Summary

Zach and his friends received medals of honors. Xavier and Pamela’s reunion tryst resulted in the conception of Zach’s little brother Xavier Ulysses Lightman, Jr. Lex and her grandmother moved to Beaverton, OR. Zach inherited Starbase Ace as he’d always wanted to. It became the most popular game store in the world. His archnemesis from high school Douglas Knotcher, missing several limbs approached him one day for an autograph. He and Zach exchanged condolences regarding each other fathers. Zach was awed at Doug’s growth.

As the Emissary had promised, the world was a better place. Cancer and other diseases had been eradicated and there was clean energy. Yet, Zach found himself distrustful of the Sodality that revealed nothing about itself and bestowed gifts of knowledge in a condescending manner. He felt suspicious and bitter about alien beings who’d devised...