Friday 20 May 2016

Story: 'Diary of a Laundry Robot', Week VIII

( Week VII , Week IX )

Sunday

Egbert the eccentric elephant has been given into our care, while the Quergs check on his history in the Books. Apparently, the Quergs have books which map all of time and history in the Universe. Supposedly there's even a Book for the Querg Continuum itself, somewhere, but they have never been able to find it. Egbert is definitely one of the most eccentric beings I've ever encountered. Just yesterday, I found him making an origami donut and muttering about Easter Eggs. I wonder what 'Easter Egg' means. It appears to be an archaic reference of some kind... Today, our maintenance Querg is babysitting the white elephant while we explore some more.

Tuesday

Egbert wanted to write something in this journal, so I'm going to read his piece into the recorder now.

"My name is Egbert, and back home I'm called an 'eccentric elephant'. I don't know why. Egg! Egg! I have trained as a doctor, a yachtsman, a classical artist, and an engineer. Despite that, I have no idea how I got here! One moment, I was flipping an omelette at the White Elephant Restaurant, and the next... poof!

This Querg Continuum is strange, by the Great Egg. They have no mousse, for one thing, which is highly suspicious! It seems to stretch on forever, but have very little in it. This laundrette is such a great relief, though! Except, we don't have laundry robots when or where I come from.

Curiouser and curiouser. Is that enough, dear robot friend? Was it... egg-citing enough for you?"

He seems to be a very strange elephant indeed.

Wednesday

There were more footprints outside the laundrette facility this morning. A large bubble of coloured energy has appeared around the building, and now we all have to clear security to get in and out! The Quergs are becoming more and more concerned! Also, Egbert has been moved in to the building officially to keep us company and provide more conversation. The Quergs say that he'll be sent home pretty quickly, once they work out how he got here to begin with. They think it's in one of the Appendices of Wortle, whatever that means. Celia, being more conversant with their procedures, says that means that he's an anomaly in the continuity of at least one universe! What does that make us?

Thursday

A mystery is solved. The lurker has been revealed as what the Quergs refer to as a Blot, which is a manifestation of some problem in their perception of time. The Blot always hangs around Loopholes, apparently, acting as a marker. The maintenance Querg thinks we might be the Loopholes, or perhaps that an artifact got mixed in with the laundry. We have been ordered to examine everything carefully, which is difficult, when all we have are hats! Endless piles of Querg hats! Egbert looked at them all and laughed, before asking if we could wash his trunk warmer.

Friday

Celia has suggested that we go away for the weekend, to explore and let the Quergs get on with artifact hunting. Egbert immediately asked to come along, which made her rather angry. I can't think why. I said he could, and so tomorrow we set off for what is called The Ring of Querg. It's supposed to be spectacular, and require the wearing of special glasses, which supervisor Querg kindly supplied to us. Egbert said they reminded him of something rather 'egg-celent' from home. His puns never seem to stop. Tomorrow, the great outdoors, which is something we might never get used to! We can only hope there will be no more Blots.

To continue...

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