18_the_end_of_the_circle-第2章

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e　view　that　had　been　denied　him　when　Mars　Division　had　approached　a　year　earlier：　Earth's　characteristic　clouds　and　swirling　weather　fronts；　its　deep…blue　water　oceans　and　healing　landscape。　And　for　the　first　time　in　years　he　found　himself　thinking　about　Base　Gloval；　his　father's　forefinger　thrust　upward　into　the　Martian　night；　pinpointing　a　homeworld。　Huddled　afterward　in　the　prewarmed　fort　of　his　sleep　partment；　he　would　grapple　with　the　notion…that　faint　light；　a　home。　But　even　after　his　family　had　been　transferred　to　the　factory　satellite　to　work　on　the　SDF…3；　Scott　could　not　regard　Earth　as　such。　And　he　had　so　few　memories　of　those　years　that　he　called　Tirol　home　now　and　perhaps　always　would。

Only　a　week　ago　he　had　learned　that　his　parents　were　still　there。

The　memories　surrendered　to　more　recent　recollections　as　Scott　and　the　rest　of　the　shuttle's　privileged　boarded　a　transfer　vehicle　that　ferried　them　into　the　ship　proper；　Ark　Angel's　artificial　gravity　settling　on　him　like　oppression　itself。　Nearly　every　ponent　of　the　ship　was　different　from　what　he　remembered；　from　the　illumination　grids　that　checkered　the　holds　to　the　persistent　foot…tingling　basso　of　the　dreadnought's　internal　systemry。

He　soon　caught　sight　of　Vince　Grant；　towering　walnuthrown　and　square…shouldered　over　a　small　gathering　of　civilians　and　military　personnel　bottlenecked　at　the　arrival　hold's　security　gate。　There　were　hands　in　the　air；　salutes；　a　welter　of　voices　that　brought　to　mind　vid…scenes　of　turn…of…the…entury　airport　arrivals；　and　it　was　obvious　to　Scott　all　at　once　that　the　REF　was　as　altered　as　the　Angel　herself。　He　sensed　something　cool　but　determined　in　the　ship's　slightly　sour　air；　a　single…mindedness　at　work　he　had　not　experienced　since　Tiresia。

A　male　aide　appeared　out　of　the　crowd　to　escort　him　through　security；　and　a　moment　later　he　stood　facing　the　Grants　and　the　two　Plenipotentiary　Council　senators。　〃Colonel　Bernard；　reporting　as　ordered；〃　Scott　said　with　a　crisp　salute。　〃Permission　to　e　aboard；　sir？〃

〃Granted；〃　Vince　returned；　working　the　muscles　of　his　massive　jaw　into　a　tight…kipped　smile。　〃Wele　home；　Scott。　〃

〃Oh；　Scott；〃　Jean　said；　rushing　forward　to　embrace　him。　〃God；　let　me　look　at　you。〃

He　took　a　step　back　to　allow　for　just　that；　extending　a　hand　at　the　same　time　to　Justine　Huxley；　then　Dr。　Penn。　Vince　and　Jean　were　outfitted　in　modified　REF　uniforms；　collarless　now　but　with　flared　shoulders　and　simleather　torso　harnesses　retained。　The　senators　wore　loose…fitting　jumpsuits　of　a　design　that　had　originated　on　Garuda。

〃Good　to　see　you；　my　boy；〃　Penn　said　with　paternal　sincerity。　〃I　only　wish　Emil　and　Karen　could　be　here　with　us。〃　There　was　no　mention　of　Karen's　lover；　Jack　Baker；　certainly　there　was　no　love　lost　between　Dr。　Penn　and　Baker；　in　any　case。　Karen；　like　Bowie　Grant；　had　elected　to　ship　out　aboard　the　SDF…3。　Let　them　all　have　better　luck　than　Marlene　and　I　had；　Scott　thought。　Even　if　that　means　dying　together。　The　scientist's　words　had　thrown　a　curtain　of　silence　around　the　five　of　them；　a　spot　of　stasis　amid　the　bustling　activity　in　the　hold。　〃Is　there　any　word？〃　Scott　asked；　hoping　to　break　the　spell。

Jean　shook　her　head；　her　dark　honey　plexion　paled　by　the　exchange。　Her　hair　was　pulled　back　into　a　tight　chignon；　imparting　a　touch　of　severity　to　what　was　normally　the　warmest　of　faces。　〃We've　received　some　garbled　subtrans　from　Tirol。　The　ship　folded　soon　after　Rheinhardt　and　the　others　were　away。　There's　been　no　word　from　the　SDF…3　since。　〃

〃I　think　we　should　have　this　discussion　elsewhere；〃　Vince　said　with　a　hint　of　suggestion　in　his　voice。　〃We　all　have　a　lot　of　catching　up　to　do。　〃

