18_the_end_of_the_circle-第64章

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own　and　down　their　ship　plummeted；　into　the　breast　of　Haydon　IV　like　an　avenging　et。　The　detonations　it　set　off　sent　the　artifact　worldlet　into　lethal　convulsions。

Quartzstar　and　Valivarre；　carrying　out　repairs　to　restore　life　support　and　some　measure　of　maneuvering　power；　were　lit　by　the　distant　nova　of　Haydon　IV's　death　blow。　Prah　watched　sadly　and　was　about　to　turn　away；　when　someone　said；　〃I'm　scanning　spacecraft…many　of　them！〃

Prah　rapped；　〃Origin？〃

〃They　are　sphere　ships；　I　believe　they　emerged　from　the　far　side；　just　before　the　end。〃

For　a　moment　Prah　thought　that　it　was　to　be　the　end　of　her　vessel；　after　all。　But　the　swarm　of　sphere　ships；　a　hundred　and　more；　formed　up　and　set　off　without　paying　Quartzstar　or　Valivarre　any　heed。

Their　course　pointed　straight　for　Tirol。


CHAPTER　THIRTY…THREE

This　cadet…graduate　will　make　either　a　passable　officer　or　a　very　troublesome　convict。
Final　evaluation　from　the　file　of　Southern　Cross　Lieutenant　Dana　Sterling　

There　was　nothing　for　the　ground　party　to　do　but　return　to　the　landing　zone；　the　Regis　ignored　their　demands　that　she　e　back；　listen　to　reason；　answer　their　questions；　show　some　mercy。

The　quietest　among　them　were　the　children；　who　seemed　distracted　and　unmunicative。　Scott　noticed　that　Marlene　was　very　much　like　them。　He　realized　he　had　been　holding　his　breath；　dreading　the　moment　when　arcane　forces　would　suck　her　soul　and　body　into　the　oneness　of　the　Invid　race　that　was　the　Regis。

But　apparently　the　trauma　she　had　undergone　had　insulated　her　from　that　for　good。　She　really　was　herself。　He　was　grateful　for　that　but　furious　at　the　trick　of　fate　that　had　put　them　back　together　at　last　only　to　schedule　Armageddon　a　few　days　or　hours　away。

Still；　when　he　reached　tentatively　for　her　hand　and　she　smiled　bittersweetly；　taking　his　hand　fondly；　there　was　a　lightness　to　his　soul　that　had　not　been　there　since　the　death　of　Marlene　Rush　on　a　day　long　gone。

There　wasn't　much　vigilance　to　their　withdrawal　in　spite　of　Rick　and　Lisa's　disspirited　promptings。　What　good　to　keep　your　guard　up　when　all　of　newspace　might　well　attack　at　any　moment？

Rick　thought　twice　before　approaching　Louie　Nichols；　the　Regis　might　be　listening　in。　But　then；　the　same　could　be　said　about　the　deepest　security　vault　on　the　SDF…3。

〃Louie？　What　about　the　Peter　Pan？　Can　we　make　a　run　for　it　if　we　have　to？〃

Louie　worked　his　shoulders；　adjusted　his　goggles；　and　went　through　some　more　of　his　repertoire　as　they　walked　along。　〃I　doubt　it。　It　turns　out　that　the　sphere　ships　aren't　exactly　like　I　thought　they　were。　Not　really　built　with　a　return　trip　in　mind。

〃Think　of　'em　as　bobsleds；　created　for　a　single　voyage　along　a　particular　flow　of　force…down　a　snowy　hill；　if　you　see　what　I　mean。　The　Peter　P。　might　be　forced　up　the　hill；　but　I　wouldn't　bet　on　it。〃

He　looked　so　downcast　that　Rick　figured　Louie　was　regretting　that　he　had　ever　gotten　involved　in　the　rescue　attempt。　He　patted　one　skinny　shoulder。　〃I　don't　know　if　I　ever　said　thanks；　Louie。　I'm　grateful　for　your　being　here　to　help；　grateful　as　an　officer　and　grateful　as　a　man　with　a　family　in　danger。〃

That　seemed　to　take　Louie　by　surprise；　but　he　mumbled　some　acknowledgment。　Then　he　picked　up　his　pace；　head　bent　in　thought。

Max　Sterling　had　to　restrain　himself　from　grabbing　Aurora　and　clasping　her　to　him；　shielding　her　with　his　body。　That　way；　the　Black　Knight　mecha…or　whatever　it　was　that　his　bat　skills　had　brought　into　existence　in　newspace…would　have　to　e　through　him　to　get　her。　But　she　was　so　fragile；　so　ethereal　that　he　didn't　want　to　frighten　her。　And　so　he　hung　near　her　like　a　shadow；　peering　and　glaring　in　all　directions；　sweat　running　down　his　face。

He　was　a　fighter　jock；　a　mecha　warrior；　his　talents　lay　elsewhere；　and　he　always；　felt　insufficient　to　cope　with　the　expanded　powers　and　perceptions　of　his　youngest。　And　now　he　had　sensed　some　terrible　peril；　bee　its　focus；　and　there　was　little；　perhaps　nothing；　he　could　do　to　help。　Nothing　but　protect　my　daughter　with　my　life。

