what you may have been told by the Tiresians； those worlds…Praxis； Garuda； and the rest…belong to me。 The reasons for this are plex and at present irrelevant to the nature of these negotiations； but again we wish to stress that the Sentinels' cause was a misguided one from the start。 It was inevitable that they fail sooner or later。〃
A charged silence fell over the auditorium； and Edwards had to restrain himself from laughing。 The Sentinels had not been heard from for four months now。 Official word had it that the Farrago was maintaining radio silence for strategic reasons。 Then； recently； there had been open speculation that the ship had been badly damaged during the battle for Praxis。 But Edwards knew better。 He felt Minmei's trembling grasp on his upper arm。 Colonel Adams； also seated in the front row； leaned forward to throw him a knowing look。
〃We have only recently lost contact with the Farrago；〃 Professor Lang was saying。 〃But I'm certain that once munications are re…established and an accord of some sort is enacted； Admiral Hunter and the others will abide by its terms and return to Tirol。〃
The Invid crossed his massive arms。 〃Yes； I'm sure they would have honored it； Dr。 Lang。 But I'm afraid it's too late。 Four months ago the Sentinels' ship was destroyed…with all hands aboard。〃
A collective gasp rose from the crowd； and Edwards heard Minmei begin to sob。 〃Rick。。。Jonathan；〃 she said； struggling to her feet； only to collapse across Edwards's lap。
Someone nearby screamed。 Lang and the rest of the council were standing； their words swallowed up in the noise of dozens of separate conversations。 News personnel and members of the general staff were rushing from the room。 Edwards snapped an order to his aide to summon a doctor。 Adams； meanwhile； was shoving onlookers aside。
Edwards held Minmei protectively。 Once again he sought out the Invid's lustrous eyes； and in that glance a pact was affirmed。
But on Praxis the dead walked…those Sentinels who had escaped the destruction of the Farrago； and； unknown to them； a deadly host of archaic creatures returned to life in the bowels of the planet's abandoned Genesis Pits。。。
〃Take a look for yourself；〃 Vince Grant suggested； stepping back from the scanner's monitor screen。 Rick Hunter and Jonathan Wolff leaned in to regard the image centered there： an intact drive module that had been blown clear of the ship and had fallen into low orbit around Praxis。 Vince was reasonably certain the module's Protoculture…peat engines were undamaged。
〃And there's no way to call it down？〃 Rick asked。 〃A hundred miles or so and an Alpha could reach the thing。〃 Normally； one could fly a Veritech to the moon and back； but not one of the Sentinels' all…but…depleted Alphas was capable of attaining escape velocity。
Vince shook his head； his brown face grim。 〃We barely have enough power to keep the nets alive。〃
〃Then it might as well be a million miles away；〃 Wolff thought to add。
Vince switched off the screen and the three men sat down to steaming mugs of tea one of the Praxians had brewed up from some indigenous grass。 After four months it had e down to this： the GMU's stores were nearly empty and foraging had bee one of the group's primary activities。 And in all those months they had yet to e up with an explanation for the disappearance of the planet's native population。 What was left of the central city and all the surrounding villages were deserted。 But whether what Bela called 〃the Praxian Sisterhood〃 had chosen to leave had not been ascertained。
Puzzling； too； were the tectonic anomalies and quakes that were continuing to plague the planet； as often as three times a day now。 The quakes had convinced the Sentinels' Praxian contingent that Arla…NonBela's 〃mother〃 and the leader of the Sisterhood…had struck a deal with the Invid to move the planet's population to some other world。 Rick wasn't sure if he bought the explanation； but it certainly served a therapeutic need if nothing else。
〃Look；〃 Rick said； breaking the silence； 〃they're probably already searching for us。 Lang's not about to write us off。 And even if the mining operation is close to on…schedule； they'll have at least one ship readied with the capability for a local jump。 We just have to hope the Invid have lost interest in this place。〃
The horde's absence these months bordered on the conspicuous； and with the quakes and deserted villages； Cabell had speculated that it was possible the Invid knew something the Sentinels didn't。
Rick's optimism in the face of all this had Vince smiling to himself。 Rick would always be a mander whether he liked it or not。 〃It's not Lang we're worried about；〃 he said； speaking for himself and Wolff。
Rick caught his meaning。 〃Edwards has to answer to the council。〃 There was an edge to his voice he didn't mean to put there。 Lang had warned Rick about Edwards during one of the last links the Farrago had had with Base Tirol； and it was difficult to keep the memory of that brief deep…space mo from surfacing。
