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w　world；　staring　at　Marie　Crystal's　shapely；　jumpsuited　deriere。

What　the　hell's　ing　over　me？　Rick　asked　himself；　tearing　his　eyes　away。　He　had　not　felt　quite　so　lustful　since　Sue　Graham　had　tried　to　seduce　him　one　afternoon　in　the　Ark　Angel's　situation　room。

Rick　stopped　short　on　the　narrow　trail；　only　to　have　Karen　Penn　bump　up　against　his　back。

〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　she　said。　〃I　didn't　see　you　give　a　sign　to　halt。〃

〃I；　er；　that　is；〃　Rick　began。　〃Listen；　Captain；　why　don't　you　go　on　ahead　for　a　while。〃

〃Certainly；　sir；〃　she　said；　brushing　past　him；　face　to　face。　Cripes！　he　thought。　Two　women　to　leer　at　now。

Angelo　Dante　had　the　point；　the　rest　of　the　human　and　XT　scouting　party　spread　out　behind　in　a　trailing　wedge。　The　Alpha…Beta　VTs　were　Battloid…reconfigured　on　a　flat　spot　of　ground　where　they　had　left　them　only　moments　before。　The　land　was　an　undulating　temperate　zone　forest　of　analogue　firs；　raucous　with　the　calls　of　black　birds　that　confined　themselves　to　the　upper　reaches　of　the　canopy。　The　sun　was　intense　where　it　shone　through；　the　air　was　aromatic；　rich　with　the　smell　of　life。　Scans　initiated　from　the　SDF…3　had　indicated　the　presence　of　an　intense　bio…energy　nexus　in　the　region；　but　several　low…level　passes　had　revealed　little　to　add　to　what　had　already　been　gleaned　from　the　ship's　data　readouts；　and　so　Rick　had　ordered　the　Veritechs　down。

He　was　not　sure　just　what　had　made　him　think　of　Jessie　after　all　those　years。　It　was　true　that　the　argument　with　Lisa　had　touched　off　a　cascade　of　angry　thoughts；　but　no　sooner　had　he　lowered　the　VT's　canopy　in　the　launch　bay　than　they　had　been　cleared　from　his　mind。　And　Marie　Crystal's　butt　not　been　responsible；　either；　no　matter　how　pleasing　it　was。　Because　for　all　the　lust；　Rick　was　experiencing　waves　of　nostalgia　as　well。　A　yearning　for　simpler…alternative　presents。

He　felt　certain　that　something　in　the　air　had　brought　it　on；　or　perhaps　it　was　the　trees　themselves　and　the　memories　of　northern　California　redwoods　and　home　fires　that　their　piney　aroma　elicited。

Memories　of　Earth　before　the　wars。

Jack　Baker　appeared　from　the　underbrush　a　few　steps　behind　Rick…waved；　and　came　up　alongside。　Rick　not　only　saw　a　bit　of　himself　in　the　younger　man　but　noticed　the　same　wistful　in　Baker's　green　eyes。　He　tracked　Baker's　gaze　to　Karen's　backside。

〃What's　on　your　mind；　Captain？〃

Baker　was　red…faced　when　he　turned　around。　〃Begging　the　Admiral's　pardon；　sir。　I　guess　I　was　just　daydreaming。〃

〃Daydreaminng；　Baker？〃

〃Fantasizing；　actually；　sir。〃　He　made　a　circular　motion　with　his　hand。　〃It's　this　place；　Admiral。　It　reminds　me　so　much　of　where　I　was　brought　up。　North　Carolina；　sir？　before　Dolza；　I　mean。〃

〃You're　wondering　what　it　would　have　been　like　if　things　had　gone　differently　for　Earth。〃

Jack　looked　at　him　searchingly。　〃That's　it；　sir。　I　keep　thinking　this　planet's　trying　to　remind　us　of　what　we　lost。〃


In　a　dark　corner　of　the　galaxy　lost　to　the　SDF…3；　silhouetted　against　the　swirling；　malevolent　backdrop　of　Ranaath's　Star；　floated　the　first　nearly　pleted　products　of　Haydon's　IV's　mining　and　manufacturing　efforts：　ships璵assively　proportioned…with　featureless　spherical　hulls　attended　and　ministered　to　by　hundreds　of　labor　drones。

Inside　the　Ark　Angel；　Vince；　Cabell；　Penn；　and　the　Nichols　team　were　fortifying　themselves　with　strong　caffie　when　an　unexpected　transmission　was　received　from　Haydon　IV。

〃Veldt；　is　that　you？〃　Vince　asked　in　a　rush；　eyes　riveted　to　the　situation　room's　mo　screen。　They　had　spent　part　of　the　Sentinels　campaign　together；　but　Vince　had　not　seen　the　Haydonite　in　years。　Even　so；　save　for　the　color　of　his　forehead　sensor；　a　certain　warmth　to　his　sendings；　and　definite　swagger　to　his　glide；　Veidt　was　nearly　identical　to　countless　other　〃male〃　beings　on　Haydon　IV。

A　synthesized　voice　answered　for　Veidt。　〃Yes；　mander。　It's　good　to　see　you　again。〃

〃And　you；　too；〃　Vince　said。　〃I　only　wish　it　could　be　under　different　circumstances。〃

Beneath　the　static　of　the　signal；　Veidt's　expression　conveyed　a　wry　smile。　〃You　discern　my　very　thoughts。〃

