"She's not going to come with an instruction sheet!" Caleb snapped.

The woman turned but did not acknowledge them. She took another step.

Andrew came skidding up next to them. "She's alive! Karla, you've come back."

Crackling with secondhand wental power, she plodded along. With each step, energy shimmered out of her like cold flames, sending tiny cracks and shivers through the solid ice of the ground. Steam began to curl up around her.

Rlinda looked at BeBob. "I don't like this very much. Seems like an awfully chilly reception...no pun intended."

"Karla, why won't you say anything? Don't you remember us?" Andrew stepped into her slow but relentless path. He reached out to grab Karla's upper arms to make her look at him.

But as soon as his fingers touched the ice-woman's crackling skin, Andrew screamed, caught in a sudden discharge that flowed from her body into his like a power surge. In a dismissive gesture, Karla swung her hand and knocked him aside, as if he were no more than a lightweight piece of garbage. Spasming in silence, Andrew tumbled in a broken heap on the ice.

Rlinda could tell with a glance that the younger man was dead-either burned or electrocuted.

The reanimated woman stopped and swiveled her head. Her eyes were black, bottomless, empty depths. Steam continued to rise around her like a faint fog. Seeing what she had done, Karla flexed her hand, raised it up so she could stare at her own fingers. Then she looked back at the body of murdered Andrew. Her pale lips curved upward in a satisfied smile.

Chapter 135-DD.

Once the operation was complete and the compy's internal systems were purged of basic rules and prohibitions, DD did not feel fundamentally different. With or without the programming restrictions, he did not wish to hurt anyone, particularly not his human masters, who had always treated him well.

Sirix would never understand that.

Now that DD had his free will, the Klikiss robots turned him loose and left him unsupervised in the dark and storm-swept ruins. They had other plans afoot, thousands upon thousands of reawakened Klikiss machines and a large assembly of Soldier compies ready to seize the EDF fleet.

For days, robots streamed through the transportals to Szeol, and then moved elsewhere, setting up additional bases, establishing further beachheads from which they could prosecute their genocide against mankind.

When all the robots had gathered, Sirix spoke like a general giving orders to his troops. "We have withdrawn our comrades from inhabited worlds. As we enter this ultimate phase, all Soldier compies distributed throughout the Earth Defense Forces have their ingrained programming. According to the standardized timing sequence, the uprising will occur simultaneously across the entire Hansa military. Soon."

DD was no longer part of their activities. Once Sirix had accomplished what he intended, his interest in the compy waned. After the Klikiss robots and corrupted Soldier compies turned on the Earth Defense Forces and slaughtered the human race, they would get back to liberating the rest of the compies.

Left to explore Szeol as he wished, DD wandered around the dim landscape during the murky days and purplish nights. Monstrous creatures flew past him, composed of sharp wings and trailing tentacles and a far-from-ordinary number of eyes. Though DD cringed, the creatures ignored him as soon as they determined he was indigestible.

Bathed in faint sulfurous fumes, he looked at what had once been a grand Klikiss city. Even if the hatred inspired by the Klikiss race was warranted, the ancient creators were extinct now. And humans were not the same as the Klikiss.

Unfettered and unobserved, the little compy walked to the third trapezoidal framework erected on the canyon's edge. Klikiss symbols surrounded the transportal, each tile indicating a different coordinate for a world that had once been part of the insectoid civilization. Though it balanced on the edge of a precipice, this transportal looked very much like the stone window Margaret and Louis Colicos had discovered inside the cliff city on Rheindic Co.

Standing before this silent trapezoid that had once been used for the interplanetary movements of the ancient race, DD replayed his memories of the last moments on Rheindic Co when he'd been with Margaret and Louis. His mental records were flawless, and he compared the two systems, noting slight differences in the arrangement of coordinate tiles.

In those final moments, when DD had been unable to defend his beloved masters from the murderous Klikiss robots, Louis had managed to activate the transportal. He had sent Margaret through-to somewhere. Although the robots had killed the old man before he could follow her, DD knew that Margaret was out there. Possibly still alive. But where?

The compy stood pondering in front of the ominous stone gate, calculating and assessing. He ran through the entire suite of character analyses from all of his studies. Finally DD reloaded his map of coordinate tiles from Rheindic Co, including records of similar stone windows in other Klikiss ruins. He played and replayed all the subtle character traits he had recorded from his time with Louis Colicos-and he did his best to predict which tile Louis might have selected at random, out of desperation.

Though it was in a different location here, he found the corresponding symbol on the Szeol transportal.

