fe side； they are preparing for an all…out strike。'
'They didn't waste a lot of time； did they？'
The telephone purred again。 Ms Vrillium tore the plug from the socket and hurled the wicked messenger into a far corner。 The lights momentarily dimmed。
'That would no doubt be the electrical union letting you know that they are preparing to offer their support。'
Gloria made a pensive face。 'What about the technicians and the production teams？'
'Different unions again； dear。 Although Dan never did get around to sorting out all their separate grievances。 So I suppose it's just possible。。。'
Gloria slumped on to Dan's settee and tinkered distractedly with the holophon headset。 'This is something of a pain in the butt。'
The fat woman's eyes lit up。 'Would you like me to 。。。' 'Not at present； thank you。 What am I going to do？' 'Hardly for me to say；' Ms Vrillium replied tartly。 'Dan always kept them under control。 It's down to you now。' Gloria made sulks。 'How's the war going？' she asked； brightening。
'The Fundamentalists currently have the upper hand。 Several of Joanie's transmitters are already in purgatory。' 'Jolly good。 Then once both stations go off the air。。。' 'The victory would appear to be ours； yes。' 'Yes。' For Gloria it was all really starting to sink in。 When the victory was hers； what then？ What was she going to do with it？ She discarded the headset and rose from the settee。 Crossing the floor she paused to regard the sky through one of the great sloping walls of glass。 Gazing down from it； she viewed the turmoil of foul brown cloud。 Beneath this were thousands of people； huddled in bunkers and now relying on her for their survival。 Gloria was capable of being dispassionate along with the best of them； but on such a scale？ Dan had talked about his new tomorrow。 Wafting away the clouds； opening up the land。 A madman's dream of Utopia？ Gloria made inward groans。 Perhaps the cloud cover couldn't be lifted。 Perhaps all of it was lies。 All in all it was a bit of a mess。 And all in all she was very much to blame。
Gloria Mundi suddenly began to miss Dalai Dan very much indeed。
There was a fair amount of slurping and slopping going on down in the bowels of the Earth。 Elvis dragged Rex clear of the quagmire and hastened to the aid of Fergus Shaman。 'These magic boots were one hell of a smart move； green buddy。'
Fergus slumped upon dry land。 'Thanks；' he gasped。
'No sweat。 Rex； give me back my electronic doodad。' Rex delved into his sodden suit and fished it out。 Elvis tinkered with it but got no response。 'Doesn't work down here。 Look at my trouser cuffs。 Good guy or not； I shall do for the father…raper as soon as we catch him up。'
Rex shook himself； but it did no good。 The Dalai had really been saving himself for that one。 From a detached point of view； it really was a remarkably clever trick； although it was hard to be detached when you smelt the way Rex did。 But it was a bit of a mystery。 Why had Dan chosen to dump them there； rather than over some precipice； where they might have plunged to oblivion？ Perhaps he had just been strapped for time； or maybe it simply hadn't occurred to him。 Mercy certainly would not have numbered amongst his reasons。
Fergus plucked gingerly at his knees。 He had three things on his mind。 Well； one； if you discarded the two amazing nipples； which he was somewhat loath to do。 This one was that with him down here and out of the picture； what terrible wheels of chaos would Mungo Madoc be setting into motion？ Without Fergus to guide him； Mungo's inpetence would be given its full head。 'Oh dear； oh dear； oh dear；' mumbled the unhappy Phnaarg。
32
。。。 and so it has e to this。 A hundred men went dawn there。 They knew which ducts to enter。 How to penetrate the building。 Where to find the carbon。 But none returned。 And now he will e looking for me。 He must have known they were ing。 Someone must have talked。 Been made to talk。 When they have you in there you talk and you talk。 So now I pass the Book on to Rex。 He must continue the search。 I will sit it out and wait。 It won't be long。
The Suburban Book of the Dead
They e from a far country； from the end of Heaven。 Even the Lord and the weapons of his indignation to destroy the whole land。
Isaiah 13：5
'You are probably wondering what all that palaver was all about。' Mungo adjusted his cuffs and snorted upon a lapel blossom。 Heads bobbed in the affirmative manner。 'Something of a point of no return。 The sphere contained the final programme。 It's now interfaced with the corporate entity which is this building。 All systems are now on stand…by and all channels feed directly through me。 A little failsafe device employed by the backers to insure that no。。。' 'Improvisation should occur？' Jason Morgawr found his voice。 'So whose programme is it running； ours or theirs？'
