Psychometry'. "Problem is, though, I can't get to my supply anymore because of the damned @Jumping Beans that have taken over the @garden where I used to pick the berries.& 'wor "Finest newspaper there is.& Nellie Bly smiles. "I used to sit in the garden and read it. I've enjoyed the same issue over and over. "But I had to stop when the garden was overtaken by @Jumping Beans.& obje,mach "Once you eat the @berries, you will see this strange kind of... aura around any objects that you can talk to.& He grins. "It's a little unsettling at first, but I got so lonely I'd have talked to anything.& jump,bean He points over towards the east. "It's over there past the wall. You can't miss the jumping beans. "They're small enough, but there's so many of the things that I can't get at the berries without having to fight.& He looks down and says, "I'm not much of a fighter, I'm afraid.& gard "To get there from here, just head east. You can't miss it.& drea,mach His voice perks up and he begins to pace. "It's really one of the most fascinating devices that I have ever seen in my life! "When I used it, I was able to go into a dream and walk about this dream-like @world, even though I was wide awake! "At first, it was loads of fun! But as I explored a bit, I realized that the machine could be quite @dangerous.& worl "There are so many things you can do there. It just depends on your own @imagination. "And on how willing you are to pick up everything you can along the way. You never know when something might be useful, you know!& imag "Yep, your imagination seems to kind of control what you see in there. Sometimes you can even imagine what you need to get out by using the dreamstuff. "It's this energy, sort of, that you can shape into something you're thinking of. So if you're thinking of an object and you use the dreamstuff, it becomes what you imagined! "You know, 'the stuff that dreams are made of', and all that. Shakespeare. That's why I call it dreamstuff.& dang "While in the dream-world, I thought that I saw Mr. Lowell and several of the others that had been on the capsule with me. "They all seemed to be experiencing nightmares, some of which looked quite hellish. "Although I got out while I could, I think that the others may be @trapped.& trap "Yes, trapped! I saw some things, Martians, in the dream-world, and while a few seemed complacent, there were many that were searching for humans to trap so they could go and @possess their bodies in the Dream Machines. "Fortunately, I figured out something @important.& impo "So long as your body is waiting and ready, you can return to it by waking yourself. All you need to do is TALK to yourself. "Of course, if someone or something has beaten you to your body, then you'll remain trapped in dreams while your body is @possessed by the other creature!& poss,body Shivering, he says, "That has got to be what happened to Mr. Lowell and the others. They didn't go mad, their bodies were taken over! "Before the Martians died out, they used the Dream Machines to escape their doom, best as I can figure. "Now, these Martians wait for humans so that they can possess their bodies and come back to take over the planet, or whatever. "I only wish there was some way to @rescue Mr. Lowell and the others trapped in there.& resc,save Shaking his head, he says, "I thought about it myself, but I realized that there's no way to do it without going into the dream-world and helping them out of their nightmares. "To do that, you would have to find a working Dream Machine. The one in Olympus was smashed, and the one here on the @island isn't working anymore. "I don't know if there's one in Elysium or not.& isla "There's an island that was formed where the canals criss-cross through Hellas. The Dream Machine is located in a building over on the island - the one with two fountains in front. "I've been over there to look at the machine and it's obviously in disrepair. I'm not very mechanically-minded, though, so I have no idea how to @fix it.& "I could tell you more if I could have gotten over there to look at it, but the canals can't be crossed except by bridge. "And the @bridges don't move. At least, I can't figure out how they work without any power.& brid "They were built in such a way that they could extend over the canals. "There's one north of here that allows one to travel to the @Syrtis Major area. "They work by throwing a lever close to the bridge.& "But they seem to require power. Until there's someway to get power to them, we can't get across the canals.& tran "The Martians seem to have built two transportation systems. They had the canals for heavy loads (too bad we can't use those) , and those transport @tubes for people.& tube "There's a building with four big tubes coming up out of the floor near each of the old Martian cities. "Mr. Segal didn't want anybody trying to figure out Martian technology after what happened with the Dream Machines, though, so everybody left them alone.& syrt,majo "The last folks to go up that direction were three @surveyors.& surv "That would have been our team, $P.& "Indeed,& replies Marcus. "That millionaire, Mr. Carnegie, sent them out. "Yessiree. Major Duprey, Mr. Sherman, and Mr. Yellin. I believe they were prospecting for precious metals.& fix,repa "Well, I can't begin to suggest how to do that.& He thinks for a moment, then exclaims, "Wait! If you could get hold of some of those berries, you could talk to the machine itself and ask IT how to fix it!& join "That's very kind, but if I join you, then you'll never be trusted at Olympus ever again. Just @promise that you won't forget me if you figure out how to get back to Earth.& prom He seems satisfied. "My thanks. I really miss my job at Dicker and Higgins.& wait "I've waited for quite some time; waiting a little longer won't hurt.& leav "I can't. There are no other settlements that I could go to.& bye He shakes your hand and says, "Goodbye. If you ever want to come visit me again, please do so any time.& "I don't know about that.&

