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They recognized Vowad right away by the bulging cranium and deep red flesh tone； and the enormous lavender star sapphire set in his forehead。 He was standing beside the Invid Regent； the Regent's two Hellcats flanking them。 The other Haydonites there bore what Vince had learned to recognize as emblems marking them as Respected Elders…the 〃Old Guard〃 of the planet； who had made their peace with Invid subversion。
The Inorganics lumbered off the carpets； deploying to encircle the Sentinels。 Among the mecha were Armored Officers； somewhat evolved Invid in powered armor； standing some eight feet tall or so； brandishing weapons。 Vince couldn't figure out why the defenses of the planet didn't respond to such a show of force…unless either the defenses were a myth or the Haydonites had decreed that those defenses not interfere with the Regent's troops。
The Regent and Vowad alighted； the Hellcats stalking along a pace behind。 〃You Humans are born troublemakers；〃 the Regent observed。 〃Always scheming； never still。〃
〃It keeps us amused； kicking you off planet after planet；〃 Jonathan Wolff conceded mildly。
The Regent growled； and his Hellcats showed then…fangs in furious screams。 Vowad； seeing his daughter among the Sentinels； intervened before the 'Cats could pounce。
〃You will acpany us to where your other panions are being held！ There you will be examined for positive identification； and officially remanded to the custody of the Regent； for trial on charges of war crimes。〃
〃Like hell；〃 Max Sterling said； thumbing off his pistols' safeties。 〃Might as well die right here。〃
But Sarna leaned to whisper in his ear； 〃Please！ Trust me； there's a way out of this yet； but you must play along for a while。 For Miriya's sake； and your unborn's！〃
Slowly； unwillingly； Max returned the Badgers to their underarm rigs。 Vince and Wolff hesitated； then did the same。
〃Veidt or I will send word to you as soon as we can；〃 Sarna whispered as the Invid closed in。
The Regent loomed before them。 〃How splendid it feels to have your。。pany。。。at last！〃
Covered by Inorganic guns； the three men were disarmed and ushered aboard the largest flying carpet。 Vowad stayed behind； drawing Sarna aside； as the Regent and his troops and prisoners lifted away。 The two hovered there； the wind rustling their long robes。
〃I detest these uncontrolled emotions you've acquired through your contact with the Sentinels。 I mand you to stop this foolish sedition；〃 Vowad hissed at her。 〃I forbid you to bring down the wrath of the Invid upon us。〃
〃mand？ Forbid？ Those are words only the Invid may use on Haydon IV now； you've seen to that。〃
〃Stop speaking like a madwoman； Sarna！ These attitudes of yours are insanity！ You never talked like this until you met that accursed Veidt！〃
〃But； Father； you have the power to unleash our defenses against them…to fight the Invid！〃
〃And perhaps destroy our whole world in the process？〃 A gesture of his head indicated the departing Invid and their prisoners。
〃What is your Invid war to me？ What are the Sentinels？ Just a tick of the eternal clock of Haydon IV； a single moment in our lifetime。 When they have all passed away； we will be as we have always been and will always be。 I will not risk this perfect place for the petty squabbles of the lower orders。〃
〃It seems your decision to withhold information from the council was well conceived；〃 Exedore said。
〃Regrettably； yes；〃 Lang answered； showing no regret at all。
Anything said before the council went straight to Edwards's ear； and both scientists had thought it unwise to let Edwards know that there was any monopole ore left here on Tirol。
〃In my opinion； the battle lines are drawn； and we're only awaiting the opening shot；〃 Lang added。 Exedore； who had seen centuries of war； nodded。
They felt safe speaking their mind there in the center of Lang's research facility； satisfied that it was debugged and that the people he had gathered around him were loyal。 Besides； his latest project was plete： one of the SDF Escort…class cruisers had been adapted with a spacefold drive。
It had taken every gram of ore recoverable from the analysis labs and every speck from the secret cache Lang and Exedore had amassed with Breetai's help。 At last there was a way to contact Earth； to pass along a warning of the Robotech Masters' intention to seek out the world to which Zor had sent the SDF…1 and the mysterious Protoculture matrix…provided the rest of the Plenipotentiary Council could be swayed。
Exedore and Lang sat together； waiting； before the lab's main screen。 The heated debate of the last five hours had them all exhausted； and the one…hour interlude before the vote； during which each member was to weigh the pros and cons； had e as a wele chance to catch their breath。
A tone sounded and the screen lit up again； split so that the other ten council members' faces appeared there。 Former judge Justine Huxley said； 〃The moment for the vote has e。 If there are no further objections； council members will be so good as to enter their ballots。〃
Exedore and Lang plied； not hiding their vote from each other as they keyed in their codes。 The tabulating puter came up with the result instantly。
〃By a two…vote majority； Dr。 Lang's proposal to send the refitted SDF…7 class ship back to Earth； with warning of the peril constituted by the Robotech Masters； is carried。〃
〃I would reiterate my point that the voyage be undertaken as soon as possible；〃 Lang was quick to put in； 〃and my remendation that Major Carpenter be put in overall charge of the mission。〃
Suddenly； Edwards's face replaced all others on the screen； flushed with fury。 〃You're all making a mistake you'll regret！ That's the only spacefold ship we've got； maybe the only one we'll have for months or years to e！
〃Who knows what Carpenter and the others will run into back there？ I'll say it again： the only sane course of action is to wait until we've got an armada and return to Earth in overwhelming strength！〃
〃Are you saying that the majority of the council has lost possession of its mental faculties？〃 Exedore asked innocently。 Edwards made a wordless sound of rage and broke the connection； s