18_the_end_of_the_circle-第19章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


re's　will；　may　the　cause　of　peace　profit　above　all。〃


Karen　Penn　tried　one　final　time　to　inflict　some　damage　on　the　lights；　to　extract　a　toll　for　whatever　it　was　they　had　done　to　her　Red　teammates。　With　disciplined　hand　and　quieted　mind　she　reconfigured　the　Alpha　to　Fighter　mode　and　burned　for　the　fortress's　stern；　where　the　lights　had　clustered　on　and　around　the　reflex　drive　exhaust　ports。　Jack　was　in　plain　view　at　three　o'clock；　his　burn　through　the　eerie　glow　of　newspace　plete；　a　Veritech　pas　de　deux　as　they　fell　toward　the　ship。

The　Blue　team　mecha；　Battloid…configured；　were　hitting　hard　at　the　SDF…3's　bow　from　just　below　the　midline；　head　lasers　emitting　a　deadly　light　of　their　own。

Karen　planned　on　depleting　her　undercarriage　lasers　this　time；　taking　no　quarter；　routing　the　light　or　luring　it　away；　making　it　cry　uncle　or　roll　over　and　die。

She　was　shifting　her　weight　in　the　padded　seat；　posing　herself　for　the　kill；　willing　the　VT　in；　when　all　at　once　the　fog　of　newspace　lifted。

Her　eyes　were　so　fixed　on　the　reticle　of　the　Alpha's　targeting　screen　that　it　took　a　moment　for　the　change　to　register。　Then；　suddenly；　there　was　darkness　where　there　had　been　glow；　and　the　lights　were　gone。

〃Sonuvabitch；〃　she　heard　Jack　exclaim。　〃We're　home；　gang…we're　home！〃

But　Karen　was　not　buying　it。　Though　they　seemed　to　be　drifting　through　the　inky　blackness　of　home　space；　something　was　missing。

〃If　we're　home；　Jack；〃　she　asked　over　the　net；　〃where　the　hell　are　the　stars？〃


On　the　fortress　bridge；　Lisa　mimicked　Lang's　on…screen　head…scratching　pose。　She　did　not　understand　it；　either：　One　minute　the　lights　were　digesting　critical　portions　of　the　ship；　and　the　next　they　were　gone。　Had　the　SDF…3　punched　or　been　punched　out　of　the　hyperdomain？　she　wondered。　And　was　that　actually　the　real　world　outside　the　viewports　or　yet　another　black　tunnel　in　the　sky？

〃Stations　shipwide　report　all　clear；　Admiral；〃　Forsythe　said　from　across　the　bridge。　〃The　lights　are　gone。〃

Lisa　ran　a　palsied　hand　through　her　undone　hair。　〃Damage　assessment；　Mister　Price。　Immediate。　All　decks。〃

〃Aye；　aye；　sir。〃

Lisa　returned　her　attention　to　the　…line　monitor。　〃Well；　what　about　it；　Lang？　Are　we　home？〃

Lang　looked　at　something　off　screen　and　shook　his　head。　〃No；　Lisa；　nothing　has　changed。〃

〃Maybe　you'd　better　have　a　look　outside；　Doctor。〃　Lang's　puzzled　expression　remained　in　place。　〃I　have　looked；　Admiral；　I　assure　you。　But　present　readings　are　identical　to　those　previously　assembled。〃　He　snorted。　〃We're　still　a　long　way　from　home。〃

Lisa　felt　her　heart　race。

〃We've　lost　a　good　deal　of　our　reflex　drive　systemry；〃　Lang　continued　as　though　to　himself；　pupilless　eyes　glazed　over。　〃I'm　beginning　to　believe　that　the　reason　the　Veritechs　were　assimilated　had　nothing　to　do　with　defense　against　intrusion。　No；　whatever　was　directing　the　lights　had　need　of　specimens。　Perhaps　it　has　yet　to　make　up　its　mind　about　us。〃

Lisa　swallowed　hard。　〃You　make　it　sound　like　our　pilots　were　appetizers；　Doctor。〃

