18_the_end_of_the_circle-第24章

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CHAPTER　THIRTEEN

At　66：18：740；　mander　in　Chief　Dolza　mitted　the　last　of　the　Golthano　Fleet　ships　to　the　dark　maw　of　Ranaath's　Star；　and　once　more　the　ships　were　torn　asunder　by　（translator's　insert：　tidal　forces　encountered　at　the　event　horizon）。　Losses　to　this　date　number　670　ships；　42；000　Zentraedi　lives。　It　would　appear　that　the　Zentraedi　ships　are　of　insufficient　durability　to　negotiate　penetration　of　the　（horizon）　or　the　（realm　jump）　that　is　a　suggested　probability　should　such　a　penetration　be　effected。　Be　aware　that　mander　Khyron　of　the　Botoru　Battalion　is　fully　prepared　to　undertake　the　next　attempt。　He　would　have　it　made　known　to　you　that　he　in　fact　requests　to　be　afforded　the　honor。　
Exedore；　in　a　munique　to　the　Robotech　Masters；　as　quoted　by　Rawlins　in　his　Zentraedi　Triumvirate：　Dolza；　Breetai；　Khyron　

Max　Sterling　watched　Exedore　play　the　console　Veidt　had　delivered　to　their　cell；　stubby　fingers　pecking　away　at　mand　keys。　To　offset　any　suspicion　that　the　furtive　delivery　might　have　aroused　among　level　four's　cadre　of　humorless；　hovering　overseers；　the　terminal　had　been　designed　to　include　an　archaic　touchpad。　The　armless　Haydonites　had　no　call　for　such　a　tedious　approach；　and　in　truth　neither　did　Exedore；　who　had　grown　accustomed　to　the　Awareness　data　lab's　neural　headbands。　The　console　consequently　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　a　child's　learning　aid；　which　was　exactly　what　the　jailers　were　meant　to　make　of　it。　To　buoy　the　ploy；　Aurora　was　seated　alongside　Exedore；　ostensibly　under　the　Zentraedi's　tutelage；　issuing　appropriate　sounds　of　excitement　and　discovery　as　the　screen　displayed　responses　to　Exedore's　prompts。

Miriya　and　Dana　were　in　the　Praxians'　quarters；　trying　to　reassure　the　four　Amazons　that　Veidt's　sudden　turnaround　was　genuine。

Well；　Miriya　was；　Max　thought。　Dana　was　probably　encouraging　everyone　to　tunnel　beneath　the　walls。

The　former　Skull　Squadron　ace　found　himself　thinking　about　twentieth…century　prison　escapes　as　he　cast　a　wary　eye　at　the　cell's　laser…barred　threshold。　It　had　been　pastry　surprises　back　then；　files　and　hacksaw　blades　concealed　in　cakes　and　long　loaves　of　bread。　But　breakouts　now　required　break…ins　of　a　sort；　direct　data　links　to　the　security　system's　keymaster…in　this　instance；　Haydon　IV's　artificial　sentience；　the　Awareness。

Exedore　voiced　a　plosive　sound　of　frustration。　〃Another　mistake。　My　fingers　have　forgotten　just　who　it　is　that　does　the　thinking　for　them。　They　seem　convinced　they　have　a　mind　of　their　own。〃

〃Take　your　time；〃　Max　advised　under　his　breath。　〃Remember；　you're　supposed　to　be　a　teacher；　not　some　interloper。　〃

〃Teachers　have　been　known　to　lose　patience；〃　Exedore　retorted。　〃In　any　event；　keeping　watch　on　the　front　door　such　as　it　is…does　little　more　than　draw　attention　to　us。　I　suggest　to　you　that　the　Haydonites　would　have　filled　these　rooms　with　monitoring　devices　if　they　for　one　moment　suspected　wed　be　foolish　enough　to　attempt　an　escape。〃

Max　glanced　at　the　alloy　partitions　and　ceilings。　Veidt　had　been　responsible；　too；　for　the　holo…views　that　adorned　the　long；　rear　walls…vistas　of　rolling　hills　crisscrossed　with　hedgerows　and　low　stone　walls。　A　sun　shone　in　the　false　sky；　rising　and　setting　in　breathtaking　colors；　if　nothing　else；　it　had　at　least　returned　the　captives　to　a　semblance　of　circadian　normalcy。　Max　sometimes　felt　as　though　he　were　back　in　the　SDF…1；　carousing　after　a　mission　with　Rick　and　Ben　in　downtown　Macross　under　EVE'S　projected　cloudscape。

And　there　he　was；　the　only　full…blooded　Terran　in　the　room。　〃I'm　certain　of　one　thing；〃　Exedore　resumed。　〃Haydon　IV　has　defolded。〃

〃I　guessed　as　much；〃　Max　told　him；　gratified　that　he　could　still　rely　on　his　own　senses　to　differentiate　between　real　time　and　hyperspace。　〃Can　you　find　out　where　we　are？〃

〃I　have　already　established　that。　Although　I'll　confess　I　should　have　suspected　it　all　along。〃

Max　laid　a　protective　hand　on　Aurora's　shoulder；　the　doe　eyed　child　looked　up　at　him　and　smiled　as　Exedore　took　a　deep　breath。

