Night Skies Hotel XII: Humanity's Birthright II: The Antediluvian Age free porn video

Synopsis of the Night Skies Hotel Universe: Centuries ago, two world- spanning civilizations made first contact via technology that enabled access to multiple realities. Each civilization was unique in the sense that a single sex dominated it -- Terra's Patriarchy by males, and Gaia's Sisterhood by females. Gaia was the more artistic of the two, had closer links to nature and was more advanced than Terra in some of the sciences, such as biology and physics. Terra, on the other hand, had a cultural drive to explore and dominate other timelines, and excelled in a number of scientific fields, including spaceflight and computers. For a time, scientific and cultural exchanges were profitable for both sides, until a Gaian pathogen was inadvertently introduced into Terra's population and began turning males and females alike into females of Gaia's Sisterhood. The final straw came when the son of a powerful politician was infected. The Patriarchy conquered Gaia, but a remnant of the Sisterhood managed to escape the onslaught. The war has raged for centuries, with the Sisterhood's victories few and far between as the Patriarchy advances through the known timelines, drawing ever closer to Earth and its billions of unsuspecting inhabitants. But the Sisterhood doesn't give up easily and, using the pathogen to swell its ranks and its dimensional transport technology to remain hidden from its nemesis, devises plans to one day retake Gaia and stop the Patriarchy once and for all. *** Historian's note: This story takes place during the "prehistoric" era of the Night Skies Hotel Universe; specifically, in 12,300 BCE. *** "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." -- Cherokee Nation, Timeline 0600. *** Night Skies Hotel XII: Humanity's Birthright II: The Antediluvian Age By Solari CHAPTER III: DEATH'S DARK SHADOW The intruder tumbled end over end through the cold, star-spattered void, its pitted, cracked and cratered surface barely illuminated by the weak, eons-old light thrown off from distant suns. An iron-infused, potato- shaped chunk of rock never swept up by a growing planet or completely ejected from the star system during its birth, it and countless other leftover "building blocks" had orbited the parent star from far beyond the outermost world for more than four billion years. Now, for the first time in all those billions of years, the brilliance of the star system's primary eclipsed the wan light of the distant cosmos as the mountain-sized asteroid continued its centuries-long journey inward, hurtling past the last of the gas giants and a pair of terrestrial globes. Its surface erupted, jets of heated gas giving the intruder a gauzy appearance -- and altering its course ever so slightly. *** The rising Sol blazed across the eastern horizon, its fiery, golden disk splashing the wakening land with dazzling streamers of dancing light as it climbed into the morning sky, heralding a new day for Haven -- and shining upon a newborn infant, cradled in a woman's soft, long-fingered hands. "Today marks the beginning of a new era for Haven!" she boomed, thrusting the 2-month-old boy up toward Sol. "An era where Ticci Wiraqutra and --" The child's sudden wail interrupted Neera; she smiled radiantly as Arcee, standing next to her, cooed at the little one, her reassuring, melodious voice quieting her son's cries. "-- all who live in the Global Consensus need not fear the ravages of age or epidemics ever again." Neera gently lowered Ticci into Arcee's waiting arms. The child gripped his mother's index finger in a tiny, pudgy fist, his ocean-blue eyes focusing on Neera's open, friendly face. He gurgled, his little red mouth forming a spontaneous smile. Neera laughed, her warm, brown eyes dancing with delight. Turning to the crowd before the dais, her voice took on a formal tone. "It's taken three decades to reach this point," Neera began, "and while Ticci won't understand the importance of this moment for years to come, his initiation launches MedCore's most important program ever: Transcendence." The apex paused, allowing Arcee to nestle the cooing infant in the crook of her left arm. "Research that began when I was a gangly 10-year-old now bears fruit with Ticci -- and he's but the first of many," Neera stated. "Together, the billion people of the Consensus shall move forward into a bright future of youthful, centuries-long lives free of deadly diseases and the suffering they cause!" Immersing her hand into a small container brimming with a warm, clear, jelly like medium, Neera felt an electric tingle. Focusing on the sensation, she closed her eyes, waiting until it faded, then pulled her hand out, the jelly leaving no trace of itself on the appendage. Turning to Ticci, she waggled her index finger in the baby's face. He focused on it, transfixed by its now-glowing tip. Gently pressing her finger to the side of Ticci's neck, a series of unspoken commands entered the apex's mind: Deploy, she thought. Disseminate. Join. Enhance. Deactivate. Flush. Neera's hand crawled with a familiar electric sensation, its prickle swiftly flowing into her index finger, its glow intensifying, then leapt into Ticci -- eliciting a slight, startled gasp from him -- where it made a beeline into a carotid artery. "It's done," Neera stated matter-of-factly. Her gaze swept the expectant crowd. "As I speak, the nanites are adjusting Ticci's DNA to meet Transcendence protocols. Once finished, they will be neutralized and flushed from his body." "That's all there is to it?" a disbelieving voice from the audience asked. "It's really that simple?" "It's that simple," Neera affirmed. "The hard work was done in the lab." The apex tousled Ticci's short, dark hair amid an eruption of applause. He blinked once, yawned, then closed his eyes. "He'll sleep more soundly than usual for the next couple days or so," Neera explained to Arcee, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the crowd. "It's nothing to worry about; the nanites cause the sleepiness to help keep the patient relaxed while the body is acclimated to its enhanced DNA." Arcee nodded. "I can't thank you enough for this gift," she replied earnestly. "I'll see to it that Ticci lives a life that leaves the world a better place than it was when he came into it -- just as you're doing right now." "You honor me, but, really --" Neera chose her next words carefully, "-- my team and I, well, all we did was refine and finish three decades of work started by our predecessors. My only regret is that they couldn't be here to share this moment with us." Arcee tut-tutted. "I understand. But that does nothing to diminish your team's contributions." Her gaze turned briefly to the sea of humanity before her. It had quieted somewhat, with people milling about and dignitaries of varying importance giving interviews to journalists. "It's hard to imagine that there's other gatherings just like this one taking place right now across the globe." "What can I say? It's a historic moment," Neera offered, grinning. "You and Ticci are pioneers leading the way into a new era -- and will be remembered for millennia to come, thanks to the Oversoul." Arcee laughed. "If we're history-spanning pioneers, then that makes you and your team Luminaries-in-waiting, to be worshipped for all time!" Neera blushed, but before she could protest such a grand characterization, Arcee gestured toward a small cluster of journalists, who were patiently waiting to interview them. "Speaking of adulation, shall we?" "By all means." *** "What have we got, Baris?" "Object A-3E447's trajectory just shifted," the MilCore senior analyst reported tightly, her posture ramrod straight. The realtime hologram of an asteroid floated not more than a foot from her pale face, projected by a holodata feed linked to a long-range observation satellite. "It's slight, but --" "The outgassing