18_the_end_of_the_circle-第35部分

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〃Maybe　I　oughta　tie　a　bell　to　your　collar。　Or　better　yet；　get　a　spacefold　leash…he…eeyy！〃

Wait　a　minute！　Polly　had　somehow　gotten　himself　not　just　across　space　but　into　newspace。　That　must　mean　there　was　some　way　back　out！

〃Oh；　baby！　Wait'll　Louie　and　Lang　hear　this…umph！　You　been　puttin'　on　weight；　or　what？〃

The　Pollinator　dragged　at　her　arm；　nearly　pulling　her　to　her　knees；　the　sheer　mass　of　him　unbelievable。　〃What's　wrong…holy　f…fff…〃

Polly；　back　on　his　little　muffin　feet；　was　no　longer　the　adorable　teleporting　pet　she　loved。　His　feet　sprouted　black　claws；　and　his　sheepdog　face　took　on　an　evil　leer。　What　really　sent　shivers　down　her　spine；　though；　was　that　he　was　growing　like　an　inflating　life　raft；　only　faster。

Dana　gave　a　yell　and　stumbled　back；　bringing　her　rifle　up；　wondering　if　the　Pollinator　had　fallen　prey　to　some　weird　newspace　rabies。　Her　finger　was　on　the　trigger；　but　she　hesitated；　this　was　one　of　her　few　true　friends；　after　all；　and　friends　meant　everything　to　her。

Polly's　hide　showed　through　the　molting　white　pelt　as　the　creature　grew：　black；　smooth；　and　hard…looking。　Polly　heightened　and　broadened；　bigger　than　Dana　already；　rearing　back　on　two　lengthening　hind　legs。

Dana　had　hesitated　to　give　the　alarm；　fearing　that　someone　would　shoot　her　dog；　but　that　ceased　to　matter。　The　Pollinator　let　out　an　eerie　inorganic　sound；　like　a　processed　challenge　roar。

〃Polly；　stop！　Stay　back！〃　She　had　the　Wolverine　up；　centered；　backing　away　herself。　The　thing　in　front　of　her　took　a　step　toward　her；　though；　and　when　its　massive　black　foot　pouched　down；　there　was　a　distinct　metallic　sound。

It　leaned　toward　her；　and　from　its　sheepdog　face　there　appeared　a　single　red…yellow　lens。

Dana　howled　fiercely　for　a　universe　that　would　turn　a　dear　pet　and　friend　into　a　deadly　foe。　She　brought　the　Wolverine　up　and　fired　a　sustained　burst　at　the　thing　that　had　been　the　Pollinator。


Farther　up　the　line；　everybody　froze。　Harry　Penn　blinked；　caning　out　of　his　distraction；　getting　his　bearings。　〃It's　Dana！〃　he　yelled　to　those　ahead　of　him；　and　turned　back；　drawing　his　Badger。

Max；　farther　toward　the　front　of　the　column；　caught　the　news　as　it　was　passed　along。　People　were　yelling　conflicting　questions；　answers；　and　orders。

Max　moaned　aloud。　〃Dana！〃　He　pressed　Aurora　into　Miriya's　arms。　〃Hang　on　to　her！〃　Rick　and　Lisa　had　e　hurrying　back　down　the　column；　berating　people　to　set　up　security　and　guard　against　a　surprise　attack　from　another　quarter。　Lisa　was　calling　in　air　cover；　Rick　was　trying　to　find　out　what　was　going　on　at　the　rear。

People　formed　up　to　defend　the　children；　Kazianna　towering　among　them　and　unlimbering　her　oversized　weapons。　Max　shoved　his　wife　and　daughter　toward　them。　〃Vince！　Don't　let　anything　happen　to　them！〃

Then　he　was　off　to　the　rear；　leaving　Louie　and　his　cyberteam　where　they　had　set　up　rifle　positions；　dodging　Scott　Bernard；　who　had　Marlene　clasped　to　him　protectively。

