Mia may have been traveling across desert, but even this parched landscape was a welcome glimpse of the planet she had left behind more than a decade and a half earlier. The dome-cities that glistened like soap bubbles in the piercing sun largely hugged the shorelines, with the more landlocked areas being abandoned to outlaws who made their moves under the cover of darkness. Then the Mexican wastes had given way to what had once been a great manmade canal, but was now a flooded archipelago made up of a few scattered mountaintops. These eventually resolved themselves into a greater landmass, and soon the aircar that Mia rode in had crossed over into South America.

"It will still be a few hours before we reach Peru," Ibis said, reclining his chair and leaning backwards. "The autopilot is programmed to take us directly to our destination, skirting any major trouble spots. There are still quite a few in Columbia, and many of the drug lords that rule in all but name do not take kindly to flyovers." He nodded out the window. "That's why we're staying close to the shoreline."

Mia couldn't take her eyes of the sight of real, naturally-growing plants and trees. Though many of the rainforests had been depleted in the last century, there had been a concentrated effort by the states that remained to reclaim them despite the rising sea level and soaring temperatures. Many of the trees below had been genetically modified to withstand greater heat and require less water, and they still housed a tremendous variety of life. As Mia watched, a flock of brightly-covered birds took flight, a flash of brilliant color contrasting with the dozens of shades of green around them.

And the ocean! So vast, a tremendous volume of the universe's most valuable, life-giving substance: water. It stretched on so far she could imagine it simply went on forever. It seemed insane to someone who had spent most of her life in space that such a giant quantity of water could be taken for granted, neglected, even abused. She recalled figures on how many tons of plastic alone had been dumped into the ocean in the 20th and 21st centuries, let alone the radioactive biproducts, oil spills and whatever other garbage they couldn't think of any better way to dispose of. The coastlines were being slowly nursed back to health, largely because many dome cities relied upon desalinization and carefully maintained fisheries to supply enough food and water to their populace.

She pulled her eyes away from the blue expanse of the Pacific to glance over at her companion. Mr Ibis appeared to be asleep, his long, birdlike fingers intertwined over his lap. She was somewhat surprised, finding it odd that an android needed to sleep. Perhaps he had simply gone into standby mode, or was letting his body lie while he conducted other business over the Datanet. She shrugged, and leaned back herself, feeling slightly uncomfortable in Earth's greater gravity. At least she had been diligent about keeping up her full-g workout regimen. Those hours she put into the centrifuge were being put to good use down here.

Still, the cushions were quite comfortable, and soon, Mia found herself dozing as well.

*       *       *

Mia was stumbling through a dark tunnel, the unfamiliar weight dragging at her limbs. She could barely see more than a few feet in front of her, and she had the horrid certainty that there was something terrible beyond all belief behind her. She had no idea what the thing pursuing her might be, only that she must not allow it to catch her. She was somehow certain that whatever it had in mind, it would make death look like the easy way out. Better to plunge down a bottomless pit or into a spiked pit than let ... it get ahold of her.

She was wearing what had probably once been quite a nice dress, before she had ripped the skirt halfway off so it wouldn't catch on the protruding rocks that she continually bumped against. Her limbs felt like they were covered in bruises, but at least they weren't broken. Yet, anyway.

Finally, she rounded a corner and found the claustrophobic tunnel suddenly opening up into a dizzying cavern, lit by the unearthly glow of phosphorescent fungus. Dominating the room was a gigantic stone idol, of a large-bodied woman with wide hips and a swollen stomach, the atypical image of the Mother Goddess. Behind her, she heard a bone-rattling howl of frustration, as whatever had been pursuing her seemed repelled by the chamber. There was a feeling of calmness here, of peace and tranquility, and she couldn't help but smile as she walked further into the chamber, finally catching her breath and letting the adrenaline slowly drain from her limbs, leaving them trembling from the effort.

She felt she should say something. "Thank you, oh Goddess, for shielding me from what hunts me... whatever that is." She walked closer, studying the huge statue in the dim light. As she drew near, the light seemed to grow stronger. As it did, she could hear something just at the edge of her hearing. It sounded like voices singing, but from far, far away. She couldn't make out any words, only the merest hint of a melody.

Then she heard a voice that seemed to come from all directions. You must hurry, my child. There is little time. Come to me, and sing the song of the Spheres.