ad already been installed； but most were still under construction。 The way Dana saw it； Haydon and his hibernating brethren were not going thrilled to learn that someone had crept up the beanstalk and made off with the golden goose； or in this case； one of ships built to whisk them off to their planned retirement munity。 But if she could arrange it so that the drives never reached the ships； the Ark Angel crew would be long gone before Haydon figured out what had happened。
Of course it would have been better still to incapacitate Haydon's alarm clock； or at least set the wake…up time forward a couple or three centuries； but Exedore had not had any success in zeroing in on that part of the Awareness； much less in divining just where Haydon was sleeping it off。
〃So who's joining me？〃 Dana asked； wielding a table leg in one hand。 〃We got some labor droids to demission。〃
〃It's important that I remain here；〃 Exedore said without taking his eyes from the monitor screen。〃
〃You keep doing what you're good at； Exedore。〃 She glanced at her parents； standing side by side behind the Zentraedi。 〃What about it？ Mom？ Dad？〃
Aurora stepped forward while the Sterlings were casting uncertain looks at one another。 〃I'll go with you；〃 she told Dana。
Dana adopted a dubious look。 〃That's good of you； kid； but I don't know。〃
〃Remember the spores； Dana；〃 Aurora said； reminding her of the mindlink they had once shared across a near arm's length of galaxy。
Dana nodded。 〃Glad to have you aboard； sis。〃
Max and Miriya adopted determined expressions。 〃All right； Dana； you win；〃 Max said。
She quirked a smile at them。 〃Yeah；〃 she said； 〃now I remember you guys。〃
〃Fools；〃 Vince said under his breath； 〃crazy fools。 It's a suicide run。〃
Spherical bursts erupted in the darkness outside the bridge viewports。 The Ark Angel had removed herself a safe distance from the battle； but even so it was apparent that the Karbarrans were sustaining heavy losses。 Their strafing runs across Haydon IV's split hemispheres had succeeded only in riling the planet's defensive arrays； which were responding mercilessly。 Fortunately； the Karbarran mander had had sense enough to keep the factory…produced sphere ships between his own flotilla and the artifact's in…close plasma cannons。 That at least had assured that the Awareness would fall into a push…pull dispute with its own programmed imperatives？to protect the planet from attack while at the same time safe璯uarding the ships it had assembled from the metallic stuff of its host/captive moon。 As a result； Haydon IV had been forced to be uncharacteristically circumspect with its initial retaliatory salvos； and many of the Karbarran dreadnoughts had survived。
Close…up cameras revealed planet and flotilla in a savage dance around the production ships； each searching for openings。 But the Karbarrans were having a difficult time maintaining formation in the face of such maneuverings。 As an added irritant； the Awareness had directed most of its labor droneships against the flotilla's defensive fighter groups and was scoring heavily in all sectors。
〃They should break off the attack while there's still time；〃 Vince said to no one in particular。 He felt Jean's warm hand on his shoulder。
〃We've pinpointed the ship；〃 she told him as he swung around from the view。
Vince glanced over her head at intel officers and techs grouped around the tactical board。 In tight close…up on…screen was one of the interdimensional sphere ships； with few labor drones about。
〃Is that the one？〃 Vince asked。
〃Yes； sir；〃 a lieutenant colonel replied。 〃We're certain it's the prototype。 First off the line； first to be equipped with drive units。〃 The young man swiveled to face Vince。 〃It's our best bet； General。〃
Vince answered him with a grim nod。 〃Any word from Nichols？〃
〃Just up； sir；〃 a tech said； displaying a message on one of the sit board's peripherals。 〃Looks like they're inside the Awareness。 We've also received reports of a full…scale hostage uprising planetside。〃
Vince studied the big board； then turned to the viewport； narrowing his eyes against an angry strobing of battle light。〃 All right； gentlemen；〃 he said after a moment。 〃Inform Colonel Bernard that his Veritech group has a green light。 But make sure he understands they're to wait for Dr。 Nichols's all…clear before attempting to board the prototype。〃
The tech activated the …line。 〃Anything else； sir？〃
Vince snorted。 〃Wish him Godspeed； Sergeant。〃
