Pink and Blue:


    Damned if I let those kids see me suffer!


    too bad. After all, look at all of these memories, where they manage to rein in the worse of the premiers ideas. And the suitcase bomb affair. They didn''t know about its planning, and they placed themselves in harm’s way to help the evacuation." said Pink.


    ex-prostitute." said Blue.


    too much about all of that. Remember we have the backing of Esmeralda. Who obviously planned for all of this. So, I guess, there will be a series of minor miracles, unnoticed by the public at large, and things will just happen in just the right way, and it shall be so."


    "General Patterson and General McIver" said Horatio, in words like tombstones, thudding into the ground one at a time. The generals jerked in shock and shuddered with each word, their stomaches churned, their bodies trembled, their sense of balance was causing them to stagger. In other words, they were terrified.


    I am Horatio. Pink''s guardian. You, and the premiers you were obeying, have caused me a great deal of trouble, and would have caused a great deal more. Here I am, a member of an alien data species, trying to help you humans, while you, actual humans, were doing your best to destroy yourselves and all those around you. We calculate that the resulting strife might have killed many many millions of people, and set your civilisation back decades or more."


    "And, of course, you would have ended up killing Pink, plus all those she loves."


    "You know, you are really very lucky that Pink was so kind as to let you live. Aren''t you?"


    I certainly wouldn''t have been so kind!"


    "You will be hearing a great deal more from me in the future..." There was a distinct hiss to Horatio''s voice, like a snake threatening a defenceless little animal.


    "But now, I will turn you over to Esmeralda and let her have her turn."


    "McIver. Patterson."


    "I am an Angle of Death. I would have been very happy to judge you and send you to the same place as the premiers."


    "But, you are indeed very lucky. As Horatio said, Pink and Blue must be feeling very kindly today."


    "Nevertheless, you almost did cause immense destruction. All due respects to Horatio, but he only is only a mortal. His ability to estimate what might have happened is deficient."


    "In actual fact, in the resulting warfare, one of you would have rapidly killed the other. And then the surrounding countries would have become involved. And like a row of dominos falling, like metastatic cancer that spreads, the strife would have spread out to this entire continent. Then overwhelmed and engulfed the word. Several billions of people would have ended up dead. It would have taken two or three centuries for civilisation to recover and to start painfully regaining lost ground."


    "However, you have been allowed to live. You will answer to Horatio, and whomever he directs you to obey. You will work to undo the mess you helped to create, and then you will devote your lives to saving people. Remember, you will be meeting me again. For real. No one will save you the next time. Except yourselves. Atone for your sins and I may, just may, decide to let you pass."


    "Is that all right?" In a deceptively gentle voice, with more than just a hint of power behind it. She increased the power of her glare, just a little. They felt it.


    "Good. Then I shall be seeing you!"


    "Oh, and if at your final judgement you are able to bring some committed, enduring love to the table, then that will also be of help in your judgements." This was said in a much lighter, calmer voice.


    too much?"


    Pink and Blue: Odd jobs


    The Generals:


    Teresa: Not going to be left all alone


    Pink and Blue:


    Rebecca and James: