Silas puts the pints and the double vodka down on the table. Fortunately the Yatch Inn has one of the residents of Caester working at the bar so he’s been able to find out just where he is and pay for the drinks out of his Caester resources.
And picks up the Vodka and knocks it back. “Lovely.” Then he turns his attention to the pint.
Silas finds himself lost for what to say. Fortunately Andi, especially Andi fuelled with alcohol, is a natural talker.
“I’m the product of an experiment.” He explains. “Fusion of three or four cell lines apparently. Trouble is some of the cells proved to be incompatible; as a result bits don’t work too well.”
“Couldn’t they fix it?”
“Not with out loosing a lot of what I can do.” He responds. “It’s not worth it. I spend most of my time out there so it’s not an issue. It’s not the illness that makes the disability it’s the attitude. So how did you get involved with all this lot?”
“This lot?”
“The Mellors, Caester this lot.” He amplifies.
“Err” Silas ponders where to start, trying to remember himself . “Via my grandfather I suppose. Aaron Mellor has had a long association with my family. When stuff went a bit pear shaped I ended up on the run with him that was…” It’s seems centuries ago. He tries to sort out in his head how long it has actually been. “… Five years may be.”
“And when did you get this link to Rik?”
Silas spits his beer across the table, the pub turns to look at him.
“I’m sorry. “Andi responds. Desperately trying to clean up the splash with the few bear mats in reach.
The bar man drops over a stack of napkins and a dirty look leaving Silas with the distinct feeling they need to drink up and get out.

He pushes Andi up the ramp and onto the wall over looking the car park.
“Sorry about that.” Andi echoes once they are out of the bar.
“How did you know?”
“Mags detected the incoming transmission whilst we were in U-Space. Riks thought patterns are kind of distinctive.” He waves a hand. “It didn’t occur to me it should be a secret.”
“Well it is.” Silas replies.
“No problem. It goes no further.” He smiles. “It’s not like Mags and I don’t have our own indisgressions”
Silas feels Riks interest rise, but there is a reassuring sense to them obviously he doesn’t consider Andi knowing to be a major threat.
Andi looks down to the vehicle waiting in the car park. “Remember I told you about the thing in U-space getting me.”
Silas nods.
“Lets just say Mags and I owe Rik a lot. Keeping this bit of info to ourselves is pretty fucking minor by comparison.”
Then he looks up at Silas. “You Ok to find your own way from here? Only from what I hear the walls and paths aren’t really wheel chair compatible.”
“Yeah this is my territory.”
“Cool.” He looks at him for a few seconds and then says. “Listen mate, the offer of the tour still stands. When ever  the what-ever-it-is is over, you still have Saturn’s song to hear. And there’s the heliosphere.”
“Thanks I’ll take you up on that.” Silas replies with a smile.
 “Brill.” He turns the chair and wheels it down the ramp.
Silas turns to walk the walls and unlock the route home.
+*+
Prydan arrives back in the map room and drops the scrolls on the table.
Aaron follow him in with a tray of coffee mugs.
The watchman looks at the walls.
“I don’t think we have room for this.” He points out.
“Call me strange, but I really don’t want Silas reading it anyway.” Aaron points out.
He unlock a low the cupboard on the flat wall and puts the scrolls in it before returning to his coffee.
The door opens and Paul swans in with a grin on his face.
“That was more than twenty minutes.” Aaron states.
“You weren’t here.” He defends. “What was the point of coming back if you weren’t here any way?”
“Principle.” He hands him a mug.
“Ok I’ll nip back to twenty minutes after I left and say ‘bugger they’re not here’ and come back to now if you want.”
Aaron looks at him and for a second Paul wonders if he would make him do it.
Instead the question is “Where’s Silas?”
Paul looks round the room, almost as if he expected the man to be here. Then he remembers “Oh.”
Aaron looks at him.
“Fortunately for you.” Prydan informs him. “He came through water gate and had a drink in Yatch Inn about an hour ago. Charles arranged a pick up for him.”
“Well then you see I knew he would be ok.” Paul defends.
Aaron shakes his head. “Any idea what kept him?” He asks Prydan.
“Apparently he ended up in a world where Caester isn’t accessible.”
“That was a bit of bad luck.”
“Yeah. Unfortunately the ecology is dead so lea walking was out too.”
Aaron looks up suddenly concern on his face. “How did he get back?”
“U-Space.” Prydan replies. “Charles found him a pilot that would do most of the run home.”
“No.” Aaron drops into the seat.
“What’s up?” Paul asks
“Oo just make a guess on who that one is going to be.” Aaron retorts.
Paul thinks for a few moments. “Andi.”
Aaron puts his head in his hands.
“You trying to keep them apart or something.”
“May be.” Aaron mumbles into his hands.
“Why?” Paul asks in his best irritating toddler voice.
“The realities best lay walker and a man with a map of all worlds hard wired into his neural net, you work it out!”
“Oh Yeah.” Paul laughs. “Oh that’s cool.”
“A Silas and Andi road trip. That would make “Beavis and Butthead” look like “Little House on the Prairie” Aaron weeps softly.
“Oh that is so one I have to go on.” Paul says with glee.
“Oh you so don’t” Aaron counteracts.
“Oh ‘cause Like me being along could make it worse.” Paul teases.
Aaron goes to reply and then stops as the door opens and Silas walks in.
Paul takes one looks at him and bursts out laughing.
“What?” Silas asks.
“Nothing He is being a child.” Aaron responds firmly.
“Oh. I.. “ Paul starts.
“Out side now. You can come back in when you have got a grip.” Aaron shouts at him.
“Yes boss. “ Paul responds mimicking Corton perfectly. But he goes out side. Aaron looks at Prydan pleadingly. “Go slap him or something.
Prydan smiles at the offer and follows the man out side.