The song rang out, loud and insistent. Another voice came through beneath the sound; the being on the rock, speaking to her alone; "It is too late, Qi'tik. What's done is done. Everything else is merely ... detail."

She ignored its words and continued to swim with steady deliberation and intent. Though her pain was lessened along with her diminishing consciousness, she was still aware of her surroundings. Beyond the net were many creates, waiting, circling. Behind her, Wesafricanezsong cried out once more; a heart-rending sound of pain and suffering and loneliness, then went silent.

"It is finished now."

The remaining Bastion's song collapsed into confusion. She heard Grehnapnaize and Namericasonn and she was sure, although her understanding of their spake was rudimentary, that they were calling for their silent brother. The Bastions of the Eur'opan, the nameless ones, were similarly affected. Behind her the net broke down into violence.

"It comes. It comes!"

But the words had not been spake by the object in her jaws. She heard his muttering and knew it to be Mil'pek. And she knew that he too was lost to the rock-being's song like everyone else. Mil'pek came into view, a pale shape with his jagged white markings clear despite her damaged vision. He was blocking her way, staying in front to prevent her going any deeper. Qi'tik stopped swimming, a wave of dizziness almost overwhelming her. Now the net was broken, had she done all she could? She dropped the silent object and watched it fall away into the darkness below. "You too, Mil'pek, my brother?"

Mil'pek spake in a feverish, enthusiastic tone that betrayed his severance of loyalty to the Nam'bia. "It comes! Our enlightenment! Rejoice sister!"

"Our Bastions, Mil'pek. They are lost to us. Can't you hear them? Do you not feel their pain?"

But Mil'pek did not respond to her questions. He just kept on telling Qi'tik how everything was changing for the better, while around them the Nam'bia and Eur'opan alike were falling apart. Qi'tik swam on, past her old friend who hardly noticed her going. Mil'pek's muttering and exclamations continued to haunt her descent, then stopped suddenly when the liner following in her wake found him and finally satiated its hunger. Darkness increased, and only a part of it was Sol'tar's light being filtered through a great depth of brine above her.