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bespectacled； he seldom attracted a second glance from a stranger； but he had no equal among humans； Zentraedi； Invid； or any other species。
Max passed into a big； empty observation area； its sweep of viewport showing a broad expanse of newspace and the appearing stars。
Funny how that Robotech gift of his had just gradually slipped into the background as being a husband and father became more and more central in his life。 As if whatever had given him his matchless skills had been rechanneled。
He stopped； instincts telling him that he was being watched。 With absolute certainty； he pivoted suddenly toward the viewport。
Something hung there in the night of the SDF…3's shadow； looking back at him。 It was a shape blocking out the stars； the unreflective black of soot or that jersey dress Miriya had。 He could not make out its shape； but it moved slowly like a marionette drifting in water。 It was difficult to estimate； but he got the impression it was only about a hundred yards or so from the hull 。 。 。 and it was big。
Without taking his eyes from it； Max edged over to an inter on the bulkhead and signaled the bridge。 〃This is Sterling…Max Sterling on Foxtrot Deck； partment； uh； H…2108 starboard。 I have a visual on possible bogey。〃 Something about the indistinct shape made his stomach twist； and sweat had started at his forehead。
A brisk voice…Mr。 Toler； Max thought it was…answered。 〃Our sensors show nothing； mander。〃
〃Then they're malfunctioning！ Gimme some hull lights down here； now！〃
High…candlepower external lights sprang to life out on the hull。 The harsh illumination they threw forth splashed against a shape that made Max's mouth fall open。
It was not like any mecha he'd ever heard of； though he'd been pretty sure he knew them all。 It incorporated features of Invid Inorganic； RDF Beta Battloid； and Robotech Master Bioroid。 But the bulbous torso with its plastron cannon and the reverse…articulated legs immediately made him think of Zentraedi pods。 And its single…lensed turret of a head sported long； gleaming saber…tooth fangs like those of a Hellcat。
It floated out there； looking straight at him with its yellow and red lens； while Max whispered a soft； almost admiring obscenity。 Seconds ticked by while the two stared at each other。
He heard running feet and glanced over automatically to see Colonel Xien dash into the partment with some staffers bringing up the rear…a mere flicker of the eyes。 And yet； when Max looked back； the black mecha was gone。
〃mander Sterling； we have nothing on scopes or visual；〃 the voice from the bridge said a bit primly； perhaps peeved at Max for implying that those on watch would let something sneak up on the ship。 〃Whatever it is； we don't see it。〃
Max stared at empty space for a few moments before keying the inter to reply。 〃That figures。 It wasn't here to see you； either。〃
It was a race against time that had the Elders frothing behind their respirator masks。 The mechamorphosis of Haydon IV into a Robotech warrior was an astonishing achievement； violating laws of engineering and strengths of materials by means of higher powers Haydon reserved unto Himself。
But still the transformation was too slow to suit the Elders。 The rabble are too close！ Nimuul protested； following developments via the planet's mental data dissemination nets。 Where are your weapons？ Why do you not fire？
Haydon was smaller than they had yet seen Him； appearing from the west like a moving crag。 I WEARY OF YOUR STUPIDITY。
There was a multiplicity to the voice； as if more than one were speaking。 The Elders became aware of other moving shapes。 BEHOLD AND LEARN。
From east； north； and south came other embodiments of Haydon returning from unguessable missions。 As the four merged； there were outpourings of radiance too intense to bear； when the Elders could look again； Haydon was a single figure； back to his original size。
Once more he flew off over the terrain of His synthetic world； which had in effect bee a mecha； and the Elders' carpet lifted off to follow。
They were not far from the right arm's juncture to the body； but from their viewpoint it was more like a curve in the world； vanishing away； with another even greater bulge rising out of sight far beyond。 They were too small to have any sense of the planet's new shape。
A yawning opening appeared in the surface of the planet； and Haydon entered in serene； floating fashion。 The carpet trailed obediently after。 Haydon IV reverberated to the shocks of the final reconfigurations。 As it did； the first maximum range salvos began to blossom around it。
The war machine waited in space as the flotilla of Local Group ships rushed to the attack。
PART IV
FINALE AND OVERTURE
CHAPTER THIRTY…NINE
It's been said that we're all three people： the one we see ourselves as being； the one others see us as being； and the one we really are。
The Regis seemed determined to explore all of those； and I don't know which frightened me most。
Dr。 Harold Penn； The Brief but Timeless Voyage of the Peter Pan
Because Dante and Gnea had been accosted there by the Regis's strange luminous effects； it was decided that the attempt to establish contact with her should be initiated on the planet； which some scholar in the SDF…3 crew had dubbed Omphalos。
Most of the mand people were all for it； since it was seemingly the only course of action open to them。 Rick and Lisa were more hesitant； since the experts felt the only plausible method of municating with the vanished racial entity/queen lay in Roy and the other children； everything that had happened regarding newspace thus far indicated that it was a domain with a special affinity for psi…phenomena。 Certainly the Regis had not responded to any conventional attempts at munication。
Calculations showed that the breach draining the substance of the universe into newspace was widening； though。 There was a growing faction among the theorists； lining up behind Lang； who believed that real spacetime would be altogether sucked into the adjunct province of newspace and find itself under the dominion of the Regis。 Thus； the children's lives were already horribly at risk； and the perils of contact with the Regis must be borne。
A lot of people in G2 and G3 wanted to make a landing in force to secure the area against any possible hostile action by the Regis…post Battlepods； hovertanks； Veritechs； and the rest in a layered defense。 But cooler heads prevailed； mecha firepower probably would not amount to much against the entity that controlled newspace。
So； two shuttles flanked by one Alpha and one Beta descended as if on a diplomatic mission； slow and steady； followed by two pods and two suits of powered armor。 Once down on Omphalos； the party formed up on the ground and moved out for the field where Angelo and Gnea had disappeared。
They could have dropped in for a landing directly in the field； of course； but it was felt that going in on foot would help re…create the circumstances of the first encounter and look much less belligerent。 The Alpha was sent back aloft to patrol； and the ground party started walking。
Rick and Lisa led the way。 Roy was farther back； with the children and mos