ant and to shield it from Max's fire。
The Black Knight fought wildly； but Miriya had e into battle fresh and uninjured； armor operating at peak levels； with the advantage of surprise。 Moreover； the viragos of the elite powered armor units in effect fought exclusively in what the REF would term Battloid mode； the contest was on Kazianna's chosen turf。
Kazianna called into play all the tricks of close…in mecha brawling that she had picked up in a long Quadrono career。 Though the interloper was clever and savage； in the end Kazianna held it immobilized and forced it to one knee； standing behind and maintaining a plicated arm…bar hold on it。
Max expected her to deliver the coup de grace or at least disable the thing utterly。 But to his shock； Kazianna freed one hand for a moment； made a quick move； and dropped a hand weapon of her own onto the forest floor； almost within reach。
Max made a decision and raised the rifle/cannon again； hoping he could avoid hitting Kazianna but determined to blow away the black mecha。 His Battloid's finger was squeezing the trigger when Miriya's voice came to him again。 〃Max； don't shoot！〃
And Aurora's voice spoke in his mind： We have to break the spell； Father！ Don't you see what's happened？ She sent a vivid image into his mind； the clearest mental link he was ever to have with his confounding younger daughter。
〃Oh； my God；〃 he whispered。
His Battloid's hand lowered； the rifle/cannon falling from its lax grip。 He waited as Kazianna slowly released her hold on the Black Knight。 The thing reached out slowly； almost unwillingly； taking up the gun Kazianna had thrown down； and began to e to its feet。
The war queen of the Quadronos waited； tensed； to pounce on the strange mecha again…if it seemed about to fire on Max； but such a contest might e out either way。 The thing was moving uncertainly； as if in a trance。
Max could feel Aurora's thoughts pouring toward it； Miriya's voice came over the net to it。 〃This isn't what you want。 e back to us。〃
Max stood looking into the weapon's muzzle； arms hung at his sides； in the profoundest torment he had ever known。 〃Whatever happens； please梐lways； always know that 。 。 。 that I love you。 We've always loved you with our whole hearts。〃 Then he stood up straight； the gun barrel centered on him； waiting。
The Black Knight's aim wavered； and after what seemed like a lifetime it dropped the weapon with a cry of utter misery in a voice they all knew。 The mecha staggered； and Kazianna caught it； already working at the unfamiliar lock…downs to crack it open。
Max dashed to them； reconfiguring as he went so that he sprang down from a kneeling Guardian whose huge metallic hands helped keep the supine Black Knight steady。 As he got down； Aurora and Miriya were emerging from Kazianna's open helmet； Miriya helping Aurora lower herself to the ground。 They had ridden in the powered suit； which had been retrofitted back during the monopole mining operations on Fantoma to carry Micronian observers。
Kazianna had gotten the soot…black； alien…contoured chest plate open。 Max； Miriya； and Aurora scrambled up and raced to gather around the pilot's seat； Max fumbling to remove from her a thinking cap that looked more like an instrument of torture。
Dana； ing out of whatever spell it was the Regis had used to throw open her dark side； blinked up at them。 〃Dad； I uhhh。 Don't hate me； I didn't want to？
〃Shh！ We know； everything's all right。〃
〃Dana； we love you； oh； sister 。。。〃
Then all four Sterlings were weeping； trying to talk at once； hugging and kissing each other。 At the same time they struggled to get Dana out of the pilot's seat/iron maiden into which she had been transferred somehow from the globular prison out at the end of the Black Knight's arm。 Aurora's emanations of grief and joy bathed them all； Kazianna included。 Kazianna eased back a bit once Dana was down on solid ground again to give the four some room and privacy。 She thought of the strange interludes that had e upon the newspace castaways； and some abrupt instinct made her look straight up into the sky。
Framed by the hole the descending mecha had made in the forest canopy； a single gargantuan eye that Kazianna knew now for the Regis's gazed back。
The giantess murmured； 〃You never learned this from Zor； did you？ No； nor from the Great Work； or your Genesis Pits； or even the transcendence itself。〃
But the Regis made no answer； and there was no sign what the new data would mean to her race/self。
Then that last； separated part of her attention was gone； reunited with the rest of her； as the Regis addressed herself to the threat she sensed from Haydon。