〃Don't underestimate the man's ambitions； Rick；〃 Wolff cautioned。 〃I'm sure they're going to e looking； but I'm willing to bet that Edwards will have the council eating out of his hand by then。 Maybe one of us should have…〃
〃I don't want to go over old ground；〃 Rick cut him off。 〃The only thing that interests me right now is a way to reach that drive module。〃
Grant and Wolff exchanged looks and studied their cups of tea。 Rick was right； of course： there was no use dwelling on the choices they had made； individually and collectively。 Wolff liked to think that at least Vince had Jean by his side and the precious GMU under his feet。 But Rick had all but resigned his mission； and Wolff himself had left his heart behind。
A rumbling sound broke the silence； causing the mugs to skitter across the tabletop。 The tremor built in intensity； rattling the mand center's consoles and screens； then subsided； rolling away beneath them like contained thunder。
No one spoke for a moment。 Wolff wore a wary look as he loosened his grip on the edge of the table and sat back to exhale a whistle。 〃Course； Praxis could do us in long before the Invid or Edwards。〃
〃Pleasant thought；〃 Vince told him。
Rick gave them both an angry look。 〃We're going to get to that module if we have to pole…vault there。〃
Tactical concerns （and personal preference） had kept Vince Grant and Rick somewhat anchored to the GMU （which had been moved inland from its original seaside landing zone）； but the rest of the substantially reduced Robotech contingent； along with the XT Sentinels； had opted for Praxis's wooded valleys； the planet's often glorious skies； and rolling hills。 Max and Miriya's Skull Squadron had spent most of the past months reconning remote areas； hoping to e upon some trace of the vanished Sisterhood； but they had only succeeded in further depleting already critical reserves of Protoculture fuel。 Consequently； the Wolff Pack stuck close to base； Hovertanks shut down。 Bela and Gnea and the other Praxians had voluntarily detailed themselves to serve the group's logistical needs； and were assisted in this by the bearlike Karbarrans and vulpine Garudans。 Cabell had all but isolated himself； disappearing for long walks from which he would return with samples of native rock or flora。 Still a bit unfortable with the Humans and not yet fully accepted by the XTs； the Tiresian was often found in the pany of Rem； Baldan； Teal； and the limbless Haydonites； Veidt and Sarna。 Janice； too； had bee an unofficial member of Cabell's eldritch clique； much to Rick and Lisa's puzzlement。
Presently； Cabell and Janice were off together on a long walk； they were on a forested slope about fifteen miles from the mobile base when the tremor that had shaken the GMU struck。 The minor quake did little more than knock them off balance and loosen some gravel and shale from nearby heights； but it was the morning's second shakeup and it brought a severe look to Cabell's face。
Janice had thought to take hold of the old man's arm and utter a short panicked sound as the ground began to tremble。 It was a performance worthy of Minmei's best； although Janice could hardly appreciate it as such…any more than she could fully understand just what had pelled her to seek out Rem and Cabell's pany in the first place。 That this should somehow please Dr。 Lang was a thought as baffling to her as it was disforting。
〃There； there； child；〃 Cabell was saying； patting her hand。 〃It will be over in a moment。〃
They remenced their climb when the tremor passed。 Janice disengaged herself and urged Cabell to go on with what they had been discussing。
〃Ah； yes；〃 he said； running a hand over his bald pate； 〃the trees。〃
Janice listened like a student eager for A's。
〃As you can see； they're nothing like the scrub growth we found on Karbarra…far healthier； much closer to the unmutated form。〃 He motioned with his hand and went up on tiptoes to touch the spherical 〃canopy〃 of a healthy…looking specimen。 The tendrils that encased the solid…looking sphere and rigid near…translucent trunk seemed to pulse with life。 Gingerly； Cabell plucked one of the verdigris…colored applelike fruits； burnished it against his robe； and began to turn it about in his wrinkled hand。
〃Even the fruit they bear is different in color and texture…although still a far cry from the true Opteran species。 Nevertheless； it may tell us something。〃 He took off his rucksack and placed the sample inside。 〃Look for the ripest ones；〃 the instructed Janice； as she added a second fruit to the pack。
Cabell was straightening up when a sudden movement further up the slope caught his eye。 Janice heard him start； and turned to follow his narrowed gaze。
〃What was it？〃
Cabell stroked his beard。 〃I thought I saw someone up ahead。〃
〃A Praxian？〃 Janice asked； craning her neck and sharpening her vision。
〃No；〃 he said； shaking his head。 〃I would swear it was Burak！〃
Later； a stone's throw from the grounded GMU； inside the wooden structure that had been designated both quarters and cell； Tesla wolfed down the fruits Burak had picked from the sinister orchard Zor's Flower of Life seedings had spawned on Praxis。
〃Yes； yes； different； ummm；〃 the Invid was sayi