Key to Survival

Chapter 28 Spy

Fifth joined Opaline for their usual tryst, and it was as wonderful as ever. "I love Flame, and hope to marry her," he said. "But I think I love you too. You bring me something she doesn't. Innocence and willingness without censure."

At the moment he was lying on his back with his head on her belly, her lifted thighs enclosing his neck.

"I love Oak, and will marry him," she said, toying with his hair. "And will bear four fourths, by you, Havoc, Warp, and Oak's father Pot. Not in that order. You, too, bring me something more than mere sex. I feel at ease with you."

"We are friends."

"Friends," she agreed. "We can tell each other anything." She giggled. "Like the latest naughty gossip."

"Like how I helped swap Shee's ikon for Gale's," he said. "Gale traveled no fault with this upper level machine called Sphere, looking for the Makers, and she seduced him and made him her love slave."

"A machine?"

"It seems they have a thing for Glamors. He couldn't get enough of her. But then they wanted to search for Makers hiding among the machines, and Gale thought Shee would be better, being a machine. So Shee emulated Gale to go with Sphere, but couldn't use Gale's ikon. So they met the machine in a Black Chroma zone, and I conjured their two ikons, exchanging them. And Shee went off with Sphere, pretending to be Gale, being his no fault lover."

"That's a dangerous no fault. What if he finds out?"

"I don't know. Shee hasn't returned yet. But she is surely satisfying him. I have been with Gale, and she is all the woman any man could want." He paused. "No offense to you, Opaline. She's a Glamor."

"Well, there's Weft. She's a Glamor too."

"She's too controlling. She's always running the show, even when she seems to be accommodating her partner's wish. Gale isn't like that."

"That reminds me: Flame said she'd rather have you with me than with Weft."

He laughed. "I'm sure! You're no threat to her." He paused again. "I mean, you're not a Glamor. When it comes to mortal girls, you're the best."

"And Gale said she'd rather have Havoc with me than with Weft."

He laughed again. "Oh, my yes!"

"And I would rather be with Oak than have Weft with him."

He was surprised. "Weft was with Oak?"

"I have gossip too. I went with Havoc to a far culture, to test Oak's ability with the chips, while Weft emulated me to be with Oak. She was having sex with him. He never knew the difference. That bothers me."

"Opaline, no one can fathom a Glamor's identity when the Glamor is masquerading as another person. Not even another Glamor. If Oak never knew he wasn't with you, there's nothing to be jealous of."

"Wouldn't it bother you to discover the person you were with was actually someone else?"

"Confirmation. But Oak need never know. He is loyal to you."

"And I am loyal to him. I just get my sexual variety elsewhere."

"Speaking of sexual variety—that mission Havoc took you on—did Oak's ability prove out?"

"Confirmation. We met Filia, who is an alien Glamor Queen made up of a box of mental filings she can shape oh, so voluptuously. Just seeing her do it with Havoc worked me up, so he had to do me too. Then she showed me around, but a machines ship came after us. It was awful, until Flame rescued us. Anyway, I am satisfied now that Oak is no decoy. He will be destroying the machines ships before they can attack us in the final battle. I'm so proud of him!"

Fifth sat up, disengaging from her legs, and faced her. "Oak is not a decoy?"

"Not," she agreed. "He is our secret weapon. He will push the buttons that disrupt the machines' weapons. Because of him, we'll win against the machines."

Something strange was happening in Fifth's mind. "Who says this?"

"Havoc. He told me. I believe him. Oak is worthy. The machines can't stop him. I'm thrilled!"

Fifth set his body on hers, pinning her to the ground. "But Oak can't do that without you to guide him, can he?"

"Confirmation. I'm glad to have a part in it. I have worked with him so long on this, I know there's no one else. Not even Weft. She might fool him sexually, but she doesn't know the nuances of his talent the way I do."

"This is my understanding." He put his two hands on her neck.

"You have a new way of sex?" she inquired brightly. "Mock bondage?"

"Negation." He squeezed, throttling her.

Opaline tried to protest, but could not utter a sound. She tried to pull his hands off, but lacked the strength. She tried to draw her body away, but he had her pinned. Her eyes bulged. Her mouth opened soundlessly.

It was over quickly, as her body ceased its futile struggle. He maintained his grip for several minutes, making sure she was dead. Then he got up, picked up her limp form, and dumped her corpse into the nearby bog.

