And, on the Stargod:​

​     Katy stayed as far away from Gramps as she could. She sat politely, but she still looked like she could, at any second, jump to her feet and start waving her arms around and screaming like a crazy person. 

​     She looked panicked to the point of paralysis was how she looked. Gramps understood. This was her first night in their world after all, in the world of Infini hives and galaxy-sized ebony caterpillars. Of course she was shaken up. They'd be reaching Adam's compound in a few minutes, and then he and Claudia could see to maybe calming this fine young lady down a little, if they had the time, if they didn't have to immediately go into defensive mode. After all, Katy Armstrong, that very night, had become the single most valuable commodity in Infini. She was to be Mother to the One, to Galatea. She would have to be defended. They'd all just experienced a nexus moment. Everything changed for everybody in Infini in a single moment. 

     "How is she?" Claudia asked. 

     "She's fine. She's..." 

     "Not speaking."  

     "But I don't think her mind's gone. She just needs a few hundred hours to process what just happened to her, and that's time we don't have. You think..."  

​     "What?"

     "That...That The Fours..." 

     "Knows? Of course it knows." 

     "Nothing from Boran D, please." 

​     Claudia had no response to that, which chilled Gramps to the bone. What was he even saying? Again, of course Boran D. There'd been a ten billion year search for the Mother to the One, and now here she was. Of course, The Fours would contact the most formidable assassin possible. 

     The assassin from Boran D. Oh my God. 

​     "I've got a little safe room of my own," Claudia said. "It's smack dab in the center of the compound. I'm going to protect her with everything I've got."   

​     "Yeah, and what if..." 

     "I've got a reality shredder, Gramps."

     "You..." 

​     "I want you to make sure she gets it." 

​     "Adam himself won't even..."

     "It's only to be used as a last resort. If I'm taken out, for instance. Gramps? Gramps?"

​     Nothing more from him. A reality shredder. Things had gotten that bad that fast? Tindriss the Coal Maiden. The assassin from Boran D. Oh my God. Oh my dear God. 

CONTINUE