'I lost everyone I love. They weren't supposed to die. No one is supposed to die where I come from.'
'That doesn't sound silly to me. I tried to escape death myself. But after what I've been through-crammed in here, forced to work as a machine slave-I would rather die than go back to that. Cowardly as that must seem, that is what's happened to me. Really, though, at bottom the only courage that is demanded of us is to go on living.'
'For what? Simply to exist?'
'No. That's vile. But look at you, Mei Nili. You are beautiful. And you've told me that everyone is beautiful now. Disease, old age, distortion are done with, and at last, humanity attains the physical dignity that before we could only claim in spirit.'
'That was the spirit I left Earth to find. Physical dignity is not enough, Mr. Charlie.'
'No, I suppose not. Much as I hate to admit it, the old philosophers were right. We sing best in our chains. Even so, I would love to taste some of the freedom humanity has won in the thousand years since I had a body. Is there any hope we can get away to that place you told me of-to Solis-where they will shape a new body for me?'
Mei shrugs disconsolately. 'Only if we can convince Munk to override his primary programming and detonate the explosives.'
'Patch me into The Laughing Life. Let me talk with him.' 'He won't listen to you. He's an androne.'
'Yet when he first contacted me he introduced himself as something more-a rogue androne with what he called contra-parameter programming installed by the Maat. He's capable of free will.'
'Not if he can help it,' Mei says with a gleam of anger.
'Then we have to make it necessary. We have to give him no choice but to use his freedom.'
'I don't understand.'
'Mei Nili, you gambled your life to save me. I know that serves your
self-interest. You need me to gain entry to Solis for yourself. Yet if you want, you can surrender me to Aparecida this minute and your life will be spared. You can go on living.'
'I didn't come this far to give up. If I have to die now, at least I won't be running away from life-which is what I was doing before.'
'I'm glad to bear you say that. There's a chance, then, that we can get out of here. But we'll have to gamble our lives. Are you willing?'
'What do I have to do?' 'Let me talk to Munk.'
Mei pushes to her feet. At the switch box, she finds that the transmission circuit is already active, and Munk's voice is droning,'.. . hear me? Respond, Jumper Nili.'
'Munk! We're back in the pod. We couldn't make it to the surface.'
'Jumper Nili, I was ready to believe you were dead.' 'We will be soon, Munk, if you don't help us.' 'Jumper Nili, don't ask-'
'It's not me this time that's asking.'
'Munk? This is Charles Outis speaking. Can you hear me?'
'Who?' the androne asks. 'There's noise in your transmission I can't decipher.'
'This is Mr. Charlie. Do you hear me?'
'I hear you, Mr. Charlie. I regret we have not been able to liberate you just yet.'
'You can liberate me, Munk. Detonate the explosives immediately.' 'I can't do that, Mr. Charlie.'
'You can-and you must. Mei Nili is going to open the pod entry now. If you don't detonate the explosives at once, Aparecida will destroy us. Do you understand?'
Mei's heart surges, and she turns with shock from the switch box.
'Jumper Nili, do not do this. I will swing about for another drop-dead flyby. Try again to evade Aparecida and get to the surface.'
In her astonishment, Mei says nothing. This is it. The clarity of Charles's decision penetrates her, and all the torn and muddied raging that had carried
her from Earth to this lifeless rock in the preterit void lifts away. Tears come quietly to her eyes.
'Jumper Nili!'
Mei blinks away her tears and nods toward the sensors, holding Charles's gaze and not quite smiling. 'I'm setting a ten-second lag on the pod entry, Munk. If Mr. Charlie and I are going to survive, it's entirely up to you.'
'Jumper Nili, I will use the codes to countermand your portal control.'
Mei tugs a small pliers from her tool kit and inserts it into the switch box with a deft twist. 'I've cut the code link to the portal. You can't stop it now. It will open in ten seconds. Our lives are in your hands, Munk.'
'Don't do it, Jumper Nili.'
Mei sets the timer and retreats down the aisle of controller panels. She removes her jetpak and sets it beside her on the floor. 'Get us out of here, Munk.'
'Help us!' Charles calls.
In The Laughing Life, Munk pulls away from the command console abruptly, as though it has become white-hot.
