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Max　narrowed　his　eyes　as　a　series　of　plex　schematics　flashed　on…screen。

Dana　got　a　grip　on　the　Zentraedi's　shoulder。　〃Don't　go　mute　on　us　now；　Exedore；　or　I'll…〃

〃It's　changing；〃　he　said　before　she　could　plete　the　threat。　〃The　entire　planet。　Haydon　IV　is　reconfiguring！〃


〃The　second　star　to　the　right？〃　Rick　asked；　wondering　when　he　had　heard　the　phrase　before。　〃Why　that　one？〃　Lang's　broad　shoulders　heaved。　〃It's　the　closest。　It　appears　to　be；　I　should　say。　Light　seems　to　enjoy　playing　games　with　itself　in　this　place。　One　moment　the　star　lies　directly　along　our　course；　the　next　it　doesn't。　One　moment　it's　effectively　beyond　reach；　the　next　at　our　bow。〃　The　scientist　gestured　to　the　engineering　room's　tablescreen。　〃You　see！　There　it　changes　again。　As　if　it　were　pensating　for　the　deficiency　of　our　drive　system　or　trying　to　decide　just　where　to　locate　itself。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃What's　the　sense　of　trying　to　discover　the　essential　mechanics　of　this　realm　where　there　is　nothing　immutable　to　measure　against？〃

Several　theories　had　been　advanced　when　the　fog　of　newspace　had　lifted　and　distant　stars　had　appeared；　all　of　which　had　since　been　quickly　overruled　by　updated　findings：　The　SDF…3　had　not　been　returned　to　hyperspace；　nor　had　it　manifested　from　fold　somewhere　in　the　intergalactic　void。

According　to　some；　however；　the　present　darkness　was　but　the　afterlife　tunnel　itself；　and　next　would　e　encounters　with　deceased　relatives　and　shadowy　presences。

Many；　in　fact；　had　already　begun　to　review　their　lives。　Screen…weary；　Rick　was　massaging　his　eyes　with　his　fingertips。　Here　was　a　universe　to　behold　from　the　viewports；　but　to　hear　Lang　tell　it；　the　stars　might　as　well　have　been　insubstantial。　Rem　was　standing　behind　the　two　of　them；　silently　brooding。

Lang　said；　〃We　train　our　scopes　on　the　farthest　reaches；　millions　of　parsecs　distant；　and　what　do　we　find？〃

Rick　waited；　then　realized　that　he　was　supposed　to　answer。　〃Uh；　I　don't　know。　What　do　we　get？〃

〃Stars　literally　winking　into　existence。〃　Lang　punched　a　scancorder's　playback　bar。　Eyes　on　the　monitor　again；　Rick　felt　as　though　he　were　soaring　over　the　crest　of　an　invisible　hill　to　watch　stars　appear　on　the　horizon。

〃Maybe　we're　inside　some　sort　of　torus；〃　he　ventured。　〃Our　motion's　a　continuous　curve　instead　of　the　straight　line　we　perceive。〃

Lang's　upper　teeth　were　bared　when　he　turned　Rick　an　over…the…shoulder　look。

Rick　felt　skewered。　〃It　was　only　a　suggestion。〃

〃Of　course；〃　Lang　said　with　unconcealed　condescension。　All　at　once　Rick　was　aware　of　Rem's　breath　on　the　back　of　his　neck。　〃Are　you　just　going　to　stand　there？〃　he　asked；　adopting　Lang's　curdled　expression　as　he　swung　around。

〃I　have　nothing　to　add；〃　Rem　told　him。

Rick　inclined　his　head　to　one　side。　〃Rumor　has　it　you　blacked　out　when　the　lights　hit　us。〃

Lang　twisted　around　in　his　chair。　〃I　heard　nothing　of　this。〃　The　Tiresian　regarded　them　coolly。　〃Minmei　exaggerates。　We　unfortunately　found　ourselves　at　a　nexus　point。　The　experience　was　somewhat　overwhelming。　I　may　have　lost　consciousness；　but　only　for　a　moment。〃

Lang　traded　looks　with　Rick。　〃Why　didn't　you　report　this？〃　Rick　pressed。

Rem　shrugged。　〃There　was　nothing　to　report。　A　slight　feeling　of　dissociation；　not　altogether　unpleasant。〃

Rick　regarded　him　for　a　long　moment。　〃The　next　time　you　lend　yourself　at　the　center　of　something；　Rem；　you　e　to　tell　us　about　it。　That's　an　order。〃


Jack　gave　the　Alpha's　thinking　cap　an　angry　toss　as　he　bed　from　the　cockpit。　The　sensitive　helmet　struck　the　forward　seat　with　an　audible　thud　and　drew　the　attention　of　a　burly　flight　mechanic　who　was　standing　nearby。

〃You　wanna　watch　that；　sir；〃　the　man　said　as　Jack　dropped　to　the　deck。　〃Next　time　your　bird's　not　answerin'；　you　know　why；　right？〃

Jack　considered　making　an　issue　of　it　but　in　the　end　apologized。　〃I'll　watch　it。〃

〃That'd　be　smart；　Cap'ain。〃

Everybody's　a　goddamn　expert；　Jack　thought；　striding　away。　mand　when　they　order　you　not　to　engage；　mechies　when　they're　telling　you　how　to　care　for　your　gear。　And　Sean　and　the　rest　of　the　15th　jockeys　when　they're　telling　you　how　to　pilot　your　craft。

