"Replace an existing Stellae member," you ask. "But aren't they all really old?" Without thinking about it, your face screws up into an expression of Chelsea's distaste.
"It's impolite," says Kali wryly. "To talk about a ladies age."
"Not that you're a lady Joe," laughs Frank.
"I am now," says Kali primly. "In any case, this is actually one of the better options for you to infiltrate the Stellae child. As I am perfectly and undetectably Kali, you could be perfectly and undetectably another member in much the same way that you are Chelsea now. This would avoid the problem of trying to spoof a horoscope, as all the existing members of the Stellae had their horoscopes done years ago. In any case, you would be able to supply their answers perfectly."
"Yeah, you just have to catch them first," counters Frank.
"We've done that before though," you reply.
"Kali was easy to catch," explains Frank. "And you caught Rick by surprise, just."
"It's true," says Kali sadly. "My skills have always lain in the classroom rather than in the field. Another Stellae wouldn't have allowed themselves to be distracted when they saw Joe back from the dead."
"So if you want to catch another one of us you'll have to be well prepared," states Frank.
"Which we will need to do in any case in order to find a new identity for you Frank," says Kali smoothly.
"I'm just saying that we don't want to expose ourselves to any more risk than we have to," argues Frank.
"But if Chelsea becomes an existing Stellae member the long term risk is reduced," counters Kali. "We will have to be careful capturing Chelsea's new face, but once we have them it will be close to impossible for Charles or Fyodor to see through the imposture. I hope." Well that's a vote of confidence.
Frank grumbles a little, but he stops complaining. "The obvious choice is someone close to Malaika," he suggests. "Like Kali said earlier, one of her mentors or teachers. When the time comes you take Malaika for yourself." You nod in agreement. It's a solid plan. "That means becoming Hilda Gunnarson."
"You mentioned her before," you say to Frank. "What can you tell me about her?"
"She's a Malacandra, like me," begins Frank. "But her other ousiarch is Perelandra. Her favoured weapon is a great two handed sword that she swings about like it's as light as a feather."
"She's probably exactly what Wagner had in when he penned the Ritt der Walküren," mutters Kali under her breath, but Frank barely notices the interruption.
"She's as good as Miko with her sword, except Hilda's style is more direct and less acrobatic than Miko's." Frank explains with great enthusiasm. "She came to Dad's once when me and Joe were kids and told us about this time she stood toe to toe with a jötunn for an hour before she finally slew the giant."
"Yes, she is very capable," agrees Kali. "So if you became her you would be expected to do a lot of work around Europe. That would mean helping Fyodor and probably Hal and Margaret too. That might be dangerous, but I think your disguise would hold up well, even to Margaret's examination. The main benefit would be spending a lot of time with Malaika. When Malaika isn't training with someone else, and when Hilda isn't on a job, Malaika is Hilda's ward. Of course, there are other options that are just as good."
Frank mutters under his breath. "Like who," you ask.
"As you'd expect given that she'll be the leaders some day, Malaika's training moves her around a lot to give her a chance to work with everyone. She's spending one, maybe two weeks at a time with other Stellae every few months," explains Kali. "So picking someone who she goes to see regularly is another one of your options, and since Charles will be consulting me on Malaika's education, that opens up some otherwise difficult avenues for us," titters Kali.
Frank's eyes narrow. "This sounds risky," he says.
"No more risky than trying to trap a Malacandra with exceptional endurance prodigies," replies Kali, clasping her hands. "I was thinking Nash Carnes, as it happens Frank. I mentioned the archives before, and the synergy of Chelsea's Sulva and Kenandandra pair with Nash's Perelandra and Kenandandra pair would be very strong." She turns to you and smiles. "Imagine, if you will, sitting upon the largest pile of artefacts and magical items in the world, with all the time you need to pick them apart using the flair for such as task that Sulva and Kenandandra give you. And then," she adds, her smile if anything getting even wider. "Then using what you learn to create new devices with the combination of Perelandra and Kenandandra that is so well suited to that. That I would make sure that you still saw Malaika frequently is the icing on the cake."
"What she isn't telling you," interupts Frank. "Is that the archives are bound up in millennia's worth of traps and snares to protect the contents. Every Kenandandra ever has added some new twist to it. And you'd have to deal with John Reilly too."
"Pshaw," replies Kali with a dismisive wave of her hand. "If she can't take them apart with a double helping of Kenandandra then we might as well give up now and go ask Charles to have someone sing us to sleep." Frank grimaces, but Kali cuts him off before he can complain. "And obviously we'd be putting a little more Prescott anima into John as well, perhaps you would like to be John? If anything the isolation of the archives is better for hiding in."
"It's still a helluva risk," counters Frank. "Like putting your head in the lion's jaws and being surprised when they snap shut."
"Who is this Nash guy anyway," you interrupt. "What does he look like?"
"Is that really important child," asks Kali. You look down at yourself, at the delectable Chelsea body you have stolen and then nod. Kali sighs. "Well, as it happens I did have one last person in mind - another Perelandra, but one that wouldn't be so risky to capture," she tells Frank. "And she is beautiful enough to keep you happy Chelsea. I'm sure I could persuade Charles to put Malaika in her charge if it was needed."
"Maria," asks Frank.
You look at the pair in confusion, thinking only of Maria Vasquez - the closest thing Chelsea has to a friend. Kali smiles gently. "No not that Maria Chelsea, Maria Cardozo. She is another of the Stellae. Joe would have referred to her as the Brazilian bombshell," Kali adds wryly. "Though not whilst she was within earshot."
The Brazilian bombshell, you think, that sounds more promising. You only hope that this Maria isn't as much of an airhead as your one.
"I think you would like her," continues Kali. "Her Eldibrian prodigies are all about manipulating people's emotions and she is exceptionally good with them." You feel a little twinge of jealousy, though you can't think why. Maria's abilities can be yours if you want them. "She also has some affinity for healing, which is very rare indeed. Her television career has made her quite rich..."
Your eyes light up. "Her television career? Is she famous?"
"Moderately so, within her native Brazil. It rarely does any good for a Stellae to have too high a profile," answers Kali. "Ah I can see by the look on your face that you have made your decision."
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