f reaction everywhere she stepped。 Rick knew that Karen was having troubles with her； and he guessed that even Bela must be harboring some ambivalent feelings about her friend's sudden preoccupation with Lisa。
With Gnea it was martial skills that mattered most； but beyond speed and strength； Lisa had discovered something else： an independence and self…assertiveness that was taking some getting used to。
Rick had these thoughts in mind when she came over to sit beside him in the firelight； still flushed and exhilarated from her latest weapons training session。 She talked about the feel of the halberd in her hands； the power of the naginata； she was practically poetic in describing Gnea's crossbow and two…handed shortsword。 Rick took it all in； forcing a smile and offering all he could in the way of appropriate nods and utterances； but behind the smile his mind was doing backflips。 What next？ he asked himself。 Would he e out here one evening to find her parading around in some skimpy fighting costume； like Bela's bossed and D…ringed body harness？ Would she suddenly take to buccaneer boots； some totem…crested helm； long…bladed dirks and throwing knives？ Rick shuddered at the thought； grateful for the fact that that damned Robosteed； Halidarre； was temporarily grounded。 Unfortunately； however； the Praxian's lambent…eyed malthi； Hagane； was not； and the winged pest nearly parted Rick's hair as it came darting in just now to settle itself on Bela's bulky forearm sheath。
Rick muttered a curse and looked over at his wife。 〃Glad to hear how well it's going；〃 he told her。 〃And I'm sure all this'll e in handy at the next Tirol decathlon。〃
She looked at him askance and took a forkful of food from his plate。 〃Something bothering you； Rick？〃
〃No； no； I mean； it's good to see you keeping busy； Lisa。〃
〃Is that what you think I'm doing…'keeping busy'？〃
Rick inclined his head； eyes narrowed。 〃It's what we're all doing； isn't it？ What am I supposed to do： spit in my palm and pledge my fealty to someone？ 'For the Eternal She and the glory of Haydon！'〃 Rick mimicked。
〃Rick…〃
〃No； really。 Maybe we should all be practicing swordplay and crossbow technique； leaps and high jumps。 Then maybe one of us'll be able to reach that module instead of wasting away down here。〃
Almost everyone in the circle caught an earful of Rick's words； and the usual evening's chatter abruptly ceased。 The fires crackled； and four Hovercycles could be heard approaching the perimeter。 Lisa and Rick seemed to be locked in an eye…to…eye contest when Jack； Karen； Kami； and Lron entered the camp。 Jack took a long look around； oblivious to the unfortable silence his swaggering entrance had dispersed； and announced cheerfully： 〃Wait'll you hear what we found。〃
〃They've agreed to help us；〃 Veidt said later on； hovering into the cavern where Rick and some of the other Sentinels were puzzling over the hideous cave paintings Karen had pointed out。 〃If 'agreed' is the proper word。〃
Karen noted that there were fewer globes than there had been that afternoon； several had apparently found their way out； as evidenced by the fact that one or two had been found bobbing against the ceiling close to the mouth of the cave。
〃Then they are life…forms？〃 Rick said。
〃Oh； most assuredly。〃
Rick heard Bela snort behind him。 After Jack had told them of the find； the Praxian women claimed to have heard tales of these orb creatures from Arla…Non； chief of the Sisterhood。 But the things were believed to be extinct； just as the beasts depicted on the cave wall were…or so Rick and the others hoped。
They had all tried to convince Rick that the orbs could wait until the morning； but he had insisted Jack lead them back to the caves immediately。 Now； not quite four hours since Jack's return to the base； Rick and half a dozen or so of the core group were standing in the floodlit heat of the cave； listening to the results of Veidt's telepathic probe。
〃I register no sense of how they came to arrive here；〃 the mouthless Haydonite was mind…speaking； motioning to the cavern。 〃I only know that their destiny lies somewhere in space。 This condition of。。。levity is but a transitional stage in their life cycle。 They are sentient； in what might be termed a primitive； or instinctual； fashion。 But the important thing is that they seem to understand our need for their assistance…their support； if I may be permitted to play with your language some。 In fact； Sarna and I detect a certain desperateness to their own flight…as if they are not merely obeying a behavioral directive； but are； in quite a real sense； escaping。〃
