15_death_dance-第36章

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　breed　SDFs…4　through　8…the　Valivarre　was　only　lightly　armed　and　somewhat　slow　by　galactic　standards；　but　unlike　those　fortresses　the　ship　was　equipped　with　Protoculture/Reflex　drives　that　enabled　it　to　astrogate　near…instantaneous　folds　throughout　〃local　space。〃

The　transport　was　in　stationary　orbit　over　Tirol　just　now；　off…loading　the　latest　of　Fantoma's　riches　to　cargo　shuttles；　which　were　making　runs　both　to　the　SDF…3　and　to　the　moon's　surface。

On　the　Valivarre's　bridge；　Breetai　was　informed　that　one　of　the　returning　shuttles　was　bringing　up　two　passengers。　He　arrived　in　the　busy　docking　bay　just　as　Dr。　Lang　and　Exedore　were　descending　the　shuttle　ramp。

Lang　took　a　look　around。　Under　the　watchful　gaze　of　four　Ghost　Squadron　Battloids；　a　dozen　Zentraedi　were　loading　the　last　of　the　monopole　ore　into　a　second　shuttle。　There　was　more　noise　than　Human　ears　were　meant　to　withstand；　so　he　donned　a　pair　of　silencer　muffs；　and　went　on　the　amplibox　to　municate　with　Breetai。

〃It　appears　that　everything　is　in　order；　mander；〃　he　said；　trying　to　sound　businesslike。　〃But　I　have　some　matters　to　discuss　with　you　regarding　the　transfer　schedule。　Is　there　somewhere　we　can　talk？〃

Breetai　led　them　out　of　the　hold　and　into　a　small　cabin…space　outfitted　with　a　Micronian　mo　balcony。

〃This　area　is　secure；〃　Breetai　told　them　after　he　had　dogged　the　hatch。

Lang　got　right　to　the　point。　〃You'll　never　get　away　with　this；　Breetai。　What　do　you　take　us　for？〃

The　Zentraedi　grinned。　〃The　fool's　ore。。。It　wasn't　my　intention　to　trick　you；　Lang。　Only　Edwards's　men。　As　far　as　they　are　concerned；　we　are　off…loading　the　monopole。〃

〃But；　mander；〃　Exedore　said；　〃what　are　you　trying　to　acplish？　You're　aware　that　Lang　and　I　will　have　to　report　this。〃

〃And　I　fully　expect　you　to。　I　ask　only　that　you　delay　your　report　for　three　hours。〃

〃You're　leaving！〃　Lang　said；　excited。　〃I　knew　it。〃

Breetai　folded　his　arms　across　his　chest　and　nodded。　〃That's　right；　Doctor。　We're　leaving。　And　we're　taking　the　monopole　with　us。〃

Lang　was　shaking　his　head。　〃It's　a　mad　scheme；　Breetai。　Edwards　will　hunt　you　down。〃

〃Perhaps。　But　he'll　think　twice　about　firing　on　us　while　we　have　the　ore　aboard。　Not　when　he　learns　that　Fantoma's　yield　is　exhausted；　I'm　relying　on　you　to　make　this　clear　to　him。〃

〃mander；　may　we　enquire…〃

〃To　search　for　Admiral　Hunter；　Exedore。　I　don't　accept　that　the　Sentinels　have　bee　outlaws　any　more　than　I　believe　the　Invid　Regent　is　dead。　We　know　that　enemy；　Exedore；　we　engaged　them　throughout　this　sector。　If　he　had　been　assassinated；　his　queen's　troops　would　have　already　massed　against　Tirol　and　atomized　it。〃　Breetai　leaned　closer　to　the　balcony　railing　to　regard　his　Micronized　friend。　〃We　are　free　of　all　imperatives　now；　Exedore。　The　Zentraedi　will　follow　none　but　their　own。　Will　you　join　us？〃

Exedore　bowed　his　head。　〃mander；　you　honor　me。　But　I；　too；　have　an　inner　imperative。〃

Breetai　mulled　it　over；　then　nodded。　〃I　understand；　my　friend。〃

Lang　looked　at　the　two　Zentraedi；　suddenly　aware　of　the　import　the　moment　held。　A　surge　of　misgiving　washed　through　him；　a　shaping　charge　he　could　barely　sustain。　His　voice　cracked　when　he　spoke。　〃To　Praxis；　Breetai？　Garuda？　Spheris？　The　ship　you　seek　is　small　enough　as　to　be　insignificant。〃

Breetai　fixed　his　eye　on　Lang。　〃I　don't　believe　that；　Doctor。　Nor　do　you。〃

Lang　rasped；　〃Haydon　IV。〃　She　is　there；　something　told　him。

Exedore　stretched　out　a　hand。　〃Doctor…〃

〃Don't　ask　me　to　explain。〃　Was　it　Janice；　he　wondered；　or　some　other　she？　It　was　a　presence　the　Shaping　had　alerted　him　to；　a　power　unlike　anything　he　had　experienced。。。

Breetai　regarded　him　for　a　moment。　〃I　will　begin　my　search　there。〃

Lang　nodded；　weakly；　wondering　whether　he　would　ever　see　the　Zentraedi　again。


On　Garuda；　the　Sentinels　grouped　together　in　the　long…house　to　discuss　their　options　and　priorities；　which　meant　that　it　was　back　to　transpirators　for　almost　everyone　involved。　Vince；　Max；　and　Jack　were　so　certain　of　where　they　stood　that　they　had　already　had　Rick；　Lisa；　and　Karen　brought　up　to　the　SDF…7。　Under　Wolff's　and　Janice's　supervision；　Tesla　and　the　two　Invid　scientists　had　also　been　moved　to　the　ship；　along　with　Miriya…who　was　still　too　weak　to　take　part　in　the　meeting…and　Teal　and　the　Spherisian　infant。

