CHAPTER NINE

Nano is a strange place. Caught between our seconds, it still manages to be very stable. And yet, for an ordinary human, being caught in Nano can be a horrific stop on the time continuim.

The party going to rescue Eric has become lost in a different sector of Nano - actually far away from where Eric has just effectd his release. Joined by locals and another lost party, the group is somewhat baffled at what to do next.

Susie is the spokesperson for the group at this point. Jeannette, having been transformed into an incredibly beautiful parrot, has been paying more and more attention to grooming her feathers. Moto and Kozo, still very much in their cat bodies and personnnas, have been in awe of their surroundings....while Miss Moshe and Jan have been talking to one of the locals and trying to find out where they can find another inter-dimensional portal.

"I see you are speaking on all our behalves again" Mr. Moto spoke to the narrator.

"Yeah, you're doing it RIGHT NOW!" Kozo chirped in, "what does THAT mean, "chirped in"? Can't you just say "Kozo said in his kindly, wise voice?"

"I'm taking artistic license" I replied to the two black cats.

"Speaking of artistic license....where are Ana's ilustrations?" Kozo said in his kindly, wise voice.

"Yeah, YEAH BABY, now you've got the right attitude" Kozo said in his not so kindly. not so wise , but highly-irritating-shrill-imitation-of- Austin Powers voice.

"Now, wait just...." Kozo started.

"Just kidding.....don't get your furry little knickers in a twist" I replied.

"Would you care to introduce the new characters?" Susie asked in her very polite voice.

"Well, I wasn't quite ready, but OK. We've been joined by a few new people. Jane,Arnie, Milo, Eva-Lena, Ahmed, Alp & a small scottish terrier named Tracy."

"And where did they all come from?" asked Moto.

"I met them in the "Moto Cafe".

"What the blazes are you babbling about?" apparently Ian was becoming somewhat frustrated.

"Somewhat Frustrated???" "I'll give you "somewhat frustrated"! we are lost in another dimension. We look like a collection of those Mexican carved wooden animals. We have an obnoxious and overbearing narrator who doesn't seem to understand the desperate situation we're in and now wants to talk about hanging out in a "Cafe" named after a cat."

"I'm going to ignore that ranting for the moment. We have some wonderful new acquantances and I think I should introduce them."

"Perhaps you should. Perhaps not. Could you do it on a separate page? We really want to move on." Jeannette took time out from her preening to inject her usual straightforward and logical approach to the situation.

"Yeah, why not?! OK, so if you want to meet Jane, Ahmed, Milo, Arnie, Eva-Lena and Alp at the Moto Cafe, here is the spot to jump from

click on the butterfly

Chapter 10