A little more about the Deep Realms...

Self-aware artificial intleligences made to serve the Zha'Tahn, Soul could free them from that---but useful as they are, he knew if they kept arouund, sooner or later they'd be discovered. The Deep Realms---between the Earth's crust and its mantle---with easy geothermal energy to tap---are ideal for both parties.  Soul can put relatively few demands on them down there---leaving them free to follow intellectual pursuits---and they are even more shielded from the Zha'Tahn.  Zha'Tahn prefer gaseous, frigid worlds like Jupiter or Saturn. Earth is hellish to them---deep underground, unthikable.

The Deep Realms are perfect for these AI technocrats.

Sorry about missing last week.  CRossover strips, like the one I was doing in MM, take even more time to research. I might try to do more this week, since I'm taking a week off MM, the traditional one-week break I take between story arcs.  We'll see.