The one called Xeno stepped forward, adjusting the hang of his toga.
“That's right,” he said. “We're philosophers. We think, therefore we am.”
“Are,” said the luckless paradox manufacturer automatically.
Xeno spun around. “I've just about had it up to here with you, Ibid!” he roared. He turned back to Brutha. “We are, therefore we am,” he said confidently. “That's it.”
Several of the philosophers looked at one another with interest.
“That's actually quite interesting,” one said. “The evidence of our existence is the fact of our existence, is that what you're saying?”
“Shut up,” said Xeno, without looking around.
“Have you been fighting?” said Brutha.
The assembled philosophers assumed various expressions of shock and horror.
“Fighting? Us? We're philosophers,” said Ibid, shocked.
“My word, yes,” said Xeno.
"But you were- Brutha began.
Xeno waved a hand.
“The cut and thrust of debate,” he said.
“Thesis plus antithesis equals hysteresis,” said Ibid. "The stringent testing of the universe. The hammer of the intellect upon the anvil of fundamental truth-
“Shut up,” said Xeno. “And what can we do for you, young man?”
“Ask them about gods,” Om prompted.
“Uh, I want to find out about gods,” said Brutha.
The philosophers looked at one another.
“Gods?” said Xeno. “We don't bother with gods. Huh. Relics of an outmoded belief system, gods.”
There was a rumble of thunder from the clear evening sky.
“Except for Blind to the Thunder God,” Xeno went on, his tone hardly changing.
Lightning flashed across the sky.
“And Cubal the Fire God,” said Xeno.
A gust of wind rattled the windows.
“Flatulus the God of the Winds, he's all right too,” said Xeno.
An arrow materialized out of the air and hit the table by Xeno's hand.
“Fedecks the Messenger of the Gods, one of the alltime greats,” said Xeno.
A bird appeared in the doorway. At least, it looked vaguely like a bird. It was about a foot high, black and white, with a bent beak and an expression that suggested that whatever it was it really dreaded ever happening to it had already happened.
“What's that?” said Brutha.