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altered　mind；　found　them　intelligible…barely。　Had　he　not；　the　Awareness　would　have　known　and　slain　him　on　the　spot。

He　forgot　about　food　and　sleep；　laboring　to　receive　the　disembodied　knowledge　until　it　seemed　his　brain　would　burst　like　a　lightning…struck　tree。　But　stopping　was　unthinkable；　and　he　persisted；　pausing　only　to　ingest　another　petal　or　two　of　his　shrinking　Flower　supply　or；　when　he　remembered　to；　drinking　water　from　a　font　the　Awareness　had　set　by　him。

In　that　manner　Zor　came　to　know　the　story　of　Haydon；　first　and　greatest　of　the　intellects　spawned　by　the　galaxy　（the　Texts　had　a　bewildering　way　of　referring　to　Haydon　in　the　plural　one　minute　and　in　the　singular　the　next）。　In　exploring　and　mastering　the　universe　around　Him；　Haydon　had　gained　immortality　and　probed　the　essential　secrets　of　Creation。

But　when　His　exploration　of　the　universe　seemed　to　hold　no　further　mysteries；　no　further　challenges；　Haydon　still　had　not　found　the　answers　that　He　longed　for；　the　destiny　for　which；　He　was　sure；　He　had　been　called　into　being。

Some　of　His　investigations　indicated　to　Him　the　existence　of　a　level　of　being　beyond　those　that　could　be　seen　or　touched。　Of　a　place　outside　His　continuum　where　Haydon　could　at　last　find　fulfillment；　achieve　a　level　of　being　that　had　bee　an　undeniable　need。

And　Haydon　found　that　He　could　not　reach　that　other　side。　Every　approach　failed；　every　assay　fell　short；　until　at　last　Haydon　faced　the　fact　that　He　could　not　attain　transcendence。

But　that　did　not　mean　some　other　life　form　could　not。　And　so　began　an　age　of　grand　experimentation；　epic　journeys；　profound　contemplation；　and　unprecedented　megaprojects。　The　Garudans　were　endowed　with　their　expanded　senses　and　their　psychotropic　biosphere。　On　Spheris；　crystal　lifeforms　were　given　an　evolutionary　helping　hand。　An　investigation　into　thought　control　went　awry　on　Peryton；　leading　to　the　holocaust　Moebius　in　which　the　planet　became　trapped。　

Not　least　importantly；　Haydon　IV　was　given　form；　and　its　Awareness　was　brought　to　life。

Zor　read　on；　feverish　with　the　need　to　know。　At　last　he　came　to　the　mention　of　Optera　and　the　Invid。　A　curious　race；　Haydon　found；　with　some　promising　characteristics；　but　apparently　at　an　evolutionary　dead　end　unless　something　new　were　added。　And　Haydon　had　that　something　in　mind；　an　intriguing　plant　He　had　encountered。

The　organisms　on　the　plant's　planet　of　origin　did　not　seem　to　be　exploiting　the　plant's　potential；　and　so　Haydon　transplanted　the　entire　species　to　Optera　leaving　none　behind。　Zor　stared　long　and　hard　at　the　image　of　the　Flower's　original　home；　such　an　unremarkable　little　place　。。。

The　introduction　of　Flower　of　Life　to　the　Invid　was　like　the　rebining　of　long…sundered　halves。　Almost　overnight　the　Invid's　entire　existence　came　to　revolve　around　the　Flower　and　something　they　seemed　to　perceive　in　it。

（A　lab　mutation　of　the　plant；　the　ur…form　called　Sekiton；　was　introduced　to　Karbarra。　But　while　the　ursinoids　there　found　many　uses　and　demonstrated　a　peculiar　affinity　for　it；　the　experiment　was　essentially　a　failure。）

The　star…spanning　experiments　Haydon　had　begun　were　set　in　place；　and　Haydon　began　to　prepare　for　His　long　sleep；　weary　of　the　tedium　of　immortality。　The　event　of　transubstantiation　would　cause　His　artificial　world　to　awaken　Him　more　accurately；　to　return　him　from　mere　stored　information　to　physical　form。