There was a stirring of reptiles orienting on the meat. Fifth turned away, sick at heart, not caring to watch them tear her apart.

He brought out a Black Chroma stone and used it to conjure himself to the brink of the nearest volcano. It was Green Chroma. It didn't matter. It was inactive at the moment, but there was bubbling green lava in its depths. It would do the job.

He was the machines spy, sent to stop the human culture's strongest weapon against the machines. He had not known until the situation activated his program. He had had no choice, once he ascertained the nature of that weapon.

Now he was destroying himself, completing the deed. His secret mission was done.

He dropped the stone, depriving himself of any remaining magic. He set down Flame's ikon, not wanting to lose it in the lava or allow it to protect him, as ikons could. He made a running leap into the cone of the volcano.

He felt a sort of freedom as he fell. Part of it was the lightness of free-fall. More of it was the expiation of the ugly mission he had been assigned. He was now free of it.

He also experienced intense grief. Opaline had been his friend, and he had abruptly and brutally betrayed her.

Had he known, he would have stayed well away from her, or have killed himself before hurting her. "Apology, Opaline," he whispered, aware of the uselessness of any such statement.

The surface of the green lava rushed up at him. He held his breath, as if dropping into deep water. He knew he would be cooked and dead in seconds. It was perhaps a fitting end for a traitor.

Something swooped in, catching him and bearing him away. Startled, disoriented, he looked. It was Flame.

She carried him back to their cabin in the Black Chroma zone. She set him down. "Apology."

"Negation!" he exclaimed. "I didn't fall, I jumped. I need to die."

"Not any more."

"Flame, I'm the machines spy! I killed Opaline! I can't live with that crime."

"You were the machines spy," she said. "You are no more. Your mission was triggered, accomplished, and ended as you killed yourself. The program has been expended and is no more. Now you are free. You are a normal mortal man."

"I killed Opaline!" he repeated. "I can't live with that. She was my friend. She trusted me. I must die."

"You did not kill her."

He shook his head. "Yes I did. I throttled her and fed her to the swamp. She was innocent. She died because of me."

"You did not kill her," Flame repeated.

"How can you say that? You weren't there."

"I was there."

He gazed at her. "Question?"

"I emulated Opaline. You killed me."

"But you are a Glamor! You couldn't die from anything I did."

"Correct. I emulated dying."

He stared, slowly realizing that she was serious. "Why?"

"To trigger your machines mission. To let you do it, and kill yourself, expiating the program."

He was putting it together. "The tryst, the sex, the dialogue—all with you?"

"All with me."

"Why?" he demanded again.

"So I wouldn't lose you. You would have killed yourself if discovered prematurely. We could not alleviate that. You had to actually do it." He shook his head, accepting it. Flame never lied to him, or to anyone.

"You played a role, to trigger the mechanism. So you know about it. When did you learn, when I didn't know myself?"

"On Planet Lobster. I read your mind when you were under special stress, and saw it."

"But you told me it was nothing! My dream of killing you. Just my fear of compromising our mission there."

"I lied."

He was appalled. "Why?" he asked a third time.

"I love you."

Fury overtook him. "You let me do this horrible thing—or think I did it—for love? Some love!"

He shook his head, trying to clear it of the humiliating filth of this knowledge. "I am going back to the volcano. This time don't stop me."

She remained silent, expressionless.

He stalked out.

It took him some time to reach the volcano without magic, but he was determined to finish what Flame's lie had balked. Even if he hadn't killed Opaline, it had seemed exactly like it, and he was absolutely revolted.

The following morning, tired, he stood again at the brink of the Green Chroma volcano.

A figure appeared beside him. "Flame, I told you—" He stopped. It wasn't Flame.

"I am just back from a mission to the heart of the machines empire," Shee said. "I learned what happened yesterday, and had to come."

"I killed my friend, or thought I did."

"Because you were programmed and planted by the machines," she said. "I know how that can be, because I am a machine. I want to tell you that the fact that the machines sent you does not mean you have to serve their interests. You can choose to serve the interests of life, as I did."

"I thought I did," he said. "Had I known or suspected that I was the machines' spy, I would have killed myself before murdering my innocent friend."