The compy did not hesitate, for he had already decided his best course of action. Soon, surely within the next day, the Klikiss robots would begin their rampage across the Spiral Arm. He had no time to waste.

Sirix had given him free will, and now DD had the opportunity to put it to the test. The compy made this decision based on his own desires and on what would accomplish the most good. The Klikiss robots would never have guessed that he would want want to leave them, now that they had rewarded him with his freedom. to leave them, now that they had rewarded him with his freedom.

But what DD wanted most was to get back to where he felt safe. Therefore, he used his free will, and he chose chose to escape. He selected the right symbol. to escape. He selected the right symbol.

When the transportal shimmered and the stone surface became permeable, DD stepped across the gulf of space without looking back.

On the other end, on a particularly alien world, the Friendly compy found himself surrounded by incomprehensible sights and mysteries. The landscape was blasted yet cultivated. Structures had been built, based upon angles not at all associated with human architecture. Lumpy towers rose as if they had been extruded with great effort from a biomechanical ooze that had hardened in a storm, resulting in fantastic shapes.

The air was thick and steamy, so humid that DD suspected human lungs might have found it difficult to breathe. He also detected heavy concentrations of aromatic molecules, organic esters that were so complex and diverse that they seemed a symphony-or language?-of pheromones, odors, musks, and perfumes.

A cacophony of precise musical tones, melodies, and skirling sounds droned through the air. This exotic world presented a complex bedlam of music, chimes, whistles, and chirps.

DD trudged away from the transportal, exploring, looking for someone who might help him.

The color in the sky was wrong, and the mists in the air seemed to come from no natural weather patterns. He didn't know how a human would comprehend such a place. He called out in his synthesized voice. "Hello? Hello?" He broadcast a signal across many bands in the EM spectrum, though he had no wish to contact any Klikiss robots who might be on this planet.

Margaret Colicos had most likely escaped the murderous robots by coming here through the transportal. But what if she had arrived at a place even worse?

He marched along, diligent and curious, exploring his new world and filing away details. If this place was inhabited, some being might have noticed his activation of the trapezoidal stone window. The Friendly compy continued, his optical sensors alert.

After several hours of alien strangeness, he found someone-something-to help him. And shortly thereafter he was reunited at long last with Margaret Colicos.

Facing DD again after so many years, she stared at him with profoundly haunted eyes. She had survived, and changed dramatically-but she did recognize him. Margaret's bleak face showed a flicker of joy.

The woman came to him, her gaze hollow. "DD!" she said. "Oh, the things I have seen."

Chapter 136-CELLI.

The hydrogues were defeated once again, and the clear skies of Theroc looked wide open. Celli felt that if she extended her arms she could fall upward forever and never reach the clouds. She wanted to celebrate with Solimar.

After the battle, grinning at his unqualified success against the deep-core aliens, Kotto Okiah had received the thanks and applause of the Theron people with no small measure of embarrassment. He and his fellow Roamers, along with the two technical compies, leaned against their ships, which had landed in the clearing. Kotto couldn't wait to rush back to Osquivel and continue his studies with the small alien derelict.

Thanks to his resonance doorbells, humans now had an effective weapon against the seemingly indestructible warglobes. Even with the clans scattered, the Roamers would pass the word swiftly. Kotto and his companions had then departed without lingering for goodbyes...

The fresh air smelled of mud and rain from the dissipated wental comet. The energy-impregnated water had irrigated the forest ground, inciting a riot of new growth. Doing their own part, Celli and Solimar still went every day to the most grievously wounded sections of the worldforest and danced until their hearts were ready to give out. One leaf at a time, they continued restoring the worldtrees. Theroc seemed to be bursting with life more than ever before.

Out in the forest, Celli ran up to the golem of her brother. "Beneto, just look at all the greenery. I haven't felt so much hope in a long time."

He curled his lips in a smile and took his sister by the arm. "That is only a small part, Celli. The return of the wentals is a cause for joy, and the Roamers have proved to be invaluable allies." His voice sounded like a melody blown through a woodwind instrument. "However, the best is yet to come-and it will be today. I can sense how near they are."

Celli skipped along beside him, eager to see the surprise for herself. When he raised his voice, Beneto could be as loud as a trumpet. In the clearing, he called for all of the green priests to join him and shouted up toward the rebuilt fungus-reef city, asking Father Idriss and Mother Alexa to come down. He sent a signal via telink through the trees so that everyone could share in the event.

Solimar flew overhead on his buzzing gliderbike. As he circled the main clearing, he waved at Celli. Within an hour, all Therons came together, excited and curious. Idriss and Alexa wore colorful clothes, anticipating some kind of celebration. Beneto would not give anyone a clue about what to expect.

