For what? What had been the use, tell me that? All the pain, all the heartache . .. for what? Frag it, I might as well have just left her attached to that pus-yellow umbilicus in the Fort Lewis hive. Might as well have left the astral parasites—the Wasp spirits—in her aura. It had all been for nothing, I could see that in my sister's glassy eyes. The one thing I thought I'd done right in my life . . . now that had turned into drek, too. Ah, what the hell anyway? Might as well stay consistent, neh! At least I can be proud of that .