one。 The image of a mud…brown planet appeared； grim and forbidding； and relieved of its monotone only by two pale grey areas at its polar regions。 The image enlarged and became solid。 Mungo's gaze fell upon Jason Morgawr。 'All keyed in and ready for the off。 We shall now run your programme； Jason。 Places everyone and action。'
The lights went out at Nemesis。 Gloria swore fiercely and sought objects to throw。 Beyond the sloping windows the sun was going down。 Between the first and second floor； the lift was going nowhere。
'Aw。。。'
'No； let me say it for you。 Shit。'
'Thanks； Rex。'
In the darkness Fergus felt about for a switch。 His wandering hands made contact with something extremely nice。 'Urgh；' went Fergus Shaman as Christeen's fist made contact with his nose。
High above in the darkness Ms Vrillium's voice quavered strangely。 'Gloria dear； there is someone to see you。'
Gloria Mundi turned in fury。 'Who？' But then words rightly failed her。
'e at a bad time； have I？' asked Dalai Dan。
33
Behold He eth with clouds and every eye shall see Him。 Revelation 1：7
Gloria might have tried； 'Thank God you're alive；' for in fact that was exactly what she thought and exactly what Dan heard her think。 But as it was her mouth opened and closed but nothing whatever came out。
'On your knees。' The tone in Dan's voice contained such exquisite menace and such unquestionable authority that Gloria hastened to obey。 Ms Vrillium was already on all fours and cowering into the bargain。 The High Lama strode across the darkling room and seated himself behind his great desk。 He flipped the open channels on the terminals and punched codes into the row of telephones。 And then he spoke。 But it wasn't a single voice； it was a cacophony of voices； all his； yet all issuing separate instructions at exactly the same moment。 Gloria pressed her hands about her ears。 She sensed and felt the power of pure evil。
But to the terminal operators and those poised； telephone in hand； these heard but a single voice； directed personally to them。 A voice which offered encouragement； assuaged doubts； made praise； made promises。 When the terrible multiple tirade was done； Dan sat back in his chair and pressed the palms of his hands together。 Small sparklets of energy crackled about his fingertips。 After a moment or two the lights came back on。
'Did you really think you could run all this without me？ Did you？' Gloria hid her face； she was shivering fearfully。
'You wretched creature。 None of it ever got through to you； did it？ All this！ All this！' Dan rose from his seat。 And he did it with style。 He rose into the air and hovered above his desk。 'All this is mine。 I made all this。 I hold it together。 Without me there is only chaos。 I am the Living God King。 Last of my line。 You are nothing。 Do you hear？ Nothing。'
'I am nothing；' whispered Gloria。 'Nothing。'
'There； I've fixed it；' said Rex； as the lift rose again from the dead。 Christeen gave him an old…fashioned look。 Rex winked back。
'Nice one； Rex。' Elvis was cocking a selection of brutal…looking hardware。 He thrust what appeared to be a ray gun into Fergus's fist。
'You've got a bogey hanging out of your nose；' he observed。
'It's blood。' Fergus made an unhappy face at Christeen and wiped a sleeve collar across his begored nostrils。 The lift passed the eighteenth floor and continued upwards。
Upon the eighteenth…floor landing two young gentlemen； now beautifully turned out in Barbour jackets and tweed caps； were enjoying an early supper。 This came in the form of a Nemesis continuity person。
'Pass the salt； old boy；' said Rambo Bloodaxe。
'Oh；' said Deathblade Eric。 'It's us； I thought we were dead。'
'Not a bit of it。 We simply went to ground when Rex's air car went off without us。 We've been hiding out here ever since。'
'Oh；' said Eric again。 'It wasn't made clear； but I suppose it's remotely possible。' He felt at his head。 'Half my brain is still missing； I regret。'
'Keep your pecker up； me old cocksparrow。 If we are back in the plot there is sure to be a reason for it。 Now do tuck your napkin in。 You're getting giblets all down your front。'
After this I looked and beheld a door was opened in Heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me。
Revelation 4：1
'And cue the trumpet；' pronounced Mungo。 Above the planet； hovering in the cone of light； a trapdoor creaked open and the bell of a battered bugle poked out。 'Taraa Taraa；' it went； somewhat discordantly。 'Now hear this； now hear this。。。'
