15_death_dance-第31章

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〃How　is　she　different？〃　Cabell　wanted　to　know。

Max　and　Vince　traded　looks；　but　left　the　question　unanswered。　〃Can　I　see　her？〃　Max　said　suddenly；　getting　up。

Vince　laughed。　〃That's　a　good　start。〃

Max　started　off　for　the　small　area　of　the　med　dome　Jean's　team　had　partitioned　off。

〃Remarkable；〃　Cabell　mused　as　he　and　Vince　walked　back　to　where　Rick；　Lisa；　and　Karen　were　undergoing　treatment。　The　three　had　yet　to　emerge　from　semiconsciousness。。。

〃Any　change？〃　Vince　asked　his　wife　a　moment　later。　She　was　standing　over　Rick　just　now；　looking　almost　as　drawn　and　pale　as　her　patient。　Vince　put　his　arm　around　her　narrow　waist。

〃I'm　worried；　Vince。　They　should　have　e　out　of　it　by　now。　We've　tried　everything…antipsychotics；　transfusions。。。〃　She　threw　up　her　hands。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　do。〃

〃It　is　the　hin〃　Veidt　said；　hovering　over　to　them　from　the　foot　of　Karen's　bed。　He　had　spent　the　last　several　hours　absorbing　everything　Jean's　medical　library　databanks　had　to　offer。　〃Garudans　live　in　the　womb　of　the　hin。　It　is　what　you　might　term　'an　alternate　reality。'　The　microorganisms　here；　the　same　which　keep　Kami's　people　in　a　constant　state　of　hin；　have　caused　your　friends　to　bee　unstuck　in　what　constitutes　Human　reality。〃

〃Yes；　and　it's　killing　them；　Veidt。　It's　not　providing　them　with　psychedelic　trips　or　allies　or　personal　power。　It's　draining　the　life　from　them　while　we　sit　here　and。。。and…〃

〃e　on；　Jean；〃　Vince　said。　〃You're　doing　what　you　can。〃

Cabell　tugged　at　his　beard。　〃There　is　a　treatment；　of　course。〃　He　turned　to　Veidt　as　Vince　and　Jean's　eyes　fixed　on　him。

〃I　will　be　succinct；〃　the　Haydonite　began。　〃On　my　world　there　are　devices　capable　of　reversing　the　Garudan　effect。　'Mental　illness；'　as　some　of　your　disks　name　it；　is　unknown　to　us；　it　is　as　archaic　a　thing　as　your　own　smallpox。〃

〃Then　what　are　we　waiting　for？〃　Jean　said；　looking　up　at　Vince。　〃Our　work　here　is　finished；　isn't　it？　Garuda's　liberated。〃

Vince　removed　his　hand　from　her　waist　to　feel　his　jaw。　〃Yes；　in　a　way。〃

〃In　a　way？　What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃

〃We've　learned　that　the　Regent　is　on　his　way　to　Haydon　IV；〃　Cabell　told　her。　〃With　what　remains　of　his　fleet；　no　doubt。〃

Jean　pressed　her　lips。　〃More　fighting；　then。〃

〃It's　not　even　as　simple　as　that；〃　Vince　added。

〃Our　world；〃　Veidt　said；　〃cannot　be　approached　with　the　same　tactics　you　employed　to　liberate　Karbarra；　Praxis；　and　Garuda。　Haydon　IV　is　in　a　certain　sense　beyond　both　conquest　or　liberation。　And　while　it　is　true　that　the　Invid　have　assumed　control　of　our　political　structure；　they　have　not　in　any　way　attempted　to　tamper　with　our　lives。　They　could　not。　Haydon　IV　is　an　open　world　and　will　always　remain　so。〃

〃Couldn't　we　sneak　through　or　something？　I　mean；　isn't　there　a　back　door　we　could　use；　some　way　of　getting　to　those　devices　without　confronting　the　Invid？〃

Veidt　stared　at　Jean　and　shook　his　head。　〃It　is　impossible。〃

Vince　was　pacing　up　and　down；　hands　clasped　behind　his　back。　〃We've　gotta　ask　ourselves　whether　it's　worth　the　risk。〃

