'You kill my brother and you let this clown make a fool out of you on your own show。 I'll bet Pope Joan is splitting her raiments。'
'Shut up！ This is serious。 Don't you realize who that was？'
'I don't know and I don't care。'
'It was SUN。' croaked Dan； emptying his glass into his throat and reaching it out for a refill。 'It was SUN himself。'
'SUN？' Gloria looked perplexed。 'What do you mean？ On the vinyl； that SUN？'
'That SUN。 I knew something big was happening。'
'But how？ I mean it's impossible。 He must have died before the NHE。' Gloria flung herself into a chair； breathing heavily。 'It can't be。' She chewed her lower lip。 'I want to hear it；' she said suddenly。
'What； hear the vinyl？ Through the holophon？ Certainly not； you couldn't take it。'
'I want to hear it。'
Dan gazed at her strangely。 'It's all connected somehow。' His voice lacked any tone。 'Something between he and I and it is in there somewhere。'
'Then I want to hear it。'
'All right。 Perhaps you should。' Dan took up the headset and wiped the plastic beads。 'I should have killed him the moment we found him in Rex's air car。 I should have realized then。'
'So why didn't you？'
Dan adjusted the headset over Gloria's hair and fed the beads into her ears。 'I don't know；' he replied with disarming frankness。 'Are you ready？' Gloria nodded。 Dan jacked in and set the level to its minimum。 Gloria nodded again。 Dan pressed the 'on'。
A thin white line of static became wafers of light with each pop and crackle。 Presley's voice came from a million miles away and was suddenly within Gloria's head。
WELL I'VE PLACE DOWN OF
SINCE FOUND TO AT LONELY
MY A DWELL THE STREET
BABY NEW IT'S END AT
LEFT
HEARTBREAK HOTEL。。。
ME
The words sloped and slid and within each one there was a face or shape。 Beacons flashed。 Men ran。 A woman with a knife loomed。 Time ran forwards and sideways。 Men burned。 Flame spiralled。
EVER SO LONELY YOU COULD DIE
Jack out。
'You're all right now； dear。' Ms Vrillium dabbed Gloria's forehead with something cool。 'Look at the state she's in。 What did you do to her？'
'Ask her what she saw？'
'Not now。 She's messed herself all over。 Go away； can't you？'
'I must know； it's important。'
'She can't talk now； can she？'
Dan turned upon his heel and strode from Gloria's apartment； slamming the door dramatically behind him。 Gloria raised herself up on an elbow and tossed back her hair。 It was speckled with vomit。
'I'll run you a bath dear。' Ms Vrillium stroked Gloria's forehead。 Gloria nodded towards the door。 With a knowing smile upon her far from winsome features； Ms Vrillium tiptoed across the room and dealt the aforementioned a thunderous blow with her fist。 The ensuing cry of pain didn't e from her。 Dan limped away down the corridor； clutching his ear and muttering blasphemy。 Ms Vrillium examined her knuckles and sniggered terribly。
'Thank you。' Gloria swung her long legs down from the bed。 'I appreciated that。'
The Phnaargian sun； Rupert； balanced upon the horizon as if savouring the final dying moment of the day。 The two moons； Elsie and Doris； were already on the up and up； electroplating the spires and cupolas of Vance。 The brilliant flash of green as Rupert was swallowed away by the night failed to raise the spirits of Fergus Shaman； Fergus was a worried Phnaarg。 Events had now gotten well beyond his control。 The manure shovels were calling out his name。 Fergus sat in his office before the shimmering window membrane。 The stars were ing out。 And around one of them circled a little blue planet called Earth。
Fergus made a helpless face。 It wasn't his fault。 Well； some of it was。 A great deal of it was； in fact。 But not all of it。 It was that madman Jovil Jspht who was at the back of it all。 And it was Mungo Madoc who had put Jovil's name up in the first place。
But Mungo Madoc was currently banged up in the pany floatarium。 No doubt presently muning with the big…nosed one himself。 And it was he； Fergus； who was going to carry the watering can for the whole big mess。 Garstang was piecing it all together。 The board were starting to remember。 But how could they？ The answer to that was in the top pocket of a gold lame suit。 The Time Sprout was back in the present day bringing all memories back with him。 But what was Elvis doing there？ And what about Jovil？ Had he pressed the black button？ Had he told Presley what he was supposed to？ No； he couldn't have if things hadn't changed。 But then perhaps they had changed。 How was he to know？
Fergus considered the gentleman's way out。 Board members generally took the window when things got ；