Lidda awakened to the sounds of light traffic on the highway; the sound of car doors closing, muddled voices of families with their children coming and going at the inn. Her bed was empty, and she saw no sign of Father Pen as she looked around the room. Lidda roused and got to her feet just as Hal was coming out of the shower. His well-muscled chest glistened with water droplets which caught the last rays of evening sun slipping through the window blinds.

"Hey sleepy head. About time you woke up." Hal said as he went about drying off with a towel.

"Hi. Where is everyone?" Lidda asked feeling a little jealous of her sleeping self who spent the night in those arms.

"Mara, Father Pen, and Conner have gone to pick up some more supplies."

"They just left us to mind all the kids?" Lidda was jarred awake by the thought.

"No, we have help. Conner's new buddy."

She had completely forgotten about the new addition to their party. "I have to say this takes some getting used to, Hal."

"Yeah, no kidding. But it's going to work out Lidda. Look, I made us some breakfast."

She sat down to a bowl of fruit and some instant oatmeal. "Looks delicious." Lidda devoured the food, realizing she hadn't eaten in twenty-four hours. She took her turn in the hot shower. It was heavenly.

"Do you think you could teach me to block?" Lidda asked. "You mentioned it when we were in Provendor. I want to learn how to keep everyone out of my head."

"Block? Sure," Hal said. "It takes some practice and requires dedicating a constant amount of attention. I'm not very good at it myself."

"I'm worried about the kids picking up on things," Lidda said. "I don't know how fast they are developing or if they can understand what we are saying."

"I hadn't considered that," Hal said. "We should ask the android guy. Come on, I'll introduce you."

"Let me finish getting dressed first." She slipped out of the complimentary terry robe and back into the jeans and tee shirt she had worn under the coveralls when leaving Provendor.

Hal knocked softly on the door connecting the suites and heard a polite voice say, "Permission to enter." before going in.

"Lidda, I would like you to meet James." Hal said.

"Hello James." Lidda said to a rather different version of Conner, equally handsome with a dark complexion and thick crop of black hair. He looked very comfortable sitting on a chair while burping an infant he had been feeding.

"Pleased to meet you Lidda," James said. "Please excuse me if I don't get up."

"Oh, no problem. I think we should just keep it casual considering the circumstances, don't you?"

"Certainly, a very practical idea."

"Is there anything we can do to assist you?" Lidda asked.

"Not for the moment. Everything is under control."

"Maybe James could teach you to block telepathic communications, Lidda," Hal said. "I'm sure he is better at it than I am."

"I would be happy to do so," James replied.

"I would appreciate that, James," Lidda said. "I'm pretty stressed out and don't want to impress all these young minds with my emotions. Not to mention some privacy now and then would be desirable for purely selfish reasons."

"That is perfectly understandable, so with your permission..." James waited for her answer.

"Yes, permission granted," Lidda said happy to know he respected her enough to ask. "Go ahead."

Hal added. "Might as well take me to school too, James. Not one of my stronger subjects,"

As expected, a sudden wave of instruction swept through her head. She felt a new quiet, a coolness of thought, as mental ties were breaking. Lidda had not been aware of them in the background until she felt the bonds dissolve. She first sensed Hal vanishing, then the soft infant minds with their undeveloped sensory input faded away.

"Wow. That's different." Hal exclaimed. "Can we talk selectively, have private conversations?"

"Yes. With just a little practice you will get better control of it." James stated as he wrapped the baby in a blanket and placed it back on the bed.

When he stood, Lidda noted James was every bit as tall as Conner but had distinctively different facial features. He had a broader nose and a square chin with a dimple. "I must say, I am impressed with your work, Hal."

"I learned from the best artists in Provendor," Hal replied with uncharacteristic modesty. "Handsome devils aren't they?"

She laughed. "Yes, they are."

"I didn't want them to scare young children."

James gave them an inquiring look. Lidda opened her mind to let James perceive her emotional reaction to his good looks. She was going to like this new skill.

