Travel

New York City, the Dreamlands, the slave mines of Cthulhu, the Ash Grove.

Characters

Player Characters	Non-Player Characters
Cooper, Dresdina Belle (me)	Athos – Under-Sheriff of Ulthar, a city in the Dreamlands
	Baroch, Momma – runs The Spangled Cat, a lodging house in Ulthar
	Curren – Athos’ deputy
	O’Dei, Francis – Jocelyn’s second-in-charge
	Shadowdancer, Jocelyn – head of Shadow Investigations

Contents

• A Polite Request
• To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
• The City of Ulthar
• The Spangled Cat
• Dream Lover
• Awake
• A Little Detour
• The Morning After
• Between Two Worlds

A Polite Request

The office was quiet. Dresdina Belle Cooper found the lack of usual background noises discomforting. She stood by the window nearest her desk with her back to the room, sipping a cup of pumpkin soup and watching the flags fluttering in front of the nearby United Nations Building. The only others on the floor were Jocelyn Shadowdancer, Dresdina’s boss, and Francis O’Dei, Shadow Investigations assistant administrator. As their offices were further down the hall from hers, Dresdina was alone with her thoughts.

Several weeks ago she and her colleagues travelled to the USSR on “business”, the sort of business you didn’t talk to anyone about, the sort of business that would get you committed if sane people knew what you were doing. Algren Barrett accompanied Robert, Killian, “Snake” and herself to St Petersburg. Although Algren was Shadow Investigations’ receptionist and not a trained investigator, he possessed knowledge Jocelyn believed necessary to their success. However, things had gone badly and the Russian authorities had captured them.

While under interrogation, Robert admitted that Algren was an alien plant. Instead of taking that statement as an indication that they had pushed their subject too far, the Russians subjected Algren to a detailed and painful examination. During this examination the Russians discovered that Algren was neither plant nor human. They scheduled him for dissection “in the interests of science”.

Just how Jocelyn pulled off their subsequent release was a complete mystery to Dresdina, who fervently wished for a similar level of clout. As soon as they stepped from the plane at JFK, Jocelyn whisked Algren away into protective custody. Jocelyn later told them that they could take some time off to recover from the rigours of the trip. Dresdina suspected that part of the reason for the enforced staff holiday was that Jocelyn didn’t trust herself to be civil to Robert.

Six days later Dresdina returned to her apartment from a walk in Central Park to find a message on her answering machine. Jocelyn wanted to speak with her. Dresdina hoped it was about Algren as she hadn’t seen or heard from him since they arrived home. Although she trusted Jocelyn to care for Algren, she was still concerned for his welfare.

After misjudging the traffic from her apartment, Dresdina arrived at Shadow Investigations fifteen minutes early for her meeting with Jocelyn. Algren wasn’t at reception to greet her when she walked into the office. His continued absence was a vivid reminder of their narrow escape. Causing Jocelyn any further annoyance wasn’t a good idea, so Dresdina had set her desk alarm and prepared herself a cup of soup.

She took another sip from her cup, relishing the flavour while she thought about the consequences of the trip. Her gaze shifted to her desktop fern that, until recently, had been lovingly cared for by Algren. The fern looked healthy and had just outgrown its third pot. Algren’s simpatico with the indoor plants was a standing joke in the office, prompted by a comment Dresdina made after first meeting him, a thoughtless comment she never expected to have confirmed.

On being introduced to Algren by Jocelyn, Dresdina had shaken his hand. This physical contact with him produced an immediate vision in Dresdina’s mind. She saw dried octopus legs, Algren in a cage and other senseless, jumbled images. The vision was terminated by Owl, Dresdina’s spirit guide, who flew straight at her in her mind and broke the contact. Dresdina had blurted out “you’re an alien plant” within earshot of Robert, who turned the encounter into office folklore.

She reached out and gently fingered the leaves of the delicate fern, remembering Algren’s reaction. He was horrified and had run to Jocelyn for support. Jocelyn calmed him down, then spoke to Dresdina insisting that he wasn’t an alien, just that he had personal problems and couldn’t remember his past. Dresdina was too embarrassed to offer an explanation for her behaviour. She believed that what she said couldn’t possibly have been true and wondered at their reaction to her absurd statement. She had apologised to Algren and Jocelyn, quietly regretting once again the suffering brought by her visions.

Dresdina took another sip from her cup, letting the aroma of pumpkin remind her of her mother. Bettina Cooper had also been a victim of visions, of the Beast that dwells in the nightmare realms of sleep. It had shown its face to both of them in dreams. Bettina had warned her daughter about the Beast and told Dresdina never to let it into her room.

Owl had come to protect Dresdina from insanity soon after her mother’s warning, but nobody could protect her mother. Bettina Cooper died of a brain seizure when Dresdina was only 15. Six months after her mother died, Dresdina had dreamt of her. When she woke, a small gold ring was on her right little finger. Dresdina fingered the ring. She knew now that dreams were real. The Beast was real and its face was the face of evil. Dresdina still saw it at night and knew it was after her.

She picked up a sheet of paper from her desk. On it was written “Algren” in illuminated script. It was a peace offering which Algren had given her some weeks after their first encounter. She had accepted it with gratitude, uncomfortably aware of Robert’s continuing jokes at Algren’s expense. After accepting Algren’s gift, Dresdina had started a stumbling attempt at real friendship with him. Now, alien or not, she missed him. She sighed, hoping that wherever Jocelyn had taken him, he was safe. Guilt was a feeling well known to Dresdina.

The soft chime of her desk alarm interrupted her musings. She finished her soup, repaired her lipstick, brushed her hair, straightened her jacket and took a deep, calming breath. Then she walked out of her office and down the hall.

She was expected.  Dresdina thought Jocelyn looked a little distracted and noticed a small frown creasing her brow.

“Ah, Dresdina.  Thank you for coming in.”

Jocelyn’s tone was brisk and businesslike, but Dresdina detected a hint of nerves. Nerves! Whatever Jocelyn wanted to say to her must be bad! Dresdina covered her surprise by sitting in one of the visitor’s chairs and smoothing down her skirt.

“What would you like to talk to me about, Jocelyn?” she asked, carefully keeping her voice neutral.

“What I am about to ask you is not strictly to do with business. You are at liberty to refuse the assignment. Well, more of a favour, actually. However, I expect the request and any results to remain strictly confidential.”

“Of course.”

Dresdina had dealt with top-secret FBI files, some of which contained highly destabilising material and evidence of events long denied by Government sources. She knew how to keep secrets. That was one of the reasons why she had been asked to assist Shadow Investigations, or the United Nations, for whom they ultimately worked. Jocelyn shuffled some papers on her desk, and then came to the point.

“I would like you to find Algren’s home and return him there.”

Dresdina heard Owl’s soft hoot of warning inside her mind. She clasped her hands in her lap to prevent Jocelyn from noticing her trembling fingers and took careful control of herself.

“Don’t you know where he’s from, Jocelyn?”

“No. Not exactly. I can give you directions to where I found him and I assume he’s from the same world, but no, I don’t know where exactly he’s from. You realise he has amnesia?”

Dresdina considered Jocelyn’s words. If Jocelyn had found Algren, as she said, then his “world” must be accessible to humans without the necessity of space travel. The fact that he was a different species didn’t automatically mean that he came from outer space. After all, her cat was a different species and Dresdina knew Ochita didn’t come from outer space.

“Yes, though when we found out he was an alien I wondered if his amnesia was just a cover.”

There was still a small part of Dresdina that didn’t believe she was having this conversation with Jocelyn, the same part that had stared at Algren in wonder when she had heard the results of his examination by the Russians. But her scepticism had taken a beating recently and now only raised cursory objections when things got completely out of hand. It was her sanity she was really worried about, her sanity and the Beast.

“I don’t know how they confirmed that, Dresdina. To even an extensive medical examination, he’s human. They must have gone to the trouble of checking his DNA.”

“Where did you find him, Jocelyn?” Dresdina wasn’t sure she liked where this conversation was going, especially after Owl’s warning.

“The Dreamlands.  Have you heard of it?”

At the edges of her memory Dresdina heard the roar of the Beast. This time it would get her, for sure.

“The what?” she asked, trying to concentrate on the current time and place, on Jocelyn’s words.

“It’s a world that has actual physical existence, or can be made to have, but humans usually access it through their dreams.”

Dresdina fingered her gold ring again. “Like a vision?”

“No. More than that. It’s an actual place. It’s hard to explain if you’ve never been there. When you read a novel, do you ever wonder what the setting would be like if you returned to it in, say, a year’s time?”

“Yes,” replied Dresdina, carefully.

“Well, what if you actually could do that? Enter that setting, talk to people, and wander around the place. It would have a life of its own, beyond the plot. That’s what I mean by more than a vision. Visions are personal. Surreal. The Dreamlands is a place where you can interact, smell the daisies, travel, talk to people. They get on with their lives whether you’re there or not.”

“I think I see,” commented Dresdina, her growing certainty mingling with dread. “But the characters from a book can’t come here.”

Dresdina knew the Beast would destroy everything it touched if it ever came through to the real world. But there were those FBI files, those cases she herself had investigated, the horrible murders and mutilations.

“No, and normally Dreamlands people don’t either. I wasn’t even sure it was possible. In a way, that was what finally convinced me that it was a real place. It takes exceptional circumstances for humans to physically enter The Dreamlands. Normally, you have a kind of dream self that goes. I’ve never heard of another example of a Dreamlands inhabitant entering Earth.”

Dresdina still wasn’t ready to tell Jocelyn about the Beast. “Why haven’t you been able to find Algren’s home yourself?” asked Dresdina.

“I can’t go to the Dreamlands any more. Although you can’t be physically hurt there – the damage doesn’t transfer to your real body when you wake up – if you are killed there, you can never return.” Jocelyn looked grim. “I was killed last time I was there.”

Dresdina believed in destiny. She had always known that it would eventually come down to her and the Beast. “So, how do we start?”

