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　and　design　our　course。〃

He　motioned　to　his　headlocked　associates；　their　activated　consoles　and　rapt　expressions。　〃‘Machine　mind'　holds　the　answers。　Through　it　we　will　acplish　all　that　we　have　failed　to　acplish　in　the　past。　Through　it　we　will　achieve　where　we　have　failed。　Through　it　we　will　journey　where　we　have　never　been。〃

The　table　waited　in　silence。

〃Not　out　among　the　stars；　either；〃　Louie　said　with　a　grin。　〃But　in　a　reality　we　will　create。　Using　the　power　of　our　own　enhanced　intellects　and　the　immortal　machine　bodies　we　will　someday　soon　fashion　for　ourselves。〃


CHAPTER　NINE

During　the　cruel　reign　of　the　Robotech　Masters；　Karbarra　had　exported　its　revolution　（along　with　tens　of　thousands　of　its　pneumatic　projectile　rifles）　to　several　Local　Group　worlds；　including　Garuda；　Praxis；　and　Spheris。　During　the　Invid　occupation；　Karbarra　had　seen　its　very　future　（i。e。；　the　Karbarran　childcubs）　held　hostage。　The　origin　of　the　planet's　subsequent　turn　to　dreams　of　empire　is　most　often　traced　to　its　solid　defeat　over　the　（T。　R。）　Edwards…controlled　Invid　on　Optera　（see　La　Paz；　Mizner；　London；　et　al。）。　But　who　if　not　Haydon　himself　＇sic＇　was　Karbarra　rising　up　against…Haydon　and　the　curse　of　his　＇sic＇　Ur…Flower。
Noki　Rammas；　Karbarra

Dana　was　ready　to　jump　the　first　Haydonite　that　glided　across　the　laser…barred　threshold　to　the　Sterlings'　plush　level…four　lockup。　But　when　that　visitor　turned　out　to　be　Veidt；　all　she　could　do　was　quietly　lay　aside　the　Praxian　hardwood　war　club　she　had　fashioned　from　a　table　leg；　try　to　ease　unnoticed　from　her　place　of　concealment　behind　the　couch；　and　join　her　parents　and　Exedore　in　questioning　the　being　who　had　been　like　family　to　all　of　them　in　their　time　on…world。

She　was　encouraged　to　hear　Veidt　address　everyone　as　〃my　friends。〃

Exedore　made　his　relief　known　with　a　slow　exhalation　of　breath。　〃What　is　going　on；　Veidt？〃　he　asked；　staring　up　into　the　hovering　figure's　bilaterally　symmetrical　suggestion　of　facial　features。　〃I　certainly　can't　tell　anything　from　your　expression。〃

〃Would　that　you　had　learned　to　discern　our　nuances；〃　Veidt　sent　to　everyone。　〃You　would　have　undoubtedly　noticed　alterations　in　my　countenance　since　the　initial　stirrings　of　the　Awareness　some　months　ago。　Our　inner　states　are　as　much　on　display　as　your　own；　you　know。〃

〃Tell　us　what's　happening　to　you；〃　Exedore　said。

A　dull；　pulsating　glow　lit　Veidt's　dzentile。　〃Thoughts　e　not　without　great　difficulty　now；　Lord　Exedore。〃

〃Try；　Veidt；〃　Miriya　said；　〃please。〃

Veidt's　hairless　head　rolled　briefly　within　the　high　collar　of　the　robe。　〃One　might　pare　it　to　the　pulsion　the　Robotech　Masters　used　to　extract　unfailing　allegiance　from　the　Zentraedi。〃　The　Haydonite　regarded　Max。　〃I　have　found　nothing　in　Terran　history　that　invites　parison；　although　my　intuition　tells　me　otherwise。〃

〃We　Haydonites　nevertheless　have　as　a　world　been　forced　to　respond　to　a　type　of　behavioral　programming　that　up　until　recently　has　lain　dormant　within　us。　But　it　appears　that　those　of　us　who　have　had　continued　contact　with　offworlders　can　exercise　intermittent　control　over　the　programming。〃

Exedore　and　the　Sterlings　could　sense　Veidt's　musings。　Alone　among　his　planetary　panions；　Veidt　had　shed　tears　on　the　occasion　of　the　death　of　Sarna；　his　mate　in　captivity；　whose　body　had　been　delivered　into　the　cupped　hands　of　Haydon　IV's　towering　shrine　to　its　creator。

