Even though the room had no windows, Forrest knew the sun had dropped below the horizon. He opened his eyes and looked about the room. The room had a pleasant coolness about it, even though he could see no evidence of air-conditioning vents. Linwolse was snuggled close to him, her breathing slow and steady. He carefully moved out of her embrace, trying not to wake her, and stood on the soft carpet. He breathed deeply and walked about the room to exercise his legs. Entering the bathroom, he brushed his teeth (no evidence of fangs). Since the bathroom was equipped with all that he might need for personal hygiene, he believed this was more than just human habit. Even the Enonians, alien and immortal as they were, cared for their bodies as would any intelligent species. He was beginning to see them as formal and meticulous creatures, and perhaps as not so evil as he had thought.

He removed his clothes and stepped into the shower. The warm water felt good against his skin, and he felt himself to be more alive than he could have (previously) imagined. It seemed that his past life, his wife and daughter, his work, was already beginning to lessen in importance, at least if he tried not to think of it.

"May I join you?"

It was Linwolse that spoke from the other side of the shower curtain.

"Yes," Forrest answered, smiling to himself.

She undressed and entered the shower, standing naked before him.

"I enjoyed last day," she said.

"Me too."

She put her arms around him and held her body tight against his. He felt a warm desire for her, and it was not merely simple lust. It was more like the feelings he had had for Melinda, after they fell in love. But they did not have sex, it did not seem that the time was right. Instead they took turns bathing each other, and when done, toweled each other dry. They then went and selected clothing from the wall drawers for the night. Forrest was surprised that the drawers contained clothing suitable for her, since it was his room (or so he thought). She chose a simple, comfortable, pullover dress, and he cotton trousers and a T-shirt.

"Do we now go for breakfast?" he asked.

"No, we require only one meal a night," she said. "But if you are hungry, I can have food prepared."

"No, I am not hungry. Just habit, I suppose."

She smiled and went and sat on the bed, looking at him. She looked so innocent, so girlish in her simple dress, and he could not resist the impulse to go to her and kiss her warmly.

"That was nice," she said.

"Me too," he said. He sat beside her and thought for a moment. "Lin, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, my love."

"Why are you here with me?"

She studied him briefly. "I thought you knew."

"A part of me does. But another does not. I am confused."

"That is natural. Your life has changed radically in a very short time, and it will take time to adjust. I want to help make the adjustment as easy as possible."

"And that is why you are here?"

"Forrest, I am here because I care about you. I feel love for you. It is that simple."

"But how can you feel that way. You haven't had time to get to know me."

"How much time does it take? And remember, I shared my blood with you."

"Like the others?"

"Yes. But unlike the others, I enjoyed the experience. Forrest, when an Enonian shares her blood with a human, her mind merges with the human. She sees and feels all that the human feels. She learns more about the human, what he is made of, in a few hours, than years of conversation could convey. That is why the others find the sharing of blood so difficult. But it was not that way for me--not with you. I allowed your thoughts, feelings and memories to flow freely through my being. And I relished the experience. I would do it again, if that were possible. You are an exceptional man, more so than you can yourself know. In the few short hours of blood sharing, I learned to love you."

"But why do I have feelings for you? I don't know you--can't know you."

"You are thinking like a human. You do know me. You have always known me."

"I don't understand."

She smiled. "You are an enhanced being now. You know things, see things, that were invisible to you before. You must forget the linear way of thinking you are used to."

"I still don't get it."

"Forrest, our paths have always been convergent. Although neither of us was aware of it, we have been preparing for each other all our lives. I became aware of this during the blood sharing. You became aware last day when I escorted you to your room. Did you not immediately notice your feelings for me?"

"Yes, I--"

"And did they not seem to come to you fully matured?"

"Yes."

"Then accept it, my love. We are together now. It was meant to be."

She took his hands into her off-colored, greenish hands, and he did not find her flesh to be unpleasant.

"I believe you," he said. "I don't fully understand, but I do believe."

She considered him. "Do not take the love of an Enonian woman lightly. It is not something that is given easily or frivolously."

"I understand that," he quickly responded. "I do not take it lightly, and never will I."

"Good."

"Lin, stay close to me. I need you."

"I will stay close to you, my love."

They remained silent for several moments.

"Do you want to make love?" he asked.

"Not now . . . Forrest, do not look so hurt!" She laughed. "We will make love a thousand times in the years to come. It is just that you have something else to do right now." She put a finger to his chest as she said this last. He looked at her, puzzled.

Someone knocked at the door.

"That will be Artemus," she said.

The door opened.

"Is he ready?" Artemus asked.

"He is," Linwolse answered.

Forrest stared at her suspiciously. "Ready for what?"

"Go with him, my love. I will see you later."

No matter how badly Forrest wanted to trust her, in spite of everything she had just said, he simply could not at that moment.

