15_death_dance-第28章

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an　Wolff。
Footnote　in　Zens　Bellow's　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

An　Invid　ship；　a　small　shuttle；　had　docked　at　Haydon　IV's　spaceport　facility。　The　Regis　had　been　told　that　it　was　from　Garuda…and　bearing　gifts。

She　was　in　her　temporary　headquarters　high　atop　one　of　the　city's　ultratech　architectural　wonders　when　news　of　the　ship's　arrival　was　delivered　to　her。　Out　of　reach；　she　liked　to　think；　distanced　from　the　cold；　unsettling　presence　of　the　planet's　armless；　hovering　creatures；　the　displaced　and　still　discontent　Praxian　Sisterhood；　her　own　disforting　discoveries。。。And　out　of　the　Regent's　reach；　his　dark　schemes　and　mad　plans。

But　if　anything；　Haydon　IV　had　only　pounded　the　misery　she　had　carried　here　from　Optera　and　Praxis。　She　felt　at　the　mercy　of　a　confused　longing　she　could　not　define；　a　need　to　break　free　of　this　horizonless　condition。

She　supposed　that　she　should　have　been　grateful　that　Haydon　IV's　inhabitants　hadn't　in　any　way　trifled　with　her　or　denied　her　anything；　but　neither　had　they　accepted　her　as　the　evolved　being　she　fancied　herself　to　be。　It　was　more　accurate　to　say　they　had　tolerated　her　presence…as　if　they　were　all　privy　to　some　grand　arcane　mystery　she　couldn't　even　discern；　much　less　unravel。　And　furthermore　she　sensed　that　this　had　something　to　do　with　the　world's　equally　mysterious　founder/creator…Haydon。　The　databanks　she　had　searched　for　answers　to　her　own　evolutionary　puzzles　gave　some　glimpse　into　his　life；　but　hardly　enough　to　form　a　plete　portrait　of　the　being。　And　she　confessed　to　a　certain　trepidation　at　expanding　her　efforts　along　these　lines。　Already　the　very　foundation　of　her　own　life's　work　had　been　shaken　by　what　she　had　uncovered　in　Haydon's　transphysical　musings；　and　all　at　once　she　felt　too　unsure　of　herself　and　her　ambitions　to　permit　much　more　in　the　way　of　contradiction。　There　were　hints；　though；　that　she　was　not；　as　she　had　imagined；　in　control　of　things；　that　the　theft　of　the　Flowers；　the　Invid's　quest；　even　Zor's　misdeeds；　were　but　part　of　a　much　grander　design…one　in　which　she；　too；　did　little　more　than　play　out　a　role。　And　that　role。。。that　role　demanded　she　accept　that　what　she　sought　was　not　the　Flowers　of　Life；　but　the　stuff　that　had　been　conjured　from　them　by　Zor　himself…the　Protoculture。

As　she　saw　it…as　she　wanted　to　see　it…Protoculture　was　a　malicious　energy；　a　malignancy　that　did　nothing　but　fuel　the　war　machine　of　the　Masters　and　her　deluded　ex…husband。　To　see　it　as　more　would　be　to　admit　she　had　been　wrong　after　all；　that　the　Regent's　course　was　the　truer　one；　the　predestined　one。

And　suddenly　he　had　sent　her　some　sort　of　gift。

She　was　pacing　the　floor　like　a　caged　beast　now；　waiting　for　the　unsolicited　thing　to　be　brought　up　to　her。　Finally；　two　of　her　husband's　〃scientists〃　were　admitted　to　her　quarters；　she　recognized　one　of　them　as　a　master　she　had　herself　evolved　for　the　express　purpose　of　overseeing　Flower　gathering　on　Garuda…another　of　the　cursed　worlds　Zor　had　for　some　reason　seen　fit　to　cultivate。

〃Your　Grace；〃　the　scientist　directed　up　to　her；　bowing。　〃The　Regent　regrets　that　he　could　not　be　here　in　person　to　bestow　his　gift。〃

