18_the_end_of_the_circle-第55章

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at　pride。

At　the　local　Bureau　HQ；　Annie　and　Lunk　filled　us　in　on　all　the　strides　genetic　engineering　had　made　since　contact　with　the　Local　Group…and　especially；　of　course；　with　the　Tirolians。

Even　fossilized　genetic　models　could　be　revived；　and　existing　ones　cloned　and　varied；　differentiation　being　so　important　to　species　survival。　Not　only　were　pandas；　snow　leopards；　and　whales　thriving；　so　were　passenger　pigeons；　giant　sloths；　and　woolly　mammoths。

And　of　course；　the　biggest　debate　at　that　time　was　whether　it　would　be　immoral　to　bring　Neanderthals　back　from　extinction　（or；　to　put　it　another　way；　leave　them　extinct）。　Annie　and　Magruder…both　of　whom　had　advanced　degrees　in　neogenetics　were　passionate　about　opposite　sides　of　the　argument；　as　ready　to　punch　it　out　as　they　were　to　kiss　and　make　up。

At　any　rate；　Scott　and　Marlene's　strike　force　reunion　turned　gut　well；　but　I　had　my　first　real　exposure　to　the　fact　that　an　aging　SDF　skipper　wasn't　exactly　in　demand　anymore　in　this　brave　new　world。　I　was　out　of　phase；　bereft　of　background　data。　There　were　more　shocks　waiting　for　all　of　us。

What　hit　Scott　and　Marlene　hardest；　I　think；　was　news　of　he　death　of　the　freedom　fighter　named　Lancer；　also　known　as　Yellow　Dancer。　But　something　bore　them　up　when　they　beard　how　he　died　flying　a　disaster　relief　mission。　I　think　it　was　the　insights　of　the　Intersection；　where　we　all　saw　the　big　picture　a　little　more　clearly。

That；　plus　the　fact　that　his　music　lives　on　after　him；　as　popular　now　as　Minmei's。　People　started　to　talk　about　slipping　in　fingers　of　the　two…recreation　artists　for　〃The　Concert　That　Never　Was。〃　The　idea　was　almost　universally　ignored。　Perhaps　the　slimy…souled　people　who　came　up　with　it　would　feel　differently　if　they'd　gone　through　the　Intersection。

The　effects　of　that　passage　and　its　insights　were　pointed　up　electrifyingly　when　a　few　of　us　were　flown　out　for　a　tour　of　a　big　reforestation　program　in　Alaska。　It　was　an　especially　affecting　trip　for　Rick　and　me；　since　we　weren't　so　far　from　where　the　Grand　Cannon　installation　once　was。

We　were　shown　to　where　people　worked；　patiently　reseeding　the　restored　and　prepared　slopes　with　tiny　firs。　I　didn't　notice　anything　in　particular；　walking　past　a　bent　figure　that　seemed　to　be　giving　all　its　attention　lovingly　to　what　was　being　done。　It　was　Dana；　a　few　paces　behind；　who　let　out　a　yell。

Rick　and　I　turned　to　see　the　Sterlings　and　our　guide　looking　on　in　horror　as　Dana；　hauling　at　the　worker's　faded　coverall；　prepared　to　deal　him　a　blow　to　the　side　of　the　temple　with　the　heel　of　her　cocked…back　hand。　No　question　about　it；　she　was　out　to　kill。

Part　of　our　astonishment；　too；　was　the　appearance　of　the　worker。　I　have　never　seen　such　a　gnarled；　pitifully　scarred；　frightened　creature　in　my　life。　He　dropped　his　little　tray　of　seedlings；　and　all　he　could　do　was　cringe　and　whimper。　Yet　Dana；　eyes　bugging　from　her　head；　wasn't　deterred　a　bit。

Rick　and　I　were　revving　up；　trying　to　get　to　her　to　stop；　like　cartoon　characters　having　trouble　getting　into　motion。　Max　and　Miriya；　who'd　been　looking　the　other　way；　were　kind　of　tangled　up　with　each　other。

But　there　was　someone　else　to　intervene。　Not　that　Dana　was　overpowered…a　tough　proposition　at　any　time。　Still；　when　Aurora's　gentle　hand　came　to　rest　on　Dana's　tensed；　heelshot　one；　the　action　froze。

〃You　don't　want　to　do　that。　Sister…〃

And　with　that；　Aurora　went　up　on　tiptoes　to　whisper　something　into　Dana's　ear。　The　rest　of　us　had　stood　rooted；　and　we　saw　Dana's　hand　relax　as　she　released　the　man　cowering　in　her　grip。　Dana　looked　around　the　reseeded　slopes；　the　life　that　was　ing　back　to　a　devastated　wasteland；　and　turned　away。

