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he vote could be called； Lang got the floor。 〃My colleague； Lord Exedore； informs me that my munications center has received a signal that is of central importance in this issue。〃
With that； Exedore's face appeared in the central screen； a billboard…size panel that dominated one end of the council chambers。 〃Here is the transmission received just a short time ago。〃
Before Edwards could object； a familiar and； to Edwards； despised face…as handsome as a media star's…appeared。 〃This is Colonel Jonathan Wolff； transmitting from the bridge of the REF vessel Valivarre。 With me are mander Vince Grant and Lord Breetai。 We have with us all the monopole ore that was mined on Fantoma。
〃Escorting us are the SDF cruisers Tokugawa and Jutland； which acpanied us on operations involved in the liberation of the planet Haydon IV from Invid domination。 It is our intention to turn over the monopole ore to Dr。 Lang's production facility and to answer the charges being made against us and other Sentinels。
〃All we ask is that the council now； by public vote； insure us the fair hearing to which we are entitled by the REF Code of Military Justice and by United Earth Government law。 Members of the council； we await your word。〃
Wolff's expression softened a bit。 〃You're our friends； our rades in arms…some of you are our loved ones。 We haven't played you false。〃 He showed just a touch of that debonair smile of his。
Lang was back on his feet as the message ended。 〃They won't have to wait long for my decision！ I say yes； let these people have their fair and public hearing！〃
When the question was called； Justine Huxley； Obstat； Rheinehardt； and others opposed to Edwards were quick and loud in their vote of support。 Edwards's faction on the council did some grumbling； but most either abstained or went with the momentum of the opposition。 Few were inclined to deny the Sentinels due process in a role…call vote。 Also； they all knew how critical the monopole ore was。
Edwards had gone white with anger。 That blithering idiot； the Regent！ Why hadn't he warned me that this might happen？
For that matter； why hadn't Edwards's own munications…intercept people discovered this plot？ It pointed to the possibility that Lang was aware of the technical eavesdropping Edwards's organization was doing； and had exploited it to his； Lang's； advantage； lulling Edwards and then using some unknown 〃back channel〃 of contact with Breetai。
This was a major setback； and one piped through the orbiting SDF…3 as well as all of the REF installations on Tirol…Edwards was rocked physically by a sudden realization。 Wolff's face and voice had gone out over the PI channel！
Minmei's jailers had turned some switch that activated the telescreen built into the wall of her cell just as T。R。 Edwards made his triumphant entry to the council chambers。 The screen； installed in the cells for interrogation； agitprop； and 〃motivational〃 purposes； had always been dark before。
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； bu