Seeker’s Calling。 Who would choose a life of conflict and pursuit？ Who would be attracted to the chore
of tracking down unwilling hosts and capturing them？ Who would have the stomach to face the violence
of this particular species； the hostile humans who killed so easily； so thoughtlessly？ Here； on this planet；
the Seekers had bee practically a… militia—my new brain supplied the term for the unfamiliar
concept。 Most believed that only the least civilized souls； the least evolved； the lesser among us； would
be drawn to the path of Seeker。
Still； on Earth the Seekers had gained new status。 Never before had an occupation gone so awry。 Never
before had it turned into a fierce and bloody battle。 Never before had the lives of so many souls been
sacrificed。 The Seekers stood as a mighty shield； and the souls of this world were thrice…over indebted to
them： for the safety they had carved out of the mayhem； for the risk of the final death that they faced
willingly every day； and for the new bodies they continued to provide。
Now that the danger was virtually past； it appeared the gratitude was fading。 And； for this Seeker at
least； the change was not a pleasant one。
It was easy to imagine what her questions for me would be。 Though the Healer was trying to buy me
time to adjust to my new body； I knew I would do my best to help the Seeker。 Good citizenship was
quintessential to every soul。
So I took a deep breath to prepare myself。 The monitor registered the movement。 I knew I was stalling
a bit。 I hated to admit it； but I was afraid。 To get the information the Seeker needed； I would have to
explore the violent memories that had made me scream in horror。 More than that； I was afraid of the
voice I’d heard so loudly in my head。 But she was silent now； as was right。 She was just a memory； too。
I should not have been afraid。 After all； I was called Wanderer now。 And I’d earned the name。
With another deep breath； I delved into the memories that frightened me； faced them head…on with my
teeth locked together。
I could skip past the end—it didn’t overwhelm me now。 In fast…forward； I ran through the dark again；
wincing； trying not to feel。 It was over quickly。
Once I was through that barrier； it wasn’t hard to float through less…alarming things and places； skimming
for the information I wanted。 I saw how she’d e to this cold city； driving by night in a stolen car
chosen for its nondescript appearance。 She’d walked through the streets of Chicago in darkness；
shivering beneath her coat。
The words came slower and slower； and at first I did not understand why。 Was this forgotten？ Lost in
the trauma of an almost death？ Was I still sluggish from unconsciousness？ I struggled to think clearly。
This sensation was unfamiliar。 Was my body still sedated？ I felt alert enough； but my mind labored
unsuccessfully for the answers I wanted。
I tried another avenue of searching； hoping for clearer responses。 What was her goal？ She would find…
Sharon—I fished out the name—and they would…
I hit a wall。
It was a blank； a nothing。 I tried to circle around it； but I couldn’t find the edges of the void。 It was as if
the information I sought had been erased。
As if this brain had been damaged。
Anger flashed through me； hot and wild。 I gasped in surprise at the unexpected reaction。 I’d heard of the
emotional instability of these human bodies； but this was beyond my ability to anticipate。 In eight full lives；
I’d never had an emotion touch me with such force。
I felt the blood pulse through my neck； pounding behind my ears。 My hands tightened into fists。
The machines beside me reported the acceleration of my heartbeats。 There was a reaction in the room：
the sharp tap of the Seeker’s shoes approached me； mingled with a quieter shuffle that must have been
the Healer。
“Wele to Earth； Wanderer；” the female voice said。
CHAPTER 3
Resisted
She won’t recognize the new name；” the Healer murmured。
A new sensation distracted me。 Something pleasant； a change in the air as the Seeker stood at my side。
A scent； I realized。 Something different than the sterile； odorless room。 Perfume； my new mind told me。
Floral； lush…
“Can you hear me？” the Seeker asked； interrupting my analysis。 “Are you aware？”
“Take your time；” the Healer urged in a softer voice than the one he had used before。
I did not open my eyes。 I didn’t want to be distracted。 My mind gave me the words I needed； and the
tone that would convey what I couldn’t say without using many words。
“Have I been placed in a damaged host in order to gain the information you need； Seeker？”
There was a gasp—surprise and outrage mingled—and something warm touched my skin； covered my
“Of course not； Wanderer；” the man said reassuringly。 “Even a Seeker would stop at some things。”
The Seeker gasped again。 Hissed； my memory corrected。
“Then why doesn’t this mind function correctly？”
There was a pause。
“The scans were perfect；” the Seeker said。 Her words not reassuring but argumentative。 Did she mean
to quarrel with me？ “The body was entirely healed。”
“From a suicide attempt that was perilously close to succeeding。” My tone was stiff； still angry。 I wasn’t
used to anger。 It was hard to contain it。
“Everything was in perfect order —”
The Healer cut her off。 “What is missing？” he asked。 “Clearly； you’ve accessed speech。”
“Memory。 I was trying to find what the Seeker wants。”
