16_world_killers- 第34节

Certainly；　the　physical；　mental；　and　emotional　wringer　of　the　Sentinels'　campaigns　seemed　to　have　worked　a　change　in　Jack；　anyone　with　eyes　could　see　that　he　was　more　open　and　giving　with　Karen。　But　the　two　had　worked　up　determined　defenses　against　one　another；　and　Karen　was　loath　to　drop　hers。

If　Penn　and　Baker　never　admitted　to　themselves　or　each　other　that　they　were　in　love；　it　would　be　too　bad；　but　a　matter　that　others　would　be　well　advised　to　keep　out　of；　Lisa　decided。

The　next　bout　was　as　good　as　Lisa　and　Bela's　or　better：　two　Praxian　middleweights；　veteran　fighters　and　as　fast　as　rattlers；　were　mixing　it　up。　Blocks　and　parries　came　as　fast　as　kicks　and　punches；　the　amazons　at　the　sidelines　began　rooting　and　cheering。　Neither　woman　on　the　mat　could　score　a　point　on　the　other；　though　they　were　using　everything　they　knew。

In　the　midst　of　it　all；　nobody　noticed　a　newer　enter　the　hold。　Then　the　ref　shouted　the　winning　point　as　a　blow　landed；　and　somebody　became　aware　of　who　was；　against　all　tradition　and　decorum；　standing　there。

The　amazons　were　less　offended　or　outraged　than　amazed。　Baldan　II　took　advantage　of　the　sudden　silence　that　fell　over　the　partment　to　walk　toward　Lisa　and　Bela；　who　stood　watching　him。

His　feet　were　bare；　and　yet　they　didn't　make　the　glassy　tinkling　Lisa　would　have　expected　on　the　hard　deckplates。　Instead；　there　was　a　kind　of　steady　rising　and　falling　vibration；　like　someone　running　their　wetted　finger　around　the　rim　of　a　crystal　goblet。

Lisa　saw　that　the　Spherisian　wasn't　looking　at　her；　and　stepped　aside　as　Baldan　came　to　stand　before　Bela。　Bela　held　her　padded　sparring　helmet　in　her　long…fingered　hands；　her　strange　avian　eyes　as　wary　as　a　hawk's。

〃You　know　the　plan　for　scouting　Spheris；〃　Baldan　said。　〃There　are　some　few　days　yet；　before　I　have　to　leave。　I　ask　you　to　teach　me　some　of　the　fighting　skills　you　know；　for　I　know　none。〃

The　amazons　murmured；　some　of　them　holding　their　halberds　uneasily　or　putting　a　hand　to　a　shortsword　hilt。　No　male　was　permitted　to　invade　the　sequestered　training　places。

Bela　looked　down　at　him。　He　was　already；　in　size　and　form；　a　being　resembling　a　Terran　nearing　the　end　of　his　teens。　Baldan　wore　only　a　brief　waistclout。

He　was　not　translucent；　but　rather　seemed　to　give　off　light　that　he　had　gathered　from　sources　around　him。　His　facets；　convexes；　concaves；　and　planes　without　number　had　made　him　a　being　almost　too　beautiful　to　believe；　shining　with　the　youth　that　was　in　him。

Bela's　voice；　usually　a　hearty　shout；　was　now　only　a　husky　near…whisper。　〃You　must　learn　those　things　from　others；　no　male　is　allowed　here。〃

He　was　ready　for　that。　〃By　your　own　laws；　you　cannot　refuse　entry　to　a　godchild。〃

Bela　looked　up　sharply；　eyes　wide；　shock　and　anger　and　a　sort　of　involuntary　tenderness　mixed　together。　〃Godchild？〃

〃You　saved　my　life；　you　and　Miriya　Parina。　By　your　own　laws；　that　makes　me　your　godchild；　and　your　responsibility。〃

A　Chinese　obligation；　Lisa　thought。　She　was　thinking　back　on　the　moment　when　Bela　emerged　from　Miriya's　VT；　cradling　the　quartzlike　egg　that　was　to　bee　Baldan　II。

Lisa　figured　that　Bela's　sudden　lack　of　balance　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　biology…as…destiny　or　melting…mama　theories　of　instinctive　female　behavior。　But　it　had　everything　to　do　with　a　feeling　of　connectedness；　and　a　satisfaction　in　having　done　the　right　thing。

The　amazon　looked　him　over。　〃But…are　you　sure　you　won't　shatter？〃

He　turned　and　did　a　diving　roll　along　the　deck；　the　singing　of　his　shifting　facets　and　angles　sounding　like　celestial　music。　ing　to　his　feet　in　the　same　move；　he　faced　her　with　a　luminous　smile。

〃If　I　were　breakable；　I'd　have　been　broken　long　since；　Godmother。〃

Bela　threw　her　head　back　and　laughed；　and　other　Praxians　joined　in；　first　a　few；　then　all。　Lisa　stood　to　one　side　with　Karen　Penn；　looking　on　as　Bela　handed　her　godson　a　plete　suit　of　pads　and　a　helmet。　〃Things　have　to　change　with　the　times；〃…Bela　shrugged…〃even　Praxian　rules。〃

There　are　things　ing　out　of　this　war；　byproducts；　that　are　almost　as　important　as　victory；　it　occurred　to　Lisa。


