Theshrinkingonlylastedafewseconds,untilshewasalittlegirl.Thenthe fatteningbegan.Arolloffatbecameapotbelly,whichsoonbecameagutthat keptgettingbiggeruntilithadliftedhertanktop’shemalmosttoherarmpits.
Atthesametimeherrearandthighsswelled,burstingtheseamsofhershorts.
Stillshekeptgettingfatter,biggerthanshe’deverbeen.Thepalemoundof fleshpouringfromhermidsectionexpandeduntilitstuckoutatleastfifteen centimeters,whilethebottomofitsaggedpastthebaseofherpelvis.
Onlythendiditfinallystop.Hertanktopexpandedtothesizeofatentto drapeoverhercorpulentframe.Thematerialturnedadullgray,colorfulfishes poppingupalloverit.Withsomeeffortshemanagedtoraiseonearmenoughto touchthesaggingfatwhereherneckshouldbe,followedbyacheekthatbulged asifshewereholdinginabreath.Shemadeherwayuptotheunattractivebowl cuthermotherhadusedtogiveher.
Imitatingacarnivalbarker,Valshouted,“Ladiesandgentlemen,stepright upandseetheone,theonly:Molegirl!”
“Val,please—”
“Seeyouaround,Molegirl.AtleastIwill.”
EvenasValsaidthis,Kari’svisiondimmed.Sheforcedherselftoshuffle forward,towardsValandtheStoneofChange.Butsincesheweighedagood hundredfiftykilos,KarihadnochanceofcatchinguptoVal.Herformerbest friendtookafewstepsback,pausingatthedoor.Kari’svisionturnedtodim tunnelswhiletheexertionofmovinglefthertoowindedtodomorethan wheeze.
“Val!”shemanagedtoblurtoutjustbeforetheworldturneddark.She stumbledagainstthebed,collapsingontoKrisee’scorpse.Sherolledovertothe othersideofthebed,keepingonehandonKriseetopullherclose.
Shesobbedintoherformerlover’ssticky,blood-stainedhair.Everything waslostnow.Kriseewasdead,Valhadturnedouttobeapsychopath,andall Karihadtolookforwardtonowwasspendingtherestofherlifeasamorbidly obeseblindgirl.Shehadwantedtomakeagreatdiscovery,tobenefittheworld, butjustlikeTai’svisionforaperfectworld,ithadfailed,leavingherwith nothing.
Overthesoundofherwheezing,sheheardVal’sfootstepsfade.
Thentherewasonlythedarkness.
PartII:WrathoftheStone
Part1
Chapter1
Afterayearinspace,Jerididn’trecognizeherselfinthemirroranymore.
Sincetheydidn’thaveaproperstylistonboard,herhairhadgrowntoherwaist; sincetheydidn’thaveanydecentconditioneritwasalsodryandfullofsplit ends.Theydidn’thaveanydyetocoverupthegraystreaksamongstthegolden strandseither.Theairintheshipwassodrythateverytimesheshowered—
whichwasonlyonceaweektoconservewater—sheleftalayerofskinbehind.
Andwithoutmuchinthewayofcosmetics,shecoulddolittletocoverthe wrinklesaroundhereyesandmouth.She’dtakentokeepingherbangslongto coverthecreasesinherforehead.
Ontopofallthat,thehigh-carbrationsandlackofspaceforexercisehad givenherapaunchanddouble-chin.Shehadtriedtousethetinygymforabout tenminutesbeforeTerycameintoleerather.She’drathergetfatthantolet thatgreasypigseehernearlynaked.Asthecaptainshecouldorderhimtostay out,buthewouldstilllurkaroundtosneakpeeksather.
Thespeakernexttothemirrorinherquartersbuzzed.“Captain,we’vejust clearedShrome’souterrings,”cameSheri’sever-chippervoice.Forthefirstsix monthsthatvoicewithitssunnycadencehadbeenpleasant,butovertimeithad beguntograteonJeri,justlikeeverythingelseaboutthismission.
“I’llberightthere,”Jerisaid.Shebrushedbackherhair,smoothedherblue uniformjacketoverherstomach,andthensmiled.Herteethtoohad deterioratedthankstoalackofdentalfacilities;theyhadlosttheirpearlyluster andbeguntoyellow.Sheclosedhermouthandsighed.
***
ThebridgewasonlytwentymetersfromJeri’scabin.Theentireshipcould fitinthesittingroomofMother’sestate.Notforthefirsttime,Jeripondered whathadpossessedhertojointheSpaceCorps.Shecouldhavejoinedthe CoastalPatrol,donehercompulsorytwoyearsasanaideinanadmiral’soffice, andthenreturnedhometomarryoneofMother’sfriend’sdaughtersandspend therestofherdaysonanestateofherown.
