16_world_killers-第32章

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〃I…I　see　the　wisdom　of　what　you　say；〃　Gnea　got　out。　It　was　very　nearly　a　whisper。　〃But　don't　you　understand？　You'll　frighten　him。　Just　when　we　were　doing　so　well　with　him。〃

The　Garudan；　Quias；　growled。　〃If　we　damage　him；　it's　not　much　loss；　is　it？〃

〃No！　You're　wrong！〃　Gnea　objected　so　quickly　that　they　drew　back　a　little。　Something　told　her　that　she　had　made　a　mistake；　and　so　she　looked　around　to　where　Jack　Baker　stepped　out　of　the　shadows。

〃We're　not　sure；　but　Tesla　may　be　dying；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Those　two　Invid　scientists；　Pye　and　whosis；　Garak；　say　they　can　pull　him　through…maybe。　But　not　if　you　go　in　there　and　rough　'im　up。〃

While　the　deputation　was　wavering；　Jack　took　another　step　toward　them；　so　that　the　light　fell　across　his　face　now。　It　was　strangely　posed　and　unsmiling；　unlike　the　jaunty　young　man　they　knew。

This　Jack　Baker　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　Gnea；　smiling　at　them　with　his　mouth　but　frowning　with　his　forehead。　〃And　that　wouldn't　do　anybody　any　good；　would　it？　Put　that　weapon　away；　Graham。　Relay　my　respects　to　the　admiral；　and　tell　him　I'll　have　Tesla　on　a　remote　hookup　for　questioning　as　soon　as　he　can　stand　it。　Well？　You　heard　your　orders。〃

Rick　had　put　Jack　in　charge　of　the　Tesla　problem。　Susan　Graham　slowly　bolstered　her　pistol。　〃I　just　hope　you　know　what　you're　doing；　sir。〃

〃Move　it！〃　Jack　snapped。

He　and　Gnea　watched　the　foursome　leave；　then　made　their　way　back　to　the　partment　where　Tesla　now　dwelt。　When　they　were　sure　no　one　was　near；　they　entered。　Inside；　they　stood　with　faces　blank；　as　the　thing　before　them　threw　their　shadows　on　the　bulkhead　with　its　intense　light。

〃Well　done；　my　good　and　faithful　servants；〃　said　Tesla。


The　drop　capsule　was　a　miracle　of　the　bined　sciences　of　the　various　Sentinels　races　as　orchestrated　by　the　capable　Obu。　Despite　the　increased　Invid　sensor　surveillance　in　the　wake　of　their　defeats　on　Karbarra　and　Garuda；　the　tiny　lozenge…shape　fell　through　the　planet's　atmosphere　without　raising　a　single　alarm；　transparent　to　enemy　detectors。　In　many　ways；　the　war　had　forced　the　oppressed　to　out　excel　their　oppressors。

Rick　badly　regretted　the　limitations　to　the　new　techniques　that　restricted　the　size　of　an　〃invisible〃　drop　capsule　to　something　on　the　order　of　a　padded　mo　booth。　He　would　have　liked　to　equip　the　Ark　Angel　with　the　same　protection；　but　that　was　impossible　as　yet。

Impossible；　too；　to　arm　and　equip　Teal　and　her　son　with　Human…style　gear　for　their　espionage　mission；　where　they　were　going；　no　hardware　could　follow。

In　due　course　the　two　Spherisians　stood　next　to　their　abandoned　capsule；　looking　out　over　the　homeworld　Baldan　II　was　seeing　for　the　first　time。

It　was　a　prismatic　landscape；　reflecting　and　refracting　and　breaking　into　spectra　the　light　of　Blaze；　the　planet's　primary。　Human　and　Invid　and　other　offworlders　required　visors　or　other　eye　protection　there；　so　they　weren't　blinded　by　the　furious　splendor　of　it　all；　but　Baldan　II　gazed；　unblinking　and　unshielded；　on　the　planet　he　had　never　glimpsed　before。

