r expression。〃
〃Would that you had learned to discern our nuances；〃 Veidt sent to everyone。 〃You would have undoubtedly noticed alterations in my countenance since the initial stirrings of the Awareness some months ago。 Our inner states are as much on display as your own； you know。〃
〃Tell us what's happening to you；〃 Exedore said。
A dull； pulsating glow lit Veidt's dzentile。 〃Thoughts e not without great difficulty now； Lord Exedore。〃
〃Try； Veidt；〃 Miriya said； 〃please。〃
Veidt's hairless head rolled briefly within the high collar of the robe。 〃One might pare it to the pulsion the Robotech Masters used to extract unfailing allegiance from the Zentraedi。〃 The Haydonite regarded Max。 〃I have found nothing in Terran history that invites parison； although my intuition tells me otherwise。〃
〃We Haydonites nevertheless have as a world been forced to respond to a type of behavioral programming that up until recently has lain dormant within us。 But it appears that those of us who have had continued contact with offworlders can exercise intermittent control over the programming。〃
Exedore and the Sterlings could sense Veidt's musings。 Alone among his planetary panions； Veidt had shed tears on the occasion of the death of Sarna； his mate in captivity； whose body had been delivered into the cupped hands of Haydon IV's towering shrine to its creator。
〃The process is somewhat analogous to the defenses your bodies utilize in the resisting of biological contamination or infection；〃 Veidt continued。
〃I guess Anad and Llan haven't got the hang of it yet；〃 Dana said。
Veidt rotated to face her。 〃They were probably more helpful than you realize； child。〃
Exedore spoke up before Dana could respond。 〃But what brought this about； Veidt？ Surely it has something to do with the Invid's departure。 Only a believer in coincidence would fail to see the connection。〃
Veidt's sendings ceased for a moment。 〃The Event has occurred； Lord Exedore。 I can offer little more data than that。 From the deepest center of my being arises an understanding that this world itself has been waiting and preparing for the Event for countless millennia； and yet I cannot speak of it。 I know only that the waiting is plete。〃
〃You're telling…us you've no idea what you've been waiting for？〃 Dana said。
〃I am。 Nor do I know what to expect。〃
〃Why have we been arrested； Veidt？〃 Max demanded。 The Haydonite glided to the center of the room and back。 〃Arrest is not the appropriate term。 You've done nothing illegal； nothing to warrant imprisonment。〃
Dana pointed to the laser…barred threshold。 〃In case you haven't noticed； Veidt； we're not exactly free to e and go as we choose。〃
〃Protective custody is the term I would use；〃 Veidt offered； as though he had been scrolling through a phrase file。 〃As I'm certain Lord Exedore has already informed you； Haydon IV has left orbit and is accelerating even now。 Surely you accept the fact that you never would have； been able to survive on the surface。〃
〃Granted； Veidt；〃 Miriya said。 〃We were brought down here for our own good； we've accepted that much。 But does that mean we'll be released when we reach wherever it is we're going？〃
Veidt's forehead pulsed with subdued light。 〃Not exactly。 You see； it is important that you not be permitted to interfere with the successful pletion of the secondary and tertiary stages。 Therefore； you are to remain in protective custody until all post…Event phases have been carried out。〃
〃But how long are we talking about？〃 Dana managed。
〃As long as the operation requires；〃 Veidt sent。
Max and Miriya stared at each other aghast。 Exedore and Aurora assimilated the disclosure silently。 Dana considered lunging for the hardwood war club she had stashed behind the couch。
〃Violence should not be considered an option；〃 the Haydonite said without facing anyone directly。 〃I should add that I have sought audience with Vowad。〃
Father of a sort to Sarna； Vowad was a high…ranking member of Haydon IV's Elite。
〃And？〃 Exedore asked。
〃He can do nothing。 Offworlder contact has mitigated the impact of the pulsion on Vowad as an entity； but he is still obliged to answer to the Elite； who have thus far remained fully responsive to the programming。〃
Dana felt her anger rising again。
〃Perhaps I should remind you that one incident of violence has already been answered in kind；〃 Veidt sent in her direction。
〃The Karbarran vessel；〃 Exedore said。
〃Vessels； unfortunately。 One Spherisian ship did； however； escape the acceleration unscathed。〃
〃Has Karbarra been informed of the incident？〃 Max asked out of genuine concern。
〃Yes； by the Spherisians themselves；〃 Veidt sent。 〃In fact； there is some reason to believe that a Karbarran battle group is en route to Haydon IV at this very moment。〃
Max shot to his feet。 〃But you just said that interference couldn't be permitted！ You've got to see that they're warned away。
Veidt grew quiet； as though accessing some remote mainframe。 〃I'm sorry； all of you。 But it is apparently too late for that now。〃
At Admiral…Elect Lron's urgings； the Karbarran dreadnought had been named N'trpriz in honor of some Terran ship of primitive design。 And while mander K'rrk had not been against the idea at the time； he would have preferred a different vessel to call his own； a Sekiton…powered ship…of the…line with a proper Karbarran name。 The Tracialle； if he bad had a choice or； failing that； the battlewagon Yirrbisst。
K'rrk sat in the mand chair of the N'trpriz； shaking out the lingering effects of spacefold as his bridge crew fed him updates on the ship's position and readiness。
