18_the_end_of_the_circle- 第23部分

〃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　side　were　the　ships　of　the　Karbarran　battle　group；　a　school　of　predatory　fish　awaiting　the　scent　of　blood。

〃Evaluation；〃　Vince　said；　turning　to　find　Louie　Nichols　headlocked　to　the　room's　p　console。　Data…expedient　or　not；　the　sight　of　the　wizard's　cranial　ports　still　left　him　distressed。

With　an　audible　pop；　Louis　jacked　the　umbilicus　out　of　the　skull。　〃No　doubt　about　it；　they're　mining　the　moon　for　metals。　Haydon　IV's　turned　itself　into　a　working　factory。〃

Vince　gestured　to　the　viewport。　〃You　mean　those；　those　tubes　are　mine　shafts？〃

〃In　a　manner　of　speaking；〃　Louie　told　him。　〃See；　instead　of　parking　yourself　in　orbit　and　shuttling　payloads　of　raw　materials　up　the　gravity　well；　you　construct　transfer　corridors　ship…to…surface　and　suck　up　what　you　need。　A　variation　on　the　old　space　elevator　or　orbital　tower　concept。〃

〃But　what　the　hell　are　they　manufacturing？〃

Dr。　Penn　and　Cabell　approached　the　console　to　hear　Louie's　response。

〃Ships　would　be　my　guess；〃　Nichols　said；　only　to　receive　skeptical　looks　from　the　three　of　them。

〃Assume　for　a　moment　our　theories　about　Haydon　are　on　the　money；　then　put　yourself　in　his　boots。〃　Louie　stood　up　to　make　his　point。　〃Here　are　Haydon　and　his　crew　wandering　the　spaceways　for　tens　of　thousands　of　years；　jumping　system　to　system；　world　to　world。　And　frankly；　the　whole　thing's　being　a　yawn。　They've　conquered　war；　hunger；　pestilence；　disease；　death　。。。　I　mean；　what's　left　to　do？

〃So　all　at　once　they　begin　asking　themselves　some　serious　questions。　Like　maybe　if　there　isn't　more　to　life　than　gallivanting　around　the　galaxy　playing　deity　to　groups　of　awed　primitives。　They　start　focusing　on　ontological　and　teleological　questions　about　purpose　and　god　and　what's　supposed　to　e　after　you　punch　exit　and　wave　good…bye　to　your　biological　parts。　Of　course　they've　been　asking　themselves　these　questions　since　they　crawled　up　out　of　the　gene　pool；　but　all　of　a　sudden　there's　an　urgency　attached　to　it。　It's　a　kind　of　what'd　they　used　to　call　it？…a　midlife　crisis　thing。〃

Louie　took　a　breath　and　adjusted　his　opaque　goggles。　〃Thing　is；　for　all　their　investigations　into　existential　metaphysics　and　such；　for　all　their　experiments　with　religion；　sensory　dep；　mind…altering　substances；　and　cyber…interface；　they　just　can't　seem　to　break　through　to　any　of　the　ethereal　dimensions　they　figure　must　be　out　there　or　in　there　or　somewhere。　After　all；　the　math　works；　so　where's　the　experiential　side　to　the　equation？

〃So　Haydon　gets　the　notion　that　maybe　his　or　her　or　their　race　just　isn't　meant　for　transcendence…I　mean；　they're　just　not　built　for　it。　They're　psychically　deficient　or　constitutionally　deprived　or　something。　But　that　doesn't　necessarily　rule　out　the　existence　of　these　other　realms　or　the　possibility　that　some　other　race　is　capable　of　getting　there。〃　Louie　looked　at　Vince。　〃You　following　me　so　far；　General？〃

Vince　deliberated；　then　nodded。

Louis　rubbed　his　hands　together。　〃Okay。　So　what　they　decide　to　do　is　see　if　they　can't　speed　things　along　by　scouting　the　galaxy　for　likely　candidates　and　lending　a　helping　hand　wherever　they　can。〃　Louis　motioned　to　Cabell。　〃They　hit　Karbarra；　Praxis；　Peryton…all　the　worlds　you　mentioned…adding　something　here；　deleting　something　there。　Then　they　sit　back　to　see　what　happens。