Though there was no sound； there was a change。 The atmosphere； which had gone tense at my
accusation； relaxed。 I wondered how I knew this。 I had a strange sensation that I was somehow receiving
more than my five senses were giving me—almost a feeling that there wasanother sense； on the fringes；
not quite harnessed。 Intuition？ That was almost the right word。 As if any creature needed more than five
senses。
The Seeker cleared her throat； but it was the Healer who answered。
“Ah；” he said。 “Don’t make yourself anxious about some partial memory… difficulties。 That’s； well； not
to beexpected； exactly； but not surprising； considering。”
“I don’t understand your meaning。”
“This host was part of the human resistance。” There was a hint of excitement in the Seeker’s voice now。
“Those humans who were aware of us before insertion are more difficult to subdue。 This one still resists。”
There was a moment of silence while they waited for my response。
Resisting？ The host was blocking my access？ Again； the heat of my anger surprised me。
“Am I correctly bound？” I asked； my voice distorted because it came through my teeth。
“Yes；” the Healer said。 “All eight hundred twenty…seven points are latched securely in the optimum
positions。”
This mind used more of my faculties than any host before； leaving me only one hundred eighty…one spare
attachments。 Perhaps the numerous bindings were the reason the emotions were so vivid。
I decided to open my eyes。 I felt the need to double…check the Healer’s promises and make sure the
hundred ocean fathoms。 But these eyes had seen brighter and could handle it。 I opened them narrowly；
keeping my eyelashes feathered over the breach。
“Would you like me to turn down the lights？”
“No； Healer。 My eyes will adjust。”
“Very good；” he said； and I understood that his approval was meant for my casual use of the possessive。
Both waited quietly while my eyes slowly widened。
My mind recognized this as an average room in a medical facility。 A hospital。 The ceiling tiles were white
with darker speckles。 The lights were rectangular and the same size as the tiles； replacing them at regular
intervals。 The walls were light green—a calming color； but also the color of sickness。 A poor choice； in
my quickly formed opinion。
The people facing me were more interesting than the room。 The worddoctor sounded in my mind as
soon as my eyes fastened on the Healer。 He wore loose…fitting blue green clothes that left his arms bare。
Scrubs。 He had hair on his face； a strange color that my memory called red。
Red！ It had been three worlds since I had seen the color or any of its relatives。 Even this gingery gold
filled me with nostalgia。
His face was generically human to me； but the knowledge in my memory applied the wordkind。
An impatient breath pulled my attention to the Seeker。
She was very small。 If she had remained still； it would have taken me longer to notice her there beside
the Healer。 She didn’t draw the eye； a darkness in the bright room。 She wore black from chin to
wrists—a conservative suit with a silk turtleneck underneath。 Her hair was black； too。 It grew to her chin
and was pushed back behind her ears。 Her skin was darker than the Healer’s。 Olive toned。
The tiny changes in humans’ expressions were so minimal they were very hard to read。 My memory
could name the look on this woman’s face； though。 The black brows； slanted down over the slightly
bulging eyes； created a familiar design。 Not quite anger。 Intensity。 Irritation。
“How often does this happen？” I asked； looking at the Healer again。
“Not often；” the Healer admitted。 “We have so few full…grown hosts available anymore。 The immature
hosts are entirely pliable。 But you indicated that you preferred to begin as an adult。…”
“Yes。”
“Most requests are the opposite。 The human life span is much shorter than you’re used to。”
“I’m well versed in all the facts； Healer。 Have you dealt with this… resistance before yourself？”
“Only once； myself。”
The Healer sighed。
The Seeker began tapping her fingers against her arm。 A sign of impatience。 She did not care to wait for
what she wanted。
“This occurred four years ago；” the Healer began。 “The soul involved had requested an adult male host。
The first one to be available was a human who had been living in a pocket of resistance since the early
years of the occupation。 The human… knew what would happen when he was caught。”
“Just as my host did。”
“Um； yes。” He cleared his throat。 “This was only the soul’s second life。 He came from Blind World。”
“Blind World？” I asked； cocking my head to the side reflexively。
“Oh； sorry； you wouldn’t know our nicknames。 This was one of yours； though； was it not？” He pulled a
device from his pocket； a puter； and scanned quickly。 “Yes； your seventh planet。 In the eighty…first
sector。”
“BlindWorld？” I said again； my voice now disapproving。
“Yes； well； some who have lived there prefer to call it the Singing World。”
I nodded slowly。 I liked that better。
“And some who’ve never been there call it Planet of the Bats；” the Seeker muttered。
I turned my eyes to her； feeling them narrow as my mind dredged up the appropriate image of the ugly
flying rodent she referred to。
“I assume you are one who has never lived there； Seeker；” the Healer said lightly。 “We called this soul
Racing Song at first—it was a loose translation of his name on… the Singing World。 But he soon opted
to take the name of his host； Kevin。 Though