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Louie swept them with his black； bug…goggled gaze。 〃I can't explain； follow me if you like。 Lang has to be stopped。〃
Xien stepped in his way。 〃Admiral Hunter hasn't given any orders。〃
〃The Hunters and the rest are all right； I think。 Ask them yourself。〃
Louie had glanced to where Lang's abandoned shuttle was carelessly parked。 Crew members were swinging a heavy…duty cutting unit into place for forced entry。 At Louie's glance； various nearby sensors registered a change； and somebody from the TIC reported that the jamming had stopped。
Xien's mouth became a thin； resolute line； and he pulled his sidearm； training it on Louie。 〃You stand fast until the admiral says differently。〃
He had just turned to muster a security detail to bring Lang to ground； when they all heard the grinding of mecha。
All over the hangar deck war machines were moving； mechamorphosing； rousing up like wakened fairy…tale monsters。 Xien was brushed back by a Guardian's careful hand； unhurt but helpless to interfere。 The would…be security detail found themselves boxed in by a Battloid and the single functioning second…generation Destroid aboard。 Similarly； other personnel moved out of Louie's way or were moved from it。
Louie showed a bit of harried delight as three figures stood forth from the shadows to regard him。 Strucker； Shi…Ling； and Stirson had to maintain their concentration with so many mecha to remote…control。
〃Keep them all here；〃 Louie ordered his men。 〃Same goes for the Hunters and the rest。〃
〃Listen； you need us with you；〃 Shi…Ling began。
〃Uh uh； I've got Lang's number； but he'd just burn you out。〃
The unplugged people present heard the toccatas and rondos of data only as dim sounds from control panels and puter units。 To Louie and his disciples it was a symphony and light show that surrounded them and validated Louie's assertion with hard proof： Only he； with his augmentations； could hope to survive a clash with Lang。 Stirson conceded； 〃We understand。 Wipe 'im； man。〃
Louie ran on his way。 He never knew if he found the passages empty by some doing of Lang or as a result of the Regis or sheer coincidence。 He got to Lang's sanctum sanctorum to find the heavy hatch of the armored vault module hanging open。
Emil Lang was poised on a stool within； contemplating the apparatus taken so long ago from Zor's quarters。 Now it was radiant with Protoculture。
Lang spoke casually； without looking at him。 〃I think you'll find this interesting； Doctor。 Do e in。〃
Louie shrugged out of his jacket。 Where his black turtleneck was torn； the bionics and chip technology that had bee parts of his body could be seen； along with the cyberport at the back of his neck。
Lang glanced at him。 〃Don't be frightened； it's too late for you to do me any harm； so I've no need to harm you。〃 Louie was not ready to put money on that yet； but it was certain that Lang was on his own playing field。 Oh； maybe there was something Louie could do about the door servos or the conventional light fixtures； but everything of any significance was Protoculture； and Lang had already proved who was top dog in that particular arena。
Louie gulped but entered。 What else was there to do？ 〃Doctor； look： I know what you're thinking； but you can't control the Shapings。 Remember what happened to Zand？〃
Lang's voice cut like razor wire。 〃You impertinent little cyborg Pinocchio！ Do you think you've risen so high that you can look down on me in that fashion？〃
〃That wasn't what I meant。〃
Lang eyed him and grudgingly believed him。 〃Doctor Nichols； if what we are observing were allowed to e to pass…if real； spacetime were drawn into newspace and the whole reformed along lines chosen by the Regis…I believe that your somewhat unorthodox intellect and talents would make you the new template for the nature of Protoculture。 〃And I do not find that an easy thing to concede。〃
Louie swallowed。 〃I just…〃
〃Please。 Allow me to finish。 As glorious a thing as that new universe would be…that fresh start； that shining correction； perhaps； of all that's gone wrong with our old one there is much that would inevitably pass away。 Maybe most； or virtually all； of everything we have known。〃
〃I don't celebrate evil or pain； oh； no！ But all that's happened means something； perhaps gives some irreducible validity to existence itself。 Or maybe the struggle of evolution against entropy； of ferment against mere sameness。〃
〃And I find that I cannot let the past die； for all its short璱ngs。 There are too many precious things in our space time； preserved in amber； as it were。 I won't let them perish。〃
Louie wondered if he had the strength to wrench that long control around on its hinge； swing it against Lang's head； get in the first shot。 〃You can't do any of that by trying to control the Shapings； Doctor。 Zand proved that。〃
Lang shifted to turn a dial。 The console shone brighter and sang more gloriously。 〃I know that。 What I'll do is merge with them。 For they； too； are reaching the end of a vast cycle。
〃Not that I'm of any significance； but perhaps I can be like an insignificant snowflake that determines which way the avalanche shall fall。 In any case； I won't know； for Emil Lang won't exist anymore。〃
Louie had taken Lang's shift of position into account and now gathered himself。 But Lang threw him off by rising； and Louie noticed for the first time that something truly new had been added to Zor's apparatus： a pair of brass handgrips set perhaps a yard apart on the console。
Lang smiled suddenly； his black； all…pupil eyes gleaming limpidly。 〃There's no one else eligible for the job； so I have to try； at the very least。 Won't you wish me well 。。。 Louie？〃
Louie froze and found himself answering； 〃I do； Emil。 I wish you well。〃
He moved with all the speed he could muster but stopped just before he got within reach。 The control bar was forgotten； the fight forgotten。 Louie Nichols found himself guided by a simple intuition…nothing to do with Shapings or psi but only a feeling that the man had spoken the truth。
〃I wish you well。〃
〃Thank you； Louie。 Good…bye。〃
Lang rose unhurriedly and seized both handgrips。 A light like the beginning of the universe filled the vault module； and Louie felt as if all the winds of time were blowing through his brain； something so symphonic and grand and terrible that he shrank from perceiving them。
He was hurled back through the air； through the door of the vault； as the light expanded。
CHAPTER THIRTY？SIX
What with all the new psi powers…and other faculties…we saw manifested along the way； maybe this whole kick…out's just been the universe's way to give evolution a leg up。
Bruce Mirrorshades； Machine Mind and Arthurian Legend
Down near Ranaath's star the sphere ships spiraled along the accretion disc； orienting themselves for the final transit。
The mingled energies of Second Gen Protoculture and the Awareness cloaked them； so that they were like a string of mirror…perfect pearls； to shield them against the tidal forces and the more menacing phenomena beyond。
Within the ships； all platforms but one were occupied by simulacra of the One Haydon； giants but still minute now that they were parts： tens of t