No one felt a need to state the obvious： Praxis was a tectonic nightmare from which they all wished to awaken。 The heat and stench of the cave only reinforced that fact。 And if the cave was indeed a volcanic vent of some sort； it was no wonder the globes were anxious to leave。
Cabell； his face and glabrous pate beaded with sweat； was watching one of the smaller creatures now； as it bobbed its way toward the entrance。 He couldn't help but be reminded of Tiresia's antigrav spheres； and he began to question if there wasn't some mysterious connection here。
Rick was watching the same sphere； but he was wondering just how many it might take to lift an Alpha to the edge of the Praxian envelope。 〃Do they understand what we're asking of them？…the specifics； I mean。〃
Veidt hovered over to a position directly beneath a cluster of the creatures。
〃The mecha should lift off on its own power；〃 Sarna answered for him。 〃After that； Veidt and I will be able to herd the orbs into place。〃
Excited； Rick punched the palm of his hand。 He swung around to Jack and Karen。 〃Contact the GMU。 Tell Vince to round up the Skull and the Wolff Pack。 We've got to work fast and assemble a crew for the module。〃
〃Will we be heading back to base？〃 Karen thought to ask。
Rick shook his head。 〃Give Vince our position。 Tell him what we've learned。〃 He glanced up at the globes； rivulets of sweat running down into his eyes。 〃I want the base to e to us。〃
While members of the Sentinels hurried to break down the camp and ready the GMU for motion； Burak was breaking the news to Tesla。 The Invid made him repeat it several times until satisfied he had all the details straight。
He had felt certain all along that he wasn't fated to end his days on Praxis； and now Burak had brought word that Hunter and the others had discovered a way to reach the orbiting drive module。 With precious little time to spare； Tesla thought as he and Burak packed away the few belongings the Invid kept in his cell。
Ever since his earlier ingestion of the mutated fruits； his mind had been reeling； locked in a kind of revelatory state； where answers came to him full…blown； like short…lived explosions of light。 He had been asking himself why the Regis had e to Praxis in the first place； it was a question that had been plaguing him on and off for months now。
It was before the mutiny aboard the Farrago that they had encountered one another； when Tesla had landed on Praxis to choose specimens for the Regent's zoo。 The Regis had given him a vague explanation then； and it didn't occur to him until much later on to question her responses。 With the continual quakes to spur him on； however； and the aid of the fruits； the answer became obvious： she had e here to conduct further Genesis Pit experiments…part of her grand scheme to transmute the Invid race into something Tesla himself could not yet begin to imagine。 Optera had been the site of the first Pits； where Tesla and most of the other evolved Invid were birthed。 But the Regis's experiment there had almost doomed the planet； it had； in fact； touched off the initial search for secondary worlds she might employ。 Abandoning Optera and the Regent； she had finally e to Praxis to hollow out new Pits deep in the planetary core。 And of course that was why she had left the place…because her experiment was following the same course it had taken on Optera。
Left。 But for where？ Tesla asked himself。。。
He put a hand on Burak's shoulder as they were about to leave the room。 〃You say they will be choosing a crew to pilot the first Alpha up to the module？〃
Burak felt the strength of the Invid's grip； and tried to shake it off； but could not。 〃Are we going to die here； Tesla？〃 he asked in a faltering voice。 〃Peryton； my people…〃
〃Quiet； you fool！〃 Tesla stepped through the doorway； glancing around to assure himself that no one was within earshot； then swinging back around to Burak。 〃We won't die here…not if we're part of that crew； we won't。〃
Burak's face contorted。 〃But how…〃
〃You leave that to me。 I just need to know one thing。〃 Tesla sniffed at him。 〃Can you pilot that Spherisian module？〃
〃I suppose so；〃 Burak said uncertainly。
Tesla stretched out his thick neck。 〃Then we're all set。〃
CHAPTER THREE
In Admiral ＇Rick＇ Hunter's personal notes ＇recorded on Praxis＇； we learn of several discussions that took place between Cabell and Bela regarding the issue of child…bearing among the Praxians。 （Hunter himself was nonplussed to hear Bela refer to Arla…Non as her 〃mother。〃） ＇Bela＇ even allowed Cabell to tour the whaashi…〃birthing center；〃 or creche…although refused