People were used to deferring to Lang； to obeying without question the driving force of the SDFs； RDF； and REF。 Even when he landed in a shuttle whose jamming gear was fouling up munications with the planet below； even when he emerged alone and gave orders to seal all flight decks and air locks； even when he walked away without a word of explanation or authorization； they automatically moved to obey。 Even Xien knew his authority lay； in reality； somewhere far below Lang's。
Perhaps every human's did。
Niles Obstat attempted to get into the shuttle； to shut down the countermeasures and jamming gear so that the SDF…3 could contact the ground party； but the shuttle refused to open no matter what he tried。
Lang was already racing to his sanctum sanctorum back near Engineering when he heard the PA chatter about an unauthorized air lock opening and the arrival of an Alpha。 He was too busy thinking about other things to curse； but his lips curved a bit in a cold smile。 Nichols the cyber…master； what an unexpectedly worthy opponent！
Louie emerged from the VT to find the people waiting for him looking like the victims of some psychic plague： dazed and unfocussed； not sure who or what to trust； least of all their own senses。 At least Xien and Niles Obstat summoned up the resolve to confront Louie and try to intervene。
Louie swept them with his black； bug…goggled gaze。 〃I can't explain； follow me if you like。 Lang has to be stopped。〃
Xien stepped in his way。 〃Admiral Hunter hasn't given any orders。〃
〃The Hunters and the rest are all right； I think。 Ask them yourself。〃
Louie had glanced to where Lang's abandoned shuttle was carelessly parked。 Crew members were swinging a heavy…duty cutting unit into place for forced entry。 At Louie's glance； various nearby sensors registered a change； and somebody from the TIC reported that the jamming had stopped。
Xien's mouth became a thin； resolute line； and he pulled his sidearm； training it on Louie。 〃You stand fast until the admiral says differently。〃
He had just turned to muster a security detail to bring Lang to ground； when they all heard the grinding of mecha。
All over the hangar deck war machines were moving； mechamorphosing； rousing up like wakened fairy…tale monsters。 Xien was brushed back by a Guardian's careful hand； unhurt but helpless to interfere。 The would…be security detail found themselves boxed in by a Battloid and the single functioning second…generation Destroid aboard。 Similarly； other personnel moved out of Louie's way or were moved from it。
Louie showed a bit of harried delight as three figures stood forth from the shadows to regard him。 Strucker； Shi…Ling； and Stirson had to maintain their concentration with so many mecha to remote…control。
〃Keep them all here；〃 Louie ordered his men。 〃Same goes for the Hunters and the rest。〃
〃Listen； you need us with you；〃 Shi…Ling began。
〃Uh uh； I've got Lang's number； but he'd just burn you out。〃
The unplugged people present heard the toccatas and rondos of data only as dim sounds from control panels and puter units。 To Louie and his disciples it was a symphony and light show that surrounded them and validated Louie's assertion with hard proof： Only he； with his augmentations； could hope to survive a clash with Lang。 Stirson conceded； 〃We understand。 Wipe 'im； man。〃
Louie ran on his way。 He never knew if he found the passages empty by some doing of Lang or as a result of the Regis or sheer coincidence。 He got to Lang's sanctum sanctorum to find the heavy hatch of the armored vault module hanging open。
Emil Lang was poised on a stool within； contemplating the apparatus taken so long ago from Zor's quarters。 Now it was radiant with Protoculture。
Lang spoke casually； without looking at him。 〃I think you'll find this interesting； Doctor。 Do e in。〃
Louie shrugged out of his jacket。 Where his black turtleneck was torn； the bionics and chip technology that had bee parts of his body could be seen； along with the cyberport at the back of his neck。
Lang glanced at him。 〃Don't be frightened； it's too late for you to do me any harm； so I've no need to harm you。〃 Louie was not ready to put money on that yet； but it was certain that Lang was on his own playing field。 Oh； maybe there was something Louie could do about the door servos or the conventional light fixtures； but everything of any significance was Protoculture； and Lang had already proved who was top dog in that particular arena。
Louie gulped but entered。 What else was there to do？ 〃Doctor； look： I know what you're thinking； but you