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e； Horatio at the bridge。 Exedore and Cabell at the Second Gen matrix would outdo all of those。
Cabell had brought forth two protective faceplates； handing one to Exedore。 〃Here you are； my dear fellow。〃
Exedore accepted his； slipping it on。 〃You know； Cabell； I still maintain that one of us can in all likelihood carry out this； er； procedure。 There is thus no reason for you to make this sacrifice。〃
〃Now； now。 We've been all over this； old friend。 There's no guarantee that one operator could balance the induction field and simultaneously calibrate the integration mixture。 And it's far too late to automate the process。 No； that just won't do梠therwise I'd have insisted you leave。〃
Exedore shook his head； settling the faceplate into place。 Strange how； so late in his long years； he had bee friends with such an odd assortment of beings： Micronians； Sentinels； even a Clone of Zor himself。 And Cabell； who was a panion and kindred soul； rather than the master his position would once have required him to be。
Both of them were working as fast as they could even while they were musing。 Surveillance satellites gave word that the sphere ships were making planetary approach at much higher speed than had been foreseen。
Still； Exedore saw calmly； he and Cabell would have time to carry out their last act。 The special magnetic bottling fields began to e into existence； and in another few minutes Protoculture and Anti…Protoculture would mix in mutual annihilation。
There was another warning tone…from the surveillance satellites。 〃An energy plexus of unknown type has been detected； originating from the sphere fleet； moving in the direction of Tiresia。〃
The two panions stopped their work and looked at the speaker。 〃Describe its nature。〃
〃It is nonmaterial；〃 came the reply； 〃a webwork of mental energy in some ways resembling the Awareness and yet unlike it。〃
Cabell was horrified。 〃That is because it is no longer linked to the instrumentality of Haydon IV。 We've been caught unawares！〃
He leapt to his controls； Exedore doing the same； and they prepared to fire the Anti…Protoculture infusion device； ready or not。 But even as they did； the puter voice from the satellite net announced； 〃Calculations show that there is no time to plete your current endeavor。 The Awareness has raced ahead of the sphere ships and now enpasses the Royal Hall。〃
But by then Cabell and Exedore didn't need the puter to tell them something was wrong。 A sparkling network； like a highway system of strobing luminescence in the sky； had sprung into being all around the hall…not the Awareness itself but a side effect of the Awareness's presence； an exertion of its artificial mind powers。
The inside of the grand pyramidal chamber holding the matrix became like an aquarium filled with strange； insubstantial waters； shimmering air showing colors to which neither Exedore nor Cabell could put a name。 It made the facsimile matrix's music turn ominous and caused it to glimmer in a new and sinister fashion。
Cabell； suffused with light； felt his consciousness slipping away。 〃Fire！ Do not wait！〃 He held his grip on his senses for an extra moment； contriving to fall against the control panel and hook one arm over the ignition release； dragging the lever down with him。
Exedore； seeing what he had done； stabbed with the last of his strength for the firing button； even though he thought the charge was too low to acplish the full destruction of the matrix。 As his finger descended； he saw that the firing unit was aglow with the Awareness's light。
It all made such chilling sense； the Awareness had been removed from its instrumentality…Haydon IV itself…and yet maintained in a coherent state。 So Haydon has disembodied his AI construct and sent it here to fuse with the matrix…its new instrumentality。
The firing unit failed to function； of course。 The device built by Exedore and Cabell to destroy the matrix began to die； its fields falling silent； its Anti…Protoculture beginning to depose at once； returning to the quantum foam from which it had been extracted with such enormous effort。
The light effects of the Awareness's merging with the matrix showed some of the cat's…cradle patterning that had been observed within Haydon IV。 Exedore slumped in his place at the controls。
All across Tiresia； those who were brave； curious； or fatalistic enough to want to bear witness to the end peeked forth from their concealment。 Out of the Royal Hall's peak rose a swirling nebula； showing some characteristics of the Awareness； some of the facsimile matrix； and some that were totally unfamiliar。
The nebula lit the city as it ascended higher into the night toward the waiting sphere ships。 Tiresia was spared a last and utter destruction。 Exedore and Cabell roused themselves from the paralysis of the Awareness's visit and watched the nebula of force rise up into the blackness to rejoin Haydon。
Max had hoped to score a quick victory in hand…to…hand bat with the black mecha； but the enemy machine was tremendously strong and agile； at least a match for his Alpha and maybe more。
He held his own against it； though； his own lightning reflexes being relayed through the 〃thinking cap〃 and a lifetime's training in unarmed bat ing to his aid。
Above all； he clung to the thing's globular right fist； terrified that if he released it for even an instant； the black mecha would harm or kill Dana； perhaps even by smashing it against Max's own Battloid。
The two war machines wrestled and struck at each other as they fell from the sky； neither one's thrusters able to stop it or give it the upper hand。 Max tried to force the foe's right arm around to gain leverage with his Battloid's legs and rip loose the all…important right arm。 But the enemy was fiendishly clever and nearly managed to kick his Battloid's head off。
In all the confusion； though； the two managed to get their foot thrusters under them and cushion their fall somewhat。 They crashed into the top tier of a three…layer forest canopy； breaking off limbs and sending wildlife flapping and skittering。
They hung up in the second tier layer； entangled in more branches and networks of heavy vines。 Max thought he saw a chance to pin his antagonist where one of the great trunks divided； immobilizing the black mecha and giving him the chance he needed to rescue Dana。
But the foe seemed to read his mind and struck at the Battloid's head with the globe at the end of its right arm。 Max dodged desperately to avoid harming his daughter and lost his balance。 The Black Knight brought its huge left fist down on the Alpha where a human's collarbone would be。 The Battloid reeled； falling 。。。
Rick dashed to catch up with Louie； who in turn was hotfooting it so as not to fall behind Lang。 〃Halt； goddammit！〃 If anybody could shed some light on what was happening； it was the two Protoculture hotshots； but neither seemed inclined to stop。 Finally Louie； younger and fleeter； of foot； caught up with Lang and hauled him around by one shoulder。 〃Doctor！ Listen to me！〃
〃Let go！〃 Lang shoved Louie with that strange strength Rick had seen him exhibit on one or two rare occasions。 But cough Louie was hurled back with extreme for