rear walls…vistas of rolling hills crisscrossed with hedgerows and low stone walls。 A sun shone in the false sky； rising and setting in breathtaking colors； if nothing else； it had at least returned the captives to a semblance of circadian normalcy。 Max sometimes felt as though he were back in the SDF…1； carousing after a mission with Rick and Ben in downtown Macross under EVE'S projected cloudscape。
And there he was； the only full…blooded Terran in the room。 〃I'm certain of one thing；〃 Exedore resumed。 〃Haydon IV has defolded。〃
〃I guessed as much；〃 Max told him； gratified that he could still rely on his own senses to differentiate between real time and hyperspace。 〃Can you find out where we are？〃
〃I have already established that。 Although I'll confess I should have suspected it all along。〃
Max laid a protective hand on Aurora's shoulder； the doe eyed child looked up at him and smiled as Exedore took a deep breath。
〃We are inserted in orbit around a small； carbonaceous moon that circles this system's sixth planet…an equally desolate place； I might add。 The Zentraedi knew the system's dying primary as Qalliph； a word approximated by the Panglish term dread。〃
Max raised an eyebrow。 〃Go on。〃
〃Actually； it isn't so much the star itself that inspired the name but the phenomenon to which it in turn pays gravitational obeisance。 The Masters named it Raanath's Star； after an especially barbaric warlord from Tirol's pre…Transition past。 Your own astrophysicists have labeled such phenomena black holes。〃
Max whistled lightly。 〃I've always wanted to get a look at one of those things。〃
Exedore frowned at him。 〃Yes； I recall from my delvings into Terran literature that your race has endowed these black holes with near…mystical importance。 This was especially true among your so…called science fiction writers； I believe。 A blend of romantic fascination and morbid curiosity。 But I can assure you； as one who has seen an entire battle group swallowed by these sinister portals； that even the most ghoulish of your imaginings doesn't e close to detailing the horrors of the experience。〃
〃So what are we doing here？〃 Max asked after a moment of nightmare reflection。
Exedore did input at the console； then studied the displayed results in silence。 〃The reason is twofold。 First； I believe that we…Haydon IV； that is…are in pursuit of the energy pulse that originated in Earthspace with the Invid defeat。 Based on the results of my previous investigations； I posited that Ranaath's Star was the terminus of that pulse。
〃Second； Haydon IV is apparently making use of radiation bleeding from the collapsed star； but to what purpose I cannot fathom。 The Awareness has also issued a series of mands to the planetary drives； which will soon bring us dangerously close to the cratered satellite we have been orbiting。〃 Exedore regarded Aurora but continued to address Max。 〃An external view would be most helpful； but I have yet to determine whether visual data are available。 The Awareness had been operating in a purely abstract mode。〃
Max was just beginning to reply when Dana burst upon the scene。
〃You can put away the toy；〃 she directed to Exedore。 〃Unless you can use it to find out whether the Awareness believes in an afterlife。〃 Exedore cocked an eyebrow。
Miriya was only a few steps behind； wearing the worried look she reserved for her eldest child。
〃The Praxians have worked out a wall…tapping mo code with the Karbarrans next door；〃 Dana explained。 〃Seems one of the jailers let it slip that a Karbarran recon vessel homed in on our new address and radioed a burst transmission to Karbarra。 Since then； a fleet of Local Group battleships has folded from Tirol。 They're due any hour now。〃 Max searched his wife's face。
〃It's true； Max；〃 Miriya said。 〃At least that's what they told us。 The Karbarran prisoners claim to have discovered some way to override the threshold confinement lasers as well。 They're prepared to ready a full…scale revolt as soon as the battle group arrives and the attack mences。〃
〃But they've already lost three ships；〃 Exedore reminded everyone。 Beside him； Aurora had reached a hand over to enter a mand into the console。
〃They'll never learn；〃 Max said absently； monitoring Aurora's movements peripherally。
〃Yeah； well； a fleet can do a lot more damage than a single ship；〃 Dana argued； hands on her hips。 〃I say we throw in with the Karbarrans。 Anything's better than being cooped up in here。〃
〃An uprising would prove a terrible mistake；〃 Aurora interjected quietly。
It was as though an oracle had spoken。 Exedore swiveled in his seat； but something on the display screen caught his attention and brought him up short。
〃Figures you'd say that；〃 Dana replied uncertainly。
〃You must tell them to be patient； sister；〃 Aurora added in the same assured tone。 〃The Karbarrans must wait until the Awareness is preoccupied。〃
〃Preoccupied how？〃 Dana wanted to know。
〃Here！〃 Exedore said； an unsteady index finger aimed at the monitor。
Max narrowed his eyes as a series of plex schematics flashed on…screen。
Dana got a grip on the Zentraedi's shoulder。 〃Don't go mute on us now； Exedore； or I'll…〃
〃It's changing；〃 he said before she could plete the threat。 〃The entire planet。 Haydon IV is reconfiguring！〃
