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then； files and hacksaw blades concealed in cakes and long loaves of bread。 But breakouts now required break…ins of a sort； direct data links to the security system's keymaster…in this instance； Haydon IV's artificial sentience； the Awareness。
Exedore voiced a plosive sound of frustration。 〃Another mistake。 My fingers have forgotten just who it is that does the thinking for them。 They seem convinced they have a mind of their own。〃
〃Take your time；〃 Max advised under his breath。 〃Remember； you're supposed to be a teacher； not some interloper。 〃
〃Teachers have been known to lose patience；〃 Exedore retorted。 〃In any event； keeping watch on the front door such as it is…does little more than draw attention to us。 I suggest to you that the Haydonites would have filled these rooms with monitoring devices if they for one moment suspected wed be foolish enough to attempt an escape。〃
Max glanced at the alloy partitions and ceilings。 Veidt had been responsible； too； for the holo…views that adorned the long； rear walls…vistas of rolling hills crisscrossed with hedgerows and low stone walls。 A sun shone in the false sky； rising and setting in breathtaking colors； if nothing else； it had at least returned the captives to a semblance of circadian normalcy。 Max sometimes felt as though he were back in the SDF…1； carousing after a mission with Rick and Ben in downtown Macross under EVE'S projected cloudscape。
And there he was； the only full…blooded Terran in the room。 〃I'm certain of one thing；〃 Exedore resumed。 〃Haydon IV has defolded。〃
〃I guessed as much；〃 Max told him； gratified that he could still rely on his own senses to differentiate between real time and hyperspace。 〃Can you find out where we are？〃
〃I have already established that。 Although I'll confess I should have suspected it all along。〃
Max laid a protective hand on Aurora's shoulder； the doe eyed child looked up at him and smiled as Exedore took a deep breath。
〃We are inserted in orbit around a small； carbonaceous moon that circles this system's sixth planet…an equally desolate place； I might add。 The Zentraedi knew the system's dying primary as Qalliph； a word approximated by the Panglish term dread。〃
Max raised an eyebrow。 〃Go on。〃
〃Actually； it isn't so much the star itself that inspired the name but the phenomenon to which it in turn pays gravitational obeisance。 The Masters named it Raanath's Star； after an especially barbaric warlord from Tirol's pre…Transition past。 Your own astrophysicists have labeled such phenomena black holes。〃
Max whistled lightly。 〃I've always wanted to get a look at one of those things。〃
Exedore frowned at him。 〃Yes； I recall from my delvings into Terran literature that your race has endowed these black holes with near…mystical importance。 This was especially true among your so…called science fiction writers； I believe。 A blend of romantic fascination and morbid curiosity。 But I can assure you； as one who has seen an entire battle group swallowed by these sinister portals； that even the most ghoulish of your imaginings doesn't e close to detailing the horrors of the experience。〃
〃So what are we doing here？〃 Max asked after a moment of nightmare reflection。
Exedore did input at the console； then studied the displayed results in silence。 〃The reason is twofold。 First； I believe that we…Haydon IV； that is…are in pursuit of the energy pulse that originated in Earthspace with the Invid defeat。 Based on the results of my previous investigations； I posited that Ranaath's Star was the terminus of that pulse。
〃Second； Haydon IV is apparently making use of radiation bleeding from the collapsed star； but to what purpose I cannot fathom。 The Awareness has also issued a series of mands to the planetary drives； which will soon bring us dangerously close to the cratered satellite we have been orbiting。〃 Exedore regarded Aurora but continued to address Max。 〃An external view would be most helpful； but I have yet to determine whether visual data are available。 The Awareness had been operating in a purely abstract mode。〃
Max was just beginning to reply when Dana burst upon the scene。
〃You can put away the toy；〃 she directed to Exedore。 〃Unless you can use it to find out whether the Awareness believes in an afterlife。〃 Exedore cocked an eyebrow。
Miriya was only a few steps behind； wearing the worried look she reserved for her eldest child。
〃The Praxians have worked out a wall…tapping mo code with the Karbarrans next door；〃 Dana explained。 〃Seems one of the jailers let it slip that a Karbarran recon vessel homed in on our new address and radioed a burst transmission to Karbarra。 Since then； a fleet of Local Group battleships has folded from Tirol。 They're due any hour now。〃 Max searched his wife's face。
〃It's true； Max；〃 Miriya said。 〃At least that's what they told us。 The Karbarran prisoners claim to have discovered some way to override the threshold confinement lasers as well。 They're prepared to ready a full…scale revolt as soon as the battle group arrives and the attack mences。〃
〃But they've already lost three ships；〃 Exedore reminded everyone。 Beside him； Aurora had reached a hand over to enter a mand into the console。
〃They'll never learn；〃 Max said absently； monitoring Aurora's movements peripherally。
〃Yeah； well； a fleet can do a lot more damage than a single ship；〃 Dana argued； hands on her hips。 〃I say we throw in with the Karbarrans。 Anything's better than being cooped up in here。〃
〃An uprising would prove a terrible mistake；〃 Aurora interjected quietly。
It was as though an oracle had spoken。 Exedore swiveled in his seat； but something on the display screen caught his attention and brought him up short。
〃Figures you'd say that；〃 Dana replied uncertainly。
〃You must tell them to be patient； sister；〃 Aurora added in the same assured tone。 〃The Karbarrans must wait until the Awareness is preoccupied。〃
〃Preoccupied how？〃 Dana wanted to know。
〃Here！〃 Exedore said； an unsteady index finger aimed at the monitor。
Max narrowed his eyes as a series of plex schematics flashed on…screen。
Dana got a grip on the Zentraedi's shoulder。 〃Don't go mute on us now； Exedore； or I'll…〃