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！
That only meant that His victory would be somewhat uneconomical； a bit inelegant。 In another way； though； it would show those absurd little creatures what an intelligent mind could do with Robotechnology。
The Elders felt the world shifting and quaking around them again。 What are you doing？ We demand to know！
Haydon made no response as long moments slid by and the artificial planet seemed on the verge of tearing itself apart。 The Elders raged and vituperated； but at last； their fury spent and their apprehensions waxing； they spoke the words they had not used since the days of their mortality。
We 。。。 beg you to tell us what is happening。
Haydon's blank face gazed down at them indifferently。 YOU PRESUMED TO CALL YOURSELVES ROBOTECH MASTERS？ I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT MASTERY IS。
With that； light burst from the organ in His forehead； and Haydon levitated into the air。 At the same time； the carpet carrying the Elders' imprisoning thrones rose； joining Him as an immense bubble appeared from somewhere to enclose Haydon。
The planet below was going through profound mechamorphosis。 It was only as the bubble climbed high above the atmosphere that the Elders began to understand the mind numbing scale of it。
Having had little time to train together； the pickup flotilla of the Local Group was fortunate that it had experienced no collisions； much less that it had somehow gotten into a passable formation。
Tracialle led the way； with Valivarre prominent on the right wing of the formation。 The armed merchantmen of the Karbarran fleet were the flotilla's backbone； with the other planets' vessels interspersed all through the three…dimensional deployment scheme。
Hodel watched as long…range sensors fed him information about the intruder world's approach； noting the appearance of the bubble high over it but more concerned with the throes of the gargantuan artifact itself。 It seemed that Haydon IV was trying to self…destruct； fly apart in uncountable pieces or grind itself to dust。
〃We're detecting anomalies；〃 a clone from the Valivarre reported。
〃Indeed？〃 Hodel scoffed in a moist rumble。 〃Don't you think they're apparent？〃
〃I am referring to new topographical features on the target world；〃 the answer came back。 〃Their existence defies gravitational influence。 Immense amounts of power are being expended。 We have analyzed our findings and believe that an unprecedented kind of mechamorphosis is taking place； and its speed is accelerating。〃
Hodel's barrel…chested laughter stopped suddenly as his own techs snarled at their positions。 〃The clone is right；〃 someone growled。
〃See！ See！〃 another cried。
A visual magnification was flashed on the main screen。 In it； Haydon IV could be seen quickening its transformation。 Apparently the modular alterations had been acplished earlier…perhaps in flight…and this was the final rearrangement。
Hodel was a captain； not a scientist； but he had more than enough technical background to know that no physical materials； no conventional power source； could possibly achieve what he was witnessing。 Haydon IV should have been annihilating itself with those upheavals。
It was not； however。 It was taking on a new shape。 Its astonishing division at Ranaath's Star was nothing pared what it was doing now。
〃Mechamorphosis； in truth；〃 Hodel heard Prah say from the Qrartzstar。
Hodel roared and slashed at the air with his claws。 〃How long before we can close with them？〃 Perhaps Haydon IV was as yet defenseless。
〃Thirty…two minutes until they're in maximum range；〃 a bridge crewwoman called out。 〃But the speed of the mechamorphosis is increasing。 Estimated time to pletion； twenty…eight minutes。〃
〃We will attack and obliterate them before they can catch their breath and prepare for battle；〃 Hodel howled。 〃Full speed ahead！ All ships； watch your deployment and intervals and prepare to attack！〃
Before them； Haydon IV grew。 It contorted and reformed； land features sliding； rising； falling…extending and reconfiguring in ways Local Group science would have pronounced impossible。
The substance of the planet was redistributed； prominences growing and lengthening； the center shrinking。 Even the Karbarrans knew a cold fear； their snarls and rumblings more muted as they watched the artificial planet take on the form of a megacosm Robotech warrior。
Max was glad Lisa forcibly broke up the meeting when she did； in another few minutes； Nichols and Lang might have attempted some kind of voodoo dance to summon up the Regis； while Rem and Marlene performed a little lounge…act mind reading and Dana told a fortune or two。
Emotions had run high as theories and assertions clashed。 It seemed that all the mystics knew pieces of what was happening but that nobody had the big picture。 A lot…of people at the meeting were still at the trying…to…believe…it stage。
Perhaps the major distraction； however； was the conviction many of the adults had that the real action was going on down in the child…care center。 Aurora and the SDF…3 kids were being exactingly recorded； but Obstat and the others were not likely to learn much from the motionless； silently muning seance the rug rats were holding。
The real question； of course； was where the Regis was and how to get in touch with her。 Lots of people had ideas； but none of them sounded very convincing to Max。
Vince； Lisa； and Rick were off to cope with whatever tangible problems they could find and handle…integrating working teams； transferring supplies to the Peter Pan just in case there was no choice but to run for it； resuming patrols of the planet。
Max； like Miriya； had left his seat after the adjournment and gone to fort Dana。 Encountering Rem seemed to have knocked her feet out from under her； they were not used to seeing their gutsy older daughter so despondent。
Miriya had one arm around Dana； who was nearly her height； before Max got there and led her off into an empty adjoining partment。 Dana's head leaned on Miriya's shoulder。 The look his wife shot him told Max that he ought to hang back for the time being。
Lisa and Rick had made some vague reference to Max's going to work coordinating the bined fighting elements of the joined ships； but Max did not feel much like talking war right at the moment。
He turned instead to find his way aft and see if Aurora's kiddie coven had broken up yet。 He wandered along； thinking of her whispered message to him。 Why was he； especially； to be on guard there in newspace to be careful of his thoughts？ Aurora either could not or would not clarify。
Distracted； he realized he was lost。 It had been a long time since he had wandered the passageways of the SDF…3。 There was no one around； but he got his bearings and began moving aft again。 He went slowly； meditating。
Peace had seemed at hand when the Sentinels War ended。 He and Miriya had played less and less of a role in the fighting； and he would have been perfectly happy to go on the inactive rolls for good。
Once； he'd been the terror of the Robotech battlefield； a dogfight wizard with a mother lode of the right stuff； an unparalleled feel for his mecha； and unrivaled bat instincts。 Slight； pale； and bespectacled； he seldom attracted a second g