15_death_dance-第31章
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Then Max spotted the Hellcats…four of them； attacking the VT's canopy with a frenzy； battering it with downward blows of their armored heads。 He could see that one Inorganic had managed to get a claw inside； and was waving it around； presumably hoping to slice Miriya to shreds。 The four turned at the same moment to show Max their gleaming fangs and sword…edged shoulder horns； two hunt…mates leaped for the VT straightaway； but he already had the rifle/cannon locked on them。 They came apart in midair like clay pigeons。 Max holed a third where it stood glaring at him； and now the final 'Cat snatched its paw from the punctured canopy； reared up； and came at him。 Max tried to sidestep the Battloid when the Hellcat jumped； but his timing was off； the Inorganic latched on to the mecha's ablative head shields and began to ram its snout against the permaplas visor。 Reflexively； Max pressed himself back into the cockpit seat； he had a larger…than…life view of the crazed thing's snapping mouth and false gullet。 The 'Cat was snarling； trying desperately to slice open the Battloid's belly with the churning motion of its razor…sharp hind claws。 Max shut down the external pickups and armed the head lasers。 The angle was almost too oblique； but the Hellcat's back was heaving in and out of the targeting brackets and Max thought he might have a chance。 He raised the Battloid's left arm； gripped the 'Cat around the waist； and tugged it into the lasers' field。 Then he triggered the in…close guns。 The Inorganic brought its head up as the light beams seared into its backside； it took Max's follow…up pulse right through the eyes and dropped to the ground； lifeless。
Max stomped the thing twice。 He imaged over to Guardian mode and pulled his mask tight as he popped the media's canopy。 Miriya had yet to show herself。 Scampering up along the Red's downswept wing； he peered into the shattered cockpit and began to fumble with the manual…release levers。
〃Miriya！〃
He called her name twice more before he succeeded in springing the ship's protective blister。 She appeared unharmed； but unconscious。 More troubling； however； was the fact that the Hellcat had ripped off her mask； she had been breathing Garuda's atmosphere for a dangerously long time。
CHAPTER TWELVE
Several mentators have felt pelled to point out that Jonathan's Wolff's 〃slip〃 ＇sic： see Mizner's Rakes and Rogues； The True Story of the SDF…3 Expeditionary Mission＇ was perhaps the pivotal event of the Third Robotech War。 The reasoning goes something like this： If Wolff had fired on the Invid ship； Rem would never had reached Haydon IV； and without Rem； the Regis would not have been as likely to instruct her Sensor Nebulae to search the Galaxy's outermost arms for evidence of the matrix； and would not； therefore； have found Earth until years after the Expeditionary mission returned。 The reader must decide for him or herself whether anything is to be gained by such speculation； but I would point out that ＇Mizner's＇ reasoning can be made to apply in both directions。 It is as easy to blame Lynn…Minmei as it is Jonathan Wolff。
Footnote in Zens Bellow's The Road to Reflex Point
An Invid ship； a small shuttle； had docked at Haydon IV's spaceport facility。 The Regis had been told that it was from Garuda…and bearing gifts。
She was in her temporary headquarters high atop one of the city's ultratech architectural wonders when news of the ship's arrival was delivered to her。 Out of reach； she liked to think； distanced from the cold； unsettling presence of the planet's armless； hovering creatures； the displaced and still discontent Praxian Sisterhood； her own disforting discoveries。。。And out of the Regent's reach； his dark schemes and mad plans。
But if anything； Haydon IV had only pounded the misery she had carried here from Optera and Praxis。 She felt at the mercy of a confused longing she could not define； a need to break free of this horizonless condition。
She supposed that she should have been grateful that Haydon IV's inhabitants hadn't in any way trifled with her or denied her anything； but neither had they accepted her as the evolved being she fancied herself to be。 It was more accurate to say they had tolerated her presence…as if they were all privy to some grand arcane mystery she couldn't even discern； much less unravel。 And furthermore she sensed that this had something to do with the world's equally mysterious founder/creator…Haydon。 The databanks she had searched for answers to her own evolutionary puzzles gave some glimpse into his life； but hardly enough to form a plete portrait of the being。 And she confessed to a certain trepidation at expanding her efforts along these lines。 Already the very foundation of her own life's work had been shaken by what she had uncovered in Haydon's transphysical musings； and all at once she felt too unsure of herself and her ambitions to permit much more in the way of contradiction。 There were hints； though； that she was not； as she had imagined； in control of things； that the theft of the Flowers； the Invid's quest； even Zor's misdeeds； were but part of a much grander design…one in which she； too； did little more than play out a role。 And that role。。。that role demanded she accept that what she sought was not the Flowers of Life； but the stuff that had been conjured from them by Zor himself…the Protoculture。
As she saw it…as she wanted to see it…Protoculture was a malicious energy； a malignancy that did nothing but fuel the war machine of the Masters and her deluded ex…husband。 To see it as more would be to admit she had been wrong after all； that the Regent's course was the truer one； the predestined one。
And suddenly he had sent her some sort of gift。
She was pacing the floor like a caged beast now； waiting for the unsolicited thing to be brought up to her。 Finally； two of her husband's 〃scientists〃 were admitted to her quarters； she recognized one of them as a master she had herself evolved for the express purpose of overseeing Flower gathering on Garuda…another of the cursed worlds Zor had for some reason seen fit to cultivate。
〃Your Grace；〃 the scientist directed up to her； bowing。 〃The Regent regrets that he could not be here in person to bestow his gift。〃
The Regis made a scoffing sound。 〃If he had e in person； I wouldn't be here to receive him。 Now； have the thing brought in and take your leave； underling。〃
〃Of course； Your Worship；〃 the scientist said； bowing once more。 〃Only it is not so much a 'thing'。。。〃
〃What then？〃 she asked him； arms akimbo。
〃More in the way of a live presentation…but one that will surely prove most enlightening。〃 The scientist shouted a few quick mands over his shoulder； and two Invid soldiers marched into the room。 Sandwiched between them was a small Tiresioid male； narcotized； so it appeared。
Puzzled； the Regis reduced her stature some to get a better look at him。 One of the soldiers tilted the Tiresioid's face up for her inspection。
It was Zor。
A tight scream worked its way up from the very depths of her being； and she came close to losing consciousness； falling back from the soldiers and their terrible trophy and crashing against a municator sphere。
〃A clone； Your Grace； a clone！〃 the scientist was shouting； aware of the Regis's distress。 〃We meant you no ill。〃
〃How dare you！〃 she bellowed； frightfully enough to send both soldiers and scientists to their knees； and Rem face…first to the floor。
〃We subjected the clone to the Garudan atmosphere and discovered that his dreams spoke of things we were certain you would find…〃
〃Silence！〃 the Regis said； cutting off the scientist's rush of words。 〃I know what you thought；〃 she added； more posed now。 〃And I know what the Regent meant by sending me this。。。clone。 On your feet！〃
Hesitantly； the four Invid did as instructed； leaving Rem where he lay。 〃Your Highness；〃 the master scientist began on a sheepish note； 〃Haydon IV's devices will permit us to gaze even deeper into the clone's cellular memory。 Perhaps some clue regarding the Masters or the missing Protoculture matrix。。。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered him； looking down at Rem as he groaned and rolled over。 It took all her strength to keep from reaching out to touch him。