Prektesh
a wizened, aged Martian. "You have returned! Why is there a delay? I have already agreed to the transfer. We should proceed.& The Martian looks up at you, its eyes revealing the weight of its burdens. "My leaves have never fallen on your fields before, worm of no shell. "I am Prektesh, Agrarian and Leader of the Grove of the city of @Hellas, once the finest of our planet. "I welcome you, off-worlder, and all your kind to the shadow of Hellas. I extend the hospitality of our Grove to you.& Prektesh nods as you call to him. "Greetings, $P-worm. Once again, I welcome you to my dreams.& name "I am Prektesh, leader of the Grove of Hellas.& prek "Yes, shell-less one?& job "My position in the @Grove is the @Agrarian.& agra "The Agrarian is the leader of the @Grove, insuring that life in the Grove is pleasurable, while freeing those who live here from the toils of administration.& hell,city,grov He looks about at the city, then makes a rustling sound that could be a sigh. "Our city was once the finest of the Groves of Mars, but that is in our past. We have been forced to abandon our Grove, but the spirit of Hellas still thrives here in the @Dream-World.& drea "This place has become our @refuge, accessed only through the Dream Machines.& refu His features grow dark and he says, "Yes, refuge! We fled through the Dream Machines to escape the devastation wrought by the @plague that struck down our race, killing the last of our seedlings.& plag "It was not a natural occurrence. What grieves me most was that our race was decimated by one of our own. "The pestilence that destroyed us was the evil deed of @Raxachk. "He sought dominion over all of Mars, and for many years, he strove to control the supply of water and oxygen that all Martians require.& raxa "He is the Agrarian of the Grove of @Argyre. Rather than seek peace and prosperity for his citizens, he lusted for dominance over all of Mars. "When his attempts to use political and economic dealings to take control failed, he then chose to use force and terror to extort us into accepting his rule.& Prektesh shudders at the memory. "He prepared biological weapons, containing a strain of @bacteria to afflict our entire race.& argy "The beautiful city of Argyre decayed into a rotting slum of oppressed, sickly plantals. It was desolated even before the plague took its toll.& bact "It was a most insidious weapon! It caused our bodies to grow sickly and rot away. "Worse yet, it destroyed our @offspring as they developed.& offs You see a drop of what looks like sap well in his eye, and run down his cheek. "That shkcha's disease made growing seedlings impossible, killing our race with his arrogance!& Regaining his composure, he continues, "We knew then that his plan meant doom for our race. "We fled our Grove and entered the Dream-World to wait, @forever if necessary, hoping that someday we would be @rescued.& fore "Yes, we are trapped here indefinitely. "Though the body remains in the Real-World, and ages normally, the essence of consciousness exists in the Dream-World, lasting eternally, even when the body has ceased to function.& resc "We existed on the faith that someone would come, even someone like yourself, a visitor from another world. "Now that you have heard our plight, you must @aid us to discover some means for us to return to our native soil and inhabit the Grove in the Real-World.& aid,help "You must act as our agents in the Real-World, using your @bodies where we cannot exist.& chsh,amba "Did Chsheket offer to travel with you?& @Y or @N yn y,n "Chsheket has a way with outsiders that we all admire. If it were not dangerous, I would gladly allow Chsheket to explore with you. "But I cannot allow a plantal to go where I, the Agrarian, do not dare to go first.& bodi,body "I understand that the seedling has been grown. I have agreed to try the experiment. We should tarry no longer.& "To return to our Grove, we must find bodies that we may inhabit and leave the Dream-World. "The Martians of @Elysium have been striving to grow new bodies such as these from preserved seeds, now that the plague has passed. "There was another plan being examined as well. Speak to my @Arborist and she can give you more information.& elys "Their efforts are led by Tekapesh, the Agrarian of Elysium. "I cannot condone their @crimes, but I understand their motives.& crim "Out of desperation, Tekapesh and his kind have stolen the bodies of the first off-worlders for use in growing the new seedlings. "Please @forgive him for these acts, for he had no other choice.& forg He nods, "You are compassionate. If you can see past his arrogance and despair, he will probably release your kind if you aid him. "Perhaps, with our @seeds and your help, they will be able to grow a new body for us to test.& seed "You should ask @Plashef about our seeds. He is more knowledgeable about their exact location.& plas "He is our Cultivator. He is here in the dream grove with us.& arbo "Her name is Xaktsesh. You can usually find her in the area just south of the barge station here in Hellas.& tube "The underground transport tubes were invented by Sichipek of Olympus. They allow ambassadors and agrarians to travel rapidly between groves.& join Prektesh considers, and says, "In my dream-state, I cannot. "If I had another @body to inhabit, I would gladly join you.& wait He makes a semblance of a sad laugh. "There is little else that I can do. Until someone can grow new bodies for us to inhabit, there is no escaping the Dream-World.& leav "I cannot leave the Dream-World.& bye "Until we meet again, friend.& He makes a rustling sound and says, "That is a word that I do not know.& "Well met, plant-friend. I am called Prektesh, Agrarian of the Grove of Hellas. I know of your quest. "News of your success has traveled quickly, $P-worm. "The Hellas Grove has chosen me to attempt the transfer.& He smiles sadly. "It was difficult to convince my Ambassador, @Chsheket, that this is the correct choice. "I will prepare myself immediately, and will be ready when you place the newly grown sapling into the Dream Machine.&

Pukchep
a Martian. "Greetings, soft one. How may we share our knowledge?& "You are known to me. Let us share again.& name "I am called Pukchep.& It sounds rather harsh. pukc "What do you require, $P-worm?& job "Within our @Grove, it is my task to act as the @Gatherer.& gath "Ever since the Firstdeath, it has fallen to the Gatherers to be the keepers of the @knowledge of their Grove.& know,trad,soil,comp "Mine is the task to collect the fallen leaves and roots of the old ones as they die. "By mixing their @remains with the soil for the new seedlings, the knowledge of the old is passed on within the grove. "I used to trade soil and @chemicals with Fazek of Elysium. "Here in my dreams, though, none of my podfriends wither, so I gather little.& chem,fert "I don't really remember which chemicals we traded for fertilizer. The plantal to ask about chemicals would be Plashef.& nitr,phos,pota "That sounds familiar. Plashef would know better which ones were used.& rema "Here in the Dream-World, our bodies do not age and die, so my duties have been very light.& grov,tube "You should speak to Prektesh, our Agrarian. He can tell you much about our society.& join "Though we could share more that way, I cannot leave the realm of dreams.& wait "I have been waiting for many, many years. I accept that I must wait still longer.& leav "There is no way to leave the dreams without a body to return to. Soon, though, the time will come when you must leave.& bye "Until we share again, soft one.& "Your words are strange to me. Please, share more with me.&

