round； hoping to catch Kami in the act； but he was way off to her left inspecting a chunk of rock near the cave wall。 Lron； too； seemed to be preoccupied with other things。 So； wiping sweat from her face； she turned back to Jack； and said； 〃Not funny。〃
〃What？〃
She put a hand up to shield her eyes from his miner's light。 〃Throwing things。 I'm not real thrilled about being in here to start with。〃
〃I didn't throw anything；〃 he started to say； when Lron's gurgling snarl interrupted him。
〃Who hit me？〃 the Karbarran growled。
Jack felt a tap on his shoulder； swung to it； then instinctively looked up。 His light illuminated what looked like an assemblage of globular…shaped deposits on the cave's ceiling。 Suddenly he saw one of the things move； and realized that it was some sort of free…floating； translucent sphere。 Kami switched on the light strapped above his muzzlemask and shined it on another portion of the ceiling； here were more spheres； ranging from baseball size to almost four feet in diameter； all bobbing against the rock like helium balloons。
〃What the。。。？〃 Jack said； moving his head around； the beam finding more and more globes。 〃Jeez； the place is crawling with them。〃
〃Jack！〃 Kami shouted； training his light on something further along the corridor。 Everyone turned in time to see a medium…sized globe emerge like a bubble from a conelike projection in the cave floor。 Jack rushed ahead； watching the milky thing ascend； and soon found himself perched on the rim of a large shaft； roughly circular and belching up a lot of heat and noxious fumes。 Kami； Lron； and Karen joined him a moment later； just as another globe was beginning to make its way up and out。
〃What a stink；〃 Karen mented。
Warily； Jack reached out to touch the basketball…sized orb。 It was hot； but not dangerously so； what surprised him was the thing's misleading solidity。
〃Jack； don't；〃 Karen warned him when he tried to capture it。
But as was so often the case with Jack； the warning came too late： no sooner had he taken hold of the sphere than it shot toward the ceiling； lifting Jack off the floor。 Arms extended over his head； he rode it up for fifteen feet before letting go and landing on the other side of the cavern in a neat tuck…and…roll that blew out the miner's light。
〃Yeah！〃 he whooped； as Kami helped him to his feet。 It wasn't unlike the spill he had taken six months ago in Tiresia； but this time he had landed among friends。
Karen hauled off and whacked him in the arm。 〃Jack； can't you just…〃
〃That thing took off like a rocket！ Almost pulled my arms out of the sockets。〃
〃Yeah； we noticed； Jack；〃 Karen said； miffed。
They were all staring at the ceiling now。
Jack watched the spheres bob against one another。 〃Almost seems like they're looking for a way out of here； doesn't it？〃
〃Yeah； just like we are；〃 Karen and Lron said at the same time。
In the mo chamber of his hivelike domain on Optera； the Invid Regent received a transmission from the simulagent who was representing him on Tirol。 It seemed that the so…called Humans now occupying the Robotech Masters' ravaged and forlorn moon had put on quite a show…with the kind of pomp and circumstance the Regent strived to imitate。 He was almost sorry he hadn't gone there himself。 What with most of his remaining fleet anchored in Fantomaspace； was there really anything to fear？ he asked himself。 Still； the fact remained that there were too many unanswered questions。 What； after all； did the would…be mander of the Human forces…this Major General Edwards…want？ He had been so quick to e to the Regent's aid in that matter of the Sentinels' ship。。。But it bothered the Regent that the Human had yet to ask for anything in return。 Did he simply wish to capitalize on the Sentinels' defeat to move himself higher in the chain of mand； or were these machinations part of some larger scheme？
In a certain sense the answer was unimportant； the Regent decided at last…providing he could make use of that factionalism that divided the Human forces。
He regarded the image in the munications sphere； catching a look in his double's eyes that troubled him。 〃Is there news of Tesla？〃
〃There is；〃 the simulagent said。 〃It appears the Tesla was aboard the Farrago when our forces destroyed it。〃
Tesla； dead； the Regent thought。 It touched him in a way he would never have believed possible。 But perhaps it was not true； perhaps there were survivors of that battle？ He had yet to hear from the follow…up forces who had been sent in to resecure the planet。 〃Who seems to be in charge？〃 he asked after a moment。