The　capsule　lay　on　a　beach　that　scintillated　like　a　field　of　stars；　each　infinitesimal　grain　throwing　back　its　white　or　multicolored　rays。　The　sea　that　crashed　against　the　shore　was　as　unreal　as　some　puter　construct；　so　radiant；　its　hues　so　quick…changing。　Distant　mountains　shone　like　luminescent　fountains。

Baldan　felt　his　mother's　hand　on　his　arm。　He　turned　to　see　Teal　wearing　an　expression　he　had　never　seen　on　her　before。

The　arrival　in　the　capsule　had　driven　home　to　her；　as　nothing　else　had；　how　serious　her　circumstances　and　her　son's　were。　What　was　bewildering　her　was　that　she　was　unexpectedly　more　concerned　about　his　well…being　than　her　own。　That　was　a　mon　phenomenon　among　some　of　the　other　races；　of　course…look　how　the　Karbarrans　had　agonized　over　the　fate　of　their　young…but　it　was　new　to　her；　and　troubling　since　it　involved　an　offspring　she　had　never　wanted。

When　had　she　e　to　love　her　son？　Teal　couldn't　recall；　and　yet　there　was　an　abrupt　welling…up　in　her；　and　a　desperate　fear　for　his　safety。　If　the　capsule　had　been　capable　of　a　return　trip　to　Ark　Angel；　she　would　have　taken　it　with　Baldan；　or　at　the　very　least　sent　him　back。

But　the　road　back　was　closed　to　them；　they　knew　that　when　they　volunteered。　Teal　studied　the　gemstone　landscape　for　a　moment；　then　pointed。

〃There。〃　She　set　off　toward　a　seam　of　crystal　that　had　been　upthrust　by　a　rift　in　the　planet's　surface。　Baldan　hurried　to　catch　up。　By　the　time　he　did；　his　mother　was　standing　before　the　glorious　light　of　the　stratum　and　undressing。

〃Wh…what。。。〃　he　fumbled。　Something　within　him　was　calling　out；　and　something　within　Spheris　was　answering。　But　he　didn't　know　how　to　be　a　part　of　the　symphony　all　around　him。

Teal　stood　unclothed…her　chiton　fluttering　down　around　her　ankles…but　not　naked。　She　stepped　free　of　the　garment　and　was　like　a　magnificent　beacon；　moving　toward　the　exposed　seam　before　her　with　arms　spread　wide　as　if　to　embrace　a　lover。

She　turned　to　her　son。　〃e；　time　for　you　to　travel　the　Crystal　Highways。〃

Baldan　threw　aside　the　half　tunic　he　wore。　As　his　mother　did；　he　pressed　himself　flat　against　the　glittering　rock。　The　planet　sang　to　them　in　high；　clear　tones。

For　a　moment　they　were　half　merged　with　it；　like　Mesoamerican　bas…reliefs。　In　another　moment　they　were　gone；　leaving　their　discarded　clothing　and　the　empty　capsule　behind。　The　only　sound　was　the　flashing　sea　striking　rainbow　surf　from　the　diamond…dust　sand。


〃Well！　My　dear；　dear　General　Edwards！　What　a　delightful　surprise！〃

Edwards　held　his　face　in　unrevealing　lines；　forcing　himself　not　to　curl　his　lip　at　the　green　goop　streaming　off　the　Regent…the　nutrient　bath；　or　royal　jelly；　or　whatever　the　hell　it　was　these　maggots　liked　to　splash　around　in。

He　also　contained　his　anger。　The　Invid　ruler　had　taken　his　own　sweet　time　about　answering　the　general's　transmission；　as　if　knowing　that　he　had　the　Human　at　a　disadvantage。

〃Things　here　have　bee　rather。。unterproductive；〃　Edwards　said；　tight…lipped。　〃I　think　it　best；　strategically；　that　we　unite　our　forces　at　once。〃

〃Ah。〃　The　enormous　liquid　black　eyes　betrayed　nothing　as　the　Regent　inspected　the　man。　〃In　that　case；　do　e　here　to　the　Home　Hive；　by　all　means！　Er；　how　many　ships　will　you　be　bringing；　and　how　many　troops？〃

