按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 last he came to the mention of Optera and the Invid。 A curious race； Haydon found； with some promising characteristics； but apparently at an evolutionary dead end unless something new were added。 And Haydon had that something in mind； an intriguing plant He had encountered。
The organisms on the plant's planet of origin did not seem to be exploiting the plant's potential； and so Haydon transplanted the entire species to Optera leaving none behind。 Zor stared long and hard at the image of the Flower's original home； such an unremarkable little place 。。。
The introduction of Flower of Life to the Invid was like the rebining of long…sundered halves。 Almost overnight the Invid's entire existence came to revolve around the Flower and something they seemed to perceive in it。
（A lab mutation of the plant； the ur…form called Sekiton； was introduced to Karbarra。 But while the ursinoids there found many uses and demonstrated a peculiar affinity for it； the experiment was essentially a failure。）
The star…spanning experiments Haydon had begun were set in place； and Haydon began to prepare for His long sleep； weary of the tedium of immortality。 The event of transubstantiation would cause His artificial world to awaken Him more accurately； to return him from mere stored information to physical form。
The ticking off of the centuries began。
Zor lashed out； stopping the parade of thought records as a seething rage took hold of him。 It had been bad enough to know that the Robotech Masters had perverted his discoveries and the Protoculture to evil ends that the Zentraedi had laid waste to Optera。
Now； in addition； Zor understood that his meddling and the Masters' fiendishness had derailed a bold and unique attempt to push living intelligence through into an entirely new realm。
Zor threw back his head and roared up into the echoing spaces of Haydon IV's inner reaches； fists raised high； for the sheer iniquity of it all。 The waste and suffering and loss； the death and devastation。
His fury bined with his contact with the Awareness gave Zor a moment of lucidity unlike any other he was ever to have。 He suddenly had a vision； a Grand Design； of his own。 He would atone for what had happened。
It was all there before him： a reseeding program； a mighty new starship incorporating everything he had learned about Protoculture with which to execute his plan； a renewal； especially of Optera and its idyllic way of life； and eventually； a return of the galaxy to the way it had been before the rise of the Robotech Masters。
And lastly； he thought； he would return the Flower to the world on which it had originated； for who could tell what role it had yet to play there？ Yes； even Haydon had been shortsighted in that instance； the Flower deserved to grow once more in its appointed place； the unremarkable little bluewhite world called Earth。
His exhaustion； his hyperstimulation through mental contact with the Awareness； his ingestion of the petals perhaps it was just a bination of these。 But the fact was； it was the image of Earth； the invocation of it； that brought on his seizure。
Zor cried out； thinking himself blinded； hands clamped to a skull that threatened to fly apart。
He saw a column of pure mind energy rising from the Earth； a pillar of dazzling force a hundred miles in diameter； crackling and swaying； swirling like a whirlwind； throwing out sheets of shimmering brilliance。 It climbed higher and higher into space； all in a matter of moments。
Zor knew what the mind cyclone was； recognized it as the racial transmutation of the Invid。 The pinnacle of the cyclone abruptly gave shape to a monumental bird； a phoenix of mental essence。 The firebird of transfiguration spread wings wider than the planet and soared away； bound for another plane of existence； with a cry so magnificent and sad that his heart was wrenched by it and he was changed forever。
Zor shuddered； sobbed； and fell to the floor weeping； then lost consciousness。
In the sphere ship； Louie Nichols gathered the survivors of his team。 Other personnel were distracted by the strange； swirling limbo through which the craft was passing on its way between continua； it was the cybernauts' chance to regroup。
They set up a prefab secure cubicle high up on an unoccupied platform。 Louie was helped onto a robot med diagnostic table that deployed itself from a pact shipping case。
There were some gasps when he removed his tunic and they saw the marks the cyber…burn had left on his body。
He gritted his teeth。 〃All right； quit gawking。 You know what we have to do。〃
They did。 The headlockers began unpacking machines and remotes； fitting them together； and patching into power sources with protech proficiency。
Louie's mouth felt very dry； and when he tried to lick his tips； he could not work up any saliva。
Several remotes floated in at him。 Behind them were the surgical waldos loaded with the implants and bionics he needed and wanted to receive。
Louie drew a deep breath and lay back down on the table。
Rem awoke。 His head was still in Minmei's lap； but her tears had long since dried。 His face was slick with moisture； however； he was crying as Zor had。
Minmei sang softly； sadly。
CHAPTER TWENTY…SIX
When Nichols emerged from that lockbox cubicle his disciples had set up； he was the same studiously irreverent young pain in the neck who'd gone in with some noticeable increase in vigor and agility。 But there was also an undertone of indefinable strain to him。
I resolved to keep an eye on him； he played his part well except for one occasion during transit； the one slip that hinted at the change in him： He leaned to a scope that was controlled by a sensor and of course accepted it matter…of…factly when the scope swiveled to him and adjusted height； focus； etc。
What he didn't know was that the auto…adjust mechanism wasn't working…had developed a glitch and been switched off。 But the scope's servos had obeyed his silent will； anyway。
It was no time to confront Nichols and his familiars； but thereafter I kept an even closer watch on them。
Dr。 Harold Penn； The Brief but Timeless Voyage of the Peter Pan
For her； the tribulations of the passage were a multiple torment； because she was not One but Two。
Marlene had heard the humans refer to the ghosts and visions； memories； and chimeras as space lace。 She had heard them talk of out…of…body episodes and afterlife experiences。 They were all but unintelligible concepts to her； being in her present body was phantasmagoria enough； her life a nightmare almost beyond coping。
By the time the hijacked sphere ship plunged into the gravitational abyss of Ranaath's Star； she seemed a ghost； a semitransparent thing of ectoplasm fading fast。 In a kind of terminal sleep； she was unaware that Scott Bernard kept a bedside vigil； though it made him nearly insane with guilt and heartache。
Marlene/Ariel's fold jump dreams were a kind of mental multiscreen image deluge。 She； too； experienced the birth/death trauma； understanding it in a way she never otherwise would have bec