The Measure knocked on the traveller's door, since the old airship's door security devices had long since fallen into dis-repair ages before. After a moment, the man opened the door, with his scarf on an looked at her. He nodded and backed into the room and took off the scarf, while she slid into the room. At least it was carpetted, even if thread-bare. She disliked the feel of the cold metal against her her tail-skin. The man thrust the scarf into one of his deep coat pockets and turned to face her. He smiled broadly, and said inthe same calm, infuriating voice, "I was expecting you, Measure. After the hook I baited with talk of your mother....well...you had to talk to me." The Measure's head was pounding with an unaccustomed head-ache. She snapped out, "I do NOT like being manipulated! I know of you, Aldus Panchetta. You are right to hide your face. Many people want you dead, even after all this time." She paused as a feeling of faintness came on her unbidden. She shook her head and fought it off. She nervously brushed back the right side of her hair that always fell on her face. Aldus' eyes wandered below her collar-bone and she frowned in irritation. She had expected so much more from someone reputed to be so brilliant and so much more than the ordinary human of Balaam. She opened her mouth to snap at him again when he said simply, "Hmm, I see that you're glowing. Interesting. Does it do that often?" She blinked in confusion. "What in hell are you talking about?" She felt the old necklace that his late wife had given her, grow warm. She looked down at it and noticed the violet-purple glow pulsing in the stones. She shrugged and said hotly, "It probably knows I was going to talk about it. Damned thing!" She face him and said sternly, "Look here! This is the 'Necklace of the Key'. I know your wife gave away the 'Bracelet of the Winds' and the 'Stone of the First Water' to total strangers and DIDN'T keep any of these goofy artifacts for herself OR for you OR her own daughter! What do they do? Where are they from? Why did I of all people get one?" He blinked in surprise. Aldus was someone who lived for surprises, at least the pleasant ones. He chuckled. "I shouldn't be surprised. I was told that you intellegence would probe beyond our obsfucation to keep you safe." "Ignorance IS NOT BLISS! Dammit! I've fought off two kidnapping attempts and one outright assasination attempt since the beginning of the year!" She blazed at him, "YOU will tell me what I want to know, you arrogant bastard! Answer my questions! Answer now! The stone flared hot beneath her hand. The room swam before her eyes, like she was going to pass out. She swayed, and Aldus pulled her over and sat her down in burgundy chair that he awaited her in. She clenched the necklace in her hand to pull it off. She clutched Aldus' coat with the other hand and gasped out, "You! What...are you...doing...to....meeeeeeeee......." Aldus Panchetta blinked and watched with curious ,scientific, detatchment as the Measure's head fell back onto the chair cushions. He noted her strong pulse and the REM movements of her eyes through her closed eyelids. She maintained a death-grip on the necklace. A chime in the room announced his stop had arrived. He sighed and put back on his scarf and patted the Measure on the shoulder. "So it finally begins, as my wife predicted. Curious. Well--I have to get off here. Unfinished business, you know. I didn't really have the answers, anyway. Perhaps as you embrace your destiny, you'll find you answers, and THEN---perhaps you'll be able to answer MY questions! Farewell, Measure." He left the stateroom, leaving the door open, and didn't look behind. Aldus Panchetta seldom looked behind, perhaps out of the fear of what might be on his heels. --TO BE CONTINUED!-- Media Poser 6