〃But…〃　Louie　raised　an　index　finger。　〃…we're　talking　millennia　again。　So　rather　than　risk　a　second　yawn　they　decide　to　build　themselves　a　world…that　world；〃　Louie　said；　gesturing　out　the　viewport；　〃to　do　the　monitoring　work　for　them。　And　they　equip　the　AI　they've　set　up　to　run　the　place　with　instructions　to　call　them　when　one　of　their　experiments　racial　transmutation　bears　fruit。〃

Cabell　saw　where　Nichols　was　headed　and　smiled　knowingly。

Louie　returned　the　grin。　〃Yeah；　you　see　it。　The　Karbarrans　aren't　cutting　it；　and　neither　are　the　Garudans　or　the　Spherisians；　but　hey；　what's　going　on　over　here　in　Optera's　corner　of　the　Fourth　Quadrant？　Why；　we　got　some　kind　of　war　going　on　here　between　the　Invid　and　the　Robotech　Masters　over　those　Flowers　Haydon　left　behind。〃

Louie　snorted　a　laugh。　〃Well；　one　thing　leads　to　another；　and　the　Invid　arrive　on　Earth；　mate　with　the　Protoculture　Zor　conjured　from　their　blessed　Flowers；　and　bing；　bang　boom！　transcendence。　They　soar　clear　off　this　mortal　coil；　and　an　alarm　clock　goes　off　on　Haydon　IV。　The　Awareness　says；　‘All　right；　all　you　slumbering　spacefarers；　it's　rise　and　shine。　A　trail's　been　blazed；　and　it's　time　to　start　settin'　out　for　the　new　frontier。'〃

Vince　and　Harry　Penn　were　hanging　on　his　every　word。　Gibley　and　the　rest　of　Louie's　teammates　had　gone　back　to　playing　video　games。　Louie　glanced　at　them　and　aimed　a　laugh　at　the　ceiling。　〃So；　I　forget；　where　was　I　headed？〃

〃Ships；〃　Penn　reminded　him　breathlessly。

〃Oh；　right；　ships。　Well；　that's　the　obvious　part；　isn't　it？　The　Protoculture　sure　isn't　going　to　get　Haydon　into　the　other　domain。　Besides；　there's　none　of　the　pure　stuff　left。　So　what　they　need　now　is　ships。〃

Cabell's　forehead　and　bald　pate　wrinkled。　〃But　if　what　you're　saying　is　correct…if　Haydon　actually　plans　to　follow　in　ships…the　Invid's　departure　would　have　to　have　resulted　in　a　detectable　physical　rend　in　the　continuum。〃

〃That's　true；〃　Louie　said。　〃And　I'm　betting　the　Awareness　will　be　programming　the　location　of　that　rend　into　the　ships　Haydon　IV's　going　to　start　spitting　out。〃

Vince　slapped　a　hand　down　on　the　table。　〃So　all　we　need　to　do　is　hang　around　until　Haydon　shows　up　to　claim　the　ships　and　tag　along　behind。〃

Louie　nodded。　〃I　don't　think　they'd　mind　a　coupla　hitchhikers；　do　you？〃

〃But　we　don't　have　any　idea　how　long　this　process　will　take；〃　Penn　protested。　〃Ships；　slumbering　spacefarers　。。。　The　idea　is　absurd。　But　even　if　all　this　is　true；　suppose　Haydon　does　mind。　Suppose　they　don't　want　to　share　the　discovery　with　outsiders。　What　then？〃

Louie　pondered　that　for　a　moment。　〃We've　still　got　one　other　lead…the　Invid　simulagent。　We　continue　to　put　the　squeeze　on　her　until　she　talks。　Once　we　have　the　location；　we　can　get　a　jump　on　Haydon's　ships；　beat　'em　to　the　pass。〃

〃My　God；〃　Vince　repeated。　〃What　have　we　gotten　ourselves　into？〃

〃That's　unimportant；〃　Penn　said。　〃The　question　should　be　phrased；　What　are　we　getting　ourselves　into？〃　
Cabell　tapped　a　finger　against　his　lips　and　turned　to　the　viewport。。。　〃There's　one　point　Doctor　Nichols　still　hasn't　addressed。　Here　is　Haydon　IV；　joined　to　the　mineral…rich　moon　of　a　dying　system　orbiting　a　gravitationally　collapsed　star。〃　He　swung　around　to　the　room。　〃Inside　which　are　Haydon　and　his　race　hiding？〃


Scott　was　not　surprised　when　Obstat　so　willingly　acceded　a　his　request　that　Marlene　be　released　in　his　custody。　Intel　had　made　it　clear　what　they　were　after；　and　Scott　had　in　some　sense　bee　their　field　agent。

