18_the_end_of_the_circle-第26章

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Seven　worlds；　Exedore　repeated　in　thought；　head　down；　eyes　on　the　floor。

The　past　dozen　hours　had　been　punctuated　by　deep　rumblings　from　Haydon　IV's　artificial　core；　the　sound　of　powerful　machines　being　reactivated　after　who　knew　how　long　a　slumber。　On…screen　schematics　flashed　by　Veidt's　device　told　him　little；　but　it　was　easy　enough　to　imagine　modules　being　hoisted　and　repositioned　by　robotic　arms；　gigantic　plates　retracting；　a　change　in　the　very　sphericity　of　the　world。　Exedore　awaited　some　word　from　Veidt。　Haydon　IV　was　surely　reconfiguring；　but　reconfiguring　into　what？　An　unassailable　battle　station；　as　the　more　nervous　of　the　Karbarran　captives　were　suggesting？　A　world　turned　inside　out？　A　factory　of　some　sort？　The　Awareness　still　had　not　made　any　external　visuals　available；　positional　data；　however；　indicated　that　the　artifact　was　well　within　three　hundred　thousand　kilometers　of　the　small　carbonaceous　moon　that　remained　the　focal　point　of　its　eccentric　orbit。　Almost　close　enough　to　touch。

A　deafening　movement　from　seemingly　underfoot　rocked　level　four　and　nearly　sent　Exedore　sprawling。　There　had　been　several　jarring　moments　already；　but　no　one　had　been　hurt。　No　power　failures；　split　seams；　broken　seals。　Buried　in　the　Awareness's　neural　programming　were　mand　codes　that　apparently　ensured　the　safety　of　Haydon　IV's　passengers　and　guests。

As　there　were　mand　codes　that　safeguarded　Haydon　IV　from　the　threat　of　attack。

But　just　what　had　the　historical　Haydon…as　individual　or　race…gone　to　such　lengths　to　protect：　the　world's　passengers　or　the　world　itself？

The　Zentraedi　perched　himself　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　unconsciously　adopting　a　thinker's　pose。　Seven　worlds；　he　thought。

He　had　surmised　from　investigations　undertaken　during　the　Sentinels'　campaign　that　the　Awareness　had　had　dealings　with　Zor　in　the　early　stages　of　his　self…styled　rebellion　against　the　Robotech　Masters。　Later；　the　Tiresian…Protoculture's　midwife　had　for　some　unknown　reason　duplicatedthe　route　Haydon　had　taken　through　the　Quadrant　millennia　before；　using　Haydon's　chosen　worlds　as　the　objects　of　his　seeding　attempts。

Had　Zor　been　attempting　to　pick　up　where　Haydon　had　left　he　had　already　visited　Optera；　where；　assuredly；　Haydon　had　brought　Invid　and　Flower　together。

But　then　he　had　gone　to　seed　Peryton；　for　which　Haydon　had　devised　a　thought…propelled　instrument　capable　of　altering　the　rotational　axis　of　that　dying　world。

And　gone　on　to　seed　Karbarra；　which　Haydon　had　gifted　with　the　ursine…responsive　Ur…Flower。

And　Garuda；　where　Haydon　had　restructured　the　biosphere　to　facilitate　a　true　planetary　consciousness。

And　Spheris；　where　Haydon　had　experimented　with　the　evolution　of　crystalline　lifeforms。

And　Praxis；　where　biological　parenting　had　bee　a　single…gender　affair。

And…by　way　of　the　deliberately　crash…landed　SDF…1…Zor　had　seeded　Earth；　where　according　to　Dana's　accounts　the　Flower　had　taken　root　with　perplexing　tenacity。

Which　suggested　that　Haydon　had　used　Earth　for　some　purpose。

But　a　larger　question　remained：　What　had　Haydon　hoped　to　acplish　on　his　namesake　world？　What　was　Haydon　IV　that　it　should　at　all　costs　be　spared　the　injustices　visited　upon　the　rest？

