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Chapters (102)
  1. Cover
  2. DAW BOOKS PROUDLY PRESENTS THE SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS OF W. MICHAEL GEAR:
  3. Dedication
  4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. 84
  89. 85
  90. 86
  91. 87
  92. 88
  93. 89
  94. 90
  95. 91
  96. 92
  97. 93
  98. 94
  99. 95
  100. 96
  101. EPILOGUE
  102. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“The one constant in all of those scenarios,” Aguila’s relentless voice continued, “is that you will be afraid. This is Donovan after all. Those of us who find ourselves, we live with it. Actually come to value having the shit scared out of us every now then, because it reminds us to be smart, to think, and it keeps us alive.”

“So you still get scared?”

Aguila’s laughter reeked of bitter irony. “Oh, yeah. After watching that scimitar take Shinwua, I would have rather been anywhere but on that seatruck flying back to the Pod. No telling what might reach out of the water to grab us next.” A beat. “But that’s Donovan for you.”

“You could order us back to the mainland.” A sudden flicker of hope tingled in her breast.

“I could. But I won’t.” A beat. “Not yet.” Aguila’s hard blue gaze, unforgiving, bored into her. “That’s your decision, Scientific Director. I’ll back you up, whichever way you choose.”

Michaela closed her eyes, wishing she could be anyplace but here. Wishing that something would reach out of the water as it had with Shin. It would be quick. The crushing of her body as huge jaws sheared through her skin, muscle, and bones. And then it would be over.

There would be no more pain. No more fear of the unknown terrors lurking on this terrible planet.

And she’d never have to face the Supervisor’s cold and measuring blue eyes again.

22

Better off dead than made into a monster. Talina’s words kept repeating in Dek’s head. Nor was it likely that he was going to forget that look in her eyes as she’d said them. She’d been serious as a brain hemorrhage.

He sucked his lips in, staring up at the curving ceiling in Tal’s bedroom. His first night on Donovan had been spent here. In this bed. Alone. Since then, he’d fantasized about being back here. With her. In this room.

Only, in his dreams he wasn’t a convalescent with a swollen-and-aching leg who was infected with hostile TriNA, and she wasn’t thinking of him as potential threat to himself, her people, or friends. Oh, no. In the fantasy she was gazing at him with a very different look in her large dark eyes.

“Not to mention that in the fantasy we are doing very different things in this bed,” he told himself. Then he slapped the mattress with the flat of his hand in emphasis.