16_world_killers-第23部分

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s！　But　return　to　us　the　Flower　of　Life；　or　give　us　whatever　world　upon　which　the　Flower　choses　to　prosper。　And　then　we　will　be　the　harmless；　inward…turning；　passionate　Invid　of　old。　A　thousand　generations　of　genetic　heritage　call　out　to　us　to　be　so！　And　if　Fate　grants　it；　I　would　take　humble　pleasure　in　making　my　small　contribution　to　the　Destiny　of　my　species。

〃We　were　given　life；　as　you　were！　Let　us　live！〃　That　subject　was　tabled　for　the　time　being；　but　the　Sentinels　leadership　exchanged　troubled　looks。　Tesla　might　be　a　plete　moron　militarily；　but　he　was　a　consummate　politician。

Maybe　the　two　go　hand　in　hand；　Rick　thought；　reflecting　back　to　Senator　Russo　and　his　ilk　on　Earth。


Other　matters　came　to　the　fore　and　were　more　quickly　and　decisively　dealt　with。

Breetai　argued　strongly　that　all　the　Sentinels；　liberated　Praxians　included；　should　return　to　Tirol　to　fight　Edwards's　scurrilous　charges。　It　looked　like　he　would　carry　the　question；　not　through　guile　or　politicking；　but　simply　through　the　force　of　his　conviction。

Rick　looked　around；　wondering　who　was　going　to　muster　the　counterargument。　But　he　remembered　that　Baldan　of　Spheris　was　dead；　and　Teal；　the　other　leading　Spherisian；　was　still　closeted　and　caring　for　Baldan's　death…growth。　The　only　notable　Perytonian；　Burak；　had　been　silent　and　impossible　to　talk　to　ever　since　the　Garudan　campaign；　somehow　under　Tesla's　spell。

And　Spheris　and　Peryton　were　the　last　two　worlds　on　the　Sentinels'　tactical　charts；　the　last　two　from　which　the　Invid　must　be　uprooted。　Rick　scanned　the　room　and　realized　that　there　were　few　Spherisians…and　none　who　would　speak…and　no　Perytonians　at　all；　aside　from　silent　Burak。

Rick　was　as　surprised　as　anyone　when　he　heard　himself　address　the　assembly。

〃I've　fought　against　Great　Breetai　and　alongside　him；　and　in　all　this　time；　to　my　recollection；　I've　never　actually　found　the　nerve　to　contradict　him。〃

At　that　ment；　there　were　rumblings　of　laughter　from　the　Zentraedi；　seated　like　Norse　gods　in　immense　chairs　around　the　walls　of　the　room。　Kazianna　put　her　hand　on　Breetai's　shoulder；　and　Breetai　placed　his　hand　on　hers　but　kept　his　attention　on　Rick　Hunter。　Size　meant　nothing　in　the　arena　of　debate；　and　Breetai；　as　canny　as　any　Borgia　or　Caesar；　knew　that。

〃We　congratulate　ourselves　for　the　work　we've　done；　as　we　should；〃　Rick　went　on。　〃But　what　about　Spheris？　And　Peryton？　Things　there　are　as　bad　as　they　were　here　on　Haydon　IV；　don't　you　think？　Or　maybe　worse？

〃So　the　choice　is　between　going　on　to　end　the　misery　the　Invid　are　inflicting　on　those　planets；　or　going　back　to　clear　our　names。　Well；　here's　my　vote：　I　have　to　live　with　the　memories　of　what　I　do；　or　don't　do；　not　what　people　say　about　me。　I　say　we　go　on；　and　Edwards　be　damned。〃

He　resumed　his　seat　amid　an　almost　equal　mix　of　cheers　and　objections。　But　Lisa　was　looking　at　him　with　a　peculiar　cant　to　her　chin。

No　more　barnstorming；　live…for…today；　seat…of…the…pants　daredevil；　she　thought。　He's　someone　else　now；　like　we　all　are。　Older　but　wiser。　And　yet　he　was　arguing　the　cause　he　had　argued　against　before；　when　Burak　wanted　to　turn　the　timetable　upside　down。　A　sense　of　fairness；　maybe。

Lisa　reached　over　beneath　the　table　and　gave　her　husband's　hand　a　squeeze。　Rick　looked　a　little　startled；　then　gave　her　a　squeeze　back。