〃We　are　inserted　in　orbit　around　a　small；　carbonaceous　moon　that　circles　this　system's　sixth　planet…an　equally　desolate　place；　I　might　add。　The　Zentraedi　knew　the　system's　dying　primary　as　Qalliph；　a　word　approximated　by　the　Panglish　term　dread。〃

Max　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Go　on。〃

〃Actually；　it　isn't　so　much　the　star　itself　that　inspired　the　name　but　the　phenomenon　to　which　it　in　turn　pays　gravitational　obeisance。　The　Masters　named　it　Raanath's　Star；　after　an　especially　barbaric　warlord　from　Tirol's　pre…Transition　past。　Your　own　astrophysicists　have　labeled　such　phenomena　black　holes。〃

Max　whistled　lightly。　〃I've　always　wanted　to　get　a　look　at　one　of　those　things。〃

Exedore　frowned　at　him。　〃Yes；　I　recall　from　my　delvings　into　Terran　literature　that　your　race　has　endowed　these　black　holes　with　near…mystical　importance。　This　was　especially　true　among　your　so…called　science　fiction　writers；　I　believe。　A　blend　of　romantic　fascination　and　morbid　curiosity。　But　I　can　assure　you；　as　one　who　has　seen　an　entire　battle　group　swallowed　by　these　sinister　portals；　that　even　the　most　ghoulish　of　your　imaginings　doesn't　e　close　to　detailing　the　horrors　of　the　experience。〃

〃So　what　are　we　doing　here？〃　Max　asked　after　a　moment　of　nightmare　reflection。

Exedore　did　input　at　the　console；　then　studied　the　displayed　results　in　silence。　〃The　reason　is　twofold。　First；　I　believe　that　we…Haydon　IV；　that　is…are　in　pursuit　of　the　energy　pulse　that　originated　in　Earthspace　with　the　Invid　defeat。　Based　on　the　results　of　my　previous　investigations；　I　posited　that　Ranaath's　Star　was　the　terminus　of　that　pulse。

〃Second；　Haydon　IV　is　apparently　making　use　of　radiation　bleeding　from　the　collapsed　star；　but　to　what　purpose　I　cannot　fathom。　The　Awareness　has　also　issued　a　series　of　mands　to　the　planetary　drives；　which　will　soon　bring　us　dangerously　close　to　the　cratered　satellite　we　have　been　orbiting。〃　Exedore　regarded　Aurora　but　continued　to　address　Max。　〃An　external　view　would　be　most　helpful；　but　I　have　yet　to　determine　whether　visual　data　are　available。　The　Awareness　had　been　operating　in　a　purely　abstract　mode。〃

Max　was　just　beginning　to　reply　when　Dana　burst　upon　the　scene。

〃You　can　put　away　the　toy；〃　she　directed　to　Exedore。　〃Unless　you　can　use　it　to　find　out　whether　the　Awareness　believes　in　an　afterlife。〃　Exedore　cocked　an　eyebrow。

Miriya　was　only　a　few　steps　behind；　wearing　the　worried　look　she　reserved　for　her　eldest　child。

〃The　Praxians　have　worked　out　a　wall…tapping　mo　code　with　the　Karbarrans　next　door；〃　Dana　explained。　〃Seems　one　of　the　jailers　let　it　slip　that　a　Karbarran　recon　vessel　homed　in　on　our　new　address　and　radioed　a　burst　transmission　to　Karbarra。　Since　then；　a　fleet　of　Local　Group　battleships　has　folded　from　Tirol。　They're　due　any　hour　now。〃　Max　searched　his　wife's　face。

〃It's　true；　Max；〃　Miriya　said。　〃At　least　that's　what　they　told　us。　The　Karbarran　prisoners　claim　to　have　discovered　some　way　to　override　the　threshold　confinement　lasers　as　well。　They're　prepared　to　ready　a　full…scale　revolt　as　soon　as　the　battle　group　arrives　and　the　attack　mences。〃

〃But　they've　already　lost　three　ships；〃　Exedore　reminded　everyone。　Beside　him；　Aurora　had　reached　a　hand　over　to　enter　a　mand　into　the　console。

〃They'll　never　learn；〃　Max　said　absently；　monitoring　Aurora's　movements　peripherally。

〃Yeah；　well；　a　fleet　can　do　a　lot　more　damage　than　a　single　ship；〃　Dana　argued；　hands　on　her　hips。　〃I　say　we　throw　in　with　the　Karbarrans。　Anything's　better　than　being　cooped　up　in　here。〃

〃An　uprising　would　prove　a　terrible　mistake；〃　Aurora　interjected　quietly。

It　was　as　though　an　oracle　had　spoken。　Exedore　swiveled　in　his　seat；　but　something　on　the　display　screen　caught　his　attention　and　brought　him　up　short。

〃Figures　you'd　say　that；〃　Dana　replied　uncertainly。

〃You　must　tell　them　to　be　patient；　sister；〃　Aurora　added　in　the　same　assured　tone。　〃The　Karbarrans　must　wait　until　the　Awareness　is　preoccupied。〃

〃Preoccupied　how？〃　Dana　wanted　to　know。

〃Here！〃　Exedore　said；　an　unsteady　index　finger　aimed　at　the　monitor。

Max　narrowed　his　eyes　as　a　series　of　plex　schematics　flashed　on…screen。

Dana　got　a　grip　on　the　Zentraedi's　shoulder。　〃Don'