18_the_end_of_the_circle-第49章
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From the organ on Haydon's forehead a black beacon shone forth； swallowing up all the light in its path。 The Haydonites wailed wordlessly； and the planet shook。
Nimmul； Hepsis； and Fallagar united with even more desperation than they had in contacting the Awareness。 No； stay your wrath！ We've e to offer you a bargain； and Protoculture！
That gave Haydon pause。 He stood erect once more； gazing out over His handiwork。 A nimbus grew up around him； so effulgent that the Elders had to close their eyes。 When they opened them again； Haydon had worked another miracle。
Where one had stood there was now a trio…a triumvirate； the Robotech Elders registered…shoulder to shoulder； facing outward in a circle。 It was impossible to tell which； if any； was the original； but it was clear that while enormous； they were smaller than He who had levitated forth from the bowels of Haydon IV。
Without any talk； one went back down the conduit from which Haydon had emerged； another floated off across the machine landscape； the Haydonite carpets making way for him； and the third turned back to the Elders。 SAY ON。
Nimuul responded： We know where there is Protoculture； new Protoculture that the Regis did not steal！ Enough to power all your ships。 We will lead you to it gladly。
Gladly。 It was pivotal that Haydon be given the means to leave spacetime。
AND IN RETURN？
In return you will provide us with the means to exert our will over the Local Group star systems and their inhabitants。 You will grant us your authority to rule the planets you touched so long ago。
DONE！ The Awareness had already spoken to Haydon of the ships it had built and the single energy that must power them。
Agreement came so readily that the Elders were tempted to ask for more concessions； but they dared not。 It was manifest that Haydon…or the Haydons…wanted nothing more from the physical universe except the means to pass beyond it。
Haydon raised one hand in a divine gesture。 There was a psychic shuddering through the planet as the Awareness prepared to turn itself to new tasks； the Haydonites on their carpets came about in vast flocks to regroup and race away to all points of the pass； bent on missions Haydon had given them。 First among those was pletion of the unfinished sphere ships。
Haydon turned back to the Elders。 NAME OUR DESTINATION。
Treacherous as they were； the Robotech Elders were loath to trust anyone。 But before the might of Haydon they had no other choice； fearing that if they were uncooperative； he would snuff out their lives and go seeking Protoculture on his own。
The Elders joined their minds to speak； practically fondling the words with their thoughts。 Optera first…〃New Praxis；〃 it is called now。 Then 。。。 Tirol！
SO BE IT。
The planet shifted under them； already on the move。 FIRST； WE MUST GATHER UP OUR SPHERE SHIPS。 THEN IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO DIVERT TO LASKAR。
The Elders were puzzled even as they felt a certain lassitude stealing over them。 Your planet's primary？ Why？ FUEL IS NEEDED FOR SUCH A JOURNEY。
As they grasped the enormity of that； they felt themselves losing consciousness。 A trick！ Stop！ We demand？
The Elders' thoughts faded as the med machines' sedation took hold。 Haydon turned away from them disinterestedly as the carpet on which their thrones sat whisked them out of His presence。
Haydon had already given His mand to the Awareness。 Like a worshiping slave； it strained itself to carry out His directions to the fullest。
Haydon IV gathered in the sphere ships； finished and unfinished alike； holding them in readiness； then reabsorbed what it could of the factory tubes。 Haydon saw that His discorporate hibernation had lasted longer than He had foreseen。 That and the appearance of the Sentinels； plus the demands of producing the sphere ship fleet； had nearly exhausted the power reserves of the artificial planet。
Eventually； of course； power could be brought back to full by other means； but there was not time for that。 While the Haydonites raced to carry out the labors He had assigned them； the planet left orbit and began its descent toward Laskar； dying lesser sun of the Ranaath system。
The star's place in the arc of the sky grew and grew as Haydon IV rushed toward it。 The artifact world hurtled past the orbit of the system's innermost planet。 At the same time a strange energy field polarized into existence； surrounding Haydon's handiwork to protect it and more。
It was well within the reach of stellar prominences before it stopped。 A preliminary beam licked out from Haydon IV； probing into the monstrous furnace of the star itself。 Back poured a mammoth gush of naked power。
For several long minutes Haydon IV hung there； tethered to its star； drawing in energy as it had drawn in raw materials from the asteroid。 Within； its reserves were restored； then rilled to repletion； with all the power the planet would need。
The fiery stream of starfire stopped； dissipating； as Haydon IV moved away from Laskar again。 As it went； Haydon had word from the Awareness of troubling findings。
At the edge of perceptible space there were aberrations and anomalies。 The fabric of the continuum was losing integrity； and whole regions seemed to be disappearing。
Time was growing short； very short。 Haydon IV's drive activated； its course charted for Optera。 It went superluminal and vanished。
Still Rem drifted； still the nucleic dreams showed him the past。
Not even Haydon could predict how things would develop； while he slept； on the worlds he had touched personally。
Therefore； he left instructions with the Awareness that if any arrived with enlightenment； or even some portion of it； the Awareness would recognize that by certain signs。
And Zor had manifested such a sign； much （though not all） of the Awareness's data revealed itself。 Zor mentioned the Texts of Haydon； of which he had learned； and they were opened to him。 But not translated for him。 He had to demonstrate certain aptitudes or begone。
The Texts of Haydon resembled no book or archive before them。 They were a cyclorama of thought images and psimemes。 But Zor； with his Flower…altered mind； found them intelligible…barely。 Had he not； the Awareness would have known and slain him on the spot。
He forgot about food and sleep； laboring to receive the disembodied knowledge until it seemed his brain would burst like a lightning…struck tree。 But stopping was unthinkable； and he persisted； pausing only to ingest another petal or two of his shrinking Flower supply or； when he remembered to； drinking water from a font the Awareness had set by him。
In that manner Zor came to know the story of Haydon； first and greatest of the intellects spawned by the galaxy （the Texts had a bewildering way of referring to Haydon in the plural one minute and in the singular the next）。 In exploring and mastering the universe around Him； Haydon had gained immortality and probed the essential secrets of Creation。
But when His exploration of the universe seemed to hold no further mysteries； no further challenges； Haydon still had not found the answers that He longed for； the destiny for which； He was sure； He had been called into being。
Some of His investigations indicated to Him the existence of a level of being beyond those that could be seen or touched。 Of a place outside His continuum where Haydon could at last find fulfillment； achieve a level of being that had bee an undeniable need。
And Haydon found that He could not reach that other side。 Every approach failed； every assay fell short； until at last Haydon faced the fact that He could not attain transcendence。
But that did not mean some other life form could not。 And so began an age of grand experimentation； epic journeys； profound contemplation； and unprecedented megaprojects。 The Garudans were endowed with their expanded senses and their psychotropic biosphere。 On Spheris； crystal lifeforms were given an evolutionary helping hand。 An investigation into thought control went awry on Peryton； leading to the holocaust Moebius in which the planet became trapped。
Not least importantly； Haydon IV was given form； and its Awareness was brought to life。
Zor read on； feverish with the need to know。 At la
