15_death_dance-第35章

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outh　agape　in　a　kind　of　silent　scream。　Burak　stood　rooted　to　the　floor；　astonished　as　he　watched　the　Invid　begin　to　lose　stature　and　bulk；　while　at　the　same　time　Tesla's　neck；　head；　arms；　hands；　and　feet　reshaped　themselves。　The　two　scientists　had　buried　their　heads　against　one　another；　but　Burak　was　too　awed　to　summon　the　will　even　to　look　away。　He　saw　then　what　the　Fruits　were　after；　the　final　form　they　tried　to　birth；　and　he　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes；　much　less　grasp　what　such　a　transformation　meant。　For　the　shape　was　a　humanoid　one…like　that　of　Jack　Baker　or　Gnea　or　Rem。

Tendrils　of　energy　were　whirling　around　Tesla；　reaching　out　to　Burak　where　he　stood。　They　danced　between　his　horns　and　sent　a　downward　rush　of　paralyzing　light　through　the　top　of　his　head。　Tesla's　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　as　something　beyond　language　coursed　between　them。　Burak　stiffened；　as　a　cold　fire　engulfed　his　heart。　He　bellowed；　and　Janice　came　rushing　through　the　hatch。

She　had　been　outside　listening　to　their　muffled　exchange；　and　though　baffled　by　the　sudden　silence；　she　had　not　wanted　to　risk　tipping　her　hand。　Burak's　animallike　wail　had　changed　all　that；　but　now　she　couldn't　see　what　was　happening。　Something　or　someone　was　throwing　blinding；　colored　light　across　the　hold。　She　could　make　out　Burak　and　the　two　shadowy　shapes　of　the　Invid　scientists　behind　him；　but　Tesla　was　concealed　by　the　dazzling　prismatic　intensity；　seemingly　at　the　center　of　it。　She　brought　her　hands　to　her　face；　trying　to　shield　her　eyes；　and　all　at　once　the　light　was　gone。　Tesla　was　on　the　floor；　flat　on　his　back。

She　rushed　over　to　him；　he　was　alive；　but　his　breathing　was　labored。　And　something　else：　he　looked　different。　His　snout　was　shorter；　his　head　more　defined；　his　hands　and　feet　more　humanoid　than　reptilian。　His　skin　was　a　pale　green；　waxy　and　smooth。

〃What　happened　to　him？〃　Janice　asked；　turning　around　to　Burak。

The　Perytonian　stared　at　her。　〃I。。。I。。。〃

Janice　took　him　by　the　arms　and　shook　him。　〃What　happened？〃

Burak　cleared　his　head　and　gave　her　a　blank　look。　He　reached　up　to　feel　his　horns；　then　regarded　Tesla　for　a　moment。　〃I　think　he　ate　too　much。〃


The　Regent　sat　slumped　in　his　throne；　feeling　as　though　some　great　weight　had　been　placed　on　his　chest。　It　was　a　mistake　for　him　to　have　viewed　the　recordings　of　the　Regis's　nostalgic　lovefest　with　the　Zor…clone；　a　terrible　mistake。　Looking　for　guilt；　for　some　sign　of　regret；　he　had　found　only　love；　genuine　and　unfulfilled。　And　he　began　to　wonder　if　he　hadn't　been　wrong　in　not　following　her　lead　when　there　was　still　time；　when　she　had　pleaded　with　him　to　allow　himself　to　be　evolved。　But　he　had　been　stubborn　about　it；　hurt；　unforgiving；　and　now　she　was　lost　to　him。　He　had　seen；　too；　the　Zor…clone's　memories　of　a　world　far　removed　from　Optera　and　Tirol's　strife；　linked　somehow　to　the　Protoculture　matrix　planet　was　anything　more　than　Zor's　fanciful　imaginings？　Besides；　he　had　good　reason　to　believe　that　the　Regis　had　gone　off　in　search　of　that　very　world；　and　he　would　know　if　and　when　she　found　it。　No；　what　he　needed　was　accurate　data；　data　the　clone　had　not　yet　surrendered　up　to　Haydon　IV's　mind…probe　devices。　Perhaps；　he　thought；　it　would　have　to　be　conjured　from　the　clone；　the　way　Zor　had　conjured　Protoculture　from　the　Flowers　of　Life。

In　the　meantime；　however；　his　empire　was　crumbling。　Garuda　had　fallen　to　the　Sentinels；　depriving　the　Invid　of　the　Fruits　needed　for　the　mecha　nutrient　baths。　And　Tesla　was　still　unaccounted　for…although　at　times　the　Regent　thought　he　could　actually　feel　the　traitor's　bloodlusts　reaching　out　for　him。

