Eleanor's hand trembled, but she held it out anyway.
She was doing this. On faith. Trust. And whatever else she had. Though the only reason was because of Jedriek. He had to be the conduit. Because he would not hurt her, not on purpose. She knew that. She trusted him.
With everything.
One look in his white eyes, and she knew she would be okay. He would make sure of it. She wished her sister was here, holding her hand. Her sister, or maybe Bianca, but mostly her sister. She had a vague recollection of being in this position before, but she couldn't remember why. That the Rhimodians had given her medical treatment after her mother had died. Which made sense, of course. That was a logical conclusion to draw.
But the moments were gone. Moments before, with her mother, were gone. Playing with her. Being a family with her. All that was gone.
And now, Master System promises to bring it back?
She had very little faith it would work.
But she wouldn't be out anything--if her memories didn't work, then she would only be down the time. She was used to not remembering.
At least Jedriek was here.
"I am here," he said. "I promised I would protect you."
Eleanor nodded. "Monitor my life signs. Make sure that nothing strange happens," she said.
He stroked her head, feeling her hair. "I will." He stroked her hair again. "I like it like this."
"What? Down?"
He nodded. "It suits you." He let a strand tangle around his finger, and she loved how his big hands could be so delicate with their touches. Her heart hammered, and she felt absolutely terrified about what was coming. Though she also wanted to remember her mother again. She wasn't a baby when her mother died. She was plenty old enough to have memories of her. Yet all of them were gone and had been since she died.
The idea that the Rhimodians could give that back to her.
That Master System could return her mother to her? Well, it seemed too good to be true.
"You don't have to do this," Veta said.
Eleanor glanced at her. "If you could get your parents back, would you want them?"
"My parents were--"
"If you loved your parents, and they loved you, and they were gone, would you want them back?"
"Well, sure, I guess."
"Then I have to do this."
She turned and looked back at Jedriek. "I am ready."
He held out his hands, and the gauntlets on his wrists started to glow.
Eleanor took his hands. Threads of silvery metal grew and came toward her like an organic plant looking for food. It slithered along her hands. She didn't feel them penetrate her skin, but they had to because she felt the rush of nanites.
More nanites.
Like they were swimming under her skin. The strangest sensation she had ever felt.
She opened her mouth to say something, but everything went black.
"Come on, come to Mama!"
Lights flickered, unfocused but there, spots of shine all around. The sun rays flashed through the trees. The grass was green, and it smelled of outdoors and playtime.
