15_death_dance-第34章

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ll　it　that　no　matter　what。
A　〃Code　Pyramid〃　muniqu？from　T。　R。　Edwards；　as　quoted　in　Wildman's　When　Evil　Had　Its　Day

A　tight　cluster　of　lights　was　descending　out　of　Fantoma's　perpetually　brooding　skies。　Breetai　watched　them　for　a　moment；　then　turned　away　from　the　mand　center's　blister　viewport　to　face　his　lieutenant。

〃They've　arrived；　my　lord。〃

〃So　I　see；〃　Breetai　said　soberly。　He　glanced　back　over　his　shoulder；　snapped　the　faceshield　that　sealed　his　pressurized　armor　closed；　and　moved　to　the　hut's　airlock。　The　lieutenant　and　two　armed　soldiers　followed　him　out　into　Fantoma's　night。

A　constant　debris…filled　wind　had　been　scouring　the　ringed　giant's　surface　for　the　past　three　days；　and　Breetai　instinctively　raised　an　arm　against　it　as　he　marched　in　lumbering　high　strides　toward　the　landing　zone's　illumination　grid。　Nearly　all　of　the　Zentraedi　cadre　had　turned　out　for　the　confrontation；　and　Breetai　spied　Kazianna　Hesh　among　them。　Nearby　were　a　dozen　or　so　Micronians　in　environment　suits…some　of　Lang's　Robotechs。　Edwards's　Ghost　Riders　were　reconfiguring　their　Veritechs　now；　imaging　over　from　Guardian　to　Battloid　as　they　touched　down。

〃He　apparently　has　more　on　his　mind　than　a　friendly　chat；〃　Breetai　said　to　his　lieutenant　while　the　last　of　the　squadron　was　snapping　into　upright　mode。　As　murmurs　of　discontent　reached　him　over　the　tactical　freq；　Breetai　instructed　his　first　officer　to　pass　the　word　along　that　he　wouldn't　tolerate　any　incidents；　no　matter　what　Edwards　said　or　did；　his　troops　were　to　keep　silent。

Edwards　stepped　his　Battloid　off　the　grid　and　began　to　move　across　the　field　in　Breetai's　direction。　The　Zentraedi　knew　better　than　to　regard　this　as　some　gesture　of　promise。　Four　of　the　Ghosts　flanked　Edwards；　with　a　kind　of　threatening　casualness　to　the　way　they　cradled　their　rifle/cannons。　Breetai　threw　his　lieutenant　a　knowing　glance。　The　show　of　force　came　as　no　surprise；　Dr。　Lang　had　already　given　him　an　idea　of　what　to　expect。

〃New　Zarkopolis　weles　General　Edwards；〃　Breetai　said　with　practiced　elaborateness。　〃We're　sorry　we　couldn't　provide　the　general　with　better　weather。〃　He　could　hear　a　few　Zentraedi　snicker。

〃Very　thoughtful　of　you；〃　Edwards　returned　over　the　mecha's　external　speakers；　mimicking　Breetai's　tone　of　voice。　〃And　I'm　sorry　I　can't　bring　you　better　news。〃

The　two　men　fell　into　an　uneasy　silence；　the　wind　came　up；　howling　and　pinging　gravel　against　Breetai's　armored　suit　and　the　Battloid's　alloy。　The　Zentraedi　mander　narrowed　his　eyes　and　grinned；　picturing　Edwards　in　the　mecha's　cockpit；　nervous　hands　on　the　controls。　When　one　of　the　VT's　gauntlets　came　up；　Breetai　almost　made　a　grab　for　it；　but　restrained　himself　at　the　last　moment。　Edwards　caught　the　gesture；　however。

〃A　bit　nervous　today；　are　we；　Breetai？〃

Breetai　snorted。　〃This　wind　has　put　me　in　a　foul　humor。〃

Edwards　inclined　the　ultratech　knight's　head。　〃Well　then；　maybe　this　won't　seem　like　bad　news　after　all。〃　The　mecha's　hand　held　out　an　outsize　audio　device　for　Breetai's　inspection。　〃You　and　your。。。crew　are　relieved；　mander。　New　Zarkopolis　is　now　under　REF　jurisdiction；　and　I'll　be　assuming　personal　control　of　this　facility。　Tomorrow's　cargo　run　will　be　your　last。　You　can　hear　it　straight　from　the　council；　if　you　wish。〃

The　Zentraedi　began　to　grumble　among　themselves；　and　Edwards's　sentries　took　a　step　forward。　Breetai　motioned　his　cadre　silent　with　a　downward　wave　of　his　massive　hand。　He　accepted　the　playback　device　and　regarded　it　for　a　moment。　〃No　need　for　that。　But　I　should　warn　you；　General；　that　you're　going　to　find　the　conditions　here　somewhat　harsh。　This　is；　after　all；　Zentraedi's　work。〃

Edwards's　short　laugh　issued　from　the　speakers。　〃We'll　manage　all　right。　Of　course；　you're　all　wele　to　stay　on…as　laborers；　you　understand。〃

〃I'll　consider　it；　General。〃

〃Good；　Breetai；　good；〃　Edwards　said；　pleased　with　the　oute。　〃I　like　a　man　who　can　follow　orders。　Could　be　that　you　and　I　will　see　eye　to　eye　yet。〃

Breetai　nodded；　tight…lipped。　Peripherally；　he　noticed　Kazianna　stepping　deliberately　into　his　restricted　field　of　view。

