“Why are we even thinking of going back to save my parents?” asked Deborah. “That was never part of the plan.”

“It’s what future Noxon said,” Wheaton answered her. “We saw you dead. And we couldn’t help but think, as long as we’re saving her life, why not save her original life?”

“We don’t have to do that,” said Deborah. “We can prevent my death out on the savannah today—or a million and a half years ago, or whatever. And then we just go home and wait for the human race to monstrify ourselves.”

“That’s one choice,” said Ram Odin.

“But it’s the one I’m going to make,” said Noxon. “Because my friend Umbo—”

“The legendary Umbo,” said Ram quietly.

“Never forgot about his brother who died when we first started messing with time. And if I know Umbo, he’s probably already found some stupid elaborate way to save Kyokay’s life. Because he couldn’t go on unless he did.”

“But that hardly applies to you, Noxon,” said Wheaton.

“And it certainly doesn’t apply to me,” said Deborah, “because I think I turned out just fine.”

“Oh, you did,” said Ram. “You are superb. If Noxon proposes anything that might get rid of you, I’ll strangle him first.”

“We’ve already proven you aren’t quick enough to kill me,” said Noxon. “And any change I make, I’ll be sure to keep you around, eyeless and mean as ever.”

“I’m not mean,” said Deborah, sounding a little hurt.

“I meant it in the nicest possible way,” said Noxon.

“None of the possible ways to mean that are nice at all,” said Deborah.

“He means that he’s halfway to being in love with you,” said Ram. “And I agree, that isn’t a very nice thing to contemplate, what with that incredibly ugly face of his.”

“Enough,” said Noxon. “Let’s go watch a gnu get slaughtered and butchered by Erectids. And then go back and save a little girl from being a blind orphan for the rest of her life. And then we can figure out how to save a faraway planet from destruction. I’m not putting it to a vote, and any of you who wants to can opt out of any step along the way, and choose your own consequences. But those are the changes I’m going to make.”

“You do realize that the simplest choice would have been to leave me dead,” said Deborah. “Why did they even leave this note to warn us? You can still accomplish your mission whether I’m there or not.”

“Because Professor Wheaton couldn’t bear to live in a world in which you were dead,” said Noxon. “Future me explained it very clearly.”

“So it isn’t me, it’s Father who caused all this annoyance,” said Deborah.

“My fault,” said Wheaton. “I take full responsibility.”