They　were　in　his　quarters；　side　by　side　on　the　narrow　bed；　exhausted　from　stress　and　the　fleeting　sense　of　relief　lovemaking　had　provided。　Try　as　he　might；　Scott　could　not　push　the　image　of　Sera　from　his　thoughts。　Marlene　was　so　frail　in　his　arms　as　to　be　intangible；　and　once　more　he　had　begun　to　fear　for　her　life。　And　he　kept　thinking　about　what　Cabell　had　said　about　stars　disappearing；　the　very　fabric　of　the　universe　strained。　Was　it　that　cosmic　tightening　that　had　finally　brought　him　to　his　senses？　Had　it　required　nothing　less　than　gravitational　collapse　to　bring　Marlene　to　his　arms？　She　was　almost　asleep；　but　he　felt　the　need　to　talk；　as　though　spoken　words　forestall　the　inevitable。

〃These　last　few　days　have　made　me　wish　things　had　been　went　on　Earth；〃　he　told　her　in　a　whisper。　〃I　wish　I　hadn't　been　so　stupid　and　blind。　I　wish　we　hadn't　waited　for　this。。。'

Marlene　raised　her　eyes　to　his；　her　long　lashes　fluttering　against　his　bare　chest。　〃Do　you　mean　that；　Scott？〃

He　nodded　and　kissed　her　forehead。

〃And　how　would　things　have　worked　out；　Scott？　Your　love　for　me　would　have　kept　you　from　leaving？　You　would　have　launched　in　your　fighter　only　to　return　immediately　to　my　arms？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　we　would　have　traveled　together　to　the　Southlands　and　pitched　in　to　farm　and　restore　the　planet　while　you　left　it　up　to　your　friends　to　search　for　the　SDF…3。〃

Scott's　throat　seemed　to　dry　up。　To　hear　his　wishes　presented　like　that　only　undermined　the　sentiment　and　filled　him　with　misgiving。　But　he　answered　yes　to　all　of　it。

Marlene　raised　herself　on　one　elbow　to　study　his　face。　〃Remember　Sera；　Scott。　You　would　have　ended　up　alone。〃

He　worked　his　jaw。　〃It　wouldn't　have　mattered。　We　would　have　had　each　other。〃

〃Like　you　had　the　Marlene　Rush　you　can't　forget？〃

〃Change　it；　then；　goddammit！〃　he　seethed。　〃Find　the　Regis　and　make　it　right　for　both　of　us！　Maybe　your　queen　can　have　it　end　differently　for　you。　Then　maybe　we　can　have　the　dream　you　just　laid　out。〃

Marlene　curled　against　him　and　took　a　deep；　shuddering　breath。　〃You're　not　making　it　easy　for　me　to　remember　who　and　what　I　am；〃　she　said　softly。

His　chest　where　the　holo…locket　used　to　rest　was　damp　with　her　tears。　He　squeezed　her　to　him。　〃Tell　me　what　I　have　to　do；　Marlene。〃

〃You　have　to　stop　loving　me；　Scott。　You　have　to　stop　treating　me　so　human。〃


Elsewhere　in　the　Ark　Angel　Minmei　and　the　sister　clones　sang：

Little　Protoculture　leaf；
Waiting　for　our　palates；
Where　will　you　take　us？
Flower　of　Life！
Treat　us　well！


What　had　happened　on　this　world？　Zor　recalled　having　asked　himself　only　a　few　days　before。　What　enchanted　hand　or　conspiracy　of　sky　and　soil　had　shaped　that　grand　experiment　in　life？

For　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see　there　had　been　nothing　but　this：　a　living　landscape　under　skies　tinged　with　aquamarine。　Life　pure　and　unadulterated；　which　here　had　chosen　but　two　forms　of　expression。　The　one；　vegetal　but　without　question　sentient；　the　other；　more　the　animal　stuff　of　his　own　being　but　seemingly　free　of　the　gross　entanglements　so　often　given　rise　to　by　bone　and　sinew。　The　one；　a　flower；　fruit；　and　tree；　pulsating　with　occult　power；　the　other；　feeding　from　that　power　but　returning　everything　to　it；　tranquil　and　self　sufficient；　with　no　need　to　look　outside　itself　to　answer　the　questions　that　burned　in　Zor's　soul。　It　was　symbiosis　of　the　most　perfect　sort；　true　synthesis；　two　life　forms