〃The　process　is　somewhat　analogous　to　the　defenses　your　bodies　utilize　in　the　resisting　of　biological　contamination　or　infection；〃　Veidt　continued。

〃I　guess　Anad　and　Llan　haven't　got　the　hang　of　it　yet；〃　Dana　said。

Veidt　rotated　to　face　her。　〃They　were　probably　more　helpful　than　you　realize；　child。〃

Exedore　spoke　up　before　Dana　could　respond。　〃But　what　brought　this　about；　Veidt？　Surely　it　has　something　to　do　with　the　Invid's　departure。　Only　a　believer　in　coincidence　would　fail　to　see　the　connection。〃

Veidt's　sendings　ceased　for　a　moment。　〃The　Event　has　occurred；　Lord　Exedore。　I　can　offer　little　more　data　than　that。　From　the　deepest　center　of　my　being　arises　an　understanding　that　this　world　itself　has　been　waiting　and　preparing　for　the　Event　for　countless　millennia；　and　yet　I　cannot　speak　of　it。　I　know　only　that　the　waiting　is　plete。〃

〃You're　telling…us　you've　no　idea　what　you've　been　waiting　for？〃　Dana　said。

〃I　am。　Nor　do　I　know　what　to　expect。〃

〃Why　have　we　been　arrested；　Veidt？〃　Max　demanded。　The　Haydonite　glided　to　the　center　of　the　room　and　back。　〃Arrest　is　not　the　appropriate　term。　You've　done　nothing　illegal；　nothing　to　warrant　imprisonment。〃

Dana　pointed　to　the　laser…barred　threshold。　〃In　case　you　haven't　noticed；　Veidt；　we're　not　exactly　free　to　e　and　go　as　we　choose。〃

〃Protective　custody　is　the　term　I　would　use；〃　Veidt　offered；　as　though　he　had　been　scrolling　through　a　phrase　file。　〃As　I'm　certain　Lord　Exedore　has　already　informed　you；　Haydon　IV　has　left　orbit　and　is　accelerating　even　now。　Surely　you　accept　the　fact　that　you　never　would　have；　been　able　to　survive　on　the　surface。〃

〃Granted；　Veidt；〃　Miriya　said。　〃We　were　brought　down　here　for　our　own　good；　we've　accepted　that　much。　But　does　that　mean　we'll　be　released　when　we　reach　wherever　it　is　we're　going？〃

Veidt's　forehead　pulsed　with　subdued　light。　〃Not　exactly。　You　see；　it　is　important　that　you　not　be　permitted　to　interfere　with　the　successful　pletion　of　the　secondary　and　tertiary　stages。　Therefore；　you　are　to　remain　in　protective　custody　until　all　post…Event　phases　have　been　carried　out。〃

〃But　how　long　are　we　talking　about？〃　Dana　managed。

〃As　long　as　the　operation　requires；〃　Veidt　sent。

Max　and　Miriya　stared　at　each　other　aghast。　Exedore　and　Aurora　assimilated　the　disclosure　silently。　Dana　considered　lunging　for　the　hardwood　war　club　she　had　stashed　behind　the　couch。

〃Violence　should　not　be　considered　an　option；〃　the　Haydonite　said　without　facing　anyone　directly。　〃I　should　add　that　I　have　sought　audience　with　Vowad。〃

Father　of　a　sort　to　Sarna；　Vowad　was　a　high…ranking　member　of　Haydon　IV's　Elite。

〃And？〃　Exedore　asked。

〃He　can　do　nothing。　Offworlder　contact　has　mitigated　the　impact　of　the　pulsion　on　Vowad　as　an　entity；　but　he　is　still　obliged　to　answer　to　the　Elite；　who　have　thus　far　remained　fully　responsive　to　the　programming。〃

Dana　felt　her　anger　rising　again。

〃Perhaps　I　should　remind　you　that　one　incident　of　violence　has　already　been　answered　in　kind；〃　Veidt　sent　in　her　direction。

〃The　Karbarran　vessel；〃　Exedore　said。

〃Vessels；　unfortunately。　One　Spherisian　ship　did；　however；　escape　the　acceleration　unscathed。〃

〃Has　Karbarra　been　informed　of　the　incident？〃　Max　asked　out　of　genuine　concern。

〃Yes；　by　the　Spherisians　themselves；〃　Veidt　sent。　〃In　fact；　there　is　some　reason　to　believe　that　a　Karbarran　battle　group　is　en　route　to　Haydon　IV　at　this　very　moment。〃

Max　shot　to　his　feet。　〃But　you　just　said　that　interference　couldn't　be　permitted！　You've　got　to　see　that　they're　warned　away。

