16_world_killers-第45章

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sful　smile　on　her　face。

〃You've　got　yourselves　a　beautiful　little　daughter；　folks；〃　Jean　said。　The　child　was　crying　heartily。　Miriya's　eyes　opened　and　she　and　Max　laughed　and　wept；　hugging　each　other。

But　Jean；　seeing　to　the　umbilical　word；　felt　a　cold　wind　blow　through　her。　She　was　no　obstetrician；　but　she　had　delivered　plenty　of　babies。

And　this　was　the　first　newborn　she　had　ever　seen　e　into　the　world　already　breathing；　with　eyes　open　and　teeth　already　sprouting。

The　baby　moved　feebly；　but　its　eyes　fixed　on　hers。

Thank　you；　Jean；　that　same　voice　said。


〃We　have　to　move　with　all　deliberate　speed；　Admiral；〃　Burak　told　Rick　in　a　controlled/impatient　tone。　〃Tesla's　efforts　to　liberate　Peryton　are　wele；　of　course；　and　I'm　grateful　that　he's　led　the　vanguard；　but　I　am　the　one　who　has　been　chosen　by　Destiny　to　free　my　people　and　bee　their　Lord。

〃While　I　sympathize　with　the　Spherisians　and　the　rebuilding　they　must　do；　the　fact　is　that　they　have　been　freed；　while　my　folk　lie　under　a　terrible　curse。　You　can　see　my　point；　I'm　sure。〃

Burak　was　cleaned　up　and　dressed　in　new　garments；　Jack　Baker's　blood　washed　from　his　horns。　Rick　had　been　avoiding　him　for　days；　but　at　last　the　Perytonian　had　buttonholed　him；　on　his　way　to　another　strategy　meeting。

〃Um；　I　see　what　you　mean；　Burak。　I'll　make　sure　everyone　in　the　leadership　understands。〃

〃Please　see　that　you　do。　I　will　await　word　in　my　quarters。〃

Burak　turned　and　strode　off　in　kingly　fashion；　followed　by　a　few　of　his　people。　Rick　couldn't　figure　out　if　they　were　just　humoring　Burak　out　of　loyalty　and　pity；　or　if　they　really　believed　all　his　claptrap　about　being　the　messiah　of　his　planet。

Certainly；　nobody　could　disabuse　him　of　the　conviction　that　Tesla　had　gone　off　to　begin　the　liberation　of　Peryton；　even　when　they　showed　Burak　the　tracking　plots　on　Tesla's　escaped　ships　headed　in　the　direction　of　Optera。

Rick　had　been　ready　to　chalk　it　all　up　to　Tesla's　hypnosis；　or　whatever　the　Invid　used；　but　Gnea　and　Jack　showed　no　signs　of　any　residual　effects　while　Burak　was　still　walking　around　talking　like　a　locked…ward　case。　He　shrugged　to　himself；　and　made　a　note　to　have　security　keep　surveillance　on　the　Perytonians。

Ironically；　Burak's　home　planet　was；　at　long　last；　next　in　line　on　the　Sentinels'　long　campaign。　But　before　that　battle　could　be　mounted；　the　Sentinels　had　to　tend　to　their　wounded　and　bury　their　dead。　There　were　also　repairs　to　make　to　Ark　Angel；　mecha；　weapons；　and　equipment。

And；　despite　his　increasing　behavioral　quirks；　Burak　was　being　more　cooperative　in　that　he　and　his　followers　showed　more　willingness　to　answer　the　intel　officers'　specific　questions　about　their　homeworld。　Though　the　general　consensus　was　that　they　were　holding　back　a　lot；　the　Perytonians　had　given　the　rest　of　the　Sentinels　more　to　ponder　with　regard　to　that　tragic；　cursed　planet。

