"I don't mean any trouble, really. Don't know what the hell is going on, but you've got a madman on your border and I'm hoping he doesn't work for whatever overlord you've got in these parts."

Vonn said, "Not at all. So grab your food and come with me. What's your name?"

He flicked his dirty tail and glanced toward the door as if deciding whether to run away. Finally he sighed and grabbed his food plus what bread Vonn and Selen pushed over to him. "I go by Polestar. I'd give you rank and serial number but that doesn't mean much around here."

#

He was quiet while they walked through town and south across the bridge. Vonn, Selen and Tazo let him eat on the way to Vonn's headquarters. A brand-new stone building stood on the south riverbank, with a sign that said "The Rising World Company". The place stood incomplete, with part of the mechanism for a waterwheel in place, but for now it served as the main home for Vonn and Tazo and their former master smith.

Vonn said, "As soon as I go in, we're going to get bombarded with more questions. Let's talk here, mister... Polestar." He bowed and said, "My name is Vonn, and this is my sister Tazo and my friend Selen Moonlit. I'd ask how do you do, but the answer's apparently not good."

Polestar ran out of food and stood there fidgeting outside the Company building, trying futilely to clean his hands. "Since I've spilled the beans, I should tell you, I just got out of that dungeon after spending weeks down there. And then last night I almost got eaten. There was this thing with too many bony legs; brr. Only a convenient earthquake ripped open an escape route."

"Did you write the word 'HELP' in English?"

"I did! Barely had the chance to do it without getting spotted. I'd been prisoner so long I wasn't thinking right and didn't use a language that anybody would understand. Or so I thought."

Selen said, "Yeah. So. Vonn and I..." She winced, clearly realizing how painful repeating the whole truth was for Tazo, who was standing right there. She went on more carefully. "We carry the memories of past lives on Earth. Tell me if you've heard this story. Somebody got killed, and woke up in a mysterious maze with a masked creature offering a choice of lives to live."

"How many lives?" asked Vonn.

Polestar scratched one ear, looking aside. "Four choices."

"Well, then," said Selen. That by itself was important news. "Did you get three questions, or a magic item?"

"Some kind of glass shield, which I had fun getting back after it was stolen. Then lost again when I poked my nose into that haunted-house maze you've got."

"It's not ours," Tazo said. Her tail was lashing. "Who are you, then? Do you have a family?"

The Centaur's long ears drooped. "Not much of one, but I got taken in and treated halfway decent. I lived out west in Kobold country, used for work by the whole village. You might call me a public servant."

"And when did you get here? I mean, this new life?"

"Last spring. Been here over a year now, and I figured I was the only one."

They compared notes about what year it'd been back on Earth, and other news of the day. "Same timeline and all," said Selen.

"You mean, I showed up at the same time? Sounds like it. So what's going on? Are we all here on some kind of quest?"

Vonn shook his head. "We've had to make our own. Sorry we didn't get to you sooner; I had to invent the airplane."

Polestar whistled. "From coconuts?"

"What's a coconut?" asked Tazo.

"Never mind. So how much trouble am I in? You seem like you're caught up in this dungeon business."

While Vonn, Selen and Tazo talked with the newcomer, the door of the shop beside them opened. An indigo-scaled Kobold stepped out, looking tired. "Vonn, there you are. I'm seeing how long Master Urika will tolerate me."

"Stay out or bring me lunch!" called another rasping voice from inside.

Selen said, "Kotta, this is Polestar. The dungeon prisoner. He's like me and Vonn."

Kotta's slitted eyes widened. "Tell me. Do you know a story called The Zone of Twilight? What was the name of the first airplane builders? Were there ever moon scouts and what did they call their project?"

Polestar looked confused. "Oh, uh. A quiz? Yeah, I know the TV show. Weird spooky stories. The builders were called 'Wright', and in this language that's like 'woodworker'. The moon thing happened; that was called 'Apollo' or I guess you'd say, 'Sun God'. Why do you ask?" He looked at Vonn and said, "Is he from there, too?"

"No. He collects stories."

Kotta's head bobbed. "So then: what do you know about Dragons?"

Polestar stepped away. "I spent a year or so in the Scaled Nation, so I've heard more than I'd like to. If you're gonna force me back or tell me how inferior I am for not having scales, no thank you."

The scaly one's fists clenched. "Is that really how they treat mammals out there?"

"I had a good owner. He let me be his scout and communal errand stallion. Kinda backstabbed him for trusting me, since I ran away, but he's got plenty of other peasants. Which brings me to why I'm here. Is there a way to sign up as the subject of some new lord, without being his slave? Or is that how we do things here in Medieval Fun World?"

Vonn snorted. "That's Renaissance Fun World to you. But yes, our Baron's a good guy. And he'll definitely want to talk with you."

"Uh. I'm not eager to get on the radar of anybody important. It might be best if I moved on."

"You're not in trouble; far from it. The Baron stayed up late last night with a warband, trying to personally arrest your captor for treason."

"But if I talk he'll know I'm not from around here, because of my Help message. There'll be more questions. Looking to dissect me for magic or something."

Tazo gave an exasperated growl. "Mister, my brother risked his life and crashed the only airplane in the world trying to save you. Give him some credit."

Polestar scuffed the ground with one forehoof and looked down, his ears low. "I guess I owe you. Does your Baron know about you two?"

Selen said, "He knows we've got weird memories and amazing ideas. Leave it at that, please. You don't have to be the Centaur of attention." She had to switch to English in mid-statement to make the pun work.

"I want to at least get presentable, but I've got nothing to sell but mud. If I can lean on you for a few days I'll dig ditches or whatever you need."