11_metamorphosis-第4部分

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s　splash。


The　first　thing　that　Scott　knew　when　he　came　to　was　that　he　had　a　monstrous　headache。　The　next　thing　was　that　his　eyes　wouldn't　focus　properly；　even　taking　into　account　the　fact　that　he　was　trying　to　see　through　a　helmet　facebowl。　He　realized　that　he　was　sprawled　out　on　his　stomach。　Before　him；　he　saw　his　Cyclone　armor's　gauntlet…hand。

He　groaned；　trying　to　flex　his　fingers。　They　barely　moved。　He　saw　that　he　was　lying　on。。。on　soil。　Dirt。

He　tried　to　see　beyond　the　hand；　his　head　trembling　as　he　tried　to　lift　it。　His　eyes　were　responding　a　little　better；　but　what　he　saw　made　no　sense。

Those　giant　fern　things　we　saw　on　Praxis？　No；　wait　a　second。。。'S　not　it。。。This's　a　diffr'nt　planet。。。Earth。。。

It　didn't　look　like　any　place　he　had　ever　seen　or　heard　about　on　Earth。　It　looked。。。primeval。　Where　are　we；　a　swamp？　What　happened？

Scott　saw　Rand　sprawled　out　a　few　feet　away；　along　the　little　stretch　of　sandy　bank　where　they　had　landed。

Scott　crawled　over　to　him；　groaning　and　hoping　the　pain　he　felt　in　his　side　wasn't　a　cracked　rib。　〃Rand！　Rand；　are　you　okay？〃　He　shook　the　Forager's　shoulder　pauldron。　〃e　on；　fella；　speak　to　me！〃

Rand　began　to　stir　a　bit。　Through　the　external　pickups；　Scott　heard　a　tiny　moan。　He　looked　beyond　Rand　and　saw　Annie　lying　a　few　yards　away　along　the　bank。　She　was　making　feeble　attempts　to　sit　up。　〃Annie；　are　you　all　right？〃

She　sat　up　suddenly；　wide…eyed　but　apparently　unafraid；　blinking　at　the　dawnworld　landscape。　〃What　happened　to　me？〃

〃We　must've　hit　the　bottom　of　the　pit；〃　he　told　her。　Just　then；　Rand　started　ing　around。　〃Take　it　easy；　pal。〃

But　Rand　rose　to　his　feet。　〃What；　d'we　miss　a　turn　somewhere？〃

He　shook　his　head　to　clear　it　a　bit。　What　he　was　staring　at　appeared　to　be　seedferns。　Cycads；　club　mosses　and　horsetails。　Big　and　huge；　small　and　almost　microscopic。　Off　in　the　distance　he　could　see　what　appeared　to　be　conifers；　ginkgoes；　and　more。

What　is　this；　a　damn　coal　forest？

Annie　heard　something　that　sounded　a　bit　like　a　heavy…duty　dentist's　drill　and　ducked　instinctively　as　something　flashed　by　her　ear。　In　a　moment　there　was　a　cloud　of　them　going　past；　though　they　seemed　uninterested　in　the　Humans。　Their　double　wingsets　were　making　silver　blurs　in　the　strange　light　of　the　place。

〃Dragonflies！〃　Rand　burst　out。　But　these　were　dragonflies　the　length　of　his　forearm；　with　enormous　wings…slower　than　their　modern　counterparts。

Annie；　seeing　that　they　wouldn't　hurt　her；　laughed　with　delight　and　skipped　after　them　a　few　steps；　the　water　splashing　around　her　ankles。

Scott　and　Ran　had　instinctively　reconfigured　their　armor；　the　Cyclone　bat　bikes　under　them　once　again。　〃And　this　water's　nice　and　warm！〃　Annie　was　saying。　She　was　wrinkling　her　nose；　though；　the　air　of　the　place　was　thick　and　steamy…the　heaviness　of　rotting　vegetation；　of　primitive　life。

Annie's　mood　had　turned　to　wonder；　and　she　kicked　up　bright　plumes　of　water。　〃Why　don't　you　guys　e　in　and　give　it　a　try？〃