〃Colonel；〃　Huxley　said　before　everyone　set　off；　〃I　do　want　to　apologize　for　this　somewhat　subdued　wele。〃　She　gestured　around　the　hold　with　a　quivering；　aged…hand。　〃As　you　can　well　imagine；　we've　all　been　trying　to　adjust　to　the　loss　of　our　friends　and　patriots。〃

Scott　could　see　that　she　was　referring　to　the　destruction　of　the　fleet　rather　than　the　presumed　loss　of　the　SDF…3。　〃I　understand；　Senator；〃　he　told　her。　〃No　need　for　apologies。〃

〃Besides；　Colonel；〃　Huxley　continued　after　a　deep　breath；　〃what　with　the　Council　trying　to　set　up　summits　with　our　planetside　counterparts　and　Jean's　medical　teams　doing　what　they　can　。　。　。　Well；　I'm　certain　you　do　understand；　Colonel　Bernard。〃

Scott　did　not　envy　either　group　but　thought　it　might　be　particularly　rough　going　for　the　Council　itself。　To　the　last　they　had　been　respected　members　of　the　United　Earth　Government。　But　that　was　before　the　ascendancy　of　the　Army　of　the　Southern　Cross；　the　arrival　of　the　Robotech　Masters　and　the　Invid；　and　the　factionalism　and　isolationalism　that　had　thrived　during　the　occupation。　Those　would…be　leaders　below　barely　trusted　their　neighbors；　let　alone　a　council　of　lawmakers　and　theoreticians　absent　for　fifteen　years。　Scott　was　not　sure　whether　Huxley；　Penn；　and　the　rest　had　grasped　the　fact　that　Earth　was　a　changed　world。

Scott　found　Vince　Grant　studying　him　when　he　looked　up。　〃I　know　the　promotion　might　not　seem　like　much；　Scott；　but　we　haven't　gotten　around　to　honoring　individual　effort　just　yet。〃

Scott　was　taken　aback。　〃Excuse　me；　sir；　but　if　you're　talking　about　medals　or　citations…〃

〃You've　certainly　earned　them；　Scott；〃　Jean　said　hurriedly；　glancing　up　at　Vince　before　showing　Scott　an　unfortable　look。　〃We　just　want　you　to　know…〃

Scott　held　up　his　hands　to　stop　her　from　saying　anything　further。　It　was　a　sham；　and　everyone　knew　it…or　at　least　they　should　have。　There　were　no　heroes　this　go…round；　Scott　said　to　himself；　as　he　had　so　often　the　past　three　months。　No　matter　who　had　done　what　at　Reflex　Point　or　anywhere　on　either　side　of　the　envelope。

There　were　only　survivors。


CHAPTER　TWO

There　isn't　a　man　or　woman　aboard　the　＇Ark　Angel＇　that　wasn't　thinking　about　the　SDF…1　when　Dr。　Penn　announced　our　intention　to　make　a　trial　jump　to　the　moon。　But　do　we　have　a　choice？　Doesn't　it　make　more　sense　to　strand　the　ship　a　safe　distance　from　Earth　rather　than　strand　her　in　Martian　orbit　as　some　have　suggested　out　of　sheer　superstitious　fear　of　repeated　misfortune？　All　this；　of　course；　presupposes　that　the　fold　generators　will　fail；　which　I　am　inclined　to　believe　will　not　be　the　case。　As　for　our　inadvertently　ending　up　near　Pluto　or　some　such　celestial　locale；　I　can　only　pray　that　doesn't　occur。　Should　it；　however；　I　might　as　well　state　now　that　I　have　always　regretted　missing　the　jump　that　landed　Claudia　and　the　rest　at　the　frozen　edge　of　our　home　system。　Perhaps　I'm　bound　by　destiny　to　follow　her　now。
General　Vincent　Grant；　ship's　log　of　the　Ark　Angel

See　you　on　the　dark　side　of　the　moon。
Late　twentieth…century　song　lyric

Jean　Grant　purposely　fell　out　of　step　with　Vince　and　the　two　senators　so　that　she　might　observe　Scott　without　setting　him　off　as　she　had　almost　done　in　the　arrival　hold。　Her　sentiments　had　been　sincere　if　awkwardly　expressed。　She　was　not　unaware　of　the　meaninglessness　of　promotions　and　medals　at　this　stage　of　things…she　had　always　held　that　battles　were　better　forgotten　than　immortalized　by　ribbons；　in　any　case…but　gestures　were　important　for　morale；　even　of　the　salute　and　handshake　variety　favored　by　armies　the　Quadrant　over。　And　God　knew　morale　was　in　short　supply　just　now。

