18_the_end_of_the_circle-第59章

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〃That's　more　than　the　Haydonites　got；　or　the　Local　Group　fleet　crews；　either；〃　Cabell　observed。　There　was　no　sign　of　Haydonite　life　aboard　the　sphere　ships；　and　it　was　presumed　that　the　artificial　race　had　perished　when　Haydon　IV　had　been　destroyed。　Neither　was　there　any　sign　of　the　Awareness's　survival；　and　that　was　of　some　fort　to　the　two　savants；　the　Awareness　had　been　perhaps　Haydon's　greatest　weapon。　〃e；〃　Cabell　bade。　〃We've　not　much　time。〃

Not　having　caught　his　breath；　he　was　huffing　again　within　a　few　steps。　Exedore　caught　up　and　lent　a　supporting　arm；　he　was　physically　younger；　though　he　was　the　older　of　the　two。

They　went　to　the　pinnacle　of　the　Royal　Hall；　which　they'd　polarized　to　transparency；　so　that　it　seemed　open　to　the　sky。　In　it　was　the　facsimile　Protoculture　matrix。

They　had　both　seen　the　original　and　now　considered　this　Second　Generation　manifestation。　Lang　had　once　observed　how　it　resembled　an　old…time　representation　of　an　atom：　a　plex　interlinking　of　ring　orbits　some　two　hundred　feet　across；　suspended　in　midair　by　its　own　internal　forces。

However；　where　the　original　matrix　glistened　in　rainbow　colors；　this　fabrication　was　harsh　white　and　gold；　and　the　musical　sound　ing　from　its　gleaming　nucleus　seemed　more　strident；　more　ominous；　than　that　produced　by　Zor's　original　creation。

Now；　though；　the　two　observed　in　the　matrix　certain　anomalies　and　instabilities　that　hadn't　been　there　a　short　time　before。　Their　research　told　them　that；　indeed；　the　Shapings　were　reaching　some　climactic　point；　a　cusp　or　crux　in　events　even　mote　important　than　the　conversion　of　the　original　matrix　years　ago　in　the　mound　where　the　SDF…1　lay　buried。

〃e；〃　Cabell　bade　Exedore。　〃We　haven't　much　time。〃　They　went　to　where　a　new　piece　of　apparatus　had　been　set　up。　It　suggested　a　kind　of　elaborate　laser　drill　or　boring　unit；　heavy　with　magnetic　bottling　fields　and　insulator　rings。

〃The　buildup　of　Anti…Protoculture　energy　is　still　below　what　the　job　may　require；〃　Cabell　said；　〃but　it　will　have　to　suffice。〃

Exedore　drew　a　deep　breath；　running　both　hands　through　his　unruly　red　thatch。　〃Are　you　sure　we're　doing　the　right　thing？〃　Once　it　was　done；　there　would　be　no　backing　out；　not　to　mention　the　danger　to　Tiresia　and　perhaps　to　all　of　Tirol。

〃The　matrix　mustn't　fall　into　Haydon's　hands！〃　Cabell　insisted。　〃Otherwise；　he'll　reduce　all　that　remains　of　the　universe　to　mere　fuel　and　raw　materials　for　his　mad　ambitions。〃

Exedore　sighed。　Cabell　was　right；　it　was　just　that　the　first　matrix　had　been　the　Holy　Grail　for　so　long；　and　the　second　had　required　such　extraordinary　striving　and　genius。　To　destroy　this　last　vestige　of　the　power　of　Protoculture　seemed　to　run　counter　to　everything　the　long　wars　and　researches　had　been　about。

〃You're　correct；　of　course。〃　Exedore　clapped　Cabell　on　the　back　tiredly。　Strange　and　sad　that　things　should　end　this　way。

And　an　end　it　would　be；　since　neither　of　them　could　survive　this　last…ditch　effort　to　thwart　Haydon's　scheme。　Exedore　thought　of　the　Micronian　stories：　Sampson　in　the　temple；　Horatio　at　the　bridge。　Exedore　and　Cabell　at　the　Second　Gen　matrix　would　outdo　all　of　those。

