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〃Whether Rick； Lisa； and Karen are worth the risk； you mean。〃
〃And Rem；〃 Cabell added。
Vince nodded。
〃Look what you've already risked to save them；〃 Veidt pointed out。
Everyone fell silent； then Vince said； 〃Gather the Sentinels。 We've got a decision to make。〃
〃I will not have him here！ I will not！〃 the Regis railed to one of her servants。 Was there no escaping him？ she asked herself。 Even here on Haydon IV？
〃I'm afraid it's too late； Your Grace；〃 the servant said； unmoved from its posture of genuflection。 〃The Regent's flagship has already left Optera to rendezvous here with the remnants of his fleet。〃
〃How long do I have？〃 she asked； whirling on the sexless creature； the tassels of her long gloves whipping about。
〃Less than one period； Your Grace。〃
She dismissed the servant； when it left the room； she clenched her fists and waved them in the air。 〃Must he stalk me？〃 she said aloud。 〃Must he continue to punish me？〃
Abruptly； she turned around to regard Rem； the Zor…clone was asleep； perhaps unconscious after his sessions with the Regent's scientists from Garuda。 They had cured him of the madness induced by that world's atmosphere； only to induce a more controlled state of hallucinatory dread。 And then they had picked his brain。 Oh； how they had picked his brain。
For the better part of five days now the Regis had had him much to herself； hers to toy with； hers to examine…his dreams and thoughts to dissect； his memories to relive。。。United with him on some psychic plane； she had walked again through those fields they had walked on Optera。 Old Optera； Optera before the fall。 She had been able to view those times through his eyes now； and had found herself stirred。 He had seen how much she wanted to emulate him； in every way； and she had seen how much he had desired her。 Not her physical being； not the form destiny had wed her to； but her spiritual self…her essence。 There was at one time a semblance of love there； and this discovery filled her with joy。 But it was a rapture that could not survive the realities his war…hungry race had introduced into her garden； a rapture that could only endure on that etheric plane； where things cast beautiful but ultimately painful shadows。。。
Still she could hardly tear herself away from that realm； even though her self…indulgence might mean death for the clone。 He was her plaything； much as she had been Zor's！
She understood； however； that Zor had somehow meant to redeem himself by sending the Protoculture matrix far from his Masters' reach。 But much of this remained unclear； muddled by what she had accessed from Haydon IV's data systems。 These grand designs again： Zor； the Masters； the Invid； all locked together in some immense； unfathomable framework。
Along with this mysterious blue…white world revealed by the clone's thoughts； this nexus of events； this pleroma。。。
She had yet to learn either the name of the planet or its continuum coordinates； but she now had a sense of where to begin her search。 And sooner or later her sensor nebulae would locate it。
I will follow the nebulae； she decided all at once。 I will quit this Quadrant and place myself as far from his reach as that matrix was from the Masters' evil embrace。
She found herself excited by the prospect； laughing as she overlooked Haydon IV's artificial land…and cityscapes。 She could even leave some of her Children behind until the moment arrived…the moment when that blue…white world was discovered and made her own！
She increased her size； towering up to fill the room； knowing a determination she had thought lost with love itself。 Regarding Rem； she said； 〃Now let the Regent have his way with you； clone。 Let him peer into your memories of our time together； and let him suffer for what he missed！〃
Miriya did not look as well as Max had imagined she might。 Where was that rosy glow； that special something？ Instead； she seemed wasted； baggy…eyed； bone…weary； even slightly jaundiced。
〃It's just from my exposure to the atmosphere；〃 Miriya told him as he carefully sat down on the edge of her cot。 〃But Jean says everything's fine； all systems go。 So smooth your wrinkled brow； my darling； and kiss me before I do something violent。〃
Max forced a smile and leaned into her arms； they held each other for a moment。 Max patted her back and straightened up。 〃I'm not sure I know what to feel；〃 he confessed。
〃I know； Max。 I'm just as concerned as you are about Rick and Lisa。〃
〃Good news； bad news。。。〃
〃That's life； Max。 And now Dana's going to have a sister。〃
Max's brows went up。 〃Jean tell you that？〃
〃She didn't have to。〃 Miriya caressed her belly。 〃I can sense it。〃
Again； Max tried to feel good about things； but the more he looked at his wife； the more anxious he became。 He was about to take her hand； when someone rapped against the partition。 Crysta； Gnea； and Teal asked if they could e in for a moment。 The Spherisian was carrying the infant…a two…foot Baldan； although still faceted and speechless as yet。
〃As soon as I heard the news I came down；〃 Teal explained。 〃I wanted you to see the infant。〃
〃Congratulations；〃 Gnea said to Miriya uncertainly。
〃Hey； what about the father？〃 Max asked good…naturedly。
The Praxian turned to him。 〃Why？ Did you have something to do with Miriya's condition？〃
Max started to respond； but thought better of it； shutting his mouth and blinking stupidly。
〃When does he bee smooth； like you？〃 Miriya was saying to Teal。
〃It doesn't。 It's not necessarily a he。〃
Miriya looked around unfortably。 〃But I thought that Baldan。。。that this。。。〃
〃It is of Baldan；〃 Teal replied； regarding the infant analytically。 〃But the features and what I think you call 'the sex' are ultimately left to the Shaper。〃
〃The Shaper？ You？〃 Crysta said； surprised； one huge paw to her muzzle。
〃Who else？ The young Spherisian remains faceted until smoothed by its Shaper。 Soon I will de…facet it。〃
〃But you'll shape him； er； it in Baldan's image； won't you？〃
〃Why would I do that？ I am bonded with the infant now。 I could just as easily shape it in my own image。〃
〃But this is all that remains of Baldan；〃 Crysta argued。 〃Don't you want to recapture his essence？ It would mean much to all of us。〃
Miriya and Gnea agreed。 Max kept out of it。
〃Among Spherisians I am considered most attractive；〃 Teal told them proudly。 〃A young one could do far worse than be shaped as I am。〃 She regarded Max and Miriya a moment。 〃You Earthers don't even have a choice in the matter。〃
〃No argument there。〃 Max laughed。 〃But maybe that's the beauty of it。〃
Gnea made a face； astonishment in her gold…flecked eyes。 〃So you did have something to do with it。〃
Max looked from Praxian； to Karbarran； to Spherisian； to his own Zentraedi wife； and wondered if he could possibly explain himself。
The Zentraedi's cargo transport…named the Valivarre for Fantoma's primary…was the largest of the ships constructed to serve the needs of the mining op。 It was essentially an enormous shell； with vast featureless cabinspaces and cargo holds； and numerous launch and docking bays sized to acmodate ranks of surface mecha and outsize shuttles。 Typical of the new breed SDFs…4 through