has pushed it into Haven's gravity well," Daan Cyclus finished gravely, deciphering the hologram's damning data. Only one option was open to the magnus. "Go to Condition Alpha." Nodding, Baris closed her eyes, calling up a holosphere. A virtual command and data interface, it materialized instantly, its clear, bubble-like form encasing her head. Manipulating it by thought alone, Baris activated additional resources and, at the same time, alerted the entire LogosCore. In moments, hundreds of personnel shifted their attention from dozens of CITIring- and space-related initiatives to focus on a single priority: the destruction of Object A-3E447. Daan's now-amplified voice filled the cavernous command-and-control center. "We're facing a level one threat for the first time in a decade," he boomed. "Previous asteroids were neutralized with ease, and this time will be no different." He gestured. "You know the drill, ladies and gentlemen. Get to it." A burst of activity filled Centrum's LogosCore. Its oversize, monochromatic wallholos came alive with inputs from hundreds of individual holospheres. Daan glanced from stream to stream, his mind clicking as it took it all in: the asteroid's composition, its speed, its trajectory and much more. Flitting among and briefly touching the minds of his personnel, Daan felt a sense of pride, their intensity and professionalism a credit not only to themselves, but their civilization as well. Besides kicking the LogosCore into overdrive, initiating Condition Alpha automatically alerted most of Haven's population to the unfolding situation being tracked by the LogosCore, courtesy of the all- encompassing Oversoul. It was a policy, agreed to by the leaders of the Global Consensus ages ago, intended to save lives, despite the bedlam that sometimes resulted as citizens dropped everything and rushed for the shelter domes. Humanity is a tough, resourceful species, the magnus thought admiringly. We've had to be, considering the brutal nature of our icy cradle world and its rough-and-tumble cosmic neighborhood. An apparition coalesced into solidity next to Daan. "Now is not the time to shift your Pattern," the MilCore-class Beholder advised, its tone neutral. "Huh? What are you -- oh, I see." For the first time, the magnus noticed the slight, twin bulges pushing out from his uniform, and felt their increasing weight on his chest. Daan harrumphed. "It happens on occasion when I get ... distracted," he explained sheepishly. The androgynous Beholder nodded wordlessly as Daan reasserted his male Pattern, reversing the growth of his budding breasts. Male and female patterns were mostly beyond its ken, useful only to the extent that was necessary for the Oversoul's avatar to meet the goals of the Global Consensus. "I presume I've been summoned for a reason?" the silver-eyed entity inquired. "Yes. Link the Luminarium into Centrum's LogosCore," Daan ordered. "They need to be here for this." The Beholder's form brightened from within, revealing a small, yellow crystal suspended in a liquid-like energy matrix, as it zeroed in on the individual Luminaries and set itself up to act as a dedicated connection for their mirages. The arrangement allowed them access to the LogosCore, which otherwise wasn't accepting any type of incoming data -- unless it originated with its own feeds -- due to the extraordinary nature of the crisis its personnel were wrestling with. "It's done, magnus," the entity announced after a few moments. "Is there anything else?" Daan nodded. "Wish us luck. We might need it." *** "Project Transcendence works its ?magic' primarily, but not exclusively, through the DNA enhancement of chromosomal telomeres and mitochondria, which play critical roles in regulating the aging of and energy use by cells," Neera explained to the reporters. "While we haven't quite achieved physical immortality, Transcendence is a nice stepping stone toward that goal." A hand shot up. Seeing it, Neera nodded. "Yes, go ahead." "It was a tragedy when the apexes who spearheaded the project died 10 years ago in a lab accident," the reporter said, "but what was it like for you, thrust into a leadership role with no time to prepare?" Neera took a deep breath. "It was harrowing," she said. "I was still an adept then --" "One who showed great potential," the reporter interjected. "Yes. But, as I was saying, it was a disturbing experience -- one I never want to repeat," Neera said. "A lot of data was lost. Worse, two of the dead were my mentors: Tarn Osiris and Beit Oannes." "You found their bodies." Neera's lips thinned. "Some, but not all. The blast was so powerful --" Arcee offered Neera her hand, which the apex gratefully accepted "-- that there wasn't much left to find." She gave the reporter an accusing look. "Why are you asking me this? All it does is bring back painful memories." "My apologies, alpha apex," the reporter offered, his tone sincere. "I ask only because it was that incident which made you into the person you are today: the focused and driven individual who shepherded Project Transcendence through to success." He smiled. "If that's not a story worth telling, then I'm not a journalist." "I ... uh, I appreciate the sentiment," Neera said haltingly, momentarily caught off-guard by the unexpected direction the press conference had taken. "But, please, let's keep the focus on Transcendence. After all, it's what's going to make a real difference in the centuries to come, not me." Neera nodded at another reporter who had raised her hand. Uh-oh, the alpha apex thought, seeing the woman's irises aglow with a silverish light. I wonder how many millions of people are looking through her eyes at this very instant via the Oversoul? "How do you expect Ticci's life to change, now that his DNA has been enhanced?" The apex saw an opportunity to get Arcee involved in the news conference. "His mother is best-suited to answer that question," Neera said, stepping back and gesturing to the woman. She deserves to be recognized, Neera thought. Volunteers like her are a big reason we're where we are today. Arcee smiled sweetly at the reporter. "My newborn son's DNA is enhanced, yes, but he's still going to need a mother to love him, to feed him, to educate him and, of course, to change his diapers." Laughter rippled through the assembled journalists. Neera smiled and relaxed, grateful for the break from the incessant questioning, which had been going on for nearly 45 minutes. Arcee's dulcet voice, Ticci's occasional cries and the reporters' insatiable curiosity blurred together as time passed quickly. "Neera, your husband -- where is he? Why wasn't he here for this important event?" Hearing her name, the apex looked up, seeing Arcee giving the questioner a reproachful look. "I can handle this," Neera said quietly. Arcee hesitated, then nodded and stepped aside. This man, Neera thought, recognizing his slovenly, giant ground sloth- like form from previous encounters, isn't a real journalist, yet his actions tarnish their reputations. It's a sad state of affairs. Aloud, "Tomos is attending a Project Transcendence unveiling in Themiscyra. You see, the project is intended to benefit everyone in the Global Consensus, emphasis on the word global." She sniffed. "You, kind sir, might not realize it, but there is a world beyond the walls of Calypso." Undaunted, the irritating reporter forged ahead. "Is it true he's filing for divorce?" "Huh? Where did you hear that from?" "What about the rumors regarding your relatives? Have they really severed ties with you? Are you the black sheep of the otherwise respected Mindaro Clan?" "This has absolutely nothing to do with Transcendence." "On the contrary, alpha apex, it has everything to do with the project," the reporter insisted, ignoring the poisonous looks from his peers. "Was Transcendence worth alienating your husband and clan over? Data can be replaced, but mentors and loved ones cannot --" "That's