both the traitors who became the Rain and the traitors within SpaceCom who sought to bargain with them. He will recover all that he has lost. And you will help him to do all of this.”
“I could ask for nothing more,” replies the Operative.
Which is just as well. Because now everything’s folding into a single mind in the highlands of New Guinea. A mind that’s swung open into universe. Yet somewhere in that universe is a body that can barely contain that mind. And the woman who possesses both finally understands why her struggle’s only just beginning. Why absolute defeat merely sows the seeds of total victory. Why those she loved were taken from her twice. Why she’s heading back toward equator.
Where she’ll find a way off the bottom of this well.
And out into those mirrored heavens.
APPENDIX
Timeline of World History, A.D. 2035–2110
| Global oil now long past peak. Global temperature continues to rise. Gas masks necessary in most urban hubs due to poor air quality. Flooding has begun on most coastlines. | |
| As world intensifies search for alternative fuel sources, Second Great Depression begins. Global economy goes into reverse. All major environmental treaties scrapped. | |
| Marshal Sergei Olenkov seizes power in Moscow; proclaims the restoration of Russian greatness. Purge of oligarchs begins. | |
| The Helios Project launched: Euro-financed project to establish giant satellites to beam solar- generated microwave power down to Earth to provide clean energy. | |
| Communists overthrown in China. Sixteen-year civil war begins. | |
| Formation of the Slavic Bloc; alliance includes Russia, Ukraine, Belorus. | |
| Six years after coming to power, Olenkov announces that Russia will seek to “bury the hatchet” with the European Union in general, and with Germany in particular. He declares that his only quarrel is with the “grasping, avaricious American money barons who have brought both environmental and economic catastrophe upon us,” and dedicates Russian power to purging Eurasia of U.S. influence. Russia begins massive armaments projects and full-scale “supermodernization” program, with a heavy emphasis on space-based systems and information technology. | |
| Collapse of European/U.S. talks. Europe declares it will steer a course “between East and West.” U.S. withdraws last bases from Western Europe, accelerates own armaments program. | |
| U.S. claims the Moon as an exclusive American possession, begins construction of lunar fortresses. Russia decries “solar imperialism” but does not attempt reciprocal constructions—though Olenkov declares that “henceforth, space will be our nation’s shield.” | |
| Russia occupies libration point L4, sets up “research station” there that rapidly grows into set of major fortifications. U.S. claims L5 and proceeds to leverage its lunar position to occupy L2. | |
| The Kyushu Incident. Horrific accident at fusion reactor complex devastates Japan, turning much of archipelago into contaminated wasteland. Evacuation of remainder of all islands by survivors occurs within six months. Several terrorist groups claim responsibility but no group or individual is ever brought to trial by any nation. Fusion programs worldwide reassessed in wake of tragedy. | |
| Flooding now profoundly redefining coastal areas. New York, Washington, London, Los Angeles, among scores of cities maintained only through the construction of huge dike systems. U.S. and Russia accuse each other of intensifying environmental crisis through secret next-generation weapons tests. | |
| Helios Project abandoned in wake of evidence indicating that output is actually accelerating global warming by contributing to biosphere’s total energy. Satellites are left to drift as derelicts or repurposed for purely space-based applications. | |
| Ukraine announces withdrawal from Slavic Bloc. Russian troops overthrow Ukrainian government, install regime that sues for reinstatement within the Bloc. | |
