Myaru lifted her face to the sky, letting the gentle wind of Nisan Valley caress her face and sift through her hair like gentle fingers. The air was fresh, as if it had just rained, and the warm summer sunrise shed a soft, warm glow upon her face. She stood there at the center of the suqare, just absorbing the immense -peace- of the place -- a peace that emanated from across the lake, just a span away.

The Nisan Cathedral glinted a dull golden brown at the center of the lake behind her, its spires reaching for the sky and its windows glittering. -This- was what she had been searching for; just rest. A break in her so-called life, where she could find a little peace before she returned to her task of destroying "god's" children.

It was a shame this place had to go with everything else. She rather liked it. The town was quaint and lively, and their center of worship was beautiful and peaceful. Even knowing it was all based on a lie did not ruin the moment for her.

//Sophia was smarter than she gave herself credit for.//

Myaru opened her eyes and took a sharp breath.

//She lead her 'children' with a creed that did not coincide with the myths fabricated by Solaris.//

That was true. Myaru turned toward the cathedral and stared at the huge structure, trying to ignore the source of her thoughts.

//She began it before she even knew of Solaris. Maybe the part of her that truly -was- the Mother emerged......//

She gritted her teeth. Was she finally going insane? The whispers of her past lives were one thing, but never before had one actually spoken out. She supposed it was possible. But......

//Imagine, if she had won the war......//

//Enough!!// she shouted mentally. Silence.

This was becoming too much. Myaru started toward the cathedral, forcibly pushing thoughts of her recent...... problem to the back of her mind. Instead, she tried to focus on the beauty of the scenery in front of her, knowing it might be the last time she had the chance. The bridge across the lake was incredibly long, and crowded with people making trips to and from the holy place. She kept her eyes above the crowd, taking in the view and paying only half a mind to her path.

A figure on the high wall surrounding the church shifted, catching her eye. Myaru glanced at it without much interest and turned her gaze back to the bridge, and the small clumps of people crowding the bridge.

//What? Wait a --!// She jerked her eyes back to the figure on the wall, halting abruptly and gripping the bridge rail.

The rising sun illuminated her perfectly. A lanky girl in her late teens sat at the top of the wall, letting her legs dangle over the side. A thick mass of long, shining auburn hair rested on her shoulders, falling over her face as she leaned back to look at someone behind the wall.

That...... perfect, familiar......

-------------------------------------------***

"So the rumors -are- true then?" Miang asked, fixing the scientist with her cool gaze. The Prime Minister's voice droned in the background as he discussed some minor point with the woman who called herself Elly.

"Rumors?" Kim frowned. "There have not been any -- "

"Forgive me," she cut in smoothly, smiling. "Bad choice of words. I mean to say that I have looked into your activities, and discovered a few details you have concealed from the public."

"And the Government office?" he replied, raising his eyebrows. He turned to the nanoreactor and rested his hand on the shield that hid its occupant from view. "Will you be taking control of the project, then......?"

"No. I simply want to see it. The government has no interest in robbing you of your 'child'. But we will require you to -share-."

"Share what?" he asked softly, pressing a few buttons on a nearby control panel. She didn't answer, knowing he didn't want a response. His reaction was typical -- she would have to work on him a little more before trying to integrate him with her plans. He very well could be the one who would save her the trouble of 'saving' the human race.

A slit of yellow-tinged light appeared, widening as the shield of the nanoreactor opened to reveal its contents. Elly and Minister Hale halted their conversation, joining them in front of the tube to watch.

A slender child was revealed in the swirling liquids filling the nanoreactor, sleeping peacefully. Deep auburn hair drifted around her little body, matching the shade of Elly's hair perfectly. Her complexion was Kim's -- tanned and smooth. Nobody who looked at her would believe she was just a colony of nanomachines fused with human DNA. She looked just like her creators.

Yes, she was definitely their 'child'......

----------------------------------------------***

The girl jumped from the wall, disappearing on the other side.

Myaru took a deep breath and left the rail, continuing her trip across the bridge at a much slower pace. She couldn't recall much more of that meeting...... The child had not yet been given a name at that time. There had also been doubt concerning her vocal abilities -- her vocal cords had not fully developed at that time, and Kim had been worried......

