"That was quick," Sid remarked. "If I'd known sending Jim after him would get such good results, I'd have commissioned the kid to do it ages ago. Let's look at the documentation, shall we?"
"On it." Without further ado, Sendula handed him the relevent episode printout.
Sid scanned it quickly. "Wow. Look at who all's after him. The Men in Grey. The Men in Black. The Men in Beige. Various Furries. A woman with enough breasts to be the original for the statues of Diana of the Ephesians. No less than twenty biker sluts. Hoo boy! Jim's visit must have served as a beacon for these zanies! And at the end of the episode half his enemies shoot at him with things, do they? Ha! There's our opportunity! Credensa! Front and center, I'll need both of your for this! We're bringing in the Old Wizard!"
Credensa, Sid's other wife, quickly came running from the residential area of Backstage Central, bringing her spear with her. "Mirage is with the kids, and has orders to let no one in until further notice," she told him.
"Good," responded Sid. "Ready, girls?"
"Ready!" they cried, bringing their spears to bear on the focal point a few paces in front of Sid where drop-ins from the AddVenture usually appeared.
"Right! I'm bringing him in!"
A portal waved into being. There was a flash of energy behind it, and then the Old Wizard was before them, on his knees, gasping and bleeding, his robe rent and torn.
"Thank Whozzit!" the Wizard gasped. "By Fragglerock, that was close!"
"You're safe now," Sid reassured him. "Do you know where you are, and who I am?"
"I know not this place," the Wizard replied. "But if you are Sid Russell, responding to my call, I do hope for safety."
"I am. This is the Backstage of the BE AddVenture, removed from the turmoil and plotlines of the episodes. You are in Backstage Central, to be precise. And if you wish to remain here, safe from your enemies, you may?"
"If--?" the Wizard prompted, suspicion in his eyes.
Sid smiled. "Why do you ask if?"
"There's always an 'if.'"
Sid nodded. "In your worldview, I can see there would be. And as it so happens, in this instance you're right. If you want to stay here, you'll have a job to do."
"Thought as much," the Wizard muttered. "What's the work?"
Sid explained about the currently untended Official Author Hangout at the empty end of Backstage, the Old Wizzard's Bar and Grille. He explained more. He gave the Wizard the standard explanation of Life, the BE AddVenture, and Everything. He gave the Wizard various glimpses into what awaited him back in the BE AddVenture at large, should he refuse this generous offer to change his profession and become proprietor of a different sort of business. And, in the end, after some haggling over details, the Old Wizard agreed to become owner of and bartender at the Bar and Grille. In truth, he rather relished the challenge. If the Authors were as sharp as they were reputed to be, it should be quite interesting, matching wits against them... He also relished the opportunity for revenge on them for opening him up to attack by his enemies. They had written him into it, after all...
And so, surprisingly, Credensa's and Sendula's protection was not needed against the Old Wizard. He went to his new occupation willingly and enthusiastically, taking with him the documentation Sid offered him.
A few day-cycles later, the Olde Wizzard's Bar and Grille was up and running...
Mon Apr 2 16:59:08 2001
Linking Enabled