“You kill it,” Oakes said, facing her and lowering the amplification. “It’s that simple: You kill it.”

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

There is fear in the infinite, in the unlimited chaos of the unstructured. But this boundless “place” is the never-ending resource of that which you call talent, that ability which peels away the fear, exposing its structure and form, creating beauty. This is why the talented people among you are feared. And it is wise to fear the unknown, but only until you see the new-found fearlessness which identity beautifies.

—Kerro Panille, Translations from the Avata

FOR A concentrated surge of time, Hali Ekel stood at the inner ring of the throng and stared up at the three men so cruelly suspended. It was a nightmare scene—the blood, the dust, the orange light which threw grotesque shadows on the doomed men, the sense of latent violence in every movement around her.

I’m an observer, observer, observer . . .

Her chest hurt when she breathed and she could smell the blood dripping from Yaisuah’s nailed feet.

I could save him. She took one shuffling half-step forward.

Don’t interfere. Ship’s command stopped her. It was not in her to disobey that command. The conditioning of WorShip was too strong.

But he’ll die there and he’s just like me!

He is not just like you.

But he’s . . .

No, Ekel. When the time comes, he will remember who he is and he will go back just as you will go back. But you two are profoundly different.

Who is he?

He is Yaisuah, the man who speaks to God.

But he . . . I mean, why are they doing this to him? What did he do?

He reported his conversations. Now, they try to move God in this way. Observe. This is not the way.

God? But God is Ship and Ship is God.

And the infinite is infinite.

Why won’t you let me save him ?

You could not save him.

I could try.

You would only inflict pain on that old flesh which you have borrowed. That flesh has enough pains. Why would you want to make it suffer more?

It occurred to her then that there might be another consciousness waiting somewhere to re-enter this body. Borrowed. She had not thought of it that way. The idea made her intensely aware of responsibility toward the body. She forced her attention away from the dangling figure of Yaisuah—those bleeding feet and palms.

The other two men began struggling against their restraints. Hali saw the cruel reason behind this torture then. In time, they would smother. Their chest muscles would fail and respiration would stop. The roped men pushed their feet against the wooden uprights, trying for leverage, seeking another few blinks of life.

One of the armored men saw this and laughed. “Look at the thieves squirm!”

Someone in the crowd behind Hali jeered: “They’re trying to steal a little more time!”