“I have to teach you first of all how to Dream. If that is successful, your first trip will be to get a feel for the place and how it works. If you’re willing to continue, I’ll give you more information to use to find Algren’s home.”

“Fine. Let’s do it then.”

“Do you have any questions, Dresdina?”

“No, I don’t. It’s probably better to enter the Dreamlands without any preconceived ideas. I might have a better chance of finding Algren’s home under those circumstances.”

Jocelyn looked hard at Dresdina, but said nothing more. Dresdina was relieved. The last thing she wanted was to start discussing her nightmares with Jocelyn Shadowdancer.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

That evening Dresdina prepared for bed with more than her usual trepidation.  She believed she had already been to the Dreamlands, before she knew the name of her nightmare realm.  She eyed dubiously the small vial given to her by Jocelyn.  It was a plain chemist’s beaker containing a multi-hued viscous liquid.  She had never used an aid to dream before, but Jocelyn insisted on its use.  Dresdina lay fully clothed on the bed and drank it down.  The effect was slow, drawing her down into a deep sleep, drawing her down a huge staircase.  Down and down and down.

Dresdina found herself standing naked in front of two priests, surprised at her lack of embarrassment or shame.  The priests looked into her soul, piercing her to her core.  They asked questions about why she wanted to enter the Dreamlands.  It didn’t occur to her to lie – it just seemed as natural as her nakedness to tell them about Algren and about Jocelyn’s request.  They didn’t make any comments, just nodded and scribbled something in an impressive tome.

They pointed towards a table on which lay a small old-fashioned knife, a small purse of unfamiliar coins and the clothes in which she had gone to sleep.  Dresdina moved over to the table and picked up her clothes.  On closer inspection she discovered unfamiliar, simple tie fastenings, wooden buttons and fine cotton weave, rather than synthetic fibre.  The knife was well made and sharp.  The priests gave her leave to continue climbing down the seemingly endless staircase.

When she opened the small door at the bottom of the staircase, Dresdina realised that the grained wood of the walled staircase was the inside of a huge oak tree.  The branches laddered up as far as she could see.  The priests had told her not to linger in the forest and now she could see why.  The twisted trees crowded in on the narrow path, their upper limbs meeting to form a roof overhead, so that the forest was bathed in an eerie green light.

There were glowing fungus growths that also contributed to the green radiance.  Noises followed her as she made her way down the path, but when she turned, there was nothing behind her.  Dresdina clutched the small knife that seemed insufficient protection and hurried on.  She could almost believe that the forest itself was evil, an evil of such magnitude that she didn’t want to confront it.

The forest eventually thinned and she found herself on the outskirts of a gently rolling valley.  If there was evil in this valley, it was well disguised.  The verdant green was in stark contrast to the dark trees behind her that seemed to sigh in disappointment as she left their embrace.  The green ahead of her was marked into chequered squares of fields.  There were old-fashioned stone cottages scattered over the landscape.  All the same, she noticed the land near the forest was untended and the closest cottages were still some distance from the trees.

Where to start?  This wasn’t the place she thought it was going to be.  A picture postcard from Devon or the Cotswolds or Southern Ireland was a far cry from her visions of bleak landscapes and ravening beasts.  Was that was a smock-wearing farmer over there?  Definitely not the place she was expecting!

The farmer greeted her in a broad but undefinable country accent as she passed him.  He smiled pleasantly at her and turned back to his winnowing.  Dresdina began to notice a pattern.  There were no airplanes, no cars, and no complicated machinery.  It was very peaceful.  The sun was making her drowsy and she longed to lie in the fields, chew a wheat stalk and gaze at the blue sky.  Even the gigantic mountain that bordered the valley seemed benign.

Soon after passing the farmer Dresdina arrived at a small town.  It could have been straight out of a travel brochure.  The people smiled and nodded at her.  They obviously knew she was a stranger in town.  Of course, in a place that size it was hardly surprising.  A tall man with sandy hair came out from a doorway.

He smiled at her and said, “Welcome to Nir.  You must be hungry after your journey.  Would you care for some refreshments?”

Dresdina wanted explanations more than refreshments, but she was thirsty from the warm sun and her walk through the fields.  She noticed his blue, blue eyes, their enticing sparkle and his wry smile.  She was feeling mellow enough for some male company and some information.

“That would be very nice.  Thank you.”

The man introduced himself as Klar and motioned Dresdina to a nearby table.  He asked a woman to bring food and drink, which she did with a smile.  Klar placed the plate and cup on the table with a flourish and started a practiced line.  Dresdina stifled a sigh.  Men!  No matter where they were, they couldn’t help themselves.  She began extracting information.

“It is kind of you to offer such hospitality to a stranger.”

“I like to help all new Dreamers” Klar replied with an engaging smile.  “It can be a little daunting to first-timers.  There are some very dangerous places around here and it helps to have the company of someone who knows the area well.”

“How did you know I’m a … what did you say?  Dreamer?”  Dresdina decided the ingenuous touch would work best with Klar.

“Oh, that’s easy for someone who knows such things.  New visitors always come this way.  Your clothes are a little unusual.  Not in a really obvious way,” he added quickly “but in subtle ways that one who is very practised and observant can notice.  Your collar, for example.”

Klar reached over and fingered Dresdina’s collar, as if to emphasise his point.  Dresdina held her ground and met his eyes, then skilfully extricated herself from his grasp without seeming obvious.  She filed the information away for future reference.

An hour later Dresdina was well fed and rested.  She politely escaped Klar and set off again.  There was a large city further on and she wanted to get some information on Algren’s possible origin from a more reliable source than Klar.  Not that she had anything against him.  She just didn’t want him to have anything against her.  He was far too smooth a talker.

Lacking any information to use as a starting point was going to be a problem.  All she had at the moment was Algren’s description and Jocelyn’s opinion that he might or might not have come from here.  Not much to go on.  Dresdina reminded herself to ask more questions of Jocelyn before she returned to this place, assuming she could leave.  That possibility didn’t bear thinking about.

Dresdina hurried across a bridge spanning a river.  She didn’t like the feel of it, but Klar had told her it was the only way across for some distance.  It looked like an ordinary, if over-sized, stone bridge but it felt wrong and despite the warm sunshine, Dresdina shivered.  Once across, Dresdina didn’t take long to get to a city, even though it hadn’t been visible from Klar’s village.  The journey passed in a blur, not helped by the pleasantly warm weather and drowsiness brought on by a full stomach.

The City of Ulthar

The city was a fascinating collection of overhanging medieval-style buildings.  Not historically accurate, but coloured by imagination, the Arabian Nights and too many Arthurian legends.  There was large number of cats in the city.  They were everywhere, in vast swarms wherever there was a warm place to sun themselves.  Dresdina coaxed a small one to her for a pat and a preen.

Wandering along the cobbled streets, Dresdina soaked in the sights.  She was delighted with the atmosphere and the setting.  Perched on the highest hill in the centre and dominating the city was a tall, granite tower, festooned with ivy.  A market was in full swing.  Dresdina ducked as a wizened old store holder threw a rotten apple at an urchin making off with some of his produce.  Further on she inhaled the delicious smell of fresh baked bread.  A juggler tossed coloured balls in the air, and then scooped them up with a flourish before soliciting a reward from his on-lookers.

A small group of brightly dressed and painted women were gathered in one corner of the market.  When Dresdina walked over to see what the attraction was, one of the women told her to move on.  “This is our patch, find your own!” she snarled.  Dresdina moved on.

Nearby, a group of ragged urchins were accosting a man.  He was as poorly dressed as they, but looked healthy enough.  He brushed them away, muttering angrily.  The urchins looked Dresdina over.  One started towards her, but one of the others pulled him back.  They went into a huddle, making plans of some kind.  A man dressed in a smock and carrying a tray of fresh bread bumped into Dresdina.  He apologised and hurried on.

Disoriented by the crowd and the unfamiliar sights and sounds, Dresdina wandered down a crooked laneway.  Soon she was hopelessly lost.  Turning back, she took another wrong turn and ended up in a blind alley.  At the end of the alley she could see a pair of legs sticking out from underneath a broken cart.  There was something about the situation that set her instincts on edge, so she approached the body under the cart cautiously, wary of the dead end and the possibility of being trapped.

The legs didn’t move.  Nobody else entered the alley. S he had reached a quieter area of the city with less traffic.  She dragged the body out from under the cart carefully, still suspecting a trap.  A quick check for heartbeat and breathing showed that the man was barely alive.  She noted a wet, sticky patch on his back as she turned him over so she could start first aid.  When she saw his face she recoiled in shock.  If Algren had a twin, it was this man.  Was it Algren?  No, she noted some slight differences in colouring and facial features as she started treatment.

Whoever he was, he was in a bad way.  He had severe head injuries and his back was a mass of welts, some old and some recent enough to still be slowly oozing blood and lymph.  Where to start?  She was reluctant to leave him, but his injuries were beyond her ability to alleviate.  Given the surroundings, she wasn’t sure that a local would possess sufficient skill either.  Someone passed the end of the alley and Dresdina shouted for help.  The man took in the scene and ran away.  Oh well, she thought, some aspects of human nature haven’t changed.

Taking mental notes, Dresdina tried to patch up the worst of his injuries.  The stranger’s breathing was shallow and his pulse slow.  His pupils were dilated and she suspected brain injury.  It looked like he had been in a severely weakened state before he was hit on the head.  Perhaps he had wandered in here, disorientated, and been set upon by thieves?  But that didn’t account for the long-term nature of some of his injuries.  There was something odd about the welts on his back.  Something long and flexible had made them, not something solid like a rod.  No prior attempt had been made to treat him.  It must have taken him a great deal of determination to get this far.  But from where?  In this state, someone must surely have seen him.

