18_the_end_of_the_circle-第10章

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〃Think　you　can　just　fly　in　here　with　your　little　jet　and　pick　up　where　you　left　off；　huh？〃　Lunk　held　the　ax　like　a　hatchet　and　shook　it　in　Scott's　face。　〃Lemme　tell　you；　you're　way　off　the　mark；　Lieutenant。　Marlene's　had　a　rough　time　of　it；　but　I've　been　helping　her。　She's　kinda　e　to　rely　on　me；　and　I　think　your　showing　up　is　just　gonna　gum　up　the　works；　understand　me？〃

〃Look；　Lunk；　I　just　want　to　talk　to　her。〃

〃I'm　tellin'　ya　how　it　is；　Lieutenant。〃

Scott　left　a　brief　empty　space　in　the　exchange；　waiting　for　Lunk　to　cool　down。　〃Back　at　mand　everyone's　still　scratching　their　heads　about　what　happened　at　Reflex　Point；〃　he　menced　on　a　casual　note。　〃There's　a　possibility　the　SDF…3　got　itself　caught　up　in　the　Regis's　exit。〃　He　looked　at　Lunk。　〃I　think　Marlene　can　help　out。〃

Lunk　glared　at　him；　then　threw　the　ax　down　into　the　stump　and　left　it　there。　〃e　on；〃　he　said；　storming　off　across　the　field　in　the　direction　of　Roca　Negra。

Scott　fell　in　behind　him　for　a　silent　walk　that　delivered　them　fifteen　minutes　later　to　two　spacious　freestanding　tents　erected　side　by　side　on　a　small　parcel　of　land　dotted　with　olive　trees。　Lunk's　battered　APC　was　parked　off　to　one　side。

〃Marlene；〃　Lunk　bellowed；　rustling　the　mosquito…netting　front　flap　of　the　larger　tent。

〃Lunk？〃　Marlene　responded　from　somewhere　inside。　〃You're　back　early。〃

Scott's　heart　broke　at　the　sound　of　her　voice；　save　for　a　hint　of　Southlands　Forager　accent；　it　might　as　well　have　been　that　of　Marlene　Rush。

As　the　Invid　simulagent　stepped　into　the　sunlight；　luxurious　red　hair　shorn　to　her　shoulders　and　skin　as　pale　as　a　Tiresian's；　Scott　thought：　She　is　Marlene！

The　Regis's　daughter　took　a　moment　to　absorb　the　scene　before　she　collapsed　into　Scott's　slapdash　embrace；　sighing。　〃I　knew　you'd　return　for　me；　Scott；　I　knew　you'd　return。〃

Lunk　quickly　turned　his　back　to　the　two　of　them；　afraid　they　would　see　his　tears。


Scott　immediately　realized　that　Marlene　had　undergone　a　profound　change　since　they　had　last　embraced。　Marlene　then　had　been　alive　and　vital　to　his　confused　thoughts　and　anxious　hands；　a　woman　of　human　lusts　and　needs；　nothing　like　the　insubstantial　being　he　cradled　in　his　arms　now。　It　was　something　he　could　not　articulate；　but　it　was　obvious　to　all　who　dared　to　look　deep　enough　into　her　eyes。

Scott　led　her　into　the　shade；　to　a　canvas…backed　chair　at　the　head　of　a　split…log　longtable。　Lunk　positioned　himself　behind　the　chair；　his　large　callused　hands　resting　on　Marlene's　frail　shoulders。　〃I　told　ya　she　was　having　a　rough　time　of　it；　Lieutenant。　Ya　never　shoulda　e　back。〃

Marlene　patted　Lunk's　hand　and　gazed　up　at　him　fondly。　〃I'm　all　right；　Lunk。　Really。〃

Scott　felt　her　eyes　return　to　him　and　swallowed　hard　as　he　perched　himself　on　the　edge　of　the　table：　〃Marlene；〃　he　began；　〃how　much　do　you　remember　about　those　last　few　days　at　Reflex　Point？〃

〃Only　some　of　it；　Scott。　I　remember　when　we　were　all　inside　the　central　chamber　together。　With　Sera　and　Corg　and　the　Queen…Mother。〃

〃What　made　the　horde…er；　the　Queen…Mother　leave；　Marlene？　I　mean；　I'm　sure　she　realized　the　fleet　had　plans　to　irradiate　the　area；　but　it　seemed　like　she'd　decided　to　leave　before　the　neutron　missiles　were　launched。〃

Marlene　nodded　and　reached　across　the　table　for　a　water　bottle。　〃It's　true；　Scott。　And　something　vital　left　me　when　she　departed。〃　She　took　a　long　pull　from　the　bottle。　〃I　know　you　sensed　it　when　you　held　me。　I　feel　as　though　I'm　only　half…here；　as　though　if　I　breathe　too　deeply　I'll　fade　from　sight。　But　I　have　a　knowledge　of　things；　Scott；　a　knowledge：　that　seems　undreamed　of　by　any　race。〃

〃Don't　worry；〃　Lunk　said；　〃I'm　not　about　to　let　you　fade。　Marlene　squeezed　his　hand。　〃You　see；　Scott；　the　Queen　Mother　finally　understood；　the　reasons　for　all　that　had　happened　on　Optera；　Tirol；　and　Earth；　and　that　knowledge　liberated　her。〃

