She drew a deep breath and focused on the display that dominated Qatux's private chamber. The surface of the Void boundary was changing. A thin ridge rose out of the equator, extending all the way out to the glowing loop. As before, the dying ma.s.s of broken stars fell into the event horizon.

"This time it will be different," Paula promised. "This time it will absorb the energy to power evolution."

"I feel you are right," Qatux said.

The entirety of the loop was taken, absorbed below the boundary. The ridge began to retreat. Then the Void itself was shrinking. Gravity, the boundary's primary enforcer, lessened. The impenetrable cloak that had defeated nature for so long fell away, and the Void lay naked at the core of the galaxy.

"Oh, my," Paula said in wonder.

The Void reached transcendence.

After it was gone, after normal s.p.a.cetime reclaimed all it had lost, the vast warships of the warrior Raiel flew in to examine the darkness their great enemy had left behind. Virtually no matter existed in the Gulf now, no radiation, no light. No nebulae.

Right at the center they found a single star shining bright, with a lone H-congruous planet in orbit. And one of their own.

TWELVE.

THE RAIEL WARSHIP slipped out into s.p.a.cetime above Icalanise, dwarfing the High Angel High Angel five hundred kilometers away. Qatux and Paula teleported over, materializing in a circular compartment over a hundred meters wide. Like the Raiel quarters on the five hundred kilometers away. Qatux and Paula teleported over, materializing in a circular compartment over a hundred meters wide. Like the Raiel quarters on the High Angel High Angel, the ceiling was hidden from sight, giving the impression the compartment extended upward forever.

Paula regarded the waiting warrior Raiel with interest. She'd a.s.sumed they'd be bigger than Qatux. Instead they were only two-thirds his size, but where his hide was leathery, theirs was made up of hard neutral blue-gray segments. Small lights twinkled under the surface, making her think it was artificial armor. Or perhaps by now it was sequenced in like macrocellular cl.u.s.ters in humans.

Neskia stood between them. Her neck waved fractionally from side to side like a snake rising vertically, its casing of gold rings sliding over one another without revealing any human flesh. The metallic-gray surface shimmer of her skin was subdued. Big round eyes blinked once as Paula appeared. That might have reflected puzzlement; Paula wasn't sure. She had certainly been startled by the news that the Accelerator agent had surrendered herself to the warrior Raiel without any fuss.

"You were complicit in the establishment of the Sol barrier," Paula said.

Neskia said nothing.

"I would like the deactivation code now, please."

"And then what?"

"You will face an inquiry into your actions."

"By ANA itself. So there's really not much of an incentive to hand over the code, is there?"

"A memory read is never pleasant."

"A mild discomfort. But you would never be able to extract the code. I have several self-destruct routines embedded in my biononics."

"So you are in an invincible position. Congratulations. Curious, then, that you allowed yourself to be intercepted. Your ship has a superb stealth capability, yet you chose not to use it. Why?"

Neskia's neck became rigidly straight. "I have nowhere to go."

"She didn't take you with her."

"Obviously."

"But then, ascension to postphysical status through Fusion was never her aim."

"I am aware of that now."

"What deal are you looking for?"

"Total immunity. The right to settle on whatever world I select. And I retain ownership of the ship the ship."

"No to the ship the ship. You are forbidden from taking part in any subversive activity ever again. You will permit removal of all combat-enabled biononics. You will not reinstate them or any further weapons enrichments. You will report any contact by criminal or proscribed organizations to my office immediately."

"Free political a.s.sociation is the fundamental right of the Greater Commonwealth."

"Without ANA, the Commonwealth as we know it cannot exist. I fully intend to protect it from extreme ideologues."

"Will it ban the Accelerators?"

"I suspect those members involved with illegal activities will be suspended. The rest will be free to pursue and continue lobbying for what they believe in. As is their right."

"Very well. I agree." Neskia's u-shadow sent the code to Paula, along with instructions for applying it to a specific coordinate outside the Sol system.

"Thank you," Paula said. "So you're p.i.s.sed at her, then?"

"To put it mildly. I risked everything, devoted my life to the cause, and now I find it never actually existed."

"What will you do?"

"I will found the real Accelerator faction. I still believe in human evolutionary destiny."

"Of course you do."

The Elvin's Payback Elvin's Payback sank down out of the low gray clouds that were drizzling steadily across the rumpled verdant countryside. Oscar directed it to land on the gra.s.s next to the spinney of gangling rancata trees. He floated down out of the airlock and looked around contentedly. Seeing the raised circular house just as it always was kindled an unexpected bout of homesickness. While he'd been away, he'd thought of it and Jesaral and Dushiku and Anja less and less, so much so that he'd started to believe he didn't care about any of them anymore. Now he was here, and he didn't want to leave again. sank down out of the low gray clouds that were drizzling steadily across the rumpled verdant countryside. Oscar directed it to land on the gra.s.s next to the spinney of gangling rancata trees. He floated down out of the airlock and looked around contentedly. Seeing the raised circular house just as it always was kindled an unexpected bout of homesickness. While he'd been away, he'd thought of it and Jesaral and Dushiku and Anja less and less, so much so that he'd started to believe he didn't care about any of them anymore. Now he was here, and he didn't want to leave again.