The　Regis　made　a　scoffing　sound。　〃If　he　had　e　in　person；　I　wouldn't　be　here　to　receive　him。　Now；　have　the　thing　brought　in　and　take　your　leave；　underling。〃

〃Of　course；　Your　Worship；〃　the　scientist　said；　bowing　once　more。　〃Only　it　is　not　so　much　a　'thing'。。。〃

〃What　then？〃　she　asked　him；　arms　akimbo。

〃More　in　the　way　of　a　live　presentation…but　one　that　will　surely　prove　most　enlightening。〃　The　scientist　shouted　a　few　quick　mands　over　his　shoulder；　and　two　Invid　soldiers　marched　into　the　room。　Sandwiched　between　them　was　a　small　Tiresioid　male；　narcotized；　so　it　appeared。

Puzzled；　the　Regis　reduced　her　stature　some　to　get　a　better　look　at　him。　One　of　the　soldiers　tilted　the　Tiresioid's　face　up　for　her　inspection。

It　was　Zor。

A　tight　scream　worked　its　way　up　from　the　very　depths　of　her　being；　and　she　came　close　to　losing　consciousness；　falling　back　from　the　soldiers　and　their　terrible　trophy　and　crashing　against　a　municator　sphere。

〃A　clone；　Your　Grace；　a　clone！〃　the　scientist　was　shouting；　aware　of　the　Regis's　distress。　〃We　meant　you　no　ill。〃

〃How　dare　you！〃　she　bellowed；　frightfully　enough　to　send　both　soldiers　and　scientists　to　their　knees；　and　Rem　face…first　to　the　floor。

〃We　subjected　the　clone　to　the　Garudan　atmosphere　and　discovered　that　his　dreams　spoke　of　things　we　were　certain　you　would　find…〃

〃Silence！〃　the　Regis　said；　cutting　off　the　scientist's　rush　of　words。　〃I　know　what　you　thought；〃　she　added；　more　posed　now。　〃And　I　know　what　the　Regent　meant　by　sending　me　this。。。clone。　On　your　feet！〃

Hesitantly；　the　four　Invid　did　as　instructed；　leaving　Rem　where　he　lay。　〃Your　Highness；〃　the　master　scientist　began　on　a　sheepish　note；　〃Haydon　IV's　devices　will　permit　us　to　gaze　even　deeper　into　the　clone's　cellular　memory。　Perhaps　some　clue　regarding　the　Masters　or　the　missing　Protoculture　matrix。。。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered　him；　looking　down　at　Rem　as　he　groaned　and　rolled　over。　It　took　all　her　strength　to　keep　from　reaching　out　to　touch　him。　Would　he　remember　her？　she　wondered。　Would　the　clone's　cellular　memory　reveal　what　Zor　had　been　thinking　when　he　seduced　her；　when　he　returned　to　Optera　for　the　seedlings；　backed　by　an　army　of　warrior　giants？　Would　that　same　memory　reveal　the　path　the　matrix　had　taken；　the　course　she　would　follow？。。。〃Conduct　your　experiments；〃　she　told　the　relieved　group。　〃Show　me　the　future　of　our　race！〃


Jonathan　Wolff　was　beyond　believing　in　miracles；　but　he　was　hard…pressed　for　a　better　word　to　describe　the　sight　of　several　hundred　Garudans　charging　onto　the　scene　to　rescue　their　enslaved　brethren。　They　were　cresting　the　hilltop　now…armed　with　everything　from　war　clubs　and　bolos　and　grapnel…shaped　things　to　Karbarran　air　weapons　and　antimecha　rockets…and　dropping　down　on　the　Invid　soldiers　who　were　keeping　the　slaves　hemmed　in。　A　dozen　or　so　Bioroids　on　Hoverplatforms　were　providing　them　with　air　support；　employing　their　stem…mounted　cannons　to　rain　destruction　on　Hellcats　and　Cranns　alike。

