"I wouldn't worry about it too much!" he answered.
They came to a secluded area in amongst a circle of trees. There
was a buzzing sound and the shimmering, silver circle appeared.
"Well! Here's our doorway!" The Ancient One remarked.
"At least this time we don't have to lie down, we can just
walk through!"
"This thing looks like that show on t.v.," The Ax Man
muttered. "It just doesn't have the ring around it."
The Ancient One stared at him and looked to the portal. "You
know, you're right!" he answered. "It DOES look like
that! But we're not going to another world, we're going to a
whole different reality!"
Without hesitation he stepped into the shimmering glow and
disappeared. After a moment Durga and The Ax Man followed. They
emerged in the middle of a circle of the dirigibles. One came
over and cried "Bless you! Thank you for coming! I
understand you are called The Ancient One. Magnificent wings! Can
you fly?"
"Well, let's find out!" The Ancient One answered. He
turned, ran a short distance, and his great wings began to beat.
With effortless ease he rose skyward, circling those below. He
dove and twisted, maneuvering through the air with incredible
grace!
"Oh, yes!" Red Spot muttered, "Oh, yes! You can
most certainly fly! You must certainly can!"
The Ancient One landed. "Air's a little denser than
home," he remarked, "not surprised. Probably helps them
fly. But it sure gives me plenty of lift! You two better try your
flight capabilities, too. We don't want to find out they don't
work at a crucial moment when we need them."
Durga and The Ax Man sailed away, buzzed around for a few
moments, then returned. "See what you mean!" The Ax Man
remarked. "You can feel the greater resistance, "Takes
much more strength to get the same lift. But it's
manageable."
"Good!" The Ancient One praised. He suddenly looked up.
"I'd say these people are about the equivalent of 1940s
technology. I know they have no spy satellites. Just as soon as
it's dark we've gotta take care of that."
"Let me!" The Ax Man requested. "I like nothing
better than knocking those things out of the sky!"
"Enjoy yourself!" The Ancient One answered. "Just
make sure you don't miss any. When we start operating I don't
want anybody to know we're doing it."
"Don't worry!" The Ax Man answered, patting the palm of
his hand with his ax. "Don't worry a bit!"
The Ancient One nodded, and turned to his hosts. "I suspect
a few things," he remarked. "Is there any possibility
that the bodies of some of your soldiers that were killed are
still available?"
"Some have been kept," Red Spot answered, "on the
hopes that we could examine them and find out how the enemy was
so easily killing us."
"Not my favorite thing," The Ancient One remarked,
"but I think I'm going to have to perform some autopsies
unless you want to take on that task," he remarked to Durga.
"Not a prayer!" she answered, "Not a single
prayer!" The Ancient One smiled. "Then why don't you do
some scouting," The Ancient One suggested, "not to
deep, just to the edge of the territory they've seized. Bring me
back a report."
"Well, I'm not going to bring you back a Hershey bar!"
Durga remarked. "Don't want you going into convulsions
again!"
The Ancient One smiled. Durga rose and sped away. Red Spot came
over. "Should you be letter her go alone? he asked.
"Oh! She's in no danger," The Ancient One assured.
"The ones who are in danger is anybody that gets in her way!
Come on! I need to find some equipment. I'm sure you wouldn't
have anything that would fit my hands."
Red Spot looked at his hands and then The Ancient One's.
"They ARE a little smaller," he remarked, "but not
THAT small! But anyway, we have equipment the transdimensionals
left behind. We have stored it and kept it in good condition.
Surely you can find what you need among that."
"Good possibility!" The Ancient One answered.
As Red Spot fluttered away The Ancient One followed. "If I
could only take one of these home!" he muttered, "But I
don't want any government agency dissecting it. I certainly
wouldn't want that!"
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