“For what it’s worth,” said Noxon, “I’ve met your very old self. One copy of yourself, anyway. I know that you’re a sneaky conniving arrogant murderous son-of-a-bitch. I also know that you are willing to sacrifice whatever needs sacrificing in order to save your people. Even though you’re not the copy of Ram Odin who actually founded nineteen colonies on the planet Garden, you could have become him. You meant to found a colony. I’m asking you to preserve the results of your own work. The lives of your own children. I’m one of those children. I’m here to keep your life’s work from being obliterated.”

Ram Odin nodded. “I’m listening,” he said.

So Noxon told him about the world of Garden, and all the things Ram Odin had done, and all the things Noxon and his companions had done. He didn’t hurry the telling. The story was spread across several days. When his memory was incomplete or inaccurate, the expendable prompted him, for all these stories were now a part of the ship’s memory.

When he was done, Ram Odin said, “I’m in.”

“You’re in what?” asked Noxon.

“I’m in the game. I’m with you. Let’s save the world. Your world. My children’s world.”

“Garden,” said Noxon.

“Right,” said Ram Odin. “Let’s save Garden.”

Chapter 12: Choosing Masks

CHAPTER 12

Choosing Masks

Umbo could have avoided Rigg’s rule and taken Loaf and Leaky through the Wall by jumping back before it was created, then leaping forward again in time. But that would be showing off, and besides, who knew what dangers there might be in the world of Garden before the colonizers shattered the biosphere and replaced most of the native life with plants and animals from Earth? Rigg could always see the paths of creatures and avoid anything large and dangerous. Umbo could not.

And since Umbo and Loaf were together, they could pass through the Wall—but not until after Rigg’s rule of two-at-a-time went into effect.

Umbo chose the time right after Rigg went back to Vadeshfold, got his facemask, then killed and then unkilled Ram Odin.

Loaf and Leaky and Umbo traveled to the Wall, however, in the time before Rigg, Umbo, and Loaf had been arrested in O—a time when no one was looking for them. Though it probably wasn’t necessary. They would be looking for a boy the age Umbo had been, and a soldierly man just Loaf’s size—but with a normal human face. They would not be looking for Leaky at all.

But even if they weren’t looking for them as they were now, it was better to travel at a time when nobody was looking for anybody.