enough." Outwardly, Neera remained cool and collected. Inside, however, she boiled with fury. Keep a lid on it, she admonished herself. Don't give him the satisfaction of seeing you lose your temper in front of a global audience. "Your questions might have merit, were they based anywhere close to reality. Since they aren't, I won't dignify them with answers." The man opened his mouth, but his silver-eyed colleague beat him to the punch. "Perhaps this is a question more suited to philosophers," she began, "but once Transcendence inoculations are finished in a decade's time, what sort of change can we expect to see?" "I suspect the magnitude of the adjustment will be equal to when the Oversoul was first activated 900 years ago," Neera said confidently, eliciting surprised murmurs among the journalists. "Consider the state of the world back then: Brutal warfare had consolidated Haven's nations into five empires -- Atlantis, Lemuria, Mu, Tal Kyrte and Tantalis. Horrible scars riddled our cradle world, suspicions ran deep and an arms race in space loomed. "That all started changing the moment the Oversoul came online," Neera continued enthusiastically. I might have made a good philosopher, she thought. Oh, well. Maybe in another lifetime. "At first, very few people had the ability to link with it, to use it, to store their experiences within it -- to connect with others, regardless of their empire's borders, their clan's status or what they looked like." She paused, her audience rapt -- even Mr. Slovenly Giant Ground Sloth. "Within 25 years, a group calling itself the Consensus appeared. Already numbering in the tens of millions, its adherents utilized the Oversoul to overcome the old human divisions of nationalities, ethnicities, sexes, religions and so on. They believed in humanity, period." Neera paused for effect. "Their ranks kept growing by leaps and bounds, and, 75 years later, they virtually were humanity. And so, the Consensus became the Global Consensus, and the world you know today -- peaceful and progressive -- was born." The alpha apex chuckled. "That, my friends, is the sort of change Project Transcendence represents." *** Moving out of Haven's planetary shadow, the massive Protector Arrays glinted, their O-shaped, gunmetal gray surfaces lined with hundreds of hexagonal cells, each containing an energy emitter. At the center of every array was a gigantic blue-veined, black Elemental crystal. A dozen of the hulking, miles-wide arrays moved serenely into place, emitters powering up as the Elemental crystals came to life, drawing in writhing, twisting filaments of invisible dark energy. "Protector Arrays one through 12 are in position to neutralize Object A- 3E447," Baris announced. The LogosCore grew even more frenetic with activity. "We're energizing defensive systems." "Excellent." Daan gripped the senior analyst's shoulder. "Have faith. I know we can do this." Stepping back, the magnus rejoined the Luminaries. Seven of the 12 men and women who governed the Global Consensus stood in Centrum's command- and-control center, their eyes locked on the streams of data flickering across the wallholos -- numbers, images, diagrams, equations and much more, moving so fast that, if it weren't for their picoparticle-enhanced minds, they wouldn't be able to make heads or tails of it. "We estimate it will take a dozen, precisely calculated barrages to completely break up the asteroid," Daan informed his august superiors. Not that they didn't already know that, he added silently, judging from the sort of attention they've been giving to the data-rich wallholos. "The increasing frequency of these incursions concerns us." The words came from Idra, a Luminary known for her outspokenness. The blazing halo of green light surrounding Idra's head intensified as her mirage turned toward the magnus. "The trend has been worsening for some time now." "The MilCore won't fail the Consensus again," the magnus replied. "The Protector Arrays have performed admirably since being raised 200 years ago, and that's not going to change now." Idra nodded. "Good. We don't need another disaster on top of the Cedrux and Alamanti incidents," she said, her gold- and silver-shot blue eyes holding Daan captive. "That said, the MilCore can expect the arrays to be further reinforced in the years to come, and not just for Haven and the Moon, but also for Mars and Imbrium." "With all due respect, ma'am, this is news to me," Daan said, puzzled by the Luminaries' apparent focus on concerns other than the incoming, Mount Everest-sized asteroid. "How --" Baris cut him off. "We're opening fire ... NOW." *** "Please, folks, no more autograph requests," Neera announced, signing a local dignitary's embossed invitation to the Transcendence unveiling. "My wrist hurts and the pen's just about dry." The alpha apex hadn't been able to resist a young man's request for her signature at the end of the news conference an hour ago. Word spread fast and, before Neera or Arcee knew it, both were giving out signatures left and right. They reveled in the novelty of signing various items, something that entertainers and athletes were more used to than, say, apexes and young mothers. "Wow! That's something you don't get to experience every day," Arcee said, walking beside Neera while pushing a dozing Ticci along in a hoverstroller. "I felt like a sonicball star there for a while!" "Hmpfh. I never felt empathy for athletes and celebrities -- until now," Neera groused good-naturedly. "If this is what fame is like, they can keep it." The women neared the periphery of Druis University, their destination coming into view: a tubetrain station. Kept centered within the translucent, airless tubes by powerful maglev-type technology, trains could zip along at incredible speeds -- up to 700 miles per hour -- unimpeded by atmospheric resistance. Tubetrain networks linked the peoples and cities of the Global Consensus, crossing all manner of terrain -- including oceans and, rarely, even the desolate, forbidding ice sheets. "Too late. The genie's out of the bottle," Arcee said teasingly. "I guess so," Neera admitted. "But at least I can hole up in a lab whenever I want." She leaned down and gently tickled Ticci's button nose. Sleeping soundly, he didn't budge. "By the way, if you ever need a break from your newfound fame, just give Tomos and I a heads-up. We keep a ?home away from home' in Australia that's far from the prying eyes of civilization." Her eyes twinkled. "After all, living year-round in the hustle and bustle of Calypso and Triton is never a good recipe for relaxation." Arcee grinned. "I'll definitely keep it in mind," she laughed, "but I probably won't need to take you up on it until Ticci enters his terrible twos." "Ah, yes, the terrible twos," Neera agreed. "Not that I would know anything about them, since Tomos and I haven't really had time to -- uh, well, you know." "Don't worry. You're not missing out on much," Arcee joked, winking. The women reached the tubetrain station. "Well, I guess this is where we part ways. It was a pleasure working with you and your Project Transcendence colleagues. These months have gone by in a blur." Neera hugged Arcee. "We'll be in touch," she whispered. "And not just because we'll need to see Ticci to ensure the procedure was successful." "I look forward to it. As for success ... well, I know all about the work that went on behind the scenes getting ready for today's public unveilings." She patted Neera reassuringly. "It won't be for naught." With that, Arcee bade Neera farewell. The alpha apex watched her form diminish into the distance, then slumped onto a cushioned bench, which automatically fit itself to the apex's contours. Time passed and crowds bustled around her, but Neera remained very much alone. Tomos wasn't due back from Themiscyra until tomorrow, while the labs, which Neera thought of as her second home, were closed for the rest of the week -- Not that