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The　Regent　found　the　idea　odd…as　he　had　the　puzzling　gerontocracy　the　Robotech　Masters　had　favored。　He　couldn't　understand　how　twelve　minds　could　agree　on　anything；　when　he　and　his　queen…merely　two　minds…had　quarreled　over　every　decision。

〃Then；　you　must　work　on　Edwards；〃　the　Regent　said。　〃Promise　your　continued　support　in　his　petty　struggle　if　it　es　down　to　that。　Tell　him　we'll　join　forces。　But　just　make　certain　you　learn　the　whereabouts　of　their　homeworld！　and　how　they　came　to　possess　Protoculture。　It　may　be　that　they　know　more　than　we　do　about　Zor's　matrix　or　the　Masters'　destination。〃

〃Am　I　to　make　no　demands　of　Edwards　in　return　for　our　support；　Your　Highness？　It　hardly　seems　a　wise　move。〃

The　Regent　stared　at　the　sphere's　image　in　disbelief。　Was　this　some　evil　mirror　he　was　looking　into　now？　〃Just　what　would　you　have　me　demand？〃　he　asked；　seething　under　the　restraint　he　kept　in　his　voice。

〃The　brain；　to　begin　with。　Along　with　their　promise　to　keep　out　of　the　sectors　we　still　control。〃

The　Regent　made　a　dismissive　motion　toward　the　sphere。　〃These　things　are　obvious；　servant。　What　else　is　on　your　mind？〃

〃Minmei；〃　the　simulagent　said　without　explanation。

The　Regent　made　an　irritated　sound　and　scowled。　〃What's　a　Minmei？〃

〃The　Human　female　that　sang　for　my　benefit。〃

The　Regent　caught　himself　from　staggering　back　from　the　sphere。　He　had　only　the　vaguest　understanding　of　this　thing　called　singing；　but　the　implication　was　clear　enough：　the　simulagent　was　flawed　in　the　same　way　that　the　Regis　was。　She　had　allowed　herself　to　be　seduced　by　Zor；　and　now　this　pathetic　creature　the　Regent　had　sent　to　Tirol　was　falling　victim　to　the　same　perverse　urge！　Was　there　no　end　to　these　injustices！

〃Hear　me；　grub；〃　the　Regent　growled；　hood　puffed　up　like　a　poisonous　sac。　〃My　reach　is　long　enough　to　end　your　life　where　you　stand。　Do　my　bidding；　or　feel　the　power　of　my　wrath。〃

The　simulagent　genuflected　for　the　remote　eye　of　the　sphere。　〃My　lord。〃

〃Now　and　always；〃　the　Regent　said；　shutting　down　the　device。


Rick　had　spent　the　better　part　of　the　Praxian　day　inside　the　GMU；　brainstorming　with　Vince　and　Wolff　about　possible　ways　to　contact　the　orbiting　Spherisian　drive　module。　Onboard　puters　had　calculated　the　period　of　the　module's　eccentric　course；　and　gone　on　to　project　just　how　much　Sekiton　fuel　the　thing　contained；　how　far　the　module　could　be　expected　to　fold；　and　just　when　its　newly…attained　orbit　around　Praxis　might　decay。　But　there　were　still　no　solutions　to　the　big　questions　of　how　to　reach　the　module　or　bring　it　down。

Rick　left　the　base　just　before　sunset；　as　had　bee　his　habit　this　past　month；　and　joined　the　core　group　in　their　makeshift　camp　on　the　outskirts　of　the　Praxian　inland　city。　He　wasn't　fond　of　the　scene；　which　reminded　him　more　of　a　recreational　campground　than　the　billet　it　was　supposed　to　be。　Things　were　not　just　lax；　but　loose；　as　though　everyone　but　him　had　grown　to　accept　the　situation。　There　was　a　logic　to　it；　of　course；　it　made　no　sense　to　walk　around　tied　up　in　knots。　But　just　the　same；　Rick　had　no　patience　with　placency；　and　he　silently　hoped　that　an　idea　would　e　to　them　one　night　while　sitting　around　these　camp…fires　paring　cultural　notes。　So　he　stood　in　line　with　the　rest　of　them　now；　Human　and　XT　alike；　and　helped　himself　to　the　Praxian　gruel　the　mess　staff　was　cooking　up　to　supplement　the　reconstituted　meals　and　nutrient　pills　taken　from　the　base's　dwindling　stores。　Moreover；　these　sessions　were　the　only　waking　hours　he　got　to　spend　with　Lisa…the　new　Lisa；　that　was；　the　liberated　Lisa。

Where　Gnea　and　Bela　were　still　unforgiving　of　Miriya　Sterling's　Zentraedi　past；　they　had　embraced　Lisa　as　though　she　were　a　long…lost　member　of　the　Sisterhood。　At　first　Rick　was　not　entirely　unhappy　about　it；　but　all　at　once　Lisa　seemed　a　different　person　than　the　one　who　had　argued　so　strongly　against　his　joining　the　Sentinels　to　begin　with。　And　while　it　was　true　that　what　was　good　for　Lisa　was　good　for　the　group；　Rick　couldn't　help　but　feel　a　bit；　well；　jealous　of　the　partnership　Gnea　and　Lisa　had　formed。　The　Praxian　seemed　to　draw　this　sort　of　reaction　everywhere　she　stepped。　Rick　knew　that　Karen　was　having　troubles　with　her；　and　he　guessed　that　even　Bela　must　be　harboring　some　ambivalent　feelings　about　her　friend's　sudden　preoccupation　with　Lisa。