After　the　lesser　questions　were　resolved；　the　session　settled　into　a　collision　between　the　two　factions。　Breetai's　point　was　a　valid　one；　even　a　frightening　one：　if　Edwards　got　control　of　the　council　and　undermined　Lang's　authority；　the　general　might　wrest　control　of　the　new　fleet　of　space…fold　ships。　That　in　turn　could　make　him　unstoppable。

But　there　were　many　who　felt　as　Rick　did；　having　fought　the　Invid　oppression　on　several　worlds　now。　Among　the　most　determined　of　these　were　the　freed　Praxian　slaves。

The　dispute　cut　across　lines　of　species；　gender；　and　even　family；　however。　The　goliath　voices　of　the　Zentraedi　and　the　roars　of　the　Karbarrans　and　the　objections　of　the　Humans　and　the　other　races'　outcries　threatened　to　turn　the　debate　to　a　riot。

Rick　had　barely　spoken　since　his　first　statement。　But　when　it　seemed　the　Sentinels　were　about　to　lose　their　sense　of　purpose　and　revert　to　sheer　quarreling；　he　rose　again。

〃Um；　I　don't　see　where　there's　anything　we　can　do　but　promise。　Someone　has　to　answer　Edwards's　charges；　and　someone　has　to　fight　for　Spheris　and　Peryton；　now！〃


He　dipped　into　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　good…luck　piece；　a　Kennedy　half…dollar　his　father　had　given　him。　〃What　d'you　say；　Breetai？　I'd　trust　you　with　either　mission。　Heads；　you　go　to　Spheris　and　I　face　Edwards？〃

He　showed　both　sides　of　the　coin；　to　prove　there　was　no　fix。

Breetai　had　eased　off　his　chair　to　kneel　by　the　table。　His　face　cracked　wide　in　the　first　true　smile　he　had　allowed　himself　in　some　time。　Breetai　held　out　his　palm；　as　big　as　a　desktop。　〃Flip　it　here；　Rick　Hunter。〃

Rick　did。　Breetai　caught　it；　clapping　his　palms　together；　and　opened　his　hands　again　to　show　them　all。　It　was　tails。

There　would　be　plenty　to　do　tomorrow；　but　for　the　time　being；　everyone　needed　an　adjournment。

When　all　the　others　were　dispersed　and　they　were　strolling　under　strange　constellations；　Kazianna　Hesh　took　Breetai's　hand。　〃It's　not　the　oute　you　looked　for；　I　know；　my　love；　but　still　I　think　it's　not　an　unfair　one。〃

〃Perhaps。　But　I　tell　you　this：　Edwards　will　be　stopped；　even　if　I　have　to　do　it　alone。〃

She　kissed　his　cheek。　〃Breetai；　you　will　never　face　any　danger　alone　again…not　while　I　draw　breath。〃


CHAPTER　SIXTEEN

The　military　scholars　missed　the　point　entirely。　Max　and　Miriya；　indisputably　the　greatest　Robotech　warriors　of　all；　were　serving　the　source　of　their　prowess　by　laying　down　their　arms　for　a　time。　Life　made　them　do　it…the　life　growing　within　the　onetime　Quadrono　mander；　fathered　by　her　erstwhile　enemy。
Life；　triumphing　over　death。
Theresa　Duvall；　Wingmates：　the　Story　of　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling

The　work　to　rebuild　Glike　and　repair　damage　done　to　other　parts　of　the　planet　during　the　terrible　clash　between　Inorganics　and　antibodies　had　begun　literally　while　the　dust　was　still　settling。

If　Haydon　IV's　world…size　instrumentality　had　been　intact；　it　could　have　acplished　the　rebuilding　at　a　miraculous　rate。　But　much　of　that　instrumentality　was　either　disabled　or　obliterated　or　pletely　exhausted。　The　Haydonites　threw　themselves　into　the　job　with　a　religious　fervor；　though；　and　they　had　help。

The　tens　of　thousands　of　freed　Praxians　were　among　the　most　willing　to　help。　The　warrior　women　were　a　homeless　race　now　that　their　own　planet　had　been　destroyed　in　the　upheavals　following　the　Invid　conquest　and　Genesis　Pit　experiments。　Many　thought　sparsely　populated　Haydon　IV　might　offer　them　a　fresh　start。