I'd be able to accomplish much in the way of actual work, the apex thought, what with half the staff gallivanting about the world on Transcendence-related business -- and her clan, well, her clan was ... "Neera?" The apex looked up. "Arcee?!" she gasped incredulously. "What are you still doing here? Your tubetrain left two hours ago!" "I missed it -- deliberately." The young woman sat down next to Neera. Lifting a flap in her top, she bared a breast and brought Ticci's tiny, red mouth to its pink nipple. Now wide awake, he nursed quietly. "I took the liberty to, uh, observe you from afar," she said softly. Neera started to protest, but Arcee held up a hand. "For someone who's supposed to be atop the world right now, you sure didn't look happy. And, while I'm not great at reading emotions, I'm sure I saw you near tears at least once." She gave Neera a penetrating look, the question obvious in her expressive, purple eyes. "Why?" The apex held Arcee's gaze. Ticci couldn't have a better mother, she thought affectionately. She's one in a million -- a kind, caring and giving person who's blessed with a special child and a close-knit clan. Neera sighed. Oh, there are times I wish I could trade lives with her. "That reporter was half right." "Which one? The slovenly guy who looked like a giant ground sloth?" Neera nodded. "Tomos and I are close, but the same can't be said for my brothers and sisters. We've drifted apart since our parents passed on 12 years ago. It's not that we don't get along ... it's just that our lives have taken us in different directions. We're all over the place -- from here to Tantalis to the Uncivilized Lands to Mars ... even Imbrium, where a brother is mining crystals for MerxCore." The apex looked away, her rich brown eyes glimmering. Turning back to Arcee, she added, "I've managed to stay fairly close to Averi, one of my younger sisters, but she's been on a Lightbringing Mission in the Uncivilized Lands west of Calypso for more than a year now." Neera sighed. "Her son, Galen, he's so mature for his age, living pretty much on his own in their Tiahuanaco household. But I worry about him -- you see, he's an omnisex who's fast approaching Second Puberty." "He's in for a roller coaster of a ride," Arcee said, nodding knowingly. "A lot of people remember their First Puberty as a pain in the butt. Those who've experienced Second Puberty know better. It makes the first time around look like child's play." "That it does," Neera agreed. "Averi wants to physically be with Galen when it begins because it's just not the same doing it virtually via the Oversoul. Unfortunately, her Lightbringing group is running behind schedule in its efforts to assist the A'sazi Clan." "Hmm. Well, why not tell her you're available? I'm sure you've earned some time off from the project." "I have," Neera acknowledged. "And I've talked to her about staying with Galen ..." "What did she have to say?" "She liked the idea, but was noncommittal." Seeing Arcee frown, Neera quickly continued. "I don't blame her -- after all, this is Galen's Second Puberty we're talking about. It's a very intimate event, one that's usually off-limits to outsiders. She feels very strongly about being there for her only child." A smile replaced Arcee's frown. "It's a mother thing." "I imagine so. Anyway, Averi finally made up her mind and contacted me the other day -- I'll be catching a tubetrain to Tiahuanaco tomorrow night." "So she couldn't make it? Damn. Lightbringing Mission or not, some things ..." Neera held up her hands. "No. Averi's still coming, but apparently Galen is, and understandably so, a bit nervous. I'm just going to keep him company for a while, help prepare him for what's to come." "Galen is fortunate to have a mother like Averi ... and an aunt like you. I'm sure things will turn out --" Arcee stuttered to a halt and stared blankly at Neera as, within her mind, the Oversoul overrode her thoughts and flashed a dire warning -- a warning that also hammered Neera and everyone else with its impossible- to-ignore intensity. Not more than an instant later, Arcee shook her head and blinked, still digesting the seemingly impossible. "An asteroid ... it ... it's coming right at the planet," she muttered weakly, her grip on Ticci tightening. Neera's breath caught in her throat. She stood, grabbing her friend. "C'mon, we've got to get to the campus shelter dome." Others hurried by, clearly thinking the same thing, but Arcee didn't budge. It was almost as if she were in her own little world. Arcee paled, her face suddenly looking drawn. "No. Not now. Not after Transcendence ..." "We'll be safe in the dome," Neera said confidently. "But we've got to get there, first." The apex beckoned to Arcee with an outstretched hand. "This isn't the end of the world. It's probably no bigger than a Peapod and will hit the ocean or ice sheets, if it gets through at all. We're going to be fine." "You know how to inspire trust in a person," Arcee said, finally shaking off her stupor and accepting Neera's proffered hand. "Let's get moving." "I'm not the only one, you know," Neera said a few minutes later as the pair, with Arcee carrying a sleepy Ticci, hurried toward the university's shelter dome. Seeing Arcee's querying look, the apex grinned. "You're good at getting people to open up -- including me. That's something that requires genuineness, which you have in spades!" Arcee parted her lips to respond, but a glint of light distracted the young woman. Looking up, her jaw fell open in surprise. "Is that what I think it is?" "What?" Neera followed Arcee's gaze. The apex's face registered shock as, far overhead, bold lines of violet fire stabbed silently across the blue-white sky. "It's the Protector Arrays -- they're firing!" Neera murmured disbelievingly. More shimmering, violet streaks of energy erupted in the wake of the first volley. Her face clouded, the ramifications becoming terribly clear. "They're not screwing around. The asteroid ... it must be a big one." More violet lines streaked across the sky. The hustle and bustle of the rushing crowd gave way to knowing silence as people arrived at the shelter dome and spared a moment or two to look up in dismay at the spectacle unfolding above their heads -- a stark reminder that, Transcendence or not, humans were still all-too-susceptible to nature's whims. Ticci's scream shattered the unnatural stillness. *** Dozens of thick, pulsating lines of violet light converged on the asteroid, whipping at it, strengthening in intensity as the intruder's outgassing veered it deeper into Haven's gravity well. The intense, bluish-purple light quickly ate away at its stony surface, converting it into harmless energy that bled off in a spectacular, comet-like tail from the now-rapidly dissipating celestial wanderer. "Excellent. At this rate, it's not going to pose a threat for much longer," Daan noted. The seven Luminaries hovered expectantly around him. "Three more barrages should do the trick. Anything that's left will burn up in --" He swore, seeing new data flowing across a wallholo. "A metallic core? Damnit." Hurtling past the Moon, Haven's sole natural satellite, the asteroid gleamed, its newly revealed, football stadium-sized heart of dense iron and other heavy metals polished by the violet light. Daan jabbed a gloved finger at Baris. "Have Protector Arrays one through three fire at maximum capacity." He saw her fearful look. "Yes, I know we risk shattering it! But if it stays as is, it'll hit Haven with enough power to obliterate life on half a continent!" Scowling, Daan turned to the Beholder. "The scans showed rock, some light metals, a bit of ice and a negligible iron core. How could we have missed a solid metal core?!" "Imperfect results were a consequence of having mere hours to ascertain its composition," the entity stated. "Prior to that, its trajectory was taking it safely past the cradle world." "In other words, we were screwed