“Taj, how are you?” Si asked.

  “Thank you for asking; I am good. It worked. Two parts of the plan worked. I will be able to repeat it on Planet Two,” Taj answered.

  Si nodded, worried.

  The scale was enormous. They weren’t aware there were so many of them already. Lukai gave them other numbers.

  “… So, why did he say it was no more than two or three thousand?” Si said aloud what he had in his mind. It truly bothered him.

  “There are two options. One is he didn’t know. The other is that he lied. Both are problematic. We will have many difficult talks to go through afterward, Si. I have counted three hundred thousand five hundred forty-three of these transformed people. I tracked only those who had more than one artificial energy source in their body and whose body had changed metabolism—”

  “That many!” Si shook his head. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. A lot more than we expected. My algorithm helped me with the count; it is not that I did it by myself… Si? Please note to arrange teams that would search in remote places, woods, and these kinds of spaces. I destroyed Crystals where there was more than one, but there were around two thousand more than the morphed ones. I took energy from fewer people than had multiple Crystals. I understand it like this—not all transformed to the point that changed their bodies. There could be a way to cure them. Could you arrange for it later?” Taj asked.

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  “Surely, but why? Do you expect you won’t be able to…?” Si asked; he was truly worried.

  What kind of energy did Taj have to use to do what he did? What was the cost of it for him?

  Not to mention how he did it…

  “Correct. Si, I will change my projection now. I wanted to use this one as it had a lot of my natural Ability, and I felt comfortable doing what I needed to do. Not to pass out in the middle. Now, Si, I need to use my other version; however, it is a problematic one. I will need your help. I require you, after I finish, to take me to the Gate when the rain starts to fall because that will mean it is done. I need you to force me to the Gate, no matter my state. Then I could project fresh onto the other planet and help there as well. Could we do it like this?” Taj asked; he looked serious.

  “So, Taj, what you are asking me to do is basically to do whatever it takes for you to come back to Gates?” Si wanted to be certain.

  “Correct.” Taj confirmed.

  “I understand we have to do something with the bodies, but is there any other way? What you described doesn’t sound safe for you.”

  Si wondered. What consequences could it have for Taj? Could he be damaged or hurt?

  Could Taj die?

  “Si, people cannot see these bodies. It is too horrible, and there are too many of them. Lukai wants to keep the version about mutated animals, and by doing so, help the families of those who were victims. It is something he wishes to do to avoid causing panic, which I can somehow understand. Back then, people finally learned that those ‘creatures,’ as we called them, were actually people whom cartels were morphing in their labs. It was despicable, but also the horror… people were scared to the point… o, I understand what Lukai wants to achieve. I agree. All other ways would take long days to find and clean the bodies, no? Si, remember, no matter the way, do it. If you see you need to kill my projection, do it. I need to be back in the Gate. Is that understandable?”

  Si listened; he was concentrating on what Taj was saying and didn’t interrupt. He had no words to comment.

  “So, let’s do it,” Si said.