18_the_end_of_the_circle-第41部分

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If　you've　been　lucky　enough　to　get　a　seat　at　Bowie　Grant's　Blue　Harp　Lounge　to　hear　Musica　and　Allegra　sing　and　play　along　with　him　or　have　caught　them　on　tour；　you　know　how　well　they're　doing　and　why。


One　of　the　tenser　moments　occurred　as　Angelo　Dante　set　off　to　introduce　Gnea　to　his　parents。　He　was　so　nervous　that　she　offered　to　change　into　more　conservative　Earth　garb　（and　a　lot　of　us　were　all　set　to　pitch　in）；　but　Angie　said　no；　quite　an　independent　move　for　him。　We　all　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　when　they　fell　in　love　with　her。

The　visit　was　rather　hasty；　though；　since　Gnea　was　being　rushed　back　to　New　Praxis　（Optera）　by　special　courier　ship璱ncluding　the　penalty　weight　of　the　fruitcake　from　Angie's　folks…to　brief　Bela　on　all　that　had　happened…

…and；　of　course；　to　help　take　care　of　all　those　little　Invid　they've　got　running　around　once　more。

Jean　Grant　once　spoke　of　pieces　of　the　puzzle　fitting　together；　and　there's　probably　no　more　prominent　example　of　that　than　New　Praxis。

For　some　reason　the　Regis　didn't　suffer　the　delay　in　time　that　we　did；　and　when　the　altered　Shapings　permitted　her/his　Race　to　return　to　spacetime；　I　suppose　it's　no　surprise；　they　came　full　circle…and；　from　what　we　can　tell；　took　on　the　original　state　in　which　Zor　found　them。

The　Second　Gen　Flowers　of　Life　bloom　there　now；　with　hordes　of　little　Pollinators　to　make　sure　they　bloom。　（Dana　keeps　insisting　that　one　in　particular　is　hers　and　hers　alone；　and　the　critter　seems　to　feel　the　same　way。）　Anyhow；　everybody's　happy　the　Pollinators　are　sacred　beasts　on　New　Praxis　these　days；　protected　by　the　brawny　arms　of　warrior　women；　because　the　galaxy　has　had　enough　of　Protoculture。

Riding　herd　on　all　this　is　a　graying　Bela；　with　Gnea　taking　up　the　reins　bit　by　bit。　And　their　fighters；　women　who've　lost　a　world；　now　posting　guard　over　creatures　whose　only　desire　is　to　be　left　alone：　there's　a　higher　symmetry　to　that。

Because；　surely；　this　is　the　fate　we　all　felt　the　Regis　cry　out　for　back　there　at　the　Intersection。　We　don't　probe　into　the　Invid　hive　life；　but　I　suspect　She　lives　there　someplace　inside　Optera；　more　happily　now　than　at　any　time　since　Zor　came。

I　do　not　ask；　though；　for　anyone　to　pursue　these　questions。　And　yet　there　e　reports；　fourth…and　fifth…hand；　that　a　new　entity　is　being　brought　to　life　down　there　in　the　hive。　From　what　little　the　Intel　officers…kept　conscientiously　at　bay　on　the　surface…can　tell；　it　is　a　male　who　will　have　the　capacity　to　erase　or　perhaps　refurbish　certain　chemical/energy　memory　systems。

A　new　and　better　Regent？


On　another　front；　Gnea　promised　to　build　quarters　in　Zanshar　just　for　Angie's　parents　so　that　they　can　visit　whenever　they　please。　And　feel　guilty　about　not　being　there。　I　suspect　Gnea's　figuring　on　a　few　daughters　to　keep　Angie　busy　and　perhaps　give　him　a　new　perspective　on　women。


The　Sentinels　see　each　other　infrequently　now；　not　because　we're　sedentary　but　rather　because　so　much　more　is　happening　everywhere。　The　Zentraedi；　of　course；　are　based　on　Fantoma　but　can　be　found　anywhere　heavy…g　operations　are　going　on；　especially　in　monopole　ore　mining。　Their　numbers　increase　at　a　far；　far　slower　rate　than　in　the　days　of　cloning；　but　from　what　I　hear；　they　still　favor　their　new…timeless璵ethod　of　reproducing。

