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Rem fought to hold onto some last shred of reality。 The seemingly endless memories of the Optera of long ago； and the paradise it had been…but had he only dreamed them？ Images of the Regent's estranged mate； the Regis； and her passion for Zor； whose biogenetic material had been made manifest in Rem's cloning…were they fever…dreams of the hin？ But they had seemed so real； not hallucinatory； more ordered and in focus than any dream or nightmare。
The Invid officers hoisted Rem to his feet with a clanking of his chains。 To Rem's addled and tormented senses； the cold tiles felt like white…green frost that burned the soles of his feet and froze them at the same time。
The Regent loomed before him； twenty feet high； massive and terrible； his mantle spread like a cobra's hood as he gazed down through liquid black eyes as big as manhole covers。 Rem felt the hin seize him again； making the breath in his lungs congeal and refuse to move。
Rem heard his own whimpering； felt his self…control about to slip from his grasp。 He had the abrupt impression that there were things in the shadows waiting to pounce upon him and feast on his marrow； then take his mind and steal his soul。 And though a remote part of his intellect could recognize it as the mind…wrenching effect of hin； he couldn't find the strength of will to fight it。
〃Stand him up straight；〃 the Regent said； when Rem would have pulled himself into a weeping fetal ball。 〃Hold his head up。〃
When Rem was standing up and staring； as wild…eyed as an animal with its leg in a trap； the Regent went on。 〃You're a very difficult fellow； Tiresian。 Or should I say； ‘Clone'？ Or better yet； ‘Zor…clone'？〃
He held up four…fingered fists on wrists several times thicker than Rem's waist。 〃Whatever you really are； here's something that might interest you。 Your Sentinel friends are ing。〃
Rem couldn't hide a wretched whimper of disbelief and despair mixed with crazed hope。 The Regent caught it。 〃That's right： they are ing directly into my hands。 To be imprisoned like you； to be put to the Inquisition like you； and to go through all the pain and mind…probing you've gone through。〃
Rem was nearly in tears； but the Regent was leaning forward in the colossal throne； drowning him out。 〃But it needn't happen that way！ You can save them； Zor…clone； and save yourself as well！ The Haydon IV healers can cure them and cure you； too； this very hour； you can leave with them…if you'll simply say a few paltry words and give me what I want。〃
Rem was broken。 Courage and conviction and strength and faith…and even love…are overrated when it es to defense against torture。 Yet the Regent failed to incorporate one thing into his equations…the one factor that no agony could overe： ignorance。
〃Tell me where the last Protoculture matrix is；〃 the Regent hissed。 〃Tell me where the original Zor sent it…hid it！ You have many of his memories…how； I'm not sure。 But that one must be there； it must！〃
But it wasn't。 If it had been； Rem would have yielded it up in a moment。 That escape was closed to him； though。
Rem laid his head to his chest and sobbed。 Deep in the hin； he felt the sunlight jeering at him； his fear…sweat turning to acid against his skin； panic closing off his windpipe。
He heard the creak as the Regent rose from his chair。 〃Above all things； I despise stubbornness。 That； I punish。〃
Lynn…Minmei tried to stop the passageway from spinning as she lurched along； her hand held by the mysterious VT pilot； she was barefoot and disheveled； sick with the drinks she had downed but sicker still with her latest and worst glimpse of Human nature。
Not that she'd meant to drink a lot； she had nothing but contempt for drunkards。 But life as the consort of General T。 R。 Edwards was a little easier to bear after a round or two。 And then there was the drink itself…from Edwards's private bottle…something she had heard the top…echelon officers jokingly call weed…whacker。
It was a 150…proof vacuum distillate that had been soaked in fibers from a plant related to the Flower of Life； and strained out again。 Brackish； deadly。 But oddly smooth and warming。
Best taken by the slow shot glass。
But； she had needed something to fortify her as she sat there and listened to Edwards…the man Minmei had thought she loved； the man to whom she had given herself…reveal himself as a devil incarnate。
She was dizzy； and thought she might lose her balance； or her lunch…she had had no dinner。 〃Wait； wait；〃 she puffed； breathless。 Her head spun； and she tasted bile in the back of her throat。
The VT pilot stopped and turned to her； gesturing in a way that made it clear he was concerned about her。 Minmei brushed her hair out of her eyes yet again； to study him。 〃Do I know you？ Who are you？〃
He was tall and lean； and demonstrated a supple strength。 Behind the tinted facebowl of his flight helmet； all she could discern was the dark； thick beard。 He regarded her for a moment； then answered； 〃It says right here： REF Service # 666…60…937。〃
She could see that； and his flight officer's insignia and unit flash。 But his name tape； stitched over his left breast pocket； was unfamiliar： Isle； L。 His voice； ing through the helmet's tinny external speaker； was unrecognizable。
Her mystery savior was wearing the unit patch of one of the outfits from Dr。 Lang's research facility。 Lang had managed to ram through the council an authorization for his own security forces； but Edwards had fought the seconding of pilots to the Robotech scientist。 So； this was almost certainly one of the fliers who had been selected from the lower ranks and trained on Tirol to fill the cockpits of Lang's personal army。
But what was he doing on SDF…3？
Minmei swayed slowly from side to side； closing one eye in an effort to focus on him。 〃C'mom； c'mon； I mean； why're y'doing this？〃 She still wasn't sure he wouldn't drag her back to Edwards…maybe to claim some kind of reward or favor。
She was also waiting for the alarms to go off。
Surely； by now； Edwards had realized that she hadn't simply fled his embrace and his bedroom for some fresh air。 Even vain； cold Edwards must have admitted to himself by now that Minmei had made a break fo