16_world_killers-第44章

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a　vacant　hold。　The　altar　appeared　to　be　the　unadorned　spacefold　mountings；　presided　over　by　Benson；　one　of　Edwards's　aides。

The　pickup　followed　Edwards　as　he　went　to　the　altar。　Waiting　for　him　there　was　Minmei；　still　wearing　the　clothes　she　had　worn　in　her　cell　but　with　the　addition　of　a　veil　improvised　from　gossamer　antivermin　netting。

The　pickup　zoomed　in　on　Minmei。　She　seemed　a　little　pale；　but　her　eyes　were　bright　and　adoring　as　she　took　the　general's　hand。　She　turned　to　the　camera　for　a　moment。

〃Good…bye；　Jonathan。　I've　found　happiness　at　last。　I　do　really　think　it's　time　you　go　home　to　the　family　you　deserted　and　try　to　make　amends　to　them；　don't　you？〃

Then　she　and　Edwards　knelt　before　Benson；　as　he　raised　his　arms　to　the　crowd　and　intoned；　〃My　fellow　Edwardsian　warriors；　we　are　gathered　here…〃

The　mo　link　was　broken　at　the　SDF's　end。

Wolff　was　sobbing　and　shaking　his　head。　〃It's　a　trick！　It's　a　phony　tape；　or　he's　got　her　drugged！〃

〃Intel　officer？〃　Breetai　snapped　crisply；　turning　to　his　staff。

〃Voice…stress　and　imagery…interpretation　puters　confirm　authenticity；〃　a　giant　tech　officer　answered。　〃No　indications　of　coercion　or　chemical　manipulation。〃

〃That　can't　be！〃　Wolff　howled；　then　put　his　face　in　his　hands。　Some　of　the　other　Humans　got　him　off　the　bridge。

Breetai's　eyes　stayed　with　his　instruments　in　the　vain　hope　that　a　power　failure　or　a　change　of　mind　would　put　Edwards　back　within　his　grasp。　He　castigated　himself　for　not　giving　in　to　one　of　his　hundred　impulses　to　kill　the　man；　despite　his　Zentraedi　oath　of　fealty　to　the　REF。

And　he　felt　a　pang　of　sorrow　for　Wolff。　Breetai；　as　much　as　anybody；　knew　what　hurt　the　love　of　Minmei　could　inflict。


The　Crann；　Scrim；　and　Odeon　watching　the　wedding　service　hadn't　the　vaguest　idea　what　it　meant；　so　they　weren't　surprised　when　the　bride　went　berserk；　just　as　the　soft　music　began　to　play。

The　Humans　did　understand；　but　tried　to　ignore　her　rising　shriek　as　she　leapt　up　from　her　kneeling　position　and　turned　on　Edwards；　trying　to　claw　out　his　good　eye。　Edwards　hissed　out　a　few　perfunctory　vulgar　words　as　he　fended　her　off。　The　two　Hellcats　flanking　the　altar　backed　away；　spitting。

He　had　e　so　close。　Experimenting　with　the　power　of　the　Invid　Brain　he　now　controlled；　he　had　learned　how　to　bend　Minmei　to　him。　The　effort　had　taken　the　major　part　of　his　will…to　the　point　where　the　Inorganics　were　little　more　than　awkward　puppets…because　somewhere　deep　inside；　Minmei　was　fighting　him　every　inch　of　the　way。

It　had　almost　been　perfect；　his　Living　puter　control　of　her　made　it　almost　seem　as　if　she　really　loved　him。

It　was　that　damned　music！　Song　had　always　been　her　unique　power；　and　when　the　bland　strains　played　over　the　PA　system；　the　innermost　part　of　her　began　to　sing　along。　With　that；　she　had　thrown　off　his　hold　over　her　in　moments。　He　fought　to　reassert　it；　but　something　told　him　that　she　would　never　be　vulnerable　to　that　particular　kind　of　domination　ever　again。　Not　while　the　voice　within　her　lived。

