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recent addition to our planet； will be here to give us a more personal account of the settling of Fire
World。 I know that you will give him all the courtesy you accord me； and be respectful of the very young
age of his host。 Thank you for your time。”
The class filed out slowly； many of the students taking a minute to chat with one another as they gathered
their things。 What Kathy had said about friendships ran through my head； but I felt no desire to join any
of them。 They were strangers。
Was that the way I felt？ Or the way Melanie felt？ It was hard to tell。 Maybe I was naturally antisocial。
My personal history supported that theory； I supposed。 I’d never formed an attachment strong enough to
keep me on any planet for more than one life。
I noticed Robert and Faces Sunward lingering at the classroom door； locked in a discussion that seemed
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
。
“Fire World stories ruffle feathers。”
I started slightly。
The Seeker was standing at my elbow。 The woman usually announced her approach with the quick tap
of her hard shoes。 I looked down now to see that she was wearing sneakers for once—black； of course。
She was even tinier without the extra inches。
“It’s not my favorite subject；” I said in a bland voice。 “I prefer to have firsthand experience to share。”
“Strong reactions from the class。”
“Yes。”
She looked at me expectantly； as if waiting for more。 I gathered my notes and turned to put them in my
bag。
“You seemed to react as well。”
I placed my papers in the bag carefully； not turning。
“I wondered why you didn’t answer the question。”
There was a pause while she waited for me to respond。 I didn’t。
“So… why didn’t you answer the question？”
I turned around； not concealing the impatience on my face。 “Because it wasn’t pertinent to the lesson；
because Robert needs to learn some manners； and because it’s no one else’s business。”
I swung my bag to my shoulder and headed for the door。 She stayed right beside me； rushing to keep up
with my longer legs。 We walked down the hallway in silence。 It wasn’t until we were outside； where the
afternoon sun lit the dust motes in the salty air； that she spoke again。
“Do you think you’ll ever settle； Wanderer？ On this planet； maybe？ You seem to have an affinity for
their… feelings。”
I bridled at the implied insult in her tone。 I wasn’t even sure how she meant to insult me； but it was clear
that she did。 Melanie stirred resentfully。
“I’m not sure what you mean。”
“Tell me something； Wanderer。 Do you pity them？”
“Who？” I asked blankly。 “The Walking Flowers？”
“No； the humans。”
I stopped walking； and she skidded to a halt beside me。 We were only a few blocks from my apartment；
“The humans？”
“Yes。 Do you pity them？”
“Don’t you？”
“No。 They were quite the brutal race。 They were lucky to survive each other as long as they did。”
“Not every one of them was bad。”
“It was a predilection of their genetics。 Brutality was part of their species。 Butyou pity them； it seems。”
“It’s a lot to lose； don’t you think？” I gestured around us。 We stood in a parklike space between two
ivy…covered dormitories。 The deep green of the ivy was pleasing to the eye； especially in contrast to the
faded red of the old bricks。 The air was golden and soft； and the smell of the ocean gave a briny edge to
the honey sweet fragrance of the flowers in the bushes。 The breeze caressed the bare skin of my arms。
“In your other lives； you can’t have felt anything so vivid。 Wouldn’t you pity anyone who had this taken
from them？” Her expression stayed flat； unmoved。 I made an attempt to draw her in； to make her
consider another viewpoint。 “Which other worlds have you lived on？”
She hesitated； then squared her shoulders。 “None。 I’ve only lived on Earth。”
That surprised me。 She was as much a child as Robert。 “Only one planet？ And you chose to be a
Seeker in your first life？”
She nodded once； her chin set。
“Well。 Well； that’s your business。” I started walking again。 Maybe if I respected her privacy； she would
return the favor。
“I spoke to your forter。”
And maybe not；Melanie thought sourly。
“What？” I gasped。
“I gather you’ve been having more trouble than just accessing the information I need。 Have you
considered trying another； more pliable host？ She suggested that； did she not？”
“Kathy wouldn’t tellyou anything！”
The Seeker’s face was smug。 “She didn’t have to answer。 I’m very good at reading human expressions。
I could tell when my questions struck a nerve。”
“How dare you？ The relationship between a soul and her forter —”
“Is sacrosanct； yes； I know the theory。 But the acceptable means of investigation don’t seem to be
working with your case。 I have to get creative。”
My anger didn’t faze her。 Perhaps； given her strange personality； she was used to such reactions。
“No。 I think you’re telling me what you know。… But I don’t think you’re looking as hard as you could。
I’ve seen it before。 You’re growing sympathetic to your host。 You’re letting her memories unconsciously
direct your own desires。 It’s probably too late at this point。 I think you’d be more fortable moving
on； and maybe someone else will have better luck with her。”
“Hah！” I shouted。 “Melanie would eat them alive！”
Her expression froze in place。
She’d had no idea； no matter what she thought she’d discerned from Kathy。 She’d thought Melanie’s
influence was from memories； that it was unconscious。
“I find it very interesting that you speak of her in the present tense。”
I ignored that； trying to pretend I hadn’t made a slip。 “If you think someone else would have better luck
breaking into her secrets； you’re wrong。”
“Only one way to find out。”
“Did you have someone in mind？” I asked； my voice frigid with aversion。
She grinned。 “I’vegotten permission to give it a try。 Shouldn’t take long。 They’re going to hold my host
for me。”
I had to breathe deeply。 I was shaking； and Melanie was so full of hate that she was past words。 The
idea of having the Seeker inside me； even though I knew that I would not be here； was so repugnant that
I felt a return of last week’s nausea。
“It’s too bad for your investigation that I’m not a skipper。”
The Seeker’s eyes narrowed。 “Well； it does certainly make this assignment drag on。 History was never
of much interest to me； but it looks like I’m in for a full course now。”
“You just said that it was probably too late to get any more from her memories；” I reminded her；
struggling to make my voice calm。 “Why don’t you go back to wherever you belong？”
She shrugged and smiled a tight smile。 “I’m sure itis too late… for voluntary information。 But if you don’t
cooperate； she might just lead me to them yet。”
“Leadyou？”
“When she takes full control； and you’re no better than that weakling； once Racing Song； now Kevin。
Remember him？ The one who att