ll it that no matter what。
A 〃Code Pyramid〃 muniqu？from T。 R。 Edwards； as quoted in Wildman's When Evil Had Its Day
A tight cluster of lights was descending out of Fantoma's perpetually brooding skies。 Breetai watched them for a moment； then turned away from the mand center's blister viewport to face his lieutenant。
〃They've arrived； my lord。〃
〃So I see；〃 Breetai said soberly。 He glanced back over his shoulder； snapped the faceshield that sealed his pressurized armor closed； and moved to the hut's airlock。 The lieutenant and two armed soldiers followed him out into Fantoma's night。
A constant debris…filled wind had been scouring the ringed giant's surface for the past three days； and Breetai instinctively raised an arm against it as he marched in lumbering high strides toward the landing zone's illumination grid。 Nearly all of the Zentraedi cadre had turned out for the confrontation； and Breetai spied Kazianna Hesh among them。 Nearby were a dozen or so Micronians in environment suits…some of Lang's Robotechs。 Edwards's Ghost Riders were reconfiguring their Veritechs now； imaging over from Guardian to Battloid as they touched down。
〃He apparently has more on his mind than a friendly chat；〃 Breetai said to his lieutenant while the last of the squadron was snapping into upright mode。 As murmurs of discontent reached him over the tactical freq； Breetai instructed his first officer to pass the word along that he wouldn't tolerate any incidents； no matter what Edwards said or did； his troops were to keep silent。
Edwards stepped his Battloid off the grid and began to move across the field in Breetai's direction。 The Zentraedi knew better than to regard this as some gesture of promise。 Four of the Ghosts flanked Edwards； with a kind of threatening casualness to the way they cradled their rifle/cannons。 Breetai threw his lieutenant a knowing glance。 The show of force came as no surprise； Dr。 Lang had already given him an idea of what to expect。
〃New Zarkopolis weles General Edwards；〃 Breetai said with practiced elaborateness。 〃We're sorry we couldn't provide the general with better weather。〃 He could hear a few Zentraedi snicker。
〃Very thoughtful of you；〃 Edwards returned over the mecha's external speakers； mimicking Breetai's tone of voice。 〃And I'm sorry I can't bring you better news。〃
The two men fell into an uneasy silence； the wind came up； howling and pinging gravel against Breetai's armored suit and the Battloid's alloy。 The Zentraedi mander narrowed his eyes and grinned； picturing Edwards in the mecha's cockpit； nervous hands on the controls。 When one of the VT's gauntlets came up； Breetai almost made a grab for it； but restrained himself at the last moment。 Edwards caught the gesture； however。
〃A bit nervous today； are we； Breetai？〃
Breetai snorted。 〃This wind has put me in a foul humor。〃
Edwards inclined the ultratech knight's head。 〃Well then； maybe this won't seem like bad news after all。〃 The mecha's hand held out an outsize audio device for Breetai's inspection。 〃You and your。。。crew are relieved； mander。 New Zarkopolis is now under REF jurisdiction； and I'll be assuming personal control of this facility。 Tomorrow's cargo run will be your last。 You can hear it straight from the council； if you wish。〃
The Zentraedi began to grumble among themselves； and Edwards's sentries took a step forward。 Breetai motioned his cadre silent with a downward wave of his massive hand。 He accepted the playback device and regarded it for a moment。 〃No need for that。 But I should warn you； General； that you're going to find the conditions here somewhat harsh。 This is； after all； Zentraedi's work。〃
Edwards's short laugh issued from the speakers。 〃We'll manage all right。 Of course； you're all wele to stay on…as laborers； you understand。〃
〃I'll consider it； General。〃
〃Good； Breetai； good；〃 Edwards said； pleased with the oute。 〃I like a man who can follow orders。 Could be that you and I will see eye to eye yet。〃
Breetai nodded； tight…lipped。 Peripherally； he noticed Kazianna stepping deliberately into his restricted field of view。
Edwards went on to inform him that within a week's time several hundred men and women would begin arriving from Tirol； along with the new mecha Lang's teams had designed。 Until then； Edwards was leaving behind six of his troops to oversee the transfer of mand。 Six or six hundred； Breetai said to himself； it wouldn't matter now。
When Edwards and most of his squadron had lifted off； Breetai swung stiffly into the wind and made for the mining colony's Quonset…style headquarters。 On the way； he asked the lieutenant if his men had pleted their task。
〃Almost； my lord。〃
〃And the fool's ore？〃
〃Loaded for tomorrow's delivery。〃
Breetai grunted。 〃See to it that the last of the monopole is placed aboard the ship。 The delivery will go as scheduled； but the monopole remains our property。〃
The lieutenant raised an eyebrow。 〃About Edwards's soldiers； mander。。。〃
Breetai came to a halt short of the headquarters hatchway。 〃Invite them along to 'oversee' the delivery。 Afterward； we'll give them the option of joining us。〃
〃And if they refuse？〃
〃I leave that up to you；〃 Breetai said； stepping inside。
〃Pregnant？〃 Max asked； as Rhestad's morning rays touched the med team's geodesic shelter。
Vince shrugged his huge shoulders。 〃That's what Jean says。 And Cabell concurs。〃
〃That's right； my boy；〃 Cabell affirmed。 〃It is most remarkable； but true。〃 The Tiresian was all smiles for a change； his concern for Rem momentarily eclipsed。 〃I thought her first pregnancy the exception that proved the rule。 But this…this is nothing short of。。。〃
