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Penn　scratched　at　his　beard。〃　Need　I　remind　you　of　some　of　the　wonders　we've　experienced　these　past　thirty　years；　Professor？　Besides；　with　that　world　anything's　possible。〃

Nichols　smirked。　〃Relax；　Harry。　I'm　sure　your　aim　was　true。〃　His　forefinger　called　up　data　on　the　touchscreen。　〃What　we　have　here　are　indications　of　gravitational　perturbations　throughout　this　star　system。　So　I　believe　it's　safe　to　assume　the　planet　has　in　fact　vanished。〃

〃But　Cabell　had　been　in　munication　with　Exedore；〃　Vince　thought　to　point　out。　〃There　was　nothing　in　his　transmissions　about　。　。　。　this。〃

〃Then　it's　likely　the　event　occurred　recently；〃　Nichols　said：　〃Obviously　within　the　past　Earth…standard　month。〃

〃I　concur；〃　Penn　said。

The　bridge　…line　tone　sounded；　and　Vince　leaned　forward　to　respond。

〃Receiving　an　urgent　distress　call；　〃　his　exec　began。　〃Survivors　from　the　Karbarran　ship　N'trpriz。〃

〃Survivors？　What　happened？〃

The　line　was　quiet　for　a　moment。　〃Sir；　the　N'trpriz　was　ordered　to　Haydon　IV　on　an　extraction　op。　Seems　that　several　hundred　Karbarran　traders　were　taken　prisoner　during　the　rebellion。　〃

Vince　and　Penn　traded　astonished　looks。　〃What　rebellion？〃　Penn　demanded。

〃It's　unclear；　Doctor。　Apparently　the　Haydonites　have　risen　up　against　the　Awareness。　Offworlders　caught　up　in　the　rebellion　have　been　transferred　to　subsurface　confinement　areas　below　what　remains　of　Glike。

〃This　is　madness；〃　Vince　said。　〃Ask　them　if　the　N'trpriz　attempted　to　engage　the　planet。〃

〃Affirmative；　sir。　N'trpriz　was　in　munication　with　the　surface　when　the　planetary　Awareness　succeeded　in　arming　the　ship's　auto…destruct　systems。〃　Grant's　first　officer　paused　momentarily。　〃The　survivors　claim　to　have　jumped　ship　in　an　escape　vehicle　prior　to　detonation。　They　claim　that　the　ships　of　their　own　battle　group　deserted　them。　〃

Vince　tightened　his　lips。　〃Tell　them　we're　on　our　way　to　their　position。　But　ask　if　they　can　give　the　approximate　present　location　of　Haydon　IV。〃

〃Negative；　sir。　They　say　no　can　do。　〃

〃Why　in　heaven's　name　not？〃　Penn　said。

〃Response；　sir：　‘Because　Haydon　IV　executed　a　fold。'〃


After　rescuing　the　Karbarran　survivors；　the　Ark　Angel　executed　a　jump　of　its　own　not；　however；　for　the　ursinoids'　homeworld　but　for　Fantoma's　third　moon；　Tirol。

Scott　had　to　call　in　most　of　the　favors　owed　him　to　get　himself　included　among　the　small　landing　party　that　was　shuttled　down　to　Tiresia。　But　the　hassle　was　well　worth　it；　if　only　for　the　quick　ride　through　the　city's　streets　to　the　Royal　Hall；　which　still　towered　argent　and　pyramidal　over　the　city　scape　like　a　holy　mountain。

Otherwise；　the　place　had　changed　dramatically　in　the　three　years　since　the　Mars　Group's　departure。　Scott　had　not　been　here　for　the　return　of　Jonathan　Wolff's　starship；　and　with　it　the　arrival　of　the　15th　ATAC　and　the　Tiresian　clones　they　were　conveying　home。　Nor　had　he　been　around　for　the　first　Flower　of　Life　harvest　on　New　Praxis　or　the　development　of　Lang's　facsimile　Protoculture　matrix；　which　had　been　left　in　Tiresia　for　safekeeping。　That　alone　had　returned　enormous　wealth　and　prosperity　to　Tirol；　what　with　liberated　worlds　throughout　the　Local　Group　hungry　anew　for　interstellar　transports　and；　inexpensive　but　efficient　sources　of　energy　to　assist　in　the　mammoth　task　of　reconstruction。　Most　of　the　actual　manufacturing　of　ships　and　machines　had　been　farmed　out　to　Karbarra；　but　it　was　Tirol　that　had　reaped　the　rewards。　The　moon　had　bee　a　kind　of　cultural　crossroads；　almost　on　a　par　with　Haydon　IV　in　the　trafficking　of　information　and　construction　techniques。

Thus；　Tiresia's　public　buildings　and　housing　structures　sparkled　like　gems　in　an　emerald　setting。　Under　REF　supervision；　the　clones　and　indigs　had　irrigated　and　terraformed　the　city's　once…denuded　outskirts；　and　while　a　Rome…analogue　look　had　been　preserved　in　places；　reconfigurable　stadiums　and　ultratech　high　rises　dominated　the　skyline。

Scott's　parents；　both　of　whom　were　engineers　largely　responsible　for　the　rebuilding　of　Mars　Sara　Base；　were　among　a　group　of　Terran　settlers　and　exiled　Ghost　Squadron　pilots　who　had　elected　to　remain　on　Tirol。　He　was　eager　to　see　them　again；　plans　for　a　meet　having　already　been　firmed　up　during　a　short　ship…to…surface　conversation　earlier　on。

