Episode 8

Weasel gently guided a subdued Nostradamus to the front parlor, where five chairs and a handsome oak conference table were set up for the meeting. Spot the Wonder Dog soon materialized at the head of the table. 'Spot, I didn't know you could materialize like that!' Weasel exclaimed.

'I can do lots of things,' Spot said with a wink. 'I can also enter through the door.' He vanished. A moment later, the doorbell rang.

This time Weasel opened the door to find Spot and Irving Sprilznick waiting in the hall. Sprilznick complimented Weasel on her hairdo. Indeed, so enamored did he seem to be that Spot intervened. 'Irving, she's not your type,' he whispered. 'Wrong species, wrong universe, definitely wrong occasion.'

Doctor Neinstein arrived a moment later, accompanied by his android. Weasel led them to the conference room/parlor, and then came back for the coffee urn. Over in the solarium, Neinstein's android was talking to the florgars in their native language. This bond between them was as welcome as it was unexpected, since the android was not going to attend the meeting, but expected someone to provide him with a useful function. The florgars were happy to meet such a kindred subject, judging by the pink and blue blossoms that were opening now. Minutes erlier, they had been black and bilious green.

Meanwhile the meeting was about to begin. Weasel had put the coffee urn on a nice little mahogany side table, next to a lovely Friendly Universe coffee pot and mugs and plates. A large tray heaped with what Earthlings called Danish pastries was next to them, along with matching creamers and sugar bowls.

'Your planet is doomed,' Nostradamus thundered. 'The Antichrist is in control, and all you can do is evacuate.'

'Wilson Woodhed is not the Antichrist,' Irving Sprilznick objected. Spot's eyes were rolling. You could tell he regretted ever letting Nostradamus onto the board.

'Gentlemen, gentlemen,' Weasel said, handing Nostradamus a mug of steaming coffee (what Americans called French roast, and the French just called coffee). 'If you can tell me why you think the Earth is doomed, there might be something I can do.'

'It's all in his name,' Nostradamus persisted. 'I investigated Woodhed's family tree and found that their original name was Yepswoop.' He printed the name on a table napkin and turned it upside down to reveal that letters spelled 'doomsday.' Woodhed may have changed his name, but he will bring doom to the planet just the same.'

Paulh

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