h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

[The story continues, but George isn't here]

*The Professor watches from atop the pile of rocks he's climbed up, and wears a confused expression on his face.*
*He leaps of the rocks, and lands perfectly next to Affy.*

A jewel case, is that? Curious...

Say, have you seen Krill? He's escaped my vision...

I'm here. Hello Bomb. How are you today? Isn't it stuffy in that ?

*Affy grins at Tonks*

Hello there. Yes, I saw Krill. He was the one who provided the Black Reagent that I used in that spell of blindness. And now, I've got my doppleganger from the other universe back where he belongs.

*Affy casually waves the Jewel Case at the glowing sphere*

Got that, Time Tunnel? I'm the primary Affy, in this universe and others. And now,...

*Affy's Snavig spell suddenly wears off, and he shrinks back to his normal size*

Hmmm. I should've expected this. Anyway, your time's up, Time Tunnel.

*Affy shakes his spray can, and sprays the sphere one last time, It explodes without a very significant shockwave. However, when the sphere vanished, an ominous rumbling began and the entire meta Universe begins to fall apart. A rock crumbles to dust right next to Affy and Tonks, while the exits of the Time Tunnel quickly begin fading away. Instantly, Krill dashes from behind a rock, and halfway steps through the portal to Zork. A funny look crosses his face, and he removes a Kulcad spell scroll*

Krill-I've fulfilled my end of the bargain now that the Universe is saved, Carnival Clown. And now, I leave you to a fate even worse than when you banished me to Oblivion.

*Krill casts the Kulcad spell at the exit leading back to h2g2. The tunnel collapses. Krill steps all the way through his exit, and closes it from Zork. Affy stares in shock for a few moments before quickly beginning to leaf through his spell book, muttering something about science in a magic environment. He quickly finds the right page, and begins looking over the spell that he needs to cast to escape*

Tonks, if you've got your own way out, take it by all means. But I'm going the way that'll let me get back at Krill as well. He won't be getting his discount at CLI after this...

[I didn't say it WAS the bomb. I said it looks LIKE the bomb]

[The box has a rack containing 23 dials. Each dial is set to O. Each dial has the following possible settings:]

[A][B][D][E][G][I][K][L][N][O][S][U][W][Y][ ]

[The last one is a blank space. For us to continue, the solution must be discovered]

[Box] I'm not a bomb. What makes you think I am?

*The Professor watches the events pass between Affy and Krill, and nods his head.*

Very well then. I think I should be able to get out through the DMbP, now that this place is more stable without the Time Tunnel.
If you get stuck, call out my name, or the Computer', and I'll create another Breach for you. I doubt you'll need any help though.

Good luck!

*The Professor fiddles with his Watch, and the Space Station has a Dimensional Breach established right in front of him.*
*He then walks through, closing it behind him.*

.

No, Tonks, we were *inside* the Time Tunnel. The sphere was what was holding the tunnel together, which is why the entire area is crumbling away, and the exits/entrances have vanished. And while technically your portal to the time tunnel wouldn't work, I'll not get into those debates of physics right now.


*Affy goes over the spell one more time before casting it*

Gaspar!

*Affy and all of his items vanish. Meanwhile, Krill steps back into his dimension, makes sure that his exit/entrance to the Time Tunnel is destroyed, and turns around to look right into the face of Affy*

Krill-Ghaa!

Affy-You forgot that despite the existence of an exit to the Time Tunnel, time was still flowing. As were my spells of temporal travel...

*Krill scowls*

Krill-If you attack me, Dungeon Master, the realm will be destroyed. That Time Tunnel's destruction was only a temporary way for me to stop this entire affair. I can stop it again.

Affy-No Krill. I'll stop it. This whole problem was caused by your interference. I'm going to make sure that you don't have the chance to have ever tampered with h2g2's space/time continuum.

Ah. Affy, Mog has no clue what Krill has been doing, and therefore nothing Krill does (or fails to have done) has any effect on what Mog does.

And if you read the backlog in this forum, you'll know that Link's already met Mog.

A DEDUCTION: The blank space indicates that the combination has two words, and since the BBC moderators forebid the use of foreign languages, it must be in English. Since the box can talk, as mentioned above, i suggest we talk to it and ask it for a clue as to what the combination must be. For continuity's sake, is the cabinet growing out of the top of the tree?

[Two words or more. There's 23 dials, you know, and the blank space is on each of them, along with the other mentioned words. And yes, the cabinet does appear to be "growing" from the bit where a sort of "shelf" made up of several big branches right next to each other meets the back of the trees.]

[Link] [calling up , as you may recall, the harness he's hanging from] George?? What's up, besides you??

There seemes to be a bomb-shaped box sitting on a shelf growing out of the tree. Hold on. (pulls winch out of purse and attaches it to cable harness, activates, an watches rope rush up) We need to enter some sort of phrase to activate it. Did the person this tree used to be have some sort of memorable catch-phrase?

Heck, sorry Affy. After going through all that time without h2g2, I forgot the place where we were.
OK then, let's say I zoomed ahead in the Time Tunnel to some other exit somewhere in the Forest, got out, and then simply teleported to the Station...

(The winch stops as all arive on the leafy plateau) Hi! Watch your step. Now, who knew the Arborist best?

[Box] The Arbor -- wha??

[Link] What's THAT?

[Box] Oh, hello.

[Sagittarius] This looks kinda like Starship Titanic meets Gilligan's Island.

[Navi] [confused] {Huh?}

[Link] Kind of an esoteric Earth reference.

"Arborist" is the name I have given to this tree. Hi Box. What is the combination and what is the significance of the little red mushrooms I found under the giant magic stones in the trunk?

[Box] I'm not going to tell you the combination! As for the mushrooms, I haven't a clue what they're for!

[Sagittarius] Blunt, aren't you?

[Box] [proudly] And succinct, too!