Wild emotions of surprise and trepidation burst into the gaiafield. Oscar grinned wryly as Jesaral charged down the spiral stairs in the house's central pillar and ran across the lawn.

"You're back," Jesaral yelled. He flung his arms around Oscar and began kissing him with youthful eagerness; rampantly erotic thoughts came percolating out through his gaiamotes. "Oh, Ozzie, I missed you."

"Good to be home," Oscar admitted.

Dushiku and Anja hurried up.

"I couldn't believe it when you showed up in Gore's dream," Dushiku murmured as he hugged Oscar tight. "You were in the Void! That was you in Makkathran right at the end."

"Yeah, that was me," he admitted. It actually felt good to boast about it for once.

Anja finally got her moment with him. "So this is what you really are? Some kind of galactic superagent?"

"Some of the time," he admitted. "Not very often, thankfully."

The other starship dropped through the clouds and came in to land next to the Elvin's Payback Elvin's Payback.

"Who's this?" Dushiku asked in a resigned tone.

"And why does a starship need wings?" Jesaral asked.

"They're not wings, they're heat dissipaters, and this is my new partner."

Anja recoiled slightly. Dushiku merely gave a disapproving glance, and Jesaral was already powering up his outrage.

"Business partner," Oscar a.s.sured them hurriedly.

The Mellanie's Redemption Mellanie's Redemption landed smoothly The airlock opened, and a set of aluminum stairs slid out. landed smoothly The airlock opened, and a set of aluminum stairs slid out.

Jesaral gave Dushiku a meaningful glance that ended as a pout. Oscar put his arms around both of them, enjoying the flashes of jealousy.

The aluminum steps bowed as Troblum came down, raindrops trickling quickly down the worn fabric of his old toga suit. He gave Oscar's startled life partners a brisk nod and quickly looked away.

"What sort of business?" Anja asked curiously.

"Exploration," Oscar said contentedly. "The Commonwealth has sent out a lot of colony ships over the centuries. We thought it was about time we found out what happened to some of them. And who knows what else is on the other side of the galaxy? Wilson never did have a proper look."

Anja raised her eyes skyward and produced a sigh of disapproval in that way only she could. However, she stepped forward and held her hand out to Troblum. "Good to meet you."

"Uh, thank you." He gave her hand a frightened look. By then it didn't matter; Anja was looking up at the second figure to appear at the top of the stairs. She was so surprised, she forgot to prevent the emotion from revealing itself through her gaiamotes.

"This is my fiance," Troblum announced.

"Pleased to meet you," Catriona Saleeb said. She smiled nervously as she came down the stairs and fumbled for Troblum's hand.

Oscar knew he was leaking out all the wrong thoughts, but he just couldn't help it. He'd been the first to support Troblum when Catriona was made real. Troblum had seen that one last slender chance in the time after the Heart had decided to follow Gore and before the moment when it elevated itself. He hadn't a.n.a.lyzed it or paused for doubt; he'd simply gone for it, using the Void's creation layer to turn his solido into flesh and blood, an act that was perhaps the most human thing Troblum had done in his life.

Oscar was also pretty sure that it wouldn't last, that Catriona would soon outgrow her initial thoughts. But then, ephemerality was the summation of most human activities. The trick was to enjoy the time when things were going right.

The Silverbird Silverbird alighted gently outside the Tulip Mansion, its landing legs barely making dents in the gravel drive in front of the grand entrance portico. Justine floated down out of the airlock, taking a wonderfully rea.s.suring breath of Earth's old air once again. There had been moments when she thought that might not happen ever again. Kazimir whooped joyfully as he followed her down to the ground. Manipulated gravity was just one of the delights he'd discovered in the short time since she'd summoned him back out of the Void's creation layer. alighted gently outside the Tulip Mansion, its landing legs barely making dents in the gravel drive in front of the grand entrance portico. Justine floated down out of the airlock, taking a wonderfully rea.s.suring breath of Earth's old air once again. There had been moments when she thought that might not happen ever again. Kazimir whooped joyfully as he followed her down to the ground. Manipulated gravity was just one of the delights he'd discovered in the short time since she'd summoned him back out of the Void's creation layer.

He stood perfectly still, allowing his mouth to open wide as he stared up at the preposterously extravagant building. "This is your home home?"

"Yes, this is where I was born and lived ever since." That was almost the truth. She didn't want to spoil things. It was going to take this naive Kazimir a while to adjust to everything the Greater Commonwealth offered. And who better to act as his guide and tutor? And who better to act as his guide and tutor?

"Would you like to look around?"

"Oh, yes!" His arms flapped around for emphasis. "Who else lives here?"

"Ah, no one at the moment. It's become a bit of a museum, I'm afraid. We'll find you a bedroom, a suite, actually. There are some excellent ones in the west wing."

