18_the_end_of_the_circle-第11部分

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wever；　had　apparently　seen　the　two　Veritechs　disappear　from　the　threat　board。

〃Red　and　Blue　leaders；　we　show　two；　make　that　four；　missing　spacecraft；〃　Vallenskiy　said。　〃Can　you　confirm？　Repeat；　can　you　confirm？〃

〃They're　gone！〃　Jack　managed。　〃Atomized；　dematerialized；　disintegrated。　。　。　I　don't　know　what。　The　lights；　surrounded　them；　then　took　them　out。〃

〃That's　affirmative；　〃　Marie　said；　answering　for　the　Blue　Team。

〃Did　you　engage？　Any　of　you？〃

〃Negative；〃　Jack　said；　counting　follow…up　denials　on　the　net：　Dante；　Crystal；　Penn；　Phillips　。。。

〃Can　you　verify　present　UCT　positions；　Red　leader？〃　Jack　glanced　at　his　displays　and　screens；　tipping　the　Alpha　starboard　with　a　brief　firing　of　the　VT's　attitude　jets。　The　lights　had　lost　interest　in　the　squadron。　Beneath　him；　the　tendrils　were　like　spears　gone　ballistic；　the　SDF…3　soon　to　be　pincushioned　or　worse。

Jack　said；　〃You're　the　center　of　attention；　mand。〃

〃Then　you　are　to　engage；　full　teams；〃　Vallenskiy　returned。　〃Stop　those　things　from　reaching　the　ship！〃


Rick　stood　on　the　TIC'S　mand　balcony；　listening　to　Vallenskiy　relay　mands　to　the　mecha　recon　teams。　Unless　his　eyes　or　the　fortress's　exterior　cams　were　lying；　he　had　just　seen　four　VTs　dematerialized　by　an　enemy　light。　And　now　he　had　ordered　the　squadron　to　counterattack。　With　the　hope　of　acplishing　what？　he　asked　himself。　Punishing　the　light　for　its　omnipotence？　According　to　the　available　data；　it　was　not　even　light　they　were　facing　but　some　animated　form　of　electrical　energy。

Something　like　the　synaptic　firing　of　a　neuron；　Lang　had　explained。

〃Fortress　defensive　shields　raised；〃　a　tech　announced　from　the　mand　console。　〃Red　and　Blue　Teams　falling　in　to　engage；　sir。〃

Rick　swung　around　to　the　monitors　in　time　to　see　the　Blue　Team　pilots　imaging　their　VTs　over　to　Battloid　mode。　Captains　Baker　and　Penn　and　what　remained　of　the　Red　Team　were　configured　as　Fighters　or　Guardians。

Rick　briefly　considered　what　he　would　do　if　he　was　out　there。　He　pictured　himself　strapped　into　the　cockpit　seat；　one　hand　clasped　on　the　Hotas；　face　bathed　in　display　light；　scalp　tingling　from　contact　with　the　helmet's　neural　sensors；　the　smell　of　fuel　and　heated　circuitry。　No　good　to　use　heat　seekers；　he　thought。　Go　right　to　lasers。

〃Lasers　fired；　sir；〃　the　same　tech　reported。　Rick　squinted　at　the　monitor　screens。

And　what　he　saw　blinded　him　for　the　next　ten　seconds　and　left　him　with　a　dull　ache　in　the　back　of　his　head　he　knew　he　would　feel　for　a　week。

His　eyes　opened　to　the　sight　of　men　and　women　throughout　the　TIC　bent　over　their　consoles　in　postures　of　anguish。　The　lasers　had　only　fed　strength　to　the　light。

Succeeded　in　angering　it。

Sirens　wailed：　Brace　for　impact！


Kami　deliberately　placed　himself　in　the　path　of　the　first　light　tendril　to　penetrate　the　hold。　It　shook　him　with　all　the　force　of　a　baleful　premonition；　a　minatory　sending　from　the　hin。