Max　broke　through　the　final　screen　of　foliage　to　see　something　immense　and　black　standing　with　its　back　to　him；　the　sun　of　Omphalos　doing　little　to　relieve　its　intense　darkness。

Those　who　had　already　gotten　to　the　scene　Harry　Penn；　Bowie；　Lron；　and　a　few　others　wavered；　holding　their　fire；　not　sure　what　was　going　on。　The　black　mecha　had　bent　to　pick　something　up。　It　turned　toward　them；　straightening　to　its　full　height；　with　Dana　in　its　armored　fist。

Lron　raised　the　squad　laser　weapon　that　he　carried　like　a　rifle　and　would　have　fired　into　the　black　mecha's　leg　in　hopes　of　bringing　it　down；　Max　knocked　the　laser's　thick　barrel　down。　〃Hold　your　fire；　all　of　you！〃

The　thing　clutching　Dana　raised　its　free　hand；　pointing　at　Max。　She　was　struggling　determinedly　but　weakly　to　break　out　of　its　grip；　the　effort　was　hopeless；　and　she　did　not　seem　to　have　the　breath　to　yell　to　those　below。　Huge；　humped；　and　misshapen　as　a　giant　troll；　the　black　mecha　leaned　toward　Max　as　if　about　to　speak。

But　before　it　could；　thrusters　shook　the　ground　and　one　of　the　escort　Veritechs　arrived；　a　Beta　in　Guardian　mode。　It　landed　like　an　eagle　ready　to　do　battle；　its　balled　armor　fists　cocked。

Its　pilot　couldn't　open　up；　though；　since　Dana　was　in　the　line　of　fire。　The　pilot　began　to　shift　his　VT　through　mechamorphosis；　going　to　Battloid；　but　before　he　could；　the　black　mecha　leapt　at　him　and　with　one　swing　of　its　fearsome　fist　smashed　the　VT　down。

The　Guardian/Battloid　crashed　to　the　ground；　broken　and　smoking。　Even　as　people　raced　toward　it　to　rescue　the　pilot；　the　black　mecha　hit　its　foot　thrusters　and　shot　away　into　the　sky；　still　clasping　Dana。

In　the　middle　of　the　confusion　another　escort　VT；　an　Alpha；　appeared；　called　back　from　its　CAP　flight；　requesting　instructions。　As　boss　of　the　SDF…3's　fighter　mand；　Max　got　on　the　net。

〃Get　down　here　right　now。〃

〃But　mander　Sterling；　shouldn't　t？

〃I　said　land！〃

With　a　dozen　different　matters　vying　for　his　attention　guarding　against　further　attack；　counting　heads　to　see　if　anyone　else　had　been　taken；　checking　whether　the　Beta　pilot　was　still　alive；　raising　the　dimensional　fortress　for　reinforcements　and　to　arrange　a　safe　pullback　Rick　didn't　realize　what　Max　was　doing　until　it　was　too　late。

Max　was　gone；　the　second…generation　Alpha　shrieking　away　in　Fighter　mode；　going　supersonic　in　its　ballistic　climb；　its　sonic　booms　shaking　the　ground　of　Omphalos。　The　VT's　pilot　was　standing　there　bareheaded　Max　having　appropriated　his　thinking　cap　helmet　staring　after　his　departing　craft。

He　saw　Rick。　〃Sir；　he　didn't　even　stop　to　call　for　reinforcements。〃

〃I　know；　it's　being　done。〃

Of　course；　it　would　be　precious　minutes　before　more　VTs　could　get　there　from　the　low…orbiting　SDF…3。　The　fighter　jock　nodded。　〃No　way　was　he　gonna　wait；　sir。〃

Rick；　watching　the　spot　where　Max　had　disappeared　in　the　distance；　agreed。　〃No；　the　gauntlet's　been　thrown；　Lieutenant。〃


The　Alpha　was　one　of　the　best　in　the　SDF…3　inventory；　a　souped…up　new　armored　Alpha　version　of　a　second…generation　VT　that　was　why　Max　had　assigned　it　to　fly　security　for　the　ground　party　but　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　keep　the　Black　Knight　in　view。

