18_the_end_of_the_circle-第21部分

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ive　fighter　groups　and　was　scoring　heavily　in　all　sectors。

〃They　should　break　off　the　attack　while　there's　still　time；〃　Vince　said　to　no　one　in　particular。　He　felt　Jean's　warm　hand　on　his　shoulder。

〃We've　pinpointed　the　ship；〃　she　told　him　as　he　swung　around　from　the　view。

Vince　glanced　over　her　head　at　intel　officers　and　techs　grouped　around　the　tactical　board。　In　tight　close…up　on…screen　was　one　of　the　interdimensional　sphere　ships；　with　few　labor　drones　about。

〃Is　that　the　one？〃　Vince　asked。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　a　lieutenant　colonel　replied。　〃We're　certain　it's　the　prototype。　First　off　the　line；　first　to　be　equipped　with　drive　units。〃　The　young　man　swiveled　to　face　Vince。　〃It's　our　best　bet；　General。〃

Vince　answered　him　with　a　grim　nod。　〃Any　word　from　Nichols？〃

〃Just　up；　sir；〃　a　tech　said；　displaying　a　message　on　one　of　the　sit　board's　peripherals。　〃Looks　like　they're　inside　the　Awareness。　We've　also　received　reports　of　a　full…scale　hostage　uprising　planetside。〃

Vince　studied　the　big　board；　then　turned　to　the　viewport；　narrowing　his　eyes　against　an　angry　strobing　of　battle　light。〃　All　right；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃Inform　Colonel　Bernard　that　his　Veritech　group　has　a　green　light。　But　make　sure　he　understands　they're　to　wait　for　Dr。　Nichols's　all…clear　before　attempting　to　board　the　prototype。〃

The　tech　activated　the　…line。　〃Anything　else；　sir？〃

Vince　snorted。　〃Wish　him　Godspeed；　Sergeant。〃


The　Awareness　was　an　argent　temple　that　brought　to　mind　Tiresia's　pyramidal　Royal　Hall。　Louie　and　his　infiltration　team　approached　it　cautiously；　evading　program　sentries　when　necessary；　although　most　of　those　had　been　successfully　lured　away　to　implement　Exedore's　requests　for　system　updates。

Once　they　were　inside；　the　place　turned　out　to　be　a　labyrinth　of　mand　corridors　and　data　reservoirs；　as　difficult　to　enter　as　it　probably　was　to　exit。　But　there　was　no　time　to　be　selective。　Gibley　surrendered　the　point；　and　Louie　joysticked　himself　through　a　columned　portal。　Angling　through　a　maze　of　lower　function　hallways；　he　began　arming　the　virus　charges　the　raiders　had　carried　in。　The　idea　was　to　home　in　on　the　source　of　the　disruption　signals　that　would　result　once　they　were　detonated。

And　in　that；　the　charges　did　not　disappoint。

The　Awareness　rallied；　filling　its　instinctual　level　corridors　with　a　veritable　horde　of　antibiotic　programs。　But　the　teams'　decision　to　engage　early　on　had　been　predicated　on　the　expectation　of　just　such　a　primitive　reaction；　and　by　so　doing；　the　Awareness　not　only　lost　momentary　control　of　its　logic　circuits　but　allowed　Louie's　team　to　ascend　rapidly　through　its　mand　and　control　hierarchy。

Louie　followed　the　path　of　most　resistance；　deploying　ghosts　to　confuse　trackers；　and　eventually　entered　a　vaguely　defined　triangular　chamber　close　to　the　pyramid's　summit。　Normally　there　would　have　been　access　codes　to　decrypt　there；　but　the　Awareness　had　apparently　been　engaged　in　entering　them　when　the　Karbarran　attack　had　begun。

When　Louie　had　brought　the　raiders　to　a　halt；　he　sent　three　recon　drones　through　the　elaborate　window　at　the　chamber's　apex。

