him, leaving him stronger and more focused than he had ever been before. The dross had been discarded, the merits polished till they shone. He saw clearly now and would not look away. The Maze gave him gifts that he would need, and its blessing, and then it let him wake up.
Owen looked around him, awake and alert, his memories already fading like an interrupted dream. Something had happened, something wonderful, but already he was forgetting, because no man could bear to see himself too clearly. His thoughts were bright and sharp, like the air after a storm has passed. He felt invigorated, cleansed, more than he had been, his life burning within him like a beacon. He was standing in a wide circular space surrounded by the steel walls that he immediately understood to be the center of the Madness Maze. The heart of the storm, where all was quiet and at peace. The others were with him, and they all looked different. It was a difference he recognized. They all looked sharper, more distinctly themselves, than they had been before.
'So that's what the Maze is for,' said Giles. 'Wulf tried to explain it to me, but I never could understand. We've been reborn, given a second chance. And all our sins forgiven.'
'What the hell are you talking about?' said Hazel. 'I feel like I've just come out of a week's drunk, and there are things I should remember.'
'I don't know what you're talking about,' said Ruby. 'Nothing happened. Nothing at all.'
'No. Something happened,' said Random. 'I was… somewhere else. Why can't I remember?'
'Because your mind has undergone shock treatment,' said the Wolfling. 'And for the sake of your sanity, you are forgetting the pain. You have been born again, and birth is always traumatic.'
Ruby looked at him suspiciously. 'You're not going religious on us, are you? That's all we need: an evangelical werewolf.'
'Whatever it was, it was of the spirit as well as the mind,' said Owen. 'I've never felt so clear, so focused. How do you feel, Moon?'
'An interesting experience,' said the Hadenman. 'There were equations like dreams, explaining everything, pure mathematics spiraling upward to infinity. I was at the center of the universe, and I felt like I could reach out and touch everything. It seemed to last forever, but according to my internal records, only a few moments have passed since we entered the Maze. I would suggest that we have all encountered a very sophisticated mind probe.'
'No,' said Giles, 'there was more to it than that. The Maze seemed—'
'Alive,' said the Wolfling, and everyone nodded at that, even Ruby.
'Why is it called the Madness Maze?' Owen said suddenly. 'I've never felt more sane in my life.'
'Because most people who go into the Maze don't come out intact,' said the Wolfling. 'Somewhere along the way they lose their minds. Not everyone can face the reality of what they really are behind all the masks and evasions. Most go mad. I'm not sure whether that's because they see too much in the Maze, or because they won't let themselves see enough. For some, even madness isn't enough protection. They die.'
'Wait just a minute there,' said Owen. 'How many go mad and die?'
'So far,' said the Wolfling calmly, 'only twenty-two out of the hundreds of people who passed through the Maze emerged intact. Including you. I'm really very impressed by your achievement. I wouldn't have put money on it.'
Hazel glared at Giles furiously. 'And you let us just walk right into it? No warnings, nothing? I ought to cut your heart out!'
'Damn right,' said Ruby.
Everyone had turned so that their guns were covering Giles, but he seemed entirely unmoved. 'It was necessary,' he said quite unemotionally. 'You wanted to get your hands on the Darkvoid Device, didn't you? Well, I've brought you right to it. This is the one place I could safely leave it. In the heart of the Madness Maze.'
He turned and walked away, ignoring the guns, and after a moment the others followed him. In the center of the open space stood a large glowing crystal, roughly circular, some four feet in diameter. Giles stood next to the crystal, carefully not touching it, and stared into the glow. His face softened just a little, and he smiled. The others crowded around the crystal, drawn by curiosity and the smile on Giles' face. Only the Wolfling hung back. Owen leaned over the crystal, and the glow deepened, becoming warm and golden as it revealed what lay within. And there, wrapped in a single blanket, lay a tiny human baby. No more than a few weeks old, its details were still soft and settling, but its face was clear and distinct, the plump cheeks slightly flushed. It was sleeping quietly, breathing slow and steady around the thumb in its mouth. It looked beautiful and innocent and entirely helpless.
'He is my clone,' said Giles softly. 'My son, in every way that matters. A Deathstalker, born of my blood. I was experimenting with a new process to produce esper clones of extraordinary power. He was the result. He's known very little of life, by my design. The last time he was awake, he used his esper abilities at my instigation, and a thousand suns disappeared. Just like that. I had created the Darkvoid, and the most powerful weapon ever known. So powerful I didn't dare let it ever be used again. I lowered him carefully into the deepest form of sleep and brought him here. With the Wolfling's help I teleported him into the center of the Madness Maze, where he could sleep undisturbed, surrounded by instruments to preserve and protect him, and to ensure that he never wakened again. Worlds have risen and fallen, the universe has turned, and still he sleeps on. All his needs are taken care of. He does not age. What happens now is up to you.'
'Why didn't you put him in stasis?' said Hazel.
'Stasis has no effect on him,' said Giles. 'Very little does.'
'Kill it,' said Ruby. 'Destroy the unnatural thing. It's more dangerous than any weapon ever could be. It's a monster. Kill it now. While we still can.'
'No,' said Random immediately. 'This is too important for us to just turn our backs on it. I think we're looking at the next stage in human evolution.'
'Why didn't you destroy him?' said Owen, looking directly at Giles. 'You created him; you must have arranged some kind of safeguard.'
The Deathstalker shrugged, still looking at the baby. 'I couldn't. Perhaps when he's older, he'll be able to bring the Darkvoid's suns back again.'
'And what about all the people on all the worlds who died as a result of the Darkvoid?' said Hazel. 'What about them?'
Giles looked up and smiled at her. 'Maybe he'll bring them back, too.'
There was a long pause as everyone thought about that. Owen looked across the crystal at Moon. 'You're being very quiet, Hadenman. What do you think?'
'I think this can all wait. The fate of the Device can always be decided at a later time. It is much more important that we make our way out of this Maze, and awaken my people from stasis. An Imperial starcruiser is currently in orbit. It won't be long before they start sending troops down after us. After the chase we've led them, I think it's more than likely they'll set the odds heavily in their favor. We will need my people's help if we are to survive.'
'The man has a point,' said Ruby. 'There could be a whole army crawling up our ass any minute. Making decisions about God Junior here can wait. Let's get out of this behaviorist's nightmare and see what we can do about scaring up some reinforcements.'
'Pardon me for pouring cold water,' said Random, 'but given the choice between facing an army of the Empire's finest or an army of augmented men, I think I'd rather face the Imperials. At least I've beaten them in the past occasionally.'
'Panic doesn't suit you. Random,' said Moon. 'There's no need to fear. I will speak for you.'
'Yeah, but will they listen? Your people have been asleep one hell of a long time. The last time they drew breath, they were fighting to destroy humanity and replace it with themselves, If they wake up with all their old instincts intact, we could be in real trouble.'
'You're already in real trouble,' said Moon calmly. 'My people might or might not kill you, but the Empire definitely will. What happened to your nerve, Random? Time was you had a fondness for the long odds.'
'I got older,' said Random. 'And unlike most of my contemporaries, I learned a few things along the way. Mostly about what happens to people who make deals with the Devil.'
'You really don't have any choice,' said Moon. 'Do you?'
He looked around at the others with quiet triumph. Owen was careful not to point his gun at Moon. The Hadenman was probably just waiting for someone to start something so he could finish it. Getting this close to his people and his heritage had apparently done wonders for Moon's self-esteem. Hazel sniffed loudly.
