Still more time passed. Becky took control of Blackbell Industries' new computer division, and doubled the profits of her father's company. She also hired Kyle with Anya's blessings. The telepathy study finished, but the lab continued to do its work under the name of the Chimera Institute, because Anya refused to have it named after herself. She did supply a logo of a stylized chimera, as fierce and protective as she had imagined Mr. Chimera to be in the orphanage. Then, as her seventeenth birthday approached, it came time for the Eden class trip to Adriatica.

Mama and Papa happily sent her off a few days before her special day, and Little Brother waved goodbye as the train departed from Eden, on a route through Nielsberg and across the border to Obda, from which they went onward to a port in the distant Southlands. Anya ended up sharing a booth in the dining car with Becky, Damian Desmond, and his brother Demetrius, who was officially a chaperone. The elder brother's authority was undermined by Becky, who showed off the engagement ring he had just given her.

"We will have to wait until I am of age, of course," Becky said. Her face was flushed, but her smile was smugly satisfied. "Until then, my Demi is burning for me every night. Every day, I send him a letter to tide him over…" Demetrius blushed in turn. He still took her hand when she reached out.

"Ew, you know I can read your mind," Anya said. She briefly and cautiously probed Demetrius's mind. "Anyway, that's just normal. For a guy."

Becky only giggled. "Then it's something to tide you over, too," she said.

"We could marry immediately, with a dispensation from our families," Demetrius said. "However, her father insists and I agree that Rebecca must complete her studies first. We should be able to wed by the time she is 21."

Becky's smile became sly. "I can do it by 20," she said. "Maybe only 19…"

"Rebecca," Demetrius said with a guarded smile, "I have told you, I can wait…"

Anya was relieved enough when another person approached. It was George Glooman, who had been seated with a group of the many new friends he had made over the previous year. They were taking turns playing games on an astronomically expensive briefcase computer. "Hi, Anya," he said. "I wanted to ask… would you like to try a game?"

Anya tilted her head as if pondering the foregone conclusion. It drew her former boyfriend's eyes to her pearls, now tied with jeweled hairpieces that looked like flowers in place of her cones. "Sure," she said.

"Hey, I can chip in," Becky said. She waved a tape cartridge. "How'd you like to try a new game? It's called Anja the Elf. It should come out at Christmas."

The game proved to be a hit with the group. It featured the eponymous character, in an dungeon maze rendered with an isometric view that approximated three dimensions. The group was most interested in how much or little the character's surprising range of expressions resembled hers. "Thanks, this was fun," she said. She kissed Gloomy on the cheek. As she rose to her feet, she turned her head at a sound of music, this time an orchestra playing a famed classical piece. She frowned as it grew louder.

Then she screamed.

Anya found herself in a field of stars- stars that sang. The music seemed to come from every direction, at a volume that was felt as much as heard. And it was beautiful, yet so utterly overwhelming that trying to follow the melody was like trying to survey a mountain from the vantage point of an ant. "Hello!" she called out. "Are you there? Please, your music is too loud!"

A voice answered over the music: "Your voice is in my head! You are too loud!"

"It's because we are too close together!" Anya said. "But I can send people to help, so this doesn't happen again! What's your name? Where are you?"

The voice answered in a squall: "No, I can't tell you! Ama says if people know about me, they will take me away from her!" The name was a term of endearment for a mother or grandmother.

"Oh, no, we would never do that!" she urged him. "If you have an Ama who wants you safe, of course you will stay with her! We can help her, too! Tell me, do you have a Papa?"

"Ama says I am going to have a new Papa soon," the voice answered. "He tries to be kind."

"You're just a child," Anya said. "That's why we couldn't find you. Tell me, does your Ama know what you can do?"

"I tell Ama about the voices I hear, and the music," the voice said, straining with what could only be tears. "But she doesn't believe they are really real. She told me I can't tell anyone else, or I will be locked away!"

"You don't need to be afraid," Anya said. "I was locked up, with no Ama and no Papa. There were only people who said they wanted peace, but they were not kind. I got away, and then I met a good Papa, and he found a good Mama. Papa is helping people like us. He wants the whole world to be a place where no child has to cry!"

"What about the boy?" the voice said. "The one you are thinking about?" The face of Gloomy appeared.

"He is my friend," Anya said. "His family is helping me and my Papa."

"Do you love him?" the voice asked. "Will you be Ama and Papa?" As the question came, the faces of Damian and Kyle flickered into view.

"I- I don't know!" Anya said. "But please, tell me your name!" Even as she called out, the stars and the music faded.

She came back to awareness staring up. Faces leaned into view. The first to come into focus was George, with tears in his eyes. Becky and Damian were also there, the latter looking frustrated. The grownups included Fiona, who had been a chaperone. Anya gasped when Papa leaned into view. It was George who spoke first. "Anya, are you okay?" he said. Anya freely embraced him as she sat up. They were close enough in height that she ended up with her chin on his shoulder instead of her whole face in his chest. She looked at Papa, even as George sobbed.

"Papa," she said, "how did you get here?" She looked around. "Where is here?"

"We're in Ljubdub," Papa said. "It was the original destination. Actually… Mama and I were already on our way. Yuri came, too." He smiled. "We wanted to give you a surprise.

"Oh, Papa," Anya said. She turned her gaze to Becky. "How long?" she asked. George was still crying into her shoulder.

"Four hours," Becky said. She wiped a tear from her own eye. Demtrius Desmond drew a comforting arm around her. "The rest of the group are getting ready to board the ship. George has been doing everything for you. I mean, not even cute."

"You must have been in close proximity to another telepath, possibly less than a thousand meters," Papa said. "Yuri is already tracing the path of the train so we can focus a search."

"Anya," Loid said, "was it the same telepath you made contact with before?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Anya said. "I got to talk to him. He's a kid. He's afraid of being taken from his family. If you look for him, you need to be careful."

"Of course we will," Papa said.

Finally, George drew back from Anya. That was when she saw that he had scratches on his face, and bruises on his cheek and chin. "That was scary, Anya," he said. "I had to stop you from hurting yourself. Um, you broke my computer. Becky said she would get me a new one."

"Oh, Gloomy," Anya said. "Did you do this to get me back?"

"No," he said. "Just because you're awesome."

"Well, too bad," she said. "I'm taking you back." She kissed him. In the corner of her eye, she saw Papa smile in relief. Behind him, Fiona gave a more cryptic smile. "Now, I'm ready to get on that boat."