Chsheket
a Martian with a hint of a regal air. Stepping towards you, she folds her arms over her chest and kneels. She calls out in a pleasant voice, "I, Chsheket of Hellas, greet you and welcome you to the Grove of Hellas. Please, explore and meet the citizens of the Enlightened Grove.& She stands up and regards your reaction. Hearing your voice, she kneels in ritual greeting. "Welcome, $P. How may I direct you?& name Proudly she says, "I am Chsheket of Hellas.& chsh "Yes, $P?& job "I am the @Ambassador of Hellas, messenger of @Prektesh, Agrarian of the Grove. "My duty is to represent Hellas before all other Groves.& amba "I communicate to the other Groves as my Agrarian directs. "My travels have been limited to meetings in the Dream-World, speaking to the other Ambassadors. "Recently, the Groves of @Elysium and @Argyre closed communications with us. I know little more than that each have @plans that will release our race from the Dream-World.& plan "If I had confidence in any of the plans to construct alternate bodies, I would happily volunteer. We cannot stay here forever.& elys "I know little, save that they are following an immoral path in their efforts to release us. @Prektesh, the Agrarian, knows more.& argy She sneers and says, "That is the Grove that spawned that shkcha, Raxachk. Prektesh may speak to you of him, but I will not. "The city has been closed by Raxachk, and I know nothing more.& prek "He was the valiant Agrarian of our Grove, who gave up his life to discover that Raxachk's plague has settled in the soil. His memory will live in the soil of all groves.& "He is the Agrarian, leader of our Grove. In the past, it was he who directed my travels to give messages to the other Agrarians. "He is in the building closest to the barge docks, and would gladly speak with you.& shkc Her face blushes golden, and she says, "My apologies, I didn't mean to swear in your presence. "It is a rude reference to one's lineage, implying that they were grown in impure soil.& join "With no body to return to, I cannot leave this world of dreams. If you procured a @body for me, I would be willing to join you.& body "I fear for my safety, $G. In nothing less than an @indestructible body would I walk in the real world.& "Any consciousness exiting the Dream World needs a body to inhabit. If @Prektesh allows, I could leave and be your guide.& inde "Our bodies are beautiful, but far from indestructible. Something could still go wrong.& "I seem to remember... Of course! Kaxishek! Xaktsesh's crazy podmate. At least, we thought he was crazy. "Have you found his lab?& @Y or @N yn "That's wonderful! It is good to know that he was finally a success. "With Prektesh gone, it is my turn. I must be the next to attempt a transfer. "If you place an inert body in the Dream Machine and activate the machine, I will be ready. "I hope to see you again, $P. In the Real-World.& "Ah. Perhaps it would be worth the search. Xaktsesh is the one who would most probably know the location of the lab.& tube,tran "The transport tubes connect the major groves together. As an ambassador, I am one of the primary users of the tube system, but I don't know how it was constructed, beyond that the tubes run deep underground. "I seem to recall that the plantal with the most knowledge of the system was Bikchiz, Ambassador of Elysium.& xakt "Xaktsesh is the Arborist of Hellas. You may find her just south of the barge station.& wait "Chsheket will wait only if Prektesh commands Chsheket.& leav "Very well, we can communicate further when you wish.& bye "Until we meet again, off-worlder. Chsheket will always be here.& She scratches her forelimbs and says, "I cannot answer for that.&

Plashef
a Martian engrossed in thought. The Martian turns to your voice, and studies you closely. "Greetings. You are not formed of sun and soil, are you? "Be joyful that you are not affected by the plague that causes our bodies to wither.& "Plashef greets you, shell-less one.& name "I am known as Plashef, shell-less one.& plas "I am here, $P.& job "I am the @Cultivator for the Grove of @Hellas.& hell "Our city was beautiful beyond compare, before the onset of the plague destroyed all that was beautiful.& cult "The Cultivators are responsible for the preparation and care of the @seedlings from the time they are planted, through their @growth, and finally their birth.& seed "Most of the seedlings died after becoming exposed to the plague that destroyed our race. "Fortunately, I was warned by @Xaktsesh in time, and I was able to place our last group of seeds into a @secure place.& grow "Growing the seedlings to birth is a very delicate matter. "Plant the seedling in soil that can receive direct sunlight. It must be deep enough to protect it from the nighttime temperatures. "Once the seedling has been planted, it will require moisture in the soil. Water from the canals or melted ice will suffice. "Finally, you must take care to apply the necessary @fertilizers. The growth cycle takes nine revolutions, during which the seed must be checked at least three times. "At the end of this cycle, a newly grown sapling may be removed from the pod by cutting the pod away with any sharp object. "We use a ritual pod-knife for the purpose, but anything sharp would suffice.& xakt "She is our Arborist. She knew the @plague for what it was, and warned us soon enough to escape to the Dream-World.& plag "Others know more of the details. I remember only the horror, the senseless loss of life.& secu "In our Grove that remains in the Real-World, there is a hidden @preservation unit. You can find it in a building next to the greenhouse.& pres He bows his head. "I have worked long and hard to preserve our Grove. "I could not allow the @schemes of an insane being to destroy us.& sche "Ask Prektesh, the Agrarian, about the Grove of Argyre.& fert,chem "The seedlings require fertilization during their growth period. "It is a mixture of @nitrogen, @phosphate, and @potassium that is applied directly to the soil. "There are samples of these in my laboratory in Hellas. If you need these, you should look in an antechamber of the greenhouse.& door "Yes, we did have @trouble occasionally with the lab door.& He smiles. "I suppose it would only have gotten worse over time.& trou,rust "The door would sometimes stick closed, due to nearby sources of moisture. You could probably apply some @oil to ease the rust.& oil "Any kind of oil would probably do. You just need to counteract the rust on the hinges.& nitr,phos,pota "It is a necessary component which aids the growth of the seedling.& tube "I used the transport tubes with Chsheket, to travel to other groves to arrange trades. As Ambassador, she is much more familiar with the tube system than I am.& join "I cannot leave the Dream-World, friend.& wait "We have much practice waiting. We are all waiting to return to our Grove.& leav "I cannot leave, friend. There is no body to return to in the Real-World.& bye "Farewell, shell-less one. May your journeys be safe.& "I do not know what you mean.&

Xaktsesh
a Martian that seems almost effeminate. It kneels in greeting, then rises. "Welcome, outsider. I am excited that you have come. Now, at last, will I know the fate of @Kaxishek.& "Greetings. What brings you to Xaktsesh again?& name Pointing to herself, she says, "I am Xaktsesh.& xakt "Yes, my new podfriend?& job "My function in the Grove is @Arborist.& arbo "I tend to the citizens of my Grove, @healing them if they become injured or ill.& heal "I have not used those skills in a long time. "Here in the @Dream-World, our bodies do not require treatment.& drea,worl She looks about, then says, "This world, though safe from the @plague, will never be the same as our Grove. "My greatest @hope is that one day we can return to our Grove in the Real-World.& hope,kaxi,podm,alte "My podmate, Kaxishek, was @researching the creation of a new type of body that would be immune to the effects of the plague.& rese,plan,body,bodi "@Kaxishek had established a @laboratory in the north polar regions to perform his studies. "He hoped that the cold would slow the spread of the plague until he had constructed a @prototype.& labo,lab "It has been a very long time since I was there, but I believe that it was located somewhere on the border of the northern icecap.& ice,icec "Yes, in fact, the entrance was sometimes blocked by ice during the colder months. "Even with all the ice that was melted to fill the canals, it was difficult in winter to melt enough ice to keep the entrance open.& prot "I feel certain that his efforts were successful, for he never followed me into the @Dream-World. Why he never came has always been a mystery to me.& plag "It was horrible, worse than any disaster imaginable. "And I, the Arborist of the Grove of Hellas, was powerless to prevent the deaths of my podfriends. "It certainly killed every living Martian on the planet.& She is quiet and reflective for a moment. tube "The transport tubes were the greatest invention of Olympus. My podmate @Kaxishek hoped that someday Hellas would be remembered as even greater, the grove that saved the race.& join "If possible, I would go to seek my podmate, Kaxishek. "But I cannot. Perhaps you could seek him for me.& wait "I do not understand. I am already limited to the Dream-World.& leav "Please, if you can, find a way to help us leave the Dream-World. It was Kaxishek's goal. I ask you, make it yours.& bye "Farewell, my friend. Beware on your return, the Dream-World holds many dangers.& She thinks for a moment, then shrugs, making a soft rustle.

