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g to avoid everyone's gaze。 Not that she heard so much as a giggle from the crew； but she knew what they were all thinking。
She huffed to herself as she exited the lift on the med deck。 One did not have to be a telepath to read the expressions of concealed amusement； to take note of the near smiles。
She came through the hatch to the nursery's observation room with fire in her eyes； the anger palpable enough to be seen clear across the room by the on…duty pediatric nurse and child…care staff。
〃Sir？〃 the nurse asked cautiously after springing to attention。
Lisa threw everyone a cold； appraising look。 〃Which one of you made the PA announcement？〃
A small hand went up； and a corporal stepped sideways into view from the rear of the group。 〃I did； sir？〃 the young staffer said in a tone that modulated to falsetto。
Lisa coughed into her hand； suppressing a smile。 〃Now hear this； mister。 When my presence is required or requested； can send a courier or you can key into my mand channel。 But I don't ever…repeat： ever…want to hear a call that over the PA again。 Is that understood？〃
Yes； sir；〃 the corporal returned crisply。
〃‘Admiral wanted in the nursery'〃 Lisa muttered to herself。 〃Remember； all of you； we have to at least pretend that I'm running this ship。 That I'm not just some working mom fitting a job around child rearing。〃
〃Sir！〃 said several voices in unison。
Lisa adopted a theatrically firm expression。 〃Good。 NOW what's all this about？〃
〃The children； Admiral；〃 the nurse said； indicating the nursery's one…way observation window。
Lisa stepped over to have a look； a puzzled frown contorting her features。 Roy and a couple of human toddlers； along with Drannin and the rest of the Zentraedi children； were assembled in what was called the 'creative crafts area；' where a sphere a good fifteen feet around had been fashioned out of extruded plastifoam。 Lisa could see that some sort of hinges were inset along the equator of the sphere。
〃They didn't do all that by themselves； did they？〃 she asked in alarm。
The corporal shook his head。 〃No； sir。 They asked for our help with the 。。。 globe or whatever it is。 But they told us exactly what they wanted。〃
〃I take it it opens somehow。〃
The head nurse chuckled。 〃It does indeed； Admiral。〃 Lisa regarded the two of them。
〃What's inside？〃
〃The most amazing thing；〃 the nurse said； enunciating each word。 〃They've been working on it all day long； every one pitching in。 The Zentraedi doing the heavy work； Roy directing the other kids in the fine work。 But with barely word exchanged among them。 It's like they knew from the start what they were after。〃
Lisa felt a chill run through her。 〃And what is it？〃
The nurse looked to the corporal； who drew a breath 〃Their own version of a puzzle block or a transformable toy。 Made entirely out of what they could salvage from other toys except for a few items they asked us to procure： springs cams； lubricants； that sort of thing。〃
〃Lubricants？！ You should be in there supervising them。〃
〃We tried that； Admiral；〃 the nurse said。 〃But they stop playing whenever anyone enters the nursery。 Frankly； sir； find it a little； well； unnerving。 That's why I asked you down。〃
Lisa folded her arms； considering。 〃I think it's time we found out just what they're up to。〃 She spun on her heel and stepped to the nursery door。 〃I'm going inside；〃 she told the staff； one hand already on the knob。
In a silent and deserted corridor on the recreation deck； Rem pressed an ear against the hatch to Bowie's music room。 He had promised Minmei he would wait until conditions were right before attempting to reachieve the altered state of mind that had gripped him when the lights had penetrated the fortress； but walking past the music room had proved too great a temptation。
Rem understood that the nucleic memories awakened by those probing lights were not his own but Zor's…Zor's to a degree he had never experienced。 Not at the insistence of the Regent and Haydon IV's mind…bending devices； not with Cabell's guidance； not under the influence of dried Flowers from Optera's regrown gardens。 The lights…and whatever intellect animated them…had acplished something perilously wonderful by unveiling the sensate content of his progenitor's experiences。 And though the lights had vanished； perhaps never to reappear； they had left an open frequency to his other self。
He ventured that he needed only attune himself to that unamon freq and the flood of psychoid stuff would remence。 And with it； answers to just where the fortress was and for what purpose it had been brought there。
Reluctantly； Minmei had agreed to assist him。 The clones' songs will provide the prompt I require； he had told her。 But how much greater the effect if the triumvirate's harmonies could be reinstated！ For Minmei it would mean ing out of voluntary retirement； facing fear； relocating the voice that had worked miracles。
And Rem could hear that voice now； muted by distance and inch…thick alloy。 Bowie's synthesizer was teaching her a vocal line； a measured； seemingly impossible leap of octaves。 Minmei sang and Rem grinned： Yes； yes！
〃All right；〃 Bowie said。 〃Let's see what happens。〃 The three singers joined voices。
And a spike of pure light pierced Rem's mind。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I must admit that even I am somewhat stunned by the sudden reappearance of this forting darkness and these distant stars； because I cannot help but recall what I said to Hunter that day in engineering： What would you have me do…fashion you a galaxy？ Words to that effect； at any rate。 Hunter； as usual； didn't know how to take the remark。 But could it be that I have actually succeeded in doing just that？ Has the Protoculture finally endowed me with the ability to Shape； as Zand always maintained it would？ And what； then； bees my next move？ Do I impost my will on the laws of this domain or simply think into being a world for us to orbit？
Dr。 Emil Lang； The New Testament
Scanners indicate a profusion of life…forms； m'lord； Vard had told him。 Perhaps this one will prove out treasure trove； eh？
Zor could not recall his reply now…a glance； a glower； some nonmittal sound。 It was true that treasures were sometimes found or discovered； but most often they were the end result of greed； plunder； willful extraction 。 。 。 〃Which is it that you hold in store for us？〃 he asked an arc of reflected light outside the viewport。 〃A discovery that will reward us with wealth and fame； the accolades of our distant fathers？ Or a world that will bring out the worst in us； a world for the taking？〃
The planet was the fifth of this star the charts called Tzuptum； a lush wanderer with a single oblate moon to light its night skies。 Zor had a preference for such celestial partnerships and shivered thinking of Tirol's long night； Fantoma's oppressive proximity。 It was not fitting for sentient creatures to be so overruled； rotated in the shadow of something monstrously huge。 Thought and contemplation required a more subtle interplay of forces： of winds and tides and natural rhythms。 In the absence of that grew an urge to dominate； to absorb the power of that larger other； to extend influence in the basest of