His breath rattled in his chest.  Almost before she’d realised it, he was gone.  Dresdina started CPR and then ceased.  What was the point?  There were no paramedics, no ambulances, and no hospitals.  The best they’d probably do was make him comfortable and let him die.  Or put a few leaches on his wounds!  Let him go with dignity.  She felt frustrated.  Her first lead to Algren’s identity and he had died in her arms!  There were footsteps behind her.  Someone was entering the alley.  She had only a few seconds to gather what clues she could.

Dresdina checked the man’s pockets carefully.  Empty.  Not surprising if thieves had attacked him.  Given the state of his clothes, there may not have been anything to steal.  Although originally of good quality and made from a finely woven material, they were now in tatters.  The material parted in one place to reveal yet more welts.  She could detect the strong aroma of unwashed skin and clothes.  On an impulse, she checked his nails.  They were cracked and dirt encrusted, though there had been some attempt to clean them.

The footsteps came closer and Dresdina looked around for an escape route.  She knew how suspicious she looked in this situation and didn’t know how favourably the law would look on her actions.  It wasn’t a very long alleyway, more a courtyard for unloading goods into houses or warehouses.  There were a couple of closed doorways, but no other visible exits.  She decided that attack was the best form of defence and rounded on the intruder.

“Why didn’t you come sooner, when I called for help?” she demanded.

“I didn’t know sooner,” replied the man, calmly.

He knelt by Algren’s double to examine him.  Dresdina noted his quick and methodical check for vital signs, surprised by his skill.  Did he know first aid?  Would it have made any difference if he had arrived sooner?  He was tall, with curly black hair tied neatly with a ribbon.  Good looking too, with piercing blue eyes that took her breath away as he turned towards her.  Did they all have eyes that colour?

“Was he like this when you found him?”

“Yes, I only moved him to check if he was still alive.”

“Was he?”

“Yes, but not for long.  Do you know where he might have come from?  We should notify his next of kin.”

“Do you know who they are?”

“No.”

“Then that will be a little difficult.”

Dresdina noted wryly that she was coming across as a dumb tourist.  That was her intention, but she was unprepared for sarcasm.  She looked into his eyes again.  They defied the old saying about sarcasm and wit and he seemed competent.  Perhaps these people had a higher level of knowledge than that for which she’d given them credit.  He checked through the double’s pockets, but found nothing.  Then he checked through the dead man’s hairline, pausing over two matched sores just in front of his ears.

“What are they?” Dresdina asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied, absently.  “The last one had them.”

His comment confirmed her impression that he knew what he was looking for.  Dresdina wondered what else he knew.

He stood and questioned Dresdina about who she was, what she had been doing, how she had found the man, if she had seen anyone leaving the alley and if she knew anything else that might prove useful in his investigations.

Dresdina answered truthfully but cautiously, remembering Klar’s ability to identify her as a Dreamer.  She wondered if he suspected her of causing the man’s death.  His manner towards her was relaxed but Dresdina wasn’t certain her lost tourist act was convincing.  His questions were those that would be asked by any law enforcement officer when confronted with such a scene.  However, he was hampering her own investigations and she didn’t want him costing her any clues.

Dresdina hovered around him as he checked the area, trying to look like she needed his protection.  She looked for clues as well.  There was nothing hidden in or near the wagon and both doors were locked and barred.  When he knocked there was no answer at either.  They spotted the trail of blood at the same time.  Checking around nearby, it became apparent that Algren’s double had climbed across the peaked roof of one of the buildings and then fallen, hurting his head.  He’d dragged himself a little further, but the injuries from the fall had added to his weakened state and hastened his death.

Several other men entered the alley.  Two of them loaded the body onto a stretcher they carried with them.  Dresdina’s acquaintance looked at the roof, then back at her.

“I may need to contact you for further information, Miss Dresdina.  Where are you staying?”  It was a dismissal and it didn’t take a genius to realise what he intended to do now.

“I have come a long way to aid a friend.  I am new to this place and have no guide.  I have not yet found a suitable place to stay.  However, I have seen enough to know that you and I may be looking for the same thing.  I don’t like what has happened to this man, but I believe something similar may have happened to my friend who, by the way, looks like this poor unfortunate.  Where I come from I was a law enforcer, but now I am an investigator.  I will offer you my help in return for some information about this city and the surrounding lands.  My friend is anxious to return home, but he doesn’t remember where that is.  I want him to be safe from harm and not be mistreated like this again,” she said, pointing to the body being carried out of the alley.

“I’d like to know your name and where I can contact you.  If you can recommend a place for me to stay, then you will know where I can be reached.”

The man considered her for a while, obviously torn between the need to backtrack the dead man’s trail before it was lost and the desire to interrogate a new source of information before it too disappeared.  He came to a decision.

“You can stay at The Spangled Cat.  Momma Baroch will look after you if you mention my name.  I am Athos, the Under-Sheriff of this city.  Curren will show you the way.”

Athos beckoned to one of the men and talked to him quietly.  “I shouldn’t be long” was Athos’ only comment to Curren that Dresdina overheard.

She looked at Curren.  He was a ruddy-faced man, somewhat stout of body but still reasonably fit.  At last, she thought, someone who isn’t handsome!  She had been wondering if it was a Dreamlands trait.

“This way please, Miss Dresdina,” said Curren, indicating the exit to the alley through which the stretcher-bearers had already proceeded.  Dresdina took one last look at Athos.

“Thankyou Athos” she said, with all the warmth she was beginning to feel in his presence.  Then she turned and followed Curren out of the alley without looking back.

As Curren led her through the city streets Dresdina carefully memorised the landmarks.  She had every intention of returning to the alley and wanted to be able to find it again.  As they passed an apothecary shop Dresdina expressed an interest in going inside.  Curren insisted politely that his task was to guide her to the Spangled Cat and nowhere else.  Dresdina was impressed.  Athos obviously inspired obedience in his men, but not through fear.  Curren’s manner was too relaxed for fear of reprisal to be his reason for insisting they move on.

The Spangled Cat

The Spangled Cat was a clean, safe looking place, not at all like some of the rougher places Dresdina had passed on her way to the alley.  The sign above the door showed a glittering cat beaming down with a Cheshire cat grin.  There were huge numbers of cats around the inn.  As Dresdina and Curren entered, one of the serving maids placed two large bowls of stew outside for the cats to eat.

“Are cats important here Curren?” asked Dresdina, surveying the feline masses.  Curren looked surprised at the question.

“Miss Dresdina, you must be from a long way away not to know.  We recognise that they are highly intelligent creatures, unlike other less enlightened places.  We treat them with the respect they deserve.  It is illegal to harm a cat in Ulthar.”

“Illegal?  Good, I like cats.”  Dresdina wondered why Curren hadn’t recognised her as a Dreamer, as Klar had done earlier in the day.  But then, Klar had said that spotting a Dreamer was only easy for someone with appropriate knowledge.  Perhaps she wouldn’t be an open book here in Ulthar after all.

Dresdina stepped carefully over a large orange tiger-stripped roly-poly specimen lying just inside the door, one of many inside the inn.  Too much stew for that one!  People who liked cats automatically went up several notches in Dresdina’s estimation, but this level of tolerance and encouragement was unusual.

Curren hailed a woman.  She was all stereotype – huge build with a peasant blouse, mobcap and voluminous skirts.  When Curran mentioned that Athos had sent him, she beamed at Dresdina.

“Another stray kitten to care for!  Come in dearie, make yourself at home.”  She showed Dresdina to a table, magically cleared for her at a nod, and called for food and drink.  A serving woman placed a bowl of stew, the same as had been fed to the cats by all appearances, and a mug of beer in front of Dresdina.

“That man is such a sweetheart, always ready to help anyone.  And so good-looking.  Why if I were ten years younger…”  She rolled her eyes to indicate what she wouldn’t have done with him.  “You stay here dearie, and if anyone gives you any trouble, you just call for Momma Baroch.”

Dresdina took an instant liking to the woman.  Impeccable taste in men!

Curren joined Dresdina at the table.  She wasn’t sure if it was for her own protection, unlikely given the way Momma Baroch seemed able to boss people around, or if he was under orders not to let her out of his sight.  Probably the latter.  She couldn’t really blame Athos for being suspicious of her, especially if his city was in the middle of a spate of unsolved murders.

“Curren, could you tell me about Ulthar.”

Curren spoke with pride of his city.  Dresdina related much of what he said to her own world.  Ulthar was the largest city for some distance and far more civilised than many of the neighbouring cities.  It was a semi-democratic system run by a burgomaster for life who headed a council of advisers.  The current occupant of the seat was a man called Kranon.  On his death there would be an election of another burgomaster for life.

Curren spoke more quietly and reverently of the tower on the hill.  “It is the Temple of the Elder Ones.  It’s best not to go there unless you have business with one of the priests.  Most of the time it’s OK, but they are best not interfered with.”  He quickly changed the subject to the mythical Gate of Dreams that was supposed to be somewhere in Ulthar.  “If you can find it, the Keeper of Dreams will grant you your heart’s desire.  I’ve never seen it though and I looked long and hard when I was younger.”

Dresdina was curious about this Gate of Dreams.  Ulthar was certainly full of possibilities.  She hoped that she would have the time to investigate.  Now that she thought about it, Dresdina noticed that she was unaware of the time.  Usually she could judge it to within ten minutes either way without having to look at a clock.  It could have been minutes or hours since she entered the inn with Curren, but she had no idea.  Dresdina hoped that time didn’t obey different rules in this place.  Finding Algren’s home would be difficult enough without some of the basic rules of her existence being null and void.

Still, there was Athos.  The fictional Athos had been a regular in her dreams for some time after she had read “The Three Musketeers” as a girl, but her fantasy didn’t include those striking blue eyes.  As if on cue, this dream’s Athos came through the door and made his way to their table.  He looked a little rumpled.  However appealing the result, the rumpling had probably occurred while he was pursuing leads.  Damn!  Well, if she couldn’t initiate her own investigations, she’d start with his.

“Hello, Athos.  Please sit down and have a drink.  Momma Barouch’s stew is very good” Dresdina said, smiling up at him.

