Forrest was stunned.

"Then, you are saying they are the Living Dead?"

"Yes. The issue I raise demands a definition for soul and life. But I believe they are without soul. The keepers have maintained their bodies and memories--and there are those who would argue that a person's memory is their soul, their spirit--but the Enonians have convinced me that the soul is something separate. It is something--I do not know what--that transcends the merely physical. It exists apart from the body and the memories stored within. And this quality is something they do not have. They are empty husks, mimetic life."

Forrest held a pained expression. "The same fate is mine," he said.

Valencia gave him a concerned look. "Not necessarily. You are young--and newly converted. Who knows how long it takes the soul to leave the body? If you are aware of the process, maybe you can prevent it. And remember, it is only theory."

Forrest looked at her, his eyes hazing over. "I have done things. I have killed, and often without remorse. I would have been incapable of doing such things before I became immortal. Perhaps I am already dead. Perhaps I died when I made my first kill."

"No!" It was Lisa that spoke from behind him, standing in the doorway that led to the bedrooms. "I fell in love with you, Forrest Hauser. Maybe it was the keepers that caused my initial attraction to you. But I do not believe that the keepers are causing me to love you. There is a quality, a strength and kindness, within you that I cannot believe these tiny machines could create. I know you better than I have known any man, and you are certainly not dead."

Valencia gave her an approving look. "I am Valencia, and this is Norse."

Lisa studied the two of them. "I am Lisa."

"Please join us, Lisa," Valencia said. "You are a part of this, too."

Lisa sat in a chair. She looked at Forrest. "Please sit, Forrest. Relax, you are too tense," she said.

Forrest looked at her, confused. He engaged the safety on his blaster and shoved it into his holster. He sat in the remaining chair, lost in thought.

Lisa spoke. "I'm afraid that I am merely human," she said to the genoclones. She was not sure if she was testing them or not.

Norse looked at her. "Genoclones tend to distrust humans for reasons I think you will understand. But that does not mean we automatically condemn each and every human we come across. Each person, whether human or genoclone, is judged by their own merit, not by their genetic origin."

"And besides," Valencia added, "you are a spacer. We have found the genetic material of those humans with a propensity to become spacers to be a rich source of superior genes. In the days when we still required human donors, we looked for humans who possessed those qualities such as you do. In any event, you are an equal here. Please do not feel left out."

Lisa nodded.

Valencia turned back to Forrest. "What are you thinking?"

Forrest did not respond--he was still trying to decide if he was alive or dead.

"Forrest?"

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked, what you were thinking."

"You have given me a lot to think about. It will take time."

Norse spoke. "We came here to propose an alliance. Have you thought about that?"

Forrest looked at Lisa. "What do you think?"

"My initial impression is that they are honest, that they have come here in good faith. But I do not know them," she answered.

"You can probe us," Valencia offered.

Forrest studied her. "It is my tendency to think you are truthful. You have taken a great risk coming here, and that lends credence to your offer. But nevertheless, a mutual probing would be prudent."

"Mutual? You would let me enter your mind?" Valencia asked, surprised.

"Yes. But not just to allow you to verify my good faith. I want you to tell me if I am alive or not."

"Forrest, you are very much alive. I don't have to probe you to know that."

"I want you to try, anyway. The issue troubles me."

"Of course, I will try."

"So let us begin," Forrest said.

Forrest and Valencia closed their eyes. Forrest did not know how to open his mind to her. But he remembered the way Linwolse had taught him to activate his infrared vision. "Will it so," she had said. And this is what he did. Soon he could feel Valencia within him. She did not stay long--she was an experienced observer. He then entered her mind. He was not an experienced observer, but he did feel her emotional complexion. And he saw that Lisa's impression was correct.

"Done," Forrest said.

"And?" Valencia asked.

"First, tell me if I live."

"Forrest, I am no expert at this, but if you had no soul, I believe I would have detected so. You are very much with the living. Do not compare yourself to the Enonians."

"Good," he said, not completely convinced.

"What did you see in me?" Valencia asked.

"Just what Lisa said was there. Honesty and good faith."

"Then we have a deal?" Norse asked.

"Lisa?"

"If you believe in them, I vote yes."

Forrest smiled at the two genoclones. "Then we have a deal."

"You will not regret this, Forrest. I promise you," Valencia said.

"I do not expect any regrets."

She smiled at him.