The　data　they　returned　stilled　his　thoughts。

In　the　space　above　the　temple's　golden　triangle　were　perhaps　tens　of　thousands　of　discorporate　intelligences。　Louie　had　discovered　where　Haydon　and　his　race　were　hiding。

By　the　time　he　found　the　presence　of　mind　to　order　the　team　out；　the　first　of　Haydon's　antipersonnel　security…force　programs　was…already　engulfing　them。


CHAPTER　TWENTY

〃Now；　children；〃　I　heard　one　of　the　child…care　staffers；　say　into　the　mike；　〃stop　being　so　damned　destructive！〃　He　turned　to　me　red…faced　and　apologetic；　but　I　was　already　thinking：　Damned　children；　damned　children　。。。　When　and　where　had　I　heard　that　before？
Lisa　Hayes；　Recollections：　The　Lost　Journey

Rem　did　not　need　the　clonesongs　to　open　his　mind　to　what　had　happened　once　Zor　had　left　Optera　with　the　Flower　of　Life　specimens　the　Regis　had　given　him。　He　knew　from　both　the　historical　record　and　the　cellular　memories　he　had　summoned　while　at　work　on　Lang's　facsimile　matrix　that　the　Regent　had　learned　of　his　wife's　infidelity；　exposed　the　hoax　Zor　had　perpetrated；　and　ordered　the　landing　party　to　leave　the　planet。

Though　the　use　of　deception　was　still　in　vogue　among　the　arts　of　that　period；　the　direction　of　physical　force　against　other　life…forms　was　not；　and　the　landing　party　had　assented　to　the　outraged　husband's　demands　and　exited　the　Tzuptum　system　the　following　day。　But　instead　of　continuing　with　their　grand　tour　of　the　Quadrant；　they　had　returned　almost　immediately　to　Tirol；　where　Zor　had　described　for　the　Elders　the　wonders　to　be　found　on　Optera　and　had　given　them　their　first　look　at　the　mysterious　Flower　he　had　accepted　on　their　behalf。

What　had　followed　for　Zor　were　years　and　years　of　tedious；　most　often　solitary　experimentation　with　the　Flower。　The　Elders　had　been　pleased　to　accept　his　gift；　but　their　disappointment　was　apparent。　True；　the　Invid…Flower　symbiosis　seemed　to　be　a　process　worthy　of　further　investigation；　but　that　was　the　end　of　it。　The　Elders　lacked　the　necessary　vision　to　see　how　the　Flower　might　have　any　lasting　import　to　human　life。　So　Zor　had　endeavored　to　demonstrate　just　what　could　be　acplished　by　harnessing　the　Flower's　bio…energy　and　by　employing　the　language　the　Regis　had　taught　him；　he　introduced　Protoculture　to　the　Quadrant。

So　began　the　brief　but　catastrophic　era　known　as　the　Great　Transition：　the　years　of　barbaric　infighting　that　led　to　the　formation　of　the　Robotech　Masters；　the　rapid　redevelopment　of　terror　weapons　and　spacefold　drives；　the　bloody　program　that　anticipated　the　early　clone　experiments；　and　finally；　the　neural　re…programming　of　the　miner…giant　Zentraedi。

Zor　had　long　since　lost　control　of　his　discovery　and　fallen　victim　to　the　pulsion　the　Masters　had　placed　upon　him。　And　those　same　Masters　would　oversee　his　eventual　return　to　Optera；　no　longer　as　trickster　or　would…be　king　but　conqueror；　thief；　and　destroyer　of　worlds　。　。　。

Rem　wept　in　his　quarters　aboard　the　SDF…3；　recalling　the　hell　Optera　had　been　sentenced　to　by　his　clone…father　and　the　millions…strong　Zentraedi。　The　theft　of　the　Flowers；　the　ravaging　of　that　garden　planet；　the　overnight　devolvement　of　the　Invid；　the　war　that　had　raged　across　the　face　of　countless　worlds　。。。