〃In　effect；　they　were　just　that；〃　he　told　her；　more　animated　suddenly。　〃By　the　time　the　lights　reached　the　ship；　they　knew　exactly　what　they　were　after。〃

〃We're　crippled；　then。　Is　that　what　you're　telling　me？〃　The　scientist　shook　his　head。　〃Oh；　no；　we　have　some　drive　capacity　left　to　us；　although　nowhere　near　what　we'd　require　to　go　superluminal。　In　fact；　as　things　stand　we　would　be　as　stranded　in　our　own　space　as　we　are　here。〃

Lisa　let　out　her　breath。　〃You're　full　of　good　news；　aren't　you？〃

Lang　shrugged。　〃I'm　sorry　if　I　can't　tell　you　what　you'd　undoubtedly　like　to　hear。〃

Lisa　waved　a　hand　at　the　screen。　〃I'm　the　one　who's　sorry；　Doctor。　But　you've　got　to　give　me　something　to　go　on。　I　mean；　do　we　sit　here　and　wait　for　those　。　。　。　things　to　e　back　and　nibble　away　at　more　of　our　systemry？〃

〃As　opposed　to　what；　Admiral？〃　Lang　wanted　to　know。　〃Christ；　I　don't　know。　Move。　Somewhere。〃

Lang　smiled；　recalling　Rem's　real…time　bubble　theory。　〃Your　husband　suggested　that　I　fashion　us　a　world。〃

Lisa　regarded　him　tight…lipped。　〃Then　do　it；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。


Minmei　cradled　Rem's　head　in　her　arms。　She　pushed　his　hair　back　from　his　face　and　leaned　an　ear　close　to　his　parted　lips。　She　was　certain　he　had　ceased　breathing　for　a　time；　but　that　heart…stopping　moment　was　past；　his　exhalation　ruffling　the　strands　of　hair　she　had　hooked　behind　her　ear。　Her　breath　was　ing　in　shallow　gasps　as　she　pressed　his　head　to　her　bosom；　praying　that　he　would　regain　consciousness　soon。

Holding　him　like　that；　staring　down　at　his　beautiful　face；　she　found　herself　walking　through　an　ancient　memory。　Tiresia；　on　the　night　of　the　SDF…3's　New　Year's　celebration。　The　Sentinels'　ship；　Farrago；　had　yet　to　arrive　in　Fantomaspace；　and　there　she　was　with　eyes　only　for　Jonathan　Wolff：　But　she　remembered　watching　Rem　that　night　while　Wolff　told　her　all　the　things　he　must　have　assumed　she　wanted　to　hear。　And　she　remembered　gazing　at　him　the　way　she　had　often　observed　others　gazing　at　her；　with　a　look　people　reserved　for　screen　idols　and　heroes。　What　might　have　happened　if　Rem　had　remained　in　Tiresia　instead　of　joining　the　Sentinels？　she　wondered。　Would　his　presence　have　altered　events；　given　her　the　strength　to　steer　clear　of　Edwards　and　grandiose　plans？

It　was　Rem　who　had　rushed　to　her　side　after　she　had　killed　Fdwards's　horrible　minion　on　Optera。　Her　voice　had　awarded　a　personal　victory；　a　fitting　end；　she　had　decided。　But　on　that　same　day　Janice　had　walked　out　of　her　life　forever。　And　Lynn…Kyle　so　soon　before　that　。。。　It　had　been　difficult　for　to　go　on　when　the　memories　of　the　sacrifices　made　in　her　behalf　were　so　vivid。　When　she　had　been　so　undeserving。　So　evil。

But　Rem　had　continued　to　stick　by　her　in　Tiresia；　during　the　months　she　had　languished　under　doctors'　care；　the　Booths　and　years　when　she　had　so　little　will　to　survive。　And　looking　at　him　now；　imagining　the　two　of　them　walking　Tiresia's　Romelike　streets　together；　she　was　not　sure　she　was　envisioning　a　past　that　almost　was　or　a　future　that　could　be。　A　kind　of　alternative　present；　she　told　herself。　One　they　could　fashion　together　to　erase　the　mistakes　both　Zor　and　Minmei　had　made。

