supporting them。〃
Minmei bit her lip。 〃And that's just what Jonathan's going to tell them； too。〃
Lang thought he detected a flash of anger behind the words； he started to reply； but she cut him off； the anger visible now。
〃That snake！ Who is he to be calling people names？ He's a liar！〃
〃Minmei…〃
〃Mr。 Charm；〃 she said； getting up from the couch。 〃He should talk about loyalty。 Ha！ What does he know about anything？〃 She shot Lang a look。 〃What do any of you know？〃
Lang was never good at dealing with theatrics； he knew this much about himself and kept still。
〃Liars； murderers； outlaws；〃 Minmei was saying。 〃Things were just too peaceful for them on Tirol。 They needed to go find themselves a war。〃
〃That's Edwards talking；〃 Lang managed。
〃This is me talking！〃 she screamed at him。 〃I hate you！ I hate the whole bunch of you！〃
She began to cry into her hands。 Lang made a move toward her； but she was gone by the time he reached the door。
〃Go ahead； say it；〃 Rick said to Lisa。 〃I could feel you saying it clear across the hold。 So let's clear the air。〃
She looked at him and frowned。 〃What are you talking about？ Say what？〃
They were in the small cabinspace that had been set aside as their quarters aboard the SDF…7。 The dreadnought was approaching Garuda from the far side of the planet's massive sun after a brief period in hyperspace。
〃You wanna say 'I told you so；'〃 Rick continued。 〃Edwards is getting stronger and now we're in no position to stop him。 If we had remained on Tirol； all this would never have happened； and we'd probably have a truce worked out and be a long way toward repairing the SDF…3。〃 Rick snorted。 〃Anything I've left out？〃
〃I'm not saying a word； Rick；〃 she told him。 〃You're doing such a fine job without me。〃
〃All right； so you think I made a big mistake； and maybe a part of me agrees with you。 But the truth is that I would have been going out of my skull back there； and at least now I feel we are acplishing something…maybe not for ourselves exactly； but for Lron and Crysta and Kami and everyone。 You can't argue with that。〃
Lisa shrugged。 〃Who's arguing？〃
〃And another thing。〃 Rick put his hands to his hips。 〃You figure that just because I'm suddenly all gung ho and take…charge that I really am a mander after all。 But I'll tell you something： the only reason I'm okay with the role is because there's no damned council telling me what to think。 We've got a democracy here； not some red…tape portable government； and that suits me fine。〃
〃Well； I…〃
〃So don't go thinking that I'm going to ask to be reinstated when all this blows over。〃
〃Do you think it will； Rick？〃
He heard the desperation in her tone and it took the wind right out of his sails。 He leaned over； took her hand； and kissed it。 〃You bet；〃 he said softly。 〃And we'll get back on course。〃
She reached out to stroke his arm。 〃I don't want us to grow apart； Rick； and I feel that happening sometimes。〃
He was tempted to say something about Lisa's involvement with Gnea and Bela； but held his tongue。 〃I won't let that happen。〃
She sighed fretfully。 〃We used to have so many dreams…remember？〃
〃Of course I remember；〃 he said； trying to sound cheerful。 〃And we'll make every one of them e true。〃 He squatted down to face her。 〃Look； let's just see what happens on Garuda。 From what Kami says； the Invid never actually conquered the place。 And from what Wolff told me； it sounds like they pulled all their troop carriers away。 They've got a small garrison there； and that's it。 Maybe there won't have to be much fighting。 We'll get to have some PT。〃
She laughed lightly。 〃Now there's a dream if I ever heard one。〃
〃You'll see；〃 he said； bringing her up into his embrace。
In the cruiser's med room； Jean Grant was trying to figure out what to do with the now…smooth； football…sized crystal on the gurney…the Spherisian infant Miriya and Bela had brought up from Praxis。 The two women were watching Jean's every move； while Teal sat quietly in a corner of the room。 Jean gave the crystal a gentle turn； it felt cool to the touch and seemingly inanimate； but scans had indicated a high level of bioenergy； or at least an approximation thereof。 God knew the thing was growing fast enough！ Jean sensed Miriya and Bela's eyes on her and said； 〃Well； what do you two expect me to do with this； this。。。child？ She turned sharply to Teal。 〃Teal； get over here！ At least tell me what I'm supposed to do。〃
Wearily； Teal got to her feet and joined Jean at the gurney。 She glanced down at the crystal and fixed her transparent eyes on the infant's saviors。 〃You saved him； Bela。 You raise him。〃
〃It's a him？〃 Jean asked； peering at the crystal as though she had missed something。 〃How do you know that？〃
〃Because it is Baldan's child。 It is Baldan。〃
Miriya made a face。 〃Wait a minute； let's get this straight： is it Baldan； or is it Baldan's child？〃
〃It is both；〃 Teal told her。
〃Well； it sure doesn't look like Baldan；〃 Jean pointed out。 〃Is it； er； he in a state of gestation inside the crystal？ Or do we need to incubate him？ Speak to me； girl！〃
Teal turned away from the gurney。 〃I don't want to care for it！〃 When she faced them again； it was obvious she was； in some Spherisian fashion； crying。 〃Baldan was not my mate；〃 she explained。 〃It was the Invid Tesla who chose us； it was he who brought us together。〃
Jean put a hand on Teal's shoulder。 〃But I don't understand； honey。 What does all this have to do with caring for the child？〃
〃He must be shaped〃 Teal answered her。 〃And to do so I must enter into a rapport with Baldan…I must bee his mate。〃
No one said anything for a moment。 〃And if we do nothing？〃 Bela asked。