Curren stood up as Athos took a seat.  The changing of the guard, thought Dresdina.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Curren.”

“Happy to, Miss Dresdina.”  Curren nodded at Athos and then left.

“Your name carries a great deal of weight with Momma Baroch, Athos.  She’s been taking good care of me since Curren brought me here.”  Dresdina wondered if Athos had any inkling why the mention of his name worked magic in this inn.  “Did you find anything?”

“Athos!” cried Momma Baroch, startling Dresdina.  “It’s been too long since you came to visit.  Have you eaten?”  She barely paused for his answer before adding, “I didn’t think so.”  She bellowed for a bowl, which arrived within seconds before a resigned Athos.  “You don’t look after yourself enough.”  She turned to Dresdina.  “Such a nice boy.  He rescued my granddaughter once you know.  Silly child had gotten herself mixed up with the priests.  Did he rescue you too?  Always one to help out.  Why once …” She was interrupted by a timid boy tugging at her sleeve.

“Ah, they need me in the kitchens.  Can’t do without me.  You stay and talk to me later, Athos.”  She swept off and Athos breathed a sigh of relief.  Dresdina had noticed him squirming under Momma Barouch’s gaze.  She regarded Athos from across the table.  Such a small distance, she thought, but such a gulf in understanding, experience and belief.  She may as well try to talk to Marvin the Martian!  Where to even begin?

“Miss Dresdina, there are some questions I’d like to ask you.”

Good, she thought, this might break the ice between them and, if she could get Athos to open up, give her some valuable information.

“Who are you and why are you here?”

“Athos, please call me Dresdina.  A man like the one I found in the alley managed to travel bodily from the Dreamlands to my world, where Dreamers come from.  His name is Algren Barrett and he is a friend of mine.  We both work for a woman who has been here previously; who found Algren here and somehow brought him into my world.  She can’t bring him back because she was killed the last time she was here.  She has asked me to find Algren’s home and return him to wherever that is.  I drank a Dreaming potion that she gave me and now I’m here, or at least some part of me is here.”

Dresdina tried to picture herself asleep in her bedroom but couldn’t, the experience of being in the inn with Athos was far too real.  He was listening intently to her story, so she continued.

“I fell asleep and found myself in a room which turned out to be the inside of a huge oak tree, the big one in the forest past Nir.  Two priests questioned me about why I was here, and then let me go.  I walked out of the forest and on to Nir where someone I met recognised me as a Dreamer and gave me a meal.  He told me how to get here.  I had only just arrived when I found the man under the cart.  I was lost and wandered into that dead end alley.  You already know the rest of the story, I told you when you asked me about the dead man.  As to what Algren’s like, that dead man could have been his identical twin.  The resemblance is uncanny.  Now, perhaps we can help each other.  Did you find anything?”

“I was able to follow the man’s trail a short distance.  He must have been trying to avoid any people and had taken extraordinary steps to do so, especially considering his injuries.  I backtracked him over the rooftops and down to a sewer entrance, but lost the trail soon afterwards.  I intend to try and search the sewers tomorrow.  They’re not safe after dark.  They’re not too safe even during the day without company.”

“Then I would like to offer you my help again, Athos.  I would like to be part of the company that goes with you to the sewers tomorrow.”

Dresdina ignored Owl’s soft hoot of warning.  She’d lived her life in fear of the Beast and her dream of the Musketeer was one of very few that didn’t leave her shaking in terror.  Either she would pull the Beast’s beard in it’s own den or she would die trying.  It was only a matter of time before it caught up with her as it had her mother.  It too could travel to the waking world as Algren had.  She had to confront it here where she had the luxury of two lives.

“Dresdina, the experience you described with the priests is common to all Dreamers.  You will see them again each time you come to these lands.  Be careful not to offend them.  They can prevent you from coming here.  And like your friend, if you die here, you can never return.”

“Because my dream self has died?”

“Yes.  The reverse is also true.  If you die in the Waking World, you can never return there but you can either live on here in the Dreamlands or choose to go to the Afterlife.”

“But what if I die here, then die later in the Waking World?  Would that mean my only choice was to go to the Afterlife?”

“Yes.”

Dresdina was stunned.  Athos’ matter of fact description of the mysteries of death had completely overwhelmed her.  If what he said was true, then her mother could be here in the Dreamlands!  Bettina Cooper may have chosen to stay here after she died in the Waking World, rather than go on to the Afterlife.  Dresdina’s heart pounded in shock and her head swam.  Not only would Dresdina have to deal with the Beast, but also she could very well run into her dead mother!  She gripped the edge of the table to stop herself from falling.  Then she noticed Athos watching her intently, so she anchored herself in his brilliant blue eyes and pulled herself together.

“Athos, are you saying that there are dead people here in the Dreamlands?”

“Yes, Dresdina.  Some Dreamers who have been released from their bodies in the Waking World have chosen to remain here.”

“How do you know so much about it?”

“Because I am a Dreamer as well.  I am old and sick in the Waking World, so I spend most of my time here.  When I am finally released, I will stay here.”

“You don’t look old,” said Dresdina, watching the soft light of the inn play across his handsome face.  Her favourite movie star didn’t look that good, even with the help of makeup, lighting, a hairdresser and a tuxedo!

Athos looked a little self-conscious.  “That’s because I choose to look like this.  A little vanity, if you like.  If you come back often, you will learn the same skills.”

Dresdina decided to veer away from the personal questions; she could see Athos was getting uncomfortable.  She fingered the gold ring on her little finger.  Perhaps Algren wasn’t the only person from the Dreamlands who had journeyed to the Waking World.  If her mother was here, then perhaps she had found a way to return to the Waking World and place this ring on Dresdina’s hand while she slept.

“Athos, have you ever known or heard of anyone or anything from the Dreamlands entering the Waking World?”

“No.  I didn’t think it was possible, even though people from the Waking World can sometimes bodily enter the Dreamlands.”

“How?”

“I’ve never been able to do it myself, but there are some items you can obtain which allow bodily entry.  Or so I’ve been told.  But if your body is here and you are harmed or die, you don’t return to the Waking World unharmed.  You are truly dead.  I know Ulthar seems a pleasant place, but there are dangers in the Dreamlands.  The Elder and Outer gods and their minions are overt and active here.  In the Waking World they are normally less bold.”

Dresdina tried to ignore the sudden chill running down her spine.  “Elder and Outer gods and their minions?”

Athos frowned slightly.  “If you are unaware of them, it is better that you remain so.  The Outer gods are creatures older than time itself who are utterly inimical to mankind.  You will recognise them and some of their minions if you are ever unfortunate enough to run across them.  Some Elder gods can be helpful, if they so choose.  However, their interests are not ours.  It is safer to avoid them, if you can.”

Dresdina thought of the Beast.  “I think it’s already too late for me to avoid them.”

“A pity.  I would prefer to keep you safe from them.”

Dresdina regarded Athos again.  Was he feeling something here too?  If she died in the Dreamlands she could never return and would probably fall to the Beast in the Waking World.  Doubly dead and on her way to the unknown Afterlife.  If she succeeded then she would have won back her life and would be able to share that life with someone, a much-cherished wish never fulfilled.

Everything about the Dreamlands felt real.  She could eat, drink, stroke a cat’s fur and feel the heat of the sun on her face.  If she reached out and touched Athos would she feel the warmth of his skin?  Would he feel her hand?  Well, as Killian had often said to her, fortune favoured the brave.  Tomorrow she could be dead in both worlds.

Dresdina reached out and gently ran her fingers down the side of Athos’ face.  “So, how real are you, Athos?”

Athos had been looking thoughtfully at her and the touch of her hand startled him.  Dresdina felt sure that her touch had affected him and there was a delay before he gently took her hand away.

“I think that Momma Barouch’s ale can be a little strong for those who aren’t used to it.  If you want to come to the sewers with me tomorrow, you should get some rest.  It’s late.”

Dream Lover

Dresdina noted with surprise that it was indeed quite late.  How long had they been sitting there talking?  It seemed like forever and yet it could only have been a short time.  She allowed Athos to escort her upstairs to her small private room.  He stood in the doorway to wish her goodnight, taking her hand to kiss it in a rather old-fashioned way.  It fitted the medieval surroundings.

Suddenly, Athos turned her hand over and kissed her palm.  Dresdina’s skin tingled in response to his erotic kiss.  A simple gesture, but one loaded with meaning.  Athos looked as though he was surprised by what he had just done, by his own lack of control.  Dresdina was shocked at just how badly she wanted him to continue.  But then, this was really only a dream.

She stepped closer to Athos, stretched up and kissed his mouth as he released her hand.  Athos responded by kissing her back, tentatively at first, then deeper and harder, locking his arms around her.  Dresdina was so involved in the sensation of his mouth on hers that she forgot to breathe.  Athos moaned softly into her mouth as he pushed harder against her, then suddenly broke their kiss. “I didn’t mean …”

“No, but I did.”  Dresdina reached behind Athos’ head and gently pulled the ribbon from his hair then arranged the soft black curls against his neck while she kissed him again.  Athos lifted her off the floor and moved into the room, shutting the door behind him with his foot.

Once again Dresdina was unaware of time passing.  The whole universe seemed to hold its breath while she experienced a dream within a dream, felt the heat of his skin, the silken fineness of his hair and the passion of his kisses.  Finally, curled in Athos’ arms and listening to the quiet beating of his heart, Dresdina fell asleep.

Awake

Dresdina came awake reluctantly.  It was still dark, she was warm and comfortable and something had woken her.  She reached out a hand for Athos and touched a small, furry body.  Ochita meowed at her, turned around and settled down to sleep again.  Dresdina switched on her bedside lamp and looked at the clock.  Just after midnight.

Her dream stood out in startling clarity.  Her skin still tingled from Athos’ kisses.  He had been a dream lover in every sense, magnificent.  She chuckled out loud, surprised at her own daring.  What she had done with him, to him!  When she remembered what he had done to her, she was sure she was blushing.  He was like chocolate or a sweet wine, addictive in the extreme.  The very few others paled into insignificance in comparison, yet she was sure that this was due to Athos’ tenderness and genuine depth of feeling rather than any breadth of experience.

