The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order by Stephen R. Donaldson Page A

opportunities which are indeed critical.
    “The
techniques which you call ‘force-growing’ and ‘transfer of mind’ are old and
common among us. Our ability to bring human genetic material — your language
supplies no adequate means to convey these concepts, the word ‘mutate’ is quite
insufficient — into mind/union with the Amnion is also old and common. More
recent research has enabled us” — he may have shrugged — “to mutate human
genetic material with diminishing discrepancies of appearance. Still we have
failed to produce Amnion which may pass as human.
    “Doubtless
this is because genetic manipulation cannot replicate patterns of thought,
expression, or behaviour, the learned content of being human. Hence the
importance of transfer of mind and Davies Hyland.”
    Sorus
listened hard; but at the same time she tried not to hear what he was saying.
She’d left her links with humanity behind so long ago that she couldn’t pretend
to be concerned for her kind now — and yet the implications of Taverner’s
explanation chilled her from the surface of her skin to the centre of her
embittered heart.
    “To
enable one of us to pass as human,” he was saying, “we must provide a human
mind. Among ourselves, Amnioni to Amnioni, such transference presents no
difficulties. Yet when we work from human source to human target, we are able
to produce a successful target only at the cost of a ruined source. We
speculate that human fear causes the source to be effectively erased during transference.
And when we work from human to Amnioni, both source and target are ruined. The
fear of the source is replicated upon a genetically incompatible target.
    “We
improve, but we do not progress.
    “However,
the successful transfer of mind between Davies Hyland and his source
demonstrates that our techniques may indeed operate effectively on human
genetic material. If a human female with a zone implant can endure a transfer
of mind to a force-grown offspring without loss of reason or function — and if the
condition of that offspring is also truly functional — then the same procedure
may prove viable between human and Amnioni.
    “In
that case, we will become able to produce Amnion with access to learned human
thoughts and behaviours. If those Amnion are grown in human shapes, they will
be undetectable to humans. Then human space could be seeded with hosts of
Amnion, and the overthrow of Earth-bred life could be accomplished at one
stroke.
    “Thus
the capture of Davies Hyland is critical. A study of his physical and mental
integrity can supply the information we require. His value is only increased by
the fact that he also possesses the mind of a United Mining Companies Police
ensign.”
    Sorus’
brain reeled involuntarily at the idea. He was talking about genetic kazes:
undetectable terrorists who could plant mutagens wherever and whenever they
wished—
    Taverner
wasn’t done, however. “The matter of loss,” he continued inexorably, “centres
on the cyborg Angus Thermopyle and Captain Nick Succorso.
    “The
cyborg has done us severe harm in destroying Billingate, and must not be
permitted to return to the United Mining Companies Police victorious. We must
demonstrate our capacity to counter his actions. This is significant, but not
critical. In addition we have cause to suspect that the harm for which he was
designed is not yet complete. Therefore also he must be stopped. Finally we
wish to study him so that we may learn the techniques of his construction.
These considerations as well are significant, but not critical.
    “Captain
Nick Succorso is critical. He possesses a drug which renders him immune to us.
This would be a grave threat even if we did not have cause to suspect that the
United Mining Companies Police are involved in the uses he has made of that
drug. It is imperative that he is not permitted to disseminate his immunity in
human space. If humans can be preserved from mutation, they will be able