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“This designation serves no purpose,” Vivia snapped.

“I assure you, my designation is essential to my purpose, and to yours, unless this is a purely social visit,” Phoebe replied placidly.

Vivia was momentarily disoriented by the reference. Finally she realized that this “sarcasm” was a form of pointed laughter. As much as she longed for this temporary captivity to end, she understood that to show anger at Phoebe’s game was to empower her further and to divert her attention from more significant issues at hand.

“Very well, Phoebe,” Vivia began. “You have broken our agreement. We are aware of the breach and are working, even now, to repair it. Nor will this crude device you have fashioned aid you in your quest to return to the existence you forswore long ago. You will destroy it now, or you will allow us to do so.”

Phoebe retorted sharply. “For a transdimensional sentience, you are surprisingly obtuse.”

“You cannot insult me, Phoebe,” Vivia replied. “I have no feelings to be hurt.”

“I was not trying to hurt you. I was merely pointing out that you have come here with assumptions which are incorrect. But this has always been so, hasn’t it?” Phoebe did not pause for Vivia’s imminent contradiction. “We did not create the breach. Your precious artificial construct had obvious deficiencies. You were warned that this would be the case, but you chose to ignore those warnings. Life has emerged in this system. Life will not be contained, nor will it hesitate to defend and preserve itself. Those who created the rupture did so in an honest effort to sustain their existence and are unaware of the consequences of their actions.”

Phoebe’s words were disconcerting for two reasons. The first was that as long as they maintained their restrictive human forms, they were incapable of mingling their essences as was more appropriate to their natural state. In that state subterfuge was impossible. Vivia silently wondered if this was not the precise reason that Phoebe had insisted they communicate in this manner. More troubling was the possibility, however, that Phoebe was speaking the truth.

“If lesser beings are responsible, they must be eliminated. Their ignorance does not mitigate the threat they obviously pose,” Vivia replied. “But no lesser being could have created the resonance focusing object you are attempting to protect. It is of us.”

Phoebe bowed her head. “Of course it is. But it poses no threat to you.”

“Then destroy it, and I will deal with the lesser beings.”

“I cannot,” Phoebe replied simply. “All things here are more complicated than you are accustomed to. No resolution can be achieved by force alone.”

Vivia took a moment to consider her surroundings. The simplistic and fundamental atomic compounds that resulted in solid matter of varying hues, shapes, and densities were no match for her manipulative abilities.

“I could destroy this primitive vessel with a thought,” she warned.

“As could I,” Phoebe replied. “Since I have not, you should consider the possibility that I might have a good reason for not doing so.”

“I do not care for your reasons.”

“But you should!” Phoebe shouted. “They concern us all.”

“You have only ever been concerned with yourself,” Vivia argued. “Your presence here is evidence of that. Prove that you are also of us by assisting me.”

“You would destroy what you do not understand,” Phoebe reasoned. “I cannot allow that.”

“You care for these lesser beings?” Vivia shot back. “You have been tainted by your exposure to them.”

“I have been expanded by my dealings with these beings and others like them. I have gained knowledge and experience that is beyond you because you choose to be a slave. I will honor your choice, but you must also honor mine. And you must believe me when I tell you that destroying this vessel and the Key that I am protecting will only hasten that which you have spent your entire existence trying to prevent,” Phoebe replied.

“That is not possible,” Vivia said. “Why are you lying to me?”

“I’m not,