"You have been preparing me." A statement, not a question.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Prepping me! For whatever it is that the lot of you have planned."

"Forrest, that which has happened here was been between you and me only! The others are not involved."

"Perhaps later?" Artemus inquired.

"No, the time is right. He needs to know," Linwolse replied. She looked at Forrest. "Go with Artemus, my love. Your questions will be answered. You will be glad you did."

"Yeah, I bet."

"You sadden me, Forrest. I do love you. I understand you find that hard to accept. Now, go with Artemus." Her tone was firm. She gave him no choice.

He walked out of the room, his mood growing dark. Artemus followed and shut the door behind him.

Artemus spoke, "I cannot be sure what is happening between you and Linwolse, but--"

"Oh, really?" Forrest interrupted, harshly.

"Yes, really." He grabbed Forrest by the arm and stopped him just before the stairway. "Listen to me. You will never find a woman such as Linwolse. She is the most compassionate and caring person I have ever known. And she has an Enonian beauty and intelligence that cannot be matched. If you reject her love, you are a fool!"

He glared into the black man's eyes. "But she is just using me, the same as the rest of you!"

"Using is a relative term. All people use each other. It is not whether you are being used, but rather it is how and why you are being used that is important. No matter what you may think of the Enonians now, no matter whether they are native to this planet or not, they are still people. And they have needs and wants just as you do. If Linwolse is using you, it is because she loves you and needs you. She is not capable of anything else. She is the Loving One."

Forrest closed his eyes. "Oh my god, Artemus! I want to believe you. I'm confused and I am hurting. This change--this thing you have done to me, just makes it worse."

"I know, my friend. I went through the same thing as you; perhaps worse, since the transitioning took longer for me. But you do adjust. You have been born again, and birth is not an easy experience."

Forrest looked at him. "What did you mean when you asked her if I was ready?"

"At dinner last night you seemed to have adapted well to your situation, this situation. Most transitioners have to be fed in their room for weeks before they are able to eat with the others. But you were doing so well, Mandoss felt you were ready to know why you are here. I was simply asking Linwolse to confirm that. It had nothing to do with the time the two of you spent together."

"I overreacted--I owe her an apology."

"Yes, you do. But she understands, Forrest. I suspect she will be spending the day with you again. You can show your apology then. But now I must show you something."

They went to the underground laboratory without speaking. Artemus led him to the dark room at the far end and flipped a light switch. The perimeter of the room was lined with electronic equipment. At the center of the room a huge sphere, perhaps six meters in diameter, was suspended in midair. Forrest could not decide what supported it; there seemed to be nothing. The sphere had a silvery luster, like polished chrome plating, but reflected colors erratically, as though it had a prismatic texture. Forrest found the object difficult to look at, since its surface, while seemingly hard, appeared to defy a steady focus.

"What is it?" he asked.

"That, my friend, is a Nothingness Drive"

"I think I dreamt of this. It's for a spaceship?"

"Yes. A ship so equipped can exceed the speed of light, in a manner of speaking."

Forrest walked around the sphere, but its appearance did not change. It was a perfect sphere as far as he could tell.

"What is supporting it?"

"It supports itself."

"Antigravity?"

"Not really."

"Where did it come from?"

"I built it."

"Here? In this place?"

"It was finished here. The work started elsewhere. We have to move around sometimes."

"How does it work?"

"That, my friend, would fill a hundred text books!"

"But you do know how it works?"

"Somewhat. I built it, but I did not invent it. This is Enonian technology, developed before the human race crawled down out of the trees. The others guided me in its construction."

"Then they know how it works?"

"More so than they admit. In Enonian society each person has a defined function, and it is not considered proper to engage in activities outside one's function. None of the others are scientists or engineers, so it would not have been proper for them to have constructed the drive themselves. That is why I am here. That is my function."

"But they are familiar with the technology."

"Yes, especially Jerac and Blix; I do not think you have been introduced to them. The Enonians are military. Military personnel are expected to be well versed in many disciplines. In times of war, one might have to switch functions. So they continually educate themselves in areas outside of their primary function. They certainly have the time. But it is difficult to get them to discuss their knowledge. It is considered improper."

"So, how does it work? What is inside of it?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

"There is nothing inside of it."

"You mean it is empty space?"

"No. Empty space is something. This contains nothing."

Forrest frowned. "I don't understand. How can it be nothing? If not matter and energy, then there must at least be space and time, if there is a difference."

"Let me put it this way: If you could somehow transport yourself to the inside of the drive, you would simply wink out of existence. It would be as if you never existed."

"I don't understand."

"Maybe that was a bad example. You cannot transport yourself inside of the drive because there is no inside. Its inside does not exist. Look at it this way. Even though your senses tell you that a solid object of some proportion is before you, its actual dimensions are that of a mathematical point. In other words it has no dimensional existence at all. No diameter, no inside."

