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！
ntryside； their aircraft overflying the roads and rivers； recording any remaining military assets； gathering data on the condition of gold； copper； platinum； uranium； and other precious mineral mines； judging the condition of shipping and land transport lanes； and generally mapping the world from scratch。
She expected a soldier's scene； fighter jets screaming off the deck。 But when Miranda finally found the spare minute to link up； her screen abruptly filled with green mountains and green rivers。 Her minute turned into an hour。 The land moved beneath her in slow； lush waves。 It was a paradise down there。
Miranda felt like she had entered a state of grace。 Here and there she caught sight of the plane's shadow casting ahead。 Otherwise she might have been drifting on a cloud top。 The forest gave way to gorges and lakes。 Thousands of flamingoes surged up in a long； sinuous queue； and it was like watching sound waves in pink。 She passed above a bull elephant soloing toward the secret horizon。
Next morning； she found the Captain。 〃I could have been dreaming；〃 she said。
〃Thought you might like that；〃 he said。 〃I've been following her from the start。 A lot of months now。〃
〃Her？〃 said Miranda。
〃The pilot；〃 he said。
There was so much to ask that she didn't get the woman's name； and after that her namelessness became part of the journey。 She had read somewhere that monks transcribing texts in medieval times purposely kept themselves anonymous； and that's how Miranda came to regard the pilot； not as a vehicle； but a hidden hand。
The Captain explained how the battle group's two nuclear submarines and two battle cruisers had peeled off to begin exploring the coast of South America last October。 The aircraft carrier that his pilot was flying from； theTruman； had gone to Africa。 They had begun their reconnaisance at the beginning： zero and zero； zero degrees latitude； zero degress longitude； in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Gabon。 〃Heart of darkness country；〃 said the Captain。 From there on； it had been like the movieOn the Beach； but without the beach。 Physical contact with the land mass was forbidden。
The pilot's Diamondback squadron had four F…14s； each mounted with a pod of digital cameras and an infrared scanner。 One at a time； they would head due east bearing parallel to the equator； then return west along a slightly lower parallel； all the while beaming their data back to the intelligence and map people on board theTruman 。。。and inadvertently to the Captain； and now Miranda。 Since October； four months ago； the carrier had worked its way south around the Cape of Good Hope and gotten almost as far north as Kenya。
〃You missed the worst of it；〃 said the Captain。 In the space of an African summer； a half billion souls had vanished。 Week after week； the reconnaisance teams had explored。 The hand of man was everywhere。 Wellheads still pumped oil in Gabon。 Villages with thatched roofs lay like setpieces waiting for their actors。 In Capetown the picket fences stood bright white。 A suburb in Johannesburg still had electricity and its street lights burned bright at midday。 Now only the animals were left。
Night after night； Miranda traveled on the wings of the Navy pilot。 To do their recon well； she learned； one had to loiter； cruising a few thousand feet off the ground to give the cameras hanging under the fuselage the best views。 Flying at 300 knots and slower also saved fuel； which maximized their daily exploring range。 The pilot rarely spoke； usually letting her navigator radio theTruman when they had reached the tip of their daily journey and were heading back to their 〃boat。〃 When she did speak； Miranda liked the woman's no…nonsense voice。 It sounded vaguely familiar； the accent； the economy of syllables。
Working northward； the Tomcat flew above emerald green coffee plantations and lakes so still you could see the jet rippling in the water。 A cheetah was not distracted as it ran down a gazelle。 They circled volcanoes in Rwanda。 Africa became her nightly prayer。 Miranda would log on to the recon for an hour or two； then fall asleep； forted。 Strangely； the closer the plague came； the further away it seemed。 The havoc had grown over。 Only beauty was left。
Miranda was certain the pilot had no idea she had electronic passengers watching from the other side of the planet。 But then one night she announced that theTruman had acplished its mission。 〃We've finished our part of the map；〃 she said softly。 〃If you can hear me； I'm ing home；datchu。〃 Miranda didn't know that last word； but it lacked the jagged consonance of military diction。 It seemed tender and personal； and she wondered who the woman could have been talking to。
The pilot was a stranger to her； nameless； faceless。 But the news filled Miranda with joy。 〃She's ing home；〃 Miranda told the Captain next morning。 It was unnecessary。 His eyes were beaming。 That was her first hint。
〃Datchu；〃she repeated the word from last night。 〃Is that you？〃
〃My wife and I； we still call herkola t'sana；〃 the Captain answered。 〃Our little chile。 ing home at last。〃
11
The Petroglyphs
FEBRUARY
The clone lumbered east through the shin…high snow。 He fled down through the canyons； away from the sun； out into the wilderness。 His clothing hung in tatters。 His blood steamed in the frozen air。 It turned the white snow pink； leaving a trail both fleeting and indelible； like the story of a life； or afterlife； whatever this was。
He might have guessed the gleaming silver coils that surrounded their city would have thorns like knives。 It was a supernatural city； brimming with sharp edges。 In his country； the shepherds sometimes made overnight pens of bramble bushes。 Here even the bushes were made of iron。 He had nearly flayed himself pulling free。
For the moment； however； he was on his feet and away from them。 The mesas loomed on either side of this wadi。 No sun this deep。 In the distance； a desert of sorts beckoned。 Where it led； God only knew。
He had never witnessed snow with his own eyes； and it was a horror to him； cold and beautiful to be sure； but deceptive。 Underneath the blank； smooth surface lay rocks that twisted and threw him。 The whiteness proclaimed purity； and yet the forest through which he passed was charred black。 The trees were like spears。 Digging down； he found the earth was scorched； too。 He clawed at his hole with a stick； and the soil was ash； sterile and fruitless。 The sky was gray。 Truly； a land of the dead。
With each backward glance； the fugitive saw his escape painted in the snow。 If they chose； they could hunt him by his blood。 That would be in keeping。 His blood was their hunger。 It had been so from the beginning。 In his last life； now in this one。
Their needles had drained his blood。 That was how he had e to mark time； the intervals between their visitations。 The needles merely stung。 But the violation of his body had grown wearisome。 Not that his flesh and blood were his to possess。 Like it or not； he belonged to the devouring universe。 But at least in his previous life； he had been able to offer up the pieces of himself with a certain freedom。 Terrible as his death had been； he had largely participated in his o