〃Black　Knight〃　was　the　way　he　had　e　to　think　of　his　antagonist。　Supposedly；　that　made　him　the　White　Knight；　but　he　felt　a　poor　excuse　for　one。

And　a　despicable　failure　as　a　father。

He　had　worried　about　Miriya　from　the　first；　always　apprehensive　because　she　had　gone　through　the　sizing　chamber；　had　been　subjected　to　so　many　dangers；　had　nearly　died　in　battle　and　childbirth　alike…he　himself　had　nearly　killed　her！　And　for　Aurora；　otherworldly　entity　from　the　very　start；　with　her　mind　powers　and　unnatural　maturation　rate；　Max　had　had　constant　concern。

But　Dana；　Dana　。。。　what　malign　brilliance　for　the　being　that　ruled　newspace　to　test　him　this　way！　He　had　left　Dana　behind　on　Earth　against　his　own　better　judgment　when　the　SDF…3　set　forth。　No　one　but　Miriya…except　perhaps　Aurora…knew　how　bitterly　he'd　condemned　himself　when　he'd　heard　about　the　suffering　and　hardship　she　had　had　to　bear。

Never　knowing　a　true　home；　growing　up　in　war；　her　heart　wounded　terribly　by　Zor　Prime　and　her　very　essence　nearly　raped　by　the　madman　Zand…Max　could　barely　bring　himself　to　think　of　those　things；　for　when　he　did；　he　wished　he　had　never　been　born。

His　love　of　his　family　and　the　sense　of　calm　Miriya　and　Aurora　gave　him　were　the　things　that　had　made　Earth's　greatest　Robotech　fighter　gradually　put　aside　bat　over　the　years。　So　of　course；　what　better　way　to　draw　him　back　into　war　in　all　earnest　than　this？　And　again　it　was　Dana；　poor　Dana；　suffering　because　of　Max。

What　pitiless　genius！　The　Regis　would　have　her　fight。

Max　realized　he'd　been　rasping　an　endless　string　of　soft；　monotonic　obscenities　and　stopped。　He　monitored　the　fighter　ops　and　tac　nets　only　to　discover　that　none　of　the　other　VTs　could　get　a　fix　on　the　Black　Knight。　Nor　could　the　SDF…3；　even　though　the　bandit　was　making　a　paint　as　big　as　a　house　on　his　scopes。

He　was　not　surprised。

With　his　burners　wide　open；　he　gained　slowly　on　the　grotesque　mecha。　It　was　not　going　at　multimach…which　it　certainly　seemed　capable　of　doing…and　it　was　staying　at　low　altitude。　He　prayed　that　that　meant　Dana　was　still　unharmed。

The　Black　Knight　went　all　the　way　down　to　the　deck；　and　Max　lost　it　in　terrain　obstructions　and　ground　scatter。　He　brought　up　a　detailed　topo　display　from　the　SDF…3's　orbital　mapping　memory　but　couldn't　guess　what　the　kidnapper's　next　move　would　be。

He　was　so　intent　on　it　that　he　almost　died；　the　night…dark　mecha　came　howling　out　of　a　mountain　rift；　firing　a　spread　of　missiles　at　him　from　the　bulbous　pods　under　its　strangely　articulated　arms。

Max　reacted　instantly；　plying　the　Hotas　but；　more　important；　imaging　through　his　thinking　cap。　The　uncanny　instincts　and　nearly　instantaneous　reflexes　that　had　made　him　a　living　legend　were　as　sharp；　as　apt；　as　ever。　The　Alpha　rolled　vertical；　two　missiles　boiling　by　just　beneath　his　overturned　canopy；　then　rolled　again　into　a　power　dive；　narrowly　avoiding　another　spike…snouted　killer。

