18_the_end_of_the_circle-第38部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



She　reminded　herself　of　the　Sterlings'　encounter　with　the　Black　Knight；　though。　What　hope　was　there　for　Roy　if　he　became　part　of　the　Regis's　lab　experiments？　Or　if　Haydon　took　over？

The　shuttle　and　acpanying　VT　and　Zentraedi　arrived　on　the　hangar　deck　to　find　Louie's　cybernaught　team　under　close　arrest…having　surrendered；　apparently；　because　outside　interference　in　the　confrontation　between　Louie　and　Lang　was　impossible　now…and　most　other　people　trying　to　sort　themselves　out。

〃We've　got　a　team　by　the　main　hatch　to　the　partment　where　Lang　and　Nichols　are；〃　Men　reported　a　bit　shakily；　〃but　as　yet　they　can't　get　it　open。　Some　kind　of　cyber…stunt。〃　He　glared　at　Louie's　fellow　grid…gallopers；　who　did　not　ap璸ear　to　notice。

〃Never　mind　that　for　now；〃　Vince　said。　〃WeVe　got　to　detour　around　that　partment　and　get　back　to　the　drive　section。　Are　the　new　patch…ins　rigged？〃

An　engineering　officer　who　looked　like　she　was　not　old　enough　to　vote　reported；　〃The　teams　are　almost　ready；　sir。　I've　had　my　people　leave　a　lot　of　leeway　in　the　leads　and　cables；　because　nobody　seems　sure　just　where　the　drives'll　be　situated　when　they；　um；　appear。〃

IF　they　appear；　Vince　amended；　but　kept　it　to　himself。　There　was　also　the　possibility　that　the　SDF…3's　spacefold　drives　would　show　up　upside　down　or　something；　but　there　was　not　much　point　worrying　about　that。　〃Very　good。〃

The　Sterlings　were　still　clinging　to　one　another；　but　Aurora　tugged　to　free　herself。　〃I　have　to　go　aft　with　the　others。　But　I　wish　you'd　e。〃

Rick　and　Lisa　knelt　by　Roy。　Lisa　ran　her　fingertips　through　the　boy's　fine　hair。　Rick　told　his　son；　〃Don't　be　afraid；　we're　gonna　be　right　there　with　you。〃

He　was　already　tugging　at　their　hands。　〃We　haveta　hurry！〃

Rick　had　already　directed　Colonel　Vallenskiy　to　remain　in　mand　in　the　TIC；　Lisa　had　left　Raul　Forsythe　conning　the　bridge。　They　both　stood；　each　taking　one　of　the　boy's　hands；　and　hugged　each　other　quickly　and　very　urgently。

Just　then　there　was　a　message　over　the　PA。　Karen　Penn；　who　with　Jack　Baker　was　leading　the　security　team　that　was　covering　the　partment　containing　Lang　and　Louie　Nichols；　reported；　〃Admiral；　something's　happening　in　there。　I'm　not　sure　what。〃

The　rest　of　it　was　lost　in　the　sudden　soaring　of　sound；　the　rising　vibrations…that…were…not…vibrations；　that　shook　the　ship。　Light　seemed　to　e　from　everywhere；　and　someone　screamed。　Wind　squalls　swept　the　vessel。　All　at　once　there　were　radiant　vortices　everywhere；　shooting　back　and　forth　at　high　speed　like　living　things；　going　through　solid　bulkheads　without　any　perceptible　resistance。

Vince　bellowed；　〃All　right；　stations　everybody！　Stand　to！　Let's　do　it；　people！〃
The　flux…storm；　or　whatever　it　was；　abated　a　bit；　and　people　rushed　off　to　their　stations。　Scott　and　Marlene　went　with　the　party　headed　for　the　drive　section；　as　did　a　lot　of　the　XT　Sentinels　and　Zentraedi。　Even　Veidt　and　Vowad　went　along。　Rem；　Minmei's　hand　in　his；　was　following　step　by　slow　step　when　another　light…storm　struck。