And　how　like　the　hin　it　seemed…the　source　of　this　light！　Garudan；　Kami　had　an　intimate　knowledge　of　such　non　ordinary　states　of　mind…that　which　Terrans　considered　non　ordinary　was　the　norm　on　Garuda。　Credit　Haydon　or　blame　him；　but　his　tamperings　had　resulted　in　a　planet　that　was　hell　for　those　offworlders　who　chanced　to　breathe　its　rarefied　atmosphere；　a　heaven　for　those　fortunate　enough　to　have　been　born　into　it。　No；　hell　for　the　lupine　Garudans　was　to　be　deprived　of　their　homeworld's　atmosphere。　And　it　was　thanks　only　to　treatments　received　on　Haydon　IV　that　Kami　could　function　aboard　the　SDF…3　without　the　transpirator　he　had　worn　through　the　Sentinels'　perilous　campaign。

Credit　Haydon　again。　Or　blame　him。

Kami　saw　that　Learna；　his　mate　and　partner　those　long　years　of　war　and　tenuous　peace；　had　discerned　his　intent　and　was　also　about　to　position　herself　under　the　full　force　of　the　teeming　rain　of　crazed　light。　Her　sendings　were　strong　as　she　ventured　forth　from　useless　cover；　the　hin　both　guide　and　umbrella。

From　across　the　hold　came　shouts　of　concern　from　their　Terran　shipmates　and　Local　Group　brothers　and　sisters　in　arms。　Gnea　said　something　in　Praxian　neither　Kami　nor　Learns　could　prehend。　Baldan；　Lron；　Crysta；　and　several　other　Karbarrans　were　nearby。　There　was　barely　a　corner　the　light　had　overlooked　by　then；　save　for　what　some　called　〃the　Pit；〃　where　Kazianna　Hesh　and　a　dozen　or　so　Zentraedi　were　suiting　up　in　power　armor。

And　it　was　not　until　the　tendrils　found　the　warrior　giants　that　the　Garudans'　allies　in　the　hin　opened　a　portal　to　the　truth。

Kami　realized　at　once　that　the　SDF…3　was　not　dealing　with　some　blindly　malicious　Luciferian　strike　force　but　the　scouts　and　emissaries　of　a　powerful　but　childlike　superintelligence。　His　encounter　was　brief　by　necessity；　for　he　could　barely　maintain　his　individual　self　in　the　suffocating　intoxication　of　the　experience。　The　portal　had　been　opened　into　a　realm　unlike　any　he　had　ever　visited　in　the　hin；　opened　into　a　soul　unlike　anything　met　there。　The　call　of　life's　beyond；　a　siren　song　of　such　warmth　and　transcendence　that　Kami　was　tempted　to　surrender　himself　and　be　absorbed。

It　was　only　Learna's　presence　that　saved　him；　Learna；　anchored　firmly　in　the　non…ordinary　and　beckoning　him　back　with　her　love。

The　light　in　the　fortress's　belly　was　retreating；　dazzling　eye　and　mind　with　its　speed　and　brilliance。　It　had　discovered　something　in　the　Zentraedi　that　filled　it　with　fear；　a　fear　that　sent　it　screaming　through　the　rest　of　the　ship；　as　though　desperate　to　find　a　route　to　its　own　safety。


〃Please；　Rem；　hurry；〃　Minmei　said；　tugging　at　the　flared　sleeve　of　the　Tiresian's　tunic。　〃I　don't　like　this；　I'm　frightened　of　it！〃

Rem　was　standing　in　the　center　of　the　cabin；　arms　akimbo　and　face　uplifted　to　the　ceiling。　He　looked　like　a　dreamy　eyed　teen　in　love　with　the　idea　of　being　caught　out　in　a　spring　shower。

〃You're　a　child　sometimes；〃　he　told　her　with　a　laugh。　〃Something　wondrous　seeks　us　out；　and　you'd　have　me　hide　under　the　bed。　What　frightens　you？〃

