12_symphony_of_light-第13部分

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l　like　a　fiery　hail　on　the　immobilized　alien　ship；　destroying　it　even　while　its　own　cannons　were　blazing　away。　To　add　insult　to　injury；　Scott　launched　another　missile　into　the　dome　overhead；　loosing　a　fall　of　massive　ice　chunks；　which　sealed　the　Enforcer's　fate。

Rand　and　Rook　were　still　being　pursued　by　the　first　ship；　whose　pilot　was　obviously　the　more　experienced　of　the　two。

〃Boy；　this　high　altitude's　beginning　to　affect　me；〃　Rand　told　his　teammate；　fighting　for　breath。

They　had　stopped　to　go　face…to…face　with　the　ship　after　realizing　that　Scott　and　Lancer　were　ing　in　to　outflank　it。　Now　all　four　of　them　opened　up　at　once；　throwing　everything　they　had　against　the　Enforcer　and　what　was　left　of　the　devastated　dome；　burning　and　burying　it　much　as　they　had　its　panion　ship。

But　suddenly　there　was　another　ship　in　the　arena：　a　drab　gray…green　mand　ship　with　orange…tan　highlights。　They　had　seen　this　one　before　and　had　hoped　they　wouldn't　see　it　again。

〃Scott；　behind　you！〃　Rook　warned。

The　team　scattered；　but　the　mand　ship　stuck　with　Scott；　pursuing　him　through　several　blocks…literally　through　the　buildings；　although　Scott　was　using　the　doorways　and　the　alien　was　simply　making　his　own。　Ultimately　they　squared　off；　the　giant　insectlike　ship　and　the　diminutive　Cyclone；　and　Scott　flicked　on　his　externals　to　say：　〃I　had　a　sick　feeling　you　would　show　up　again。〃

The　Invid　raised　its　cannon　arm　and　would　have　slagged　him　then　and　there　had　it　not　been　for　Lancer　and　the　others；　who　distracted　it　with　rooftop　fire。　Scott　seized　the　moment　to　leap　away；　but　the　mand　ship　continued　to　stalk　him…probably　angered　by　the　earlier　ment；　Scott　had　the　temerity　to　say　to　himself。　Even　Lunk；　Annie；　and　Marlene　had　joined　the　fray　by　this　time；　they　were　packed　into　the　APC；　riding　circles　around　the　Invid's　feet　while　spraying　it　ineffectually　with　machine…gun　fire。　Down　on　his　butt　with　the　alien　looming　over　him；　Scott　wondered　how　they　had　gotten　the　vehicle　down　to　street　level；　but　he　didn't　dwell　on　it　for　long；　because　the　Invid　was　ignoring　the　trio　and　raising　that　handgun　again。

Just　then　Annie　somehow　succeeded　in　angering　the　thing　with　some　silly　ment；　the　Invid　switched　targets；　reangled　its　handgun；　and　fired　off　a　rapid　burst　that　nipped　at　the　carrier's　tail。　The　APC　was　unscathed；　but　something　had　been　thrown　from　the　rear　seat…something　pink　and　soft…looking。。。

Scott　realized　it　was　a　dress　of　some　sort　but　couldn't　believe　his　scanners　when　he　saw　that　Marlene　was　running　back　to　retrieve　it！　Lunk　had　brought　the　APC　to　a　halt　and　was　yelling　at　her　to　forget　about　it。

The　Invid　ship　swung　around　and　took　one　giant　step；　aiming　menacingly　at　its　defenseless　prey。　In　the　cockpit；　Corg　stared　down　at　the　sister　his　race　had　lost　to　the　Humans　and　could　not　bring　himself　to　fire。

Scott；　meanwhile；　had　launched　himself　straight　up；　crying　out　Marlene's　name　and　launching　half　a　dozen　Scorpions　straight　into　the　Invid's　back。　Leaking　fire　from　its　seams；　the　alien　whirled　on　him　and　raised　its　cannon；　but　Scott　was　again　quicker　to　the　draw　with　two　more　missiles　that　managed　to　sever　the　ship's　right　arm。

The　cannon　hit　the　floor　with　a　thunderous　crash；　but　Corg　wasn't　about　to　retreat　just　yet。　He　turned　and　stomped　after　Scott；　shouldering　the　ship　through　the　walls　of　the　building　and　out　into　the　street。

