18_the_end_of_the_circle-第27章

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〃Who　was？〃　the　sergeant　demanded。

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

〃Minmei？〃　Jack　asked；　surprised。

〃Some　of　those　old　Masters'　songs；　I'll　bet；〃　Dante　said。　〃Some　of　that　clone　music。〃

〃Easy　does　it；　Sergeant；〃　Marie　cautioned。

Bowie　pushed　his　tray　aside　angrily。　〃Let's　not　start　this　again；　Angelo。〃

〃Minmei　singing　with　you；　Rem　outside　listening　。。。　Doesn't　that　mean　anything　to　you；　Bowie？〃

Bowie　glanced　around　the　table。　〃Zor　Prime；〃　he　said　in　sudden　realization；　then　laughed。　〃Look；　Angelo；　Rem　is　not　Zor　Prime。〃

〃We　just　had　this　discussion；〃　Marie　offered　in　a　weary　voice。

〃Yeah；　well；　I'm　not　convinced；〃　Dante　said；　rising　again。　〃And　besides；　even　if　he　isn't　Zor　Prime；　he's　a　clone　of　the　original。　And　look　what　that　guy　dumped　in　our　laps。〃


In　the　SDF…3's　briefing　room；　Rick　checked；　his　watch　and　muttered　to　himself。　〃Damn　it；　what's　keeping　her？〃　Lang　regarded　him　from　the　hull　viewport。　〃Why　don't　you　just　have　a　seat；　Admiral。　I'm　sure　she'll　be　here　any　moment　now。〃

Rick　stiffened；　then　resigned　himself　to　it；　forcing　out　his　breath　as　he　joined　Lang　at　the　permaplas　window。　〃Beautiful；　isn't　it？〃　the　scientist　said。

Rick　had　to　agree。　Any　planet　at　all　would　have　been　a　wele　sight　just　then；　but　the　one　they　had　found…or　the　one　that　had　found　them…was　nothing　less　than　extraordinary。　Crystalline　skies　like　those　on　Spheris；　verdant　forests　like　those　on　old　Praxis；　seas　to　rival　Garuda's　own　。　。　。　And　yet　unlike　any　of　those　worlds。

〃It　makes　me　think　of　Earth；〃　Rick　said　after　a　moment。　〃Earth　before　the　first　war；〃　Lang　amended。　〃But　yes；　looking　at　it　summons　up　the　same　feelings　in　me。　After　Tirol；　Karbarra；　Optera；　how　easy　it　is　to　forget　how　affecting　the　sight　of　rampant　life　can　be。〃　He　cleared　his　throat。　〃Now；　Admiral；　as　to　a　scouting　party。〃

A　hatch　hissed　open　behind　them；　and　Lisa　stepped　into　the　room；　an　unreadable　look　in　her　eyes。　Rick　thought　it　was　anger　but　could　have　believed　it　was　fear。

〃Rick；〃　she　began；　〃you　better　get　down　to　the　nursery　and　have　a　talk　with　your　son。　When　I　tell　you　what　he　did…〃

〃We　can　save　that　for　later；〃　Rick　interrupted。　He　jerked　a　thumb　at　the　viewport。　〃Maybe　you　haven't　noticed。〃　Lisa　glanced　at　the　planet。

〃Of　course　I've　noticed。　Raul's　kept　me　apprised　of　everything。　But　we　can't　save　this　matter　until　later；　Rick。　Roy　and　Drannin…〃

〃Lisa；〃　Rick　snapped。　〃I　said　I　didn't　want　to　hear　it。　We　can　discipline　the　kids　later　on。　Right　now　we've　got　more　pressing　matters　to　address。〃

Lisa's　mouth　tightened。　〃If　you'd　kindly　let　me　finish；〃　she　grated。

Rick　was　about　to　interrupt　again　when　the　inter　sounded。　He　punched　the　talk…stud　and　barked；　〃Admiral　Hunter！〃

〃This　is　security；　Admiral；〃　a　deep　base　voice　answered。　〃Colonel　Xien。〃

〃Go　ahead；　Colonel。〃

〃It　concerns；　Rem；　sir。　He's　been　released　from　med　lab　and　is　now　on　his　way　back　to　rec　deck。〃