Veidt　grew　quiet；　as　though　accessing　some　remote　mainframe。　〃I'm　sorry；　all　of　you。　But　it　is　apparently　too　late　for　that　now。〃


At　Admiral…Elect　Lron's　urgings；　the　Karbarran　dreadnought　had　been　named　N'trpriz　in　honor　of　some　Terran　ship　of　primitive　design。　And　while　mander　K'rrk　had　not　been　against　the　idea　at　the　time；　he　would　have　preferred　a　different　vessel　to　call　his　own；　a　Sekiton…powered　ship…of　the…line　with　a　proper　Karbarran　name。　The　Tracialle；　if　he　bad　had　a　choice　or；　failing　that；　the　battlewagon　Yirrbisst。

K'rrk　sat　in　the　mand　chair　of　the　N'trpriz；　shaking　out　the　lingering　effects　of　spacefold　as　his　bridge　crew　fed　him　updates　on　the　ship's　position　and　readiness。

〃Haydon　IV　ing　into　view；　mander；〃　Mav　reported　from　one　of　the　forward　duty　stations。　〃All　cruisers　accounted　for。　Establishing　matching　velocity　with　the　planet　three　point　seven　units；　sir。〃

〃Thank　you；　Mav；〃　K'rrk　said　from　the　helm　chair。　〃Let's　have　a　look　at　it。〃

The　artificial　planet　resolved　on　the　bridge's　forward　screen；　variegated；　rotating；　but　atmosphereless。　A　celestial　wanderer　no　longer；　but　more　the　starship　it　was。　Parsecs　distant　from　that　which　it　had　called　its　home　star　for　a　time；　and　still　accelerating。

K'rrk　cupped　a　paw　around　his　muzzle　in　a　contemplative　gesture。　Off　to　one　side　of　the　helm　chair　stood　an　enormous　wooden　wheel；　a　vestigial　adornment　overruled　by　Tiresian　made　astrogational　puters　buried　deep　in　the　ship's　heart　but　left　in　place　out　of　respect　for　the　Sentinels'　〃steam　ship；〃　Farrago。

K'rrk　turned　to　regard　his　science　officer。　〃Could　they　be　preparing　to　fold；　Lorek？〃

〃A　distinct　possibility；　mander。〃　〃What　do　scanners　show？〃

〃Areas　of　extensive　surface　damage；〃　Lorek　responded　after　a　moment。　By　Karbarran　standards；　he　was　tall　and　lean；　with　mottled　fur　and　a　curious　cant　to　the　diminutive；　mushroom…shaped　horns　set　between　his　ears。　〃Glike　appears　to　be　pletely　deserted；　sir；　although　bio…indicators　are　registering　life　signs　in　several　subsurface　chambers。〃

〃Do　we　have　a　fix　on　whatever's　powering　the　thing？〃　Kirk　asked。

〃Affirmative。　All　drive　systems　are　controlled　from　a　central　AI　nexus　concealed　under　what　used　to　be　a　system　of　reservoirs　and　interlinked　canals。　It　has　apparently　been　given　the　name　Awareness；　mander。〃

〃Defenses；　Lorek。　Shields？　Antiparticle　fields？〃

〃None　that　scanners　can　discern；　mander。〃

K'rrk　growled　with　pleasure　as　he　turned　to　the　ship's　munications　officer。　〃Reeza；　inform　all　battle　group　manders　to　hold　their　positions。〃

〃Done；　mander；〃　she　responded　almost　immediately。

K'rrk　made　an　approving　sound。　〃Open　up　a　hailing　frequency；　Lieutenant。　〃

〃Frequency　opened　to　all　traffic；〃　Reeza　told　him。

K'rrk　cleared　his　throat　and　slapped　a　paw　down　on　the　chair's　translator　stud。　〃This　is　the　Karbarran　starship　N'trpriz。　We　wish　to　make　contact　with　whomever　is　presently　in　control　of　Haydon　IV。〃　He　repeated　the　request　twice　more。

〃Ining；　sir；〃　Reeza　said　as　a　synthesized　voice　speaking　formal　Karbarran　began　to　issue　from　the　bridge's　munication　ports。

〃Attention；　N'trpriz；〃　the　voice　began。　〃Your　vessel　is　being　scanned。　Do　not；　repeat；　do　not　attempt　to　arm　or　deploy　any　weapons。　〃

K'rrk　flashed　his　weapons　officer　a　paw　signal　for