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he admiral and his wife and the rest to REF Base Tirol so that they can make a fair answer to the charges against them。〃
Da Cruz permitted herself the raising of an eyebrow。 〃You see； many of us find it difficult to picture the Hunters as traitors； too。〃
The corners of Breetai's lips turned up。 〃Perhaps we can help with the repairs to the Tokugawa； madam。 You might say we've bee a bit inventive of late。〃
CHAPTER SEVEN
There are more enjoyable things in life than being a here。 Having shingles； for instance。
Jack Baker； Upwardly Mobile
The raiding party stared； aghast； at the thing that had been Janice Em。
Her skin had bee transparent； and the blood vessels and musculature of her face could be seen。 Her eyes emitted an eerie light； what there was of her expression seemed flat； unblinking and un…Human。
Jack found that he had instinctively raised his submachine gun。 〃Wh…what are you； a zombie？ He felt stupid even saying it。
Her voice； when it came； had much of Janice's tone and manner。 〃No； I am an Artificial Person； built in the Tokyo research megaplex。 I've acted as Dr。 Lang's eyes and ears on the Sentinels mission。〃
Lron's broad； thickly furred chest rumbled。 〃I don't like such things…androids running around pretending they are alive！〃
The AP was quick to answer； 〃Oh； but the Janice you know was unaware that she was an Artificial Person…an android； if you insist。 But I'm still Janice； with all the thoughts and memories of Janice。 Only； I'm aware of the other side of my personality at last…that which served Lang。 You might say I'm finally whole。〃
〃But why do you reveal this now？ Bela asked suspiciously。 She had rather liked Jan…admired her for being as quick and strong and skilled in battle as an amazon。 But Bela looked upon this being before her…a Wyrdling； as Praxians would call it…with wariness。
〃Because we mustn't follow the inertial trackers directly to Glike；〃 the AP answered。 〃The Awareness that oversees Haydon IV is near； and I think it's the key to our dilemma。 I saw that there was no other way to get you to detour； though； and if I'd merely slipped away； you'd have e searching for me and put yourselves in greater danger。 I understand friendship that well； you see。〃
She put one hand back to gather up her long lavender hair and hold it out from the nape of her neck。 〃And there is another reason to reveal myself。 To locate the source of this Awareness I must contact it directly； and to do that…I must speak to it。〃
She reached up with her free hand and pulled a patch of synthetic skin from her neck。 She turned to show them the input aperture that had been hidden there。 There was a concerted hiss from the two lesser Invid scientists； and Tesla's eyes bulged with fascination。 Burak slashed the air angrily with his horns and made a mystical sign of protection。
Jan let her hair fall back into place； and dipped into a pouch on her harness。 She came up with connector cord and several different sorts of adaptors。 〃According to my analysis； one of these will let me link up with this artificial sentience I've detected。〃
〃No！ She's not to be trusted；〃 Tesla objected。 〃An android？ How can we know what her real motive is？ Better that I were allowed to converse with this Awareness； my friends。〃
Jack looked Tesla over。 The Regent's onetime chief scientist no longer resembled a conventional upper…caste Invid； some time after the awful events on Garuda； he had undergone some kind of change that he still refused to explain。
He was now almost as tall as the Regent…over seventeen feet。 His snout was shorter； head more defined； hands and feet more humanoid than reptilian。 His hide was now a pale green； waxy and smooth。
But most troubling of all； he had grown a fifth digit； and his hands and his use of them looked quite Human。
Tesla had convinced the Sentinels that he could be of help on this mission； but Jack wasn't about to trust the scientist with the secrets of Haydon IV。 He moved the muzzle of his chattergun over to cover Tesla。 〃Forget it。 You stay away from the machinery down here unless I say otherwise。〃
Tesla radiated an unspeakable hatred； but said nothing。 Burak bridled； too； and moved to stand by the Invid。 Jack had long since noticed that there was something between the two； some secret they shared； but Burak's gesture was more on the order of a realignment of loyalties。
Burak had been growing a little unstable。 He resented it that his homeworld； Peryton； was far back on the timetable of Sentinels priorities。 Jack made a mental note to keep an eye on him； as well。
〃Okay； uh； Janice。〃 Jack decided that he might as well go on calling her that。 〃What d'you need？〃
〃First； a proper interface。〃 She led them off along the highway…wide catwalk； they automatically took up tactical positions and intervals。 They passed into a smaller side passageway； one the VTs would never have managed。 The other raiders were jumpy； expecting Haydon IV to e up with new horrors； but Jan seemed blithely confident that away from their Protoculture…powered mecha and weapons they would no longer be considered invaders。
Janice's theory might be correct； but Jack still thought longingly of all the firepower they had been forced to abandon。
Janice appeared to be finding her way like an Indian in deep forest； listening and kind of sniffing the air currents as well as searching the future…tech terrain with her gaze。
As they trailed along； they grew hotter。 Lron and Crysta shed their outsize flight suits pletely； abandoning them except for helmets…and the mo equipment in them…and the harnesses that held their gear and weapons。
Jack； Kami； and Learna removed their helmets as well； attaching them to their web gear； and the two Garudans put on their special breather masks。
At last Janice stopped in another vast open place big enough to hold a cruiser。 Before them was a surprisingly delicate…looking affair that reminded Jack of a filament…bright cat's cradle the size of the REF headquarters building back on Tirol。
There were tiers of instrumentation all around； Jan selected one right away。 It only took her a moment or two to figure out which adapters to use； in which configuration； and then she was ready。
Jack volunteered to make the connection。 As he stood by with the plug in his hand； Jan seemed to revert to her Human side again。 〃If you see me go into overload； get the plug out at once。 I mean； right away； okay Jack？〃
〃Sure； right。〃 It hadn't occurred to him that she was risking her life…if that was the correct term。 He nervously worked his fingers in his flight glove； hoping it would insulate him from any power surges。
With Jan holding her hair aside again； he took a deep breath and plugged the adapter into the outlet in her neck。 Banks of peripheral instrumentation came alive in light of various colors and a deep humming filled the chamber； the humming rose in pitch until it sounded like a synthesized choir。
A glow sprang out from Janice Em； and Jack nearly pulled the plug； but she managed in a breathless voice； 〃Don't。。。don't。〃
Jack stepped back to watch as she was bathed in radiance。 He thought he could sense conversations being held all around him； and the flow