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〃Liar！〃 Burak yelled。
〃…but they couldn't seem to agree on a destination。 So I made the decision for them。〃
Tesla and Burak traded looks。
〃Where are we？〃 Wolff said； as confused as anyone else。
〃Fantoma；〃 Janice said； and Tesla fainted。
CHAPTER FIVE
Betray （I looked it up）： to deliver to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty； to be unfaithful in； to seduce and desert。。。Is this what I'm guilty of？ Have I seduced and deserted him？ Am I delivering Jonathan over to an enemy？ Have I been unfaithful？ As I repeat the word over and over to myself； it begins to lose all meaning； it bees a meaningless sound； a bit of Tiresian or Praxian babble。 But then I begin to think of it as a kind of war cry； a sound that echoes back and forth across the terrain of my life and these twenty years of bloodshed。 If I am a betrayer； I am also the betrayed。 I am the SDFs…1； 2； and 3； I am all the councils and all the generals。 I am the dead； the War itself。
An excerpt from the journal of Lynn…Minmei
With Rick and Lisa and all the other men and women who had joined the Sentinels' cause missing and presumed dead； there were precious few people Dr。 Lang could trust； let alone seek out for pany or old…fashioned good counsel。 Things had not been the same between Lang and Harry Penn since Karen left； and of the Plenipotentiary members； only Justine Huxley and Niles Obstat were still receptive。 Edwards had influenced the rest to one degree or another； except of course for Exedore； who had bee Lang's unofficial ally and close friend。 Even Lynn…Minmei had been turned…by what； Lang wouldn't even try to imagine。 Lang； however； was well accustomed to isolation； so even when it wasn't self…imposed he could get by。 He had been managing to hold his own with the council； in spite of Edwards； and at the same time was overseeing both the mining operations on Fantoma and the repairs to the SDF…3。 But the Regent's visit had introduced something new and threatening to the horizon： the possibility of a partnership between Edwards and the Invid。 Lang had seen Protoculture shape stranger events these past twenty years； but none so potentially dangerous…to the Expeditionary mission； to Tirol； to the Earth itself。
Something within him refused to accept Hunter's death； he knew he wasn't standing alone here； but he had nevertheless been powerless thus far in persuading the council to launch a rescue ship…even now when there were several available with the capability for the required spacefold； some running on Sekiton； some on the recently mined monopole fuels。 But it was the Regent's behavior at the introductory summit sessions that finally convinced him to take matters into his own hands。 And it was that decision that brought him to Fantoma。 He had allowed his godson and apprentice； Scott Bernard； to acpany him； but left Exedore behind on the fortress to safeguard their mutual interests while the Regent's fleet remained anchored in Fantomaspace。 The crew of the newly christened prototype dreadnought he had mandeered…the unnamed SDF…7…was one that had been handpicked for the journey after a bit of chicanery by himself and General Reinhardt； they were a capable and loyal lot； manded by Major John Carpenter； who was being considered as a candidate to head up the first return mission to Earth。
Lang's reasons for choosing Fantoma could be summed up in one word： Breetai。 He was aware of the hostilities that had cropped up between Breetai and Edwards over the issue of the Regent's arrival； and he knew precisely where the Zentraedi's loyalties lay。 And where Breetai went； so followed his hundred…strong cadre of sixty…foot biogenetically…engineered warriors…a force to be reckoned with no matter what the council's ultimate decisions might be。
No sooner did Lang step from the shuttle that had ferried his party to the surface of the ringed giant than Breetai insisted on escorting him through a tour of the mining plex。 It； was obvious that the Zentraedi was taking some pride in his acplishments； so Lang didn't offer any resistance。 But the opportunity to discuss the pressing issues that had brought him here didn't present itself until much later on； and by then Lang was nearly feverish。 Breetai had led them to a massive Quonset…style structure that served as the colony's mand and control center…the only such building in New Zarkopolis designed to acmodate both giants and Humans in relative fort。 There； Lang reviewed what had been said during the so…called truce talks； and what reported statements had been exchanged between Edwards and the Regent during the subsequent one…on…one sessions。 Breetai said little； preferring instead to listen or grunt an occasional exclamation of anger or surprise。 But when Lang finished…with an audible sigh…the Zentraedi collapsed his steepled fingers and leaned forward in his chair； gazing intently into the Humans' balcony area。
〃One part of me wants to blame Admiral Hunter for allowing things to e to this；〃 he told Lang。 〃But if anyone can appreciate the unpredictable nature of these things； I can。〃 Lang didn't have to be reminded of the bizarre reversals the Zentraedi mander had witnessed and suffered through； and in this the scientist and warrior were brothers of a sort。 〃I suggest we take steps to secure our position against Edwards。〃
〃Yes； but how？〃 Lang asked。
〃Just as you have begun；〃 Breetai said； motioning to where Carpenter and his exec were seated。 〃And you must arrange for additional mecha to be sent here。。。〃
〃Disguised as mining devices perhaps。〃
〃Exactly。 We have our own ship； our own mecha； but we must have our own weapons。 New Zarkopolis could bee our base of operation。 And of course we possess something even more important than firepower。。。〃
〃The ore；〃 Lang pleted。
Breetai nodded。 He had his mouth opened to say something more when a Human at the m console interrupted him。 〃Report from the fortress；〃 the tech announced； straining to hear the muniqu？ 〃A ship has entered the system。 Colonel Wolff and some of the Sentinels are said to be aboard。〃
〃Thank God；〃 Lang said； throwing his head back。
Breetai wore an enigmatic look。 He touched his faceplate in an absent manner and rose from the chair to tower over the 〃Micronian〃 balcony。
〃The Protoculture is at work again。 We call out and it answers。〃
〃Yes；〃 Lang directed up to him。 〃And would that we could always predict its response。〃
Word of the drive module's approach spread to all stations and was relayed down to Tirol's surface。 In her canteen in Tiresia； Minmei swooned upon receiving the news。 She had returned to the surface only hours before； and now she tried to collect her thoughts before hastening back to the city's shuttle staging area。
At the same time in his quarters aboard the SDF…3； T。 R。 Edwards was in the midst of a session with the false Regent。
〃It seems you were a bit premature in reporting the destruction of the Farrago〃 he said with a maleovent grin。 Even the Invid's black； unreadable eyes failed to conceal a sense of shock； but the simulagent quickly rallied。
〃And perhaps the data you supplied was in error；〃 he countered angrily。
The Invid imposter had taken it upon himself to have one more go at winning E