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！
otioned to the displays。 〃These are the latest readouts。〃
Rem leaned over the table。
〃Either this void has yet to decide which set of physical laws it plans to subscribe to； or our scanners are in over their； artificial heads。〃 The Terran scientist's voice was a mixture of apprehension and excitement。 〃I haven't seen anything like it since my supercollider days thirty years ago。 But at least I knew then that our accelerators were manufacturing all those weakly interacting massive particles。 Here； there's no rhyme or reason to it。 One could almost believe we've entered a kind of dark…matter universe。〃
〃I doubt we could exist in such a place； Lang。〃
〃Precisely my point。 The findings are more consistent with fold anomalies than anything else。〃
Rem nodded。 〃Then the real question we should be asking ourselves is whether the ship is still on its way to somewhere or whether it has in fact arrived。〃
Lang threw him a skeptical look。 〃I don't see how we can possibly be on our way to something without the fold drives。〃 Rem made a dismissive motion with his hand。 〃The Protoculture is only essential for initiating a fold； Lang； it has little to do with destination。〃
〃But how are we to emerge； then？〃
Rem's gaze grew unfocused。 〃You fail to see the potential； Doctor。〃
〃Perhaps I do； Rem； but…〃
〃When all you need do is think back to your experiences inside the ship you called SDF…1…when it crash…landed on Earth。〃
Lang's face went blank。
〃Your own notes state that you were at a loss to explain the time displacement you and your team experienced inside the ship。〃
〃Yes。。。〃
〃And so you postulated that some 'quantum'…your word； Doctor…some quantum of hyperspace had adhered to the ship。〃
〃And the team was actually walking through a kind of hyperspace dimension；〃 Lang finished in a rush。 〃Yes； of course； I remember now。〃
Rem laughed。 〃Ah； what tricks the overmind plays with us！〃 He offered Lang a tight…lipped smile。 〃Listen to your words； Doctor： ‘I remember now。' That's what the SDF…3 is doing。 Zor's ship captured a quantum of hyperspace and conveyed it into the world of time。 Our ship has captured a quantum of time and carried it into hyperspace。 〃
Lang glanced at the mathematical constructs assembling themselves on the tablescreen as if to confirm something。
〃I don't know why the Protoculture chose this particular moment to abandon us；〃 Rem resumed； 〃or just what Shapings are to be inferred from it。 But I do know that the SDF…3 is remembering now…now； Lang。〃 He gestured toward the exterior bulkheads。 〃And what I think we're seeing out there is a universe in the making。〃
〃Remember when he was just learning to walk？〃 Rick asked； regarding his five…year…old raven…haired son from the transparent side of the nursery's one…way mirror。 〃It was like he wanted to start off running。 Always in a hurry to get somewhere。〃
Lisa's eyes narrowed somewhat。 〃No thanks to you。 Walking must have seemed awfully tame after all the aerial acrobatics you put him through。〃
Rick laughed。 〃Guilty as charged。 But I didn't have anything to do with turning him into a whiz kid。 That's gotta be your doing。〃
Lisa patted the bun of gray…streaked hair at the back of her head and laughed with him。
In meeting at the nursery； the two proud parents had agreed to call a moratorium on discussing the fortress's present circumstance； at least until Lang and Rem could sort out whether they had punched themselves into some misty uncharted corner of hyperspace or were simply on line in limbo； waiting for judgment。 Morale was low in all sections； and so Lisa had ordered most of the ship to secure from battle stations。
She returned her eyes to Roy and to the transformable puzzle block one of the ship's child…care specialists had handed him。 Silently； as she watched Roy rotate the alloy block in his tiny hand； she applauded his analytical powers： the way； he seemed to size it up before making a move； the way the expression on his sweet face mirrored his intense concentration。 At the same time she marveled at the dexterity he demonstrated as he began to expose one after another of the block's hidden forms； nimble fingers prying open doors； separating sections； twisting others； extending telescoping parts。 And just as silently she worried。
Up until a few months ago Roy had seemed just an ordinary child to her； perhaps too ordinary； if anything。 For all her efforts at keeping him as far from the SDF…3 as she could manage； at seeking to raise him as someone other than the son of two career officers； Roy had been going through the same action/adventure stages as his peers aboard the fortress。 One could take the child away from Earth； but one apparently could not take Earth away from the child。 Airplanes； action figures； toy guns 。。。 even an invisible friend who still showed up every so often。
But things had changed once she and Rick had pleted their transfer to the SDF…3。 Suddenly it was puzzles that fascinated him； both manual and puter…generated。 And then there was the look he would give her sometimes； as if to say： I know exactly what you're thinking。 To hear Kazianna tell it； her son Drannin and some of the other Zentraedi children were behaving likewise； and there had been occasions when Lisa had had to drag Roy screaming from his oversize 〃play mates。〃 She still didn't know whether to feel forted by all the youthful bonding or even more worried than she already was。 More than anything she wished Miriya were there to tell her what it was like to nurture a genius； what the Praxians sometimes called a Wyrdling。
And how much of it； Lisa wondered； could be traced to the ship itself？
She felt Rick's arm go around her shoulder； and she rested her head against his。
〃We've had some good days； haven't we？〃 Rick said softly。 〃Especially these past few years。〃
She knew what he meant： how good it had been to absent themselves from the endless tasks they had overseen during Reconstruction and again after the destruction of New Macross。
Rick turned to face her。 〃I've been missing them lately。 Really feeling at a loss。〃
Lisa recalled her postfold malaise and shot him a look。 〃You； too； Rick？ Like you've lost something important？〃
He nodded。 〃First I thought it was just leaving Tirol； but it's more than that。 Lately I've been thinking about Pop's air circus； Macross Island； even the Mockingbird。〃
〃But it's pervasive； isn't it？〃 Lisa said。 〃Like you can't pin it down。〃
Rick bit his lower lip。 〃I think I know what it is now；〃 he began with a nervous laugh。 〃I'm willing to lay odds it's the Proto…〃
〃Begging your pardon； sirs；〃 Rick's adjutant interrupted； stepping through the observation room hatch。 〃Tactical Center requests the admiral's immediate presence。〃
〃What is it？〃 Lisa asked； hurrying to the room's inter。
〃We've got a screenful of bogies； sir。〃 〃Signatures？〃 Rick said。
〃Not yet； sir。 Radar's silent。 The ship's bio…sensors made the call。〃
Rick and Lisa traded looks。 〃Bio…sensors？〃
〃TIC patched the system into IFF； sir； but couldn't raise a signature or profile。〃
〃Invid？〃 Lisa said； cocking her head to one side。 〃Some self…mutated form？〃
Rick met his adjutant at the hatch。 〃Maybe