〃Exedore；〃　Aurora　called　from　the　front　room。

That　she　had　said　it　just　loud　enough　to　be　heard　did　not　keep　Exedore　from　jumping　out　of　his　skin。　Miriya's　youngest　had　that　effect。

He　entered　the　room　a　shaky　step　or　so　ahead　of　Max　and　Miriya；　who　had　also　e　running。　Aurora　was　seated　in　front　of　the　monitor　screen；　one　finger　raised　to　it。

〃It's　the　reconfiguration　pattern；〃　Exedore　said　excitedly　after　a　moment's　study　of　the　displays。　〃We'll　be　able　to　see…〃　Miriya　gasped。

Haydon　IV's　northern　and　southern　hemispheres　were　separating。　The　artifact　world　was　about　to　open　up　like　a　hinged　ball！


In　newspace；　Lisa　edged　quietly　through　the　doorway　to　the　nursery。　She　told　herself　that　in　addition　to　being　a　naturally　inquisitive　mom；　she　was　being　considerate　just　now；　mindful　not　to　disturb　the　children's　play。　At　the　same　time　she　realized　that　her　inner　voice　was　not　urging　caution　but　demanding　it；　the　feeling　was　similar　to　the　fight…or…flight　hormonal　responses　that　were　triggered　every　time　she　had　to　give　the　order　to　deploy　the　fortress's　defensive　shields。

The　kids；　human　and　Zentraedi；　were　still　grouped　around　the　enormous　sphere　they　had　constructed；　pletely　absorbed　in　their　work。　The　toe　of　Lisa's　heelless　boot　touched　down　on　a　squeaky　toy；　and　a　dozen　pair　of　eyes　were　suddenly　trained　on　her。

〃Hi；　kids；〃　she　said；　pinning　a　smile　on　it。

Roy　glanced　at　his　peers；　rose　out　of　his　cross…legged　pose　on　the　deck；　and　walked　over　to　meet　her　halfway。　Lisa　squatted　down　to　his　eye　level　and　mussed　his　black　hair。　〃Hey；　that's　some　globe　you　guys　made；〃　she　began。　〃What　is　it；　some　kind　of　space　base？〃

Roy　took　a　quick　look　over　his　shoulder　at　Drannin。　〃It's　secret；　Mommie。　You　have　to　leave。〃

Lisa　adopted　a　wide…eyed　expression。　〃It's　so　secret　you　can't　even　let　your　mom　have　one　quick　peek？〃

〃No。〃

〃Oh；　sweetie；　please。〃

Roy　shook　his　head；　adamant。　Behind　him；　the　human　children　had　formed　a　guarded　line　in　front　of　the　sphere。　Lisa　straightened　up　to　her　full　height。　〃Just　one　peek；　Roy；　and　I'll　leave　you　guys　alone；〃　she　said　more　firmly。

Roy's　eyes　and　faltering　tone　of　voice　betrayed　his　ambivalence。　〃You　can't；　Mom。　We're　doing　something　secret。〃　Stern…faced；　Lisa　folded　her　arms　across　her　chest。　〃Now　listen　to　me；　young　man；　I'm　still　the　mander　of　this　ship。　Just　show　me　what　you've　built　and　I'll…〃

Abruptly；　Roy　turned　on　his　heel　and　rejoined　the　group；　leaving　Lisa　standing　in　the　center　of　the　room。　She　shook　her　head　in　disbelief　at　the　mirrored　side　of　the　observation　window　and　was　about　take　a　forward　step　when　Drannin　and　the　other　Zentraedi　children　suddenly　positioned　themselves　between　her　and　the　sphere。　It　was　like　facing　a　fifteen　foot…high　wall　of　muscle　and　bone。

Lisa　tried　to　contain　her　unease。　She　had　not　had　to　face　off　with　a　Zentraedi　in　almost　longer　than　she　could　recall；　but　some　part　of　her　remembered　and　pumped　fear　into　her　blood。

