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Somebody had to ask the question。 The fate of worlds was riding on what the Sentinels would do。 Moralists would say that the lives of four individuals were as important as the life of a planet or the oute of a war； but Vince didn't have the luxury of dealing with the abstract。
He wiped the perspiration from Lisa's brow with a cloth and pulled the blanket back up under her chin。 He looked at the other stricken Sentinels。
Here were four lives that would e to an end unless the virtually miraculous Haydonian healing crafts were brought to bear。 But what might the survival of the Hunters and the others cost？
The Invid sounded so acmodating…it could only be some sort of trick。 Vince drew a breath and smoothed out his uniform tunic。 Given his size； no one…least of all； an XT…was likely to notice the bulge of the Badger assault pistols he was wearing in shoulder rigs under each armpit。 If this was a trap； the Regent's hordes would find out how expensive a pricetag such a seemingly simple skirmish could carry。
Vince was not particularly afraid of death。 He had long since figured out his attitude about dying； and other people sensed his inner calm。 As the shuttle started to cut into Haydon IV's atmosphere； Max Sterling appeared in the hatch； knotting his fingers together； and looked to Vince。
Max had left his place at the controls； permitting Wolff to take over； and e aft to check on his wife yet again。 〃Veidt's gotten final landing approval；〃 Max told them。 He hesitated； then added； 〃They'll keep their word； don't you think？ The Invid； I mean？〃
Jean Grant； attending her patients； avoided eye contact with Max； she didn't want to lie； and she didn't want to voice her doubts。 Secretly； she thought it was only a fifty…fifty possibility that Miriya or any of them would be cured…or that anybody on the shuttle would survive the visit to Haydon IV。
Vince turned to Max and said； 〃they'd better。〃
The shuttle came in low over Glike； the principal Haydonite population center。 The city looked like something out of the Arabian Nights…so fabulous that they momentarily forgot their fears。 Some of the architectural styles had been borrowed from other worlds…Tiresian columns and friezes； Spherisian crystal palaces； Praxian statuary and totems。 But most of Glike was uniquely Haydonite： slender minarets and spires； fantastic white…frost gingerbread mansions； lacy elfin halls that seemed to shine with an inner light。
Besides flying craft like Veidt's； there were machines from the various worlds that traded with Haydon IV； and different forms of Haydonite ship。 Jean spotted one； on a scope； that reminded her of a pilot whale with great； flipperlike wings…all curves and a bulging transparent passenger partment。
There were also flying carpets； or what looked enough like them to make her think of Scheherazade。
Just then Veidt and Sarna appeared from the flight deck； where they had been guiding Wolff in his landing approach。 They looked as unearthly and remote as ever； robed and floating a few inches off the deck； their faces as featureless as those of unfinished mannequins。
〃We'll be landing soon；〃 Veidt said in that weird； whispery； processed…sounding voice。 〃I think you would do well to prepare yourselves and your patients。〃
Max returned to the pilot's seat and handled the touchdown with an assist from Colonel Wolff。 Cabell and Sarna looked on。 Haydon Control had directed them to a landing stage in the middle of the city； one of a number of platforms of smoky blue glass sprouting from a central tower。
A reception mittee had already appeared to meet them； standing together on a flying carpet that hovered a few yards above the landing surface。 As Vince； Max； and Wolff opened the hatch； the carpet floated toward them and stopped a foot or so off the platform。
As had been agreed； Veidt and Sarna went first to greet the half…dozen Haydonites waiting on the carpet…or； more precisely； floating just off it。 Jonathan Wolff took advantage of the moment to look the flying carpet over。
The carpet was thicker than the ones from the tales。 It resembled an undulating judo mat； yet it was textured and decorated with exotic； iridescent patterns。 It was vaguely rectangular； but he could see that it tended to shift and change conformation。 Moreover； the other carpets； sailing around over the city came in many shapes and dimensions； from one…passenger wele mats to dance…floor…size。
Veidt and Sarna exchanged ritualistic and dignified bows with their people。 Since Haydonites lacked arms as well as faces…and legs too； Wolff supposed （although nobody he knew of had ever gotten a look under those hovering robe hems to find out what was underneath them）…the whole ceremony had a reserved； inhuman look to it。
Wolff found that he could tell the males and females apart。 The Haydonite men's faces had angular planes； and saucer…size； gemlike things displayed on their robes。
The leader of the weling mittee was a male； taller and more slender than Veidt。 He had a bulging cranium and a deep coppery tone to his skin。 A shimmering symbol like a star sapphire's light shone from the center of his forehead。 〃So； Veidt； you return to bring your disturbances among us yet again？〃
But it was Sarna who answered。 〃You know better than that； Vowad！ Our friends are gravely ill； and only Haydonite science can save them！ You know the Law； we're obligated to help。〃
The one called Vowad made an irritated sound。 〃Yes； yes…and if it hadn't been this excuse； it would have been some other； eh？〃
The others behind Vowad shifted uneasily； and one of them intervened。 〃Enough！ If lives are in jeopardy； it is best the healing begin at once。〃
Wolff wasn't so sure he liked what he had heard； and he didn't know if he wanted to stake his life on the Haydonites' good graces； but it was too late to back out。 He surreptitiously made sure the conventional weapons he had concealed under his clothes were secure； and regretted that it was impossible to carry Protoculture weapons due to these planetary defenses everybody kept talking about。
Sarna turned to the humans waiting by the foot of the shuttle's ramp。 〃Bring them forth。 We go to the Halls of Healing