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He　regarded　the　sleep　chamber　now…the　nutrient　drips　that　sustained　the　body；　the　contact　studs　that　stimulated　muscle　and　bone；　the　headband　that　helped　to　nourish　dreams…and　laughed　away　his　musings；　chest　aching　from　disuse；　unaccustomed　to　the　sudden　return　of　those　chaotic；　nay；　inspired；　rhythms。

Vard　was　watching　him　from　afar…able　servant　and　faithful　friend…the　rest　of　them　already　hobbling　away　from　their　opened　cocoons　like　aged　ministers　hurrying　off　to　meeting；　and　conferences。　A　spectacle　ill　befitting　the　courageous　crew　they　were…scientists　to　the　last；　sworn　to　exploration　and　the　search　for　truth。　Zor　breathed　deep；　congratulating　himself　on　the　choices　he　had　made；　the　paths　that　had　turned　him　away　from　government　service　and　carried　him　offworld　a　last；　clear　of　Tirol's　crowded　skies。　If　only　Vard　could　feel　the　same　content　with　the　quest　itself…instead　of　continually　focusing　on　the　goal。

But　Zor　was　too　astute；　too　used　to　their　calculated　designs；　not　to　feel　in　Vard's　promptings　the　hand　of　his　Elder：　in　the　Academy。　The　hungry　members　of　the　Grand　Chair；　perhaps　even　Cabell　himself；　mentor　and　father　in　his　own　curious　fashion。　No；　the　data　he　transmitted　were　never　enough　for　them：　the　trade　arrangements　and　scientific　exchanges　too　profitless　to　sate　their　appetites　for　progress。

We　must　have　worlds　to　use　as　way　stations　for　our　glorious　expansion；　they　would　tell　him；　as　though　it　were　conquest　they　had　in　mind。　We　must　have　discoveries　that　will　further　the　glory　of　our　race；　as　though　it　were　immortality　they　were　striving　for。

Oh；　Vard；　he　thought；　filling　his　lungs　with　the　ship's　sweetened　air；　perhaps　this　next　world　will　be　the　one　your　real　masters　would　have　me　find。　One　with　wondrous　things　to　offer；　the　miraculous　things　they　feel　certain　are　out　here　for　the　taking。

He　stood　up　and　stretched；　as　though　reaching　for　the　very　stars　beyond　the　reflective　sheen　of　the　viewport　overhead。　〃Out　among　you　somewhere；〃　he　said　to　the　fixed　lights。　〃Out　among　you　is　the　world　I'm　destined　to　discover。　By　Valivarre's　will；　may　the　cause　of　peace　profit　above　all。〃


Karen　Penn　tried　one　final　time　to　inflict　some　damage　on　the　lights；　to　extract　a　toll　for　whatever　it　was　they　had　done　to　her　Red　teammates。　With　disciplined　hand　and　quieted　mind　she　reconfigured　the　Alpha　to　Fighter　mode　and　burned　for　the　fortress's　stern；　where　the　lights　had　clustered　on　and　around　the　reflex　drive　exhaust　ports。　Jack　was　in　plain　view　at　three　o'clock；　his　burn　through　the　eerie　glow　of　newspace　plete；　a　Veritech　pas　de　deux　as　they　fell　toward　the　ship。

The　Blue　team　mecha；　Battloid…configured；　were　hitting　hard　at　the　SDF…3's　bow　from　just　below　the　midline；　head　lasers　emitting　a　deadly　light　of　their　own。

Karen　planned　on　depleting　her　undercarriage　lasers　this　time；　taking　no　quarter；　routing　the　light　or　luring　it　away；　making　it　cry　uncle　or　roll　over　and　die。

She　was　shifting　her　weight　in　the　padded　seat；　posing　herself　for　the　kill；　willing　the　VT　in；　when　all　at　once　the　fog　of　newspace　lifted。

Her　eyes　were　so　fixed　on　the　reticle　of　the　Alpha's　targeting　screen　that　it　took　a　moment　for　the　change　to　register。　Then；　suddenly；　there　was　darkness　where　there　had　been　glow；　and　the　lights　were　gone。

〃Sonuvabitch；〃　she　heard　Jack　exclaim。　〃We're　home；　gang…we're　home！〃

But　Karen　was　not　buying　it。　Though　they　seemed　to　be　drifting　through　the　inky　blackness　of　home　space；　something　was　missing。

〃If　we're　home；　Jack；〃　she　asked　over　the　net；　〃where　the　hell　are　the　stars？〃


On　the　fortress　bridge；　Lisa　mimicked　Lang's　on…screen　head…scratching　pose。　She　did　not　understand　it；　either：　One　minute　the　lights　were　digesting　critical　portions　of　the　ship；　and　the　next　they　were　gone。　Had　the　SDF…3　punched　or　been　punched　out　of　the　hyperdomain？　she　wondered。　And　was　that　actually　the　real　world　outside　the　viewports　or　yet　another　black　tunnel　in　the　sky？

〃Stations　shipwide　report　all　clear；　Admiral；〃　Forsythe　said　from　across　the　bridge。　〃The　lights　are　gone。〃

Lisa　ran　a　palsied　hand　through　her　undone　hair。　〃Damage　assessment；　Mister　Price。　Immediate。　All　decks。〃

