icism； Jean thought）； with the geriatric star…struck mechamorphs who had returned with Major Carpenter； and with Sue Graham of the Jupiter Division's 36th。 Jean remembered the photojournalist well and the agony； real or imagined； she had put Lisa Hayes Hunter through。
Her ears pricked up when Scott mentioned Reflex Point itself and spoke of some of the things he had described to neurometric analysts planetside。 She saw no reason to doubt the veracity of Scott's claims…that he had actually conversed with the Invid hivequeen…but she also sensed that Scott was leaving something unsaid。 G2 had tried to put a trace on the freedom fighters Scott claimed had acpanied him inside the plex； but a search had proved impossible among the population displacements and shifting conditions below。
In turn； Vince caught Scott up on the incredible events that had transpired on Optera shortly after Mars Division had folded for home space。 Scott was attentive； but it was apparent that he had already…heard most of it from REF mecha pilots。 Nevertheless； he had questions about Dana Sterling's nearly miraculous appearance and the so…called Nichols drive that powered the Shadow fighters and retrofitted Ark Angel。
Jean waited for a lull in the shop talk before attempting to return the conversation to personal concerns。 She had risen from her chair to gaze out the viewport； mesmerized by the scintillating dance of Earth's orbiting debris。 Of late； every viewport in the ship seemed to be a window into her private torment。 She could not regard Earth or stars without recalling the phoenix vision she had beheld when the Tokugawa had met its terrible end above Optera or the real…time manifestation of that phoenix as it had scorched its way through the expeditionary fleet。
Nor could she help thinking of Gardner and Ackerman and Gunther Rheinhardt； all dead。 And Rolf Emerson…dear Rolf； who had died in Bowie's arms。 The news of his death had seemed unreal on Tirol； but now； so close 。。。
〃We were so sorry to hear about Marlene； Scott；〃 she said at last。
By sheer reflex； Scott's hand went to his breast to feel for the heart…shaped holo…locket he wore under his flightsuit。 〃Her parents are onboard；〃 Jean added。
Scott nodded grimly。 〃And I'm sorry to hear about Bowie；〃 he said； meeting her eyes。
Jean saw concern and hatred in those eyes…hatred for Musica； the Tiresian clone Bowie was in love with。 Jean saw little purpose in going into it now that Scott was exhibiting signs of outright xenophobia。 She wondered whether Dana； too； would fall prey to his distrust。 Dana； who had remained with her parents on Haydon IV。
〃We'll find them；〃 Scott said suddenly； watching as meaningful glances were exchanged。 Then： 〃All right； what aren't you people telling me？ You said you received transmissions from Tirol。〃
〃From Cabell；〃 Vince answered； setting aside his drink。 〃But it's only what we've told you； Scott。 The SDF…3 executed its fold shortly after Rheinhardt's Neptune and Saturn groups were away。 Rheinhardt's final munique with Admiral Hunter…〃
〃Rick；〃 Jean thought to point out。
〃…involved decisions on deployment of the Cyclones and Shadow fighters。〃 Vince paused。 〃And the use of the neutron ‘S' missiles if all else failed。〃
Scott's eyes widened。 Then the rumors were true： Rheinhardt had been prepared to render the planet uninhabitable rather than surrender it to the Invid。 〃Madness； 〃 he said through clenched teeth。
Vince looked to his wife and let out a long breath。
〃It wasn't an easy decision to arrive at； Colonel；〃 Senator Huxley said。 〃There was a high probability that most of the Southern hemisphere would survive the saturation。〃
Scott stared at her； then ran his hands down his face。 〃So where the hell's the ship if they pleted their fold？ It's been three months now！〃
〃Easy； Scott；〃 Vince said； straightening in his chair。 〃We're doing all we can。〃
Scott glared at him。 〃By sitting here？ No； I don't think so。 Hasn't anybody thought of returning to Tirol？ There has to be some trace of them。〃
Dr。 Penn cleared his throat。 〃The truth is； son； we're not sure we can return。 We are； however； planning to execute a trial jump to lay all doubts to rest。〃
Scott nodded in prehension。 〃The Protoculture。 The one thing that's plaguing most of the mecha downside。 The reason I had to ride a damn chemical shuttle up here。 Nothing's working； is that it？〃
〃Yes and no；〃 Penn said quickly。 〃Some of the Veritechs are functional and fully capable of mechamorphosis。 Others have limited capacity for flight or bat maneuvering。 Now it this last is something I find disturbing。〃
Scott glanced at Vince before responding； if the general was willing to let Penn's ment slide； so would he。 〃I heard some talk： there's something different about the Flowers you harvested from Optera…〃
〃New Praxis；〃 Justine Huxley amended。
〃New Praxis； then。 But why would the older models suddenly shut down now？〃
At the viewport； Jean folded her arms。 〃We were hoping you might be able to tell us； Scott。〃
