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？ What had happened to the two men of Odin…Galaktika II during the event； when all telemetry and monitoring went down？ That was what Mars had been ordered to find out。
Had the Hero in some way been transformed； or was he merely pulling everyone's leg； amusing himself at the state's expense as some kind of sick reparation for his disabilities？
The truly frightening thing。 Mars thought now； was that there was at least the possibility that the Hero had been transformed by the event。 In that case； what had he bee？
〃Can you give me even a hint；〃 Mars said at last； 〃of what 'Elsewhere' and 'Elsewhen' mean？〃
Odysseus held out his arm。 〃Tatiana；〃 he said； 〃would you e here？〃
Tatiana obediently swam in his direction so that she was in front of him。 Then the two of them swam forward until Tatiana's body was pressed so firmly against Mars's that he could feel her hard breasts； the slight swell of her stomach； the press of her pubic mound。 〃What…〃
''Bear with me； rade；'' Odysseus said firmly。 〃And don't back up； this is all in the name of so…called science。'' He peered into Mars's face。 〃I want you to imagine that still being you； you feel Tatiana's breasts as if they were your own； you feel her sexual organs as well as yours； swim in the pulse of her blood as well as your own； wander through her thought patterns。 Can you do that； Volkov？ No； I suppose not。〃 He let Tatiana go。 〃But that is what I meant when I said 'Elsewhere。' 〃
'〃This means；〃 Mars said slowly； taking it a step at a time； 〃that in Menelaus's dead eyes you sense the presence of another entity。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And during the event you merged with the entity。〃
〃Not merged；〃 the Hero said。 〃It was more as if I was allowed in for just a moment to take a look around。〃
〃I want you to be absolutely clear about this；〃 Mars said。 〃By 'entity' do I take it you mean an extraterrestrial？〃
〃I can't think what else it might be。〃
This is rapidly being infuriating。 Mars thought。 He's so clear about this that I'm beginning to believe his madness。 Perhaps I'm ing here too often。 Can madness be municative？ No。 Impossible。 But then he reminded himself that if Odysseus were； indeed； mad； it was an entirely new form of madness； which the scientific team had yet to identify； let alone begin to define。
〃All right；〃 Mars said。 〃Let's leave the issue of 'Elsewhere' for the time being。 What about 'Elsewhen'？〃
〃In an odd way； that's simpler to explain；〃 the Hero said； 〃because it more directly relates to the color between the stars； the color of God。 God is Time； and Time is what I saw。 Not the present or the past or even the future。''
''Now you're talking in riddles；'' Mars said testily。 ''Einstein proved that…〃
〃Einstein was wrong；〃 Odysseus said matter…of…factly。 〃His mind； brilliant though it was； was human； and therefore bound by certain limitations。〃
〃But when it es to time； there is only past； present； and future。〃
〃Not so； Volkov；〃 the Hero said。 〃What I saw was all three at once： past； present； and future merged； not three streams； but a continuum。 It was like ing to the edge of a dense forest and； beyond； walking down a shoreline to a vast ocean that I never before imagined was there。〃 Now Mars felt a peculiar crawling in his belly； an icy fear gripping his bowels； for as he spoke； the Hero's face had bee transfigured。
Odysseus said； 〃There I was wading in it。 In Time。 And I came upon Existence。 I saw myself existing in past…present…future all at once。 They were the same； not different。 There was no younger or older。 There was no death。 Age and death are myths； Volkov； but they 're not the only ones。〃 He reached down； plucked at his sleek； silvery flesh。 〃The body； too； is a myth。 It's what inhibits us； what gives rise to the myths of age and death。 Without the body； we can step freely into the ocean of Time。〃
Mars experienced once again that vertiginous sensation that es with the proximity to madness； but he still did not know which of them in the pool was mad。
''You don't believe me；〃 Odysseus said。 ''I can see it in your face。'' He shrugged。 ''Well； you asked for the truth。 Don't blame me if you're unable to accept it。'' He gave Mars a pitying look。 〃However； I can't； in all good conscience； blame you。 You weren't there。 How could you believe？〃
Mars took a long time thinking over what the Hero had said。 At last he said； 〃One thing disturbs me。〃
〃Only one？〃 Odysseus said sardonically。
