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〃Look；〃 Rick said； breaking the silence； 〃they're probably already searching for us。 Lang's not about to write us off。 And even if the mining operation is close to on…schedule； they'll have at least one ship readied with the capability for a local jump。 We just have to hope the Invid have lost interest in this place。〃
The horde's absence these months bordered on the conspicuous； and with the quakes and deserted villages； Cabell had speculated that it was possible the Invid knew something the Sentinels didn't。
Rick's optimism in the face of all this had Vince smiling to himself。 Rick would always be a mander whether he liked it or not。 〃It's not Lang we're worried about；〃 he said； speaking for himself and Wolff。
Rick caught his meaning。 〃Edwards has to answer to the council。〃 There was an edge to his voice he didn't mean to put there。 Lang had warned Rick about Edwards during one of the last links the Farrago had had with Base Tirol； and it was difficult to keep the memory of that brief deep…space mo from surfacing。
〃Don't underestimate the man's ambitions； Rick；〃 Wolff cautioned。 〃I'm sure they're going to e looking； but I'm willing to bet that Edwards will have the council eating out of his hand by then。 Maybe one of us should have…〃
〃I don't want to go over old ground；〃 Rick cut him off。 〃The only thing that interests me right now is a way to reach that drive module。〃
Grant and Wolff exchanged looks and studied their cups of tea。 Rick was right； of course： there was no use dwelling on the choices they had made； individually and collectively。 Wolff liked to think that at least Vince had Jean by his side and the precious GMU under his feet。 But Rick had all but resigned his mission； and Wolff himself had left his heart behind。
A rumbling sound broke the silence； causing the mugs to skitter across the tabletop。 The tremor built in intensity； rattling the mand center's consoles and screens； then subsided； rolling away beneath them like contained thunder。
No one spoke for a moment。 Wolff wore a wary look as he loosened his grip on the edge of the table and sat back to exhale a whistle。 〃Course； Praxis could do us in long before the Invid or Edwards。〃
〃Pleasant thought；〃 Vince told him。
Rick gave them both an angry look。 〃We're going to get to that module if we have to pole…vault there。〃
Tactical concerns （and personal preference） had kept Vince Grant and Rick somewhat anchored to the GMU （which had been moved inland from its original seaside landing zone）； but the rest of the substantially reduced Robotech contingent； along with the XT Sentinels； had opted for Praxis's wooded valleys； the planet's often glorious skies； and rolling hills。 Max and Miriya's Skull Squadron had spent most of the past months reconning remote areas； hoping to e upon some trace of the vanished Sisterhood； but they had only succeeded in further depleting already critical reserves of Protoculture fuel。 Consequently； the Wolff Pack stuck close to base； Hovertanks shut down。 Bela and Gnea and the other Praxians had voluntarily detailed themselves to serve the group's logistical needs； and were assisted in this by the bearlike Karbarrans and vulpine Garudans。 Cabell had all but isolated himself； disappearing for long walks from which he would return with samples of native rock or flora。 Still a bit unfortable with the Humans and not yet fully accepted by the XTs； the Tiresian was often found in the pany of Rem； Baldan； Teal； and the limbless Haydonites； Veidt and Sarna。 Janice； too； had bee an unofficial member of Cabell's eldritch clique； much to Rick and Lisa's puzzlement。
Presently； Cabell and Janice were off together on a long walk； they were on a forested slope about fifteen miles from the mobile base when the tremor that had shaken the GMU struck。 The minor quake did little more than knock them off balance and loosen some gravel and shale from nearby heights； but it was the morning's second shakeup and it brought a severe look to Cabell's face。
Janice had thought to take hold of the old man's arm and utter a short panicked sound as the ground began to tremble。 It was a performance worthy of Minmei's best； although Janice could hardly appreciate it as such…any more than she could fully understand just what had pelled her to seek out Rem and Cabell's pany in the first place。 That this should somehow please Dr。 Lang was a thought as baffling to her as it was disforting。
〃There； there； child；〃 Cabell was saying； patting her hand。 〃It will be over in a moment。〃
They remenced their climb when the tremor passed。 Janice disengaged herself and urged Cabell to go on with what they had been discussing。
〃Ah； yes；〃 he said； running a hand over his bald pate； 〃the trees。〃
Janice listened like a student eager for A's。
〃As you can see； they're nothing like the scrub growth we found on Karbarra…far healthier； much closer to the unmutated form。〃 He motioned with his hand and went up on tiptoes to touch the spherical 〃canopy〃 of a healthy…looking specimen。 The tendrils that encased the solid…looking sphere and rigid near…translucent trunk seemed to pulse with life。 Gingerly； Cabell plucked one of the verdigris…colored applelike fruits； burnished it against his robe； and began to turn it about in his wrinkled hand。
〃Even the fruit they bear is different in color and texture…although still a far cry from the true Opteran species。 Nevertheless； it may tell us something。〃 He took off his rucksack and placed the sample inside。 〃Look for the ripest ones；〃 the instructed Janice； as she added a second fruit to the pack。
Cabell was straightening up when a sudden movement further up the slope caught his eye。 Janice heard him start； and turned to follow his narrowed gaze。
〃What was it？〃
Cabell stroked his beard。 〃I thought I saw someone up ahead。〃
〃A Praxian？〃 Janice asked； craning her neck and sharpening her vision。
〃No；〃 he said； shaking his head。 〃I would swear it was Burak！〃
Later； a stone's throw from the grounded GMU； inside the wooden structure that had been designated both quarters and cell； Tesla wolfed down the fruits Burak had picked from the sinister orchard Zor's Flower of Life seedings had spawned on Praxis。
〃Yes； yes； different； ummm；〃 the Invid was saying in a voice tinged…with rapture。
The young Perytonian tried to avert his eyes； but in the end couldn't help himself from watching Tesla as he ingested fruit after fruit。 Moist sucking noises filled the cell。
〃And you think they may have seen you？〃 Tesla asked him。
〃It is possible…Cabell； in any case。〃
Tesla scoffed； still munching and handling the fruits as if they were wealth itself。 〃Cabell is too old to recognize the nose on his own face。 Besides； they know I can't subsist on what you call food。〃
Burak said nothing。 It was true enough： the Invid's food stock had been destroyed with the Farrago； and the Sentinels had agreed to place Burak in charge of securing alternative nutrient plants。 But Cabell； who was anything but a doddering old man； and perhaps fearing the very transformations Tesla was beginning to undergo； had suggested that the Invid's fruit and Flower intake be regulated…this in spite of the fact that Tesla h