Dresdina smiled to herself as she slowly replayed their encounter in her mind, remembering the sensations he caused.  She became quietly reflective as she recognised a depth of feeling within herself.  She had to get back to him, soon!

Dresdina noticed her rumpled bed and rubbed the fine scratch marks on her arm.  She must have disturbed Ochita, who then woke her by clawing her bare skin.  Pity.  She rose, made a cup of warm cocoa and sat nursing it.  The Dreamlands were not at all what she had expected.  What to do now?

Dresdina finished the cocoa, then decided to ring Jocelyn at home.  Jocelyn was the one who liked to come into the office late and finish late.  She was a night person and probably still awake.  The answering machine picked up Dresdina’s call, so she waited until after the beeps.  Jocelyn always screened her home calls.

“Jocelyn, are you awake?  I need to talk to you.”  Jocelyn answered the phone promptly without any indication she had been asleep.

“Is it convenient to discuss my current project?”

“Dresdina, I don’t think we should discuss this over the phone.  I’ll come over to your apartment.  I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Dresdina agreed and they hung up.  While waiting for Jocelyn, Dresdina went over the other things she had learned in the Dreamlands and made notes in a new project journal.  She found she had to concentrate, not because she couldn’t remember, but because thoughts of Athos intruded on her musings.  Her clearest memories of the whole experience were his brilliant blue eyes, the feel of his skin and the taste of his mouth on hers.

Jocelyn arrived sooner than Dresdina expected.  She related to Jocelyn everything that had happened, with the exception of her final encounter with Athos.  His lovemaking had been like rain falling on a parched desert, too precious and personal for Dresdina to even consider mentioning it to Jocelyn.  Also, Dresdina intended to continue her involvement with Athos and she needed the potion to reach him, so she was not about to give Jocelyn a reason to discontinue her project.

Jocelyn confirmed the details Curren had told Dresdina about Ulthar, and Athos’ startling revelations on access to the Dreamlands and death.

“Some Dreamers are very strong and can sometimes arrive in the Dreamlands without seeing the priests first, or at least without remembering seeing them. It’s debatable which is true.  It’s still best not to annoy them.  Time is difficult there.  One hour here roughly equals one day there, but don’t expect it to remain constant.  You are dreaming after all.”

Dresdina was saddened by the thought that a day and a half had already passed in Athos’ life.  Had he awoken without her beside him?  Did he miss her?  Would he even remember her when next she saw him?  Would there be someone else in his life by then?  Dresdina noticed Jocelyn watching her, waiting.  Jocelyn had been there before.  Perhaps she knew more about Athos.

“Did you meet Athos when you were there, Jocelyn?”

“He seems vaguely familiar, but I want to check my notes before confirming that.  He can appear as he chooses in the Dreamlands because, like normal dreams, you can learn to change things.  You can change your environment, the events that happen there, sometimes even the people.  It’s a difficult skill, but simply by having been there you’re already learning it.  There is some thought that the Dreamlands only exist because people have dreamt it up and continue to add to it.”

“Jocelyn, what about the people who have died and chosen to stay in the Dreamlands.  Surely they aren’t subject to the whims of Dreamers?”

“Dreamers can be subject to the whims of other Dreamers.  It depends on how strong you are.  Those who originate from the Waking World are stronger than those who have died, who are stronger than the original inhabitants, if that’s what they are.  Usually.  It varies.  Nothing is fixed in the Dreamlands.  That’s why it can be a dangerous place.”

Dresdina considered the possibilities.  If she was strong enough, if she was stronger than Athos and learned how, then she could engineer the outcome to suit her desires.  No cheating, no arguments, no abuse, no recriminations, no regrets, no bitterness.  She was beginning to see the attraction of the Dreamlands, beyond Athos.  But, if she developed that ability at all, would she be strong enough not to use it to her own ends.  Did she have enough trust in Athos to let him be himself.  She had no confidence in her own attractiveness, having in the past spent too long with the wrong man.

But there were wider considerations here.  Dresdina was concerned for her mother.  If Bettina was in the Dreamlands somewhere, then Dresdina wanted to understand what risks there might be to her mother’s safety.

“Are those Dreamers who die and choose to go to the Dreamlands rather than the Afterlife at the mercy of other still living Dreamers?”

“Normally, but it depends on their strength of will.  It isn’t as cut and dried as I’ve explained it.”

Jocelyn advised Dresdina not to attempt to enter the Dreamlands bodily just yet.  “Too dangerous.  I went there bodily, but an enemy sent me.  Finding a way back was far too hard.  I don’t have any means of getting there bodily now and have no intention of trying until you are ready to take Algren home.”

“Jocelyn, could you teach me how to make the potion?  This project may take some time and I think it would be best if I knew how to make it as well.”  Dresdina hoped she sounded nonchalant enough so as not to arouse Jocelyn’s suspicions.  She didn’t want to rely on Jocelyn for access to the Dreamlands now that she had a reason of her own for returning.

“I don’t know how to make it.  I got it from a contact.  It’s really just an aid.  Once you are an experienced Dreamer, you should be able to find your own way there.  Occasionally there are difficulties, but it’s usually because the person has no real desire to go there.  No one I’ve ever heard of who desperately wanted to go hasn’t been able to and lots more who didn’t really care one way or the other haven’t returned for years.  Not that I’m an expert on the Dreamlands, mind you.  If you have any trouble, let me know.  I can get you more if necessary.”

Dresdina went back to bed after Jocelyn’s departure and slept a dreamless sleep.  She couldn’t even remember having any normal dreams and she felt faintly cheated.  After lunch the following day Dresdina rang Jocelyn at the office.

“Jocelyn, did you check your notes for any mention of Athos?  I’ll need a guide that has an interest in the investigation and a level of authority within Ulthar, someone I can trust.  Athos seems a good choice.  Unless you have any reservations, I’ll work with him while I’m there.”

“I didn’t meet him, but I did hear of him.  He is in good standing with the city officials and very dedicated to his job.  I have a feeling I’ve met him in the Waking World, but I’m not sure.  Do you want me to follow that up?”

“Yes please.”

A Little Detour

The following night Dresdina prepared for bed with much anticipation.  To her surprise, she found herself almost immediately in a green and pleasant land, not unlike the fields where she had left the forest on her first visit.  There was no sign of the priests.  She remembered what Jocelyn had told her about strong Dreamers.  Perhaps she could learn to use her apparent strength of will while she was here.  That was something she needed to ask Athos next time she saw him.

Dresdina wandered through the fields, idly chewing on a stalk of wheat.  Very country bumpkinish.  The sun was warm and pleasant and the poppies were heavily scented.  She felt like lying down, sleeping and dreaming of Athos.  She wondered if that would bring him to her, or her to him.  Anything was worth a try when you were ignorant of what did and didn’t work.  She lay down and closed her eyes, picturing his face in her mind.

Suddenly she heard an extraordinary roar behind her.  A rhinoceros was charging towards her over the brow of a nearby hill.  Her reverie abruptly over, Dresdina scrambled up and looked around for something to use as a weapon.  A knife wasn’t going to be much use against an angry rhino.

The clatter of metal caught her attention and she saw a knight in shining silver armour appear from over another nearby hill.  He had white plumes on his helmet and Dresdina heard something muffled about ‘fair damsel’ as he charged past and attacked the rhino.  She felt strangely disoriented.  Was all this really happening?

The knight quickly dispatched the rhino and trotted his horse back to where Dresdina was standing stock still in amazement.  He pushed back his helmet to reveal a young, earnest, freckly face.

“Fair maiden, you are safe from this … err … heinous creature.  Wouldst thou care to be escorted to a place of safety?  I am at your service.”  He bowed over the pommel of his saddle, the plumes on his helmet bobbing as he moved.

“What?” asked Dresdina, completely incredulous.

“It’s OK, you’re safe now.  I mean, thou hast been rescued.  Aren’t you even going to say thank you?”  The young knight looked earnestly at her.  His expression made her realise that she was in the middle of someone else’s dream.  Her life was becoming full of musketeers and knights in shining armour!  Oh well, she was not about to disappoint this young man.  She had only recently learned herself that dreams could be fun.

She drew herself up straight and executed a perfect courtly bow.  “Thankyou my brave knight.  Were it not for thy bravery in the face of that terrible monster, I would be dead.  You have my eternal gratitude.”  Let’s not lay it on too thick, she thought to herself.  I don’t want him following me all the way to Ulthar.

“Oh, cool!” the boy replied.  “I mean, fair maiden thou art a … the, um.  Thou art too kind.  It is my knightly duty to protect and defend those in need.  Wouldst thou care for a ride?”

Well, on the other hand, there were rampaging rhinos in these fields.  “Are you going to Ulthar, perchance brave Sir?”

“Ulthar?  Where’s that?  There is a lovely village nearby.  I could take you there.”

“Thankyou, but I am on my way to Ulthar for the … Cat Festival and I can’t be late.  So here we must part.  Once again, thankyou.”

“Sure.  Fair maiden, be thou hale and all that.”

Dresdina watched him gallop away.  Some people had the most amazing imagination.  She continued on her way and passed many pleasant places, but never seemed to get anywhere where she could find out about Ulthar.  It was nice, but frustrating.  At least there were no more rhinos.

She woke up the next morning in her own bed and quite refreshed.  Ochita mewed piteously to be let out of the bathroom.  Dresdina relaxed for the rest of the day and reread “The Three Musketeers”.  She prepared for bed, hoping that this time she would wake up in Athos’ arms and that it would be the morning after the night before.

