15_death_dance-第3章

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t　back　to　exhale　a　whistle。　〃Course；　Praxis　could　do　us　in　long　before　the　Invid　or　Edwards。〃

〃Pleasant　thought；〃　Vince　told　him。

Rick　gave　them　both　an　angry　look。　〃We're　going　to　get　to　that　module　if　we　have　to　pole…vault　there。〃


Tactical　concerns　（and　personal　preference）　had　kept　Vince　Grant　and　Rick　somewhat　anchored　to　the　GMU　（which　had　been　moved　inland　from　its　original　seaside　landing　zone）；　but　the　rest　of　the　substantially　reduced　Robotech　contingent；　along　with　the　XT　Sentinels；　had　opted　for　Praxis's　wooded　valleys；　the　planet's　often　glorious　skies；　and　rolling　hills。　Max　and　Miriya's　Skull　Squadron　had　spent　most　of　the　past　months　reconning　remote　areas；　hoping　to　e　upon　some　trace　of　the　vanished　Sisterhood；　but　they　had　only　succeeded　in　further　depleting　already　critical　reserves　of　Protoculture　fuel。　Consequently；　the　Wolff　Pack　stuck　close　to　base；　Hovertanks　shut　down。　Bela　and　Gnea　and　the　other　Praxians　had　voluntarily　detailed　themselves　to　serve　the　group's　logistical　needs；　and　were　assisted　in　this　by　the　bearlike　Karbarrans　and　vulpine　Garudans。　Cabell　had　all　but　isolated　himself；　disappearing　for　long　walks　from　which　he　would　return　with　samples　of　native　rock　or　flora。　Still　a　bit　unfortable　with　the　Humans　and　not　yet　fully　accepted　by　the　XTs；　the　Tiresian　was　often　found　in　the　pany　of　Rem；　Baldan；　Teal；　and　the　limbless　Haydonites；　Veidt　and　Sarna。　Janice；　too；　had　bee　an　unofficial　member　of　Cabell's　eldritch　clique；　much　to　Rick　and　Lisa's　puzzlement。

Presently；　Cabell　and　Janice　were　off　together　on　a　long　walk；　they　were　on　a　forested　slope　about　fifteen　miles　from　the　mobile　base　when　the　tremor　that　had　shaken　the　GMU　struck。　The　minor　quake　did　little　more　than　knock　them　off　balance　and　loosen　some　gravel　and　shale　from　nearby　heights；　but　it　was　the　morning's　second　shakeup　and　it　brought　a　severe　look　to　Cabell's　face。

Janice　had　thought　to　take　hold　of　the　old　man's　arm　and　utter　a　short　panicked　sound　as　the　ground　began　to　tremble。　It　was　a　performance　worthy　of　Minmei's　best；　although　Janice　could　hardly　appreciate　it　as　such…any　more　than　she　could　fully　understand　just　what　had　pelled　her　to　seek　out　Rem　and　Cabell's　pany　in　the　first　place。　That　this　should　somehow　please　Dr。　Lang　was　a　thought　as　baffling　to　her　as　it　was　disforting。

〃There；　there；　child；〃　Cabell　was　saying；　patting　her　hand。　〃It　will　be　over　in　a　moment。〃

They　remenced　their　climb　when　the　tremor　passed。　Janice　disengaged　herself　and　urged　Cabell　to　go　on　with　what　they　had　been　discussing。

〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　said；　running　a　hand　over　his　bald　pate；　〃the　trees。〃

Janice　listened　like　a　student　eager　for　A's。

〃As　you　can　see；　they're　nothing　like　the　scrub　growth　we　found　on　Karbarra…far　healthier；　much　closer　to　the　unmutated　form。〃　He　motioned　with　his　hand　and　went　up　on　tiptoes　to　touch　the　spherical　〃canopy〃　of　a　healthy…looking　specimen。　The　tendrils　that　encased　the　solid…looking　sphere　and　rigid　near…translucent　trunk　seemed　to　pulse　with　life。　Gingerly；　Cabell　plucked　one　of　the　verdigris…colored　applelike　fruits；　burnished　it　against　his　robe；　and　began　to　turn　it　about　in　his　wrinkled　hand。

〃Even　the　fruit　they　bear　is　different　in　color　and　texture…although　still　a　far　cry　from　the　true　Opteran　species。　Nevertheless；　it　may　tell　us　something。〃　He　took　off　his　rucksack　and　placed　the　sample　inside。　〃Look　for　the　ripest　ones；〃　the　instructed　Janice；　as　she　added　a　second　fruit　to　the　pack。

Cabell　was　straightening　up　when　a　sudden　movement　further　up　the　slope　caught　his　eye。　Janice　heard　him　start；　and　turned　to　follow　his　narrowed　gaze。

〃What　was　it？〃

Cabell　stroked　his　beard。　〃I　thought　I　saw　someone　up　ahead。〃

〃A　Praxian？〃　Janice　asked；　craning　her　neck　and　sharpening　her　vision。

〃No；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃I　would　swear　it　was　Burak！〃


Later；　a　stone's　throw　from　the　grounded　GMU；　inside　the　wooden　structure　that　had　been　designated　both　quarters　and　cell；　Tesla　wolfed　down　the　fruits　Burak　had　picked　from　the　sinister　orchard　Zor's　Flower　of　Life　seedings　had　spawned　on　Praxis。