"So, what do we do now?" Lisa asked.

Valencia spoke. "The Enonians are busy monitoring the bounce. They will probably assign us the task of looking for you. That is no problem. But when we reenter normal spacetime, they will likely search for you themselves. You will not be safe here. They will detect Lisa. We must move you somewhere safer."

"If they comb the ship, they will sense Lisa no matter where we are," Forrest said.

"Not necessarily. I discovered a long time ago that my telepathic abilities were retarded by strong electromagnetic fields. I suspect the same will be true of the Enonians."

Norse spoke. "Before the Enonians enlisted us as ship's crew, we hid in the lower levels near the agrav generators. We were never detected. We can construct hidden quarters for you there. It will be noisy, but you will be safe."

This was not true, Forrest remembered. The security sweep did detect them. But that was electronics, not telepathy. And the electronics can be disabled.

Valencia continued. "Once we have you relocated, then we can discuss our course of action. We have ideas, but we wanted you to have time to think of your own before we got into the details. Is this agreeable to you?"

"Yes, of course," Forrest responded.

"Then we must go. You should be safe here for a while. We will contact you as soon as we are ready."

The genoclones rose to leave.

"Wait," Forrest said.

"What is it?"

"Let me have your communicators. Yours too, Lisa."

Forrest retrieved his own communicator and set it next to the other three on the coffee table. He opened the devices and began setting switches inside."

"What are you doing," Norse asked.

"Reprogramming the communicators with security codes that only we will know about. The activation code for each communicator will be the same as before, so they may be used as normal. But to acquire a secure channel that the Enonians will not be able to intercept, punch in the digits 3-7-1-4-6 first, then the required activation code."

"Excellent," Norse said.

Forrest gave them their communicators.

"We will be back as soon as possible," Valencia said.

The genoclones left the apartment.

"Serp?"

"Yes, Forrest."

"Assist the genoclones in any way you can. But do not reveal yourself to them yet."

"Understood. May I say something, Forrest?"

"Yes, Serp."

"I am probably the least qualified to judge biological life, and I will admit I do not entirely understand the question, but I wanted you to know that I believe you are alive."

Forrest laughed and Lisa smiled at him. "Thank you, Serp. That means a lot coming from you."

"You are welcome, Forrest."

Lisa went to Forrest and pulled him to the sofa next to her. She gave him a long kiss.

"What now?" she asked.

"We wait."

"You seem tired."

"I shouldn't be. I slept for twenty hours before we bounced."

"You've been under a lot of stress."

"Yes, I guess I have."

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Then let's go lie down on the bed. You need the rest."

She led him into the bedroom. She motioned him to lie on the bed, and she joined him, resting her head on his shoulder. Forrest relished the feel of her next to him, enjoyed the smell of her hair, her womanhood. If he was dead, then the illusion of life was quite convincing.

"What's going to happen, Forrest?"

"I don't know. We'll have to wait until we come out of the bounce and know where we are."

"Do you think the genoclones plan to take the Forever from the Enonians?"

"I don't think that is their intention, at least not yet."

"Do you think it can be done?"

"With great difficulty. The Enonians are extremely powerful. It would be foolish to underestimate what they can do."

She paused, and then said, "I meant what I said about being in love with you."

"I know. The feeling is mutual."

She kissed him. They fell to silence, and soon Forrest could feel the rhythms of sleep in her body. He lay awake awhile longer, thinking of the issues Valencia had raised. Was he alive? And if he was, how long would he be so? He wondered how it would feel to be dead and not know it. He thought of the time he had spent with the Enonians--especially Linwolse and Eletel. They did not seem to be dead. Indeed, they seemed very much alive--more alive than humans or genoclones. But yet something in Valencia's words rang true. He could not be sure what it was, but something was wrong with the Enonians. Whether they were alive or dead, or perhaps in some unknowable state betwixt life and death, he did not know. And the lack of knowing unsettled him. But the implications were too much for his exhausted mind to address further, and gradually he drifted into a disturbed, fitful sleep.

He was not aware he was asleep when he heard the voice.

"Meet me at the lookout station over the City, level one-thirty-five, east side," the voice said.

"Who are you?" Forrest asked inside his mind.

"I am Jerac. We have issues we must discuss."

"It is dangerous."

"I mean you no harm, Forrest. The others will not know of our meeting."

"How did you locate me?"