〃The second star to the right？〃 Rick asked； wondering when he had heard the phrase before。 〃Why that one？〃 Lang's broad shoulders heaved。 〃It's the closest。 It appears to be； I should say。 Light seems to enjoy playing games with itself in this place。 One moment the star lies directly along our course； the next it doesn't。 One moment it's effectively beyond reach； the next at our bow。〃 The scientist gestured to the engineering room's tablescreen。 〃You see！ There it changes again。 As if it were pensating for the deficiency of our drive system or trying to decide just where to locate itself。〃 He shook his head。 〃What's the sense of trying to discover the essential mechanics of this realm where there is nothing immutable to measure against？〃
Several theories had been advanced when the fog of newspace had lifted and distant stars had appeared； all of which had since been quickly overruled by updated findings： The SDF…3 had not been returned to hyperspace； nor had it manifested from fold somewhere in the intergalactic void。
According to some； however； the present darkness was but the afterlife tunnel itself； and next would e encounters with deceased relatives and shadowy presences。
Many； in fact； had already begun to review their lives。 Screen…weary； Rick was massaging his eyes with his fingertips。 Here was a universe to behold from the viewports； but to hear Lang tell it； the stars might as well have been insubstantial。 Rem was standing behind the two of them； silently brooding。
Lang said； 〃We train our scopes on the farthest reaches； millions of parsecs distant； and what do we find？〃
Rick waited； then realized that he was supposed to answer。 〃Uh； I don't know。 What do we get？〃
〃Stars literally winking into existence。〃 Lang punched a scancorder's playback bar。 Eyes on the monitor again； Rick felt as though he were soaring over the crest of an invisible hill to watch stars appear on the horizon。
〃Maybe we're inside some sort of torus；〃 he ventured。 〃Our motion's a continuous curve instead of the straight line we perceive。〃
Lang's upper teeth were bared when he turned Rick an over…the…shoulder look。
Rick felt skewered。 〃It was only a suggestion。〃
〃Of course；〃 Lang said with unconcealed condescension。 All at once Rick was aware of Rem's breath on the back of his neck。 〃Are you just going to stand there？〃 he asked； adopting Lang's curdled expression as he swung around。
〃I have nothing to add；〃 Rem told him。
Rick inclined his head to one side。 〃Rumor has it you blacked out when the lights hit us。〃
Lang twisted around in his chair。 〃I heard nothing of this。〃 The Tiresian regarded them coolly。 〃Minmei exaggerates。 We unfortunately found ourselves at a nexus point。 The experience was somewhat overwhelming。 I may have lost consciousness； but only for a moment。〃
Lang traded looks with Rick。 〃Why didn't you report this？〃 Rick pressed。
Rem shrugged。 〃There was nothing to report。 A slight feeling of dissociation； not altogether unpleasant。〃
Rick regarded him for a long moment。 〃The next time you lend yourself at the center of something； Rem； you e to tell us about it。 That's an order。〃
Jack gave the Alpha's thinking cap an angry toss as he bed from the cockpit。 The sensitive helmet struck the forward seat with an audible thud and drew the attention of a burly flight mechanic who was standing nearby。
〃You wanna watch that； sir；〃 the man said as Jack dropped to the deck。 〃Next time your bird's not answerin'； you know why； right？〃
Jack considered making an issue of it but in the end apologized。 〃I'll watch it。〃
〃That'd be smart； Cap'ain。〃
Everybody's a goddamn expert； Jack thought； striding away。 mand when they order you not to engage； mechies when they're telling you how to care for your gear。 And Sean and the rest of the 15th jockeys when they're telling you how to pilot your craft。
Captain Phillips was approaching from across the hangar bay； Dante and Marie Crystal on either side。 Jack looked around for Karen； but she was nowhere in sight。 So I'll go it alone。
〃That was some soarin' there； hotshot；〃 Sean began。 〃Where'd you think you were； in an air circus？〃
〃And I suppose you had the whole thing sussed； is that it； Phillips？〃
〃At least we knew enough to go to Battloid； Jack；〃 Marie interjected。
Jack glared at her。 〃Enough to go to Battloid？ That was the most asinine thing I've ever seen。 Even a VT cadet knows better than to go upright when going to lasers。 It's not only a waste of fuel but a wasted thought。 I don't know if that kind of stunt flying cut it against the Masters…personally； I doubt it…but this is null…g； folks。 I mean； you Troopers better get your exo shit together if you're gonna stay with the program。〃
The three ex…tankers exchanged wide…eyed looks。
〃Can you believe this guy？〃 Sean said。 〃He goes in teats up； belly lasers engaged…full retro； mind you…and he's got the nerve to rag us about stunt flying？〃
Jack fumed。 It was the same argument they had been having for two years。 Of course there had been no missions to fly all that time； so the petition had to be saved for practice runs with green cadets outside Tirol's envelope or the occasional deep…space prototype of off the Ark Angel。 Then there were the nights on leave when things got roughneck and rowdy downside in some Tiresian canteen。 But what else could you expect from mechamorphs who had suddenly been plucked from bat and practically returned to school when they were not drawing watch assignments in ordnance factories or on some Karbarran…manufactured peat…cruisers？
〃I'm gonna have to trim your course some； Phillips；〃 Jack said。 menacingly。
Sean motioned his teammates back and set himself in a bent…knee stance。 He curled his fingers at Jack。 〃e on； then； Jack。 Make your move。〃
Jack really had not expected things to go that far but clearly realized there was no backing down。 〃Suit yourself； Sean；〃 he said； about to raise his fists。
〃That'll be quite enough of th