11_metamorphosis-第13部分

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ly；　trying　to　evade　the　Pincer；　wondering　if　this　was　to　be　the　briefest　solo　on　record。

Then　he　heard　Scott's　voice；　〃Hold　on；　Rand！〃　These　were　the　most　wele　words　he　had　ever　heard　in　his　life。　Above　and　behind　the　Invid　and　closing　in　fast；　Rand　saw　the　Alpha　launching　a　spread　of　missiles。

The　Pincer　Ship　dodged　and　juked　like　a　demon；　but　one　air…to…air　got　a　piece　of　it。　The　knee　juncture　of　one　of　the　monstrous；　crablike　legs　exploded。　The　Pincer　cut　in　all　thrusters　and　went　off；　tumbling　and　blasting　across　the　sky　like　some　erratic　et。

Scott　let　it　go；　and　fell　in　with　Rand　to　try　to　talk　him　down。　But　there　wasn't　time。　The　Beta　was　flying　upside　down。　Rand　held　his　breath；　fought　off　the　impulse　to　close　his　eyes；　and　went　in　for　a　landing。

He　managed　to　get　rightside　up　at　the　last　moment；　but　that　was　about　all。　The　massive　armor　of　the　Beta　got　him　through　a　landing　that　would　have　demolished　on　Alpha；　or　almost　any　other　mecha。　The　ship　skidded；　punched　pletely　through　an　empty　troop　carrier；　skidded　some　more　（while　Rand　recalled　prayers　he　hadn't　thought　about　in　years）　and　ended　up　penetrating　the　hull　of　a　tanker。　She　finally　came　to　rest　in　the　shadowy　main　hold；　lit　by　the　few　rays　of　sunlight　that　found　their　way　in　through　hull　punctures。　She　was　nose…down　but　intact。

Rand　lay　with　his　chin　on　the　instrument　panel；　the　rest　of　his　body　piled　up　behind；　the　operating　manual　on　his　head　like　an　A…frame　roof。

A　perfect　landing。　In　the　sense　that　I'm　gonna　be　able　to　walk　away　from　it。　Or　at　least　be　carried。


Extraction　of　the　Beta　and　reactivation　of　the　other　Alphas　took　most　of　the　rest　of　that　long　day。　The　team　wanted　to　stay　longer　to　get　everything　they　could　from　the　battlefield；　but　they　didn't　dare；　there　was　no　telling　when　the　Invid　would　be　back。　They　gathered　what　supplies；　ordnance；　Protoculture；　and　equipment　they　could　and　prepared　to　move　out。

〃Good　fight；〃　Scott　told　them；　meeting　everyone's　gaze。　But　something　showed　in　his　eyes　that　hadn't　been　there　before：　an　awareness　that　people　had　their　limits；　and　that　those　limits　were　not　so　confining　as　he　had　thought。

Around　them　the　Alphas　were　poised；　noses　almost　touching　the　ground。　The　lower　half　of　the　Beta's　nose　was　swung　open　like　a　trapdoor；　its　pilot's　seat　lowered　for　boarding。　Lunk's　truck　was　loaded。　The　team　watched　Scott。

〃But　as　a　result；　we're　short　on　Protoculture；〃　he　continued；　〃and　we　can't　risk　another　tangle　with　the　Invid；　at　least　not　now；　if　we　can　possibly　help　it。　Remember　that。　Rand；　do　you　think　you　can　fly　that　thing　without　killing　yourself？〃

Scott　pointed　toward　the　white…and…olive…drab　Alpha。　Rand　scratched　his　cheek　near　one　of　his　numerous　bandages。　〃As　long　as　we　don't　have　to　turn　right　or　left；〃　he　allowed。

〃Improvise。　Lancer；　the　Beta　Fighter's　yours。　Rook；　the　other　Alpha；　okay？〃

It　was　a　VT　with　red…and…white　markings。　Rook　wore　a　hungry；　feline　smile。　〃Just　leave　it　to　me。〃