Minmei　opened　her　mouth　to　speak　but　realized　she　had　so　response　in　mind。　The　truth　was　that　she　could　not　articulate　what　it　was　about　the　lights　that　frightened　her；　but　all　her　instincts　told　her　that　Rem　was　in　danger。

That　he　was　not　listening　to　her　came　as　no　surprise；　really；　for　who　was　she　to　tell　Lord　Protoculture　anything？　Oh；　once　he　would　have　listened；　when　she　was　still　the　voice　that　had　won　the　Robotech　War；　but　it　had　been　years　since　that　voice　had　sung；　and　it　was　Rem's　star　that　had　been　on　the　ascendant　since。　Playing　Johnny　Appleseed　on　New　Praxis　with　the　Flowers　of　Life；　conjuring　Protoculture　from　them；　fabricating　the　matrix　Lang　and　the　REF　mand　worshiped　like　some　sacrosanct　icon。

Rem　suddenly　took　hold　of　her　narrow　wrist　and　pulled　her　close；　encircling　her　shoulders　with　his　right　arm。　〃Let　it　find　us　together；〃　he　said；　still　eyeing　the　ceiling　expectantly。　〃Open　your　mind　to　it。〃

She　tried　not　to　quiver　so　in　his　embrace；　but　dread　was　sluicing　through　her　veins　like　ice　water。　She　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　dig　a　deep　dark　hole　for　the　two　of　them　to　hide　in。

The　first　lights　passed　through　the　cabinspace　with　scarcely　a　moment's　hesitation；　piercing　the　room　obliquely　from　ceiling　to　floor。　A　second　group　followed　from　the　opposite　direction。　But　the　third　and　fourth　entered　through　the　starboard　bulkhead　and　instead　of　exiting　along　their　line　of　flight　began　to　dart　around　the　perimeter　of　the　cabin；　as　if　to　fence　the　couple　in。

Rem　took　a　bold　step　forward　and　immersed　a　hand　into　the　flow。　The　light　raced　up　the　length　of　his　arm　and　outline　of　his　body；　as　it　was　doing　to　other　objects　in　the　room。　Minmei　instantly　became　part　of　the　tableau；　her　thoughts　sent　reeling　by　the　tendrils'　inquisitive　caress。　And　suddenly　then　was　more　longing　in　her　heart　than　her　mind　could　process　more　light　in　the　cabin　than　her　eyes　could　absorb。

Rem　bellowed　the　most　mournful　sound　she　had　ever　heard　and　collapsed　in　a　heap　on　the　floor。


CHAPTER　ELEVEN

With　the　confusion　of　the　Great　Transition　behind　them；　the　Zentraedi　Imperative　in　place；　and　the　pulsion　implemented；　the　Robotech　Masters　went　about　systematically　expunging　Zor's　name　from　all　records　of　the　technovoyages　of　the　starship　Amtraph。　They　sought　nothing　less　than　to　rewrite　history　in　such　a　way　that　credit　for　the　discovery　of　the　Protoculture　would　go　to　the　Elders　themselves。　However；　Zors　own　accounts　of　those　voyages　survived　in　secret　for　some　time；　until　destroyed　by　the　young　scientist　himself　as　he　began　what　has　been　termed　his　quiet　rebellion…save　for　a　precious　few　jottings　preserved　by　Cabell。　All　details　of　Zor's　early　investigations　and　experiments　vanished　with　the　destruction　of　these　notebooks　and　journals。　And　it　is　likely　that　we　will　never　know　more　than　we　do　now　about　the　Amtraph's　first　sighting　of　Optera。
From　Emil　Lang's　introduction　to　Cabell's　…　Zor　and　the　Great　Transition　

