Changing

[KaraS]

Kara stared in the full length mirror. A hovering red shark gazed back. This was not normal.

Kara was originally a refugee from Reality Land. She had no special skills or powers. On adventures she had to rely on her wits and her sharp sense of the absurd. She had no experience with this sort of problem. She needed help.

Her friends in the Farscape Mansion were mostly fantasy folk, wizards, mad scientists, aliens, vampires, anamorphic animal people, Vikings and other unusual sentient beings. They didn't know she was a mundane and Kara wasn't going to tell them. Some of them might react... badly.

She could ask Mouse for help. Mouse was good with the science. So was IQ120. If the problem was an alien virus or a transdimentional discontinuity they could get to the bottom of it. But if the problem was magical in nature they would be lost.

She could ask Drum or Jila for help with magic. If the problem were a curse or magical instability they could help. But really, both were still students. Drum's spells went wrong as often as they went right. And if Jila couldn't get the answer she would call in Rae.

Rivyn was a Peacekeeper scientist and a scorceress and could help her wether the problem was scientific or magical in nature. But that would probably mean she would investigate Kara's background and find out her secret and Kara couldn't risk that.

So what should she do?

Maybe she should ask Ragnar. The big Viking played dumb, but he was really very intelligent and what's more, wherever they went in Cable TV Land he knew people. He'd been around and if there had ever been a problem before with people's reflections changing into VolcanoSharks he would have heard about it.

Kara set out in search of Ragnar through the halls of the new Farscape Mansion. The archetectual layout was confusing and Kara kept getting lost whenever she tried to find the kitchen or wherever. She suspected that the coridors moved around when nobody was looking.

[RagnarRB]

Ragnar propped one booted foot on a slightly lower portion of the same rock he sat upon, letting his other leg dangle, rested an arm on the raised knee, and leaned back into the cold natural surface of the wall to his back. All this just to sit and contemplate the small trickle of water that meandered thru what had obviously once been a fairly deep flowing underground river.

Such was the nature of things if you had a good imagination.

A little earthquake here, a little developement there, and wala! No more water flowing. At least he still had a trickle. Thet meant there was still a source...somewhere.

He glanced off to his right, technically upstream, into the cavernous hole the water had carved thru the rock over time. Mentally he did a couple calculations. Depth, girdth, height...

It ought to fit okay.

Of course he had to get it back, open the river again, find an entry etc, etc, but those were just minor inconviences when faced with a little desire and caniving. He had both of those in abundance, and deffinately some small amount of imagination.

Oh well, there was a little sweating in the offing.

That meant a trip up the riverbed to find the blockage.

He chewed on a little beef jerky and flipped a mental coin. Not today. It was getting late anyway.

Now, at least he had a plan.

Rising from the rock, he dusted of some of his finer anatomy and began to work his way back up the rough stone crevice passage. It was narrow in a few places ,but he had spent his spare time in the last weeks carving rough steps where needed, so it wasn't quite the horrible climb it was the first time he had wondered down here. Fell might describe it better but hey, he denied everything and demanded proof!

It really wasn't embarassment .Mostly he was just trying to get away for a spell, so for some reason he just hadn't gotten around to telling anyone else of his find yet.

Reaching the top he wiggled around the last narrow crack and into the shadowed corner of a small alcove off one of the stone corridors that seemed to run this part of their new home like a web, never straight, seldom level, seemingly endless.

If you didn't know just where to look you'd never know it was there. In fact if Emram hadn't been trying to get him drunk with that silly challenge, Ragnar might not have stumbled down there and discovered it either. Worst part was Grack had won, nearly drank them BOTH under the table and he didn't even know she'd had it in her!

Wiping out any foot prints he might have left, he started off down the corridor. Paying attention like he was to the floor he nearly bowled poor Kara over. Reaching out and grabbing her to keep from falling he stumbled, but managed to keep them both upright. "Woaa..."

