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Prologue: Cortazár

Almost three decades had passed since Paolo Cortazár and the breakaway fleet had passed through Laconia gate Tih to build a little civilization, a city, a culture Tined the protoe builder They had thrown it into the stars like seeds to hijack whatever organic life it encountered and create ring gates into a pocket universe, a nexus betorlds Until they died out, the slow zone and its rings had been the hub of an eain A little bridge-buildingfor all humanity

Not that Paolo cared about all humanity For hiies it opened was all-encoed the shape of the universe around him but also altered his personal and professional life For decades, it had been his only obsession In the fight that ended their relationship, histhe protomolecule

Paolo hadn’t been able to deny it It had been so long since Paolo felt anything approaching love for another human that he’d lost the context for what did and didn’t qualify Certainly, studying the protoht that ca the ways in which it interacted with the other alien artifacts and technologies would be the work of lifetiy for his devotion The tiny, beautiful speck so rich with implicit infor It was beautiful in a way that nothing else could ever be His lover had been unable to accept this, and the end of their relationship felt inevitable in retrospect Paolo did ht miss a lost pair of comfortable shoes

There were so s to occupy his time

On the viewscreen in front of hirew and unfolded in intricate, interwoven patterns Given the correct environrowththese lattices The hter than an equal voluraphene The Technology Directorate of the Laconian Military Council had asked him to explore its possible use in armor for infantry units The lattice’s tendency to perineering standpoint, but it was still beautiful

Paolo adjusted the sensitivity of the electron strea as the proto carbon atorid like it was a child focused on its play

“Doctor Cortazár,” a voice said

Paolo answered with a grunt and a wave of his hand that e

“Doctor Cortazár,” the voice repeated, insistent

Paolo pulled his gaze away from the screen and turned around A pale-skinned person of indefinite gender stood in a lab coat, holding a large hand terht their na like that One of the lab’s army of technicians Co him, so there would have to be consequences The nervous look on Caton/Cantor/Canton’s face told him they were very aware of this fact

Before Paolo could speak, the tech said, “The director asked me to remind you that you have an appointment With”—the tech’s voice went low, almost to a whisper—“him With Him”

The tech did not mean the director There was only one Him