As　little　as　two　Earth…standard　years　ago；　Rem　had　convinced　himself　that　by　reseeding　Optera…New　Praxis…he　had　actually　redressed　some　of　Zor's　injustices。　But　he　understood　now　that　he　had　balanced　only　half　the　equation　The　Flowers　prospered；　but　only　to　serve　the　demand　of　the　beings　that　sowed　them…to　yield　up　the　Protoculture。

The　pulsion　lived　on。　For　in　fabricating　the　matrix　Rem　had　helped　deal　yet　another　blow　against　the　Flowers　true　guardians。

He　began　to　ask　himself　what　Zor　had　hoped　to　acplish　by　sending　the　original　matrix　to　Earth。　Zor's　hand　had　been　guided　by　something　he　had　learned　on　Haydon　IV；　Rem　knew　that　much。　But　what　was　it　he　had　discovered　there？　

Some　way　to　rescue　the　Invid；　perhaps；　to　make　amends　to　the　Queen…Mother　he　had　seduced。

Some　way　to　balance　the　other　side；　of　the　equation。

Rem　realized　that　he　would　need　Minmei's　help　one　final　time　to　dredge　up　nucleic　memories　of　Zor's　quiet　rebellion　against　the　Masters　and　of　his　critical　encounter　with　Haydon　IV's　artificial　sentience；　the　Awareness。


〃I　suppose　we　should　be　grateful　they　disassembled　the　thing；〃　Emilio　Segundo；　the　ship's　pediatrician；　suggested。　Lisa　looked　at　him　askance；　〃‘Disassembled；'　Doctor？　I'd　say　they　destroyed　it。〃

Kazianna　Hesh　issued　a　low；　grunting　sound　that　sent　the　nursery's　Micronian　balcony　vibrating。　〃What　can　we　expect；〃　she　said；　〃with　world　killers　as　their　role　models？〃

Lisa　could　have　almost　believed　she　was　conversing　with　one　of　the　women　in　the　childbirth　class　she　and　Rick　had　taken　before　Roy　was　born。　Although　Lisa；　Dr。　Segundo；　and　Kazianna　Hesh　were　standing　eye　to　eye；　the　balcony　was　me　forty　feet　above　the　nursery　floor。

But　killed　was　certainly　an　apt　description　of　what　the　human　and　Zentraedi　young　ones　had　done　to　the　alloy　and　foam　sphere　they　had　expended　such　energy　fashioning。　The　wing　was　literally　in　pieces；　hemispheres　cleaved；　the　plex　transformable　modules　of　their　interiors　scattered　about。　The　nursery　looked　like　a　war　zone；　which　was　how　the　pediatrician　had　related　it　to　Lisa　over　the　inter　several　minutes　before。

〃Did　they　give　any　explanation？〃　she　asked　him。

Dr　Segundo　shook　his　head；　one　hand　tugging　at　his　salt…and璸epper　goatee。　〃None　whatsoever。　One　minute　they　had　the　sphere　opened　and　transformed　into　something　that　looked　to　be　an　oversize　pair　of　binoculars；　and　the　next　they　attack　it　with　every　toy　in　the　place。〃

〃plete　with　sound　effects；〃　Kazianna　said。　〃Mecha　flight　sounds；　explosions；　death　rattles；　that　sort　of　thing；〃　ahe　added；　sensing　Lisa's　bafflement。

〃So　it　was　all　an　elaborate　game…building　this　thing；　then　wrecking　it？〃

Segundo　shrugged。　〃It　would　hardly　explain　the　secrecy　they　attached　to　it。〃　He　looked　at　Lisa。　〃And　all　this　guarded　behavior　the　staff　claim　they　demonstrated。〃