The　survivors　are　just　starting　to　live…all　of　us。

Drannin　is　looking　more　and　more　like　Breetai　every　day。　He　still　shows　those　glowing　eyes；　though；　as　do　all　the　SDF…3　children。　Their　psi…abilities　and　other　exceptional　attributes　of　strength；　speed；　and　dexterity　continue　to　increase。　They　can　still　giggle；　but　at　other　times　they　seem　to　have　their　glowing　eyes　fixed　on　some　far　horizon　the　rest　of　us　can't　see。

Does　the　name　〃Darwin〃　strike　a　bell？

The　human　race…and　others…are　ready　for　a　new　and　different　kind　of　leap　across　the　stars；　a　peaceful　one　this　time；　and　these　glow…eyed　children　of　ours　are　proof。

That　was　part　of　the　reason　we　went　forth；　wasn't　it？　To　find　out　what　we　could　ultimately　bee？　In　any　case；　Roy　II　forgets　to　brush　his　teeth　if　Rick　or　I　don't　remind　him；　even　if　he　can　argue　spacetime　algorithms　with　Louie　Nichols。　And　bedtime　is　still　bedtime；　the　kid　gets　a　swat　on　the　landing　gear　if　he's　being　too　muley。

Keeps　us　all　humble。


I　suppose　I　was　looking　the　other　way；　but　it　seemed　like　I　was　the　only　one　surprised　when　Aurora　ran　for　Interworld　Council　and　became　the　youngest　representative…elect　ever。　She's　not　maturing　at　her　accelerated　rate　anymore；　but　no　one　appears　to　care。

Max　and　Miriya　are　Earth's　ambassadors　to　Tirol/Fantoma；　of　course；　so　they　get　to　see　Aurora　all　the　time。

Which　sounds　good　to　an　old　lady　whose　son　and　husband　seem　to　spend　most　of　their　hours　in　that　damned　old　Fokker。　Somehow；　the　little　Dr。　1　triplane　made　it　through　the　whole　newspace　dustup；　stowed　away　down　there　in　a　hold　in　SDF…3。　Roy…my…darling…boy　handed　Rick　the　wrenches　and　whatnot；　and　Rick　put　some　kind　of　power　plant　into　that　kite　that　makes　it　do　things　Manfred　von　Richthofen　could　only　dream　about。

They're　up　in　it　most　of　their　waking　hours；　as　Roy　feasts　on　the　wonders　of　Earth。　I'm　invited　along　whenever　I　want　to　go　（and　intrude　upon　the　male　bonding？　Thanks；　Rick！）；　but　my　editor　keeps　yelling　about　this　deadline。

We　didn't　e　home　to　paradise；　there　are　still　crises　and　suffering　and　conflict；　but　it's　a　very　different　world；　a　different　galaxy；　from　the　one　we　left　when　we　entered　newspace。

Louie　Nichols　once　confided　to　me　that　he　thought　the　Shapings　had　e　to　an　end；　that　a　certain　cycle　of　downfall；　redemption；　and　renewal　had　played　out　to　its　finish；　leaving　us　to　make　our　own　Shapings　from　now　on。

I　like　the　sound　of　it。


Looking　back　over　this　manuscript；　I　see　there's　no　way　I　can　fit　in　every　detail。

Such　as：　that　boisterous　exploratory　tour　Exedore　and　Cabell　took；　the　pink…haired　Lantas　mother…henning　them；　here　on　Earth；　and　Cabell's　newfound　dotty　passion　for　classic　rock　music　（who　can　explain　the　Presley　fixation？）。

Or　the　story　of　how　the　Haydonites…those　saved　from　the　wreckage　of　their　world…have　bee　a　sort　of　wandering　interstellar　Peace　Corps。　Much　of　their　effort　went　into　helping　Earth　and　New　Praxis　rebuild。