〃From what you claim you experienced during the event； it would seem as if you would have returned to Earth in a kind of state of grace； in possession of a great peacefulness。 Yet if I remember correctly； you have said that you are suspended between heaven and a living hell； and it's obvious you have a great deal of rage that you barely suppress。 How do you explain these discrepancies？〃
Odysseus turned to Tatiana。 〃I want to get out。〃
Immediately she launched herself onto the coping。 Still dripping； she went off。
〃Are you going to…〃
''Be patient； Volkov。''
Arbat's head bobbed upon the water； looking inquisitively between the two men。
Tatiana returned with the Hero's special wheelchair。 Then she bent down； lifted him out of the water。 Arbat began a long series of clicks； her nose bobbing incessantly； as if she were distressed。
When Tatiana had settled the Hero in； draped the oversized towel across his loins； he said； 〃Wait here for a moment； rade。 Talk to Tatiana。 I'm sure you can benefit from her insights。〃 He threw the wheelchair's engine into gear； motored off across the huge room。
Mars； at the edge of the pool； crossed his arms over one another on me coping。 He gazed into Tatiana's face for a long time before saying； 〃What do you think is going on here？〃
〃What you want to know；〃 Tatiana said； 〃is whether or not he's mad。〃
〃In a sense；〃 Mars conceded。 〃I have to know whether or not he's telling the truth。 Did he e face…to…face with an extraterrestrial or has the cosmic radiation he was exposed to affected his brain？〃
''Oh； yes；〃 Tatiana said unhelpfully； ''he could be telling the truth as he knows it； and also be quite insane。〃
Her tone was so like the one the Hero used that Mars was momentarily nonplussed。 By the time he recovered； the Hero had returned。 He stopped at the outer edge of the coping and； looking down at Mars in the water； said； 〃Rage and a sense of a living hell。〃 He threw down a packet of photocopied papers。 〃This should answer your question。〃
Mars's hands were dry； and he leafed through the pages。 As he did so； the icy ball in his stomach expanded。 What he was looking at was a Limited Distribution Kremlin report that not only should not have been copied； it should never have been known to exist。 The document was so top secret； fully two…thirds of the Politburo were ignorant of it。
Mars saw that his hands were trembling； and he immediately fought to gain control of himself。 How in God's name had anyone…let alone the Hero； locked away in this fortress…gotten a copy of this document？ He thought again of the Hero knowing about Tatiana and Lara and their weekly reports to him； how the Hero had known about the extent of the monitoring； and had used the pool to give himself a measure of freedom。 He stared up at the Hero as if seeing him for the first time。 Holy Mother； he thought； what have we let in among us？
Mars's mouth was dry； and he had to swallow several times before he was able to say； 〃You never should have seen this。〃 It was futile asking the Hero where he had obtained the copy。 Mars knew he wouldn't divulge his secret； just as he knew he could not force the Hero to tell him。 The thing was to somehow get the Него to tell him of his own free will。
〃But I did see it；〃 Odysseus was saying。 〃It's a report detailing one of the experiments done during the Odin…Galaktika II mission。 Funny。 Neither Menelaus nor I were ever told of it。〃
''No one else was； either。〃
〃Is that supposed to make me feel better？ That we weren't the only ones in the dark？〃 Odysseus cocked his head； as if he were listening to a voice only he could hear。 〃But we were the guinea pigs！〃 he roared so abruptly that Tatiana flinched。
Below him； Mars fought for control。 He was acutely aware of how vulnerable he was floating naked in the pool while the Hero sat above him。
〃You set up cosmic ray experiments；〃 Odysseus continued。 〃Built into our EVA suits was a kind of filter to expose us to a minimum dosage of cosmic rays。〃
〃No； you're wrong。〃 Mars cleared his throat。 〃This plan was discussed。 But it was never implemented。〃
〃You're dissembling； rade。〃 Odysseus clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth。
〃Think about it；〃 Mars said。 〃Would the Americans have ever let us perform this kind of experiment？ They have an almost holy reverence for their space program。 Your exposure to cosmic rays was purely accidental。 Something went wrong。〃
〃I'll tell you what went wrong！〃 Odysseus thundered。 〃We were never meant to make it to Mars。 The Odin…Galaktika II was meant for this cosmic ray experiment alone！〃
〃No； no； no！〃 Mars was shouting himself now； but he could not seem to stop。 〃We're not monsters！ Why must you persist in seeing us that way？ What's happened to you？〃
〃You know very well what's hap