bers of teeming Invid。
bat heated the atmosphere of Tawkhan itself。 Explosions and energy volleys opened crevasses and shattered glaciers； undersea onslaughts made the oceans boil； beams of raw power melted ice fields and shook loose immense avallanches。 All across the planet the warfare raged in thickening smoke and rain。
The stupendous barrages awoke the resentment of Tawkhan itself； jarring its tectonics。 Volcanoes blasted to life； and fissures poured lava up through ice cap and seabed。 Quakes crushed or swallowed Invid and Zentraedi alike。 Mud and superheated water rained down。 Floods swept mecha away like bits of straw。
Through it all； Kazianna's unit made its way toward the very heart of the foe's central hive； a daring thrust to end the campaign with one telling blow。 But it met with failure； and what was left of her unit was about to be totally annihilated。
Kazianna braced herself to grapple unarmed with a Shock Trooper； her weapons were exhausted。 Then the Trooper was gone； burned in half； the halves falling away in opposite directions。 Dazed； Kazianna Hesh looked beyond where it had been。 There stood the great Breetai； a metal war god in his personal battle panoply； a rifle as big as an Earthly artillery piece smoking in his gauntleted fists。
Behind him came a crack task force； ten divisions of elite troops； to strike at the very brain of the foe。 Kazianna learned later that her own assault force had been a feint； drawing Invid attention away from Breetai's sword…stroke raid。 In moments the special coalition of living puters that directed the Invid on Tawkhan…the piles of brain tissue lurking in their vats…would be destroyed in an apocalyptic contest with the invading foot soldiers and mecha。
In that second； though； all Kazianna Hesh saw was Breetai； striding his personal domain…the domain of battle…like an icon e to life。 The most illustrious and successful of Dolza's field manders and； after the Old One himself； the biggest and strongest of the entire Zentraedi race。
It was heresy to think this； but Kazianna did not care： He was like some higher being； some creature superior to other Zentraedi and even to the Robotech Masters。
But the worship was not mutual； Breetai was still directing his raid and barely gave her a glance。 〃You！ Consolidate your unit and stand by！〃
Then he was gone； and she was rushing to obey。 Genders were usually strictly separated among the Zentraedi； where neither physical love nor natural birth were known； only the scope of the Tawkhan campaign had thrown them together so。
Thus； Kazianna Hesh could not understand what was happening to her…why did his voice and his look obsess her so？ Was it madness？
She studied and admired him from afar； through an age of conflict and conquest。 The closest she came to him was when he presided at an awards ceremony for Miriya Parino。 Kazianna was only a few paces away； a pany mander by then。 Breetai did not even spare her a glance。
By that time he wore the alloy half cowl as a result of his terrible wounds； suffered when Zor was slain。 But to her he was only that much more imperial looking。 In those days the Protoculture supply was dwindling； the galaxywide war running down like clockwork as both sides' resources and infra structures declined。 The central mission of the Robotech Masters； and thus the Zentraedi； was to find Zor's vanished super dimensional fortress and the last existing Protoculture matrix。
At long last came the end of an epoch； when the terrible beauty of Minmei's voice； along with human emotions； worked Armageddon upon the Zentraedi。 The glories of their history turned out to be a tissue of lies concocted by the Robotech Masters。 Kazianna and the rest were a pitiful handful of survivors。
But for her； something in the human emotions had stirred dormant feelings。 For Kazianna； the example of Miriya Parino and her love for Max Sterling pointed the way to an even amore audacious thought。 If Zentraedi could love human； why could not Zentraedi love Zentraedi？
In the humble home on Fantoma where Breetai had dwelt at a simple miner an epoch ago； she went to him。 And this time she did not permit him to ignore her。
When death took him from her in bat； she was nearby and saw him sacrifice his life to slay the Regent； end the war。 There were fools who looked at the relative size of the batants…Breetai nearly three times the Regent's height…and marveled that Breetai had not won outright。 They understood nothing of the astounding power the Invid monarch had by then； the strength beyond mere size…or of the debilitating effects of Minmei's voice； transmitting her torment； forced on Breetai by the malevolent Edwards。
