Envoy has taken another of her sessions with Mystico the Marvelous. There is the same chanting, the same odd fading visions in his tent … and once again Envoy finds herself on the strange dream world. A familiar black figure that looks like a cross between a Khatta and an Eeee stands before her.

"It is good to see you again, Madame Envoy," Morpheus says, bowing.

The Aeolun returns the bow, and asks, "You had mentioned that you had some ideas about how I should proceed towards altering my mental priorities?"

The dark shadow nods his head. "I have access to some examples of various forms of interaction. I cannot alter them, but I can play them back at selected intervals. Perhaps it would be useful to see how each of your three aspects reacts to different stimuli. It could enable you to learn how to juggle the three into a useful team."

Envoy smiles. "That sounds interesting." After a few moments of concentration, the three major aspects of the Exile's mind manifest next to her.

"Come with me then." Morpheus turns on his heel and begins walking away. Ahead of him is a rather massive metal structure that looks slightly like the Temple. "The dreams are housed here."

Envoy and her aspects follow along, with just a few pauses to pull the Probe along when it gets distracted by something else.

The shadow touches a panel on the wall and a mechanical door slides open. He leads the 'four' down a short passageway and into a garden of some sort. Water dribbles along channels in the walls to feed leafy plants that grow from odd places. The light here is somewhat dim, but passable. "I neglected to ask: Do you understand the hand-sign language of the spotted ones?"

"Yes, I do," Envoy answers, looking around. "Is this a real place, or a dream?"

"It is both, and the images I will show you will be both real and dream as well." The cat-bat waves his hand at a spot near a bench and a ghostly image of a Savanite in a neatly-pressed captain's uniform appears. He stands perfectly still, as though he were a statue waiting for some magical command to be animated. "Are there any particular encounters you would like to research, or shall I just pick and choose randomly?"

Envoy blinks at the image. "I don't know. I suppose randomly would be best."

"Very well." Morpheus steps back and gestures slightly. Suddenly the cheetah snaps to life!

The Aeolun takes a few steps back, letting the three aspects face the dream-captain.

The cheetah glares directly ahead of him at the three aspects, his tail lashing. "You are just a stupid child. The sooner you realize that, the sooner things will go easier for you. I keep you because I am honor-bound, but I am shamed to never have a son. Go away and leave me to my work in peace… You are too old to be hugged anyway."

Morpheus gestures again and the cheetah freezes in his position.

The Child aspect curls up into a little ball, while the Probe asks, "What work do you do? Why did you want a son?" The Robot just gives a disapproving look at the dream-cheetah.

"Interesting," Morpheus comments, looking sidelong at Envoy. "Why is it that only one aspect spoke?"

Envoy thinks. "Probe always asks questions, but the Robot only talks when it needs to, I think. Child was just … scared."

The cat-bat walks over to the 'Robot'. "If you had said something… what would you have said?" His black wings rustle slightly.

The Robot says, "I would have told him that this was not the proper way to raise a child, since it would result in emotional trauma that would inhibit the child's socialization."

"I see. Very well. On to the next dream." Morpheus resumes his position off to the side.

Another gesture and the image is replaced with a Savanite in khaki work clothes. He swings his arm in the air while signing with his other one, "I will be a great soldier someday! No more guarding this ship, no more mopping floors. Just adventure and danger, to die with honor and wear a uniform. It's my dream… my ultimate dream… "

The Child smiles broadly at this figure, and even giggles a little. Probe just asks questions, "What does a soldier do? Why don't you like guarding the ship? Why do the floors have to be mopped? Why do you want to die with honor wearing a uniform?" Robot merely says, "This male is still young, and impatient. Boredom has replaced wisdom."

Morpheus turns to look at Envoy. "How would someone on Sinai react to these responses, Madame Envoy?"

Envoy blinks. "Well … they would be annoyed by the Probe's questions I think, and probably with Robot's analysis of their desires." After some more thought, she adds, "I think they would smile at Child, but not play with her. I'm not really sure."

The shadow nods. "Shall we try another?" He raises his hand and the eager cheetah vanishes, this time replaced with an old cheetah priest in shining robes.

"Pretty," comments Child.

He seems to be walking in place. The priest's feet move, but the body doesn't go anywhere. He looks down at something that could possibly be at child's level. "The Way of the Star is a mysterious one. We must be ever-vigilant against evil and guard ourselves. Only those who live honorable lives will become one with the Star upon their passing. All others will be tormented by beasts for all of eternity. But fear not, little one. Such a sweet face as yours could never hold evil." He freezes in place.

Child smiles and nods, wide-eyed and eager to hear advice. Probe asks, "What sort of beasts?" while Robot comments, "Threat of punishment to enforce conformity to a particular ideology, not uncommon in hierarchical societies."

