16_world_killers- 第3节

Minmei；　pressed　back　in　her　seat；　looking　out　at　the　unknowable　stars；　felt　tears　pressed　from　her　eyes　by　acceleration；　to　wet　the　headrest　behind　her。

〃Here　they　e；〃　said　REF　#　666…60…937。




CHAPTER　TWO

In　the　case　of　Garudan　evolution；　there　can　be　no　question　that　a　wide　spectrum　of　intracellular　organelles　developed　through　the　cannibalistic　warfare　among　bacteria　that　led　to　an　amazing　degree　of　symbiosis。　The　interactions　of　the　entire　Garudan　ecosystem；　the　planet's　dominant　species　included；　give　weight　to　those　who　argue　that　the　evolution　of　multicellular　organisms　resulted　from　the　extracellular　symbiosis　of　monocellular　organisms。
Like　ours；　a　Garudan's　body　is　posed　of　about　ten　quadrillion　animal　cells　and　another　one　hundred　quadrillion　bacterial　cells。　But　the　range　of　microorganic　activity　and　variety　is　far　greater；　and　the　interaction　of　the　symbionts　far　more　plex。
The　upshot　is　that　a　Human　who　is　exposed　to　Garudan　atmosphere　is　like　a　pocket　calculator　plugged　into　a　mainframe：　it　is　not　designed　for　it　and　will　quickly　burn　out。
Perhaps　unsurprisingly；　in　light　of　recent　research；　the　Garudans　have　a　simple　explanation　for　the　extraordinary　nature　of　their　planet's　ecosystem：　〃Haydon　wished　it　so。〃
Cabell；　A　Pedagogue　Abroad：　Notes　on　the　Sentinels　Campaign

Vince　Grant's　hand　covered　Lisa　Hunter's　forehead　and　then　some。　He　drew　it　back；　moist　with　her　perspiration。　〃She's　still　feverish。〃　He　struggled　with　himself　for　a　moment；　not　sure　if　he　could　or　should　say　what　else　he　was　thinking。

Jean；　Vince's　wife；　nodded　slightly。　The　patients　were　all　that　way：　Rick　and　Lisa；　Karen　Penn　and　Miriya　Sterling。　They　were　atose　and　failing　fast；　as　a　result　of　their　exposure　to　the　Garudan　atmosphere。　They　were　tied　down　on　gurneys　to　help　control　their　intermittent　seizures。

The　shuttlecraft's　deckplates　vibrated　under　Vince's　boot　soles。　〃Jean；　what　if　Veidt's　wrong；　or　the　Invid　double…cross　us？〃

Somebody　had　to　ask　the　question。　The　fate　of　worlds　was　riding　on　what　the　Sentinels　would　do。　Moralists　would　say　that　the　lives　of　four　individuals　were　as　important　as　the　life　of　a　planet　or　the　oute　of　a　war；　but　Vince　didn't　have　the　luxury　of　dealing　with　the　abstract。

He　wiped　the　perspiration　from　Lisa's　brow　with　a　cloth　and　pulled　the　blanket　back　up　under　her　chin。　He　looked　at　the　other　stricken　Sentinels。

Here　were　four　lives　that　would　e　to　an　end　unless　the　virtually　miraculous　Haydonian　healing　crafts　were　brought　to　bear。　But　what　might　the　survival　of　the　Hunters　and　the　others　cost？

The　Invid　sounded　so　acmodating…it　could　only　be　some　sort　of　trick。　Vince　drew　a　breath　and　smoothed　out　his　uniform　tunic。　Given　his　size；　no　one…least　of　all；　an　XT…was　likely　to　notice　the　bulge　of　the　Badger　assault　pistols　he　was　wearing　in　shoulder　rigs　under　each　armpit。　If　this　was　a　trap；　the　Regent's　hordes　would　find　out　how　expensive　a　pricetag　such　a　seemingly　simple　skirmish　could　carry。

Vince　was　not　particularly　afraid　of　death。　He　had　long　since　figured　out　his　attitude　about　dying；　and　other　people　sensed　his　inner　calm。　As　the　shuttle　started　to　cut　into　Haydon　IV's　atmosphere；　Max　Sterling　appeared　in　the　hatch；　knotting　his　fingers　together；　and　looked　to　Vince。

Max　had　left　his　place　at　the　controls；　permitting　Wolff　to　take　over；　and　e　aft　to　check　on　his　wife　yet　again。　〃Veidt's　gotten　final　landing　approval；〃　Max　told　them。　He　hesitated；　then　added；　〃They'll　keep　their　word；　don't　you　think？　The　Invid；　I　mean？〃

Jean　Grant；　attending　her　patients；　avoided　eye　contact　with　Max；　she　didn't　want　to　lie；　and　she　didn't　want　to　voice　her　doubts。　Secretly；　she　thought　it　was　only　a　fifty…fifty　possibility　that　Miriya　or　any　of　them　would　be　cured…or　that　anybody　on　the　shuttle　would　survive　the　visit　to　Haydon　IV。