"The war with the machines is no simple thing. Not when both sides are able to see the future. It is a complex tapestry of moves and counter moves in many quadrants simultaneously. It has been going on for millennia, though the humans didn't know it until about two decades ago when they encountered Mino, the advance mining scout. It is a war the machines seemed destined to win, until the advent of the Glamors, and even so the advantage remains with the machines. Even with the Living Cultures Coalition, the issue is in doubt. The machines have studied the Earth culture by sending participants like the fifths, and later they sent robots to alter the mix."

"The mix?"

"Ploy and counter ploy. They sent me to influence Havoc to prevail on his daughter to enlist with them, which would enable them to destroy the remaining living cultures significantly more readily. Havoc countered by making me a Glamor and converting me to the side of Life, though I am not alive. They sent Ikon similarly to influence Weft. The Glamors counter by accepting the fifths and robots and turning them to assets for Life. In each case what counts is the effect on the future outcome. It is a game no one fully grasps, but Voila and Idyll are so far more than matching the machines in its application. They have raised the odds for Life from one in four to almost even."

"I am just another machines ploy? Sent to do their mischief? I did it, and I hate it."

"You had no choice. You are a fifth, like Opaline, only not presented as such. You are the special one. You are a potent nexus, as I am, and I think neither of us has yet concluded our roles in that respect."

"I'm synthetic?" he asked, surprised. "I never knew that either."

"You were designed to be attracted to Glamors and to persons of power," Shee said. "And to be attractive to them. You were given qualities of appearance and character that they could respect. When Gale took you no fault she wasn't just being kind; she liked you and respected you. This was true for Flame, Red, Voila, and Weft; they all enjoyed your company. But most of all you were slated for Flame, being seriously turned on by her lean appearance.

The machines far-future seeing suggested that they could place you with her, and that this was a vital nexus."

"I betrayed her!"

"Not really. The near future seeing, and her other Glamor abilities were more than the machines could handle, so their plot was foiled. Flame did what she had to do."

"She could have told me!"

"And you would have died when she told."

"Better than killing my friend."

"Whom Flame prevented you from killing."

He shook his head. "Flame did what she had to do. Now I am doing what I have to do. I can't live with the shame."

She seemed to consider. "Shame is not a thing I properly understand yet. Can you explain it to me?"

"It is the awareness of dishonor, foolishness, bad behavior. She made a fool of me, and I would be embarrassed to continue with it being known."

"She did not want to do it. I think you should forgive her."

"I can't. I was seduced by my innocence. I have lost it."

"If I could ameliorate your feeling or resolve the issue by seducing you, I would do it."

"Unlikely. I am not a candidate for physical seduction."

"No?" She gazed at him. Her face and body became ethereally lovely. Her clothing shimmered and faded out, leaving her naked. Her very nearness aroused him intensely. He knew she was a machine, but he was being drawn into her as the essence of femininity. He was staring into the irresistible face of a Glamor who was showing her power.

"Point made!" he said quickly. "You could do it."

The fascination faded. She reverted to her original state. "This is a Glamor ability Flame never used on you. She felt it would not be fair play."

"But lying to me was? I am through."

"Understanding. I merely wanted to be sure you understood the background. Regret."

"Regret," he echoed. "Parting." She vanished.

He went to the brink of the cone and stared down at the roiling green magma. He still fully intended to jump, but Shee's words had set him back. He was another fifth? His name was no coincidence! No wonder he had liked Opaline from the outset; they were two of a kind.

Another figure appeared beside him. "Greeting, Fifth."

"Voila!" Even in this stressed situation he remained somewhat in awe of her.

"You helped me find my true love. I believe I owe you something in return."

"But you have a war to run."

"There is a personal responsibility also."

"Not to me. I tried to kill the woman who guides your secret weapon."

"Flame was under orders to fathom the nature of your nexus, and to conceal that information from you, so that we could handle it. We had to deceive the machines, and that meant deceiving you. What you know, the machines know. Regret."

"Who gave her any such directive? She's an independent Glamor. Whose orders?"

"Mine."

"Flame obeys her little sister?" But of course she did. Voila was as strong a Glamor as her three elder siblings combined. Now, as Shee had done, Voila was showing a fraction of her awesome power.

"She did not want to do it. She had no choice."

"So Shee informed me. Couldn't you have foiled the machines some other way?"

