18_the_end_of_the_circle-第23章

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Jack　really　had　not　expected　things　to　go　that　far　but　clearly　realized　there　was　no　backing　down。　〃Suit　yourself；　Sean；〃　he　said；　about　to　raise　his　fists。

〃That'll　be　quite　enough　of　that；〃　a　voice　said　loudly　enough　to　bring　everyone　around。　Jack　thought　for　a　moment　that　Karen　was　ing　to　his　six；　but　one　look　at　her　face　told　him　he　was　flying　blind。

〃This　is　positively　the　most　pathetic　excuse　for　a　debriefing　I've　ever　witnessed。〃

〃We　weren't　exactly　debriefing；　sir；〃　Dante　started　to　say。

〃That's　right；〃　Sean　said　with　a　glowering　glance　at　Jack。　〃It　was　more　in　the　way　of　paring　styles。〃

Marie　said；　〃Look；　Karen；　we　were　just…〃

〃Maybe　you've　forgotten　that　we　lost　several　good　pilots　out　there；　is　that　it？〃　She　shook　her　head　in　disapproval。　Real　heroes；　all　of　you。〃

〃Jeez；　Karen；〃　Jack　said　with　a　hangdog　look。

〃Save　it；〃　she　told　him。

〃How　are　they　being　listed；　sir？〃　Angelo　Dante　asked　softly　as　Karen　was　about　to　walk　away。

She　turned　to　face　him。　〃A　new　classification　to　suit　our　situation；　Sergeant　Dante。　Neither　killed　in　action　nor　missing　and　presumed　dead。〃

〃How　then；　sir？〃

〃Presumed　missing；　〃　she　told　him。


Elsewhere　in　the　superdimensional　fortress；　retired　15th　Corporal　Bowie　Grant　was　making　music。

The　return　of　the　stars；　the　lightstuff　of　real　space；　had　proved　something　of　an　inspiration　for　Bowie　and　his　female　lead　singer。　Musica　and　Allegra…two　of　the　clone　population　Jonathan　Wolff's　starship　had　returned　to　Tirol…and　they　were　trying　out　their　gifts　on　a　new　position　when　Minmei's　quiet　entrance　into　the　music　room　startled　them　into　silence。

〃I…I　didn't　mean　to　disturb　you；〃　she　said。　Bowie　was　speechless。

〃I　just　wanted　to　listen　for　a　moment。〃

〃C…e　in；　please；〃　Bowie　stammered。　The　two　clones；　poised　like　museum　statuary　on　either　side　of　his　rack　of　Boards；　regarded　him　with　bemused　expressions。

Their　sister　in　the　triumvirate；　had　died　on　Earth；　Musica's　mystical　rapport　with　the　Cosmic　Harp…an　instrument　whose　melodies　had　once　given　shape　and　effect　to　the　telepathic　power　of　the　Robotech　Masters…had　died　too。　But　Musica's　voice　was　more　alive　than　ever；　as　was　Allegra's；　and　together　their　harmonies　came　close　to　recalling　for　Bowie　the　magic　of　his　first　taste　of　that　ethereal　sound。

He　had　been　a　keyboard　artist　then；　masquerading　as　a　tanker；　just　another　artist　caught　up　in　the　war。　But　he　had　been　lucky　enough　to　emerge　from　it　with　his　creative　impulses　intact；　and　love　to　boot。　Love　for　Musica：　his　pale　and　slender　green…haired　muse；　his　vocal　acpaniment；　his　very　life。　Even　limboed　in　newspace；　they　had　each　other；　the　separate　world　created　and　sustained　by　their　music。

For　years　Bowie　had　tried　with　synthesizers　and　samplers　to　play　the　part　of　their　missing　third。　But　a　rendering；　an　interpretation　was　the　best　that　had　been　achieved。　Oh；　the　harmonies　might　sound　pleasing　to　an　audience　of　untrained　ears；　but　for　those　lucky　enough　to　have　experienced　the　triumvirate　songs；　the　reconstructions　were　as　far　from　the　pure　as　Lang's　facsimile　matrix　was　from　Zor's　original　creation。

