There wasn’t much to do around the mansion during the day. It seemed most of the hosts had lives and memories, and their elders didn’t fight it. He did manage to find Latimer’s cell phone. It occurred to him to do a little research on the species they were supposedly trying to help. They certainly had crimes and wars, but then, so did the Eightfold. For the first time he wondered how superior he and the Eightfold really were.

Eventually he turned his introspection inward. How close were he and Joey really? It seemed something had happened very differently from an ordinary hosting. Sometimes it seemed like one controlled the body while the other observed helplessly, and other times as if only one of them was conscious at a time.

And what was this levelling up? It seemed to be based on something from a game Joey was familiar with, yet it also had real life effects, and somehow helped bring some of both their memories back. But it made no sense.

From the triple mysteries of Humanity, the Eightfold, and himself, Emerald moved on to another mystery. What did he truly want? Had he ever wanted whatever rewards the Eightfold might offer to those who opened Earth to Elders? Been in such a hurry as to dismiss humans as mere savages who were doomed to a period of chaos before they became part of the Eightfold? Because now he wasn’t so sure. And he wasn’t sure what even the most subtle experts would be able to do about disentangling himself and Joey.

A seven thirty sharp he abandoned his research and introspection, and emerged to join the sets of footsteps passing his door. They were all headed towards a room at the end of the hall, on the second floor where the guest rooms were. Apparently the piece of the River had been moved there.

Unlike the dining room, this room had a round table with nine chairs. Without discussion they seated themselves in the ancient form of the Octagon – except he and Mario both occupied adjoining seats, so there were five people on the side of the Green alliance.

Nobody explained to him what was going on, which in one way was fair enough. He had never officially admitted how much he had forgotten. If this was an attempt to take advantage of that, it was kind of clever.

The game, if such it was, started without a word of explanation. The rock in the center of the table looked exactly as it had in his dream. And the voice sounded the same. It must have been a recovered memory in his sleep.

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The River asked, “When did Marilyn Monroe die?”

Inside himself Emerald felt Joey recognize the name as an old actress who had died before he was born. Joey frantically searched his memory for the date of her death and came up empty. Then he took an instant to wonder if they could somehow use Latimer’s phone to google.

Then he became aware of the amusement in Emerald’s mind. This was not a test of the ability to use google, nor even the elders’ hosts knowledge of historical trivia. No, this was a test of empathy and leadership. Their audience was in another world, but one where human beings were the same as they were here.

And he knew the answer, heard the voices from afar. “August 4th, 1962.”

There were other questions, about history and science and geography. Somehow Emerald came up with more of the answers faster than the others.

And part of him even understood how. There was a link between that universe and this one. He could feel the channel, could reach through it. But there was something else as well. His audience was large and helpful. Somehow he had won their loyalty. He needed to know how.

ACHIEVEMENT: You have uncovered the Central Quest.

Another blue window. Joey had seen all the others. And they were from human games. Why had this one come to Emerald?

When the questions were over, Emerald knew he had won this round.

Then he heard Diopside say in Jake’s voice, “The Green Alliance has taken another vote, and determined that Emerald is the representative of Green Sword Honor, and no duel is necessary or appropriate. Please explain to Peridot and Mario that we recognize this situation is not their fault, and that we hope they will find they have received more benefits than harm from it, and remind them of the confidentiality requirements incumbent upon them until contact is officially made.”

For an instant Emerald thought he had already won. The lack of surprise on Mario’s face was a warning though. It wouldn’t be that easy.

The staticky voice of the River said, “I was programmed long ago to only allow first contact to be made by a group of eight representatives of each of the eight factions of the Eightfold. This means it’s incumbent upon me to certify that the eight representatives are present. If I do not assess that they are present, no contact can be made.”

Inside him Emerald felt Joey stir. Yet nothing the human wanted to say could possibly be helpful. Emerald was beginning to recall a little more of what it meant to be Eightfold, the awareness of the multiverse and the narrative threads that bound the universes together. The human could not understand, could not participate in this dialogue, could not meet anything but mockery if he was allowed to speak. And Emerald would seem weak and undisciplined if his host interrupted with irrelevancies.

Yet the urgency he felt from Joey was undiminished. And somehow his relationship with Joey seemed more important than his relationship with all these Eightfold who did not entirely trust him, and were still keeping secrets from him. He had cautioned Joey, so now he let himself wonder what Joey might possibly want to say, knowing what the outcome would be.