Raxachk
a maniacal-looking Martian. "What an inept worm! Just as I expected. I've created a bridge so you can go back and try again as often as you like. "That should prove @entertaining!& He laughs contemptuously. "Ready to accept my challenge yet, mighty warrior?& He sneers. "I know why you are here; your thoughts are like an open scroll, a scroll with little worth reading. "Yes, I have your precious phlogistonite! "And I am not going to back down at the mere sight of the mighty Avatar, $P! "You think you can defeat me! Ha!& "You have returned to @entertain me?& "If you win three combats to @entertain me, I'll give you your propellant.& "Do you accept?& @Y or @N yn "Sun-bleached worm! Talk to me again when you've gathered your courage.& "Very well.& "Of course, mere vermin like that are hardly a challenge. Would you care to try something a little more interesting?& "That was scarcely more difficult than the last. It is time you encountered a REAL monster!& "Ah, that was quite diverting. But now I am tired of my play. Have a nice eternity. There is nothing you can @do to @harm me.& "I tire of your prattle. You cannot @harm me, and I care not a whit what you @do.& do "Your powers in this dream realm are disgustingly weak. You barely have the force of will to form @dreamstuff into objects you know well.& harm "I have constructed this @citadel to be too strong for any weapon your pitiful race can imagine to penetrate. "Even if you had the mental power to gather your own @dreamstuff, your race will be unable to imagine a weapon powerful enough to harm me for a hundred years or more.& drea "Here in the dream realm, sheer mental power controls physical reality. Even a mind as pathetic as yours can shape objects you are familiar with from blobs of dreamstuff, but you don't have access to any dreamstuff here. "And you do not have the power to gather dreamstuff from the void.& cita,citi "Yes, I built this citadel. You have no idea, do you, of how @dreamstuff comes to be or how to manipulate it? Pathetic!& bye "Yes, go amuse yourself while I return to my work.& "Irrelevant.& name "I am Raxachk, Lord of Mars and future Emperor of the Solar System!& raxa "What is it, impotent worm?& job "I am biding my time here while my @plans reach fruition.& plan "Yes, soon I will be off to your Earth to take it over with the power of my dream technology. You pitiful Earthlings aren't even able to leave the planet without your @phlogistonite.& phlo "I took your propellant, and as you can see I have it here in my citadel. Perhaps you'd like me to @give it to you?& give "Why should I help you? You are unable to affect me in any way. True, I am bored by the wait here. Perhaps you can afford me some @entertainment.& ente,chal "The terror of the deep desert rightly petrifies you, worm, but my amusement is not done. Prevail, or never leave this dream world!& "My little game is not yet done! Return and defeat the worms, worm!& His deep, haunting laugh echoes through the space around you. bye "I will be here if you think of anything meaningful to say.& "Your Earthly drivel doesn't interest me.&

Shartek
a dream figure. "There is nothing more for me to say or do! Take your victory and leave!& "Hello, my friend. You must determine which one of us is @lying to you.& A sudden transformation comes over "Spector", and its form becomes that of a Martian. It says, "You have uncovered my illusion. The door to the exit is now unlocked.& name "I am Dr. Johann Spector, of course.& spec,doct "No, please, just call me Johann.& joha "Yes, $P, how may I help you?& lyin "The rules are simple. Once you have determined which of us is the false Spector, go to him and say to him that he is a 'liar'. "If you are correct, you will have passed the test. The true Spector will open the door for you to leave.& job He grins. "To keep you out of trouble, $P. No, really, for now, I've been content to be your assistant in your explorations.& $P,avat "Yes, that's how I refer to you. Are you sure you're feeling well?& sigm,freu "Definitely an interesting man. Highly intelligent. He has yet to do most of his influential studies, you know.& c.l.,bloo "Actually, I don't know too much about his work. I know he worked...sorry, works...primarily with the use of oxygenated air on patients.& nell,bly "A fascinating woman. Did you know she travelled around the world alone? "And made it in less than the 80 days hypothesized in Jules Verne's book. She's pretty unique in this day and age.& dall,garr "I'm afraid I don't know much about Mr. Garrett. He certainly seems like a classic cowboy, doesn't he? "I'm sure he'll be useful to have along.& niko,tesl "Tesla is a first-class scientist. Definitely unorthodox in his approach, but he achieved some miraculous breakthroughs in his career with electricity and magnetism.& perc,lowe "Now that he is restored, he can help us get back to Earth.& mars "The hypotheses of the Victorian age don't seem to correlate with our modern discoveries about the red planet, $P. "We'll have to see if our science or their intelligent guesswork is more reliable.& He grins and gestures you closer. "Considering your history of travels to worlds with fantastic creatures and scientific mysteries, would you care to bet on the scientific reality of this particular Mars? "I thought not.& He chuckles. game "Sorry, $P. You'd know a lot more about that than I would.& sava,empi "Yes, indeed, a grand adventure in it's own way. I'm certainly glad you were there to help me with that one. "I don't know where I would have been without you.& "I am sorry you had to leave the princess behind. Maybe next time, lad.& He sighs and shakes his head. worl,ulti "As a name for our adventures? Yes, perhaps. Maybe I could write out a journal, or present articles to the society. Yes, yes, possibilities,...& brit,lord "Isn't that something from one of your other travels? I'm sure you mentioned it, yes? "Not that I know much about it. The king sounds like a unique man, just and wise.& join "Alas, in your dreams you are fundamentally alone, $P.& wait "Currently, I am stuck here until you can determine which of us is lying.& leav "If I could, $P, I'd open the door for you myself so we could both leave. It seems, however, that our fate rests on your decision.& help "I can help you. I have been telling the truth. Call the other Spector a liar.& liar bye "Yes, yes. We'll talk later.& "Could you state that a different way?&