Max　banked；　nearly　tearing　the　VT's　wings　off；　as　the　enemy　came　charging　straight　for　him。　The　fist　that　had　held　Dana　was　enclosed　now；　a　smooth　armored　globe；　there　was　no　way　to　tell　whether　she　was　alive　or　dead　in　there。

The　Veritech　dodged　the　Black　Knight；　then　Max　went　ballistic　and　poured　on　full　emergency　military　power　as　his　antagonist　launched　another　spread　at　him。　He　twisted　and　jinked；　cutting　in　his　jamming　and　countermeasures　gear　as　missiles　seared　by　and　left　their　fiery　corkscrews　all　around　him。

Swathed　in　their　trails；　he　mechamorphosed　on　the　fly；　went　to　Battloid；　turning　and　ing　to　bay　with　his　rifle/cannon　in　his　mecha's　alloy　fist　as　the　enemy　came　howling　up　after　him。

Max　was　about　to　open　up　with　the　heavy　pulsed　laser　buttery　but　stopped　himself　at　the　sight　of　the　globed　fist。　The　famed　top　ace　reflexes　failed　him；　and　he　froze；　unable　to　use　his　weapons。

The　Black　Knight　opened　up　with　a　mecha　hand　weapon　of　its　own；　an　affair　shaped　like　a　dory；　from　which　purple　lightning　broke。　Max　feinted；　jetted　the　other　way；　and　nearly　eluded　the　shot。　But　a　snapping　tongue　of　discharge　caught　the　Battloid's　left　leg；　blasting　a　rent　in　the　armor　there。

But　in　the　interim；　the　distance　between　the　two　had　closed。　Max　gathered　himself　and　kicked　in　all　thrusters；　pouncing　on　the　enemy　rather　than　avoiding　it。　The　Black　Knight　caught　him　with　terrifying　strength。

The　two　mecha　fell　through　the　sky；　locked　together　in　mortal　bat。


CHAPTER　THIRTY？FOUR

And　so　these　equations　expose　a　long…hidden　truth：　We　now　know　the　nature　of　the　heretofore　unimaginable　energies　that　existed　in　the　first；　irreducible　instant　after　the　creation　of　the　universe。　That　the　last　vestige　of　them　is　to　be　found　in　the　distilled　essence　of　a　Flower　is　something　to　ponder；　were　there　time。
But　there　is　none。
From　Exedore's　notes；　written　in　the　Royal　Hall　during　the　approach　of　Haydon　IV

By　the　time　Cabell　returned　to　the　observation/mand　post　high　atop　the　Royal　Hall　pyramid；　the　drives　of　the　departing　evac　ships　were　mere　sparks…there　were　a　dozen　or　so　of　them；　containing　a　few　thousand　clones；　human　holdouts；　a　handful　of　XTs；　and　a　pet　or　two。

Exedore　noted　the　smudges　and　stains　on　the　old　savant's　robes。　〃There　was　violence。〃

Cabell　nodded　wearily。　〃I　did　what　I　could；　but　yes。　Less；　though；　than　I'd　feared；　given　the　fact　that　there　was　only　room　for　a　relative　few　to　escape。　All　dread　the　sphere　ships'　ing。〃

Exedore　grunted：　Valivarre　lay　dead　in　space　undergoing　repairs；　the　ore　ship　might　have　lifted　the　entire　populace　of　Tiresia　to　safety。　But　then；　there　had　been　no　time　to　organize　a　large…scale　evacuation；　those　who　had　escaped　on　the　few　ships　at　the　spaceport　were　essentially　those　who　had　been　there　or　nearby　when　the　disastrous　battle　demolished　the　Local　Group　fleet。

〃At　least　the　wait　will　not　be　long；〃　he　added。　The　flock　of　a　hundred…odd　ominous　metallic　bubbles　was　even　then　entering　the　upper　atmosphere。　〃The　rest　will　go　underground　to　shelters；　I　suppose；　or　perhaps　break　into　the　bistros　for　a　final　toast　to　life。〃

