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e； but I suspect She lives there someplace inside Optera； more happily now than at any time since Zor came。
I do not ask； though； for anyone to pursue these questions。 And yet there e reports； fourth…and fifth…hand； that a new entity is being brought to life down there in the hive。 From what little the Intel officers…kept conscientiously at bay on the surface…can tell； it is a male who will have the capacity to erase or perhaps refurbish certain chemical/energy memory systems。
A new and better Regent？
On another front； Gnea promised to build quarters in Zanshar just for Angie's parents so that they can visit whenever they please。 And feel guilty about not being there。 I suspect Gnea's figuring on a few daughters to keep Angie busy and perhaps give him a new perspective on women。
The Sentinels see each other infrequently now； not because we're sedentary but rather because so much more is happening everywhere。 The Zentraedi； of course； are based on Fantoma but can be found anywhere heavy…g operations are going on； especially in monopole ore mining。 Their numbers increase at a far； far slower rate than in the days of cloning； but from what I hear； they still favor their new…timeless璵ethod of reproducing。
The survivors are just starting to live…all of us。
Drannin is looking more and more like Breetai every day。 He still shows those glowing eyes； though； as do all the SDF…3 children。 Their psi…abilities and other exceptional attributes of strength； speed； and dexterity continue to increase。 They can still giggle； but at other times they seem to have their glowing eyes fixed on some far horizon the rest of us can't see。
Does the name 〃Darwin〃 strike a bell？
The human race…and others…are ready for a new and different kind of leap across the stars； a peaceful one this time； and these glow…eyed children of ours are proof。
That was part of the reason we went forth； wasn't it？ To find out what we could ultimately bee？ In any case； Roy II forgets to brush his teeth if Rick or I don't remind him； even if he can argue spacetime algorithms with Louie Nichols。 And bedtime is still bedtime； the kid gets a swat on the landing gear if he's being too muley。
Keeps us all humble。
I suppose I was looking the other way； but it seemed like I was the only one surprised when Aurora ran for Interworld Council and became the youngest representative…elect ever。 She's not maturing at her accelerated rate anymore； but no one appears to care。
Max and Miriya are Earth's ambassadors to Tirol/Fantoma； of course； so they get to see Aurora all the time。
Which sounds good to an old lady whose son and husband seem to spend most of their hours in that damned old Fokker。 Somehow； the little Dr。 1 triplane made it through the whole newspace dustup； stowed away down there in a hold in SDF…3。 Roy…my…darling…boy handed Rick the wrenches and whatnot； and Rick put some kind of power plant into that kite that makes it do things Manfred von Richthofen could only dream about。
They're up in it most of their waking hours； as Roy feasts on the wonders of Earth。 I'm invited along whenever I want to go （and intrude upon the male bonding？ Thanks； Rick！）； but my editor keeps yelling about this deadline。
We didn't e home to paradise； there are still crises and suffering and conflict； but it's a very different world； a different galaxy； from the one we left when we entered newspace。
Louie Nichols once confided to me that he thought the Shapings had e to an end； that a certain cycle of downfall； redemption； and renewal had played out to its finish； leaving us to make our own Shapings from now on。
I like the sound of it。
Looking back over this manuscript； I see there's no way I can fit in every detail。
Such as： that boisterous exploratory tour Exedore and Cabell took； the pink…haired Lantas mother…henning them； here on Earth； and Cabell's newfound dotty passion for classic rock music （who can explain the Presley fixation？）。
Or the story of how the Haydonites…those saved from the wreckage of their world…have bee a sort of wandering interstellar Peace Corps。 Much of their effort went into helping Earth and New Praxis rebuild。
The people at New Random House are just going to have to understand that I can't write CLOSE…FILE to this one； among other things； work on SDF…4 is nearing pletion。
Vince Grant； Crysta； and Baldan will be here any minute to take me upstairs for another inspection tour。 Soon we'll know whether the saga of Protoculture made itself felt in the Andromeda Galaxy or if things there are a new story entirely。
When I joined the service； no woman had ever manded a spacecraft…of…the…line。 Through luck and the turn of events and a bit of merit； I've manded the greatest vessels Earth ever put into space。 Having achieved that； I'm not ready to hand it over yet。
Check back with me in another ten years or so。
Rick made me watch Roy Fokker's favorite old…time movie； Things to e； and that 〃Which shall it be？〃； speech at the end never fails to make the two of us tear up a bit。 But at least now we know the answer to the question posed by Raymond Massey； and it is one worthy of the human race。
Still； I can't get it out of my mind that one part of this story hasn't been finished and； it seems； never will be。 As least not in my lifetime。
。 。 。 but her songs play on after her。 And the universe listens 。。。
The Flowers grew best up on the hill near where the SDF…3 fold drive casing sat。
Minmei liked going up there to sit and think and to sing into the dark spaces cast by the casing's mighty shadow； especially now that her time was drawing near。
The second bubble in newspace； shielded from the in Human forces of Haydon's new natural laws； was very different from that in which the Elders passed their eons。 Perhaps some of the materials came from the sphere ships； in any event； Minmei and Rem reigned now over a worldlet enpassing a small island and a tiny sea。
They wandered it at their pleasure。 Even though the lifeforms there were alien； there was nothing to hamper them on the land or menace them in the sea； the new dominion was benign。
Why Haydon had chosen to leave the drives there on the hilltop； they were not sure； some godly whim； perhaps。 They had no reason to plain； though； as they had no reason to plain of the gentle climate or the passage of the warm sun across the seemingly infinite sky。 At night the stars； nebulas； ets； and frequent meteors entertained them； though they suspected that the show was all illusion。
Rem examined the Flowers of Life that grew around the silent drives and pronounced them harmless； pollinated； soon they would bear fruit。
Every now and then； at night； they could hear the yips of Pollinators playing around on the hillsides； but the little beasts took fright and fled when they heard Rem and Minmei ing。 She took no offense and knew no despair； she had all the time in the world to win their confidence。
Rem was sitting in thought； off at the end of the point； watching waves break on the reef。 He often did that； and she let him。
He had built a simple； plete…fortable life for them both； using their world's resources and the tools and materials that