Tarpch
a heavily-wounded Martian. The Martian turns on you and howls in pain. "You and yours will pay dearly for your cruel attack, off-worlder!& "Leave me in peace and be gone, or I swear that I will @kill again!& A look of amazement comes across its face, then relief as its wounds close before your eyes. "My thanks, off-worlder. In my rage, I would not have believed that you could show such compassion for me. "Please, forgive me. I was blinded by my pain and hatred. You have saved us both!& "Aaaah, the pain! By the Two Moons, if I must die at your hand, then I must kill you as well as your friends with me! "Die then!& His body convulses as he calls forth one last energy bolt, which strikes you and causes you to swoon from the agony. "Damn you! How many of your friends must I kill before you cease to torture me?& Sap oozes from his body and a look of great agony comes over his features as he calls forth another crackling energy bolt to slay the last of your helpless friends. "No!& it screams, "I will not let you prevail!& You see great pain wrack its body as it calls forth a second bolt of power, instantly killing your friend and companion. "Hold! I have power, great power, and I will kill all of your friends unless you desist. Now, I will kill one as a demonstration of my power. Leave!& It gestures and summons its will, and a huge bolt of energy springs from its fingers and engulfs one of your friends, ending their life. Clearly, the effort has cost Tarpch himself pain--sap flows anew from his wounds. name "I am Tarpch.& tarp "If you know me by name, you must know that I will do what I promise.& job "Why should you care? You only wish to destroy me as your @friends do!& bye "Yes! Leave at once or I will @kill another of your pathetic friends!& "Yes! Leave me to my pain, to have my vengeance on those who injured me!& kill "If I must, I will kill you as well, even at the cost of my own life. "Leave me here to try to heal my pain and suffering.& "I can kill them all, and you are powerless to stop me! Go!& "You dare threaten me? I have a right to my @vengeance, a right to inflict pain such as that they have given me! Leave or I will kill you too!& frie "They attacked me and sought to kill me, but now I will have my @vengeance!& veng "I have the power to end their lives!& "Talk means little, off-worlder. Leave me to my @vengeance!&

Major Greg Duprey
a ruggedly handsome American soldier. "$P, Thank God! Give me a hand here or we'll be killed!& name,job,greg,majo,dupr "Damnit, $P! There's no time for pleasantries! "Get a weapon and help me @fight!& figh "Hurry, man! Yellin's already fallen and I will soon myself! Come @help!& help "Yes, I NEED HELP! @Yellin's down, $P, please help me!& davi,yell "He's been critically injured! Help me kill the beasts and save him!& join,wait "What the hell are you babbling about? Get in here and @fight!& leav "Wait! Don't leave me here, $P! You... you coward!& bye He yells above the din of battle, "Stop talking and @fight!& He yells above the din of battle, "Stop talking and @fight!&

Astaroth
the Shadowlord of Hatred. "Ah, disciple! See how sheer mutual hatred is gratified by mutual annihilation! Is not that pleasure the sweetest you have ever known?& "Cordial greetings, again, $P!& "Greetings again, $P. Welcome to the shrine of Hatred, here, deep within your own being!& In reaction to your surprise at his cordiality, Astaroth says, "But of course I am cordial to you! Is not the thin veneer of cordiality the noblest display of one's inner hatred?& "Oh, yes! Do play my little game again! Feel again the power, the mystery, the satisfying pleasure of Hatred!& "Here, step through this obelisk. Beyond lies my demonstration of the power of Hatred. If that Love you profess is so strong, perhaps you will find an expression of it that overcomes the purity of the Hatred you will find.& name "Don't you remember your old foe, Astaroth? Oh, I am wounded!& The robed figure makes a gesture toward its chest, suggesting the presence of a heart to be wounded. "After all our joyful times in Britannia! Perhaps you thought me @destroyed?& asta "You do remember! It has been a long time, my friend.& job "I am here, in the depths of your being, and now that you have found me, I invite you to a little @test, a little morality play to demonstrate important things about @Hatred to you.& hate,hatr "Now you are beginning to speak with clarity. Certainly, you of all mortals can appreciate the value of Hatred. "Without Hatred, you would not find the strength to object, to repel your assailants, to enjoy the pleasure of conflict. "Without hatred you would be limited in your capacity for self-indulgence: Why give up any pleasure for an enemy? Are not all strangers unfriends?& "You must admit that you felt Hatred in my test. Was it not simpler and more satisfying than the hard work you have known in the name of Love?& dest "I cannot be destroyed as long as you endure. I am the basic force of Hatred, alive in the parts of your soul you wish were not. Alas, no soul in life can be purged completely of virtue or vice. "My lesson for you is simply that while pursuit of virtue is long and difficult, vice is found easily and is strongly linked to pleasure.& test faul,fals "Ah, my 'dear' brother. Always playing his little mental games... "Reality is so much simpler, more complete than abstraction. Indulge in what you want, destroy what offends you, and take from the weak and from your enemy. Why seek anything else?& nosf,cowa "Ah, yes, my sister. I truly @Hate her, for she is weak and ineffectual. Hatred is the strongest vice. "A coward knows he is a coward, even if he denies it, but one who @hates can so easily @pretend it is a virtue, or @ignore the evil he wreaks. "You mortals find enemies so easily. You even make enemies of anyone at all unlike yourselves.& pret Astaroth seems more animated. His voice gains energy as he says, "Oh, yes! My favorite perversion is Hatred in the name of Love! "Delightful! 'Who does not believe what I believe must die, even if what I profess to believe is compassion and tolerance!'& You are chilled to the marrow by the laughter that rings from the cowled form at this thought. igno "Yes. I live in so many who gorge themselves on pleasures at the cost of others who live in want. "Best of all, the ones in need also hate the wealthy ones who neglect them.& He smiles. "Hatred feeds itself!& wait "Long have I waited, $P, for this chance to meet again. I hope that you can revel in the pleasure of renewing our Hatred for each other as do I.& join "Ah, such an imagination you have. I cannot join you because I am always within you! Perhaps you think you can watch me better and guard against my Malice if I am manifest like this.& With a dismissing gesture, Astaroth continues, "No matter. I cannot join; and if I could, perhaps I would refuse just to anger you.& leave "Leave?& Astaroth laughs uproariously. "How droll! Do you think that here, in MY manifestation of Hatred that you can banish me with but a word? "Your mind has fared poorly since last we met, $P.& bye "Until you find me again, fare in Hatred. Remember that I live in your soul!& "Perhaps I could talk of that, but why should I when I can anger you by witholding information?&

