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hat Tatiana flinched。
Below him； Mars fought for control。 He was acutely aware of how vulnerable he was floating naked in the pool while the Hero sat above him。
〃You set up cosmic ray experiments；〃 Odysseus continued。 〃Built into our EVA suits was a kind of filter to expose us to a minimum dosage of cosmic rays。〃
〃No； you're wrong。〃 Mars cleared his throat。 〃This plan was discussed。 But it was never implemented。〃
〃You're dissembling； rade。〃 Odysseus clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth。
〃Think about it；〃 Mars said。 〃Would the Americans have ever let us perform this kind of experiment？ They have an almost holy reverence for their space program。 Your exposure to cosmic rays was purely accidental。 Something went wrong。〃
〃I'll tell you what went wrong！〃 Odysseus thundered。 〃We were never meant to make it to Mars。 The Odin…Galaktika II was meant for this cosmic ray experiment alone！〃
〃No； no； no！〃 Mars was shouting himself now； but he could not seem to stop。 〃We're not monsters！ Why must you persist in seeing us that way？ What's happened to you？〃
〃You know very well what's happened。 I'm irradiated with cosmic rays…at your instigation。〃 The Hero's expression was withering。 At last all his pent…up rage was being played out。 〃You've made me into a fucking laboratory experiment。 All because some of your people got the idea that minute dosages of cosmic rays could counteract the damaging long…range effects of weightlessness。''
The Hero's fists were clenched tight。 〃Do you have any idea what you've done to me？〃 He shook his head。 〃What's the difference？ Even if you had a clue； you wouldn't care； would you？ You're all heartless bastards。 'No heart； no soul；' that's what the dolphins say； did you know that？〃
His right fist opened。 ''Here's a little present for you。'' Something glowing dropped from his hand into the water beside Mars。 〃A little plutonium。〃
''Christ！ Jesus Christ！'' Mars heaved himself out of the water。 〃You are mad！ You're homicidal！〃 He began to shiver。 No one made a move to hand him a towel； and he was too paralyzed with fear to move。 He felt the racing of his heart。 His guts had turned to water； and he was certain he had begun to involuntarily urinate before he made it out of the pool。 He was only too familiar with the fearful effects of radiation poisoning。
〃Relax；〃 Odysseus said； looking at Mars's white face。 〃It's just a marble I coated with a harmless radium paint。'' He seemed calmer now。 Arbat gave out with a short burst of clicks。 The Hero smiled thinly。 〃Arbat says you peed into her water。 Gave you quite a fright； didn't I？ Now perhaps you have some sense of what you did to me。〃
〃But we didn't…〃
〃Save it；〃 Odysseus said； swiveling abruptly away； 〃for another day。〃
End of interrogation。
In the aftermath of what she had done…unleashing her rage； murdering Giin…Honno dreamed。 Suspended between sleep and consciousness； she dwelled in the shining field she had been taught to search for and to make her own。 And she once again walked the path of her awakening 。 。 。
When Honno was eight years old she overheard a conversation between her parents。 It was night； and she was awake； being in the midst of a fever that had left her so pain…ridden she could not sleep。
For a while she stared out her window。 The moon was full。 The mountains of her home； which she loved to climb； were visible； stark sentinels in the blue light。 Once she saw lights in the mountains； moving as if of their own accord； and because it was said that gods lived there； she was certain that they were the source of the light。 Often she would pray to these gods to release her from her curse。
It was summer； and the fusuma from her parents' room out to the garden was open。 Cool moonlight slipped into their room； and through the translucence of the rice…paper shoji walls； Honno could make out her parents as silhouettes； their movements throwing shadows against the rice paper； oversized； slightly distorted； as if they were characters in a theater play illuminated by stage lights。
〃I had a dream；〃 Honno's mother was saying。 〃It was about our daughter。〃
〃I do not want to hear anything more about Honno；〃 her father； Noboru； said。
〃But you must！〃 The hand of one silhouette reached out； grabbed the sleeve of the other。 〃This was a significant dream。 I dreamed that it was the dead of winter。 Snow covered the ground in every direction but； curiously； the trees were as black and bare as if they had been set on fire； there was no snow on them at all。
〃As I said； it was winter。 We lived in a desolate place； I can't say where。 Honno awoke。 She was ill； as she is now； and needed to defecate。 I took her outside； in the snow； don't ask me why。 She squatted down and I watched her； as protective as could be。
〃Then； out of the corner of my eye； I saw movement。 There was a stoat staring at me with red…rimmed eyes。 She was as black as the blasted trees； and as gaunt。 She had never grown her white winter fur； and I could see her swollen teats hanging down from the loose skin of her underbelly。
''But it was her face that terrified me；〃 Honno's mother went on。 〃Her muzzle was dripping blood； and I knew that she had slain her mate so that her cubs might eat。 Now she was looking hungrily at Honno。
〃I looked from the stoat to Honno and； to my horror； I saw that what was spilling out of Honno was not feces； but blood。 It soaked into the pure white snow； the stain spreading farther and farther。〃
〃Hinoeuma； the husband killer；〃 Noboru said。 〃Foolish； foolish woman for not taking the proper precautions。〃
''We must do something；'' Honno's mother said。 ''My dream was an omen； a warning of evil。〃
〃What would you have me do？〃。
〃Take her；〃 Honno's mother said； 〃to the Man of One Tree。〃
The Man of One Tree was so called because he lived on an island off the southern coast of Japan。 It was a singular place； rocky； bleak； lashed by wind and rain in the summer； wind and sleet in the winter。 The island seemed to be built not upon bedrock； but rather the gigantic root system of the ancient pine tree that overspread nine…tenths of the island。
Having made the journey south with Honno； Noboru had hired a small boat； which had deposited them on the rock…strewn beach of the Man of One Tree's island。
The Man of One Tree was a hunchback with a head far too large for the rest of his monkeylike body； and his appearance frightened Honno。 She hid behind her father's legs while he addressed the Man of One Tree。
〃My daughter；〃 Noboru said； 〃is hinoeuma； having had the misfortune to be born in the sixtieth cycle of the year of the horse。 My wife and I fear that she is destined to murder her husband。〃
The Man of One Tree peered at Honno with his frightful； opaque pitch…black eyes。 It was said that he was Indonesian or； in any event； had emigrated many years ago from that mysterious archipelago。 Now he produced five shards of half…blackened tortoiseshell。 He threw them onto the ground three times； after which he squatted down； his thick brows knit tight as he read the runes inscribed on the insides of the shells。
He looked up at Noboru； his wrists on his knees； accentuating even further his simian aspect