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Zor felt himself engulfed in a quicksand of time dilation； he began to mouth a cry that echoed Dana's； a cry that seemed to stretch to Forever。 And still the canister poured its full energies into Dana Sterling； who hung in a split…instant's graceful pose； high in the air with the Masters' last Protoculture mass radiant between her hands。。。
With no sense of transition； she found herself awakening on a green field lush with the pink Flowers of Life。 She still wore her armor； she looked around at hills and vales； not sure that they were of Earth； though she saw wind…blasted crags and what seemed to be rusting Zentraedi wrecks in the distance。 She had barely begun to wonder how she had e to be there when she realized she wasn't alone。
〃Huh？〃
There were dark； cloaked figures standing back at a slight remove…female； she thought； feeling a bit drifty； though she couldn't quite be certain。 Each of the dark figures held one of the three…stemmed Flowers of Life； the three…that…were…one。
But there was someone else； kneeling right before her； a pact； blond young woman in gauzy pink robes； clutching a bouquet of the Flowers； wearing a necklace something like Musica's。 The woman had a roundish hairdo and an upturned； freckled nose； she was calm； and yet there was a sense of life and gusto to her that made her very winsome。
Dana gave her head a slight shake and realized that she was looking at herself。 And she realized that she； like this image of her； held a Flower of Life。
She levered herself up and saw that there were more of the dark figures； standing silently…making no move as yet…clutching their Flowers； forming a ring around Dana and her doppelg鋘ger。 Dana realized that she wasn't armed； but somehow the fact didn't bother her； and she felt only peace and a yearning to have her questions answered。
Then the kneeling image of herself suddenly shifted； separating out to either side so that there were three； smiling their mysterious smiles at her。
The triumvirate！ She sat…bolt upright； recalling what had happened…grasping the canister…and looking at the Flower in her hand。
The discharges released the Zentraedi side of my mind！ I'm seeing those other sides of me that would have e to life if I were part of a triad！
She suddenly felt terribly alone。 She had never known hen family； never known much about her mother's race； had grown up cut off from most of the knowledge of serf that people around her so took for granted。
And here was not just one other Dana； but three。 A chance for a closeness and unity； a panionship； beyond anything Humans knew。 No surprise； it occurred to her； that it was the first thing her expanded powers of mind had summoned up from the vast reservoir of the Protoculture。
But even as she was about to embrace her sibling…clones； something held her back。 The image came to mind of Musica； and of the sad scenes in the mother ships of the Masters。 She remembered the antiseptic cruelty of triumvirate life and the obscene murder of the clone Latell。
She still couldn't understand or see clearly who those shrouded entities were； gathered around her； but perceived that they were listening closely； were attentive to her response。 Dana felt that some crucial judgment was hanging in the air。
But it didn't take a lot of soul…searching。 She had seen all the sorrows of the submerged personalities of the triumvirates。 She looked to her potential otherselves again。 Their stares were somehow malign now； and hungry…as if they wanted to devour her； to subsume her in themselves and bury forever the personality that had grown up； for good or ill； as Dana Sterling。
Dana hurled the Flower to the ground； it shattered and disappeared like a de…rezzing puter image。 〃I am not a part of your triumvirate！ I am an individual Human being！〃
The triplicate visions moaned in concert…hollow sounds like the faraway wails of tortured children。 They seemed to turn to smoke； being vacant…eyed ghosts that were rent in the wind like spindrift； their Flowers dissolving as well。
The dark listeners evaporated； too； with thin； pipe…organ howls like mourning specters； resigned to their eternal fate。 They faded； now part of a reality that would never e to be。
Dana was on her feet。 The green had vanished； and she ground herself in a bleak and blasted setting； lifeless as any lunar crater but still recognizably an Earthscape。
She threw the words out angrily。 〃I reject the horrors of your civilization！〃 She wasn't sure if she was talking to the Masters； or the Protoculture； or her own Zentraedi heritage。 〃I reject your values and your beliefs！〃
Who is there to hear？ she wondered； and yet she knew she wasn't going unheard。 〃I'm an individual； a free Human being of the planet Earth！〃
It came to her that she was standing in a place of scattered Human bones； a skull nearly beneath her feet。 There was no stirring of air； no hint of life； anywhere across a limitless plain covered with ash and roofed over by low clouds that might have e from some planetary cremation。
Is this it？ Is this the future of both civilizations？ Suddenly she was running； calling for help in a bleak landscape that even denied her echoes。
Her foot turned on a shattered skeleton； and she fell headlong。 But as she fell； the ash smothering her； clogging her throat and nostrils； she heard somebody calling her name。
She shook her head to clear it； but when she looked up； she was in some strange； kinder place。 There was the blue and green of growing things； but not any that she could identify。 The smell of life and the clarity of the air made her gasp； though。
〃Dana； wait for me！ I'm ing！〃
There were low crystal domes of the Flowers of Life before her； and a starlit sky with no constellation she could recognize。 Somewhere there was ethereal music that reminded her of the Cosmic Harp's； and a little girl was dashing toward her。
〃I…I'm not going anywhere；〃 Dana said dazedly。
She was ten or so； Dana guessed； a black…haired； spritelike thing with huge dark eyes； wearing a short； flowing garment of gold and white。 Her tiny waist was encircled by a broad belt； her wrists and throat banded by the same redbrown leathery stuff。 She wore a garland of woven Flowers of Life in her hair； and carried another。
〃Who are you？〃 Dana got out。
The child stopped before her。 〃Your sister； Dana！ The other daughter of Max and Miriya Sterling！ I was born a long； long way from Earth； and I've e to warn you。 Oh； Mother and Father will be so glad to know I've finally made contact with you！〃
〃I'm glad； too；〃 Dana said haltingly； praying it wasn't just some hallucination。 〃But what are you supposed to warn me about？〃
〃The spores； Dana。〃
This； even while the little girl pressed the Flower of Life into Dana's armor…clad hands。 〃I've e to bring you these Flowers and to warn you about the spores。〃
〃Please〃 Dana couldn't bear it； was afraid the thought of the Flowers and the Protoculture and the rest of it would shake her loose from this Vision or contact or whatever it was。 〃Let's not talk about that。 Tell me about you！ What's your name？〃
The little girl was giggling。 But then she turned and raced away in the direction from which she had e。