'Uncanny；' said Mungo。
Jason Morgawr bounced before them。 'Further developments。 Garstang has locked the boardroom televisual system into broadcast； and he's threatening to make his feelings felt before the viewing public。'
'Then close him down。'
'No can do； sir。 The broadcast system in the boardroom overrides all the others。 A little innovation of yours； if you recall。'
'But of course。 Fergus？'
'My thoughts？ The gas； and now。'
Morgawr made with the head…shakes。 'He's already on to that。 He's blocked the eco duct； with Diogenes Darbo； I understand。 He says that if his demands aren't met within the next five minutes he will expose the entire Earthers series as having been engineered by the pany。 Dirty laundry will be aired； names will be named。'
'Fergus？ Fergus？ Stop that man somebody。'
Fergus Shaman found the ward door barred to him。 'Now；' said he； as he was hauled back to Mungo； 'is the kind of occasion when I offer up my thanks to the Deity or having blessed us with a station head such as yourself； whom alone is capable of solving a problem； which to we lesser mortals appears quite insoluble。 In fact I was just on my way to the pany chapel to offer up these very thanks when you called me back。 Did you want anything in particular； sir？'
The entire medical crew turned towards Mungo。
'Ah；' said that man。 'Ah yes； indeedy。'
Rex pressed back against the clammy tiles。 Rambo cocked the trigger。 Rex screwed up his eyes。 'Hosepipe；' came a voice at his right ear。
'What？'
'Hosepipe。'
He knew that voice； the voice of the Goddess； the voice of Christeen。 And he knew the time too。 That brief five minutes of the day when the heating went on at Odeon Towers。 So timed that most of its residents would be out working。 Bath time。 'And it's goodbye from him；' chuckled Rambo。 Rex reached up for the rusted turncock。 Wrenched it around。 Miraculously it spun； as if newly greased。 Rex clutched the perished hosepipe。 The jet of superheated water was fast and furious。 It struck Rambo full face； blasting him from his feet into the arms of his dithering henchman。 Acting Fireman Mundi trained the jet upon them both； laughing like a maniac。 The jet faltered； trickled and died。 Rex's water ration for the day was all used up。 'Ooooooooooooh！' Rex leapt to his feet。 Rambo was staggering about groaning terribly and feeling for his gun。 Rex kicked him viciously between the legs。 As he doubled up； the steely toecap of Rex's workaday boot caught him squarely in the sinking chin。 Rex snatched up the fallen weapon and leap…frogged over the toppled Devianti。 Eric made a half…hearted swing in is direction； but Rex bludgeoned him down with the pistol butt。
Really it was all a most excruciating display of gratuitous violence。 But once cut together from the various viewpoints afforded from the televisual moss and lichen in Rex's apartment and beamed out across Phnaargos； it went down very big with the growing audience of some fourteen billion。
'Yes； indeedy；' said Mungo Madoc once again。
Fergus watched the face of the station chief as it ran through its full repertoire of thoughtful expression。 This man is barren of ideas； thought he。 'Perhaps you should go up and speak to him yourself； sir。'
'Perhaps I should go up and speak to him myself；' mused Mungo。
Fergus turned his eyes towards the ceiling。 He'd cared little enough for the older Mungo Madoc； but this new one didn't do much for him either。 'Perhaps you should。' Fergus agreed。
'So be it。' Mungo rose ponderously from the surgical couch and pulled aside his gown。 His wonderful suit was in ruination； but he simply sighed it away。 Like the warriors of old； Mungo Madoc girded up his loins and went forth to do battle。
There was a lot of effing and blinding ing from the boardroom。 A knot of special service men crouched about the doorway； weapons at the ready。 One of them rose to salute Mr Madoc as he arrived。 'Ranting away in there like a stone bonker；' was the considered opinion on the matter。
Mungo pressed him aside and addressed the boardroom door。 'Garstang；' he shouted。 'This is Mungo Madoc。' There was a snap； a crackle and a pop。 An electric pulse seared through the door。 Something pale and fleshy bounced on to the corridor floor。
The now earless Mungo Madoc turned to Fergus Shaman。 'Your thoughts on this？' he asked。
17
Let's get serious； no let's don't； let's mime the hard bits。 Frank Zappa
