12_symphony_of_light-第36部分

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e　alloyed　death　machines　slag　and　melt　away　in　the　creature's　wake。　And　he　realized　that　this　was　to　be　his　own　fate　as　well。。。


There　was　nothing　but　brilliant　yellow　light　in　the　viewports　now；　throughout　the　fleet　men　and　women　stood　naked　before　it；　unable　to　prehend　what　was　happening　but　aware　that　it　was　something　that　had　never　occurred　before。　They　were　unable　to　understand　That　they　had　e　all　this　way　to　meet　death　face　to　face；　like　the　Zentraedi　and　Robotech　Masters　before　them。　It　was　as　though　they　had　been　chosen　to　reap　the　whirlwind　that　had　blown　in　from　the　other　side　of　the　galaxy。　And　they　were　unable　to　understand　that　they　had　been　chosen　to　unite　with　the　Invid　in　some　inexplicable　way；　in　the　same　manner　that　the　Invid　were　uniting　with　the　wraiths　of　the　Protoculture。　They　were　the　homunculi；　the　Micronians　who　had　been　used　by　the　conjurer　Zor　in　the　carrying　out　of　the　Great　Work。

Some　people；　in　ships　at　the　perimeter　of　the　fleet；　saw　that　tower　shoot　up　from　Earth's　surface　like　a　lance　of　pure　light；　only　to　be　joined　as　it　pierced　the　night　by　coils　of　unequaled　brilliance　delivered　up　from　the　planet　itself；　encircling　it　for　a　brief　moment　like　the　shells　enpassing　an　atomic　nucleus。　For　this　really　was　a　kind　of　cosmic　orgasmic　fusion。

〃e　with　me！〃　the　Regis's　voice　rang　out；　like　the　music　of　the　spheres。　〃Discard　this　world　and　follow　the　spirit　of　light　as　it　beckons　us　onward。　And　let　our　leavetaking　heal　this　crippled　world　and　reshape　its　destiny。〃

Then　that　light　contacted　the　warships　of　the　main　fleet　and　digested　and　assimilated　their　strengths　and　weaknesses　as　it　had　the　bombs　sent　against　it；　incorporating　into　itself　all　the　contradictions　and　ironies　and；　most　of　all；　Humankind's　ability　to　wage　war。

The　dragon　seemed　to　yawn　and　bellow　its　triumph　as　the　light　streaked　on　into　the　void。

〃Our　evolutionary　development　is　plete；〃　the　racial　voice　continued。

〃To　all　of　my　children　scattered　throughout　the　cosmos。。。Follow　me　to　a　new　world；　a　new　plane。　Abandon　this　tortured　life　and　follow　the　spirit　of　light　as　it　spreads　its　wings　and　carries　us　to　a　new　dimension。。。〃

And　those　few　who　survived　told　of　the　ray's　plete　and　total　transmutation。　To　a　feline　face　with　bright　blue　eyes；　through　one　that　was　surely　Human　in　form。　And　then　it　had　collected　itself　into　one　mass。。。like　a　phoenix　on　the　wing；　a　radiant　bird　with　outstretched　wings　wider　than　the　world　it　was　leaving　behind；　soaring　away　quicker　than　thought　to　another　plane　of　existence。


EPILOGUE
Which　came　first：　the　Flower　or　the　Protoculture？
Louie　Nichols；　BeeZee：　The　Galaxy　Before　Zor　

Life　is　only　what　we　choose　to　make　it；　
Let's　just　take　it；
Let　us　be　free。
Lynn…Minmei；　〃We　Can　Win〃

There　were　few　salvageable　Veritechs　left　after　the　Transformation；　but　Scott　Bernard　had　managed　to　secure　one　of　them。　Most　of　the　crew　and　ships　of　the　main　fleet　had　perished　with　the　Invid's　departure…gone　with　them；　as　some　were　saying。

A　month　had　passed；　and　Earth　was　indeed　beginning　to　heal　itself；　as　the　Regis's　voice　had　promised　it　would。　Grass　and　nascent　forest　covered　what　had　been　wasteland　before；　and　regions　that　had　been　hot　since　Doha's　rain　of　death　were　showing　markedly　lower　levels　of　radioactivity。　Even　the　devastated　area　around　the　central　hive　had　been　sanitized　by　the　light's　leave…taking。

