Planet America (43 page)

Now, one of the female attendants—a nurse was the ancient term—entered the bright, sunny room, lifted the window, and let the warm breeze blow in from the meadow below.

"What is new?" the astronaut asked in his slightly mechanical voice.

The nurse leaned over him and whispered, "You received a message from an old friend of yours today. A very old friend ... Pater Tomm."

A slight ripple went through the astronaut's body. He'd been waiting a long time to hear those words.

"And what did my very old friend have to say?" he asked the attendant.

The woman came even closer to his earpiece.

"He said to tell you, '
Something is coming
....' "

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Part One

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Part Two

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Part Three

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