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Lang was shaking his head。 〃It's a mad scheme； Breetai。 Edwards will hunt you down。〃
〃Perhaps。 But he'll think twice about firing on us while we have the ore aboard。 Not when he learns that Fantoma's yield is exhausted； I'm relying on you to make this clear to him。〃
〃mander； may we enquire…〃
〃To search for Admiral Hunter； Exedore。 I don't accept that the Sentinels have bee outlaws any more than I believe the Invid Regent is dead。 We know that enemy； Exedore； we engaged them throughout this sector。 If he had been assassinated； his queen's troops would have already massed against Tirol and atomized it。〃 Breetai leaned closer to the balcony railing to regard his Micronized friend。 〃We are free of all imperatives now； Exedore。 The Zentraedi will follow none but their own。 Will you join us？〃
Exedore bowed his head。 〃mander； you honor me。 But I； too； have an inner imperative。〃
Breetai mulled it over； then nodded。 〃I understand； my friend。〃
Lang looked at the two Zentraedi； suddenly aware of the import the moment held。 A surge of misgiving washed through him； a shaping charge he could barely sustain。 His voice cracked when he spoke。 〃To Praxis； Breetai？ Garuda？ Spheris？ The ship you seek is small enough as to be insignificant。〃
Breetai fixed his eye on Lang。 〃I don't believe that； Doctor。 Nor do you。〃
Lang rasped； 〃Haydon IV。〃 She is there； something told him。
Exedore stretched out a hand。 〃Doctor…〃
〃Don't ask me to explain。〃 Was it Janice； he wondered； or some other she？ It was a presence the Shaping had alerted him to； a power unlike anything he had experienced。。。
Breetai regarded him for a moment。 〃I will begin my search there。〃
Lang nodded； weakly； wondering whether he would ever see the Zentraedi again。
On Garuda； the Sentinels grouped together in the long…house to discuss their options and priorities； which meant that it was back to transpirators for almost everyone involved。 Vince； Max； and Jack were so certain of where they stood that they had already had Rick； Lisa； and Karen brought up to the SDF…7。 Under Wolff's and Janice's supervision； Tesla and the two Invid scientists had also been moved to the ship； along with Miriya…who was still too weak to take part in the meeting…and Teal and the Spherisian infant。
Most of Garuda was celebrating…the grieving would e later…and the wild sounds of song and dance made it all the more difficult for the group to e to any agreement concerning the Haydon IV option。 They did find themselves united； however； on the issue of Garuda。 With the Optera tree orchards in ruins； it wasn't likely that the Invid were going to have much use for the planet…especially not when their initial campaign against Garuda's inherent defenses had ended in so many deaths。 But just in case the Regent decided to think along the lines of reprisals…which； Cabell maintained； was highly unlikely given the disastrous defeats the Invid leader had been suffering in other quarters…the Sentinels were prepared to leave most of their forces 〃onworld to plement the strength of the remaining Bioroid clones。 The one Invid hive that had e through the battle reasonably intact would serve as their base。 Vince and Veidt were in favor of this even though it would significantly reduce the Sentinels' firepower。 Haydon IV； though； was not be thought of in terms of a military campaign； they were undertaking the journey for the sake of Rick； Lisa； Karen； and Rem。
Once again； as someone pointed out。
But the Karbarrans and Praxians； in any case； chose to disregard Vince's statement。 They likewise ignored Veidt and Sarna's claim that the planet had not been adversely affected by the Invid presence。 Haydon IV had Invid； therefore； Haydon IV needed to be liberated。
Kami and Learna were reluctant to leave； reluctant to abandon the hin and to have to reattach themselves to life…support systems； but they agreed to see things through to their pletion after Lron and Crysta reminded them of how they had left their son； Dardo； behind on Karbarra。
The Sentinels were back to the core group。
And they were also back to unknowns。
It was possible they might beat the Regent's fleet to Haydon IV； get in and out without incident。 But it was just as likely that things would continue in the same unpredictable fashion they had grown accustomed to。
Ten Earth…standard hours later； the SDF…7 left orbit and jumped。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
While it was true the Invid had been existing on the very same fruits and flowers that were rapidly turning Tesla into something not…quite or more…than Invid； it must be pointed out that the liquified plant…stuff which reached Optera was of a 〃pasteurized〃 variety； and was principally utilized as nutrient bath for the soldiers' battle mecha…Scouts； Shock Troopers； Pincer Ships； and such。 By forcing himself to subsist on the pure （or the impure； in actuality）； Tesla was receiving megadoses of the same stuff that years earlier had sent the Zentraedi Khyron clear over the edge of the Imperative； and into undreamed…of states of metanoia。
History of the Second Robotech War； volume XXXVI 〃Tirol〃
〃I demand to know where she is！〃 The Regent bawled as he and his eleven…trooper elite stormed across one of Haydon IV's ice…blue plazas； the splendors of the city lost on them。
The planet's indigenous beings paid the Invid little mind； and went about their mysterious business； hovering in groups of two or three in and out of Glike's spirelike buildings； across graceful bridges； and through parks too perfect to believe。 But visitors； guests； and merchants from other worlds stopped to gaze upon the one whose race had most recently changed the face of the Fourth Quadrant。 A few Karbarrans even had to be restrained from running forward to mock the Regent with reminders of their recent victory。 〃Sentinels！ Sentinels！〃 they chanted； and succeeded for a moment in bringing the Regent around to confront them。 No one； however； dared make a violent move； for beneath those very same plazas and parks lurked surprises of a decidedly punishing nature。 Haydon IV had rules for citizens and strangers alike； and it enforced them without bias。
The Invid squad mander whispered as much to th