Edwards's　jaw　muscles　jumped。　〃There's　been　trouble　here。　I'll　require　a　bit　of　assistance。〃

Something　moved　up　to　sit　next　to　the　Regent…a　Hellcat　of　extraordinary　size；　wearing　a　jeweled　collar。　The　ones　destroyed　in　the　Haydon　IV　battle　had　been　replaced；　Edwards　surmised。　〃How　inconvenient；〃　the　Regent　clucked。

The　Invid　threw　his　arms　wide。　〃Because；　as　you　can　see；　you're　about　to　miss　out　on　the　opportunity　to　serve　the　One　True　Ruler　of　the　Universe！　My　life　will　be　a　roll　call　of　triumphs！　All　Creation　will　grovel　at　my　feet；　as　my　courtiers　do　even　now！〃

He　lowered　his　voice　craftily。　〃And　then　won't　my　wife；　my　precious　Regis；　e　begging　for　forgiveness；　eh？〃

Edwards　saw　only　an　empty；　echoing　hall　in　the　background　behind　the　Regent。　Great　suns！　He's　mad　as　a　march　hare！

But　he　was　the　general's　only　hope　for　survival。　〃I　want　you　to　think　for　a　moment　what　will　happen　if　the　council　gets　me　now。　The　REF　will　be　reconsolidated　into　a　pure　fighting　force　with　nothing　holding　it　back；　and　there'll　be　nothing　to　stop　the　bined　forces　of　the　near　stars　to　e　after　you！　Am　I　getting　through　to　you？〃

It　seemed　he　had。　The　Regent　swayed　for　a　moment；　a　new　clarity　ing　into　his　voice。　〃We　can't　have　that；　can　we？〃

〃I　want　you　to　send　your　army　to　get　me　and　the　people　loyal　to　me；〃　Edwards　pressed　on。

The　Invid　asked　guilelessly；　〃But　why　should　I；　when　you　have　an　army　of　your　own　right　there？〃

The　Invid　Brain！　The　Inorganics！　〃Damn　you；　explain！〃　Edwards　grated。　〃There's　no　time　for　games！〃

The　Regent　wasn't　so　demented　that　he　had　missed　Edwards's　point　about　the　REF；　he　activated　controls　at　his　end　of　the　connection　that　displayed　instructions　at　Edwards's　end。

〃Do　stay　in　touch；〃　the　Regent　bade　him；　and　his　image　vanished。

But　Edwards　was　already　busy；　switching　on　the　Living　puter；　the　artificial　Brain　the　Invid　had　left　behind　under　Tirol　in　the　wake　of　their　defeat。　His　personal　guards　looked　on　uneasily　as　the　massive　globe　of　specialized　tissue　came　to　life　in　its　vat。

From　the　catab　rooms　where　the　inert　Inorganics　had；　at　his　mand；　been　stored　like　so　much　cordwood；　Edwards　heard　stirrings。

His　lips　drew　back　from　his　teeth　in　a　canine　smile；　his　good　eye　became　glassy。　He　looked　as　insane　as　the　Regent。


CHAPTER　TWENTY

Consider　humble　clay。
Small　amounts　of　it　can　speed　chemical　processes　by　a　factor　of　10；000。　Its　phenomenally　intricate　layered…sheet　structure　gives　one　pound　（Earth　norm）　of　it　as　much　total　surface　area　as　fifty　football　fields。　It　can　store　information　as　patterns　of　ions。　It's　perfectly　plausible　that　self…replicating　crystals　brought　forth　a　〃proto…organism〃　as　the　jumping…off　point　of　life　on　Spheris。
But　those　who　travel　the　Crystal　Highways　are　unimpressed　with　such　theorizing。　They　explain　it　all　with　a　name。
A。　Jow；　The　Historical　Haydon

〃Max！　Pay　attention！〃

〃Uh？〃　He　blinked。

Jean　Grant；