〃Oh；　they　did；〃　Lisa　affirmed；　recalling　her　confrontation　with　Roy　and　Drannin。　〃Trust　me　on　that　one；　Doctor。〃　Lisa　stepped　closer　to　the　one…way　glass　to　peer　down　into　the　playroom。　The　children；　cross…legged…human　and　Zentraedi　alike…had　formed　an　inward…facing　circle　on　the　floor。　〃Let's　have　the　audio　again；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。　Segundo　activated　a　wall　switch；　and　low…voiced　chanting　filled　the　balcony　space。　The　chant　sounded　like　some　sort　of　monotone；　three…syllable　canine　call：　Ur…rur…ra；　ur…rur…ra；　ur…rur…ra　。　。　。

〃They've　been　at　it　for　close　to　fifteen　minutes　now；〃　Kazianna　said。

Lisa　was　about　to　respond　when　the　inter　sounded。　Segundo　made　a　volume　adjustment　on　the　nursery　mikes　and　hit　the　…line　ready　stud。　Raul　Forsythe's　face　appeared　on…screen。　〃Go　ahead；　Raul；〃　Lisa　said；　positioning　herself　in　front　of　the　camera。

〃Message　from　below；　Admiral；〃　Forsythe　began。　〃Two　members　of　the　scouting　party　have　disappeared。〃

Lisa's　hand　went　to　her　mouth。　〃Oh；　no　。　。　。〃

〃Seems　scanners　detected　the　presence　of　a　life…form　just　prior　to　the　disappearances…enormous　by　the　sound　of　it。　But　the　thing　vanished　before　the　team　could　fix　its　location。〃

〃Any　confirmation　from　our　onboards？〃　Lisa　asked。

〃Not　yet。　But　Admiral　Hunter　is　requesting　backup。　They've　got　a　lot　of　ground　to　cover；　and　it's　slow　going。〃

〃Was　he　specific？〃

〃He　wants　two　teams…one　Sentinels；　one　Zentraedi。〃　Lisa　turned　to　Kazianna　to　see　if　she　was　listening。　The　Zentraedi　nodded；　but　Lisa　noticed　misgiving　in　her　sad　eyes。　〃What　is　it；　Kazianna？〃　Lisa　said　after　she　and　Raul　had　signed　off。　〃If　you　have　any　concerns　about　going　planetside；　now's　the　time　to　make　them　known。〃

Kazianna　shook　her　head。　〃It's　not　that；　mander；　it's　the　chant。〃

Lisa　listened　for　a　moment。　The　children　seemed　to　have　upped　the　tempo；　if　not　the　volume。

〃‘Ur…rur…ra；'〃　Kazianna　mimicked。　〃I　think　they're　saying　Aurora。〃


Toggled　out　of　machine　mind；　Louie　Nichols　sat　palsied　at　his　console　in　the　Ark　Angel's　data　room；　his　own　internal　systems　scrambled　by　Haydon's　security　programs。　That　he　emerged　with　his　personality　intact　was　nothing　less　than　miraculous；　given　what　the　Awareness　had　launched　against　the　team。　Gibley；　however；　had　not　been　as　fortunate。　He　was　laid　out　like　a　rag　doll　on　a　table　across　the　room；　eyes　open　but　expression　blank。　Two　med　techs　were　working　on　him　but　while　they　might　succeed　in　keeping　the　body　alive；　Gibley　was　fried　inside；　a　plete　brainwipe。

〃You　okay？〃　Louie　heard　Strucker　ask　behind　him。　He　owned　and　nodded。

〃mand　says　Bernard's　VTs　are　closing　on　the　ship。〃　Louie　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Then　we've　gotta　go　back　in。　But　this　time　we　steer　clear　of　that　central　shaft；〃　he　told　his　team。　〃Everybody　got　it？　I　think　we　bypassed　mand　and　control　in　the　way　up　to　Haydon's　cyber…sleep　chamber。〃

〃On　the　left　as　we　cleared　that　tall　logic　column；〃　Stirson　aid。

〃Right；　I　saw　it；〃　Shi…Ling　agreed。　〃Green　haze　portal；　like　the　one　we　developed　back　in　Tokyo　for　Matushima。〃　Stirson　grinned。　〃That's　the　one。〃

