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when he caught her hands and pulled Minmei upward。
〃All set； just follow me。 That's our ship over there。〃
〃Wh…〃
And then they were walking among the parked mecha of the hangar deck。 Welding sparks leapt and humming maint…crew machinery made noise in the distance； and she could hear men and women yelling or cursing or cajoling or laughing as they sweated to keep the REF's fighting forces operational。
He was leading her toward an armored Alpha； a lusterless gray fighter trimmed in olive drab； bulked by its augmentation pods。 It was one of the most formidable ships in the REF inventory； and she didn't think it likely that it had been assigned to one of Lang's 〃six…month…wonder〃 pilots。
Minmei saw the boarding ladder before her and it brought back a flood of memories。 She was a non…tech person； why did mecha insist on playing such an overwhelming part in her life？
Then somebody yelled from the distance； and more voices took up the cry。 She realized woozily that the voices were ing her way。 She had both hands on the boarding ladder and one foot on the first rung when she became aware of a ruckus behind her。
By the time she turned around； there were three or four flight…deck personnel laid out flat； unconscious。 Minmei blinked at them owlishly。 What…
Then REF # 666…60…937 was pushing her up the ladder； loading her into the copilot's seat； and then belting her in。 Apparently he knew all the right codes； the launch…cat airlock accepted the powerful Alpha fighter and flung it out into space。
Green； looming Fantoma cast its light on them and their ship； and Tirol was a gibbous splotch of orange…brown…gray not far from it。 The VT pilot turned his craft toward Tirol。
Suddenly his instruments were squealing and beeping for his attention。 〃Hot scramble from SDF…3； of course；〃 she heard him mutter。 〃They want you back。 They're ing to get you。〃
〃Then…〃
〃Sit tight。〃 He hit the auxiliaries for full military power and dove toward Tirol。 Eager pursuers formed up for the hunt。
Minmei； pressed back in her seat； looking out at the unknowable stars； felt tears pressed from her eyes by acceleration； to wet the headrest behind her。
〃Here they e；〃 said REF # 666…60…937。
CHAPTER TWO
In the case of Garudan evolution； there can be no question that a wide spectrum of intracellular organelles developed through the cannibalistic warfare among bacteria that led to an amazing degree of symbiosis。 The interactions of the entire Garudan ecosystem； the planet's dominant species included； give weight to those who argue that the evolution of multicellular organisms resulted from the extracellular symbiosis of monocellular organisms。
Like ours； a Garudan's body is posed of about ten quadrillion animal cells and another one hundred quadrillion bacterial cells。 But the range of microorganic activity and variety is far greater； and the interaction of the symbionts far more plex。
The upshot is that a Human who is exposed to Garudan atmosphere is like a pocket calculator plugged into a mainframe： it is not designed for it and will quickly burn out。
Perhaps unsurprisingly； in light of recent research； the Garudans have a simple explanation for the extraordinary nature of their planet's ecosystem： 〃Haydon wished it so。〃
Cabell； A Pedagogue Abroad： Notes on the Sentinels Campaign
Vince Grant's hand covered Lisa Hunter's forehead and then some。 He drew it back； moist with her perspiration。 〃She's still feverish。〃 He struggled with himself for a moment； not sure if he could or should say what else he was thinking。
Jean； Vince's wife； nodded slightly。 The patients were all that way： Rick and Lisa； Karen Penn and Miriya Sterling。 They were atose and failing fast； as a result of their exposure to the Garudan atmosphere。 They were tied down on gurneys to help control their intermittent seizures。
The shuttlecraft's deckplates vibrated under Vince's boot soles。 〃Jean； what if Veidt's wrong； or the Invid double…cross us？〃
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 y