It　was　plain　that　Arla…Non　longed　to　lead　her　amazons　on　a　holy　war　against　the　Invid；　but　since　only　a　few　could　go　along　on　Ark　Angel；　it　was　the　queen's　duty　to　stay　with　the　majority　of　her　subjects；　to　guide　and　govern　them。　Arla…Non　expressed　every　faith　in　Bela；　though；　and　confirmed　that　in　rituals　that　the　Praxians　barred　all　outsiders　from　attending。

The　contingent　that　would　return　to　face　Edwards's　charges　before　the　council　was　led　by　Breetai；　along　with　Vince　Grant　and　Jonathan　Wolff。　While　many　of　the　Diamondback　and　Joker　REF　fighters　wanted　to　volunteer　for　service　to　fill　the　depleted　ranks　of　the　Sentinels　fliers；　that　was　voted　down。　If　Edwards　made　his　power　play；　it　might　require　every　loyal　pilot　in　the　REF　to　put　down　a　coup。

Jean　Grant；　like　Max　Sterling；　refused　to　leave　the　planet　as　long　as　Miriya　was　still　in　a　a　and　unable　to　be　moved。　Miriya　had　stabilized；　but　the　outlook　was　still　bleak。　Nevertheless；　Jean　had　immersed　herself　in　learning　the　healing　arts　of　the　Haydonites；　blending　them　with　her　own　in　the　hope　of　curing　Miriya。

Cabell　had　wavered；　thinking　that　he　could　be　of　some　help　if　he　stayed；　but　the　others　said　his　insights　to　the　functioning　of　Protoculture　and　Robotechnology　might　be　more　important　than　ever　in　the　battles　ahead。　He　spent　a　night　closeted　alone　with　his　thoughts；　and　announced　in　the　morning　that　he　would　be　remaining　behind。　Rick　thought　that　the　old　sage　had　sensed　something　important　about　Miriya's　situation；　but　Cabell　refused　to　talk　about　his　motives。

As　for　Max；　he　decided　that　rather　than　simply　sitting　and　waiting；　he　would　devote　himself　to　the　effort　to　rebuild　the　planet。

〃I'm　sure　Jean　and　Cabell　and　the　Haydonites　can　make　her　well　again；〃　Max　told　Rick　as　the　Sentinels　prepared　to　depart　for　Spheris。　〃You'll　see。　By　the　time　we're　set　for　the　final　assault　on　Optera；　I'll　be　back　in　a　VT　and　so　will　Miriya。〃

〃I　know　you　will；〃　Rick　said　with　conviction　he　didn't　really　feel。　〃We　can't　have　you　guys　missing　out　on　the　grand　finale。〃

The　two　shook　hands　and　Lisa　kissed　Max's　cheek。　Soon；　the　SDF…7　class　cruiser　was　lifting　off。　Gaps　in　the　rank　and　file　of　their　fighters　had　been　filled　by　several　hundred　amazon　volunteers；　but　in　Rick's　opinion　the　force　was　still　woefully　inadequate　in　terms　of　media。

Originally；　production　facilities　on　Karbarra　and…it　had　been　hoped…Haydon　IV　were　to　have　kept　the　Sentinels'　plement　of　war　machines　at　full　strength。　But　production　problems　had　arisen　on　Karbarra：　a　fundamental　inability　of　the　Invid…designed　manufacturing　equipment　to　turn　out　satisfactory　Earth…style　mecha；　no　matter　what　adjustments　the　Karbarrans　tried。　As　for　Haydon　IV；　it　simply　wouldn't　have　media…production　capability　soon　enough　to　be　of　any　use。

But　Sentinels'　mecha　had　played　very　little　part　in　freeing　Haydon　IV　and；　from　all　reports；　would　be　even　less　useful　on　Spheris。　Time　would　tell：　Rick　and　Lisa　were　anxious　to　survey　the　situation　on　Spheris；　at　the　very　least；　as　soon　as　possible。　Like　many　of　their　panions；　they　now　grew　frustrated　and　ill　at　ease　in　between　blows　against　the　Invid　empire。


T。R。　Edwards　knew　a　particular　triumph　as　the　special　council　meeting　convened。　There　was　only　one　item　on　the　agenda：　Edwards's　renewed　request　for　martial　law　and　what　amounted　to　emergency　dictatorial　powers。　To　the　general's　vast　satisfaction；　Lang　and　the　other　opposition　had　been　either　unable　or　unwilling　to　block　the　meeti