〃And　Minmei？〃

〃The　same；　sir。　She's　with　the　two　Tiresian　women。

Rick　rubbed　the　stubble　on　his　jaw。　〃All　right；　Colonel。　Maintain　surveillance　and　notify　me　immediately　if　there　are　any　new　developments。〃

Lisa　was　staring　at　him　when　he　signed　off。　〃What's　this　about　Minmei　and　Rem？　Did　you　order　surveillance　on　them？　〃

Rick　snorted。　〃I　thought　you　were　being　kept　apprised　of　things；　Lisa。　Maybe　if　you　hadn't　been　spending　your　time　in　the　nursery？

〃Rick！〃　Lisa　said。　〃What　right　do　you　have　to　question　my　actions？〃

〃Every　right；　when　you　disappear　from　the　bridge　to　attend　to　some　。。。　child…care　problem！　〃

〃Child　care？　If　that's　what　you　think…〃

〃Please；　please；〃　Lang　said；　stepping　between　them　with　hands　raised。　〃We're　wasting　valuable　time。　〃

Rick　and　Lisa　glared　at　each　other　over　Lang's　shoulder。　〃Carry　on；　Doctor；〃　Lisa　said　through　clenched　teeth。　Lang　bowed　his　head。　〃About　the　scouting　party；　Admiral。　You　were　about　to　say…〃

〃Pass　the　order　to　ready　a　party；　at　once；〃　Rick　replied　before　Lang　could　finish。　〃And　inform　them　that　I　will　be　acpanying　them。〃

He　was　holding　Lisa's　gaze　as　he　said　it。


Minmei　recalled　how　she　had　sung　for　her　parents　as　a　child；　leaned　Yokohama　and　trips　to　Kyle's　house；　where　she　would　invariably　be　asked　to　perform；　to　entertain。　It　had　been　years　later　on　Macross　Island　that　singing　had　grown　to　mean　something　else　to　her。　She　still　lived　then　for　the　chance　to　perform；　lived　for　the　response；　the　adulation；　but　singing　had　e　to　represent　a　kind　of　power　game。　More　than　the　power　to　inch　closer　to　wealth　and　popularity；　though；　singing　was　power　over　people：　a　means　to　move；　stir；　control。

To　conquer。

The　problem　was；　there　were　people　who　sought　to　make　in　power　their　own。　To　twist　it　this　way　and　that　to　suit　their　own　purposes。　Gloval　and　the　SDF…1　mand　had　iced　her；　Kyle　had　tried　to　remake　her；　T。　R。　Edwards　had　tried　to　possess　her。

And　now　Rem　needed　the　voice…not　Minmei　but　the　voice。　He　was　not　out　to　conquer　audience　or　enemy　or　to　build　an　empire　founded　on　his　own　lust　and　greed。　He　needed　the　voice　to　position　himself　on　a　road　to　self　discovery。　A　road　to　redemption　for　a　father/self　he　was　just　beginning　to　understand。

So　she　had　been　willing　to　help　him；　even　willing　to　let　him　go　on　believing　that　by　so　doing　he　was　helping　her。　To　confront　her　fear；　he　had　told　her。　To　give　full　reign　to　her　vocal　prowess。

How　she　had　been　tempted　to　confront　him　on　that　one！　To　embrace　him；　really；　and　confess　that　she　would　sing　simply　because　he　needed　her　to　sing；　nothing　more。　But　that　could　wait　until　Rem's　inner　quest　was　concluded。　And　then　she　would　confess；　and　thank　him；　too。　Oh；　yes；　thank　him　for　allowing　her　to　re…experience　how　wonderful　it　felt　to　liberate　that　voice　within。　For　what　had　she　been　but　self　contained　the　past　five　years；　imprisoned；　like　matrixed　Flowers　of　Life？　Her　voice：　the　Protoculture　denied　。　。　。