"I have not located you. I am speaking to you through the Mind. Please meet me in one hour."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

There was no answer.

"Jerac?"

Still no answer.

Forrest opened his eyes. Lisa was asleep beside him, having rolled over on her back. Forrest stood up and rubbed his eyes. He went into the front room.

"Serp?"

"Yes, Forrest."

"Did you hear someone communicate with me?"

"No. There have been no transmissions to this location."

Forrest went into the small kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee from the dispenser. He went and sat on the sofa while he drank the coffee.

"What is happening on the ship?"

"We are still in bounce. Several genoclones have begun construction of the new quarters for you and Lisa. The others are at their assigned posts. The Enonians are on the bridge, except for Lasandra and Linwolse who are in sickbay. The one called Jerac is in route to a lookout station."

"Which one?"

"Level one-thirty-five, east side."

It had not been a dream!

"I have to go there. If Lisa awakes before I get back, tell her what is happening."

"What is happening?"

"I am going to meet with Jerac. I may need your assistance."

"I will be with you."

"Watch after Lisa."

"I will do both."

Forrest set the cup on the coffee table, checked the charge on his blaster, and exited the apartment. The ride to the lookout station seemed to take forever, but it gave Forrest time to think. How had Jerac communicated with him? How did he break through the protection of the keepers? Was it because he was asleep? Forrest didn't think so, but he could not come up with another explanation. What did Jerac want? And what was this Mind he keeps talking about?

The shuttle pulled into the station and stopped. The computer announced his destination, and the doors opened. Forrest searched the lookout platform and found Jerac at the railing, looking out over the City. Forrest climbed out of the shuttle and slowly walked toward him. He stopped ten meters behind him.

"I am here," Forrest said.

"I know. Thank you for coming." Jerac did not turn, did not show his face.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to tell you about the Mind."

"What about it?"

"We--you and I--are brothers of the Mind."

"What is this Mind?"

"It is a being that exists in superspace. Humans call it God. It pervades all of superspace, and the infinite universes contained therein. It is the Creator, the giver of the Essence and Life. It is--the Mind."

"I am not a religious person."

"Nevertheless, you are of the Mind. I suspected this from the beginning. And when the Mind communicated to you through Anthony, I was sure."

"I do not know what you are talking about. I do not feel this Mind."

Jerac ignored his remarked and continued. "The Mind sometimes places agents--what you would call angels or spirits--in a universe for reasons only It can know. The agents do not always know they have a purpose. They may not know they are an agent. But they are guided, led down a predetermined path, until their purpose is served. Anthony was such an agent. But his purpose has been served. It is you who now bears the torch."

"You are saying I am an agent of this Mind?"

"Yes. You do not know it, but you are."

"And what is your part in this?"

"I am a renderer. I seek out agents, and assist them in their purpose."

Something about his words triggered a memory in Forrest. Something that was said to him in the void. Something about a purpose being rendered.

"It was the Mind that spoke to me in the void?"

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

"I do not know."

"What is my purpose?"

"I do not know?"

"How can you assist me, if you do not know my purpose?"

"It is not necessary for either of us to know the purpose."

Forrest went and stood beside Jerac and looked out over the City. It was a strange sight--a place designed for terrestrial life, but devoid of it.

"It not for my experience in the void, I would think you were crazy. I do not know what to think of this Mind of yours. But something did happen. I don't think it was a hallucination."

"Perhaps I can help you recover the message," Jerac said.

Forrest looked at him--and was horrorstruck by what he saw. He moved away from Jerac and the railing. He drew his blaster, released the safety, and held it on Jerac.

Jerac turned and looked at him. "Why are you holding your weapon on me? Can you not see I am unarmed."

"You are dead!" Forrest said, his voice trembling. There was a shimmering about Jerac, like an electric aura pulsing random colors.

"I don't understand," the dead thing said.

Forrest understood. It had all been an illusion. Jerac and the others had been dead all along. And now he could see through the illusion--see the deadness. Jerac had eyes, but one of them had a long white worm inching its way out of the pupil. And the flesh on his face was putrid and torn. Worms could be seen crawling throughout the flesh, and it reeked of foul smelling fluids dripping from the openings.

Jerac started toward him.

"Don't come near me!" Forrest cried.

Jerac stopped. "What is wrong?"

Forrest ignored the question. He walked backwards toward the shuttle, keeping his blaster aimed at the dead thing. When he reached the shuttle, he jumped in and pulled the doors down.

