16_world_killers-第22章

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She　turned　a　hateful　expression　on　him。　〃Allies；　hell！　They're　not　the　first　beautiful　culture　to　put　up　with　rot　and　evil　in　its　midst；　just　so　people　could　have　their　aesthetics　and　their　fort　and　their　personal　peace。〃

Jack　felt　the　color　rising　in　his　face。　She's　giving　me　speeches　now？

She　looked　to　the　city　again。　〃The　glory　of　Greece　was　built　on　slavery；　did　you　know　that？　I　don't　care　what　kind　of　crap　they　tell　us　about　it；　if　I'd　been　there　I'd　have　bombed　the　Parthenon；　smashed　everything　slavery　bought　them…〃

Jack　felt　heat　flushing　his　face。　〃Penn；　don't　you　start　preaching　history　to　me！　I　was　just　saying…〃

〃Whatever　es　out　of　the　ashes　of　Glike　will　be　better　than　what　went　before；　even　if　it's　Stone　Age；　because　Haydon'll　be　a　free　planet…〃

Jack　shook　a　fist　at　her。　〃Will　you　shut　up　and　listen？　I'm　saying　I　agree　with…〃

〃Who抮e　you　telling　to　shut　up？〃

〃Penn！　Baker！　Front　'n'　center！〃

They　were　both　breathing　hard；　about　to　mix　it　up　again；　when　Rick　Hunter's　sharp　summons　cut　through　the　gathering　slugfest。　Their　training　kicked　in；　and　they　double…timed　over　to　Rick；　rifles　at　sling　arms。

Veidt　was　standing　near　the　Hunters；　and　so　was　Janice　Em。　The　Artificial　Person　had　resumed　the　aspect　of　a　Human　female。　Rick　quickly　explained　the　tactical　situation；　and　Rem's　dilemma。

〃There's　no　time　to　muster　a　full…scale　strike　at　the　Land　Cruiser；〃　Rick　finished。　〃But　Veidt's　ready　to　try　to　get　a　mando　team　in　by　carpet。　Colonel　Wolff；　the　Garudans；　and　the　Karbarrans　will　be　diverting　the　Regent's　attention　and　providing　fire　support。　Well？〃

〃Count　us　in；　S…〃　Karen　had　begun　answering　for　them　both；　by　habit；　but　she　stopped；　looking　aside　at　the　young　man　who　was　part　friend；　part　title…fight　opponent。

Jack　gave　a　slightly　insubordinate　smile　and　touched　fingertips　to　his　forehead…more　of　a　wave　than　a　salute。　〃Like　she　says；　count　us　in；　Admiral。〃

Jack；　Karen；　and　Veidt　boarded　Veidt's　poker　table…size　carpet　and　lifted　away。　Rick　didn't　even　have　time　to　turn　around；　Vince　Grant　was　standing　there。　〃Bad　news；　Rick：　Tesla　and　Burak　are　gone。〃

〃What　d'ya　mean　gone！　Gone　where？〃

Vince　was　shaking　his　head。　〃Slipped　off　while　we　were　getting　ourselves　organized。　Somebody　said　there's　a　skirmisher　ship　missing。〃

Vince　indicated　Garak　and　Pye　with　a　nod　of　his　head。　〃Those　two　claim　they　don't　know。　I　think　they're　lying；　something's　got　them　frightened；　even　more　frightened　than　the　Haydon　defenses。　Where　would　Tesla　and　Burak　go？〃

Rick　blew　his　breath　out。　〃I　don't　know；　and　we　can't　worry　about　it　right　now。　Just　put　out　an　all…points　to　pick　them　up。　And　don't　go　after　them　yourself！　I　need　you　right　here。〃

Vince　showed　disappointment。　〃Aye；　sir。〃

Rick　returned　to　his　wife　to　find　her　dealing　with　another　problem。　〃New　deepspace　blips　on　the　detectors；〃　a　Haydonite　was　saying。　〃We　think　they're　Invid。〃


The　skirmisher　ship　flew　low　over　the　contested　city；　streaking　toward　the　cluster　of　glowing；　shadow…dappled　domes　that　was　the　Invid　hive　on　the　horizon。