This　one　was　different；　a　cloud　of　lumens　that　closed　in　around　them　alone；　and　none　of　the　others　seemed　to　notice。　Minmei　screamed；　cringing　to　her　knees；　arms　closed　protectively　around　her　middle。　Rem　knelt　next　to　her；　eyes　slitted　against　the　onslaught。

The　cloud　became　a　face　that　Rem　recognized。　The　Regis　looked　down　emotionlessly　at　the　two。

NO；　YOU　WON'T　BE　SAVED。　ALL　YOUR　PLANS　WILL　E　TO　NOTHING。　THIS　IS　THE　MOMENT　OF　MY　TRIUMPH　AND　YOUR　EXTINCTION。

〃No！〃　Rem　howled。　He　hauled　Minmei　to　her　feet　to　seek　shelter；　but　when　he　started　off；　she　pulled　in　another　direction。　〃That　way！　That　way！〃

They　left　the　cloud　behind；　though　there　were　still　swirls　of　fury　around　them。　Minmei　led　the　way　down　one　passageway　and　then　another　until　they　came　to　a　quarters　hatch。　Rem　hit　the　release　and　on　the　other　side　found　a　pistol　leveled　at　him。

Bowie　stared　down　the　barrel。　Rem　felt　his　pulse　pound；　waiting　for　the　blast。　After　a　long　hesitation；　though；　Bowie　bit　out；　〃Close　it。　Seal　it　behind　you。〃

Rem　saw　then　that　Musica　was　trying　to　fort　Allegra；　both　Muses　huddled　together　in　the　lower　bunk。　Bowie　reholstered　the　sidearm；　saying；　〃I　don't　know　what's　happening；　but　I　know　I　want　the　Singers　and　me　together　when　it　does。　No　more　soldiering　for　me。〃

His　eyes　flicked　to　Minmei。　〃What　brought　you　back？〃　She　was　sobbing；　shaking　her　head；　chest　racked；　unable　to　tell　him。　Maybe　she　could　not　have　even　if　she　hadn't　been　crying。　Rem　took　her　into　his　arms。

Bowie　went　to　where　his　pact　synthesizer　keyboards　were　set　up　next　to　the　glowing　Cosmic　Harp。　〃Well；　maybe　you　just　wanted　to　be　played　out　with　some　song。　Good　a　way　to　go　as　any。〃

His　fingers　touched　keys；　evoking　full；　uplifting　chords。　〃It's　what　I　was　planning　on。〃

Minmei　swiped　back　the　limp　hair　from　her　eyes；　lifting　her　head。　〃Yes。　Music。〃

Rem　helped　her　over　to　where　she　could　slump　into　a　seat　near　Bowie　and　sat　stroking　her　shoulder；　back；　and　face。　Bowie　played　a　melody　she　knew；　and　she　lifted　her　voice。　At　least　she　could　give　her　unborn　baby　that　much。

Minmei　lost　herself　in　the　words　for　a　few　bars；　shutting　out　the　rest　of　the　world；　until　she　realized　that　Musica　had　sat　to　stroke　notes　from　the　fine　lines　of　resplendence　that　were　the　strings　of　the　Cosmic　Harp。

Musica　sang；　too；　and　in　a　few　more　moments　Allegra　joined　in。　The　SDF…3　shook　and　jolted；　distant　shrieks　and　wails　rang　from　far…off　bulkheads；　doomsday　light　anomalies　impinged　again　and　again　at　the　edges　of　their　song。　But　within　it；　for　the　moment；　the　music　somehow　kept　them　safe　from　the　terminal　spasming　of　the　Shapings；　from　the　probings　of　the　Regis　or；　perhaps；　only　from　her　malice；　from　the　rift…energies　as　newspace　drew　in　realtime's　structure；　and　from　the　desperation　and　despair　claiming　so　many　others　aboard　the　SDF…3。


In　the　drive　section；　techs　were　being　ordered　back　to　stand　along　the　bulkheads　and　everybody　was　donning　headgear。　There　was　no　time　for　much　else　in　the　way　of　safety　precautions　like　getting　all　hands　into　spacesuits　and　no　telling　what　sort　would　be　needed。

