“I must find Abnethe,” McKie said.

“I give warning,” the Caleban said.

“Watch it,” Furuneo whispered. “I sense rage that’s not connected with the angeret.”

McKie waved him to silence. “What warning, Fanny Mae?”

“Potentials in your situation,” the Caleban said. “I allow my . . . person? Yes, my person. I allow my person to entrap itself in association which fellow sentients may interpret as non-friendly.”

McKie scratched his head, wondered how close they were to anything that could validly be called communication. He wanted to come right out and inquire about the Caleban disappearances, the deaths and insanity, but feared possible consequences.

“Non-friendly,” he prompted.

“Understand,” the Caleban said, “life which flows in all carries subternal connectives. Each entity remains linked until final discontinuity removes from . . . network? Yes, linkages of other entities into association with Abnethe. Should personal discontinuity overtake self, all entities entangled share it.”

“Discontinuity?” McKie asked, not sure he followed this but afraid he did.

“Tanglements come from contact between sentients not originating in same linearities of awareness,” the Caleban said, ignoring McKie’s question.

“I’m not sure what you mean by discontinuity,” McKie pressed.

“In context,” the Caleban said, “ultimate discontinuity, presumed opposite of pleasure—your term.”

“You’re getting nowhere,” Furuneo said. His head ached from trying to equate the radiant impulses of communication from the Caleban with speech.

“Sounds like a semantic identity situation,” McKie said. “Black and white statements, but we’re trying to find an interpretation in between.”

“All between,” the Caleban said.

“Presumed opposite of pleasure,” McKie muttered.

“Our term,” Furuneo reminded him.

“Tell me, Fanny Mae,” McKie said, “do we other sentients refer to this ultimate discontinuity as death?”

“Presumed approximate term,” the Caleban said. “Abnegation of mutual awareness, ultimate discontinuity, death—all appear similar descriptives.”

“If you die, many others are going to die, is that it?” McKie asked.

“All users of S’eye. All in tanglement.”

“All?” McKie asked, shocked.

“All such in your . . . wave? Difficult concept. Calebans possess label for this concept . . . plane? Planguinity of beings? Surmise proper term not shared. Problem concealed in visual exclusion which clouds mutual association.”

Furuneo touched McKie’s arm. “Is she saying that if she dies, everyone who’s used a S’eye jumpdoor goes with her?”

“Sounds like it.”

“I don’t believe it!”

“The evidence would seem to indicate we have to believe her.”

“But. . . .”

“I wonder if she’s in any danger of going soon,” McKie mused aloud.

“If you grant the premise, that’s a good question,” Furuneo said.

“What precedes your ultimate discontinuity, Fanny Mae?” McKie asked.

“All precedes ultimate discontinuity.”

“Yeah, but are you headed toward this ultimate discontinuity?”

“Without choice, all head for ultimate discontinuity.” McKie mopped his forehead. The temperature inside the ball had been going up steadily.

“I fulfill demands of honor,” the Caleban said. “Acquaint you with prospect. Sentients of your . . . planguinity appear unable, lacking means of withdrawal from influence of my association with Abnethe. Communication understood?”