mantis,
Vance is right--we should clear up Pike's ghost. Couldn't it be a "baker's dozen" or "one-to-grow-on" question from all of us as a group on top of our individual questions? I think the wording should be more specific---Weasel should be Wolfe's Vironese name! What about: "Is the apparation at the top of the stairs that Silk takes for Pike's ghost really a form (i.e. aquastor/eidolon) of Pike? If not, who or what is it?"
Alternately, "Is 'Pike's ghost' really Quetzal? If not, who or what is it?"
-alga
Reply: Item #7269253 from WHORL at LISTS.BEST.COM@INET00#
alga,
True, further questions might help. And multiple choice would narrow it down. Since Wolfe wrote "it wasn't machine made," I'm inclined to think that Pike's ghost is neither aquastor nor eidolon--not wanting to drive into the but-an-AI-computer-isn't-a-machine avenue (I think it would be a blind alley).
So it seems to me we are down to two candidates: alien (inhumu, Quetzal
or some other one) and miraculous (along the lines of the enlightenments--i.e., it is a real ghost). The thing seems to have physical presence--wears the beanie, after all.
Therefore, your second version: "Is `Pike's ghost' really Quetezal? If not, who or what is it?" appears to fit the bill.
And, if we don't get a whole bunch of questions from new people, then we can let it be yours. (Or vizcacha's, if he wants to use it as his follow-up.)
=mantis=
Urth Net