CHAPTER ONE:
Sorcery Lass, the Heather Thomas look-alike who spent most of her time in her place of power at Castle Greyhair on Planet Alwaysurnia (as a mentor to Mighty Male), always kept current on events all across the Milky Way Galaxy and elsewhere. Her contacts ranged from President Jackman Hughes of Heyho Earth, to Equivvalentor the Dragon of Reasonableness, to the personnel of Bubblewrap Five, to native authorities on Redundantworld in the Triangulum Galaxy.
As we open, the faithful soldier Weapons-Man checks in with his kingdom's revered advisor.
W.M.-- Lady Lass, are you familiar with a galaxy called Gamma Sateri?
S.L.-- Only so far as plain science catalogues it. You already know that there are billions of galaxies in the creation. Is there something in Gamma Sateri particularly which needs my attention?
W.M.-- There is. Not merely a new situation, but a new KIND of situation. You know of the Narnian sub-universe; you know that plenty of people on Primary Earth are inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia, and that the Almighty is pleased to see them deriving inspiration from that series.
S.L.-- All right, gallant sir, kindly get to the point.
W.M.-- As you wish. In sequential time, the Narnian pseudo-planet collapsed generations ago. But time is fluid. I believe you remember the good wizard Hector von Bootblack?
S.L.-- (nods)
W.M.-- He contacted me through Equivvalentor. Powers of good are preoccupied with worlds of the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy; plenty of work for the side of light. But there IS a terrestroid planet in Gamma Sateri. And, for the first time Hector knows of, a sub-reality is emerging in which there's a White Witch who HASN'T EVEN BECOME an evil witch.
S.L.-- You mean, a potential villainess who could be PREVENTED FROM turning bad?
W.M.-- Got it in one. The fact that you LOOK LIKE Jordash (that's the name of the Jadis-variant) is a sufficient clue to your being the best provider of supernatural preventive medicine.
Thus it befell that Sorcery Lass rounded up appropriate comrades for this mission, the same ones listed in the introduction. Hector's message really did offer a worthwhile challenge: not merely to defeat evil, but to get ahead of evil. Through Hector, she got in touch with the Janitors of the Universe. With scores of super-beings to call on, the Janitors lined up Captain Rightawrong to transport the four-person posse to Planet Churn.
While casually playing with his magic-charged locking-blade knife, Not-So-Bad Bunny sniffed the air. "Well, the %\* 9 =}/+ 4 v !!! air doesn't stink like it would now if somebody said a Deplorable Word. Hey, see anything up there, Flaky?"
Flakefeather the Talking Bluejay descended to perch on the shoulder of swordsmouse Tweepikip.
"Lots of greenery, for sure. If that word is as deplorable as Our Lord Aslan told us, it should kill off EVEN the vegetation."
Sorcery Lass nodded. "Then a falling-dominoes effect: no green plants, meaning eventually no oxygen. Very well, reconnaissance next. I can make us all invisible. Since we won't be able to see each other, we'll pick a rally point, so that--"
Right then, dozens of living, breathing people emerged casually from doors and alleys.
"All right, we'll have to assume they saw us. Flakefeather, it won't matter if they DO see you. Go ahead and scout for--well, someone who looks like me. Bunny, Tweepikip, put up your blades; I can block attacks magically if necessary."
"Um, can you likewise understand their lingo?"
Tweepikip snorted. "Do you suppose that Aslan would not make us able? Or make THEM understand us? His not being a tame lion does not mean that He would play childish pranks on us."
Flakefeather took off, unnoticed as expected. The townspeople drew closer.... then suddenly knelt, saying, "Jordash, Jordash." They think I'm she, Sorcery Lass realized; but they're not afraid of me. Which means that we're not too late to prevent the corruption.
She made her voice casual. "Rise, all of you; I mean you no harm, but I must correct a misunderstanding. I am not myself Queen Jordash; by coincidence, I look like her. If she is here in her capital. I must confer with her."
One of the older townswomen, holding the hand of a little grandson, walked closer before whispering: "I hope that the God-Lion has His eye on you. Not Jordash, but her scheming sister Princess Brosimya, is in this town. Jordash is at the western extremity of this continent, seeking to quell the worries of the common folk before things fall apart--"
"--and the center cannot hold," Sorcery Lass finished, then looked up. "Flakefeather, the plan is changing. Come down, and remain among these good people. Tweepikip of Anglosaxophonia, comrade of Gene Wildest, nephew of Reepicheep, and Not-So-Bad Bunny from distant Forgeworld, we three shall teleport away before Brosimya compels me to use force against her. We shall hasten to where Jordash is working to put out brushfires, and offer our assistance."
And wheeee-away they flew.
Flakefeather perched on the shoulder of the largest man present. "Good son of Adam--if only by several distant removes-- I am no harpy eagle, but I've seen battles. Kindly introduce me to whoever keeps the peace hereabouts, and I will discuss with him how best the impending trouble may be contained." .