Rem's　cells　remembered。

So　many　worlds　to　explore；　countless　even　within　the　limited　zone　defined　by　the　ship's　reflex　superluminals。　So　many　landscapes　to　wander　across　with　devices　in　hand；　hillsides　to　climb；　forests　to　penetrate；　skies　to　soar。　So　many　life璮orms　to　contact；　cultures　to　experience…more　than　a　mortal　should　be　allowed　to　glimpse；　let　alone　contemplate；　more　than　an　understanding　god　would　have　created　。。。　They　were　there　but　to　tempt；　those　climes　of　eruptive　heat　or　frost　waste；　those　worlds　of　nascent　sentience　or　eons…old　evolutionary　struggle。　But　was　there　any　greater　rapture　than　to　journey　from　one　to　the　next？　To　watch　worlds　turn　through　cycles　of　their　lives？　To　gaze　from　a　ship's　deck　upon　the　sweep　of　time　itself？　。。。　If　there　was；　it　was　surely　beyond　the　scope　of　his　intellect　to　imagine；　and　even　had　that　gift　of　imagining　been　his；　would　he　choose　to　deprive　himself　of　this　joy？　He　supposed　not　。。。

Always　those　thoughts　upon　awakening　from　the　essential　sleep；　Zor　told　himself。　The　artificial　extension　of　life；　while　the　Amtraph　thrust　itself　from　star　to　star。　Man's　little　game　played　with　time。　A　bit　of　existential　trickery　。。。

He　regarded　the　sleep　chamber　now…the　nutrient　drips　that　sustained　the　body；　the　contact　studs　that　stimulated　muscle　and　bone；　the　headband　that　helped　to　nourish　dreams…and　laughed　away　his　musings；　chest　aching　from　disuse；　unaccustomed　to　the　sudden　return　of　those　chaotic；　nay；　inspired；　rhythms。

Vard　was　watching　him　from　afar…able　servant　and　faithful　friend…the　rest　of　them　already　hobbling　away　from　their　opened　cocoons　like　aged　ministers　hurrying　off　to　meeting；　and　conferences。　A　spectacle　ill　befitting　the　courageous　crew　they　were…scientists　to　the　last；　sworn　to　exploration　and　the　search　for　truth。　Zor　breathed　deep；　congratulating　himself　on　the　choices　he　had　made；　the　paths　that　had　turned　him　away　from　government　service　and　carried　him　offworld　a　last；　clear　of　Tirol's　crowded　skies。　If　only　Vard　could　feel　the　same　content　with　the　quest　itself…instead　of　continually　focusing　on　the　goal。

But　Zor　was　too　astute；　too　used　to　their　calculated　designs；　not　to　feel　in　Vard's　promptings　the　hand　of　his　Elder：　in　the　Academy。　The　hungry　members　of　the　Grand　Chair；　perhaps　even　Cabell　himself；　mentor　and　father　in　his　own　curious　fashion。　No；　the　data　he　transmitted　were　never　enough　for　them：　the　trade　arrangements　and　scientific　exchanges　too　profitless　to　sate　their　appetites　for　progress。

We　must　have　worlds　to　use　as　way　stations　for　our　glorious　expansion；　they　would　tell　him；　as　though　it　were　conquest　they　had　in　mind。　We　must　have　discoveries　that　will　further　the　glory　of　our　race；　as　though　it　were　immortality　they　were　striving　for。

Oh；　Vard；　he　thought；　filling　his　lungs　with　the　ship's　sweetened　air；　perhaps　this　next　world　will　be　the　one　your　real　masters　would　have　me　find。　One　with　wondrous　things　to　offer；　the　miraculous　things　they　feel　certain　are　out　here　for　the　taking。

He　stood　up　and　stretched；　as　though　reaching　for　the　very　stars　beyond　the　reflective　sheen　of　the　viewport　overhead。　〃Out　among　you　somewhere；〃　he　said　to　the　fixed　lights。　〃Out　among　you　is　the　world　I'm　destined　to　discover。　By　Valivarre's　will；　may　the　cause　of　peace　profit　above　all。〃