They　split　up　to　get　going。　Annie　and　Lunk　put　Ariel　into　the　truck。

As　the　Veritechs　took　off　and　Lunk　gunned　his　engine；　a　lone　figure　stood　watching　them　from　a　distant　ridge。　The　Pincer　Ship；　its　right　leg　blown　away　at　the　knee；　relayed　what　it　was　seeing　to　Reflex　Point；　and　to　the　Regis。

The　wind　whipped　the　Simulagent's　scarlet　hair；　as　she　rode　next　to　Annie。　〃Reception　is　perfect；〃　the　Regis's　voice　came　to　the　mutilated　Pincer　Ship。　〃Maintain　surveillance。〃


The　subsidence　of　the　mountains　around　the　Genesis　Pit　and　the　danger　of　increased　Invid　patrol　activity　in　the　wake　of　events　at　rendezvous　point　K　made　Scott　wary；　progress　was　slow　in　the　next　few　days。　Roads　and　bridges　had　been　shattered；　and　mountain　passes　were　filled　by　quake　and　avalanche。

Time　and　again　the　Veritechs　were　forced　to　airlift　the　truck　and　its　stores；　until　the　Protoculture　supply　became　critically　low。　Long…range　aerial　scouting　missions　were　impossible；　Invid　patrol　activity　was　too　intense。　At　last　the　freedom　fighters　reached　a　mountain　tunnel　that　a　shifting　of　the　Earth　had　permanently　sealed。

With　the　Veritechs'　remaining　operating　time　drastically　restricted；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　try　to　find　a　detour。　A　small　town　lay　nearby；　and　the　team　members　agreed　to　check　it　out　as　a　first　step。

But　first　they　had　to　be　sure　the　aircraft　were　safe。　They　parked　the　fighters　in　a　part　of　the　tunnel　that　was　undamaged；　near　the　entrance；　then　donned　Cyclone　armor。　The　team　used　the　power…assisted　metal　suits　to　move　boulders　and　wall　in　the　VTs　for　safekeeping。

It　was　a　strange　sight…seven…plus…feet…tall　gleaming　giants　lifting　huge　stones；　in　teams　when　the　weight　was　extreme；　but　often　alone；　tossing　them　like　medicine　balls。　After　the　task　was　pleted；　the　team　shed　their　armor　so　they　wouldn't　attract　any　attention　from　possible　Invid　patrols　or　from　informers。　They　set　off　toward　the　town。

The　one　thing　the　team　hadn't　brought　was　extreme　cold…climate　clothing；　they　hadn't　counted　on　being　forced　to　go　so　high　into　the　mountains。　As　the　Cyclones　sped　along；　with　Lunk's　APC　bringing　up　the　rear；　Rand　shivered；　〃I　can't　s…stand　it。　I'm　so　cold！〃

〃All　the　more　reason　for　us　to　get　out　of　here　before　the　real　winter　weather　hits；〃　Scott　shot　back。

The　town　lay　in　a　valley　at　the　confluence　of　a　number　of　different　mountain　tracks　and　streams　that　might　promise　a　path　through。　Two　other　roads　from　the　lowlands　ended　there；　reinforcing　Lancer's　contention　that　it　was　probably　a　jumping…off　point。

Once　they　were　down　out　of　the　heights　they　were　more　fortable。　The　town　itself；　named　Deguello　according　to　a　hand…lettered　sign　on　weather…silvered　wood　at　its　outskirts；　was　more　prosperous　than　Rand　would　have　expected。　Apparently　there　was　some　hidden　resource。　A　hidden　prewar　supply　depot；　perhaps？　His　Forager　instincts　came　to　the　fore。

The　town　was　like　a　lot　of　others　Rand　and　the　rest　had　seen；　a　type　Scott　was　getting　to　know。　Stucco；　tiled　roofs；　wrought…iron　window　bars；　whitewash　that　had　long　since　faded。　Cracked　plaster；　drainage　ditches　that　were　mostly　clogged。　Still；　somehow；　there　were　some　crops　and　meat　and　wares　under　the　tattered　awnings　of　the　market　stalls。　Deguello　was　better　off　than　many　other　places　the　team　had　seen。

