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On　Haydon　IV；　Zor　saw　no　contradiction　to　what　he　had　already　learned；　though　Vard　had　not　yet　reached　the　same　level　of　enlightenment。　Living　matter；　inorganic　matter；　machine；　Protoculture　they　were　all　united　by　certain　basics。　The　fundamental　building　blocks　of　Creation　had　nothing　to　do　with　quantum　foam　any　more　than　they　did　with　plant　sap。

The　key　understanding　was　that　the　universe　was　a　result　of　the　interaction　of　pure　information。　Information　organized　in　a　way　that　was　so　subtle；　all…pervading；　and　elegant　that　in　the　end　all　the　wise　men；　mystics；　and　scientists　had　missed　it。

It　was　not　a　jarring　note；　then；　to　Zor；　to　see　that　fact　manifested　in　the　from　of　an　artificial　planet。

The　expedition　to　Haydon　IV　had　to　be　postponed　twice　while　Zor　gave　his　seeming　obedience　to　the　Masters　and　made　secret　preparations。　By　that　time　he　was　well　along　in　his　quiet　rebellion。

The　Masters；　drunk　on　the　power　of　Protoculture；　were　so　arrogant；　so　sure　of　their　hold　over　him。　What　better　way　to　fight　them　than　to　feed　those　monstrous　egos？　They　understood　no　more　about　Protoculture　than　a　child　knew　of　an　energy　gun　it　might　find　and　brandish　about。

But　now　at　last　he　had　e　to　Haydon　IV　in　his　super　dimensional　fortress；　seeing　that　the　preliminary　surveys　had　not　exaggerated　its　beauty；　its　magnificence。　On　his　own　urgings　and　from　their　hidden　misgivings；　the　Robotech　Masters　spared　the　artifact　world　any　visit　from　their　Zentraedi　giants；　there　was　something　about　its　storied　Awareness　that　made　the　Elders　cautious。　Haydon　IV　rendered　tribute　to　them　from　its　apparently　endless　wealth　and　went　about　its　enigmatic　affairs。

The　Invid；　for　their　own　reasons；　never　made　the　planet　a　military　target。　Maybe　they　saw　it　as　too　desirable　a　prize　to　damage。　Or　perhaps　they　had　heard　the　daunting　stories　of　how　the　planet　dealt　with　invaders。

Zor　was　weled　down　by　the　inhabitants　of　Haydon　IV　with　the　kind　of　remote　courtesy　for　which　they　were　famous。　And　yet　he　felt　their　intense　scrutiny。　The　confusions　and　mental　fogs　that　plagued　the　survey　team　were　no　obstruction　to　Zor；　where　others　had　missed　the　looming　presence　and　central　importance　of　the　Awareness；　he　had　been　attuned　to　it　from　the　first。

As　for　actually　gaining　access　to　the　Awareness；　it　was　like　some　absurd　parable。　Where　the　Haydonites　had　turned　back　all　inquiries　and　all　travelers　before；　they　simply　watched　him。　Facing　a　stupendous　hatch　that　blocked　his　route　to　the　lower　reaches　of　the　planet；　he　reached　by　habit　for　a　handful　of　dried　Flower　petals　from　the　pouch　he　carried　at　his　belt；

He　chewed　the　petals　and　leaves　frequently　now…supposes　his　body　was　addicted　to　them；　though　the　true　craving　stemmed　from　no　physical　need。　As　he　tasted　the　little　quid；　he　felt　himself　probed　by　sensor　beams。　A　moment　later　the　titanic　door　rolled　aside。

The　Haydonites　who　had　flocked　around　him　and　kept　him　under　surveillance　since　his　arrival　came　no　farther　than　the　entrance；　nor　would　he　let　even　the　faithful　Vard　acpany　him。　Zor　passed　into　the　lower　depths　alone。

He　made　his　way　down　through　the　labyrinthine　under　world；　sustained　by　it　and　accepting　the　paths　it　opened　for　him。　At　last　he　walked　calmly　and　unhurriedly　out　into　the　yawning　techno…cavern　where　the　Awareness　waited。

It　was　a　confusion　of　neon　lines　in　strange　patterns；　a　thing　the　size　of　a　cruiser。　By　the　time　he　came　into　its　physical　presence；　he　was　quite　well　acquainted　with　it。

When　he　bespoke　it　now；　though；　the　Awareness　refused　to　answer。　He　had　the　feeling　that　it　was　waiting　for　some　final　proof；　some　bona　fide；　before　it　lowered　its　last　defenses　with　him。

Zor　reached　into　a　pocket　and　drew　forth　an　object　he　has　prepared　after　long；　hard　pondering。　It　was　an　artificial　jewel；　charged　with　Protoculture　power；　formulated　from　his　studies　of　both　the　Haydonites'　dzentile　and…even　more　important　the　organic　gemstones　manifested　by　the　Regis　when　she　has　assumed　humanoid　form。

Zor　lifted　the　jewel　to　his　forehead　in　self…coronation。　A　bio…adhesive　charge　made　it　fast　there。　He　willed　a　mand；　and　a　ray　sprang　forth　to　strike　the　resplendent　cat's　cradle　of　the　Awareness。

