He heard Powpy call, "Who are you? Who are you?"
And suddenly he knew, he knew, as if his eyes had suddenly focused, after years of myopia. With the last of the air in his lungs he struggled to speak. "Not again. Not again!" as if his eyes had suddenly focused, after years of myopia. With the last of the air in his lungs he struggled to speak. "Not again. Not again!"
The nurse peered into his eyes. "Stay with me, Telni!"
"Who are you?"
"My name is Michael Poole."
The light detonated, deep inside him.
Suddenly he filled this box of Xeelee stuff, and he rattled, anguished. But there was the door, a way out. Somehow he fled that way, seeking the redshift.
And then