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told herself。 One they could fashion together to erase the mistakes both Zor and Minmei had made。
She ran a hand across her belly arid sighed。 At the same time a soft groan escaped Rem's lips； and he moved his head against her。
〃Rem；〃 she said。 〃Oh； please； darling 。 。 。〃 And his eyelids fluttered and opened。
Jack knuckled his eyes with gloved hands； wondering what could have given him such a shot to the head that he was seeing stars。 It was not exactly unheard of for the 〃thinking caps〃 to malfunction and send a jolt of current through one's system…to bite the head that fed them； as the saying went but that usually left one with twitching limbs or feeling like someone had unzipped one's backbone and poured hot lead down one's spine。 Not seeing stars。 And he didn't think he had sustained a hit from one of those lights； either； because he had seen them retreat into the black curtain newspace had unexpectedly lowered。
Hadn't he？
Jack forced his eyes wide open。 And kept seeing stars。
It was as though the retreating light tendrils had simply decided to hang themselves out there for his benefit。
〃Uh； this is Red One；〃 he said slowly。 〃Is anybody seeing what I'm seeing？ I mean； is anybody； uh 。 。 。 〃
Karen's face resolved on the tactical screen； but she didn't speak。 She seemed to be staring off into space； and Jack had to call her several times before she responded。
〃Jack； did you see it？〃 she said。
He exhaled in a relieved way。 〃I'm seeing stars if that's what you're talking about。〃
〃But the way they got there； Jack 。。。 It was like they just assembled themselves into constellations。〃
〃Yeah； well； it's like Lang said。 We were trapped in hyperspace； and now we're not。〃 Jack gestured to the blackness outside the Alpha's cockpit。 〃That's real space out there； and those are stars。 We're home； kid。 Get used to the idea。〃
She looked directly at him。 〃You don't seriously believe that； do you？〃
Jack fell silent for a moment。 〃No； I suppose I don't；〃 he conceded； contemplating the view。 〃But I guess I'll take it over the alternative any day。〃
PART II
COHERENT LIGHT
CHAPTER TWELVE
The question of Professor Nichols's whereabouts during the years following the end of the Second Robotech War； including that period now referred to as the Occupation； remains a source of controversy。 While it has been elsewhere demonstrated that he remained with Jonathan Wolff through March of 2033 （see Tasners Sheep in Wolves' Clothing）； his subsequent alliances are more the product of conjecture than hard…earned investigative proof。 However； based on evidence that links Nichols's associates （Gibley； Shi…Ling； Stirson； et al。） to the Yakuza organization that inherited the remains of Lang's Tokyo plex （see Makita and others）； the author is of the opinion that Nichols somehow prevailed upon Wolff to furnish him with safe passage to Japan； where he； we know； was eventually located by intelligence operatives assigned to his case by the REF G2 chief； Niles Obstat。
From Ronstaad Irk's preface to the fourth edition of Nichols's Tripping the Light Fantastic
〃I'm sorry I ever had to drag you into this 。 。 。Ariel；〃 Scott said； finally working up the courage to meet her gaze。
〃Please don't make things worse；〃 Marlene told him weakly。 〃And don't refer to me by that name； Scott。 I'm Marlene。 I have been since the day you found me。〃
Scott's nostrils flared。 〃You're not Marlene； damn it！〃 he cried； turning away from her。 He stormed three steps toward her cabin's security door before swinging around。 〃You're Ariel； and the sooner you understand that； the better。〃 He gestured offhandedly about the shipboard cell G2 had fashioned for her。 〃Why do you think you're locked up in here？ This isn't some free ride。 Intel's convinced you know where the Regis is。 So put yourself in touch with your real self； Ariel。 Tell them what they want； for your own sake。〃 Marlene hung her head； waves of red hair falling forward to conceal hollow cheeks and colorless lips。 〃Don't you think I'm trying； Scott？〃 She lifted her face to him。 〃Look at me。 Can't you see what this is doing to me？〃
He didn't want to look； but when he did； he could not stop himself from hurrying to her and encircling her frail form with his arms。 She was so pale； so thin。 And he kept recalling Sera； wasting away in Lancer's bed。 〃Marlene；〃 he whispered； rocking her gently back and forth。 〃Marlene 。 。 。 〃
He had already been through the same argument just hour； earlier； shortly before the Ark Angel had folded from Earth space。 Some numbnuts from G2 had given permission for Kurt and Lana Rush…the real Marlene's parents…to observe by remote； one of Obstat's brain probe sessions with Ariel。 The Rushes had sought Scott out immediately afterward； understandably upset； visibly distressed and angered。
〃How could you do this to us； Scott？〃 Lana had sobbed from the safety and fort of her husband's thick arms 〃Even if Marlene was captured and conditioned by the Regis。 Why couldn't you have left her alone？ How could you let her be put through this hell？〃
Scott had been dumbstruck。 〃But that's not your daughter；〃 he had managed to reply。 〃That 。。。 creature in there has green blood in its veins！〃
He remembered Marlene's father taking a menacing step for ward； fists balled up。 〃Damn you for that； Bernard！ 〃 Rush had seethed。 〃I don't care what color they turned her blood and hair。 I know my own daughter。 That's Marlene your intel freaks are torturing with their devices。 And you put her there！〃
There had been no convincing them and； in the end； no way of convincing himself； either。 Each day saw more and more of Marlene emerge in the simulagent； more and more of what had been Ariel submerge。 And each day seemed to bring both personalities closer and closer to death。
Scott huddled with her on the cool floor of the cell； railing silently at the thought of losing her a second time。
〃I'm going to try harder； Scott；〃 Marlene said； full of false hope。 〃I know how much your friends mean to you and I desperately want to help you find them。 You know I'd give up my life…〃
〃Don't；〃 Scott said； stopping her。 〃I don't want to find them only to lose you in return。 I'll help you。 Maybe together。 。 。〃 She showed him a wan smile。
〃We'll be on Haydon IV soon；〃 he went on。 〃Exedore will have some answers for us； I'm sure of it。 We've made a start； Marlene； that's what's important。 We'll find the Regis。 Even if we have to go back in time to do it。〃
In a spacious cabin aft of the Ark Angel's astrogation section； Louie Nichols locked his hands behind his head and leaned away from a screenful of hyperspace position grids and spacetime calculations。 〃Well； I think it's a righteous intro to interstellar travel；〃 he told Harry Penn and Vince Grant。 〃I mean； I've heard of missing the hoverbus； but missing an entire planet。 。 。 This is one for the record files。〃
Gibley and Strucker； two of the mohawked members of Nichols's team； laughed from their seats at the far end of the table； where they were headlocked into an interactive video ic book pulled up from the ship's entertainment mainframe。 Gleaming interface plugs studded their cranial cyber…ports。
Penn； a curl to hi