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from the rest of the world until relatively recently, the genes didn’t get around.”
    “I follow you. That would explain a lot.”
    “Yes, it would. Unfortunately, as it turns out, it isn’t true. The mitochondria) DNA of fifty demonstrated telepaths was analyzed and correlated with their family histories and other genetic tests of relatedness. As I’m sure you know, mitochondria) DNA is passed only through the mother’s line—it isn’t affected by the father’s at all, but only by very gradual random mutation—the rate of which is known. A brother and sister have virtually identical MDNA, cousins slightly divergent sequences, and so on. Initially, there were some problems with mutation rates, but that was all corrected for by the Vasquer calibration-“
    “Yes, I’m aware of all of this. So this analysis did not indicate that these telepaths have a common heritage?”
    “On the contrary. More than half of them had MDNA that were near perfect matches. Too perfect. Other genetic data–and that the individuals have no ancestors in common in recorded history.”
    He shrugged.
    “Good records on most of humanity weren’t available until a hundred years ago. I don’t see the point “
    “The point is, this mutation they all share seems to be less than a hundred years old.”
    He stared at her for perhaps ten heartbeats as that sank in.
    “Holy shit,” he said. He looked around. “Okay, you were right, I was wrong. Press be damned, let’s get out of here.”
    “I thought you said the reporters aren’t listening?”
    “I doubt they are. I doubt anyone is-I come to this place because they keep a randomly modulated interference wave going that jams most peepers. But there is an old art called ‘lipreading ‘-come on. We’ll finish this in my room, which I know is safe.” The train arrived with a faint vibration, but no sound-the tube it traveled in was at the Moon’s surface pressure. As the car doors kissed their gaskets against the entry ports, Lee gave one of the private cars his personal code that let them in. Once they were inside , he confirmed it for billing via a retinal scan.
    “That’s better,” he said, as the train glided into motion. “Now. Who else knows this?”
    “I’m not sure. The authors of the paper, of course, and anyone they’ve told. I haven’t told anyone else. I gather from your reaction you understand the implications.”
    “Yep. Our telepath friends were engineered. The question now is-by whom? The old United States? That’s where most of them have turned up.”
    “Only because that’s where the original testing was done. We’ve got a good worldwide distribution, now.”
    “That might be meaningless-they might form some elaborate spy network, or something. Or it could be corporate. Or-frik.” He felt the hairs on the back of his neck pricking up. “I need time to think about this.”
    “Where are we going?”
    “Hmm? My room is near Malibu Station. Maybe ten minutes from here.”
    “I would have thought things would be closer together.”
    “Never been to the Moon before? Grissom is a mining colony, so buildings tend to sprawl a bit, mostly along this line, toward the water mines at Malibu. Ever since the depressurization of the old dome, nobody wants to be in the basket with all of the rest of the eggs.”
    “I should think you would be particularly wary,” she said.
    He shook his head in grim agreement.
    “I’ve seen enough people die of explosive decompression in one lifetime, thank you. And been too close, myself.”
    “Is that why you left the colony?”
    “That’s part of it,” he said.
    “Your wife died in the accident.”
    “No offense, Dr. Kimbrell, but this is a little personal for me.”
    “None taken. And I’m sorry.” They continued in silence for a moment.
    “I’m glad you brought this to me,” he said at last, reaching to grip her hand. “You did the right thing.”
    “I hope so.” She did not move his hand. The train sighed