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ot。　But　a　snapping　tongue　of　discharge　caught　the　Battloid's　left　leg；　blasting　a　rent　in　the　armor　there。

But　in　the　interim；　the　distance　between　the　two　had　closed。　Max　gathered　himself　and　kicked　in　all　thrusters；　pouncing　on　the　enemy　rather　than　avoiding　it。　The　Black　Knight　caught　him　with　terrifying　strength。

The　two　mecha　fell　through　the　sky；　locked　together　in　mortal　bat。


CHAPTER　THIRTY？FOUR

And　so　these　equations　expose　a　long…hidden　truth：　We　now　know　the　nature　of　the　heretofore　unimaginable　energies　that　existed　in　the　first；　irreducible　instant　after　the　creation　of　the　universe。　That　the　last　vestige　of　them　is　to　be　found　in　the　distilled　essence　of　a　Flower　is　something　to　ponder；　were　there　time。
But　there　is　none。
From　Exedore's　notes；　written　in　the　Royal　Hall　during　the　approach　of　Haydon　IV

By　the　time　Cabell　returned　to　the　observation/mand　post　high　atop　the　Royal　Hall　pyramid；　the　drives　of　the　departing　evac　ships　were　mere　sparks…there　were　a　dozen　or　so　of　them；　containing　a　few　thousand　clones；　human　holdouts；　a　handful　of　XTs；　and　a　pet　or　two。

Exedore　noted　the　smudges　and　stains　on　the　old　savant's　robes。　〃There　was　violence。〃

Cabell　nodded　wearily。　〃I　did　what　I　could；　but　yes。　Less；　though；　than　I'd　feared；　given　the　fact　that　there　was　only　room　for　a　relative　few　to　escape。　All　dread　the　sphere　ships'　ing。〃

Exedore　grunted：　Valivarre　lay　dead　in　space　undergoing　repairs；　the　ore　ship　might　have　lifted　the　entire　populace　of　Tiresia　to　safety。　But　then；　there　had　been　no　time　to　organize　a　large…scale　evacuation；　those　who　had　escaped　on　the　few　ships　at　the　spaceport　were　essentially　those　who　had　been　there　or　nearby　when　the　disastrous　battle　demolished　the　Local　Group　fleet。

〃At　least　the　wait　will　not　be　long；〃　he　added。　The　flock　of　a　hundred…odd　ominous　metallic　bubbles　was　even　then　entering　the　upper　atmosphere。　〃The　rest　will　go　underground　to　shelters；　I　suppose；　or　perhaps　break　into　the　bistros　for　a　final　toast　to　life。〃

〃That's　more　than　the　Haydonites　got；　or　the　Local　Group　fleet　crews；　either；〃　Cabell　observed。　There　was　no　sign　of　Haydonite　life　aboard　the　sphere　ships；　and　it　was　presumed　that　the　artificial　race　had　perished　when　Haydon　IV　had　been　destroyed。　Neither　was　there　any　sign　of　the　Awareness's　survival；　and　that　was　of　some　fort　to　the　two　savants；　the　Awareness　had　been　perhaps　Haydon's　greatest　weapon。　〃e；〃　Cabell　bade。　〃We've　not　much　time。〃

Not　having　caught　his　breath；　he　was　huffing　again　within　a　few　steps。　Exedore　caught　up　and　lent　a　supporting　arm；　he　was　physically　younger；　though　he　was　the　older　of　the　two。

They　went　to　the　pinnacle　of　the　Royal　Hall；　which　they'd　polarized　to　transparency；　so　that　it　seemed　open　to　the　sky。　In　it　was　the　facsimile　Protoculture　matrix。

They　had　both　seen　the　original　and　now　considered　this　Second　Generation　manifestation。　Lang　had　once　observed　how　it　resembled　an　old…time　representation　of　an　atom：　a　plex　interlinking　of　ring　orbits　some　two　hundred　feet　across；　suspended　in　midair　by　its　own　internal　forces。

However；　where　the　original　matrix　glistened　in　rainbow　colors；　this　fabrication　was　harsh　white　and　gold；　and　the　musical　sound　ing　from　its　gleaming　nucleus　seemed　more　strident；　more　ominous；　than　that　produced　by　Zor's　original　creation。

Now；　though；　the　two　observed　in　the　matrix　certain　anomalies　and　instabilities　that　hadn't　been　there　a　short　time　before。　Their　research　told　them　that；　indeed；　the　Shapings　were　reaching　some　climactic　point；　a　cusp　or　crux　in　events　even　mote　important　than　the　conversion　of　the　original　matrix　years　ago　in　the　mound　where　the　SDF…1　lay　buried。

〃e；〃　Cabell　bade　Exedore。　〃We　haven't　much　time。〃　They　went　to　where　a　new　piece　of　apparatus　had　been　set　up。　It　suggested　a　kind　of　elaborate　laser　drill　or　boring　unit；　heavy　with　magnetic　bottling　fields　and　insulator　rings。

〃The　buildup　of　Anti…Protoculture　energy　is　still　below　what　the　job　may　require；〃　Cabell　said；　〃but　it　will　have　to　suffice。〃

