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〃Yes；〃 D'murr said。 〃I know you。 I remember。〃
ON IX； IN a shadowed alcove where he used his cobbled…together transmission device； C'tair hunched over； desperate to avoid discovery but this was worth any risk。 Tears streaked down his cheeks； and he swallowed hard。 The Tleilaxu and the suboids had continued their rampages and purges； destroying any residue of unfamiliar technology that they found。
〃They took you away from me； in the Guild testing chamber；〃 C'tair said； his voice a husky whisper。 〃They wouldn't let me see you； wouldn't let me say goodbye。 Now I realize you were the lucky one； D'murr； considering everything that's happened here on Ix。 It would break your heart to see it now。〃 He took a deep； shuddering breath。 〃Our city was destroyed not long after the Guild took you away from us。 Hundreds of thousands are dead。 The Bene Tleilax now rule here。〃
D'murr paused； taking time to slide back into the limited manner of person…to…person munication。 〃I have guided a Heighliner through foldspace； brother。 I hold the galaxy in my mind； I see mathematics。〃 His sluggish words garbled together。 〃Now I know why。。。I know。。。Uhhh； I feel pain from your connection。 C'tair； how？〃
〃This munication hurts you？〃 He drew back from the transmitter； concerned； and held his breath； fearful that one of the furtive Tleilaxu spies might hear him。 〃I'm sorry； D'murr。 Maybe I should 〃
〃Not important。 Pain shifts； like a headache。。。but different。 Swimming through my mind。。。and beyond it。〃 D'murr sounded distracted； his voice distant and ethereal。 〃What connection is this？ What device？〃
〃D'murr； didn't you hear me？ Ix is destroyed our world； our city is now a prison camp。 Mother was killed in an explosion！ I couldn't save her。 I've been hiding here； and I'm at great risk while making this munication。 Our father is in exile somewhere。。。on Kaitain； I think。 House Vernius has gone renegade。 I'm trapped here； alone！〃
D'murr remained focused on what he considered the primary question。 〃munication directly through foldspace？ Impossible。 Explain it to me。〃
Taken aback at his twin brother's lack of concern over the horrendous news； C'tair nonetheless chose not to rebuke him。 D'murr had； after all； undergone extreme mental changes and couldn't be blamed for the way he was now。 C'tair could never understand what his twin had been through。 He himself had failed the Guild's tests； he had been too fearful and rigid。 Otherwise； he； too； might be a Navigator now。
Holding his breath； he listened to a creaking sound in the passageway overhead； distant footsteps that faded。 Whispering voices。 Then silence returned； and C'tair was able to continue the conversation。
〃Explain；〃 D'murr said again。
Eager for any kind of conversation； C'tair told his brother of the equipment he had salvaged。 〃Do you remember Davee Rogo？ The old inventor who used to take us into his laboratory and show us the things he was working on？〃
〃Crippled。。。suspensor crutches。 Too decrepit to walk。〃
〃Yes； he used to talk about municating in neutrino energy wavelengths？ A network of rods wrapped in silicate crystals？〃
〃Uhhh。。。pain again。〃
〃You're hurting！〃 C'tair looked around； fearful of the risk he continued to take himself。 〃I won't talk much longer。〃
The tone was impatient。 D'murr wanted to hear more。 〃Continue explanation。 Need to know this device。〃
〃One day during the fighting； when I really wanted to talk with you； bits and pieces of his conversation came back to me。 In the rubble of a ruined building； I thought I saw a hazy image of him next to me。 Like a vision。 He was talking in that creaky old voice； telling me what to do； what parts I would require and how to put them together。 He gave me the ideas I needed。〃
〃Interesting。〃 The Navigator's voice was flat and bloodless。
His brother's lack of emotion and passion disturbed him。 C'tair tried to ask questions about D'murr's Spacing Guild experiences； but his twin had no patience for the queries and said that he couldn't discuss Guild secrets； not even with his brother。 He had traveled through foldspace； and it was incredible。 That was all D'murr would say。
〃When can we talk again？〃 C'tair asked。 The apparatus felt dangerously warm； ready to break down。 He would have to shut it off soon。 D'murr groaned with distant pain； but gave no definite response。
Still； even knowing his brother's disfort； he had a human need to say goodbye； even if D'murr no longer did。 〃Farewell； for now； then。 I miss you。〃 As he spoke the long…overdue words； he sensed an easing of his own pain odd； in a way； since he could no longer be sure his brother understood him as he once had。
Feeling guilty； C'tair broke the connection。 Then he sat in silence； overwhelmed by conflicting emotions： joy at having spoken to his twin again； but sadness at D'murr's ambivalent reactions。 How much had his brother changed？
D'murr should have cared about the death of their mother and the tragic events that had befallen Ix。 A Guild Navigator's position affected all mankind。 Shouldn't a Navigator be more caring； more protective of humanity？
But instead the young man seemed to have severed all ties； burned all bridges。 Was D'murr reflecting Guild philosophy； or had he bee so consumed with himself and his new abilities that he'd turned into an egomaniac？ Was it necessary for him to behave that way？ Had D'murr severed all contact with his humanity？ No way to tell yet。
C'tair felt as if he had lost his brother all over again。
He removed the bioneutrino machine contacts that had temporarily expanded his mental powers； amplifying his thoughts and thus enabling him to municate with distant Junction。 Suddenly dizzy； he returned to his shielded bolt…hole and lay down on the narrow cot。 Eyes closed； he envisioned the universe behind his lids； wondering what it must be like for his twin。 His mind hummed with a strange residue of the contact； a backwash of mental expansion。
D'murr had sounded as if he were speaking underwater； through filters of prehension。 Now； underlying meanings occurred to C'tair subtleties and refinements。 Throughout the evening in the isolation of his hidden room； thoughts percolated through his mind； overwhelming him like a demonic possession。 The contact had sparked something unexpected in his own brain； an amazing reaction。
For days he did not leave the enclosure； consumed with his enhanced memories； using the prototype apparatus to focus his thoughts to an obsessive clarity。 Hour after hour； the replayed conversation became clearer to him； words and double meanings blossoming like flower petals。。。as if he traversed his own kind of foldspace of mind and memory。 Nuances of D'murr's dialogue became increasingly apparent； meanings C'tair hadn't noticed at first。 This gave him only an inkling of what his brother had bee。
He found it exciting。 And terrifying。
Finally； ing back to awareness an unknown number of days later； he noticed that food and beverage packages lay scattered around him。 The room stank。 He looked in a mirror； shocked to see that he had grown a scratchy dark brown beard。 His eyes were bloodshot； his hair wild。 C'tair barely recognized himself。
If Kailea Vernius were to set