The meeting had devolved into pointless arguing that finally resulted in everyone but the Robot and the Sorcerer throwing their hands up in frustration and storming off to their own portions of the fire station. The Sorcerer sat at the table and was attempting to light a cigarette with a lighter the Driver had left behind. Once he successfully lit the cigarette and inhaled he began choking and coughing as the harsh smoke irritated his lungs.
“Why do they do this?” He asked between coughs.
“I am unaware. I believe there is an element of chemical addiction to it, among other things.”
“I cannot imagine anyone finding this experience enjoyable.”
“Chronic use builds up tolerance levels, in addition to dependency.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Do you have any additional input regarding our course of action?”
The Sorcerer laughed and said, “Are you sure you do not mean inaction?”
“You are referring to the fact that our lack of agreement on a next course of action is forcing us to sit idle when there is work to be done. You are attempting humor.”
“Indeed.”
“I have a question for you regarding your powers. May I ask it?”
“Of course,” the Sorcerer said, gesturing with a hand for the Robot to proceed.
“You are linked through realities to objects that funnel you power to shape and direct. You have shown that it is in your power to deflect physical objects via planes of force.”
The Sorcerer nodded, “That is correct.”
“How potent can these planes of force be? For instance, are you able to deflect light or perhaps sound?”
“Ah,” the Sorcerer said with a nod of comprehension, “you speak of invisibility, the power to go undetected by sight, and perhaps sound.”
“I do. Is this deed within your power?”
“I believe I could shield us from biological sensory modes, but not electronic as well. I would strain my powers doing so, and the protection would not last very long with me unconscious.”
“If we can provide you with a sufficient energy source, would you be able to convert it into the necessary power to fuel such an endeavor?”
The Sorcerer tapped his chin with a finger, his eyes unfocusing and looking past the Robot, finally speaking.
“It would depend on the type of energy and the duration of the spell.”
The Robot moved his hand to his side and undid a panel there, exposing his internal workings to the Sorcerer.
“If I provide you with the limitless power of the atom, could you shield us from sight and sound for nine to ten hours?”
The Sorcerer frowned, “If this is the name of Dog that animates you, such a drain could conceivably kill a golem, even one such as you.”
“Your assessment is inaccurate. Based on my readings after tuning my sensors to perceive how you work energy and matter I have estimated, based on the power output of my core, such a fueling of your abilities would reduce me to 37% of my normal combat effectiveness. This weakness would last for roughly twenty-nine hours. These values can be altered by reducing the speed at which signals bounce back and forth between my sensors and my processors, shutting down memory units, and reducing the strength of my servos as the move.”
“You are saying you would be blind and crippled once we get where you have decided we go.”
“Inaccurate. If I power down my sensors and servos to the point where I perceive the world at roughly human level perception and move and function at human level speed and strength I would only be reduced to perhaps 63% combat effectiveness. With bravo team joining us this reduction in my combat abilities should be negligible.”
“What is your plan, golem? What would you have me shield?”
“Is size a factor in your calculations?” the Robot asked as he slammed the plate in his side shut.
“Shielding bigger areas will be more difficult, yes. The difference in power necessary for such a prolonged use of my powers is negligible though.”
“Excellent.”
“I will ask again, what is your plan, golem?”
“The borders here in America will always be in flux, there are too many opposing factions in this country and our impact is not significant, especially when we can be set back so much by a single frontal assault. The demons coming from your world are a more significant threat, and we are the few who know of their plans. We are in effect the only ones capable of stopping them. The only real course of action for us is to commandeer a jet or plane of some sort and attempt to make landfall in Germany and raid whatever bunker the occultists of the Reich are dwelling in.”
“That…will be difficult.”
“You are correct. It is the only course of action though. If we continue to batter the Germans and Americans here, we will save a few lives and perhaps gain the rebellion a few thousand reichmarks of materiel. This will not stop the coming of the demons, and they will likely kill every human our efforts manage to save.”
“As much as I dislike it, those words are true. Those saved in this land will most assuredly fall to the demons.”
“Then you support my plan?”
“I suppose I must.”
“Excellent.” The Robot turned as if to leave the table, but turned back to the Sorcerer, “A final two questions.”
“Yes?”
“Why have the demons not come to our world yet?”
“They have no means of seeing the great tapestry that is the various realities. They can journey through time and space to break the wall between realities, but they have no way of knowing what will be where they go. If someone from your world is calling to them, they have a beacon to lock onto that they can see and use to guide them.”
“Ah. My second query, is there any way to keep them from coming to this world?”
“Other than shutting off the aforementioned beacon that is your Germans?”
“Yes.”
“I suppose if this world were dead, or mostly unpopulated, it would not be worth the resources they must expend to journey here.”
“A third question for you.”
The Sorcerer sighed, “Ask.”
“Could we conceal the population of this world from them?”
The Sorcerer shook his head, “You would have to mask the lifesigns of every living thing in this world to confuse them. They sense life and energy as I do, the strange powers within you would read as life to them and they would add you to their tally, just as they will add us all. I cannot shield this world from their sight, not even with the name of Dog within your chest fueling my powers.”
“I see.”
The Robot turned and did leave this time.
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