18_the_end_of_the_circle-第60章

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They　hung　up　in　the　second　tier　layer；　entangled　in　more　branches　and　networks　of　heavy　vines。　Max　thought　he　saw　a　chance　to　pin　his　antagonist　where　one　of　the　great　trunks　divided；　immobilizing　the　black　mecha　and　giving　him　the　chance　he　needed　to　rescue　Dana。

But　the　foe　seemed　to　read　his　mind　and　struck　at　the　Battloid's　head　with　the　globe　at　the　end　of　its　right　arm。　Max　dodged　desperately　to　avoid　harming　his　daughter　and　lost　his　balance。　The　Black　Knight　brought　its　huge　left　fist　down　on　the　Alpha　where　a　human's　collarbone　would　be。　The　Battloid　reeled；　falling　。。。


Rick　dashed　to　catch　up　with　Louie；　who　in　turn　was　hotfooting　it　so　as　not　to　fall　behind　Lang。　〃Halt；　goddammit！〃　If　anybody　could　shed　some　light　on　what　was　happening；　it　was　the　two　Protoculture　hotshots；　but　neither　seemed　inclined　to　stop。　Finally　Louie；　younger　and　fleeter；　of　foot；　caught　up　with　Lang　and　hauled　him　around　by　one　shoulder。　〃Doctor！　Listen　to　me！〃

〃Let　go！〃　Lang　shoved　Louie　with　that　strange　strength　Rick　had　seen　him　exhibit　on　one　or　two　rare　occasions。　But　cough　Louie　was　hurled　back　with　extreme　force；　taking　an　impact　against　a　tree　that　made　Rick　wince；　he　bounced　back　for　more；　taking　up　the　chase　again。

〃Rick！〃　It　was　Lisa；　perhaps　no　other　voice　could　have　made　him　stop　and　turn　around　just　then。　She　was　ing　along　at　a　run；　too；　with　Scott　Bernard　and　Marlene。　The　children　and　most　of　the　others　were　following　more　slowly　in　good　order；　but　Rick　noticed　that　Kazianna　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。

He　got　on　the　tac　net　to　the　guards　posted　back　at　the　landing　zone。　〃Hold　Doctors　Lang　and　Nichols　under　close　arrest　until　I　get　there…and　keep　'em　away　from　each　other！〃

He　had　time　to　repeat　the　message　for　clarity's　sake；　with　the　guard　detail　mander　acknowledging；　before　Lisa　caught　up。

〃Rick；　Marlene　says　everything's　starting　to　unglue　or　melt　down。　Something's　trying　to　change　even　the　Regis's　plans。〃　Marlene　was　nodding。　〃I　can　feel　it；　even　though　my　connection　with　the　Protoculture　isn't　as　strong　anymore。　I　believe　that　the　Regis　and　something　else　are　about　to　lock　in　some　tremendous　struggle。〃

〃Haydon？　〃

Lisa　nodded；　〃It　sounds　like　a　good　bet。　I　wanted　to　hear　what　Aurora　had　to　say；　but　she's　gone；　too…she　and　Miriya　and　Kazianna。〃

She　pointed　to　a　disappearing　Quadrono　armored　suit；　vanishing　in　the　direction　Max　and　the　Black　Knight　had　taken。　〃Something　about　that　black　mecha；　and　none　of　them　would　take　the　time　to　explain。〃

Rick　wanted　to　wait　until　they　were　all　back　aboard　the　SDF…3　to　clear　things　up；　but　he　understood　that　there　might　not　even　be　that　much　time。　〃What　do　Roy　and　the　other　kids　say？〃

〃They're　too　upset　to　make　a　lot　of　sense；　but　they　obviously　think　something　very　dangerous　is　about　to　happen。〃

〃That's　it；　then；　we　get　everybody　back　to　the　ship　before　we　do　anything　else。〃　As　he　said　it；　they　heard　the　sound　of　heavy　engines；　and　one　of　the　two　shuttles　lifted　off。　Rick　got　the　group　moving　as　fast　as　he　thought　they　could　stand。　Luckily；　Kazianna　had　left　her　Zentraedi　behind　to　help　maintain　security。

