"Back to Mouse," said Ciaran simply.
"To die with her." The crystal maze bummed eerily. "I wish I could see
Marsali again."
* * * * *
Ciaran stopped. He spoke over his shoulder, without expression. "The
death of the Stone doesn't mean your death, does it?"
"No. The first exposure to its light when it landed, blazing with the
heat of friction, made permanent changes in the cell structure of my
body. I'm independent of it--as the androids are of the culture vats
they grew in."
"And the new power source will take up where the Stone left off?"
"Yes. Even the wall of rays that protected me and fed my body while I
slept will go on. The power of the Stone was broadcast to it, and to
the sunballs. There were no mechanical leads."
Ciaran said softly, "And you love this Marsali? You're happy in this
dream world you created? You could go back there?"
"Yes," whispered Bas. "Yes. Yes!"
Ciaran turned. "Then help us destroy the androids. Give us our world,
and we'll give you yours. If we fail--well, we have nothing to lose."
Silence. The crystal web hummed and sang--death whispering across the
world. The Stone of Destiny throbbed like the breast of a dying bird.
The boy's grey eyes were veiled and remote. It seemed almost that he
was asleep.
Then he smiled--the drowsy smile of pleasure he had worn when Ciaran
found him, dreaming on the stone cross.
"Marsali," he whispered. "Marsali."
He moved forward then, reaching out across the crystal web. The long
nails on his fingers scooped up the Stone of Destiny, cradled it, caged
it in.