There must be a secretmeans to effect the change. He needed the help of a genuine shapeshifter, but such beings would obviously be reluctant to come hereowing to the danger of being captured and killed by the Unity ofWisdom.
He had just come to theconclusion that he might have to travel to another world when oneof the people that Granddad had sent for arrived. Rob and Melaniewere called to the general entertaining area.
They hurried, excitedlyspeculating on whether or not the visitor would be in newman form.When they arrived they were not disappointed. Standing chatting toGranddad was a grey metal cube about an arm span wide, high anddeep with two thin metal legs and two skeletal metal arms attachedto its body.
The creature had twolarge eyes a hand width wide and a horizontal flattened oval slit,two hand spans across, slightly curved upward for a mouth thatappeared to be smiling. The overall impression was that it wasnothing more than a harmless walking box. Both Rob and Melanierecognised it immediately as a Logicon, since there were quite anumber of these creatures around the city. But was it some otherperson or creature imitating a Logicon? That was the question.
‘Facit Dodecoid, I’dlike you to meet my two grandchildren, Rob and Melanie,’ saidGranddad with a smile.
The Logicon gave astiff bow and said in a very cultured newman voice, ‘I’m verypleased to meet you both. My good friend, your grandfather, hasexplained that you have a problem, Rob. I’m honoured to be able tohelp in any small way that I can.’
‘You’re not a Logiconare you?’ said Rob. ‘I’ve talked to others before. You certainlylook like one but you don’t talk anything like one.’
‘That is a poor use oflogic and an unsound deduction. You’re sure of what I am before youeven know me. You have a lot to learn, young man. Your grandfatherassures me that you are the best wizard artificer in Panmagica.That is excellent, as you can make me an item that will be my feefor helping you, and I always expect to get paid in advance. Soit’s up to you. When do you wish to start on it?’
Rob stood there at aloss for words. This is not quite what he had expected. Granddadchuckled and said ‘I’ll leave you three together to get acquainted.I’ve some other business to attend to,’ and then, after sending ashort mindspeak message to Rob wishing him good luck, he left.Melanie also found an excuse to go, leaving Rob and Facitalone.
‘Err ... well let’s geton with it,’ said Rob. ‘What do you want me to make?’
‘A sensitive item whereyou may need some artistic corruption,’ replied Facit.
These words triggered astrange response in Rob. His facial expression became cold anddetached and his eyes turned black momentarily before returning totheir usual brown colour.
‘If you will follow meto the workshop, we’ll discuss the specifications.’
They proceeded to theworkshop and Facit, being a Logicon and therefore well known forgiving great attention to detail, took in the room as if listing aninventory. The room was five paces long, seven wide and four high.Eight glowing balls of white light hung from the ceiling on slenderwires, illuminating the room. The floor was of polished darkhardwood planks, and the walls covered in small grey ceramictiles.
At one end were threedifferent types of furnace and along one wall and at the centre ofthe room were long wooden benches topped with metal sheets andcrammed with various items of equipment and components underrepair. There were several small glass-sided cabinets containing anassortment of crystals and glass bottles filled with colouredpowders and liquids.
Along the other wallwere bins and racks containing pieces of wood, metal, bone, andother exotic materials of all shapes and sizes. At the far end ofthe room near the furnaces was a table and chairs, the surfacecovered in parchment, scrolls, writing and drawing instruments. Theroom had the strong aroma associated with magical ingredients andthe acrid smell of magic essence. Near the table was a metal doorwith no visible handle.
‘Welcome to my world,’said Rob.
‘The retail shop downtown is mainly devoted to sales and small repair jobs. Most of theserious work is done here. I’ve spent half of my life in thisroom.’
‘I would have thoughtthat you had several tradesmen and apprentices working just to keepup your stock,’ said Facit.
‘No, most of our stockin the shop is mundane, imported and taxed heavily by the state.Here we build unusual items for special customers who areinterested in the quality not the price.’
‘Very good,’ saidFacit. ‘I suspect that they’re also interested in anonymity as Iam. Perhaps we could be a little less formal. I’ve thought of yourgrandfather as a friend for quite some time. I’d like to think youare a friend as well. Please just call me Facit. How secure is thisworkshop?’
Rob whispered an arcaneword and the door closed, a thin fog appearing in the room. Hechecked his security system to ensure that no one was hiding in theroom, and then said:
‘The workshop is nowheavily warded against all magical intrusion, and is now as securefrom eavesdropping as any within the city. However we have an extrasecurity system for occasions when the utmost discretion isrequired. I have been trained to erase information from my memory.It’s safer for both of us. I can forget that we ever did this jobif you wish. However, you will also forget that I wasinvolved.’
Facit chuckled alittle. ‘Very well then, I’ll forget.’
‘Let me make this quiteclear,’ said Rob. ‘You will not remember that I made whatever youare interested in me making, because your memory will bewiped.’
‘By the Powers, yourgrandfather didn’t say anything about that!’
‘My grandfather’s notmaking this item for you,’ said Rob. ‘I am. If you don’t like theterms then there will be no deal!’
The Logicon chuckled,and said ‘I knew that I liked you from the first moment I saw you.Let’s proceed. It