Cabell　had　brought　forth　two　protective　faceplates；　handing　one　to　Exedore。　〃Here　you　are；　my　dear　fellow。〃

Exedore　accepted　his；　slipping　it　on。　〃You　know；　Cabell；　I　still　maintain　that　one　of　us　can　in　all　likelihood　carry　out　this；　er；　procedure。　There　is　thus　no　reason　for　you　to　make　this　sacrifice。〃

〃Now；　now。　We've　been　all　over　this；　old　friend。　There's　no　guarantee　that　one　operator　could　balance　the　induction　field　and　simultaneously　calibrate　the　integration　mixture。　And　it's　far　too　late　to　automate　the　process。　No；　that　just　won't　do梠therwise　I'd　have　insisted　you　leave。〃

Exedore　shook　his　head；　settling　the　faceplate　into　place。　Strange　how；　so　late　in　his　long　years；　he　had　bee　friends　with　such　an　odd　assortment　of　beings：　Micronians；　Sentinels；　even　a　Clone　of　Zor　himself。　And　Cabell；　who　was　a　panion　and　kindred　soul；　rather　than　the　master　his　position　would　once　have　required　him　to　be。

Both　of　them　were　working　as　fast　as　they　could　even　while　they　were　musing。　Surveillance　satellites　gave　word　that　the　sphere　ships　were　making　planetary　approach　at　much　higher　speed　than　had　been　foreseen。

Still；　Exedore　saw　calmly；　he　and　Cabell　would　have　time　to　carry　out　their　last　act。　The　special　magnetic　bottling　fields　began　to　e　into　existence；　and　in　another　few　minutes　Protoculture　and　Anti…Protoculture　would　mix　in　mutual　annihilation。

There　was　another　warning　tone…from　the　surveillance　satellites。　〃An　energy　plexus　of　unknown　type　has　been　detected；　originating　from　the　sphere　fleet；　moving　in　the　direction　of　Tiresia。〃

The　two　panions　stopped　their　work　and　looked　at　the　speaker。　〃Describe　its　nature。〃

〃It　is　nonmaterial；〃　came　the　reply；　〃a　webwork　of　mental　energy　in　some　ways　resembling　the　Awareness　and　yet　unlike　it。〃

Cabell　was　horrified。　〃That　is　because　it　is　no　longer　linked　to　the　instrumentality　of　Haydon　IV。　We've　been　caught　unawares！〃

He　leapt　to　his　controls；　Exedore　doing　the　same；　and　they　prepared　to　fire　the　Anti…Protoculture　infusion　device；　ready　or　not。　But　even　as　they　did；　the　puter　voice　from　the　satellite　net　announced；　〃Calculations　show　that　there　is　no　time　to　plete　your　current　endeavor。　The　Awareness　has　raced　ahead　of　the　sphere　ships　and　now　enpasses　the　Royal　Hall。〃

But　by　then　Cabell　and　Exedore　didn't　need　the　puter　to　tell　them　something　was　wrong。　A　sparkling　network；　like　a　highway　system　of　strobing　luminescence　in　the　sky；　had　sprung　into　being　all　around　the　hall…not　the　Awareness　itself　but　a　side　effect　of　the　Awareness's　presence；　an　exertion　of　its　artificial　mind　powers。

The　inside　of　the　grand　pyramidal　chamber　holding　the　matrix　became　like　an　aquarium　filled　with　strange；　insubstantial　waters；　shimmering　air　showing　colors　to　which　neither　Exedore　nor　Cabell　could　put　a　name。　It　made　the　facsimile　matrix's　music　turn　ominous　and　caused　it　to　glimmer　in　a　new　and　sinister　fashion。