The Morning After

Dresdina woke up the next morning with a faint sense of loss.  Not again, she thought.  I didn’t even make it to the Dreamlands this time.  Then a warm arm snaked around her waist.  Athos!  Dresdina relaxed backwards into his embrace.  Relief, joy and the feel of his warm body made her heart race.  Still asleep, Athos moved to accommodate her.  He shifted his leg up over the outside of her thigh and rolled her back against him, embracing her more tightly with his free arm.  He murmured something in his sleep as he snuggled against her.  She wondered whether he was dreaming.  Another dream within a dream.

Dresdina took Athos’ hand in hers and held it against her breast, gently stroking his fingers.  The frustrations of her previous attempts to return drained away each time his breath whispered against her neck.  She felt his heart beating faintly against her back and luxuriated in his closeness.  This was how she wanted to wake up for the rest of her life.  And beyond.

Jocelyn had said that one hour in the Waking World was equal to one day in the Dreamlands.  However, Dresdina had returned without Athos appearing to have noticed that she had ever been gone.  She must have returned to almost the same instant as that in which she had previously left.  So, she was strong enough to exercise some control over when and where she appeared in the Dreamlands.

In the dim light of dawn she could barely make out the details of her room at the Spangled Cat.  The door was bolted from the inside.  He’d managed to do that while kissing her like a starving man, just after he had carried her into the room and closed the door behind them.  The bolted door was a reminder of the dangers he had spoken of before.

The ribbon Athos had been wearing in his hair lay on the floor between the door and their bed.  Dresdina had forgotten everything except the feel of his mouth on hers.  The ribbon she had pulled from his hair had slipped from her grasp and fallen to the floor.

Their clothes lay on the oak chest at the foot of the bed.  Athos’ had enjoyed having her undress him.  He’d laughed when he had to help her unbuckle his sword.  It lay on the chair within arm’s reach, another reminder of the dangers in the Dreamlands.

The now tousled bedspread was different to the one she had at home.  Its muted colours and natural fibre gave silent witness to a simpler time.  He had wrapped them up warmly in it before she drifted off to sleep.  Dresdina remembered that, as sleep claimed her, she had been marvelling at the results of an older man’s experience in a younger man’s body.  Knowledge and energy was an addictive mix.

Athos stirred and lifted his head from the pillow behind her, moving to kiss her ear and cheek.  He began what sounded like an apology for taking advantage of her while she was drunk on Momma Barouch’s ale.  The last thing he remembered was going to bed with her.

This could get very confusing, thought Dresdina, wondering how she was going to keep the two halves of her life separate in her mind.  She rolled over in his arms so that she was facing him, knotted her fingers in his silken hair and pulled him down so that she could kiss him.

“I wasn’t drunk then, and I’m not drunk now” she whispered against his lips.  Dresdina wound her leg around Athos’ hip and rolled against him as she kissed him, eliciting an encouraging moan from him as he responded to her invitation.  Being utterly confused had its advantages.

Some time later they were bathed, dressed and downstairs eating breakfast.  Dresdina’s ego was bolstered when she learnt that last night’s behaviour wasn’t a well-polished act on Athos’ part.  Momma Baroch was astonished when she realised who had spent the night in Dresdina’s room.  Fortunately, once she was over her surprise, she seemed to approve of Athos’ choice.  Facing an angry Momma would be worse than facing a rampaging rhino!

They were enjoying breakfast and each other’s company, although Athos was embarrassed by Momma Barouch’s insistence that he eat more “to keep up your strength”.  Dresdina hid a smile at the obvious reference to her.  It was a relief to know that he had people watching out for him, at least here in the Dreamlands.

“Athos, would you mind if I asked you about your life in the Waking World?  If that’s a problem, please say so.  I will respect your privacy.  You can ask me some questions, if you’d like to know more about me.”

“What do you want to know?” he asked, looking across at Dresdina over the ruins of some of Momma Barouch’s best pancakes.

Dresdina took a deep breath.  “Are you married?”

“No, I’ve never married.  I was a law enforcement officer.  I’ve outlived most of my family and friends.  It seems odd to talk about my life in the Waking World.  It’s like I’m talking about a completely different person, not really me at all.  It’s not that I don’t want you to know, it’s just irrelevant.”

Dresdina considered his earlier statement that he was old and sick in the Waking World.  Across the table from her now he looked the picture of health.  She remembered undressing him in the room upstairs.  He was perfect.  The pale candlelight had burnished his skin, highlighting the well-defined muscles of his limbs and chest and his flat, hard stomach.  He was tall and had the build of an Olympic sprinter.  He was also strong, lifting her with ease before he laid her gently on the bed.  He was like Michelangelo’s “David”, with one much appreciated difference.  She smirked and knew she was blushing again. If he’d chosen that too, then he had chosen well.

But in the Waking World Athos was an old man, sick and dying.  Dresdina looked up and met Athos’ brilliant blue eyes, his fork poised halfway to his mouth while he considered her reaction to his words, one eyebrow slightly raised.  Dresdina wanted to take him straight back upstairs again, old man or no.  He was right, what he was in the Waking World was irrelevant.

“I think I should give you something else to think about” he said, turning his fork around and feeding Dresdina a piece of his pancake.  The knowing look in his eyes told Dresdina that he had guessed what she was thinking, so she made a show of letting his fork slide from her mouth.  Athos shook his head and turned his attention back to his food.  Dresdina wasn’t game enough to see whether Momma Baroch had been watching.

“Yes, you’re right Athos.  It is irrelevant” Dresdina said after finishing her mouthful of pancake.  “So, being the Under-Sheriff of Ulthar must be very interesting” she added, wincing at her triteness.  She desperately wanted to ask him if there was anyone else here in the Dreamlands.  Her trust had been abused before and she didn’t want a repeat of that soul-destroying experience.  “I’m sorry Athos.  That must have sounded very patronising.  What I meant to ask is … is there someone here…”

“No, Dresdina, there isn’t someone here, either.  I wouldn’t have started something with you if there was someone else” he said, a little shocked that she’d had to ask.  Her relief was clearly visible, as was her remembered pain.  Athos took Dresdina’s hand and once again kissed the inside of her palm, then held her hand in his.
“I’m not like that, Dresdina.  I’ve been around long enough to know the value of trust and loyalty.  I also know that these things must be earned, not given away on those who don’t deserve them.  I’m sorry that you’ve been so hurt, but if that meant that you could be here with me now, then whoever it was has done me a great favour.  If you still think I’m hiding a wife away somewhere, then you can come with me later and see my house.  It’s just nearby.  As for being Under-Sheriff of Ulthar, yes, it’s very interesting.”

“Do you want to be Sheriff?”

“Yes, someday when I’m a permanent resident.  It would be unfair to the townspeople to have a Sheriff who might be absent at inconvenient times.”

His mention of being absent reminded Dresdina of her return to her apartment.  “Athos, something strange happened after I went to sleep … last night.  I woke up in my apartment in the Waking World.  It took me two nights to get back here and when I did, I bypassed the priests altogether.  I went from falling asleep in my apartment to waking up in your arms.  Jocelyn said that was possible only for strong Dreamers.  Can I learn to use my will while I’m here?”

Athos was stunned that she had been able to by-pass the priests, and that she had been somewhere else.  “Perhaps you did see the priests and you just don’t remember it.  Perhaps your Dreaming ability is still too undeveloped to control.  I’m guessing this, of course.  It’s beyond my experience.”

“Athos, do you come here via the priests every time you come to the Dreamlands?

“Well, yes.  I thought everyone did,” replied Athos.

So Dresdina was the stronger Dreamer of the two of them.  She would have to be very careful in future not to try to influence Athos in any way other than by good argument.  Also, there was a distinct possibility that some time soon he would simply vanish from before her very eyes, if that’s actually how people returned to the Waking World.  She would need to be prepared for that possibility.

“Athos, there is something else I need to tell you.  There is another reason why I agreed to find Algren’s home for Jocelyn.  I believe something has made its way from the Dreamlands to the Waking World.  Something horrible, perhaps a minion or even an Outer God.  There has been a series of murders in the Waking World over a period of many years, murders that were so horrible that many of the details were kept from the press and the families of the victims.  I know about them because I was investigating them when I worked for the FBI.”

“Sometimes the attacker didn’t kill his victim, but left them in a state so traumatised that they have never recovered.  They are like living dead; nothing remains of their souls.  You can see that when you look into their eyes.  These people are just empty husks.  It’s terrifying.  One was a ten year old girl.”

“I also have reason to believe that this thing, this Beast, has some ongoing interest or connection with my family, specifically my mother and myself.  It’s been a part of our dreams, strange, dark dreams in which we are pursued by this thing that sometimes appears as a man.  My mother was experiencing these nightmares as far back as 1969 and said then that he was trying to get at her.  She died not long after from a brain seizure, but I know this Beast had something to do with her death.”

“In May 1970 my mother visited me while I was sleeping.  I dreamt about her and when I woke up, this gold ring was on my finger.  I’ve wondered about that night ever since.  You said that people who died could choose to stay here rather than going on to the Afterlife.  If my mother was here, then perhaps she found a way to go back to the Waking World and give me this ring.”

“I wanted to tell you this because I think you should be aware of the possible risks in being with me.  I’m here to find and face this Beast, to destroy it if possible.  It’s the only way I can get my life back.  I’ve spent too many years afraid of going to sleep at night and I want the chance to feel the way I did this morning when I woke up next to you.  I want to wake up like that every morning.”

“As it stands now very soon I will wake up screaming again.  That’s not something that anyone has been prepared to deal with on a long-term basis in the past, so I usually wake up alone.  It’s easier that way.  It’s not what I want, but it works best for me.”

Athos was very thoughtful.  “When I said that I hadn’t ever heard of someone from the Dreamlands bodily visiting the Waking World, I was referring to people.  There are other creatures who are capable of doing what you say – Elder and Outer gods and their minions, and cats swap back and forth all the time, of course.”

“Why would any cat want to stay in the Waking World when they could be here?”

Athos smiled.  “Why does a cat do anything?”  He should smile more often, thought Dresdina.  It suits him.