"Like the singularity of a black hole?"

"Not really."

"Then what am I seeing?"

Artemus puckered his lips in thought. "This is not precisely correct, but one way to put it is to say that what you are seeing is the interface between the drive's nonexistence and existence as we normally think of it."

"Like an event horizon?"

"A crude analogy at best."

"This is hard to grasp. It doesn't exist, but yet it is here. And it can make a ship travel faster than light. But if it doesn't exist, how can it interact with normal existence?"

"I never said it could not interact."

Forrest shook his head. This conversation was going in circles. He felt like a two-year-old trying to understand how a holoviewer worked. He was staring at a six-meter diameter sphere that didn't exist, but yet did exist in some way. It had to. He reached out to touch it and Artemus did not object. Its surface felt solid with a curious mixture of cold and hot, but not unpleasantly so. It almost seemed to be vibrating. He removed his hand.

"How long will it take me to understand any of this?" he asked.

"A long time. The Enonians use a dense mathematical language to describe the drive's operation. Human culture has no counterpart."

"So I might as well forget about it?"

"That depends. You are trained in Earth science which is very dogmatic and fashion driven. You will have to unlearn many things you innately accept as being true. While those beliefs have some degree of their own truth, they will impede your understanding of this technology. I will help you with that, but do not be in a hurry. You have plenty of time."

A flurry of questions filled Forrest's mind, but he filed them away for another time. If he asked them now, he would just get more of the same nonsense answers he had been getting.

"Okay, if it doesn't exist, then how did you build it?"

"It is not made of nuts and bolts."

"Okay, nevermind. When did you start construction, if you can call it that."

"The initial preparations began in the early twentieth century when human science began to discover the quantum nature of reality. As the technology began to grow out of that knowledge, I was able to start the initial experiments at creating the drive."

"That was over a hundred and fifty years ago. You must have incredible patience."

"Patience is a virtue that comes with immortality. And besides, it was my function."

"I presume it has been tested."

"I far as I can in laboratory conditions. The parameters test within acceptable margins."

"But you need a ship to do a final test."

"That is correct. That is where you come in. Come, let us go to my office."

Forrest gave the object (if it could be called an object) a final glance as he followed Artemus out of the room. By the time they reached the office, Forrest already had a good idea what his function would be. Artemus sat in his chair behind the desk and motioned Forrest to sit in the chair opposite him. They sat for a while in silence.

"You want the Forever, don't you?" Forrest finally asked.

"I thought you might figure that out. And do you know why?"

"To go home. The Enonians want to go home."

"Exactly! And that is why I am here, and why you are here. The Enonians brought me in, perhaps a few thousand years too soon, to build the drive. And I did. They are an extremely good judge of people. They knew I could do it from the beginning."

"And me?"

"You are needed for what you know about the ship. Since it is your company, and you in particular, that designed and programmed the computer systems that control the ship, you have an intimate knowledge of ships' operations. The Forever is not like an Enonian warship. Your function is to train the others, and to keep things running smoothly. Your function is engineer. Once the drive is installed, the trip to the Enonian system will take a mere few weeks rather than the centuries required by the fusion drives now installed."

"I guess the Enonians are anxious to get home?"

"Yes. I suppose their immortal patience fails them on that score. But then again, they have been waiting a hundred-thousand years."

"But why the Forever? It is a huge, complex construction. A smaller, simpler ship should work as well, I would think."

"That was considered. We studied many different kinds of spacecraft, small planetfalls, planetary cruisers, warships, and even deep space probes retrofitted for life support. But they each had a very important missing ingredient."

"And that was?"

"Blood. No human blood. We must drink human blood at least once a week, and sometimes more. To survive the trip to Enonia we will have to bring human stock with us."

"I don't see the problem. Why not just bring a blood supply with you? This city alone has dozens of blood banks. And there's synthetic blood--"

"If that were possible, we would be doing so already. Every time we seek out a fresh human we are risking discovery, so maintaining a blood bank would be safer. Unfortunately the keepers do not just require human blood, but they require the act of drinking blood from a living human."

"Okay, so you will have to bring humans along."

"Yes. And a lot of them."

Forrest felt like a piano had just dropped on his head.

"The human embryos! There are fifty-thousand human embryos kept in cryogenic stasis aboard the Forever. And that is your blood supply."

"Exactly."

"So you just bring them out of stasis as you need them, let them grow to whatever age, and then drink their blood until they die."

"That is correct."

Forrest thought of his daughter. The thought of one of these beings lowering its fangs to Susan's neck and drinking her blood made his stomach turn over, and he thought he might throw up.

"That is disgusting! You would drink the blood of young children? Have you no morality?"

"They will not necessarily be children. Besides do humans not kill young animals for their tender meat?"

