Deathstalker 05 - Deathstalker Destiny

necessary. Either way, the Recreated would be
    destroyed."
    Hazel started angrily toward the Captain. Owen caught her by the arm. "It doesn't matter, Hazel. Let him enter the Maze again, if he wishes. He'll learn better, once in there."
    "I need to do this," Silence said to Hazel, almost apologetically. "I never went all the way through, before. I turned back, to save Frost. Maybe if I go all the way through, this time… I'll find the certainty that you and Owen have. I've spent so long trying to do the right thing, while never being entirely sure what the right thing was."
    "Then I'll go in too," said Carrion. "Just to keep you company. Who knows; maybe I'll find some answers and certainty for myself. It's been a long time since I had any purpose or direction in my life."
    "It's called the Madness Maze for a reason," Owen said carefully. "It kills a lot of those who enter, and drives even more insane."
    "I know," said Silence. "I saw my men die, trying to solve the Maze. But someone has to be left to carry on the good fight, if you and Hazel don't make it, for whatever reason. You said yourself the Maze has plans for you. Maybe an alien device has alien plans, that have nothing to do with saving Humanity. The Empire must be protected."
    "For once, we agree," said Carrion. "The Recreated would destroy every living thing in the Empire, and bring it all down to darkness. They must be stopped.
    It's taken a while, but I finally found an enemy I hate more than Humanity."
    "All right," said Hazel. "If you're all going in, then I guess I am as well. I don't trust the Maze worth a damn, but it's the only card we've got left to play against the Recreated. You can let go of my arm now, Owen."
    Owen released her arm, took her by the hand, and brought her around to face him,
    his eyes fixed on hers. "No, Hazel. You can't go in. You have to go back up to the Sunstrider, and keep the Recreated busy while we're in the Maze. There's no knowing how long we'll be in there, and we can't let the Recreated get anywhere near the Maze. They might destroy it, just to stop me reaching the baby."
    "You have got to be kidding!" said Hazel. "The Sunstrider III doesn't even have any guns!"
    "But it is very fast," said Owen. "And besides, I have a feeling… that the Maze has made changes in our little ship. I seem to sense it… I think you'll find the new Sunstrider has everything you'll need to defend us."
    "The Maze?" said Hazel. "Since when has the Maze been able to do things like that?"
    Owen smiled suddenly. "The baby isn't the only thing that's waking up. I think the Maze is rousing itself from an even deeper slumber."
    "Great," said Hazel. "Just what we need. More complications. So; you want me to be a bloody decoy, is that it? A target for all the Recreated, while you all go and commune with whatever the Maze really is. Wonderful. Why don't I paint a bull's-eye on my chest while I'm at it?"
    "I think we've gone past the point where what we want matters anymore," said Owen. "I have to do this, Hazel. The Maze is calling me. Can't you feel it?"
    "You'll be killed without me," said Hazel numbly. "I know it. You never did know how to stay out of trouble."
    "If I'd stayed out of trouble, I'd never have met you," said Owen.
    Silence and Carrion exchanged a look, and moved away so Owen and Hazel could have a little privacy. Hazel remembered her dream of standing alone on the Sunstrider's bridge, fighting off impossible odds, but she said nothing. She
    could feel destiny closing in around her, taking her life in a remorseless iron grip, and a brief burst of fear and panic ran through her. She wanted to run or scream or knock Owen down, so he wouldn't leave her. She fought the feelings down with all her old self-control. She didn't want to upset Owen. He was looking at the Madness Maze, his head slightly cocked, as though listening to some tune only he could hear.
    When he finally turned to look at her, his smile was so sad it nearly broke her heart.
    "We've come a long way together," said Owen. "Walked in wondrous places, seen marvels almost beyond belief, and fought the good fight with all our might. We even walked into Hell a few times, and brought light into darkness. Maybe it would be greedy to ask for more, for ourselves."
    "I never wanted to be a hero," said Hazel. "I just wanted you, and some time together."
    "Heroes and legends," said Owen. "A long way from the ex-scholar and the ex-clonelegger. We've achieved more in our short time