She　ran　a　hand　across　her　belly　arid　sighed。　At　the　same　time　a　soft　groan　escaped　Rem's　lips；　and　he　moved　his　head　against　her。

〃Rem；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　please；　darling　。　。　。〃　And　his　eyelids　fluttered　and　opened。


Jack　knuckled　his　eyes　with　gloved　hands；　wondering　what　could　have　given　him　such　a　shot　to　the　head　that　he　was　seeing　stars。　It　was　not　exactly　unheard　of　for　the　〃thinking　caps〃　to　malfunction　and　send　a　jolt　of　current　through　one's　system…to　bite　the　head　that　fed　them；　as　the　saying　went　but　that　usually　left　one　with　twitching　limbs　or　feeling　like　someone　had　unzipped　one's　backbone　and　poured　hot　lead　down　one's　spine。　Not　seeing　stars。　And　he　didn't　think　he　had　sustained　a　hit　from　one　of　those　lights；　either；　because　he　had　seen　them　retreat　into　the　black　curtain　newspace　had　unexpectedly　lowered。

Hadn't　he？

Jack　forced　his　eyes　wide　open。　And　kept　seeing　stars。

It　was　as　though　the　retreating　light　tendrils　had　simply　decided　to　hang　themselves　out　there　for　his　benefit。

〃Uh；　this　is　Red　One；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Is　anybody　seeing　what　I'm　seeing？　I　mean；　is　anybody；　uh　。　。　。　〃

Karen's　face　resolved　on　the　tactical　screen；　but　she　didn't　speak。　She　seemed　to　be　staring　off　into　space；　and　Jack　had　to　call　her　several　times　before　she　responded。

〃Jack；　did　you　see　it？〃　she　said。

He　exhaled　in　a　relieved　way。　〃I'm　seeing　stars　if　that's　what　you're　talking　about。〃

〃But　the　way　they　got　there；　Jack　。。。　It　was　like　they　just　assembled　themselves　into　constellations。〃

〃Yeah；　well；　it's　like　Lang　said。　We　were　trapped　in　hyperspace；　and　now　we're　not。〃　Jack　gestured　to　the　blackness　outside　the　Alpha's　cockpit。　〃That's　real　space　out　there；　and　those　are　stars。　We're　home；　kid。　Get　used　to　the　idea。〃

She　looked　directly　at　him。　〃You　don't　seriously　believe　that；　do　you？〃

Jack　fell　silent　for　a　moment。　〃No；　I　suppose　I　don't；〃　he　conceded；　contemplating　the　view。　〃But　I　guess　I'll　take　it　over　the　alternative　any　day。〃


PART　II

COHERENT　LIGHT

CHAPTER　TWELVE

The　question　of　Professor　Nichols's　whereabouts　during　the　years　following　the　end　of　the　Second　Robotech　War；　including　that　period　now　referred　to　as　the　Occupation；　remains　a　source　of　controversy。　While　it　has　been　elsewhere　demonstrated　that　he　remained　with　Jonathan　Wolff　through　March　of　2033　（see　Tasners　Sheep　in　Wolves'　Clothing）；　his　subsequent　alliances　are　more　the　product　of　conjecture　than　hard…earned　investigative　proof。　However；　based　on　evidence　that　links　Nichols's　associates　（Gibley；　Shi…Ling；　Stirson；　et　al。）　to　the　Yakuza　organization　that　inherited　the　remains　of　Lang's　Tokyo　plex　（see　Makita　and　others）；　the　author　is　of　the　opinion　that　Nichols　somehow　prevailed　upon　Wolff　to　furnish　him　with　safe　passage　to　Japan；　where　he；　we　know；　was　eventually　located　by　intelligence　operatives　assigned　to　his　case　by　the　REF　G2　chief；　Niles　Obstat。
From　Ronstaad　Irk's　preface　to　the　fourth　edition　of　Nichols's　Tripping　the　Light　Fantastic　

〃I'm　sorry　I　ever　had　to　drag　you　into　t