Most　of　Garuda　was　celebrating…the　grieving　would　e　later…and　the　wild　sounds　of　song　and　dance　made　it　all　the　more　difficult　for　the　group　to　e　to　any　agreement　concerning　the　Haydon　IV　option。　They　did　find　themselves　united；　however；　on　the　issue　of　Garuda。　With　the　Optera　tree　orchards　in　ruins；　it　wasn't　likely　that　the　Invid　were　going　to　have　much　use　for　the　planet…especially　not　when　their　initial　campaign　against　Garuda's　inherent　defenses　had　ended　in　so　many　deaths。　But　just　in　case　the　Regent　decided　to　think　along　the　lines　of　reprisals…which；　Cabell　maintained；　was　highly　unlikely　given　the　disastrous　defeats　the　Invid　leader　had　been　suffering　in　other　quarters…the　Sentinels　were　prepared　to　leave　most　of　their　forces　〃onworld　to　plement　the　strength　of　the　remaining　Bioroid　clones。　The　one　Invid　hive　that　had　e　through　the　battle　reasonably　intact　would　serve　as　their　base。　Vince　and　Veidt　were　in　favor　of　this　even　though　it　would　significantly　reduce　the　Sentinels'　firepower。　Haydon　IV；　though；　was　not　be　thought　of　in　terms　of　a　military　campaign；　they　were　undertaking　the　journey　for　the　sake　of　Rick；　Lisa；　Karen；　and　Rem。

Once　again；　as　someone　pointed　out。

But　the　Karbarrans　and　Praxians；　in　any　case；　chose　to　disregard　Vince's　statement。　They　likewise　ignored　Veidt　and　Sarna's　claim　that　the　planet　had　not　been　adversely　affected　by　the　Invid　presence。　Haydon　IV　had　Invid；　therefore；　Haydon　IV　needed　to　be　liberated。

Kami　and　Learna　were　reluctant　to　leave；　reluctant　to　abandon　the　hin　and　to　have　to　reattach　themselves　to　life…support　systems；　but　they　agreed　to　see　things　through　to　their　pletion　after　Lron　and　Crysta　reminded　them　of　how　they　had　left　their　son；　Dardo；　behind　on　Karbarra。

The　Sentinels　were　back　to　the　core　group。

And　they　were　also　back　to　unknowns。

It　was　possible　they　might　beat　the　Regent's　fleet　to　Haydon　IV；　get　in　and　out　without　incident。　But　it　was　just　as　likely　that　things　would　continue　in　the　same　unpredictable　fashion　they　had　grown　accustomed　to。

Ten　Earth…standard　hours　later；　the　SDF…7　left　orbit　and　jumped。


CHAPTER　FOURTEEN

While　it　was　true　the　Invid　had　been　existing　on　the　very　same　fruits　and　flowers　that　were　rapidly　turning　Tesla　into　something　not…quite　or　more…than　Invid；　it　must　be　pointed　out　that　the　liquified　plant…stuff　which　reached　Optera　was　of　a　〃pasteurized〃　variety；　and　was　principally　utilized　as　nutrient　bath　for　the　soldiers'　battle　mecha…Scouts；　Shock　Troopers；　Pincer　Ships；　and　such。　By　forcing　himself　to　subsist　on　the　pure　（or　the　impure；　in　actuality）；　Tesla　was　receiving　megadoses　of　the　same　stuff　that　years　earlier　had　sent　the　Zentraedi　Khyron　clear　over　the　edge　of　the　Imperative；　and　into　undreamed…of　states　of　metanoia。
History　of　the　Second　Robotech　War；　volume　XXXVI　〃Tirol〃

〃I　demand　to　know　where　she　is！〃　The　Regent　bawled　as　he　and　his　eleven…trooper　elite　stormed　across　one　of　Haydon　IV's　ice…blue　plazas；　the　splendors　of　the　city　lost　on　them。

The　planet's　indigenous　beings　paid　the　Invid　little　mind；　and　went　about　their　mysterious　business；　hovering　in　groups　of　two　or　three　in　and　out　of　Glike's　spirelike　buildings；　across　graceful　bridges；　and　through　parks　too　perfect　to　believe。　But　visitors；　guests；　and　merchants　from　other　worlds　stopped　to　gaze　upon　the　one　whose　race　had　most　recently　changed　the　face　of　the　Fourth　Quadrant。　A　few　Karbarrans　even　had　to　be　restrained　from　running　forward　to　mock　the　Regent　with　reminders　of　their　recent　victory。　〃Sentinels！　Sentinels！〃　they　chanted；　and　succeeded　for　a　moment　in　bringing　the　Regent　around　to　confront　them。　No　one；　however；　dared　make　a　violent　move；　for　beneath　those　very　same　plazas　and　parks　lurked　surprises　of　a　decidedly　punishing　nature。　Haydon　IV　had　rules　for　citizens　and　strangers　alike；　and　it　enforced　them　without　bias。

The　Invid　squad　mander　whispered　as　much　to　the　Re