Well, even if she -had- developed after that -- and obviously she had; she appeared much older than that child she had seen in the reactor -- she probably wouldn't know how to talk. Or at least, wouldn't know the current language. //I could be wrong...... The nanomachines would probably fix that.......//

She started walking more quickly. A nanomachine colony, like Ariath, only far more advanced. That child could hold secrets and talents unmatched by any true human. She could be a priceless ally, if she could be convinced to accompany Myaru to Solaris.

But first she would have to meet the girl, and her caretakers. She had to assess the girl's character before she could begin bribing her, and she had to come up with a suitable story for the sisters of the cathedral. There was no guarantee the child would be any use at all, but the chances of her being a waste of time were slim, in her opinion. At the worst, Mordon would have the time of his life studying her.

Myaru passed through the gate, onto the grounds of the Nisan cathedral. The structure towered over her, surrounded by trees and gardens, and a steady stream of people walked in and out, accompanied by blue-robed sisters. She caught a glimpse of the girl just inside, talking to another one of the sisters, and she headed in that direction.

Just as she was about to cut through the crowd to the door, the girl dashed out again, pulling the sister behind her. Myaru watched her silently as she stopped and stared into the sky, then followed her gaze.

A golden disk drifted serenely by, hardly more than a small shape against the sky. //Shevat......?/ She moved closer to the girl and her escort, listening carefully over the low hum of the line of people.

"...... always run out to look at it," the sister was saying, smiling. "Do you really want to visit it so badly? I suppose it would be nice......" The girl was nodding vigorously, still watching the floating city.

//So she wants to see the city in the sky? That I can give her.// "Excuse me," Myaru said, tapping the sister gently on the shoulder. Both of them turned around. "I couldn't help but overhear, and when I saw the girl......"

The sister blinked. "Do you know Elly?"

//Elly?// She smiled. //I wonder how the girl reacted to that?// "I knew her when she was a child," Myaru replied instead. "Her parents have missed her terribly, I'm sure......"

"Oh......" the sister patted "Elly's" hand. "We've wondered, ever since she came to us. She seemed to be a wanderer to us, and she was causing little spats of trouble here and there...... And I must say, Sometimes we find it hard to communicate with her. She's never said a word to me......"

Myaru kept her feelings well hidden, but inwardly she exulted. "May I speak with her?"

"Oh, of course! I have to get back to my duties anyway." She turned to 'Elly'. "Be sure to get back in time if you want to eat with us, Elly."

Myaru put the sister out of her mind as soon as she was gone. //Well, they're still as trusting as ever down here.// "Elly...... is that your name?" The girl stared at her sadly, then shook her head. "Do you have a name?" The girl shook her head again. At least she understood. "Do you like to explore, young one?"

This question brought an eager nod and a smile, and she pressed on, ready to drop the bait. "Would you like to come with me, and go to a place in the sky?"

Her innocent, deep hazel eyes widened, and she grabbed Myaru's hand, nodding yes and opening her mouth as if she was trying to say so. Only a few sounds came out, but her opinion of the idea was very clear. And it told her that she -could talk-. //She probably just doesn't say anything because nobody would understand.//

Myaru smiled again and pat the girl's hand. That made it almost too easy -- but who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth? "We'll have to come up with a name for you, then." She thought a moment, and a name drifted up from her memories. Yes, perfect...... "How do you like 'Irina', little one? It means 'rain' in the old tongue."

//That was -my- name.//

She clenched her teeth and continued smiling, her sense of victory dampened again by the emergence of that whisper, and she tried to ignore it. The girl just stared at her blankly. Myaru shrugged. "Irina it is, then. Now, we must go tell the sisters you will be staying with me." She took Irina's hand and started for the cathedral entrance.

Now she remembered. Before she had been captured by Shevat during the Nisan conflict, she had awakened in the body of...... yes, a sister. She had tried to enter The queen, Cyrene, but her attempt had failed. //I never did figure out why......//

Well, once again, it didn't really matter. As long as she finished her task on the accursed earth, she would not have to worry about such things. All she cared about was resurrecting -god-, and then ending her life.

For good.

Irina simply skipped along beside her. Myaru smiled. Everything was working better than she had thought it would.

And she had found her temporary peace.