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e of doing…and it was staying at low altitude。 He prayed that that meant Dana was still unharmed。
The Black Knight went all the way down to the deck； and Max lost it in terrain obstructions and ground scatter。 He brought up a detailed topo display from the SDF…3's orbital mapping memory but couldn't guess what the kidnapper's next move would be。
He was so intent on it that he almost died； the night…dark mecha came howling out of a mountain rift； firing a spread of missiles at him from the bulbous pods under its strangely articulated arms。
Max reacted instantly； plying the Hotas but； more important； imaging through his thinking cap。 The uncanny instincts and nearly instantaneous reflexes that had made him a living legend were as sharp； as apt； as ever。 The Alpha rolled vertical； two missiles boiling by just beneath his overturned canopy； then rolled again into a power dive； narrowly avoiding another spike…snouted killer。
Max banked； nearly tearing the VT's wings off； as the enemy came charging straight for him。 The fist that had held Dana was enclosed now； a smooth armored globe； there was no way to tell whether she was alive or dead in there。
The Veritech dodged the Black Knight； then Max went ballistic and poured on full emergency military power as his antagonist launched another spread at him。 He twisted and jinked； cutting in his jamming and countermeasures gear as missiles seared by and left their fiery corkscrews all around him。
Swathed in their trails； he mechamorphosed on the fly； went to Battloid； turning and ing to bay with his rifle/cannon in his mecha's alloy fist as the enemy came howling up after him。
Max was about to open up with the heavy pulsed laser buttery but stopped himself at the sight of the globed fist。 The famed top ace reflexes failed him； and he froze； unable to use his weapons。
The Black Knight opened up with a mecha hand weapon of its own； an affair shaped like a dory； from which purple lightning broke。 Max feinted； jetted the other way； and nearly eluded the shot。 But a snapping tongue of discharge caught the Battloid's left leg； blasting a rent in the armor there。
But in the interim； the distance between the two had closed。 Max gathered himself and kicked in all thrusters； pouncing on the enemy rather than avoiding it。 The Black Knight caught him with terrifying strength。
The two mecha fell through the sky； locked together in mortal bat。
CHAPTER THIRTY？FOUR
And so these equations expose a long…hidden truth： We now know the nature of the heretofore unimaginable energies that existed in the first； irreducible instant after the creation of the universe。 That the last vestige of them is to be found in the distilled essence of a Flower is something to ponder； were there time。
But there is none。
From Exedore's notes； written in the Royal Hall during the approach of Haydon IV
By the time Cabell returned to the observation/mand post high atop the Royal Hall pyramid； the drives of the departing evac ships were mere sparks…there were a dozen or so of them； containing a few thousand clones； human holdouts； a handful of XTs； and a pet or two。
Exedore noted the smudges and stains on the old savant's robes。 〃There was violence。〃
Cabell nodded wearily。 〃I did what I could； but yes。 Less； though； than I'd feared； given the fact that there was only room for a relative few to escape。 All dread the sphere ships' ing。〃
Exedore grunted： Valivarre lay dead in space undergoing repairs； the ore ship might have lifted the entire populace of Tiresia to safety。 But then； there had been no time to organize a large…scale evacuation； those who had escaped on the few ships at the spaceport were essentially those who had been there or nearby when the disastrous battle demolished the Local Group fleet。
〃At least the wait will not be long；〃 he added。 The flock of a hundred…odd ominous metallic bubbles was even then entering the upper atmosphere。 〃The rest will go underground to shelters； I suppose； or perhaps break into the bistros for a final toast to life。〃
〃That's more than the Haydonites got； or the Local Group fleet crews； either；〃 Cabell observed。 There was no sign of Haydonite life aboard the sphere ships； and it was presumed that the artificial race had perished when Haydon IV had been destroyed。 Neither was there any sign of the Awareness's survival； and that was of some fort to the two savants； the Awareness had been perhaps Haydon's greatest weapon。 〃e；〃 Cabell bade。 〃We've not much time。〃
Not having caught his breath； he was huffing again within a few steps。 Exedore caught up and lent a supporting arm； he was physically younger； though he was the older of the two。
They went to the pinnacle of the Royal Hall； which they'd polarized to transparency； so that it seemed open to the sky。 In it was the facsimile Protoculture matrix。
They had both seen the original and now considered this Second Generation manifestation。 Lang had once observed how it resembled an old…time representation of an atom： a plex interlinking of ring orbits some two hundred feet across； suspended in midair by its own internal forces。
However； where the original matrix glistened in rainbow colors； this fabrication was harsh white and gold； and the musical sound ing from its gleaming nucleus seemed more strident； more ominous； than that produced by Zor's original creation。
Now； though； the two observed in the matrix certain anomalies and instabilities that hadn't been there a short time before。 Their research told them that； indeed； the Shapings were reaching some climactic point； a cusp or crux in events even mote important than the conversion of the original matrix years ago in the mound where the SDF…1 lay buried。
〃e；〃 Cabell bade Exedore。 〃We haven't much time。〃 They went to where a new piece of apparatus had been set up。 It suggested a kind of elaborate laser drill or boring unit； heavy with magnetic bottling fields and insulator rings。
〃The buildup of Anti…Protoculture energy is still below what the job may require；〃 Cabell said； 〃but it will have to suffice。〃
Exedore drew a deep breath； running both hands through his unruly red thatch。 〃Are you sure we're doing the right thing？〃 Once it was done； there would be no backing out； not to mention the danger to Tiresia and perhaps to all of Tirol。
〃The matrix mustn't fall into Haydon's hands！〃 Cabell insisted。 〃Otherwise； he'll reduce all that remains of the universe to mere fuel and raw materials for his mad ambitions。〃
Exedore sighed。 Cabell was right； it was just that the first matrix had been the Holy Grail for so long； and the second had required such extraordinary striving and genius。 To destroy this last vestige of the power of Protoculture seemed to run counter to everything the long wars and researches had been about。
〃You're correct； of course。〃 Exedore clapped Cabell on the back tiredly。 Strange and sad that things should end this way。
And an end it would be； since neither of them could survive this last…ditch effort to thwart Haydon's scheme。 Exedore thought of the Micronian stories： Sampson in the temple； Horatio at the bridge。 Exedore and Cabell at the Second Gen matrix would outdo all of those。
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