Free Null-A Continuum by John C. Wright

level of development, chronologically.
    Gosseyn said, “Can you adjust the neural flows so that later layers of memory, adult memories, are available? I don’t want to hurt him, but he may know something useful to an investigation I am pursuing.”
    Daley opened a panel in the wall, where banks of lie-detector-type circuitry were glowing. He made one or two adjustments.
    Secoh said, “Play!”
    Gosseyn picked up a child’s ball that was one of several toys on the floor: a transparent sphere with a glittering many-armed spiral inside. He tossed it to Secoh.
    The man caught it with both hands but then forgot thegame and stared in wonder at the spiral image in the ball. “Galaxy. The whole galaxy. Mine. In my hand.”
    Secoh stood up from the chair, swayed, but then knelt down. “Mommy says I have to pray. Pray to the Sleeping God before I sleep. Both of us sleeping. Ain’t that funny. Pray to … pray to … He screamed when I killed him….”
    Tears welled up in Secoh’s eyes, and a sudden grief, deeper than agony, contorted his features. He screamed in stark, terrible rage, clawing at his own face with his fingernails.
    Daley adjusted the circuit. Secoh smiled and collapsed on the floor, drooling and cooing happily.
    Daley said, “The difficulty is that all his major memory chains, even to his youngest, are caught up in the worship of the idol he killed. However, we have been getting some success with a more dangerous technique: one you must be familiar with.”
    Gosseyn looked at him quizzically.
    â€œA second personality can be created from the main stem, unaware of the memories of the parent mind. We call it the Lavoisseur technique. We will have to step back behind the protective barrier to use it.”
    â€œThe patient becomes dangerous?”
    â€œVery. Secoh occupies more than one vibration state of matter-energy. His other form enjoyed state-specific memories, and can be layered to a more adult level.”
    When they were watching, once again, through the transparent wall, Daley donned a pair of thick, leaded goggles and handed a similar pair to Gosseyn. Then Daley turned to the control panel governing the electron tube energies flowing through the brain of the patient in the next room.
    Daley said, “The system works by negative suppression. If the energy from the board is cut off, his normal pre-adult brain-wave pattern will emerge.”
    Daley made the delicate adjustment.
    In the other room, Secoh, his eyes glittering, his face expressionless, rose to his feet. The body of Secoh began to blur and darken. In a moment, his flesh was dissolved; instead, a being made of shadow hovered there.
    Gosseyn was amazed. “How is he able to do that without a distorter?”
    Daley said significantly, “Certain specialized cells in his brain act as a biological distorter. However, he cannot cast the shadow-image beyond a limited range without artificial amplification.”
    Gosseyn opened the microphone and said, “Secoh. I’ve come to talk to you.”
    From the shadow-being came a deep, dispassionate voice: “Not Secoh. That name is nothing to me.”
    â€œWho are you?”
    â€œI am the Follower.”
    â€œI need to ask you some questions.”
    The shadowy silhouette of a head tilted forward. There was no face, but the hint of posture seemed to indicate intensity. “Ah! Gosseyn. I see your energy patterns. I know you.”
    The lightning bolt that flashed from the core of the shadow-being sputtered against the insulated transparency. The internal force-fields in the room flickered into full strength, and only this prevented the bed and chairs and other flammable objects from igniting.
    GOSSEYN turned up the gain on the microphone, to make himself heard above the terrific discharge in the other room.
    â€œFollower! I’ve come to ask you about the Crypt of the Sleeping God.”
    Daley put a hand on