She　was　still　trying　to　get　them　to　join　her　when　the　surface　of　the　water　broke　behind　her；　and　something　huge　began　to　rise。　〃Annie！　Behind　you！〃　Scott　shouted；　his　voice　sounding　a　bit　strange　and　processed　over　his　suit's　external　speaker。

Both　men　were　off　their　cycles；　groping　for　their　sidearms。　Annie　stood　rooted　as　a　plated　head　the　size　of　a　small　fishing　coracle　reared；　shedding　water　in　all　directions。　It　opened　its　mouth　and　revealed　rows　of　teeth　like　thick　pegs。　Rand's　mind　threw　up　a　strange　word；　Eogyrinus？

Pieces　of　torn　flesh　still　clung　to　the　teeth；　and　it　reeked　of　death　and　the　marshes　it　hunted。　Annie　knew　that　through　their　helmets　Scott　and　Rand　couldn't　even　smell　it。

Scott　and　Rand　were　jockeying　for　a　clear　line　of　fire。　It　was　seemingly　hopeless　with　Annie　standing　frozen　right　in　front　of　the　thing；　hypnotized　like　a　mouse　before　a　rattlesnake。　They　were　both　armed　with　MARS…Gallant　Type…H90s…the　latest　word　in　hip…howitzers；　but　that　firepower　was　of　little　use　with　Annie　in　the　crosshairs。

The　thing　had　gotten　very　close。　Rand　saw　that　it　was　wide　and　flat；　like　a　big　croc　with　a　bobbed；　broad　snout…no　doubt　an　experienced　shore　hunter；　just　like　the　books　said。

Scott　hollered　at　Annie　to　get　out　of　the　way。　She　backpedaled　and　fell　on　her　rump　in　the　wet　sandy　shore。　She　stared　into　hungry；　merciless　eyes　that；　she　could　see；　saw　her　as　nothing　more　than　another　morsel　of　food。　She　threw　herself　flat　on　the　ground　just　as　the　creature　reared　up　to　lunge　for　her。　Then　the　neon…blue　blasterbolts　flew；　making　a　mewing　sound。

As　the　H90s　spat；　the　torrid　air　got　even　hotter。　Rand　fired　with　the　modified　two…hand　stance　that　Scott　had　taught　him。　The　thing　heaved　up　as　the　dazzling　hyphens　of　energy　hit　it。　Pieces　exploded　from　it　as　the　furious　heat　of　the　shots　turned　the　moisture　in　its　cells　into　superheated　steam；　blowing　it　apart。　There　was　no　blood　from　those　wounds；　instead；　the　gaping　holes　in　the　thing　had　the　look　of　broiled　meat。　The　stench　of　it　made　the　atmosphere　that　much　more　repugnant。

The　monster　thrashed　and　twisted。　Roaring　and　bellowing；　it　swiped　at　the　air　with　thick　claws；　snapping　its　jaws　at　the　radiant　bolts。　Unable　to　understand　what　was　happening；　it　nevertheless　knew　that　it　was　dying。　Its　rage　shook　the　air；　the　primeval　plant…forest；　and　the　sluggish　lake　waters。　It　fell　back　with　a　mighty　splash；　still　quivering　and　contorting。

Annie　kept　screaming　as　Scott　and　Rand　dragged　her　back　to　shore　by　her　jacket。　〃Mint；　he　didn't　bite　you；　did　he？〃　Scott　asked　anxiously。

That　seemed　to　bring　her　around　a　little。　〃N…no；　but　almost。　And　don't　call　me　Mint；　okay　Scott？〃

He　held　out　his　hand　to　her。　〃Sure　thing。　e　on；　up　you　go。〃　But　even　as　she　was　scrambling　to　her　feet；　Rand　yelled　and　pointed；　sounding　thoroughly　rattled。

〃Here　es　more　pany！〃

Three　more　of　the　things　had　surfaced　and　began　ripping　away　at　the　first；　while　it　spasmed。　They　tore　out　huge　gobbets　of　flesh；　snarling　and　whistling。　Scott　remembered　hearing　somewhere　that　real　Earthly　gators　usually　left　their　prey　to　rot；　if　it　was　too　small　to　swallow　in　one　gulp。　That　wasn't　the　case　with　this　lunch　crowd。　In　seconds；　flesh；　bones；　blood；　and　viscera　surged　and　rolled　in　the　oily　waters。

