Realware

"Then it's a deal," said Cobb. "I'll come with you and dream the way toward two-dimensional time. And you'll ask Om to take away the allas." The Metamartians were silent for a moment, communing with Om.

"Everyone sure they don't want no more alla?" called Wub-wub. There was another explosion outside, this time closer than before. "Om wants to know."

"No more alla!" screamed the crowd.

"Hurry up," cried Yoke. "Do it now! And have Om take away the alla-made weapons like Shimmer said she could."

"So be it," said Ptah.

Yoke felt a wriggling in the pouch at her waist. Her alla, and everyone else's, was gone. The air filled with a palpable sense of safety and ease. The people and moldies laughed and hugged each other.

"Lez go, boss," said Wubwub to Cobb. "Know what I'm sayin'?"

"Oh, Cobb," said Yoke, kissing the old man moldie.

"It's fine," said Cobb. "I've hung around Earth long enough."

"It would be easy for me to use your software to make a new one of you to live here," Willy told Cobb. "We have your software stored on an S-cube."

"Please don't do that," said Cobb. "I don't want anyone bringing me back to Earth again. I'm done here. I'll travel on with the Metamartians, but when this trip plays out, I want to finally make it into the SUN."

"He's right," said Yoke. "Cobb deserves his chance to go to Heaven."

"Good-bye everyone," said Cobb. "And bless you, my children." He strode up into the saucer with the Metamartians. The hotel wall wavered again, and the flashing disk of the saucer vanished into the heavens. It was a perfect day. The newlyweds' eyes were soft, their kisses wet, their hearts free, the big world real.