There；　the　reunited　rebel　team　ganged　up　on　the　mand　ship；　paralyzing　it　with　missile　fire　and　opening　up　the　rest　of　the　dome。　It　was　as　though　a　dam　had　collapsed：　hundreds　of　tons　of　snow　and　ice　were　pouring　into　the　city。　The　Invid　struggled　against　the　slides　but　eventually　succumbed　to　the　sheer　weight　of　the　fall。　It　went　down　on　one　knee；　systems　sputtering　and　shorting　out；　then　tipped　to　its　side。

〃To　the　Alphas；　everybody！〃　Scott　manded。

〃Well；　there　goes　the　world's　shortest　vacation；〃　Rand　said　in　response。

Lunk；　Annie；　and　Marlene　were　waiting　for　them　on　the　roof。　Once　more；　Scott　couldn't　figure　out　how　the　APC　had　managed　it；　but　he　didn't　stop　to　ask。　He　reconfigured　his　mecha　to　its　two…wheeled　mode　and　told　Lunk　to　stow　the　four　Cycs　in　their　Veritech　partments。　Marlene　was　frightened　but　unhurt。　Scott　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　hug　her；　his　battle　armor　notwithstanding；　but　he　contented　himself　with　simply　touching　her　shoulder。

Shortly　they　had　the　Veritechs　in　the　air；　the　APC　slung　from　the　undercarriage　of　the　Beta。

〃Sorry　about　the　acmodations；〃　Scott　apologized　to　Lunk；　Annie；　and　Marlene；　〃but　the　fresh　air　will　do　you　good。〃

Lunk　swung　himself　around　in　the　driver's　seat　of　the　APC　to　look　back　at　the　massive　holes　in　the　ice　dome　that　had　kept　the　city　a　secret　from　its　surroundings　for　the　past　twenty　years。　In　his　hand　he　held　an　electronic　detonator　he　had　rigged　to　the　puter　control　system　of　the　city's　thermal　furnaces。

〃Now　or　never；〃　he　said　out　loud；　and　thumbed　the　trigger　button。

Five　minutes　later　the　city　exploded　with　near…volcanic　force；　a　swirling　pillar　of　fire　shot　up　into　the　winter　skies；　vaporizing　snow　and　ice　and　capturing　the　resultant　thaw　and　clouds　of　steam。　The　sound　of　follow…up　explosions　echoed　in　the　mountains；　catching　the　Veritechs　in　their　roar。　They　fought　to　stabilize　themselves　in　the　shock　waves　and　newborn　thermals；　the　jeep　rocking　to　and　fro　like　a　pendulum　beneath　Scott's　fighter。

〃What　the　hell　happened？！〃　Rand's　panicked　voice　boomed　over　the　net。

Lunk　flipped　on　the　APC　mike。　〃I　rigged　the　main　generator　to　feed　back　on　itself；〃　he　explained。

〃Bu…but　why？！〃

〃Because　that　city　had　no　place　in　this　world。〃　There　was　a　kind　of　anger　in　Lunk's　voice。

〃Well；　it　sure　doesn't　anymore；〃　Rand　said。

〃Some　fireworks；　though；〃　Rook　mented。

〃Well；　golly　gee；　Miss　Rook；　sure　glad　we　were　able　to　bring　some　excitement　to　your　day。　Least　you　won't　have　to　be　bored　anymore。〃

〃Who　asked　you？！〃　Rook　returned。

Scott　listened　to　them　go　at　it；　then　reached　out　to　lower　the　volume　in　his　cockpit。　He　craned　his　neck　to　see　if　he　could　get　a　glimpse　of　Marlene；　below　him　in　the　personnel　carrier。　She　knew　they　were　ing；　he　told　himself。　But　what　was　the　strange　link　they　shared？　What　channel　had　the　Invid　opened　in　her　shocked　mind　that　allowed　her　to　sense　their　ing？　And　could　the　team　somehow　tap　that　frightening　frequency？

He　thought　back　to　the　mand　ship's　momentary　paralysis　when　Marlene　had　appeared　to　pick　up　Annie's　lost　dress。　Why　didn't　the　alien　pilot　fire？　he　wondered；　thinking　back　to　the　blond　pilot's　similar　reluctance。　The　Invid　had　her　right　in　its　sights；　and　yet　it　was　almost　as　if　the　thing　had　recognized　her。