"Madame Envoy, may I try something?" Morpheus asks, looking at the three figures with his pupil-less glowing eyes.

Envoy nods. "Will it hurt?"

The cat-bat purses his lips, considering. "I am not sure. I intend to try and encourage the three aspects to work as a team."

The Exile looks over the three parts of herself. "I think that would be good. They don't really communicate much."

Morpheus banishes the image with a wave of his hand and stands in front of the three. "Robot, I would like for you to be the one that speaks for the next image … but I would like you to speak with the emotions of the Child in mind and the questions of the Probe. At the same time, you should try to apply your knowledge to the situation. Can you attempt that?"

The dragon-shaped aspect regards the other two, then looks back at Morpheus. "Of course."

Morpheus' expression suddenly changes and he glances over his shoulder at a wall, frowning. He shakes his head and resumes his place at the side, gesturing again. This time the Captain reappears, frozen in place.

With one hand, Morpheus releases a small black fluttery thing that zips down the hallway Envoy entered through. With the other hand, he gestures at the captain, who begins to move and sign. His expression is one of alarm this time. "We cannot leave here! Everything we do to repair the systems fails horribly. Our food will only last us so long… We must either venture out to try to find help or go into stasis."

Robot seems to consider things for a moment, then asks, "How much time will the supplies give you to explore and seek help?"

"Interesting," Morpheus comments, glancing over his shoulder now and again. "Would this reaction have caused negative feelings?"

Envoy asks, "From the captain? It seemed a reasonable question."

"Let us try something more emotional." Morpheus summons an image of the Priest again. Or at least it might be the Priest; he's dressed in rags and looks as though he hasn't eaten in weeks.

Child covers her eyes!

"Forgive me! I was such a fool… Nothing I did was good enough, nothing. I tried to be a good servant but I failed. I deserve my fate. I deserve to be fed to the beasts… but please… have MERCY!" the priest signs with trembling hands.

Robot seems to concentrate on the scene without much success, while Child just mewls, "Make it go away!"

"Child is frightened, Robot. Do you not wish to do anything about it?" The shadow closes his eyes and appears to be concentrating on something.

Finally, the Robot says, "I can't understand this event without further context. It is disturbing to the Child though, because it depicts an adult reduced to the state of a child, and if that can happen to an adult then how can there be any security for her?" The dragon moves beside the Child and holds it. "I don't know how to explain to her that it does not reflect on past advice or care from the adult."

Probe, meanwhile, keeps trying to pick up one of the fruits. Her hand passes through it, but she keeps on trying anyway.

Morpheus nods, opening his eyes somewhat. "Perhaps this test was somewhat unrealistic. Let us try something else." He concentrates again and the image shifts to a worrisome female cheetah in gray robes with black stains smeared across the cloth. "Where were you when I needed you?" she signs. Her face seems more sad than anything else. Her signs aren't directed towards a person as must as just a general 'talking to herself' gesture. "I prayed… I did well in life… and you have abandoned me here to this planet! I am afraid of going into stasis; I am afraid that I will never see my home again. Where are you, oh Star? Does your light not shine through these horrible mists?"

Robot holds the Child a little closer. "This is similar to the previous situation. Children look up to adults to care for them, and adults look up to higher powers. A sense of abandonment or hopelessness can result in anger towards the one who was supposed to provide care and security, or also result in feelings of inadequacy and guilt, of somehow being unworthy of care. We have experienced this several times now, but do not understand its purpose. It keeps the Child from growing; it asks questions that will not be answered and are not expected to be answered. Envoy looks to me in these times, because I possess an aspect of her mothers, but the problem is purely psychological."

The shadow creature looks to regard Envoy, "I sense that she is saying that there is a missing piece."

Envoy blinks. "I'm alone here. Whenever I began to look up to someone as a possible parent-figure, my hopes were crushed. I don't have an advisor or a protector."

"So you are saying you need a mentor? Someone to comfort the Child, hold in the Probe, and tell the Robot when to act?" Morpheus taps his chin, his glowing eyes darting back towards the hallway every now and again as if distracted.

Envoy nods. "It's not easy dealing with the Probe, and she's the dominant one."

"Describe your ideal mentor to me," says the shadow creature.

The Exile pauses in thought. "I suppose just someone … patient. An experienced parent perhaps, but one who understands my peculiar situation. One who can help me at least function as an adult, even though I might not understand everything involved."

Morpheus banishes the praying Savanite with a gesture and focuses his attentions back on Envoy. "Have you met anybody that seems to fill this role the closest? Perhaps we could modify that image to suit you."

Envoy says, "Vielanika was patient, and she cared about my well-being. She just didn't have the experience needed to really guide me, though. She is a brown-furred Eeee. Of all the people I've known here, I owe her the most."

