18_the_end_of_the_circle-第38章

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erwhelmed　and　felled　by　body　blocks　and　staggering　paw…hand　swipes。

Dana　ventured　that　the　Awareness　itself　was　being　overwhelmed　by　coordinated　strikes　launched　by　the　ships　of　the　Karbarran　battle　group。　Haydon　IV's　big　brain　could　not　effectively　oversee　confinement　zone　security　when　it　was　busy　feeding　off　plasma　bolts　and　safeguarding　the　spherical　ships　its　factory　had　been　spitting　out。　The　laser　fences　had　been　the　first　to　go；　control　of　the　jailers　had　been　relinquished；　and　Exedore　was　telling　everyone　that　he　had　secured　a　route　to　the　heart　of　the　central　puter。　It　was　a　sure　thing；　then；　that　Louie's　team　would　be　able　to　follow　Exedore　in　and　loose　their　poisons。

In　the　meantime；　Dana　thought　she　might　be　able　to　assist　both　Louie　and　the　Karbarran　flotilla　by　opening　up　yet　another　front。　At　her　insistence；　Exedore　had　ferreted　out　the　whereabouts　of　the　power　management　terminals　that　controlled　production　of　the　sphere　ships'　stardrives。　Readouts　indicated　that　a　few　of　those　drives　had　already　been　installed；　but　most　were　still　under　construction。　The　way　Dana　saw　it；　Haydon　and　his　hibernating　brethren　were　not　going　thrilled　to　learn　that　someone　had　crept　up　the　beanstalk　and　made　off　with　the　golden　goose；　or　in　this　case；　one　of　ships　built　to　whisk　them　off　to　their　planned　retirement　munity。　But　if　she　could　arrange　it　so　that　the　drives　never　reached　the　ships；　the　Ark　Angel　crew　would　be　long　gone　before　Haydon　figured　out　what　had　happened。

Of　course　it　would　have　been　better　still　to　incapacitate　Haydon's　alarm　clock；　or　at　least　set　the　wake…up　time　forward　a　couple　or　three　centuries；　but　Exedore　had　not　had　any　success　in　zeroing　in　on　that　part　of　the　Awareness；　much　less　in　divining　just　where　Haydon　was　sleeping　it　off。

〃So　who's　joining　me？〃　Dana　asked；　wielding　a　table　leg　in　one　hand。　〃We　got　some　labor　droids　to　demission。〃

〃It's　important　that　I　remain　here；〃　Exedore　said　without　taking　his　eyes　from　the　monitor　screen。〃

〃You　keep　doing　what　you're　good　at；　Exedore。〃　She　glanced　at　her　parents；　standing　side　by　side　behind　the　Zentraedi。　〃What　about　it？　Mom？　Dad？〃

Aurora　stepped　forward　while　the　Sterlings　were　casting　uncertain　looks　at　one　another。　〃I'll　go　with　you；〃　she　told　Dana。

Dana　adopted　a　dubious　look。　〃That's　good　of　you；　kid；　but　I　don't　know。〃

〃Remember　the　spores；　Dana；〃　Aurora　said；　reminding　her　of　the　mindlink　they　had　once　shared　across　a　near　arm's　length　of　galaxy。

Dana　nodded。　〃Glad　to　have　you　aboard；　sis。〃

Max　and　Miriya　adopted　determined　expressions。　〃All　right；　Dana；　you　win；〃　Max　said。

She　quirked　a　smile　at　them。　〃Yeah；〃　she　said；　〃now　I　remember　you　guys。〃


〃Fools；〃　Vince　said　under　his　breath；　〃crazy　fools。　It's　a　suicide　run。〃

Spherical　bursts　erupted　in　the　darkness　outside　the　bridge　viewports。　The　Ark　Angel　had　removed　herself　a　safe　distance　from　the　battle；　but　even　so　it　was　apparent　that　the　Karbarrans　were　sustaining　heavy　losses。　Their　strafing　runs　across　Haydon　IV's　split　hemispheres　had　succeeded　only　in　riling　the　planet's　defensive　arrays；　which　were　responding　mercilessly。　Fortunately；　the　Karbarran　mander　had　had　sense　enough　to　keep　the　factory…produced　sphere　ships　between　his　own　flotilla　and　the　artifact's　in…close　plasma　cannons。　That　at　least　had　assured　that　the　Awareness　would　fall　into　a　push…pull　dispute　with　its　own　programmed　imperatives？to　protect　the　planet　from　attack　while　at　the　same　time　safe璯uarding　the　ships　it　had　assembled　from　the　metallic　stuff　of　its　host/captive　moon。　As　a　result；　Haydon　IV　had　been　forced　to　be　uncharacteristically　circumspect　with　its　initial　retaliatory　salvos；　and　many　of　the　Karbarran　dreadnoughts　had　survived。

Close…up　cameras　revealed　planet　and　flotilla　in　a　savage　dance　around　the　production　ships；　each　searching　for　openings。　But　the　Karbarrans　were　having　a　difficult　time　maintaining　formation　in　the　face　of　such　maneuverings。　As　an　added　irritant；　the　Awareness　had　directed　most　of　its　labor　droneships　against　the　flotilla's　defensive　fighter　groups　and　was　scoring　heavily　in　all　sectors。