Butshehadonlybeenseventeenandsuchalifehadseemedtoostagnant forheryoungself.Thestarshadbeckonedtoherwithpromisesofromanceand adventure.Someromance,shegrumbledtoherself.Twentyyearslatershewas jammedintoafilthytincanforayearwithaswinish manandawomanwho practicallylappedatherfacelikeapuppy.
Jeritookherseatonthebridgeandstudiedthedisplays.AsSherihadsaid, they’djustclearedShrome,thesixthplanetinthesystem.Anotherdayandthey
Aheadofher,Sherioperatedthenavigationarray.UnlikeJeri,Sheri seemedtohavethrivedinthisenvironment.Herpastyskinglowed,heruniform hunglooseronher,andeventheshaggybrownbobshehadtrimmedherself seemedperky.Perhapsitwasacaseofmindovermatter,Jerimused.
ThedooropenedandrightawayJeri’snosewrinkled.Afterayear,Jeri hadcometoknowalltoowellthatstenchofgrease,stalesweat,andichweed lozengesthataccompaniedTeryeverywhere.Sheforceddownasighasshe turnedaround.“Somethingwrongwiththeengines?”sheasked.Astheship’s technician—theonlyworkforamanonboard—Terywasn’tsupposedtocome tothebridgeunlesstherewassomeissuethatneededtoberesolved.
“Nope.Justseein’whatyougirlsupto.”
“That’snoneofyourconcern.Now—”Shecutoffasaflashofwhitelight blindedher.Shethrewupahand,butitwastoolate.Hadtheshipexploded?
Hadsomethingfiredonthem?Maybeithadbeenasolarflareorsomeother naturalphenomenon.
“Lieutenant—”Jeristoppedagainashervisioncleared.Sheristillsatin frontofher,buttherewassomethingodd.Thegirl’shairwaslonger,downto hershoulders.WhenSheriturned,Jerisawonlythestripesforanensignonthe girl’sshoulders.
“Captain?”
Jeriranahandthroughherhairtofeelitwasdowntoshoulder-lengthas well.Sheputahandtoherstomachtofeelitwasfirmagain.Whenshelooked downathershoulders,shesawcommander’sstripes.
Justtoconfirmwhathadhappened,sheturnedtoTery.Hisheadhadalittle morestubbleandhismustachewasneater.Hiscoverallslookedthesame,but thestinkcomingoffhimseemedlesspotent.
Itwascleartheyhadallgottenyounger.Buthow?Itmusthavebeenthat flashoflight,butwhathadthatbeen?Jeriturnedtoherinstruments.Except theyweredifferentaswell.Themonitorshadlessresolutionthanjustafew minutesagoandthecontrolshadrevertedtotactilebuttonsinsteadoftouch screens.
Jeritriedtosummonallhercaptainlyauthority.“Mr.Tonil,getbacktothe enginesandmakesurethey’restillfunctioningproperly.”
“Yes,ma’am,”hesaid,nolesssarcasticallythanheusuallydid.
SheriwaspattingherhairasJerihaddone.“Whatdowedonow, Captain?”
“WekeepheadingforPhera.Maximumspeed.”Andjustpraynothingelse
strangehappens,sheaddedtoherself.
Chapter2
Threehourslater,theystilldidn’thaveaclueaboutwhathadhappened.
Thegoodnewswasthattheshipwasn’tabouttoshakeapart.Thebadnewswas thatliketheirbodies,theentireshiphadseemedtoregressseveralyears.That cutdownontheirspeedasthenewoldenginesdidn’thavethesamecapabilities; itwouldtakethemfourdaystogethomenow.
Tomakethingsworse,theycouldn’tcontactPhera.Thecommunications systemnolongerhadthe
rangeforthisdistance.ButTeryassuredthemthey hadenoughair,food,andwatertocompletethereturntrip—unlesssomething elsehappened.
Atthispoint,Jericouldonlychalkituptosomekindoftemporalanomaly.
Theyhadbeensentoutontheirmissionofexplorationtofindsuchphenomenon, butnotuntilontheirwaybackhadtheyfoundanything.Jeriindicatedtheevent inherlog;standardprocedurewouldbetogobacktostudytheareamore thoroughly,butsinceithadaffectedtheshipaswell,Jeriwasn’tabouttotake thechance.
Shehadtoadmitthechangesweren’tallbad.Whenshe’dgottenachance toseeherselfinamirror,she’dgrinnedinspiteofherself.Shewasaboutfive yearsyoungernow,attheendofherprime,butinherprimenonetheless.No grayinherhair,nofatonherbelly,andonlythetiniestwrinklesvisible.Even herteethhadbeenrestoredtotheirformerwhiteness.Andithadcostalotless thanbeautificationtreatmentsonPhera.
