15_death_dance-第26章

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nd　those　proverbial　doors　of　perception。　Five　minutes　of　exposure　to　Canada's　tainted　atmosphere　had　been　enough　to　elicit　them。　The　scientists　had　no　way　of　knowing　whether　this　constituted　what　would　amount　to　a　lethal　exposure…some　Invid　had　lasted　as　long　as　half　an　hour　without　suffering　irreversible　effects。　But　these　Humans　were　fragile　things；　physically　strong　for　their　size；　it　was　true；　but　with　limited　tolerance　for　even　the　slightest　of　psychic　assaults。　They　were　inhabitants　of　the　base　realms；　the　sensate　worlds　at　the　lower　end　of　the　spectrum；　as　insubstantial　as　interstellar　dust；　and　therefore　highly　expendable。

The　leader　of　the　white…robed　group　now　activated　the　sphere　attached　to　the　device　above　Lisa's　head；　and　here；　too；　the　scientists　encountered　images　of　pursuit。　Kami；　muzzled　and　shackled　in　a　corner　of　the　hive's　lab；　was　too　deep　into　his　own　delirium　to　take　note　of　their　dismay。

〃It　seems　to　be　something　of　a　fixation　with　them；〃　one　of　the　assistants　ventured。

The　Human　female　was　for　all　intents　and　purposes　trapped　on　a　spiral　staircase　that　lacked　any　clear…cut　terminus。　Moreover；　whatever　it　was　that　was　pursuing　her；　hunting　her；　was　so　vague　a　thing　as　to　be　untranslatable　by　the　sphere's　Protoculture　circuitry。　There　were　momentary　flashes　of　a　feline　creature；　however；　that　brought　to　mind　the　Invid's　own　Hellcats。　But　the　central　concern　of　the　dream　and　dreamer　was　the　female's　seemingly　reduced　size。

〃Some　reference　to　the　Zentraedi；　perhaps？〃

The　master　scientist　made　a　disgruntled　sound。　〃Who　can　tell　with　these　beings？　Let　us　move　on。〃

They　grouped　together　in　front　of　Karen's　sphere　next；　arms　folded　and　four…fingered　hands　tucked　into　the　sleeves　of　their　robes。　The　master　among　them　had　found　himself　strangely　moved　by　this　green…eyed；　honey…haired　Human；　but　unfortunately　her　dream…terrors　proved　to　be　as　pedestrian　and　unrevealing　as　the　previous　ones。　Her　world　was　at　least　populated　with　a　host　of　other　beings；　but　they　were　there　principally　to　insure　that　Karen　was　suitably　horrified　by　the　prospect　of　being　buried　alive。

The　master　expressed　his　distaste　after　a　minute's　viewing。　〃What　a　pitiful　race。。。One　wonders　why　they　don't　walk　in　fear　of　their　own　shadows。　They've　been　more　traumatized　than　Optera　itself。〃

By　now　they　had　reached　Rem…the　Tiresian…and　to　their　absolute　astonishment；　there　in　living　color　and　as　big　as　life　in　the　center　of　the　attendant　sphere　was　Optera。　This　much　could　have　been　accounted　for　and　dismissed；　but　next　they　found　themselves　viewing　images　of　the　Regis　in　her　pretransformed　state！　And　this　was　not　the　defoliated　Optera　of　their　ravenous　present；　but　the　edenic　homeworld　of　their　racial　past…a　verdant　wonderland；　with　fields　of　Flowers　basking　in　the　warmth　of　the　planet's　twin　suns；　stretching　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see　across　a　landscape　of　arcadian　beauty。　Here　was　the　lost　harmony；　the　innocent　splendor；　the　paradisiacal　ease　they　could　now　access　only　in　moments　of　collective　trance；　or　at　the　mystical　promptings　of　the　Queen…Mother　herself。

The　scientists　were　reduced　to　silence；　to　tears　of　an　ethereal　sort。

〃It's　as　if。。。〃

〃Say　it；〃　the　master　demanded。

〃。。。as　if　this　one　knew　our　world　before　the　techno…voyager's　arrival。〃

〃These　are　his　thoughts。〃

With　what　would　translate　as　shame；　the　master　scientist　deactivated　the　sphere　and　led　his　group　to　a　sphere　significantly　larger　than　the　rest…their　munications　instrumentality；　overshadowed　by　a　relatively　small　specimen　of　bubble…chambered　brain。

〃We　must　inform　the　Regent　of　this　at　once。〃

〃And　say　what？〃

〃That　we　have　found　Zor！〃


It　had　taken　Jack　all　the　inner　strength　he　could　muster　to　keep　from　tearing　down　into　that　basin　orchard　with　guns　blazing。。。He　had　heard　the　explosion　that　dropped　the　first　Scout　ship；　and　had　scrambled　up　to　the　top　of　the　crater　rim　like　a　mountain　goat　on　amphetamines。　Weapon　fire；　follow…up　blasts。。。by　the　time　he　got　there；　Rick　and　the　others　were　surrounded　by　Invid　soldiers…more　than　even　he　wanted　to　go　up　against。　Lisa　was　down；　Rick　bending　over　her。　Kami；　Rem；　Karen！　He　had　located　a　safe　vantage　point　and　watched　as　his　friends　were　led　off　to　the　hive；　then　a　short　time　later　they　had　reappeared　at　the　dome's　tunnellike　entrance；　this　time　stripped　of　their　transpirators。　For　some　reason　he　had　felt　pelled　to　time　their　exposure；　sitting　there　powerless　and　near　crazed　while　the　chronometer　display　counted　off　the　minutes；　five　heart…stopping　minutes！　He　had　run　for　the　place　where　they　had　stashed　the　cycs；　found　his　way　back　to　the　trails　they　had　cut　in　predawn　light；　reentered　the　village。。。all　the　while　expecting　Shock　Troopers　to　emerge　from　the　ground；　Hellcats　or　Robo…automata　to　leap　on　him　from　the　treetops。　Pursued　by　nightmares。。。

