On the way out, she saw a Jaguar drive past her. She waved.

Shizuka waved back and smiled.

Floresta was happy when Lanny was with that woman. Lanny needed a space where she could be neither Captain nor Mom.

Tomorrow is tomorrow. Over there is over there. And here and now is not a bad place and time to be, especially when so much of the unknown is beautiful.

20

“You didn’t have to come get me,” Lan said.

“How was your meeting with the Chamber of Commerce?”

Lan slumped in her seat. “It was worse than the Imperial Sub-Council of Public Works.”

“Exactly. Now enjoy the ride.”

Shizuka merged onto the 710 North. From there, she’d take the 10 West, maybe to the beach. A beach walk sounded wonderful. Maybe the Santa Monica Promenade.

“Thank you so much for recommending Starrgate,” Lan blurted. “I can’t believe how thoughtful you are. How can I thank you?”

Shizuka had debated whether she should tell Lan that she had nothing to do with the donut order. But Shizuka was still a little hurt that Lan had misjudged her. Also, Lan’s decision not to shield their conversation about Katrina at the Kim Ky noodle house had caused this entire chain of events.

And besides, there was something that she had been wanting to know more about for some time now.

“The Endplague. You mention it from time to time. Can you tell me what it is, exactly?”

The Endplague?

Shizuka Satomi had done her a wonderful favor, and by custom, Lan was obligated to return it. Besides, Shizuka was Shizuka. However, even in the Empire, one mentioned the Endplague only when absolutely necessary.

“It might not be wise to discuss,” Lan was finally able to say.

“You’ve told me about the level-five gamma ray burst,” Shizuka said. “You’ve told me you were from across the galaxy. You’ve even told me you were plum-colored.”

“None of that is going to kill you. Knowledge of the Endplague has destroyed civilizations far older and more stable than yours.”

“I’m just a violin teacher from Monterey Park. I doubt that I can affect a civilization,” Shizuka replied. “Unless you’d rather not tell me…”

She paused there, letting the silence do its work.

“Ever wonder why,” Lan finally said, “if there is intelligent life out there, that the universe isn’t teeming with activity?”

“Maybe the universe is filled with introverts?”

“Shizuka.”

“Well, you asked.”

Lan took another breath.

“As a civilization progresses, it goes through wars, pandemics, catastrophes. Those that survive grow more astute, more perceptive, more advanced. Diseases are conquered, infirmity eliminated. Life spans increase. Suffering becomes largely a memory.

“Meanwhile, their explorers and historians find evidence of past cultures, and cultures before that. At first it is exciting. But all they keep finding are ruins. And slowly, either through science or history, every advanced civilization becomes aware of a disturbing possibility—that their future may end in ruin, too.