by a quirk of fate." Daan took a deep breath. "Baris! Project a potential atmospheric entry point and impact zone." "It's being done as we speak." Approaching Haven's heavily populated equatorial CITIrings, the chunk of iron ran headlong into a wall of ravening violet energy, the Protector Arrays redoubling their efforts to destroy the unwanted visitor. Once again it shed mass -- but it wasn't enough. A 520-foot-wide chunk of metal dived past the screen of arrays, smashing through one of them and careening past the Centrum CITIring, Haven's relentless gravity dragging it into a terminal plunge that could only end badly for all involved. "Son-of-a-bitch!" Daan whirled on Baris, a sudden, shocked silence descending like a wet blanket among the hundreds of LogosCore staffers. "Well?!" "Haven's atmosphere will crush the asteroid's remaining mass," she reported, her face distorted slightly by the holosphere. "The remainder will impact in broken condition at gridpoint 14Xn47Y." Daan's taut, perspiration-soaked face relaxed slightly. "14Xn47Y? That's pretty remote territory. About the only people living there are a smattering of Uncivilized barbaroi." A wallholo cleared, then filled with an image of Haven, haloed by a twin pairs of polar and equatorial CITIrings. Vast areas of the cradle world, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, were buried beneath thick sheets of snow, ice and flowing glaciers. The image shifted, zooming in on a bright ball of cosmic fire just now streaking into the ozone layer. Idra's mirage spoke. "It's better the people there don't know what's about to happen," the Luminary said, regret tinging her words. "This truly is a case where ignorance is bliss." *** "Neera!" It was Arcee, standing in the entrance to an imposing, solidly built geodesic sphere half buried in the ground, holding a still-wailing Ticci. "Come on! They're sealing the shelter dome!" I must have a death wish, Neera thought, waving her off. "I ... I need to see this!" "Are you INSANE?!" Arcee shouted. "That thing's coming down near --" her words were cut off as the dome's circular entrance puckered shut, then disappeared behind a protective layer of picomaterial. Inside the dome, Arcee whirled on its Beholder. "Let me get her! I beg of you! PLEASE!!" The entity shook its head. "I cannot allow that," it said. "Too many other lives are at stake. Alpha Apex Neera Mindaro made her choice. Now she must live with it." "If she lives, you mean." Hot tears slicked Arcee's cheeks as she tried to comfort Ticci. "If she lives ..." Outside, Neera found herself alone on the wide-open campus green of her alma mater, Druis University, scanning the sky, seizing on a fast- moving, blood-red dot in the distance. Heedless to the danger it represented, the apex craned her neck, shielding her eyes as, in a matter of seconds, it grew in size and intensity. The now-immense fireball streaked by silently far overhead, faster than the speed of sound, outshining Sol's late morning light as it arced toward the western horizon at a 45-degree angle. The silence gave way to a series of grumbling, growling sonic booms racing in its wake. She tracked the meteor as far as she could, watching it vanish into the west, holding her breath, then -- A flash of light speared the sky in the far distance, instantly followed by a mushrooming dome of celestial fire rising silently into the heavens, its otherworldly beauty masking a ruinous origin. "Impact," Neera whispered reverentially. "It can't be more than a couple hundred miles away at --" WHOOSH! A churning wall of wind and grit roared across campus, its howling 80- mph gusts ripping at Neera's clothes and hurling her to the ground, which itself began convulsing and quaking, cracks appearing and tearing the ground asunder as a seismic shock wave arrived on the coattails of the air blasts. "Essence!" Neera screamed amid the tumult, her senses disoriented as she struggled to reach the relative safety of the buildings lining the campus green, her spur-of-the-moment scientific curiosity blown away by the chaos. The ground heaved again, cleaved by a new crevice that snaked its way toward the stumbling apex. Her eyes turned saucer-like. "NO!" she howled. "This isn't -- AUGH!" A bolt of mind-searing pain blossomed within her, engulfing her as she fell into a Stygian darkness. *** CHAPTER IV: FOREVER MISSED *** "Object A-3E447 began breaking up in the atmosphere at an altitude of about 82,600 feet," Baris reported, a slight quaver in her voice. "Atmospheric crushing failed to disperse the fragments, which impacted shortly thereafter at gridpoint 14Xn47Y." "What are site conditions like?" Baris regarded Daan, who stared numbly at wallholos filled with newsfeeds. "Sir," she began tentatively, "the information is right there in front of you. You can ..." "What are the conditions at the site?" the magnus repeated. My fault. It's all my fault. I failed. I failed! Baris sighed. "Preliminary reports indicate the presence of a crater, roughly 1.8 miles wide and hundreds of feet deep," she dutifully reported. "There's a 180-mile-wide radius of destruction, with the worst of the damage in a 60-mile-wide zone immediately surrounding the crater." "Casualties?" "Information is just starting to filter in, but authorities in Calypso - - a major city just inside the impact's outer blast zone -- are already reporting hundreds of casualties, including dozens killed." Daan's shoulders sagged. "Essence," he whispered, recalling the morning headlines. "Calypso was the site of a Project Transcendence unveiling. A lot of important people would have been there. Consensus officials. Apexes. Other dignitaries." "Most of the city, sir," Baris offered, "was spared major damage due in part to its sturdy construction." The magnus nodded. "I'll be sure to tell that to the friends and loved ones of the dead and wounded." Baris started to protest, but Daan had already turned away from her, knowing full well she had only been trying to make him feel better. Calypso, after all, was home to nearly 400,000 people. "My failure as a magnus has resulted in unnecessary injuries and deaths," he told the seven Luminaries around him. "I accept full responsibility, and will turn in my resignation by the end of the day." "Observe." It was Idra. She pointed to the wallholos, as did the other Luminaries. Daan followed their gestures -- and a lump formed in his throat as scenes of utter destruction unfolded before him. Plumes of steam and gases rose from a blackened crater, emitted by pools of red-hot lava bubbling up through the lens of shattered bedrock underlying the crater floor. The image pulled back, revealing a scorched, lifeless landscape of heaved, cracked ground around the crater and, beyond that, vast areas of flattened and shredded trees. A layer of fine, glass-like, lung-shredding gray and black ash coated everything. Another view came up on a wallholo, this time as literally seen through the eyes of a journalist linked to the world via the Oversoul. The man stood on a bluff overlooking a heavily wooded valley far below him -- a rich, old-stand forest quickly being reduced to cinders by the firestorm chewing through it, its flames licking hungrily at the thick-trunked pine trees, which seemingly exploded upon contact. Daan listened to the reporter's words: "This meteor-induced firestorm is the final nail in the coffin for the Orkos Keepsake Forest," he was saying. "Decades of unusually dry conditions associated with North America's ice sheets, combined with widespread beetle infestations, had already weakened ..." Finally, scenes from Calypso streamed onto a wallholo. The westernmost metropolis of the old Atlantean Empire, its golden spires dominated a city landscape of squat, multi-hued residential domes, high-rise commerce towers, utilitarian industrial cubes -- and its crown jewel: Druis University, a vast, vibrant green swath of land dotted by dozens of