〃Baldan will die。〃 Teal continued to cry； muttering to herself in her own tongue…praying； Jean ventured。 Then suddenly she produced a kind of crystalline paring knife from the bodice of her garment。
〃Teal； no！〃 Jean started to say； but before she could stop her； Teal had struck the infant with the edge of the blade； as one might bring a tool to bear on a piece of ore。 A chip broke away from the crystal； revealing a dazzling facet。 Teal struck again and again； each stroke sure of its mark； each rendering the inanimate thing gemlike and plete。 Crying all the while； Teal took the infant in her hands and began to carve away more of its extraneous crust。 Miriya； Bela； and Jean could hardly believe their eyes when a polished face slowly emerged； then a miniature torso of sorts。
It was Baldan。
If the Sentinels remained divided on any one issue； it was what was to be done with Tesla。 While certain they would exercise more caution the next time the Invid volunteered for a mission； they had as yet no clear…cut policy toward him。 Was he a prisoner； a hostage； perhaps an ally in some sense？ After the meeting in which the Sentinels' direction had been put to a vote； Tesla and Burak had had a chance to answer the 〃charges〃 Wolff brought against them。 They were acplices； Wolff maintained； in the laconic and cynical fashion that had everyone aboard guessing。 （That Minmei was the cause of Wolff's distress was no secret； but he kept to himself the fact that she had been seeing Edwards。）
Tesla didn't deny that he had tried to mandeer the module； his actions； however； had not been directed against the Sentinels。 In fact； quite the contrary。 〃I am your rade in this war of liberation；〃 he told the Human and XT assembly。 〃I am as eager for peace as the rest of you； and my aim in taking over the ship was simply to speed to Optera to convince the Regent of the error of his ways。〃
Burak； though； was innocent to hear Tesla tell it； and had merely been overpowered； as Janice had。 And much to Tesla's surprise； Janice backed up the story。 But what Tesla didn't realize was that Janice had briefed the Sentinels beforehand on the stand she would take； suggesting that they allow Burak and Tesla their partnership； which she herself would monitor。 There was more here than met the eye； she had explained； and the arrangement would have the added benefit of keeping the Perytonian out of everyone's way。
This was the voice of Lang's reprogramming； but no one recognized it as such； least of all Janice。 Tesla； Lang had established； was worthy of study。
So in the end it was decided that things would remain much as they had been before the attempted mutiny： Tesla was neither prisoner nor ally； but more in the way of 〃ambassador。〃 And Burak was to remain the Invid's aide/jailer/ keeper。
The two XTs were in one of the ship's cargo holds now； a place well…suited to Tesla's size。 Only a few morsels of fruit remained； but Tesla knew that more would be available to him on Garuda…a crop as different from the Praxian variety as those had been from the Karbarran。 He still hadn't gotten over his case of the guilts； and was in fear of the moment the Sentinels learned of the Regent's assassination。 With luck； though； that news could be months off。 The beauty of it was that there was no one who could even tie him to the act…not as long as the SDF…7 remained inmunicado。 Even that little Zentraedi； Exedore； would have no proof。 〃Circumstantial〃 was the Human word for such evidence。 So in spite of his anxiety； his spirits had improved。
Burak's； however； had not。 Although pleased （albeit baffled） that he had been absolved of any wrongdoing； he felt as though the Sentinels had simply dismissed him and Peryton's cause。
〃You mustn't be so glum about it； my friend；〃 Tesla told him； while he contemplated one of the tidbits。 〃Your world is as good as freed。〃
〃What makes you so certain？〃 Burak asked； his face a true devil's mask now。
Tesla popped the fruit into his mouth。 〃Because。。。I sense something wonderful is about to happen。〃
Burak regarded him with a frown。
〃Truly；〃 Tesla continued。 〃You must have faith if you are to assume your proper place in this world。 There may be one or two dark spots in our future； but afterward。。。〃 Tesla offered an approximation of a smile。
〃But what about now； Tesla？ All these grand events you speak of…they are always one step ahead of us。〃
Tesla threw back his shoulders。 〃No； my young friend； you have it backward。 It is we who are one step ahead。 But change is in the air。 Soon the reshapings will catch up with us。 And then we can begin to transform the world。〃
CHAPTER NINE
A footnote in Kahler's work （The Tirolian paign； Fantomadiscs； third issue； 2083； scr。 1099） refers those interested in Garudan psychism ＇sic＇ to a series of twentieth…century autobiographical novels written by a young anthropologist recording his attempts to enter into various states of altered reality through the guidance of an Yaqui Indian 〃man of power。〃 And while La Pea is willing to concede that there is some justification for Kahler's remendation； he points out that the Garudans required nothing in the way of extrinsic agents to attain 〃non…ordinary states。〃 Unless； however； one views the planet's atmosphere in this regard。 It is hoped that the much…awaited translations of Haydon's texts will shed light on this continuing controversy。
Taken from the 〃Imminent Immaterial〃 column of Psycho…physics Digest
Garuda。 Kami and Learna had told them what to expect。 A mostly cold and barren world of steppes and tundra； with va