Pinwheels　of　ghostly　pastel　flame　swooped　and　buzzed　through　the　cavernous　partment　like　startled　birds；　the　mental　sounds　and　the　jarring　of　the　SDF…3　were　increasing。

The　children　had　formed　their　circle　of　power　once　again；　this　time　with　Aurora　as　a　link　between　Roy　and　Drannin。　They　were　situated　off　in　one　corner　of　the　partment　in　the　hope　that　they　would　be　out　of　the　way　of　danger。　The　parents　moved　back；　Lisa　releasing　Roy's　shoulder　only　after　Rick　put　his　arm　around　her。

Rick　tried　to　get　Jack　or　Karen　on　the　inter　to　find　out　what　was　happening　at　Lang's　sanctum；　but　all　munications　seemed　to　be　down。

The　children　had　taken　up　a　new　chant；　the　eerie　glow　of　their　eyes　brightening。　Rick　could　not　hear　it　over　the　astral　storm　that　blew　and　crashed　around　them；　then；　leaning　closer；　did　hear。

Ro…bo…tech；　Ro…bo…tech；　Ro…bo…tech　。。。

The　children　had　picked　their　mantra；　their　source　of　power　and　unity；　their　psychic　spell　word　and　focus；　something　about　it　made　the　parents；　the　techs；　and　the　rest　stand　a　bit　straighter；　hold　their　chins　a　little　higher。　Lisa　felt　Rick　squeeze　her　hand　and　saw　that　his　eyes　were　glistening　with　tears。

The　chant　became　louder　than　the　astral　storm　not　in　sheer　decibels　but　in　the　minds　of　those　gathered。　Their　physical　surroundings…the　drive　ancillaries；　the　bulkheads…fell　away　in　a　panorama　of　boiling　psi…stuff；　and　the　children　forced　back　the　curtain　with　their　unity；　searching。

Ro…bo…tech！　Ro…bo…tech！　Ro…bo…tech！

The　perceptual　mist　fell　away　and　they　saw　the　SDF…3's　drive　housing；　like　a　phantom；　translucent　and　insubstantial；　there　where　it　had　once　been。

Angelo　Dante　sent　up　a　cheer；　feeling　a　personal　stake　in　the　matter　of　the　drives；　and　was　the　first　one　to　grab　a　connector　cable　as　thick　as　his　own　upper　arm；　ready　to　hook　up。

But　Gnea　held　him　back；　just　as　Vince　Grant　and　some　of　the　others　called　out　for　everybody　to　keep　their　distance。　The　drives　were　still　insubstantial；　the　children　had　not　fully　materialized　them　yet。

The　chant　became　more　intense；　and　the　drives　took　on　solidity。　They　became　opaque；　then　substantial。

And　then　the　sky　opened　up。

The　Regis　looked　down；　anger　somehow　showing　forth　from　her　blank　mask　of　a　face。

I　HAVE　BROUGHT　YOU　HERE；　AND　HERE　YOU　WILL　REMAIN；　RAW　MATERIALS　FOR　MY　TRANSFORMED　NEWSPACE！

Long　cyclonic　whips　of　otherworldly　force　lashed　in　at　the　drives　from　everywhere；　striking　at　their　housing。　The　children's　chant　wavered；　became　unsure。　The　drives　lost　substance　once　more　and　faded；　the　ectoplasmic　storm　closed　in。

But　the　Regis's　face　remained　above　those　gathered　below。　I　WILL　BROOK　NO　MORE　INTERFERENCE！

Around　each　child　a　dark　corona　grew　as　the　Regis　sought　to　waft　them　away　into　her　own　zone　of　existence。　The　chant　faltered；　the　children　fighting　her　will；　but　the　coronas　became　darker　and　darker　still。