〃First　one　in　goes　straight　to　drive　programming；〃　Louie　instructed。　〃What　we're　looking　for　is　an　override　mand　allow　Bernard's　team　to　get　aboard　the　prototype　and　steer　it　clear　of　the　artifact。〃　He　thought　briefly　about　Dana；　moving　against　the　factory's　drive　production　center　now。　〃If　we　can　deactivate　the　drives　of　the　rest　of　those　prototypes；　so　much　the　better；〃　he　thought　to　add。

〃Haydon's　not　going　to　like　this　one　bit；〃　Stirson　said。

Louie　had　his　fingers　on　the　jump　toggle。　〃Yeah；　let's　just　we　never　have　to　answer　to　them　face　to　face。

He　toggled　back　into　machine　mind。


With　crude　shields　and　weapons　raised；　the　four　Sterlings　emerged　from　the　transport　tube　on　level　two；　but　all　that　greeted　them　was　what　remained　of　Glike's　debris…strewn　main　boulevard。

〃We　must　be　on　the　surface；〃　suggested　one　of　the　Praxians　who　followed　them　out。

The　sky　was　a　backlit　haze；　seemingly　draped　from　the　summits　of　Glike's　ruined　onion　domes　and　spires。　Though　tinged　with　odors　of　dust　and　smoke；　the　air　smelled　like　Haydon　IV's　saccharine…smelling　own；　but　Max　felt　certain　they　were　still　subsurface。　He　thought　it　likely　that　the　city　had　been　lowered　and　moved　inside　during　reconfiguration；　that　the　overcast　〃sky〃　they　were　staring　into　concealed　the　ceiling　of　some　cavernous　hold。

It　was　irrelevant　in　either　case；　and　in　short　order　the　hastily　formed　team　had　reconned　the　immediate　area　and　set　off　for　the　drive　production　area　Exedore　had　located；　distant　explosions　and　plasma　cannon　reports　shaking　the　streets　at　random　intervals。　The　farther　they　got　from　the　transport　tube　egress；　the　more　Max's　hypothesis　began　to　make　sense。　Glike's　borrowed　and　indigenous　architecture　which　had　always　seemed　purely　aesthetic　in　both　function　and　design…had　been　transformed　and　incorporated　into　the　workings　of　a　massive　assembly　line。

The　robot　masters　in　charge　of　production　work　barely　acknowledged　the　humans　as　they　followed　Dana's　lead　across　once…green　parks　that　had　bee　staging　areas；　along　avenues　converted　to　parts　conveyers；　past　monuments　and　obelisks　truncated　and　metamorphosed　into　stanchions　and　pylons；　and　through　buildings　that　housed　the　busy　machines　themselves條athes；　presses；　extruders；　and　such。　Ultimately；　Dana　brought　them　to　a　building　Max　thought　he　recognized　as　the　former　headquarters　of　the　Haydonite　Elite。　The　adamantine　arches　and　gilded　roots　of　its　almost　pre…Global　Civil　War　Arabic　look　were　still　in　evidence　among　the　ultratech　puter　devices　that　crowded　the　entryway。

〃This　is　it；〃　Dana　announced　loudly　enough　to　be　heard　over　the　roar　of　the　production　line；　〃the　brains　of　the　operation。〃　She　was　standing；　arms　akimbo；　in　that　defiant　superhero　pose　that　had　bee　something　of　a　trademark。

Max；　too；　recognized　it　from　the　schematics　Exedore　had　called　up　on　the　monitor。
Dana；　scanning　the　power　junction　catwalks　for　Haydonites；　snorted　derisively。　〃Haydon　wasn't　expecting　anybody　to　get　this　far。〃　She　aimed　an　index　finger　at　a　towering　bank　of　apparently　undefended　data…control