Lanier only took physical Talsit sessions to cleanse his body; they were required at least every six months to prevent ill effects from the atmospheric radiation. He did not indulge in mental Talsit, whatever Olmy's urging; he was, after all, a rugged individualist, and he would rather accomplish those things on his own.

In a few months, he and Karen, if they could be spared from their labor here, would join Hoffman and Olmy and perhaps even Larry and Lenore. They would reload their temporary implants with new training, new data, and work with Earth's corprep, Rosen Gardner, and Earth's senator, Prescient Oyu, to coordinate the massive task of cleansing the atmosphere and reorganizing the survivors.

Paradoxically, the Naderites would soon have to deal with the infant cries of their own creed, which was rapidly gaining power in areas not yet touched by the reconstruction.

Lanier did not often think of the Way now, or of what had happened years past. His mind was too occupied with more immediate concerns.

But every now and then he would shut his eyes for a moment and open them again. He would turn to Karen and meet her sunny smile and run his hands through her yellow hair.

No sense worrying about those who were farther away than the souls of the dead.

Two - Journey Year 1181

Olmy stood in the Axis Euclid public observation chamber, hands folded behind his back, waiting for Korzenowski. Together they would try to convince Earth's chief advocate, Ram Kikura, that the legal rights of the survivors on Earth could not supersede the New Hexamon's duty to eventually force them to undergo Talsit purging. He gathered his arguments in his head:

If they were not purged mentally as well as physically, the condition of their thinking would be such that strife and discord would tear the Earth apart again, in centuries if not sooner. They had to be mentally healthy to face the future the New Hexamon was already structuring for them; there was no room for the kind of archaic, sick thinking that had led to the Death in the first place.

Olmy was not sure he could convince Ram Kikura, however. She had been rereading the Federalist Papers and consulting ancient constitutional law cases.

Korzenowski arrived, late as usual, and together they spent a few minutes watching the passage of continents, seas and clouds below. The horizon was still orange and gray with dust and ash in the stratosphere; where clouds parted, much of the land was covered with snow.

"Is your woman going to give us a hard time today?" the Engineer asked.

"No doubt," Olmy said.

Korzenowski smiled. "I have a confession. Another young woman has been giving me difficulties lately. Oh, I realize we should all be concentrating on the reconstruction. . . but I think you'll understand why my mind wanders."

Olmy nodded.

"She probably did not succeed," Korzenowski said.

"At going home?"