ReaderPaul

Geron said earlier something about Nyf being more powerful than earthly internet. I certainly agree about the tv standards and Nyf's ability to intercept them. He would also be able to intercept radio signals, over-the-air transmission of data, and who knows what else.

@Geron Kees -- how much time in the story has elapsed since the first tale? Summer vacation had started in the first story. But now, in this story, they can only do weekends until school is over. So they used up summer vacation and are back in school already? What part of the school year? In the next adventure, will we learn what sensory receptors Nyf has access to if he is not with someone wearing an exploration suit or gadgets designed to work with Armenti and related AI sensors and data collection connections, whether wireless or wired? That was not specifically addressed either in "The Odd, Onward Door: Never a Door Lost" or in "The Odd, Onward Door: The Darkness Between Doors." If Nyf comes to earth in the next adventure and rides around with Mike, I can imagine he would be able to tap into cellphone calls, with the superior encryption breaking made possible by over thirteen thousand years of Armenti tech advances in AI and in information tech. Nyf and Difris have probably analyzed the cell phones of the guys, and understand them better than even Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile do.

@Wombat Bill, a fascinating, revealing, and entertaining chapter, all at the same time. I predict that the drama will pick up again in a chapter or two, but this chapter was a resting and refreshing change of pace. I is good to see Juanito doing much better than he was some chapters back. The teaser for the next chapter? very intriguing!

This is the third of the stories in the Doorways series, which has also been called "The Odd, Onward Door" series. This continues the story began in "The Odd, Onward Door," and continued in "The Odd, Onward Door: Never a Door Lost." While this tale seemed to me to start off just a bit slower than the first two, it builds to exciting events as Derry, Cally, and Mike learn more about the Door system and about some of the peoples stranded when Door travel was cut off, about a thousand years ago. This is the longest yet of the Doorway tales, and it does not disappoint. While it is quite helpful to have read the first two tales before reading this one, it can be read as a solo tale. But the full experience can best be had if the other tales are read first. The story begins with Difris, who is responsible for the Door transfer station Derry and Cally discovered, and Nyf, who traveled with Cally, Derry, and Mike Hamlyn, grandfather of Derry in the last half of the previous adventure, speaking about the new device they have come up with to allow the guys longer times on the other side of the Door they are investigating. The two artificial lifeforms assist the three humans in choosing a door to explore, and off they go. They end up on a planet which had been a resort planet in the old empire. There they meet the Crites, the Sasparians, a Narthie, and some Schrikken. With some of these they become friends. Forced to impersonate the Armenti, the builders of the Doorway system, the guys have to solve where mysterious weapons are coming from, and deal with various factions on the planet Rustgevend. They learn much more about their exploration suits, and Cally and Derry discover what Mike Hamlyn knows of their relationship. They also learn about the concept of "the great menace," which caused Door travel to cease a thousand years ago. A great tale, well worth reading. Some things I would like to mention I cannot, or risk spoiling the suspense in this excellent tale. Thirteen chapters.

A very event-filled chapter. It will probably take multiple chapters to solve all the events of this one.

Annabelle AND Vincent against that breeder! I almost -- almost -- feel sorry for him.

Actually, don't forget that there is also Bing translate. the results are sometimes a bit different in the translation.

I'm wondering if Virginia might have been pregnant when she and J Price married. That would have given Jonathan additional appearance of being straight.

@Geron Kees, to suggest an additional possibility about the shadowy ones, it may be that they possibly exist in more than three linear dimensions. As they move, parts of their bodies would shift in and out of the three linear dimensions we normally see. To handle the linear shifts, their brains would require connections not available to brains of only three linear dimensions. If you had not already thought of this possibility for the Schrikken or some other Empire peoples, you are free to use the concept any way you wish to do so.

Sounds like they could use some military grade equipment/suits on a future mission. I know that Difris said that he could not access that at the transfer station, but might Brik be able to access some gear at the starport, since Brik is now in charge? Nyf and Brik don't have the restriction on door travel that Difris is under; can Brik access stuff at the starport above what Difris is able to do at the transfer station? Sounds like some of those questions might be for a future story. And who knows what Difris, Nyf, or even Brik might have already told our guys out-of-story -- offstage, so to speak -- outside of the narration of the three tales we have read thus far? Well done, @Geron Kees.

Well, things are about to get more interesting. Jonathan's stubbornness and bullheadedness are already conspiring to wreck his campaign, and maybe more. His business may be impacted in a negative way, and dirty laundry aired, for sure. J Price is, I think soon going to have his proverbial butt handed to him on a proverbial platter. And the teaser for the next chapter-- sounds like Jared is about to catch Bernard talking to T. Shand.

Actually, Mike had been told in a chapter previous to chapter 7 what to say if questioned about being Armenti. Quoting from chapter 7: Inishee stared at him a moment in surprise. "Are we? Friends?" "Yes," Mike returned, soberly. "We are. We are all empire citizens. Equals, friends, neighbors. We're dealing with a difficult situation right now, but none of that has changed our status. So speak your minds, please." Inishee raised and lowered his thin shoulders, perhaps a sign of agreement. "You breathe the air as we do. Is it necessary to hide behind your helmets?" "Oops," Cally said then, and Derry smiled at the grin he could imagine on his boyfriend's face. Oops, indeed! "What do you think, Nyf?" Mike asked. "Is it safe to lower our head bubbles?" "I would say yes, Mike. It will be a mark in our favor to seem less aloof. And I don't think these people will be able to tell you from the Armenti. If they do, remember what I said about being an offshoot of the main race." So, Nyf had already told them to say they were a colonial offshoot of the main Armenti. I had thought that was in chapter 6, but a quick scan of that chapter did not reveal it. The idea of the shadowy ones being able to cloud minds so they would not be seen makes perfect sense, especially with the other characteristics you have already described. @Geron Kees, this is one of your most innovative stories (or possibly the most innovative). And I really like the comments made along the way by @Ivor Slipper, @weinerdog, @drpaladin, and sometimes others along the way. Thanks to all.