"Negation. The paths are devious, but we had to play it through. This way added to our advantage. So if you find it necessary to blame someone, I am that one."

He did blame her. "You have taken my love from me!"

"Regret. Flame is blameless in this respect. Curse me, but forgive her. She loves you."

"She is better off without me."

"Negation."

"Voila, unless you're going to fascinate me into doing your will, please let me be."

She gazed at him sadly, withholding her power. Then she faded out. All he wanted to do was die. Why were they making it so difficult? Another presence manifested. "Greeting, Fifth." It was Flame's brother Warp.

"Voila already tried," Fifth said shortly. "I am spoiled goods, and I want to end it."

"I come to tell you a story, and interpret it. Then I will leave you alone."

"Your art would be wasted on me. I want to end my pain by jumping."

"This is a very old story from ancient Earth, lost to our Charm culture. A fairy tale. I discovered it when researching with Marionette."

"A fine woman," Fifth said shortly.

"Indeed. I will marry her. This is the story of the Princess and the Frog. It's a silly tale, but we as children loved it when Havoc told it, and demanded to hear it over and over."

Surprised by a title he had never heard of, and knowing there was no way he could hurry the departure of a Glamor, Fifth listened.

There was once a pretty Princess who lived pretty much alone, as there were no other royal young adults in the vicinity. She entertained herself by playing with her favorite possession, a golden ball. She would throw it, then fetch it, over and over.

But one day the golden ball rolled right into a deep well and sank into the water out of reach. She didn't know what to do. She was distraught. How could she live without her precious ball?

As she stared into the water, appalled, in tears, a big green bullfrog swam to the surface. "Why are you crying, Princess?" he asked.

"I lost my lovely golden ball," she said, not surprised that a frog could talk, for this was a magic land.

"What would you give to have it back?"

"Anything!" she said without thinking.

"Anything?"

"Yes, anything It's the only thing of any value I have. I've just got to get it back."

"I will fetch it for you," the frog said. "For a price."

"If you want gold coins, my father the King has plenty. He will pay you."

"What use have I for coins? There are plenty of them already in the bottom of the spring."

"Then food. What do frogs eat? You can have a mountain of it."

"Needless. I am already well fed."

"So what the expletive do you want?" she demanded impatiently. Princesses were not noted for their patience.

"If I bring you back your golden ball," the frog said carefully, "you must admit me to your household to be your constant companion, day and night."

"Your companion?" she asked, taken aback. "Why would you want that? You're a frog."

"I have seen you playing in your garden," the frog explained. "You are very pretty, even for a Princess. I am smitten with you, and want to be with you always."

The Princess was not eager to keep constant company with a frog, but she really wanted her ball back. "All right. I agree. Fetch me my ball."

Immediately the frog dived way down to the bottom of the spring. He picked up the ball with his big mouth and swam back to the surface. This required much effort, for the ball was heavy even in the water, but he made it. He spat the ball out at the bank, then lay there, half in the water, gasping.

"Goody!" the Princess cried, snatching up the ball. She ran back to the castle, carrying it.

"Wait for me," the frog called. But she paid no heed. She ran inside and slammed the heavy door behind her. She went to her room and jumped on her bed, thrilled to have her wonderful ball back.

There was a thumping at the door. Her father the King went to answer it. There was the frog.

"What's this?" the king asked.

"The Princess promised to let me be her companion if I fetched her golden ball," the frog explained.

"Let me check," the King said. He went to the Princess' room. "Did you promise this to the frog?" he asked her.

She squirmed. "Well, yes. But I don't need to keep a promise to a frog."

"Yes you do," the King said firmly. "You made a commitment and you must honor it. Now go to the door and let the frog in."

Reluctantly the Princess did so, for the King's word was law. She opened the door, and the frog hopped inside the castle.

Then it was time for lunch. The frog demanded to eat at the same table the Princess did.

"Ooo, ugh," the Princess protested.

"A Princess always honors her promises," the King said, and his tone was such that the Princess immediately squelched any further protest.

So the frog sat on a stool beside the Princess and ate the same pastries she did. She refused to say a word to him, but the King and Queen talked with the frog perfectly politely. They were curious how it was that a frog could speak so well.

"Well, I'm really a Prince," the frog explained. "I annoyed a witch, and she enchanted me to be a frog until I could be the companion of a Princess for two hours."