As　Dana　walked　back　toward　our　shuttle；　one　of　the　program　supervisors　gently　got　the　man　back　to　work；　saying　reassuring　things；　calling　him　〃Alf。〃

I　ran　a　check　and　found　out　about　the　assassination　of　Milicent　Edgewick　and　the　disappearance　of　her　familiar。　Dana's　instincts　were　correct；　and　the　brainwiped；　hollow　wretch　she'd　been　about　to　kill　was　Farnham；　once　known　as　Senator　Alfonse　Napoleon　Russo；　though　now　he　only　answered　to　the　name　Alf。　How　he　found　his　way　into　a　custodial　rehab　program　for　marginally　functional　war　casualty　types；　no　one　was　able　to　say。

Heaven　knows；　Dana　had　good　cause　to　execute　him；　all　of　us　did。　But　seeing　what　he'd　e　to　in　the　end；　we　dropped　the　matter。　I've　never　presumed　to　ask　Aurora　what　it　was　she　whispered　into　her　sister's　ear；　but　I　imagine　it　was　to　the　effect　that　there　had　been　enough　death；　part　of　the　revivifying　process　we　and　the　planet　are　undergoing　has　to　do　with　putting　certain　things　behind　us。


SDF…3's　returnees　scattered　to　all　corners　of　the　world　in　those　weeks。　Louie　Nichols　and　his　team　were　quick　to　start　snooping　into　the　Post…Protoculture　technologies；　and　they　were　weled　with　open　arms　by　the　Earth's　top　researchers；　then　castigated　for　their　heretical　approach　to　things。　Nothing　new　there。

Nevertheless；　Louie　&　Co。　became　the　driving　force　toward　this　new　grail　called　Instru…Mentality。　Implants　that　will　give　every　intelligent　being　powers　of　teleportation；　psychokinesis；　telepathy；　and　the　rest　would　be　the　next　logical　step…a　new　dawn；　to　be　sure…but　I　can't　help　wondering　if　we're　ready　for　it。

But　as　Cabell　pointed　out；　no　one　was　ready　for　Robotech；　either；　when　you　e　right　down　to　it。

Anyway；　the　Robotech　Age；　with　its　mechamorphosis　and　Protoculture；　has　passed　away　forever；　and　something　else　must　now　e　onstage。


The　experiences　of　various　others　have　been　set　down　elsewhere；　by　themselves　and　third　parties。　Of　the　rollicking　group　（Dana；　Sean；　Marie；　Jack；　Karen；　and　several　more）　who　became　the　Crazy　Eights　Exploration　and　Development　Co。；　Unlimited；　much　has　already　been　written…a　good　deal　of　it　on　indictments。　And　why　they　took　on　Lunk　as　their　head　wrench　wrangler　and　mojo　hand；　I　cannot　guess…but　it's　probably　one　of　their　few　sources　of　good　karma。

Still；　they're　young　and　carefree；　and　they　keep　claiming　they've　got　the　galaxy　by　the　bustle。

If　you've　been　lucky　enough　to　get　a　seat　at　Bowie　Grant's　Blue　Harp　Lounge　to　hear　Musica　and　Allegra　sing　and　play　along　with　him　or　have　caught　them　on　tour；　you　know　how　well　they're　doing　and　why。


One　of　the　tenser　moments　occurred　as　Angelo　Dante　set　off　to　introduce　Gnea　to　his　parents。　He　was　so　nervous　that　she　offered　to　change　into　more　conservative　Earth　garb　（and　a　lot　of　us　were　all　set　to　pitch　in）；　but　Angie　said　no；　quite　an　independent　move　for　him。　We　all　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　when　they　fell　in　love　with　her。

The　visit　was　rather　hasty；　though；　since　Gnea　was　being　rushed　back　to　New　Praxis　（Optera）　by　special　courier　ship璱ncluding　the　penalty　weight　of　the　fruitcake　from　Angie's　folks…to　brief　Bela　on　all　that　had　happened…

…and；　of　course；　to　help　take　care　of　all　those　little　Invid　they've　got　running　around　once　more。

Jean　Grant　once　spoke　of　pieces　of　the　puzzle　fitting　together；　and　there's　probably　no　more　prominent　example　of　that　than　New　Praxis。

For　some　reason　the　Regis　didn't　suffer　the　delay　in　time　that　we　did；　and　when　the　altered　Shapings　permitted　her/his　Race　to　return　to　spacetime；　I　suppose　it's　no　surprise；　they　came　full　circle…and；　from　what　we　can　tell；　took　on　the　original　state　in　which　Zor　found　them。

The　Second　Gen　Flowers　of　Life　bloom　there　now；　with　hordes　of　little　Pollinators　to　make　sure　they　bloom。　（Dana　keeps　insisting　that　one　in　particular　is　hers　and　hers　alone；　and　the　critter　seems　to　feel　the　same　way。）　Anyhow；　everybody's　happy　the　Pollinators　are　sacred　beasts　on　New　Praxis　these　days；　protected　by　the　brawny　arms　of　warrior　women；　because　the　galaxy　has　had　enough　of　Protoculture。