Edwards　lost　patience　and　swung　his　fist。　Minmei　dropped；　senseless。　He　tried　to　insinuate　his　mind　into　hers；　greedy　to　have　her　as　his　living　puppet　again。　But　the　song　was　still　there；　he　was　shut　out　of　her　mind　and　her　love　forever。


Minmei　came　to　blearily　in　disfort　and　pain。　She　felt　like　vomiting　as　she　blinked　her　eyes　open。　It　took　seconds　to　realize　where　she　was　and　what　had　happened　to　her。

She　was　shackled　to　a　crudely　hewn　wooden　X　that　had　been　erected　on　the　bridge　of　Edwards's　stolen　starship。　Before　her　were　the　screens　and　consoles；　and　loyal　Ghost　Riders　who　ignored　her　moans。

Edwards；　noticing　that　she　had　e　around；　left　his　mand　chair　to　put　his　hand　under　her　chin。　〃I　want　you　to　enjoy　the　ride；　darling；〃　he　said；　showing　his　teeth。　〃After　all；　you're　my　most　important　passenger。〃

The　soul…song　that　protected　her　from　him　had　made　him　remember　how　her　voice　played　a　pivotal　role　in　Earth's　victory　in　the　Robotech　War。　Undeniably；　Fate　had　been　working　in　his　favor　when　he　fought　to　take　her　with　him　on　Tirol。　In　addition　to　the　SDF；　his　own　loyal　troops；　the　Brain；　and　the　Inorganics；　he　had　the　secret　weapon　that　had　won　the　war！

Now　the　problem　was　how　to　use　it。　〃My　beloved；〃　he　added；　kissing　her　cheek；　tasting　the　salt　tears　there。

Deep　within；　her　newfound　patience　settled　in　again；　so　that　she　could　wait　however　long　it　took；　bear　whatever　she　had　to；　until　she　could　kill　him。


〃We　asked　you　here；　mander　Grant；〃　Lang　said；　〃because　we　require　your　opinion。　Despite　the　setback　of　Edwards's　mutiny；　we　shall　be　ready　soon　to　send　an　expedition　back　to　Earth。　The　new　ships　will　be　quite　space…worthy　within　weeks。〃

〃But…the　fold　drives…〃　Vince　objected。

Exedore　tut…tutted。　〃They　are　already　pleted；　as　in　fact　was　the　one　for　the　ship　Edwards　pirated。　The　drives　are　all　in　safekeeping　here　in　Dr。　Lang's　plex。〃

Strolling　along　in　the　middle　of　Lang's　Robotech　wonderland；　Vince　rumbled　with　laughter。　Good　old　Lang；　one　jump　ahead　all　the　way！

But　a　sudden　thought　stopped　Vince。　〃I　hope　you　gentlemen　aren't　about　to　ask　me　to　volunteer。〃　Much　as　he　ached　to　go　home　to　his　son　and　the　world　he　loved　best；　to　leave　without　Jean　was　unthinkable。

〃No；　no〃　Exedore　was　saying；　placing　a　small　hand　in　the　center　of　that　massive；　V…shaped　back。　〃But　we　want　your　opinion　on　the　person　we　have　chosen。〃

He　explained　quickly　the　circumstances　of　Edwards's　escape　as　Breetai　had　relayed　them。　〃And　the　Valivarre　will　be　making　planetfall　soon。　We　want　to　put　Jonathan　Wolff　in　overall　mand　of　the　expedition　back　to　Earth。〃

The　REF　was　an　expedition；　it　sounded　strange　to　be　talking　about　an　expedition　home。　But　the　more　Vince　thought　about　it；　the　more　logical　a　choice　Jonathan　was；　what　with　Rick　and　Lisa；　Max　and　Miriya　unavailable　and　Vince　himself　unwilling。

If　reports　were　true；　then　Wolff　had　no　motive　to　stay　and　every　reason　to　go　home　again；　reunite　with　his　family；　and　put　Minmei　and　the　REF　behind　him。　More　to　the　point；　he　was　a　brilliant　and　capable　mander…diligent　and　honest。

And；　with　the　threat　of　the　Invid　and　the　Robotech　Masters　on　the　loose；　somebody　had　to　carry　the　warning　to　Earth。　There　had　been　no　reply　from　Carpenter's　expedition；　it　was　time　for　a　recon　in　force。