〃Drannin；〃　she　said　in　a　scolding　voice；　〃I　don't　approve　of　this　behavior。　And　Kazianna　won't；　either。〃　She　could　see　Roy　peering　from　behind　Drannin's　knee。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　go　get　her；　or　are　you　going　to　show　me　what　you've　built？　I　promise　I'll　keep　the　secret；〃　she　thought　to　add。

〃It's　almost　finished；〃　Drannin　answered　in　English。　〃We　can　show　you　after；　not　before。〃

Lisa　softened　her　expression　somewhat。　〃So　it's　not　really　a　secret；　then。〃

Drannin　spent　a　moment　considering　that；　almost　as　though　monitoring　something　just　out　of　earshot。　〃No；　it　isn't　really　a　secret；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃It's　more　like　a　surprise。〃


Angelo　Dante　was　the　one　who　had　discovered　Rem　slumped　unconscious　in　the　rec…deck　corridor　and　had　carried　him　over　his　shoulder；　like　a　fireman；　down　to　the　med　lab。　The　experience　had　been　more　troubling　than　the　recent　EVA　and　had　cost　the　sergeant　the　few　hours　of　after…mission　rest　he　had　ing　to　him。

〃The　guy's　bad　news；〃　he　was　telling　Sean；　Marie；　and　Jack。　They　were　picking　at　meals　in　the　ship's　missary/mess；　Karen's　harsh　reprimands　having　worked　a　temporary　truce　among　them。　〃I've　been　through　this　before；　so　help　me。　Once　I　caught　him　hanging　around　outside　of　Major　Emerson's　office。　Then　I　found　him　snooping　around　Fokker　Base。〃

〃Wait　a　minute；　wait　a　minute；〃　Jack　cut　in；　gesturing　with　both　hands。　〃You　caught　Rem　where？〃

Dante　showed　him　an　impatient；　look。　〃Not　Rem…Zor　Prime。　〃

Jack　scratched　his　head。　〃You　mean　the　Masters'　clone；　the　one　Southern　Cross　mand　stuck　with　the　Fifteenth？〃　Dante　nodded。

〃So　what's　Zor…Prime　got　to　do　with　Rem？〃　Jack　persisted。

Dante　growled。　〃That's　what　I'm　trying　to　tell　you；　Captain。　They're　the　same　guy！〃

Jack　looked　to　Sean；　then　to　Marie　for　support。

〃What　the　sergeant's　saying　is　that　both　Rem　and　Zor　Prime　were　cut　from　the　same　cloth；〃　Sean　explained。　〃They're　both　clones　of　the　same　donor。　It's　like　they're　identical。　〃

〃On　the　nose；〃　Dante　said。

Jack　tried　to　dredge　up　what　little　he　knew　about　theories　of　nature　and。　nurture。　〃Biologically；　maybe；〃　he　argued。　〃But　Rem　was　raised　on　Tirol；　for　cryin'　out　loud。　Zor　Prime　grew　up　on　one　of　those　space　fortresses；　didn't　he？〃

Dante　waved　a　muscular　hand。　〃Splitting　hairs。　You　find　Rem　lurking　around；　you　know　something's　going　on。〃

〃Like　what？〃　Jack　started　to　say；　when　the　sergeant　suddenly　shot　to　his　feet　and　began　beckoning　someone　over　to　the　table。　Jack　turned　and　saw　the　keyboard　man；　Bowie　Grant；　headed　their　way；　meal　tray　in　hand。

〃Just　the　person　I　was　looking　for；〃　Dante　said　as　Bowie　was　sliding　into　one　of　the　molded　chairs。　〃You　heard　what　happened　outside　the　music　room；　right？〃

Bowie　nodded　uncertainly。　〃Rem　passed　out　or　something。〃

Dante　returned　to　his　eat　and　fixed　Bowie　with　a　gimlet　stare。　〃I　want　to　know　what　was　going　on　inside；　Bowie。〃

Puzzled　but　wary；　Bowie　tucked　in　his　chin。　〃We　were　running　down　some　old　songs。〃

〃Who　was？〃　the　sergeant　demanded。

〃Me；　Musica；　Allegra；　Minmei。　Why？　What's　this　have　to　do　with　a