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ad begun to employ some sort of energy weapon to herd the plaza's off worlders toward the subwaylike entrances to the city's subsurface maze of transport corridors and multilevel shelters。 On closer inspection； Dana saw that the light…prods were emanating from the Haydonites' foreheads； from the cabochonlike organs centered there； which Veidt had once called dzentile。 The English term that came closest was governor； but Dana suddenly understood that those regulators could be made to serve a double…edged function。
She took a quick head count； calculating just how many Haydonites she would have to take down to clear a path out of the plaza。 Beginning with Llan； who was still hovering at her back； although he had yet to demonstrate any light…prod capability。 Answering to Anad's telepathic insistence； Max； Miriya； and Aurora were already halfway across the square。
〃Move！〃 Llan sent with sufficient force to make Dana's eyes cross。
Oh； you're gonna get yours； she promised herself； mentally forging her spin kick。 But no sooner had she menced her turn than Max grabbed her around the shoulders and swung her off her feet。 〃Dana； we don't have a chance；〃 he told her。
Dana watched a nascent glow center itself above Llan's expressionless visage。 〃Well； we certainly don't now；〃 she said； shrugging out of Max's restraining hold。
Llan and Anad were more vigilant after that； making certain to keep the entire family between them for the rest of the dash across the plaza； relaxing their guard only after the Sterlings were well inside the accessway； dwarfed by several dozen Karbarrans who had been funneled in from the collapsed mercial center。
〃That was a foolish thing to do；〃 Max said in a lecturing tone； loud enough to be heard above the ursinoids' unnerving growls and grumblings。
〃Maybe it was；〃 Dana conceded； 〃but I don't like it when somebody says they're concerned for my safety and then aims a weapon at me。〃
The incident only pointed up the differences between them。 Dana had had reservations about returning to Haydon IV with her parents as early as those first few weeks in Tiresia； but it had meant so much to them that she get to know Aurora and give peace a chance。 And then； when she had learned that Rem had assigned himself to the SDF…3； she saw no alternative but to give Haydon IV a try。 Oh； she supposed she could have signed aboard the Ark Angel or any one of the ships of the fleet； but she saw little purpose to it。
It had e as quite a shock to find yet another Zor…clone waiting on Tirol after she had just finished her brief go…round with one on Earth。 Rem and Zor Prime were more like twins separated at birth than clones； but there were enough underlying similarities to make her feel as though she were dealing with the same person。 She thought the original Zor must have been one mixed…up character； another trickster in a galaxy full of them。
She still couldn't explain just what it was about the slender； elfin…featured clones that drew her to them。 But it seemed obvious that the attraction arose from the Zentraedi； biogenetically engineered side of her personality。
Those thoughts were with her for the duration of the short descent to Llan's 〃level four；〃 where； she imagined； luxuriously appointed shelters awaited them。 She had even begun to feel guilty about her perhaps misguided outburst in the plaza and was about to apologize to Max； when from up ahead in the corridor…the recycled air thick with the musky smell of Karbarran fur and fear…came cries of protest in trader's tongue。
〃You limbless mechanoids！〃 one Karbarran yelled。 〃May Haydon curse the lot of you！〃
Dana went up on tiptoe in an attempt to discern what all the motion was about； but all she could see was the backs of massive shoulders and knob…horned heads。 It was not until the group reached the terminus of the corridor； where it opened into a vast； domed chamber lit by an unseen source； that she glimpsed the reason for the Karbarrans' distress： A police force of black…cloaked Haydonites a meter taller than the norm were using their enabled light…prods to segregate the confused crowd into planetary types； shepherding each into separate rooms similar to ones Dana knew had been used by the Invid Regis to contain the Sisters of the Praxian diaspora。
〃port yourselves in a manner befitting the intelligence of your race and no harm will e to you；〃 the police line sent to everyone in frightening telepathic discord。 〃Your nutritional and medical needs will be attended to。 Haydon IV will strive to make you as fortable as possible in your containment。〃
〃Imprisonment； I'd say；〃 said an all…too…familiar voice off to the left of the Sterling family。 Dana caught sight of Exedore peeking out from behind the high…collared cloak of one of the hovering jailers。
〃Yes；〃 he added； folding his arms and glancing around。 〃I suggest that we consider ourselves under arrest。〃
As expected； their individual cells were splendidly designed affairs with all the necessary conveniences and furnishings； all the more sinister in their homeyness。 Exedore and the Sterlings found themselves lodged with the four Praxians whose very size dictated that they be given the largest of the four rooms。 Their section of the jail was flanked by Karbarran and Spherisian quarters but was effectively sealed off from them； with access to the central portion of the domed chamber barred by laser fence。 Thoughts of escape were not only difficult to entertain but periodically discouraged by squads of the now obsequious jailers who glided through sweeps of the area。
Dana； however； had not yet given up on the idea and sat timing the patrols while Exedore filled everyone in on the details of his own arrest。
〃One moment Veidt and I were interpreting the results of our latest calculations； and the next I was being hurried out of the data room by two of these black…cloaked fellows； with Veidt warning me to obey their every mand。〃
〃Our advocates acted the same way；〃 Max said。 〃Turned on us without warning。〃
〃Oh； I don't think it safe to assume they were acting at all；〃 Exedore cautioned。 〃It's my belief that the Awareness sent a mand to each and every Haydonite…a telepathic stirring； if you will； analogous to that which prompted the planet to reorient itself in space。〃
〃Then we are 。 。 。 moving？〃 Miriya asked。
Exedore nodded。 〃Most definitely moving。〃
〃But we saw a salvo of energy bolts； Exedore；〃 Dana interjected。 〃The planet's probably moving because it's under attack。〃
Exedore shook his head。 〃There's been no attack； although what you witnessed was certainly defensive fire。 It seems that the mander of one of the Karbarran cargo ships armed his weapons array when planetary realignment menced。 The Awareness registered this and responded as programmed。 I'm afraid several ships were destroyed in the process。 This much I was able to learn from Veidt。〃
〃Then our lives are in danger；〃 Miriya said； hugging Aurora to her。
〃No； child。 Haydon IV is not only abandoning its orbit around this system's primary but shedding its atmosphere as it accelerates。 That's precisely why we've all been brought down here。
〃For all this sudden militant posturing； they do seem to have