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I will follow the nebulae； she decided all at once。 I will quit this Quadrant and place myself as far from his reach as that matrix was from the Masters' evil embrace。
She found herself excited by the prospect； laughing as she overlooked Haydon IV's artificial land…and cityscapes。 She could even leave some of her Children behind until the moment arrived…the moment when that blue…white world was discovered and made her own！
She increased her size； towering up to fill the room； knowing a determination she had thought lost with love itself。 Regarding Rem； she said； 〃Now let the Regent have his way with you； clone。 Let him peer into your memories of our time together； and let him suffer for what he missed！〃
Miriya did not look as well as Max had imagined she might。 Where was that rosy glow； that special something？ Instead； she seemed wasted； baggy…eyed； bone…weary； even slightly jaundiced。
〃It's just from my exposure to the atmosphere；〃 Miriya told him as he carefully sat down on the edge of her cot。 〃But Jean says everything's fine； all systems go。 So smooth your wrinkled brow； my darling； and kiss me before I do something violent。〃
Max forced a smile and leaned into her arms； they held each other for a moment。 Max patted her back and straightened up。 〃I'm not sure I know what to feel；〃 he confessed。
〃I know； Max。 I'm just as concerned as you are about Rick and Lisa。〃
〃Good news； bad news。。。〃
〃That's life； Max。 And now Dana's going to have a sister。〃
Max's brows went up。 〃Jean tell you that？〃
〃She didn't have to。〃 Miriya caressed her belly。 〃I can sense it。〃
Again； Max tried to feel good about things； but the more he looked at his wife； the more anxious he became。 He was about to take her hand； when someone rapped against the partition。 Crysta； Gnea； and Teal asked if they could e in for a moment。 The Spherisian was carrying the infant…a two…foot Baldan； although still faceted and speechless as yet。
〃As soon as I heard the news I came down；〃 Teal explained。 〃I wanted you to see the infant。〃
〃Congratulations；〃 Gnea said to Miriya uncertainly。
〃Hey； what about the father？〃 Max asked good…naturedly。
The Praxian turned to him。 〃Why？ Did you have something to do with Miriya's condition？〃
Max started to respond； but thought better of it； shutting his mouth and blinking stupidly。
〃When does he bee smooth； like you？〃 Miriya was saying to Teal。
〃It doesn't。 It's not necessarily a he。〃
Miriya looked around unfortably。 〃But I thought that Baldan。。。that this。。。〃
〃It is of Baldan；〃 Teal replied； regarding the infant analytically。 〃But the features and what I think you call 'the sex' are ultimately left to the Shaper。〃
〃The Shaper？ You？〃 Crysta said； surprised； one huge paw to her muzzle。
〃Who else？ The young Spherisian remains faceted until smoothed by its Shaper。 Soon I will de…facet it。〃
〃But you'll shape him； er； it in Baldan's image； won't you？〃
〃Why would I do that？ I am bonded with the infant now。 I could just as easily shape it in my own image。〃
〃But this is all that remains of Baldan；〃 Crysta argued。 〃Don't you want to recapture his essence？ It would mean much to all of us。〃
Miriya and Gnea agreed。 Max kept out of it。
〃Among Spherisians I am considered most attractive；〃 Teal told them proudly。 〃A young one could do far worse than be shaped as I am。〃 She regarded Max and Miriya a moment。 〃You Earthers don't even have a choice in the matter。〃
〃No argument there。〃 Max laughed。 〃But maybe that's the beauty of it。〃
Gnea made a face； astonishment in her gold…flecked eyes。 〃So you did have something to do with it。〃
Max looked from Praxian； to Karbarran； to Spherisian； to his own Zentraedi wife； and wondered if he could possibly explain himself。
The Zentraedi's cargo transport…named the Valivarre for Fantoma's primary…was the largest of the ships constructed to serve the needs of the mining op。 It was essentially an enormous shell； with vast featureless cabinspaces and cargo holds； and numerous launch and docking bays sized to acmodate ranks of surface mecha and outsize shuttles。 Typical of the new breed SDFs…4 through 8…the Valivarre was only lightly armed and somewhat slow by galactic standards； but unlike those fortresses the ship was equipped with Protoculture/Reflex drives that enabled it to astrogate near…instantaneous folds throughout 〃local space。〃
The transport was in stationary orbit over Tirol just now； off…loading the latest of Fantoma's riches to cargo shuttles； which were making runs both to the SDF…3 and to the moon's surface。
On the Valivarre's bridge； Breetai was informed that one of the returning shuttles was bringing up two passengers。 He arrived in the busy docking bay just as Dr。 Lang and Exedore were descending the shuttle ramp。
Lang took a look around。 Under the watchful gaze of four Ghost Squadron Battloids； a dozen Zentraedi were loading the last of the monopole ore into a second shuttle。 There was more noise than Human ears were meant to withstand； so he donned a pair of silencer muffs； and went on the amplibox to municate with Breetai。
〃It appears that everything is in order； mander；〃 he said； trying to sound businesslike。 〃But I have some matters to discuss with you regarding the transfer schedule。 Is there somewhere we can talk？〃
Breetai led them out of the hold and into a small cabin…space outfitted with a Micronian mo balcony。
〃This area is secure；〃 Breetai told them after he had dogged the hatch。
Lang got right to the point。 〃You'll never get away with this； Breetai。 What do you take us for？〃
The Zentraedi grinned。 〃The fool's ore。。。It wasn't my intention to trick you； Lang。 Only Edwards's men。 As far as they are concerned； we are off…loading the monopole。〃
〃But； mander；〃 Exedore said； 〃what are you trying to acplish？ You're aware that Lang and I will have to report this。〃
〃And I fully expect you to。 I ask only that you delay your report for three hours。〃
〃You're leaving！〃 Lang said； excited。 〃I knew it。〃
Breetai folded his arms across his chest and nodded。 〃That's right； Doctor。 We're leaving。 And we're taking the monopole with us。〃
Lang was shaking his head。 〃It's a mad sch