15_death_dance-第27部分

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　up　to　Lron；　once　again　indicating　the　direction。　〃You　can　just　make　out　the　entrance　or　whatever　it　is。〃

Tesla　gave　him　the　Invid　word　for　the　portal；　mumbling　something　Jack　found　unintelligible。

〃Like　I　said：　whatever　it　is。〃

Careful　not　to　disturb　his　transpirator；　Lron　took　a　look　through　the　armored　glasses　and　passed　them　along　to　Crysta。　She　was　upping　the　intensity　some；　when　Learna's　trill…like　signal　reached　them　from　somewhere　in　the　trees。　A　moment　later；　the　Garudan　appeared　at　the　base　of　the　slope；　motioning　the　team　down。　Gnea　and　Bela　were　crouched　behind　her；　masked　and　vigilant；　looking　more　than　ever　like　barbaric　gladiators　lifted　from　some　Roman　arena。　Jack　tapped　Janice　on　the　shoulder　and　got　everyone　under　way。

They　had　reached　the　crater　well　before　dawn；　without　incident　despite　the　presence　of　stepped…up　Inorganic　patrol　teams。　Not　just　Hellcats；　but　Cranns　and　Odeons…bizarre　enough　creatures　by　daylight；　and　positively　frightening　in　the　predawn　ground　fog。　Even　these　hadn't　deterred　the　free　Garudans　from　putting　in　an　appearance；　though；　only　this　time　it　was　more　than　curiosity　that　motivated　them：　many　had　armed　themselves　with　Karbarran　air　rifles；　hoisting　them　in　a　display　of　support　as　the　team　passed。　Just　before　sunrise　at　the　crater　rim；　Jack　had　seen　flashes　of　explosive　light　in　the　southwestern　skies；　rolls　of　distant　thunder…the　Skull's　bombing　run　against　the　neighboring　farm。　Shortly　thereafter；　scores　of　Shock　Troopers　had　risen　from　the　basin　and　flown　toward　the　sound　of　the　guns。

〃Any　activity？〃　Jack　asked　when　he　reached　the　base　of　the　slope。

〃Nothing　so　far；〃　Learna　told　him。　〃We　went　as　far　as　the　hive。〃

Jack　turned　to　Tesla。　〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　said　angrily。　He　had　no　patience　left　for　the　Invid's　malingering。　Keeping　Tesla　concealed　on　the　trail　had　led　to　more　than　a　few　hairy　moments；　and　on　the　slope　he　had　behaved　less　like　a　sentient　creature　than　an　out…of…control　boulder。　But　now　the　time　had　e　for　Tesla　to　earn　his　keep。　〃What's　their　routine？〃

Tesla　glanced　at　what　could　be　seen　of　the　hive　through　the　trees。　〃Difficult　to　say；　what　with　all　the　activity　you've　stirred　up。　Normally；　the　slaves　would　be　arriving　any　minute　now。〃　Tesla　looked　up　at　one　of　the　trees'　vine…encrusted　globe　canopies。　〃Pity；　too；〃　he　mused。　〃All　this　ripe　fruit　going　to　waste。〃

Jack　brandished　a　long…bladed　dirk　as　Tesla　reached　out　to　pluck　a　particularly　succulent…looking　piece。　〃You　haven't　earned　it　yet；　Tesla。　Besides；　you　don't　really　want　to　take　off　the　mask；　do　you？〃

Tesla　thought　it　over。　There　was　no　reason　he　couldn't　lift　the　mask　for　the　time　it　would　take　to　gobble　down　some　fruit；　but　he　decided　not　to　bother　arguing　the　point。　So　he　simply　left　the　fruit　to　rot　Instead　of　adding　it　to　the　samples　he　had　already　stuffed　into　the　pockets　of　his　robes。