Like　dozens　of　others；　Rick　and　Lisa　leapt　forward　to　save　the　children　but　rebounded　from　a　barrier　of　force　that　enpassed　the　circle。　Lisa　watched；　helplessly　sprawled　on　the　deck；　as　Roy　and　the　rest　faded　from　view　into　night。

In　the　partment　holding　Lang's　vault　module；　Louie　Nichols　zeroized　his　goggles'　transparency　and　threw　his　forearm　across　them　for　good　measure。

The　brightness　was　too　intense　for　sight　to　have　any　coherence；　anyway。　At　the　ground　zero　of　Lang's　ultimate　Protoculture　act；　Louie　found　himself　perceiving　things　with　new　and　different　senses。

He　beheld　the　end　of　Lang　by　immersion　in　the　Protoculture。　In　the　end；　the　man's　expanded　intellect；　colossal　as　it　was；　was　overshadowed　by　his　boundless　delight　in　the　elegance；　subtlety；　and　mystery　of　the　universe　and　of　life　itself。

As　Jovian　as　those　things　were；　though；　Lang　had　been　right；　somehow；　Louie　sensed　that　Lang's　essence　was　no　more　than　a　single　snowflake　against　the　endless　winter　vista　of　the　Shapings。　The　single　particle　that　had　been　Lang　floated　away　to　bee　part　of　the　Shapings；　the　man　himself　lost　and　gone　forever。


Because　the　nature　of　Haydon　had　not　been　intended　for　the　transition　to　newspace；　the　sphere　ships　exerted　unique　adaptive　energies　to　the　transit。

Negotiating　perilous　intercontinua　missures；　they　endured　and　wended　toward　their　destination　but　accumulated　more　and　more　excess　psi…quanta　in　their　force　envelopes。　It　was　not　unlike　a　skier　building　up　more　momentum　than　was　desired　and　finding　himself　unable　to　shed　it。

The　sphere　ships　would　either　reach　the　bottom　of　their　hill　with　incalculable　mental　energy　potential　or　perish　in　a　failure　that　would　destroy　everything；　everywhere；　everywhen。


Lisa　watched　her　son　pulled　from　sight　without　even　the　hope　that　she　could　sacrifice　herself　to　save　him；　without　even　the　hope　that　she　would　have　his　body　to　mourn　over。

Then　something　changed　the　world　of　ectostorm　and　mind　blast　there　in　the　violence　of　the　drive　partment；　something　that　called　the　unleashed　fury　to　heel　for　an　instant　and　calmed　the　cataclysm　for　a　beat。　Lisa　knew　what　it　was；　but　it　took　her　a　moment；　in　her　stunned　state　to　fix　words　to　it。

Life　is　only　what　we　choose　to　make　it
Let　us　take　it
Let　us　be　free！


Lisa　heard　Rick　croak；　〃Minmei！〃

By　the　time　Lisa　had　levered　herself　up　and　looked　around；　there　were　indescribably　sweet　notes　backing　Minmei's　silvery　voice　and　other　voices　chiming　in。

Minmei　stood　near　the　hatch；　looking　scared　and　weary　and　haggard；　but　she　clung　to　Rem；　who　bore　her　up；　and　she　became　a　pure　instrument　for　her　song。

We　can　find　the　glory　we　all　dream　of；
And　with　our　love；
We　can　win！　

Musica　and　Allegra　wove　their　spell　behind　hers。　The　Cosmic　Harp　danced　like　a　starry　spiderweb　under　Musica's　fingers。　Giving　it　all　a　kind　of　human　interface　was　Bowie；　eyes　closed；　drawing　lofty　chords　from　the　synth…keyboard　slung　over　his　shoulders。

Scarcely　aware　of　it；　Lisa　also　took　in　Jack　and　Karen　and　Harry　Penn；　all　of　them　apparently　out　of　breath　and　hunkered　down　near　the　harp。　Of　course；　it　hadn't　just　levitated　itself　there。

But　her　thoughts　were　all　for　Roy　and　the　kids；　Lisa　looked　back　to　see　the　dark　coronas　fade　a　bit；　the　children　still　sitting　in　their　places。