The　people　at　New　Random　House　are　just　going　to　have　to　understand　that　I　can't　write　CLOSE…FILE　to　this　one；　among　other　things；　work　on　SDF…4　is　nearing　pletion。

Vince　Grant；　Crysta；　and　Baldan　will　be　here　any　minute　to　take　me　upstairs　for　another　inspection　tour。　Soon　we'll　know　whether　the　saga　of　Protoculture　made　itself　felt　in　the　Andromeda　Galaxy　or　if　things　there　are　a　new　story　entirely。

When　I　joined　the　service；　no　woman　had　ever　manded　a　spacecraft…of…the…line。　Through　luck　and　the　turn　of　events　and　a　bit　of　merit；　I've　manded　the　greatest　vessels　Earth　ever　put　into　space。　Having　achieved　that；　I'm　not　ready　to　hand　it　over　yet。

Check　back　with　me　in　another　ten　years　or　so。

Rick　made　me　watch　Roy　Fokker's　favorite　old…time　movie；　Things　to　e；　and　that　〃Which　shall　it　be？〃；　speech　at　the　end　never　fails　to　make　the　two　of　us　tear　up　a　bit。　But　at　least　now　we　know　the　answer　to　the　question　posed　by　Raymond　Massey；　and　it　is　one　worthy　of　the　human　race。

Still；　I　can't　get　it　out　of　my　mind　that　one　part　of　this　story　hasn't　been　finished　and；　it　seems；　never　will　be。　As　least　not　in　my　lifetime。

。　。　。　but　her　songs　play　on　after　her。　And　the　universe　listens　。。。


The　Flowers　grew　best　up　on　the　hill　near　where　the　SDF…3　fold　drive　casing　sat。

Minmei　liked　going　up　there　to　sit　and　think　and　to　sing　into　the　dark　spaces　cast　by　the　casing's　mighty　shadow；　especially　now　that　her　time　was　drawing　near。

The　second　bubble　in　newspace；　shielded　from　the　in　Human　forces　of　Haydon's　new　natural　laws；　was　very　different　from　that　in　which　the　Elders　passed　their　eons。　Perhaps　some　of　the　materials　came　from　the　sphere　ships；　in　any　event；　Minmei　and　Rem　reigned　now　over　a　worldlet　enpassing　a　small　island　and　a　tiny　sea。

They　wandered　it　at　their　pleasure。　Even　though　the　lifeforms　there　were　alien；　there　was　nothing　to　hamper　them　on　the　land　or　menace　them　in　the　sea；　the　new　dominion　was　benign。

Why　Haydon　had　chosen　to　leave　the　drives　there　on　the　hilltop；　they　were　not　sure；　some　godly　whim；　perhaps。　They　had　no　reason　to　plain；　though；　as　they　had　no　reason　to　plain　of　the　gentle　climate　or　the　passage　of　the　warm　sun　across　the　seemingly　infinite　sky。　At　night　the　stars；　nebulas；　ets；　and　frequent　meteors　entertained　them；　though　they　suspected　that　the　show　was　all　illusion。

Rem　examined　the　Flowers　of　Life　that　grew　around　the　silent　drives　and　pronounced　them　harmless；　pollinated；　soon　they　would　bear　fruit。


Every　now　and　then；　at　night；　they　could　hear　the　yips　of　Pollinators　playing　around　on　the　hillsides；　but　the　little　beasts　took　fright　and　fled　when　they　heard　Rem　and　Minmei　ing。　She　took　no　offense　and　knew　no　despair；　she　had　all　the　time　in　the　world　to　win　their　confidence。


Rem　was　sitting　in　thought；　off　at　the　end　of　the　point；　watching　waves　break　on　the　reef。　He　often　did　that；　and　she　let　him。

He　had　built　a　simple；　plete…fortable　life　for　them　both；　using　their　world's　resources　and　the　tools　and　materials　that　the　invisible　Haydon　had　provided…had　left　waiting　against　their　first　moment　of　reawakening。　She　loved　Rem's　pany　but　did　not　begrudge　him　his　solitude。