Scott touched his fingertips to his chest。 〃Me？ What could I…〃 Then it occurred to him。 〃The Regis；〃 he snorted。 〃We've read your debriefing reports； Colonel；〃 Huxley said。 〃You claim you were inside the central hive just before the end； that you actually spoke with the Regis。〃
Scott swallowed and found his voice。 〃Yeah； it's true； but e on； it's not like she explained herself to me。〃
〃Then what did she say？〃 Jean asked。
Scott smoothed back an undisciplined ma of hair。 〃What did she say？〃 He laughed nervously。 〃I'm still not sure what I heard and what I imagined。 But I think we were； well； arguing。〃
〃Arguing？〃 Huxley said dubiously。
〃Yeah。 About 。。。 ethics。 About whether the Invid had a right to Earth after what the Masters had done to Optera。〃 Scott searched the faces appraising him。 〃It sounds crazy； I know； but she was just raving about what warlike beings we are； about how the universe would be better off without us。〃 No one said anything for a moment。
〃Anyway； I still don't see what all this has to do with the SDF…3。 The Invid are history； aren't they？〃
Jean turned to the viewport and thought of the phoenix once more； the transubstantiation of an entire race。 〃Maybe the ship went where she went；〃 she suggested softly。 Vince sent her a questioning look as she swung around。 〃The Regis； I mean。〃
Penn made a knowing sound。 〃It's a pity there are no Invid left to quiz as to just where she might have gone。〃
Scott put a hand over his mouth as though to bite back his words。 Somewhere below； in one of the burgeoning cities of the Southlands or wandering the waste of the Northlands； were two of the three children the Regis had conjugated in human form。 Sera and Marlene…clone…close in appearance to the Marlene lost to him over a year ago。
Could he face them again？ he asked himself。 Could he enlist the enemy's help in finding his friends？
〃What is it； Scott？〃 Jean said； watching him。
Scott clamped his jaws shut； then relented。 〃Not all the Invid have left；〃 he told them at last。
Above them rose crystal palaces and translucent spires； mansions of white…frost gingerbread and platforms of smoky blue glass； elfin halls and minarets； stately columns； onion domes； and ethereal towers。
Above them were alloy plains three hundred miles wide and burnished smooth as a looking glass； idyllic landscapes dotted with sea…green lakes； and skies of gold filled with conediers； hovercraft； and outsize magical carpets。 A dreamy world of perfect days and tranquil nights； of exotic biota and Eliding beings in high…collared robes whose silent speech was a gentle thought carried on the wind。
And below them 。 。_ 。 below them was that which had given shape to the illusion above： the ultratech plexities of a planet…sized artifact； birthed in the mind of an alien genius who had left his mark on half the far…flung worlds of the Fourth Quadrant。 A genius met in lore and legend or encountered in towering shrines that masked the being himself。
He had perhaps imparted his name to the artifact or left that for others to do； but that his very essence was there erected…in those spires and domes and artificial lakes…was not to be denied。
And suspended between…in the boundless chamber that confined them…was this place of instrumentality nodes and info…networks； the material interface with the Awareness…Haydon had set in place to mind his clever works。 So this place was neither one nor the other but a middle ground from which to know creator and created； sacrosanct； then； truly suspended。 For from； where else could one take the proper measure of things？
Exedore ceased his mystical musings even before he sensed the soft intrusion of Veidt's sendings。 This was what mingling with humans and Garudans had wrought； he told himself； a penchant for the metaphysical。 Questions mencing with why。
How far he had e from the directed； purposeful nature of the Imperative！ he would catch himself thinking。 Feeling as remote from that now as his recontoured physical self was from the genetic vats that had conceived him。 Normalized in both size and aspect and drained of the conquering urge； the pulsion to obey without question。 Given to metaphysical ponderings。 How un…Zentraedi； indeed！ And how Great Breetai would have mocked him！
〃A moment more and the requested correlations will be available；〃 Veidt sent from the data column。
Exedore swiveled in his chair to regard the limbless Haydonite…his partner these past years。 A response formed on the tip of his tongue； though there was little need of it。 An old habit； difficult to break。 〃I； um 。 。 。〃
Veidt hovered through a quarter turn to face him with what nearly approximated a smile。
〃I am well aware that my workings please you； Lord Exedore。 Your words are an echo； you understand…an unnecessary redundancy。〃
Exedore favored him with a genuine grin； as difficult to suppress as the habit itself。 This was as close as they came to jesting or arguing； he still was not sure which。 Veidt's face had already resumed its normal configuration； which was to say； blank。 As featureless as an unfinished mannequin's； a tech aboard the SDF…3 had once mented in Exedore's presence。
〃Featureless； yes；〃 Veidt sent； 〃but hardly