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〃What is？〃 Crysta asked。 She was pumping up the globlar reservoir of her long Karbarran pneumatic rifle with its hinged forestock lever。 〃Janice； what is it you perceive？〃
〃Haydon IV the artificial world has a mind； an Awareness；〃 Janice said； as if in a dream。 〃And the seat of that Awareness； its nexus； is not far away。〃
She knew it was true； but couldn't understand how the knowledge had been given to her。 She turned to them。 〃We must go to it！〃
〃Huh…uh。〃 Jack was shrugging into his packstraps。 〃They'll be waiting for us up there in Glike； remember？ Admiral Hunter； and Karen and the rest？ People we're supposed to rescue？ I admit things haven't exactly been beer and skittles so far； but we're not gonna let 'em down。 We stick to the plan。〃
Janice Em found that she couldn't answer。 She felt like a double image on a monitor screen； ghostly twins standing side by side。 The whirlpool of thoughts and sensory impulses that spun within her had stolen her voice； immobilized her。 Vast forces were vying within her。
She had a sudden sense of Lang…not of the Robotech genius's physical presence； but rather of his voice； his intellect。 Intentionally submerged memories had surfaced in this moment of crisis。 Changes were triggered in the being the REF and the Sentinels…and even Minmei…knew as Janice Em。
As she transformed her panions drew away from her。
CHAPTER SIX
Anybody who says million…to…one odds are unbeatable never had Breetai standing on their side of the scales at the weigh…in。
Lisa Hayes Hunter； Recollections
There was no reality； no orderly flow of time； no ground underfoot or substantial object that she could touch。 She was in a void； without form； as she had been for so long。
Then things began to impinge upon her。 It came to her that her name was Karen Penn。 Other facts and memories and realizations coalesced。
She was a member of the Sentinels by way of the Robotech Expeditionary Force。 Her mother had died in childbirth； and her father held that against Karen to this day。 There was another young officer； Jack Baker； whom she…
She blocked that thought out。 But there were more…the memory of how she had been poisoned by the atmosphere of Garuda； swept up in the hallucinatory expanded mind…state the Garudans called hin； a state for which the human mind had never been intended。 Then there were the nightmares； the visions； the visitations of the endless mindstorm of the hin。 Some had been horrible； some of terrible beauty； but all had strained her grip on her sanity and the very functions of her autonomic nervous system。
The flickering spark of her life had been all but out when without warning something seemed to be fanning it； encouraging it to glow and grow brighter。 Then there was an almost physical feeling； as if she were being flushed out with snowmelt water from a mountain river…as if she were wired up with electrodes。
And a chorus of somehow silent voices； singing words she never quite understood； drew her up and up from the verge of death。
Over the preceding weeks； Karen had dreamed or hallucinated many times。 Now she had finally awakened。 This time； what she saw made her sob a bit； with relief。
Lieutenant mander Miriya Sterling sat at her bedside； holding Karen's hand。 Once the battle queen of the Zentraedi's feared Quadrono Battalion； now wife to Max Sterling； leader of the Skull Squadron； Miriya had fought for the Human race and the Sentinels as hard as she had ever fought for the Robotech Masters…or even harder； love had shown her the way。
Miriya gave Karen a tender smile that seemed out of character with the ferocity of a Quadrono。 She smoothed a lock of Karen's hair。 〃Wele back。〃
Karen tried to speak； not even sure what she would say； but Miriya hushed her。 〃You'll still be weak for a little while； the rest of us were； too。 Just rest。〃
Miriya turned and spoke softly over her shoulder。 〃Dr。 Grant？ She's awake。〃
Another face came into view over Miriya's shoulder； a heart…shaped face with big black eyes and skin the color of dark honey。 〃Take it slow；〃 Dr。 Jean Grant said。 〃You're gonna be just fine； Karen。〃
Karen concluded that she wasn't in a Sentinels' sick bay； that much was apparent from what she could see of her surroundings。 The apparatus all around her…what she took to be med equipment…had the look of geometrical sculptures in crystal and precious metals； and abstract shapes of neon and laser light。 She recalled seeing the same design technology in the Haydonites' module of the starship Farrago。 She reached an understandable conclusion。
〃Haydon IV？〃 Jean and Miriya both nodded their heads slowly。 〃Then； we've done it？ We've liberated another planet from the Invid？〃
〃No； Lieutenant。〃 Lisa Hayes Hunter stepped into Karen's line of sight； Rick following a step behind。
〃Garuda was freed；〃 Lisa went on； 〃but several of us were stricken by the planet's biosphere。 Our only chance was Haydonite science； so Vince and Jean and several others brought us here； under a flag of surrender。〃
〃Not surrender；〃 Rick rasped。 〃I never surrendered to the Invid； and neither did you！ Besides； they don't rule Haydon IV； at least not officially； so a surrender's null and void。〃
Karen was startled to see how hateful his expression was； not just in mentioning the Invid but toward everything that had brought him to this moment。 She figured the Hunters had already done battle in private。
〃I'm never surrendering！〃 he swore。
Lisa looked like she was about to say something but then thought better of it。 To cover the awkward silence； Jean got Karen to sit up。 There were assorted Haydonites hovering at a polite distance； and through the windows of the Hall of Healing Karen could see the wonderland of Glike； with its flying carpets and fairy…tale architecture。
〃Vince； Colonel Wolff； and Max are trying to find Sarna and get an update on what's going on；〃 Miriya said。 〃And Cabell and Veidt have an audience with the Regent。〃
Karen Penn tried to phrase her next question carefully。 Everything was a blur concerning the disastrous raid on the Invid base on Garuda； but she felt a sudden fear。 〃Did we suffer…many casualties？ On Garuda？〃
That seemed to lessen the