'As the visual scenario stands； ours。 In terms of theological over…structure； theirs。 Do I make myself clear？' 'No；' replied Jason。 'In all candour you don't。' 'The success of any show depends to a large part upon giving the public what they want。 But not necessarily in the way they expect it。 The Armageddon scenario … your version； Morgawr … will； as sanctioned； run visually。 The fulfilling of certain contractual obligations； videlicet the original script； will be handled separately by the backers。 Ours not to reason why。'
'And all this will run directly through you？' 'I'm now biologically linked to the station。 My duty is to filter out whatever is deemed unsuitable for transmission。'
'Such as evidence of tampering。' 'You have no quarrel with that； surely？' Jason scratched at his head。 'And what about our people on Earth？ They will be brought out safely； I trust。'
'Regretfully； no。'
'But they are our people； that is murder。' 'No； Morgawr；' said Mungo； grandiloquently。 'That's showbiz。'
The umpteenth passage came to a boring conclusion。 Fergus sat down and began to grizzle。 Rex kicked hopelessly at the nearest wall。 The sound hardly echoed。 'Aw； shit；' snarled Elvis； joining Rex in the futile wall…kicking。 'How many does that make it？ We'll never get out of here。' They were rapidly losing all track of time。 Rex squinted at his watch。 Two…thirty。 'How long have we been down here？'
'Less than ten minutes； chief。 Time sure do fly when you're having fun。' 'There wouldn't be any chance of you beaming us up？'
Elvis asked。 'Sure getting sick of it down here。' 'No can do； I'm afraid； chief。' 'Hey；' said Elvis。 'Surely I can smell。。。' 'Violets；' said Rex。 'You can smell violets。' 'I would have thought you had sufficient ability to find your own way out；' said Christeen softly。 'But as you haven't； you'd better follow me。' 'Baby；' howled Elvis； spinning around to view the splendid woman。 'Baybee！' 'Don't even think about it。' Rex pushed past the boy wonder and took Christeen by the hand。 'We had best make haste；' said she。
'Battle wages on all fronts。' The newscaster loosened his tie and mopped his brow。 'Fundamentalist forces hammer at Vatican City。 Air cars equipped with the very latest in air…to…air laser cannons cut a bloody swathe across the sky in a major strike offensive。 Phew； and I'll bet those guys and gals giving their all up there are just crying out for a long cool glass of Buddhabeer。 Buddha…beer； for when the going gets really hot。。。'
Gloria switched off the news terminal。 The lights dimmed once more as if to say 'it's make your mind up time'。 Three further terminals gabbled greenly upon the black marble desk…top。 They displayed alarming production figures； budget over…runs； high wastage quotients； and the like。 Bit…mapped graphics ran viewing statistics and projected forecasts to the effect that Buddhavision's slice of the market was growing by the hour。 At first glance this might have appeared to be good news； but with the fall in food and medico production it was nothing short of disastrous。 Buddhavision was hard pressed to supply its own followers； any increase could mean that all would starve。 Gloria bit upon a black lacquered thumbnail。 Cordless telephones began to ring out discordant fanfares。
'Nice to see you again。'
Christeen gave Rex a loving peck on the cheek。 'You're sweet。 Although you smell as bad as ever。'
'We ran into a spot of bother。 Dan got away。'
'Yes； I saw it。 But I was in no position to help。 I'm sorry。'
'Why is it；' Rex asked； 'that I can only remember you when I'm with you？'
'That's my little secret。 But see； we're nearly here。' They had entered one of the sub…basements of the Nemesis Bunker。
'Here；' groaned Rex。 'Not here。 Why here？'
'Because this is where all of it is going to happen。 And I do mean happen。 e on。' Christeen led the way to the lift。
'Some honey； huh？' Elvis whispered to Fergus Shaman。
The other nodded enthusiastically。 'Massive bosoms。'
Mungo Madoc slid an intricate system of controls； all bulging bits and pulsating other bits and bits that glowed funny colours； out in front of him。 He rattled a brisk finger tattoo upon it and a cross…mesh of laser light spun out toward the shining cone。 The image of a mud…brown planet appeared； grim and forbidding； and relieved of its monotone onl