�� "I guess after us he feels a little need to get back in tune with his roots, huh, Doc?" Weslee said, giving me a malicious grin.

�� I turned to Perki who was more of an expert on the Annunaki than I was and gave her a inquistive look. "Yeah," she said, "to the Annunaki the swamp is part holy place, part communal gathering place, part regression therapy. � But what I like about it is that it gives us a big open place to fight the battle. � Can you imagine trying to fight a battle in here if it was all constricted space like between the buildings?"

�� I looked at her sharply, surprised that her pacifistic attitude was being superseded. � I should have known better.

�� "What? � You think I have any compunction about killing the people that turned my brother into what he was and who made me, by extension, do what I did to Hudzabee?"

�� "Good point," I mumbled, unable, quite, to meet her eyes. I looked at Weslee. � He looked like he was about to make a smart retort. � "Don't even go there!" I warned him. � And then I reached for the star shaped door handle.

�� When we stepped inside as a group I immediately saw that we were in a cavernous building who's interior was the exact opposite of it's exterior. � That is, the exterior was a star standing on it's point while the interior was a star lying on it's side. � This interior star laying on it's side formed an atrium which reached upwards several stories. � The repeating arms of the star formed triangular hallways leading to the ponts where there were huge windows framing either side of the points. � Down along the arms of the star were doorways on either side facing each other. � The open, wider parts of the star arms, which led down into the halls, were closed off by balcony railings. � From those railings one could look down into the foyer where we stood. � It was a neat trick of architecture and I admired it for a moment before I began to wonder who was supposed to meet us. There were Annunaki bustling and scurrying about everywhere, but none were paying us any attention.

�� I didn't have to wonder long. � Doors in the ceiling slid apart sideways and an elevator cage started descending, coming down hanging from a silvery cable. � (It suddenly seemed strange to see an ordinary elevator which was not at all like Edgar.) When the elevator cage reached a pad in the floor, it stopped, the doors parted and a very officious looking Annunaki stepped out. � He stood there and looked at us for a very long moment, frowning (if you've never seen an Annunaki frown -- take my word for it -- you don't want to; it's worse than their laughter) and I began to worry that the game was over. � But then I breathed a cautious and somewhat puzzled sigh of relief when he said, "So you are that new troupe that's come to entertain the triumverate? �Well, follow me. � I guess they MIGHT get a chuckle or two from you." He gave us another frown as if he doubted the statement he'd just made and then with a commanding wave he ushered us into the elevator and then joined us.

�� How did they pass the word? I wondered as we rode slowly upwards. I knew it was not telepathy. � Perki had assured me they were not telepathic else Hudzabee could not have carried on his deceit so long. � (His deceit was that he planned to turn the tables on them if he could and take over from them if the Annunaki had won.) � And yet I had not seen any Annunaki use any sort of hand held communication device. � Perhaps it was some variation of a group mind? � If so, that was both good and bad. � It was good because it was not the same as telepathy. � But it was bad because that would give them an advantage in the coming battle we did not enjoy. � Then I had a thought about another possibility. � Perhaps they had some kind of implant so that they were able to communicate sub - vocally. � "Well whatever the case," I thought as the cage stopped and the doors opened, "we'll just have to be even more cunning than them." � Which was what I had planned all along because there was no doubt that they were cunning opponents -- just ask all the people abducted everyday. � Nevertheless I was second guessing myself again -- this Hero business was turning out to be even more complicated than I'd imagined -- why hadn't I just asked Perki? � Determined to stop the second guessing once and for all, I stepped out of the elevator and into a large star shaped room who's ceiling was a starfield.

�� For a moment I was caught off guard. � The stars looked so real that I thought the sun had actually finally set outside -- or more properly that the orbital mirrors had failed. � But upon closer examination I saw that the constellations were not at all familiar. � "More than likely a depiction of space as seen from their home world," I thought. � Nevertheless it DID look very real. � But then something else occupied my attention. � It was a question that had been nagging at the back of my mind since I'd first seen this star shaped building. � And it had finally come to the fore when I'd seen this last star shaped room capping off the top of a star shaped building with a ersatz star field as it's skylight and no other windows. � Why would their main government building be shaped like a star inside and out? � There must be some significance to that shape to them because they'd obviously went to a lot of trouble to construct this physically demanding building � But what? � Their culture was so different from ours that I doubted it would be anything like our likening important people to stars. � It would be asking too much of coincidence that two cultures light years apart -- both figuratively and literally -- would have the same cultural icons.

�� But I didn't want to ask. � I wanted to maintain the conceit that I was an air head performer simply out to make a quick few bucks -- or whatever passed for the local currency. � (That was one question I didn't need to ask -- Perki would know.)