And　she　valued　her　own。　Minmei　sang　to　the　little　life　in　her　womb；　sang　all　the　songs　she　knew。　The　songs　would　bee　a　part　of　the　being　within。

The　songs　would　bee　a　part　of　everything　he　did　or　fashioned。

And　in　the　end　Minmei's　songs　and　voice　would　bee　a　part　of　the　Protoculture　itself…the　key　to　it。

Her　glimpse　of　the　Intersection　and　the　inevitable　nature　of　the　Shapings'　cycle　had　imbued　in　Minmei　a　sense　of　acceptance。

Even　heredity　conspired。　Rem's　genetic　structure　had　been　altered　from　that　of　the　original　Zor；　but　now；　in　joining　with　hers；　it　would　produce　the　man　who　would　change　the　universe。　Not　a　duplicate　or　clone　but　Zor　himself。　

Minmei　did　not　understand　by　what　process　her　baby　would　bee　that　man；　but　Rem　seemed　certain　of　it　and　the　inevitability　of　it。　Raydon；　he　would　say；　and　then　he　would　go　down　to　the　sea　to　be　by　himself　for　a　while。

Minmei　turned　to　the　long　shadow　cast　by　the　drives　and　sang　a　note。　Something　moved　iridescently　in　the　shadows　far　out　beyond　her　worldlet's　atmosphere。　It　was　enormous；　something　felt　rather　than　seen。

Minmei　knew　what　Rem　was　thinking：　of　the　suffering　and　strife　that　would　begin　when　Zor　grew　to　manhood。　But　she　herself　was　not　so　sure。　The　Shapings　had　fallen　away；　and　perhaps　that　meant　that　Reshapings　could　bring　things　to　a　better　resolution。

As　she　sat　plucking　idly　at　the　petals　of　a　Flower　of　Life；　a　sudden　thought　struck　her。　A　woman　can　have　more　than　one　child。

She　heard　a　distant　hail；　Rem　was　trotting　along　far　below；　ing　up　the　beach　to　help　her　down　the　steep　hillside　trail。　Minmei　uttered　another　note　into　the　darkness；　there　seemed　to　sit；　for　an　instant；　an　Optera　undefiled　by　Masters'　wars　or　Sentinels'　counterattacks。　And　beyond　it　was　a　galaxy　at　peace　with　itself。

Waiting　for　her　child。　Bit　by　bit；　she　was　getting　them　perfect。　Out　in　the　vastness；　working　as　an　artisan　to　shape　her　vision；　the　Awareness　of　Haydon；　left　behind　by　Him　to　carry　out　this　specific　function；　waited　patiently　to　form　a　new　and　more　perfect　Creation；　in　harmony　with　her　song。

She　did　not　know　yet　whether　this　cosmos　she　was　shaping　would　replace　the　one　she　had　known　or　stand　as　an　alternative。　She　did　not　know　if　it　would　be　the　one　into　which　her　son　would　enter。

But　a　woman　can　have　more　than　one　child。

Minmei　let　the　note　die　away；　and　the　darkness　came　forward　again；　to　conceal　her　work。

She　went　to　sit　on　a　rock；　cooled　by　the　sea　breeze；　and　wait。　As　she　sat；　she　sang。

THE　END
Published　by　New　Random　House　2156　（Earth　actual）


ROBOTECH　CHRONOLOGICAL　SUMMARY　
1171　Aeon　Lanack
Zor　is　born　on　Tirol。

1256…1490　A。　L。
Quadrant　exploration　by　the　Tiresian　technovoyager　ship　Azstraph…the　〃Venture。〃

1520　A。　L。
The　Azstraph　enters　the　Tzuptum　system　and　inserts　itself　into　orbit　around　Optera。　Zor　encounters　the　Flower　of　Life；　makes　contact　with　the　Invid；　and　seduces　the　secrets　of　the　Flower　from　the　Queen　Mother；　the　Regis。

