c45 clarisse soul

Yes, I'm surprised too, Clarisse thought. I had expected, best case, to be pushing up daisies in whatever afterlife this magical girl goddess has in store. She gave me an answer this time, you know. I do have a soul. Strictly speaking, my body was vaporized by the laser, but since your soul gem was kind enough to consider my body part of your body, it went to the trouble to rebuild me. It turns out, when you get revived from a perfect copy like that, your soul transfers. According to her, the soul, being free of linear time, isn't troubled by gaps in space‐time like that. It's very nice to have a reliable divine source for such troubling philosophical questions. I can think of a couple of starship AIs who might want the reassurance, if they'll believe me.

(To The Stars, Chapter 45)