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their voices were rising now； getting louder with their excitement。
“She’s lived on six planets。”
“I heard seven。”
“I heard she’s never lived two terms as the same host species。”
“Is that possible？”
“She’s been almost everything。 A Flower； a Bear； a Spider —”
“A See Weed； a Bat —”
“Even a Dragon！”
“I don’t believe it—not seven planets。”
“At least seven。 She started on the Origin。”
“Really？ The Origin？”
“Quiet； please！” Fords interrupted。 “If you cannot observe professionally and silently； then I will have to
ask you to remove yourselves。”
Abashed； the six students fell silent and edged away from one another。
“Let’s get on with this； Darren。”
Everything was prepared。 The appropriate medicines were laid out beside the human girl。 Her long dark
hair was secured beneath a surgical cap； exposing her slender neck。 Deeply sedated； she breathed slowly
“Begin thaw sequence now； please； Darren。”
The gray…haired assistant was already waiting beside the cryotank； his hand resting on the dial。 He
flipped the safety back and spun down on the dial。 The red light atop the small gray cylinder began to
pulse； flashing faster as the seconds passed； changing color。
Fords concentrated on the unconscious body； he edged the scalpel through the skin at the base of the
subject’s skull with small； precise movements； and then sprayed on the medication that stilled the excess
flow of blood before he widened the fissure。 Fords delved delicately beneath the neck muscles； careful
not to injure them； exposing the pale bones at the top of the spinal column。
“The soul is ready； Fords；” Darren informed him。
“So am I。 Bring her。”
Fords felt Darren at his elbow and knew without looking that his assistant would be prepared； his hand
stretched out and waiting； they had worked together for many years now。 Fords held the gap open。
“Send her home；” he whispered。
Darren’s hand moved into view； the silver gleam of an awaking soul in his cupped palm。
Fords never saw an exposed soul without being struck by the beauty of it。
The soul shone in the brilliant lights of the operating room； brighter than the reflective silver instrument in
his hand。 Like a living ribbon； she twisted and rippled； stretching； happy to be free of the cryotank。 Her
thin； feathery attachments； nearly a thousand of them； billowed softly like pale silver hair。 Though they
were all lovely； this one seemed particularly graceful to Fords Deep Waters。
He was not alone in his reaction。 He heard Darren’s soft sigh； heard the admiring murmurs of the
students。
Gently； Darren placed the small glistening creature inside the opening Fords had made in the human’s
neck。 The soul slid smoothly into the offered space； weaving herself into the alien anatomy。 Fords
admired the skill with which she possessed her new home。 Her attachments wound tightly into place
around the nerve centers； some elongating and reaching deeper to where he couldn’t see； under and up
into the brain； the optic nerves； the ear canals。 She was very quick； very firm in her movements。 Soon；
only one small segment of her glistening body was visible。
“Well done；” he whispered to her； knowing that she could not hear him。 The human girl was the one with
ears； and she still slept soundly。
It was a routine matter to finish the job。 He cleaned and healed the wound； applied the salve that sealed
the incision closed behind the soul； and then brushed the scar…softening powder across the line left on her
neck。
“Perfect； as usual；” said the assistant； who； for some reason unfathomable to Fords； had never made a
change from his human host’s name； Darren。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
”
“You’re only doing your duty as a Healer。”
“This is the rare occasion when Healing creates an injury。”
Darren began to clean up the workstation。 He didn’t seem to know how to answer。 Fords was filling his
Calling。 That was enough for Darren。
But not enough for Fords Deep Waters； who was a true Healer to the core of his being。 He gazed
anxiously at the human female’s body； peaceful in slumber； knowing that this peace would be shattered
as soon as she awoke。 All the horror of this young woman’s end would be borne by the innocent soul
he’d just placed inside her。
As he leaned over the human and whispered in her ear； Fords wished fervently that the soul inside could
hear him now。
“Good luck； little wanderer； good luck。 How I wish you didn’t need it。”
CHAPTER 1
Remembered
Iknew it would begin with the end； and the end would look like death to these eyes。 I had been warned。
Notthese eyes。My eyes。 Mine。 This wasme now。
The language I found myself using was odd； but it made sense。 Choppy； boxy； blind； and linear。
Impossibly crippled in parison to many I’d used； yet still it managed to find fluidity and expression。
Sometimes beauty。 My language now。 My native tongue。
With the truest instinct of my kind； I’d bound myself securely into the body’s center of thought； twined
myself inescapably into its every breath and reflex until it was no longer a separate entity。 It was me。
Notthe body；my body。
I felt the sedation wearing off and lucidity taking its place。 I braced myself for the onslaught of the first
memory； which would really be the last memory—the last moments this body had experienced； the
memory of the end。 I had been warned thoroughly of what would happen now。 These human emotions
would be stronger； more vital than the feelings of any other species I had been。 I had tried to prepare
myself。
The memory came。 And； as I’d been warned； it was not something that could ever be prepared for。
It seared with sharp color and ringing sound。 Cold on her skin； pain gripping her limbs； burning them。
The taste was fiercely metallic in her mouth。 And there was the new sense； the fifth sense I’d never had；
that took the particles from the air and transformed them into strange messages and pleasures and
warnings in her brain—scent