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18_the_end_of_the_circle-第35部分

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e in this Quadrant obsolete。 Only one was needed to achieve that passage。〃 The Tiresian shook his head。 〃For the rest of us; a pat on the back and an accelerated heat death。〃

〃Jeez; you guys;〃 Dana cut in; 〃try not to sound so cheerful about it; huh。〃

〃Tough break; but they're right about it; Lieutenant;〃 Louie said; his goggled; smiling face on…screen all at once。 〃Louie!〃 Dana yelled。

〃Hey; Dana。 Told you you'd see me again before long。〃 Dana recalled the send…off party Louie's gang had thrown for the 15th aboard Wolff's ship。 The memory stirred thought of Jonathan and their last night together。 〃So where'd you spend the occupation; mechie?〃 she asked。

Louie grinned。 〃No time to go into that now; Dana。〃 He looked to Exedore。 〃We need to know whether the device Veidt gave you can access the Awareness。〃

The Zentraedi scratched at his thatch of barn…red hair。 〃Only in the most limited of capacities。〃

〃But you can get in?〃 Louie pressed。

〃Yes; but I don't see…〃

〃We're going to find out where Haydon's headed by hook or by crook; Exedore。 The Karbarrans; God help them; are finalizing their plans。 But their attack is going to provide us with the diversion we need。〃

〃Well; we're all set down here;〃 Dana enthused。 Catching sight of Max and Miriya's concern; Vince said; 〃Now look; Dana; don't try anything rash。 Veidt's already told us you'll be released。〃

〃Sorry; mander;〃 Dana countered with a dismissive wave at the screen; 〃but we're all out of trust down here。 Besides; there's no harm in creating a second diversionary front while you're running your op; is there? Who knows; we might even be able to place a coupla monkey wrenches of our own。 〃

〃Dana;〃 Max and Louie said at the same time。 Max motioned for Nichols to continue。

〃There's one more thing we're gonna try first; Dana;〃 Louie told her。 〃We've got someone on board who might be able to tell us where the Regis went。〃

Dana flashed him a dubious look。 〃Yeah? What'd you do; Louie; bring an Invid along for the ride?〃

Louie stroked his cleft chin。 〃Never was any fooling you; Lieutenant。〃


CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

e let me show you our mon bond;
it's the reason that we live。
Flower; let me hold you。
We depend upon the Power that you give。
We should protect the seed; or we could all fade away; 
Flower of Life; Flower of Life; Flower 。 。 。
Tiresian chant of the Cult of the Three…in…One

For once even Vard was concerned。 are you certain of what you're acplishing here? he would ask at least once a day。 And Zor could answer only with that maniacal grin that had bee his ever…present look on Optera: Of course he was certain。 And wasn't this exactly what their elders in Tiresia expected of them: to return from these technovoyages with something extraordinary? And if that wasn't enough; who were these Invid that they should have these incredible flowers to themselves? That they alone should possess the ability to reshape the world about them? No; this was for all worlds; Zor had suggested to Vard for the galaxy in all its wondrous variety!

Mad; in those times; possessed; though he would not recognize it in himself。。。

But to achieve it; thus; Vard would point out。 To achieve it by deceiving the hive queen of the race…this Regis。 To lay claim to royalty by pretending to be the long…expected one returned; the Bringer of the Flower。 And to resort to seducing the secrets from this naive being 。 。 。

This was central to Vard's concern…the fact that Zor had done nothing less than make love to this creature。 In her approximation of human guise and human…made raiments。 In her very chambers and in her very bed 。。。 For such was the only way that the secrets could be revealed。 The process; dear Vard; required a plete joining…mind…to…mind; body…to…body…and passion to acpany it。 Or; in Zor's case; an approximation of passion; a semblance of love。

Oh; in a sense he did love her; he supposed。 He certainly envied her; lusted after the knowledge the Flower of Life had imparted to her。 But as to all this mindspeech about remaining on Optera; about actually relinquishing some of his physicalform so that they might remain mates here 。。。 Well; that was arrant nonsense。 He could no more live here…even with the secret shared and revealed…than he could abandon the quest for enlightenment that had already taken him to scores of star systems and hundreds of planets。

Furthermore; there was a husband to consider。

Nothing like the Regis; this creature that called himself the Regent。 And Zor had barely given him a second thought when it had e down to formulating his plan for seduction and conquest。 But there was something about the Regent that rendered him more human than the Regis could ever be; for all her recently evolved anatomic curves; erogenous zones; and self…shaping talents。 And it was just this mysterious humanness that Zor made use of to ensure that the Regent was absent from the hive for long periods at a stretch。

The Regent; it seemed; had a curiosity for Zor and his kind that rivaled Zor's curiosity for the Regis。 Only the Regent was less interested in the physical and psychological differences that separated them than he was in the very artifacts the technovoyagers used in their everyday lives and travels。 It was as though the creature wished only to fill his world with such things…instruments and devices and ships。 So it had been easy enough to arrange for the Regent to be taken on a tour through this or that part of the ship or flown to distant places on his own Optera when the need arose。

And that need had arisen often these past months 。 。 。 Zor smiled to himself; lying with the Regis now; his arms wrapped around her。 He recognized that the transference was almost plete; the language of the Flower almost his。 But he recognized; too; that there were rules governing the use of this language and; quite possibly; that he had been made aware of something misunderstood by the Queen…Mother herself。 The Flower of Life apparently held a secret of its own; one that had yet to be seduced from it。

A secret Zor would one day call Protoculture。


Scott Bernard sat stiffly in his chair as the two majors led Marlene into the Ark Angel's briefing room。 Cabell; the Grants; Louie Nichols; and several intelligence officers from G2 were seated at the long table。 Bulkhead displays flashed color…enhanced visual close…ups of Haydon IV; an updated count of production vessels; an alphanumeric Karbarran attack countdown。 The ship had turned slightly to port to keep the reconfigured artifact centered in the exterior viewports。 The accretion disc of Ranaath's Star pinwheeled in the background; a sinister wheel of fortune。

Marlene; red hair pulled back behind her ears; looked ill。 〃Take a seat;〃 Vince began; sounding like a physician about to deliver bad news。

With a nervous glance; at Scott; Marlene lowered herself into one of the plastic chairs。 He held her gaze for a moment and looked away; tight…lipped。

Niles Obstat cleared his throat。 〃I think you know why we've asked you here。〃

〃I'm…I'm not sure;〃 Marlene told the intel chief。

Vince grimaced and blew out his breath。 〃We've tried to give you time to think through your position; er; Marlene。 But I'm afraid time has run out for all of us。 We have reason to believe you can tell us where the Regis is; and we need that answer now。〃

Marlene swallowed and found her voice。 〃I've been trying…〃

〃Don't give us any of that;〃 Obstat said; cutting her off。 〃You're Invid; and what one of you knows; you all know。 Just tell us where we can find the Regis; and we'll put an end to this。 It's for your own good; too;〃 he added。 〃How else are you planning to get home if we don't take you there?〃

Scott was tempted to tell Obstat how Sera had gone home but held his tongue。 Marlene was staring at the director; lower lip trembling。

〃But don't you see; I'm not all Invid;〃 she replied。 〃I have…〃

〃You're all Invid as far as we're concerned;〃 a woman officer sneered。

Marlene closed her eyes and shook her head。 〃If that's true; then how is it that one of your own kind loves me?〃 Her eyes found Scott; as did everyone else's in the room。 〃Tell them; Scott; please。 Make them understand。〃

〃Well; Colonel?〃 Vinc
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