Burak　held　his　breath；　expecting　the　antibodies　of　Haydon　IV　to　hurl　themselves　into　the　air　at　him　at　any　second。　But　the　words　of　Veidt　came　back　to　him；　that　intent　had　everything　to　do　with　the　responses　of　the　defense　system。　And；　certainly；　Tesla's　intent　had　nothing　to　do　with　invasion　and　conquest…at　least　not　today。

Burak　was　perched　on　the　scientist's　shoulders；　gripping　his　robe　and　harness　for　dear　life；　as　Tesla　piloted　the　flier　along　at　breakneck　speed；　using　suicidal　maneuvers　to　avoid　the　mecha　and　miniature　Zor　fire…demons　that　fought　through　the　air。

Burak　had　unconditionally　accepted　that　his　planet's　fate　and　his　own　Higher　Destiny；　his　Messiahhood；　were　tied　to　Tesla's　own。

No　interceptors　or　withering　fire　rose　to　incinerate　them　as　they　sped　toward　the　hive；　Burak　felt　sure　that　Tesla's　growing　powers　had　taken　care　of　that　problem。　Tesla　brought　the　flier　in　for　a　landing　at　the　mouth　of　an　opening　that　led　into　the　central　dome。

Burak　was　beyond　any　thought　of　resistance　by　then。　Tesla　led　him　in　through　a　virtually　abandoned　hive。　What　Invid　there　were　were　disoriented　and　of　no　consequence；　they　stepped　aside；　kowtowing；　at　Tesla's　imperious　orders。

Then　the　two　arrived　in　the　most　holy　place　in　any　hive；　the　chamber　set　aside　for　those　Flowers　of　Life　that　had　blossomed；　or　held　promise　of　blossoming。　Here；　to　Tesla's　wild　exultation；　they　found　plants　that　had　actually　borne　Fruit。

Burak　had　begun　to　recognize　a　pattern；　that　the　Fruit　of　each　world　was　different　from　that　borne　on　any　other。　And　the　Fruit　brought　forth　by　the　worlds　once　touched　by　Haydon　himself…worlds　the　Sentinels　were　trying　to　free…were　the　most　pronouncedly　varied　of　all。

In　this　case；　the　Fruit　were　eggplant…purple　cylinders；　round…bottomed　and　quiveringly　gelid。　Tesla　cupped　his　hands　around　one　gently。

〃See…eee？〃　The　word　was　more　a　whispered　breath　than　a　spoken　sound。　〃See　how　the　light　shines　through　them？　These　are　new；　just　grown！　They've　bee　ripe　in　the　last　few　minutes…no　more　than　an　hour！　Not　even　the　Regent　has　tasted　such　Fruit　as　these！〃

Tesla　suddenly　turned　on　Burak；　who　was　standing　close；　watching　curiously。　The　master　scientist　struck　out　at　the　Perytonian　jealously；　a　blow　that　would　have　killed　if　Burak　hadn't　ducked。　〃Back！　You　shall　have　none！〃

Burak　backstepped　warily。　〃I　want　none。　I　only　want　you　to　keep　your　bargain。〃

Tesla　had　seated　himself　cross…legged　on　the　soft　sward　of　the　arborium；　a　little　pile　of　the　Fruits　in　his　lap。　〃Good。〃

Burak　squatted　on　his　haunches；　to　watch　Tesla　sink　his　long　snout　into　the　Fruit；　slurping　and　slobbering　at　it；　runnels　of　purple　juice　flowing　down　his　chin；　neck；　and　chest。　Soon；　something　pulsed　within　the　Invid。　In　moments；　a　light　shone　from　him　that　threw　Burak's　shadow　on　the　dome　walls。

Burak　hunkered　down；　shielding　his　eyes　a　bit；　to　witness　the　next　step　in　Tesla's　Flower…induced　metamorphosis。