organic, creative buildings. The city almost appeared normal, except for the tortured-looking land in and around the university campus and the grayish-black pall of meteor ejecta still swirling above the city, falling in a steady rain that coated everything. Emergency vehicles and personnel were moving about, kicking up clouds of gray-black grit as they checked Calypso's infrastructure and tended to the dead and wounded. "The Luminarium is not yet finished with you, Magnus Daan Cyclus," Idra pronounced, interrupting the parade of never-ending destruction. "Your resignation is summarily rejected." Daan, his head bowed, looked up, astounded. "Did I hear you correctly, Luminary?" "You did," Idra affirmed. "Be assured, magnus, that the origins of this disaster extend far beyond the walls of Centrum's LogosCore." Her green halo turned crimson. "You will be hearing from us again." And then the Luminaries vanished, their mirages dissipating into nothingness. *** "She couldn't have gone far," Arcee said, leading a group of CareCore responders onto the heaved and cracked campus green. "The dome's only a few blocks away, and she would have had to ..." (((Is anybody there? Help me. Please ...))) The words came unbidden into Arcee's mind. "Did you hear that?" she asked the others, scanning the broken and jumbled ground around her. They nodded. "She's using the Oversoul to reach out to us!" Knowing time was of the essence, Arcee took a mental snapshot of her surroundings. Focusing on Neera's image and name, she fired it off. (((Neera!))) the young woman called out into the Oversoul. (((Can you tell us where you are in relation to the information I just sent you?))) No words came ... but a vague, faint image did: There wasn't much to see, except for darkness -- and the branches of a fallen tree partially obscuring a strip of leaden sky. Arcee shuddered. "I think she's in a crevice!" the young mother shouted, deciphering what she saw in her mind and sharing it with the CareCore responders. "We're coming, Neera! Hang on, damnit!" *** Neera's eyes fluttered open, revealing a fuzzy, abstract world. A face appeared. She lifted a hand, reaching for its blurry features, but another's hand enclosed her own, laying it across her belly. "Just rest, OK?" a masculine voice said soothingly. Neera started, recognizing its deep pitch and rich timbre. "You had a close call yesterday." A pause. "I ... I could have lost you, beloved." Neera's vision cleared for a moment, before clouding again with tears. "Tomos," she whispered haltingly. "Oh, Essence, it's you, Tomos!" Her husband smiled, his craggy, tanned face, shock of untamed, straw- colored blond hair and gray-blue eyes a welcome sight. "I got here as fast as I could," he said gently. "Arcee was waiting for me last night at the tubetrain station and told me everything. You were found wedged deep in a crevice." Tomos gestured and stepped aside. Arcee leaned into Neera's field of vision. The alpha apex smiled through her tears and pain. "I can't thank you enough," she said. "I --" a fit of coughing cut Neera off. "Words aren't necessary," Arcee said reassuringly. "Besides, it was the least I could do after you gave Ticci the gift of Transcendence." "How ... how is he?" "He's fine. Some of my clan sisters are watching him while I'm here." Arcee smiled. "Now, I meant it when I said no words. Your doctor says you breathed in a lot of grit, and that it's damaged your lungs. You're also suffering from some cuts and contusions." Arcee gently hugged Neera, then stepped over to Tomos and patted him on the shoulder. "My tubetrain leaves in an hour," she said softly, "and this is one I really can't miss. If you need me --" "-- we know where to find you," Tomos finished, smiling. "Your selflessness won't soon be forgotten." Arcee inclined her head, gave Neera a lingering look, then left, the entrance sealing itself behind her. Tomos took a seat at the foot of his wife's bed. This is where I'm staying until I can take her home, he thought. Our Project Transcendence colleagues are more than capable of working on their own without us having to ride shotgun over them. He glanced over at Neera. Good, he thought, she's dozing. I'm going to hold off on telling her everything she needs to know until she's rested and recuperated. He sighed. She'll need her strength. *** "We're making progress, Galen," a disheveled-looking Averi said. "But you know how it works with a Lightbringing Mission -- they always save the hard stuff for last." "Do you expect anything less from a government-run program?" Averi laughed. "You're too young to be so jaded, kiddo," she teased. Quirking an eyebrow, she asked, "Now, why don't you tell me the real reason behind your call. I doubt it's about government policies." Galen fidgeted. "It's this whole Second Puberty thing. I'm just a little worried about it, that's all." Concern creased Averi's face. "It hasn't started, has it? Because if it has, I'm dropping --" "No!" the teenager blurted. He took a deep breath, then, more quietly, "No, it hasn't." Averi regarded him, a bemused look on her face. "Don't think you can hide the truth from me, beloved child of mine," Averi chided. "For starters, your voice is a dead giveaway -- it's cracking. It hasn't done that since your First Puberty ended three years ago." Galen sighed. "OK. Yes, it's started," he admitted, no longer attempting to conceal his voice's gradually rising pitch. "It's impossible to keep these sorts of things from you, isn't it?" "I wouldn't be a mother if I were so easily fooled." "Well, it's changing fast. At this rate, I'm going to wind up singing soprano in a month or so." "You can thank your late father's subclan for that. Voice changes always heralded the start of Second Puberty for their omnisexes." Galen rolled his eyes. "I feel so special." "You and one-third of humanity," Averi chuckled. She stood, pulling off her heavy, brown work gloves. "Well, that cinches it: I'm coming home. I promised I'd be there for you, and that's that." "What about the A'sazi Clan? You made a promise to them, too, didn't you?" "You're my only child -- your welfare means everything to me." Galen blushed. "They need those wells and irrigation channels more than I need you, at least for now," he argued. "Besides, from what I've read, I've still got a couple of months before the really big changes begin." There was a pause. "Y'know. Internal plumbing. Uh, external stuff. Things like that." Averi eyed her son. "You sure about this?" He nodded. "Hmm. Well, OK, then. I am, however, going to let Neera know about your situation." "Isn't she busy with that project of hers?" "Yes, but she's also offered to be there for you if I couldn't make it," Averi explained. "Well, I'm going to come. But until then, she's going to keep you company." Her eyes danced. "I just know you two are going to have a blast together. Essence knows, my sister's the life of the party!" "Uh-huh. Right. And I'm a Luminary." Mother and son burst into laughter. Neera was one of those strait-laced types who focused entirely too much on their work, but the pair also knew she was a kind, sincere sister and doting aunt when she wasn't stuck in her oh-so-serious apex mode. "When will she arrive?" Galen eagerly inquired. Neera was like a second mother to him. Averi shrugged. "No more than a few days, I hope," she said. "But first, I've got to tell her. I'll do that once I have the crew working on the well project." She put her gloves back on. "Speaking of which, they're probably waiting for me, so I better get moving." She grinned. "I love you, baby boy." "I love you too, momma." *** Silence filled the dome. Outside, a mournful wind whispered hollowly, the dwindling light of a setting Sol refracting off dust suspended high in the atmosphere, creating a spectacular, colorful sunset. "Replay memoria," a choked, cracking voice commanded, its owner hidden in the shadows. "We're making progress ..." *** "You're