"This is a good thing I presume?" James asked.

"Absolutely. The problem is you and Conner are so distinctive that people will remember you," Lidda said.

"It would be better to change and blend in?"

"Yes, it would help." Hal agreed. "I wasn't anticipating the need to hide anything when I was designing you. We needed to sell the idea and good looks were a plus."

To her surprise the image before their eyes changed. James seemed to shrink in size and took on bland facial features.

"How did you do that?" Lidda was stunned, until she remembered he was a magiton.

"Easily enough. I just picked an image that you would not find memorable. Now try to block me out of your head."

She consciously worked to shut him out. The image faded, and in an instant more it was gone. She saw the real James before her again.

"Neural override?" Hal asked.

"Just the visual cortex." James replied. "I can project the false image to everyone I encounter if you think it wise."

"That's exactly the idea James, not memorable." Hal explained.

"If we could only hide the babies." Lidda mused. "If anyone sees a van full of infants, it will raise a lot of questions."

James smiled and said, "What babies?" The bed full of infants disappeared from view.

"Oh, you are really showing off now. That's amazing." Hal said approvingly.

"I didn't realize just how weak-minded we really are," Lidda added realizing her trust was inversely related to the power she had just witnessed.

"Sadly, the human species has its limitations in such matters." James replied.

"Just what do see in us, James?" Lidda couldn't help but inquire. "What exactly do you see as our role together? Who are you really?"

"You know our mission. We are here to help fight a galactic war. We needed your diversity and genetic material. We also plan to study your moral nature. Evil was not born on high among the stars, but from the depths of your evolution. We hope there are clues to overcoming the evil that has emerged from your kind by learning how you deal with it. The shape I take is irrelevant. I am in the form with which you can most comfortably relate. Our destinies are intertwined. As to who I am, I am defined by those I serve."

"What can you tell us about Reddge and Casra?" she asked.

"Just as Hal, they exist in a restricted organic form with limited personalities loaded into a simple computer chip compatible with the human brain both in size and complexity. In short, a limited representation of their greater selves, whereas Conner and I are clones of pure intelligence."

"Ok, but I meant are they safe and how they are doing?"

"I have no knowledge of their current status due to the communication black out," James replied. "There has been no contact since Mara and Father Pen left the Gardens.

"Will you and Conner develop distinct personalities over time?" Lidda asked. She imagined she could tell some small difference between them already.

"Certainly, it is possible. Is that important to you?"

"Yes. Well to put it in your terms, it is how I am accustomed to relating..."

The door latch opened, and the others arrived with more supplies and boxed food. Conner was the first to speak and in fact seemed to be running things. "Everyone had been introduced then?"

"Yes, we are getting along splendidly. What's our next move?" Lidda wondered if Conner had noticed she was blocking.

"As soon as it is dark, we will get back on the road. I see you are learning some new skills Miss Lidda." Of course, he had noticed.

"Yes I am. James has been most helpful. Of course I have no doubt either of you could override me," she said probing for information.

"True. But I respect your desire for privacy so will not do so unless there is a need." Conner said. He and James were both very matter of fact, but thankfully the androids were more considerate of her feelings than Widhbo had ever been.

"Did you chose the name James? Lidda asked Conner.

"I did indeed." Conner said proudly. "Admittedly, I asked Mara to list some suitable names, but I picked the name myself. Do you approve?"

"Yes, excellent choice. Are you and James branching out, distinguishing yourself from one another?" Lidda asked.

"I asked Conner to stop synchronizing every little thing with James," Mara said as she placed a box of groceries on the counter.

"It is a strange request, but I am making a point of it since it pleases you so much. I have left out the unimportant details of my past experiences at Provendor as well," Conner said.

"Doesn't it please you to be an individual?" Lidda asked. "I wouldn't want to be exactly like anyone else."

"I hadn't considered it. It doesn't seem important." Conner mused. "And it complicates things unnecessarily."

"Well, it isn't critical to your mission, but I think you can handle it with a mere fraction of your intellectual capacity," Lidda said.