〃They　should　break　off　the　attack　while　there's　still　time；〃　Vince　said　to　no　one　in　particular。　He　felt　Jean's　warm　hand　on　his　shoulder。

〃We've　pinpointed　the　ship；〃　she　told　him　as　he　swung　around　from　the　view。

Vince　glanced　over　her　head　at　intel　officers　and　techs　grouped　around　the　tactical　board。　In　tight　close…up　on…screen　was　one　of　the　interdimensional　sphere　ships；　with　few　labor　drones　about。

〃Is　that　the　one？〃　Vince　asked。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　a　lieutenant　colonel　replied。　〃We're　certain　it's　the　prototype。　First　off　the　line；　first　to　be　equipped　with　drive　units。〃　The　young　man　swiveled　to　face　Vince。　〃It's　our　best　bet；　General。〃

Vince　answered　him　with　a　grim　nod。　〃Any　word　from　Nichols？〃

〃Just　up；　sir；〃　a　tech　said；　displaying　a　message　on　one　of　the　sit　board's　peripherals。　〃Looks　like　they're　inside　the　Awareness。　We've　also　received　reports　of　a　full…scale　hostage　uprising　planetside。〃

Vince　studied　the　big　board；　then　turned　to　the　viewport；　narrowing　his　eyes　against　an　angry　strobing　of　battle　light。〃　All　right；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃Inform　Colonel　Bernard　that　his　Veritech　group　has　a　green　light。　But　make　sure　he　understands　they're　to　wait　for　Dr。　Nichols's　all…clear　before　attempting　to　board　the　prototype。〃

The　tech　activated　the　…line。　〃Anything　else；　sir？〃

Vince　snorted。　〃Wish　him　Godspeed；　Sergeant。〃


The　Awareness　was　an　argent　temple　that　brought　to　mind　Tiresia's　pyramidal　Royal　Hall。　Louie　and　his　infiltration　team　approached　it　cautiously；　evading　program　sentries　when　necessary；　although　most　of　those　had　been　successfully　lured　away　to　implement　Exedore's　requests　for　system　updates。

Once　they　were　inside；　the　place　turned　out　to　be　a　labyrinth　of　mand　corridors　and　data　reservoirs；　as　difficult　to　enter　as　it　probably　was　to　exit。　But　there　was　no　time　to　be　selective。　Gibley　surrendered　the　point；　and　Louie　joysticked　himself　through　a　columned　portal。　Angling　through　a　maze　of　lower　function　hallways；　he　began　arming　the　virus　charges　the　raiders　had　carried　in。　The　idea　was　to　home　in　on　the　source　of　the　disruption　signals　that　would　result　once　they　were　detonated。

And　in　that；　the　charges　did　not　disappoint。

The　Awareness　rallied；　filling　its　instinctual　level　corridors　with　a　veritable　horde　of　antibiotic　programs。　But　the　teams'　decision　to　engage　early　on　had　been　predicated　on　the　expectation　of　just　such　a　primitive　reaction；　and　by　so　doing；　the　Awareness　not　only　lost　momentary　control　of　its　logic　circuits　but　allowed　Louie's　team　to　ascend　rapidly　through　its　mand　and　control　hierarchy。

Louie　followed　the　path　of　most　resistance；　deploying　ghosts　to　confuse　trackers；　and　eventually　entered　a　vaguely　defined　triangular　chamber　close　to　the　pyramid's　summit。　Normally　there　would　have　been　access　codes　to　decrypt　there；　but　the　Awareness　had　apparently　been　engaged　in　entering　them　when　the　Karbarran　attack　had　begun。

When　Louie　had　brought　the　raiders　to　a　halt；　he　sent　three　recon　drones　through　the　elaborate　window　at　the　chamber's　apex。

The　data　they　returned　stilled　his　thoughts。

In　the　space　above　the　temple's　golden　triangle　were　perhaps　tens　of　thousands　of　discorporate　intelligences。　Louie　had　discovered　where　Haydon　and　his　race　were　hiding。

By　the　time　he　found　the　presence　of　mind　to　order　the　team　out；　the　first　of　Haydon's　antipersonnel　security…force　programs　was…already　engulfing　them。


CHAPTER　TWENTY

〃Now；　children；〃　I　heard　one　of　the　child…care　staffers；　say　into　the　mike；　〃stop　being　so　damned　destructive！〃　He　turned　to　me　red…faced　and　apologetic；　but　I　was　already　thinking：　Damned　children；　damned　children　。。。　When　and　where　had　I　heard　that　before？
Lisa　Hayes；　Recollections：　The　Lost　Journey

Rem　did　not　need　the　clonesongs　to　open　his　mind　to　what　had　happened　once　Zor　had　left　Optera　with　the　Flower　of　Life　specimens　the　Regis　had　given　him。　He　knew　from　both　the　historical　record　and　the　cellular　memories　he　had　summoned　while　at　work　on　Lang's　facsimile　matrix　that　the　Regent　had　learned　of　his　wife's　infideli