Musica　and　Allegra　had　played　no　small　part　in　that　sense　of　rebirth。　For　with　them　she　harmonized　with　equals。　She　had　e　closest　to　such　transcendent　purity　with　Janice　Em；　human…made；　but　at　the　time　neither　she　nor　Janice　was　possessed　of　the　songs　themselves。

Ancient　psalms　that　predated　Tirol's　Grand　Transition　and　the　ing　to　power　of　the　Robotech　Masters。

Minmei　was　in　the　pany　of　the　sister　clones　now；　preparing　her　voice　for　the　difficult　parts　Bowie's　keyboards　had　taught　her。　Musica　and　Allegra　had　seemed　pleased　with　her　contributions　thus　far；　to　say　nothing　of　Bowie；　who　was　beside　himself。　A　dream　e　true；　he　kept　telling　her；　a　dream　e　true。

She　kept　to　herself　that　she　was　wearing　a　transmitting　device；　that　Rem　had　wired　her　for　sound；　to　use　an　old　Earth　phrase。　In　some　sense　it　made　her　feel　as　though　Rem　were　present　in　the　music　room；　pressed　close　to　her　warm　breast　like　the　device　itself。

Her　hand　brushed　it　through　the　soft　weave　of　her　tunic；　then　went　to　her　belly；　where　it　lingered　a　moment　longer。　And　she　began　to　sing。

Not　far　away；　Rem　would　be　listening。


CHAPTER　SIXTEEN

Certain　parallels　are　suggested　by　the　fact　that　both　the　Masters'　clone　（Zor　Prime）　and　the　Invid　Regis's　simulagent　（Ariel；　aka　〃Marlene'）　were　corrupted　by　their　contact　with　Terran　humankind。　Those　mentators　who　advance　the　view　usually　offer　the　Zentraedi　as　further　proof　to　bolster　their　claim。　Corruption；　then；　is　equated　with　emotion；　for　it　was　human　passion　above　all　else　that　turned　the　tide　time　and　time　again　during　the　Robotech　Wars。　Terran　humankind　has　been　singled　out　and　in　some　sense　denigrated。　But　were　the　pre…Robotech　Tiresians　any　more　in　control　of　their　passions？　One　need　only　look　to　Zor　and　the　corruption　his　actions　worked　on　the　Invid　Queen　Mother。　Was　this　not　in　fact　the　original　corruption？
Gitta　Hopkins；　Queen　Bee：　A　Biography　of　the　Invid　Regis

Outside　the　Ark　Angel's　viewport　spun　a　dark　maelstrom　of　stolen　matter；　a　grave　whirlpool　of　cosmic　stuff；　black　as　evil　in　its　singular　heart。

〃My　God；〃　Vince　said　in　utter　astonishment。

〃Let　us　hope　not；〃　Cabell　offered；　turning　his　back　to　the　view　and　helping　himself　to　food　recently　delivered　to　the　situation　room。

〃Stellar　Transylvania；〃　one　of　Louie　Nichols's　data　junkies　said　without　bothering　to　explain。　〃Give　me　two　pints　of　protons；〃　he　added；　affecting　some　sort　of　middle…European　accent。

In　the　foreground　between　starship　and　black　hole　floated　what　Vince　had　first　taken　for　a　dumbbell…like　structure　captured　by　the　system's　nearly　lightless　sun；　the　host　upon　which　the　hole　had　fed　for　countless　eons。　It　was　only　after　the　ship's　onboard　AI　had　served　up　a　graphic　breakdown　of　the　object　that　he　had　begun　to　prehend　it。　One　end　of　the　dumbbell　was　in　fact　a　small　rouge　moon；　yanked　from　orbit　by　what　constituted　the　dumbbell's　twin…cupped　opposite　end：　a　radically　reconfigured　Haydon　IV。

The　cylindrically　shaped　bridge　that　joined　moon　and　artifact　world　were　made　up　of　two　massive　conduits；　which　had　apparently　telescoped　out　of　each　of　Haydon　IV's　now　separated　northern　and　southern　hemispheres。

Vince　ran　a　hand　down　his　face　and　left　it　covering　his　mouth；　as　though　fearful　of　what　sounds　might　emerge。　Just　in　view　far　off　the　Ark　Angel's　port