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Minmei watched Edwards's performance with a trapped animal's dumb despair。 The appearance of Jonathan Wolff convinced her that she had at last lost every shred of sanity。
But it was too real； too vivid； to be a dream or hallucination。 She slowly rose from her narrow bunk； crossing the little cell； and touched her fingertips to the screen。 Tears washed her cheeks。
She heard his words； 〃You're。。。our loved ones。 We haven't played you false。〃 Minmei closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Wolff's lips on the screen； sobbing。
She had been shut away in her quarters on the Ark Angel all through the Haydon IV campaign； unable to break away from her own private struggle。
At her request； the ship's techs and artisans had made the partment as much an imitation of her crystal world as they could with mirrors； prisms； and fanciful formations that suggested underground strata。 There； Teal of Spheris labored over the brilliant； multifaceted form that was all that remained of her fellow Spherisian； Baldan。
Teal had refused to touch or even look at it at first； after Baldan was trapped in his merging with the geological substance of Praxis。 Baldan had been a fellow prisoner of hers； in the clutches of the Invid； nothing more！ To touch the thing that had looked like a football…size crystal meant taking on responsibility for it； and meant entering a rapport with Baldan's essence that would make them mates。
It wasn't fair！ Teal had no desire to be responsible for a child or be in rapport with Baldan。 She had never asked to be involved in this mad Sentinels crusade！ Teal had her own plans； her own life to live。
And yet； when she had stood looking down at it； Teal had known that if she failed to carry out the rite of Shaping； Baldan would pass away forever and the egg would lose the forces of life it carried。 With strange tears in her transparent eyes； she took up her ceremonial blade and began Shaping。
And she stayed at it all through the voyage； and the battle on Haydon IV； when the SDF…7 flagship could do little but hold its station。 Teal laboriously calculated each cut and guided the newly…carved Spherisian in its growth。 It was a trial as taxing as any gestation period or rite of passage。 But at last； near the end of her strength； Teal looked upon a healthy adolescent male who was the image of Baldan and still growing quickly。
She wasn't surprised when Bela； returning from Praxis； requested entry to her partment。 It was Bela； along with Miriya Sterling； who had returned to the Praxian caverns to retrieve the egg when Teal refused to。 Bela who； absurdly； had threatened to raise the child herself； when the amazon hadn't the first idea about Humanoid children； much less creatures of living mineral。
Teal granted permission to enter。 Bela； usually rowdy and often gruff； was subdued and tentative。 But when she looked down on the child； she was aglow。 〃But…why are his eyes closed？ Why does he not move？〃
〃He has been regaining the knowledge that Baldan left behind in him；〃 Teal explained。 〃And preparing himself for true birth。 I waited； hoping you and Miriya could both be here。〃
Teal explained what must be done。 Each took one of the statuelike figure's cold hands； kneeling by him。 Where a Spherisian parent would ordinarily have done so alone； Teal had the Praxian lean close； their heads together； so that they could both breathe upon the child's mouth together。
Once； twice…and on the third； a strange aura of blue radiance leapt from Teal's mouth to the infant's。 Bela felt the odd sensation of Spherisian life…force stirring about and through her。
The cold hands tingled now； not with heat so much as with animating force。 Some eldritch piezoelectric effect； Bela wondered？ The fingers were no longer stiff； but supple in the manner of living crystal。 Bela's Praxian eyes； like those of a bird of prey； grew wide； watching the boy's eyes flutter open。
〃Wh…what have you called him？〃
Teal held her son's hand in her own。 〃I call him Baldan。 Baldan II。 I couldn't bear to name him anything else。〃
She sighed。 〃Love is so inconvenient。〃
Veidt had also insisted on ing along on the continuation of the mission； saying that Haydon IV held too many sad memories。 No one had any objections； but every other Haydonite had elected to stay behind and rebuild the planet。 Rick suspected Veidt preferred it that way。
Getting the new Praxian recruits squared away was something the Hunters felt safe in delegating to Gnea； Bela； and the other amazon veterans； plus ship's officers。 The couple managed to get free of other official responsibilities after the initial confusion and returned at long last to the quarters they shared。
Rick leaned his head back against the hatch once it closed。 〃A lo…oong day at the beach； babe。〃 Lisa chortled tiredly and nodded。
They hadn't been there since the start of the Garudan mission； it was odd to be back in the quiet； by the bed they had shared too long a time ago。
A change was apparent in Lisa。 Though she still wore the body…suit uniform of the REF； her damaged government…issue boots had been replaced with a pair of Praxian footgear； like over…the…knee moccasin wrappings； of soft hide resembling chamois。 Her long hair was held back with a knotted band of crimson； satiny fabric Bela had given her。
She also wore a weapons belt around her hips； with a pistol tied down to one thigh and a long Praxian fighting knife to the other。 Many Sentinels wore sidearms as a matter of course； but this was something new in Lisa。
In fact； Rick was packing； too。 〃We're a little overdressed； aren't we？〃 he asked； unbuckling his gunbelt。
His piratical…looking wife gave him a heavy…lidded gaze。 〃Well； surely some up…and…ing young Robotech admiral can figure out an appropriate plan of action to solve that problem； can't he？〃
He smiled。 〃Haven't you heard？ Night maneuvers are a Hunter specialty。〃
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
He had his own personal bestiary of unacceptable words； and chief among them was 〃defeat。〃
Constance Wildman； When Evil Had its Day： A Biography of T。R。 Edwards
Spheris presented a plicated skein of problems unlike those of any other Invid…held planet on the Sentinels' h