Almost　as　if　Marlene　was。。。one　of　them。


CHAPTER　SEVEN

Opinions　vary：　there　are　those　who　give　Annie　LaBelle's　age　as　thirteen　and　others　who　give　it　as　seventeen；　and　there's　enough　contradictory　background　data　to　give　strength　to　either　argument。　Subsequent　research　has　yet　to　reveal　enough　to　persuade　or　dissuade　either　camp。　Rand；　in　his　voluminous　Notes　on　the　Run；　states　that　〃Annie　was　thirteen　going　on　seventeen；　〃　while　elsewhere　he　opines　that　〃she　may　be　seventeen；　but　she　acts　like　she's　thirteen。〃　It　is　a　minor　controversy；　to　be　sure；　but　one　that　is　still　argued　over。　Ms。　LaBelle　has　not　been　helpful　in　laying　this　matter　to　rest。
Footnote　in　Below；　The　Road　to　Reflex　Point

The　presence　of　Invid　scouts　patrolling　the　outer　perimeters　of　the　central　hive　forced　the　team　to　keep　to　the　mountains　and　turn　south　once　again。　There　was　still　no　sign　of　Hunter's　invasion　force；　and　the　Protoculture　reserves　in　the　VTs　were　simply　too　low　to　permit　any　worthwhile　reconnaissance　behind　the　enemy　lines。　No　one　was　really　put　off　by　the　delay；　even　Scott　breathed　easier　knowing　that　Reflex　Point　was　temporarily　out　of　the　question。　Besides；　the　snow　was　behind　them；　even　though　the　land　itself　was　no　less　rugged。　Travel　since　〃Denver〃　had　been　almost　due　south…into　what　Scott's　maps　indicated　had　once　been　called　western　Texas。

Scott；　Rook；　and　Lancer　had　done　most　of　the　flying；　Lunk's　APC　was　back　on　the　ground　where　it　belonged；　with　Rand's　Cyclone　to　keep　him　pany。　Annie　was　in　the　mecha's　buddy　seat；　urging　Rand　through　the　old　highway's　twists　and　turns。　It　was　a　warm；　blue…sky　day；　and　she　felt　gloriously　alive　and　unmonly　optimistic。　Indeed；　she　had　good　reason　to　feel　this　way。

〃It's　my　birthday！〃　she　shouted　into　Rand's　ear　when　they　had　exited　one　of　the　road's　many　tunnels。

〃If　you　don't　stop　screaming　in　my　ear；　it'll　be　the　last　birthday　you　celebrate；〃　Rand　warned　over　his　shoulder。

They　had　lost　sight　of　the　VTs　on　the　other　side　of　the　tunnel；　so　he　took　the　turn　fast；　hoping　to　spot　them　before　entering　the　figure…eight　switchbacks　that　led　down　into　the　valley。　All　at　once；　Rook's　red　Alpha　came　whipping　around　the　shoulder；　scarcely　ten　feet　above　the　roadbed。　Rand　told　Annie　to　hold　on　and　locked　the　Cyclone's　brakes；　stabilizing　the　mecha　through　a　long　slide　as　Rook　was　setting　the　fighter　down。　Lunk　had　a　clearer　view　of　things　and　managed　to　bring　the　APC　to　a　more　controlled　stop　behind　the　cyc。

〃Why　don't　you　look　where　you're　going？！〃　Rand　shouted　even　before　Rook　had　opened　the　canopy。

〃Are　you　trying　to　kill　us？！〃　Annie　threw　in。

〃Just　the　opposite；〃　Rook　said　peevishly　over　the　Alpha's　externals。　〃There's　an　Invid　hive　on　the　other　side　of　the　ridge；　and　at　the　rate　you　two　were　going；　you'd　have　been　on　it　in　no　time。〃

Rand's　eyes　went　wide；　but　instead　of　thanking　her　or　apologizing；　he　simply　said：　〃Way　down　here？　Choicest　spot　around。〃


Rook　was　correct　about　the　hive；　what　she　didn't　realize　was　that　the　Invid　were　already　aware　of　the　team's　presence　and　were　heading　toward　them。　About　the　same　time　she　was　warning　Rand　away；　the　Invid　Regis　was　issuing　new　instructions　to　her　troops　through　one　of　the　hive's　bio…constructs。

〃Shock　Trooper　squadron；　prepare　to　relieve　ining　patrol　drones；〃　she　announced。　〃Projected　course　of　Robotech　rebels　from　last　point　of　encounter　should　bring　them　into　our　control　zone　during　the　next　eight　hours。　Evidence　of　Protoculture　activity　on　the　outlying　limits　of　scanning　perimeter　indicates　possible　presence　of　Robotech　mecha　within　control　zone　even　now。　Al