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〃We're　detecting　anomalies；〃　a　clone　from　the　Valivarre　reported。

〃Indeed？〃　Hodel　scoffed　in　a　moist　rumble。　〃Don't　you　think　they're　apparent？〃

〃I　am　referring　to　new　topographical　features　on　the　target　world；〃　the　answer　came　back。　〃Their　existence　defies　gravitational　influence。　Immense　amounts　of　power　are　being　expended。　We　have　analyzed　our　findings　and　believe　that　an　unprecedented　kind　of　mechamorphosis　is　taking　place；　and　its　speed　is　accelerating。〃

Hodel's　barrel…chested　laughter　stopped　suddenly　as　his　own　techs　snarled　at　their　positions。　〃The　clone　is　right；〃　someone　growled。

〃See！　See！〃　another　cried。

A　visual　magnification　was　flashed　on　the　main　screen。　In　it；　Haydon　IV　could　be　seen　quickening　its　transformation。　Apparently　the　modular　alterations　had　been　acplished　earlier…perhaps　in　flight…and　this　was　the　final　rearrangement。

Hodel　was　a　captain；　not　a　scientist；　but　he　had　more　than　enough　technical　background　to　know　that　no　physical　materials；　no　conventional　power　source；　could　possibly　achieve　what　he　was　witnessing。　Haydon　IV　should　have　been　annihilating　itself　with　those　upheavals。

It　was　not；　however。　It　was　taking　on　a　new　shape。　Its　astonishing　division　at　Ranaath's　Star　was　nothing　pared　what　it　was　doing　now。

〃Mechamorphosis；　in　truth；〃　Hodel　heard　Prah　say　from　the　Qrartzstar。

Hodel　roared　and　slashed　at　the　air　with　his　claws。　〃How　long　before　we　can　close　with　them？〃　Perhaps　Haydon　IV　was　as　yet　defenseless。

〃Thirty…two　minutes　until　they're　in　maximum　range；〃　a　bridge　crewwoman　called　out。　〃But　the　speed　of　the　mechamorphosis　is　increasing。　Estimated　time　to　pletion；　twenty…eight　minutes。〃

〃We　will　attack　and　obliterate　them　before　they　can　catch　their　breath　and　prepare　for　battle；〃　Hodel　howled。　〃Full　speed　ahead！　All　ships；　watch　your　deployment　and　intervals　and　prepare　to　attack！〃

Before　them；　Haydon　IV　grew。　It　contorted　and　reformed；　land　features　sliding；　rising；　falling…extending　and　reconfiguring　in　ways　Local　Group　science　would　have　pronounced　impossible。

The　substance　of　the　planet　was　redistributed；　prominences　growing　and　lengthening；　the　center　shrinking。　Even　the　Karbarrans　knew　a　cold　fear；　their　snarls　and　rumblings　more　muted　as　they　watched　the　artificial　planet　take　on　the　form　of　a　megacosm　Robotech　warrior。


Max　was　glad　Lisa　forcibly　broke　up　the　meeting　when　she　did；　in　another　few　minutes；　Nichols　and　Lang　might　have　attempted　some　kind　of　voodoo　dance　to　summon　up　the　Regis；　while　Rem　and　Marlene　performed　a　little　lounge…act　mind　reading　and　Dana　told　a　fortune　or　two。

Emotions　had　run　high　as　theories　and　assertions　clashed。　It　seemed　that　all　the　mystics　knew　pieces　of　what　was　happening　but　that　nobody　had　the　big　picture。　A　lot…of　people　at　the　meeting　were　still　at　the　trying…to…believe…it　stage。

Perhaps　the　major　distraction；　however；　was　the　conviction　many　of　the　adults　had　that　the　real　action　was　going　on　down　in　the　child…care　center。　Aurora　and　the　SDF…3　kids　were　being　exactingly　recorded；　but　Obstat　and　the　others　were　not　likely　to　learn　much　from　the　motionless；　silently　muning　seance　the　rug　rats　were　holding。

The　real　question；　of　course；　was　where　the　Regis　was　and　how　to　get　in　touch　with　her。　Lots　of　people　had　ideas；　but　none　of　them　sounded　very　convincing　to　Max。

Vince；　Lisa；　and　Rick　were　off　to　cope　with　whatever　tangible　problems　they　could　find　and　handle…integrating　working　teams；　transferring　supplies　to　the　Peter　Pan　just　in　case　there　was　no　choice　but　to　run　for　it；　resuming　patrols　of　the　planet。

Max；　like　Miriya；　had　left　his　seat　after　the　adjournment　and　gone　to　fort　Dana。　Encountering　Rem　seemed　to　have　knocked　her　feet　out　from　under　her；　they　were　not　used　to　seeing　their　gutsy　older　daughter　so　despondent。

Miriya　had　one　arm　around　Dana；　who　was　nearly　her　height；　before　Max　got　there　and　led　her　off　into　an　empty　adjoining　partment。　Dana's　head　leaned　on　Miriya's　shoulder。　The　look　his　wife　shot　him　told　Max　that　he　ought　to　hang　back　for　the　time　being。