〃Remarkable；〃 Max finished for him； shaking his head in disbelief。 〃Yeah； tell me about it。〃
Vince laughed。 〃What's with you？ It takes two； if I'm not mistaken。〃
Max looked up into Vince's brown face。 〃Yeah； but Vince； you don't understand。 Remember； Miriya's。。。different。〃
〃She had Dana；〃 Vince started to say。
〃Yeah； and Dana's different。〃
〃How is she different？〃 Cabell wanted to know。
Max and Vince traded looks； but left the question unanswered。 〃Can I see her？〃 Max said suddenly； getting up。
Vince laughed。 〃That's a good start。〃
Max started off for the small area of the med dome Jean's team had partitioned off。
〃Remarkable；〃 Cabell mused as he and Vince walked back to where Rick； Lisa； and Karen were undergoing treatment。 The three had yet to emerge from semiconsciousness。。。
〃Any change？〃 Vince asked his wife a moment later。 She was standing over Rick just now； looking almost as drawn and pale as her patient。 Vince put his arm around her narrow waist。
〃I'm worried； Vince。 They should have e out of it by now。 We've tried everything…antipsychotics； transfusions。。。〃 She threw up her hands。 〃I don't know what to do。〃
〃It is the hin〃 Veidt said； hovering over to them from the foot of Karen's bed。 He had spent the last several hours absorbing everything Jean's medical library databanks had to offer。 〃Garudans live in the womb of the hin。 It is what you might term 'an alternate reality。' The microorganisms here； the same which keep Kami's people in a constant state of hin； have caused your friends to bee unstuck in what constitutes Human reality。〃
〃Yes； and it's killing them； Veidt。 It's not providing them with psychedelic trips or allies or personal power。 It's draining the life from them while we sit here and。。。and…〃
〃e on； Jean；〃 Vince said。 〃You're doing what you can。〃
Cabell tugged at his beard。 〃There is a treatment； of course。〃 He turned to Veidt as Vince and Jean's eyes fixed on him。
〃I will be succinct；〃 the Haydonite began。 〃On my world there are devices capable of reversing the Garudan effect。 'Mental illness；' as some of your disks name it； is unknown to us； it is as archaic a thing as your own smallpox。〃
〃Then what are we waiting for？〃 Jean said； looking up at Vince。 〃Our work here is finished； isn't it？ Garuda's liberated。〃
Vince removed his hand from her waist to feel his jaw。 〃Yes； in a way。〃
〃In a way？ What's that supposed to mean？〃
〃We've learned that the Regent is on his way to Haydon IV；〃 Cabell told her。 〃With what remains of his fleet； no doubt。〃
Jean pressed her lips。 〃More fighting； then。〃
〃It's not even as simple as that；〃 Vince added。
〃Our world；〃 Veidt said； 〃cannot be approached with the same tactics you employed to liberate Karbarra； Praxis； and Garuda。 Haydon IV is in a certain sense beyond both conquest or liberation。 And while it is true that the Invid have assumed control of our political structure； they have not in any way attempted to tamper with our lives。 They could not。 Haydon IV is an open world and will always remain so。〃
〃Couldn't we sneak through or something？ I mean； isn't there a back door we could use； some way of getting to those devices without confronting the Invid？〃
Veidt stared at Jean and shook his head。 〃It is impossible。〃
Vince was pacing up and down； hands clasped behind his back。 〃We've gotta ask ourselves whether it's worth the risk。〃
〃Whether Rick； Lisa； and Karen are worth the risk； you mean。〃
〃And Rem；〃 Cabell added。
Vince nodded。
〃Look what you've already risked to save them；〃 Veidt pointed out。
Everyone fell silent； then Vince said； 〃Gather the Sentinels。 We've got a decision to make。〃
〃I will not have him here！ I will not！〃 the Regis railed to one of her servants。 Was there no escaping him？ she asked herself。 Even here on Haydon IV？
〃I'm afraid it's too late； Your Grace；〃 the servant said； unmoved from its posture of genuflection。 〃The Regent's flagship has already left Optera to rendezvous here with the remnants of his fleet。〃
〃How long do I have？〃 she asked； whirling on the sexless creature； the tassels of her long gloves whipping about。
〃Less than one period； Your Grace。〃
She dismissed the servant； when it left the room； she clenched her fists and waved them in the air。 〃Must he stalk me？〃 she said aloud。 〃Must he continue to punish me？〃
Abruptly； she turned around to regard Rem； the Zor…clone was asleep； perhaps unconscious after his sessions with the Regent's scientists from Garuda。 They had cured him of the madness induced by that world's atmosphere； only to induce a more controlled state of hallucinatory dread。 And then they had picked his brain。 Oh； how they had picked his brain。
For the better part of five days now the Regis had had him much to herself； hers to toy with； hers to examine…his dreams and thoughts to dissect； his memories to relive。。。United with him on some psychic plane； she had walked again through those fields they had walked on Optera。 Old Optera； Optera before the fall。 She had been able to view those times through his eyes now； and had found herself stirred。 He had seen how much she wanted to emulate him； in every way； and she had seen how much he had desired her。 Not her physical being； not the form destiny had wed her to； but her spiritual self…her essence。 There was at one time a semblance of love there； and this discovery filled her with joy。 But it was a rapture that could not survive the realities his war…hungry race had introduced into her garden； a rapture that could only endure on that etheric plane； where things cast beautiful but ultimate