Rand　gulped。　〃They　passed　on　the　salad　course；　I　guess。〃

〃Just　look　at　them；〃　Annie　breathed。

Just　then　one　of　the　three　paused　in　its　gorging　to　hiss　a　piercing　whistle　at　them；　giving　them　that　same　hungry；　pitiless　stare。

〃They're　looking　at　us！〃　she　cried。

If　we　shoot；　these　three；　do　nine　more　show　up？　he　wondered。　Even　Robotech　weapons　had　their　limits。　He　grabbed　Annie's　arm。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here！　Move；　move！〃

In　another　moment　the　armor　had　mechamorphosed；　and　the　two　Cyclones　leapt　away；　Annie　clinging　to　Rand　once　more；　the　tires　automatically　adjusting　to　travel　over　the　soft　soil。　The　Eogyrinuses　came　swarming　up　at　them　moments　too　late。

〃Guess　we　lost　'em；〃　Annie　reported；　glancing　back　over　her　shoulder　to　be　sure。　〃I　don't　think　they're　built　for　long…distance　events。〃

〃But　where　did　they　e　from？〃　Scott　murmured。

Rand　gazed　upward。　The　sky　held　no　sign　of　the　energy　field；　instead　there　was　a　low　gray　haze。　They　sped　up　another　dry　watercourse；　past　tall；　odd…looking　conifers　and　cycads　and　some　bennettitaleans。

〃The　Lost　World；　〃　he　said　softly。


Lancer　looked　at　Rook　hopefully　as　he　hopped　down　from　the　cockpit　of　Scott's　abandoned　Alpha　fighter。　Let　it　be　good　news！　Let　her　have　found　something！

But　as　Rook　slid　her　cycle　to　a　stop；　Lancer　was　already　listening　to　negative　results　over　the　armored　suits'　tac　net。　〃I　followed　the　path　north　and　cut　a　circle　for　a　mile　around。　There　wasn't　a　trace　of　them。〃

As　she　finished　her　report；　Lunk　showed　up　in　his　olive…drab　APC　truck。　〃If　they　circled　back；　they　weren't　leaving　tracks；〃　he　reported。

That　left　another　question。　Scott's　Cyclone　was　gone；　and　there　were　no　tire　marks　anywhere。　But　why　would　they　have　gone　straight　to　full　armor　and　flown　away；　without　leaving　a　message　or　trying　to　make　mo　contact　with　their　teammates？

Maybe　the　tire　tracks　had　been　obliterated　by　someone？　That　would　be　easy　enough　to　do　in　this　kind　of　soil。

Lancer　yelled　out；　〃They　know　better　than　to　do　this　to　us。　〃　Rand　might　be　a　bit　impetuous；　and　Annie　was　flighty　to　say　the　least；　but　Scott；　a　trained　officer　and　team　leader；　would　never　simply　ignore　his　responsibilities。

There　was　only　one　explanation　that　might　make　some　sense　of　the　situation；　and　that　was　the　appearance　of　Invid。


〃Shouldn't　one　of　us　scout　ahead？〃　Rand　asked　as　the　two　Cyclones　sped　through　the　eerie　landscape　of　the　subterranean　world。　〃I've　had　enough　surprises　for　one　day。〃

〃We'll　stick　together　for　now；〃　Scott　ordered。

〃Well；　do　you　have　any　idea　where　we're　headed？〃　The　instruments　were　all　useless。

〃No；　Rand。　But　anywhere　away　from　those　reptiles　will　be　fine　with　me…hey；　power　down！　There's　something　up　ahead…the　end　of　the　trail；　maybe。

They　stopped　in　an　open　part　of　the　water　course。　What　they　saw　ahead　of　them　was　a　rampart　of　stone　some　hundreds　of　yards　high；　running　away　to　the　left　and　right　with　no　breaks。

〃A　dead　end！〃　Annie　wailed。　〃And　the