15_death_dance-第3章

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ormance　worthy　of　Minmei's　best；　although　Janice　could　hardly　appreciate　it　as　such…any　more　than　she　could　fully　understand　just　what　had　pelled　her　to　seek　out　Rem　and　Cabell's　pany　in　the　first　place。　That　this　should　somehow　please　Dr。　Lang　was　a　thought　as　baffling　to　her　as　it　was　disforting。

〃There；　there；　child；〃　Cabell　was　saying；　patting　her　hand。　〃It　will　be　over　in　a　moment。〃

They　remenced　their　climb　when　the　tremor　passed。　Janice　disengaged　herself　and　urged　Cabell　to　go　on　with　what　they　had　been　discussing。

〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　said；　running　a　hand　over　his　bald　pate；　〃the　trees。〃

Janice　listened　like　a　student　eager　for　A's。

〃As　you　can　see；　they're　nothing　like　the　scrub　growth　we　found　on　Karbarra…far　healthier；　much　closer　to　the　unmutated　form。〃　He　motioned　with　his　hand　and　went　up　on　tiptoes　to　touch　the　spherical　〃canopy〃　of　a　healthy…looking　specimen。　The　tendrils　that　encased　the　solid…looking　sphere　and　rigid　near…translucent　trunk　seemed　to　pulse　with　life。　Gingerly；　Cabell　plucked　one　of　the　verdigris…colored　applelike　fruits；　burnished　it　against　his　robe；　and　began　to　turn　it　about　in　his　wrinkled　hand。

〃Even　the　fruit　they　bear　is　different　in　color　and　texture…although　still　a　far　cry　from　the　true　Opteran　species。　Nevertheless；　it　may　tell　us　something。〃　He　took　off　his　rucksack　and　placed　the　sample　inside。　〃Look　for　the　ripest　ones；〃　the　instructed　Janice；　as　she　added　a　second　fruit　to　the　pack。

Cabell　was　straightening　up　when　a　sudden　movement　further　up　the　slope　caught　his　eye。　Janice　heard　him　start；　and　turned　to　follow　his　narrowed　gaze。

〃What　was　it？〃

Cabell　stroked　his　beard。　〃I　thought　I　saw　someone　up　ahead。〃

〃A　Praxian？〃　Janice　asked；　craning　her　neck　and　sharpening　her　vision。

〃No；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃I　would　swear　it　was　Burak！〃


Later；　a　stone's　throw　from　the　grounded　GMU；　inside　the　wooden　structure　that　had　been　designated　both　quarters　and　cell；　Tesla　wolfed　down　the　fruits　Burak　had　picked　from　the　sinister　orchard　Zor's　Flower　of　Life　seedings　had　spawned　on　Praxis。

〃Yes；　yes；　different；　ummm；〃　the　Invid　was　saying　in　a　voice　tinged…with　rapture。

The　young　Perytonian　tried　to　avert　his　eyes；　but　in　the　end　couldn't　help　himself　from　watching　Tesla　as　he　ingested　fruit　after　fruit。　Moist　sucking　noises　filled　the　cell。

〃And　you　think　they　may　have　seen　you？〃　Tesla　asked　him。

〃It　is　possible…Cabell；　in　any　case。〃

Tesla　scoffed；　still　munching　and　handling　the　fruits　as　if　they　were　wealth　itself。　〃Cabell　is　too　old　to　recognize　the　nose　on　his　own　face。　Besides；　they　know　I　can't　subsist　on　what　you　call　food。〃