But　two　of　the　Regis's　children　remained。。。

Scott　was　saying　good…bye　to　one　of　them　now　on　a　rise　overlooking　the　scene　of　what　was　to　be　Yellow　Dancer's　last　concert；　an　outdoor　amphitheater　not　far　from　the　city　that　had　once　been　called　New　York。　People　had　been　drawn　to　the　concert　from　all　over　the　Northlands　and　Southlands；　seeking　some　explanation　for　what　had　occurred；　almost　as　though　the　Invid's　departure　had　been　something　of　a　Second　ing。　There　was　a　sense　that　the　Earth　had　e　to　play　a　pivotal　role　in　events　that　were　beyond　anyone's　ability　to　prehend；　that　the　world　had　been　used　somehow　to　further　one　species'　progress　toward　an　end　that　awaited　all　of　them。　And　in　the　process　Humankind　had　been　saved　from　self…annihilation；　so　that　Earth；　too；　might　someday　follow　along　the　same　path。

A　feeling　of　peace　prevailed；　of　lasting　calm　few　had　ever　known。　War　had　been　placed　out　of　reach。　And　if　one　were　to　be　fought；　it　would　have　to　rage　without　Protoculture；　for　almost　all　that　precious　substance；　along　with　all　the　Invid　Flowers；　had　vanished　from　the　face　of　the　Earth。　It　would　have　to　be　a　war　fought　with　sticks　and　stones　by　a　species　that　had　been　returned　to　a　kind　of　primitive　innocence；　to　childhood；　perhaps。

But　these　issues　were　far　from　Scott's　teammates'　thoughts　that　day；　rather；　they　were　dwelling　on　endings　and　beginnings　of　a　different　sort。　For　now　that　they　had　done　their　part　in　allaying　everyone's　initial　fears　and　confusion；　the　time　had　e　for　them　to　think　about　their　own　individual　paths　and　the　inevitable　farewells　those　steps　toward　the　future　would　entail。　And　amid　all　that　returning　splendor；　there　was　an　awkwardness　they　had　never　experienced　with　one　another。

As　for　Scott　Bernard；　his　mind　was　made　up。　The　SDF…3　had　never　appeared　out　of　spacefold；　and　Scott　was　going　out　to　look　for　it　aboard　the　only　fleet　cruiser　that　had　survived　the　Transformation。

〃But　why？〃　Marlene　wanted　to　know；　raising　her　voice　above　the　music　booming　out　from　the　concert　shell　below　them；　where　Yellow　Dancer　held　center　stage。

〃Really；　Scott；　what's　the　point？〃　Rand　said；　backing　Marlene　up　even　though　he　knew　it　was　futile。　〃You　can　start　a　new　life　here。〃

〃I've　got　to　go　back；〃　Scott　insisted；　turning　the　〃thinking　cap〃　over　and　over　in　his　hands。

〃But　how　will　you　figure　out　where　to　begin　looking？〃　Annie　asked　him。　〃I　mean；　couldn't　you　be　happy　staying　down　here　on　Earth　with　your　friends　and　everything？　Gee；〃　she　added；　tears　welling　up　in　her　eyes；　〃I　miss　you　already。〃

How　could　he　explain　it　to　them？　That　although　their　friendship　had　meant　so　much　to　him　this　past　year；　he　had　other　friends　as　well。　Dr。　Lang；　Cabell；　and　so　many　others。　He　had　to　find　out　what　had　bee　of　the　SDF…3。　And　more　to　the　point；　space　was　his　home；　more　than　the　Earth　ever　was　and　perhaps　more　than　the　planet　would　ever　be。

He　looked　down　at　Annie　and　forced　a　smile。　〃Admiral　Hunter's　lost　out　there；　and　someone's　got　to　find　him　and　his　crew。　We've　got　to　try　while　there's　still　one　ship　left　with　enough　reflex　power　to　make　the　fold。〃　He　glanced　over　at　Rand　and　Rook；　Marlene　and　Lunk。　〃Fate　brought　us　together　for　a　journey　none　of　us　will　ever　forget。　But　we've　reached　the　end　of　that　road；　and　there're　only　individual　ones　left　for　us　now。〃　Scott　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know；　maybe　to　spread　some　of　what　we　learned　while　we　were　together。　Does　that　make　any　sense　to　you？〃

Rand　caught　Scott's　eye　and　smiled　broadly。　So　it's　not　meant　to　be　a　winding　down；　after　all；　he　told　himself；　but　a　gearing　up　for　new　quests。。。