The　ticking　off　of　the　centuries　began。

Zor　lashed　out；　stopping　the　parade　of　thought　records　as　a　seething　rage　took　hold　of　him。　It　had　been　bad　enough　to　know　that　the　Robotech　Masters　had　perverted　his　discoveries　and　the　Protoculture　to　evil　ends　that　the　Zentraedi　had　laid　waste　to　Optera。
Now；　in　addition；　Zor　understood　that　his　meddling　and　the　Masters'　fiendishness　had　derailed　a　bold　and　unique　attempt　to　push　living　intelligence　through　into　an　entirely　new　realm。

Zor　threw　back　his　head　and　roared　up　into　the　echoing　spaces　of　Haydon　IV's　inner　reaches；　fists　raised　high；　for　the　sheer　iniquity　of　it　all。　The　waste　and　suffering　and　loss；　the　death　and　devastation。

His　fury　bined　with　his　contact　with　the　Awareness　gave　Zor　a　moment　of　lucidity　unlike　any　other　he　was　ever　to　have。　He　suddenly　had　a　vision；　a　Grand　Design；　of　his　own。　He　would　atone　for　what　had　happened。

It　was　all　there　before　him：　a　reseeding　program；　a　mighty　new　starship　incorporating　everything　he　had　learned　about　Protoculture　with　which　to　execute　his　plan；　a　renewal；　especially　of　Optera　and　its　idyllic　way　of　life；　and　eventually；　a　return　of　the　galaxy　to　the　way　it　had　been　before　the　rise　of　the　Robotech　Masters。

And　lastly；　he　thought；　he　would　return　the　Flower　to　the　world　on　which　it　had　originated；　for　who　could　tell　what　role　it　had　yet　to　play　there？　Yes；　even　Haydon　had　been　shortsighted　in　that　instance；　the　Flower　deserved　to　grow　once　more　in　its　appointed　place；　the　unremarkable　little　bluewhite　world　called　Earth。

His　exhaustion；　his　hyperstimulation　through　mental　contact　with　the　Awareness；　his　ingestion　of　the　petals　perhaps　it　was　just　a　bination　of　these。　But　the　fact　was；　it　was　the　image　of　Earth；　the　invocation　of　it；　that　brought　on　his　seizure。

Zor　cried　out；　thinking　himself　blinded；　hands　clamped　to　a　skull　that　threatened　to　fly　apart。

He　saw　a　column　of　pure　mind　energy　rising　from　the　Earth；　a　pillar　of　dazzling　force　a　hundred　miles　in　diameter；　crackling　and　swaying；　swirling　like　a　whirlwind；　throwing　out　sheets　of　shimmering　brilliance。　It　climbed　higher　and　higher　into　space；　all　in　a　matter　of　moments。

Zor　knew　what　the　mind　cyclone　was；　recognized　it　as　the　racial　transmutation　of　the　Invid。　The　pinnacle　of　the　cyclone　abruptly　gave　shape　to　a　monumental　bird；　a　phoenix　of　mental　essence。　The　firebird　of　transfiguration　spread　wings　wider　than　the　planet　and　soared　away；　bound　for　another　plane　of　existence；　with　a　cry　so　magnificent　and　sad　that　his　heart　was　wrenched　by　it　and　he　was　changed　forever。

Zor　shuddered；　sobbed；　and　fell　to　the　floor　weeping；　then　lost　consciousness。


In　the　sphere　ship；　Louie　Nichols　gathered　the　survivors　of　his　team。　Other　personnel　were　distracted　by　the　strange；　swirling　limbo　through　which　the　craft　was　passing　on　its　way　between　continua；　it　was　the　cybernauts'　chance　to　regroup。

They　set　up　a　prefab　secure　cubicle　high　up　on　an　unoccupied　platform。　Louie　was　helped　onto　a　robot　med　diagnostic　table　that　deployed　itself　from　a　pact　shipping　case。

There　were　some　gasps　when　he　removed　his　tunic　and　they　saw　the　marks　the　cyber…burn　had　left　on　his　body。

He　gritted　his　teeth。　〃All　right；　quit　gawking。　You　know　what　we　have　to　do。〃

They　did。　The　headlockers　began　unpacking　machines　and　remotes；　fitting　them　together；　and　patching　into　power　sources　with　protech　proficiency。

Louie's　mouth　felt　very　dry；　and　when　he　tried　to　lick　his　tips；　he　could　not　work　up　any　saliva。