Missing　in　both　cases　was　some　immeasurable　emotional　ponent；　the　true　conjurer's　magical　touch。　Lang　lacked　it；　and　Rem　as　well。　And　Bowie；　for　all　the　love　that　went　into　his　work；　simply　could　not　push　the　positions　over　the　top。　In　the　end　what　the　trio　had　had　to　settle　for　was　virtuosity；　when　the　goal　had　been　transcendence。

What　they　lacked　was　a　voice：　powerful；　heartfelt；　sublime。　Minmei　was　possessed　of　the　gift；　and　countless　times　the　past　two　years　Bowie　had　wished　that　she　might　sing　again。　Now；　suddenly；　there　she　was　standing　in　the　music　room's　curved　hatchway。

〃You　really　want　to　listen？〃　Bowie　asked　as　the　hatch　hissed　closed。

Minmei　approached　the　keyboards　tentatively；　as　though　afraid　of　them　somehow。　〃Well；　more　than　listen；　really。〃　She　pressed　a　finger　down　on　a　black　key。　〃Is　it　true　you've　learned　to　play　some　of　Octavia's　vocal　parts？〃

Bowie　looked　up　at　her。　〃Yeah；　I　have。　Sort　of。　I　mean；　I　sampled　her　voice　before　she　。。。　died。〃　He　gestured　to　one　of　the　keyboards。　〃Electronics　do　most　of　the　real　work。　But　we　can't　get　the　harmonics　Octavia's　voice　used　to　create。〃　Minmei　paused　to　consider　that；　then　smiled　lightly　at　the　sister　clones。　〃Do　the　three　of　you　ever　。。。　well；　do　you　ever　sing　any　of　the　ancient　Tiresian　psalms？〃

〃The　Clonemasters'　songs？〃　Musica　asked。

Minmei　bit　her　lower　lip　and　shook　her　head。　〃No。　I　was　thinking　of　the　psalms　from　the　early　days；　before　the　Great　Transition。〃

Allegra　looked　surprised。　〃You　know　something　of　our　ancient　culture；　Minmei？〃

〃Some；〃　she　confessed。　〃I　read　quite　a　bit　when　I　was　in　Tiresia。〃　In　the　hospital；　she　left　unsaid。　〃And　of　course　Rem　talks　about　those　times。〃

The　sister　clones　eyed　one　another。

〃So；　you'd　like　us　to　sing　one　of　the　old　psalms？〃　Bowie　said　uncertainly　into　the　silence。

Minmei　fingered　a　minor　chord。　〃Actually；　Bowie；　I　was　wondering　if　you　could　teach　me　some　of　Octavia's　parts。〃


Lisa　hurried　through　the　ship's　corridors；　returning　salutes　when　she　was　forced　to　but　primarily　attempting　to　avoid　everyone's　gaze。　Not　that　she　heard　so　much　as　a　giggle　from　the　crew；　but　she　knew　what　they　were　all　thinking。

She　huffed　to　herself　as　she　exited　the　lift　on　the　med　deck。　One　did　not　have　to　be　a　telepath　to　read　the　expressions　of　concealed　amusement；　to　take　note　of　the　near　smiles。

She　came　through　the　hatch　to　the　nursery's　observation　room　with　fire　in　her　eyes；　the　anger　palpable　enough　to　be　seen　clear　across　the　room　by　the　on…duty　pediatric　nurse　and　child…care　staff。

〃Sir？〃　the　nurse　asked　cautiously　after　springing　to　attention。

Lisa　threw　everyone　a　cold；　appraising　look。　〃Which　one　of　you　made　the　PA　announcement？〃

A　small　hand　went　up；　and　a　corporal　stepped　sideways　into　view　from　the　rear　of　the　group。　〃I　did；　sir？〃　the　young　staffer　said　in　a　tone　that　modulated　to　falsetto。

Lisa　coughed　into　her　hand；　suppressing　a　smile。　〃Now　hear　this；　mister。　When　my　presence　is　required　or　requested；　can　send　a　courier　or　you　can　key　into　my　mand　channel。　But　I　don't　ever…repeat：　ever…want　to　hear　a　call　that　over　the　PA　again。　Is　that　understood？〃