CHAPTER　NINETEEN

You're　free　to　be　THE　BEST　〃YOU〃　THAT　YOU　CAN　POSSIBLY　BE！　You're　OKAY！　So　take　charge　of　your　life　and　learn　how　to　be　YOUR　OWN　BEST　FRIEND！
Also；　get　PERSONAL　POWER　over　your　POTENTIAL　and　LEARN　HOW　TO　ASSERT　IT！！　Grok　yourself　fully　during　QUALITY　TIME！！　Dare　to　be　great！　Remember：　TODAY　IS　THE　FIRST　DAY　OF　THE　REST　OF　YOUR　LIFE！！！
Kermit　Busganglion；　The　Hand　That's　Dealt　You

The　REF　had　always　been　intimidated　by　the　stupendous　Royal　Hall　of　the　Robotech　Masters　on　Tirol…had　never　in　their　total　muster　been　able　to　fill　more　than　a　portion　of　it。

But　now　the　Royal　Hall　was　lit　from　one　end　to　the　other；　thanks　to　amblers　and　floating　illumination　drones。　For　an　evening　at　least　a　corner　of　it　was　free　of　the　tyrants'　echoes。　There；　among　ranked　mecha；　a　court　of　inquiry　had　been　convened。　The　Plenipotentiary　Council　sat　ready　to　discharge　one　of　its　gravest　functions；　defendants　and　accusers　waited　silently　or　held　quick　conferences　behind　cupped　hands。

It　was　going　out　to　just　about　every　outlet　and　terminal　under　REF　purview…with　one　special　exception。　In　the　prairielike　square　outside；　the　throngs　looked　at　the　screens；　as　people　were　doing　elsewhere　on　Fantoma's　moons；　and　on　SDF…3。

Most　of　the　accused…Wolff；　Vince　Grant　and　officers　of　the　expedition　that　had　been　sent　to　bring　back　the　Valivarre…sat　at　the　defense　table。　Breetai　was　the　lone　Zentraedi　there；　seated　off　to　one　side　in　a　monumental　chair。　Kazianna　Hesh　and　the　rest　of　the　giants　were　still　aboard　the　Valivarre；　and　while　no　one　had　made　much　mention　of　it　yet；　so　was　the　monopole　ore。

There　had　been　some　surprises　for　the　returnees；　the　chief　among　those　being　that　Wolff　had　been　charged　with　the　murder　of　the　Regent/simulagent。　But　that　charge　had　been　set　aside　with　their　news…and　indisputable　proof　in　the　form　of　sworn　reports　and　battle　recordings…that　the　Regent　still　lived。

The　group　had　also　brought　back　word　of　Janice　Em's　true　identity。　Vince　feared　that　it　would　prejudice　the　case；　since　it　might　make　people　pletely　mistrustful　of　Lang；　but　that　did　not　seem　to　be　the　case。　Vince　figured　that　Lang　was　so　far　outside　of　Human　norms…a　Merlin　of　Robotechnology…that　people　simply　were　not　very　surprised　by　anything　he　did。

And；　since　no　one　who　had　remained　behind　on　Tirol　（except　for　Lang）　had　any　firsthand　experience　with　Janice　in　her　android　persona；　people　seemed　to　take　the　news　matter…of…factly。　There　was　no　sudden　outbreak　of　paranoia。

For　his　part；　Lang　refused　any　ment　once　he　had　assured　himself　that　Jan　was　in　no　danger。　But　Wolff　thought　he　detected　something　more　in　the　man's　manner　than　a　mere　concern　that　an　invention　was　functioning；　or　that　a　strategem　might　have　backfired。

Counsel　for　the　prosecution　had　been　summing　up　his　case　when　Edwards；　no　longer　able　to　restrain　himself；　leapt　up　and　intervened。　No　one　was　sure　what　transpired　then；　it　was　in　low　tones。　The　lawyer　sat　down　with　a　look　in　his　eyes　like　a　hound　called　to　heel；　and　Edwards　stood　forth　to　take　up　the　argument。

〃You　have　every　documentation；〃　he　said　to　the　silent　council；　〃every　citation；　every　particular。　There　is　no　doubt　here！　These　people；　and　the　others　who've　temporarily　evaded　capture；　have　defied　and　subverted　duly　constituted　authority；　and　conspired　to　stage　a　mutiny。　Or　more　precisely；　a　coup。〃

Edwards　was　about　to　throw　his　arms　wide；　but　knew　that　grand　gestures　had　long　since　lost　their　effect　on　the　sort　of　people　who　made　up　the　council。　Instead　he　paused；　pensive。　〃These　were　my　brothers…in…arms。　Don't　you　suppose　this　very　scene　is　agony　to　me？　But　right　is　right；　and　treason　is　treason。　And　these　people　you　see　here。。。are　guilty。〃

Wolff　and　the　others　were　watching　Edwards's　grandstand　play；　but　Vince　Grant　was　keeping　an　eye　on　Lang。　And　when　Edwards　was　finally　done　with　his　stemwinder　speech　（to　some　considerable　applause　both　within　the　hall　and　from　outside）；　Lang　stood　up。

Most　of　the　onlookers　and　viewers　were　braced　for　an　impassioned　plea。　Vince　winked　at　Exedore；　and　Exedore　winked　back。


Scott　Bernard　stood