Edwards　went　on　to　inform　him　that　within　a　week's　time　several　hundred　men　and　women　would　begin　arriving　from　Tirol；　along　with　the　new　mecha　Lang's　teams　had　designed。　Until　then；　Edwards　was　leaving　behind　six　of　his　troops　to　oversee　the　transfer　of　mand。　Six　or　six　hundred；　Breetai　said　to　himself；　it　wouldn't　matter　now。

When　Edwards　and　most　of　his　squadron　had　lifted　off；　Breetai　swung　stiffly　into　the　wind　and　made　for　the　mining　colony's　Quonset…style　headquarters。　On　the　way；　he　asked　the　lieutenant　if　his　men　had　pleted　their　task。

〃Almost；　my　lord。〃

〃And　the　fool's　ore？〃

〃Loaded　for　tomorrow's　delivery。〃

Breetai　grunted。　〃See　to　it　that　the　last　of　the　monopole　is　placed　aboard　the　ship。　The　delivery　will　go　as　scheduled；　but　the　monopole　remains　our　property。〃

The　lieutenant　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃About　Edwards's　soldiers；　mander。。。〃

Breetai　came　to　a　halt　short　of　the　headquarters　hatchway。　〃Invite　them　along　to　'oversee'　the　delivery。　Afterward；　we'll　give　them　the　option　of　joining　us。〃

〃And　if　they　refuse？〃

〃I　leave　that　up　to　you；〃　Breetai　said；　stepping　inside。


〃Pregnant？〃　Max　asked；　as　Rhestad's　morning　rays　touched　the　med　team's　geodesic　shelter。

Vince　shrugged　his　huge　shoulders。　〃That's　what　Jean　says。　And　Cabell　concurs。〃

〃That's　right；　my　boy；〃　Cabell　affirmed。　〃It　is　most　remarkable；　but　true。〃　The　Tiresian　was　all　smiles　for　a　change；　his　concern　for　Rem　momentarily　eclipsed。　〃I　thought　her　first　pregnancy　the　exception　that　proved　the　rule。　But　this…this　is　nothing　short　of。。。〃

〃Remarkable；〃　Max　finished　for　him；　shaking　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃Yeah；　tell　me　about　it。〃

Vince　laughed。　〃What's　with　you？　It　takes　two；　if　I'm　not　mistaken。〃

Max　looked　up　into　Vince's　brown　face。　〃Yeah；　but　Vince；　you　don't　understand。　Remember；　Miriya's。。。different。〃

〃She　had　Dana；〃　Vince　started　to　say。

〃Yeah；　and　Dana's　different。〃

〃How　is　she　different？〃　Cabell　wanted　to　know。

Max　and　Vince　traded　looks；　but　left　the　question　unanswered。　〃Can　I　see　her？〃　Max　said　suddenly；　getting　up。

Vince　laughed。　〃That's　a　good　start。〃

Max　started　off　for　the　small　area　of　the　med　dome　Jean's　team　had　partitioned　off。

〃Remarkable；〃　Cabell　mused　as　he　and　Vince　walked　back　to　where　Rick；　Lisa；　and　Karen　were　undergoing　treatment。　The　three　had　yet　to　emerge　from　semiconsciousness。。。

〃Any　change？〃　Vince　asked　his　wife　a　moment　later。　She　was　standing　over　Rick　just　now；　looking　almost　as　drawn　and　pale　as　her　patient。　Vince　put　his　arm　around　her　narrow　waist。

〃I'm　worried；　Vince。　They　should　have　e　out　of　it　by　now。　We've　tried　everything…antipsychotics；　transfusions。。。〃　She　threw　up　her　hands。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　do。〃

〃It　is　the　hin〃　Veidt　said；　hovering　over　to　them　from　the　foot　of　Karen's　bed。　He　had　spent　the　last　several　hours　absorbing　everything　Jean's　medical　library　databanks　had　to　offer。　〃Garudans　live　in　the　womb　of　the　hin。　It　is　what　you　might　term　'an　alternate　reality。'　The　microorganisms　here；　the　same　which　keep　Kami's　people　in　a　constant　state　of　hin；　have　caused　your　friends　to　bee　unstuck　in　what　constitutes　Human　reality。〃

〃Yes；　and　it's　killing　them；　Veidt。　It's　not　providing　them　with　psychedelic　trips　or　allies　or　personal　power。　It's　draining　the　life　from　them　while　we　sit　here　and。。。and…〃

〃e　on；　Jean；〃　Vince　said。　〃You're　doing　what　you　can。〃

Cabell　tugged　at　his　beard。　〃There　is　a　treatment；　of　course。〃　He　turned　to　Veidt　as　Vince　and　Jean's　eyes　fixed　on　him。

〃I　will　be　succinct；〃　the　Haydonite　began。　〃On　my　world　there　are　devices　capable　of　reversing　the　Garudan　effect。　'Mental　illness；'　as　some　of　your　disks　name　it；　is　unknown　to　us；　it　is　as　archaic　a　thing　as　your　own　smallpox。〃

〃Then　what　are　we　waiting　for？〃　Jean　said；　looking　up　at　Vince。　〃Our　work　here　is　finished；　isn't　it？　Garuda's　liberated。〃

Vince　removed　his　hand　from　her　waist　to　feel　his　jaw。　〃Yes；　in　a　way。〃

〃In　a　way？　What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃

〃We've　learned　that　the　Regent　is　on　his　way　to　Haydon　IV；〃　Cabell　told　her。　〃With　what　remains　of　his　fleet；　no　doubt。〃

Jean　pres