〃Well；　good　luck；〃　Lunk　said　dubiously；　walking　over　to　shake　Scott's　hand。　〃I　think　I'm　through　with　the　road　for　a　while。〃　He　gazed　appreciatively　at　the　green　hills　above　the　festival　grounds。　〃I'm　going　to　do　a　bit　of　farming；　try　and　pay　back　the　debt　I　owe　to　good　ole　Earth　for　shooting　it　up　the　past　coupla　years。　Especially　now　that　I've　got　some　real　fine　volunteer　help；〃　he　added；　looking　over　at　Marlene　and　Annie　and　grinning。

〃What　about　you；　Rand？　Any　ideas？〃　Rook　asked　leadingly。　The　two　of　them　were　sitting　side　by　side　in　the　grass；　their　backs　against　a　tree。

Rand　leered　at　her　fondly。　〃Well；　yeah；　I　do　have　a　notion　or　two。　I'm　thinking　of　going　back　to　the　Southlands　to　write　my　memoirs。〃

Rook　grimaced。　〃You've　got　to　be　kidding。　Who　the　heck　cares；　anyway？　Besides；　you're　just　at　the　beginning　of　your　life；　not　the　end　of　it。〃

Rand　thrust　out　his　chin。　〃Hey；　I　think　people　would　be　interested　to　read　about　some　of　the　adventures　we've　been　through。〃

〃We？〃　she　said　excitedly。　〃Well；　that's　different！　But　I　think　those　books　are　going　to　need　a　feminine　point　of　view；　just　to　keep　things　balanced；　of　course。〃

〃And　you're　applying　for　the　position。〃

〃I　am　uniquely　qualified　to　edit　you；　rogue。〃

Rand　was　about　to　agree；　when　a　tremendous　cheer　rose　from　the　crowds　down　below。

But　the　cause　of　the　motion　wasn't　Yellow　Dancer；　who　had　just　finished　her　rendition　of　〃We　Will　Win〃…the　anthem　of　the　First　Robotech　War…but　Lancer　himself。　He　had　thrown　off　his　wig　and　female　attire　and　was　now　attempting　to　explain　himself　to　the　audience。

〃Thank　you；　everyone；　thank　you。　You've　made　Yellow　Dancer's　final　concert　the　greatest　ever。　Thank　you　all；　you're　wonderful！〃

Those　in　the　front　rows　saw　that　he　was　directing　a　lot　of　his　delivery　to　one　person　in　particular：　an　unusual　looking　woman　with　short　spiky　green…blond　hair　and　eyes　that　glowed　like　embers。。。For　who　else　but　an　out…of…this…world　woman　was　so　well　suited　for　Lancer？

Only　he　wasn't　getting　the　response　he　had　expected；　the　audience　seemed　almost　indifferent　to　his　visual　confession。　In　fact；　they　were　prepared　to　follow　him　in　any　guise　he　chose；　after　all；　it　was　just　the　stage；　wasn't　it？

Up　above；　Scott　had　kissed　Marlene　good…bye　and　was　headed　for　the　cockpit　of　the　Alpha。　What　would　bee　of　her　and　Sera？　he　wondered；　and　found　himself　thinking　about　Max　and　Miriya　Sterling's　daughter；　Dana。

He　waved　to　his　friends　as　the　VT　lifted　off；　tuning　his　receiver　to　the　broadcast　frequency　of　Lancer's　concert。　He　really　did　it；　Scott　chuckled　to　himself。　It　was　certainly　a　month　for　revelations。

〃I　want　to　dedicate　my　last　number　to　a　very　special　group　of　friends；〃　Lancer　was　saying　from　the　stage。　〃And　to　one　friend　in　particular。。。He's　leaving　Earth　behind；　and　with　it　the　most　precious　of　possessions：　his　friends…the　people　who　love　him　most。　But　I　want　him　to　know　that　when　he　returns；　we'll　be　here　to　wele　him　home　with　open　arms。〃

As　Scott　listened　to　Lancer's　latest　position；　he　found　himself　recalling　the　names　and　faces　of　the　people　who　had　emerged　as　heroes　during　Earth's　quarter　of　a　century　of　devastating　warfare。　Rick　and　Lisa　Hunter；　Max；　Miriya；　and　Dana　Sterling；　Lynn…Minmei　and　Bowie　Grant　and