〃No；　I　suppose　not；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。

Jack　ordered　him　to　take　the　point；　and　in　ten　minutes　the　team　arrived　at　the　hive's　entrance。　It　was　faintly　lit；　a　half…moon…shaped　tunnel　twenty…five…feet　high　and　posed　of　what　looked　like　solidified　sea　foam。　There　seemed　to　be　a　slight　shimmering　to　the　air　inside；　but　this　ceased　when　Tesla　identified　himself　to　the　scanner。　A　voiceprint；　Jack　thought；　but　he　couldn't　be　sure。

The　tunnel　was　deadly　hot；　evil…smelling　even　through　the　masks'　filters；　and　reminded　Jack　of　fiber…optic　vids　he　had　seen　of　the　human　body's　arterial　system。　It　terminated　in　a　rotunda；　whose　enormity　and　crepuscular　illumination　Jack　found　disorienting。　Dozens　of　corridors　emptied　into　the　area；　like　detonator　horns　on　an　old…fashioned　naval　mine。

〃We　can　dispense　with　these　contraptions；〃　Tesla　was　saying；　pulling　the　transpirator　from　his　snout。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　smiled　at　everyone。　Jack　could　see　that　he　was　taking　obvious　delight　in　their　amazement。

〃This　is　our　foyer；〃　Tesla　said；　with　an　elaborate　wave　of　his　arm。

Jack　checked　the　display　on　the　biosensor　Jean　had　strapped　on　his　wrist。　Satisfied；　he　slipped　the　filtration　mask　from　his　mouth；　determined　to　keep　a　straight　face。　Still　wary；　he　sniffed　at　the　air；　found　it　slightly　dank　but　breathable；　and　gave　the　all…clear　for　the　others　to　follow　his　example。　〃Which　way？〃　he　demanded；　leading　with　his　chin。

Tesla　pointed　to　the　circular　shaft　directly　overhead。　〃There。〃　With　a　theatrical　gesture；　he　motioned　the　team　to　gather　round　him。　No　sooner　had　they　done　so　than　they　found　themselves　imprisoned　by　some　sort　of　tractor　beam　that　was　lifting　them　en　masse　toward　the　overhead　shaft。　Gnea　brought　the　tip　of　her　lance　to　the　ribbed　underside　of　Tesla's　neck。

〃No；〃　he　told　her；　up　on　tiptoes　to　ease　the　contact。　〃You　have　it　all　wrong。　This　is　simply　our。。。elevator　system。〃

Jack　and　Janice　were　down　in　a　bat　crouch；　weapons　drawn；　searching　the　beam's　translucent　circumference　for　any　sign　of　danger。　Lron；　Crysta；　Bela；　and　Kami　were　similarly　postured；　Karbarran　air　rifles　at　high　port；　crossbows　armed。　Tesla　continued　to　protest　for　the　duration　of　the　thirty…second　ascent　into　the　dome's　upper　reaches。

Slowly；　the　tractor　field　began　to　de…rezz。

Jack　had　relaxed　some　by　the　time　the　beam　shut　down；　then　all　at　once　he　saw　four　Invid　sentries　swinging　around　to　face　them；　forearm　cannons　raised。


Max　had　seen　Miriya's　Alpha　go　down。　He　had　his　own　VT　in　Battloid　mode　now；　and　was　running　it　toward　the　crash　site　through　a　section　of　burning　forest。　Two　of　his　team　were　dead；　at　least　that　many　of　Miriya's　had　died　as　well。　He　wasn't　sure　how　Wolff　was　doing；　but　he　had　seen　more　than　one　Hovertank　overturned　by　Shock　Trooper　anni　disks。　Max　didn't　even　want　to　think　about　the　Garudan　slaves。　And　suddenly　there　was　Miriya　to　worry　about。

The　mecha's　scanners　caught　sight　of　something　up　ahead；　and　Max　called　for　increased　intensity；　studying　the　biosensor　data　displays。　A　minute　later　he　had　visuals。　It　was　Miriya's　Red　Alpha　alright；　in　lopsided　Guardian　configuration；　radome　tipped　to　the　ground…a　wounded　bird。