"Get me out of here, Serp!"

The shuttle took off into the darkness of the transport tubes. Forrest was breathing heavily. He tried to slow his pounding heart. "Oh my God," he said to the empty shuttle. He thought of the nights he had spent with Linwolse--making love to a dead woman. He thought of Eletel, and what he had done to her at the apartment in the City. Her vagina must have been filled with the worms and fluids of decay. And he had put his mouth there, exploring her rotting flesh with his tongue. He gagged and thought he might throw up. He laid his head back on the shuttle seat and tried to calm his mind. The shuttle swerved left and right, up and down, and the motion was making him sick. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the motion. But he kept seeing images of Jerac, Linwolse and Eletel laughing at him with their dead eyes and decaying faces.

Finally the shuttle stopped in the thruster cylinder transport station. He climbed out of the shuttle, and ran the full length of the walkway that led to the safety of Lisa's quarters.

"Open the door, Serp!"

The door opened, and he ran in. The door shut behind him. He sat on the sofa, out of breath, sweating profusely.

"Serp?"

"Yes, Forrest."

"Show me the bridge."

The holoviewer came to life, and there the Enonians were in all their deadness. Their faces were the same as Jerac's. Rotting, puttrefying. And that strange shimmering . . .

"Kill it!"

The holoviewer went blank.

"Show me the sickbay. Show me Linwolse and Lasandra."

Their faces were so rotted he could not tell them apart. If one had not been lying on a hospital bed, its head bandaged, he wouldn't have known which was which.

"Off!"

He leaned back on the sofa, his face dripping sweat. Valencia had been right. The Enonians had been dead from the beginning. Somehow they were able to create the illusion of being alive, were able to hide their decaying flesh from others.

He heard Lisa mumble in her sleep from the other room. He stood, feeling moment of vertigo, and went to her. He was afraid she might be rotting too, but she was her normal self.

He sat on the bed and shook her. "Lisa! wake up!"

She opened her eyes. "Forrest? What is wrong?"

"I'm not sure."

She studied him. "My God, Forrest. You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Maybe I have."

She put a hand to his forehead. "You have a mild fever. And you're drenched in sweat."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the front room.

"Look at this," he said. "Serp, show me the bridge again."

"Again?"

"Yes, again!"

The holoviewer came to life. Mandoss and the others could be seen going about their duties. And they looked completely normal. Jerac was there, also his normal self.

"I don't understand," Forrest said.

"What was I supposed to see?" Lisa asked.

"Serp, show me Linwolse and Lasandra."

It was the same scene as before. But the two Enonian women looked normal.

"Kill it!" The holoviewer blanked.

"Serp, tell Lisa about what happened earlier."

"Please specify a time period."

"I don't know. About thirty minutes ago. When I told you I was going to meet with Jerac at the lookout station."

"I'm sorry, Forrest. I have no record of that."

"What do you mean? I left, was gone for a while, and then I came back. I had you show me the bridge and the sick bay, as we did just now."

"I do not understand. I have no memory of these events."

Forrest was dumbstruck. Was the illusion in force again? And could the illusion work on Serp as well?

"You had a bad dream," Lisa suggested.

"No! It was real. I know it was real."

"What happened?"

He told her of his meeting with Jerac, their conversation, and what he had seen when he looked at Jerac's face.

"It was a nightmare, Forrest. You are overstressed, that's all."

He looked at her, not sure what to believe. "But it seemed so real."

"Dreams can do that, sometimes. We are in a highly unusual situation here. Your body produced the dream to relieve itself of the stress you are under."

"It didn't work."

"When was the last time you ate something?" she asked, concerned.

"I don't remember."

"You are probably starving. Go take a shower, and put on fresh clothes. I will fix you a meal. You will feel much better after you have showered and eaten."

"Okay. But I'm still not convinced it was a dream."

"We will discuss it later. Now go!" she insisted.

Forrest rose and left the room. When Lisa could hear the shower running, she spoke to Serp. "What happened here, Serp?"

"I do not know."

"He did not leave the apartment?"

"No. The two of you have been asleep for two hours."

"Then it must be a dream."

"That would be my conclusion."

"Thank you, Serp."

When Forrest returned, a hot meal waited for him on the counter. Steam was swirling up and about, finding its way to the overhead ventilators. He sat at the counter and began eating. The food was as delicious as it smelled. He looked at Lisa, who sat across from him sipping a glass of Quickwater.