〃But　what　was　it　she　understood？〃　Scott　asked。

Marlene　quivered。　〃I　can't　tell　you；　Scott。〃

〃Please；　Marlene；〃　Scott　snapped。

Lunk　stepped　out　from　behind　the　chair。　〃I'm　warning　you；　Lieutenant。〃

Marlene　put　a　hand　on　his　balled…up　fist。　〃No；　Lunk；　Scott　doesn't　understand。　It's　not　that　I'm　keeping　something　from　you；　Scott。　I　only　mean　that　you're　asking　the　wrong　person。〃

〃Sera；〃　Scott　said　after　a　moment's　reflection。

〃Yes。　She　was　more　closely　bound　to　the　Regis　than　I　was。　But　I　fear　that　bond　has　affected　her　more　than　it　has　me。〃

〃Do　you　know　where　she　is？〃

Marlene　closed　her　eyes　and　took　a　shuddering　breath。　〃I　can　sense　where　she　is。　Sometimes　I　can　almost　see　through　her　eyes　and　feel　her　suffering。〃

Scott　edged　closer　to　her。　〃Where；　Marlene？〃

〃The　city　of　tall　towers　in　the　Northlands。　The　one　Sera　and　Corg　were　to　rule。〃

Scott　and　Lunk　exchanged　looks　and　simultaneously　said：　〃Mannatan。〃

〃Yes。　She　is　with　Lancer。〃

Scott　was　already　on　his　feet。　〃Will　you　e　with　me；　Marlene？　You；　too；　Lunk；〃　he　was　quick　to　add。　〃Just　until　we　locate　her。〃

〃Forget　it；　Lieutenant；〃　Lunk　said。　〃Marlene's　not　going　anywhere。　〃

Marlene　stood　up　and　gently　swung　Lunk　around　to　face　her。　〃But　I　am；　Lunk。　Don't　you　see　that　I　have　to　go？〃　Lunk's　face　fell。　〃No；　Marlene；　no。　You　can　just　stay　here　and　let　me　take　care　of　you。　You　said　yourself　you　were　all　right。　I　could　just…〃

〃No；　Lunk；　it's　no　good　this　way；〃　she　cut　him　off。　〃Remember　who　and　what　I　am。〃

Lunk　stiffened。　〃You're　Marlene；　that's　it。〃

Marlene　shook　her　head。　〃I　am　Invid；　Lunk。〃　She　reached　up　to　stroke　his　face。　〃But　that　doesn't　mean　I　haven't　loved　you。〃

Lunk　steeled　himself；　holding　back　his　anger　and　grief。　〃You'll　e　back　to　me？〃　he　asked　softly。

〃Nothing　can　take　away　these　past　few　months；　Lunk。〃

It　was　Scott's　turn　to　avert　his　gaze。

He　swore　to　himself　he　would　never　love　again。


With　Marlene　in　the　copilot's　seat；　Scott　returned　the　jet　to　the　REF's　provisional　planetside　base　on　the　Venezuelan　coast　and　apprised　Vince　Grant　of　his　plans　to　continue　on　to　the　Northlands。　The　general　informed　him　of　the　successful　position　jump　undertaken　by　the　Ark　Angel　and　the　rapidly　approaching　launch　window　for　the　fold　to　Haydon　IV。　To　speed　Scott　and　Marlene　on　their　way；　Grant　ordered　that　they　be　escorted　to　and　from　the　Northlands　city　in　one　of　the　ship's　few　remaining　reconfigurable　Veritechs。

From　what　Scott　could　gather；　Mannatan…recently　returned　to　its　original　name　of　New　York…was　fast　being　a　population　center　once　again。　The　narrow　island　city　had　miraculously　escaped　saturation　by　Dolza's　deathbolts；　only　to　suffer　disastrously　some　twenty　years　later　at　the　hands　of　the　Regis's　power…mad　〃son；〃　Corg。　But　by　then　the　city　had　already　fallen　into　the　hands　of　street　crazies　‘who　had'　somehow　survived　a　radiation　pall　that　had　hung　over　the　city　for　more　than　fifteen　years'　and　roving　gangs　of　Foragers　and　rough…trade　Southern　Cross　deserters。　A　scarcity　of　food　and　arable　land　had　kept　the　population　numbers　low；　but　now　that　New　York　had　bee　a　kind　of　raw…materials　depot　for　developing　towns　to　the　south　and　west；　a　barter　system　for　foodstuffs　had　been　implemented。

The　Veritech　put　down　west　of　the　Hudson　River；　leaving　Scott　and　Marlene　to　negotiate　the　rest　of　the　journey　on　foot；　along　with　hundreds　of　other　migrants　who　were　talking　or　buying　passage　through　checkpoints　on　the　single　bridge　that　linked　city　and　mainland。　Scott　saw　the　end　result　of　Corg's　fiery　campaign　to　bring　the　city　to　its　knees：　huge　leveled　tracts　where　tall　brick　and　stone　buildings　had　once　stood；　gridded　by　the　scorched　remains　of　asphalt　and　concrete　roadways。

Marlene　acted　as　guide；　drawing　on　her　recently　enhanced　psychic　talents…to　close　on　her　sister　simulagent's　where璦bouts。　In　a　certain　sense　she　seemed　more　the　Terran　than　Scott。　But　Scott　refused　to　be　fooled　by　the　human　guise　the　Invid　Queen…Mother　had　fashioned　for　her；　and　so　their　conversations　were　strictly　of　the　pragmatic　sort。　Scott；　after　all；　was　on　a　military　mission。

Marlene　led　them　ultimately　to　a　refurbished　theater　in　the　city's　midtown　district；　where　a　young　Hispanic　named　Jorge　greeted　them　at　the　door　and　affirmed　that　Lancer　was　in　fact　part　of　a　troupe　of　actors；　singers；　and　musicians。

After　the　les