Much　the　way　he　felt　at　the　moment。　Even　his　pets　seemed　stricken　by　the　same　lassitude。　He　overcame　his　mood　somewhat　when　a　servant　entered　to　announce　that　an　important　message　had　been　received。　But　it　was　the　lieutenant's　words　that　brought　the　Regent　back　to　life。

〃The　Sentinels！　Here？〃

〃Yes；　m'lord。　They　are　requesting　permission　to　land。　Four　of　their　number　are　in　need　of　treatments　apparently　only　Haydon　IV　can　provide。　They　are　seeking　a　truce　by　way　of　surrender。〃

The　Regent　shot　to　his　feet。　〃This　is　a　dream！〃

〃No；　m'lord。〃

The　Regent　stood　motionless　for　a　moment；　then　laughed。　〃Here！　Of　course　they　would　surrender　here；　where　to　fire　first　means　certain　death。〃　He　reached　up　to　feel　his　swollen　cowl。　〃However。。。〃

The　lieutenant　waited　while　the　Regent　paced　in　front　of　his　throne。　〃Yes；　yes；　it　could　work。〃　He　swung　around。　〃Inform　the　Sentinels　that　we　accept　their　terms。　And　bring　the　Zor…clone　to　my　chambers。　I　will　put　it　to　him　simply：　the　matrix　for　the　lives　of　his　rades。　What　could　be　more　just？〃


〃May　the　Great　Shaper　Haydon　watch　over　you　this　day；〃　Teal　told　the　shuttle　group　from　the　balcony　in　the　SDF…7's　launch　bay。

Vince；　Cabell；　Max；　and　the　others　saluted　their　friends　as　the　hatch　sealed　itself。　In　a　moment　the　shuttle's　attitude　jets　flared；　and　the　craft　began　to　descend　toward　the　green　and　silver　crescent　that　was　Haydon　IV。

The　second　group　numbered　twelve；　including　the　three　Invid…one　in　each　of　the　three　armored　Alpha　Veritechs。　Jack　had　a　no…nonsense　air　about　him　as　he　strapped　into　the　forward　cockpit　of　his　mecha。　Bela　was　behind　him；　Gnea；　Kami；　and　one　of　the　scientists　in　the　Beta　module。　Janice　was　piloting　the　second　VT；　with　Burak　in　the　copilot's　seat；　and　Lron　and　Tesla　in　the　Beta。　The　third　VT　held　Learna；　Crysta；　and　the　second　scientist。　Jack　had　taken　one　last　look　at　Rick；　Lisa；　and　Karen　before　they　had　been　moved　into　the　shuttle；　and　the　sight　of　their　slack；　colorless　faces　was　with　him　now　as　he　engaged　the　Alpha's　thrusters　and　maneuvered　the　ship　out　of　the　launch　bay。　The　SDF…7's　human　and　XT　crew　had　been　instructed　to　keep　the　fortress　clear　of　the　Invid　fleet；　but　in　close　enough　proximity　to　Haydon　IV's　surface　to　eliminate　any　threat　of　an　enemy　sneak　attack。

Veidt　and　Sarna　had　done　their　best　to　convince　the　Sentinels　to　abandon　their　plans　for　an　unannounced　approach；　but　Jack　and　the　rest　were　determined　to　give　it　a　try。　Besides；　it　wasn't　like　they　were　going　in　with　weapons　blazing。　Their　approach　would　be　a　gentle　one；　Jack　had　insisted；　a　simple　landing　in　the　forests　west　of　the　planet's　principal　city。　Surely；　three　small　mecha　weren't　going　to　touch　off　Haydon　IV's　legendary　（and　somewhat　questionable）　defenses。

It　is　merely　intent；　Veidt　had　tried　to　tell　them。

Jack　heard　the　words　surfacing　in　his　thoughts；　and　made　an　effort　to　push　them　from　his　mind。　In　a　moment　he　would　be　able　to　discern　details　of　the　planet's　surface　topography。　It　was　bound　to　be　an　extraordinary　sight…an　entire　world　reconfigured　to　conform　to　the　demands　of　its　inhabitants。

Jack　found　himself　wondering　about　the　guiding　intelligence　behind　such　a　feat。

Then　he　began　to　notice　that　the　forest　they　had　chosen　as　landing　zone；　was；　well；　moving…sliding　east　to　west　across　the　variegated　landscape　like　some　sort　of　by…pass　door。　And　something　very　bizarre　was　rising　up　at　them　from　the　space　that　forest　had　vacated。。。Swirling　vortices　of　energy；　radiant　silken　scarves　riding　Haydon　IV's　savage　updrafts。

Jack　sent　a　telephathic　plea　to　the　planet：　We've　e　in　peace。　We've　e　in　peace！