r 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 manners； to conquer all that would threaten to overshadow 。 。 。
He brought his face close to the hull's transparency； as though his eyes could tell him something the scanners could not。 But what was there to discern from up here？ he asked himself。 Hailings had gone unanswered； and yet there was； as Vard had indicated； abundant life of a plex sort。 So the planet's life forms were either pretechnological or atechnological。 Primitive was the operative classification used by the ship's cyber…networks； but Zor knew better than to accept that as in any way descriptive。
Maybe they are right not to respond to us； he thought。 Their way of saying they want no part of whatever it is we are offering 。。。 But something told him there was more to it than that。 From somewhere within him arose a belief that the dominant life forms on this world were simply too self…involved to answer。 That deep in the dense forests below； an experiment of grand design was taking shape。 And perhaps even now those beings were cursing their misfortune； decrying the fact that in this vast universe someone had found them…had found them out！
The dropships were standing by； Vard was telling him from the hatchway。 With hailings still unacknowledged； ship's General mand was remending acpaniment by surface…effect drones and a full plement of armed Troopers。 What General mand called standard operating procedures。
The method had been utilized on dozens of worlds to no lasting ill effect； but Zor could not suppress a feeling that such techniques might prove calamitous here。 He could argue the point； of course； but mand would ultimately have its way。
He turned to give the planet one final look before following Vard out into the corridor。 In place of the anticipation he normally felt prior to a drop came apprehension。
〃You are from this day forward changed；〃 he said aloud； uncertain whether his words were directed to the planet or to himself。。。
Rem had been found lying unconscious in a rec…level corridor。
And Dr。 Wenslow； astrogation's wide…scope expert； had detected a planet orbiting Lang's indecisive second star from the right。
The two messages had arrived simultaneously in Lang's lower deck study； where Rick and the scientist were still poring over star charts and indices。 While Rick attended to the former； Lang linked systems with Wenslow to see for himself just what was out there。
〃We've got him down in med lab； sir；〃 a female lieutenant named Clay reported over the inter。
〃Any idea what caused it？〃 Rick asked。
〃Not yet； sir。 He was found outside the music room。〃 Rick checked a half…formed expletive。 Music room； he thought。 This was the 〃emergency〃 he had excused himself for a little over an hour ago？
〃He was alone？ No one else around？〃
The lieutenant cleared her throat。 〃Mister Grant and Miss Minmei were inside the room； sir。 But they apparently had no knowledge of Rem's presence。〃
〃Minmei？〃 Rick said。 〃She was there？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Singing； sir。〃
Rick's mouth fell open。 〃You must have gotten that part of it wrong； Lieutenant。〃
〃I don't think so； sir。 She was singing with Mister Grant and the two Tiresian women。 〃
Rick pushed a hand through his long hair。 What the hell was happening to his ship？ he wondered。 What had this place…those lights…done to everyone？ He exhaled slowly and brought out his mand voice。 〃Lieutenant； I want you to find some excuse for keeping Rem under close medical observation for the next； let's say； two hours。〃 Rick glanced at his watch。 〃He is not to be released until 1900 hours。〃
〃Yes； sir。
Rick patched himself through to security next and instructed the chief of station there that Rem's whereabouts were to be discreetly monitored at all times until further notice。
〃And have someone keep an eye on Minmei as well；〃 he added as an afterthought。
That much acplished； he turned to Lang； who favored him with an enigmatic smile。
〃We've actually got ourselves a planet？〃 Rick said。
Lang shrugged。 〃It would appear so。〃 He activated a screen on his desk and beckoned Rick over。 〃Polar caps； mountain ranges； a verdant equatorial belt； Earthlike atmospheric conditions 。 。 。 Custom…made for us； wouldn't you agree？〃
Rick raised an eyebrow； one hand flat on the inter control panel again。 〃Yeah； a little too custom…made；〃 he started to say as the bridge responded。
〃Bridge； mander Forsythe。〃
〃Raul； Hunter。 Put me through to Lisa； would you？〃
〃Sorry； Rick。 She's not here。 You might check the nursery。〃 Rick felt his face flush。 Another 〃emergency；〃 no doubt；
like Rem's need for a stroll around the ship and Minmei's sudden urge to sing。 〃Raul； what the hell is going on around here？ Is everybody going space…happy？ Who's running this ship； anyway？〃
Forsythe was quiet for a moment。 〃Which question do you want me to respond to first； Rick？〃
Rick let out an exasperated sigh。 〃Skip it； Raul。 Just stand by for new course headings。 And when the admiral returns； tell her I want to see her in the briefing room； ASAP。〃
Forsythe signed off； and Rick swung back to Lang。 〃Suggestions； Doctor？〃
〃I suppose it could be a trap of some sort； an attempt to lure us in；〃 Lang began。 〃But I don't see that we have much choice。 If the planet is inhabited in addition to being hospitable； we stand a chance of learning a bit about this place； perhaps even a way out of it。 Certainly more than we'll learn from these stars something has seen fit to provide。〃
Rick studied Lang's expression。 〃You're serious about that； aren't you？〃
Lang nodded。
〃All right。 Instruct astrogation to plot us a course in。〃
While reflex drives were carrying the SDF…3 toward a planet that had seemingly leapt into existence only moments before； the Ark Angel； recently reemerged in normal space； was bearing down on a world that had traveled hundreds of thousands of parsecs to settle itself on the dark edge of annihilation。
The Terran legation had tried to convince Karbarra to stay its warlike hand； if only until Haydon IV had a chance to respond to the charges brought against it。 In this； the Ark Angel promise