Startled, Kara stretched out her own hands for balance, meaning the two of them probably struck quit a pose there for a second or two. He stood her back up.

"You alright? I didn't mean to knock into you there." he started in apologetic mode.

She waved it off.

He shrugged, "So what are you doing down here anyway?"

"Down here?"

Ragnar pointed at the ceiling. "You're a couple floors down from the main room."

She looked up. "Oh, I hadn't realized."

He smiled. "Lost again?"

There was a slight argument over admission in her eyes, but finally she half smiled and sighed. "Yeah I guess." She was a little embarasssed at always getting lost. He knew she thought the corridors kept changing, and they might have, but then she never had been the best at directions.

Ragnar knew what his eyes saw but his ears told him something different. Her tone was a little ...preoccupied.

"I was just heading off to get a bite to eat, care to join me?" Gallantry was always a good bridge to a subject someone was hesitant to bring up.

She paused a second, then nodded. "Actually I would. There's something I was hoping you could help me with."

See his instincts were right.

"Fair enough...." From there, he placed a friendly arm around her shoulder and drifted off into small talk, banter, and just a little regalling of past exploits as he steered a course towards lunch.

***********************************************

He tried to stop them, but he knew he failed as he leaned back, his lips pursed ,and his eylids raised slightly. He took a much closer look at his companion, especially her face. At least now he knew where her mind was and why she'd been looking a little sheepish or self conscious.

There had settled in with food a half hour past. Kara had barely touched hers but she had talked, hesitant at first, and then almost with relief.

He pondered for a spell, sorry inside for the dragging silence but...what could he say? This was a new one on him.

"Are you sure about this?"

She nodded.

"It doesn't really show on my face all that much but down here..."She made a motion as if she might be intending to show him, to which he quickly raised a hand.

"No, no, that's allright." a little self conscious himself, pretty ladies do that to him at such moments,"I'll. I'll take your word for it."

She stared a second then nodded. Ever the chicken her Ragnar.

"Have you talked to Rae or Mouse?"

Kara shook her head. "I thought about it but this really isn't their thing. I mean I don't think it is anyway."

Ragnar's head tilted and his eyes showed a little wonder or suprise. "And you thought I'd know what this is?"

She chuckled. Point taken.

"Actually I was hoping you might have heard of it ,or something like it before."

He thought about that himself. Made sense on some level. "Are you sure it's not some natural change?"

"Yes."

He thought about it some more. "And you don't want to talk to the others?"

Her turn to seem reticent. "No, not yet anyway. I'm not sure how they'll take my being, you know, normal."

Ragnar scoffed at that one, blowing it off. "Probably as well as they take you now. I doubt they'd care but I can see you don't quite share that sentiment just yet so we'll let that one slide for now." He filed a mental note to work on it later though.

He could almost see the relief on her face. He wondered if what was affecting her was affecting her way of thinking as well. He was a little suprised at her fear, but then...he was Ragnar, he'd had his moments as well.

"Well?" She started again.

"Well what?"

"Can you help me?" A touch of pleading maybe?

He leaned back in his chair. "I'm afraid not dear." The wind left her sails. "Now stop that Kara. I said I couldn't help you I didn't say I didn't know HOW to help you. I mean I've never heard of this exact problem before, but similiar things now and again."

A little light returned to her eyes. Maybe she could get a handle on this yet.

"Mr. Lee."

She looked up at that name. The vet Ragnar had brought to the old mansion?

"I see you recognize the name."

"Ragnar he's a vet." and possibly not her favorite one either.

"On occasion."

"On occasion? You said at the mansion..." He again held up his hand.

"I said he was a capable vet and he his."He smiled, "He just has other talents as well, and a lot more skill at this kind of problem than you might give him credit for."

She had to mull this over. "And you think he can help?"

The big man shrugged. "If anybody can, he can."

A little silence as she fell into her own thoughts.