Asanaddedbonus,theeventseemedtohaveknockedoutsomeofSheri’s relentlessconfidence.Thegirlkeptstaringatherhands,asiftheywouldshrink onheratanymoment.Finally,sheturnedtoask,“Whenwegetback,arethey goingtomakemeanensignagain?”
“Idoubtthat.Ifnothingelse,justsewonanotherstripeandnoonewill knowthedifference.”
“Thankyou,ma’am.”
ThemomentSherifinished,ithappenedagain.Anotherflashoflight blindedJeri.Beforehervisioncleared,shefeltthebackofherhead;aponytail hungdownpasthershouldersnow.Whenshecouldseeagain,shesawensign’s stripesonhershoulders.
AsforSheri,herhairhadbecomeseverelyshorn.Inplaceofauniformshe woreabluecoverall.Itwasacadet’suniform.“Ohno!”Sheriyelled.
“Relax,Lieutenant,”Jerisaid,thoughhervoicesoundeddifferent,more chipper,asSheri’shadbeen.“It’snottimetopanicyet.”
Evenasshesaidthis,Jerifelttheshipslowyetagain.Theyweregoingto bestuckouthereevenlongernow.Andhowlonguntilithappenedagain?
***
Thenextchangecametwohourslater.Jericlosedhereyesatthefirstsign ofaflash.Thisallowedhervisiontoclearmorerapidly.Whenitdid,shesaw thatnowsheworeacadet’scoverall.Shefelttheseverelyshornhairallcadets wererequiredtowear.
Sheriwasnolongerasoldier.SheworeanordinaryblueT-shirtandjeans.
Herlonghairwentdowntoherwaist,butwasheldbackfromherfacebya plasticheadbandadornedwithabowaswell.Afewpimplesevendottedher chinandcheeks.Sherigaspedandthentearscametohereyes.“It’snotfair.
I’ma teenagernow.”
Jeritriedtomustersomecommandauthority,butcouldn’tmanageit.“We havetostaycalm.There’snouseinpanicking.”
“Butwekeepgettingyounger.Andit’sgetting faster.”Bothofthosefacts weretrue.Inanhourorsotheymightchangeagain,andthenJeriwouldbea teenageraswell.Howlonguntiltheybecamefetusesagain?Orhowlonguntil theshipdisappearedaroundthem?
Itwascleartheyhadtodosomething,butwhat?Jerihadtakenafew sciencecoursesinschool,butshehadn’tpaidmuchattentiontothem.Noneof themhadeverdealtwiththiskindofquantumeventinanycase.Theonlything itseemedtheycoulddowastrytogetinrangetocontactPheraforhelp.
Jericheckedhercontrolstosearchforanyothershipsintheareathatmight beabletohelp.Thedisplayshadbecomeevenlowerresolution,thesensors’
rangemorelimited;shecouldn’tpickupanythingintheirvicinity.
Shefinallydecidedtogobacktothetinyinfirmary.Theequipmentthere hadneverbeenmuchtostartwithandnowitwasevenless.Shepickedupa scannerthathadswelledtothesizeofatoasterandhadtobefourtimesthe weightofone.Withthisshemanagedtoscanherself.Itwasaslow, cumbersomeprocesswiththeoutdatedequipment.
Oncethemachinewasfinished,Jeristudiedtheresults.Shewasn’ta medicaldoctorbyanystretch,butfromwhatshecouldtell,therewasnothing differentabouther.Shewasaperfectlynormalnineteen-year-oldgirl.Ifonly theyhadsomethinghigherresolutionsoshemightbeabletoseewhatwas happeningatthesubatomiclevel.Evenifshecould,whatdifferencewouldit make?
Assheponderedthis,therecameanotherflash.Shehadthewherewithalto triggerthescannerinthehopeitmightdetectsomething.Thescannerbecame largerandheavierinherhands,untilshecouldfinallynolongerholdit.
Oncehervisioncleared,shesawthescannerwasnolongerahand-held instrument.Instead,alargeboxsatatopatripodwithwheelsonit.Jeriwheeled thisovertoscanherselfagain.Asthemachinewhirredandbeeped,sheturned toamirrorintheinfirmary.
Shewasnolongerasoldiernoweither.Inplaceofauniformsheworea whitesummerdress.Goldenhairhungwildandloose.Hercheekshadgaineda littlechubbiness,“babyfat”ashermotherhadcalledit.Thatonlyhelpedto makeherfacelooksmootherandyounger.Thiswasthebodythathadmelted theheartsofsomanygirls—andboys—inhighschool.Backthenshehadbeen abletomakethemquiverwithjustatossofhergoldentresses.
Thescannerbeeped.Shewasn’tsurprisedtoseetheresultscomebackto showshehadbecomesixteenyearsold.Shesmiledatherreflectionfora moment,beforesherememberedthatsoonitwouldchangeagainandshewould getevenyounger,probablyfourteenorthirteen.
