Case of the Psychic's Lament, Part 12

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Epiphany 12: Ecumenistic

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The name Skyburner stuck out in my mind, but I couldn't place where. Wyldfire? I think I remember that. But it was likely before I moved to Metropolis. Something to think about when I can have a moment to meditate.
 
I've no proof, but I sense Skyburner is more than he appears and is a hero. Freeing him is very complicated, if not practically impossible. But I would like to help him but not sure how.
 
Then we're warned about a lockdown. We step out to talk this out. I tell the others I want to help Skyburner. But we've no good idea to unlock the force manacles. Most of the group doesn't want to be inside during the lockdown. I abstain, figuring I could cloud minds to slip inside. Psypher wanted to stay.
 
Once outside, the bridge to the city is being lifted. Force field domes are coming down on the island. Each district has their own defenses. Some have parabolic mirrors , etc. Almost all buildings have physical guards in place outside scanning for threats.
 
Markovich wants to head back to the consulate. The praetor is missing, so Markovich is going to get him. He tells us to head to the 'chariot' so we can go back before the bridge is fully raised.
 
The others discuss plans in front of the guards... which frustrates the hell out of me. The guard that was smiling was paying us WAY too much attention. Either he recognizes us, or CAN understand our language. Which means all the plans are blown.
 
I ask the Winking Guard, who is attacking and how bad is the threat? He tells me the attacker is Dr. Destroyer. Not Roma but the "other supercontinent". The guard suggests that Destroyer is out to conquer the world. Destroyer is not one of the ones trying to rewrite history. The defenses are likely to be effective against Dr. Destroyer, but ... not all the outer buildings are that well defended. The administrative buildings are the best protected.
 
But the guard describes a wide selection of defenses. Most are inventive, if not ingenious.
 
I wonder if Dr. Destroyer is a smoke screen, to cover what the Reality Benders are doing. The guard is offering to go look through the transit records. He snaps, then teleports us to look through the public transit records, which are more lightly defended.
 
On the way, I ask more about the defenses and Winking Guard gives me a better understanding of Dr. Destroyer... like the Judge from the Science Court. Which also tells me that Winking Guard has been to our Earth...
 
He indicates the public transit records are in a coconut shell walled building. Well made, can defend against storms, but isn't a 'comfortable' building. Goes with me to look through the records.
 
Along the way, I ask about the defenses and ask more about the prisoners. That ambush took place along the highway, not someplace defensible. Supposedly took place a few weeks ago. Before the local solstice? Still sounds like this was a setup. This could be an elaborate domino effect.
 
In the coconut shell building, I look through the transit records. I look through the records, looking back a few months to see if I see a pattern to 'missing boxes' or 'missing shipments'. Small missing shipments, that would be written off, but form a reliable pattern.
 
I split what I find into ships going back and forth between here and "British Columbia" , with the other category being long haul shipments to "Quebec". The "Montreal" to "Quebec" trip are the most interesting and most likely to ignore a small loss here and there. Of those, 3 are likely the most to be candidates for having been raided. Raids as done by Dr. Destroyer? There could be a pattern, but I lack enough data.
 
Then I ask the guard, if there have been any reports of "deja vu". Seeing things that should have been there but aren't. He doesn't know.
 
I directly question the Winking Guard about visiting my Earth.. he claims to be from my Earth as well. He's been world-walking. Says there was an event that almost shattered the multiverse. About two solar years, something happened and people are trying to put it back together. He can't get to the location where the information is to get at the people causing the problem.. or that might be causing the problem.
 
Then I explain how we got here to this Earth. I show him the crystal, he grins like 'coyote'. Coyote suggests the chairs were there first, then the Reality Benders added the energies later. Interesting theory. I don't think he used the chairs... I ask him how he worldwalked. I ask him how he did it. He describes a machine that opened doors between worlds. Coyote doesn't know who built the doors or why they were left behind. He saw someone using the doors, so went to look who and why.
 
He talks about finding 'doors' and that he learned how to worldwalk without doors. Some did the same, but sound like villains. I explain my theory that the Reality Benders were using the motes to tune the chairs like bats. Listening to other world stories to find the right moment and place to send the chairs and people. We both agree there is a smaller chair to send repair crews for the four chair systems.
 
Coyote and I agree to abduct Skyburner for information. But I need to find a way to get Coyote into the consulate unseen. He also mentions that Wanda might be needed to help get the device off Skyburner. That will be ...difficult to get her cooperation. I warn him about Summon and her people. That she might show up. He knows them, but at least I warned Coyote about Summon.
 
We devise a plan. I'm to get the others, get them ready to fight. Coyote is going to some some of the Roma and teleport us all into a Destroyer raft to wreck it and distract Destroyer to give Kitune a chance.
 
I head to find Psypher, and the others to get them ready. Meet at small stand of trees past the parking area.