// This is what he’s seeing. //
(Yes! Freem’n!) Legroeder called. (Look at this!) Legroeder’s augments flashed the living-ship image above the stage, where Deutsch could see it.
For a moment, Deutsch seemed dazed. (What are you saying—this isn’t—)
(It is, Freem’n! Look with your own eyes!)
(I don’t have eyes of my own. Don’t you understand? Without my augments, I’m blind!)
(Then find the ones that are doing this, and turn those off. They’re programmed to make you afraid!) Could he do it? Legroeder wondered. Or had he been living with the implants too long?
(I don’t dare. They’ll come, they’ll kill me…)
(Who will, Freem’n? Who will come and kill you?)
(They… will. I can’t…)
(Won’t the augments let you?)
Deutsch was stammering now. (It’s not—not that. They’ll come, I tell you.)
(Who, Freem’n? The ghosts?)
(Yes! YES!)
(NO,) Legroeder said with difficulty. (They won’t. Freem’n, can you trust me on this? Do… you… trust… me?) Dear God, were Deutsch’s implants under Glenswarg’s control? They weren’t supposed to be. But what if the controls were malfunctioning?
Legroeder, what’s going on? Palagren asked, his voice intruding on the inner connection. We need to decide what to do. Our position isn’t stable. If we’re going to pass through that bubble, we should go!
Legroeder tried to control the pounding of his heart. Yes. Yes, I know. I have to work this out with Freem’n. He gulped another breath. (Freem’n, listen to me. You may be having an augment malfunction. You’ve GOT to check it.)
Deutsch stared at him from across the stage, as if trying to comprehend what Legroeder was saying.
(I’m… afraid.)
(I know you are. You’ve got to trust me. Do you trust me?)
(I… I’ll try.) A terrible tension filled the augment connection.
Then Legroeder’s implants said softly, // He has control of his augments. //
The Deutsch on the stage rose partway from his crouch and reached up to a large control panel. He fingered the switches hesitantly, before turning one off… then back on. There was no effect on the Flux image. (It’s not helping,) he whispered.
(Don’t stop! Try the rest.)
He continued flicking the switches off, then back on, one at a time. None seemed to have much effect, except in color and clarity and sound. He moved to the second row of switches, his hand shaking. OFF. The image changed abruptly. The bodies were gone. The terror was gone. Through the raindrop floated a living ship.
He flicked it back on.
The ghost ship loomed, spirits crying out.
OFF. The terror vanished.
(I’ll be God damned,) he breathed. He looked across the stage at Legroeder. (How did you know?)
(Later,) Legroeder sighed, as the stage darkened and vanished. Back in the normal net view, he saw the Narseil waiting at their stations with a strange mix of patience and agitation. They reminded him of horses stamping restlessly, breath steaming. Through the raindrop, the other ship was beginning to drift out of his view. Palagren was right; they were going to lose it if they didn’t hurry. We have to go through, Legroeder said. And quickly. Are we agreed?
The Narseil agreed with almost unnerving speed. Deutsch was still nervous, but didn’t object. Palagren, Legroeder said. What are our chances of finding our way back out?
Palagren’s hesitation sent a chill through his blood. We can’t be sure until we’re on the other side, can we?
Legroeder cursed, as the other ship drifted a little further to the side.
A com-window opened from the bridge, and Glenswarg called, Riggers, report! That looks like a ship in our monitors. Is that Impris?
Legroeder’s heart was in his throat. Yes, Captain. We believe it is. She appears to be in a separate fold in the underflux. But we believe we can… reach her. His voice caught. Request… permission… to make a final transition to the next layer of the underflux. Sir.
The captain’s voice was sharp. Final transition! Are you telling me we’re already in the underflux? When did we cross over?
We—just a few minutes ago, Captain. It was an… extremely hectic moment. Too hectic to communicate with the bridge? he could hear the captain thinking. Captain, I’m afraid we had a tiger by the tail, and there was really no chance to explain.
Glenswarg sounded as if he was torn between fury and disbelief. You mean you took it upon yourselves to risk this ship—? Hold on. Seconds passed, and the riggers in the net looked at each other and looked at Impris, slowly sliding away. Legroeder forced himself to breathe slowly, wondering what he would do if Glenswarg said no.
The com came to life again. Cantha has shown me where we are and what you’ve done. Or what he thinks you’ve done. What he can’t tell me is what our chances are of getting out the way we came in.
Legroeder blinked. Only a third of Impris was visible now. Captain, we’re doing everything we can to chart our course in. It took our combined efforts to find this entry point. But we did find it, so we have that over the Impris crew. But I can’t tell you it’s a sure thing. Legroeder peered at Palagren, who shook his neck-saiclass="underline" nothing to add.
How soon do we have to go through? We’re losing the view of the ship out here.
Legroeder felt flushed with urgency. You’re seeing what we’re seeing, Captain. It may be now or never. We think it’s worth the risk.
Goddamn alien riggers, he imagined the captain thinking. But Glenswarg surprised him. Proceed, then. Permission given.
Permission to proceed, Legroeder echoed, then called to the others, Let’s go before we lose her.
Palagren reached far out from the bow of the ship and touched the shimmering surface of the raindrop. It quivered as his hand went through. It was no longer possible to see Impris.
All together now, Legroeder whispered. There was very little movement of the ship, and the surface tension of the raindrop was just strong enough to resist even that motion. If we can all just relax and let it pull us through… His heart was pounding. (Help me relax…)
The implants gave him a soothing chant… and he breathed deeply and felt himself calming…
And the ship began to ease forward into the drop of water. The raindrop dimpled inward, stretching for a dozen heartbeats. Then, with a sudden release, the drop shimmered open and flashed closed around them. For a whirling moment, Legroeder had a dizzy sensation of time and space being stretched and twisted and folded in some utterly incomprehensible manner. He felt the ship speeding and somehow blurring… and yet seemingly not moving at all. And then suddenly all of those feelings drained away, and he was floating in a warm, clear sea. It looked like the Sargasso they had just left, but glowing a deep, enveloping cyan.