Ragnar decided he'd wait to see if she took to the idea before he explained the problems in finding a certain Mr. Lee. He had an idea of where to look but....better to deal with this one problem at a time. First was to get her to agree to help. He'd already decided that he was going to. It sure would make it a whole lot easier if she let him...willingly.

[Rivyn]

"Hey, guys," Rivyn greeted them absently, wandering into the kitchen. "There any of that lasagna left?" she asked, pulling open the fridge.

"Sorry, Rae," the fridge answered. "IQ got the last of it."

"Bummer." Sighing, she leaned into the refrigerator, her body half-vanishing from view as she rifled through its contents. "Nuts," she grumbled finally, crawling farther inside. "Ooh, chocolate pudding."

In spite of the serious nature of their interupted conversation, Kara and Ragnar could not help but smile at the pair of combat-boots sticking out of the fridge, all that was visible of Rivyn.

"I sometimes swear that woman loves chocolate more than she loves me," Ragnar chuckled, shaking his head.

"What woman doesn't?" Kara retorted, winking.

"Okay, so it's not the healthiest lunch in the multiverse. Sue me," Rivyn said, climbing out of the fridge with a container of pudding. "Thanks, Fridge. I can't tell you how much I needed this. I could kiss you."

"Glad to be of service."

She patted the door affectionately for a moment before finding herself a spoon.

"Hey, guys," she repeated, nodding to them. "You feeling okay, Kara?" she asked abruptly, frowning and tilting her head at the woman.

"Uh... sure." Kara shifted uneasily. "Why?"

"Dunno. You just look... I don't know. Off."

"I do?" Kara asked, swallowing.

"Yeah. You sure you feeling okay?"

"Fine."

"Well, if you say so. Here." She placed the pudding container in front of Kara. "You look like you need this more than me. Take it easy. Bye, Kara. Bye, Rag." Nodding to each, she turned and left the kitchen again, humming to herself.

[KaraS]

Kara watched Rae leave the kitchen and sighed. She really didn't want the pudding so she put it back in the fridge and looked at Ragnar.

"Well, if you have some ideas, lets get started working on them. Before I start turning into a shark on THIS side of the mirror."

[RagnarRB]

Ragnar made an accepting facial gesture to her comment then pushed himself back from the table. Where to begin seemed to be falling on him quite a bit lately. Oh well.

"Why don't you go ahead and check with the makeup department just in case ,and I'll go make a few phone calls."

Kara looked impatient.

"I know, I know dear. Like I said I know who to go ask ,I just have to figure out where he might be."

"You mean he's not here in the new mansion?"

Ragnar wondered why everyone kept referring to their new underground burrow as a mansion but let it pass. This place didn't actually have much of an outside you know.

Instead he looked at Kara. "Is it ever that easy?"

[RagnarRB]

True to his word, our Viking in residence made a few calls, asked a few questions, made a donation or two to someones personal widow and orphan fund, but three hours later he wasn't much closer than when he'd begun. He had a general idea of where Mr. Lee was but apparently he wasn't going to be found from here.

He thought of asking one of the more magical of his friends to attept a scry but Mr Lee had defied such before and Kara HAD asked him not to spread the problem around.

Looks like he'd have to call in a favor or two.

He went looking for Kara.

[Kayde]

Heading in the kitchen to get some lunch, Kay overheard Ragnar talking to Kara about Mr. Lee.

"I remember him!" she said smiling. She liked him a lot. She reached in the fridge and pulled out the chocolate pudding. "Thanks Fridge." she smiled as she got a spoon out of the drawer.

"I think it's going to be very interesting to see How Mr. Lee gets along with our new butler." she said with a twinkle in her eye. For all Mr. Lee's stiffness, he was really a very fun, active, and clever man. Nelson, was very stiff, and dusty too.

Kay looked at Kara and saw concern in her eyes. "You okay Kara?" she asked.

[KaraS]

Kara thought for a minute on what to answer Kay.

"I'm not sure. I seem to be changing into.... something else."