The surviving worldtrees seemed to strain against the ground with a restless eagerness. The huge trunks creaked as if the giant trees wanted to uproot themselves and walk along the forest floor. Their fronds brushed together, rustling and whispering even though there was no breeze.

Like the Pied Piper, Beneto led his followers to the temple ring of burned-out tree stumps. As he strode through the forest, branches parted for him. Celli could feel the moist soil pulsing beneath her bare feet, and she wondered what effect the elemental water creatures would have on the living worldtrees. Would they join somehow, double their strength, wentals and verdani? Solimar, Yarrod, and the other green priests felt the growing excitement, though they did not yet understand it.

Beneto raised his bluntly formed hands, and stood in the center of the amphitheater, a synthesis of human and worldtree. He let a faint hum emerge from his mouth, and the trees picked up the sound. It grew to a droning roar, an intense and irresistible shout from the world itself. Beneto took a breath, and the trees fell silent.

Overhead, hundreds-thousands-of huge ships approached from the fringes of space. Each one was shaped like a fantastic tree the size of a small asteroid and powered by a force that made the sentient worldforest on Theroc seem little more than a spark. The treeships had flown in from the beyond, en route ever since the hydrogues had obliterated the first worldtree grove on Corvus Landing. They had crossed incredible distances to where their assistance was desperately needed, back to the heart of the worldforest.

The unbelievably immense structures were grown from a central core of wood, whose branches stretched out and tangled themselves into a structure like a breathtaking thistle, a gigantic organic vessel composed of stems, arcs, and huge unnatural thorns. The burgeoning seeds had extended fronds and thorns, armored with impenetrable wooden coverings and sealed by a protective force that kept them alive in a journey across immeasurable space.

Celli stared, her mouth open. The green priests and Therons shouted and pointed with amazement.

"Now we have sufficient strength to defeat the hydrogues forever. We can prepare for the final war." Beneto looked up at the mammoth organic vessels, and his face held a blissful expression of renewed confidence. "At last, the verdani battleships have arrived."

Glossary of Characters and Terminology .

Abel-Wexler-one of the eleven generation ships from Earth, tenth to depart.

Adar-highest military rank in Ildiran Solar Navy.

Aguerra, Raymond-streetwise young man from Earth, former identity of King Peter.

Aguerra, Rita-Raymond's mother.

Alexa, Mother-ruler of Theroc, wife of Father Idriss.

Andez, Shelia-EDF soldier, held captive by Roamers at Osquivel shipyards.

Antero, Haki-Grid 8 admiral.

Aquarius-wental-distribution ship flown by Nikko Chan Tylar.

Archfather-symbolic head of Unison religion on Earth.

attenders-diminutive personal assistants to the Mage-Imperator.

Avi'h-Maratha Designate, youngest son of Mage-Imperator Cyroc'h.

Battleaxe-nickname for former Hansa Chairman Maureen Fitzpatrick.

BeBob-Rlinda Kett's pet name for Branson Roberts.

bekh!-Ildiran curse, "damn!"

Beneto-green priest, second son of Father Idriss and Mother Alexa, killed by hydrogues on Corvus Landing.

Bhali'v-bureaucrat kithman, assistant to Maratha Designate Avi'h.

Big Goose-derogatory Roamer term for Terran Hanseatic League.

blazer-Ildiran illumination source.

Blind Faith-Branson Roberts's ship.

Blue Sky Mine-skymine facility at Golgen, operated by Ross Tamblyn.

Boone's Crossing-Hansa colony world.

Braddox-Roamer outpost.

Brindle, Conrad-Robb Brindle's father, former military officer.

Brindle, Natalie-Robb Brindle's mother, former military officer.

Brindle, Robb-young EDF recruit, comrade of Tasia Tamblyn, captured by hydrogues on Osquivel.

Burton-lost generation ship from Earth, whose descendants are subjects of breeding experiments.

Cain, Eldred-deputy and heir apparent of Basil Wenceslas, pale-skinned and hairless, an art collector.

carbon slammer-new-design EDF weapon, effective at breaking carbon-carbon bonds.

cargo escort-Roamer vessel used to deliver ekti shipments from skymines.

Celli-youngest daughter of Father Idriss and Mother Alexa.

Regan Chalmers-former chairman of the Terran Hanseatic League.

Chan-Roamer clan.

Chan, Marla-Roamer greenhouse expert, mother of Nikko Chan Tylar.

ch'kanh-armored anemone plants that live in the shadowed canyons of Maratha.