As　Minmei　let　her　song　take　flight；　the　chant　came　up　beneath　it；　somehow　merged　with　it？

Ro…bo…tech！　Ro…bo…tech！　Ro…bo…tech！


CHAPTER　THIRTY？SEVEN

The　quick　and　the　dead…we're　both！
Remark　attributed　to　Rick　Hunter　at　the　Intersection

Rick　threw　himself　at　his　son；　dreading　the　barrier　that　would　hurl　him　back　again。

But　this　time　he　made　it；　passing　through　a　sort　of　resistance　area；　a　membrane。　He　went　down　on　one　knee　next　to　his　son。　〃Roy；　try　again。　Try　for　the　spacefold　drives　again！〃

Roy　left　off　the　chant；　though　the　others　kept　it　up；　to　look　at　his　father　with　glowing　eyes。　〃We're　trying；　Daddy。　But　that　lady；　the　Regis…she　put　them　someplace　that　we　can't　find　them。〃

〃Keep　looking；　they　have　to　be　somewhere。〃

God；　what　was　he　doing；　giving　psi…search　pointers　to　his　superkid？　But　he　couldn't　help　it；　he　had　to　do　something；　bed　to　keep　them　in　the　fight。

〃The　drives　might　be　anyplace；　Roy；　anyplace　in；　um；　space　or　time！　Look　everyplace。〃

Then　he　quailed　a　bit　as　tentacles　of　astral　malignance　and　and　quested　overhead；　the　Regis　trying　to　reach　the　children　again。　But　Minmei's　song　kept　them　at　bay。

Rick　realized　that　his　son　was　tugging　at　his　arm。　〃Daddy；　we　found　them。　We　looked　across　time；　'n'　we　looked　across　space。〃

〃What？　Buddy；　you're　beautiful！〃　Rick　didn't　know　if　he　was　laughing　or　crying。　〃Can　you　bring　'em　back？〃

As　an　answer；　Roy　pointed。　Outlines　were　appearing；　an　enormous　containment　casing　ing　into　existence。　Cheers　began　around　the　partment。

Rick　came　to　his　feet；　ready　to　start　lending　a　hand　hooking　up　the　fold　drives。　He　was　going　to　give　a　cheer　himself　until　he　realized　that　something　was　not　right。

Others　were　beginning　to　see　it；　too；　especially　engineering　types。　The　casing　took　on　more　and　more　substance；　and　one　by　one　people　in　the　drive　section　understood　what　they　were　looking　at。　Rick　had　never　actually　seen　the　object　he　now　beheld；　but　he　had　certainly　seen　enough　holographs；　schematics；　tapes；　and　such。

〃Christ；〃　he　whispered。

〃We　got　them；　Daddy！〃　Roy　squealed　delightedly。

〃Y…you　sure　did；　old…timer。〃　And　solved…and　created　one　of　the　great　mysteries　of　the　Robotech　Age。

We　will　win！　Minmei's　song　hit　a　crescendo　and　stopped。

The　original　fold　drives　from　SDF…1　sat　there；　big　as　ten　diesel　lootives　and　just　as　solid。　Lisa　was　staring　at　them；　speechless；　as　techs　approached　them　tentatively。　Then　she　blurted；　〃Careful！　They　may　still　be　hot。〃

She　meant　thermal　energy；　not　hard　radiation；　but　the　heat　was　quite　minimal。　Not　bad；　she　decided；　seeing　that　as　far　as　the　drives　themselves　were　concerned；　they　had　just　finished　taking　the　SDF…1　on　a　jump　from　Earthspace　to　the　orbit　of　Pluto。

They'd　been　snatched　from　that　instant　directly　to　this　one；　though　decades　had　passed　in　the　interim。

〃Oke…〃　Vince　Grant　finished　gulping；　and　tried　again。　〃Okay！　A　fold　drive's　a　fold　drive。　Let's　get　'em　hot…wired。〃　People　hopped　to　it。

Pursued　by　the　Zentraedi；　the　SDF…1　had　attempted　a　fold　jump