At　least　one　person　in　the　group　had　kept　her　training　in　mind　and　was　maintaining　a　high　level　of　alertness　as　she　went；　though。　Dana　was　carrying　a　Wolverine　rifle　at　the　ready；　more　than　willing　to　open　up　if　a　target　presented　itself；　wishing　for　one；　if　the　truth　be　known。

She　had　fallen　far　back　to　walk　rear　guard；　relieving　Lron。　The　sight　of　Minmei　and　Rem　leaning　on　each　other　had　abraded　her　nerve　endings　and　left　her　in　an　empty；　murderous　mood。　Even　in　the　worst　of　those　days　after　her　parents　had　left　on　the　SDF…3…times　when　she　had　found　herself　in　some　agency…sponsored　home　or　care　institution…she　hadn't　felt　quite　so　resentful　and　drained。

That　was　because　she　hadn't　met　Zor　Prime　yet；　no　doubt。　And　once　in　a　while　she　got　a　visit　from　a　friend　who　loved　her　unconditionally。

She　heard　the　chirping　yip　faintly。　The　person　ahead　of　her…Dr。　Penn；　his　mind　apparently　a　million　parsecs　away　did　not　seem　to　notice　it。　But　Dana　recognized　it　at　once。

〃Polly！　〃　She　said　it　softly；　not　wanting　the　others　to　e　barging　back　to　her。　The　Pollinator　was　her　pet；　her　lifelong　friend。

Only；　how　had　Polly　gotten　there？　He　had　disappeared　let's　see…back　on　Tirol；　just　before　she'd　lifted　for　Haydon　IV。　Well；　if　walls　and　doors　were　no　barrier　to　him　or　his　kin；　why　should　space　be？

Manifestly；　it　wasn't；　because　there　he　sat；　like　an　animated　mophead；　thirty　feet　back　the　way　she　had　just　e。　His　head　was　tilted　to　one　side；　and　he　gazed　at　her　bemusedly；　as　if　she　were　the　one　who'd　disappeared　without　warning　and　he　was　the　aggrieved　party。

SOP　said　that　she　should　signal　for　a　halt　and　request　permission　and　backup　before　fetching　him；　but　by　that　time　Polly　might　take　it　into　that　cute　knob…horned　head　of　his　to　vanish　again。　Dana　glanced　to　make　sure　Harry　Penn　hadn't　noticed…he　was　still　going　his　way　deep　in　thought…and　turned　back　to　make　the　pickup　on　the　Pollinator。

〃Don't　give　me　that　innocent　look；　you　little　deserter！〃　She　knelt　by　him；　shifting　her　rifle　so　that　she　had　a　free　hand　to　scoop　him　up。　〃Maybe　I　oughta　tie　a　bell　to　your　collar。　Or　better　yet；　get　a　spacefold　leash…he…eeyy！〃

Wait　a　minute！　Polly　had　somehow　gotten　himself　not　just　across　space　but　into　newspace。　That　must　mean　there　was　some　way　back　out！

〃Oh；　baby！　Wait'll　Louie　and　Lang　hear　this…umph！　You　been　puttin'　on　weight；　or　what？〃

The　Pollinator　dragged　at　her　arm；　nearly　pulling　her　to　her　knees；　the　sheer　mass　of　him　unbelievable。　〃What's　wrong…holy　f…fff…〃

Polly；　back　on　his　little　muffin　feet；　was　no　longer　the　adorable　teleporting　pet　she　loved。　His　feet　sprouted　black　claws；　and　his　sheepdog　face　took　on　an　evil　leer。　What　really　sent　shivers　down　her　spine；　though；　was　that　he　was　growing　like　an　inflating　life　raft；　only　faster。

Dana　gave　a　yell　and　stumbled　back；　bringing　her　rifle　up；　wondering　if　the　Pollinator　had　fallen　prey　to　some　weird　newspace　rabies。　Her　finger　was　on　the　trigger；　but　she　hesitated；　this　was　one　of　her　few　true　friends；　after　all；　and　friends　meant　everything　to　her。

Polly's　hide　showed　through　the　molting　white　pelt　as　the　creature　grew：　black；　smooth；　and　hard…looking。　Polly　heightened　and　broadened；　bigger　than　Dana　already；　rearing　back　on　two　lengthening　hind　legs。

Dana　had　hesitated　to　give　the　alarm；　fearing　that　someone　would　shoot　her　dog；　but　that　ceased　to　matter。　The　Pollinator　let　out　an　eerie　inorganic　sound；　like　a　processed　challenge　roar。

〃Polly；　stop！　Stay　back！〃　She　had　the　Wolverine　up；　centered；　backing　away　herself。　The　thing　in　front　of　her　took　a　step　toward　her；　though；　and　when　its　massive　black　foot　pouched　down；　there　was　a　distinct　metallic　sound。

It　leaned　toward　her；　and　from　its　sheepdog　face　there　appeared　a　single　red…yellow　lens。

Dana　howled　fiercely　for　a　universe　that　would　turn　a　dear　pet　and　friend　into　a　deadly　foe。　She　brought　the　Wolverine　up　and　fired　a　sustained　burst　at　the　thing　that　had　been　the　Pollinator。


Farther　up　the　line；　everybody　froze。　Harry　Penn　blinked；　caning　out　of　his　distraction；　getting　his　bearings。　〃It's　Dana！〃　he　yelled　to　those　ahead　of　him；　and　turned　back；　drawing　his　Badger。

Max；　farther　towa