With　Gnea　it　was　martial　skills　that　mattered　most；　but　beyond　speed　and　strength；　Lisa　had　discovered　something　else：　an　independence　and　self…assertiveness　that　was　taking　some　getting　used　to。

Rick　had　these　thoughts　in　mind　when　she　came　over　to　sit　beside　him　in　the　firelight；　still　flushed　and　exhilarated　from　her　latest　weapons　training　session。　She　talked　about　the　feel　of　the　halberd　in　her　hands；　the　power　of　the　naginata；　she　was　practically　poetic　in　describing　Gnea's　crossbow　and　two…handed　shortsword。　Rick　took　it　all　in；　forcing　a　smile　and　offering　all　he　could　in　the　way　of　appropriate　nods　and　utterances；　but　behind　the　smile　his　mind　was　doing　backflips。　What　next？　he　asked　himself。　Would　he　e　out　here　one　evening　to　find　her　parading　around　in　some　skimpy　fighting　costume；　like　Bela's　bossed　and　D…ringed　body　harness？　Would　she　suddenly　take　to　buccaneer　boots；　some　totem…crested　helm；　long…bladed　dirks　and　throwing　knives？　Rick　shuddered　at　the　thought；　grateful　for　the　fact　that　that　damned　Robosteed；　Halidarre；　was　temporarily　grounded。　Unfortunately；　however；　the　Praxian's　lambent…eyed　malthi；　Hagane；　was　not；　and　the　winged　pest　nearly　parted　Rick's　hair　as　it　came　darting　in　just　now　to　settle　itself　on　Bela's　bulky　forearm　sheath。

Rick　muttered　a　curse　and　looked　over　at　his　wife。　〃Glad　to　hear　how　well　it's　going；〃　he　told　her。　〃And　I'm　sure　all　this'll　e　in　handy　at　the　next　Tirol　decathlon。〃

She　looked　at　him　askance　and　took　a　forkful　of　food　from　his　plate。　〃Something　bothering　you；　Rick？〃

〃No；　no；　I　mean；　it's　good　to　see　you　keeping　busy；　Lisa。〃

〃Is　that　what　you　think　I'm　doing…'keeping　busy'？〃

Rick　inclined　his　head；　eyes　narrowed。　〃It's　what　we're　all　doing；　isn't　it？　What　am　I　supposed　to　do：　spit　in　my　palm　and　pledge　my　fealty　to　someone？　'For　the　Eternal　She　and　the　glory　of　Haydon！'〃　Rick　mimicked。

〃Rick…〃

〃No；　really。　Maybe　we　should　all　be　practicing　swordplay　and　crossbow　technique；　leaps　and　high　jumps。　Then　maybe　one　of　us'll　be　able　to　reach　that　module　instead　of　wasting　away　down　here。〃

Almost　everyone　in　the　circle　caught　an　earful　of　Rick's　words；　and　the　usual　evening's　chatter　abruptly　ceased。　The　fires　crackled；　and　four　Hovercycles　could　be　heard　approaching　the　perimeter。　Lisa　and　Rick　seemed　to　be　locked　in　an　eye…to…eye　contest　when　Jack；　Karen；　Kami；　and　Lron　entered　the　camp。　Jack　took　a　long　look　around；　oblivious　to　the　unfortable　silence　his　swaggering　entrance　had　dispersed；　and　announced　cheerfully：　〃Wait'll　you　hear　what　we　found。〃


〃They've　agreed　to　help　us；〃　Veidt　said　later　on；　hovering　into　the　cavern　where　Rick　and　some　of　the　other　Sentinels　were　puzzling　over　the　hideous　cave　paintings　Karen　had　pointed　out。　〃If　'agreed'　is　the　proper　word。〃

Karen　noted　that　there　were　fewer　globes　than　there　had　been　that　afternoon；　several　had　apparently　found　their　way　out；　as　evidenced　by　the　fact　that　one　or　two　had　been　found　bobbing　against　the　ceiling　close　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave。

〃Then　they　are　life…forms？〃　Rick　said。

〃Oh；　most　assuredly。〃

Rick　heard　Bela　snort　behind　him。　After　Jack　had　told　them　of　the　find；　the　Praxian　women　claimed　to　have　heard　tales　of　these　orb　creatures　from　Arla…Non；　chief　of　the　Sisterhood。　But　the　things　were　believed　to　be　extinct；　just　as　the　beasts　depicted　on　the　cave　wall　were…or　so　Rick　and　the　others　hoped。

They　had　all　tried　to　convince　Rick　that　the　orbs　could　wait　until　the　morning；　but　he　had　insisted　Jack　lead　them　back　to　the　caves　immediately。　Now；　not　quite　four　hours　since　Jack's　return　to　the　base；　Rick　and　half　a　dozen　or　so　of　the　core　group　were　standing　in　the　floodlit　heat　of　the　cave；　listening　to　the　results　of　Veidt's　telepathic　probe。

〃I　register　no　sense　of　how　they　came　to　arrive　here；〃　the　mouthless　Haydonite　was　mind…speaking；　motioning　to　the　cavern。　〃I　only　know　that　the