"You are not eating?" he asked.

"No. I ate earlier. If I eat again now, I'll just get fat."

"A fat spacer? That's hard to imagine."

She smiled at him, but her eyes showed concern.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, a little. The shower removed some of the tension from my body."

He continued to eat, and Lisa watched him in silence for a while.

Then she spoke. "Forrest, what is your relationship with the one called Linwolse?"

Forrest eyed her. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure. Some of what I saw on the bridge, and some of the things Valencia said, lead me to think that something may be happening between you and Linwolse, and perhaps the others."

Forrest could see no point in hiding the truth from her; she would find out anyway.

"By Enonian custom, Linwolse and I were bonded. She chose me. But that was back on Earth, before I met you. In any case, it is over now."

"You--you slept with her?"

"Yes. It was expected. It was part of the role I was playing."

"And Eletel?"

"I had sex with her too, once."

"I see." She looked down at her drink.

"Lisa, do not feel jealousy. The Enonians have a very open and sharing attitude about sex. I had to play the part."

"I understand--did you enjoy it?"

"Lisa! Will you leave it alone? Yes, I enjoyed it. They are very good at it. But it was meaningless sex. And if my suspicions about them are true, there was less meaning than I thought at the time."

She studied him, showing some hurt on her face.

"Lisa, before we met, I was little more than an automaton carrying out a programmed plan. I had lost my wife, was cut off from my daughter, had lost everything that was important to me. But you changed all of that. Now what I do, I do for you, for us. I love you, and it is real. You are my future."

She smiled weakly. "I believe you, Forrest. And I love you, too."

Forrest finished his meal, and Lisa took the dishes and placed them in the autowash. She then rejoined him at the counter.

"You want a cup of coffee?"

"Yes, thank you."

She opened an overhead cabinet. "That's odd," she said.

"What?"

"There were six coffee cups. I washed them this morning. But there's only five here now."

Forrest looked at the coffee table in the main room. The cup sat on the table where he had left it in his (?) dream.

"It's on the coffee table, where I left it before I went to meet with Jerac," he said.

She looked. "Forrest, that was a dream. Serp told me we were asleep for two hours. You did not get up and leave."

"Then how did the cup get there?"

"I must be mistaken. I must have missed it when I was cleaning up."

"Was it there when the genoclones were here?"

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking of such things."

"Serp?"

"Yes, Forrest."

"The cup on the coffee table, how did it get there?"

"I do not know."

"You didn't see me put it there?"

"No,"

"Did you see anyone else put it there?"

"No. There must be a glitch in my memory. I will run diagnostics."

"Was it there when the genoclones were here?"

"No. It was not."

Forrest looked at Lisa. "It was more than a dream."

She looked frightened.

"Serp, where is Valencia?"

"Level zero, gravity generator bank, aft section."

Forrest pulled his communicator from his belt and punched in the security code, then Valencia's activation code.

"Valencia, here." There was a lot of static.

"Forrest, here. I can hardly hear you. I need you to come to Lisa's quarters immediately. Can you do that?"

"The electromagnetic fields here are causing noise. Your message broke up. Did you ask me to come to you?"

"Yes. Something has happened. I need your assistance. Do you read?"

"Yes, I will be there in a few minutes. Valencia out."

Forrest went to the sofa and sat in front of the mysterious cup. Lisa came and sat next to him.

"I'm afraid," she said.

"Me too. Something is very wrong here. I can't be sure what it is."

Lisa took his arm in hers and held his hand, laying her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence while waiting for Valencia. Forrest was deep in troubled thought.

The door opened. "What is it, Forrest?" Valencia asked, panting and sweating.

Forrest motioned for her to sit in the chair to their left.

"This cup. It shouldn't be here," he said.

She shook her head. "I don't understand."

He told her of his experience, the cup, and the meeting with the dead Jerac.

Valencia stared at him, concerned.

"Perhaps, you acted out part of your dream. Maybe you did get up, and place the cup on the table. But you were in a dream state."

"That is not possible," Forrest said.

"Why not?"

"Serp, introduce yourself to Valencia."

"Who is--"

"Hello, Valencia. My name is Serp."

She looked up at the ceiling speaker. "Hello," she said tentatively. She looked at Forrest. "Part of the computer system?"

"He is the computer system."

