If the cephalopeds had known it was coming, did the Alpha Colonists? Surely they possessed telescopes powerful enough to chart the sun’s coronal activity; if so then they were well aware of the lethal effects the supercharged solar wind would wreak upon GOLEM. And yet, they had reached out to me with a nuclear weapon, requesting that I use it to destroy my machine and its genetically manufactured offspring. Why do this, if they knew the computer’s reign of tyranny was about to end?

“It was a test.”

I sat up, the holographic projection of the male Alpha Colonist was standing between Oscar and myself. “What kind of test?”

“A test of the human ego. To senselessly destroy another species is a primitive reflex. We needed to make sure you were not infected with the same character flaws that led to the Great Die-Off. We had to be convinced you and Dharma were worthy of the destiny that awaits you here on the moon.”

Dharma was sitting up next to me, listening to everything. “What awaits us on the moon?”

The male smiled. “Immortality. Unbridled happiness. Nirvana.”

The cephalopeds had gathered around us, all but Oscar bowing down to the strange glowing vision of the Alpha Colony male. My eight-legged friend seemed more agitated than awestruck. Grasping my wrist, he attempted to communicate, but without ABE there was only silence—Dharma’s window of thought energy having closed as well with the Rebirth Moon.

Turning back to the hologram I asked, “Are we expected to live on the moon?”

“That will be a choice best made after we reveal to you the destiny that now awaits humanity, as well as your role in that future.”

“How do we get to the moon? Are you sending a shuttle?”

The male smiled. “Simply step inside the hologram and you will be here.”

Dharma and I looked at one another. “What do you think?”

She squeezed my hand. “The spirit of the Hungry Ghost has been vanquished with the Rebirth Moon. You are no longer destiny’s castaway, Robert. A greater karma awaits.”

“You’ll come with me then?”

“Of course. After all, we are soul mates.” She glanced at Oscar. “How do we make him understand?”

“You can’t,” replied the Alpha Colonist. “Oscar has no concept of who we are. Step through now, don’t risk a long good-bye. Oscar may attempt to join you—his place is with his people.”

Dharma and I held hands. Then we stepped through the hologram into a white haze of energizing light.

Chapter 39

39

Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equal.

—CHARLES DARWIN

The sensation was similar to plunging down a roller coaster—gut-wrenching, flesh-tingling—and then we were through. Was our passage instantaneous? I had no way of knowing, but whenever and wherever we were going, we had arrived.