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In the sphere ship； Louie Nichols gathered the survivors of his team。 Other personnel were distracted by the strange； swirling limbo through which the craft was passing on its way between continua； it was the cybernauts' chance to regroup。
They set up a prefab secure cubicle high up on an unoccupied platform。 Louie was helped onto a robot med diagnostic table that deployed itself from a pact shipping case。
There were some gasps when he removed his tunic and they saw the marks the cyber…burn had left on his body。
He gritted his teeth。 〃All right； quit gawking。 You know what we have to do。〃
They did。 The headlockers began unpacking machines and remotes； fitting them together； and patching into power sources with protech proficiency。
Louie's mouth felt very dry； and when he tried to lick his tips； he could not work up any saliva。
Several remotes floated in at him。 Behind them were the surgical waldos loaded with the implants and bionics he needed and wanted to receive。
Louie drew a deep breath and lay back down on the table。
Rem awoke。 His head was still in Minmei's lap； but her tears had long since dried。 His face was slick with moisture； however； he was crying as Zor had。
Minmei sang softly； sadly。
CHAPTER TWENTY…SIX
When Nichols emerged from that lockbox cubicle his disciples had set up； he was the same studiously irreverent young pain in the neck who'd gone in with some noticeable increase in vigor and agility。 But there was also an undertone of indefinable strain to him。
I resolved to keep an eye on him； he played his part well except for one occasion during transit； the one slip that hinted at the change in him： He leaned to a scope that was controlled by a sensor and of course accepted it matter…of…factly when the scope swiveled to him and adjusted height； focus； etc。
What he didn't know was that the auto…adjust mechanism wasn't working…had developed a glitch and been switched off。 But the scope's servos had obeyed his silent will； anyway。
It was no time to confront Nichols and his familiars； but thereafter I kept an even closer watch on them。
Dr。 Harold Penn； The Brief but Timeless Voyage of the Peter Pan
For her； the tribulations of the passage were a multiple torment； because she was not One but Two。
Marlene had heard the humans refer to the ghosts and visions； memories； and chimeras as space lace。 She had heard them talk of out…of…body episodes and afterlife experiences。 They were all but unintelligible concepts to her； being in her present body was phantasmagoria enough； her life a nightmare almost beyond coping。
By the time the hijacked sphere ship plunged into the gravitational abyss of Ranaath's Star； she seemed a ghost； a semitransparent thing of ectoplasm fading fast。 In a kind of terminal sleep； she was unaware that Scott Bernard kept a bedside vigil； though it made him nearly insane with guilt and heartache。
Marlene/Ariel's fold jump dreams were a kind of mental multiscreen image deluge。 She； too； experienced the birth/death trauma； understanding it in a way she never otherwise would have because in that moment the nucleic memories and perspectives of the original Marlene Rush resurfaced。
But； as well； she felt the cellular tide of the Invid like a moon…drawn ocean within her； swelling and falling。 Ariel knew the all…enpassing sadness of the great Invid downfall and the loss of their paradise； recalled the unity of plasm that the Invid shared and what it was to be a race literally sprung from one flesh。
Marlene saw once again her youth； her ing of age on the REF expedition。
Ariel went through her strange birth； a shivering； naked simulagent delivered by a Protoculture…spawned egg。 Marlene： falling in love with the taciturn but idealistic Scott Bernard。
Ariel： the bewildering travels across a blasted Earth with the last Robotech fighters。
Marlene relived the moment； on the deck of a starship racing to do battle with the Invid conquerors； when Scott asked her to marry him and she said yes。 Ariel witnessed the defeat of her race and the transfiguration of the Invid into a phoenix of psi…essence…and saw； too； where the phoenix flew。
Both were also silent watchers of each other's memories； like visitors to alien screening rooms。 Their/her consciousness was wrenched this way and that by the unimaginable forces grappling at the sphere ship； between torment and joy they attenuated her 。 。 。
Until there came a moment of profound trauma； the cessation of external influences…the ship's emergence into new…space。 With an almost physical jolt； the two halves of her were snapped together； fully integrated for the first time。
She opened her eyes and saw Scott gaping at her。 She looked down and saw that her body was pletely material once more。 She felt a tranquillity and quiet triumph。 She was healed and whole。
He breathed； 〃Marlene。〃
Marlene。 Yes； that was the name that fit her best； even though Marlene's memories and identity were only a ponent of what she was now。 Ariel was a name the Regis had given her capriciously； and she was not Invid anymore。
She lay on a pallet spread directly on the ship's deck。 Scott came to her side on one knee； hesitating to take her hand but wanting to。 〃You're alive。 Thank God。〃
He was haggard and drawn； not from the passage to new space； she knew； but from self…torture over what he'd done to her。 With the disparate parts of her mind and psyche integrated； she understood what he had done and what external pressures it must have taken for him to do it。
His sense of duty； his fealty to his oath of service； his feelings of obligation to those on the SDF…3： those were human things； and Marlene understood them now。
〃Yes； Scott。 Alive。〃 Her hand covered the last bit of distance to grasp his。 His expression swung from astonishment and doubt to relief and the beginnings of rapture。
Before he could answer； though； a face appeared over his shoulder； long and pale with insect goggles； wearing an irrepressible smirk。 〃Back in action； huh； Marlene？ Aces！ Scott； didn't I tell ya this little jaunt would give her a new lease on life？〃
There stood one of the main pressures that had forced Scott to treat Marle