1697　A。　L。
The　Azstraph　returns　to　Tirol。　Zor　begins　to　experiment　with　the　Flower　specimens　he　has　brought　with　him　from　Optera。

1755…1836　A。L。
Zor　conjures　Protoculture　from　the　Flower　and　eventually　falls　victim　to　the　pulsion　placed　upon　him　by　the　Tiresian　Council　of　Elders。　Origin　of　the　Cult　of　the　Three…in…One　and　ascendancy　of　the　Robotech　Masters。　Fall　of　the　Royal　Hall；　as　the　period　known　as　the　Great　Transition　mences。

1920　A。　L。
Development　of　the　spacefold　drive。

6　Aeon　〃Robotech〃
Creation　of　Tirol's　clone　population　and　neural　reprogramming　of　the　Zentraedi　miner　giants。

88　A。R。
The　razing　of　Optera　by　the　Zentraedi。

157…500　A。R。
Consolidation　of　the　empire　of　the　Robotech　Masters。　The　Invid；　after　a　burst　of　monocellular　reproduction；　declare　war　on　the　Robotech　Masters。

566　A。R。
Zor's　voyages　deliver　him　to　Haydon　IV；　where　he　has　a　profound　encounter　with　the　planetoid's　artificial　sentience；　the　Awareness。

Zor　designs　and　builds　the　starship　that　will　e　to　be　called　SDF…1；　and　backed　by　a　group　of　loyal　Zentraedi　begins　his　〃quiet　rebellion〃　against　the　Masters。

Zentraedi　mander　in　chief　Dolza　forms　an　uneasy　alliance　with　Zor；　who　has　by　now　bee　hopelessly　addicted　to　the　dried　leaves　of　the　Flower。

580…640　A。R。
Zor's　clandestine　seeding　attempts　take　him　to　Peryton；　Karbarra；　Praxis；　Garuda；　and　Spheris。

671　A。R。
Zor　steals　the　single　extant　Protoculture　matrix　from　Tiresia　and　conceals　it　within　the　spacefold　drives　of　the　SDF…1。　The　fortress；　with　its　skeleton　crew　of　loyal　Zentraedi；　is　folded　from　Tirol's　corner　of　the　galaxy。

1999　（Earth　actual）
An　alien　spaceship　crash…lands　on　Earth；　effectively　ending　almost　a　decade　of　Global　Civil　War。　Originally　called　〃The　Visitor；〃　the　ship　is　dubbed　Super　Dimensional　Fortress　I…the　SDF…1。

Dr。　Emil　Lang；　after　an　initial　recon　of　the　ship　（in　the　pany　of　Roy　Fokker；　Henry　Global；　T。　R。　Edwards；　and　others）；　begins　to　unravel　the　secrets　of　the　extraterrestrial　science　known　as　Robotech。

Macross　Island　bees　the　focal　point　of　Robotechnology；　and　restoration　mences　on　the　SDF…1。

In　another　part　of　the　galaxy；　Zor　is　killed　by　Invid　soldiers　during　a　Flower　of　Life　seeding　attempt。　The　Zentraedi　Breetai　is　wounded　during　the　same　raid。　mander　in　chief　Dolza　orders　mander　Reno　to　return　Zor's　body　to　the　Robotech　Masters　on　Tirol。

Instellar　war　with　the　Invid；　whose　homeworld；　Optera；　has　been　defoliated　by　the　Zentraedi；　continues　to　chip　away　at　the　fringes　of　the　Masters'　galactic　empire。

2002
Destruction　of　Mars　Base　Sara。　Lisa　Hayes's　fiance；　Karl　Riber；　is　killed。　Lisa　turns　17。

Development　of　the　reconfigurable　Veritech　Fighter。

On　Tirol；　Cabell　〃creates〃　Rem　by　cloning　tissue　from　Zor。　The　Masters；　too；　have　their　way　with　Zor's　body；　cloning　tissue　for　their　own　purposes　and　extracting　from　the　scientist's　residual　cellular　memories　a　vision　of　Earth…destination