Yes；　sir；〃　the　corporal　returned　crisply。

〃‘Admiral　wanted　in　the　nursery'〃　Lisa　muttered　to　herself。　〃Remember；　all　of　you；　we　have　to　at　least　pretend　that　I'm　running　this　ship。　That　I'm　not　just　some　working　mom　fitting　a　job　around　child　rearing。〃

〃Sir！〃　said　several　voices　in　unison。

Lisa　adopted　a　theatrically　firm　expression。　〃Good。　NOW　what's　all　this　about？〃

〃The　children；　Admiral；〃　the　nurse　said；　indicating　the　nursery's　one…way　observation　window。

Lisa　stepped　over　to　have　a　look；　a　puzzled　frown　contorting　her　features。　Roy　and　a　couple　of　human　toddlers；　along　with　Drannin　and　the　rest　of　the　Zentraedi　children；　were　assembled　in　what　was　called　the　'creative　crafts　area；'　where　a　sphere　a　good　fifteen　feet　around　had　been　fashioned　out　of　extruded　plastifoam。　Lisa　could　see　that　some　sort　of　hinges　were　inset　along　the　equator　of　the　sphere。

〃They　didn't　do　all　that　by　themselves；　did　they？〃　she　asked　in　alarm。

The　corporal　shook　his　head。　〃No；　sir。　They　asked　for　our　help　with　the　。。。　globe　or　whatever　it　is。　But　they　told　us　exactly　what　they　wanted。〃

〃I　take　it　it　opens　somehow。〃

The　head　nurse　chuckled。　〃It　does　indeed；　Admiral。〃　Lisa　regarded　the　two　of　them。

〃What's　inside？〃

〃The　most　amazing　thing；〃　the　nurse　said；　enunciating　each　word。　〃They've　been　working　on　it　all　day　long；　every　one　pitching　in。　The　Zentraedi　doing　the　heavy　work；　Roy　directing　the　other　kids　in　the　fine　work。　But　with　barely　word　exchanged　among　them。　It's　like　they　knew　from　the　start　what　they　were　after。〃

Lisa　felt　a　chill　run　through　her。　〃And　what　is　it？〃

The　nurse　looked　to　the　corporal；　who　drew　a　breath　〃Their　own　version　of　a　puzzle　block　or　a　transformable　toy。　Made　entirely　out　of　what　they　could　salvage　from　other　toys　except　for　a　few　items　they　asked　us　to　procure：　springs　cams；　lubricants；　that　sort　of　thing。〃

〃Lubricants？！　You　should　be　in　there　supervising　them。〃

〃We　tried　that；　Admiral；〃　the　nurse　said。　〃But　they　stop　playing　whenever　anyone　enters　the　nursery。　Frankly；　sir；　find　it　a　little；　well；　unnerving。　That's　why　I　asked　you　down。〃

Lisa　folded　her　arms；　considering。　〃I　think　it's　time　we　found　out　just　what　they're　up　to。〃　She　spun　on　her　heel　and　stepped　to　the　nursery　door。　〃I'm　going　inside；〃　she　told　the　staff；　one　hand　already　on　the　knob。


In　a　silent　and　deserted　corridor　on　the　recreation　deck；　Rem　pressed　an　ear　against　the　hatch　to　Bowie's　music　room。　He　had　promised　Minmei　he　would　wait　until　conditions　were　right　before　attempting　to　reachieve　the　altered　state　of　mind　that　had　gripped　him　when　the　lights　had　penetrated　the　fortress；　but　walking　past　the　music　room　had　proved　too　great　a　temptation。

Rem　understood　that　the　nucleic　memories　awakened　by　those　probing　lights　were　not　his　own　but　Zor's…Zor's　to　a　degree　he　had　never　experienced。　Not　at　the　insistence　of　the　Regent　and　Haydon　IV's　mind…bending　devices；　not　with　Cabell's　guidance；　not　under　the　in