The King and Queen exchanged a glance, and decided not to question this, though it was clear they had their doubts. It was not considered polite to question the veracity of a guest. In any event, they would have the proof of the statement soon, for almost two hours had already passed. The Princess, meanwhile, was paying no attention.

After lunch it was time for her afternoon nap. She lay on her bed, and the frog hopped up to join her there.

"Ridiculous!" she cried. "You'll get my bed all wet!"

"But I have to stay close to you for another minute," the frog said.

"Get off my bed!!" she screamed, using two exclamation points. That meant she was upset.

But the frog did not get off her bed. Furious, she picked him up and hurled him against the wall.

He went splat and dropped to the floor. But the time was up, and he landed as a handsome prince. "Thank you, Princess," he said, rubbing his bruised posterior. "You have enabled me to break the spell. Now I will marry you."

"What?!"

But the Prince talked to the King and Queen. "Your daughter is a spoiled brat who needs discipline. I will give her that."

The King and Queen agreed. So the Prince married the Princess and took her away to his far kingdom. He was happy from the outset, because she was very pretty. It took her a while, but once she managed to learn the elements of discipline and respect, she was happy too.

"Here is the thing," Warp said when the story concluded. "When we were children, Weft was the Princess. She had the looks and the imperious beauty. Havoc was the King, of course. Flame was the frog."

"The frog!" Fifth exclaimed. "I would have thought you would be—I mean—"

"When we were children, gender was less important than role. Flame was the tough one who got things done and demanded accountings. The frog had the right of the case throughout. The selfish Princess did not deserve the Prince she married, however reluctantly at first. But when we got older, and came to comprehend the complexities of adult interactions, Weft learned responsibility and empathy, while Flame sought to learn what she lacked: to be a lovely Princess. She never quite succeeded, until she found one man, and then another, who did see her that way."

"I was the frog?" Fifth asked, amazed.

"In her fantasy. Especially now. You are the deserving one, whom she wronged. She feels she doesn't deserve you, any more than the Princess deserved the noble frog. That's why she is leaving you alone, after you made clear that's what you want."

Fifth was at a loss. "How am I supposed to react to this?"

"That is for you to decide. I have spoken." Warp faded.

Fifth stared into the green lava, trying to make sense of the story and its interpretation. Flame had never mentioned it, but he believed Warp.

Another person appeared.

"Weft!" he said, surprised. "Why are you here?" As if he didn't knew. She was the last of Flame's siblings, and would surely have her say.

"I came to stop you from being idiotic." She was startlingly lovely in her animation.

"What do you know of this?"

And of course she did know all about it. "What do you think I know, you simpleton? There's my sister's ikon you dropped on the ground. You're going to suicide. Again."

"This is not your concern."

"The hell it isn't, you numskull! Do you think I sent you back to her for this?" She looked into the volcano.

"She lied to me!" he flared. But that assessment had become more complicated.

"She did it to save your stupid life!"

"It's not worth saving."

"Agreement! But for the sake of my sister I have to try to get through to you, dumbbell. She loves you."

"I love her. But this is beyond love."

"The hell it is!" she flared, literally. For a moment her body was outlined in fire, symbolizing her anger. "Listen to me, fathead. She gave up everything for you, and you are spitting on it."

"What did she give up?"

"She sacrificed her honor. Do you know what that means? She's an Amazon! They aren't like the rest of us who lie and cheat when we have to. Honor is everything to them. But she threw it away for you, you ungrateful buffoon."

He was taken aback. "I didn't ask her to do that."

"She killed her first love, on Earth five years ago, because the evil spirit had taken him over and there was no choice. She was heartbroken, but she was an Amazon so she stifled it and carried on, knowing she would be needed in the next big challenge. But she just couldn't do it again. She couldn't kill you, or let you die. So she killed herself instead, in the way that counted. She compromised her honor so that you could live. And you, you insensitive moron, you are throwing it away, so as to leave her with nothing at all. Maybe you'll be proud of yourself, as you hit the boiling green rock. You took down an Amazon out of simple dopey spite!"

Fifth did not want to admit that she was beating back his resolve. He had been with Flame then, and knew of her hard decision about her first lover, though she had never spoken of it. "She'll get over it. She's a Glamor princess.

She'll find another man. I don't begrudge her that."