He caught hold of her hand and gave her that that beseeching look with his lovely big adoring eyes. "Will you be nearby, Justine?" beseeching look with his lovely big adoring eyes. "Will you be nearby, Justine?"

"Um." She was blushing again. Come on, girl, get a grip Come on, girl, get a grip. "I will stay for a while to make sure you're all right. I'm going to be quite busy. There's a lot to sort out right now."

He grinned. "You have saved the galaxy. People will allow you time for yourself now. I am sure of it."

"Probably." The entrance doors were huge jet black slabs of glossy stonewood inlaid with a gold-leaf vine pattern. She paused as they swung open. I never noticed before; that's so similar to the gates of the Sampalok mansion I never noticed before; that's so similar to the gates of the Sampalok mansion. Oscar had sworn his first voyage of exploration would be an attempt to find the previous occupiers of Makkathran. She still couldn't quite get her head around that partnership. But then, in the Void, anything is possible But then, in the Void, anything is possible. Kazimir was witness to that. And Catriona.

Kazimir peered in curiously as the lights came on along the length of the cavernous hall. "How old is this palace?"

"Over a thousand years," she said with pride.

"Dreaming heavens," he murmured as they walked inside.

"I used to rollerblade in here," she said fondly. "That's when I was your age or maybe a little younger. Dad would scream at me and-" She stopped dead. A shiver ran up her body, strong enough to cause her to clutch at the door frame for support. Shock that only a genuine flesh-and-blood body could know was threatening to reduce her to tears.

Gore was standing in the doorway to the white room. As always, his solido was the twenty-fourth-century version of himself, gold skin body wearing a black shirt and trousers.

"Dad?" she gasped. In her nice rational tidy mind she'd known all along that he would be waiting here for her, that ANA would have reanimated his personality as soon as it confirmed his bodyloss on the Anomine homeworld. But back in Makkathran his transcendence had been so real, so vivid. Her meat body and brain knew her father's mind and body had gone on to something better, that Daddy had died, that everything afterward was just the result of clever technology.

Sometimes basic human flesh and blood was far too painful.

"You did a great job out there," he said. "Not everyone operating in a meat body would hold it together under that kind of emotional stress. Thanks."

"My pleasure," she said weakly.

"So how about that-my original body finally gets fried up in a nova. G.o.dd.a.m.n Marius, he's actually worse than Ilanthe in his own pathetically petty way. Funny thing, I didn't imagine I'd get nostalgic, but I think I'm going to miss it. The d.a.m.n thing was like a psychological final safety net. I suppose I ought to clone another. Not that I'll ever use one again."

"Good idea."

"And I'm going to have to have a long talk with the Delivery Man; he can fill in the missing details. I accessed the kubes in Ozzie's asteroid as soon as ANA brought me out of suspension storage; they updated me back to the point I left on the Last Throw Last Throw. But there's no accurate record of what happened on the Anomine homeworld between then and when that old Tyzak guy switched on the elevation mechanism. The way it played out, I'm guessing there had to be some serious problems back there."

"Yeah, that's how I read it, too."

"Right. Well, you wouldn't believe the fuss the Radical Darwinist Faction is kicking up in here. Conniving little s.h.i.ts. I could do with some help slapping them down. Are you coming back home now?"

Justine draped an arm around a very silent Kazimir's shoulders and gave the golden man a defiant look. "Not just yet, Dad. There're a few things I have to finish off out here. They might take awhile."

The ultradrive starship hung in transdimensional suspension five million kilometers out from the Leo Twins. Marius wasn't quite sure why he'd chosen this as his destination. Presumably, his subconscious had identified it as the last place anyone would suspect him of fleeing to.

As to what he should do now, he had no idea. The one time scrutineers he'd inserted into the unisphere were supplying a comprehensive picture of the political fallout from the Void's elevation and the fall of the Sol barrier.

ANA had carried out its threat and suspended the Accelerator Faction. Instructions were being issued to ANA representatives to locate and arrest the remaining Accelerator agents. The list was very comprehensive. He was at the top, charged with genocide. That wasn't something the authorities would quietly downgrade and forget after a couple of decades or even centuries, certainly not if Paula Myo was involved. That meant he would have to leave the Commonwealth entirely.

His options weren't good. He didn't know where any of the colonies were or what kind of societies they'd developed. Conceivably, he could start rescuing the other Accelerators on the list, form some kind of resistance. It would be dangerous, but he was more than capable of working in such an environment.

Alarms flared- His ship was wrenched back into s.p.a.cetime before even his accelerated thought routines had truly grasped what was happening. Sensors revealed nothing except a minuscule spatial anomaly directly in front of the fuselage. Then they failed, along with the drive. The starship's network crashed. Gravity cut out, leaving him in free fall. Cabin lights died. He couldn't access his u-shadow. A biononic field scan revealed that the life-support system was off line.

A link opened to his macrocellular cl.u.s.ters. "You're under arrest," Admiral Kazimir informed him.

"For now," Marius retorted. "She'll be back."