There would always be a drift, either positive or negative, and in a military context a negative drift was intolerable. So the energy flow controllers of the Swords were designed to have positive drift. They could not be redesigned (the expense would have been prohibitive) just because a toymaker wanted to make a few Shabbies out of a basic Sword design. But this was not seen as a problem, since with the energy flow turned down to minimum a Shabble would be perfectly safe in a child’s hands, and adjustments to ensure safety would only have to be made every twenty years or so.
Hence — many millennia later — the pyrotechnical abilities of the demon of Jod.
What else needs to be added to the Originator’s Text and the Commentary of the redactors of Odrum? Much could be added. But let us content ourselves with just a glimpse, the smallest glimpse, of the celebrations organised by the Empress Justina (she was a diplomat, and thought it wise to show approval of the Hermit Crab’s decisions) to celebrate the General Amnesty.
‘Let there be a General Prescription!’ she cried.
And a General Prescription there was, with alcohol freely available to one and all, leading to a consequent excitation of the mood of all concerned, an excitation much helped by banqueting, music and dancing.
‘Tintinnabulate the tindnnabula!’ commanded the Empress Justina.
Tintinnabulation proceeded. One tintinnabulum after another was struck, and tintinnabulary peals rang out across the city.
Chong! Jong! Jung! Yong! Chan-gantachong!
Pigeons exploded to the sky. Bats in the belfries wept red blood. And young Chegory Guy closed with Olivia, closed to her sweetness, to her heat, and yes she said yes she said yes.