Then　Max　spotted　the　Hellcats…four　of　them；　attacking　the　VT's　canopy　with　a　frenzy；　battering　it　with　downward　blows　of　their　armored　heads。　He　could　see　that　one　Inorganic　had　managed　to　get　a　claw　inside；　and　was　waving　it　around；　presumably　hoping　to　slice　Miriya　to　shreds。　The　four　turned　at　the　same　moment　to　show　Max　their　gleaming　fangs　and　sword…edged　shoulder　horns；　two　hunt…mates　leaped　for　the　VT　straightaway；　but　he　already　had　the　rifle/cannon　locked　on　them。　They　came　apart　in　midair　like　clay　pigeons。　Max　holed　a　third　where　it　stood　glaring　at　him；　and　now　the　final　'Cat　snatched　its　paw　from　the　punctured　canopy；　reared　up；　and　came　at　him。　Max　tried　to　sidestep　the　Battloid　when　the　Hellcat　jumped；　but　his　timing　was　off；　the　Inorganic　latched　on　to　the　mecha's　ablative　head　shields　and　began　to　ram　its　snout　against　the　permaplas　visor。　Reflexively；　Max　pressed　himself　back　into　the　cockpit　seat；　he　had　a　larger…than…life　view　of　the　crazed　thing's　snapping　mouth　and　false　gullet。　The　'Cat　was　snarling；　trying　desperately　to　slice　open　the　Battloid's　belly　with　the　churning　motion　of　its　razor…sharp　hind　claws。　Max　shut　down　the　external　pickups　and　armed　the　head　lasers。　The　angle　was　almost　too　oblique；　but　the　Hellcat's　back　was　heaving　in　and　out　of　the　targeting　brackets　and　Max　thought　he　might　have　a　chance。　He　raised　the　Battloid's　left　arm；　gripped　the　'Cat　around　the　waist；　and　tugged　it　into　the　lasers'　field。　Then　he　triggered　the　in…close　guns。　The　Inorganic　brought　its　head　up　as　the　light　beams　seared　into　its　backside；　it　took　Max's　follow…up　pulse　right　through　the　eyes　and　dropped　to　the　ground；　lifeless。

Max　stomped　the　thing　twice。　He　imaged　over　to　Guardian　mode　and　pulled　his　mask　tight　as　he　popped　the　media's　canopy。　Miriya　had　yet　to　show　herself。　Scampering　up　along　the　Red's　downswept　wing；　he　peered　into　the　shattered　cockpit　and　began　to　fumble　with　the　manual…release　levers。

〃Miriya！〃

He　called　her　name　twice　more　before　he　succeeded　in　springing　the　ship's　protective　blister。　She　appeared　unharmed；　but　unconscious。　More　troubling；　however；　was　the　fact　that　the　Hellcat　had　ripped　off　her　mask；　she　had　been　breathing　Garuda's　atmosphere　for　a　dangerously　long　time。


CHAPTER　TWELVE

Several　mentators　have　felt　pelled　to　point　out　that　Jonathan's　Wolff's　〃slip〃　＇sic：　see　Mizner's　Rakes　and　Rogues；　The　True　Story　of　the　SDF…3　Expeditionary　Mission＇　was　perhaps　the　pivotal　event　of　the　Third　Robotech　War。　The　reasoning　goes　something　like　this：　If　Wolff　had　fired　on　the　Invid　ship；　Rem　would　never　had　reached　Haydon　IV；　and　without　Rem；　the　Regis　would　not　have　been　as　likely　to　instruct　her　Sensor　Nebulae　to　search　the　Galaxy's　outermost　arms　for　evidence　of　the　matrix；　and　would　not；　therefore；　have　found　Earth　until　years　after　the　Expeditionary　mission　returned。　The　reader　must　decide　for　him　or　herself　whether　anything　is　to　be　gained　by　such　speculation；　but　I　would　point　out　that　＇Mizner's＇　reasoning　can　be　made　to　apply　in　both　directions。　It　is　as　easy　to　blame　Lynn…Minmei　as　it　is　Jonathan　Wolff。
Footnote　in　Zens　Bellow's　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

An　Invid　ship；　a　small　shuttle；　had