Faulinei
the Shadowlord of Falsehood. The dark robed figure looks up at you, and you recoil, certain that your eyes are deceiving you. When the vision does not fade, the robed figure speaks. "How delightful, you do indeed remember me! It has been a long time, $P, since we last met in Britannia at the Lycaeum. "You must have thought me and my @siblings @destroyed, but as you can see, your attempt was unsuccessful. "Here, in the world of dreams and shadows, WE will dictate your actions, leading you down the paths of our 'virtues', until you learn the Falsehood of your 'incorruptible' stance as the Avatar.& "Ah, how delightful! Unable to discern truth from @falsehood, you elect to use violence! @Astaroth will be so pleased!& "You are well on your way to being my disciple, $P. You begin to see that your idea of 'truth' is no match for the power of @falsehood!& "So good to see you again, old friend.& "Try again? Learn more of my power? Certainly!& "Of course, I may have moved the truth and the lie around this time. Thus you learn the futility of searching for 'truth'.& "Step into the gate I open before you. Beyond, you will find your old friend, Johann Spector. You will also find one of my lies, in his image. "Of course you can trust your friend to tell you the way out of the maze, and of course my creation will lie to you. If you find such power in 'truth', you will easily tell the difference.& A ghostly chuckle reverberates from the cowled figure. name "How your memory fades! I am Faulinei, the Lord of @Lies. I have come forth from the dark reaches of your soul to begin your @re-@education in the way of @virtue.& faul "I see that even years of separation cannot darken your memory of me.& job "I have returned to test you, $P. I wish to show you that @virtue is the greatest of @lies! You need merely to ask, and I will be glad to begin your @test.& test,re sibl "Why, yes, @Astaroth of @Hatred and @Nosfentor of @Cowardice.& asta "Yes, my brother the Shadowlord of @Hatred. "Like you, he prefers simple violence to the more cerebral pleasure of Falsehood.& "He met you at Empath Abbey.& nosf "Yes, my sister the Shadowlord of @Cowardice, whom you met at Serpent Keep so long ago. Of us all she was the most certain you would return to us.& hatr,hate "That is the principle my brother @Astaroth espouses. When you have learned Falsehood he will be overjoyed to teach it to you.& cowa "My sister @Nosfentor teaches that principle. Be sure that it will be included in your new way.& dest "It is futile to attempt to destroy us. Your feeble 'virtues' are found in the hearts of all people, but so are our virtues, their opposites. "Unlike ours, your virtues require constant vigilance and self-examination. "Why spend great effort and time developing 'virtues' when they may be had through simple, instinctive selfishness? "In any case, we cannot be destroyed as long as a human heart nourishes us, and as you see we can be found even in your own.& virt "Virtue! What rot! Do you realize that the Way of the Avatar was originally meant to be a guideline for commerce? "Can you truthfully say that you always live by your eight 'great' principles? "When you fail the tests before you, your faith in virtue will be proven false as well!& fals,lie,lies "Falsehood has many forms. A mortal can lie to another, to cover guilt or achieve a desire, and that is satisfying. Best of all, however, is a lie to oneself: "'Pretend to be happy when you are hurt or sad, and you will be happy.' "Or 'Present the right appearance to the world and what you want will be given to you.' Delightful! "Even my @siblings delight in Falsehood: 'I need no one else, so I hate the people who I wish loved me.' 'I could do something to help, but it wouldn't make any difference.' "Falsehood is the supreme principle of life!& join The Shadowlord makes a high-pitched, squeaky laugh. "You would join with me? This is indeed a first! "Perhaps you have already begun re-considering the path of the Avatar for the folly it is. "If, however, you wish me to accompany you, the truth is, I already have, $P. I live within you, for no human is ever free of falsehood.& bye "Farewell, disciple $P. We will certainly meet again.& "Such matters are inconsequential when Falsehood is the issue.& lNosfentor the Shadowlord of Cowardice. "Ah, so you prove your cowardice. I have always known you longed for the safety of my discipline.& "So, we meet again, my soon-to-be disciple. Are you ready to surrender to me now?& "I am so pleased to see you again, dear $P! Perhaps this time you will discover that you can never conquer your own @weakness!& "Oh, gladly will I give you another opportunity to try to flee. It warms me to see you fail, and in failing learn ever better the power of

Nosfentor
"I propose a simple test of your courage. If you accept and win, I will allow you to continue your journey unmolested. If you fail, I will accept you into the ranks of my disciples. "Your friends are in need of help. They are about to be devoured by a Sand Leviathan. You must simply go to them and rescue them. "Of course, the path to them is not for the faint of heart. Step into this obelisk to begin your task.& name "Don't you remember me? Nosfentor, whom you thought destroyed in Britannia long ago! "I can never be destroyed, for I live in your own heart. I am the Shadowlord of Cowardice!& nosf "I see you remember me, $P. It pleases me that you also remember your fear that was so strong when we last met.& job,weak "I am here to remind you of your lack of @courage, to @challenge you to a @test!& join "JOIN you? What a droll concept. Of course, you make your little joke precisely because you fear me. I am the force in your soul that is the undoing of your claims of virtue.& bye "Look for me in yourself always!& chal,test faul,fals,lies,lie "Ah yes, Falsehood. An excellent way to flee, but hardly the solace offered by true @Cowardice. "Why lie to yourself about your true reasons for avoiding pain and @struggle?& asta,hatr,hate "My brother Astaroth seeks to teach Hatred, but misses the point. Mortals are basically lazy, and welcome @Cowardice as a way to avoid work, effort, and pain.& cour "Courage is the most meaningless of your virtues, the one most obviously against survival. "To confront pain and conquer it simply leads to more pain, and gains only the knowledge and strength to deal with more pain. "Why not give up that struggle and simply run away? @Cowardice is peace!& cowa She glows with satisfaction at your question. "Oh, Cowardice!& She chants, "Greatest of vices and solace from pain. Mortals live in a world of @struggle, but they find in my embrace the peace that @struggle for virtue only promises. "I delight in showing them a refuge from their pain. My disciples enjoy their pleasures and toys, secure by choosing only goals easily met and prizes easily won.& stru "Silly visionaries like yourself will talk of goals 'worth struggling for', but do you in fact struggle for them? "You talk of universal happiness and compassion, but in fact you value your own luxuries far more than your fellows' survival. "Why pretend to care? Why claim something so foreign as altruism? "I offer a solution so simple and obvious. You hate work and pain. Stop claiming a reason to work or endure! "Accept my tutelage, and say, 'I am more important than any other. Let others starve, or struggle for their daily bread, cloth to cover them, and a roof for their heads. I stand for myself!'& She smiles, clearly impressed with her own eloquence and confident of her power over you. "That is not germane to us. Will you hide in irrelevancy?&