Jack　was　just　now　finishing　his　hurried　and　breathless　recap；　sitting　cross…legged　in　the　village　longhouse　and　sucking　nutrient　through　a　tube　while　the　chief　and　some　of　the　Sentinels　watched　him。

〃We've　gotta　spring　them；〃　he　said　at　last；　his　thirst　slaked。　〃Right　away；　before　they're　moved。〃

The　chief　spoke　to　a　member　of　the　tribe；　the　male　Garudan　nodded　his　head　a　few　times　and　took　off　in　a　rush。　〃He　has　been　instructed　to　pass　the　word；〃　the　chief　explained。　〃We　will　be　alerted　if　and　when　they　are　moved。〃

Learna　was　beside　herself；　her　neck　fur　on　end。　She　had　tried　time　and　time　again　to　Send　herself　to　the　hive；　but　each　of　her　attempts　had　ended　in　failure。　〃Kami　will　die　inside　the　hive。　He　must　be　returned　to　Garuda's　air。〃

〃He　wasn't　brought　out　with　the　rest　of　them；〃　Jack　told　her；　then　turned　to　Cabell。　〃How　long　is　too　long？〃

The　old　man　made　as　if　to　stroke　his　beard　under　the　suit。　〃I　can't　answer　you；　Jack。　Tirol　sent　the　Zentraedi　here；　the　clones。。。I　believe　Rem　and　I　are　the　first　Tiresians　to　set　foot　on　Garuda　since　Zor　himself　landed　here。〃

〃Can't　you　even　estimate　it？〃　Jack　pressed　him。

Cabell　saw　Jack's　frustration　and　concern。　〃I　don't　imagine　anything　less　than　fifteen　minutes　would　prove　fatal。〃　He　was　relieved　to　see　Jack　relax　some。

〃But　why　would　they　do　that…why　not　just　kill　them；　Wise　One？〃　Gnea　thought　to　ask。

The　chief　shrugged　his　powerful　shoulders。　〃To　torture　them；　perhaps　to　see　if　they　could　learn　anything　from　their　thoughts。〃

〃All　right；〃　Max　broke　in；　〃suppose　we　wait　till　dusk。　Your　people　will　be　heading　back　to　the　camps　by　then；　right？〃

Learna　and　the　chief　nodded；　uncertain。

〃We　stage　a　diversionary　raid　on　one　of　the　other　hives。　Try　to　draw　off　as　many　of　their　mecha　as　we　can。　At　the　same　time；　a　rescue　team　goes　in。〃

〃Agreed；〃　Jack　said；　and　some　of　the　others　joined　him　in　voicing　their　support。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Cabell　objected　when　everyone　had　quieted　down。　〃It's　risky。　Those　hives　are　much　more　plex　than　they　appear。〃

〃Well；　of　course　it's　risky；〃　Jack　argued；　〃but　I　don't　see　that　we　have　any　choice。　What　are　we　supposed　to　do…walk　up　and　knock　on　the　door？　Uh；　excuse　me；　but　we　were　wondering　if　you　might　be　willing　to　return　our　teammates…〃

〃There　is　an　easier　way　to　get　them　back。〃

Jack　swung　around　to　see　who　had　interrupted　him。　When　he　saw　it　was　Burak　he　fell　silent；　along　with　almost　everyone　else。　The　Perytonian　had　bee　something　of　an　invisible　being　since　the　attempted　mutiny；　and　to　hear　him　suddenly　speak；　much　less　offer　an　opinion；　was　something　of　an　event。

〃You　are　forgetting　our　race　in　the　hold；〃　Burak　said　to　the　group's　collective　puzzlement。

〃You　mean　'ace　in　the　hole；'〃　Jack　corrected　him。

〃Whatever…〃

〃Tesla；〃　Cabell　exclaimed。

The　devil　from　Peryton　nodded。

〃A　hostage　exchange？〃　Max　asked。

Burak　grinned　beneath　his　mask。　〃Something　like　that。〃


On　Optera；　the　Regent's　servant　reported　only　that　five　Sentinels　had　been　captured　on　Garuda；　he　knew　better　than　to　steal　the　scientists'　thunder。　The　Regent　was　relaxing　in　his　sterile　nutrient　bath　when　the　muniqu？was　received；　having　discovered　that　he　could　essentially　guarantee　messages　merely　by　setting　foot　in　the　Olympic…size　tub。　Anxious　for　some　news　of　Tesla；　or　information　regarding　the　next　destination　of　the　Sentinels；　he　h