〃Aye；　aye；　sir。〃

Lisa　returned　her　attention　to　the　…line　monitor。　〃Well；　what　about　it；　Lang？　Are　we　home？〃

Lang　looked　at　something　off　screen　and　shook　his　head。　〃No；　Lisa；　nothing　has　changed。〃

〃Maybe　you'd　better　have　a　look　outside；　Doctor。〃　Lang's　puzzled　expression　remained　in　place。　〃I　have　looked；　Admiral；　I　assure　you。　But　present　readings　are　identical　to　those　previously　assembled。〃　He　snorted。　〃We're　still　a　long　way　from　home。〃

Lisa　felt　her　heart　race。

〃We've　lost　a　good　deal　of　our　reflex　drive　systemry；〃　Lang　continued　as　though　to　himself；　pupilless　eyes　glazed　over。　〃I'm　beginning　to　believe　that　the　reason　the　Veritechs　were　assimilated　had　nothing　to　do　with　defense　against　intrusion。　No；　whatever　was　directing　the　lights　had　need　of　specimens。　Perhaps　it　has　yet　to　make　up　its　mind　about　us。〃

Lisa　swallowed　hard。　〃You　make　it　sound　like　our　pilots　were　appetizers；　Doctor。〃

〃In　effect；　they　were　just　that；〃　he　told　her；　more　animated　suddenly。　〃By　the　time　the　lights　reached　the　ship；　they　knew　exactly　what　they　were　after。〃

〃We're　crippled；　then。　Is　that　what　you're　telling　me？〃　The　scientist　shook　his　head。　〃Oh；　no；　we　have　some　drive　capacity　left　to　us；　although　nowhere　near　what　we'd　require　to　go　superluminal。　In　fact；　as　things　stand　we　would　be　as　stranded　in　our　own　space　as　we　are　here。〃

Lisa　let　out　her　breath。　〃You're　full　of　good　news；　aren't　you？〃

Lang　shrugged。　〃I'm　sorry　if　I　can't　tell　you　what　you'd　undoubtedly　like　to　hear。〃

Lisa　waved　a　hand　at　the　screen。　〃I'm　the　one　who's　sorry；　Doctor。　But　you've　got　to　give　me　something　to　go　on。　I　mean；　do　we　sit　here　and　wait　for　those　。　。　。　things　to　e　back　and　nibble　away　at　more　of　our　systemry？〃

〃As　opposed　to　what；　Admiral？〃　Lang　wanted　to　know。　〃Christ；　I　don't　know。　Move。　Somewhere。〃

Lang　smiled；　recalling　Rem's　real…time　bubble　theory。　〃Your　husband　suggested　that　I　fashion　us　a　world。〃

Lisa　regarded　him　tight…lipped。　〃Then　do　it；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。


Minmei　cradled　Rem's　head　in　her　arms。　She　pushed　his　hair　back　from　his　face　and　leaned　an　ear　close　to　his　parted　lips。　She　was　certain　he　had　ceased　breathing　for　a　time；　but　that　heart…stopping　moment　was　past；　his　exhalation　ruffling　the　strands　of　hair　she　had　hooked　behind　her　ear。　Her　breath　was　ing　in　shallow　gasps　as　she　pressed　his　head　to　her　bosom；　praying　that　he　would　regain　consciousness　soon。

Holding　him　like　that；　staring　down　at　his　beautiful　face；　she　found　herself　walking　through　an　ancient　memory。　Tiresia；　on　the　night　of　the　SDF…3's　New　Year's　celebration。　The　Sentinels'　ship；　Farrago；　had　yet　to　arrive　in　Fantomaspace；　and　there　she　was　with　eyes　only　for　Jonathan　Wolff：　But　she　remembered　watching　Rem　that　night　while　Wolff　told　her　all　the　things　he　must　have　assumed　she　wanted　to　hear。　And　she　remembered　gazing　at　him　the　way　she　had　often　observed　others　gazing　at　her；　with　a　look　people　reserved　for　screen　idols　and　heroes。　What　might　have　happened　if　Rem　had　remained　in　Tiresia　instead　of　joining　the　Sentinels？　she　wondered。　Would　his　presence　have　altered　events；　given　her　the　strength　to　steer　clear　of　Edwards　and　grandiose　plans？

It　was　Rem　who　had　rushed　to　her　side　after　she　had　killed　Fdwards's　horrible　minion　on　Optera。　Her　voice　had　awarded　a　personal　victory；　a　fitting　end；　she　had　decided。　But　on　that　same　day　Janice　had　walked　out　of　her　life　forever。　And　Lynn…Kyle　so　soon　before　that　。。。　It　had　been　difficult　for　to　go　on　when　the　memories　of　the　sacrifices　made　in　her　behalf　were　so　vivid。　When　she　had　been　so　undeserving。　So　evil。

But　Rem　had　continued　to　stick　by　her　in　Tiresia；　during　the　months　she　had　languished　under　doctors'　care；　the　Booths　and　years　when　she　had　so　little　will　to　survive。　And　looking　at　him　now；　imagining　the　two　of　them　walking　Tiresia's　Romelike　streets　together；　she　was　not　sure　she　was　envisioning　a　past　that　almost　was　or　a　future　that　could　be。　A　kind　of　alternative　present；　she　told　herself。　One　they　could　fashion　together　to　era