For　hours　the　Ark　Angel　had　been　hailing　the　Awareness　without　response。　The　flagship　of　the　Karbarran　flotilla　had　been　attempting　the　same　and　had　finally　issued　the　reconfigured　artifact　world　with　an　ultimatum：　Release　all　Karbarran　prisoners　by　1200　standard　hours　or　suffer　the　consequences　of　a　full　assault。　Cabell　had　appealed　to　the　Karbarran　legation　to　rethink　their　position；　but　the　threat　stood　as　delivered。

〃You　know　about　the　ultimatum？〃　Vince　asked。

〃I　have　only　just　learned　about　it；　yes。　But　you　must　convince　the　Karbarrans　to　rescind。〃

Cabell　leaned　toward　the　camera。　〃You　leave　them　no　alternative；　Veidt。　〃

〃I　will　endeavor　to　explain；〃　the　Haydonite　said　after　a　moment。　〃Be　advised；　however；　that　Vowad　and　I　have　undertaken　munication　with　you　at　great　personal　risk。　Should　my　visage　abruptly　vanish　from　the　screen；　you　will　understand　why。〃

〃Then　save　your　thoughts；〃　Vince　said。　〃We　think　we've　got　a　fair　idea　of　what's　been　going　on。〃　Quickly；　he　summarized　the　scenario　Louie　and　Cabell　had　arrived　at。　Veidt　listened　in　silence。　〃We　just　need　to　learn　where　these　ships　you're　manufacturing　are　headed；〃　Vince　concluded。　〃You　have　our　word　we　won't　interfere　with　the　Awareness　in　any　way。　We　only　want　permission　to　tag　along；　if　that's　possible。　Veidt　shook　his　head。　〃That　is　quite　impossible；　mander。　Your　ship　is　inadequate　for　such　a　journey。〃

Vince　glowered　at　the　screen。　〃Try　to　understand　our　side　of　it；　Veidt。　This　may　be　our　only　shot　at　locating　the　SDF…3。　Think　about　Rick　and　Lisa　and　the　crew。　They're　our　friends；　Veidt；　and　they're　in　trouble。〃

Veidt's　features　betrayed　little。　〃I　might　also　ask　that　you　appraise　things　from　our　vantage；　mander。　To　prehend　after　thousands　of　years　that　your　sole　purpose　had　been　to　function　as　caretakers　for　a　race　who；　if　they　did　not　create　you；　then　surely　redirected　you　from　your　evolutionary　process。〃　The　Haydonite　paused。　〃And　now；　even　in　the　face　of　this　realization；　to　be　helpless。〃

Vince　turned　away　from　the　camera　to　glance　at　Cabell　and　Penn。　〃Were　sorry；　Veidt。　But　all　this　doesn't　mean　we　can　stand　by　and　do　nothing。〃

The　Haydonite's　shoulders　seemed　to　shrug　under　his　robe。　〃The　Awareness　must　be　persuaded　to　release　all　offworlders…immediately。〃

Awareness　is　no　longer　responding　to　us；　mander；〃　Veidt　sent　with　a　touch　of　impatience。　〃We　are　responding　to　it。　In　any　case；　all　offworlders　will　be　released　in　due　course。　In　the　meantime；　everyone　is　being　well　cared　for。　Exadore　and　the　Sterlings　are　in　good　health：　I　have　even　seen　to　it　that　they　have　been　equipped　with　a　monitoring　device　linked　to　the　Awareness　itself。〃

Louie　put　a　hand　down　on　the　munication　console's　interrupt　stud　and　turned　his　back　to　the　optical　pickup。　〃Ask　him　if　he　can　put　us　on…line　with　Exedore。〃

Vince　studied　Louie's　face　for　a　moment；　then　reactivated　the　system's　audio　feed。　〃Listen；　Veidt；　can't　you　at　least　allow　us　to　get　in　touch　with　Exedore　and　Max；　just　so　we　know　they're　all　right？〃

Veidt　puted　the　feasibility。　〃I　can　so　arrange；〃　he　said；　at　last。

His　back　still　turned　to　the　screen；　Louie　smiled。　〃That　may　be　all　we　need；〃　he　whispered。


Exedore；　Max；　Miriya；　and　the　Sterling　daughters　listener　attentively　while　Cabell　brought　them　up　to　date　on　current　events　and　the　speculative　history　of　Haydon　IV。　The　five　of　them　were　huddled　around　the　monitor；　hands　gripping　on　another's　arms　in　contained　excitement。

〃Yes；　yes；　it　all　fits　precisely　with　the　facts；〃　Exedore　was　telling　the　old　sage。　〃The　experiment　shaped　by　Haydon　has　finally　succeeded。　The　Invid　have　exited　the　continuum　and　opened　a　breach　to　a　new　realm。　And　the　SDF…3　is　trapped　there。〃　He　shook　his　head　in　astonishment。　〃This　could　account　for　all　the　irregularities；　Cabell…this　tightening　of　the　cosmic　fabric。〃

〃We　think　so；〃　Cabell　said。　〃The　creation　of　that　breach　as　you　call　it；　has　possibly　doomed　the　world　we　know　to　ultimate　collapse。　It　is　as　though　Haydon's　‘success'　has　rendered　all　evolving　life　in　this　Quadrant　obsolete。　Only　one　was　needed　to　achieve　that　passage。〃　The　Tiresian　shook　his　he