Riding　herd　on　all　this　is　a　graying　Bela；　with　Gnea　taking　up　the　reins　bit　by　bit。　And　their　fighters；　women　who've　lost　a　world；　now　posting　guard　over　creatures　whose　only　desire　is　to　be　left　alone：　there's　a　higher　symmetry　to　that。

Because；　surely；　this　is　the　fate　we　all　felt　the　Regis　cry　out　for　back　there　at　the　Intersection。　We　don't　probe　into　the　Invid　hive　life；　but　I　suspect　She　lives　there　someplace　inside　Optera；　more　happily　now　than　at　any　time　since　Zor　came。

I　do　not　ask；　though；　for　anyone　to　pursue　these　questions。　And　yet　there　e　reports；　fourth…and　fifth…hand；　that　a　new　entity　is　being　brought　to　life　down　there　in　the　hive。　From　what　little　the　Intel　officers…kept　conscientiously　at　bay　on　the　surface…can　tell；　it　is　a　male　who　will　have　the　capacity　to　erase　or　perhaps　refurbish　certain　chemical/energy　memory　systems。

A　new　and　better　Regent？


On　another　front；　Gnea　promised　to　build　quarters　in　Zanshar　just　for　Angie's　parents　so　that　they　can　visit　whenever　they　please。　And　feel　guilty　about　not　being　there。　I　suspect　Gnea's　figuring　on　a　few　daughters　to　keep　Angie　busy　and　perhaps　give　him　a　new　perspective　on　women。


The　Sentinels　see　each　other　infrequently　now；　not　because　we're　sedentary　but　rather　because　so　much　more　is　happening　everywhere。　The　Zentraedi；　of　course；　are　based　on　Fantoma　but　can　be　found　anywhere　heavy…g　operations　are　going　on；　especially　in　monopole　ore　mining。　Their　numbers　increase　at　a　far；　far　slower　rate　than　in　the　days　of　cloning；　but　from　what　I　hear；　they　still　favor　their　new…timeless璵ethod　of　reproducing。

The　survivors　are　just　starting　to　live…all　of　us。

Drannin　is　looking　more　and　more　like　Breetai　every　day。　He　still　shows　those　glowing　eyes；　though；　as　do　all　the　SDF…3　children。　Their　psi…abilities　and　other　exceptional　attributes　of　strength；　speed；　and　dexterity　continue　to　increase。　They　can　still　giggle；　but　at　other　times　they　seem　to　have　their　glowing　eyes　fixed　on　some　far　horizon　the　rest　of　us　can't　see。

Does　the　name　〃Darwin〃　strike　a　bell？

The　human　race…and　others…are　ready　for　a　new　and　different　kind　of　leap　across　the　stars；　a　peaceful　one　this　time；　and　these　glow…eyed　children　of　ours　are　proof。

That　was　part　of　the　reason　we　went　forth；　wasn't　it？　To　find　out　what　we　could　ultimately　bee？　In　any　case；　Roy　II　forgets　to　brush　his　teeth　if　Rick　or　I　don't　remind　him；　even　if　he　can　argue　spacetime　algorithms　with　Louie　Nichols。　And　bedtime　is　still　bedtime；　the　kid　gets　a　swat　on　the　landing　gear　if　he's　being　too　muley。

Keeps　us　all　humble。


I　suppose　I　was　looking　the　other　way；　but　it　seemed　like　I　was　the　only　one　surprised　when　Aurora　ran　for　Interworld　Council　and　became　the　youngest　representative…elect　ever。　She's　not　maturing　at　her　accelerated　rate　anymore；　but　no　one　appears　to　care。

Max　and　Miriya　are　Earth's　ambassadors　to　Tirol/Fantoma；　of　course；　so　they　get　to　see　Aurora　all　the　time。

Which　sounds　good　to　an　old　lady　whose　son　and　husband　seem　to　spend　most　of　their　hours　in　that　damned　old　Fokker。　Somehow；　the　little　Dr。　1　triplane　made　it　through　the　whole　newspace　dustup；　stowed　away　down　there　in　a　hold　in　SDF…3。　Roy…my…darling…boy　handed　Rick　the　wrenches　and　whatnot；　and　Rick　put　some　kind　of　power　plant　into　that　kite　that　makes　it　do　things　Manfred　von　Richthofen　could　only　dream　about。

They're　up　in　it　most　of　their　waking　hours；　as　Roy　feasts　on　the　wonders　of　Earth。　I'm　invited　along　whenever　I　want　to　go　（and　intrude　upon　t