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ect intensified so that there was a sense of double focus to everything： the form of the past； the form of the future； distinct； discrete； unable to unite。
In real time； one Earth…day elapsed； and as the flagship began to decelerate from hyperspace； the past twenty…four hours took on a dreamlike quality。 Had she slept through most of it； dreamed a good part of it？ Or was this some new condition of consciousness yet to be named？
Lisa； Rick； and Ben stood at the edge of their small world； watching the stars assume lasting form once again。 These were alien configurations to their eyes： brilliant constellations of suns； dwarfs and giants； three planets or moons of some unknown system； all against the backdrop of a gauzy multihued nebulosity。 And something else…something their unadjusted vision labeled an asteroid field； so numerous were the dark objects in that corner of space。
〃What are those things？〃 asked Ben。
〃Space debris；〃 Rick suggested。 〃We might be near their home base。〃
Lisa squinted； then her eyes opened wide in amazement。
Not asteroids； not space debris； but ships： amorphous ships as far as the eye could see； ships bristling with guns； too numerous to count； too numerous to catalogue…scouts； recons； destroyers； cruisers； battle wagons； flagships。 Thousands of ships； millions of them！
〃The enemy fleet！〃
It was too much to take in； but Lisa used the microvideo recorder the aliens had overlooked to capture what she could。
More than a year would pass before they learned the exact count； a day of reckoning。。。
The flagship was now closing on a dazzling cluster of lights； a kind of force field that housed an immeasurable asymmetrical fortress their senses refused to prehend。
But they soon had other issues to confront。 Without warning； the energy umbrella had been deactivated and the circumstances of their world redefined。 They had wondered how their captors had been able to provide them with food and drink served on human…size plates； with cups and utensils in proper proportion。 But there would be no such fort for them from this moment on。
Two giants now stood on either side of the grid； which turned out to be some sort of specimen table。 Could anything have prepared them for the assault of sensations that followed…the deafening basso rumble of the giants' voices； the sonorous roar of their mecha and machines； the intensity of the corridor lights； the overpowering smells of hyperoxygenated air； stale breath； sweat； and decay？
They were transferred to a second platform…a hovertable directed through the corridors by their jailers…and ultimately to a gleaming conference table as large as a football field。 There were banks of overhead lights and several chairs positioned around the table。 Lisa noticed that amplifiers had been strategically positioned here and there…the better to hear you with； my dear！ And one by one their interrogators entered the room and sat down。
The first to arrive was a male scarcely half the size of those Zentraedi they'd seen。 A slightly hunched back was evident beneath his blue cowl； swollen joints and outsize hands and feet suggested some sort of birth defect。 He had an inverted bowl of henna hair thick as straw concealing a deformed cranium； uneven bangs bisecting a high forehead above a drawn face； and bulging； seemingly lidless eyes with pinpoint pupils。 He was carrying notebooks； which he placed on the table next to a light…board device； this he activated as he sat down； bending forward to regard his three prisoners analytically。
Next to enter the chamber was the immense soldier Rick had battled in the hold； there was no forgetting that faceplate； no forgetting； that malicious grin。 Trailing behind him were three more males of differing heights； wearing identical red uniforms； not one of them as short as the disabled Zentraedi or as tall as their mander。 They took seats at the far end of the table。
Lisa was wondering who or what was going to fill the empty seat between the mander and his adviser； when the answer to her whispered question arrived； she was at once sorry she had asked。
〃How many sizes do these guys e in？〃 said Ben in amazement。
The grand inquisitor stood well over eighty feet tall and wore a solemn gray robe with a high upturned collar that all but enclosed his massive； hairless head。 The heavy brow ridge； pockmarked sullen face； and wide mouth gave him a fearful aspect； and when he spoke there was no mistaking his meaning。
〃I am Dolza；〃 he began。 〃mander…in…Chief of the Zentraedi。 You will submit to my interrogation。 Should you choose not to； you will die。 Do you understand me？〃
Rick； Ben； and Lisa looked at one another； realizing suddenly that they had failed to elect a spokesperson…for the simple reason that they hadn't expected an actual session with the enemy。 The fact that they would be able to municate with the Zentraedi gave them new hope。
Lisa secretly activated the audio receiver of the microrecorder； while Rick stepped forward to speak for his group。
〃We understand you。 What do you want from us？〃
Dolza turned to the dwarf。 〃Congratulations； Exedore； you have done well in teaching me their primitive language。〃
Exedore inclined his head slightly。
〃Why do you continue to resist us； Micronians？〃 Dolza gestured to the male on his right。 〃Surely Breetai has already demonstrated our superiority。〃
Rick pointed his finger at the one called Breetai。 〃You launched the attack on us！ We've only been trying to defend ourselves for the past year…〃
〃Immaterial；〃 Breetai interrupted。 〃Return to us what is rightfully ours…Zor's ship。〃
〃'Zor's ship'？ If you mean the SDF…1； that's our property。 It crashed on our planet； and we rebuilt it。 You…〃
Dolza cut Rick off。 〃It is as I feared；〃 he said to Exedore。
〃Tell us what you know of Protoculture。 You…the fat one。〃
Ben gestured to himself questioningly。 〃Me？ Forget it； high rise。 I don't know anything about it。〃
〃Tell us what you know of Protoculture！〃 Dolza demanded。
〃You deny that you've developed a new weapons system utilizing Protoculture？〃 Exedore wanted to know。
Rick turned to his panions and shrugged。 The questions kept up； increasing in volume； until Lisa decided she'd had enough。 She stepped forward boldly and held up her hand。
〃That's enough！ I will no longer submit my men to your questioning！〃
Dolza raised what he had of eyebrows。 〃So the female is in charge here。〃 He sat back in his chair； steepling his fingers as he did so。 〃You underestimate the seriousness of your predicament； Micronian。〃
And with a wave of his hand the room was transformed。
Lisa； Rick； and Ben were suddenly in deep。。。space！ At least it appeared that way： Here were the stars； planets； and tens of thousands of ships they had seen upon defold into Zentraedi territory。 And yet they had not moved from the table； and Dolza's voice could still be heard narrating the phenomenal events occurring in that unreal space。
Photon charges were beginning to build up in several of the fleet ships； they were taking aim at a planet not unlike Earth in appearance。。。
〃We are in possession of sufficient power to destroy your world in the blink of an eye；〃 Dolza was saying。 〃