〃Yes；　yes；　different；　ummm；〃　the　Invid　was　saying　in　a　voice　tinged…with　rapture。

The　young　Perytonian　tried　to　avert　his　eyes；　but　in　the　end　couldn't　help　himself　from　watching　Tesla　as　he　ingested　fruit　after　fruit。　Moist　sucking　noises　filled　the　cell。

〃And　you　think　they　may　have　seen　you？〃　Tesla　asked　him。

〃It　is　possible…Cabell；　in　any　case。〃

Tesla　scoffed；　still　munching　and　handling　the　fruits　as　if　they　were　wealth　itself。　〃Cabell　is　too　old　to　recognize　the　nose　on　his　own　face。　Besides；　they　know　I　can't　subsist　on　what　you　call　food。〃

Burak　said　nothing。　It　was　true　enough：　the　Invid's　food　stock　had　been　destroyed　with　the　Farrago；　and　the　Sentinels　had　agreed　to　place　Burak　in　charge　of　securing　alternative　nutrient　plants。　But　Cabell；　who　was　anything　but　a　doddering　old　man；　and　perhaps　fearing　the　very　transformations　Tesla　was　beginning　to　undergo；　had　suggested　that　the　Invid's　fruit　and　Flower　intake　be　regulated…this　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　Tesla　had　to　some　extent　ingratiated　himself　with　the　group　since　their　victory　on　Karbarra。　Each　evening；　Cabell　and　Jean　Grant　would　look　in　on　Tesla。　Burak　had　been　asked　to　furnish　them　with　a　daily　log　of　the　amounts　gathered　and　ingested；　and　the　devilish…looking　Perytonian　was　plying…inasmuch　as　he　would　file　a　report。　But　the　report　was　hardly　a　reflection　of　the　actual　amounts　Tesla　consumed。　Fortunately；　though；　the　Invid's　transformations　had　been　limited　to　brief　periods　following　his　meals；　when　neither　Cabell　nor　Jean　were　present。

〃More；〃　Tesla　said　now；　holding　out　his　hands。

Burak　regarded　the　Invid's　newly…acquired　fifth　digit　and　pulled　the　basket　out　of　reach。　〃I　think　you've　had　enough　for　today。〃　Burak　had　heard　it　said　that　extraordinary　powers　could　be　gained　from　ingesting　the　fruits　of　Haydon's　Worlds；　but　he　had　never　understood　that　to　mean　physical　transfiguration；　and　the　Invid's　recent　changes　were　beginning　to　fill　him　with　fear。

Tesla's　eyes　glowed　red　as　he　came　to　his　feet；　taller　by　inches　than　he　had　stood　on　Karbarra。　〃You　dare　to　say　this　to　me　after　all　we've　been　through？　You；　who　sought　me　out　before　fate　landed　us　in　this　despicable　situation？　And　what　of　your　homeworld　and　the　curse　you　were　so　feverish　to　see　ended…have　you　given　up　hope？　Would　you　renounce　your　destiny？〃

Burak　took　a　hesitant　step　toward　the　door；　the　basket　clasped　to　him。　〃You're　changing！〃　he　said；　pointing　to　Tesla's　hands。　〃They're　going　to　notice　it；　and　what　then？　They'll　cut　back　on　the　amounts；　put　someone　else　in　charge　of　you。　Then　what　bees　of　your　promises…what　bees　of　Peryton？〃

Tesla　continued　to　glare　at　him　a　moment　more；　transmogrifying　even　as　Burak　watched。　The　Invid's　skull　rippled　and　expanded；　as　though　being　forced　to　conform　to　some　novel　interior　design。　Gradually；　however；　Tesla　reassumed　his　natural　state　and　collapsed　back　into　his　seat；　spent；　subdued；　and　apologetic。

〃You're　right；　Burak。　We　must　take　care　to　keep　our　partnership　a　carefully…guarded　secret。〃　His　black；　ophidian　eyes　fixed　on　Burak。　〃And　have　no　fear　for　your　tortured　world。　When　the　time　es　for　me　to　assume　my　rightful　place　in　these　events；　I　shall　reward　you　for　these　efforts。〃

〃That's　all　that　I　ask；〃　Burak　told　him。

The　two　XTs　fell　silent　as　a　gentle　tremor　shook　the　building。

Tesla　stared　at　the　floor。　〃I　sense　something　about　this　planet；〃　he　announced；　his　sensor　organs　twitching　as　his　snout　came　up。　〃And　I　think　I　am　beginning　to　see　just　what　the　Regis　was　doing　here。〃


CHAPTER　TWO

Unfortunately；　there　are　no　detailed　descriptions　of　the　Genesis　Pits；　other　than　Rand's　colorful　but　highly　personalized　and　impressionistic　accounts　（specious；　as　some　would　add）；　and　the　notes　Colonel　Adams　hastily　scribbled　to　himself　while　on　Optera。　And　despite　a　plethora　of　theories　and　explanations；　the　sad　truth　is　that　the　mechanism　of　the　Pits　remains　a　plete　mystery…except　to　say　that　they　were　devices　utilized　by　the　Regis　for　purposes　of　creative　evolution。　Praxis　apparently　played　host　to　the　largest　of　these；　and　Lang；　to　name　one；　has　speculated