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sure　looked　like　some　hasty　clothes　donning。

He　and　his　team　went　carefully；　testing　the　ground　and　watching　the　air　around　them；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　a　threat。　Angelo　and　Gnea；　squared　away；　were　wandering　around　the　spot　where　they　had　appeared；　apparently　searching　for　something。　As　Rick　came　up　to　them　and　Angelo　came　to　attention；　Gnea　was　carving　a　big　X　in　the　ground　with　her　halberd；　on　the　spot　where　they　had　popped　back　into　sight；　so　that　it　could　be　found　later　if　necessary。

Angelo　pumped　off　a　nervously　crisp　salute。　〃Um；　Sergeant　Dante　reporting；　sir。　We；　ah；　that　is？

〃Just　take　it　slow；　Angie。　One　thing　at　a　time。　Is　there　still　a　threat　here？〃

The　big　tanker　swallowed。　〃There　is；　everywhere　in　these　parts；　sir。　But　no　more　here　than　anyplace　else。〃

Gnea　had　joined　them。　Rick　could　not　help　noticing　that　she　stood　rather　close　to　Dante；　leaning　on　her　halberd。　〃Give　me　the　high　points　first；〃　Rick　told　them。

Angelo's　chest　expanded　as　he　drew　a　deep；　resolute　breath。　But　Gnea　got　the　story　in　motion　first。　〃We　met　the　Invid　Regis。　This　whole　newspace　is　her　realm。　She's　got　the　SDF…3's　fold　drives　and　won't　give　them　back。　She　doesn't　want　us　to　leave。〃

Angelo　still　had　his　chest　full　of　air。　He　let　it　out　in　one　long　sigh。　〃She　says　the　real　universe　is　ending；　Admiral。〃　Rick　looked　at　the　X　in　the　ground。　〃Does　she　know　we're　not　finished　with　it　yet？〃

He　said　it　to　cover　the　fact　that　he　was　dumbfounded。　What　the　hell　was　going　on？　The　SDF…3　had　been　on　its　way　home　to　fight　the　Regis。　Was　the　war　already　lost？

Rick　glanced　from　Gnea　to　Dante。　〃Looks　like　we're　in　for　one　helluva　debriefing。〃

The　municator　toned。　The　tiny　screen　showed　not　a　TIC　officer　but　Lisa's　face。　〃Rick；　we've　had　a　new　development　here。　Suggest　you　return　to　SDF…3　ASAP。〃

He　ran　a　hand　through　his　hair；　wondering　why　it　had　not　all　gone　white。　〃What's　happened？〃

He　could　tell　it　took　some　effort　for　her　to　stay　calm。　〃The　children…Roy　and　the　others。　They've　made　contact　with　Aurora　Sterling。　It　seems　there's　a　rescue　ship　on　the　way；　but　the　kids're　in　some　kind　of　trance；　and　Segundo　can't　rouse　them　out　of　it。〃

There　was　a　sudden　ground…shaking　eruption　of　flame　and　blast。　Where　Kazianna's　powered　armor　had　stood；　there　was　only　burning　grass。　High　above；　her　armor　darted　for　the　SDF…3。


〃No　closer！〃

Segundo　looked　ridiculously　small　blocking　Kazianna's　path　to　the　circle　of　children；　but　he　did　not　budge　an　inch　when　she　seemed　about　to　trample　him　flat。

Instead；　she　stopped。　The　humans　knew　more　about　young　ones　than　she；　and　there　was　an　undeniable　ring　of　moral　force　in　the　Micronian's　voice。

Still；　it　took　a　lot　to　keep　her　distance　when　Drannin　sat　bewitched　with　the　others；　droning　Aurora's　name。　What　made　it　all　insane　was　that　Aurora's　image；　or　specter；　floated　in　the　center　of　their　circle。　Her　eyes　held　the　same　macabre　glow　theirs　did。

Lisa　stood　nearby；　barely　restraining　herself　from　going　to　Roy。　〃Emilio；　if　this　is　a　case　of　waking　the　sleepwalker；　I'm　willing　to　risk　it　rather　than　have　their　minds　stolen。〃

She　felt　Rick's　hand　grip　hers　and　give　it　a　sustaining　squeeze。

But　Dr。　Segundo　was　shaking　his　head。　〃It's　not　that。　They　are　still　in　their　bodies；　as　it　were；　and　I　believe　Aurora　is；　too。　But　this　is　not　the　sort　of　thing　you　can　end　simply　by　dashing　water　in　someone's　face。

〃Some　exchange　of　information　is　taking　place；　we　can　all　feel　that。　Let　it；　for　I　suspect　the　children　will　not　desist　until　it　does。〃

Kazianna　wavered　like　a　tree　swaying　in　a　monsoon；　then　held　her　place。　〃For　how　long？〃

Before　the　pediatrician　could　answer；　someone　shouted；　〃Look！〃

Aurora　was　looking　beyond　the　circle　of　children　to　where　Lisa　and　the　rest　stood。　She　raised　her　hand　to　them　in　greeting　or　farewell…Lisa　could　not　tell　which…as　the　chanting　grew　louder。

Au…ro…RA！

Then　the　chanting　stopped；　and　Aurora　faded　away。　Roy　and　the　others　rose　and　faced　their　parents；　their　eyes　still　alight。　Segundo　had　the　sense　to　move　aside　this　time；　nothing　was　going　to　keep　Kazianna　from　Drannin's　side。　Lisa　and　Rick　ran　to　Roy；　and　other　parents　were　right　behind。