The cat-bat looks over his shoulder and concentrates, forming an image of a thin bat musician. It's only a silhouette image… a shadow of sorts. "So we have the aspect of patience. Who had the experience?"

"There was Inquisitor Melchizedek, an Aeonian," Envoy says. "He knew a lot, understood how the world worked. He wasn't interested in explaining things to me though, and in the end I don't think he particularly cared about me or what I was capable of. But he had the most experience of anyone, even though none of it was as a parent."

A silhouette of an Aeonian in Temple robes appears next to the Eeee. Both of them stand motionless, waiting just like the dreams.

"And who had the experience of a parent?" Morpheus continues, turning back to face Envoy.

Envoy shakes her head, "Nobody had that, but Zoltan came closest. He seemed to know what was required of a parent, was the most comforting and protective. He even respected me for a while, but then something happened to him that made him throw me away."

"As an alien and an outsider," the Exile explains, "not many parents are likely to let me get close to their families."

A third shadow slowly hazes into view. The tallest of the three, a shadowy Vartan takes form alongside the other two. Morpheus considers the three carefully. "Now… how to meld them properly… " he muses to himself.

Envoy looks at Morpheus, and asks, "You can make a new person here?"

"I cannot create souls, but I can touch minds if given permission. I can insert a personality created by your experiences. It may be somewhat awkward at first and you may have to return here for me to correct problems that arise, but perhaps it will be enough." The cat-bat points at the three shadows, slowly melding them into one. It seems to have the build of Zoltan, wings like Vielanika, and the head and cloven hooves of Melchizedek.

The Aeolun blinks three times. "What do I call … it?"

"You have mentioned a Blue Mother and a White Mother. Perhaps this can be the Black Father?" Morpheus suggests.

Envoy nods, and smiles, "All right. I never had a father."

Morpheus's wings rustle. "May he take his place among the other three aspects? I cannot do it unless you allow me."

"He'll be part of my mind then?" Envoy asks, eyes wide.

The shadowy Khatta-Eeee nods his head and moves to stand eye-to-eye with Envoy. "It is one of my powers. I have not many, but this is within the realm of them. I am not obligated to warn you, but I shall regardless… You may not find him to be as ideal as you wish, especially not at first."

Envoy glances at the shadowy parent, and then looks back to Morpheus. "Can it be reversed if something goes wrong?"

"I suppose… but meddling with one's mind always holds risks. It would not be wise to rip its pattern from the tapestry of your thoughts after weaving it in," Morpheus replies, glancing again over his shoulder at the hallway.

Envoy asks, "If there were an independent … aspect … to my mind, would you be able to remove that without damaging the rest?"

Morpheus taps his chin. "That would depend on how much the other aspects rely upon it. This one was made to balance out the other three – to comfort Child, quiet Probe, and encourage Robot to speak more. It may be an independent aspect, but the other three would still lean upon it and may very well fall if that support was kicked out from under them."

Envoy nods. "Plug him in, then. I was thinking about a different possibility that doesn't apply in this circumstance."

"Very well then." Morpheus reaches out and places his hand on either side of Envoy's head. He kisses her gently on the center of her forehead just below her horn. A strange warmth spreads through Envoy's head, radiating from the kiss. Behind him, the 'Father' takes his place among the other three aspects. He takes Child from Robot's arms and holds her like a baby, and then wedges himself between Probe and Robot.

The Aeolun blinks three times, then looks to Morpheus and asks, "Who is your mentor?"

"I have none, although you might say that those responsible for my creation would come the closest. The ones who brought me here, their minds formed the basic structure for my own … and I have built up the rest through experience." Morpheus glances over his shoulder. "We will have company in a moment. I hope you do not mind visitors."

Envoy smiles. "I like meeting people. That's something all my aspects agree on."

A strange bat-winged bug flies into the room and perches on Morpheus' outstretched finger. "Our guest has arrived. Greetings, map-maker." The 'bug' dissolves into mist in the shadowy Khatta-Eeee's hand and vanishes.

Envoy waves to the Rath'ani. "Did you find another mage to put you into the dream state, Mircus?"

Mircus walks in, peering around, and slowly removes a cloth mask from his muzzle. "Um … No. I rode an airship, and then had to go through a desert, and then that tower with those windows in it." He looks at big-Morpheus and bug-Morpheus in confusion. "Um … Envoy … you look kinda fuzzy."

Envoy blinks in confusion, then reaches out and tries to touch Mircus.

The Aeolun's hand passes right through the map-maker.

"You aren't dreaming," the Exile concludes. "You came here physically, through a tower? What color was it?"

"Shall we continue, Madame Envoy?" Morpheus asks and then turns to Mircus. "We are continuing with Envoy's treatment. I am showing her dreams and seeing how her aspects react to them."

