That wont be necessary, said the Librarian. They are both currently on board a ship called the Damien Ingersoll, which is owned by Otto Schelling.

Megan felt all the blood drain from her face. Are you sure?

Entirely, yes. The Ingersoll broke orbit shortly after we escaped Redstones gravity well.

How do you know theyre on board?

A simple analysis of encrypted data traffic proved sufficient.

Megan swallowed. Gabrielle would have given birth by now. Do you know if the baby is with her?

Her childs whereabouts is unknown, the Librarian replied. The Ingersoll is clearly outfitted for a long-range expedition, so it is undoubtedly bound for the same destination as ourselves.

Then we need to stop them, Megan moaned, sinking to her knees on the cold stone floor. What do they even need Gabrielle for? Shes no use to them now that she cant be merged with this ship.

Then she may simply be a hostage, said the Librarian. However, you should remember that you and she are genetically identical. It may be that, lacking you, they intend to use her to communicate with the Wanderer, through Bashir.

Her eyes grew wide. They cant do that . . . can they?

The Demarchy created you and every other Speaker-Elect from Dakota Merricks genetic material and that, in turn, had already undergone considerable optimization on board this very ship. Gabrielle will almost certainly be capable of communicating with the Wanderer in precisely the same manner as yourself.

But if thats true, Megan mumbled, half to herself, then they must know who I am.

That is yet to be ascertained. In the meantime, we should speak about the other matter on your mind.

She stared at the alien entity in confusion. What other matter?

Your desire, replied the Librarian, to recover the memories of your former life as the Speaker-Elect Est.

She blinked, taking a moment to comprehend what it was saying to her. You can do that?

We did not suggest that. But why is it that you so strongly reject your previous existence as Dakota Merrick?

Just because I have her memories, said Megan, doesnt make me her.

Has it not occurred to you that, by living your life as if your former existence had no bearing upon it, you have made mistakes you might otherwise have avoided? I do not think Dakota Merrick, as she was, would have allowed herself ever to trust men such as Gregor Tarrant or Anil Sifra so easily, and with such dire consequences.

Megan felt a flush of fury. The alien ship was patently digging through her mind, pulling out memories and putting them on display.

Go to hell! she screamed, her voice echoing through the vaulted hall in ever-decreasing waves. She was clenching her fists so hard by her sides that they hurt. Get out of my head!