“Dresdina, it may be that your mother wasn’t a dreamer, but has gone somewhere else.  Who knows how many worlds there may be?  The Beast may not be here either.  The Elder and Outer gods have their own realms.  They only visit here.  Have you considered that the Beast may not be able to follow you here?  Perhaps this is why you have learnt to Dream, so that you may have some respite from it.  You cannot stay here forever, of course.  It is not your time yet.  But I would welcome you as often as you choose to come.”

Dresdina had learnt the hard way how to identify pretence and deception.  There was none of that in Athos’ last statement.  Neither was there any attempt to control or dominate her.  He had simply and matter of factly told her how he felt about her.  If Athos could love her for who she was, if he didn’t try to manipulate her into becoming a stranger to herself, then he would win her trust.  If she trusted him, then she would let herself love him.  Here, quite possibly, was the man with whom she could share her life.

Dresdina reached out with her free hand and once again ran her fingers down the side of Athos’ face, repeating the gesture that had started everything.  This time she touched his lips with the tips of her fingers then leaned forward over the narrow table and kissed him slowly, tenderly and with much feeling.

“Then you will be seeing a lot of me, Athos,” she said as she sat back down, smiling at the surprised and pleased look on his face.

Athos took Dresdina to meet his troops.  Ulthar was already busy, even though it was early in the morning.  A man stocking a stall bumped into them with a load of apples.  He cut off the curse he had obviously been going to utter when he saw who it was he had bumped into.  He muttered an apology and quickly went back to his business.

“I see you’ve got the locals in line” commented Dresdina with a smile as they continued on through the market place.

“Good manners should be encouraged,” muttered Athos.

Dresdina was in a happy mood, in spite of the business they were about.  Just being near Athos had that effect on her.  He was like a ray of sunlight through stormy clouds, brilliant oils on an otherwise grey canvas.  Or the last breakfast of a condemned woman, she thought wryly, watching the way he moved.

The troops, led by Curren, were ready and waiting when Athos and Dresdina arrived at the guard post.  Curren said good morning to Dresdina with a curious look.  If anyone wondered why she was with Athos, no one said anything.  Athos did a quick inspection and then led them to near where Dresdina had found the body.

Curren pulled up a grate situated in a side alley.  Nice foot trap, thought Dresdina, mentally making a note to keep an eye out for them.  From her time at the inn she’d already discovered that Ulthar had a simple form of sewerage.  She had wondered if a Dreamer was responsible.  Now she knew she had to watch out for those foot traps, she’d have a word with whoever it was about proper sanitation, if she ever found him.

They climbed down into the waterlogged tunnels and followed them for a while.  Athos was working on the assumption that the man had come from the opposite direction to the way he had been travelling, but admitted that he could be wrong.

“One of the things I’m looking for is evidence he came this way.”

They found lots of rats.  The live ones scurried away from their advance.  There were other unpleasant things as well.  Looking at people’s refuse was never nice.  There was nothing to indicate that anyone had been this way lately, let alone a badly injured man.

Dresdina was reminded of the old soldier’s saying about one hour of boredom to every one minute of sheer terror.  The terror came when they heard sounds of a struggle ahead.  Splashing their way through the water, they rounded a corner to see a man fighting off three creatures.

Curren let fly a crossbow bolt, while the other men attacked, shouting.  The creatures didn’t fancy the odds, now they weren’t in their favour, and fled.  They left one dead fellow behind without a thought.

The man was injured, but not badly hurt.  At Athos’ questioning, he admitted that he’d come down into the tunnels in pursuit of some thieves.

“I’ve been having a lot of trouble lately and, well, you haven’t been able to track them down, so when I heard noises last night, I decided to follow them.  Would have caught them too, if I’d been a little sooner.  I found the grate out my back was up and thought they’d escaped through here.  Got disoriented and fell asleep over there.”

He indicated an alcove off the side while Dresdina marvelled at his stupidity.  Falling asleep in this sewer while suspecting that “something was out there”.  His admission made victims on the X-Files look sensible.

“Then those cursed ghouls came on me.  Too cowardly to do it when I was awake.  Still had to have three against one.”

Curren checked out the alcove and called Athos over.  Dresdina followed. In the alcove was a pale green over shirt, stained brown in places.  The man informed them it wasn’t his and had been there already when he found the alcove.

“I think we’ve found our evidence he came this way,” said Athos, turning it over in his hands.  “This is typical of their clothing.  It’s often this green material.  It might even be a uniform of some kind.  Did your man wear it?”

Dresdina took the over shirt from Athos and examined it.  It was made of a shimmery, silky material and would have been lovely if it hadn’t been worn and dirty.  “No, but I think Algren has been in the Waking World some time.  He does prefer to dress in greens and browns.”

Athos detailed a couple of men to accompany the merchant back to the surface.  He then led the remaining people on, certain now that he was on the right track.  No further ghouls disturbed them, nor did they find any more seekers after thieves.

They came to an older section of the tunnels.  The brickwork changed and the blocks that faced it were larger and rougher-hewn.  A recent rock fall blocked their path.  Here they found tracks to indicate someone had crawled their way through the fallen rocks.  Their man had come this way.  They concluded that there must have been a second fall afterwards, which partially obscured his tracks.  Getting everyone past the rock fall was difficult.  Athos directed some clearing of the fall and tried to brace it for their return trip.

Further on they found an old archway, carefully crafted and probably even older than the tunnels.  Within the arch was a darkness that had hints of swirling light.  The light of their lanterns was swallowed up by the darkness.

“A Gate,” observed Athos.  “It could lead anywhere, but it’s the most likely way our man came.  Are you game?”

“If you’re going through that, then so am I” replied Dresdina.  She took Athos’ hand and they stepped through the Gate together.  There was a wrench, a wrongness about transferring from one place to a totally different one.  There was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach and Dresdina decided it was an experience she had no desire to have on a regular basis.  Actually, if there was any choice in the matter she wasn’t keen on repeating this experience at all.

Between Two Worlds

It was dark on the other side, but an eerie glow shone on the walls.  “Some kind of phosphorescence,” commented Athos.  “It seems to be in the rock itself.”  He turned down the lantern.  “There is enough light for us to see by.  No need to advertise our presence.”

They were in a rock tunnel with rough but clearly man-made walls.  Several minutes passed while they waited for the rest of the troop to arrive.  Athos started back towards the Gate, and then checked himself.  Considering the experience, Dresdina couldn’t blame him.  It wasn’t something she wanted to do, just to find out why the others hadn’t come through the Gate.  Perhaps they couldn’t.  Perhaps there was a limit on the number of people the Gate allowed through in a certain time period.  Perhaps there was some reason why only Athos and she came through.

“Do you smell something?” asked Athos.

Now that he mentioned it, Dresdina could smell a lingering odour.  “It almost smells like dead fish,” she commented, wrinkling her nose.

Athos dropped to his knees and felt the ground.  “There’s nothing here.  I can’t even feel any dirt.  Whatever made these tunnels cleared away any rubble.  The smell must have permeated the walls.”  He frowned and placed his hand on the ground.  “There’s a vibration here.”

Dresdina listened carefully.  “I can hear something.  It’s getting louder.”

“And closer.  Come on.”  Athos took Dresdina’s hand and they began running in the opposite direction.  The noise of machinery was definitely getting louder.  The dead fish smell was also getting stronger.  There were no intersecting tunnels or alcoves, nowhere to hide, so they just kept on running.

The machinery noise was quite loud and gaining on them quickly from behind.  Dresdina looked back and saw a huge, grinding fan that filled the entire corridor.  If they didn’t find shelter soon, they would be caught up in the whirling blades.

They were entering a rougher area.  It didn’t have the finished look of the earlier corridor.  They passed a section and then Athos pulled Dresdina back against the tunnel wall.  One of the unfinished bits jutted out, forming a vertical ledge.  It wouldn’t hide them, but it would protect them from the blades.

A shower of rock flakes fell on the pair as the machine brushed the outcrop.  Dresdina ducked her head and covered her face with her hands to protect her eyes.  Once the whirling blades were past she lowered her hands to see what was driving the machine.  A cage of thick, rubbery arms enclosed Algren as the machine receded from view along the tunnel.

“The octopus” she murmured, caught up in the vision she remembered from her first meeting with Algren.  Then Dresdina became aware of Athos shaking her gently.

“Are you all right?” he asked anxiously.

“I’m not hurt,” replied Dresdina as she shook the rock flakes from her hair.  “Did you see?”

“Yes, another one of the people.  We’re going to have to think of a pet name for them.  We can’t just go on calling them ‘them’.”

Dresdina agreed.  Thinking of them all as Algren was making her head ache.  “Did you see the wires attached to him?”

“Yes.  The same place as the marks on their heads.  They must have some kind of sucker attachments on the ends.  Poor thing.  He looked half-starved.”

“And those eyes.”  His blank, staring eyes haunted her.  The poor creature had looked soulless.  Dresdina shivered and Athos reflexively embraced her.  Had Algren been in one of those machines?  If so, it was no wonder his mind could not retain the memory of such abuse.  Dresdina wrapped her arms around Athos and held him tight, burying her face against the warmth of his neck.  Her heart was breaking for her friend’s suffering.  Algren had always struck her as being too sensitive to survive the harsh realities of the world, but this horror was beyond belief.

Several minutes passed before she stopped shaking, during which time Athos held her tightly and gently stroked her hair.  When she finally regained her self-control Dresdina let go of Athos, reached up and brushed the rock flakes from his hair and shoulders, then kissed him again.

“Thank you, Athos.”  She was relieved that he hadn’t belittled her reaction to what she had just seen.  The man was scoring brownie points by the minute.  She was also relieved to see that he was unhurt by the sharp stone flakes.  Dresdina noted that he wasn’t as unmoved by her closeness as she had thought.  There had been a definite reluctance to release her.  Perhaps her perfume was worth the expense after all!

Athos brought his thoughts back to the matter at hand.  “Dresdina, we should follow if we can and find a way to free him.  No one should have to live that way.”