"You don't begrudge her? Do you have any idea what she'll do?"

"It's not my business after I'm gone."

"She will see this third challenge through to victory, so as not to leave anything unfinished. Then she will use intermediaries to collect all her ikons and put them in Chroma zones where they can't broadcast any power to her. Then she will come to this very spot and jump in. She will join you. Only it will take her longer to die, because of her lingering Glamor power. She will suffer much more than you, physically. She's already suffering more emotionally. You must really hate her."

"I don't hate her! I love her."

"Some way you have of showing it, you unfeeling jerk. You aren't even trying to understand her position. You even dreamed of it. That was your anticipation of the way you would kill her, first nullifying her ikon so she would be helpless. Only you're doing it more slowly, by cutting her off emotionally. The poor girl isn't good at relationships. She never gave herself wholly to that Earth man, and she had to struggle to do it with you. Don't I know it! I had a month-long affair with you, just to show her that she was really the one you wanted. She couldn't believe that any man would choose her over me, if I tried. And I did try; it was part of the deal. But she finally did believe, and that's it, for her.

She'll never love again. You're killing her, in the crudest possible way, you sadist!"

"I'm the frog."

She paused, her mouth open for another barrage. "What do you know of that?"

"Warp told me. As children you were the Princess and Flame was the frog. Now she's the Princess and I'm the frog."

She sighed. "You know that story, and you're still going to desert her?"

It was no use trying to argue with her. "Affirmation."

"And you know I could have emulated Opaline for the death scene. I've been doing it to cover her absences from Oak. It wouldn't have bothered me nearly as much as it did Flame. But she wouldn't allow it. She said she had to do her own dirty work."

"That's her nature," he agreed guardedly.

"And she could have avoided all this mess simply by continuing the lie, never telling you about her interpretation of your dream. But she refused to keep you on the basis of a lie. She said she had to tell you, once the crisis passed, come what may. I begged her not to; I warned her it would only throw you into a foolish tizzy. But she said the only way she could expiate the lie was to confess it."

"That is the way she would see it," he agreed.

"And you still blame her?"

He felt as if a mountain was settling onto his back. "Affirmation."

"You beast! I can't stand another sight of you." She vanished in a puff of smoke.

Fifth sat down, dangling his legs over the volcano's rim. Weft had shaken him with her vehemence and her information. He had never seen her so angry He knew the special effects were spurious, but he knew her well enough to appreciate the reality. She had truly cursed him.

Could he really be killing Flame, as he had in the dream? He had an awful feeling Weft was right. They were sisters who knew each other well.

Yet Flame had lied to him, and aggravated it by playing a role. His entire tryst with Opaline had actually been with Flame. They had even talked about Flame. Then she had let him "kill" her. How could he ever forgive that horror?

He heard another person approaching. That could not be coincidence. He got to his feet, determined to jump before listening to yet another petition.

But he couldn't help looking. It was Opaline.

He had to listen to her. Guilt required it. "Greeting," he said.

"Acknowledged. Weft sent me to pick up Flame's ikon. She said it's on the ground near the brink."

Weft had sent her. Did she knew why? Did it matter? Opaline was innocent. Weft might scheme, but never Opaline.

"There," he said, pointing.

"Appreciation." She stooped to pick it up. It looked like a little piece of slime, for Flame was the Glamor of viruses. He had half suspected that she was another emulation, but that act dispelled it. No Glamor could touch any ikon. That was why Weft had been unable to fetch it herself. Opaline was genuine.

Opaline put the ikon in her breast pocket. Her breasts were more prominent than they had been; she had fleshed out very nicely over the months. He chided himself for noticing; she was not here for any tryst.

Opaline turned to go.

He couldn't leave it at that. "Opaline."

She paused. "I do know why you're here, Fifth. I do not mean to interfere. You have your reasons. I will leave."

"Stay."

"Distress."

"Please."

"Weft is emulating me with Oak. Again." She winced. "I must return."

"I killed you!" he exclaimed. "I don't know how to make it right."

"You didn't kill me."

"I thought I did. The machine programming took over and I couldn't stop it. I hated it, but I did it. I long for your forgiveness, but I don't deserve it."

She turned again and came toward him. "I guess Oak won't know the difference. Again. I think maybe you need me more, right now."

