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On　Tirol；　too；　things　were　off　to　a　shaky　start。　During　the　first　session　of　the　truce　negotiations；　the　Regent　had　thrown　a　kind　of　temper　tantrum；　which　only　Edwards　recognized　as　being　as　false　as　the　Invid　himself。　He　had　a　perfect　understanding　of　the　imposter's　aim；　and　so　was　hardly　surprised　to　learn　afterward　that　the　XT　had　informed　Dr。　Lang　and　the　council　he　would　henceforth　meet　with　Edwards　only。　The　Regent　had　explained　how　difficult　and　alien　it　was　for　him　to　discuss　terms　with　a　body　of　representatives…especially　when　one　of　those　twelve　was　a　Zentraedi；　with　whom　the　Invid　would　never　make　peace。　Once　again　Lang　had　tried　to　set　himself　up　as　ombudsman；　and　once　again　the　Regent　had　rejected　him　out　of　hand。　Edwards　was　the　Human　the　Regent　would　talk　to；　and　none　other。　Lang　let　the　council　know　that　he　was　against　any　one…to…one　arrangements　and　insisted　that　his　arguments　be　added　to　the　record。　But　Edwards　was　delighted　to　hear　that　the　council　had　overruled　the　scientist's　objections　and　that　Longchamps　and　the　others　were　counting　on　him　to　see　the　talks　through　to　their　pletion。

Just　now　the　simulagent　and　the　traitor　were　seated　across　from　one　another　in　Edwards's　spacious　quarters　aboard　the　SDF…3。　The　two　of　them　had　already　put　on　quite　a　show　in　the　fortress　amphitheater；　but　here　they　were　safe　from　the　prying　eyes　of　the　council　and　free　to　speak　their　minds。　Edwards　had　decided　to　play　it　close　to　the　bone；　and　congratulated　the　Invid　on　his　performance。

〃Why；　whatever　do　you　mean；　General？〃　the　false　Regent　said　after　a　short　silence。

There　was　just　enough　hesitation　in　the　Invid's　response　to　reassure　Edwards　that　he　was　dealing　with　an　imposter；　but　it　benefited　him　to　play　along。　〃Your　words　for　the　council's　scanners；〃　Edwards　told　him。　〃All　that　talk　about　how　there's　more　than　enough　room　in　the　Quadrant　for　both　our　races。〃

〃We　are　a　reasonable　people；〃　the　false　Regent　returned；　sipping　at　the　green　grog　he　had　brought　with　him。

〃Yes；　of　course；　you　are。　I'm　encouraged　by　the　very　fact　that　you've　e　to　Tirol。　There　are　some　who　didn't　believe　you　would。〃

〃And　you？〃

〃Oh；　I　think　you're　capable　of　almost　anything；　Your　Highness。〃

The　Invid　set　aside　his　goblet　and　looked　across　the　desk　at　Edwards。　〃You　speak　boldly　for　one　your　size；　Human。　Are　all　those　from　your　world　so　courageous？〃

Edwards　sat　back　in　his　chair　and　grinned。　〃To　a　man。〃

〃And　your　weapons　speak　with　equal　power。。。But　it　intrigues　me：　how　exactly　did　you　e　by　your　Protoculture　systems？〃

〃We　took　them　away　from　the　Zentraedi；〃　Edwards　said；　leaning　forward　on　the　desk。　〃They　were　annoying　us。〃

The　simulagent　studied　his　four…fingered　hands。　〃And　you　came　here　in　search　of　their　Masters？〃

〃We　came　here　to　finish　the　job；　if　you　want　the　truth。　Word　had　it　that　they　were　going　to　be　showing　up　in　our　neighborhood；　so　we　decided　to　take　the　fight　to　them　instead。　Save　our　planet　the　inconvenience　of　a　backyard　war。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　seemed　to　have　missed　them。〃

〃We'll　catch　up。〃　Edwards　shrugged。　〃First　we've　got　a　little　business　here　to　take　care　of。〃

The　Invid　ignored　the　remark。　〃Just　where　is　your　'neighborhood；'　General？〃

Edwards　touched　his　faceplate。　〃A　long　way　from　Tirol。〃

〃Yes；　but　where？〃

〃West　of　the　Moon；　east　of　the　Sun。〃

〃You　trifle　with　me；〃　the　XT　said　menacingly。

Edwards　shot　to　his　feet　and　put　both　hands　flat　on　the　desk。　〃And　you　waste　my　time！　What　are　you　after？〃

The　Invid　met　his　glare。　〃The　return　of　the　brain。〃

〃In　exchange　for　what？〃

〃Your　lives；〃　the　Regent　hissed。

Edwards　laughed　and　walked　away　from　the　desk；　only　to　whirl　around　and　say；　〃You　needed　my　help　to　eliminate　a　single　Karbarran　ship。　And　I　know　that　your　fleet　is　spread　so　thin　you　can　hardly　protect　the　worlds　you've　conquered。　So　what　makes　you　think　you　can　intimidate　me　now？〃

The　Regent；　too；　was　on　his　feet；　filling　one　half　of　the　room。　〃I　thought　for　a　moment　we　were　on　the　same　side；　General。　But　perhaps　I　was　mistaken。〃

