Peter Hamilton - The Evolutionary Void

Several of hims were coming out of the house, running toward her, and they were all smiling, which brought a lump to her throats. He does care still! Now that she thought everything might be all right, after all, she thought she might cry-that would be a lot of tears. The gaiafield was abruptly full of the relief hes were broadcasting loud and clear into the gaiafield.

Eight of hims surrounded the two of her. The young blond one gave her a tentative look. “You came back.”

His uncertainty was too much. She just flung her arms around him. Then they were kissing.

“What you did was unbelievable,” the Asian him was saying to Araminta-two. “You never backed down, not for a second. Ellezelin, the Lady’s Light -you kept on and on. It was awesome.”

“They made me do it,” she told him. “It was the only way I could survive.”

“I was frantic when the Raiel blew up the link. Then Gore started dreaming, and you were on Makkathran. It was …” All of hims on the lawn started laughing in amazement. “Ozzie, you were unbelievable. For a while there you were in charge of the whole universe.”

Araminta gave him a demure smirk. “Did you think that was hot?”

The blond youngster cleared his throat. “Could have been.”

“Let me give you back. Hang on.” She closed her eyes, concentrating on the way her thoughts were spread out through the gaiafield. Slowly and carefully she withdrew herself from the body she’d borrowed. When she opened her eyes, he was right in front of her, that oh so familiar smile on his face. Then he looked down at himself. “Thank you; you took good care of him.”

“Certainly did.” Araminta let go of the blond youngster one and went over to the original-she could never stop thinking of him in those terms. It was only slightly weird kissing the body she’d been a few seconds earlier. “It was interesting being a man for a while,” she said in a teasingly husky voice.

“Really? Why?”

“I learned about … reflexes.” She was still pressed up against him. “Specifically, the involuntary ones.”

“Uh huh.” His voice had become hoarse.

“And I was bad, too, while I was away.”

“That’s always been one of your best qualities.”

“You don’t understand. Once you learned how to use it, the Void could make all your wishes come true. It really could. Anything . And I wasn’t strong enough to resist temptation. Mind you, I wasn’t alone. Most of us were at it at the end there. It was quite the little fantasyfest we had going on in the Sampalok mansion.”

“Oh.” He sounded disappointed. “Well, you had just saved us all. I suppose that entitled you.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Araminta had forgotten how much fun it was to tease Mr. Bovey. But the poor man was suffering, which he didn’t really deserve; he was far too noble for that. “I watched Justine and Edeard and Troblum all pulling lost loves out of the creation layer like rabbits from a hat.”

Mr. Bovey frowned. “Er …”

“So I thought: I haven’t lost anyone I love, but someone I love might appreciate a lot more of me.” She gave him a wicked smirk and glanced over at the capsule. The rest of hers were emerging.

Mr. Bovey watched with incredulous delight as fifteen identical Aramintas walked across the garden to hims.

“That conversation we had about what types of mes I’d have when I was multiple?” she said. “I decided there’s not much wrong with this one.”

“This one is absolutely perfect.”

“Good. So now all of yous can take all of mes to bed.”

“Oh, yes!”

“Now, please.”

Last Throw fell smoothly through the miserable winter weather to land at the house in Holland Park. The Delivery Man didn’t waste time walking; he teleported straight into the lounge.

“Dadeeeeie!” The girls flew at him. Small arms clung with surprising strength. Wet sticky kisses smudged his face. Little Rosa was bouncing around, yelling for attention as her elder sisters wouldn’t get out of the way. He scooped her up for big cuddles.

Lizzie was standing in the door, her eyes damp as she smiled at him.

“I’m back,” he told her.

“Yes,” she said. “And boy, have you got some explaining to do. Don’t you ever, ever -”

The Delivery Man kissed his wife.

Inevitably, the world was a pleasant one. The temperate zones where Araminta walked had vast rolling grasslands, tall snow-cloaked mountains, and extensive forests.

The three of them had been there for a couple of days, making leisurely progress along the narrow path before she heard the singing. “They’re here,” Araminta told Aaron. He didn’t react. Tomansio gently urged him forward toward the haunting nonhuman melodies. Aaron didn’t protest, just went with his guides as he’d done ever since they’d left Makkathran, saying nothing. He didn’t have nightmares anymore. He didn’t have anything; his mind had shut down of its own accord.

The Knights Guardian had wanted to take him back to Far Away, where there would be the best clinics and doctors and medical modules and memory edits. Lennox the Mutineer would be reassembled, they said. Araminta had said no, Aaron had suffered enough technology; he needed real healing. And she would take him to the one person who would grant that. Tomansio had been startled by the suggestion and very quick to agree.

Several dozen Silfen were camping in the broad glade. A semicircle of wide marquees had been set up, with long heraldic flags fluttering from the tips of tall poles. A huge fire was blazing in the middle of the semicircle. Some Silfen sat around it, playing flutelike instruments. More were dancing.

Araminta wasn’t entirely surprised to see a human woman among them. She was dressed in Silfen clothes: a simple white shirt with intricate dragons embroidered in gold and turquoise thread, a loose petal-layered cotton skirt that swirled and flared out as she danced. Her face was rapt, lost in the enjoyment of the music. Wavy golden hair swished around her head. Araminta could just glimpse a long chin and well-defined cheekbones-similar to her own.

“Ozziebedamned,” Tomansio muttered. He was staring around at the scene as if the elves had enchanted him.

Then Clouddancer and Bradley were walking toward them. Araminta hurried over. The dancers encircled her, warbling approval and greetings.

“You did well,” Bradley said.

“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for believing in me.”

“In your case it came easy,” Clouddancer said, his circular mouth fluting out to laugh.

“I’ve brought somebody,” she said.

“We know.”

“Please help him. He suffers from terrible demons in his head like you once did,” she told Bradley.

Bradley’s wings spread wide. “And if the Silfen can cure me …”

“That’s what I hoped.”

“He can walk with us,” Clouddancer said. “Where he will go can never be foretold.”

“He’s sure-footed,” Araminta promised. “Look what he did for everyone.”

“Oh, how you have grown. You are a wonder, Araminta. Mr. Bovey is a lucky man.”

She grinned back, slightly abashed.

“I think I’d better go and speak to your other friend before he explodes,” Bradley said.

Araminta laughed at how scared Tomansio looked as Bradley went over to him. The toughest superwarrior humbled by his idol. Speaking of which … She slithered through the dancers, finding herself swaying in time to the rhythm. Somewhere by the end of the marquees two of the biggest Silfen she’d ever seen started drumming, pounding a compulsive beat.