Patchwork Universe

Dr James Kirby · Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:55 am Post subject: There's No Place Like Home

Kirby entered through the mists, and immediately gave a sigh of relief. Empire. From his current vantage point, near the Port Authority building, he could even see the Kirby building, lit up in the near-dawn gloom.

His sudden appearence caused some disturbance in the locals - it wasn't every day you saw one of The Defenders! Kirby was approached by a police officer, a sergeant he knew, O'Laughlin.

"Dr Kirby, sir," he said in his broad Dublin accent, "Is there some sort of trouble?"

"No sergeant, no trouble." He cast a glance back at the wall of mist that curtained the street. "At least not in the conventional sense. Tell me, what has the reaction been to this?"

"To what, sir?"

"To the wall of mist here."

"Mist sir? Sure, it's a clear night, not so much as a wisp."

"Really? You don't see a wall of it right here?"

"Where, sir?"

"Right where I'm standing." Kirby stood so that he was right on the edge of it. "Right here."

"Begging your pardon sir, but there's nothing there but yourself."

"Hmmm. Humour me, sergeant, could you walk a few yards past me in that direction, and describe what you see?"

The sergeant disappeared into the mist. Some time later he returned.

"Did you not hear me sir?"

"Sorry, no, I couldn't."

"I said that there was nothing there that oughtn't be there."

"I see. Well, thankyou for your help sergeant. Sorry to be so mysterious, but I think there's something rather unusual going on. "

O'Laughlin grinned. "Well, isn't that always the case sir? Don't worry. You'll work it out." This seemed to be something of an in-joke, as if suggesting that Einstein might be able to maybe help with his kid's math homework.

"Indeed," grinned Kirby. "Now I wonder, could I trouble you for a ride home? Seems a bit unseemly to go bounding about the place if there's no immediate threat..."