"That is different."

"How so?"

"I--I don't know. It just is."

"The truth is, Forrest, and you know it, morality has nothing to do with it. Humans require animal flesh to survive, or at least think they do. We necessarily require human blood to survive. Is it so different? Humans killing animals for food, Enonians killing humans for blood. In each case the objective is survival, one species living off of another."

"You cannot reason away morality," Forrest retorted.

"What would you have us do? Refuse to drink human blood because it is considered immoral? And then die like good little boys and girls?"

"I don't have an answer for that."

"Because there is no answer. It is simply the way it is. At least until we get to Enonia."

"What do you mean?"

"Assuming there are any Enonians left, then our keepers can be reprogrammed to remove the thirst, as well as other irregularities."

"And if there are no Enonians?"

"Then we can hope the Pascanians will oblige us."

"And if they will not?"

"Then we have the Forever and its human stock to sustain us. That is why the Forever is so ideal. Now do you understand?"

Forrest said nothing and the other man continued.

"Forrest, we need you. I need you. Linwolse needs you. We can and will take the Forever with or without you, but it will be much better with you."

"Do I have a choice?"

"You always have a choice. But if you refuse us, we will kill you. And even if you did manage to escape, your own kind would eventually kill you because of the thirst."

"Not much of a choice."

"No, it is not."

Silence fell over the room as Forrest collected his thoughts. He knew he was trapped. He could not go back to his old life, but the remaining humanity in him resisted this new life. Nevertheless, the increasing lust for life engendered by the keepers made it impossible for him to choose death. He wanted to know the future, and to travel into space. He wanted to learn the secrets of Enonian technology and the universe. And he was, or at least was becoming, an Enonian. And nothing would ever change that.

"I don't think there are any Enonians to go home to," Forrest said.

"What makes you say that?"

"If there were, they would have come for you long before now."

"We do not know that they have not. Perhaps they could not locate us. The Pascanians left the originals here with no technology, so it was not like they could send out a signal. Markings in Enonian symbols were carved into the Earth's surface, some which still exist today. But there has been no response that we know of. Perhaps you are right, but we do have hope."

"So, how do we steal the Forever?"

Artemus smiled. "You will figure something out."

"I will?"

"Yes, of course. Who better than you, who knows so much about it?"

"I don't know everything."

"You know enough! And we know you can pull this off. That is why you were chosen."

"So how do we start?"

"To begin with, you must teach us as much as you can in the time we have left."

"I can't do that from memory alone!"

"Of course not. But I presume you can download the needed files through the Network."

"You presume wrong. The security in force at Worldly Machines and the other facilities involved in the Forever Project is so tight that not even I can break in."

This, of course, was a lie. Given enough time, Forrest knew he could hack his way into any system, even the World Government computers, and download whatever he wished. But he didn't want Artemus to know this. He had reason to go to Worldly Machines in person, and not electronically. Hopefully Artemus could not detect his lie.

"That is a problem," Artemus said. His face betrayed nothing.

"I have to go to Worldly Machines. There I can get into the computers and download the files into a memory cube. Once we have those files, I might be able to figure a way to get into the computers at other facilities. I am only one member of the Forever Project. We need those files if we are to have any hope of success."

"It is too dangerous."

"It's the only way, Artemus! I helped develop the security system, and believe me, it would take years to break the code. And the Forever would be long gone."

"Mandoss will not want you out of our sight."

"He is in charge?"

"This is a military operation, so yes, he is in charge."

"I think he will understand that sometimes you have to take chances."

The black man studied him intently, and Forrest wondered why Artemus could not read his mind.

"I will talk to him," Artemus said finally.

"Good."

Artemus stood and walked him to the elevator, his hand on Forrest's shoulder.

"Go now, my friend, and study. You will find much of interest in the holodisks. Just as we must learn, so must you."

Forrest stepped into the elevator and Artemus did not join him.

"No escort?"

"You know the way to your room." The black man smiled.

Forrest could detect no sense of green in the man's skin. Perhaps it was the dark pigments that prevented the green from showing, or perhaps Artemus was just not old enough. He wondered how long it would be before he turned green.

The doors shut and he was raised to the ground floor. The house seemed deserted--no one hiding behind corners watching his every move, making sure he didn't bolt into the night. But it would not have been needed. He had no intention of going anywhere but to his room. He hoped Linwolse would be there.

He entered and found Linwolse sitting in the corner chair reading a book. She looked up at him.

"So, now you know," she said.

"I guess I do."

She smiled at him and Forrest went to her.

"Lin, I'm sorry about the way I acted earlier. I hurt you, and I don't want to do that. You've been kind to me. Will you forgive me?"

"Of course, my love. I understand what you are going through. It is difficult, and I will be here to see you through it."