Forrest told her about Serp's creation, and the role he had been playing aboard the Forever.

"And you are convinced he is a living machine," she finished for him.

"I know he is. But at the moment that is besides the point. Serp was assigned the task of watching over Lisa while I was away. He maintains constant vigil. Everything that happens here is recorded in his memory."

"And he has no memory of you leaving to meet with Jerac?" Valencia said.

"That is correct. He also has no memory of how this cup got here."

"A glitch?"

"I have executed multiple diagnostics," Serp interjected. "I can find nothing out of order. There is no time period I cannot account for."

"How can this be possible?" Valencia asked Serp.

"I do not know."

"What do you think of this, Lisa?" she asked.

"I have no idea. I'm just confused and frightened," Lisa answered.

"As well you should be," Valencia said.

Forrest spoke. "I want you to enter my mind, Valencia. I want you to experience what happened to me. Maybe you will be able to see something I missed."

"I can only read emotions. I do not see thoughts or memories."

"You forget that I can project my thoughts to you."

"Of course. Okay, let's do it."

Forrest and Valencia closed their eyes. A moment passed, then Valencia's face cringed in terror.

"Stop it!" She cried.

Forrest opened his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. That is the most horrible thing I have ever seen. No wonder you were so upset."

"What do you make of it?"

"I'm not sure. The only dreams I have experienced are my own. I can say that this does not feel like a dream. But that does not mean much. I did notice that there was a moment of intensity, before you saw Jerac's face. I didn't quite catch it, but I did feel an emotion of discovery. Do you remember that?"

"Yes. That was when he told me he was a renderer. That made me remember the vision I had on the bridge. I still don't know what message was given to me. But there seems to be three key words: Susan, render, and purpose."

"What does it mean?" Lisa asked.

"I wish I knew," Forrest said to her.

"In the images I saw," Valencia continued, "you were backing away from Jerac. You then jumped into the shuttle, and told Serp to get you out of there."

"Yes."

"If that really happened, would Serp have a record of it?"

"Serp, check the--"

"I just did," Serp interrupted. "Transport records show that a shuttle left the thruster cylinder station an hour and seventeen minutes ago. The destination was lookout station one-thirty-five, east side. Fifteen minutes later, the shuttle returned to its starting point. And, yes, you did give the instructions Valencia noted."

"So I was there!" Forrest said.

"No. You were here. You were asleep." Serp said.

"But I did give you the instructions?"

"Yes."

"How? I could not have been in both places at once."

"I do not know. These events contradict my understanding of space and time."

"Superspace!" Lisa said, almost shouting.

"What?"

"We are in superspace. We are still in the bounce. Somehow--"

"Somehow," Forrest continued for her, "normal spacetime within the Forever is affected. The effect is subtle perhaps, but enough to create anomalies. We had not completed the calibration of the Nothingness Drive when we bounced. The shape must not be correct, and there is a merging of the two realities, at least in part. That's what the pulsing colors were about."

"You're getting over my head," Valencia said. "But I think it makes sense."

"It's the best theory we've got. But there are still a lot of unanswered questions," Forrest said.

"So, what do we do now?" she asked.

"Serp, search ship's records for any anomalies, and dump the results to the terminal here. And Serp, Valencia is one of us now. You are to respond to her commands, the same as Lisa and myself."

"Will do," Serp said.

"Thank you, Forrest," Valencia said.

Forrest took her communicator and made additional adjustments. "In secure areas, you can call Serp by name, and he will respond. Otherwise use the activation code, 8-3-6-1-4. That will give you a secure line to Serp. Don't let too many of your people know about Serp, at least not yet. If too many know, it will make it easier for the Enonians to discover him. Let Serp know what you are doing and he will erase data from the computer system to hide your activities."

"Understood. What are you going to do?"

"Arrange another meeting with Jerac."

"Is that wise?" Valencia asked.

"I need answers, and he might have them."

"Be careful."

"I will."

Valencia stood. "Your new quarters should be ready by day's end. They will not be complete, but livable. The sooner we get you and Lisa away from here the better."

"I agree."

"I'll contact you soon."

"Okay."

Valencia left the apartment.

"I don't want you to meet with Jerac," Lisa said.

Forrest looked at her. "I have to, Lisa."

"I'll come with you. I can hide in the shuttle with a blaster, just in case."

"Lisa, you know you can't do that. He will sense you. It's too dangerous."