〃You've　already　been　more　help　to　me　than　you　know；〃　Edwards　told　him。　〃But　the　brain　stays　until　you've　got　something　better　to　offer　me　than　threats。〃

〃Your　egotism　will　be　the　death　of　you；〃　the　Regent　said　from　the　door。

Edwards　smiled　as　the　door　slid　shut。　Everything　he　said　had　been　calculated　to　draw　out　the　real　Regent；　talk　was　useless　until　then。　But　he　had　faith　that　his　gambit　would　pay　off。　Eventually　the　Regent　would　show　himself…in　person　or　as　before　in　the　sphere…and　when　that　day　came；　there　would　be　much　to　discuss。


Incredible　as　it　seemed；　the　armored　Alpha　was　actually　being　carried　aloft　by　perhaps　three　dozen　orbs　of　mixed　size；　clustered　like　grapes　beneath　the　mecha's　swept…back　wings　and　Beta…elongated　fuselage。　Cheering　seemed　a　bit　premature；　but　that　didn't　stop　any　of　the　still…grounded　Sentinels　from　sending　up　exclamations　of　encouragement。

The　feat　had　required　more　orbs　than　anyone　would　have　guessed…over　a　quarter　of　the　number　that　remained　in　the　cave；　at　last　count…but　Veidt；　as　promised；　had　been　able　to　herd　them　under　the　hovering　VT　without　much　ado。　Several　of　the　creatures　either　didn't　prehend　the　Haydonite's　telepathic　instructions　or　thought　better　of　them　at　the　last　moment　and　opted　for　solo　flights　into　Praxis's　cloudy　and　smoke…smudged　skies。　The　others；　however；　rose　quickly　to　the　task；　less　like　lighter…than…air　balloons　than　anti…Galilean　cannonballs。　Cabell　calculated　that　if　the　present　rate　of　lift　remained　unchanged；　the　mecha　would　arrive　at　the　Roche　limit　with　ample　time　to　rendezvous　with　the　drive　module。　At　that　point；　Sarna；　copiloting　the　Alpha　along　with　Jonathan　Wolff；　would　bid　the　orbs　what　amounted　to　a　〃thanks　and　so　long；〃　and　the　VT　would　utilize　its　onboard　puter　and　thrusters　for　guidance　adjustments。　Janice；　Burak；　and　Tesla　were　squeezed　together　in　the　mecha's　Beta　hindquarters。

Rick　threw　a　couple　of　enthusiastic　shouts　to　the　Alpha　before　rushing　off　to　join　Vince　and　some　of　the　others；　who　were　already　in　the　GMU's　mand　center　monitoring　the　mecha's　progress　and　supplying　its　telemetry　systems　with　updates　gleaned　from　the　base's　scanners　and　data　mainframes。

Wolff　was　on　the　net　when　Rick　entered　the　mand　center。　〃Everything　checks　out　fine　so　far；〃　he　was　telling　Vince。　〃It's　like　an　elevator　ride　to　the　stars。〃　The　net　was　relatively　clear；　except　for　occasional　bursts　of　static。

〃Ask　him　if　Sarna　anticipates　any　disengagement　problems；〃　Rick　said　to　Vince。

〃Uh；　no　problem；〃　Wolff　reported　a　moment　later。

Rick　leaned　in　to　one　of　the　console　pickups。　〃And　Janice？〃

〃Here；　Rick。　We're　doing　all　right。〃　Thumping　noises　could　be　heard　in　the　background。　〃It's　just　a　little　close　for　fort。〃

Rick　made　a　mental　note　to　tell　Janice　just　how　much　he　admired　her。　〃Sit　tight；　Janice。　You're　almost　there。〃

Wolff　and　Janice　acknowledged　and　signed　off。　Rick　found　himself　crossing　his　fingers；　something　he　hadn't　done　in　years。　He　laughed　in　a　self…mocking　way；　optimistic　but　oddly　disturbed　at　the　same　time。

Outside　the　base；　members　of　the　Skull　Squadron　and　the　Wolff　Pack　were　beginning　to　prepare　a　second　mecha　for　lift。　This　one　was　to　include　Lisa；　Miriya；　Cabell；　Lron；　and　Crysta。　The　air　was　filled　with　lightning　flashes　and　all…but…constant　peals　of　thunder。　Praxis　trembled　underfoot　like　the　SDF…3　during　fold　maneuvers。　Even　Cabell　refused　to　speculate　on　how　much　time　the　planet　had；　but　to　a　few　of　the　Sentinels　each　minute　felt　like　something　to　be　thankful　for。

Kami　and　Learna　had　yet　to　emerge　from　the　orb　cavern　deep　inside　the　region's　now…floodlit　central　cave。　The　temperature　had　dropped　considerably　over　the　past　half　hour；　and　the　air　was　breathable　once　more。　Baldan　and　Teal　had　joined　the　Garudans　to　help　keep　count　of　the　orbs；　and　with　the　first　Alpha　on　its　way；　Jack；　Karen；　Rem；　and　Gnea　appeared　on　the　scene。

Everyone　watched　as　two　golf　ball…sized　spheres　wafted　up　out　of　the　shaft　to　join　their　brethren；　who　were　grouped　in　various　locations　along　the　vaulted　ceiling。　A　veritable　parade　of　overhead　orbs　stretched　from　here　all　the　way　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　Jack　directed　his　light