"I want you to be with me always," he said. He was not sure why, but he knew he really meant this.

"Always," she reflected.

He got down on his knees and pulled her to him, holding her in his arms. The warmth of her body, her womanly scent, the feel of her warm breath on his face, delighted him. He knew the keepers were enhancing his senses, his emotions, but he didn't care. At that moment all he wanted to do was lose himself in the pleasures of her body.

They stood and kissed. He tugged at her dress and she, understanding his intent, let the dress fall to the floor. She wore nothing underneath. She undressed him, and when they were both naked, they embraced. Forrest felt himself fill to full readiness, his organ pushing against her bare flesh, and he was transported--his mind an inferno of desire. In the back of his mind some part of himself knew this should not be happening. She was an alien, and he more human than anything else. But yet here they were, and he could not stop himself. Nor did he want to.

Linwolse led him to the bed and they lay side by side, their limbs entwined. He looked into her dark, alien eyes, and wondered at the alien mind thousands of years old that must exist behind them. But there was no hint of deception, no ulterior motivation. She was with him because she wanted to be, and for no other reason. Forrest touched her face, caressing her softly, and she smiled. He kissed her and rolled over on top of her, bringing his organ into her warm flesh.

And it hurt.

"What is it?" she asked, a look of concern.

"I don't know. Something is wrong."

He moved off of her and placed his feet on the floor.

"What do you feel?" she asked.

"Like I'm going crazy! I feel so intense, like I should be climbing the walls. Something is driving me. It's like--"

She brought herself around to face him, her breasts swaying prettily with the motion, but he had no interest in that now.

"It's the thirst," she said.

"No! I don't want that. I killed her. I killed her! She did not deserve to die, but she's dead anyway."

"I know."

Forrest stood and paced the room, wringing his hands together.

"What do I do, Lin? Please help me."

"There is nothing I can do, my love. When the thirst comes, it must be satisfied."

"But why so soon? His eyes were fierce and turning red.

"Because you are still Once Human. The keepers need more blood to work with. In time the thirst will come less often."

"But I don't want to!"

"You have no choice. I am sorry. I know it hurts, but if you do not satisfy the thirst, the keepers will destroy your body. You will die."

"I don't want to kill her."

"Do not kill her, my love. Drink only a little. You mind has not had time to adapt to the thirst--to learn to guide it. Your impulse will be to drink much. But the keepers only require a small amount of blood. You must divert that impulse. Have sex with her, if need be. But do not kill her."

"I can't!"

"Go to her, Forrest. Now!"

He stared at her through red eyes. She wore a look of concern, but he could not see this.

"Why is the room so bright?"

She ignored his question. "Go to her!"

His teeth began to hurt, and he could feel his fangs extruding from his gums. He fumbled through the door and ran down the stairs, oblivious of his nakedness. Leaping down the second stairway, he stopped at the cellar door. Another mind, not fully his own, was in control. And this mind could not remember the sequence that would open the electronic lock. He banged against the door.

"Damn! Why does this fucking door have to be locked?"

He started jabbing the keys, thinking that eventually the part of him that knew the sequence would allow it to be entered. His fingers began to throb, but then the door opened. He entered the cellar, not bothering to turn on the light. He could see fine without it.

He went to the cell that held the young girl. Another lock.

"The key?" he screamed.

"Who is it?" the girl cried.

Forrest focused on the lock, or that other mind within did, and the lock opened, the cage door swinging back. He stepped into the cage and eyed his prey.

"Who are you? I can't see!" the girl said between sobs.

He leaned down toward her. "It is I."

"Your eyes are glowing! You're a demon?"

"I own you!" he said.

"Y--You were here before. You said you would take care of me."

"And I will, but you must cooperate." He voice was strong and commanding.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to drink your blood."

"No! Please--"

"The thirst is upon me. You must let me drink!"

"I can't!" The girl cried uncontrollably.

"If you do not cooperate, I will hurt you. May I drink your blood?"

"You're asking permission?"

"I do not want to hurt you. I only require a little. Let me drink your blood."

"No! Why are you doing this?" she wailed.

The impulse was growing stronger, and he (it) felt the urge to tear the flesh from her neck.

"Please! I command you! Offer me your blood!"

The girl said nothing and continued to cry.

The impulse was too strong, but he remembered Linwolse's admonition not to kill her. He reached down and ripped the clothing from her body. The girl shrieked.

"You'd rape me?" she cried.

Forrest ignored her. He moved his hand along her soft flesh, exploring the private parts of her body. He then pulled her legs toward him and thrust his organ into her vagina. And he thrust hard and fast as the girl screamed and lashed at him. But she did not have the strength to stop him. He continued to thrust violently for several minutes until finally he ejaculated into her. By this time she no longer resisted, having accepted her fate. The impulse was abated somewhat, but it would not last. He lay across her naked body and licked her face and neck. She remained motionless.