good as new, Alpha Apex Neera Mindaro," the white-coated MedCore physician formally pronounced, closing the holochart displaying Neera's medical information. "It's amazing what nanites can do when given the delicate task of repairing the human body." "It sure is," Neera agreed, wincing slightly as Tomos helped her off the bed. "Without them, I'd still be in pretty bad shape." "Very much so," the physician agreed. "The crud in your lungs would have been nigh impossible to remove without them. To be brutally honest, you probably would have suffered a years-long, irreversible decline, then died. Not even Transcendence could save you from that terrible fate." Tomos raised his eyebrows. "Praise be to nanite medicine. Now, will there be anything else?" The physician glowered. "Yes. Neera, if there's a meteor heading in your direction, don't pass up the shelter dome next time. Giant, blazing space rocks aren't things to be screwing around with!" "It was a chunk of metal, not rock," Tomos corrected, in a ham-handed attempt at humor. "Metal or rock, it doesn't matter: You still wind up in a world of hurt," the physician retorted. With that, the imperious, silver-maned man stalked out, but not before looking back and issuing a final warning. "You just used up eight of your nine lives, Neera. You must tread more carefully from now on, apex." "Words of wisdom, I suppose," Tomos admitted, watching the physician's retreating form, "but why does Dr. Cottle always have to be so crotchety about it?" Neera grinned. "You know how he is. His bedside manners leave something to be desired, but he's been of great help to the Mindaro Clan for years." Her grin turned sly. "Besides, he was my childhood physician. This isn't the first time he's had to help heal me after I got caught up in the moment." She tottered toward the room's entrance, which was festooned with blue, yellow and red flowers from her Transcendence coworkers. "Let's go, beloved," she said. "I need to pack for the trip to Averi's --" "Neera?" She turned to Tomos. "Yes, dear, what is it?" He sighed heavily. "Beloved, there's no easy way to break this to you -- " he came over and wrapped his arms around her "-- so I'll just come right out and say it: Averi's dead." Neera's legs gave out. Tomos held her close. "When? How?" "Four days ago." Neera's eyes widened. "The meteor strike?" "No. Trevi was spared the worst of the impact's fallout." Tomos drew in a deep breath. "From what I was told by members of her Lightbringing Mission, Averi was helping with a well when she complained of a terrible headache. Moments later, she collapsed. They tried to revive her, but couldn't." A sickening sensation filled Neera's gut. She zoned out, remembering how her fear had spiked when the wall of wind had hurled her into the ground, how she had screamed in sheer terror when the land began convulsing beneath her. How she had projected uncontrollably into the Oversoul. And how, an instant later, a bolt of mind-searing pain had blossomed within her, followed by ... nothingness. "The coroner said it was a brain aneurysm," Tomos finished. He saw his wife's glazed look. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, beloved," he said gently, "but you were still recovering. I didn't want to burden you with the traumatic news before I absolutely had to. I was afraid it --" "I killed her." "Huh?" "I killed her," Neera repeated, sliding heavily into an overstuffed chair. "Oh, Essence, I killed my youngest sister!" "That's nonsense! You were --" "You don't understand. I was scared. I ..." Neera told him everything. "I did it. It wasn't intentional, but that doesn't matter." She sobbed. "My idiocy took Averi's life -- and now Galen's parentless!" "No, you didn't," Tomos declared. "The coroner said the aneurysm was congenital in nature." "And I triggered it!" "I --" Tomos was at a loss for words. There had been considerable debate over the centuries just how much influence the Oversoul-linked population of the Global Consensus had on each other, but there were no solid answers. Safeguards similar to the ones used to keep individuals' interactions with the Oversoul within reasonable parameters were also used to keep people safe from one another. Still, rumors surfaced from time to time. Tomos sat down beside his inconsolable partner and lover. I vowed to support her in good times and bad 14 years ago during our Convergence, he reflected. And that's a promise I intend to keep. *** Galen closed his eyes, focusing once again on his connection to the Oversoul, calling up the memoria he had stored within the entity for safekeeping. Having watched it repeatedly for four days now, he'd committed every detail to memory. Still, it wasn't enough. Replay memoria again, he thought. Averi's mirage materialized before her teenage omnisex. She appeared disheveled and wore heavy work gloves and soiled coveralls, but her mouth was upturned in a grin, its dazzling smile a bright contrast to her otherwise grimy features. Galen stared at her, unblinking and unflinching, his mouth working silently. He sank deeper into the armchair, his thoughts focused solely on her. "I ... miss you ... mother," he finally hiccuped, his voice quavering. "Oh, how ... I miss ... you." Unshed tears glimmered in his eyes. "I wish ... I ... could have ... just one more ... day ... with you --" The mirage suddenly came alive, moving and speaking -- words Galen now knew by heart. Still, he listened intently as the memoria played out, its tone ranging from light-hearted small talk to serious discussion and heartfelt proclamations, its participants blissfully unaware of what awaited them just around the corner. It was Galen's recollection of the final conversation he had had with his mother. ... "You're my only child -- your welfare means everything to me." ... Galen's cheeks quivered. ... "Well, that cinches it: I'm coming home. I promised I'd be there for you, and that's that." ... Tears pooled in his eyes. ... "I love you, baby boy." ... Warm, salty moisture cascaded down Galen's cheeks. "I love you too, momma," he cried out through the tears. "You weren't supposed ... to die ... I ... I'm alone now ... I'm frightened ... I'm --" He curled into a fetal position, unable to continue, deep, shuddering sobs wracking his slender body. *** "In today's top news story, the Global Consensus announced a crash program to build additional Protector Arrays. This development comes two weeks after a meteor struck southwest North America, resulting in hundreds of deaths and several thousand injuries." "Two weeks too late, isn't it?" Arcee remarked acidly, finishing up with the dishes. The news reader continued, oblivious to her commentary. "The years-long effort will fortify the arrays protecting Haven and the Moon, and will also put them into orbit around Mars and Imbrium." "It's about time, especially for Mars," Arcee huffed, drying her hands. "Its population has been growing like crazy for three decades now -- I'm sure they'll appreciate an end to the sleepless nights!" In her heart, though, she knew she was being unfair. It was common knowledge that the Elemental crystals needed for the Protector Arrays could only be obtained two ways: mining them from the same hellish depths deep inside Haven that hid the Oversoul's matrix or pulling them from ice-locked Imbrium's upper mantle. Accessing either environ wasn't easy, even for the Global Consensus. "And I of all people should know that," Arcee sighed. "After all, my own Quinsai Clan has a long history with the Oversoul and its crystals." The Oversoul originated in an immense, natural crystalline formation found within Haven's solid, inner core. The result of intense pressure, heat and magnetics generated by the core's environs, the structure had been determined by apexes 900 years ago to be an ideal habitat for a new type of quantum artificial intelligence -- one that needed to be deeply sheltered from the outside world in