There　was　a　moment's　gravid　silence。　Then　a　billion　scintillating　notes　leapt　from　the　Awareness；　the　material　work　seemed　to　fall　away；　and　it　opened　its　fateful　dialogue　with　Zor。


CHAPTER　TWENTY？FIVE

The　will　to　power　is　disguised　in　a　hundred　thousand　ways；　on　many　worlds…as　service　to　the　public　good；　or　defending　the　faith；　or　protecting　the　nest　from　outsiders。　But　at　the　core　it　is　always　the　same；　exposed　to　the　light；　its　features　are　unchanging：　a　naked　lust　to　dominate　and　control。
Not　surprising；　then；　that　on　that　fateful　night　in　a　hidden　place；　the　Three　who　had　sworn　obedience　to　the　will　of　the　people　piled　hands　in　an　unholy　ritual。　Sotted　on　Protoculture；　they　put　all　shame　aside　and　anointed　themselves　as　Masters。
The　Scribe　Triumvirate　of　Aholt；　Ulla；　and　Tussas；　Nothing　Save　Animus：　A　History　of　the　Robotech　Elders

The　Robotech　Elders　stopped　straining　at　the　med　machines　that　held　them　fast。　Behind　their　respirator　masks；　their　furious　howls　ceased。　Haydon　was　ing；　and　they　understood　that　there　was　no　escaping。

Like　a　mountain　on　the　move；　the　figure　in　the　gargantuan　conduit　approached　them　through　the　blinding　light。　With　slitted　eyes；　the　Elders　watched　it　e。　High　above　and　all　around；　the　Haydonites　had　ceased　their　mental　hymn　singing　and　fallen　quiet。

With　coronas　of　crackling　energy　radiating　from　him　and　lightning　bolts　crashing　all　around　the　heights　of　his　head　and　shoulders；　Haydon　emerged。

Some　of　the　intermittent　transignal　messages　from　their　vassals…the　Robotech　Masters　sent　to　ravage　Earth…had　told　the　Elders　of　the　primitive　religions　of　that　blighted　planet。　Now　a　minor　phrase　came　back　to　haunt　Nimuul：　created　in　God's　image。

Small　wonder　the　Haydonites　were　ready　to　swoon　with　adoration　and　ecstasy；　before　them　was　He　in　whose　image　they　had　been　cast。　The　Elders　used　their　resentment　and　irascibility　to　keep　from　yielding　to　the　mesmeric　spell　the　sight　of　Him　cast。

Haydon　wore…or　had　perhaps　simply　donned　the　illusion　of…a　billowing；　high…collared　cloak　like　the　Haydonites'。　From　beneath　it；　feet　extended；　and　yet　they　floated　free　of　the　planet's　surface。

The　stupendous　head　was　smooth　and　hairless；　reminding　the　Elders　of　their　onetime　warlord；　Dolza；　but　Haydon's　skull　was　higher…crowned　and　more　finely　shaped　than　that。　His　face　was　more　defined　than　the　Haydonites'；　it　was　some　countenance　the　Elders　somehow　half　recognized　but　could　not　place。　Where　the　Haydonites　had　been　born　without　eyes；　mouth；　ears；　nostrils；　the　face　of　Haydon　gave　the　impression　that　it　had　once　borne　those　features　and　they　had　atrophied　from　disuse。

Haydon　bore　no　dzentile；　though。　In　the　middle　of　His　forehead　pulsed　a　gland　or　organ　unlike　anything　the　Elders　knew　of；　ridged　and　scalloped　like　some　shell　thing's　back；　puckered　closed　like　a　sleeping　blossom。

Haydon's　blind　cliff　of　a　face　panned　His　domain；　drinking　in　the　physical　universe　after　His　long　hibernation。　He　became　aware　of　the　Elders…or　perhaps　He　had　been　all　along　and　the　cyclopean　head　tilted　down。　The　mystic　organ　in　His　forehead　bloomed　open；　and　for　an　instant　the　Elders　saw　within…a　shape　and　texture　they　could　not　discern　that　nevertheless　paralyzed　them　with　dread。

A　beam　of　searing　brilliance　burst　from　the　organ　to　play　over　the　captives。　VERMIN；　SPEAK！

Nimuul　answered　with　mindspeech：　Look　to　your　proud　fleet；　Ancient　One！　Your　grand　design　is　in　jeopardy！

There　was　a　concerted　moan　from　the　Haydonites；　like　a　low　wind。　Haydon　turned　His　blank　face　to　the　sky；　and　the　beam　from　His　forehead　played　out　across　the　spherical　ships　drifting　powerless　in　space　over　the　world　He　had　made。

The　Haydonites　and　the　Elders　sensed　swift　munication　between　Haydon　and　His　Awareness；　like　some　deep　stratum　perturbation。　Plainly；　Haydon　understood　then　the　enormity　of　what　the　Karbarrans；　Ark　Angel；　and　Louie　Nichols's　cybernauts　had　done。

From　the　organ　on　Haydon's　forehead　a　black　beacon　shone　forth；　swallowing　up　all　the　light　in　its　path。　The