〃I'd　say　that　for　once；　Hobson's　Choice　has　given　us　a　winner；〃　Vince　told　them。


CHAPTER　TWENTY…SEVEN

The　more　information　we　accrue　on　the　subject　of　the　being　known　as　Haydon；　the　more　convinced　I　am　that　my　work　is　only　beginning。
Dr。　Emil　Lang；　personal　notes　on　the　SDF…3　mission

〃Listen　to　me；　honey：　I　want　you　to　push　again　now。　Okay？〃

Miriya　caught　her　breath；　stopped　sobbing；　and　nodded。

〃That's　my　girl；〃　Jean　Grant　said；　the　encouragements　automatic　as　she　concentrated　on　her　job。　〃Max；　are　you　holding　her　hand？〃

〃Yes。〃　Max　and　Miriya　exchanged　finger　squeezes；　but　hers　was　so　weak。

〃Okay；　Mommie　and　Daddy；　let's　do　it；〃　Jean　said。　〃Bear　down；　hon。〃

Miriya　did；　biting　her　lower　lip　until　it　bled；　then　groaning　in　pain。　No　battle　wound　had　ever　given　her　suffering　like　this；　no　enemy　torture　could　be　more　horrible。

Jean　didn't　have　time　for　an　indecent　turn　of　phrase。　Medical　advances　had　made　the　safe；　relatively　painless　delivery　of　babies　a　run…of…the…mill　thing；　but　those　advances　didn't　apply　to　a　Zentraedi　woman　impregnated　by　a　Human　male　when　by　all　rights　it　should　have　been　impossible。　Or　a　gestation　period　that　only　lasted　a　few　months　but　had；　by　all　indications；　e　to　full　term。　Or　a　pregnancy　that　had　e　close　to　taking　the　mother's　life　several　times　for　no　discernible　reason。

〃What　is　it？　What's　wrong？〃　Max　asked　Jean；　as　there　was　a　flurry　of　activity。　He　couldn't　see　what　was　happening　from　where　he　sat　by　Miriya's　end　of　the　delivery　med…table；　holding　her　hand。

〃We're　bringing　a　baby　into　the　world。　Isn't　that　worth　giving　your　wife　a　kiss？〃　Jean　said　distractedly　through　her　mask。　But　inside；　she　despaired。　Miriya　was　hemorrhaging　badly；　and　nothing　Jean　could　do　seemed　to　help。

Miriya　screamed；　and　Max；　clasping　her　hands　and　babbling　words　of　reassurance；　saw　her　eyes　rolling　up　into　her　head。　He　ripped　his　own　mask　off。

〃Mir！　Mir！　Don't　do　this！　Please　please；　stay　with　me！〃

She　began　convulsing；　and　Jean；　checking　the　vital　signs；　thought；　We're　losing　her。

Max　was　bending　against　his　wife；　holding　her　head　to　his；　weeping　and　begging　her　not　to　die。　〃Jean；　do　something！〃

〃Shhhh！　I'm　trying；　Max。〃　But　it　was　hopeless。

Don't　worry；　Mother；　I　am　with　you。

Max　wiped　his　eyes。　〃Wh…what'd　you　say；　Jean？〃

〃I　didn't　say　anything；　Max。　I　thought　you　did。〃　The　nurses　and　techs　and　two　other　attending　physicians　had　nothing　to　add。

Put　your　minds　at　rest。　All　will　be　well；　you'll　see。

Jean　didn't　have　time　to　wonder　if　she　was　going　nuts…hearing　voices　directly　in　her　mind。　Miriya's　convulsions　stopped　and　her　vital　signs　rose　and　stabilized。　The　hemorrhaging　slowed　to　a　trickle；　then　ceased。

And　other　developments　continued。　There　were　a　few　busy　seconds；　but　Miriya　went　through　them　with　her　eyes　closed　and　a　blissful　smile　on　her　face。

〃You've　got　yourselves　a　beautiful　little　daughter；　folks；〃　Jean　said。　Th