Kazianna dismissed all fools。 What Breetai had done with his dying breath； no one else who ever lived could have done。 He died in victorious bat； the highest Zentraedi fulfillment。
Watching him perish in an explosion like the birth of a star； she had wept for the single time in her life。
〃Is anything wrong； mander？〃
Kazianna's executive officer's voice shook her out of the reverie； and she realized that barely an instant had gone by。 The falling kite…shaped leaf whirled down past her facebowl。
〃Negative。 Resume sweep。〃
But something on the planet must have been probing her thoughts； scrutinizing her memories。 If it was malign； she meant to destroy it； but for the moment she almost felt grateful to have had Breetai back again even for a few seconds。
Then the reverie was wiped away by a burst of static。 〃All units； all units！ Hold position！ It's back！〃
〃I specifically told the bridge officer not to inform you unless you inquired about the children；〃 Segundo said。 〃I am aware that you're dealing with other crises。〃
〃Understood； Doctor；〃 Lisa acknowledged curtly。 Even over the inter screen he could see the strain on her face。 〃What is your assessment？〃
The pediatrician stepped aside and let the pickups focus in on Roy； Drannin； and the other children。 Once again they sat in their uneven circle； the Zentraedi children towering over the human。
But there was no doubt about their chant now。 ‘ Au…ro…ra； Au…ro…ra； Au…ro…ra 。 。 。 '
Aurora the psi…child； the accelerated…growth sprite； the one who reached across interstellar distances。 Lisa had always been sure she would be able to keep jittery mommy stuff separate from ship's officer worries； but now she was less certain。
〃I don't think this is a mental dysfunction or a behavioral aberration in the traditional sense；〃 Segundo was saying。 〃I believe that they are rational but that they are responding in a way that we don't understand to a difficulty or necessity that we can't perceive。〃
On the bridge； Lisa heard people conferring behind her； the search operation…something was up。 〃Inform me of any changes； Doctor。〃
She turned to Raul Forsythe。 〃They've found Gnea and Dante；〃 he said。
Somewhere far away； Minmei was singing； his head on her lap； her hand stroking his brow。 Rem knew it； as he knew that her warm tears were splashing on his cheek； but that was in some other universe 。 。 。
On Haydon IV； Zor saw no contradiction to what he had already learned； though Vard had not yet reached the same level of enlightenment。 Living matter； inorganic matter； machine； Protoculture they were all united by certain basics。 The fundamental building blocks of Creation had nothing to do with quantum foam any more than they did with plant sap。
The key understanding was that the universe was a result of the interaction of pure information。 Information organized in a way that was so subtle； all…pervading； and elegant that in the end all the wise men； mystics； and scientists had missed it。
It was not a jarring note； then； to Zor； to see that fact manifested in the from of an artificial planet。
The expedition to Haydon IV had to be postponed twice while Zor gave his seeming obedience to the Masters and made secret preparations。 By that time he was well along in his quiet rebellion。
The Masters； drunk on the power of Protoculture； were so arrogant； so sure of their hold over him。 What better way to fight them than to feed those monstrous egos？ They understood no more about Protoculture than a child knew of an energy gun it might find and brandish about。
But now at last he had e to Haydon IV in his super dimensional fortress； seeing that the preliminary surveys had not exaggerated its beauty； its magnificence。 On his own urgings and from their hidden misgivings； the Robotech Masters spared the artifact world any visit from their Zentraedi giants； there was something about its storied Awareness that made the Elders cautious。 Haydon IV rendered tribute to them from its apparently endless wealth and went about its enigmatic affairs。
The Invid； for their own reasons； never made the planet a military target。 Maybe they saw it as too desirable a prize to damage。 Or perhaps they had heard the daunting stories of how the planet dealt with invaders。
Zor was weled down by the inhabitants of Haydon IV with the kind of remote courtesy for which they were famous。 And yet he felt their intense scrutiny。 The confusions and mental fogs that plagued the survey team were no obstruction to Zor； where others had missed the looming presence