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Back Eternity
Chapters (90)
  1. Eternity
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. Contents
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. 80
  86. 81
  87. 82
  88. 83
  89. EPILOGUE
  90. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“I don’t know. It’s certainly possible.”

“I think it’s likely.” The president’s image appeared to come closer to Korzenowski. “I know what my higher duty is. We must preserve the Hexamon, whatever the mens publica thinks. However polite these avatars have been, however many miracles they’ve worked, I doubt we can stand alone against that kind of force.”

Korzenowski looked down at his hands. “No, Ser.”

“I have no other choice, then. I order you to destroy the Way. Can Thistledown be saved?”

“To completely destroy the Way, and prevent another Way being made, the sixth chamber must be destroyed as well. If we tried to…” He picted images of the sixth chamber being sabotaged, Hexamon forces arrayed against other Hexamon forces, civil war, destruction and division the likes of which the Hexamon had never experienced, even during the Sundering. “There’s no choice, if we wish to destroy the Way and preserve the Hexamon. Thistledown is already prepared for its own death…”

The president’s image darkened. “Why,” he asked quietly, “would anyone ever wish to be a leader of humans? We could be judged the most treacherous villains in Hexamon history…. But so be it. I’ll make sure the last phase of the evacuation is thorough. You will warn the defense forces…I don’t think they need to know what’s happening and why, but they should not be killed for their valor.”

“I’ll warn them.”

“I’m being installed in my new body tomorrow. When will the destruction begin?”

“Not for another sixty hours, Ser President. To give all citizens and defense forces time to evacuate.”

“I leave it in your hands. You know, Ser Korzenowski, I’ll be glad not to have to deal with these issues much longer.” The president’s image went black and disappeared, leaving a formal pict of dismissal and the Hexamon’s gratitude for services rendered.

68

Between

They had finished their work on Thistledown. Now they moved through their hidden conduits to points between worlds. Lanier’s sense of time had flown; not inappropriately, since he was supposed to be dead. But he still thought, still remembered, his mind somehow operating in a new matrix established and maintained by Pavel Mirsky.

Am I dead now? he asked Mirsky.

Yes. Of course.

There’s no oblivion.

Would you rather have oblivion? It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

No…

Our time here is done. We have choices to make…Choices on how to go home.

Lanier felt like laughing. He conveyed this to Mirsky.

Marvelous, no? Such freedom. We can return as Ry Oyu will return, or take another route…much longer, more arduous.

And he outlined for Lanier where that route would take them, and how long.