Lisa　threw　her　arms　around　her　son；　possessed　or　not。　She　half　expected　him　to　feel　clammy　or　wooden　in　her　embrace；　but　he　was　just　a　little　boy　who　might　well　do　with　a　bath　sometime　soon。

As　she　knelt　by　him；　though；　he　put　one　hand　on　Lisa's　boulder。　〃Mommy；　'Rora's　gonna　be　here　soon。〃

Rick　hunched　down　by　his　son。　〃When？　How；　Roy？〃

〃in'　in　a　big　round　ship。　We　told　her　how　to　find　us。　Mommy；　we　have　to　go。〃

〃Yes；　hon。　We'll　take　you　home　right　now。〃

Roy　shook　his　head；　eyes　still　flashing　eerily。　〃Uh　uh；　I　mean　go　from　here。　'Rora　said。　Before　it's　too　late。〃

〃What　did　she　mean？〃　Rick　gripped　Roy's　shoulders　and　forced　himself　to　look　into　the　beacon　eyes。　〃Too　late　how？〃

〃I　can　tell　you；〃　he　heard　somebody　say。

Rick　and　Lisa　rose；　Lisa　holding　Roy。　Before　them　stood　Rem　and　Minmei；　hand　in　hand。

〃And　the　boy　is　right；〃　Rem　added。　〃There　isn't　much　time。〃


CHAPTER　TWENTY…SEVEN

Why　are　Terrestrials　so　surprised　there　was　no　fossil　evidence　or　other　indication　of　the　Flower's　origin　left　behind　on　Earth　or　the　Pollinators'　either？　Hasn't　it　penetrated　yet　that　we　are　talking　about　Haydon？
Cabell；　Zor　and　the　Great　Transition

Even　set　in　a　row　as　they　were；　locked　on　their　thrones　on　the　flying　carpet　like　so　many　trophies　on　a　mantelpiece；　the　Robotech　Elders　made　their　acid　resentment　known…by　their　eyes；　their　mental　timbre；　their　very　aura。　Why　are　you　not　mustering　your　war　machines？　You　must　crush　the　Amazons！

Haydon　was　One　again；　standing　afoot；　as　he　rarely　did；　far　across　the　machine　plain；　tall　as　a　peak。　Nevertheless；　he　caught　their　sour；　almost　pouting　thought。

Haydon　turned　to　them；　rising　from　the　alloy　flatland　and　drifting　toward　the　fantastic　tower　on　whose　pinnacle　they　rested。　He　was　so　huge　that　winds　moaned　and　swirled　in　turbulence　at　his　passing。　Even　at　that　thin…aired　height；　his　head　loomed　above　them。

YOU　ARE　SUCH　PETTY　AND　UNTHINKING　ORGANISMS。　NO　WONDER　YOU　CAME　TO　THE　PITIFUL　STATE　IN　WHICH　I　FOUND　YOU。

The　Elders　shot　back；　You　need　the　Flowers！

I　HAVE　ALREADY　MADE　THAT　KNOWN　TO　THE　PRAXIANS；　the　great　head　sent　forth　its　words。

What？　No！　You　must　take　them　by　surprise；　smash　all　resistance　with　your　first　blow！　The　artificial　world　must　al璻eady　be　depleted　by　construction　of　the　sphere　ships；　surely　it　could　not　sustain　a　prolonged　war。

Haydon　drew　back；　light　as　a　feather　though　he　stirred　immense　air　currents　with　his　movement。　YOU　KNOW　NOTHING。　THERE　ARE　OTHER　WAYS　TO　ACPLISH　GOALS　BESIDES　MURDER　AND　DESTRUCTION。

As　he　hung　in　the　air；　Haydon　worked　yet　another　change　upon　himself。　This　time　the　Elders　were　so　shocked　that　even　their　crotchety　sourness　of　spirit　failed　them。


Power　systems　had　long　since　been　installed　on　New　Praxis；　but　tonight's　ceremony　decreed　the　light　of　torches。

The　city　had　the　look　of　traditional　Amazonian　architecture；　which　often　reminded　humans　of　a　blend　of　classical　Japanese　and　Dark　Ages　Nordic。　Here；　though；　it　was　worked　in　local　materials；　the　rough…cut　stone　being　little　different　but　the　lumber　taken　from　Flowers　permitted　to　grow　to　massive　fruition。　Though　the　feud　wars　of　the　Praxians　had　ended　generations　ago；　their　buildings　still　had　the　look　of　fortifications。

The　importance　of　the　Second　Generation　Flowers　went　far　beyond　building　supplies。　As　the　only　plex　plant　that　would　thrive　in　Opteran　soil；　it　sustained　much　of　the　CO2…oxygen　cycle　that　made　the　planet　inhabitable。　Thus；　much　of　the　Praxians'　effort　at　recolonization　had　been　directed　at　a　third　seeding　of　the　place。

Down　the　center　way　of　their　rebuilt　city　the　Sisterhood　came　in　a　throng；　marching　somberly；　torches　held　high。　They　were　turned　out　in　their　best　armor　and　accoutrements；　weapons　sharpened　and　polished；　their　fantastic　war　helms　burnished。

At　the　end　of　the　main　avenue　of　their　old　cities　was　usually　the　Whaashi；　a　birthing　center　or　creche。　Though　the　women　warriors　knew　nothing　of　courtship；　sexuality；　or　pregnancy；　at　least　until　the　Sentinels　War；　the　monolithic