〃Whether　Rick；　Lisa；　and　Karen　are　worth　the　risk；　you　mean。〃

〃And　Rem；〃　Cabell　added。

Vince　nodded。

〃Look　what　you've　already　risked　to　save　them；〃　Veidt　pointed　out。

Everyone　fell　silent；　then　Vince　said；　〃Gather　the　Sentinels。　We've　got　a　decision　to　make。〃


〃I　will　not　have　him　here！　I　will　not！〃　the　Regis　railed　to　one　of　her　servants。　Was　there　no　escaping　him？　she　asked　herself。　Even　here　on　Haydon　IV？

〃I'm　afraid　it's　too　late；　Your　Grace；〃　the　servant　said；　unmoved　from　its　posture　of　genuflection。　〃The　Regent's　flagship　has　already　left　Optera　to　rendezvous　here　with　the　remnants　of　his　fleet。〃

〃How　long　do　I　have？〃　she　asked；　whirling　on　the　sexless　creature；　the　tassels　of　her　long　gloves　whipping　about。

〃Less　than　one　period；　Your　Grace。〃

She　dismissed　the　servant；　when　it　left　the　room；　she　clenched　her　fists　and　waved　them　in　the　air。　〃Must　he　stalk　me？〃　she　said　aloud。　〃Must　he　continue　to　punish　me？〃

Abruptly；　she　turned　around　to　regard　Rem；　the　Zor…clone　was　asleep；　perhaps　unconscious　after　his　sessions　with　the　Regent's　scientists　from　Garuda。　They　had　cured　him　of　the　madness　induced　by　that　world's　atmosphere；　only　to　induce　a　more　controlled　state　of　hallucinatory　dread。　And　then　they　had　picked　his　brain。　Oh；　how　they　had　picked　his　brain。

For　the　better　part　of　five　days　now　the　Regis　had　had　him　much　to　herself；　hers　to　toy　with；　hers　to　examine…his　dreams　and　thoughts　to　dissect；　his　memories　to　relive。。。United　with　him　on　some　psychic　plane；　she　had　walked　again　through　those　fields　they　had　walked　on　Optera。　Old　Optera；　Optera　before　the　fall。　She　had　been　able　to　view　those　times　through　his　eyes　now；　and　had　found　herself　stirred。　He　had　seen　how　much　she　wanted　to　emulate　him；　in　every　way；　and　she　had　seen　how　much　he　had　desired　her。　Not　her　physical　being；　not　the　form　destiny　had　wed　her　to；　but　her　spiritual　self…her　essence。　There　was　at　one　time　a　semblance　of　love　there；　and　this　discovery　filled　her　with　joy。　But　it　was　a　rapture　that　could　not　survive　the　realities　his　war…hungry　race　had　introduced　into　her　garden；　a　rapture　that　could　only　endure　on　that　etheric　plane；　where　things　cast　beautiful　but　ultimately　painful　shadows。。。

Still　she　could　hardly　tear　herself　away　from　that　realm；　even　though　her　self…indulgence　might　mean　death　for　the　clone。　He　was　her　plaything；　much　as　she　had　been　Zor's！

She　understood；　however；　that　Zor　had　somehow　meant　to　redeem　himself　by　sending　the　Protoculture　matrix　far　from　his　Masters'　reach。　But　much　of　this　remained　unclear；　muddled　by　what　she　had　accessed　from　Haydon　IV's　data　systems。　These　grand　designs　again：　Zor；　the　Masters；　the　Invid；　all　locked　together　in　some　immense；　unfathomable　framework。

Along　with　this　mysterious　blue…white　world　revealed　by　the　clone's　thoughts；　this　nexus　of　events；　this　pleroma。。。

She　had　yet　to　learn　either　the　name　of　the　planet　or　its　continuum　coordinates；　but　she　now　had　a　sense　of　where　to　begin　her　search。　And　sooner　or　later　her　sensor　nebulae　would　locate　it。

I　will　follow　the　nebulae；　she　decided　all　at　once。　I　will　quit　this　Quadrant　and　place　myself　as　far　from　his　reach　as　that　matrix　was　from　the　Masters'　evil　embrace。