It　was　evident　that　medical　attention　was　available；　but　none　too　sophisticated。　Most　clothing　was　patched　and　frayed。　This　was　a　typical　post…Invid　settlement　where　virtually　nothing　was　discarded；　it　was　repaired；　reused；　recycled；　cannibalized；　or　traded　for　something　else。　The　day　of　the　use…and…discard　consumer　society　was　nothing　but　a　galling　memory。

There　were　normal；　struggling　people　trying　to　keep　their　lives　together　and　trying　to　function　in　a　normal　way；　side　by　side　with　seedy　types。　The　townspeople　eyed　the　newers　and　their　Cycs　with　cold　interest。　Rook　automatically　noted　the　weapons　she　saw：　knives　and　chains　and　conventional　firearms；　prewar　military　and　hunting　arms；　some　police　and　homemade…type　stuff。　She　didn't　notice　any　energy　guns；　which　meant　the　team　would　have　a　tremendous　edge　if　they　ran　into　trouble。

Let's　hope　there's　no　trouble；　though；　she　thought。　They　look　like　they've　been　through　enough。

Just　like　everybody　else　on　Earth。

As　the　group　pulled　into　the　town's　main　plaza；　a　man　stirred　and　lowered　his　smeared　plastic　cocktail　glass；　looking　them　over；　adjusting　his　much…worn　wraparound　shades。　The　grungy　kerchief　tied　around　his　head　and　his　thick　black　beard　made　him　look　like　a　pirate。　He　was　wearing　ratty　brown　shoes　with　no　socks；　threadbare　khaki　pants；　and　a　grimy　camouflage　shirt；　of　the　same　fabric　as　his　headband。

Scott　dismounted　first。　Everyone　knew　that　the　plan　was　to　look　the　town　over　and　get　some　kind　of　handle　on　the　local　situation。　They　parked　their　cyclones　and　the　APC　without　concern；　in　this　postwar　world；　anyone　with　a　vehicle　had　the　sense　to　boobytrap　it；　and　their　nonchalance　would　be　the　most　eloquent　kind　of　proof　that　it　would　be　wise　not　to　meddle　with　the　gleaming　mecha。

Annie　was　pressing　the　idea　that　they　all　go　shopping　at　the　market。　Scott　was　about　to　approve　her　expedition…it　was　as　good　a　way　to　misdirect　any　watchers'　attention　as　anything　else　he　could　e　up　with…when　the　man　who　had　seen　their　arrival　approached。

〃Well；　howdy　there；　folks。〃　He　kept　his　distance；　as　it　was　wise　to　do　in　greeting　new　people。　Still；　Scott　could　smell　the　odor　from　his　body　and　from　his　mouth　of　broken　yellow…and…black　teeth。

The　days　of　cosmetic　dentistry　and　TV…hyped；　brandname　personal　hygiene　were　all　over；　and　the　beaten…down　Human　race　was　showing　it。　But　people　could　be　divided　between　those　who　still　made　the　effort；　with　homemade　soaps　and　pig…bristle　toothbrushes；　and　those　who　had　simply　reverted　to　a　medieval　way　of　life　and　thought。

〃Thinkin'　about　takin'　a　trip？〃　the　man　said。　Lunk；　looking　on；　wondered　if　Scott　intended　to　try　to　convince　people　that　the　team　just　happened　to　be　up　here　on　a　pleasure　jaunt。　Or　perhaps　gathering　daisies。

〃Them　mountains　is　crawlin'　with　Invid；　y'know。〃　Scott　and　Rand　looked　at　him　and　said　nothing。　〃Yeah；　there's　an　Invid　fortress　smack…dab　in　the　middle　of　that　range；　not　even　a　rat　could　get　through。