"I'm afraid."

"Me too."

Forrest went to the console at the far side of the main room.

"Step aside, Lisa, so you will not be in view of the console camera."

He signaled the bridge.

Eletel's (normal) image appeared on the holoscreen.

"Forrest!" she said. "We have been worried about you. Where are you?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Listen, Forrest. We do not blame you for what happened to Anthony. It was not your fault. There is no way you could be responsible. Linwolse has been talking to Lasandra, and she understands you did not kill Anthony. She intends you no harm."

"Linwolse seemed to think I was someone else. She kept asking me who I was."

"That was a mistake. We have always been concerned that Pascanian agents might be on Earth watching us. But if that was true, we would have detected it long before now. It was the heat of the moment. Emotions were running high. Linwolse was just confused. She knows better now. She--we all--want you to come back to us."

"I will think about it. But now, I need to speak with Jerac."

Eletel looked hurt. "I will transfer you to his station. Please come back Forrest. I miss you."

The console display blanked for a moment, and Forrest felt the lust for Eletel building within him. She had taken his seed, and it was working. Images of her naked body filled his mind, and he wanted to touch her. He shook his head, trying to throw the thoughts away.

The display came to life.

"Forrest, you wish to speak with me?"

"Yes, Jerac. I want to arrange another meeting."

"Another meeting?"

"Yes. The same place as before."

"I am sorry, Forrest. I do not know of what you speak."

"You said we were brothers of the Mind, did you not?"

"I have always felt that you were of the Mind, but I do not remember saying those words."

"You told me that you were a renderer, and that I was an agent of the Mind."

Jerac gave him an astonished look. "How do you know about these things?"

"You told me."

"I have no memory of this--"

"Will you meet with me?"

"Yes, of course."

"Good. Come now, and come alone. Leave your weapon in the shuttle."

He killed the terminal connection.

"You did not tell him where," Lisa said.

"I'm betting he will find his way there."

Forrest stood and checked his blaster.

"I will be back as soon as I can," he said.

"Please be careful. I love you."

He kissed her warmly, and then left for the lookout station.

The shuttle pulled into the lookout station and stopped. The computer voice announced his destination, and the doors opened. Forrest searched the lookout platform--but this time there was no Jerac. He took his blaster out of the holster, and placed it on the back seat of the shuttle. He then exited the shuttle and went to the railing. The sight of the City gave him the same feeling it had in his previous (future?) meeting with Jerac.

Forrest waited. Several minutes passed, and he was beginning to wonder if perhaps Jerac would not be able to find his way here. But then a shuttle pulled into the station.

Forrest turned and saw Jerac approaching. He was alone, and his holster empty.

"What is this about, Forrest?"

"That's what I planned to ask you?"

Their eyes locked briefly, and then Jerac came to the railing.

"You say we have done this before?"

"Yes. Perhaps in another time and place. I'm not sure. But we have had this meeting before."

"You know things you should not know."

"Because you told me."

"What did I tell you?"

"You said the Mind sometimes places agents in universes for some purpose. And that you were a renderer whose function was to seek out and assist such agents. You also said that Anthony was such an agent and that his purpose had been fulfilled. You said that I was his replacement."

Jerac gave him a look of contempt. "Do not overrate yourself, New One. Do you think that you could replace Anthony? That the Mind would choose you?"

"Those were not my words, Jerac. They were yours."

"I have not spoken those words. Nor shall I ever." He returned his attention to the City below.

"Do you not think it is for your Mind to decide?"

Jerac turned to him, a look of anger. "If the situation were different, I would kill you for using Its name in such a blasphemous way. But the others would not tolerate it. I shall counter your claims by walking away from you."

He turned and headed back to his shuttle.

"Jerac, how did you know where to find me?" Forrest called after him.

"You told me this location," he answered, not stopping.

"No, Jerac, I did not."

Jerac stopped and turned to face him. "I clearly heard you tell me this location."

"Check your station log when you get back. You will find that I told you no such thing."

He gave Forrest a puzzled look, and then turned and walked away. Soon his shuttle was gone.

Forrest entered his own shuttle and punched in his return destination. He leaned back against the seat as the shuttle found it way through the transport tubes. He had not learned much. But he was convinced that Jerac had no knowledge of what the other Jerac had told him. He also suspected that the Enonians had not noticed any anomalous occurrences aboard the Forever.