@Geron Kees, I see that you did a major addition from the first version of this chapter The parts I put into bold print are the additions I noticed. Ssistraa moved off with that amazing and unsettling rippling movement, joined his fellows, and quickly, the Schrikken headed away from them. Cally nudged Derry then. "I just thought of something." "What?" His boyfriend patted the front of his suit. "Nyf, how come our suit scanners didn't detect the Schrikken there in that alcove?" "They did." Derry and Cally stared at each other. "Nothing popped up," Derry insisted. "I didn't know they were there until they moved!" Nyf was silent a moment, and then offered a very practiced sigh. "I think we should talk about this later. Suffice it to say for the present that the Schrikken have their own gifts for remaining unseen." Cally's eyebrows went up in amazement, but the smile he aimed at Derry was unfazed. "Cool!" Mike Hamlyn, still standing in the tube, watched the enigmatic aliens disappear, and then turned and came back to the station. And then further down, "He looked unnerved" was replaced by "He sounded scared." Will you make us aware of that discussion on why Nyf did not notify them of the presence of the Schrikken? Perhaps in the next chapter, or just let us wonder? But this is a really good chapter.

I just saw a wrong thing in this chapter. Erva said that none of those with Crowla and Dith had heard the zap guns before. But the Crites with Dith did hear them the first and second times that the guns were fired, because they shot the six with staves. Then Mike shot the one who tried to grab a stave. So, some of them had heard the zap guns. That was in chapter 6. It makes no real difference to the story. Erva might have had a short memory lapse.

Actually, I can think of additional persons who might have made the call, though Bernard is VERY likely. Prism, Desmond, and the fixer; all are possibilities. And no telling who else Jonathan Price might have greatly upset. @Summerabbacat, I certainly agree that religious organizations should NOT to be allowed to discriminate if they take even the smallest fraction of a dollar of taxpayer money. The wrangling over that in the United States irritates me greatly, and that any truly religious organization would ACCEPT any government/taxpayer money galls me. But it happens all too often. I could say more, but it is obvious we are in major agreement on that issue. I predict that @Wombat Bill our own warlock of word weaving, the sultan of script, and the creator of chronicles will tell us, probably within three chapters.

I like Gilden. The more of him I see in the story, the more I like him. I hope that at some time in the future, he can meet Difris.

I am wondering if the anonymous caller is Bernard?

@Wombat Bill, @Summerabbacat, @NimirRaj, I just thought of another possibility. Jonathan buys the newspaper....

In the second Door tale, Difris told them that they would have a ten percent increase in reaction time, and have four times their previous stamina. While ten percent is an improvement, there are some very fast reacting persons here on earth. The stamina increase would be less remarkable, since some persons here on earth already have much greater stamina than some of us.

@NimirRaj and @Summerabbacat have both analyzed the situation well. It might be that Jared and Thomas have sources which could dig up dirt on Tim Shand. Might there be something in Tim's background that he does not wish known? Or perhaps dirt on the media outlet for which Tim Shand works? If Tim is not careful, even Edward and Andy might team up and come up with something about Tim. I don't know what that might be at this point, but both have shown much resourcefulness. Samuel (Mark Twain) Clemens was a world-class wrangler of words. Our own wizard of words is well-endowed with a sense of wittiness, surprise wonderment, and tangents of thoughts as he tells these tales. I am now awaiting @Wombat Bill working more twists and turns in future episodes.

More fecal matter is hitting the rapidly-rotating air moving device. (The *** is hitting the fan.)

Wow! Going to have to analyze this some more.

No need. Nyf has tremendously faster reactions than any human, and if necessary, he could communicate with all three humans simultaneously, but with different messages. (Interpolating based on what has been explained and observed before.) So unless there is a case where another "child mind" is needed, as with the case of Brik being needed at the starport, only Nyf would normally be needed.

Niff is riding with CALLY on this trip. However, Nyf can access the sensors and functions of all three suits, since his mind was a clone of Difris at the beginning. As long as Nyf is not separated from the others by a Door, his ability to access their suit sensors is not hindered until there is considerable distance. Part of the reason to leave Cally and Derry with the others was to protect the others. None of them yet know what happened at the station -- yet.

Because more and more action happens in this chapter, and then is quickly concluded. I can also understand Mike's reluctance to pretend to be Armenti, yet see the necessity. It is very valuable to have Nyf with them, because he can help with identification of various aliens (alien to the humans, anyway. I am guessing that Difris and/or Nyf have not loaded the memory implants which the guys have with the historical and cultural info yet. I'm glad Mike insisted on getting more sleep before continuing to confer with Erva, Inishee, and their groups. That was wise. I predict all will be busy enough as things continue to come together.