Lisa　and　Rick　had　made　some　vague　reference　to　Max's　going　to　work　coordinating　the　bined　fighting　elements　of　the　joined　ships；　but　Max　did　not　feel　much　like　talking　war　right　at　the　moment。

He　turned　instead　to　find　his　way　aft　and　see　if　Aurora's　kiddie　coven　had　broken　up　yet。　He　wandered　along；　thinking　of　her　whispered　message　to　him。　Why　was　he；　especially；　to　be　on　guard　there　in　newspace　to　be　careful　of　his　thoughts？　Aurora　either　could　not　or　would　not　clarify。

Distracted；　he　realized　he　was　lost。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　he　had　wandered　the　passageways　of　the　SDF…3。　There　was　no　one　around；　but　he　got　his　bearings　and　began　moving　aft　again。　He　went　slowly；　meditating。

Peace　had　seemed　at　hand　when　the　Sentinels　War　ended。　He　and　Miriya　had　played　less　and　less　of　a　role　in　the　fighting；　and　he　would　have　been　perfectly　happy　to　go　on　the　inactive　rolls　for　good。

Once；　he'd　been　the　terror　of　the　Robotech　battlefield；　a　dogfight　wizard　with　a　mother　lode　of　the　right　stuff；　an　unparalleled　feel　for　his　mecha；　and　unrivaled　bat　instincts。　Slight；　pale；　and　bespectacled；　he　seldom　attracted　a　second　glance　from　a　stranger；　but　he　had　no　equal　among　humans；　Zentraedi；　Invid；　or　any　other　species。

Max　passed　into　a　big；　empty　observation　area；　its　sweep　of　viewport　showing　a　broad　expanse　of　newspace　and　the　appearing　stars。

Funny　how　that　Robotech　gift　of　his　had　just　gradually　slipped　into　the　background　as　being　a　husband　and　father　became　more　and　more　central　in　his　life。　As　if　whatever　had　given　him　his　matchless　skills　had　been　rechanneled。

He　stopped；　instincts　telling　him　that　he　was　being　watched。　With　absolute　certainty；　he　pivoted　suddenly　toward　the　viewport。

Something　hung　there　in　the　night　of　the　SDF…3's　shadow；　looking　back　at　him。　It　was　a　shape　blocking　out　the　stars；　the　unreflective　black　of　soot　or　that　jersey　dress　Miriya　had。　He　could　not　make　out　its　shape；　but　it　moved　slowly　like　a　marionette　drifting　in　water。　It　was　difficult　to　estimate；　but　he　got　the　impression　it　was　only　about　a　hundred　yards　or　so　from　the　hull　。　。　。　and　it　was　big。

Without　taking　his　eyes　from　it；　Max　edged　over　to　an　inter　on　the　bulkhead　and　signaled　the　bridge。　〃This　is　Sterling…Max　Sterling　on　Foxtrot　Deck；　partment；　uh；　H…2108　starboard。　I　have　a　visual　on　possible　bogey。〃　Something　about　the　indistinct　shape　made　his　stomach　twist；　and　sweat　had　started　at　his　forehead。

A　brisk　voice…Mr。　Toler；　Max　thought　it　was…answered。　〃Our　sensors　show　nothing；　mander。〃

〃Then　they're　malfunctioning！　Gimme　some　hull　lights　down　here；　now！〃

High…candlepower　external　lights　sprang　to　life　out　on　the　hull。　The　harsh　illumination　they　threw　forth　splashed　against　a　shape　that　made　Max's　mouth　fall　open。

It　was　not　like　any　mecha　he'd　ever　heard　of；　though　he'd　been　pretty　sure　he　knew　them　all。　It　incorporated　features　of　Invid　Inorganic；　RDF　Beta　Battloid；　and　Robotech　Master　Bioroid。　But　the　bulbous　torso　with　its　plastron　cannon　and　the　reverse…articulated　legs　immediately　made　him　think　of　Zentraedi　pods。　And　its　single…lensed　turret　of　a　head　sported　long；　gleaming　saber…tooth　fangs　like　those　of　a　Hellcat。

It　floated　out　there；　looking　straight　at　him　with　its　yellow　and　red　lens；　while　Max　whispered　a　soft；　almost　admiring　obscenity。　Seconds　ticked　by　while　the　two　stared　at　each　other。

He　heard　running　feet　and　glanced　over　automatically　to　see　Colonel　Xien　dash　into　the　partment　with　some　staffers　bringing　up　the　rear…a　mere　flicker　of　the　eyes。　And　yet；　when　Max　looked　back；　the　black　mecha　was　gone。

〃mander　Sterling；　we　have　nothing　on　scopes　or　visual；〃　the　voice　from　the　bridge　said　a　bit　primly；　perhaps　peeved　at　Max　for　implying　that　those　on　watch　would　let　something　sneak　up　on　the　ship。　〃Whatever　it　is；　we　don't　see　it。〃

Max　stared　at　empty　space　for　a　few　moments　before　keying　the　inter　to　reply。　〃That　figures。　It　wasn't　here　to　see　you；　either。〃


It　was　a　race　against　time　that　had　the　Elders　frothing　behind　their　respirator　masks。　The　mechamorphosis　of　Haydon　IV　into　a　Robotech　warrior　was　an　astonishing　achievement；　violating　laws