〃Haydon IV ing into view； mander；〃 Mav reported from one of the forward duty stations。 〃All cruisers accounted for。 Establishing matching velocity with the planet three point seven units； sir。〃
〃Thank you； Mav；〃 K'rrk said from the helm chair。 〃Let's have a look at it。〃
The artificial planet resolved on the bridge's forward screen； variegated； rotating； but atmosphereless。 A celestial wanderer no longer； but more the starship it was。 Parsecs distant from that which it had called its home star for a time； and still accelerating。
K'rrk cupped a paw around his muzzle in a contemplative gesture。 Off to one side of the helm chair stood an enormous wooden wheel； a vestigial adornment overruled by Tiresian made astrogational puters buried deep in the ship's heart but left in place out of respect for the Sentinels' 〃steam ship；〃 Farrago。
K'rrk turned to regard his science officer。 〃Could they be preparing to fold； Lorek？〃
〃A distinct possibility； mander。〃 〃What do scanners show？〃
〃Areas of extensive surface damage；〃 Lorek responded after a moment。 By Karbarran standards； he was tall and lean； with mottled fur and a curious cant to the diminutive； mushroom…shaped horns set between his ears。 〃Glike appears to be pletely deserted； sir； although bio…indicators are registering life signs in several subsurface chambers。〃
〃Do we have a fix on whatever's powering the thing？〃 Kirk asked。
〃Affirmative。 All drive systems are controlled from a central AI nexus concealed under what used to be a system of reservoirs and interlinked canals。 It has apparently been given the name Awareness； mander。〃
〃Defenses； Lorek。 Shields？ Antiparticle fields？〃
〃None that scanners can discern； mander。〃
K'rrk growled with pleasure as he turned to the ship's munications officer。 〃Reeza； inform all battle group manders to hold their positions。〃
〃Done； mander；〃 she responded almost immediately。
K'rrk made an approving sound。 〃Open up a hailing frequency； Lieutenant。 〃
〃Frequency opened to all traffic；〃 Reeza told him。
K'rrk cleared his throat and slapped a paw down on the chair's translator stud。 〃This is the Karbarran starship N'trpriz。 We wish to make contact with whomever is presently in control of Haydon IV。〃 He repeated the request twice more。
〃Ining； sir；〃 Reeza said as a synthesized voice speaking formal Karbarran began to issue from the bridge's munication ports。
〃Attention； N'trpriz；〃 the voice began。 〃Your vessel is being scanned。 Do not； repeat； do not attempt to arm or deploy any weapons。 〃
K'rrk flashed his weapons officer a paw signal for restraint and patience。 〃Understood； Haydon IV；〃 he directed toward overhead audio pickups。 〃With whom are we speaking？〃
〃You are in munication with Haydon IV's Awareness。 State your purpose； N'trpriz。〃
K'rrk glanced at his crew； then said； 〃We must be permitted to establish a docking orbit around Haydon IV for the purpose of extracting our citizens；〃
Ursine eyes fixed on the forward screen and speakers。 〃That cannot be permitted；〃 the Awareness replied at last。 〃Your citizens are in no danger。 Do not； repeat； do not attempt an approach or your vessel will have to be destroyed。〃 K'rrk bared his fangs in a twisted smile。 If the normally dour Karbarrans had learned anything from the Sentinels' victorious campaigns； it was that fate； destiny； could be grasped as one would a prize piece of fruit。 And just now Haydon IV was that prize； a conquest that would consolidate Karbarra's power among the worlds of the Local Group and reward a certain mander with the dreadnought of his choosing for all subsequent sorties。
〃Nonsense；〃 K'rrk told the Awareness with a gurgling snarl。 〃Release your prisoners at once or suffer the consequences。〃 He hit the …interrupt stud and swung to Lorek。 〃Do we still have a fix on the nerve center？〃
〃Affirmative； mander。〃
K'rrk struck the arm of the mand chair with a huge fist； nonretractable claws finding their usual grooves。 〃Activate all electronic countermeasures and prepare for evasive action。 Mav； prepare to secure us a counterrotational orbit at my mand。 Cano： target primary torpedoes ground zero on nerve center coordinates。〃
〃We're being warned away； sir；〃 Reeza said。
〃Engineering；〃 K'rrk growled across the …line as the N'trpriz began to close on the accelerating sphere that was Haydon IV。
〃Engineering here； mander；〃 a thickly accented Highlander's voice returned。
〃We're going to try a hit…and…run； Rash。 Will your engines back us up？〃
〃By Firrbisst； you know they will； mander。〃 K'rrk grinned。 〃All right； Cano； on my…〃
A blare of two…note warning horns overpowered his words。 〃mander；〃 Lorek reported in an astonished voice。 〃Ship's auto…destruct has been armed and is counting down！〃
K'rrk rose halfway out of the helm chair。 〃What？〃
〃Auto…destruct set for thirty units； sir。〃
K'rrk spit a curse at Haydon IV's on…screen image。 〃Toy with us； you will not！ Mav； plot a course directly for the surface。 I want us in this ship sitting right over the Awareness！〃
〃Twenty units； sir。 〃
K'rrk slammed a paw down on the chair's control panel。 〃Ship's puter；〃 he said； catching a whiff of his own muskiness。 〃Abort auto…destruct sequence。 Priority override； K'rrk…two…K'rrk…one； cancel。〃
Lorek entered a similar verbal code； and the warning horns were silenced。 〃Auto…destruct sequence aborted；〃 Lorek up dated。
K'rrk grinned knowingly。 〃All engines full reverse； Mav。〃 The navigator tapped a flurry of mands into his console； then threw a wide…eyed look over his shoulder。 〃Sir； the ship isn't responding！〃
〃Rash！〃 K'rrk barked over the …line。 〃Get your engi