Dr. Spector
a dream figure. "Hello, my friend. You must determine which one of us is @lying to you.& name "I am Dr. Johann Spector, of course.& spec,doct "No, please, just call me Johann.& joha "Yes, $P, how may I help you?& lyin "The rules are simple. Once you have determined which of us is the false Spector, go to him and say to him that he is a 'liar'. "If you are correct, you will have passed the test. The true Spector will open the door for you to leave.& job He grins. "To keep you out of trouble, $P. "No, really, for now, I've been content to be your assistant in your explorations.& $P,avat "Yes, that's how I refer to you. Are you sure you're feeling well?& sigm,freu "Definitely an interesting man. Highly intelligent. He has yet to do most of his influential studies, you know.& c.l.,bloo "Actually, I don't know too much about his work. I know he worked...sorry, works...primarily with the use of oxygenated air on patients.& nell,bly "A fascinating woman. Did you know she travelled around the world alone? "And made it in less than the 80 days hypothesized in Jules Verne's book. She's pretty unique in this day and age.& dall,garr "I'm afraid I don't know much about Mr. Garrett. He certainly seems like a classic cowboy, doesn't he? "I'm sure he'll be useful to have along.& niko,tesl "Tesla is a first-class scientist. Definitely unorthodox in his approach, but he achieved some miraculous breakthroughs in his career with electricity and magnetism.& perc,lowe "Now that he is restored, he can help us get back to Earth.& mars "The hypotheses of the Victorian age don't seem to correlate with our modern discoveries about the red planet, $P. "We'll have to see if our science or their intelligent guesswork is more reliable.& He grins and gestures you closer. "Considering your history of travels to worlds with fantastic creatures and scientific mysteries, would you care to bet on the scientific reality of this particular Mars? "I thought not.& He chuckles. game "Sorry, $P. You'd know a lot more about that than I would.& sava,empi "Yes, indeed, a grand adventure in it's own way. I'm certainly glad you were there to help me with that one. "I don't know where I would have been without you.& "I am sorry you had to leave the princess behind. Maybe next time, lad.& He sighs and shakes his head. worl,ulti "As a name for our adventures? Yes, perhaps. Maybe I could write out a journal, or present articles to the society. Yes, yes, possibilities,...& brit,lord "Isn't that something from one of your other travels? I'm sure you mentioned it, yes? "Not that I know much about it. The king sounds like a unique man, just and wise.& join "Alas, in your dreams you are fundamentally alone, $P.& wait "Currently, I am stuck here until you can determine which of us is lying.& leav "If I could, $P, I'd open the door for you myself so we could both leave. It seems, however, that our fate rests on your decision.& help "I can help you. I have been telling the truth. Call the other Spector a liar.& liar An intense look of sadness crosses his face. "I'm sorry you said that.& bye "Yes, yes. We'll talk later.& "Could you state that a different way?&

Coker
a gold metallic mechanical man. The golden head swivels toward you. name "I am called Coker.& coke "That is my designation.& job "I extract @coal from the wall and place it on the @conveyor belt.& coal "The coal is in the wall. It must be moved to the belt.& conv,belt "When the belt is empty, I move coal to it from the wall. The belt moves the coal to @Stoker.& Stok "Stoker takes the coal off the other end of the belt.& join,leav "I must not leave my post.& wait "I wait here when the belt is full. When the belt is empty, I must do my job.& bye The head turns away from you, and the "man& returns to what he was doing. "It is not part of my function to know that.&

Stoker
a gold metallic mechanical man. The golden head swivels toward you. Leftenant Dibbs clears his throat and says, "There's that fellow named Trippet who lives at Olympus. "I am certain that he knows how to fix a canvas conveyor belt.& Stoker looks at you, almost expectantly. Nellie Bly says, "That looks like something Capt. Trippet at Olympus could fix!& Stok Stoker looks at you, almost expectantly. name "I am called Stoker.& stok "That is my designation.& job "I assist in the process of @power generation by moving @coal from the @conveyor belt to the @furnace.& coal "It appears on the @belt and is put in the @furnace.& furn "The furnace is powered by coal and aided by @oxium and fires the @boilers. "A small pile of coal will start the furnace, but I must keep it running with coal from the belt.& "The conveyor is running now, but will stop when the furnace burns the small amount of coal left.& boil "The boilers turn the power @generators.& gene,powe "The generators create electrical energy. "There are broadcast @towers which then distribute the energy to the surface of the planet. "Electrical energy is @crucial to the management of the world.& towe "The towers are located at the end of the mine tunnels to the east of my chamber. The final tunnel to the surface is wide and well-lit. "The aboveground cables are fragile and must be protected from any kind of power surge. "Any sudden change in power could @damage them, and they are essential to surface power distribution.& dama,repa "That is not my function. There are plantals and mechs who function as repair units, following instructions from scrolls.& cruc "Without electrical energy, many of the necessities of life on the surface do not function. @Transport and @access to certain areas are adversely affected.& tran "Transport tubes and canal bridges do not function without power.& acce "Many doors do not function without power.& oxiu "It is used to provide the furnace with oxygen to aid burning. There is a large vault east of this chamber with great quantities of oxium.& conv,belt "The conveyor belt supplies coal which I put in the furnace.& "The conveyor belt is not functional and must be repaired.& Coke "Coker puts the coal on the other end of the belt.& join,leav "I must not leave my post.& wait "I wait here when the belt is empty. When the belt is full, I must do my job.& bye The head turns away from you, and the "man" returns to what he was doing. "It is not part of my function to know that.& rConveyor a @conveyor assembly. The conveyor is completely fixed. You sense that the flow may now continue: The rollers move the belt that moves the coal... You almost feel satisfied with the conveyor, but you sense that the power has not been turned on. incompleteness from the @conveyor. name,what This is a @conveyor. job,func,use The @conveyor's purpose is to move @coal. coal The coal should move with the conveyor belt into the next chamber. conv You see that the @belt is broken. You see that the @belt is whole and functional. belt Yes, the psychometry confirms it: The interruption is with the broken belt. When the belt is made whole, the conveyor may resume its @function. The belt is in good condition now. bye You turn your attention to other things. You feel this is irrelevant to the @conveyor.