"I must drink your blood!"

"Then do it!" she sobbed.

Forrest brought his fangs to her neck and penetrated the jugular vein. The warm, life-giving blood, flowed into his mouth and down his throat. It was ecstasy to his consciousness. But he controlled his intake and when he had drank enough, he placed his hand on her neck long enough to stop the bleeding. The small puncture wounds congealed quickly.

He moved back from her, the thirst satisfied. She lay still, not making a sound. He took a piece of the clothing he had ripped from her body and dipped it into the water bowl that sat nearby. With the wet cloth he washed the sweat and grime from her body. She did not resist. He wished that he could provide her with new clothing to wear. When done he leaned over her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Next time it will go more easily," he said softly.

She said nothing.

He stood and walked out of the cage, shutting the barred door. It locked automatically. He turned and looked at her. Already his eyes were losing the glow and he could barely see her naked form.

"Sleep now, and do not remember," he said.

She did as she was told. Later, when she awoke, she would wonder why she was naked, and why her vagina hurt so bad and bled. And she would huddle against the far wall of the cage, her legs pulled up against her breasts, and cry, wishing she were dead.

Forrest was back in his room. Linwolse had put on the same simple dress she had started the night with. She sat on the bed and said nothing, watching him. He could not look at her.

He went to the shower and scrubbed himself vigorously, as if he could wash the evil deed from his soul. When done, he toweled himself dry and put on his clothes. He went and joined Linwolse on the bed.

"Are you okay, my love?" she asked.

He could only cry, his mind overwhelmed with dark emotions. She put her arm around him and pulled his head to her shoulder.

"It is okay," she said, softly.

"I didn't kill her."

"I knew you would not."

"But I did hurt her. I raped her. I used her as if she had no feelings, like she was just a piece of meat. And I hated myself for what I was doing, but I could not stop."

"It is difficult, my love. I know."

"I told her not to remember."

"That was a kind thing to do."

"But what good is it? Eventually she will die, and in the meantime she will know something has been happening, even if she can't remember what."

Linwolse did not speak.

"Why, Lin? Why must we drink human blood?"

"The keepers require it."

"I know. But why? Why do the keepers need human blood?"

"It's part of the reprogramming the Pascanians did to our keepers in the beginning. It was intended that we would transition to mortality, and that we would become as humans. The keepers need the blood for the genetic material it contains. The keepers were to transform us into humans, and we would become lost in the human gene pool."

"But you did not transition."

"Many of us did. And of those that did, most died soon after. The conditions were hard. We were left on Earth with no tools, no weapons, no food. We lived in the open, having no shelter to protect us from the alien elements of Earth."

"How did you survive?"

"We studied the humans whose blood we drank. And we did as they did. We learned to hunt for food, and to make fire for cooking and warmth. We learned to seek shelter in caves and deep within the forests. And we used our superior knowledge to construct primitive but useful tools. Later we used animal skins to construct tents so that we could travel, seeking out fresh human blood and the fruit of the Earth, and also to avoid our enemies."

"What enemies?"

"We had two enemies: those human tribes that learned we were blood drinkers, and those of our own kind that transitioned to mortality."

"Your own kind? Why would they want to harm you?"

"It was in the programming. The Pascanians knew that some of us might not transition, so they reprogrammed the keepers so that those who did transition would be compelled to destroy those that did not. It was an attempt to prevent any immortals from surviving."

"But you did survive."

"Some of us. Those of us on the bridge crew serving under Mandoss, drank a potion intended to thwart the reprogramming. It was partly successful, and we had an advantage over the others. Of all our people about two-thousand did not transition to mortality. The other eight-thousand became our enemies. And we were at war with ourselves and the human tribes we preyed upon. By the end of the first Earth year, there were only a hundred immortals left, and perhaps two-thousand of the Once Immortal. Eventually our mortal kin joined forces with the human tribes, since after the transition, human blood is no longer needed. We were outnumbered, and we fled, partly to survive and partly to avoid killing more of our own. We knew that eventually they would die a mortal death and would no longer be a threat. The programming would not be transferred to the children since they would have no keepers."

"Children? They had children?"

"Yes. The transition to mortality reactivates the reproductive system. But the parents were reprogrammed by the keepers to be genetically compatible with humans. Thus they bred not only amongst themselves, but with humans as well."

Forrest sat up and gaped at her. "You mean that there is Enonian blood in the human species today?"

"Yes, but very diluted. There were millions of humans, and only a few thousand Enonians. Nonetheless, Enonian genes are strong, and significant traces can be found in many humans today. Sometimes, humans can be found with an unusually high degree of Enonian genetic material."

"And I am one of them, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are."

"How much?"

"Analysis of your blood shows you to be about five percent Enonian. That is a very high rate."

