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My sobs, when they tear free, wrack me from head to toe He draws me to him, all smooth chitin, cool and hard to the touch There should be no solace in it, but there is because he’s Vel, and he took e he harhtly done for one who lives as long as he I respect his bravery and fortitude more than ever

For I need this scar over my heart to remind me Crazy as it sounds, if I can bear the wound on my body, it lessens what I must carry on my soul How he knew that about me, I cannot fathom

But he did, and it helped, and I weep in his arht in the world has died

[Grainy vid-mail from March, arrived on the four-day bounce]

I saw that you’re a free woratulate you, but I expected this outcome, or I’d have never left, not even for my nephew

Toinning There are seven state ho They’re all in different cities, andthe boy’s name If they left Svetlana attached to his file as birth mother, that will si such infor about their pasts I can ask for a genetic search, as his markers should be fairly similar to mine, but that will take time, and it’s hard to restrainhaul

I wouldn’t admit this to anyone but you, but I’m afraid of ill happen to ical, but I fear an instant regression to the hosts than anyone could iet a proper service We left them wherever they fell, so their bones just worked their way down into the ht noish I’d stayed because I want you at my side That sounds pretty selfish, but I don’t mean it that way You just never needed --that you love me, but you don’t need me You don’t lean But I adht now

Thinking of you Love you still and always

[e ends]

[Vid-mail reply from Jax, sent on the four-day bounce]

Free is a relative terer incarcerated, but I’ht before I go I ht have been if I hadn’t volunteered I’ve been at the training acadeest I’ve ever been dirtside, and it’s hellish

I used to dream of Doc and Evie, and how they died down on Venice Minor, but now I drea by millimeters each day I spend on this planet I don’t kno people live like this I irl once who didn’t attend school; she spent her whole life on ships She was educated by AIs like Constance, and that sounded like the best thing in the universe to le day But she told me she just felt trapped on that ship and unable to fore how one person’s heaven is another’s hell

Things are progressing well enough here Soon I’ll have a coraduates are alreadylanes ain I feel for the colonies that are withering because of the slow supply ship when it all ends You said I’, and that I don’t lean, but if you were here, I’d tip ive before we can be together? I live for the day e can fly away into uncharted space, away from the paparazzi and the rumors and speculation I don’t want to be famous--or maybe that should be infamous--anymore

Mary, Ito fall back into old patterns I can say that with co to hurt your nephew You’ll do whatever it takes to find him and see him safe I know you

Love and e ends]

CHAPTER 15

Sixof ju in from the new tier worlds But I’ve put a crew of teachers in place, and they knohat they’re doing It’s al

Thank Mary I don’t want to be doing this, but I believe in cleaning up onized over , but we have separate purposes He doesn’t needaround while he searches for his nephew, and I have ret, I decide I need to take care of my business while he does the san soon

Tofacility runs smoothly these days, and I don’t need to stick around forever Ships are ju I just have onefor a panel of doctors and scientists, none of whom I know personally, but they all have a reputation for cutting-edge developments The room is already full when I arrive, and a sea of expectant faces turn toward , but all bear a fascinated expression as I launch into my explanation of e’re here

"How ator Burnout Syndroerous But it’s not a problem for me anymore Seventy-five percent of them raise their hands, which means I have to explain for those who don’t That takes five minutes Once I’m sure they’re all with ene- therapy treater of NBS I realize you’ll want to study his in trials, so I aht now"

As one, they turn to their devices, skih the collected scientists as they realize I’ve been injected without all the preliminary studies I can tell they don’t approve of hissuch chances Since he’s not around to defend himself, however, they don’t speak the condemnations aloud Just as well for them because I’d take them all off at the knees if they dared

"There will be Conglorants for research in this areaand I suspect I don’t need to tell you how much money would be involved for the tea coevity in their jumpers Any questions?"

For ten more minutes, I field soer to begin digging into Doc’s fieldwork The knowledge is all there, waiting for the right teaht now, the only handicap is that each treatenetic code, which worked for Argus and me in small scale but would be utterly inefficient for every jumper in the universe They need to refine it soiven theure it out, and in my lifetime, I fully believe ill see a cure for NBS