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〃…〃
〃Abdicate！〃
〃…〃
〃Surrender to me！〃
〃…〃
The simulagent's four…fingered hands tore desperately at Tesla's own； but could not counter the strength madness had lent them。 Tesla's powerful thumbs found soft and vulnerable places as he continued to squeeze the life from his would…be foe。 Black eyes bulged and a horrible death rattle began to emerge from the simulagent's ruptured throat。 Then it was over。
He withdrew his hands and stepped back； as if waking from some somnambulistic experience。 The Regent's body was sprawled on the floor below him； already drained of life's vernal colors。 This being； who had been like a father to him。。。And suddenly Tesla knew a gut…wrenching fear…a fear intense enough to engulf all the anger and hatred and maniacal urges he had given vent to only a moment before。 He turned to the door； down in a fugitive's stoop； fluids running wild within him。 He had been misguided！ He could not take the Regent's place！ The Regis would murder him for his betrayal。 He would be devolved to the lowliest life…form； a mere troglodyte； exiled from his own kind。 And what was he to do now？。。。
He remembered the Sentinels。 Surely Wolff would be returning to Praxis； he thought。 He would persuade Wolff and the others to take him along； remain with them until all this blew over。 The Regis might rule for a time； but sooner or later he would assume his rightful place and rule by her side…the Sentinels would encourage him to do so！
Tesla gave a final look at the body。 He began posing himself for the guards； then realized that no such charade was necessary。 With the Regent dead； they were little more than mindless devices； it was possible they wouldn't even remember Tesla's visit。
With these things in mind； he opened the door。
Lang； Wolff； and the others had split up to search the fortress for Burak and Tesla； after agreeing on a time to rendezvous in the shuttle launch bay。 With an all…Human crew aboard…save the Regent and his retinue…there wasn't much chance of the XTs escaping detection； but one never knew what to expect from Tesla。 There was no time to investigate the release order that had freed them； either； but Lang promised to look into the matter later on。
It was Exedore who discovered Burak lurking in one of the corridors near the ship's designated Invid sector。 It occurred to him that the fortress seemed unusually deserted； but he barely gave it a second thought。 He was explaining the need for urgency to the Perytonian when Tesla showed up all in a rush； looking like he had just seen the face of the Creator。
〃Where have you been？〃 Exedore said； toe…to…toe with the towering Invid。
Tesla began to stutter a response； then remembered himself and said； 〃I don't have to answer to some Zentraedi clone。〃
Exedore bristled at the ment； but decided against engaging in what would be a useless argument。 Instead； he drew a handgun； informed the two of Wolff's departure plans； and hurried them along to the hold。 Wolff； Janice； and Sarna were already there； anxious to get under way。 The guards…some of whom were part of the plan…had already been dispatched； so it was safe for the moment for both Lang and Exedore to be on the scene。
〃I guess this is good…bye for a while；〃 Wolff was saying while Sarna and an armed Janice escorted Burak and Tesla aboard。 〃I don't know what to say； Lang。〃
〃Just pray we're not too late；〃 Lang said soberly。 He offered Wolff his hand。 〃Godspeed； Colonel。〃
Wolff stepped back and saluted Lang and Exedore； gave one last look around the bay； and hastened up the ramp。
Lang said； 〃Have we done the right thing； Exedore？〃
〃We do what we can；〃 the Zentraedi told him。
They didn't wait around to watch the launch。
〃They're on their way； General；〃 Colonel Adams reported to Edwards a short time later。 〃Your orders？〃
〃Your men are to give pursuit； but tell them to keep their enthusiasm in check。 Just be sure it looks good； and make certain that the ship is allowed to fold。 I don't want any slipups now。〃
〃Roger； sir；〃 Adams said； and signed off。
Edwards collapsed onto his bed； weary from the choreographing the plan had entailed。 Freeing the aliens； supplying them with what they needed to know； keeping the corridors clear； instructing the guards in confinement and in the shuttle bay how to behave。。。It was more than most men could have handled。 But then again； Edwards reminded himself； he was not most men。
And so far things had gone off without a wrinkle； the Invid imposter was surely dead； and Wolff was a criminal。 The council could not help but see things his way from now on； and the threat of a stepped…up war with the Invid would result in the construction of the fleet he needed to carry out his more important plan： the eventual conquest of Earth。
CHAPTER SEVEN
Miriya Parino Sterling's rescue of the Spherisian crystallite ＇sic＇ was an act of derring…do worthy to stand beside the infamous 〃costume change〃 that had earned her husband such plaudits during the early stages of the First Robotech War。
LeRoy La Paz； The Sentinels
〃I want someone to sweep the caves；〃 Rick said into his helmet pickup。 〃Then we're out of here！〃
Bela volunteered。 Rick looked around and spied her down below； waving to him from the area the GMU had occupied before Cabell's desperate plan had been set in motion。 Rick chinned the helmet stud again and told Bela to make it quick。 He saw her； Kami； and Learna scurry off toward the mouth of the cave and disappear inside。 Rick called up a display on the helmet's faceshield； then； satisfied that he had sufficient oxygen remaining； he scrambled up the steep slope toward the relocated vehicle。
Praxis's atmosphere had grown superheated and unbreathable； forcing everyone but Veidt and Teal into helmets and environment suits。 From the high ground above the caverns； where the GMU was maintaining its precariously angled position； Rick glanced back at the wrinkled terrain。 Eruptions of volcanic light could be seen through the dense shroud that stretched from the hills all the way to the base of a distant escarpment。 And out of this storm came two lone Veritechs； returned from a final reconnaissance flight。 Rick tuned into the mand freak； only to have his worst fears confirmed： there wasn't a safe region to be found anywhere on the planet。
The Alphas whooshed in overhead； reconfigured； and maneuvered into the open maw of the GMU's ordnance bay。 The Hovertanks and the Skull's VTs were already aboard； only two mecha remained outside…the VTs Rick and Max would pilot up once Vince Grant gave the go signal。
Rick dug his toes into the ground and pleted the climb； out of breath when he reached the rim of the chute the Sentinels had blown open in the roof of the cave。 The front end of the GMU overhung the rim； elevated now by the hundreds of orbs that had streamed from the cave after the chute had been opened。 It was Cabell's idea； and Veidt's peculiar talents； that made the plan workable。
As a last resort the Sentinels had decided to enlarge the diameter of the cave's internal passageways to acmodate the huge creatures stuck for want of an egress suited to their size。 That way； Cabell reasoned； they could at least raise a f