Stardate: 80718:0025
Title: Not So Happily Ever After
Author: Scott Deadilus
Time: During / After "Out of the Frying Pan"
Scene: Andarus V


As Deadilus stood to allow himself to be taken captive by the King's soldiers, the others with him followed suit, all becoming aware of his plan (or part of it at least) as they looked out of the tavern windows to see the castle in the distance.


=/\= Under Escort, Outside the Castle =/\=

With long, sharp, pointy spear-like weapons and swords, the Grimalkin security-officers-turned-medieval-soldiers were certainly not a group Deadilus would want to annoy any time soon. Even so, his plan was most likely going to call for a confrontation at some point, but as the daylight faded momentarily as the shadow of a red dragon passed over them, Deadilus decided that this fight was one best picked inside the relative safety of the castle and, hopefully, nearer their objective...

~

The castle, complete with moat, portcullis and drawbridge, stood tall and gray around them, but the vast entranceway had led not to an inner courtyard as did true bastions of safety, but rather directly into a large entrance hall. As the guards continued to push them forwards to 'see the King', the entranceway changed rapidly to a large inner hall, complete with throne chairs for the King and Queen. And although the Queen was absent, the King sat atop his throne, smiling at those before him not unlike the Cheshire cat.

"But... but..." Someone spoke from within the group, confused at the presence of the King.

The Narrator smiled back from atop his throne...


=/\= Meanwhile, in the Dungeons =/\=

Several of the Grimalkin crew sat inside the dark and dank underground prison. Those that had been fortunate enough to complete their stories and meet the Narrator had, unwittingly, sealed their fate. With the amnesia wearing off and their awareness of their surroundings, the Narrator had seen no other choice but to lock them up. He dare not kill them though, for each individual's memories had helped to form this world around them, albeit one drawn up from a set of childhood fairytales.

Now, with these new arrivals, the King had started to ponder on how many minds and thoughts he needed...


=/\= Back in the Inner Hall =/\=

The Narrator, Gitta's fairy godfather, the King... call him what you will... looked straight at Deadilus as he spoke. "I can see you have figured it out, Captain. You're not the first - many of the Grimalkin crew eventually came to the same realisation - but your group are the first I think I no longer need."

"You stated before that we had to complete a 'quest of self-awareness' to 'sit on the council'. Have we not completed our tasks?" Deadilus quickly shot back.

"My previous programming still exists, but things are different too. This world around you, shaped by both your minds and my programming, is fragile. I could cope with the simultaneous processing of almost one hundred minds, but now that there are over one hundred and fifty of you here, from three dozen different worlds, I find myself unable to control things like the great creature you encountered moments ago. As such I find myself left with no other choice..."

The Horizon crew looked at each other as the King turned to one of the Grimalkin crew.

"Off with their heads!"


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Captain Scott Deadilus
Commanding Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
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