* * * * *
"So, let me get this straight," remarked Ray Venn, as he inspected his S&W M-39, upon getting it back from Internal Security: "Garhus are involved in this, now, too?"
Agent 678 nodded, adding that they might not be endemic to planet Auwth.
"Ms. Allen gave us descriptions of the ones who occasionally stopped in to order her Wishbone Specials. Some of them sound like members of the Sleepy Lizard Clan from Australia's Mount Uluru. Others sound like members of the Kongamato tribe from Zimbabwe. And, according to the brownies on her staff (who apparently love to eavesdrop), they often reminisced about how much they missed their respective homes!"
"Brownies, huh? Talk about uncorroborated hearsay!"
"Precisely," replied Agent 679: "That's why (given the nature of the information we've already accrued) we think they might be refugees from either Earth-07052009-A. Or, Earth-03352008."
"My money's on the former," Ray opined: "There's no way they could have gotten off Normal World after it got micro-sected."
The younger agent half-smiled.
"Never say 'never,' and all that jazz."
"Watch it, kid! Or, I'll sue _you_ for trademark infringement."
"Is that any way to thank us for the gift we're about to give you?"
Ray was handed a small rectangular object.
"What's this?"
"We call it a...spring-heel jack," replied the older agent (with a shameless grin): "As it easily surmounts virtually any computer file wall of non-I.D.E.E.A. origin! You might find it useful in accessing that shrunken factory's mainframe."
"Oh, really! And, what are you two gonna be doing while I'm making like Barney Collier from MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE?"
"We shall be talking to the former Chief Surveillants of the aforementioned parallel-Earths. To see if there were any power surges, indicative of crosstime warp activation, just before the ultimate disasters that struck those worlds."
With that, each agent shook Ray's hand before he left to take Dana back to New York City on Earth-MRG. Hours later, the two agents had their answers. There had, indeed, been a massive trans-dimensional disruption, from the Northern Territory of Australia, on Earth-07052009-A, just prior to its inundation by tsunamis. Unfortunately, nothing similar had been recorded from Earth-03352008. However, smaller versions of such disruptions were recorded on Auwth, once a month like clockwork, from the very first anniversary of the former's micro-section.
Cross-referencing that data, with receipts confiscated from Truasca's "Wishbone Inn," proved the small disruptions had coincided with consumption of the Wishbone Specials. And, as Agent 679 put it:
"That's really no coincidence, at all."
The senior agent agreed: "The garhus from Uluru could have wished their Kongamato kinfolk from Normal World to Auwth, in order to increase their ranks. More eating/more wishes!"
"Makes sense. But, before we confront these garhus on their new turf, shouldn't we have some kind of proof to back up our accusation?"
Which is why they had burned a copy of the holodisc shown them by the ex-Chief Surveillant of "Normal World." A copy they brought with them...to the Barony of Pwanethy.
tbc
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
I.D.E.E.A. HEADQUARTERS
(SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER)
(SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER)
Chapter End Notes:
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE is owned/copyrighted by Paramount Studios.
"Sleepy lizard" is one of the many nicknames for the blue-tongued skink (no misspellings, please!).
"Kongamato" is a south-central African tribal term for what many crypto-zoologists think is a remnant population of living pteradactyls!
"Sleepy lizard" is one of the many nicknames for the blue-tongued skink (no misspellings, please!).
"Kongamato" is a south-central African tribal term for what many crypto-zoologists think is a remnant population of living pteradactyls!