a medal。
〃Anyway； what did you want to see me about； Jack？〃
He realized guiltily that he had been admiring her long…waisted figure and gave a start； glancing around by reflex and expecting Karen Penn to be scowling at him。 Dammit！ The two were at one another's throat as often as they were caught up in their romantic friendship； and Karen had certainly never said or done anything proprietary。 But somehow； he found； he couldn't look at another woman anymore without the fear of being clobbered。
〃The admiral's noticed that Tesla's been keeping a low profile since the Haydon IV tea party；〃 he said。 〃In fact； nobody's seen him。 For that matter； Burak's been conspicuously out of sight； too。 So I figured I'd sort of take a stroll and hunt them up。〃
Gnea had been a confidant of Burak's； at least back when the Sentinels first showed up on Tirol。 So； enlisting her in the project was one of the first things that had e to Jack's mind。
〃Yes； I noticed that；〃 Gnea said with a pensive look on her face。 〃It's time someone found out just what those two are up to； isn't it？〃 She fell in next to him and they started off； she a half…head taller but both of them fortable with each other's pany。
〃Burak and I don't talk much anymore； you know；〃 the amazon went on。 〃I just…once he became acquainted with Tesla； he started talking like some kind of savior。 It was one thing to sympathize with him but a pletely different one to put up with that…what would Humans call it？ Napoleonic plex？〃
〃I dunno；〃 Jack said。 〃I majored in Wood Shop。〃
Gnea let that pass without finding out what it meant； one had to understand that Jack liked to be obscure。
Burak wasn't in his quarters； and so they went to the partment that had been assigned to Tesla。 The Invid wasn't there…just as he hadn't been there for days。 But Jack had learned the unpleasant facts of what it was like to turn in an unsatisfactory report to Rick Hunter； and so he snooped around the place； opening empty closets and looking through empty drawers。
But it was Gnea； studying the deck the way a Praxian huntress was expected to examine the ground； who came across something that merited their attention。 〃What's this？〃
Jack squatted next to her。 〃Mung。〃 He knew the look and smell of it well： a mixture of dirt and grease； moisture and machine oil。 It was as mon to certain starship ancillary power partments as it had been a generation before to the power； plants of nuclear submarines。 The mung looked like it had e off Tesla's bare footsole。
Finding the right partment didn't take long； looking for places near the ship's power section where the security monitors were out of service narrowed it down。 On the third try； Jack and Gnea stepped through a hatch and found themselves facing Burak。
Jack was one of those who wore sidearms aboard ship nowadays； and Gnea had always practiced the habit。 He had his Badger out and cocked； and she had two feet of glimmering blue blade in the air。
Burak looked subdued； almost frightened。 But he bowed； his long horns dipping。 〃We wondered when you would e。〃
Jack waffled； torn between the urge to get to the bottom of things and the impulse to call for backup。 Then something moved in the shadows of a corner。
〃Yes；〃 a voice said。 〃We looked forward to it。〃
Two slits of red light； like miniature furnace mouths； opened。 Laserlike beams leapt out at lack and Gnea。 Jack tried with all his might to pull the Badger's trigger； even though the muzzle was pointed away from Tesla； he was hoping the sheer shock of the assault pistol's report would free him up； let him slew the gun around at the Invid。
Gnea had raised the sword high； a very image of war； but she was as immobile as Jack while the rays from Tesla's eyes played across them exactingly； almost intimately。
Rocked as he was by the numbing impact of Tesla's will； Jack still saw that the scientist had undergone profound changes。 He now resembled the artists' sketches that had been made to the Praxians' descriptions of the Regis。
The snout had pulled in； the mouth was now conventionally humanoid。 Tesla was much bigger； though that was tough to judge precisely since he was sitting in a kind of lotus position。 He was hairless； his musculature so well defined that he might have been a figure from an anatomy text； his nerves and blood vessels visible in a way that suggested he had no skin； no epidermis at all。
〃Gaze upon me。〃
Jack and Gnea found that they had no choice。 The emanations from the Invid's eyes saw to that。 〃You will be my eyes and ears in the ship； and among the councils of the Sentinels； and on Spheris；〃 Tesla said。 It sounded to the dazzled Jack like something that was his own idea。
〃Keep the others at bay；〃 the thing sitting on the deck said。 〃I need time to plete my Transformation。 And then。。。〃
The being in the corner of the partment began to rise； like a Robotech mechamorphosis shape…shifting； until it stood with the top of its skull nearly touching the overhead。
A thread of saliva was dangling from Gnea's chin； Jack Baker's eyes seemed about to roll up in his head。 But both of them made acknowledging sounds。
〃Make yourselves available for the most important missions and find access to the most sensitive data；〃 Tesla said。 〃Your lives are of value only in that they serve me。〃
Lisa considered her fighting stance and wondered if she shouldn't be a little lower； a little more straddle…legged。
After all； Bela was…what？…six six or so？ And yet her stance was as low as Lisa's own； solid and yet fluid。
Not to mention those big hands； and the sheer muscle of the Sentinels' number…one amazon。 Still； Lisa had learned to look for certain hints and signs of vulnerability； possible avenues of attack； that she would never have been able to spot a few months before。
Lisa faked a hand bination and came in low for a foot sweep。 Bela leaped over it； kicking in turn； but Lisa wasn't where she was supposed to be； she had reversed course； her spinning foot catching Bela right over the ear。
There was a solid thwack； and even though Bela's sparring helmet and Lisa's footpads were thick； the Praxian was brought up short…more by surprise than by pain。
Nonetheless； she had Lisa's foot in those big…boned hands before Lisa； a fraction slow on the recovery； could withdraw it。 In another second； Lisa was on the mat and slapping it in surrender； as Bela exerted pressure on the leghold she had gotten。
They rose and clasped one another's forearm； to signal the end of the match； then moved toward the sidelines as they removed their pads。 Another amazon and Susan Graham； the young munications and public…info officer； were squaring off； a number of the REF women had followed Lisa's example and asked the Praxians to tutor them in bat arts。
〃You faked me out；〃 Lisa grated； cross with herself for falling for it。 〃I thought I finally had you。〃
〃You did。〃 Bela patted her shoulder。 〃But part of the fighting arts is to keep on ing at your opponent； no matter what。〃
She regarded Lisa for a moment。 〃But then； you already know that。〃
Karen Penn was sitting back on her heels at the edge of the mat； like other Humans and Praxians； waiting for her turn to spar。 She was one of the few REF members there who could hold their own against an amazon opponent…could give as good as she got and； often； win。
There were no males of any species present。 The Praxians didn't object to more general training sessions and tournaments； and in fact weled the chance to pete with and learn from their Sentinels rades。 There had been some monumental clashes； and the Karbarrans； in particular； demonstrated how much they loved a good…natured brawl。
But certain classes and workouts were reserved for females alone。 Karen seemed to find a kind of serenity in them。 Lisa had thought about confronting Karen with the real problem； but had more than enough mand time to know that unless it was somehow impairing that person's professional performance； a subordinate's love life was best left for her or him to handle。
Certainly； the physical； mental； and emotional wringer of the Sentinels' campaigns seemed to have worked a change in Jack； anyone with eyes could see that he was more open and giving