There　was　also　the　plight　of　the　Spherisians　to　consider：　their　cities　in　ruins；　their　economic　and　industrial　infrastructure…the　aboveground　portion；　at　any　rate…wrecked。　Though　they　could　survive　in　the　planet's　interior　and　rebuild　on　their　own；　in　time；　the　Sentinels　felt　it　their　duty　to　help　the　Spherisians　as　much　as　possible　before　lifting　off。

A　partial　message　had　been　received　from　Max　Sterling；　and　though　Rick　and　Lisa　were　gone　at　the　time；　they　were　overjoyed　to　hear　that　Miriya　had　given　birth　to　a　baby　girl　the　couple　had　named　Aurora。　The　tape　of　the　transmission　was　fuzzy　and　broken　up　by　static；　but　Rick　thought　Max　looked　troubled；　even　though　mother　and　daughter　were　both　reported　to　be　doing　fine。


Of　more　importance　to　the　mission　was　the　fact　that　the　Haydonites　had　established　intermittent　contact　with　Karbarra。　The　big　ursinoids　there　had　many　of　their　technical　problems　licked；　and　production　of　REF…type　mecha　and　smaller　craft　was　due　to　start　within　weeks…as　was　construction　of　a　prototype　SDF…7　class　cruiser。　That　didn't　change　the　Perytonian　invasion　timetable；　but　it　heartened　the　Sentinels…the　Human　members　in　particular。　The　fleet　that　would　take　them　home　was　now　a…building！


The　Regent　paced　through　his　vaulted　organic　halls；　followed　by　his　faithful　bodyguard。　He　had　lost　all　contact　with　Spheris；　and　could　guess　the　rest。

He　had　issued　orders　to　strip　all　outposts　and　planetary　garrisons；　to　bring　home　every　Invid　trooper　to　protect　the　Home　Hive。　But　he　knew　that　if　an　enemy　was　on　its　way　from　Spheris；　there　was　no　time　for　reinforcements。

He　stood　at　last　before　the　Special　Children；　the　bio…manipulated　embryos　left　behind　by　the　Regis　with　the　exhortation　that　he　let　them　grow　into　what　she　had　intended　them　to　be；　and　respect　the　things　she　had　designed　into　them。

〃Bah！　What　use　are　they　to　the　Invid　if　the　Home　Hive　falls？〃　He　had　refrained　from　violating　her　wishes　in　the　constant　hope　that　someday　she　would　return　to　him；　he　preserved　her　Special　Children　as　a　sign　of　his　longing　for　her。　But　what　good　to　honor　her　request　if　it　meant　his　defeat　and　death？

He　swept　his　hand　out　at　the　ranks　and　ranks　of　silent；　glistening　eggs。　〃Quicken　and　hatch　them！　Feed　in　the　richest　nutrients　and　do　all　other　things　to　maximize　their…potential！〃

He　spun　on　his　bowing　entourage。　〃See　to　it　that　all　defenses　are　prepared　and　on　alert。　And　make　ready　my　bat　armor。〃

If　it　was　his　fate　to　preside　over　the　end　of　the　Invid　empire；　he　would　see　that　it　didn't　overtake　him　gently　or　at　small　cost。


Once　Jack　was　out　of　danger　from　his　wounds；　his　love…hate　relationship　with　Karen　began　swinging　quickly　back　to　its　old　sweet…and…sour　tune。

There　were　a　couple　of　days　there…he　was　awake　on　and　off；　but　in　guarded　condition　and　as　weak　as　a　kitten…when　she　was　actually　sweet　to　him。　Especially　when　he　managed　a　little　sheepishly；　〃Thanks　for　riding　to　the　rescue；　Lancelot。〃

However。。。

〃As　soon　as　I'm　well　enough　to　do　anything　about　it；　y'turn　back　into　Attila　the　Penn；〃　he　sneered。

She　eluded　his　embrace　nimbly　and　threw　a　clean；　bundled　uniform　in　his　face。　〃The　doc　says　you're　on　convalescent　status　now；　you　drooling　sex　fiend；　so　you're　gonna　convalesce。　Veidt's　flier　meets　us　on　the　roof　in　ten　minutes；　so　move　it；　Mister！〃