〃That's　more　than　the　Haydonites　got；　or　the　Local　Group　fleet　crews；　either；〃　Cabell　observed。　There　was　no　sign　of　Haydonite　life　aboard　the　sphere　ships；　and　it　was　presumed　that　the　artificial　race　had　perished　when　Haydon　IV　had　been　destroyed。　Neither　was　there　any　sign　of　the　Awareness's　survival；　and　that　was　of　some　fort　to　the　two　savants；　the　Awareness　had　been　perhaps　Haydon's　greatest　weapon。　〃e；〃　Cabell　bade。　〃We've　not　much　time。〃

Not　having　caught　his　breath；　he　was　huffing　again　within　a　few　steps。　Exedore　caught　up　and　lent　a　supporting　arm；　he　was　physically　younger；　though　he　was　the　older　of　the　two。

They　went　to　the　pinnacle　of　the　Royal　Hall；　which　they'd　polarized　to　transparency；　so　that　it　seemed　open　to　the　sky。　In　it　was　the　facsimile　Protoculture　matrix。

They　had　both　seen　the　original　and　now　considered　this　Second　Generation　manifestation。　Lang　had　once　observed　how　it　resembled　an　old…time　representation　of　an　atom：　a　plex　interlinking　of　ring　orbits　some　two　hundred　feet　across；　suspended　in　midair　by　its　own　internal　forces。

However；　where　the　original　matrix　glistened　in　rainbow　colors；　this　fabrication　was　harsh　white　and　gold；　and　the　musical　sound　ing　from　its　gleaming　nucleus　seemed　more　strident；　more　ominous；　than　that　produced　by　Zor's　original　creation。

Now；　though；　the　two　observed　in　the　matrix　certain　anomalies　and　instabilities　that　hadn't　been　there　a　short　time　before。　Their　research　told　them　that；　indeed；　the　Shapings　were　reaching　some　climactic　point；　a　cusp　or　crux　in　events　even　mote　important　than　the　conversion　of　the　original　matrix　years　ago　in　the　mound　where　the　SDF…1　lay　buried。

〃e；〃　Cabell　bade　Exedore。　〃We　haven't　much　time。〃　They　went　to　where　a　new　piece　of　apparatus　had　been　set　up。　It　suggested　a　kind　of　elaborate　laser　drill　or　boring　unit；　heavy　with　magnetic　bottling　fields　and　insulator　rings。

〃The　buildup　of　Anti…Protoculture　energy　is　still　below　what　the　job　may　require；〃　Cabell　said；　〃but　it　will　have　to　suffice。〃

Exedore　drew　a　deep　breath；　running　both　hands　through　his　unruly　red　thatch。　〃Are　you　sure　we're　doing　the　right　thing？〃　Once　it　was　done；　there　would　be　no　backing　out；　not　to　mention　the　danger　to　Tiresia　and　perhaps　to　all　of　Tirol。

〃The　matrix　mustn't　fall　into　Haydon's　hands！〃　Cabell　insisted。　〃Otherwise；　he'll　reduce　all　that　remains　of　the　universe　to　mere　fuel　and　raw　materials　for　his　mad　ambitions。〃

Exedore　sighed。　Cabell　was　right；　it　was　just　that　the　first　matrix　had　been　the　Holy　Grail　for　so　long；　and　the　second　had　required　such　extraordinary　striving　and　genius。　To　destroy　this　last　vestige　of　the　power　of　Protoculture　seemed　to　run　counter　to　everything　the　long　wars　and　researches　had　been　about。

〃You're　correct；　of　course。〃　Exedore　clapped　Cabell　on　the　back　tiredly。　Strange　and　sad　that　things　should　end　this　way。

And　an　end　it　would　be；　since　neither　of　them　could　survive　this　last…ditch　effort　to　thwart　Haydon's　scheme。　Exedore　thought　of　the　Micronian　stories：　Sampson　in　the　temple；　Horatio　at　the　bridge。　Exedore　and　Cabell　at　the　Second　Gen　matrix　would　outdo　all　of　those。

C