Free Signs from Heaven by Phaedra M. Weldon Page A

left. “They’re spreading. And as much as I hate to admit it, she was right as to the cause. It’s the stimulation. Every time he stimulates the dendrites, they get excited and grow.”
    â€œAre you saying they’re dangerous now? You told us Sentinels lived with these things in their brains for years.”
    â€œWell, that’s true.” She held out her hands. “These things were genetically engineered for the Ardanan brain, which I’ve been studying. The human brain is different on many levels—mainly in the areas of neurochemicals.”
    â€œLense…plain English.”
    â€œSorry. The relevant neurochemicals that these things feed on aren’t relegated to discrete areas of the brain in a human, but all over the place. So what’s happening is similar to the strangler-ivy effect. The old Earth cancer equivalent. These things are starting to spread, making connections to other regions they were never meant to connect, going first to adjacent areas, advancing like ivy you can’t control.”
    Gold frowned at her. “You mean like kudzu.”
    She shook her head, her expression showing her unfamiliarity with the strangling southern weed. “I’m assuming that’s like ivy…”
    He moved his head from shoulder to shoulder. “More or less, but I get the point.”
    â€œIt’s started moving all over the cerebral cortex, not just in those previous areas. If it continues it will interfere with all sorts of centers—having different regions of the brain talking to each other that were never meant to at all, including the reticular activating system of the brainstem.”
    He frowned. “Lense, what are you telling me?”
    â€œIt’s going to interfere with his RAS, Captain. The RAS is responsible for breathing, temperature regulation—without it, he’ll die.”
    â€œ Gevalt . Is there any way to stop it?”
    â€œThe only thing we’ve come up with is to slow the stimulation. But that thing’s programmed to integrate with that city. Sarjenka said he managed to reset the dampeners before he became disoriented. His temperature’s up. Captain, it’s going to happen faster and faster unless she sedates him, cuts him off from the city itself.”
    He rubbed at his chin. “I can’t authorize that. Stevens is the only one who can get this city stabilized—we’re running out of time. He’s already corrected the dampeners—as of ten minutes ago he was able to adjust the generators and the city’s showing signs of slowing. Faulwell’s found something in a series of paintings in a lower vault—we think they might be able to show Stevens how to move the city, maybe even land it.”
    She looked up at him, her gaze shifting across his face. “Captain—”
    â€œI know, I know. We’ll watch out for him, but the fate of millions rests in his hands. I can’t let them down.”
    â€œJust—” She took in a deep breath. “Just remember what I said when we bury another good man.” With that she put her hand to her face, turned, and moved as quickly as she could into her office.

    Fabian shifted the generators again—achieving another jump in the RPMs. It was getting easier as well as harder to manipulate the Ardanan controls. Most of it was conceptual—images drawn from his own mind and used to lead him to the right course of action.
    Only he’d found nothing in the system about a shield to prevent transmat and beaming technologies. It didn’t exist.
    Tev called out from the right podium where he was manipulating the holographic controls. “There—that’s done it. The city has stabilized.” He frowned at the images moving in front of him then nodded. “We’re lifting. The city should reach previous altitude in less than thirty minutes.”
    From next to Tev, Scott turned to Fabian and smiled.