The Elias Anomaly

Twenty Five

"Excellent, got you," said a voice Joseph didn't recognise.

Joseph didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything.

Simon had assured him that he would re-enter the Cluster via a plex he controlled. A plex that was firewalled and hidden from the Cluster. Simon told him the place he entered would be like a train station.

The place that Joseph found himself was not a train station. It was high, and white, and bright, and faux airy. It was like a desperately unimaginative vision of an architect's heaven. Not a digital architect, a real one, who worked with bricks and things.

Joseph was lying on a padded bench in a white room. The ceiling was miles away. Light sources were present but Joseph could not see them.

"It's okay Joseph," said another voice, Dulcie. "Everything's going to be fine."

The sudden, escalating clutch of dread in Joseph's stomach receded. He looked in the direction of Dulcie's voice. The sense of relief he felt at seeing her nearby was palpable.

"What's going on?" Joseph said. "Simon thinks you're dying, he thinks you're trapped."

"That was to bait you," the unknown voice said. "Sorry."

Joseph sat up. He wanted to know who this new person was. Joseph's concern had lessened but not completely disappeared.

The first thing Joseph caught sight of was a man in white robes with the long beard. He nearly spat his own tongue out in an attempt to choke down a bark of laughter at this sight.

"Who the hell are you?" Joseph asked.

"I'm sorry, I have a terrible time with meat-aphor," the man said. "Dulcie's already told me this is ridiculous and offensive in equal measure. I was trying to be visually glib."

"That doesn't answer my question," Joseph pointed out.

"Oh, yes, sorry," the man said. "I think the name by which you would know me best is Castor Prime. It's a little more complicated than that, but it has suited everyone I've met so far. Dulcie and yourself are the first outsiders to have met me in this way."

"Castor-" for a moment Joseph couldn't place the name. Then it came back to him. "You told me he wasn't sentient," Joseph said to Dulcie, pointing at the AI dressed up as God.

"She didn't know I was at the time," Castor said. "You are the only humans, or semi-humans that actually know I exist like this."

"He diverted me from my attempt to get information about Bloch," Dulcie said. "Good job too if what he says is correct."

"I still don't like how many 'ifs' there are in this business," Joseph said. "So, what are you selling? Bloch is the devil? Bloch must be stopped? I am the only one who can save the plexborn?"

"All of that," Castor nodded. "Although, as I understand matters now, isn't calling Bloch 'the devil' a little... How can I put it? Ridiculous and possibly offensive?"

"I've already been told this, by two separate entities," Joseph said. "So unless you have something to add..."

"Three things," Castor continued, apparently not the least cowed by Joseph's irritation. "First, you must fight Bloch as hard as you can. Otherwise he may second guess your agenda."

"That half makes sense," Joseph said. "Except I have no agenda other than to find out what's going on and put a stop to it."

"Secondly," Castor said, his tone heavier. "Your agenda is to lose the fight."

"Now you're losing me."

"Because, thirdly, that is the only way for us to take care of Bloch once and for all."