SW10/HCC: Superhuman World 2011: The Element of Surprise

[Scott Eiler]

The Element of Surprise

Previous Episode:  http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2011/useless.txt

---

28 September 2011:

"This meeting of the Council of Black Mages is called to order.  Lady 
Ebony presiding.

"First item of business.  A personal update.  I went back to 1971 to 
fight Wyatt Ferguson.  I made it back.  But so did he." 
(http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2011/1971.txt)

"While I was gone, Black Brady defected to the damn Satanists." 
(http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2010/predecessors.htm)  "So as his 
second, upon my return I assumed control.  I dealt with objections then. 
  Any objection *now*?"  Silence.

"Second item of business.  The Black Arts Challenge of 2011 is due by 
the Winter Solstice.  But *which* Winter Solstice?  As we all know, 
Earth's orbit changed in 2009.  Which was fine.  It landed in a good 
natural 520-day orbit which fit the crop growth cycle and the Mayan 
calendar."  (http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2009/neworbit.htm#mayas )

"So we set a date in March 2012 old calendar, Midwinter Year 2 new 
calendar.  But then *Ellipsis* ^&%!ed with the orbit *again!*  Now it's 
some damn 375 days, and the Solstice is all ^&%!ed up.  What'll we do 
with *that*?

"Proposed.  ^&%! the Challenge.  We've got bigger business now.  Voice 
vote!"

The Council agreed.

"Next.  ^&%! Ellipsis.  In a real and meaningful way.  We got this 
supermage power from this guy who invaded, and more power from Ultimate 
Darkness all around him.  Time to use it." 
(http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2011/superwizard.txt)  "Voice vote!"

The Council agreed.

"Next.  Remember how Ellipsis put his own stooges in to ^&%! with the 
nature spirits?"  (http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2010/deathtrap.htm) 
  "I propose we ^&%! with his tech in return.  Voice vote!"

A couple of Ayes, and then silence.

"Uh, still waiting for the voices..."

Gaio Matrix, junior member of the Council, raised his hand and spoke. 
"Is it not true that Ellipsis has dealt with *many* such attempts before?"

"Well, ^&%! Ellipsis!"

"... Indeed.  But technology is his strong point.  Let us fight him on 
*our* battlefield instead.  There is mystic unrest already.  Even some 
Christian pastors distrust the new technology."

"^&%! Christian pastors!"

"... Indeed.  But may we not use them to our advantage?"  The others agreed.

Gaio continued.  "Next.  I propose we change the Earth our enemy lives 
upon.  He's actually communicated with the tectonic plates themselves, 
to hold his planet firm - but only by boring a tunnel through them. 
(http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2009/trillions.htm#iv )

"That is when he crossed the boundary.  The Earth is not for his 
*science*.  The Earth is for the Earth!  And *we* who follow Nature, 
*must* be those who talk with the Earth.  So *I* propose, we tell the 
Earth to *rebel*!  Voice vote!"

Before Lady Ebony could respond, the Council agreed.

Victorious in this one vote, Gaio Matrix said, "I leave it for the 
Council to determine the details!"

The Council dispersed into argument.

---

30 September 2011:

Gaio Matrix transported himself back to his dwelling, near the Spokane 
Community College.  It was close enough to human society that he could 
mingle, yet far enough for privacy.

He was of the Caladrian race, ancestors of humans... or whatever.  Human 
history was uncertain about this.

On the home planet Caladria, one spectacular mage had named herself 
Caladria, then attacked Earth alongside the universal conqueror Urr... 
back in the Earthling 1990s.  But now on Human Earth, after all the 
reality shifts they'd had, they didn't even *remember* this mighty attack!

When The Trillions advanced upon Human Earth, his race started to 
evacuate this spiral arm of the Galaxy. 
(http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2009/trillions.htm)  But they knew 
Earth to be a constant danger.  So Gaio stayed behind, as an observer. 
The view of the Earthling Solar System during reality shifts was 
legendary.  He suspected he'd see one more.

Like a select few of his race, he'd trained in mysticism.  So he'd 
joined the Earth Council of Black Mages.  They didn't care where he came 
from *or* how many fingers he had.

The Black Mages were amazingly easy to manipulate, considering they had 
such mystic power.  Something about Earthlings made them pick either 
logic or magic.  These mages were so chaotic that any being who embraced 
both logic *and* magic could bend them to its will.

...

He read today's summary of Earth news.  He noted, some volcano named 
Pompeii had erupted, and wiped out a new condo community.  Also 
volcanoes named Stromboli and Santorini had erupted, close by on the 
same land mass.

He noted for his log, "Excellent.  Ellipsis and his logic-spawn expect 
techno-challenge.  He knows response to those.  But natural disasters 
will distract them.  When *we* strike, we will have element of surprise."

Then he went to class.  There was always something to learn from the 
knowledge of other species, even what Earthlings perceived of simple 
mechanical engineering.

---

Author's Notes:

My.  This story is ever deeper in my main sequence, which charges on 
like always.  I've put in lots of cross-references.  But advice to the 
new reader:  Just read the story.

The latest High Concept Challenge ties in:  "The Element of Surprise". 
I do think this plot twist counts as surprise, to all the readers who 
thought only technology and governments could deal with Ellipsis tech.  8{D>
-- 
(signed) Scott Eiler  8{D> -------- http://www.eilertech.com/ ---------

Turns out I'm an anally-fixated oedipal paranoid with 
south-of-the-border schizophrenic delusions...  But never mind, I've 
found me the ideal job.  I'm going to run for President!

- Major Honey, scripted by Grant Morrison, Doom Patrol #46, August 1991.