, but she did convince me I should go to FHQ and she'd stay at the camping field, near HIP entrance. I walked to FHQ, it was a little chilly, compared to the heat we had at daytime. The road was dark, i didn't bring a flashlight. I was alone, I'd expected to meet at least one or two people returning to their tent or going to the toilets. The moon wasn't clear, as faint clouds were covering it partly. At FHQ there was only one person, someone I hadn't seen there yet. When I entered their tent, that person looked at me as if I was a ghost. As if he knew why I was coming to them, they said "Problems with the network?" "Yeah, how did you know? Does it show on your equipment?" "Just a lucky guess..." "The network on our camping field has broken down, at least most of the network did. Can you fix that from here?" "Sure. I'll do that first thing in the morning, at 7am. Thanks for notifying us." "No, I mean yes, thank you. But I'd like you to fix it right now. There's a problem we need the network for, if only for a couple of minutes." "But I can't leave here. Maurice has given strict orders that FHQ shoul always be manned and never be left alone. Sorry. First thing in the morning." I thought of what Parsec had told me, when she finally explained to me what this was all about and why she needed the network so badly. I thought of what would happen if FHQ wouldn't fix it right now. "Isn't there anything you can do?" "No, not now. I'd have to go there and I can't leave here. Can't you ask one of the people over there? I mean, we have provided a switch and a couple of hubs, the rest has been provided and is managed by the people who brought the hubs, HIP participants like you. Can't you wake up one of them, if it's really that urgent?" Now this was hard to explain to the FHQ person. Parsec had convinced me that timing was critical, and that the appropriate actions would have to be taken by FHQ while the network was being brought back up. I didn't grasp the details, but it was crucial she'd get her connection before anyone else. How could I explain that to FHQ? [ck: here, a piece of text was missing. I personally don't see what Parsec could possibly do with a connection if she's waiting at the edge of the camping field, without a computer. Apparently, at the time I wrote the piece, I didn't wonder. If it was me who wrote the piece....] "OK Maurice, we'll try to explain later. You hang onto that switch, and push it soon as she gives you a sign. In the meantime, I'll take down these two hubs for half a second. If you don't push in time, all will have been in vain. Ready?" I watched the little red light on the device Parsec had given to me. When it lit up, for a split second, I nodded to the FHQ person who at the same time pulled the switches of both hubs and yelled to Maurice. "Now!" Maurice pushed the button and what happened then is hard to describe. When I think back to it, it gives me the creeps. Parsec showed up in the tent, as if she had been waiting outside. But she looked so strange..... She smiled at me, and hugged me quickly. I shivered. Maurice was perplexed and he couldn't move, staring at the newly arrived woman. The FHQ person, and this is most remarkable, didn't seem to care. They weren't surprised, at least didn't look like. While I wondered, Parsec had disappeared. The hubs got switched back on again. I didn't know the meaning of the various lights on the equipment in the tent, but I did know they were flashing in a most unusual way. Maurice, who did know, almost fainted. Al of a sudden, I realized Parsec had disappeared into the network and thru that away from HIP. How could that be? With everything she had told me, about who she was and what she was, where she came from and who was after her, how could she possibly just jump into a network switch and vanish? I didn't get time to think about it. The FHQ person stood up and said "Will you guys watch the equipment for a second? I have to pee." and they left the tent. Three seconds later kh came in. "Sorry Maurice, I left for only a short while, won't happen again." Poor Maurice. If kh was the person on duty at FHQ, who was the person who had pulled the switches? Where had they gone? Would they return? If that person wasn't a normal FHQ person, that would explain why they behaved so indifferently. I looked at Maurice. How could I know _he_ was real? I hadn't seen him all day. I decided to get us all a beer or a Jolt and talk it over. Monday 2:55am. We did have a beer. I'll save this text now before I loose it. I suppose I should have some sleep now, and continue to describe the strange course of events in the morning, 'cause there's so much more to say. I am getting very very sleepy, almost frightening. Also, my harddisk starts to behave strangely, hope it won't crash. [ck: now here this text ends. It looks like I have written it, but I can assure you I don't have any memories of that. Nor was I sleepy when I woke up monday morning. On the contrary, I was fit as ever. On tuesday morning, I found an email message in my mailbox. The headers were stripped off when I got it, don't ask me how they did that (I've always thought a message couldn't be delivered if it doesn't have headers). This is what it said:] >Hi Christine, >Parsec here. I want to thank you so much for >what you did for me. I apologize for cheating >with the FHQ person, I hope you'll understand. >It was fortunate this friend of >yours (is he?) came in at the right >time. Don't talk to him about >everything that has happened, I >made sure he has forgotten everything >about it. > >Unfortunately, your memories of >what happened will have to be vague. >I just couldn't wipe it >all out, you have a right to at >least know _something_ has happened. >I apologize for wiping a part of >your harddisk (that's what you >call the thing, isn't it?) >but I can't afford you and your >friends to know. Sorry. > >In due time, we'll meet again. You'll >know when. You'll know how. And you'll >know what to do then. Until then, you'll >have to be patient while gathering the >knowledge you'll need. >For now, thank all those wonderfull >boys and girls at HIP97 on my behalf. >I wish I could let them know what they >did for me. Let me know about your >next meeting in 2d1 (Odyssey you called >it?). > >Bye! > >hugs (for whatever they're worth from a person like me ;-) >Parsec > >-- There's more in the network >-- than you and I can see.... [ck: that's it. If ever I'll get another email message from Parsec I'll let you know.]