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alled her own。 Rick； Lisa； Janice； Dr。 Lang； Jonathan。。。And lately she had even been thinking about Kyle。 She wasn't sure why； but guessed that it had something to do with Edwards and the control he had begun to assert over her。 She imagined she saw a curious pattern at work that coupled Rick and Lynn…Kyle； now Jonathan Wolff and Edwards…some slide into self…abuse when she came too close to genuine love and mitment。 Property； she thought in disgust。 That was how she was beginning to view herself。 Her voice co…opted by the RDF； her dreams destroyed by war； her will at the mercy of men who wanted nothing more than to rule and posses her； body and mind。
Numb； fortably numb； she told herself。。。
Thirty minutes later the door hissed open and Edwards strode into the room； grinning evilly。 Minmei realized she had dozed off； and； startled now； she began to back herself onto the bed。 Edwards leered at her； perhaps thinking she was toying with him； and came down on top of her； elbows supporting his upper body。 She pressed her hands against his chest and said； 〃Please。。。〃
〃What's the matter with you？〃 he asked； face…to…face with her。
〃I'm just。。nfused。〃 She tried to roll out from under him； but his arms held her fast。
〃Oh； no； you don't；〃 he told her； bringing his mouth hard against hers…a kiss he liked to think passionate； but one she felt was simply rough。 〃The council gave their okay。〃
〃W…what does that mean…that you're going to…〃
〃Precisely that；〃 he said； rolling off her onto his back。
He gazed at the ceiling and laughed。 〃First the Zentraedi； then the Sentinels。〃 He looked over at her。
Minmei was aghast； gaping at him； he had his right hand curled tightly around her left wrist。
〃When this is over I want you to marry me。〃
Her right hand flew to her face。 〃What！〃
〃It'll be just like the Hunters' wedding；〃 he said； as though thinking aloud。 〃Except it'll be you and me； and the destination won't be Tirol； but Earth。〃 His grin was still intact。
〃And the mission won't be for peace； but for war！〃 she screamed at all once； yanking her arm away。
Edwards sat straight up as she made a move for the door。 〃What are you talking about？ Minmei！〃
She was slightly drunk and clumsy even through her fear and shock； she bumped against a table； sending some tapes to the floor； crashed against the bulkhead； fumbling for the door release。
〃Minmei！〃 he yelled again； more harshly than before。
He was angry now and she was panicked。 She left the room and ran barefooted along the ship's corridor。 She heard someone behind her as she entered the elevator and swung around； but it wasn't Edwards。 It was a VT pilot； wearing his helmet； oddly enough； a tall and slender bearded man she thought she had seen before。 He was regarding her bare feet and disheveled appearance。 She forced a trembling； smile； pushing and patting her hair back in place。
〃Troubles？〃 he said。
〃Yes；〃 she told him； surprising herself。
〃Anything I can do？〃
〃I need to get back to Tiresia。 Are any shuttles leaving soon？〃
〃I'll take you myself；〃 he said after a moment。
It made her laugh。 〃What…in an Alpha？ I don't know。。。
〃I'll take you wherever you want to go。〃
She stared at him； wondering why she was ready to believe him。 〃How about Garuda or Haydon IV。。。uh； 666…60…937？〃 she asked； reading the pilot's REF service number from his helmet。
〃Long trip；〃 he told her。 But he didn't laugh； didn't think she was putting him on。
The elevator doors opened。 The pilot extended his hand and Minmei allowed herself to take hold of it。
〃A simulagent； a simulagent；〃 Tesla mumbled； stuffing the last of Garuda's Fruits into his mouth。 〃I've been tricked…tricked！〃
The two scientists the Sentinels had captured from Garuda backed themselves toward what they hoped would be a safe corner of the dimensional fortress's hold； certain that Tesla's ingestion of the mutated Fruits from that infected world had driven him half mad。 First there was all that nonsense about the Regent being dead； and now this talk of simulagents and assassination。
〃Has he been doing this everywhere you've been？〃 one of the Invid asked Burak in the lingua franca。
〃Only on Karbarra； Praxis； and Garuda so far；〃 the Perytonian devil said in low tones； shrugging。 〃I suppose his killing the Regent was nothing but an imagining； then…〃
〃An imagining！〃 Tesla had heard Burak's whisper and swung around to the three of them； monstrous in his anger。 He knows that I tried； he knows that I'm out to usurp his throne。。。And I shall have it； do you hear me？！ Tesla will rule！〃
〃He's going to get us all sent to the Pits；〃 one of the scientists groaned。 〃We won't be repatriated…we'll be devolved！〃
Something； some force； suddenly brought Tesla to his feet。 Tesla's skin was rippling； muscles and sinews contorting beneath the flesh as though his internal systems were rearranging themselves； reconfiguring。 An aura of light was swirling around his head； throwing rainbow colors across the ceiling； bulkheads； and floor of the hold。 His head was listed； neck stretched out； mouth agape in a kind of silent scream。 Burak stood rooted to the floor； astonished as he watched the Invid begin to lose stature and bulk； while at the same time Tesla's neck； head； arms； hands； and feet reshaped themselves。 The two scientists had buried their heads against one another； but Burak was too awed to summon the will even to look away。 He saw then what the Fruits were after； the final form they tried to birth； and he could hardly believe his eyes； much less grasp what such a transformation meant。 For the shape was a humanoid one…like that of Jack Baker or Gnea or Rem。
Tendrils of energy were whirling around Tesla； reaching out to Burak where he stood。 They danced between his horns and sent a downward rush of paralyzing light through the top of his head。 Tesla's eyes were fixed on his as something beyond language coursed between them。 Burak stiffened； as a cold fire engulfed his heart。 He bellowed； and Janice came rushing through the hatch。
She had been outside listening to their muffled exchange； and though baffled by the sudden silence； she had not wanted to risk tipping her hand。 Burak's animallike wail had changed all that； but now she couldn't see what was happening。 Something or someone was throwing blinding； colored light across the hold。 She could make out Burak and the two shadowy shapes of the Invid scientists behind him； but Tesla was concealed by the dazzling prismatic intensity； seemingly at the center of it。 She brought her hands to her face； trying to shield her eyes； and all at once the light was gone。 Tesla was on the floor； flat on his back。
She rushed over to him； he was alive； but his breathing was labored。 And something else： he looked different。 His snout was shorter； his head more defined； his hands and feet more humanoid than reptilian。 His skin was a pale green； waxy and smooth。
〃What happened to him？〃 Janice asked； turning around to Burak。
The Perytonian stared at her。 〃I。。。I。。。〃
Janice took him by the arms and shook him。 〃What happened？〃
Burak cleared his head and gave her a blank look。 He reached up to feel his horns； then regarded Tesla for a moment。 〃