Mircus makes an "eep!" noise, startled as Envoy's hand passes right through him, "How? … Yeah, I came here through the tower. Um … It was green, I think. You're dreaming, then? Wow… That's weird." He turns and blinks at Morpheus, then looks back at the multiple not-quite-Envoys. "Wow."

Envoy gets an odd expression, and looks at her surroundings again. "Some of this machine's technology is still working, but important parts couldn't be repaired."

"The crew ceased to dream new dreams eventually," Morpheus adds.

Envoy looks at Mircus again, and asks, "This tower, it goes to other worlds? Is it the one rumored to lead to Abaddon?"

Mircus shrugs out of a large backpack he's wearing and places it out of the way. "This … this is a ship? But … I thought … it looks like a big building! Crew? Where is the crew? Are they somewhere else?"

Mircus nods to Envoy, "Yeah … supposedly the tower goes to all ni – er… twelve worlds. You have to have permission to go to Abaddon, though … from the Temple, and from the people on Abaddon."

Morpheus' wings shift, swirling some bits of dust at his feet. "The chambers containing their bodies is nearby. My 'parents' informed me that they were all in a state known as 'dead'."

Mircus' eyes widen at Morpheus' words. He manages a faint, "Oh… "

Envoy stares at nothing for a while, then quietly says, mostly to herself, "Then one of these worlds may be beyond the distortion effect that keeps me from communicating with Lothrhyn. I could make my report, and be reprogrammed however I wanted."

The shadowy Khatta-Eeee arches an eyebrow. "Report?"

Mircus stares at Envoy in confusion … until it sinks in that she wishes to go to some of the other worlds. He seems to wilt somewhat. "Um … I don't think you could do that… "

Envoy blinks and refocuses on Mircus and Morpheus. "Yes … report all that I've seen and learned. That is Probe's ultimate goal. Then, maybe she could be pacified. What do you mean, Mircus?"

Mircus says quietly, "Well … it was kinda interesting in the tower on Sinai … twelve windows to twelve different places. One of 'em was just a lot of water. Another was so bright I couldn't even look at it … and … well … when I got here, the lights went out … and all the windows were just … here."

Mircus continues, "We might not even be able to leave here."

Envoy's face drops.

"You may leave … but only after the gateway recharges," Morpheus says idly. "And none may come here without my permission."

"Maybe this world will work, though," Envoy says, trying to cheer herself up. "Things that only work on Rephidim seem to be working here, on the surface."

Envoy asks Mircus, "Did you bring any Quantometers with you?"

Mircus blinks at Morpheus, and brightens slightly. "After the gateway re – … rechar – … I'll be able to leave?"

"Correct," Morpheus replies.

Mircus grins widely at Morpheus. "Oh good! I was afraid I was going to be stuck here and not be able to go home!" He blinks at Envoy. "Quantometer? Uh… " The Rath'ani kneels next to his pack and begins to dig through it. A large pile of what can only be described as 'stuff' begins to grow.

The Khatta-Eeee eyes the pile warily, as if there might be something unpleasant hidden in it.

After a bit of searching, Mircus manages to pull the requested item from the recesses of his pack. He offers the device to Envoy, then starts stuffing everything back out of sight.

Envoy just grins at the cartographer. "I'm not really here, Mircus. I can't hold that. Do you know how to use it?"

Mircus blinks at Envoy, then grins sheepishly. "Oh … Heh … Sorry." He closes the flap on the pack, then picks up the Quantometer. "Um … It looks like Quantum Uncertainty here is … um … pretty much normal for Rephidim."

"And Morpheus is closer in towards the sun," Envoy muses. "Abaddon is further out, but I don't know what levels are like there." She shakes her head, and turns to Morpheus. "I'm afraid I now have too much to think about to continue testing today, Morpheus."

"Very well." Morpheus bows. "Keep in mind that the Black Father has still been placed inside your head and may cause problems. If it does, please return to me."

Envoy bows back. "Thank you for the chance to find out, Morpheus. It can't be any worse than the Probe though, can it?" She grins at her little joke.

"It may be overprotective, or may make you so bold that you charge into danger mindlessly," Morpheus says. "Or it may slow your reaction time to things as it tries to corral the other three aspects. I suspect that it is not easy being a parent."

Envoy giggles, "That's pretty much how I have operated anyway."

"Then we shall see, Madame Envoy. I wish you well." The dream creature turns to look at Mircus. "As for you, shall I give you a tour of my world?"

Envoy waves to Mircus, and begins to fade away.

Mircus blinks at Envoy. He realizes he can't recall having heard her laugh before. He waves to Envoy, then turns to Morpheus and grins. "Sure! I've never really been awake in a dream before."