Karen　Penn　tried　one　final　time　to　inflict　some　damage　on　the　lights；　to　extract　a　toll　for　whatever　it　was　they　had　done　to　her　Red　teammates。　With　disciplined　hand　and　quieted　mind　she　reconfigured　the　Alpha　to　Fighter　mode　and　burned　for　the　fortress's　stern；　where　the　lights　had　clustered　on　and　around　the　reflex　drive　exhaust　ports。　Jack　was　in　plain　view　at　three　o'clock；　his　burn　through　the　eerie　glow　of　newspace　plete；　a　Veritech　pas　de　deux　as　they　fell　toward　the　ship。

The　Blue　team　mecha；　Battloid…configured；　were　hitting　hard　at　the　SDF…3's　bow　from　just　below　the　midline；　head　lasers　emitting　a　deadly　light　of　their　own。

Karen　planned　on　depleting　her　undercarriage　lasers　this　time；　taking　no　quarter；　routing　the　light　or　luring　it　away；　making　it　cry　uncle　or　roll　over　and　die。

She　was　shifting　her　weight　in　the　padded　seat；　posing　herself　for　the　kill；　willing　the　VT　in；　when　all　at　once　the　fog　of　newspace　lifted。

Her　eyes　were　so　fixed　on　the　reticle　of　the　Alpha's　targeting　screen　that　it　took　a　moment　for　the　change　to　register。　Then；　suddenly；　there　was　darkness　where　there　had　been　glow；　and　the　lights　were　gone。

〃Sonuvabitch；〃　she　heard　Jack　exclaim。　〃We're　home；　gang…we're　home！〃

But　Karen　was　not　buying　it。　Though　they　seemed　to　be　drifting　through　the　inky　blackness　of　home　space；　something　was　missing。

〃If　we're　home；　Jack；〃　she　asked　over　the　net；　〃where　the　hell　are　the　stars？〃


On　the　fortress　bridge；　Lisa　mimicked　Lang's　on…screen　head…scratching　pose。　She　did　not　understand　it；　either：　One　minute　the　lights　were　digesting　critical　portions　of　the　ship；　and　the　next　they　were　gone。　Had　the　SDF…3　punched　or　been　punched　out　of　the　hyperdomain？　she　wondered。　And　was　that　actually　the　real　world　outside　the　viewports　or　yet　another　black　tunnel　in　the　sky？

〃Stations　shipwide　report　all　clear；　Admiral；〃　Forsythe　said　from　across　the　bridge。　〃The　lights　are　gone。〃

Lisa　ran　a　palsied　hand　through　her　undone　hair。　〃Damage　assessment；　Mister　Price。　Immediate。　All　decks。〃

〃Aye；　aye；　sir。〃

Lisa　returned　her　attention　to　the　…line　monitor。　〃Well；　what　about　it；　Lang？　Are　we　home？〃

Lang　looked　at　something　off　screen　and　shook　his　head。　〃No；　Lisa；　nothing　has　changed。〃

〃Maybe　you'd　better　have　a　look　outside；　Doctor。〃　Lang's　puzzled　expression　remained　in　place。　〃I　have　looked；　Admiral；　I　assure　you。　But　present　readings　are　identical　to　those　previously　assembled。〃　He　snorted。　〃We're　still　a　long　way　from　home。〃

Lisa　felt　her　heart　race。

〃We've　lost　a　good　deal　of　our　reflex　drive　systemry；〃　Lang　continued　as　though　to　himself；　pupilless　eyes　glazed　over。　〃I'm　beginning　to　believe　that　the　reason　the　Veritechs　were　assimilated　had　nothing　to　do　with　defense　against　intrusion。　No；　whatever　was　directing　the　lights　had　need　of　specimens。　Perhaps　it　has　yet　to　make　up　its　mind　about　us。〃

Lisa　swallowed　hard。　〃You　make　it　sound　like　our　pilots　were　appetizers；　Doctor。〃

〃In　effect；　they　were　just　that；〃　he　told　her；　more　animated　suddenly。　〃By　the　time　the　lights　reached　the　ship；　they　kne