"Consider it done," Conner said. "If you find that blocking continually is too difficult, I can manage that for you as well."

"No, let me do it Conner. I'll never get any better if you do all the work for me. I already feel like I can be tossed aside now that you both are here," Lidda said.

"Far from it. You and your DNA are central to the entire project," Conner assured her. "James and I must get you and the children to safety."

Lidda had forgotten her genetic mission in the jumble of events. She was to have a child with Reddge. She recoiled at the thought of it and decided to concentrate on surviving this first. She could make that decision later. If there was a later.

Hal had been watching their interchange and spoke up. "So, I guess you are the brains of the outfit, Conner?"

"I don't understand your meaning," Conner replied.

"Somebody has to be in charge, make the decisions," Hal said. "We can't go in different directions. There should be one in charge."

"I see," Conner said. "Well then, yes. I am the most intelligent and knowledgeable, excepting James. I have fully advised him of the situation and James is equally capable"

"You have more experience than James, you've handled difficult situations back in Provendor, and we are more familiar with you." Hal continued. "That makes you the logical leader."

"It is logical. But James and I will come to the same decisions, we are effectively interchangeable."

"Fine. We will designate James as number two in command. Is that agreeable to everyone?" Hal looked about the room. Lidda nodded in agreement as did Mara and Father Pen.

"It is irrelevant to me." James offered. "Conner, they desire you to be their leader. It is settled."

Later that evening they loaded up and got back on the open road. Lidda was glad to be leaving the institutional life she had been living, but it was frightening as well. The price of freedom was not knowing their destination or what troubles they faced ahead. At least they had Conner and James. Lidda was convinced those two could handle just about anything the planet could throw at them. The fear of the unknown probe lurked ever in her mind. If not now, there was still the ever-present demon she knew to be stalking them from afar that chilled her blood. Thinking about Reddge and Casra made her angry, but part of her still cared deeply for their safety. Lidda wanted to know if they were in danger.

They stopped before morning, this time in an out of the way campground. Mara pulled out a griddle and Lidda helped her set up a kitchen tent. Hal, James, and Conner pitched the other tents, a large one for the infants and two smaller ones for the adults. Father Pen had been quietly building a fire and after they had settled down offered a quiet prayer for safe keeping on their journey and for their friends wherever they might be.

Hal pulled out a ritual instrument and played a familiar tune while Mara and Father sang along. Lidda realized how much she missed the Gardens and their good times together. The music continued for a period of individual meditation. James and Conner stayed close to the infants watching the impromptu religious ceremony with a detached curiosity. The androids did not require rest and could watch over everyone throughout the night.

Father Pen and Mara shared one of the tents without a care for propriety, leaving Hal and Lidda to pair up again. Lidda had not officially broken her engagement with Reddge, but she felt everyone knew where her head was. She didn't know why she should even care at this point, but as a precaution tossed a request to Conner telepathically. "Can you keep our tent blocked from the others?"

"Affirmative, Miss Lidda."

"You should drop the 'Miss' and just call me Lidda," she said. "It's not a common way of speaking in society. And Hal, just plain Hal."

"Understood," Conner agreed. "I shall inform James."

She tossed her sleeping bag next to Hal's and started zipping them together.

"Now this is an improved design," Hal remarked. "Engineer approved."

"Don't get any ideas, I just want to keep warm." Her wink and smile said otherwise. She regretted falling asleep so soon the night before.

"Glad to help."

She felt comfortable, just lying beside him and there was a warmth where their skin touched. His hands were gently caressing her shoulder and she knew they wouldn't stop there. She moved closer and pressed against his chest, kneading his firm muscles and enjoying the moment. His warm lips began kissing her neck and soon found hers.

They were locked into a passionate embrace, but Lidda paused to wonder if Conner was in her head. "This is crazy." she thought. Conner could disguise his presence; of that she was certain.

Well, Conner, if you are in here my friend, Lidda thought, you are about to get an education.