Tower
a Martian tower. The impression is that of a dark, cold land made warm and safe by the radiant towers. Drawn from below the ground, the energy is thrown into the Martian skies. You open your eyes. Darkness. Energy below is trapped, while the tower sits cold. Empty and @alone. Darkness. Cold. Emptiness. Uselessness. Nothing to channel. name,what This structure...it is an energy-broadcasting tower. job,towe You feel what it is like to pass on energy in a constant @stream. stre,alon,empt Power once flowed from its arms to its brother towers. You get the impression of @veins that once carried power from the feet of the tower to the head... vein Veins of pulsating energy, linking the towers in a dance of light. No, not veins, cables. Cables of metal, now worn and @severed. There is energy trying to ride the cables, coming from below, pulsing, only to be released unchanneled into the air. The veins connect the dark, silent towers. They are quiet, purposeless for now. cabl,worn,seve The cables are in good repair now, the energy flowing swiftly and efficiently to its destination. If the cables were replaced, thus reconnecting the towers, the power would flow once more. The cables seem to be in good repair, they are just not being used to channel life-giving energy. The source is silent. bye You disconnect yourself from the tower. It leaves you feeling revived and full of energy. bleak and frustrated. You sense you are not making any progress this way.

Dream Machine
a peculiar plant-like device with a seat. Glossy, soft, ripe...The Dream Machine is ready! Brittle, weak, dull...the strange chair...it feels...@blocked. "$P! We may need some help with this. Perhaps we should ask Dr. Tesla.& name,what This...this is a @Dream Machine! drea,job,func,use,mach It seems to be a kind of @doorway. door You feel as if nothing stands in your way now. The way is @blocked. chai,seat,sit The cushion is a fertile, healthy emerald color. The dusty seat is soft but dry and fragile. bloc,brok,fix You have given it energy to feed upon...it lives. The strange plant machine is @dead... dead Ahh, but it was not always so: there was a glowing @rock. rock,radi Yes. An unusually large chunk of radium, to be put in the power supply directly behind the machine. undi There was once a @steering mechanism. stee,cont There is no trouble with steering now. Of course! The controls are missing and they would have gone... There. In a cabinet near the machine. conn,helm Sap pulses from the machine into the helmet. It feels properly connected. There is a piece missing, the one that would fit over the dreamer's head. bye You mind pulls away from thoughts of the velvety green surface. This inquiry yields no impressions. ...the power is properly directed... ...it is yet @undirected... ...and the helm has been connected. The Dream Machine longs to be used! ...it has no @connection...

Cutter
a golden metallic man. The golden man is still, but you sense that he can answer you. The golden head swivels in your direction. "I have already given you one for that mechanism.& "I must have the azurite to create a heartstone.& "You must bring some to me.& $Y says, "I have some!& "That is good. I will make the heartstone now.& He takes the gem from $Y and works on it. Soon he brings back a beautifully faceted stone. "It is yours.& He hands the gem to $Y. name "I am called Cutter.& cutt,cut "That is my designation. "My appendages are fashioned to @facet @gems along the proper planes.& job "I am a gem @cutter.& gem,gems "They are used as @heartstones.& hear "They are used to house the @sentience within the @mechanical men. They are immobile without them.& mech,men "I assist in the building with the parts we have here.& sent "Once it has a heartstone, the man is capable of housing sentience. To make it active and sentient, you must transfer a plantal's consciousness into it using the Dream Machine.& face "If I have the proper @azurite gem, I can @fashion a heartstone.& fash "I could do that if I had @power.& "Of course I am capable of cutting a gem.& powe "My @energy source is missing.& "I have power now.& ener,sour "I use one chunk of radium. Most of my kind are powered with this.& "My radium source has been exhausted.& azur "A blue gem used to create the heartstones. "There is none here right now.& "I see that you have some with you.& join,leav,wait "I must do my job.& bye The metallic man continues what he was doing. He looks at you, waiting for your next comment.

Diver
a shining, golden man. The mechanical man turns its head in your direction. Diver turns, waiting for you to speak. name "I am called @Diver.& dive "That is my designation.& job,func "My job is to maintain the pipeworks here in the master @pumping station.& pump,stat,pipe "All water to fill the @canals flows through this station.& fill,cana "Water from the @melted icecaps flows into the canals. "A person would turn a special @wheel to control the flow.& melt "There are lenses of ruby atop our towers which focus the sun's heat upon the ice caps, turning great sections to clean, pure water. "According to Mr. Tesla, Mr. Peary had gone to explore the polar icelands on Mars. "We should ask Mr. Peary about the @towers.& "Yes, we should ask Mr. Peary about it," says Nellie. She takes down a note in her notebook. "It has been a long time since there was water in the canals.& whee,cont,flow "The wheel is over beyond those @steam leaks.& stea,leak "There are clockwork sensors that prevent me from moving that far. "I could not get past the leak safely and perform the necessary operation. "Some of those like me were once @coated in @green sealant to make them more durable and lifelike. One of them could pass the leaks with no difficulty.& pigm,gree "Adding color to the @coating did no harm.& coat "The coating machine is empty of @sealant now.& seal "There is another chamber like this one which houses the sealant and the sprayer. It is to the southeast of here.& bye The mechanical man returns to his duties. The mechanical man yields no answers regarding this.

Shikach
a Martian. It says, "Your injuries are severe! How can you submit to such torture? If you wish to live, I can @advise you!& name "I am called Shikach.& shik "Yes, $P, please follow my @advice.& job "I am here to @advise you.& advi "Just go through the door and you will be safe! If you continue you will die and be consumed by the Shadowlords!& bye "Farewell!, You must leave now if wish to live!& "Stop talking! If you delay too long, you will be killed! Flee while you can!&

Basichk
a Martian. It says, "Beware, worm-form! Death lays ahead, a @trap prepared by your foes, the Shadowlords. For your sake, hear my @plea!& name "I am called Basichk.& basi "Worm, head my @plea!& job "I have come to advise you to flee before you are killed! Do not disregard my @plea!& plea "Through the door is life and safety. To go further will only result in your death in the @trap ahead!& trap "It will certainly kill you and cannot be avoided unless you go through the door now!& bye "Goodbye, worm. Your fate is in your hands. You have been warned.& "What gibberish is that? You have no time for idle banter, you must leave before you are destroyed!&