Burak　said　nothing。　It　was　true　enough：　the　Invid's　food　stock　had　been　destroyed　with　the　Farrago；　and　the　Sentinels　had　agreed　to　place　Burak　in　charge　of　securing　alternative　nutrient　plants。　But　Cabell；　who　was　anything　but　a　doddering　old　man；　and　perhaps　fearing　the　very　transformations　Tesla　was　beginning　to　undergo；　had　suggested　that　the　Invid's　fruit　and　Flower　intake　be　regulated…this　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　Tesla　had　to　some　extent　ingratiated　himself　with　the　group　since　their　victory　on　Karbarra。　Each　evening；　Cabell　and　Jean　Grant　would　look　in　on　Tesla。　Burak　had　been　asked　to　furnish　them　with　a　daily　log　of　the　amounts　gathered　and　ingested；　and　the　devilish…looking　Perytonian　was　plying…inasmuch　as　he　would　file　a　report。　But　the　report　was　hardly　a　reflection　of　the　actual　amounts　Tesla　consumed。　Fortunately；　though；　the　Invid's　transformations　had　been　limited　to　brief　periods　following　his　meals；　when　neither　Cabell　nor　Jean　were　present。

〃More；〃　Tesla　said　now；　holding　out　his　hands。

Burak　regarded　the　Invid's　newly…acquired　fifth　digit　and　pulled　the　basket　out　of　reach。　〃I　think　you've　had　enough　for　today。〃　Burak　had　heard　it　said　that　extraordinary　powers　could　be　gained　from　ingesting　the　fruits　of　Haydon's　Worlds；　but　he　had　never　understood　that　to　mean　physical　transfiguration；　and　the　Invid's　recent　changes　were　beginning　to　fill　him　with　fear。

Tesla's　eyes　glowed　red　as　he　came　to　his　feet；　taller　by　inches　than　he　had　stood　on　Karbarra。　〃You　dare　to　say　this　to　me　after　all　we've　been　through？　You；　who　sought　me　out　before　fate　landed　us　in　this　despicable　situation？　And　what　of　your　homeworld　and　the　curse　you　were　so　feverish　to　see　ended…have　you　given　up　hope？　Would　you　renounce　your　destiny？〃

Burak　took　a　hesitant　step　toward　the　door；　the　basket　clasped　to　him。　〃You're　changing！〃　he　said；　pointing　to　Tesla's　hands。　〃They're　going　to　notice　it；　and　what　then？　They'll　cut　back　on　the　amounts；　put　someone　else　in　charge　of　you。　Then　what　bees　of　your　promises…what　bees　of　Peryton？〃

Tesla　continued　to　glare　at　him　a　moment　more；　transmogrifying　even　as　Burak　watched。　The　Invid's　skull　rippled　and　expanded；　as　though　being　forced　to　conform　to　some　novel　interior　design。　Gradually；　however；　Tesla　reassumed　his　natural　state　and　collapsed　back　into　his　seat；　spent；　subdued；　and　apologetic。

〃You're　right；　Burak。　We　must　take　care　to　keep　our　partnership　a　carefully…guarded　secret。〃　His　black；　ophidian　eyes　fixed　on　Burak。　〃And　have　no　fear　for　your　tortured　world。　When　the　time　es　for　me　to　assume　my　rightful　place　in　these　events；　I　shall　reward　you　for　these　efforts。〃

〃That's　all　that　I　ask；〃　Burak　told　him。

The　two　XTs　fell　silent　as　a　gentle　tremor　shook　the　building。

Tesla　stared　at　the　floor。　〃I　sense　something　about　this　planet；〃　he　announced；　his　sensor　organs　twitching　as　his　snout　came　up。　〃And　I　think　I　am　beginning　to　see　just　what　the　Regis　was　doing　here。〃


CHAPTER　TWO

Unfortunately；　there　are　no　detailed　descriptions　of　the　Genesis　Pits；　other　than　Rand's　colorful　but　highly　personalized　and　impressionistic　accounts　（specious；　as　some　would　add）；　and　the　notes　Colonel　Adams　hastily　scribbled　to　himself　while　on　Optera。　And　despite　a　plethora　of　theories　and　explanations；　the　sad　truth　is　that　the　mechanism　of　the　Pits　remains　a　plete　mystery…except　to　say　that　they　were　devices　utilized　by　the　Regis　for　purposes　of　creative　evolution。　Praxis　apparently　played　host　to　the　largest　of　these；　and　Lang；　to　name　one；　has　speculated　that　the　Pits　not　only　gave　rise　to　extinct　creatures；　but　succeeded　in　regressing　the　entire　planet　to　a　formative　stage　of　destructive　vulcanism。
Zeus　Bellow；　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