The shuttle suddenly dove to the lower levels. Forrest looked at the display and the destination given was not the one he had entered. He punched in the correct coordinates, but the display did not change.

"Serp?"

"Yes, Forrest."

"What is happening?"

"You are going to the City."

"That is not the destination I entered. Why was it changed?"

"The log does not show a destination change. The destination is the one you entered."

"Serp! It is not what I entered. Change it to the thruster cylinder station."

"Will do."

The display, nor the course of the shuttle did not change.

"Serp?"

"I'm sorry, Forrest. I cannot override the destination. I'm locked out."

"How?"

"I do not know."

"Then find out!"

"I'm working on it."

The shuttle came out of the tunnel into the artificial sunlight. It traveled steadily for several minutes and then stopped. The doors opened. He was at the park where he and Eletel had first had sex.

"Serp?"

No answer.

"Shit. What is going on here?"

"Hello, Forrest."

The female voice came from the direction of the park. It was Eletel. She stood on the grass about ten meters from him--and she was naked. Forrest felt a sudden, desperate surge of lust. He climbed out of the shuttle and stood on the platform, looking down at Eletel.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"I wanted you."

"You brought me here?"

"Yes," she answered, smiling at him.

"Why?"

"I told you. I wanted you."

"For sex?"

"Yes, of course. Come to me."

Forrest looked at her breasts, her long smooth legs, and that magic place between her legs. And he could not stand it. Linwolse had been right. Her keepers were making him want her more than he had ever wanted anyone. Her mere presence was enough to control him. And her nakedness compounded the effect tenfold.

"Now is not a good time, Eletel," he said, trying to fight the prodigious desire.

"Now is always a good time," she argued. "Don't you want me?"

"Yes, Eletel I want you. But it is the--Linwolse told me about the seed taking."

Eletel laughed, her breasts bouncing up and down, driving Forrest crazy.

"I guess that was unfair of me," she said. "But I was desperate for you. I am desperate for you now. I wanted you to be desperate for me."

"Well, it worked, damn you."

Forrest jumped down off the platform and stood, absorbing her naked body with his eyes. He felt his organ filling with blood. He removed his jumpsuit as fast as he could, and stood naked in front of her. His organ was so hard it felt like it might pop out and fly away like a rocket. He was gone, no longer in charge of his actions, a man governed by lust alone. He was hers.

Eletel laughed again. Forrest approached her, but she turned and ran. He ran after her. She did not run far or fast, and he was soon upon her, leaping at her. He brought his arms around her and they fell to the ground. They rolled in the grass, kissing and touching each other, their naked bodies pressed together, flesh against flesh. In time they lay still, looking into each other's eyes as they stroked and fondled the most sensitive and private parts of each other's body.

"Aren't you glad I brought you here?" she asked.

"Yes. Very much yes!" Forrest answered, helplessly.

He pushed her over on her back and moved on top of her. He pushed his throbbing organ into her warm, sweet flesh. And his mind roared with concupiscence. She grasped him with the muscles of her vagina, much as she had done at the apartment. He stroked her gently at first, then built up speed as he felt them approaching mutual climax. She wailed with delight, and he was too busy to make any sound. He felt them approaching the brink and slowed, only to build up speed again. Finally he could contain himself no more, and he exploded into her, his mind hurling through universes not even superspace could contain.

And then it was over.

Forrest allowed himself to relax, his eyes closed, as he lay on top of Eletel's naked body. He was beginning to think that the seed taking was something he would want to repeat. Eletel could have his seed, demand sex of him, anytime she wanted.

He moved his arms around her, to pull her closer to him--but something did not feel right. Her usually firm flesh was too mushy and cold, and she stank, and pieces of her came off into his hands. He pushed himself up and looked at her--and he screamed.

Her flesh was rotting away, and her eyes had caved in. Maggots were crawling through her putrefying tissue. He jumped up. Parts of her flesh stuck to his body, oozing a vile colored fluid that ran down his body.

He stepped back, stammering incomprehensible sounds. She sat up and looked at him with dead, useless eyes.

"What is wrong?" she asked. But her flesh was so decayed, she could hardly make a sound--just air flapping dead tissue.

She stood and started toward him. Forrest turned and ran as hard as he could. But he was not looking where he was going, and promptly hit a tree, knocking himself unconscious.

The dead Eletel thing approached his prostrate form and looked down at him, laughing.