�� However I got the question answered anyway. � The Annunaki who was our escort turned to me and said, "The triumverate will be here in a moment. � In the meantime let me tell you about this building."

�� But then I didn't want the answer to the question -- I realized it was just curiosity brought on by nerves -- instead I wanted him to shut up because time was wasting. � But I didn't dare dare say so. � I also wondered why we hadn't been dealt with by a lesser official rather than being brought here to the main government building. Why be brought before the Triumverate -- the ruling triad here in New Jerusalem, according to Perki and Weslee? � Was it, could it be something simple, was something going on other than them having a spy in our midst, something stupid like we were the 100th troupe through the gate -- perhaps it was the Triumverate's birthday? � I glanced at Perki --ignoring our escort as he rattled on about the significance of the star to the Annunaki -- trying to give her a visual signal that she should be ready in case it WAS a trap. �She understood and passed the look to the others.

�� But then, mercifully, things began to speed up again. � The triumverate entered the room from a doorway that had been hidden from our view by virtue of the fact that the doorway had been on the outside arm of one of the star points and we could not see that from where we stood. � They came to a stop in the center of the room directly under one of the unfamiliar constellations, assuming a triangular shape. � The one at the point facing us spoke, "So you are that troupe who so amused our guard? � Would you care to give the whole performance for us now?" This didn't seem like a trap, if it were it seemed they would not mess around about snapping it shut. � But I was still going to proceed with caution.

�� I hemmed and hawed around theatrically for a bit before catching Weslee's eye and making a money in the fingers gesture at him. � He immediately caught on and came to my rescue. � "What the man is trying to say here, your worshipfulness, is that he is a man in need of financial remuneration and, well, quite frankly, he is too diplomatic to come right out and say anything quite so crass." � The point man in the Triumverate started to say something, but Weslee forestalled him with a trembling, but nonetheless firm hand. � "I am sure you were about to say that you would certainly give us something for our time, but we cannot expect such worthies as you to have to pay like the common man. � No, no NO! � We cannot hear of it. � I have a solution that should satisfy everyone, though. � Allow us to perform outside somewhere where we can charge admission and you can view the show for free as a sort of royal command performance." � He finished by giving them a mouth full of teeth smile that somehow managed to seem both very earnest and very eratz at the same time.

�� While we waited to see what their response would be I admired the improvised way that Weslee had stayed with the plan and had at the same time made us seem like greedy airheads who were not interested in anything else. � We had not counted on being taken before the Triumverate; we had thought if anything we would have to go after them separately. � Ironically here we were and did not want to be. � But if Weslee's improvisation worked we should be able to kill two birds with one stone. � I just hoped they weren't suspicious enough that they would take too much time. � Consulting my wristwatch I saw that we had very little time left before those outside were to charge the gate. � It would not do for us to be inside the capitol building when that happened; we'd make perfect, instant hostages.

�� Either they were plenty confident in their security or else they thought we WERE airheads -- or both. � In any case the point alien leader said, magnanimously, "Why, we certainly wouldn't want to deny an artist his due. �And it is certain that my men have not ever seen your like -- most troupes that come through are the same old, same old. � How soon are you prepared to perform?"

�� I beamed at him effusively, "Why, thank you, your munificentness! � We are prepared at any moment. The question then remains how soon can you get the audience together and make your appearance?"

�� "Any time you are ready, we are!" was his reply, which he made without a hint of malice or subterfuge. "We gotcha! You old lizard!" I thought jubilantly. � Out loud, I said, "Let's say 15 minutes? � Which was cutting it a little fine since the assault was due to begin in 20. � But I didn't want to appear too rushed. � He nodded and made a motion for our escort to take us back outside. � "The game is afoot!" I told myself, purposefully not thinking about the "carnage" to come, wanting, instead, to treat it as a game so I could keep from getting too freaked.

�� �� Once we were outside I saw that a crowd ( A quick, rough count put the crowd at about 500 hundred and a few more were trickling in. � I had to wonder how many more were somewhere else -- or was this the main body of the "garrison"?) had already started to gather. � Even though I was sure that it was some sort of sub - vocal implant thing -- and Perki tended to agree, which made it even more likely -- it was eerie to see them communicate that way. � But it would be more than eerie, it would be unfortunate if the guard on the gate saw the outside force and managed to report in before they could stop him. � Even though it worried me, there was nothing I could do about that except hope that either the outside force was extremely cautious -- which they would want to be in any case -- or else hope that the gate guard was bored and overconfident. �In the meantime I spent the last few minutes with my troupe engaging in a little last minute rehearsal.

�� Without fanfare a section of wall opened up on the side of the star shaped building, about two stories up. � A balcony extruded itself and the Triumverate presented itself, seating themselves on thrones. � If this had been earthly royalty a cheer of allegiance would have shook the air. � Instead the crowd hissed deferentially and was silent.