She　found　herself　excited　by　the　prospect；　laughing　as　she　overlooked　Haydon　IV's　artificial　land…and　cityscapes。　She　could　even　leave　some　of　her　Children　behind　until　the　moment　arrived…the　moment　when　that　blue…white　world　was　discovered　and　made　her　own！

She　increased　her　size；　towering　up　to　fill　the　room；　knowing　a　determination　she　had　thought　lost　with　love　itself。　Regarding　Rem；　she　said；　〃Now　let　the　Regent　have　his　way　with　you；　clone。　Let　him　peer　into　your　memories　of　our　time　together；　and　let　him　suffer　for　what　he　missed！〃


Miriya　did　not　look　as　well　as　Max　had　imagined　she　might。　Where　was　that　rosy　glow；　that　special　something？　Instead；　she　seemed　wasted；　baggy…eyed；　bone…weary；　even　slightly　jaundiced。

〃It's　just　from　my　exposure　to　the　atmosphere；〃　Miriya　told　him　as　he　carefully　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　her　cot。　〃But　Jean　says　everything's　fine；　all　systems　go。　So　smooth　your　wrinkled　brow；　my　darling；　and　kiss　me　before　I　do　something　violent。〃

Max　forced　a　smile　and　leaned　into　her　arms；　they　held　each　other　for　a　moment。　Max　patted　her　back　and　straightened　up。　〃I'm　not　sure　I　know　what　to　feel；〃　he　confessed。

〃I　know；　Max。　I'm　just　as　concerned　as　you　are　about　Rick　and　Lisa。〃

〃Good　news；　bad　news。。。〃

〃That's　life；　Max。　And　now　Dana's　going　to　have　a　sister。〃

Max's　brows　went　up。　〃Jean　tell　you　that？〃

〃She　didn't　have　to。〃　Miriya　caressed　her　belly。　〃I　can　sense　it。〃

Again；　Max　tried　to　feel　good　about　things；　but　the　more　he　looked　at　his　wife；　the　more　anxious　he　became。　He　was　about　to　take　her　hand；　when　someone　rapped　against　the　partition。　Crysta；　Gnea；　and　Teal　asked　if　they　could　e　in　for　a　moment。　The　Spherisian　was　carrying　the　infant…a　two…foot　Baldan；　although　still　faceted　and　speechless　as　yet。

〃As　soon　as　I　heard　the　news　I　came　down；〃　Teal　explained。　〃I　wanted　you　to　see　the　infant。〃

〃Congratulations；〃　Gnea　said　to　Miriya　uncertainly。

〃Hey；　what　about　the　father？〃　Max　asked　good…naturedly。

The　Praxian　turned　to　him。　〃Why？　Did　you　have　something　to　do　with　Miriya's　condition？〃

Max　started　to　respond；　but　thought　better　of　it；　shutting　his　mouth　and　blinking　stupidly。

〃When　does　he　bee　smooth；　like　you？〃　Miriya　was　saying　to　Teal。

〃It　doesn't。　It's　not　necessarily　a　he。〃

Miriya　looked　around　unfortably。　〃But　I　thought　that　Baldan。。。that　this。。。〃

〃It　is　of　Baldan；〃　Teal　replied；　regarding　the　infant　analytically。　〃But　the　features　and　what　I　think　you　call　'the　sex'　are　ultimately　left　to　the　Shaper。〃

〃The　Shaper？　You？〃　Crysta　said；　surprised；　one　huge　paw　to　her　muzzle。

〃Who　else？　The　young　Spherisian　remains　faceted　until　smoothed　by　its　Shaper。　Soon　I　will　de…facet　it。〃

〃But　you'll　shape　him；　er；　it　in　Baldan's　image；　won't　you？〃

〃Why　would　I　do　that？　I　am　bonded　with　the　infant　now。　I　could　just　as　easily　shape　it　in　my　own　image。〃

〃But　this　is　all　that　remains　of　Baldan；〃　Crysta　argued。　〃Don't　you　want　to　recapture