Kayde looked suprised. "You look the same to me."

"So far I just seem to be changing on the other side of the mirror." Kara explained.

Kay thought for a minute. "Maybe we should look for the answer there. On the other side of the mirror."

Kara gave that some thought. "A mirror dimension?"

[Kayde]

"Well, yes." Kay said looking at Kara thoughtfully. "We need to have a look at this mirror of yours. Did you touch the mirror when you saw yourself? I'd say the answer is in the mirror. Whether behind it or through it or in it."

[KaraS]

"But it's not just one mirror." Kara explained. "It's the mirror in my room, the mirror in the hall, my reflection in a pond on on the silver teapot, wherever. Is there one mirror dimention which can be accessed by all of those?"

[chryse]

"Mirror dimension?" asked Chryse. She was getting a snack from the fridge. Walking over to the sentient appliance, she asked, "Are there any strawberries?" The fridge opened up and tossed her a bowlful. "Thanks!, now what's this about mirror dimesions? They're dangerous. If you're looking for another adventure, RealityLand is safer."

Kara stared at Chryse. "You're joking right?"

"nuh uh, Now what's going on? You really want to go to The Mirror Dimensions?"

"I think I have to," said Kara, softly.

"That's never a good sign." Chryse shook her head. "But if you have to go, we should all go with you. It's way to dangerous to go by yourself."

"Chryse, you wouldn't happen to know where Mr. Lee is would you?" asked Ragar.

"huh? no. I haven't seen in a long time. Why?" asked Chryse.

"oh nothing, but if you happen to see him, could you tell him I'm looking for him?" said Ragnar.

"Sure, no prob. Now Kara, are you sure you need to go to the mirror dimensions?" asked Chryse.

[RagnarRB]

As Kara set and debated with herself over just how much to tell the others she looked up at Ragnar but judging from his expression she wasn't going to get any help from him, not on this call. No, he wasn't being mean or anything he was just keeping his word and leaving it up to her to tell the others what she liked.

Ragnar, for his part, wasn't sure exactly where to go or what to do yet. Kara's ailment didn't sound magical, but mirror demensions sure did. And Chryse was deffinately right about those things. He and Spyral had nearly stumbled into one once. The hard part was finding your way back to the one you left. It was very easy to get stuck elsewhere. There was also the issue of two of the same thing existing in the same demension....complicated.

This might be a little more up Rae's alley after all.

Of course it could just be some kind of exotic skin condition. Maybe her time away from the real world was finally changing her? Ragnar knew he'd always been a little off center. but maybe Kara's normalicy was finally having a price?

He needed more input.

[KaraS]

Kara thought. If she was going adventuring in strange mirror dimensions, Chryse would be a good person to have along. Perhaps she could explain the problem a little without getting into her Reality Land origins.

"You see, my reflection seems to be turning into a shark."

Chryse looked at her. "A shark?"

Kara sighed. "A bright red molten lava shark. A Volcano shark."

"Oh."

[RagnarRB]

Ragnar mused. When Kara had first come to him he had assumed that she meant 'SHE' was turning into a shark. Could it be the reflection in the mirror instead? Both?

[KaraS]

Kara sighed. "Let me show you."

She picked up the new, nonsentient, and completely normal toaster and looked into it's shiny side. At first her own reflection gazed back. But soon, the reflection began to waver and change. Soon a red shark was gazing back.

"That's... wierd." Kay said.

"Let's get a bigger mirror." Kara said and the four of them trooped out into the main hallway where there was a nice full length mirror.

Kara gazed into the mirror and a normal reflection looked back. But her reflection swiftly morphed into a hovering red shark. It was much more visible in the full length mirror than it had been in the side of the toaster.

Kara moved to the left and the shark moved with her. She turned to the right and the shark did that too. She jumped up and down and the shark levitated up and down in time with her jumping. She winked at the shark and it winked back.

"That's really wierd." Chryse said.

"Tell me about it." Kara sighed.