Just　before　the　party　reached　the　landing　zone　there　was　another　roar；　and　an　Alpha　went　leaping　away　after　the　shuttle。

When　the　group　got　to　the　remaining　shuttle；　they　found　dazed　security　people　dealing　with　their　own　wounded。　〃I…I'm　not　sure　how　it　happened；　sir；〃　a　rattled　mander　told　Rick。　〃We　had　Doctor　Lang　and　Doctor　Nichols　in　custody…and　then　suddenly　Lang　had　knocked　out　three　of　my　best　people；　and　the　shuttle　hatch　opened　all　by　itself　to　let　him　in。　〃Everybody　piled　on　Nichols　to　make　sure　he　didn't　get　away。　We　had　'im　held　down　pretty　good　until　one　of　the　Battloids　just　knelt　down；　without　anybody　even　at　the　controls；　to　get　him　loose。　Then　he　boarded　and　flew　off　after　Lang。〃

〃The　new　age　of　miracles；〃　Vince　muttered。

Rick　didn't　answer。　Lisa　had　already　sent　someone　to　see　if　the　remaining　shuttle　was　working；　it　was；　as　were　the　mecha。

〃Various　people　have　had　their　mental　powers　expanded　in　one　fashion　or　another；〃　Jean　Grant　observed。　〃It　seems　that；　at　least　in　some　cases；　those　expanded　powers　are　now　growing。　〃

Rick　heard　a　thoughtful　note　in　her　voice　and　turned　to　her　to　see　her　looking　at　the　SDF…3　children。　Lisa　blurted；　〃Jean；　what　are　you　saying？〃

For　a　moment　Rick　feared　the　same　thing　his　wife　did：　that　Jean's　point　was　that　the　children　were　now　to　be　considered　a　threat；　that　it　had　at　last　e　down　to　war　within　families。

But　instead；　Jean　Grant　showed　the　first　hint　of　a　smile　they　had　seen　from　her　in　a　long　time。　〃What　I'm　saying　is；　the　children　think　it'd　be　a　good　idea　to　get　out　of　newspace？and　the　Regis　is　somewhat　occupied　all　of　a　sudden…and　somewhere　not　too　far　away；　our　spacefold　drives　are　sitting　there　waiting　for　us。〃

In　the　moment's　silence　that　followed　Rick　heard　the　strange　cries　and　stridulations　of　Omphalos's　wildlife。　Vince　threw　an　arm　around　his　wife　and　kissed　her。　〃You're　one　of　a　kind；　kid。〃

Rick　was　already　giving　hand　signals。　〃Okay；　get　ready　to　board。　We'll　all　have　to　squeeze　onto　one　shuttle。〃

〃Are　we　going　home；　Daddy？〃

He　reached　down　and　gathered　up　his　son。　〃Yes；　we　are。〃


CHAPTER　THIRTY？FIVE

How　hot　a　pilot　was　Max　Sterling？　Perhaps　this　simple　observation　makes　the　point　best：　Among　the　VT　fighter　jocks；　his　modest；　upbeat　middle…American　manner　of　speech　replaced　the　Chuck　Yeager　drawl　that　had　dominated　among　pilots　for　decades　and　sifted　down　among　other　fliers　as　well。
If　you　don't　understand　how　very　much　that　meant；　go　ask　any　old　stick…and…rudder　hand。
Theresa　Duvall；　Wingmates：　The　Story　of　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling　

All　his　training；　experience；　and　remarkable　skills　came　to　nothing　in　that　critical　moment　after　Max　was　struck　by　the　Black　Knight。

But　blind　chance　stepped　in　to　fill　the　gap；　if　only　for　a　half　instant。　A　springy　hawser　of　vine　had　bee　looped　around　his　Battloid's　foot；　and　it　served　the　dual　purpose　of　swinging　him　around　to　where　he　could　get　a　grip　on　the　immense　tree　trunk　from　which　he　was　suspended　and　allowing　him　to　lash　out　with　his　foot。