Countless　defenseless　Garudans　had　been　killed　in　the　Inorganics'　genocidal　attack；　but　that　didn't　stop　the　survivors　from　rallying　once　they　realized　that　their　world　had　mitted　itself　to　an　all…or…nothing　stand。　They　rushed　the　Invid　lines；　which　were　already　strained　to　the　breaking　point；　and　fell　upon　the　offworlders　with　a　violence　only　blind　fury　could　release。　It　took　five；　ten；　often　fifteen　Garudans　to　bring　down　a　single　armored　soldier；　but　one　by　one　the　enemy　fell。　Some　were　pummeled　to　death；　others　disintegrated　by　their　own　weapons；　and　still　others　were　stripped　of　their　masks　and　respirator　tanks　and　left　to　run　amok；　crazed　long　before　the　spores　could　work　their　effect…crazed　by　the　naked　fear　of　that　end。

Spurred　on　by　this　reversal；　the　Wolff　Pack　and　Skull　Squadron　pulled　out　all　the　stops。　Until　this　moment；　concern　for　the　well…being　of　Rick　and　their　other　captured　rades　had　to　some　extent　weakened　their　resolve；　and　it　took　the　Garudans'　desperate　charge　to　make　them　remember　what　the　fight　for　liberation　was　all　about。　Re…inspired；　VT　pilots　and　Hovertankers　let　loose　their　own　shadow　selves；　and　swept　like　avenging　angels　through　ruptured　sky　and　forests　infernal。　Shock　Troopers；　soldiers；　Optera　trees；　the　farms　themselves…nothing　was　to　be　spared　their　wrath。

With　total　abandon；　Wolff　urged　his　mecha　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　madness；　destroying；　crippling；　killing。　For　one　instant　he　rejoiced　at　hearing　Miriya　Sterling's　voice　over　the　tac　net…she　was　presently　riding　tandem　in　Max's　Alpha/Beta　fighter…but　that　was　no　more　than　a　fleeting　reminder　of　a　past　life。　He　considered　himself　one　of　the　dead　now；　in　no　world's　hell　but　his　own。　And　from　that　hollow　center　came　a　murderous　intent　that　knew　no　bounds。　He　could　only　hope　that　some　of　the　Sentinels　would　live　to　see　victory　that　day。


〃Behind　you！〃　Janice　shouted。

But　Jack　had　already　seen　them　and　was　halfway　through　his　turn；　the　rocket　launcher　atop　his　shoulder。　Three　Invid　soldiers　were　advancing　up　the　corridor；　their　forearm　cannons　booming。　Jack　triggered　his　shot　and　caught　one　of　the　XTs　dead　center。　The　explosion　was　enough　to　drop　the　other　two；　but　only　momentarily；　they　were　back　on　their　feet　in　an　instant；　resuming　their　advance　while　Jack　reached　for　the　grenades　clipped　to　his　web　belt。

〃We've　got　them！〃　he　heard　Lron；　or　possibly　Crysta；　growl。　The　Karbarrans　were　positioned　on　either　side　of　the　corridor　terminus；　grenades　in　their　outstretched　mitts。　〃Now！〃　Lron　said；　and　the　two　pivoted　and　released。

Jack　flattened　himself　against　the　floor　and　covered　his　head；　the　roar　and　concussive　heat　washed　over　him　and　he　rolled　to　one　side；　running　through　a　quick　check　of　everyone's　position。　Janice　was　behind　him；　kneeling　over　the　quivering　mass　that　was　Tesla；　Gnea　and　Bela　were　off　to　the　right；　along　a　section　of　curved；　featureless　wall　just　short　of　a　second　corridor　terminus。　Learna　was　opposite　them；　near　the　tubestand　and　sphere　arrangement　Tesla　had　called　a　municator。　The　four　Invid　soldiers　who　had　greeted　them　after　the　〃elevator〃　ride　were　spra