�� As it turned out the last minute rehearsal was superfluous. � We'd cut it a bit fine. � A commotion coming from the vicinity of the gate caught everyone's attention. � In a few impossibly fast moments from then all unholy hell broke out.

�� Our audience milled around for a few seconds and then broke for the direction of the gate. � I didn't want to have to shoot them in the back, but it was now or never. � We couldn't just stand there like we were innocent parties hoping to be overlooked. � I whipped my uncertainty rifle from where it had been concealed in my clothing and took aim at one the backs rapidly pulling away from me. � For a second -- which seemed like an eternity -- I hesitated. � Did I really want to send someone to the sub - atomic level, effectively ending their life here in this world? But then I noticed the Annunaki nearest me were starting to take out weapons and would surely be pointing them at me at any second, fully intending to use them. � It was "kill" or be killed. � I squeezed the trigger.

�� In a sort of flash frame moment I saw the Annunaki I'd aimed at come to a stop, turn, look at me in surprise, and begin to slowly vanish like the Chesshire Cat. � His wail of despair rose, held for a moment, quavering and then it followed him into oblivion. � It seemed like his wail of despair echoed forever, but it couldn't have, in reality.

�� After that first "kill" of mine time speeded back up and it was a melee. � The two thousand from outside had fought their way in to engage an equally sized force. � The group of Annunakis around us had grown larger, cutting us off from our force and were firing at us with nasty particle beam weapons which we were only dodging by taking out the shooter. � As our group closed ranks, trying to fight our way towards the jungle/swamp where we might have a bit more cover, above it all I heard the incongruous sound the person who was dressed as the Queen of hearts was making. � "Off with their heads!" She was yelling. � It would have been funny in different circumstances.

�� We, miraculously, DID make to cover while only losing the Queen of Hearts. � Once there Perki pointed to the extruded balcony on the side of the star shaped building. � I looked where she was pointing and saw that, incredibly, the Triumverate had made no effort to leave the scene of battle , in fact they were staring down with what seemed like morbid fascination. � Were they stunned by this revolution into immobility? � Were they in total disbelief that a revolution WOULD happen after so many years of oppressing? � Or, on the other hand were they confident in their invulnerability because they had a ace up their sleeve? � And would that ace be reinforcements? � If we had gambled wrong and reinforcements WERE coming we were finished. � I hoped it was the former: That we had completely surprised them and that their immobility was proof of that. � I searched the "sky" (had a ship been coming I figured it's engine light would be bright enough to see even through the smokey roof) for a moment and saw no reinforcements coming from that direction. � Then I had no time for a few moments as I had to join Weslee, Perki and the others fight off another assault wave who had homed in our position. � As we moved to another area, another possibility occurred to me. � In fact it had to be more than probablity. � It had to be the case. � The time paradox was kicking in! � Obviously Edgar had brought me to a position in time before I had fought the Annunaki and now that the past had caught up with the future the Triumverate had once again recognized me for who I was: The agent of their destruction. � "Well, duh!" I thought, for a moment, but then was not so hard on myself as a sort of vertigo swept over me. � How many times in how many universes had this battle been fought? � And how many had I won and how many had I lost?

�� Well, I was not going to lose this one at least. � I made a dash back out into the open and before any one could stop me I shot all three of the members of the Triumverate and stood watching and listening as they faded into oblivion and wailed and keened their way there.

�� After seeing their leaders taken out the rest of the Annunaki seemed to lose heart. � It was easy then to dispatch the most resistant ones and to take prisoner those that didn't resist so heavily. � For all practical purposes my three shots into the balcony ended the battle. � I could not believe that it was that easy, that all we had to do was to get me into position without my being recognized and without my being killed and it was all over for the Annunaki here on earth. � Had the rest of the occupying force left -- under whatever pretext -- because they knew it was a foregone conclusion here on earth? Had they left because they knew if they stayed that somehow they would get sucked into the vortex of the time paradox and be destroyed too? � Was that it? � I just knew that Perki had vaguely informed me that there WAS a time paradox and that we had won -- for now. � I still didn't want to know more. � Perhaps later? � Much later!

�� It was a strange sight to see a throng of genetically engineered humans surrounding a mob of defeated Annunaki. � Who WERE the aliens here? � Those that had come from a planet far away or those that had changed themselves because they could? � It was a question I was going to leave for tomorrow. � Right now I just wanted to be alone with Weslee and Perki. � I needed to come down in the company of friends. � Despite how quickly the battle had been won, I STILL had taken lives and needed to come to grips with that. � We three left the city in capable hands, went to where Edgar was waiting and I asked him to take me home -- to Perki's cottage.

�� Once there, not surprisingly, I slept the sleep of a tortured soul.