Chapter 31: Epilogue

Elisabeth stood beside Shepherd, gathering the courage to take the first step across the bridge.

"Take your time," Shepherd told her.

"I'm scared," Elisabeth replied.

She slowly placed her bare foot on the first slat, feeling the coarse texture of the wood against her skin. The next step was easier but she still turned back towards Shepherd for reassurance. He smiled at her.

The timbers creaked under her weight and she vaguely recollected the previous crossing, just after she was killed. She had no concept of the time that had passed in the interim.

"Elisabeth? Is that you?"

The voice came from the far bank and she looked up and saw Emily staring at her in amazement. She quickly crossed the remainder of the bridge and embraced her.

"Where am I?" Emily asked. "Have we been reincarnated?"

"Not yet. Soon I think."

"I woke up just a few minutes ago. Where am I?"

"It's a wonderful place Emily. Let me introduce you to Shepherd."

Elisabeth turned around but he was nowhere in sight. Somehow this didn't surprise her.

"It's time to go home," she said, leading Emily by the hand towards the woods.

Shepherd watched the pair from the shelter of the hut. As they neared the trees, they shimmered and within a few steps they'd faded completely from sight.

Emily awoke and sat up. She looked down at her body and was relieved to find herself intact. Further investigation revealed that the scar along her abdomen had also disappeared.

"You're as good as new," Howard told her as he checked a readout by her side.

"You didn't waste any time."

"It's been nearly a month," he informed her.

Emily shook her head in disbelief.

"The President only gave permission for your resurrection last week. You and all the other Hybrids that were killed in the attack."

"The President?"

"President Weaver. It was his first duty after being sworn into office."

"We did it then."

"You all did it. Simmonds is standing trial for more crimes than you can name and Benjamin Payne is being held whilst the Caliban request for his extradition is considered."

"Where's Janus?"

"I think you're referring to Cyrus Maruk, the new Caliban foreign minister."

"I guess I must be."

"He'll be here shortly. He's been phoning every day to check on your progress."

"So much has happened," Emily sighed.

"It certainly takes some getting used to," Elisabeth added from the bench beside her.

Emily turned to her and shook her head as Howard left them to talk.

"Did we meet... ?"

"By a bridge over the river?"

"I thought it must have been a dream."

"No dream Emily. I have so much to think about now."

"What was that place?"

"I'm not really sure. I was there for a long time but I learned there is something that transcends all that we know. There's a benign force that guides us all."

"The Hybrids?"

"All of creation. The place was a stepping stone to God."

"What's God?"

"Something incredible," Elisabeth replied euphorically.

Weaver looked out over the lawn of Government House where a large crowd was gathered. All the Hybrids and the surviving members of the insurgency were seated in the front rows beside two dozen chairs, left empty out of respect for the fallen.

Cameras recorded his every move as he approached the podium and prepared to address the nation.

"People of Oceania. It is my privilege to serve as the forty fourth President of this great nation and pay tribute to the brave men and women that sit before me.

"Three months have passed since that monumental day when they ushered in a new era of democracy. The corrupt corporation that financed an unprincipled regime was brought down only by their bravery and self-sacrifice.

"We have learned that humankind is no longer the sole bastion of intelligence and compassion but that a new force amongst us is capable and worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder alongside us."

Claire watched from her seat, bracketed by her children, letting the President's words wash over her without really hearing them. She knew what he was going to say but the nervous expectation in the air thrilled her.

"I have already enacted a bill that affords these Hybrids equal status in law with any other citizen. In addition, I will make the strongest representation to the World Court that this status be extended universally by every member state.

"Already, the Caliban foreign minister has indicated his government's willingness to support this recommendation. These Hybrids, these people, for I refuse to use the word machine, have demonstrated every quality that I consider admirable: loyalty, compassion, integrity, sensitivity to name but a few.

"I have singled out one individual, Valerie Hamel to serve in my administration as Minister for Hybrid Affairs but today I will go one stage further, announcing that she will stand as my running mate in the forthcoming Presidential elections.

"I cannot continue in my role without a mandate and my predecessor callously undermined this office by engineering a fraud of such magnitude as to defy description. As soon as is practicable, we will offer people the means to vote that will provide no opportunity for dishonesty or misrepresentation.

"We are currently forging new bonds with the Caliban nation. A great wrong was committed with our unprovoked act of aggression. It is both a matter of shame that we stood by and let it happen and gratitude that the Caliban Premier has accepted our offer of reparation. Fifty percent of the frozen assets of Syntel will be pledged towards the restructuring of the Caliban economy whilst a further twenty five percent will be set aside for the Independent States."

The President covered several less important affairs of state before finally returning to the topic of the people in front of him.

"The people on these seats each wear the Presidential Medal, the greatest token of honour that the administration can offer and I ask you all to applaud their endeavours and remember in your hearts those that sacrificed their lives so that we can once more live in peace and freedom."

The uproar was deafening as the crowd praised not only the efforts of the seated but also a President that was humble and eloquent. With a token wave, he retired inside Government House leaving the Hybrids overwhelmed by the appreciation they received.

Emily placed her hand in Cyrus's, only now getting used to calling him by that name. Soon they would return to the Caliban capital where they now lived in a house reserved for senior members of the government. She looked forward to making the most of the remaining time in Oceania to reunite with her sisters.