Resurrection City III: The Breconshire Horrors

[Old Fezziwig]

"Breakfast. Brilliant." Diggory grins, then adds in a low undertone. "I should probably get properly dressed, as I'm not sure the locals want to see me in me undershirt, but I'll be down directly."

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

The men run upstairs and get changed before the inn becomes busy. Then they come downstairs and sit at a table in the back - where any unusual talk won't be heard - and order some breakfast.

"I assume you're knowing about Pan already, else you'd likely not be here," Harrington says. "So there's no harm in an explanation. He's more than a god to us. The lifeforce of the earth...the lines of energy that cross the world are Pan's veins. 'The Dragon' that Merlin tapped his magic from was Pan. But we look at this world now, and we shudder. The wonder and beauty of Pan, of nature, marred by the actions of man. Look at this place, and then the stinking streets and belching smoke of London, and ask yourself, which is more desirable? Where would you rather live? We wish to return man to a state where he can live alongside nature, and to do that we need to restore to Pan the power he's lost.

"The doctor tells me that he tried to convert a student of his early on. You know the name Moreau, I'm sure? He had the general idea, but disagreed on how to do it. Moreau felt that we could bypass Pan, and that experimentation on animals and humans would present the answer. A physical solution over a spiritual one. The doctor'd been in a cabal in London, but two of those became convinced Pan was a force of evil and left us. The doctor and David Smythe continued on in London, as did I when I arrived from Egypt a few months ago."

Harrington pauses for a moment, eating some of her breakfast.

Yeah, I know the theory of ley lines didn't come about until the 1920s. Sue me.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

"Ley lines are Pan? That's a theory I've not come across." Jamison shakes his head for a second. "But what happens when you restore man to this state? What gives you lot the right to be decidin' fer the rest of the world what the right state is?" He sighs, and, for some reason, Wordsworth's lines in "London, 1802" rise into his mind. We are selfish men; / Oh! raise us up; return to us again; / And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power. He takes a bite of his dinner. The whole thing's a touch apocalyptic...

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

"No, not exactly," Harrington says. "The ley lines aren't Pan exactly. Rather, they could not exist without Pan, and likewise Pan could not exist without them." She takes a few bites of her food. "What gives us the right? In turn, I could ask what gives you the right to wound, harm and destroy Pan. We are but instruments; Pan speaks to us in all things, and to anyone who listens. I don't really know what will happen after, only that we will be exalted. But listen to me wax philosophical. I'm sure Dr. Verdain could be explaining things better than I."

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Diggory listens carefully to her explain the ley lines. "Fair enough. I think I see the distinction yer making. As fer the other, I'm not the one wounding, harming, or destroying Pan. Why should I suffer for the sins of other folks? I suppose I could join up with your lot and be exalted, but I'm not sure that's really fer me, you know. Well, I at least do look forward to hearing Dr. Verdain explain." The Irishman looks to Trevor and Hewitt to see if he can gauge their reaction.

 

[JimAde]

Trevor takes a sip of coffee. "You know," he says reflectively, "I am in a position to have a home outside London, and I stay there for exactly the reasons you state. An entire world molded in the image of modern London is a horrific notion." He shakes his head a little sadly. "Yes," he adds decisively finishing up his eggs. "I believe a conversation with the doctor would be most profitable. How would we get in contact with him?"

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Harrington is silent for a moment and then looks at Trevor. "Avebury," she says. "He's in Avebury, at a gypsy carnival." She rises. "But excuse me, gentlemen, I must be... well, a proper lady does not speak of such things. I'll be only a moment." As she heads towards the lavatory, Hewitt turns to Inspector Diggory.

"Well," he says, "I suppose it's safe to say that was our mysterious EIECET we saw back in the clearing."

Several minutes have passed, and Miss Harrington has not yet returned.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

"Indeed." Diggory pauses to wash down the last bites of his breakfast with some coffee. "Are ye sure we want te be heading of looking fer EIECET on our own? I could post something to DEDI and see what he recommends." When Miss Harrington doesn't return, Jamison frowns. "In either case, it looks like we've got an entirely different issue now, lads. I think she's given us the slip."

 

[JimAde]

Trevor nods as he sips the last of his coffee. "Naturally. I didn't think it would be expedient to post a guard, however. Hopefully we've planted the seed of the idea that we might be sympathetic to their ideas." He stands up and pushes in his chair. "Next stop, Avebury. Let's get moving." He heads off to his room to prepare to leave.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Jamison is getting up to head to his room, when he pauses. "An odd trip fer one's first visit to Wales, don't ye think, Hewitt?"