Most of the early stuff in this chapter is mine, but Flo tagged in for this one, and what a job she and John did. This chapter was going to be mostly about the machinations of native Gastonians, but this moment needed some impact and there was only so much we could give it by words alone.

Homon, up to this point, has had a somewhat independent existence despite his denial of any identity (“I am no one”). He was a servant of HR’s shadow, not the shadow or HR himself. That’s all over, as of now. And HR has no more regard for this being’s independent spirit than he ultimately will for any other. He can be personable, even friendly, while they’re useful, but as soon as they’re in the way…fffft.

Couldn’t really think of any more appropriate accompaniment than what Flo put on this originally.

This took so much energy to produce that we had to take a very quick break afterward, but in these reruns, your next page arrives tomorrow!