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isans； and who had been sympathizers？ And who headed up the quasi…religious movements like the Church of Recurrent Tragedy or the so…called Interstellar Retributionists？
Scott answered as best as he could； covering much of the same ground he had covered months earlier。 Obstat pursued oblique lines of questioning； ever on the alert for nuance； personal impressions； the recollection of some seemingly trivial episode。
The sessions continued for two days。 Scott was asked to thumb…print oaths and papers and was instructed not to discuss anything about the SDF…3 or the returning REF with 〃downsiders；〃 which he understood to mean planet…bound Terrans of all varieties。
Afterward he was left pretty much to himself； and more than a week slipped by。 Marlene was kept inmunicado； as far as anyone in G2 was concerned； the Invid simulagent was military property。 Besides； as someone had suggested to Scott； she was a lot better off than she would have been on the streets； where if word of her background got out she wouldn't have lasted a day。
He didn't fully understand the reasons for all the secrecy about the missing flagship and the sudden inactivation of much of Earth's Protoculture…driven mecha until Vince Grant invited him to attend an introductory summit held in Norristown's city hall； a castlelike affair that had served as an Invid Protoculture storage facility during the occupation。
The REF was represented by the Plenipotentiary senators Penn； Huxley； Stinson； and Longchamps。 The latter two； still in some sense allied with the old Southern Cross apparat； were a faction in their own right； hoping to reconnect with whoever was currently representing the interests of the demolished government of Wyatt 〃Patty〃 Moran； General Anatole Leonard； and Dr。 Lazlo Zand。 And while all three men had died during the final days of the Second Robotech War； a small group recently released from an Invid internment camp did step forward to speak on their behalf。
Planetside Earth had numerous secondary spokespersons as well； several of whom Scott recognized by sight and a few of whom he knew by reputation。 Donald and Carla Maxwell； for example； from Deguello； and Terri Woods； one of Lancer's contacts in the resistance； who now headed up a diverse but vocal contingent of REF supporters。 Then there were the two women Obstat had told Scott to keep an eye out for： exGMP lieutenant Nova Satori； the charismatic leader of the Homunculi Movement； and Jan Morris； Corporeal Fundamentalist； whose large following advocated a return to agrarian and religious primitivism。
Loyalists； separatists； cultists 。。。 each group took its turn at the podium； and each stirred argument； debate； in some cases violence among the gathered crowds。 Scott could see that Huxley was bent on reaching acmodations with one and all； even though her patience was wearing thin。 The Council's principal aim was the restabilization of humankind's understandably paranoid mind…set in the hope that Earth could avoid a return to the feudal mentality that had prevailed during the Masters War and the occupation。 It was obvious that the REF figured to achieve that with the promise of advanced technologies in exchange for a large piece of the planet's geopolitical pie。
No mention was made of the missing SDF…3； nor was any attempt made to explain mecha failure or Earth's sudden energy crisis。 The Council not only acted as though the situation were easily reversible but suggested that they had even had a hand in bringing it about！
No decisions had been reached by the time Scott was shuttled up to the Ark Angel to attend a prelaunch briefing。 Justine Huxley； Longchamps； and the rest； backed by several squadrons of functioning mecha； remained on…world to press the REF's case。 A select few were apprised of the fact that the Ark Angel would soon be leaving Earthspace。
The briefing was held in a dungeonlike cabinspace located on the starship's engineering level that had e to be called the Sentinels Bay； for it was there that campaign strategies had been hammered out。 Scott arrived in the pany of the Grants' adjutants and aides； Vince and Jean were already positioned at the partment's horseshoe…shaped table； along with Dr。 Penn； Niles Obstat； and a dozen or so of the ship's mand and intel officers。 But the briefing did not get under way until the table's remaining seats were occupied by five of the most bizarre…looking civilians Scott had encountered in quite some time。 Dressed alike in tight…fitting black jumpsuits studded with what looked like chrome stars； the five sported round mirror…leaned goggles and hairstyles that made the outlandish razor cuts and permtints of the century's first decade seem tame by parison。
〃Professor； I believe you're acquainted with everyone here；〃 Harry Penn said by way of wele。 〃With the possible exception of Colonel Bernard。〃 Turning to Scott； he added： 〃Colonel Bernard； Professor Nichols； and his team from Cyber…Research； Doctors Stirson； Gibley； Strucker； and Shi…Ling。 〃
The five Penn had addressed as doctors nodded in unison； they might have been clones or biogenetically engineered quadruplets。 Of their apparent leader； a short； lantern jawed man with an enormous pompadour of henna…colored hair； Scott asked； 〃Nichols； as in Louie Nichols； creator of the Syncron drive？〃
〃Adapter of the Syncron device； Colonel；〃 the professor said； adjusting his glasses as if to sharpen their focus。 〃But yes； one and the same。〃
〃I'm honored； sir；〃 Scott said in obvious awe。 The Nichols drive； as it was sometimes called； had been responsible for assuring the nearly instantaneous return of the REF fleet from Tirol。 〃Your reputation has reached clear across the Quadrant。〃
Nichols smiled tolerantly。 〃And we've heard about you； too； Colonel。〃
Scott's face flushed； Nichols's tone of voice left it unclear whether he had been plimented or insulted。 His assistants； meanwhile； had begun to set up some sort of puter station off to one side of the table。 Scott had never seen decks or consoles quite like the ones they were unpacking。
〃Dr。 Penn informs me you have some news for us； Professor；〃 Vince was saying。
〃Yes；〃 Nichols said after a moment； 〃thanks to the colonel's capture of the simulagent。〃
Vince appraised Scott with a quick； look。 〃‘Capture' might be too strong a word； Professor。 As I understand it； the Invid； er； operative voluntarily turned herself over to REF custody。〃
Nichols made‘ a dismissive gesture。 〃File it where you want； General。 The important thing is that the simulagent gave us the go…to we needed on the Protoculture。 Based on what we managed to access from it…〃
〃It has a name； Professor；〃 Scott cut in angrily。 〃We called her 。。。 Marlene。〃
Nichols stared at him from behind the mirrored goggles。 〃Sorry about that； Colonel。 I screened it but misfiled it somehow。 Well； this Marlene； then； gave us a solid return on our investments。 The Regis did in fact wed her race to all existing Protoculture at the moment of transubstantiation the incident that gave rise to the ‘phoenix vision' some of your own ship's crew have confessed to experiencing； Doctor。〃
Penn leaned back in his chair； stroking his chin as muttered questions and exclama