Exedore　drew　a　deep　breath；　running　both　hands　through　his　unruly　red　thatch。　〃Are　you　sure　we're　doing　the　right　thing？〃　Once　it　was　done；　there　would　be　no　backing　out；　not　to　mention　the　danger　to　Tiresia　and　perhaps　to　all　of　Tirol。

〃The　matrix　mustn't　fall　into　Haydon's　hands！〃　Cabell　insisted。　〃Otherwise；　he'll　reduce　all　that　remains　of　the　universe　to　mere　fuel　and　raw　materials　for　his　mad　ambitions。〃

Exedore　sighed。　Cabell　was　right；　it　was　just　that　the　first　matrix　had　been　the　Holy　Grail　for　so　long；　and　the　second　had　required　such　extraordinary　striving　and　genius。　To　destroy　this　last　vestige　of　the　power　of　Protoculture　seemed　to　run　counter　to　everything　the　long　wars　and　researches　had　been　about。

〃You're　correct；　of　course。〃　Exedore　clapped　Cabell　on　the　back　tiredly。　Strange　and　sad　that　things　should　end　this　way。

And　an　end　it　would　be；　since　neither　of　them　could　survive　this　last…ditch　effort　to　thwart　Haydon's　scheme。　Exedore　thought　of　the　Micronian　stories：　Sampson　in　the　temple；　Horatio　at　the　bridge。　Exedore　and　Cabell　at　the　Second　Gen　matrix　would　outdo　all　of　those。

Cabell　had　brought　forth　two　protective　faceplates；　handing　one　to　Exedore。　〃Here　you　are；　my　dear　fellow。〃

Exedore　accepted　his；　slipping　it　on。　〃You　know；　Cabell；　I　still　maintain　that　one　of　us　can　in　all　likelihood　carry　out　this；　er；　procedure。　There　is　thus　no　reason　for　you　to　make　this　sacrifice。〃

〃Now；　now。　We've　been　all　over　this；　old　friend。　There's　no　guarantee　that　one　operator　could　balance　the　induction　field　and　simultaneously　calibrate　the　integration　mixture。　And　it's　far　too　late　to　automate　the　process。　No；　that　just　won't　do梠therwise　I'd　have　insisted　you　leave。〃

Exedore　shook　his　head；　settling　the　faceplate　into　place。　Strange　how；　so　late　in　his　long　years；　he　had　bee　friends　with　such　an　odd　assortment　of　beings：　Micronians；　Sentinels；　even　a　Clone　of　Zor　himself。　And　Cabell；　who　was　a　panion　and　kindred　soul；　rather　than　the　master　his　position　would　once　have　required　him　to　be。

Both　of　them　were　working　as　fast　as　they　could　even　while　they　were　musing。　Surveillance　satellites　gave　word　that　the　sphere　ships　were　making　planetary　approach　at　much　higher　speed　than　had　been　foreseen。

Still；　Exedore　saw　calmly；　he　and　Cabell　would　have　time　to　carry　out　their　last　act。　The　special　magnetic　bottling　fields　began　to　e　into　existence；　and　in　another　few　minutes　Protoculture　and　Anti…Protoculture　would　mix　in　mutual　annihilation。

There　was　another　warning　tone…from　the　surveillance　satellites。　〃An　energy　plexus　of　unknown　type　has　been　detected；　originating　from　the　sphere　fleet；　moving　in　the　direction　of　Tiresia。〃

The　two　panions　stopped　their　work　and　looked　at　the　speaker。　〃Describe　its　nature。〃

〃It　is　nonmaterial；〃　came　the　reply；　〃a　webwork　of　mental　energy　in　some　ways　resembling　the　Awareness　and　yet　unlike　it。〃

Cabell　was　horrified。　〃That　is　because　it　is　no　longer　linked　to　the　instrumentality　of　Haydon　IV。　We've　been　caught　unawares！〃

He　leapt　to　his　controls；　Exedore　doing　the　same；　and　they　prepared　to　fire　the　Anti…Protoculture　infusion　device；　ready　or　not。　But　even　as　they　did；　the　puter　voice　from　the　satellite　net　announced；　〃Calculations　show　that　there　is　no　time　to　plete　your　current　endeavor。　The　Awareness　has　raced　ahead　of　the　sphere　ships　and　now　enpasses　the　Royal　Hall。〃

But　by　then　Cabell　and　Exedore　didn't　need　the　puter　to　tell　them　something　was　wrong。　A　sparkling　network；　like　a　highway　system　of　strobing　luminescence　in　the　sky；　had　sprung　into　being　all　around　the　hall…not　the　Awareness　itself　but　a　side　effect　of　the　Awareness's　presence；　an　exertion　of　its　artificial　mind　powers。

The　inside　of　the　grand　pyramidal　chamber　holding　the　matrix　became　like　an　aquarium　filled　with　strange；　insubstantial　waters；　shimmering　air　showing　colors　to　which　neither　Exedore　nor　Cabell　could　put　a　name。　It　made　the　facsimile　matrix's　music　turn　ominous　and　caused　it　to　glimmer　in　a　new　and　sinister　fashion。

Cabell；　suffused　with　light；　felt　his　consciousness　slipping　away。　〃Fire！　Do　not　wait！〃　He　held　his　grip　on　his　senses　for　an　extra