Cabell…the　bald　and　bearded　wizard　who　had　seemed　such　a　sinister　figure　to　an　eleven…year…old　Scott　Bernard…was　on　hand　to　wele　the　landing　party　and　escort　them；　in　a　caravan　of　surface…effect　vehicles；　to　that　part　of　the　Royal　Hall　given　over　to　Local　Group　affairs。　There；　Vince　and　Jean　Grant；　Harry　Penn；　and　the　rest　were　greeted　by　planetary　envoys　from　Karbarra；　New　Praxis；　Spheris；　Garuda；　Peryton；　and　several　emerging　worlds　once　dominated　by　the　Robotech　Masters　and　Invid　that　had　never　been　visited　by　the　Sentinels。

The　Haydonite　foreign　minister　and　the　whole　of　the　ambassadorial　legation　had　been　placed　in　custody。

〃They　haven't　revealed　so　much　as　a　thought　since　their　arrest；〃　Scott　heard　Cabell　inform　Vince　while　a　Karbarran　representative　had　the　chamber's　floor。　〃And　of　course　we　know　of　no　way　to　force　them　to　send。　I'm　certain　they've　fallen　victim　to　the　same　programming　that　has　set　their　homeworld　in　motion。〃

〃First　the　Invid；　then　the　SDF…3；　now　Haydon　IV；〃　Jean　whispered　back。

Cabell　nodded；　flaring　white　eyebrows　bobbing。　〃And　these　disappearances　are　only　the　beginning。〃

〃How　so？〃　Vince　asked。

The　Tiresian　voiced　a　note　of　frustration。　〃The　very　fabric　of　the　continuum　has　been　affected　in　some　way。　It　would　require　a　plex　array　of　instruments　and　measuring　devices　to　demonstrate　my　findings。　But　I　will　say　this　much：　Our　universe　appears　to　be　shrinking。〃

Penn　blanched。　〃But…〃

〃Wait。〃　Cabell　cut　him　off；　holding　up　a　graceful　hand。　〃Hear　this　one　out。〃

There　was　motion　on　the　floor。　Scott　saw　that　the　Karbarran　who　had　been　growling　demands　at　everyone　had　been　issued　a　message　of　some　sort　and　was　pacing　before　the　amphitheater　seats；　waving　the　crumpled　thing　overhead　in　a　clenched　paw…hand。

〃Let　it　be　known　to　all　members　of　the　Local　Group　that　Karbarra　is　fully　prepared　to　go　to　war　unless　reparations　are　made　for　the　capture　of　our　citizens　and　the　destruction　of　three　of　our　vessels。〃

The　audience　of　diplomats　and　staffers　muttered　among　themselves。

〃And　how　many　more　ships　will　you　have　to　lose　before　you　see　the　error　of　interference？〃　a　Spherisian　shouted　from　the　hall's　upper　tier。

〃The　next　time　it　won't　be　a　single　ship　but　a　fleet　we　mit；〃　the　Karbarran　snapped。

〃Fleets　have　been　destroyed　in　the　past；　Nal；〃　a　Praxian　said。

〃Legends；〃　Nal　scoffed。　〃Karbarra　has　outgrown　such　things。〃

〃And　Karbarra　would　like　nothing　better　than　to　see　Haydon　IV　added　to　its　growing　list　of　indentured　worlds；〃　sneered　someone　from　the　Perytonian　contingent。　〃You　try　the　patience　of　the　mittee；　Nal。〃

Nal　gestured　with　a　paw…hand。　〃Such　accusations　from　the　chief　debtor　world　in　the　Local　Group。　Peryton　tries　our　patience；　Minister　Marak。〃

〃Silence！　All　of　you；〃　Cabell　said　loudly　enough　to　quiet　a　score　of　separate　arguments　that　had　broken　out。　He　looked　to　Nal。　〃Talk　of　reprisals　and　reparations　is　not　only　premature　but　pointless；　given　the　fact　that　Haydon　IV　has　managed　to　elude　us。　I　strongly　suggest…〃

〃No　longer；　Tiresian！〃　Nal　waved　the　message　sheet　in　Cabell's　direction。　〃Our　recon　forces　report　that　Haydon　IV　has　emerged　from　fold　and　inserted　itself　in　orbit　around　Ranaath's　Star。　〃

〃Ranaath？！　〃　Cabell　said；　struggling　to　his　feet。　〃Are　you　certain　of　this？〃

〃Our　reconnaissance　forces　pride　themselves　on　their　accuracy；〃　Nal　told　him。

〃But　Ranaath　is　a　。。。　black　hole　system；〃　Cabell　said　for　the　benefit　of　the　Terran　contingent。　He　had　yet　to　tell　Penn　or　Grant　about　Exedore's　determination　that　Ranaath　had　been　at　the　receiving　end　of　the　energy　pulse　that　had　acpanied　the　Invid　departure。　〃Why　would　the　Haydonites　willingly　place　themselves　in　such　a　godforsaken　place？〃

Nal　folded　powerful…looking　arms　across　his　massive　chest。　〃We'll　be　sure　to　ask　them；〃　he　said；　hurling　the　message　b　the　floor　and　storming　from　the　room。


CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

At　66：18：740；　mander　in　Chief　Dolza　mitted　the　last　of　the