order for it to function properly. And so a scientific expedition led by a member of the Quinsai Clan "seeded" the crystalline structure with the embryonic quantum AI, giving rise to the Oversoul. By the time the Global Consensus was in position to govern all of Haven a century later, each of its citizens were augmented with specialized nanites. This not only benefited them physically, but enabled them to add their knowledge and wisdom to the Oversoul -- in a sense, making it the repository of the collective human experience, one that was readily accessible to all. "Except for the Oversoul itself," Arcee said to herself. "The only time it can access the repository or interact with humans as a sentient, self-aware entity is when it takes the form of a Beholder." It was a deliberate limitation, designed to protect humans and the quantum-based AI from inadvertently overwhelming each other. Still, Arcee knew the Oversoul prized those moments of individual existence, for they reinforced the AI's belief that its evolution was tied directly to that of its creators. Essentially, it needed contact with intelligences other than its own in order to fulfill its potential. Without such interaction, the Oversoul would remain limited to its primary role as humanity's archive. "In another impact-related development, Magnus Daan Cyclus, the MilCore flag officer charged with overseeing Haven's Protector Arrays, has been removed from his post by the Luminaries." "It's about time someone was held accountable," Arcee said, passing judgment on the hapless officer. "What comes next for Cyclus and his senior staff has yet to be made public," the news reader continued. Looking up, he snidely added, "However, it's probably safe to say he isn't going to be allowed near Centrum's LogosCore or any other critical post anytime soon." Arcee shook her head. "Hey, I'm the commentator, not you! You're paid to tell me the facts, that's it!" "A ... ah ... ahh ... ahhh!" The wail instantly drew Arcee's attention. "Uh-oh. I know that tone well -- it's Ticci's ?Feed me!' cry." She smiled and headed into the nursery. "It's an old saying, but true: A mother's job is never done." Emerging a few minutes later with Ticci gnawing at her breast, Arcee took a moment to gaze out the huge, bubble-shaped bay window at the city around her. Outside the dome complex she and several hundred other souls called home, the hustle and bustle of daily life in Triton continued unabated, with 10 million people going about their lives in what was once the capital of Atlantis. The young mother shook her head. You'd think a meteor impact that left a nearly two-mile-wide crater and upended thousands of lives would make us pause and reflect on life's fragility for more than a few days! she thought ruefully. Hmpfh. I bet it'd be a different story if more citizens, rather than the Uncivilized barbaroi, had been affected. She silently watched traffic thread its way among the city's towers -- each route a skyborne river overflowing with gravdrive-powered vehicles of all shapes, sizes and colors -- and caught glimpses of serpentine tubetrains hurtling through their airless networks, all against a backdrop of people scurrying amid silver, mirror-like towers, green parks, bronzed domes, blue waterways and golden spires. "Life's amazing," Arcee murmured, watching a black speck vanish into the vast blue depths of the atmosphere, zooming up one of the thin, carbon nanotube-like Tethers linking Triton to the CITIrings. "It's fragile, yet it perseveres against all adversities --" she looked at tiny Ticci, who was now nursing contentedly, his eyes half-closed "-- and that's what makes it beautiful." *** "Twelve years," Neera said softly, shaking her head. "It's hard to believe so much time has gone by since we were in the same room together." Neera stood with her sister, Isis, and two brothers, Kieren and Achir, around Averi's bier. The siblings, all born within a five-year span to the late Khami and Wulf Mindaro, traded uneasy, nervous looks. The silence wasn't lost on Neera, who, at age 40, was the firstborn. "It's like we're strangers," she said dejectedly. "That's not right. We shouldn't have allowed ourselves to drift so far apart after mother and father died." "We're all here now. They would be happy to --" Kieren started, then stopped, his voice choking up. "It took Averi dying for us to to get to this point," Isis finished quietly. Their sister's mortal remains lay before them, clothed in a simple, unadorned white tunic. Averi's sol-bronzed face, framed by long, curly brown hair, was relaxed, her hazel eyes forevermore closed. Her hands were clasped across her stomach, holding a seashell necklace made for her by Galen when he had first started school. Around Averi were signs of a life fully led -- including gifts of corn, salt and spices from the A'sazi Clan, a series of bronze, silver, gold and platinum medallions, each symbolizing an educational milestone, petrified wood and fossils dug up from a glacial moraine at the edge of the northern ice sheets during a Lightbringing Mission years ago, incense, and much more. "You don't realize how precious something is until you lose it," Achir whispered, his square jaw trembling. "First, our parents. Now ... now Averi is gone." He breathed deeply. "This can't continue." "It won't," Neera's said firmly, her eyes bright. "As the firstborn, I should have taken the reins when our parents died. I didn't. Instead, I buried myself in my work on Project Transcendence --" "Stop right there!" Kieren interrupted, his voice agitated. "It wasn't just you, Neera -- I ran, too, all the way to Imbrium." He regarded his siblings with a stern gaze. "We all have our regrets, our demons." Isis shrugged. "I took on many causes, but never gave much thought to any of you," she confessed. "I wandered Haven and Mars for years, alone and without purpose," Achir admitted. "But ... then I met Fallyn six months ago. She's since given me a reason to live --" he shot his siblings a hopeful look "-- she's carrying our first child. The doctors say it's a girl ... and that she's an omnisex." Surprised silence greeted the revelation. "You're Converged? You're going to be a father?" It was Isis. "When were you going to tell us?" She paused. "Would you have, if not for Averi's passing?" Achir studied the floor. "Eventually, I suppose," he mumbled, no longer smiling. His words stung on so many levels, but they were representative of the yawning gulf among the siblings, a gulf formed not by enmity, but by more than a decade of unintentional neglect. "It's time to reforge our broken bonds," Neera declared. "At the very least, we owe it to the other members of the Mindaro Overclan and its subclans." She leaned over Averi's still form and gently kissed her sister's now-cool cheek. "But most of all, we owe it to our sister and parents." "Then it's agreed: From now on, family ties take precedence over all else," Kieren opined, looking expectantly at his sisters and brother. After a moment's hesitation, their heads bobbed in agreement. "Good. And, yes, I know it's easier said than done, but we have to start somewhere." "Well, how about the clan reunion later this year?" Kieren cocked his head. "Come again, Neera?" "A few months ago, the elders asked Tomos and I if we could organize a reunion of the Mindaro Clan and its subclans," she said. "We agreed. There's going to be thousands of our clan brethren in attendance, all celebrating their shared heritage. "I'd love it if my siblings and their families could come, too," Neera finished, her tone hopeful. A moment later, Isis nodded solemnly. "I don't see why not. You can count me in, and I'll lend a hand with the details, too." "I'll be there, too," Achir said. "It'll be a great way to introduce Fallyn to the entire clan." He winked. "It will also gives her an excuse to overindulge. After all, she's eating for two now." Neera turned to Kieren. "Well," she