Captain　Phillips　was　approaching　from　across　the　hangar　bay；　Dante　and　Marie　Crystal　on　either　side。　Jack　looked　around　for　Karen；　but　she　was　nowhere　in　sight。　So　I'll　go　it　alone。

〃That　was　some　soarin'　there；　hotshot；〃　Sean　began。　〃Where'd　you　think　you　were；　in　an　air　circus？〃

〃And　I　suppose　you　had　the　whole　thing　sussed；　is　that　it；　Phillips？〃

〃At　least　we　knew　enough　to　go　to　Battloid；　Jack；〃　Marie　interjected。

Jack　glared　at　her。　〃Enough　to　go　to　Battloid？　That　was　the　most　asinine　thing　I've　ever　seen。　Even　a　VT　cadet　knows　better　than　to　go　upright　when　going　to　lasers。　It's　not　only　a　waste　of　fuel　but　a　wasted　thought。　I　don't　know　if　that　kind　of　stunt　flying　cut　it　against　the　Masters…personally；　I　doubt　it…but　this　is　null…g；　folks。　I　mean；　you　Troopers　better　get　your　exo　shit　together　if　you're　gonna　stay　with　the　program。〃

The　three　ex…tankers　exchanged　wide…eyed　looks。

〃Can　you　believe　this　guy？〃　Sean　said。　〃He　goes　in　teats　up；　belly　lasers　engaged…full　retro；　mind　you…and　he's　got　the　nerve　to　rag　us　about　stunt　flying？〃

Jack　fumed。　It　was　the　same　argument　they　had　been　having　for　two　years。　Of　course　there　had　been　no　missions　to　fly　all　that　time；　so　the　petition　had　to　be　saved　for　practice　runs　with　green　cadets　outside　Tirol's　envelope　or　the　occasional　deep…space　prototype　of　off　the　Ark　Angel。　Then　there　were　the　nights　on　leave　when　things　got　roughneck　and　rowdy　downside　in　some　Tiresian　canteen。　But　what　else　could　you　expect　from　mechamorphs　who　had　suddenly　been　plucked　from　bat　and　practically　returned　to　school　when　they　were　not　drawing　watch　assignments　in　ordnance　factories　or　on　some　Karbarran…manufactured　peat…cruisers？

〃I'm　gonna　have　to　trim　your　course　some；　Phillips；〃　Jack　said。　menacingly。

Sean　motioned　his　teammates　back　and　set　himself　in　a　bent…knee　stance。　He　curled　his　fingers　at　Jack。　〃e　on；　then；　Jack。　Make　your　move。〃

Jack　really　had　not　expected　things　to　go　that　far　but　clearly　realized　there　was　no　backing　down。　〃Suit　yourself；　Sean；〃　he　said；　about　to　raise　his　fists。

〃That'll　be　quite　enough　of　that；〃　a　voice　said　loudly　enough　to　bring　everyone　around。　Jack　thought　for　a　moment　that　Karen　was　ing　to　his　six；　but　one　look　at　her　face　told　him　he　was　flying　blind。

〃This　is　positively　the　most　pathetic　excuse　for　a　debriefing　I've　ever　witnessed。〃

〃We　weren't　exactly　debriefing；　sir；〃　Dante　started　to　say。

〃That's　right；〃　Sean　said　with　a　glowering　glance　at　Jack。　〃It　was　more　in　the　way　of　paring　styles。〃

Marie　said；　〃Look；　Karen；　we　were　just…〃

〃Maybe　you've　forgotten　that　we　lost　several　good　pilots　out　there；　is　that　it？〃　She　shook　her　head　in　disapproval。　Real　heroes；　all　of　you。〃

〃Jeez；　Karen；〃　Jack　said　with　a　hangdog　look。

〃Save　it；〃　she　told　him。

〃How　are　they　being　listed；　sir？〃　Angelo　Dante　asked　softly　as　Karen　was　about　to　walk　away。

She　turned　to　face　him。　〃A　new　classification　to　suit　our　situation；　Sergeant　Dante。　Neither　killed　in　action　nor　missing　and　presumed　dead。〃

〃How　then；　sir？〃

〃Presumed　missing；　〃　she　told　him。


Elsewhere　in　the　superdimensional　fortress；　retired　15th　Corporal　Bowie　Grant　was　making　music。

The　return　of　the　stars；　the　lightstuff　of　real　space；　had　proved　something　of　an　inspiration　for　Bowie　and　his　female　lead　singer。　Musica　and　Allegra…two　of　the　clone　population　Jonathan　Wolff's　starship　had　returned　to　Tirol…and　they　were　trying　out　their　gifts　on　a　new　position　when　Minmei's　quiet　entrance　into　the　music　room　startled　them　into　silence。

〃I…I　didn't　mean　to　disturb　you；〃　she　said。　Bowie　was　speechless。

〃I　just　wanted　to　listen　for　a　moment。〃

〃C…e　in；　please；〃　Bowie　stammered。　The　two　clones；　poised　like　museum　statuary　on　either　side　of　his　rack　of　Boards；　regarded　him　with　bemused　expressions。

Their　sister　in　the　triumvirate；　had　died　on　Earth；　Musica's　mystical　rapport　with　the　Cosmic　Harp…an　instrument　whose　melodies　had　once　given　shape　and　effect　to　the　telepathic　power　of　the　Robotech　Masters…had　died　too。　But　Musica's　voice　was　more　aliv