ormance 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 had to some extent ingratiated himself with the group since their victory on Karbarra。 Each evening； Cabell and Jean Grant would look in on Tesla。 Burak had been asked to furnish them with a daily log of the amounts gathered and ingested； and the devilish…looking Perytonian was plying…inasmuch as he would file a report。 But the report was hardly a reflection of the actual amounts Tesla consumed。 Fortunately； though； the Invid's transformations had been limited to brief periods following his meals； when neither Cabell nor Jean were present。
〃More；〃 Tesla said now； holding out his hands。
Burak regarded the Invid's newly…acquired fifth digit and pulled the basket out of reach。 〃I think you've had enough for today。〃 Burak had heard it said that extraordinary powers could be gained from ingesting the fruits of Haydon's Worlds； but he had never understood that to mean physical transfiguration； and the Invid's recent changes were beginning to fill him with fear。
Tesla's eyes glowed red as he came to his feet； taller by inches than he had stood on Karbarra。 〃You dare to say this to me after all we've been through？ You； who sought me out before fate landed us in this despicable situation？ And what of your homeworld and the curse you were so feverish to see ended…have you given up hope？ Would you renounce your destiny？〃
Burak took a hesitant step toward the door； the basket clasped to him。 〃You're changing！〃 he said； pointing to Tesla's hands。 〃They're going to notice it； and what then？ They'll cut back on the amounts； put someone else in charge of you。 Then what bees of your promises…what bees of Peryton？〃
Tesla continued to glare at him a moment more； transmogrifying even as Burak watched。 The Invid's skull rippled and expanded； as though being forced to conform to some novel interior design。 Gradually； however； Tesla reassumed his natural state and collapsed back into his seat； spent； subdued； and apologetic。
〃You're right； Burak。 We must take care to keep our partnership a carefully…guarded secret。〃 His black； ophidian eyes fixed on Burak。 〃And have no fear for your tortured world。 When the time es for me to assume my rightful place in these events； I shall reward you for these efforts。〃
〃That's all that I ask；〃 Burak told him。
The two XTs fell silent as a gentle tremor shook the building。
Tesla stared at the floor。 〃I sense something about this planet；〃 he announced； his sensor organs twitching as his snout came up。 〃And I think I am beginning to see just what the Regis was doing here。〃
CHAPTER TWO
Unfortunately； there are no detailed descriptions of the Genesis Pits； other than Rand's colorful but highly personalized and impressionistic accounts （specious； as some would add）； and the notes Colonel Adams hastily scribbled to himself while on Optera。 And despite a plethora of theories and explanations； the sad truth is that the mechanism of the Pits remains a plete mystery…except to say that they were devices utilized by the Regis for purposes of creative evolution。 Praxis apparently played host to the largest of these； and Lang； to name one； has speculated that the Pits not only gave rise to extinct creatures； but succeeded in regressing the entire planet to a formative stage of destructive vulcanism。
Zeus Bellow； The Road to Reflex Point
If Burak and Tesla had bee the Sentinels' silent partnership； then Jack Baker and Karen Penn were certainly the group's inseparable pair。 But that； each liked to believe； was merely a result of duty assignments。 And even four months on Praxis hadn't provided them with enough time to work through the petitive trifles that fueled their relationship。 They were not only marooned； but marooned together； and Praxis had bee the proverbial town that just wasn't big enough for the two of them。 Bela； Praxis's wasp…waisted local sheriff； was only one of the contributing factors； but Karen nevertheless took every opportunity to keep Jack as far from Bela as she could； often encouraging the Hovercycle recons that had bee something of Jack's stock…in…trade。
A joyride disguised as a scouting mission had brought Jack and Karen to a series of caves two hours out from the GMU。 Lron and Kami had ridden with them。 Four months had given the Sentinels plenty of time to grieve for those who had gone down with the Farrago； but Karen often wondered just how long it was going to take for her to grow accustomed to her XT rades。 She wasn't a bit xenophobic…a fact that had won her a place with the Sentinels to begin with…and in actuality it wasn't so much the strangeness of Lron or Kami that overwhelmed her； but the similarities。 If only Karbarrans didn't so resemble Kodiak bears； she would tell herself。 And if only Kami didn't look like upright versions of the foxes she used to see near the cabin her father had once owned。。。She had much less trouble with Baldan and Teal； with their bodies of living crystal。 Or Tesla； for that matter…now there was an alien you could believe in！
But wolves and bears and snail…headed things。。。Karen was in the midst of wishing that Bela had had a more alien form…even a more rotund form…when without warning； Jack hissed： 〃Cut it out！〃
The four Sentinels were well into the central cave now； inside a huge vaulted corridor that was as hot as blazes and reeking of sulphur。 Curiosity had drawn them in； but Jack； never one to do things halfway； had insisted they go 〃just a little further；〃 and here they were a good half a click along。 There were primitive sketches on the walls of the caverns they had passed through…depictions of hideous spiderlike creatures Jack claimed were 〃symbols〃…and Karen was in no mood for fun house games or laugh…in…the…dark surprises。
〃Huh？〃 she said； gulping and finding her voice。
〃I said cut it out。〃
〃I know what you said； Jack。。。〃
She threw him an angry look in the darkness； wondering suddenly if she had actually voiced some of her private musings about Bela。 Then all at once something hit her on the top of the head。 XTs or not； she decided； someone was trying to be funny。 Karen whirled around； hoping to catch Kami in the act； but he was way off to her left inspecting a chunk of rock ne