“Yes, let’s see where this tunnel goes” replied Dresdina.  The question neither had asked aloud was what kind of creature would, could do that to another sentient being?  Dresdina wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.

The tunnel soon branched out, but they could still follow the machine by its sounds even though they were growing fainter now.  Athos marked their turns with chalk.  “I wonder why they’ve made one long tunnel with so many branches at this end?  Especially as this is the new section.”

Eventually they lost the machine.  Athos called a halt and brought out some bread and cheese from his pack.  Dresdina was about to refuse, her mind still on the poor man in the machine, but on smelling the food she realised she was hungry.  She sat down with Athos and leant against the wall of the tunnel while she ate, glad of the break.

“Athos, you know what would go well with this?”

“What?” asked Athos, between mouthfuls.

“Pumpkin soup” replied Dresdina.

She was rewarded with a warm laugh from Athos that reminded her of the time they’d spent together in the inn.  One of the many things she’d liked about him that night was the way he’d laughed when she couldn’t undo his sword belt.  His quiet, low laughter as he directed her hands was so seductive her knees turned to jelly.  She had to sit on the edge of the bed to complete her task.  If Athos hadn’t caught the sword by its hilt as it fell from his waist, she would have dropped it on the floor.

Dresdina gave Athos a sidelong glance as they finished their meal.  With any luck she’d have more opportunities to practice undressing him.  He stood up and her heart raced.  He moved with the unconscious grace of a thoroughbred and even simple actions mesmerised her.

She took his offered hand and was acutely aware of his nearness as he pulled her up from the floor of the tunnel.  She could smell the faint cinnamon scent of his skin as she leant against him to gain her balance.  She had never felt anything even close to the desire she felt standing next to him.  He was driving her crazy!  The drought had broken and now she was in danger of drowning!  She decided to concentrate on the job at hand.  Letting her mind wander at a time like this may prove fatal for both of them.

“Why do they have a Gate into the city?” Dresdina asked, trying to regain some control over her hormones.

“Supplies,” replied Athos absently.  “There has been a spate of thefts lately.  Mostly building materials, but some foodstuffs.  Their usual source must have dried up.  Which way now?” he asked.

“Up and out if we can, Athos.  I’ve no desire to sleep in these tunnels tonight.  Perhaps we can find their ‘usual source’ of supplies.  That might help us.”  Dresdina looked up and down the tunnel.  “There’s no breeze, so I’m not sure how to tell which way is out.”

Athos took a marble out of his pocket and put it on the ground.  It rolled slightly to the right before stopping at a wall.  “It’s not conclusive, of course, but it’s a possibility.  Left then.”  Dresdina had a sudden flash in her mind of Athos playing marbles at school, wherever and whenever that might have been, but didn’t say anything.  Now wasn’t the time for levity.

The tunnels seemed interminable.  Time passed as they continued in the direction they hoped would lead them to the surface.  Then they heard a sub-vocal keening coming from ahead of them.  The source was out of sight beyond a bend in the tunnel, but the unnatural pitch of the keening compelled them forward.  Owl shrieked a warning in Dresdina’s head before she took another step.  She and Athos stopped and listened to the strange keening.

She wished fervently for her gun.  Even a sword would do, she thought, watching as Athos quietly drew his from its scabbard.  He looked like he knew full well how to use it, much to Dresdina’s relief.

“Stay here,” whispered Athos.  Dresdina stayed until he had moved forward stealthily several paces in front of her, then she crept quietly along behind him.  She had no intention of letting him face whatever it was alone.

A bizarre scene came into view around the bend in the tunnel.  Standing not five meters away next to the tunnelling machine was a creature that looked for the entire world like a giant, cooked lobster.  It was taller than a man, bright orange in colour and had a segmented exoskeleton.  But there were bulbous eyes on its body and its feelers, from which the compulsive keening was coming, were much shorter than a lobster’s.

The tunnelling machine’s octopus cage was open and empty.  In front of the lobster-like creature was another cage that held two of the slaves Dresdina had come to think of as Algren’s identical twins.  One lay prone on the floor, perhaps having fallen from the machine, while the other one cowered away from the creature.  A third slave was being invisibly forced against his will into the tunnelling machine.

Dresdina and Athos took one glance from their hiding spot, then ducked back down the tunnel again.  They were shocked by what they had just witnessed.  Dresdina had the distinct impression that the creature made the keening noise to control the slaves in some manner.  The eerie sound was very compelling, but fortunately not enough to enslave either Athos or herself.

Then she heard another sound, a loud, sharp click from the same end of the tunnel as the creature and it’s slaves.  Immediately after that the tunnelling machine started up again.  It was headed in their direction!  Dresdina and Athos ducked back down the tunnel and found an alcove to hide in.  They were still in fairly plain sight, as this section was well worked, but the victim in the machine showed no more interest in them than the previous one.  When it had passed, they followed it back towards the unworked section.

When they were sure they were well out of the way of the lobster creature, they jumped onto the machine to investigate it.  Dresdina tried to see where it opened, but could see no obvious catches.  It was as if the cage bars had melted together.  She also tried to force it open, but the bars were almost rubbery.  The dead sea smell increased, but there was no other tangible effect.  The Algren clone was still paying no attention to them.  Dresdina could see that his eyes weren’t even focusing on their movement, but were glazed over, completely without expression.

The machine, now that they were able to examine it, was clearly part machine and part organic.  The Algren had been attached and subsumed into the ‘mind’ of the machine to operate it.  It was enough to have a shiver run up and down Dresdina’s spine.  The two of them were now working with one purpose: to remove the Algren from the machine mind.  It was too horrifying to leave him there.

Athos tried to jam the machine while Dresdina reached into the cage to yank the leads off.  They weren’t sure which had the desired effect, but the machine abruptly came to a standstill and the Algren cried out with pain.  He collapsed over the levers in front of him.

The next problem was to try and release him.  Stopping the machine hadn’t released a catch on the cage, nor had it revealed any obvious entrance.  Eventually, Athos drew his sword and cut through one of bars.  It was an unpleasant exercise.  The bars oozed out of the way of the sword and bleed a clear sap-like substance.  Before he had cut completely through, the bar he was cutting retracted itself enough to free the Algren.

They weren’t sure how long it would take the lobster creature to realise they had interfered with its machine.  Athos hoisted the Algren over his shoulders and they put a short distance between themselves and the machine.

“Where to now?” asked Dresdina.

“To the surface,” replied Athos.

“What about the others?’

“We can’t guarantee we can get back here ourselves.  I’m assuming only dreamers can come through the Gate, so we won’t be able to get him back to Ulthar.  We can’t send for reinforcements.  It’s really up to us.  Besides, just rescuing the slaves doesn’t deal with the source of the problem.”

Dresdina pointed out they didn’t know what the source of the problem was.

“It’s the lobster” replied Athos.

“We don’t know what the lobsters are trying to do.”

“World Domination?”

“Yes, but which world?”

“Why don’t we find the other two?  They should know more about the lobster, if there are any more of them and possibly what they are trying to do here.”

Dresdina agreed.  There really wasn’t any choice as neither of them wanted to leave any sentient creature in the hands of the lobster and his machine.

The Algren was still in a state of deep shock from the interruption of the program.  He was awkward to carry around, but there was nowhere to leave him either.  They carefully made their way back in the direction of the Algren’s prison, trying to take parallel passageways to avoid the lobster.  It became more difficult to do so, the closer they came to the prison.

They felt, rather than heard, the lobster.  The electrical (?) sense was strong.  Dresdina was sure it was looking for them and that she didn’t want to be found.  “Down this way,” she urged Athos, guiding him down a twisting side passage.  She guided them by trying to decrease the pull on them.

Athos shifted the Algren’s weight on his shoulders.  “I can feel the thing trying to pull him away.  Help me hold onto him.”

Dresdina helped Athos put the Algren on the ground where they could get a better grip on the still unconscious man.  They could feel the tug of him out of their arms, but they were determined not to let go.  After what seemed like ages, they felt the pull lessen.  She and Athos looked at each other.  They had the feeling that it had been a random seeking from the pattern of the tugging.  Dresdina hated to think what directed power would be like.

They played hide and seek in the tunnels.  They became convinced that there were at least 3 other lobsters.

“Unless these things can teleport,” muttered Dresdina, darkly.  Athos didn’t comment.  Multiple lobsters were a better choice than teleporting ones.

When they finally reached the prison it was mercifully clear of lobsters of any description.  Even with the freed Algren in tow, the others initially greeted them with suspicion.

“We’re here to rescue you,” explained Dresdina, helpfully. She wondered briefly if Luke Skywalker had ever felt as silly using that line.  Athos either hadn’t seen the film or didn’t notice the irony.  He explained to the Algrens that they were from Ulthar.

As on the machine cage, there was no lock to jemmy.  Once they saw that the pair was genuinely trying to help, the Algrens told them they would have to force it.  Dresdina noticed that they spoke English.

“It’s a Dream, remember,” answered Athos when she commented softly on it.

Dresdina remembered what Jocelyn had told her about Dreamers being able to affect the material world of the Dream.  She tried to concentrate on willing the bars open, but without success.  They shimmered slightly in her mind, but stubbornly refused to change.  Athos drew his sword and, advised by the Algrens, cut the bars open.  As before, the bars twisted to escape the sharp edge and finally parted of their own accord, leaving a trail of sap.

The conscious Algrens helped Dresdina and Athos to carry the two unconscious ones.  The Algren who had been released by the lobster was beginning to show signs of consciousness, to Dresdina’s relief.  She would always remember that journey as a nightmare of twisting tunnels and compulsions to be avoided.  Lobsters barred the way to Ulthar, so the Algrens tried to lead them to their home.  Their weakened state and their admitted confusion when they had arrived didn’t make the way easy, so Dresdina suspected it was more by accident than by design that they found the next Gate.

Athos smiled encouragingly at Dresdina.  “Here we go again!”