〃As you surmised；〃 the simulagent continued； 〃there are signs of an ongoing power struggle； principally between Edwards and a certain Dr。 Lang…a scientist who did his best to charm me during the introductory sessions。〃
〃Is Lang the weaker one； then？〃
〃No。。。no； this is not my belief。 The scientist in fact seems to have the backing of the Humans' council…an assembly that functions as a kind of governing body。〃
The Regent found the idea odd…as he had the puzzling gerontocracy the Robotech Masters had favored。 He couldn't understand how twelve minds could agree on anything； when he and his queen…merely two minds…had quarreled over every decision。
〃Then； you must work on Edwards；〃 the Regent said。 〃Promise your continued support in his petty struggle if it es down to that。 Tell him we'll join forces。 But just make certain you learn the whereabouts of their homeworld！ and how they came to possess Protoculture。 It may be that they know more than we do about Zor's matrix or the Masters' destination。〃
〃Am I to make no demands of Edwards in return for our support； Your Highness？ It hardly seems a wise move。〃
The Regent stared at the sphere's image in disbelief。 Was this some evil mirror he was looking into now？ 〃Just what would you have me demand？〃 he asked； seething under the restraint he kept in his voice。
〃The brain； to begin with。 Along with their promise to keep out of the sectors we still control。〃
The Regent made a dismissive motion toward the sphere。 〃These things are obvious； servant。 What else is on your mind？〃
〃Minmei；〃 the simulagent said without explanation。
The Regent made an irritated sound and scowled。 〃What's a Minmei？〃
〃The Human female that sang for my benefit。〃
The Regent caught himself from staggering back from the sphere。 He had only the vaguest understanding of this thing called singing； but the implication was clear enough： the simulagent was flawed in the same way that the Regis was。 She had allowed herself to be seduced by Zor； and now this pathetic creature the Regent had sent to Tirol was falling victim to the same perverse urge！ Was there no end to these injustices！
〃Hear me； grub；〃 the Regent growled； hood puffed up like a poisonous sac。 〃My reach is long enough to end your life where you stand。 Do my bidding； or feel the power of my wrath。〃
The simulagent genuflected for the remote eye of the sphere。 〃My lord。〃
〃Now and always；〃 the Regent said； shutting down the device。
Rick had spent the better part of the Praxian day inside the GMU； brainstorming with Vince and Wolff about possible ways to contact the orbiting Spherisian drive module。 Onboard puters had calculated the period of the module's eccentric course； and gone on to project just how much Sekiton fuel the thing contained； how far the module could be expected to fold； and just when its newly…attained orbit around Praxis might decay。 But there were still no solutions to the big questions of how to reach the module or bring it down。
Rick left the base just before sunset； as had bee his habit this past month； and joined the core group in their makeshift camp on the outskirts of the Praxian inland city。 He wasn't fond of the scene； which reminded him more of a recreational campground than the billet it was supposed to be。 Things were not just lax； but loose； as though everyone but him had grown to accept the situation。 There was a logic to it； of course； it made no sense to walk around tied up in knots。 But just the same； Rick had no patience with placency； and he silently hoped that an idea would e to them one night while sitting around these camp…fires paring cultural notes。 So he stood in line with the rest of them now； Human and XT alike； and helped himself to the Praxian gruel the mess staff was cooking up to supplement the reconstituted meals and nutrient pills taken from the base's dwindling stores。 Moreover； these sessions were the only waking hours he got to spend with Lisa…the new Lisa； that was； the liberated Lisa。
Where Gnea and Bela were still unforgiving of Miriya Sterling's Zentraedi past； they had embraced Lisa as though she were a long…lost member of the Sisterhood。 At first Rick was not entirely unhappy about it； but all at once Lisa seemed a different person than the one who had argued so strongly against his joining the Sentinels to begin with。 And while it was true that what was good for Lisa was good for the group； Rick couldn't help but feel a bit； well； jealous of the partnership Gnea and Lisa had formed。 The Praxian seemed to draw this sort of reaction everywhere she stepped。 Rick knew that Karen was having troubles with her； and he guessed