Forrest pondered this information. "So I've been Enonian all along, even before the transition."

"Yes, in part. That is part of the reason you were chosen. We were very lucky to find you."

"And my daughter, she must have inherited some of my Enonian blood."

"Yes, her rate would be well above average. But you must forget her. She is not part of what we are doing here."

"I cannot forget the love I have for my daughter."

"Of course not. But she will go on to have children of her own, and the Enonian blood will be further diluted. She is human. Do you wish her to go through what you are going through?"

"No. Of course not."

"Then let her go. She has her own life to live, and you are no longer a part of it."

"I will never forget her."

"Nor will she forget you. She will miss and grieve for the father she once had."

Forrest knew he could never see his daughter again, and for her sake he must not. The same was true for his wife. Somehow, knowing that he was part Enonian made the situation a bit more acceptable. But not the blood lust. He could never accept that, no matter that he had no choice. But at least now he could feel less like an outsider, even if he could not yet trust the Enonians. He did trust Linwolse. He may be a fool, but he had to trust her; he needed the attention and kindness and love she gave him. And maybe he trusted Artemus as well, since he was a transitioner like himself, and was born human. But not the others. He could not see behind those dark eyes, could not know if the emotions they displayed were real or a facade.

"Lin, can you read my mind?"

"Only by your actions and your words."

"But you cannot probe my mind directly?"

"No, I cannot."

"Why is that?"

"The keepers protect you. They will resist intrusions into your mind, unless you explicitly allow it. But even if I could probe your mind, I would not. We are a fiercely private people. To enter another's mind uninvited is considered an unforgivable invasion of privacy. And we rarely invite another into our minds, except under the most extreme circumstances."

"But it is different with humans."

"We can feel their emotions, sometimes even hear their thoughts. We can accurately predict their next action, and as you know, we can exert considerable control over them. It is an advantage given to us by the keepers over the years, a side effect of the reprogramming done to them. But we are not naturally telepathic."

"Anthony probed me. I could feel him inside of me."

"Anthony is very old. He has an earlier generation of keepers than we do, perhaps even the first generation. It was quite unusual for him to probe you. I do not know why he felt compelled to explore you. He hardly does anything at all. He just sits in his room and meditates. We really know very little about him."

"It doesn't bother you that he probed me?"

"No. Why should it?"

"Lasandra seemed upset about it."

"That is Lasandra. She has adopted him. She sees to his needs, and is very jealous of him. He fulfills some need in her, so we let her play the part."

"Artemus seemed to think I should avoid talking about him, that the subject was too sensitive."

"That is especially true of Lasandra, as you have learned. The others, I think, fear him because they know so little about him. In a way they look upon him as if he were a god. To me he is just a very old and harmless creature, a being so old that the activity of others around him is of little importance. He lives in his own universe, and has little need to interact with any other."

"Has anyone tried to probe him? I mean, if his keepers are different then maybe he can be read."

"Lasandra tried once in the early days, but failed. Mandoss beat her almost to death for the action."

The thought Mandoss flogging Lasandra pleased Forrest.

"Where did he come from?"

"He was on the ship that brought us to Earth. The progagents the Pascanians injected him with had no effect since they did not recognize his keepers. When the battles began, we found him unwilling or unable to protect himself. So we took him with us and kept him safe. At first we thought he was just a confused child. It was not until later that we discovered his true nature. We have kept him with us ever since. And we still do not know who he is. We have never heard him speak. So we gave him a name, of which Anthony is the latest incarnation."

They continued to talk the rest of the night. Linwolse answered any question he put to her, to any detail. And he loved her for it. He was full of questions, and Linwolse seemed incapable of tiring.

Finally she stood and said it was time for dinner. They changed to more formal dress and joined the others in the dinning room. The seating arrangement was the same as before, but he wished Linwolse sat next to him. He sensed that a confrontation with Mandoss was forthcoming.

"Artemus tells me that you have accepted your function," Mandoss said to Forrest.

"I don't think I have any choice," Forrest responded flatly. "I want to live, and there can be no life for me on this planet now. You have seen to that." Forrest was not going to cower to Mandoss if he could help it.

"He says you want to go to Worldly Machines."

"I have to if we are to get the files we need."

"And you cannot get them through the Network?"

"I explained all of that to Artemus." Forrest continued to eat, barely looking at Mandoss, as if the conversation was unimportant.

"Did you not design the security measures?"

"I was part of a team that did the design, and that's how I know I cannot break through. It is a triple blind design, and there are no backdoors."

"I see. I am concerned, Forrest. It is dangerous for you to be out on the streets."

He looked Mandoss straight in the eye. "You will have to learn to trust me, Mandoss. You cannot keep me a prisoner forever. You brought me in for a purpose. Now let me serve that purpose. Let me fulfill my function!"