Several　remotes　floated　in　at　him。　Behind　them　were　the　surgical　waldos　loaded　with　the　implants　and　bionics　he　needed　and　wanted　to　receive。

Louie　drew　a　deep　breath　and　lay　back　down　on　the　table。


Rem　awoke。　His　head　was　still　in　Minmei's　lap；　but　her　tears　had　long　since　dried。　His　face　was　slick　with　moisture；　however；　he　was　crying　as　Zor　had。

Minmei　sang　softly；　sadly。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX

When　Nichols　emerged　from　that　lockbox　cubicle　his　disciples　had　set　up；　he　was　the　same　studiously　irreverent　young　pain　in　the　neck　who'd　gone　in　with　some　noticeable　increase　in　vigor　and　agility。　But　there　was　also　an　undertone　of　indefinable　strain　to　him。
I　resolved　to　keep　an　eye　on　him；　he　played　his　part　well　except　for　one　occasion　during　transit；　the　one　slip　that　hinted　at　the　change　in　him：　He　leaned　to　a　scope　that　was　controlled　by　a　sensor　and　of　course　accepted　it　matter…of…factly　when　the　scope　swiveled　to　him　and　adjusted　height；　focus；　etc。
What　he　didn't　know　was　that　the　auto…adjust　mechanism　wasn't　working…had　developed　a　glitch　and　been　switched　off。　But　the　scope's　servos　had　obeyed　his　silent　will；　anyway。
It　was　no　time　to　confront　Nichols　and　his　familiars；　but　thereafter　I　kept　an　even　closer　watch　on　them。
Dr。　Harold　Penn；　The　Brief　but　Timeless　Voyage　of　the　Peter　Pan

For　her；　the　tribulations　of　the　passage　were　a　multiple　torment；　because　she　was　not　One　but　Two。

Marlene　had　heard　the　humans　refer　to　the　ghosts　and　visions；　memories；　and　chimeras　as　space　lace。　She　had　heard　them　talk　of　out…of…body　episodes　and　afterlife　experiences。　They　were　all　but　unintelligible　concepts　to　her；　being　in　her　present　body　was　phantasmagoria　enough；　her　life　a　nightmare　almost　beyond　coping。

By　the　time　the　hijacked　sphere　ship　plunged　into　the　gravitational　abyss　of　Ranaath's　Star；　she　seemed　a　ghost；　a　semitransparent　thing　of　ectoplasm　fading　fast。　In　a　kind　of　terminal　sleep；　she　was　unaware　that　Scott　Bernard　kept　a　bedside　vigil；　though　it　made　him　nearly　insane　with　guilt　and　heartache。

Marlene/Ariel's　fold　jump　dreams　were　a　kind　of　mental　multiscreen　image　deluge。　She；　too；　experienced　the　birth/death　trauma；　understanding　it　in　a　way　she　never　otherwise　would　have　because　in　that　moment　the　nucleic　memories　and　perspectives　of　the　original　Marlene　Rush　resurfaced。

But；　as　well；　she　felt　the　cellular　tide　of　the　Invid　like　a　moon…drawn　ocean　within　her；　swelling　and　falling。　Ariel　knew　the　all…enpassing　sadness　of　the　great　Invid　downfall　and　the　loss　of　their　paradise；　recalled　the　unity　of　plasm　that　the　Invid　shared　and　what　it　was　to　be　a　race　literally　sprung　from　one　flesh。

Marlene　saw　once　again　her　youth；　her　ing　of　age　on　the　REF　expedition。

Ariel　went　through　her　strange　birth；　a　shivering；　naked　simulagent　delivered　by　a　Protoculture…spawned　egg。　Marlene：　falling　in　love　with　the　taciturn　but　idealistic　Scott　Bernard。

Ariel：　the　bewildering　travels　across　a　blasted　Earth　with　the　last　Robotech　fighters。

Marlene　relived　the　moment；　on　the　deck　of　a　starship　racing　to　do　battle　with　the　Invid　conquerors；　when　Scott　asked　her　to　marry　him　and　she　said　yes。　Ariel　witnessed　the　defeat　of　her　race　and　the　transfiguration　of　the　Invid　into　a　phoenix　of　psi…essence…and　saw；　too；　where　the　phoenix　flew。

Both　were　also　silent　watchers