Jason Morgawr chewed upon his knuckles。 'It es across a lot better on the small screen；' he ventured。
'The balance of equipoise…' Dan was once more standing upon the floor； but he looked no less impressive for it '…fragile； precise。 The perfect balance between love and hate； peace and war； sanity and insanity； life and death。 And so forth。 Tip the scales but a fraction to either end and the balance is lost。 The harmony is gone； and then。。。' Dan searched for an example。 Far off there was a sickening squelch as the lifeless body of L。 Ron Hubbard the twenty…third hit the floor。
'Like that；' said Dan。 'Squelch。'
'Squelch？' queried Ms Vrillium； still cowering。
'Squelch。 Crash bang wallop； whatever you please。 Chaos； disorder。 But harmony and peace has existed between the Big Three for fifty years and why？ Because I wanted it so； that's why。 Those ants in their bunkers； propped up before their terminals； we need them as much as they need us。 Singularly they are just rubbish； expendable。 But en masse they represent a nation； an empire。 But we could never have hoped to feed them all。 You've seen that for yourself。 The balance between the Three had to be maintained。 Until I chose it otherwise。 I could have destroyed Hubbard and that papal harpy when ever I wanted。 MOTHER hacked into their networks years ago。 She could have closed them down whenever I ordered it。 I'm in control here。 Do you understand that？ I run this planet。'
'I would like to bear your children；' said Gloria； which was unexpected； if nothing else。
The lift doors opened to announce the arrival of Rex and his fellow revolutionaries。
'Wotcher Gloria；' said Rex Mundi。 'How's your luck？' Dan closed his eyes to them。 'What is done cannot be undone。 You die now。' 'Rex；' said Gloria； 'oh； Rex； I'm so sorry。'
Mungo； totally disenchanted with the naff trumpet； keyed in the next bit。
And I saw the horses in the vision and those that sat upon them。 Revelation 9：17
The four housemen sprang out upon the clouds of Earth。 Mungo's face fell。 'Those are pantomime horses！' he screamed。 'Morgawr； you idiot！'
'They'll be all right。 Patch this through to the Earth networks； the folk in the bunkers should watch all this。'
'Yes；' Mungo actually agreed。 They should。' He punched out sequences amongst the bulging bits and bobs。 Vision blurred upon Earth terminal screens。 The interior of the Dalai's apartments suddenly appeared。
'And what's all this then？' asked the bunker…bound； popping cans of Buddhabeer and leaning forward in their seats。
'Ant…eye…Christ！' cried Elvis； levelling his gun at Dan and shooting off a charge。 The gun spat a line of crimson energy。 But inches from the Dalai's head it crumpled； dissolved and was gone。
Rex came up from the cover he had instantly taken as the gun went bang。 'He's not the Antichrist； I've told you。'
'Oh yes he is。。。'
'Oh no he's not。。。'
'Oh yes he is；' said Christeen。
'Oh yes I am；' Dan agreed。 'You never got it； either； did you Rex？ No…one ever does。 That's the way it goes。' The third eye opened in Dan's forehead。 All three eyes glowed a bloody red。 The end time approaches。 But this time I prevail。 All this is mine and I'm keeping it。'
'Cor； look at them。' Ms Vrillium was pointing furiously。 'Dirty big。。。 what are those things called？'
'Horses；' Gloria told her。 They are horses。'
'Horses； what？' Dan turned to view the unlikely spectacle。 'No； not yet。'
The cameras panned over and those in the bunkers were offered a good look too。 'Crikey；' they said and things similar。
'Your time is up。' Christeen advanced upon the Dalai Lama。 'The reckoning is at hand。'
'You。' Dan's red eyes widened。 All three。 It wasn't a pretty sight。 His tall spare frame trembled and shook。 Veins stood out upon his naked shaven head。 They formed the triple tadpole station logo。 Six Six Six。 The number of the Beast。 His long fingers were cruel inhuman claws。 Dan turned slowly away and vanished。
'Where'd he go？' Elvis plunged forward； to stand a brave heroic figure； two guns raised like the Duke of old。
'Fergus； close the lift。' Rex ordered。 'It's the only way out。' Fergus did so and stood with his back to the doors； brandishing his gun with forced conviction。 That Gloria looks even better in the flesh； he thought。
'e out； e out； wherever you are；' called Rex。 'e and get your medici。。。 urgh。' He doubled up； holding his groin。 Elvis fired； blindly destroying priceless artefacts。
'Hold on。' Rex climbed unsteadily to his feet。 He took a deep breath and gazed about the room。 As with Gloria he had seen it all before。 But never re