She　took　note　of　the　slight　limp　in　Scott's　long…legged　stride　as　Vince　led　everyone　to　his　personal　quarters　aft　of　the　Ark　Angel's　bridge。　Up　close；　when　she　had　felt　Scott　stiffen　in　her　short…lived　embrace；　she　had　seen　the　scars　on　his　still　youthful　face　and　graceful　hands。　Nineteen　now…or　twenty…ix　in　Earth…relative　years　（a　system　she　readily　dismissed　because　of　the　havoc　it　wreaked　on　her　own　age）…he　was　growing　to　resemble　his　father　more　and　more。　But　from　beneath　the　broad　forehead　and　slick　black　hair　peered　the　dreamy　eyes　of　his　mother。　He　had　her　prominent　ears　as　well；　but　the　limp　and　the　stoop　in　his　formerly　erect　carriage　were　gifts　of　a　war　that　refused　to　go　away。

REF　staffers　and　administrative　officers　stared　openly　as　they　hurried　through　the　ship's　corridors；　trying　no　doubt　to　puzzle　out　the　identity　of　the　stranger　who　had　been　admitted　into　their　midst；　the　undernourished　apparition　in　rust…red　knee　boots　and　tattered　mauve　and　purple　flightsuit　adorned　with　Mars　Division　unit　patches。　The　scarred　warrior　wearing　an　archaic　Badger　on　his　hip。

Jean　listened　closely　to　Scott's　words　as　everyone　settled　themselves　behind　drinks　in　Vince's　quarters。　And　she　heard　the　strange　accent　he　had　acquired　during　his　time　on　Earth；　the　bitterness　in　his　breaking　voice　when　he　recounted　the　Mars　Division's　assault　against　Invid…occupied　Earthflow　the　ships　had　literally　e　apart　in　space；　defeated　long　before　the　Regis's　Shock　Troopers　and　Pincers　had　moved　in　to　loose　their　hyphenstorms；　their　fiery　coup　de　grace。

Scott　told　them　about　the　long　road　to　Reflex　Point；　a　journey　that　seemed　to　have　bee　something　of　a　personal　odyssey　to　despair　and　disillusionment。　Of　the　rogues；　traitors；　and　cowards　who　populated　that　war…torn　landscape。　Of　his　encounters　with　Jonathan　Wolff　（Scott's　template　for　cynicism；　Jean　thought）；　with　the　geriatric　star…struck　mechamorphs　who　had　returned　with　Major　Carpenter；　and　with　Sue　Graham　of　the　Jupiter　Division's　36th。　Jean　remembered　the　photojournalist　well　and　the　agony；　real　or　imagined；　she　had　put　Lisa　Hayes　Hunter　through。

Her　ears　pricked　up　when　Scott　mentioned　Reflex　Point　itself　and　spoke　of　some　of　the　things　he　had　described　to　neurometric　analysts　planetside。　She　saw　no　reason　to　doubt　the　veracity　of　Scott's　claims…that　he　had　actually　conversed　with　the　Invid　hivequeen…but　she　also　sensed　that　Scott　was　leaving　something　unsaid。　G2　had　tried　to　put　a　trace　on　the　freedom　fighters　Scott　claimed　had　acpanied　him　inside　the　plex；　but　a　search　had　proved　impossible　among　the　population　displacements　and　shifting　conditions　below。

In　turn；　Vince　caught　Scott　up　on　the　incredible　events　that　had　transpired　on　Optera　shortly　after　Mars　Division　had　folded　for　home　space。　Scott　was　attentive；　but　it　was　apparent　that　he　had　already…heard　most　of　it　from　REF　mecha　pilots。　Nevertheless；　he　had　questions　about　Dana　Sterling's　nearly　miraculous　appearance　and　the　so…called　Nichols　drive　that　powered　the　Shadow　fighters　and　retrofitted　Ark　Angel。

Jean　waited　for　a　lull　in　the　shop　talk　before　attempting　to　return　the　conversation　to　personal　concerns。　She　had　risen　from　her　chair　to　gaze　out　the　viewport；　mesmerized　by　the　scintillating　dance　of　Earth's　orbiting　debris。　Of　late；　every　viewport　in　the　ship　seemed　to　be　a　window　into　her　private　torment。　She　could　not　regard　Earth　or　stars　without　recalling　the　phoenix　vision　she　had　beheld　when　the　Tokugawa　had　met　its　terrible　end　above　Optera　or　the　real…time　manifestation　of　that　phoenix　as　it　had　scorched　its　way　through　the　expeditionary　fleet。

Nor　could　she　help　thinking　of　Gardner　and　Ackerman　and　Gunther　Rheinhardt；　all　dead。　And　Rolf　Emerson…dear　Rolf；　who　had　died　in　Bowie's　arms。　The　news　of　his　death　had　seemed　unreal　on　Tirol；　but　now；　so　close　。。。

〃We　were　so　sorry　to　hear　about　Marlene；　Scott；〃　she　said　at　last。

By　sheer　reflex；　Scott's　hand　went　to　his　breast　to　feel　for　the　heart…shaped