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Now； though； Lantas looked young and frightened。 She said； 〃The captains of the Local Group are here。〃
They trooped into the room Karbarran and Spherisian； Garudan and Perytonian。 Strange to see them striding along together； when in the near past there had been so much friction among them。
The captains drew to a halt before the three。 Hodel； the burly Karbarran； spoke for them； the flotilla was mostly Karbarran； after all。 〃We have had word of Haydon's approach。 Tirol has given us reason to hate it over the centuries； but in the Sentinels War； you here became our allies。 More to the point； we think your researches into using the matrix to halt the shrinkage of the cosmos are our only hope of survival。 We therefore cannot surrender the matrix to Haydon； no matter what。
〃Tracialle will lead the fleet into battle。 Your Tiresian techs have agreed to man the Valivarre。〃 His main regret was that the powerful Ark Angel had； after delivering the scientists to Tirol； departed for return to Earth； it would have added tremendously to the flotilla's firepower。
Exedore had heard something about the Tiresians' crewing…Valivarre for battle。 With all the Zentraedi gone save only himself； the ship had to be refitted for use by Micronians； of course。 But how surprising that the clones； after centuries of docility； should leap to defend their planet and the matrix with all the stoic determination of Zentraedi in a suicide charge。 It was a time of horrors but； truly； a time of wonders as well。
〃I tell you again that I doubt you have any chance of victory；〃 Cabell was saying。 〃But I know that won't dissuade you。 What； then； do you wish of us？〃
A Perytonian； Purg； spoke up； tossing his needle…sharp horns as he did。 〃Tell us of the Awareness； the seat of its consciousness； where its vulnerabilities lie。 It is weak now； if we destroy it； Haydon will be unable to wage war。〃
Cabell was shaking his head measuredly。 〃Firstly； the planet has gone through such radical mechamorphosis that there is no telling where the Awareness is now。 Nor is there any reliable way of detecting it。
〃But more importantly； destroying the Awareness will not guarantee that Haydon is powerless； far from it。 I implore you all to hold back。 Exedore and I are trying to develop some kind of defense to keep the artificial planet at bay。〃
What he did not tell them was that if worse came to worst； he and the micronized Zentraedi meant to destroy the matrix utterly。 The residents of the Local Group looked to it as their only hope of salvation。
Captain Prah； the Spherisian； answered。 Her ship； the Quartzstar； was the newest； smallest； and most beautiful of all the Local Group vessels。 Spheris was perhaps the least warlike of the allies； and so Cabell hoped for some word of moderation from her。
But she said in a voice that had a high crystal ring to it； 〃We cannot risk Haydon's gaining the ultimate power of the matrix； nor can we gamble the lives of Tirol's people。 Therefore； unless this weapon of yours is forthing； the flotilla will advance and engage Haydon IV as soon as it appears in this system。〃
〃I am Zentraedi；〃 Exedore said； hands clasped behind his back。 〃I understand your feelings。 Nonetheless； I beg you to reconsider。 〃
The captains' silence was as emphatic as any spoken refusal。
〃Go； then；〃 Cabell told the captains。 〃Exedore and I will see if Protoculture has any secrets left to teach us。〃
Over and over； during the headlong days of the Flower harvest； her hand went to her sidearm and she drew a breath to summon those guardswomen who were still faithful to her； to go out and stop the collection； prevent the delivery to orbit； or die trying。
But each time； Bela's hand unwillingly released the gun's grip。 To do that would mean fighting and killing her Sisters and make her worse than Haydon； worse than an Invid。 What was to happen now was beyond her power to control。
In time the cargo ship lifted off； climbing to orbit on its antiproton…power trail。 It was gone for more than ten hours； off…loading its Flower cargo and taking aboard the promised modules。 When it made planetfall again； it seemed as though every childless woman on the planet was waiting to greet it； to help in assembling the modules。
Haydon and Her works remained an enigma； the modules； once activated； shifted position and assembled themselves； the Amazons not daring to interfere or try to probe the secrets of Her devices。
Still Bela sat in her aerie； glaring down the central boulevard of Zanshar。 Dawn rose on a plaza from which the cloning facility had vanished； replaced by a Whaashi。 A lottery was being held in the open square for a fair and orderly allocation of access to the place of miracles。
When the first woman entered the Whaashi； Bela rose from her place and went to her palace's mand center。 There she watched on a projecbeam screen as Haydon IV got under way again。
She expected to see a planet restored to high…sheen； flawless max…function； but it was not so。 It looked as if there had been some repairs； and certainly the artificial world was maneuvering powerfully and quickly； but signs of damage were still to be seen。
Then Haydon IV was gone； superluminal。 Bela manded her techs to make yet another attempt to establish contact with Tirol despite the interference that had been frustrating them thus far。
Curse the Shapings！
With Aurora's hand on the tiller or rather； her mind guiding the Peter Pan through a modified 〃thinking cap〃 （she refused to have anything to do with Louie's cyber…sockets； and Max and Miriya would not have permitted it； anyway） the sphere ship emerged into newspace。
It was as if an encasing bubble had popped； all around them were stars and nebulas； and nearby the Super Dimensional Fortress swung in orbit over a world swathed in the white clouds indicative of a living planet。
〃We took longer to get here than the SDF…3；〃 she explained； 〃because our drive is so different； and so was our route through Ranaath's Star。〃 Dr。 Penn； Louie； and the rest did not get to find out why； because Lisa Hunter's face appeared on the main projecbeam imager and her voice rang from the speakers。
〃Attention； unknown vessel。 Attention Aurora！ Vince！ Max； Miriya條ord； it's good to see you all！〃
A lot of people on the Peter Pan were trying to talk at the same time； Aurora being a notable exception。 Vince silenced them with one stern mand。 〃At ease！〃
Lisa went on。 〃The children said you were ing。 Vince； I have to warn you： There's no guarantee you won't be stranded here； too； unless you get out of newspace now； this moment。〃
Louie Nichols had crowded up next to Vince； recognizing Lisa from old newscasts； tapes； and having seen her once in person during the SDF…3 launch ceremonies。 〃I think we've got a handle on that； Admiral。〃
Vince frowned at Louie but tolerated the intrusion。 〃Lisa； d' you have maneuvering power？〃
〃Barely； Vince。〃
〃No problem。 If you'll hold your present orbit； I'll match up with you。〃 Harry Penn was studying his instruments and giving Vince a can…do nod。
〃Very good。 I'll convene an emergency conference。 We can begin transferring personnel to your ship right away。〃 Vince drew a deep breath but dec