The Awareness was an argent temple that brought to mind Tiresia's pyramidal Royal Hall。 Louie and his infiltration team approached it cautiously； evading program sentries when necessary； although most of those had been successfully lured away to implement Exedore's requests for system updates。
Once they were inside； the place turned out to be a labyrinth of mand corridors and data reservoirs； as difficult to enter as it probably was to exit。 But there was no time to be selective。 Gibley surrendered the point； and Louie joysticked himself through a columned portal。 Angling through a maze of lower function hallways； he began arming the virus charges the raiders had carried in。 The idea was to home in on the source of the disruption signals that would result once they were detonated。
And in that； the charges did not disappoint。
The Awareness rallied； filling its instinctual level corridors with a veritable horde of antibiotic programs。 But the teams' decision to engage early on had been predicated on the expectation of just such a primitive reaction； and by so doing； the Awareness not only lost momentary control of its logic circuits but allowed Louie's team to ascend rapidly through its mand and control hierarchy。
Louie followed the path of most resistance； deploying ghosts to confuse trackers； and eventually entered a vaguely defined triangular chamber close to the pyramid's summit。 Normally there would have been access codes to decrypt there； but the Awareness had apparently been engaged in entering them when the Karbarran attack had begun。
When Louie had brought the raiders to a halt； he sent three recon drones through the elaborate window at the chamber's apex。
The data they returned stilled his thoughts。
In the space above the temple's golden triangle were perhaps tens of thousands of discorporate intelligences。 Louie had discovered where Haydon and his race were hiding。
By the time he found the presence of mind to order the team out； the first of Haydon's antipersonnel security…force programs was…already engulfing them。
CHAPTER TWENTY
〃Now； children；〃 I heard one of the child…care staffers； say into the mike； 〃stop being so damned destructive！〃 He turned to me red…faced and apologetic； but I was already thinking： Damned children； damned children 。。。 When and where had I heard that before？
Lisa Hayes； Recollections： The Lost Journey
Rem did not need the clonesongs to open his mind to what had happened once Zor had left Optera with the Flower of Life specimens the Regis had given him。 He knew from both the historical record and the cellular memories he had summoned while at work on Lang's facsimile matrix that the Regent had learned of his wife's infidelity； exposed the hoax Zor had perpetrated； and ordered the landing party to leave the planet。
Though the use of deception was still in vogue among the arts of that period； the direction of physical force against other life…forms was not； and the landing party had assented to the outraged husband's demands and exited the Tzuptum system the following day。 But instead of continuing with their grand tour of the Quadrant； they had returned almost immediately to Tirol； where Zor had described for the Elders the wonders to be found on Optera and had given them their first look at the mysterious Flower he had accepted on their behalf。
What had followed for Zor were years and years of tedious； most often solitary experimentation with the Flower。 The Elders had been pleased to accept his gift； but their disappointment was apparent。 True； the Invid…Flower symbiosis seemed to be a process worthy of further investigation； but that was the end of it。 The Elders lacked the necessary vision to see how the Flower might have any lasting import to human life。 So Zor had endeavored to demonstrate just what could be acplished by harnessing the Flower's bio…energy and by employing the language the Regis had taught him； he introduced Protoculture to the Quadrant。
So began the brief but catastrophic era known as the Great Transition： the years of barbaric infighting that led to the formation of the Robotech Masters； the rapid redevelopment of terror weapons and spacefold drives； the bloody program that anticipated the early clone experiments； and finally； the neural re…programming of the miner…giant Zentraedi。
Zor had long since lost control of his discovery and fallen victim to the pulsion the Masters had placed upon him。 And those same Masters would oversee his eventual return to Optera； no longer as trickster or would…be king but conqueror； thief； and destroyer of worlds 。 。 。
Rem wept in his quarters aboard the SDF…3； recalling the hell Optera had been sentenced to by his clone…father and the millions…strong Zentraedi。