MISC: The Girl Who Saved the World part 31

[George Phillies]

Comment: Jessamine Trashaset (Comet) remarks: "We go flying sometimes" 
That's literally true.  And it was faster than sound.  A bit.


“Janie knows how to reach me once you decide on an answer,” Krystal 
North added, “but unfortunately time is of the essence. From the number 
of hits on the web pages of City of Steel Review, in particular the 
pages corresponding to Janie’s games, a large number of other people 
would seem to have figured out the same thing we did.”

“I get a champion, don’t I?” Janie asked. “Someone who makes sure no one 
takes advantage of me?” Krystal North nodded in agreement. “GR, I know 
exactly who to ask. Who’s questioning me?  If Dad and Mom agree?”

“The North American champion,” Krystal North said. “The Visitor. That’s 
Kurchatov and Hornpiper.  Speaker Ming. I’ll provide mentalic support, 
to keep people honest. We’re ready in an hour. However, it’s up to you 
to agree or not.”

Janie caught Krystal North’s nod and broke the link. “Daddy, mommy,” 
Janie said, “I could hear what was behind her thoughts. She thinks 
something bad probably happens to me very soon now. Tonight, even. 
Unless I agree. I get to ask a friend to our house. Someone to protect 
me. If they question me. Daddy knows Professor Lafayette. That’s a good 
choice of champion.”

“Not your coach?” Abigail Wells asked.  “Lafayette?  Who is he?”

“Champion?” Brian asked.

“She,” Patrick corrected. “Morgana Lafayette. Works at Rogers Tech.  In 
biochemistry.  She showed up at the back door, right after Janie and 
Trisha were almost kidnapped.”  Abigail looked perplexed.  “Human 
female, tall, gold-blonde, blue eyes, not nearly as pretty as you are, 
dear.” Abigail broke into giggles, then nodded. Patrick was describing 
the persona Sunssword, but using her private persona name, the name 
Abigail had never heard.

“But why, Janie, didn’t you just say Sunssword?” Abigail asked.

“Sunssword doesn’t want her public persona to be tied to us,” Janie 
said, “She’s real careful where she coaches us. We never name her 
private persona. I thought you knew who she was, Mom.  But Daddy knows 
Professor Lafayette. They both work at Rogers, so no one is surprised to 
see Professor Lafayette being my champion.”

“In particular,” Abigail said, “Sunssword never told me who else she 
was, and has that garb which doesn’t let you most of her face.  And you 
were polite to Sunssword, not telling me who her private persona was.” 
Sunssword, Abigail considered, had done the mentalic checks that Janie 
and Trisha  had not been hurt when they were kidnapped. And now 
Sunssword was coaching the three Wells children on using their gifts.

“Besides being a persona,” Patrick said,  “Morgana Lafayette is also one 
of the country’s leading biochemists. She mostly gave up trying to keep 
her public persona a secret. She’s a member of the Stars Over Boston. Or 
was, anyhow. They had another stupid argument about theology. GR, 
opinions on the Speaker’s request?”

“I think we’d better,” Abigail said. “If it makes Janie safer.”

Trisha shrugged. “Sunssword is a nice person. We go flying sometimes. 
But I’ve only met her public persona. To me she’s Sunssword. She taught 
me cloud-diving. In fact, Janie, you knew she was Lafayette, but you 
never told me.  That’s really gifttrue.”