Archwizard: “For your own safety, if not for that of those around you who are affected by your idiocies!’ Kargaz: “That’s a bit harsh, Archwizard.” AW: “Well, let me put it this way, Kargaz: there are times when you are neither use nor ornament. And this is one of them. The Lady President of the Time Council - with whom you are acquainted, Kargaz, has vanished. Without a trace. And according to a statement by one of her Guards the last person to visit her was one of your girlfriends accompanied by a clone servant. Well?” K: “About which I know nothing. I haven’t seen Auritu for a week or so.” AW: “The less she sees of you, the better. If, of course, we ever find out just where she is. Further, Kargaz, I am informed that this friend of yours went to see the President to give her a gift from you; a gift, apparently, placed in her hands by the Three Sisters. Well?” K: “Again - it’s news to me.” Miranda: “I heard that you had split up with this girlfriend - a certain Isildra - maybe there is a connection here? An acrimonious split, was it not?” AW: “Oh he’ll have some glib explanation, won’t you, Kargaz?” K: “She was rather annoyed.” M: “A bit more than ‘annoyed’ according to Silvanu.” AW: “Basically, Kargaz, as I suspected, it’s all your fault. And as the Head of our Order and our Council of Wizards I have to sort the mess out. I’d lock you up myself, but I will need you here - and all the other wizards in our Order - to discover where Auritu is now, and how we can return her to her rightful place.” K: “The last time I saw her I gave her an amulet, which - “ AW: “Some trumpery little trinket with limited powers and less charm?” K; “No. It’s a sort of echo locator - it should respond to a signal and tell us where to find her.” AW: “Typical. Test it out, then.” K: “Um. It seems confused; something’s distorting the signal.” AW: “So it’s useless, then. Right. You stay here, Kargaz, where I can find you easily. I shall summon our Council; which might take a little while, some of our members going deaf when I call for them …” K: “I have an idea who might be able to help.” AW: “You stay HERE. That is an order, Kargaz. No gadding about, and no discussing this faux pas with anyone outside our circle; there are people out there who would gladly see us making a mess like this.” (AW and Miranda leave) Kargaz (to Bast, the cat) :”Ah, but we know someone much older and wiser who can give advice, and maybe the help we need …” Bast (thinking): “Shut up and get my tea.”