If　Burak　and　Tesla　had　bee　the　Sentinels'　silent　partnership；　then　Jack　Baker　and　Karen　Penn　were　certainly　the　group's　inseparable　pair。　But　that；　each　liked　to　believe；　was　merely　a　result　of　duty　assignments。　And　even　four　months　on　Praxis　hadn't　provided　them　with　enough　time　to　work　through　the　petitive　trifles　that　fueled　their　relationship。　They　were　not　only　marooned；　but　marooned　together；　and　Praxis　had　bee　the　proverbial　town　that　just　wasn't　big　enough　for　the　two　of　them。　Bela；　Praxis's　wasp…waisted　local　sheriff；　was　only　one　of　the　contributing　factors；　but　Karen　nevertheless　took　every　opportunity　to　keep　Jack　as　far　from　Bela　as　she　could；　often　encouraging　the　Hovercycle　recons　that　had　bee　something　of　Jack's　stock…in…trade。

A　joyride　disguised　as　a　scouting　mission　had　brought　Jack　and　Karen　to　a　series　of　caves　two　hours　out　from　the　GMU。　Lron　and　Kami　had　ridden　with　them。　Four　months　had　given　the　Sentinels　plenty　of　time　to　grieve　for　those　who　had　gone　down　with　the　Farrago；　but　Karen　often　wondered　just　how　long　it　was　going　to　take　for　her　to　grow　accustomed　to　her　XT　rades。　She　wasn't　a　bit　xenophobic…a　fact　that　had　won　her　a　place　with　the　Sentinels　to　begin　with…and　in　actuality　it　wasn't　so　much　the　strangeness　of　Lron　or　Kami　that　overwhelmed　her；　but　the　similarities。　If　only　Karbarrans　didn't　so　resemble　Kodiak　bears；　she　would　tell　herself。　And　if　only　Kami　didn't　look　like　upright　versions　of　the　foxes　she　used　to　see　near　the　cabin　her　father　had　once　owned。。。She　had　much　less　trouble　with　Baldan　and　Teal；　with　their　bodies　of　living　crystal。　Or　Tesla；　for　that　matter…now　there　was　an　alien　you　could　believe　in！

But　wolves　and　bears　and　snail…headed　things。。。Karen　was　in　the　midst　of　wishing　that　Bela　had　had　a　more　alien　form…even　a　more　rotund　form…when　without　warning；　Jack　hissed：　〃Cut　it　out！〃

The　four　Sentinels　were　well　into　the　central　cave　now；　inside　a　huge　vaulted　corridor　that　was　as　hot　as　blazes　and　reeking　of　sulphur。　Curiosity　had　drawn　them　in；　but　Jack；　never　one　to　do　things　halfway；　had　insisted　they　go　〃just　a　little　further；〃　and　here　they　were　a　good　half　a　click　along。　There　were　primitive　sketches　on　the　walls　of　the　caverns　they　had　passed　through…depictions　of　hideous　spiderlike　creatures　Jack　claimed　were　〃symbols〃…and　Karen　was　in　no　mood　for　fun　house　games　or　laugh…in…the…dark　surprises。

〃Huh？〃　she　said；　gulping　and　finding　her　voice。

〃I　said　cut　it　out。〃

〃I　know　what　you　said；　Jack。。。〃

She　threw　him　an　angry　look　in　the　darkness；　wondering　suddenly　if　she　had　actually　voiced　some　of　her　private　musings　about　Bela。　Then　all　at　once　something　hit　her　on　the　top　of　the　head。　XTs　or　not；　she　decided；　someone　was　trying　to　be　funny。　Karen　whirled　around；　hoping　to　catch　Kami　in　the　act；　but　he　was　way　off　to　her　left　inspecting　a　chunk　of　rock　ne