Cabell；　suffused　with　light；　felt　his　consciousness　slipping　away。　〃Fire！　Do　not　wait！〃　He　held　his　grip　on　his　senses　for　an　extra　moment；　contriving　to　fall　against　the　control　panel　and　hook　one　arm　over　the　ignition　release；　dragging　the　lever　down　with　him。

Exedore；　seeing　what　he　had　done；　stabbed　with　the　last　of　his　strength　for　the　firing　button；　even　though　he　thought　the　charge　was　too　low　to　acplish　the　full　destruction　of　the　matrix。　As　his　finger　descended；　he　saw　that　the　firing　unit　was　aglow　with　the　Awareness's　light。

It　all　made　such　chilling　sense；　the　Awareness　had　been　removed　from　its　instrumentality…Haydon　IV　itself…and　yet　maintained　in　a　coherent　state。　So　Haydon　has　disembodied　his　AI　construct　and　sent　it　here　to　fuse　with　the　matrix…its　new　instrumentality。

The　firing　unit　failed　to　function；　of　course。　The　device　built　by　Exedore　and　Cabell　to　destroy　the　matrix　began　to　die；　its　fields　falling　silent；　its　Anti…Protoculture　beginning　to　depose　at　once；　returning　to　the　quantum　foam　from　which　it　had　been　extracted　with　such　enormous　effort。

The　light　effects　of　the　Awareness's　merging　with　the　matrix　showed　some　of　the　cat's…cradle　patterning　that　had　been　observed　within　Haydon　IV。　Exedore　slumped　in　his　place　at　the　controls。

All　across　Tiresia；　those　who　were　brave；　curious；　or　fatalistic　enough　to　want　to　bear　witness　to　the　end　peeked　forth　from　their　concealment。　Out　of　the　Royal　Hall's　peak　rose　a　swirling　nebula；　showing　some　characteristics　of　the　Awareness；　some　of　the　facsimile　matrix；　and　some　that　were　totally　unfamiliar。

The　nebula　lit　the　city　as　it　ascended　higher　into　the　night　toward　the　waiting　sphere　ships。　Tiresia　was　spared　a　last　and　utter　destruction。　Exedore　and　Cabell　roused　themselves　from　the　paralysis　of　the　Awareness's　visit　and　watched　the　nebula　of　force　rise　up　into　the　blackness　to　rejoin　Haydon。


Max　had　hoped　to　score　a　quick　victory　in　hand…to…hand　bat　with　the　black　mecha；　but　the　enemy　machine　was　tremendously　strong　and　agile；　at　least　a　match　for　his　Alpha　and　maybe　more。

He　held　his　own　against　it；　though；　his　own　lightning　reflexes　being　relayed　through　the　〃thinking　cap〃　and　a　lifetime's　training　in　unarmed　bat　ing　to　his　aid。

Above　all；　he　clung　to　the　thing's　globular　right　fist；　terrified　that　if　he　released　it　for　even　an　instant；　the　black　mecha　would　harm　or　kill　Dana；　perhaps　even　by　smashing　it　against　Max's　own　Battloid。

The　two　war　machines　wrestled　and　struck　at　each　other　as　they　fell　from　the　sky；　neither　one's　thrusters　able　to　stop　it　or　give　it　the　upper　hand。　Max　tried　to　force　the　foe's　right　arm　around　to　gain　leverage　with　his　Battloid's　legs　and　rip　loose　the　all…important　right　arm。　But　the　enemy　was　fiendishly　clever　and　nearly　managed　to　kick　his　Battloid's　head　off。

In　all　the　confusion；　though；　the　two　managed　to　get　their　foot　thrusters　under　them　and　cushion　their　fall　somewhat。　They　crashed　into　the　top　tier　of　a　three…layer　forest　canopy；　breaking　off　limbs　and　sending　wildlife　flapping　and　skittering。

They　hung　up　in　the　second　tier　layer；　entangled　in　more　branches　and　networks　of　heavy　vines。　Ma