Mandoss smiled broadly and Forrest felt disconcerted. He should know better than to play games with a being with so many thousands of years of experience.

"You are not a prisoner. You are one of us now, and I do trust you. But with so many looking for you, there is a danger that you will be caught. It is that danger that concerns me."

"I will be careful."

There was a pause, and Forrest could feel everyone looking at him.

"So be it, then," Mandoss said. "One of us will accompany you."

"Who?"

"Lasandra is our best field operative."

"No!"

"No? And why not?"

"I do not trust her."

"I do not accept your mistrust. This is a military operation. Lasandra knows her duties, and she will fulfill them to the best of her abilities, no matter what you think of her."

"I will not go with Lasandra," he said, matter-of-factly. Lasandra was curiously quiet.

"Do not challenge me, Forrest! It is not in your best interest, or the interest of the group to offer challenge."

"I do not mean to challenge," Forrest said in a more subdued tone. "The point I'm trying to make is that for me to perform my duties to my best, I must feel comfortable with the person working beside me. If it is Lasandra, I will be forced to watch her as much as the rest of the world, and that would be too distracting. I might fail due to divided attention."

"You do not have a military mind."

"I was never in the military."

"Well, it does not matter. Your point is well taken and I thank you for holding your ground. Who do you suggest?"

"Linwolse."

She glanced at him, giving him a quick smile. He almost thought she was proud of him.

"Do you agree, Linwolse?" Mandoss asked.

"Yes, of course," she said.

"Very well. It is settled. So, Forrest, tell us what you know about the security at Worldly Machines."

"The usual. There will be cameras, proximity detectors and so forth. But we can disable those from the main security console. There will be two guards at the main gate, and one manning the security console at the front entrance."

"That is all?" Mandoss asked.

"Yes. The management at Worldly Machines is very confident in its security system. If not for government regulations, there might be no guards at all."

"So how do you plan to get pass the guards?"

"With Linwolse with me, we should be able to blank their minds. They will never know we were there."

"Mind control does not always work. It depends on the mental strength of the individual."

"I know these guys. They will be no problem."

"And the cameras?"

"Once we are in, I can delete the files and make it look like a mechanical failure. After the security system has been disabled, we will have free access to the entire complex. I still have my pass cards."

"But surely the codes will have been changed."

"They will be working on it. But they are mired in bureaucracy. The last time we changed the codes, it took three weeks for a full update. Two days ago I still had full access to the system, and my company credit cards still worked. And even if the codes have been changed, there are bypass procedures hardwired into the system. It would be slower, but we could still get around."

"You seem very confident."

"I know the place. I know what to do and where to go. We should be in and out within an hour, and they will never know we were there."

"Good! I am very pleased, Forrest."

"It should be done as soon as possible. Tomorrow night?"

"So be it."

The subject was dropped and they ate in silence, except for idle conversation among some of the others. When he was done, Forrest looked at Linwolse and she nodded her head.

"May I leave the table?" Forrest asked.

"You do not need permission," Mandoss said.

Forrest pushed his chair back and left the room. Linwolse followed. When they were back in their room (that was how he thought of it now) she faced him smiling, her eyes wide.

"You are so amazing, my love. The way you stood up to Mandoss--that was dangerous. But you did it so well. Everyone was impressed. And more importantly, Mandoss was impressed. You have won his respect, and that will do well for you. I am so happy for you."

Forrest did not know what to say. He only smiled at her.

She tilted her head in a girlish manner. "You know, we still have not made love."

He frowned. "I don't know if I can. Not after what's happened tonight."

She feigned disappointment. "Come on, Forrest. I know you can."

"Maybe, if you work on me." He felt the desire grow within him, and wanted nothing more but to feel her warm flesh against his, to feel himself inside of her. The thoughts of the girl in the cellar and the pain she must be feeling left his mind, as if it had not happened.

Linwolse threw her dress to the floor and he was amazed at how quickly she could undress. She stood naked before him and watched as he undressed, but he did so more slowly. When he was done, she took his hand and led him to the bed. Here they explored each other's bodies, intensifying their sexual readiness. Soon he was on top of her, and inside of her. He thrust at her with gentle passion. He was careful not to push her too fast, but allowed her excitement to grow gradually and slowly to the brink of climax. And when they could go no further, they both came, her body quaking and his pumping. Their timing had been perfect.

He rolled off of her and rested beside her, his mind relaxed and at peace. She kissed him on the cheek.

"It's been a very long time since I've loved someone as I love you," she said.

Forrest looked into her eyes and saw nothing but truth.

"I love you as well, Lin."

She nestled closer to him and was soon asleep in his arms. He lay awake awhile longer, enjoying the feel of her, and awaited the rising sun.

And just as the sky he couldn't see began to brighten, he too fell asleep.