Constellation Games (40 page)

If I'm to convince you, I must learn to read these human messages, the way I decode Martian life from the impressions it left in rocks. When the Earth
cma
show themselves beneath the dirt at the center of Human Ring, I can move the children there, and prepare ourselves to reverse Ariel's journey and move to Earth. By the time they are half-grown, it may not seem unusual for humans to live on the Ring city. By then, I may be able to understand enough messages to take Earth for my adopted home, as you already have.

This, it would seem, is my fossil of thought. A long little tube-worm pressed flat while wiggling this way and that. Polishing a fossil makes it more beautiful but scientifically useless, so I will pack this document as is and send it to you for study.

I may or may not know you after this body dies, but I will see you before then, and you'll see the children. I hope that when we meet again, you'll be able to tell me—not your "real" name, I won't call it that anymore—but the name you were born with. A secret name for me to whisper in your sleep and to scream when we make love. As for myself, I hope that by our next meeting I will be able to call myself,

simply,
your Ashley.

From:
Ariel Blum
To:
Jenny Gallegos
Subject:
Almost done

As you may have seen, my project is just about done, insofar as it will ever be done. But there's one last artwork I can't find a replica of. I need a little help from you to get this to 100% completion.

Come up whenever you can. I can wait.

Ariel