BA-ROOM!

     The explosion startled Skip and made him turn just in time to see two huge chunks of Hrrm's Hive fly into the sky.

     He'd walked far enough by that time that none of Hrrm's Hive's pieces reached him, but damn that was a loud explosion. 

     "No more kloval for me," he said.

     "Please," Claudia replied. "You've got some in your pocket. Why are you even pretending you can fool me?"

     "Just a taste, you know, in case I get hungry while I'm walking."

     "Which you will."

     "Where are we going again?"

     "There's a motel-like place about a mile from here."

     "Motel-like?"

     "Well, it's a tube, but it's a soft tube, and it's all real high tech. If you need to shit, all you've got to do is..."

     "You know what I'm thinking about, right?"

     "You're thinking about her."

     "Not just her. The whole day."

     "Overwhelmed?"

     "Completely, but...you know what? I'm feeling at peace right now. Just for a moment, I don't think it will last two, but..."

     "And why do you think that is?"

     "I don't know. Back eight thousand years ago, in the Arctic, and now...I've lived two lifetime's worth of stuff today already, and it just got night. It's all running through my head in, like, super-fast motion, and, until a few moments ago, there was a part of me that wanted to scream like a crazy guy because I was so terrified, but now..." 

     "You're at peace."

     "Crazy, huh?"

     "You're shutting down is what you're doing."

     "I'm not a machine, Claudia."

     "Of course, you're not."

     "I am exhausted, though. You're right about that. I'm just going to talk for a while, about nothing, about whatever comes into my mind. That okay with you?"

     "If it makes you feel better. Also..."

     "What?"

​     "I've got to admit, my friend. I'm a little overwhelmed myself. It's been quite a day for both of us."

​     "Yes, ma'am. Quite a day."

End of Novel.

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