But　most　importantly；　it　bobbed　him　out　of　the　line　of　fire　of　his　foe's　dory…shaped　hand　weapon。　The　purple　lightning　snapped　and　discharged；　blowing　a　distant　limb　to　vapor；　before　the　enemy　could　correct　its　aim；　the　massive　metal　battering　ram　that　was　the　Battloid's　foot　connected。　The　Battloid…scale　hand　weapon　went　flying。

At　the　same　time；　Max　was　firing　thrusters；　righting　himself。　He　rose　on　full　back　and　leg　blasts　to　grapple　with　his　enemy；　pounding　the　weapon　out　of　its　fist。　Locked　together；　they　fell　to　bend　down　a　stout　branch　that；　even　though　it　cracked　somewhat；　sprang　back　like　a　diving　board　to　flip　them　into　empty　air。　They　left　behind　a　trail　of　smoldering　foliage　and　a　few　fires；　but　the　vegetation　was　too　wet　to　burn　easily。

Again　they　fell；　but　this　time　Max　had　both　hands　fast　at　the　Black　Knight's　right　wrist。　Both　fired　thrusters；　heaving　this　way　and　that；　kicking　and　flailing。　Max　saw　the　ground　ing　at　him　and　twisted　to　cushion　his　landing　with　blaring　power　bursts。　The　black　mecha　wasn't　as　alert；　and　he　managed　to　land　on　top　of　it。

They　had　e　down　in　a　large　clearing；　branches　and　leaves　and　lengths　of　vine　raining　down　after　them；　along　with　burning　bits　of　debris。

The　enemy　lay　there　stunned　and　partially　staved　in；　shorted　power　leads　crackling　and　throwing　off　sparks。　Max　seized　a　hold；　planted　his　feet；　twisted；　and　pulled　with　all　the　might　he　could　focus　through　the　thinking　cap。　With　a　shower　of　sparks　and　the　tearing　loose　of　strangely　designed　linkages；　the　right　arm　came　off。

While　the　foe　thrashed　and　bounced　about　the　clearing　in　spasms；　Max　jumped　clear　to　lay　the　globe　aside　carefully。　He　wanted　more　than　anything　to　make　sure　Dana　was　all　right；　but　there　was　no　time。　The　living　demon　that　was　the　black　mecha　might　e　at　him　again　at　any　moment。

There　wasn't　even　time　to　answer　as；　amazingly；　he　heard　Kazianna　Hesh's　voice　e　over　the　net；　though　he　thought　his　corn　equipment　had　been　knocked　out。　〃Max！　Where　are　you？〃

Even　more　strangely；　he　thought　he　heard　Miriya's　voice；　too；　and　strangest　of　all；　Aurora's…for　Aurora　seemed　to　be　speaking　directly　into　his　mind。

Father；　no！　No！

It　was　no　time　to　give　in　to　hallucinatory　voices；　though；　the　Black　Knight　was　back　on　its　feet；　ing　his　way　in　a　tittering　run　that　covered　a　dozen　yards　at　a　time。　Max　imaged　and　his　rifle/cannon　slid　into　his　grip；　the　thought　that　his　laughter　might　even　now　be　lying　there　dead　made　it　that　much　easier　to　draw　a　bead。

〃Max！　Freeze！〃

He　had　no　idea　why　Kazianna　would　be　yelling　that　in　his　ear；　and　so　in　the　end　it　was　confusion　rather　than　discipline　that　made　him　hesitate　for　the　telling　split　second。　In　that　moment　the　Quadrono　powered　armor　suit　came　barreling　through　a　curtain　of　thick…leaved　branches　and　interwoven　vegetation；　throwing　itself　on　the　Black　Knight　from　the　left。

Max　held　his　fire　and　watched；　astounded；　as　Kazianna　sought　not　to　terminate　the　enemy　but　to　subdue　it　without　harming　the　occupant　and　to　shield　it　from　Max's　fire。

The　Black　Knight　fought　wildly；　but　Miriya　had　e　i