The woman was gone.  Smith relaxed into the water bed and let the room fade away from him.  He felt sober triumph that he had somehow comforted himself so that it was not necessary for them to die... but there was much new to grok.  The woman's last speech had contained many symbols new to him and those which were not new had been arranged in fashions not easily understood.  Out he was happy that the emotional flavor of them had been suitable for communication between water brothers - although touched with something else both disturbing and terrifyingly pleasant.  He thought about his new brother, the woman creature, and felt odd tingles run through him.  The feeling reminded him of the first time he had been allowed to be present at a discorporation and he felt happy without knowing why.