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ark tunnel like a wraith； rising on whispering engines。 Lark glimpsed a small human silhouette； hands and face pressed against an oval window； drinking in the view。 The figure looked familiar。。。 but before he could raise his pocket ocular； the machine sped away； eastward； toward a cleft where the largest moon was rising above the Rimmer Range。
Now； as the evening procession entered a final twisty canyon leading to the Egg； Lark tried putting temporal concerns aside； preparing for munion。 It may be my last chance； he thought； hoping this time he might fully take part in the wholeness others reported； when the Egg shared its full bounty of love。
Drawing his right arm inside his sleeve； he grasped the rocky flake； despite its growing heat。 A passage from the Scroll of Exile came to mind…an Anglic version； modified for Earthlings by one of the first human sages。
We drift； rudderless； down the stream of time；
betrayed by the ancestors who left us here；
blind to much that was hard…learnt by other ages；
fearful of light and the law；
but above all； anxious in our hearts
that there might be no God；
no Father；
no heavenly succor；
or else that we are already lost to Him；
to fate；
to destiny。
Where shall we turn； in banished agony；
with our tabernacle lost；
and faith weighed down by perfidy？
What solace es to creatures lost in time？
One source of renewal；
never fails。
With rhythms long；
its means are fire and rain；
ice and time。
Its names are myriad。
To poor exiles it is home。
Jijo。
The passage ended on a strange note of bined reverence and defiance。
If God still wants us； let him find us here。
Till then； we grow part of this；
our adopted world。
Not to hinder； but to serve Her cyclic life。
To sprout humble goodness out of the foul seed of crime。
Not long after that scroll gained acceptance in the human sept； one winter's day； ground tremors shook the Slope。 Trees toppled； dams burst； and a terrible wind blew。 Panic swept from mountains to sea amid reports that Judgment Day had e。
Instead； bursting through a cloud of sparkling dust； the Egg appeared。 A gift out of Jijo's heart。
A gift which must be shared tonight…with aliens。
What if they achieved what he had always failed？ Or worse； what if they reacted with derisive laughter； declaring that the Egg was a simple thing that only yokels would take seriously…like fabled Earth…natives worshipping a music box they found on the shore？
Lark struggled to push out petty thoughts； to tune himself with the basso rumble of the hoon； the qheuens' calliope piping； the twanging spokes of the g'Keks； and all of the other contributions to a rising song of union。 He let it take over the measured pace of his breathing； while warmth from the stone fragment seemed to swell up his hand and arm； then across his chest； spreading relaxed detachment。
Close； he thought。 A tracery of soft patterns began taking shape in his mind。 A weblike meshing of vague spirals； made up partly of images； partly of sound。
It's almost as if something is trying to…
〃Is this； not exciting？〃 a voice broke in from Lark's right； splitting his concentration into broken shards。 〃I believe I can feel something now！ It's quite unlike any psi phenomenon I have experienced。 The motif is highly unusual。〃
Ignore her； Lark thought； clinging to the patterns。 Maybe she'll go away。
But Ling kept talking； sending words clattering up avenues that could not help hearing them。 The harder he tried holding on； the quicker detachment slipped away。 Lark's hand now clenched a clammy ball of rock and twine； warm with his body heat alone。 He let go in disgust。
〃We picked up some tremors on instruments several days ago。 The cycles have been rising in strength and plexity for some time。〃
Ling seemed blithely unaware of having done anything wrong。 That； in turn； made Lark's simmering resentment seem both petty and futile。 Anyway； her beauty by moonlight was even more unnerving than usual； cutting through his anger to a vulnerable loneliness within。
Lark sighed。 〃Aren't you supposed to be guarding your boss？〃
〃Robots do the real guarding…as if we have anything to fear。 Ro…kenn gave Rann and me permission to look around while he talks to your sages； preparing them for what's about to happen。〃
Lark stopped so suddenly； the next pilgrim in line had to stumble to avoid him。 He took Ling's elbow。 〃What are you talking about？ What's about to happen？〃
Ling's smile carried a touch of the old sardonicism。
〃You mean you haven't guessed by now？ Oh； Lark。 Think about the coincidences。
〃For two thousand years sooners of various races lived on this world； squabbling and slowly devolving。 Then humans came and everything changed。 Though you started few and helpless； soon your culture became the most influential on the planet。
〃Then； just a few generations after your arrival； a miracle suddenly erupts out of the ground； this spirit guide you all revere。〃
〃You mean the Egg；〃 he said； brow furrowing。
〃Exactly。 Did you really think the timing accidental？ Or that your patrons had forgotten you？〃
〃Our patrons。〃 Lark frowned。 〃You mean。。。 you're implying the Rothen knew all along…〃
〃About the voyage of the Tabernacle？ Yes！ Ro…kenn explained it to us this morning； and now everything makes sense！ Even our own arrival on Jijo is no accident； dear Lark。 Oh； our mission is partly to seek deserving presapients； to join our clan。 But more than that； we came for you。 Because the experiment is finished！〃
〃Experiment？〃 He felt an involuntary disorientation。
〃An arduous trial for your small branch of humanity； castaway and forgotten…or so you thought…on a savage world。 It sounds harsh； but the road of uplift is hard when a race is destined for the heights our patrons plan for us。〃
Lark's mind whirled。 〃You mean our ancestors were meant to sneak down to Jijo？ As part of an ordeal that's supposed to。。。 transform us somehow？ The Egg was…is…part of some Rothen scheme…〃
〃Design；〃 Ling corrected； a kind of elation invading her voice。 〃A grand design； Lark。 A test； which your folk passed brilliantly； I'm told； growing stronger； smarter； and more noble even as this awful place tried to grind you down。
〃And now the time has e to graft this successful offshoot back onto the main trunk； helping all of humanity to grow； thrive； and better face the challenges of a dangerous universe。〃
Her grin was joyful； exuberant。
〃Oh； Lark； when I spoke to you last； I thought we might be taking a few human castaways with us； when we go。
〃But now the news is pure and grand； Lark。
〃Ships are ing。 So many ships！
〃It is time to bring you all back home。〃
Asx
ASTONISHMENT！ This news bellows through our waxy cavities； driving out the Egg's pattern/resonance with acrid vapors of surprise。
we/i/we/i/we。。。 cannot coalesce as Asx。 Nor contemplate these tidings with any sense of unity。
The worst rumors of recent months…spread by irredentist urrish chiefs and bitter gray queens…claimed that humans mig