Josh waited for the final expansion of his mind. When it came, he seemed to grow so large he could place his arms around the ship and guide it through the gate. It was an illusion, but a familiar one.
Paris pointed him toward the center of the crystalline structure. As he placed his illusory arms around the ship and followed the Teneran’s direction, Josh felt as though he and the Teneran became two faces of a single entity. They passed the outer edges of the gate, and the wave they had been riding collapsed. The petals disappeared. A riot of colored sparks filled Josh’s vision.
They were through. Just like that. Josh was still buckled into his pilot’s seat. Beside him Paris sat immobile, eyes closed. The stars of Earth reappeared. Sol was rising over the edge of Earth. Luna blazed white.