Rex didn't pause long in his burning apartment。 He snatched up his weatherdome and tore away a small section of flooring。 From the hidey…hole revealed he drew his most valuable possession； The Suburban Book of the Dead。 He thrust the book into a pocket of his radiation suit and made off at the hurry up。 Up the iron ladder went Rex； through the hatch and on to the roof。 The air car stood awaiting his whim。 Smoke began to rise through the roof hatch。
Rex bundled into the air car； slammed shut the canopy； confirmed identity and put the thing into gear。 The engine coughed and died。
'No；' cried Rex； 'not now。' Two fearful figures climbed out through the roof hatch。 A sheet of flame billowed up behind them。 'Please；' begged Rex。 'Please start。' The spectres loped across the roof towards him。 Rex bashed at the dashboard with his fist。 The engine chugged； the air car stalled again。 Rambo snatched up a length of metal piping and swung it at the windscreen。 The plexiglass shattered； Rex covered his eyes； Rambo and Eric clawed at him。 The motor engaged。 The car lifted。 The two Devianti fell away howling bitterly。 Rex took to the sky。
Gloria Mundi never paced； she rode upon friction…free bearings housed within her hips。 This she did now in the Dalai's sanctum sanctorum。 Dan watched her at it。 He studied every fold of yielding poli…synthicate as it creased about the exquisite contours of her body。 What a waste； thought Dalai Dan。
Gloria turned upon him。 'You should be so lucky。'
Dan cast her an upward gaze； levelling out at the piercing green eyes。 'Your brother intrigues me；' he said。
'It might have been polite of you to mention that he was still in one piece as soon as you knew。'
'So sorry；' Dan replied。 'An intriguing young man。'
'His idea of feeding the iris patterns of your Mr SUN into MOTHER to seek his location does display a certain animal cunning； I suppose。'
'I consider it most enterprising。 Sadly time ran out for him。 The scan will of course be maintained。 We will track down SUN。'
Gloria threw up her hands。 'But to what end？ You catch up with him。 You kill him。 Can one man really be such a threat to you？'
'This is no ordinary man。 Do you know what I represent； Gloria？'
'I'm sure you can read my thoughts on this matter。'
'I represent stability。 The status quo。 I represent safety。 To threaten me is to threaten the very fabric of society。'
'Don't flatter yourself；'
Dan sipped his cocktail。 'You have no idea of what I'm talking about。 Your mind； although open to me； is closed to reason。'
'And what plans do you now have for my brother？'
'I will keep him on the SUN case。 I like the way he thinks。'
'He's an uncouth lout。'
'Please Gloria。 We each must play our part。 You understand the economics of the thing and also the mechanics。 Society is no longer self…perpetuating。 The unions run me ragged with their outrageous demands； production is； as ever； down。 Soon the synthafood plants will run themselves dry。 You know this。 I know this。 We have maintained the protective cloud cover for a decade to allow the ozone layer to reform。 This is science； Gloria。 When mankind re…establishes itself once more upon the face of the planet there must be no further mistakes。 Each must play his or her part； as now。'
'With you running the show； I suppose。'
'And who better？'
'Perhaps Hubbard or Pope Joan？'
'Only me； Gloria。'
'Ha； dreams of the hashish eater。'
'Not a bit of it。' Dan thumbed a remote control。 A hologram of the planet formed before them。 He prodded into it。 'Cities all laid waste。 But here； here； here； vast tracts of arable land。 All over； radiation…free； ripe for cultivation。 Countless miles； more than in the middle ages。 This time we do it right。'
Gloria gazed at the image and then at the man。 Could he actually be sincere？'
'Mr Mundi is here；' purred the inter。
'Send him in；' said the Dalai Lama。 The hologram faded and was gone。
The two Phnaargs returned to the medical centre。 Mungo clutching his latest wound； Fergus carrying the amputated ear before him at arm's length。 As the medics sutured and stitched； tinkered and bandaged； Jason spoke hurriedly into the unsullied ear of Fergus Shaman。 'We have less than two minutes； he's preparing to go on the air。'
'Just do what he says then；' Fergus replied。 'But get him out of that boardroom； as you value your future。'
'Nuff said。' Jason spoke rapid words into a headset。 Garstang's manic face appeared on a nearby bio…screen。 'Will you do it； or should I？' Jason asked。
'Best you do；' Fergus backed away。 'He and I aren't really on the best of terms at present。'
'Well？' Garstang demanded。
'I'm afraid Mr Madoc is unable to speak to you at