Shehurriedtothebridge,whereshefoundSherihadalreadyreachedthat turbulentage.Theacnehadmultipliedonherface.Likemanygeeksatschool, shehadtriedtocoveritwithhergreasybrownhair.WhileJerihadbabyfat, Sherihadfatfatinapotbellythatdrapedoverherwaist.Thehemofherwhite blousebarelycoveredupthefatwhensheturnedaround.
“We’vegottofindsomewaytomakeitstop,”Sheriwhined.“Idon’twant togetanyyounger.”
“Iknow.Stayhereandwatchthings.”
“Whereareyougoingnow?”
“I’mgoingtoseeifwecanmakethisthinggoanyfaster.”Sheprayedthey couldfindawaybeforeshewounduplookinglikeSherionceshehither awkwardteenphase.
***
Terywasstillintheengineroom.Hetoohadfinallyregressedtoa teenager.HismustachehadturnedwispyandlikeSheri,acnedottedhisface.
Hesportedablackflattopthatalongwithhisdingywhiteshirtandtornjeans foreshadowedthekindofmanhewouldbecome.
Henearlydroppedthewrenchinhishandswhenhesawher.“Well, someonecleanedupnice,”hesaidwithasmirk.
“Weneedtomakethisthinggofaster.Wegottogethomebeforewe’retoo littletoreachthecontrols.”
“Iknowthat,sweetheart.WhatdoyouthinkI’mdoingdownhere?”
“Don’ttalktomelikethat.I’mstillcaptainofthisship.”
“Yeah,right.Look,honey,thispieceofshitain’tgoingtogonofaster.
Thiscrappyreactor’sabouttobustattheseamsasitis.”
Asshe’doftendoneinhighschool,Jeriglidedforwardandputahandon Tery’sarm.“Areyousureaboutthat?”shecooed.“I’msureabig,strongman likeyouknowsofsomewaytomakeitgofaster.”
Likeanyhornyadolescentmale,hischeeksreddenedandsweatblossomed onhisforehead.“W-well,IcanseewhatIcando.ButImightneedsomehelp.”
“I’mallyours,”shesaid.
Ordinarilyshewouldn’tdreamofworkinginthesmellyengineroomwitha piglikeTery,butdesperatetimescalledfordesperatemeasures.Ifhecouldfind awaytogetthemhomefaster—oratleastsotheycouldgetinrangetocallfor help—shewouldgivehimablowjobrighthereonthefloor.
Thoughassheworked,shesnuckglancesatTery.Hemightnotbesobad.
Thelasttimeshewassixteen,shehadexperimentedwithquiteafewmenlike him.Menweresomuchless complicatedthanwomen.Theirneedswer
eso mucheasiertounderstand.Acomplimenthereorthere,atight-fittingblouse, andagentlepatandtheywouldbereadytostormthegatesofHellforher.
“Thataboutdoesit,”hefinallysaid.“Oughttoboosttheengineoutputby twentypercent.Foralittlewhileatleast.Notsurehowlongshecanhold together.”
“I’msureyou’llfindaway,”Jerisaid.SheranherhandalongTery’sarm andthenstooduponhertoestogivehimakiss.
Histonguewasinsidehermouthasthenextchangecame.Shehadher eyesclosed,butshecouldstillsensetheflash.Histonguewasstillinsideher mouth,butnowshetastedsomethingmetallicinhermouthaswell.Sheshoved himbackwards.“Thtayawayfromme!”sheshrieked.
Hismustachehadvanishedcompletelywiththischangewhilehisacnehad multiplied.Inadditiontotheflattop,hesportedascragglyponytailnowas well.Therewasalsoanearringinhisleftear.
Asforher,sheworeagreenschooluniformnow.Sheranahandthrough long,straighthair.Themetallictasteinhermouthcamefromthebracesshe’d wornwhenshewasfourteen.Afewroguezitsdottedherpubescentfaceas well.
“What’syourproblem,princess?”hesneered.
“MaybeIdon’twantyourgrothtongueinmymouth,”shesaid.Thereason sheknewwasthatnowshewasonlythirteen,nolongerbraveenoughto experimentwithboys.Backthenshehadbeenscaredeventoexperimentwith girls.Thathadn’tchangeduntilshe’dmetagirlnamedVal,whohadchanged hermindinthelinenclosetofMother’shouseduringapartyJerihadthrown whenMotherwasgone.
Jeri’scheeksreddenedatthememoryofherfirstkiss.Valhadbeenso
cute,soinnocentwithherfrecklesandshort,scrawnybody.AndyetValhad beentheonewho’dknownwhattodo;she’dbeentheoneincharge.Toobad theyhadn’tseeneachotheragainafterthatsummer.Theyhadwrittenonceor twice,buttheneventhatstopped.ShehadnoideawhathadbecomeofValsince then.