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An infinite universe presents infinite exaodlike in theircannot explore and make this universe absolutely known; there must remain mysteries beyond what is explained The only reason in this universe is that which you, in your ungodlike hubris, project onto the universe In this, you retain kinship with your most primitive ancestors

- Raja Thomas, Shiprecords

AS SHE stood frozen in terror of the foul-breathed stranger, Hali tried to think of a safe response The terrible differences of this place where Ship had projected her co which followed the beaten nant odors, the passions in the voices, the le su

"Do you know him?" The man was insistent

Hali wanted to say she had never before seen the injuredtold her this could not be true There had been soly familiar about that ?

Could that have been another Shipman projected here? Why had the wounded man seemed so familiar? And why had he addressed her directly?

"You can tell me" Foul-breath was slyly persistent

"I ca way to see hiroveling, but the words were true She felt it in these old bones she had borrowed Ship would not lie to her and Ship had said this a very great distance Whatever this event signified, Ship had brought her expressly to see it

"I don’t place your accent," Foul-breath said "Are you from Sidon?"

She moved after the crowd and spoke distractedly to the inquisitor who kept pace with her "I co with the wounded man?

"Ship? I’ve never heard of that place Is it part of the Roman March?"

"Ship is far away Far away"

What were they doing up on that hill? Some of the soldiers had taken the piece of tree and stretched it on the ground She glih the crowd

"Then how can Yaisuah say that you know God’s will?" Foul-breath deht her attention Yaisuah? Ship had said that name It was the name Ship said had become Geezus and then Hesoos Jesus She hesitated, stared at her inquisitor

"You call that one Yaisuah?" she asked

"You know hiripped her ar in his voice and manner

Ship intruded on her then This one is a Roman spy, an informer orks for those who torture Yaisuah

"Do you know hiave her arm a painful shake

"I think thi Yaisuah is related to Ship," she said

"Related t How can someone be related to a place?"

"Isn’t he related to You, Ship?" She spoke the question aloud without thinking

Yes

"Ship says that’s true," she said

Foul-breath dropped her arry scoisted hisbut a crazy old woestured up the hill where the armored men had taken Yaisuah "See what happens to crazies?"

She looked where he had pointed

The twothere were roped to the cross-pieces and she realized they were being left to die That was going to happen to Yaisuah!

As the full realization hit her, Hali began to weep

Ship spoke within her mind: Tears do little to improve acuity You must observe

She wiped her eyes on a corner of her robe, observing that Foul-breath had moved up into the crowd She forced herself to cli the people

Ithe robe from Yaisuah This exposed his wounds - cuts and bruises all over his body He stood with a stolid watchfulness through all this, not even responding to the gasp which went up when the uarded vulnerability to thisin his own personal death