CHAPTER　FOURTEEN

Lang　was　first　among　the　Humans　to　notice　it；　the　〃dovetailing；〃　as　he　called　it；　of　the　worlds　specially　touched　by　Haydon　and　those　that　held　such　interest　in　more　recent　times　for　Zor。
He　pressed　me　for　details　and　I　had　to　point　out　that　the　Zentraedi　are　the　last　ones　to　query　in　matters　of　history。　But　nonetheless　I　expressed　my　vast　yearning　to　know　the　truth　of　it　all；　and　hoped　Emil　would　e　to　feel　the　same　way。
Exedore；　SDF…3　and　Me

The　land　cruiser　rocked　from　the　force　of　a　tremendous　explosion。　Knocked　from　his　feet；　the　Regent　rose　again　in　an　even　more　furious　temper。

〃What　was　that？〃　Surely　the　Zor　antibodies　were　not　blowing　themselves　up？

A　scientist　bowed。　〃It　appears　that　some　of　the　outworlders　have　joined　in　the　battle；　Divine　One。　That　was　apparently　a　Karbarran　shuttlecraft　loaded　with　conventional　explosives　and　sent　at　us　by　remote　control。　Fortunately；　it　was　of　insufficient　power　to　penetrate　even　our　outermost　hull。〃

〃Naturally；〃　the　Regent　snapped。　The　cruiser；　bigger　than　an　aircraft　carrier；　was　a　moving　mountain　of　weapons　and　armor　on　treads　as　wide　as　a　Glike　boulevard。　He　thought　again　about　ordering　his　gunners　to　open　fire　and　raze　the　city　around　him　as　he　withdrew；　but　that　would　run　the　risk　of　attracting　the　antibodies。　His　own　life　was　all…important　to　the　Invid　cause；　far　too　vital　to　risk　for　mere　retribution。

It　was　too　bad　this　entire　part　of　Glike　seemed　to　have　been　evacuated；　he　would　have　taken　consolation　in　grinding　the　miserable　synthetics　under　his　mobile　fortress's　treads。　It　might；　in　part；　make　up　for　his　having　had　to　abandon　his　Flower　of　Life　orchards　just　as　they　were　about　to　bear　Fruit。

Perhaps　he　would　still　be　able　to　retake　his　Haydon　hive。　With　this　thought；　he　ordered　his　techs　to　relay　the　view　from　the　automatic　monitoring　equipment　inside　the　orchard。　But　where　he　had　expected　a　view　of　luxuriant　Fruit　of　the　Flower；　he　found　himself　gazing　at　an　outlandish　yet　somehow　familiar…looking　monstrosity　that　sat　gorging　itself。　Off　to　one　side　hunkered　a　young　Perytonian。

〃By　the　Protoculture！〃　the　Regent　howled。　The　two…way　channel　being　open；　the　thing　squatting　in　the　hive　orchard　looked　up　at　the　munications　pickup。

〃Ah；　the　Divine；　the　All…Knowing；　the　Omnipotent　Regent；〃　the　thing　purred。　〃Thank　you　for　your　hospitality。　How　delicious；　this　Fruit　of　yours！〃

〃T…Tesla？〃　the　Regent　whispered。

〃Yes；　Tesla！　And　soon；　you'll　know　what　the　godlike　powers　of　the　Flower　really　are；　for　Tesla　will　demonstrate　them　to　you！〃

The　Regent's　anger　was　so　great　that　he　was　tempted　to　turn　the　Land　Cruiser　around　and　go　back　to　obliterate　the　hive　and　Tesla。　But　there　was　no　time；　tactical　displays　showed　enemy　forces　overwhelming　the　city　garrison　with　the　help　of　the　accursed　Haydonite　antibodies。　The　Regent　cut　the　munications　link　with　a　smashing　blow　of　his　fist。

〃Increase　speed！〃　he　howled。

The　scientist　cowered。　〃We　are　at　maximum　speed　now；　All…Powerful　One。　Crushing　our　way　through　the　city　makes　the　going　somewhat　difficult。〃

Another　scientist　added；　〃We　have　detected　vessels　emerging　from　superluminal　drive　in　deepspace；　but　have　as　yet　been　unable　to　make　contact。〃