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ere are you？〃
Even more strangely； he thought he heard Miriya's voice； too； and strangest of all； Aurora's…for Aurora seemed to be speaking directly into his mind。
Father； no！ No！
It was no time to give in to hallucinatory voices； though； the Black Knight was back on its feet； ing his way in a tittering run that covered a dozen yards at a time。 Max imaged and his rifle/cannon slid into his grip； the thought that his laughter might even now be lying there dead made it that much easier to draw a bead。
〃Max！ Freeze！〃
He had no idea why Kazianna would be yelling that in his ear； and so in the end it was confusion rather than discipline that made him hesitate for the telling split second。 In that moment the Quadrono powered armor suit came barreling through a curtain of thick…leaved branches and interwoven vegetation； throwing itself on the Black Knight from the left。
Max held his fire and watched； astounded； as Kazianna sought not to terminate the enemy but to subdue it without harming the occupant and to shield it from Max's fire。
The Black Knight fought wildly； but Miriya had e into battle fresh and uninjured； armor operating at peak levels； with the advantage of surprise。 Moreover； the viragos of the elite powered armor units in effect fought exclusively in what the REF would term Battloid mode； the contest was on Kazianna's chosen turf。
Kazianna called into play all the tricks of close…in mecha brawling that she had picked up in a long Quadrono career。 Though the interloper was clever and savage； in the end Kazianna held it immobilized and forced it to one knee； standing behind and maintaining a plicated arm…bar hold on it。
Max expected her to deliver the coup de grace or at least disable the thing utterly。 But to his shock； Kazianna freed one hand for a moment； made a quick move； and dropped a hand weapon of her own onto the forest floor； almost within reach。
Max made a decision and raised the rifle/cannon again； hoping he could avoid hitting Kazianna but determined to blow away the black mecha。 His Battloid's finger was squeezing the trigger when Miriya's voice came to him again。 〃Max； don't shoot！〃
And Aurora's voice spoke in his mind： We have to break the spell； Father！ Don't you see what's happened？ She sent a vivid image into his mind； the clearest mental link he was ever to have with his confounding younger daughter。
〃Oh； my God；〃 he whispered。
His Battloid's hand lowered； the rifle/cannon falling from its lax grip。 He waited as Kazianna slowly released her hold on the Black Knight。 The thing reached out slowly； almost unwillingly； taking up the gun Kazianna had thrown down； and began to e to its feet。
The war queen of the Quadronos waited； tensed； to pounce on the strange mecha again…if it seemed about to fire on Max； but such a contest might e out either way。 The thing was moving uncertainly； as if in a trance。
Max could feel Aurora's thoughts pouring toward it； Miriya's voice came over the net to it。 〃This isn't what you want。 e back to us。〃
Max stood looking into the weapon's muzzle； arms hung at his sides； in the profoundest torment he had ever known。 〃Whatever happens； please梐lways； always know that 。 。 。 that I love you。 We've always loved you with our whole hearts。〃 Then he stood up straight； the gun barrel centered on him； waiting。
The Black Knight's aim wavered； and after what seemed like a lifetime it dropped the weapon with a cry of utter misery in a voice they all knew。 The mecha staggered； and Kazianna caught it； already working at the unfamiliar lock…downs to crack it open。
Max dashed to them； reconfiguring as he went so that he sprang down from a kneeling Guardian whose huge metallic hands helped keep the supine Black Knight steady。 As he got down； Aurora and Miriya were emerging from Kazianna's open helmet； Miriya helping Aurora lower herself to the ground。 They had ridden in the powered suit； which had been retrofitted back during the monopole mining operations on Fantoma to carry Micronian observers。
Kazianna had gotten the soot…black； alien…contoured chest plate open。 Max； Miriya； and Aurora scrambled up and raced to gather around the pilot's seat； Max fumbling to remove from her a thinking cap that looked more like an instrument of torture。
Dana； ing out of whatever spell it was the Regis had used to throw open her dark side； blinked up at them。 〃Dad； I uhhh。 Don't hate me； I didn't want to？
〃Shh！ We know； everything's all right。〃
〃Dana； we love you； oh； sister 。。。〃
Then all four Sterlings were weeping； trying to talk at once； hugging and kissing each other。 At the same time they struggled to get Dana out of the pilot's seat/iron maiden into which she had been transferred somehow from the globular prison out at the end of the Black Knight's arm。 Aurora's emanations of grief and joy bathed them all； Kazianna included。 Kazianna eased back a bit once Dana was down on solid ground again to give the four some room and privacy。 She thought of the strange interludes that had e upon the newspace castaways； and some abrupt instinct made her look straight up into the sky。
Framed by the hole the descending mecha had made in the forest canopy； a single gargantuan eye that Kazianna knew now for the Regis's gazed back。
The giantess murmured； 〃You never learned this from Zor； did you？ No； nor from the Great Work； or your Genesis Pits； or even the transcendence itself。〃
But the Regis made no answer； and there was no sign what the new data would mean to her race/self。
Then that last； separated part of her attention was gone； reunited with the rest of her； as the Regis addressed herself to the threat she sensed from Haydon。
People were used to deferring to Lang； to obeying without question the driving force of the SDFs； RDF； and REF。 Even when he landed in a shuttle whose jamming gear was fouling up munications with the planet below； even when he emerged alone and gave orders to seal all flight decks and air locks； even when he walked away without a word of explanation or authorization； they automatically moved to obey。 Even Xien knew his authority lay； in reality； somewhere far below Lang's。
Perhaps every human's did。
Niles Obstat attempted to get into the shuttle； to shut down the countermeasures and jamming gear so that the SDF…3 could contact the ground party； but the shuttle refused to open no matter what he tried。
Lang was already racing to his sanctum sanctorum back near Engineering when he heard the PA chatter about an unauthorized air lock opening and the arrival of an Alpha。 He was too busy thinking about other things to curse； but his lips curved a bit in a cold smile。 Nichols the cyber…master； what an unexpectedly worthy opponent！
Louie emerged from the VT to find the people waiting for him looking like the victims of some psychic plague： dazed and unfocussed； not sure who or what to trust； least of all their own senses。 At least Xien and Niles Obstat summoned up the resolve to confront Louie and try to intervene。
Louie swept them with his black； bug…goggled gaze。 〃I can't explain； follow me if you like。 Lang has to be stopped。〃
Xien stepped in his way。 〃Admiral Hunter hasn't given any orders。〃
〃The Hu