Vince　turned　to　Max　and　said；　〃they'd　better。〃

The　shuttle　came　in　low　over　Glike；　the　principal　Haydonite　population　center。　The　city　looked　like　something　out　of　the　Arabian　Nights…so　fabulous　that　they　momentarily　forgot　their　fears。　Some　of　the　architectural　styles　had　been　borrowed　from　other　worlds…Tiresian　columns　and　friezes；　Spherisian　crystal　palaces；　Praxian　statuary　and　totems。　But　most　of　Glike　was　uniquely　Haydonite：　slender　minarets　and　spires；　fantastic　white…frost　gingerbread　mansions；　lacy　elfin　halls　that　seemed　to　shine　with　an　inner　light。

Besides　flying　craft　like　Veidt's；　there　were　machines　from　the　various　worlds　that　traded　with　Haydon　IV；　and　different　forms　of　Haydonite　ship。　Jean　spotted　one；　on　a　scope；　that　reminded　her　of　a　pilot　whale　with　great；　flipperlike　wings…all　curves　and　a　bulging　transparent　passenger　partment。

There　were　also　flying　carpets；　or　what　looked　enough　like　them　to　make　her　think　of　Scheherazade。

Just　then　Veidt　and　Sarna　appeared　from　the　flight　deck；　where　they　had　been　guiding　Wolff　in　his　landing　approach。　They　looked　as　unearthly　and　remote　as　ever；　robed　and　floating　a　few　inches　off　the　deck；　their　faces　as　featureless　as　those　of　unfinished　mannequins。

〃We'll　be　landing　soon；〃　Veidt　said　in　that　weird；　whispery；　processed…sounding　voice。　〃I　think　you　would　do　well　to　prepare　yourselves　and　your　patients。〃

Max　returned　to　the　pilot's　seat　and　handled　the　touchdown　with　an　assist　from　Colonel　Wolff。　Cabell　and　Sarna　looked　on。　Haydon　Control　had　directed　them　to　a　landing　stage　in　the　middle　of　the　city；　one　of　a　number　of　platforms　of　smoky　blue　glass　sprouting　from　a　central　tower。

A　reception　mittee　had　already　appeared　to　meet　them；　standing　together　on　a　flying　carpet　that　hovered　a　few　yards　above　the　landing　surface。　As　Vince；　Max；　and　Wolff　opened　the　hatch；　the　carpet　floated　toward　them　and　stopped　a　foot　or　so　off　the　platform。

As　had　been　agreed；　Veidt　and　Sarna　went　first　to　greet　the　half…dozen　Haydonites　waiting　on　the　carpet…or；　more　precisely；　floating　just　off　it。　Jonathan　Wolff　took　advantage　of　the　moment　to　look　the　flying　carpet　over。

The　carpet　was　thicker　than　the　ones　from　the　tales。　It　resembled　an　undulating　judo　mat；　yet　it　was　textured　and　decorated　with　exotic；　iridescent　patterns。　It　was　vaguely　rectangular；　but　he　could　see　that　it　tended　to　shift　and　change　conformation。　Moreover；　the　other　carpets；　sailing　around　over　the　city　came　in　many　shapes　and　dimensions；　from　one…passenger　wele　mats　to　dance…floor…size。

Veidt　and　Sarna　exchanged　ritualistic　and　dignified　bows　with　their　people。　Since　Haydonites　lacked　arms　as　well　as　faces…and　legs　too；　Wolff　supposed　（although　nobody　he　knew　of　had　ever　gotten　a　look　under　those　hovering　robe　hems　to　find　out　what　was　underneath　them）…the　whole　ceremony　had　a　reserved；　inhuman　look　to　it。

Wolff　found　that　he　could　tell　the　males　and　females　apart。　The　Haydonite　men's　faces　had　angular　planes；　and　saucer…size；　gemlike　things　displayed　on　their　robes。

The　leader　of　the　weling　mittee　was　a　male；　taller　and　more　slender　than　Veidt。　He　had　a　bulging　cranium　and　a　deep　coppery　tone　to　his　skin。　A　shimmering　symbol　like　a　star　sapphire's　light　shone　from　the　center　of　his　forehead。　〃So；　Veidt；　you　return　to　bring　your　disturbances　among　us　yet　again？〃

But　it　was　Sarna　who　answered。　〃You　know　better　than　that；　Vowad！　Our　friends　are　gravely　ill；　and　only　Haydonite　science　can　save　them！　You　know　the　Law；　we're　obligated　to　help。〃

The　one　called　Vowad　made　an　irritated　sound。　〃Yes；　yes…and　if　it　hadn't　been　this　excuse；　it　would　have　been　some　other；　eh？〃

The　others　behind　Vowad　shifted　uneasily；　and　one　of　them　intervened。　〃Enough！　If　lives　are　in　jeopardy；　it　is　best　the　healing　begin　at　once。〃

Wolff　wasn't　so　sure　he　liked　what　he　had　heard；　and　he　didn't　know　if　he　wanted　to　stake　his　life　on　the　Haydonites'　good　graces；　but　it　was　too　late　to　back　out。　He　surreptitiously　made　sure　the　conventional　weapons　he　had　concealed　under　his　clothes　were　secure；　and　regretted　that　it　was　impossible　to　carry　Protoculture　weapons　due　to　these　planetary　defenses　everybody　kept　talking　about。

Sarna　turned　to　the　humans　waiting　by　the　foot　of　the　shuttle's　ramp。　〃Bring　them　forth。　We　go　to　the　Halls　of　Healing　immediately！〃

Jean　Grant　operated　a　small　remote　unit。　The　automate