"If I had known, I would have killed myself first. I never wanted to hurt you, Opaline. You're my friend."

"I know," she said, sitting down on the ground. "I forgive you, Fifth."

He sat down opposite her. Her lifted knees showed her thighs, inciting quick desire; that only added to his guilt.

"I don't deserve forgiveness," he repeated. "I just wanted you to know how it was. Abject apology."

"Needless. If I had been the spy, I would have done the same to you, if the program commanded it. It wasn't your fault."

"I don't deserve your friendship."

"Yes you do. I still want my fourth of you."

He was stunned. "Opaline, how can you say that? After this?"

"Because I understand. We have had many good times together. We have helped solve each other's problems."

She gazed earnestly at him. "Fifth, I beg of you: if any part of this is because you thought you killed me, give it up. It would make me responsible for your death. I don't want that any more than you want my death."

"That's only part of it."

"Please."

"Opaline, I would do anything for you. But this is beyond friendship."

She nodded, her eyes wet. "Understanding. Regret. Then I will bid you parting, my way."

"Your way?"

She scooted over to drop her legs into the cone. She stared into the green heat far below and sang. She had a decent voice, probably because Havoc had worked with her.

It was beautiful and ineffably sad. Fifth felt tears in his eyes. She was singing the close of his day. The close of his life. He could not ask for a fitter ceremony.

He stood at the brink, but did not jump. "I am waiting to see what else the Glamors will do," he explained.

"Their effective range of near future seeing is limited to about five minutes, so if nothing happens in that time, I'll know I am finally beyond what they can anticipate."

Opaline looked up. "I think Voila can see farther."

"I don't think she means to interfere. It's Weft who will do it, if anyone does."

"Yes. When she told me to fetch the ikon, she took me to see Flame, to verify where it was—Glamors can sense their own ikons, even if they can't touch them—and then here. I didn't know you were here, but I guess she did." She paused. "I told Flame I love you too, but I respect your decision. That was odd."

"Question?"

"I never before saw an Amazon cry."

Fifth crumpled. He found himself on the ground with his head on her lap, her arms holding him close. He was sobbing uncontrollably into her skirt.

After a while she spoke again. "I know Flame and Weft quarrel all the time. They call each other Cow and Beanpole. But they're only teasing. Weft really loves her sister and will do just about anything for her. Don't blame her for trying to interfere. She can't stop herself."

"I don't blame any of them. They all came to argue her case. I wouldn't listen. But if you can forgive me, I think I must be able to forgive her."

"Oh, Fifth! I'm so pleased." She hugged his head to her bosom. With her such gestures were unfeigned.

"But I don't think I know how to approach her, after this. She rescued me the first time I jumped, and told me, and I walked out on her. It will be hard to walk back."

"But you love her."

"Affirmation. What can I say to her?"

She chuckled. "Maybe you could start with 'abject apology, you beautiful creature.' After that you can improvise."

"I'm serious."

"So am I. A girl likes to be told she is beautiful."

"She is beautiful to me."

"So that's no problem." She hesitated, then continued. "You know those things you do with me, that Flame doesn't do? I think she wants to do them. She told me once that she wanted to learn from me how to relate to you better. She just doesn't know how. She can't change her Glamor or Amazon nature. But if you helped her, told her in plain words, I'm sure she would try. She wants so much to please you, any way she can."

"But after the way I left her, I don't see how she could believe me."

"Oh, Fifth, don't be foolish. She'll read your mind."

She was right. He sat up. "Appreciation, you beautiful creature. You have steered me correctly, again."

"Welcome, friend."

"I'll give you that fourth, when it is time."

"Appreciation." She drew him to her and kissed him. It was not a prelude to seduction; she was merely thanking him, her way. He did love her; she was as lovely in her forthrightness as in her body.

They set off down the mountain, each to a different destination. But before they reached the base, Weft appeared. Of course she knew. "Give him the ikon," she said.

Opaline handed Fifth the ikon. There was symbolism there; he accepted it because he would carry it again for Flame.

Weft took Opaline's hand. Both vanished. She was conjuring Opaline back to Oak.

Fifth resumed walking. Soon Weft reappeared. "Your turn. I'll take you to her door, no further."

But there remained some awkwardness. "About our dialogue—"

"What dialogue?" she asked. "Have we talked since you left me for Flame?"

Exactly.