Jack　started　undoing　his　hospital　gown；　but　she　was　out　the　door　before　he　could　moon　her。

Actually；　his　first　excursion　out　of　sick　bay　promised　to　be　the　trip　of　a　lifetime。　Numerous　Sentinels　had　already　made　the　journey；　all　had　received　heartfelt　invitations　from　the　grateful　Spherisians。

It　so　happened　that　today　was　the　first　day　the　Hunters　could　get　away　to　make　the　pilgrimage；　and　Gnea；　hearing　that　Jack　was　to　go；　decided　to　e　along；　too；　for　a　second　visit。　Burak　announced　with　august　dignity　that　it　was　only　fitting　that　he　witness　the　most　guarded　shrine　in　Spheris。　Veidt；　his　flier　repaired；　felt　it　was　a　good　time　for　a　test　flight。

Teal　and　Baldan　II；　learning　who　would　be　on　Veidt's　flier；　insisted　on　showing　the　Sentinels　around　personally。

Veidt　was　perfectly　fortable　hovering　several　inches　off　the　deck；　but　seats　like　long…legged　director's　chairs　had　been　provided　for　others。　In　addition；　a　picnic　lunch　lay　in　a　pile　of　thermal　canisters　at　the　rear　of　the　bubble…domed　passenger　space。

〃Still　not　ready　for　volleyball；　Baker？〃　Rick　asked　innocently　as　Karen　helped　Jack　to　his　seat。　Jack　snorted　a　laugh　and　then　groaned　in　pain；　but　he　didn't　plain；　it　was　just　the　sort　of　thing　he　had　done　to　other　people；　and　he　had　no　intention　of　being　accused　of　dishing　it　out　but　not　being　able　to　take　it。

Though　Karen　might　abuse　Jack；　however；　she　wasn't　about　to　see　anybody　else　do　so。　〃Admiral！　Unless　there're　enough　people　here　with　matching　blood　types　to　give　Lieutenant　mander　Baker　transfusions　in　the　event　he　should　rupture　a　gut；　Sir；　I　respectfully　suggest　we　go　easy　on　him。〃

Rick　coughed　behind　his　hand　to　hide　his　grin。　〃Of　course；　quite　right。〃　Lisa　elbowed　Rick；　then　looked　out　over　the　devastated　but　rebuilding　Beroth；　throbbing　silently　with　laughter。

The　ice…cream…cone　flier　took　them　out　across　the　crystal　countryside；　to　a　volcanic　chimney　the　Spherisians　had　opened　so　that　their　liberators　could　see　their　greatest　treasure。　They　descended　past　sights　as　wonderful　as　anything　they　had　seen　on　their　journeys　so　far。

At　last　they　came　to　rest　with　the　narrow　promenade　flange　that　encircled　the　little　passenger　dome　even　with　a　cut…glass　walkway。　They　were　miles　deep；　yet　the　temperature　was　fortable；　the　air　pressure　little　different　from　that　above。　Rick　wanted　to　ask　how　that　could　be；　but　he　was　sure　the　Spherisians　would　only　confuse　him　again；　as　they　had　the　Sentinels　engineers　and　scientists。

The　party　stepped　out　and　followed　Teal　and　her　son　along；　through　an　immense　archway　of　lava　pulled　and　braided　like　multiple　strands　of　taffy。　On　the　other　side；　they　all　fell　mute　except　for　a　few　loud；　indrawn　breaths。

No　outworlder　had　ever　seen　that　representation　of　Haydon　until　the　Sentinels　were　invited　into　the　lower　domains　of　Spheris。　It　was　set　in　the　middle　of　a　cavern　from　which　light　shone　in　darts　bright　enough　to　bother　the　eyes　of　the　non…Spherisians。　It　stood　in　the　polished；　faceted　glory　of　the　planet's　most　beautiful　gem　setti